Here's how the right mentors can collapse your timeline, sharpen your
thinking, and change your next 12 months.
📌 In This Issue:
- The insight that shows why mentors change your direction faster
- Why every leader needs someone who can see what they can't
- How world class thinkers make growth feel simple
- Meet the mentors who elevate the Thought Leaders Network
The Insight That Rebuilt My Purpose
Before I met Dov Baron, I saw the world as a transactional place with little empathy on the side. It worked for me as a speaker, but it did nothing for the deeper mission I had not understood yet.
During the pandemic, when I was battling anxiety and depression, Dov stepped into my world. He did not try to fix me. He listened. He asked the right questions. He held space I did not know I needed.
He showed me something simple and life changing.
Empathy is not a bonus in leadership. It's the whole point.
That idea flipped my map.
It helped me understand my struggles and see how they fitted into a future I had not built yet. He did not tell me to create a global network, but the strength to do it came from the lessons he shared.
We also connected instantly as 2 northern lads who love people, stories and truth. That made the journey lighter.
Dov did more than guide me.
He changed the way I see my mission.
Dov Baron
- Top 30 Global Leadership Thinker
- Host one of the world's top business podcasts for Fortune 500 leaders
- Leadership advisor known for deep insight, honesty & purpose driven thinking
Why this matters for your journey
Dov's insight gives you the ability to understand yourself on a deeper level. His thinking shapes how to face challenges and rebuild your confidence. His insight will play a key role in how we shape the TLN experience moving forward.
The Mentor Who Always Finds the Gap
Jeff Smith is the world's best selling author on KPIs. Porsche, Mercedes, BMW and Toyota bring him in to fix what others miss. His books sell out. His events are packed. Every training he delivers is like gold, and he guards his calendar with intention, choosing time to recharge so he can bring his best thinking to every conversation.
But for me, Jeff is more than a global expert.
He is a friend.
And a mentor who sees what I often miss.
Every time I ask Jeff a question, he answers by showing me the gap. The thing I didn't see, the angle I didn't consider, the truth I didn't want to face. He does it calmly, clearly and with frightening accuracy.
When I first wrote The Thought Leader's Playbook, it didn't have that name. It was called The Industry Icon. Jeff looked at me and said, "Who understands that before you explain it. If you have to explain your book cover, no one will buy it."
He was right.
That one insight changed everything.
Jeff taught me how to think like the customer, simplify the message and focus on what delivers the highest impact in the least time. That is why he was one of the first people I invited to join the TLN faculty.
Jeff Smith
- World's best selling author on KPIs with more than one million books sold
- Trusted advisor to Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota & global automotive brands
- International speaker known for clarity, precision and making performance simple
Why this matters for your journey
Jeff helps you see the blind spots in your strategy and message. His approach teaches you how to simplify your ideas, speak to your audience with precision and make the decisions that make you move forward faster. His thinking will influence the tools and clarity we build into TLN moving forward.
The Thinker Who Makes Culture Simple
The first time I worked with Fons Trompenaars, he was the headline speaker at one of the biggest HR conferences in the Middle East. People were queuing with books in their hands, hoping to get a moment with him. Many have built their entire HR systems on his ideas.
He stepped on stage and delivered a masterclass.
Smart. Clear. Human.
But what struck me most was not his brilliance. It was his empathy.
Fons understands people.
He understands where you come from, what you're trying to build and how culture shapes every decision you make. His mission is simple. Help organisations work together with more understanding and less friction.
In a world where thought leaders often face resistance for bold ideas, Fons focuses on practical tools that help people connect. He is respected for his mind and loved for his heart. He remains one of the most genuine people I have ever worked with.
Fons Trompenaars
- Creator of the world famous Seven Dimensions of Culture
- Advisor to Shell, IBM, PepsiCo, Philips and more than 500 global companies
- Thinkers Fifty Hall of Fame inductee and one of the top business minds working today
Why this matters for your journey
Fons helps you understand people at a deeper level. His insights give you confidence when you lead, communicate and collaborate. His perspective will influence how we help you build stronger relationships, clearer conversations and a more powerful personal brand through TLN.
The Producer Who Turns Ideas Into Impact
I have known Reim El Houni for more than 20 years, and she has shaped more of Middle Eastern television than most people realise. For 2 decades, she has been behind some of the region's most creative, influential and loved shows. Magazine formats. Game shows. Documentaries. If she touches a project, it becomes world class.
What impressed me most was not her awards or her experience.
It was what she did during the pandemic.
When every presenter she worked with suddenly lost their jobs, Reim didn't slow down. She built Dubai on Demand, took her entire operation online and kept her whole team working. While the industry froze, she kept delivering the content viewers loved and the country needed.
I saw her again recently at the launch of The Final Pitch. It is bold, fresh and pure Reim. She takes imagination and turns it into reality without losing the heart of the message.
When I interviewed her, her story reminded me why she belongs in this Faculty. She has shelves of awards, yet she remains humble, warm and fiercely creative. She sees stories before they exist and brings them to life with clairity and purpose.
Reim El Houni
- Award winning producer behind 2 decades of iconic Middle Eastern television
- Founder of Ti22 Films, one of the UAE's leading production houses
- Creator of digital platforms like Dubai on Demand that transformed regional media during the pandemic
Why this matters for your journey
Reim shows you how to become visible in a way that feels authentic and powerful. Her approach to storytelling helps you understand how to present your ideas with clarity and impact. Her expertise will influence how we help you present your message with clarity and confidence through TLN.
You have now met 4 of the 13 mentors who shape the TLN Faculty.
If you want to learn from all 13, you can join the Thought Leaders Network here.
