Leading in Rooms That Weren’t Built For You

The Heart of a Girl Dad

On this special mid-season episode of Unbounded: Beyond Limits, host Todd Simmons gathers three of his closest brothers around a virtual table. Together with Charles Flanagan, Abi Scott, and Marcus Oats—four military veterans, four fathers, and four men who have spent decades raising daughters—this conversation gets raw, real, and deeply vulnerable. What does it actually mean to be a girl dad? Not the highlight reel. Not the social media posts. The real thing. These four men pull back the curtain on the joys, fears, failures, and hard-won lessons of raising women. They discuss the terrifying shift from being a young, fearless father to a seasoned, overprotective one. They admit to the moments they got it wrong—the controlling instincts, the communication breakdowns, the years-long estrangements, and the pride that had to be swallowed. They talk about learning to listen instead of fix, to hold space instead of lecture, and to transition from being a commander to a consultant. This is not a polished, preachy conversation. It's four men laughing, confessing, and challenging each other to be better. For any father raising a daughter—or anyone who wants to understand the weight and wonder of that role—this episode is a must-listen. Unbounded: Beyond Limits features real conversations with real people living beyond limits. No scripts. No filters. Just truth.     Find Todd Simmons here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/] Courageous Leadership Alliance: https://www.courageouslead.com/ [https://www.courageouslead.com/]

Turning Passion Into Professional Power

What happens when 70+ years of combined military service never cross paths—until a random Zoom call during COVID changes everything? That’s where host Todd Simmons’ friendship with today’s guest begins, and it’s the perfect entry point to a conversation about authentic leadership, career pivots, and what it really takes to thrive. In this episode, Dr. Leenette Joseph—a 23-year Air Force veteran, two-time author, and workforce development expert—joins Todd to go beyond the bio. She opens up about her unconventional journey, from failing the ASVAB three times (because she didn’t speak English yet) to earning her doctorate and building a business from the ground up during a global pandemic. Together, they tackle the messy reality of reinvention: * Why thinking you have "everything you need" is the first mistake of any career pivot. * The truth about entrepreneurship: crying over keyboards, "$500 checks," and the 5-year grind Ice Cube warned us about. * How to stop being a "chaos manager" and start leading with intention (hint: it starts with leaning back). * Why your value proposition matters more than your capability list. Dr. Joseph also introduces her brand-new book, Thrive Six: Where Survival Ends and Leadership Begins, a six-step framework filled with exercises to help overwhelmed leaders (and humans) move from reactive firefighting to intentional thriving. Plus, she delivers a viral-worthy analogy about TikTok videos and why we can’t solve problems when they’re “too close to our face.”   Find Dr. Leenette Joseph RLK Team Solutions https://rlk-teamsolutions.com/ [https://rlk-teamsolutions.com/] LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/leenette-joseph/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leenette-joseph/] Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FH47XFC3?ccs_id=5e4db204-d9b6-4464-927e-87cea425c52f [https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FH47XFC3?ccs_id=5e4db204-d9b6-4464-927e-87cea425c52f]     And find Todd Simmons here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/] Courageous Leadership Alliance: https://www.courageouslead.com/ [https://www.courageouslead.com/]

The Risk That Changed Everything

How do you redesign your life when the script you've been handed no longer fits? In this episode of Unbounded: Beyond Limits, host Todd Simmons welcomes Valerie Rivera—a former Air Force linguist turned Stanford MBA, founder of Take Back Work, and now an expat building a new life in France. Valerie reveals the pivotal moments that led her to trade a secure military career for entrepreneurship, and eventually, to relocate her family and business overseas. Valerie unpacks the philosophy behind her "small risks first" approach to major life changes and explains how helping others design better workplace cultures taught her to design a life she truly loves. She speaks candidly about navigating a 20-year age gap in marriage while aligning shared dreams, the art of saying "no" to a traditional retirement path, and why moving to Europe became a non-negotiable chapter in her family's story. From discussing how appreciative inquiry transforms organizations to sharing why she now refuses to work on French holidays, Valerie offers a refreshing perspective on work-life integration, intentional living, and building a business that travels with you—not one that ties you down. Whether you're contemplating a career pivot, dreaming of living abroad, or simply seeking more purpose in your daily routine, this conversation is a masterclass in courageous reinvention.   Find Valerie Rivera: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriebrivera/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriebrivera/] Take Back Work https://takebackwork.com/ [https://takebackwork.com/] val@takebackwork.com [val@takebackwork.com]   And find Todd Simmons here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/] Courageous Leadership Alliance: https://www.courageouslead.com/ [https://www.courageouslead.com/]

The Real Work Is Inner Work

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Unbounded: Beyond Limits, host Todd Simmons sits down with Dr. JayR McIntyre—known widely as Tha Hood Motiv8tor—to explore the transformative power of inner work, resilience, and living a purpose-driven life. From growing up in challenging circumstances in Long Beach, California, to serving three combat tours in Iraq, battling PTSD, overcoming bankruptcy, and earning a doctorate, JayR’s journey is a testament to the strength of self-belief and authenticity. Todd and JayR dive into what it means to turn trauma into triumph, the importance of owning your story, and how to show up unapologetically in every room—from Fortune 500 companies to correctional facilities. This conversation is raw, real, and packed with actionable wisdom for anyone looking to break through limitations and live unbounded.   Find JayR Mcintyre: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thahoodmotiv8tor/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thahoodmotiv8tor/] Website: https://www.thahoodmotiv8tor.com/ [https://www.thahoodmotiv8tor.com/]     And find Todd Simmons here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/] Courageous Leadership Alliance: https://www.courageouslead.com/ [https://www.courageouslead.com/]

Leading in Rooms That Weren’t Built For You

In this episode of Unbounded: Beyond Limits, host Todd Simmons sits down with executive coach and leadership expert Andrea McNamara Singsaas. They dive deep into what it means to lead authentically in spaces not designed for you, embracing resilience, reframing failure, and building a life and career rooted in purpose, consistency, and growth. Andrea shares her journey from military spouse to entrepreneur, the challenges of navigating identity shifts, and how she built a thriving coaching business while raising three children as a single mom. Both Todd and Andrea open up about their personal and professional transformations, offering raw insights on overcoming self-doubt, the power of coaching, and how to show up boldly—even when you feel like you don’t belong.   Find Andrea McNamara Singsaas: LinkedIn                               https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasingsaas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasingsaas/] The Tyne groups https://www.thetynegroup.com/ [https://www.thetynegroup.com/]   And find Todd Simmons here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-simmons-mba-fbina-7971a5156/] Courageous Leadership Alliance: https://www.courageouslead.com/ [https://www.courageouslead.com/]