Shine On Success

The Courage to Go First: Building Leaders, Not Followers

Dionne Malush

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What if leadership wasn’t about being the loudest in the room, but the one brave enough to go first? On this episode of Shine On Success, host Dionne Malush dives deep into what real leadership looks like, not just in boardrooms, but in schools, courtrooms, communities, and everyday life. Through stories of transformation, redemption, and reinvention, you’ll hear how two powerhouse leaders are building a movement that empowers people, especially the next generation, to step up, speak truth, and lead with conviction.

This conversation is a masterclass on character, confidence, and cultivating a life of impact. If you’ve ever questioned your ability to lead or felt called to something bigger, this one’s for you. Get ready to rise.

Connect with Ron & Brad here:

Website: https://www.ourleadfamily.com/



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Speaker 1:

If leadership isn't about being in charge? What if it's about being the one willing to go first? Leadership isn't a title. It's a decision, a responsibility, a calling to rise, especially when others stay silent. Today, on Shine On Success, I'm joined by two men who embody this truth.

Speaker 1:

Ron Arnone is a district judge, a former special agent, a father, a coach, a community leader and the president of leadership development. From law enforcement to the courtroom to city hall, ron's career has been built around service, discipline and developing people. His impact goes way beyond the bench. It's rooted in character, conviction and legacy. Brad Kilmeyer is the director of leadership training and the co-author of Navigate your Path to Success. His work centers on unlocking performances in students, teams and organizations by driving students, teams and organizations, by driving clarity, confidence and connection. He's one of those rare leaders who doesn't just teach growth, he activates it. Together, these two men are building something that challenges people to rise into their leadership, own their choices and make a difference that lasts. So, ron, brad, I'm so excited to have you here. Let's begin where I always start. For both of you, what is one thing you want people to know about you before we even get started?

Speaker 2:

I would say it's about going above and beyond to do what's right.

Speaker 1:

I love that. How about you, Ron?

Speaker 3:

I would say challenge yourself every day, learn something new and do your best.

Speaker 1:

So do you learn something new every day?

Speaker 3:

I do, I try to.

Speaker 1:

Me too. I love to Me too. I love that. I love learning. I'm like the forever student. I think it's so important and as I grow, I feel like I want to know even more. So both of you have different backgrounds law enforcement, government, education, coaching. What led you to team up around leadership development?

Speaker 2:

Well, you know, we have a very interesting story. Probably about six or seven years ago we met at an event. I asked Ron a simple question. I said you know what happens if someone has a problem, especially as a young person. What do you do? And that conversation, dion over the course of several months, led to bigger and better things and to what you see today with our LEAD program and student leadership, academies and corporate training. Would you like to expand on that? Sure, I mean absolutely.

Speaker 3:

Brad and I were again, as he said, giving a talk at a particular school and it turned into a couple months of figuring some things out and we did actually do a couple of interesting spinoffs to where we got to where we're at now. Spinoffs to where we got to where we're at now and it's pretty exciting after you know six, six plus years where where we've gotten to and helping a lot of people, a lot of kids especially.

Speaker 3:

I'm sure, and you have a partnership which most businesses don't last with a partnership, and I you know, I know it's nothing, especially with me in charge, because he puts up with a lot of stuff from me because I'm like a perfectionist, but I certainly expect things a certain way and he's been really good about putting up with my crap.

Speaker 2:

You know, the truth is, too. When you, when you have complementary skill sets, you have a common vision, and the one thing that we've always had is we've had the same beliefs as to how do we help other people in our region and our families, and that's what's most important. It's true Love that.

Speaker 1:

So what does real leadership mean to you, and how is that message misunderstood today?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I think what real leadership is is, as we say in the first chapter, being a leader, not a follower. And it's one of my quotes, one of my sayings. We actually wear it on the bracelets that we hand out to all the kids and that's what it is. It's being a leader, not a follower. It's accepting the fact that you are your own leader and you have choices to make. Make the right choices. And that's as easy as I can put it, and I think that kind of answers encapsulates the question.

Speaker 1:

I say that a lot. Our life is about the choices that we make and I had plenty of opportunity to make the wrong ones. I made a couple wrong ones, you know, and especially where I live in the Mon Valley, it was so easy to venture down the wrong path because 90% of the people did you know and I was like I don't want to go down that path.

Speaker 1:

Because 90% of the people did you know and I was like I don't want to go down that path. I started down it but then I stayed. So I get what you're saying. The choices are so critically important, so your work is all about creating lasting impact through culture. What's the key to developing a thriving, high performing team?

Speaker 2:

Well, I would say you have to get people involved and you've got to ask good questions. As a leader, you've got to be a great listener and find out what is it that the team needs and when do they need it, and then being able to provide that to them so that they can have the skill sets that they need to be successful. And oftentimes it's interesting when we start to work with a new school or a new team and sometimes questions haven't been asked and as soon as you do, you see this enthusiasm and you see this just shine of light that comes into the group. So getting their input is very important.

Speaker 1:

I love that. So what inspired Navigate your Path to Success, and how does that book shift people's thinking?

Speaker 3:

Well, you know, one of the things we do in Navigate your Path to Success is ask a lot of questions. And we have a lot of great people. You know the lifetime friends of mine and leaders in Southwestern PA, and speaking of so you're from the Mon Valley. Have you ever eaten at Lucezzi's?

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, yes, I actually have. What a great place.

Speaker 3:

Oh my God, it's so good.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, there's a lot of good food here, still like after all of these years, and you know but Lucezzi's is a standout for sure.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I love it and anyways, I love the Mon Valley and the great people the Mon Valley, very great people here. In fact, you know, you guys just got some great news, we all got some great news.

Speaker 1:

We did, we did.

Speaker 3:

With the Nikon Steel and talk about leadership, and leadership comes from lots of different places, but that's going to affect a lot of people's lives, you know, in the tens of thousands, in many different ways, a lot of people's lives, you know, in the tens of thousands, in many different ways, especially when Corning yeah, that's okay, because it's like Corning went out of business.

Speaker 1:

You know, after all of these years and it was so devastating for people here, there's not a lot left. I mean, it's starting to get to the point where even Bell Vernon or Ross Draver, the buildings, like things, are starting to leave and I was so worried.

Speaker 3:

But I think this is going to have huge impact on this area, in your area of business. I mean, you know it's going to be such a great compliment and if it's done correctly, the business leaders, community leaders and governmental leaders, if they can come together, this can be so impactful in so many different ways that we can really be proud once again of the Mon Valley Not that we're not proud of it, but it can be a sort of a rebirth of what it once was.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, there was something special in the Mon Valley when my parents were young and my grandparents. There were some really cool, you know. It's just such an amazing bustling place, so I'll be happy to see that come back for sure. So, Ron, your journey has spanned law enforcement, politics and the judiciary. What's been the hardest leadership moment you've faced and how did you get through it? Because that's why I did this show to find out how we can push through adversity to get to the other side. So can you tell me a little bit about that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I mean there's a lot of different areas and things that I can talk about to that end, but let me just say this to you and to your listeners and to those that follow your show you know mistakes, as you and I both talked and you so eloquently said hey, I've made my share of mistakes, so have I. But what I tell a lot of young people and I tell everybody we all make mistakes. None of us are perfect. Okay, there was only one person, that was. We know who he is and I believe in him as my Lord and Savior. But that is where I sort of deviate from that whole process saying that we all make mistakes. It's how we rebound from those mistakes that make us who we are. It also allows that character that we build within ourselves and learning from those mistakes. And when you learn from those mistakes it builds you up and it makes you a better person all around. And so I would say, when you talk about challenges, my goodness, I mean lots of different challenges. Challenges, you know, working and going to school at the same time. Challenges and working in a family business. That I did for many, many years. Our family business was an 80, 90 year company and I was involved through my grandfather and my uncle who was the business. We were in the waste industry, grandfather and my uncle who was the business we were in the waste industry. We had over 150 employees, operated a landfill and hauling business. It was incredible. My grandfather that's a whole other story but he was an amazing man and highly intellectual but worked his butt off, but you know. So we talk about that.

Speaker 3:

We talk about the challenges of, you know, again, working and then recreating myself. I think that was another challenge and I love that challenge. I love the idea of recreation, you know, of sort of being that chameleon and I talk about that a lot, dion and that you know you can recreate yourself, you can become whatever you want to be and you don't have to be stagnant in a particular area or industry. You can recreate yourself and go into different subjects and that's what I did. You know, when the challenge came and we sold our operating companies, I was what am I going to do now? Well, you know I was always interested in government and law enforcement, so I got into that and then it led to, you know, other opportunities and things. So those were big challenges of mine, you know, and it worked out pretty good.

Speaker 1:

So before I go to you, Brad, did I tell you that my uncle was a district judge in Tynesta?

Speaker 3:

You know what I feel like. I knew that some way, you know. But I have a lot of friends that have places up in Tynesta. What was your, what was your-.

Speaker 1:

His name is Mike Fedora.

Speaker 3:

I've heard of Mike.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, I mean he was like he's. He's a great guy.

Speaker 2:

I love him dearly.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, he's really good, and his son was bad and he's still. Let me tell you he didn't get away with anything with him, I tell you that. So, but he's still a good guy and I love him, so it's kind of cool that I just want to share that with you. So Brad in your work with students and professionals. What's one obstacle you see holding people back from stepping into leadership, and how do they overcome it?

Speaker 2:

Well, you know I would throw out confidence and you know I think confidence comes from action. And sometimes students you know they don't have the confidence because they haven't, they haven't done something yet. So it's getting them to take that first step and realizing that it's okay to be uncomfortable. It's something we talk about in Navigate your Path to Success is you have to sometimes embrace change and you have to put yourself in those what might seem like uncomfortable situations but interestingly enough, you get better at it. And what I've seen with student leaders and what's great, we do these student leadership academies where we get to work with students over the course of an entire year and you see them from the first day they walk in, they lack confidence, they lack some of that action, but by the end they've put those pieces together and you really see them as a different person than when they first started.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So you guys have a lot of things happening. So how do you stay aligned and mission driven when challenges politics? Oh Lord, to the vision and what we want to do to unite our beliefs onto that of not only?

Speaker 3:

young people, but all people. And you know Brad was talking about being uncomfortable and getting comfortable being uncomfortable. The idea of that is again trying new things and understanding that you know you might have to fail before you succeed. And so we talk about that kind of stuff and we have that vision and we're clear eyed about it. It is sometimes a challenge to communicate and to articulate what it is that you're wanting to do and then building that thought process out and making it happen. We've been pretty good at it. And the other thing that Brad didn't touch on talking about you know what we do with the kids. What you've been really good at is helping them to be able to communicate better. You know through our academy classes and you know a lot of these kids who were in a shell or didn't really know how to articulate their thoughts, whether it be verbally or otherwise. That is a huge problem today because a lot of kids are wasting too much time on the phone and the internet and social medias instead of, you know, having that interaction.

Speaker 2:

And Dion, I'll throw out there with communication too. Sometimes I feel like people try to hide things and that doesn't go well and I think that, for example, if something might go wrong, it's always good to know as soon as possible. And I see some of the young folks, they, they will wait because they think, oh, maybe this will resolve itself and it will get fixed, and it's like no, just tell, tell us, you know, tell me as soon as possible so we have the most options available. I think for your audience that's watching today, that's a good leadership principle to have is just know about things as soon as they happen.

Speaker 1:

So can you give us an example of that, Because it sounds good what you're saying. But give us an example.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, a good example is say that I use a student group, for example. Say a student is giving a speech and they're nervous about the speech and they may not communicate that to me, so I have to put them in front of 500 people to give this address. And they come to me the day before the event and say I'm really feeling the pressure of this speech. Had I known that a week ago, we'd have a lot more options to help them be prepared and confident and deliver that message when there's. If they tell me a couple hours or a day before, you still help them and do what you can, but you're limited for options. So I hope that that is a good example.

Speaker 1:

It definitely makes sense and I want to talk about this because I think this has been something important to me. So I've been studying Think and Grow Rich and mindset and personal development for years and I always thought that if we could put Think and Grow Rich into the junior high, seventh grade level right and teach it, wouldn't that be amazing, like get their mindset, the principles of success in there from seventh grade on. So by the time they get to 12th grade they know all of the principles intimately, to where they can make decisions. Like we talked about Ron right, make the right decisions now because you know the principles of success and you know that if you put your heart and soul into it, you believe in yourself, if you make the right choices. Because once they hit that age of when the choices start coming at them like advertising comes at us today there's so many options.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it's a great point that you make and you know what we do in our program, our sort of lead program, the flagship is. We offer a lot of those sort of new conceptual ideas, you know, not only in leadership but also, relevant to, you know, the use of drug and alcohol, social media, all that stuff. But, more interestingly enough too, you know, with the Think and Grow Rich and the idea that you have, it's not certainly a failed on me to think about that same process and looking at the curriculum which really needs to be changed, we really need to, you know, enrich these kids a different way. We have to use new techniques and tools, but also applications, like you're talking about when you're talking about thinking, grow rich and these different substantive ideas that are already out there and teaching a young sixth, seventh grader to give them the tool set to be able to be more adaptive and make those good decisions about faith and about imagination and all those things. It's really important.

Speaker 1:

I love that, and so currently I'm working with a pastor friend who together we're putting together a book called Faith and Grow Rich.

Speaker 3:

Love that.

Speaker 1:

Isn't that good. So we're taking the success he's putting it in biblically, and then I'm adding some parables, like today's parables, because I'm really, we're really good together and I met him about probably 10 months ago and we just really hit it off and he is incredible. So he starts telling me about how much he loves thinking original. I'm like I have this mastermind and I'm teaching it every week. I love it, I've been studying it, and so I've always wanted to find where was in the Bible, because I know these principles are biblical, I know they are. You know, it's just sometimes it's hard to read the Bible and understand exactly how what it says, versus Napoleon Hill, who put it in a way that it's so user friendly and easy to read. So, yeah, so we're. So we're working on that now. So it's called Faith and Grow Rich, which I think is an awesome question.

Speaker 3:

I love that. Please please share it with us.

Speaker 1:

I really will. I'm all about it. Yeah, cool, I love that too. And also another thing I want to tell you if you're ever in Manessen and there's this little coffee shop that used to be right around the corner of the fire station, it's called His Place it's my church they created a coffee shop. I don't know if you've ever been there.

Speaker 3:

Yeah and yes.

Speaker 1:

I don't know that I've ever been there, but Try to go there and check it out, because it's a faith-based coffee shop. It's super cool, so let's get back to it. I can get off track once in a while, but I think it's just important information. What?

Speaker 3:

makes it more fun and interesting.

Speaker 1:

I agree. So what's one piece of practical advice you would give to someone trying to lead a team that's stuck or disengaged?

Speaker 2:

Well, if someone's disengaged, you do have to kind of take a step back and figure out why that's the case and you know, some self-reflection is a good thing, not only in tough times but good times as well and really ask the team what they want. You know people are pretty good about if you ask them to tell you something. They usually will help you out Right If you're there for them in the right way. So I think it's always a good idea to to try to figure out how to best reengage them. The it's always a good idea to try to figure out how to best re-engage them. The other thing I'll share, dion, for your audience too, is don't try to do too much. I think sometimes you see something and you see a situation. You're like, wow, we can really impact this situation. But you do have to make small incremental steps. Sometimes people can get overwhelmed and they almost shut down.

Speaker 3:

On that side too, people can get overwhelmed and they almost shut down on that side too. So I think to just sort of kind of piggyback on some of the things Brad was saying is that you know, what we do when we go into different organizations is we do an interview process, we do an environmental review of what's going on around and internally and externally and management and from top to bottom, and then we do a sort of a diagnostic, you know, and what is really needed and what are the priorities and how we're going to build that out and make it a workable opportunity to come about solutions and accountability, you know, and making sure that we're getting to the point of solving their problems so that they can be creative and opportunistic and successful.

Speaker 1:

Makes a lot of sense. So I know you both have probably had a ton of advice given to you over the years. But what's your best piece of advice you've ever received and how did it shape your?

Speaker 2:

path. Well, one of mine is from my grandmother. My grandmother used to always ask me the night before are you ready for tomorrow? And I have found that by taking that time the day before, you set yourself up for success. And I would rather stay up an extra half hour hour, and I would say maybe longer than that at times, but just to make sure that tomorrow is ready, because there's nothing worse than going to bed knowing that, hey, in the morning I got to get this finished before I go to my 11 o'clock meeting. Just take that night board, you can have a little bit of a farther reach out, you know. Looking ahead, what do I have to do to be prepared for the coming days?

Speaker 1:

I could just hear her saying that. I don't even know her, but how sweet words those were. Are you ready for tomorrow?

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 3:

How about you, ron? Yeah, I would say probably. You know my mom, you know she was my hero and somebody I highly admired. Obviously I would say probably that she shared with me her vision of life, which was just to be genuine and be good to people and live and love and get the most out of each day. And that's what she taught and that's where my belief and my faith comes from. And you know, I think it's great advice to just be generous and kind and accepting of others. You know, good, bad or indifferent, and try to help anyone that's in need of help. You know, be that person, be that helper and it will come back to you tenfold.

Speaker 1:

I agree, and that's right directly from the Bible. So what's a leadership principle each of you live by that you wish more people understood?

Speaker 2:

You know, I think transparency is a good thing and that you just make sure that what you're doing here's why we're doing it. This is why it's important and I think that that eliminates a lot of questions as well and I think, just being transparent as you're talking to a team or a group A lot of people probably don't understand transparency, even what that means, so that's a good one, really good one, brad.

Speaker 3:

Why don't you elaborate on transparency?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think that you know, if you've ever had that question as to why something's happening or what's going on, it leads people to a lot of thoughts and, if I can, dan, I'll share. There's a short story. When I first got into business, I got called up to a president's office and I remember saying to myself oh no, what could I have done that? I'd get called to the president's office and by the time I get up there I sit down. The president said to me you know how's your day going? My chest Dion was like falling out of itself because I'm like well, why am I here? Here, they want to give me a promotion. And I made all these things up to myself as to what I was thinking they want and I think, with transparency, it's the idea of just don't make up stories for yourself. You know, I think people get themselves in trouble when they think something and they don't really know what's happening. So don't make up things.

Speaker 3:

That aren't true. Yeah, I think that's good. And as far as transparency is concerned, I would say probably decision making, principally based, is so extraordinarily important. It goes back to everything and not only making the good and right decision, learning from the bad ones, but, moreover, self-evaluating those decisions. In other words, you take this process of making a decision and then looking at the accountability of that decision right, wrong or indifference, looking at the balances of that in your mind and then self-reflecting the balances of that in your mind and then self-reflecting not only about that process and that decision you made. But if you self-reflect, you're going to be able to continue to make better decisions and use that process each and every day to be a better person.

Speaker 1:

That makes a lot of sense and for me, I see you're clearly building something bigger than a program. It's a movement and it's impressive. So what's your vision for the future of leadership development?

Speaker 3:

I think, probably the vision is to continue to grow and effectuate positive change throughout, not only our region but beyond.

Speaker 3:

You know, having written the book Navigate your Path to Success, clearly it's going to be something that we're going to be building off of for a long time to come, additionally touching as many lives as we can.

Speaker 3:

You know, when Brad and I first set out on this journey and trying to help and effectuate positive change, we always say hey, you know, we want to make our region, our area, the best it can possibly be. And that starts with, you know, teaching. It starts with also learning, you know. So listening to what's going on and the challenges, whether it be kids or organizations or whomever and then building out the approach to make it great and make it better for all the people that we work with. And so the idea for leadership development, you know, is already, you know, kind of funneled and built throughout with our lead program, our academies, our discussions with organizations, the Navigate your Path to Success book. There are so many different opportunities and things that we're going in a lot of different directions, but we're focused. The main thrust of our plight is to effectuate good, positive change and make people better in their everyday lives.

Speaker 1:

That makes sense, and I think that one thing at the end of it all, when people look back at your lives and your work, what do you hope they say about you both?

Speaker 2:

I use the word caring have a big heart and make those differences in people's lives, Make it memorable. You know what's great and we have this happen to us. You know we'll be on the street and somebody will walk up to us and say, hey, I remember you from the program that came into our school or to our business, and that's when you know you've made. Something. Special is when people remember you even weeks or months after you've been there.

Speaker 3:

You know, dion, when a seventh grader walks up to you after your program and says you saved my life, that's about as impactful as I can articulate.

Speaker 1:

That is so true, and a lot of lives need saving. So thank you both for everything that you're doing. So tell me about something you both love to do, because we talked about all of this. Tell me about you personally. What do you love to do? You live in Pittsburgh, where the rivers run wild, so I love boating. I think it's amazing and I think that's one of the most amazing parts of this city. But what about you two?

Speaker 3:

Well, I'll just say about boating. My sister had a boat on the river. We had boats up at Deep Creek. I like boating too, and it just you know, when you're out on the river in particular whether it's you know wherever the Mon or the Ohio or the Allegheny you're running up and down those rivers and it's a beautiful day. You almost feel like you're on vacation. Right, it's just, it's just like a mini vacation and it's so relaxing and stimulating and so many different ways. So, yeah, I love boating too, but I enjoy golfing, I enjoy just being with people and having good conversation. I love to go out to eat to different places, me too me too.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that's the, the Italian, you know I love that.

Speaker 1:

So, before we Ron, tell me, before we talk to Brad, what is your favorite Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area. Oh, now you're putting me on the spot Because I'm Italian too, and I can't seem to find that one that I love the sauce so much I can't wait to go back, so I need to know.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I've already mentioned Luchese, which I think is phenomenal, and it's a hard place, you know, because it's small, so you have to. You know their hours are. But they have an angel here. It's called fried angel here. You have to preorder it. They don't even have it on the menu, you have to preorder it. It's one of the most. It's on a beautiful white dish with red sauce and it sounds like you know well what the heck is that. But you cut into it and there's meat and there's it. Just, it's beyond what you can speak of. But I would say, um, you know, uh, ala, familia obviously is always a great go-to. Uh, we, uh, we love bellows up here in in the south hills.

Speaker 1:

Uh, bella, oh, I love bellows. I usually go there for my birthdays. How about their? What is the crab meat over top of the? Uh, oh, they're, they're, uh fish.

Speaker 3:

What's it called spots, spots. Their spots are, you know and I've eaten spots for a lot of years in different places uh, they have one of the best spots uh, around. Um, I would say probably. Um, you know, uh, cucina vitalia is good. That's a newer place. Um, yeah, there's another, another place that's been around for a long time that I took you to. That was in Green Tree.

Speaker 2:

I was going to say they switched hands.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, well, you know it's in St Clair. Now, right, they moved to St Clair. Okay, remember the name of the place.

Speaker 2:

I should remember I'm drawing a blank.

Speaker 3:

No, I've been there. I'm trying to think of it myself now and I'm losing the thought. But yeah, I would say, probably those are some of the top ones. There's a lot of good Italian dishes, but those are probably some of my favorites.

Speaker 1:

You know I'm going to tell you something. My favorite sauce almost my favorite my dad's was my favorite. But when he left that recipe he kind of went with him because he was the only one that made it. But he wasn't even italian, but he grew up with an italian family that loved him and gave him all these recipes. But reyes arabata sauce I don't know if you've ever tried it in a jar it is and you try that.

Speaker 1:

It's the spicy one. Oh, it's unbelievable. And you can add a little bit of olive oil, maybe some paprika, on it. It is so good and it's right out of a jar and I would never eat out of a jar other than reyes my son would probably like that.

Speaker 3:

My mom, my mom's sauce was unbelievable. And we I've tried to make it a few times we, we use the veal for our meatballs, we use the veal for our peppers to our banana peppers. But I, by the way, to uh, um, uh, what is it? Uh, the, the local one here, pasta 2.

Speaker 1:

Oh, my gosh, they have the best fish.

Speaker 2:

The other one is Scolios, scolios. I love Scolios, that's what I was trying to think of.

Speaker 3:

But as far as sauce goes, there's a real unique. If you get the right kind of tomatoes these plum beautiful tomatoes and then you mix it up with some salt and sugar and oregano and you just put it in a blender and you pour it over pasta, oh my God, it's like You're eating the best sauce you could ever eat. And then, of course, I was in Italy and I ate the pot, you know, al dente, and the sauce. Everything is better because of the ingredients. Yeah, so good.

Speaker 3:

And I love what they're doing now with some of the thoughts with our food and what they're putting in our foods. This is so important. It's just like the wine, you know, when you drink a good wine and you get the darn headache, well, it's because it has the chemicals in it. It has the. That's what gives you the headache. So the food quality, you know. Look, if you have ever had a garden and you go and you're growing lettuce and tomatoes and peppers and you pick that stuff out of your garden and you eat it on your table, how much better is it? You know what I mean.

Speaker 1:

And that's what it's really all about. It's ingredients, yes, that make everything so much better. My mom makes homemade raviolis growing up and homemade gnocchi and oh gosh. So my grandpap came over from a little, uh little town called paganica yeah, paganica, italy, it's little and they I guess a bunch of people came over together so they had these little thing called paganagazes or something like that. They had this little group in manessaas, like it was a big deal. That is a big deal.

Speaker 3:

That's so cool. I remember as a little kid when my mom used to make a gnocchi and we'd roll it out and have the fire on the table and roll it out and we'd cut it. I remember we'd stick our thumb in it and put it in the boiling water and it would Italy and I was there. It's so cool and it's so neat to see the traditions you know, like in Lucca, which is in the you know Florence, that Tuscany area, Lucca, that town, both the Tambolini's and another great restaurant, rico's, up in the North Hills. Okay, they're both from Luca.

Speaker 1:

They are that's so funny? I used to love Tambolini's. Oh my God.

Speaker 3:

Tambolini's was such a shame it's not there anymore, because what a great meeting place and food and everything was just phenomenal.

Speaker 1:

Remember that Pinchero's that used to be on 50? Was it called Pinchero's?

Speaker 3:

Pinchero's yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, right, how about that Remember Annapolis. Yeah, Annapolis. Yeah, If you want, yeah.

Speaker 3:

They made good food, great wedding soup yeah.

Speaker 1:

There's so much cool food in Pittsburgh, that's for sure. But anyway, Brad, we'll get back to you.

Speaker 3:

We could do another show on food.

Speaker 1:

I used to create this thing when I did some my design work. I used to create this thing when I did some of my design work. I used to create something called the Pittsburgh Food Guide and we'd go around all the different restaurants and it was such a fun thing to do and then remember the Phantom Diner. That was the coolest marketing ever. Anyways, go ahead, brad, tell us. What do you want to say?

Speaker 2:

To kind of go along these lines. My wife and I, two years ago, started a garden and we just planted our garden. This year We've got peppers, we've got tomatoes, we've got zucchini and a bunch of other things.

Speaker 2:

And I have to say it wasn't something I thought that I would like as much, but now I'm down there checking on the plants and making sure that the animals haven't gotten in and other things. I love the golf as well, and bowling is something people would be surprised about, but I used to bowl quite a bit and I enjoy that as well. He's good.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I bet he is. It's been really nice getting to know you both, so we're going to end this with this.

Speaker 1:

Leadership isn't about perfection. I think you said that. It's about direction. It's about showing up, speaking truth and standing tall when others sit down. Ron and Brad are living proof that leadership isn't confined to a boardroom or a title. It's built in the trenches, on the field, in the courtroom, in the classroom and in the quiet moments when no one's watching. If this episode stirred something in you, don't ignore it. Lead where you are, Share this with someone who needs a push forward and go connect with Ron and Brad, because this is just the beginning of the ripple effect they're creating. Until next time, keep rising, keep leading and never forget there is power in your purpose. And eat Italian food.

Speaker 3:

I love that. Wwwourleadfamilycom that's our website.

Speaker 1:

Yes, there we go. All right, have a good day, guys. Bye-bye.

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