The Executive and The Mystic

Fred LeFranc & Kristina Wiltsee

Strategy meets inner work. The Executive & The Mystic helps leaders escape the whirlwind and lead from coherence. Hosts Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee blend business rigor with personal development to explore how culture, leadership, and growth intersect. Each episode offers real stories, practical frameworks, and simple practices you can use now to navigate complexity, prevent burnout, and build values-led teams. Designed for executives, founders, and people leaders—especially those in transition who want their inner life to match their outer success—TE&M centers on the ABCs of conscious leadership: Alignment, Balance, and Coherence. Expect thoughtful conversations, grounded tools, and reflective prompts that translate insight into action. Subscribe for perspective that’s professional, insightful, and empowering—so you can make clearer decisions, cultivate resilient cultures, and achieve results without losing yourself. 🔗 Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

  1. 2d ago

    Then, Now, Becoming: From Victim to Victor to Vessel

    How much of who you are belongs to what came before—and how much of you is still becoming? In this episode of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore the paradox of time through a new framework: Then, Now, Becoming. Our past gives us experience, wounds, wisdom, mentors, and beliefs. Our future holds hopes, fears, and possibilities. But the present is where we decide how we will meet both. Through personal stories and reflection, Fred and Kristina explore the movement from victim to victor to vessel: from feeling that life happens to us, to recognizing our own agency, to eventually becoming a vessel for the wisdom we have gained. They discuss ego death, inflection points, destiny and free will, and why becoming requires us to stay grounded in the moment we are actually living. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How the past, present, and future create a temporal paradoxWhy inflection points can change the trajectory of a lifeWhat it means to move from victim to victor to vesselHow ego death can release an identity that no longer fitsWhy there may be no single “right” or “wrong” decisionHow past experiences can become wisdom rather than limitationWhy your future self can become a source of courageThe difference between vision and becoming trapped in the futureHow destiny, free will, and synchronicity can coexistWhy the present moment is where becoming actually happens Timestamps: 00:42 Then, Now, Becoming & the paradox of time 03:54 How the past shapes us 06:10 Moving from victim to victor 08:47 Kristina’s inflection points & taking agency 12:35 Ego death and letting go of the prescribed path 17:04 Victim, victor & vessel 18:50 There is no “right” decision 24:40 Fred’s survive-to-thrive pattern 29:21 Crossing the bridge toward your future self 32:50 Vision, destiny & free will 37:46 The flower, the seed & becoming a vessel 42:35 Staying present instead of living in the future Connect With Us: Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in a future episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    Then, Now, Becoming: From Victim to Victor to Vessel
  2. Oct 20

    How Much Is Enough? Brandon Hatton on Money, Meaning & Conscious Wealth

    What does it mean to have enough—and what if true wealth is about far more than a number? In the first guest conversation of Season 2 of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee sit down with Brandon Hatton, founder and CEO of Conscious Wealth®, to explore money, meaning, community, and the inflection points that shaped his life. Brandon shares his path from teacher and world traveler to Merrill Lynch and ultimately Conscious Wealth, where wealth expands beyond money to include relationships, health, purpose, and community. Together, they explore money memories, scarcity and abundance, intuition, nourishment, and why success cannot be reduced to someone else’s formula. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Brandon’s inflection points shaped Conscious WealthWhy travel became a practice for becoming a better leaderHow early money memories can shape scarcity or abundanceWhy financial wealth is only one dimension of a wealthy lifeHow intuition and the head-heart-gut connection guide decisionsWhy family conversations about money matterWhat nourishment and community have to do with wealthWhy listening to your body can support better decisionsWhy there is no guaranteed formula for successAbout Our Guest: Brandon Hatton is founder and CEO of Conscious Wealth® and author of Conscious Wealth: Money, Investing, and a Financial Awakening for the Person Who Has It All. Connect with Brandon: Website 👉 https://www.consciouswealth.com/ LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonthatton/ Instagram 👉 @consciouswealth Free Conversation Card Game 👉 https://mcusercontent.com/6bca12b9ab3131a6451679c69/files/855aac43-4abb-4b29-485f-f2044f38e441/BH_Flash_Cards_for_Cutting.pdf Connect With Us: Email 👉 growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Website 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    How Much Is Enough? Brandon Hatton on Money, Meaning & Conscious Wealth
  3. Oct 6

    Stay in the Fire: The Leadership Power of Paradox

    What if the tension you’re trying to resolve is actually the thing that has something to teach you? In this episode of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore the power of paradox: two opposing ideas that can both be true at the same time. Rather than forcing a choice between one side or the other, they examine what can emerge when we learn to stay in the tension. Through three leadership paradoxes—control vs. surrender, safety vs. candor, and certainty vs. humility—Fred and Kristina explore how paradox shows up in leadership, relationships, decision-making, and personal growth. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why some paradoxes cannot be resolved—only inhabitedWhat it means to “stay in the fire”How control and surrender can coexistWhy surrender is not the same as giving upHow leaders can release control while still taking responsibilityWhy safety and candor are both necessary for healthy teamsThe difference between being a nice leader and a kind leaderWhy certainty can become an ego trapHow humility, curiosity, and trust strengthen leadershipHow to recognize when you have become the bottleneck Timestamps: 00:56 Alignment, balance, coherence & paradox 02:03 Why paradox does not have to be resolved 05:13 “Stay in the fire” and let something new emerge 07:40 Control vs. surrender 17:52 Releasing control as a leader 28:35 Safety vs. candor 31:24 Resilience and difficult conversations 38:54 Certainty vs. humility 43:26 Bottlenecks, delegation, and trust 45:23 Principles vs. practices 47:26 Why difficult, paradoxical questions matter 49:28 Choosing both the Executive and the Mystic Connect With Us: Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in a future episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    Stay in the Fire: The Leadership Power of Paradox
  4. Sep 22

    Navigating Transitions: When to Take Action and When to Let Go

    What happens when life changes the plan—or when you know a change needs to happen, but you keep putting it off? In this episode of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore transitions in all their forms: planned changes, unexpected disruptions, external delays, and the self-induced delays that happen when fear, uncertainty, or attachment keep us from moving forward. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: The difference between planned, unplanned, and delayed transitionsWhy even planned changes can feel completely unexpected once they arriveHow transitions can reshape identity, priorities, and the roles we playWhat leaders can learn from stepping into a new role under pressureWhy we sometimes delay changes we already know we need to makeHow fear and comfort can keep us waiting for an external “pressure cooker”The role of courage and coherence in making difficult decisionsWhy external delays may create opportunities we cannot see yetHow catastrophizing can make one possible outcome feel inevitableThe balance between taking action and surrendering to what unfoldsHow presence can help us loosen our attachment to a specific outcome Timestamps: 00:56 Planned, unplanned, and delayed transitions 02:41 When change arrives without warning 03:30 Parenthood as a planned—and completely unplanned—transition 06:13 Transition as transformation 10:46 Stepping into an unexpected leadership role 14:04 External delays vs. self-induced delays 16:07 Fear, resistance, and waiting for change 18:19 Courage, coherence, and taking action 20:41 Procrastination and the “pressure cooker” of change 22:45 When outside circumstances delay the plan 23:50 Can an external delay actually be a gift? 25:08 Catastrophizing, scenarios, and choosing your response 26:04 The balance between surrender and action 29:25 Presence, perspective, and releasing attachment to outcomes 31:28 Finding value even when the outcome changes Connect With Us: Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in a future episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    Navigating Transitions: When to Take Action and When to Let Go
  5. Sep 8

    10 Mental Models Every Leader Should Understand

    What if the same laws that explain work, time, decision-making, and productivity also apply to your personal growth and spiritual life? In this episode of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore classic business mental models and laws, including Parkinson’s Law, Hofstadter’s Law, Hanlon’s Razor, the Pareto Principle, the Peter Principle, Hick’s Law, Goodhart’s Law, the Dunning-Kruger Effect, Occam’s Razor, Chesterton’s Fence, and Brooks’ Law. Together, they look at how these principles show up in business, leadership, project management, team dynamics, personal development, and even spiritual growth. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why work expands to fill the time available Why everything takes longer than expected, even when you plan for it How Hanlon’s Razor can help leaders avoid assuming bad intent How the Pareto Principle applies to clients, effort, and results Why people can be promoted beyond their current competence How too many choices create decision fatigue Why metrics can become dangerous when they become the goal How limited knowledge can lead to overconfidence Why the simplest explanation is often the best starting point Why you should understand a system before removing part of it Why adding people to a late project can make it even laterTimestamps: 00:55 Why mental models matter in business and life 02:20 Parkinson’s Law: work expands to fill the time available 05:06 Hofstadter’s Law: everything takes longer than expected 09:29 Hanlon’s Razor: don’t assume bad intent too quickly 16:13 Pareto Principle: the 80/20 rule 19:03 Peter Principle: promotion and competence 24:59 Hick’s Law: too many choices slow decisions 30:01 Goodhart’s Law: when metrics become the goal 33:57 Dunning-Kruger Effect: overconfidence and expertise 36:50 Occam’s Razor: start with the simplest explanation 38:35 Chesterton’s Fence: understand before removing 42:33 Brooks’ Law: adding people to a late project Connect With Us: Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in a future episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    10 Mental Models Every Leader Should Understand
  6. Aug 25

    Influence vs. Manipulation: The Leadership Line You Don’t Want to Cross

    What is the difference between influence and manipulation? In the Season 2 premiere of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee open a new season with a powerful conversation about influence, leadership, and the subtle ways people shape decisions. Together, they explore the line between ethical influence and manipulation, especially in leadership settings where outcomes matter and people are often being guided toward a decision, behavior, or perspective. From priming and choice architecture to rumor control, emotional context, and “assembled context,” this episode looks at the tools leaders use—consciously or unconsciously—to move people. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why influence is part of leadership Where influence can cross the line into manipulation How priming shapes the emotional context of a conversation Why “you’re not going to like this” can set people up for anxiety How leaders can telegraph intent before a crucial conversation What choice architecture is and how contrast shapes decision-making Why clearing the space matters when rumors or tension are present How assembled context can guide someone to a conclusion Why intention matters, but impact matters too The ethical test for influence: who truly benefits? How leaders can support growth without controlling outcomesTimestamps: 00:00 Introduction & welcome to Season 2 00:42 Why influence vs. manipulation matters 01:38 NLP and the ethics of understanding people 03:07 Priming and how leaders set context 05:25 Telegraphing intent in crucial conversations 07:50 Choice architecture and contrast 12:27 Getting ahead of rumor and clearing the space 17:58 Assembled context and planted conclusions 23:45 The ethical test for influence 24:55 Developing people without controlling them 29:48 Who benefits? Influence vs. manipulation 35:04 Final thoughts and closing Connect With Us: Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in a future episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    Influence vs. Manipulation: The Leadership Line You Don’t Want to Cross
  7. Jun 16

    Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Skill That Holds It All Together

    In this Season 1 finale of The Executive & The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore emotional intelligence and why it has been the quiet foundation beneath so many of their conversations this season. Using Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence framework, Fred and Kristina break down the four dimensions of EQ: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Together, they explore how emotional intelligence helps leaders move from reaction to choice, regulate stress, read the room, practice empathy, and navigate conflict with clarity. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why emotional intelligence is foundational to leadership The four dimensions of emotional intelligence How self-awareness creates space between reaction and response Why leaders must learn to observe their thoughts, feelings, and behavior How self-management helps regulate stress and emotional triggers The difference between sympathy and empathy Why empathy requires courage How to read the room without slipping into hypervigilance Why relationship management matters in conflict and team dynamics How emotional intelligence supports kind leadership What Fred and Kristina learned from Season 1 What’s coming next in Season 2Timestamps 00:00 Introduction & episode topic 01:45 Emotional intelligence as the Season 1 throughline 02:47 The four dimensions of emotional intelligence 03:04 Self-awareness and the observer state 08:01 Practices for building self-awareness 10:09 Moving from reaction to choice 12:30 Self-management and nervous system regulation 17:01 Social awareness, empathy, and reading the room 23:44 Hypervigilance vs. healthy awareness 25:54 Relationship management and group resonance 31:10 Crucial conversations and kind leadership 35:08 Season 1 reflections, Season 2 invitation, and closing Connect With Us Have a question, reflection, or leadership challenge you’d like Fred and Kristina to explore in Season 2? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com Presented by Results Through Strategy (RTS) ________________________________________ Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/ Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

    Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Skill That Holds It All Together

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About

Strategy meets inner work. The Executive & The Mystic helps leaders escape the whirlwind and lead from coherence. Hosts Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee blend business rigor with personal development to explore how culture, leadership, and growth intersect. Each episode offers real stories, practical frameworks, and simple practices you can use now to navigate complexity, prevent burnout, and build values-led teams. Designed for executives, founders, and people leaders—especially those in transition who want their inner life to match their outer success—TE&M centers on the ABCs of conscious leadership: Alignment, Balance, and Coherence. Expect thoughtful conversations, grounded tools, and reflective prompts that translate insight into action. Subscribe for perspective that’s professional, insightful, and empowering—so you can make clearer decisions, cultivate resilient cultures, and achieve results without losing yourself. 🔗 Helpful Links: Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/ Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/ Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/