In this episode of the Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Dentico sits down with Chris Carter, a visionary tech entrepreneur, four-time bestselling author, and CEO of Approyo. With over 25 years in the IT industry, Chris shares the fascinating "behind-the-scenes" story of launching the first SAP Cloud in 2005—a breakthrough moment that involved late-night brainstorming sessions with global teams and a surprise encounter with SAP's executive leadership. Chris discusses how his early passion for creative coding on a Commodore Vic 20 evolved into leading a global organization recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine and Forbes for its impact on digital transformation.

The conversation takes a deep dive into the practical reality of Artificial Intelligence, moving past the "bombastic claims" to focus on how leaders can use AI to find greater meaning and efficiency in their work. Chris emphasizes the importance of human oversight, noting that while AI tools like Claude or Gamma are powerful, they still require "human eyes" to prevent hallucinations and ensure quality. Exploring themes of leadership evolution and the emerging entrepreneurial age, Chris and John discuss why lifting others up and truly listening to customers remains the ultimate secret to a high-performing company culture.

00:00 – Introduction to Chris Carter: SAP Expert and Visionary Entrepreneur

02:36 – Early Influences: From Lake Michigan to Georgia Tech

04:13 – The Breakthrough: Building the First SAP Cloud in 2005

07:01 – Meeting Bill McDermott: When Innovation Outpaces Contracts

09:40 – Meaning as Currency: Why Work Must Matter

11:02 – The AI Truck: Navigating Hype vs. Reality

12:21 – Strategic Tooling: Moving Beyond "Boiling the Ocean"

14:35 – Software vs. Hardware: The Evolving Tech Horse Race

16:45 – The Prompting Evolution: Why AI Still Needs Human Eyes

19:07 – Coding Wars and the End-User Experience

22:01 – The "Human Hack": Getting Past Automated Screening

23:58 – The Cultural Secret: Listening and Lifting People Up

26:12 – AI Augmentation: Addition vs. Multiplication in Teams

31:04 – Leadership Evolution: From George Washington to Steve Jobs

33:22 – Hope for the Future: Growing the Next Generation of Talent

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In this episode of the Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, host Dr. John Dentico welcomes Al Kushner, an award-winning author and strategist specializing in the intersection of artificial intelligence and professional presence Al shares his journey from a Brooklyn art school background to becoming a 20-year veteran of LinkedIn, explaining how his unique perspective on art and design helps him help others refine their digital identities. He discusses the inspiration behind his book, The AI LinkedIn Advantage, emphasizing that while many resources cover AI or LinkedIn separately, few combine them to provide a truly competitive edge in today's "noise-filled" digital landscape.

The conversation dives deep into practical strategies for maintaining authenticity while leveraging automation tools like Perplexity, Claude, and 11 Labs. Al explains his "two-prong" approach to profile optimization and outreach, sharing a recent success story of an accountant who grew his connection rate by 400% through targeted AI tactics. Looking toward the future, Al and Dr. Dentico discuss the emerging "entrepreneurial age" and why professionals must embrace AI-powered education and certifications to remain marketable. The episode concludes with a look at the future of search engines and Al's free resources for listeners to audit their own LinkedIn profiles.

• 00:00 – Introduction to Al Kushner and The AI LinkedIn Advantage
• 01:44 – Early Influences: From Coney Island to Art School
• 02:27 – Two Decades on LinkedIn: Evolution of a Thought Leader
• 04:02 – Why Combine AI with Personal Branding?
• 05:03 – Establishing Authority through Content and Newsletter Strategy
• 07:20 – Top AI Tool Recommendations: Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude
• 09:48 – Balancing Automation with Human Authenticity
• 10:52 – Video Strategy: Using AI Avatars and Cloned Voices
• 14:16 – LinkedIn Success Rules and Influencer Engagement
• 16:29 – Transparency: Admitting to the Use of AI
• 18:34 – Case Study: A 400% Increase in Connection Growth
• 19:52 – The Future of Work: Certifications and Lifelong Learning
• 22:52 – The Coming AI Shakeout and the Future of Search
• 28:02 – Final Thoughts and Free LinkedIn Audit Resources

You can reach AL at https://linkedvantage.com/

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Lauren Perez traded Broadway dreams for trademark expertise and discovered her true calling wasn't performing on stage but creating light bulb moments for business owners navigating intellectual property chaos. As founder of LVP Solutions, this former law firm VP now helps entrepreneurs understand what they didn't even know they needed to know about protecting their brands in a borderless digital economy where an $80 LLC competes with billion-dollar corporations before breakfast. Her journey began with everything stolen from her car on Day One in New York, forcing reinvention that led to pioneering work in licensing, globalization, and trademark strategy decades before most recognized IP would power commerce.

The conversation explores the art of stillness. Lauren champions listening over talking, creating space for those breakthrough light bulb moments rather than rushing to solutions. She discusses her Small Business Forum, a vetted expert network for founders tired of guessing games, and her expanding mediation practice that saves relationships and money by avoiding litigation. Her philosophy? She's done chasing titles and career ladders. This chapter is about finding happy through client success and making genuine difference, one light bulb moment at a time.

From Broadway Dreams to IP Pioneer - 02:59

The Car Robbery That Changed Everything - 04:13

Slow Burn to Breaking Point - 04:07

Teaching Creates Light Bulb Moments - 06:45

The Small Business Forum Vision - 11:30

Global Commerce Without Borders - 15:20

Mediation Over Litigation - 19:45

The Power of Being Still - 27:58

Listening for Light Bulb Moments - 28:14

Letting the Subconscious Work - 28:23

Finding Happy Over Building Empire - 29:00

Making Difference Through Client Success - 30:28

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Janneh Wright didn't just survive the immigrant experience; he turned it into a blueprint for operational excellence. As founder and CEO of Primus Business Management, this Guyana-born entrepreneur spent two decades proving that the "back office" isn't overhead, it's the foundation that determines whether mission-driven organizations thrive or die. His Three Cs model (Compliance, Culture, Consistency) transforms what most business owners see as administrative headaches into competitive advantages, giving entrepreneurs the pride of knowing they're running real companies, not side hustles disguised as businesses.

The conversation tackles the brutal five-year failure myth plaguing small businesses with refreshing defiance. Janneh's vision centers on creating 10, 20, and 30-year-old small businesses that anchor communities, sponsor peewee leagues, and survive corporate departures that devastate entire towns. He champions small business agility over corporate scale, arguing that nimble organizations can out-create rather than out-compete. The discussion explores "creativity pods," groups of skilled professionals forming entrepreneurial collectives, as the future of work. For business owners drowning in compliance chaos or community leaders tired of watching local enterprises fail, Janneh delivers both empathy and actionable strategy rooted in lived experience.

From Guyana to Business Leadership - 01:37

Family as Foundation - 01:49

The Three Cs Model Explained - 02:11

Compliance: Proving Your Business Exists - 03:01

Culture: Beyond Company Parties - 05:15

Consistency: The Trust Builder - 08:30

Economic Empowerment in BIPOC Communities - 14:20

Breaking the Five-Year Failure Myth - 32:43

Small Business Agility Advantage - 33:35

Out-Create, Don't Compete - 33:56

The Creativity Pods Concept - 35:29

Entrepreneurial Mindset Hypergrowth - 35:16

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HR veteran Kyle Patrick Smith didn't grow up with college as an option, his father didn't finish 11th grade, and his grandparents barely made it past elementary school. Yet after 25 years climbing corporate HR ladders, he walked away to build something better: HR Kyle Services, a consultancy proving "people first" can be more than corporate propaganda. As an Amazon bestselling author of both "Get the Job You Love" and "Find the Talent You Love," Kyle attacks talent strategy from both sides of the desk with uncommon candor about what's broken in today's workplace.

The conversation tackles post-COVID talent dynamics with refreshing honesty—people aren't just chasing paychecks anymore, and organizations still pretending otherwise are bleeding talent. Kyle champions treating departing employees as "alumni" rather than "former employees," recognizing relationships don't end at exit interviews. He predicts successful organizations will embrace the "total person" concept, meeting individual needs with flexibility instead of forcing everyone into identical employee boxes. On AI, the discussion reveals how technology serves as an articulation engine for human ideas rather than replacing genuine connection. For HR leaders exhausted by empty slogans, this episode delivers real strategy.

Small Town Roots, Big Ambitions - 01:47

Breaking the Education Barrier - 02:27

25 Years in Corporate HR - 03:05

Why He Started HR Kyle Services - 03:12

Two Books, Two Perspectives - 03:51

Get the Job You Love Philosophy - 04:02

Find the Talent You Love Approach - 05:30

Post-COVID Talent Reality Check - 15:45

From Former Employees to Alumni - 31:12

The Total Person Concept - 31:00

AI as Articulation Engine - 31:48

The Future of People-First HR - 30:37

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Psychologist and high-performance coach Richard Reid brings brutal honesty to the loneliest job in business: leading when everyone's watching. As a former Chief People Officer who now advises CEOs, founders, and public figures in crisis, Richard specializes in the conversations leaders avoid—burnout hidden behind achievement, addiction masked by success, and the quiet anxiety that comes with carrying impossible weight. Operating from Birmingham, UK, with credentials spanning FTSE 100 firms and the City of London Police, he's built a discreet practice around one uncomfortable truth: high performers rarely admit they need support until it's almost too late.

The conversation cuts through leadership mythology with surgical precision. Richard reveals how sustained pressure causes leaders to normalize dysfunction, losing sight of who they used to be while maintaining the facade of control. He dissects why trust requires consistency—even when it means having difficult conversations—and why leaders who avoid authentic feedback create teams paralyzed by uncertainty. The discussion tackles the "screamer captain" phenomenon, proving that predictable intensity beats unpredictable kindness every time. For leaders exhausted by pretending everything's fine, this episode offers permission to drop the mask.

Birmingham Roots and Grammar School - 02:08

The Loneliness of Leadership - 03:17

Hidden Battles High Performers Face - 03:29

When Leaders Normalize Dysfunction - 04:12

Addiction Masked by Achievement - 06:45

Building Trust Through Consistency - 11:30

Why Feedback Feels Dangerous - 17:20

The Screamer Captain Story - 29:12

Authentic Conversations Under Pressure - 30:01

Trust Without Liking Someone - 31:23

Feedback as Recalibration - 31:07

Leadership as Ongoing Dialogue - 31:52

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Sara Daw saw the future of work 20 years before the rest of us caught on. As a pioneer of the fractional executive movement, she built her first fractional CFO practice when the term barely existed, and today leads the Liberti Group, the world's largest provider of fractional C-suite executives with over 1,500 professionals serving companies across 17 countries. Her journey from Oxford chemistry student to global CEO proves that questioning the employment paradigm can unlock extraordinary possibilities.

The conversation challenges fundamental assumptions about how organizations engage talent. Sara argues that employment is just "long-term renting" and that the illusion of ownership prevents companies from accessing expertise in agile, strategic ways. She delivers a reality check for aspiring fractional executives: this isn't part-time work with better hours, it's a complete career change requiring sales skills, relationship management across multiple clients, and constant context shifting. Her magic wand wish? Dismantling the mental model that employment is the only answer to talent engagement. For leaders tired of the hire-fire cycle, this episode offers a proven alternative backed by two decades of results.

From Bath to Oxford to Business - 03:12

Why She Started Fractional 20 Years Ago - 03:55

Necessity as the Mother of Innovation - 04:11

Building the World's Largest Fractional Firm - 06:30

The Liberti Group Model Explained - 10:45

Matching Executives to Companies - 15:20

Why Employment Is Just Long-Term Renting - 19:30

The Skills Gap in Fractional Work - 24:15

Context Shifting Across Multiple Clients - 30:00

It's a Career Change, Not a Side Hustle - 36:30

Advice for Aspiring Fractional Executives - 40:32

The Magic Wand: Rethinking Talent Engagement - 41:51

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Leadership coach Meike Bettscheider brings an unconventional toolkit to executive development, combining epigenetic coaching, psychophysiology (including face reading), and martial arts discipline to help leaders navigate crisis with authenticity. Operating from Greece with credentials from Chicago Booth and INSEAD, Meike challenges the myth that leaders must have all the answers, instead guiding them to discover their inner compass and lead from genuine self-awareness rather than manufactured personas.

The conversation explores provocative territory: why vulnerability is a strategic strength, how psychophysiology reveals stress patterns before burnout hits, and why "work-life balance" is a flawed concept. Meike introduces "prosilience", building resilience before crisis strikes rather than recovering afterward, and explains how her 24/7 support system keeps executives stable during high-stakes transitions. She dismantles the dangerous "fake it till you make it" mindset, arguing that authentic leadership rooted in self-awareness produces better outcomes than carefully managed images. The discussion tackles AI anxiety in the workplace, with both host and guest agreeing that technology amplifies efficiency but cannot replace human connection. Meike's vision for leadership's future centers on courage, leaders brave enough to be themselves in environments that traditionally reward conformity.

From Germany to Global Leadership - 02:49

The Compass Metaphor Explained - 03:55

Authenticity vs Performance – 04:28

Epigenetic Coaching Decoded – 07:30

Face Reading as Leadership Tool – 10:45

Crisis Resilience and Prosilience – 14:20

Work-Life Flow Over Balance – 17:15

Self-Care for High Stakes Leaders – 19:45

Energy Management Strategies – 22:30

AI Anxiety in the Workplace – 27:12

The Future Needs Courageous Leaders – 30:03

Final Thoughts on Authenticity – 31:27

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