Leading In The Dark

Mike Hess, founder and executive director of the Blind Institute of Technology, joins Leading In The Dark for a powerful conversation about leadership, disability inclusion, workforce development, and challenging assumptions inside modern organizations. Born blind and shaped by a decades-long career in enterprise technology, Mike shares how his lived experience influenced his leadership philosophy...

Michael Hofer, CFO of Navajo Transitional Energy Company, joins Nick Akers on Leading In The Dark for a conversation about leadership, mergers & acquisitions, artificial intelligence, and navigating transformation inside large organizations. Michael shares lessons from leading through private equity-backed growth, global integration projects, operational restructuring, and large-scale organiza...

What does it take to re-home over 1,100 dogs a year? In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with entrepreneur Kristen Duhr — founder of Home 2 Home Canine Orphanage and multiple dog-centered businesses across the St. Louis region. Kristen shares: How she built a foster network capable of handling 40+ dogs in a single day The operational realities of rescue logistics Why trai...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with entrepreneur Chris Edwards to unpack a full Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition journey—from corporate finance to consulting, through acquisition, exit, and back to startup life. Chris shares how he acquired a flooring business through a self-funded search, scaled it through operational improvements, and ultimately exited wit...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Garth Fasano, President and Co-Founder of RaYnmaker, to explore a leadership journey shaped by entrepreneurship through acquisition and rapid technological disruption. Garth shares how acquiring a traditional outsourced sales business forced him to confront a hard truth: the core business model was on borrowed time. What followed w...

What does leadership look like when there’s no playbook? In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Savannah Rush, Managing Partner at Funded Ventures, to explore her journey from engineering at WashU to consulting at McKinsey, earning her MBA at Harvard Business School, and ultimately stepping into the operator seat through entrepreneurship via acquisition (ETA). Savannah...

From Freight Yards to Global Leadership: A Conversation with Robert Mueller of RIM Logistics In this episode of Leading In The Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with Robert Mueller, President of RIM Logistics, for an insightful conversation about leadership, legacy, and navigating an industry undergoing immense global change. Robert shares how his family’s multi-generation history in trucking shape...

Finding Balance, Buying a Business, and Leading Through Risk | Scott Whitt — Triad Clinical Trials Description: In this episode of Leading In The Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with Scott Whitt , Co-Owner & General Manager of Triad Clinical Trials , to explore the uncommon path from Deloitte partner to small-business owner in the clinical research world. Scott shares: What 70-hour consulting...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Adam Markley — CEO & Founder of PROX Capital Group — for an unfiltered look at entrepreneurship through acquisition, leadership under pressure, and the realities behind signing multi-million-dollar personal guarantees. Adam shares the unconventional journey that took him from failing out of college… to leading global operations...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with Kimberli Wasney , co-founder of Ripple’s Edge Advisors—a firm helping owners grow their companies with the exit in mind. Kimberli brings a unique blend of operational expertise, business development experience, and emotional awareness to the challenges owners face when preparing to step away from their business. Together, they...

In this episode, Nick Akers sits down with Katie Schenck , Founder & CEO of Ballyhoo Workshop , a creative communications firm that helps organizations tell their stories through thoughtful, well-crafted employee and investor communication. Katie shares how she built Ballyhoo Workshop from the ground up, balancing creativity and business discipline, leading seasoned creatives in a flexible env...

From environmental services tech to hospital CEO to Managing Director & Head of Corporate Healthcare at PNC, Gyasi C. Chisley has led across every layer of a complex industry. In this episode, Gyasi unpacks his “ABCDs” (Advisory, Brand, Clients, Deals), why healthcare must remain high-touch even as AI scales, and how leaders can balance margin and mission without losing either. We dig into rev...

Scott Alexander — From Black Swan to Blueprint: ETA, SBA Reality, and the “People → Process → Tools” Playbook When COVID hit, Scott Alexander (CEO/Owner, JIRUS Micro Marketing ) lost 80% of revenue in two weeks—while carrying an SBA-backed personal guarantee. Instead of folding, he pivoted into B2B med-device demand generation and rebuilt bigger than before. In this candid episode, Scott walks thr...

Joey Goone: From Kitchen-Table Startup to Mission-Driven Event Powerhouse What happens when a small team chooses speed, service, and purpose—then backs it up with world-class execution? In this episode, Nick Akers sits down with Joey Goone , President of Utopia Experience , to unpack the pivot that took his company from niche private events to producing 200+ virtual galas during COVID—raising tens...

How do you lead when the stakes are measured in seconds? St. Louis Police Department SWAT Team Leader Mike Flatley joins host Nick Akers to unpack leadership under pressure—from earning a spot on an elite 18-operator unit to guiding Type-A professionals through training, operations, and recovery. In this episode: The unexpected path from business major to law enforcement What it really takes to ma...

Leading In The Dark with host Nick Akers sits down with leaders who’ve navigated uncertainty, change, and growth to share their unfiltered stories of resilience, leadership, and transformation. In this episode, Nick talks with Lauren Herring , CEO of Impact Group, a global career and leadership development company. Lauren shares the journey of transforming her family business into the largest wome...

In this episode of Leading in the Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with Patricia Bosman , President and CEO of The Haven of Grace —a St. Louis nonprofit dedicated to supporting unhoused pregnant women and their children. Patricia shares her journey from corporate leadership to finding her calling in nonprofit service, leading with empathy, humility, and resilience. She discusses the realities of r...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Jerry Gennaria , President of the St. Louis-based branding and strategic consulting firm Toky. Jerry shares his journey from senior leader to business owner, unpacking the challenges of entrepreneurship through acquisition, the weight of ownership, and how to scale a business without losing the culture and brand reputation that mad...

In this episode of Leading in the Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Leslie K. Gill , President & CEO of Rung for Women , a career accelerator helping women transition into higher-wage industries where they’ve historically been underrepresented. Leslie shares the journey of building Rung from the ground up, her philosophy of collaboration, and how incremental opportunities can transform not just...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , host Nick Akers sits down with Jennifer Hopper , Chief Information Officer at Save-A-Lot, to explore the power of curiosity, teamwork, and servant leadership. Jennifer shares her journey from IT consulting to the C-suite, how she identifies and develops problem-solvers, and why she believes leaders must create space for others to shine. She also offers insi...

From Army infantryman to Certified Financial Planner, Ryan Bowman’s story is one of grit, growth, and going for it. In this episode of Leading in the Dark , Ryan shares how two tours in Iraq shaped his leadership philosophy, how his love of learning drove him to pursue both a CFP and an MBA, and why he chose the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition path to launch Terrace Wealth . We talk about bui...

Shaun Duvall, Founder and Managing Partner of Duvari, joins Leading In The Dark to share his remarkable journey from traditional staffing leadership to building a purpose-driven IT staffing firm rooted in service, self-awareness, and radical empathy. In this candid conversation, Shaun explores the power of vulnerability in leadership, why he designed a company no one would want to buy, and how str...

What does it take to build a business from scratch—and sustain it for over 30 years? Josh Allen, founder of Companion Baking, joins Leading In The Dark to talk about entrepreneurship, family legacy, burnout, radical change, and the beauty of bread. From working 20-hour days to transforming waste reduction into a company-wide mission, Josh shares how listening—to your customers, employees, and even...

In this episode of Leading In The Dark , Nick Akers sits down with Crystal Allen Dallas, founder and Chief Engagement Officer of Excel Business Concepts. Crystal shares her entrepreneurial journey—from her roots in urban planning and community advocacy to launching a PR and marketing firm focused on infrastructure and impact. Learn how she built a purpose-driven business, navigates leadership with...

Michael Gross, Chief Sales Officer of Gross Mechanical, joins Leading in the Dark to share the story of a third-generation family business thriving in the heart of St. Louis. In this episode, Michael and Nick dive into the evolution of Gross Mechanical—from sweeping floors to scaling one of the largest pipe fabrication shops in the region. They unpack the challenges of generational transitions, th...