The Power of the Pause: Why Slowing Down Fuels Stronger Leadership | Melissa Gonzalez | 677
Release Date: 11/09/2025
The Stakeholder Alignment Advantage | Frankie Russo | 686
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if the real growth problem isn’t strategy… but misalignment? In this episode, , the Founder of and bestselling author of "", breaks down what it takes to create growth that compounds—without relying on charisma, hustle, or a one-time “big moment” on stage. Frankie makes a clean distinction: a book is a platform, not the mission. Thought leadership is the movement behind the platforms—and the work is designing ideas that change behavior and drive measurable outcomes. A core idea he returns to is stakeholder-first growth. Customers, colleagues, and community aren’t...
info_outline
The Performance Paradox: Why High Achievers Stop Growing | Eduardo Briceño | 685
Leveraging Thought Leadership
Are your top performers actually holding back your organization’s growth? Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick talks with , global keynote speaker, CEO of , and author of "". Eduardo is one of the leading voices on growth mindset in organizations, building on 16+ years of work with as co-founder of Mindset Works and two TEDx talks that have each passed 4 million views. Together, they unpack how leaders and companies can move beyond one-off inspiration and build true learning cultures that deliver sustained performance. Eduardo explains his core framework: the Learning Zone...
info_outline
The Apple Effect: Turning Hard Lessons Into Scalable Systems | Apple Levy | 684
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if every hard-earned lesson in your business came with a simple mandate: how dare you do nothing with what’s been given to you? In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with serial entrepreneur and systems strategist , author of "". Apple has spent decades in construction, manufacturing, home flipping, and retail. She combines operational grit with financial discipline to help entrepreneurs stop firefighting and start scaling with intention. Her core belief is simple and provocative: if you know something that works, you have a duty to share it. Apple walks through how she turned years of...
info_outline
Mindsets, Not Maps: Rethinking Corporate Innovation | Richard Braden | 683
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if innovation wasn’t reserved for a handful of “geniuses” in hoodies and turtlenecks? What if every person in your organization could solve real problems in bold new ways? Today's episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, I’m joined by to explore how to democratize innovation inside the enterprise. We dig into his practical framework from "" which was co-authored with to challenge the myth of the lone genius. Innovation stops being a mysterious black box and becomes a repeatable, teachable capability across the business. Rich explains why most organizations over-invest in...
info_outline
Designing the Long Tail of Thought Leadership | Tom Ziglar | 682
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if your thought leadership wasn’t just inspiring for 40 minutes on stage, but life-changing for years after the keynote? In this episode, Peter Winick talks with , CEO of , about how he’s evolving his father legacy into a modern, scalable thought leadership business. They dig into how to turn big ideas into programs, tools, and revenue streams that deliver real behavior change for clients, not just applause. Tom shares how Ziglar built an AI “digital brain” for Zig Ziglar by feeding in manuscripts and 50+ hours of audio. The result is Zig AI – a focused tool that gives only...
info_outline
AI, Executive Coaching, and the Future of Thought Leadership | Alisa Cohn | 681
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if your most valuable business asset isn’t your product, but the way you think? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with —one of the world’s top startup coaches, and award winner, author of "", and host of a by the same name. Together, they unpack what it really takes to turn expertise into a scalable thought leadership platform that attracts premium clients. Alisa breaks down what great coaching actually is at the top of the house. Not therapy. Not box-checking. It’s the disciplined work of helping senior leaders see where they are, where...
info_outline
Why Pressure—not Power—Breaks Leaders: | Sabina Nawaz | 680
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when pressure—not power—shapes the way leaders show up? That’s the question at the heart of this conversation with executive advisor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author . Sabina’s thought leadership centers on a bold idea: pressure can squeeze the humanity out of even the best leaders. And in today’s high-velocity business environment, every manager—from first-line supervisors to CEOs—is at risk. Her work helps leaders reclaim that humanity, especially when the stakes are highest. In this episode, Sabina shares the research behind her book " " , built on 12,000...
info_outline
The Playbook for Scaling Thought Leadership | Daniel Harkavy | 679
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What does it take to transform leadership into a calling — and build a business that transforms others? Today, Peter Winick sits down with , founder and CEO of , a pioneer in executive coaching and leadership development. Daniel shares how he turned the lessons from his early career in mortgage banking into a structured, scalable system for growing leaders — and why his success is rooted in helping others unlock their potential. Daniel’s approach to thought leadership isn’t about pedigree or credentials — it’s about proof. He took what worked in one high-performance environment...
info_outline
How Rituals (Not Routines) Transform Leadership and Life | Erin Coupe | 678
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if you could stop running on empty—and still perform at your best? That’s the question , author of "" (and host of a by the same name), invites leaders to ask. She challenges the old “time management” mindset that rewards burnout and box-checking, replacing it with a human-centered strategy of presence, choice, and renewal. Her message? Productivity doesn’t come from cramming more into your day—it comes from creating rituals that restore you. Erin works with executives and teams to help them shift from survival mode to sustainable performance. Through keynotes, workshops,...
info_outline
The Power of the Pause: Why Slowing Down Fuels Stronger Leadership | Melissa Gonzalez | 677
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything? , Principal at and author of "", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability. In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how...
info_outlineWhat happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything?
Melissa Gonzalez, Principal at MG2 Design and author of "The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "The Pop-Up Paradigm", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability.
In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how life’s disruptions can fuel transformation. She shares her evolution from building pop-up experiences for brands to helping leaders embrace intuition, pause with purpose, and redefine balance. Through dozens of interviews with women leaders, Melissa uncovered a truth many resist—taking time to pause isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom.
Melissa also discusses the art of integrating her message of purpose into her business world. She reveals how partnerships with brands like Nordstrom, Simon G. Fine Jewelry, and Crate & Barrel amplified her book’s message through events and collaborations that celebrate defining moments. Her story is a masterclass in aligning personal growth, thought leadership, and business strategy—without losing authenticity.
From managing the emotional and physical toll of overachievement to embracing JOMO (the joy of missing out), Melissa’s journey offers a reminder: the most powerful pivots often happen when you stop chasing and start listening.
Three Key Takeaways:
• Pause is Power – Taking time to slow down, reflect, and prioritize well-being isn’t a weakness—it’s a strategic strength. Melissa’s personal experience taught her that real success comes from making intentional choices rooted in impact, not busyness.
• Authentic Integration Fuels Influence – Thought leadership grows when your personal mission aligns with your professional platform. Melissa leveraged her network, brand partnerships, and events to bring The Purpose Pivot to life—blending purpose-driven storytelling with business acumen.
• Vulnerability Creates Connection – Sharing personal defining moments invites others to reflect on their own. Through candid storytelling and interviews, Melissa shows that embracing vulnerability deepens relationships, inspires trust, and sparks meaningful change.
If Melissa Gonzalez’s story inspired you to rethink success, balance, and the power of the pause, don’t stop there. Check out The Non-Linear Thought Leadership episode with Elizabeth McCourt. Both conversations explore how vulnerability, authenticity, and unexpected turns can become catalysts for growth.
Melissa’s journey shows how a defining moment can reshape purpose. Elizabeth’s episode builds on that idea—revealing how non-linear paths, reinvention, and resilience fuel thought leadership. Listen to both, and you’ll walk away ready to embrace uncertainty, lead with heart, and turn every pivot into possibility.
Listen next: The Non-Linear Thought Leadership | Elizabeth McCourt