Sheryle Gillihan is the Co-owner and CEO of CauseLabs, a Texas-based web and digital strategy agency that partners with nonprofits, social enterprises, and purpose-driven organizations. With over 25 years of experience in leadership, operations, and technical management, she has leveraged technology to bridge cultural gaps and drive social impact across military, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. Sheryle has been recognized as a 2022 Great Women of Texas honoree and was a Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 winner.

With technology evolving, leaders are challenged to build companies that are innovative and grounded in values and purpose. From digital transformation to AI adoption, the choices businesses make today will shape the industry in the future. How can entrepreneurs stay focused while creating meaningful impact?

As a technology strategist and mission-driven business leader, Sheryle Gillihan emphasizes the importance of aligning work with personal values, measuring impact instead of guessing, and making smart investments in tools that serve customers. She also encourages leaders to bring their teams into major shifts like AI through education and transparency. Through intentional decisions, entrepreneurs can build with purpose and clarity.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Sheryle Gillihan, Co-owner and CEO of CauseLabs, to discuss purpose-driven technology leadership. Sheryle talks about her transitions from corporate work, what she learned from acquiring companies, and how she guides clients through AI adoption and impact-focused innovation.

Jason Carroll is the Founder of Aptive Index, a company that leverages AI-driven behavioral science tests to assign individuals to the right roles. As a serial entrepreneur and leadership strategist, he scaled Champion National Security from $20M to $80M before its acquisition. Jason is also a trained leadership consultant specializing in people-centric business practices.

What drives business growth when strategy, talent, and pressure collide? Behind every breakthrough is a series of bold decisions, painful lessons, and moments of self-awareness that force leaders to rethink how they hire, lead, and grow. What separates leaders who scale from those who stall?

According to leadership and behavioral assessment expert Jason Carroll, growth starts with a deeper understanding of human behavior. Leaders must look beyond resumes and surface-level traits to uncover the core drivers that shape performance. Jason emphasizes using self-awareness to adjust leadership impact, placing people in roles aligned with how they're wired, and being curious rather than judgmental when conflict arises. These practices build stronger teams, drive informed decisions, and enable sustainable growth.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Jason Carroll, Founder of Aptive Index, to discuss leadership, hiring, and human behavior at scale. Jason shares his hiring mistakes that sparked a new approach to assessments, how self-awareness reshapes leadership impact, and how putting people first fuels rapid company growth.

Ghazenfer Mansoor is the Founder and CEO of Technology Rivers, a software company developing HIPAA-compliant web, mobile, and cloud-based healthcare software applications. As a seasoned advisor and investor in technology and healthcare, he has fulfilled roles as an architect, programmer, software engineer, user experience specialist, product developer, growth hacker, and chief technology officer.

Developing software in regulated industries presents both opportunities and risks. Founders and leaders are pressured to innovate while protecting sensitive data, meeting compliance standards, and delivering adoptable products. How can you balance speed, innovation, and long-term performance without compromising trust or usability?

Mobile software developer Ghazenfer Mansoor urges leaders to start with clear requirements, workflows, and compliance guardrails before writing a single line of code. He also recommends focusing on retention over features, using AI to empower teams rather than replace them, and reducing friction through UX and conversational interfaces. Through these approaches, teams can build secure, scalable, and valuable software for users.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Chad Franzen of Rise25 hosts Ghazenfer Mansoor, Founder and CEO of Technology Rivers, to discuss building scalable, compliant, and user-focused software. Ghazenfer talks about HIPAA compliance challenges, why retention matters more than launch, and how AI and conversational UI are reshaping modern product design.

Ana Chaud is the Co-founder and COO of FiftyPages, a strategic life design company for high-performing leaders. As an entrepreneur and business leader, she has nearly three decades of experience advising and scaling startups, guiding individuals through professional and personal transitions. Ana is also the Principal of Sankalpa Leadership, a community and program designed to help women navigate midlife transitions through retreats, workshops, and shared experiences.

Entrepreneurship promises freedom, impact, and success, but for many leaders, it can replace clarity with exhaustion and misalignment. As businesses grow, personal fulfillment often takes a back seat to constant achievement and pressure. How can leaders build meaningful success without losing themselves in the process?

According to Ana Chaud, an advisor to hundreds of founders, building a meaningful personal and professional life begins with awareness. Sustainable leadership requires separating identity from achievement and identifying how success can support your personal life. Ana encourages leaders to slow down enough to define their own blueprint, practice self-awareness, and model healthy behavior so their teams can thrive. The result is intentional progress that lasts.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Ana Chaud, Co-founder and COO of FiftyPages, to discuss designing success with intention. Ana shares lessons from scaling her first business, why self-awareness separates great leaders from struggling ones, and how founders can align professional growth with personal fulfillment.

Sarah Cornett is the Founder and CEO of Global AI Advisors, an AI advisory services firm. As an AI strategist and high-impact speaker, she has led teams to implement AI solutions in industries including banking and technology. Sarah focuses on advising executives, delivering AI education, and guiding organizations through responsible AI implementation.

AI is on the rise, but many organizations struggle to turn excitement into results. Leaders are investing in tools, pilots, and platforms — yet outcomes often fall short of expectations. What separates successful AI adoption from costly experiments?

According to AI advisor Sarah Cornett, adoption begins with a clear business-driven AI vision, not technology hype. She emphasizes starting small with high-impact, feasible use cases to build momentum. Educating teams, addressing fear through transparency, and putting governance in place early to ensure safe and responsible use create a foundation for sustainable AI adoption.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Sarah Cornett, Founder and CEO of Global AI Advisors, to discuss enterprise AI adoption. Sarah explains why most AI projects fail without a strategy, how leaders can drive buy-in through education and quick wins, and how to govern AI responsibly in regulated industries.

David Ewing is the CEO of Content Lion, a digital experience and content management platform. He is also the CEO of Motiv, a consulting firm focused on driving revenue with Oracle CX. As a growth-focused entrepreneur and systems strategist, David has decades of experience building and scaling businesses.

What separates companies that earn lifelong loyalty from those that customers can't wait to leave? When every interaction and touchpoint shapes perception, even small moments can determine whether trust grows or disappears. How can leaders design intentional experiences that turn setbacks into opportunities?

According to entrepreneur and growth strategist David Ewing, shifting attitudes can change behavior faster than fixing problems. He recommends that leaders design systems that anticipate emotional moments and respond with empathy. Additionally, accountability, transparency, and data-driven decision-making can build trust with customers and employees, creating consistency, resilience, and long-term growth.

Tune in to this episode of Lessons From The Leap as Ghazenfer Mansoor hosts David Ewing, CEO of Content Lion and Motiv, to discuss the customer experience, leadership, and building scalable systems. David talks about turning failures into trust-building moments, creating a strong employee culture through clarity and data, and leveraging structure and mindset to lead multiple high-growth organizations.

Todd Merrill is the CTO and Co-founder of Konsuld™, which provides AI-powered clinical collaboration to enhance patient care. He is also a Partner at TechCXO, which provides on-demand financial, technical, and operational management to companies ranging from startups to mid-market enterprises. With decades of experience as a C-level technology executive, Todd has led the development and scaling of SaaS and cloud-based platforms across multiple industries.

Startups are growing faster than ever, yet many founders feel overwhelmed by chaos, shifting priorities, and the pressure to integrate AI before falling behind. Technology promises leverage, but without the right mindset, it can just amplify confusion. How can leaders turn speed into clarity and experimentation into progress?

As a fractional CTO, Todd Merrill emphasizes a practical AI approach, using small, targeted experiments to improve individual and team productivity before scaling larger initiatives. He also suggests simplifying decision-making with clear roadmaps, validating ideas quickly with MVPs, and treating AI as a way to augment strong leaders rather than replace them. These approaches help founders regain control while building momentum.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Todd Merrill, Co-founder and CTO at Konsuld™, to discuss practical AI adoption and startup leadership. Todd explains how founders can use AI without the hype, why minimum viable products (MVPs) are table stakes, and how leaders can navigate growth without losing focus.

Larry Trotter II is the Founder and Principal CISO at Inherent Security, a cybersecurity firm that helps health tech companies navigate HIPAA compliance. He has over a decade of experience designing security strategies and managing security operations for healthcare organizations, government agencies, and Fortune 500 clients. Larry frequently speaks about cybersecurity trends and challenges facing the healthcare sector.

With the rise of digital health tools and the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, it's crucial for organizations to integrate security early on. How can you build a solid security foundation from the beginning without slowing down innovation?

Larry Trotter II, a cybersecurity expert with over a decade of experience, emphasizes the importance of starting with strong security policies tailored to each company's unique needs. He advises health tech companies to prioritize risk assessments, collaborate with development teams, and integrate security features at the first iteration of their product. By embedding security early, organizations avoid costly rework later. Continuous monitoring and adaptation are the keys to staying compliant as the industry evolves.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Larry Trotter II, Founder and Principal CISO at Inherent Security, to discuss strategies for securing health technology. Larry talks about integrating security from day one, the rise of vendor breaches in health tech, and how AI is both aiding and complicating cybersecurity efforts.