Stay On Course: Ingredients for Success

Lara Hamilton: Leading with Care, The People First Formula for IT Leadership

In This Episode:

Lara introduces herself as VP of IT Services at Help Desk Realty, leading a department that supports affordable housing and property management clients nationwide

Julie and Lara open with a lighthearted moment about southern food, Memphis roots, and a wild family story involving Elvis Presley

Lara explains why hiring exceptional people starts with understanding culture fit, not just skill

She shares why temp to hire arrangements help leaders confirm alignment before making a long term commitment

The two discuss what happens when a hire does not work out, and why true leadership requires self reflection first

Lara describes how her team creates systems with a human purpose, reducing frustration instead of adding to it

She reveals why sometimes the most valuable thing a leader can do is simply listen

Lara connects her department's daily work to a much bigger mission, supporting affordable housing communities across the country

She explains how fast, reliable technology can be the difference between someone securing stable housing or remaining without it

Julie and Lara talk about persistence, and why never stopping matters even when mistakes happen

Lara shares her philosophy on doing it scared, and why fear should never be the reason someone stops moving forward

She opens up about a recent moment of courage, ziplining down Fremont Street in Las Vegas, and what it taught her about growth

Lara closes with a reflection on what leading with care truly means, and why trust in your people always comes back around

Key Takeaways:

Hire for Culture, Not Just Skill: Exceptional teams are built through intentional, values aligned hiring

Systems Should Serve People: Technology and process design should always reduce human frustration, not add to it

Purpose Multiplies Impact: Understanding the deeper why behind the work transforms an ordinary job into meaningful work

Reflection Is Leadership: Great leaders look inward first when a hire or a plan does not work out

Do It Scared: Confidence often follows action, not the other way around

Memorable Quotes:

"Leading with care means a lot of things, but for me it is starting with my own employees."

"It is really a failure on yourself and the employee when someone does not work out."

"It could mean the difference between someone being homeless or not."

"Do it scared, and you might find that it is really something you enjoy doing."

"Do not let fear stop you."

This episode is perfect for sharing with leaders, managers, and IT professionals in your network who want to lead with more heart and intention.

Connect with Lara Hamilton:
Company: Help Desk Realty, a Division of Tectonic Role: VP of IT Services

Connect with Julie Riga:
Stacklist: https://stacklist.app/julieriga
Website: julieriga.com/lead
Social Media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Coaching: Learn more about leadership coaching and transformation

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder to lead with care today.

#stayoncourse #leadwithcare #purposedrivenleadership #authenticleadership #peoplefirstleadership

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Simon Mukooza: The Human Centered Blueprint for Trustworthy AI Adoption in Leadership

In This Episode:

Simon shares his journey from the aviation and aerospace industry to becoming an independent AI stylist helping people adopt artificial intelligence with intention

Julie and Simon unpack why consumerism drives roughly sixty eight to seventy percent of the American economy, and why fear of job loss is fueling reckless AI adoption

Simon introduces the TACS framework, true, allowed, complete, and safe, as the standard every piece of AI generated work should meet before anyone trusts it

A viral AI location tracking contradiction and a real world map of Africa error at a public summit reveal what happens when people stop checking AI output

Simon introduces the ROUTE framework, remove, originate, understand, touch, evaluate, born from a story about an untagged, unclaimed bag on the ramp at Dubai International Airport

The conversation turns to purpose driven leadership, why corporations may struggle more than solopreneurs as AI reshapes specialized roles, and why human connection remains the true differentiator

Simon predicts a future where purpose gets dialed up and repetitive doing gets dialed down, freeing people for more meaningful, transformational work

Julie and Simon reflect on how every generation faces a version of this same shift, from the information highway of the nineteen nineties to the artificial intelligence conversation happening today, and why adaptation, not resistance, has always been the path forward

Key Takeaways:

Adopt AI with intention, not fear, and take a gradual, scrutinized approach rather than rushing in

Use the TACS framework, true, allowed, complete, and safe, to verify AI output before you rely on it

Apply the ROUTE framework so every piece of AI generated work has a clear human checkpoint and owner

Purpose driven leadership becomes the true differentiator as AI absorbs more of the repetitive workload

Connection, mentorship, and authentic leadership cannot be automated

Growth happens when leaders replace fear with clarity, confidence, and a willingness to test before they trust

Memorable Quotes:

"The output of AI never exceeds the input."

"If you do not have a tag on something, if there is no ownership from the get go, no one is gonna take accountability."

"We cannot leave the humans behind. They need to be with us."

"A closed mouth can never be fed."

"Be human. Do not forget to be human."

Perfect for leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals navigating AI adoption who want practical guidance grounded in purpose driven leadership and authentic growth.

Connect with Simon Mukooza: LinkedIn

Connect with Julie Riga:
Website: julieriga.com/lead
Social Media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Coaching: learn more about leadership coaching and transformation
Stacklist: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with leaders who need to hear these AI adoption insights

#aiadoption #leadership #purposedriven #humanintheloop #stayoncourse

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Redefining Healthcare Through Relationships, Purpose, and Personalized Care with Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly

Guest: Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly, PharmD, Founder of My Concierge Pharmacy Host: Julie Riga
What if your pharmacist knew your name, your goals, and your complete health story rather than just your prescription number?

In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly, a visionary pharmacist and founder of My Concierge Pharmacy. Together they explore how she left corporate pharmacy to build something new, a practice grounded in personalized service, trust, and a whole-patient approach to wellness. If you have ever felt like just a number in the system, this episode will inspire you to lead with more intention in your own work and life.

Redefining Healthcare Through Relationships, Purpose, and Personalized Care

About the Guest

Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly is a licensed pharmacist with over 25 years of experience, including time at major chains such as CVS and Publix. She founded My Concierge Pharmacy in West Palm Beach, Florida after finding that most systems are built for volume, not genuine patient care. Her practice is completely independent, self-trademarked, and rooted in one guiding principle: pharmacy as a relationship, not a transaction.

She holds advanced certifications in diabetes care and collaborative practice and specializes in medication management, chronic disease support, and preventative health. She serves patients across Florida and Pennsylvania, with direct delivery and personalized consultations at every stage of life.

Fun Fact: Dr. Stevi loves salmon in every form. Lox and bagels with capers and onions is her absolute go-to.

The Three Ingredients for Concierge Success

1. Service as a Foundation True service is never transactional. Dr. Stevi built her team culture around being service-minded at every level. When you are moving a patient out of a system that has failed them, you must become the new definition of what great care looks like.
2. Trust Through Follow-Through Trust is built by doing what you say you will do, every single time. My Concierge Pharmacy proactively manages patient profiles, coordinates with providers, and connects with each patient a minimum of six times per year. Patients soon find they do not need to chase anyone because someone is consistently and genuinely watching over their care.

3. Customization That Feels Personal Concierge care is never cookie-cutter. Whether the patient is a parent preparing for summer, an elderly person managing chronic illness, or a performance athlete focused on longevity, every care plan is built specifically around that individual. Intentional personalization is what sets real concierge care apart from everything else.

Key Insights from This Episode

Pharmacists are trained in anatomy, biochemistry, and treatment protocol, making them the chemistry and treatment counterpart to a physician's diagnostic approach. Most patients never access this full depth of knowledge because corporate environments do not allow for it. Concierge pharmacy is changing that reality.
Dr. Stevi also applies a micro-therapy model, focusing on one health challenge at a time rather than overwhelming patients with everything at once. This approach builds clarity, confidence, and a genuine sense of control over personal health, growth, and life balance.

Connect with Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly

Website: www.myconciergepharmacy.com Book a consult to explore whether concierge pharmacy is right for you. Service covers Florida and Pennsylvania with direct home delivery available.

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore leadership coaching, transformation, and purposeful living at the link below.
Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with someone who deserves better from their healthcare journey.

#StayOnCourse #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticGrowth #TransformYo

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Roseann Capanna-Hodge: The Missing Ingredient for Regulation, Resilience, and Success

In This Episode:

Dr. Roseann's journey from clinician to second generation entrepreneur and mission-driven media founder

Why nervous system regulation is the true foundation for confidence, clarity, and personal growth

The Love Pause, a minimum three second pause that builds self-leadership and grace before reacting

An a la carte menu of free, accessible regulation tools including diaphragmatic breathing, the heart hug, the butterfly tap, and humming

Why most people breathe incorrectly and how that habit quietly activates the stress response

Why consistency, not intensity, is the missing ingredient for real transformation

The connection between chronic dysregulation and anxiety, OCD, and physical symptoms like joint pain and headaches

Her upcoming TED Talk in Denmark on generational emotional wealth

The influence of her mother, Philomena, on her authentic leadership, resilience, and legacy

Why highly functional leaders and executives often resist slowing down, and what it costs them

Key Takeaways:

Regulation is not a one time event, it is a practiced skill built through daily repetition

A short pause before responding creates space for calm, clear decision making and self-leadership

Small, consistent habits build more lasting change than occasional big gestures like retreats

Muscle memory for calm is built in moments of ease, not only in moments of crisis

True resilience starts with understanding and training the nervous system first

Memorable Quotes:

"The more you dysregulate, the more you're gonna dysregulate. The more you regulate, the more you will regulate."

"When your body and your nervous system is regulated, everything else works right."

"Once you're totally dysregulated, you have very minimal access to your thinking brain."

"Stress is every day. You have to constantly pull the stress out so you create capacity."

"I want you to channel your inner Philomena."

Connect with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge: Website: drroseann.com Book: The Dysregulated Kid, available on all major platforms and at your local library Podcast: The Dysregulated Kids Podcast Search: Dr. Roseann, spelled R O S E A N N, no E at the end

Connect with Julie Riga: Website:julieriga.com/lead
Social Media: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Stacklist: stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with someone on a journey toward purpose-driven growth, self-leadership, and lasting emotional wealth.

#stayoncourse #nervoussystemregulation #selfleadership #purposedriven #mindsetshift

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Happiness Is a Skill: Neuroscience, Resilience, and the Triumph Steps Framework

Guest: Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver, Licensed Psychotherapist and Creator of Triumph Steps Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if happiness was not just a feeling but a skill you could learn, practice, and master?

In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, Julie Riga sits down with Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver, a licensed psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience and the creator of Triumph Steps, a neuroscience-based framework transforming the way clinicians, coaches, and institutions approach emotional literacy. Beatriz breaks down the science behind why thoughts shape reality, how fear disguises itself in daily life, and why resilience is a muscle that anyone can build. Whether you are navigating a difficult season, chasing purpose, or simply ready to fall in love with your life again, this episode delivers practical tools and real inspiration to help you stay on course.

Happiness Is a Skill: Neuroscience, Resilience, and the Triumph Steps Framework

About the Guest

Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver is a licensed psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience, a community mental health center founder, and the creator of Triumph Steps. Her work bridges clinical therapy and purpose-driven coaching, making emotional fitness and resilience accessible to everyone who needs it. Over the past decade she has focused on prevention and coaching, believing every single person deserves to know how to be happier. Originally from Colombia, she serves clients globally with a team of certified coaches and clinicians.

Key Topics Covered

The Neuroscience of Happiness There is a direct connection between what we think and how we feel. Positive thoughts produce dopamine and serotonin. Anxious thoughts trigger a completely different neurochemical response. The core equation: Thought leads to Feeling, Feeling leads to Action, Action leads to Results across four life domains: Relationships, Health and Well-Being, Vocation, and Time and Financial Freedom.

The Eight Steps to Emotional Fitness Happiness is a learnable skill and an emotional muscle. The Triumph Steps framework guides clients through eight steps beginning with identifying a clear vision, building a bridge from where they are today to where they want to be three years from now, and taking one small controllable step at a time.

Befriending Fear Fear disguises itself as procrastination, avoidance, and victim thinking. Clients learn to name it, understand it, and act despite it. Something better always waits on the other side of fear.

Purpose and Service as Ingredients for Happiness People who turn their gifts outward toward the good of others discover a deeper and lasting happiness. Purpose is not simply found. It is built through intentional service and the courage to ask how your talents can make a difference.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Inhale deeply to a count of four, pause, then exhale slowly to a count of six. Repeat three to five times. This practice immediately resets the nervous system and reconnects you to your inner clarity and wisdom.

Memorable Quotes

"Not everybody needs mental health services, but every single person needs to know how to be happier."
"Your past does not define your future. Your future is designed with the thoughts of today."

"We act despite the fear. That is what gets us to triumph."

"How would you love your life to look three years from now?"

Connect with Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver

Email: beatriz@triumphsteps.com Website: www.triumphsteps.com

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore all of Julie Riga resources, books, and coaching programs at: https://stacklist.app/julieriga
Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with anyone ready to build a life they love.

#StayOnCourse #HappinessIsASkill #TriumphSteps #PurposeDrivenLeadership #TransformationJourney

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