There’s a moment before you speak where everything tightens—your thoughts, your voice, your confidence. And in that split second, most leaders don’t have a communication problem… they have a decision problem: do I say this, or do I hold back?

My guest today is Salvatore Manzi. He is a  leadership communications coach who helps leaders turn complexity into clarity. His book, Clear and Compelling, combines 20+ years of research in neuroscience, psychology, and organizational behavior with decades of communication coaching to deliver practical strategies for turning insights into influence.

Note: The teacher Salvatore was referring to in the podcast but couldn’t remember is Byron Katie.

Connect with Salvatore: https://www.salvatoremanzi.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvatorejmanzi/

https://www.instagram.com/salvatoremanzi/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions



Learn more at: vermelho.com.au



Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:



• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq



Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.



You Don’t Have a Communication Problem (You Have a Visibility Problem) with Salvatore Manzi

You don’t lose your edge under pressure—you lose access to it.
The problem is, most leaders don’t realise the moment it happens.
And by then, the decisions are already made.

My guest is Hanna Curman—international speaker, Founder of BrainShift (the new transformation logic), certified in brain-based coaching, and author on leadership and mental health. She helps executives lead transformation from the nervous system up

Connect with Hanna: https://hannacurman.se/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannacurman/

https://www.instagram.com/brainshiftleadership/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.



Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.



Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions



Learn more at: vermelho.com.au



Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:



• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq



Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.



High Performance Is Quietly Rewiring Your Brain with Hanna Curman

Every team has a second voice.

Not the one you hear in meetings, strategy sessions, or company values—but the one running underneath it all. The quiet collective self-talk that determines whether people speak up, stay silent, take ownership, avoid risk, or trust each other when things get hard. 

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.

Why Great Teams Talk to Themselves Differently with Luisa Hogan

You built something that works. People are responding, opportunities are coming in—but something feels off. Not wrong enough to walk away… just misaligned enough that you can’t ignore it.

My guest is Angel Dash and she is a Flamekeeper and Sacred Brand Alchemist, international speaker, and creator of the trauma-informed B.O.L.D. Method™. She helps soul-led leaders turn their story into bold, high-converting brands through strategic messaging, visual identity, and website design that feels like home while driving real results.

Connect with Angel: https://www.instagram.com/angeldashbrandingco/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.



Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.



Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions



Learn more at: vermelho.com.au



Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:



• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq



Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.



Why Your Brand Doesn’t Feel Like You (Even If It’s Working) with Angel Dash

Most leaders think success is what shapes them—but what happens when success stops mattering? When you’re sitting in a moment you can’t fix, can’t control, and can’t win… what’s left of the leader you thought you were?

Today’s guest is Jay U. Jacobson, a funeral director, entrepreneur, and leadership voice shaped by moments where pressure, grief, and responsibility collide. Jay has testified before the United States Senate on funeral ethics and draws on decades of experience in disaster response, business ownership, and mentoring leaders to explore what leadership looks like when it actually matters. He’s the author of Lead by Legendary Example, a story-driven book on integrity, presence, service, and legacy in real-world leadership.

Connect with Jay: https://www.jacobsonprostaff.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayscookies/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.

What Grief Taught Me About Leadership (That Success Never Could) with Jay Jacobson

Most founders say they want to step back—but when the moment comes, they don’t. Not because they can’t… but because they don’t trust what happens next. And the real question is: is that about your team, or about you?

My guest is Rich Aston. During his 45 year career owning small businesses Rich Ashton became frustrated about the choice between bringing in outside leadership talent who didn't fit the culture of his organizations versus promoting excellent, but unprepared existing employees into leadership positions.  He developed a training program to develop leaders in his own company which was so successful he was able to retire and leave management of his businesses to his leadership team.  His book, "Growing Your Own, common sense advice for developing leaders in small business" is a guide to the principles taught in the training course.  The book has been described as "practical, actionable and based on Ashton's real world experience in small business.

Connect with Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-ashton-397a2b10/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.

Why Most Founders Can’t Step Away (Even When They Want To) with Rich Aston

We admire leaders who listen deeply — but what happens inside their minds while they’re listening? Beneath the calm exterior, there’s often a quiet tension: the urge to speak, to fix, to prove. Today, we’re exploring the second voice of leadership — the internal dialogue that makes empathy possible.

Today, I’m joined by Adam Kinnest, a purpose-driven leader known for his calm, inclusive approach to complex challenges. Together, we’ll unpack what really happens inside the mind of a listening leader — the doubts, tensions, and choices that turn empathy into resilience.

Connect with Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-kinnest-316705146/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.

When Listening Becomes Leadership with Adam Kinnest

What if the voice of doubt in your head wasn’t a warning sign, but proof you’re stepping into real leadership? Today’s conversation reveals why impostor syndrome may actually mean you’re on the right path.

My guest, Brenda Hukel, has lived this transformation firsthand.” Brenda is an Author, Speaker, and Founder of Awakening the Consciousness Within, LLC. After more than 30 years in Human Resources, Organizational Development, and transformational coaching, she stepped away from her executive career to help women release limiting beliefs, unhealed trauma, and generational conditioning that keep them from their true selves.

Connect with Brenda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-hukel-mba/

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.

Why Doubt Might Be the Sign You’re Ready to Lead with Brenda Hukel

What happens when everything you’ve been taught about helping others no longer feels right? For Dr. Avi Charlton, unlearning medicine wasn’t rebellion—it was essential. This is the story of a doctor who dared to listen to her second voice… and prescribed a new way to heal.

Today we’re exploring what it takes to question the very system that shaped you—and find freedom on the other side. My guest is Dr Avi Charlton who is a GP, speaker, best-selling author, podcast host, and thought leader in lifestyle medicine. She is the founder of Melbourne Low Carb Clinic and Breathe in Health, where she helps people reverse chronic conditions and improve wellbeing through nutrition, functional breathing, and lifestyle interventions.

A passionate advocate for empowering individuals to take charge of their health, Dr. Charlton shares her expertise on stage, in the media, through her best-selling book *Prescribing Lifestyle: A Doctor’s Prescription to Lasting Weight Loss and Vibrant Health*, and as host of the *Prescribing Lifestyle* podcast.

Her work has been recognised nationally, receiving an **AusMumpreneur Honourable Mention for Wellness Business of the Year**. With over two decades of experience as a doctor, Dr. Charlton continues to inspire and guide people toward vibrant health, sustainable change, and a future where lifestyle is the first prescription.

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions



Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq

Find Dr Avi:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-charlton/

www.mlcclinic.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063738752807 https://www.instagram.com/dr_charlton_lifestyle_gp/ https://youtube.com/@avicharlton?si=GI8vQOQ_CJ9N5PwW

Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.





Unlearning Medicine: A GP’s Inner Revolution with Dr Avi Charlton

What if the success you’re chasing isn’t really growth at all—but fear in disguise? Many leaders drive themselves into overdrive, convinced they’re growing, when in reality they’re anchored by fear. Today, we’ll uncover how to spot the difference and what it takes to move from proving yourself to truly becoming yourself.

My guest today is Marielle Speetjens, a Midlife Reinvention & Confidence Coach and the founder of Mindbreeze.ae   She helps women in midlife rebuild confidence, realign with what matters, and design a next chapter they’re excited to say YES to. Through her 5C Method—Courage, Confidence, Clarity, Commitment, Celebration—she pairs straight-talk coaching with practical habits and micro-promises that last. With clients, she surfaces patterns, rewires limiting stories, builds daily confidence rituals, aligns the path ahead, and tracks (and celebrates) what matters.  In earlier chapters, Marielle worked in human rights and international education, and founded her own coaching company. After the passing of her daughter, she devoted herself to family and homeschooled her children while living off-grid on a sailboat. After moving to Portugal—and while navigating menopause, and her own reinvention—she completed two half-Ironman races and managed an international swim team for several years.  Today, as her nest slowly empties, she coaches privately and speaks on midlife reinvention, authenticity, embodiment and alignment.

At The Second Voice, we explore the inner conversations leaders rarely say out loud.

If this episode resonated, it is likely because the second voice is active in your leadership too.

Hosted by Luisa Hogan, leadership resilience strategist and founder of Vermelho Consulting.

Luisa works with founders, executives, and senior leaders who carry real responsibility and want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and self-trust under pressure.

Her work focuses on nervous system regulation, leadership identity, and the inner dialogue that shapes how leaders show up when things are hard.

Work with Marielle

https://www.facebook.com/marielle.speetjens 

https://www.instagram.com/mariellespeetjens/

https://mindbreeze.ae

Work With Luisa

If this episode sparked reflection, here are ways to go deeper:

• Leadership resilience workshops and advisory

• Keynotes and curated live experiences

• The Steady Leadership framework and private sessions

Learn more at: vermelho.com.au

Stay Connected

Follow along and join the conversation:

• Instagram: @thesecondvoicepodcast

• Instagram: @luisahoganhq



Subscribe, rate, and review The Second Voice to help more leaders find these conversations.





The False Anchor That Looks Like Growth with Marielle Speetjens

Every leader has two voices — the one they speak with, and the one they live with. The Second Voice brings the latter into the open. Join Luisa Hogan as she sits down with founders, change-makers, and creatives to talk about the unseen side of leadership: the whispers of doubt, resilience, intuition, and truth that shape our choices. Real stories, raw reflections, and the mindset rituals that steady us through it all.

Luisa Hogan

Shows