Recorded live in Boston, Bart sits down with Milt Herbert, Executive Director of the Boston Convention & Marketing Center, for a masterclass in leadership, discipline, and humanity. Milt shares his unconventional journey — from flunking out of college, to serving in combat, to becoming a professor, technologist, entrepreneur, and ultimately a long-tenured executive leader. With humility and clarity, Milt explains how military discipline reshaped his life, why treating people like people is the foundation of leadership, and how focusing on customers as humans — not transactions — creates lasting success. This conversation is packed with wisdom on work ethic, family, learning, customer experience, and what most leaders still get wrong.Major Takeaways / Learnings

• Discipline can change everything. Milt credits military service with reshaping his mindset, work ethic, and focus.

• Early failure doesn’t define your ceiling. Flunking out of college didn’t stop him from earning an MBA, teaching, and entering a PhD program.

• Leadership is about people, not roles. Employees have full lives outside work — great leaders respect and support that reality.

• Integration beats balance. Milt prioritized family, coaching his kids’ teams and staying present while building a demanding career.

• Be a lifelong learner. From coding to tennis to leadership, curiosity and self‑teaching fueled every chapter of his life.

• Customers are humans first. The best way to serve customers is to understand their goals, pressures, and definitions of success.

• Listening is a leadership superpower. Ask questions, stay quiet, and truly hear people — that’s how trust is built.

• Strong teams feel like family. When people feel cared for, respected, and seen, they stay — and they perform.

Memorable Quotes

• “People don’t show up for work — work isn’t their whole life.”

• “You keep your mouth shut, you listen, and you ask questions.”

• “Customers have jobs to do — our job is to help them succeed.”

• “It’s always about the people. It’s never just about the business.”

• “I’m only one person — it’s the team that makes everything happen.”

• “Family first isn’t a slogan. It’s a responsibility.”

Why It Matters / How to Use It

This episode is a blueprint for leaders who want to build trust, loyalty, and performance without sacrificing humanity. Milt Herbert’s story proves that discipline, empathy, and curiosity can coexist — and that the strongest organizations are built by leaders who listen, care, and understand people beyond their titles. Whether you lead a team, serve customers, raise a family, or are still finding your path, this conversation offers timeless lessons on how to show up, how to lead, and why people first is not optional — it’s essential.

In this powerful and refreshingly honest conversation, Bart sits down with Brittany Shoul, SVP of Revenue Strategy & Ops at MCI USA. Brittany shares her journey from being the first in her family to attend college, to discovering her leadership voice, to becoming a respected leader who champions authenticity, empathy, and integration over “balance.” She reveals how her upbringing, her grandmother’s influence, her early leadership experiences, and her work in sales shaped the leader she is today. Brittany opens up about drive, fulfillment, emotional intelligence, and why showing up like you belong—exactly as you are—is one of the most underrated skills in life and business.

💡 Major Takeaways / Learnings

• Authenticity isn’t a buzzword — it’s a strategy. Brittany insists that showing up as your true self is not only allowed, but powerful.

• “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” A core message she teaches her daughters, colleagues, and herself.

• Balance is a myth; integration is real. Your life will never be perfectly even — but you can blend what matters in healthier ways.

• Fulfillment fuels drive. Brittany isn’t trying to “prove” anything; she’s driven by the impact she can make on her team, her family, and her industry.

• Leadership means giving people permission. Sometimes people just need to hear “It’s okay” — to leave early, to rest, to take space.

• Show up like you belong. Even if you’re young, new, nervous, or different — the room is for you, too.

• Find mentors everywhere. If your company doesn’t offer strong leadership, seek it through networking, LinkedIn, peers, or past relationships.

• Kindness and connection matter. Whether talking to a housekeeper or meeting someone at an event, presence and authenticity build trust.

  
  

  💬 Memorable Quotes

• • “You can do anything — you just can’t do everything.”

  • “Show up like you belong.”

  • “Fulfillment comes from the impact you make — at home, and at work.”

  • “Balance implies everything is equal. That’s not real. Integration is.”

  • “Be yourself. No one needs a business-professional robot.”

  • “It’s okay to be excited. It’s okay to be nervous. Just show up.”

  ✨ Why It Matters / How to Use It

  This episode is a guide for anyone trying to grow in their career while staying true to themselves. Brittany’s journey shows listeners that success doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from authenticity, connection, and courage. Her practical insights help young professionals, leaders, and parents understand how to integrate ambition with life, how to care for themselves and their teams, and how to build confidence even when the room feels intimidating. Anyone struggling with imposter syndrome, burnout, or self-doubt will find grounding, encouragement, and permission to be human — while still striving for more.

In this heartfelt and candid episode, Bart sits down with Zane Kerby, President & CEO of ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors). They explore the soul of travel, the evolution from “travel agents” to “travel advisors,” the emotional impact of seeing the world, and how empathy, kindness, slowing down, and meaningful connection shape a life well lived. Zane shares stories from his 30-year anniversary trip to Colombia, childhood influences, leadership philosophies, and why travel advisors are more vital now than ever. This conversation is human, emotional, and a reminder that travel doesn’t just show us the world—it shows us ourselves.

Major Takeaways / Learnings

1. Travel Advisors Matter More Than Ever

1. • “Travel agent” felt transactional; “travel advisor” reflects guidance, advocacy, and expertise.
   • Travelers want transformation, not transactions.
   • Advisors are the trusted partners who know what most travelers don’t.

1. Travel Makes Us More Human
2. • Travel builds empathy and reduces ego.
   • Seeing how others live widens perspective and deepens understanding.
   • Shared vulnerability while traveling brings people together.
3. The Best Memories Are on the Road
4. • Zane’s most meaningful family moments happened during travel.
   • Being away from routine creates space for deeper conversations and connection.
   • Small moments become lifelong memories.
5. Slowing Down Creates Kindness
6. • Zane’s advice: slow down, listen, and be available to be interrupted.
   • Pausing helps us notice others and step in to help more often.
7. Leadership Rooted in Humility
8. • Zane’s parents modeled respect, humility, and kindness.
   • Great leadership is about presence, consistency, and treating people well.
   • Hire smart people, pay them fairly, and share the credit.
9. Stick With What Matters

1. • Zane believes in endurance and commitment.
   • “Most people don’t stick with it…but you do.”

Memorable Quotes

• “Most of the important memories I have with my wife and family are from travel.”
• “Travel makes you less ego-centric and more human.”
• “The more planes of people we send around the world, the fewer bombs we have to send.”
• “An advisor works for you. Not for a supplier—for you.”
• “Slow the heck down.”
• “Some opportunities to help make you feel human.”
• “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”
• “Most people don’t stick with it…but you do.”

Why It Matters / How to Use It

For Travel Advisors
Your work matters more than ever. You’re not booking trips—you’re shaping how people see the world and each other. You help create life-changing experiences.

For Leaders

Slow down. Listen deeply. Treat people well. Presence is powerful. Hire smart, kind people and give credit freely.

For Everyone

Travel as much as you can. Say yes more often. Go and see the world—it expands your understanding, deepens your empathy, and enriches your life. And when you’re not traveling, practice the same principles: pause, notice, listen, help.

Travel is an empathy engine. It makes us better humans. And as Zane reminds us, the world becomes a better place when we choose to go, see, and connect.

More about Zane Kerby here: Zane Kerby | LinkedIn

More about ASTA here: Home