Shows
Unscripted with VersiqueMarisa Williams: Bringing Business Leadership to the World of Non-ProfitHer title reads CEO of Girl Scouts River Valleys, but in reality, she's a coach, cheerleader and accountability partner for her team and corporate partners. In this episode, Marisa Williams shares how she's channeled her strengths and transformed from a leader in the corporate world, to transforming the Girl Scouts across the Twin Cities and beyond.Connect with Versique 2025-05-2048 min
Unscripted with VersiqueBridgewater Bank EVP & CSO Mary Jayne Crocker: Curiosity Is a Key Ingredient in Leadership SuccessAs many of us have experienced throughout our careers, the best way to learn is by doing- whether you have experience with the task at hand or not. Never led a private company into an IPO? No worries, you'll figure it out! In this episode MJ shares what inspired her career trajectory, and the unique challenges she's overcome thanks to her natural curiosity.Connect with Versique 2025-04-2239 min
Thrive with R3Leading with Balance and PurposeIn this episode of Thrive with R3, hosts Jamie Gassmann and Dr. George Vergolias sit down with three inspiring female leaders for the first women’s panel discussion — featuring Kathy Robideau, Chief Growth Officer at Versique; Sara Dziuk, President and CEO at Junior Achievement North, and Elisha Engelen, Human Capital Solution Client Leader at Aon —for an insightful discussion on authenticity, leadership, and workplace wellbeing. They explore how embracing emotions, modeling work-life balance, and taking ownership of one’s career path can create stronger, more resilient leaders. Through personal stories and candid reflections, they share the challenges they’ve faced, the...2025-04-0839 min
Unscripted with VersiqueThe Right Guy at the Right Time: Adam Duininck Brings the Skills and Mindset to Re-Energize Downtown MinneapolisHe grew up near the farming community of Willmar in Western Minnesota, and despite deep family ties to a rural lifestyle Adam Duininck always aspired to live, work and move the needle in a big city. So how did a kid from the country become such a force in the city as President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council? In this episode, Adam explains how he navigates today's challenging political divide to build relationships and trust, to work toward common goals and civic projects that everyone can enjoy. Connect with Versique 2025-04-0846 min
Unscripted with VersiquePeanut Butter & Jelly TV CFO Andre Creighton: From Corporate Finance to Startup Leadership, It's More Than Just NumbersThere's comfort in a C-Suite corporate role, but it can also trigger the question of "what if?" Andre Creighton has successfully played on both sides of the ball. He's a visionary finance leader, with high profile past roles at Cargill and SPIRE Credit Union. He's also launched a startup and now is charged with the CFO and revenue role at PB&J TV. In this download, Kathy & Chris explore Andre's unique career journey, and his commitment to the MSP community.Connect with Versique 2025-03-2537 min
Unscripted with VersiqueMenttium CEO Missy Chicre: "You Have One Life, How Do You Want to Live It?"Her unique background, experience, and curiosity led from academia to consulting, then leadership roles at Best Buy and Cargill. And then, in that "what's next?" moment, the opportunity to devote her experience to advancing women's leadership led her to Menttium. In this episode Missy Chicre joins Kathy & Dardy to retrace her path to professional success, while foregoing work-life balance to create one fulfilling journey.Connect with Versique 2025-03-1150 min
Unscripted with VersiqueAncoats Construction Founder & President David Wood: Leave Your Comfort Zone and Chase Your DreamsHe followed in his father's footsteps, and during a decade at Mortenson rose from an intern to a market sector leader at the Minneapolis construction giant. David Wood could've settled in for a long and lucrative career with few career risks. Instead, he chose to start from scratch, founding his own construction company, Ancoats. In this revealing episode, Coats shares key events from his local upbringing that could've derailed his life, and his career. Instead, he leveraged setbacks into comebacks, and is now growing his own company.Connect with Versique 2025-02-2549 min
Unscripted with VersiqueScott Burns: Veteran Entrepreneur's Advice - Forget About "Failing Fast" and Focus on SuccessThe word "entrepreneur" has become a cliche in a world where almost everyone has a side hustle. But Scott Burns in truly an entrepreneur in every sense of the definition: an individual who's created and built successful businesses from scratch, while assuming all risks of the enterprise. In this episode, the general partner at Mairs & Power VC shares insight from a lifetime of innovation at the intersection of the public and private sectors, including his most successful ventures, GovDelivery and Structural.Connect with Versique 2025-01-2154 min
Off the RecordOff the Record’s original podcast hosts Kathy Robideau and Dave Faust reconvene for finale episodeIn a wrap-up episode of Off the Record, the original hosts Kathy Robideau, now the chief growth officer at Versique, and Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, join Jen Hellman, president and CEO of Goff Public, in a memorable conversation. The two special guests open up about their own career journeys and what they’ve learned by going “off the record” over the past 49 episodes with Twin Cities business leaders. “It’s so inspiring to watch the risks people take and the bets they place on themselves and how they do it,” says Faust. Listen to th...2024-12-2352 min
Unscripted with VersiqueWashburn Center for Children CEO Craig Warren: A Military Mindset and Passion for Helping ChildrenWhile he wasn't a military brat, he moved like one in his formative years. That exposure to different people and cultures, his service to our country, and his career journey into the private sector have all shaped the inspirational leader that Craig Warren is today. In this engaging conversation with Kathy & Chis, Craig shares his life and career journey which has led him to a critical role in the future of children across the Twin Cities.Connect with Versique 2024-12-1058 min
Unscripted with VersiqueAmy Ronneberg: Tell Her "No" and Then Look Out! How a Small Town Kid Rewrote the Rules to Reach the C-SuiteSuccessful executives who grew up in small towns, didn't attend the Ivy League schools, or were told they weren't qualified for leadership roles all have one thing in common: A burning desire to prove people wrong. Amy Ronneberg has done just that, every step of the way on her career path. Amy boldly states that "being authentic is my superpower", and her passion to break personal and professional boundaries is why she's now the CEO of NMDP, saving lives worldwide.Connect with Versique 2024-11-2641 min
Unscripted with VersiqueNo Looking Back: Gillette Children's Leader Barbara Joers Focuses on the Future and Grows Leaders from the Bottom UpAs the President and CEO of Gillette Children's Hospital, Barbara Joers not only navigates the complicated world of healthcare, but the emotional aspect of the providers she leads and the patients and families they all care for. In this inspiring episode, Barbara reveals key moments on her own leadership journey, and how she empowers everyone to contribute by learning from the past, but focusing on the future to find solutions and improve care.Connect with Versique 2024-11-1256 min
Unscripted with VersiqueBell Bank President Erin Procko Shares How Old Fashioned Customer Service and Servant Leadership Drive SuccessGrowing up in Duluth, Erin Procko's parents were her biggest influence as she considered a career in the legal profession. But she worked at a bank while in college and fell in love with that career path. In this episode, Erin shares her perspective on leadership- why it's all about your team, and serving others.Connect with Versique 2024-10-2931 min
Unscripted with VersiqueWelcome Kathy! Versique Makes a Statement Hire, Adding a Respected Business LeaderYou know her as the Publisher and Market President of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal—make that former. While you were away over the summer, Kathy Robideau stepped into the role of Chief Growth Officer at Versique. It's a full-circle moment, as Versique CEO Tony Sorensen placed Kathy at MSPBJ 14 years ago and watched her rise from an advertising executive to one of the highest-profile business leadership roles in the Twin Cities. In this episode, Versique's President of Interim Solutions, Chris Dardis, welcomes Kathy to the team as she shares her passion for business—and, more importantly, for the...2024-10-1531 minOff the RecordDan Vansteenburg, Spin the Planet CEO, on what happens when you change your mindsetAs Dan Vansteenburg knows, mindset can make the difference between success and failure. Now the CEO of Spin the Planet, which owns and operates 46 Jimmy John's franchise stores and other restaurants, Vansteenburg admits he had to overcome a lot of challenges during his school years. He was small and unathletic for his age and a “horrible student,” Vansteenburg tells Off the Record podcast hosts Kathy Robideau, former market president and publisher for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, and Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, in this episode. But one day, after his family moved to Br...2024-06-241h 02Off the RecordJill Renslow, chief marketing officer with Mall of America, on embracing what’s new in retail and entertainmentNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.When Jill Renslow saw the joy she could create for others as the events chair with her college’s American Marketing Association chapter, she knew the event marketing field was right for her.Deciding her dream job at Disney presented a geographic challenge after getting engaged to her college sweetheart, the Minnesota-based Renslow set her sights on “the Disney that’s closer to home” — in her case, the Mall of America (MOA).She started as an events intern in 1997. N...2024-06-1057 minOff the RecordMarvin CEO Paul Marvin on committing to showing up and being presentNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Paul Marvin is part of the fourth generation of his family to be involved with the eponymous family business. As the CEO and board chair of Warroad, Minnesota-based Marvin, he has learned a lot about building the highest-quality windows and doors over the years — but he’s also learned what’s equally important when it comes to a family business. “To be a family business in perpetuity, which we aspire to be, you have to be a parent,” Marvin, who has six kid...2024-05-2756 minOff the RecordCale Johnston, founder and CEO of Roy and former CEO of ClickSWITCH, on his entrepreneurial drive and his legacyNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Cale Johnston enjoyed noteworthy success with his first fintech startup, ClickSWITCH, which he sold in 2021. But despite his positive experience, Johnston is prioritizing a smaller-scale legacy as he looks at his career in aggregate, he says in this episode of the Off the Record podcast. “(Five years ago) my focus and my drive were about the company,” Johnston, who is now the founder and CEO of athletics platform Roy Inc., says, but it didn’t take long for people to forget...2024-05-1350 minOff the RecordNikki Rohloff, managing partner of Rohloff Associates, on facing “one of the hardest things ever” with her companyIn the professional services industry, relationships are the differentiator. One of the biggest challenges Nikki Rohloff has faced in her career was the sudden loss of her firm’s business partner, she says in this episode of the Off the Record podcast, brought to you by Platinum Bank. She’s now the managing partner of Rohloff Associates, but back in 2017, it was Roach Associates — named for her late business partner, Kevin Roach, who passed away in 2021. When it happened, Rohloff not only mourned her colleague, she says, but she worried about his client connections. “We weren’t su...2024-04-2242 minOff the RecordHeide Olson, founder and CEO of Accountinuity and Veracity Pros, on jumping into entrepreneurship before you’re readyNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Heide Olson, founder and CEO of Accountinuity and Veracity Pros, believes there may be no time like the present to start a business. In her case, she left her job and “threw out her shingle” just before she and her husband were due to have their first baby, Olson reveals in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast, brought to you by Platinum Bank. “My husband thought I was absolutely insane,” she says. But...2024-04-0836 minOff the RecordSara Dziuk, Junior Achievement North CEO, on identifying her “aha moment”Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Sara Dziuk still has the pencil drawings she used to do of the stapler and tape dispenser in her cubicle at a previous job. Dziuk, now the CEO of Junior Achievement North, says she keeps those drawings as a reminder of her “aha moment” of realizing she needed a job that would “fill her cup,” she says in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast.“The environment just wasn’t the right fit for me,” she says. “I learned a lot...2024-03-2552 minOff the RecordDan Stoltz, Blaze Credit Union CEO, on thinking boldly enough to overcome business challengesDan Stoltz took the reins at Spire Credit Union (before it became Blaze) in 2010 — just as the economy was facing some serious difficulties. “It was a tough way to start out as a CEO, but I love challenges,” Stoltz says in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. “I’ll never forget calling in my leadership group, sitting in a room just like this, and saying, ‘Look, we’ve got to do this. We’ve got to figure this out. That might mean some pay cuts for the short term. It might mean some downsizing. We’ve got to be c...2024-03-1152 minOff the RecordAllison Gettings, CEO of Red Wing Shoe Co., on proving herselfEven though Red Wing Shoe Co. is her family’s business, it wasn’t always clear to Allison Gettings that she would eventually become the company’s CEO. She had to prove herself, and she faced her first test during her college years, Gettings explains on this episode of the Off the Record podcast. “It was a tough few years in the sense that, like any 20-year-old, I’m doing grunt work, which is exactly what I should have been doing,” Gettings says. “It was the right place to start. That doesn’t mean it was fun.” ...2024-02-2651 minOff the RecordKelly McGrath, GM and executive director at Xcel Energy Center, knows how to change on the flyNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Traveling abroad as a leader of a youth ministry at age 22 taught Kelly McGrath a few key things about teamwork. As a regular overnight guest in strangers’ homes, she quickly learned to navigate conversations in a way that put others at ease. In her team leader role, she also had to look ahead at logistics to determine where the group would eat, sleep and host the next retreat. “I love all the different elements that are part of something (bigger) comin...2024-02-1245 minOff the RecordKris Kowalski Christiansen, CEO of Kowalski Co., on learning from those you respectNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Even though she’s now the CEO of Kowalski Co., Kris Kowalski Christiansen wasn’t especially passionate about groceries in her youth. She also never felt pressured to be a part of her family’s grocery business. But she did have a deep respect for the way her mom and dad ran things, she reveals in this episode of the Off the Record podcast. “We were super close, a tight-knit, threesome family. I respected everything they did. I respected h...2024-01-2944 minOff the RecordMelvin Tennant, president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis, on acknowledging the city’s challenges and changemakersNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.When Melvin Tennant’s mother learned he would become the CEO of the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau in 1990 — only a few years into his career — she was pleased, but not surprised, he says. “She never placed limits on anything I could do,” according to Tennant, now president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis, in this podcast episode of Off the Record, brought to you by Platinum Bank. Tennant shares highlights of building his career in destinat...2024-01-081h 01Off the RecordBrian Bruess, Ph.D., president of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, on creating environments for optimal growthNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Brian Bruess, Ph.D., president of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB+SJU), has a clear memory of a conversation he had with his wife when they were leaving graduate school in Athens, Ohio. “After (we spent) five years grinding away in graduate school, Carol and I were driving out of Athens. We made a commitment to each other that we’re in this more vocationally than we are career-wise. We wanted to...2023-12-2556 min
Unscripted with VersiqueLeadership Traits That Drive Success | John Mack (Medtronic)John Mack was the Divisional President for the Cardiac Surgery division at one of the largest medical device companies in the world—Medtronic. John knows that great leadership skills are formed through following the path of great leaders; and through his mentors he picked up a slew of tips for success. It was these learned skills that brought him through long nights during mergers and acquisitions, leading new projects, and ultimately paving the path to his successful career today. In this podcast episode, John and Chris cover:Why you should get an Executive CoachSteven Covey’s “7 Habits...2023-12-2033 minOff the RecordDave St. Peter, president and CEO of the Minnesota Twins, on his career’s big breakNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Dave St. Peter, president and CEO of the Minnesota Twins, recognizes how much the experience of a game matters to sports fans — from the talented players on the field down to the malt cups in the stands. On this episode of the Off the Record podcast, St. Peter shares the story of “the biggest break in (his career),” which involved the creation of what would eventually become Target Field. The project gave him a runway...2023-12-1149 minOff the RecordLeeAnn Rasachak, CEO of WomenVenture, on making the leap as a first-time CEONever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.WomenVenture CEO LeeAnn Rasachak admits she’s known for not necessarily staying in her lane. Over her career trajectory, she’s worn many hats, including those in PR, retail and financial services, she reveals in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. “When you’re wearing multiple hats, you learn faster, you get to test, you get to fail,” Rasachak says. The idea of trying on a new hat — th...2023-11-2752 minOff the RecordLuke Palen, president and co-owner of Spectro Alloys, on a facilitative style of leadershipNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Luke Palen, president and co-owner of Spectro Alloys, once learned some key leadership lessons from two tarps and a rope, he tells listeners in this episode of Off the Record. At an outdoor challenge experience in the Canadian backcountry just before his first year at St. John’s University, Palen’s Outward Bound group realized they didn’t have any tents among their gear — as the rain was beginning to fall. “We h...2023-11-1340 minOff the RecordDave Wellstone, CEO and co-founder, Pathfinder Solutions, on identifying what’s importantNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Five years ago, Pathfinder Solutions CEO and Co-founder Dave Wellstone had an epiphany in a helicopter. He had just had a heart attack and a “weird calmness about what’s important to me” came over him as he was being transported to the hospital, he says in this episode of Off the Record. “I’m thinking I’m going to die, and I’m in a helicopter getting flown into the city here from Northfield,” Wellstone says. “The things that were (i...2023-10-2352 minOff the RecordPete Scherer, chairman and CEO of Scherer Bros. Lumber Co., “rolls the tape way back” in a career conversationNever miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Pete Scherer’s family business, the Scherer Bros. Lumber Co., was started by his grandfather and his great uncle back in 1930. “They were the two original Scherer Brothers. They started it from nothing (at) the height of the Depression and made something of it,” Scherer, now the chairman and CEO of the company, recounts in this episode of the Off the Record podcast, brought to you by Platinum Bank. Upon his...2023-10-0949 min
Unscripted with VersiqueCreating Pull Within Your Organization | with Bob Creviston (Agiliti)"The sole measures of success for an HR team, as far as I'm concerned , is, how good are you at knowing where the push and where the pull is?" Bob Creviston is an avid storyteller who recounts his progression from football player at Cornell to Chief of HR at Agiliti Health, a world leader in Medical Equipment Management. His employee-focused leadership style and diligence in addressing challenges has made a lasting impact on his employees, business, and even countries’ labor laws. In this episode we cover: Breaking down what the push and pulls are in HR...2023-09-2839 min