Leap Academy with Ilana Golan

• If You Want to Have Life-Changing Conversations, Ask These Tough Questions | Topaz Adizes

  After his parents’ divorce, Topaz Adizes discovered the power of connection through the camera. His drive to explore human connection led him to become a filmmaker. From filmmaking to his work with The Skin Deep, Topaz focuses on creating real, vulnerable conversations in a digital world. His viral documentary The And shows how shared space and honest dialogue can deepen relationships. In this episode, Topaz joins Ilana to discuss the art of asking questions that strengthen relationships and how to create space for hard but empowering conversations. Topaz Adizes is an award-winning writer, director, experience design architect, and the founder and executive director of The Skin Deep, an experience design studio. He has earned an Emmy for new documentary approaches, and two World Press Photo awards for immersive storytelling. In this episode, Ilana and Topaz will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (01:37) Finding Purpose in His Parents' Divorce (04:27) The Lasting Impact of Divorce on Relationships (07:16) Why The And Documentary Went Viral (11:12) How Great Questions Create Great Relationships (12:28) Ways to Craft Questions That Yield Results (14:19) The Cost of Avoiding Difficult Conversations (18:16) Creating Space for Hard, Scary Conversations (24:16) Training Your Mind to Ask Empowering Questions (26:55) Crafting Questions That Drive Clarity and Growth (32:10) Five Questioning Strategies to Deepen Relationships (38:54) A Raw Father-Son Conversation on YouTube (41:47) Aligning Passion and Profit for Sustainable Growth (52:01) The Life Topaz Wishes He Had Embraced Sooner Topaz Adizes is an award-winning writer, director, experience design architect, and the founder and executive director of The Skin Deep, an experience design studio. He has earned an Emmy for new documentary approaches, and two World Press Photo awards for immersive storytelling. Topaz's work has been showcased at Cannes, Sundance, and SXSW, and featured in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times. Connect with Topaz: Topaz’s Website: https://www.topazadizes.com/  Topaz’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/  Resources Mentioned: Topaz’s Book, 12 Questions for Love: A Guide to Intimate Conversations and Deeper Relationships: https://www.amazon.com/12-Questions-Love-Conversations-Relationships/dp/1632174901  The And Documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4439128/  The Skin Deep YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSkinDeep  The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce by Julia M. Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Legacy-Divorce-Landmark-Study/dp/0786886161  Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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• Shark Tank’s Matt Higgins: How I Beat Poverty, Loss, and Cancer to Become a Global Investor

  Matt Higgins grew up in abject poverty, caring for his sick mother at just 9 years old. At age 16, he dropped out of high school to focus on financial growth, eventually earning his GED and getting into college. While balancing work, life, and caregiving, he lost his mother unexpectedly on the day he began a new job. Despite these challenges, among others, Matt co-founded a private investment firm, RSE Ventures, appeared as a guest investor on Shark Tank, and developed military drones for the U.S. Army. In this episode, Matt joins Ilana to share the many struggles that shaped his refusal to quit and the power of taking bold, fearless steps toward achieving your goals.  Matt Higgins is an entrepreneur, author, guest investor on ABC's Shark Tank, and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm. He advocates for entrepreneurship and innovation, often speaking on leadership, investment, and a success mindset. In this episode, Ilana and Matt will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (01:56) Growing Up in Abject Poverty (06:13) Having to Become an Adult Too Soon (08:13) Quitting High School to Make Money (14:01) Earning His GED and Getting Into College (16:34) Managing a Career and Supporting a Sick Parent (19:34) Losing His Mother Without a Final Goodbye (23:11) Turning Every Job Into a Step Toward Your Dream (25:14) Rebuilding Life After Testicular Cancer (28:30) The Secret Behind Matt’s Iconic Book Quotes (35:04) Beating Self-Doubt to Become a Shark on Shark Tank (41:30) How “Burning the Boats” Drives Fearless Moves (46:54) Lessons from Failure and the Refusal to Die (52:16) Developing Military Drones for the U.S. Army (56:04) Living Without the Fear of Judgment or Death Matt Higgins is an entrepreneur, author, guest investor on ABC's Shark Tank, and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm. With a career spanning sports, media, and technology, he has played a pivotal role in transforming brands such as The Miami Dolphins and Sky Group. Matt is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Burn the Boats. He advocates for entrepreneurship and innovation, often speaking on leadership, investment, and a success mindset. Connect with Matt: Matt’s Website: https://rseventures.com/  Matt’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matt-higgins-rse  Resources Mentioned: Matt’s Book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/006308886X  Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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• Bluestone Lane Founder: How Nicholas Stone Is Redefining the U.S. Coffee Culture With Zero Coffee Experience

  It seemed like all was lost after Nicholas “Nick” Stone was cut from three different teams during his sports career. However, he used this setback to transition into finance, eventually founding Bluestone Lane, a successful coffee shop chain. Despite having never made coffee before, his love for the premium coffee culture of his home country, Australia, inspired him to transform the U.S. coffee experience into a more personalized one. In this episode, Nick joins Ilana to share how he transformed an 87% revenue loss into an opportunity for innovation and reinvention, emphasizing his commitment to community, human connection, and exceptional quality. Nicholas Stone is an Australian businessman, former professional athlete, and banker. He is also the founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a premium coffee and café brand inspired by Australia’s rich coffee culture. In this episode, Ilana and Nick will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (01:50) The Resilience That Took Him from Sports to Finance (07:13) Moving from Australia to Chase a New York Dream (09:15) Building Connections and Networks in New York (12:23) Founding Bluestone to Fix U.S. Coffee Culture (14:59) Keeping His Day Job to Launch Bluestone Lane (20:35) Creating a People-First Café Experience (23:09) Tough Lessons on Expanding Too Soon (25:52) Filtering Advice in the Early Stages of Business (27:33) The Hidden Challenges of Running a Café Chain (32:33) How Nick Manages Founder Stress with Support (37:35) Surviving the Pandemic After Losing 87% of Revenue (45:02) Why Bluestone Sticks to Quality Over Shortcuts (48:40) Nick's Focus on Values and Promoting Internally (50:21) The Power of Celebrating Small Wins in Business Nicholas Stone is an Australian businessman, former professional athlete, and banker. He is also the founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a premium coffee and café brand inspired by Australia’s rich coffee culture. Under his leadership, Bluestone Lane has become the fastest-growing premium café brand in the U.S., raising $70 million in venture capital and expanding to over 65 locations. Nick has been featured in The New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and more. Connect with Nick: Nick’s Website: https://bluestonelane.com/  Nick’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicholas-stone-49465767   Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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• Former Medtronic CEO: Leadership Secrets for Achieving Success Beyond Profits | Bill George

  After losing seven elections in college, Bill George realized that leadership is about building relationships and helping others grow. Personal losses, including the deaths of his mother and fiancée, taught him resilience and the value of purpose. Though on track to become CEO at Honeywell, Bill chose a more fulfilling path at Medtronic, focusing on the company’s mission to restore lives. In this episode, Bill takes Ilana through his leadership philosophies and shares lessons on building relationships, leading with values, and prioritizing purpose over profits, which were pivotal in driving Medtronic's success. Bill George is a renowned thought leader, educator, and bestselling author, best known for his transformative leadership as CEO of Medtronic. A strong advocate for values-driven leadership, Bill emphasizes leading with purpose, values, relationships, and heart.  In this episode, Ilana and Bill will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (04:30) Learning Leadership Lessons Through Early Failures (06:50) Losing His Mother and Fiancée Suddenly (09:22) Turning Tough Moments Into Learning Opportunities (11:37) The Value of Building Relationships (13:16) Choosing Purpose Over the CEO Path at Honeywell (16:18) Measuring Impact by Lives Restored at Medtronic (21:42) Mentoring Across Different Generations for Free (24:20) Making a Risky Move to Challenge the FDA (26:47) Leadership Beyond Just Making Profits (33:18) Using Data and Intuition to Make Bold Decisions (35:48) Remarkable Leaders Who Followed Their ‘True North’ (44:21) Balancing Leadership, Family, and Self-Care (48:56) Bill's Advice for Emerging Leaders Bill George is a renowned thought leader, educator, and bestselling author, best known for his transformative leadership as CEO of Medtronic. A strong advocate for values-driven leadership, Bill emphasizes leading with purpose, values, relationships, and heart. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles at Honeywell and Litton Industries. He is the author of True North and serves as an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he taught for nearly 20 years, shaping the next generation of leaders Connect with Bill: Bill’s Website: http://www.billgeorge.org/  Bill’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/williamwgeorge/  Resources Mentioned: Bill’s Book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/True-North-Discover-Authentic-Leadership/dp/0787987514  Bill’s Book, True North, Emerging Leader Edition: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace: https://www.amazon.com/True-North-Emerging-Leader-Authentically-ebook/dp/B0BBSWCVT4  Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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• Former Managing Director of Facebook India, Kirthiga Reddy: How to Seize Life-Changing Opportunities

  Kirthiga Reddy’s legacy is built on bold decisions and breaking barriers. Defying cultural norms, she became a top engineering graduate in a society where her mother was denied an education. After moving to the U.S., her career soared, until she took a 40% pay cut to join a startup. That gamble led her to become Facebook’s first employee in India, scaling revenues to millions. She later made history as SoftBank Investment Advisers’ first female partner. Now, as CEO of web3 startup Virtualness, she proves that reinvention and boldness drive transformative growth. In this episode, Kirthiga joins Ilana to reflect on her career transitions and the power of embracing challenging ventures. Kirthiga Reddy is a technology leader and growth-stage investor with over 20 years of experience. She was the first female Investing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers and served as Managing Director of Facebook India. In this episode, Ilana and Kirthiga will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (02:01) Excelling Academically Despite Limited College Options (03:37) Turning Gender Bias Into a Drive for Tech Empowerment (05:37) Moving from India to the US to Further Her Education (07:58) Landing a Job in Silicon Valley (10:24) Choosing a 40% Pay Cut for the Big Picture (15:21) Joining Facebook India as Its First Employee (18:40) How Kirthiga Helped Drive Facebook’s Global Expansion (23:13) The Transition from Facebook Exec to Venture Capitalist (30:33) Transforming WeWork Into a Profitable Business (32:12) Redefining Digital Verifications with Verix (35:57) Living by a “No Regrets” Policy (38:15) Kirthiga’s Relentless Drive for Growth (40:16) Why Bold Career Moves Are Worth the Risk (42:20) How to Get 100 Free Verix-Verified Certifications (44:11) The Power of Lifting Others as You Rise Kirthiga Reddy is a technology leader and growth-stage investor with over 20 years of experience. She is the CEO of Virtualness, an AI-powered blockchain platform, and served on the Board of Directors for WeWork. Kirthiga was the first female Investing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, managing a portfolio of over $5 billion. She also served as Managing Director of Facebook India, scaling operations across South Asia and emerging markets. Connect with Kirthiga: Kirthiga’s Website: https://kirthigareddy.com/  Kirthiga’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirthiga  Resources Mentioned: Verix’s Website: www.verix.io  Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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