Intentional Leader Podcast

In this powerful episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson sits down with high-performance coach and founder of Dad Nation, Mitchell Osmond. Mitchell shares his raw, transformational journey—from being 60 pounds overweight, $100K in debt, and near divorce, to rebuilding his marriage, health, faith, and finances. Discover how a fight and a funeral became his wake-up calls. Mitchell dive...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson sits down with Dave Burnett, CEO of AOK Marketing and PromotionalProducts.com. Dave shares his entrepreneurial journey—from running a liquor sampling business in college with 50 employees, to navigating the Great Recession, to building a digital marketing agency that now pioneers SEO for AI. He dives into leadership lessons learned from...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson interviews Mary Kennedy Thompson, CEO of BNI (Business Network International), former U.S. Marine, and a global franchise powerhouse. Mary shares her inspiring leadership journey—from military service to scaling billion-dollar brands—and reveals the core values that have shaped her success. Learn why authenticity, kindness, and strategi...

In this special solo episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson unveils the long-awaited launch of the Intentional Leader Network (ILN)—a game-changing subscription-based leadership development platform. Learn how ILN can transform your leadership journey with on-demand access to the Intentional Leader Blueprint course, bi-weekly live Zoom calls, and an interactive global community...

What happens when a former pastor becomes a top-tier mental performance coach for elite athletes and global business leaders? In this powerful episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson sits down with Gary Chupik to explore his unique journey from ministry to mindset mastery. Gary shares how unlocking human potential starts with reframing frustration, managing emotional energy, and deve...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson sits down with Neil Twa—e-commerce expert, business strategist, and founder of Voltage Digital Marketing. Neil shares the journey from corporate tech roles at IBM and Sprint PCS to becoming a multi-brand e-commerce entrepreneur. He reveals the hard-earned lessons behind affiliate marketing, building Amazon FBA businesses, and how to sca...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson interviews Dr. Bernadette Atanga—physician, international speaker, and author of Beneath the Armor: Eight Practical Strategies for Men to Embrace Vulnerability and Lead with Authentic Strength. Born in Cameroon and trained in Italy, Dr. Bernadette shares how her global medical journey shaped her leadership philosophy. She dives deep int...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson speaks with African entrepreneur and business visionary Mhmoud Charania, who built one of Mozambique’s largest food manufacturing companies and chairs the board of Crown Paints, East Africa’s top paint producer. From launching a maize mill post–civil war to employing over 2,200 people, Mahmoud shares how he earned trust across cult...

In this episode of the Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson sits down with Ted Santos—entrepreneur, author, and trusted advisor to CEOs—for a deep dive into disruptive leadership, building breakthrough strategies, and leading with accountability. Ted shares compelling stories of transforming operations through intentional questions, empowering teams to solve complex problems independently, and c...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson talks with Eric Charran—technology executive, author, and leadership thinker—about his journey from coding at Microsoft to leading high-performing teams at Intuit. Eric shares lessons learned the hard way, including why being a great individual contributor doesn't always make you ready to manage others. You'll hear how he transformed pa...

Description: In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson welcomes Maria Chapman—former educator turned ghostwriter and nonprofit founder. After two rare neuromuscular conditions left her temporarily paralyzed, Maria faced a total life pivot. With grit, creativity, and purpose, she built Connected Ghostwriting, helping leaders tell their stories, and Journey to Success, a nonprofi...

In this powerful episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson welcomes Kelly Mackin—researcher, best-selling author, and CEO of Motives Met. Together, they explore the groundbreaking Motives Met assessment and how understanding your unique work-related motives can transform your leadership, team dynamics, and workplace well-being. Kelly shares personal stories, research insights, and...

Join Sean Olson on The Intentional Leader Podcast as he welcomes Jim Bouchard, founder of the Keep It Human Network, speaker, and author, for a powerful conversation on leadership, transformation, and empowerment. Jim shares his inspiring journey from addiction to leadership, how martial arts shaped his philosophy, and why the best leaders embrace curiosity, courage, and intentionality. In this ep...

Join Sean Olson on The Intentional Leader Podcast as he welcomes Keith Scott, CEO of KL Scott & Associates, for an insightful conversation on leadership, government innovation, and community impact. With over 30 years in technology and management consulting—including time at Deloitte and Gartner—Keith shares key leadership lessons, the importance of effective communication, and how his firm is...

Join Sean Olson on The Intentional Leader Podcast as he chats with linguist, speaker coach, and National Speakers Association leader Leslie Gordon. Dive deep into the art of communication, the power of accents as a reflection of personal stories, and the keys to becoming a confident, authentic speaker. Leslie shares actionable insights for entrepreneurs, team leaders, and aspiring public speakers...

Join Sean Olson on The Intentional Leader Podcast as he sits down with NFL veteran, entrepreneur, and author Andre Williams. From his journey as a Heisman finalist to transitioning out of the NFL, Andre shares invaluable leadership lessons on resilience, staying true to your identity, and building success after sports. Learn how creativity, mentorship, and intentional living fuel Andre’s entrepren...

Discover the transformative power of intentional leadership with Sean Olson and guest Vince Warnock. In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, Vince shares his journey from overcoming adversity to becoming a bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, and thought leader. Learn how neuroscience, leadership, and authenticity can create high-performing teams and drive meaningful impact. Don't m...

 In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson welcomes personal branding expert and global speaker Lida Citroën. Lida shares her journey from a corporate marketing career to becoming an internationally recognized author and influence coach. They discuss key insights from her latest book, The New Rules of Influence, including building personal credibility, navigating reputatio...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson interviews author, entrepreneur, and leadership consultant Rhonda Parker Taylor. Rhonda shares her journey from a blue-collar upbringing to earning a PhD in leadership and discusses key leadership principles, including emotional intelligence (EQ), storytelling, and life balance. They explore how self-awareness, empathy, and motivat...

In this episode of The Intentional Leader Podcast, host Sean Olson interviews former NFL player, leadership coach, author, and motivational speaker Shawn Harper. Shawn shares his journey from professional football to business success, offering actionable leadership tips that empower listeners to achieve personal and professional growth. He highlights essential leadership principles, such as teamwo...

In this year-end episode of the Intentional Leader Podcast, Sean Olson shares insights on leadership and offers tips to help you thrive in 2025. He delves into key trends you must know about, including the rise of AI and automation. Sean emphasizes the enduring importance of human connection and intentional leadership in navigating the future of work, particularly in today’s ever-evolving digital...

True leadership is often shaped by resilience, and no one embodies this more than Tiran Jackson . In this episode, host Sean Olson welcomes Tiran, a life coach, author, and business owner, to discuss his incredible journey of trauma recovery and transformation. From surviving a devastating accident to rebuilding his life and purpose, Tiran shares valuable insights on how challenges can lead to pro...

The stage is where impact is made, and Stevie Johns, the visionary founder of Inkwell MGMT and a key player at Cicospace , knows how to own it. Get ready for a dose of inspiration! Stevie shares her hard-earned wisdom on authenticity, building a strong brand, setting expectations, and owning the stage. From her humble beginnings as a psychology major to becoming a powerful force in the speaking in...

In this episode of the Intentional Leader podcast, we embark on a captivating exploration of Gretchen Villegas's extraordinary mission to dismantle global poverty systems. As a dedicated global development executive, Gretchen collaborates with vulnerable communities worldwide, aiming to dismantle the ingrained structures that perpetuate poverty and empower these communities to thrive. Join us on t...

Business partnerships are like a chorus; harmonized voices create a powerful sound that resonates widely. Sean Olson welcomes Kim Walsh Phillips and Justin Guarini of the Elite Speakers Network as they discuss the power of business partnerships and overcoming challenges. Kim reflects on her career journey, overcoming her fear of disappointing her parents by switching majors. Justin also shares his...