In this wide-ranging and deeply pragmatic conversation, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Mark Stouse—founder and CEO of Proof Causal AI—to explore what actually drives outcomes in business and life. Together, they unpack the critical difference between correlation and causation, why most patterns we notice don’t matter, and how leaders can reclaim agency in a world where 70–80% of factors are outside their control.

Blending philosophy, math, leadership insight, and real-world examples, this episode challenges conventional thinking about truth, belief, intuition, and effectiveness—while offering leaders a radically practical way forward.

Key Topics & Insights
• Causality vs. Correlation: Why understanding why things happen matters more than spotting patterns
• The 70–80% Reality: Most outcomes are shaped by factors outside your control—what matters is how you respond
• Three Universal Leadership Questions:
∘ How do I get more of what matters?
∘ How do I make it better?
∘ How do I do it faster?
• Reality Over “Truth”: Why belief can shut down progress—and why reality is the true decision-maker
• Unlearning: Letting go of outdated knowledge as a leadership superpower
• Time Lag Effects: Why good decisions take time to show results—and bad ones don’t
• Efficiency vs. Effectiveness: Why cutting costs without direction misses the point
• Agency Without Illusion: Doing your best, acting with integrity, and releasing control of outcomes
• Intuition, Instinct, and GIGO: How flawed data sets lead to consistently bad decisions
• Radical Pragmatism: Making better decisions without over-philosophizing the process

Mark Stouse is the founder and CEO of Proof Causal AI, and one of today’s most thoughtful voices on causality, fiduciary risk, and executive accountability. Known for blending rigorous mathematics with radical pragmatism, Mark helps leaders make better, defensible decisions in complex, rapidly changing environments. He is also the author of an upcoming book on Unlearning.

🔗 Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstouse/

🎥 Watch now on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/gHnqzgQzEdk

In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Aman Mahapatra, Chief Strategy Officer at Tribeca Softech, to explore the rapidly evolving intersection of AI, strategy, and large-scale organizational transformation.

Aman brings a rare operator-investor perspective, sharing how Tribeca Softech partners with Fortune-level organizations—especially in financial services—to modernize legacy systems, break down silos, and responsibly deploy AI at scale. Together, they unpack the real evolution of artificial intelligence—from early machine learning and recommendation engines to large language models, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and autonomous AI agents.

The conversation goes beyond technology into governance, cybersecurity, decentralized identity, and financial inclusion—highlighting how AI, when designed with guardrails and intention, can democratize access rather than deepen inequality. Aman also shares glimpses of his nonlinear personal journey and teases an upcoming AI spin-off emerging from Tribeca Softech.

This episode is a grounded, human-centered look at AI—not as hype, but as a strategic lever shaping leadership, culture, and the future of institutions.

Key Topics Covered
• What a Chief Strategy Officer actually does at a modern AI-driven firm
• Why banks have “a museum of systems”—and how AI can untangle them
• Machine learning vs. large language models (explained simply)
• The rise of RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and AI agents
• Why governance, permissioning, and security must lead AI adoption
• Financial inclusion: banking the unbanked through non-traditional data
• Decentralized digital identity (DID) and encrypted consumer protection
• Why AI reshapes jobs rather than eliminates them
• Aman’s nonlinear journey across continents, startups, and venture work
• A teaser on Tribeca Softech’s upcoming AI spin-off (launching 2025)

Aman Mahapatra is Chief Strategy Officer at Tribeca Softech, where he operates at the intersection of strategy, operations, and go-to-market execution. His work focuses on AI-driven transformation across finance, healthcare, and technology, with a strong emphasis on governance, modernization, and financial inclusion. Aman’s journey spans early entrepreneurship, venture consulting, and global leadership roles—bringing a deeply practical lens to emerging technology.

Connect with Aman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akm76/
🎥 Watch the conversation on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/t8f2ET8DCQQ

Heather Mulligan joins Dr. Wayne Pernell for a rich, far-reaching conversation about leadership, public policy, global perspective, and shaping the economic future of New York State. As President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, Heather has become one of the state’s most influential voices for business growth, workforce development, and smart economic policy.

Drawing on a life that began in Tunisia, a fast-tracked academic journey, and a career spanning public defense, legislative work, and executive leadership, Heather offers deep insight into what it means to advocate, adapt, and lead boldly in today’s polarized climate.

✨ Key Topics & Insights
• From Tunisia to New York: A Global Lens on Leadership Heather shares her early years as one of the first Peace Corps babies, her return to Tunisia as a teen, and how global exposure shaped her worldview and sense of fairness.

• Accelerating Through Academics & Pivoting to Law A skipped grade, entrance into college at 16, the dream of becoming a veterinarian, and the unexpected events that led her toward political science, law school, and ultimately a career in advocacy.

• Advocacy at the Core: From Public Defender to CEO Heather discusses her passion for being “the voice for the unpopular,” from defending clients who couldn’t afford representation to representing businesses statewide.

• Business Climate Realities in New York State High taxes, regulatory pressures, the exodus of corporate headquarters, and what New York must do to stay competitive. Heather breaks down the economic ripple effects of policy decisions.

• AI’s Transformational Impact on Workforce & Economy Heather and Dr. P explore AI not as a job-stealing villain, but as a necessary tool for productivity amid shrinking labor pools and demographic shifts.

• Overcoming Partisanship & Embracing Context The danger of sound-bite culture, the importance of understanding “the rest of the story,” and how leaders must resist painting any group with a broad brush.

• Leadership During Crisis: Inside the Pandemic Response Heather shares how her team became the information hub for businesses during COVID shutdowns — while managing burnout, remote-work disruption, and cultural shifts inside the organization.

• The Power of Listening & Asking the Right Questions A deep dive into leadership essentials: creating psychological safety, seeking input, and giving people permission to disagree.

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

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