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Porpoise Evans is the Miami Office Managing Shareholder at Littler Mendelson, where he leads a team of attorneys and staff while actively practicing labor and employment law. He joins Access Your Leadership for a thoughtful, honest conversation about navigating nonlinear career paths, stepping into leadership before you may even feel ready, and shaping workplace cultures in ways that truly support people.

Porpoise shares how he went from a challenging childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, to becoming a collegiate athlete and Ivy League student, to spending years in the Miami film industry before ultimately choosing law school at age 30. He opens up about the mentors who changed the trajectory of his life, the belief his parents instilled in him despite difficult circumstances, and why he now sees leadership as both a privilege and a responsibility.

From waiting tables to running a small film-services business to becoming the newest partner (and then office leader) at the world’s largest employment law firm, Porpoise offers a grounded, transparent look at what growth actually looks like. He talks about leading a multigenerational team through an office relocation, why over-communication is one of his core leadership philosophies, and how empathy, listening, and clarity shape the cultures leaders create.

What does it mean to influence thousands of employees through the policies you help shape? How do you guide Gen Z attorneys on the value of in-person mentorship? What shifts when you realize leadership is as much about developing others as it is about doing your own work well? Where does self-belief come from when perhaps circumstances in your early life didn’t provide it? And how can you use your lived experiences to become a more compassionate and effective leader today?

Porpoise’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t linear, predictable, or polished. It’s shaped by adversity, by mentors who see something in you, by the courage to step into new roles, and by the willingness to grow alongside the people you serve. Whether you’re leading a team, navigating career transitions, or reflecting on your own journey, this episode is full of grounded wisdom about purpose, possibility, and becoming the kind of leader others trust.

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You can connect with Porpoise Evans on LinkedIn.

Click here to learn more about the work that Porpoise and his colleagues are doing at Littler Mendelson P.C..

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook LakhdarCoaching.

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone, then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com.

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

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Sheena Eizmendiz is a mindset coach, facilitator, consultant, and owner of The WellBiz, where she and her team equip founders and executives to elevate effectiveness, build resilient teams, and scale with integrity through executive and personal development programs. She joins Access Your Leadership for a candid, energizing conversation about courage, resilience, and the inside-out work leaders get to do to create sustainable impact…in the boardroom and in their lives.

From arriving in the U.S. as a child immigrant from Cuba to launching her first practice at 23 as a newly single mom of two, Sheena shares the hard-won wisdom that comes from “building the plane while flying it.” She reflects on 18 years in private practice (NLP, clinical hypnotherapy, EFT, positive psychology with a focus on trauma and substance abuse), the evolution into corporate consulting, stacking seven DEI certifications during the pandemic, and the vision that took her from a one-room office to a multi-therapist practice with a waitlist. Along the way, she unpacks healthy relationships (with self, business, money, and team), plus the village of coaches, strategists, and masterminds that keep her sharp and grounded.

What does courage look like when you act before you have certainty…and resist the urge to control? How do you transform “failure” into data, direction, and momentum? Why do vision and values outperform hustle, and how can leaders work on the business (not just in it) without sacrificing what matters most? What can parenting teach us about empowering (versus micromanaging) teams? How are Millennials and Gen Z reshaping the future of work…and what should today’s leaders learn from them? And which daily practices actually build the resilience, adaptability, and clarity to lead in a world that won’t stop changing? Sheena’s story is a masterclass in choosing impact over fear and designing leadership from the inside out. We have no doubt that you’ll enjoy and gain so much from the conversation!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):
You can connect with Sheena Eizmendiz on LinkedIn.

If you’d like to learn more about The WellBiz, check them out on their website, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms. .

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook LakhdarCoaching.

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone, then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com.

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Sirena Dimas is a Mid-Market Employee Health & Benefits Consultant at Marsh McLennan Agency, where she helps fast-growing, multi-state companies navigate evolving compliance and ensure their people actually understand and use the benefits they’re given. She joins Access Your Leadership for a candid, insightful conversation about service-driven leadership, employee education, and the trust required to deliver on what can feel like an “expensive promise” when it matters most.

Sirena shares how she went from being a young mom learning the industry from the ground up to becoming a sought-after advisor who meets people where they are…translating complex policies into real-world clarity, and bringing the same coaching mindset she uses in youth soccer to the boardroom. From retail lessons in asking better questions to leading an AYSO chapter, growing up Latina in San Francisco, and choosing integrity and transparency as non-negotiables, Sirena offers a grounded look at what it takes to build confidence, engagement, and cohesion across an entire organization.

What does it look like to treat benefits not as paperwork, but as a promise employees can depend on? How do you become an expert not just in policies, but in your client’s people, culture, and context? Why do micro-habits (active listening, pausing before responding, and even a simple smile) change the tone of leadership, especially online? How does “slow is fast, and fast is slow” help teams avoid rework and build lasting trust? And how can gratitude and presence quiet the inner critic so you can lead from what matters most? Sirena’s story is an inspiring reminder that leadership is a privilege and that clarity is kind. Whether you’re building a company, leading a team, or leveling up your self-leadership, this episode is full of practical insights you can use right away.

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):
You can connect with Sirena Dimas on LinkedIn.

Click here to learn more about Marsh McLennan Agency.

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook LakhdarCoaching.

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone, then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com.

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.