Kvon Tucker, founder of Consciously, was first on the podcast a few years ago, when Consciously was still closer to an idea than a fully formed organization. Since then, he has built the Consciously Collective into a growing community of coaches, counselors, and consultants who are aligned around a shared mission: helping leaders become more conscious, more loving, and more effective.

I have joined Consciously as one of its co-creators, so part of this conversation is about the work we are building together. We talked about some words that do not always show up in traditional business language — love, liberation, healing, consciousness — and why we believe they are directly connected to leadership effectiveness.

We discussed the practices behind conscious leadership, including curiosity, humility, courage, integrity, recovery, mindfulness, and perseverance. We also talked about why leading well is the foundation for leading effectively, how leaders can create organizations where people have the courage to take risks, and why mistakes can become moments of growth rather than punishment.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

consciously.one

Additional Guest Links:

Contact at:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kvontucker

Instagram: @consciously_kvon

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Julie Kratz teaches organizational behavior, decision-making, leadership, and culture at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She is also a leadership coach, trainer, speaker, and author whose work focuses on allyship — what it means to support people who are different from ourselves, and how leaders can use their power and influence to make workplaces more fair and more inclusive.

We talked about her path from corporate life to academia, and how a childhood moment helped shape her lifelong interest in fairness and justice. We discussed why diversity does not work without inclusion, why so many organizations need to look beyond representation and examine the systems that shape hiring, promotion, pay equity, performance reviews, and sponsorship.

We also spent time on the central theme of her book: how to engage people with power in the work of allyship. Julie makes a compelling case that allyship is not about guilt or performative action. It is about noticing who is being underestimated, asking better questions, building trust, and using the power we already have in a more intentional way.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

nextpivotpoint.com

Additional Guest Links:

Book Info: nextpivotpoint.com/wewantyou

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliekratz

YouTube: youtube.com/@nextpivotpoint

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Jimmy St Louis is a former NFL tight end and currently on his second successful venture leading innovative healthcare companies focused on solving unmet needs. He is the CEO of Agentis Longevity, a healthcare company specialized in performance and longevity medicine.

In our conversation, we explored how his experiences in sports shaped his leadership philosophy, particularly his focus on discipline, resilience, and the importance of the journey over the destination. We also went deep into the role that values play in leadership—how defining and consistently applying them became a turning point in his career, and why he believes they are the foundation of effective decision-making.

We discussed the challenges of building mission-driven businesses in environments that demand financial performance, including his experience working with private equity partners, and how staying grounded in purpose and values improves your chances of long-term success.

Finally, we touched on innovation in healthcare, what it takes to truly change an industry, and why accessibility, affordability, and trust are critical if you want to create lasting impact.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

agentislongevity.com

Additional Guest Links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimmy-st-louis

Instagram: @jimmysstlouisofficial

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Irina Cozma is an organizational psychologist and executive coach who has spent her career at the intersection of talent, fit, and workplace design. After a long path through academia, consulting, and senior roles at large organizations like Salesforce and Wells Fargo, she built her own practice focused on helping individuals and organizations create better alignment between people and the work they do.

In our conversation, we talked about how early experiences shape our relationship with work, why so many people end up in roles that don’t fit them, and what both employees and employers can do to create better outcomes. We also explored practical ways to think about hiring, autonomy, feedback, and the day-to-day conditions that make work either energizing or draining.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

irinacozma.com

Additional Guest Links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/irinacozma

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Stephanie Chung is a C-suite leader and board member with decades of experience in aviation and the first Black person in U.S. history to run a private aviation company. Stephanie really paid her dues to get there: she started her career quite literally on the tarmac, parking airplanes and loading luggage at Boston Logan Airport, then went on to leadership in aviation sales, to president of JetSuite X and Chief Growth Officer and brand ambassador of a publicly traded aviation company.

In our conversation we explored how growing up as the daughter of an Air Force Master Sergeant shaped her leadership philosophy—instilling a deep commitment to excellence, accountability, and completing the mission. Stephanie also shared how her background in sales influenced the way she leads organizations, why leaders must learn to balance sales, operations, and finance, and how looking for opportunities in “unlikely places” can transform a career.

Finally, we talked about her book Ally Leadership How To Lead People Who Are Not Like You. She emphasized the importance of building trust as a leader, creating psychological safety in teams, and why leadership doesn’t need to be complicated if you simply do what you say you will do.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

stephaniechung.com

Additional Guest Links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/TheStephanieChung

Instagram: @TheStephanieChung

Fecebook: facebook.com/TheStephanieChung

YouTube: @TheStephanieChung

TikTok: @thestephaniechung

Substack: @yourallyinleadership

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram : @al4edp

Podcast Twitter: @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

"Michael Stausholm is the CEO and founder of Sprout World, the first plantable pencil. He started his career in shipping, spent over a decade working across Asia in the garment industry, and along the way developed a deep perspective on leadership, culture, and responsibility in business. Eventually, that journey led him to build Sprout World, a company built around a simple idea: what if the products we use every day didn’t become waste, but something new instead?

In our conversation, we talk about what he learned early in his career managing teams in very different cultural environments, how that shaped his approach to leadership, and why he believes in giving people freedom while still providing clear direction. We also get into the practical side of building a purpose-driven business, from making decisions about production to balancing commercial success with doing things the right way."

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

sproutworld.com

Additional Guest Links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelstausholm/

Corporate Links

Linktree: linktr.ee/sproutworld

TikTok: @sproutworldofficial

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sprout-europe

Instagram: @sproutworldofficial

Facebook: facebook.com/sproutworldofficial

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Today's guest is Carlo Giannone, a graduate student and teaching assistant at the Harvard Kennedy School, researcher in geopolitics and economics, and founder of the podcast Finanza, Pizza e Mandolino.

Carlo shares how growing up in Sicily shaped his early interest in economic inequality and public service, and how that led him to study economics at Bocconi, the London School of Economics, and Harvard. He reflects on the role of economics and policy in addressing structural challenges and creating opportunity.

The conversation explores Carlo’s leadership experiences across student organizations, alumni networks, and international initiatives. He discusses the importance of representing diverse perspectives, building trust in institutions, and ensuring that leadership remains grounded in the needs of the people it serves.

Dino and Carlo also examine practical aspects of leadership development, including balancing high standards with psychological safety, leading in voluntary environments, and maintaining authenticity while making decisions. Carlo shares lessons from his time in consulting and student leadership roles, highlighting listening, emotional intelligence, and creating environments where people can contribute at their best.

Finally, Carlo outlines his motivation to pursue a path that combines private sector experience with a long-term commitment to public service, with a focus on contributing to better policy and governance.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com

Additional Guest Links:

Finanza Pizza e Mandolino Podcast

On Spotify

On Apple Podcasts

Instagram: @finanzapizzamandolino

Youtube: youtube.com/@FinanzaPizzaMandolino/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carlogiannone

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com

Celeste Warren spent 28 years at Merck, where she rose to become Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Since retiring from Merck, she founded Celeste Warren Consulting, where she continues to advise organizations on leadership, culture, and inclusion. Together with her two children, she also co-founded Destination STEM, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Celeste has been widely recognized for her work in diversity and inclusion, and she is the author of a new book titled The Truth About Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn’t, and Why Everybody Wins When They Get It Right.

In our conversation, Celeste shares the personal story that first shaped her perspective on equity and leadership, growing up as the daughter of the first Black teacher, principal, and superintendent in his school district. We also explore her unexpected path into human resources, the lessons she learned about leadership early in her career, and why servant leadership and situational leadership are so critical for building successful teams.

Finally, we spend time breaking down what diversity, equity, and inclusion actually mean in practice, why the concepts are often misunderstood, and how leaders can approach them in a thoughtful and practical way inside their organizations.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

CRWDiversity.com

al4ep.com

Additional Guest Links:

Contact at:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/celestewarrenllc

Instagram: @crwdiversity

YouTube: youtube.com/@celestewarren-equity

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Truth About Equity Book on Amazon: mybook.to/TruthAboutEquity

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com