In this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Robynn Storey, Founder of Storeyline Resumes, to explore what leadership looks like when ego steps aside and humanity takes the lead. Robynn shares her unconventional journey from a high-level corporate role at Pepsi to waiting tables, and ultimately building a multi-million-dollar, fully remote company rooted in kindness, accountability, and trust.

Robynn explains why she hires for character over credentials, how loyalty is earned rather than demanded, and why culture is built through everyday human moments rather than perks or programs. From sending care packages to protecting work-life balance, her leadership philosophy proves that compassion and high performance are not opposites—they are partners.

• Leadership without ego creates stronger loyalty and engagement

• Culture is built in everyday human moments, not corporate perks

• Hiring for character leads to long-term success and retention

• Transparency and kindness drive performance more than fear

• Strong leaders protect people, not just results

• "If someone on your team can call you for personal advice, you've won."

• "Culture isn't a program. It's how you treat people when life happens."

• "People will never work harder for you when you are mean to them."

• "Success isn't privilege. It's the result of effort and care."

• "We are not brain surgeons. I want people to go have a life."

• 00:00 – Introduction to Robynn Storey

• 03:25 – Leaving corporate life and redefining success

• 05:56 – Ego, identity, and waiting tables

• 09:48 – Hustle mentality and leadership balance

• 15:50 – Loyalty, care, and human-centered culture

• 23:32 – Leadership lessons from corporate America

• 29:35 – Hiring failures and automated systems

• 37:55 – What truly creates strong culture

• 45:22 – The donut question and final reflections

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynnstorey/

• Website: storeylineresumes.com

Summary
Lee Caraher, CEO of Double Forte, explains how her PR and strategic communications firm helps clients reach business goals by improving how they connect with employees, customers, partners, and the public. She traces her path from a medieval history degree to tech PR, and why agency work accelerates learning. After 9/11 and her mother's stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, Lee founded Double Forte (now 23 years old) to build a values-led agency that could flex around family needs. She describes early growth by focusing on a short list of trusted relationships, protecting culture with the "no assholes" client rule, and leading with high input, low democracy, high appreciation, and high standards so the team stays relevant through constant change, including AI.

Takeaways

• High input, low democracy: gather input widely, then decide and share the rationale.

• High appreciation: specific, contextual praise improves performance and reduces wasted effort.

• Culture guardrails matter: the "no assholes" rule can limit revenue but protects teams.

• Hiring well isn't enough—leaders often wait too long to fire or re-seat someone.

• Empathy doesn't mean lowering standards; it means support + timelines + role shifts when life happens.

• Leaders must communicate a clear path in change: "Here's the road we're taking."

Soundbites

• "We help our clients achieve their business goal through communication."

• "High input, low democracy."

• "Teams who feel appreciated outperform those who don't."

• "No assholes."

• "If you don't think you can improve… leave now."

• "Agencies succeed only if they're relevant now and next."

• "My definition of success is money, time, people."

Timestamps

• 00:01 – Meet Lee Caraher and Double Forte

• 02:31 – What Double Forte does: business goals via communication

• 03:02 – From medieval history to PR and why agencies train

• 05:18 – 9/11 + mom's diagnosis → starting Double Forte

• 06:57 – The "first 11 people" strategy for landing clients

• 08:09 – Culture rules and the no assholes line

• 10:24 – Biggest lesson: leaders are often slow to fire

• 11:57 – Leadership pillars: input, appreciation, high standards

• 13:28 – 360 wake-up call: appreciation must be visible

• 19:08 – Empathy with standards: timelines and "park yourself"

• 22:29 – Leading through constant change and AI uncertainty

• 24:46 – Color-coding the calendar: in vs on the business

• 35:18 – Her success definition: money, time, people

• 37:09 – How to reach Lee

Contact links for the guest

• Double Forte: double-forte.com

• Lee Caraher: lee-karaher.com

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher/

• Email: lkaraher@double-forte.com

Keyword tags
Lee Caraher, Double Forte, Leadership, Strategic Communications, Public Relations, Team Culture, Appreciation, Employee Retention, Decision-Making, Empathy, Client Selection, AI Change

In this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Alex Rodriguez, a veteran government affairs strategist, CEO of Conduit Government Relations, and Chairman and CEO of DCG Public Affairs.

With more than 30 years advising Fortune 500 companies, public agencies, and nonprofit leaders, Alex operates at the intersection of policy, power, and public perception. He also brings a unique perspective shaped by over five decades as a lifelong martial artist and sixth-degree black belt.

This conversation explores what quiet leadership really looks like. Alex shares why communication and empathy are not weaknesses but force multipliers, how discipline from martial arts translates directly into leadership under pressure, and why compassion is the often-overlooked sixth tenet of effective leadership.

From navigating complex government systems and high-stakes water policy decisions to the personal cost of choosing purpose over prestige, Alex offers grounded wisdom on leading with clarity, integrity, and balance. This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about dominance. It is about presence, perspective, and precision.

• Great leadership is rooted in communication and empathy, not control or ego

• The discipline learned through martial arts directly shapes calm, effective leadership

• Compassion is not weakness. It is a strategic advantage

• The best leaders turn pressure into precision by staying grounded and intentional

• Leadership begins at home and carries into the boardroom

• Failure is not something to avoid. It is proof that you are trying

• The "middle way" creates balance, clarity, and sustainable success

• "If I'm an asshole in the boardroom, I'm probably an asshole at home."

• "Empathy isn't weakness. It's how you stay human under pressure."

• "Leadership doesn't need to be loud to be powerful."

• "I want peace of mind more than power or position."

• "If you don't fail, you're not taking risks."

• 00:00 – Introduction & Background

• 03:00 – Navigating Government, Influence, and Strategy

• 07:30 – Water Policy, the Salton Sea, and Defining Leadership Moments

• 11:00 – Martial Arts, Discipline, and Empathy

• 16:00 – Quiet Leadership and Compassion

• 21:00 – Is Empathy a Weakness?

• 26:00 – Turning Pressure Into Precision

• 31:00 – The Cost of Leadership and Choosing Purpose

• 34:30 – Final Reflections and How to Connect

• Website: https://www.dcgco.com

• Books: Available on Amazon

  • The Way of Walking Alone

  • A Stick in Time

  • 365 Days of Martial Valor

Summary
Ravi Prakash shares how arriving in the U.S. with $20 became the start of a lifelong practice of resilience. Through stories of losing sight in one eye, surviving upheaval in India, and rebuilding from "nothing," he frames adversity as a growth engine and leadership as an inside-out discipline: lead yourself first, then you can lead others.

Takeaways

• Resilience is a lifestyle, built one decision at a time, not a slogan.

• The "what's in the way becomes the way" moment: turning rejection, fear, and uncertainty into forward motion.

• Win when you have nothing by building trust, taking action, and staying resourceful.

• Lead yourself first: health, habits, language, focus, and integrity create opportunity.

• Patience is an underrated leadership skill, especially across cultures and rapid-change environments.

• In the AI era, planning horizons shrink: focus on foundations and execution over perfect certainty.

Soundbites

• "Resilience is not a mood. It is a lifestyle."

• "My word is my collateral."

• "Adversity is nature's clever way to keep us on our toes."

• "If you become decisive, it will do more for you than any goal."

• "When you make decisions, life opens up in ways you never imagined."

Timestamps

• 00:01 David Suson introduces Ravi Prakash and his immigrant leadership journey

• 01:47 Arriving with $20: the first night in Wisconsin and building a "village"

• 04:38 What's in the way becomes the way: challenge, blindness in one eye, and choosing action

• 09:28 Tenacity forged through sport, loss, and upheaval

• 16:17 Inflection points: the scooter lesson, courage, and confidence

• 18:38 Trust and resourcefulness: loans, community help, and "winning with nothing"

• 24:21 Adversity and marathon mindset

• 26:31 Leading yourself first: health, habits, language, and focus

• 29:26 What companyinsights.ai does: agentic RAG, persona-driven answers, on-brand trust

• 32:56 Global leadership lessons: patience, disruption, and boundaries

• 42:20 Health as a leadership issue: nutrition, learning, and self-education

• 48:20 Momentum: decide without guarantees

• 50:23 The question he wishes people asked: what kept you going when everything fell apart

• 55:14 Where to connect

Contact links for the guest

• journeywithravi.com

• companyinsights.ai (site: under construction)

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/journeywithravi/

• Ravi's Book: SAFAR: An Immigrant's Journey of Life & Leadership

  A Story of Resilience, Reinvention, and Unstoppable Leadership

  Success isn't given—it's built. Safar is more than a memoir; it's a roadmap for turning adversity into achievement. From an immigrant's struggles to leading global teams, this book unpacks the lessons of grit, resilience, and leadership that define true success.

Keyword tags
immigrant leadership, resilience, perseverance, decisive action, self-leadership, adversity, mindset, trust, courage, patience, global leadership, culture, wellness, lifestyle medicine, marathon mindset, generative AI, agentic RAG, knowledge management, persona-driven AI, executive leadership

What happens when brilliant scientists are asked to become CEOs?

In this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Sonya Weigle, CEO of Next Stage Bio Advisors and founder of the Catalytic Collective, to unpack why early-stage biotech companies often stall after scientific success.

Sonya shares hard-earned insights from over 25 years in life sciences, M&A integration, and executive advising. Together, they explore the hidden leadership traps scientists face, why human capital is still misunderstood, how ego and control derail growth, and what the best leaders do differently when scaling teams, culture, and confidence.

This is a candid, practical conversation for CEOs, founders, investors, and leaders navigating growth, change, and what comes next.

• Why what makes scientists great in the lab can hurt them as CEOs

• The leadership shift from consensus to decisive action

• Why 80% of M&A deals fail after the transaction

• Human capital as a true growth lever, not an afterthought

• The danger of scaling without a cultural foundation

• Ego, control, and the fear of letting go

• Leadership as transformation, not transaction

• The conductor vs. the violinist analogy for CEOs

• Creating psychological safety so people can grow

• Asking the question we never stop asking: "What do I want to be when I grow up?"

1. Scientific excellence does not automatically translate to leadership excellence

2. Culture must be defined before scale, not after success

3. Human capital is an investment, not a cost

4. Ego and control are the biggest blockers to growth

5. Great leaders focus on building people, not proving themselves

• "You can get crushed under the weight of your own success."

• "Doing the same thing for 30 years isn't 30 years of experience."

• "Leadership is managing the movement of work, not doing the work."

• "Ego is control. Leadership is letting go."

• "We should never stop asking, 'What do I want to be when I grow up?'"

00:00 – Welcome & Sonya's background
04:15 – Why scientists struggle as CEOs
06:30 – Human capital and culture done right
10:30 – Why most M&A deals fail
15:20 – Ego, control, and leadership growth
22:00 – The conductor vs. the violinist analogy
24:30 – Creating safety so people can grow
27:15 – Sonya's leadership blind spot
30:40 – "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
33:00 – Where to find Sonya

Sonya Weigle

• Website (Catalytic Collective): https://thecatalyticcollective.com

• Website (Biotech Advisory): https://nextstagebioadvisors.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonya-wilford-weigle/

Summary
In this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, Karina Bensko, CEO of Culture Krew, explains why HR is not "balloons and cupcakes," but a core business function that protects trust, reduces risk, and accelerates growth. Karina shares her path from studying psychology to falling in love with HR at 19, her shift from corporate bureaucracy to the "fail fast" startup world, and why she chose the fractional route to help founders build "good enough to launch today" people systems that can evolve tomorrow.

Takeaways
• HR is the table: People are doing the work, so HR sits in the middle of how the business operates.
• People ops vs people strategy: Ops keeps the lights on payroll, benefits, onboarding while strategy times and scales programs to match growth.
• Good enough beats perfect: Start with simple frameworks, then add complexity when the company earns it.
• Payroll and benefits are trust: If you don't pay people correctly and on time, nothing else matters.
• Manager training prevents churn: Proactive development conversations reduce "funding your competitors' talent pipeline."
• Culture must be intentional: Early hires join for the founder; later hires join for the company—values and success behaviors must be clear.
• Fractional sweet spot: Often most valuable around 15–20 employees when growth is about to double, until a full-time Head of People makes sense around 120–150.

Soundbites
• "We are not the party committee. We are strategists."
• "If you don't pay people on time and correctly, nothing you do matters."
• "You don't need to build an empire when you're still very small."
• "Good enough is getting out of the mindset of perfect before we put something in place."
• "Stop funding your competitors' talent pipeline."
• "HR is an art and a science."
• "People are your best capital."

Timestamps
00:02 Karina Bensko introduced and why Culture Crew exists
01:26 Why startups need HR strategy before they can afford a Head of People
02:50 Corporate bureaucracy vs startup speed and "fail fast" learning
04:25 The catalyst for building her own LLC and going fractional
06:39 Falling in love with HR at 19 and HR's evolution
08:41 The shift from "cupcakes" to business strategy and ROI language
13:02 Talent strategy, headcount planning, and purposeful culture design
16:15 People operations vs people strategy and right-sizing processes
19:03 "Good enough" systems using onboarding as the example
22:07 Fractional model vs short-term consulting
23:45 When founders realistically need HR help and when to hire full-time
28:00 The non-negotiables payroll, benefits, and legal compliance
30:45 Avoiding HR blind spots and interview/legal do's and don'ts
32:33 Training managers to retain talent and reduce turnover costs
41:25 What's in the way becomes the way receiving feedback and motherhood
44:29 Broadway, singing, and the personal side of Karina Bensko
46:05 How to contact Karina Bensko and Culture Krew

Contact links for the guest
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbensko/
• Email: karina@culturekrew.com

• Website: culturekrew.com
• Also mentioned on the episode: culturekrew.com

Keyword tags
Fractional HR, People strategy, People operations, Startup scaling, Headcount planning, Talent strategy, Manager training, Employee retention, Onboarding, Payroll compliance, HR compliance, Culture design, High-growth startups, HR business partnership, Organizational design, Employee engagement, Leadership, Inside the Leader's Mind, Karina Bensko, Culture Crew

Summary
Inside the Leader's Mind host David Suson sits down with Bill Kasko, President and CEO of Frontline Source Group, to unpack how he's built an award-winning staffing firm over 22 years in a constantly shifting talent market. Bill shares how hiring for character over resumes, listening deeply, and "doing the opposite" of industry norms led to a five-year placement warranty, long-tenured teams, and loyal clients. He reflects on his upbringing with a single mom in a male-dominated corporate world, the work ethic that shaped him, and why appreciation, honesty, and human connection matter more than ever in recruiting and leadership.

Takeaways
• Hire for character and potential, not just resumes and past titles.
• Great leaders surround themselves with people who are better than they are.
• Listening deeply is the real superpower for spotting hidden skills and passions.
• Careers and hiring tools evolve, but the core "resume" and human story still matter.
• Turn negatives into positives: use promotions and long tenure as proof of your value.
• Appreciation and integrity are declining in business, so leaders must model both.

Soundbites
• "All hires are good hires. They just sometimes go bad."
• "A flat piece of paper doesn't tell me who you are."
• "If you were raised by a single mom, your work ethic is going to blow people away."
• "We built our company on the Costanza Theory—do the exact opposite."
• "If you just shut your mouth and listen, people will tell you everything you need to know."

Timestamps
00:02 – Meet Bill Kasko and the story behind Frontline Source Group
03:30 – The "good hire gone wrong" who became COO 20 years later
10:30 – Why Bill hires for people, not resumes or pedigree
19:30 – The "Costanza Theory" and building a different kind of staffing firm
24:30 – Creating a five-year placement warranty in a 90-day world
29:00 – How resumes, LinkedIn, and job search have evolved
37:00 – Bill's true superpower: listening for hidden skills
39:40 – Lessons from being raised by a single mom in a male-dominated world
46:40 – What's changed (and broken) in appreciation and honesty at work

Contact links for the guest
• Website: frontlinesourcegroup.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/frontline-source-group
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/billkasko/ and mention you heard him on Inside the Leader's Mind with David Suson

Keyword tags
Bill Kasko, Frontline Source Group, staffing, recruiting, talent acquisition, leadership, listening, work ethic, single mom story, Costanza Theory, five-year placement warranty, LinkedIn, hiring trends, employee retention, company culture, appreciation at work