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.

Creating a great experience in business isn't just about your customers — it starts with your team. In this episode of C-Suite Mentor, host Theresa Cantley shares powerful lessons from 30+ years of leadership, exploring how to design experiences that elevate your employees, delight your customers, and build a thriving culture that drives long-term growth.

From selling luxury shoes to leading corporate sales events and running multiple businesses, Theresa reveals how intentional leadership, alignment, and human connection can transform your company from the inside out.

✨ Things to listen for:

• Why experience starts with your team, not the customer

• How to define the difference you want to make as a leader

• Building the "wow factor" that transforms your business

• How to align purpose, team engagement, and customer trust

CONNECT WITH THERESA:

Website: https://theresacantley.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresacantley/

🎯 BOOK A C-SUITE SNAPSHOT: If you're ready to uncover the blind spots in your business and design an experience that scales sustainably, book a C-Suite Snapshot . You'll get a customized 60–90 day action plan to elevate your operations and empower your team.

Divorce is a personal matter, but its effects on a business are significant. So what can business leaders do to support their team members through it?

In this episode of C-Suite Mentor, Theresa Cantley chats with Rhonda Noordyk, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. Rhonda is also the host of the top-rated podcast Disrupting Divorce: Conversations for Women. Together, Theresa and Rhonda tackled a topic that's often left unspoken in the workplace: how divorce affects both individuals and organizations… and what leaders can do to help.

Things to listen for:

• How Rhonda began helping women navigate divorce with financial clarity and confidence [3:08]

• Why divorce is actually a workplace issue [5:53]

• What leaders can do, especially if they're afraid to say the wrong thing [25:08]

• How to get money-savvy if you're navigating divorce [35:33]

CONNECT WITH RHONDA: Connect with Rhonda Noordyk on her website and Instagram

JOIN ME: Join me on LinkedIn each week for more live chats on entrepreneurship, leadership, and changing the world one small business at a time.

BOOK A C-SUITE SNAPSHOT: If you're ready to uncover the blind spots in your business and get the results you want, book a C-Suite Snapshot with me. We'll take one hour together to uncover the things that are breaking down in your business and create a personalized plan for the next 60-90 days to move the needle.

When you hear the word change, what comes to mind? For many people, it's resistance, stress, or that dreaded feeling of pushing a boulder uphill. But for others, change can be an exciting opportunity for growth and transformation. As leaders, CEOs, and business owners, we sit right in the middle of that tension. Our job is to not only navigate change ourselves but to bring our teams with us.

That's exactly what this episode of C-Suite Mentor is all about. In this first installment of the Amuse Bouche, Leadership Bites series, Theresa Cantley shares how to lead your team through challenges and change so they come out stronger on the other side.

Things to listen for:

• Why you have to summon the best of who you are as a leader during change [9:03]
• What happens when teams resist change [14:08]
• How to define a business vision so everyone is on the same page [27:20]
• Practical steps to set a plan forward with your team [28:54]

JOIN ME: Join me on LinkedIn each week for more live chats on entrepreneurship, leadership, and changing the world one small business at a time.

BOOK A C-SUITE SNAPSHOT: If you're ready to uncover the blind spots in your business and get the results you want, book a C-Suite Snapshot with me. We'll take one hour together to uncover the things that are breaking down in your business and create a personalized plan for the next 60-90 days to move the needle.

If talking about your business finances makes you sweat, you're not alone. Accounting, budgeting, and tackling your numbers can feel daunting – but it doesn't have to.

In this episode of C-Suite Mentor, Theresa Cantley chats with Danielle Hendon, former corporate accounting professional turned fractional CFO, to talk about making finances approachable, actionable, and even empowering for small business owners. Tune in to take the overwhelm out of money and take control of your finances!

Things to listen for:

• How Danielle makes finances feel easy for business owners [9:26]

• Why a "mini me" might be the missing piece in your business growth [17:55]

• How Danielle's Reveal Framework can take you from basic bookkeeping to a complete understanding of your financial health [20:03]

• Why you don't need to understand accounting to feel confident in your business finances [36:42]

GRAB YOUR FREE RESOURCE FROM DANIELLE HENDON: Download your free workbook, Reveal Your Path to Profit.

BOOK A C-SUITE SNAPSHOT: If you're ready to uncover the blind spots in your business and get the results you want, book a C-Suite Snapshot with me. We'll take one hour together to uncover the things that are breaking down in your business and create a personalized plan for the next 60-90 days to move the needle.

BOOK A COFFEE CHAT: Book a free virtual coffee chat with me and let's talk through where you're stuck, your business needs, and how we can start building a stronger foundation for you and your team.

In this special 300th episode of C-Suite Mentor, Theresa Cantley welcomes a fun guest to celebrate: her husband, Dennis Cantley. When she started the C-Suite Mentor podcast back in 2018, she never imagined the journey it would take her on – not just as a host, but as an entrepreneur, mentor, and human being. Today, she's sharing a few of the business lessons learned along the way in hopes that they spark something in your own journey.

Things to listen for:

• Why your story is your superpower [9:00]

• Why breaking down in your business can be a good thing [20:07]

• How to honor the bigger difference you want to make in the world [30:28]

• How to see and develop potential [39:23]

BOOK A C-SUITE SNAPSHOT: If you're ready to uncover the blind spots in your business and get the results you want, book a C-Suite Snapshot with me. We'll take one hour together to uncover the things that are breaking down in your business and create a personalized plan for the next 60-90 days to move the needle.

BOOK A COFFEE CHAT: Book a free virtual coffee chat with me and let's talk through where you're stuck, your business needs, and how we can start building a stronger foundation for you and your team.