The True Leadership Podcast

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Jessy James sits down with Leah Gray, founder of a fractional CFO firm, to explore leadership in high-pressure environments. Leah shares how early experiences shaped her belief that mistakes should be used for growth, not punishment. She reflects on learning to push back on unrealistic expectations, prioritize people over deadlines, and lead with cal...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Jessy James sits down with Alex Palomares, a digital transformation and AI leader, to explore the real shift from technical expertise to human-centered leadership. Alex shares how letting go of perfection, embracing vulnerability, and trusting his team transformed the way he leads. The conversation dives into the pressure leaders place on themselves,...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Jessy James sits down with Kevin Garabedian, VP of Business Development and Marketing, to unpack what it really takes to build high-performing teams that scale. Kevin shares how great leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about creating systems, developing people, and trusting the process. He reflects on the shift from chasing results to...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Jessy James sits down with Nicolette Stepakoff, VP of AI Change and Enablement, to explore what it really takes to lead in an AI-driven world. Nicolette shares how great leaders create the conditions for others to thrive by letting go of control and building trust. She opens up about the moments that forced her to stop proving her value and start cho...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Ty Hammond sits down with Bryan Walley, CEO and Co-Founder of Forward Inheritance. Bryan shares how early family expectations shaped his commitment to leadership and how true leadership ultimately means creating new leaders, not just gaining followers. He opens up about a deeply challenging period marked by personal and professional loss, and the les...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Ty Hammond sits down with Sanjeev Sastry, VP at Workday and a leader known for bridging strategy, technology, and execution. Sanjeev shares how deliberate career pivots across industries and functions shaped his leadership philosophy, rooted in integrity, selflessness, and trust. He explores the importance of human connection in an increasingly trans...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, Ty Hammond sits down with Adam Tuttle, RevOps and go-to-market leader at ActiveCampaign. Adam shares lessons from his 13-year journey helping scale the company from employee number nine to more than 1,000 team members globally. The conversation explores integrity, trust, and the pivotal leadership moments that shape how leaders grow. Adam reflects on...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Justin Houchin sits down with Andrew Tunnell, Vice President of AI at CompuGroup Medical US. Andrew shares how early experiences working alongside his entrepreneurial father shaped his work ethic and leadership mindset. The conversation explores humility in leadership, why great leaders take on the hardest jobs for their teams, and the importanc...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Jessy James sits down with Brittney Bahre, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at E2 Optics. Brittney reflects on the experiences that shaped her leadership philosophy, including early negative leadership examples that clarified the kind of leader she wanted to become. She shares insights on leading by example, supporting teams through rapid g...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Justin Houchin sits down with Michael Heffner, a technology executive with more than three decades of experience leading global teams across networking, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Michael reflects on the work ethic he inherited from his grandfather in a Pennsylvania steel town and the career lessons he learned while helping bu...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Jessy James sits down with Darya Chernina, an AI and human-in-the-loop operations leader focused on building global systems and teams at the intersection of technology and human intelligence. Darya reflects on the leaders who shaped her early career and the lessons she learned about empathy, servant leadership, and investing in the growth of oth...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Jessy James sits down with Courtney Hadden, Sustainability Director at Hitachi Digital and an ESG leader focused on turning sustainability commitments into measurable action. Courtney shares how early experiences in nonprofit marketing shaped her understanding of purpose-driven leadership. The conversation explores the role of curiosity, collabo...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast, host Justin Houchin sits down with Andrew Crosson, founding CEO of Invest Appalachia, a regional impact fund focused on aligning capital with community priorities across central Appalachia. Andrew reflects on how his early skepticism of traditional leadership shaped his approach today, emphasizing purpose, humility, and listening as core leadership p...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , host Jessy James sits down with Assal Yavari, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Workplace Strategy at Workday . Assal shares how her family’s example of resilience and humility shaped her leadership philosophy and career journey. The conversation explores the power of leaders who see potential in others, the courage required to pivot into new...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , host Jessy James sits down with Julieta Alvarado , Vice President of Integrated Marketing at LeoForce and a global marketing leader with more than 18 years of experience building high-performing teams and scalable demand generation programs. Julieta reflects on the early influence of her father’s work ethic and integrity, which shaped her approach t...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , host Jessy James sits down with William Hartford , Vice President of Business Development at The Connection Contact Center and a former Navy submarine veteran. William shares how an early military leader shaped his philosophy of leadership through inspiration rather than authority. The conversation explores the role of influence, humility, and resil...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , host Jessy James sits down with Suzanne De Janasz , an award-winning leadership scholar, executive educator, and author whose work spans academia and industry across six continents. Suzanne shares the early mentoring experience that shaped her view of leadership and why great leaders listen beyond titles and status. The conversation explores leaders...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , T y Hammond sits down with Brett Johnson , founder and CEO of Benevolent Capital . Brett shares lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, the influence of his father’s resilience, and the values of integrity and accountability that guide his leadership. The conversation explores navigating adversity, betting on yourself as an entrepreneur, and build...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , Ty sits down with Brendan P. Keegan , six-time CEO, bestselling author, and founder of bFearless Ventures. Brendan shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped his leadership, including the influence of his sister with Down syndrome and the lessons in kindness and emotional intelligence she taught him. The conversation explores fearless leader...

In this episode of the True Leadership Podcast , Ty Hammond sits down with Bradley Jacobs , Founder and CEO of Mylance and former Uber operator who helped scale markets across rides, eats, and freight. Bradley shares the leadership lessons that shaped him, from a defining early experience with a boss who prioritized his growth to the hard-earned insights that come from launching markets, building...

In this episode of The True Leadership Podcast , Ty speaks with Kevin Hubschmann , former enterprise SaaS salesperson turned comedian and founder of Laugh Dot. Kevin shares how his father’s bold life choices shaped his own approach to effort, resilience, and authenticity. He reflects on the turning point when he stopped “being salesman” and started being himself — and how improv helped him uncover...

In this episode of The True Leadership Podcast , Ty speaks with Adam Rosendahl , Founder and CEO of Late Nite Art , whose creative experiences have helped organizations in 24 countries break down barriers and build trust in just 90 minutes. Adam shares the mentor who first ignited his belief in the power of art and how creativity became his path to human connection. He reflects on confronting self...

In this episode of The True Leadership Podcast , Ty speaks with Anna Belova , repeat founder, Forbes Under 30 honoree, and creator of OpenWay.ai . Anna shares how her lifelong clarity and self-direction shaped her entrepreneurship, from refusing limits as a child to building globally scaled AR and AI products. She discusses the role of imagination, the question “What if?” , and why leaders must gi...

In this episode of The True Leadership Podcast, Jessy speaks with Matt Holzmann, Marine Corps combat veteran and former Microsoft leader whose journey reflects the deep inner work of becoming a true leader. Matt shares early lessons in grit, humility, and service, and how those influences shaped his commitment to lifting others. He opens up about a painful turning point that forced him to simplify...

In this episode of The True Leadership Podcast, Jessy speaks with broadband executive Eric Lannen, whose 25-year career spans large MSOs, emerging providers, and fast-growing fiber networks. Eric shares the early mentor who saw potential he couldn’t yet see in himself and how that push shaped his commitment to learning every side of the business. He reflects on becoming a student of leadership, ge...