What does it really mean to uplift service, and why does it matter more now than ever?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Ron Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Uplifting Service, globally ranked customer service expert, and one of the world’s top keynote speakers on leadership, culture, and service excellence. For over 30 years, Ron has helped organizations from Singapore Airlines to Fortune 500 companies build cultures of service that transform both business outcomes and human connection.

Together, we explore the mindset and tools leaders need to move beyond “good service” and instead create uplifting service—service that consistently adds unexpected, lasting value.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between good service, customer satisfaction, and authentic care
• How to build a culture of service across every level of your organization
• Why complaints are the most valuable gift a customer can give you
• The shift from customer service to customer care, and what it means for the future
• How generosity, responsibility, and authenticity make leadership sustainable

Whether you’re leading a global team or just beginning your career, Ron’s insights will reshape how you think about service, leadership, and the role you play in creating impact.

Grab your copy of Ron Kaufman’s bestseller, Uplifting Service here: https://www.amazon.com/Uplifting-Service-Delighting-Customers-Colleagues/dp/0984762507

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

01:13 – The Three Big Takeaways on Service

03:33 – Ron’s Early Influences and the Roots of Service Leadership

08:13 – The 12 Building Blocks of Service Culture

11:44 – Common Challenges in Service Around the World

17:23 – Why Uplifting Service Matters for Everyone

20:40 – The True Definition of Service (Beyond Clichés)

22:29 – The Power of Surprise in Customer Experience

24:58 – Personal Stories of Uplifting Service

29:51 – Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Leadership

33:02 – Staying Inspired Through Decades of Service Work

36:47 – The Future of Service Excellence (Bucharest Event Preview)

40:27 – Advice to Ron’s 17-Year-Old Self

41:41 – Ron’s Book Recommendations

46:21 – How Employee Engagement Shapes Customer Experience

50:13 – Final Message: Uplift Someone Today

🛎️ Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership from the inside out.

📅 New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

Watch the full episodes on YouTube: SMARTA Podcast Playlist

Find out more about Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey on Instagram: @soniamartaauthor | Linktree

What separates good leaders from great ones? How do the best teams thrive while others fall apart?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Dr. David Burkus, best-selling author of Build Your Best Team Ever, globally recognized leadership thinker, and trusted advisor to organizations like NASA, Adobe, and PepsiCo. With over 20 years of research and experience, David reveals the surprising truths behind team performance, leadership clarity, and why contribution matters more than passion.

Whether you’re leading a team of 5 or 500, this conversation will reshape how you think about leadership, teamwork, and success.

What You’ll Learn:

– Why talent alone doesn’t create success — and what does

– How to turn feedback into your career’s greatest advantage

– The blueprint for building a team that actually performs

– The difference between good leaders and great leaders

– Why contribution comes before passion (and not the other way around)

– The single habit that builds trust and respect on any team

📚 Dr. David Burkus is the author of five bestselling books, including Build Your Best Team Ever. He has delivered 1,000+ keynotes across the globe, appeared on Good Morning America and CNN, and worked with Fortune 500 companies, the military, and top universities to transform leadership and teamwork.

📖 Grab a copy of Best Team Ever here https://davidburkus.com/books/best-team-ever/

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Dr. David Burkus

00:57 The 3 most important lessons from David’s journey

03:13 The surprising truth about talent and teams

04:13 Why leadership is not about a title

07:09 What separates good leaders from great leaders

09:34 Building trust and psychological safety on teams

11:59 Why talented teams sometimes fail

15:47 A blueprint for leaders to improve performance this week

18:15 Career advice: contribution vs passion

21:15 Lessons from NASA, Adobe, and PepsiCo

24:32 Why great ideas often get rejected

26:03 Advice David wishes he knew early in his career

28:24 What it really takes to build your best team ever

30:46 David’s final advice for listeners

🛎️ Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership from the inside out.

📅 New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast

🌐 Find out more about Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

📲 Follow Sonia’s journey on Instagram: @soniamartaauthor | Linktree

What does it really take to turn a guilty pleasure into a global brand, and why do the “crazy” ideas often become the ones that change your life?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Georgiana Ghiciuc, a powerhouse entrepreneur whose career has spanned academia, digital marketing, employer branding, and now high fashion. Georgiana opens up about how burnout and self-doubt pushed her to reinvent herself, how a pair of fuchsia satin stilettos became the cornerstone of her business, and why adaptability is the key to thriving in both life and entrepreneurship.

Whether you’re chasing a passion project, doubting your next move, or needing the courage to take the first small step, this conversation will inspire you to embrace change, trust your vision, and bet on yourself.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why embracing change leads to growth (even when it feels scary)

• How “insane” ideas can open surprising doors

• The power of small, consistent steps in building a dream business

• Why adaptability is every entrepreneur’s secret weapon

• What it’s really like to launch a fashion brand from scratch

• The advice Georgiana would give her 17-year-old self

• Her top book recommendations that shaped her journey (Range by David Epstein and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)

👠 Check out MAD Shoes here https://madshoes.ro

Georgiana Ghiciuc is a Romanian entrepreneur, storyteller, and founder of MAD Shoes, a luxury footwear brand featured in British Vogue. With a career spanning academia, digital marketing, and employer branding, she has helped over 40 global tech companies grow their voice before reinventing herself in fashion. Today, she designs bold, expressive shoes for women who love originality, proving that true entrepreneurship is about curiosity, reinvention, and turning passion into business.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome + Georgiana’s Vogue UK feature

01:10 – From academia to fashion: the unexpected career turn

03:00 – Embracing change & adaptability as an entrepreneur

04:40 – How MAD Shoes began with one bold prototype

06:50 – Doubts, setbacks & first big wins from global stylists

12:20 – Advice to students & young professionals starting out

16:00 – From guilty pleasure to global fashion business

21:50 – The hardest & most surprising challenges in fashion

25:40 – Why entrepreneurship feels like freedom (and why it isn’t)

27:40 – The advice Georgiana would give her 17-year-old self

31:00 – Georgiana’s top 2 book recommendations (Range + Alice in Wonderland)

34:00 – Final advice to embrace patience and the process

🛎️ Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership from the inside out.

📅 New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast

🌐 Find out more about Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

📲 Follow Sonia’s journey on Instagram: @soniamartaauthor | Linktree