The Inner Entrepreneur

In this episode of The Inner Entrepreneur, Paul sits down with leadership coach, speaker, author, and recovery advocate Dr. Liz Dubois-Erskine to explore the hidden pressures that shape leadership, identity, confidence, and success. Drawing on her work with high-performing leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives, Liz shares why so many capable people feel held back—not by a lack of skill or ambition, but by the stories they carry about who they are allowed to be.

 

About the guest:

Dr. Liz Dubois-Erskine is a leadership coach, speaker, podcast host, and author focused on helping leaders break through internal barriers that limit their impact. https://drlizdubois.com/

 

About the host:

Paul Ryan is CEO of Temple Group and host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast.

pauljryan.net

Key Topics Discussed

Why pressure reveals who we really are

The difference between authentic leadership and performative leadership

How insecurity shows up differently for men and women

The hidden cost of constantly seeking approval

Why many women struggle with deservingness and self-belief

Leadership, confidence, and societal conditioning

The relationship between money, power, and decision-making

How family systems influence leadership behaviour

Why successful people often feel held back by invisible ceilings

The importance of healing old stories and limiting beliefs

What prevents leaders from stepping fully into their potential

How authenticity creates stronger leadership and healthier businesses

Memorable Insights
"Pressure doesn't create character—it reveals it."

"For many women, insecurity feels like protection. For many men, insecurity feels like an obstacle."

"The goal isn't to become fearless. The goal is to move forward anyway."

"Authentic leadership begins when you stop performing and start being yourself."

"The stories that once protected us often become the very things that hold us back."

 

In This Episode You Will Learn

Why leadership challenges are often internal rather than external

How cultural programming shapes confidence and self-worth

The role that authenticity plays in high-performance leadership

Why approval-seeking limits growth and decision-making

How power dynamics influence leadership and relationships

Practical ways to challenge limiting beliefs and expand your potential

Why healing old emotional patterns can unlock business growth

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In this episode, Paul sits down with leadership author and culture-change advocate Kyle McDowell to unpack a hard truth: many “successful” corporate environments are quietly toxic—and leaders often help create the very dysfunction they later complain about. 

 

Kyle shares how, after decades in senior Fortune-level roles leading tens of thousands of people, he hit a point of apathy, burnout, and personal cost that forced a reckoning. The turning point wasn’t a new strategy—it was a new way of leading: human connection, real accountability, and the courage to stop rewarding fear-based results-at-all-costs leadership.

 

About the Guest

Kyle McDowell is a leadership speaker, consultant, and author of Begin With We, best known for his “10 We’s”—a set of behavioral principles designed to build cultures of accountability, trust, and excellence. 

https://kylemcdowellinc.com/

 

About the Host

Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and podcaster.  https://pauljryan.net/

 

Work With Paul

 You can book a discovery call with Paul here:

 👉 https://calendly.com/inner-entreprene...

About the Host
Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast.

👉 https://pauljryan.net/

Work With Paul
You can book a discovery call with Paul here:

https://www.pauljryan

 

In this episode of The Inner Mentor Series, Paul shares the remarkable story of how, as a young man in his twenties, he won his dream car—a brand-new red Mercedes.

For months he had visualised owning the car. He had a photograph of it pinned to the wall of his tiny office and spent countless hours imagining what it would feel like to drive it. Then, against all odds, he won one.

But what happened next surprised him.

Within days, Paul realised that the Mercedes wasn't what he really wanted.

What he wanted was something much deeper: to become the kind of person who could afford a Mercedes, rather than simply own one by chance.

This episode explores the difference between having and becoming, the power of intention, visualisation, identity, and why the future you create is often shaped by the person you choose to become.

Whether you're building a business, pursuing financial freedom, improving your health, or strengthening your relationships, this conversation offers a simple practice that can help bring greater clarity and focus to the direction of your life.

In This Episode

The surprising story of winning a brand-new Mercedes in his twenties

Why owning the car wasn't what Paul really wanted

The difference between having something and becoming the person capable of creating it

Why visualisation works differently than most people think

The role intention plays in shaping your future

The daily practice Paul has used for years to stay aligned with what matters most

How to create greater clarity around your goals, aspirations, and future direction

A simple exercise you can begin today

Key Takeaways

Success is often more about identity than achievement.

The things we chase are frequently symbols of something deeper.

Visualisation is most powerful when combined with action and personal growth.

The goal is not simply to have more, but to become more.

Clarity and intention can dramatically influence the direction of your life.

In this episode of The Inner Entrepreneur, Paul chats with Bron Watson about resilience, healing, adversity, and the life-changing lessons that emerged from two cancer diagnoses.

A nurse educator, entrepreneur, and founder of The Serenity Project, Bron shares how a successful business, built through hard work and relentless effort, ultimately led her to question the cost of achievement when it comes at the expense of health and wellbeing.
Together, Paul and Bron explore the difference between resilience and relentlessness, the importance of rest, the power of intuition, and how to find peace in the midst of uncertainty. They discuss why healing is about more than medicine, how to navigate fear without being consumed by it, and what it means to become the CEO of your own health and life.
This is a powerful conversation about courage, acceptance, personal responsibility, and discovering serenity when life doesn't go according to plan.
About the Guest
Bron Watson is a nurse educator, entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of The Serenity Project. 

About the Host
Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast.

👉 https://pauljryan.net/

Work With Paul
You can book a discovery call with Paul here:

👉 https://www.pauljryan.net/

Topics Discussed

Bron's journey through breast cancer and incurable blood cancer

The hidden cost of hustle culture

Why entrepreneurs ignore their intuition

Resilience versus relentlessness

The importance of rest for healing and wellbeing

Learning to live with uncertainty

The power of "Let It Be"

Navigating fear without falling into it

Becoming the CEO of your own health

The connection between mindset and healing

Why gratitude and grief can coexist

Finding serenity in the face of adversity

Building a life aligned with what truly matters

Creating The Serenity Project and its mission

In this bitesize episode, Paul sits down with entrepreneur and author Fred Joyal to challenge one of the biggest myths about confidence: that you need it before you act. Drawing on his journey from painful introversion to building and leading a nationwide business for nearly three decades, Fred explains why boldness isn’t a personality trait — it’s a learnable skill built through action, discomfort, and repetition.

The conversation explores why so many people hesitate to speak up, put themselves forward, or fully express who they are — and how that hesitation quietly limits careers, relationships, and fulfilment. From the confidence crisis facing younger generations to the comfort-seeking traps adults fall into, Fred breaks down why bold action must come first, how small low-stakes courage rewires behaviour, and why the regret people carry later in life is rarely about what they did — but what they never tried.

 

About the Guest

Fred Joyal is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author of Boldness: How to Go from Under-Confident to Charismatic in 90 Days. He founded and led a nationwide advertising and referral business for dentists for nearly three decades, serving as CEO for 27 years before its successful exit.

 

About the Host

Paul Ryan is an eight-figure CEO, mentor, and host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast. 

 

Work With Paul

Paul works with seasoned entrepreneurs helping them clarify what’s next and align their life and business around what truly matters.

 

🔗 Book a discovery call with Paul: https://pauljryan.net