Since Gary Goldhammer's life was changed by a brush with death in his 20s, he has devoted his life to mastering the power of authentic personal story, guiding leaders to genuine engagement. If you're interested in the idea of a life with deep meaning, listen in on this conversation with a thought leader at Hill & Knowlton to get his take on what really matters and, more importantly, what REALLY moves people.

Larry Smith is a uniquely gifted leader, able to bridge cultures, generations and disciplines as president of Tokyo Electron America. In this conversation, we hear about Larry's upbringing as the son of a WWII Marine, his own career as a graduate of West Point and his open-minded leadership philosophies. He proves that a big brain and a big heart can coexist in the same person. 

Alan Graham is the bearded, plain-spoken patron of the homeless in Austin, Texas who is leading a growing legion of people to see their destitute neighbors through a different lens. From the creation of a food truck ministry to the innovative Community First! Village, Alan says "yes" first then follows God's leading to success.

Head of the Professional Speechwriters Association, David Murray is an advocate for quality prose. He has spent years helping leaders refine their message and deliver it with conviction. Now he devotes his time to mentoring speechwriters and advocating for the profession. (Recorded on location at 5411 Empanadas on Division Street in Chicago.)

Born the son of tenant farmers, Rick Perry kept it simple as he ascended to governorship of America's second largest state. By focusing on the essentials and empowering his team to innovate, he led Texas to the top of America's economic ladder where it remains today. In this episode, he discusses the call to serve and the value of struggle in shaping character

No one really wants to think about the fact more than 40,000 Texas children are victims of sexual abuse in a given year, but it's true. Thanks to Joy Rauls and her hardworking team, these children are given a chance at justice with coordinated investigations and healing through groundbreaking therapy. As the leader of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Joy has guided this public-private partnership to a trusted leadership role that is making a genuine difference. Listen in as she discusses the realities of this vulnerable population and the challenges of having necessarily tough conversations with constituents across Texas and beyond. She truly moves people.

Susan Combs has been breaking barriers since she was a young girl in San Antonio. During a career spanning a role as an administrative assistant in a Mad-Men-era advertising agency to Comptroller of the State of Texas to founder of an online empowerment community for women, Susan has defied expectations and made a difference. Listen in as she shares her "Maude moment" that put her on a path to leadership and recounts the ingredients of her success. 

As modern digital media continually kicks legacy media to the curb, the obituary for newspapers has been written more times than an English major can count. As newspapers reorganize or close up shop all together, it's counterintuitive to launch a local newspaper, but John Garrett has done just that in cities across Texas. Focusing on local news and genuine community involvement, the brainchild of John and his wife, has become a fixture in cities across the state. Community Impact News is writing a new chapter in the media business, fueled by John's vision and leadership. This conversation lifts the curtain on his method and provides insights on his core beliefs.

Modern life is full of buzzwords like "the Internet of things" and "the connected home" but the technology behind it can sometimes be confusing or even impersonal. Utz Baldwin is the visionary founder of Plum, a company whose light-control touchpad is revolutionizing the way people control their home's illumination (and a whole lot more.) While there are several companies in that space, Utz and his team are set apart by their passion, their customer focus and their years of experience in the consumer electronics field. His leadership style is amiable and unrelenting, a great combination for bringing a game-changing technology to market.

Todd Steward has more than 1,000 employees looking to him for leadership, not to mention two daughters and a wide circle of friends. Drawing upon his experience as a team athlete and a survivor of multiple medical problems, he has built a career as a compassionate leader dedicated to leading the charge to deliver exception care to every patient, every day, in a spirit of warmth, friendliness and personal pride.