Kathleen Black | 10 Most Transformational CEOs | Exeleon Magazine

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Kathleen
Black
E M B R A C I N G T H E
R E L E N T L E S S M I N D S E T
Guillermo
Salazar:At
theHeartof
Human
Experience
IN - FOCUS
IN - FOCUS
Anna
Stella:
Beyond
Marketing
The CEO’s
Playbook
A CONVERSATION WITH
JONATHAN AZOURI OF
CATCHCORNER
TRANSFORMATIONAL
10OF THE YEAR
CEOs

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Embracing Excellence

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C O N T E N T S
KATHLEEN BLACK
12

ANNA STELLA
34
C O N T E N T S

EMMANUEL SMADJA
40
C O N T E N T S

C O V E R S T O R Y
Embracing the
Relentless Mindset
12 EXELEON MAGAZINE
C O V E R S T O R Y

C O V E R S T O R Y
To be relentless is an
unfaltering pursuit of your
highest potential.
Relentlessness requires a
mindset shift that embraces
the unknown and moves
beyond mediocrity. It's about
inding strength in the face of
adversity; it's about choosing
yourself and your truth above
all else.
Being relentless is a
commitment to personal
growth and excellence.
Meet Kathleen Black, an
exemplar of a relentless
leader, whose story
encapsulates resilience, belief,
and transformation.
As North America's leading
high-performance business
and mindset expert, Kathleen
has worked with thousands of
highly successful businesses,
in luential leaders, and
globally iconic brands,
establishing an impeccable
reputation with her result-
driven approach. After
launching her coaching career
in 2009, she became CEO and
co-owner of Canada's irst
niche real estate team
coaching company. She went
on to form Kathleen Black Inc.
in 2015 and has spearheaded
80% of her clients to rank
among the top 1% bracket in
their industries.
With a mission to guide
in luential, powerful leaders to
embrace value-centered lives
and rise beyond fear to build
their own empires, Kathleen is
rede ining what success feels
like in the business realm.
Featuring as the Cover of
Exeleon Magazine's Most
Transformational CEOs to
Follow in 2023, we look into
the story of Kathleen Black –
the relentless one.
CHOOSING THE PATH OF
UNCERTAINTY
Kathleen faced a tumultuous
childhood growing up.
However, not one to shy away
from dif icult decisions, she
made the bold choice to
pursue the life she was born to
lead and left home as a young
teen.
A de ining pinnacle of her
youth, this became the
framework for many decisions
to follow. Kathleen made an
unwavering commitment to
choose the path of uncertainty
and prioritize herself over
painful circumstances.
After successfully self-funding
her way to university and
graduating with a newborn in
hand, Kathleen made another
life-altering decision for
herself and her new family –
she decided to enter the real
estate market.
Years of real estate investing
led her to start her career as a
RE/MAX Realtor. As a newly
single mother, Kathleen
worked her way to the top and
established her name within
the irst year of her journey.
She became a top 1%
producer in the largest real
estate board in the world, the
Toronto Real Estate Board.
Recalling her journey,
Kathleen mentions “I was
reluctant to become an agent. I
was already overworked,
undergoing a draining divorce,
and inding my footing as a
newly single mother. I became
a top 1% producer in the
world's largest real estate
board with two small children
in tow. It wasn't easy, and I'm
not alone in that struggle.”
THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE
METHODS
Following her rapid-paced
growth in the irst year of
working in real estate,
Kathleen made conscious
decisions to ind high-
performance systems that
translated into work-life
success.
T
14 EXELEON MAGAZINE

C O V E R S T O R Y
Kathleen
Black
CEO
WWW.EXELEONMAGAZINE.COM 15

She saw irsthand the impact of
long irregular hours on personal
well-being and mental health
among agents and even the most
successful business leaders.
Research further proved that over
50% of agents worked more than
40 hours after their irst year, with
little to no time for family and
their personal life. The need for a
shift became starkly apparent the
more she worked in top one
percent national spaces, where the
secret of the world's most
successful leaders exposed itself to
be a lack of harmony and belief
that better is possible.
“That outcome wasn't an option
for me. I needed to be able to show
up for my children both inancially
and as a present, invested mother,”
she explains.
Kathleen's high-performance
movement to shift from chaos to
calm in all aspects of life rose from
this very necessity. She asserts, “I
don't believe in a work-life balance
because it's unattainable. Balance
is a myth. Have you ever known
someone to achieve it? High
performance is about shifting into
harmony with your values, your
goals, and hyper-prioritizing to
realign with what's most
important to you.”
Kathleen is a living testament to
the business and life that is
possible. Her philosophy centers
on an unyielding alignment with
authenticity and the courage to
show up for your highest self. She
isn't inspiring thousands of people
with mere ideas - she is living
them.
A question with an evolving
answer sits at the root of high
performance: what does your best
life look like? For Kathleen, it
means having the freedom to
unplug and embark on spiritual
adventures for six to eight weeks
each year. Whether it's an 850km
pilgrimage across Spain,
summiting the Salkantay pass in
Peru, or trekking Mount
Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Kathleen
inds ful illment pushing her
physical limits to tap into life-
altering spiritual and
psychological breakthroughs.
Kathleen's motif is digging deeper
into self to pour deeper into
others. The life she built on high-
performance systems is her
company's blueprint for guiding
16 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Coaching is only one pillar of Kathleen
Black Inc. Kathleen is focused on ﬁnding as
many avenues as possible to expand her
impact and inspire more leaders to take
hold of their life's reigns.
Her training systems have been adapted
into bestselling books and headlining
keynote experiences. She is currently
touring her keynote SHIFT across
international conferences as a movement
to create profound shockwaves and
inspire individuals, teams and leaders to
step into a heightened level of
consciousness, awareness and alignment.
“My mission centers on impact, and the
way that looks will constantly evolve with
me.”
Pioneering a shift in the narrative around
keynotes, Kathleen delivers an energetic
experience from the stage that sparks a
collective movement towards spiritual,
empowered leadership for over one million
ambitious individuals annually.
She believes that love is the highest
frequency, and for one to operate at a high
level, love needs to be infused at the core
of everything they do.
Kathleen explains, “If you don't love your
life, your business and how you spend your
time in both of those spheres, you run into
the trap of burning energy without any way
of refueling. How long can you drive on
empty?”
IMPACT-DRIVEN MISSION
iconic brands and leaders to claim
their best life.
THE START OF KATHLEEN
BLACK INC.
Kathleen lives by the belief that
impacting others to shift into
consciousness is her greatest
purpose in life. She knew that her
success in creating a vibrant
business and personal life was due
to the high-performance systems
she had developed over the years
as an agent.
Recognizing the need for
transformational support in the
business community, she set out to
work on further developing each
system, program, and strategy. The
result? A robust platform with
training and coaching systems
designed to provide ambitious
businesses with the tools and
guidance to create abundance and
build a business that supports
personal alignment and freedom.
In 2015, Kathleen formed
Kathleen Black Inc. centered on
her values of love, truth, and
alignment.
C O V E R S T O R Y

UNPARALLELED RESULTS
At Kathleen Black Inc, Kathleen
and her team of experts see the
core of people as unique
individuals who are built to win.
For her, tapping into the potential
of these individuals is what drives
her. “We don't look at business
owners and entrepreneurs as
machines built to grind and hustle
their lives away for an inch more
of a pro it margin.”
Since its inception, Kathleen Black
Inc. has been responsible for
billions of dollars in sales growth
annually.
The company
emphasizes the
importance of
energy and
momentum to
ensure
consistent sales
growth for its
clients. To
harness this
energy,
Kathleen Black's Elite Performance
Coaches work one-to-one with
their community using a holistic,
comprehensive toolbox of
certi ications and techniques to
develop inner clarity and
con idence.
She explains, “Our irst priority is
guiding them to gain a tangible
grasp on their vision. Once they
know with clarity what inspires
them into action, we align them
with targets that will get them as
close as possible to that outcome.”
Moreover, Kathleen stresses the
importance of helping clients
achieve their desired outcomes by
understanding their value
proposition. She mentions “Every
top team or agent we have ever
worked with, who multiplied their
business, have all worked with this
speci ic approach in order to get
the ultimate results.”
According to her, when one
combines personal wellness with
best-in-class, data-driven systems,
the outcomes are unparalleled.
COLLABORATIVE TEAM
At Kathleen Black Inc, Kathleen
has inculcated a culture of
collaboration and accountability.
Each of the team members
embodies an entrepreneurial
leadership style while taking
ownership of their individual
roles.
Talking about her team, she
mentions “We thrive because we
work with a team of passionate
leaders who are willingly
accountable for their leg of the
business.”
She adds, “I'm grateful for their
support, and because of that, I
don't have to enforce a director-
like delegation or micro-manage.”
Achieving a team like this has
taken considerable time and eﬀort
from Kathleen as well as the senior
members of her company. As the
CEO, she is responsible for
understanding at ground level all
the moving parts of the business.
Her role is to build training,
keynote, and book content to
further expand the reach and
impact of the company's mission.
However, what's really important
is that Kathleen spends intentional
time connecting with her team to
understand how to support them
personally, professionally, and
honor their unique genius.
She clari ies,
“Building a
passionate
team starts
with being
passionate
about them as
people, their
strengths and
their personal
goals.”
Kathleen oversees the company at
a high level to support the team
towards achieving their goals,
hitting their targets, and
developing their direction.
THE RELENTLESS ONE
Kathleen's second bestselling book
Relentless to Rise recounts the
pains, adventures and triumphs
that bloomed from her tumultuous
upbringing. However, her story
unfolds as a testament to the
boundless potential that lies
within us all, even in the face of
seemingly insurmountable
challenges.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Building a passionate team starts with
being passionate about them as people,
their strengths and their personal goals.
”
”

From tragedy to triumph,
Kathleen's relentless pursuit of
alignment, truth, and purpose
transformed her experiences into
a best-selling book that resonated
deeply with readers around the
world. This literary success soon
took on a new form, with the
release of the internationally
acclaimed documentary, "The
Relentless One."
The two-time Emmy nominated
documentary has moved
audiences touring international
ilm festivals, garnering praise and
winning over 17 ilm awards. The
overwhelming success of the ilm
re lects the impact and inspiration
sewn into the story, and its ability
to harness hope in viewers who
struggle with similar traumatic
experiences.
When asked what being relentless
means to Kathleen, she shared
“'Relentless' sounds like a cold
word, but that's not how I see it.
Being relentless means choosing
yourself and your truth above all
else. It's about getting up so many
times it becomes muscle memory.”
Kathleen's journey serves as a
powerful reminder of the fact that
abundance can emerge from even
the most challenging
circumstances and that even the
best can become better.
For Kathleen Black, being
relentless is not merely a matter of
perseverance; it is the act of
transforming potential into
tangible creations. It involves
harnessing the power of pain and
using it as fuel to propel oneself
forward.
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24 EXELEON MAGAZINE

The
CEO’s
Playbook
A Conversation with
of
Jonathan Azouri CatchCorner
avigating the dynamic
Njourney of a CEO requires
a unique set of qualities
for one to lead their companies
towards success.
In this exclusive interview with
Jonathan Azouri, the Co-Founder
of CatchCorner by Sports
Illustrated, we explore the key
attributes that make a successful
CEO and gain valuable insights
into the platform's exceptional
growth and unique approach in
the market.
In your experience, what are
some of the essential qualities a
successful CEO should possess?
As a CEO, the entrepreneurship
journey is always changing with
the challenges and successes of
the company. When I think about
the essential qualities for this
dynamic role, several attributes
come to the forefront: leadership,
delegation, adaptability, a
pragmatic mindset, and above all,
very decisive action. Knowing
when to stay the course, when to
pivot, how to approach tough
situations - these are all qualities
acquired by experience of being a
CEO.
As well, the role of a CEO is to lead
by example in creating a positive,
supportive environment. This
journey can come with many
disappointments and growing
pains, but remaining on an even
keel is vital for the success of the
company and the con idence of
those around you. In my case, this
oftentimes requires reminding
myself of the initial vision we had
for our company, CatchCorner by
Sports Illustrated, by noticing
how far we have come and the
amazing things in store for the
future.
What sets CatchCorner apart
from other similar platforms in
the market? How does the app
provide a unique and valuable
experience for users?
CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated
is the irst of its kind platform for
renting sport facility venues. Our
IN – FOCUS
25

aggregate hub has modernized the
booking experience and allows users to
select from a diverse portfolio of facilities.
We oﬀer something for everyone. Together
with our partners at Sport Illustrated, our
company approach is focused on user
experience, product customization and
scalability.
As a CEO, what leadership strategies or
principles do you attribute to
CatchCorner's success in processing
over $20 million in bookings and
gaining a signi icant user base within a
relatively short period?
We launched in 2019, and not even ive
years (and a global pandemic) later, I am in
awe of the incredible growth we have
witnessed. We irst saw success in the
Toronto market, we then replicated and
re ined our formula across other cities in
North America, and we now have over
350,000 listings available for rent. Our
unwavering focus on quality is what has
allowed us to scale. We center our eﬀorts
on delivering an exceptional product,
partnering exclusively with top-north
facilities and collaborating with impactful
brands. We are proud to work alongside
the most trusted name in sports - Sports
Illustrated - to maintain our commitment
to the quality of the CatchCorner
experience.
Along with your sister and co-founder,
Maya Azouri and Ryan Mintz, how do
you foster a collaborative and
motivated team environment within
CatchCorner?
Maya, our third Co-Founder Ryan Mintz,
and I take great pride in working with an
incredible team of hardworking
individuals, each fueled by the same
company goal. Our company thrives on
collaboration and motivation, cultivated
naturally because of carefully selecting to
work with like-minded and determined
people. By assembling a team of all-stars,
the dynamics low well because the
foundation of our interactions is based on
trusting each other's abilities. The part
that requires work is ensuring that there
are proper communication channels in
place between the correct departments, so
that each link can uphold the strength of
our entire chain.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for
CatchCorner? What are you most
excited about?
We are incredibly excited to continue to
partner with a variety of facilities across
North America. Speci ically, we just
launched in eight new cities and have very
exciting upcoming partnerships to launch,
both in Canada and the US. We work
closely with each of our esteemed af iliate
partners and are always ecstatic to witness
the massive revenue increase our platform
helps with. It is the incredible people
behind these awesome local facilities that
makes everything we do worthwhile and
ful illing.
IN – FOCUS
26 EXELEON MAGAZINE

At the Heart of
Human Experience
What prompted your interest and
subsequently your foray into the data and
analytics space?
I've been lucky to be in the data space from the
irst day of my career. I was hired as an analyst at
a fast-growing consulting company out of school
and was given the opportunity to work directly
for the founder. At an early age, my work
mattered. It turned out I was pretty good at
building spreadsheets, models, and plans. I
remember when I got my irst complex excel
macro working at scale, it was like in those
movie scenes where angels are singing. From
there I had a 20+ year career in the data and
analytics space.
Data has to be understood, and not in the sense
that 'you have to understand the data'. It's
important to comprehend how data works with
other data, how structures are built, and how
they connect and relate to one another.
To make it real, consider the data in nature.
Mother Nature is the biggest data project in
history. As an example, the way clouds are
formed, how and when they release rain, how
they stay collected in the sky is a system of
interdependent data. Nature does it effortlessly
because of the system, relationships & cause &
effects in place.
When humans invent systems, like a sales
process, driving a car, or a better cup of coffee,
we want to invent similar causes and effects
similar to the way they exist in nature. We want
IN – FOCUS
28 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Guillermo Salazar
them to be eﬀortless, reliable, and work without
intervention. We design versus wait for things to
evolve.
In the human world we are inventing and
building upon data more than ever. When we
depend on analytics, and decision systems. All of
this removes the work that we don't want to do,
or are not great at, and lets us do the things
we're awesome at.
So, what keeps me driving about data and
analytics is that the data we're creating and
consuming is growing by googles (a google is a
number), and the type of data that is emerging is
fascinating and overwhelmingly human.
I orient on the ive senses: hearing, seeing,
touching, smelling and tasting.
Our data for years was hearing type data,
numbers, words, etc. Now, we see data with
video, pictures, and depth. We have some touch
with haptics, but it's really primitive. It will be
amazing to see how we digitize taste and smell.
That is how human our data is. Data is about
humans. We have to think about humans irst.
It's hard to believe, but our data world today is
tiny compared to where we'll be in 1 year, 2
years, 5 years.
Talk to us about IrisCX and what was the pain
point that led to its inception in 2018.

In 2018, my car was locked in my garage because the
door wouldn't work. 3 days later the expert came out
and banged the door with a hammer & said; “I see
this all the time. if I could have seen it, I could have
shown you how to do it”, then he charged me $300.
My garage door has been working since.
In an instant, I felt the problem, urgency, and cost in
one transaction. I brought it to my co-founder the
next day, and we started building IrisCX.
As a CEO, what are the most signi icant challenges
you face on a day-to-day basis, and how do you
overcome them?
Being a CEO is a system job. Your job is to know or
ind out from your people, what needs to get done, by
when. It's top and bottom at the exact same time; you
have to be strategic and close gaps that other people
are unwilling or unable to do, while supporting your
people so they are best set up to be successful. Zig
Ziegler was right, build the people, the people build
the company.
There is a point in a company size where you are
leading and doing at the same time, and that is really
hard. You need to have people around you that are
inspired by the company's mission and purpose
because it isn't always a picnic in the park. I'm
actively working on getting better at trusting the
incredible people around me to do their job - as a
founder CEO, that is really hard, but if you don't give
people the air to breathe, everyone will suffer, and the
company won't grow.
The clock is also ticking in real time. It's a daily,
weekly, monthly, yearly growth. Pressure is a
privilege. Leading is a privilege.
It's a great question because I'm working hard on my
transition. It's not always natural, and I'm lucky to
have an incredible team that is patient with me!
With the emergence of AI and its rapid-paced
advancement, how do you think it will impact the CX
space in the coming years?
We are at an amazing point in history. All the
conditions that need to exist for innovation to thrive.
We've gone from dial-up to iber optics in a short
period of time and it's available to everyone!
CX has been strangled by legacy assumptions,
processes, and tech for the last 10 years. How can the
world be happy with a system that is expensive, full of
work, and has unhappy people delivering and
receiving service? There is a lot of pain and suffering
in the system right now. It costs customers happiness,
and it costs brands billions.
The consumer suffering from a problem is a pain
point, and the customer isn't quali ied to solve their
problem. The queue for consumer questions is a one-
way door. So, we don't know how serious or urgent
consumer problems are. This is because we don't
know how to ask questions about our problems,
know what question was important, or what the
answer means.
For the irst time, AI is now able to understand and
create based on our language and how we explain
things. This is the unlock. Recognize that the data AI
is working on right now is largely verbal type data;
numbers, words. IrisCX is solving the next problem,
which is the visual context compounded with the
verbal data. It's going to change the world. (And then
the world will change again!).
What advice would you give an emerging CEO on
running a business?
Know your problem and the people you solve it for.
Your solution is just a temporary market solution.
Understand the problems that people seek to solve.
“Interesting” isn't good enough to choose to change.
If you are lucky, you'll survive, and you are going to
learn more than you've ever imagined & work with
some of the best people on the planet.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for IrisCX?
What are you most excited about
IN – FOCUS
30 EXELEON MAGAZINE

We're going to take out the eﬀort, pain and confusion
that creates unhappy brand experiences.
We are creating happiness for front line experts by
empowering them with human connection that is
centered on our humanness.
For consumers, we're going to remove the work and
eﬀort that is assumed for brand engagement, so
people can be happy with their purchase or service
choices and be thrilled with the brands we partner
with, because happy customers spend more, more
often!

Anna Stella
Founder, BBSA
34 EXELEON MAGAZINE

eyond
arketing
In your experience, what are some of the
essential qualities a successful CEO should
possess?
The role of a CEO is demanding and challenging,
and it needs a diverse set of skills and qualities. A
successful CEO eﬀectively leads an organization
with a vision and purpose while handling
obstacles and challenges that emerge along the
way.
To attain this, I believe that a CEO must be
adaptable, quickly adapt changes, and lead teams
through new circumstances that come along the
way. Adaptability requires a sense of quick
decision-making in times of uncertainty.
What prompted your interest and
subsequently your foray into the marketing
space?
One exciting thing about digital marketing and its
greatest advantage is that it allows for creativity
and experimentation. No ixed, unshakeable rules
exist for creating an eﬀective campaign because
every business and its target audience is unique. I
love marketing because it is ideal for people with
diverse skills and interests, and I want to apply it
all in one profession. Marketing is a job you
love–one undeniable truth is that it is never
boring.
Talk to us about BBSA. What was the pain
point that led you to start this agency?
The world of marketing has undergone a
signi icant transformation over the past few
decades, driven primarily by advancements in
technology and shifts in consumer behavior.
As a multi award-winning professional, Anna
Stella is no stranger to the changing faces of
the marketing world. For Anna, marketing is
one of those rare few ields that allows for
creativity and experimentation.
Since starting her marketing company in 2012
– BBSA – Anna Stella has made sure to bridge
the gap in the industry by delivering a full
range of services. Read this exclusive
interview to understand her journey, vision,
and her thoughts on marketing.
IN – FOCUS

Every day, businesses and marketers work tirelessly to
discover distinctive selling points for their
businesses/brands, products, and services. However, all
USPs have an expiration date. BBSA was established in
2012 after identifying a market gap with a clear USP.
Small businesses have distinctive challenges. Although
small businesses make up 98% of companies and play a
crucial role in building the economy, they only employ
an average of 5 employees. Most of these small
businesses lack the resources to hire in-house
marketing expertise, hindering their ability to capitalize
on domestic and international opportunities. The lack of
marketing skills and expertise can surely impede their
growth and progression.
Marketing agencies have yet to discover a method to
fully cater to this market. Currently, they offer niche
services in a fragmented way rather than comprehensive
marketing solutions. BBSA ills this marketing gap and
has the vision of providing every small business with
access to a team of competent marketing experts
whenever required.
Our tagline, "Outsource your marketing," captures our
approach perfectly. We handle your marketing with the
same dedication and care as if it was our very own
company. Our clients have seen the tangible differences
we make for them.
As the Founder and CEO, what role do you play in the
day-to-day proceedings of the company?
As an entrepreneur, getting caught up in handling
everything yourself is easy. Having started the business,
you have a profound understanding and a clear vision of
where you want it to go. However, attempting everything
independently can be counterproductive and ultimately
affect your business's growth. Therefore, I embrace the
role of CEO and not chief of everything. Some of my roles
as CEO include:
Ÿ Finding new clients
Ÿ De ining the business's overall vision, values, and
mission and setting the general direction
Ÿ Creating and developing a high-level business
strategy that aligns with the long-term objectives.
Ÿ Balancing current capacity and future growth.
Having worked with some of the top organizations
in Europe and beyond, you have seen the marketing
space evolve continuously. What do you think is the
future of marketing with the emergence of AI?
AI and Marketing. Marketing and AI. In 5 years, it will be
everywhere. Maybe it will also have its name, as we have
seen for "e-marketing" and "Digital marketing." Perhaps
it will be called AI-Marketing? Marketing is one of the
areas of business operations where AI will drive total
change. And frankly, it was about time. A McKinsey study
showed that marketing and sales are the single business
function that will have the most inancial impact. So
basically, you're already dead if you're a marketer and
not using AI. The mantra goes that AI won't replace
IN – FOCUS
36 EXELEON MAGAZINE

you–if you let it help you.
All industries with a lot of data and a need for heavy
personalization and intelligent automation of their
operations have been doing AI for probably the last
decade - healthcare and inancial services - but doing it
within their business's operations, not marketing and
sales. However, it's my experience that many business
professionals still see AI as abstract. The number one
challenge I see is complacency and a reluctance to
change how things are done in the marketing processes.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for BBSA? What
are you most excited about?
We recently opened up a new of ice in Hong Kong, and
it's surely not the last international expansion project.
As the saying goes, if you are not succeeding in one
geography, do not expect to kill competition in another.
That is why we focus on strategic internal growth
opportunities and keep the big picture in mind. To scale
eﬀectively, a compelling value proposition that aligns
with the target country and, more speci ically, our target
clients is essential, and we're thrilled about taking on
this new challenge.

Co-Founder & CEO
MPOWER
40 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Emmanuel
Smadja
Empowering Students
Across the Globe
he world of entrepreneurship has
Twitnessed countless success stories,
each driven by unique visions and
compelling motivations.
Emmanuel Smadja's story as the Co-Founder
and CEO of MPOWER Financing is no
exception.
An accidental entrepreneur, Emmanuel's
journey has been de ined by resilience,
compassion, and a fervent desire to empower
international students pursuing higher
education abroad.
Alongside co-founder Mike Davis, Smadja has
built MPOWER Financing, a revolutionary
inancial solution for international students.
In this exclusive interview, Emmanuel Smadja
shares what led to the start of MPOWER, his
vision for the company, and much more
In your experience, what are some of the
essential qualities a successful CEO should
possess?
I think the job requires several skills, some of
which might seem contradictory. First, there's
a need for undying optimism, bordering on
delusion. Startups face ups-and-downs, and
CEOs need to guide their team through good
times and tough times alike. This requires an
ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel,
to embrace challenges, and turn these into
opportunities. At the same time, there's a
need for constant hunger and dissatisfaction
with the status quo; the company can always
do better and grow faster.
Separately, CEOs need to be able to articulate
an inspiring vision, and share that vision
constantly with prospective employees,
shareholders, partners, and their board. This
aspect is essential to the CEO's job of “Chief
Resource Of icer”, meaning ensuring the
IN – FOCUS

company has the funding and people talent needed to
drive results. Now, beyond the optimism and evangelism
a CEO actually needs to be a good manager of the
executive team and needs to be able to absorb massive
amounts of data in order to stay grounded in the reality
of the business. Short of these qualities, the CEO would
remain more of a igurehead, president, or evangelist for
the company.
What inspired you and your co-founder, Mike Davis,
to start MPOWER Financing?
I am an “accidental entrepreneur” in that I was happily
on the partner path at the consulting irm McKinsey &
Co and never really intended to become an
entrepreneur. I was driven to found MPOWER due to my
own personal experience as an international student,
and a “lightbulb moment” I had about a decade ago.
My experience mirrors that of MPOWER students. I
moved to the U.S. as an international student from
France to study engineering at the University of Virginia.
During my time there, I struggled to pay for my
education -- eventually earning enough money by
tutoring math, physics, computer science, French, and
refereeing indoor soccer. But it always bugged me that it
was dif icult for international students to inance their
education abroad.
I later completed an MBA from INSEAD and worked at
McKinsey, where I focused on global inancial inclusion.
Then, about 10 years ago, a student reached out to me
for support, it was really an eye-opening moment for
me. He was the irst in his family to go to college, had
just 3 semesters left to graduate, and was going to drop
out for only a small amount of money. After speaking
with him I sent him the funds, but I felt pulled in to solve
this problem on a larger scale. That's what motivated me
to co-found MPOWER Financing.
When looking for a co-founder, I reached out to my
INSEAD classmate Mike Davis. Mike is a serial
entrepreneur, who was running three successful
startups from an of ice in Manhattan before he decided
to pursue his MBA. His family led the Iranian revolution
and Mike grew up on welfare in Indiana. But he was a
sharp student and graduated Purdue University at age
19. To call him an overachiever is an understatement.
As the CEO, what are some of the key challenges that
you have faced while building and growing MPOWER
Financing, and how have you overcome them?
2020 was a perfect storm for us. Covid created
challenges for international students trying to come into
North America or head home, while the past U.S.
administration was eﬀectively waging war on
immigrants. Our team turned into a hotline helping
students. Via partnerships, we started oﬀering
temporary housing for students stuck in North America,
health insurance that would cover Covid, and
immigration guidance.
Covid also represented an opportunity for MPOWER.
Our credit data had been phenomenal for the irst 6
years of our existence, but some loan capital providers
objected that we'd never seen a inancial shock. Well,
March-June 2020 provided just that, and what the data
allowed us to show is that MPOWER students performed
exceptionally well relative to U.S. private student lenders
and other consumer loan providers during inancial
shocks. In short, not only did we have better credit
performance than the market generally, but the
performance was also far less volatile during market
shocks. This was a critical proof point for our business
and yet another arrow in our quiver as we raised over
$150 million in equity and venture debt in 2021.
MPOWER Financing works with over 400 top
universities across the U.S. and Canada. How do you
establish and maintain these partnerships, and what
bene its do they bring to the students and
universities involved?
The American and Canadian higher education
institutions that host MPOWER students bene it both
directly and indirectly from the no-cosigner loan model
that enables a larger number and diversity of aspiring
students to study abroad, while also allowing
universities to prosper and internationalize.
MPOWER students come from over 160 countries, and
about 80% are from the Global South. Over 90% of our
students say that an MPOWER loan was imperative to
their ability to complete their education. As a result,
MPOWER loans have not only helped to ful ill these
students' educational dreams, but our inancing has
enabled these institutions to diversify their
international student body and to meet their diversity,
equity, and inclusion goals -- not to mention their
inancial and enrollment goals.
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42 EXELEON MAGAZINE

International students contribute in immeasurable ways
to the internationalization and global appeal of
American and Canadian campuses. Their presence and
perspectives are especially valuable to those domestic
students who might not have the opportunity to study
or travel abroad, and for whom international students
oﬀer a window into other worlds and cultures.
Increasing access to international students who want to
study in the U.S. or Canada is therefore bene icial to both
those students and their domestic peers.
The recent $150 million inance deal with Goldman
Sachs is a signi icant milestone for MPOWER
Financing. How do you plan to utilize this funding to
further support and expand your services for
international students?
In May, we announced that MPOWER raised a $150
million dollar warehouse inancing facility with
Goldman Sachs. We are thrilled that Goldman Sachs is
supporting the MPOWER team as we contribute to the
important mission of making higher education and
socioeconomic mobility accessible to the millions of
international students in North America.
The funding will be used to expand MPOWER's rapidly
growing portfolio of student loans issued to
international and DACA students across the U.S. and
Canada. Both countries saw record levels of
international enrolment in 2022 and look poised to
exceed this in 2023. Our partnerships with leading
inancial services irms like Goldman Sachs, Deutsche
Bank, and others ensures that more deserving students
than ever are able to ful ill their educational dreams.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for MPOWER?
What are you most excited about?
Higher education is key to socioeconomic mobility but,
unfortunately, millions of students struggle to get into or
IN – FOCUS

through school due to inancial constraints. At MPOWER
Financing, our mission is to break down the inancial
barriers to education.
It is overwhelming, but incredibly satisfying, to see your
mission come to fruition and to help support the
educational dreams of so many promising students from
around the world. In feedback from our students, the
word that stands out is “dream.” Almost daily, our
students tell us that MPOWER makes their dreams come
true by enabling their educational pursuits. This is what
I ind most exciting about my job and about working at
MPOWER. As one MPOWER student recently wrote,
“Many brilliant students can see their dreams of
studying abroad become a reality thanks to [MPOWER's]
support.”
Our long-term vision is to be a one-stop shop for the
global diaspora: this includes educational loans, but also
a host of other products and services that students and
migrants need to set themselves up for success in their
adopted countries.
MPOWER graduates are contributing signi icantly to the
economy and civil society: they're advocating for causes,
co-founding companies, registering patents, and serving
as elected of icials. As our world grapples with wars,
climate change, and the challenges of an aging
population, we're honored to have a small part to play in
alleviating some of these challenges and fostering a
more diverse, equitable world where the brightest
minds are able to reach their full potential..
IN – FOCUS
44 EXELEON MAGAZINE

TO MANAGE
OTHERS,
MANAGE
YOURSELF
FIRST
46 EXELEON MAGAZINE

f you expect to be an
effective leader who
creates positive results,
you can't do it alone. You
need a team of followers willing to
be lexible in accomplishing the
mission and goals you want to
achieve with their help. In many
cases, engaging your team in
support of positive goals will mean
helping your followers change their
behavior. You may need to
encourage them to do more of some
things, less of other things, and in
some cases, adopt completely new
behaviors.
The catch is that you can't make
people do anything. The only
person whose behavior you can
control is your own. Therefore, any
change in others' behavior needs to
begin with you, the leader, changing
your own. You need to manage
yourself. If you are not getting the
results you'd like from others, you
must make different choices. Only
when your behavior as a leader
begins to change can you in luence
others to change their behavior.
That's the essence of the leadership
logic chain.
Step 1: Develop awareness of
your effectiveness as a leader
Being a successful leader begins
with paying attention to what
you're doing, that is, being
consistently aware of what's
working and not working in your
thoughts and actions as a leader.
Self-awareness is not just a crucial
component of the leadership logic
chain. It is fundamental to
leadership intelligence. And you'll
discover in Chapter 4, “Get to Know
Your Real Self,” paying attention to
your thoughts, feelings, and
behavior is vital. For now, try to
spot triggers for unproductive
behavior, such as times of the day
or certain kinds of people. One
leader we know became irritable
like clockwork every day around
3:00 PM. If her team met around
that time, they could count on her
being sarcastic and unreceptive to
their ideas. Her employees coped
by making jokes about “the three
o'clock monster.” It wasn't until a
brave colleague approached her
about her mid-afternoon drop in
civility that she learned to avoid
scheduling meetings at that time
and to take a 10-minute break for
some deep breathing and a healthy
snack.
Noticing patterns is another form of
self-awareness and one of the most
powerful ways to gather
information about your leadership
effectiveness. Patterns are thoughts,
feelings, or actions that you repeat
over and over, as if on “autopilot,” in
response to certain situations.
Some patterns may work well for
you as a leader; for example, when
interviewing job candidates, you
always make a point of sharing your
values and asking about theirs.
Including a discussion of mutual
values during each selection
process gives you essential
information about whether a
prospective employee is a good it
for you and your team. When your
values and those of a promising
candidate are aligned, you also get a
jump start on emotional bonding
with a likely new team member.
When you're aware of successful
patterns, you can expand their use
to other situations where they may
have even more impact. For
example, you could use awareness
of the bene its of discussing values
with job candidates to expand this
practice to others, thus enhancing
your in luence with peers, clients,
family members, and friends.
Other patterns don't work so well.
None of us is perfect. We all get
trapped in unproductive patterns at
some point in our lives. Certain
patterns may once have been
positive, helping you accomplish
important goals earlier in your life
or leadership roles. But as you grew
and developed, they became
negative or limiting.
Negative patterns often persist
precisely because they served as
success strategies in the past. We
were rewarded for following those
patterns and in the absence of self-
awareness, continued them out of
habit, even when they no longer
produced successful results. That
was the case with Randy, CEO of a
large inancial services business.
Randy was a superstar who rose
quickly in his career thanks to his
smarts and strong work ethic. But
Randy was somewhat of a “Lone
Ranger,” conscientious to a fault,
expecting far more of himself than
others. Eventually, the very
conscientiousness that had
propelled him to the top took its toll
I
I
I
The best way to make the
leadership logic chain come
alive in your pursuit of
leadership effectiveness is
to follow this four-step
process:
Ÿ Develop awareness of
your effectiveness as a
leader
Ÿ Decide to adopt new
behaviors
Ÿ Demonstrate new
behaviors
Ÿ Give those you in luence
a chance to change their
behavior in response
E X E L E O N E X C L U S I V E

on him. As Chuck coached Randy, he
opened up about how overwhelmed
he had felt with all that was going
on in his irm. “I just feel like I have
15 balls in the air all the time, and I
can't let any of them drop,' he
explained. 'I don't know how much
longer I can go at this pace. Maybe
I'll hang in there for another ive
years, then retire because I'll be all
out of gas by then.” Chuck sensed
that Randy was about to burn out.
So, Chuck suggested, “What if you
shared some of those
responsibilities with your executive
team?” 'But these are my
responsibilities,' Randy countered.
“I can't just of load my job on them.”
Chuck was empathetic. “I can
appreciate where you're coming
from,” he said. “You don't want to
overwhelm your team. But have you
ever thought about who might want
your job someday? Empowering
them to do some of what you do
now could be a great development
opportunity. Sharing your CEO
responsibilities might also inspire
them to create development
opportunities for their own teams.”
Randy sat quietly for a few
moments. Then he took a deep
breath, exhaled slowly, and replied,
“It never occurred to me that I
might be denying them growth
opportunities, that they might want
to step up and demonstrate that
they could handle more.” Randy
saw that he didn't need to stay
stuck in a negative pattern. He
could improve his own life and, at
the same time, create opportunities
for others on his team. Randy
immediately started talking about
what projects he could share and
with whom. Then Chuck asked, 'Ok,
let's say you've done that. What
would you do with your new free
time?' “I've always wanted to learn
how to ly,” Randy said with a big
grin. True to form, Randy didn't
waste any time. He enrolled in
lying lessons, and within a year
earned his pilot's license, got his
instrument rating, and bought his
own plane. Empowering others
allowed Randy to renew his energy
for life outside of work while
providing leadership development
opportunities for his executive
team. Win-win.
Randy's story is just one example of
the need to recognize patterns that
become less eﬀective as you
mature, and your team or
organization grows. When you're a
leader, everything around you is
constantly changing. That's why
self-awareness is so central to your
success. Some behavior patterns
that helped you when you led a
team of ive people don't work
when you're leading an
organization of 500. Patterns you
relied on when leading a group of
experienced professionals may not
cut it when leading a group of
rookies. When what you've been
doing no longer seems to be
working, consider how and why
your previously successful
behaviors aren't working for you
anymore.
Read the rest of the book from here:
https://a.co/d/gMDGCdR
48 EXELEON MAGAZINE

ABOUT THE
AUTHORS
DOUG LENNICK
Co-author of DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE
TO FIX IT, is the founding CEO of think2perform,
a high performance leadership development irm
serving small and large organizations in a variety
of industries. He has been in leadership roles for
nearly 40 years and is widely recognized as an
expert in the science of human behavior.
CHUCK WACHENDORFER
Co-author of DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO
FIX IT, is President of Distribution at
think2perform. He is a renowned leadership
development professional and has worked with
clients including American Express, Wells Fargo,
Comerica Bank, TD Wealth of Canada, Charles
Schwab, and others. His insights on leadership have
been featured extensively in media such as CNN
Money, Forbes, Fortune, and The Denver Post.
Excerpted with permission from the publisher, Wiley, from Don't Wait for Someone Else to Fix It by Doug
Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer. Copyright © 2023 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Arif
Bhalwani
CEO
MANAGING DIRECTOR
52 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Giving Credit
Where Credit Is Due
Arif Bhalwani is an investor and entrepreneur who is making access to
capital easierfor companies that have historically been overlooked by large
banks. In 2005 hefounded Toronto-based Third Eye Capital, an alternative
capital provider whichhas been a valuable resource for Canadian businesses
undergoing change ortransition.
Here, he talks with Exeleon Magazineabout his company’s beginnings and
the future.
A
Q: What led to the formation of Third
Eye Capital? What was the pain point
you wanted to address?
Arif Bhalwani: As an entrepreneur who
has experienced irsthand the challenges
of trying to secure inancing in Canada, I
can say that it can be a frustrating and
discouraging process. Even with a track
record of building successful businesses
or having a clear plan for growth,
entrepreneurs still ind that many banks
remain reluctant to lend. This is due in
part to the high degree of concentration,
stringent regulatory requirements, and
conservative lending practices of Canadian
banks, which typically prioritize low-risk
borrowers with established histories of
pro itability and ample collateral. Without
access to funding, entrepreneurs may be
forced to delay or scale back their plans or
abandon them altogether. This can
prevent new ideas from being brought to
market and limit the growth potential of
existing businesses, ultimately slowing
economic growth and sifting innovation.
Given the stability and soundness of our
banks, it is embarrassing to see other
countries have more lexible or supportive
lending environments. According to the
World Economic Forum's Global
Competitiveness Report, even emerging
market countries such as Estonia, China,
and Malaysia rank higher than Canada in
terms of access to inancing.
The concentration of banking in Canada
can be seen clearly by the numbers: the
top six banks control three quarters of
market share in consumer banking, small
business loans, commercial lending and
wholesale banking. In wealth
management, the market concentration is
80 percent.

The situation is different in the U.S. when it
comes to bank lending. Institutional
investors and private funds south of our
border provide the bulk of capital that irms
rely upon. Increasingly, banks in Canada are
generating more of their income from fees
instead of interest so there is little
motivation to disturb this lower risk means
of generating pro its. Banks here have
become very comfortable with this
arrangement, so much so that many often
do not view lending as one of their core
businesses. Extending credit to companies
in complex situations or that are facing
temporary and challenging setbacks is seen
as too risky, time consuming, and a poor
return on investment.
In Canada, loans today represent a smaller
proportion of the assets of large banks than
at any time in the past 100 years. There are
easier ways for banks to make money, as a
result of deregulation. These banks can
generate money with a few clicks of a
mouse, simply by moving cash around on a
screen. There’s much less risk and effort
involved in that.
We at Third Eye Capital are in the business
of taking on risks that banks perceive as
being too high and we are willing to invest
the time and rigorous work to understand
those risks. In fact, it’s one of the most
exciting parts of the job — discovering
hidden opportunities, sparking ideas with
talented entrepreneurs, and being part of
something new and special, something that
contributes to the overall economy and
society.
Canada needs policies to grow the much-
needed market segment of alternative
lenders. What we advocate is greater
sources of capital that will open up new
inancing opportunities for Canadian
businesses, while raising the standard of
living for all Canadians.
Q: Brief us about your growing up years.
What is your earliest memory as an
entrepreneur that you can remember?
Arif Bhalwani: My childhood memories
often center on struggle and privation. My
family was expelled from Uganda in the
1970s, as a result of the dictatorship that
had taken hold of the country. We spent
years in an Austrian refugee camp before
coming to Canada.
This is probably how I developed the
courage and resiliency to become an
entrepreneur. I started running my own
businesses at a very young age, irst out of
necessity but later because it was fun and
never feels like work. My irst “real”
business that actually impacted my
livelihood was a personal computer
services company that I started and sold
when I was in highschool. By the time I was
in my mid-20s I had already helped found
and manage eight different businesses. That
exposed me to all sorts of demands and
disciplines that can’t be taught in a
classroom, and energetically focused me on
solving real problems and adding value to
my customers' lives.
Q: Finally, what does the future look like
for Third Eye Capital?
Arif Bhalwani: We believe it is an incredible
time to be an alternative provider of capital
in credit markets today. The stigma that
used to be associated with not being able to
secure a loan from a chartered bank is
decreasing as irms like ours become more
widely accepted and recognized as a value-
added capital solutions provider. This is at a
time when banks are reining in risk,
reducing lending, and shoring up reserves
due to tighter inancial conditions and
greater economic uncertainty in the market.
There are a lot of credit gaps being faced by
businesses and we hope to ill some of
them.
54 EXELEON MAGAZINE

IN – FOCUS
56 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Dean Hallett
Empowering Transformative
Leadership
President - Hallett Leadership
n a world illed with constant change and
Ichallenges, there are rare journeys that
remind us of the power of leadership and
the impact it can have on people,
organizations, and even entire work cultures.
These journeys nestle into our hearts and
minds; captivating us unlike anything else.
They become vibrant threads that weave
through the fabric of our existence, breathing
life into our experiences, emotions, and
aspirations.
Within these stories, we discover solace,
inspiration, and a deeper understanding of
ourselves and the world around us. And
among the rich mosaic of leadership stories,
one igure stands out: Dean Hallett, an LA-
based transformational leader.
His unique journey delivers guideposts,
encouraging us to tap into our hidden
reserves of strength through creativity and to
navigate the ever-changing tides of life with
resilience.
As we delve into his narrative, we witness a
multifaceted individual—a trainer,
entrepreneur, high-performing executive,
author, speaker, and more—who embodies
the essence of inspiring leadership.
In fact, his journey resonates with the
universal longing for purpose, growth, and
meaningful connections.
BREAKING WALLS, BUILDING BRIDGES
For Dean, his introduction to coaching has
been deeply transformative, exploring the
why & how of what holds executives back.
As he re lects on his own past, Dean
acknowledges that while his childhood
wasn't marked by adversity, he developed
limiting beliefs that hindered his recognition
of self-worth. His elder brother who bullied
him instilled the belief that it was better to
be seen and not heard, perhaps even better
to be invisible.
With conviction, he asserts, "I constructed
formidable walls and convinced myself that I
could navigate life solely on the strength of
my intellect. How mistaken I was!”
Fortune smiled upon him when he
encountered emotional intelligence training
in his early twenties. It was then that he
realized the vast expanse of life he had been
missing.
IN – FOCUS

He reconnected with forgotten
parts of himself, honing attributes
that enabled him to bring out the
best in those around him. The
revelation of his personal power
and the ability to create profound
connections with people pushed
him forward on his journey.
Once Dean tapped into the human
connection he had been longing for,
there was no turning back. While
emotional intelligence training was
the catalyst for self-discovery, his
journey of growth has continued
throughout his life.
As he ventured into the business
world, he built upon his ability to
connect with others, helping them
unlock their full potential. “I
created work environments that
were based on trust and mutual
respect, which in turn allowed me
to build teams that truly thrived.”
th
While at 20 Century Fox, Dean
launched and led accelerated
leadership initiatives, and the
studio went on to achieve eight
record years in a row, and nine
record years in a 10-year span.
THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
OF DEAN'S COACHING
Enter Hallett Leadership —a
beacon of transformation in
leadership development. Led by
Dean, Hallett Leadership oﬀers
executive coaching and the highly
acclaimed Accelerated Leadership
Program (ALP).
Executive Coaching runs for
typically six months with the focus
on “expanding the executives' self-
awareness and developing
leadership skills for building an
engaged and aligned workforce.”
Here, by challenging limiting beliefs
and behaviors, Dean helps these
leaders uncover the underlying
sources of their potential,
encouraging a meaningful shift in
their approach to leadership.
The ALP Program, on the other
hand, oﬀers a nine-month
IN – FOCUS
58 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Dean believes that many companies overlook the
importance of investing in leadership development until
it's too late.
They assume that leadership skills either come innately
or are acquired through osmosis. Surprisingly, research
from Harvard Business Review reveals that the average
age at which managers receive their irst leadership
training is at a staggering 42 years old, while they
assume managerial roles at just 30 years old. This has left
most managers fumbling in the dark for over a decade!
Dean shares that when individuals are encouraged to
step into leadership positions, they often succumb to the
belief that they must possess all the answers and project
an image of lawlessness. Consequently, they hesitate to
seek input and feedback, making uninformed decisions
that sti le team engagement and creativity.
Moreover, as individuals ascend to lead teams, many
remain ixated on their own performance, neglecting to
share vital information with their colleagues. This act of
withholding casts a shadow upon the team, thus
derailing collective growth.
These disruptive behaviors are re lected in a Gallup Poll
which found that 85% of the overall workforce is
unengaged or actively disengaged, and many are actively
subverting an organization's eﬀorts. Disengagement
comes at a price: the annual US economic cost for
disengaged and under-engaged employees exceeds $550
billion. Moreover, turnover increases 18% to 43% in low-
engagement teams.
UNVEILING THE LEADERSHIP GAP
IN – FOCUS

immersive experience for a cohort
of up to 25 individuals who
continue performing in their
existing roles.
This program takes a holistic
approach to leadership
development, encouraging growth
in individual leadership, team
leadership, and overall
organizational leadership.
From authentic leadership to
maximizing pro itability, from
promoting trust and mutual respect
to driving collaboration and high
performance, the ALP Program
equips leaders with a rich toolkit to
thrive in today's dynamic business
landscape.
These transformative offerings
provide individuals and
organizations with the right tools
and support needed to achieve
exceptional levels of performance
across all levels of the company.
Dean and his team have built a
robust talent pipeline, shaping the
most trusted leaders of tomorrow.
In fact, he proudly highlights his
company's success in nurturing a
bench of future leaders, as well as
their track record of coaching
senior executives to secure their
irst CEO positions.
At the heart of Hallett Leadership
lies the belief that every individual,
at any level of a company, has the
power to create a lasting impact.
EMPOWERED LEADERSHIP,
TRANSFORMED FUTURE
Dean has witnessed irsthand the
powerful transformations that his
coaching programs can unfold.
It is often the simplest moments
that hold the greatest power. By
offering feedback to address
behaviors that disrupt team
dynamics, relationships can
undergo remarkable changes.
These subtle shifts have a ripple
effect, reshaping the culture of
organizations as a whole.
Moreover, by investing in
leadership development through
Hallett Leadership, client
companies embrace a culture of
collaboration and alignment,
resulting in engaged, high-
performance teams that drive
sustainable success. A recent study
by LSA Global found that highly
aligned companies increase
revenue 58% faster than their less
aligned peers and are 72% more
pro itable. How much money is
your company leaving on the table?
In a nutshell, Dean's offerings stand
apart from the competition for two
key reasons.
IN – FOCUS
60 EXELEON MAGAZINE

Firstly, the programs hold the
philosophy of transformation close
to their heart. It embraces the
power of personal choice,
empowering every individual to
consciously present themselves as
their best selves.
His coaching philosophy transcends
super icial change, exploring core
beliefs and behaviors that in luence
the actions of leaders.
Secondly, his decades of experience
in the trenches set Hallett
Leadership apart
from other career
academics and
consultants.
With a successful
25-year tenure in
the challenging
entertainment
industry, including
leadership roles as
CFO for two major
studios, he brings
real-world insights
and "war stories"
to the table.
This practical
experience allows
clients to grasp the
tangible
application of
leadership in
diverse
circumstances,
solidifying Hallett
Leadership as a
trusted partner in
driving meaningful
change.
THE DELICATE
ART OF WORK-
LIFE
Dean's in luence
extends far beyond coaching and
leadership development.
As an entrepreneur, coach, speaker,
and trainer, he leads a rich and
multifaceted life driven by a deep
passion for family, work, and
personal pursuits.
Moreover, he has mastered the art
of work-life balance, skillfully
tending to each aspect with care
and dedication.
By cherishing what truly matters,
he inds ful illment both in the
warmth of personal connections
and the accomplishments of his
professional journey.
THE LIMITLESS ROAD AHEAD
As Hallett Leadership sets its gaze
upon the future, the path ahead
shines bright with promise. Word of
mouth continues to spread about
the transformational work he and
his team deliver.
Executives who have gone through
Hallett Leadership programs
consistently express the
tremendous value gained, not only
in their professional lives but also
in their personal relationships.
With a focus on conscious
leadership and the ability to inspire
greatness in others, Hallett
Leadership is poised to
revolutionize leadership
development on a global scale.
Dean's unshakable commitment to
empowering leaders and creating
high-performance cultures will
shape the landscape of
organizations for years to come.
With a future illed with limitless
potential, Hallett Leadership is set
to rede ine the boundaries of what
is possible in the world of
leadership and workplace culture.
IN – FOCUS

E D I T O R ' S N O T E
Transformational CEOs are visionary leaders who redeﬁne industries, challenge the
status quo, and drive meaningful change within their organizations. They possess a
unique ability to envision a future that is both innovative and impactful, and inspire
their teams to achieve extraordinary results.
Exeleon Magazine recognizes some of these Transformational CEOs in this issue and
highlights their unique stories.
Kathleen Black
Kathleen Black, Inc.
Jonathan Azouri
CatchCorner by SI
Guillermo Salazar
IrisCX
Emmanuel Smadja
MPOWER Financing
62 EXELEON MAGAZINE
MOST
TRANSFORMATIONAL
10OF THE YEAR
CEOs

Antonio McBroom
Primo Partners
Arif Bhalwani
Third Eye Capital Group
Anna Stella
BBSA
Kent Rockwell
URA
Dean Hallett
Hallett Leadership
Keri Murphy
Inspired Living

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Kathleen Black | 10 Most Transformational CEOs | Exeleon Magazine

Kathleen Black | 10 Most Transformational CEOs | Exeleon Magazine

Kathleen Black | 10 Most Transformational CEOs | Exeleon Magazine

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