The 9–5 Exit Plan

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Enterprise Revenue Architect and Commercial Advisor Zeeshan Qedwaee to explore why great technology companies often struggle to scale beyond their first major revenue milestones. With more than 20 years of global sales leadership experience, Zeeshan has generated tens of millions in enterprise revenue and worked across North America, Europe, and th...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with award-winning television director, documentary filmmaker, author, professor, and global traveler Craig D. Forrest. Craig has traveled to more than 160 countries, completing hundreds of overseas assignments and telling stories from some of the world’s most challenging environments. His career has taken him into war zones, humanitarian crises, remote...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with media strategist and publicity expert Kate Engler, famously known by some journalists as the “PR Anti-Christ.” After more than 30 years around media and journalism, Kate has developed a radically different approach to publicity. Instead of encouraging entrepreneurs to become dependent on PR agencies, she teaches business owners how to understand th...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Houston Pierce, creator of 1000 Crazy Questions , film critic, movie nerd, storyteller, and lifelong explorer of the strange and fascinating sides of life. Houston’s career journey has taken him through mechanical engineering, construction, radio, tour guiding, entertainment, software testing, delivery driving, podcasting, and more. We talk about c...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Indonesian author and certified life coach Kirana Sidin, author of Cheers for a Good Life . Kirana’s journey began with a simple but unexpected wake-up call when her youngest child called her “jobless.” Instead of dismissing the comment, she began asking a deeper question: Was she intentionally building the life she wanted? That question led to yea...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with writer, entrepreneur, advocate, sensory-friendly events specialist, and community leader Thomas R. Wilson. Thomas shares his deeply personal journey through mental health struggles, neurodiversity, bullying, storytelling, advocacy, and discovering a purpose in helping others find connection and community. We discuss the power of storytelling, meani...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with decision strategist, author, business advisor, and Possibilitarian Kathi Laughman. After more than four decades working inside high-stakes business environments, Kathi developed a deep understanding of how consequential decisions are made — and what happens when organizations don’t have the right decision infrastructure in place. But her biggest te...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with public speaking coach, professional speaker, award-winning author, and AMP’D Framework™ creator Peter George. Growing up with a lisp and a stutter, Peter spent years avoiding communication before coaching helped him discover the power of his own voice. Today, he has trained more than 120,000 professionals across 50-plus countries, helping executive...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with senior operations executive, leadership strategist, author, and Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee Kathy Miller. Kathy started her career on the factory floor at 17 and went on to lead complex operations across aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing, including senior leadership roles with General Motors, Parker Hannifin, Roll...

What happens when you spend years inside an industry… and eventually realize you don’t believe in the way the game is being played? What happens when the thing you’re really good at… is being used to build someone else’s vision? And what happens when you finally decide: Enough is enough. Because sometimes your exit plan isn’t about escaping work. It’s about escaping the version of work that no lon...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with men’s wellness coach, Harvard teaching fellow, and author Jeff Siegel. Jeff works with high-performing men who understand nutrition and health intellectually but still struggle with consistency, emotional eating, stress, and feeling at war with their bodies. We explore why knowing what to do isn’t always enough, why willpower can fail, and how iden...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Kati Peterman, founder of Your FRX, operator, growth strategist, and former Chief of Staff. Kati has helped scale multiple seven- and eight-figure companies and has worked with more than 1,200 business owners. Her team has collectively served more than 3,200 companies. We discuss the systems behind sustainable growth, operational discipline, leader...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with four-time bestselling author, entrepreneur, speaker, and High Agency advocate Corey Gladwell. Corey believes extraordinary lives aren’t built by waiting for permission. They’re built through ownership, action, and the willingness to create something that lasts. We discuss High Agency, personal brand equity, bestselling books, speaking, thought lead...

Most entrepreneurs want more money. More customers. More growth. More opportunities. But what happens when the opportunity finally arrives… and you’re not prepared for it? Because sometimes the problem isn’t a lack of opportunity. It’s a lack of preparation. Welcome to 9-5 Exit Plan — where entrepreneurship meets freedom. Today’s conversation is about business funding, preparation, leadership, fai...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Dr. Lola Adeyemo — keynote speaker, author, leadership strategist, and CEO of EQImindset. Lola brings a unique perspective shaped by science, corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and her experience navigating identity and belonging in professional environments. We discuss leadership, visibility, intersectionality, immigrant leadership, workplace...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Alistair Mukhtar, author of The AI Dividend: Reclaiming Prosperity in the Age of Machines . Alistair brings a Gen-Z perspective to one of the defining questions of the AI revolution: If machines can increasingly perform human work and generate enormous wealth, who should benefit from that wealth? We discuss the future of work, AI-driven productivit...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and former professional actor Amber Petty. After 13 years in the acting world, Amber transitioned into writing and marketing before building her own business helping creatives grow their audiences and turn their ideas into income. ( Amber Petty ⁠) We discuss entrepreneurship, creativity, perfectionism, marketing, con...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Laurent Cohen, Founder and CTO of GetOblic and a serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience across technology, e-commerce, marketing, and business growth. Laurent and I discuss the rise of voice-first AI and how small businesses can use artificial intelligence to answer calls, capture leads, book appointments, and reduce the revenue...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with author, explorer, sailor, entrepreneur, and Thailand Adventure Network founder Bill Mullen, better known to thousands of travelers as “Bangkok Bill.” After building a career in corporate leadership and training, Bill made the decision to leave the predictable path behind and build a life centered around adventure, exploration, and discovery. Today,...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Veronica L. Nabizadeh, author, attorney, divorce mediator, relationship coach, and known as The Battle-Weary Wife Whisperer. After nearly losing her own 25-year marriage, Veronica turned her experience into a mission to help women navigate painful marriages without losing themselves in the process. We discuss emotional regulation, conflict, self-ab...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Zack James, founder and CEO of StarScript, a self-publishing and entertainment platform built for independent creators. Zack is working to change the traditional publisher, label, and studio model by giving creators more control over publishing, monetization, collaboration, and relationships with their audiences. We discuss the creator economy, sel...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with former banking and finance professional turned performance coach Matt Davies. After more than two decades climbing the corporate ladder, Matt reached a point where his career, health, and lifestyle no longer felt aligned with the person he wanted to become. Then he made an unlikely decision: he signed up for an IRONMAN. With no previous experience,...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Clementine Moss — founding drummer of Zepparella, singer-songwriter, author, spiritual counselor, and lifelong meditator. Clementine has spent more than two decades performing the music of Led Zeppelin while simultaneously exploring meditation, spirituality, consciousness, creativity, and inner transformation. Her memoir, From Bonham to Buddha and...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with executive leadership expert, keynote speaker, and coach Rachel Bolton. Rachel has spent more than 15 years helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 200 organizations develop stronger leaders and build leadership systems that drive business results. But behind the titles and accomplishments is a deeper conversation about what happens when high achievement co...

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Jon Wolheim, a veteran people and talent executive whose career includes leadership experience at Apple, Amazon, SoundHound AI, and AI startups. Jon has spent two decades working with the people and organizations behind some of the technology industry’s most ambitious companies. His perspective on AI is different from the typical hype-or-doom conve...