What if the reason your business feels scattered isn’t a lack of effort but a lack of clarity? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Clare Treston, strategic planning consultant and author of The Where and The Why, endorsed by professors at Wharton and London Business School. Clare shares her proven framework for turning complex, overwhelming strategies into one clear, powerful “moonshot” goal that aligns your entire team and drives real results.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing too much without real traction, this conversation will help you refocus, realign, and move forward with confidence.

How to simplify a complex business vision into one clear and actionable goal that aligns an entire team.

Why most companies lose momentum when their strategy becomes too overwhelming or unclear.

How to apply the STARS framework to define a powerful and focused “moonshot” goal.

Why a strong sense of purpose drives motivation and keeps teams engaged through challenges.

How co-creating a vision with a team leads to stronger buy-in and better long-term results.

What is a moonshot goal in business?

A moonshot goal is a bold, ambitious objective that feels about 80% impossible and 20% possible, designed to push a team beyond normal thinking and unlock creativity, alignment, and growth.

What does the STARS framework stand for?

STARS stands for Stretch, Tangible, Aspirational, Relevant, and Singular, which are the key criteria used to define a powerful and effective moonshot goal.

How do you get team buy-in for a big vision?

Buy-in is strongest when the vision is co-created with the team, allowing everyone to contribute, feel ownership, and stay committed to the outcome.

The Where and The Why

Book: The Where and The Why

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What does it really take to rise into leadership when no one is handing you the roadmap? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Lara Hamilton, Director of IT Services for the HelpDesk Realty, a division at Tectonic (formerly eResources), where she has excelled for over 15 years, to unpack a leadership journey built on resilience, persistence, and vision. Lara didn’t set out to work in technology. She created her path by solving problems, improving systems, and proving her value again and again.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to figure it out on your own, this episode will remind you that your persistence is your power.

Leadership can begin in unexpected places when you step up and take ownership of a vision.

Improving systems and solving problems can create opportunities even when you weren’t looking for them.

Persistence and resilience are essential traits for navigating challenges and advancing in your career.

Building trust and working alongside your team creates stronger engagement and better results.

Developing others to take your place is key to growing as a leader and advancing your career.

Innovation often comes from seeing possibilities others overlook and acting on them.

AI is not replacing jobs but reshaping roles and increasing efficiency within organizations.

Clear communication and vision are necessary to enroll others in your ideas and gain support.

What makes someone an effective leader?

An effective leader combines vision, persistence, and the ability to support and develop others. Lara emphasizes that leadership is not about control but about working alongside your team and helping them grow.

How do you get decision-makers to support your ideas?

You must clearly communicate your vision and demonstrate its value. Showing results and building trust over time helps leaders gain buy-in from executives and stakeholders.

Is AI going to replace jobs?

No, AI is more likely to transform jobs rather than eliminate them. It helps reduce repetitive tasks and allows employees to focus on higher-value work.

Team Tectonic

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What does it really take to turn a big idea into meaningful, measurable impact? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Dr. Eugene Manley Jr., PhD, Founder and CEO of the SCHEQ (STEMM & Cancer Health Equity) Foundation, where he leads national efforts to improve cancer outcomes and diversify the STEMM workforce. A first-generation scholar and nationally recognized speaker, Dr. Manley bridges science, policy, and lived experience to drive measurable, community-centered change. Dr. Manley shares his powerful journey from navigating undiagnosed ADHD and systemic barriers to becoming the founder of the SHE STEM and Cancer Health Equity Foundation and launching his consulting firm, Innovation for Impact LLC.

This conversation goes deep into the realities of leadership, the challenges of building a nonprofit from scratch, and the importance of understanding both impact and income when bringing a vision to life.

THow lived experiences can shape powerful, purpose-driven innovation.

Why vision alone is not enough and how to operationalize big ideas into action.

What it takes to launch and sustain a nonprofit organization.

How to navigate healthcare systems and advocate for yourself or others.

The importance of combining impact with income for long-term sustainability.

How leadership is developed through both experience and self-awareness.

Why celebrating small wins is essential for long-term success and motivation.

What is health equity and why does it matter?

Health equity ensures that everyone has fair access to healthcare, resources, and outcomes regardless of background, income, or identity. Dr. Manley highlights how systemic gaps can lead to disparities in care, making advocacy and education essential.

How do you turn an idea into a nonprofit organization?

It starts with a clear mission and vision that resonates with people. From there, founders must establish structure, secure funding, build a board, and develop sustainable systems to create long-term impact.

Can nonprofits make money?

Yes, nonprofits can and should generate revenue. The key difference is that profits are reinvested into the mission. Sustainable nonprofits often rely on multiple income streams, including grants, services, and partnerships.

Innovation for Impact LLC

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What happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted and it still feels empty? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Kevin Howard, U.S. Army veteran, former FEMA Lead Disaster Assistance Loan Officer, who had a successful 25-year career in commercial banking before transitioning to climate risk & sustainability advisory services. Kevin Howard shares his journey from military service and a successful 25-year banking career to a deeply personal turning point that changed everything.

This episode serves as a masterclass in leadership, identity, and the courage it takes to redefine success on your own terms.

True leadership often begins as a reluctant journey rooted in service rather than ambition.

Success without alignment to personal values can lead to feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose.

Clarity comes from looking inward and redefining your life based on your own values, not societal expectations.

Discipline and attention to detail learned in high-stakes environments can translate into long-term professional excellence.

Starting a business requires strategic financial planning, especially understanding runway and minimizing risk.

External economic factors play a larger role in business success today than ever before.

Aligning your work with your personal passions creates both fulfillment and long-term impact.

Why do successful people still feel unfulfilled?

Because success built on external expectations rather than internal values can create achievement without meaning. When your life reflects what you “should” want instead of who you truly are, it often leads to emptiness.

How can I find my true purpose?

Purpose is discovered through introspection, examining your lived experiences, values, and what genuinely fulfills you, rather than following societal definitions of success.

What should I know before starting a business?

You need a clear understanding of your financial runway, minimal reliance on debt, and awareness of how external economic factors may impact your business.

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Book: Onward at Last (2024 Presidential Election Edition)

Podcast: Breadcrumbs – The Podcast for People Who Know It’s Not Working

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What if aging isn’t inevitable and you’ve just been taught to believe that it is? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Bob Gilpatrick, to share perspective on longevity, leadership, and the future of human health. With over 40 years of experience in holistic nutrition, healthcare innovation, and mindset transformation, Bob breaks down how aging is influenced not just by biology but also by belief systems, metabolic patterns, and emerging science such as epigenetic reprogramming.

If you’re a visionary ready to expand your thinking and challenge what you’ve been taught about aging, energy, and possibility, this episode will stretch you in the best way.

How visionary leadership begins with seeing possibilities others overlook and having the courage to speak up early.

Why aging is influenced by inflammation, belief systems, and metabolic pathways, not just time.

How epigenetic reprogramming is changing the future of health and longevity.

The role communication plays in scaling a mission, building partnerships, and creating impact.

How to “opt out” of limiting beliefs around aging and create a new personal paradigm.

A simple framework for building your version of paradise and aligning your life with it.

What is epigenetic reprogramming and how does it affect aging?

Epigenetic reprogramming involves activating or reactivating specific genes that influence how the body functions. In the context of aging, it can help restore processes like muscle growth, energy production, and cellular repair, potentially slowing or reversing aspects of biological aging.

What is the biggest factor contributing to aging?

According to Bob, inflammation is one of the primary contributors to aging and disease, accounting for a significant portion of how and why the body deteriorates over time.

How can leaders apply visionary thinking to their personal health?

Leaders can apply visionary thinking by challenging conventional beliefs, seeking innovative solutions, and intentionally designing a lifestyle that aligns with their long-term health and energy goals.

Boomer Boost

Podcast: Intimate Conversations with Allana Pratt

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What if the biggest obstacle to visionary leadership isn’t strategy, resources, or opportunity but unresolved trauma stored in the body? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Allana Pratt, intimacy expert, author, and global media personality. Allana shares her own journey from high-achieving overfunctioning to profound transformation through psychedelic somatic integration and body-based healing. She explains how trauma can push people toward extreme success or destructive coping patterns, and why many leaders unknowingly operate from survival mode rather than embodiment.

If you are someone who wants to create conscious change in the world without burning out or losing yourself, this conversation will challenge how you think about success and leadership.

The connection between unresolved trauma and high-performing leadership behavior.

How hypervigilance and trauma responses can drive achievement, overwork, or addiction.

What psychedelic somatic integration is and how it helps release trauma stored in the body.

The four levels of trauma and how the nervous system processes survival experiences.

Why many successful leaders are unknowingly operating from dissociation rather than embodiment.

How intimacy with oneself creates stronger relationships, clearer decision-making, and authentic leadership.

Why healing emotional wounds can unlock vision, creativity, and intuitive wisdom.

A simple daily practice to begin reconnecting with the body and building self-trust.

What is psychedelic somatic integration?

Psychedelic somatic integration is a therapeutic approach that combines plant medicine with body-based trauma work to help individuals access and process emotions stored in the nervous system. Instead of suppressing painful experiences, the process allows individuals to safely feel and integrate them so they can transform trauma into wisdom and emotional resilience.

How does trauma affect leadership and success?

Unresolved trauma often creates hypervigilance and survival behaviors that can push people toward extreme achievement or burnout. Many successful leaders operate in overdrive because their nervous systems are trying to maintain safety and control rather than allowing rest, creativity, and authentic expression.

Can trauma healing actually improve vision and creativity?

Yes. When trauma stored in the body is integrated, the nervous system returns to a balanced state that supports clarity, intuition, and creative thinking. Many people discover that once survival patterns release, their ability to envision possibilities and lead with purpose dramatically expands.

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Podcast: Intimate Conversations with Allana Pratt

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What happens when the pursuit of success masks deep personal pain? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Judd Shaw CEO, lawyer, entrepreneur, and speaker. After building one of the largest law firms in New Jersey and achieving the outward markers of success, Judd found himself facing a private crisis that forced him to reevaluate everything he believed.

This episode offers a deeply honest look at how vulnerability, self-awareness, and connection can transform leadership and create organizations where people truly thrive. Whether you're a founder, executive, entrepreneur, or emerging leader, this conversation will challenge how you think about success and inspire you to lead with greater courage and authenticity.

How childhood experiences and trauma can shape leadership styles and drive the pursuit of external validation.

What happens when leaders prioritize performance and perfection over authenticity and human connection.

How Judd Shaw’s personal crisis became the catalyst for transforming his leadership philosophy.

What the “brave space” between uncertainty and outcome looks like in leadership and decision-making.

How vulnerability and storytelling can create trust, safety, and stronger team collaboration.

Why leaders who show up authentically create healthier and more productive organizational cultures.

How connection-first leadership reduces turnover, increases engagement, and improves workplace performance.

What simple daily practices can help leaders reconnect with themselves and lead more intentionally.

Why do many successful leaders struggle with authenticity and connection?

Many leaders are trained to prioritize results, performance, and control. Over time, this can lead them to hide vulnerability and suppress emotions to maintain authority. While this approach may create short-term success, it often leads to burnout, disconnection, and unhealthy workplace cultures.

How can leaders create a culture where employees feel safe to speak up?

Leaders create psychological safety by modeling vulnerability, admitting when they do not have all the answers, and encouraging open dialogue. When leaders show that mistakes are opportunities for learning rather than punishment, employees feel more comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and contributing to innovation.

What daily habits can help leaders reconnect with themselves and lead more authentically?

Judd Shaw recommends three simple practices: begin the day with a positive affirmation, do one act of self-care as if you were treating yourself like someone you love, and identify three specific things you are grateful for before engaging with work. These habits help leaders ground themselves before responding to the demands of the day.

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Book: Sterling the Knight Children's Series

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What does it take to lead in moments of crisis? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Jessi Beyer, crisis mental health clinician, SWAT negotiator, bestselling author of How to Heal a Crisis, and founder of the Life Model of suicide prevention.

If you are a leader, entrepreneur, parent, educator, HR professional, or first responder, this conversation will expand how you think about trauma-informed leadership and crisis response.

What You Will Learn:

How leadership evolves from personal ambition to collective responsibility.

What verbal de-escalation skills look like in real-world crisis situations.

How to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation without being a therapist.

What integrative trauma therapies exist beyond traditional talk therapy.

Why organizations must build internal crisis response skills instead of outsourcing responsibility.

How heart-centered entrepreneurs can balance service with sustainable compensation.

What the Life Model of suicide prevention is and how it can be applied in everyday settings.

Why self-care directly impacts leadership effectiveness in high-stakes environments.

FAQ:

Are there alternatives to traditional talk therapy for trauma healing?

Yes. Integrative trauma therapies include nature-based therapy, somatic practices, movement therapy, sound therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and indigenous healing practices, many of which are research-supported.

Why should businesses train staff in crisis response skills?

Employees often confide in colleagues before seeking professional help. Training teams in de-escalation and suicide prevention creates safer workplaces and reduces organizational risk.

How can leaders balance compassion with financial sustainability?

Leaders must recognize that showing up as their best self requires proper compensation, rest, and infrastructure. Sustainable leadership ensures higher quality service and long-term impact.

Resource:

Jessi Beyer

Website

Book: How to Heal

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