Measure Success Podcast

As a CEO or business owner, letting go of control can feel impossible. But sometimes it's the key to growing your business and preparing for its next chapter. In this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, Carl J. Cox talks with Brad Koehn, a business consultant and coach, about helping leaders overcome fear, improve leadership, and execute strategies successfully. Brad's expertise focuses on mak...

Government and business might seem worlds apart, but strategic planning bridges the gap. On this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, we talk with Andy Takata, a city manager with decades of experience. Andy shares lessons from his career, including: - How public sector planning can inspire private sector strategy - Avoiding distractions to focus on long-term goals - Building habits that balanc...

What's the secret to writing a book that truly succeeds? Transformation—both personal and professional. This week, Dr. Kent Gustavson, an award-winning writer and ghostwriting expert, joins the Measure Success Podcast to discuss how authors grow through the writing process. We dive into the role of ghostwriters, how writing for a small audience amplifies success, and the mistakes first-time author...

In This Episode:    When we think of pushing ourselves — in business, sports, or just life — many of us aim to be the very best at what we do. But sometimes pushing yourself can actually mean *leaving* that top spot — and setting off on a completely new journey. And that's exactly what our guest this week did in her accomplished athletic career.    Wendy Fisher was a member of the U.S. National Sk...

In This Episode:    In the span of just a couple of years, Marques Ogden went from being an NFL offensive lineman — to part-time custodian, getting other people's trash spilled on his clothes as he worked for $8.25 an hour. And while most people can't relate to playing football at the highest level like our guest this week did, everyone can learn from his valiant comeback — from bankrupt and worki...

One of the highest selling books of all time started out with just 15 copies printed at Office Depot. Paul Young wrote "The Shack" expecting to just give copies to his children — but the book quickly grew past even his wildest expectations. His journey to best-selling author is one that anybody can learn from, whether you're a high-performing CEO stuck in "production" mode, or simply anybody who w...

How does your work integrate with your overall purpose and your passion projects? Is it possible to have both — and to use them both to make a difference in the world? Even after retirement from a successful career, our guest this week has been able to answer a resounding "yes" to those questions.    Bert Waugh Jr. and his wife, Susy, began taking street youth into their home in the 1970s. In 1991...

There's a big difference between eliminating short-term suffering — vs fixing the underlying issues that cause those problems in the long term. That's an important lesson our guest this week learned in his quest to help an impoverished community near his home. Now, he's using those lessons as he leads one of the largest nonprofits in Oregon, which is gaining national recognition.    This episode i...

Running water. Sanitation systems. Electricity. A car to drive to the store. Enough food to feed your family. These are all things that we've likely taken for granted at one time or another — and they're things that so many in the world live without every day. As part of our Holiday Giving Back Episode series, we talk with the VP of a charitable organization whose mission is to eliminate that leve...

It's easy for CEOs or other leaders to get stuck in the "corporate" bubble. But there are valuable lessons outside that bubble — even in unexpected places. This week, we're talking to a gang rehabilitation nonprofit CEO who shares some of the principles that make his organization tick. From team culture to leadership and successful business ventures, there's a lot he can teach organization leaders...

What's the most important element of any successful business?   You might initially think it's the company's products, its market share, its sales team, its profits, or something else. All those are significant elements. But at the top of the list is…relationships. No matter your industry, you won't find success without building the right relationships.    But how do you actually do that? Our gues...

It's no secret that we live in a noisier (internet) world than ever. Customers could potentially need to see something about your organization a dozen times or more before even realizing that you exist — much less buy from you. The marketing world is saturated with endless messages, offers, and content. So how do you stand out from the crowd?    Our latest guest is someone who guides business owne...

As leaders, we hear about the importance of making strategic choices based on "the data." But what if that's not the whole story? What if there was a way to look deeper past the numbers, glean better insights, and use a more analytical approach to drive better decisions and organizational growth? What if this shift in thinking was the key to adaptation — which is now more important than ever?   Ou...

Like with any social media platform, LinkedIn can be confusing, noisy, frustrating and seemingly just another item on your never-ending to-do list. And most executives simply don't have time to create content or establish a presence there. They're too busy running their business.    Justin Nassiri is someone who helps CEOs clear those hurdles, and he also has some expert advice for what actually w...

There's no post-2020 workplace frustration quite like the words "remote work." Whether you're an employee being forced back into the office, a boss that can't get their team to maintain productivity from home, someone commuting 50 miles three times a week, or you're someone in between — you probably have some remote work frustrations. That's why this week we're chatting with someone who helps comp...

Staring at a home foreclosure, a car repossession, only a few coins in his pocket, and a family to feed, Jim Britt has seen "rock bottom." His inspiring story of climbing back from those struggles to his current status as a millionaire, bestseller, and internationally known speaker is one that any business owner — or any *person* — can learn from.   Jim is an award-winning author of 15 #1 internat...

What's the difference between companies that last for decades… and those that wither away after only a couple of years? That's been one of the biggest questions in business for generations. And our latest guest has some of the answers.    Brad Giles has more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, strategic planner, and leadership coach. Brad is the author of "Onboarded: How to bring...

How often do you operate at the intersection of urgency and happiness to pursue what you want most out of life? And how much are you missing out on when you push yet another goal to "tomorrow"? Figuring out how to take advantage of now, live life to the fullest, and use your time wisely: these are all strategies that our latest guest has written and spoken about. And now he's bringing them to the...

What happens if someone writes the best book on the planet… but no one ever finds out about it? For anyone who has a message, idea, or project to share with the world, a crucial piece of the puzzle is actually *marketing* it. And in a current publishing world more complex — and more accessible — than ever, it helps to have an expert by your side. Our latest guest is that expert.   Ben Gioia is a t...

Money solves many problems, but it doesn't solve *all* of them. And in some cases, wealth can actually create some new problems. Here to talk about that dynamic — and how people can get ahead of those issues by proactively managing their wealth — is someone who's helped dozens of families do exactly that over the last couple of decades.   John M. Jennings is president and chief strategist of St. L...

One of the biggest concerns organization leaders have these days is the labor market: how to win (and keep talent). And for good reason. These days, it's harder than ever to find and retain a great team. But no matter what external factors are impacting the job market, CEOs and managers can always control one thing: their leadership style. And chances are, they've been thinking about their leaders...

When is a recession coming? How are interest rates impacting the housing market — and what's next for the Fed? Is AI — and ChatGPT specifically — coming for all our jobs? Should we all just become plumbers? To answer some of those questions, we've invited Bill Conerly back to the Measure Success Podcast. It's also the first time we've ever had a three-time repeat guest.    Bill is a senior contrib...

For virtually every human being, there's a gap between where they are currently, and where they're *capable* of getting. Sometimes that gap can be small (and closing). Sometimes it can feel gigantic, especially without the right work ethic or motivation, mindset, and soft skill set. But bridging that gap between reality and potential is exactly what our latest guest is an expert in.   Jason Ma is...

Business leaders and entrepreneurs know plenty about success, working hard, and performing well at work. But too often, so much of that comes at the expense of their health. Things get busy, so it's easy for sleep, nutrition, and exercise to fall to the wayside.    Our latest guest is on a mission to change that, for high performers everywhere. She's an expert at helping people build longevity and...

When's the last time you did something you had *no* experience in? And when's the last time you tried to make that thing into a career? While this might be an extreme jump for most people, it's all part of a key philosophy for succeeding in business and life: pushing the boundaries of what you think is "possible."    No one can speak to that philosophy better than David Wood. After life as a consu...