Episode 4: All In. Jeff Knauss on Legacy, Leadership, and the People Who Shape Us

In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show, serial entrepreneur Jeff Knauss (Digital Hyve, Opin, Arcovo AI) shares how poverty fueled his hustle, why he made every employee an owner before selling his company in a multi-million-dollar deal, and how family remains the compass behind every decision he makes.

Some people talk about leadership. Jeff lives it—with heart, vision, and an unwavering commitment to lifting others up.

I’ve seen it firsthand. Jeff has been one of my greatest hype men and a trusted friend who pushed me to come into my own as a leader. This very podcast—and my decision to launch Dr. Melissa Coaching—exists in part because he believed in me before I fully did.

A serial entrepreneur, investor, and AI strategist, Jeff built and scaled one of the fastest-growing marketing agencies in the country. As co-founder and former CEO of Digital Hyve, he not only led the company to national acclaim, but also structured an ESOP so that every employee became an owner—before its eventual sale.

Today, as CEO of Arcovo AI, he’s reshaping the future of work through ethical innovation. He also continues to invest in the next generation as co-founder of Opin, a platform that empowers high school and college entrepreneurs.

But behind the accolades is a man defined by integrity, loyalty, and love. In this powerful conversation, Jeff opens up about:

• The roots of hustle, identity, and the “poverty monster” that shaped him
• What it means to go all in—on business, mentorship, and marriage
• Why his wife Heta and their children remain the center of every life decision
• And how success shifts when you stop chasing outcomes—and start living with purpose

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to lead with both fire and heart, this episode will stay with you

🎧 Featured Resources from This Episode:

• https://arcovo.ai/ – Arcovo AI designs, deploys, and manages AI-powered digital employees—helping businesses scale smarter, work faster, and thrive
• https://www.jeffknauss.com/– To connect with Jeff

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional counseling or mental health treatment. Listening to this podcast does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health concern, please reach out to a licensed professional.

🔹 Brought to you by CNY Mental Health Counseling, PLLC
We proudly serve individuals, couples, and families across New York State and partner with schools, nonprofits, and corporate teams to support mental wellness and resilience.
🌐 Learn more: www.cnymhc.com
📍 Please note: Due to state licensure laws, services are only available to residents of New York State.

Looking for executive or performance coaching support?
Explore Dr. Carman’s work with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performing teams:
🌐 www.drmelissacarman.com

👍 Like, Subscribe & Share
If this conversation moved you, helped you feel seen, or inspired you to reflect more deeply on your own story—please subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with someone who needs it.

This is what we explore in depth inside my private executive coaching practice. If you're a high-performer or leading a team navigating growth, identity, or burnout—let’s talk.

In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show: The Stories That Shape Us, Dr. Melissa Carman—licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of CNY Mental Health Counseling—sits down with Kate Houck, Executive Director of David’s Refuge and founder of Brave CNY.

Kate is a seasoned nonprofit leader, speaker, and culture-builder who shares what it really takes to lead with intention, build trust, and hold yourself accountable in both professional and personal spaces. She opens up about the feedback that changed her leadership style, how emotional regulation shaped her impact, and the honest work of staying aligned with your values while managing the invisible weight many leaders carry.

This conversation is raw, reflective, and rich with tools you can use.

Together, Dr. Melissa and Kate explore:

• How feedback transformed Kate’s leadership—and her team
• The shift from defensiveness to ownership in high-stakes roles
• “Exit energy,” and how to leave people better than you found them
• Building trust cultures at work and emotional safety at home
• Emotional regulation as a leadership superpower
• The relationship between identity, integrity, and influence
• Making leadership decisions that reflect who you want to be—beyond titles or outcomes

Whether you're an executive, a caregiver, or a high-performing professional navigating identity and growth, this episode will give you something real to hold onto.

🎧 Featured Resources from This Episode:

• www.davidsrefuge.org – Respite, community, and wellness support for caregivers of children with special needs or life-threatening conditions
• www.bravecny.com – Executive coaching and leadership consulting for high-impact individuals and organizations

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional counseling or mental health treatment. Listening to this podcast does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health concern, please reach out to a licensed professional.

🔹 Brought to you by CNY Mental Health Counseling, PLLC
We proudly serve individuals, couples, and families across New York State and partner with schools, nonprofits, and corporate teams to support mental wellness and resilience.
🌐 Learn more: www.cnymhc.com
📍 Please note: Due to state licensure laws, services are only available to residents of New York State.

Looking for executive or performance coaching support?
Explore Dr. Carman’s work with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performing teams:
🌐 www.drmelissacarman.com

👍 Like, Subscribe & Share
If this conversation moved you, helped you feel seen, or inspired you to reflect more deeply on your own story—please subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with someone who needs it.

This is what we explore in depth inside my private executive coaching practice. If you're a high-performer or leading a team navigating growth, identity, or burnout—let’s talk.

In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show: The Stories That Shape Us, Dr. Melissa Carman—licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of CNY Mental Health Counseling—sits down with Arel Moodie, award-winning speaker and founder of Talkadot, a software platform helping speakers, educators, and coaches collect powerful audience feedback to grow their impact and credibility.

Arel’s story spans from growing up in public housing in Brooklyn to building an internationally recognized speaking career, being featured in a Disney+ documentary (Own the Room), and hosting a top-ranked podcast. But in this conversation, he shares the quieter truths behind those accolades: the emotional burden of being a “success story,” the armor of likability, and the moment he realized his drive for achievement was rooted in pain.

This episode is a vulnerable and deeply insightful exploration of what it really means to grow—and to rewrite the story you’ve told yourself for years.

🎙️ Dr. Melissa and Arel explore:

• How Arel’s childhood shaped his hunger for success—and the deeper story behind it
• What happens when your life is built on proving you’re “not nothing”
• Why likability became his emotional armor—and how he learned to feel safe without it
• The quiet pressure of being “the one who made it” and the grief that follows
• Why he built Talkadot—and how it helps people turn real impact into proof
• What it looks like to shift from performance to presence in leadership and life

🎧 Featured Resources from This Episode:

• www.talkadot.com – Real-time feedback and credibility tools for speakers, coaches, and educators
• Arel Moodie’s Website – Speaking, media, and personal story
• Disney+ “Own the Room” – Arel’s featured documentary
• Art of Likability Podcast (Legacy) – Arel’s previous podcast on relationships and personal growth

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional counseling or mental health treatment. Listening to this podcast does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health concern, please reach out to a licensed professional.

🔹 Brought to you by CNY Mental Health Counseling, PLLC
We proudly serve individuals, couples, and families across New York State and partner with schools, nonprofits, and corporate teams to support mental wellness and resilience.
🌐 Learn more: www.cnymhc.com
📍 Please note: Due to state licensure laws, services are only available to residents of New York State.

💼 Looking for executive or performance coaching support?
Explore Dr. Carman’s work with global leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performing teams:
🌐 www.drmelissacarman.com

👍 Like, Subscribe & Share
If this conversation moved you, helped you feel seen, or inspired you to reflect more deeply on your own story—please subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with someone who needs it.

This is what we explore in depth inside my private executive coaching practice. If you're a high-performer or leading a team navigating growth, identity, or burnout—let’s talk.