The Entrepreneurial Leader: Harnessing AI, Empowering Teams, and Turning Your Book into Your Best Marketing Tool

In today's rapid business environment, a leader's energy is not just personal—it's a critical component of the P&L. When a leader's energy dips, the entire team feels it, impacting morale and productivity.

In this episode of the Lead with Impact podcast, host Michael Dillard speaks with Kelly Schuknecht, founder of Two Mile Marketing, to discuss the dynamic intersection of leadership energy, AI integration, and team empowerment.

Kelly shares her powerful journey from employee to successful entrepreneur, emphasizing the challenge of mastering listening skills in a new leadership role and the non-negotiable need for continuous business adaptation. We explore how to establish thought leadership by using books as powerful marketing tools, and why pushing beyond your comfort zone is the secret to sustained growth.

If you are a business owner or emerging leader seeking to adapt your model, leverage new technology, and build an autonomous, highly motivated team, this episode provides the blueprint.

• The Energy Factor: Why leaders need dedicated time for reflection to avoid burnout, and how low energy affects team morale.

• The AI Integration Strategy: How AI can enhance business efficiency and improve client engagement without replacing the essential human connection.

• Team Empowerment: The key to successful delegation, including implementing reward systems to motivate and celebrate team wins.

• Thought Leadership: Why a book is one of the most powerful personal branding tools for business owners today.

• The Leadership Mindset: The crucial shift in listening skills and perspective when transitioning from employee to owner.

Find Kelly Schuknecht and her work at Two Mile Marketing to learn more about developing thought leadership and leveraging books for business growth. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyschuknecht/

https://twomilehighmarketing.typeform.com/scorecard?typeform-source=www.linkedin.com

Ready to discuss leadership strategies, team development, or your personal path to influence? You can book a free courtesy call with Michael Dillard here: https://linktr.ee/MichaelDillard

leadership, AI, team empowerment, business adaptation, thought leadership, listening skills, leadership strategies, client engagement, book marketing, personal branding, leadership energy, avoiding burnout, entrepreneurship, continuous growth.

Podcast Episode: Leading with Impact: Understanding Burnout (Guest: Dr. Sherry Yellin)

The Neuroscience of High-Impact Leadership: How to Stop Micromanaging, Prevent Burnout, and Drive Growth with Clarity

79% of employees don't leave companies—they leave leaders. Why? Because most leaders are unknowingly triggering the brain's threat response with a lack of clarity, control, and effective delegation.

In this powerful conversation, host Michael Dillard sits down with brain-based leadership expert Dr. Sherry Yellin to dissect common executive mistakes and offer the neurological blueprint for leading teams effectively.

We explore why micromanagement is a growth killer, how to overcome the brain's natural resistance to change, and why leadership development is an essential investment, not an expense. If you're struggling with team burnout or organizational inertia, this episode will fundamentally change how you view influence and impact.

• The Brain's First Priority: Why your leadership style must prioritize safety and certainty, and how uncertainty fuels team resistance and burnout.

• The Clarity Disconnect: The critical gap between what a leader says and what the team hears—and how to fix it immediately.

• The Control Trap: Why "You can have control or you can have growth" is the core trade-off every leader must face.

• Delegation for Empowerment: Why it's faster to get better at delegating than it is to continue doing everything yourself.

• Book a Courtesy Call with Michael Dillard: Interested in discussing a strategic approach to leadership or financial literacy for your team? You can book a free courtesy call with Michael Dillard here: https://linktr.ee/MichaelDillard

• Connect with Dr. Sherry Yellin: To learn more about Dr. Yellin's brain-based approach to leadership, connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sherry-yellin/ Buy book on Amazon:https://a.co/d/9SxTGyf

Keywords:

leadership, burnout, brain-based learning, micromanagement, clarity, control, change management, leadership development, effective delegation, team empowerment, leadership mistakes, executive coaching, team dynamics, employee retention.