Barry Kleiman is the Founder, Executive Mentor, and Workshop Leader at Barry C. Kleiman & Associates, a firm he established in 1979 to help executives and teams elevate performance through leadership development and coaching. With over four decades of experience, Barry has guided leaders across industries in improving communication, alignment, and results. He is the author of The Playground Principles™: Why Connection Still Matters, a book that draws on stories from leaders and athletes to explore lessons on trust, consistency, and connection. 

Jason Smith is the Owner and CEO of Spotlight Social Advertising, a company that specializes in helping businesses grow and scale with Facebook and Instagram ads. He is also the host of The Truth About Social Ads, where he interviews guests from all corners of the digital marketing landscape.

Before founding his company in 2016, Jason spent 14 years in uniform with the LAPD and later started a side gig helping people with their online traffic, advertising, and Facebook ads, which became his core business. He then left the police department permanently to focus on Spotlight Social Advertising.

Zach Wilcox is the Founder and CEO of Fide Freight, a representative logistics solution providing a full range of services in long and short-distance freight, specialty haulage, and management of dry freights. Zach and his team pride themselves on complete transparency and communication, from bringing on a client to getting the shipments completed on time.

Before founding Fide Freight, Zach held project management, operations, and manufacturing roles across different companies. He has a business degree from Grand Valley State University.

Ian Garlic is the Founder of Garlic Marketing, the brand behind Video Case Story, where they help brands with the strategy and goals for video case stories. Ian is also the Founder of StoryCrews, a company that helps businesses connect with top-rated videographers and market and expand their brand through powerful stories captured on video. He hosts the Garlic Marketing Show podcast and has featured amazing guests such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Neil Patel, Ryan Deiss, and many more.

In this episode…

What do successful leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators all have in common? They’re constantly seeking tools and ideas that help them connect better — with others, their teams, and themselves. But in a world of endless options, how do you know which books, podcasts, or habits actually move the needle?

For today’s guests, the answer starts with curiosity and connection. They share how leadership lessons from sports, creativity, and business mentorship continue to shape their personal and professional growth. From refining time management to building resilience and embracing storytelling, each guest emphasizes the importance of learning from experience and surrounding yourself with inspiration that drives both action and reflection.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz talks with Barry Kleiman, Jason Smith, Zach Wilcox, and Ian Garlic about the books, podcasts, and tools that influence how they lead and live. They discuss how reading fuels creativity, why discipline and mindset are essential to growth, and how digital tools can help organize ideas and inspire innovation.