Unmasked: The CEO Files

What does it really take to raise capital, build a resilient business, and make investors compete for the deal? In this episode of UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files, Alan sits down with entrepreneur, CEO and LifeBook Memoirs co-founder Roy Moëd to explore decades of entrepreneurial experience, fundraising lessons, business reinvention, and the importance of finding investors who believe in both th...

What does it really take to build a mission-driven business, raise capital, and stay true to your values when the pressure is on? In this episode of UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files, Alan sits down with Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, Founder and Executive Chairman of 4G Capital, a fintech company helping small businesses across Africa access the working capital they need to grow. Wayne shares his journe...

What happens when your identity, culture, and experiences across borders become a business advantage? In this episode of UNMASKED: The CEO Files, Alan McLaren is joined by global strategist, entrepreneur, and third culture leader Muraly Srinarayanathas to explore cultural intelligence, global expansion, entrepreneurship, and the ideas behind 3 magazine. In this episode, we explore: ➡️ How becoming...

What happens when raising capital becomes a truth serum for your business? In this episode of Unmasked: The Capital Raise Files, Alan McLaren sits down with David Lovejoy, Founder & CEO of CoachFinder.ai, to talk about the realities of fundraising, the investor questions that exposed blind spots, and how those conversations helped reshape his business. In this episode, we explore: ➡️ Why founders...

What does it really take to raise capital, build investor trust, and scale a CPG brand? In this episode of UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files, Alan McLaren sits down with Peter Cimoroni, CEO and Founder of AVOGO Foods, to talk about the realities of raising money and building a consumer brand in today’s market. With more than 40 years of professional experience, Peter brings a unique perspective on...

What does it really take to raise capital when you’re not coming from the traditional finance world? In this episode of UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files, Alan McLaren sits down with Eric Vest, Founder & CEO of Yellowwood and Founder & Managing Partner of Y Capital, to unpack what more than 30 years of building, growing and selling technology companies has taught him about people, technology and c...

UNMASKED: The Capital Raise Files: Real stories from CEOs who have raised capital, so other leaders can move through the process with more clarity, confidence and fewer wasted rooms. In this special series of Unmasked: The CEO Files, we sit down with CEOs and founders who have actually lived through a capital raise to uncover what happened behind the deck, the numbers and the polished story. Why w...

What if the biggest factor influencing your leadership isn't what you say, but how people experience you under pressure? In this episode of UNMASKED: The CEO Files Podcast, Alan McLaren and Leanne Bucaro explore the concept of Leadership Signal and why even the most experienced CEOs can unintentionally create friction in high-stakes conversations. Whether you're leading an executive team, presenti...

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why i...

We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of curated content and algorithm-chasing brands, UNMASKED offers something rare: a human signal that resonates. These are the stories behind the success. The decisions made in uncertainty. The moments that rewired how a leader...

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why i...

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why i...

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why i...

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why i...

If you’re a CEO, founder, executive, or investor navigating growth and high-stakes decisions, this episode offers powerful insight into the invisible variables shaping leadership outcomes! 🔗 Connect with Kerry Siggins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/ Check out Kerry's books by visiting these two Amazon links: 📚Talk with Trust: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GX7N175H...

What if the fear holding you back was actually the fuel for your biggest breakthroughs? In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, Alan McLaren sits down with Patrick Sweeney - Wall Street Journal bestselling author, investor, entrepreneur, world-record athlete and globally recognized fear expert known as “The Fear Guru”. Patrick shares his incredible journey from battling rare leukemia and cripp...

In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren sits down with entrepreneur and YPO leader Jeff Cullen for a deeply honest conversation about leadership, neurodiversity, trust and building a values-based business that lasts. Jeff shares his journey from founding a Canadian logistics company at 27 to scaling it into a multinational organization across 17 countries and navigating both...

In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren chats with Richart Ruddie, Founder of Captain Compliance, to unpack the real journey behind building exiting and scaling businesses in fast-changing digital environments. From starting his career during the financial crisis to becoming an entrepreneur by accident, Richart shares how relentless learning shaped his leadership journey whil...

In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren sits down with Dusty Holcomb, a leadership advisor and YPO member for a deeply personal and insightful conversation on what it really takes to lead. From growing up homeschooled to building a 30-year career in leadership and corporate growth, Dusty shares the experiences that shaped his mindset and the lessons he learned from a retired...

Join Alan McLaren as he chats with Pádraig Ó Céidigh (teacher, lawyer, accountant, entrepreneur, and former senator) who built a €150M airline from the ground up, is a former winner of Ireland EY Entrepreneur of the Year and represented Ireland at EY World Entrepreneur of the Year. Alan and Pádraig discuss the art of purposeful decision-making in leadership, exploring how to align personal values...

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Running a family business is rewarding, but succession, buyouts, and leadership transitions are never simple. In this episode of STRATA Originals, Alan McLaren speaks with Chuck Phillips- CEO, board member, and family business consultant about the realities of keeping both businesses and families thriving across generations. Chuck unpacks the emotional, financial, and governance challenges that co...

While he may not wield a lightsaber, this Mark Hamill is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to guiding executives through the next chapter of their leadership journey! Mark Hamill, founder of The Naked Headhunter, Virtual Advisory Board, and MyFractional, joins Alan McLaren to break down how high-level executives can navigate life after the C-suite - and find new purpose, relevance, and opp...

From the Streets to the C-Suite, Kevin Johnson, CEO of WPP Media Group, joins Leanne to unpack what it really takes to lead with bold inclusive leadership. In this episode, Kevin shares the personal story behind his leadership: how one teacher nearly broke him and another lit the fire that never went out. That fire led him to the C-Suite and to Launchpad, an internal WPP program that trains people...