The Power of Accountability and Resilience in Business and Life with Laurent Cohen

In this episode of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom, Kim Miller-Hershon sits down with Laurent Cohen Founder and CEO of Go OBL, a voice-first AI platform helping local businesses never miss customer calls, capture leads, and book appointments automatically. With more than 20 years of entrepreneurial and technical leadership experience across Europe, the United States, and Israel, Laurent has built and scaled multiple businesses across industries including eCommerce, digital marketing, and AI. His journey has been shaped by high growth success, painful setbacks, and hard-earned lessons about resilience, accountability, and leadership. In this conversation, Laurent shares the story of how an unexpected volcanic eruption in Iceland nearly destroyed his thriving eCommerce business by disrupting global shipping during peak holiday season. What initially felt like an “act of God” became one of the most transformative moments of his career, forcing him to confront hard truths about risk, overconfidence, and the importance of personal accountability. Laurent explains why business owners must stop seeing themselves as victims of circumstance and instead take ownership of their blind spots, decisions, and missed opportunities. He shares how rebuilding after crisis ultimately led him to create an even larger and more successful company. Beyond business resilience, Laurent also reflects on how living and building businesses across France, the United States, and Israel shaped his leadership philosophy. He discusses the differences between craftsmanship, efficiency, and urgency and how each culture taught him a different dimension of entrepreneurship. This episode explores: - How a volcanic eruption nearly bankrupted Laurent’s business and changed his mindset forever - Why accountability is one of the most underrated leadership skills - The danger of success making entrepreneurs feel invincible - How setbacks often become the foundation for future breakthroughs - The differences between doing business in France, the U.S., and Israel - Why entrepreneurs must trust their intuition while staying accountable for mistakes - How imposter syndrome can show up even in highly experienced founders - The role meditation played in helping Laurent manage stress, anxiety, and internal pressure - Why AI is widening the gap between those who actively learn and those who get left behind Laurent’s perspective is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t built when everything is going well it’s built in the moments when things fall apart and you decide what story you’re going to tell yourself next. If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or business owner navigating uncertainty, setbacks, growth, or AI transformation, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom, mindset shifts, and real world lessons. Connect with me here: Website: https://www.kimmillerhershon.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmillerhershon Newsletter: https://link.kimmillerhershon.com/widget/form/aEdmdA1W5MhoMCMfy5O8 Webinar: https://webinar.kimmillerhershon.com/?utm_source=Podcast Guest Details: Company: Go OBL Website: https://getoblic.com Founder: Laurent Cohen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.