This episode’s guest is someone I’ve wanted on the show for a long time — and trust me, it was worth the wait.I’m joined by Art Fromm: podcaster, author, facilitator, speaker, engineer-turned-sales-expert, and truly one of the most multidimensional leaders you’ll ever meet.

Art’s career spans engineering, software sales, sales leadership, and enablement — but what makes his journey so compelling is how he brings empathy and perspective-taking front and center into the world of sales. His Seamless Sales Method is built on one simple but powerful truth:

In this episode, we talk about:

• How an engineer learned to thrive in relationship-driven environments
• 
  
• Why empathy is the hidden engine behind effective sales
• 
  
• What discovery really means beyond asking surface-level questions
• 
  
• The difference between transactional selling and building long-term relationships
• 
  
• How perception — of value, of risk, of cost — drives every decision
• 
  
• Why today’s subscription-driven world demands a deeper level of trust, alignment, and client understanding

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

Connect with Art Fromm:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artfromm

Website:

Today’s conversation is one that stays with you long after it’s over. I’m sitting down with Janik Fauteux — a woman who has lived many lives, worn many hats, and led in more ways than one. From executive vice president in the construction industry, to business development consultant, to entrepreneur, and now host of her own powerful podcast A Woman’s Spark, Janik brings wisdom, vulnerability, and heart to every space she enters.

In this episode, we dive deep into self-leadership — the part of leadership most people don’t talk about. Janik shares her journey of resilience, reinvention, and the power of empathy, not just for others but for ourselves. She opens up about caring for her grandmother at the end of her life, creating a business to help seniors downsize, navigating motherhood and chronic pain, and rebuilding her identity after major life transitions.

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

Connect with Janik Fauteux :

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janikfauteux/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janikfauteux/

About Janik:

Janik Fauteux is a self-employed business owner and the Executive Vice President of a leading residential and commercial remodeling construction company in Montreal. With a strong background in business development—spanning project management, event management, and...

In this episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller digs into a myth almost all of us have heard:

Dr. Melissa breaks down why empathy is not just a trait. It’s also a state you can intentionally build, strengthen, and integrate into your leadership. From the neuroscience behind empathy to the practical habits that make it a repeatable skill, she dives into why empathy might be the most powerful tool you’re not fully using yet.

This episode is packed with insight, science, and real world examples including Michael Jordan, childhood social learning, and what separates good leaders from exceptional ones.

If you’ve ever wondered whether empathy can be learned, how to strengthen it, or how to use it to navigate leadership more effectively, this episode is for you.

► Watch my latest TEDx Talk on “5 steps to start being kinder to yourself” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaoXSEWeILo

Grab my #1 Amazon Bestselling Book “The Empathic Leader”: https://a.co/d/6mKtblA

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathyqueen.eq/

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

► About Dr. Robinson-Winemiller:

What do empathy and a treadmill have in common? Both need action to deliver results.

Quiet quitting. Resenteeism. Post-pandemic stress. AI. Modern leaders face challenges unimaginable in the past, and the pace of change is relentless. The old command-and-control leadership style is obsolete. Leaders today must evolve or risk irrelevance. But leadership now goes beyond dashboards and spreadsheets—so, what’s the answer?

Melissa...

In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Jennie Milton (also known as “Adrenajen”) an Australian extreme sports athlete, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and a woman who has literally survived avalanches, polar bear encounters, and brain surgery.

Jennie’s story is equal parts unbelievable and deeply grounding. Together, we talk about what fear really is, how our bodies respond to it, and why understanding those responses is the doorway to deeper empathy and stronger leadership.

From childhood “scaredy cat” moments to skiing massive mountains in Alaska, Jennie shares how courage is not a personality trait. It’s a skill you build. She breaks down the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses in a way every leader needs to hear, and she explains how adrenaline (yes, the same adrenaline that shows up when you're terrified) can become your greatest advantage.

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

Connect with Jennie Milton:

Website: https://jenniemilton.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennieadrenajenmiltonspeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrenajen/

About Jennie:

Meet Jennie Milton — widely known as “AdrenaJen” is an Australian extreme sports athlete, bestselling

In this special episode of “The Empathic Leader,” Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller opens up about one of the most transformative experiences of her life — giving her first TEDx Talk on self-empathy and self-judgment.

Melissa shares the emotional, vulnerable, and deeply human side of preparing for the red dot — from the nerves of condensing years of research into 12 minutes, to the self-doubt that whispered, “Who am I to be on this stage?”

Through it all, she discovered the heart of what she teaches every day: empathy and judgment can’t exist in the same space. This episode is a reflection on that truth — and an invitation to practice self-empathy as the foundation for leading with compassion, courage, and authenticity.

If you’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome, perfectionism, or the fear of being “too much” or “not enough,” this conversation is for you.

► Watch my latest TEDx Talk on “5 steps to start being kinder to yourself” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaoXSEWeILo

Grab my #1 Amazon Bestselling Book “The Empathic Leader”: https://a.co/d/6mKtblA

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathyqueen.eq/

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

► About Dr. Robinson-Winemiller:

What do empathy and a treadmill have in common? Both need action to deliver results.

Quiet quitting. Resenteeism. Post-pandemic stress. AI. Modern leaders face challenges unimaginable in the past, and the pace of change is relentless. The old command-and-control...

"Your organization isn’t a machine. It’s a living, breathing organism."

In this episode of The Empathic Leader, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller unpacks a common leadership trap: wanting your organization to “run like a machine.” Sounds great in theory, but people aren’t gears. Machines might be efficient, but they don’t evolve, innovate, or connect and neither do organizations that forget their humanity.

Dr. Melissa breaks down:

💡 The real difference between management and leadership

🌿 Why great leaders see their organizations as organisms, not systems to control

🧠 How empathy and emotional intelligence fuel creativity, loyalty, and innovation

💬 The role of self-empathy in becoming a more human-centered leader

If you’ve ever felt like a cog in the machine — or want to lead in a way that brings out the best in people — this conversation will shift how you see leadership.

Watch my latest TEDx Talk on “5 steps to start being kinder to yourself” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaoXSEWeILo

Grab my #1 Amazon Bestselling Book “The Empathic Leader”: https://a.co/d/6mKtblA

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathyqueen.eq/

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

► About Dr. Robinson-Winemiller:

What do empathy and a treadmill have in common? Both need action to deliver results.

Quiet quitting. Resenteeism. Post-pandemic stress. AI. Modern leaders face challenges unimaginable in the past,...

“Change isn’t failure—it’s transformation.”

In this heartfelt and deeply honest conversation, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with transformational coach, author, and TEDx speaker Susan Hensley to explore what it really means to navigate life transitions with self-empathy, authenticity, and courage.

From careers that shift and identities that evolve, to the messy middle of uncertainty—this episode of The Empathic Leader gets real about the emotional side of leadership and change. Together, Melissa and Susan unpack why self-compassion isn’t weakness but wisdom, and how empathy—especially self-empathy—fuels resilience and authentic connection in both life and leadership.

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

Connect with Susan Hensley:

Website: http://susan-hensley.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-hensley-63a4753/

About Susan:

Susan Hensley is a transformational coach, speaker, and author who helps people navigate life’s transitions with joy, creativity, and resilience.

With decades of experience as a corporate executive, HR leader, and leadership coach, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that accompany major life changes. Drawing on her rich background in coaching, HR, and journalism, Susan’s mission is to empower others to...

In this episode of “The Empathic Leader,” Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with the incredible Olivia Parr-Rud — award-winning author, data scientist turned wisdom coach, and host of “The Amazing Aging” podcast.

This conversation is a heartfelt, wisdom-filled deep dive into what it really means to lead with empathy, love, and emotional intelligence — not just in business, but in life. Olivia shares her fascinating journey from corporate data scientist to founder of the Quantum Wisdom Institute, where she helps people transform their life experience into wisdom worth sharing.

You’ll hear stories of courage, healing, and transformation — from surviving personal tragedy to redefining leadership through compassion and authenticity. Together, Dr. Melissa and Olivia unpack how “love, empathy, and gratitude” aren’t fluffy buzzwords — they’re powerful tools for building resilient, agile organizations and connected human beings.

Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader

Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M

Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:

► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528

► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg

► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader

CONNECT WITH ME:

► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/

Connect with Olivia Parr-Rud:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amazing__aging/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviaparrrud/

About Olivia:

Olivia Parr-Rud is an award-winning author, radio host, and globally recognized thought leader in data science and business intelligence. With deep...