Lead and Lift

Chabidaye Jaglal Ramnath

Leadership, Communication, and Confidence are must-have skills in your personal toolbox! Each Tuesday, join Chabidaye Jaglal Ramnath, as she interviews expert guests who are leading in business and life and lifting others along the way! Whether you lead yourself; lead a team or lead your business, this podcast is for you!

  1. 2d ago

    Michael Denton: How Smart Founders Are Using AI to Scale Without Burning Out

    Founders don’t need more to-do lists—they need more time. In this episode, you’ll learn how to treat AI like a strategic “team” inside your business so you can automate the repetitive work, double down on human connection, and scale without burning out.   In this episode, Chabidaye and Michael discuss: Overwhelm and mindset around adopting AI Using AI to automate repetitive tasks and buy back time Keeping brands human while leveraging AI The “Power of Five” AI model strategy Onboarding and training AI like employees in a high-performance culture   Key Takeaways: The fastest way to scale with AI is to stop running from it, pick one tool, and learn it deeply enough to embed it into your business from the ground up. AI’s greatest value is in automating repetitive tasks so humans can spend more time on their highest-value strengths and real human connection. Treating AI like a set of specialized “team members” allows you to assign the right model to the right task instead of forcing one tool to do everything. Onboarding AI should mirror onboarding a new hire: give clear context, guardrails, and ongoing feedback so it operates within your values and standards. Fear and overwhelm around AI usually come from the unknown; once you start learning and using it intentionally, AI becomes a way to buy back time and build stronger companies and cultures.   "Start with something small, and grow it, and then expand it as your company expands. It's the fastest way to scale." —  Michael Denton   About Michael Denton: Michael Denton spent 30 years in hospitality at the highest level — General Manager, Beverage Director, Certified Wine Educator and Sommelier in iconic restaurants across San Francisco, Oregon, and Texas. A career built on presence: every guest, every glass, every detail. Then a single moment broke the path open. Rear-ended by an 18-wheeler. Eight herniated discs. A spine surgically rebuilt. The discipline of recovery — one percent better, every day — became the foundation for everything that came after.  In October 2023, in the dark season after the accident, he wrote a Facebook post called “365 Brighter Days.” It went mini-viral. The 365 Method was born. A year later, at a sushi counter at the Ultra AI conference in San Diego, a server presented him with a bottle of Pellegrino with the same ceremony Michael had used in presenting wine for three decades — both hands, complete intention. In that moment, past and future collided. The AI Calling was born that night. Today, Michael is the founder of AI Abundant Media 365 and The AI Calling™ — an AI education company teaching the Power of 5: how Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Meta AI work together as an orchestra, not separate tools. He’s a Certified High-Performance Coach (Brendon Burchard, HPC) and serves the sober living community through The Hope Pad. He lives in Dallas, Texas, and is the proud father of two young men, Tucker and Aidan. His tagline: One AI is powerful. Five AIs working together are unstoppable.   Connect with Michael Denton:  Website: https://www.aiabundantmedia.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-denton-49b165249/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/ai-abundant-media-365/       CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  2. Jun 18

    Hazel June: Scaling With AI Without Adding a Single Hire

    A million-dollar program won’t grow if your clients stay stuck in overwhelm. In this episode, discover how to turn AI into thinking partners and “digital employees” that collapse weeks of work into hours without hiring a team.In this episode, Chabidaye and Hazel June discuss: Content-heavy courses vs implementation-focused design Using audits to find high-leverage AI opportunities Building an AI operating system for solo business owners AI as a thinking partner and mindset coach Creating digital employees with SOPs, feedback loops, and guardrails Key Takeaways: Many programs fail not because of a lack of information, but because they prioritize content over implementation and behavior change. A simple task and time audit can reveal exactly where AI should be delegated first, instead of guessing or chasing shiny tools. Treating AI like a role you hire—complete with job descriptions, SOPs, and workflows—turns it into a reliable “digital employee,” not a gimmick. AI becomes exponentially more valuable when used as a thinking partner and coach, helping you test ideas, see blind spots, and move past mindset blocks. The real leverage with AI comes from soft skills like communication, systems thinking, and creativity; the tech is a commodity, but how you use it is not.   "AI has been commoditized now, right? Everyone has access to it, but not everyone is making money off of it, and that's because not everyone is using it the same way." —  Hazel June   Find Out Where AI has the Highest ROI In Your Business for free by clicking on this link: https://ai.hazeljune.com/chabidaye   About Hazel June: Hazel June spent 13 years in corporate training, watching organizations pour money into programs that didn't change behavior. Then she moved into online business and watched the same problem repeat itself at scale.  As a Learning Experience Designer and Al Consultant, she works with expert business owners whose courses sell but don't deliver, aka the gap that quietly kills retention, referrals, and long-term revenue.  She's rebuilt programs that generate $1M+. She's coached hundreds of business owners. And her AI systems have driven results like 1,000% + ROAS (Return On Ads Spend) for clients and collapsed weeks of operational work into hours without adding a single hire.Connect with Hazel June:  Website: https://www.hazeljune.com/newsletter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amhazeljune LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amhazeljune/ Leadmagnet: AI Audit: https://ai.hazeljune.com/chabidaye       CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  3. May 22

    Riunita Martin: The Leadership Gap: Why Most People Get Promoted But Never Actually Learn How to Lead

    Leadership isn’t about your title or your metrics; it’s about the impact you have on people when it matters most. In this episode, you’ll learn why teams can look “high-performing” on paper while silently disengaging, and what it really takes to build trust, loyalty, and lasting culture.   In this episode, Chabidaye and Riunita discuss: Hidden disengagement in “high-performing” teams Dangers of hands-off and ego-driven leadership The gap between leadership titles and true responsibility Why is a people strategy essential in change management The LEI (Lead, Engage, Inspire) framework for modern leaders Key Takeaways: A team can hit its targets while still lacking trust, engagement, and real connection with its leader. Leaders who rely on a hands-off, “just get it done” approach eventually burn out their people and damage long-term performance. Treating leadership as a title instead of a responsibility leads to command-and-control behavior instead of development, empathy, and relationship-building. Any operational or strategic change that ignores people strategy and communication will face resistance, disengagement, and brand damage. Effective leadership starts with self-leadership, building your own identity, alignment, and integrity, then engaging others, and ultimately leaving a legacy that continues without you.   "Leadership is not about outcomes... it's about impact, it's about how you show up in the moments that matter most, and it's also about how people experience you and what they become because of how you lead." —  Riunita Martin   About Riunita Martin: Riunita Martin is a Director-level Human Resources Business Partner with over a decade of progressive HR leadership experience and more than 20 years in corporate operations. She is a trusted advisor to senior and executive leaders, known for aligning human capital strategy with enterprise objectives to drive organizational effectiveness, performance, and cultural alignment. Riunita brings deep expertise in workforce planning, organizational design, change leadership, and leadership development within highly regulated, matrixed environments, including manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, law enforcement, and government contracting. Her approach is grounded in disciplined business acumen and data-driven decision making, enabling leaders to translate strategy into executable people solutions. Throughout her career, Riunita has led initiatives supporting significant business growth, branding strategies, and guided executives through complex organizational change. She partners closely with leaders to deliver integrated, risk-aware HR solutions while championing a high-performance, inclusive employee experience. Riunita holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR), a Certified Change Management Professional, holds a certificate in The Psychology of Leadership from eCornell, and is currently a candidate for Maxwell Leadership Certification.   Connect with Riunita Martin:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riunita-martin/       CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  4. May 12

    Marielle Melling: How to Stay Close When Emotions Run High

    When tension rises at home or work, most of us either explode or shut down. In this episode, you’ll learn how to turn those hard moments into powerful opportunities for connection using a practical, grace-filled approach to conflict and emotion. In this episode, Chabidaye and Marielle Melling discuss: Pivotal parenting moment that reshaped conflict Self-compassion and “continuing education” in parenting Turning conflict into connection Partnering with emotions and processing anger The High Five framework for handling conflict   Key Takeaways: You don’t need to have it all figured out; treating parenting and relationships as “continuing education” creates space for growth instead of shame. Conflict can become a powerful opportunity for deeper bonding when you see yourself on the same team as the other person instead of trying to fix or fight them. Suppressing emotions doesn’t make them disappear; they tend to grow louder or explode later, so learning to listen to and process them is crucial. Simply naming what you’re feeling and using deep, intentional breathing can calm your nervous system and bring your thinking brain back online during conflict. Choosing grace, self-compassion, and curiosity, especially when others disagree or behave poorly, helps transform ordinary relationships into extraordinary ones.   "Every emotion is good because it's a message, and the point of it is to receive that message." —  Marielle Melling   About Marielle Melling: During a crazy season of life, Marielle Melling found peace by radically prioritizing deep relationships. Now she helps parents get on the same page as their kids, so they exchange closed doors and battles for closeness and cooperation, and everyone wins. Marielle uses her degree in health education, genuine care, and relatable teaching style to transform family relationships from ordinary to extraordinary. She’s the founder of Extraordinary Family Relationships and the Mom Spot Membership and the author of Peace amidst the Mayhem and The BUT Book. As a mom of five and her own best guinea pig, Marielle is committed to lifelong learning and doing life on purpose.   The Ultimate Guide to Connection: https://yourefr.com/ultimateguide/   Connect with Marielle Melling:  Website: https://yourefr.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peacefulhome.info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peacefulhome.info       CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  5. May 5

    Renae Fieck: What If Your Cycle Is The Reason Your Income Isn’t Growing?

    Discover why grinding harder is sabotaging your body, your business, and your confidence, and how syncing your work with your hormonal and seasonal rhythms can unlock easier productivity, more income, and a life you actually enjoy.   In this episode, Chabidaye and Renae discuss: Burnout, hustle culture, and the wake-up call Differences between male and female hormones and productivity Menstrual cycle phases and business planning Seasons, natural rhythms, and redefining productivity Pleasure, play, and nervous system care as a business strategy   Key Takeaways: Chasing future success while sacrificing the present often backfires; aligning daily life with what truly matters now can be a powerful catalyst for change. Many popular productivity systems are built around male hormonal rhythms, which makes women feel like they’re failing when their monthly energy and focus naturally fluctuate. Understanding and tracking the menstrual cycle allows women to match high-visibility tasks with high-energy phases and build in intentional rest without guilt. Rest is not laziness but an essential part of a powerful “slingshot” effect, pulling back to regenerate so you can accelerate farther and faster with less effort. Infusing pleasure, play, and enjoyment into everyday life, work, and even mundane tasks not only supports the nervous system but also leads to more sustainable, magnetic success.   "The learning journey is the goal." —  Renae Fieck   The Self-Made Mom Digital Masterclass: https://www.theselfmademom.com/masterclass If you’re a working mother carrying the mental load, the emotional load, and everyone else’s needs but your own, Julia Sewell has created something powerful for you. Her brand-new Digital Masterclass takes the twelve core chapters of The Self-Made Mom and turns them into heartfelt, candid lessons filled with practical tools to help you recapture your power, intention, and joy. Each module is short, real, and designed for the actual pace of a mother’s life. If you’re ready to feel like yourself again, visit Julia’s Digital Masterclass and step into the support you deserve.    About Renae Fieck: Renae Fieck is a mom of 3 and a feminine leadership coach, cycle-syncing expert, and business strategist helping high-achieving women scale their businesses without burnout or overworking. After her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor, seizures, and 3 kids under 6, she decided to build a business that allowed her to live the life of her dreams NOW, not one day in the future. To then complete burnout from the hustle. With a background in occupational therapy, somatic healing, and breathwork, she now blends science-backed productivity, feminine wealth energetics, and cyclical business strategy to help women build the life of their dreams without having to hustle so hard to make it happen. As the founder of Your Cycle Advantage and The Flow Collective and the author of Cycle Sync Your Business, Renae teaches women how to align their business with their body’s natural rhythms, so they can work less, make more, and lead with confidence. Whether speaking on cycle-synced business, wealth energetics, or feminine leadership, Renae’s mission is clear: help women find the permission to build the life and business of their dreams in a way that works for THEM.    Connect with Renae Fieck:  Website: https://renaefieck.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renaefieck/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risingmoms YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RenaeFieck Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@renaefieck       CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  6. Apr 28

    Kristen David: Stop Being the Bottleneck in Your Business

    What if the very thing keeping your business from growing is you being in it every day? Learn how to stop being the bottleneck, start thinking like a true CEO, and use systems, AI, and smart hiring to build a business that thrives beyond you. About Kristen David: Kristen David, a former trial lawyer who built and sold a million-dollar-plus firm that ran without her, now helps owners of professional service businesses implement the CEO Operating System. She transforms companies into self-managing, hyper-efficient organizations by training teams to leverage AI and strategic decision-making frameworks. This allows owners to finally step out of the day-to-day and lead a thriving, profitable business. Kristen’s #1 bestselling book, Uplevel Your Business, Uplevel Your Life, was named in Forbes as one of the Top 21 Business Books of 2021. Kristen’s no-nonsense approach and results-oriented methodology have allowed her to help more than 1,500 business owners better manage their businesses.  She also walks the walk and practices what she preaches.  In her first year in her new business, she went from $0 to $10k in month 1 to $100k in month 12 while growing an incredible team.  She runs her virtual business from around the world, living 1/3 in Seattle, WA, 1/3 in Paris, France, and 1/3 traveling all thanks to the help of SYSTEMS!    In this episode, Chabidaye and Kristen David discuss: Cost of founders being the bottleneck Documenting and building systems in real time Using AI for admin, marketing, and client delivery Prioritizing CEO responsibilities: sales, marketing, cash flow Hiring, team fit, and the CEO self-assessment   Key Takeaways: A business becomes scalable when its knowledge, decisions, and workflows are captured in systems instead of living solely in the founder’s head. You don’t need days of free time to document processes; you can “build the bike as you’re riding it” by capturing what you’re doing in real time. AI can quickly claw back hours a day by triaging email, sharpening marketing messages, and creating reassuring, automated onboarding experiences for clients. A CEO’s top priorities are sales, marketing, and reliable payment. Everything else (including much of service delivery and admin) should be delegated or automated as soon as possible. Hiring people who are aligned with your mission and hungry to learn will transform your business far more than simply filling seats with people who just want a job.    "The first thing you want to do is [ask yourself]: 'How could we either automate or get someone else trained up to do like 80% of the delivery?’" —  Kristen David   Connect with Kristen David:  Website: www.uplevelingyourbusiness.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheKristenDavid Facebook - Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/The.Kristen.David Facebook - Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/UplevelingYourBusiness Instagram - Personal Page: https://www.instagram.com/thekristendavid/ Instagram - Business Page: https://www.instagram.com/uplevelingyourbusiness LinkedIn - Personal Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristendavid     CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  7. Apr 21

    How to Keep Moving When Everything Falls Apart: A Founder's Guide to Maintaining Momentum Through Chaos

    You start strong, and then life happens. A crisis, a curveball, an overwhelming week that blows up everything you planned. Learn how to keep your momentum alive even when the unexpected hits. In this episode, Chabidaye discusses: Difference between schedule and structure Identifying non-negotiables and a minimum viable week Naming chaos to prevent identity spirals Designing a re-entry protocol after disruption Protecting and managing energy as a business asset   Key Takeaways: Momentum is built on structure and rhythm, not on a perfectly executed schedule, so chaos can disrupt your calendar without destroying your progress. Small, imperfect actions taken during hard weeks compound over time, while doing nothing guarantees you lose ground. When you name what’s happening and give it clear boundaries, chaos becomes a temporary event instead of a permanent judgment about who you are. Instead of repeatedly starting over from zero, a simple re-entry protocol lets you intentionally pick up where you left off after a disruption. Treating your energy like an emergency fund, protected and replenished in good times, gives you the capacity to navigate inevitable chaotic seasons.   "Energy is not the reward at the end of the productivity race. Energy is the entry fee." —  Chabidaye Jaglal RamnathFree tool: Founder's Weekly Focus Map:  One page under ten minutes, and it gives you the clarity and structure to keep moving forward, even in the weeks when everything around you is pulling you off course. Download your free copy right now at leadandlift.com/focus     CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

  8. Apr 14

    How to Take Back Your Week When Everything Feels Urgent

    Your week gets hijacked by everyone else's priorities. Learn how to reclaim control and focus on what actually drives growth. Feeling like your week is constantly hijacked by other people’s demands, dings, and “quick questions”? This episode breaks down the neuroscience behind distraction and urgency and gives you a simple, actionable system to take your week (and your business) back. In this episode, Chabidaye discusses: Priority hijack vs. time management Urgency addiction and attentional bias Boundaries, interruptions, and cognitive switching cost Weekly architecture, decision fatigue, and Sunday planning Saying “not yet,” present bias, and the weekly close ritual   Key Takeaways: Feeling out of control is often a sign that your week is being run by other people’s agendas, not that you’re not working hard enough. Your brain is wired to treat anything urgent and noisy as important, so you must consciously define one non‑negotiable task each day and do it before the “car alarms” start. Constant interruptions carry a heavy cognitive switching cost, silently killing hours of deep, revenue‑generating work unless you intentionally build and enforce boundaries. Without a clear weekly architecture and pre-decided blocks for key activities, you spend your days in reactive mode and burn precious energy on endless micro-decisions. A simple weekly close, such as reviewing what moved you forward, what got in the way, and your top three priorities for next week, turns chaotic, repeating weeks into a compounding engine of clarity and progress.   "At the start of every single day before you open your email or your phone, write down your one non-negotiable task for that day and do that first before any of those car alarms go off." —  Chabidaye Jaglal Ramnath   Free Focus Tool: Download The Founder's Weekly Focus Map.  One page. Ten minutes. And it will give you more clarity than a two-hour planning session ever could.  You can grab your free copy at leadandlift.com/focus     CONNECT WITH CHABIDAYE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabidaye.ramnath.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabidaye/ Website: https://leadandlift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chabidayejaglalramnath/     Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

4.9
out of 5
47 Ratings

About

Leadership, Communication, and Confidence are must-have skills in your personal toolbox! Each Tuesday, join Chabidaye Jaglal Ramnath, as she interviews expert guests who are leading in business and life and lifting others along the way! Whether you lead yourself; lead a team or lead your business, this podcast is for you!