The Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Has someone ever inspired you so deeply that it changed your life and your mission? Today’s guest, Jack FitzGerald, not only had his life changed, but he has also dedicated himself to changing others’ lives, too. Jack is the founder of the Warren Bennis Leadership Experience, an annual event in Cincinnati. Jack shares how the event’s namesake, Warren Bennis, touched his life from the time he was a...

A business should be more than just a means to an end. More than making money, it should be seen as a tool that can bring good into the world. To do this, we need to change how businesses do business, and this starts with how we treat our employees. In today’s conversation, Mike and Janice Urbanik cover topics like workforce interventions and how employers can enforce better solutions by being fle...

Did you know there’s such a thing as ‘medicinal clowning?’ Or that clowns are used in child surgery to reduce the number of drugs needed? Our guest this week is Paul Miller, former Ringling Brothers performer and creator of Circus Mojo, a circus act with a mission. It might be fun and games, but Paul’s mission is nothing short of inspiring, including his extensive work in inclusion and diversity....

What is work culture and how does it affect the corporate environment? Discover how one phone call changed a stay-at-home mom’s life and how she changed the abusive, toxic culture in children’s competitive gymnastics. The impact she made led to a career in leadership and corporate cultural development. Today, Mike brings in Lynne Ruhl to discuss why leaders are accountable for developing the cultu...

The rules for fostering great leaders in your workplace are changing. It’s not enough just to train them; you also have to develop them. Today, Don Frericks, CAO of Community Blood Center and Founder & Leadership Coach of Make Me A Better Leader, joins Mike Sipple, Jr., to talk about what makes extraordinary leaders. The talk about Don’s study of leadership, how he developed his method to recogniz...

We’re changing things up a bit this week on the Talent Magnet Institute podcast to give everyone a special opportunity to know more about Mike Sipple Jr. and his almost superhero-like ability to connect thought leaders with other key leaders. We have gone long enough not knowing about Mike’s career origin story, and we have Chris Lewis throwing the questions to get a sneak peek into the mind of a...

Jonathan Theders is the CEO of RiskSource Clark-Theders, a prominent family business that focuses on providing comprehensive insurance solutions and risk management services to protect clients from the unexpected. As the next generation CEO, Jonathan has gone to great lengths to transform the family business into a remarkable organization, but there’s more to running a family business than meets t...

Dr. Janet Reid is the founder of BRBS World, a private global management consulting consortium located in Cincinnati, that works with companies to develop and keep world-class leaders who value diversity and inclusion. Dr. Reid is an author and consultant with 35 years of promoting diversity and inclusion, and today, she and Mike talk about how you can be a better leader by embracing both. Learn m...

Dan Hurley has had an incredible career, and after retirement, he continues to do so. He was a teacher, historian, the Director of Leadership for Leadership Cincinnati, the Interim CEO for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and a producer and reporter for WKRC TV. Currently, Dan is the founder of a company and host of a local NPR radio show. Dan says he failed at retirement, but tho...

Fellow Cincinnatian Steve Shifman is the president of Michelman, Inc., and has been Mike’s dear friend for many years. As a believer in conscious capitalism, Steve believes that by leading with community-based values, companies can build up their capacity to change the lives of not only their employees but the lives of generations of families to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

Elyse Jarard is a speaker, author, healthy mindset strategist, principal of My Ripple Effect, as well as Mike’s personal coach for many years. Elyse believes that leaders today need someone supporting them as they navigate the evolution of what leadership is and will become. Discover the science behind the practice of being, how to overcome the feeling you aren’t enough, and why the stories you te...

Chris Painter is president of Logikor and a longtime client and friend of Mike’s. Throughout his career, he has always wanted to be at the helm of an organization. Chris and Mike talk about his journey and share advice on how to identify if you have the right team, and if not, how to build one, both inside and outside the organization. The conversation intensifies with insights when they discuss t...

Early education is the difference between success in grade school and life, and yet, many children never get the opportunity to be part of a preschool program that will prepare them for the years to come. It’s a tragedy, which is why people like Shiloh Turner and Florence Malone dedicate their lives to changing that fact. If you, as a leader, want a worthy cause for your business, this episode is...

Darrin Murriner is an author and entrepreneur and is the co-founder and CEO of Cloverleaf.me, a comprehensive personal and team development tool. His book, Corporate Bravery, is about eliminating fear-based decision making and transforming corporate cultures into brave places for people to do their best work and to be engaged. Today, Darrin and Mike talk about the opportunity we all have to unlock...

Brent Cooper is no stranger to being involved in local communities. He’s the CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. One of the things that distinguishes Brent is his belief that if you are in business, then you’re in the people business. If you don’t operate on that principle, then you’ll have a hard time holding on to great talent and getting new clients. Want to know how to make your...

James Biro is the Vice President of Supply Chain of Perfetti Van Melle North America and has worked with such brands as P&G, Kellogg’s, and Mead Johnson. James’s passion lies in change, or more specifically, change through growth, which he spearheads through creating a clear strategic intent and an inherent sense of trust, transparency, and empowerment. James and Mike talk about his career being a...

Crystal Kendrick is the CEO of The Voice of Your Customer and Founder of The Voice of Black Cincinnati, and she’s dedicated her life to customer service and using her leadership skills to enrich her community in Cincinnati with a ‘do it yourself’ approach to getting better quality news to the public while connecting people with businesses and universities. Mike and Crystal talk about how companies...

Daniel Wachter is a sales and marketing, training, innovation, and business development expert, and a personal friend of Mike’s for years. Daniel has embraced disruption by promoting innovation to drive real change in company cultures. Daniel and Mike talk about a style of leadership that changed Daniel’s life: freedom of action and drafting a vision. This all points to how you can make great lead...

Maggie Frye of Core Consulting has a mission. She wants to teach the concept of ‘heads-up leadership’ to businesses across the world. It’s far deeper than the name suggests because as a leader, you can’t just be aware of what’s going on around you. You must also be aware of what’s going on in your own mind. Today, Maggie and Mike talk about how setting aside dedicated time for self-reflection and...

Ever enjoyed Airheads or Mentos? If so, then you’ve tasted the work of ‘candy man’ Mehmet Yuksek, President and CEO of Perfetti van Melle North America. But Mehmet’s work goes far deeper than making life sweeter through confections. Perfetti van Melle is a stand out company in terms of innovation, culture, and community involvement, and today, he and Mike talk about how Mehmet’s company makes a re...

Mike Kelly is one of those people who, whenever you talk with him, you walk away wanting some extra time to reflect on what he said. Mike might be soft spoken, but the man has made global impact through his work. In addition to being a leader and entrepreneur, Mike has dedicated much of his life to charity organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Rotary, and more. Mike Kelly is the gold standard f...

Do you believe that students aren’t be prepared well enough for life beyond high school, that there’s a gap in the recruitment and hiring pipeline that can be filled by a younger generation who is hungry to begin their careers? You and Tim Hanner have something in common. Today he talks about how his organization, NaviGo College & Career Prep, works with students and businesses to help fill that g...

Jennifer McClure is no stranger to Centennial, the parent company of the Talent Magnet Institute. In fact, she’s been employee, friend, and mentor to Mike and his father. And on her own, Jennifer is a force to be reckoned with. Enjoy this impactful interview with Jennifer, Chief Excitement Officer of Disrupt HR, Founder of Unbridled Talent and Host of Impact Makers Podcast. Learn more about your a...

Dr. Karen Bankston is the executive director of the Child Poverty Collaborative, and she has an important message for you. Poverty isn’t what you think, it’s not getting better, and it’s a system that is set to repeat itself over and over again without the intervention of companies and leaders. It is they who must help break the cycle of poverty and to do it will require innovation and compassion....

Mike and Jim have been friends for over a decade, and in fact, Mike’s company helped him find an amazing leadership position with Doran Manufacturing. And now, Jim has some things to teach Mike about how he’s succeeded in the Vice President and General Manager position. He shares his ideas of the most critical success factors that have made him a superb leader, how he creates a strong company cult...