Intentional Leadership Podcast

In this episode of the Intentional Leadership Podcast, we unpack why reactive mornings don’t just create stress—they quietly compound into poor decisions, lack of clarity, and a constant feeling of being behind.

If you’ve ever felt like your day is running you instead of the other way around, this conversation will challenge the way you think about your mornings.

We explore:
- Why reactive mornings create a hidden cost on your energy and leadership
- The mindset shift that separates leaders who feel ahead from those who feel behind
- A simple framework to design mornings that create clarity—not chaos

High-performing leaders don’t just “get through” their mornings.
They design them intentionally.

Because how you start your day… shapes everything that follows.

Listen now and start leading your day with clarity.

In this episode of the Intentional Leadership Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Don Wood to discuss how high-performing individuals can achieve their next level. We explore strategies for "personal growth" and "self improvement," focusing on applying "high performance habits" to elevate your game. This conversation offers valuable insights into "performance management" and cultivating a "mindset motivation" for sustained success.

Timestamps
[00:00:00] – Introduction: How to Title Your YouTube Videos for More Views
[00:01:48] – Comparison: Learning from Magazine Headlines and how they apply to YouTube
[00:03:00] – The 3 Secrets of High-Performing Titles
[00:03:27] – Secret #1: Using Searchable Keywords (SEO)
[00:04:55] – Secret #2: Creating Curiosity and Emotional Hooks
[00:06:20] – Secret #3: Keeping Titles Concise and Mobile-Friendly
[00:07:37] – Bonus Tip: Using Headline Analyzer Tools

Clara Rose, a seasoned entrepreneur and literary consultant, joins the podcast to discuss her mission of helping professionals build their legacies through non-fiction writing. She shares her transition from a "seven-figure CEO" to the founder of RoseDale Publishing, where she utilizes a specific three-phase methodology to move authors from initial brainstorming to a completed, published tool for business growth. Throughout the conversation, she highlights critical pitfalls to avoid in the literary world and emphasizes the transformative power of community in the writing process. Discover the one common mistake most aspiring authors make that could cost them the legal rights to their own work by watching the full episode.

TIMESTAMPS
00:52 – Introduction to Clara Rose
04:52 – Early Writing Experience
08:44 – Transitioning to the Literary World
11:18 – Building Influence through Leadership
13:34 – Navigating Publishing Models
17:31 – Launching Savvy Author Academy
19:30 – The Three-Phase Methodology
30:02 – The Power of Community
35:59 – Consistency in Writing
41:02 – Hybrid vs. Traditional Publishing
48:41 – Critical Mistakes for New Authors

Connect with Clara
thesavvyauthors.com
www.linkedin.com/in/savvyclararose/

In this episode of The Intentional Leadership Podcast, Mike Rice, co-founder and managing partner of the Momba Group, discusses how his 25-year career in IT staffing took a profound turn after a mission trip to Kenya. Rice details the "accidental" founding of his company and how he integrated a faith-driven mission that sponsors a child's education, health care, and nutrition for every professional placement made. The conversation explores the shifting landscape of leadership in a post-COVID world, the practical uses and challenges of AI in recruiting, and the long-term vision of creating sustainable technology jobs in Kenya to combat poverty. Discover how a single commitment to "saying yes" can transform a traditional business model into a powerful engine for global generational change.

TIMESTAMPS
01:00 – Introduction of Mike Rice
01:46 – Career Background
03:41 – The Mission to Kenya
12:17 – The "Why" Behind Mamba
15:02 – Success to Significance
21:55 – Navigating Hardship
28:31 – AI in Recruiting
32:00 – Post-COVID Leadership
45:46 – The "First Fruits" Model
51:41 – The Hope Foundation
57:28 – Future Vision
01:03:53 – Closing Remarks

Connect with Mike
themombagroup.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricemike/

In this episode of the Intentional Leadership Podcast, board-certified wellness coach and IFBB Pro Ashley Garcia discusses her transformative journey from a mother of three in Mexico to a professional competitive bodybuilder. She shares valuable insights on overcoming burnout, implementing sustainable high-performance habits, and the critical importance of treating oneself as a "million-dollar racehorse" through proper sleep, recovery, and nutrition. Garcia also reveals her current work in corporate wellness and the development of a health-focused travel brand designed to reduce decision fatigue for busy entrepreneurs. Join us to discover how prioritizing your well-being can be the ultimate catalyst for taking your business and personal life to the next level.

TIMESTAMPS
00:47 – Introduction of Ashley Garcia
01:34 – Professional Bodybuilding Categories and Ashley’s Fitness Journey
07:02 – Building Sustainable Habits and Overcoming Failure
24:30 – High-Performance Travel and Nutrition Strategies
33:50 – Corporate Wellness and Identifying Signs of Burnout
49:44 – Rapid Fire: Fitness Tips, Longevity, and Future Ventures
59:16 – Connecting with Ashley and Closing Thoughts

Connect with Ashley
ashley@verawellnessco.com
www.instagram.com/ash.garciawells/

Willow Weston, founder and director of Collide, joins the Intentional Leadership Podcast to share how her personal journey toward healing from childhood trauma "accidentally" launched a global movement serving tens of thousands of women. Willow discusses the transformative power of colliding with Jesus to turn brokenness into wholeness, emphasizing that leaders must actively participate in naming and healing their own pain to avoid hurting those they lead. From insights on leading with vulnerability to practical self-care strategies for soul rest, this episode offers a roadmap for anyone ready to move with their pain toward a life of purpose. Are you ready to choose healing today and help bring healing to a hurting world? Tune in to learn how to collide with a future of wholeness.

TIMESTAMPS
0:47 - Introduction of Willow Weston
3:03 - The "Closet Moment" and the Birth of Collide
11:06 - "Do You Want to Get Well?"
14:14 - From Experiment to Global Ministry
21:35 - A Life-Changing Encounter
24:40 - Creating Sacred Spaces for Encounter
27:18 - Support and Sacrifice in Marriage
32:25 - Finding Soul Rest and Staying Hungry
36:36 - Intentional Leadership and Boundaries
42:25 - Upcoming Events and New Book Release
46:06 - Final Words of Wisdom

Connect with Willow
wecollide.net
https://www.facebook.com/willow.weston/
https://www.instagram.com/willowanneweston/

Buy her book "Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt"
https://www.willowweston.com/books/collide

In this episode, Graham speaks with Justin Maxwell, managing partner of Big Life Financial, to discuss the necessary shift for business owners from being an Owner Operator to an Owner Investor. Justin, who transitioned from being a school teacher to an entrepreneur, highlights the importance of building a new identity outside of the business, establishing a financial operating system to consistently build separate wealth, and intentional planning that aligns personal, business, and financial visions. He also introduces the concept of the 150-year Family Vision to break the "boom-or-bust" wealth cycle. Learn in this episode how to achieve true freedom and lasting generational wealth.

TIMESTAMPS
0:55 - Guest Introduction and Background: Justin Maxwell, Partner at Big Life Financial
3:15 - The Awakening: Why Business Owners Get Trapped and the Danger of Net Worth Stuck in the Business
9:21 - The Dangers of Having Only the Business as a Pillar of Wealth and Profound Regret After Selling
20:44 - The Owner Operator to Owner Investor Shift Explained
24:56 - The Biggest Blind Spot: The "I'm Fine" Mantra
27:29 - The Process: Aligning Personal, Business, and Financial Visions (Including Case Study)
36:59 - The Disco Ball vs. Laser Beam Analogy and Scaling the Business and Self
40:48 - The 150-Year Family Vision and Generational Wealth
53:42 - Two Pieces of Advice and How to Connect with Justin Maxwell

Connect with Justin
biglifefinancial.com
www.linkedin.com/in/justindmaxwell/

Most people approach the new year with a wish list, but wishes don't build legacies, it's the systems. That's why 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February 1st. Don't be one of the 80%. Learn the systems and mindsets that successful entrepreneurs and leaders use to build a "bulletproof year" and a lasting legacy. This episode breaks down 26 lessons shared by hosts, Janelle and Graham. These lessons are organized into 4 essential pillars. In this episode, learn the systems needed to build the right life, avoid the common pitfalls of resolutions and gain practical steps for personal and professional growth.

TIMESTAMPS
0:32: Introduction and The Four Pillars
2:03: The 1st Pillar: Health and Well-being
10:08: The 2nd Pillar: Relationships and Connection
19:06: The 3rd Pillar: Mindset and Personal Philosophy
31:00: The 4th Pillar: Action and Momentum
37:06: Closing and Invitation to Connect

On the Intentional Leadership Podcast, host Graham speaks with Brett Gilliland of Elite Entrepreneurs about the stages of business growth, focusing on the journey from seven figures ($1 million) to $10 million in revenue. Brett Gilliland explains the "five and a half secrets" which represent the stages of growth, highlighting that major stage changes happen at $1 million and $3 million in revenue. This is a powerful episode you don't want to miss.

TIMESTAMPS
1:37 - Brett Gilliland's Experience with Entrepreneurs
2:34 - Who Brett Gilliland Works With (Seven-Figure Businesses)
6:20 - Working on the Business vs. In the Business
9:26 - Revenue Progression and Stage Changes
17:21 - The Five and a Half Secrets and Stages of Growth
28:20 - The $3 Million Wall: Leadership and Consistent Leads
33:59 - The Mistake of Hiring Leaders from Much Larger Companies
40:42 - Key Takeaways: Develop Leaders Faster and Guard the Front Door
44:38 - How to Get the Five and a Half Secrets

Connect with Brett
growwithelite.com
www.linkedin.com/in/built2lastchamp/

In this episode of the Intentional Leadership Podcast, host Graham Youtsey sits down with Christopher Hussain, founder of RealKey and one of the few mortgage professionals ever licensed in all 50 states. Christopher shares his journey from stumbling into mortgage banking during college to becoming the top loan originator in the country and eventually building multiple companies across FinTech, PropTech, and InsurTech. He opens up about navigating the housing crash, the grit required to survive in a volatile industry, and how his tech-forward mindset led him to create RealKey’s smart deal room—an innovation years ahead of its time. Graham and Christopher dive deep into the realities of fundraising, why most entrepreneurs fail due to weak sales and marketing foundations, how founders can avoid “amateur hour” when pitching investors, and why capital efficiency matters more today than ever. Christopher also discusses the decision to pause RealKey, what the market is missing about mortgage tech, and where he sees his career moving next. This honest and insightful conversation highlights resilience, innovation, and leadership—plus a few personal stories about fatherhood, humor, and the mindset needed to thrive through adversity.

TIMESTAMPS

02:48 – Building a Paperless Mortgage Brokerage
04:43 – Childhood Hustle and Entrepreneurial Mindset
06:06 – Surviving the Housing Market Crash
07:06 – Bridging Technology and Mortgage Operations
09:09 – Fundraising and the Battery Incubator Experience
10:58 – What Investors Actually Look For
14:24 – Why Most Startups Fail at Sales and Marketing
21:45 – The RealKey Deal Room Innovation
30:31 – The Decision to Pause RealKey


Connect with Christopher
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherhussain/
https://www.realkey.com/