OneSharpSword

Heather Mulligan joins Dr. Wayne Pernell for a rich, far-reaching conversation about leadership, public policy, global perspective, and shaping the economic future of New York State. As President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, Heather has become one of the state’s most influential voices for business growth, workforce development, and smart economic policy. Drawing on a life th...

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Tariq Malik, the “Reluctant CPA” whose career path spans engineering, chartered accountancy, international finance, and now fractional CFO leadership. Tariq shares his journey from Pakistan to England, Canada, the Middle East, and the U.S.—and the lessons learned while helping organizations navigate financial strategy, succession...

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Purnell sits down with Michael Roth, serial entrepreneur and Chief Revenue Officer at InvestCloud, to explore leadership, culture transformation, personal values, and the power of consistency in creating success. Michael shares his unexpected journey from startup founder to CRO, lessons learned from major organizational transitions, and how empathy—and...

In this episode, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Dr. Subhan Ali, Silicon Valley–based co-founder of Gekit, a next-generation data + AI infrastructure company. Subhan shares his unconventional journey from structural engineering into data science, product management, and ultimately entrepreneurship. The conversation explores:   • How data infrastructure underpins all modern AI   • W...

In this episode, Dr. P sits down with Amber Shepherd — a leader whose journey from rural Florida to international consulting to regional economic development shows what’s possible when you listen to the “whispers” and commit to excellence.     Amber shares how she transformed workforce programs, worked with the Korean government on global expansion projects, and now leads major economic...

In this episode of One Sharp Sword , Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with global finance and operations leader Alexander J. Freeman , whose journey spans continents, cultures, and some of the world’s most influential companies. Born in a country that no longer exists, Alex moved from Odessa → Italy → Texas → Moscow → New York → Austin — building a remarkable career with Citigroup, Visa, Dell, American...

In this episode, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Bill Dunnion, CISO at Mitel, to explore the winding path that took him from engineering to operations to leading global cybersecurity efforts. Bill shares candid insights on leadership, decision-making, project success, and navigating pressure in a world where cyber threats never take a day off.     You’ll hear stories about early career...

Grateful, but Ambitious — Leadership Lessons with Kapil Agrawal In this powerful episode of One Sharp Sword , host Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Kapil Agrawal, a strategic leader whose career spans top companies like Uber, Capital One, and SnapLogic. From his small-town beginnings in India to Silicon Valley boardrooms, Kapil’s story is a masterclass in balancing gratitude with ambition — and le...

From Law to Leadership: Building a Culture of Growth with Mark Schwartz     In this episode of One Sharp Sword, host Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Mark Schwartz, CFO, attorney, and transformation leader, to explore how authentic leadership and curiosity create lasting organizational growth.     Mark’s career journey spans finance, corporate law, and large-scale manufacturing...

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell welcomes Elena Leonova, a global product executive and entrepreneur whose work in platform product management bridges technology and humanity. Elena reminds us that even in the most technical roles, “there’s a human side to everything we do — that matters.” Her approach brings people and purpose into spaces often dominated by systems and code....

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Matt Schalsey and host, Dr. Wayne Pernell, dive into the mindset and mechanics of high-performance leadership , exploring how clarity fuels extraordinary outcomes. They discuss how leaders can elevate their presence, align actions with purpose, and stay grounded through rapid growth. Jump in to learn more about Building trust through authenticity Sustaining succ...

  On this episode of One Sharp Sword, podcast host, Dr Wayne Pernell, engages with his guest, Christine Barnhart, to explore the evolution of leadership in supply chain consulting, highlighting the need for adaptability, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic integration of AI in logistics.  Christine is brilliant as she shares lessons from her journey in balancing technology with...

Kristin Oelke is the CMO of Brightrose Ventures. She helps companies get back on track when things get messy. On our podcast today, we dive into what “messy” is and how to get out of it. We also talk about    ●    Curiosity    ●    Finding Purpose    ●    And how to be unafraid to try new things and Ask For Help! She notes that in organiz...

What does a data geek and chief data analytics officer have to teach us about leadership? You’d be surprised! Marcos Martins brings amazing insight about his path from Brazil to leading wonderful teams in the U.S. He says he has a passion for solving problems and that the data tells the story. He invites the question of whether we ever have all the information we need - “we never have everything,...

Natalie Ruiz didn’t wake up one day and decide to become the CEO of AnswerConnect, an answering service firm dedicated to staying human. Nope. She was looking for what she describes as an easy, non-burnout, job. She started with the company as a temp and 20 years later is running it. Her journey began by telling the truth to the then-CEO about what she saw as obstacles to excellent service deliver...

Leadership lessons come from a wide array of experiences. When a man well versed with service and protecting consumers found that his industry was shifting, he carved his own niche. Meet Sean Hicks, the CEO and co-owner of New Leaf Service Contracts. Service contracts can be interesting? They can. But that’s not what we talk about here. It’s the man who sees them through to the companies who prese...

In this powerful episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell welcomes leadership veteran Rich Bledsoe, whose journey from vocational school tinkerer to senior vice president of a multinational corporation is anything but ordinary. Rich shares how growing up with limited means helped shape his drive for excellence, both professionally and personally. He talks about embracing opportunity, even whe...

What if your stress, your “I’m fine,” and your daily grind were actually symptoms of something deeper—dis-ease, not ease? What if there was a way to live with more joy, more vitality, and yes… more bliss? Dr. Roberta Garceau joins me to share the heart of her new book, Bliss, Not Burnout, and her powerful message for anyone stuck in survival mode. We talk about thriving—not just getting by—and how...

From the c-suite to executive leadership coach and author, Emily Sander was a pleasure to have join me on One Sharp Sword.    Superman is Emily’s favorite Superhero. As with Clark Kent, Emily is adopted. She also uses - and encourages others to use - the superpowers for good and to never give up.    She enjoyed business and leadership and especially loves 1:1 interactions where...

GREAT conversation with Alain today. From the culture he grew up with to how he guides leaders today, you’ll get a lot out of listening.   His three Cs are key to leadership, whether at home or in your organization: Connection Communication Collaboration And he spoke of Consistency, which I’d call a 4th C in his model.   Alain’s book Cracking the Leadership Code is worth picking up!&nbsp...

A performance coach coming from the corporate sector who, after reflecting on what he wished he had been taught, Aaron Trahan set out on his path as a coach. He now helps others in leadership roles.   He notes that complacency must be met head on. Current success could block your future success if you allow yourself to get too comfortable.   While it’s easy to get comfortable, he also kn...

What does a musician and conductor know about leadership? My guest, Hugh Ballou, sees his work at conducting transformations. He defines what leadership is and isn’t and what components go into great leadership. His company, SynerVision is a crossover between synergy and vision. Here are some key points. Listen in for more!   Leadership isn’t dictatorship - the leader is an influencer! ...

Can you get excited about conflict?  There’s an old movie from 1950 that caught my attention. It predates me, but still enchanted me. The play-turned-movie is Harvey. The main character, Elmer P. Dowd, finds people in an uproar talking about what he believes in. Elmer’s response, “Oh an element of conflict in any discussion is a very good thing. It shows everybody is taking part and nobody is...

Having grown up in PA, Dr. Kevin Gazzara had a propensity for taking things apart and putting them back together, it was a natural curiosity that drove him. He found himself organizing events for his friends. And what do you get when you have a curious kid who likes to organize? A focus on business and engineering.   After decades with Intel and other organizations, Kevin took to entrepreneur...

What’s the ONLY thing you need to know about my guest this episode? Roy Osing is the ONLY author, entrepreneur, and executive leader who delivers practical and proven “audacious and unheard-of ways” to produce high-performing businesses and successful careers.   His focus is on helping build what he calls The ONLY Statement, identifying what makes each individual or business stand out above e...