The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends

In this Special Edition of The Corporate Couch, Greg Deitch (CEO) and Jeremy Stephens (President) of Fluent Consultants demystify how small and mid-sized businesses can harness AI to boost efficiency, cut costs, and stay competitive without needing a tech army or Silicon Valley budget. Greg and Jeremy break down how AI is moving from trend to tool, and why now is the time for growing companies to...

Dr. Victoria Farris (see her bio below) traded a tenured track in academia for the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. As a transformational leadership strategist, she now helps business leaders foster high-trust, inclusive workplaces where people want to show up and contribute. Our conversation explores the modern leader’s reality: managing five generations in the workplace, each with their o...

Fiona Lin (see her bio below) brings a global lens to leadership, starting with her childhood in southern China and leading to her rise as a business transformation expert in the U.S. As the first guest on the podcast born and raised in China, Fiona shares how growing up without toys or pets (and carving fish with friends in the river) shaped her creativity, resilience, and lifelong love of learni...

Mary-Catherine “M-C” Reinert (see her bio below) isn’t just a brand strategist, she’s a force of nature. In this episode of The Corporate Couch, M-C shares her journey from a quiet, science-loving kid from Kansas City to the founder of Fortissima, a bold branding and marketing firm whose name (Italian for “very loud”) reflects both her fierce personality and her Sicilian roots. M-C opens up about...

In this third Special Edition of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Marc Shaffer and I enhance our usual conversation by doing what any good happy hour calls for: sipping a cold beer. From deep work strategies and smart calendar hacks to journaling habits and our favorite recent reads, this episode is packed with personal insights and practical takeaways. We also swap stories about standout people we’ve re...

This episode of The Corporate Couch features Massimo Backus (see his bio below), executive coach, organizational psychologist, and author of Human First, Leader Second. One of the least traditionally “corporate” guests we’ve had on the show, Massimo brings depth, vulnerability, and candor to a conversation about how to thrive in work and life by embracing our full humanity. From attending seven di...

In this special edition of The Corporate Couch, we explore the elite world of TIGER 21 with Kansas City Chairs Heidi Lehmann and Joe Kessinger (see their bios below). For high-net-worth individuals navigating success, succession, and significance, TIGER 21 is the global peer network that offers more than just financial advice, it provides a trusted community, deep reflection, and powerful perspect...

In this fun and insightful episode, Zach Best, co-founder of FanSided and Executive VP at Minute Media, joins to talk about turning fandom into a media empire, building thriving remote teams, and why culture beats everything. Zach’s Kansas City roots and love for the Chiefs sparked a journey that turned a humble sports blog into a major digital media player acquired three times, including by Time/...

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Kansas City native and sports marketing legend Mike Goff shares stories, lessons, and the occasional war wound from his trailblazing career in brand strategy and sponsorship. From his early days dreaming of sports journalism to leading iconic campaigns with the NFL, World Cup '94, and Rolling Stones tours, Mike’s career is a masterclass in storytelling, stra...

What happens when one of the least corporate minds steps onto The Corporate Couch? You get a conversation that’s anything but business as usual. In this episode, Justin Foster (see his bio below), poet, agitator, and co-founder of Massive Change, pulls no punches as he unpacks the hidden forces behind branding, leadership, and personal transformation. Raised on a cattle ranch and now based in Aust...

In this second installment of our It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere series, Marc Shaffer and I kick back for another happy hour-style conversation—no scripts, no slides—just two friends swapping stories, ideas, and what’s working for us in business and life. We cover everything from the value of connecting people and respecting your time to why your calendar system might be secretly ruining your productivi...

Samantha Shepherd (see her bio below) joins The Corporate Couch to discuss making career choices based on personal reasons, going to law school with Mel Robbins, why she decided to focus on Elder care law (and launch three organizations to support her mission), and being born to help people. She is a powerhouse attorney, a law firm and trust company CEO, and an advocate for some of the most vulner...

In this episode, I’m joined by Scott Schaper (see his bio below), the President of RSM Marketing, serial entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed “empathy-driven business builder.” If you’ve ever dreamed of buying, selling, or merging a business—or are just curious how the sausage is made—this episode is your behind-the-scenes mini-course in small business acquisitions. Scott takes us on a candid journey...

Please join me as I chat with Joni Wickham (see her bio below), one of Kansas City’s most influential voices in government and strategic leadership. From her roots in rural North Carolina to serving as Chief of Staff to Kansas City, MO, Mayor Sly James, Joni shares her journey through public service, political strategy, and entrepreneurship. We explore: The pivotal moment in a city council meeting...

In this wild and wisdom-packed episode, Jeff sits down with Frankie Russo (see his bio below) - serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and the man behind the “Love Your Weird” movement - to explore how authenticity, imagination, and generosity fuel extraordinary growth. Frankie shares the deeply personal story of overcoming drug and alcohol addiction in his 20s and how that journey shaped the vi...

In Part III of our special series with Rick Mathes (see his bio below), co-founder of Align Pain Solutions, we shift the conversation to athletes and high performers who may not be in chronic pain, but want to stay that way. Rick discusses the often-overlooked role posture plays in maximizing performance and preventing injuries, even for those in peak physical condition. He shares insights from hi...

In this Special Edition episode, Leslie Anderson (see her bio below) returns to The Corporate Couch to explore the transformative power of coaching in leadership. Drawing from her extensive experience as an executive coach and insights from Coaching Skills for Leaders, Leslie breaks down what it takes to cultivate a coaching culture within organizations. We discuss why modern leadership demands mo...

In this episode, I learn and laugh with the powerhouse Erica Rooney (see her bio below)—Chief People Officer, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors. From dreaming of becoming the University of Florida’s head football coach to becoming a trailblazer in HR and leadership, Erica’s journey is anything but conventional. We tackle a range of topics, including: Why s...

Welcome to the first-ever The Corporate Couch Special Edition of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere—a monthly happy hour-style conversation where Marc Shaffer and I talk about random stuff that actually matters. Think of it as eavesdropping on our usual drinks-and-deep-thoughts sessions, now with a microphone involved :-) In this episode, we tackle: The frustrating state of job searching and hiring today—wh...

Do you ignore your intuition? In this episode, I chat with Kody Bateman, founder of Promptings, author, entrepreneur, and thought leader in the modern-day gratitude movement. Kody has built a career helping people recognize and act on their inner promptings to create deeper connections, both personally and professionally. But his journey wasn’t always clear. In this conversation, Kody shares how i...

In this Special Edition of The Corporate Couch, Rick Mathes (see his bio below) returns for part two of our three-part series on how Align Pain Solutions helps people relieve pain and increase mobility. In this episode, we go deeper into the science of posture and how simple, targeted movements can unlock lasting pain relief and better movement—without drugs, surgery, or endless adjustments. We co...

This is the first episode where I felt at times it was one of my therapy sessions and I should have been lying on The Corporate Couch:-) I chat with the fantastic Britt Frank, licensed neuropsychotherapist, trauma expert, and author of The Science of Stuck. As the first interview of 2025—and our first licensed neuropsychotherapist—Britt brings a fresh and no-nonsense perspective on how our brains...

In this episode, I welcome  Rich Cogswell (see his bio below), a people-first sales leader, FinTech expert, and the first international guest on the podcast. Broadcasting all the way from Singapore, Rich brings a global perspective on what truly makes a high-performing sales culture—and spoiler alert, it’s not just about hitting numbers. We dive into: The evolution of sales from the "Boiler Room"...

In this episode, I sit down with Nick McLean, co-founder of Four Pillars Investors, a Kansas City-based private equity firm focused on founder and family-owned businesses. Nick’s journey from industrial engineering to private equity wasn’t a straight path—he meandered through consulting, corporate roles, and entrepreneurship before finding his true passion: buying and growing businesses. At Four P...

In this Special Edition of The Corporate Couch, I sit down with Rick Mathes (see his bio below), co-founder of Align Pain Solutions, to discuss his transformative journey from debilitating back pain to pain-free living through postural therapy. After surviving a life-altering car accident that left him with five spinal fractures, Rick was told he would never play tennis or hike again. Refusing to...