The 30 Minute Hour™

You’re talented. You work hard.
So why are others getting opportunities you’re not? 👀

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kester Crosse—gastroenterologist, healthcare leader, author of Open Doors, and proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.—to break down the real reason success isn’t just about talent.

And this one is personal…

Dr. Crosse and I are both graduates of Hampton University, which makes this conversation even more powerful.

Inside this episode:
👉 Why talented people get overlooked
👉 The people skills that actually open doors
👉 How emotional intelligence accelerates your career
👉 A practical framework to help you stand out immediately

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overlooked, or under-recognized—this conversation will change how you approach your career.

Stop relying on talent. Start getting selected. 🎯

What does it take to stay calm when everything’s on the line?

Joe Wyrwas has jumped out of planes 650+ times—and leads mission-critical teams where hesitation isn’t an option.

In this episode, he reveals how top performers think, decide, and execute under pressure… and how you can do the same when the stakes are high.

Join us for a special Technology Monday episode of The 30 Minute Hour!

Tech experts Shantelle Coleman and Elliott Mattice will be sharing the latest tips & trends to help you level of your AI / Cybersecurity knowledge!

Tami Reiss is a leadership speaker and coach who’s as bold as she is practical. She transforms strategy into alignment, presence into power, and ideas into action.

Through easy to remember frameworks like L.E.A.D. and M.A.P. it Out, she encourages everyone to leverage influence and not authority to gain momentum for ideas.

After over 20 years of experience coaching executives and scaling high-performing teams, Tami is a trusted advisor to ambitious professionals who are ready to lead with confidence and clarity.

Listen NOW to discover, 4 Keys to Master Influence & Maximize Impact!

Kevin Carlson is a rare blend of technologist, strategist, and coach who bridges the gap between executive vision and operational execution.

Drawing from his experience as a CTO, CISO, and Executive Coach, he aligns technological frameworks, security protocols, and leadership development strategies, enabling leaders to enhance both their organizational infrastructure and their personal effectiveness.

Listen NOW to discover, The AI Leadership Gap That Nobody Talks About

Ben Holbert is a mayor, award-winning journalist, and lifelong storyteller.

With more than 30 years in media and four Emmy Awards, he offers a unique perspective on leadership, communication, and public service. As mayor of Woodmere Village, Ben brought in nearly $10 million in grants, launched innovative public safety programs, and earned a reputation for collaborative, people-first leadership.

Ben is a graduate of Kent State University and is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

Listen NOW to discover "The Surprising Payoff of People First Leadership"

Jon Woodard is the CEO of Wolfram Blockchain Labs. where he develops products in emerging technology sectors.

He helps people to navigate through starting companies, joining them as employees, and even acquiring them, so they can achieve their vision and make informed choices between these roles.

Listen NOW to discover, How To Use AI To Achieve Your Vision.

Harrison Tash is the author and illustrator of Exit Without Leaving.

He's also the founder of Living Water Consulting, where he has helped hundreds of business leaders transform their leadership, scale their operations, and add more revenue to their bottom line.

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Exit Your Business Without Leaving."

George Christopher is currently a Senior Vice President at Accenture, where he leads initiatives within the Smart Mobility Hub, reinventing technology and operations for tolling and transit agencies worldwide.

Before his work in the tolling industry, George demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by founding and operating a sports management business for 10 years, which he successfully sold.

He also launched a mental health company in Virginia, which he later exited. During his entrepreneurial years, George served as an Adjunct Professor at Hampton University, where he taught Business Law for Entrepreneurs, and at Virginia State University, where he taught Sports Management.

These experiences reflect his strong business acumen and commitment to education and mentorship. Beyond his professional achievements, George is a third-generation U.S. Army veteran, a dedicated husband and father of four, and a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the College of William & Mary, and the Howard University School of Law.

Listen NOW to discover, The Secret Formula To Thrive in Any Environment

Joe Reed is the Founder and CEO of Exponent Group, a missions agency dedicated to helping leaders restore their own communities through spiritual formation, ministry skills development, and community restoration projects.

Drawing on his background in social entrepreneurship, Joe equips emerging leaders to design practical, self-sustaining solutions to complex local challenges—ensuring that transformational work takes root and continues to bring restoration for generations to come.

Listen NOW to discover, How To Convert Your Vision Into A Sustainable Venture!

Wes Towers is the founder of Uplift 360, helping founders turn websites and weekly content into a reliable pipeline with his Search Everywhere Optimisation playbook.

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Turn Your Website Into a Profit Generating Pipeline."

Join us as we celebrate our 400th episode by revealing 3 keys to achieving your 2025 Goals.

We will share specific tactics from our most downloaded episodes to help you discover the mindsets, tools, and actions necessary to achieve your desired outcomes this year!

Yuriy Demidko serves as Chief Information Officer at DP Fox Ventures.

He reduces friction in operations by pairing clear processes with reliable data and practical AI.

His brand is built on simple ideas that compound over time, including operating rhythms that keep attention on what matters and decisions that move organizations forward.

Yuriy shares these lessons through regular writing and speaking, where he focuses on leadership habits, culture, and cutting decision latency.

He also brings credible technical depth. Drawing on development work at Apple and NoSQL experience at Datastax, he builds governed dashboards, applications, and AI workflows that empower teams to succeed.

He spends time in stores, listens first, and converts what works on the ground into plays that scale.

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Grow Your Sales By Leveraging AI."

Jeremy B. Shapiro is a serial-entrepreneur.

Since 1996, every single one of his many businesses have been in the service of fellow entrepreneurs.

For decades, through structured mastermind groups, one-on-one coaching, and consulting work, Jeremy has been helping entrepreneurs discover the core strengths in themselves and their business, and realize their true potential combining passion and expertise to grow their businesses and attain the freedom they deserve.

In his role as a mentor and coach to entrepreneurs, Jeremy has helped small business owners make the transition from “solopreneur” to “business owner” – an important distinction that many entrepreneurs can easily miss when working “in” their business instead of “on” their business.

Listen NOW to find out if your business is really a job in disguise!

Arun Mathur, FCPA, FCA, is the owner and lead instructor at UltimQuest Knowledge.

He has over 40 years' experience as a professional accountant, trainer, board member and community leader.

He has presented to thousands of accounting and business professionals around the world on business ethics, improving governance, ESG and related topics.

Tune in as he reveals, The Best Kept Secret To Boost Your Return on Investment!

Vinod Metra is an accomplished IT executive with over 25 years of leadership in spearheading global teams and driving multimillion-dollar technology transformations at industry giants like Fidelity, JPMC, MassMutual, State Street and more.

Most recently, Vinod served as Fractional CTO at StonePeak, where he guided strategic tech initiatives.

Holding a Master’s from Harvard and a Wharton CTO certification, Vinod brings deep expertise in AI, cloud/data cloud platforms, and transformative projects in finance and environmental services.

Listen NOW as he shares his insights on architecting AI-ready data platforms and navigating the dynamic role of tech executives in today’s AI-driven landscape.

Dr. Demetrius N. Booth is an Organizational Psychologist and the Chief Vision Officer/Founder of Elevating Purpose Consulting.

He is a highly-rated adjunct instructor with progressive experience in creating positive climates, developing cohesion, providing purpose, and leading team and organizational learning.

Dr. Booth is also a Senior Enlisted Leader in the Air Force.

Listen NOW to discover, "3 Questions To Elevate Towards Your Purpose."

Holly Porter has had multiple near death and out of body experiences that have shaped her perspectives and shifted her focus!

She faced a life threatening 70 day battle with COVID where she says she should have died.

Holly is a 15 Time best selling author and has launched 11 different start ups!As the CEO of Holly Porter International, she empowers her clients to transform their challenges into opportunities.

Listen NOW to discover, How To Transform YOUR Challenges Into Opportunities!

Mahesh Guruswamy is a seasoned product development executive who has been in the software development space for over twenty years and has managed teams of varying sizes for over a decade.

He is currently the chief technology officer at Kickstarter. Before that, he was an executive running product development teams at Mosaic, Kajabi, and Smartsheet.

Listen NOW as Mahesh reveals principles from his book, "How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away With It".

Lisa started her company in 2011 after spending 20+ years in Corporate America as a corporate trainer, working her way up to managing a training department for a Fortune-50 company.

As a way to exit Corporate America, Lisa started an Agency, focusing on Web Development & SEO.

Over the last 10 years, she’s consistently built simple, effective “get in the door” strategies to attract and land ideal customers, building her Agency to over $3.5+ million dollars.

She has helped 100’s of business owners get unstuck and build successful 6-figure and 7-figure businesses.

Lisa has developed simple and repeatable systems and methods that work for any level marketer or agency.

Listen NOW to discover, "Simple Strategies To Land Your Ideal Customer."

Mariano Mattei is the Vice President of Cybersecurity and AI at Azzur Solutions, bringing over 30 years of expertise in cybersecurity, AI innovation, and software engineering.

A Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), Mariano has led AI-driven transformations across Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Device sectors, integrating AI into clinical trials, manufacturing automation, quality systems, and regulatory compliance frameworks (FDA 21 CFR Part 11, GAMP 5, GDPR, HIPAA).

His work spans predictive analytics for risk management, AI-powered process optimization, anomaly detection in manufacturing, and regulatory AI governance.

He recently graduated from Temple University’s Master's Program in Cyber Defense and Information Assurance, and he's the author of "Data-Driven Cybersecurity – Proven Metrics for Reducing Cyber Risk"

Listen NOW to discover, "The Secret to Taking A Secure Risk"

Sammy Basu is a Cybersecurity expert with 20+ years securing Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, and Warner Bros. Founder of Careful Security, helping clients achieve robust cybersecurity through incremental improvements and expert oversight.

He is the author of "CISO Wisdom: Cybersecurity Untangled"

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Bulletproof Your Business, One Byte at a Time.

A world class expert in data management, Dr. Mark Brady has served as Chief Data Officer for the Space Force, Chief Data Officer for the Air Force Space Command, Data Architect for The Department of Justice, and Information Architect for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

He also helped established electronic trade standards as U.S. delegate to the United Nations, served on the White House Data Cabinet, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Big Data Council.

Mark is the author of, "Next Generation Data Management: Using Your Data Assets to Drive Mission Success"

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Turn Data Into Mission Success "

Edward Liebig is a cybersecurity executive with a field-tested background and a mission-oriented mindset.

From coordinating cybersecurity for Super Bowl 50 to leading M&A integrations across critical infrastructure sectors, he’s built a career around solving the hard problems—especially where IT and OT collide.

As CEO of Yoink Industries LLC (with DBAs The Lellie Group and OT SOC Options), he works at the intersection of operational resilience, emerging tech, and business risk.

Listen NOW to discover, “Cybersecurity Secrets From The Man Who Secured Super Bowl 50”

"You've earned the right to win because of the work that you've put in." Eric Twiggs

Join us for this special "blast from the past" masterclass that will help you achieve your 2025 goals.

As you listen, you'll discover the inspiration, motivation, and tactical information, that will propel you to goal achievement!

Roy Wills is a seasoned engineering services sales executive with 25+ years of experience leading global sales & delivery teams to successful innovation.

He is currently the Head of Sales & Partnerships -Healthcare & Life Sciences for Intellias in North America.Roy joined Intellias where he leads Sales, Operations, Go-To-Market strategy and Strategic Partnerships for the Healthcare & Life Sciences practice as he did for the past 4 years at SoftServe.

He is also the host of the Game Changers Podcast that delves deep into the intersection of healthcare and technology by bringing you insightful conversations with some of the industry's most influential leaders and innovators.

Listen NOW to discover, How To Become a Game Changer In Your Industry!

During this special leadership masterclass, you will hear from FOUR leadership experts who are leading at the highest level.

First in the lineup is Ardie Harrison from episode #335. She's a Senior Vice President & HR professional with over 25 years of leadership experience.

Next is Darrell K. Williams, the sitting president of Hampton University. He was our guest on episode #365 and brings nearly four decades of proven strategic leadership experience. He is a retired 3 Star General in the United States Army.

Joining us from episode #371 is Major General Alice Trevino. who serves as the Contracting Functional Manager for over 9,000 professionals and change agents in the Air Force. Listen as she reveals the leadership attributes of an Air Force General.

The final expert from episode #375 is Dr. Scott Allen. He's spent over 17 years as a professor of management and currently serves as a leadership consultant.

As you listen, you'll discover how to lead with passion and inspire with purpose!

Join us for a special blast from the past masterclass to discover, 4 Secrets To Breakthrough To Your Next Level.

First Eric Twiggs will be sharing the best opportunity you will ever have. This is a flashback to episode #347

Next, you will hear from Elona Lopari. She has helped HUNDREDS of her clients achieve million-dollar business breakthroughs.

Elona was our guest on episode #355.

Third in the lineup is famed jazz singer Lori Williams from episode #363. She will help you to get discovered for a life changing opportunity.

She would know, since she has sung for President Joe Biden, and he described her as having the voice of an angel.

Last but not least Lawrence Kane from episode #367, will be kicking the door down!

Lawrence is a black belt martial artist and author of over 30 books. He will reveal strategies from the martial arts world to achieving breakthroughs in your life!

Earl Stafford, Jr. is a visionary leader and ethical innovator dedicated to shaping the future of cyber, AI, and national security.

As CEO of Aperio Global, he leads with a higher purpose, ensuring that technological advancements serve mission-critical needs and adhere to the highest standards of Truth, Trust, and Transparency—the foundation of both his leadership and faith.

With over 25 years of executive experience, Stafford has positioned Aperio Global as a trusted partner to the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and global stakeholders.

His dedication to ethical AI and mission-centric innovation led to NLYTEN, an AI-driven platform designed to enhance decision security, speed, and national defense capabilities while aligning with moral responsibility and operational precision.

Earl is an alumnus of Georgetown University and is life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Listen NOW to discover, 3 Secrets To Becoming an Ethical Innovator

Formerly the CEO of a small oil company, Brad Blazar is viewed as one of the world’s foremost authorities on raising capital.

Having raised in excess of $2 Billion dollars, today he mentors others around the world as part of a global coaching and consulting business on how to raise funds from high-net-worth investors to build, buy, and scale a business - or fund a special project like real estate.

Having worked alongside many large real estate syndicators and top financial services firms he is considered an expert on raising private money.

His clients include people just getting started to companies with billion-dollar portfolios.

Listen NOW to discover, "The Step By Step Secrets To Raise $2 Billion Dollars!"

Marc Ashworth, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at First Bank, is a respected IT executive with over 30 years of experience in cyber and physical security, IT/security architecture, management, author, a public speaker and is the host of “The Cyber Executive” podcast.

He is a member of the Missouri Bankers Association Technology Committee, Webster University Cyber Advisory board, Co-Founded the State of Cyber annual security conference, and a Lifetime member of FBI Citizens Academy.

He is a former board officer and treasurer for the St. Louis InfraGard Alliance. Possessing security certifications in CISSP, CISM, CRISC, Security+ and other certifications.

Mr. Ashworth currently oversees First Bank’s information security, financial crimes unit, physical security, and the network services departments

LISTEN NOW to discover, "3 Cybersecurity Threats You Can't Ignore."

Chad Hufford is a Best-Selling author, a Top Ranked Financial Planner and Dave Ramsey’s SmartVestor Pro.

Chad brings a coaching mindset and the heart of a teacher to financial planning and investing as he strives to both empower and educate his audience to not only become better investors, but to live more intentionally and create an abundant life.

Chad owns a boutique financial planning firm, Veritas Wealth Management, that manages $500 million dollars and serves several hundred families across the US. In addition to finance, he regularly teaches and speaks on fitness and faith, seeing these as all important aspects of living purposefully and in abundance.

Chad and his wife, Tiffany (also a life-long Alaskan), have been blessed with six wonderful children.

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Own A Business That Doesn't Own You"

During this special episode, I am being interviewed by Jeremy Wood, host of the Geek Within podcast!
As you listen you will discover,
* What inspired me to become your Procrastination Prevention Partner!
* How To Make The Most of Your Minutes!
*What to do when you experience a "What Now Moment!"
and more!
Make sure you follow "The Geek Within" on YouTube & Spotify!
Listen NOW To discover, How To Pivot Towards Your Purpose!

Scott J. Allen, Ph.D., is an award-winning educator passionate about working with people at all levels and across industries.

He serves as an instructor in SMU’s Cox School of Business Executive Education and spent more than 17 years as a professor of management.

Scott also serves as a leadership consultant with Winding River Consulting. His areas of expertise include leader development, the future of work, and executive communication.

Scott 's podcast, " Practical Wisdom for Leaders", ranks among the world's top 2.5% of podcasts.

Along with the podcast, he publishes a weekly newsletter.

LISTEN NOW to discover, "The 3 Influence Tactics of The Unstoppable Leader"

Brooke is the author of 6 books, including the international best-seller From Panic to Profit: How 6 Key Numbers Can Make a 6 Figure Difference in Your Law Firm, which offers practical advice on how to transform a struggling legal practice into a thriving profitable firm.

Her latest book, Exit on Top (soon to be released), is designed to guide law firm owners towards successfully selling their business to the right person, at the right time, and for the right price.

Brooke is also the Founder and CEO of Cathcap, a fractional CFO company that provides strategic advice to drive profitability.

They have helped 250+ law firms, including some recognized in the Inc.5000, make more money by creating clarity in their numbers.

Before starting cathcap, she built a 7-figure law firm in under 2 years and has been featured in major media platforms, including CNBC, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and U.S. News and World Report.

listen NOW to Discover, " The Secret To Building A Sellable Business"

Jeremy Wood is a Federal IT implementer, strategist, and enthusiast specializing in complex business systems.

He focuses on providing value to business through technology solutions to reduce cost and increase efficiency.

Jeremy is currently in a pivotal role at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that will help transform both the business and IT roles and systems through planning, alternative analysis, developing business cases, and facilitating the investment review process.

He is also the host of The Geek Within Podcast where he talks to people in his network that have passion projects, side hustles, or amazing hobbies in addition to their day job.

Listen NOW to discover, "How To Monetize Your Passion Project"

Nick Jain is the CEO of IdeaScale, the world’s largest innovation SaaS company.

Raised in India by a single grandmother, he excelled academically, graduating at the top of his class at Harvard Business School and summa cum laude from Dartmouth with a triple major in math, physics, and economics.

His career includes leading companies in trucking, men's fashion and software, as well as working at top investment firms like Bain Capital.

An evangelist for AI adoption, Nick championed the use of large language models at IdeaScale well before the AI hype cycle began.

He pushed for generative AI technologies to be adopted by sales, product designers, and even software engineers, well before such adoption became mainstream.

Listen NOW to discover, 3 Ways To Future-Proof Yourself By Leveraging AI

Major General Alice W. Treviño serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C.

She is responsible for all aspects of contracting relating to the acquisition of weapons systems, logistics, operational and enterprise efforts – an $825 billion portfolio -- and provides contingency contracting support to the DoD’s geographic combatant commanders.

 Maj Gen Treviño also serves as the Contracting Functional Manager for nearly 9,000 professionals and change agents, who execute programs worth ~$99 billion annually for the Department of the Air Force.

Listen NOW to discover, The 4 Leadership Attributes of an Air Force General

Nick-Anthony Zamucen" is the Founder of Best Option Restoration (B.O.R.), Bio-One Inc., Saint Home Care and Uncle Vito's Pizzeria's, all extremely successful franchised systems.

In addition, he is a 4x published author, business strategist, and an award-winning serial entrepreneur that has had tremendous success in various business ventures.

Also, Nick-Anthony was awarded Top 50 CEO Under 50 from Business Diversity Magazine 2022.

Listen NOW to discover, The "Best Option" To Scale & Exit Your Business!

"It's a marathon, not a sprint." is the worst advice to consider when pursuing your goals.

Running with aggressive patience gives you a better chance of winning your race.

Listen NOW as we unpack this in a way that will make you say, "Thank God It's Monday!"

Dr. Knapton is a veteran technology leader with broad experience in IT operations, software development, enterprise architecture, software design, program management, project management, analytics, infrastructure, quality assurance and user interaction.

As the owner of “The Rocky Mountain CIO” , he consults wit small and medium sized businesses providing Virtual Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer services.

He applies his vast experience in his role as CIO to improve under-performing IT organizations and specializes in teaching IT organizations how to be agile, and how to establish a service-oriented IT culture.

He has published 2 books, “Cyber Safety” and “Unveiling Tech Debt”.

Listen NOW to Discover, "The Biggest IT Problem That's Keeping You From Driving Revenue."

Lawrence Kane has been studying and teaching martial arts since 1970, often putting what he learned into action while working stadium security part time.

The bestselling author of 30 books, he earned a Beverly Hills Book Award and Presidential Prize, a USA Best Book Award, three National Indie Excellence Book Awards, two eLit Gold Medals, an Independent Press Award, a Next Generation Indie Book Award, and a Living Now Book Awards Gold Medal, among other honors.

He has been interviewed by FOX News, The Jim Bohannon Show, Computerworld, Forbes, Art of Procurement, Le Matin, Sourcing Industry Landscape, Information Week, Police Magazine, Negotiations Ninja podcast, and more...

Listen NOW to discover, "5 Martial Arts Secrets To UNLEASH Your Business Breakthrough."

What separates the following two singers?

Singer #1 is unknown, has the voice of an angel, and brings the house down every Sunday at church.

Singer #2 is world famous, her songs are on the radio, but she doesn't sing as well as singer #1.

Understanding the separator, we discuss today can lift you to the next level!

Listen NOW To Discover "The Secret To Unleashing Your Personal Breakthrough!"