Experience-Focused Leaders

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Business Story Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Sales Storytelling Coach, Podcaster, and Brand Raconteur at Business of Story, Park Howell. Park, an Emmy Award-winning business storytelling coach, talks about the pivotal role of storytelling in business. Park shares about his transition from running an advertising agency to becoming a storytelling coach, high...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CMO of LHD Benefit Advisors, Whitney Boyer. Whitney discusses digital experience software's transformative impact on employee benefits communication, focusing on the RELAYTO platform. Aimed at employee and insurance professionals, Whitney addresses challenges in effectively communicating benefits and highlights innovative solutions. She also emphasizes th...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Founding Partner of Floodgate, Mike Maples. Mike explores the intricacies of seed investing and entrepreneurship. He discusses the evolution of seed investing, the challenges of fundraising, and the critical importance of product-market fit. Mike shares his experiences and insights, emphasizing the need for unique market insights, emotional connections wi...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the International Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author, and Executive Advisor, Tim Ash. Tim discusses how evolutionary psychology impacts consumer behavior and decision-making. Key themes include the complexity of B2B sales, the importance of champion enablement, and the role of corporate culture in innovation. Tim emphasizes leveraging pain points in marketin...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Chief Platform Officer of Scale Venture Partners, Craig Rosenberg. Craig discusses the importance of providing content that is both easily digestible and actionable. In today's fast-paced digital world, buyers are inundated with information, making it crucial to deliver content that stands out and meets their specific needs. To achieve this, it's essentia...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Keynote Speaker, Communication Consultant, and Trainer of JD Schramm Communications, JD Schramm. JD emphasized that communication and leadership are inextricably linked. Effective communication is not just a tool for leaders; it is the essence of leadership. When JD is called in to address communication issues within organizations, he often finds that the...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of BrightEdge Technologies, Jim Yu. Jim's story is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. Growing up as the only Asian kid in a South Dakota trailer park, he faced numerous challenges that shaped his entrepreneurial drive. This environment instilled in him a relentless pursuit of success, whic...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CMO of CrunchTime, David Karel. David's journey in B2B marketing is nothing short of inspiring. From his early days at SuccessFactors to leading Bizo's marketing efforts and eventually shaping LinkedIn's B2B marketing suite, David has consistently demonstrated his ability to innovate and drive results. His current role at CrunchTime further solidifies his...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Chief Business Officer of Perplexity, Dmitry Shevelenko. Dmitry's journey led him through some of Silicon Valley's most influential companies and his current role in shaping the future of AI-driven knowledge consumption. Dmitry's career, the psychology of the modern knowledge consumer, and the innovative strides Perplexity is making in the AI space. Dmitr...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with Dmitri Alperovitch, Co-Founder & CTO of Crowdstrike (NASDAQ: CRWD, Market Cap: $85bn), Chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator, National Bestselling Author (World on the Brink) and Host of the Geopolitics Decanted podcast. Dmitri's journey from a high school enthusiast to a leading figure in the cybersecurity realm is nothing short of remarkable. Dmitri'...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Lecturer at Stanford University, Stan Christensen. Stan's reputation for teaching negotiation is more than just a series of tactics aimed at short-term gains. His philosophy centers on the idea that negotiation is about unlocking relationships and creating value for all parties involved. Stan explained that most negotiations are ongoing and involve multip...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Co-founder and Board Member of PinMeTo, Daniel Melkersson. Daniel's journey is a testament to the philosophy that one is never too old to try new things. Of the 12 companies he started, only three succeeded, but these successes were not without their share of challenges and lessons. His transition into the tech industry and his curiosity about venture cap...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CMO of Planable, Miruna Dragomir. Social media marketing is a beast that never sleeps, constantly shifting with new platform updates and demanding increased collaboration within teams. Miruna highlighted how Planable, a content collaboration tool, is designed to help marketing teams navigate these waters. With Planable, teams can create real touchpoints w...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the President and CEO of LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communication, Barry LaBov. Barry shared a powerful message with the audience: "Marry the message to the experience." This principle is the cornerstone of effective marketing. It's not just about the product or service; it's about ensuring that every customer interaction embodies the brand promise. A disco...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CEO of Foundersuite and Fundingstack, Nathan Beckord. Nathan shared the importance of simplicity in your initial communications with investors. Founders often make the mistake of inundating potential investors with too much information too soon. Nathan's recommendation? Keep your intro email as short as possible. He observed that founders tend to include...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CCO, Author, Speaker, and Advisor, Mary Poppen. Mary emphasized the often-underestimated link between how employees feel and how customers perceive a company. Organizations focusing on employee and customer experiences in parallel see remarkable results, including increased stock prices and higher retention rates. Engaged employees who feel valued are mor...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Managing Director of Intersection Capital, Oren Klaff. Oren started the discussion with a fascinating story about a colleague's unconventional approach to closing a multimillion-dollar deal. This experience was a turning point for Oren, leading to a profound exploration of the social undercurrents that influence transactions. His findings, which he genero...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Co-Founder and CEO of Katana Cloud Inventory, Kristjan Vilosius. Kristjan shed light on how Estonia's limited internal market compels startups to think globally from the outset. This necessity to expand beyond borders is a driving force behind the country's success. Moreover, the legacy of Skype, which originated in Estonia, has played a pivotal role in c...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Founder of Saastock, Alex Theuma. SaaStock began its journey in 2015, stemming from a vision to create a content platform that would unite B2B SaaS companies. Inspired by the legendary Woodstock festival, Alex wanted to craft an event that would leave a lasting impact on the community. This vision materialized into the first B2B SaaS conference in Europe,...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Author, Founder, and CEO of CultureGene, Brett Putter. The shift to remote work has been one of the most significant transformations in the modern workplace. As leaders, we're tasked with the daunting challenge of preserving our company's culture without the traditional office setting that once served as its breeding ground. This is where my discussion wi...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the CEO and Keynote Speaker of Coeus Creative Group, Jay Johnson. Jay brings a wealth of experience to the table, with 15 years of guiding leaders in organizational culture and working with prestigious companies and institutions. His insights on human behavior are not just theoretical; they are backed by practical experiences and millions of views on his TEDx...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the C-Suite Transformational Leader, Keynote Speaker, Board Director, Author, and Passionate Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Victoria Pelletier. Victoria's journey is one marked by significant adversity. She shared how she harnessed these challenges as catalysts for growth and success. Her story is a testament to the power of authenticity and intentionality i...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the General Partner of NFX Pete Flint. Pete's candid recount of the challenges he faced while scaling Trulia is both enlightening and inspiring. He opened up about the 2008 real estate crash's impact and the strategic decisions that led to a successful IPO and exit. His experiences underscore the importance of networking, understanding consumer needs, and bei...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with Board Member and Stanford Cloud Computing Lecturer, Dr. Timothy Chou. Timothy discussed the challenge of managing multiple initiatives. Timothy, with his extensive background at Tandem Computers, emphasized the importance of compartmentalization. He shared how the ability to focus on specific tasks without getting overwhelmed by the "noise" in the tech indust...

Your host, Alex Shevelenko, talks with the Founder of Practical Founders, Greg Head. Greg Head brought to the table a wealth of experience from his years in the CRM sector. He had seen the transformation of CRM software and how it has shaped the way companies interact with their customers. One of the most significant shifts discussed was the move towards product-led growth—a strategy where the pro...