Answering The Call

What does it really take to lead through disruption when grace, rather than breaking things, is the necessary ingredient in driving successful outcomes? I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sandy Hogan , former sales and go-to-market leader at Cisco and VMware, and founder and CEO of BozQ, a growth intelligence firm for B2B technology companies, to learn how she took her formula from success fr...

What does a theater major who stumbled into design, launched a production company, ran one of the world's most iconic design firms, and then built a thriving academic program have to teach us? Everything. In this episode, I sit down with Doreen Lorenzo — former President of frog design and Assistant Dean of the School of Design and Creative Technologies at UT Austin — for a candid conversation abo...

Ruth Yomtoubian is an original corporate innovator who has successfully navigated the three major waves of corporate innovation. Acting as a translator, orchestrator, and practitioner, Ruth bridges the gap between the startup ecosystem, venture capitalists, and enterprise organizations. As an Independent consultant, Ruth's work focuses on helping companies—particularly within "construct industries...

What does it actually take to win the "championship" of your life? In this episode, David Zemanek sits down with serial entrepreneur Paul Pluschkell to deconstruct a career built on intense energy, radical unlearning, and a refusal to sacrifice the things that matter most. Paul isn't your typical tech executive. He’s a builder who admits that if he weren't in software, he’d be a carpenter—someone...

In this powerful and deeply transparent episode, I sit down with Al Adamsen, a trailblazer in People Analytics and the leader of Adaptive Futures. Al shares his remarkable journey from an introverted "lone wolf" to a global voice on employee experience, leadership, and the rapidly evolving future of work. We dive straight into the pressing realities of the AI revolution, exploring how artificial i...

In this episode, we dive deep into the career of David Sherwin , a renowned graphic designer , UX design leader , and author of the best-selling book Creative Workshop . David shares his transition from editorial publishing to user experience (UX) design at leading innovation firms like frog , and major companies like LinkedIn , offering a masterclass in how to stay curious and committed to your c...

Successful careers are built on successful systems, successful mindsets, and the ability for us to take care of the first and most important relationship - the one we have with ourselves. Andrew Hartman, Founder and CEO of Time Boss doesn't just deliver success for his clients, his helps them find the peace of mind to excel at their best. This episode is a must for anyone trapped in the cycle of b...

A look into the mindset of an Ironman triathlete and entrepreneur, and why Bruce views failure as a "natural part of life" and a prerequisite for success. Bruce Sinclair specializes in helping private equity firms and companies increase their value through the strategic application of AI. Bruce recently finished a new book focused on AI for executives and investment professionals, and is the autho...

In a landscape crowded with theorists, Jeff Roberts brings a track record of real impact. Jeff founded the firm after five tenures as a mid-market CIO.  In total across three decades of IT leadership, he has led dozens of M&A transactions and digital transformations, turning IT organizations into profit centers. Named an Exceptional Leader to Follow in Innovation, he has mentored over 20 futur...

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Budzinski , founder of Sales Nimbus , to trace his fascinating journey from a classically trained musician to a tech entrepreneur building his own SaaS platform. Joe shares how the discipline of the viola and the grit of door-to-door sales shaped his unique approach to business leadership and innovation. Joe discusses his early life in music, specifically how l...

Today, I’m sitting down with Mark Fithian and Jeff Rosenberg, the founders of Wide Open, a consultancy built to solve the hardest problems in customer experience. Their story is a masterclass in what I call the 'Inside Game'. Mark and Jeff made the decision to leave the corporate track under circumstances that would make most people freeze: Mark was in his early 40s, had just bought a house, and h...

In today's episode, we dive into the creative journey of Aric Cheston, a designer and artist from Austin, Texas.  What is most amazing about Aric, and I’ve known him for over a decade, is that Aric is so committed to his internal scorecard in making career decisions that continuously favor excitement and enjoyment over money.  There’s always a lot we can learn about ourselves from what excites us...

Show Notes: Answering the Call with Dave Scott In this episode, we sit down with Dave Scott , a veteran product leader and "adrenaline junkie" who walked away from a comfortable corporate executive career to reclaim his professional agency. Dave shares how he broke out of the "execution trap" to pursue fractional consulting, mountain bike racing, and authoring his upcoming book, Product at a Dista...

Today’s guest is Karena Bell, Founder and CEO of Profitlinz, a boutique, specialized, global advisory firm that helps mid-sized and large enterprises unlock hidden profits, boost efficiency, and leverage AI for measurable results.  In this conversation, Karena shares her transformative journey from a corporate career to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, creativity, and res...

Todays guest is Doug Fritz, Founder and Executive Chairman of F2 Strategy. In this conversation, Doug shares his life journey from a challenging childhood labeled as learning disabled to becoming a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of F2 Strategy. He discusses how he relied on his own resilience, adaptability, and the support of his parents in shaping his confidence to create his own journey...