Claim OwnershipThe Heart of Business
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"The Heart of Business" podcast, hosted by Mo Fathelbab, is an authentic and insightful exploration of the human side of leadership and professional growth. Through candid conversations with accomplished business leaders, thought leaders, and peer group facilitators, Mo will delve deep into the personal journeys, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped their careers. Mo Fathelbab's skillful and empathetic approach creates a safe space for guests to share their truths and vulnerabilities, revealing the emotional and often unseen dimensions of success in the corporate world. Each episode offers listeners a chance to glean practical wisdom, heartfelt advice, and a profound understanding of the intricate interplay between leadership, authenticity, and personal growth.
The "Heart of Business" is the official podcast of International Facilitators Organization, LLC and hosted by IFO's founder and CEO, Mo Fathelbab. To learn more, please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com.
34 Episodes
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In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Moore, President of PPD Painting and Co-Founder of the Commercial Painting Industry Association, to explore how industry-specific peer forums transform insight into action—and relationships into a powerful retention engine. Aaron shares his journey from Chicago startup to buying out a partner, scaling a commercial painting company, and building CPIA around a forum model inspired by EO and YPO. We unpack the structure behind high-performing groups: non-c...
"It's okay to be independent, but no reason to be alone." In the very first episode of "The Heart of Business," host Mo Fathelbab delves deep into the early years of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), then Young Entrepreneurs Organization, with none other than Verne Harnish. Get ready to embark on a journey through the heart and soul of entrepreneurship as Verne shares anecdotes and invaluable insights from the formative days of EO. Hear about the trials, triumphs, and transformative expe...
We are thrilled to announce the launch of "The Heart of Business", a podcast that will explore the personal side of business. Please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com to learn more about Mo Fathelbab and International Facilitators Organization (IFO), a leading provider of facilitators and related group facilitation services, providing training, certification, marketing services, education, and community for peer group facilitators at all stages of their career.
"It's perfectly okay to spiral down. The sooner you can see it, the sooner you can make the choice to go back up. That's breakthrough." Robert Rothman is the President of Gap International, has been with the company for more than thirty years, and has been instrumental in building the company to its current size and scope. As a consultant, Mr. Rothman is a strategic partner to CEOs and C-level executives in major, multinational organizations where he leads breakthrough growth and perfo...
This episode features serial entrepreneur and facilitator Dave Ingram, who shares the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership—from his early landscaping business to building a 25-year executive search firm. Dave talks openly about the hard seasons, including the 2008 downturn, and how peer forums became his anchor for real talk and better decision-making. We explore what makes forums work: experience sharing instead of advice, confidentiality that creates safety, and the discipline to be f...
In this episode, we sit down with Dan Hoffman—founder, CEO, and president of Circl.es—to unpack the surprising truth behind real leadership growth: it happens in small circles, not big rooms. Dan traces his path from building M5 Networks and navigating a tough public-company chapter, to a life-changing sabbatical in Barcelona that reframed how he thinks about success. He introduces a simple but powerful idea: small, curated peer forums help people live and lead better. We explore why five to ...
What if the cure for founder loneliness isn’t more hustle, but better peers and a new way to mentor? Brad Feld joins us to map the journey from scrappy software shop to mentor-driven ecosystems, sharing how a bootstrapped mindset, structured forums, and a “give first” philosophy can reshape an entire career. You’ll hear about the origin of “We Suck Less,” why owning the full customer experience created trust, and how one room of candid founders at YEO turned isolation into momentum. We unpac...
Danielle Mulvey's entrepreneurial journey begins in Nashville, where early roots shaped her Maverick mindset. From founding her first agency to taking risks that most would shy away from, she carved her own path with bold decisions and relentless drive. That spirit would ultimately fuel her transition from scrappy beginnings to leading multiple companies valued at over $50 million—all while working just ten hours a week. A defining lesson came from the infamous “Larry” mishire, which taught D...
What if the soft stuff is actually the hardest—and most valuable—work leaders do? We sit down with Stephanie Ford, director at Warren Whitney and IFO-certified facilitator, to explore how a career built on banking rigor, board governance, and deep facilitation turns messy conversations into decisive progress. Stephanie shares how early years in commercial banking taught her to see the whole system—operations, financials, risk, and relationships—and why that end-to-end perspective makes strate...
Dusty Holcomb’s story begins on a farm, where the simple truth that “cows need milking 365 days a year” instilled an unshakable work ethic. Those early lessons in responsibility and persistence carried into his entrepreneurial ventures as a child—creating a town newspaper at eight and running a landscaping business by eleven. These formative experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to connecting hard work with meaningful purpose. After spending 21 years at AAA and nearly three decades in corp...
In this episode, Mike Michalowicz opens up about his entrepreneurial highs, devastating lows, and the creation of the Profit First system that has transformed over a million businesses worldwide. From launching his first company in 1996 and joining EO Forum — where he discovered the unmatched value of honest peer connection — to losing everything in 2008, Mike shares the raw lessons that reshaped his outlook on business and life. Determined to end “entrepreneurial poverty,” Mike reveals how h...
In this episode, Janet Carlson—CEO and Creative Director of 1.11 Group—takes us on a journey through three decades of fearless entrepreneurship. From learning negotiation skills at just 9 years old to building the first pharmaceutical website without any prior experience, Janet’s story is a testament to grit, innovation, and the power of reinvention. She opens up about losing 98% of her business after 9/11 and rebuilding with the help of an SBA loan, creating groundbreaking programs for healt...
Andro Donovan shares her remarkable path from motivating disadvantaged youth in London to transforming organizational cultures worldwide. Her passionate approach to helping leaders find their true essence rather than chasing external symbols of success creates a compelling framework for anyone feeling stuck or unfulfilled despite outward achievements. The conversation reveals powerful concepts like distinguishing between "form" (material success) and "essence" (deeper meaning), the life-chan...
In this episode, entrepreneur and founder Chuck Hall takes us on a powerful journey—starting with his earliest days mowing lawns and delivering newspapers, to building a national construction company that now operates across 14 states and specializes in senior living facilities. After rising through the ranks at top construction firms, Chuck's trajectory took a dramatic turn when he was fired in 1998. But instead of spiraling, he saw an opening—leveraging grit, creativity, and a well-timed op...
In this powerful episode, Dan Heuertz takes us on a journey through decades of entrepreneurial highs and lows—from launching his first bar in college to building and exiting businesses in the restaurant and hotel industries. Along the way, he shares the critical lessons that shaped him, including how a paper route taught him the power of consistency and how intuition helped him navigate shifting market demands. A 25-year member of Entrepreneurs Organization, Dan opens up about the profound im...
Leah Litman, the youngest certified facilitator with the International Facilitators Organization (IFO), is on a mission to transform the college experience through structured peer forums. In this thought-provoking conversation with host Mo Fatalbab, Leah reveals how her psychology background at Tulane University intersects perfectly with her passion for creating authentic connection among students. The digital generation faces a unique paradox – constantly connected yet profoundly isolated. ...
Yuval Yeret has been "tweaking systems" his entire life. From modifying computer operating systems as a teenager to optimizing organizational structures as a leadership coach, his journey reveals the powerful parallels between technological and human systems. In this deeply insightful conversation, Yuval shares how his early exposure to psychology (through typing his mother's academic papers) subtly prepared him for understanding human dynamics in organizational settings. His pivotal moment ...
Unlock the transformative power of peer groups in leadership development with Leo Bottary in our latest episode. Explore how collaborative environments foster growth, curiosity, and psychological safety, providing leaders with the support they crave amidst today’s fast-paced challenges. Leo shares his journey into peer facilitation, highlighting the invaluable lessons he learned at Seton Hall University. Throughout the conversation, we address how peer groups help leaders gain fresh pe...
Meet David Duerr, a true testament to the entrepreneurial spirit, who joins us to unravel his story of grit and ambition. From his early days in Buffalo, New York, to pioneering his own company in the contract furnishings industry, David's journey is filled with lessons on the audacity it takes to rise through the ranks and ultimately sell a successful business to a major player like Boise Cascade Office Products. Join us as David shares the raw challenges and sweet victories of his path, off...
Ahad Ghadimi, the mastermind behind Forums at Work, joins us to share his remarkable journey from Toronto's vibrant entrepreneurial scene to the international stage. Listen as Ahad recounts growing up in a family-owned restaurant and cafe chain, where his entrepreneurial spirit was sparked early on. From selling pastries in school to crafting DOS programs, each venture was a stepping stone to a bigger vision. As we explore how organizational culture can be a game-changer, Ahad shares h...
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