Best Places to Lead

Entrepreneurs excel at launching new business ventures. As go-getters, they have the drive and follow through it takes to move great ideas from the idea stage to reality. But the entrepreneur’s strengths are also their weaknesses, especially when it comes time to scale the business. The hardest thing for them to do? Let go of control.  On this week’s episode of Best Places to Lead. I sat down with...

Entrepreneurs are well known for their resilience and ability to adapt to ever-changing markets. However, evolving from an initial business model to a more sustainable, scalable one often came with its unique set of challenges. One of the most difficult aspects of this transition was learning to trust and delegate rather than maintaining tight control over every aspect of the business. In this wee...

Many business owners have overlooked the importance of creating value for people, often focusing on transactional relationships rather than transformative ones. However, investing time, energy, and resources to provide value to our people not only builds a positive reputation but also fosters meaningful relationships and strong connections. In this episode of Best Places to Lead, we dove into the...

Often, the road to success is dotted with unexpected twists and turns. Conquering adversity and navigating the choppy waters of the business world are feats that Kara Smith Brown, Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of LeadCoverage, knows all too well. With a track record of spearheading her own venture, Kara has remarkably transformed her challenges into stepping stones toward success. Drawing on h...

The line between competitors and customers is often quite distinct, yet Dave Walens, CEO of Exploring Digital, has managed to blur this boundary, turning his rivals into his clients. With roots in the trade show industry, Dave has taken a visionary leap through acquisition. After purchasing Brumark, a flooring solutions company, David set out to expand the business to include other related industr...

Have you ever heard someone describe themself as “an idea person”? If you haven’t, you likely know at least one person who is always pitching their friends a new, million-dollar idea. What sets the ideal person apart from the entrepreneur though, is execution. Entrepreneurs don’t just have great ideas; they also commit to and follow through on an idea that ultimately, becomes a business. On this w...

Entrepreneurs don’t set out to start companies that recreate the conditions they want to escape. Yet too often, leaders forget that starting your own business also means creating the kind of company you want to work for. But if what you left is all you know, it can be hard to see the choice points to help get you there. So how do you avoid only looking in the metaphorical rearview mirror at the pa...

Every company needs high-achievers who execute and drive results for the team. But some people make shit happen, and others just can't get to the finish line. That's why I'm excited to share my proven execution framework with you, centered around what I call the "5 T's" of execution. With this framework, you'll be able to understand, diagnose, and take corrective...

Most people don’t set out to start a business with the intention of selling it. Even leaders of small businesses that grow into million-dollar enterprises don’t start every new day looking for a buyer. But sometimes, you have to know when to let go and start on a new adventure. This week, I'll sit down with Dave Molenda, Founder of Positive Polarity, who made the tough choice to do just that....

Just because you’re a leader, doesn’t mean you need to do everything. It also doesn’t even mean you’re necessarily good at everything. True leadership is possible when you recognize where to use your energy is best spent to help your organization achieve success. But when you’re so used to doing it all to make it to the top, knowing how to let go and get back to basics can be harder than you think...

Sometimes, business moves so fast that it can feel like the worst thing you could do is pause. And sometimes, circumstances beyond your control force you to halt all business and reassess. While your first instinct may be to either push through doing what you’ve always done or close shop forever, those are rarely your only options. But how do you figure out what those other options are? Moreover,...

Do you ever find yourself struggling to make decisions in your business? Whether it's choosing which project to pursue or deciding on the best way to allocate your resources, decision-making can be a challenging process. But it doesn't have to be that way. In our upcoming episode of the Best Places to Lead Show, I'll be sharing my top tips for implementing a decision-making process...

There are many hats that a CEO has to wear, including coach, mediator, problem-solver, to name only three. It can be overwhelming to juggle so many competing priorities and needs, especially when first launching your business. As your company grows, it only gets more challenging. But there is a tool every CEO should have in their toolbox that cuts through the noise and gets to the root cause soone...

You’ve heard me say this many times: no one shows up to work thinking, “I want to suck today.” As we know, underperformance is usually a symptom of a larger issue, such as a lack of time or training. It’s also true that sometimes, the type of work is emotionally draining, and it’s our responsibility as leaders to provide the tools and knowledge to help our teams avoid burning out. But what does th...

Most of us are subject matter experts in something. For some of us, it’s sales, for others, it’s a specific formula for a cleaning agent, and for others still, it’s understanding a process so well that the consultation and public speaking requests keep pouring in. When we move into leadership roles though, we rarely need to call on that expertise directly. But sometimes, we’re lucky enough that th...

We have many responsibilities as leaders. One of the most important responsibilities is keeping an eye on the financials. From monitoring project budgets to reviewing income statements, we know that everything in business comes with a cost, especially when the goal is to add value. Imagine what our organizations could achieve if every individual at every level was taught to think about the value t...

Everyone wants to know what their Executive Leadership Team really thinks. And our Executive Leaders rarely have time to spend detailing the process behind every decision they make. But this week, they do! On this week’s episode of Best Places to Lead, join me for a special peek inside the Boardroom with 18 senior leaders. You’ll hear from industry leaders in everything from Human Resources, Const...

Remote work has given employees back a level of autonomy over how to best use their time that was sorely missed in the workplace. And despite the worries of many, companies that adopted hybrid or fully remote models long after the COVID-19 lockdowns ended to continue to do well. But with more employee autonomy comes less employer control. On a new segment for Best Places to Lead, I take the interv...

Leaders know that communication is an essential skill. Whether closing a sale or managing a delicate change initiative, being able to clearly and directly express yourself is at the center of leading others. And it’s not just in our work lives where the ability to communicate what we need or the vision we’re working toward matters. It also impacts the always tenuous work-life balance that many of...

Leaders are tasked with making many high-impact decisions on a daily basis. It’s important to feel confident not just in the choices you make, and in the process used to make them. But, with the extreme daily pressures, making effective decisions as fast as you need to keep pace with the business is difficult. This is why I’m bringing Clint Rusch on the show to share his decision-making formula fo...

As leaders, we all strive for success and understand that achieving it can be difficult. Yet we often overlook the challenge of staying humble on the way to the top. The truth is that without maintaining a measured attitude in life and business, you run the risk of losing everything. On this week’s episode, Marques Ogden will share with me the story of how he was able to bounce back from adversity...

Leaders need to grow to succeed and must have the right mindset to embrace change in a turbulent economy. Change is inevitable in life. And change can be both positive and negative. It is essential for leaders to embrace a growth mindset to help them be open to new ideas, think outside of the box, and take risks that could lead to great rewards. But, leaders feel like a victim when confronted with...

As the dust settles from our New Year's resolutions and we go deeper into the work, we realize how much positive change comes from our mindsets. A bulletproof mindset is one that evolves from knowing yourself, your mission, and your goals through and through but also meeting this with effort. Our guest Timmy Gallagher--an executive leader, retired law enforcement lieutenant, spiritual elder,...

Leaders want it all! This is especially true at the beginning of every year (hello, gym memberships!). Excelling at work and also your healthy relationships become the driving force of your daily work. So, what gets in the way? Your own self-limiting beliefs, which can take away opportunities for you to be fulfilled and accomplish your goals. That’s why I’m excited to kick the new year off by havi...

I made a goal how can I intentionally help CEO Charlie, an avatar I speak to, he’s in his early 40s, have a successful company but want to get to the next level. I believe it's possible for any company to attain greatness. It's the leader who paves the way for that to come true or prevents it from doing so. That's why I am working with the help of high achievers to learn how they cr...