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When did “thought leadership” turn into a high-school popularity contest with ring lights? In this episode of The Ron Table, I sit down with co-hosts Nicole Gray and Laine Belcastro to separate real thought leadership (insight that changes how you think) from the algorithm-friendly soundbites that rack up likes but say nothing.

We talk authenticity over aesthetics, stories over quotes-on-Canva, and why “leadership that fits on a coffee mug” is…well…merch. Expect movie references (Mean Girls, Anchorman, Coming to America, Ghost), a Yankees sidebar, and a hilarious dryer-string near-death experience. More importantly, expect a candid framework for what useful leadership content looks like in 2025—and how to spot the difference between a true perspective and a discount-code pitch.

You’ll hear about:

• Thought leadership vs. influencer content (and why both exist for different jobs)
• How “algorithm-first” posting is insulting your audience’s intelligence
• The difference between motivation, information, and transformation
• Platform fit: where short clips belong and where deeper ideas should live
• A simple test: “Does this reframe my thinking—or just juice my dopamine?”

Question for you: Are you actually learning—or just liking? Tell us what you want more of in future episodes: real playbooks, case studies, frameworks, or quick hits.

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Unlimited Vacation: Perk or PR?
This week on The Ron Table, Laine Belcastro, Nicole Gray and I pull apart the shiny wrapper on “unlimited vacation.” We compare corporate policies (a.k.a. take time off at your own risk) with entrepreneurial “freedom” (answering client emails from a roller coaster). We talk culture vs. policy, permission vs. discipline, and why so many teams still guilt people for stepping away.

Along the way: the real reason unlimited PTO became a thing (follow the money), how good managers actually signal “go take Friday,” and why for business owners the work doesn’t disappear—it waits.

Hit play, then tell us: which is harder—asking your boss for time off, or asking yourself to stop working?

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Unlimited income? My a**. In Episode 13, we torch the hustle-porn fantasy and get real about the highs, lows, and ramen-budget reality of running your own thing. Ron, Nicole, and Lainey dig into what social media skips: inconsistent cash flow, the need for multiple streams, reading the economy like a forecast, and why “community” (aka your Diamond Dogs) is oxygen when a client ghosts or budgets shift.

We talk:

• The myth vs. math of “unlimited earning potential”
• Jamie Tartt swagger vs. bank-account reality—plus a Roy Kent pep talk you’ll actually use
• Building backup plans, banking the good months, and surviving the dry spells
• The rise of “experts” selling shortcuts—and how to spot the grift
• Mental game: resilience, realism, and staying human in the grind

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