The Honest Mic

Fortune
  • 4.8 (5)
  • Careers

Most success stories skip the expensive part. The Honest Mic is where founders, operators, creators, and people with scars worth learning from share what it really takes to build, recover, and keep going. No hype. No highlight reel. Just honest conversations from people who've been through something worth hearing. The goal isn't inspiration. It's perspective you can actually use.

  1. 1d ago

    The Rules of the Game for Women in Business | Catherine Lang-Cline

    The corporate game was not designed for women to win. Not maliciously. Not intentionally. But the rules were written by and for people who didn't have to ask permission to be in the room. And most women spend years trying to play by rules that were never meant to serve them. Catherine Lang-Cline spent 20 years learning exactly how the game actually works. She bootstrapped a company from nothing, grew it into a multi-million-dollar firm serving Fortune 100 brands, landed multiple spots on the Inc. 500/5000, and was named "Most Admired CEO." In this episode of The Honest Mic, Catherine talks about the real rules women don't realize they're playing by, the difference between being nice and being respected, how to stop being interrupted and overlooked, and why waiting for invitations is a losing strategy. If you're ready to stop playing small and start winning, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Website: CatherineLangCline.com Book: The Rules of the Game for Women in Business

  2. 1d ago

    What the Executive Seat Hides | Yosi Kossowsky

    Yosi Kossowsky spent over 30 years in executive leadership, including a role as Chief Technology Officer and Senior Director of Talent Management. Then he made the shift into executive coaching. Most people who make that transition do it because something they saw or experienced from the inside changed how they thought about leadership. Today, Yosi helps leaders across the globe navigate complex challenges, build high-performing teams, and drive meaningful change. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Yosi talks about what he understands about leadership now that he couldn't see clearly from the executive seat, the role of neuroscience in leadership, and how to foster a culture of trust and open communication. If you're a leader wondering what you're missing, this conversation is for you. Guest Links LinkedIn: Yosi Kossowsky

  3. 1d ago

    The Great Slapping: Why Honest Feedback Is the Kindest Gift | Yogi Mueller

    Yogi Mueller says most leadership development changes nothing. Not because the ideas are bad. Because nobody teaches leaders how to actually face the hard truths that make growth possible. He's spent more than 25 years designing leadership and talent development programs for organizations including Disney, Hilton, and Bluegreen Vacations. He's the founder of Craft Leadership, creator of the G.R.I.T. Index Assessment, and author of The Great Slapping and the upcoming Leadership Fuel. But before all of that, he was a professional comedian. Two completely different skill sets — reading a room to make people laugh, and reading an organization to make leaders face hard truths. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Yogi talks about what comedy taught him about delivering feedback that lands, why so much leadership development changes nothing, and what it takes to keep the fire burning. If you're tired of polished frameworks that don't stick, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Free Assessment: Grit-Index.scoreapp.com Books: The Great Slapping | Leadership Fuel

  4. 1d ago

    The 2% Rule: Small Steps to Big Change | Willie Blake

    Willie Blake was diagnosed with dyslexia in first grade. For years, he believed he was broken. He spent most of his life trying to catch up, trying to hide, and trying to be someone he wasn't. But eventually, he got tired of surviving. He made a decision: if he was going to live with this, he was going to lead with it. Today, Willie is a high-performance coach who helps dyslexic professionals and entrepreneurs turn self-doubt into confidence, overthinking into clarity, and stuckness into real momentum. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Willie talks about growing up with dyslexia, the 2% Rule, how to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths, and what it takes to stop hiding and start leading. If you've ever felt like you're behind or broken, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Free Guide: CoachWillieBlake.com/breakfree Podcast: Light Beyond Limits

  5. 1d ago

    The Story You're Living In (Whether You Wrote It or Not) | Tanya Thompson

    We're all already living inside a story. Whether we wrote it on purpose or not. The question isn't whether you have a story shaping your choices. It's whether you're aware of it — and whether you're ready to rewrite it. Tanya Thompson is a transformation strategist who teaches people how to reinvent their lives by understanding and rewriting the stories driving their choices. She developed The Storyboard Method™ — a practical framework that blends narrative psychology, intention-setting, and energy alignment. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Tanya talks about how The Storyboard Method™ works, what reinvention actually looks like in practice, the first step to healing from burnout, and the courage it takes to reclaim your voice and your power. If you know you're meant for more but feel stuck in someone else's story, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Website: TanyaThompson.com Book: Beyond the Vision Board (upcoming)

  6. 1d ago

    What the Fourth CMO Role Taught Me About Failure | Stephen Moss

    Stephen Moss was a four-time Chief Marketing Officer in his corporate career. Three successful runs. And then the fourth one only lasted 18 months. A bit of PTSD followed, and he swore off corporate life entirely. That kind of honesty about your own failure is rare. And it's exactly what built Executive Springboard. Today, Stephen is the founder and president of Executive Springboard, a company that matches companies' critical leaders with a team of over 100 mentors in 14 countries. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Stephen talks about what went wrong in that fourth role, why 50% of senior hires fail in the first 18 months, and how executive mentoring is different from executive coaching. If you're about to step into a new leadership role, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Website: ExecSpringboard.com

  7. 1d ago

    What Makes You Say That? Going from Confusion to Confidence | Sheila Krygsheld

    Sheila Krygsheld has three degrees in Biblical Studies and Apologetics. She's taught religion to 90 college students a semester. She's traveled to Malawi to develop a leadership curriculum for young women. And she wrote a book not for scholars, but for everyday people who want to share what they believe without needing to have all the answers first. Her heart is for the person who believes deeply but stays silent because they don't feel qualified to speak. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Sheila talks about why your personal story matters more than having all the answers, how journaling can clarify your beliefs, and what she'd say to someone who's afraid they'll be asked something they can't answer. If you've been staying silent because you don't feel qualified, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Book: What Makes You Say That? (Amazon link in show notes) Website: https://sheilakrygsheld.com/

  8. 1d ago

    Everyone Has a Story Someone Needs to Hear | Ron Cooper

    Ron Cooper describes an early life of feeling dumb, awkward, and undatable. Low confidence. Low self-image. And somehow, that same person went on to fly fighter jets and lead organizations of 200+ people over a 30-year Air Force career. That gap is the whole story. Today, Ron is the founder of The Cooper Culture, a human behavior consultant certified through Personality Insights and PeopleKeys, and a leadership trainer partnered with Dr. John C. Maxwell. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Ron talks about what happened in between, what four men did that changed his trajectory, and how being underestimated shaped the way he helps leaders build cultures where people don't feel that way. If you're building a team and want to be the kind of leader who lifts people, this conversation is for you. Guest Links Website: TheCooperCulture.com Phone: (410) 586-1875 Email: ron@thecooperculture.com | marty@thecooperculture.com

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4.8
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About

Most success stories skip the expensive part. The Honest Mic is where founders, operators, creators, and people with scars worth learning from share what it really takes to build, recover, and keep going. No hype. No highlight reel. Just honest conversations from people who've been through something worth hearing. The goal isn't inspiration. It's perspective you can actually use.

Information

  • Creator
    Fortune
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fortune
  • Show Website
    The Honest Mic