Motivational Mondays: Conversations with Leaders

Suzanne Corso became the author of her own life when she wrote her way out of an impossible situation. Growing up in mafia-run Brooklyn, Suzanne became entangled in relationships with dangerous men, finding herself entrenched in a harmful and seemingly inescapable lifestyle. That is, until she decided to write her own story and change the course of her future. LEARN MORE: >> Read Suzanne’s books: ...

Suzanne Corso became the author of her own life when she wrote her way out of an impossible situation. Growing up in mafia-run Brooklyn, Suzanne quickly became entangled in relationships with dangerous men who, at the time, had an alluring edge to them.  That allure faded quickly and Suzanne found herself entrenched in a harmful and seemingly inescapable lifestyle that ended when her significant o...

The "Queen of Conflict Resolution," Naja Hall, is an expert in blended families. It began when she entered a relationship where a blended household would become part of her family structure. Her initial circumstances were difficult and she found very few resources to help manage the situation. She did her homework, shared what she discovered, and became the go-to resource for others in similar sit...

The "Queen of Conflict Resolution," Naja Hall, is an expert in blended families. It began when she entered a relationship where a blended household would become part of her family structure. Her initial circumstances were difficult and she found very few resources to help manage the situation. But she did her homework, shared what she discovered, and became the go-to resource for others in similar...

In this week's Motivational Minutes, NSLS President and CEO Neil Khaund shares the importance of learning from your errors. We all make mistakes but hopefully the lessons you learn will prevent you from making them in the future. Your hope is what inspires you to keep going, even when things are tough. So never give up on yourself and always keep learning. LEARN MORE: >> Connect with Neil on  Link...

Neil Khaund is the National Society of Leadership And Success (NSLS) President and CEO. With over two decades of experience in higher education and organizational growth, Neil is excited to lead the NSLS as it embarks upon international expansion. Neil jokes that education is part of his DNA. His grandfather is a respected historian whose books are in the Library of Congress, and his aunts and unc...

Run51 is the brainchild of Erin Vilardi. She created the platform to assist women in gaining more of a voice in shaping national policies. Run 51's mission is to support women political candidates as a collective, paving the way for them to gain a majority in each of the 50 state legislatures.  As Erin explains in this week's Motivational Mondays, 51 percent of the US population is women. So, she...

There are millions of people of color who are competent and skilled. Salesforce's Aubree Broadwater doesn't get why so many companies claim they can't find good minority talent.  With that in mind, she takes great pride in her work assisting recruiting managers and HR executives in helping to eliminate stigmas around minority hiring. People of color are qualified, but Aubree points out that indivi...

Jennifer Kauffman realized she needed to share her Boston Marathon Bombing story. She knew that was the only way she could free herself emotionally. One of the main things she did to help herself thrive after this traumatic experience was to forgive the bombers and then, forgive herself. Jennifer ultimately came to terms with insecurity issues that often emerged. Although she had accomplished a lo...

One of the most challenging obstacles you'll face in life is learning to forgive others. Jennifer Kauffman discovered this firsthand after surviving the Boston Marathon bombing.  Jennifer was given the option to read her victim impact statement at the trial of the accused bombers. In her statement, she shared how the horrific event influenced her life. Unexpectedly, Jennifer found herself at a pla...

Cieja Springer is a fashion and style expert who’s worked in luxury marketing for over 16 years with companies like L'Oreal, Maserati, Estée Lauder, and Nordstrom. She's also the host of From The Bottom Up!™️, a podcast where she interviews fashion industry professionals to get their behind-the-scenes take on how to succeed. Cieja had always wanted to write and work with brands. So, she majored in...

Oladotun "Ola" Idowu was intrigued with pop culture as a child. She discovered Syracuse's media program after struggling to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, knowing she didn't want to take the traditional route her parents wanted for her.  Today, in a role that fuses her love of entertainment with marketing, Ola works at Twitter as an Entertainment Content Partner Manager. She descr...

Dr. Obari Cartman, a Professor of Psychology at Georgia State University and Northeastern Illinois University, has served as an advocate in the mental health field inspiring young Black men to make positive changes in their lives. These changes include learning coping skills to overcome challenges they may be facing now or in the future.  An accomplished author, Dr. Cartman's books serve as guides...

The Dizz Wizz book series is the brainchild of Rheon D. Gibson, an enterprising educator with a socio-academic background and master's degree in school counseling. The series comprises children's books geared toward changing the mainstream media perspective of minorities.  Rheon was inspired to write the Dizz Wizz books based on conversations with his son. Rheon wants to change the mainstream medi...

Dr. Joan Fallon is a visionary scientist who has a passion for children’s health and well-being. She’s dedicated her life’s work to championing the cause of children’s wellness worldwide and is a founding member of a successful charter school in Harlem, New York .  In addition to authoring numerous scholarly articles, Joan holds over 300 patents worldwide and is a highly sought-after lecturer, hol...

If you want to know what it takes to succeed, look no further than the teachings of Robert Stevenson. The best-selling author has spoken at over 2,500 companies and helped build high-performing systems with his research in corporate success and experience heading his own companies. In his latest book, Raise Your Line , Robert shares that his son helped name the title based on his theory that life...

Reelaviolette Botts-Ward specializes in empowering black women to thrive through a healing process of dealing spiritually with their systemic emotional issues. She coined the phrase “ancestral grieving” to describe an understanding of how many African Americans carry the weight of generational suffering from racial oppression and inequity. Described as a “Jane of all trades,” Reelaviolette is an a...

With keen insight, Stedman Graham insists that to be a successful leader of others, you must first know how to lead yourself. In the second part of our conversation, he discusses the power of reinvention, overcoming insecurities, and how facing our past empowers us to be successful in the present. If fear is holding you back in life, Stedman has some advice for you: having fears is normal but you...

Stedman Graham leads by example, always striving to be the best version of himself. To help others optimize their opportunity for success, he developed his Nine Step Success Process©️. Stedman teaches that anyone, even those lacking faith in themselves, can become a confident leader through self-discovery and development. Confidence aligned with excellent skills sets the foundation for effective l...

Busyness, not to be confused with business, is something we all face. It's also a problem that needs to be addressed. According to Dr. Garland Vance, author of Gettin' (un)Busy , many people feel overwhelmed from an overextended schedule. One solution is that we learn to say "NO" before taking on any new projects. Garland advises that what we need as individuals or leaders are clear boundaries bet...

Peter Zaccagnino has always been fascinated by airplanes. He earned his undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering and got his pilot's license, which allowed him to fly many aircraft — including three he designed by himself! Peter is a proud but humble aviator who’s traveled the world and logged time on 270 planes. But there's so much more to his story, including surviving harrowing experien...

First-generation college students often experience a lack of financial support from their parents. Sherri Graf found herself in that position and it motivated her to create a resource for incoming students to gain access to money for school. With Imagine Scholarships, Sherri's mission is to address the economic needs of college-bound (or trade school-bound) students. The platform provides financia...

Hitha Palepu is one of the most knowledgeable speakers on social issues and diversity. She's a CEO, investor, advocate, and author with a popular new book, We're Speaking: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris: How to Use Your Voice, Be Assertive, and Own Your Story, which was inspired by the 2020 Vice Presidential debate. As a mother raising two sons, Hitha shares the importance of males understandin...

If you want to land your dream job, the resume and interview process must go as planned. Madeline Mann is an HR leader with an award-winning YouTube channel, "Self Made Millennial," and over half a million followers on social media. She helps young professionals conquer the critical steps of seeking employment. Filled with helpful interview tips, advice on overcoming nerves during video chats, and...

In the second half of our conversation with Kara Goldin, the successful entrepreneur talks about her fundraising experience for hint® water.  Her background in tech allowed her to make many industry connections from Silicon Valley. For some women entrepreneurs, the investment landscape is hard to navigate; for Kara, it wasn’t difficult to get meetings but what came next was a different story. List...