“Resting requires a stillness and a surrender that is uncomfortable.”

Alex Raymond is joined by Tovi Scruggs-Hussein, a visionary leader and healer, to explore how meditation and emotional intelligence can reshape how we live and lead. Tovi shares her journey from a life of high achievement to one grounded in mindfulness and self-awareness. How can rest, ease, and intentionality bring flow into our lives, especially in a culture that glorifies hustle?

Tovi discusses the role of “beingness” in leadership and challenges the constant drive to “do” with a more self-aware and compassionate approach. She also touches on the power of racial healing as she explains how a deeper connection to ourselves can create more inclusive spaces and interrupt ingrained biases.

If you’re an entrepreneur trying to overcome the pressures of leadership, this episode offers an invitation to rethink success. What would it mean for us to embrace ease without guilt? Tovi’s insights remind us that real growth begins with stillness.

Quotes

• “Sometimes, as leaders, we are the trigger for our staff. We’re the trigger for our teams. But if we don’t know how we’re triggering to others, if we’re not fully aware of what’s happening in us as we’re being engaged with others, then it limits us as leaders.” (11:57 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)
• “We absolutely act and behave from who we be. That’s what influences and impacts our doing. So, if we’re not conscious of who we be and say we want to be a more inclusive leader, if we’re not conscious of what needs to be healed and transformed within us—where we’re not inclusive—then how do our policies and practices create inclusion?” (14:52 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)
• “I believe that we burn out because we make our living and leading so difficult. It’s like going against the grain of who we are, almost like grinding a clutch or gears, instead of finding flow, smoothness, and alignment.” (16:06 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)
• “If we want to be a certain kind of leader, we have to invest in that beingness. We have to invest in ourselves as how we want to be experienced. And that can look different for a lot of different people. It can mean that you need some energy work for a while. It can mean that you need some consciousness work. It could mean that you need to meditate or go on a silent retreat. It can look like different things for different folks.” (44:34 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)

Links

Connect with Tovi Scruggs-Hussein:

Website: https://www.ticiess.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Happiness is a choice, but also happiness is a skill set. And if we do certain things on a consistent basis—not once or twice, but on a daily basis—then I promise you and I guarantee you that you will live a happy and fulfilled life,” says Dr. Elia Gourgouris, known as the Happiness Doctor. In this episode, he joins Alex Raymond to discuss how happiness is an essential foundation for both personal and professional success.

Dr. Gourgouris challenges the idea that happiness comes after success, pointing out that it’s something we build from the start. He shares simple, impactful strategies—like practicing self-care, gratitude, and forgiveness—to help listeners make happiness a daily habit. Self-forgiveness, Dr. Gourgouris explains, is a transformative act of self-compassion that quiets the inner critic and lightens the emotional burdens we carry.

The episode also covers happiness in the workplace. What happens when happiness becomes part of organizational culture? Dr. Gourgouris makes the case that happy employees are more engaged, creative, and loyal, which directly benefits business outcomes. He encourages leaders to model honesty, openness, and transparency, creating an environment where teams can thrive.

The takeaway? Don’t put off happiness. Dr. Gourgouris reminds us that by living joyfully today, we not only enrich our own lives but inspire others to do the same. So, how will you prioritize happiness in your journey?

Quotes

• “Happiness is a choice, but also happiness is a skill set. And if we do certain things on a consistent basis—not once or twice, but on a daily basis—then I promise you and I guarantee you that you will live a happy and fulfilled life.” (05:01 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)
• “Happy leaders equal happy teams. If we want our business to grow and succeed, the benefits of having happy and engaged employees are so many.” (28:24 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)
• “Happy employees are the greatest marketing tool your company will ever have because they begin to recruit great talent simply by sharing their testimony of what a great culture the company has.” (30:01 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)
• “We live in a world right now—a post-pandemic world—where authenticity, with a capital ‘A,’ is a must for a leader.” (31:12 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)
• “Do not procrastinate your happiness… Forget all the ‘whens.’ There are no guarantees any of us will be alive tomorrow—none. We know that. People just go just like that. So live your best life now, and don’t procrastinate your happiness.” (39:45 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)

Links

Connect with Elia Gourgouris:

Website: https://www.dreliagourgouris.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Live authentically, as much as possible, and as soon as possible.” This is the advice from entrepreneur Travis Luther, who joins Alex Raymond in this episode to explore the weighty themes of mortality, regret, and pursuing a life true to oneself. Having spent the past year interviewing terminally ill entrepreneurs, Travis brings forward the moving insights he’s gathered on what truly matters when life’s timeline suddenly feels finite. Reflecting on his own personal loss, he contrasts the difference between a life driven by passion and one on autopilot—a common struggle for entrepreneurs who often trade present joy for future security.

Travis and Alex dive into the regrets most commonly voiced by younger people unexpectedly confronted by mortality—health, personal fulfillment, and the need for real connections. What fears keep us from pursuing what we truly want? How much time are we willing to risk on things that don’t matter? Travis challenges listeners to live intentionally, guided by what truly drives them. By sharing a glimpse into his upcoming book, “What We Learn When We Learn We’re Dying,” he leaves us with a reminder: make choices today that you won’t regret tomorrow.

Quotes

• “What is going on in your unlived life or on your unlived path? And if there’s something that you can take away that’s a universal truth that doesn’t have anything to do with personal regret, it’s this idea that the sooner we can bring our lived and unlived lives together, the sooner we can live as our authentic selves and in harmony, the happier we’re gonna be.” (23:56 | Travis Luther)
• “When we disconnect ourselves from our mortality, we lose that sense of urgency that’s necessary to also do the things that are going to be personally fulfilling to us, and to avoid the regret or the time spent not living as our authentic selves.” (27:07 | Travis Luther)
• “I think what people at the end of their lives realize is that the accomplishment itself is not the thing that releases that stress and anxiety and everything that’s boiling inside of you. It is the lack of trying.” (31:32 | Travis Luther)
• “If I tried to consolidate all this information into one simple saying… it would be: live authentically, as much as possible, and as soon as possible.” (39:44 | Travis Luther)

Links

Connect with Travis Luther:

Website: https://travisluther.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm