UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Michelle Merritt, Chief Strategy Officer at D&S Executive Career Management, shares her UH-OH moment from early in her career. After accepting a role with an automatic “yes” and no negotiation, she later realized the long-term cost of leaving money on the table. Over time, that $10,000 gap added up to $1.4 million in lost earnings....

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, hosts Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy chat with Mathias Lemos Castillo , founder of MLC Consulting. Mathias shares his most recent UH-OH moment: leading a presentation for board members when his laptop suddenly shut down mid-session. With only seconds to react, he pivoted to a backup computer, reconnected, and carried on, proving that l...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders , hosts Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy chat with Will Crosswell, Chief Retail Officer at Ardent Credit Union. Will shares a pivotal career misstep when he walked into a credit union presentation underprepared and overconfident. Instead of gaining buy-in, he faced a hard reality check that became a turning point in his leadership journey...

What happens when your first big leadership role turns into a reality check? In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, hosts Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy chat with Nick Wodogaza, a seasoned credit union executive and leadership advisor, to uncover the costly lesson he learned when he went from peer to manager overnight. Nick shares the UH-OH moment that reshaped his leadersh...

What happens when a leader realizes their team fears them? For bestselling author and speaker Kyle McDowell, that was the big UH-OH moment. In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Kyle shares how self-reflection and vulnerability transformed his leadership—from ego-driven “me” to purpose-driven “we.” Expect raw honesty, lessons on accountability, and a fresh perspective on wh...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Ben-Jamin Toy and Dr. Troy Hall sit down with marketing strategist and journalist Ellie White-Stevens to talk about the costly mistakes new business owners make and how to avoid them. Ellie shares her own “Double UH-OH” moments, from overlooking the value of a good bookkeeper and business attorney to discovering unexpected expenses that...

What happens when your future plans get completely rerouted at 18? In this raw and reflective episode, Jon Clark sits down with Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy to share his biggest UH-OH—becoming a father as a teenager—and how that life-altering moment shaped everything that followed. From trading dorm rooms for diapers to discovering the power of presence, Jon opens up about how his identity evol...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Joe Caruso shares a moment that almost turned into an UH-OH, and the unexpected tool that helped him avoid it: a sticky note. Listen in as Joe reflects on: The power of emotional regulation in leadership How a simple pause can change your next move Why it’s better to respond than to react especially when trust is on the line What it mea...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy welcome the insightful and refreshingly candid Kandi Gongora. She’s a leadership powerhouse with a sharp eye for operational gaps and a soft spot for reality TV. Kandi shares a recent UH-OH moment that hit where it hurts: employee compensation. What happens when a trusted leader is new, confident… and wro...

What happens when the person you hire isn’t the right fit and the problem might actually be you ? In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders , Dan Rivers gets real about one of the costliest leadership mistakes he’s made: hiring without clarity. From setting poor expectations to skipping over KPIs, Dan walks us through what it cost him, how he owned the failure, and the systems h...

When Trevor Crunelle stepped onto his first Navy ship as a fresh-faced officer, he was ready to lead. What he wasn’t ready for? Making a snap decision that nearly sank his credibility with his senior team. In this episode, Trevor shares a pivotal UH-OH moment from early in his military career, when pulling rank felt right, but ultimately backfired. We talk through the fallout, the leadership repai...

Welcome to another episode from the Cohesion Culture headquarters in Charleston, SC, where even rainy days shine bright with real leadership stories. Join Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy as they sit down with Davin Salvagno, a passionate leader whose journey of discovering and amplifying human potential will inspire you. Davin opens up about his love for music, cooking, and how those creative outlets c...

In this inspiring episode, Katie Blomquist, founder of Going Places, reveals a powerful leadership lesson about the importance of asking. Learn how her initial hesitation to seek sponsorships nearly cost her nonprofit valuable opportunities, and discover the mindset shift that transformed her approach to fundraising. Katie shares her unique journey of providing brand new bikes to low-income elemen...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with John Patsch, a serial entrepreneur, curious craftsman, and co-founder of Miingl, a platform focused on rebuilding real connection in a disconnected world. John takes us behind the curtain of his leadership journey, starting with a love for DIY projects and a deep desire to understand how thi...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, hosts Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with Ryan DuBois, a laid-back endurance junkie with a sharp business mind and a heart for people. From scaling up startups across the Southeast to spending 20-hour days in the trenches of manufacturing, Ryan brings a no-fluff, deeply human perspective to what leadership actually looks like...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with culture renovator and strategic coach Akeela Davis for a raw and powerful discussion on purpose, pivoting, and what happens when success no longer aligns with your values. Akeela shares her “OH” moment: the hard decision to sell a thriving financial advisory business she spent over 15 years...

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with Chris Bower, CEO of Endurance Federal Credit Union, for a candid, straight-shooting conversation about what it really takes to lead well. Chris opens up about his leadership evolution, from a task-first, empathy-later mindset to recognizing that truly effective leadership means caring about...

What happens when your gut tells you something’s off but you don’t act on it? In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Cynthia Campbell joins Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy for a powerful and personal conversation on leadership, intuition, and the hard lessons that come from hesitating at the wrong time. With two decades of experience in the credit union world and a new chapt...

What happens when you realize you’re just another number in a company? How do you turn career setbacks into leadership breakthroughs? In this episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with Michael Lounsbury, a published author, HR consultant, and former military professional, to explore self-confidence, career growth, and the power of knowing your value in the workplace. Michael shares two majo...

In this dynamic episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy dive into a conversation with Anne Legg, founder of Thrive, to discuss her journey in leveraging data and AI to drive organizational success. Anne shares how her career in credit unions, consulting, and AI-driven projects has shaped her leadership style. She opens up about the challenges of corporate acquisitions, the importance of adaptability,...

In this transformative episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with Ben Marley to discuss his personal and professional journey through faith, failure, and leadership. Ben shares his experience with Prep Monsters, a venture that ultimately failed due to missteps, but provided critical lessons on discernment, partnership, and the cost of pursuing passion without proper planning. He highlights...

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy welcome Dr. Mike Gilbert, founder of Remnant Leaders, to discuss his journey through personal trauma, faith struggles, and leadership transformation. A former 911 dispatcher, pastor, and Army veteran, Dr. Mike shares how a life-altering crisis exposed his transactional approach to leadership and relationships. Through faith, accountability, a...

In this empowering episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy sit down with Charlynda Scales, a multi-faceted entrepreneur, veteran, and author, to discuss her journey of leadership, resilience, and meaningful connections. From founding Mutt's Sauce and OH Taste Marketing to co-founding the 6888 Kitchen Incubator, Charlynda shares how her Air Force training and military values shaped her leadership...

In this powerful episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy are joined by Brett Wooden, a software strategist passionate about digital transformation for small credit unions. Brett opens up about a critical mistake he made while launching a kids’ financial education app without approval, leading to legal and relational consequences. He shares how this experience reshaped his approach to leadership, colla...

In this insightful episode, Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy dive into a conversation with John Spruill, former Tesla leader and seasoned entrepreneur, about leadership, innovation, and the lessons learned from his career. John shares a pivotal mistake, investing in a risky, unproven crash-testing asset, and how it shaped his approach to decision-making, risk, and trust. Reflecting on his journey, he em...