In this episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider sits down with powerhouse leader Erica Sinner — multi 8-figure founder of Directory, CEO, and bestselling author of Pets Are Family. Erica’s mission? Revolutionizing leadership with empathy, operational compassion, and high-performance culture that doesn’t burn people out.

💥 With 20+ years in life sciences and biotech, Erica built Directory to help small-to-mid pharma companies commercialize with confidence — giving employees stability even in uncertain regulatory cycles.

But Erica’s impact doesn’t stop at the boardroom:

• She’s a driving force behind Tiny Superheroes, helping hospitalized kids feel brave through the power of play and purpose.
• She’s reshaping company policy with her advocacy for pet bereavement leave, recognizing the deep emotional bonds people have with their animals.

Topics We Cover:

• How to build emotionally intelligent, high-performance teams
• What CEOs are getting wrong about empathy (and how to fix it)
• Why laughter, connection, and play are not just for kids
• The powerful story behind Pets Are Family — and how grief shows up at work
• The loneliness epidemic, AI’s rising influence, and why the human algorithm still matters most

Key Quote: 🧠 “You can have an empathy-driven culture AND expect incredible results.”

If you're ready to lead with more impact, heart, and clarity — this episode will move you. 🔗 Grab Erica’s book Pets Are Family: https://www.amazon.com/Pets-are-Family-simple-that/dp/B0CTSFLYYT 🔗 Connect with Erica: Website: https://www.erikasinner.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikasinner

💬 Start a conversation with Kari’s AI → https://www.delphi.ai/karischneider

👉 Want to use AI to amplify your leadership? Grab our free guide “The 50 Best AI Prompts for Executives” → https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide

Guest: Anthony Cudjo, aka Coach Cujo — human optimization expert, professional athlete, speaker, spiritual mentor, and 30+ year coach.

In this powerful episode, we dive into the untapped potential already encoded in your DNA. From breaking free of societal conditioning to reversing illness and mastering self-leadership, Cujo delivers potent truth-bombs on:

• Why most people are stuck in “sheep” mode — and how to step into your inner shepherd
• The spiritual laws behind true health, wealth & fulfillment
• How your internal conversation creates your external reality
• Why silence is your greatest power — and how 5 minutes of daily meditation can radically shift your life
• A step-by-step breakdown of Coach Cujo’s daily rituals for energy, purpose and creation
• A blueprint for letting go of judgment, fear and illness — and unlocking self-healing and deep alignment

✨ “You’re not following anyone — you’re following YOUR purpose.”

Whether you're burned out, unfulfilled or craving a deeper connection to your leadership and life — this one will light a fire under your identity.

🔗 Connect with Coach Cujo: www.urh3o.com | Instagram @humanoptimization3.0

🎧 Listen now and start activating your higher operating system.

💬 Start a conversation with Kari’s AI → https://www.delphi.ai/karischneider

👉 Want to use AI to amplify your leadership? Grab our free guide “The 50 Best AI Prompts for Executives” → https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide

You hired an A-player who crushed it at first. Now they're disengaged, missing deadlines, producing mediocre work. Your first thought? "Motivation problem. Attitude issue."

Wrong diagnosis.

In this episode, I break down why A-players underperform—and it's almost never about the person. It's about the environment, the role, and the authority they're given

You'll learn:

• The 3 I's that define an A-player (Integrity, Initiative, Intelligence)
• Why work ethic = Initiative + Integrity (this changes everything)
• The 3 biggest mistakes leaders make with high performers
• The 3 unlocks A-players need: Right Role, Right Authority, Right Environment
• Why A-players in the wrong environment struggle MORE than average players
• The truth about "borrowed authority" and why it kills momentum

Whether you're a leader trying to unlock your team's potential or an A-player feeling stuck, this episode will help you diagnose the real problem and fix what actually matters.

Key Quote:

"Nothing suffocates an A-player faster than borrowed authority. If the role fights the person, the person loses or leaves."

💬 Start a conversation with Kari’s AI → https://www.delphi.ai/karischneider

👉 Want to use AI to amplify your leadership? Grab our free guide “The 50 Best AI Prompts for Executives” → https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide