In this episode, Bart speaks with Karina Michel, an accomplished actor, director, and producer, about the powerful lessons leaders can learn from the creative world. Karina shares insights drawn from her experience across film and television, exploring what leadership can gain from the disciplines of acting, directing, and producing. She reveals surprising parallels between performance and leadership, showing how both require presence, authenticity, and vision. From fully embodying a role as an actor, to building cohesive teams as a director, to managing complex projects as a producer, Karina draws on a wealth of experience and breaks down how creative approaches can make you a more effective and inspirational leader. Connect with Karina: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinamichelofficial/# IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm2405454/ Listen to her podcast Coffee with Karina on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5k60JMmYHpW6ri7QVPCPVI Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-with-karina/id1529519382 Show notes: 00:20 Show Intro 00:57 Introducing Karina 02:03 Karina's Background 03:10 What’s It Like Auditioning as an Actor? 06:45 What Is a Producer in Film? 07:57 What Is a Creative Producer? 09:12 Moving to Directing 11:51 What Can Leaders Learn from the Film Business? 12:38 Take Risks 13:20 Having Strength of Conviction 14:23 What Leaders Can Learn from Actors 14:37 Preparation 16:48 How Do You Prepare to Play “Me”? 17:07 Get Clear on Your Ideas and Direction 18:39 Empathy 20:28 Don’t Judge the Character—or Yourself 22:05 Lessons from Directing 22:35 Team Effort and Collaboration Matter 23:57 How to Handle Underperforming Team Members 26:50 What Can Leaders Learn from a Producer? 27:09 Have a Vision—and Follow Through 28:00 What Makes a Good Pitch? 30:23 Meet the Basic Standard of a Pitch 31:30 What Separates a Great Pitch? 31:46 The Team Is Key 34:04 Where to Find Karina 34:53 Wrap-Up 35:46 Thank Yous 36:12 Outro