The Higher Self Newsletter

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Writer

Zella Life

Extensive research shows that nearly 90% of leadership success is driven by emotional intelligence (EQ) and strong soft skills. At Zella Life, our AI-enhanced coaching harnesses the power of emotional intelligence and cognitive behavioral science to help you and your team excel in every area of life.

For companies, our AI also mines pervasive themes across the board to identify the true wants and needs of your teams. This provides you with unique insights and enables smarter, more informed decision-making. Together, we can create a future where collaboration drives innovation and unites us.

Co-Founder

Mucker Capital

Mucker Capital invests in Seed, Series A, and "pre-seed" stage companies building defensible and scalable, Internet software and services businesses outside Silicon Valley.

I support portfolio founders accelerate growth & build scalable products.

Growth Advisor & EIR

Techstars

Techstars is the world's most active pre-seed investor, with a portfolio of 9k+ founders.

I support founders with lead generation, content creation, and product management.

Mentor

The Way Out

The Way Out (TWO) is a fair-chance employment platform helping veterans & justice-involved job seekers re-enter society successfully.

After approaching us with their MVP platform, the Disruptive Labs team and I transformed TWO into a complete portal for JIJS (and veterans too!) to find jobs and receive support services from support-service providers. Through a well-tested, robust architecture, the TWO platform enables employers to post jobs and review applicants; support-service providers to onboard, communicate with, and support their enrollees; and job seekers to craft resumes, find and apply for applicable jobs, and work with support providers that match their needs.

Key technologies: React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Redis, AWS, Docker, integration testing, E2E testing, CI/CD.

Investor

Nuooly, Inc.

Nuooly is an exclusive community enabling business-focused Independent Professionals (lawyers, accountants, etc.) to thrive and grow by providing new business opportunities, peer collaboration/support, and relevant learning content.

After investing in Nuooly and taking over its tech, we redesigned & rearchitected the platform, taking it from a problematic WordPress site to a fully-featured, secure platform for independent professionals to sign up, craft their profiles, and find and connect with each other.

Key technologies: AWS, TypeScript, Node.js, React, Next.js, Docker.

Disruptive Labs

Disruptive Labs is a Venture Studio focused on building and scaling technology companies.

Too many founders and innovators find their ideas fall apart due to sub-par digital products. So we created a system that offers them world-class design, development and content with no surprises and total flexibility.

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

HeyHome

HeyHome is your one-stop solution for all home-related needs. From ongoing maintenance to one-off improvements, from minor repairs to major renovations, we cover it all. We act as both a service provider and a knowledge resource, making sure you have the support and the information you need to make your home the best it can be.

From zero to MVP, the team and I put together a scalable platform to handle orders for a huge variety of local home services in a matter of weeks.

Key technologies: Stripe, React, Next.js, AWS, Docker, Twilio, Node.js.

Tilly 

Tilly empowers homeowners to unlock the full potential of their outdoor spaces. From quick curb appeal updates to transformative backyard renovations, our team of designers, horticulturalists, product specialists and construction coaches are by your side every step of the way. Think of Tilly as your trusted resource for all things outdoor living.

The Disruptive Labs team and I took Tilly's original MVP to the next level, migrating from WordPress with various fragile external integrations/plugins to a custom web app that handles the entire flow from purchase to a final yard design. Customers and designers can collaborate on each project and stay up to date on progress.

Key technologies: AWS, Docker, Next.js, React, PostgreSQL, Redis, TypeScript, Node.js, integration & end-to-end (E2E) testing.

Me Tyme

Me Tyme offered a behavioral health solution for SMBs providing access to short videos and interactive lessons to stop emotional stressors as they happened in real time.

In my role as Head of Product, I lead redesign efforts and supported our Disruptive Labs engineering team in the rebuild of Me Tyme's frontend platform, replacing an early-stage demo with a fully-fledged dynamic portal customized to each user's preferences.

Key technologies: Next.js, React, AWS.

Helping Leaders Ignite Change Through Inner Growth 🌱

There are truly two ways to live in 2025:

1. Striving endlessly for more. Feeling separate & disconnected.
2. Living fully in the present. Aware of our shared connection.

Most live stuck in the first.

Inevitably leading to stress, burnout, and a sense that something’s missing.

The bigger problem?

This way of living doesn’t just drain your energy, it costs you the deeper joys of life:

- A clear & peaceful mind.
- Meaningful relationships.
- A deep sense of fulfillment.

The truth?

You don’t have to sacrifice well-being for success.

Life doesn’t need to feel like a constant grind.

Your way forward:

Live (and lead) with presence, connection, and intention.

My goal is to help leaders and organizations:

- Embrace the present moment to lead with clarity & connection.
- Build emotional intelligence for stronger relationships.
- Shift focus from individual goals to shared progress.

The future belongs to those who lead with the heart, inspiring collective growth over individual ambition.

--

I am a husband, father and co-creator.

For 15+ years, I have been building tech companies and supporting leaders to:

- Improve lives
- Extend quality time
- Foster positive change

My deepest purpose in life is to touch and improve as many lives as possible.

To achieve this, I share everything I know and continue to learn over time.

It's up to you to decide how to use this knowledge to help others.

If you ever want to work with me, my door is open.

If not, take what you learn and pay it forward. 

We are all in this together!

I found a “better opportunity.”  

Translation: I found a team that lets me grow as myself.  

After working with dozens of leaders,  
I’ve realized the reason people stay or leave  
is almost never written in the exit survey.  

It’s not just about compensation or career ladders.  
It’s about feeling trusted, included, and alive in the work.  

They stop trying when their energy isn’t noticed.  
They stop caring when they stop feeling connected.  
They stop showing up when purpose turns into pressure.  

If you want to keep your best people: 

- Recognize effort in the moment 
- Let them mentor and lift others 
- Talk vision, not only assignments 
- Give them room to explore and try 
- Show how their work creates impact 
- Share accountability with autonomy 
- Extend trust before demanding proof 
- Make well-being part of the culture 
- Celebrate progress, not just results 
- Protect focus from constant busyness 
- Involve them in the “why,” not just the “what”  

These aren’t perks. They’re principles.  

They require empathy, attention, and the courage to lead with presence. 
 

♻️ Please repost to promote leadership that listens, not just leads.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Marco Franzoni

Mindful Leadership Advocate | Helping leaders live & lead in the moment | Father, Husband, & 7x Founder | Follow for practical advice to thrive in work and life 🌱

Top performers rarely quit because of hard work.

They walk away from how their effort is treated.

Too many leaders mistake “capability”  
for “capacity”, and keep stacking the load.

The higher someone performs,  
the easier it is to overlook their needs.

That’s how great people burn out.  
And I’ve seen it happen more times than I’d like.

Here’s what I’ve learned:  

(and how we can lead better)

1) Expecting them to always “figure it out” alone
↳ Instead: Offer coaching, not just challenges

2) Relying on them to absorb every crisis
↳ Instead: Build systems so fires don’t spread

3) Giving them stretch goals with no stretch support
↳ Instead: Pair growth with resources and trust

4) Assuming resilience means endless stamina
↳ Instead: Normalize rest and recovery as strategy

5) Forgetting their achievements after the dust settles
↳ Instead: Make recognition part of the rhythm

6) Treating their calm silence as consent
↳ Instead: Ask deeper questions—and actually listen

7) Using their dedication as a shortcut for weak planning
↳ Instead: Design smarter workflows, not heroic rescues

8) Acting as if loyalty means limitless sacrifice
↳ Instead: Protect their boundaries like they’re your own

Burnout isn’t deliberate, 
but it spreads faster than most leaders realize.  

If you want your best people to stay,  
value the human before the performance.  


♻️ Please repost to promote healthier leadership.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

ROHINI KALLICHARAN, MBA

Your title doesn't make you a success. 

How you treat others does.

Success lives in constant tension:  

- Earn respect… AND keep your humility  
- Strive for goals… AND enjoy the path  
- Drive performance… AND nurture trust  

It’s no surprise lasting success feels rare.  

But great leaders learn how to balance.  

Here’s how they do it: 

1) Achievement vs. Presence
↗️ Ambition drives progress and innovation
↘️ But being “always on” erodes trust and health
✅ Pursue goals while staying grounded in the moment

2) Recognition vs. Generosity
↗️ Celebrating wins builds credibility and influence
↘️ But hoarding credit isolates you from others
✅ Share credit freely, lift others as you rise

3) Confidence vs. Reliability
↗️ Speaking with certainty builds belief in you
↘️ But broken promises erode trust instantly
✅ Show conviction, and always follow through

4) Candor vs. Care
↗️ Teams need honest feedback to grow
↘️ But harsh delivery damages connection
✅ Tell the truth in a way people can hear

5) Strength vs. Encouragement
↗️ Resolve inspires confidence in tough times
↘️ But small words of encouragement build loyalty
✅ Lead steady, but leave people better each day

Lasting success isn’t about choosing sides.

It’s about learning how to balance both at once. 

Which of these trade-offs challenges you most?


♻️ Repost to remind others success is more than titles.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Most careers plateau for one reason:


People stop being curious.

They wait for a course to appear on the company LMS.
Or for someone else to “develop” them.

The best performers don’t wait for permission.
They build learning into the rhythm of life.
Long after the laptop closes.

The compounding effect isn’t magic. It’s math.

10 habits that keep your mind growing (automatically):

1. Start Your Day With a Question
↳ Ask: “What do I want to understand better today?”

2. Learn Out Loud
↳ Summarize insights in 3 lines — clarity is a byproduct of teaching.

3. Build a ‘Learn Loop’ With a Peer
↳ 10 min weekly chat: “What did you learn this week?”

4. Audit Your Inputs
↳ Replace one low-value follow with a thinker who challenges you.

5. Keep Curiosity Visible
↳ Create a “learning wall” — sticky notes of ideas to explore.

6. Run Curiosity Walks
↳ Step away from screens, ask yourself: “What pattern am I missing?”

7. Stack Learning With Routine Tasks
↳ Commutes or chores become classrooms via podcasts or audiobooks.

8. Deconstruct a Win (or Failure)
↳ Ask: “Why did that work?” or “What would I try differently?”

9. Schedule ‘No Input’ Time
↳ Silence often teaches more than another article ever will.

10. Re-read Your Notes Monthly
↳ What felt obvious now often hides your deepest growth.

11. Close the Day With Gratitude
↳ One line: “What am I grateful to have learned today?”

Growth isn’t a crash course.
It’s a practice.

Do you treat learning as a daily discipline?


♻️ Please repost to promote lifelong curiosity.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Dareen  Nassar 

Your title doesn't make you a leader.

Your impact on people does.

Managers give instructions.  
But real leaders spark growth in others.  

10 signs of leaders people remember: 

1. Presence
↳ Be fully there. Focus. Don’t multitask.

2. Trust
↳ Let go of control. Empower others to own their work.

3. Listening
↳ Listen to understand. Hear what’s said—and what isn’t.

4. Clarity
↳ Clear the fog. Share purpose with precision.

5. Kindness
↳ Treat people as people, not roles.

6. Curiosity
↳ Learn before leading. Ask before assuming.

7. Patience
↳ Growth needs time. Don’t rush the process.

8. Humility
↳ Own mistakes. Lift others when they win.

9. Consistency
↳ Do what you say. Every time matters.

10. Gratitude
↳ Say thank you. Often. It multiplies effort.

Leadership isn’t about authority.

It’s about lifting others higher than yourself.  

Be the leader your younger self dreamed of. 


♻️ Repost to remind others what real leadership means.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for weekly insights like this.

Your title doesn’t make you a leader.  

Your consistency does.  

It’s tempting to chase recognition,  
believing visibility equals value.  

But that mindset leads to:  
- Burnout disguised as ambition  
- Teams that mirror your stress  
- Progress without fulfillment  

Real leadership happens in quiet moments.  

Start here👇🏼  

1) Stay human.  
↳ Admit mistakes early.  
↳ Laugh with your team, not at them.  

2) Keep promises small — and keep them.  
↳ Follow through on the simple things.  
↳ Your word builds trust faster than status ever will.  

3) Empower others to shine.  
↳ Share your platform.  
↳ Celebrate contributions in public, coach in private.  

4) Listen before leading.  
↳ Ask one more question than you answer.  
↳ People don’t follow the loudest voice — they follow the one that hears them.  

5) Show grace under pressure.  
↳ Stay grounded when things fall apart.  
↳ Your calm sets the emotional temperature for the room.  

Your position might open doors for a while.  
Your presence keeps them open for good. ✨  

Which one will you practice today?  


♻️ Please repost to promote presence-based leadership.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

PEOPLE WONT
REMEMBER
YOUR TITLE.
THEY'LL
REMEMBER
HOW YOU MADE
THEM FEEL.

Stop trying to read minds.

Start noticing what people reveal in plain sight.

You ever walk out of a conversation and realize
there was a whole other message you missed?

Or sense the tension in a meeting even when everyone’s smiling?

You’re already picking up cues.
You just need a framework to trust what you feel.

Here’s how to turn awareness into understanding👇🏼  

1) Feel the Shift in Yourself  
↳ Your nervous system mirrors others — if you tense up, there’s a reason.

2) Notice Their Breathing  
↳ Shallow breath signals tension, steady breath signals openness.

3) Track Micro-Expressions  
↳ That half-second eye roll or smile is the truth peeking through.

4) Watch How They Pause  
↳ The silence between words tells you what they’re afraid to say.

5) Pay Attention to Deflections  
↳ When people pivot quickly, they’re protecting a wound or a win.

6) Listen to Their Energy, Not Just Their Words  
↳ Tone and rhythm carry more honesty than sentences do.

7) Observe How They Enter and Exit Rooms  
↳ Confidence leaves a calm trail; insecurity leaves noise behind.

8) Notice Their Curiosity  
↳ People who ask “why” want connection; those who avoid it want control.

The more present you are,  
the more people reveal without a word.

Because connection isn’t magic,
it’s awareness practiced in real time.

Which of these signals do you pick up most often?


♻️ Please repost to promote awareness-based leadership.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

8 ways to understand people without a word

Stop calling emotional intelligence a “soft skill.”  

Start training it like a performance skill.

EQ isn’t personality — it’s practice.  
And like any skill, you can measure and strengthen it daily.

12 EQ reps that changed how I lead, parent, and show up:

1. Admitting When You’re Triggered  
↳EQ is naming emotions before they run the show  
↳Practice: Say “I’m noticing I’m tense” instead of defending your point

2. Regulating Stress  
↳EQ is staying grounded under fire  
↳Practice: Slow your breath before you send that message

3. Reading the Room  
↳EQ is sensing what’s unsaid  
↳Practice: Watch body language more than slides in your next meeting

4. Asking Better Questions  
↳EQ is curiosity in action  
↳Practice: Replace “Why did you…” with “What led to that?”

5. Managing Micro-Moments  
↳EQ is how you show up between the big moves  
↳Practice: One kind comment per day to a teammate

6. Owning Your Energy  
↳EQ is knowing what vibe you bring into the room  
↳Practice: Ask yourself “What do I want others to feel right now?”

7. Self-Coaching  
↳EQ is turning awareness into action  
↳Practice: End your day with “What did I learn about myself today?”

8. Holding Accountability with Care  
↳EQ is challenge + compassion  
↳Practice: “I believe in you, and this needs to change.”

9. Pausing Before Reacting  
↳EQ is interrupting the impulse  
↳Practice: Take a sip of water before you answer that tough question

10. Spotting Burnout Early  
↳EQ is noticing exhaustion before collapse  
↳Practice: Ask your team “What’s draining your energy lately?”

11. Redirecting Negativity  
↳EQ is steering energy, not suppressing it  
↳Practice: When someone complains, ask “What outcome do you want?”

12. Celebrating Small Wins  
↳EQ is reinforcing what’s working  
↳Practice: Start each Monday naming 1 thing that’s improving

Emotional intelligence isn’t fluff — it’s the operating system of leadership.

The more you train it,  
the faster clarity, trust, and creativity flow.

Which of these would make the biggest impact for you this week?


♻️ Please repost to promote real, trainable leadership.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

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