Shows
The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSpecial Edition - Book Review: Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad OnesWelcome to a short-form Special Edition of The Corporate Couch! Today, my co-host is Shawn Kinkade (linkedin.com/in/shawnkinkade). We break down James Clear’s Atomic Habits. Spoiler alert: this book is life-changing—but also responsible for Shawn flossing regularly and me questioning my peanut M&M consumption.
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 n...2025-01-1529 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsWayne Simien, The Faith-Based Servant Leader - Leadership Lessons from Hall of Fame Players and Coaches, Why You Should Expect Life To Be Hard, and Wanting To Be Like His FatherHere'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...2024-08-191h 15The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsRobert "Abe" Abrams, The 4-Star Muddy Boots Leader - Lessons from 39 Years of Army Leadership, How a "Raging Introvert" Can Lead An Organization of 1 Million People, and What It Is Like to Be In A WarNot 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...2024-08-121h 08The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMichael Sommers, The Leadership Junkie - Creating A Company Based on Love, Vulnerability, and Transparency, Being Driven By Greatness, and The Three Signs of A Miserable JobYou 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 fi...2024-08-051h 08The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsZach Arend, The Teddy Roosevelt of Leadership Coaches - Overcoming "Boreout" At Work, The Gift of Getting A Major Demotion, and The Beauty of Letting GoGet 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...2024-07-291h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsFred Stipkovits, From Steel Mill Town to Company President - Revolutionizing American Manufacturing’s Culture, His Remarkable Company Turnaround, and How His First Job During 9/11 Changed His LifeThere 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...2024-07-221h 10The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsFrumi Barr, The Female C-Suite Pioneer - Her Journey From A Physical Therapist to Leading Fourteen Companies, How She Became A CEO's Secret Weapon, and The Benefits of A Portfolio CareerYou 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...2024-07-1655 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMaria Flynn, From Farm Girl to Founder - Making Opportunity Happen As An Entrepreneur, Overcoming Overwhelm, and Rallying Yourself First In Times Of StressMaria 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...2024-07-0857 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsGlenn Fisher, The Lifelong Entrepreneur - Helping People Get What They Want, His Rule of Three, and Questioning If College Is Worth ItA fun and insightful conversation with the lifelong entrepreneur Glenn Fisher (see his bio below). Glenn and I chat about how he started a business for a business owner after a conversation at a bar, his rule of 3 in times of stress, having lunch with Zig Ziglar and Lee Iacocca as a customer (as well as David Spade sleeping on his couch), graduating #1 in his Marine Basic training boot camp, and his entrepreneur lessons from launching over a dozen companies. You will enjoy my conversation with Glenn!
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm pr...2024-07-0156 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJohn Hall, A Walking Billboard For Achieving Anything in Life - From Sports Executive To Being A Better Dad, His Mission To Make People’s Lives Better, and Using Commonality to Build ConnectionIf you grew up wanting to be a professional athlete, but never achieved your dream my conversation with John Hall will inspire you (see bio below). We discuss how a devasting knee injury shaped his career journey, his first professional job which was in the fashion industry (including revealing if he dated any models), being the youngest boxing promoter in the world, working for the NFL, Sacramento Kings, and NY Rangers (including his insights on working with Wayne Gretzky), and his decision to walk away from a glamourous sports executive position to focus on being a better dad. John...2024-06-2456 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJohn Minnis, The Relationship-Focused CEO - Lessons He Learned From His Hall of Fame Dad, Quitting a Successful Job to Be a Better Spouse and Father, and The Book That Changed His CareerMy conversation with John Minnis (see bio below) should be published the day after Father's Day. We talk about the lessons he learns from his dad (he is in 6 Hall of Fames), quitting a successful job to be a better spouse and father, how your career is a series of chapters that you do not realize until the chapter is completed, his job interview with a CEO that happened in a bar wearing shorts, a tank top, and a baseball cap, why he wrote in "Journey to Leadership" book, how reading "Never Eat Alone" changed his career, and his workout ro...2024-06-171h 12The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsRisa Stein, The Psychologist Turned CEO - How A Mid-Life Crisis Led Her To Create A Company, Going Back to School In Your 50s, and Her Journey From Invulnerability to VulnerabilityThis week's guest is the fantastic Dr. Risa Stein the founder/CEO of SeeInMe and author of "Best Damn Life Workbook" (see her bio below). Risa and I discussed her desire at age 7 to become a psychologist, going from a college psychology professor to a CEO. the changes she has seen in students in the last 26+ years teaching undergraduate psychology at Rockhurst University, how a near-death experience changed her life, going back to school in her 50s for her masters in organizational leadership, being in a motorcycle "gang" in high school, and her thoughts on how to lead Generation...2024-06-101h 07The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSpecial Edition with Teresa Carey - 30 Years of Business and Coaching WisdomThis special edition episode features Teresa Carey (see bio below) as we discuss the lessons she learned from her 30 years of owning her own business and coaching leaders. Teresa talks about the major changes in business, leaders, and technology since she started her company in 1994 (and the things that have remained constant). As a bonus, she reflects on the advice her current self would give the 31-year-old Teresa. Please enjoy my conversation with Teresa!
Teresa's Bio: Teresa Carey has more than 30 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Prior to launching PerformancePointe, In...2024-06-0516 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTucker Graves, The Serial Entrepreneur and Learner - Long Game Thinking, His Great Advice For Start-Ups, and Why Caring Is The Key To A Great CultureJoin me for this mini-masterclass in start-ups, leadership, the importance of lifelong learning, and long-term strategy with the serial entrepreneur Tucker Graves (bio below). We talk about "long game" thinking, creating a business idea at 22 years old with friends (it involved a hot tub and some alcohol :-), interviewing for his first job with the CEO of a major restaurant chain, business lessons from his dad, creating a business at a bar with a cocktail napkin, and his start-up advice including why dollars are votes, the importance of having an attorney, and how to budget/forecast your revenue/expenses.2024-06-031h 11The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsKevin McGinnis, The Innovative Community Champion - Lessons From Silicon Valley Companies, Leveraging the Gen Z Workforce, and How To Be A Successful IntrapreneurThere are many great insights from my conversation with Kevin McGinnis (see his bio below). We discuss what he learned from working with Silicon Valley companies in the "boom" years (2007-2013), how to leverage AI, working with Gen Zers, how he became a successful intrapreneur, his lessons from Peter Diamandis' Singularity University, not being afraid to fail, what he learned from being an inside sales rep right after college, why culture matters (especially in a start-up), and the importance of having a lifelong learner mindset. Please enjoy my conversation with Kevin!
Today's episode is brought to you...2024-05-281h 10The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDr. Katie Ervin, The Culture Doctor - Why CEOs Stop Learning, How to Have A Side Hustle, and How Listening to The Universe Can Guide Your CareerYou will enjoy my conversation with Dr. Katie Ervin on so many levels. We talk about great topics like how you can change a toxic culture focusing on two things, how to distinguish great leaders from bad leaders, leading the GenZ workforce, why career journeys are not a straight path, how to have a successful side hustle, tips on pursuing a PhD, and how she started a company without have a business degree. She has written a fantastic business book with a great title - "You Might Be An Asshole" and is on a mission to revolutionize workplace culture.
Today's epis...2024-05-201h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsScott Willingham, The Fierce Competitor With A Servant Leader's Heart - Living By The Platinum Rule, Level 5 Leadership, and Giving Everyone An OpportunityWhenever a guest has a story that involves lifting a 400 lb. calf in designer jeans you know it will be a great conversation. Join the discussion with Scott Willingham (see bio below) as we talk about Level 5 leadership (and how Abraham Lincoln was one of the few presidents to reach this level), building cultures where people don't experience the weekly "Dark Sunday Nights", why he uses the Predictive Index assessment, the Platinum Rule (and why it's better than the Golden Rule), and why he believes in giving everyone an opportunity. Also, the story about lifting a 400 lb. calf and riding...2024-05-131h 08The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsRick Kahle, The Trusted Advisor - Investing In Others To Stand Out, Learning Leadership By Observation, and The Importance of Self-AwarenessA fun conversation with Rick Kahle! Join Rick and me as we discuss his impressive career journey from the insurance industry to the Kansas City entrepreneurial ecosystem back to insurance. Some of the great topics include: how he became a better leader by observing great leaders in action and learning how to ask great questions; how being an entrepreneur is not for the fragile or faint at heart; the importance of not confusing activity with results; investing in others; and the gift of listening.
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite f...2024-05-061h 00The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsRita Smith, The Domestic Violence Pioneer - Her 16-Year Journey to Help The NFL, How to Share Your Message For People to Hear It, and The Importance of Having A Strong Personal Support SystemIn this compelling episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Rita Smith, a leading expert in the field of domestic violence. Rita shares her remarkable 16-year journey to work with the National Football League (NFL) knowing the involvement of men to make a difference was crucial to her strategy. From her early advocacy efforts to her current 10-year affiliation with the NFL, Rita recounts the challenges and triumphs she's experienced along the way. She reveals the strategies she's employed to amplify her message and effect meaningful change, including collaborations with Presidents and Congress to enact policy reforms. We d...2024-04-2956 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSpecial Edition - Book Review: Exploring Adam Grant's 'Give And Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success"Welcome to a Special Edition of The Corporate Couch! Today my co-host is Shawn Kinkade (linkedin.com/in/shawnkinkade) and we do a "deep dive" review of Adam Grant's great book "Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success". Shawn and I have a fun conversation as we discuss how this book can help everyone from college students to CEOs.
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...2024-04-2831 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsChuck Moxley, The 1:1 Data Pioneer - Using AI for Marketing, Data Privacy and TikTok, and Why Companies Are Creating A Huge Skill And Knowledge GapA fun and insightful conversation with one of the nation's leading experts on the convergence of technology and marketing, Chuck Moxley. Chuck and I chat about using AI in marketing, data privacy concerns (including his thoughts on TikTok), why companies are getting it wrong on handling the multi-generational workforce, getting mentored at Waffle House, and his first job after college (probably the best one out of any of my guests).
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 e...2024-04-221h 03The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTony Hofmann, Your Chief Motivation Officer - Embracing Grit, Lessons from Being An Army Ranger, and His Goal of Preventing Military Veteran SuicideThis 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/.
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...2024-04-151h 06The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsBrad Hill, The Heart-Centered Leader - Making People's Souls Smile, Being A Podcast Pioneer, and Why Stories Are SacredA fun conversation with Louisana-born Brad Hill. We chat about doing what it takes to make a living (including delivering pizza to people who were your former clients), being a podcast pioneer (he started in 2009 and has had Gary Vaynerchuk on his podcast), overcoming the fear of changing jobs when it is time to move on, the brilliance of the movie "Napolean Dynamite", and doing immersive coaching/counseling weekend seminars (think Brene Brown meets Tony Robbins).
Please enjoy my conversation with Brad!
"Live Honestly. Do the Next Right Thing".
That’s Brad...2024-04-081h 04The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsEbrima “Abraham” Sisay, The Chief Empathy Officer - Running a Company With "No" Culture, His Goal of Guiding a Billion People To Mental Health Breakthroughs, and Overcoming His PTSDEbrima's ("Abraham") life/career journey is unlike anyone on the podcast. We talk about his focus on mental health including his own (as well as the role of responsible AI), getting his "break" from Gary Vaynerchuck on Twitter (now "X"), not having the maturity to lead a company, creating the "Oscars" for mental health professionals, and the power of thinking big.
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 mak...2024-04-021h 10The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsThe Greatest CEO Who Ever LivedWho is the CEO GOAT?
I was shocked this week's guest said "Yes" to be on The Corporate Couch. Richard Dickels as he was named the greatest CEO of the 20th century. He has been the CEO of some of the most iconic companies in our lifetime. Richard had the following criteria I had to honor before he would be interviewed (due to pending lawsuits he is involved in). They were:
We limit the conversation to 15 minutes
He wanted to see the questions before the interview
No bio or no headshot would be used.
The conversation was the most unique I h...2024-04-0116 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJustin Ricklefs, The Transparent CEO - Why He Quit The KC Chiefs Front Office, What To Do When You Feel Like An Empty Suit, and Why Experiencing Pain Is When You Learn $h*tYou will enjoy Justin Ricklef's journey from one of the best jobs in Kansas City (working as an executive in the KC Chiefs front office) to starting his digital ad agency. We chat about the struggles of being a founder/CEO of a start-up, how doing "75 Hard" made him a better CEO by prioritizing unplugging every day, and how working for the Chiefs was a "beautiful and intoxicating" environment (while comparing the front office part of the business like a family-run HVAC company - in a good way).
Enjoy this open conversation with Justin!
2024-03-251h 14The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAlejandra McAnderson, The Entrepreneur With A Beautiful Soul - Her Mission To Lead Healers and Heal Leaders, Being a Masterpiece and a Work In Progress, and Her 30-Year Journey to Become a US CitizenAlejandra "Alex" Villalobos-McAnderson has an amazing journey both in her 30-year quest to obtain US citizenship (still in progress) and walking away from corporate America by following her intuition to start her own business in a new field. We chat about cashing in your 401K to fund her new venture, why being kind is better than being nice, what is "mindful leadership coaching", and the unbelievable process she has endured to be a US citizen.
Please enjoy my conversation with Alex!
This episode is brought to you by Connect5000 (Website) your outsource lead g...2024-03-181h 02The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsChris Jones, The Start-Up Founder Inspired By The Loss of His 5-Year-Old SonChris Jones and I how he was inspired to create his company when he lost his 5-year-old son to inoperable brain cancer. He talks about all the leadership lessons he learned from his son's 11-month journey. Chris is one of the most authentic and caring persons I have ever interviewed. We also had some fun talking about the upcoming KC Chiefs/ San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl game (he almost picked the actual final score).
Chris is an inspiring person so please enjoy our conversation.
This episode is brought to you by Connect5000 (Website) y...2024-03-1148 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsChelsea Laub, The Chief Enneagram Officer - Trusting Your Intuition, Why You Need To Learn As Much As Possible About Yourself, and How To Overcome Doubt To Help Your Networking EffortsA fun and insightful conversation with Chelsea Laub. We talk about major career pivots, being a giver in your networking efforts, the Enneagram (Wikipedia) assessment (she shares the same personality type as Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney), and how her "Leisure Studies" major led her to start her own consulting company.
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 r...2024-03-041h 04The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAngela Kreps, The Chief Helping Officer - How She Made The Leap from Sales Manager to CEO, Why Everyone Is Capable of More, and Building a Network One Person At A TimeAn inspiring conversation with Angela Kreps who decided after surviving a rollover car accident with her three young daughters that she needed to focus on making a difference while being open to new things. She then leaves her successful role as a sales manager for a Fortune 50 company to become a CEO. We talk about what she learned growing up being a pig farmer and having her first job in 3rd grade, why everyone is capable of more, believing in yourself, and why titles don't matter.
Please enjoy my conversation with Angela!
...2024-02-261h 05The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsCory Scheer, The Trust Doctor - Why Most Companies Have A Trust Gap, The Process of Getting Clear on the Work You Do, and Why Lacking a Career Strategy is OkayYou will enjoy Cory Scheer's career journey and why not having a career strategy is okay. We talk about the leadership lessons he learned from being a whitewater rafting guide, driving a forklift as his first job out of college, running 29 marathons including a 56-mile ultramarathon, what a "Christmas Money Consultant" is, why most companies have a trust gap, and asking yourself what you want to do career-wise while trusting the answers are in the journey.
Cory Scheer (linkedin.com/in/coryscheer ) is the Founder and CEO of TrustCentric™ Consulting (TrustCentricConsulting.com), an organizational and lead...2024-02-191h 16The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSly James, The Servant Leader Driven By His Passion For Purpose - How He Succeeded As Kansas City's Mayor, The Jackie Robinson of KC Law Firms, and Reinventing Himself Every 10 YearsIt is so fitting that one day after the Kansas City Chiefs won their fourth Super Bowl, our new episode features one of the best mayors in KC history - Sylvester "Sly" James. I was honored and humbled during our conversation as we discussed how he became mayor of the 37th-largest city having never held any political office, being the Black first associate/partner in one of KC's largest law firms, being the lead singer of a rock band that opened for Jefferson Airplane, why both passion and purpose drive him, and why he does not fall victim to...2024-02-131h 18The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDavid Komar, The CEO Culture Coach - Surviving 9/11 at The Pentagon, Why Most CEOs Don't Have a Clear Vision of The Culture They Want, and Why Great Leadership Equals a Great CultureDavid Komar is our third podcast guest who survived 9/11. Born to immigrant parents who lived the American Dream, David wanted to give back to his country by serving in the military for 31 years. We talk about being at the Pentagon on 9/11, his first leadership/culture lesson at 16 years old working for a regional department store, how 90% of CEOs do not have a clear vision of what culture they want their company to have, and how the best companies help their employees be better human beings after their workday is done.
Please enjoy my conversation with David!
2024-02-051h 08The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsFranny Goolsby, The All Gas, No Brake Sales Executive - Why Discipline is Freedom, Loving to Prospect, and Her Focus on Hard Work and Mental ToughnessMy conversation with senior vice president of sales at Salelytics Franny Goolsby will motivate you in so many ways. We discuss her first job as a crane operator, how she decided to do a half Ironman (70.1 miles: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run) in four months without knowing how to swim, why she loves prospecting, her belief in hard work, why events are neither good nor bad, and balancing being a mom of four daughters. Franny has also done "75 Hard" twice (https://andyfrisella.com/pages/75hard-info).
Franny Goolsby began her career at Salelytics in 2008 o...2024-01-291h 02The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMarc Shaffer, KC's Most Generous Connector - Creating a Culture of Helping People, His "Fail Early" Advice, and Having Kids Later in LifeMarc Shaffer is a gift to the Kansas City community helping everyone from recent college graduates with career advice to CEOs with financial planning. Marc is one of the few guests to sit on The Corporate Couch who knew exactly what career he wanted post-college. We talk about his love for Kansas State University, being a first-generation college graduate, his motocross racing days in high school (his number was 420 :-), why he loves helping people, books that influenced his early career, and his love of travel.
Marc Shaffer (linkedin.com/in/marcshaffer) has built his l...2024-01-231h 04The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSue Tetzlaff, The Caring Healthcare Culture Guru - Why The New R and R Will Make Your Culture Better, Having Intellectual Boyfriends That You've Never Met, and How To Achieve Great ResultsJoin me and this week's guest Sue Tetzlaff the co-founder of Capstone Leadership Solutions (www.CapstoneLeadership.net) for her great story of how she helps small healthcare organizations improve their patient and employee experience. We discuss her intellectual "boyfriends" (mentors she has never met who just happen to be all male), her reading of 50-60 books a year, and how the best cultures send their employees home every day with the energy to be fully present with their loved ones. We even get a Brady Bunch discussion that relates to our personal lives :-)
You will love Sue's energy and c...2024-01-161h 11The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsKyle Doherty, The Fashion Founder - Falling In Love With La Dolce Vita, Competing In An Industry Where There Are No Barriers To Entry, and Creating Impact Not A BrandYou will enjoy one of the most unique career journeys of any guest who has appeared on the podcast when you listen to my conversation with Kyle Doherty (linkedin.com/in/kydoherty). We talk about how making clothes was part of his upbringing as his grandmother worked for one of the first female entrepreneurs in the United States making dresses for the incredible Nell Reed (Wikipedia) and how he started sewing at age 4. The story of why he founded his clothing company Charles & Richards is truly inspiring. You will also find out if he was voted best dressed in...2024-01-0857 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsElizabeth Souder, Recovering Attorney Turned Culture Coach - Not Wanting To Do Sh*t Work, Carving Your Own Career Path, and Winning The Hard A$$ AwardA fun conversation with Elizabeth Souder (we worked "together" in the early days of Sprint PCS - now T-Mobile). We talk about her love of basketball and her college basketball records, God/Universe moments, why she stopped practicing law and started her own company, being clear on the work you want to do, and her realization that radical adherence to core values guides and informs every action and decision
of a healthy corporate culture. Please enjoy!
Elizabeth McJimsey Souder is a “recovering” attorney and
organizational health consultant and coach (www.whatsnextbiz.com) who helps...2024-01-021h 12The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsRay Ruecker, The Introspective CEO - Being Left At The Steps Of An Orphanage, Lessons from Being Fired 7 Times, and How Starting a Company Is Like ParenthoodThis is one of the most fun interviews on The Corporate Couch with my friend Ray Ruecker. His journey starts at the end of the Vietnam War on the steps of an orphanage. We talk about everything from the almost tragic (the plane he was supposed to be on from Vietnam to the US to live with the parents who adopted him crashed), to his daily, habit started 23 years ago of journalling every day (approximately 8400 days), to college/pro football. Ray is also the author of "How to Score from First Base! (In Sales)" (Ray's Book), one of the...2023-12-2654 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDavid Voorhees, The Driven CEO - From Professional Student to Founder/CEO, His Mission to Revolutionize Healthcare, and Why Size (Employee) Does Not MatterThis is a very fun conversation with David Voorhees the founder/CEO of True Captive where we talk about learning about healthcare by accompanying his grandfather while he made house calls to his patients, why he stayed in college so long, how he learned to be confident, being driven by in the same way as Michael Jordan, and his thoughts on the HR function in an organization. You will love David's passion to revolutionize the healthcare industry.
Meet David Voorhees (the founder/CEO of True Captive - truecaptive.com), a progressive, award-winning business leader with a...2023-12-181h 00The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsReinhard Mabry, The Servant Leader CEO - Running a Not-For-Profit Like a Commercial Company, Why Good Leaders Build a Network, and Why Your Integrity is Your CurrencyJoin me in a mini-course in organizational leadership with one of the best CEOs in Kansas City, Reinhard Mabry of the not-for-profit organization Alphapointe. Please consider helping Alphapointe with your time, ideas, or donations - https://www.alphapointe.org/.
Bio: Reinhard Mabry has been the President & CEO of Alphapointe since
2007, which is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Alphapointe is
one of the largest employers of people who are blind in the United
States, with principal operations in Kansas City and New York City.
Alphapointe provides employment opportunities for people who are2023-12-111h 03The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsYoav Snir, The Global Tech Executive - How To Create Great Strategic Partnerships, Honoring Cultural Diversity, and Changing Jobs When You Have Learned EnoughYou will enjoy this conversation with Yoav Snir as we discuss his outstanding tech career that began in his homeland of Israel for one of the biggest telecom tech companies (30,000+ employees) and why he left to go to an 18-person startup to satisfy his entrepreneurial passion.
With 24 years of Startups and Fortune 500 international leadership in technology
sales, product engineering, global strategy, partnerships, channels, and alliances,
Yoav Snir (linkedin.com/in/yoavsnir) has been crafting dynamic solutions and delivering multimillion-dollar results at every turn. He has built and led teams of up to 400 people with $100M P&L and ea...2023-12-041h 05The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTerri Jordan, The Constantly Evolving Entrepreneur - Her Bill Belichick Career Strategy, How She Constantly Overcame Adversity and Being Driven By Helping OthersYou will truly enjoy this conversation with Terri Jordan where we talk about her fear of picking the wrong career, not being afraid of taking the lowest level job to learn about a new industry, her bout with cancer and other illnesses, her superpower of observation, and much more...
As an entrepreneur, Terri Jordan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrijordankc/ ) has successfully started/scaled six companies and brings over 25 years of strategy, sales, technology, and marketing leadership including extensive experience in legal, medical, tech, e-commerce, retail, restaurant, B2B, and B2C. Terri’s passion is growth st...2023-11-271h 01The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTammie Osborne, Nurse to Entrepreneur - Being the CEO of You, Never Having a ”No” Leader, and Pivoting As A Career StrategyPlease join me and Tammie Osborne (linkedin.com/in/tammieosborne) as we have a great conversation talking about how an ER nurse changed her life, being a female healthcare tech pioneer, pivoting from nursing to Corporate America, the importance of relationships, and starting two companies (one during the pandemic in an industry she had no experience).
Tammie L. Osborne is an established healthcare executive and experienced small business owner with a passion for equipping others to succeed. Tammie has 30 years of experience in healthcare as an enterprise technology executive leader, EHR/EMR consultant, and clinician. I...2023-11-2054 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSpecial Edition with William Godwin - What A Business Transformation Can Do For Your CompanyThis special edition episode features William Godwin (see bio below) as we discuss business transformation initiatives. William lends his expertise to what is most critical, what companies struggle with, what employees find most challenging, and how leaders can help ensure a successful transformation. Please enjoy my conversation with WIlliam!
William Godwin (linkedin.com/in/william-godwin ) is an executive Leader with 20+ years of experience with iconic brands, small, mid-size, and large companies. His ability to leverage insights in novel ways based on a keen understanding of sound business
principles consistently leads to transforming businesses and unmatched operational excellence. His background includes everythi...2023-11-1516 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJonathan Jones, The Cultural Conversational Leader - Helping People Find Purpose And Meaning In Their Work, Why Company Culture Is Like Your A Lawn, and Givers Versus TakersJoin me with the great Jonathan Jones as we talk about how he pivoted from 12 years working for churches to a successful career in corporate America. You will love the insights from him on building a great company culture!
Jonathan Jones (linkedin.com/in/jonathanjoneskc ) joined DEMDACO (demdaco.com ) in the fall of 2006 to give leadership to the company’s focus and intentionality about its culture. Since that time Jonathan has helped develop and lead conversations around DEMDACO’s Purpose: pursuing business the way it ought to be, and its Mission: to lift the spirit in measurable and t...2023-11-131h 13The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJane Deterding, From Lawyer to Chairperson of the Board - What She Learned Working for Senator Bob Dole, Why Banks Are Being Challenged, and Her Circuitous Career JourneyJoin my conversation with Jane Deterding as we talk about her experience working for the legendary Bob Dole, becoming a lawyer, and her pivot to running her 101-year-old family bank!
Jane Deterding is a fourth-generation banker at Citizen Bank of Kansas (CBK), Jane’s ties to banking started at an early age. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board, with other roles including General Counsel and Chief Strategic Marketing Officer. She is a graduate of Wichita State University, where she earned a BBA in finance and economics, and the University of Kansas School of Law.
J...2023-11-0647 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsKristen Ragusin, A Beautiful Soul About to Change The World - How She Predicted The 2008 Global Financial Crisis and Why Our Money System Makes Us MiserableYou will love my conversation with Kristen Ragusin (www.kristenragusin.com/ )! Her book "The End of Scarcity: The Dawn of The New Abundant World" (Amazon: https://a.co/d/0nyU1cX) will be one of the most important books you will ever read. She has such great energy and is on a mission to change our world by implementing a new system of exchange to create and sustain a life worth living.
About Kristen:
Kristen’s interest in money began as a child as she studied the stock and bond markets with her father to ea...2023-10-301h 12The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAaron Fulk, The Transparent CEO - How She Became a LinkedIn Pioneer, Overcoming Hardships, and How to Network With IntentionAaron Fulk (www.aaronfulk.com) is the CEO and founder of Lillian James Creative (https://lillianjamescreative.com/). You are going to enjoy this conversation with Aaron in this wide-open chat about her unconventional upbringing and career journey. Here is the bio Aaron gave me to use for the episode:
In 2016, as a single mom without a college degree, Aaron (spelled like a boy) founded Lillian James Creative in her garage. She leaned on her marketing and sales experience, tapped into her personal and professional networks, and utilized her intuition and ambition to overcome obstacles, conquer challenges, and a...2023-10-231h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsBaron Lukas, A Born Leader - Being a Lifelong Learner, How to Cultivate Leadership Excellence, and the Essence of Great Culture Building.Please enjoy this mini-course on leadership with Baron Lukas!
Baron Lukas is an executive leader, advisor, coach, and retired Marine Corps Colonel. He has 42 years of leadership, management, and mentoring experience. His professional career spans a diverse spectrum of positions: fighter pilot, instructor, strategist, intelligence officer, professor, commander, and finally, business executive, entrepreneur, board member, and advisor.
Baron is a Principal at ExecHQ, a consulting firm comprised of over 100 senior executives in North America and globally with extensive C-Suite (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, etc.) experience. ExecHQ delivers on-demand, cost-effective solutions fo...2023-10-161h 07The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMaki Moussavi: Navigating the Spiritual Journey of Success - Dealing With Toxic Work Relationships, Helping High Achievers Overcome Self-Doubt, and Embracing Your Unique Path to SuccessEnjoy my conversation with the magnificent Maki Moussavi as we get into some deep topics about work and fulfillment. Her book is fantastic!
Maki Moussavi (www.makimoussavi.com) is a mindset and executive coach, as well as the author of The High Achiever’s Guide (Amazon). She helps high achievers catalyze empowering change through deep examination of their conditioning to identify limiting patterns that keep them from reaching their full potential. Maki helps high achievers create positive disruption in their lives by de-complicating the process of making change. Like her clients, she identifies as a typ...2023-10-091h 05The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSpecial Edition - What 10 Exceptional Executives Focus On To Build A Great Corporate CultureWelcome to the first special edition of the Corporate Couch Podcast! These episodes will be more of a loveseat and will range from 15 to 30 minutes in duration. In each special edition episode, I will ask one or more exceptional executives how they deal with the challenges that face corporate America today. This first special edition episode is about a topic near and dear to my heart, corporate culture, and you will hear from 10 exceptional executives on what they focus on to build outstanding cultures. You will hear from the following impressive group of leaders:
- Harry Campbell (linkedin.com/in/h...2023-10-0435 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMary Messner - Empowering Women in the Workplace - Overcoming Self-Doubt, Championing Authenticity, and Inspiring Leadership for Today and TomorrowMary Messner (www.marymessner.com) is a professional speaker, an advocate for women and girls, a mother, and a wife (not necessarily in that order). She has dedicated her career to approaching challenges with creativity, refusing to accept the status quo, and leading with a determination to grow others.
Mary partners with organizations to provide inspiration, offer knowledge, and identify solutions. She is committed to creating a workplace culture where women are recognized and celebrated for their authentic and powerful abilities. Her speaking engagements and workshops provide tangible strategies that demonstrate how to empower women in the workplace. W...2023-10-021h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJy Maze, Transportation Trailblazer - Leading with Integrity, Diversity As Your ”Why”, and Entrepreneurship Lessons from ToddlersJy Maze is the President of award-winning Maze Freight Solutions (https://mazefreightsolutions.com/). She has been in transportation and supply chain management for over 12 years. Her sales success with large and small companies, along with the lack of diversity in the industry led to the founding of Maze Freight Solutions in 2017. The company, which emphasizes integrity, quality, and superior customer service, has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception.
Jy is a wife and mother of two, Author of Finding Your Toddler Ambition (https://a.co/d/0ysShIM), Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist/Trustee of the Maze Foundation...2023-09-251h 05The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsKristin Herman, The Wholehearted Wealth Advisor - Living By Design, Having Courageous Vulnerability, and Money as a Measure of DesireKristin Herman (LinkedIn Profile ) is a wealth management advisor at Northwestern Mutual. Her wealth management philosophy:
In the world of wealth management, there is a lingering misconception about what financial advisors are and do. Many feel that financial advisors are only out to collect a fee or to transact a result. They believe that transparency is the last thought of the financial advisor, and as a result, strategy and education go by the wayside.
The people who work with Kristin don't want to make a transaction. They want someone to understand and counsel them at...2023-09-1847 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMike Allison, The Culture Champion - Having a No Asshole Policy, The Impact of the Pandemic on Corporate Cultures, and Leading with Emotional IntelligencePlease enjoy my conversation with Mike Allison as we discuss how to build a great corporate culture, leading with emotional intelligence, the pandemic's impact on leadership, and his one interview question.
Mike Allison (linkedin.com/in/mike-allison-connect )is the Vice President of Talent and Culture at Spotlight where his focus is on talent acquisition, employee growth/engagement, and leadership development. Spotlight was recently named one of Kansas City’s best places to work for in both Ingram’s magazine and the
Kansas City Business Journal. Mike is also an Adjunct Professor and
Bloch Executive Education inst...2023-09-111h 15The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsJoel Goldberg: Living His Childhood Dream - From Sports Broadcasting to Business Success, Culture Building, and Championship InsightsJoel Goldberg (https://joelgoldbergmedia.com/meet-joel/ ) is an Emmy Award Winning Broadcaster. Keynote Speaker. Published Author. Joel began dreaming of a career as a sportscaster at a young age, always wanting to deliver news of the previous night’s game to his grade school teachers. He’s spent over a quarter century on television, relying on relationship-building to tell athletes’ stories. Joel’s unique access enables him to share lessons learned from the baseball field to the board room as a motivational speaker and to homes everywhere through his business podcast.
2023-09-041h 13The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsHaley Prophet, Being a Chief Wellness Officer - Well-Being vs. Wellness, Introducing Meditation to Your Employees, and Having a Human-Centered Approach to the WorkplaceWith nearly 20 years of experience in corporate well-being, Haley Prophet (linkedin.com/in/haleyprophet ) brings a multi-dimensional approach and authentic presence to her strategies for fostering an atmosphere where individuals, organizations, and community relationships can thrive. She creatively evaluates and implements well-rounded, multi-dimensional whole-person well-being opportunities through intentional planning and alignment with company and program goals and values. Haley emphasizes the notion that energy management has to begin with how individuals care for and prioritize their well-being which leads to happier, healthier, and more productive workplaces and communities. She is also in her college Hall of Fame and has...2023-08-281h 01The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDoug Morse, The CEO with the Heart of a Teacher - What is the Value of An Employee, Rural Healthcare Zealot, and How 1+1 =3Doug Morse knows small hospitals and clinics are the healthcare and economic engines driving rural life. 30+ years of leadership as critical access hospital CEO, healthcare system executive, and entrepreneurship instructor. His first CEO position was in a small rural hospital system in Iowa. In his role as an educator teaching budding entrepreneurs, he was named "Teacher of the Year" twice. Doug is an accomplished author, speaker, and consultant who thrives on adding value to everyone he meets. Today he helps rural hospital C-Suites and Boards achieve exceptional scorecards and strong community support.
You will enjoy my conversation...2023-08-211h 05The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsResilience Redefined with Jennifer Rome: Overcoming Crisis, Rebuilding Dreams, and Leaving a Lasting LegacyJennifer Rome describes herself as on a mission to make a positive impact on all she crosses paths with. She serves as a mortgage advisor for Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and is the co-founder and president of a local non-profit called The Giving Professional KC. She is a mother to two incredible young men and is proud to be a Kansas City native.
In 2019 and 2020, her world was turned upside-down and she had to quickly make choices on how she would rebuild. She was finalizing an extremely tumultuous divorce, when she would encounter a life-threatening health crisis and...2023-08-141h 13The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsPamela Norton, Serial Founder/CEO - How She Survived 9/11, Pioneering the Edge Economy, and The 3 Revolutions Happening Right NowIn this episode, we explore Pamela Norton's journey as an American entrepreneur and visionary who believes in the interdependence of business and social impact. Join us as we delve into her groundbreaking work at Borsetta and TitleChain, where she utilizes blockchain, AI, and micro-electronic chip solutions to revolutionize the digital asset and Intellectual Property landscape. Learn how Pamela's disruptive innovation and cheerful futurism are shaping the economic Web3 growth and increasing liquidity while eliminating manual valuation operations by 90%. Throughout her illustrious career, Pamela has built world-class technology solutions, high-performing product development teams, and fruitful partnerships with clients, resulting in mu...2023-08-071h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsHenning Schwinum, Global Sales Executive - Being a Sales ”Matchmaker”, The Biggest Mistake Most Sales Professionals Make, and Why You Should Move On When You Are Not Learning AnymoreHenning Schwinum is a creative and results-driven global founder and executive with extensive domestic and international experience in Sales, Supply Chain, and General Management, both in a corporate and entrepreneurial setting. Henning launched Vendux in 2019 as the matchmaker, the agency for fractional and interim sales leadership. And almost four years later, Vendux is the only matchmaker focusing on CRO, CSO, or VP of Sales roles, representing North America's largest community of Sales Leaders. For more information, you can visit https://www.vendux.org/.
Please enjoy my conversation with Henning!2023-07-311h 15The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAmy Bradshaw, The Creative CFO - How To Be a Leader That People Want to Work For, Why You Should Be Curious, and Having No Defined Career PathAmy Bradshaw recently joined Capitol Bridge, LLC, and is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. In her role. Amy is responsible for scaling the organization’s financial and accounting infrastructure to support the growth of the overall company.
Before joining Capitol Bridge, Amy worked with technology and services companies to
evolve the accounting and finance functions. She has experience building strong teams and implementing new systems and processes to enable growth. Amy is a strong leader passionate about developing her team members and finding creative solutions to challenging situations.
Amy graduated summa cum laude from...2023-07-241h 07The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMark Mears, Purposeful Growth Revolutionary - From the Great Resignation to the Great Re-Purposing, Why Community is More Important Than Culture, and Paying It Backwards
Mark Mears is a #1 Best Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building shareholder value—driving innovation and profitable growth among world-class, high-profile brands such as PepsiCo/Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, NBCUniversal, and The Cheesecake Factory.
Today, Mark serves as Chief Growth Officer for LEAF Growth Ventures, LLC—a consulting firm inspiring individuals, teams, and organizations to find purpose in fulfilling their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference in the world.
Mark has just released his new book, The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow f...2023-07-171h 18The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsValerie Jennings, Social Media Pioneer - Being a 24 year old, Female, Tech Company Founder/CEO in 2003, How AI is impacting MarTech/Marketing, and Having a Growth MindsetValerie Jennings is CEO of Jennings Social Media & MarTech (JSMM - https://jsmmtech.com.), which she founded in 2003 and has grown into a highly competitive Martech agency. The agency specializes in paid media, SEO, content strategy, and influencer marketing, working with clients in the automotive industry, transportation, logistics, healthcare, beauty, financial services, travel and tourism, technology, and home services. She presented at the 2023 Midwest Digital Marketing Conference in St. Louis and has earned awards and honors from the Stevie Awards, FOLIO, AMBIT, and others for her entrepreneurship, industry leadership, and excellence. Valerie remains a leader in the industry and is involved in the community, speak...2023-07-101h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsLisa Seim, The Wall Street Connector - Being on a Mission to Enlighten the Financial Industry, Understanding Web3, Crypto, and Blockchain, and The Future of Our Financial Markets
Lisa Seim has traded and sold treasury products for various financial institutions in Austria, Germany, and NYC in the mid-80s and 90s. In July 2011, she realized the markets were lost and stuck between the new regulatory mandates of Dodd-Frank regulatory reform and coming to terms with the fact that legacy technologies had little capacity to handle the new regulatory environment. Transparency and managing risk became at the top of everyone’s list. Lisa decided to establish Strategic Exchanges to help financial firms navigate through this new and very difficult path. She now steers financial institutions towards innovative solutions that will...2023-07-031h 02The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsLori Saitz, Being Zen in a Chaotic World -Why You Should F*** Being Fine, Why High Achievers Meditate, and The #1 Question to Ask at a Networking Event.Lori Saitz is the founder and CEO of Zen Rabbit and host of the podcast “Fine is a 4-Letter Word.” An award-winning author, speaker, and broadcaster, Lori is on a mission to teach the world to be calm and grounded no matter what’s going on. High achievers come to her because they have a strong drive to be productive, but at the end of the day never feel accomplished enough. As a nationally recognized gratitude and meditation expert, Lori guides those entrepreneurs and business leaders from stressed and chaotic to peaceful and focused as well as showing them how to live a sabbatic...2023-06-261h 03The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMegan Galloway, Corporate Learning Innovator - Building Connected Communities, Making the Workplace More Authentic, and Innovating Corporate Leadership DevelopmentMegan Galloway is on a mission to make our workplace a more authentic and human place for current and future generations to thrive. She works with Campfire (https://www.getcampfire.com/) to help managers be the best versions of themselves through innovative, community-based learning. She's spent over a decade building learning and development programs from the ground up for companies that have never had them before, including one recognized as a top global learning program. She lives in Kansas City with her family, loves Ted Lasso, and aspires to be a Great British Bakeoff baker.
You will enjoy my conversation with...2023-06-1956 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDan Hurst (Part I), Award Winning Media Talent -Making Kenny Loggins Cry, Predicting the Demise of Radio, and Struggling with Mental HealthWhen Dan Hurst (www.DanHurst.com) was born in Texas, his parents moved. To Honduras. They thought he wouldn't find them. He grew up speaking Spanish. Well, “grew up” might be stretching it a bit. When he was 14 years old he got his first job in radio. The radio station changed its locks on him. His parents sent him to reform school. He got kicked out. He finally graduated from High School although the principal "forgot" to call his name at graduation. He spent 13 of the best years of his life in college. 4 different ones. And he actually graduated! He got...2023-06-1245 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDan Hurst (Part II), Award Winning Media Talent -Making Kenny Loggins Cry, Predicting the Demise of Radio, and Struggling with Mental HealthWhen Dan Hurst (www.DanHurst.com) was born in Texas, his parents moved. To Honduras. They thought he wouldn't find them. He grew up speaking Spanish. Well, “grew up” might be stretching it a bit. When he was 14 years old he got his first job in radio. The radio station changed its locks on him. His parents sent him to reform school. He got kicked out. He finally graduated from High School although the principal "forgot" to call his name at graduation. He spent 13 of the best years of his life in college. 4 different ones. And he actually graduated! He got...2023-06-1253 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsCody Isabel, Neuroscientist, and Start-Up Founder - Lessons from Being a CEO at 25, Using AI to Improve Mental Health, and Living HeroicallyCody Isabel is a brain researcher, entrepreneur, and the CEO & Co-Founder of Mind Brain and Body Lab (https://www.mindbrainbodylab.com/) which focuses on bringing successful treatment outcomes to those healing from CPTSD & anxiety caused by traumas like emotional abuse, and burnout, or after a breakup/divorce.
They use AI algorithms to analyze the biometric & behavioral data to aid in the treatments we provide our clients. Their mission is to provide better ways to objectively measure, diagnose, and treat individual mental health conditions.
Please enjoy my conversation with Cody!
2023-06-0547 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsKomal Kaur, The 18-year-old Not-for-Profit Founder - Her ”Why” on Helping Immigrants, How To Manage Being Involved In Many Things, and Advice for Managers Hiring Recent College Graduates.Komalpreet “Komal” Kaur is the 18-year-old founder of Eye of An Immigrant (https://www.eyeofanimmigrant.org/ ), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to sharing the stories of the immigrant journey and to providing resources and funds for immigrants to gain a legal pathway to citizenship.
Komal is a freshman at the University of Kansas majoring in Political Science and Business Administration with a minor in Intelligence and National Security Studies on the pre-law track in the Honors program. At the University of Kansas, she is a Student Senator serving on the Finance Council and a member of the South...2023-05-2944 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsMichael Smith, Award-Winning CIO - Wanting to be on Broadway and the dreams of being an FBI agent, Reinventing IT from being the Division of No, and Why IT is not all about TechnologyMichael Smith is a 25+ year veteran of the IT industry. Michael has led several complex digital and operational transformations for various companies during his career. Most recently, he led an end-to-end business and digital transformation for a national healthcare association. His efforts were recognized as recently as 2020, being named one of the 100 most innovative CIOs globally. Furthermore, his teams have been identified as some of the most innovative in the industry, including being recognized as one of the 100 best companies to work for in IT in 2021 across the United States. The team he managed, and the organization he led the tec...2023-05-221h 07The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsFrank Bonura, The Ultimate Connector and Executive Recruiter - How Relationship Building, The Deck Repair ”Guy”, and Being a Dishwasher Led to a Phenomenal Career; Helping Those in Career TransitionFrank Bonura started as an information technology recruiter in 1979 with a focus on the contract‐for‐hire methodology. Pursuing his passion for executive recruiting he launched Alternative Search in 1984 focusing on information technology and C-level search engagements.
In 1987, Frank gained a reputation for connecting people regardless of their personal or professional stations in life. By the end of the decade, he came to be known as “The Connector”. Business owners/leaders who recognize that “relationships” are a major contributor to their company’s success hired Frank to introduce them to other like‐minded business owners/leaders (Frank wants people to...2023-05-1554 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsScott Burditt, Strategic Growth Advisor - Lessons from His Dad, Being Genuinely Curious, and Learning By FailingScott Burditt (linkedin.com/in/scottburditt) is genuinely interested in learning about others and loves nothing more than listening to customers tell their stories of "jobs" they are trying to get done unsuccessfully. For two decades, Scott has used those
moments of customer frustration to fuel business growth by creating solutions and leading anywhere from 50 to 1,000 associates in delivering these solutions to the market through sales, marketing, and customer experience.
He has changed the way investors transact business by leading the creation of the first transactional mutual fund website. Scott saved the financial services industry millions by overseeing the...2023-05-0856 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsNick Giuliani, KC’s Biggest Advocate - Being a Positive Force in the World, Empathy in Leadership, and Raising Others UpNick Giuliani is currently the Director of Sales at Dynamic Logistix. Nick has spent most of his career in the logistics and supply chain industry, with the last eight years focused on software sales and leadership. Before joining the workforce, Nick graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2009 with a degree in Marketing and played on the baseball team.
Since joining his current company Dynamic Logistix in 2018, the company has gone from 28 employees and 23 million in revenue to over 120 people and almost 300 million in revenue. In November 2021, Nick created the KC Shout-Out Series, one of the only LinkedIn...2023-05-0158 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDanny Bader, Inspirational Speaker/Life Coach - Being Dead for 8 Minutes, Turning Tragedy into Purpose, and Harnessing the Power of VisionDanny Bader (www.dannybader.com) is a best-selling author and sought-after speaker whose life was transformed after he died when 8,000 volts of electricity ripped through him…then, he came back to life, from a place where he connected with “something bigger than us.” He uses his experience to lead people to create more perspective, joy, and a love that replaces weariness with inspiration, drives vision, and creates momentum for people in all areas of their lives.
Danny has been inspiring the people of Fortune 500 companies like Merck, Comcast, The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, and Lincoln Financial with insight and practical tools that...2023-04-2452 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSteve McClain (Part I), The Servant Leader - How Nice Guys Finish First, Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs, and Not-for-Profit LeadershipSteve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketing
and strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups.
His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for top
brands like Sprint, Ford, ADP, and USAA. Steve joined Unbound (https://www.unbound.org/) an international nonprofit organization, based in the Kansas City area, as the Chief Marketing Officer, where he leads a team of marketers, business development, creative services, and media relations professionals who are focused on creating sustainable growth for Unbound.
Prior to joining Unbound, Steve was the Senio...2023-04-1735 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsSteve McClain (Part II), The Servant Leader - How Nice Guys Finish First, Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs, and Not-for-Profit LeadershipSteve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketing
and strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups.
His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for top
brands like Sprint, Ford, ADP, and USAA. Steve joined Unbound (https://www.unbound.org/) an international nonprofit organization, based in the Kansas City area, as the Chief Marketing Officer, where he leads a team of marketers, business development, creative services, and media relations professionals who are focused on creating sustainable growth for Unbound.
Prior to joining Unbound, Steve was the Senio...2023-04-1730 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsBrandon Calloway (Part I), The Not-for-Profit Entrepreneur - Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, Having More Past Jobs than Your Age, and The Magic that People Already HaveBrandon Calloway is the CEO and co-founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow (GIFT - https://www.kansascitygift.org/). As someone who grew up in the urban core of Kansas City, he has long been committed to finding ways to create transformative change in the areas of the city that needs it most, for the residents that reside there. Brandon has spent the last 10 years of his career in the business and nonprofit sectors,
and he uses the combined experiences of those two worlds to drive the work happening at G.I.F.T. and to have a direct...2023-04-1128 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsBrandon Calloway (Part II), The Not-for-Profit Entrepreneur - Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, Having More Past Jobs than Your Age, and The Magic that People Already HaveBrandon Calloway is the CEO and co-founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow (GIFT - https://www.kansascitygift.org/). As someone who grew up in the urban core of Kansas City, he has long been committed to finding ways to create transformative change in the areas of the city that needs it most, for the residents that reside there. Brandon has spent the last 10 years of his career in the business and nonprofit sectors,
and he uses the combined experiences of those two worlds to drive the work happening at G.I.F.T. and to have a direct...2023-04-1140 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTeresa Carey (Part I), The Consummate Professional - Liberating Greatness, Coaching Executives, and Why Words Matter eresa Carey has more than 25 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Before launching PerformancePointe, Inc (www.performancepointe.com/), 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-ups to rapid growth before 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. Throughout her career, Teresa has assisted over 50,000 professionals in improved performance.
Teresa is active in the community as a volu...2023-04-0326 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTeresa Carey (Part II), The Consummate Professional - Liberating Greatness, Coaching Executives, and Why Words MatterTeresa Carey has more than 25 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Before launching PerformancePointe, Inc (www.performancepointe.com/), 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-ups to rapid growth before 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. Throughout her career, Teresa has assisted over 50,000 professionals in improved performance.
Teresa is active in the community as a volu...2023-04-0331 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTerri Foudray (Part I), Award Winning Tech Pioneer - The Unglamorous Life of An Entrepreneur, Bad Bosses, and Using Data to Drive Business PerformanceTerri Foudray’s career spans 25 years, demonstrating an affinity for leadership, achievement, curiosity, and versatility. She is currently the trusted Strategic Advisor to C-suite executives seeking growth through better human capital alignment. Think Moneyball for business. Ms. Foudray previously was the CEO of a software technology company focused on manufacturing performance improvement through real-time performance insights. Prior to that, Ms. Foudray’s experience has included executive positions at two technology companies and at a nationwide hospitality company, P&L responsibility at a Fortune 500 company, and leadership roles in media relations, product development, sales and marketing, and brand management. She also...2023-03-2727 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTerri Foudray (Part II), Award Winning Tech Pioneer - The Unglamorous Life of An Entrepreneur, Bad Bosses, and Using Data to Drive Business PerformanceTerri Foudray’s career spans 25 years, demonstrating an affinity for leadership, achievement, curiosity, and versatility. She is currently the trusted Strategic Advisor to C-suite executives seeking growth through better human capital alignment. Think Moneyball for business. Ms. Foudray previously was the CEO of a software technology company focused on manufacturing performance improvement through real-time performance insights. Prior to that, Ms. Foudray’s experience has included executive positions at two technology companies and at a nationwide hospitality company, P&L responsibility at a Fortune 500 company, and leadership roles in media relations, product development, sales and marketing, and brand management. She also...2023-03-2729 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsIsaac Wambua (Part II), Transformational Motivator - Having No Shoes, The Importance of Having a Dream, and Quitting a Job with No PlanIsaac Wambua is the CEO of Dynamo Methods, a leadership coaching and management training business. He is a professional speaker, trainer, and author of a newly-published bestseller called: Now that I’m a Manager, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
Isaac works with leaders at every level to improve organizational efficiency, communication, and employee engagement. After working as an engineer for eight years, he decided to venture into business coaching, speaking, and training to inspire leaders and professionals to conquer their fears and step into greatness.
For his speaking and training, he focuses on:
● Inspiration and M...2023-03-2133 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsIsaac Wambua (Part I) , Transformational Motivator - Having No Shoes, The Importance of Having a Dream, and Quitting a Job with No PlanIsaac Wambua is the CEO of Dynamo Methods, a leadership coaching and management training business. He is a professional speaker, trainer, and author of a newly-published bestseller called: Now that I’m a Manager, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
Isaac works with leaders at every level to improve organizational efficiency, communication, and employee engagement. After working as an engineer for eight years, he decided to venture into business coaching, speaking, and training to inspire leaders and professionals to conquer their fears and step into greatness.
For his speaking and training, he focuses on:
● Inspiration and M...2023-03-2126 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAndre Davis (Part II), The Ultimate Relationship Builder - Your True Worth, Giving More Value Than You Receive, and Being ImpactfulAndré Davis is the Corporate and Community Engagement Executive for Built Interior Construction, a prefabricated interior construction company that builds commercial environments.
André is an accomplished thought leader, influencer, social activist, mentor/coach, speaker, and philanthropist and has been a guest on numerous podcasts & webinars to discuss various topics. Andre has over 20+ years of experience working with CEOs, Executives, and Entrepreneurs while continuing to give back to the community.
André's community and civic engagement work are below:
*Board Member for PrepKC which creates and implements strategies to improve college and career preparation for K...2023-03-1339 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAndre Davis (Part I), The Ultimate Relationship Builder - Your True Worth, Giving More Value Than You Receive, and Being ImpactfulAndré Davis is the Corporate and Community Engagement Executive for Built Interior Construction, a prefabricated interior construction company that builds commercial environments.
André is an accomplished thought leader, influencer, social activist, mentor/coach, speaker, and philanthropist and has been a guest on numerous podcasts & webinars to discuss various topics. Andre has over 20+ years of experience working with CEOs, Executives, and Entrepreneurs while continuing to give back to the community.
André's community and civic engagement work are below:
*Board Member for PrepKC which creates and implements strategies to improve college and career preparation for K...2023-03-1336 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAlana Muller (Part II), Entrepreneurial Connector - Writing the Book on Networking, Crazy & Stupid Decisions, and Inspiring CommunityAlana Muller (Coffee Lunch Coffee) is an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community. She is the former President of Kauffman FastTrac (a division of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), a global provider of training to aspiring and established entrepreneurs, providing them the tools, resources and networks to start and grow successful businesses. Additionally, Alana spent a number of years as an executive with Sprint Corporation serving in a variety of general management roles, including marketing, talent management, corporate strategy and wireless data product marketing.
Today, Alana is founder and CEO of Coffee Lu...2023-03-0648 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAlana Muller (Part I), Entrepreneurial Connector - Writing the Book on Networking, Crazy & Stupid Decisions, and Inspiring CommunityAlana Muller (Coffee Lunch Coffee) is an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community. She is the former President of Kauffman FastTrac (a division of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), a global provider of training to aspiring and established entrepreneurs, providing them with the tools, resources, and networks to start and grow successful businesses. Additionally, Alana spent a number of years as an executive with Sprint Corporation serving in a variety of general management roles, including marketing, talent management, corporate strategy and wireless data product marketing.
Today, Alana is founder and CEO of Co...2023-03-0638 minThe Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDr. Michelle Robin, Visionary Community Healer - Listening to Your Heart, Struggling Every Day, and Evangelizing the Quadrants of Well-BeingDr. Michelle Robin is the founder of Small Changes Big Shifts®, Big Shifts Foundation®, and the Kansas City Wellness Consortium®, but more importantly, she is a visionary for the well-being of many generations. After opening her chiropractic practice in Kansas City over 30 years ago, she’s become a national influence and memorable leader in the wellness industry. Her simple framework – called the Quadrants of Well-Being – is the key to what many people have been looking for when it comes to discovering their best life. She has spent the majority of her career helping people make small changes that ultimately create th...2023-02-271h 21The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsEastman McGovern, Tech Sales Pioneer - Why Caddies and Athletes make Great Sales Reps, The Importance of Having a ”Rabbi”, Jobs vs. a CareerEastman enjoyed a 35-year career in IT sales and sales management. Managing district, regional, as well as worldwide sales teams on both a domestic and international scope. His experiences include selling and managing for Fortune 500 companies as well as experience with start-up organizations.
In his career, Eastman estimates that he hired over 400 sales team members and interviewed in excess of 2000 candidates. His background includes direct sales as well as channel and distribution sales models. He was a part of 3 mergers where he integrated sales teams on a global basis as well as being part of senior management...2023-02-201h 27The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsDave Patrick, Master Strategist - Super Bowl Commercials, Lessons from Being a Professional Golfer, and Adding Value to Every ConversationDave Patrick has over 30 years of marketing and sales experience including leadership positions at Procter & Gamble, Leo Burnett, Interpublic, and J Walter Thompson leading high-performance brand teams. He has created and led high-performance growth teams in the roles of CEO, President, COO, CMO, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Sales Officer, and Group Account Director in intensely competitive categories including restaurant, hardware, electronics, professional services, telecommunications, analytics, automotive, beverage, toys, fashion, jewelry, golf, CPG, grocery, QSR, apparel, higher education, software, e-commerce, B2B, pet, tech, retail, real estate, and sports.
Leadership brands he helped impact include McDonald's, Procter & Gamble...2023-02-131h 11The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsBrad Douglas, Go-Giver/Master Networker - Quitting Something You are Passionate About, Meeting the POTUSBrad Douglas is a partner in PLX Corp, a consulting firm that works with boards, CEOs, and executive teams of both for-profit and non-profit organizations to help them solve problems and achieve their goals. He is a former CEO and a licensed attorney with a unique blend of both non-profit and corporate executive leadership experience. Areas of expertise include public affairs, government relations, business development, community relations, and communications.
He is a proven leader and is energized by helping people, leading teams, growing organizations, developing leaders, and building relationships. Following law school, Brad began his career in...2023-02-071h 25The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsScott Havens, A Story of Grit and How Failure Can Be Fun - Having 1000 Mentors and Multiple Systems, Fear of Being a Loser, and Wearing Out Left ShoesScott Havens is a vice president at Hub International. After eight years in the insurance industry, he became a partner at Truss, one of Kansas City’s largest privately held insurance brokerages. In August of 2019, Truss sold to HUB International making Scott one of the youngest shareholders in North America for the largest privately held insurance brokerages in the world. The Kansas City Business Journal wrote an article in 2020 calling Scott the top connector in the city & a recipient of the 2020 NEXT GEN Business Leaders award. Ingram’s Magazine recognized Scott as 20 in their Twenties & 40 under 40. He runs 9 peer grou...2023-02-011h 09The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsTabitha Scott, Evel Knievel to CEO - Facing Burnout, Eliminating ”The Shoulds”, Finding Clarity in a Remote Jungle, Using human dynamics to boost employee engagementTabitha Scott (https://speakerhub.com/speaker/tabitha-scott) is an award-winning author and speaker who helps inspire action, ignite change, and provide connection, direction, and power. With over 20 years of experience leading corporate innovation and sustainability, she was named by Industry Era as one of the Top 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders of 2022, is a thought leader on the 2023 Forbes Business Council, and her work was honored at the White House as part of its Energy Data Initiative.
Tabitha’s talks focus on the transformational power of human dynamics to create sustainable business growth and success. Also a bestselling au...2023-01-291h 10The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsCaroline Markel Hammond, Intentionally Fearless - An unbelievable story of domestic violence, resilience, and making a difference as the CEO of two organizationsCaroline Markel Hammond (www.carolinemarkelhammond.com) is the CEO and Founder of Safe In Harm’s Way, a Kansas City-based nonprofit and an online secure resource for people navigating the sadness, worries, lies, screaming, fear, and pain of domestic violence. Premiering last summer in Times Square, and spreading across the country, Caroline and her team launched two unique campaigns for diversified communities related to domestic violence, achieving one billion impressions and opportunities for immediate and actionable help. As CEO and Founder of Epizon Strategy Solutions, Caroline and her team create tailor-made solutions for employers within diversity, equity, and inclusion cr...2023-01-291h 16The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsLeslie Anderson, From helping crying customers at Hermes to Executive Leadership Coach - Learning that the Universe Conspires In Your Favor, Leading with intent and wisdom.Leslie Anderson's (www.lesliebanderson.com) purpose is to develop legendary executives who demonstrate and inspire others toward exceptional leadership. During nearly 20 years in retail leadership roles for Hallmark Cards, Talbots, Burberry, and Hermes, she took great pride in her executive performance producing tangible, dramatic earnings. By asking really good questions and listening with authentic curiosity to find what is going on behind others’ words and actions, she helps high-performance executives develop self-awareness that makes them better leaders - and better in all of life’s relationships.
2023-01-291h 16The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsHarry Campbell, East Asian History Major to Fortune 500 President - Being an Authentic Leader, Not Having a Career Plan, Your 7 Words, and Treating Everyone with RespectHarry Campbell (www.harryscampbell.com) has been a President for two Fortune 500 companies, co-owner of an award-winning small business, CEO of an Internet start-up, and founding member of the industry-changing Wal-Mart/P&G team. He has driven exceptional people and business results in organizations of 5 to 3,500 employees in a broad range of industries from consumer-packaged goods to telecom to sports
marketing to digital media to healthcare. Harry is known as an identifier, developer, and motivator of exceptional talent at all levels of the organization.
He has a passion for speaking on leadership to companies and organizations...2023-01-291h 21