One on One with Mista Yu

Ever watched someone take a hard no and build a better yes? That’s the energy today as we sit down with leadership coach and Europe’s Strongest Woman competitor, Zoe Thompson, to explore how a Bristol kid who dreamed of joining the police carved a different path—front desk to senior leadership, single parent to elite athlete, and now a master coach who helps high performers make change that sticks...

What if the worst day of your life became the starting line for your best one? That’s the emotional turn we explore with Anil Gupta—international best-selling author, widely known as “The Love Doctor”—as he lays out a practical path from crisis to clarity. We walk through the moment he lost his finances and nearly his will to live, and the unexpected answer that shifted everything: a partner who c...

What if sales felt like relief instead of pressure? We sat down with executive coach, author, and international speaker Scott Schilling to redefine selling from the ground up—and it starts with a simple idea: identify the problem, provide the solution. Scott shares how heart-centered selling turns every conversation into education without manipulation, why trust must be built ahead of the need, an...

Ever been told you’re not cut out for something? Dusty Holcomb was—then he walked back four years later and slid a magna cum laude diploma across the same desk. That fire shaped how he leads today: service over ego, clarity over control, and relentless learning as the engine of growth. We sit down with Dusty—Founder and Coach at Arcqus Group and podcast host of Leadership Unlocked—to unpack the di...

A knock on a stranger's van window changed everything. When Jeff Fisher followed a spiritual prompting to reach out to a homeless man named Daryl, he had no idea that simple act would spark a movement dedicated to transforming how we approach homelessness in America. Fisher shares the remarkable journey that led him from successful business owner to founder of Ride the Wave Foundation, a rapi...

What if the key to transforming your life isn't pushing harder but understanding your natural rhythms? Amy Lenius, Director of Group Coaching at Next Level University, takes us on her remarkable journey from debilitating chronic illness to vibrant health and success. After years of surgeries, medications, and being told she'd never have children, Amy made a pivotal decision to approach h...

Coach Willie Blake shares his journey from struggling with dyslexia as a child to becoming an author, speaker, and coach who helps others transform their limitations into advantages. He explores how dyslexia can be viewed as a different way of processing information rather than a disability, with unique strengths in pattern recognition, big-picture thinking, and empathy. • Overcoming childhood cha...

The conventional understanding of dyslexia has been wrong for decades. In this eye-opening conversation with Russell Van Brocklen, "The Dyslexia Professor," we discover that dyslexia isn't primarily a reading problem—it's a brain organization challenge that requires a completely different educational approach. Russell shares his personal journey from struggling student with fir...

Executive empowerment coach Varuschka Nagesar shares her journey from practicing law in South Africa to coaching in London, revealing how alignment between values and career choices leads to fulfillment and authentic leadership. • Born and raised in South Africa before moving to the UK for corporate work • Values freedom of movement as a way to learn about people, places, and oneself  • Witnessed...

What happens when your life looks perfect on paper, but feels completely wrong on the inside? Brand architect Deevo Tindall knows this feeling all too well. Coming from a childhood with an abusive father and absent mother as one of twelve siblings, Deevo spent years chasing external markers of success – the corporate job, big house, and material possessions – only to discover profound emptiness un...

Cassandra Crawley-Mayo shares her journey from growing up during the civil rights movement to becoming a pioneering Vice President at a Fortune 500 company, and how she discovered that our greatest obstacles are often self-imposed. • Growing up as the only child during the end of the civil rights movement with a strong faith background • Being "voluntold" to attend an all-white school wi...

Have you ever dimmed your light to make others comfortable? Jessica Di Re's powerful story will make you question why we sacrifice authenticity for acceptance. When Jessica broke her kneecap in a freak accident, she was forced to pause her non-stop lifestyle as a successful real estate broker. What could have been devastating became transformative. "I got really quickly right into mindse...

What happens when a former inmate transforms his darkest experiences into a beacon of hope for others? Dustin Largusa's remarkable journey from prison to purpose reveals the unexpected power of embracing humility over pride. Dustin candidly shares how his "borrowed faith" eventually led him to prison, where he experienced a profound spiritual awakening that changed everything. The f...

Ahmard Vital, international speaker and author, reveals how sports principles apply to everyone competing in the marketplace of life while sharing his journey from journalist to Fox Sports analyst. • Definition of a "baller" – someone who engages in competition at a high level, not just in sports • Athletes often struggle with identity after their sports careers end, with NFL careers ave...

What happens when you finally take full ownership of your life? Robert J. Hunt, accountability coach and author of "Nobody Cares Until You Do," shares the transformative power of genuine accountability in this candid conversation. Growing up with an angry father, Robert had no blueprint for healthy manhood or relationships. Through years of mistakes and growth, he discovered a profound t...

Yogi Mueller shares his powerful philosophy on mentorship, leadership development, and the transformative power of honest feedback – what he calls "The Great Slapping." • Leadership coach and author Yogi Mueller discusses his journey from being "slapped" with honest feedback to becoming a mentor who delivers truth with compassion • The concept of "The Great Slapping"...

What happens when entrepreneurial ambition collides with the limits of human endurance? Mark Dolfini discovered the answer the hard way—lying in a hospital bed, gasping for breath, his vision narrowing to a pinpoint as his body surrendered to double pneumonia. The hospitalist's blunt assessment became his wake-up call: "People who look like you at your age don't lay in hospital beds...

Remi Roy shares her journey from being a painfully shy child in Nigeria to becoming a driven introvert entrepreneur and podcast host. • Growing up as the quiet, reflective child who would make a beeline for the back of any room • Learning to "go deep" with thoughts, studies, friendships, and faith as an introvert strength • Finding inspiration in books like "The War of Art" by...

Jimmy Jean's powerful journey from the streets of Brooklyn to becoming a purpose-driven influencer reveals how service becomes the ultimate foundation for authentic leadership and meaningful impact. Raised by a single mother with his father absent from the picture, Jimmy credits the powerful women in his life—particularly his grandmother—for instilling values of generosity, service, and spiri...

Dr. Troy Hall shares his journey from rural West Virginia to becoming a leadership expert, focusing on how his mother's influence and personal challenges shaped his approach to leadership. He reveals how family experiences, including caring for his mother through dementia, informed his philosophy of transformational leadership and his focus on creating cohesive organizational cultures. • Grow...

Julia shares her journey from an only child with older parents who were teachers to becoming a career strategist after experiencing profound loss. The death of her parents in 2016 and 2018 transformed her perspective, shifting her from seeking their approval to living authentically for herself. • Growing up with significantly older parents created unique expectations about appearance and behavior...

We journey from fleeing Iran during the Islamic Revolution to building a business empire focused on helping others achieve freedom. Nicky Billou shares how his experiences shaped his mission to help entrepreneurs succeed while maintaining their mental health and physical well-being. • Escaping Iran as a Christian refugee after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into their home • Learning from his fathe...

What happens when life strips away your identity and forces you to confront who you really are? Jonathon Asley knows this journey intimately. Growing up as a first-generation Turkish-American in Southern California, he always felt different from his peers—a feeling that would eventually lead him toward profound self-discovery. With raw honesty, Jonathan reveals how he followed society's &quot...

Vad Lee shares his journey from the projects of Durham, NC to record-breaking college quarterback, revealing how a career-ending injury taught him life's most valuable lesson about purpose transcending position. • Growing up in the Cornwallis Projects where the Durham Eagles Pop Warner football team practiced in his backyard • Setting records at Georgia Tech and making Division I history at J...

David Richardson shares his journey from military life to becoming an executive coach and bestselling author, exploring how breaking away from predetermined paths led to authentic leadership and spiritual growth. • Growing up in a military family, moving every 2-3 years including time in Japan • Spending 15 years as a Marine Corps officer before choosing a different path • Experiencing a childhood...