Before a lender approves a business loan, the numbers must support the opportunity. On The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis welcomes Connie Sparks, founder of WakeUp Capital and Round1 Funding, to discuss what makes a business financially prepared to secure funding and pursue sustainable growth.

Connie explains how lenders assess cash flow, profitability, credit history, financial statements, and business plans.

On The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis sits down with Katie Moore, founder and executive director of ABC Hopes, to explore how creating meaningful opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can strengthen independence, belonging, and community connection.

Inspired by her younger brother Christopher, who was born with Down syndrome, Katie transformed a personal commitment into a nonprofit offering fitness, wellness, social, recreational, and life-skills programs designed to help participants grow, connect, and be seen for what they can do.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to the Authority Playbook
• (00:01:08) - Meet Katie Moore and ABC Hopes
• (00:01:55) - Founding ABC Hopes: The Origin Story
• (00:04:02) - From Farmers Markets to Fitness Classes
• (00:07:30) - Building Community and Connection
• (00:10:00) - Creating Space for Growth and Empowerment
• (00:11:43) - Segment Wrap: Clarity and Mission
• (00:12:19) - Break and Network Promotion
• (00:13:00) - The Power of Authentic Storytelling
• (00:14:36) - The Barbecue Vendor Story
• (00:17:15) - Adapting the Mission for Donors
• (00:18:45) - Stories That Move People to Action
• (00:20:47) - Segment Wrap: Stories and Framing
• (00:21:23) - Break and Network Promotion
• (00:21:39) - Building Trust Through Action
• (00:22:30) - Dueling Pianos and Community Fundraisers
• (00:25:41) - The Rocketeers: Youth Volunteers
• (00:27:45) - Staff Growth and Career Transformation
• (00:29:27) - Finding Your Why and Making the Ask
• (00:32:44) - Segment Wrap: Trust and Participation
• (00:33:19) - Break and Network Promotion
• (00:34:21) - Introducing Christopher
• (00:36:58) - Leadership Lessons from College Athletics
• (00:38:35) - Christopher Talks Sports and Golf
• (00:40:02) - Christopher Says Goodbye
• (00:40:55) - Opportunity, Patience, and Acceptance
• (00:42:10) - Reflecting on Impact and Intentionality
• (00:44:20) - How to Get Involved with ABC Hopes
• (00:45:00) - Closing Thoughts on Authority and Purpose

What happens before a leader says a single word can shape everything that follows. In The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis welcomes Dahlia Rose, a sovereignty strategist with a background in psychology and crisis consulting, for a conversation about the internal patterns that influence how leaders communicate, make decisions, and show up under pressure.

The accounting profession is moving beyond historical reporting. In this episode of The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis speaks with David Bergstein, Chief Innovation Officer at Bergstein CPA, about the shift toward real-time insight, advisory services, automation, and AI and what that transformation means for firms and their clients.

In this episode of The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis sits down with Dr. Noga Guz, business consultant and PhD in entrepreneurship and innovation, to explore how entrepreneurs can determine whether a business idea has real market potential before investing significant time, money, and resources.

Drawing from her own entrepreneurial setbacks and years of research, Noga explains her structured go/no-go validation process, including how to identify real customer needs, define the right market niche, analyze competitors, uncover critical flaws, and determine whether an idea can actually be monetized.

• (00:00:00) - The Authority Playbook
• (00:01:39) - What Did Your First Entrepreneurial Failure Teach You?
• (00:02:28) - In the Elevator With My Partner
• (00:04:06) - What is it that entrepreneurs learn from their failures?
• (00:06:06) - What Kind of Questions Do Entrepreneurs Need to Ask Before Starting?
• (00:12:09) - The Authority Playbook
• (00:13:24) - What Do You Do About New Ideas?
• (00:16:47) - The Go No Go Validation Process
• (00:19:36) - How to Tell When the Business Is Not Viable
• (00:23:07) - What is the MPP?
• (00:24:08) - The Authority Playbook
• (00:29:50) - What is the No Go Startup?
• (00:31:15) - How to Get Out of the Trap of Research, Communication and Investment
• (00:35:33) - The Authority Playbook
• (00:37:59) - What's Your Most Successful Business Story?
• (00:40:18) - How to Enhance Your Networking
• (00:45:41) - Jeff Brandeis: The Right Product for the Right Market

In this episode of The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis sits down with Shelby Jo Long, communication strategist, four-time CEO, founder of Core Leadership, and creator of Invitational Dissent, to explore why disagreement can become a powerful leadership tool instead of a source of dysfunction.

Shelby explains how leaders can create structured environments where employees challenge ideas, voice concerns, and contribute to better decisions without damaging trust or culture. Drawing on her background in competitive debate.

In this episode of The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis welcomes Karen Taylor and Melissa Meda for a powerful conversation about protecting children, expanding access to quality early education, and creating sustainable social impact in communities around the world.

The episode explores how Rise Alliance for Children works to strengthen early childhood development by equipping educators, empowering local leaders, and building strategic partnerships that help children play, learn, and thrive. Melissa shares how her international experience shaped a leadership philosophy centered on listening to communities, amplifying local voices, and earning trust through relationships rather than relying on titles or traditional authority.

In this special episode of The Authority Playbook, host Jeff Brandeis honors the life and legacy of DeShonda Charles, Esq., an attorney, business owner, mentor, educator, and community advocate whose career was defined by service, preparation, and purpose.

Presentado en parte como un homenaje póstumo, el episodio reflexiona sobre el viaje de DeShonda desde Nueva Orleans hasta la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Tulane y su distinguida carrera legal en Houston. A través de su trabajo en The Charles Law Firm, PLLC , brindó asesoría legal a particulares, familias y empresarios en áreas como planificación patrimonial, litigios sucesorios, discriminación laboral, derecho de familia, litigios civiles, lesiones personales, asesoría para pequeñas empresas y planificación de sucesión.