"Why not be intentional about what we want to be doing and thinking this summer, so we return from it feeling inspired?" For this special summer episode of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan step away from interviewing guests and instead reflect on the season itself. While many of us reserve reflection for the end or beginning of the year, Jerome and Julienne make the case that summer offers its own unique opportunity to pause, recharge, and be intentional about how we sp...
Jul 13
19 min
"What is that word for you?" In this debrief episode, Jerome and Julienne reflect on their conversation with Bryce Kennedy, exploring a theme that extends far beyond space exploration: the role of wonder in helping us discover purpose, inspire others, and navigate career change. Bryce's story is a reminder that meaningful careers are rarely linear. Instead, they are built through curiosity, experimentation, setbacks, and the courage to keep following what captures our imagination. Together,...
Jul 6
9 min
"You don't have to be something in order to be worth something." What happens when you remove the agenda, the sales pitch, and the pressure to have all the answers—and simply make space for a meaningful conversation? In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, we sit down with Martin Koehler, founder of Over a Cup of Coffee, an initiative built on a deceptively simple idea: one hour, one conversation, no program, no strings attached. After a 25-year international corporate career came to...
Jun 29
33 min
“He didn’t say a word. He just stood up and hugged me.” For our 200th episode of Leadership Story Talks, we reflect on one of the most powerful moments from our conversation with Kenny Leahman — a former CIA operative, executive coach, and leadership consultant whose life story is filled with unexpected turns. The story we chose to explore centers on a moment of profound vulnerability. After years of hiding a core part of himself, Kenny made the decision to “drop cover” and come out to a fo...
Jun 22
11 min
“People are always judging you and making assessments of you. Wouldn’t you like to know a better proxy of what most people are thinking rather than just walk around not knowing?” — Logan Yonavjak In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, we sit down with entrepreneur, impact investor, and Founder Readiness Institute CEO Logan Yonavjak for a fascinating conversation about leadership capacity, human development, and the hidden patterns that shape how we lead under pressure. Drawing from her b...
Jun 15
40 min
“People remember moments more than processes.”In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks, we reflect on our conversation with Chris Dyer and explore why the moments leaders choose to acknowledge can have such a lasting impact on culture, trust, and employee engagement. Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan unpack Chris’s idea that employees rarely remember the day-to-day processes or meetings—but they do remember the moments when leaders paused, noticed their work, and made them feel va...
Jun 8
10 min
“Stories reveal something universal precisely because they are so specific.” In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks LIVE, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on the powerful themes that emerged from the latest Stories That Shaped Us live event featuring Kelly Skwarcan, Christy Pretzinger, and Jen Mueller. Together, they explore what the stories revealed about leadership, kindness, connection, vulnerability, and what it really means to “win.” From stepping away from toxic e...
Jun 1
12 min
“Every single person needs to know that they matter.” In this special edition of Leadership Story Talks LIVE! — "Stories That Shaped Us", we explore the deeply human moments that shape who we become as leaders, listeners, and storytellers. Through stories of resilience, kindness, integrity, and unexpected transformation, this live event reminds us that storytelling is not about polished performance — it’s about presence, connection, and the courage to share what’s real. Featuring Kelly Skwar...
May 26
52 min
“Women are asked to parent like they don’t have jobs — and work like they don’t have kids.” What happens when resilience becomes both a survival strategy… and a catalyst for systems change? In this episode, we sit down with Giovanna Rossi — public affairs strategist, leadership coach, founder of Family Friendly New Mexico, and host of NPR’s The Well Woman Show. Giovanna shares the deeply personal story that shaped her work: watching her single mother walk across the stage to receive her diplo...
May 18
30 min
“The more you understand where someone comes from, the more you understand how they show up.” In this debrief episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on their conversation with Dean Foster—and the deeper implications of culture in how we listen, lead, and connect. What begins as a discussion about global cultural differences quickly becomes something more personal: a reminder that culture isn’t just geographic—it’s inherited, lived, and often invisible to us. Drawing from their own...
May 11
11 min
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