The Action Catalyst

CLIP: Innovation Hesitation and the Aerodynamics of Creativity

Richard Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw, innovation educators from Stanford, explain how “innovation hesitation” holds people back, and explain how the tools of creativity are a lot like the ones you use to pilot an airplane. Hear Richard and Tessa's full interview in Episode 507 of The Action Catalyst.

REMASTERED: Building Your Personal Brand, with Chris Dessi | (Branding, Career, Social Media, Business)

Chris Dessi, CEO of Silverback Social, author of "Remarkable You", TEDx speaker, and Inc. columnist, shares practical strategies for building a powerful personal brand that accelerates career growth, increases professional visibility, and strengthens organizational impact. Drawing from his own journey from sales executive to entrepreneur, Dessi explains how content creation, blogging, social media marketing, and thought leadership can help professionals establish authority in their industry while remaining aligned with their company’s brand. He also discusses the intersection of personal branding and corporate culture, the role of authenticity in digital marketing, and why vulnerability is a critical leadership skill for entrepreneurs and executives.

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CLIP: Your Difference Is Your Destiny

DeVon Franklin—Hollywood producer, New York Times bestselling author, and leadership expert— explains how the things that make you UNcommon, are the very keys to your success....but getting comfortable with them is the challenge... Hear DeVon's full interview in Episode 214 of The Action Catalyst.

Innovation-ish, with Richard Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw | (Creativity, Problem Solving, Mindset, Science)

In this episode, Richard Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw, co-authors and innovation educators from Stanford, challenge common myths about creativity and reveal why innovation is a skill anyone can develop, not an innate talent reserved for a select few. Drawing on cognitive science, design thinking, and real-world consulting experience, they explain how “innovation hesitation” holds people back and how adopting the right mindset can unlock creative problem-solving, collaboration, and breakthrough thinking. The conversation explores the science behind creativity, divergent and convergent thinking, neuroplasticity, team innovation, and practical strategies for overcoming uncertainty in business and life.

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CLIP: Don't Negotiate Like Elon Musk

Pay negotiation expert John Gates, explains why Elon Musk can afford to employ a very specific negotiation tactic which the average job seeker should very much NOT utilize... Hear John's full interview in his very special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

REMASTERED: How to make it in Hollywood (and Anywhere), with DeVon Franklin | (Faith, Media, Entertainment, Inspiration)

DeVon Franklin—Hollywood producer, New York Times bestselling author, and leadership expert—shares powerful lessons on purpose, faith, and high-performance success in business and life. Franklin explores how aligning personal values with professional ambition creates sustainable success, emphasizing discipline, patience, and consistency as critical drivers of long-term growth. He highlights the importance of overcoming fear, maintaining integrity under pressure, and trusting timing in career advancement, while offering practical insights on leadership, decision-making, and resilience.

CLIP: Conditioned Tendencies and Diminishers

Preston Smiles, personal development leader, author, and speaker, breaks down the concepts of conditioned tendencies and diminishers, and how each one can lead to an incomplete understanding of our own control, and an incomplete realization of our full potential. Hear Preston's full interview in Episode 179 of The Action Catalyst.

Act Your Wage, with John Gates | (Salary, Pay, Hiring, Negotiation)

Pay negotiation expert John Gates, author of "Act Your Wage", shares proven salary negotiation strategies to help professionals increase compensation by 10–20% without risk or confrontation. Drawing on decades of experience as a recruiter, Gates explains why most candidates leave money on the table, how to overcome negotiation anxiety, and how to shift the power dynamic by using salary ranges, asking strategic questions, and understanding compensation structures like bonuses and incentives. He also highlights common mistakes that cost job seekers, reveals how high-stakes negotiations evolve at different career levels, and provides actionable advice for both external job offers and internal promotions.

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CLIP: Antipatterns and Artificial Ownership

Phil Le-Brun, former McDonald’s VP and International CIO and current AWS leader, shares how companies can avoid common “anti-patterns” like excessive bureaucracy and rigid structures, and defines what "artificial ownership" is, and how it can erode team creativity and cohesion. Hear Phil's full interview in Episode 506 of The Action Catalyst.

REMASTERED: Victory of Victimhood, with Preston Smiles | (Personal Development, Empowerment, Habits, Inspiration)

Preston Smiles, personal development leader, author, and speaker, shares powerful insights on personal growth, emotional intelligence, and conscious leadership. Smiles explores how self-awareness, radical responsibility, and authentic communication are essential for creating success in both personal and professional life. He emphasizes the importance of healing limiting beliefs, embracing vulnerability, and shifting mindset patterns to unlock greater fulfillment, relationships, and performance. The conversation highlights practical strategies for overcoming adversity, building resilience, and living with intention, while blending spirituality, entrepreneurship, and mindset coaching.

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CLIP: "It Calms Down Your Mind"

Professional coach Shelly Smith shares one of the most common complaints she hears from her coaching clients, and the simple exercise that she uses to combat it. Hear Shelly's full interview in Episode 175 of The Action Catalyst.

Overtime with Outland: Phil Le-Brun, Episode 506

Overtime with Outland is Action Catalyst host Adam Outland's reflections and commentary on discussions with each of his esteemed and accomplished guests. In this segment, Adam dissects Episode 506 with Phil Le-Brun, former McDonald’s VP and International CIO and current AWS leader.

The Octopus Organization, with Phil Le-Brun | (Leadership, Teams, Technology, Strategy)

Phil Le-Brun, former McDonald’s VP and International CIO and current AWS leader, shares powerful leadership and organizational strategy insights from his book The Octopus Organization, emphasizing how modern businesses can thrive by balancing centralization and decentralization. Drawing on experience scaling technology across 38,000+ global locations, Le-Brun explains why curiosity, clarity of purpose, and strong leadership are critical for innovation and growth, and how companies can avoid common “anti-patterns” like excessive bureaucracy, rigid structures, and artificial ownership. He highlights the importance of empowering teams with true agency, fostering psychological safety through feedback, and maintaining startup-like agility in large enterprises to drive faster decision-making and customer value. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more at SouthwesternConsulting.com/Coaching/Students Southwestern Student Coaching

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CLIP: Working With Bill Gates

Janice Kapner, former communications leader at Microsoft and T‑Mobile, shares the experience of interviewing and working alongside Bill Gates. Hear Janice's full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

REMASTERED: Letting Go of Sabotaging Self-Talk, with Shelly Smith and Jennifer Bennett | (Self Improvement, Personal Development, Sales, Business)

Mortgage professional Jennifer Bennett and professional coach Shelly Smith share a powerful story of resilience, mindset transformation, and business growth through coaching. Bennett discusses rebuilding her career after a difficult divorce and personal setbacks, revealing how limiting self-talk, stress, and a lack of control were holding her back from regaining top performance in sales. With Smith’s guidance, she learned to reframe negative thoughts, focus on what she could control, and intentionally reshape her mindset to overcome adversity, improve productivity, and rebuild client relationships. The conversation highlights the critical role of coaching in personal development, the impact of mindset on sales success, and how shifting from fear and scarcity to belief, focus, and gratitude can drive both professional achievement and personal fulfillment.

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CLIP: Happiness Vs. Meaning

Bestselling author and researcher Tom Rath explains that meaning—not happiness—is the key to fulfillment, emphasizing that focusing on helping others, leveraging strengths, and connecting daily work to a larger purpose leads to higher productivity and better outcomes. Hear Tom's full interview in Episode 185 of The Action Catalyst.

Check Your Comms, with Janice Kapner | (Communications, Leadership, Transformation, Business)

Janice Kapner, former communications leader at Microsoft and T‑Mobile, shares expert insights on navigating high‑stakes corporate transformation, mergers and acquisitions, and leadership without formal authority. Drawing on her experience leading communications during the largest telecom merger in U.S. history, Kapner explains how transparency, strategic storytelling, and consistent stakeholder communication are critical to maintaining trust, credibility, and momentum throughout multi‑year integration processes. She highlights common leadership mistakes—such as underestimating resource needs and post‑merger execution—and emphasizes the importance of understanding business fundamentals, building cross‑functional relationships, and earning credibility over time. The conversation also explores lessons from launching Office 365 at Microsoft, working alongside Bill Gates, and more.

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CLIP: Train Yourself To Be Brave

Monica Nassif, founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and Caldrea, explains how bravery is like a muscle, and why it's only one of the many essential attributes for a successful entrepreneur. Hear Monica's full interview in Episode 505 of The Action Catalyst.

REMASTERED: Are You Fully Charged, with Tom Rath | (Wellbeing, Science, Author, Leadership)

Bestselling author and researcher Tom Rath shares insights from his book "Are You Fully Charged?" on how to improve performance, well‑being, and engagement at work and in life. Rath explains that meaning—not happiness—is the key to fulfillment, emphasizing that focusing on helping others, leveraging strengths, and connecting daily work to a larger purpose leads to higher productivity and better outcomes. He explores how personal energy, including sleep, movement, and health, directly impacts cognitive performance, leadership effectiveness, and workplace success, while warning against the dangers of distraction, especially from smartphones, which reduce attention and relationship quality. The episode also highlights how emotions and behaviors spread through social networks, influencing teams and organizations, and why leaders must prioritize well‑being and purpose to build stronger cultures.

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CLIP: Lotts Creek, Kentucky

Dr. Barb Rembiesa, founder and CEO of the International Association of IT Asset Management, shares how a small act of kindness on her part led to an enormously outsized impact on the residents of a small Kentucky town. Hear Dr. Rembiesa's full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.