Our Future is Kind Podcast

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 069 What if kindness isn't just a moral choice, but a brain changing force? In this episode of Our Future is Kind, Michael Neece talks with educator, researcher, and author Dr. Jennifer Fraser about the neuroscience behind kindness, bullying, trauma, and resilience.  Drawing from her books The Bullied Brain and The Gaslit Brain, Jennifer explains how abuse impact...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 068 Cindy Rowe is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, kindness ambassador, and host of The Kindness Advantage podcast. Named a Top 50 Women's Speaker, Cindy has spent nearly 12 years on a mission to show the world that kindness isn't weakness it's a life-transforming practice rooted in courage, community, and personal ownership. In this deeply moving c...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 067 What does it mean to become your own champion? In this episode of  Our Future is Kind , Michael Neece sits down with international speaker, author, and Positive Intelligence expert  Dorice Horenstein  to discuss courage, kindness, resilience, and mental fitness.   Dorice shares practical insights on overcoming fear, setting healthy boundaries, building optimi...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 066   Ron Smith, founder of The Bridge to Kindness and an Area Director of neighborhood bridges, turned a lifetime of community relationships into a volunteer-powered network now active in 68 communities across four states helping over 634,000 people in need. From fire victims who couldn't return to work without tools or scrubs, to a five-pillar framework connect...

Episode 065 of Our Future is Kind Podcast Kelly Winegarden Hall — leadership strategist, CEO, and author of Love Works — shares how a cancer diagnosis transformed her approach to work, health, and leadership. She breaks down why eliminating "dis-ease" in organizations unlocks performance, why intentional pauses outperform grinding, and how Europe's work culture gets more done with six weeks of vac...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 064 Susan Jarema has been an entrepreneur her whole life — and when COVID shuttered a conference and stranded her at the Grand Canyon, she and a colleague turned the moment into a movement. Today, as founder of New Earth Marketing and co-founder of The Grand Connection, she helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs grow through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and...

Kelly Schuknecht spent 20 years as the person behind the person — executing visions for CEOs while staying completely out of the spotlight. Now, as founder of Two Mile High Marketing and host of the Beyond the Bestseller podcast, she helps entrepreneurs and authors step into their own authority and get their messages into the world. In this conversation, Kelly and Michael dig into what it really m...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 062 After 30 years empowering corporate leaders, author and speaker Margie Hamner had a vision that changed everything — and it led her straight to children. Now through her Magic Ball of Light book series, she's bringing the same emotional intelligence tools she taught executives directly to kids ages 7–11, helping them build confidence, manage their emotions, a...

Our Future is Kind Podcast Episode 061 Beth Robins — transformational speaker, certified life coach, and author — joins us to share how choosing gratitude, courage, and kindness each morning can completely transform your day and your life. From her days on Broadway to founding the Seize the Day with a Smile movement, Beth reveals how to stop carrying what isn't yours, befriend fear, let go of vict...

R. Scott Holmes — intuitive energy practitioner, transformational coach, and lead author of the anthology From Burnout to Burning Bright — joins Michael G. Neece to explore how loss, caregiving, and burnout can become a doorway to radical self-discovery. Scott shares how Reiki, travel, and writing helped him rebuild his identity after decades as a caregiver. Together, Scott and Michael unpack the...

Brian Biro—America's Breakthrough Speaker—joins Michael Neece to explore how we create a kinder future instead of waiting for it. Brian shares his "3 controllables" (vision, energy, and building people) and why the real breakthrough is always from fear to love. They talk "WOOs" (windows of opportunity), the ripple effect of presence, and how humility keeps us learning. You'll also hear a powerful...

Master healer Megan Edge shares how deep healing begins with self-kindness and the courage to release judgment. In this powerful conversation, she explores mind-body-soul healing, the impact of language on our nervous system, and how reframing our stories can transform trauma into purpose. Megan discusses holistic health, emotional sovereignty, nature as medicine, and the importance of taking resp...

How do teams hit peak performance and feel peace? Leadership advisor and keynote speaker Neeta Jain joins Michael G. Neece to unpack why EQ alone isn't enough—and how moral intelligence (MQ) helps leaders make ethical decisions under pressure, rebuild trust, and reduce team friction in fast-paced tech environments. They explore scarcity mindset, performative empathy, and the difference between nic...

What happens when global kindness leaders converge in one room? Find out as k20 Kindness Summit co-founders Alan Williams (SERVICEBRAND GLOBAL), Francesca Donlan (The Kindness Effect), Dr. Maria Roca (FGCU's ROCK Center), and Jenny Haase (Kindness from the Heart) pull back the curtain on the inaugural k20 Kindness Summit — coming to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, May 14–17, 2026. Tog...

What if kindness isn't a "nice-to-have," but infrastructure—designed into workplaces, cities, and schools the way we design safety, inclusion, and flow? Meral Alizada, founder of Results of Kindness, shares how "kind systems" can reduce loneliness, protect neurodiversity, prevent burnout, and make better decisions stick. We explore why speed-first cultures create "human car wrecks," how leadership...

TV host, bestselling author, and joy expert Shari Alyse joins Michael G. Neece to explore the deep connection between kindness, joy, and presence. Shari shares how caregiving for her late father transformed her understanding of purpose, why truly seeing people is one of the greatest acts of kindness, and how daily self-care rituals keep her anchored through grief and uncertainty. She also shares u...

What if the stress you manage isn't really about your calendar—it's about old survival patterns that taught you to abandon yourself? In this episode of Our Future is Kind, Michael sits down with Lolita Guarin, a stress management expert, coach, speaker, podcaster, and bestselling author. They discuss how childhood wounds—especially growing up around addiction, emotional abandonment, or chronic ins...

Energy healer and trauma-informed coach Julie Goldberg returns to share how healing your inner child is the foundation for both personal freedom and a better world. Julie discusses her chapter in Joy Unleashed and her new lead-authored book, Unleash Yourself: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming You, launching September 2026. She and host Michael Neece explore how shame is created — and undone — why kin...

Andrea Locsin—licensed architect turned global entrepreneur—built a virtual-services business during the pandemic by saying "yes," learning fast, and leading with integrity. She now creates paid opportunities for seniors and adults with special needs through a restaurant that doubles as a place of purpose and belonging. In this episode, Andrea shares why "starting small" changes lives, how faith a...

Amanda Fornal has traveled to 100+ countries—and she's also spent 25+ years advising teams, founders, and leaders. In this episode, we talk about what makes someone truly trustworthy in business and life, and why "being kind" isn't the same as "being nice." Amanda shares the story that still chokes her up—a man describing what it felt like to be unseen while homeless—and how that lesson shapes her...

Jeanie Davidson is a transformational coach and co-author of "Joy Unleashed." In this conversation, she and Michael unpack unconditional love, ego (healthy vs. unhealthy), and why kindness can feel like a switch—flipped on in an instant, and taken away just as fast. Jeanie shares practical tools for staying centered: pattern interrupts, releasing "mental clutter," and creating uninterrupted quiet...

Marc Haine (service expert, "master of experiences," and author of Lights! Camera! Action!) joins Michael Neece to unpack what it really takes to build great customer experiences—and why the fastest path there is culture first. Marc shares how he went from shy and withdrawn to a professional speaker, why "kindness" shows up for him as service, and what he learned running restaurants, hotels, and c...

Michael speaks with the extraordinary Jenn Johnson — also known as Jenn With 2 Ns — a podcaster, recruiter, scuba enthusiast, and global citizen on a mission to live a life of purpose and service. Jenn shares how she went from working in higher education to recruiting for major tech companies, always staying rooted in a desire to help others succeed. She opens up about the loss of both parents in...

Shenandoah Chefalo joins Michael G. Neece to explore trauma-informed leadership, connection, and how to stay grounded when the world feels heavy. Shen shares why "fake it till you make it" can leak onto others, and offers a powerful reframe: shift from "What's wrong with me?" to "What's strong in me?" You'll learn Shen's SAFE framework—Safety, Agency, Fairness, Empathy—plus practical tools for red...

Natalie Siston is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and bestselling author of "Let Her Out: Reclaim Who You've Always Been," a heartfelt guide that blends life coaching and personal narrative to help people reconnect with their truest selves. In this episode of Our Future is Kind, Natalie joins Michael G. Neece not just as a guest—but as a returning friend—offering practical wisdom on silence, r...