GSD Factor Podcast

Intellectual Curiosity Sean Stowers

The GSD Factor attribute of Be Inquisitive is looking at intellectual curiosity with an industry expert in the learning space.  
 
Sean Stowers is the founder, Chief Learning Officer and CEO of WeLearn. Sean started WeLearn with two things in mind – the first to build better humans through learning and the second – to get up every day and work with people he loved to work with and do really cool things. 
Sean aims to be a thought partner to all of the clients he has worked with. He is adept at identifying the dots that need to be connected – and helping those around him to see that as well.
WeLearn is the recent winner of SEVEN Brandon Hall Group Awards for the work we did together with our partners! 
 
Connect with Sean on LinkedIn
Learn more about WeLearn

Always Be Learning Chrisanthi Symeonidou

The GSD Factor attribute of Be Inquisitive boils down to always be learning.  Sometimes we know that our Point A is and what we want our Point B to be but need to figure out how to get there.
 
Chrisanthi is multilingual and enjoys travelling, learning languages and exploring new cultures. Her passion for languages translated into pursuing a degree in French and Russian, followed by a master's degree in International Management. The thread connecting Chrisanthi's past throughout was her growing interest in technology and collaborating with people from all over the world. This is at the heart of her career today, where she is now a Salesforce Consultant for a multinational company!
 
Connect with Chrisanthi on LinkedIn
 

Brave Leadership Crystal Whiteaker

What is a GSD Factor Leader?  A leader that knows when to lead, when to follow, when to push, when to support and regularly utilizes all six attributes of the GSD Factor life.  Join us as we talk with author of Brave Leadership is a Choice Crystal Whiteaker about the synergies of a GSD Factor Leader and a Brave Leader.
 
Crystal Whiteaker (pronouns: she/her) is the Founder and CEO of Crystal Lily Creative, and Author of Brave Leadership is a Choice: An Inclusive Guide to Creating Belonging. Crystal is an Inclusive Branding and Leadership Development Consultant who helps mission driven brands and leaders create human-focused messaging and environments rooted in core values. Crystal brings over 15 years of creative, relational, process driven experience across multiple industries. She is a self-described "corporate trained, creative hippie” who puts a strong focus on core values to help people connect, communicate and lead with belonging in mind. 
 
Connect with Crystal on LinkedIn
Visit Crystal's website

Building DEIB With A Purpose Dr. Jim Kanichirayil

Building DEIB with a purpose and intentionality is so important across all our industries and we tackle this topic with Dr. Jim Kanichirayil.
Dr. Jim is a talent nerd. He's been in and around the talent space for longer than he'd care to admit. He's currently the VP of Growth for EngageRocket, a leadership effectiveness and employee engagement platform. Most of his career has been spent helping organizations build elite teams by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent. He has his doctorate in organizational leadership and his study was on employee retention and turnover. He's the co-founder and co-host of Cascading Leadership.
 
Connect with Dr. Jim on LinkedIn

Mosaic of Life + Laura Wagenknecht

A mosaic is a collection of small pieces that, when put together, create a whole picture, in the same way when the GSD Factor life is activated across all six of the attributes it ignites a transformation in your professional and personal life.
Laura Wagenknecht, President and Owner of Mosaic Business Consulting, is an experienced Business Consultant, Planner, and Executive Coach. With more than 30 years of professional experience and 20+ years of executive experience, she is able to draw on these experiences to help others.
Her superpower is seeing the big picture within the many pieces that comprise a business and determining where the gaps are that could help your coaching business grow more quickly and successfully.
With compassion, wisdom, and expertise, she helps her clients create the business and the success they have envisioned.
 
Connect with Laura on LinkedIn 
Learn more about Mosaic Business Consulting

Speaking with Strength with Marianna Swallow

The GSD Factor life talks about "using your voice" and "your voice is your strongest weapon".  In order for GSDers to do this they must speak with strength and who better to discuss with than Marianna Swallow, The Speak Easy Coach.
She is a dynamic and engaging speaker who helps her clients speak with confidence and calm. She utilizes her improv background in her workshops and executive coaching for maximum results. Her clients have gone on to wow in the boardroom and earn promotions. 
She has been a speaker for over 20 years, presenting to audiences worldwide, and has been an adjunct professor at Loyola University’s School of Communication since 2020.
She is the author of "21 Ways to Engage Your Audience" - a quick and easy guide to level up your meetings and presentations. She performs stand up and storytelling in Chicago. She splits her time between Chicago and Charlotte.
Connect with Marianna on LinkedIn or learn more at mariannaswallow.com
 

A Life Beautifully Paired with Confidence and Resilience with Juliette Foster

Join us for an absolutely delightful conversation with Juliette Foster as we hear her beautiful life story of confidence and resilience and how she has leveraged these GSD Factor attributes throughout her media career in radio, television, and journalism.
 
Juliette Foster is a radio/television journalist and founder of the media services company Magnus Communications. As Managing Director, she brings more than 30 years experience gathered in news, documentaries, and current affairs. Juliette has worked for some of the leading names in UK and international broadcasting including Sky News, Bloomberg Radio & Business Television, BBC Radio, BBC News Channel, BBC World Service Television and Share Radio, the UK’s first national radio station dedicated to business, finance and money matters. As a conference moderator, Juliette has worked with many high-level organisations including The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation & Development (OECD), The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the multi-national professional services company PWC, Swift International Banking Operations Seminar (SIBOS) and King Salman Relief. Juliette is a Fellow of the RSA (Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce).
 
Connect with Juliette Foster on LinkedIn.

Father’s Day Edition with Jase DuRard

On this Father's Day Edition we have a conversation with Jase DuRard who is a biological, adoptive, and foster dad.  He shares his meaningful perspectives and insights on fatherhood.  
Jase DuRard has 28 years of experience in healthcare  revenue cycle technology and he is currently the Chief Revenue Officer at Vantagehealth.ai  Jase believes in the “butterfly effect” stating that one small problem upstream can cause tremendous damage downstream.  Conversely, one solution upstream can positively impact the entire organization.  He and his family live out a mission to “Share Joy”.  They are foster parents and have several “chosen children” whom they have fostered, mentored and even adopted throughout the years.  Jase and his wife co-founded Jonathan’s Path which serves teenagers in foster care in Middle Tennessee.
Connect with Jase on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jonathan’s Path

Rising Leaders Get STUFF Done with Ms. Sarah Thrash

*Tiny Human Friendly*
Welcome to our Teenager Edition of the GSD Factor Podcast where we discuss our Rising Leaders and equip them to Get STUFF Done with school counselor Ms. Sarah Thrash.  
 
Ms. Sarah Thrash is a dedicated High School, College, Career, and Military Preparation Educator. She work with middle and high school students and their families to help them prepare for their future endeavors. With her passion for assisting students, she provides them with the necessary tools and resources to gain clarity and confidence as they navigate the application process. 
 
As the founder of CCMR with Ms. Thrash LLC, she takes pride in equipping students with the knowledge to construct a plan that works for them. Additionally, she is a high school counselor with over 6 years of experience supporting students as they prepare for their post-high school plans.  She is also a 504 Coordinator, ensuring that each student receives the individualized support they need to succeed.
 
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
Website: CCMR with Ms. Thrash

DEIB Intention with Angel Guerra-Chagolla

We explore how we live our GSD Factor life with DEIB intention with Angel Guerra-Chagolla.  Angel provides individuals and organizations with actionable steps they can take.
 
Angel’s career and business is built on the foundation of 4 pillars: Education, Advocacy, Empowerment and Connection. With a Master's in Corporate Leadership and over a decade of experience in Claims, Program Creation and Risk Management, she utilizes her skillsets to support others in their career development.
Her mission of positive impact on the business world as she teaches Diversity, People Equity, Inclusion and Belonging has grown by creating a welcoming community for professionals. This mission compliments both her National Educational Events as well as her Corporate Consulting businesses (3B National Consulting Group and Beauty and Beast in Business).
Connect with Angel on LinkedIn
3B National Consulting Group
Beauty and Beast in Business