Employee engagement is at an all-time low—but it doesn’t have to stay that way. In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola Alabi talks with keynote speaker and author Greg Hawks about how organizations can unlock higher performance, trust, and accountability through ownership culture.

Greg shares insights from his upcoming book, Act Like an Owner: Five UNLOCKS for Creating Culture People Love and Results Leaders Need. Discover how to spot disengagement, break down silos, re-energize your team, and transform quiet quitters into contributors.

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Dr. Debra Clary—leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and author of The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions.

Dr. Clary shares how curiosity, often dismissed as a soft skill, is actually a strategic lever for growth and innovation. She explains how leaders can move their teams through the four zones of curiosity to unlock engagement, creativity, and trust.

If you’re a leader or professional looking to reignite your sense of wonder, lead with empathy, and drive performance through curiosity—this episode is for you.

Order Dr Clary's Book here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-Curve-Leaders-Transformation-Questions/dp/1639081380/ref

What if curiosity was the key to unlocking your greatest career and leadership potential?
In this episode, Bola Alabi talks with Dr. Debra Clary, leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and author of The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions.

You’ll learn:
✅ How to use curiosity as a leadership superpower
✅ The four zones of the Curiosity Curve™
✅ How curiosity drives innovation, engagement, and trust
✅ How to build a curiosity-driven culture in your workplace

📘 Order The Curiosity Curve (Fast Company Press, Oct 2025)https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-Curve-Leaders-Transformation-Questions/dp/1639081380/ref

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Michael R. Drew, the powerhouse behind 131 bestselling books and co-author of Pendulum. Michael shares deep insights into the science of influence, the art of storytelling, and the timing of ideas that resonate across generations.

Whether you’re a professional seeking to build your personal brand, an aspiring author, or a leader aiming to communicate more effectively, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and inspiration to help you level up.

🎙️ Tune in and learn how to make your message matter.

How to Write a Bestselling Book | Michael R. Drew Interview | The Career Evangelist Podcast

In this episode, Bola Alabi interviews Michael R. Drew, publishing expert and co-author of Pendulum. Michael has helped over 131 books reach major bestseller lists like The New York Times and USA Today.

He reveals:
✅ How to turn your idea into a bestselling book
✅ The power of timing and cultural cycles (Pendulum insights)
✅ How storytelling can boost your career and leadership impact
✅ Mistakes to avoid when writing or publishing
✅ Lessons from 20+ years in the publishing world

If you’re an aspiring author, entrepreneur, or career professional, this episode will teach you how to communicate your story and position your message for success.

#MichaelDrew #CareerEvangelist #BookPublishing #PersonalBrand #Pendulum #Leadership #Storytelling #CareerGrowth

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Anna Tran, co-founder of Level Up With Anna PR, to explore how storytelling can transform your career and business. Anna reveals the strategies behind turning your personal journey into a powerful brand narrative that captures both media attention and audience trust.

From landing features in Forbes to building long-term visibility without gimmicks, Anna shares practical insights for anyone who wants to elevate their presence and influence.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation packed with real-world PR wisdom and career growth takeaways.

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Gladys H. DeClouet, a pioneering executive who has led multi-billion-dollar businesses across the oil and restaurant industries.
From being the first female engineer in offshore oil exploration to holding senior executive roles at BP, Burger King, and Jack in the Box, Gladys shares her insights on leadership, resilience, and breaking barriers.
Tune in as she reveals the lessons that shaped her remarkable journey — and how you, too, can rise above challenges to build a lasting career legacy.

In this episode, Bola Alabi chats with Anna Tran, Co-Founder of Level Up With Anna PR, about how to use storytelling to grow your visibility, credibility, and career.

Anna has helped entrepreneurs and brands land features in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and top media outlets through her authentic, no-fluff approach to PR.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to craft a media-worthy personal story

• The difference between PR hype and real credibility

• How to position yourself as an industry expert

• Why storytelling is the new marketing strategy

• How to go from invisible to in-demand

🔥 Subscribe for more episodes on career growth, branding, and success strategies.
#CareerEvangelistPodcast #AnnaTran #LevelUpWithAnna #Storytelling #PersonalBranding #PRStrategy #Entrepreneurship #CareerGrowth

In this inspiring episode, Bola Alabi welcomes Jim Matuga, founder of InnerAction Media and host of Positively West Virginia, to discuss the art of followership — and why it’s the missing link in most leadership conversations.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• The true meaning of effective followership

• How great followers become great leaders

• Why teams thrive when followers take initiative

• How to grow your influence — even if you’re not “the boss”

🔔 Subscribe for more career, leadership, and success insights from The Career Evangelist Podcast.
#Followership #Leadership #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #JimMatuga #BolaAlabi

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Jim Matuga — entrepreneur, author, and host of Positively West Virginia — to explore the often-overlooked power of followership. Jim shares why being a great follower is just as essential as being a great leader, and how mastering followership can boost collaboration, trust, and professional success.

Whether you’re leading a team or contributing to one, this episode will help you see your role through a new lens — one that values humility, initiative, and teamwork as the foundation for leadership growth.

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Gladys H. DeClouet, a pioneering executive who has led multi-billion-dollar businesses across the oil and restaurant industries.
From being the first female engineer in offshore oil exploration to holding senior executive roles at BP, Burger King, and Jack in the Box, Gladys shares her insights on leadership, resilience, and breaking barriers.
Tune in as she reveals the lessons that shaped her remarkable journey — and how you, too, can rise above challenges to build a lasting career legacy.

In this episode of the Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola sits down with Nate Dinet, founder and CEO of The Step Manager. With more than 15 years of experience helping employees succeed, Nate shares practical strategies for advancing your career, navigating middle management, and finding work-life balance. From lessons learned in tech startups to empowering individuals across industries, Nate’s insights will inspire you to take control of your professional journey and “get stuff done.”

In this episode, we talk with Nate Dinet, founder & CEO of The Step Manager, about how professionals can break through career barriers, land promotions, and thrive as leaders—all while maintaining work-life balance.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why career advancement coaching matters
✅ How middle managers can stand out
✅ Strategies to prepare for your first leadership role
✅ Tips for negotiating promotions and pay raises
✅ How to avoid common career mistakes

If you’re ready to grow your career, this episode is packed with actionable advice!

📌 Subscribe for more career tips, leadership advice, and success strategies every week.

#CareerPodcast #NateDinet #PromotionTips #CareerGrowth #Leadership

In this episode of the Career Evangelist Podcast, I sit down with Matt Watson, 5x founder, seasoned CTO, and current CEO of Full Scale. Matt is passionate about building engineering teams that think like owners, not ticket-takers. We dive into his journey as a serial entrepreneur, his lessons on scaling high-trust, high-impact teams, and why leadership in tech needs a new mindset. Whether you’re a developer, manager, or aspiring founder, Matt’s insights will help you rethink how teams should work and how you can grow your career in the process.

How do you build engineering teams that actually ship what matters? In this episode of the Career Evangelist Podcast, I interview Matt Watson—CEO of Full Scale, 5x founder, and best-selling author of Product Driven.

Discover the leadership strategies you need to succeed in today’s fast-changing world! In this Career Evangelist Podcast episode, leadership expert Maria Brinck, former Fortune 500 executive at GE, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk, shares actionable insights on authentic leadership, career growth, and leading with purpose. Learn how to navigate corporate challenges, develop influence, and become the leader the world needs

In this episode of the Career Evangelist Podcast, I sit down with Maria Brinck, global leadership expert and former Fortune 500 executive. Maria shares lessons from decades advising CEOs, leading multinational teams, and even living with Indigenous communities in the Congo Basin. We discuss how to develop authentic leadership, navigate career challenges, and build the mindset that the modern world demands. Whether you’re aspiring to a leadership role or simply want to improve your impact at work, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you grow.

In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola Alabi sits down with JR Butler—former Division I athlete, tech executive, and founder of Shift Group—to talk about turning elite athletic or military experience into a thriving corporate career. JR shares his journey from NCAA hockey to leading billion-dollar business growth, and how he’s helping former athletes and veterans transition into high-performance roles in sales, finance, operations, and beyond. They discuss mindset, personal branding, hiring trends, and why traditional recruiting often overlooks the best talent. Whether you’re navigating a career change or looking to hire game-changing talent, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

What does it take to transition from elite sports or military service into a thriving business career? In this episode of The Career Evangelist Podcast, Bola Alabi interviews JR Butler, founder of Shift Group, a platform that helps athletes and veterans land high-performance roles in sales, finance, operations, and product management.

JR shares his journey from NCAA hockey at Holy Cross—where he was part of one of the biggest upsets in college sports history—to scaling a tech company to a $2B acquisition by IBM, and leading go-to-market strategies at Pillir with partners like AWS and Microsoft.

You’ll learn:
✅ How athletes and veterans can translate their skills to the business world
✅ The mindset shifts needed to thrive in corporate environments
✅ How to stand out in a competitive hiring market
✅ Why companies are overlooking some of the best talent available

On today’s episode of the Career Evangelist Podcast, we sit down with Stela Roznovan—TEDx speaker, immigrant entrepreneur, and founder of a multimillion-dollar Globe Life agency. At just 13, she arrived in the U.S. with only $600. Today, she leads a $500M+ business with over 100 remote agents and $500K in monthly revenue.

We dive into her viral Comfort Crisis message, the mindset behind explosive growth, and how she built wealth from the ground up. If you're ready to escape your comfort zone, unlock high performance, and build a career of impact—this episode is for you.