Executive Evolution

Having a servant heart allows leaders to help their people shine and succeed, and who wouldn't want that? In this episode we're joined by Jim Eickhoff , President and CEO of Creative Dining Services . He shares valuable lessons on effective leadership, the importance of authenticity, and the impact of creating a vision that puts the team first. Join us as we explore Jim's experiences, his unique a...

As leaders, we often strive to obtain the best information possible, but the reality is perfect information is a rarity. In this episode, Dennis McLaughlin , Chief Financial Officer at Fortis , shares his experiences of moving forward without perfect information and how they have shaped him into a better leader. Along the way, Dennis sheds light on the value of extreme ownership, the importance of...

Giving feedback is often seen as a potential source of conflict and so the hope becomes the situation will magically change without intervention. That is rarely the case which is why sharing and receiving is so critical for leaders. In this episode, Ashley Monk , Founder and CEO of Onya , with her wealth of experience in leadership and building a successful business, provides invaluable insights o...

When you're still an employee, it's easy to want to be hands-on with everything you do. But you can't act the same way as a leader. You can set the vision, but you have to trust your team enough to turn it into a reality. In this episode, Brian Schools , President and CEO of Chartway Credit Union , shares how he's learned the value of learning to step back, not just to empower his team to become l...

When you become a leader of a small company, the team becomes a witness to your growth. That might also mean being with you on days when you aren't your best. But how you handle moments of frustration at the team goes a long way towards forging the leader you aim to be. In this episode, Adam Weber , SVP of Community at 15Five and host of the HR Superstars podcast , shares how he overcame the strug...

How transparent are you with your team? How about your clients? In this episode, Travis Brown , the CEO of Mojo Up Marketing + Media , shares how knowing oneself and being comfortable with who you are is essential for effective leadership. Openly acknowledging and taking ownership of mistakes demonstrates authenticity and a commitment to continuous leadership improvement. Listen in as Travis encou...

Leaders experience challenges you can never truly understand until you've sat in that chair yourself. It's what makes the role so difficult; at the same time, it can unleash your resourcefulness to influence others and do everything you can to enable your business to thrive. In this episode, Santiago Jaramillo , three-time exited CEO turned Executive Coach , talks about how he's overcome the chall...

Delegating is hard when you've developed extreme ownership about your role in the company. But it's one of the essential lessons every leader needs to learn to elevate the team and truly win together. In this episode, Jess Carter , Vice President of Client Experience & Delivery Operations at  Resultant , talks about the whirlwind of change her life went through during COVID that made her flip her...

When Julie Goodman , CEO of Indy Arts Council , reflected on the great leaders she's had in the past—the ones that have made a lasting effect on her career and life—she realized one thing: They all cultivated great cultures. In this episode, Julie shares how her early experience leading her marching band taught her the value of team and fostering community and why she's cultivated those principles...

Sunny Lu Williams , President of TechServ Corporation , saw the toll that leadership can take on you early in her life; her parents were both entrepreneurs. Now, as the leader of her organization, she's taken those experiences and the lessons they taught her to create a culture that's sustainable and fits what her employees need. In this episode, Sunny talks about how her past colors her work ethi...

" Leaders are meant to serve. It's not an ego trip. It's how you serve your team." When Kyle Lacy , now CMO of Jellyfish , took on his first leadership role, it was all about him and his performance. But over time, he's learned to check his ego at the door and focus on pouring into his people instead to achieve more success than he ever thought possible. In this episode, Kyle shares his insights o...

Being a visible leader isn't the same as being an accessible leader, the latter requires you to put in the time and effort to really get to know your people. In this episode, we're joined by Simon Kardynal , host of the  Trench Leadership Podcast and Contract Manager and Squadron Warrant Officer for the Canadian Department of National Defense. The insights Simon has gained through his military exp...

Have you ever found yourself at a table wondering why you're there and what you have to add? The path to leadership isn't linear and it looks different for each one of us. In this episode, Kathy Miller , speaker, coach, and President of OPSisters reminds us our unique contributions are to be highly valued. Great leaders lean into their strengths and build teams that fill their gaps. Listen in as K...

Liz Gross , Founder and CEO of Campus Sonar , started her leadership journey very young and was repeatedly reminded of that fact by the people on her team. At the time, her response was to shy away from connecting with her people and take on more work rather than try to teach them how to do it. In this episode, Liza shares why she does the exact opposite in her current role. Listen in to hear how...

After an unbalanced start to his professional life,  Patricio Daneri , Managing Director of Energy Harness Corporation , discovered the power of empathy and discipline, transforming his team and ultimately developing a successful business empire. Now he has a keen eye for unlocking potential in others and helping them surpass their own expectations. In this episode, Patricio shares his story of mo...

Rich Nickel , President and CEO of Education Forward Arizona , is an experienced leader who knows the value of developing and empowering others. His corporate and nonprofit background has taught him that you have to earn the right to lead people, and that starts with setting them up for success and then offering strong support. In this episode, Rich shares his insights on maintaining a deep unders...

In his first leadership role,  Wes Winham Winler ,  now CEO and Founder of  Woven , was the only software engineer at a startup, and it was his job to build a team. He was lucky with his first few hires, but struggled to lead them effectively. Over time and with some well-timed advice, he learned to leverage his team's talents and give equal attention to the feeling side of leadership. In this epi...

Bryan Brenner , Managing Director of NFP and Founder and Managing Partner of The Performance Lab , was thrust into leadership unexpectedly. After meeting an optimistic sales leader, he found the inspiration he needed to drive transformation and challenge the status quo. Bryan took charge of the situation and eventually began his own business. In this episode, Bryan shares his journey of being an u...

"Leadership is about empowering others and maintaining focus on the horizon." Will Milano , the CMO of Integrity Solutions , was thrown into his first leadership role with no training but was lucky enough to have a manager who instilled confidence in him. He understood he needed to do the same for his team if he wanted to excel. In this episode, Will talks about the mental shift every leader has t...

When Mike Reynolds , CEO of Innovatemap , faced his first formal leadership role, he learned that leading with a mandate doesn't work. Instead, he discovered the power of equipping others and influencing through example. In this episode, Mike shares the mental shift he's had to make as his company grows. Listen in to learn what it means to lead with your brain by setting direction, goals, and stra...

Relying on nothing more than a title to get people to follow you is a dangerous approach. Jim Brown , the CEO and Co-Founder of Uncovered , encountered positional authority figures during his time in the Marines, and it taught him precisely how not to lead. Ever since, he's led with empathy and worked to understand who people are and what they care about. Listen in as Jim explains how his style al...

Leadership can be an extremely humbling experience. Being put in charge does not mean that people will automatically follow. You have to put in the work to inspire your team to do so. This was a lesson Jennifer Denney , Founder of Elevated Marketing Solutions , learned early on in her career. In this episode, she shares how she leans into empathy and understanding in order to find out what motivat...

Joining a business founded by your parents comes with its own set of obstacles. Stan Chen , now CEO of Telamon , started his tenure at the company knowing people had made assumptions about what his path would look like. While trying to navigate those murky relationships and earn respect, he decided to keep his co-workers at arm's length. Today, he knows that was a mistake. In this episode, Stan sh...

High performers are often thrust into management roles without the training or tools needed to be effective. Margy Feldhuhn experienced exactly this in her first leadership position and had to navigate murky waters to rise to the challenge. In this episode, Margy explains why insufficient training and preparation is the biggest hurdle middle management has to face and discusses solutions to the pr...

Leadership requires a marathon mindset. You can't take on everything yourself and sprint to the finish because there is no finish line. If you're doing your job right, you keep supporting your people so you can achieve evermore goals together. Kevin Bailey is currently CEO and Co-Founder at Dreamfuel , and it's not his first time in the C-Suite. But success can come at a price if you aren't prepar...