Entrepreneurs
The Billionaire Who Controls Your Medical Files (2021)
Published
2 years agoon
Story Techniques founder Judy Faulkner constructed an empire pioneering—and later dominating—digital scientific records. For a long time, she’s saved them walled off from opponents, however now the pandemic is fueling a digital health care speed that would at closing descend her from the throne.
Avictorious swell of brass devices reverberates for the duration of the 1,100-acre Story Techniques campus in Verona, Wisconsin, a sleepy suburb correct launch air Madison. It’s February 2020, and rather then for China and 2 ill-fated cruise ships, there are few indicators of the coronavirus pandemic that’s about to envelop the arena. It’s indubitably industry as current at Story: The acquainted traces of a baroque marriage ceremony march maintain the hallways, stopping the health care software company’s 10,700 workers of their tracks. On cue, a brand unique buyer announcement follows: Florida-basically basically based AdventHealth plans to deploy Story’s digital health fable system for the duration of 37 of its hospitals. The tubby set up will arrangement shut over three years and impress around $650 million, no longer counting ongoing repairs, which will impress millions more yearly. “It’s a in actual fact long relationship for many of our potentialities,” Story’s founder and CEO, Judy Faulkner, says in a rare interview. She got the thought that for the marriage ceremony theme from a consult with to the Mayo Sanatorium several decades earlier, the place she heard lullabies play whenever a brand unique minute one was once born. A unique buyer “didn’t in actual fact feel cherish a brand unique minute one,” she says. “It felt more cherish a wedding.”
Indeed, scientific institution executives are continuously more committed to Story than most Americans are to their marriages. Story’s average buyer has been using its software for ten years, and Faulkner claims the company has under no circumstances misplaced an in-affected person scientific institution client, rather then in the case of an acquisition. Partly that’s on account of it’s so laborious to leave. Story’s software helps put collectively a affected person’s complete wander, starting with scheduling an appointment, entering into the health facility or operating room as the doctor records hypersensitivity indicators or X-rays after which to the encourage place of job for billing and apply-ups. It’s a proprietary system that infamously doesn’t play properly with others. The company’s product is once in a while most ceaselessly known as an digital health fable, however its attain is powerful broader, alongside with earnings cycle administration, buyer retention tools and records analytics.
Story’s suite of offerings has proven namely current among sizable tutorial scientific centers and early life’s hospitals, equivalent to the Cleveland Sanatorium, Johns Hopkins and Boston Youngsters’s Health facility. The company’s 564 potentialities drawl practically 2,400 hospitals worldwide and 225 million patients in the U.S., or about two thirds of the country’s inhabitants. This translated into bigger than $3.3 billion in earnings in 2020, regardless of what Faulkner estimates to be around $500 million in foregone earnings for Covid-linked software it supplied free of impress, alongside with an infection administration tools and extensions for pop-up hospitals. “It under no circumstances appeared correct to me to rupture money off Covid,” she says.
Her success has been decades in the making. Since Story’s founding in 1979, the 77-year-ragged Faulkner has steadfastly rejected launch air merchants, Wall Boulevard financing and acquisitions. Story was once restful correct a $500 million (gross sales) company in 2007. Ten years ago, it hit $1 billion in earnings, and improve has compounded at an annual price of 15% yearly since. It’s highly successful: Estimated money fade alongside with the circulation as measured by Ebidta is north of 30%, and the company has no debt. Forbes estimates Faulkner’s 47% stake in Story to be worth $6 billion, which makes her the 2d-richest self-made lady in The united states. Staff and around a dozen other cofounders and initial merchants compile the different 53%.
In 2019, Story had a 39% part of the larger than 880,000 scientific institution beds in the U.S., the health care IT firm KLAS Research estimates. The remainder of the market is fragmented among publicly traded Cerner, the Massachusetts-basically basically based Meditech and a few other firms, alongside with Allscripts and CPSI. Story’s dominance has made it an industry target, with critics and opponents accusing the company of being a closed community that makes it refined to commerce knowledge with other systems. Faulkner contends Story does part knowledge however places affected person privateness above all.
Story’s greatest strength, this style-it-by myself mentality, would possibly perchance perhaps turn into its greatest liability in the submit-Covid world. The pandemic is forcing snappy commerce in the U.S. health care system. Medical doctors and other providers compile with out note adopted unique technology over the closing year as patients with out note took a stable hobby in staying as some distance-off from the scientific institution as seemingly.
Enterprise capitalists were already gunning for Story sooner than the pandemic struck. In spite of all the pieces, the company’s substantial-system mindset and hundred-million-buck installations seem out of step in the era of cloud computing and cheap, ubiquitous mobile apps. Then, shortly sooner than lockdown, the U.S. executive finalized unique federal knowledge-sharing guidelines empowering patients to compile possession over their compile digital scientific records—doubtlessly extra eroding what has historically been a health-knowledge oligopoly dominated by Story and Cerner.
“We are correct in the heart of this exceptional transformational swirl,” says John Glaser, a outmoded Cerner govt who currently lectures at Harvard Medical College. It’s no longer that digital health records will fade away, he says, however more nimble and agile startups will enter the market. Staunch as the Net and smartphones crushed Microsoft’s reputedly unassailable Nineties-era desktop monopoly, this unique era would possibly perchance also simply pose the similar challenges for Faulkner. But there’s one substantial distinction. The transfer-snappy-and-spoil-things ethos of Silicon Valley doesn’t work in health care. “Chances are you’ll perchance also’t disclose a doctor it’s ok to fail,” Glaser says. “It’s no longer ok to fail. That’s loss of life.”
Faulker has loved tackling no longer easy concerns since she was once a minute bit one rising up shut to Haddonfield, Recent Jersey, in the Fifties. In seventh grade, her math trainer set riddles on the blackboard, and he or she’s been zigzag on math and common sense ever since. She majored in math at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and had a summer season job in particle physics on the College of Rochester, the place she was once launched to pc programming and Fortran (the historical coding language invented by IBM). “I continuously preferred making things out of clay,” Faulkner says. “And the pc was once clay of the tips. In preference to physical, it was once mental.”
Faulkner says she didn’t compile a substantial understanding for improve. “It’s continuously been, cherish, you climb a mountain. And likewise you correct look the hill forward of you. You don’t look the total mountain.” Jamel Toppin for Forbes
In 1965, she started a doctorate in the College of Wisconsin’s nascent pc science program. In Madison, she met psychiatrist and professor Warner Slack, who was once instructing one of many main-ever programs on computers in medication. About a years later, Slack launched Faulkner to John Greist, then chief resident in medication and now professor emeritus on the College of Wisconsin, who was once shopping for a bigger manner to time desk on-name scientific doctors. In 1969, Faulkner developed a system through which a secretary would possibly perchance perhaps punch knowledge cards to generate the time desk for a complete year in 18 seconds at a impress of $5.
Faulkner graduated with out ending a dissertation (“I under no circumstances would possibly perchance perhaps resolve out what to jot down a thesis on,” she says) and in the early Seventies started working for a physicians neighborhood on the College of Wisconsin, rising a database to defend observe of affected person knowledge over time. It would arrangement shut just a few more years (and hundreds convincing from colleagues) sooner than Faulkner was once ready to open her compile software company. “It practically appeared cherish a shaggy dog memoir to open an organization,” she remembers. “How attain you attain that?”
In 1979, Faulkner and Greist borrowed from chums and family—and against their homes—to scrape collectively the capital to open Human Products and services Computing (later renamed Story), which was once in the starting up valued at $70,000 (about $270,000 in on the original time’s money). Faulkner had six or seven other collaborators, however from the starting it was once the Judy demonstrate; the company was once her notion, and he or she served as its first president. Before all the pieces, it operated after-hours from a Madison basement. Faulkner wrote the total authentic code on a Files Frequent Eclipse 16-bit minicomputer the dimensions of a fridge.
After just a few years, Greist had a contrast with Faulkner over the company’s route. Greist says he stepped down from Story’s board in 1983 however restful holds on to a few shares. “Phase of my venture with her was once me announcing, ‘Gosh, why don’t we compile some venture capital and we are in a position to kind it sooner?’ ” Greist says. “And she talked about, ‘No, we’re no longer going to attain that. Because we’ll lose defend watch over.’ And indubitably that’s been her coverage. And she has lived it out and proven it. I was once terrifying. She was once correct.”
Story saw dead however precise improve in its first 20 years, gaining a handful of unique potentialities yearly because it expanded its offerings. Within the dead Nineteen Eighties, the company added billing software; in the early Nineties, it adopted a graphic particular person interface for outpatient clinics. With the exception of Faulkner’s obsessive focal level on its potentialities, Story had one more advantage: pc code that labored. “It’s no longer ultimate, however it surely’s somewhat official,” Faulkner says.
In 2004 the company landed its greatest deal but: a three-year venture with Kaiser Permanente that would impress the health extensive $4 billion. Story’s lower would be around $400 million. “[Epic] brought that safety converse that if you happen to chose them, they were in actual fact going to ship on implementation and additionally they were going to attain it on time,” says George Halvorson, who was once the CEO of Kaiser Permanente on the time. “That’s substantial.”
The year after Story inked the Kaiser deal, it moved to a brand unique company campus, which is ceaselessly in contrast to an grownup Disney World. Headquarters capabilities one of many arena’s greatest underground auditoriums, a Hogwarts-inspired Huge Hall, an elevator to Hell, a huge tree condominium and myriad other odd and fantastical constructions and sculptures amid the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin. At Story’s annual buyer meeting, Faulkner is recognized for dressing up in costumes, ranging from Lucille Ball to the Wrathful Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. All of it seems a minute bit at odds with the self-proclaimed nerd who shies some distance from the public check up on. “Introverts can act cherish extroverts,” she offers by manner of explanation. “What they are saying is extroverts can’t act cherish introverts.”
The company sees a form of turnover. Yearly, Story hires around 2,000 workers, who’re required to circulation a chain of aptitude exams measuring things cherish coding talents and common sense. The company motto is: “Affect correct. Celebrate. Scheme money,” and the culture is snappy-paced and hypercompetitive. Aged workers discuss burnout from an ambiance stuffed with overachievers. But even Story’s workers would possibly perchance also simply furthermore be pushed too some distance: There was once a rebellion when the company tried to force all staffers to return to campus amid the pandemic closing August. After several reports about the contretemps appeared in the native press, the company reversed route.
Florida’s AdventHealth, which signed its $650 million contract in a pre-Covid world, will probably be Story’s greatest entirely faraway kind and set up. In a blow to Cerner and Athenahealth, CEO Terry Shaw made up our minds it can probably perchance perhaps be better for his 5.5 million patients to interchange to Story pretty than looking out to compile its newest mixture of three digital health fable firms to leer advice from one one more. Whereas it’s costly up front, he says, the transfer will lower operating payments in the long length of time. Story’s system “has tentacles that exit through fabulous networks,” he provides. “Chances are you’ll perchance also in actual fact reduction a particular person compile the care they need, wherever they desire to compile it.”
Epic’s tentacles are infamous for reaching handiest to this level, however—and that seems largely by kind. It’s supereasy for, tell, a scientific institution to part a cancer affected person’s records with an launch air chemotherapy health facility—so long as both areas are working Story’s software. If the chemotherapy health facility is using software from a substantial competitor, it’s restful doubtlessly going so that you would possibly perchance access the affected person’s records. But when the health facility needs to experiment with a more cost effective third-birthday celebration app, it’ll be somewhat a fight. Story works with health care apps handiest on a case-by-case basis.
Geeks name this “interoperability”—getting somewhat just a few software systems to leer advice from one one more, in essence—and the converse of affairs came to a head in January 2020 for the length of a debate over the unique federal guidelines. Sharing scientific records with third parties—even on the affected person’s compile ask—would possibly perchance perhaps pose “excessive risks to affected person privateness,” Story talked about in an announcement on the time.
Almost about one one more tech company—alongside with Cerner, Apple, Microsoft and Google—disagreed, arguing that Story’s stance is detrimental for patients and stifles innovation. Even federal officers took veiled digs at Faulkner’s industry. “The disingenuous efforts by particular non-public actors to exercise privateness—obligatory because it’s miles—as a pretext for keeping affected person knowledge hostage is a humiliation to the industry,” outmoded Centers for Medicare and Medicaid director Seema Verma talked about at a convention. Within the cease, the feds prohibited health care knowledge blocking by Story or every other company.
Huge Tech has flirted with health care knowledge for bigger than a decade, with firms cherish Google attempting and failing to open an internet-basically basically based non-public health fable in the dead aughts. Microsoft HealthVault in an identical style crashed and burned. Apple’s strive and measure heart rhythms with its gaze was once panned by scientific doctors. And Amazon had a extensive flop with Haven, its joint venture with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Toddle, which was once supposed to dramatically slash employer health care payments.
Where the whales failed, the minnows would possibly perchance perhaps fetch. With the unique federal guidelines rolling out over the following couple of years, masses of venture capitalists are now making a wager substantial that one of many tiny upstarts can breach Story’s moat. Health IT venture funding hit an all-time high in 2020 of bigger than $3.6 billion, a 51% enlarge from 2019, per CB Insights. “I in actual fact compile under no circumstances in the history of health care in the United States viewed this more or less supernova of innovation with a flurry of investment activity into digital health,” says Missy Krasner, a outmoded Google Health and Amazon govt who only in the near previous joined Recent York-basically basically based venture shop Redesign Health. “Covid has entirely made interoperability enticing all another time.”
Faulkner says she’s no longer concerned about the total Silicon Valley players entering the health care condominium. “I insist that what is going to happen is that just a few of them will attain completely. And the bulk of them won’t,” she says. “It’s no longer us as powerful as the health systems who desire to reply to the affected person announcing, ‘Send my knowledge right here,’ or ‘Send my knowledge there.’”
The unique federal guidelines venture particular particular person affected person records, however the industry is with out note heading in opposition to aggregating bulk knowledge. It’s a condominium through which many, alongside with Story, desire to play. These sizable, nameless scientific knowledge sets would possibly perchance also simply furthermore be passe for all the pieces from drug discovery to unearthing emerging nationwide health trends and would be worth a form of money. In 2019, Story unveiled a substantial-knowledge initiative called Cosmos, which targets to mine bigger than 100 million deidentified affected person records.
Despite being correct 28 months greatly surprised of her Eightieth birthday, Faulkner says she has no plans to retire. She has no longer named a successor, and none of her three adolescents works at Story. Faulkner has secured Story’s future handiest insofar as the company will under no circumstances be taken public. She has spoil up her stock into vote casting shares that can’t be supplied and compile long gone into a belief managed by relatives and workers. Her nonvoting shares are being left to a foundation she established with her husband called Roots & Wings, which funds her interests in minute one brain building and prison justice reform (she signed the Giving Pledge in 2015). “I skills what I attain and I’d desire to attain it so long as I’m efficient and can carry impress in the job,” she says. She worries about what happens to folk after they retire, having read that the average particular person dies two years after leaving the team. “They appear to lose that edge that says, ‘Why am I waking up in the morning? What’s my day going to be?’ I compile up and insist, ‘How attain I compile all the pieces carried out in my day?’”
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Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur Mindset: 7 Powerful Secrets to Build an Unstoppable You
Published
3 months agoon
October 28, 2025
Introduction: The Foundation of Every Great Entrepreneur
Behind every thriving business lies one defining force — the entrepreneur mindset. It’s not just about ideas or investment; it’s about the belief system, resilience, and hunger to evolve when others quit. Whether you’re starting from a small apartment or running a multimillion-dollar enterprise, your mindset determines how far your vision travels.
1. Embrace Growth Over Perfection
A true entrepreneur knows progress beats perfection. Every success and setback strengthens your mindset. Focus on learning daily — read, listen, and observe those ahead of you. Growth compounds over time, opening doors you never imagined.
Perfection slows momentum; growth builds it. When you prioritize action over ideal outcomes, you evolve faster. Every experience — good or bad — becomes a stepping stone that shapes your entrepreneur mindset and sharpens your vision.
2. Turn Failure into Fuel
Failure isn’t final — it’s feedback. Every setback reveals lessons that guide you toward smarter decisions. The most successful founders don’t avoid failure; they analyze it, learn, and adapt quickly.
When you treat every obstacle as training, resilience becomes your greatest advantage. Failures test your limits but also expand them. Learn to love the lessons hidden inside losses, and your entrepreneur mindset will transform challenges into catalysts for growth.
3. Protect Your Energy and Environment
Your environment defines your direction. Surround yourself with thinkers and doers who push you to grow. Distance yourself from negativity and self-doubt — they drain creativity and confidence.
Energy is currency. Guard it wisely. Spend time where you feel inspired, supported, and challenged to improve. Protecting your space and your spirit ensures that your entrepreneur mindset stays clear, focused, and unstoppable.

4. Build Relentless Self-Belief
An entrepreneur mindset is built on unwavering confidence. Even when no one sees your vision, keep moving. Your belief must be louder than external noise. Speak affirmations, visualize your goals, and act as if success is already in motion. Confidence is contagious — let it lead.
Doubt is natural, but discipline is stronger. Every time you take action despite uncertainty, you prove to yourself that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about never fearing failure — it’s about trusting that you’ll rise no matter what. When belief meets consistent effort, momentum becomes unstoppable.
5. Adapt Fast, Evolve Faster
Entrepreneurship moves at lightning speed. Markets shift, trends fade, and new technologies rewrite the rules overnight. The best founders don’t just react — they anticipate what’s next. The ability to pivot without losing focus separates leaders from followers.
Adaptability is your greatest edge. Every change brings an opportunity to innovate and refine your strategy. When you embrace uncertainty with confidence, you unlock growth. Evolution isn’t optional — it’s the core of the entrepreneur mindset that keeps you relevant and unstoppable.
6. Lead with Purpose, Not Pressure
Money is a result, not a reason. True entrepreneurs build from purpose, not pressure. When your vision solves a real problem, it inspires loyalty, impact, and long-term success. Passion fuels consistency — far more than profit ever will.
Purpose-driven leadership builds resilience. It keeps you grounded when challenges arise and focused when distractions tempt you. A clear “why” gives direction and drive — the hallmark of a strong entrepreneur mindset.
7. Celebrate Small Wins — They Build Big Momentum
Momentum builds magic. Every milestone, no matter how small, deserves recognition. Celebrating progress strengthens belief, boosts motivation, and reminds you how far you’ve come.
Gratitude fuels growth. When you honor every win — big or small — you turn effort into energy. These moments compound, creating lasting drive and a resilient entrepreneur mindset ready for the next challenge.
The Takeaway: Your Mindset Is Your Legacy
Every entrepreneur faces storms — what separates the resilient from the rest is mindset. Success isn’t born overnight; it’s cultivated daily through choices, discipline, and persistence. Strengthen your entrepreneur mindset, and watch your vision evolve into something extraordinary.
Because every great mindset deserves great visibility — with Level Up PR. We believe powerful stories deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Whether you’re a founder shaping an idea or a leader building an empire, your journey deserves the spotlight. Let your purpose inspire others, your growth create impact, and your brand truly Level Up PR.
Entrepreneurs
How One Security Expert Is Bringing Old-School Principles to a Modern Industry
Published
3 months agoon
October 21, 2025
In the heart of Los Angeles, where nightlife pulses through the streets of Hollywood and Downtown, one name is quietly becoming synonymous with trust and professionalism in the security industry: OLDPGS – Old Patrolman Guard Services. Founded in 2018 by Hayson Tasher, OLDPGS has quickly risen from a local security outfit to a consultation powerhouse, bridging gaps between businesses and reliable, licensed security management.
Tashera’s journey began not with a business plan, but with licenses. Armed with credentials ranging from security guard certification to bail bondsman, and even a license as a bounty hunter, Hayson asked a simple but transformative question: Why not formalize all of this under one banner? And thus, the California Old West Division of OLDPGS was born, a name that pays homage to the rugged, principled guardians of the past while embracing modern professionalism.
From Raves to Theatres: Early Milestones
OLDPGS opened its doors officially in 2018, quickly making waves in Los Angeles’ entertainment scene. One of the company’s first assignments was providing security for Summertramp, a rave in Downtown LA. “After six bars decided to go in-house, unlicensed, it became clear the industry needed a legally compliant, professional alternative,” Hayson recalls.
Soon, OLDPGS was securing iconic venues like The Fonda Theatre, The Roxy, and El Rey Theatres, cementing a reputation for reliability and meticulous attention to detail. However, as the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses went dark, but OLDPGS remained operational as essential workers, underscoring the critical role of security services even in unprecedented times.
Turning Struggles into Strategy
The idea of OLDPGS was born out of both opportunity and necessity. Hayson recognized that many businesses were skirting the law with unlicensed security, often veering into illegal protection schemes. “It’s against the law, and frankly, it’s extortion disguised as safety,” he explains. OLDPGS positions itself as the legal, ethical alternative: a fully licensed security and consultation firm with nationwide affiliates, offering clients peace of mind and professional accountability.
Unlike many in the industry who distance themselves from frontline work, Hayson still works directly on security details, managing operations personally. “Being in the field allows me to understand the challenges firsthand and maintain the quality standards we promise our clients,” he says. This hands-on approach differentiates OLDPGS from competitors and instills confidence in both clients and staff.
Consultation, Management, and Beyond
Today, OLDPGS provides a full spectrum of security management and consultation services, helping businesses navigate the complexities of safety compliance. From risk assessment to deployment strategy, the company’s model emphasizes legal, ethical security solutions. Current expansion talks include acquiring another security firm, further broadening the company’s reach and capabilities.
Looking ahead, Hayson envisions a future where OLDPGS extends beyond consultation and management into retail and training, with stores offering tactical boots, gear, batons, firearms, and dedicated security training centers. The goal: a full ecosystem for security professionals, combining education, equipment, and operational expertise under one trusted brand.
A Message of Opportunity and Responsibility
For Hayson, the core philosophy of OLDPGS extends beyond security. “Opportunity is key,” he emphasizes. His journey illustrates how seizing the right moment, combined with integrity and diligence, can transform both a career and an industry. His advice is simple but profound: Take opportunities seriously, and never compromise on professional standards.
With a growing footprint in California and a vision for nationwide impact, OLDPGS is setting new standards for security management. As Hayson Tasher puts it: “Security you can count on. Security professionals dedicated to a secure environment.”
For businesses seeking professional consultation or reliable security services, OLDPGS represents more than protection, it represents accountability, expertise, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Entrepreneurs
From Code to Compliance: How Geol Gladson Battu Is Building Trustworthy AI for Global Finance
Published
3 months agoon
October 13, 2025
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, the financial world stands at a critical crossroads, balancing innovation with accountability. At the forefront of this transformation is Geol Gladson Battu, Assistant Vice President of Securities Services Technology at Citigroup, author of From Code to Compliance, and a leading advocate for responsible, production-grade AI. His work demonstrates how transparent, auditable, and regulation-aligned AI can redefine compliance, fraud detection, and risk management for the world’s largest financial institutions.
Bridging Technology and Trust in Financial Systems
Battu’s journey began in engineering roles at Infosys and Zwitch Payments, where he mastered the fundamentals of secure, scalable data systems. But it was at Citigroup, over a span of eight years, that his career reached global impact. There, he led modernization programs that replaced legacy reconciliation and surveillance processes with AI-driven automation frameworks.
The results were measurable: predictive models that reduced false positives by up to 30%, shortened reconciliation cycles, and improved audit transparency. These weren’t mere proofs of concept; they were enterprise-grade deployments that balanced cutting-edge performance with the rigorous compliance demands of global banking.
“AI in finance is not just about speed or automation: it’s about trust,” says Battu. “Transparent, resilient, and ethical systems shape a financial future that serves both institutions and people.” His approach emphasizes embedding trust from the ground up, ensuring that AI solutions not only enhance efficiency but also withstand regulatory scrutiny. By focusing on scalability and security early in his career, Battu laid the foundation for innovations that address real-world challenges in high-stakes environments like banking.
This bridging of technology and trust has positioned him as a key figure in transforming how financial institutions approach digital evolution. His hands-on experience highlights the importance of integrating AI with existing systems without compromising on reliability or ethical standards.
Operationalizing Responsible AI Through Innovation and Research
The seed for Battu’s personal brand was planted in a recurring tension: banks wanted AI’s efficiency, but regulators demanded explainability. He realized the key was not just building intelligent systems but ensuring they were traceable, auditable, and compliant from design to deployment.
His pioneering work focused on reducing false positives in fraud detection, enhancing reconciliation accuracy, and enabling regulatory reporting automation. The breakthroughs came from treating AI not as a standalone algorithm but as part of a larger ecosystem of governance and auditability.
That philosophy underpins his book From Code to Compliance, a practical guide that bridges the gap between data science and financial regulation. The book and his research papers presented at IEEE ICCNT 2025 and IEEE ETNCC 2025 offer reproducible frameworks for explainable AI, AML risk scoring, and regulatory audit readiness. His papers, cited more than 50 times on ResearchGate, are helping practitioners and academics alike design AI that regulators can trust.
Battu’s contributions extend beyond theory; they provide actionable strategies for implementing AI in compliance-heavy sectors. By addressing the “black box” nature of many AI models, he advocates for tools that allow stakeholders to understand decision-making processes, thereby fostering greater adoption in risk-averse industries.
Academic Excellence and Future Frameworks for Trustworthy AI
Beyond corporate leadership, Battu’s influence extends to academia and research. He is a Doctorate (DBA) candidate at Indiana Wesleyan University, holds an MSc from the University of South Florida, and contributes as a peer reviewer for IEEE and other journals. His patented design, a UK-registered system for AI-driven financial fraud detection using scalable cloud infrastructure, underscores his ability to innovate across both theory and implementation.
His philosophy is clear: “Regulation and innovation are partners; when we embed compliance into design, we unlock sustainable automation at scale.”
Today, through his practitioner-led FinTech consultancy and advisory work, Battu helps institutions design, pilot, and scale responsible AI frameworks. His services span from model validation playbooks and data governance design to explainability and regulatory mapping workshops. The model is built on measurable KPIs, reducing false alerts, ensuring audit readiness, and improving decision transparency.
Looking ahead, Battu envisions an ecosystem where governance, explainability, and auditability are not afterthoughts but foundational design principles. “My goal,” he says, “is to shift the narrative from ‘AI is risky’ to ‘AI is manageable and auditable.’”
As financial institutions worldwide grapple with evolving regulations and rising risks, Geol Gladson Battu offers a replicable model for what trustworthy AI can look like, not just in concept, but in production. His work is a reminder that the future of finance won’t be defined by algorithms alone, but by the integrity, transparency, and accountability built into them.
Business
Disney Faces Shareholder Concerns Over Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
Published
4 months agoon
September 25, 2025
The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, is facing growing concerns from shareholders following the recent weeklong suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel. The decision, which led to a $4 billion drop in Disney’s stock value, has sparked questions about the influence of political pressures on the company’s choices and raised important discussions about free speech, corporate responsibility, and shareholder trust.
A Call for Transparency
Prominent shareholder groups, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the AFL-CIO, and Reporters Without Borders, have come together to demand answers from Disney’s leadership. Represented by esteemed attorney Roberta Kaplan, known for her successful legal work in high-profile cases, these organizations sent a detailed letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger. The letter questions whether the decision to suspend Kimmel was driven by external pressures rather than sound business judgment, potentially violating the company’s fiduciary duties to its investors.
The groups expressed concern that Disney’s actions may have prioritized political considerations over the financial and ethical obligations owed to shareholders. They point to statements from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who reportedly threatened regulatory action following Kimmel’s on-air comments about MAGA and former President Donald Trump’s response to the tragic shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Additionally, major ABC affiliates, including those owned by Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, chose not to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! During the suspension, further complicating the situation.
Nexstar’s role is particularly significant, as the company is currently navigating federal approval for a multibillion-dollar merger with Tegna. Shareholders suggest this may have given affiliates leverage to influence Disney’s decision to temporarily remove Kimmel from the air.
Financial and Ethical Implications
The suspension had a measurable impact on Disney’s financial standing, with the company’s stock value dropping by approximately $4 billion. While this represents a single-digit percentage decline, the scale of the loss has heightened shareholder concerns about the decision’s rationale and its alignment with Disney’s commitment to its investors.
In their letter, the shareholder groups set a five-day deadline for Disney to provide documents and communications related to the suspension. They have also requested that the company preserve all relevant records, including internal discussions and correspondence with affiliates and federal officials. Failure to comply, the groups warned, could lead to legal action, including a potential derivative lawsuit filed on behalf of Disney.
A Broader Conversation About Free Speech
Disney has stated that Kimmel’s suspension stemmed from remarks on his September 15 broadcast, which the company described as “ill-timed” and “insensitive.” However, many see the decision as a response to external pressures, raising concerns about the balance between corporate decision-making and free expression.
Upon his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 23, Kimmel addressed the controversy with candor, clarifying the intent behind his comments and expressing gratitude for the support he received from viewers, colleagues, and free speech advocates. He also voiced concerns about the broader implications of censorship in the media.
Roberta Kaplan, speaking on behalf of the shareholder groups, emphasized the importance of protecting free speech. “No one, whether a government official or a corporation, should silence someone simply because they disagree with their views,” she said. Kaplan also reflected on ABC’s legacy, noting its history of airing Schoolhouse Rock, a beloved series that educated generations about the U.S. Constitution and the value of democratic principles.
Ongoing Tensions and Next Steps
Despite Kimmel’s return, Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains off the air on stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair, highlighting lingering tensions between Disney, its affiliates, and regulatory bodies. For shareholders, the situation has prompted deeper questions about Disney’s leadership, its commitment to journalistic independence, and its responsibility to prioritize investor interests.
As the five-day deadline approaches, Disney’s response will be critical in determining whether this issue is resolved or escalates into a larger legal and public relations challenge. What began as a temporary suspension has evolved into a broader conversation about corporate governance, the role of media in upholding free speech, and the delicate balance between external pressures and principled decision-making.
Entrepreneurs
Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and Nigel Farage: Why Major Figures Are Talking About Samuel Leeds
Published
4 months agoon
September 10, 2025
When property entrepreneur Samuel Leeds went viral earlier this year for turning down a lucrative accommodation deal at one of his boutique hotels, the reaction went far beyond the British press.
Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, reposted Leeds’s video and described him as “a good man” (see post here). The Daily Mail went further, reporting that Musk was “a fan” of Leeds. For Leeds, it was a moment that showed his message resonated well outside his own audience.

The story also brought him onto GB News, where he was interviewed in primetime by Nigel Farage. Farage did not raise the asylum seeker issue at all. Instead, he asked Leeds about taxation, including the potential National Insurance charge on landlords announced by Rachel Reeves and later referenced in the new budget. GB News producers described themselves as fans of Leeds and treated him as a credible voice on policy and business, not just a one-off viral guest. Later that same evening, Leeds appeared on TalkTV with Alex Phillips, meaning he featured on both major challenger networks in back-to-back primetime slots. You can watch the full GB News debate with Nigel Farage here
Andrew Tate, one of the most widely recognised and controversial entrepreneurs in the world, also spoke publicly in support of Leeds. Responding directly to Musk’s post, Tate praised Leeds as “a real G”, encouraged him to “keep up the good fight”, and said he was proud of him (see post here). For Leeds, these words highlighted the level of attention his work is drawing from some of the most high-profile figures online.
Support has also come from closer to home. Paul Bristow, Member of Parliament for Peterborough, praised Leeds publicly on social media, saying he respected his decision to keep Willingham House open for paying guests rather than converting it into migrant accommodation. Bristow also pointed to the importance of the hotel for the local economy and has since expressed interest in visiting in person.
Leeds is keen to stress that he is first and foremost a businessman. He owns multiple hotels and a nationwide property portfolio. His decision to turn down an offer at Willingham House, worth around £35,000 per month over nearly seven years, was only one example of how he applies his principles to his business.
He accepts that not everyone appreciates his outspoken style. “The people who criticise me online are usually not my customers. They are not wealthy investors, they are not in property, and they have never been to my trainings,” he says. “My students, who are actually building businesses, are the ones who know the real value.”
What is harder to ignore is the calibre of the people engaging with him. Musk’s endorsement in particular cements Leeds as more than just a UK property coach. “You cannot buy that kind of validation,” one observer commented. “It shows that influential voices are paying attention.”
As Leeds continues to grow his portfolio, he is now investing internationally, with projects underway in Africa and the Middle East. Between high-profile entrepreneurs and supportive MPs, his influence is increasingly being recognised in circles far beyond property.
Entrepreneurs
From Zero to 400K Views: Daniel Marrujo Podcast Success
Published
5 months agoon
August 27, 2025
The Daniel Marrujo Podcast didn’t begin with big sponsors, flashy studios, or a ready-made audience. It started with a simple microphone and a bold idea: to open up the world of microelectronics in a way that felt human and accessible. Today, with over 400,000 views, Marrujo’s podcast has become a surprising voice in a niche industry that is now getting mainstream attention.
The Early Spark of an Unlikely Entrepreneur
Daniel Marrujo wasn’t born into the podcasting industry. Like many entrepreneurs, he started out with nothing more than a passion for technology and a hunger to share stories that mattered. His interest in microelectronics came from years of following how chips, circuits, and tiny components power everything from smartphones to self-driving cars.
Most people overlook microelectronics because it feels too technical, too small, or too distant from everyday life. But Marrujo saw an opening: if he could break down complex ideas into conversations that felt relatable, he could give the field a cultural spotlight. That realization was the entrepreneurial spark that launched his podcasting journey.
Building a Podcast with Zero Listeners
Starting a podcast in today’s crowded market is already an uphill battle. Starting one without a budget, a marketing team, or an established name feels nearly impossible. But Marrujo leaned into what every true entrepreneur understands, you don’t need perfect conditions to begin, you just need consistency.
The early episodes of the Daniel Marrujo Podcast were raw, unpolished, and sometimes only heard by a handful of listeners. Yet Marrujo refused to stop. He treated every guest with the same respect as if he were interviewing a global tech leader. His conversations built trust, his consistency built credibility, and slowly, word began to spread.
Microelectronics: The Invisible Giant
Microelectronics is everywhere, yet often invisible. Every app, every sensor, every device in modern life depends on the relentless innovation of microchips and circuits. For decades, the field existed mostly in research labs, academic journals, and closed-door conferences.
What Marrujo did differently was to open the doors. On the Daniel Marrujo Podcast, engineers, researchers, and founders could share stories without drowning in jargon. Instead of technical papers, listeners heard real conversations, about challenges, risks, failures, and breakthroughs. That accessibility was a game-changer.
Reaching 400K Views — Why It Matters
For big entertainment podcasts, millions of downloads are the norm. But Marrujo’s 400,000 views stand out precisely because of their niche focus. His audience isn’t passive, it’s engaged, loyal, and deeply invested in the topics he covers.
Episodes from the Daniel Marrujo Podcast are shared in university classrooms, research labs, and LinkedIn communities. Startups have cited them while pitching to investors. Students use them as supplemental learning. For some professionals, they serve as the first introduction to an industry that’s shaping the future of technology.
In short, Marrujo didn’t just build a podcast, he built a resource.
Entrepreneurial Lessons from Marrujo’s Journey
Marrujo’s rise from zero to 400K views isn’t just a podcasting success story; it’s an entrepreneurial roadmap. His experience highlights strategies that any creator or founder can apply:
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Own Your Niche – Instead of chasing broad trends, Marrujo went deep into microelectronics, a space no one else was talking about in mainstream media.
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Consistency Wins – He showed up week after week, even when the audience was tiny. Over time, consistency built momentum.
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Authenticity Over Perfection – Listeners connected to Marrujo’s genuine curiosity more than polished production. His authenticity built a real community.
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Content Compounds – Each episode became part of a growing library. The more he produced, the more discoverable his podcast became.
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Impact Beats Scale – The true power of the Daniel Marrujo Podcast isn’t in millions of views, but in how deeply it resonates with its community.
A New Model for Creators in America
Marrujo’s story reflects a larger entrepreneurial trend in America: niche creators are rewriting the rules of influence. Instead of chasing mass markets, they are going deep into specialized industries and creating content that matters.
This model is powerful because it proves you don’t need millions of followers to build impact, you need the right followers. Whether it’s a YouTube channel on space exploration, a Substack on climate policy, or a podcast on microelectronics, American entrepreneurs are finding that focus is the new growth strategy.
For Marrujo, this meant owning a space that was overlooked, then building a reputation as one of the few voices making it accessible. In an age where every creator is trying to be everywhere, his success shows the value of being indispensable to a few.
The Future of the Daniel Marrujo Podcast
With momentum on his side, Marrujo isn’t slowing down. His podcast continues to bring on new guests, from engineers working on cutting-edge chips to entrepreneurs building hardware startups. The conversations are evolving from “what’s possible” to “what’s next.”
And the future looks bright. As microelectronics becomes more central to America’s economic and technological competitiveness, the demand for accessible storytelling will only grow. Marrujo is positioned not just as a podcaster, but as a cultural translator for one of the most important industries of our time.
Level Up Insight
The rise of the Daniel Marrujo Podcast proves that entrepreneurship in 2025 isn’t only about building products, it’s about building platforms of influence. By turning microelectronics into a conversation, Marrujo has redefined what it means to create value in a niche industry. His success is a reminder that the next wave of entrepreneurs won’t be measured by the size of their audience but by the depth of their impact.
For anyone starting at zero today, Marrujo’s journey offers the clearest lesson: pick your niche, stay consistent, and trust that real conversations still matter.
Entrepreneurs
John E. Wall: Redefining Financial Success Through Personal Transformation
Published
5 months agoon
August 14, 2025
In a world obsessed with “get rich quick” schemes and extreme hustle culture, John E. Wall is challenging the narrative. His philosophy is simple yet profound, which says True financial success doesn’t just live in your bank account; it’s built into your identity.
Rather than teaching shortcuts or promoting deprivation, John focuses on transforming individuals into disciplined, high-performance achievers who can build, protect, and enjoy wealth without sacrificing lifestyle. His approach blends financial literacy, identity transformation coaching, and lifestyle design principles, creating a holistic path to lasting prosperity.
“I don’t just teach financial success, I engineer the personal transformation required to achieve and sustain it,” John says.
Breaking Away from the Scarcity Mindset
While many financial coaches push the “cut every expense” mentality, John believes wealth building should be sustainable, not restrictive. He teaches clients how to grow their finances while living a life of elegance, purpose, and impact.
“Through a rare blend of executive coaching, wealth strategy, and lifestyle design, I help people build and protect wealth without living like a monk,” he explains.
This mindset has made John a sought-after public speaker, executive coach, and financial consultant, attracting high-achieving clients who want both financial growth and a fulfilling lifestyle.
The Frameworks That Drive Transformation
At the heart of John’s coaching are two proprietary systems:
The P.A.C.E. System – For Identity Transformation
- Perspective – Redefining how you view opportunity, challenges, and self-worth.
- Alignment – Ensuring daily actions match long-term goals and values.
- Clarity – Defining your desired lifestyle and measurable outcomes.
- Execution – Building habits and discipline that make success inevitable.
The S.H.I.F.T. System – For Financial Transformation
- Set Your Internal Programming
- Harness High Income Thinking
- Implement Strategic Money Management
- Follow the Path of Value & Leverage
- Transform Through Consistency & Growth
Through these frameworks, John equips clients with mindset mastery, strategic habits, and tailored wealth strategies, allowing them to enjoy the rewards in real time, not just in retirement.
Integration with Wise Financial
John’s expertise extends to his role as a financial consultant at Wise Financial, where he merges strategic wealth planning with emotional intelligence. This unique blend helps clients move seamlessly from vision to action, pairing personal development with custom financial solutions.
To John, public speaking, executive coaching, and financial consulting aren’t separate professions, they’re interconnected parts of a single mission:
“Transform who you are so financial freedom becomes not just possible, but inevitable.”
The Psychology Behind His Method
John draws on emotional intelligence, stoicism, and Adlerian psychology to help clients develop the resilience needed to sustain high performance.
- From Stoicism, he teaches the discipline to act with virtue under pressure
- From Adlerian psychology, he reinforces the power of choice and responsibility
- From Emotional Intelligence, he equips clients to lead themselves and others effectively
From Stage to Strategy
Whether speaking at conferences or in one-on-one coaching, John is instructional and results-driven. On stage, he guides audiences through live identity shifts, showing them exactly how to evolve their thinking, habits, and financial decisions. In private coaching, he translates those insights into step-by-step, personalized strategies that align lifestyle desires with financial goals.
One client summed up the experience:
“John gave me clear advice and actionable material that finally gave me a starting point on my investment journey. Now I feel confident moving forward, and I can’t wait to work with him again.”
What’s Next for John E. Wall
With demand for his expertise growing, John is expanding his speaking engagements, workshops, and high-impact coaching programs. His upcoming initiatives aim to equip more professionals with the tools to elevate their identity, master their finances, and design a life of intention.
For those ready to rewrite their personal and financial story, John E. Wall isn’t just another speaker, he’s a strategist for lasting transformation.
For bookings, partnerships, or coaching inquiries: jevan.wall@gmail.com
Business
Breaking Barriers: The Challenges and Triumphs Behind Sahil Khanna’s Journey
Published
5 months agoon
August 13, 2025
Sahil Khanna’s path from a chemical engineer to a digital marketing pioneer is a powerful story of overcoming obstacles and defying the odds. From his humble beginnings as a student balancing studies and freelancing to building and selling a 100-crore digital marketing agency, Sahil’s journey exemplifies persistence, strategic thinking, and the ability to turn challenges into triumphs.
The Early Struggles: A Balancing Act
Sahil’s journey began with a simple yet profound idea: to merge his engineering background with his growing passion for digital marketing. During his undergraduate years, he took on his first client while still studying chemical engineering. However, the transition from engineering to digital marketing was no easy feat. Juggling academic commitments and freelancing required immense dedication and time management skills.
The real turning point came during his MBA studies, where Sahil’s vision started to take shape. Balancing the demands of his coursework, a part-time job, and freelancing, he began building a virtual agency. But this period was fraught with challenges, managing clients while still learning the intricacies of digital marketing was not easy. It demanded relentless determination and an ability to pivot quickly when necessary.
Turning Point: The Shift to Entrepreneurship
After completing his MBA, Sahil worked in a corporate job to gain more experience. However, it didn’t take long for him to realize that his true calling lay in entrepreneurship. With his growing expertise in digital marketing, Sahil made the bold decision to leave his job and focus fully on his agency. This was not an easy decision, and it came with its own set of risks, including the fear of failure and uncertainty. But his commitment to his vision was unwavering.
During this phase, Sahil faced the challenge of scaling his operations. As he transformed his virtual agency into a full-fledged digital marketing company, the competition grew fiercer. But Sahil’s approach, which combined technical expertise with marketing strategies, paid off. His agency flourished, ultimately reaching a point where it was sold for over 100 crores, a testament to the value he had built through hard work and smart decision-making.
Reinventing Himself: A Passion for Content Creation
Despite his success in digital marketing, Sahil recognized a shift in the industry. As businesses sought ways to establish strong digital identities, Sahil saw an opportunity to evolve once again. His next move was to dive into content creation, seeing it as the next frontier for digital success.
Starting with his own YouTube channels, Sahil built a following by offering accessible, actionable digital marketing insights. His dedication to simplifying complex marketing concepts set him apart from others in the space, earning him a loyal audience. Over time, Sahil scaled his content creation efforts, launching 7 YouTube channels, which collectively garnered over 2 million subscribers.
Building a Personal Branding Empire
Sahil’s passion for content creation didn’t stop at YouTube. He recognized the growing demand for personal branding solutions and launched a full-service content creation agency. This new venture focused on providing end-to-end services, from setting up YouTube channels to editing and publishing, offering entrepreneurs and business owners the tools to build their personal brands.
Despite facing the challenge of starting from scratch in this new domain, Sahil’s experience in digital marketing allowed him to navigate the content creation landscape with ease. His success in this venture is a result of his deep understanding of both technical and creative aspects, which gave him the edge in a highly competitive market.
Empowering Others: The Solopreneur Blueprint
One of Sahil’s greatest triumphs has been his ability to mentor and inspire others. Through his “Solopreneur Blueprint” program, he shares his expertise with individuals looking to build their own successful digital ventures. This program, which teaches aspiring entrepreneurs to create high-margin agency businesses with minimal overhead, is a culmination of Sahil’s own experiences.
The program emphasizes personal branding, automation, and digital leadership, providing actionable advice and real-world training. By empowering others to break free from traditional work structures, Sahil is giving them the tools to become the CEOs of their own lives, further cementing his legacy as not just a digital marketing expert but a mentor and leader.
A Legacy of Overcoming Challenges
Sahil Khanna’s story is one of breaking barriers at every stage of his journey. From balancing studies and freelancing to scaling and selling a multi-crore agency, Sahil’s ability to turn obstacles into stepping stones is a testament to his perseverance. His transition from digital marketing to content creation and his efforts to empower other entrepreneurs through his “Solopreneur Blueprint” program showcase his commitment to continuous growth and helping others achieve success.
Sahil’s journey proves that with the right mindset, any challenge can be transformed into a triumph, and every setback can serve as the foundation for future success. As he continues to shape the digital marketing landscape and mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs, his legacy will undoubtedly inspire others to break through their own barriers and achieve greatness.
Entrepreneurs
From Ancient Wisdom to Zero Limits: Lidia Kuleshnyk’s Revolutionary Approach to Executive Wellness
Published
6 months agoon
July 14, 2025
How a wellness visionary is transforming high-performance coaching by bridging 12 Ancient Universal Principles with modern executive needs*
In a world where executive burnout has reached epidemic proportions and traditional wellness approaches fall short, one visionary is pioneering a revolutionary path forward. Lidia Kuleshnyk, known as Lady Apona, isn’t just another wellness coach, she’s a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern high-performance needs, recently featured in the groundbreaking “Zero Limits” movie alongside renowned author Dr. Joe Vitale.
The Zero Limits Connection: Where Ancient Meets Infinite
Kuleshnyk’s feature in the Zero Limits Movie represents more than just recognition, it’s validation of her unique approach to achieving what she calls “the Zero Point of all possibilities.” In the film, she shares her transformative story of healing chronic illness and demonstrates how equine therapy can activate the peace and empowerment that already exists within each person.
“The Zero Point is that place of mastering Taoist non-attachment where you can easily discern and deflect external stressors,” explains Kuleshnyk. “It’s becoming the Buddha, sitting in the middle of the burning inferno, untouched by the flames around you.”
This isn’t metaphorical philosophy, it’s practical methodology that has earned her recognition as a recipient of the Ranath Media Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 and multiple industry honors.
Beyond Mindset: The 12 Ancient Universal Principles Revolution
While mainstream coaching focuses on mindset shifts, Kuleshnyk goes deeper, utilizing what she calls her “12 Ancient Universal Principles” based on Taoist non-attachment. These principles, combined with her three pillars of lasting self-empowerment, Being Centered, Connected, and Conscious™, create what she describes as “a flow state where one moves beyond mindset into a new paradigm of what is possible.”
This approach resonates powerfully with her target audience: overworked CEOs, C-Suite executives, and high performers who’ve mastered traditional success strategies but still struggle with chronic stress and burnout.
“Unlike modern mindset approaches, I have 30 years of expertise in deep healing and deep transformation,” Kuleshnyk notes. “I help clients resolve not just performance issues, but chronic illness, terminal diagnoses, and the chronic stress that leads to serious health conditions.”
The Evolving Self-Mastery Mastermind: Where Leaders Transform
At the pinnacle of Kuleshnyk’s offerings sits her exclusive “Evolving Self-Mastery: Mindset, Power, and Consciousness for Limitless Growth” mastermind, a program designed for executives and thought leaders who have already mastered high-level skills but are ready to expand into new frontiers of their limitless potential.
“This mastermind is a circle of conscious leaders who are the pioneers of expanding consciousness,” she explains. “They’re applying wisdom to experience unprecedented heights of growth while helping humanity navigate this incredible paradigm shift in human consciousness.”
One executive client captured the transformative power of her approach: “With your focused presence, you activated within me parts of myself that were yearning to come out, but I couldn’t access on my own.”
The Healing Power of Horses: Ancient Wisdom in Action
What truly sets Kuleshnyk apart is her integration of equine therapy into high-performance coaching. At her horse rescue sanctuary, Apona Healing Ranch in Ontario, Canada, she demonstrates how “honouring the divinity of horses” helps leaders connect with their own divinity and remember their self-worth and empowerment.
“When we stand in stillness, silence, and presence with horses, their unconditional love activates our intuition, heart, and spirit,” she shares. “This dissolves barriers and creates lasting connection of inner peace and strength.”
Turning Crisis Into Success: The Conscious Leadership Imperative
Kuleshnyk’s ultimate message transcends individual transformation. She’s passionate about empowering conscious leaders to feel secure and confident in their ability to “turn any crisis or situation into success and activate human potential to turn lead into gold.”
Her signature program, “The High Performer’s Secret: 90 Days to Conquer Stress, End Burnout and Create More Energy,” offers a streamlined system for busy executives, while her mastermind provides ongoing support for sustained transformation.
The Future of Executive Wellness
As traditional approaches to executive wellness prove insufficient for modern challenges, Kuleshnyk’s ancient-meets-modern methodology offers what New York Weekly called “something increasingly precious: a sustainable path to true power, performance, and possibility.”
Her approach addresses a critical gap in the market, while coaches like Tony Robbins and Brendon Burchard focus on performance optimization, Kuleshnyk uniquely combines deep healing expertise with high-performance coaching, creating what she calls “the roadmap to exponential success.”
Reclaiming Sovereignty in Leadership
“What makes my approach unique is that it’s not just about achieving goals,” Kuleshnyk emphasizes. “It’s about reclaiming your sovereignty, living as the conscious leader of your life, and becoming a conscious leader of the world.”
This vision of conscious leadership couldn’t be more timely. As executives face unprecedented challenges—from global uncertainty to personal burnout, Kuleshnyk’s integration of ancient universal principles with modern coaching creates a trusted pathway to lasting transformation.
The Zero Limits Life: A New Paradigm
Through her feature in the Zero Limits Movie and her comprehensive coaching programs, Kuleshnyk offers executives something rarely found in traditional wellness approaches: a methodology that addresses the root causes of stress while building sustainable foundations for limitless growth.
“Each person can achieve their goals and dreams, create a limitless life and attract miracles, in any circumstance, with lasting self-empowerment,” she states. “This is about moving beyond what you thought was possible and claiming your place as a great conscious leader.”
For executives ready to move beyond traditional mindset work and into the realm of conscious leadership, Kuleshnyk’s approach represents not just personal transformation, but a pathway to becoming the visionary leaders humanity needs during these transformative times.
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*To learn more about Lidia Kuleshnyk’s:
Zero Limits Movie feature, and the Zero Limits Movie Movement, visit www.AponaHealing.com/movies
Zero Limits Movie is scheduled to be released in September 2025
High Performance Wellness Coaching Programs, including the exclusive “Evolving Self-Mastery” Mastermind, visit www.AponaHealing.com/coaching
*For interviews, speaking engagements, or additional information about Lidia Kuleshnyk’s four pathways to wellness programs and Zero Limits Movie feature, visit www.AponaHealing.com
Entrepreneurs
Unconventional Wisdom for the Scrappy CEO: Colin Davis on Coaching Underdog Entrepreneurs
Published
6 months agoon
July 14, 2025
When underdog entrepreneurs go looking for a coach, they’re not chasing credentials, they’re searching for someone who understands the weight of real leadership and the complexity of building something from the ground up. That’s the heart of First Principles Coaching, based in Richmond, Virginia. The founder of First Principles Coaching, Colin Davis, helps small business owners cut through complexity, stay accountable, and lead with clarity by drawing on real-world experience and timeless principles, not trendy corporate theory.
From Monk to Mentor: A Journey of Purpose
Colin’s professional story doesn’t start in a boardroom, it starts in silence. For nine years, he lived as a missionary and monk, cultivating habits of mindfulness, discipline, and deep listening. In that time, he helped churches and ministries align their teams, grow their communities, and find shared purpose skills that would later become central to his coaching philosophy.
But it wasn’t until later in life, after years of leading church organizations and nonprofit teams, that Colin felt the pull toward entrepreneurship. “I saw how small businesses could transform communities, families, and individual lives,” he explains. “It reminded me of my dad, who lost everything in business, and then rebuilt it from scratch. That had a profound impact on me.”
First Principles Coaching: Built for the Underdog
Colin didn’t launch First Principles Coaching with a flashy investor pitch or Silicon Valley buzz. He built it on grit, trust, and one core belief: small business owners deserve the same level of strategic and personal support that executives at large companies get.
His coaching practice focuses on founders with teams of 2–10 employees, often bootstrapped businesses that have grown organically but now face the challenges that come with scale. These entrepreneurs are often overwhelmed, misaligned, and stuck. Colin steps in with a unique hybrid model that combines:
- A proven curriculum on time management, systems, mindset, and team building
- Custom coaching to address real-time problems as they arise
- Psychological insight into how leadership and emotion intersect
- Holistic systems thinking that looks beyond surface symptoms
This approach has led to tangible results. Two of his clients recently saw 3x revenue growth over 2.5 years. The average growth across all clients? A remarkable 40%. But Colin is quick to emphasize: “The real success isn’t just revenue, it’s alignment. When a business owner becomes the best version of themselves, the business transforms too.”
Coaching Without Credentials And Proud of It
The executive coaching industry often leans heavily on titles and degrees. But Colin believes lived experience, self-awareness, and results matter more. “Like most of my clients, I don’t have an Ivy League education, but I know what it means to lead under pressure, to navigate failure, and to help others do the same,” he says. “My first principles come from philosophy, psychology, and most importantly, real life.”
His work is inspired by ancient thinkers like Socrates, Aristotle, and Epictetus. These thinkers emphasized knowing oneself before leading others, a principle Colin lives by. In fact, the name First Principles Coaching draws directly from this idea: get to the root, understand the cause, build from the foundation.
Why Small Business? Why Now?
Colin has a soft spot for very small businesses, and it’s deeply personal. “My dad was a small business owner. I saw him fail, and I saw him rise again. I know the highs and the heartbreaks. That’s why I work with founders who are in the trenches. They don’t need jargon. They need clarity, accountability, and a strategy that works.”
And in today’s economic climate, where uncertainty is the norm, Colin’s grounded, no-nonsense coaching is a lifeline for many. Surprisingly, the recession hasn’t dented his business. In fact, it’s made his value clearer. “When everything feels unstable, you need someone who can help you make sense of the chaos and build on solid foundations.”
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Colin envisions growing First Principles Coaching into a national or even international coaching firm with a small team of like-minded coaches serving entrepreneurs across the spectrum, from startup solopreneurs to executive teams. But his ultimate goal goes beyond numbers: he wants to spark a ripple effect of purpose-driven leadership. He imagines communities transformed, relationships deepened, and business owners who are more fulfilled, not just more profitable.
Colin Davis may not fit the traditional mold, but maybe that’s the point. He’s not offering glossy slogans or recycled frameworks. He’s offering something far more important in today’s business world: mental clarity, alignment from the inside out, and real results.
With Colin Davis, coaching isn’t about credentials. It’s about character. It’s about results. And it’s about finally becoming the kind of leader your purpose in life calls you to.
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