Character in leadership begins with stewardship. In this episode of The Character Effect, Mark Beebe, COO of Enterprise Stewardship, shares why true leaders move from ownership to stewardship. And how humility, accountability, and purpose shape character that others want to follow.

Mark reflects on lessons learned from his own leadership journey, the power of building “three capitals” (economic, social, spiritual), and why developing character is the most important—and hardest—work for leaders.

Bryan Doxford, President of Grow America Fund, shares how traits like grit, humility, and integrity guide his approach to small business lending. From teaching entrepreneurs to always inviting others to grow, Bryan explains why the best leaders are “humble and hungry”, and why everything speaks when it comes to business leadership.

Gregg Ward has lived four lives—actor, journalist, leadership coach, and accidental success.

In this episode, he shares how a personal tragedy reshaped his view on respect and why it’s the secret sauce to real leadership. If you think respect is soft, think again.

Watch Gregg's TEDx talk, Confessions of an Accidental Killer.

They say character is who you are when no one’s watching — but Michelle Livingstone’s dad made sure someone always was. From the family dinner table to leading transportation at The Home Depot, Michelle built her career on honesty, consistency, and leaders who actually walk the talk.

In this episode, she shares how a quiet mentor at Kraft Foods shaped her leadership style. And why the best leaders leave a mark long after they’ve left the room.

“When you find out what is most important to you, and you find a way to transfer that into value for others—you sleep better. You’re more excited about life. And I think you’re a success.”

In this episode, Topher Reynoso—founder of Kept.io and former leader at Gusto—joins host Dave Vassilaros for a deep, personal conversation about failure, grit, and finding purpose in your work.

From lessons about work ethic from his father to building startups with heart, Topher shares how character and compassion can redefine what it means to lead.

Character-based hiring and grit in leadership come to life in this inspiring conversation with Rick Iversen, Senior VP of Recruiting at Lap of Love and former talent leader at eBay and Rakuten. From the locker rooms of European pro soccer to building compassionate vet care teams, Rick's career proves that grit is growth.Learn how the best recruiters find candidates' character between the lines of the resume, and why “grit breeds compassion”.

Character in leadership is the foundation of mission success.

In this episode, cybersecurity expert and Army veteran Georgiana Shea, Chief Technologist at the Transformative Cyber Innovation Lab, explains why people of character are the most critical component in any system, especially when national security is at stake.

From her time in the military to leading-edge work in cybersecurity, George shares why trust, resilience, and humility are non-negotiable values for leaders at every level.

What happens when you build tech sales teams around character, not just credentials?

In this episode, Xan Marcucci—founder of Confetti Recruiting—shares how hiring for traits like humility, grit, and integrity leads to better retention, stronger performance, and real culture change.

Host Dave Vassilaros of KANNY explores how data-driven, character-based hiring can shape teams for the long haul. It's a fresh take on smart hiring, real leadership, and what it means to grow the right way.

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