Avad: The Seeds of Leadership

Episode 14 - "A Collection of William" with Stephany Luithly

I sat down with Stephany Luithly for a conversation on grief, motherhood, and what it looks like to keep moving forward after loss. Stephany is a wife, mom, and author of A Collection of William. After a miraculous and hope-filled 97 days, her first baby William passed away. She shares what that journey has looked like, how writing became a way to process it, and how it deepened an already strong foundation of emotional intelligence in how she shows up in life and with the people around her. I am blessed to call her my sister, and I have learned from her what it looks like to truly care for people in the moments that matter most. We talk about: * What it actually looks like to sit with someone in pain * How empathy, patience, and presence are developed through real life, not taught * The tension between hope and reality in the hardest seasons * How emotional intelligence shows up in leadership, relationships, and everyday moments A study by TalentSmart found that emotional intelligence accounts for about 58 percent of performance across roles, with top performers consistently scoring higher in EQ. Her new book, A Collection of William, releases March 25 on Amazon. I mean this sincerely. Read it. If you buy the book and it does not impact you in a meaningful way, I will personally reimburse you. Connect with Stephany: Website: https://stephanyluithly.com/ [https://stephanyluithly.com/] Email: StephLuithly@icloud.com

Episode 13 - "The Weight of Your Word" with Benjamin Suyematsu

Benjamin Suyematsu joins Jeremy for a practical conversation about how leadership is shaped through family, lived experience, and personal responsibility rather than titles alone. They discuss influence versus authority, the role of follow-through in building trust, and how credibility is formed through consistent action over time. They also explore nature versus nurture, observing before leading, and the value of staying curious rather than trying to be the smartest person in the room. The conversation turns to automation and AI and how leaders can think clearly about modern tools while maintaining judgment, transparency, and human responsibility. This episode is a grounded conversation about becoming someone others can trust through how you show up and lead.

Episode 12 - "Growth beyond Resolutions"

This episode comes at a time when many New Year’s goals start to feel harder to sustain. In this episode, I walk through the Servant Growth Framework, a simple four-phase approach built around Identity, Alignment, Resilience, and Impact. Rather than relying on motivation alone, the framework starts with who you are becoming, how that shows up in daily rhythms, and how growth is meant to extend beyond yourself. I walk through: * How values, vision, life domains, and “I am” statements create clarity before setting goals * How to assess where you are today using simple growth audits and short-term focus * How daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms support consistency over time * What to do on “red days,” including how to identify barriers and respond to them * How growth becomes complete when it turns outward through service and gratitude This episode is a practical guide for staying grounded in your growth beyond the early weeks of the year - and for using that growth to better serve the people around you.

Episode 11 - "Find the Good In the Bad" with Regan Roberts

Knoxville senior and multi-sport athlete Regan “Reggie” Roberts joins Jeremy to talk optimism that holds up under pressure, what a winning culture looks like in the good and the hard days, and how to handle noise from the cheap seats. We get into his experience performing in Matilda with K-ACT (Knoxville Area Community Theatre) and what that taught him about encouragement and showing up for people. From football and injuries to nature vs. nurture, Regan shares what he’s learned and what’s next as he closes the book on Friday nights. Highlights: * What positivity looks like in real teams, not posters on a wall * “Hungry for more” after a win and how that shapes culture * Working through injury and the Monday grind after tough losses * The simple rule: never read the comments * Advice for the whole program in 10 words or less

Episode 10 - "Ask Anyway" with Nicolas Lirio

Jeremy sits down once again with a familiar voice, Nicolas, founder of Hoksey Native Seeds [https://hokseynativeseeds.com/] and host of The Prairie Farm Podcast [https://hokseynativeseeds.com/the-prairie-farm-podcast]. Nicolas is known for his authenticity, local impact, and big-picture thinking, and this conversation delivers all of that and more. Together they explore what integrity looks like in real life, from setting healthy boundaries in close friendships to asking hard questions about purity, faith, and financial well-being. They dive into different personal finance philosophies, from Dave Ramsey principles to leveraging low-interest debt, with a nod to True Path Financial Coaching [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581085067583] by certified Ramsey coach Shane Cox. The two also talk through Celebrate Church’s strategic planning process, the tension between vulnerability and integrity, and Nicolas’ story of transformation during his time at Bethel College. The episode closes with both sharing ten-word reactions to this prompt: > “Many believe the hurt caused by megachurches is beyond repair.” A thoughtful and grounded episode that blends faith, friendship, and financial wisdom for leaders who want to grow with honesty and courage.