Soul of a Leader

Valerie Gobos joins us once again to discuss the important topic of balanced leadership in the workplace. The workplace can sometimes be challenging as a female, so it's important to create an atmosphere of equality and not overcompensate anything. Our view of gender roles is influenced and shaped early on, by how we've been raised. Be yourself, have confidence, and show grace, Valerie shares. We...

Rich Mathews is an experienced health insurance broker and senior principal at VistaNational Insurance Group. Rich is also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and successful leader. In order to be a successful leader, you must first believe in what you do and demonstrate gratitude and integrity. Integrity isn't something that's just given to you but something you have to own. A soli...

Valerie Gobos heads up Gobos Film & Entertainment, researching and representing screenplays, books, and life stories for the big and small screens. Valerie has a lifetime of experience in the advertising and entertainment industry and has handled marketing for many companies, including Universal Studios and Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios. Her passion is the energy that drives her to lead others. Va...

Jim, trains leaders to lead others as a college professor. His commitment to the Navy is valuable to his ability to give back. Leadership and management are different terms as Jim explains during the podcast. You manage processes and procedures but you lead people. Decision-making skills are one of the core fundamentals of his teaching process. Values are vital to the process of being a successful...

Leadership started very early for Mary Greene. Her mom taught her leadership and how to be her best and do her best no matter the role or position in life. Foundational leadership is essential to get early in life.  Leadership skills are vital when displayed in front of others but oftentimes leads to carrying the load. You never have to tell anyone that you are a Christian in business. She include...

The pandemic and brutal killing of George Floyd were two devastating events we all experienced in our own unique ways in 2020. Chris Slaughter used this time of uncertainty and pain to spend quality time with his son, Zachary. After purchasing a new camera with graduation money, Zachary and his dad took to the streets of Chicago to photograph street art on boarded-up buildings. These photos captur...

Growing up in a single-parent home, Dickey Simpkens credits his mother for his strong work ethic and leadership skills. His mother set the ultimate example of what it means to persevere through adversity, have confidence and lead with ambition and passion. Dickey is now raising his own beautiful family with the same conviction, love, and drive that his mother instilled in him. Simpkens is a three-...

Brett Penager is the founding partner and owner of Chiro One Wellness Centers and is an extraordinarily successful author, businessman, and entrepreneur. Above all those accomplishments and accolades, Brett wants to be known and remembered as a man of God, a husband and father, and a good friend. From a young age, Brett has learned the power of success and authentic leadership all stems from love...

Listen in as Dr. Alicia and Dr. Eileen reflect on this past year and how the Soul of a Leader podcast came into existence. From its humble beginning, this podcast has developed into something greater than either of them could have imagined. In 2020, Alicia and Eileen have had the amazing opportunity to interview some of the greatest leaders of our time. This journey has taught all of us to remain...

Chris Gandy is a former NBA player, who calls himself a "recovering athlete." Years of playing basketball have taught him unique skills along the way, including sacrifice and what it means to be a true team player. Now you can find him leading others in the financial industry. At Midwest Legacy Group, Chris coaches individuals on how to successfully accumulate wealth and plan for the future with c...

Takara Beathea-Gudell is a creative and inspiring entrepreneur and self-taught designer in the fashion industry. She has successfully run her own business, Takara Designs, for over 40 years. She creates designs that make women of every size feel beautiful. With Takara's artistic abilities and innovative mind, she was able to create a program during the COVID pandemic to allow her company to surviv...

Owner of Smooth Ride Records and prominent business owner selling natural products for your home and hands. Passion is Kyle's number one value that kept him moving and growing in his music business. The church was his number one component where he learned how to perform. He has been around music since he was 6 years old learning from his dad and brother. Before he was talking, he was involved in m...

Sunny Schwartz is an author, advocate, and a change maker. Criminal defense was always in her heart and part of her DNA. She is a leader with immense compassion and forgiveness. Her primary focus has always been to help people get out of the system and integrate them back into the real world by means of restorative justice. Sunny believes that violence can be reversed and helped create a program i...

From a very young age, Maryum has always known she wanted to help people. Growing up, her father Muhammad Ali always asked her, "What is your purpose?" Serving the youth and helping them discover their value and purpose is her passion. "May May" is also big on high ethics and morals. Her Muslim faith helps her maintain inner peace and practice empathy with others, regardless of differences. When i...

Betsy Ziegler is the CEO of 1871, a nonprofit in Chicago. She also happens to be a die-hard Ohio Buckeyes fan! Every day for her is filled with problem-solving, interacting with people, and setting priorities. Betsy has had to prioritize what balance looks like for herself and be intentional, in order to live a full, happy life. "If you don't plan, it doesn't happen", she says. Her best advice is...

Jeff Sanders is a former NBA basketball player, mentor, and motivator that believes it's never too late to reinvent oneself into excellence. Jeff mentors young athletes around the world and is also the President of the Former NBA Retired Legends Association in Chicago. Jeff's passion is teaching the youth of today the fundamentals of basketball and the fundamentals of life. When maneuvering throug...

Steve Patscot is a member of Spencer Stuart's global Human Resources Practice. As an advisor to HR leaders, Steve is no stranger to the adversity, stress, and challenges that come with the HR industry. With the pandemic our world is currently facing, HR executives are now responsible for navigating a whole new culture in the workforce. Patscot recognizes a need for people's advocacy and balance. H...

Mr. Graham grew up during the segregation era and knows what it's like to be treated unequal and like a second-class citizen. This time in his life is what drove him to turn things around and discover his purpose. Stedman now teaches people all around the world nine steps of success and helps them understand and develop their own identity! It's not only about self-awareness, but creating a vision,...

Sheila Brown's connection has always been humanity. Her professional success started at a very young age. Sheila began her career in broadcast media and was fortunate enough to work alongside the Chicago Bulls during their six championship seasons. She then went on to create Freedom Entertainment, Inc. and is now an executive director for the second-largest TV and film studio in the country. Even...

Chasity Melvin is a reigning pioneer in women's sports, with a 14-year professional cross-cultural basketball career. Chasity inherited invaluable life skills, values, and a strong work ethic from her grandmothers. In her leadership role on and off the court, her strong faith has always been the driving force. Traveling overseas, Chasity depended heavily on her faith and allowed God to use her as...

Tania is proud of the woman-owned and minority-owned business that she has been able to create. It hasn't always been easy though. As a first-generation American, her mother was a significant role-model in her life. She also has 15 years of employee experience that has helped her develop leadership skills, empower teams, and be a more impactful CEO. Tania teaches us to stay in tune with the positi...

She believes that culture and food are a huge impact on the lifestyle of a leader. Food is everywhere. Culture is everywhere. There is a behavioral impact on the relationship between food and weight. She is a certified Psychologist that wants to teach more about making better choices about what's best for clients to eat while remaining in control. She sees herself more as a strategist when it come...

Jennifer was a big fan of Paul Newman and had a good sense of who Paul Newman was beyond the screen but she never got to meet him. She was approached by a friend to join the Board of Directors for Paul Newman's Foundation. The organization speaks about Paul Newman's impact and caring for those who are less fortunate. Foundation supports kids dealing with very difficult medical issues and the found...

Naomi Kent describes how she strategically focuses on bridging two different cultures into one. She is big on morals, trust, involving others, and consistency at work. She is setting a standard as a leader in business. She is very supportive of leading authentically because all eyes are always on the leader. She was very strategic with bringing two people from the UK with the majority in the US cu...

Former NFL Athlete and author that hit rock bottom in his career shares how he thrives on a servant leadership style. He believes in inspiring others around you to help them achieve their goal. He lost everything in 90 days. Servant leadership didn't come into play until he became a custodian on the grave shift. His pivotal moment occurred during the night shift as a custodian to take ownership of...