The Enlightened Family Business Podcast

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 13 9 Leadership Evolution & Strategy with Nicole Van Valen   In this inspiring and energizing conversation, Chris Yonker sits down with resilience strategist, author, and former NFL and NBA dancer Nicole Van Valen to explore the real ingredients behind sustainable leadership. From burnout recovery to joyful performance, Nicole shares how leaders can build emotional and...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 13 8 Self Awareness & Emotional Intelligence with Stephanie Chung In this electric and eye-opening episode, Chris Yonker sits down with aviation pioneer and leadership strategist Stephanie Chung to unpack what it truly takes to lead in today's world of diverse teams, generational differences, and ever-shifting business landscapes. Stephanie, the first African American p...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 13 7 Succession Beyond the Transition: Gaining confidence while strengthening leadership and family relationships with Kristi Baxter In this masterclass-style episode, Chris Yonker and Kristi Baxter deliver a powerful, holistic perspective on the complex realities of succession planning. With decades of experience working with privately held and family-owned businesses—...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 136 What if growth isn't the goal? with Perrin DesPortes   In this deeply reflective and energizing episode, Chris Yonker and Perrin DesPortes engage in a rare bidirectional dialogue, unpacking the hidden costs of ambition, the personal reckoning that comes with burnout, and the awakening that's possible when business success is aligned with inner fulfillment. Perrin, f...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 135 Legacy in Limbo: Why So Many Leaders Avoid Succession Planning with  Dr. Mohanakrishnan Raman   In this eye-opening episode, host Chris Yonker speaks with Dr. Mohanakrishnan Raman, an organizational psychologist and international expert on family business dynamics. With decades of experience consulting Indian family enterprises, Dr. Raman shares how cultural norms,...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 134 Navigating Change: Insights for Family Business Leaders with Dr. Barrett C. Brown   In this powerful episode, Chris Yonker is joined by global executive advisor and developmental strategist, Dr. Barrett Brown, for a profound and eye-opening conversation about what it really takes to lead in today's ever-accelerating world. With experience working across six continen...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 133 Navigating Legacy and Wealth in Family Business with Jason Smith   In this powerful episode, host Chris Yonker sits down with Jason L Smith, founder of JL Smith Group, author of The Bucket Plan , and a nationally recognized financial advisor. Jason opens up about being fired by his own father, building a purpose-driven business from the ground up, and the holistic p...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 132 Priorities for Family Offices Working in a Fractured World with Angelo Robles     In this episode of the Secret Thoughts of CEOs and Business Leaders podcast, host Chris Yonker interviews Angelo Robles, a prominent figure in the family office sector. The discussion covers various topics crucial to family businesses, such as the importance of hiring the right people,...

Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 131 Unlocking Leadership Potential: How Shadow Work Transforms Leaders with Kim Barta   In this episode of 'Secret Thoughts of CEOs and Business Leaders', host Chris Yonker delves into deep discussions with Kim Barta, a renowned psychotherapist and thought leader. Kim shares insights into his work around shadow therapy, explaining how our unconscious beliefs and pattern...

Unlocking Family Business Potential Through Advisory Teams with Dr. Jeremy Lurey   In this episode of the 'Secret Thoughts of CEOs and Business Leaders' podcast, host Chris Yonker discusses the complexities of managing family business transitions with Dr. Jeremy Lurey. The episode covers key topics such as building effective advisory teams, succession planning, and the nuances of family dynamics i...

STOC 129: Balancing Tradition & Innovation: What Businesses Can Learn from Harley Davidson with Ken Schmidt   In this episode of 'Secret Thoughts of CEOs and Business Leaders,' host Chris Yonker interviews Ken Schmidt, a former Harley Davidson executive renowned for his innovative repositioning strategy. They discuss the key elements holding back family businesses and privately held companies, inc...

Building Family Legacy and the Keys to Early Education Success with Richie Huffman In this episode of 'Secret Thoughts of CEOs and Business Leaders,' host Chris Yonker talks with Richie Huffman, the founder, president, and CEO of Celebrate Schools, and a leader in early childhood education. The discussion delves into Richie's entrepreneurial journey, approaches to building a family legacy, and the...

Trust, Transparency, and Culture: The Cornerstones of Leadership with Susan Riley   Susan Riley is a resident of Exeter, NH and is married with two children. She started her career with a technical foundation (undergraduate and graduate education in Chemistry (Boston College, Brandeis University), followed later by an MBA at Babson College. She then spent the majority of her 40-year career in the...

Holistic Success: Mind, Body, Spirit, and Leadership with Shane Carter   Shane is President and CEO of Hampshire Capital, LLC based in NH. Hampshire Capital, LLC buys, develops, renovates, repositions and holds apartment buildings, commercial assets and land in New England and the Southern states. Since 1996, Shane has acquired and managed more than $315M in multi-family and commercial assets and...

The Addicted Brain: Rewriting the Narrative on Alcohol with Dave Andrews Dave Andrews, "America's #1 Sobriety Coach," CEO of The 30-Day Solution, and Co-Author of The 30-Day Sobriety Solution , is the leading expert in helping others recover, reclaim, and reinvent their lives without alcohol, and serves on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organizations, Young People in Recovery, and Advocat...

From Gaming to Growth: Volodymyr Panchenko's AI-Powered Blueprint with Volodymyr Panchenko With a career spanning over 17 years in the gaming and tech sector, Vlad has a record of turning his passion for gaming into groundbreaking businesses. His current mission is to chart the course for the in-game items industry, with a keen focus on meeting the expansive needs of the global gaming community. T...

Why Coaching Beats Training for Lasting Leadership Impact with Ted Kulawiak, Kristi Baxter, & Thomas Ted Kulawiak is a highly respected sought-after sales management, leadership coach, and business consultant. As the president of Ted Kaye Sales Management Training LLC, Ted utilizes his significant business experience coupled with a personalized and innovative problem-solving approach to guide clie...

How Can You Redesign Your Internal Programming a Live a Full(er) Life ? On today's episode I was a guest on Steven Lawson's podcast Potent , and we dive into overcoming trauma, the power of spirituality and self-awareness, the impact of mentorship, and the journey toward self-acceptance and deeper connections. About Today's Guest Chris is a Certified Family Business Advisor accredited through The...

Stephanie Craig is the President of Kith.co, and elite crisis preparation, response, and recovery firm. She has built her reputation as a crisis expert by guiding some of the world's most prominent people and organizations through their most trying moments. Before Kith, Stephanie founded the Apeiron Strategy Group. With decades of experience in media and politics, she has served as a trusted advis...

In this episode, Chris Yonker talks about the importance of finding and hiring a business coach. Hear about investing in a coach, determining the right type of coach for your needs, warning signs to look out for, questions to ask yourself before finding a coach, and the true value of hiring a coach for your business.   What You'll Learn ●       What a coach can bring to your business. ●       How...

Clement Decrop is a Belgium-born inventor, entrepreneur, and author of The Idea Space: The Science of Awakening Your Non-Self. He has collaborated with numerous inventors from Wikipedia's Most Prolific Inventors List, resulting in 130+ patent disclosures within one year, 50+ filed, and 20+ issued. Outside these professional spheres, Decrop finds joy in the simpler pleasures of life. He's an avid r...

Kathleen O'Hara, MA, LPC, is a psychotherapist and senior consultant to families, individuals, and family offices. She is the Founder of Integral Health Services, and specializes in helping individuals and families navigate the complex issues of living in the 21 st century, including mental health, relational issues, difficult family dynamics, personal growth/development, life-stages, finding mean...

Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma. He is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interde...

Based in Florida, Sylvia Benito is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with more than two decades of portfolio management experience. She has diverse experience in wealth management, having worked as a hedge fund analyst and managing portfolios for family offices and ultra-high-net- worth clients with more than $1 billion in assets.   A thought leader and public speaker committed to helping compan...

Carol Horton is the Founder and CEO of Lily Grace Homes, the CEO of The Ten13 Company, and on the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of Collin County. At Lily Grace Homes, she is striving to bring a balance to beautiful design and functional living.   She brings over 15 years of experience in the residential construction industry, a strategic mindset, and an unwavering commitment to excell...