The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends

This episode is a beautiful example of how a person's life/career journey evolves. Sandra Wiley (see her bio below) grew up in a small rural town in Kansas and got married at 19 with aspirations of being a housewife and a mother. She is now a company president and one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting (10 years running and she does not have an accounting degree :-). Sandra and I discuss: - 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.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Mark Hamberlin (see his bio below), the first Chief People Officer to appear on "The Corporate Couch" podcast. As the executive responsible for human resources strategy and operations at Clark Construction Group, Mark shares his expertise in attracting, retaining, and engaging top talent to drive business success. With decades of experience spanning roles at Danaher, Cisco Systems, Coach Leather, and Hallmark Cards, Mark offers a unique perspective on the evolving role of the Chief People Officer in the modern workforce. We dive into how he aligns talent management, company culture, and business strategy to foster the growth and development of high-performing teams. Listeners will gain valuable insights on: The critical intersection of human resources, organizational behavior, and corporate strategyHow Human Resources evolved from an admin function to gaining a seat at the executive tableEmbracing 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 executiveStrategies for building a strong employer brand and cultivating an engaged workforceBest practices in talent acquisition, training, and succession planningAdvice 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.

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Fr. Justin Mathews, a Kansas City native whose journey from musician/audio engineer to Orthodox priest and social entrepreneur exemplifies the intersection of faith, innovation, and community transformation. Fr. Justin shares his remarkable story of leading Reconciliation Services (RS) at Kansas City's historic racial and economic divide, growing it from a modest $650,000 organization to a $4.5-million force for change with 30 employees. We explore the launch of Thelma's Kitchen, Kansas City's first "donate-what-you-can" café, and discuss how his unique approach to social leadership has earned him recognition as a NextGen Leader and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's ACE Award. As a Civil Society Fellow and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, Fr. Justin offers profound insights into building bridges across Kansas City's racial and economic dividing lines, his intersection of faith, entrepreneurship, and running a not-for-profit, innovative approaches to community development and reconciliation, leadership strategies that drive both social impact and organizational growth, and the future of social ventures in urban transformation. Whether you're a social entrepreneur, company/community leader, or someone passionate about creating meaningful change, Fr. Justin's contagious enthusiasm and 25 years of experience offer invaluable lessons in transformative leadership.   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.    Justin's bio: With a contagious enthusiasm for social innovation,​ Fr. Justin Mathews is a Kansas City native with 25 years of experience in developing and executing successful strategies for mission-driven for-profit and nonprofit organizations. He is a serial social entrepreneur, retreat leader, keynote speaker, e-course author, mastermind facilitator for social entrepreneurs, and leadership coach. For 10 years Fr. Justin has been the Executive Director & CEO of Reconciliation Services [RS] (www.RS3101.org) a quickly growing social venture located at 31st and Troost, the historic racial and economic dividing line of Kansas City, MO. The vision of RS is “By living our core values of dignity, community, and advocacy, we cultivate a community seeking reconciliation and reveal the strength of our city.” Since Fr. Justin took over as Executive Director RS has grown from a $650,000 organization with 4 employees to over $ 4.5 million annually with 30 employees and hundreds of volunteers. Fr. Justin is a published author and the creator of The Social Leader Essentials E-Course (www.thesocialleader.org), a transformative leadership development course designed to teach CEOs and senior leaders how to lead with greater social impact to transform their company and community. In 2021 Fr. Justin co-founded the Social Venture Studio (www.socialventurestudio.com) with the KCEDC and Downtown Council’s “Launch KC” initiative. Additionally, In 2018 Fr. Justin led the RS team in the launch of Thelma's Kitchen (www.ThelmasKitchen.org), a 5-star Yelp-rated, social venture “donate-what-you-can” box lunch catering company in Kansas City. In 2022 Fr. Justin was named a NextGen Leader by the Kansas City Business Journal, in 2020 he was awarded the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s “ACE Award” for his work in Diversity and Inclusion and then was awarded the “2020 Excellence in Impact” Award from Nonprofit Connect. Father Justin is a Fellow of the fourth class of the Civil Society Fellowship, a Partnership of ADL and The Aspen Institute, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Fr. Justin was appointed by Mayor Quinton Lucas to the Heart of the City (Troost) TIF Commission and currently serves as the Vice Chair. He graduated from the Centurions Leadership Program of the Greater KC Chamber of Commerce (2018) where he was the Co-Chair of the “Diversity & Inclusion Committee” and served on the Steering Committee. Fr. Justin attended Belmont University where he graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Business and an emphasis in audio engineering and then in 2007, Father Justin earned his Master's in Divinity from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and was ordained to the Priesthood in 2006.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Ken Bramble (see his bio below), an employee benefits consultant turned mental health advocate whose raw honesty about his personal struggles has resonated with audiences nationwide. Ken opens up about his journey wrestling with imposter syndrome while building a successful 25-year career in the employee benefits space. He candidly shares how anxiety crept into his life as he balanced the mounting pressures of career advancement, family responsibilities, and community service. Drawing from his book "Reflections at the Crossroads: A Journey from Ambition to Authenticity," Ken explores the tension between his faith and material desires, and what it truly cost him to compare himself to the"cool kids club" members. As someone who has witnessed firsthand the evolution of workplace wellness over two decades, Ken brings unique insights into how companies can better support their employees' mental health—a mission that has become deeply personal for him. Through vulnerable storytelling and practical wisdom, Ken challenges us to examine our own crossroads moments and the choices that shape not just our careers, but our very identities. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, questioning your path, or leading a team through mental health challenges (especially as a male), Ken's authentic perspective offers both comfort and clarity for the journey ahead. You will learn from Ken's journey and transparency with struggles.   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.

In this illuminating episode, Jeff sits down with marketing legend and bestselling author Seth Godin to discuss his new book "This is Strategy" and explore the evolving landscape of college, work, and decision-making. Episode Highlights: Seth reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, from his college days to founding successful venturesThe genesis of "This is Strategy" and why strategy is crucial in today's rapidly changing work environmentHis thoughts on college (it's not pretty)Insights into the four pillars of strategy: time, games, empathy, and systemsHow job seekers can approach their career strategically in an AI-driven worldThe future of work and creating value beyond traditional job structuresSeth'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.  ​Seth's bio: Seth Godin (www.sethgodin.com) is an author, entrepreneur and most of all, A teacher Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn). His book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world.    His new book is THIS IS STRATEGY.​ His previous books include The Song of Significance and  The Practice, and creatives everywhere have made it a bestseller. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). He's credited as the inventor of email marketing (the good kind). Seth has given five TED talks, including two that rank as the most popular of all time.​ By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has been able to motivate and inspire countless people around the world.​    In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both.

You will enjoy this conversation with Andrew Marquardt (see his bio below) the general counsel, co-founder, and CEO of Advantage Tech. Andrew and I discuss the life-changing events in his early teen years that changed his life, how his legal career led him to start an IT company (it also included a legal decision that went against Microsoft), how he never thought he could become an attorney (and his grit to make it happen), the "Oh Sh**" moments he had when he started his company, his advice to people who want to create their own company, the power of emotional intelligence, why he believes in the dignity of work, how the painting company he founded in college was the only reason he landed his first job after graduation, what he thinks of non-compete agreements, the changes in the IT industry the last three decades, and standing of the shoulders of his ancestors (including his trailblazing mom who went to law school after her divorce and becoming the first woman president of the Kansas Bar Association). You will learn about Andrew's career journey and his insight. 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.    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.

Please enjoy this conversation with Jenna Washnieski (see her bio below). Jenna has great energy and we discussed how she was born to be a leader, how a letter she wrote to herself at seventeen predicted her career, why she journals (she has a closet full of them representing the last 20 years), what it's like to be the youngest executive at your company, the beauty of trying different things in your career, why self-awareness is the number one leadership trait, how listening to your intuition helps your career, the importance of having a positive affective presence as a leader, how she incorporates her yoga teaching into helping her leadership coaching clients, creating new roles for yourself without leaving your current company, and why you should be open to exploring your options. She also reveals that her love of dancing led her to work in the cabaret industry :-) You will love Jenna and will learn from her career journey!   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.

You will learn and laugh while listening to my conversation with Heidi Lehmann (see her bio below). We talk about how she compares art to creating a startup company ("Making the Strange Familiar and the Familiar Strange), selling her first company to AOL for $105 million, why she uses the "3 Es" (Entrepreneurship, Energy, and Enthusiasm) to make career decisions, her goal to make Kansas City an innovation destination via blockchain (she co-founded the KC Futures DAO), co-producing the BET (later acquired by Viacom/CBS) series "Queen Boss" (8-episode series that strives to find the best and brightest African-American female entrepreneurs and have them compete for the business opportunity of a lifetime.), explain blockchain technology to the average person, why female (especially African- American) entrepreneurs have a hard to obtaining funding for their startup (females entrepreneurs only receive 2% of all venture capital funding), and how she likes her martinis :-) We also have a few celebrity references when she was in the entertainment industry in her first job post-college. The list includes Gus Van Sant, Melissa Etheridge, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Bethenny Frankel (she was also a "seat warmer" at the Oscars one year). Please enjoy my conversation with Heidi!   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.

Honored to have the co-author of one of my favorite books "The Go-Giver" Bob Burg (see his bio below) as our guest on this episode. We chat about his early career, how he became a public speaker, how a "drive-by" mentor changed his sales philosophy and became a key part of the book, a summary of the five laws of stratospheric success, why no one cares about your quota or product, how focusing on adding value to others leads to success, why givers attract, learning systems to be successful, and why your first question for a business endeavor should not be "will it make money?". You will enjoy my conversation with the legendary Bob Burg!   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.

In our first conversation with someone born in the Netherlands, you will learn and laugh listening to Michel Koopman  (see his bio below). We chat about his great career and discuss why senior leaders (especially C-Suite executives)  should approach their careers like athletes, how being process-driven accelerates start-up business growth, how being transparent while being mindful is a great communication approach, why top performers are hesitant to pursue their development, his first paid internship in Hong Kong (it involves waking up the next morning in a taxi after a business dinner :-), how a major surgery at 34-years old changed his career path, why he worked for free, the difficulty he had landing a job post-college (and his major decision to go to the United States for college), and common misconceptions of people of Dutch descent.  Please enjoy my conversation with Michel!   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.

A fun and insightful conversation with Jamie Crosbie (see her bio below)! Jamie and I talk about the life/leadership lessons from her legendary mom, knowing that she wanted to start a company at an early age, her first public speech at 15 years old in front of 500 people, her first professional job leading a group of accounting clerks (and her story of regularly falling asleep at her desk :-), how to interview salespeople, why a positive mindset is so important, why failure is the path to growth, her preparation process for her upcoming Ted Talk, how having a career strategy prepared her to create her own company, and why you should be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Please enjoy my conversation with Jamie!   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.

You will enjoy the conversation with the bold and fearless Melea McRae(see her bio below). Melea and I discussed the following: how she navigated being the only female executive at a company, knowing she wanted to be an entrepreneur at an early age (when she was 10 years old she dressed as a "business owner" for Halloween), her advice to female entrepreneurs, finding career success as an intrapreneur, the impact of her mom dying when she was very young, how a palm reader in NYC predicted her future, her roles models (including Murphy Brown), working for Nordstrom's after the company she worked for folded but never receiving a paycheck, how she owned being a "job hopper" when the practice was frowned upon, how the Adam Grant book "The Originals" crystallized her career focus, her work advice to single moms after a divorce, and how she manages her different roles while being heavily involved in the community. Enjoy learning and laughing during my conversation with Melea!   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.

This conversation with Sonya Jury (see her bio below) tugged at my heartstrings as one of our topics was her journey during her mom's Alzheimer's illness (my dad had early onset Alzheimer's when I was about 10 years old). Sonya wrote a book to help others through their parents' journey (or other loved ones) called - "Mom Forget My Birthday: A Daughter's Journey Through Alzheimer's".  We chat about many things including her career pivot from architect to business consultant/author, how getting fired led to her current career, her advice for picking a college major, the importance of having a coach (especially for young leaders, why entrepreneurs should embrace "job carving", and why you should work for three different sized companies. Sonya gives some great book recommendations also: "Who Not How", "The Psychological Safety Playbook, Selling Boldly, and the one that has had the most impact on her - Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours. I know you will enjoy my conversation with Sonya.   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.

Here's an interview with someone I "knew" as a teenager the humble, servant leader Wayne Simien (see his bio below) from his early athletic success as a McDonald's All-American (recognizes the top 25 high school basketball players in the United States) and winning the 2006 NBA Championship to his current role as the associate athlete director of engagement and leadership at the University of Kansas. His leadership lessons from Hall of Famers like Pat Riley, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Roy Williams, and Bill Self, his journey to becoming a Christian at 20 years old when he was feeling broken and empty, why he wanted to emulate his father, the most important ring he ever received (it's not the one you think), his fitness goals/routine (some of it involves his 5 kids), why he changed his initial college major from Points, Rebounds, and Winning to Sociology. You will enjoy his stories about working out in a urine-smelling stairwell with needles at his feet (drawing comparisons to Rocky Balboa in Rocky III). We also answer important questions such as - Who eats hot wings better - Shaq or Wayne and Do McDonald's All Americans eat free for the rest of their lives :-). Please enjoy my conversation with Wayne!   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.

Not only does Robert "Abe" Abrams (see his bio below) have an extensive Wikipedia page but so does his father (who also has a US Army tank named after him). I was honored to have Abe as a guest. We talk about his love for being a tactical leader (leading combat troops in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan during multiple combat tours spanning Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom), what it is like being in combat, how the death of his father at 14 years old impacted him, how he successfully retired as a 4-Star Army General after 39 years, overcoming being a "raging introvert" to lead organizations over 1 million people, how to retire successfully (it involves sprinting through the "retirement" tape), what is a military leader's sacred responsibility, and working for a world-class a$$ chewer. This episode has many leadership lessons so get ready to learn (and laugh)! 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.

You will not find many executives talking about leading with love, vulnerability, and transparency but you will in this episode with Michael Sommers (see his bio below). We talk about his drive at an early age to be a servant leader and strive for greatness, the three signs of a miserable job, how his parents' divorce impacted his leadership journey, the "formula" that justifies his leading with love, and how he operationalized transparency at his company. You will love this episode with Michael!   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.

Get ready to saddle up your horse in this episode with Zach Arend (see his bio below). His life and career journey is one you will not want to miss. Zach and I discuss: How he was demoted from the vice president of sales of a $300 million company to an account executive (and the major impact it had on his life); his journey from 11 to 18 years old to become a bronc riding champion, his early leadership lessons while still in college working for UPS and leading a team of 16 (when he knew "everything"), his unique approach to making leaders better to help cure the "boreout" pandemic at work, and why it's better to let things happen versus making things happen. Please enjoy my conversation with Zach!   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)

There are so many leadership lessons from Fred Stipkovits in this episode (see his bio below) from his first job leading a Coast Guard Homeland Security unit (with colleagues who had been in the Coast Guard longer than he had been alive) pre and post-9/11 (including ramming a boat head-on at 50 MPH to track down a suspected terrorist), his struggles transitioning from his military career (including working a job at Home Depot), being selected as president of a company where two years earlier he was not hired as the business development manager, leading an incredible company turnaround (e.g., replacing 50% of the staff with 0 terminations in his first 10 months and increasing employee retention to 98%), the hardship of undergoing a divorce, his mission to revolutionize the culture of American manufacturing, and why he wants to change the future of work. You will love Fred's great story so please enjoy this episode! 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.

You will learn many things by listening to Dr. Frumi Barr's (see her bio below) professional journey. Frumi talks about starting her career as a physical therapist and then pivoting into the business world where she led/founded fourteen different companies, her experience being a female C-Suite executive starting in 1980, how her persistence led her to meet Simon Sinek (he wrote the forward for her book), why growth companies need to understand the "Valley of Death", the benefits of a portfolio career, and why every entrepreneur will fail at some point. You will enjoy Frumi's great career and the many stories of success and failure.   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.

Maria Flynn (see her bio below) is just such a fascinating person from her roots growing up on a Kansas wheat farm to her journey as a CEO/founder to helping entrepreneurs in the early stages of their journey to succeed. Maria and I discuss the lessons she learned from her parents (e.g., if you can see it, you can be it), being an intrapreneur, why mindset is so important, why in times of stress you need to rally yourself first and then your team, why sh*t is always going to happen and what to do about it, and how she helps entrepreneurs be successful. Please enjoy my conversation with Maria!   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.        Maria's Bio: Maria Flynn (LinkedIn) is the Founder and CEO of Ambiologix (Website), a consulting and training company that helps entrepreneurs advance their innovation, grow their potential, and build their businesses. Maria has worked with founders from over 40 companies, helping them Make Opportunity Happen, which is the title of her book​ (Amazon), keynote, and workshops. As CEO of Orbis Biosciences, Maria built a technology company that improved pharmaceutical manufacturing, won awards for its novel innovation, and was acquired by Adare Pharmaceuticals. As Managing Director of Techstars Kansas City, Maria invested in and coached companies across health tech, biotech, fintech, deep tech, and consumer tech.