In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Tariq Malik, the “Reluctant CPA” whose career path spans engineering, chartered accountancy, international finance, and now fractional CFO leadership. Tariq shares his journey from Pakistan to England, Canada, the Middle East, and the U.S.—and the lessons learned while helping organizations navigate financial strategy, succession planning, and sustainable growth.

Tariq reveals why most business owners underestimate what they don’t know, the dangers of being too owner-dependent, and why bringing in outside expertise (from CFO services to leadership coaching) is essential for scaling. This conversation offers a blend of global perspective, business acumen, and meaningful leadership insight.

🔍 Key Topics & Highlights
• Becoming the “Reluctant CPA” Tariq’s early journey from engineering in Pakistan to studying chartered accountancy in England—mostly because it paid during training—and why he avoided the stereotypical CPA path.

• A Global Career of Service How his CPA credential became a “passport,” taking him to Canada, the UAE, the Middle East, South America, and beyond. He shares the unique cultural dynamic of training successors who later became his bosses—and why it worked.

• Fractional CFO Services Explained Why small and mid-size businesses don’t need a full-time CFO, but do need strategic financial guidance, future forecasting, and infrastructure planning.

• Owner Dependency: The Silent Business Killer Tariq discusses turning around a struggling restaurant chain—from long hours, poor operations, and inefficiencies to a 30-location success story.

• Succession & Multi-Generational Planning Why over 90% of children decline taking over their parents’ businesses — and how families can avoid regret through early, honest conversation.

• Leadership Lessons & Letting Go From operational delegation to brand consistency, Wayne and Tariq highlight the core mindset shift leaders must make:

“Experiment. Stay curious. Assume you’re missing something.” 🧭

Connect with Tariq Malik
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tariq-s-malik-cfo
• Company: FocusCFO.com
Free consultation available; fractional services typically best suited for businesses at $2M+ in revenue.

📺 Watch the full episode now on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/jlWiSUdf_MU

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Purnell sits down with Michael Roth, serial entrepreneur and Chief Revenue Officer at InvestCloud, to explore leadership, culture transformation, personal values, and the power of consistency in creating success.

Michael shares his unexpected journey from startup founder to CRO, lessons learned from major organizational transitions, and how empathy—and not IQ alone—is becoming the defining leadership skill in an AI-driven world.

He also reveals deeply personal stories from his upbringing as a pastor’s kid, his mother’s remarkable resilience through cancer, and how those early lessons shaped his leadership philosophy and decision-making. This conversation is a masterclass in authentic leadership, psychological safety, and intentional living.

Michael Roth is the Chief Revenue Officer at InvestCloud, a global financial technology company. A former derivatives trader turned entrepreneur, he co-founded and led a retirement-technology startup before it was acquired by InvestCloud. Known for his thoughtful leadership, cultural insight, and empathy-driven approach to business, Michael writes extensively about leadership on LinkedIn and speaks frequently about character, consistency, and intentional living.

In this episode, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Dr. Subhan Ali, Silicon Valley–based co-founder of Gekit, a next-generation data + AI infrastructure company. Subhan shares his unconventional journey from structural engineering into data science, product management, and ultimately entrepreneurship.

The conversation explores:
• How data infrastructure underpins all modern AI
• Why context is the secret weapon of LLM performance
• How to make bold, non-linear career transitions
• The mindset required to leave “safe paths” to create something new
• The importance of conviction, constant learning, and self-belief in leadership

In this episode, Dr. P sits down with Amber Shepherd — a leader whose journey from rural Florida to international consulting to regional economic development shows what’s possible when you listen to the “whispers” and commit to excellence.

Amber shares how she transformed workforce programs, worked with the Korean government on global expansion projects, and now leads major economic initiatives in Northeast Florida — including a $400M aerospace R&D hub and a $125M renewable energy facility.

Together, they explore faith-driven leadership, navigating doubt, converting naysayers, and why relationship-building is the true engine of economic growth.

A powerful conversation about purpose, persistence, and creating significance through service.

💡 Key Themes & Takeaways
1. Listen to the Whisper — Leadership Begins Internally Amber shares a pivotal life moment (including a literal fall from a horse) that taught her the importance of recognizing intuitive guidance. Leadership requires tuning in, not tuning out.

2. Excellence Is a Daily Commitment Success isn’t about perfection — it’s about refusing to let “good enough” become the standard. Small compromises lead to big unravelings.

3. Naysayers Are a Gift, Not an Obstacle Amber reframes criticism as fuel, not friction. When skeptics convert into supporters, they often become your strongest advocates.

4. Your Path Is Never Linear — and That’s the Point From accounting to career services to global consulting to regional economic development, Amber’s journey is a masterclass in leveraging your unique strengths while staying open to reinvention.

5. Economic Development Is Relationship Development Big deals and big dreams aren’t built overnight — they’re built through consistent follow-up, trust, and long-term vision.

6. Personal History Can Become Professional Power Amber’s upbringing and early life experiences give her deep empathy and unique insight into the people she serves today.

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with global finance and operations leader Alexander J. Freeman, whose journey spans continents, cultures, and some of the world’s most influential companies.

Born in a country that no longer exists, Alex moved from Odessa → Italy → Texas → Moscow → New York → Austin — building a remarkable career with Citigroup, Visa, Dell, American Express, HID Global, and more. His story is rich with insight about leadership, resilience, risk-taking, and the power of leaning into discomfort.

If you’re a leader, an aspiring leader, or someone who knows they’re meant for more, this conversation will inspire you to stretch, grow, and rethink what’s possible.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why stepping into discomfort is the key to accelerating your growth
• How mentorship shapes leadership — and how to become a better mentor
• The real reason people follow great leaders (and why they leave bad ones)
• How Alex staffs his teams at 80% capacity to prevent burnout
• The rituals he uses to create presence and calm before big moments
• The leadership mindset shift that turns “failure” into feedback
• What Alex learned from international roles that shaped his success
• Why teaching is a powerful form of legacy

In this episode, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Bill Dunnion, CISO at Mitel, to explore the winding path that took him from engineering to operations to leading global cybersecurity efforts. Bill shares candid insights on leadership, decision-making, project success, and navigating pressure in a world where cyber threats never take a day off.

You’ll hear stories about early career pivots, how to build credibility with executives, why delegation is a superpower, and the best advice Bill ever received from his dad — wisdom that applies to leadership, career moves, and even card games.

Key Themes & Topics
● Bill’s surprising route from engineering to a global leadership role
● What people misunderstand about cybersecurity
● Translating technical data into business outcomes
● Why only 17% of projects succeed — and what to do about it
● Managing priorities when everything feels urgent
● Small-team leadership vs. big-organization leadership
● The hidden role of communication in security
● How Mitel supports enterprise communication around the globe
● The mindset behind good delegation
● Decision-making that leaves doors open, not shut

Grateful, but Ambitious — Leadership Lessons with Kapil Agrawal

In this powerful episode of One Sharp Sword, host Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Kapil Agrawal, a strategic leader whose career spans top companies like Uber, Capital One, and SnapLogic. From his small-town beginnings in India to Silicon Valley boardrooms, Kapil’s story is a masterclass in balancing gratitude with ambition — and leading with confidence and empathy.

Together, they unpack what it means to be “grateful, but ambitious,” embracing discomfort as a signal of growth and learning how humility, optimism, and authenticity fuel long-term success.

🎯 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why being grateful but ambitious is the key to sustainable leadership
  
  
• How discomfort can be a powerful indicator of progress
  
  
• The mindset needed to lead through uncertainty with confidence and optimism
  
  
• Why empathy isn’t just kindness — it’s a business strategy
  
  
• How great leaders create future leaders through mentorship and modeling
  
  
• How setbacks become stepping stones when you believe in yourself
  
  

💬 Key Takeaway:
True leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. Gratitude grounds you. Ambition drives you. And empathy connects you.

From Law to Leadership: Building a Culture of Growth with Mark Schwartz

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, host Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Mark Schwartz, CFO, attorney, and transformation leader, to explore how authentic leadership and curiosity create lasting organizational growth.

Mark’s career journey spans finance, corporate law, and large-scale manufacturing and supply chain transformation — leading companies from single-site operations to billion-dollar enterprises. Now, as CFO of a private equity–backed machine learning company in the retail supply chain space, he’s helping consumer brands recover lost revenue and drive efficiency through transparency and trust.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
● How to lead through complex change and transformation
● Why culture always wins over blame
● The power of perspective in leadership communication
● Lessons from scaling manufacturing operations to global success
● How curiosity, clarity, and collaboration redefine high-performance leadership

Key Takeaway: True leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about creating alignment, learning from mistakes, and inspiring your team to grow.