What if every hard-earned lesson in your business came with a simple mandate: how dare you do nothing with what's been given to you?

In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with serial entrepreneur and systems strategist Apple Levy, author of "The Apple Effect". Apple has spent decades in construction, manufacturing, home flipping, and retail. She combines operational grit with financial discipline to help entrepreneurs stop firefighting and start scaling with intention. Her core belief is simple and provocative: if you know something that works, you have a duty to share it.

Apple walks through how she turned years of wins and failures into a repeatable framework for growth. She explains why she began capturing notes, call recordings, and data from every client, and how that archive became The Apple Effect—a practical playbook for owners running businesses from $1M to $40M in revenue. The book distills what actually moves margin, cash flow, and culture, and she uses it as the backbone for her firm, Obsidian Thorne, when helping companies scale.

You'll hear the real problems that keep owners up at night. Not just cash flow and margin, but rework that kills profit, weak follow-up on sales, and the emotional landmine of hiring family you can't hold accountable. Apple shows how to move from "leading by personality" to "leading by systems," so the process becomes the bad cop—not you. That shift frees leaders to exit someday, build a legacy, or simply step out of daily chaos.

Apple and Bill also explore the mindset required to grow. Apple challenges entrepreneurs to ask, "How badly do I want this?" and to accept that scaling may mean dismantling what no longer serves the business—including long-standing people, habits, and assumptions. She shares how she applies her own advice inside Obsidian Thorne, using automation, hiring a business development lead early, and treating every pain point in her firm as data she can use to better serve clients.

Finally, Apple looks ahead. She talks about taking her message to bigger stages—through construction trade shows like Build Expo, her growing calendar of workshops, and future events she plans to host herself. She's already filling the next scratch pad with insights for future books and building a team of people who share her attitude: hungry, accountable, and obsessed with helping entrepreneurs go from $1M to $10M and beyond.

If you're an owner who's tired of firefighting, wrestling with family in the business, or worried about what you're leaving to the next generation, this conversation—and The Apple Effect—offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Systemize your expertise. Turning real-world lessons into a documented framework is the foundation for scaling any business.

• Measure what matters. KPIs and process discipline reduce rework, protect margin, and move the company out of constant firefighting.

• Use your book as a strategic tool. A well-structured book can double as a thought leadership platform and an operating guide for clients and teams.

If this episode has you thinking about systems, scale, and getting out of firefighting, the next step is to focus on your leaders. Pair this conversation with the episode "Scaling Leadership: Making Coaching Accessible at Every Level" with Kristin Lytle and you'll see the other side of the equation: how to build repeatable, scalable ways to grow people, not just processes.

Both episodes explore how to move from one-off heroics to structured, repeatable solutions—whether that's tightening operations and KPIs, or creating blended coaching and learning programs that reach leaders at every level. Listen to them together and you'll walk away with a more complete roadmap: how to systemize the business and build a culture of high integrity, accountability, and leadership growth across the organization.

What if innovation wasn't reserved for a handful of "geniuses" in hoodies and turtlenecks? What if every person in your organization could solve real problems in bold new ways?

Today's episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, I'm joined by Richard Braden to explore how to democratize innovation inside the enterprise. We dig into his practical framework from "Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World" which was co-authored with Tessa Forshaw to challenge the myth of the lone genius. Innovation stops being a mysterious black box and becomes a repeatable, teachable capability across the business.

Rich explains why most organizations over-invest in "innovation theater" and under-invest in mindset. Instead of obsessing over yet another step-by-step process, he focuses on the mental shifts that actually drive breakthrough thinking. From "shopping" vs. "buying" mindsets to the difference between learning, iterating, and executing, you'll get language you can use with your teams tomorrow.

We also unpack Rich's hybrid model for innovation: part consulting, part capability-building. You'll hear how a global quick-service restaurant brand redesigned its supply chain using cross-functional teams—everyone from restaurant crew to executives—working on real projects over nine months. The result? Tangible business outcomes and an enduring lift in problem-solving capability, long after the external experts left.

Rich shows that innovation isn't just about moonshots. It's about orbit shots, cloud shots, roof shots, and jump shots—small, targeted changes that add up to massive impact. Imagine your finance team "innovating" the expense-report process so it's fast, accurate, and painless. That may not land you on the cover of a magazine, but it can unlock time, energy, and engagement across the organization.

If you're tired of one-off workshops, "innovation labs" off in a corner, or expensive programs that don't stick, this conversation with Rich Braden offers a better path. You'll learn how to embed innovation in day-to-day work, build your own obsolescence into client engagements, and turn innovation from a slogan into a core competency.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Innovation is a teachable skill. It's not the domain of lone geniuses; with the right mindsets and language, you can help people across the organization solve real problems in new ways.

• Mindset beats methodology. Most organizations over-index on processes and "innovation theater," but sustainable breakthroughs come from shifting how people think, learn, and experiment in their day-to-day work.

• Capability-building must be tied to real work. The most effective innovation programs blend consulting with hands-on projects, so teams deliver tangible business outcomes and build enduring problem-solving muscles at the same time.

If this conversation on democratizing innovation resonated with you, your next listen should be the episode with Michele Zanini. In that one, we take the same core ideas—moving beyond "innovation theater," distributing problem-solving across the organization, and building real capability instead of one-off programs—and apply them to dismantling bureaucracy and unleashing talent at scale.

Listen to both episodes together and you'll get a powerful one-two punch: a practical framework for everyday innovation, plus a blueprint for removing the structural and cultural barriers that keep your people from using it. If you're serious about making innovation everyone's job—not just a select few in a lab—queue up the Michele Zanini episode next.

What happens when pressure—not power—shapes the way leaders show up?
That's the question at the heart of this conversation with executive advisor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author Sabina Nawaz.

Sabina's thought leadership centers on a bold idea: pressure can squeeze the humanity out of even the best leaders. And in today's high-velocity business environment, every manager—from first-line supervisors to CEOs—is at risk. Her work helps leaders reclaim that humanity, especially when the stakes are highest.

In this episode, Sabina shares the research behind her book " You're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need)" , built on 12,000 pages of interviews with employees about their managers. Her frameworks reveal the real drivers of effective leadership. Not charisma. Not authority. But the ability to stay grounded, present, and self-aware when demands are relentless.

Sabina also unpacks how senior-level coaching delivers exponential ROI. She explains why small behavioral shifts at the C-suite ripple through organizations, and why understanding value—not hours—is the key to pricing high-impact advisory work. Her insights on scope, pricing, and client alignment are a masterclass for anyone growing a thought leadership business.

We also explore the business of books. Sabina offers a candid look at what it truly takes to publish successfully with a traditional publisher—and why marketing, positioning, and community matter more than manuscripts. Her perspective on ethical promotion, generosity within the thought leadership ecosystem, and crafting high-quality, specific asks is practical and refreshing.

Finally, Sabina introduces one of her signature practices: "the blank space"—two intentional hours each week to step back from pressure, reset, and let insight emerge. It's a powerful mindset shift that every leader needs.

This episode is packed with actionable wisdom for executives, coaches, and thought leaders ready to lead with clarity, courage, and humanity.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Pressure changes leaders more than power does, and without intentional practices—like creating "blank space"—managers risk losing their humanity and effectiveness.

• High-impact coaching is valued by the long-term ripple effects it creates, making thoughtful pricing, scope alignment, and articulating ROI essential for senior-level advisory work.

• Writing a book is only the first step—successful thought leadership publishing requires strategic positioning, ethical promotion, and the courage to make focused, specific asks of your network.

If you found this episode insightful, you won't want to miss our conversation with Lance Tanaka. Both episodes unpack what really happens when senior leaders step into high-pressure roles, rethink how they lead, and learn to create impact through clarity, presence, and intentional development. Lance takes those themes even further—diving into how executives transition into high-value coaching, define their worth, and build influence that truly sticks.

If Sabina's insights on pressure, leadership behavior, and the real value of coaching resonated with you, Lance's episode will deepen your understanding and give you even more actionable ideas to elevate your own leadership practice.

Listen next: The Lance Tanaka Episode — and continue your growth journey.

What does it take to transform leadership into a calling — and build a business that transforms others?

Today, Peter Winick sits down with Daniel Harkavy, founder and CEO of Building Champions, a pioneer in executive coaching and leadership development. Daniel shares how he turned the lessons from his early career in mortgage banking into a structured, scalable system for growing leaders — and why his success is rooted in helping others unlock their potential.

Daniel's approach to thought leadership isn't about pedigree or credentials — it's about proof. He took what worked in one high-performance environment and codified it into frameworks, checklists, and playbooks that any leader could use to create lasting impact. From Becoming a Coaching Leader to Building Champions' current programs, Daniel's work continues to shape how organizations coach, communicate, and cultivate leadership at every level.

The conversation dives deep into what it means to scale a mission-driven business without losing its soul. Daniel opens up about the "near-death" moments that almost derailed his company — from failed partnerships to market crashes — and the resilience it takes to rebuild stronger each time. His story is a masterclass in balancing faith, strategy, and discipline in pursuit of a greater purpose.

Peter and Daniel also explore how AI is reshaping the future of leadership and coaching. Daniel sees it not as a threat but as a copilot — a tool that, when mastered, can amplify human insight, accelerate problem-solving, and deepen relationships. His message is clear: technology can enhance thought leadership, but it can't replace the leader.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Codify What Works: Turning personal insight into repeatable frameworks allows leaders to scale their impact, build stronger teams, and create lasting organizational value.

• Lead with Purpose and Resilience: Sustainable success comes from aligning business strategy with personal values and staying adaptable through inevitable market and operational challenges.

• Leverage AI as a Copilot, Not a Replacement: The future of leadership depends on mastering technology to enhance human insight, accelerate decisions, and deepen relationships — without losing the human touch that defines great leadership.

If Daniel's episode inspired you to think differently about leadership systems, purpose, and resilience, you'll want to listen next to "Becoming Resilient Through Thought Leadership" featuring James Harold Webb.

Both conversations explore how true leaders turn adversity into an advantage — Daniel through codifying leadership frameworks and James through channeling personal reinvention into influence and impact. Together, they reveal the blueprint for thriving in uncertainty: build systems that scale, lead with purpose, and use your story as fuel for growth.

Listen to both and discover how resilience isn't just about bouncing back — it's about building forward with clarity, structure, and intention.

What if you could stop running on empty—and still perform at your best?

That's the question Erin Coupe, author of "I Can Fit That In" (and host of a podcast by the same name), invites leaders to ask. She challenges the old "time management" mindset that rewards burnout and box-checking, replacing it with a human-centered strategy of presence, choice, and renewal. Her message? Productivity doesn't come from cramming more into your day—it comes from creating rituals that restore you.

Erin works with executives and teams to help them shift from survival mode to sustainable performance. Through keynotes, workshops, and cohort-based learning, she guides people to design their own energizing rituals—intentional practices that bring clarity, calm, and connection. It's not about doing more. It's about aligning what you do with what truly matters.

Her approach transforms corporate cultures. Teams that once ran on autopilot begin building trust, transparency, and shared language. Leaders rediscover focus and resilience. And when people take these lessons home—teaching them to spouses, partners, and even kids—the impact multiplies.

As Peter Winick explores in this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Erin's work goes beyond productivity hacks or quick fixes. It's about conscious leadership. Healthy boundaries. Self-respect. And recognizing that how we show up—at work and at home—is a choice.

Tune in to hear how organizations are embracing her frameworks to create more intentional, energized, and emotionally intelligent workplaces—one ritual at a time.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Rituals energize, routines drain. Intentional rituals create meaning and renewal, while rigid routines often lead to burnout.

• Mindset drives performance. Shifting from overcommitment to presence and self-respect builds clarity and sustainable success.

• Culture grows through connection. Shared rituals and language strengthen trust, resilience, and emotional intelligence within teams.

Loved Erin Coupe's insights on transforming burnout into clarity through intentional rituals? Then don't miss our conversation with Dre Baldwin on Think Big, Act Bigger. Both episodes explore how mindset shapes sustainable performance—Erin focuses on the inner rituals that ground us, while Dre breaks down the mental systems that drive consistent action. Together, they form a one-two punch for leaders who want to perform at a high level without losing themselves in the process.

What happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything?

Melissa Gonzalez, Principal at MG2 Design and author of "The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "The Pop-Up Paradigm", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability.

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how life's disruptions can fuel transformation. She shares her evolution from building pop-up experiences for brands to helping leaders embrace intuition, pause with purpose, and redefine balance. Through dozens of interviews with women leaders, Melissa uncovered a truth many resist—taking time to pause isn't weakness; it's wisdom.

Melissa also discusses the art of integrating her message of purpose into her business world. She reveals how partnerships with brands like Nordstrom, Simon G. Fine Jewelry, and Crate & Barrel amplified her book's message through events and collaborations that celebrate defining moments. Her story is a masterclass in aligning personal growth, thought leadership, and business strategy—without losing authenticity.

From managing the emotional and physical toll of overachievement to embracing JOMO (the joy of missing out), Melissa's journey offers a reminder: the most powerful pivots often happen when you stop chasing and start listening.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Pause is Power – Taking time to slow down, reflect, and prioritize well-being isn't a weakness—it's a strategic strength. Melissa's personal experience taught her that real success comes from making intentional choices rooted in impact, not busyness.

• Authentic Integration Fuels Influence – Thought leadership grows when your personal mission aligns with your professional platform. Melissa leveraged her network, brand partnerships, and events to bring The Purpose Pivot to life—blending purpose-driven storytelling with business acumen.

• Vulnerability Creates Connection – Sharing personal defining moments invites others to reflect on their own. Through candid storytelling and interviews, Melissa shows that embracing vulnerability deepens relationships, inspires trust, and sparks meaningful change.

If Melissa Gonzalez's story inspired you to rethink success, balance, and the power of the pause, don't stop there. Check out The Non-Linear Thought Leadership episode with Elizabeth McCourt. Both conversations explore how vulnerability, authenticity, and unexpected turns can become catalysts for growth.

Melissa's journey shows how a defining moment can reshape purpose. Elizabeth's episode builds on that idea—revealing how non-linear paths, reinvention, and resilience fuel thought leadership. Listen to both, and you'll walk away ready to embrace uncertainty, lead with heart, and turn every pivot into possibility.

Listen next: The Non-Linear Thought Leadership | Elizabeth McCourt