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Summary

In this episode of Small Biz Catalyst, host Ayisat Abilogun and guest Ted Santos delve into the concept of disruptive leadership. They discuss how leaders can intentionally create problems for their teams to foster innovation and growth. The conversation emphasizes the importance of navigating uncertainty, empowering teams, and transforming mindsets to achieve breakthroughs. Santos shares personal anecdotes and practical strategies for leaders to develop their teams and themselves in a rapidly changing business environment. The episode concludes with a grant announcement for small businesses.

Grants & Resources:

Contact:
grants@nbafoundation.com
https://nbafoundation.nba.com
Maximum Grant: not specified
Deadline: November 14, 2025
Guidelines and Application: https://nbafoundation.nba.com/grants/

About the guest - Ted Santos:

Most people focus on solving problems—but what if the key to intentionally creating breakthrough success lies in purposely creating problems instead?

As a leadership coach and creator of the Disruptive Leadership Model, Ted helps business owners and executives intentionally create challenges that force innovation, drive growth, and disrupt stagnant thinking.

Instead of fixing what’s broken, Ted's approach reveals hidden opportunities and reshapes industries by training people to break through mental barriers and blind spots.

In this eye-opening episode, Ted shares:

• The science behind problem creation as a tool for innovation.
• How leaders can design challenges to drive strategic growth and resilience.
• Real-world examples of executives who achieved breakthroughs by rethinking traditional approaches.

Ted Santos is a leadership expert committed to transforming organizations by flipping conventional thinking on its head. His methodology blends strategic disruption with a Socratic questioning approach, helping leaders spark innovation and build a lasting competitive edge.

You can learn more about Ted here.

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