Kevin D’Anna didn’t have a "typical" path to success. His early chapters were written in the shadow of an alcoholic father and a childhood spent moving between 27 different homes. By age 18, he was facing his first DUI; by his third, he was sitting in a jail cell realizing he had built the very bed he was lying in.

The turning point wasn't a sudden stroke of luck—it was a book and a choice. He realized that he was his own biggest problem. Once he took ownership of his life, he didn't just find sobriety; he found his calling as a leader.

He went from bartending to running a Hertz counter, eventually buying a collision center and nearly doubling its revenue in three years by focusing on the one thing most owners ignore: the people.

Today on I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, we sit down with Kevin to discuss:

• The moment he realized alcohol was stealing his potential

• How to transition from a "technician" to a true CEO

• Why he’s now on a mission to give Think and Grow Rich to an entire generation of kids

This isn't surface-level motivation. This is a story about the grit required to rebuild from the ground up.

AI is moving fast. Most companies are moving faster than they should.

In this episode, Mike sits down with Tia Christopher, founder and CEO of The Orange Peel Collaborative, to break down what responsible AI actually looks like inside a real business. This is not a conversation about hype or tools. It is about leadership, accountability, and the decisions companies are making right now that will either build trust or destroy it.

Tia brings a grounded perspective shaped by her experience as a US Navy veteran and a 100 percent disabled veteran. After navigating layoffs and career transitions, she built a company focused on helping organizations implement AI with intention, not urgency.

They get into the real issues leaders are facing today. Why most companies are adopting AI without clear policies. The growing divide between enterprise tools with strict guardrails and more open experimental platforms. And the long term risk of prioritizing speed and cost savings over people and culture.

This conversation also goes deeper into something many leaders avoid. The human impact of AI. Tia makes a strong case for reskilling over layoffs and explains why ethical leadership is not optional in a technology driven world.

If you are a founder, executive, or operator trying to navigate AI without compromising your values, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, risk, and responsibility.

We’ve all seen it: the superstar hire who looks perfect on paper but starts drowning within six months.

They have the degree. They have the experience. They have the "Midwest work ethic" Dustin DeBoer and I talked about. So what went wrong?

On the newest I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, Dustin explains that productivity isn't just about effort—it's about alignment. When you ask a natural visionary to manage minute details, or a natural supporter to make cold, hard executive decisions, you are asking them to "mask" their true selves.

That mask is heavy. It leads to burnout, errors, and eventually, departure. Dustin’s work in leadership consulting proves that when you align a person’s role with their God-given wiring, productivity doesn't just improve—it becomes effortless.

Most leaders believe their biggest hurdle is execution, but what if the real problem is an identity crisis? In this episode, Mike Turner sits down with executive coach and leadership consultant Desiree Cocroft to discuss the philosophy behind her company, Destination Life.

With over 22 years of experience, Desiree shares why high-performing professionals often fall into the trap of "proving energy"—constantly trying to validate their worth—rather than leading from a place of secure identity and "being energy". The conversation explores how to move beyond productivity systems to focus on intentional growth, the importance of psychological safety in the workplace, and why leadership is a skill that must be cultivated rather than a trait you are simply "born with".

Whether you are feeling stuck in your career or simply need a reminder to pause, breathe, and reset, this episode provides actionable insights on how to enjoy the journey of leadership while managing the stressors of today’s fast-moving world.

Key Discussion Points:

• Identity vs. Execution: Why your inability to reach a goal is often an identity or root-cause issue, not a lack of strategy.

• The "Proving" Trap: How to shift from "proving energy" (scarcity-based) to "being energy" (security-based).

• The Art of the Pause: Practical habits for self-care and re-centering yourself to neutral throughout a high-stress workday.

• Cultivating Leadership: Why leadership is a learnable skill that requires constant cultivation, similar to athletic training.

• Defining Success: How to chase a feeling of peace and joy rather than just chasing the next job title.

→ I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down — real conversations about rising when life knocks you down.

In this episode of I'm Up! He sees Me, I'm Down PODCAST, Mike Turner talks with Steve Lentini — CEO of Lord & Lentini, bestselling author, and host of Different Thinking for Different Times. They explore Steve’s extraordinary journey from a near-death experience to a mission-driven career coaching CEOs and sales leaders. Together, they discuss how emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and “Sales CPR” can reignite purpose, elevate performance, and bring new life to leadership in today’s business world.

In this episode of I'm Up He Sees Me I’m Down, host Mike Turner sits down with executive transformation coach William Deck, founder of MindBusiness LLC and creator of the Presence Over Performance™ system. William opens up about his path through corporate leadership, burnout, and the powerful moment in the ICU that shifted the entire direction of his life.

Mike and William dig into identity, trauma, imposter syndrome, and the internal narratives that quietly shape a leader’s confidence and decision-making. William explains why so many high performers break down in silence, how faith and surrender rebuilt his foundation, and what actually happens inside his six-week transformation system that has helped hundreds of leaders move from pressure to presence.

A candid, inspiring conversation for leaders searching for clarity, authenticity, and a path back to alignment.

In this episode of I’m Up, He Sees Me, I’m Down, host Mike Turner sits down with Paul Sylvester, award-winning executive coach and founder of Team Sylvester – Leadership Coaching Redefined.
After helping take a billion-dollar company public, Paul’s life changed forever when a sudden aortic aneurysm left him fighting for his life. That near-death experience set him on a mission to redefine leadership and help others transform without having to endure life-altering events.
Together, Mike and Paul discuss what it means to lead with humility, the difference between management and true leadership, and how service organizations like Folds of Honor inspire his purpose-driven approach.

In this episode, host Mike Turner sits down with Michelle L. Cox, an Executive Leadership Coach and ICF Professional Certified Coach, to explore what it really means to lead authentically in today’s high-pressure corporate world. After two decades in senior corporate leadership, Michelle left the boardroom to help executives transform burnout into balance and rediscover purpose through accountability and self-awareness. Her coaching philosophy — “transform the leader, transform the business” — has guided executives across industries to achieve sustainable success without the 80-hour workweeks. Michelle opens up about how personal loss reshaped her perspective on resilience, why emotional intelligence outperforms authority, and how leaders can cultivate clarity and connection in their organizations. She also shares actionable insights for veterans and high-performing professionals seeking to translate their discipline and drive into compassionate, human-centered leadership.