Activating Greatness: A Leadership Podcast

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Matt Ulliman, co-founder of Ulliman Schutte, to explore why construction projects don’t fail in the field first — they fail in alignment. Matt shares how structured partnering sessions create clarity, accountability, and trust across owners, designers, and contractors before pressure hits. If you lead complex projects and care...

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Tony Greco to explore what it really takes to build alignment, accountability, and connection across remote and globally distributed teams. Drawing from his leadership experience at Wyndham Hotels and the United States Golf Association, Tony shares how intentional communication structures, predictable cadences, and clear expect...

What if the way most companies lead, hire, and scale is fundamentally broken? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Parry Headrick, Founder and CEO of Crackle PR, to challenge hustle culture, outdated agency models, and leadership practices that burn out great people. Parry shares how building a values-driven, fully remote PR firm—with no hourly billing, no ti...

Why do so many well-intentioned leaders accidentally micromanage? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Jason Casarella, Chief Commercial Officer at CRC Cognitive Research Corporation, to break down the real difference between coaching and micromanaging—and why that distinction determines whether teams thrive or stall. Drawing on decades of experience leading...

What happens when growth, private equity pressure, and mission collide? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Julie Blasingim, CEO of Univo IRB, to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose while building and scaling a company in the life sciences industry. Julie shares how she built Univo from the ground up with a patient-first mission, why people must...

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec sits down with Harry Barnick of the Third Bridge Group to explore what real leadership looks like during periods of intense change. Harry shares his firsthand experience navigating turnover at the leadership level, building a new team, relocating, and adapting to new cultures—and the lessons he learned along the way.

 In this episode of Activating Greatness , host Alec McChesney sits down with Ryan Payne, Director of Leadership & Development at Velocity Advisory Group, to unpack how culture is built through everyday conversations—and how leaders can improve performance by getting intentional about the micro-moments that shape trust. Ryan draws on 13 years at GEICO leading teams as large as 250 people and s...

In this episode of Activating Greatness , Joe Witte , Executive Coach and Senior Advisor at Velocity Advisory Group, explores the role of momentum in leadership and why effective management doesn’t have to be complicated. Joe shares how leaders can build, lose, and rebuild momentum through clarity, systems, vulnerability, and servant leadership. Drawing from experience in business, military servic...

In this episode, Velocity Advisory Group CEO Dave Fechtman shares what it takes to lead at the highest level. Dave breaks down how CEOs and executive teams create alignment, navigate uncertainty, and sustain organizational momentum. He offers practical insights on strategy, culture, and leadership clarity — and reveals the habits that help senior leaders thrive in complex environments.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with leadership and culture expert, Velocity Advisory Group President Brooke Page-Thompson, to explore what it truly means for leaders to bring their whole selves to work. Brooke shares practical insights on emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and how authenticity can transform team performance and workplace culture.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Dan Silvert, Co-Founder of Velocity Advisory Group, shares why relationships are the true driver of culture, accountability, and sustainable growth. Drawing on decades of executive coaching experience, Dan explains how trust, connection, and everyday interactions shape performance — especially during periods of change and uncertainty.