Next Level

About Next Level

The Next Level Leader is the podcast for leaders who refuse to stay where they are. Hosted by leadership and performance coach Jon Harris, each episode brings honest conversations, proven frameworks, and the mindset shifts that actually change how you lead. From real-world stories to practical tools you can apply right away, this show delivers what you need to lead with vision, execute with confidence, and adapt when it matters most. Whatever level you lead at, this show meets you where you are - and pushes you to what's next.

Publisher

Jon Harris | Apex Performance

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

3 May 2023

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

63 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   The Next Level Leader w/ Dr. Sarah Choudhary

   Dr. Sarah Choudhary on AI Leadership, Alignment Over Balance, and Building Without a Co-Founder Why do smart founders confuse being busy with being effective, and what does it really take to lead through the AI era without burning out? Dr. Sarah Choudhary joins Jon Harris to break down her frameworks for high-stakes decisions, why she rejects work-life balance in favor of alignment, and how leaders should redesign their organizations around AI. Dr. Sarah Choudhary is a technology executive, AI and data scientist with a PhD in data science, and a builder who has bootstrapped a portfolio of companies through ICE Innovations without outside funding. She is the author of Navigating AI and Data: A Leader's Guide to Digital Transformation and the founder of the nonprofit Talim, which expands access to education for women and girls. In this episode, you'll learn: Why self-funded founders develop a clarity most venture-backed founders never have to Why Sarah rejects the idea of work-life balance in favor of alignment A practical framework for high-stakes decisions: reversible vs. irreversible, and the future-self test Why execution beats hype, and how decision fatigue quietly derails leaders Why treating AI as just a productivity tool is a trap, and what redesigning around AI really means The leadership question every AI rollout should start with: what work will I put back for my people How Talim is expanding education access for women and girls, and why Sarah calls it infrastructure, not charity Her closing advice for leaders and women: stop waiting for permission Keywords: AI leadership, digital transformation, data science, decision-making frameworks, work-life alignment, burnout, execution vs hype, women in tech, self-funded entrepreneurship, responsible AI, Navigating AI and Data, Talim nonprofit, ICE Innovations, high-stakes decision-making Connect with Dr. Sarah Choudhary: sarahchoudhary.com, (sarahchoudhary.com)where you'll find her book, her companies, Talim, and direct contact links. Hosted by Jon Harris on The Next Level Leader Podcast, bringing you practical tools and methodologies from top leadership voices to help you take your leadership to the next level. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and introducing Dr. Sarah Choudhary 02:00 Her path: a PhD in data science and 20+ years at the intersection of AI and business 02:23 Building ICE Innovations: bootstrapping multiple companies without outside funding 04:18 Why building alone forces a discipline most funded founders never develop 09:05 Why she rejects "balance" for "alignment" across work, family, and purpose 12:10 The power of deep work and eliminating context switching 15:34 The biggest misconception about high performers: execution beats hype 17:39 A framework for high-stakes decisions: reversible vs. irreversible 20:41 One-way doors, two-way doors, and knowing when a decision needs your best 23:19 Inside her book: Navigating AI and Data, A Leader's Guide to Digital Transformation 26:02 Why treating AI as just a productivity tool is a trap 27:17 AI, security, and the arms race between defenders and bad actors 28:07 Returning humanity to teams instead of just automating work away 34:14 Why you can't opt out of AI, and what a "surface level" understanding requires 37:39 Talim: expanding education access for women and girls 42:13 Closing advice: stop waiting for permission Subscribe to The Next Level Leader Podcast for more conversations with top leadership voices, and leave a review if this episode helped you level up.

2. 

   25 Sept 2026

   The Next Level Leader w/ Kae Wagner

   From Farm Girl to Bestselling Author: Kae Wagner on Turning Your Story Into a Book, a Brand, and a Business What if the book sitting in your head could become your most powerful business card? Author and publishing strategist Kae Wagner joins Jon Harris to reveal why every leader has a story worth telling, the neuroscience of why storytelling sells, and how to turn your hardest chapters into your most valuable ones. Kae Wagner is the founder of North Star Marketing and an author of multiple nonfiction and fiction books, including The 10 Power Principles of Marketing and The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding. She now runs an agency helping executives, coaches, and subject matter experts write, publish, and market books that build their personal brand and business. In this episode, you'll learn: Why self-published books became Kae's ticket to speaking stages and millions in sales The real reason most people wrongly believe only celebrities and executives can write books The neuroscience of storytelling: why the brain relaxes and remembers better through story How business fables turn frameworks into character-driven, memorable lessons The framework for finding your story: inciting incident, crisis, and transformation Why vulnerability and authenticity are the foundation of a strong personal brand How giving books away, not selling them, drives the real business value What the Bold Authors Network offers writers of every genre Keywords: book publishing, self-publishing, personal branding, storytelling, business fables, nonfiction writing, ghostwriting, author platform, thought leadership, book marketing, Bold Authors Network, North Star Marketing, vulnerability, authenticity Connect with Kae Wagner: North Star Marketing and the Bold Authors Network (https://kaewagner.simplero.com/page/589390) Hosted by Jon Harris on The Next Level Leader Podcast, bringing you practical tools and methodologies from top leadership voices to help you take your leadership to the next level. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and introducing author Kae Wagner 01:32 Kae's background: from farm girl writing contest to entrepreneur 03:18 Founding North Star Marketing and writing The 10 Power Principles of Marketing 04:21 The CEO's Little Black Book on Branding and the power of a book to open doors 05:40 Self-publishing strategy: using books to build a network and land clients 06:31 Pivoting into fiction: the story that would not leave her alone 08:06 The myth that only celebrities and executives get to write books 09:11 The power of storytelling and why every story matters 11:47 Fiction vs. nonfiction: story is still rooted in truth 13:00 Jon's story: falling back in love with reading through The Da Vinci Code 16:34 The neuroscience of storytelling and why the brain craves story 19:04 Business fables: turning frameworks into character-driven stories 21:45 Working with Julian on Crash and Burn Learn and finding the real plot twists 26:13 10 Things I Learned From the Billionaire: transformation without crisis 29:00 Jon's crucible moment: rock bottom, sobriety, and rebuilding his life 34:05 Owning your story: turning shame into part of your brand 40:07 Vulnerability, authenticity, and the being vs. doing of personal brand 41:31 Where to find Kae: the Bold Authors Network 42:51 Why giving books away matters more than selling them Subscribe to The Next Level Leader Podcast for more conversations with top leadership voices, and leave a review if this episode helped you level up.

3. 

   18 Sept 2026

   The Next Level Leader w/ David Fung

   Authority Isn't Influence: David Fung on Leading Change, Building Trust, and Why Great Leaders Are Great Teammates First Ever gotten a promotion and expected people to finally listen to you? Executive coach David Fung joins Jon Harris to explain why authority without influence is just dictatorship, and breaks down the science-backed framework leaders need to build trust, drive change, and stop leading alone. David Fung left a 23-year career in tech, including years in high-pressure technical sales, to become a leadership and executive coach. He now works with executives and executive teams navigating major transitions, helping them lead through chaos in their personal lives, work lives, and team dynamics. In this episode, you'll learn: Why authority without influence is dictatorship, and what true influence actually requires The 3 elements of influence: connection, credibility, and relevance Why great leaders must be great teammates before they can lead others well The 3-part science of change: vision, dissatisfaction, and willingness Jack Welch's approach to leading change: what it is, why it's happening, and what's in it for them Why "leadership is lonely" is a myth, and how to build community as a senior leader How self-leadership and modeling vulnerability build trust for after-action reviews Why AI is disrupting outdated processes and spreadsheets before it disrupts leadership jobs Connect with David Fung: Website: https://coachfulcoaching.com/ (https://coachfulcoaching.com/) Social Media Links: https://www.youtube.com/@coachfulcoaching (https://www.youtube.com/@coachfulcoaching) https://www.instagram.com/coachfulcoaching/ (https://www.instagram.com/coachfulcoaching/) https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfung2/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfung2/) Hosted by Jon Harris on The Next Level Leader Podcast, bringing you practical tools and methodologies from top leadership voices to help you take your leadership to the next level. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome, and why leadership coaches collaborate instead of compete 01:51 David Fung's path from 23 years in tech to executive coaching 04:04 What athletes and top salespeople teach us about competition and community 08:06 The myth of the "lone wolf" leader 09:58 Why giving first builds trust and reciprocity 12:11 Debunking the myth that "leadership is lonely" 14:01 Authority vs. influence: why authority alone is dictatorship 14:53 The 3 elements of influence: connection, credibility, relevance 20:05 Jack Welch's rule for leading change 21:00 Why organizations resist change: the science of safety 22:46 The 3-part theory of change: vision, dissatisfaction, willingness 26:24 Reading the moment: The First 90 Days and matching your leadership style 30:00 "We've faced change before": lessons from COVID, 9/11, and 2008 31:56 Where AI is really disrupting work (hint: it's not leadership jobs yet) 37:42 Why leaders should run after-action reviews like military and sports teams 38:06 Self-leadership: modeling vulnerability before asking for feedback 44:19 "To influence others, you have to show you can be influenced by them" 47:25 Final advice: start with self-leadership Subscribe to The Next Level Leader Podcast for more conversations with top leadership voices, and leave a review if this episode helped you level up!

Who has been a guest on Next Level

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tristin Vaccaro
• William C Davis
• Jenny Casson
• Rowan Stone
• Kyle Walsh

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

2,059

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 73 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

94

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

60

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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