12 Minute Convos W/ Engel Jones

Jeff founded his company with a goal to take the payment processing industry from simply transactional....to relational! Jeff is the founder of Pay Proudly and his mission is twofold: to provide business owners with payment clarity and to support communities through charity. Throughout his career, he saw that there was a gap in the marketplace for relational support in payment processing. Payment processing is the lifeblood of a business and Jeff and his team are passionate about educating business owners on how important having the right payment processor is for your business. As an industry disrupter, Jeff is on a Mission to bring 'Pay it Forward' into the payment sector as well. Pay Proudly leverages their 25+ years industry expertise and reputation in the payment space to provide financial charity to non-profits each quarter. Pay Proudly allows the world of commerce to converge and generate financial support for great causes. It's not a marketing spin to acquire new business; quite the contrary, Jeff can

Kasha Sequoia Slavner is an award-winning Gen-Z documentary filmmaker, and founder of The Global Sunrise Project. At 16, she left school for a year, to travel the world, in production on her first feature film, The Sunrise Storyteller. The film premiered at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2017, and has screened at 61 film festivals, garnering 31 awards, some of which include: "Best Documentary" at Carmarthen Bay BAFTA Awards Qualifying Festival, "Rising Star Filmmaker" at Colorado International Activism Film Festival, the "Golden Jury Prize, Youth Visions" at the Social Justice Film Festival, Seattle. Kasha has also been a photographer, entrepreneur, educator and social justice advocate for over a decade, as well as a writer, public speaker and contributor to several publications, including National Geographic Learning. Kasha was selected as the first recipient of the Kim Phuc Youth Peace Prize. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Diana Award and is one of the Wonder Grantees for Sus

Greg is a seasoned entrepreneur, CEO, and executive coach with a proven track record of helping start-ups and growing businesses succeed. Since founding his consulting firm in 2010, he has guided hundreds of companies and business leaders through business strategy, operational efficiency, and team building. His expertise has been key in driving successful business transitions across diverse industries. In addition to coaching and consulting, Greg is the co-founder of a technology firm and the owner of multiple businesses. His entrepreneurial journey reflects a deep passion for innovation, leadership, and sustainable growth. Based in Northeast Florida, Greg and his wife of twenty-seven years, Kim, live on the coast where they manage a horse farm and enjoy ocean living. Together, they continue to pursue and embody their vision story, blending business success with a fulfilling personal life. LinkedIn Websites GregoryGray.com (Company) BusinessOwnerFreedom.com (Blog)

Esha is an advocate for busy, professional black women to experience self-love through amazing travel.  She's an international best-selling Author, Island gyal and a self-proclaimed Travel junkie, having been to 5 of 7 continents. Links: Website Instagram

Helping small business owners attract, engage, and convert more leads online. Alison Ver Halen majored in English and Psychology without realizing she was getting the perfect degree for content marketing. It wasn't until a few years after she graduated, when a family friend asked her to write blog posts for his law firm, that she realized she could make money doing what she loves. Fast forward to today and Alison is still writing blog posts, as well as website landing pages and emails, but also integrates SEO and marketing strategy into the content she writes to give her clients their best chance of attracting, engaging, and converting their ideal clients. Links: Website LinkedIn

Kristi Straw is redefining modern leadership, recently recognized among

Corinne Auman is a trailblazer in the field of aging and the founder of Choice Care Navigators, a company dedicated to helping families navigate the aging process. Corinne is dedicated to fostering personal growth, resilience, and authentic living at every age. With a background in psychology, Corinne's passion lies in reshaping how we perceive older adulthood, a vision she beautifully encapsulates in her groundbreaking book, "Keenagers." Corinne is on a mission to change the conversation around aging. In a culture where many avoid thinking about older adulthood until the last minute, she urges us to embrace aging in a positive light. Corinne's success is not only in authoring "Keenagers" but also in running a thriving company that addresses critical pain points in care management. Her goals align with her book's message – to discuss ageism, change perspectives, and bring attention to the topic. What sets Corinne apart is her unique dual perspective – she's not just an educator in a classroom; she's actively

Junaid Ahmed: Transforming Spaces, Transforming Lives Junaid is the founder of Humblezone and creator of Home Studio Mastery, designed to teach you how to build your home studio. He has two decades of video production experience and designing websites & apps focused on a systematic process and seamless user experience. He provides podcasters, speakers, and content creators with a comprehensive plan for their studio equipment, lighting, and layout. He also enables video creators to create effortless content in a comfortable and impressive home studio setting. He’s the author of Mastering iPhone Video Production, 7 Stages of Home Studio Evolution, and host of the Hacks & Hobbies podcast. He also speaks frequently at national events such as Podfest, Podcasting Made Simple Live, and multiple virtual summits. Junaid Ahmed's Website Facebook LinkedIn Previous Episode

Nicole is a seasoned journalist, communications coach, and speaker who shares her voice on stages and with the written word through articles in various media. As founder of NicoleGSpeaks, she works with business owners, advocates, and individuals to amplify their voices, creating impact and value for her clients. As the parent of an adult on the autism spectrum, Nicole shares her family's autism journey through her blog and website. She chronicles the bumpy roads of finding employment, independence, making weighty decisions, and the need for parents and caregivers to make self-care nonnegotiable. LinkedIn

No matter where you went to school or work, chances are you weren't taught how to invest your 401(k), manage savings, or plan for retirement. Making matters worse, the financial industry loves to create complex products that are difficult to understand. My first job out of college was at Thomson Financial Services as an earnings analyst. Then I worked the overnight shift for two years at a semiconductor trading company making deals with companies in Asia. Guess what? Work was great, but the 401(k) meetings were never helpful and there weren’t any money lessons. For over 20 years, I’ve been working at Runnymede Capital Management, founded by my dad. My brother, Chris, joined us from College Retirement Equities Fund where he was an analyst and assistant portfolio manager. I learned how to invest, the power of compound growth, and importance of asset protection. Money doesn't have to be confusing or overwhelming. Sometimes, you need a guide. Our team has the knowledge and experience to help clients navigate reti

Rayson Choo returns to the podcast nearly five years after his last appearance, bringing with him a journey of personal growth, persistence, and purpose. Based in Singapore, Rayson continues to balance his dual roles as a dedicated nurse and the passionate host of The Legacy Show podcast. Over the past year, he has expanded his impact through influencer marketing and featured high-profile guests like Sean Cannell and David Meltzer. In this candid and reflective conversation, Rayson shares how his voice—and his mindset—have matured with time. He speaks openly about the value of empathy in nursing, the challenge of stepping outside your comfort zone, and the slow but meaningful path of manifesting one’s dreams. With a grounded message to his future self and a theme of “truth” running throughout the episode, Rayson reminds us that success is less about shortcuts and more about staying aligned with purpose. LinkedIn Previous Ep2711 Previous Ep1153

Autism Hero Award Winner  Giuliana Wheater is an author & multi award winning therapist working with autism, SEN and mental health. She is the founder of Therapies For Special Needs and Rainbow Kids Touch Therapy . She's a teacher,trainer, passionate public speaker, coach, counsellor and active advocate and educator She has worked for several autism charities. .Her work has been recognised by the Children's University as a Learning Destination. Giuliana has been featured often on BBC radio, in the National press and magazines as well as regional radio and press. She is a regular contributor to Autism Eye, Autism Parenting and SEN magazine  .She is the specialist member of the panel for the UK Indian Head Massage Community. Giuliana was awarded a Certificate of Achievment by the National Diversity awards in 2021 as a shortlisted Positive Role Model for the National Diversity Awards out of 55,000 nominees. She also won an Autism Hero Award in June 2022 in recognition of her tireless work and campaigning . H

Kody Thompson is a dynamic entrepreneur and visionary leader with a track record of success. He is renowned for his achievements as the founder of Lightning Sites, a web development company that he built from a $250 startup into a multi-million-dollar enterprise generating in excess of $5M profit across eight years. Over that time Lightning Sites was able to build over 1,500 websites, servicing over 800 clients monthly and generating in excess of 500,000 leads for his clients. In 2023 Kody was able to transition out of the day-to-day operations of Lightning Sites, when it was acquired by US technology company Sites At Scale. After successfully building his own remote teams to grow and exit Lightning Sites, Kody developed a reputation as an expert in building international teams and scaling businesses and launched the Business WrkPod in 2021, with Co-Founder Dale Beaumont. WrkPod specialises in helping companies build teams in the Philippines, offering comprehensive services that include talent recruitment, st

Nathan buttigieg - Australia, Victoria, South Gippsland. Overcome cocaine & alcohol addiction after losing everything when he was 22 years old, now works with Men helping them upgrade their physical & mental states.

With over 14 years of experience as an NLP coach, hypnotherapist, multi-time author, and international speaker, Keith has transformed lives worldwide by helping individuals to take back control of their lives. Known as The Mindset Master, he specializes in guiding people to break free from limitations, overcome challenges, and achieve personal mastery. As the creator of the Mindset Mastery Community, a vibrant online hub, Keith fosters personal growth through monthly themes, interactive modules, and gamified progression, empowering members to take control of their lives. An award-winning international public speaker and trainer, Keith has mentored countless individuals in public speaking and mindset development. His impact extends to initiatives like Coachathon, where he helped raise funds for women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa. Through 1-2-1 coaching, workshops, books, podcasts, and transformative content, Keith is dedicated to helping people reframe their realities, live their truth, and master their

Sandro Tonini is a passionate advocate for financial empowerment and an inspiring example of the American Dream in action. Sandro joined a non profit women’s business center called WESST after learning about their impactful work with underserved communities in New Mexico, bringing a wealth of experience from his background in retail banking and market research. A first-generation American and son of entrepreneurs. Fluent in three languages, Sandro’s personal journey fuels his commitment to making financial education accessible to marginalized communities. At WESST, he leads the statewide microloan program and the innovative ‘Money Learning Lab,’ which combines human-centered design and financial capability training tailored for New Mexico’s diverse communities. C. Sandro Tonini's Website LinkedIn

Shanti Hershenson’s first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade, although her writing journey started long before then. Ever since she could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she was creating stories. They started from pictures, mere scribbles, and eventually, turned into captivating tales. She lives in California with her parents, sister, and furry friends. Besides writing, she enjoys skateboarding, Beyblading, free-running, falconry, and of course, reading. She writes in a variety of genres, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction, although she mostly sticks to Sci-Fi. She advocates for anti-bullying, and you may find her at open mic-nights, performing her spoken word poem Needles & Thorns, which is about the struggle of bullying in middle schools. Shanti Hershenson's Website

Shanti Hershenson’s first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade, although her writing journey started long before then. Ever since she could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she was creating stories. They started from pictures, mere scribbles, and eventually, turned into captivating tales. She lives in California with her parents, sister, and furry friends. Besides writing, she enjoys skateboarding, Beyblading, free-running, falconry, and of course, reading. She writes in a variety of genres, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction, although she mostly sticks to Sci-Fi. She advocates for anti-bullying, and you may find her at open mic-nights, performing her spoken word poem Needles & Thorns, which is about the struggle of bullying in middle schools. Shanti Hershenson's Website

Michele Ong is a creative technologist with over 20 years of experience on the tech side of a range of industries. She cut her tech teeth in telecommunications in the early 2000s when the industry was an innovative wild west as consumer internet transitioned from dialup to broadband. Since then, she has worked on wide-reaching projects including Rupert Murdoch's iPad magazine 'The Daily', the first app to have its own Super Bowl commercial, as well as web and video-on-demand presences for FOX TV properties including '24' and Neil deGrasse Tyson's 'Cosmos'. She worked mostly from the comfort of her home in Perth, Western Australia, doing the global telecommute thing long before COVID made it mainstream. A wearer of many hats, Michele is a mother, business owner, entrepreneur, and creator. She is always curious. Michele consults on technological and business solutions for domestic and international clients, and is building Podbite, a Software as a Service (SaaS) to help speakers and creative artists repurpose p

Since 1993, I’ve worked with and led programs for 30,000+ leaders and team members working for positive change in and through their organizations. I started my coaching business in 2008, making me one of Albuquerque’s most experienced business coaches and one the world’s first business coaches to focus on the needs of social entrepreneurs. In 2017, I founded Awarepreneurs as a way to help people learn about the practices successful impact business leaders use. Today I’m best known as the host of Awarepreneurs, a leading social entrepreneur podcast with 330+ episodes, 100+ five star Apple Podcast reviews and multiple awards. In my coaching practice, I work with values based founders and teams who are ready for accelerated growth. More recently, I’ve been doing an increasing amount of organizational consulting. For instance, I’m a consultant with New Mexico Angels, helping the organization to implement a growth plan. And I’m the Business Coach for both the 2023 and 2024 cohorts of the SBA THRIVE accelerator in