Big Boss Biscuits

Kirsten Penaloza
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When I first watched Ted Lasso, I couldn’t help but see the dozens of leadership moments in every episode — the triumphs, the face‑palms, and the beautiful recoveries. From Ted’s kindness to Rebecca’s evolution, Nate’s struggle, Roy’s gruff authenticity, and Keeley’s fearless confidence — it was a masterclass in human‑centered leadership. That realization inspired me to launch the Ted Lasso Leadership Mastermind, where new and seasoned leaders came together to reflect, learn, and laugh about the art (and mess) of leading humans. After a while, one phrase kept echoing: “You should turn this into a podcast.” So… I did. 🎙️ Big Boss Biscuits was born — a space where we talk about leading with heart, humor, honesty, and maybe a little swearing. Each episode dives into the lessons and leadership insights Ted Lasso fans love: trust, growth, failure, and the courage to believe in yourself (and your team). Expect conversations that make you nod, laugh, and maybe rethink your leadership playbook — and definitely the occasional biscuit of wisdom you’ll want to savor.

  1. 9 hr ago

    The Minister of Loneliness: Why Kindness is not Weakness

    We're more connected than ever—and lonelier than ever. So what does that have to do with how you lead? Everything. This week, I am joined by Devin C. Hughes—internationally recognized keynote speaker, author of 21 books, and leadership expert who's spoken in more than 20 countries. As founder of Devin C. Hughes Inc. and a professor in the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University, Devin has spent more than two decades helping Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and schools build cultures where people and performance thrive. Global Gurus named him one of the Top 30 Organizational Culture Professionals, and PeopleHum tapped him as a Top Thought Leader—but on the podcast, he's just a guy who'll tell you the truth over a coffee. And the truth is this: work isn't broken because of your strategy. It's broken because of your behavior. We dig into what good leadership actually looks like when the cameras (and the Zoom calls) are off: Why loneliness is a leadership issue, not just a personal one—and what the UK's Minister of Loneliness reveals about the state of our teamsHow to lead intentionally in a remote world, where connection doesn't happen by accident and "we'll catch up later" quietly becomes neverDevin's rule for leaders: "If it's not on the agenda, it's not important"—and how ten intentional minutes can keep the business from hijacking your humanityThe power of rituals that give people permission to show up as people, not just performersWhy kindness keeps getting mistaken for weakness—the Ted Lasso problem—and how approachable leaders build the strongest teams in the roomTrust, accountability, and psychological safety as the everyday behaviors behind real results (not the posters on the wall) The throughline? When people feel seen, heard, and valued, performance follows. Connection isn't the soft stuff you get to after the real work—it is the work. Pour some coffee, grab a biscuit, and join us on "the front porch." Connect with Devin: LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and check out his YouTube channel.

    The Minister of Loneliness: Why Kindness is not Weakness

  2. 21 Jul

    What Alexander the Great and Ted Lasso Got Right

    What could a 2,000-year-old conqueror and a mustached fictional soccer coach possibly have in common? More than you'd think. We get into the culture shocks, the mentors who made room for his voice before he had it all figured out, and why psychological safety and buy-in are the quiet engines behind every team that actually innovates. Then we do the fun part: unpacking what Alexander the Great and Ted Lasso — two wildly different leaders — both understood about genuinely caring for their people. Whether you lead a team, coach one, or are still finding your voice in a room that speaks a different language, this one's for you. In this episode, I sit down with Mukul Sheopory — product marketing leader, storyteller, and author of Bucephalus' Shadow, a book that mines leadership lessons from Alexander the Great and draws surprising parallels to modern greats like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. Mukul grew up in India, built his career in the US, and learned firsthand that speaking the same language doesn't always mean speaking the same language. Connect with Mukul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mukulsheopory/  Grab the ebook on Amazon or the paperback at www.mukulsheopory.com

    What Alexander the Great and Ted Lasso Got Right

  3. 8 Jul

    Becoming The Leader Your Team Deserves

    What if the biggest thing standing between you and becoming a great leader... is investing in yourself? When Brandon Lee first stepped into leadership, he was driven, ambitious, and laser-focused on results. But he also admits something many leaders never will: he wasn't a good leader. He lost talented teammates, even valued friendships. He struggled to build trust. He treated people more like a means to an end than human beings. And it wasn't until difficult feedback forced him to look inward that he realized something so many of us experience: we're rarely taught how to lead ourselves well, let alone lead other people. In this candid conversation, Brandon shares the uncomfortable lessons that transformed him—from learning emotional intelligence and receiving hard feedback to understanding that leadership isn't about managing tasks, but about connecting with people, acknowledging them and their work, and lift them up. We also explore why vulnerability isn't a weakness, why leadership can (and should) be learned, and how investing in your own growth changes every relationship in your life, from your team to your partner. If you've ever wondered whether people can truly change, this episode is proof that they can. Leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about being willing to learn, unlearn, and grow. Follow Brandon Lee on LinkedIn and YouTube. To access the personality test and discover the best career path according to your passions, strengths, and inspirations, go to GeniusofYou.com and use the code BIGBOSS to get 20% discount on the paid version.

    Becoming The Leader Your Team Deserves

  4. 9 Jun

    Right Person, Wrong Seat with Taylor Coleman

    What do you do when you've climbed the ladder, earned the title, and finally "made it" — only to realize the seat you fought for isn't the one that fits? In this episode, Kirsten sits down with Taylor Coleman — systems thinker, former CX leader, and the kind of guest who tells the truth even when it's uncomfortable. Taylor traces her unlikely path from a bored tier-one rep to senior manager of a seven-person, six-specialty product support team — and the quiet, gutting moment in a leadership book club when she realized she had the skill for management but not the passion for it. We talk about: Why saying no to leadership can be the bravest career move you makeHow a pivot — sideways or even "backward" — is self-awareness, not resume damageWhat it looks like when leaders recognize a talented person is in the wrong seat and build a better role around them instead of pushing them outIf you've outgrown your role, second-guessed the next rung, or ever wondered whether "up" is really the only way forward, this conversation will sit with you long after it ends. Borrowing a concept from EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), we dig into the idea that you can be the right person and still be in the wrong seat — and why that's not a failure, it's a starting point. Taylor opens up about the performance review line that both validated and gutted her ("you're underutilized"), the several good cries that followed, and the courage it takes to say "this isn't where I do my best work" out loud.

    Right Person, Wrong Seat with Taylor Coleman

  5. 26 May

    The Voice Lied

    I pulled my own podcast data and didn't love what I found. 52% of my listeners are women. Only 16% of women who apply to be guests actually show up. That number sent me down a research rabbit hole — imposter syndrome, the broken ladder, the sponsorship gap, the airtime inequality — and into a solo episode that's equal parts data and personal confession. This week on Big Boss Biscuits: why women aren't showing up even when the seat is theirs — and what leaders, allies, and women themselves can do about it. Grab your biscuits. This one hits close to home.

    The Voice Lied

  6. 18 May

    Rethinking Servant Leadership

    In this episode, Kirsten sits down with executive coach and former tech leader Keith Corbin for a conversation that challenges one of the most celebrated ideas in modern leadership — servant leadership. Keith argues that while the intention behind servant leadership is good, it can actually do more harm than good by masking the very power dynamics leaders need to confront head-on. Using Ted Lasso as a lens, Keith and Kirsten unpack how kindness and care — without transparency about power and accountability — can leave teams feeling blindsided when the hard moments come. Layoffs. Performance improvement plans. Tough decisions made at the organization's request, not the team's benefit. These are the moments that expose what servant leadership often leaves unresolved. Keith shares how he coaches leaders to move beyond the "good vibes" approach and build what he calls a foundation of transparency and trust — one where employees understand the structure they're operating in, the constraints their leader carries, and what it actually means to be led well. If you've ever struggled with balancing genuine care for your people with the hard realities of organizational life, this conversation will give you a new framework — and a lot to think about.

    Rethinking Servant Leadership

  7. 5 May

    From Reluctant To Intentional Leadership

    This week on Big Boss Biscuits, I’m joined by Frank Smith—leadership coach, culture consultant, and former “accidental CEO” who went from sitting on a folding chair learning the business… to running it for 20 years. No roadmap. No role models. And definitely no desire to become that boss. Frank calls his early years “reluctant leadership." We talk about the messy middle: the years of just keeping the lights on and avoiding the responsibility of leadership. The twist: even in those imperfect years, something unexpected happened. By simply trusting people, treating them with respect, and not making them fill out a form to buy $10 worth of super glue (yes, really), the business started to grow. In this episode, we get into: The shift from reluctant to intentional leadershipHow curiosity beats frustration every single timeThe fine line between caring for people and holding them accountableAnd why your employees are 100% talking about you at dinner tonightFrank’s philosophy is simple, but not easy: if you want people to care about your business, you better start by caring about them. And if that sounds like common sense… well, you already know how rare that is.

    From Reluctant To Intentional Leadership

  8. 23 Apr

    Leading With Heart, Not Just Numbers

    This episode flips the classic leadership script: what if hitting the numbers isn’t the starting point—but the byproduct? Marty Imes unpacks why so many new leaders default to results-at-all-cost thinking—and how that mindset quietly sabotages the very outcomes they’re chasing. Drawing from his own early missteps (including a humbling moment of upward feedback from a team member named Nicole), Marty shares the turning point that reshaped his leadership: realizing that numbers don’t drive performance—people do. Through a candid, Ted Lasso-inspired conversation with Kirsten Penaloza, Marty explores the tension between performance and people-first leadership, and why leaning too far in either direction misses the mark. The answer isn’t abandoning results—it’s redefining what “winning” actually means. You’ll hear how Marty evolved from reactive, metrics-obsessed management to intentional, human-centered leadership—grounded in clarity, trust, and shared vision. He introduces his practical “Five F” framework (Fit, Finances, Future, Freedom, Fun) as a way to connect business success with personal fulfillment, and explains how meaning—not just metrics—drives engagement and retention. The episode also dives into: Why high performers often struggle as new leadersThe hidden cost of unclear expectationsHow to turn mistakes into momentum instead of blameThe role of psychological safety and trust in high-performing teamsWhat it really takes to lead like Ted… without the fluffAt its core, this conversation is a reminder that great leadership isn’t about choosing between people and performance—it’s about building the conditions where both thrive.

    Leading With Heart, Not Just Numbers
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About

When I first watched Ted Lasso, I couldn’t help but see the dozens of leadership moments in every episode — the triumphs, the face‑palms, and the beautiful recoveries. From Ted’s kindness to Rebecca’s evolution, Nate’s struggle, Roy’s gruff authenticity, and Keeley’s fearless confidence — it was a masterclass in human‑centered leadership. That realization inspired me to launch the Ted Lasso Leadership Mastermind, where new and seasoned leaders came together to reflect, learn, and laugh about the art (and mess) of leading humans. After a while, one phrase kept echoing: “You should turn this into a podcast.” So… I did. 🎙️ Big Boss Biscuits was born — a space where we talk about leading with heart, humor, honesty, and maybe a little swearing. Each episode dives into the lessons and leadership insights Ted Lasso fans love: trust, growth, failure, and the courage to believe in yourself (and your team). Expect conversations that make you nod, laugh, and maybe rethink your leadership playbook — and definitely the occasional biscuit of wisdom you’ll want to savor.

Information

  • Creator
    Kirsten Penaloza
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kirsten Penaloza
  • Show Website
    Big Boss Biscuits