Business Leadership Series

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  Episode 1487: One Million by One Million 20.09.2026 19dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Sramana Mitra.Sramana is the founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. Its goal is to help a million entrepreneurs globally reach a million dollars in annual revenue, build a trillion dollars in global GDP, and create 10 million jobs.Since its founding in 2010, 1Mby1M has become a powerful platform for democratization of entrepreneurship acceleration.Sramana also developed 1Mby1M’s Incubator-in-a-Box methodology for Corporate Incubation that is used by enterprises to manage internal and external innovation endeavors.In 2015, LinkedIn named Sramana one of their Top 10 Influencers alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson.Sramana has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley since 1994. Her fields of experience span from hardcore technology disciplines like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Semiconductors, to sophisticated consumer marketing industries including e-commerce, fashion and education.As an entrepreneur CEO, Sramana founded three companies: Dais (off-shore software services), Intarka (sales lead generation and qualification software using Artificial Intelligence algorithms; VC: NEA) and Uuma (online personalized store for selling clothes using Expert Systems software; VC: Redwood). Two of these were acquired, while the third received an acquisition offer from Ralph Lauren which the company did not accept.As strategy consultant, Sramana has consulted with over 80 companies, including public companies such as SAP, Cadence Design Systems, Webex, KLA-Tencor, Best Buy, MercadoLibre and Tessera among others. Her work has also included numerous startups and VCs.Sramana has a Masters degree in EECS from MIT and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Smith College.From 2000 to 2004, Sramana chaired the MIT Club of Northern California’s entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.Learn more at www.1Mby1M.comBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1486: Shaka Senghor: How To Be Free 14.09.2026 42dk

  NYT bestselling author Shaka Senghor talks with Derek Champagne about his personal story and his powerful new book, How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons."I love this book—because it teaches you how to manifest freedom in your own life and how that work allows you to rise to your greatest glory." —Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah PodcastAfter 19 years in prison—7 of them in solitary—Shaka emerged not just with a story, but with a methodology. In this book, he distills the inner work that helped him survive, heal, and grow into practical tools that anyone can apply to their own life.Because not all prisons have bars. We all live inside systems, stories, and cycles that can hold us back—doubt, fear, disconnection. And for men in particular, a flawed definition of manhood—emotional suppression, isolation, performative strength—can quietly destroy us. Shaka challenges that directly and offers a radically honest path to healing, self-trust, and real leadership.Each chapter blends hard-won wisdom with actionable steps (including “Keys to” sections at the end of each chapter that offer concrete, practical guidance), perfect for readers hungry for a path that’s real, not performative. Shaka’s work has been praised by figures ranging from Oprah to Ben Horowitz, and he’s regularly sought after by CEOs and changemakers for his insights on leadership, trust, and mindset.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1484: Rhino Records Co-founder: Richard Foos 06.09.2026 35dk

  Derek Champagne talks with the Godfather of reissue culture, Richard Foos. Richard Foos launched his entertainment career shortly after college in a small storefront on Santa Monica Boulevard. What began as a quirky record store evolved into Rhino Records, one of the most respected reissue labels in the world. It became a hub for collectors, and in 1978, he and his partner, Harold Bronson, launched the label. The Rhino team is credited with inventing “reissue culture,” which in the aggregate has sold many hundreds of millions of records and CDs. In 1998, Rhino Entertainment Company was fully acquired by Time Warner. It became the catalogue development and marketing division of Warner Music Group, where it continues today, reissuing the great artists on Warner labels. Richard stayed with the company until 2002. In 2003, Richard and his two partners, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos, launched Shout! Factory, shifting the focus toward TV and film. Shout! Studios is now a part of Radial Entertainment, where Richard serves as a consultant for the company. Beyond business, Richard is also known for his social activism. Foos currently serves as Board Chair of both TheNarrative Method and Volunteer Collective. He also serves on the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai, and on the boards of Pico Union Project, Inc., Brave New Films, College Match LA, and Hoover Intergenerational Care, which he co-founded in 1976. Richard is married to therapist Shari Foos, who is the founder of The Narrative Method.Visit Radial EntertainmentBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1483: NBA Alumni Enes Kanter Freedom 30.08.2026 51dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Enes Kanter Freedom. Enes is a human rights activist, NBA star, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and NY Times Best Selling author of the book: In The Name of Freedom. summaryIn this conversation, Ennis Cantor-Freedom shares his remarkable journey from a childhood in Turkey, where he faced societal pressures to hate, to becoming a prominent NBA player and a human rights activist. He discusses the challenges he faced in speaking out against injustices, particularly regarding the treatment of Uyghurs in China, and the personal sacrifices he made, including estrangement from his family and the threat to his safety. Through his story, he emphasizes the importance of empathy, the responsibility of influential figures, and the need to educate the next generation about human rights and social justice.takeawaysEnnis Cantor-Freedom's journey from Turkey to the NBA is marked by a commitment to human rights.He faced societal pressures to hate America but chose to embrace understanding instead.His family's support played a crucial role in shaping his values.The NBA provided a platform for him to speak out against injustices.He faced severe consequences for his activism, including threats to his family.Empathy is a key theme in his message to the world.He encourages others to use their platforms for social justice.The importance of educating the next generation about human rights is emphasized.He believes that silence in the face of injustice is complicity.His story illustrates the power of individual choices in the fight for freedom.Chapters00:00Introduction to Ennis Cantor-Freedom01:18Childhood in Turkey: A Journey of Understanding06:45Transition to America: First Impressions and Cultural Adjustments11:23NBA Career: From Draft to Stardom13:21Activism Begins: Standing Up for Human Rights16:51Consequences of Activism: Family and Personal Sacrifices18:52Living Under Threat: The Interpol List and Travel Restrictions20:58The Threat of Violence and Personal Safety22:22Joining the Boston Celtics: A New Chapter24:04Awakening to Human Rights Issues25:47Using Basketball as a Platform for Activism29:05The Cost of Speaking Out31:08Empathy: The Missing Ingredient32:23The Consequences of Activism37:26The Business of Basketball and China38:17The Responsibility of Influential Athletes40:46Taking Action: What Can We Do?Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1482: Psychologist for NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, & All Stars 23.08.2026 29dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Dr. Justin Anderson. Dr. Justin Anderson is one of the nation's leading high-performance sport psychologists and the Founderand CEO of Premier Sport Psychology and Premier Performance Advising. With over 20 years of experience, his work has supported Hall of Famers, All-Pros, world and national champions, and organizations across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and NWSL, as well as collegiate, Olympic, and executive clients across industries.His approach is grounded in neuroscience, counseling and organizational psychology, and thousands of hoursembedded in real performance environments (locker rooms, sidelines, and boardrooms) where attention,decision-making, and emotional regulation are tested in real time. That applied experience forms the foundationof his book, Intentional Attention. A licensed psychologist, Certified Mental Performance Coach, and former collegiate quarterback, Justin brings a blend of scientific rigor, clinical depth, and lived experience to his work. He is a sought-after keynote speaker at national and international conferences and designs scalable performance and leadership programs for organizations seeking clarity, confidence, and consistency under pressure."Intentional Attention" is the ability to deliberately direct and sustain focus on what drives performance, especially when distraction, emotion, and uncertainty surge. In a world engineered to capture our attention, this skill has become one of the rarest and most decisive competitive advantages.In his book, Intentional Attention: The Science and Practice of Focus Under Pressure, Justin introduces a practical,science-backed framework for strengthening the attentional systems that drive performance.Order "Intentional Attention"Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1481: Success Is A Number's Game 16.08.2026 25dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Kyle Austin Young.Kyle Austin Young is an award-winning strategy consultant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders ina wide range of fields. This work has allowed him to develop and refine a powerful system for accomplishingbig, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. Kyle is a popularwriter for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes,and Business Insider.His new book, SUCCESS IS A NUMBERS GAME: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds (Hay House Business, November 2025), details this system. In the context of a single goal, it could be the secret advantage that changes your outcome. Over the course of several goals, it could transform the trajectory of your career. Appliedto a lifetime of goals, it can level up your legacy.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1480: CEO of The Weather Company 09.08.2026 36dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Rohit Agarwal, CEO of The Weather Company.Rohit Agarwal is the CEO of The Weather Company, the world’s most accurate forecaster. In this role, Rohit is responsible for setting the strategic vision that spans the company’s digital consumer properties, including The Weather Channel app and weather.com, as well as its enterprise business across media,advertising, aviation, defense, and a variety of other industries. He stands behind the belief that high-performing teams are critical to innovation, growth, and impact, and diverse backgrounds and thinking benefit the end customer.Prior to joining The Weather Company, Rohit was the chief product and revenue officer at SoundCloud, the world’s largest online community of artists, bands, DJs, and audio creators, where he led the vision, strategic execution, and revenue. This included overseeing business and product strategy, delivery and operations, design, product marketing, and growth. Through Rohit’s leadership, SoundCloud refactored the product, doubled its subscriber base, and meaningfully improved its ads business, leading the company to its first profitable year in its 16-year history.Rohit previously served as chief product and growth officer at CNN. Throughout his career, he has driven 2-3x user and revenue growth across leading companies in industries including music (Last.fm, CBS), media(CNN/WarnerMedia, The Economist, Bild), banking (HSBC), B2B SaaS (Trustpilot, Akamai), and consumer internet (AOL). Rohit is a frequent speaker at leading conferences (Google I/O, SXSW, CES, RISE, WebSummit, Product Summit), an active advisor and investor in startups, and launched his own startup in the past. He is also a committed supporter of diverse and inclusive education initiatives – both as a board member of the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and as a board member of Leap Year, a unique program based in metro Atlanta dedicated to improving college access and early adolescent reading skills to under-represented youth.Rohit lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. An avid sports fan, he also enjoys playing soccer and tennis, painting, and cooking, and he acknowledges that his creative endeavors make him a better leader.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1479: The Go-Giver Marriage 02.08.2026 23dk

  In this interview, Derek talks with John and Ana Mann about their new book "The Go-Giver Marriage". John and Ana share the "why" behind writing this new book, their process for collaboration, and highlight some of the secrets to lasting love. Learn more at https://gogivermarriage.com  John David Mann is coauthor of more than 30 books, including four New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers. His classic 2008 parable The Go-Giver (coauthored with Bob Burg) earned the 2017 Living Now Book Award’s “Evergreen Medal” for its “contribution to positive global change.”   Ana Gabriel Mann, M.A., earned her degree in clinical psychology before going on to serve as an educator, therapist, corporate trainer, speaker, and coach. She currently coaches Go-Giver Marriage clients and leads the Go-Giver Marriage Coaches Training Program, training coaches from around the globe. Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1478: Leadership Beyond Performance with Rennie Curran 26.07.2026 31dk

  Derek Champagne talks with former NFL player Rennie Curran. Rennie shares stories from his unique upbringing, leadership lessons learned along the way, and more about his new venture: Formr.  Formrapp.com - The professional platform where former athletes build what's next, fans connect for life, and businesses find the most competitive people on earth.Free leadership resources from Rennie Curran: https://renniecurran.com/ Rennie Curran is a former professional athlete who currently serves as an active Keynote Speaker, Author, and the CEO of Game Changer Coaching. Recently inducted into the Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame, the Georgia vs Florida Hall of Fame, and the UGA 40 Under 40, he uses his platform to inspire students, athletes, and business professionals to reach their fullest potential. Born in Atlanta, GA, and the son of Liberian immigrants, Rennie Curran and Josie Curran, he has a diverse background with humble beginnings. He began his football career at Brookwood High School in Snellville, GA, becoming the all-time leading tackler in Gwinnett County history. He was initially considered undersized according to various critics, but quickly silenced the doubters by exploding onto the field as a true freshman at the University of Georgia. His experiences of overcoming many circumstances to reach his childhood dream of becoming a 3-time All American, Butkus Award Finalist, permanent team Captain a 3rd round draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft (Tennessee Titans) and transitioning into becoming a successful entrepreneur has given him a unique perspective on what it takes to handle adversity and maximize opportunities while having a positive impact on others. Through his innovative presentations he teaches individuals, teams and organizations how to transform their personal and professional lives through leadership, teamwork and personal development. Rennie Curran has been counseling and inspiring people for many years. He is the CEO of Game Changer Coaching whose mission is to help business executives and entrepreneurs become high performing leaders by improving performance, personal brand and communication skills. In 2013, he published a motivational self-help book entitled ‘Free Agent’ The Intangibles for Overcoming Adversity and Times of Transition. This motivational self-help book discusses how to overcome adversity during the times of transition that we all face along our journey to achieve our dreams. He also has a children’s book entitled “What Does It Take to Be a Star” which was co-written with his daughter, Eleana Curran. He has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Fox Sports, ESPN College GameDay, The Huffington Post, and much more. When Rennie Curran is not speaking, coaching or writing he is usually spending time with his daughter or catching up on one his favorite hobbies, music. He grew up playing the piano, drums and viola. He is also a public servant who spends lots of time giving back through several organizations including. The Boys and Girls Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and his foundation. The Game Changers Foundation, which provides resources to student athletes to help them become leaders in sports, business and life through mentorship and leadership development. Curran is a man of faith, humility, integrity and resilience.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1477: The Buy-In Advantage with Dave Garrison 19.07.2026 32dk

  Derek Champagne interview USA Today best selling author Dave Garrison. Dave Garrison is a nationally recognized business strategist and co-founder of Garrison Growth, a leadership development and executive consulting firm. As Chief Navigation Officer of Garrison Growth, Dave helps CEOsand senior leaders generate meaningful buy-in and drive results across their organizations.With more than 30 years of leadership experience — including board roles at companies such as Ameritrade and executive leadership of public and venture-backed firms — Dave brings a rare blend of strategic insight,operational expertise, and on-the-ground leadership to every engagement. A renowned CEO and strategic advisor, Dave is the creator of a groundbreaking framework that addresses the critical ingredients needed for sustainable buy-in. Author of the bestselling book, The Buy-In Advantage: Why Employees Stop Caring ― and How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Give Their All, Dave equips leaders with practical, low-cost tools to build trust, align teams, and unlock performance—especially during times of growth, change, or disruption. Drawing from extensive research and real-world success stories, he reveals howleaders can implement this no-cost methodology to transform their culture and drivemeasurable results.Dave is a sought-after speaker, workshop leader, and trusted advisor to executives across a variety of industries. He has delivered hundreds of high-impact sessions for corporations, nonprofits, and chapters of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) both in the U.S. and abroad. His workshops consistently earn top ratings for their clarity, energy, and immediate usefulness. In addition to his client work, Dave has served as a guest lecturer at leading business schools and as a boardroom coach to CEOs navigating complex growth challenges. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and resides in Tucson, Arizona.In today’s workplace, effort isn’t the problem ― buy-in is. Teams may be showing up, but they’re not fully  engaged. They delay decisions, resist change, and underperform quietly. In The Buy-In Advantage: Why Employees Stop Caring ― and How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Give Their All (Matt Holt Books), executive coach and former CEO Dave Garrison delivers a clear, practical roadmap to help leaders earn real commitment—not just compliance—and build teams that execute with energy, ownership, and purpose. Purchase The Buy-in Advantage bookFree assessments and resourcesBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1476: American Film Maker: Larry Kasanoff 12.07.2026 34dk

  In this episode Derek Champagne talks with Larry Kasanoff. Larry Kasanoff, Chairman/CEO of Threshold Entertainment, as a studio head or producer, makes movies, animated movies and location based entertainment/theme park attractions.He is the Producer or Executive Producer of MORTAL KOMBAT, including three Number One films, a television series, an animated series, platinum selling soundtracks, direct to dvd, and a live tour, with a new Mortal Kombat movie coming Summer '26.Larry is Executive Producer of the box-office smash film, TRUE LIES, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by James Cameron.As president and co-founder of Lightstorm Entertainment, Larry supervised production, marketing, publicity and merchandising for the four-time Academy Award winning hit, TERMINATOR 2 JUDGMENT DAY, directed by James Cameron.He is Executive Producer of movies, STRANGE DAYS and BLUE STEEL, with Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow.Larry - as a producer or studio head - has made over 200 feature films, including the biggest selling multi artist sound track in history, DIRTY DANCING, and Academy Award Winning Best Picture PLATOON. He has raised well over a billion dollars in the film business.He makes animated movies:  LEGO STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES OUT; and BOBBLEHEADS THE MOVIE starring Cher.Larry also makes location based entertainment, or theme park, attractions, includingSTAR TREK THE BORG EXPERIENCE; MARVEL SUPERHEROES 4D; and THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SPIDERMAN.In the music world, Larry has packaged or produced video projects with several of the world’s biggest talents, including Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and Elton John. For Terminator 2, he produced MTV’s top video of the year, “You Could Be Mine” with Gun’s ‘N Roses.He produced and directed the feature documentary, MINDFULNESS: BE HAPPY NOW, starring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and Deepak Chopra. It is available on Amazon.Larry is the author of  A TOUCH OF THE MADNESS - How To Be More Innovative by Being a Little Crazy (Ben Bella Books via Penguin Random House).Larry holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania  and a BA from Cornell University.Order A TOUCH OF THE MADNESS HEREBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1475: Shark Tank Veteran & Entrepreneur: Beau Oyler 05.07.2026 37dk

  In this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Beau Oyler.Beau talks with Derek about his experience on Shark Tank, building a successful company, and some valuable lessons he has learned along the way.Having founded Enlisted Design and Urbio, he has created rich product and brand experiences for fortune 500's and small startups. He pioneered the design cooperative movement and has a unique ability to truly collaborate with his partners. His designs have received every major design award including Red Dot, Spark, IDEA, GOOD Design, TheDieline, Wired Editor’s Choice and Best of Show at Dwell on Design.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1474: Race For The Cure 28.06.2026 25dk

  Listen to this powerful interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum who has an incredible new memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action". David’s story is truly unique; it’s a tale of learning to live, while dying: a universally relatable story about getting up and fighting back after life knocks you down.A former Georgetown quarterback nicknamed "The Beast," David Fajgenbaum was also a force in medical school, where he was known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled over a condition they had yet to even diagnose; floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for the equivalent of a game day overtime: a second chance.Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived, but only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease—an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world- class researchers to tackle them; instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he proposed to align them himself.More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, his hard work has paid off: a treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when forces of determination, love, family, faith and serendipity collide.David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co- founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and an NIH-funded physician- scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought-after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients – including Vice President Joe Biden – of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. Order "Chasing My Cure" at bookstores nationwide or at http://www.chasingmycure.com/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1473: CEO of The Weather Company 21.06.2026 36dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Rohit Agarwal, CEO of The Weather Company.Rohit Agarwal is the CEO of The Weather Company, the world’s most accurate forecaster. In this role, Rohit is responsible for setting the strategic vision that spans the company’s digital consumer properties, including The Weather Channel app and weather.com, as well as its enterprise business across media,advertising, aviation, defense, and a variety of other industries. He stands behind the belief that high-performing teams are critical to innovation, growth, and impact, and diverse backgrounds and thinking benefit the end customer.Prior to joining The Weather Company, Rohit was the chief product and revenue officer at SoundCloud, the world’s largest online community of artists, bands, DJs, and audio creators, where he led the vision, strategic execution, and revenue. This included overseeing business and product strategy, delivery and operations, design, product marketing, and growth. Through Rohit’s leadership, SoundCloud refactored the product, doubled its subscriber base, and meaningfully improved its ads business, leading the company to its first profitable year in its 16-year history.Rohit previously served as chief product and growth officer at CNN. Throughout his career, he has driven 2-3x user and revenue growth across leading companies in industries including music (Last.fm, CBS), media(CNN/WarnerMedia, The Economist, Bild), banking (HSBC), B2B SaaS (Trustpilot, Akamai), and consumer internet (AOL). Rohit is a frequent speaker at leading conferences (Google I/O, SXSW, CES, RISE, WebSummit, Product Summit), an active advisor and investor in startups, and launched his own startup in the past. He is also a committed supporter of diverse and inclusive education initiatives – both as a board member of the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and as a board member of Leap Year, a unique program based in metro Atlanta dedicated to improving college access and early adolescent reading skills to under-represented youth.Rohit lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. An avid sports fan, he also enjoys playing soccer and tennis, painting, and cooking, and he acknowledges that his creative endeavors make him a better leader.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1472: NY Times Best Selling Author Liane Davey 14.06.2026 38dk

  In this episode Derek Champagne talks with NY Times best selling author Liane Davey. Liane has spent more than 25 years researching and advising teams on how to perform at their best. Known as the “teamwork doctor,” she works with teams from the frontlines to the boardroom, across industries and around the world, from Boston to Bangkok. Through her work with hundreds of teams, including 26 Global Fortune 500 companies (and counting), she has developed a practical, research-backed approach to solving the challenges that prevent teams from working effectively together.Liane is a New York Times bestselling author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done and The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and a sought-after expert for media outlets including CNN, NPR, USA Today, The Globe & Mail, and Forbes. Her work focuses on increasing productivity, strengtheningengagement, developing leaders, and helping teams navigate conflict in healthier, more effective ways.Liane’s clients have included Amazon, Walmart, TD Bank, RBC, AMD, MD Anderson, Google, Bayer, KPMG, Aviva, UNICEF, and SONY Interactive Entertainment. While she works across a wide range of industries, she customizes every conversation to reflect the realities of each audience.In Thoughtload, Liane tackles today’s most pressing management challenges: over-burdened systems, burned-out teams, and plateauing results. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, Davey argues that the problem is not with out-sized workloads. The root cause of the madness sapping productivity in today’s offices is our excessive thoughtload.Thoughtload is the cumulative and often overwhelming burden of increasing cognitive and emotional demands, worsened by decreasing physical and mental energy. In this brilliant, highly prescriptive guide, Davey lays out the steps for reducing thoughtload, so that managers and their teams feel more focused―and get more done.For free resources and to order a copy of Thoughtload visit: Thoughtload.comBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1471: NBA Champion Trent Tucker 07.06.2026 26dk

  Derek talks with 93' Chicago Bulls NBA Champion Trent Tucker. Trent talks with Derek about leadership skills necessary to build a championship team, how to manage egos, having Phil Jackson as a coach, the Trent Tucker Rule, and what it was like playing with his friends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Derek also talks with Trent about his 9 years playing with the NY Knicks. 
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  Episode 1470: Former WWE Co-President: George Barrios 31.05.2026 43dk

  Derek Champagne talks with George Barrios, former co-president of WWE, about the deal he made to reshape the global company, his public firing by Vince McMahon, the future of the sports industry, and his approach to leadership (and coping with public failure). Barrios tells his story in his new book Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt. ABOUT SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBTAt a time when leadership is under scrutiny and industries are being reshaped at breakneck speed, stories of bold decision-making and personal reinvention have never felt more essential. Readers are hungry for narratives that go beyond corporate gloss—stories that show how transformative deals actually unfold, how leaders make high-stakes decisions, and how grit still propels people to the highest levels of business. In SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBT: How a Cuban Kid from Queens Transformed WWE (Skyhorse Publishing; June 2, 2026), George Barrios—son of Cuban immigrants, former co-president of WWE, and architect of the largest transaction in sports history—offers exactly that kind of story. With unfiltered honesty and cinematic detail, Barrios traces his journey from a cramped Queens apartment to the boardrooms where he helped reshape a global entertainment company. Told with the humor, swagger, and introspection of a leader who has lived many careers in one lifetime, the book blends memoir and business insight to reveal how an outsider learned to trust his instincts, move decisively, and lead through uncertainty. Barrios brings readers inside the world of WWE: from his twelve-year partnership with Vince McMahon, to the media-rights revolution that redefined the company, to the personal and professional fallout of being fired in front of the entire industry. But the story reaches far beyond wrestling. It is equally a story of immigration, family resilience, cultural identity, and the relentless pursuit of upward mobility. Barrios reflects on:·       High-stakes leadership, including how he learned to take bold action despite backlash, uncertainty, and public scrutiny.·       The making of a massive sports deal, and the pressures, strategy, and behind-the-scenes dynamics that shaped an industry-defining negotiation.·       Immigrant grit and the American Dream, and how his parents’ escape from Castro’s Cuba shaped his path and worldview.·       Reinvention after public failure, including the firing that could have ended his career and the personal reckoning that followed.·       The cultural forces inside major entertainment companies, with unvarnished insight into ego, power, and the real cost of winning. Written with the immediacy of a ringside story and the heart of a family saga, SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBT is more than a business memoir. It is a testament to risk-taking, reinvention, and the belief that anyone—regardless of where they begin—can shape their own future.Order book here: https://georgebarrios.com/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1469: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Freedom 24.05.2026 42dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Mark Rampolla, Founder of ZICO Coconut Water. Mark is also the author of the book High-Hanging Fruit and new USA Today bestseller: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Freedom. Mark built ZICO Coconut Water from nothing, sold it to Coca-Cola for over $200 million, then made a decision most people thought was insane. He bought it back and now he’s scaling it toward a billion-dollar brand.The hardest leadership moment wasn't the exit or the early grind. It was deciding to come back after he had already "made it." That required convincing himself first, then his team, then everyone who thought He had lost my mind.For free resources mentioned on the podcast and to order Mark’s new book: https://www.markrampolla.co/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1468: Growing Categories & Engaging Super Consumers 17.05.2026 43dk

  Derek Champagne chats with Eddie Yoon. Eddie is a growth strategy expert for the last 20 years as a Partner with The Cambridge Group. In the last 5 years, he has helped double numerous businesses-cable media company, food brand, beverage company, pet food brand, consumer robotics, standby generators-from several hundred million to close to a billion dollars.Eddie is the author of the acclaimed book, Superconsumers: A Simple, Speedy and Sustainable Path to Superior Growth. He is also the author of over 40 articles, including Make Your Best Customers Even Better (Harvard Business Review magazine) and Why It Pays to Be a Category Creator (Harvard Business Review magazine). Eddie has been a keynote speaker in the U.S., Africa, Australia, Denmark, the UK and Japan.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
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  Episode 1467: Biohacking Leadership 10.05.2026 36dk

  Derek Champagne talks with Dr. Scott Hutcheson, author of Biohacking Leadership. Scott Hutcheson, PhD is a biosocial scientist and senior lecturer at Purdue University, where his teaching, research, and professional practice centers on leadership, team, and organizational performance through the lens of the biology of behavior. His work in biosocial sciences explores how biological systems interact with social behavior to shape how we lead, collaborate, and adapt. Dr. Hutcheson brings this perspective to leaders and organizations navigating complex, fast-changing environments. A personal health diagnosis several years ago deepened his professional interest in the biology of behavior. After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Hutchesonturned to biohacking—using data, behavior change, and biological feedback loops—to manage the disease. That lived experience sparked a powerful insight: the sameprinciples that optimize the body can optimize leadership. This became the foundation of his current work: applying biohacking principles to how leaders signal presence, build trust, and create conditions for collective success.With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Hutcheson has worked with hundreds of organizations across industry, higher education, and the public and nonprofit sectors. His clients have included the White House, Fortune 400 companies, startups, and rural communities helping them address challenges related to competitiveness, innovation, sustainability, and public health. His impact is global, having worked with more than 4,000 leaders from 147 countries.He is the author of numerous academic articles and essays, and his 2019 release, Strategic Doing: Ten Skills for Agile Leadership (Wiley), became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories and appeared on multiple Best Business Book lists. His next project is a three-book series with Wiley on the biodynamics of leadership, teams, and organizations. Dr. Hutcheson is also a columnist for Forbes where his articles are read by millions. He ranks in Forbes top 0.1% in readership. Dr. Hutcheson is a sought-after speaker, delivering keynotes and workshops around the world. His TED Talk on the “Science of Prospection” has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, and his Instagram account, @bookscotttospeak, has nearly 40,000 followers. He and his wife Lisa Hutcheson, a mental health policy leader and co-founder of Hutcheson Associates, live near Indianapolis in the historic Town of Ulen with their twodogs, Pippa and Cosette. They have two adult sons, Henry and Oliver.To learn more about BIOHACKING LEADERSHIP, please visit: https://biohackingleadership.com/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576