Inspire Greatness

Sean Russell, President of the Pacific Region for Global Medical Response, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in his team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights the power of servant leadership and staying grounded in high-stakes environments.

From starting his career as a flight paramedic to overseeing emergency medical services across five western states, Sean Russell reveals how he helped his team win through four decades of healthcare leadership. In this conversation, Sean offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams, plus candid insights from his own leadership path. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here: https://peoplethriver.com/inspire-greatness-podcast/sean-russell

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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Joshua Gould, CEO of thebigword, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in his team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how to scale businesses through disciplined execution, clear vision, and high accountability.

From scaling a global language technology company from $6M to over $100M in revenue to navigating multi-million dollar tech investments and acquisitions, Joshua Gould reveals how he helped his team win. In this conversation, Joshua offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams, plus candid insights from his own leadership path. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here: https://peoplethriver.com/inspire-greatness-podcast/joshua-gould/

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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Kyle Sherman, CEO and founder of Flowhub, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in his team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how running toward hard problems, staying accountable, and knowing your customer can transform a company.

From building a profitable, privately held tech company in one of the most complex regulatory environments in the country to leading teams through rapid industry evolution, Kyle Sherman reveals how he helped his people win. In this conversation, Kyle offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building championship‑level teams, plus candid insights from his own leadership path. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here

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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Mike Briggs, President and CEO of Little Friends, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in his team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how values‑driven leadership and disciplined execution create meaningful impact and lasting results.

From leading manufacturing companies to more than $100MM in revenue to transforming a nonprofit that now supports over 2,500 families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Mike Briggs reveals how he helps teams win through values, clarity, and consistent execution. In this conversation, Mike offers practical insights on modeling the values you expect from your organization, balancing the needs of customers and employees, and doing the right things with excellence. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of Mike’s leadership journey.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Jennifer Crute, senior leader at Lightfully Behavioral Health, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical strategies for elevating clinical quality and leading authentically. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how aligning culture with purpose transforms teams and outcomes.

From driving national‑level improvements in mental health care to founding a movement that champions authentically female leadership, Jennifer Crute reveals how she helps teams thrive through purpose‑driven culture and clinical excellence. In this conversation, Jennifer offers practical insights on aligning values with operations, fostering accountability, and balancing strategic and relational leadership styles. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of Jennifer’s leadership philosophy.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Eric Ries, entrepreneur, author, and creator of the Lean Startup, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical strategies for building teams that thrive over the long term. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how leaders can inspire greatness by designing organizations built for purpose, learning, and sustained impact.

From reshaping how modern companies innovate to launching mission‑driven ventures like the Long‑Term Stock Exchange, Eric Ries brings a rare blend of credibility and candor to this conversation. He reveals the pivotal moments that pushed him to rethink how organizations define success—and how leaders can keep teams aligned even under intense short‑term pressure.

In this episode, Eric offers practical, actionable methods for inspiring greatness in others, including embedding long‑term mission into daily operations. You’ll hear stories that challenge conventional thinking, spark new ideas, and equip you with tools you can apply immediately. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that illuminate both the personal and professional sides of Eric’s leadership philosophy.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
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Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Leina Ijacic, CEO of One Kalakaua Senior Living and Founder of Pacific Health Alliance, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how to lead through adversity by focusing on a holistic continuum of health and purpose.

From expanding services for Hawaii’s most vulnerable populations to leading large-scale nonprofit growth, Leina Ijacic reveals how she helped her team win by leaning into challenges. In this conversation, Leina offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams, plus candid insights from her own leadership path in the healthcare and nonprofit sectors. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here

🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth

⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer at General Assembly, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how to balance high-velocity growth with the human connection required to sustain it.

From leading global marketing and sales operations to navigating the high-stakes world of talent development at General Assembly, Jourdan Hathaway reveals how she helped her team win. In this conversation, Jourdan offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams, plus candid insights from her own leadership path. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here

🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth

⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Corbin Wilson, CEO of Radiology Associates of North Texas joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in his team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how positive recognition and core values serve as the foundation for scaling professional organizations.

From navigating the complexities of healthcare law to leading the expansion of a medical practice from 125 to more than 300 radiologists, Corbin Wilson reveals how he helped his team win.

In this conversation, Corbin offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams, plus candid insights from his own leadership path. You will hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today.

Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here

🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth

⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Lori Pagan, Chief Executive Officer of Ortho Northeast (ONE), joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how operational discipline, ownership culture, and measurable behaviors can transform a clinical organization.

From leading a multi‑site orthopedic and spine practice to building a trust‑based partnership with Parkview Health, Lori Pagan reveals how she helps teams deliver excellence in every encounter. She shares how treating physicians and staff as owners, leading with operational discipline, and making culture observable and measurable have shaped ONE into a high‑performing, patient‑centered organization.

In this conversation, Lori offers practical tips for inspiring greatness in others and building teams that stay aligned, accountable, and deeply connected to their mission. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Rahul Powar, Founder and CEO of Red Sift, joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey and practical tips for empowering teams through clarity, innovation, and trust. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how leaders can use technology and intentional delegation to unlock their team’s full potential.

From building breakthrough technologies at Shazam to leading global teams through rapid innovation at Red Sift, Rahul Powar reveals the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership approach. He shares how delegating outcomes—not tasks—helped his teams think bigger, move faster, and take true ownership. In this conversation, Rahul offers practical insights on inspiring greatness in others, embracing AI to elevate strategic thinking, and celebrating wins in ways that strengthen culture. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of Rahul’s leadership journey.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Liz Ponder, CEO of SRP Federal Credit Union, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how clarity, care, and high standards can transform a team’s culture.

From more than 26 years in the financial industry to her rise as CEO of SRP Federal Credit Union, Liz Ponder reveals how she helps teams thrive through clarity, accountability, and genuine care.

In this conversation, Liz offers practical insights for inspiring greatness in others and building teams that stay aligned, motivated, and connected to the mission. She shares stories from her own leadership path and the experiences that shaped her approach.

Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

The powerful, proven methods for inspiring greatness in your team that Liz discusses include:

• Clearly communicating the vision, core values, and value proposition
• Genuinely caring for the team while challenging them directly
• Setting clear goals that are ambitious yet achievable

📖 Read the full show notes: https://peoplethriver.com/inspire-greatness-podcast/liz-ponder
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Follow Matt on LinkedIn for more leadership insights and updates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matttenney/

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Mary Thompson, CEO of BNI®, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how generosity, courage, and connection fuel extraordinary leadership.

From three decades of leading franchise organizations to serving as COO of Neighborly® and now CEO of BNI®, Mary Thompson brings a rare blend of operational excellence, global expansion experience, and deeply human leadership. She reveals how she’s helped teams win by investing time—not just resources—in relationships, and by knowing when to lean on others to lead with strength.

In this conversation, Mary offers practical insights for inspiring greatness in others, building resilient teams, and finding the right people who can help you grow. You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and give you tools you can put into practice today. Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Socrates Rosenfeld, CEO and Co‑Founder of Jane Technologies Inc., joins Inspire Greatness to share his leadership journey from combat aviation to building the leading ecommerce platform in cannabis. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how knowing yourself, listening deeply, and communicating purpose can transform teams.

From his path as a combat veteran and Apache helicopter commander to scaling Jane Technologies into the backbone of cannabis retail across 39 states, Soc reveals how he learned to lead with clarity, courage, and authenticity.

In this conversation, he offers practical, grounded strategies for inspiring greatness in others, strengthening trust, and aligning teams around a shared “why.” He shares the pivotal moments that shaped his approach to building high‑performing teams—especially the shift from reacting under pressure to listening with true intent.

You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and offer tools you can put into practice today.

Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that illuminate both the personal and professional sides of Soc’s leadership journey.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
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Follow Matt on LinkedIn for more updates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matttenney/

Stock music: https://www.storyblocks.com/

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Shari Cedar, CEO and Co‑Owner of AK Building Services, joins Inspire Greatness to share her leadership journey and practical tips for inspiring greatness in her team. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how continuous improvement, clear communication, and an ownership mindset can transform a workplace.

From her early career in TV production to leading a fast‑growing, family‑run janitorial company in Florida, Shari Cedar reveals how purposeful leadership shaped her path.

In this conversation, Shari offers practical strategies for inspiring greatness in others and creating teams that thrive, along with candid insights from her own evolution as a leader.

You’ll hear stories that spark new ideas, challenge assumptions, and offer tools you can put into practice today.

Matt Tenney guides the discussion with thoughtful questions that illuminate both the personal and professional sides of Shari’s leadership approach.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Sébastien Page, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Global Multi‑Asset at T. Rowe Price, joins Inspire Greatness to share three unconventional leadership insights that challenge traditional thinking. Hosted by Matt Tenney, this episode highlights how staying mindful of unintended consequences, embracing healthy disagreement, and tapping into productive worry can transform the way leaders inspire greatness.

From the surprising lesson of “why you shouldn’t die on Everest” to the hidden risks of measurable goals, Sébastien Page reveals how leaders can stay grounded and avoid the unintended consequences of well‑intentioned metrics.

He also explains why being just a little disagreeable can strengthen your leadership—and why businesses shouldn’t function like democracies if they want clarity, accountability, and high performance.

Finally, Sébastien shares how learning to “love to worry” can help leaders tap into the productive side of neuroticism and turn anxiety into strategic insight.

You’ll hear stories that challenge assumptions, spark new ideas, and offer practical tools you can put into practice today.

Matt Tenney guides the conversation with thoughtful questions that uncover both the personal and professional sides of leadership.

Purchase Sébastien's book The Psychology of Leadership

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

In this episode of Inspire Greatness, we welcome Abhishek Shankar—CEO of Emids and a leading voice in AI‑driven digital transformation across the global health and life sciences ecosystem.

With more than two decades of experience scaling technology organizations, driving enterprise modernization, and leading large‑scale digital transformation, Abhishek brings a rare blend of strategic clarity, engineering depth, and purpose‑driven leadership.

Before joining Emids, he held senior leadership roles at Tech Mahindra and HCL, where he shaped industry‑wide strategies around AI, software‑defined innovation, and digital engineering.

In this conversation, Abhishek shares three powerful strategies for inspiring greatness in your team:

• Put employees first so they can put customers first, creating a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to deliver exceptional work.
• Invest in relationships that go beyond the contract, because trust, partnership, and genuine connection drive long‑term success far more than transactions ever will.
• Embrace the mindset that you are always a work in progress, modeling humility, curiosity, and continuous growth so your team feels safe to evolve alongside you.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

In this episode of Inspire Greatness, we welcome Roger Martin—CEO of ThriveMore Brands, entrepreneur, and author of An Insider’s Guide to Business: Secrets from an Entrepreneur’s Playbook.

Roger has spent three decades in sales, marketing, and C‑suite leadership, co‑founding two national franchise brands and leading teams of more than 500 people.

He is also the creator of ThriveMore Autopilot, a platform designed to help brick‑and‑mortar businesses generate and convert more leads, and he hosts the ThriveMore with Roger Martin podcast.

In this conversation, Roger shares three powerful strategies for inspiring greatness in your team: setting high standards and holding people accountable to clear deadlines; challenging individuals with just a bit more than they think they can handle so they grow beyond their comfort zones; and consistently expressing genuine appreciation in a way that truly lands.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

What does it take to inspire greatness in your team? In this episode, Rick Harris—non-profit growth strategist and Advisor to the Association of Proposal Management Professionals—shares three essential strategies every leader can use to build stronger, more motivated teams.

Rick is the former CEO of APMP and a 30+ year veteran in the non-profit sector, widely recognized for helping organizations strengthen membership, education, networking, and community-building.

His expertise has guided countless non-profits toward sustainable growth through effective business planning and marketing, and he continues to champion the mission of APMP.

In this conversation, Rick shares three powerful strategies for inspiring greatness in your team: being a working leader from the start, keeping your team well compensated, and truly getting to know your team.

📖 Read the full show notes here🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.

Dr. Lindsay Whorton, President of The Holdsworth Center and author of A New School Leadership Architecture, shares proven strategies for school leadership, team inspiration, and long-term success on the Inspire Greatness podcast

From her early work at Boston Consulting Group to becoming President of The Holdsworth Center, Dr. Whorton reveals how she helped grow the organization from serving seven districts to impacting more than 1,900 leaders across Texas public schools.

In this conversation, Dr. Whorton shares practical strategies for inspiring greatness in others and building thriving teams:

• Distributing the weight of big challenges — ensuring responsibility is shared across the team rather than carried alone.
• Believing in people through high expectations — setting the bar high and empowering others to rise to it.
• Balancing urgency with long-term vision — navigating immediate demands while keeping sight of long-term goals.

You’ll hear insights from her own leadership path and stories that spark new ideas.

📖 Read the full show notes here 🎧 Subscribe for more expert insights on leadership, culture, and personal growth
⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review to help others discover the show!

Brought to you in partnership with PeopleThriver — your go-to resource for thriving in leadership, alignment, and purpose-driven culture.

Discover practical strategies and empowering frameworks to elevate your team and make values visible. Visit https://peoplethriver.com/ to learn more.