Speak In Flow

Why do top performers still leave millions on the table? In this eye-opening episode, host Melinda Lee sits down with Jacob Warwick, the “Billion-Dollar Man” and the secret weapon behind some of the country’s highest-earning executives. Jacob pulls back the curtain on why high-performers consistently get paid less than they’re worth, and why the old rules of compensation are failing both CEOs and their teams.________________________________________________In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why You Don’t Get Paid What You’re WorthWhy the quiet taboo around salary discussions keeps even brilliant leaders trapped below their earning ceiling, and how to break the silence without burning bridges.The "False Authority" of Compensation Bands“The band can be broken, you just have to ask the right questions.“How senior leaders unknowingly cap their own potential by benchmarking against visible data instead of invisible reality.Expanding the Pie, Not Just Slicing It“I think about this more as a collaboration versus a confrontation. How can we work together to solve the greater good for everyone involved?”Why negotiation isn't a zero-sum game. Jacob reveals how to uncover the hidden motivations of CEOs and board members, from burnout to family stress, and turn them into leverage for win-win deals.The Manipulation vs. Influence Distinction“Manipulation is extractive. Influence is additive.”A masterclass in ethical persuasion. How to advocate for yourself or your team in a way that leaves everyone better off.___________________________________"You don't get paid what you're worth; you get paid what you negotiate." This is a truth not everyone gets to understand, but for those who do, it's a game-changer.Learn how to earn what you're worth in our latest blog post, "Earning What You Deserve." ________________________________________________About the Guest: Jacob Warwick is the only agent representing top executives at the negotiating table. Over fifteen years and thousands of engagements, he has secured more than $1 billion in compensation for C-suite leaders, founders, and Hollywood talent, earning him the nickname in elite circles as "The Billion Dollar Man."He is the founder and CEO of ThinkWarwick Global, former CEO of Discover Podium, and the author of Predetermined.Fortune 500 boards, compensation committees, and leading executive search firms retain him to design strategies that attract and protect top talent.Social Handles:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExecsandtheCity Substack: Https://www.execsandthecity.com/subscribe Website: www.thinkwarwick.com Fun Facts:🥏 Jacob is an avid disc golfer and can often be found on the courses of Montana when he's not at the negotiating table.🧩 He can solve a Rubik's Cube, a skill that perfectly matches his ability to untangle complex compensation puzzles.🎞️ He also develops analog film.________________________________________________About Melinda:Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.Website: https://speakinflow.com/The Legacy Growth System™: https://www.speakinflow.com/legacy-growth-systemFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflowInstagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflowLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerallThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcast review.Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Today, the world feels like it's in a constant state of crisis. Every day news seems to destabilize us. We don't need to contribute to that. But how can we maintain clarity in our communication when everything else seems so muddy? In this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast, host Melinda Lee sits down with Dr. David Yudis, a leadership psychologist and former head of talent development at Disney. Together, they break down the art of leading under pressure, sharing the simple mental tools and human-first principles that transform you from a reactive participant into a grounded leader who provides calm and clarity.In This Episode, You Will Learn:The Grounding Power of “So What?”Discover the simple, two-word tool to immediately center yourself and your message in any high-pressure situation.How to transform reactive panic into a clear, actionable focus for your team by asking, “So what does this mean for us, and what do we do about it?”The Two Leadership Traps in a CrisisUnderstand why leaders often fail to connect when the pressure is on.The dangers of reactive, emotionally-hijacked communication versus the potential disconnect of appearing “too calm,” and how to find the authentic, grounded middle path.Self-Awareness Before Strategy“What is the message that you are trying to communicate, and to whom, and… how can you best make that connection?”How to cultivate the self-awareness that forms the foundation of emotional intelligence and prevents “stress leakage” that can undermine your leadership over time.The Strength in “I Don’t Know”“Here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t, here’s our next step.”Admitting uncertainty and pairing it with a clear action plan is the ultimate leadership move in an uncertain situation.BLOG:Do you need the right words at the right time? As we all know, this is harder than it looks. However, in critical moments, this skill can mean the difference between sinking and staying afloat.Learn how in our latest blog post, "The Art of Crisis Communication." About the Guest: Dr. David Yudis is a transformational leadership architect who builds executive capability through designed experience. As a licensed clinical psychologist, former Head of Enterprise Executive Development at The Walt Disney Company, and founder of his leadership lab, Potential Selves, he bridges the profound gap between human behavior and high-stakes organizational performance.Guided by a belief that the deepest learning is visceral, not theoretical, he has pioneered a proprietary methodology called "The Game." A co-author of The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change and a Forbes Coaches Council contributor, Dr. Yudis now guides Fortune 500 executives through the ambiguity of capital raises, strategic pivots, and succession challenges.Social Handles:Website: www.davidyudis.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidyudis/ Fun Facts:🎤 Former Frontman: Was the lead singer for the new wave band New Millennium.🍽️ Curator of Curiosity: Once hosted a dinner that included a world-renowned quantum physicist, an NBA play expert, and an Olympic coach.🗣️ Polyglot: Speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and New York.🧳 Five Lives Lived: He has authentically lived five distinct professional and personal lives so far.About Melinda:Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.Website: https://speakinflow.com/Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflowInstagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflowLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerallThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcast review.Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Burnout is not always loud; sometimes it goes unnoticed until the results show the signs we ignored in our daily performance.For Riley Gruppo, a U.S. Army officer, those signs culminated in a medical retirement due to severe PTSD, a turning point that began a profound journey from survival to purpose. In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with host Melinda Lee, Riley shares how the “mission-first” mindset of the military taught her to override her own needs until her body and mind forced her to stop.In This Episode, You Will Learn:The Courage to Heal & Lead“Vulnerability is the most courageous thing you can do as a leader.”How Riley's journey from a medical retirement due to severe PTSD led her to share her testimony with 200 soldiers, breaking the stigma and proving that healing is a sign of strength, not a career-ender.From "Mission First" to "People First"Why putting the mission ahead of your own well-being is a recipe for burnout, and how leaders can recognize their own red flags, and those of their team, before it’s too late.Creating Space for Magic“Slow down to have intentional mornings.”The critical importance of building intentional space, whether through therapy, vacation, or morning routines, not as a luxury, but as a necessary practice for sustainable success and unexpected opportunities.The Root of Unhappiness: Misalignment“Ultimately, what it boils down to, the unhappiness, the unfulfillment, is not recognizing what makes you as an individual tick. And how you can apply that to be fulfilled in your life.”How doing the “healing work” isn’t enough if you’re in the wrong role or environment. Riley explains the physical and emotional signs of misalignment and the empowering decision to walk away from what looks “perfect on paper.”BLOG:Are you tired, depressed, or burned out? Between juggling deadlines and personal responsibilities, it's easy to get used to putting our mental health on the back burner. However, this can come at a higher cost than you think.Read our latest article, "Signs of Burnout and how to manage it when there is no time for vacation." About the Guest: Riley A. Gruppo is a former U.S. Army Infantry–qualified officer and Public Affairs Company Commander who defied every rule society tried to write for her. After nearly a decade of service, leading soldiers through demanding environments while navigating trauma, stigma, and systems not built for women like her, she was medically retired in 2024.That pivotal moment became the catalyst for her new mission. Today, Riley is a full-time entrepreneur, speaker, and digital storyteller dedicated to transforming her scars into a roadmap for others. She empowers veterans, women, and trauma survivors to move from survival to strength, using raw, cinematic storytelling to break stigmas around mental health and build lives of purposeful leadership.Social Handles:Instagram & TikTok: _rileyavelinaLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rileygruppo?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appFun Facts:🐶 Devoted Dog Mom: To a beautiful rescue named Hercules.🥊 Former Fighter: Used to train and compete in MMA.🎹 Creative Outlet: Loves to unwind by playing the piano.About Melinda:Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.Website: https://speakinflow.com/Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflowInstagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflowLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerallThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcast review.Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.