Excellent Executive Coaching: Growing Your Business and Enhancing Your Craft.

Dr. Irena O'Brien is a cognitive neuroscientist and the founder of The Neuroscience School. A former CPA, she teaches coaches, leaders, and helping professionals how to use neuroscience in a way that holds up in the brain and in the real world.

• Why is "if they understand it, they'll change" one of coaching's biggest myths?
• Why is willpower a body-budget problem rather than a mindset problem?
• How does the predictive brain explain why clients repeat patterns even when they know better?
• How can coaches tell real neuroscience from third-hand, pop-neuro claims?
• Why does a solid grounding in neuroscience help coaches stand out and earn credibility?

Dr. Irena O'Brien

Dr. Irena O'Brien is a cognitive neuroscientist and the founder of The Neuroscience School. Before earning her PhD, she was a CPA, which gives her a practical, no-nonsense lens on everything she teaches. She teaches coaches, leaders, and helping professionals how to use neuroscience in a way that holds up in the brain and in the real world.

Her work sits at the intersection of brain science, behavior change, and human performance. She focuses on what drives durable change: why insight so often fails to translate into action, how the predictive brain shapes identity and decision-making, and why willpower is usually a body-budget problem before it is a mindset problem.

Irena runs the Certificate Program in Applied Neuroscience, an ICF-accredited, cohort-based program for experienced practitioners, and teaches advanced alumni trainings. She also hosts the Neuroscience of Coaching podcast. Her style is direct, science-first, and deeply human.

https://neuroscienceschool.com/

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is an executive communication coach with a doctorate from Harvard Business School and the author of "A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself," one of the most downloaded HBR articles of all time. She coaches executives at Deloitte, JPMorgan, MasterCard, EY, and PwC, and teaches in the MBA program and executive education at the University of Toronto.

• How does the Present-Past-Future framework help you answer "tell me about yourself," and what should you say in the first 30 seconds?
• Of the Four P's of vocal delivery (Pitch, Pace, Projection, Pausing), where do speakers tend to slip, and what's the fastest fix?
• How does imposter syndrome affect leaders and coaches, and how can you turn it into a strength?
• What does "being yourself on purpose" mean for your personal brand?
• How do you find the middle of the Confidence Continuum, between under-confidence and over-confidence?

Andrea Wojnicki

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is an executive communication coach with a doctorate from Harvard Business School and the author of "A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself," one of the most downloaded HBR articles of all time. She coaches executives at Deloitte, JPMorgan, MasterCard, EY, and PwC, and teaches in the MBA program and executive education at the University of Toronto. She writes for Inc. Magazine and Fast Company. Her work centers on what she calls "being yourself on purpose," a research-backed approach to personal branding and communicating with confidence, and her book on the same comes out Spring 2027.

https://talkabouttalk.com/

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Kiersten Farmer is a Data Strategist, Organizational Excellence Coach, and Managing Director of DataCivic. With nearly two decades of experience in applied data practices, performance management, and organizational evolution, she helps leaders answer the defining question of the AI age: What makes me necessary?

• What does an "AI identity crisis" actually look like inside an organization, and how do you know when you're in one?
• Why isn't upskilling and learning AI tools the answer on its own?
• Does the AI identity crisis show up differently in government, mission-driven organizations, and the private sector?
• What does a leader who is confident amidst data and AI look like in practice, and how is that different from someone who's just comfortable with technology?
• What does it cost an organization to ignore this problem?

Kiersten Farmer

Kiersten Farmer is a Data Strategist, Organizational Excellence Coach, and Managing Director of DataCivic. With nearly two decades of experience in applied data practices, performance management, and organizational evolution, she helps leaders answer the defining question of the AI age: What makes me necessary? A CBAP-certified data scientist, Ph.D. candidate, and dual master's degree holder in Technology Entrepreneurship and Public Administration, Kiersten is a published author and national speaker. She is known for helping organizations preserve their competitive edge, build leadership confidence with data and AI, and lead boldly through uncertainty with clarity and confidence.

https://www.datacivic.com/

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Michael Wood is a Consciousness Awareness Professional and the creator of the Learn To Love Being You program, a 10-week journey designed to help people break free from anxiety, self-doubt, and the emotional spirals that keep them stuck.

• How can we rewire subconscious beliefs formed in childhood without years of therapy?
• What actually heals trauma, beyond talk therapy alone?
• What is the shift from the Fear Bucket to the Love Bucket, and how can brain chemistry help us escape anxiety on demand?
• How can we quiet the mental chatter and access our intuition, even if we "can't meditate"?
• Why is forgiveness not a weakness, but your escape from someone else's prison?

Michael Wood

Michael is a Consciousness Awareness Professional and the creator of the Learn To Love Being You program, a 10-week journey designed to help people break free from anxiety, self-doubt, and the emotional spirals that keep them stuck. After rebuilding his own life from the inside out, Michael has dedicated himself to helping others rewrite the beliefs that shape their reality and reconnect with the part of themselves they forgot they had.

As COO of Jarrett Companies, Michael has led hundreds of high-stakes, emotionally charged conversations—experiences that shaped his direct, no-nonsense approach to personal transformation. He blends spiritual insight, grounded psychology, and a goofy sense of humor to help people open up, relax, and finally breathe.

Whether he's teaching breathwork in a maximum-security prison, building businesses that actually uplift their people, or guiding someone through a major breakthrough, Michael's mission is simple: help people remember who they are, unlock what they're capable of, and actually enjoy being themselves again.

https://www.learntolovebeingyou.com/

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

With over 25 years of experience, Kristina Katayama is the founder and lead consultant of Be Possible, which supports discerning, legacy-minded leaders across public, nonprofit, and private organizations who feel called to effect social change beyond their job description.

• Why do you say that many leaders do not actually have a conflict problem, but a relational culture problem?
• What does a conflict-capable organization look like in practice?
• How does nervous-system awareness change the way we lead, coach, and navigate tension?
• What can leaders do when trust is frayed, communication is breaking down, or people are either checked out or reactive?
• How can executive coaches help leaders shift from managing symptoms to building the conditions for genuine collaboration?

Kristina Katayama

With over 25 years of experience, Kristina Katayama is the founder and lead consultant of Be Possible, which supports discerning, legacy-minded leaders across public, nonprofit, and private organizations who feel called to effect social change beyond their job description. Our work helps leaders and teams transform conflict into collaboration and operationalize values through nervous-system-wise, relational practices in everyday interactions. Using an appreciative approach, we create action-learning processes that build relational accountability, develop agency at every level, and embed scalable micro-practices to strengthen trust, vitality, and collaboration. Grounded in appreciative inquiry, adaptive leadership, and restorative practices, our approach integrates organizational change, leadership development, and nervous-system-wise dynamics. We help organizations transform patterns of passivity and reactivity under tension into cultures rooted in grounded engagement, collective ownership, and vitality. Over time, organizations shift from conflict-avoidant, hero-based firefighting to conflict-capable human systems that can navigate complexity and thrive.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Nate Amidon is a former U.S. Air Force combat pilot turned CEO and founder of Form 100 Consulting. He helps enterprise technology and program leaders create alignment, drive predictable execution, and implement AI with real ROI.

• You have a military background; what leadership principles from that experience apply directly to business and technology teams?
• How do you help people in the military convert to the business world?
• What are the biggest mistakes leaders make when trying to implement AI in their organizations?
• How can leaders create clarity in complex programs where multiple teams and stakeholders are involved?
• Why do so many agile programs struggle with predictability, even when teams are performing well?
• You talk a lot about alignment; what does alignment actually look like inside a large enterprise program?

Nate Amidon

Nate Amidon is a former U.S. Air Force combat pilot turned CEO and founder of Form 100 Consulting. He helps enterprise technology and program leaders create alignment, drive predictable execution, and implement AI with real ROI. Drawing on military precision and hard-won civilian experience, Nate specializes in cutting through complexity to deliver clarity, for teams, leaders, and organizations navigating large-scale change.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Dr. Alexis Kennedy built her career at the intersection of law and forensic psychology. With both a PhD in Forensic Psychology and a JD, she spent decades researching child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. After years of absorbing the cumulative weight of that work, she experienced firsthand what she had only studied in others: burnout.

• You built a career studying trauma, and then burned out. What did that actually look like?
• Corporate leaders are often celebrated for their ability to push through. From a neuroscience standpoint, what is actually happening in the brain and body when someone has been in that "push through" mode for too long?
• You work with judges, executives, and first responders. What do these groups have in common when it comes to why they resist asking for help? W
• You have said that protecting yourself is not a weakness; it is the strategy. For a skeptical executive who sees self-care as soft, what does the science actually say about the cost of not protecting yourself?
• Your approach is specifically designed for people who are too busy or too skeptical to slow down. What does an evidence-based recovery strategy look?

Alexis Kennedy

Dr. Alexis Kennedy built her career at the intersection of law and forensic psychology. With both a PhD in Forensic Psychology and a JD, she spent decades researching child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. After years of absorbing the cumulative weight of that work, she experienced firsthand what she had only studied in others: burnout.

That turning point became her catalyst. She redirected her research expertise toward understanding why driven, accomplished professionals hit the wall and what the science says about getting back up. She now works with the audiences least likely to ask for help: judges, lawyers, executives, firefighters, and first responders who are too busy or too skeptical to slow down.

Her approach is practical and evidence-based. She translates neuroscience and stress physiology into concrete strategies that high-performing professionals will actually use.

Dr. Kennedy is a sought-after speaker, researcher, and advisor who has worked inside courtrooms, fire stations, law firms, and corporate boardrooms across North America. Her message is simple: protecting yourself is not a weakness. It is the strategy.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Erin Hedinger is an LCSW with more than a decade of expertise in integrative psychospiritual and humanistic modalities and an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies. She started her practice, EH Therapy LLC, in 2019 and has since curated a holistic approach that combines evidence-based treatment models with the timeless wisdom of ancient myths, rituals, symbols, and storytelling.

• You created a Modern Day Hero's Journey- a holistic model for healing and ecstatic living. Can you tell listeners why you think this model is needed at this time and what inspired you to create it?
• At the heart of your model is a pretty bold claim: that healing and ecstatic living are not two separate journeys but one. Can you unpack that for us?
• You bring this to life through the metaphor of an inner-world theater. Can you take us on a tour of that inner world and help listeners understand what is actually happening inside them? And walk us through the model's different phases?
• You write about the Fall as a universal human experience. Why is understanding our own falls so central to this journey, and what role does shame play in keeping us stuck?
• So what does it actually look like when someone does the work and steps out of survival into what you call ecstatic living?

Erin Hedinger

Erin Hedinger is an LCSW with more than a decade of expertise in integrative psychospiritual and humanistic modalities and an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies. She started her practice, EH Therapy LLC, in 2019 and has since curated a holistic approach that combines evidence-based treatment models with the timeless wisdom of ancient myths, rituals, symbols, and storytelling.

At the heart of Erin's work is a belief that healing and living fully are not two separate journeys, but one. Her framework guides clients inward, helping them process grief, trauma, and unmet needs, while simultaneously reclaiming the hidden desires and gifts within. The goal, she believes, is not simply to survive or merely exist, but to build the most authentic, ecstatic life possible from the inside out.

Her therapeutic approach is the foundation of her recently completed book, Your Modern-Day Hero's Journey: A Guide to Ecstatic Living, a transformative guide that weaves archetypal storytelling with leading psychological research to help readers heal and thrive.

Beyond her practice, Erin has been a member of the Amherst Writers & Artists since 2012 and became a certified writing group leader in 2016. When not working with clients, Erin can be found practicing yoga, exploring the gorgeous wooded trails of Morristown, New Jersey, engaging in creative writing, spending time with loved ones, or indulging in glorious works of fiction!

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Pat has authored two cookbooks: Whisk Upon a Star and Mouth of the South. Her latest book: Hurdles in a Girdle...Holding Life Together When You're Bursting at the Seams was published by the same group that produced Jack Canfield's books, known for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

• How did you get interested in hypnotherapy?
• What is the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy?
• Why do willpower and motivation fail at the conscious level, and how does hypnotherapy address that?
• What role does the subconscious mind play in our ability to stay motivated or consistent?
• Can you share an example where hypnotherapy helped someone succeed where willpower alone didn't?
• How does hypnotherapy help people stay inspired? Can you describe the process?

Pat Allen

Pat Allen went into real estate and opened Pat Allen Realty Group fourteen years ago, where she consistently ranks among the top 1.5% of brokers nationwide.

Pat has authored two cookbooks: Whisk Upon a Star and Mouth of the South. Her latest book: Hurdles in a Girdle...Holding Life Together When You're Bursting at the Seams was published by the same group that produced Jack Canfield's books, known for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and The Success Principles. Jack endorsed Pat's book on the cover.

Pat is dedicated, determined, and driven, and her success is due to the fact that she always makes it about her client...not herself. She felt compelled to help other women find love, purpose, and joy in their lives.

"My message is that we should never stay stuck in a bad marriage/relationship or an unfulfilled job. Fear holds us back from a life of joy, love, and purpose. If children are involved, thinking it's better to stay in a bad marriage is wrong…they will be impacted the rest of their lives."

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Lucy Lewand is a hospitality consultant, speaker, and founder of Happy Hospitality Solutions, with more than 40 years of experience helping organizations turn everyday interactions into a real competitive advantage.

• What's the difference between good service and true hospitality — and why does it matter for business results?
• What are the biggest missed opportunities you see in the first 7 seconds of a customer experience?
• You talk about hospitality as a competitive advantage — what does that actually look like in real life?
• What are a few phrases or habits that quietly damage interactions — and what should replace them?
• For leaders who feel like their team is 'good but not great,' what's one simple shift that creates immediate impact?

Lucy Lewand

Lucy Lewand is a hospitality consultant, speaker, and founder of Happy Hospitality Solutions, with more than 40 years of experience helping organizations turn everyday interactions into a real competitive advantage.

She works with leaders across industries to create what she calls the "hospitality hum" — how people are welcomed, how they're engaged, and ultimately how they feel from the very first moment. Her work brings decades of hands-on experience into simple, practical frameworks leaders can use right away, whether they run a hotel, a nonprofit, or a sales team.

Lucy knows hospitality isn't just an industry — it's a leadership discipline. And the organizations that treat it that way consistently outperform those that don't.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Holly Beitel is a transformational speaker, coach, and creator of the A.R.C. Method™, helping leaders and entrepreneurs eliminate self-sabotage at the root by re-authoring the internal stories shaping their decisions, identity, and results.

• You are a transformational speaker. Where do you lead your clients from what to what?
• What is your A.R.C. Method, and how is it different than mindset work?
• What makes your method of working with leaders and entrepreneurs unique?
• What are the "symptoms" that would help someone realize they could benefit from your process? How long does it take? Can a three-day experience really create a sustainable transformation?
• What are the transformational results you deliver, and how fast do your clients see results?
• What kind of collaboration opportunities do you offer?

Holly Beitel

Holly Beitel is a transformational speaker, coach, and creator of the A.R.C. Method™, helping leaders and entrepreneurs eliminate self-sabotage at the root by re-authoring the internal stories shaping their decisions, identity, and results. Holly has:

• Worked with approximately 4,000 people to re-narrate and transform their stories
• Coached over 3,000 entrepreneurs to start and scale their online businesses
• Founder of the non-profit TRUE Stories Ministries
• Multi-6-figure earner in 3 different niches

Through immersive workshops, coaching, and interactive talks, Holly helps transform the stories that have been holding us back into our most strategic assets.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Dr. Janet's exploration of spirituality and psychology began when she experienced a profound near-death experience at eight years old. Hovering above her limp body near the ceiling of the family's bathroom, Janet watched as her mother's frantic attempts to resuscitate her failed.

• How has your near-death experience impacted your chosen career path?
• What have you been most amazed by when working to heal clients as a nature and hypnotherapist?
• Your book, ReGenesis: From Chaos to Conscious Co-Creation, highlights the 7 themes of ReGenesis that grew out of your doctoral research. Can you share a few of these themes with our audience that you feel are the most salient given our current struggles in the world.
• You met mythologist Dr. Joseph Campbell (Hero with a Thousand Faces) back in 1982. Tell us how your book helps guide a person's origin story toward healing?
• You created The Genesis Triad; three paintings – tell us about these paintings and how they are central to your healing work.

Dr. Janet Curcio Wilson

Dr. Janet's exploration of spirituality and psychology began when she experienced a profound near-death experience at eight years old. Hovering above her limp body near the ceiling of the family's bathroom, Janet watched as her mother's frantic attempts to resuscitate her failed. This profound experience laid the foundation for her life's work by providing her with firsthand knowledge of the fact that the spirit transcends the body. This led to her studies in spirituality, depth and ecopsychology, education, and art therapy. As the founder of "The Infinite Mind," her unique approach to coaching combines art and nature therapy with psychology to help clients define and direct their life's purpose. Her unique psychospiritual approach anchors quantum healing with practical tools for personal transformation by teaching the power of intention.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Ken Patterson is a dynamic speaker, leadership coach, and business growth strategist known for helping individuals and organizations unlock their highest level of performance through intentional leadership, mindset, and action.

• What is the biggest mistake leaders and sales professionals make when trying to grow their business or team?
• How do you help people move from feeling stuck to creating measurable momentum?
• What does intentional leadership actually look like in real life?
• In your experience, what separates high performers from those who stay average?
• If someone listening today wants to create breakthrough results, what is the first step they should take?

Ken Patterson

Ken Patterson is a dynamic speaker, leadership coach, and business growth strategist known for helping individuals and organizations unlock their highest level of performance through intentional leadership, mindset, and action.

With over a decade of experience in coaching, training, and leading high-performing professionals, Ken brings a rare blend of real-world business expertise and deeply human connection to every stage he steps onto. As a certified John Maxwell speaker, coach, and trainer, as well as a certified DISC personality consultant, he equips audiences with practical frameworks that drive measurable results in leadership, sales, culture, and personal growth.

A respected leader in the real estate industry and founder of Growth Intention, Ken has helped entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and teams increase performance, build scalable systems, and lead with greater purpose. His message is rooted in one core belief: kindness and accountability are not opposites…they are the foundation of sustainable success.

Whether speaking to corporate teams, entrepreneurs, associations, or growth-minded professionals, Ken's presentations are known for being high-energy, deeply relatable, and immediately actionable. Audiences leave inspired, challenged, and equipped with clear strategies they can implement right away.

Ken's mission is simple: to help people lead with intention, grow with purpose, and create lasting impact.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Danny M. Goldberg is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the leadership book "A Little Bit Asshole." He is the founder of multiple ventures, including GoldSRD, Crowne Cloth, DCL Cards, LikeMe App, and GoldTM.

• How can being "a little bit of an asshole" actually make you a better leader, entrepreneur, and communicator?
• What are the biggest communication mistakes professionals make when trying to be liked instead of respected?
• You've built businesses across training, consulting, collectibles, and other industries — what core principles have translated across every venture?
• In today's world of AI and automation, why do people-centric skills still separate top performers from everyone else?
• What's one hard truth about success that most people know deep down but are afraid to admit publicly?

Danny Goldberg

Danny M. Goldberg is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the leadership book "A Little Bit Asshole." He is the founder of multiple ventures including GoldSRD (staffing, executive recruiting, and professional development), Crowne Cloth (a luxury lifestyle brand), DCL Cards (sports collectibles), LikeMe App (dating application), and GoldTM (ATM and vending services). Danny's work focuses on leadership, assertiveness, entrepreneurship, and the balance between empathy and decisiveness in business. His philosophy challenges the idea that success requires being ruthless—arguing instead that the most effective leaders learn how to be just assertive enough to get results while still earning respect. Through his speaking, consulting, and podcast appearances, Danny shares practical lessons from building businesses, navigating leadership challenges, and developing the confidence needed to succeed in modern workplaces.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Cameron Barbarick is a communication strategist, professional speaker, public speaking trainer, and creator of the A.R.K. Model for relational communication and the Charisma Speaking System. His passion is to help leaders discover the full potential of their voice.

• Why do traditional communication trainings fail when stakes are high-and what's missing?
• What is "response-able communication," and how does it differ from reactive communication?
• How does your A.R.K. Model (Awareness, Relatedness, Kenosis) transform workplace communication and leadership?
• What is the link between emotional intelligence, communication, and business performance?
• How can leaders build the internal capacity to communicate effectively under pressure-not just when it's easy?

Cameron Barbarick

Cameron Barbarick is a communication strategist, professional speaker, public speaking trainer, and creator of the A.R.K. Model for relational communication and the Charisma Speaking System. His passion is to help leaders discover the full potential of their voice.

His work is built on a powerful idea: communication breakdowns are not a technique problem - they're an internal capacity problem. Cameron helps leaders and teams move from reactive communication to response-able communication by developing the internal awareness, relational intelligence, and presence required to communicate effectively under pressure.

Cameron equips executives, business leaders, and teams to communicate with clarity, confidence, and connection - improving performance, strengthening relationships, and driving measurable business results. At the core of his mission is a simple belief: every person has a powerful voice, and when they learn to use it with presence and intention, they become the kind of communicator others naturally trust, follow, and connect with.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom.

• Most people think health is mostly about individual choices—diet, exercise, and medical care. But your work suggests that belonging may be just as important. Can you explain that?
• Your work centers on belonging as a powerful force for healing. How do you define belonging?
• You often talk about the connection between adverse childhood experiences and adult health. What does the research show, and what gives you hope about healing?
• You've spent more than 27 years working in partnership with Indigenous communities. What have those partnerships taught you about health and wellness?
• If listeners are feeling disconnected—from community, from nature, or even from themselves—what is one small practice that could help them begin rebuilding a sense of belonging?

Alexandra Adams

Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom. She directs the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Excellence at Montana State University, where she builds community-led research partnerships and mentors the next generation of researchers. Land-based learning exchanges with Māori and Native American communities in the U.S. and New Zealand have deepened her understanding of how connection to people, place, culture, and the natural world shapes healing and well-being. She also uses storytelling and film to share these lessons and inspire healthier, more connected communities.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Cathey Armillas is a TEDx speaker coach known for helping people turn their ideas into talks that actually move people. She co-founded Speaker Skills Academy, the global "gym for speaking," where members drill their way to better storytelling.

• What's the brutally honest truth about why most talks are forgettable?
• What's something people would be shocked to learn about the behind-the-scenes process?
• If someone came to you with a talk that was a total hot mess, what's the very first thing you'd fix?
• You say people don't get better at speaking by speaking; they get better by drilling. Why is that?
• What's one drill or technique anyone listening could try today to instantly improve their speaking or storytelling?

Cathey Armillas

Cathey Armillas is a TEDx speaker coach known for helping people turn their ideas into talks that actually move people. She co-founded Speaker Skills Academy, the global "gym for speaking," where members drill their way to better storytelling in a high-energy, deeply connected community. Cathey has coached CEOs to TEDx speakers, and she's obsessed with helping people speak with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of creativity.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Dr. Tyrone A. Holmes is a professional speaker, coach, and content creator who has spent three decades teaching people to build powerful relationships in diverse settings.

• Why have we seen an increase in workplace incivility?
• How do you define uncivil behavior?
• What is the business cost of this incivility?
• What types of incivility are most common?
• What steps can leaders take to increase civility in the workplace?
• How has AI affected engagement in the workplace?

Dr. Tyrone A. Holmes

Dr. Holmes served as a full-time faculty member at Eastern Michigan University in the Department of Leadership and Counseling and at Wayne State University in the Department of Theoretical and Behavioral Foundations. He is certified as a Level 1 (Advanced) coach through USA Cycling and is a Past President of the Arizona Chapter of the National Speakers Association. Dr. Holmes has worked with hundreds of clients like Ford Motor Company, Volkswagen of America, and Boise Cascade, for example. He has also helped dozens of entrepreneurs build successful coaching, speaking, and consulting businesses. Dr. Holmes has earned the designation of eSpeakers Certified Virtual Presenter, Certified Virtual Host, and most recently, Certified Virtual Master Presenter.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Sara Vezensek walked away from a six-figure career on luxury superyachts to build a business entirely on her own terms, and in her first year, she closed $100K in sales in just 30 days. Now she's a Brand Strategist who helps service providers escape the delivery-heavy, founder-dependent model that's keeping them capped and burned out.

• You were working with billionaires selling Luxury yachts. What made you change your work?
• What was your vision after you left that job?
• What is the current mindset about success that you counter?
• What is your magic?
• How did you stay with your vision and help others stay in theirs?
• What mindset helps your success?
• Now that you have a successful business, what do you want to say to those billionaires you used to serve?

Sara Vezensek

Sara Vezensek walked away from a six-figure career on luxury superyachts to build a business entirely on her own terms, and in her first year, she closed $100K in sales in just 30 days.

Now she's a Brand Strategist who helps service providers escape the delivery-heavy, founder-dependent model that's keeping them capped and burned out. Sara specializes in packaging your genius into scalable offers, elevating your client experience, and building an evergreen brand that attracts and converts without you being plugged in around the clock.

She's proof that when your brand is built right, freedom and revenue aren't opposites; they're the strategy.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Kimberly Jentzen is a California native who has spent a career coaching actors and excavating what drives human behavior — inside her studio, on stage, and on film sets.

• Tell us about your book, "Acting with Impact?"
• You have an acting school. What do actors need to know about acting?
• What does good listening mean to you?
• What is the difference between needs and wants?
• What does your school offer in courses?

Kimberly Jentzen

Kimberly Jentzen is a California native who has spent a career coaching actors and excavating what drives human behavior — inside her studio, on stage, and on film sets. An internationally recognized acting coach, director, and author, she is the bestselling author of Acting with Impact, 2nd Edition, and Life Emotion Cards, and a Back Stage Reader's Choice Award winner. Her films have earned festival awards, including Best Direction, Best Short, and Audience Favorite — among them Reign, an Oscar-qualified short. She holds a degree from UCLA, where she now returns to teach, and a Master's in Spiritual Psychology from USM.

Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review.

The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals.

Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.