Breakfast Leadership Show Podcast Por Michael D. Levitt arte de portada

Breakfast Leadership Show

Breakfast Leadership Show

De: Michael D. Levitt
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The Breakfast Leadership Show is a top 20 global podcast hosted by Michael D. Levitt.

It features thought-provoking discussions with industry leaders, experts, and influencers, focusing on leadership, burnout prevention, workplace culture, and personal growth. The show provides listeners with actionable insights on improving productivity, fostering resilience, and enhancing well-being in both professional and personal life.

Want to be a guest on the Breakfast Leadership Show?

Visit https://BreakfastLeadership.com/PodcastGuest


The Breakfast Leadership Show may include sponsored guest appearances, which means the guests may have provided financial compensation to participate in the podcast.

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Episodios
  • Deep Dive: Beyond the Balance Sheet: Why Small Business Mental Health is a Strategic Leadership Priority

    Deep Dive: Beyond the Balance Sheet: Why Small Business Mental Health is a Strategic Leadership Priority
    Feb 20 2026

    Small business ownership is widely celebrated for fueling innovation and community prosperity. Yet beneath the ambition and daily execution lies a critical and under-recognized leadership challenge: the mental health strain on owners themselves. This episode unpacks research showing how stress, isolation, and burnout are not “personal issues” but systemic factors that impact decision-making, resilience, performance, and organizational culture. Mental health must move from a private burden to a strategic leadership priority.

    Key Research & Findings 1. The Hidden Health Burden of Ownership

    • Based on Nav’s report surveying more than 1,000 U.S. small business owners.

    • Nearly half (48%) report their business consumes so much attention it detracts from life outside work.

    • Stress, fatigue, and anxiety are widespread:

      • 53% identify stress as a common health impact.

      • Over 40% report fatigue and anxiety.

      • 36% experience headaches tied to work demands.

    • A full third say they’ve experienced mental health challenges significant enough to warrant professional support — yet nearly half have not accessed it.

    2. Why This Matters for Leadership

    • Mental health strain affects more than the individual owner:

      • It reduces decision clarity and confidence in high-stakes moments.

      • It undermines resilience in volatile cash flow, competitive shifts, or market unpredictability.

      • It bleeds into culture, performance, and long-term viability when leaders are mentally depleted.

    3. Systemic Stressors in Small Business

    • Owners must act as generalists — juggling finance, operations, sales, HR, and leadership simultaneously — with financial stress clearly leading as the top pressure point.

    • Unlike traditional jobs, ownership often lacks daily psychological detachment, making recovery moments (rest, time off) rare and difficult.

    What Owners Are Already Doing

    Despite the strain:

    • Many apply individual coping strategies:

      • Exercise, mindfulness practices.

      • Connecting with family/friends.

    • Yet these efforts are undermined by structural barriers:

      • Many owners haven’t taken a full week off in more than three years.

      • Cost concerns and self-reliance discourage professional support.

    Leadership & HR Imperatives 1. Mental Health Literacy is Leadership Literacy

    • Leaders must build fluency in recognizing stress, burnout, and psychological fatigue — not as deficits of character, but as systemic outcomes of ownership.

    2. Culture Design with Mental Health as Strategy

    • Mental health needs to be explicitly integrated into leadership conversations, not limited to “well-being perks.”

    • This means shaping organizational norms that:

      • Normalize help-seeking.

      • Intentionally embed recovery rhythms (time off, boundary setting).

      • Build structural supports consistent with sustainable leadership.

    3. Shift from Personal Burden to Organizational Priority

    • Treating mental health as an individual issue misses the systemic impact on performance, resilience, and long-term success.

    Takeaways for Executives & Founders

    • Reframe mental health as a strategic performance factor — not a personal aside.

    • Design leadership practices that institutionalize psychological recovery.

    • Expand support systems beyond fitness or mindfulness programs to include coaching, peer networks, and professional access.

    • Measure and reflect on how mental strain affects decisions, productivity, and culture.

    Discussion Questions (for Leadership Roundtables or Workshops)

    1. In what ways is owner mental health currently visible or invisible in your organization’s leadership ecosystem?

    2. What structural barriers (e.g., time off, cultural norms, resource allocation) are preventing small business owners from accessing support?

    3. How can leaders create deliberate practices that embed psychological recovery into the rhythm of work?

    Source article: https://www.breakfastleadership.com/blog/mapping-the-hidden-strain-why-mental-health-must-be-part-of-the-small-business-ownership-conversation
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    15 m
  • Bob Nienaber on Executive Benefits Strategy for Leaders: How Smart Financial Planning Drives Talent Retention and Long-Term Growth

    Bob Nienaber on Executive Benefits Strategy for Leaders: How Smart Financial Planning Drives Talent Retention and Long-Term Growth
    Feb 18 2026
    Episode Overview In this episode of the Breakfast Leadership Show, Michael sits down with Bob to explore how executive benefits, financial strategy, and intentional planning can become powerful levers for retention, profitability, and long-term organizational stability. The conversation moves beyond surface-level benefits discussions and into how leaders can treat benefits as strategic assets rather than routine expenses. Executive Benefits and Client-Centered Strategy Bob shared how his firm specializes in executive benefits across a wide range of business types, emphasizing a strong track record of successful audits and high client satisfaction. A core differentiator is their commitment to treating each organization and executive as unique, rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions. Michael reinforced the importance of personalization, noting that meaningful client experiences and tailored benefits strategies are essential in today’s challenging business environment. Both acknowledged that retention pressures and rising benefits costs require leaders to think more strategically about how benefits are designed and communicated. Optimizing Executive Benefits Through Technology and Design Bob explained how his company supports small and mid-sized organizations in optimizing executive benefit plans through a proprietary technology platform. This system simplifies complex benefits structures, uncovers missed opportunities, and helps organizations make smarter, data-driven decisions. He outlined their comprehensive nine-step service model, covering plan design, participant education, and full administrative support. The result is a 95 percent participation rate, significantly higher than the industry average of approximately 40 percent. Education plays a central role, ensuring participants understand both the value and tax efficiency of their plans. When structured properly, executive benefits can evolve from cost centers into strategic profit centers. Benefits Planning, Tax Strategy, and Organizational DNA Michael emphasized that benefits planning must align with an organization’s core identity and values. Too often, tax considerations, particularly for high-income earners, are overlooked or addressed too late in the process. He stressed the importance of conducting a detailed employee census to account for demographics, compensation structures, and changes resulting from growth or acquisitions. Without this depth of analysis, organizations risk leaving significant savings on the table for both the business and its people. Superficial benefits planning, he noted, often creates long-term inefficiencies and dissatisfaction. Financial Strategy, Asset Management, and Long-Term Value The conversation expanded into broader financial management practices. Bob and Michael discussed common mistakes organizations make, including failing to leverage tax deductions, net operating losses, and proper income treatment. Bob shared real-world examples of how disciplined asset management and strategic planning can unlock liquidity, generate cash flow, and improve financial resilience. They also touched on the role of charitable giving and how intentional structuring can benefit both the organization and its mission. Education, once again, emerged as a critical theme. Leaders who understand their financial statements and benefits structures are better positioned to make confident, sustainable decisions. Financial Stewardship and Organizational Survival Michael highlighted the sobering reality that many once-successful organizations no longer exist, often due to poor financial stewardship and short-term thinking. He pointed out that financial and benefits assets are frequently treated as administrative afterthoughts rather than strategic resources. Both agreed that organizations that actively manage these areas, especially during uncertain economic conditions, dramatically improve their odds of long-term survival and cultural stability. Executive Benefits as a Retention and Protection Tool Bob closed by emphasizing the strategic role of executive benefits such as deferred compensation and restricted stock units. Beyond retention, these tools help protect institutional knowledge and corporate intellectual property. He noted that high-performing organizations often implement these programs at a lower relative cost than struggling companies, largely because they plan proactively rather than reactively. Bob encouraged leaders to take advantage of executive benefits audits, which are offered at no cost, to identify inefficiencies, reduce expenses, and strengthen retention strategies. Key Takeaway Executive benefits and financial strategy are not administrative checkboxes. When aligned with organizational values, supported by education, and managed intentionally, they become powerful tools for retention, resilience, and long-term leadership success. https://BenefitRFP.com Bob Nienaber (916) 838-0866
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    28 m
  • Shawn Minard on Leadership, Employee Engagement, and Building a Winning Workplace Culture

    Shawn Minard on Leadership, Employee Engagement, and Building a Winning Workplace Culture
    Feb 16 2026

    Episode Summary In this episode, I sit down with Shawn Minard, Chief People Officer at Frazier and Deeter, to unpack what real HR leadership looks like in today’s workplace. We dive into everything from learning and development to recruitment, employee experience, and why investing in culture isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a strategic advantage.

    Shawn shares how his background in HR and technology shapes his leadership approach, and we tackle the tough question: how do you actually measure the ROI of culture? We also explore hybrid work, employee engagement strategies, mental health trends in the workplace, and what it truly means to lead with trust.

    Shawn opens up about building vulnerability-based trust, hiring for emotional intelligence, and empowering teams through autonomy and accountability.

    If you’re a leader who wants to reduce turnover, strengthen culture, and create a workplace people genuinely want to be part of — this one’s for you.

    Links & Resources

    Motivosity (Employee Engagement Platform) https://www.motivosity.com/

    Shawn's firm: https://www.frazierdeeter.com/

    If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow, rate, and leave a review. Share it with a fellow leader or HR professional who’s passionate about building a thriving workplace culture. Your support helps us keep bringing these conversations to life!
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    32 m
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