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C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved. We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER. We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other. Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.

Season 6 Episode #17 LeAnn Flores is coming from Tampa, Florida.

You can find LeAnn via her website vecinacafe.com

LeAnn grew up in a home filled with unconditional love, laughter, sacrifice, and strong values. Her parents, who were youth pastors and hard-working young parents of four, modeled leadership not through titles, but through their actions. From them, LeAnn learned that true leadership is grounded in service, compassion, and unwavering commitment to others. These early lessons planted the seeds of purpose that would eventually grow into her lifelong mission.

Inspired by the love and unity of her childhood neighborhood, LeAnn set out to create a space that would embody those same values: connection, mentorship, leadership, and love. A place where everyone—no matter their background—could find belonging, build relationships, and grow together.

Those feelings, those principles, those values, and LeAnn’s deep roots inspired her to create The Vecina Café – a nonprofit built by the community for the community. The Venica Café’s programs are dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. Through targeted training, mentorship, and support, The Café helps participants build confidence and skills to unlock their full potential…leading to fulfilling lives.

TOTD – “Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”

Oprah Winfrey

Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!

In this episode:

Let’s talk family and culture…guat-rican…What was life like growing up?

Studied at USF with course work in the public relations and advertising fields..first generation….

Parents have given you many gifts…which ones stand out the most

Dadz in Motion program…is that where your nonprofit career started

Pathway to Success

Future Film…DEAR FUTURE ME…

Feeling you get when one of your former members…comes back and tells you how good life is…

Plans for the future…

Books you recommend?

Legacy

Send us Fan Mail

C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved. We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER. We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other. Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.

Season 6 Episode #16 Bryan Blackman is coming from Huntington Beach, CA (inform, inspire, & transform)

You can find Bryan via his website crabcrewlife.com

Bryan Blackmon knows what rock bottom looks like. Moving from Texas to California with a dream, a drug addiction, and a crippling dependence on alcohol — and no real plan. Sleeping in tents. Losing everything. The kind of darkness most people don't come back from.

But he chose differently — one day at a time — and rebuilt his life from nothing into something real. Today he's a well-known TikTok influencer whose livestreams have established a community that is built on experience, strength and belief.

The CRAB CREW tattoo on his knuckles isn't just ink. It's a declaration. It's a reminder of where he came from — and a promise of where he's going.

Bryan, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents, thanks for being genuine and thanks for being on our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show!

TOTD – “We can spend our lives letting the world tell us who we are. Sane or insane. Saints or sex addicts. Heroes or victims. Letting history tell us how good or bad we are. Letting our past decide our future. Or we can decide for ourselves. And maybe it's our job to invent something better.”― Chuck Palahniuk

Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!

In this episode:

What was life like growing up?

What are your life’s essential ingredients..

Let’s talk music…how long have you been playing…

TikTok and what opportunities has that platform created for you…

876 days of sobriety…congrats…

The importance of consistency/routine

Building a brand around sobriety, resilience, and transformation

The path back to yourself

The Elaine moment..

Crab Mentality .. pulling each other down…voice in your head.. but lead you to FROM THE DEPTHS WE RISE…= Crab Crew

CRAB Pillars (Clean, Resilient, Adaptability, Belief)

Replacing Hope with TRUST

Program is for people who are Ready, who Show Up, and who Take Action…

Write down a thing that is not serving you…

Mirror Work…

Journaling is a big part of your transformation…

Belief that you are worth it…

Redemption and how it is your routine

Being unhoused and the misconceptions

Advice for the tent – both physical and mental

6 week transformation experience

Legacy

Send us Fan Mail

C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved. We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER. We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other. Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.

Season 6 Episode #15 George Rivera is coming from Austin, Texas (inform, inspire, & transform)

You can find George through his website https://buybacktimeformula.com

George Rivera helps successful founders escape the trap of building a business that depends on them for everything. After scaling multiple companies to 8 and 9 figures, he realized success was quietly costing him the moments that mattered most at home. Today, George helps founders buy back 10–20 hours a week and build businesses that run without them… so they don’t miss what matters most.

George’s work has impacted thousands and continues to grow its global impact through partnerships with top founders, thought leaders, and investors. Thanks for sharing your many gifts, thanks for being a father who cares and wants to be a positive role model in your son’s life and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients. Welcome to the show!

TOTD – "Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back." — Harvey Mackay

Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!

In this episode:

What was life like growing up?

Life’s essential ingredients

How did your career get started…

Investing in yourself…

You started your entrepreneurial care back in 1995 (were in hs) and have learned so much along your journey…what are some of the life lessons you learned along the way…

The power of failure (learning)…

What was the catalyst for your Buy Back Time Formula…

Burnout and not delegating…leading to no time/energy for the things that are truly most important…

The price of success

Congrats on your book, what was the inspiration to put your thoughts on paper…how will AI help with some of your concepts…

Being present

The biggest lie…how to help performers reach beyond their current ability…

The impact of AI

I know your dad was a big inspiration in your life…what did you love most about him and what are some of the ways he impacted your life…

Two minute scorecard…

Books you recommend

Legacy