High Octane Leadership

Future-proof your leadership with High Octane Leadership, a place where business leaders—whether by title or aspiration—share cheat codes for unlocking workplace excellence, lessons learned along the way, and insider tips for future generations of next-level professionals. With two decades of experience leading and growing multi-million dollar firms, host Donald Thompson is a serial entrepreneur and investor who worked his way to success with hustle and humility. He’s an expert in goal achievement, influencing company culture, and driving exponential growth. A Certified Diversity Executive, Donald is also CEO and co-founder of The Diversity Movement, a multi award-winning product-driven consultancy which offers an employee-experience product suite to personalize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through data, technology, and expert-curated content. Find him on Linkedin, and listen here to learn how you can become future-proof too.

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Episodes

The Competitive Edge in Communication, Decision Making and Problem Solving

In this episode, your host, Donald Thompson is interviewed by podcaster and producer, Max Trujillo, about his second recently released eBook, All Hats On Deck. Max and Donald discuss his journey to success and this eBook, where Donald shares his perspective on using the Six Thinking Hats methodology in multiple businesses to get a competitive edge in communication, decision making and problem solving. If you are craving ways to be more productive, tune in and then download All Hats on Deck here ...

May 22, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 10

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: D&I Consultant Donald Thompson

In this episode, the host becomes the guest as podcast producer, Jason Gillikin, interviews Donald Thompson on the first of two recently released eBooks, Driving Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace which tackles this topic from both sides providing insights for c-suite leaders and minority professionals. Learn what inspired Donald to write this book and what he hopes to impart on its readers. You can download this eBook now for free by clicking here . High Octane Leadership is hosted by The...

May 15, 2019•38 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Understanding Your Why and The Power To Lead Others To Success

Hailing from Durham, NC, Greg Boone has gone from being a leader as a college athlete to becoming the 2018 NC Technology Executive of the Year. Greg leads a growing technology firm, he shares his wisdom with you on getting the best from his team and how he identifies exceptional talent. Overcoming some personal health issues in the past gave him the hunger to fight even harder for others around him – his family, his teammates, and his company. High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Mo...

Mar 18, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 8

The Recipe For Success: Clients, Culture, and Community.

North Carolina native, James Forrest left his role at one of the largest corporate law firms in the state to strike out on his own almost ten years ago. That leap of faith is something to be admired and with his personal relationships, grit, and hustle, James Forrest has built one of the largest single owner firms in our area, boasting almost 2,500 clients, over 50 attorneys, and 7 offices across North Carolina. If you think listening to a lawyer for 40 minutes wouldn’t be that interesting, you ...

Mar 11, 2019•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7

The Farce of Finding Work-Life Balance, with Sharon Delaney McCloud

Sharon McCloud has a lot of stories to tell about her dreams of being on Broadway, her career as a news anchor, all the way to becoming an entrepreneur in North Carolina. She is driven by the sound advice of her late father, the inspiring fight of her late daughter, and the courage she has after beating cancer. When you are faced with so many challenges in life, balance is something that may never be achieved. Sharon talks about how she instead integrates her work and life as a way to choose whe...

Mar 04, 2019•34 min•Season 1Ep. 6

From Homeless to Hustler, David Pratt's Amazing Journey

David Pratt is the definition of a hustler and his success comes from being hungry. After being let go from his civil engineering job in Atlanta, David fell on hard times where was living out of his car and squatting in empty homes. He was relentless though, and always knew he would find a away to make it. In this episode, you’ll understand that your current situation doesn’t have to be your destiny. David talks about what inspired him to start his own video production company that he wants to b...

Feb 25, 2019•27 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Leaders Stand Out by Having the Resolve to Never Quit, with Sid Smith

Serial Entrepreneur Sid Smith started his first business before he was old enough to drive. Since then he’s founded and sold over nine businesses and is the current owner of Carolina Fresh Water. In this episode, Sid offers priceless advice to others looking to run a business including what he does to stay sharp, the lessons learned from owning a car dealership, personal responsibility for leaders, and what’s next for the Cannibus industry in North Carolina. A very interesting and meaningful con...

Feb 18, 2019•38 min•Season 1Ep. 4

To Be a Successful Leader, Find Your Tribe, with Doug Speight

Entrepreneurship is in Doug Speight’s blood. His family has been starting businesses in North Carolina since the 1930s and he has founded multiple businesses himself. As the former Entrepreneur in Residence with American Underground, and current Executive Director and Startup Growth Advisor, Doug sees hundreds of North Carolina startups through all phases of their business. In this episode, Doug shares some of the lessons he’s learned through his experience and the from the stories of American U...

Feb 11, 2019•38 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Morrisville Chief of Police Patrice Andrews: Your Current Circumstance is Not Your Destiny

As one of the few African-American, female, Chiefs of Police in the country, Patrice Andrews is responsible for leading the Seargents, Lieutenants, and Captains in the Police Department of Town of Morrisville, North Carolina. With such an achievement, you would never know that Patrice dropped out of college and relied on WIC to support her family as a single parent before starting her career in law enforcement. In this episode, Patrice shares many lessons including how she overcame obstacles and...

Feb 04, 2019•41 min•Season 1Ep. 2

The Sports Shop's Reese and K-Mac: Are You an Asset or a Liability?

Two entrepreneurs, one from Alabama and the other from Mississippi, both migrated to NC to pursue Information Technology careers at Fortune 500 companies. Their paths crossed years ago at a cigar shop in Durham, North Carolina, and they’ve been friends ever since. Currently, Reese & K-Mac have the only African-American owned morning drive, sports talk show in the country. In this episode of Hustle Unlimited, Donald sits down with Reese & K-Mac to talk about leadership lessons learned fro...

Jan 28, 2019•46 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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