What does it take to build a career across continents, art forms, and social movements?

Yemi Dele Akinyemi, Czech-Nigerian entrepreneur, choreographer, and founder of the Moonshot Platform, joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch to trace a path from dancing in front of a communist-era TV to choreographing for Kanye West, advising a robotics company, and mobilizing young changemakers from over 100 countries. He also reflects on growing up as the only Black child in his city, being separated from his father for 18 years, and how movement became his first language for belonging.

Don't miss this wide-ranging conversation about leading from the inside out and why the most important distance any leader will ever cross is the one between their head and their heart.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Why embodied leadership, integrating head, heart, and gut, produces decisions grounded in values rather than pure transaction

• How working with Kanye West taught Yemi that real artistry means being willing to be naked in your creative process

• Why structure and freedom aren't opposites and how the walls of a pool are what make a wave possible

• What Moonshot Platform is doing differently by betting on young changemakers at the very moment their ideas are just beginning to hatch

Connect with Yemi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemia1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yemialchemist/

X: https://x.com/YemiAlchemist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YemiAlchemist/

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https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

What does it take to rise to the top at one of America's leading ballet companies, after dozens of rejections, a serious injury, and a recession?

Samantha Hope Galler, Principal Dancer at Miami City Ballet, joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch to share the resilience and self-belief that carried her through 30+ auditions and years of setbacks, including a near career-ending injury. She also reflects on founding Fifth Position Path, a mentorship platform for dancers, earning her Master of Science from Northeastern University while performing professionally, and navigating pregnancy as a dancer.

Don't miss this honest conversation about processing rejection, betting on yourself when no one else will, and building a career on your own terms.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Why rejection is often the best teacher and how to process it without losing momentum

How discipline, visual learning, and problem-solving skills from dance translate to any career

Why mentorship matters and how Fifth Position Path is filling a critical gap for dancers and their families

Photo credits: A Iziliaev, Daniel Azoulay, Danny Cardoza, Jonathan Taylor, Juliet Hay, Melissa Dooley, Philip Galler

Connect with Samantha:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-hope-kunstadt/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeisadebut/ and https://www.instagram.com/fifthpositionpath/

Website: www.fifthpositionpath.com

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https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

Jenna Segal is writing women into the history books in arts and entertainment. Women make up more than 75% of theater audiences, yet are rarely in the decision-making seats. Jenna has stepped in to change that narrative. She is an Emmy, Tony, and Clio award-winning producer of Broadway hits including Hadestown, Gigi, and Six, as well as the visionary behind The 31 Women Collection of remarkable female artists. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, she discusses how she moved from CNN and MTV to Broadway, why she insists on supporting women in leading roles, and how she built an amazing career by just saying yes.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Ask who's missing from the room and make space for women in decisions, not just in the audience.

Say yes before you feel ready and follow your curiosity.

Build a life and career you're proud to "lose money on" because it aligns with your values.

Connect with Jenna:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gathererent/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gathererent/

Website: https://gathererenterprises.com/

✅ Sign up for the newsletter:

https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

Spotlight, pressure, and the power of example. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, Chloe Misseldine, Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre, talks about her surprise promotion on stage after her debut as Odette/Odile at The Met, how she prepares for the technical and emotional demands of taking on leading roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, and Sylvia, and what she's learned about artistry, setbacks, and confidence along the way.

She also reflects on growing up with a mother who danced with ABT, performing through injury, being named to Forbes 30 Under 30, and the importance of staying humble — especially when younger dancers are watching.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Kindness is a form of leadership. How you treat people matters, whether that's in the studio, at the stage door, or online.

Do the work so you can trust yourself. Preparation allows you to step on stage with freedom instead of fear.

Confidence grows over time. Sticking to the basics, staying humble, and trusting the process builds lasting strength.

Connect with Chloe:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloemisseldine

Photo Credits: Emma Zordan, HELI, Laura Sukowatey, LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove, Nir Arieli, Quinn Wharton, Rosalie O'Connor

✅ Sign up for the newsletter:

https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

💡 Key Takeaways:

Resilience isn't always pushing through. Sometimes leadership means resting, recalibrating, and being honest about your limits.

Careers don't have to be linear to be successful. Following curiosity and depth can open doors that rigid paths never will.

Representation shapes outcomes. Diverse perspectives drive better outcomes and stronger innovation.

Connect with Lawton:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawtoncummings/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawtoncummings/?hl=en

Website: https://capitalfactory.com/

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https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

What can leaders learn from fighter pilots about performing under pressure?

Former fighter pilot and CEO Christian "Boo" Boucousis joins The Leadership Dance to share how elite performers make decisions in chaos, execute with clarity, and stay calm when it matters most. From cockpit-tested leadership habits to practical tools like plan–brief–execute–debrief, this episode breaks down what it means to perform like a fighter pilot. From a five-year-old boy mesmerized at an air show to one of fewer than 400 fighter pilots trained over four decades, Boo's journey reveals how his air force training taught him to value time in seconds and put the mission above ego. This candid conversation explores friction, burnout, digital overload, and how to move from reactive days to truly flawless execution.

💡 Key Takeaways:

High performers don't just have good ideas; they turn decisions into action.

The fighter pilot mindset is relentlessly growth-oriented: define what success looks like today, then get slightly better tomorrow.

Calm is a leadership advantage. In chaos, people look to the calmest people in the room.

Connect with Boo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-boo-boucousis/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianbooboucousis/

Website: https://callmeboo.com/about/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fewpodcast

✅ Sign up for the newsletter:

https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

"Curiosity is a cure for stagnation." Tune in to meet mover and shaker Tina Wells, an author, entrepreneur, and trend spotter, as she shares her insights on what it takes to design a life and career you love across multiple chapters. Her incredible journey from teen founder to agency leader, product designer, and bestselling writer reflects her approach to embracing curiosity in all its manifestations. Tina discusses how a "happy accident" at 16 grew into a powerful youth insights company, why she ultimately chose to close a successful business, and how that bold move opened the door to writing more than 20 books, developing Target-exclusive products, and a new chapter centered on content and creativity. This conversation is a candid look at taking risks, reinvention, and how aligning your work with your values can change not just your business, but your whole life.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Creativity isn't a personality trait; it's a practice

What makes Gen Z tick and what business leaders misunderstand about younger generations

Why people are craving deeper, more meaningful, and more analog experiences, and why artists and creators have an important role to play right now

Connect with Tina:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinawells/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinawells/

Website: www.tinawells.com

✅ Sign up for the newsletter:

https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

What does it mean to lead with values when the political landscape makes inclusion harder, not easier? In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, to explore what real leadership looks like when rhetoric, risk, and responsibility collide. Liana shares her personal journey growing up in Puerto Rico and the mainland U.S., her nonlinear career across marketing, fintech, and healthcare, and why she's committed to building a future of LGBTQIA+ affirming care that prioritizes outcomes over optics. Together, they unpack how leaders can stay anchored to what's right and why affirming care isn't about statements but about access. Liana introduces a powerful leadership framework that balances right, righteousness, and effectiveness, and offers practical guidance for leaders navigating tradeoffs without losing their North Star.

💡 Key Takeaways:

How leaders can "change the words, not the work" when it comes to equity and inclusion

What affirming care means for the LGBTQIA+ community

Why first-principles thinking is essential for transforming entrenched systems like healthcare

Connect with Liana:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folxhealth/

Website: www.folxhealth.com

Substack: https://futurerx.substack.com/

✅ Sign up for the newsletter:

https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"