Laura Flessner

Mindtap LLC

Be Recognized. Be Valued. Being You. 

Mindtap helps diverse professionals break through unconscious bias so their authentic leadership can be seen and valued using proven innovation techniques and applied neuroscience. 

Change how others see you, without needing to change who you are. 

Mindtap offers services for professionals at all levels, from entry to CEO. 

Reach out to explore how we can help you reach your next level of impact!

Founder & CEO

Forbes

Coaches Council

Global Innovation Advisory

We help move stuck innovation in corporations by cutting through years of internal layers. We help corporate innovation leaders to simplify and fuse inter-company connections to drive growth, without incremental costs. 

How can you do more with what you already have?

www.GlobalInnovationAdvisory.com

Partner

GSK Consumer Healthcare
Co-Founder of 3 Startup Businesses: CBD & Hemp, Functional Food & Beverage, Personalized Supplements. Dedicated hands-on business building, from strategy and execution of MVP to pivots based on learnings; Venture Board pitches and buy-in.

New Venture Founder / Insights Lead

Pfizer

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
Led New Business Innovation strategy and implementation within Global Wellness white space category, resulting in a consumer-grounded Immunity Innovation pipeline and a strategic plan to grow the business by $500M in 5 years.

Director, R&D Product Design for New Benefit Innovation

Actively grew new function (Products Research) within R&D: set strategy, created procedures, grew internal awareness and demand, pushed for deeper insights through cutting-edge methodologies across dietary supplements, analgesics, respiratory, & personal care.

Senior Manager, R&D Products Research

Procter & Gamble

Spearheaded upstream product development, new consumer modeling, and new business models.

Senior Products Research Engineer

Designed packaging for PUR Flavor Options launch, which won 2009 Consumers' Choice Product of the Year.

Packaging Engineer

I Help Diverse Professionals Break Free Of Bias And Level Up Without Changing Who You Are // Ready To Do More, Be More? Register for my Personal Branding Masterclass, July 7 (free) -> Link in Featured Section

I help diverse professionals to break through unconscious bias so they can be seen, heard & valued. 

Essentially, I help you to be recognized as a leader in your organization, no matter your level, experience or role.

What is a diverse professional? Women, minorities, introverts, LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse… anyone who looks, sounds, or thinks different from others in the workplace. 

Is this you? 

It’s me. I’m a woman, Asian, an introvert, who looks really young. 

In past corporate roles, I felt frustrated, like I could do more, but I wasn’t always given the chance. The confusing thing was, I was getting fantastic feedback. 

There wasn’t any obvious bias or anything overtly intentional… but that didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t where I knew I could be. 

Unfortunately the traditional advancement system puts diverse professional at a disadvantage. Unconscious bias sneaks in, without people noticing - because it disguises itself as logic. 

It took me a while… but I found a way to break through - outside of the system. 

If the normal path to advancement:
- giving your all in quality work, 
- increasing your expertise, 
- directly asking for more

isn't allowing you to move forward... 

--> You need a different strategy. 

Transform what makes you “diverse” from a disadvantage to a superpower.  Your competitive advantage. 

I use neuroscience to help my clients break through unconscious biases their leadership and peers don’t even know they have. 

I use proven innovation tools and processes to help you to lead an idea, something you know will make a big impact, a meaningful difference. 

This strategy works at any level, in any industry, and at any organization.

Here’s 3 ways to work with me:

📚 Take a self paced course: Daring Different is a video based course with a step-by-step process to establish your authentic leadership. For the pre-manager and new entrepreneur. Go to: Thinkmindtap.com/daringdifferent

🚀 Join a live training cohort: Rise is a 8-week program where you will rise to your next level and people will notice a difference in you, guaranteed. For the committed pre-manager and new entrepreneur. Go to: Thinkmindtap.com/rise

🎯 Partner through coaching: Individualized guidance to create your next level of impact and personal power. For senior managers and business owners. Go to: Thinkmindtap.com/catalyst-coaching

It’s time for your voice to be heard. 
For your authentic leadership to be seen. 

Send me a DM (direct message) to explore your options!

💜 Laura

When what you’re given… isn’t perfect. 
(And it rarely is.)

The people on the team 
aren’t the ones you would have picked. 

The tools are outdated. 
The process was built for a market that no longer exists. 

It looks a lot like the messy sketch 
the artist started with. 
All potential… but no clarity. 

But here’s a truth professionals can forget: 

Leadership doesn't wait for ideal conditions. 
Leadership creates something valuable 
with what you’re given. 

To be resourceful. 
To see potential others overlook. 
To hold a vision of what’s possible 
before anyone else can see it. 

Leadership isn’t about perfection. 
It’s about perspective. 

It’s the ability to look at a broken process 
and notice the opportunity hiding inside it. 

To look at a team that feels mismatched 
and spot the strengths waiting to be shaped. 

To look at outdated tools 
and reimagine what they could enable. 

Adjust. Support. Add. Subtract. 
Piece by piece. 
Bit by bit. 

When you stay committed to the vision, 
not the circumstances, 
you create something extraordinary. 

Not because you had the perfect starting point. 
But because you led it into something better. 

That’s the work. 
That’s the impact. 
That’s leadership.

Leadership Coach for Diverse Professionals // Lead authentically at any level, using Innovation & Neuroscience // Get your free copy of "7 Steps to Authentic Leadership" --> DM me ‘Unlock’

Some think changing your goal is giving up. 

I think it's dangerous not to...

Your goals can change. 
And they should. 

What you defined as “success” 10 years ago… 
likely isn’t what success means to you now. 

A lot can shift in a decade. 
These days, a ton can change in a year.

And when things change, 
change also happens in you.

Here’s how my own career goals unfolded, 
chapter by chapter: 

0–5 yrs: Get a strong start + grow as fast as I can 
5–10 yrs: Deliver great work, and grow my family (3 kids born!) 
10–15 yrs: Become a subject matter expert + aim for VP 
15–17 yrs: Follow my passion in Innovation + broaden my experience 
17+ yrs: Build my own business 

Every chapter fit who I was and what I valued 
in that moment of my life. 

None was “better” than another. 
And letting go of a goal (like aiming for VP)
wasn’t quitting. 

It was adjusting. Listening. 
Learning more about what mattered to me. 

Because things do change: 

Your life situation 
(family, health, economics) 

Your focus 
(advancement, breadth, pivoting) 

Your definition of success shifts with each chapter. 

But here’s the biggest watch out: 
When life changes, but your picture of “success” doesn’t. 

That’s when frustration grows. 
That’s when people feel stuck. 
 
Like they’re swimming upstream 
against a current that’s getting stronger. 

A goal that served you well before 
no longer serves who you’re becoming now. 

But that next goal? 
It isn’t always obvious. 

This is why so many clients come to Clarity Coaching, 
to design their next chapter with intention, not pressure. 

To step into their next level of leadership 
in a way that fits. 

Like Sarah—who chose to leave her current role 
to be a strong female leader in cybersecurity. 

Like Penny—who found a path to prioritize family 
and support her career at the same time.

Like Amanda—who discovered a culture 
that embraced her authentic leadership style. 

Your next chapter will ask something new of you. 

The question is: 
Is your next chapter built for who you are today—or who you used to be?

Setbacks don't have to be the end. 

(They're a secret beginning)

"Setbacks are a setup for success."
A quote from Dr. Ruth D. Jones perfectly captures the start of my business Mindtap. 

It began the moment my role was eliminated. 

My company entered a joint venture. 
Suddenly, there were too many innovation groups… 
and mine was the one dismantled. 

So what now? 
(That question kept looping in my mind.) 

Then I realized: 
My last role, 
which had been my favorite of my career, 
had quietly been teaching me (for 2 years) 
exactly how to build something new. 

We were launching brands from scratch. 
Creating product lines from zero. 
Designing, experimenting, iterating. 
I had the blueprint. 
Why not use it for myself? 

So I did. 

Now, I could stop here and make it sound effortless. 
It wasn’t. 

The first business model I tried? Failed. 
The second try? Failed. 
The third? Worked okay… 
but deep down, I knew it wasn’t the work I wanted to do. 

Those attempts weren’t mistakes. 
They clarified what mattered. 
They helped me build the business today. 

The business that aligns with my strengths. 
The business that connects to my personal passion. 
The business that provides real value. 

Mindtap didn’t start with certainty. 
It started with what looked like an end. 

See setbacks as what they secretly are. 
A new beginning.

The hardest part of leadership? 

(It’s not the plans or presentations)

Strong leaders know… 

The technical challenges are the easy ones. 
The people challenges are the hard ones. 

And there’s only one thing 
that truly shifts a people challenge: 
A conversation. 

This is what I've seen most people avoid:

→ We schedule another meeting— 
instead of addressing what went wrong in the last one.

→ We change the subject 
the second things get uncomfortable.

→ We use jargon like "let’s circle back"
to avoid saying: This isn’t working.

→ We cc half the team on the email— 
hoping someone else will say it.

→ We blame “timing” 
instead of being honest.

→ We stay “nice” 
instead of staying real.

All different ways of saying: 
“I see the elephant… but I’m hoping it disappears.” 

Your brain thinks it’s keeping you safe. 
Conflict = threat. 
Silence = protection. 

But in reality... 
The scariest thing isn’t naming the elephant. 
The scariest thing is letting it grow. 

Big enough to: 
→ squash your team 
→ derail your project 
→ quietly erode your vision and impact as a leader 

Brave leadership is being willing to feel uncomfortable, 
and addressing issues head-on as soon as they arise. 

Your brain may scream “danger.”
Your leadership says “go, this is important.”

Why do I incorporate neuroscience into leadership?

I get asked this often.

In this video, I give 5 ways
knowing how your brain works
can accelerate your leadership. 

Lead smarter. Lead calmer. 
Lead in a way your brain was built for.

Hounds Of Business Community

Founder

Flourish Foundation Project

Chief Operations Officer

Kindness Worldwide

Global Ambassador

Primerica

Financial Coach

SEAM

Chief Executive Officer

Revenue Recovery

Zoneton & Shepherdsville FD

Firefighter/CO

Unique Computer Solutions Inc

Senior Consultant

The Redneck Connecktor | Helping Business Owners Land Premium Clients Without Cold DMs or Pitchy Networking | Building Trust-First Businesses in a Low-Trust World | Founder of the Hounds of Business Community

Most business owners don’t fail because they’re lazy or clueless.
They fail because, in a low-trust world, they’ve been 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅.

Played by networking groups where everyone’s just waiting their turn to pitch.

Played by coaches who promise clients but never had to make payroll.

 Played by “systems” that feel sleazy and suck the joy out of business.

That was me once too, all heart, no clue. Until I discovered a better way:

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝. 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭.

Because when trust becomes your strategy, clients stop hesitating, partnerships start compounding, and business finally feels right again.

Now we help entrepreneurs, coaches, and business owners:

🐺 𝐂𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞 on LinkedIn & YouTube without playing algorithm games.
🐺 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 without cold DMs, funnels, or fake engagement tactics.
🐺 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬 & 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 that replace solo ad spend for good.

We do it through three layers:

 1️⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠- my 4 C’s framework (Clarity, Connections, Community, Conversion).
 2️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲- a vetted pack of professionals who actually care about each other’s success.
 3️⃣ 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 & 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦- visibility, partnerships, and introductions most people never get access to.

The Results

🐾 1 M+ views in 90 days
 🐾 Members going from ignored to inbound, stalled to booked, and “coffee chats” to clients
 🐾 Partnerships with Level Up Academy, Kindness Worldwide, Pantheon.FM, The Connector Community, and more

I’m not here to sell magic buttons.
I’m here to show you the game, the rules, and how to pick the 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

If you’re serious about growing your network & net worth without chasing, pitching, or selling your soul, we should talk.

👉 Grab the free 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤: https://crm.houndsofbusiness.com/master-attractor
👉 Or pull up a chair at our next 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtduGurToqHdMRgxOel3B0ItmZOiU7dxkz

Because business grows at the speed of trust.
𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬.

Mike Ashabraner

Ever notice how some rooms move faster, not because of competition, but because of connection?

That’s what I call the 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 in community.
When people feel safe, seen, and supported, momentum explodes.
Referrals fly. Partnerships form. Collaboration replaces comparison.

It’s not about chasing clients or clout, it’s about building a circle where trust does the heavy lifting.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐭, 𝐲’𝐚𝐥𝐥 
🐺 What’s one sign you’ve found a real community (not just another crowd)?

View newsletter: How to Build a Community

Why trust is the fuel that turns business groups into growth engines Let’s be real, y’all, the fastest way to slow down your business is to surround y

Open article: The Trust Accelerator in Community: How Connection Outpaces Competition by Mike Ashabraner • 3 min read

The Trust Accelerator in Community: How Connection Outpaces Competition

Presented by the Hounds of Business Community on Mike King Biz Radio (ESPN RVA 106.1FM)

In a world that glorifies hustle, the real power lies in slowing down and no one knows that better than Cynthia Fluck, former Navy pilot, corporate strategist, and now Holistic Transformation Practitioner.

After years of flying helicopters in Japan, closing international deals, and building a top real estate business, Cynthia’s body and mind finally hit a wall. What felt like burnout became her greatest breakthrough and what she discovered changed everything.

Today, she helps high-performing entrepreneurs and executives reclaim their energy, clarity, and creativity by aligning physiology, mindset, and energy. Her unique approach blends functional medicine, neuroscience, and energy work to help ambitious leaders tap into flow, attract opportunities, and perform at their best, without burning out.

In This Episode:
🐾 Why “busy-ness” isn’t business and how slowing down can multiply results
 🐾 The science behind focus, flow, and nervous-system regulation
 🐾 How to rewire your body and brain from stress to success
 🐾 Practical resets that help high achievers perform sustainably

Whether you’re a founder, executive, or everyday high performer running on fumes, this episode will show you how to do less, be more, and achieve better results through the science of flow and the power of alignment.

Tune in live and learn why slowing down might be your next big business move.

Learn more about Cynthia’s work at www.CrescentHolistic.com

Royce Blake, Amy Cornforth-Long and 3 other connections attending

Slow Down to Level Up: The Science of High Performance

Presented by the Hounds of Business Community on Mike King Biz Radio (ESPN RVA 106.1FM)

The holidays expose something most high performers never admit out loud:
When the world slows down… they often struggle the most.
That’s why Curtis Rivers is the perfect guest for this moment.

Curtis is an award-winning author, former Hollywood stuntman, peak-performance coach, and one of the most spiritually grounded high-achiever mentors working today. His clients call him “the reset button you don’t know you need.” His blend of emotional mastery, mental clarity, and practical performance psychology has transformed leaders, founders, creators, and executives across the globe.

As we close out the year, Curtis joins us to talk about what high performers really need during the holidays — not more hustle, not more goals, and definitely not more stress — but the right kind of reset that sets up a breakthrough year.

In This Conversation, Curtis Helps High Performers Learn How To:

1. Navigate holiday pressure with emotional intelligence
 So you avoid the self-sabotage loops, hidden expectations, and old emotional patterns that tend to surface this time of year.

2. Reset mentally and spiritually without losing momentum
 The secret to entering 2025 with clarity, calm, and a sharper edge — not burnout disguised as productivity.

3. Use reflection, simplicity, and presence to fuel next-level breakthroughs
 How to turn the quiet moments of the holidays into power multipliers that accelerate you into your best year yet.

Curtis will also share the mindset shifts, personal rituals, and inner practices he teaches elite performers, the same tools he used to rebuild his own life after decades of high-stakes stunt work and success pressure.

If you’re ready to stop dragging the weight of this year into the next…
If you want to make 2025 a year of aligned, unstoppable growth…
If you want a December that actually lifts you up instead of wearing you out…

This is your reset moment.
Tune in and rise.

The Redneck Connecktor | Helping leaders build sovereign, trust-driven businesses that consistently attract premium clients, without cold outreach or performative networking | Founder of the HOB Community & Media Network

Reset to Rise: How High Performers Elevate During the Holidays

Presented by the Hounds of Business Community on Mike King Biz Radio (ESPN RVA 106.1FM)

The healthcare system is changing fast and not always for the better. Costs rise, patients wait, and innovation often lags behind need. But every so often, someone steps forward who isn’t afraid to challenge the system, call out the broken parts, and build something better.

That’s Dr. Jay Joshi.

A nationally respected physician, double board-certified in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain, Dr. Joshi has spent 30 years at the cutting edge of medicine pioneering procedures, creating first-in-the-world protocols, predicting the OxyContin epidemic before it happened, and pushing for ethical innovation long before it became a buzzword.

He’s the mind behind the first virtual interventional pain practice, groundbreaking regenerative medicine systems, and AAI Health, a platform redefining musculoskeletal care, digital health, and patient-centered treatment.

But what sets him apart isn’t just the innovation.
It’s the integrity.

Dr. Joshi believes medicine should be built on truth, transparency, and doing what’s right even when it’s unpopular and he’s bringing that message straight to entrepreneurs, founders, healthcare leaders, and everyday citizens who are tired of the noise and ready to understand what’s really going on.

In This Episode, We’ll Break Down:

🐾 The Good, the Bad & the Broken in Modern Healthcare
 Why musculoskeletal care is failing millions and what needs to change.
🐾 Innovation with Integrity
 🐾How AI, AAI Health, and ethical digital medicine can transform patient outcomes (without cutting corners).

Leadership Under Pressure
What 30 years of first-in-the-world medical breakthroughs taught Dr. Joshi about courage, precision, and staying human in high-stakes environments.

Whether you’re a founder, executive, creator, healthcare professional, or someone who wants to be better informed about the future of care, this is a rare chance to hear directly from a physician who isn’t afraid to tell the truth and who’s actively building what comes next.

Tune in to get a clearer picture of healthcare’s future…
 and the leadership mindset needed to fix it.

👉 Learn more at:
 JayJoshiMD.com
 AAI.health
 NationalPain.com
 AltruisticWellness.org

LeeAnna Stock-Luoma  RD, LD, CD, CDCES 🇺🇸, Amy Cornforth-Long, Esq. and 1 other connection attending

Disrupting Medicine: Integrity, Innovation & the Future of Care w/Dr. Joshi

Presented by the Hounds of Business Community
The holidays are supposed to be joyful, but for most busy professionals, it’s the season when stress spikes, routines collapse, and momentum disappears.

This year, we’re flipping that script.

Join Mike “The Redneck Connecktor” Ashabraner and two powerhouse HOB members, David Medansky (“The Health Guy”) and Curtis Rivers (“The Soul Guide”), for a practical, honest, uplifting conversation designed to help you finish the year strong without burning out in the process.

Whether you’re running a company, leading a team, or trying to keep your own goals alive while juggling holiday chaos… this panel will give you the tools to stay grounded, energized, and on track.

What We’ll Dig Into

1. Holiday Health Without the Hassle
David Medansky reveals why most people gain weight, lose energy, and feel sluggish during the holidays and the simple daily habits his clients use to stay vibrant without dieting, restriction, or guilt.

2. Resetting Your Mindset When Life Gets Loud
Curtis Rivers breaks down how stress, comparison, and expectations hijack your clarity and how to shift into peace, purpose, and emotional resilience even in your busiest season.

3. Keeping Business Momentum When Everyone Else Slows Down
Mike shares the practical “Hounds way” of staying visible, connected, and moving forward without grinding yourself into dust.

4. Real Talk on Boundaries, Balance & Being Human
The conversation your audience actually needs and how to stay healthy, present, and purposeful during a time that pulls people in every direction.

5. Audience Q&A: Your Biggest Holiday Challenges

We’ll address the real obstacles professionals face in December:

How to avoid losing progress

How to stay consistent without overwhelm

How to protect your peace

How to reset for a powerful New Year

Why You Should Tune In
This isn’t a “self-care fluff” conversation.
It’s real, usable insight from:
A bestselling author who reversed his own health crisis (David)

A former Hollywood stuntman turned award-winning life coach (Curtis)

A community-building strategist leading one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial ecosystems (Mike)

If you want to stay healthy, focused, energized, and ahead of the curve through the holidays then this is the show for you.
Join Us Live

Bring your questions.
Drop your challenges in the chat.
Get the support you need to end the year strong and enter the next one with confidence.
Because the holidays don’t have to derail you, rather they can prepare you.

Royce Blake, David Medansky, The Health Guy and 2 other connections attending

Holiday Rescue: Real Talk on Health, Mindset & Momentum

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The Battle

Laura Flessner

Mike Ashabraner

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The Battle

Laura Flessner

Mike Ashabraner

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Laura Flessner's LinkedIn Performance

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