Libsyn Directory

Tracy Lee: Redefining Tech Leadership

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

Release Date: 04/16/2025

How to Crush Imposter Syndrome & Lead With Confidence | Samuel Osborne and David Graf

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

What’s the real difference between a leader and a manager? Why do so many successful executives still wrestle with imposter syndrome? And how do leaders handle conflict, burnout, and pressure without losing themselves? In this episode of The Badass Leaders Podcast, host Angela Gill Nelms sits down with Sam Osborne—The Neurosurgeon of Self-Worth—and attorney and educator David Graf. Together, they explore how values-driven leadership, authentic confidence, and emotional resilience can transform the way you show up at work and in life. Sam shares how his unconventional path—from teaching...

How to Handle Power and Ego in the Boardroom | Jonathan Bennett

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

In this episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast, Jonathan Bennett, leadership advisor, board director, and former CEO, shares how great leaders don’t avoid conflict—they humanize it. From scripting tough conversations with executives to building resilient board cultures, Jonathan reveals how curiosity, generosity, and relational governance can transform how leaders show up in the moments that matter most. You’ll hear: Why conflict can unlock growth instead of derail it How boards can move beyond ego and power struggles The personal journey that shaped Jonathan’s leadership...

From Kidnapping Survivor to Badass Leader | STRIPES & Dr. Crystal Simon

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

What does it really take to lead with grit and grace? How do you bounce back from setbacks, own your voice in the boardroom, and still make time for what matters most? In this powerful conversation, Angela Gill Nelm shares her journey from surviving unthinkable trauma—including a kidnapping that changed her perspective forever—to thriving as an executive, podcaster, and leadership coach. She opens up about mistakes, imposter syndrome, layoffs, boundaries, and the courage it takes to be authentically badass in work and life. This interview is taken from a STRIPES webinar and hosted by Dr....

A Leader’s 6 Keys to Steering Through Stormy Seas

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

A Leader’s 6 Keys to Steering Through Stormy Seas Navigating Change: Six Keys for Leaders Leading through change can feel like steering a ship in a storm. In this episode, Angela Gill Nelms shares six keys every leader needs to guide their team with clarity, empathy, and resilience. Learn how to set the right pace, anchor your team in routine, use empathy as your compass, adapt instead of resist, celebrate small wins, and prepare for calm after the storm. Mentioned this Episode: The fragile refuge of routines in a time of uncertainty by Amy J. Ko: New EY US Consulting...

Scaling Startups to $800M Exits | Lynn Herrick

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

What does it take to go from practicing law to leading companies through $800M acquisitions? In this episode of Badass Leaders, Lynn Herrick shares her unconventional path from attorney to COO, the hard-won lessons she learned scaling GreatCall to its Best Buy exit, and why culture—not strategy—saves companies. We dig into how she transformed high-turnover call centers into thriving “caring centers,” simplified complex problems that consultants said would take years, and navigated the messy realities of mergers, leadership, and conflict. If you’re serious about building...

Five Years Since I Refused to Die. Fifty Years Old | Life Lessons with Angela Gill Nelms

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

Lessons on Survival and Living from my Kidnapping This week’s episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast is unlike any before. Normally, Angela sits down with extraordinary guests to talk leadership, resilience, and growth. But today, it’s just her—because this week marks two milestones she never thought she’d see: Her 50th birthday The 5-year anniversary of escaping a kidnapping In this deeply personal and raw conversation, Angela shares her story for the first time in full. She opens up about the trauma that nearly ended her life, the hard road of recovery, and the lessons she’s...

Daniel Steere: Turning BS Jobs into Purpose-Driven Work

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

In this candid and energetic conversation, Daniel Steere unpacks what it really takes to “make work not suck.” From reframing “BS jobs” to uncovering dignity in every role, Daniel shares his Vision–Journey–Culture–Results framework and challenges leaders to think beyond quick wins. We dig into why purpose matters more than process, the hidden dangers of “hero culture,” and how the right mindset can transform even the most mundane tasks into meaningful work. Along the way, we tackle the leader–manager divide, the importance of superpowers over well-roundedness, and why...

Dr. Beth Harrison: Game Theory, Hospital Turnarounds, & The Courage to Live Authentically

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

From the streets of Savannah to the boardrooms of European hospitals, Dr. Beth Harrison’s life is a masterclass in resilience and bold leadership. In this powerful episode, she shares her journey of growing up adopted in a conservative Southern home, later discovering the truth about her birth, and turning life’s challenges into unstoppable momentum. Dr. Harrison reveals how sailing and game theory shaped her leadership style, why she left a secure career to launch a healthcare consulting firm from scratch, and how she went on to turn around struggling hospitals while navigating...

Karen Valencic: The Physics of Conflict from a Black Belt Engineer

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

What if mastering conflict could bring you more freedom, not friction? In this episode, Angela sits down with Karen Valencic—engineer, Aikido black belt, and author of Spiral Impact: The Power to Get It Done with Grace—to talk about why most of us misunderstand conflict and how to flip it into connection. Karen unpacks the difference between force and power, shares why confrontation is rarely the answer, and explains how a screw and a spiral can teach you more about leadership than a business degree ever will. From childhood survival roles to executive boardrooms, this conversation rewires...

Caitlin Johnson: Play to Lead - Gamification Strategies for Badass Leaders

Badass Leaders Podcast: Brave Hearts, Brave Conversations, Badass Leaders

Gamification expert Caitlin Johnson joins Angela Gill Nelms to unpack how leaders can transform their work, careers, and teams using game design thinking. From leveling up your career to designing systems that make hard things fun, Caitlin shares tactical strategies and hard-earned wisdom from her work coaching tens of thousands of leaders. They dig into motivation, breaking out of comfort zones, embracing experimentation, and why 90-day quests might be the secret to your next breakthrough. This episode is a high-energy blend of inspiration and action—perfect for leaders ready to play...

More Episodes

In this episode, host Angela Gill Nelms chats with Tracy Lee—entrepreneur, technologist, and advocate for women in tech—about her journey from learning to code to leading in the health and life sciences space. Tracy shares why building community matters, how to hire for culture adds over culture fits, and why meaningful work resonates so strongly with today’s talent.

They dive into the nuances of leadership vs. management, the challenges of scaling engineering teams, and how AI is reshaping the way we work. Packed with real talk, insights, and laughs, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the evolving tech landscape.

Learn more about Tracy at:

Instagram: ladyleet
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tracyslee
Website:www.thisdot.co
YouTube: youtube.com/@theleadershipexchange
Twitter / X: @ladyleet
Podcasts: The Leadership Exchange by This Dot Labs, and Modern Web

Mentioned in this Episode:

Angela’s episode on The Leadership Exchange: https://youtu.be/0k09L2o46wA?si=kXNIKnPV0cqe_YQe
Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/
V0.dev: https://v0.dev/

About Angela:

Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in the creation of exceptional companies and teams. She serves as the Director of Biolocity and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of both The AGN Group and the Recovery Advocate Network. Previously, she held the position of Chief Operations Officer at Aetos Imaging, RenovoRx, and Florence Healthcare. With a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech, Angela has a proven track record of successfully navigating the FDA, leading diverse teams, prioritizing the needs of customers and patients, and building exceptional companies.

Angela shares her lessons learned around the country in keynote speeches, coaching, and team-building workshops. Learn more about Angela at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

About The AGN Group:

At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. We offer keynote and panel speaking, leadership and team-building workshops, fractional and management consulting, brand and storytelling services. Email us at [email protected] to connect. Learn more at www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:

Want to be a Podcast Guest?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email [email protected].

Learn more about the podcast at www.BadassLeadersPodcast.com.

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