Jeff Edwards is a strategic sales leader in the tech industry who loves to inspire people, teams, and organizations to step into the fullest version of themselves. In his role as Director of Partner Sales at Cisco, Jeff drives growth and value creation for Cisco's Tier One Service Provider business in the Americas, managing a $2B business in global tech sales.

He is a disruptive leader who challenges the status quo to solve hard problems and propel groundbreaking success. This led Jeff to start Shift Happens, an internal podcast at Cisco for people who want to lead at the edge of change. Through real conversations with the architects behind Cisco’s biggest transformations, Jeff unpacks the mindset, strategies, and stories that help leaders stay ahead, speak with confidence, and turn every shift into momentum.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss:

• How leaders create a durable culture through everyday interactions
• Why accountability is essential to a healthy culture
• How curiosity and being a beginner build resilience and openness to change
• What systems leaders can use to help teams see change as an opportunity for growth

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

Jeff Edwards is a strategic sales leader in the tech industry who loves to inspire people, teams and organizations to step into the fullest version of themselves. In his role as Director of Partner Sales at Cisco, Jeff drives growth and value creation for Cisco's Tier One Service Provider business in the Americas, managing a $2B business in global tech sales. He is a disruptive leader who challenges the status quo to solve hard problems and propel groundbreaking success.

This led Jeff to start Shift Happens, an internal podcast at Cisco for people who want to lead at the edge of change. Through real conversations with the architects behind Cisco’s biggest transformations, Jeff unpacks the mindset, strategies, and stories that help leaders stay ahead, speak with confidence, and turn every shift into momentum.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss:

• Jon and Jeff’s backgrounds and how they each got to this point in their life and careers
• Jeff’s current role at Cisco and how his conversations about leadership, change, and growth evolved into the “Shift Happens” podcast
• Why change is so hard and the reasons why each person approaches change differently
• Strategies for embracing change and viewing it as an opportunity
• How to lean into vulnerability and humility as a leader

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

In this episode of The Next Level, Jonathan Sanchez and Jonathan Sams discuss:

• Current events in the United States in recent weeks
• Applying the lens of leadership to moments of crisis and how to be prepared to react
• The four areas of preparedness – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual
• How to apply these learnings as a leader in your community, family, and/or organization

Jonathan Sams is a Navy veteran, attorney, gentleman farmer, husband, and father of four. Throughout his life, Jonathan has been diagnosed with and beat cancer four times. His outlook on life and how he approaches each day is admirable and encouraging.

Emily King Grandinetta is Master Certified Coach, behavioral scientist, organizational consultant, and author. She has over 20 years of experience coaching and consulting with commercial, government, and non-profit organizations. Emily currently leads Grandinetta Group, providing individual and team coaching to public and private sector organizations. She has a master’s degree in organizational development from Johns Hopkins University and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University.

Emily led military transition coaching programs as president of King Street Associates. Her private practice also provided individual and team coaching to clients including Booz Allen Hamilton, Fannie Mae, AARP, Sodexo, Comcast, and Merck, among others. Her work on behalf of Veterans received acknowledgment from President Barack Obama and Senator John McCain, and General Lloyd Austin (ret).

Emily’s forthcoming book, “At Ease: The Guide to a Smooth & Successful Military Transition,” addresses the real challenge for service members of finding a new purpose and mission after the military. The book is a proven, practical guide to a smooth and successful military transition for both individuals and organizations.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss:

• Why Emily became involved with helping veterans with their military transition and how it grew into a passion
• Key findings from Emily’s first book, “Field Tested”
• Emily’s writing process she went through to publish “At Ease”
• The Accelerated Military Transition course and other resources that accompany the new book
• What companies can do to best support their military veteran employees

You can find more information about the book and course at military.grandinetta.com. To connect with Emily: emily@teamperformanceinstitute.com

WHERE TO LISTEN

Listen here: https://teamperformanceinstitute.podbean.com/

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and the TPI YouTube Channel.

Feli From Germany is a Munich native who now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. She moved to Cincinnati for an exchange semester during her undergraduate studies in 2016 and, after traveling back and forth between Germany and the United States for a few years, became a permanent Ohio resident in 2019. Feli is a YouTuber, podcaster, and content creator who shares about cultural differences between Germany and the United States, things she likes and dislikes about living in America, and other experiences she has had as an expat living in the US. Since starting her YouTube channel 6 years ago, Feli has produced over 400 videos and gained almost 600,000 subscribers.

Hailing from Munich, Feli knows all about one of the most well-known German festivals, Oktoberfest! She chats with Jon Sanchez, CEO of Team Performance Institute, and Ken Bloom, founder of Hacker Herren, a group of over 500 men that come together annually to attend Oktoberfest, about the event and her unique perspective as someone who grew up attending with her family and friends.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss:

• How Feli found herself living full-time in Cincinnati and working as a content creator
• The target audience for Feli’s videos and podcasts
• What Feli thinks about Oktoberfest-themed festivals hosted in the United States
• Her perspective on the international travelers in attendance at Oktoberfest in Munich
• Advice for Americans who want to go to Oktoberfest
• Ken, Jon, and Feli’s thoughts on how the festival has changed over the decades

Connect with Feli!

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FelifromGermany

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

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

Website: https://felifromgermany.com/

Mark Greene is passionate about building networks and guiding high performers in their new careers. A former Navy SEAL, his experiences offer invaluable insights into the human spirit’s resilience and the power of support and community in navigating life’s transitions. Despite facing a career-ending injury in football and dropping out of college, Mark’s resilience led him to become a Navy SEAL. He completed BUD/S in 1997 and served on SEAL Team FIVE from 1997 to 2002. After graduating from Officer Candidate School in 2004, Mark served as a Sniper Instructor at the Naval Special Warfare Sniper School, Assistant Officer in Charge of SEAL Team EIGHT, and Detachment Officer in Charge of Special Boat Team TWENTY. In 2008, he earned his MBA in Defense Focused Financial Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and then served as Officer In Charge of SEAL Team EIGHT. Since transitioning from the military, Mark has dedicated himself to supporting those in the Special Operations community in their journey to civilian success. He is an esteemed author and speaker, and his story will resonate profoundly with your audience, providing both inspiration and practical wisdom for facing life’s toughest challenges. Mark is the author of “UNSEALED: A Navy SEAL’s Guide to Mastering Life’s Transitions.” Amid his accomplishments, his true happiness lies in being a devoted father to four wonderful children.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss: 

• Mark’s upbringing as a military brat and his experience playing college football

• His journey from flunking out of college to becoming a SEAL

• Mark’s experience at BUD/S and his mindset and approach to the preparation and training

• The lessons learned as an instructor at Naval Special Warfare Sniper School and how Mark grew as a leader

• Mark’s leadership style and how it has evolved throughout his career and life experiences  

Connect with Mark:

• https://www.themarkgreene.com/

• On all social media platforms @themarkgreene

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. 

To book Mark as a Featured Keynote Speaker for your next event, please visit https://teamperformanceinstitute.com/keynote/.

Mark Greene is passionate about building networks and guiding high performers in their new careers. A former Navy SEAL, his experiences offer invaluable insights into the human spirit’s resilience and the power of support and community in navigating life’s transitions. Despite facing a career-ending injury in football and dropping out of college, Mark’s resilience led him to become a Navy SEAL. He completed BUD/S in 1997 and served on SEAL Team FIVE from 1997 to 2002. After graduating from Officer Candidate School in 2004, Mark served as a Sniper Instructor at the Naval Special Warfare Sniper School, Assistant Officer in Charge of SEAL Team EIGHT, and Detachment Officer in Charge of Special Boat Team TWENTY. In 2008, he earned his MBA in Defense Focused Financial Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and then served as Officer In Charge of SEAL Team EIGHT. Since transitioning from the military, Mark has dedicated himself to supporting those in the Special Operations community in their journey to civilian success. He is an esteemed author and speaker, and his story will resonate profoundly with your audience, providing both inspiration and practical wisdom for facing life’s toughest challenges. Mark is the author of “UNSEALED: A Navy SEAL’s Guide to Mastering Life’s Transitions.” Amid his accomplishments, his true happiness lies in being a devoted father to four wonderful children.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss: 

• Mark’s upbringing as a military brat and his experience playing college football

• His journey from flunking out of college to becoming a SEAL

• Mark’s experience at BUD/S and his mindset and approach to the preparation and training

• The lessons learned as an instructor at Naval Special Warfare Sniper School and how Mark grew as a leader

• Mark’s leadership style and how it has evolved throughout his career and life experiences  

Connect with Mark:

• https://www.themarkgreene.com/

• On all social media platforms @themarkgreene

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. 

To book Mark as a Featured Keynote Speaker for your next event, please visit https://teamperformanceinstitute.com/keynote/.

Todd Hudson is the Executive Chef and Owner of the Wildflower Café, a farm-to-table restaurant in Mason, Ohio. With over 15 years of kitchen experience, Todd can prepare some of the best food you've ever had, regardless of how exotic your tastes, and he does it all with fresh local products. His roots lie in southern cooking he learned from his grandmother. Todd and his Café have received many accolades, including Top 40 Chefs Under 40, a feature in "Best Chefs America" A Chefs Guide to Top Chefs, a feature in the "Chefs Collaborative 20th Anniversary" Cookbook, "Best Burger" Cincinnati Magazine 2010, "Certified Humane Restaurant" World Society for the Protection of Animals, "Best Restaurants in the Midwest" Midwest Living Magazine 2011, 2012, and "Best Fresh Meal" CityBeat 2010, and many more. In 2019, the Wildflower Café was recognized as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s “Top 100 Wine Restaurants in America”. Todd is a wonderful husband and active dad. He resides on his farm with his wife Jenna and his two rockstar children, Dylan and Griffin.

In this episode of The Next Level, we discuss: 

• How Todd’s grandmother served as his inspiration in the kitchen and in life
• The story of how Todd got his start in the restaurant and made the decision to open the Wildflower Café
• The importance of sourcing organic ingredients and Todd’s passion for facilitating a return to agriculture
• How the restaurant has evolved since it opened in 2007
• Todd’s purpose now and the resilience required in his profession as an Executive Chef and Restaurant Owner

Connect with Todd and the Wildflower Café:

Website: https://linktr.ee/wildflowermason

Instagram: @wildflowermason

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WildflowerCafeMason

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@WildflowerCafe

The Wildflower Café is located at 207 E Main St, Mason, Ohio, and is open Monday - Saturday 4-9 pm.

Listen here: https://teamperformanceinstitute.podbean.com/ 

The Next Level Podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.