Johnny Crowder likes to say that, in short, he’s a suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, Billboard-charting heavy metal musician and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist. He’s also the founder of Cope Notes, a Tampa-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world. Now Johnny, who has “YOU MATTER" tattooed across the back of his neck and "SAVE THEM" tattooed on his knuckles, is a sought-after speaker on mental health issues. And the ultimate accidental entrepreneur.

Together, we speak about the unique and unusual circumstances in Johnny’s life that led to Cope Notes, and how he has sustained the organization. (He constantly focuses on his north star — helping people.) We also talk about why cereal is important to Johnny — and which one is his favorite.

3 Takeaways:

1. (06:00) You have skills that will transfer to entrepreneurship
2. (08:00) Ask for help
3. (17:00) The “3-year period of guaranteed loss”

Timestamps:

(00:00) Subscribe to the Business Observer

(00:31) Introducing Johnny Crowder and Cope Notes

(03:40) How did the Cope Notes come to be?

(06:00) Steps you took to grow Cope Notes

(09:55) Being curious

(11:25) Where is Cope Notes currently?

(13:00) What impact has Cope Notes had on its community?

(16:35) Advice to young entrepreneurs

(20:00) Johnny’s music career

(22:20) What can we expect in 2024 from Cope Notes?

(23:30) Rapid fire questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week we speak with Aysegul Timur, President of Florida Gulf Coast University. Aysegul was named president of Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers last summer — the fifth top leader in the 33-year history of the college. Timur is a first-generation college student who moved from her native Turkey to Naples 25 years ago. She joined FGCU in 2019, after working at Hodges University for nearly 20 years. Her name is pronounced (ah-sha-guhl, rhymes with Portugal; and tim-er, rhymes with glimmer.)

Together, we talk about how she pulled off a major feat: earned a Ph.D, raised her young family, built her career and learned English — all at the same time. We also discuss the leadership advice she gives to young students and the importance of mentors in her life and career.

3 Takeaways:

1. (01:30) Calculate the opportunity cost of your time
2. (14:40) Leadership is about influence
3. (15:40) Communication is oxygen for an organization

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing President Aysegul Timur and her biggest surprises of the first 10 months

(02:45) President Timur’s Inauguration Day

(04:10) Getting started as a teaching assistant

(06:20) Learning English and immigrating from Turkey

(08:20) How did your parents shape your work ethic?

(09:50) Commuting from Naples to Tampa to get her PhD

(14:15) What do you look for in leaders?

(16:10) Leadership advice

(17:15) Mentors

(18:35) The importance of communication

(20:35) Biggest challenges facing college presidents

(23:20) Rapid fire questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with Taylor Villegas, founder of Twelve Tables and Sunny Collabs, angel investor, podcaster, keynote speaker, and influencer. Taylor’s companies work with growth-stage startups and established brands on anything from strategic advice to one-off projects to longer marketing campaigns and more. Prior to these companies Taylor worked for a variety of other entities, including one of the largest contractors in the region and a real estate brokerage.

Together, we talk about Taylor’s unusual career path and how, and why, she changed directions. We also discuss Taylor’s “un-hustling” philosophy, how to build a business and career with the right balance between professional achievement and a fulfilling life and her advice for budding entrepreneurs.

3 Takeaways:

1. (17:00) Don’t allow hustle to ruin harmony in your life
2. (23:45) Feedback is the strongest form of care
3. (27:30) You have to continually validate others

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Taylor Villeagas and Twelve Tables

(02:40) The creation of Twelve Tables

(04:15) Transitioning from the corporate world to entrepreneurship

(06:30) Getting started with breathwork

(13:00) The creation and meaning behind Unhustled

(18:30) Unhustled book, inspiration, and intentionality

(21:20) How to collaborate more effectively

(23:30) Giving good feedback

(28:15) Where do you get your inspiration?

(31:30) What can we expect from Twelve Tables in 2024?

(33:00) Rapid fire questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with Veronica Swiatek, founder and owner of Massage Studio. Veronica owns Massage Studio, with one location in downtown St. Petersburg and another location in South Tampa. She also owns retail stores in the Tampa International Airport and commercial real estate properties in the region.

Together, we talk about Veronica’s career in restaurants and hospitality and how she took those customer service and work ethic lessons to launch her own businesses. We also discuss the importance of being a transparent leader and clear communicator with both employees and customers

3 Takeaways:

1. (01:44) Get involved in the community and take advantage of you contacts
2. (04:50) Just ask, what is the worst that can happen?
3. (09:30) It is important for employees to understand the “why” behind decisions

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Veronica Swiatek, serial entrepreneur

(02:44) How did you start becoming a business owner?

(06:20) Leadership lessons from learned experience

(08:40) What do you look for when hiring employees?

(11:45) Setbacks that you overcame and asking for help

(13:35) Who are some mentors and what you learned from them?

(15:50) What does the day-to-day look like for you?

(17:20) What can we expect from you in 2024?

(19:34) Rapid Fire Questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with John Miles, author, podcaster, keynote speaker and entrepreneur. John is the author of “Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life.” Prior to the book, John had a successful career in the U.S. Navy and Corporate America, with Dell and Lowe’s, among others.

Together, we speak about what drove John to leave his high-paying C-suite role to become an author and keynote speaker working with people on what it means to live a life fueled by passion and purpose. We also discuss the early morning encounter — it involved a gunman who broke into his house — that led to his life epiphany.

3 Takeaways:

1. (01:50) “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”
2. (14:00) Successful individuals have a consistent pursuit of reinvention
3. (19:45) Great leaders speak with their feet

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing John Miles and Passion Struck

(03:50) Climbing the corporate ladder to Fortune 500 C-Suite Executive

(06:45) Major life events that lead to Passion Struck

(13:10) Leadership advice from Passion Struck interviews

(18:20) Work-life balance

(19:18) What makes a good leader?

(23:55) Ski or be skied

(25:55) Passion Struck in 2024

(28:00) Rapid fire questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with Kristen Lessig-Schenerlein, founder of Koi Coaching and Consulting and Hannah McGowan, founder of Hannah McGowan Coaching.

Kristen and Hannah, each with independent coaching consulting firms, are teaming up to create a leadership coaching course and curriculum for nonprofit and for-profit professionals in the region.

Together, we talk about their diverging career paths that led them to their current passions and their big plans to help even more professionals. We also discuss the power of positive psychology and curiosity to become a better leader.

Instagram: @coreleadershipcoaching

Email: connect@coreleadershipcoaching.com

3 Takeaways:

1. (08:15) Leadership starts with self awareness
2. (10:30) The reason you have a team is because your mission is larger than one person
3. (15:20) Don’t get so defensive

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Kristen Lessig Schenerlein & Hannah McGowan

(01:10) Koi Coaching & Consulting

(03:00) Hannah McGowan Coaching

(06:00) New initiative - CORE Leadership

(07:30) Solving for the leadership gap

(09:45) “I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious”

(11:30) How does applied positive psychology get incorporated into Core leadership?

(12:50) Memorable leadership advice

(17:45) We bring our full selves to work

(18:40) Memorable leadership learning experiences

(23:55) Learning from mentors

(27:15) Tell us more about CORE leadership

(29:00) Rapid fire questions

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with Michael Westafer, founder and CEO of Roger West Creative & Code. Michael founded the company, a full-service marketing agency, in 2007. The company recently merged with Digital Brew, an Orlando video production company, and will be run under a holding company called Roger & James, with a combined 45 employees.

Together, we talk about how Michael founded and grew the business and some early challenges he overcame to scale and work with bigger clients. We also discuss Michael’s leadership style and how builds a culture of open communication at the company.

3 Takeaways:

1. (03:25) It all starts with connections
2. (11:40) You can learn as much from bad leaders as you can from good ones
3. (12:35) It is hard to say “no” to projects

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Michael Westafer

(02:00) What led to the founding and growth of the firm?

(04:35) What were some key tipping points along the way?

(05:55) What do you look for when hiring employees and leaders?

(09:20) Tell us about EOS for your company

(11:00) Learning from other leaders

(12:30) What have you learned from running the company?

(14:15) Company-wide goal setting

(15:00) New announcement

(16:00) What can we look forward to in 2024?

(16:45) Rapid fire question

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

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This week, we speak with Susie Bowie, CEO, The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. Susie was named CEO of the foundation in March 2023. She was executive director of the Manatee Community Foundation before this new role, and has been involved with nonprofits in the area for some two decades.

Together, we discuss Susie’s passion for leadership and facilitating environments in organizations that make people feel heard and valued. We also talk about what the Selby Foundation is up to next and how she’s addressing the challenges in her new job.

3 Takeaways:

1. (05:55) Always be thinking about what you could do better
2. (06:45) Empathy is a learned trait
3. (09:35) Meet with anyone. None of us get where we are without other people.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Susie Bowie, CEO of the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation

(02:30) Tell us about your previous roles in the nonprofit sector

(04:25) Growing up, did you always want to be involved in the nonprofit sector?

(05:30) Being an empathetic leader & learning from Mr. Rogers

(09:00) What is a piece of leadership advice that stands out to you?

(11:50) Is there a failure you learned from in your career?

(15:10) Goal setting

(17:50) Mentorship & executive coaching

(20:27) What is coming in 2024 for the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation?

(22:05) Rapid fire question

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.