Talk, Unleashed

The word ritual has a lot of weight to it. Its main definition designates it as being about religious ceremony. Pretty sure that’s where my resistance to it comes from. Truth is, though, that ritual doesn’t have to be heavy, or religious. Ritual, having some sort of consistent process or practice, can be a source of comfort, solace and a beautiful way to connect with others. In this week’s episode we explore how the onset of fall is a reminder of powerful rituals - rituals that remind us where we come from, including DENDROFEMONOLOGY - an historic view of feminism as brought forward by filmmaker and artist, Tiffany Shlain. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #ritual  #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #tiffanyshlain #DENDROFEMONOLOGY #LetItRipple #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

What might it look like to stop worrying about looking good and be authentic. Really authentic. Nothing like having people in your life who refuse to cosign your bullshit and keep you honest. That’s what you’ll get with Cathy in this week’s episode. It’s a snack-sized offering that is decidedly unvarnished and definitely unleashed. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #decisions #Curiosity #LifeCoach #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

One of the most powerful and important pillars of democracy in the United States is freedom of speech – the privilege granted a right in the US Constitution is a shield. It also can be a sword. Eugene Volokh is a Professor of Law at UCLA. His specialty, the First Amendment. What’s a canine behaviorist and life coach talking about with a First Amendment expert? Simple. Cheap Speech. It’s a phrase Professor Volokh coined back in 1995 as he predicted the massive impact the Internet would have on democratizing information and empowering free speech. He was, of course, correct. And the dark side of that process is what I wanted to talk about with him. This idea that technology’s silos is removing our curiosity and interest in people and things that are different. What Professor Volokh replies to this might surprise you. It caught me a bit off guard. I have to say I don’t know that I wholly agree with his view, but I can tell you that the discussion was utterly fascinating, and I cannot wait to have him back on the show again. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #EugeneVolokh #UCLALaw #FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech #CheapSpeech #Curiosity #LifeCoach #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Family. It means lots of different things to different people. For today’s guest, Broadway Star Brent Barrett, it especially means connection and support. Despite perceptions of the cutthroat competition of performance, from where Brent sits, the truth is that every performance is really about the family of people who come together to create it. Whether it’s a one night concert or an extended run, the camaraderie and connection is something that lasts. Knowing him as long as I have, I can attest to that since I’ve seen first-hand the relationships he retains from performances – some more than 20 years ago. Brent has had the fortune to perform in some of the most well-known shows in Broadway history – Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Music Man, Kiss Me Kate, Grand Hotel, West Side Story, Camelot – and the list goes on. No matter what the show, though, Brent brings a particular flavor of humility and generosity to his work – coming from a perspective that it is only in truly supporting each other that the show can truly go on. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed– a podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. Talk, Unleashed’s special sauce – how people’s connections to lessons they learned from animals are the foundation of everything they do. When she’s not engaged in unleashed conversation with her guests, Cathy is a life coach – leading her clients (corporate and individuals) to more powerful and engaged communication and up-leveling leadership. #BrentBarrett #Broadway #Actor #Singer #PhantomoftheOpera #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

When I asked today’s guest what leadership means to him, his immediate response was listening, which makes perfect sense. After all, the sound is the very thing that drives John McClain. It has since he was 10 years old. And he’s not just good at it. He’s great. Companies like Chevrolet, Dodge, Intel, and MGM Resorts think so. And the Emmy Awards and Grammy on the shelf at Monster Sound and Picture (the studio for which he’s co-owner and sound designer/mixer) aren’t such shabby proof either. He also has chops on the other side of the microphone and works steadily as a Voice Actor. Growing up as a military brat, John learned early the art of listening as a means to connect with people wherever he went. It was reinforced powerfully by his father, who retired a Colonel from the Marine Corps. In today’s unleashed conversation John and I talk about the impact his dad had on his leadership, the power of sound, and there’s also an entirely random debate on the value of oatmeal cookies. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed– a podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how all those things can come together to create a better world. Talk, Unleashed’s special sauce – how people’s connections to lessons they learned from animals are the foundation of everything they do. When she’s not engaged in unleashed conversation with her guests, Cathy is a life coach – leading her clients (corporate and individuals) to more powerful and engaged communication and up-leveling leadership. #JohnMcClain #MonsterSoundandPicture #SoundEngineer #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Adapt or die. Always seemed a pretty aggressive statement. It’s true though. Especially when it comes to technology. Trends of new platforms and services have shifted our world in remarkable ways in the last 20 years and for those who’ve leaned into those changes with curiosity, well, they’re still around. One of those people is Jim Louderback. He’s one of the most trusted and respected voices in digital media. Starting back with his time at PC Week Magazine and then on to its parent company, Ziff-Davis, Jim has had a front-row seat to the massive changes technology has brought to our world. He hasn’t just been a passive observer, though. He takes the role of leadership seriously and plays intensely and hard in the space – often guiding not just how people learn about new technologies but how they ultimately use them. He’s someone who has no problem taking the path less traveled, and typically when he does that, he’s just getting on that path before everyone else gets there. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how they can come together to create a better world. Talk, Unleashed’s special sauce – how people’s connections to lessons they learned from animals are the foundation of everything they do. When she’s not engaged in unleashed conversation with her guests, Cathy is a life coach – leading her clients (corporate and individuals) to more powerful and engaged communication and up-leveling leadership. #JimLouderback #TechTV #ZiffDavid #Media #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

It’s a word that’s come up on our podcast before – empathy. Today’s guest, Beverly Ulbrich, highlights it as part of the way she defines her method of dog training. Empathetic. A former Silicon Valley Tech Exec turned dog trainer (sounds a bit like last week’s guest J ), Beverly turned her attention to full-time dog training nearly 20 years ago and much like Talk Unleashed’s host, Cathy Brooks, finds that the core need to bring a sense of empathy to communication applies to both ends of the leash. Regarded as one of the top dog behaviorists and trainers in the San Francisco area, Beverly has leveraged her expertise with dogs on television and in film as well. In this #unleashedconversation, Cathy and Beverly talk about some of the ins and outs of finding the right dog trainer, important things to know before getting a dog, and what Beverly would said to world leaders about leadership through dog behavior if given the chance. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #CathyBrooks #voiceactor #DogTrainer #LifeCoach #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

With 36 episodes under our belt, we’re taking a moment to regroup, think about where things are right now and share a little bit about what it is we’re doing here, how that has evolved from our start and where things are going next. The guest is your host, Cathy Brooks. She is a communications professional whose work ranges from radio to television, newspaper and digital platforms. For 22 years she worked in Silicon Valley in public relations, event curation, and business development. In 2012 she turned a life-long passion of canine behavioral study to a career, opening The Hydrant Club in Las Vegas, NV. Through this work Cathy realized she could facilitate connections between people; and launched Unleashed Leadership LLC – a media, event, and coaching business leading people to financial and personal success through effective and powerful communication. Unleashed Leadership includes this weekly podcast, a live event series, and coaching. Her vision is of a world made better by fostering more effective and authentic communication between people. When she’s not educating dogs and humans about communication, serving as media expert on animal welfare topics, or public speaking, Cathy spends time in the recording booth of Whispering Dog Studios – her voiceover business. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #CathyBrooks #voiceactor #DogTrainer #LifeCoach #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Audiobooks. They’re among the most intimate of voiceover genres and give a whole new meaning to having voices in your head. A narrator relates the story – including all the characters – and they are directly in your ear. In today’s episode, we hear from someone who may sound familiar. Not surprising, considering that Jack de Golia has brought nearly 175 book titles to life (some of those are coming soon). He’s a voice actor who specializes in audiobooks (though he’s done pretty much every other format for voiceover as well) and who made his way to this career after first exploring life as a park ranger. Acting, though, was a life-long passion and something that came to him early and served as a constant thread. Constancy, patience – good lessons and ones that came early from a dog named Mickey. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #JackdeGolia #voiceactor #audiobooks #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Despite my skepticism at someone who declares themselves “leader of the pack” – especially given the fact that the word pack is actually utterly inaccurate in describing a group of dogs (more on that another time), when I was pointed to the Instagram feed for Antonio Diaz, I found myself pleased. Here is someone who pulls no punches, tells it like it is, and most of all focuses on helping people be better humans to their dogs. In other words, he’s my people. When we finally met in person after months of online chatting it was like meeting an old friend. Our coffee chat was so great, I invited him to join me for this episode of Talk Unleashed because it was a conversation worth having again, and worth your getting to hear it. One of my dog training mentors always told me to beware of dog trainers who post heavily on social media. One reason is that really good dog training makes for really crappy video – because the process of getting from point A to point B is like watching paint dry. Most trainers who show things online make it look like magic, resulting in lots of folks trying things they shouldn’t. So finding someone like Antonio (like me) avoids that error by focused on the why underneath the magic. Do his videos show almost miraculous behavior of dogs? Yes, but that’s just the stuff to catch your attention. What really matters is the solid foundation  underneath it. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world.  #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

When her husband brought home a computer in the 1980s Robin Raskin had two options: learn about the technology or get a divorce. She opted to do the former and to add to that by writing a column about it for InfoWorld Magazine. That column got Robin noticed and launched her into a career as one of the most influential women in technology publishing. Rising through the ranks in Ziff-Davis, Robin was an editor at PC Magazine, where the challenge of being a woman and keeping home and work separately was substantial. So it’s no small irony that after PC Magazine, Robin launched and ran another title for Ziff-Davis – entitled Family Computing. After Ziff-Davis, Robin headed for the Consumer Electronics Show where she spent 15 years driving efforts to bring emerging technology trends into the event – things like Digital Health and the Smart Home. Lately, Robin is running a new venture focused on how events and technology evolve in a virtual world. In this episode, we talk about leadership, curiosity, and tribalism – and how a cool dog named Sam taught her the truth about belonging. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #RobinRaskin #VirtualEventsGroup #ConsumerElectronicsShow #PCMagazine #FamilyComputing #ZiffDavis #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Music heals. It always has. It’s one of the few things that is common to all people – regardless of nationality, culture, religion or politics. It’s a binding element. A societal glue that has the power to heal. Today’s guest, Alice Sauro, believes this to the marrow of her bones. Among the first kids in the US to be trained under the Suzuki Method, Alice went on to study at Julliard and then to perform for 29 years. She shifted from performance to management – first at the Fisher Theater in Detroit, then the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and then to a 7 year stint at the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera. It was while there she had the first-hand experience both of the grounding power of music, and truly leaning into that power to bring that orchestra back from the brink of financial ruin and position it for growth and sustainability. In February 2022, Alice took the helm of the Las Vegas Philharmonic as Interim Executive Director. In the short time she’s been in Las Vegas she has proven a steady hand on the wheel for an organization that, like so many in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, had become a bit wobbly. She’s deeply curious and believes that it is curiosity and connection that define leadership. Important beliefs and something that she’s known for a long time, since childhood really, in no small part thanks to a kitten, named Sheila. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #AliceSauro #LasVegasPhilharmonic #LVPhil #violinist #LVPhil #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Finding purpose is pretty much the whole reason any of us meander around on this blue marble on any given day. For some, getting to that “why” takes a minute and some serious navigation. For others, it’s about serendipity. Ashley Watkins is a lawyer who, after spending some time in the corporate world defending insurance companies, realized that the loud sound she heard was her soul being sucked out. Taking a break and taking up the offer of a law school pal to hang her shingle at the firm where he worked, Ashley found her true calling. Lots of folks hear “personal injury attorney” and there’s a pretty specific image or idea that comes to mind. Can’t lie, happened for me too – especially living in a City like Las Vegas where every other billboard is one cheesy firm or another. Ashley and her business partner Sam are no different on the billboard front, but what’s categorically different is the message they send. Doing what’s right. That extends well beyond their law firm practice and deeply into their engagement with the community. The lessons of altruism and selflessness, though, came for Ashley well before law school. Those lessons got put in place courtesy of two dogs in her life – Riley, and Rocky. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #AshleyWatkins #SamandAsh #GetWhatsRight #WhatsRightShow #RockyGoodboyCEO #lawyer #personalinjuryattorney #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Imposter. Fraud. They’re powerful words and they both sit in the title of the soon-to-be-released memoir of today’s guest, Christina Aldan. Neither of those words necessarily come to mind when you think of Christina. She’s a respected brand marketing strategist and keynote speaker, she’s graced the TEDx stage, and is a known authority on the topic of emotional intelligence. When her tweet about her Memoir came out, the title landed. Hard. “Imposter: Memoir of a Fraud”. Mic drop. In Christina’s life she’s navigated some interesting twists – from abandonment issues related to her father, to feeling like an outsider where she grew up. Now you might say those things don’t necessarily seem so awful in today’s world. It’s not about the what, but more about how the experiences landed and the lessons that have come and ultimately it’s about how response to trauma can create imposter structures we don’t even know exist. In this episode, Christina talks about her life journey, the challenges she’s overcome and how the powerful lesson about protecting herself while always moving forward came from a Great Dane named Shannon. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #ChristinaAldan #EmotionalIntelligence #TEDxSpeaker #Imposter #MemoirofaFraud #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Most of us remember our childhood pets. On some level, we know they play critical roles in our lives beyond just the fact that they’re cute and cuddly. Some folks though, like Rachel Diamond, not only remember every single pet in their life, but they also are super clear on the lessons that each one brought. Rachel is an architect, designer, and coach and when she’s not creating beautiful things and spaces, she’s working with the women of her industry to support their leadership and growth. She also has had dogs in her life as long as she can remember, and the impact of those pups has been tectonic. As seems to have been a theme lately we talked about unconditionality and the power that being TRULY unconditional can play when one is paying attention. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #RachelDiamond #RadiantArtistryDesign #Architecture #Design #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

In a world fraught with such conditionality there are few things more unconditional than the love of a dog. It’s probably one of the main reasons folks get them. The lessons we get to learn from the kind of connection we have with our dogs can, if we stay present to it, be life-changing. Relationship and Marriage Coach Jen Williamson knows this first hand. The work she does is about creating powerful bonds through the work she and her husband do with The Unshakable Family. After achieving the “American Dream”, Jen and her husband realized that something was missing, something big. So they ditched it all, moved to Costa Rica, and have found an entirely new way of focus that has catapulted their lives (and the lives of their kids) forward. She’s grounded in a sense of leadership with the strong structure she learned from years in the US Navy. That emotional immunity is built through strong habits and a clear mindset. That connection doesn’t equal time spent but quality and that when it comes to connecting with others there’s a clear sense of how things get to be in order to flow. All these lessons may have been strengthened by her time in the Service and as a coach, but the foundation was laid, thanks to a German Shepherd Dog named Fage. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #JenWilliamson #UnshakableFamily #Startup #Coach #Entrepreneurship #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Being present. You’d think that it was a no-brainer in terms of the world, right? Thing is, today’s world is saturated by disconnection. The faux perception is that just because there are myriad digital links that somehow that means connection and presence. Not so. Being present, truly present, is something that takes effort and is a lesson that today’s guest, Katia Ravé, learned as a child. When she was 20 years old, Katia had the opportunity to pull the ripcord on her life as she knew it and come to America. Given that opportunity, she took it and what was supposed to be an 18-month adventure, turned into a watershed moment for her life. A serial entrepreneur and successful business coach, Katia seizes the opportunity with passion and through it all keeps a strong focus on being present, really present. And it’s a lesson she learned, of course, from a childhood pet. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #KatiaRave #Startup #Coach #Entrepreneurship #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

How comfortable are you being uncomfortable? Really uncomfortable. The answer to that for most people is that they’re not. We live today in a world of instant gratification, immediate release, placating, and soothing. None of these things are good for leadership and as far as Jeffrey Hayzlett is concerned, that gets to change. He knows a little about leadership having held the Chief Marketing Officer position with Kodak. He’s presently the CEO of the C-Suite Network, a frequent keynote speaker, accomplished author, and besides sitting on Boards and having launched/supported an array of companies, he’s also done a stint on reality TV. Persevering through challenging times and shifting through discomfort is, Jeff says, imperative for successful leadership and that it is those who treat the crisis as an opportunity to become a business “first responder” that determines whether they are good or great. He’s brash and direct, outspoken, and at the same time deeply compassionate and thoughtful and in this episode shares about how the biggest lessons about doing the hard stuff were forged in making tough decisions about the animals in his life. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #JeffreyHayzlett #CSuite #HeroClub #Entrepreneurship #Kodak #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

All the world’s a stage. If only that actually were true. It might just be a more respectful place. The truth is that the medium of theater is a very particular thing. It’s an art form woefully underserved when shown via other media. The theater is about history. It’s about context. It’s about a very truly ancient understanding of how things will go. People show up to a space. The lights go down. And then, for whatever length of time, there is an agreement. There is a decorum. The audience holds space – and holds their tongue to a certain degree – while stories unfold. You may agree. You may disagree. There is, of course, response (applause, laughter, etc…) and regardless you sit in the dark until it has finished and at the end, there is time to discuss. Good theater is about more than a story. Good theater is about shining a light on where we’ve been, where we are, and perhaps where we may go. Few theater companies understand the depth and breadth of history like SOHO Playhouse. This venerable Off-Broadway theater sits literally in a spot steeped with history from the very start of the United States. Darren Lee Cole, the Producing Artistic Director of SOHO Playhouse speaks all about their historic context and the very exciting expansion for them to what might at first, feel like an unlikely place – Las Vegas, NV. In 2021, in partnership with a local developer, SOHO Playhouse announced that they will be driving the revitalization of the historic Huntridge Theater. In this conversation, Darren talks about the place theater plays in the world, the move to Las Vegas and lessons about boundaries from a cat named Chris. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned, and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #theater #offbroadway #huntridgetheater #sohoplayhouse #hamilton #aaronburr #leadership #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Selflessness. It’s not about ignoring yourself. In fact, true acts of selflessness, true acts of altruism require that the individual doing the work be utterly saturated in self-care. Think of it this way. If my life is a cup and I’m pouring into others from my cup, eventually that cup is empty. That serves no one. As one of my leadership coaches, Judith Rich, suggests – instead my cup gets to be full and then overflow and it is from that overflow, from abundance, where my giving can begin. That concept lies deeply at the heart of how today’s guest moves through the world. Sloane Davidson is the Founder and CEO of Hello Neighbor, a non-profit based in Pittsburgh, PA that provides a safe and smooth entry for new “neighbors” coming to the US from places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, myriad countries in Africa and so on. She and I met “back in the day” when she was working a the crossroads of philanthropy and digital marketing. Her site, the Causemopolitan and the work she did making sure organizations that were doing good in the world, also could do well and have their voices heard. She was a constant voice at the World Economic Forum in Davos, at the United Nations and in 2015 she returned to her hometown, not sure what she’d do, but knowing that she was meant to help people. The early days of her work had Sloane exhausted and overextended, leaving little energy for her family or herself. She found the grounding of her new direction and the biggest lesson of all about ensuring her own cup was full, from a lovable shelter pup, named Piper. What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast will feature guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. #sloanedavidson #HelloNeighbor #Causemopolitan #Neighbors #leadership #entrepreneurship #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash