Driven: Unscripted Success

From a small village in Cameroon to leading a thriving real estate investment firm in the U.S., Leslie Awasom's journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Leslie shares how he transitioned from a high-earning nurse anesthetist to co-founding Exsi Capital Investments, a private equity platform helping medical professionals generate passive income through multifamily real estate. He opens up about what inspired his pivot, how he chased knowledge, and why he believes in the American Dream more than ever.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this inspiring episode of Driven: Unscripted Success, hosts Mike Mannino Sr. and Nareman Hamdan sit down with JoJo Kalita—Vice President of Partnerships at ACTO and a passionate advocate for emotional intelligence in the workplace. JoJo shares her professional journey from studying English and psychology to thriving in the tech-enabled healthcare sector. She discusses the vital role emotional intelligence plays in both personal and professional relationships, and how self-awareness, pausing, and intentional communication can transform interactions. From practical tips like reading body language and managing feedback, to dealing with the ethical challenges of AI in healthcare, JoJo brings both warmth and wisdom to the conversation. She even shares a few laughs about her love for her pit bull and how remembering pet names can make a lasting impression.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

At just 16 years old, Aleksandar Jovicic turned a love for lowriders into his first business selling car parts online. From being a refugee to founding Executive Digital, a powerhouse digital marketing firm, Aleksandar’s journey is filled with resilience, hustle, and innovation. In this high-energy episode, Aleksandar shares how his street smarts shaped his early business thinking, how he built a company with a team-first culture, and why he believes every employee should be a thought leader. He also opens up about the absence of mentors in his journey — and how he’s now paying it forward for the next generation. From building internal startups to receiving a lifetime achievement award from Harvard, Aleksandar reveals how real success comes from grit, mentorship, and experience.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Robert Sherman, founder of SoloXR who builds AI-powered VR/AR training for high-risk industries. He discusses immersive simulations for emergency response and battery-fire scenarios. He covers using XR to upskill rural workers, support reshoring in semiconductors, and practical steps to start with affordable headsets. He also talks about separating real disruption from hype and launching a mobile XR lab.

In this heartwarming and eye-opening episode, we sit down with Bill Vicary, founder of Just Call Bill, a unique business serving older adults who feel lost in today's tech-heavy world. With over 30 years of experience in engineering and construction, Bill took a surprising turn to follow his passion: helping seniors confidently, safely, and effectively use technology. Bill shares how a conversation with a frustrated senior sparked the idea for his business. Today, he leads personalized tech classes, teaches cybersecurity, manages tech buying trips, and collaborates with communities and professionals to serve seniors better.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of Driven: Unscripted Success, hosts Mike Mannino Sr. and Nareman Hamdan sit down with Desiree Watson – the self-proclaimed “Swiss Army Professional.” From taxes to tech, document prep to publishing, Desiree shares how her mission to help people has turned into a thriving business that runs on heart, hustle, and real human connection. Desiree talks about how her entrepreneurial journey started out in a garage with a metal desk and a printer—and how she grew her business strictly by word of mouth. She opens up about transitioning from managing tax offices to running her own, why pricing has always been her biggest challenge, and how real trust—not ads—keeps her client base growing. You’ll hear how a serious car accident changed her path and led her to become the go-to problem solver for her community. Whether she’s helping a senior read a police report, guiding a client through an expungement, or publishing someone’s first book—Desiree shows up with solutions.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What if your business strategy coach was available to you like Jarvis is to Iron Man—right when you need them most? In this episode of Driven: Unscripted Success, hosts Mike Mannino Sr. and Nareman Hamdan sit down with Simon Severino, founder and CEO of Strategy Sprints, to talk about how entrepreneurs can reclaim time, accelerate sales, and build businesses that give them true freedom. Simon shares how Strategy Sprints evolved from traditional consulting to a fast-paced, digital-first system that delivers support in real-time, anywhere in the world. He breaks down how his team helps business owners identify bottlenecks, run weekly experiments, and use data to drive growth every 7-day sprint. Listeners will learn the mindset shift from trading time for money to building scalable, recurring income streams. Simon also reveals his leadership philosophy, daily habits for peak performance, and how his new book co-authored with Jay Abraham, Time Freedom, is changing the way entrepreneurs think about growth.   -------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this inspiring episode, Nareman Hamdan sits down with Trent Brands, CEO and founder of Title Base, a Naples-based title company dedicated to serving hometown heroes—veterans, first responders, educators, and healthcare workers. Trent shares his journey from Navy service member to real estate agent, and now as a title company owner with a strong mission. He opens up about the value of taking risks, lessons learned through failure, and the importance of having thick skin as an entrepreneur. You’ll also hear how Trent leads his team by example, encourages input from his staff, and builds a culture of ownership and trust. Whether you're in real estate, an aspiring entrepreneur, or just looking for inspiration, this episode delivers valuable insights into leadership, resilience, and growth.   ------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this inspiring conversation, hosts Mike Mannino Sr. and Nareman Hamdan sit down with Oakley Dickson, a 4th-generation cobbler and community leader based in Columbia, South Carolina. Oakley shares how growing up in his family's shoe repair business laid the foundation for his work ethic, leadership, and commitment to mentoring youth. From leading an after-school program that taught high schoolers business, finances, and self-belief, to now running a thriving local shop with his son as the 5th generation in the trade, Oakley emphasizes the power of hands-on learning. He also shares the struggles of running a small business, adapting in a modern world, and how the trades are making a major comeback. Oakley and Mike discuss why schools aren't teaching these real-life skills—and what communities can do instead. If you're looking for proof that real-world exposure can transform a life, this episode delivers.   ------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What does it really take to succeed—especially when no one’s handing you anything? In this raw and revealing episode, Michael Mannino sits down with Randall Hood, a top catastrophic injury attorney, to unpack his remarkable rise from selling shoes and driving a Ford Pinto to building a powerhouse litigation firm. Randall shares how growing up in a family rich in love but light in finances shaped his work ethic, why he believes success is found at the intersection of opportunity and commitment, and how his relentless pursuit of justice has helped families in their darkest hours.   ------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.