Leadership With Heart

In this episode of Leadership with Heart, Shawn Hanks, CEO of Premiere Speakers Bureau, reflects on his evolution from sales leader to CEO. He shares the pivotal lessons that shaped his leadership, including when he learned that offering his opinion too soon in meetings unintentionally stifled the voices around him.

Rather than leading with answers, Shawn now leads with questions and listens first, giving his team the space to bring forward their insights.This conversation is grounded in humility and real-world experience.

Shawn opens up about the difference between knowing and living the exemplary leadership phrases. He speaks about the gap between theory and practice, the challenge of leading former peers, and the importance of self-awareness at every growth stage. His daily journaling practice shows how he maintains clarity and perspective over time, treating each entry as a conversation with his future self.

Youll also hear about Shawns belief in gratitude as a leadership skill, not just a mindset. His approach to leadership blends emotional maturity, vulnerability, and the quiet strength of consistency. Whether handling a business decision or helping a team member course correctly, his message is clear: people want to follow human beings, not polished personas.

So heres something to think about. In your meetings and conversations, are you genuinely listening for new ideas or unintentionally shaping the answers before they are spoken? Let us know how you create space for diverse thinking in your leadership.

In this Leadership with Heart podcast episode, I welcome Kevin Kruse, Founder and CEO of LEADx. Kevin shares how his introverted nature and deep sense of purpose led him to build a platform designed to democratize leadership development and bring coaching and emotional intelligence tools to every leader through AI and digital innovation. 

Our conversation goes far beyond leadership tech. It's a personal and reflective look into why Kevin does what he does, including his intentional decisions to support emerging voices, elevate women leaders, and use his platform to advocate for access and equity in the workplace.

Together, we unpack the philosophy of progress over perfection, the duality of Leadership as both head and heart and how caring Leadership isn't about being soft. It's about doing the hard work of consistently showing up for others. 

We explore how imperfection can be a robust connector, why self-leadership is foundational, and how direct or indirect mentorship can shift someone's trajectory meaningfully. Kevin also explains why EQ is the new competitive advantage, how the LEADx app is helping build that skill globally, and why future casting may become the defining trait of tomorrow's most effective leaders.

Whether you're building your leadership toolkit or wondering how to expand your reach as a mentor, this episode offers practical inspiration with a profoundly human touch.

How are you scaling your Leadership personally, professionally, or through others? And how might you be showing up as a mentor, even if you don't realize it yet? I'd love to hear your reflections.

What happens when the CFO leads a company’s social responsibility efforts? And what if that initiative not only improves company culture but strengthens the bottom line?

In this episode of the Leadership With Heart podcast, we hear from Sandra Torre, Co-President and CFO at Lavidge, a full-service advertising agency based in Phoenix, Arizona. Sandra challenges conventional expectations of the CFO role by spearheading a company-wide volunteer program called “Impact Giving and Caring with Passion.” This refreshing conversation highlights how financial and human-centered leadership can coexist and thrive in the same space.

Sandra shares how Lavidge transitioned to employee ownership and inspired a cultural shift toward shared purpose and contribution. Recognizing a growing desire among team members to make a difference beyond the workplace, Sandra created a structured volunteering initiative that grants employees 16 paid hours annually to support community causes  all during the workweek. 

What started as a modest internal effort became a cornerstone of Lavidge’s identity, fostering collaboration, deepening engagement, and attracting new talent aligned with its values.

But the most compelling part? When COVID hit and most agencies faced furloughs and pay cuts, Lavidge made a bold decision: no layoffs, no cuts, and no pulling back from the impact program. The result? It was one of their strongest financial years ever.

Sandra’s story is a timely reminder that soft skills are anything but secondary. As she puts it, they are a force that can actually “make the bottom line even stronger.” Her grounded leadership style proves that doing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive — and that purpose can be a powerful business strategy.

How might this kind of leadership model apply in your own organization? And are we doing enough to reframe who gets to lead purpose-driven change in business?

We’d love to hear your thoughts. What stood out to you in Sandra’s story?

https://heatheryounger.com/lavidge

In this episode of Leadership With Heart, I sit down with Kirstin Guptill, Chief People Officer at HopeWest, to explore how leadership is evolving beyond administration into deeply human, strategic, and transformative work.

Kirstin shares her experience stepping into a brand new CPO role at a nonprofit that supports people through some of life's most challenging moments. With a background in HR leadership and a passion for building cultures that prioritize connection, she walks us through her approach to shaping employee experiences, driving retention, and ensuring that workplace culture is more than just a buzzword. Every team member must feel it.

We also discuss the power of boomerang employees, the importance of designing recruitment processes that truly attract the right people, and how organizations can move from a transactional approach to a relational one. Kirstin’s insights highlight why great leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about asking the right questions, listening, and creating a workplace where people do not just work, 

they belong beyond the workplace. We talk about something we all need to embrace more, self-leadership. Kirstin shares how working in hospice and palliative care has deepened her gratitude and reshaped how she approaches life outside of work.

This conversation is full of wisdom for anyone looking to step up as a leader, build a culture of belonging, or rethink what it means to support people, whether in the workplace or in their most vulnerable moments.

So how do you define leadership with heart, and what steps are you taking to build a workplace where people want to be? Let’s talk about it.

What does it mean to lead with both heart and results? How do strong leaders build teams that thrive while ensuring business success? In this episode of Leadership With Heart, I have the pleasure of speaking with Susan Valverde, Brand President of Sylvan Learning, whose leadership journey is nothing short of inspiring. From starting as a franchisee to leading a national organization, Susan's path is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and people-centered Leadership.

Throughout our conversation, Susan shares how her deep belief in her team's potential has shaped her leadership approach. She reflects on how growing up in an immigrant family, learning English alongside her loved ones, and working through challenges instilled in her the importance of collaboration and resilience. That foundation has fueled her leadership philosophy—one rooted in trust, open communication, and the belief that a strong team is the key to sustained success.

One of the most compelling moments in our discussion is when Susan recalls not showing up as the leader she aspired to be. She shares a vulnerable story of losing a key team member unexpectedly and realizing, in hindsight, that she had missed critical signs about that person's aspirations. 

Rather than dwelling on the disappointment, she took it as a lesson to engage more deeply, to ask better questions, and to ensure that every team member has a space to share their goals. This moment of self-reflection has driven her to foster an environment where leaders support business growth and nurture personal and professional development.

Susan also emphasizes that leadership isn't about having all the answers but asking the right questions. She highlights the importance of agility in an ever-changing world, especially as Sylvan Learning continues to evolve in the education space. Under her leadership, the company embraces new technologies, enhances learning experiences, and expands opportunities for students across diverse communities. At the heart of it all is a commitment to ensuring that all children, regardless of background, have access to quality education.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership is an ongoing journey. It's about balancing results with care, making tough decisions while remaining deeply connected to people, and constantly evolving to meet new challenges. As Susan shares her insights, she reminds us that great leaders create space for others to grow, that resilience and adaptability are non-negotiable, and that success is not just about personal achievement. It's about lifting others along the way.

What are the leadership lessons that have shaped you the most? How do you create an environment where people feel empowered to grow? Let's continue the conversation.