The Find Your Influence Podcast with Anton Guinea

The Imposter Phenomenon Nobody Talks About with Rachel Lounds

Anton Guinea speaks with executive coach and LinkedIn expert Rachel Lounds about how self-doubt, perception, and identity shape professional success. Rachel breaks down imposter syndrome as a perception of competence rather than a lack of ability, drawing from her work with world-leading researcher Dr. Valerie Young. She explains five competence types: perfectionist, expert, natural genius, soloist, and superhuman, and how these patterns quietly drive insecurity and underperformance.
Rachel shares her personal transition from a 25-year advertising career to coaching, following a toxic workplace experience and a forced career reset. She reflects on how imposter syndrome showed up even while training with top global experts, and how COVID became a turning point for rebuilding her career in coaching and LinkedIn strategy.
The conversation moves into leadership, influence, and self-perception. Rachel emphasizes that influence starts internally: you must first influence how you see yourself before you can influence others. She also discusses real-world leadership failures, workplace bullying, and the importance of support, care, and psychological safety in organizations. The episode closes with her thoughts on influence in practice, helping clients own their achievements, like a two-time Winter Olympian who learned to publicly embrace her identity and unlock new visibility and opportunities.
 
Takeaways:
Imposter syndrome is driven by how you perceive your competence, not your actual ability.
Five competence patterns shape most self-doubt: perfectionist, expert, natural genius, soloist, and superhuman.
Most people experience imposter syndrome; it is not rare or gender-specific.
Progress comes from three actions: normalize the feeling, reframe the thought, and take action anyway.
Confidence does not come first; it develops through repeated action.
Self-influence is the foundation of external influence.
Toxic workplaces often create long-term psychological and physical harm.
Reinvention is possible after burnout, job loss, or systemic workplace failure.
LinkedIn success comes from clarity, consistency, and confidence in your message.
Owning your achievements unlocks visibility and new opportunities.
 
Quotes:
 
“I may not know everything right now, but I’m smart enough to find out.”
“Confidence comes from doing the thing. You can’t wait for it first.”
“Imposter syndrome is not about confidence, it’s about your perception of competence.”
“Normalize it. Most people in the room are feeling the same way you are.”
“Why not me? That question changes everything.”
“Leadership is taking care of people.”
 
Timestamp Outline:
0:00 – Introduction and Rachel’s background in LinkedIn and coaching
1:30 – Imposter syndrome research origins and Dr. Valerie Young
4:00 – Moving from advertising to coaching career
6:30 – Experiencing imposter syndrome while training with experts
9:00 – Five competence types explained (perfectionist, expert, natural genius, soloist, superhuman)
13:00 – Childhood conditioning and shaping self-belief
15:30 – Normalizing, reframing, and taking action framework
18:00 – Self-influence and how confidence is built
20:00 – Toxic workplace experience and internal politics
24:00 – Psychological and physical impact of workplace stress
27:00 – COVID career reset and rebuilding through coaching
30:00 – Client case study: Olympic athlete and identity ownership
33:00 – Defining influence and leadership
35:30 – Closing insights on self-doubt and action
 
Conclusion:
 This episode reframes imposter syndrome as a pattern of perception rather than a personal flaw. Rachel Lounds shows how competence is often present but unrecognized, and how most limitations come from internal narratives rather than external reality. The conversation connects mindset, workplace culture, and personal reinvention into a practical framework for building confidence and influence.
Listeners walk away with a clear shift in thinking:
Self-doubt is common and predictable.
Confidence is built through action, not preparation.
Leadership starts with how you manage your own thoughts.
 
This episode is proudly brought to you by W Daniel Cox III. We are grateful for their support in helping us share these vital stories of leadership and impact. https://wdanielcoxiii.com/

From Broken Bones to Burning Man: How Failure Built Real Influence with Aaron Tselepy

Anton Guinea reconnects with long-time friend Aaron Tselepy to unpack a life defined by early responsibility, hard lessons, and deep personal growth. Aaron shares how a rugby scholarship took him from a rough North Queensland upbringing to Nudgee College, where exposure to privilege lit a fire for ambition. He describes becoming a husband at 19 and a father of three by 22, and how that pressure pushed him from packing shelves at Safeway to building a thriving chiropractic practice, then multiple practices, and later a hot yoga (Bonfire) business. A devastating wrist injury forced Aaron to stop hands-on chiropractic and reinvent himself as a teacher, mentor, and eventually yoga teacher and farmer, while living with bipolar disorder and exploring biochemistry, endocrinology, dopamine, and cortisol as part of his philosophy of self-leadership. The conversation spans boarding school bullying, skepticism of religion in education, Rotary exchange, Burning Man, his three high-achieving yet very different adult children, and why Aaron ultimately sees his greatest legacy not in businesses built, but in the relationships he’s forged with his kids and the future he hopes to shape as a grandfather.
Takeaways
Early fatherhood became Aaron’s greatest safety rail—forcing him to grow up fast instead of going off the rails.
A single injury ended his chiropractic career but unlocked a complete reinvention as teacher, yogi, and farmer.
Real leadership, Aaron insists, is mastering your own choices—around work, pleasure, health, and temptation.
Unearned dopamine (from screens, substances, and shortcuts) quietly destroys you; earned dopamine builds you.
For all his business wins, Aaron’s true legacy is not clinics or companies—it’s the deep, messy, loving relationships with his three kids and future grandkids.
 
Quotes:
“Without being married at 19 and having three kids by 22, I would have been off the rails 100%—responsibility saved my life.”
“You are never glued to who you are right now; body and mind are rebuildable at any age.”
“The only person who can truly heal your life is you—everyone else is just a guide or a mirror.”
“Real leadership isn’t controlling others; it’s mastering your own choices in the face of comfort and temptation.”
“My real legacy isn’t the businesses I built—it’s the love, scars, and stories I share with my children and future grandchildren.”
Timestamp Outline:
0:00 – Reconnecting and casual banter
2:30 – Standing out at Nudgee College
5:45 – From small-town kid to scholarship student
7:50 – Experiencing class and wealth shock
10:40 – Life-changing Rotary year in Sweden
14:10 – Early self-education and personal growth
18:00 – Uni life with a young family
19:30 – Turning tutoring into real income
22:50 – Launching the first chiropractic practice
24:30 – Career-ending injury and forced pivot
27:00 – Reinventing as teacher and mentor
29:40 – Discovering hot yoga and physical healing
32:00 – Semi-retirement and simpler living
34:20 – Three very different, high-achieving kids
38:00 – A son’s addiction, homelessness, and hope
41:20 – Grieving, acceptance, and choosing hope
44:10 – Children as greatest influence and legacy
46:05 – Bullying, boarding school, and religion
49:40 – Obsession with biochemistry and hormones
53:00 – The danger of unearned dopamine
55:30 – Bipolar as a managed “superpower”
57:40 – Burning Man and late-life experimentation
 
Conclusion:
This episode is a raw, wandering, and deeply human look at how a life can be shaped by early responsibility, injury, mental health, and relentless reinvention, without ever fitting the neat mold of a “success story.” Instead, Aaron Tselepy offers a lived-in picture of self-leadership, where real influence is measured not by titles or trophies, but by the daily choices you make around family, work, health, and even dopamine. Listeners are left with a powerful reminder that your life is never finished, and that the most important person you’ll ever learn to lead is yourself.
Listeners walk away with a richer understanding that:
Parenthood can be both constraint and salvation.
Failure—of bodies, businesses, and plans—can be the doorway to reinvention.
Science and spirituality can coexist without religion.
You’re never done building who you are.
For anyone feeling behind, broken, or mid-rebuild at 30, 40, 50, or beyond, this conversation is a reminder that your story is still being written—and that the most important person you’ll ever learn to lead is yourself.
 
This episode is proudly brought to you by W Daniel Cox III. We are grateful for their support in helping us share these vital stories of leadership and impact. https://wdanielcoxiii.com/

What If Your Life Story Was Wrong? Adoption, Identity & Truth with Damon Davis

In this episode of the Find Your Influence Podcast, host Anton Guinea sits down with Damon Davis—AI strategist, healthcare innovator, and creator of the Who Am I Really? podcast—to explore how influence is shaped by both preparation and the deepest parts of our personal story. Damon shares how a “spontaneous” keynote on stage was actually the result of a year of preparation, embodying his belief that “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” He then opens up about the powerful and painful influence of his father, Willie Davis, who rose from poverty to a huge business exit but ended his life broke and alone due to a lack of money mentors. The conversation dives into Damon’s adoption and reunion journey, including the extraordinary discovery that his birth mother worked just three blocks away from him in Washington, DC while he served under President Barack Obama. Motivated by the many adoptees whose experiences are far from “Disney endings,” Damon created Who Am I Really? to amplify adoptee voices and tell the full, often complex truth about adoption, identity, and belonging. 
 
Summary: 
 
Throughout the conversation, Damon and Anton unpack how positive and negative influences shape who we become, from Damon’s father’s financial missteps to the missing “chapter one” of his own life as an adoptee. Damon explains how his father’s story became a negative example that fueled better decisions about money, mentorship, and legacy, while his adoption story—culminating in an almost cinematic reunion with his birth mother—revealed how powerful it is to finally know the truth about your origins. This personal journey led Damon to launch the Who Am I Really? podcast, where he has recorded hundreds of adoptee stories that span joyful reunions, painful rejections, closed records, and lifelong questions. Woven through it all are Damon’s experiences in leadership and public service, including his work in the Obama administration democratizing health data, and his belief that true influence blends service, honesty, and diverse perspectives rather than perfection. 
 
Takeaways: 
Influence comes from both positive and negative experiences. 
Preparation is the hidden engine behind “effortless” influence. 
Adoption always begins with loss—and that reality matters. 
Sharing hard truths creates space for others to speak. 
Leadership is about service, curiosity, and diverse voices. 
 
Quotes: 
“If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” 
“Success is where opportunity meets preparation.” 
“My father’s lack of money mentors was a negative influence that became a positive motivator for me.” 
“Adoption never starts from a good place—every child available for adoption is there for a not‑so‑positive reason.” 
“In the absence of facts, we create our own narrative—and for adoptees, that missing chapter one shapes everything.” 
 
Timestamps: 
 
0:00:53 – Stage Speaking: Preparation And Staying Ready 
0:03:21 – Meet Damon Davis: AI Strategist And Podcaster 
0:05:00 – What Influence Really Means 
0:05:40 – Damon’s Father: Rich Exit, Broke Ending 
0:08:56 – Money Mentors: Assets Vs. Liabilities 
0:12:40 – Anton’s $2M Collapse And Comeback 
0:16:00 – Launching The “Who Am I Really?” Adoption Podcast 
0:16:55 – Working In Obama’s Administration 
0:17:20 – Birthday Reunion With His Birth Mother 
0:18:00 – Beyond “Disney” Reunions: Real Adoptee Stories 
0:20:12 – Closed Records, Blocked Searches, And Rejection 
0:21:27 – Adoption Myths Vs. Reality 
0:23:19 – Growing Up Without “Chapter One” 
0:28:21 – Missing Months In Foster Care  
 
Conclusion: 
 
Damon Davis’ story shows that real influence is forged where vulnerability, preparation, and purpose meet. His father’s rise and fall, his own decades-long search for identity, and his decision to publicly embrace his adoptee experience all became catalysts for serving others more deeply—through policy work, technology, and storytelling. By refusing to gloss over the hard parts of adoption and family history, Damon models a form of leadership that is grounded in truth, empathy, and the courage to give others a voice. For listeners who want to understand what influence looks like beyond titles and achievements, this episode is a powerful reminder that our greatest impact often grows out of the very stories we once struggled to tell. 
 
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 is proudly brought to you by W Daniel Cox III - CMA, CFM. We are grateful for their support in helping us share these vital stories of leadership and impact. https://wdanielcoxiii.com/

From Medication to Movement: Why Modern Healthcare Is Failing High Performers with Jae Koonce

Dr. Jae Koonce breaks down the gap between traditional healthcare and true performance-driven health. Drawing from over a decade as a pharmacist, he shares how most patients are treated with medication rather than addressing the root causes of chronic pain, obesity, and metabolic decline.
Through his work with Proof of Work Fitness, Dr. Koonce shifts the focus toward prevention, movement, and long-term lifestyle sustainability—especially for high-performing individuals who often neglect their physical health while chasing success.
The conversation explores the importance of influencing yourself before influencing others, emphasizing behavior change over motivation. Dr. Koonce highlights how discipline, consistency, and self-awareness are the real drivers of transformation—not quick fixes.
Blending healthcare insight with performance coaching, he reframes health as a leadership responsibility and a foundational pillar for long-term success.
Takeaways:
True health transformation starts with behavior change, not just motivation or inspiration.
The modern healthcare system often treats symptoms instead of addressing root causes.
High performers must align physical health with professional success to sustain long-term performance.
Preventative health and movement are critical to avoiding chronic disease and burnout.
Self-influence is the foundation of leadership—if you can’t lead yourself, you can’t lead others.
Quotes:
“You have to influence yourself before you can influence others.”
“I don’t want you to just be motivated—I want you to change your behavior.”
“Most healthcare is built around managing symptoms, not solving problems.”
“If you ignore your body long enough, it will force you to pay attention.”
“Real performance starts with how well you take care of yourself.”
Timestamps:
[0:00:00] Studio Intro and Setting the Tone[0:02:00] The Power of Self-Influence and Personal Responsibility[0:04:30] Why Motivation Fails Without Behavior Change[0:07:00] Meet Dr. Jae Koonce: Pharmacy to Performance[0:10:00] Inside Healthcare: What’s Broken[0:13:30] Chronic Disease, Obesity, and Lifestyle Patterns[0:17:00] Treating Symptoms vs Solving Root Causes[0:20:30] Shift Toward Preventative and Performance Health[0:24:00] Movement, Fitness, and Sustainable Lifestyle Change[0:28:00] High Performers: The Cost of Ignoring Health[0:31:30] Discipline, Consistency, and Long-Term Results[0:35:00] Leadership, Self-Awareness, and Influence[0:38:30] Health as the Foundation of Performance[0:42:00] Closing Reflections and Key Takeaways
Conclusion:
This episode challenges the traditional view of healthcare by exposing its overreliance on medication and symptom management. Dr. Jae Koonce makes a compelling case for shifting toward prevention, movement, and personal responsibility—especially for leaders and high performers.
At its core, the conversation is not just about health, but about influence. The ability to lead, perform, and grow sustainably begins with how well you manage your own body and behavior. In a world chasing productivity and success, this episode serves as a reminder that true performance starts from within.
 
This episode is proudly brought to you by W Daniel Cox III. We are grateful for their support in helping us share these vital stories of leadership and impact.
https://agency.antonguinea.ai/ai-demo

How to Build Influence and Become a Better Leader with Kristina Katsanevas

In this episode, Anton explores the concept of influence with Kristina Katsanevas, a transformation leader and podcaster who interviews high-profile guests and top performers. Kristina shares how her podcast journey has connected her with A-list celebrities and visionary entrepreneurs, revealing the human stories behind their success. She reflects on key mentors who shaped her career, including a trailblazing female CEO in sport and a director she met through a simple “yes” to a late event entry request. Kristina defines influence as a learnable skill—about energy, confidence, and helping people say yes more often in relationships, conflict, and decision-making. Throughout the episode, Anton and Kristina connect the dots between influence and leadership, showing that truly great leaders are, by definition, deeply influential.
 
Takeaways
 
Influence is about walking into a room with the kind of energy that makes people say, Who is that person, I want to meet them.
If you are not influential, you might be a manager, but you are not a leader.
Babies can’t run, and neither can brands—you have to respect the life cycle and stay patient.
Sometimes the most powerful career move you can make is simply saying yes when it would be easier to say no.
The mentors who change your life are the ones who trust you to run the national awards when you are still an intern.
Quotes:
 
Influence is about walking into a room with the kind of energy that makes people say, Who is that person, I want to meet them.
If you are not influential, you might be a manager, but you are not a leader.
Babies can’t run, and neither can brands—you have to respect the life cycle and stay patient.
Sometimes the most powerful career move you can make is simply saying yes when it would be easier to say no.
The mentors who change your life are the ones who trust you to run the national awards when you are still an intern.
 
Timestamp:
[0:00:00] Pre-Show Banter and Audience Setup
[0:02:00] Introducing Khristina: Transformation Leader and Podcaster
[0:04:41] Transforming the Game: Launching a Podcast to the Stars
[0:05:52] Celebrity Insights: Charlie Sheen and UGG Founder Brian Smith
[0:08:36] The Art of Influence and Why It’s a Learnable Skill
[0:10:12] Mentors, Sliding Doors, and the Power of Saying Yes
[0:17:44] Paying It Forward: Teen Mentoring and the Raise Program
[0:22:31] Rocking-Chair Moments, Time, and Smart Business Systems
[0:27:35] How AI Is Really Changing Work, Data, and Productivity
[0:33:32] AI Adoption Curves, Leadership Fears, and New KPIs
[0:37:45] What Great Leadership Looks Like When You’re Not in the Room
[0:40:01] Gladstone Roots, Future Plans, and Closing the Conversation
 
Conclusion:
This episode shows that influence is not reserved for a chosen few; it is a practical skill that anyone willing to learn and practice can develop. Through Kristina’s stories—from A-list podcast guests to early mentors and serendipitous networking moments—we see how saying yes, staying patient, and showing up with intention can completely reshape a career. Anton and Kristina remind us that real leadership is simply influence in action, expressed through the way we make decisions, handle conflict, and inspire others. Whether you are building a billion-dollar brand, leading a small team, or just starting out, the principles shared here can help you become more trusted, more visible, and more impactful. Take these lessons, apply them in your own world, and start transforming the game of how you lead and influence today.

The Real Reason Startups Fail: It’s Not Funding with Craig Ingram

Ever wonder why some brilliantly funded startups still crash and burn while others quietly scale into eight and nine figures? In this episode, commercialization and go-to-market specialist Craig T. Ingram breaks down the brutal data on business failure—and the rare strategies that actually flip the odds. We dive into his powerful four-part framework of awareness, attention, adoption, and retention, and how it separates the 55% that shutter from the few that survive and thrive. Along the way, Craig exposes why MBAs, big-brand experience, and corporate titles often matter less than real-world execution and extreme ownership. If you’re serious about turning influence into income and wisdom into long-term profitability, this conversation will challenge how you see leadership, strategy, and success in business.
 
Summary:
Craig Ingram, a US-based commercialization and go-to-market leader, discussed the challenges and strategies for startup success. He highlighted that 55% of US businesses with 500 employees or less fail within five years, and 72-77% fail between their eighth and tenth anniversaries. Craig's advisory firm focuses on a four-part framework: awareness, attraction, adoption, and retention. He emphasized the importance of effective commercial strategies and leadership, advocating for extreme ownership and accountability. Craig also shared his experience with venture capital and the potential of Malta's business-friendly policies, offering a 1.5 million euro grant to companies that stay for 12 months.
 
Takeaways
 
Commercial failure is rarely about funding alone; it’s usually about weak awareness, attraction, adoption, and retention.
Academic credentials and big-company titles often mask a lack of real, zero-to-one business-building experience.
Effective leadership means taking 100% responsibility for outcomes while equipping others to own and fix their part of the work.
Strategy options are limited, but small tactical execution choices—like which door you knock on and how—change everything.
Long-term business survival and meaningful exits demand wisdom and execution, not just intelligence, theory, or corporate politics.
 
Quotes:
Without high levels of customer adoption, companies go under period.
We are not anemic in intelligence in the world, but we are anemic in wisdom, because wisdom is the proper use of intelligence.
Leadership is being able to get your team, however big it is, to buy into the vision, the mission and the execution.
Leaders are not just people in leadership positions; leaders lead from the front, they don’t tell you what to do, they say, Let’s go do it.
The vast majority of people in business are not successful, because success has to be defined as revenue converting into profitability.
 
Timestamp:
[00:00:00] Tech Glitches, Warm-Up, and Guest Introduction
[00:04:25] Why Most Businesses Fail and Craig’s “Why”
[00:06:50] Surviving Beyond Five and Ten Years in Business
[00:08:46] The Four-Part Commercial Framework: Awareness to Retention
[00:12:10] Startups, MBAs, and the Illusion of Business Expertise
[00:17:01] Strategy vs. Tactics and Selling into Healthcare
[00:20:49] Real Influence, Proof of Results, and Questionable “Experts”
[00:32:22] Craig’s Origin Story: Family Businesses, Cancer & Early Medtech Sales
[00:37:39] Corporate Politics vs. Performance at Johnson & Johnson
[00:40:31] Extreme Ownership, Leadership, and Shared Accountability
 
Conclusion:
Business today is brutally simple: if you don’t create real adoption and real profit, you disappear. Craig’s story shows that wisdom, not just intelligence or an MBA, is what actually bridges the gap between a struggling venture and a scalable company. The leaders who win are the ones who own everything in their world, care deeply for their people, and execute with uncommon tactics on a clear strategy. In a market where 55% of companies shut their doors within five years, mediocrity in commercialization and leadership is no longer an option. If you want to beat the statistics, you need influence that nudges people to act, leadership that owns the outcome, and a relentless focus on turning awareness into long-term, profitable clients.

The Real Reason You’re Not Losing Weight (It’s Your Mindset) with Jenny Lobos

In this episode of the Find Your Influence podcast, Anton Guinea sits down with strategic business consultant, personal trainer, and mental health advocate Jenny Lobos. Jenny shares how her early career in healthcare compliance opened her eyes to dangerous gaps in systems that directly affect patient safety and outcomes. She explains how she now uses those same systematic frameworks to help high achievers transform their physical health, mindset, and business results. Together, Anton and Jenny explore root cause analysis, the power of the "five whys," and how uncovering deep-seated beliefs can unlock sustainable change. You will also hear inspiring stories of resilience, including Jenny’s 100-mile BMX ride for suicide awareness and how fitness became the missing piece in creating true leadership and influence in everyday life.
 
Summary:
 
Jenny Lobos, a strategic business consultant and certified public speaker, discusses her journey from healthcare to health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of systematic approaches. She highlights her work with clients using root cause analysis and the "five whys" method to address issues, leading to significant personal and professional transformations. Jenny shares her experience with a client who lost 20-30 pounds and started a real estate business, illustrating the interconnectedness of health and success. She also recounts her 100-mile single-speed BMX bike ride for suicide awareness, underscoring the power of personal challenges and community support.
 
Takeaways
 
Systematic tools like root cause analysis and the five whys can be applied to health, relationships, and business to uncover the real issues holding you back.
Lasting weight loss and lifestyle change often depend more on mindset and deep seated beliefs than on diet rules or gym routines alone.
The frameworks used in regulated industries such as healthcare can be repurposed to create structure, consistency, and discipline in everyday life.
Improving your physical health can unlock confidence, new business opportunities, and better relationships across every area of life.
True leadership and influence are about caring for others, creating impact, and giving people simple tools they can use long after the coaching ends.
 
Quotes:
Leadership is knowing that we can all win together and choosing to think of others, not just ourselves.
Once you learn systematic structures, you start looking at every part of life differently, from your health to your finances and business.
Most people think their problem is food or the gym, but the real issue is usually a belief they have carried since childhood.
When you push your body and mind to new limits, you realize how much more you are capable of in every other area of life.
If you feel deep down that you are a leader, this is your sign that it is time to start taking action.
 
Timestamp:
0:00:00 – Introduction to the Find Your Influence Podcast and Jenny’s Bio
0:03:21 – From Healthcare Compliance to Holistic Health and Wellness
0:06:36 – Root Cause Analysis, the Five Whys, and Real‑World Examples
0:11:00 – Mindset, Weight Loss, and Breaking Limiting Beliefs
0:17:50 – Personal Tragedy, System Failures, and Jenny’s Mission
0:22:29 – Client Success Story: From Weight Loss to Business Growth
0:25:23 – How Fitness Becomes a Catalyst for Life and Business
0:28:17 – 100‑Mile BMX Ride for Suicide Awareness and Mental Health
0:33:35 – Daily Systems, Long‑Term Goals, and Discipline in Action
0:36:49 – Ragnar Relay: Testing Limits and Discovering Your Potential
0:39:20 – Jenny’s Philosophy on Leadership and Impact
0:42:02 – Closing Thoughts, Where to Find Jenny, and Episode Wrap‑Up
 
Conclusion:
 
This episode shows that influence is not just about titles, it is about the systems and habits you choose every day. Jenny reveals how the same tools that protect patients in healthcare can transform your body, mindset, and business results. From riding 100 miles on a single speed BMX for suicide awareness to helping clients lose weight and launch new ventures, her story proves that structure creates freedom. Anton and Jenny challenge you to stop guessing, start asking why, and design a life that works on purpose instead of by accident. When you treat yourself like a high performer and lead from the inside out, your health, wealth, and relationships all begin to rise together.

From Government Worker to Disability Mogul | Greg Hart Story

Have you ever wondered how an everyday public servant becomes a globally awarded, celebrity-connected entrepreneur in disability support? In this episode of the Find Your Influence podcast, Anton sits down with Greg Hart, social entrepreneur, co-founder of Soulful AI, and director of the globally recognized disability support business Your Heart to Heart. Greg shares how he went from public service and basic accounts work to running an award-winning family support organization that has changed lives for nearly a decade. You’ll hear how his wife Kerry became his greatest influence, lifting his energy, shaping his leadership, and standing beside him through the toughest financial seasons in both business and marriage. Greg also reveals what it’s really like to interview global celebrities like Kris Jenner, Kevin Costner, and Vince Vaughn, and what he learned about presence, power, and business mindset from those encounters. If you’re thinking about starting a business, protecting your energy, or stepping onto bigger stages, this conversation will challenge you, inspire you, and show you what consistent courage over ten years can create.
 
Summary:
 
Greg Hart, a social entrepreneur and business leader, discussed his journey and influence on the "Find Your Influence" podcast. Greg, co-founder of Soulful AI and director of Your Heart to Heart, highlighted his 10-year journey in delivering global award-winning family support services. He shared his experiences of interviewing celebrities like Chris Jenner and Kevin Costner, emphasizing the importance of energy management and leadership. Greg credited his wife, Kerry, as his biggest influence, noting her encouragement and support. He advised aspiring business owners to start part-time and focus on financial stability before quitting their jobs. Greg also stressed the importance of public speaking and being oneself on stage.
 
Takeaways
 
Your closest relationships can be your greatest source of influence, support, and belief.
Managing your energy is just as important as managing your time if you want long-term success.
Financial tension is normal in business, but honest communication and commitment can hold a marriage together through it.
You don’t need perfect training to speak on big stages—clarity, preparation, and being yourself are enough to start.
Starting part-time and then fully committing when the business has momentum is a smart way to transition out of a job.
 
Quotes:
Influence begins at home with the people who believe in you before the world even knows your name.
Protect your energy, and you protect your ability to lead, serve, and make an impact.
Courage is quitting the safe job with two clients and trusting yourself to build the life you really want.
Awards and fame are just reflections of the quiet work you do when no one is watching.
The most powerful leaders are the ones who lift others up while they’re still climbing themselves.
 
Timestamp:
00:00 | Cricket, Memberships, and Warming Up the Conversation
02:20 | Introducing Greg Hart: Social Entrepreneur and Award-Winning Leader
05:50 | Global Business Awards and Building a Disability Support Empire
08:40 | Backstage with Kris Jenner and Brushing Shoulders with Celebrities
12:20 | Presence, Power, and the Difference Between Actors and Business Minds
15:30 | Defining Influence and the Life-Changing Role of Greg’s Wife, Kerry
19:20 | Protecting Your Energy and Reading People as a Leader
23:10 | Business, Marriage, and Surviving Financial Tension Together
27:30 | Leading a Team of 27 and Supporting Staff Through Tough Days
31:40 | Quitting the Public Service and Jumping into Business with Two Clients
35:40 | Speaking to Thousands: Greg’s No-Training Approach to Public Speaking
 
Conclusion:
 
Greg Hart’s story is a powerful reminder that influence doesn’t start with fame—it starts at home, with the people who believe in you before anyone else does. From leaving his government job with just two clients to building a multi-award-winning disability support business, Greg proves that courage and commitment can outperform comfort every time. His reflections on energy, trust, and leadership offer a practical roadmap for anyone who wants to grow without burning out or losing themselves along the way. Whether you’re dreaming of your first client or your first thousand-person audience, Greg’s journey shows that it’s possible to build something meaningful, profitable, and deeply human. As you finish this episode, ask yourself: who are you influencing today, and what legacy are you quietly building, one brave decision at a time?

Adoption, Identity & Money: The Story That Changed Everything with Damon Davis

Damon Davis, adoption stories podcast, adoptee experience, adoptee reunion journey, transracial adoption challenges, inside the adoptee experience, adoption and identity, adoption trauma and healing, finding biological parents, open vs closed adoption, adoption reunion stories, money mentors and legacy, financial mistakes and lessons, building generational wealth, influence and life decisions, overcoming financial hardship, entrepreneur money mindset, impact of preparation on success, leadership lessons from hardship, working in government healthcare, healthcare innovation and data, AI and data driven healthcare, personal growth after bankruptcy, mental health and anxiety recovery, finding purpose through service, storytelling for healing and impact
Shownotes:
 
What if the story you’ve believed about your past for decades turned out to be completely wrong? In this powerful episode, we dive into the raw reality of adoption, identity, and influence, and how early money lessons can shape – or shatter – a family’s legacy. You’ll hear how one man’s father went from a massive business exit to dying broke, and how that painful lesson became fuel for smarter choices, entrepreneurship, and generational wealth. We also explore the hidden emotional cost of adoption, from missing “chapter one” of your life to searching for biological family and finally rewriting your personal narrative. Along the way, we uncover what true leadership looks like under pressure, and why preparation makes “overnight success” possible. If you’re ready to rethink influence, legacy, and what really drives your decisions, this conversation will challenge and inspire you in all the right ways.
 
Summary:
 
Anton Guinea interviews Damon Davis about influence, leadership, and Damon’s life story, including the profound impact of his father’s financial mistakes and lack of “money mentors,” which drove Damon toward wiser wealth-building and entrepreneurship. Damon shares his concept of influence as both positive and negative forces shaping decisions and trajectory, illustrated by his father’s rise from poverty to a lucrative consulting exit and eventual financial ruin through liabilities and overspending. He then describes his parallel passion project: the “Who Am I Really?” podcast, where for eight years he has shared nuanced adoption and reunion stories to challenge rose-colored narratives and highlight the complex realities adoptees face around identity, loss, and family. Damon explains how his own “Disney-like” reunion with his birth mother—whom he discovered working three blocks away while he served in the Obama administration—contrasts sharply with more difficult reunions and underscores how missing “chapter one” of one’s life can shape personal narratives for decades. The conversation closes with Damon’s views on leadership (embracing diverse, complementary teams rather than clones), his experience as an appointee in the U.S. Department of Health under President Obama, and some light discussion about podcasting, monetization choices, and building meaningful conversations that serve others.
 
Takeaways
Having no money mentors can turn a dream business exit into financial ruin, making financial literacy and discipline essential.
Influence is both positive and negative, and even painful examples—like Damon’s father’s outcome—can fuel better choices in our own lives.
Adoption journeys are complex and rarely “Disney stories,” beginning with loss and separation before any healing can start.
Growing up adopted often means living decades without “chapter one,” forcing adoptees to invent their own origin story until they find the truth.
Reunions can be magical or heartbreaking, and Damon’s work amplifies the full spectrum of adoptee experiences, not just the feel-good ones.
Strong leadership means hiring people who complement, not copy, you—trading comfort for creativity, accountability, and better decisions.
 
Quotes:
Stay ready and you don’t have to get ready, because success happens when opportunity collides with preparation.
My father’s story taught me that without money mentors, even a massive business exit can end in being flat broke, divorced, and alone.
Adoption never starts from a good place, because every adoptee’s story begins with a separation that had to happen for them to be available in the first place.
As an adoptee, growing up without “chapter one” means you fill in the blanks with your own narrative until you finally meet the people who know the real story.
Real leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about building a diverse team that challenges you, not a room full of people who only say yes.
 
Timestamp:
 
0:00 – Podcast Cold Open, Recording Fails, and The Power of Preparation
1:31 – Meet Damon Davis: AI Strategist, Healthcare Innovator, and Author
5:12 – What Is Influence? Damon’s Definition of Positive and Negative Impact
7:10 – Money Mentors, Costly Mistakes, and Damon’s Father’s Financial Collapse
11:55 – Anton’s Near-Bankruptcy Story and Rebuilding After a Two-Million-Dollar Loss
15:08 – Coffee, Kindness, and How a Small Gesture Sparked a Big Connection
15:41 – Inside the “Who Am I Really?” Adoption Podcast and Damon’s Disney-Like Reunion
24:40 – The Hard Truth About Adoption: Loss, Identity, and Living Your Story in Public
 
Conclusion:
 
This episode with Damon Davis is a masterclass in how preparation, pain, and purpose can collide to shape a powerful life. From his father’s rise-and-fall financial story to his own near “Disney” adoption reunion, Damon shows that influence isn’t just what inspires us, but also what warns us. His work in healthcare innovation and the Obama administration proves that data and policy can change lives, while his “Who Am I Really?” podcast proves that stories can heal them. Along the way, he and Anton unpack real leadership—hiring opposites, embracing discomfort, and building teams that challenge, not just cheer. You’ll leave this conversation thinking differently about money, identity, adoption, and what it truly means to use your influence to serve others.

The Trust Factor: Aligning Your Words With Your Actions with Lourdes Gant

Dive into a story that starts in poverty in the Philippines and stretches all the way to 89 hectares of protected ocean floor in Canada. In this episode, you’ll hear how a commercial diver’s concern for ocean damage evolved into a pioneering, sustainable aquaculture enterprise. Our guest shares how she and her husband built a 30-year “ocean ranching” journey around geoduck and sea cucumber, guided by a bold North Star: creating the most environmentally beneficial food production operation on land or sea. We explore what real influence looks like—walking your talk, educating stakeholders, and learning from failure when a nine-year sea cucumber project collapsed. You’ll also discover how she blends leadership, governance, and practical AI to turn organizational knowledge into values-driven, low-risk innovation. Stick around to learn how “know thyself, serve others, leave a legacy” became the foundation of her 300-year vision for people, planet, and profit.
 
Summary:
 
Lourdes Gant, a Canada-based strategist and CEO of Blue Horizon Legacy, discussed her journey in sustainable aquaculture, focusing on geoduck and sea cucumber. She highlighted her husband's 30-year effort to establish a sustainable farming operation, which resulted in a 900% increase in quota from 6,000 to 51,000. Lourdes emphasized the importance of leadership, partnership, and stewardship, defining influence as walking the talk. She shared her mentorship experiences, including lessons from her university professor, Cecilia Mercado, and Roger James Hamilton. Lourdes also expressed pride in her 16-year-old son's passion for basketball, illustrating the generational impact of leadership.
Takeaways
 
A Filipino immigrant journeyed from poverty to co-leading 89.1 hectares of protected underwater habitat in Canada.
It took 20 years of political lobbying and 10 years of growing to bring their first sustainable geoduck harvest to market.
A nine-year failure to aquaculture sea cucumbers became a powerful lesson in the cost of missing education and community buy-in.
Grace under pressure, modeled by a key mentor, shaped how she leads in a male-dominated and highly competitive industry.
Her family business is guided by a 300-year vision rooted in leadership, partnership, and stewardship for people, planet, and profit.
 
Quotes:
True influence comes from walking your talk, especially in sustainability, rather than greenwashing.
Long-term impact requires a clear North Star, like building the most environmentally beneficial food production operation on land or sea.
Education and stakeholder buy-in are essential to influencing regulators, communities, and partners in new or misunderstood industries.
Leadership is doing the right thing when no one is watching, and that quiet integrity builds trust over decades.
Knowing yourself, serving others, and then focusing on your work creates a powerful framework for legacy-driven leadership.
Timestamp:
 
0:00 – Warmup: Swimming, Triathlons and Healthy Aging
2:00 – Introducing Filipino Aquaculture Leader and CEO Lourdes Gant
5:00 – From Commercial Diver to Ocean Rancher: The Geoduck Story
8:00 – Building the World’s Most Environmentally Beneficial Food Operation
11:00 – People, Planet, Profit: Sustainable Business and Circular Economy
14:00 – Fisheries Collapse, Government Regulation and Ocean Stewardship
18:00 – Leadership, Integrity and Doing the Right Thing When No One’s Watching
21:00 – Influence Through Walking Your Talk, Not Greenwashing Sustainability
24:00 – Sea Cucumber Failure: Lessons in Stakeholder Buy‑In and Education
28:00 – Mentors, Grace Under Pressure and Values‑Driven Leadership
32:00 – Gen X, Gen Z and Parenting a Purpose‑Driven Teen Entrepreneur
36:00 – Leadership vs Management: Making Things Happen vs Getting Things Done
40:00 – Know Yourself, Serve Others, Leave a Legacy: A 300‑Year Vision
 
Conclusion:
 
Influence isn’t about talk; it’s about 30 years of showing up for the ocean when no one’s watching. From poverty in the Philippines to stewarding 89.1 hectares of underwater habitat, this story proves that values-driven leadership can reshape entire industries. We saw how failures, like a nine-year sea cucumber project, can become powerful lessons when you lead with education, integrity, and partnership. If you remember nothing else, remember this: know yourself, serve others, and your work will naturally turn into legacy. Thanks for listening—now go make one bold move today that your 300-year future self would be proud of.