In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, Kim Miller-Hershon sits down with Laurent Cohen Founder and CEO of Go OBL, a voice-first AI platform helping local businesses never miss customer calls, capture leads, and book appointments automatically.

With more than 20 years of entrepreneurial and technical leadership experience across Europe, the United States, and Israel, Laurent has built and scaled multiple businesses across industries including eCommerce, digital marketing, and AI. His journey has been shaped by high growth success, painful setbacks, and hard-earned lessons about resilience, accountability, and leadership.

In this conversation, Laurent shares the story of how an unexpected volcanic eruption in Iceland nearly destroyed his thriving eCommerce business by disrupting global shipping during peak holiday season. What initially felt like an “act of God” became one of the most transformative moments of his career, forcing him to confront hard truths about risk, overconfidence, and the importance of personal accountability.

Laurent explains why business owners must stop seeing themselves as victims of circumstance and instead take ownership of their blind spots, decisions, and missed opportunities. He shares how rebuilding after crisis ultimately led him to create an even larger and more successful company.

Beyond business resilience, Laurent also reflects on how living and building businesses across France, the United States, and Israel shaped his leadership philosophy. He discusses the differences between craftsmanship, efficiency, and urgency and how each culture taught him a different dimension of entrepreneurship.

This episode explores:

- How a volcanic eruption nearly bankrupted Laurent’s business and changed his mindset forever

- Why accountability is one of the most underrated leadership skills

- The danger of success making entrepreneurs feel invincible

- How setbacks often become the foundation for future breakthroughs

- The differences between doing business in France, the U.S., and Israel

- Why entrepreneurs must trust their intuition while staying accountable for mistakes

- How imposter syndrome can show up even in highly experienced founders

- The role meditation played in helping Laurent manage stress, anxiety, and internal pressure

- Why AI is widening the gap between those who actively learn and those who get left behind

Laurent’s perspective is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t built when everything is going well it’s built in the moments when things fall apart and you decide what story you’re going to tell yourself next.

If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or business owner navigating uncertainty, setbacks, growth, or AI transformation, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom, mindset shifts, and real world lessons.

Connect with me here:

Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com

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

Newsletter: https://link.kimmillerhershon.com/widget/form/aEdmdA1W5MhoMCMfy5O8

Webinar: https://webinar.kimmillerhershon.com/?utm_source=Podcast

Guest Details:

Company: Go OBL

Website: https://getoblic.com

Founder: Laurent Cohen

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In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, Kim Miller-Hershon sits down with Kate Pletcher Founder and CEO of Treehouse Partners, a boutique executive search firm specializing in placing executive talent and helping organizations build stronger leadership teams.

Before launching Treehouse Partners 15 years ago, Kate led a successful franchised staffing firm in Los Angeles and served as Director of Global Brand Licensing for Skechers. Her unconventional path into executive recruiting shaped a business model that challenges traditional hiring norms and focuses less on rigid résumés and more on understanding people, culture, and long-term fit.

In this conversation, Kate shares how one failed early hire taught her one of the most important lessons in business: sometimes expertise isn’t what makes someone the right fit. Instead, she explains why skills like adaptability, calm under pressure, customer service, and curiosity often outperform technical experience alone.

Kate also opens up about entrepreneurship, leadership, and the reality of running and scaling a business while raising a family, volunteering, traveling, and managing the everyday chaos of life. She shares her perspective on letting go of perfection, deciding what truly matters, and giving yourself permission to stop trying to “do it all.”

This episode explores:

Why hiring for industry expertise alone can backfire

How unconventional backgrounds can create stronger businesses

What makes Treehouse Partners different from traditional recruiting firms

Why cultural fit matters more than checking every box on a job description

The myth of “doing it all” and how successful leaders actually prioritize

Why leaders shouldn’t follow the outdated rule of “never let them see you sweat”

The challenge of growing from founder to CEO and learning to let go

Why businesses benefit from broad expertise rather than overly narrow specialization

How imposter syndrome still shows up, even for highly accomplished leaders

Practical ways to manage self-doubt and build confidence through evidence

Kate’s perspective is a refreshing reminder that leadership isn’t about perfection, control, or having all the answers. Often, it’s about self-awareness, trusting your instincts, building the right team, and being willing to rewrite the rules that no longer serve you.

If you’re building a business, leading a team, hiring talent, or navigating the messy reality of growth and leadership, this conversation is full of practical wisdom and grounded insights.

Connect with me here:

Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com

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

Newsletter: https://link.kimmillerhershon.com/widget/form/aEdmdA1W5MhoMCMfy5O8

Webinar: https://webinar.kimmillerhershon.com/?utm_source=Podcast

Guest Details:

Company: Treehouse Partners

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

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If your business is growing, but somehow everything still lands back on your desk, it may not be a time management issue — it may be the decisions shaping your leadership.

Join my FREE live webinar where I’ll walk you through 3 key decisions that help leaders increase revenue without adding more hours to their schedule.

👉 Save your spot here: https://webinar.kimmillerhershon.com

Stop being the bottleneck. Start leading with more clarity, focus, and freedom.

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