Create the Future™ with Rick Williams Podcast – Published Episodes
Leaders on the decisions that shaped their organizations — every published episode, in one place.
Every episode of the Create the Future Podcast is a conversation with a leader about a decision that mattered. Not the polished version told after the fact — the real one, made without enough information, under time pressure, with something genuinely at stake.
Host Rick Williams is the author of Create the Future, the essential leadership guidebook for making difficult decisions, and has spent his career as a company founder, board member, and management consultant. In each episode he asks his guest to walk through a hard call: what they knew, what they didn’t, what they chose, and what it cost. You will hear about courage, fear, determination, and hope.
Guests include executives, entrepreneurs, board members, nonprofit and public-sector leaders, and mission-driven professionals. Episodes cover subjects such as validating a business idea before building it, leading across cultures, recovering from a career setback, scaling a family business, building accountability into a team, and choosing to lead when the risk is real.
Browse the full episode library below. Each episode includes the description and show notes, and can be played here or on the podcast channel of your choice.
All Episodes of the Create the Future Podcast
In this episode of Create the Future with Rick Williams Podcast, Tom Doorley shares powerful lessons from decades of leadership, strategy, entrepreneurship, consulting and corporate governance—including difficult decisions he made in his own career and the strategic decisions he helped major companies navigate.Tom Doorley is the CEO of Sage Partners, ... read more
How do you make difficult decisions as a leader when your career, company, health, family, or future is at stake? In this episode of Create the Future with Rick Williams Podcast, Mary Grothe shares the difficult leadership and life decisions that took her from burnout, relentless business success and a painful ... read more
What gives a leader the courage to leave a secure position, start over, and pursue a vision that others may not understand? In this episode of Create the Future with Rick Williams, Rick sits down with Larry Gulko, the Founder of BRAND: NEW DAY Retreat, for a candid conversation about leadership, ... read more
What do you do when your life is already full—but you still have a dream worth pursuing? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with Lisa Woodruff, Founder and CEO of Organize 365, author, speaker, and business leader, to explore the courage it takes to ... read more
What if the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is building the product before they know customers actually want it? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with John Walsh, Founder and CEO of Endera, to explore what it really takes to build, validate, and scale a ... read more
What does it really take to lead across cultures, adapt to change, and create genuine inclusion? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with Frances West, veteran technology executive, author, and founder of FrancesWestCo., to explore the leadership lessons she learned from navigating complex cross-cultural ... read more
What if your paycheck could become the starting point for a business that gives you more freedom, purpose, and control over your time? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with George Dubec, Author & Internet Marketing Consultant, to explore what it really takes to ... read more
What should you do when your career no longer goes according to plan? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams speaks with Executive Coach and the President of theWealthSource, Kim Sawyer, about turning career setbacks, uncertainty, and difficult decisions into opportunities for growth. Kim shares how his approach ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with Dr. Eugene Manley Jr., Founder & CEO of SCHEQ Foundation, scientist, speaker, and health equity advocate. Dr. Manley shares his journey of championing health equity, inclusive leadership, and the courage required to create lasting impact in communities. ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with Dr. Zafra Lerman, internationally recognized chemist, educator, human rights advocate, and President of the Malta Conferences Foundation. Dr. Lerman shares how scientific collaboration can build trust across political, cultural, and ideological divides. From promoting science education to ... read more
How do some experts become industry icons while others remain invisible? In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder & CEO of Mavens & Moguls, to explore what truly builds a memorable brand. Paige shares lessons from leading marketing initiatives for Fortune 500 ... read more
In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams speaks with Tom Doorley, CEO of Sage Partners, about leadership and decision-making. Tom shares his journey from chemical engineer to management consultant at Arthur D. Little, and eventually entrepreneur. He recounts two key decisions: leaving Arthur D. Little to found ... read more
In this episode of Create the Future, host Rick Williams speaks with John Walsh, Founder and CEO of Endera. John shares his entrepreneurial journey, from launching businesses at just 25 years old to building and scaling an electric bus company in a rapidly evolving market. Drawing on lessons from private equity, ... read more
In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams speaks with Bobby Humes, CEO of BH Consultancy and former HR Director for the City of Seattle. Bobby shares his leadership journey, including receiving anonymous critical letters while modernizing Seattle’s HR department, battling imposter syndrome, and navigating resistance to change. ... read more
In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams speaks with Dr. Eugene Manley, Jr., Founder and CEO of STEMM & Cancer Health Equity. Dr. Manley shares his journey from inner-city Detroit to becoming a mechanical engineer, molecular biologist, and patient advocate. He recounts a pivotal leadership moment when ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, your host Rick Williams speaks with Rhonda Petit, Founder of 3X5 Coaching LLC. Rhonda shares her journey from a 34-year sales career to becoming a leadership coach. She discusses the pivotal decisions she made at 40, including leaving a demanding job ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams speaks with Adam Povlitz, CEO & President of Anago Cleaning, about his journey from finance and IBM to leading his father’s three-tier commercial cleaning franchise. Adam shares how he started at the bottom, learned every role, and eventually ... read more
In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams interviews Desiree Martinez, Founder of The Kast Agency. Desiree shares her journey from early social media marketing to making a pivotal decision: shifting her business from chasing rapid growth to focusing on sustainable, values-driven strategies. She discusses adapting to industry ... read more
16 – Cultivating Authentic Leadership: Embracing Vulnerability and Self-Awareness with Rick Williams
In this episode, host Rick Williams and guest Dusty Holcomb, Founder and CEO of Arcqus Group, engage in a thoughtful discussion on effective leadership, focusing on decision-making, vulnerability, and self-leadership. They share personal stories and practical strategies, highlighting the importance of seeking diverse perspectives, managing fear, and separating self-worth from outcomes. ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, host Rick Williams interviews leadership coach and author Paul Thornton. Paul shares his journey from corporate HR leader to college professor and prolific writer. He recounts a pivotal lesson from coaching hockey: enforcing accountability by leaving late players behind, despite their importance ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews Nick Jain, Co-Founder of Eagle Rock CFO. Nick shares his experience leading a mid-sized, founder-led software company through a pivotal transition to professional management. He discusses implementing data-driven decision-making, shifting company culture, and the importance of ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews executive coach Kim Sawyer, Founder & Principal of The Wealth Source, about pivotal decisions throughout his life and career. Kim recounts his journey from adventurous travels and military service to entrepreneurship and executive coaching. He shares how ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, host Rick Williams interviews Terence Chatmon, President & CEO of Victorious Family. Terence shares his journey from corporate leadership at Johnson & Johnson and Coca-Cola to leading a nonprofit that empowers parents. He discusses making values-driven decisions, the importance of conviction and ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, host Rick Williams interviews John Walsh, Founder & CEO of Endera, a specialty automaker producing electric buses for government use. John shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his start in private equity to founding Endera at 25, and discusses building his team, validating ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews George Dubec, Business Consultant at Ultimate Networking. George, an author and entrepreneur known as “the ultimate networker,” shares his journey from a corporate career at General Motors to entrepreneurship, highlighting pivotal decisions, the value of networking, and ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews Frances West, a veteran technology executive and founder of FrancesWest & Co. Frances shares her journey, focusing on her challenging decision to lead IBM’s expansion in China during the 1990s. She discusses navigating cultural differences, adapting her ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews Jim Carlough, a leadership identity architect. Jim recounts a difficult experience from 2002 when he had to lead a major staff reduction at a tech company. He shares how he maintained trust by promising advance notice, training, ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, host Rick Williams interviews brand strategist Larry Gulko. Larry shares his unconventional journey from engineering to branding, emphasizing the importance of building a unique brand identity and making tough leadership decisions. He recounts starting his agency, Brand New Day, from scratch, the ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams interviews Bob Howard, Founder of Magic Talent Solutions. Bob shares his journey from Marine Corps leadership to navigating the cutthroat world of recruiting agencies, ultimately founding his own company to foster teamwork and fair practices. The conversation explores ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, host Rick Williams interviews Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder and CEO of Mavens and Moguls. Paige shares her journey from investment banking to leading successful marketing teams at Fortune 500 companies and startups. She discusses tough leadership decisions, including letting go of valued employees ... read more
In this episode of the “Create the Future Podcast,” host Rick Williams interviews Peggy Sullivan, Productivity Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and Creator of the Busy–Busting Framework. They discuss overcoming “time poverty,” aligning work with personal values, and practical strategies for productivity and happiness. Peggy shares her career journey, the importance of micro-steps, ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, host Rick Williams interviews Aasha LaCount, emotional intelligence expert and CEO of BeyondEQ International. Aasha shares how personal and professional crises—including losing her home and business setbacks—led her to pivot from online courses to working with corporate leaders on trauma and burnout. ... read more
In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, host Rick Williams interviews Dr. Sage Breslin, a psychologist and transformation coach. Sage shares her journey of leaving an unhealthy marriage and overcoming cancer, which inspired her to pivot from trauma recovery to empowering female leaders affected by toxic relationships through her ... read more
In the inaugural episode of Create the Future, Josh Elledge of UpMyInfluence interviews the creator and host of the show, Rick Williams. Rick is a keynote speaker, author, and board member. In this episode, Rick introduces the podcast’s mission: exploring how leaders make tough decisions that shape the future and ... read more
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