Fractured But Fearless

Jeff Gigante has built some of Tampa Bay’s most recognized restaurants, but his path began with a failed pizzeria, a canceled acting job and a $40,000 debt he had no idea how to repay.In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Jeff, founder of Next Level Brands, to explore the failures, risks and personal experiences that shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and hospitality.Jeff shares how he went from studying theater and pursuing acting in New York to helping transform Tampa’s restaurant scene. He explains why storytelling sits at the center of hospitality, how his team hires for attitude over experience and why every restaurant carries a responsibility to create meaningful memories for its guests.The conversation also examines one of the defining moments of Jeff’s career. When COVID-19 shut down businesses across Florida, his team urged him to close. Jeff chose to reinvent the restaurant instead. He launched takeout, fed first responders and found a creative way to solve Tampa’s toilet paper shortage. The campaign generated national attention and helped lay the foundation for Next Level Brands.Jeff and Dr. Ali also discuss imposter syndrome, charitable giving, the hidden cost of success and the mindset that allows leaders to move through fear. Jeff shares how training with Wim Hof changed his understanding of human capability and why he views pressure as a privilege.This conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to build a company, lead during a crisis and create a life grounded in relationships and purpose.WHAT YOU’LL LEARNHow Jeff moved from acting into the restaurant industryWhy his first pizzeria failed after only a few monthsHow he overcame fear while opening his first Tampa restaurantWhy Next Level Brands hires for attitude and personalityHow company culture influences the guest experienceWhat “pressure is a privilege” means to JeffHow Wim Hof training changed his view of personal limitsWhy Jeff refused to close his restaurant during COVIDHow a toilet paper promotion generated national attentionWhy failure has played a larger role in his life than successHow charitable work changed his understanding of leadershipWhy relationships ultimately define a meaningful lifeCHAPTERS00:00 Introduction00:31 Jeff Gigante’s lifelong ambition01:03 Elevating Tampa Bay’s restaurant scene02:15 From theater student to restaurant entrepreneur04:24 Opening a pizzeria while still in college06:06 Borrowing $30,000 to start the business07:08 A crisis two weeks before opening08:16 The first major challenge Jeff overcame09:00 Why the restaurant failed10:00 Choosing between acting and hospitality11:18 Booking a role on a soap opera11:43 The show gets canceled12:17 Jeff decides to pursue restaurants13:21 Seeing Tampa’s potential early15:05 Pitching a New York restaurateur on Tampa17:45 Feeling terrified while starting the business19:00 Reframing fear as excitement and readiness20:38 Imposter syndrome at a 400-seat restaurant22:00 Connecting business with community service23:00 Meeting WWE superstar Titus O’Neil25:13 Activating your heart instead of writing a check27:00 Building a culture around human experience28:17 How Next Level Brands approaches culture29:28 Hiring for attitude over experience30:34 Growing to more than 700 employees31:00 The personal cost of success32:42 Why pressure is a privilege34:16 Meditation, breathwork and cold plunging35:00 Training with Wim Hof in Poland36:00 Discovering the mind’s hidden capacity37:27 Building a legacy for your children39:19 How Jeff’s restaurant survived COVID41:11 Refusing to close the business42:00 Feeding first responders42:46 Solving Tampa’s toilet paper shortage43:50 The campaign that went viral44:06 National media attention and reinvention44:55 Protecting employees during the shutdown46:47 Why leaders must lead during a crisis48:25 Remaining a student of life50:32 Jeff’s advice to young entrepreneurs51:16 Why failure matters more than success52:48 Measuring life through relationships54:16 Defining the responsibility of hospitality55:00 Creating “laid-back luxury”56:38 Honoring every guest’s decision58:04 What’s next for Next Level Brands01:00:00 Friends are strangers we haven’t metMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

Fractured but Fearless is a podcast about the side of leadership most people never see.Host Dr. Irfan Ali came to America with $1,700, cleaned carpets at night, and attended medical school during the day. Through discipline, resilience, and a willingness to take risks, he went on to build one of the largest privately held physician groups in West Florida.In each episode, Dr. Ali sits down with founders, physicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and executives for honest conversations about the failures that shaped them, the losses that forced them to grow, and the turning points that changed everything.These are stories about what happens behind the success, when no one is watching and quitting feels easier.Because every leader gets fractured. The fearless ones keep going.

In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Glenn Permuy, former national COO of Boys & Girls Clubs, for a powerful conversation about purpose, service, mentorship, and the life-changing impact of creating safe spaces for young people.Glenn shares how the Boys Club became a safe place for him as a child, how he began leading others at just 12 years old, and why his life’s work became centered on helping young people find direction, confidence, and hope.The conversation explores what it means to truly listen, how mentorship can change the course of a young person’s life, and why success often comes from patience, trust, discipline, and showing up when people need you most.Glenn also reflects on the lessons he learned from failure, the young people who shaped his own growth, and the importance of building systems that support kids long after one conversation ends.This episode is for anyone who believes leadership is about impact, service, and helping others see a future they may not yet see for themselves.What You’ll LearnHow Glenn Permuy found his purpose through the Boys & Girls ClubsWhy safe spaces can change the direction of a young person’s lifeHow listening can be more powerful than giving adviceWhy mentorship requires patience, trust, and consistencyHow setbacks, grief, and disappointment can deepen resilienceChapters00:00 Welcome to Fractured But Fearless01:20 Glenn Permuy on finding his purpose02:21 Why the Boys Club became a safe place04:10 Starting at the club as a young child05:08 Learning leadership at 12 years old06:40 How coaching became a path to impact08:18 Why young people trusted Glenn with their struggles10:00 The power of patience and listening11:37 Listening versus hearing12:57 Why mentorship can’t be cookie cutter13:20 Working with young people through the court system15:44 Building systems that create lasting change18:26 How Glenn handled disappointment and failure19:59 The lesson Carmen taught him about helping others23:05 Leroy’s story and the power of belief28:37 How to keep going through burnout and setbacks32:21 Why giving back becomes the turning point34:16 The people who shaped Glenn’s values37:51 Discipline, adaptability, and service41:00 Choosing impact over recognitionMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

Dr. Nyla Hazratjee is a gastroenterologist, filmmaker, producer, storyteller, mother, and creative force who refuses to fit into one box.In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Dr. Hazratjee for a powerful conversation about identity, medicine, Muslim womanhood, filmmaking, creativity, and the courage it takes to tell stories that challenge expectations.Dr. Hazratjee opens up about being a Pakistani American Muslim physician, navigating imposter syndrome, and building a creative life while working in medicine. She explains why she’s drawn to complicated characters, why vulnerability matters in storytelling, and why Muslim women deserve to be portrayed as full human beings with ambition, mistakes, desire, faith, struggle, and agency.The conversation also explores her journey into film, the challenges of funding stories that don’t fit easy categories, the parallels between medicine and art, and how she balances family, career, creativity, and fear.This episode is for anyone who has ever felt boxed in by culture, profession, identity, family expectations, or fear.What You’ll Learn:• How Dr. Nyla Hazratjee balances life as a physician, filmmaker, mother, and storyteller.• Why Muslim women deserve more complex, honest representation on screen.• How imposter syndrome shows up in medicine, creativity, and culture.• Why the best stories often come from vulnerability, discomfort, and the things people don’t say.• How taking creative risks can help you reclaim parts of yourself you once put “on the shelf.”Chapters00:00 Introduction to Dr. Nyla Hazratjee01:24 Being a physician, filmmaker, mother, and storyteller02:00 Work ethic, creativity, and feeling like there’s more to do03:14 Identity, culture, and the pressure to fit in04:01 Why Dr. Hazratjee sees herself as multifaceted06:21 Purpose, imposter syndrome, and being a woman in medicine07:26 Belonging in every room08:17 Why vulnerability reveals our shared humanity09:36 Portraying Muslim women as full human beings11:02 Finding space within culture, religion, and tradition12:20 Boundaries, assertiveness, and creativity13:20 Why storytelling is such a difficult medium14:27 The challenge of funding authentic stories15:39 American Fabric and the politics of hijab17:05 Dealing with criticism and disappointment18:13 Writing controversial stories with personal stakes20:11 The real consequences of creative risk21:15 Risk-benefit analysis in life and art21:43 Why complicated characters matter23:20 Starting a second creative career24:14 Taking old dreams off the shelf25:13 The hidden stories behind success27:03 The connection between medicine and storytelling27:44 Why Did Farida Die?28:55 Systems, patients, bias, and human complexity30:17 Finding the story people aren’t telling31:32 Dr. Hazratjee’s creative process33:14 The power of the things we don’t say34:03 Telling stories that feel scary36:26 Dr. Hazratjee’s path into entertainment37:00 Medical school, culture shock, and early media work39:23 The COVID moment that sparked her screenwriting journey40:48 Asking for support at home42:00 What people reveal when money is involved43:10 Overcoming imposter syndrome44:28 Keeping life scary46:17 Final thoughts: a message in a bottleMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

What does leadership reveal about a person once pressure, failure, and power enter the room?In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Bridgette Bello, a longtime Tampa Bay executive, founder, and leadership voice who has spent decades working closely with CEOs, business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.Bridgette shares what she has learned from sitting across from hundreds of leaders, including the difference between power and influence, why adversity shapes so many successful executives, and how relationships and reputation can help break a fall when life forces you to rebuild.She also opens up about trust, betrayal, being the only woman in the room, the loneliness that comes with leadership, and why she believes people need to talk more honestly about failure, silence, purpose, and the “isolation tax” leaders often carry.This conversation is a thoughtful look at what happens behind the scenes of success, and why real leadership is measured less by titles and more by trust, authenticity, service, and the willingness to keep learning.If you’re a founder, executive, entrepreneur, or anyone rebuilding after a difficult season, this episode offers a grounded reminder that purpose, relationships, and courage still matter.What You’ll LearnHow Bridgette Bello defines the difference between power and influence.Why some leaders become more grounded through success, while others lose themselves.How adversity shapes many CEOs, founders, and business owners.Why rebuilding after failure can hurt your ego, identity, and sense of control.The role faith, family, reputation, and relationships play during hard seasons.Why trust is central to leadership, and why broken trust rarely looks the same again.How women still face real barriers in executive rooms and boardroom conversations.Why leaders need spaces where they can speak honestly about loneliness and isolation.How Bridgette’s new venture, The Executive Collective, aims to transfer leadership knowledge across generations.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Bridgette Bello01:54 Power vs. influence in leadership03:36 What building something does to a person05:37 Learning again after thinking you already knew06:27 Finding purpose through leadership08:43 Rebuilding after failure and disappointment10:15 The isolation tax of leadership11:09 Why relationships can break your fall12:10 Why trust is everything13:03 Getting comfortable with change15:00 One foot in front of the other15:53 How adversity shapes great leaders18:02 Why strong leaders give back19:41 Women in leadership and the seat at the table23:36 What drives Bridgette every day25:00 Working with people you don’t like27:38 Authenticity behind closed doors29:11 Trusting people after betrayal31:35 Learning to trust but verify33:00 How leaders handle anger and stress34:20 Family, cooking, and shutting off the noise37:02 What’s next for Bridgette Bello37:43 The Executive Collective39:47 Final thoughts on purpose-driven leadershipMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

Ashley Butler’s story didn’t start in a boardroom. It started with responsibility, resourcefulness, and a belief planted early in life: you are not your circumstances.In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Ashley Butler, Chief Visionary Officer of Ice Cold Air, for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, service, leadership, and the hidden cost of building something from the ground up.Ashley shares how childhood lessons, family influence, early financial pressure, and a relentless commitment to learning helped shape her path from helping her family as a young teenager to becoming a franchise owner and eventually leading the entire company. Ashley opens up about the people who shaped her, the mentors who challenged her, the financial losses that tested her, and the leadership lessons that came from serving customers and building people.She also talks honestly about the loneliness of leadership, the importance of having a personal board of advisors, and why staying humble, coachable, and service-driven matters at every stage of success.This is a conversation about becoming unstoppable, even when the road is anything but easy.What You'll Learn:The childhood lessons that shaped Ashley’s mindsetWhy “you are not your circumstances” became a guiding beliefHow community, structure, and family helped build her resilienceThe early entrepreneurial drive that led her to Ice Cold AirHow Ashley became a franchise owner in 2006The financial setbacks and hard decisions behind business growthWhy service became the foundation of her leadership styleThe emotional weight of leading peopleHow therapy, mentors, forums, and trusted advisors helped her growWhy every leader needs a board of advisorsWhat it really means to be unstoppableTimestamps00:00 Ashley Butler joins Fractured But Fearless01:12 Connecting with Ashley’s 13-year-old self02:30 “You are not your circumstances”04:35 Learning responsibility at a young age07:14 Reality, structure, and growing up fast10:23 How community shaped Ashley’s resilience12:49 The skills hidden inside survival14:47 Finding resources in your community18:32 Don’t envy abundance, study it20:15 How entrepreneurship found Ashley21:00 The chance meeting that led to Ice Cold Air23:21 Becoming a franchise owner in 200624:26 Setbacks, resilience, and business losses30:08 The private pressure entrepreneurs carry31:24 When is enough, enough?33:34 The humanity of leadership35:06 Becoming unstoppable35:42 From franchise owner to company leader36:57 Building trust through transparency and service39:10 Creating a culture of learning40:39 Lending confidence to others42:38 Leading from the trenches44:05 Why leaders need trusted peer groups45:03 Therapy, structure, and self-awareness46:00 Building your personal board of advisorsMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. Ali sits down with retired healthcare executive MIke Schultz for a candid conversation about what real leadership looks like inside complex healthcare systems.Mike reflects on his career leading teams, building culture, scaling hospitals, navigating COVID, and learning why leadership can’t revolve around ego or control. He shares why great leaders bring people into the vision, set clear expectations, create accountability, and build trust before crisis arrives.Dr. Ali and Mike also explore the tension between compassion and accountability, the danger of autocratic leadership, the importance of emotional intelligence, and why strategy only matters when it can actually be executed.Their conversation is a powerful reminder that healthcare leadership is about more than numbers, titles, or boardroom decisions. It’s about people, purpose, and the moral compass behind every choice.What You’ll learn:How leadership changes when it becomes bigger than youWhy healthcare leaders need both compassion and accountabilityHow culture gets built through presence, trust, and consistencyWhat COVID revealed about crisis leadershipWhy strategy must connect vision to operationsHow leaders can let go of control without losing accountabilityWhy the way you reach a goal matters as much as the goal itselfTimestamps00:00 Introduction to MIke Schultz02:10 What Healthcare Leadership Really Means05:30 Leadership Is a Learned Skill08:15 The Ego Trap in Leadership11:40 Finding Purpose in the Work15:20 Bringing People Into the Vision18:45 Leading the Top 20, Middle 60, and Bottom 2023:30 Building Culture Through Presence28:00 Emotional Intelligence and Reading the Room32:10 Leading Through COVID37:45 Protecting the Team During Crisis42:00 Innovation Under Pressure46:20 Why Leaders Need Self-Awareness50:00 Letting Go of Control54:15 Learning From Failure58:20 Celebrating Real Wins1:02:00 Compassion and Accountability1:07:30 Strategy as the Bridge Between Vision and Operations1:12:00 Why Execution Matters1:16:00 The Moral Compass of Leadership1:19:00 Final ReflectionsMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open

What does it do to a person to witness human suffering over and over again?In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti to explore the emotional weight of reporting from the frontlines of tragedy and what happens when the story becomes personal.Jonathan has spent over two decades covering disasters, conflict, and resilience across the globe. But during the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, he wasn’t just reporting the story. He was living it.This conversation goes beyond journalism. It dives into humanity, resilience, and the quiet moments that shape who we become after everything falls apart.Jonathan's book, Torched: How a City Was Left to Burn, and the Olympic Rush to Rebuild, is now available wherever books are sold.What You’ll Learn• What repeated exposure to tragedy does to the human mind• The moment that changed how Jonathan approaches storytelling• Why empathy matters more than getting the story• The reality of system failure during disasters• How small decisions can change someone’s life forever• What separates people who recover from those who stay stuck• Why being present matters more than being rightTimestamps00:00 Intro01:30 The moment that changed everything05:30 The emotional toll of witnessing tragedy09:50 Stories that never leave you12:00 The wildfire rescue that changed his life16:45 Choosing to act vs staying detached21:00 System failure during disasters25:00 “Where are the firefighters?” moment30:00 Why he chooses to be in the field37:00 The loneliness of knowing the full story42:00 How to cope with emotional weight49:00 What resilience actually looks like55:00 What helps people move forward after loss01:01:00 Final thoughtsMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open