In this power-packed "Amuse Bouche" leadership mini-series, Teresa shares the real, behind-the-scenes conversations she's having with CEOs and leaders navigating massive change—economic uncertainty, team restructuring, rising costs, AI disruption, and the emotional weight of leading when everyone is looking to you for answers.

You'll learn how to summon the best of who you are as a leader, regulate emotions under pressure, communicate vision with conviction, and guide teams who may resist change, avoid accountability, or fear the unknown. Teresa breaks down the 3 types of people in change (resistors, handlers, and leaners), what it really costs a business to delay hard conversations, and how leaders can move from chaos → flow.

This episode is for Founder CEOs, business owners, and leaders navigating growth, restructuring, or transformation — especially if it feels like you're "pushing a boulder uphill."

• The #1 internal shift leaders must make before they can lead change effectively

• Why resisting change keeps your team — and your revenue — stuck

• The hidden cost of holding on to misaligned team members

• How to navigate transformation when your team is challenge-averse or risk-averse

• The 3 ways people respond to change: resist, handle, or lean in

• Why empathy isn't a buzzword — it's a strategic leadership skill

• How to align vision → strategy → team structure for the final quarter of 2025

• The "flow zone" of leadership and how to get your organization there

• How to communicate the because behind your decisions

• Why leaders must model adaptability, humility, and emotional regulation

00:00 — Welcome to The C-Suite Mentor
Why Teresa created this new "Amuse Bouche" leadership series.

03:45 — Leading Through Team Resistance & Change Fatigue
Real examples from restaurant, retail, and hospitality teams.

08:12 — The Emotional Weight of Being a CEO
Why leadership often feels lonely — and how to shift that.

11:30 — Summoning the Best of Who You Are
The internal regulation leaders need before any strategy.

15:02 — Empathy vs. Sympathy (and why it matters)
The real meaning of empathetic leadership.

20:56 — The 3 Types of Reactions to Change
Resist. Handle. Lean in. Which one drives growth?

27:44 — When Vision Expands, Demands Expand
How growing vision requires everyone to play bigger.

34:10 — Moving Into the Flow Zone
Getting your team aligned and energized.

40:33 — Three Action Steps for Leaders Navigating Change
Define the vision, co-create the plan, and model the example.

48:14 — How to Navigate High-Stakes Decisions
What to do when you make the wrong call — and how to pivot.

54:21 — Invitation to the C-Suite Snapshot
A personalized roadmap to help you lead through transformation.

"We must first summon the best of who we are. When we lead with conviction, empathy, and emotional regulation, we become the change maker — not just the one enforcing change."

👉 Apply for the C-Suite Snapshot:
theresacantley.com/business/audit

👉 Mentorship & Leadership Programs:
thecsuitementor.com

In this Amuse Bouche leadership episode, Theresa Cantley shares how to lead through change, adversity, and transformation — especially when your team is resistant, risk-averse, or uncomfortable with uncertainty. Through real case examples from the hospitality industry and her own leadership experience, Theresa reveals how to summon the best of who you are, communicate with conviction and adaptability, and create alignment even when the path forward is unclear. If you're navigating restructuring, growth, or major shifts in your business model, this episode gives you the mindset and practical steps to move your team from resistance → action → ownership.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:01 — Introduction to the Amuse Bouche leadership series concept

01:10 — Rapid change in business: economy, supply chain, tech + AI

02:21 — Leadership can feel lonely — but you're not alone

03:50 — Change starts internally: building from the inside out

04:50 — Why old systems stop working and small changes matter

06:15 — Case study: navigating setbacks (leadership change + fire)

07:15 — When leading feels like pushing a boulder uphill

08:10 — Step #1: Summon the best of who you are

09:41 — Conviction + adaptability = empathetic leadership

12:08 — Listening beneath resistance and frustration

14:27 — 3 ways people respond to change

16:51 — The cost of avoiding hard conversations

19:19 — Complaining vs. stepping out of the comfort zone

21:24 — The demand zone: when your vision requires more

23:38 — Flow zone: alignment and momentum

26:03 — Regulating emotion as a leader

28:30 — Step #2 and #3: Define the vision, create the plan, be the example

30:04 — Pivoting when decisions don't work out

32:17 — Getting off the hamster wheel to lead effectively

34:28 — Final takeaway: growth requires leaning into change.

⭐ Key Idea "We must first summon the best of who we are. When we lead with conviction, empathy, and emotional regulation, we become the change maker — not just the one enforcing change."

This episode is for Founder CEOs, business owners, and leaders navigating change, growth, or transformation.