Our Future is Kind Podcast

What if being kind could save you from burnout—and help you lead better?   In this episode, Michael sits down with Lara Heacock, a leadership coach who fuses kindness and accountability to help people show up more fully at work and at home. Lara shares her personal journey through burnout, the healing power of micro-kindnesses, and how therapy, self-awareness, and real rest transformed her approac...

In this episode, Michael Neece sits down with Nikki Groom, CEO of Raised Voices, to explore the power of authentic leadership and personal branding for speakers. Nikki shares how showing up as your true self creates deeper connection and impact, and how slowing down to practice curious compassion can transform conflict into understanding. They discuss envisioning a future rooted in equity and empa...

Dina Meyers Explores Justice, Equity, and Kindness in Live Entertainment | #LiveEntertainment In this episode, Michael Neece welcomes Dina Meyers, a live entertainment expert who shares insights on kindness and respect in a challenging industry. She highlights honoring all roles and building trust through kindness. Dina discusses advocating for herself in a male-dominated field, equity, and allysh...

In this episode of Our Future is Kind Podcast, Michael Neece welcomes Brendan Bernat, a program manager, writer, speaker, and financial association professional with over two decades of experience. Brendan shares his heartfelt insights on kindness, leadership, and the courage it takes to build better workplaces and communities. He reflects on his journey from growing up in Northern Virginia to man...

Trans Parent: A Dad Talks about his Daughter and how Curiosity & Compassion Win Every Time  Michael G. Neece speaks with Kevin Huntting about being father to a transgender daughter, what he's learned, how **not** scary trans people are, and advice to other fathers. Kevin is founder of The Human Summit and Michael is co-founder. Learn more about the Summit here: https://www.thehumansummit.com/home...

In this episode of Our Future is Kind, host Michael G. Neece welcomes energy healer and trauma-informed coach Julie Goldberg. Julie shares her journey in inner child healing, embodiment, and soul-level transformation through ancient healing modalities rooted in the modern mystery school. Discover how kindness is more than niceness—it's truth in action, how to set kind boundaries, and why self-love...

Join host Michael G. Neece for a fascinating conversation with space historians and authors Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III about their new book Starbound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program. Dive into stories from early rocketry to bold future predictions, including insights on the "overview effect" astronauts experience and how kindness and cooperation shape our shared cosmic...

Belonging Starts with Listening: Bernadette Smith on Inclusive Leadership & Courage | #leadership   What if creating a more inclusive workplace started with just listening? In this powerful episode of Our Future is Kind, Michael interviews Bernadette Smith—CEO of the Inclusive 360° consulting firm, TEDx speaker, and champion for inclusive leadership. Bernadette shares real stories, practical tools...

Lead with Kindness Live with Purpose: John Neral on Owning Your Career Journey | #Career What if the kindest thing we can do in today's fast-paced world is to simply pause? In this episode of Our Future is Kind, Michael welcomes John Neral—career coach, podcast host, and advocate for mid-career professionals navigating change. John shares powerful insights on how to lead with non-judgment, embrace...

Kindness at Work Isn't Fluff | Charlie Saffro on Leadership, Empathy, and Brave Culture | #inspiration Join Michael as he sits down with Charlie Saffro—CEO of CS Recruiting, TEDx speaker, and leadership visionary—for a powerful conversation about building workplace cultures rooted in kindness, empathy, and authenticity. In this episode of Our Future is Kind , Charlie shares real-world stories and...

On this Our Future is Kind Podcast episode, guest Jeff Harmon speaks about his inspiring journey. Diagnosed with a neurological condition that has reshaped his life, Jeff has embraced his own "impossible" by using a wheelchair and setting out to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro—a testament to his message that what seems impossible is often the starting line for extraordinary transformation. This mission...

In this episode of Our Future is Kind, Michael sits down with Hardeep Kaur, a global change manager, leadership expert, and communications strategist with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Hardeep shares transformative insights on how kindness, emotional intelligence, and cultural empathy are essential tools for leading organizational change.   🚀 Kindness Challenge! Refl...

In this episode of Our Future is Kind® Podcast, host Michael G. Neece interviews Kevin Hunting, a transition expert with over 20 years of corporate marketing experience. Links below for the full podcast. Please visit our website to get more information: http://ourfutureiskind.com/ 💬 We dive deep into: ✔️ The importance of kindness as an intentional practice ✔️ The importance of overcoming the ego...

Empathy is a Reliable Path to Profit and Success at Your Workplace! #emotional | Speaker and Corporate Strategist Erin Herman Talks about Secrets of Building Strong Organizations through Mindful Leadership Practices Does your organization have command and control leadership that breaks trust, keeps colleagues siloed, and causes delays and poor outcomes? In this episode, we sit down with Erin Herma...

Combat Bullying with Kindness | Mark Melton's Expertise in the Corporate Space and as a Family Man #Bullying #kindness #Leadership Do your children face bullying at school? Have a friend who feels bullied at work? In this episode, we sit down with Mark Melton, pharmaceutical vice president and father of three boys, one with neurodiversity that has led to bullying by classmates. Please visit our we...

Our Future is Kind Podcast guest Erik W. Neill is an actor, stuntman, producer, and playwrite, plus he's a 6th degree master of Taekwondo. On top of all of that, he incorporates meaningful stories in his movies, ones that touch on what it means to be kind, to be inclusive of those with differences, such as the autistic central characters in his upcoming film. Erik is a native Texan raised in the C...

Our Future is Kind Podcast guest James Staton rescued 19 of us (including himself and me!) from the Hurricane Helene disaster zone after two days. This is our story. He is originally from Charlotte, NC and currently lives in Orange County, NC. He graduated from West Charlotte High School and North Carolina A & T University. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, dining out, traveling, an...

Musician, actor, author, and lecturer Dr. Daryl Davis is often called The Rock'n'Roll Race Reconciliator. He's not white. He's not even light-skinned. Make no mistake about it, he's black. As a Black man he has come in closer contact with more members of the Ku Klux Klan than most White people and certainly most Blacks, short of being on the wrong side of a rope. He is the first Black author to wr...

In this episode we have guest Mari C. Ribeiro, Esq., Entrepreneur and Attorney Step into the vibrant world of Mari Ribeiro, the trailblazing intellectual property lawyer, speaker, author, and mindset coach. Catering specifically to entrepreneurs with a lifestyle business, Mari brings her innovative legal expertise in intellectual property while redefining the traditional lawyer-client relationship...

Our Future is Kind Podcast is a podcast in search of a kinder future. Here, we interview futurists, artists, politicians, ethicists, corporate leaders, politicians, and others that our audience suggests so that we can Generate ideas about what the future should look like, and Learn how to exercise our kindness to help build that better, kinder future. In this episode, Michael is solo. This is a ch...

Our Future is Kind Podcast is a podcast in search of a kinder future. Here, we interview futurists, artists, politicians, ethicists, corporate leaders, politicians, and others that our audience suggests so that we can Generate ideas about what the future should look like, and Learn how to exercise our kindness to help build that better, kinder future. In this episode we have a guest host! It's Nat...