In this episode of the Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Dentico interviews Karim Jaafar.

Karim Jaafar didn't just pivot from award-winning filmmaker to brand storytelling strategist; he decoded how the entire consumer landscape fractured beneath our feet. Born in Cyprus, raised across Canada, Egypt, and Lebanon, now headquartered in UAE, this Grithaus.me founder crafted narratives for Kellogg's, Pringles, Nestle, and Cartoon Network before recognizing the seismic shift: we're no longer one big population making decisions. We've become a community of communities, micro-tribes gathering around cars, keto diets, health kicks, shared values, each functioning as its own filtration system determining what enters and what gets rejected.

This isn't marketing theory; it's survival strategy. Communities of trust now decide brand fate, not mass messaging. Karim's 2026 resolution captures the zeitgeist: from doubting to doing. Years spent paralyzed by post-COVID fear and anxiety about capabilities taught him the Arabic wisdom "motion brings glory." Stop overthinking. Execute. The transition from filmmaker to marketing solutions owner wasn't risky, it was inevitable. In fragmented markets, only those who understand authentic community connection survive. Karim sees patterns others miss.

Cyprus to Canada to Lebanon Journey - 03:33

UAE Internship to Marketing Entrepreneur - 04:03

The Risky Transition: Film to Brand Storytelling - 04:26

Kellogg's, Pringles, and Global Brand Work - 06:45

Founding Grithaus.me - 09:30

Technology Connecting Brands with People - 12:15

Authentic Storytelling in Advertising - 15:40

Evolution of Consumer Behavior - 19:25

Communities as Filtration Systems - 27:27

Community of Communities Framework - 28:03

From Doubting to Doing: Motion Brings Glory - 29:02

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In this episode of the Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Dentico interviews Kimberly Collins Co-Owner of Collins Orthodontics and The Donut.

Kimberly Collins isn't just another personality assessment enthusiast, she's the multihyphenate who turned childhood road trips to Yellowstone into a leadership philosophy. Growing up in Montana with two musical sisters and a manager father obsessed with MBTI, young Kimberly took typology tests in the family car, never imagining those exercises would rescue her from crippling burnout years later. As co-owner of Collins Orthodontics and The Donut, a purpose-driven venture funding free orthodontic care for pediatric cancer survivors, this professional musician turned certified Enneagram and MBTI coach discovered that understanding personality systems isn't about boxing people in; it's about setting them free.

The conversation tackles the crushing weight leaders carry alone: imposter syndrome, burnout, and the exhausting game face they maintain while making decisions affecting others' livelihoods. Kimberly's hope? Leaders developing emotional intelligence not to better serve teams, but to lighten their own unbearable loads. As AI handles 75-80% of redundant work, the remaining 20%, authentic human connection, becomes exponentially more valuable. For leaders drowning in isolation, Kimberly delivers both empathy and actionable psychological insight wrapped in Montana wisdom.

Montana Upbringing with Musical Sisters - 01:52

MBTI Tests on the Road to Yellowstone - 02:26

Father's Influence as People Manager - 02:22

Professional Musician Turned Coach - 02:19

Burnout with Three Kids and a Team - 02:52

Discovering the Enneagram - 03:05

MBTI Preferences, Not Boxes - 03:28

The Donut: Orthodontics for Cancer Survivors - 12:30

Emotional Intelligence for Leaders - 18:45

Authenticity and Imposter Syndrome - 29:54

Leaders Need Support Too - 31:01

AI and the 20% That Matters - 32:32

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In this episode of the Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Dentico interviews Dave Chauhan.

Dave Chauhan didn't just study leadership, he lived it through two value systems. Born in Libya to Punjabi parents working in embassy health roles, young Dave was raised by his grandmother in India, creating an early identity crisis that became his secret weapon. Two sets of parents meant two conflicting value frameworks: disciplined professionalism from one, sage wisdom seeking deeper meaning from the other. This Australian leadership coach and co-founder of Purple Spark Advisory spent 17 years discovering that outdated control-based playbooks fail spectacularly in today's chaos.

As author of "Captain Set Sail" and creator of the Nautical Leadership Framework, Dave champions courage, clarity, and compassion over quarterly obsessions. His devastating metaphor cuts deep: leaders forget why they got in the car, becoming infatuated with traffic lights, fuel levels, and maintenance schedules, the rules of the game, while losing sight of the destination itself. When boardroom decisions chase 5% profit at the expense of stated values, actions reveal truth marketing can't hide. Dave argues leadership transcends KPIs; it's about unleashing talent that exceeds every metric leaders fixate upon.

Born in Libya, Raised by Grandmother - 02:30

Two Sets of Parents, Two Value Systems - 03:04

The Identity Crisis That Shaped Leadership - 03:16

Captain Set Sail and Nautical Leadership - 05:12

Purple Spark Advisory in Australia - 08:45

Courage, Clarity, and Compassion - 11:30

The Car Metaphor: Forgetting the Destination - 34:48

When Actions Don't Align with Purpose - 33:31

Falling in Love with KPIs - 35:14

5% Profit Versus Core Values - 34:18

Leadership Beyond Quarterly Results - 36:25

Unleashing Talent Beyond KPIs - 36:33

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