Not “check your email from a beach chair” time off.

Real time off.

In this conversation, Jeff talks with DJ about his new book, Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One, and why sabbaticals can be far more than an extended vacation.

DJ’s own sabbatical came after building what looked like a dream career. He co-founded a mission-driven company, lived and worked around the world, and was doing meaningful work that helped expand access to credit in emerging markets. From the outside, it looked like success. From the inside, he was burned out.

So DJ stepped away. He walked a 900-mile pilgrimage in Japan, spent time caring for his mother, helped family and friends, wrote postcards, picked up music again, and started to understand what it means to feel human again.

Jeff and DJ talk about functional workaholism, why vacations are not the same as sabbaticals, how work becomes identity, why people often wait for a crisis before taking real time off, and how companies could use sabbaticals as a serious tool for retention, creativity, leadership development, and human sustainability.

This is a conversation about burnout, ambition, identity, family, creativity, rest, and the radical idea that maybe we were not designed to be productivity appliances with LinkedIn profiles.

And yes, we also cover Notre Dame, karaoke theory, A-ha’s “Take On Me,” Angie's List, Japan, ukulele songwriting, Pebble Beach, and why your retirement bucket list might deserve a few items moved closer to today.

About DJ: DJ DiDonna is a senior lecturer of business administration at Harvard Business School, where he teaches MBA courses on entrepreneurship and building meaningful professional and personal lives. He has spent his career translating social science research into real-world tools for positive change.​ In 2019, DiDonna founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research the role of sabbaticals in modern life. He has helped organizations around the world—from nonprofits to Fortune 50 companies—design and implement sabbatical policies.

His work has been featured in The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Time, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Previously, DiDonna cofounded EFL Global, a fintech company that enabled more than $2 billion in capital to underbanked businesses and individuals across twenty countries before its acquisition in 2018. DiDonna earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. On his sabbatical, DiDonna walked nine hundred miles on pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan​ kitchen. Outside work, you can find him plotting how to be in the Big Outdoors. Learn more at​ www.thesabbaticalproject.org and www.djdidonna.com.

And no, it is not just a fitness challenge, a meditation app, and a sad banana in the break room.

In this episode, Jeff talks with Jessica about workplace well-being, burnout, human-centered organizations, and the deeper role that meaning, connection, purpose, and spirituality play in how people experience their work.

Jessica grew up in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, home of Leinenkugel’s beer, competitive diving, lots of reading, and, apparently, the possibility of a beer-and-mustard tour across Wisconsin. Her early love of movement, health, and learning eventually led her into corporate wellness, where her first job placed her inside the UAW Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.

That experience taught her an important lesson: never assume you know someone’s full story just because of their job title, uniform, shift, or rough edges.

From there, Jessica built a career as a practitioner, researcher, author, advisor, and speaker. But after years of studying workplace well-being, she experienced burnout herself and realized something important: burnout is not just an individual problem. It is often a system problem.

Jessica also shares the story of her 2021 sabbatical, the restlessness that led her to take it, and how that year helped her explore workplace spirituality: the practices that help people connect more deeply to themselves, to others, and to something bigger than themselves.

This is a conversation about burnout, purpose, leadership, sabbaticals, faith, joy spotting, human-centered work, and why how you do your job matters just as much as what you do.

And yes, we also cover introverted speakers, Stephen King in fifth grade, The Godfather, springboard diving, water aerobics, Polish-free Wisconsin beer tourism, corporate layoffs, and why “your colleagues think you’re prickly” may be one of the more useful performance reviews a high achiever can receive.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while keeping them informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Jessica: Jessica Grossmeier, PhD, MPH is an organizational strategist, researcher, and author of two books on workplace well-being and human thriving. For more than 30 years she has studied what drives sustainable human performance — and helped organizations demonstrate the value of investing in the conditions that make it possible. She helps leaders identify those conditions and design them into new ways of working, for the benefit of people and the organization. She is a Senior Fellow at the Health Enhancement Research Organization, chairs the Workplace Wellbeing Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute, and has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles.

Today, he is the President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, one of Kansas City’s most iconic institutions and, in Matthew’s words, “Kansas City’s front porch.”

In this episode, Jeff talks with Matthew about his Australian childhood, his father’s World War II service, his own early experience as an exchange student in the United States, and the leadership journey that eventually brought him to Kansas City.

Matthew shares powerful stories about purpose, stewardship, servant leadership, and why the Museum and Memorial is much more than a place to remember the past. It is a gathering place, a civic symbol, and a beacon for democracy.

They also talk about Matthew’s deeply moving connection to Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, the leadership lesson that changed how he thinks about reality versus the preferred future, and why he believes even straight mowing lines and picking up tiny pieces of trash matter when you are caring for sacred ground.

This conversation comes during the Museum and Memorial’s centennial year, leading up to the Sept. 21 Centennial Gala at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the debut of "Liberty’s Beacon", a lighting and video installation designed to illuminate the Memorial in a way Kansas City has never seen before.

This is a conversation about leadership, memory, democracy, service, storytelling, and what it means to steward something bigger than yourself.

And yes, we also cover Australian go-karts, tattoos in World War I, free speech on the lawn, Kansas City’s best view, and why a CEO should never be too important to pick up a piece of paper.

About Matt: Dr. Matthew Naylor is the President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Since beginning his tenure in 2013, Matthew has helped lead the Museum and Memorial through a period of extraordinary growth, including record-setting attendance, philanthropy, educational engagement, community events, digital learning, and national visibility.​ 

Under his leadership, the Museum and Memorial has continued to expand its role as one of Kansas City’s most meaningful gathering places, hosting major civic events, championship parades, the 2023 NFL Draft, and the city’s annual Independence Day celebration.​ Matthew brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience and has been recognized as Nonprofit PRO’s “Executive of the Year,” one of Ingram’s “50 Missourians You Should Know,” and a recipient of the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas City’s “Outstanding Kansas Citizen Award.” Originally from Australia, Matthew earned his Ph.D. from Curtin University in Perth and serves on boards for several civic and educational initiatives.

In this episode, Jeff talks with Britney about resilience, reinvention, faith, family, leadership, and what happens when life hands you the business-owner version of a flaming casserole.

Britney’s path started with a seven-year plan she created as a teenager to become a pharmaceutical sales rep. She worked at Kmart, became a certified pharmacy technician at 17, graduated early, thrived at Enterprise, and eventually landed the job she had been chasing at Bristol Myers Squibb. Then she realized the dream job did not deliver the fulfillment she expected.

From there, her story moves through stay-at-home motherhood, homeschooling five kids, triathlons, restaurant ownership, COVID, divorce, franchise chaos, bankruptcy, rebuilding, and the creation of S​h​aw Enterprises, Empower ​Y​ou, and her                  T​RIGGERZ program.

This is a conversation about falling apart, getting back up, finding purpose in every role, and turning hard-earned lessons into tools that help other people heal, grow, and lead.

And yes, we also cover CrossFit, five kids, margaritas to-go, beetles crawling out of restaurant tables, a nonprofit grant, juvenile detention work, and why sometimes the worst season of your life becomes the raw material for your next calling.

About Britney: Britney Valas is the Founder and President of Empower You, Inc. and the creator of the TRIGGERZ® Transformation System, a practical framework that turns emotional storms into structured pathways for nervous system regulation, emotional healing, and neural pathway growth. As founder of Shaw Enterprises, she leads a transformation consulting firm that serves companies and organizations with fractional strategic leadership and corporate wellness solutions, carrying the same tools from youth and adults in crisis to leaders in the boardroom.

In this episode, Jeff talks with Shari, CEO and co-founder of Rialto Markets, about a career that started with summers at Lake of the Ozarks, waiting tables, reading through the local library, and becoming an accounting major partly out of spite after a professor suggested she switch to communications. Naturally, she stuck with accounting. Spite, apparently, can be a surprisingly effective academic advisor.

Shari’s path took her from KPMG to consulting, from the early days of electronic trading to Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and eventually into the startup world with Rialto Markets. Along the way, she worked through major shifts in capital markets, post-merger integration, corporate complexity, thousands of systems, regulatory challenges, fundraising, litigation, and the identity shift that comes with leaving a big-company platform behind.

We talk about:

• Growing up in Kansas City and spending summers at Lake of the Ozarks • Why waiting tables taught her patience, rhythm, and awareness • Becoming an accounting major to prove a professor wrong • Working in Poland shortly after the Berlin Wall came down • The cultural whiplash of Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and startup life • What it means to “burn the boats” after leaving corporate • Why taking the wrong money can be dangerous for a startup • How Rialto Markets is helping expand access to private market investing • Her mantra: pack light and move fast • Why young professionals should stop waiting for the perfect path and just start building skills

This is a conversation about reinvention, resilience, market disruption, trusting your gut, and learning how to move through chaos without dragging a steamer trunk full of old corporate identity behind you.

And yes, we also cover random Polish landladies, TV taxes, microfiche misery, eight bosses, 2,500 systems, dine-and-dash trauma, and why sometimes the worst job you ever had is useful because at least you can check it off the list.

About Shari: Shari Noonan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rialto Markets, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered Alternative Trading System built to bring institutional-grade infrastructure to private capital markets.

With more than 25 years of experience at Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and Instinet, Shari helped shape the electronification of public equity markets. Today, she is applying that same innovation mindset to private markets, helping expand access to capital through regulated platforms for primary issuance, secondary trading, transfer agency, and digital securities.

Under Shari’s leadership, Rialto has become a pioneer in the tokenization of real-world assets, including music royalties, film rights, and community-owned enterprises. She is also a leading voice on how passionate communities, from fanbases to alumni networks, can become powerful new capital formation channels.

Shari holds a B.S. in Accounting from Marquette University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. She has received multiple industry honors, including the Marquette University College of Business Administration Entrepreneurial Award and the Markets Media Choice Instinet Positive Change Visionary Award.

Seriously.

Before Jeff and Anna (bio below) get into entrepreneurship, physical security, challenge coins, blockchain, Harvard, venture capital, and leadership, Anna explains how a mountain lion turned her neighborhood into a national news story and trapped her family in the house for hours. Not your typical podcast warm-up.

Anna is the Founder and CEO of Braav, a physical security company trusted by organizations nationwide. She also built AllCoin, a free platform helping military, law enforcement, and first-responder communities digitize, verify, and preserve their challenge coin collections on the blockchain.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, when it was still part of the Soviet Union, Anna moved to the United States as a child. That early family leap shaped her comfort with risk, curiosity, and building her own path.

In this conversation, Anna shares how she went from Harvard to venture capital, from finance to entrepreneurship, and eventually into private security after realizing many organizations are responsible for keeping people safe without having true security expertise in the room.

We also talk about the history and meaning of challenge coins, why the stories behind them matter, and how AllCoin is helping preserve those stories for veterans, first responders, families, and future generations.

This is a conversation about risk, reinvention, service, security, storytelling, and building something because you cannot stop thinking, “There has to be a better way.”

And yes, we also cover juggling, lemonade stand inflation, bringing food to meetings, presidential coins, Navy SEAL coins, and a mountain lion that clearly did not care about Anna’s calendar.

About Anna: Anna Redmond is the Founder and CEO of Braav, a physical security company trusted by organizations nationwide. A Harvard AB/AM and former venture capitalist at Rustic Canyon Partners, Anna has been featured in Forbes, Security Journal Americas, US News & World Report, and TechNewsWorld. She also built AllCoin, a free platform where military, law enforcement, and first responder communities can digitize, verify, and preserve their challenge coin collections on the blockchain.

After nearly two decades in recruiting, talent acquisition, and HR, Noorah stepped away from corporate life to launch her own talent search and placement firm. She quickly proved she could build a business, but the constant networking, hustling, and grinding left her depleted.

So she went inward.

After taking time away from LinkedIn and the noise, Noorah followed a nudge to get trained in Reiki. What started as something she thought she might do for family and friends soon grew into Palm and Light, where she now helps clients through energy healing and intuitive coaching.

Jeff also shares his own experience working with Noorah, including how her sessions helped him find clarity in both his personal and professional life.

This is a conversation about listening to your gut, giving your mind time to rest, and finding the courage to build work that feels more aligned with who you are becoming.

And yes, Corporate Couch listeners get a special offer: mention the podcast and receive 10% off any Palm and Light service.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while keeping them informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

Lori’s career started in broadcast news, where she was a 10 o’clock news anchor and reporter in Garden City, Kansas. That chapter included chasing tornadoes, interviewing a self-professed witch with an FCC problem, shooting video from a helicopter during an orchestrated wheat harvest, and learning that TV lighting matters when you want viewers to know you have teeth.

From there, Lori moved into marketing and became part of the early Sprint PCS adventure, where the job description was basically: “Whatever it takes to launch Sacramento by December.” She and Jeff revisit the wild startup energy of those early days, the Grand Street Café diet plan, creative briefs, brand tracking, and what it felt like to help build something big before it became corporate.

Lori also shares lessons from her time at the NAIA, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Cerner, Lockton, and GEHA, including what she learned about culture, servant leadership, layoffs, mentorship, and knowing when it is time to move on.

Today, Lori helps small and mid-sized businesses build stronger marketing foundations as a fractional CMO. Her approach is strategy-first and AI-assisted, helping companies clarify their ideal customers, positioning, messaging, and marketing priorities before they start hanging social media pictures on a wall with no basement.

This is a conversation about reinvention, resilience, marketing that actually works, and the strange magic of a career that keeps giving you new classrooms.

And yes, Lori and Jeff will probably still be having coffee when they are both retired, whenever that mythical event actually happens.

About Lori: Lori Wiles is a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, speaker, trainer, and brand strategist with experience spanning startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 100 companies. Over her career, she has helped lead major brand and product launches across organizations including Sprint, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Cerner, Lockton, and GEHA.​ As VP of Marketing at GEHA, Lori led the team behind the naming rights launch for GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, including the organization’s sponsorship of the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, helping drive major increases in brand awareness and membership growth.

Today, Lori supports small businesses across multiple industries as a fractional marketing leader, with a focus on strategy-first, AI-forward marketing planning and execution. She is also a guest lecturer at the University of Kansas and a coach and trainer for Small Business Development Centers in Kansas City and northern Colorado.​ A University of Kansas journalism graduate and former TV news director and anchor, Lori brings a rare mix of storytelling, strategy, leadership, and real-world marketing firepower to every room she enters. 

More than 200 episodes later, he returns to the couch to go deeper on one of the topics that made our first conversation so memorable: why CEOs often struggle to understand marketing, and why that disconnect can lead to a lot of expensive activity that looks productive but does not actually drive the business.

Dave brings the perspective of someone who has lived on both sides: iconic agency experience, CMO roles, marketing strategy, teaching MBA students, and now helping companies through Wise Strategy.

We talk about:

• Why CEOs confuse marketing activity with marketing strategy • The words that make CEOs nervous, starting with “brand” • The CMO trap and why companies keep looking for a magic wand • Why sales and marketing should be joined at the hip • How to work backward from the customer, the sale, or the business outcome • What Home Depot and Coca-Cola get right • How the agency world has changed since the Mad Men era • Where AI may help marketers and where it is still mostly creating beige oatmeal with keywords

Dave also explains why marketers need to speak the language of the CEO: revenue, ROI, EBITDA, causality, cost, and growth. In other words, stop walking into the boardroom with fog machines and brand poetry when the CEO is asking, “How does this help us sell more?”

This is a conversation about marketing that actually drives business, strategy that gets to better, and why companies are not one ad campaign away from success.

And yes, we also cover Super Bowl ads, Dunkin’, JCPenney, Subway franchisees, McDonald’s chairs, movie launches, Home Depot end caps, and why the best marketers are really in the business of creating want.

To learn more about Dave, please visit WizeStrategy.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and improving retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

You know you’re in for a different kind of conversation.

Jeff recorded this episode in person at Kendall Schoenrock’s (see bio below) podcast studio in Lenexa, Kansas, where they talked about entrepreneurship, AI, family, fear, legacy, and what it means to build things that last. Kendall also hosts his own podcast, Hidden Foundations, making this part conversation, part podcast crossover, and part “two guys with microphones trying to figure out life before the coffee wears off.”

Kendall’s story starts in Junction City, Kansas, where he launched a tech consulting business at 15. From there, he went to Villanova, helped build and sell a technology company, explored oversized wall graphics, took a life-shaping service trip to Peru, and eventually returned to Kansas to help grow his family’s government-focused real estate business.

We talk about startup risk, getting paid to drink beer in college, AI-powered thinking tools, “boring compounding,” fatherhood, legacy, and why relationships may matter even more in the age of AI.

This is a conversation about technology, entrepreneurship, family, discomfort, reinvention, and the long game of becoming a better version of yourself.

And yes, we also cover Anheuser-Busch bar psychology, unused Vietnam visas, Claude, Obsidian, Villanova, and why sometimes the best business advice comes from your spouse reminding you that life is happening now.

About Kendall: Kendall Schoenrock is an operator, investor, and the host of Hidden Foundations. A Junction City, Kansas native, Kendall started his first tech consulting company at age 15 before going on to become employee #3 at TurnTide, which was later acquired by Symantec for $28 million.

His career has taken him across technology, e-commerce, and real estate, including building RockPetz/Larger Than Life Prints to nearly $3 million in annual recurring revenue before selling the company in 2012. Today, Kendall leads SilverRock Ventures and Gov Leases, where his work focuses on durable real estate investments, government leases, and long-term community impact. Kendall is also deeply involved in giving back through board service, teaching, and community projects, including efforts connected to PlayJC and the Moran Center Advisory Council at Villanova. His new podcast, Hidden Foundations, explores the less visible stories, decisions, and structures that shape meaningful lives and lasting work.

Jeff first met Ed in 2003 while attending Heartland Golf School, and over the years Ed has become a bit like Jeff’s own Bagger Vance: part golf instructor, part philosopher, part calm voice on the lesson tee reminding you that maybe the problem is not your left elbow, your hips, or the seven swing thoughts currently fighting in your head.

Ed shares how his background in business, logistics, sociology, and corporate life eventually led him to build a golf school focused not just on mechanics, but on behavior change. As Ed explains, golf is difficult because players are not just learning a motion. They are trying to change habits, manage expectations, and simplify a game that most people accidentally make way too complicated.

We talk about:

• Why most golf instruction is too focused on body parts • The difference between being “body-focused” and “club-focused” • What Ed learned from legendary instructor Manuel de la Torre • Why golfers struggle with repeatability • How unrealistic expectations quietly wreck your scorecard and your mood • Why “par” does not mean normal • How choosing the wrong tee box can make golf unfair • What business golf can teach us about rapport, humility, and leadership • The surprising parallels between golf, vision, goals, and corporate leadership

Ed also shares three golf book recommendations and explains why the game can teach us more than how to hit a better shot. It can teach us how to think, how to focus, how to manage frustration, and how to stop making a hard game even harder.

This is a conversation about golf, habits, business, leadership, expectations, and the beautiful madness of chasing a little white ball around a very large field.

And yes, if you have ever told yourself to “keep your head down,” Ed may gently ask you to stop giving yourself terrible advice.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

No pressure, Maki. Just podcast history :-)

In her first conversation, Maki talked about career journeys, leadership, and the idea of success conditioning, the way high-achieving professionals are trained to chase goals, promotions, validation, and the next “big thing,” often without stopping to ask whether any of it is actually working for them. In this return episode, she goes deeper. Much deeper.

Maki and Jeff talk about what happens when the corporate script stops making sense, whether it is after a layoff, a career pivot, burnout, entrepreneurship, or that sneaky little voice asking, “Why am I still doing this?”

We talk about:

• Why success can look impressive on the outside and still feel empty on the inside • The trap of validation-seeking and proving your value over and over again • Why getting promoted does not magically fix a broken career experience • What corporate systems reward, punish, and quietly train people to tolerate • How layoffs can force a reckoning with identity, stability, and what comes next • Why ambition is not the problem, but unconscious ambition can be • The power of asking one brutally honest question: What are you tolerating?

Maki also shares why leaving corporate life is not always the glamorous “be your own boss” fantasy people sell online. Sometimes it is freeing. Sometimes it is disorienting. Sometimes it is both before lunch.

This is a conversation about work, identity, ambition, burnout, self-awareness, and the uncomfortable freedom that comes when you finally stop outsourcing your definition of success.

And yes, we also cover corporate vampires, universe throat punches, toxic coworkers, mediocre performers, and why asking better questions might be the first small rebellion.

To learn more about Maki, please visit her website.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and improving retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

Keith, co-founder of Made in KC, shares the story of how a 300-square-foot pop-up featuring 15 local artists grew into one of Kansas City’s most recognizable local brands, with more than 15 locations, including a store in the Kansas City airport. And yes, the founders’ combined retail experience at the beginning was basically one winter break at Williams Sonoma and one summer waiting tables. A retail empire born from vibes, curiosity, and a very brave spreadsheet.

Keith’s story starts far from Kansas City, in Southern California, where he grew up thinking he might become a Los Angeles Laker, wearing the surfer uniform without doing much actual surfing, and getting his first skateboard at age two. After his parents divorced, he moved to Boonville, Missouri, a dramatic shift that helped shape one of his biggest strengths: adapting to change and connecting with people from different backgrounds.

We talk about:

• Moving from Southern California to small-town Missouri • Why he sat at every lunch table in high school • What working at a homeless shelter taught him about people • How family dinners helped spark the idea for Made in KC • Starting with 15 artists in a tiny pop-up space • Learning retail the hard way, including barcodes, inventory, and QuickBooks for Dummies • What Made in KC learned from working with Hallmark • Why shopping local can have a real economic impact • How Kansas City can show up during the 2026 World Cup

Keith also shares why Made in KC is not just about selling local products. It is about building a platform for artists, makers, entrepreneurs, and the city itself.

This is a conversation about community, adaptability, entrepreneurship, local pride, and what happens when you build a business around the idea that Kansas City is better when Kansas City supports Kansas City.

And yes, we also cover California surfer fashion, Truman State University, following a girl to Kansas City, and why sometimes your lack of experience might be your greatest business advantage.

About Keith: Keith Bradley is co-owner of Made in KC. For the past 10 years, Keith and his business partners have been active in growing and celebrating Kansas City's great artisan and maker community by giving them one of the most robust platforms for selling local goods in the country. Additionally, Keith is passionate about all things Kansas City, including its civic and nonprofit communities. He is a Kansas City Tomorrow Alum and currently serves on the board of both Jackson County CASA and Habitat for Humanity. Keith is married with four kids and resides in Kansas City's Brookside neighborhood.

Billy Hodes (see bio below).

Billy grew up in Kansas City as the youngest of 11 children in a big, faith-filled family where business lessons were often served at the dinner table. His father built a national plumbing supply distribution company, taught him the value of hard work, and once fired him after Billy hung up on the company’s top sales producer. Different generation. Very direct feedback loop.

From there, Billy’s career took him from selling plumbing supplies across Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle to buying and rebuilding a distressed division of Midland Metal, later merging back with his brother’s business, and eventually partnering with private equity to grow through multiple acquisitions. Along the way, he learned that culture, people, trust, and communication are not soft business ideas. They are the business.

We talk about:

• Growing up as the youngest of 11 kids • Why his dad’s dinner table was better than most business classes • Getting fired by his father and later working with the salesman who caused it • Buying a struggling business at 28 and realizing he did not have all the answers • How Vistage helped him escape what he called the “valley of death” • Building a people-first culture at Midland Metal • What business owners should understand before partnering with private equity • Why faith, family, and work are now deeply connected in his next chapter

Billy also shares how the sale of the business gave him space to think about what came next: more time with his wife, his kids, his faith, strategic investing, advisory work, and eventually Acumen, where he now leads a faith-based peer advisory group for business owners and CEOs.

This is a conversation about work ethic, humility, family business, faith-driven leadership, and the power of surrounding yourself with people who help you become better.

And yes, we also cover nude beaches, name politics, Spring Hill College recruiting strategy, and why “Billy” was never going to become “Bill.”

About Billy: With over 25 years in the industrial distribution business, Billy Hodes has experienced every stage of entrepreneurship. He grew up in a family business, worked alongside his brothers, acquired and expanded his own company, and later navigated a merger and private equity partnership. After selling his company in 2023, he turned his focus to real estate investment while exploring his next adventure.​ 

Now, as a Growth Catalyst with Acumen, Billy is passionate about helping business owners and CEOs sharpen their leadership, navigate challenges, and drive meaningful growth. Having experienced firsthand the power of peer advisory, he is committed to fostering strong communities of accountability and wisdom. Billy and his wife, Mara, have been married for 29 years and are proud parents of eight children. They love spending time with family, enjoying their retreat at Lake Viking, traveling, and staying active in their parish and community.

More than you might think.

Bill Miller (see bio below), Chairman and CEO of WellSky, shares a career journey that started far from the executive suite: growing up in a big Midwest family, running a paper route at seven years old, chasing football dreams, getting injured, and unexpectedly spending a summer in Washington working one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. His logging crew called him “Flatlander,” hid his horse, and gave him the kind of life lessons that do not show up in most MBA programs.

From there, Bill’s path took him from Capitol Hill to urban planning, early internet startups, Cerner, OptumInsight, and eventually WellSky, where he has helped transform the company into a healthcare technology leader serving more than 20,000 clients across acute, post-acute, and community care.

We talk about:

• Why work ethic started early, with a paper route before sunrise • The summer as a Washington “Flatlander” that changed his perspective • What startups taught him about risk, resilience, and eating what you kill • His front-row seat to the early internet boom in Kansas City • What he learned at Cerner and Optum about scale, healthcare, and leadership • How WellSky grew from a struggling 400-person company into a 3,200-person platform • Why culture, communication, and mentorship matter even more as companies grow • How AI is reshaping healthcare technology and changing what is possible

Bill also shares candid thoughts on leading through COVID, bringing people back to the office, building culture intentionally, and why he still attends new-hire onboarding sessions to stay connected to the people joining WellSky.

This is a conversation about grit, timing, technology, leadership, and building something meaningful without forgetting where you came from.

And yes…we also cover paper routes, Porsche road trips, hidden horses, and why sometimes the best leadership development program is surviving a summer with lumberjacks.

About Bill: Bill Miller is the Chairman and CEO of WellSky, one of America’s largest and most innovative healthcare technology companies, serving more than 20,000 clients across acute, post-acute, and community care.​ With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare technology, Bill has built a career around growth, innovation, and leading companies through meaningful transformation. Since joining WellSky in 2017, he has guided the company into new markets, overseen more than 14 strategic acquisitions, and helped establish the WellSky Foundation.

Before WellSky, Bill served as CEO of OptumInsight, where he helped drive major revenue growth and expanded the company’s position in healthcare analytics. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Cerner Corporation, with global responsibility for managed services, outsourcing, and technology services. Bill is a University of Kansas graduate and currently serves on the boards of Lyric and the WellSky Foundation.

Katherine O’Toole (bio below).

Katherine’s career journey starts in the classroom, where she spent 11 years as an elementary educator, and eventually leads to her current role as Executive Director of the Kansas City Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association. Along the way, she discovered that teaching, workforce development, and manufacturing have more in common than you might think: people, problem-solving, communication, and the willingness to build something better.

Katherine brings tremendous energy and honesty to this conversation. She talks about growing up in Kansas City, following her mother’s path into education, leaving teaching to explore a new chapter, and eventually stepping into the manufacturing world, an industry already connected to her family through her dad’s tool and die shop.

We talk about:

• Why teaching prepared her for leadership, advocacy, and workforce development • How she helped rebuild momentum for the Kansas City NTMA after COVID • Why manufacturing companies can compete and still collaborate • The importance of exposing students, parents, and educators to skilled trades • Why college is not the only path to a successful career • Her work supporting women in manufacturing through She Leads: Women Driving Manufacturing • Why mentorship, networking, and showing up matter so much early in a career.

Katherine also shares some wonderfully Corporate Couch stories, including being a “passenger princess,” raising chickens in her basement office, breaking her foot while setting up a BattleBot event, and somehow still making it to a pickleball gathering before finally going to the ER.

This is a conversation about career reinvention, community building, workforce development, and the power of bringing the right people into the right rooms.

And yes…if you are looking for someone to back up the car on a road trip, Katherine would like to respectfully nominate literally anyone else.

About Katherine: Katherine O’Toole is an Executive Director, career and technical education advocate, and workforce development champion. She currently serves the Kansas City Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association, where she spearheads networking, advocacy, and workforce development initiatives. Katherine is also a founding member of She Leads. Women Driving Manufacturing, a network of leaders dedicated to educating and empowering women in and around the manufacturing industry. Prior to entering the industry, she spent eleven years as an elementary educator in the Gardner Edgerton School District.

We start with the aftermath of Searcy Financial’s 50th anniversary celebration, including a harmless little parking lot prank involving Marc’s car. From there, we talk about the incredible momentum behind Run for the Roses, which has raised more than $320,000 for Growing Futures, crushing its original $150,000 goal. 

We also dig into:

* Searcy’s strategic planning week and what it means to think 3 and 10 years ahead * The challenge and opportunity of leading a team spread across the country * Volunteering, scavenger hunts, streetcars, and “vacationing” in your own city * Kansas City restaurant shoutouts, including Ragazza, Joe’s Kansas City, OurHouse, Bamboo Penny’s, and Classic Cup * Our upcoming tag-team talk for Next KC * Teaching kids about money before they start charging property taxes on their toy Lexus * Adam Grant’s *Think Again* and the importance of questioning what we think we know

Marc also previews a trip to Pittsburgh, a new advisor credential, and a visit to PNC Park, which leads, naturally, to a little downtown baseball stadium talk.

As always, this episode is part business, part life, part community, and part “two friends talking over drinks.”

Grab a drink. Pull up a chair. It’s five o’clock somewhere.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

Ron Cox (see bio below) has lived that story.

But his leadership journey started long before the turnaround.

In this episode of *The Corporate Couch*, Ron shares a powerful story of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. He opens up about overcoming deep personal hardship, including childhood abuse, serious health challenges, and a moment in his life when he nearly gave up completely.

Those experiences didn’t break his desire to lead. They shaped it.

Ron went on to spend nearly 40 years helping organizations grow, adapt, and win. As the former CEO of The Kincaid Group, he helped lead an extraordinary turnaround, moving the company from a $2.5 million loss to roughly $320 million in revenue while building a culture rooted in performance, accountability, and execution.

We talk about:

• Turning pain into purpose • Leading a company through a dramatic turnaround • Why accountability only works when people know you care • How Stephen Covey’s principles shaped his coaching and leadership • What it takes to turn big vision into real-world execution • Why developing people is the real work of leadership

Ron also shares lessons from entrepreneurship, city development, education, executive coaching, and his current work through RC Development Solutions, where he helps leaders and teams turn ideas into action.

This is a conversation about survival, service, leadership, and leaving people and organizations better than you found them.

If you care about resilience, growth, culture, or what it really takes to lead through adversity, this episode delivers.

About Ron: ​​Ron Cox is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, and leadership coach who has spent nearly 40 years helping organizations grow, adapt, and win. As CEO of RC Development Solutions, he works with leaders and teams to turn big vision into real-world results.​ Ron previously led The Kincaid Group through an incredible turnaround—taking the company from a $2.5M loss to roughly $320M in revenue—while building a culture focused on performance and accountability. His career spans both the public and private sectors, including nationally recognized work in city development and education.

Along the way, Ron has coached leaders using principles from Dr. Stephen Covey, collaborated with influential business figures, and authored an Amazon best-selling book. At his core, he’s passionate about developing people, creating opportunities, and leaving organizations better than he found them. 

That’s exactly what happened for Kori Bloom​ (bio below).

In this episode, Kori shares how her journey from high school art teacher to corporate trainer, pharmaceutical sales professional, parent, author, speaker, and leadership coach helped her discover one powerful truth:

We don’t lead in pieces. We lead as one whole person.

Kori’s new book, The Business of Parenting, explores the connection between how we lead at home, how we lead at work, and how we lead ourselves. And as she shares in this conversation, the toughest leadership role she ever had wasn’t managing employees or speaking to a room full of adults. It was parenting two young children and realizing she needed to stop trying to “fix” them and start leading herself differently.

We talk about:

• Why parenting and leadership require many of the same skills • How a preschool philosophy changed the way she sees human development • Why curiosity beats control, at home and at work • The danger of overprotecting kids and over-managing employees • Why values only matter if you actually model them • How leaders can assume positive intent without avoiding accountability • Why “balance is bullshit” and the glass-ball/rubber-ball analogy matters

Kori also shares her belief that traditional education often fails to build the critical thinking, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills people need in today’s world. Her perspective connects parenting, education, leadership, and culture in a way that is both practical and deeply human.

This is a conversation about self-awareness, messy growth, leading through real life, and why the way we show up in one room follows us into every other room.

And yes, we also discuss why “do it scared, do it messy, and do it before you’re ready” might be some of the best career advice out there.

About Kori: ​Kori Bloom is a keynote speaker, author, and leadership coach who brings energy, clarity, and real-life perspective to the conversation around leadership. With more than two decades of experience across business, education, and leadership development, Kori helps leaders communicate with intention, build trust, and show up with greater alignment in every room they enter.

Her work is grounded in a powerful belief: leadership is not something we turn on and off. We lead as one whole person. Through relatable stories and practical lessons, Kori helps people strengthen self-leadership, navigate pressure, and create cultures rooted in trust and accountability.  Kori lives in the Kansas City area with her two children and believes the most powerful leadership lessons are not just taught, they are lived.

“What’s the Fed going to do with interest rates?”

According to my guest, Esther George (see bio below)… the honest answer is:

“Yes.”

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Esther, former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, pulls back the curtain on the decisions that quietly shape the economy…and our everyday lives.

But this isn’t just about economics.

It’s about perspective.

Esther shares a remarkable journey from growing up on a sixth-generation farm in rural Missouri (with a graduating class of just 50 students) to helping guide the U.S. economy through some of its most turbulent moments.

We talk about:

• Why inflation feels like “Jaws”… and who it impacts the most • The biggest misconception people have about the Federal Reserve • What it was like leading through the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID pandemic • How innovation, digital payments, and AI are reshaping the financial system • Why the future of finance may be more accessible… but also more concentrated • Her advice to young professionals: think big, but don’t expect a straight line

We also shift gears to her role helping Kansas City prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches—what it takes to bring a global event to a “smaller” market, the leadership required to align an entire region, and why the real impact may be the long-term relationships and opportunities that come after the final whistle.

Esther also shares powerful leadership lessons from sitting across the table with failing banks, working alongside figures like Paul Volcker and Ben Bernanke, and leading through moments when the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

This is a conversation about leadership, humility, decision-making under uncertainty, and the ripple effects of choices that impact millions of people… from interest rates to international stages.

About Esther: Esther L. George was president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of​ Kansas City and a member of the Federal Open Market Committee from 2011 to 2023. Her Fed service spans more than 40 years, including considerable experience as a bank supervisor. In​ 2009, she served as the Federal Reserve’s acting director of Banking Supervision and Regulation in Washington, D.C.​ George was actively involved in the Federal Reserve’s work to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the nation’s payment system, including leading the effort to establish instant retail payments known as the FedNow Service. She hosted the Kansas City Fed’s annual Jackson Hole​ Economic Policy Symposium.

As president and chief executive officer, she led a workforce of 2,100 at the Federal Reserve employees serving the seven states of the Tenth Federal Reserve District through the Bank’s headquarters in Kansas City and its branch offices in Denver, Oklahoma City, and Omaha. George is a recipient of the 2023 Harry S. Truman Public Service Award. She currently serves as chair of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and on the boards of the Hallmark Corporation, Peterson Institute for International Economics, the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, American Public Square, and the Kansas City 2026 World Cup.

Frank Niles (bio below).

In one of the most entertaining and unexpectedly insightful conversations on The Corporate Couch, Frank shares a career journey that refuses to fit inside a neat corporate box.

He was kicked out of private school. Barely graduated high school. Became one of the youngest paramedics in Los Angeles County. Climbed mountains around the world. Earned a PhD. Spent 16 years as a professor. Then helped shape leadership development at Walmart, the world’s largest retailer.

And somewhere in between, he was broke, living over a laundromat in Houston in an apartment complex populated mostly by strippers (or ‘showgirls,’ if we’re being podcast-title appropriate), sleeping on a mattress on the floor… just before getting the call that changed his life forever.

We talk about:

• Why curiosity is one of the greatest career advantages you can have • Why “culture fit” is overrated and “culture contribution” matters more • What young professionals need to know before starting their careers • How leaders build trust, clarity, and accountability • Why self-doubt never fully disappears, even for successful people

Frank also shares stories of being stranded on a rock formation in Thailand, learning Thai cooking in exchange for rent, and doing stand-up comedy inspired by Sam Kinison.

This is a conversation about reinvention, adventure, leadership, and building a life aligned with what makes you come alive.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Frank: Frank Niles is a strategic advisor and Fractional CHRO who helps senior leaders and management teams address the people and leadership challenges that affect business performance. A former leader at Walmart and a business owner himself, Frank works with organizations ranging from large, publicly traded companies to midsized and smaller firms seeking to grow. His work focuses on strengthening leadership teams, clarifying roles, improving communication, and building the structures that enable companies to perform at a high level. 

Frank is also a sought-after speaker who regularly addresses executive teams, industry conferences, and professional audiences. Through his keynotes and workshops, his messages have reached tens of thousands of individuals across the United States and around the world. Each year, he presents to groups ranging from senior leadership forums to large industry gatherings, sharing practical insights on leadership, culture, and organizational performance.

His insights have been featured by CNN, Fast Company, NBC, Forbes, C-SPAN, and Inc., and his writing appears in The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and other publications focused on leadership and organizational performance.

Marc shares the shocking secret behind his zero calcium heart score: Mountain Dew and Skinny Pop. Medical professionals may disagree.

We also talk about:

• The incredible success of Run for the Roses and Growing Futures • Health, walking, mobility, and meditation • New connections through The Table KC • Golf plans, baseball stadium debates, and future live podcast recordings from local restaurants • Celebrating 50 years of Searcy Financial and Marc’s 20-year milestone

Good people. Good stories. Good reminders about what matters.

Grab a drink. It’s five o’clock somewhere.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

You get Ericka Beeler (see her bio below).

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Jeff sits down with Ericka, founder of Beeler Consulting and Succession Health, to talk about building a career by outworking, outlearning, and outlasting just about every obstacle in her path.

Her story starts with working at 14, putting herself through college, asking CEOs for opportunities no one was handing out, and learning leadership the hard way by managing teams older, wiser, and often more skeptical than she was.

But what makes Ericka’s story compelling isn’t just her résumé; it’s how real she is.

She openly shares: • Why she challenged leadership early in her career, even when it cost her • The hard lesson of building a company without a financial playbook • Why most leaders talk too much and listen too little • Her belief that autonomy, trust, and respect create a great culture • How she’s helping hospitals, physician groups, and healthcare leaders solve real operational problems

She also talks candidly about motherhood, burnout, betting on herself, and building a company with purpose, not just profit.

And somewhere between Bridgerton, Love Is Blind, 5 a.m. wakeups, and fixing broken healthcare systems, Ericka has built something rare: a business rooted in conviction, service, and doing work that actually matters.

This is a conversation about grit, faith, leadership, and what happens when you stop waiting for permission and start building what you believe should exist.

About Ericka: Ericka Beeler is a seasoned healthcare leader with over a decade of experience driving business development and revenue growth within healthcare delivery systems. She has managed a $43M surgery center operation, served as VP of Business Development at a 590-bed Level 1 Trauma Center, and led a 700-bed health system through transformational growth—increasing EBITDA from 1% to 22%. Ericka's expertise spans physician recruitment, contract negotiation, and developing successful strategies in oncology, orthopedics, and neuroscience. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her three kids, exploring breweries with her husband, and connecting with health tech founders solving systemic healthcare challenges.  

Brian Rosen.

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Brian (see his bio below) shares a wildly entertaining and insightful journey through three generations of the adult beverage industry from his grandfather’s Chicago saloon days (with some “alleged” connections you’ll want to hear about) to building one of the most sophisticated investment platforms in the space today.

Brian is the General Partner of InvestBev, where he’s turned a lifetime in the business into a powerhouse platform managing nearly a billion dollars across equity, credit, and insurance strategies. But his story is anything but traditional.

We talk about:

• Why Brian believes in going “full” at everything (including Ironmans and leadership) • How a $5 million bourbon barrel bet turned into a $19 million return • The truth about celebrity tequila brands (and why most don’t work) • What’s really happening with alcohol consumption, cannabis beverages, and the future of drinking • The biggest misconceptions people have about the industry.

Brian also shares incredible stories from his early days hustling in Chicago bars, building a $100M family business, and the eye-opening moment at PwC when he realized corporate life wasn’t for him.

Along the way, you’ll hear his unfiltered take on leadership, including why failure is your best teacher and how great leaders let their teams own the spotlight.

This is a conversation about grit, reinvention, and seeing opportunity where others don’t.

And yes…we also cover tequila, gummies, and why moderation might be the biggest shift in the entire industry.

If you like business stories with a little attitude and a lot of insight, this one delivers.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Brian: Brian Rosen is a third-generation veteran of the adult beverage industry and the General Partner of InvestBev, the largest private equity platform dedicated exclusively to spirits and beverage alcohol. Under his leadership, InvestBev has grown into a global powerhouse, managing over $500 million in assets across equity, credit, and insurance strategies.

Brian is known for thinking differently. He pioneered a bourbon barrel arbitrage strategy that’s delivered top-tier returns for nearly a decade and helped redefine spirits as a legitimate alternative asset class. Before InvestBev, he built and ran a $100 million retail liquor business, served as a partner at PwC, and worked with industry giants like Anheuser-Busch.

A frequent keynote speaker and recognized industry leader, Brian has been featured in Forbes, CNN, and Wine Spectator, and has earned multiple honors, including Retailer of the Year and Wine Innovator of the Year. Bottom line: if there’s a smarter way to build value in the spirits world, Brian’s probably already figured it out.

My guest, Mo Bunnell (see his bio below), believes the best way to win business isn’t by pushing harder, closing faster, or perfecting your pitch.

It’s by giving first.

Mo is the founder of Bunnell Idea Group and the author of Give to Grow, a system used by some of the world’s most respected professional services firms to build deeper relationships and drive sustainable growth. But his journey didn’t start there.

He began as an actuary, mastering complex models and passing one of the toughest professional tracks out there…before being told he was “an actuary with a personality” and pushed into leading major client relationships. That shift forced him to rethink everything about how business actually gets won.

In this conversation, we break down the mindset and method behind his approach:

• The critical difference between doing the work vs. winning the work • Why generosity is the ultimate growth strategy • The five “lies” we tell ourselves that hold us back from building relationships • How giving your expertise away (strategically) leads to more business, not less • A simple weekly system to stay consistent and drive long-term growth

Mo also shares the story of a high-stakes meeting where he walked in with nothing but ideas to help…and walked out with a major client relationship that lasted for years.

This isn’t about sales tactics.

It’s about building relationships that fuel your entire career.

If you’ve ever struggled with business development, felt uncomfortable “selling,” or wondered how to grow your network more authentically, this episode delivers a practical and refreshing perspective.

About Mo: Mo Bunnell helps complex organizations grow by scaling business development skills across their organizations and creating a growth-oriented culture. He’s the author of Give to Grow, The Snowball System, the host of the podcast Real Relationships Real Revenue, and the founder of Bunnell Idea Group (BIG), who has trained tens of thousands of professionals. BIG’s clients have used Mo and his team’s GrowBIG® training to give their experts a system for growth that creates deep relationships, gives a comprehensive business development framework, and dare we say, is fun to use. Mo started out his career as an expert himself, passing all the actuarial exams to earn their highest designation: Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. Today, Mo enjoys working with hundreds of clients, including some of the largest, most prestigious service-based organizations. Mo and his wife of over 30 years, Becky, enjoy spending time with their friends and two adult daughters. Outside of work, he enjoys working out, backpacking, and playing ultimate frisbee at the national and world levels. Becky and Mo live in Atlanta, Georgia, with their four horses, two cats, a dog, a bird, and a miniature donkey, Louie Hamilton.

My guest, Robin Ferguson (see her bio below), has spent more than two decades helping high-achieving leaders make a powerful shift, from pressure-filled management to a more intentional, empowering coaching style.

As a Master Certified Coach (the highest credential in the field), Robin doesn’t deal in surface-level advice. She helps leaders cut through the noise, challenge the stories they’ve been telling themselves, and lead with clarity, confidence, and real impact.

This conversation goes beyond leadership theory and into the moments that actually define how we show up.

We talk about:

• Why many high performers struggle when they step into leadership • The hidden cost of leading through pressure, urgency, and control • How to shift from “having the answers” to asking better questions • What it means to break free from limiting narratives • The mindset behind her Phoenix Effect framework and personal transformation

Robin brings a rare blend of strategic insight, real-world leadership experience, and coaching precision that makes you stop and think… and then rethink how you lead.

This is a conversation about letting go of old habits, stepping into your authority, and creating the kind of impact that lasts.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to have it all figured out, this episode might change how you think about leadership entirely.

About Robin: ​​Robin Ferguson is a Master Certified Coach, speaker, and author who helps high-achieving leaders cut through the noise and unlock real impact. With over 20 years of experience across executive leadership, healthcare, and consulting, she’s known for helping leaders move from pressure-filled management to a more intentional, empowering coaching style.

Robin holds the prestigious Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation, the highest global standard in coaching. Her work blends strategic leadership, clinical precision, and organizational insight to help leaders break free from limiting narratives and lead with clarity and confidence.

She’s also the author of The Phoenix Effect, a powerful framework for personal transformation that challenges leaders to rise, reclaim their authority, and create lasting change.

Steve Bernstein (bio below).

In this episode, Steve shares a career that started with a childhood idea that turned into one of the most iconic promotions in history and evolved into leading Bernstein-Rein Advertising, helping build powerhouse brands like Walmart, McDonald’s, Hostess, and Blockbuster.

But this isn’t just an advertising story.

Steve has lived on both sides of the table, from agency leader to operator, scaling a 100+ unit Blockbuster franchise and co-founding Beauty Brands. That perspective shapes how he thinks about what actually drives business success.

We talk about:

• Why great marketing isn’t about awards, it’s about results • The difference between creative ideas and ideas that actually work • Lessons from scaling real businesses, not just advising them • What it takes to stay relevant in a rapidly changing marketing landscape

Along the way, Steve shares candid stories, practical wisdom, and a reminder that the best ideas often come from unexpected places… sometimes even from a kid at the breakfast table.

This is a conversation about creativity, accountability, and building brands that actually matter.

About Steve: Steve Bernstein didn’t just grow up around advertising; he helped spark one of the most iconic promotions ever: the McDonald’s Happy Meal. Not a bad start. Today, he’s the CEO of Bernstein-Rein Advertising, where he’s spent decades helping build powerhouse brands like Walmart, McDonald’s, Hostess, and Blockbuster. Along the way, he’s developed a reputation for blending creativity with accountability because great ideas are nice, but results pay the bills. Steve’s also walked the operator’s path, scaling a 100+ unit Blockbuster franchise and co-founding Beauty Brands, giving him real-world insight into what it takes to grow a business beyond the boardroom. He later co-created CrowdPharm, a global marketing platform powered by 10,000+ creatives.​ A Kansas City guy through and through, Steve is deeply involved in the community, a die-hard Royals and Chiefs fan, and perhaps most impressively, an avid collector of bobbleheads.

We kick things off with Marc rescheduling our recording…for a TV appearance. I’ve officially been bumped. But it leads to a bigger conversation about visibility, promoting causes that matter, and the growing momentum behind Run for the Roses supporting the not-for-profit Growing Futures.

Along the way, we cover:

-A job candidate who flew himself to Kansas City for a chance meeting and got hired -Why younger professionals are thinking more entrepreneurially -Kansas City BBQ rankings (yes, Joe’s vs. Q39) -The power of relationships and reflecting on legacy -Health, continuous learning, and why growth never stops.

We wrap with what really matters: family, fresh air, and T-ball season.

Grab a drink. It’s five o’clock somewhere.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

That’s exactly what Dan Krouse (see his bio below) did.

In this episode, Dan shares his journey from small-town Indiana to becoming a corporate officer at Hallmark, leading global procurement, logistics, and supply chain operations across a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

Early in his career, a single conversation led to a 12-year international assignment in Hong Kong, where Dan helped build supplier networks from scratch, including finding partners in Sri Lanka with nothing but a briefcase and a question.

We talk about:

• Leading in the “Wild West” of global sourcing • Building credibility as a young leader in high-stakes environments • Why direct communication is a leadership advantage • The difference between firefighting and real problem-solving • What it means to leave a legacy beyond your role

Dan also shares his transition after 35+ years at Hallmark and how he reinvented himself as an advisor helping companies navigate supply chain strategy, tariffs, and operational change.

This is a conversation about leadership, reinvention, and thriving in uncertainty.

About Dan: Dan Krouse is the founder of Supply Chain Analytics (SCA) and a seasoned executive leader with deep expertise in supply chain, operations, and strategic transformation. Since launching his firm in 2017, Dan has helped small and mid-sized companies improve performance through tariffs, cost management, analytics, and end-to-end supply chain optimization.

Prior to SCA, Dan spent decades at Hallmark Cards, where he rose to Corporate Officer and led global procurement, logistics, and operations across a $2.5B business. Known for challenging the status quo and driving meaningful change, he has built and led high-performing teams across North America, Asia, and Europe.

Dan holds an MBA from Indiana University and a BS from Purdue, and is a sought-after advisor and speaker on supply chain strategy and business transformation.

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Jeff sits down with Matt Moore (see his bio below), founder of Martin City Brewing Company, to talk about entrepreneurship, community, and the journey from a single brewpub to a growing family of restaurants and hospitality concepts across the Kansas City metro.

Matt’s story starts long before the first pint was poured. Growing up in a restaurant family connected to the iconic Jess & Jim’s Steakhouse, hospitality was always part of his DNA. After earning an accounting degree from UMKC and spending years around the restaurant business, a chance meeting with his future business partner while sailing on Lake Jacomo sparked an idea that would eventually become Martin City Brewing Company.

Matt shares how that passion for homebrewing turned into the original Martin City pub in 2011, followed by the brewery next door in 2014, and how the brand has since expanded to multiple locations and concepts, including Martin Event Space, Love Coffee, Mission Farms, Blue Parkway, Station 7, Lenexa, South Plaza, and an upcoming Crossroads location.

Jeff and Matt dive into: • The entrepreneurial leap from hobby to business • Why hospitality is ultimately about people and community • The challenges and opportunities of growing a local brand • How Kansas City’s culture has helped shape the Martin City story • The importance of staying authentic while expanding

Along the way, Matt also shares stories from growing up in the restaurant world, lessons learned from scaling a business, and why building great experiences around food, beer, and community continues to drive everything he does.

If you love entrepreneurship stories, local business success, or simply a great conversation about craft beer, pizza, and building something meaningful in your hometown, this episode delivers.

About Matt: Matt Moore is the founder of Martin City Brewing Company, a Kansas City hospitality success story that has grown from a single brewpub to a family of brands serving the metro area. Born and raised in Kansas City, Matt grew up in the restaurant business​ (his family operates the iconic Jess and Jim's Steakhouse and RC's​). A former competitive soccer player with a deep love for hospitality, Matt's entrepreneurial journey began when he met his business partner while sailing on Lake Jacomo and discovered a shared passion for homebrewing. In 2009, he purchased what would become the original pub location, opening it in 2011 before parlaying those profits into building the brewery next door in 2014. Since then, Matt has expanded the Martin City Brewing Company family to include the Martin Event Space (2015), Love Coffee (2016), Mission Farms (2017), Blue Parkway in Lee's Summit (2019), Station 7 (2021), Lenexa (2022), and South Plaza (2025), with a Crossroads location launching in 2026. Matt has built a thriving local empire rooted in craft beer, community, and the Kansas City spirit.

That’s the world Charlie Cole (see bio below) lives in.

Charlie is a private-equity-backed CEO who has built a reputation for stepping into complex situations and creating momentum fast. From transforming global consumer brands to scaling AI and SaaS platforms, his career has been defined by high-stakes leadership and measurable results.

In this episode, Charlie shares the real story behind turnaround leadership and what happens when strategy meets execution under pressure.

We talk about:

• Driving rapid revenue growth at XGEN AI

• Reversing a steep decline and integrating 13 acquisitions as CEO of Tribute Technology

• Leading the transformation of FTD after bankruptcy and delivering a major private equity exit

• Scaling digital commerce to nearly $1 billion across brands while at TUMI and Samsonite

• The difference between theory and reality when you’re responsible for thousands of employees and a balance sheet

• Why great leaders must be willing to make uncomfortable decisions quickly

Charlie also shares lessons about culture, speed of execution, and the mindset required to lead during uncertainty and change. He gets brutally honest about how he had no empathy early in his leadership career.

This conversation offers a candid look at leadership inside private equity environments, the realities of corporate transformation, and what it takes to build businesses that not only survive but thrive.

If you’re fascinated by turnaround stories, digital transformation, or the pressure that comes with leading at scale, this episode delivers both insight and perspective.

About​ Charlie: ​Charlie Cole is a private-equity-backed CEO who builds and transforms AI/SaaS platforms and global consumer brands. He most recently served as President of XGEN AI, where he drove 2.5x revenue growth in five months. Previously, as CEO of Tribute Technology (Carlyle), he reversed a -22% decline and centralized 13 acquisitions in nine months. At FTD (Nexus Capital), he led a post-bankruptcy transformation that generated over $140M in dividends and a 3-4x exit. Charlie also scaled digital commerce to approximately $1B across 14 brands as Chief Digital Officer at TUMI and Global Chief eCommerce Officer at Samsonite. He's a frequent keynote speaker at industry forums, including eTail, Shoptalk, and NRF.  

In this Special Edition episode, Justin Ricklefs returns to the Corporate Couch to discuss his first book, Give A Damn: The Catalyst for Caring Companies.

Justin shares how the book began as scribbles on napkins during a conversation with his wife in a Colorado saloon and turned into a powerful framework for building stronger teams and cultures.

We talk about why care and commerce can coexist, the leadership lessons Justin learned during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, and his “Firestarter Framework” built on Effort, Attitude, Curiosity, Compassion, Clarity, and Consistency.

Because sometimes all it takes is one spark to change a culture.

You can find Justin's great leadership book at all major bookstores -  https://a.co/d/0dgtNw8m.

You get Keith Davenport (see bio below), founder of 030 Holding Company, on a mission to bring more and better jobs to Gardner, Kansas, zip code 66030.

Keith’s journey is anything but linear, from a small-town Illinois upbringing with a graduating class of 49… to pastoral ministry… to higher education… to Johnson County, KS government crisis communications during COVID… to launching a holding company that acquires small businesses through seller financing.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The emotional reality of leading a church while working 50 hours a week

• Experiencing poverty early in marriage and how that shaped his worldview

• Why making payroll is the most sobering moment for any entrepreneur

• How private equity is reshaping small-town America

• The power of building an internal ecosystem across portfolio companies

• Why seller financing requires one thing above all else: trust

Keith shares how 030 Holding Company is creating a locally rooted alternative to outside buyers by acquiring small businesses and strengthening them from within—centralizing services, connecting companies, and keeping opportunity in the community.

We also explore his perspective on leadership, reinvention, and the freedom that comes from realizing you are not locked into one career path for life.

If you care about entrepreneurship, small business acquisition, leadership growth, or strengthening local economies, this episode delivers practical insight and a compelling personal story.

About Keith: ​Keith ​Davenport is the Founder & Managing Director of 030 Holding Company - named for the Gardner, Kansas community with the zip code of 66030. He's on a mission to bring more and better jobs to his community through acquiring small businesses and developing an internal ecosystem within his portfolio of businesses. He came to the world of entrepreneurship in 2023 after a long career in local government, higher education, and nonprofits. He holds an MPA from the University of Missouri and a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary. He lives in Gardner with his wife, four children, three dogs, and a turtle.

We kick things off with our new Kansas City business community, “The Table,” a curated group of leaders focused not just on swapping business cards, but actually helping each other make money and grow. It’s intentional. It’s selective. And it’s already expanding our circles in ways that matter. 

From there, the stories start flowing:

• A college senior who read Marc’s book flew himself to Kansas City and offered to volunteer before even interviewing.

• A February walking meeting through I-Lan Park because “why sit inside?”

• The ripple effect of writing, speaking, and putting your ideas into the world.

• Super Bowl parties where no one really watches the game.

• X-Men marathons, Comic-Con possibilities, and why Wolverine might be the real MVP.

We also talk about growth on multiple fronts. Marc’s firm is hiring ahead of demand to protect culture and service. He’s diving deeper into KPIs and strategic finance. I share what I’m reading, including lessons from entrepreneurs who built big, gave generously, and kept things simple.

On the community front, we spotlight:

• The upcoming rebrand and Kentucky Derby fundraiser for Growing Futures.

• The Wabash Cannonball event.

• Worthy’s pop-up bar.

• And the ongoing power of connecting good people to good people.

As always, this episode is less “corporate speak” and more happy hour honesty. What’s working. Who we’re meeting. What we’re reading. What we’re building. And how a little boldness, generosity, and consistency can compound in surprising ways.

Grab your favorite beverage. It’s five o’clock somewhere.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

Gentry Ferguson (see his bio below).

In this episode, Gentry shares a career journey that spans lawn-care entrepreneurship, leadership roles at Garmin and AMC Theatres, a layoff just months before COVID shut down the world, and the bold decision to build what is now Talent Solutions Partners.

We talk about:

• What he learned working inside two iconic Kansas City companies

• The emotional reality of being walked out during a corporate layoff

• Why most hiring processes are broken and how companies can do better

• The rise of AI in job search and what job seekers are getting wrong

• How career transition coaching changes outcomes for professionals in crisis

• The gap in leadership readiness between generations

• And how Kansas City B2B Networking grew from a handful of pandemic coffee conversations into a thriving give-to-get community

Gentry’s story is equal parts resilience, reinvention, and relationship-building. He’s built a career around helping organizations hire smarter, develop better leaders, and treat people with dignity during moments of transition.

And yes, he might be the only executive strategist in town who can also explain optimal weight-to-pull ratios in competitive tug-of-war.

If you care about talent, leadership, hiring, culture, or simply navigating career pivots with intention, this conversation delivers both practical insight and hard-earned wisdom.

About Gentry: ​Gentry Ferguson is the Managing Partner of Talent Solutions Partners, a Kansas City-based full-cycle talent management firm helping organizations navigate today’s evolving workforce. With over 15 years of experience in business development and strategic partnerships, Gentry is a trusted advisor to leaders on executive search, leadership development, and career transition solutions.​ Beyond his day-to-day role, Gentry is a co-founder of Kansas City B2B Networking (KCB2B), a monthly group of business leaders focused on genuine relationships and ‘give to get’ collaboration. He also serves on the board of the Missouri & Kansas Search & Staffing Association (MKSSA), advancing talent-acquisition professionalism and ethics in the region. These roles reflect his passion for building strong business networks and nurturing future-focused talent strategies.

You get Dr. Russ Barnes (see his bio below).

In this episode, I reconnect with my former Manhattan College dorm mate, now retired Air Force Colonel, strategist, author, and founder of Systro Solutions, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, preparation, resilience, and what it really takes to build a profitable business.

Russ shares:

• What it was like flying B-52 missions and graduating from the Air Force’s elite Weapons School

• How being an introvert shaped his leadership style and ultimately became a strength

• The lesson a senior officer gave him that transformed his career: “Do your homework.”

• Why most small business owners struggle before profitability, and how strategy, not hustle, changes the game

We also talk about his unlikely first post-military venture, repairing leather and vinyl, the evolution into organization design, and why helping small businesses succeed is really about strengthening communities.

If you care about leadership, lifelong learning, economic impact, or simply doing meaningful work at a high level, this conversation delivers.

About ​Russ: ​Colonel (retired) Dr. Russ Barnes is Chief Strategist at​ Systro Solutions, an organization design firm specializing in small businesses. His 30+ years of experience in organization development are drawn from military service, franchise ownership, academic programs, and strategy consulting, specifically with small businesses. Russ is a best-selling author, speaker, podcaster, strategist, and lifelong learner. He is passionate about serving the community of military veterans and currently contributes as a Director of Education on the​ Action Zone Board of Directors and a course facilitator supporting the mission to help veterans, military spouses, and dependents build profitable companies.​ Russ earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Manhattan ​College (NY), his​ MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, his Master of Science degree in Strategic Studies from Air University, and his PhD in​ Organization Development from Benedictine University.

In this episode, I sit down with Paul Sullivan (see bio below), a longtime New York Times columnist, author, and founder of The Company of Dads, to explore a career journey that spans elite journalism, bestselling books, keynote stages, and ultimately, a bold reinvention.

Paul shares how growing up in a working-class Massachusetts town shaped his ambition, how mentorship and failure sharpened his voice as a writer, and what it was really like covering wealth, pressure, and power during the Great Recession. We talk Tiger Woods, golf under pressure, and the behind-the-scenes reality of writing 600+ columns for the New York Times.

But the heart of this conversation centers on Paul’s evolution into what he calls a “Lead Dad” and why millions of fathers are quietly redefining work, parenting, and leadership. From being an “undercover” caregiver while building a high-profile career to launching The Company of Dads, Paul unpacks how outdated workplace norms are colliding with modern family realities and what leaders are still getting wrong.

This is a candid, thoughtful conversation about ambition, identity, masculinity, work culture, and the courage it takes to rewrite the script when the old version no longer fits.

About ​Paul: Paul Sullivan is the founder of The Company of Dads, the first platform dedicated to creating community for Lead Dads—men who are the go-to parents at home and allies to working caregivers. A former New York Times columnist for 13 years, Paul became a Lead Dad in 2013 when his wife launched her own asset management firm. After years of navigating this role while balancing a demanding career, he founded The Company of Dads in 2022 to support the roughly one-third of fathers in similar positions. Paul is also the author of Clutch and The Thin Green Line, co-hosts Bright Horizons' Work-Life Equation podcast, and lives in Connecticut with his wife, three daughters, and three dogs.

Rebecca is a leading expert on organizational behavior and the future of work, with deep experience at the intersection of research, technology, and real-world execution. In this conversation, she shares insights from her new book, Your Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done. You will learn to rethink your meetings radically.

We talk about how her background as a Division I swimmer at Stanford shaped her views on team dynamics, why meetings should be treated like a product, and how organizations unintentionally sabotage themselves with outdated collaboration habits. Rebecca also unpacks the human side of AI adoption, the challenges of hybrid work, and why most AI initiatives fail not because of technology, but because of people.

You’ll hear about:

• Why inefficient meetings resemble a World War II sabotage tactic

• The “4D + CEO” test to decide whether a meeting should exist at all

• Why Return on Time Invested (ROTI) is a better metric than meeting satisfaction

• How hybrid and remote teams build culture intentionally

• Why empathy and systems thinking mattered during COVID

• Where AI is actually helping people work better and where it’s falling short

• How first-time managers can instantly raise their leadership impact

This is a thoughtful, practical, and surprisingly fun conversation about how work really happens—and how leaders can redesign it to be more human, effective, and intentional.

About ​Rebecca: Rebecca Hinds is a leading expert on organizational behavior and the future of work. She holds a BS, MS, and PhD from Stanford University. Rebecca founded the Work Innovation Lab at Asana and the Work AI Institute at​ Glean, first-of-their-kind corporate think tanks dedicated to conducting cutting-edge research on the future of work. Her research is consistently featured in top-tier publications and has appeared in places like Harvard​ Business Review, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fast​ Company, Wired, TIME, CNBC, Bloomberg, Axios, the Washington Post, and more. Rebecca has been invited to speak on major stages all across the world, including Dreamforce,​ SXSW, INBOUND, Ai4, Cloudfest, and the Gartner Digital Workplace Summit. She regularly appears on​ podcasts, webinars, and online education programs, including appearances on Adam Grant’s Worklife​ podcast, Deloitte’s Capital H podcast, and as an instructor for CNBC’s Make It Masterclass, “How to Use​ AI to be More Productive and Successful at Work.” She is a trusted advisor to companies navigating the challenges of modern work—from meeting overload and hybrid dysfunction to the messy realities of AI​ adoption and organizational change.

In this January conversation, Marc Shaffer and I ease into 2026 by talking about what actually matters when the calendar flips: health, energy, relationships, and letting go of the pressure to start the year at full throttle. We swap stories about holiday parties that got a little bigger than expected, birthdays for four-year-olds, bourbon tastings, Guinness on tap, and the quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s that never quite goes according to plan.

We also dive into:

• Reframing health goals beyond the gym and focusing on how you feel

• The difference between being busy and being in flow

• Mid-career shifts from building to maintaining without burning out

• New experiences with meditation and energy work, and what surprised us most

• Speaking goals, books coming to life in audio form, and unexpected feedback from listeners

• Why slowing down, creating space, and being present might be the smartest way to start the year

As always, the conversation wanders in the best way, touching on family, work, giving back, creativity, and the power of staying connected. It’s a relaxed, honest start to the year and a reminder that progress doesn’t always come from pushing harder.

Pull up a chair. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere :-)

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

In this episode, Jason Young (see bio below) joins me on The Corporate Couch for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about leadership, emotional intelligence, burnout, and why “likability” may be one of the most underrated leadership skills in business today.

Jason shares stories from his early life, formative mentors, and unexpected career pivots that shaped his approach to leadership. We dive into the moments that changed his trajectory, including an unforgettable job interview that exposed a blind spot around emotional intelligence and ultimately became the catalyst for his work as a leadership consultant, speaker, and author.

We also unpack ideas from his book The Likeable Leader, explore why burnout is not a badge of honor, and discuss how leaders can create cultures where people feel seen, valued, and motivated to follow. Along the way, Jason offers practical insights on mentoring, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and what it really means to lead in a people-first way.

This episode is thoughtful, honest, and surprisingly fun, especially if you care about building teams people actually want to be part of.

About ​Jason: Jason Young, PhD, is a leadership consultant, speaker, and author with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations and churches build thriving, people-first cultures. With doctoral degrees in hospitality and leadership, Jason is known for his practical, story-driven, and research-based approach to leadership, emotional intelligence, and team health.​ He has partnered with a wide range of clients, including Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, Google, Procter & Gamble, Global Leadership Summit, North Point Ministries, and many other respected organizations, to design strategies that improve guest experience, build healthy leaders, enhance team engagement, and reduce burnout. His work includes keynotes, workshops, coaching, and consulting, all centered on creating psychologically safe, high-performing environments.

Seth opens up about growing up in a small Ohio town, choosing basketball as his path forward, and dealing with career-ending injuries that forced him to pivot from his dream of coaching college basketball. He discusses how he accidentally fell into business, starting with an oil and gas company in Houston and eventually finding his way into technology, industrial manufacturing, and service businesses.

The conversation explores Seth's unique leadership philosophy, shaped by his background as a coach and teacher. He shares insights on building high-performing teams, often comprised of first-generation immigrants, trauma survivors, military veterans, and former college athletes who understand sacrifice and teamwork. Seth explains how he grew a business from $25 million to $2 billion in revenue, managed international teams across vastly different time zones, and why he believes constraints bring out the best ideas.

Seth discusses his decision to step away from traditional corporate roles to found Samson Partners Group, where he helps founders prepare their businesses for exit through an investor lens. He introduces the concept behind his new book, "The Owner's Manual," which teaches business owners how to think about their companies as investors would—comparing it to preparing a rental property for sale by understanding what drives valuation gaps.

Throughout the episode, Seth emphasizes the importance of work ethic, developing marketable skills, and finding what you're truly good at early in your career. He shares his "USA" framework for new managers: Understand first, Simplify operations, then take Action. Seth also candidly discusses his journey with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, the importance of mental health, and how he spent the last few years focused on healing while building Samson Partners.

This conversation offers invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone navigating career transitions while dealing with personal challenges.

About ​Seth: ​​Seth Deutsch is the founder of Samson Partners Group, where he advises founders and CEOs on achieving their business goals. He serves on the boards of multiple family-led and private equity-backed companies across restoration, roofing, industrial construction, and flooring platforms, and acts as an operating partner at several mid-market PE firms.

Throughout his career, Seth has architected nine buy-and-build platforms and executed over 70 acquisitions. He previously served as President and CEO of two multi-billion-dollar divisions at AECOM and led a national PE-backed HVAC services company. His diverse experience spans the blue-collar trades, built environment, software (with two exits), and legal services. Notable achievements include scaling a finance and accounting services firm from 50 to over 400 employees in two years, achieving a 6.5X MOIC upon exit.

With over 25 years of experience helping leaders and teams communicate better, Frank blends humor, neuroscience, and real-world insight to show why people thrive when they feel seen, heard, and empowered. In this conversation, he shares how his journey from teaching Dale Carnegie courses to building a speaking career around “Embrace Your Freakness” shaped his approach to leadership and culture.

We talk about why humor builds trust faster than titles, the danger of putting people into personality or generational boxes, and how leaders can better read the room and connect in real time. Frank also reflects on failure, authenticity, and why amplifying what makes people remarkable matters more than fixing what’s broken.

This episode is thoughtful, funny, and practical, a reminder that great leadership doesn’t require perfection, just presence.

About Frank: ​Frank Keck is a dynamic speaker, facilitator, and leadership expert who helps people and organizations unlock their full potential by being boldly and authentically themselves. With over 25 years of experience working with leaders, teams, and associations, Frank blends humor, neuroscience, and real-world strategy to create lasting impact. Whether he's teaching communication, collaboration, or confidence,​ Frank’s message is simple: when people feel seen and empowered, they thrive​ and so do the organizations they​ are part of.

In this conversation, Rich shares how the abrupt pause of the 2020 pandemic forced him to confront a question many athletes and high performers eventually face: What’s next when the identity you’ve always known comes to a stop? That moment of uncertainty became the spark for a deep dive into money, technology, and value creation, ultimately leading him to found Dash In Between, a creative agency helping organizations apply emerging technology in practical, human-centered ways.

We talk about:

• Growing up in Lee’s Summit, MO and chasing the dream of playing professional football

• Competing and winning championships across Europe, and what life looks like when the game ends

• How curiosity, not hype, pulled him into Bitcoin, Web3, and digital ownership

• Why Dash In Between is named after the “dash” on a gravestone, and what that says about purpose and creativity

• Using Web3 and AI to solve real problems in food access, agriculture, healthcare, and local economies

• The rise (and fall) of NFTs, and what real utility actually looks like

• Building platforms like Produce Matrix and KC SMB to support farmers, small businesses, and the 2026 World Cup in Kansas City

• Why following curiosity beats following passion, and how leaders can better listen, stay patient, and empower teams

This episode blends personal reinvention, practical innovation, and big-picture thinking about where technology is headed and how it can be used to create abundance rather than confusion. It’s a wide-ranging, honest conversation about building what matters in the time we’re given.

About Rich: As a former professional athlete and lifelong gamer, Rich Chungong has always thrived in high-stakes environments where strategy, creativity, and execution are everything. Now, he has brought that same mindset to the world of emerging tech—building a cutting-edge creative agency specializing in Web3, AI, and game development.

Todd is a seasoned C-suite transportation veteran and the CEO of TCS, a company using blockchain technology to solve the most expensive and broken part of the supply chain: freight payments. In this conversation, he walks through his unlikely path from law school and commercial real estate to freight brokerage, trucking, and ultimately building a Web3 solution that settles invoices same day or next business day at a fraction of the cost of traditional factoring.

Along the way, we cover:

• Why trucking is a nearly $3 trillion industry that most people don’t fully understand

• The infamous disappearing truckload of $100,000 worth of filet mignon

• How factoring really works and why many carriers are trapped in 30–60% annualized interest rates

• Why the cost of capital, not capacity, is the biggest threat to the supply chain

• How blockchain creates faster, cheaper, and more transparent settlement rails

• What it was like being invited to the White House twice and attending the signing of the GENIUS Act

• Why Todd believes most B2B payments will be on-chain within the next 3–5 years

• And why truck drivers might be the most underestimated business minds in America

This episode blends real-world trucking stories, hard economic truths, and a practical look at how new technology actually solves old problems. Whether you’re curious about blockchain, supply chains, or how innovation really happens on Main Street, this conversation pulls back the curtain.

About ​Todd: ​​Todd Ziegler is a decade-long C-suite transportation veteran. As CEO of TCS, Ziegler is leading a revolution of innovation, making B2B blockchain settlement industry standard in transportation trade finance. TCS settles freight invoices on-chain same day, or next business day, up to 90% cheaper than invoice "factoring." TCS is a main street use case for digital assets that has solved the largest payments problem in North American supply chains - an Industry valued at nearly $3T.

We talk about the blur between November and December, holiday parties, birthdays, book parties (not book launches), and the reality of trying to slow down during the busiest time of the year (including Jeff's Reiki session). Marc shares what he’s learning through his Acumen peer group, why trusted circles matter more than ever, and how seeing behind the curtain as a financial planner reshapes how he thinks about success, wealth, and priorities. Jeff shares

The conversation also touches on:

• Creating time wealth and why “slowing down” is a serious goal for 2026

• Books that are shaping our thinking, including simple sketches that reframe money and meaning

• Giving back through organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Growing Futures

• The power of small connections, unexpected introductions, and Kansas City’s culture of generosity

• Meditation streaks, habits, golf goals, and why being present matters more than being productive

• New family traditions, travel dreams, and what unplugging actually looks like.

As always, it’s a mix of thoughtful insights, honest self-reflection, and a few laughs along the way, exactly what a December happy hour conversation should be.

Pull up a chair, take a breath, and enjoy this end-of-year conversation. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere!

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

The conversation traces Casey’s journey from a football-playing, piano-playing Kansas kid to leading one of the region’s most respected recruiting firms. Along the way, he shares how personal loss, career-ending injury, and early professional pivots reshaped his view of success, leadership, and work. What emerges is a candid look at why culture matters more than credentials, why resumes still matter but never tell the whole story, and why real recruiting is ultimately about trust, timing, and long-term relationships.

Casey also offers grounded insight into hiring trends, age bias, job hopping, the limits of technology in talent decisions, and what both early-career professionals and first-time leaders often get wrong. It’s an honest, wide-ranging discussion about building teams the right way and building a career that fits the life you want to live.

About ​Casey: For the past 19 years, Casey ​Wright has specialized in placing finance and accounting professionals in the Kansas City area. Prior to becoming the President and Owner of Chief of Staff KC, Casey built his career with accounting and finance recruiting firms that operated on national, regional, and local levels—giving him a broad perspective and deep expertise across diverse markets. He began at a multi-billion-dollar national recruiting firm, where he quickly rose through the ranks and earned numerous awards for performance and leadership at the local, regional, and national levels.

In June of 2019, Casey took over as the President and Owner of Chief of Staff KC, an award-winning firm serving the Kansas City community since 2011. Under his leadership, the firm has experienced significant growth. In 2024, Chief of Staff KC expanded to a 20-person internal team, moved into a new office with four times the space, and successfully placed professionals at over 200 companies throughout the metro area.

In this conversation, Shannon shares how growing up between the Midwest and the East Coast, sitting outside law school classrooms as a child, and watching her father blaze a trail into the legal profession shaped her sense of discipline, ambition, and possibility. She opens up about the pivots that changed everything, from leaving traditional professional services to building a global career in corporate leadership, from living as an expat in Switzerland to stepping away from full-time work to support her son during critical developmental years.

We talk about:

• Why career “detours” often become the most meaningful chapters

• What global living taught her about leadership, culture, and perspective

• How improvisation, creativity, and even group fitness classes sharpen leadership skills

• The realities of board service and how leaders actually get invited into the boardroom

• Her experience as CFO of Wing, Alphabet’s autonomous drone delivery company

• Why relationships, not résumés, drive long-term career success

• The inspiration behind her podcast, No Boxes: Just Verses, and why music tells leadership stories better than titles ever could

Shannon brings candor, humor, and deep reflection to a conversation that challenges traditional definitions of success. Her story is proof that leadership isn’t about staying in one lane—it’s about knowing when to change course and having the courage to keep moving forward.

About ​S​hannon: Shannon Nash is a global C-suite leader, Qualified Financial Expert, attorney, and CPA with 30+ years of experience at the intersection of technology, finance, and governance. She serves as an independent board director for NetScout Systems, SoFi Bank, and Lazy Dog Restaurants. Formerly CFO of Wing, an Alphabet company, she led global finance and operations for its autonomous drone delivery service. Shannon has also held CFO roles at Reputation.com and Inside Source, and senior finance roles with Amgen and Cumulus Media. She started her career at KPMG and Cooley LLP.

In our wide-ranging conversation, Lori shares stories from her early days growing up in New Jersey, the lessons she learned navigating high-performance corporate cultures, and why her mornings often start with a Peloton ride and a tube of M&Ms. She opens up about the moment she realized it was time to leave corporate life, the leap into her “portfolio career,” and the joy she found helping others through board work, executive coaching, and keynote speaking.

We also dive into:

• Her decade-long board journey, including Fresh Del Monte Produce and 24 Hour Fitness

• The origin story of The Band of Sisters, a powerhouse group of former PepsiCo executives dismantling gender bias one story at a time

• Why language matters, and how subtle micro-moments shape culture more than we realize

• How she built a career on curiosity, grit, and paying attention to “signals from the universe”

• The surprising similarities across industries—from CPG to retail to tech

• Her belief that leadership is less about perfection and more about awareness, intention, and impact

Lori brings the perfect blend of insight, experience, and straight talk. Whether she’s talking about the corporate tax, the evolution of DEI, or why she will always be a Springsteen fan, this episode is packed with wisdom and personality.

If you’re looking for a masterclass in leadership with heart, humor, and honesty, you’ll love this conversation.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Lori: Lori Tauber Marcus is the kind of leader who’s seen it all from the C-suite to the boardroom, and everywhere in between. She’s currently serving on the boards of Fresh Del Monte Produce and 24 Hour Fitness, and she brings nearly 10 years of experience helping companies navigate major transitions, including CEO changes, mergers, and turnarounds.

That grit never left her...it just evolved.

Today, Lindsay is a performance coach, operational strategist, and property investor who has helped more than 70 organizations across 35+ industries find clarity, build accountability, and scale with purpose. But her path to leadership is anything but traditional.

In this conversation, Lindsay shares:

• Her farm-to-boardroom journey, including running a 20-sow operation before she could drive.

• How early hardship, a tough father, and a special-needs brother shaped her resilience and empathy.

• The surprising launchpad of her career - including Farm Aid, Willie Nelson phone calls, and learning to “sell” by watching strangers shop the meat case.

• Why Original Juan became her real-world MBA, giving her hands-on experience in sales, operations, and process improvement.

• Her signature 10-question assessment - including the now-famous “monkey bars question” and how it helps her decode people in minutes.

• Her belief that business is simple when you understand the skeleton beneath every organization.

• Honey Hill Property Investment, the company she built with her husband to revitalize workforce housing in rural Missouri and honor the legacy of her grandparents.

• And the personal mission that drives everything she does: to positively impact one million lives.

Lindsay’s story is a masterclass in grit, clarity, and purpose, and a reminder that leadership isn’t about titles or pedigree. It’s about knowing who you are, doing the hard things, and lifting others along the way.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Lindsay: Lindsay Howerton is a performance coach, fractional COO and property investor with a track record of helping over 70 organizations across more than 35 industries clarify operations, scale sustainably and build resilient teams. With a no-nonsense leadership style and a deep commitment to purpose-driven growth, Lindsay brings operational clarity, team accountability and practical systems to businesses that are ready to level up. 

She is the founder of a property investment company focused on revitalizing uninhabitable properties and increasing access to workforce housing, particularly in rural and underserved areas like Brookfield, Missouri. Through this work, she blends real estate strategy with social impact, transforming forgotten spaces into opportunity. Married for over two decades and a proud mother of two daughters, Lindsay’s personal values are to respect what you have, grow to your greatest potential and love people more than things. She has traveled extensively with her husband, coached hundreds toward self-discovery and is on a mission to change one million lives through her work.

Marc kicks things off with a big reveal of his word for 2026 and shares how health, proactivity, and a soon-to-be scheduled executive physical have moved to the top of his priority list. We talk about the value of choosing a “word of the year,” why intentional planning should start long before December, and the role his long-time life coach has played in shaping his annual reset process.

We also cover:

• The art of simplifying goals and actually sticking to them

• Why Marc’s assistant Amy might be the MVP of the year

• The magic of handwritten cards (and how Marc systemizes kindness with SendOutCards)

• Holiday plans, family photos, and the value of slowing down

• Books we’re reading from digital assets to leadership

• Searcy Financial’s upcoming 50th anniversary celebration

• And the impact of Giving Tuesday, including Marc’s work with Wabash Cannonball

This episode is equal parts practical and warm, a blend of goal-setting, personal stories, and the reminder that connection, consistency, and gratitude matter more than ever this time of year.

Pull up a chair, pour a glass of whatever feels right… it’s all part of the 5 o’clock philosophy.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

Founder and President of the Institute for International Medicine (INMED), he has trained thousands of healthcare professionals to serve vulnerable populations around the world. But his story begins long before global health leadership shaped by summers spent on a tiny Greek island, a father who survived wartime hunger, and a childhood in Parkville, Missouri.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How his multicultural upbringing set the stage for a life of service.

• What he learned practicing medicine in poverty-stricken communities in China and Angola.

• The moment a commander told him, “We’ve been watching you,” and how it reshaped his understanding of unseen impact.

• Why he founded INMED and how it has grown into a graduate-level institution preparing clinicians to serve the forgotten.

• His newest book, Five Bags of Gold, explores the deeper meaning behind investing time, talent, and resources in others.

• How classical guitar became his unlikely creative outlet.

Dr. Comninellis brings humility, courage, and conviction to every part of his story. This episode is a powerful reminder that compassion in action, not comfort, is what changes the world.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Nicholas:

He graduated from the UMKC School of Medicine and Saint Louis University School of Public Health and was a family medicine resident at John Peter Smith Hospital. Dr. Comninellis also earned a diploma in tropical medicine from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and became board-certified in both public health and family medicine. Among his authored books is Five Bags of Gold – a Modern Parable of Wealth, Responsibility, and Eternal Investment. Dr. Comninellis is a classical guitarist and faculty co-advisor for UMKC Cru. He was honored as the 2009 United Nations Association of the United States World Citizen and the 2015 University of Missouri-Kansas City Alumni of the Year.

In this conversation, she shares how her unconventional path from a childhood in Louisiana to leading major nonprofits across Kansas City and Boston shaped her purpose-driven approach to leadership.

We talk about:

• How early responsibility and hardship fueled her desire to serve others.

• Her love for art, fashion, and creativity and how it shows up in her leadership style.

• What it means to lead with empathy while navigating rapid organizational growth.

• How trauma and healing intersect with career development and confidence.

• Why she believes self-worth and service are the foundation of success.

Chandra’s journey reminds us that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about impact, integrity, and using your story to help others rise.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Chandra: Chandra Clark is a nonprofit executive driven by purpose and mission. For over a decade, she has served in nonprofit leadership by developing innovative programs, initiatives, and collaborative opportunities in the community to support and advance the lives of underrepresented children, youth and women. She is honored to currently serve as the inaugural President of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation. Her previous roles include Executive Director of VHL Alliance, the inaugural Director of Community Outreach for Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City, and Founder of Be Loved, a lifestyle brand.

As a celebrated speaker, mentor, and life coach, she has been honored to receive numerous awards and recognitions, including the Young Athena Leadership Award from the Kansas City Chamber, Rockhurst Faber Young Alum of the Year from Rockhurst University, Top Connector in Education and Entrepreneurship from the Kauffman Foundation, and Most Influential Women in Kansas City Business from the Kansas City Business Journal. Chandra holds a Master of Education degree from Rockhurst University, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is a graduate of the Central Exchange Emerging Leaders program. She currently serves on the board of The Boston Club, and Advisory Council for the Women’s Foundation of Boston. Her former board and civic engagement include serving as President of the Missouri Career Development Association, member of the Executive Women’s Leadership Council, member of the Junior League of Greater, and founding member of the Central Exchange Young Professionals Council.

In this conversation, Brett shares:

• How small-town values and faith laid the foundation for his leadership approach.

• What he learned from Hallmark about aligning people, purpose, and performance.

• How endurance sports have shaped his mindset for leading through uncertainty and change.

• The importance of simplifying complexity, whether managing teams or competing in a triathlon.

• Why trust, humility, and follow-through are the hallmarks of great leadership.

We also discuss how he balances family, career, and competition, and why he believes that success on the course or in the boardroom comes down to perseverance and purpose.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Brett: Brett Carey serves as an executive leader in Human Resources, a loving leader in his faith and family, and practices personal leadership in his passion for triathlon. For the past 5 ½ years, he has served as the Vice President of Human Resources for The University of Kansas Health System. As a trusted advocate, Brett is a strategic HR leader with broad expertise simplifying complex situations through holistic thinking, ideation, and execution. Brett works with the Senior Executive Team as well as Physicians and all employees to ensure he is aligning HR strategies with the health system’s vision and mission. Throughout his career, he has been known for developing solutions to align business priorities while leading teams with collaboration and influencing with interpersonal and organizational savvy.

Prior to the health system, Brett enjoyed 25+ years with Hallmark Cards, progressing from sales and customer development into and through operational and human resources leadership positions. Integral to his personal and professional ethos is the integration and intersection of competitive triathlon and testing the limits of physical and mental boundaries.

Before you call HR, hear him out. Mark breaks down his new “LOVE” model for leadership:

• Listen graciously to build trust.

• Observe generously to invest in others.

• Value gratefully to show appreciation.

• Empower generatively to help people grow.

We discuss why traditional “command and control” management no longer serves modern organizations, the importance of language in shaping community (vs. culture), and how belonging, not hierarchy, creates stronger teams. Mark also shares stories from his hospitality and marketing career, his belief in the “power of four,” and why he’s declared 2025 “The Year of Love.”

This conversation is a reminder that putting the human back in human resources isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a business imperative.

Here is the Amazon Link for Mark's book: Love @ Work

That’s the question Minette Norman (see her bio below) has spent her career answering. As the former Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk, she led more than 3,500 engineers across the globe, proving that empathy, trust, and courage can drive performance just as powerfully as process and technology. Today, as a consultant, speaker, and author, Minette helps leaders create environments where people feel safe to speak up, collaborate, and innovate.

In this conversation, Minette and I explore:

• Why emotions are data and how leaders can use that insight to make better decisions.

• The challenges and rewards of leading large, distributed teams.

• How her book, The Psychological Safety Playbook, equips leaders to build trust and openness.

• The lessons behind her second book, The Boldly Inclusive Leader.

• Why the future of leadership depends on listening, not managing.

Minette’s perspective is candid, insightful, and deeply practical. She reminds us that the strongest leaders don’t rely on hierarchy; they rely on humanity, courage, and connection.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Minette: Minette Norman is an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who previously spent decades leading global technical teams in the software industry. She has extensive experience leading internationally distributed teams and believes that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates. Her most recent position before starting her consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk. Responsible for influencing more than 3,500 engineers around the globe, she focused on state-of-the-art engineering practices while nurturing a collaborative and inclusive culture. 

Minette is a keynote speaker on inclusive leadership, psychological safety, collaborative teams, and empathy. Named in 2017 as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the San Francisco Business Times and as “Business Role Model of the Year” in the 2018 Women in IT/Silicon Valley Awards, Minette is a recognized leader with a unique perspective. Minette is the author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader and the co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook.

We talk about what he’s learned since releasing the book, from reading his own audiobook (“harder than it sounds”) to connecting with students at KU and Mizzou and maybe even starting a friendly campus competition. Marc also shares how he uses templates, CRMs, and even AI to stay on top of hundreds of introductions and follow-ups, proving that connection and consistency can coexist.

The conversation takes a personal turn as we talk about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the passing of Marc’s mother, and his father’s ongoing health journey. We also dive into the power of one-on-one conversations, why he tracks “friendly coffees,” and how joining peer and faith-based business groups has reignited his sense of purpose.

It’s a conversation about gratitude, growth, and the systems and people that make it all work.

Pull up a chair (and maybe a pink shirt), it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere!

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

The opinions expressed herein are those of certain Searcy Financial Services, Inc. personnel and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to revision due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, promotion, endorsement, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of the author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated. Searcy Financial Services, Inc. was not compensated, nor are there material conflicts of interest that would affect the given statement.

In our conversation, Claude shares:

• The story behind her unconventional career path, from Outward Bound instructor to Gary Vee’s #2.

• The inspiration behind her new book, Be Yourself at Work, and why it’s a roadmap for authentic leadership.

• How emotional optimism, bravery, and efficiency can change the way teams perform.

• Why she doesn’t hire for “culture fit” and what she looks for instead.

• How to lead across generations with grace, not entitlement.

Claude also opens up about her early struggles with self-doubt and dyslexia, how a 93-day wilderness expedition changed her life, and why “being yourself” isn’t a cliché, it’s a competitive advantage.

It’s one of my favorite conversations, which is filled with honesty, humanity, and heart from one of the most influential voices in modern leadership.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Claude: Claude Silver is the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, where she’s redefining leadership with empathy, emotional intelligence, and heart. Her mission: create cultures where people feel safe enough to be themselves and brave enough to grow.

As a speaker, podcaster, and LinkedIn voice on modern leadership, Claude inspires leaders to lead with humanity and proves that belonging fuels performance. During her tenure, Vayner has scaled from 400 to 2,000 people across 11 countries. She also helped lead VaynerMedia to win Adweek’s 2022 “Breakthrough Agency of the Year.”

Claude was once told she “thinks too much with her heart.” Today, she calls that emotional optimism, and it’s her leadership superpower.

Her path hasn’t followed a script. Claude founded an outdoor adventure and surf company in San Francisco, became an Outward Bound instructor, and immersed herself in transpersonal psychology, Buddhist teachings, and the study of human potential. Before joining Vayner, she held executive roles at global advertising agencies, including JWT London, JWT San Francisco, and Publicis.

Claude has been honored with Campaign US’s Female Frontier Award, Adweek’s “Changing the Game” Award, and Adweek’s 2025 Mother of the Year. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., and The Wall Street Journal, and regularly speaks on stages around the world about culture, emotional leadership, and the future of work.

In this conversation, we cover:

• How Rhoback was born during business school brainstorming sessions and inspired by their high-energy dog, Bunker.

• The early “Under Armour meets Vineyard Vines” vision that shaped their brand (and using ignorance as a superpower).

• How Kristina learned Shopify, coding, and Photoshop to build the business from scratch while selling gear up and down the East Coast in a camper.

• The lessons of humility and grit that carried them through tough startup years, including one memorable highway surfboard incident.

• How they’re building a family, a company, and a culture rooted in partnership not ego.

From golf stories with Steph Curry to guerrilla marketing stunts on Nantucket, the Loftuses bring humor, authenticity, and hustle to every chapter of Rhoback’s journey. This episode is a masterclass in teamwork, trust, and building something meaningful together.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

To learn more about Rhoback, Kristina, and Matt:

Rhoback: https://rhoback.com/pages/our-story

Kristina: linkedin.com/in/kristina-loftus-638a9222

Matt: linkedin.com/in/matthew-loftus-91b92721

In this conversation, Kelly shares:

• The surprising lessons she learned from her improv training in Chicago (and how it helps in the boardroom).

• Why the best leaders still send handwritten notes and how authentic connection drives business success.

• How her early days at Sprint (T-Mobile) shaped her passion for culture and leadership.

• Why companies can’t “buy” culture with perks and technology, it has to be built intentionally.

• Her take on AI’s role in leadership, teaching, and the future of work.

From stories about making cookies for coworkers at 2 a.m. to helping executives uncover what’s really driving (or derailing) performance, Kelly blends warmth, wisdom, and wit. She reminds us that culture isn’t an initiative; it’s the outcome of how people treat each other every day.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Kelly: Kelly Byrnes is the Founder and CEO of Voyage Consulting Group, helping leaders strengthen their organizations through culture and talent strategy. A former Chief Talent Officer and MBA professor at Rockhurst University, she's advised 75+ organizations and coached 200+ executives. Kelly co-founded Culture Matters, hosts the Leadership Book of the Month broadcast, and recently released The Basics of Gen AI: The Essential Guide for Business Leaders and Professionals. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. She was named one of the region's Most Influential Women and inducted into the Kansas City Business Hall of Fame.

- Esther George, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

- Danny Baer, Director of Wealth and Asset Management at Meanwhile -

- John Squire, General Partner at Blockchange Ventures

- Anthony Bassili, President of Coinbase Asset Management

- Michael Cantu, Managing Director of Stellar Forge Capital

- Gary Cardone, Managing Partner of Card1 Digital Ventures

- Heidi Lehman, Founder of Heartland Digital Asset Exchange.

Discover how these pioneers are shaping the future of finance and what it means for the average investor. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on innovation, regulation, and the evolving landscape of digital assets.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

Ben Jackson (see his bio below), co-founder and CEO of Bungii, was a college senior at Kansas State when he and a friend came up with a simple idea: “tap a button, get a truck.” Nearly a decade later, that idea has grown into a breakthrough last-mile delivery platform dubbed “DoorDash for big and bulky items.” Under Ben’s leadership, Bungii has expanded into more than 90 major U.S. metros, forged partnerships with Walmart and Best Buy, and earned him recognition on Forbes 30 Under 30 and as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

In this episode, Ben shares:

• How a text from a friend, a beat-up Ford Ranger, and a "Nancy" cocktail in Kansas State's Aggieville started it all.

• The painful (and hilarious) early lessons of raising capital and building an app from scratch.

• How COVID nearly crushed the company and how quick thinking and grit turned crisis into growth.

• Why he believes persistence and curiosity matter more than IQ.

• How he balances being a husband, dad of three, and CEO of a fast-growing logistics company.

From the chaos of college start-up life to the discipline of scaling a national brand, Ben’s story is equal parts entrepreneurial rollercoaster and masterclass in resilience.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

In this conversation, Greg and I dive into:

• Lessons from leading a company through the 2008–2009 recession and turning it around.

• Why scaling a business shouldn’t mean “losing your soul” and how to do it differently.

• The role of Predictive Index assessments in leadership, hiring, and even M&A deals.

• How generational shifts are reshaping manufacturing and why younger workers value freedom of time as much as money.

• His new venture, Bison Biocomposites, and how hemp-based products could change the construction industry.

From leadership lessons to innovation in concrete (and beyond), Greg brings real-world grit and executive-level insight, reminding us that at every stage, whether you’re baling hay, running a plant, or advising private equity groups, it’s still all about people.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

We talk about:

• Why relationship-building shouldn’t be an afterthought and how to make it a daily habit.

• The Irish proverb that captures the spirit of the book: “You hand it out in slices, and it comes back in loaves.”

• Why “follow-through” is one of the most underrated (and underused) skills in business.

• How mentoring younger professionals, like those on his own team, shaped the writing process.

• The role of systems in making generosity and connection sustainable, not sporadic.

From stories of mentorship and community building to practical templates and takeaways, Marc’s book and this conversation offer a blueprint for anyone who wants to build authentic relationships and pay kindness forward in business and in life.

This episode is brought to you by Searcy Financial. Your financial future begins with a simple question: Where do you want to be? At Searcy Financial, we help successful individuals and families through our mission to simplify your financial journey, empowering you to enjoy life and wealth on your terms. The question sparks a conversation that goes beyond numbers, helping us understand what truly matters to you and the kind of financial plan that aligns with your life goals. It also allows us to identify potential challenges and opportunities so we can proactively address them. The outcome is a plan that empowers you to acquire, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Searcy Financial is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of service. Don’t miss out on any of the excitement! To sign up for information on Marc’s book, “One for All,” including where to buy and exclusive website content, or to sign up for the Searcy Financial Wealth Matters email newsletter, use the links below:

- Marc's Book "One for All": Keep Me Updated!

- "Wealth Matters" newsletter: Sign Me Up!

In this conversation, Julie and I explore:

• How early career experiences at Caterpillar and in consulting shaped her perspective on leadership and inclusion.

• Why COVID both accelerated and complicated conversations around allyship.

• The “roller coaster” of DEI work and how organizations can move from good intentions to lasting systems of change.

• Her candid take on hiring practices, bias, and what truly creates equitable opportunities.

• Insights from her new book, We Want You: An Allyship Guide for People with Power, are a call to action for those in leadership roles to engage fully in creating inclusive cultures.

From her Buckeye roots to becoming a nationally recognized author, speaker, and professor, Julie shares hard-earned lessons, fresh data, and practical tools for leaders who want to navigate today’s multi-generational, diverse workforce with courage and care.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

In our conversation, she shares:

• Why pressure, not power, is the real force that corrupts leaders.

• How her sabbatical at Microsoft led to a life-changing career shift.

• The story behind her new book, You’re the Boss, and the lessons drawn from 12,000 pages of executive feedback.

• The surprising role theater and even stunt fighting played in shaping her leadership skills.

• Why integrity matters more than authenticity and how busyness has become one of the biggest traps for managers.

Sabina also introduces practical tools like the “Yes List” and “Micro Habits,” making leadership development actionable instead of theoretical. Her insights are candid, data-driven, and deeply human—a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about impact.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Sabina:

executives and teams at Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions around the world. Sabina routinely gives speeches each year and teaches faculty at Northeastern and Drexel Universities.

During her fourteen-year tenure at Microsoft, she went from managing software development teams to leading the company’s executive development and succession planning efforts for over 11,000 managers and nearly a thousand executives, advising Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer directly.

She has written for and been featured in Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, NBC, Nasdaq, and MarketWatch.

We cover the accidental purple cover photo, why the book has exactly 52 chapters (hint: the B-52s), and what it was like to land a foreword written by Cindy Wilson herself. Michael also opens up about his sobriety journey, giving up sugar for a year, surviving a stroke, and how discipline shaped his writing process (at one point cranking out a chapter a day).

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Mackie story without laugh-out-loud moments, like a wrestler’s ill-timed digestive mishap or asking Anna Nicole Smith, “When was the War of 1812?” Michael brings the same mix of humor, humility, and heart to this conversation that he brings to the pages of his book.

Whether you’re fascinated by celebrity culture, curious about resilience, or just in need of a good laugh, this episode is the perfect preview of a book that’s as bite-sized and bingeable as it is heartfelt.

Here is the Amazon Link for Michael's book: https://a.co/d/225B7C7.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

In this conversation, Rusty shares:

• Lessons learned from growing up on construction sites and how they shaped his work ethic.

• Why curiosity and a love of people have been the through-line in his career.

• His “Web of Success” philosophy for helping employees grow in their own unique ways.

• How human connection is being lost in business and why it’s still the secret to long-term success.

• His perspective on leadership in today’s multigenerational, tech-driven workplace.

From high school parties with 400 guests to thoughtful reflections on servant leadership, Rusty brings both humor and wisdom. This is a conversation about grit, growth, and grounding leadership in relationships that last.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

In our conversation, Jeff and I explore:

• How each generation views work, success, and leadership differently

• Why skill-based hiring is overtaking degree-based hiring

• The long-term effects of the 2008 recession on Millennials and Gen Z

• How COVID accelerated the shift toward remote and fractional work

• Why embracing generative AI is the next essential leadership skill

Jeff’s insights are both practical and forward-looking, reminding us that thriving in the future of work means embracing diversity of age, thought, and technology. 

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

We also swap stories about golf outings, charity cooking classes, and rediscovering the joy in everyday connections. This one’s about savoring life’s crooked turns, honoring what matters most, and remembering that the best ideas often come when you step away from your to-do list.

Pull up a chair (and maybe a drink), it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.

In this episode, Donna reveals the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when pitching, why excitement and fear are essentially the same thing with different branding, and how she created an AI version of herself to analyze investor pitch decks. She discusses her book "Sticking to My Story," shares memorable moments from training sessions around the globe, and explains why the deepest human wish is simply to be seen and acknowledged.

Whether you're preparing for your first job interview, leading a team, or pitching your next big idea, this conversation is packed with practical insights about communication, storytelling, and finding your professional Ikigai (that sweet spot where what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for all intersect).

Along the way, Jourdan answered important questions, including:

• What made recruiting attractive to her, given her past career history?

• How does she see the recruiting industry today versus the way she and her team operate?

• Why does Blue Ocean position itself as recruiting consultants?

• What sets them apart from the traditional recruiter reputation?

• What trends does she see shaping recruiting in the next 2–3 years?

This 19-minute conversation is both personal and professional, showing how career detours can lead to more meaningful paths forward.

This episode brought to you by...

In today’s hiring world, finding top-tier talent can be extremely difficult. How do you want to differentiate your company in a highly competitive search pool? Do you want to fish in a crowded Red Ocean or stand out in a bright blue one? At Blue Ocean Search Firm, we empower visionary leaders with breakthrough hiring strategies, proprietary technology, and trusted partnerships to build transformational teams – all while maintaining the human element. 

As a Corporate Couch listener, you receive 50% savings on Blue Ocean Talent Acquisition fees. Contact Blue Ocean Search Firm Here and mention "The Corporate Couch".

To learn more about Jourdan, please visit their website: About Us.

John opens up about the pivotal moment when someone took a chance on him despite lacking the "required" degree, launching a career that would span Fortune 500 companies like Alcon and Bausch & Lomb. He discusses his transition from human health to falling in love with the animal health industry, his entrepreneurial ventures, including a barbershop with his daughter, and ultimately founding Blue Ocean Search Firm at age 62.

This episode tackles the outdated hiring practices that still plague many companies, where talented candidates are eliminated in final rounds simply for lacking a diploma. John and Jeff dive deep into why cultural fit and authentic talent should matter more than credentials, and how modern recruiting technology combined with human insight can identify the best candidates, whether they're actively looking or not.

You'll also hear John's passionate take on bringing decency back to the hiring process, his advice for new graduates and first-time leaders, and why the entrepreneurial mindset he showed in fifth grade (selling gum to classmates) has been the real driver of his success.

Whether you're a hiring manager, job seeker, or someone who believes talent comes in many forms, this conversation will challenge how you think about credentials versus capability in today's evolving workplace.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

We discuss the traits that make great caregivers, the mental battles of “Why me?” and FOMO, and the importance of optimism grounded in reality. Harry also opens up about his own Parkinson’s diagnosis, how he’s managing it, and the role of compartmentalization in balancing caregiving, parenting, and professional leadership.

Whether you’re a caregiver yourself or simply navigating life’s twists and turns, Harry’s wisdom offers both comfort and practical guidance.

Discover how Staci built Baby Basics into a $2.5 million business distributing educational DVDs to 95% of hospitals nationwide, only to watch it dissolve when streaming replaced physical media. But perhaps more importantly, learn about the profound lesson that changed everything: how "strangling" her vision with too tight a grip nearly killed her restaurant dream, and how letting it breathe ultimately led to Enjoy's success.  From her childhood dreams of running an orphanage complete with detailed business plans at age nine, to speaking fluent Haitian Creole, to the four-year journey of raising $700,000 and partnering with James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Smith, Staci's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the power of serving others through business.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a recent college graduate, or a seasoned professional looking for inspiration, this episode offers invaluable insights on cold calling confidence, pivoting after failure, building company culture, and the delicate balance between pursuing your vision and allowing it room to grow.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

This episode brought to you by...

In today’s hiring world, finding Top Tier Talent can be extremely difficult. How do you want to differentiate your company in a highly competitive search pool? Do you want to fish in a crowded Red Ocean or stand out in a bright blue one? At Blue Ocean Search Firm, we empower visionary leaders with breakthrough hiring strategies, proprietary technology, and trusted partnership to build transformational teams – all while maintaining the human element. 

As a Corporate Couch listener, you receive 50% savings on Blue Ocean Talent Acquisition fees. Contact Blue Ocean Search Firm Here and mention "The Corporate Couch".

To learn more about Jourdan and John, please visit their website: About Us.

We talk about her concept of “time to first value,” the biggest mistakes companies make after the sale, and how her global journey, starting in Scotland, shaped her approach. She also shares why A More Beautiful Question belongs on every leader’s reading list.

If you care about what happens after the deal closes, this is a mini-master class on how to turn a handshake into a long-term customer relationship.

Marc shares an emotional story about the late Giftology author John Ruhlin and how he’s honoring his memory by surprising and delighting the author’s daughters. We also talk about the pending release of Marc’s book One For All, and how relationships, thoughtful gifting, and knowing when to let go are all key ingredients in his “pay-it-forward” philosophy.

You’ll hear about new connections, charity events like Band of Angels' rooftop bash, our shared love of meaningful books (including George Raveling’s What You’re Made For), and my recent podcast conversation with Claude Silver, Gary Vaynerchuk’s Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX.

We wrap with a reminder from Seth Godin: “Stop working on your elevator pitch. No one ever bought anything on an elevator.” Even if your toddler insists on riding it… twice.

Pull up a chair, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

In this episode, Dana turns the tables mid-conversation and coaches me through a moment of internal conflict, bringing her interactive book, It’s the Thought That Counts, to life in real time. It’s a powerful demonstration of how reframing can shift not just mindset but action.

We also explore how Dana is redefining project management by focusing on connection, compassion, and what she calls “the art of human-ness.” With over 2,100 coaching hours and experience spanning universities, courts, and corporate boardrooms, she’s on a mission to help people navigate tension with curiosity and courage.

This episode is a crash course in communication, leadership, and saying yes even when the path isn’t fully clear.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About ​Dana: ​Dana Bernstein is a Conflict Resolution author, speaker, consultant, and Principal of Dare to Live Brave. With 2,100 coaching hours and 100 clients, she specializes in de-escalation, negotiations, contracts, project management, and high-stakes situations representing universities, government, banking, and courts. She founded and manages a family-run animal hospital.

Dana published 30 articles on contracts and negotiations (1995-2007). She produced 8 PMI webinars with “Mastering the Art of Human-ness in Project Management: Serving Others Through Powerful Communication,” garnering 52,500 views since March 2020.​ In 2025, Dana published “It’s the Thought That Counts: Mastering the Art of YOU vs. you,” an interactive book helping individuals resolve internal conflict to better navigate external challenges. Dana has a Master’s in Dispute Resolution from Montclair State and is a court-appointed mediator. She is an ICF NJ Board Member, Co-Director of Programs with a PCC Credential. She is a Project Management Professional and Certified Meeting Professional. 

An avid volunteer, Dana has been working with the Girl Scouts and the Girl Scout Service Unit Leadership Team for 15 years. She is a strong supporter of women advocating for informed health choices for those who have breast cancer.

Now a Managing Director at Raincatcher, Cam helps business owners navigate the emotional and financial complexities of selling their businesses. With more than 70 M&A deals under his belt, he’s seen firsthand how too many founders are undervalued and underserved in the process. His mission? To bring humanness back into M&A and help founders finish well with clarity, dignity, and the value they deserve.

From building a $400M company to launching a private equity-backed startup from his kitchen table, Cam shares hard-earned lessons on leadership, legacy, and what truly matters when the spotlight fades. Whether you're a founder, operator, or just someone who appreciates a story of growth done right, this conversation delivers.

Ari believes everyone craves two things at work: meaning and mattering. As the founder of Upward & Inward and a human potential coach, Ari helps leaders and teams move beyond burnout and back into purpose by reconnecting with what makes them feel alive, aligned, and in flow. In this episode, she explains how tapping into a flow state, what many call “being in the zone,” can elevate performance, creativity, and connection. She shares how leaders can create cultures where transparency isn’t just encouraged but expected, and how fulfillment often starts by daring to create the job you wish existed.

From tackling complacency to reigniting collaboration, Ari’s work is grounded in the belief that people thrive when they feel truly seen and valued. Whether you're leading a team, redefining your role, or simply trying to get out of autopilot, this conversation is a call to pause, reflect, and take aligned action.

Get ready to rethink leadership, productivity, and what it means to show up at your best on purpose and in flow.

In this episode, Dale shares how his path from public service to operations leadership to “AI Explorer” has always centered on one thing: making things work better for real people. He doesn’t call himself an AI expert, and that’s intentional. His focus is on helping small and mid-sized business owners cut through the hype and use AI in ways that are accessible, efficient, and meaningful.

Dale opens up about the career pivot that brought him into tech, why curiosity is his compass, and how he helps companies use tools like AI voice receptionists and automated workflows to solve practical problems with measurable ROI. This is a story of reinvention, leadership, and the power of staying humble while embracing the future.

If you’re tired of AI jargon and just want to understand what works, this is your kind of conversation.

From classrooms to boardrooms, Dr. Cindy has helped people embrace their inner salesperson to get more of what they want in both life and work. Whether you're asking for a raise, pitching a project, or negotiating with your teenager, the skills of great salespeople are already in your toolbox; you just haven’t been calling it “sales.”

She shares how her five-step formula makes selling feel authentic, actionable, and even fun. You’ll hear why she says “Learning to sell will change your life,” how curiosity beats pushiness (“ABC: Always Be Curious”), and why her mission is to help the world reclaim sales as a human, everyday superpower.

Get ready to shift your mindset, sharpen your communication, and rethink what it really means to “sell” yourself—with purpose, confidence, and clarity.

Marc opens up about how becoming a dad to two young children has transformed the way he works, delegates, and protects his time. He also shares reflections from The Five Regrets of the Dying and how that book is shaping both his life and leadership philosophy.

Jeff talks about Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be, a powerful little book by Steven Pressfield (author of The War of Art, Do the Work, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, and many others). Jeff also shares what it meant to be a guest on Rounding the Bases, the long-running podcast hosted by Kansas City’s own "Podfather," Joel Goldberg.

This episode covers the generational challenges facing today’s leaders, the value of scheduling emails, and the importance of showing up for yourself and your community. Whether you're tuning in from your desk, your deck, or the “water gym,” one thing’s for sure: it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.

Now, with more than two decades of impact behind her, Christal is stepping into her boldest chapter yet: running for Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.

This conversation uncovers how her deep roots in education, workforce development, and public service have prepared her to lead with both vision and compassion. Christal shares how her upbringing shaped her purpose, why she never lets fear override faith, and how leadership means lifting others, especially when the system doesn’t see them.

From boardrooms to classrooms to city hall, Christal Watson’s story is one of grit, grace, and unshakable commitment to community.

Greg and Jeremy break down how AI is moving from trend to tool, and why now is the time for growing companies to experiment with automation, language models, and data-driven insights. From double-checking invoice entries to transforming customer support and HR workflows, they offer real-world examples that are achievable (and affordable).

We also delve into the differences between personal and enterprise AI tools, why the “garbage in, garbage out” principle remains applicable, and what every CEO needs to know about security, data ownership, and scaling responsibly. Whether you're AI-curious or already testing use cases, this conversation will help you find your first step and avoid being left behind.

Our conversation explores the modern leader’s reality: managing five generations in the workplace, each with their own expectations, communication styles, and values. Victoria breaks down how trust isn’t built through perks or policies, but through presence, accountability, allyship, and the courage to challenge outdated assumptions. We unpack how self-awareness and inclusive supervision go hand in hand, why feedback is a two-way street, and what it means to lead with clarity in a world that is constantly changing.

Whether you lead a startup team or a global enterprise, Victoria’s insights will shift how you think about leadership, culture, and what it truly means to belong.

We explore Fiona’s evolution from English teacher to COO, her passion for aligning strategy and execution, and why she believes every transformation begins with listening to people first. Whether she’s navigating global supply chains, implementing enterprise systems, or helping a founder scale with purpose, Fiona makes the complex feel human and actionable. You'll hear how she connects the dots between operations, technology, and empathy—and how her concept of the “organizational quarterback” helps bridge the gap between vision and results.

M-C opens up about the lessons she learned in the family restaurant, the middle school teacher who helped her find her voice, and why she borrowed a friend’s art portfolio to break into design school. We talk about how she transitioned from designing corrugated boxes to launching a strategy-driven agency that fuses data, design, and authenticity.

You’ll hear how M-C's “DIVA mindset” helps clients stop overcomplicating their marketing and start showing up with clarity and confidence. This conversation is a mix of guts, grit, and the debate of "sauce" vs. gravy", with powerful lessons for anyone looking to make their brand (and their voice) impossible to ignore.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About M-C: Raising the standard of industry norms and practices, Mary-Catherine Reinert (M-C) injects provoking thought leadership, knowledge, and tales from the trenches in all things strategy, branding, business positioning, and marketing alignment. The journey has taken her from a corrugated packaging designer to a luxury bespoke designer to now, a brand strategist and Founder of Fortissima.

With a sole focus on boutique hospitality and luxury lifestyle brands, her well-curated sensorial marketing experiences have elevated hundreds of brands to live louder, strategize more efficient business practices, and deepen their connection with their guests, clients, and customers!

Once you become connected to M-C and the truth of who you are, as a person, founder, brand, business, or marketer — you become Fortissima: confident, proud, and extremely loud!  At the end of the day, if you have a passion and begin to take action in changing the way you do, say, create, and present things — this will begin to change the world around you.

We also swap stories about standout people we’ve recently met, the power of connecting others, and the local causes we’re proud to support. It’s a relaxed and real look at what’s working in our lives—and how sharing ideas over a beer can lead to better thinking, better planning, and better community.

From attending seven different colleges to working in door-to-door sales, film, commercial real estate, and ultimately leadership development at Fortune 200 companies, Massimo’s career has been anything but linear. He shares how his early struggles with dyslexia shaped his confidence, what he learned from an award-winning organ donation documentary he produced, and how getting fired from a dream job became the catalyst for starting his own business.

We dive into:

• Why Massimo believes self-compassion outperforms self-criticism for leaders.

• How being labeled a “bully” by his team was the wake-up call that led him to the Hoffman Process.

• What corporate leaders misunderstand about performance, vulnerability, and burnout.

• His framework for internal validation—and why trusting yourself is the real key to resilience.

• His thoughts on navigating layoffs and major career pivots with purpose and clarity.

We also discuss how Massimo's exploration-heavy 20s and unorthodox career detours—Gary Vee would be proud—led him to discover his calling. If you're a leader, recent grad, or anyone in transition, this episode is full of hard-won insights and affirming truth.

Find out why “Human First, Leader Second” might just be the future of work.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Massimo: Massimo Backus is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and organizational culture expert who helps senior leaders navigate complexity, resolve conflict, and drive sustainable performance. As Founder and CEO of his consulting firm, Massimo partners with Fortune 200 companies and industry leaders—including Amazon, Salesforce, and Sony—to develop resilient, high-performing teams. Formerly head of global leadership development at Slalom Consulting, he has coached over 3,000 leaders and authored the book Human First, Leader Second. He holds a Master’s in Organizational Behavior Psychology and is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker.

Heidi, a five-time tech entrepreneur and nationally recognized investor, and Joe, a veteran finance executive and serial founder, explain what makes TIGER 21 so unique—and why Kansas City is not only hosting one, but now two thriving groups.

In this conversation, we cover:

• What TIGER 21 is and why it matters more than ever for ultra-successful individuals

• How Portfolio Defense® invites radical transparency and life-changing feedback

• The reasons behind KC’s rapid growth as a TIGER 21 hub (hint: it’s more than money)

• How global connections—from London to Dubai—extend far beyond Kansas City

• The trust and vulnerability that power every member’s journey

• The ideal time to join TIGER 21 (especially post-exit or after a major life change)

• The heartland expansion: why members are coming from Des Moines, Tulsa, Omaha, and beyond

Whether you’re a founder who just had a liquidity event, a second-gen family office leader, or someone quietly seeking deeper community and guidance at the highest level, this episode offers a rare peek into one of the world’s most powerful networks for wealth holders.

To learn more, visit tiger21.com or reach out to Heidi (email: heidi.lehmann@tiger21chair.com) and Joe (email: joe.kessinger@tiger21chair.com) for a personal conversation.

About Heidi: Heidi E. Lehmann is the Chair of Kansas City 02. She’s a seasoned investor, board member, and five-time startup founder leading high-impact global tech deals. As Strategic Director of Ligo Partners she collaborates with Family Offices globally to source investments in startups, venture funds, and real estate. Heidi has co-founded and scaled companies like Kenzen (industrial IoT, $30M raised) and Third Screen Media (acquired by AOL for $105M). She advises startup CEOs and holds board and advisory roles. As co-founder of KC Future’s DAO, Heidi drives blockchain innovation in Kansas City. She also serves as Business Advisor to Critical Materials Crossroads, a coalition focused on the energy transition, and co-produced the media franchise "Queen Boss" (acquired by Viacom/CBS). Featured in Forbes, WSJ, NYT, and more, Heidi is a sought-after speaker at top conferences like SXSW and Mobile World Congress. Heidi enjoys travel, art, sports, her Peloton bike, KC BBQ, and spending time with family and friends.

About Joe: Joe Kessinger is the Chair of Kansas City Group 01, which he launched in 2022. A business advisor/financer with 35+ years of experience in business development, accounting/tax, corporate value enhancement, family business transitions, corporate finance, and merger/acquisition advisory services. Joe has experience from start-up companies to a CPA with two Big 4 accounting firms. He is the founding member of several organizations, including Collaborative Capital- a network of high-net-worth individuals and family offices that share investment opportunities. A 4th generation Kansas Citian, he is the father of a son and two daughters and enjoys gardening, golf, pickleball, and cooking.

You’ll hear about:

• How Zach built a strong remote culture with team members well before remote work was cool.

• Why bad ownership ruins sports franchises (looking at you, NY Jets).

• Lessons learned from leading a company through multiple acquisitions—and how each one taught him something new.

• The surprising role a Led Zeppelin-inspired blog post played in launching FanSided.

• How his passion for inclusion led to a groundbreaking partnership with the Special Olympics.

• His hot takes on leadership, AI, emotional intelligence, and creating opportunity for others.

• Why staying scrappy and hiring for passion matters more than ever.

Zach also shares how FanSided became one of the top 10 standalone digital sports media brands and what it’s like to work with Special Olympics athletes during Super Bowl week.

Whether you're a startup founder, a remote team leader, or just a fan of great stories, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and a few good-natured jabs at the NY Jets.

Mike, whose resume includes everything from being the force behind Sprint’s groundbreaking NFL headset sponsorship to naming the College Football Playoff (CFP), doesn’t just drop names like Peyton Manning, Marcus Allen, and Richard Petty—he’s worked side-by-side with them. He also gives an insider's look at what it takes to manage legacy brands, build meaningful agency relationships (even when your company had a reputation for being “a tough client”), and transition with purpose from corporate life to entrepreneurship.

Other highlights:

• Why naming the CFP was harder—and smarter—than it looked.

• The truth about Mad Men-style ad agency days and being a client on both sides of the dinner table.

• The business impact of the 2026 World Cup and what it means for Kansas City.

• Advice for recent grads and first-time managers that cuts through the corporate noise.

• And yes, you’ll find out who was more polished on set: Brett Favre or Peyton Manning.

Mike Goff’s episode is more than a conversation—it’s a mini-MBA in strategic marketing, sponsorship, and leadership from a true icon in the field.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Mike: Mike Goff is an accomplished leader and marketer with experience across various brands and business assignments. He founded Goff + Marketing, a strategic consultancy that offers C-suite-level service and leadership to brands locally and nationally. He is also a partner in G4—a Kansas City-based consortium of four sponsorship activation, sports, and experiential-focused companies.

His experience includes senior leadership roles at Sprint, United Way of Greater Kansas City, Barkley, and Premier Sports Management. His partnership experience includes working with brands ranging from the NFL to the World Cup to Hershey to American Express to the College Football Playoff…and many more. Mike has managed a top 10 U.S. brand, developed Cannes Gold Lion award-winning campaigns, and achieved significant business results throughout his career. During his tenure at Sprint (now T-Mobile), The Sporting News recognized him as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports. He also received the Arthur E. Lowell Award—the highest honor of the local chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, given to those who have combined exemplary career accomplishments with ethical excellence and a commitment to the local community.

Mike has a long history of civic involvement in the Kansas City area. He also focuses on mentoring and developing talent and is a frequent guest lecturer. 

You get a conversation that’s anything but business as usual. In this episode, Justin Foster (see his bio below), poet, agitator, and co-founder of Massive Change, pulls no punches as he unpacks the hidden forces behind branding, leadership, and personal transformation. Raised on a cattle ranch and now based in Austin, Justin’s deep thinking and sharp tongue challenge the traditional playbook with radical honesty and ethical clarity.

We explore everything from dismantling toxic systems to cultivating inner awareness—and how both are essential for meaningful leadership. We also explore Justin’s reflections on identity, including what it means to be a “SWAM” in today’s world, and how self-inquiry can become a powerful tool for empathy, growth, and leadership. Whether you’re a brand builder, changemaker, or just tired of the same old corporate jargon, this conversation will stretch your thinking and stir your spirit.

We cover everything from the value of connecting people and respecting your time to why your calendar system might be secretly ruining your productivity. We discuss the benefits of using ChatGPT compared to Claude AI. Also, Marc shares how he’s automating meeting notes with AI and how it’s changed how he shows up for clients, board meetings, and his 1:1 coffees (Hint: It's either at Pilgrim Coffee or McLain's :-).

We also talk:

• The power of saying “yes” (without burning out)

• How connecting the right people can open the biggest doors

• National Infertility Week and Marc’s personal journey with IVF

• Whether a downtown Royals stadium might actually get us to more games

• The HEMP (https://www.hempkc.org/) Super Connector Lunch – What we learned, who we met, and why KC's entrepreneurial scene is on fire.

If you’ve ever felt stretched thin but still want to make a meaningful impact, this episode is for you. It’s part insight, part therapy, and part “why didn’t I think of that?”, all in the spirit of helping others while enjoying the journey.

Grab a drink, hit play, and eavesdrop on a conversation that might change how you approach time, tech, and your next connection.

We dive into Samantha’s journey—from her early days at Tulane University to attending law school alongside none other than Mel Robbins (yes, that Mel Robbins), all while developing the laser focus and commitment that define her work today. And, of course, her lovely British accent adds an extra layer of charm to the conversation.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Samantha says she was "born to help people," and how that mission drives everything she does

• Her experience founding Shepherd Elder Law Group and later Assured Trust Company

• How she built two thriving businesses dedicated to protecting the aging and special needs communities

• Lessons learned from nearly three decades of leadership, advocacy, and building trusted relationships

• The founding of the Heartland Special Needs Foundation and her ongoing mission to fill critical gaps in care and support

Whether you are leading a business, advocating for others, or simply looking to make a greater impact, Samantha’s story is a masterclass in what it means to lead with both head and heart.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation with one of Kansas City’s most respected and purpose-driven leaders.

Scott takes us on a candid journey from his early days managing First Watch restaurants to launching multiple startups, building IFTA Plus (now owned by an industry giant), and eventually leading two back-to-back mergers that culminated in a full buyout of RSM Marketing in 2024. Along the way, he opens up about the messy, fascinating, and often painful realities of deal-making.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it’s really like to merge two small companies—and why financial discipline is non-negotiable

• Why the right business culture matters more than the math in a merger

• The emotional rollercoaster of buying out your partners

• The importance of mentorship and why he eventually did bring in outside advisors

• How niching down to serve construction and contractor clients has unlocked growth

• Tips for first-time managers and founders who want to lead with purpose

Whether you're building your first business or eyeing an exit, Scott shares the real talk on what it takes to navigate growth, acquisition, and leadership the smart (and human) way.

We explore:

• The pivotal moment in a city council meeting that led her to a career in public service

• Her experience leading transformative city initiatives like the new airport terminal, the streetcar, and the Women’s Empowerment Blueprint

• Why she wrote the bestselling book The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Btch*—and what it says about women in leadership

• How she navigated high-pressure leadership roles while balancing motherhood

• What inspired her to co-found Wickham James Strategy & Solutions

• Her philosophy on communication, influence, and solving “big, messy problems”

• The mindset that helped her transition from politics to purpose-driven consulting

Joni brings a mix of authenticity, clarity, and strategic insight to everything she does. Whether you’re in public policy, organizational leadership, or just trying to move the needle in your corner of the world, this conversation offers a masterclass in how to lead with intention—and impact.

Tune in to hear how Joni Wickham built a career out of purpose, influence, and making things happen.

Frankie shares the deeply personal story of overcoming drug and alcohol addiction in his 20s and how that journey shaped the visionary leader he is today. From building a tech company that grew 60X in just three years (and was later acquired by a Fortune 500 firm) to his viral TEDx Talk on AI and the Future of Work (over 1.1 million views), Frankie’s insights are raw, real, and radically useful.

We talk about what it means to create a workplace where everyone’s genius comes out, why most organizations stifle innovation, and how a little weirdness might be the missing link to your next breakthrough. Oh—and yes, you’ll finally find out what the hell a “Donkey Barbeque” is.

If you’re tired of the same old corporate playbook, this conversation will shake things up in the best way possible.

Watch Frankie’s TEDx Talk: AI and the Future of Work

• A free 30-minute consultation with Align Pain Solutions
• $25 off a single visit
• $100 off an 8- or 16-visit package.

Learn more and book a free session at Align Pain Solutions​ (you can also visit their YouTube Channel for examples of their therapy -YouTube).

About Rick:

We discuss why modern leadership demands more than just authority—it requires empathy, active listening, and the ability to empower teams. Leslie shares practical strategies for integrating coaching into everyday leadership, the difference between managing and coaching, and how leaders can foster environments where employees thrive.

If you’re looking to refine your leadership style, enhance team performance, or navigate workplace complexities with confidence, this conversation is for you. Tune in for an insightful discussion on leadership that inspires real change.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About Leslie: Leslie Anderson is a C-Suite coach with 2500+ hours of coaching experience. She believes in the transformative power of coaching to impact not only the leaders she works with but everyone they interact with, too. Leslie works with senior leadership and their teams to quickly get to the heart of the issues and guide leaders towards decisions that create cultures where both the organization and its people thrive.

To learn more about Leslie and Coaching Skills for Leaders, visit the Essential Wisdom website - Here.

We tackle a range of topics, including:

• Why sticky floors—the limiting beliefs and behaviors we hold—can be just as career-stifling as the proverbial glass ceiling.
• Why not knowing what's "next" is okay.
• The real impact of return-to-work (RTW) policies and why companies need to rethink their approach to flexibility.
• How organizations can foster inclusive cultures that drive performance and employee satisfaction.
• Practical strategies to overcome self-doubt, advocate for yourself, and unlock new career opportunities.

Whether you're an aspiring leader, a seasoned executive, or simply looking for inspiration to break free from barriers—both external and internal—this conversation is packed with insights, humor, and actionable takeaways.

In this episode, we tackle:

• The frustrating state of job searching and hiring today—why candidates are getting ghosted, the impact of AI-driven hiring, and how companies can do better.
• Marc’s insights as a hiring manager—what he looks for, why personality tests can be misleading, and how he’s approaching an unconventional executive assistant hire.
• Networking vs. the black hole of online applications—why 70-80% of jobs are found through relationships, not job boards.
• Marc’s first book, One for All—why he wrote it, what “systematizing kindness” actually means, and how it can help leaders and sales professionals build real relationships that pay off in unexpected ways.
• Giving back and getting behind the bar—Marc’s experience bartending at the Newhouse Worthy Pop-Up Bar, which raised over $280,000 to support survivors of domestic violence.
• Jeff’s struggle with being ghosted… by friends—how do you handle people who say they want to work with you but then disappear? Marc offers a foolproof process for letting people go gracefully.

Whether you’re job searching, hiring, growing a business, or just looking for some entertaining banter with real takeaways, this episode is for you. Grab a drink (or coffee—no judgment), kick back, and join us for a conversation that’s equal parts insightful and irreverent. 

Tune in now, and don’t forget—it's always 5 o’clock somewhere :-)

But his journey wasn’t always clear. In this conversation, Kody shares how ignoring a life-changing prompting—one that involved his older brother just before his passing—shaped his mission and led him to create a global platform that has helped millions foster meaningful relationships.

We discuss:

• The power of acting on your inner promptings and why so many people ignore them.
• How a tragic loss transformed Kody’s perspective and fueled his life’s work.
• The importance of gratitude as more than just a feeling, but a way of being.
• The origins of SendOutCards and how it pioneered digital-to-physical relationship marketing.
• Why handwritten notes and tangible connection still matter in an increasingly digital world.
• Kody’s take on network marketing done right—why most people have a negative perception of MLMs, and how true relationship-based marketing creates genuine value and trust.
• Lessons from his book, Promptings: Your Inner Guide to Making a Difference.

Kody’s insights on intuition, personal development, and authentic connection are both inspiring and practical. Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or someone looking for more meaningful relationships, this episode will challenge you to pause, listen, and act on the small nudges that can lead to life-changing results.

Tune in for a powerful conversation about purpose, loss, and the impact of following your intuition.

We cover:

• The difference between postural therapy, physical therapy, and chiropractic care—and how they can work together.
• Why stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak ones might not be the answer.
• How postural misalignment leads to chronic pain and what you can do about it.
• Real-life examples of posture transformations, with before-and-after results in just one session.
• Simple self-tests you can do at home to check your own posture and movement patterns.

Rick also shares practical tips on how to train your body to hold proper alignment, leading to better mobility, reduced pain, and improved performance in daily life. Whether you're recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic pain, or want to move and feel better, this episode is full of actionable insights.

Tune in now and discover how small changes in movement can lead to big improvements in your health and well-being.

• A free 30-minute consultation with Align Pain Solutions
• $25 off a single visit
• $100 off an 8- or 16-visit package.

Learn more and book a free session at Align Pain Solutions​ (you can also visit their YouTube Channel for examples of their therapy -YouTube).

About Rick:

We dive into:

• The myth that our brains are wired for happiness (spoiler: they aren’t—they’re wired for survival).
• Why asking why keeps you stuck, and how what and how questions move you forward.
• The real science behind procrastination (hint: it’s not about laziness).
• Why January is not the best time for resolutions—April is the new January.
• The hidden cost of remote work and how to create better transitions between work and home.
• Why you don’t need more empathy to be a great leader—you need curiosity.

Britt also shares her personal journey, from struggling with addiction and mental health challenges to becoming a therapist, author, and keynote speaker. We even discuss her time in a cult, her love of aerial arts, and whether Jewish mothers or Italian mothers give better guilt.

Britt’s insights challenge conventional thinking on personal growth, leadership, and workplace culture. Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, or just someone looking for practical ways to get unstuck, this episode is packed with wisdom, humor, and actionable takeaways.

Tune in for a bold and thought-provoking conversation that might just change the way you approach work, life, and your own mind.

We dive into:

• The evolution of sales from the "Boiler Room" and "Glengarry Glen Ross" days to a more people-first leadership approach.
• Why culture—not just quotas—determines sales success.
• The challenges of moving from top-performing rep to sales leader (and why so many fail).
• Lessons from leading global sales teams across EMEA, the U.S., and APAC.
• Insights from his book, The Cultural Sales Leader, and his upcoming book on networking your way to success (including the poor treatment of job seekers today by many companies).

Rich also shares stories from his career in FinTech, his family's deep-rooted history in Singapore, and the leadership philosophy that has helped him build winning sales organizations worldwide. Whether you’re a sales pro, an aspiring leader, or just someone who loves a good "ABC - Always Be Closing" reference, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and practical takeaways.

Tune in for a fun and thought-provoking conversation on sales, leadership, and why the best teams are built on more than just deals and data.

At Four Pillars Investors, Nick and his team operate with a values-driven approach:

Relationships as a Cornerstone for Success – Building trust with business owners and partners. Challenge the Status Quo – Pushing businesses to think bigger and grow strategically. Servant Leadership – Supporting teams by removing obstacles and empowering employees. Persistence – Staying committed in an unpredictable deal-making environment.

We also discuss:

- The evolution of Four Pillars Investors and what sets them apart in the private equity space. - How Nick transitioned from consulting and corporate life to buying and running companies. - Lessons learned from leading a manufacturing company at age 36. - The biggest mistakes business owners make when preparing to sell. - Why culture and relationships matter just as much as financials in a successful deal. - His insights from hosting the Ambition podcast and growing a YouTube channel with over 30,000 subscribers.

Nick’s perspective on business, leadership, and strategic growth is invaluable for entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone interested in private equity and M&A. If you’ve ever thought about buying, selling, or scaling a business, this episode is a must-listen!

Tune in for an insightful conversation on deals, leadership, and what it takes to grow a business.

We cover: ✅ Rick’s incredible recovery journey and why he rejected spinal fusion surgery. ✅ How postural therapy differs from chiropractic care, physical therapy, and other treatments. ✅ Why pain isn’t always caused by injury—but by how your body is positioned. ✅ The simple, corrective exercises that can help relieve chronic pain and increase mobility. ✅ How Align Pain Solutions helps people reclaim their movement, strength, and quality of life—no matter where they live.

I’m not just the host today—I’m also a client of Align Pain Solutions, and I’ve personally experienced the benefits of postural therapy. If you’ve struggled with chronic pain or want to improve your mobility and flexibility, this episode is a must-listen!

Special Offers for our Listeners: 🆓 Free 30-minute consultation with Align Pain Solutions 💲 $25 off a single visit 💲 $100 off an 8- or 16-visit package

📌 Learn more and book a free session at Align Pain Solutions

🎧 Tune in now to discover how small postural changes can lead to big pain relief and greater mobility!

Rick's Bio:

In our conversation, we discuss:

- Her powerful story of loss and how it reshaped her life’s purpose. - The importance of empathetic leadership and how corporate leaders can better support employees through grief and life transitions. - Her innovative Human Recovery Platform™ and how it’s changing workplace culture. - Lessons from navigating career pivots and finding purpose after tragedy. - The role of kindness and connection in overcoming hate.

Mindy’s resilience in the face of adversity is nothing short of inspiring. Whether you’re a leader looking to foster a culture of compassion or someone navigating your own life transitions, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and actionable takeaways.

Check out Mindy’s book, Healing a Shattered Soul, and learn more about her work at Workplace Healing and SevenDays®.

Tune in now for an unforgettable conversation about healing, leadership, and the power of kindness.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder Jeff Pelaccio doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

Mindy's bio: Mindy Corporon ​(LinkedIn) is the Vice President of Strategy and Engagement with Global Care Force, where she drives sustainability through strategic growth initiatives and partnership development. Focused on aligning performance metrics with mission impact, she enhances organizational effectiveness and engagement across diverse stakeholders. As the Co-Founder of Workplace Healing and innovator of the Human Recovery Platform™ and Grief Forecast, Mindy empowers corporate leaders to transform how they support employees navigating life and loss transitions. By integrating the head-based corporate environment with empathetic, heart-based strategies, she helps build cultures rooted in trust, long-term productivity, and morale. Mindy’s vision for Workplace Healing was born from personal tragedy and a challenging re-entry into corporate life. At the height of her career as CEO of a successful wealth management firm and while raising two talented sons, her father, and oldest son were murdered by a white supremacist intent on killing Jews. This profound loss shifted her life purpose from guiding people financially to pioneering initiatives that help leaders and organizations embrace empathy and compassion.

An inspirational speaker and author of Healing a Shattered Soul (2021), Mindy shares her family’s story of resilience, faith, and unwavering commitment to courageous kindness. In response to the tragedy, she and her family founded SevenDays® Inc., a foundation dedicated to overcoming hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue. SevenDays® engages communities, businesses, and schools in its mission to Make a Ripple, Change the World. Mindy remains deeply committed to SevenDays and Workplace Healing, using her passion to help schools foster kindness and businesses lead with empathy through innovative resources, kindness clubs, and leadership tools.

- The "bad boss" experience that pushed Marci to take a leap of faith in her career. - Why she’s passionate about empowering women founders and leaders. - The power of embracing cutting-edge technology—before the market is ready. - Lessons learned from working in both scrappy startups and corporate giants like T-Mobile. - Practical career advice for young professionals and aspiring leaders.

Marci’s story is one of resilience, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to lifting others up. If you're looking for inspiration on navigating career challenges, breaking barriers, and staying ahead of the curve in tech, this episode is for you!

Check out Deb’s books and podcasts at dropinceo.com.  Tune in for a candid, inspiring, and insightful conversation that will leave you rethinking your own career path!

I sit down with longtime sports broadcaster, speaker, podcaster, and author Joel Goldberg (see his bio below) to dive into the lessons from his second book, Small Ball, Big Dreams. Drawing from his years covering championship teams and business leaders, Joel shares how small, consistent actions lead to game-changing success—both on and off the field.

We discuss:

⚾ Why the "small ball" mindset is the key to long-term wins in business and life. ⚾ Stories from the clubhouse and boardroom that prove details matter. ⚾ The importance of culture, leadership, and resilience in achieving big dreams. ⚾ How embracing daily habits creates momentum for lasting success.

Packed with real-world insights, sports analogies, and leadership wisdom, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to level up their career, mindset, or team dynamics.

📘 Get your copy of Small Ball, Big Dreams, and start building your championship mindset today! - (Amazon)

Joel's Story: Joel Goldberg broke into the sports broadcasting scene by knocking on the doors of television stations, cold calling broadcast executives, and sending out resume tapes in the 1990s.​ His career was never handed to him. Rather, it was the product of building connections and dedication, mixed with years of hard work. Joel has worked in four markets during a 30-year career, covering two World Series Championship teams and thousands of baseball games—not to mention multiple Super Bowls, NHL playoffs, and NCAA March Madness basketball games.​ Joel has had the pleasure of interviewing countless athletes, Hall of Famers, and celebrities while traveling the world, telling stories from famous stars to under-the-radar role players.

His longtime job covering the Kansas City Royals as a host and reporter is a privilege, enabling him to entertain, inform, and connect fans to athletes. Through his years of storytelling and watching championship organizations succeed (and fail), he realized his access to methods executives use to build culture and championship teams translated to the corporate world.​ That’s why Joel created the Game Changer Speaking Series to help organizations win trust and build a championship culture. Access insights from Joel through his podcast Rounding the Bases or book him for your next event.

We cover:

- The surprising reason 70% of business acquisitions fail. - Why traditional market research methods don’t work—and how to fix them. - The neuroscience behind how people really make decisions. - The power of finding your “A+” skill and building a team around strengths instead of weaknesses. - Lessons learned from pivoting a business and navigating industry resistance.

Grant’s journey from aspiring lawyer to M&A expert (it was like getting an MBA every day) to neuroscience-driven entrepreneur is filled with insights, humor, and actionable takeaways for leaders, business owners, and anyone looking to understand decision-making on a deeper level.

Listen in for a fascinating conversation that challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on leadership, business strategy, and the future of market research.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Grant's bio: Grant ​Gooding (LinkedIn) got his professional start in the mergers and acquisitions world working first on the legal side then buy-side analysis, valuations, and eventually transition management.  After roughly a decade of analyzing, valuing, and transitioning hundreds of small and mid-market businesses, Grant naturally gravitated towards understanding the 70% failure rates of acquisitions.​ After years of analyzing acquisition failures, he discovered the leading cause of transaction failures was a lack of understanding and measurement as to why customers do business with organizations.​With his MBA emphasis in qualitative marketing, Grant spent the next several years experimenting with methodologies and measurement techniques that could be used to quantify qualitative data.  After working with a nationally renowned brand analyst, Grant discovered a quant method that could be used to assess brand preferences.  With that as a starting point, he and his team utilized some principles of neuroscience and created a new methodology that accurately quantifies emotional resonance.​ After several hundred iterations, the PROOF method stands alone as one of the most compelling and accurate ways to quantify human emotion.  Today, Grant speaks all over the country in the areas of Emotional Data, an emerging field that PROOF is helping pioneer.

We dive into:

• Michael’s hilarious and sometimes disastrous celebrity interviews, including Sarah McLachlan and Jennifer Lopez.
• His pivot from TV journalism to storytelling in advertising and travel writing.
• The art of personal branding, creating genuine connections on LinkedIn, and why authenticity is key.
• A sneak peek into his upcoming gig as a host for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Sevilla excursion.

Michael’s advice for life and career? “Just say yes.” Whether it’s showing up for opportunities or embracing the unexpected, his philosophy will inspire you to stay open to life’s twists and turns.

Don’t miss Michael’s insights on storytelling, building a personal brand, and his unfiltered anecdotes from a career filled with laughs, lessons, and a few surprises!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

With her trademark warmth and wit, Linda discusses:

• The values instilled by her father, a steel company president, and her journey from Valley Forge, PA into Kansas City’s iconic business community.
• Her passion is mentoring emerging leaders and helping them uncover their potential.
• Insights on navigating family legacy, multi-generational wealth, and creating meaningful impact.

Linda also offers invaluable advice for recent graduates entering the workforce and seasoned professionals stepping into leadership roles, reminding us that success is about purpose, relationships, and lifelong learning.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation with one of Kansas City’s most cherished leaders, and leave with practical insights on how to lead with purpose, build meaningful relationships, and embrace every new day as an opportunity to grow.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

We dive into Clear’s genius strategies, like:

• Turning "just go to the gym" into an actual life hack (but maybe not living there).
• Habit stacking: floss after brushing, not after binging peanut M&Ms.
• Becoming the kind of person who does things—like yoga, writing, or saying no to that second dessert.
• Why "Don’t break the chain" is your new mantra, unless it’s linked to your Netflix binge.

It’s not rocket science, but it might just change your life—or at least your morning routine. We also explore how setting up systems over goals can help you crush them at work and at home.

📚 Bonus: Email me at jeffpelaccio@gmail.com for a free 7-page summary of Atomic Habits!

🎧 Tune in for laughs, insights, and actionable tips—and maybe walk away ready to ditch those M&Ms (or at least hide them better).

We dive into Randy’s entrepreneurial journey—from running a baseball card shop as a teenager in small-town Kansas to building CryptoSlam, the leading NFT data platform trusted by industry giants. Randy reflects on his transition from accounting for a major firm to tech, the lessons he learned from his mentors, and the incredible story of attracting investors like Mark Cuban, Reid Hoffman, and Ashton Kutcher. It's a remarkable journey from Russell, Kansas to being a leader in the newest technology (that most people do not understand) for Randy and his Kansas City-based company.

Whether you’re curious about Web3, NFTs, or the future of blockchain technology, this episode offers an insider’s perspective on innovation, resilience, and the power of seizing opportunities.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Whether you’re a corporate leader, athlete, sports fan, or someone striving for personal growth, Jon’s insights will leave you inspired to elevate your performance and embrace a healthier, more balanced mindset.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

We explore Joel’s fascinating career journey—from his days as a newspaper journalist to becoming a sought-after keynote speaker. Joel shares how improv has shaped his perspectives on teamwork, communication, and embracing the unexpected. He also talks about the power of celebrating small victories (or "Ta-da!" moments) to fuel passion and creativity in the workplace, letting the Universe point the way, and the one question you should ask as a leader. Joel is also the creator of one of the most iconic traditions at the University of Kansas' historic Allen Fieldhouse during men's basketball games.

Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, Joel’s stories, humor, and actionable insights will leave you inspired and energized. Plus, don’t miss his behind-the-scenes tales from over 2,500 events and the origin of his iconic "Ta-da!" philosophy! Warning: Be prepared to laugh your ass off during this conversation.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced leader looking to level up, this episode is packed with actionable insights and energizing stories.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

As a listener of The Corporate Couch, new clients of Refresh Med Spa will receive $50 off (minimum purchase $150). See their website in the bio below and mention The Corporate Couch.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Paige's bio: ​Paige Pelaccio Meyer​ (LinkedIn) is a nurse turned med spa owner who started working at Refresh Medical Spa ​(Website) in 2014 as a nurse injector. After 5 years of simultaneously working other jobs to keep afloat, she decided to purchase the business to grow and expand. After navigating a worldwide pandemic as a new business owner, almost 5 years later, the business has grown more than 5x. In late 2024, Refresh is opening its new location, triple its size, to become the first luxury medical spa in Overland Park, KS. Paige started her college career at the University of Kansas and graduated from the University of St. Mary's with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

​J​oni's bio:​ Joni Wickham (LinkedIn) hails from Raleigh, North Carolina, and arrived in Kansas City almost 15 years ago, bringing her distinctive southern accent and extensive experience from diverse governmental and advocacy roles. Joni served as Chief of Staff to former Kansas City Mayor Sly James, contributing to major development projects and elevating Kansas City's reputation nationally and internationally. ​Joni’s honors​ include the 2019 University of Missouri Truman School of Public Affairs Mel Carnahan Public Service Award; and recognition as one of the 50 most influential people in Kansas City. Joni was also honored as a Woman Who Means Business by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2023. In addition to public speaking engagements, Joni leads workshops on a variety of leadership and communications topics and assists clients with their public policy, strategic communications, crisis communications, government relations, and political consulting needs. Additionally, she is celebrated as the author of the best-selling book,​ "The Thin Line Between Cupcake and B*tch: Taking Action, Driving Change, and Getting​ Results".

You will also enjoy how Anna's grandfather was called "the inventor who powered New York City and how she once gave a tech conference keynote while knitting!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Anna's bio: Anna Murray ​(LinkedIn) is a tech entrepreneur and founder of ​emedia ​            (​Website) LLC, a provider of software development, high-level technology consulting, and project and program management. She has consulted with brands worldwide on their digital strategies, served as interim CIO for Time Out NY, head of interactive at Harvard Business Publishing, and led the digital transformation at the American Association of Advertising Agencies. Anna is well known for her ability to bridge business and tech and is the author of several books, including The Complete Software Project Manager (John Wiley & Sons).

Mary, founder of Highline Creative Group, shares her expanded definition of creativity—beyond the arts and crafts—to include innovative thinking, bold problem-solving, and fostering emotional connections within teams. Drawing on her 14-year tenure at Cerner Corporation (now Oracle) and her current work in keynote speaking and workshops, Mary illustrates how creativity fuels growth, drives employee satisfaction, and helps companies tackle their biggest challenges.

We also explore how creativity can transform workplace culture, enhance engagement, and even improve employee retention. Plus, Mary teases exciting details about her new workshop designed to help businesses embed creativity into their DNA.

Don’t miss this engaging conversation packed with actionable insights, personal anecdotes, and even a bit of humor (including a fun challenge involving Mary’s 2024 Halloween costume)!

📌 To learn more, you can connect with Mary using the following link: https://marymessner.com/thecorporatecouch/.

Mary's bio:

Mary Messner has spent her career exploring the power of imagination, resilience, and collaboration in the workplace. Her career as a health care executive at Research Medical Center and subsequently Cerner Corporation fostered a deep appreciation for breaking down limitations and encouraging innovative solutions.

Mary's leadership roles solidified her willingness to take strategic risks and explore new frontiers in business, setting the stage for a pivotal career journey.

Mary took a part-time pause from the corporate world to embrace motherhood, a move that deepened her understanding of how emotions influence decision-making. Returning to Cerner full-time as a Facilitator, Mary reconnected with her love for the stage, recognizing the incredible impact of authentic, engaging communication in inspiring teams and driving change.

Today, Mary is a sought-after keynote speaker and creativity advocate who brings a dynamic blend of experience from consulting, and executive leadership. Through her signature DREAM, FEEL, CREATE framework, she inspires organizations to return to the "playground" of possibilities, empowering teams to embrace innovation, foster collaboration, and cultivate environments where everyone’s ideas are celebrated.

When she isn't focusing on her business, Mary puts energy into the non-profit Madam President Camp and spending time with her husband as they raise their two young daughters.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Listeners will discover how Bill's passion for breaking down barriers in sports has created tangible opportunities for underprivileged children, and how his professional experiences have shaped his mission-driven approach to community development. You will learn from his struggles with alcohol from being in AA at 21 to now being 29 years sober, being part of a legendary Kansas City family that created multigenerational wealth (as well as the complexity and dysfunction that comes with working with all your family members), building a business that sold for $715 million (2024 dollars), and the reasons for his multiple business failures after the sale of the family business. From personal struggles to philanthropic innovation, Bill's story is a powerful testament to using professional expertise for social good.

Tune in to hear an inspiring conversation about failing, sobriety, leadership, purpose, and the transformative power of sports in building stronger, more inclusive communities.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

- Her belief that everyone has a gift and that everything in life happens for a reason

- Taking a career gamble and going from a vice president to an executive assistant (and that decision changed her life)

- How she started life over at 30 

- Why work/life balance is a bunch of crap

- Why focusing on relationship building will make your career amazing

- How to build your confidence "muscle"

- Her anxiety when she had to fire someone (and getting a stapler thrown at her).

You will love Sandra's energy, life journey, and leadership advice. She is truly an inspiring person. Please enjoy!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Sandra's bio: Sandra Wiley​ (LinkedIn), President of Boomer Consulting, Inc., is a leader in the accounting

profession with a passion for helping firms grow, adapt and thrive. For ten years running, Accounting Today has recognized her as a Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting due to her expertise in leadership, management, collaboration, culture building, talent and training. Sandra’s years of experience and influence as a management and strategic planning consultant make her a sought-after resource among the best and brightest firms in the country. She is regularly invited to speak at national conferences where she empowers audiences with new ideas and a sense of humor. She is a popular author, having been published in many online and print publications, and penned two books, The Journey Ahead: A New Roadmap to Collaboration in Your Firm and The Engaged Employee: 10 Initiatives for Successful Firms.

• The critical intersection of human resources, organizational behavior, and corporate strategy
• How Human Resources evolved from an admin function to gaining a seat at the executive table
• Embracing a strategy of focusing on experience to further your career (especially for Gen Z)
• How he embraced the opportunity to be a controller (twice) which made him a better HR executive
• Strategies for building a strong employer brand and cultivating an engaged workforce
• Best practices in talent acquisition, training, and succession planning
• Advice for aspiring HR leaders looking to make a strategic impact.

Whether you're a seasoned HR professional, a business leader focused on talent management, or simply interested in the evolution of the modern workplace, you will enjoy this conversation with Mark!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Mark's bio: Mark Hamberlin ​(LinkedIn) provides executive direction for Clark Construction Group’s human

resources strategy and operations.​ Mark is responsible for aligning talent, culture, and organization in order to attract, retain, develop, and engage the best talent for Clark. His role also encompasses talent acquisition and management, training and development, organization development, employee engagement, total rewards, and employee policies. Before joining Clark, Mark served as vice president of global talent acquisition for Danaher, a global science and technology company. Mark’s career has also included human resources and finance leadership roles at Cisco Systems, Coach Leather, and Hallmark Cards. With decades of human resources experience, Mark is instrumental in fostering a strong alignment between business strategy, talent management, and company culture. He is also focused on driving the growth and development of the Clark team.

Mark earned his bachelor’s degree in French, with minors in business and psychology, and a master’s degree in organizational behavior from Brigham Young University. Mark serves on the MBA Advisory Board for the Marriott School of Management and is active with local community service and youth groups.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Ken's bio: Ken Bramble​ (LinkedIn) is a believer, father, husband, employee benefits consultant, and mental health champion. His first book, Reflections at the Crossroads: A Journey of Ambition of Authenticity, is an insightful exploration of life's pivotal moments and the choices that shape our destinies. The book takes you down a path of a father’s challenges with anxiety brought on by the responsibilities of career, family, finance, and community service.

Professionally speaking, Ken is an Employee Benefits Consultant with HUB International. He has worked with clients in the employee benefits space for the last 25+ years and has directly witnessed the shift into our current climate, where more employees are looking to their employers for help around serious issues like mental and financial health. Ken’s client partnership seeks to ensure employers are best set to succeed through today’s critical programming to ensure his clients have a happy, productive workforce. When speaking to groups, and individuals alike, Ken always engages in a genuine, transparent, and vulnerable manner, sharing his personal journey of dealing with anxiety while at the same time building a successful practice.

• Seth reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, from his college days to founding successful ventures
• The genesis of "This is Strategy" and why strategy is crucial in today's rapidly changing work environment
• His thoughts on college (it's not pretty)
• Insights into the four pillars of strategy: time, games, empathy, and systems
• How job seekers can approach their career strategically in an AI-driven world
• The future of work and creating value beyond traditional job structures
• Seth's evolution as a writer and thinker over the past 25 years

Godin challenges listeners to have meaningful conversations about strategy and offers a fresh perspective on navigating the complexities of modern work life. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of work, this episode provides valuable insights to help shape your strategic thinking.

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion with one of the most influential voices in marketing and business strategy!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Andrews's bio: Andrew Marquardt​ (LinkedIn) has been an attorney for over 30 years. His experience includes litigating employment lawsuits representing plaintiffs and defendants. These cases included non-compete litigation, tort and contract claims, and discrimination suits. In addition to driving the claims through trial, most disputes were resolved through mediation and arbitration.​ Mr. Marquardt is also the co-founder, CEO, and General Counsel of Advantage Tech​ (Website), an IT and professional services firm founded in 1997. Advantage Tech places on average 400 contract and full-time employees each year, which translates to several thousand placements over the past 27 years. During that time, Mr. Marquardt has hired and terminated hundreds of employees and has drafted and overseen the implementation of hundreds of employment agreements. Significant employment issues frequently materialize when dealing with a contingent workforce. Dozens of issues arise relating to any number of clauses. However, the one clause that has created the most consternation with the courts has been the non-compete clause in employment agreements.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.  

  Jenna's bio: Jenna Washnieski's (LinkedIn) first leadership role was at age 3 when she became a big sister. In the decades to follow, she landed in countless positions of taking charge, making decisions, and influencing people. Her career includes 20+ years in the nonprofit industry, with more than a decade in executive leadership. Jenna currently works as a leadership coach and facilitator, helping companies build exceptional cultures, and supporting leaders as they develop the confidence to create fulfilling lives both in AND outside the workplace. Jenna holds a Master of Public Health specializing in health promotion and behavior change, is an ICF-certified professional coach (ACC), is certified in Integrative Enneagram (IEQ9), and is an Energy Leadership Index-Master Practitioner. Additionally, Jenna is a yoga instructor and finds joy in integrating yoga philosophy with leadership development to help people design more balanced lives. She shares these and other practical (and often irreverent) lessons through her writing, transformational workshops, and on her podcast, In With…The Podcast. When she’s not coaching or practicing yoga, she’s walking her 130-pound Mastiff around Kansas City.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Heidi's bio: Heidi E. Lehmann (LinkedIn) is a seasoned investor, board member, and five-time startup founder leading high-impact global tech deals. As Strategic Director at Ligo Partners, a Miami and New York-based family office, she collaborates with Family Offices worldwide to source investments in cutting-edge startups, venture funds, and real estate, contributing to $455M deployed across 80 companies since 2022. With over 20 years of experience, Heidi has co-founded and scaled venture-backed companies like Kenzen (industrial IoT, $30M raised) and Third Screen Media (mobile ad tech, acquired by AOL for $105M). She advises startup CEOs and holds board and advisory roles with Workplace Healing, Glasswing VC, and Gaingels Syndicate. Heidi co-founded the KC Future’s DAO, driving innovation in Kansas City through blockchain technology, and serves as a Business Advisor to Critical Materials Crossroads, a coalition of investors, innovators, and legislators focused on the energy transition. She also co-produced the media franchise "Queen Boss" (acquired by Viacom/CBS). Featured in Forbes, WSJ, NYT, and more, Heidi is a sought-after speaker and panelist at top conferences like SXSW, Mobile World Congress, and the National NGLCC Conference.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Bob's bio: For more than 30 years Bob Burg (The Go Giver) has been successfully showing entrepreneurs, leaders, and sales professionals how to build relationships, communicate their value, and accelerate their business growth. Although for years he was best known for his sales classic, Endless Referrals, it’s his business parable, The Go-Giver, coauthored with John David Mann, that has created a worldwide movement. While part of a four-book series, The Go-Giver itself has sold well over a million copies and been translated into 30 languages. It was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of The Most Motivational Books Ever Written, and was on HubSpot’s 20 Most Highly Rated Sales Books of All Time. Bob is creator of The Go-Giver Academy online learning portal featuring The Go-Giver® Success Vault which includes all of his online courses as well as additional business-building resources. He also publishes the very popular Daily Impact email. Both of these can be accessed at his website, which is (burg.com) Website.

Bob is an advocate, supporter, and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. He is also an unapologetic animal fanatic and serves as part of a South Florida rescue, foster, and adoption organization.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Michels's bio: Michel​ Koopman (LinkedIn) is CxO Coaching’s Chief Executive Coach and Founder. He is a senior operator and entrepreneur with a mix of small business and corporate successes in a global capacity. At this stage, he is most passionate about maximizing the business success and potential of others. He and his team dedicate their time as growth advisors and executive coaches to high-performing business executives.​ His current and past roles include Founder and CEO at 2Swell, Co-Founding Partner at Bond Growth, CCO at Banyan Medical, CEO at getAbstract, Inc, Executive Chairman & President at ARMS Medical, Managing Director at Citrix Systems, plus a number of other prior roles, board and advisory positions. He is a servant leader focused on growing companies by delivering new go-to-market strategies and elevating teams to perform at their full potential.​ Michel is a passionate business writer, a Forbes Business Council Member, and has published over 80 articles in premier media outlets including Forbes, The Washington Post, Strategy Magazine, Fast Company, The Miami Herald, and more. He is married and a proud father of two, with a love for nature, snowboarding, motorcycles, and fine watches. While he grew up in the Netherlands, he currently lives in Florida and North Carolina and is an avid traveler.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Jamie's bio:  An accomplished senior executive with more than two decades of success across sales, sales leadership, talent acquisition, and management, Jamie Crosbie ​(Website) is an inspiring and powerful trainer and speaker. Jamie understands the complex interplay of strategic scale growth, lead generation, client communication, market analysis, strategic sales, and business development; because she has been there, in sales management, talent recruitment and training trenches. Jamie’s company consults in top sales talent acquisition; strategic planning and executive leadership; business development strategy; and Peak Performance Mindset® Workshops. Having served as Vice President of Training and Development and Sales at Career Builder, as well as being the founder of ProActivate, an elite sales staffing company, Jamie understands how to motivate, shape and lead successful teams. Jamie was responsible for leading 50-85% annual revenue growth with oversight of an 80-person sales team while managing $35MM operations; driving top sales training, development, and productivity for half of enterprise’s U.S. sales organization; defining, assessing, profiling, and acquiring targeted best talent for domestic and international sales organizations.

Jamie is the author of Journey to the Top: How to Reach Your Peak Performance Life, The Power of 2, Exponential Sales Leadership and How To Source, Qualify; Hire Elite Sales Talent. As a certified speaker with the High-Performance Mindset® system, Jamie understands how to leverage her extensive experience to help your team go higher and accomplish more. She has been conducting Business Development and Peak Performance Mindset Keynotes and Workshops nationally for companies like Armstrong Relocation Services, Southwest Airlines, EO, Encompass Home Health, MidCo, TPX, Santander, EBSCO Research, and Free Range Concepts. Post-Workshop evaluations have proven that these companies set new sales records, collaborated more effectively, and embraced a more focused and positive sales environment. Simply put, Jamie teaches everyday people to live uncommonly successful lives. Whether you are seeking individual coaching to improve your focus, live more fully, or achieve your goals, or you are looking for ways to inspire and empower your team, you owe it to yourself to learn from this revolutionary mindset workshop. When it comes to selling, you need to be able to connect with clients on a human level, while still showing them how your product solves a problem in their world. Jamie is an acknowledged expert in this area. She has the ability to transfer her skill set, her passion, and her sales knowledge to others via team workshops that work.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Melea's bio:  Melea ​McRae (LinkedIn) is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, business connector, and adjunct professor with 30 years of experience elevating brands, amplifying missions, and fueling business growth for B2B and B2C clients. In 2016, Melea made the entrepreneurial leap and founded Crux KC, a fast-growing WBE headquartered in KC. Known as the “un-agency,” Crux is a full-funnel outsourced marketing solution customized for organizations of all shapes, sizes, and verticals, combining the expertise of fractional CMOs who build the marketing strategy with a deep bench of experts in each marketing discipline to deliver on that strategy.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Sonya's bio: With an uncanny ability to see the big picture formulate, Sonya Jury, AIA is ​(https://www.businesssherpa.org/ ) parlaying her years of business design acumen into following her passion – helping others achieve success. 

Using simple, proven tools aligned with a proven process, she works with Leadership Teams to design a vision, execute that vision, and live a better life. Her passion is to coach, teach, and facilitate leadership teams to be free from the frustrations of running their business with a focus. 

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Wayne's bio: Wayne Simien​ (www.waynesimien.com), born and raised in Leavenworth, KS, grew up in a hardworking family with both parents employed at Hallmark Cards. Excelling in basketball, he was part of a 6A State Championship team and a McDonald's High School All-American. Simien attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in sociology in 2005. During his collegiate career, he played under Hall of Fame coaches Roy Williams and Bill Self, participated in two Final Fours, won three Big 12 Championships, and was named Big 12 Player of the Year and First Team Consensus All-American. His jersey hangs in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters. In 2003, he became a Christian, a transformative experience. Drafted in the first round by the Miami Heat, he won an NBA Championship under coach Pat Riley and concluded his professional career in Spain.​ From 2009 to 2021, Simien served as a Christian campus minister at KU and across the Midwest, focusing on mentorship, preaching, and leading mission trips. He currently resides in Lawrence, KS, working as the Associate Athletics Director of Engagement at KU. In this role, he is involved in leadership development, fundraising, and supporting former athletes through K-Club. Married to his wife Katie for 16 years, they have five children. Simien is also an elder at Morning Star Church and enjoys coaching his kids, fishing, hunting, and golf.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Abe's bio: Over a 39-year career of active duty service, General (R) Robert B. “Abe” Abrams​ (Wikipedia) led troops in peace and war. Following his commissioning from theUnited States Military Academy in 1982, he spent his formative years in a Cavalry Squadron with a mission on the E-W German border during the cold war, lead combat troops i​n Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan during multiple combat tours spanning Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He was the Senior Military Assistant to the 24th Secretary of Defense. He commanded with distinction at every level from Company to 4-star Major Command including command of the Army’s and DOD’s largest formation, US Army Forces Command, with over 750K soldiers and DA Civilians across all 3 components for over 3 years. His final assignment was as the Commander United Nations Command, the ROK-US Combined Forces Command and US Forces Korea from 2018-2021.

Since retiring, Abe serves as a Board Director for Vistage International; as a board director for the Bob Woodruff Foundation; as a senior Board Advisor for VAYA Space; as a member of the Board of Business Executives for Gridiron Capital; as a consultant for several companies; and is the Vice Chairman of the Korea Defense Veteran’s Association, a 501(c) non-profit. Abe speaks publicly on leadership and Korean Peninsula affairs, and is a military contributor to ABC News.

Happily married, he and his wife are proud parents of two children and grandparents to two grandchildren. They moved to a small farm in western Missouri following retirement. The Abrams have a Golden Retriever named “Hank” and adopted an abandoned orange tabby named “Fred”. Abe is a functional fitness enthusiast who also enjoys golf, follows college basketball closely, and gets March Madness annually. He remains an ever-optimistic fan of Army Football and has been recently converted to a fan of the KC Chiefs.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Michael's bio: Michael ​Sommers (LinkedIn) brings three decades of expertise in people strategy and organizational performance, serving startups to Fortune 1000 companies. Studied management at UCM, and was raised on a Kansas farm, he knows hard work and resilience.​ His business journey begins with his family building a large national company and includes him taking his own path to grow and sell a high-growth multi-million-dollar company by age 28, both fueling his passion for leadership excellence. Over 25 years, he grew four more multi-million-dollar ventures and drove a global turnaround resulting in the successful nine-figure exit, all of which allowed him to collaborate closely with, study, and learn from countless high-profile world-class executives.

A devout Christian and self-professed “leadership junkie,” Michael finds joy in family time and discussing leadership intricacies with anyone interested.​ Michael and his wife Jane married in 1996, and call Lee’s Summit, MO home, where they cherish their family bond. With two grown children and grandchildren, their love forms the foundation of their life together. He has also enjoyed the past 18 years serving the homeless community, but fishing with their grandkids brings a joy all its own.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Zach's bio: Zach Arend (LinkedIn)  was raised in a small town in Nebraska, Zach grew up in an entrepreneurial family working at his parents' grocery store. At 10, he learned what it takes to become great at what you do.​ At 11 years old, Zach was riding in the rodeo. By age 18, he was 2x Saddle Bronc Riding Champion.  He often says, "Everything I needed to know about leadership, I learned in the rodeo arena."​ Zach's professional achievements include: Former 2X Saddle Bronc Riding Champion; TEDx Speaker 2024 - Saddle Your Own Horse™; Coached, consulted, and facilitated 180+ leadership sessions; Trainer to hundreds of managers and their executive teams Former VP of Sales for a $300 million logistics company; ​​Developed and ​led team of 50+ sales professionals; Certified Professional Coach (CPC); Energy Leadership Index - Master Practitioner (ELI-MP)

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Fred's bio: ​Fred Stipkovits (LinkedIn) hails from a blue-collar steel mill family on the East Coast, where he was deeply influenced by both Italian and Hungarian heritage. Raised with an indomitable work ethic instilled by his upbringing, Fred's journey has been marked by resilience and determination. Following his high school years, Fred made the pivotal decision to join the military, embarking on a decade-long service journey that encompassed both enlisted and officer roles. As the first in his family to graduate from a four-year university with a bachelor's degree, Fred achieved a significant milestone, breaking new ground as he transitioned from enlisted to commissioned officer status.​ Post-military life presented its challenges, as Fred searched for a sense of purpose. However, his trajectory shifted when he assumed leadership at Ultra-Tech, where he saw the opportunity to enact meaningful change, foster high-performing teams, and elevate individuals to reach their fullest potential, prioritizing the welfare of others above himself.

Fred's personal life has also been a journey of growth and transformation. From marriage to divorce and remarriage, he found solace and fulfillment in starting a family later in life. The experience of parenthood later in life has tempered his once-hard-hitting mentality, infusing his leadership approach with empathy and understanding.​ Drawing from his upbringing and his father's reflections on management, Fred is driven by a steadfast ambition to revolutionize the culture of American manufacturing. Through his leadership at Ultra-Tech and beyond, Fred Stipkovits is dedicated to shaping a future where work is not merely a means to an end but a path to fulfillment and prosperity for all.  

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Frumi's bio: As the founder of the Barr Business School, Dr. Frumi Rachel Barr​ (LinkedIn), is an expert in scaling businesses. She leads CEOs through growth, with a focus on communication, alignment, and accountability.

Her 20+ years of experience blend practical leadership with academic knowledge, helping leaders make smart, profitable choices.​ Dr. Frumi is instrumental in developing the next generation of business leaders.

She is also the celebrated author of "A CEO’s Secret Weapon," a top-ranked business book with a foreword by Simon Sinek.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

​John's bio: John Hall ​(LinkedIn) is a former VP/GM with Madison Square Garden (MSG) and a former senior executive with the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). Hall has helped companies ranging from Fortune 500 organizations to small local businesses in creating strategies that enhance personal and professional enrichment. John is the recipient of six Colorado Press Awards and has sat on numerous boards and committees throughout his career.​ John serves as the Vice President of Marketing for ZoomGrants, a leading online application software company and listed in the Top 200 Companies in Colorado. He is also the Founder and CEO of GetRecruited24/7 (GR24/7). GR24/7 is a next-generation high school student-athlete recruiting service helping athletes secure college scholarships.​Currently, he is the Chief Sales Officer at Crux Accelerate (Website).

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.       

Risa's Bio: Risa Stein possesses a unique set of credentials and skills including a PhD in clinical child and health psychology and an MA in Organizational Leadership. She has an extensive behavioral medicine research and publication record as well as 25+ years dedicated to teaching undergraduate students. Over the past decade, Risa has consulted with universities, nonprofits, large corporations, and think tanks on design thinking and innovation. After a near-death experience that prompted a midlife crisis, Risa wrote a well-received personal development self-guided therapy workbook called the Best Damn Life Workbook. Risa’s most recent entrepreneurial endeavor, SeeInMe, grew from her professional and personal experiences. While it may be a lofty goal, Risa intends for SeeInMe to become the standard-bearer for collaborative care fueled by data-driven insights and a relentless focus on the uniqueness of every individual.

Risa is also a wife and a mom to two humans and two dogs.

Risa’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/risa-stein123

SeeInMe website: https://seeinme.com

Best Damn Life Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Damn-Life-Workbook-Personally/dp/0985677937

Teresa's Bio: Teresa Carey has more than 30 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Prior to launching PerformancePointe, Inc. (Website), she held positions for the world’s second-largest document technology company in sales, professional development, and sales leadership. She was also instrumental in helping take two other companies from start-up to rapid growth prior to exiting.​

As a coach and strategist, Teresa has led individual and organizational change in diverse sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, financial, legal, and technology. Over the span of her career, Teresa has assisted over 50,000 professionals in improved performance.​

Teresa is active in the community as a volunteer including being a mentor in the KC Fellows Program and a member of Stateline Service League. Teresa is a mom, wife, triathlete, and author of the book, The Attractive Trap™. She enjoys adventure, travel, and cooking.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.    

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.

Rick's bio: Driven by impactful outcomes and passionate about serving people, Rick Kahle (LinkedIn) serves as a trusted advisor adept at helping clients solve their most complex business challenges. Following a 27-year career in employee benefits consulting and brokerage, Rick switched gears and followed his passion for investing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Kansas City. In 2019, he co-founded Crux-Xcelerate, which combines sales and marketing acumen to develop sales performers and leaders, drive value and accountability, and fuel sustainable revenue growth for organizations. As Senior Vice President of Alliant, Rick is leaning into his entrepreneurial experiences to help build and lead the firm’s Kansas City office. Rick is passionate about supporting the greater Kansas City community and has served in numerous leadership positions, both charitably and civically. Most notably, he continues to serve as chair of Phoenix Family, which provides support services to 6,000 residents of affordable housing communities.

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.

• Introduction to "Give and Take": We delve into Adam Grant's exploration of reciprocity styles and their impact on success, based on his extensive research and personal experiences.

• The Three Reciprocity Styles: Grant categorizes individuals into givers, takers, and matchers, each with distinct approaches to social interactions and success.

• Success Patterns: Surprisingly, both the least and most successful individuals in various fields tend to be givers. We explore the correlation between reciprocity styles and success metrics such as productivity, sales revenue, and leadership effectiveness.

• Navigating the Challenges of Giving: While giving offers numerous benefits, including increased happiness and productivity, givers face risks such as burnout and exploitation by takers. We discuss strategies to mitigate these challenges.

• Key Takeaways and Practical Applications: We summarize actionable insights from Grant's research, including leveraging powerless communication, integrating self-interest with "other-interest", and implementing the five-minute rule of giving.

To receive a free 7-page "Give and Take" book summary, you can email me at jeffpelaccio@gmail.com. Enjoy the episode!

You will learn and laugh so please enjoy!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.

Chuck Moxley (LinkedIn) is a marketing practitioner with more than 25 years of experience on both the brand and agency sides of marketing. Chuck has developed innovative marketing programs for dozens of brands including Chick-fil-A, Lee Jeans, Subway, ATT, Pepsi, Citgo, NFL, and Sears. He is one of the nation's leading experts on the convergence of technology and marketing and speaks frequently at corporations, industry trade organizations, and universities on digital marketing, digital identity, and the ethical use of data and its impact on business and society.

He is the co-author of the book on how brands are using one-to-one marketing for greater effectiveness, An Audience of One (Amazon ), published by McGraw Hill and used in marketing and MBA programs at multiple universities. Also, Chuck is co-host of The Frictionless Experience podcast.

Many leadership and mindset lessons from the self-proclaimed "endurance junkie" (over 50 marathons including 5 Ultra Marathons) Tony Hofmann in this week's podcast. From breaking into his high school gym at night to play basketball to retiring after 26 years in the Army as a colonel you will enjoy Tony talk about why he embraces grit, how he was lucky to get into West Point, how he transitioned from the military to corporate America, and why he is so passionate about preventing veteran suicide in the United States. Please enjoy my conversation with Tony!

Tony Hofmann (Tony's Website/) is a proven leader, endurance athlete, West Point graduate, and social entrepreneur focused on stopping military veteran suicide. A rebel at heart fueled by a Midwest spirit, he likes to challenge the status quo--with a sly grin--while seeking physical endeavors that require toughness and grit. As a running “professional enthusiast” entering his fourth decade of competition, he has completed over 50 marathons/ultras, including 14 Boston Marathons and the legendary Leadville 100 Race Across the Sky. A 26-year military veteran, retired US Army colonel, and qualified Ranger, Tony has combined his love of running with a passion to save veteran lives through his high-altitude running team, Team Leadville. He continues to serve as an innovator and leader within the engineering profession. Husband and father of three, his purpose is simple: inspire others to self-improvement through action and word.

Tony's latest book is "Rim To Rim to Rim On A Whim: An Endurance Junkie's Guide to the Grand Canyon" - Amazon.

Please enjoy my conversation with Brad!

"Live Honestly.  Do the Next Right Thing". That’s Brad Hill's life motto (LinkedIn Profile).  My journey has taken me from Louisiana to KC (through OKC).  Lawnmowing.  Pastoring.  Working at Blockbuster Video (for a day).  Writing.  Podcasting.  Coaching.  Leadership development.  Leading an organization called HeartConnexion Seminars (think Brene Brown with Tony Robbins) over the Midwest and doing incredible work.   Currently, I participate in the Freedom Project (website) and Coaching and Consulting.  Transcendence and transformation.  That’s what resonates with me.  Give your time. Give you energy. Give your resources. To stuff you actually believe in.

Please enjoy my conversation with Abraham!

Ebrima “Abraham” Sisay is the founder and Chief Empathy Officer at Freedom Project (https://partner.freedomprojectkc.com/)  - A multicultural Impact Creative Agency with the goal of making positive change by guiding a billion people to mental health breakthroughs – All with A unique twist! Previously, Abraham worked as a fractional marketing & distribution executive for software startups and distributed content for local and national brands like Yoobi, Marvel Studios, Humana, University Of Kansas Health System, Shake Shack, etc. Abraham loves to write about mental health breakthroughs, Responsible AI in Mental Health & Health Care, making content experiences, engagement campaigns, & Storytelling.

Enjoy this open conversation with Justin!

Justin Ricklefs (LinkedIn Profile) is the Founder and CEO of Guild Collective (Website). He launched Guild in 2017 after spending 13 years in various sales and leadership roles at the Kansas City Chiefs, Learfield Sports, and ECCO Select. After stumbling into a passion for writing, Justin wrote personal pieces for large publications like Huffington Post, The TODAY Show, and Yahoo. While he enjoys writing on personal topics, Guild was formed with the awareness that many brands struggle to connect to the souls of their audience, and Justin believed he could help bridge that gap. Justin is responsible for the Visionary role in the agency, which most often looks like charting the company’s strategy, driving new revenue, developing leaders within the business, and hoping one of his many ideas end up being halfway decent.

Justin is married to his high school sweetheart, Brooke (she was slower to the realization). They live in Liberty, MO, and have been married 20 years and have five children: Kamden, 19; Addi, 17; Rowan, 15; Silas, 13; Henley, 11. He and Brooke love traveling when they can. Justin enjoys writing, running, watching his kids’ activities, and sitting in his cabin where it’s quiet.

Please enjoy my conversation with Alex!

This episode is brought to you by Connect5000 (Website) your outsource lead generation, BDR, and inside sales partner. To download a free copy of the best tactical sales book you will ever read (written by its founder Ray Ruecker), go to https://connect5000.com/resources/book/.

Chris is an inspiring person so please enjoy our conversation.

This episode is brought to you by Connect5000 (Website) your outsource lead generation, BDR, and inside sales partner. To download a free copy of the best tactical sales book you will ever read (written by its founder Ray Ruecker), go to https://connect5000.com/resources/book/.

Chris Jones is the founder of Matchrite Care (Website). He is a seasoned Information Technology professional with a career spanning over two decades, during which he has consistently demonstrated his expertise and dedication to the field. With a strong background in healthcare technology, Chris spent nine years as a Healthcare IT Director, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. Throughout his illustrious career, Chris has been a driving force behind the transformation of healthcare companies, leveraging technology innovation and automation to enhance their operational efficiency and overall performance. His unwavering commitment to improving the healthcare sector's technological landscape has made him a respected figure in the industry.

However, Chris' journey in healthcare IT is not solely defined by his professional achievements. It is deeply intertwined with a personal loss that ignited his passion for healthcare technology. This profound experience became the catalyst for his innovative vision. Fueled by his commitment to making a meaningful difference in healthcare, Chris embarked on a transformative mission. In a testament to his dedication, he founded MatchRite Care, a groundbreaking software platform designed to facilitate and encourage accessibility and communication between doctors and patients. This platform represents a visionary step forward in the evolution of healthcare technology, offering unprecedented opportunities for healthcare providers and patients to connect, share information, and improve the quality of care. Chris Jones' remarkable journey through the realm of Information Technology and his commitment to revolutionizing healthcare technology have firmly established him as a visionary leader with a heart dedicated to improving the lives of both healthcare professionals and patients alike. His inspiring work and innovative solutions continue to pave the way for a brighter and more connected future in the world of healthcare.

Please enjoy my conversation with Chelsea!

This episode is brought to you by Connect5000 (Website) your outsource lead generation, BDR, and inside sales partner. To download a free copy of the best tactical sales book you will ever read (written by its founder Ray Ruecker), go to https://connect5000.com/resources/book/.

Please enjoy my conversation with Angela!

Angela Kreps (linkedin.com/in/akreps ), co-founder of SolutionBrokers.US and former CEO of BioKansas. Her career titles include CEO, Vice President, and Executive Coach with a consistent record of improving team performance while growing revenue and market share across multiple industries. Angela's career began selling B2B services to C-Suite clients, turning in record-breaking, award-winning results. She has experience in large multinational firms, small privately held companies, and non-profits.

Cory Scheer (linkedin.com/in/coryscheer ) is the Founder and CEO of TrustCentric™ Consulting (TrustCentricConsulting.com), an organizational and leadership development firm. In addition to over twenty-five years in leadership roles in multiple sectors, Cory has obtained an Executive MBA (Rockhurst University) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (University of Missouri). Cory has worked with small businesses, school districts, corporations, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, ministries, the military, and municipalities to provide vital support and clear direction on how to ensure people, practices, and policies become more trustworthy so that key performance indicators improve. He is the author of the seminal work "Closing the Trust Gap: Taking Action on What Matters Most for Leaders, Teams, and Organizations," (Amazon) each a testament to his commitment to fostering trust within organizations. Cory and his wife live in Kansas City, Missouri with their 4 children.

Please enjoy the great Sly James' great career journey!

Sly James (linkedin.com/in/sly-james ) was sworn in as the 56th Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri on March 22, 2011. After taking office, he focused on making Kansas City best in four key areas: Education, Employment, Efficiency, and Enforcement. This ‘4 E agenda’ drove all of Mayor James’ major policy decisions. Mayor Sly James was born and raised in Kansas City on the city’s eastside. He graduated from Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City in 1969. After serving his country as a military police officer in the Marines from 1971-1975 in California, the Philippines, and Japan during the Vietnam War, Mayor James graduated cum laude from Rockhurst College with a B.A. in English. He then went on to earn his law degree, also cum laude, from the University of Minnesota in 1983.

Prior to his election, Mayor James enjoyed a successful legal career which spanned almost three decades. Over the years, Mayor James has served on numerous boards and commissions in leadership positions including The Missouri Board of Law Examiners, President of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Economic Development Corporation, Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, Jackson County Ethics Commission, Legal Aid of Kansas City, Jackson County Bar Association, Bishop Hogan High School Board, Genesis School Board, and The United Way. Mayor James also served in leadership positions in several national organizations including US Conference of Mayors, African American Mayors Association, National Democratic Mayors, and Urban Land Institute.

He currently is the co-founder and partner at Wickham James Strategy and Solutions (wickhamjames.com ). Sly also has written two books - "A Passion for Purpose: Building Cities for Our Children" and "The Opportunity Agenda: A Bold Democratic Plan To Grow The Middle Class".