Welcome to The Seeds of Leadership podcast - where servant leadership meets real-world performance. Hosted by Jeremy Cole, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and founder of Avad Consulting™, this podcast features honest conversations with proven leaders who put people first and deliver lasting results. Explore the intersection of faith, operational excellence, and human-centered leadership in business.

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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:<ul><li>What it actually looks like to sit with someone in pain</li><li>How empathy, patience, and presence are developed through real life, not taught</li><li>The tension between hope and reality in the hardest seasons</li><li>How emotional intelligence shows up in leadership, relationships, and everyday moments</li></ul>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: <a href="https://stephanyluithly.com/" rel="nofollow">https://stephanyluithly.com/</a>Email: StephLuithly@icloud.com

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

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

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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:<ul><li>How values, vision, life domains, and “I am” statements create clarity before setting goals</li><li>How to assess where you are today using simple growth audits and short-term focus</li><li>How daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms support consistency over time</li><li>What to do on “red days,” including how to identify barriers and respond to them</li><li>How growth becomes complete when it turns outward through service and gratitude</li></ul>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 12 - "Growth beyond Resolutions"

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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:<ul><li>What positivity looks like in real teams, not posters on a wall</li><li>“Hungry for more” after a win and how that shapes culture</li><li>Working through injury and the Monday grind after tough losses</li><li>The simple rule: never read the comments</li><li>Advice for the whole program in 10 words or less</li></ul>

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

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Jeremy sits down once again with a familiar voice, Nicolas, founder of <a href="https://hokseynativeseeds.com/" rel="nofollow">Hoksey Native Seeds</a> and host of <a href="https://hokseynativeseeds.com/the-prairie-farm-podcast" rel="nofollow">The Prairie Farm Podcast</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581085067583" rel="nofollow">True Path Financial Coaching</a> 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:<blockquote>“Many believe the hurt caused by megachurches is beyond repair.”</blockquote> A thoughtful and grounded episode that blends faith, friendship, and financial wisdom for leaders who want to grow with honesty and courage.

Episode 10 - "Ask Anyway" with Nicolas Lirio

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What if the secret to sustainable leadership isn&#39;t rapid growth or complex strategy, but quiet consistency, deep respect, and doing the right thing when no one is watching?In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Formanek, a trusted Knoxville chiropractor and 36-year business owner, to explore the simple and often overlooked truths behind long-term impact.They talk about the value of showing up on time, how to build trust with patients and staff, and why overhead, respect, and compassion matter more than most people think.Topics include:<ul><li>Building a cross-trained, flexible team</li><li>Keeping overhead low without sacrificing quality</li><li>Leading with respect and clarity</li><li>Practicing compassion as a daily discipline</li><li>Creating a culture where patients and staff feel at ease</li></ul> This is a quiet masterclass in people-first leadership from someone who has lived it for over three decades.

Episode 9 - "Leading with Compassion" with Dr. Formanek

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This episode takes a step back from interviews and stories from others. Jeremy shares a personal reflection on the early stages of launching Avad Consulting and what the journey has taught him so far.From navigating uncertainty and self-doubt to finding clarity in faith and authenticity, these lessons offer a look behind the curtain of building a business from the ground up. While the themes are drawn from Jeremy’s own experience, they connect to challenges every leader faces when stepping into something new.

Episode 8 - “Starting Avad: Five Lessons”

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Jeremy sits down with his longtime mentor Joe LaCount, Founder and Principal Consultant of North Star Coaching and Consulting. They dig into what it really takes to lead change that respects people and delivers results.In this episode<ul><li>People first, then process: Why respect for people is the foundation of every improvement, and how to treat the next operation as your customer</li><li>Measurement that matters: Stop guessing outcomes. Measure inputs and key steps, not just the final output</li><li>Real Kaizen, real buy-in: Joe refuses to run events without the frontline in the room. The people who do the work must design the work</li><li>Start with small wins: The Moneyball “free Coke” story, and why solving one frontline pain builds momentum for bigger change</li><li>5S builds culture: “Would you have your mom work here?” Using workplace organization to show respect and shift behavior</li><li>Coaching with humility: Guide, don’t force. Ask simple questions, listen, and let teams own the solution</li></ul>Why it mattersJoe blends technical mastery with servant leadership. His stories and approach show how leaders can build improvement cultures that last and grow through the people doing the work.

Episode 7 - "You Deserve What You Tolerate" with Joe LaCount

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In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Matt Van Sant, Worship &amp; Youth Leader at Celebrate Church. Matt shares how his early love for music turned into a lifelong place of leadership, and what he’s learned about showing up with humility, leaning into discomfort, and believing in people.The conversation explores:<ul><li>What it means to lead when others have more life experience</li><li>Why deeply believing in people matters more than perfection</li><li>How leadership often flows out of who you are when no one’s watching</li><li>The role of wonder and imagination in faith, family, and leadership</li><li>Lessons from worship, parenting, and even golf about humility and growth</li></ul>Matt&#39;s story shows how God develops great leaders through faith, integrity, and a heart for people.

Episode 6 - "When No One Is Watching" with Matt Van Sant

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Stephen Gnidovec is the founder of <a href="https://greatlakesanalytics.net/" rel="nofollow">Great Lakes Analytics</a>, a consulting firm that helps leaders and teams use data to make better decisions. He is also the author of <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-data-culture-handbook-stephen-gnidovec/1148012965" rel="nofollow">The Data Culture Handbook</a>, his new book on how organizations can build healthier relationships with data.In this episode, we talk about the practical side of data: dashboards, KPIs, and how to avoid &#34;report purgatory.&#34; Stephen shares lessons from consulting, why culture matters as much as numbers, and what he learned while writing his book.We also talk about his journey starting Great Lakes Analytics, the challenges of building a practice, and some lighter stories that show the human side of working with data.Check out Stephen&#39;s new book:Barnes &amp; Noble: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-data-culture-handbook-stephen-gnidovec/1148012965" rel="nofollow">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-data-culture-handbook-stephen-gnidovec/1148012965</a>Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Data-Culture-Handbook-Data-Driven-Organizations/dp/B0F673X4V1" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Data-Culture-Handbook-Data-Driven-Organizations/dp/B0F673X4V1</a>Stephen on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgnidovec/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgnidovec/</a>

Episode 5 – "The Data Culture Handbook" with Stephen Gnidovec

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In this episode, we talk with Jennie Koenig and Emily Caulkins, co-founders of Pleasantville Youth Initiative, a nonprofit focused on creating space for kids to be themselves and experience everyday life together in a small-town community.We talk about how they approach ministry without pressure, how they listen to what the community actually needs, and how they&#39;re stepping into a building project with more faith than certainty. We also get into the heart behind their podcast, “Ope, There It Is,” where they highlight ordinary people doing quiet, meaningful work.There’s laughter, honesty, and a reminder that sometimes what matters most isn’t a plan or a program. Sometimes it’s just a hug and a pie.👉 To learn more about Pleasantville Youth Initiative or to support their building project, visit <a href="https://pvilleyi.org" rel="nofollow">https://pvilleyi.org</a>. (Click the Donate button at the top.)

Episode 4 - "Just Be There" with Jennie Koenig and Emily Caulkins

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Jeremy answers two listener questions: how to spot low-hanging inefficiencies in a business, and how to keep services affordable as prices rise. He shares thoughts on leveraging your P&amp;L, going to the Gemba, and aligning strategy with what your customer truly values.He also unpacks the story behind the free B2H Field Guide and previews a new tool in progress: the Organizational Maturity Index.Free download of B2H™ Field Guide here: <a href="http://b2h.avadconsulting.com" rel="nofollow">http://b2h.avadconsulting.com</a>

B2H™ Field Guide free download

The B2H™ Field Guide is a 30-day execution system built for clarity, rhythm, and momentum.
Free download here: http://b2h.avadconsulting.com



Bonus Episode (3.1) – “Q&A, Behind Avad’s B2H™ System, and What’s Coming”

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Wade Daniel joins us for Episode 3, and it&#39;s a good one. We talk entrepreneurship, red flag clients, standard work, and Wade’s leap from running a thriving GC business to full-time ministry with Twelve21 Global. Plus, my brother Kennedy (our podcast editor) jumps into the live chat with sharp questions in our first remote episode.

Episode 3 - "Work Worth Doing" with Wade Daniel

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Todd Chambers, owner of McKay Group Insurance, is a well-connected Iowa native known for his generosity and deep investment in the community. We talk about “burning the ships,” parenting, digital notepads, leadership, going to the Gemba, and why investing where you live matters. Intro music by Ken, The Admin – check out more of his work: <a href="https://linktr.ee/kentheadmin" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/kentheadmin</a>

Todd Chambers, owner of McKay Group Insurance, is a well-connected Iowa native known for his generosity and deep investment in the community. We talk about “burning the ships,” parenting, digital notepads, leadership, going to the Gemba, and why investing where you live matters. Intro music by Ken, The Admin – check out more of his work: https://linktr.ee/kentheadmin

Episode 2 - "Burn the Ships" with Todd Chambers

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Nicolas Lirio is a business, real estate, and community leader with a heart for people and Jesus. In this first episode of Seeds of Leadership, we talk about flipping houses, minimizing waste, building strong habits, knowing your numbers, and leading with purpose. Nicolas also shares his favorite leaders—both historical and local—and offers advice for anyone starting a podcast or building something that matters.

Nicolas Lirio is a business, real estate, and community leader with a heart for people and Jesus. In this first episode of Seeds of Leadership, we talk about flipping houses, minimizing waste, building strong habits, knowing your numbers, and leading with purpose. Nicolas also shares his favorite leaders—both historical and local—and offers advice for anyone starting a podcast or building something that matters.

Episode 1 - "A Voice for the Vision" with Nicolas Lirio