The Breakout CEO

Most leadership advice breaks down the moment real pressure shows up. In this episode of The Breakout CEO, Cydni Tetro, 3-time CEO, board member, and former CIO of Swire Coca-Cola, draws from her experience as a 3-time CEO, enterprise executive, and board member to talk through those moments honestly. Not as lessons learned in hindsight, but as decisions made while the outcome was still unclear. C...

What does it take to build a company when the mission matters more than momentum? In this episode of The Breakout CEO, Jeff Holman sits down with Thomas Bishop, founder of Paleblue, for a grounded conversation on conviction, persistence, and building products that genuinely change behavior. Tom shares how a near-death experience reshaped his career decisions and why meaningful missions became the...

Every CEO reaches a threshold where hustle and revenue aren’t enough. In this episode of The Breakout CEO, host Jeff Holman cuts into the hard operating truths that separate early growth from a sustainable scale. We explore what happens when pricing, financial clarity, team leadership, and systems become the deciding factors—not just harder work or bigger marketing. This conversation goes deep on...

What does it really take to sell a SaaS business successfully? In this episode of The Breakout CEO, Jeff Holman sits down with Andrew Gazdecki, founder of Acquire.com (formerly MicroAcquire) to unpack what founders need to know about buying, scaling, and exiting online businesses. Andrew has helped thousands of founders sell SaaS companies, ecommerce brands, mobile apps, and digital businesses. In...

What does it really take to break through as a CEO when the pressure is highest, and the path forward isn’t clear? In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, I sit down with Nikky Kho @NikkyKho , an entrepreneur, AI pioneer, and lifelong learner for a wide-ranging conversation on the breakout moments that shape leaders at the highest levels. Nikky’s journey is anything but conventional. Over a 2...

What does it really take to move from founder control to strategic optionality? In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Heather Griffith Barber, founder of Queen of Wraps, to unpack the real decisions behind building a company that buyers take seriously. Heather shares her 18-year journey growing a business from a scrappy family operation into a multi-company platfo...

Scaling a business does not usually break because of strategy. It breaks because the CEO is carrying too much. In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Corinne Morahan, founder and CEO of Grid + Glam, to talk about burnout, boundaries, and the leadership shift that changed how she built her business. Corinne shares her journey from Wall Street to entrepreneurshi...

Scaling doesn’t fail because of strategy, capital, or product. It fails because of a leadership weakness almost every founder carries into growth. Impatience. In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast , Jeff Holman sits down with David Sluss , Professor at ESSEC Business School and advisor to scaling CEOs, to unpack how impatience quietly undermines leadership as companies grow. David explains w...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Leah Brown, former corporate lawyer turned mediator and founder of The WayFinders Group, to explore what really breaks inside fast-growing companies and how CEOs can address it before it slows everything down. Leah shares what she’s seen firsthand inside boardrooms and leadership teams when growth outpaces relationships; commu...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, I sit down with Steve Smith, a veteran business coach with more than 45 years of experience in manufacturing, corporate leadership, and executive coaching. Steve breaks down what he’s learned from big companies and small companies, and why scaling smart always comes down to the same three factors: capacity, funding, and alignment. If you’ve ever felt th...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Noah St. John, bestselling author of Power Habits and the creator behind the Zero Friction Framework. Together, they unpack why so many CEOs hit income ceilings, stall out after early wins, and unknowingly sabotage their own growth. They discuss the concept of 'Power Habits' and how understanding the unconscious habits of...

In this episode of the Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman interviews Jerry Brazie, an entrepreneur with a remarkable journey from poverty to success. Jerry shares his experiences growing up in a challenging environment, the lessons learned from his family, and the importance of accountability and responsibility in business. He emphasizes the value of community and mentorship, discussing how hi...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Natasha Todorovic-Cowan, author of Making Change Work and expert in Spiral Dynamics, to unpack the real challenges CEOs face when leading through rapid change. Natasha shares her own story of navigating unexpected disruption early in her career and explains why adaptability, human behavior, and cognitive bias awarenes...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with leadership coach and former competitive chess player John Whitt to explore the powerful parallels between chess strategy and modern business leadership. John shares how his early experience competing in the U.S. Chess Championships shaped his approach to clarity, planning, and decision-making, skills he later applied...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO, Jeff Holman sits down with Paige Arnof-Fenn, a 24-year marketing veteran and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, to break down what truly drives growth for scaling companies. Paige explains why the core principles of marketing haven’t changed even as tools, platforms, and AI evolve. She shows why a strong brand story still outperforms clever features, an...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Aasha LaCount, CEO of BeyondEQ International, to explore how emotional intelligence (EQ) is transforming modern leadership.  Aasha shares her raw personal story of burnout, anxiety, loss, and rebuilding, and how those experiences led her to uncover the hidden link between emotional regulation, tea...

This episode is part of our CEO Expert mini-series where we talk with experts who coach, mentor, train, and work with scaling CEOs to expand their insights and help identify and achieve their breakout moments. In this episode of the Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman speaks with Angela Lapovsky, a fractional COO, about the challenges and strategies for scaling CEOs. They discuss Angela's background...

In this episode of the Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman speaks with Earl Foote, founder of Nexus IT, about the company's growth, team culture, and the importance of personal development in leadership. Earl shares insights on how to motivate teams, the evolution of his organization, and the significance of coaching and development programs. He also discusses his personal breakout moments and...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Chairman at Healionics Corporation, Mike Connolly. Mike shares his journey from teaching physics to co-founding startups that have revolutionized women’s health and dialysis care. He discusses the challenges of medical device innovation, the importance of persistence, navigating regul...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Partner at Aspen Mountain Partners, Greg Schow. Greg shares lessons from his early ventures, the value of teamwork, and the realities of acquiring and growing “non-sexy” businesses like vending machines and steel fabrication. He emphasizes the importance of hard work, people over prestige, an...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Full Professor at INSEAD, Spencer Harrison. Spencer discusses his journey from aspiring English professor to business scholar, focusing on creativity and curiosity in organizations. Drawing on research and personal stories—including lessons from their influential high school physics teacher,...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Founder of Product 1, Steven Selikoff. Steven shares insights on navigating recent changes in import regulations, the importance of building resilient businesses, and why profitability—not just revenue—should guide product decisions. He emphasizes learning from mistakes, the value of experien...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Co-Founder at Shyft, Alex Burdge. Alex shares his entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of Shyft, and how the company navigated major disruptions like the US-China trade wars and COVID-19. He discusses building a resilient international team, adapting to constant changes in global lo...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Founder at ASA, Landon Glenn. Landon shares his journey from humble beginnings to building ASA, which partners with banks and credit unions to securely connect financial data and services using advanced technologies. He emphasizes the challenges of fintech entrepreneurship, the import...

In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Chief Solutions Architect at Intel Corporation, Dr. Darren Pulsipher. Darren discusses his diverse career, from teaching at Vanderbilt to leading digital transformation at Intel. Darren shares pivotal “breakout moments,” including lessons learned from startup setbacks and hypergrowth leadersh...