Leila Entezam on emotional awareness self regulation and leadership performance

Episode 41

In this episode, we’re diving deep into emotional intelligence, leadership, and the science of decision-making with Leila Entezam. Leila brings a compelling lens to the conversation, blending neuroscience, psychology, and real-world leadership insights to break down why the way we feel drives the way we lead.

We begin with Leila’s personal journey—how she stuck with a path that was once seen as unmeasurable and intangible. For years, she advocated for the role of emotions and inner wellbeing in leadership long before it became widely accepted. She shares what it was like being told “this doesn’t belong in business” and how she kept going by trusting her instincts and staying rooted in the neuroscience that supported her perspective.

From there, we unpack how leaders often believe they can compartmentalize personal and professional lives. Leila challenges that assumption by explaining that we all operate from one brain with one internal database. Everything from our childhood experiences to daily stressors affects the way we show up in the workplace. She explains how emotional responses often occur before we’re even conscious of them, making it critical to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.

We also talk about her practical framework called SETUP. It’s a tool leaders can use to quickly assess their somatic signals, emotions, thoughts, broader life context, and physiological state—especially in high-stress moments. Leila walks through how using SETUP helps you hit pause, gain clarity, and act more intentionally. We discuss why high performers often resist addressing their early life experiences, and how ignoring those roots limits growth. Leila shares how she approaches this resistance, the science that supports it, and the transformation leaders experience when they finally allow themselves to explore what’s under the surface.

As the conversation continues, we explore how emotional intelligence impacts everything from daily decisions to broader team dynamics. Leila explains how seemingly small shifts in language or presence can ripple out to major changes in team engagement and organizational culture. She also discusses how the shift to remote work has increased the need for intentional connection, and how we can leverage things like music, casual dialogue, or shared meals to maintain human connection virtually.

We close by exploring the evolving definition of leadership success. Leila emphasizes that new metrics are emerging—ones that measure depth of connection, clarity of self, and emotional health as core indicators of strong leadership.

Learn more about Leila and Emotional Mastery, visit:

Website: https://www.workwithleila.com/

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

Get Leila's Book: _The Heart of Peak Performance - Emotional Mastery for High Performing Men_ : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DY5BFCHX

0:00 Exploring Emotions in Branding
5:14 "Challenges in Retaining Talent"
6:51 Leadership, Emotions, and ROI Debate
12:22 "System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking"
15:26 "Unexpected Transformation Unveiled"
19:37 "Inner Child's Impact on High Performers"
23:25 Proving Value Through Science
26:08 Decision-Making Under Stress: SET Framework
31:16 Developing Automatic Behavioral Awareness
32:47 Self-Awareness Impact on Performance
38:22 "The Critical Human Element"
41:07 Amplifying Movement in Virtual Meetings
44:34 Returning to Office Dynamics
47:53 Enhancing Employee Engagement Strategies
49:53 Upcoming Episode Preview

When Wealth Meets True Satisfaction

Episode 40

In this episode, we talk with Mike Brown about the invisible side of building, selling, and sustaining businesses. Mike shares his personal path from military service to entrepreneurship, including the financial and emotional highs of selling a company—and the sobering lows of nearly losing everything after buying a distressed business. What emerges is a deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to build lasting wealth, not just in your bank account, but in your mindset and your habits.

We begin with Mike’s background in the military and how that experience shaped his views on stress, leadership, and pressure. He explains how that intensity translated into success in oil and gas during a booming cycle, only for him to later realize that his relationship with money hadn’t evolved as quickly as his income. Mike shares how, despite doing everything “right” and achieving financial success, he eventually found himself in a financial and emotional crisis, losing $100,000 a month in a business turnaround attempt gone wrong.

The turning point came when Mike recognized he hadn’t done the internal work to become the kind of person who could sustain wealth. We discuss how patterns of stress, risk addiction, and subconscious self-sabotage often show up in entrepreneurs, especially those who have never taken a moment to question where their ambition comes from. Mike’s insight is that making money is one challenge, but keeping it and growing it without burning yourself out requires a totally different skill set—and identity.

Mike also explores the concept of transitioning from an “accumulator” mindset to a “defender” mindset when it comes to wealth. He emphasizes the need to reprogram how we think about money, value, and self-worth. He shares the importance of defining what true wealth means—freedom of time, mind, health, and relationships—and how those freedoms often have nothing to do with a number in your bank account.

Later in the conversation, we zoom out to look at where the future of work is going. Mike shares his thoughts on AI, the moral challenges around abundance, and why the personal brand will become even more valuable as technology commoditizes more forms of labor. For those wondering how to future-proof themselves, Mike provides a strong argument that human connection and aligned, purpose-driven work will be the differentiators that continue to matter most.

Whether you’re thinking about selling your business, navigating a windfall, or just trying to figure out what to do next in your career, this conversation is a clear-eyed look at how to build wealth that actually supports the life you want.

To learn more about Mike Brown and his work, please visit:

Website: https://unbreakablewealth.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbrown.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC8PnW4zRkcgBZBgx1RHUF6g

0:00 Entrepreneurial Journey and Exit Decision
5:20 Alberta and Midland Oil Economy Comparison
9:37 Navigating Money's Conflicting Messages
13:24 Entrepreneurship Windfall: Identity Challenges
16:01 "Challenges in Buying Distressed Businesses"
18:10 Addicted to Chaos
22:56 Rethinking Retirement and Purpose
26:08 Mike Brown's Journey: Business Missteps
27:07 Gratitude and Entrepreneurial Mindset
30:20 Investment and Entrepreneurship Insights
36:13 Defining True Wealth Beyond Money
39:23 Future of Work: Abundance Challenges
42:41 Fear and Exc...

Kaitlyn Laney is on a mission to redefine Financial Advisory through a Holistic, very Client Centered Planner.

Episode 39

Kaitlyn Laney joins us for a candid and insightful conversation on what it really takes to transition from a corporate career to building a thriving, values-driven business. With a multimillion-dollar financial practice under her belt today, Kaitlyn shares the personal and professional challenges that shaped her journey—and the strategic mindset shifts that helped her scale with intention.

We start with how she was pushed into entrepreneurship after getting laid off from a corporate job she thought was stable. She talks about navigating the uncertainty of launching a business without a safety net, the emotional rollercoaster that came with it, and the real-world decisions she had to make—like potentially selling her home to keep the business going. Kaitlyn’s story is grounded in reality and filled with practical decisions that many entrepreneurs can relate to.

The conversation moves into how she used those early struggles as fuel to build a business that serves people in ways traditional financial services often miss. She explains how she developed a more client-centered, responsive model that enables her to be more helpful and more human. Whether it's breaking down complex financial decisions, helping clients add revenue streams, or simply being the person who connects the dots between a CPA and a client, Kaitlyn’s approach is all about adding clarity and confidence to money decisions.

She also dives into how personal insecurities, like being dyslexic, influenced how she worked harder and smarter to become not just a financial advisor, but a true strategic partner for business owners. Kaitlyn explains how those perceived weaknesses became her strengths, allowing her to solve problems others often overlook.

We get into why most business owners need to behave more like CFOs, especially when moving from one level of success to the next. She outlines key tactical advice like understanding your profit margins, setting up business banking relationships with local credit unions, and why having a line of credit in place before you need it is non-negotiable.

Kaitlyn also talks about hiring—how her first executive assistant transformed her operations and why creating systems isn’t just about efficiency but also about making your business salable and scalable. She emphasizes the importance of letting go of tasks you shouldn’t be doing, creating space for higher-level thinking and strategy.

For those not yet leveraging AI tools in their business, Kaitlyn gives a powerful example of helping a client generate $250,000 in new recurring revenue using Claude.ai to brainstorm a new product offering. The takeaway is clear—using the tools available to you today can unlock opportunities faster than ever before.

Whether you're in year one of your business or ten years in and looking to evolve, this episode offers clarity, strategy, and encouragement from someone who’s built