What if the real reason you’re stuck isn’t lack of effort… but solving the wrong problem?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Isamu Pant, behavioural health strategist, former Amazon leader, and author of The Behavioral Health Fix, to unpack why most leaders, students, and organizations stay trapped in cycles of busyness without breakthrough.

We talk about:

• Why passion alone can sabotage progress

• The power of 30-day sprints

• How to identify the real constraint holding you back

• Why “more resources” is usually the wrong answer

• The Find → Fix → Serve framework

• How small focused cycles compound into massive growth

• What young leaders must master before entering the workforce

If you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or like you’re working hard but not moving forward. This episode will shift how you think about progress forever.

Isamu Pant is a behavioral health transformation leader who has worked across public policy, nonprofit healthcare, and Amazon. He helps mission-driven organizations solve decade-long problems in 30-day focused sprints.

He is the author of The Behavioral Health Fix 30-Day Sprint Playbook, built around the Find → Fix → Serve framework.

🌐 Learn more: behavioralhealthfix.com

In this episode:

00:00 – Are You Solving the Wrong Problem?

01:30 – The 4 Core Lessons for Young Leaders

04:45 – What Behavioral Health Really Means

08:00 – Why Organizations React Instead of Fixing

11:00 – The 30-Day Sprint Philosophy

15:00 – Creating Impact With Existing Resources

19:20 – The Find → Fix → Serve Framework

24:30 – Why You Must Choose One Lever

27:00 – A Real $50M Case Study

31:00 – Why This Book Was Written Out of Frustration

35:40 – The Power of Compounding Focus

38:00 – Advice to His 18-Year-Old Self

42:30 – Books That Changed His Perspective

45:40 – Final Message on Intentional Living

If this conversation challenged how you think about progress, share it with someone who’s busy… but stuck.

Do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars.

It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever.

Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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And if you’re ready to stop chasing symptoms and start solving constraints, grab the playbook and run your first 30-day sprint.

LinkedIn isn’t social media… but it's the biggest networking room you’re not walking into.

Most people treat LinkedIn like a CV graveyard or a corporate Instagram.

In this episode, we break that myth.

Today, I’m joined by Ashley Leeds, known as The 15 Minute Guy, and we unpack exactly how to build confidence, visibility, and real opportunities on LinkedIn in just 15 minutes a day.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I don’t know what to post.”

• “I’m not confident enough.”

• “I don’t have enough connections.”

• “LinkedIn feels awkward.”

This episode is for you.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why LinkedIn is NOT social media

• The 15-minute daily habit that changes everything

• How to stop “selling” and start building real relationships

• The 4 biggest profile mistakes killing your visibility

• How to overcome confidence blocks (even if you’re shy)

• What real success on LinkedIn actually looks like

• Why discipline beats motivation every time

Ashley shares practical frameworks, mindset shifts, and simple habits that anyone, especially young professionals can implement immediately.

Ashley Leeds is a LinkedIn trainer, speaker, and entrepreneur known as The 15 Minute Guy. He helps professionals grow their visibility and personal brand by building simple daily habits that compound into real business results.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to The SMARTA Podcast

02:10 – Why LinkedIn Isn’t Social Media

04:30 – Stop Selling. Start Networking.

07:00 – Why Young People Have an Advantage

10:00 – The 15 Minute LinkedIn Routine

14:15 – Engagement vs. Scrolling

18:00 – What Should You Post?

21:40 – The 4 Biggest Profile Mistakes

26:00 – The “15 Minute Guy” Story

31:00 – What Success on LinkedIn Really Means

34:30 – Confidence & The Hula Hoop Theory

37:30 – How to Overcome Self-Doubt

41:30 – Discipline & Showing Up Daily

44:10 – Books That Changed Ashley’s Life

46:15 – Final Advice: What’s the Best That Can Happen?

If this episode resonated with you: do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars.

It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever.

Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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What if the reason you feel stuck isn’t a lack of talent, but a lack of self-awareness?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I’m joined by Betsy Wills, leadership expert, author, and a voice featured in The Washington Post, to explore how understanding your attitude, not just your skills, can completely change the way you lead, learn, and live.

This conversation is about ownership, mindset, and the quiet power of knowing how you show up under pressure. Betsy breaks down why attitude shapes every outcome, how to identify your default patterns, and how small shifts in awareness can unlock confidence, clarity, and better decision-making.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why attitude is a skill, not a personality trait

• How self-awareness changes the way you lead and communicate

• The difference between intention and impact

• How to recognize your default reactions under stress

• Why feedback feels uncomfortable, and why it matters

• How to make intentional shifts without reinventing yourself

Betsy Wills is a leadership coach, speaker, and author whose work focuses on self-awareness, attitude, and leadership effectiveness. Her insights have been featured in The Washington Post, and her research-backed tools are used by individuals and teams worldwide.

📘 When you purchase Betsy’s book directly from her website, you receive a free code to complete the Attitude Assessment, a powerful tool to better understand how you show up and how others experience you.

In this episode:

00:00 – Why attitude shapes every outcome

02:30 – Skills vs attitude: what really matters

05:10 – The moment Betsy realised attitude was the lever

09:40 – Self-awareness and leadership growth

14:20 – Intention vs impact explained

18:50 – Why feedback feels personal

23:10 – Default reactions under pressure

27:45 – Small mindset shifts that change everything

32:30 – Using the Attitude Assessment

37:20 – Advice for students and young leaders

42:00 – Books and tools that shaped Betsy’s work

45:30 – Final reflection on ownership and growth

If this episode resonated with you: do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars.

It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever.

Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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Growth starts with awareness.

What if uncertainty isn’t a sign you’re failing, but proof you’re growing?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I’m joined by Brianna Sylver, innovation leader, author of Leading Through Freefall, and a trusted voice featured in The Washington Post. Brianna has spent over 20 years leading organizations through uncertainty, change, and disruption, and today she breaks down what no one teaches you about navigating the moments when everything feels out of control.

In this conversation, we unpack how to stop fighting uncertainty, why clarity is a superpower you claim (not find), and how resistance, self-doubt, and discomfort are actually signals pointing you toward growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why trying to control your future is holding you back

• How to lead yourself through discomfort instead of avoiding it

• What “freefall moments” really mean and how to use them

• How to stop shrinking when you hit resistance or self-doubt

• Simple habits to stay grounded, focused, and emotionally resilient

About Brianna Sylver:

Brianna Sylver is a global innovation leader and the author of Leading Through Freefall: How Innovators Turn Turbulence Into Trust. She works with Fortune 50 leaders and teams to help them navigate change, uncertainty, and emotional resistance and turn it into impact.

In this episode:

00:00 – Why the future is never predictable

02:40 – Letting go of control & leading through discomfort

05:00 – The freefall moment that changed everything

09:00 – How clarity becomes your superpower

12:00 – Why comparison quietly destroys confidence

14:30 – Reframing resistance as a gift

19:00 – The biggest mistake young professionals make

24:50 – The emotional side of innovation no one talks about

33:30 – Habits to prepare emotionally for change

38:30 – One small action to regain momentum

42:30 – Why you should read Leading Through Freefall

47:00 – Advice Brianna would give her 17-year-old self

50:30 – The daily ritual that unlocks clarity

If this episode resonated with you: do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars.

It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever.

Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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Your story is not over. It’s still being written.

What if the thing you’re missing right now isn’t motivation — but a village?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Jonathan Conyers, author of I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here, campaign feature on Humans of New York, and a voice recognised by The Washington Post, to talk about resilience, community, forgiveness, and how to keep going when life stacks the odds against you.

This conversation is raw, honest, and deeply human. Jonathan shares how belief carried him through hardship, why every moment is bittersweet, and how finding mentors, in unexpected places, changed the trajectory of his life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why community is non negotiable for growth

• What Jonathan means by everything being bittersweet

• How forgiveness frees you more than anyone else

• How to find mentors even when no one looks like you

• Why confidence starts with understanding your own story

• How using your voice can change your future

• Why taking life one day at a time is sometimes the bravest strategy

Jonathan Conyers is an author speaker and founder working at the intersection of storytelling education and community building. His memoir I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here gained national attention through a viral Humans of New York campaign and has been featured by The Washington Post. He is also the co founder of the Brooklyn Debate League empowering young people to claim their voice and rewrite their futures.

📍 Follow Jonathan on Instagram and LinkedIn

📘 Read I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here

🎧 Listen to the Professional Winner Podcast

This episode is a reminder that you are not behind. You are becoming.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 3 of the Year

02:15 – The three lessons that shaped Jonathan’s life

05:20 – Why community matters more than talent

09:30 – Growing up with belief when the odds are against you

14:30 – Finding mentors in unexpected places

19:00 – The Humans of New York moment and what it changed

24:00 – Becoming a father and finding a reason to keep going

28:05 – Staying focused when life feels unstable

32:00 – Helping young people claim their voice

36:50 – Passion as the through line of every career

40:30 – Advice Jonathan would give his 17 year old self

43:00 – Books that changed his perspective

45:30 – Final message for anyone who feels they are not enough

If this episode resonated with you: do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars.

It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever.

Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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Your story is not over. It’s still being written.

Do you feel stuck not because you’re behind, but because you’re waiting to feel ready?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Musonda Veronica, Insider LA’s Person of the Year 2026, TEDx speaker, leadership coach, and keynote speaker, to break down how to step into this year with courage, clarity, and momentum even when your path doesn’t make sense yet.

This conversation is about choosing movement over perfection, courage over readiness, and trusting that you already have more value than you think.

What you’ll walk away with:

• Why your career path doesn’t need to make sense right now

• Why courage always beats readiness

• How to name fear so it stops controlling you

• How to build confidence through competence and familiarity

• How Gen Z mindset can reshape leadership at any age

• How to network, find mentors, and build opportunities from where you are

• Why your differences are not disadvantages, they’re your edge

Musonda Veronica’s work focuses on confidence, career transitions, leadership identity, and helping people step into opportunities before they feel ready.

This is your reminder that your dreams don’t need to make sense to anyone else. They just need movement from you.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 2 of the Year

02:10 – Why you don’t need to be Gen Z to think like one

05:15 – The 3 truths that change how you approach your career

08:45 – Why courage beats readiness every time

12:40 – Saying yes before you’re ready changed everything

18:10 – How to name fear and turn it into a plan

22:30 – Confidence comes from familiarity

26:00 – Networking without fear or awkwardness

31:40 – Transferable skills when you have no experience

36:50 – Finding mentors when you think no one will say yes

40:10 – Books that changed Musonda’s life

45:45 – Final message you need to hear this year

If you learned something new from this episode, do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars. It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever. Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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You don’t have to try harder and post more. You have to get more clarity on what you do. Find your ‘why’. Your purpose.

As a new year begins, most people set goals. Very few build the discipline, clarity, and mindset required to actually follow through.

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with one of the most direct, no-nonsense voices in business to talk about productivity with purpose, cutting through distractions, and doing the work that actually moves the needle.

This conversation is for anyone who’s tired of talking about change, and ready to commit to it.

What we cover in today’s episode:

• Why productivity without purpose leads to burnout

• How to stop overthinking and start executing

• The difference between being busy and being effective

• Why clarity beats motivation every single time

• How to build habits that actually stick in the new year

• What most people get wrong about success and discipline

• How to make 2026 the year you finally take ownership of your life and career

Brad Burton is a serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author, best known as the founder of 4Networking, one of the UK’s largest and most successful business networking organisations.

With decades of experience building communities, businesses, and people, Brad is known for his straight-talking, action-first approach to success. He challenges excuses, calls out comfort zones, and helps individuals and leaders reconnect with purpose, accountability, and momentum.

You can find Brad on LinkedIn, YouTube, and through his books and speaking work, where he continues to push people to stop waiting and start doing.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome

02:00 Why most New Year goals fail

04:05 Top 3 takeaways you’ll gain from this episode

06:10 Productivity vs purpose — why both matter

09:22 The danger of being “busy”

12:01 Clarity as the real productivity hack

15:45 Breaking the cycle of procrastination

19:20 Discipline over motivation

22:58 Habits that create long-term results

27:10 How to reset your mindset for 2026

31:40 Advice Brad would give his younger self

35:15 Final message: ownership, action, and execution

If you learned something new from this episode, do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars. It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever. Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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What if 2026 doesn’t need more pressure... just more energy?

This is the final episode of 2025 on The SMARTA Podcast, and it’s not about resolutions you’ll abandon by February. It’s about learning how to enter 2026 with clarity, confidence, and sustainable energy, without burning out or betraying yourself.

In today’s conversation, I’m joined by Michele Phillips, an expert in emotional intelligence, happiness, and energy management, to break down what actually creates momentum in your life. Not motivation. Not hustle. Alignment.

We talk about why happiness comes before success, how emotions are simply energy asking for direction, and how small, repeatable habits, not massive goals, are what change your life year over year.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, reset, and choose a different way of moving forward.

What you’ll learn:

• How to enter 2026 with more energy (not exhaustion)

• Why happiness is a habit, not a destination

• How to stop letting emotions run your life, and start guiding them

• Why small habits beat big resolutions every time

• How to build confidence by keeping promises to yourself

• The difference between running on adrenaline vs alignment

Michele Phillips is a speaker, corporate trainer, and bestselling author of Happiness Is a Habit and Energize Your Happiness. Her work focuses on emotional intelligence, energy management, and helping people live with greater clarity, confidence, and joy.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome & why this episode matters for 2026

02:34 – You have more power than you think

04:20 – Happiness as a habit (not a reward)

06:10 – Journaling, clarity & celebrating small wins

09:18 – Navigating emotional lows without spiraling

12:30 – Naming emotions: “name it to tame it”

15:30 – Energy vs time as the real performance driver

18:05 – Why dopamine shortcuts don’t work

20:35 – Alignment vs adrenaline

23:40 – Rejection as redirection

27:14 – Why New Year’s resolutions fail

30:10 – The power of starting so small you can’t fail

34:49 – Consistency, patience & long-term confidence

37:00 – Morning rituals & grounded leadership

39:00 – Energize Your Happiness (book pitch)

42:20 – Advice Michele wishes she knew at 17

46:40 – How to live a more energized, happy life

47:50 – Final reflections & closing the year

If you learned something new from this episode, do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars. It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever. Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

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