In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with mission-driven tech founder Dekel Skoop, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree who has built companies serving underserved markets—from web accessibility to cybersecurity.

Dekel shares hard-earned leadership lessons on scaling organizations, hiring for adaptability and common sense, and why people always come before process and product. He also unpacks how real growth guarantees change—and why great leaders plan for it instead of resisting it.

This is a grounded, practical conversation for founders, executives, and leaders navigating growth in fast-changing environments.

Key Takeaways

• Why people—not products—are the foundation of scalable organizations
• How successful growth guarantees change (and why that’s a good thing)
• The leadership discipline of hiring people who are better than you
• How to assess adaptability, culture fit, and common sense when hiring
• Why small and midsize businesses are the backbone of the global economy
• How Guardz is simplifying cybersecurity for MSPs and SMBs

Connect with Dekel
● LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dekel-skoop-469335118

🎥 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/3bmEkAXph-g

AI has been around for decades—but only recently has it become accessible, scalable, and deeply personal. In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell speaks with Nick Yaitsky, Chief AI Officer at Lulav Technology Partners, about what actually works when AI meets healthcare, leadership, and organizational culture.

Nick breaks down hyper-personalization, data ethics, failing fast vs. learning fast, and why leaders must fix broken processes before layering in AI. This is a grounded, human conversation about growth, fear, adaptability, and building organizations that are truly future-ready.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why AI enables personalization at a level humans alone can’t scale
• The difference between AI-native and AI-branded organizations
• How leaders can evolve culture without burning it down
• Why fear is information—not a stop sign
• The leadership mindset required to navigate rapid change

Connect with Nick:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nickyaitsky
• Email: nick@lulav.ai
• Website: https://lulav.ai

🎥 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/EUckhht5Ego

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Robert Beaven—human-centered culture architect and leadership coach—to explore why culture isn’t a side initiative, it is the strategy.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to build trust and psychological safety in organizations, especially in a world shaped by rapid change, remote work, and increasing complexity. Robert shares hard-earned lessons from his journey through corporate leadership, consulting, and culture design—along with practical insights leaders can use immediately.

This conversation dives into curiosity as the foundation of trust, the danger of perfectionism, the power of presence, and why great leaders don’t call people out—they call them in.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why culture is the primary driver of sustainable performance
• Psychological safety as a leadership responsibility
• Curiosity as the foundation of trust and belonging
• The myth of perfection and the cost of comparison
• Leadership presence: how you show up is the message
• Calling people in vs. calling people out
• Building trust through boundaries, grace, and consistency
• Supporting introverts and quieter voices on teams
• Why leaders must grow people—not just results
• Giving yourself (and others) grace in a polarized world

This conversation dives into curiosity as the foundation of trust, the danger of perfectionism, the power of presence, and why great leaders don’t call people out—they call them in.

Robert Beaven is a human-centered culture architect with more than 20 years of experience helping leaders design cultures where people thrive and performance follows. His work focuses on leadership alignment, psychological safety, trust, and courageous conversations.

Connect with Robert:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robertbeaven

🎥 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/nReCgtQtG3I