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As a researcher, author, and keynote speaker specializing in leadership and purpose, Zach Mercurio explores a question within everyday workplace interactions: Do people know that they matter? Drawing from years of research on purposeful leadership and human motivation, Zach reveals how small, interpersonal leadership behaviors—listening deeply, noticing effort, and showing genuine care—can transform performance, well-being, and trust. From the science of mattering to practical strategies leaders can apply immediately, Zach reframes leadership not as authority, but as the daily work of helping others feel significant, valued, and seen.

This episode offers powerful insight into leading with purpose, building cultures of belonging, and unlocking human potential by helping people know they truly matter.

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Entrepreneur and impact leader Kola Masha traces an extraordinary journey from music and television to engineering, global business, and building one of Africa’s most ambitious social enterprises. As co-founder of Babban Gona, Kola shares how he applies disciplined leadership, patient scale, and human-centered systems thinking to enable millions of smallholder farmers to double their income. With a mission to create the world’s highest-impact business, Kola unpacks how depth of impact and scale must work together to drive real change. He discusses empowering smallholder farmers, building businesses that serve entire ecosystems, and leading with discipline, patience, and long-term vision.
From redefining leadership development to designing systems that unlock food security, education, healthcare, and mobility, this episode offers a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship and leading transformation at scale.
Content Note: This episode includes discussion of maternal mortality and maternal health challenges, which some listeners may find sensitive.

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Media trailblazer, producer, and author Pat Mitchell reflects on a lifetime of groundbreaking leadership driven by courage, clarity, and purpose. From becoming the first woman to lead multiple major media organizations to the social justice movements that activated her voice, Pat recounts the defining forks in her life map and that shaped her “forward-moving” mindset. Exploring the dynamics of female leadership, she shares her philosophy of “dangerous leadership,” grounded in speaking up, standing up, and showing up in times that demand more than ordinary action. Pat also delves into championing women leaders, building inclusive teams, and widening the path for those who follow.
This episode offers inspiration for leading with impact and embracing the power with—not power over—as a catalyst for change.

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Innovation strategist and entrepreneur John Duffield shares an extraordinary journey through two open-heart surgeries—an experience that reshaped his understanding of purpose, leadership, and the future of patient care. Merging his technical expertise with personal experience in the healthcare system, John works to redefine the patient journey and how technology can support patients during their most critical moments. He tells stories of his own; using AI to translate complex diagnoses into metaphors his children could understand and developing models to ease the fear and uncertainty leading up to surgery.

This episode dives into resilience the unexpected ways purpose reveals itself — in critical moments when a sudden health crisis becomes a catalyst for personal transformation.

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Franziska Weiss is a Munich-based business coach who hit reset at age 40 after a long career in corporate public relations. In this episode, she shares how stepping away from the automotive industry led her to rediscover her purpose, and build a more connected, intentional approach to leadership. Franziska reflects on how the Connected Leadership course shaped her coaching practice, how she helps teams align across generations, and why meaningful system change starts with knowing yourself. From energy management to team values to shifting workplace paradigms, she brings both structure and spark to leadership development.

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In this inspiring episode of the Connected Leadership podcast, Peter Boyd sits down with Brian Petula a lawyer, entrepreneur, EMT, and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections officer, who shares his powerful journey from rural roots to a purpose-driven life of service. A former student of the Connected Leadership course, Brian reflects on how the course shaped his leadership style, the importance of living with purpose, and his frontline experience transforming lives in corrections. This conversation is a deep dive into authentic leadership, system change, and human potential.

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Laura Sievert Hesseltine is the Executive Director of Arts Quincy, the oldest arts council in the U.S., where she champions community engagement and cultural transformation. With a background in corporate marketing and a passion for creativity, Laura shares her journey from leading large-scale retail marketing campaigns to revitalizing the arts sector in rural Illinois. She discusses the power of the arts in shaping communities, the importance of making culture accessible to all, and how she applies business principles to nonprofit leadership. Laura also reflects on connected leadership, continuous learning, and how small, intentional steps can drive meaningful change.

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Jigar Shah, a trailblazer in clean energy finance, shares his insights on scaling sustainable technology and aligning capital with long-term impact. Drawing from his experience as the founder of SunEdison and leader of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, Jigar discusses the challenges of commercializing clean energy solutions and the role of strategic leadership in accelerating the transition. He emphasizes the importance of financial innovation, building high-performing teams, and navigating industry shifts to drive lasting change. This episode offers valuable lessons on financing the clean energy future and leading with purpose.

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Jens Molbak, founder of Coinstar, WinWin, and NewImpact, shares his vision for leveraging tri-sector innovation aligning resources from businesses, nonprofits, and government to create systemic change. He discusses how his experience building Coinstar shaped his understanding of scalable impact and how NewImpact is pioneering a data-driven approach to solve complex societal challenges. Jens highlights the importance of collaboration across sectors, identifying underutilized assets, and shifting mindsets to unlock greater efficiency and innovation. This episode offers valuable insights on designing solutions that maximize shared value and create lasting social and economic benefits.

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Tarek Mouganie is the founder of Affinity, a digital bank revolutionizing financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa. With a background in engineering, physics, and finance, Tarek’s journey has been shaped by his desire to build platforms that unlock human potential. In this episode, he shares how his experiences from growing up in Ghana to his academic path at Cambridge and Imperial College led him to create a banking solution for underserved populations. Tarek discusses the challenges of launching a bank, the impact of financial access on small businesses, and his personal evolution as a leader. He also reflects on his time as a Yale World Fellow, where he explored how to scale his mission while maintaining personal balance.