Erika Butler welcomes executive coach Karen Wilson to discuss the leadership practices that strengthen organizations. Together, they explore communication, leadership alignment, strategic prioritization, executive coaching, and the importance of courageous conversations, delegation, and long-term legacy in developing effective leaders and high-performing teams.

On this episode of Go Higher, host Erika Butler welcomes Lisa Zwicki, Chief Strategy Officer at SmartAcre, for an insightful conversation about using artificial intelligence to accelerate business growth without sacrificing authenticity. Together, they explore how AI can help companies generate higher-quality leads, strengthen marketing strategies, improve customer messaging, and empower leadership teams to make smarter decisions.

Lisa shares practical advice on implementing AI responsibly, creating effective AI policies, refining brand messaging, and using tools like ChatGPT and NotebookLM to streamline workflows while maintaining a genuine human connection. The discussion also covers leadership, company culture, work-life harmony, and building organizations where people and performance thrive together.

Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or executive looking to embrace AI with confidence, this episode delivers actionable strategies to help you scale your business, lead with purpose, and build lasting relationships through authentic communication.

• (00:00:00) - Go Higher
• (00:00:36) - Go Higher: Lisa on the Go Hire Show
• (00:01:45) - How to Get More Leads to Attend Your Event
• (00:06:32) - Put Your Voice Out There
• (00:08:40) - A Sense of Personalization in Consulting
• (00:12:06) - What is a Qualified Lead?
• (00:14:41) - Go Higher: The AI Imperative
• (00:15:24) - What's the First Thing to Tell a Leadership Team About AI?
• (00:17:09) - What's the Best Use of AI at Scale?
• (00:20:20) - How to Lead with AI in the Consulting World
• (00:24:04) - What holds people back from using the LMS?
• (00:28:45) - A Final Interview With Lisa Wickle
• (00:29:21) - As an Extension of the Client's Team
• (00:30:51) - Setting Boundaries for a Mom's Life
• (00:32:22) - The Importance of Working Hard
• (00:33:13) - Living Team First at Smart Acre
• (00:36:17) - What's a Reset for Your Team's Growth?
• (00:38:37) - Going Higher: What That Means For You
• (00:40:00) - How to Lead Gen AI Marketing

In this inspiring episode of Go Higher, host Erika Butler welcomes Jasmine Davis, Founder and CEO of Pretty Talk LLC, for a powerful conversation about leadership, communication, and the transformative impact of brave conversations.

Drawing from her experience in youth development, mentorship, and leadership training, Jasmine shares how authentic communication can strengthen individuals, teams, schools, and communities. Together, Erika and Jasmine explore the importance of creating safe spaces for honest dialogue, building trust through empathy and accountability, and helping young people develop confidence, character, and resilience.

The discussion dives into practical leadership strategies for navigating difficult conversations, improving workplace culture, increasing employee engagement, and fostering environments where people feel heard, valued, and empowered to contribute. Jasmine also introduces the core principles behind the Pretty Talk framework, emphasizing growth mindset, personal responsibility, consideration for others, and the power of finding agreements even when resolutions seem difficult.

• (00:00:00) - Go Hire: When Will You Lead With Impact?
• (00:00:35) - Going Higher With Erica Butler
• (00:01:38) - Talking to Pretty Talk's
• (00:03:02) - Exploring the Motivation of Entrepreneurs
• (00:05:39) - What Makes a Conversation Brave?
• (00:07:42) - What Makes a Difference: The Hardest Thing to Do
• (00:08:41) - Paul Fey: I'm Not A Motivational Speaker, I
• (00:11:24) - Signs of Communication Dysfunction
• (00:13:22) - Go Higher
• (00:14:02) - Leadership Language
• (00:16:05) - The 3 Phrases We Hear in Organizations
• (00:18:35) - How Do Brave Conversations Protect Recruitment?
• (00:20:04) - How to Salvage a Passive-Aggressive Team
• (00:21:54) - Pretty Talk: Elevating Trust and Confidence
• (00:24:09) - Go Higher: Erica Butler on Love & Purpose
• (00:25:22) - What Does Leadership Development Look Like When People Don't Trust Their Leaders
• (00:28:18) - What Do You Build First? Confidence and Respect
• (00:31:55) - In the Elevator With Leaders
• (00:33:25) - What does it look like to get involved in the local community?
• (00:36:36) - 4 Steps to Having a Real Talk About Conflict
• (00:40:52) - How To Approach a Difficult Conversation
• (00:42:07) - Exploring Different Communication Styles in Leadership
• (00:43:27) - What Do Leaders Do When Someone Gets Emotional or Defensive During a
• (00:47:01) - The Secret to Communication
• (00:49:12) - Pretty Talk: Go Higher
• (00:52:11) - Happy New Year!