The Level Up Leader with Michael King

Dive into an electrifying conversation where video testimonial wizard Tracy Phillips and Michael explore the transformative power of customer stories in leadership and business success. From karaoke laughs to game-changing leadership insights, this episode is a heartfelt blend of humor and wisdom that will challenge and inspire.

About Michael King:

Award-winning executive coach Michael King, recently featured in NY Weekly as one of the Top 10 Inspirational Coaches to Follow in 2025, helps leaders and teams achieve breakthrough performance through clarity, creativity, and strategic execution. With a track record spanning solo entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 executives, Michael blends high-performance coaching with real-world business expertise to transform leadership, culture, and results.

Connect with Michael King:

www.michaelkingjr.com

https://www.facebook.com/michaelrkingjr75

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkingjr75/

https://www.youtube.com/@michaelkingjrofficial

About Tracy Phillips:

Tracy Phillips is an Emmy-nominated video and visibility expert who has harnessed her 23 years of video production experience and award-winning documentary skills to help businesses create testimonial videos that do the selling, recruiting, or fundraising for them. Tracy is celebrated for her unmatched expertise, her quick wit, and her boundless enthusiasm for guiding her clients and students in the effective use of video to impact both internal and global audiences. Her signature ‘laugh & learn’ style of presenting has made her one of the most sought-after speakers, trainers, and workshop facilitators in her field. Tracy’s client roster boasts New York Times best-selling authors, top players in the real estate industry, and Fortune 500 companies.

Connect with Tracy:

https://testimagical.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/testimagical https://www.facebook.com/tracy.phillips.754

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIQdj4UYRKKJ1KUTMVQoVZQ

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Level Up Leader, Michael King sits down with powerhouse media executive Ava Thomas. With over 30 years of experience navigating transformation in the rapidly evolving world of journalism, Ava has climbed the ladder from classified ads to the C-suite, all while raising a family and pioneering leadership initiatives that uplift women across the Midwest.

This conversation explores how Ava leads with resilience in one of the most disrupted industries today, the importance of empathy and accountability, and how results-driven leadership doesn’t mean sacrificing humanity. If you’re leading through change, balancing legacy with innovation, or just trying to figure out how to lead and live authentically,this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn:

• Ava’s journey from single mom to regional media executive

• What Covid isolation taught her about stillness, clarity, and introverted leadership

• The secret to sustaining influence across decades of disruption

• Why “Results Matter, They Always Matter” is her leadership mantra

• The balance between empathy and execution in decision-making

• What to ask your team to uncover effort, energy, and engagement gaps

“Hard work doesn’t always guarantee success in sales. But results still matter.”

“In the age of disruption, it’s never been more important to be human.”

“Empathy without decisive action is not leadership.”

Featured Segment:

Michael and Ava unpack a hiring lesson that became a defining moment in her leadership,how she made the hard call to part ways with a great person who just couldn’t meet performance expectations. It’s a masterclass in balancing compassion with accountability.

About the Inspire Initiative:

Ava founded the Inspire Women’s Leadership Initiative after realizing how many influential women were shaping Lincoln and Omaha. What started as an idea on a cold boardroom has grown into a regional movement that recognizes and empowers women leaders.

💬 “When the vision has a life of its own, you know you’re building a legacy.”

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Ava Thomas on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Lee Enterprises
• Nominate a leader or attend the Inspire Women’s Leadership Events in Lincoln & Omaha
• Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
• Connect with Michael on Facebook
• Connect with Michael on the Internet

Final Takeaway: “Show up every day with Level 10 effort. Effort matters. Results matter. But most importantly, be human.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by: Michael King

www.michaelkingjr.com
Follow Michael on LinkedIn, Facebook, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of The Level Up Leader Podcast, host Michael King sits down with Paul Baltes, Director of Communications at Nebraska Medicine, to explore what it really takes to lead with clarity in times of crisis.

Paul shares his unique journey from a career in journalism to becoming a communications leader in one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the country. He opens up about what it means to build trust within a team, how internal communication can impact everything from retention to morale, and why storytelling is a leadership tool—not just a PR tactic.

You’ll hear real stories from high-stakes moments like the Ebola outbreak and the early days of COVID, as well as practical takeaways for any leader who wants to get better at communicating when it counts.

Whether you’re leading a startup or a Fortune 500 team, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you show up, how you communicate, and how you build trust that lasts.

• Paul’s background in journalism laid the foundation for strategic leadership in communications.

• Trust is non-negotiable in leadership—it’s what everything else rests on.

• Crisis communication is not a theory. It’s a muscle built through experience and preparation.

• Internal communication isn’t just HR—it’s a leadership strategy.

• Storytelling connects people to purpose and to each other.

• Hiring is more than finding skills. It’s about finding people who fit your culture.

• Communication must be intentional, strategic, and consistent.

• Time management is one of the biggest challenges for leaders—and one of the most important to master.

• Effective communication creates engagement. Engagement builds culture. Culture drives success.

• “You can’t do everything.”

• “Crisis communication is vital.”

• “Hiring for cultural fit is crucial.”

• “It’s all about fit.”

• “Building trust is essential.”

• “Time is our currency.”

leadership, communication, trust, crisis management, internal communication, storytelling, hiring, organizational culture, time management, Nebraska Medicine

• Website: Nebraska Medicine

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulbaltes

• Website: michaelkingjr.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelkingjr

• Facebook: facebook.com/michaelkingjr75

• Subscribe, like, and follow The Level Up Leader Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere you get your leadership content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is the definition of bold leadership and entrepreneurial grit. Jeffrey Hayzlett, the Chairman and founder of the C-Suite Network, has helped shape the executive landscape of Fortune 100 companies and beyond. In this episode of the Level Up Leader, Michael and Jeffrey discuss leadership, content creation, and creating cultures that can thrive in times of change. Whether you’re building your brand, driving transformation, or just trying to cut through the noise, this episode drops some serious insights to challenge the way you lead.

Key Points:

• The experience that set Jeffrey on his path to leadership

• Building your talent development for the right people

• The one move you can make today to start acting bigger

• The most critical branding move that business owners need to make right now

• How to cut through the noise with your content

• Tips for building a culture that thrives in change

Best Quotes:

7:19 – 7:25

• “Trying to figure out how to optimize every single moment that exists is a huge deal for me.”

13:41 – 13:46

• “If you don’t go looking for the ponies, you don’t get to go for the ride.”

16:55 – 17:06

• “Trust is the new currency. And content is the way that you build that. Because you build those communities and from those communities, you’re going to be able to make commerce or money.”

22:09 – 22:27

• “Never waste a good crisis. There’s still businesses that do great, and some of the biggest businesses that we’ve ever seen in the history of the world were born during the biggest crises in the world.”

Connect with Michael:

Check out my Link Tree:

https://www.linktr.ee/teamscoach 

Web: https://www.teams.coach 

Order Jeffrey Hayzlett’s book The Hero Factor: https://www.herofactorbook.com/hero-factor 

About Jeffrey:

Jeffrey Hayzlett is the Chairman and Founder of the C-Suite Network, in addition to being a sought-after speaker, bestselling author, and primetime television host. Known for his larger-than-life presence and candid speaking style, Jeffrey is shaping the executive world in Fortune 100 companies and beyond. A leading business expert, Jeffrey has been cited in publications such as Forbes, SUCCESS, Marketing Week, Chief executive, and more; and has shared his insights on Bloomburg, MSNBC, and Fox Business, among many other networks. Jeffrey’s book The Hero Factor: How Great Leaders Transform Organizations and Create Winning Cultures explains how top leaders set themselves and their companies apart to achieve greatness. 

https://www.herofactorbook.com/hero-factor 

https://hayzlett.com/about/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayzlett/ 

https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyhayzlett/  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join host Michael King as he delves into the inspiring story of Brianne Schuler, whose dynamic leadership at the 50 Mile March Foundation is reshaping veteran support. Discover a journey of empowerment and community development that proves when passion meets action, real change follows.

About Brianne:

Brianne Schuler is a dedicated nonprofit leader and fundraising professional with a passion for community development and organizational growth. With a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she has built a career focused on organizational development, strategic planning, donor relations, and capacity building for mission-driven nonprofits of all causes.

As the Executive Director of the 50 Mile March Foundation since January 2024, Brianne has overseen the exponential growth of the 50 Mile March’s flagship event and also stewarded the organization into purchase of seven acres of property for their Community of Hope campus.

Prior to her current role, Brianne founded Energize Nonprofit Consulting, providing strategic guidance to emerging nonprofit organizations. Her work helped secure first-time grants, develop long-term fundraising strategies, and facilitate key leadership transitions.

Brianne has extensive experience in donor relations and fundraising, having held key positions at The Salvation Army and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, where she successfully led multimillion-dollar campaigns and donor engagement initiatives.

Recognized for her contributions to the local community, Brianne was named one of Omaha Jaycees’ Ten Outstanding Young Omahans (TOYO) in 2021.

Brianne is a proud step-mom to two almost-adult children and currently resides in Gretna, Nebraska with her husband and their boxer. When she’s not dedicating time to nonprofit ventures, she loves competing and training powerlifting and strongman, swimming, board games, karaoke, and travel to tropical destinations.

Connect With Brianne:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-mile-march-foundation

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianneschuler/

https://instagram.com/50milemarch

Connect With Michael:

https://www.teams.coach

https://www.michaelkingjr.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkingjr75/

https://www.facebook.com/@michaelrkingjr75

https://www.instagram.com/michaelkingjrofficial/

Highlights!

• Nonprofits can thrive with focused vision

• Veterans’ dire needs ignite community action

• A leap of faith can lead to fulfilling work

• Unique challenges shape nonprofit success

• Collaboration is key in the nonprofit sector

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as Roger Jepsen, Jim Probst, Jim Gacinski, and John Michael Morgan explain how you can hire a fractional leadership to access executive level leadership strategy and expertise without hiring a full-time c-suite executive. These powerhouses are not just consultants, but executors stepping into businesses to create real results.  

Key Points:

• How fractional leadership agencies offer value

• Ways fractional leadership transforms organizations

• Efficiency benefits of fractional leaders

• What fractional executives do

• The brand vibe-check

• Ideal clients for fractional leadership

Connect with Michael:

Check out my Link Tree:

https://www.linktr.ee/teamscoach 

Web: https://www.teams.coach 

Learn more about the Fractional Leader Agency: https://www.fractionalleader.agency/ 

About John:

John Michael Morgan is a bestselling author, branding consultant, and momentum maker for entrepreneurs and brands. With over 15 years of experience, he has helped global brands like Google, Disney, and BMW scale their businesses through high-level coaching on branding, marketing, and mindset. As a renowned speaker and coach, John has delivered over 100 keynotes and authored the acclaimed book “Brand Against the Machine.” He empowers entrepreneurs and leaders to achieve their goals by combining practical business strategies with mindset coaching, helping them catch momentum and drive lasting success.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmichaelmorgan/

https://www.johnmichaelmorgan.com/ 

About Jim Probst:

Jim Probst is a seasoned ministry leader with 32 years of experience, including a decade as an Executive Pastor focused on maximizing Kingdom impact through staff development. As a passionate advocate for organizational alignment, Jim specializes in creating systems, processes, and consistent language that empower staff and volunteers to thrive. With a keen eye for infrastructure development, Jim has established a legacy of servant leadership that continues to shape ministries. His expertise in equipping teams has resulted in flourishing church environments and lasting spiritual growth across congregations. Through his strategic approach to ministry management, Jim has successfully implemented frameworks that enable churches to effectively pursue their mission and vision.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-probst/ 

About Jim Gacinski: 

John A Gacinski is the Fractional Financial Officer at the Fractional Leadership Agency. He has over three decades of experience as a Certified Public Accountant licensed in New York.  He was the Chief Financial Officer for a New York City real estate management firm and has extensive experience in tax planning, dealing with high net-worth individuals and structuring business transactions.

About Roger:

Roger Jepsen is a results-driven COO, Fractional Executive, Pilot, and Farmer with over 20 years of experience scaling businesses across diverse industries. As COO of Lauriebelles, he has led transformative initiatives that fueled exponential growth, implementing scalable systems, and streamlining operations. Roger’s expertise spans from hands-on technical roles to high-level C-suite leadership, making him a sought-after strategist for organizations aiming to achieve measurable growth. He specializes in creating actionable growth strategies, operational efficiencies, and robust processes tailored to meet unique organizational challenges. Roger’s versatile background and proven track record in e-commerce, retail, and beyond position him as an asset for businesses looking to optimize operations and drive sustainable success.

https://rogerjepsen.com/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us on an engaging journey with Malorie Maddox, an influential leader at Scooter’s Coffee, as she navigates fast-paced transformations and personal resilience. Discover strategies that propelled Scooter’s to national prominence and Malorie’s heartfelt reflections on loss, growth, and leadership. This episode is packed with brand insights, creative campaigns, and a captivating look into the future of Scooter’s Coffee. Tune in for impactful stories and inspiring leadership moments from the Level Up Leader podcast.

About Malorie Maddox:

Malorie Maddox is the Chief Strategy Officer for Scooter’s Coffee. In her role, she leads Marketing, Menu, Communications, Strategy and Consumer Insights. Maddox is a results-oriented leader with a track record of success across multiple industries—the foundation of her career being a passionate storyteller. For close to 20 years, she worked in media and was an award-winning journalist, investigative reporter, news producer and on-air anchor at WOWT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Omaha, Neb. Maddox was nominated for an Emmy for her documentary, “Mothers Who Kill.” She transitioned from news to the insurance industry. Maddox was the Chief Marketing, Communications and Strategy Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield Nebraska. She was responsible for driving enterprise strategy for more than 1,200 employees. At BCBSNE, Maddox created an award-winning marketing campaign featuring customers. Maddox earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Kansas, and she has a Nebraska’s producer license in the insurance industry. Maddox received an award as a “Ten Outstanding Young Omaha” recipient. She was featured in Metro Magazine as a “Gamechanger” and in Edge Magazine as a “Born Leader.”

Connect with Malorie:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/malorie-maddox-028418161/

About Scooters Coffee

https://www.scooterscoffee.com

Connect with Michael:

www.michaelkingjr.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the marketing minds behind Gawker Traffic as they unveil the secrets to affordable, lightning-fast SEO and social media services. Join Michael King and Jen Gruber as they share must-know leadership insights, and how they’re redefining executive branding without breaking the bank. This episode is a goldmine for any leader striving to amplify their story and drive business success.

Check out www.gawkertraffic.com

Key Points:

• Affordable SEO & social management

• Stories are the key to winning

• Simplicity is scalable in business

• Inside look at superhero services

• No long-term contracts, just results

Best Quotes:

01:58 – 02:03

• “I always tell the whole whoever tells the best story wins and that came from you.”

04:10 – 04:18

• “I didn’t really necessarily want to trust third party organizations to be responsible for the stories that we were a part of, you know?”

06:43 – 06:48

• “We offer it and saying, Hey, you probably should be doing something along the way.”

07:33 – 07:38

• “It’s the natural evolution of this to where we’ve seen some massive success, like massive success.”

10:35 – 10:47

• “You have to be there. So for us, the why behind Gawker traffic really is, is it’s something that it’s essential for them, but it’s also essential for us as community leaders to help those businesses succeed.”

19:55 – 20:00

• “You are the sum average of the five loudest voices in your life. So surround yourself with the right people and watch what will happen.”

23:16 – 23:28

• “I mean, we already talked about this, but if you, if you don’t show up on Google, like you might as well be dead in the water if you’re not on Facebook, if you’re not on Instagram, if you’re not on, I mean, you don’t have to be on all the social media networks per se.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as Austin Armstrong unveils the journey from a social media teen to the CEO of transformative tools like Socialty Pro & Syllaby. Dive into this infotainment-packed episode of Level Up Leader, and grasp the game-changing tactics of conquering channels like TikTok and leveraging AI in content strategy.

Key Points:

• TikTok’s rise transforms social media

• Strategies for multi-platform content

• AI Avatar revolution in video marketing

• Celebrating small wins boosts teamwork

• Empower storytelling with tech tools

Best Quotes:

03:01 – 03:05

• “I got started on social media when I was 14, uh, just sort of stumbled into it.”

06:56 – 07:02

• “So behind, you know, every overnight success is, is a decade or 15 years of, of past experience that’s unseen.”

08:22 – 08:26

• “It’s never been easier to grow on social media than these last couple of years.”

11:01 – 11:08

• “Because it’s how my A DHD brain works, like short form content has resonated with me so much.”

12:30 – 12:36

• “You can’t put all your eggs in one basket, and it’s really important to control your audience as well, and diversify.”

14:12 – 14:22

• “I’m always checked in. I’ll hear a, a quote, uh, from somebody on the, on a radio or in an audio book or, um, something will inspire. And I’m like, oh, content.”

Connect with Michael:

Connect with Michael

Check out my Link Tree:

https://www.linktr.ee/teamscoach

Web: https://www.teams.coach

About Austin:

Austin Armstrong is a lifelong digital marketer, public speaker, host of the TikTok podcast BusinessTok, CEO of Socialty Pro, an organic SEO & Vertical Video marketing agency, and CEO of Syllaby, a brand new marketing tool that helps business owners create a social media content strategy in minutes. Austin has posted over 3000 videos on TikTok, tripling his own business’s revenue and thousands more across his clients’ accounts. Austin has leveraged his success on TikTok to gain millions of followers across every social media platform. He loves sharing the strategies that have worked for him to empower you.

@usefulaiwebsites

https://www.youtube.com/@socialtypro

https://www.facebook.com/Owwstin/

https://instagram.com/socialtypro

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinarmstrong90/

Offer:

Make sure to check out Syllabi and get a month on us!

Turn Any Idea Into Faceless Videos & AI Avatars

Use code SYLLABYFREE30 for 30 days free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summary:

Dive into an exhilarating conversation with Josephina Loza, the founder of Lozafina, as she shares her transformative journey of resilience and evolution. From news industry struggles to personal growth triumphs, Josephina’s story will inspire anyone seeking to pivot, grow, and embrace life’s unpredictable turns—oh, and there’s a fun game of ‘This or That’ too!

Key Points:

• Transformation from anxiety to assurance

• Empathy’s power in team building

• The daily routine of resilience

• The leap from planning to spontaneity

• Creating culture beyond transactions

Best Quotes:

04:42 – 04:56

• “If you allow once again that openness to just let the world guide you, you know, I don’t think I would’ve been five years ago, this wasn’t the same me, right?”

09:07 – 09:17

• “Faith is so fragile. It’s more fragile than love, I say, because love, you’re gonna love you get angry, you’re gonna come back to that person. You’re still gonna have love, right?”

09:56 – 10:02

• “And so I, in that, I had to be vulnerable to say, it is okay to try new things.”

11:58 – 12:03

• “Once I remembered who I was, it was game over, hands down.”

18:21 – 18:28

• “Everything that I do, I do with intention. I try to be an intentional leader.”

25:35 – 25:46

• “A, a person that feels heard and feels that they are contributing to what you’re building is gonna be a person that is gonna provide loyalty in a company.”

33:13 – 33:22

• “So resilience and words provides a, a wonderful system, you know, food for Thought is what I would call it.”

Connect with Michael

Checl out my Link Tree:

https:www.linktr.ee/teamscoach

Connect with Josefina:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefina-loza/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/lozafina/ https://www.instagram.com/lozafina/ https://www.instagram.com/lozafinallc/ https://www.youtube.com/@ResilienceinWordsPodcast https://twitter.com/LozaFina https://twitter.com/LozafinaLLC https://www.tiktok.com/@lozafinallc https://www.facebook.com/LozafinaLLC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices