Leading and Building Mindfully Part 1

In this powerful episode, I sit down with The Honorable Cody Williams—a visionary leader, community builder, and former city councilman—who transformed not just neighborhoods, but narratives. We dive into what it takes to lead with both strategy and soul, especially when the odds, the data, and the perception are stacked against your community.

Leadership isn’t just about titles or checklists. It’s about vision. It’s about believing in something better, even when you don’t have it in your hands yet. Cody shares how his family history, lived experience, and refusal to accept “what is” helped fuel a movement in South Phoenix—one rooted in equity, housing, economic opportunity, and generational change.

We talk about:

• The intersection of mental health and leadership
• How community memory shapes vision
• The power of asking, “What do you want?” as a leadership strategy
• And why leading starts with seeing the value in where you are—not just where you’re going

This episode is about mindful leadership—the kind that starts with a single expectation: We deserve more.

So whether you’re leading a company, a household, or just trying to lead your own life better—this conversation will move you, challenge you, and remind you that no change happens without someone bold enough to see it first.

Let’s get into it.
Welcome to If Left Unchecked…