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Elevate Your Leadership Journey Through Authentic Conversations with Business Leaders
In business, balancing acts are everywhere. Join Dr. Andrew Temte for The Balancing Act Podcast—an award-winning leadership development podcast featuring authentic, in-depth conversations with accomplished business leaders, senior executives, entrepreneurs, and industry experts who share the real stories behind their professional success.
What You'll Discover:
Each episode explores the critical skills and balancing acts that define exceptional leadership through engaging conversations covering:
- Leadership development and executive management strategies
- Organizational health, trust, and workplace accountability
- Employee engagement and team performance optimization
- Communication skills and business transformation
- Financial acumen and business decision-making
- Career acceleration strategies and professional growth
- Continuous improvement and lifelong learning principles
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
- Emerging trends in AI, technology, and workforce development
The Balancing Act Format:
Every episode features four powerful segments:
- Origin Stories - Discover how today's leaders began their professional journeys
- Rocket Booster Moments - Learn about the pivotal events that accelerated their careers
- Deep Dive Conversations - Explore timely business topics with actionable insights you can apply immediately
- Lightning Round Questions - Quick-fire questions that reveal your guests' perspectives on leadership, success, and life
With over 200 episodes, The Balancing Act examines business challenges from multiple perspectives, giving you comprehensive insights into the skills that drive workplace success.
Your Host:
Dr. Andrew Temte is the former CEO of Kaplan Professional and bestselling author of "Balancing Act: Teach, Coach, Mentor, Inspire" and "The Balanced Business: Building Organizational Trust and Accountability through Smooth Workflows." As a thought leader on leadership development, organizational health, and corporate learning, Andy brings deep expertise in professional education and business management to every conversation. He holds a PhD in finance from the University of Iowa and the CFA designation, with over 15 years of university teaching experience.
Who Should Listen:
Perfect for aspiring leaders, mid-level managers seeking executive roles, C-suite executives refining their approach, entrepreneurs building their businesses, and anyone committed to continuous improvement and professional growth.
New episodes weekly. Subscribe today and elevate your leadership journey.
Episodes

Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Can Bees Teach Us About Leadership? (with Philip Atkinson)
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy speaks with leadership coach Philip Atkinson about the lessons that can be learned from bees and how they apply to leadership and organizational success. They discuss the importance of coaching, the downsides of being overly busy, effective decision-making processes, and the significance of communication.
Atkinson emphasizes a honeycomb approach to career development and shares his personal insights on leadership and mindfulness. The conversation concludes with a focus on philanthropy and the impact of bees on our ecosystem.
Tune into episode 210 to hear Philip’s story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on what bees can teach us about leadership and organizational success!
Philip's book, 'Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Hive' is available on Amazon and all book retailers. You can learn more about the project at https://beewisebook.com
You can find the book on FaceBook, Instagram and LinkedIn as BeeWiseBook -- all proceeds go to the charity, https://www.beesfordevelopment.org
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Sep 04, 2025
AI's Role in Talent Management (with Shveta Miglani)
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy interviews Shveta Miglani, a seasoned leadership development and talent management executive. Shveta shares her extensive career journey, pivotal moments that shaped her professional path, and insights from her new book, Navigate Your Career: Strategies for Success in New Roles and Promotions.
The conversation centers around the impact of AI on learning and development, the importance of leadership skills, and practical advice for new leaders and individual contributors seeking growth in their careers. Shveta emphasizes the need for personalized learning, stakeholder mapping, and continuous communication to enhance career success.
Tune into episode 209 to hear Shveta’s story, her rocket-booster moment, her thoughts on talent management and learning & development!
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Unlocking Entrepreneurial Success (with Ryan Kauth)
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy speaks with Ryan Kauth, an executive coach and entrepreneur, about the intricacies of entrepreneurship, the importance of multi-generational harmony in family businesses, and the role of education in fostering entrepreneurial skills.
They discuss the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, the significance of community engagement in business programs, and share success stories from entrepreneurship education. Ryan also explains the function of Small Business Development Centers and offers insights on overcoming fears associated with starting a business.
Tune into episode 208 to hear Ryan's story, his rocket-booster moment, his thoughts on entrepreneurship, and two Wisconsinites gabbing about how great Wisconsin is!
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Transforming Finance with AI (with Ahikam Kaufman)
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy speaks with Ahikam Kaufman, a financial technology leader and entrepreneur, about the transformative role of AI in financial data governance.
They discuss the challenges faced by CFOs, the importance of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and the various roles involved in data governance. Ahikam shares insights on how SafeBooks.ai is addressing these challenges by automating financial operations and ensuring data integrity, ultimately empowering finance teams to focus on more strategic tasks.
Tune into episode 207 to hear Ahikam's story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on AI's new role in financial data governance.
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Aug 14, 2025
Building Mental Resilience (with Andrew Wittman)
Thursday Aug 14, 2025
Thursday Aug 14, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy interviews Andrew Wittman. Andrew is a United States Marine Corps infantry combat veteran, former police officer, and federal agent. He is the author of Seven Secrets of Resilience for Parents, and his latest book is Inner Armor: Perpetual Resilience.
They discuss Wittman's journey from being bullied in high school to becoming a leader in high-pressure environments. Wittman shares insights on mental resilience, emphasizing that it is a trained system rather than a mindset. He introduces his Inner Armor Resilience System, which focuses on pre-decisions, identity statements, and habit stacking to build resilience.
Tune into episode 206 to hear Andrew's amazing story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on building mental resilience.
#leadership #resilience #mentalresilience #emotionaldiscipline #personalgrowth #stressmanagement #habitstacking #usmc

Thursday Aug 07, 2025
Navigating the Music Business (with Jeremy Sirota)
Thursday Aug 07, 2025
Thursday Aug 07, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, host Andy speaks with Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin, about his journey to becoming a leader in the music industry. They discuss the challenges faced by independent artists, the importance of resilience and creativity, and the evolving landscape of music licensing. Jeremy shares valuable advice for musical professionals and reflects on his leadership style, emphasizing the need for empowerment and presence in a rapidly changing industry. The conversation concludes with insights into the future of music and Jeremy's personal growth journey.
Tune into episode 205 to hear Jeremy's story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on music rights and the business of music.
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Enhancing Business Value with AI (with Ron Green)
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act Podcast, Andy talks with Ron Green, co-founder and CTO of KUNGFU.AI, to explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence in business and personal growth. Ron shares his extensive experience in AI, discussing how it can solve previously intractable problems and enhance decision-making processes. The conversation emphasizes the importance of focusing on business value when implementing AI, overcoming resistance to change, and the future potential of AI technologies. Ron also highlights the significance of curiosity and continuous learning in adapting to the evolving landscape of AI.
Tune into episode 204 to hear Ron's story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on the future of work and business in the age of artificial intelligence.
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Jul 24, 2025
SuperShifts (with Ja-Naé Duane & Steve Fisher)
Thursday Jul 24, 2025
Thursday Jul 24, 2025
Are you ready to both learn and "unlearn" to prepare for the future of work?
In this episode of the Balancing Act Podcast, Andy speaks with Dr. Ja-Nae Duane and Steve Fisher, authors of 'SuperShifts'. They discuss the concept of SuperShifts, which are tectonic changes in how we live, learn, and work in the age of intelligence.
They explore the importance of unlearning outdated beliefs and adapting to new technologies, particularly AI. The discussion also highlights opportunities for entrepreneurs and the need for resilience in the face of change. They emphasize the potential for the next generation to thrive in this age of intelligence and share personal growth experiences that inform their work.
Tune into episode 203 to hear Dr. Ja-Nae and Steve's stories, their rocket-booster moments, and their thoughts and advice on how to not only survive but thrive in an era of massive change.
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Success in Sales (with Doug C. Brown)
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Doug Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, shares his extensive journey in sales and business development. He discusses his early experiences in sales, transformative moments in his career, and the unique approach of his consulting firm, which focuses on metrics and optimization. Doug also delves into the concept of intrapreneurship and offers insights on how individuals can find their voice and ask for more within their organizations. He explores the transition from being a sales professional to a sales manager, emphasizing the different skill sets required for each role.
Doug also highlights the importance of desire and authenticity in sales, arguing that while skills can be trained, the intrinsic desire to succeed is crucial for top performance. He shares insights on the skills new sales professionals should focus on and concludes with a reflection on trusting one's instincts and experiences from the past.
Tune into episode 202 to listen to Doug's story, his rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on the keys to success in sales.
andrewtemte.com

Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Shattering Glass Ceilings (with Tracy Nolan)
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, host Andrew Temte speaks with Tracy Nolan, a Fortune 100 executive and board director, about her journey in leadership, the importance of mentorship, and the challenges women face in the corporate world. Tracy shares her experiences of stepping outside her comfort zone, the significance of communication in business transformations, and her commitment to empowering women through organizations like Dress for Success. The conversation emphasizes the need for courage, continuous learning, and collaboration in achieving career success.
Tune into episode 201 to listen to Tracy's story, her rocket-booster moment, and her coaching and mentorship for women in business and leadership.
andrewtemte.com
