Speak In Flow

Today, the world feels like it's in a constant state of crisis. Every day news seems to destabilize us. We don't need to contribute to that. But how can we maintain clarity in our communication when everything else seems so muddy? In this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast, host Melinda Lee sits down with Dr. David Yudis, a leadership psychologist and former head of talent development at Disney....

Is the hype surrounding AI heading for a painful reckoning? Cameron Nutter, the CEO of GooseRox Ventures, cuts through conflicting studies and venture capital fervor to provide a clear-eyed view of the immediate costs and long-term potential of AI. In this episode of The Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Cameron reveals why 95% of AI pilots fail and explains why the future belongs to strateg...

Burnout is not always loud; sometimes it goes unnoticed until the results show the signs we ignored in our daily performance. For Riley Gruppo, a U.S. Army officer, those signs culminated in a medical retirement due to severe PTSD, a turning point that began a profound journey from survival to purpose. In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with host Melinda Lee, Riley shares how the “missio...

With the advance of AI software, there are two types of companies today: Those that are already integrating AI into their processes and teams, and those being left behind due to fear. Which one is yours? In this essential episode of the Speak In Flow podcast with Melinda Lee, AI expert and 3x founder Anna Stepura dissects the top fears paralyzing leaders, from job replacement anxiety to decision f...

Are your teams drowning in data but starving for insights? We live in the information era, yet scattered information can lead to catastrophic business decisions. In this episode of Speak In Flow with Melinda Lee, Yan Grinshtein, a veteran design leader and founder of Cepien AI, reveals how AI can finally unify your data to unlock strategic clarity. In This Episode, You Will Learn: The Cost of Scat...

Every scientist in a leadership position understands the delicate balance of communication, hierarchy, and data that this environment requires to thrive. Amer Mirza, VP of Disease Biology at biotech Septerna, has mastered this balance, scaling the company from 9 to over 100 employees and steering teams through inflection points of drug discovery. In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with M...

Feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, and like your body is changing in your 40s? Dr. Josée Poulin, a physician turned functional medicine expert, reveals why "normal" lab results don't tell the whole story and shares a holistic path to reclaiming your energy, confidence, and health in midlife.  In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Josée moves beyond band-aid solutions to e...

In the fast-paced world of tech and design, leaders often face immense pressure to deliver, sometimes at the cost of their team's humanity. How do you champion user experience without sacrificing your team's experience? In this episode of the Speak in Flow podcast, Melinda Lee is joined by Marjan Zamanian, a senior leader in UX and accessibility, who shares her empathetic framework for alleviating...

Making a huge mistake when you are new at your job is everyone's nightmare. Now imagine doing it in your first two weeks, and on top of that, putting other people's livelihoods at risk. Ramon Lim, Chief of Staff at DDN, lived through this crisis and faced an agonizing choice: hide the error or come clean. In this raw conversation with Melinda Lee on the Speak in Flow podcast, he shares how this ea...

When there are people looking up to you, your actions are never irrelevant. In fact, they create a ripple effect that can either energize or drain your entire organization. Natasha Kehimkar, CEO of Malida Advisors, introduces the "Boulder Effect." The powerful impact leaders have when they invest in their own cohesion and purpose.  In this conversation with Melinda Lee, she reveals how execut...

Change initiatives are one of the most difficult projects to execute, often faced with resistance from every corner. Why do so many well-intentioned transformations fail? Executive coach Julia Wojnar reveals that the missing piece is rarely the strategy itself.  In this insightful episode of the Speak In Flow podcast with Melinda Lee, Julia provides a practical framework for moving from resis...

Have you ever wondered how the next generation will be impacted by AI? Michael Ostapenko, founder of Satryx, is building that future, and his vision goes beyond the hype. In this thought-provoking conversation with Melinda Lee, Michael dissects the current limits of AI and makes a compelling case for why our children won't be raised by rogue superintelligences, but instead, by powerful tools that...

The shocking murder of Charlie Kirk, a young, passionate voice with a massive platform, leaves us with difficult questions. Was his "Prove Me Wrong" approach a catalyst for dialogue or division? In this poignant episode of the Speak In Flow podcast, host Melinda Lee and leadership expert Dr. Joy Karavedas dissect the power and peril of an influential voice. They explore the legacy of a man killed...

Massimo Backus, founder of Massimo Backus Leadership and author of "Human First, Leader Second," is on a mission to dismantle the myth that self-criticism drives success. In this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast with Melinda Lee, Massimo reveals how the relentless pursuit of perfection fuels a "piggy bank of shame" for leaders and shares the transformative practice that builds true resilience....

For a world full of different people, not everyone knows how to work with differences, resulting in more loss than you think. Just ask Nick Bourland. After being told his neurodivergent mind was a liability, Nick discovered how to turn his unique way of thinking into his ultimate advantage. In this Episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, the senior product manager shares how a late-...

A terrifying moment of personal crisis can become the catalyst for reclaiming your sense of purpose. Many think that being courageous is an innate trait, when in reality, this is an ability born from resilience. Karla Yepez, HR Director for aerospace manufacturer Trio Manufacturing, embodies this truth. In this episode of the Speak in Flow podcast with Melinda Lee, Karla shares how she hit rock bo...

As an HR manager, Marvin Lampa knows firsthand that he needs to be a supportive resource for his employees. He also knows how difficult that can be. As a leader, he transformed from his own harshest critic to finding his confident voice. In this episode of the Speak in Flow podcast with Melinda Lee, Marvin discusses how self-doubt and his inner struggle with public speaking held him back and the s...

Professionalism and human necessities should not be at odds. Samantha Bolosan, founder and CEO of The POM Team, proves it. She built a fractional finance firm not by demanding burnout, but by championing a culture where being present in your family life is just as valued as closing the books. In this episode of The Speak in Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Samantha dismantles the myth of the rigid,...

Raul Franco, a training manager in the security industry, has unlocked the secret to leadership. Learn how to replace filler words with a powerful presence from a leader who transforms shaky speakers into confident communicators. In this insightful episode of the Speak in Flow podcast, Melinda Lee sits down with Raul to pull back the curtain on his 21-year journey. Raul reveals how anxiety almost...

Eileen Wixted, a strategic communications expert with three decades of experience, went from advising Fortune 500 CEOs to uncovering a universal blind spot that derails even the most seasoned leaders, why slowing down to understand your audience is the fastest way to accelerate your message's impact. In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Eileen shares the watershed moment...

Kris Miller, a legacy wealth strategist with over 35 years of experience, has helped over 6,000 clients but refuses to gamble their money in the stock market. In this profound conversation with Melinda Lee, Kris reveals the "safe money" strategies of the top 1%, shares the devastating family health crises that showed her the true cost of being unprepared, and explains why a million dollars is no l...

In this wisdom-filled episode of the Speak in Flow podcast, Melinda Lee sits down with Becca Gordon, VP of Sales and Marketing at Shadowbox, to explore how emotional intelligence and authenticity are revolutionizing leadership in startups. With over 25 years of experience in executive, advisor, founder, and investor roles, Becca shares tangible strategies to build courageous, connected, and high-p...

In this conversation with Melinda Lee, structural engineer and author Wayne Kalayjian reveals how he transformed the untold story of Michelangelo’s collapsing dome,  a crisis that birthed modern engineering,  into a compelling narrative. He reveals how he translated 18th-century Italian archives and complex physics into a gripping narrative and explains why clarity, concision, and audien...

In this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast, Melinda Lee interviews Abdalmohsen Elmalk, a product performance manager at ASML with a Ph. D. in physics. Elmalk shows us how he transformed obstacles into leadership wisdom. Growing up in Sudan, where resources were scarce and opportunities were limited, he refused to let language barriers, financial constraints, or self-doubt prevent him from pursui...

Kaylee Keil, HR professional, leadership coach, and board member, joins Melinda Lee in this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast to unpack why communication is the most critical and often overlooked skill for leaders. From her experience curating HR events at The Nimble Group, Kaylee reveals how failing to "own" communication drives turnover, while intentional leadership fuels psychological safety...