Our popular podcast peeps, Rona Lewis & Jeffrey Hansler, are back at it with the sagely insight (and occasional stumbles) you didn’t know you needed.
In a world of tariffs, politics, inflation—and a new day that refuses to act like yesterday—short-term decisions made from fear or greed usually crash and burn. So, what’s the alternative?
Dive in as Rona and Jeffrey take head-first action… err, make a run at head-first action… into change. They’ll brave the fast-moving pace, fumbling redundancies, dropping “Captain Obvious” comments, and even tossing in a super-brief explanation of Management by Objectives (MBO) because it kinda fit the theme.
Also: enter the ghost of W. Edwards Deming (well, exit, since he died) — his 14 principles live on. And yes, we included them below (thank you, OpenAI 2025).
Now that you know them, will you use them? That’s the question. Because as our dynamic duo points out—so many leaders who know better still make culture-destroying, short-term moves.
Tune in. Laugh. Learn. Share the wisdom with someone who needs it. Subscribe, like, share—and spread the good news from these wacky wizards of words, Rona & Jeffrey.
Take some other episodes out for a spell:
• Episode 188: “Scratch Glass and Climb Walls – Guest Success Edition!” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-souls/id1617532413?i=100064xxxx
• Episode 187: “HR Plays with Change Management” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-souls/id1617532413?i=100064yyyy
• Episode 184: “Casting Confidence — The Oscar-Winning Role of You with Dr. Albert Bramante” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-souls/id1617532413?i=100064zzzz
And as promised, W. Edwards Deming’s 14 Principles of Management (also known as the 14 Points for Management) first introduced in his 1982 book, ‘Out of the Crisis’:
1. Create constancy of purpose.
2. Adopt the new philosophy.
3. Cease dependence on inspection.
4. End the practice of awarding business on price tag alone.
5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service.
6. Institute training on the job.
7. Institute leadership.
8. Drive out fear.
9. Break down barriers between departments.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the workforce.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas and management by objectives.
12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride in workmanship.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.
14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation.
Y'all come back now, ya hear?
Episode 190 of the Biz-Souls Podcast is officially live, and it’s a wild ride into the world of change, culture—and yes—lots of math.
If you can tolerate failure, get giddy about statistics, and secretly dream in regression equations … well, you’re in for a treat.
Just kidding about the math and statistics.
Meet our guest: Rich Batchelor. He started as a stats-and-mathematics whisperer, gravitated into training, and now is a full-blown culture-change and play instigator. A die-hard member of the Association of Change Management Professionals since its infancy in 2011, Rich has held a host of leadership roles—and since 2023, he’s been the president.
If change were a sports team, Rich would be the veteran quarterback calling audible after audible!
In this episode, Rich joins our dynamic duo—Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler—to share stories that blend:
• The transition from training to consulting (via his firms Capillary Consulting and Capillary Learning)
• The move from cold, hard math (think: calculators and adding machines) to warm, vibrant culture-shifts
• His introduction of the brilliant concept by Jeremy Dean—the “Elephants & Riders” metaphor (elephant = emotion, rider = rational mind) as a lens for organizational change.
• Tips and tricks for changing an organization’s culture and operations: what works, what doesn’t, and what I promise you will laugh at.
Why you’ll want to tune in:
• Because if you’ve ever felt uneasy about failure (hello! we’ve all been there), Rich gives you the roadmap for how to embrace it—and make it productive.
• Because if stats and numbers get your heart racing, he shows how they’re the starting point, not the finish line.
• Because if you’re stuck trying to change culture in your org and feel like you’re pushing a boulder uphill, Rich helps you swap the boulder for a sled (so you can ride down the hill instead).
• Because we take a break from studio polish (thanks to Adobe Premiere vs. Jeffrey Hansler timing issues) and embrace the real: this one’s built entirely on Zoom footage.
Ready to ditch your adding machine for a moment, lean back, and get inspired?
Here are the links for Rich Batchelor and the ACMP (Association of Change Management Professionals:
• Capillary Consulting: https://www.capillaryconsulting.com
• Capillary Learning: https://www.capillarylearning.com
• Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) global site: https://www.acmpglobal.org
Other Biz-Souls Episodes Related to Culture, Change & Play
• Episode 182: “Level Up Leadership with Dr. Drew Davidson”: Explores leadership through gaming and play. https://biz-souls.com/episodes/episode-182-level-up-leadership-with-dr-drew-davidson
• Episode 186: “L&D Eats Its Own: When Training Goes Too Far”: Examines how learning cultures can self-sabotage. https://biz-souls.com/episodes/episode-186-ld-eats-its-own
• Episode 199: “Threadbare Culture: When the Corporate Soul Starts to Fray”: A deep-yet-humorous look at cultural erosion. https://biz-souls.com/episodes/episode-199-threadbare-culture
• Episode 139: “Play for Better Living! Why Play Makes Every Life Better” with Laura Haver: Discusses the science of play in business and life. https://biz-souls.com/episodes/episode-139-play-for-better-living
Listen, like, learn, save, share, and follow for more magical and meaningful insights into the soul of business and the people who make it happen!
P.S. The “Cinematic Fail”
In the epic blockbuster battle of Jeffrey Hansler vs. Adobe Premiere, our hero fought valiantly… and lost. Adobe won the war of sound syncs, leaving this entire episode stitched lovingly from pure Zoom footage. No studio cameras - just some basic editing and raw Biz-Soul energy.
Take that, Penbridge College! (Yes, that’s a Mummy reference — we know.)
Well, well… it seems our Biz-Souls dueling duo, Rona and Jeffrey, are back at it again—taking a different perspective on business, life, and the bizarre intersections between the two.
Dysmorphic: (adjective):
1. Characterized by malformation or abnormality in body structure.
2. A mental health condition where people obsess over perceived—often imaginary—flaws in appearance.
3. The exact word Jeffrey used to describe corporate culture gone sideways.
Rona wants everyone to know—loudly—that this topic was entirely Jeffrey’s idea and that this episode might be “lightweight” in the business-analysis department.
Jeffrey, however, defends it like it’s a Harvard Business Review case study. In his mind, this is how the soul of a business becomes corrupted—through the tiny, nearly invisible artifacts of everyday culture. Think micro-moments of dysfunction, gossip, or ego that slip in like drops of dirt into a clean glass of water. Suddenly, that “refreshing culture” looks a little murky.
So, tune in as Rona and Jeffrey take a mild and enjoyable field trip to the Oceanside Museum of Art’s “Fabulous Fabric” show - curated by the ever-fabulous Kate Stern (one of Rona’s many, many friends). It’s culture, business, art, and just a little bit of neurosis… the Biz-Souls way.
Need some positive drops today? Then listen, like, follow, and share this episode with someone who needs a little soul cleansing. (Sometimes a drop of clarity is all we need.)
If You Liked This Episode, You’ll Love:
• Ep. 139 – Play for Better Living! with Laura Haver
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EOyx44QYvEkrzE6Fg6fA8
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUd8cU1JXg
• Ep. 127 – Tickled About Piccles! with Chris Bent
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1m0lrAjU0EoA0YpWqq9n9K
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNREqXwV8k
• Ep. 125 – How to Retrain Your Brain with Kelley Raleigh
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sl8zVZB6Jx5DMHg8lN9aH
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA4P9HvbKVI
• **Ep. 137 – Just Say No! Maybe. **
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ffpbkA2n8
• **Ep. 136 – Mature Gnome with Ego **
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SrTBRzWZ9MbhycJw5Nkwv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6sKzNUWTo
Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler are bursting with pride in this celebration episode—because when Biz-Souls guests win, we all win!
In this week’s conversation, our dynamic duo catches you up on the latest triumphs from some of their favorite past guests.
• Jonny Thompson (Episode 181 – “Talking with Jonny Thompson”) is gaining serious traction with his thought-provoking Philosopher Posts that are inspiring followers around the globe.
• Hamish Wright (Episode 134 – “Real Fake Show—Blurring Reality for Fun and Meaning”) is leveling-up production on The Real Fake Show—and reality may never look the same again.
• Francesca Gino, from Episode 152 – “Mind Games and Morality”, is back in the spotlight, as Rona and Jeffrey discuss a colleague’s podcast digging into her ongoing story with Harvard.
• Leigh Wood, part of the hilarious duo from Episode 160 – “He’s a 10, But …”, also gets a quick update—proof that play and charm never go out of style.
Seems every guest who’s graced the Biz-Souls mic is rocketing toward even greater success—and that’s exactly the kind of energy Rona and Jeffrey love to share.
So, tune in, laugh a little, learn heaps, and maybe soak up that winning mojo yourself.
Like, Follow, Share, and Subscribe—because when our guests shine, so do you.
And in the immortal words of late-night legend Ron Sweed, “The Ghoul”: “Stay sick, turn blue, scratch glass, climb walls, do it while you can … but most importantly of all—don’t get caught!”
It’s the Rona Show!
No, seriously — it’s another electrifying episode of Biz-Souls with the unstoppable dynamic duo Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler!
Fresh off her presentation at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Nebraska Conference, Rona dives into how HR leaders are embracing play to power up change management. Meanwhile, Jeffrey (ever the skeptical realist) wonders if HR is really ready to roll the dice on risk and innovation.
Rona fires back with stories from the front lines — where bold HR executives are redefining engagement, trust, and productivity one playful move at a time.
She drops quick-hit tips any executive can use to connect with employees, boost morale, and create cultures committed to evolve.
Want to build trust with your team? Rona’s got a one-sentence strategy that could change everything.
So, grab a seat, take a 12-minute break, and join our dynamic duo for another dose of practical wisdom, laughter, and just the right amount of professional mischief.
If you believe leadership doesn’t have to be boring — like, share, follow, and subscribe!
Because growth should be fun, learning should be lifelong, and the Biz-Souls crew will always keep it real.
Want More Episodes Like This?
Try these listener favorites:
• “Slay the Villain of Culture Stagnation” with Stephanie Angelo — how to keep your organization thriving.
• “How to Retrain Your Brain” with Kelley Raleigh — neuroscience meets performance.
• “Play Games for Better Business!” with Alex Suchman — when play meets productivity.
• “Just Say No! Maybe.” — navigating communication and boundaries at work.
• “L&D Eats Its Own” — a sharp look at respect and dysfunction in Learning & Development.
Rodney Dangerfield made a career out of one line: “I don’t get no respect.”
Turns out he wasn’t just talking about his in-laws—he was predicting the Learning and Development industry (L&D).
This week, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler put on their Dangerfield bow ties and salute the man who knew a thing or two about being underappreciated. Why? Because L&D seems to be working overtime to chew up its own subject matter experts and spit them out like last week’s donuts from the training room.
Jeffrey shares two recent examples of L&D “leadership” (quotation marks intentional) that scream: We don’t need no stinkin’ expertise! Spoiler: it’s not pretty.
Rona offers a cautionary tale to executives everywhere: keep this up, and the L&D industry might just end up with less loyalty than employees had in the 80s after pension plans got the corporate shredder treatment.
It’s quick, it’s biting, and it’s designed to make every executive (especially L&D ones) think twice before disrespecting the people who make them look good.
And speaking of disrespect: Jeffrey’s battle with Adobe Premiere continues. Current score: Adobe 2, Jeffrey 0. (Rich Bachelor, if you’re listening, he swears your Change Management episode will make it to daylight. Maybe. Eventually. If Adobe allows it.)
So hit play, follow, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that respect isn’t just for Rodney—it’s for everyone in L&D too.
If you like this one, check out these connected episodes:
• Episode 128: Insuring HR is Taken Care of With Innovative Approaches – with Tobias Kennedy (because HR and L&D need to stop fighting like siblings on a road trip).
• Episode 125: How to Retrain Your Brain – with Kelley Raleigh (respect starts with retraining how leaders think about people).
• Episode 139: Play for Better Living! Why Play Makes Every Life Better – with Laura Haver (because respect also means letting people breathe and laugh).
• Episode 177: PR Done Right: The Cabernet Club – with Margie Zable Fisher (where communication and respect collide).
• Episode 182: Game-Based Learning with Soul – with Dr. Drew Davidson (proof that respecting expertise actually pays off).
This week on Biz-Souls, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler tackle the slippery, elusive, and occasionally imaginary concept of trust. (Yes, that thing your boss keeps talking about while “listening” only long enough to weaponize your words later.)
It all starts with Jeffrey surviving a “conversation” with a manager—translation: a slow-motion train wreck requiring Olympic-level emotional intelligence. Pair that with Rona dropping an article about the collapse of workplace trust and - boom! - you’ve got yourself a podcast episode that asks all the uncomfortable questions no HR handbook will ever answer.
Along the way, they manage to:
• Roast generational divides (because apparently Millennials ruined trust… and toast).
• Debate autonomy and authenticity without using the word synergy even once.
• Skewer sales and sales management (spoiler: they don’t trust you either).
• Differentiate between active listening and “listening for ammo” (hello, manager!)
• Name-drop Toastmasters while wondering if anyone actually trusts a table topic.
Tie it all together with Rona’s Pillars of Play, because even trust issues deserve recess.
And - full disclosure - they also chat about their episode with change management expert Richard Bachelor as if it already exists. Technically, it should. Unfortunately, Jeffrey’s epic battle with Adobe Premiere and his new camera settings has delayed things. (Adobe 1, Jeffrey 0.) Richard, if you’re listening - Jeffrey swears he’ll wrestle Premiere into submission and publish your episode next week. Promise. Pinky swear. Scout’s honor.
So, listen now, subscribe, and share this episode with anyone who still believes in trust.
Or… wait a week, listen to Richard’s episode first, then come back and see what trust looks like in the wild. Either way, you’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you might even trust us by the end.
On this 184th episode of Biz-Souls, hosts Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler roll out the red carpet for Dr. Albert Bramante — psychology professor, certified hypnotist, AI educator, and talent agent. With more than 20 years of guiding Broadway actors, mentoring students, and coaching creators, Albert knows that the toughest role you’ll ever play… is being your authentic self.
Albert shares his knowledge about the challenges facing actors and how his talents as an agent support an actor’s success. Here are a few of the areas he focuses on with actors:
• Casting Confidence — Proven psychological strategies to overcome imposter syndrome and step into the spotlight with presence and poise.
• Rewriting Your Mental Script — How hypnosis and NLP can help you ditch self-sabotaging lines and improvise a better performance in life and work.
• AI as Your Creative Co-Star — Smart ways to use ChatGPT and other AI tools to boost productivity and creativity—without losing your unique voice.
• Encore Moments — Lessons from Broadway to business on building clarity, resilience, and confidence in any role you take on.
With Albert’s insights (and plenty of laughs from Rona and Jeffrey), this episode shines a spotlight on how psychology, performance, and tech combine to create a standing-ovation life.
Listen, follow, and share with your friends on your path to success.
PS - Speaking of success or lack of, Biz-Souls wasn’t published last week because of technical difficulties with Adobe Premiere. With all their resources, Jeffrey is surprised they don’t have an AI analysis tool for what made the program criminally slow for editing. Is this the first stage of failure for Adobe’s Premiere Pro?
So, after a week off, let’s see if Biz-Souls can do another streak of 183 episodes in the future.
Stop data being harvested and start sharing your story.
Grab your coffee (or goat latte, if you're fancy) and settle in—Biz Souls is back, and this time we're diving headfirst into the brave new world of AI with the one and only William Welser.
Forget robot overlords—and believe William when he says, “Believe me, large language modules aka AI, do not understand you!” AI might be a shiny tool, but it’s not in the right hands yet.
In this episode, hosts Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler wander the story-scapes of data: what we’re tracking now, what we should be tracking, and how we can regain control.
Welser dissects the tech driven chaos and hands you a blueprint: your personal story is your new wealth. He riffs on his upcoming book, “The Story Economy: How Sharing Your Truth Can Be Your Most Valuable Asset,” revealing why you—not algorithms—will shape the ethical, economic, and emotional contours of our next era.
So, turn on, tune in, and claim your future—one story after another.
Grab your backpack, sharpen your pencils, and do not forget your sense of humor, because you’re going back to school! But this is not your average lecture hall with squeaky chairs and bad coffee. Nope. This time, it’s Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center, and your professor is none other than Dr. Drew Davidson.
Dr. Drew had our Biz-Souls hosts, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler, so giddy with enthusiasm about play that they nearly turned the studio into a giant ball pit. (We’re still waiting for the invoice on the clean-up.)
So, who is this Drew Davidson wizard of play?
He’s a professor, producer, and player of interactive media. He doesn’t just talk games — he lives them. From comics to games to transformational experiences, Dr. Drew is out here showing us how play isn’t just fun and games… it’s a tool for collaboration, creativity, healthier lifestyles, and maybe — just maybe — saving the world.
And yes, we can all thank the classic CD-ROM game Myst for sparking Drew’s obsession with the deep power of play. (Raise your hand if you spent hours trapped in that world and loved every second!)
Tune in, laugh a little, learn plenty, and discover why play just might be the most serious business strategy of all.
Warning: Listening to this episode may result in spontaneous bursts of joy, increased collaboration, and uncontrollable urges to gamify your next staff meeting.
And subscribing may result in a longer and happier life.
Find out more about Dr. Drew Davidson at:
https://playstorypress.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewdavidson/
What do change, leadership, and storytelling have in common? Patti Sanchez, that’s what!
In this unforgettable episode, co-hosts Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler welcome the consummate and articulate storyteller herself, Patti Sanchez. Known for her clarity, empathy, and transformative insight, Patti delivered a master class in business storytelling—with soul.
A fantastic guest with a gracious presence, Patti shared wisdom with warmth and intellect, leaving us (and our listeners) inspired and energized.
Together, we explore:
• Why storytelling is the essential tool for today’s business leaders and developers
• How stories reduce resistance, foster connection, and rally people behind bold ideas
• Patti’s entrepreneurial journey—what she’s learning 18 months into solopreneurship
From boardrooms at Apple and Salesforce to executive workshops at VMware and GE, Patti has helped visionary leaders turn complex ideas into compelling narratives that move people—and organizations—forward.
Whether you're leading a team, building a brand, or just trying to get your cat to listen (good luck with that, Jeffrey), this episode will reshape the way you think about influence, communication, and change.
Patti is the award-winning author of:
• Presenting Virtually: Communicate and Connect with Online Audiences
• Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols
Learn more about her work: https://pattisan.com
Connect with her: linkedin.com/in/pattisanchez
Related Episodes You Might Love
• Episode 164: Words Matter – Communicating Like a Human
• Episode 152: Building Bridges with Story: The Core of Connection
• Episode 139: Play for Better Living! Why Play Makes Every Life Better
Set your story free and let it soar.
Rona Lewis is done. Jeffrey Hansler is just getting started. And AI? It's not even in the same emotional zip code.
Jeffrey needs to get something off his chest – and it’s not just one of his cats. Rona on the other hand is done for the day and wants Jeffrey to be quick about it.
Hmmm, I see changes coming to Biz-Souls sometime in the future.
In this soulfully absurd episode of Biz-Souls, Jeffrey decides to spill his digital guts—right after shooing a cat off his chest—and delivers three stories (Delta Airlines, Milgard, and Learning and Development hypocrisy) about how humans can stay ahead of AI by doing what AI can’t: bring heart, soul, and genuine humanity into everything we do.
But wait, there's more! Mid-rant, Jeffrey insists he already explained who Milgard is. Rona calls him out.
Spoiler: She’s right. Again. (P.S. Milgard makes windows and doors. You're welcome.)
So, what does a misremembered brand and an emotionally intelligent podcast host have to do with beating the bots? EVERYTHING, says Jeffrey. If AI is logic and speed, then humans are nuance, creativity, and, well... the occasional podcast derailment.
Tune in for:
• A peek into the coming changes to Biz-Souls (we said it…)
• The soul-powered secret sauce AI just can’t replicate
• A masterclass in how not to win an argument with Rona
Subscribe. Share. Save this episode before the robots do.
Craving more episodes that bring soul to the biz? Check these out:
• Episode 125: How To Retrain Your Brain – Because AI isn’t the only one that can upgrade its programming.
• Episode 127: Tickled About Piccles! A Unique Way of Connecting Communities – Imagination meets doodles meets innovation.
• Episode 139: Play for Better Living! Why Play Makes Every Life Better – Learn how fun beats function in a world full of algorithms.
• Episode 143: Mature Gnome With Ego: Building a Strong Defense With Humor – Ego, AI, and why humor is the ultimate firewall.
Tell your friends. Tell your AI overlords. Just don’t tell Jeffrey he forgot something—again.
Can you hear me now? Ever wonder what happens when feedback and tension collide in today’s completely bonkers world?
Join your favorite Biz-Souls duo, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler, as they dive headfirst into the hot topic of giving and receiving feedback in a world constantly pinging with panic—from political rants to earthquake alerts to whatever your cousin just posted on Facebook. Because, let’s face it, feedback today isn’t just about performance—it’s about survival.
With social media and 24-hour news cycles amplifying events which cause stress and tension in everyone, it’s important to realize you can give feedback without having to duck objects being thrown at you.
First, a mea culpa!
In this episode, we mentioned a story we thought was about either GE or Goldman Sachs and we had enough sense to say it might have been a story about another organization. Well, it was a JP Morgan Chase story we to which we were referring. Where Nicolas Welch, a tech analyst questioned CEO Jamie Dimon. If you want further details, check out Fortune and The New York Post, which is where we learned of the incident.
What we did correctly is cover the good, bad, and outdated feedback models and their important elements —including one once-beloved method that’s now officially bunk.
While you may feel giving feedback in today’s tension-filled environment is like trying to meditate in a mosh pit, we suggest by adhering to a few productive elements anyone can provide exceptional and valuable feedback.
Whether it’s saying, “Let’s pick this up another time” or listening effectively, this episode is a masterclass of simple reminders which keep feedback in the effective and efficient columns of communication.
And if you like this episode, check out our related episodes:
• Episode 177: Biz-Souls with Margie Zable Fisher – on creativity, legacy, and getting it right (eventually).
• Episode 175: Just Say No! Maybe. – because saying “no” is feedback too.
• Episode 173: For Love and Money – workplace romance, tension, and what NOT to say during performance reviews.
Feedback. It’s messy. It’s powerful. And when done right? It just might change everything.
Tune in, laugh a little, squirm a bit—and maybe even rethink how you manage your next feedback conversation.
Available wherever you get your Biz-Souls Podcast fix.
What happens when you combine two decades of remote work experience with a deep passion for people and global business?
Our Biz-Souls host’s Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler know! You get Leandro Cartelli!
Leandro provides a fantastic perspective of his world of remote-first success, strategic talent acquisition, and international economic transformation.
With 15+ years leading Talent Acquisition for global giants like Accenture, Boehringer Ingelheim, and DeliveryHero, Leandro brings a rare blend of corporate wisdom and entrepreneurial insight. Through his company, Lana Talent, he's helping small and medium-sized businesses scale smarter by connecting them with top-tier talent across Latin America while sharing his expertise of best practices for success.
In Leandro’s world, onboarding is more than an orientation, it’s an investment in people and culture for maximum success. With remote work proven to be a powerful and cost-effective differentiator, it’s critical to properly execute in each step of the process.
Argentina is seeing a rapid growth in edtech, marketing, and content creation industries. And because of beneficial economics, the role of global hiring is offering organizations opportunities for maximizing profits while enhancing the quality of services provided.
Leandro shows his clients how to hire right, develop the talent further, all the while building loyalty and increasing performance.
Whether you're a founder, people leader, or just enthusiastic about the future of work, this conversation will challenge assumptions, unlock strategies, and inspire a broader perspective.
Leandro Cartelli, who is easy to find on LinkedIn says, “We're not just filling roles—we're building futures.” A motto he lives by each and every day.
Spend a few minutes with Biz-Souls and gain a lifetime of returns.
Join our Biz-Souls hosts, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler, as we uncork an inspiring conversation with Margie Zable Fisher, co-author of The Cabernet Club—a novel born from a promise, polished over 20 years, and published in 2025.
Margie went from PR powerhouse to published author, with bylines in The New York Times, AARP, Fortune, and more. She ran a PR agency for 20 years, finished her first triathlon after 50, and still manages to beat the NYT Spelling Bee more often than not. Now she’s living her best chapter yet—on the page and off.
In this rich and funny episode, Margie shares:
• The story behind The Cabernet Club—written with her late mother and rewritten with 20,000+ new words, a developmental editor, and a whole lot of heart.
• Why “The Cabernet Club”? At final cut, Margie insisted—because every Sunday the two shared wine and conversation, sealing the bond reflected in the title.
• Why she’s already plotting Book Two and Three—and dreaming of a TV adaptation described as Schitt’s Creek meets The Golden Girls.
Explore the power of second acts, aging vibrantly, deep female friendships, and humor woven through real, relatable characters.
Grab a glass of Cabernet and join us—because this conversation is a tribute to legacy, laughter, and living boldly.
Hear ye, hear ye! Order in the podcast!
That’s right—he’s back on the bench, and the Biz-Soul mic, and bringing much-needed wisdom and wit to the wild world of leadership.
As you know, Judge Daren Margolin isn’t just any judge—he’s a retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, a former Staff Judge Advocate for Generals Jim Mattis and Dave Berger, and a man who’s handled everything from immigration cases to full-blown felony trials to 10,000 fresh-faced Marine recruits (talk about courtroom and combat readiness). Semper Fi, indeed.
Oh, and did we mention he built one of the most efficient immigration courts in the country from scratch? That’s right. 28,000+ cases a year, no excuses.
This episode, we bring Judge Margolin back for a deep dive into what it really takes to be a positive leader when the pressure’s on—from the battlefield to the bureaucratic backlog. He’s talking values, accountability, and calling people in—not out—to do what’s right.
Whether you're leading a team, a nation, or just trying to lead your Monday meetings without losing your cool, you need to hear this.
Tune in to Biz-Souls. Because leadership doesn’t have to be loud - it has to be real.
There’s madness going on around the country—and especially in California—when it comes to immigration. Depending on which news channel you watch, it’s either a crisis, a circus, or both.
And who do our Biz-Souls hosts Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler call when the headlines get hysterical and you can’t sort facts from fabrication?
Judge Daren Margolin.
That’s right. The man’s been on Newsmax, and now he’s stepped up in the world—to the Biz-Souls Podcast. Talk about career highs!
Daren Margolin isn’t just any judge. He’s a retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, a former Staff Judge Advocate for both General Jim Mattis and General Dave Berger, and a guy who’s presided over everything from immigration courts to felony trials to 10,000 new Marine recruits (talk about Semper Fi).
He recently served as Assistant Chief Immigration Judge for the Executive Office of Immigration Review, where he didn’t just run one of the busiest immigration courts in the country, he built from scratch! The Santa Ana Immigration Court, under his leadership, processed over 28,000 cases annually and was one of the top-performing courts in the country. That’s right, top-performing. We said it. We meant it.
And if that weren’t enough? He supervised dozens of judges (yes, judges need managing), ran courts at multiple locations during a pandemic, and somehow kept it all together while being bombarded with “urgent” memos from D.C. that had about as much relevance to real life as a screenplay rewrite of Gilligan’s Island.
From prosecuting gang members and war criminals to commanding emergency services at Quantico, to coordinating humanitarian efforts after a tsunami—Judge Margolin has done it all, and lived to tell the tale with humility, integrity, and a not-so-subtle side-eye for bureaucracy.
We’re talking:
• What really happens behind courtroom doors?
• What makes a Marine AND a good judge?
• And what kind of leadership actually works when the stakes are life-altering?
If you’ve ever wondered how a guy can keep his cool running a court full of type-A overachievers with legal authority and egos the size of California... Judge Margolin’s got stories for you.
Trust us—this episode is more than order in the court. It’s clarity in the chaos.
Tune in. Because anything’s better than leaving immigration reform up to Congress.
This week on Biz-Souls, we dive into the bold new world of human agency and digital autonomy with William (Bill) Welser IV, a man who shares coffee with goats on Thursdays and reshapes the future the rest of the week.
From his early career as a U.S. Air Force officer to building trailblazing teams at the RAND Corporation, to launching Lotic.ai, Bill has always had one mission: equip people with the power to shape their own stories through data, design.
Discover In this episode how your personal data, when owned and directed by you, becomes a tool for power not profit.
Explore the role of storytelling in personalizing technology and rebuilding trust in digital systems, and hear why the next wave of AI innovation must be rooted in ethics, empathy, and equity—and how it can help close socioeconomic gaps, not widen them.
Bill doesn’t just talk about tech, he talks about transformation. Whether he’s mapping ecosystems, future-casting industries, or helping behavioral scientists structure AI with soul, he brings a unique blend of heart, hope, and hardcore innovation to the conversation.
His Lotic Logic: You Deserve Better from Your Data!
Listen in because your future isn’t written by algorithms. It’s co-authored by you—if you take back the pen. Bill Welser IV shows us how.
Tune in now to Biz-Souls – where business meets humanity, and where data, dreams, and destiny converge.
Related Biz-Souls Episodes:
• Episode 126 – Complexity, Chaos, and Coffee: Systems Thinking with Michael Woudenberg
• Episode 132: The Future Is Fractal: Building Resilient Organizations
• Episode 135 – From War Rooms to Whiteboards: What the Military Taught Me About Business
• Episode 137 – Human Beings, Not Human Resources: A Tactical Guide to Empathy in Innovation
• Episode 140 – The Language of Systems: What You Say Changes What You Build
#BizSoulsPodcast #HumanAgency #DataPower #EthicalAI #StoryEconomy #AIWithSoul #DigitalFreedom #TechForGood #LoticAI #FutureCasting #OwnYourData #WilliamWelserIV
Welcome to the 173rd episode of Biz-Souls, where the boardroom meets the ball pit and spreadsheets shake hands with silliness! In this episode, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler cap off a three-book exploration into the weird and wonderful world of better business thinking — and guess what? This time, Rona wrote the book. Literally.
Presenting: ‘Play and Profit – How Play Enhances Organizational Success’ by Rona Lewis!
That’s right, after analyzing the deep dives of ‘Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction’ by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner (aka “crystal balling for data nerds”), and ‘Positive Intelligence’ by Shirzad Chamine (hello, inner Sage!), the Biz-Souls duo hits the trampoline of transformation with Rona’s brand-new guide to purposeful play.
Play and Profit isn’t just about blowing bubbles in the breakroom — it’s a science-backed, fun-forward strategy that helps organizations innovate, embrace failure (without throwing staplers), and make smarter decisions with a smile.
Jeffrey, naturally skeptical of anything involving finger painting outside kindergarten, challenges Rona on everything from the definition of “fun” to whether workplace dodgeball is tax-deductible. Rona, certified play professional and proud possessor of more bounce than a yoga ball, holds her own — even if she occasionally has to toss a metaphorical Nerf dart to get Jeffrey back on track.
‘Superforecasting’ taught us to expect the unexpected and Play and Profit helps us enjoy the unexpected. ‘Positive Intelligence’ helps us quiet the “Saboteur” in our minds and play helps us amplify our inner genius (and maybe our karaoke skills).
Her book shares pathways to building psychologically safe environments… where it’s safe to fail, safe to laugh, and totally acceptable to have a LEGO sculpture on your desk.
Rona introduces her P.L.A.Y! framework, a five-stage process designed to foster psychological safety, active listening, attunement, and yielding to creative processes. This approach encourages teams to embrace challenges as opportunities, leading to increased innovation and productivity.
In this podcast you’ll discover how this discussion builds upon concepts from the previously covered books ‘Superforecasting’ and ‘Positive Intelligence’, illustrating how play complements strategic thinking and mental resilience in organizations.
Special shout out to Jessica Brustad (Rona's original partner at Playful Mind Project), Cathy Arkle who designed the cover of Rona's new book, and James Franklin, who took amazing photos of Rona for the book.
Tune in to discover how a playful mindset can revolutionize your organization's approach to success and take your team from burnout to bounce-back?
Hit play, toss your tie in the air, and discover why business is better when you play it forward.
#BizSouls #PlayAndProfit #WorkShouldBeFun #RonaRules #JeffreyJabsBack #PurposefulPlay #CorporateCultureShift #InnovationThroughPlay #Superforecasting #PositiveIntelligence #WorkplaceInnovation #TeamEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #CorporateCulture
Episode 172: Saboteurs vs. Sages -The Mental Fitness Showdown
Get ready for a high-energy, thought-provoking episode of Biz-Souls! This week, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler dive into the transformative world of Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine—a groundbreaking guide to mastering your mind and unlocking your full potential.
Discover how Dr. Chamine suggests you boost your Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ) to enhance performance and happiness. Learn about the ten internal saboteurs, including the universal "Judge," that hinder your success. Then explore the five sage powers that help you navigate life's challenges with clarity and resilience.
Rona and Jeffrey share their use of these concepts to improve decision-making, manage stress, and enhance relationships. Note: Rona’s a little ahead on this subject because she’s currently enrolled in Dr. Chamine’s coaching program.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your personal development journey, this episode offers valuable insights into achieving mental fitness and personal growth.
About the Author:
Shirzad Chamine is the author of the New York Times bestseller Positive Intelligence. He lectured on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University and has trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. Shirzad has been the CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world and has coached hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams. His background includes a BA in psychology, an MS in electrical engineering, and an MBA from Stanford.
About the Book:
Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine reveals how your mind can be your best friend or worst enemy. By identifying and weakening your internal saboteurs and strengthening your sage powers, you can improve performance, relationships, and overall well-being. Chamine's research shows that higher PQ leads to better outcomes in various aspects of life.
#BizSouls172 #PositiveIntelligence #MentalFitness #SaboteursVsSages #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment