Adeptus On Air

Today on Adeptus On-Air host Mike Hoffman chats with Ashley Priore, a leadership strategist, CEO, and lifelong chess champion who began competing in tournaments at just four years old. Ashley shares how growing up as the youngest of four in Pittsburgh led her to learn the game by watching her siblings, quickly turning curiosity into competition. She reflects on being one of the only girls in many tournaments and how those early experiences shaped her decision to found the Queen’s Gambit Chess Institute at just fourteen. She explains how chess became more than a board game and evolved into a framework for teaching decision making, adaptability, and confidence in classrooms, companies, and professional sports teams. She discusses working with NFL organizations and why athletes often credit chess with sharpening their ability to read pressure and respond under stress. She breaks down the balance between thinking ahead and overthinking, and why strong leaders learn when to move quickly and when to pause. Tune in to hear more about empowering young women through chess, training executives to make better decisions, and why every move carries consequences beyond the board. 

 Today on Adeptus On-Air host Mike Hoffman chats with Dean Simone, an American actor, screenwriter, filmmaker, and musician whose career spans television, film, and live performance. Dean shares how a single high school play in South Jersey led him to move west within a year and pursue acting professionally, turning beginner’s confidence into real opportunity. He reflects on earning his SAG card, landing early network roles, and realizing quickly that success in Hollywood often comes with as many near misses as wins. He explains how rejection never fully disappears, but how faith, experience, and perspective have shortened the sting over time. He talks about writing and producing his own projects, including Game Day, and why creating his own work gives him a sense of ownership in an unpredictable industry. He shares why music with The Smokin Cobras remains a steady creative outlet alongside acting. Tune in to hear more about handling rejection in Hollywood, balancing multiple creative passions, and staying grounded through decades in entertainment.