Long Shot Leaders with Michael Stein

Matt Drago is a Los Angeles-based actor known for standout roles like Fabian in Somewhere in Montana and appearances in Disney's Counting Scars, What Would Jesus Do: The Journey Continues, and the podcast No Other Way. A versatile performer, 4th-degree black belt, and creative entrepreneur, Matt balances acting, producing, and an active lifestyle. Represented by HRI Talent and Ignite Talent Management, he is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor's Equity.

Zach Tidwell is a Marine Corps veteran and suicide survivor who, after a self-inflicted gunshot wound left him blind and deaf in one ear, found a renewed perspective on life. Now 28, he uses his story of resilience to inspire others, proving that even the darkest moments can lead to incredible growth. In addition to sharing his journey, Zach founded a software company focused on creating inclusive technology accessible to everyone. He is passionate about breaking barriers and advocating for accessibility in the tech world. Zach actively pursues adventurous activities like skiing, rock climbing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, defying expectations for people with disabilities. His message centers on the power of perseverance, mental health awareness, and the ability to achieve despite any challenges.

Bruce Whitfield empowers leaders to cut through the noise of the news cycle and focus on what truly drives long-term growth and sustainability. With a knack for delivering impactful, memorable narratives, he transforms the way audiences consume and engage with information. Over two decades, Whitfield has analyzed ambitious companies and their leaders, conducting over 50,000 interviews with top decision-makers.

Cody Hofhine, founder of Real Estate Freedom Formula and co-founder of Utah Sell Now, is a successful real estate investor, mentor, and high-performance coach recognized as a multiple Inc. 5000 business owner. Using his sales expertise, he built a 7-figure real estate business rooted in clarity, energy, and productivity. Cody has coached many to succeed in real estate and reach peak performance through his training and coaching programs.

David Griffiths uses music and media to share the Gospel, inspiring his online community to transform their lives for the better. A talented gospel recording artist, minister, and coach, David uplifts others through prayer, song, strategy, and inspiration. With over 1.4 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, David is a leading voice in faith-based content creation and runs Content Creating Academy, helping Christian creators expand their reach.

Building Success. Journey from Dreams to Construction Mastery. Brad Leavitt knows what it takes to deliver excellence. Under his guidance, AFT Construction earned a spot on the Inc 5000 list of America's fastest-growing companies—a testament to Brad's vision and relentless drive. Their projects shine in top publications like Fine Homebuilding and Luxe Interior Design, where they've been multiple-time Gold List winners. Brad's work isn't just construction—it's creating lasting legacies.

Jonathan Labman was born in Trenton, New Jersey in the United States in 1955. He grew up in Pennsylvania, in Trenton suburbs. At 16, he won a scholarship to an international high school called the United World College of the Atlantic, in South Wales, UK, where he completed an International Baccalaureate degree. Jonathan has been fundamentally interested in human well-being, spirituality and psychology since the age of 15. During and after completing university at Covenant College, Jonathan lived in a Christian fundamentalist commune for several months in Santa Barbara California (1974), and an evangelical Christian co-operative community that devolved into a cult from 1978-1984. Following these experiences, he studied acting, movement, dance and voice in New York. Disillusioned with egotism, he turned to working with people in a healing capacity: first as a Licensed Massage Therapist, then Energetic and Psychic Healing, followed by a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology, and training as a Yoga teacher (500 hour certification). Jonathan has worked as a professional counselor since 2000. Jonathan has enjoyed the transition into Non-Dual Awareness, being spiritually Awake since July of 2001. He now teaches clients how to work with psychological distress and move towards spiritual awakening. He currently has four published books: An Ordinary Being (memoir); Simply Awake: Spiritual Enlightenment, the Simplest Thing; Taming the Three-Ring Circus of Your Mind; and Being Human and Waking Up: a guide for psychotherapy clients and enlightenment students (September 2023). He sees clients in person and in small groups, in the Doylestown, Pennsylvania area. https://www.simplyawake.com for more information.

Laureen Lipsky is the CEO and Founder of Taking Back the Narrative, a Zionist education initiative. Her unique background includes a 20-year period of being anti-Israel, influenced by media and certain Jewish organizations using antisemitic language. In 2014, her views shifted after she was shocked by anti-Israel narratives on CNN during the first Hamas war. This sparked her commitment to learning and teaching accurate Jewish history, non-antisemitic terminology, and the importance of Israel as the Jewish homeland. Laureen's op-eds have appeared in outlets like The Federalist, American Thinker, and JNS. Her organization, Taking Back the Narrative, is the culmination of her work since 2014, and she has been recognized as a leading voice in Zionist education.

Christian Espinosa is a cybersecurity expert, bestselling author, and founder of Blue Goat Cyber. With a background in the U.S. Air Force, he combines his technical skills with emotional intelligence to offer human-centered cybersecurity solutions that help organizations stay protected. Early in his career, Christian focused on being "the smartest person in the room," but he soon recognized the importance of collaboration and empathy. His book, The Smartest Person in the Room, guides leaders in balancing high IQ with emotional intelligence to strengthen team dynamics. Beyond cybersecurity, Christian is an adventurer, competing in Ironman triathlons, climbing mountains, and practicing survival skills. He now coaches technical professionals to develop soft skills, find balance, and build a sense of belonging in their careers.

Patrick Hardy is a disaster preparedness expert from Mission Viejo, California, whose career began as a lifeguard and EMT. After witnessing the chaos of Hurricane Katrina, he became dedicated to emergency planning, even writing to Louisiana's governor, which led to a position with the state's Homeland Security team. This experience highlighted the need for disaster resilience in small businesses, inspiring him to establish a company that offers Fortune 500-level disaster preparedness to smaller enterprises. His innovative approach earned him funding through a British "Dragon's Den" pitch, and he successfully led his company for 15 years. ⁣ Now focusing on content creation, Patrick aims to empower communities through engaging disaster challenges, including a record-breaking CPR marathon and a cat shelter evacuation. As a Guinness World Record holder for pushups with weighted vests, he recently performed over 100,000 CPR compressions on a mannequin in 28 hours to raise awareness about CPR's importance. ⁣ Patrick plans to undertake 100 unique CPR challenges worldwide to demonstrate the feasibility of CPR in extreme conditions, such as hurricane-force winds and subzero temperatures. With a mission to make CPR appealing and accessible, he invites people to follow his journey on his website and YouTube channel, where he shares engaging content and encourages community participation in disaster preparedness.