In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, I sit down with Mike Barefoot, a longtime entrepreneur and former staffing firm owner who has spent more than two decades placing professionals, leading teams, and navigating the realities of business growth.

Mike shares how his career evolved from corporate recruiting into building his own IT staffing firm and why he’s now shifting into keynote speaking to pass along the lessons he learned the hard way. We talk about invisible career ceilings, why “just work hard” is incomplete advice, and how fear can be used as fuel instead of a roadblock.

We also explore:

- Why networking matters as much as effort

- How comfort can quietly limit your growth

- The danger of analysis paralysis

- Why “trust and verify” is better leadership than blind trust

- How imposter syndrome shows up even after success

- Why balance, not burnout, leads to sustainable performance

This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself it’s about knowing when to change direction, when to ask better questions, and when to choose growth over fear.

connect with me here:
Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com
Connect with me on Linkedin: / kmillerhershon
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In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, I sit down with Jodie Hill, founder of Thrive Law in the UK, a law firm built around employment law, culture, mental health, and neurodiversity. Jodie is reimagining what legal leadership can look like by working on the front end of workplace problems helping organizations prevent discrimination and burnout instead of only reacting once things have gone wrong.

Jodie and I talk about why saying yes to everything can quietly pull you away from your purpose, how scaling too fast can be just as dangerous as not growing at all, and why the optics of success don’t always reflect what’s actually healthy or sustainable inside a business.

We explore what it really means to build boundaries as a founder, how burnout reshapes leadership, and why creating space away from work can unlock better ideas than constant hustle ever will.

We also dive into:
- Why growth without intention can become a trap
- How leaders can model psychological safety instead of just talking about it
- What delegation really means when done well
- Why vulnerability isn’t weakness it’s leadership
- How imposter syndrome shows up even after success
- What it takes to build a culture where people can truly thrive

connect with me here:
Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com
Connect with me on Linkedin: / kmillerhershon
Subscribe to newsletter: https: //link.kimmillerhershon.com/widget/form/aEdmdA1W5MhoMCMfy5O8

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In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, I sit down with Mike Konrad, founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies, who has spent more than three decades building a company in the electronics manufacturing industry. From starting in his garage to stepping away from day-to-day operations, Mike reflects on what long-term leadership has really taught him about growth, fear, and decision-making.

Mike and I talk about why conventional marketing never worked for him, how education became his most powerful sales tool, and why pursuing growth without discipline nearly cost him profitability. He challenges the idea that success comes from doing more, moving faster, and getting bigger — and instead makes the case for better judgment, stronger values, and trust built over time.

This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t about proving yourself — it’s about staying grounded, choosing wisely, and building something that can outlast your ego.

connect with me here:
Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com
Connect with me on Linkedin: / kmillerhershon
Subscribe to newsletter: https: //link.kimmillerhershon.com/widget/form/aEdmdA1W5MhoMCMfy5O8

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