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In this episode of Love as a Strategy, host Jeff Ma sits down with Coach Kevin Voisin, a mindset coach, TEDx speaker and "coach of coaches" who has worked with more than 40,000 people through live events and coaching calls. Kevin shares his philosophy of "powerful imperfection": perfection is like the horizon, useful for navigating but never a place you arrive. He opens up about the book manuscript he has written and thrown away twice, and offers a simple picture for overwhelming Monday mornings: when you've fallen in a hole, no amount of knowing why you fell in gets you out. Tune in as Jeff and Kevin explore loving yourself "warts and all," why confidence is built through action, and how leaders can focus on the next step instead of blame. Learn more about Kevin at www.itscoachkevin.com and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachkevin/

In this episode of Love as a Strategy, host Jeff Ma sits down with Leon Morales, President and Chief Energy Officer at DNA Behavior International. Leon is a U.S. Air Force veteran with a long corporate career in finance, technology and operations at Cox Communications. He explains why psychological safety starts with knowing your natural strengths. He also tells the story of a 30-person university team whose new CFO wanted to replace them all. Small changes to who did which work turned the team around within sixty days. Tune in as they explore how teams move from "storming" to performing, why a one-on-one beats calling someone out in front of the group, and what Leon calls "corporate love": caring enough about a colleague's well-being to give them feedback that's safe. Follow Leon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leondna/ Take the free DNA Behavior discovery: https://dnabehavior.com (search "free discovery")

In this episode, we sit down with Vasanthan "Vas" Ramakrishnan—entrepreneur, technologist, human rights advocate, and founder of Ascent HSI Advisory Partners. Vas shares his personal journey as a first-generation immigrant to the US, reflecting on how overcoming major hardships—including a life-altering car accident, job loss during the pandemic, and complex visa obstacles—shaped his resilience and fueled his passion for service. Tune in to gain actionable insights into building a genuinely human-centered, service-first organizational culture. Vas outlines how leaders can move beyond transactional metrics and rigid KPIs by leading by example, making meaningful accommodations for individual needs, and actively aligning daily managerial decisions with their company's core mission. Follow Vas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasanthan-ramakrishnan/

In this episode of Love as a Strategy, we welcome a dynamic people-first corporate leader, Alexis Dennard, to discuss how bringing humanity, empathy, and authenticity into the workplace can transform organizational culture. With over 25 years of experience leading complex, large-scale supply chain operations, Alexis shares her unique "relationship-first" leadership philosophy, emphasizing why prioritizing the person over the transaction builds trust and drives performance. Tune in as they explore the power of vulnerability, the importance of creating psychological safety for teams to thrive, and how integrating a little fun and genuine, authentic energy can unlock both personal potential and business success.

In this episode of Love as a Strategy, host Jeff Ma sits down with veteran leadership coach Bruce Mayhew to dismantle the fear surrounding difficult conversations. Drawing on insights from his new book, The Path of an Inspired Leader, Bruce explains why these moments aren't about conflict—they are about vulnerability, trust, and aligning expectations long before the pressure hits. Join us as we explore how to move away from bureaucratic blame, embrace the humanity of your team, and turn "difficult" dialogues into opportunities for growth and sustainable leadership.

In this episode of Love as a Strategy, host Jeff Ma talks with leadership experts Patrick Lyons and Patsy Feeman of The Lyons Group about reframing the frustrating issue of accountability. Patrick argues that accountability is a "mirror," not a hammer, stressing that leaders cannot hold people accountable—each person must hold him or herself accountable. Instead, a powerful strategy is for leaders to possess the managerial courage and love to hold to high standards and communicate performance gaps, all to help people "unleash that greatness". Patsy outlines the practical foundation, emphasizing that self-accountability requires clarity, reliability, and visibility in commitments. The conversation explores why leaders shy away from difficult conversations and how to deliver honest feedback as "the greatest gift," rooted in a mindset of care and trust to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be successful. Contact Patrick & Patsy to learn more: thelyonsgroupconsulting.com [email protected] [email protected]

In this episode, we speak with Randy Lyman, a physicist, multi-time founder, and author of The Third Element, to explore how leaders can find clarity and fulfillment by embracing emotional awareness instead of choosing between logic and empathy. Randy shares his personal journey from a strictly "left-brain" leader to one who centers on the "Third Element"—our emotions—explaining that true success and lasting solutions are only found when leading from a place of love and confident vulnerability, rather than fear or ego. He outlines the three core needs of employees that matter more than money—acknowledgment, contribution, and belonging—and offers tangible advice on how deep listening and personal comfort with uncomfortable topics can transform team dynamics, ultimately attracting better people, increasing team effectiveness, and easing the burden on managers. Buy the book: https://randylyman.com/the-third-element/

In this episode we sit down with leadership coach and C-suite veteran Matt Marcotte (Apple, Salesforce, Gap) to explore how to truly unleash human potential. Matt challenges conventional organizational thinking by arguing that humans are wired to lead with Heart, Head, and Hands—feeling first, thinking second, and acting third. Discover why leading with emotion inspires true transformation in a way data alone never can.1 The discussion dives into the galvanizing power of belief and why purpose must be the core driver, not profit, for sustainable business success. Learn how to get to the root cause of misalignment and get a tangible takeaway for starting your personal journey of transformation this week. Be sure to check out Matt’s Book, Built on Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment are the Competitive Advantage: https://a.co/d/0d7skqaB Learn more at Matt’s website: m2collaborative.com Contact Matt: [email protected]

In this episode, Jeff Ma talks with Brad Fideli, Director of HR at NTN Bearing Corporation, about the often-overlooked "people element" of large-scale organizational transitions. Using his company’s recent headquarters relocation as a case study, Brad explains how to move beyond stagnant email blasts by "bringing communications to life" through interactive samples, floorplan sketches, and employee-led committees. From addressing minor daily frustrations like "talking garbage" to fostering authentic connections through casual, interactive gatherings, Brad shares why leadership must remain visible and present long after the initial change is rolled out. Tune in to learn how to navigate major shifts by prioritizing transparency, active listening, and genuine human connection.

Leaders, stop the blame game. Host Jeff Ma welcomes executive coach and international bestselling author of You Were Not Born to Suffer, Blake D. Bauer, to discuss a radical approach to leadership and change: taking 100% personal responsibility. Blake explains how this shift—away from blame and toward a solution-minded approach—is the key to strengthening mental health, crushing burnout, and achieving genuine high performance. Discover why practicing 100% responsibility is the highest form of love. Learn more from blake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-d-bauer/ https://www.instagram.com/blakedbauer/

In this episode, we sit down with two-time Olympic champion coach Jane Figueiredo to explore how a strategy of love, compassion, and empathy drives success in high-stakes environments, from Olympic diving to the world of business. Jane shares powerful stories of navigating preparation, consistency, devastating setbacks, and the difficult but necessary process of change throughout her career.

In this episode of "Love as a Strategy," we talk with Jeff Tkach, CEO of the Rodale Institute. Discover the secret to human health hidden right beneath our feet, the connection between "healthy soil, healthy food, and healthy people," and why Jeff believes every human is being called to a metaphorical "return to the farm." Plus, get the inside story on his personal health journey and his brand new book, The Farm is Here. Learn more about his new book here: https://rodaleinstitute.org/the-farm-is-here/Order your copy here: https://a.co/d/0cdRMkqX

In this episode, we talk with leadership strategist Andrea Wanerstrand, founder of A3 Culture Lab, about how to navigate the relentless speed of change in business. Andrea unpacks her Mindset Maven Method (M.A.V.E.N.)—a framework for building confidence, embracing ambiguity with curiosity, and showing up as your most authentic self. Learn how leading with humanity can transform large-scale organizational change. Learn more at: https://mindsetmaven.com/ https://a3culturelab.com/ Follow Andrea Wanerstrand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawanerstrand/

Join host Jeff Ma as he welcomes Pinaki Kathiari, CEO of Local Wisdom and co-host of the podcast Why does it feel so wrong to be human at work?, for a deep dive into Love as a Change Strategy. In this candid conversation, Jeff and Pinaki explore the discomfort of change, the necessity of putting people first in any transformation, and how concepts like love and care are essential for building trust and a thriving workplace culture. Pinaki shares his personal experience with life-altering change and introduces ideas from Ayurveda's dosha types to illustrate why individuals react so differently to new circumstances. They also discuss practical strategies for managing organizational shifts, including the danger of "too much change all at once" and the power of small experiments to embrace new perspectives.

In this powerful final episode of the current season of "Love as a Business Strategy," guest Chris Field—founder of Mercy Project, author, and serial disruptor—discusses how he injects humanity and love into every facet of his boundary-breaking career. Chris shares his personal philosophy centered on ensuring his life "mattered," candidly explores the need to reconcile one's "money story" and untie self-worth from financial status, and passionately explains why genuine care is not just a tactic for better productivity but the core of true business success. The conversation culminates with the profound idea that "Love as a Showing Up Strategy" means choosing to be present and available for others, even when it is difficult, an essential trait that transcends business and redefines personal impact.