The Executive Connect Podcast

What if your expertise is not the problem, but the fact that the right people still do not know you exist? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dominic Forth, founder of the Authority Engine, to discuss why credible leaders are often overlooked while louder voices capture the attention. Dominic explains why positioning can matter as much as expertise, how leaders u...

Are you leading your organization toward the future, or simply reacting to whatever happens next? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Donna Dupont, award-winning futurist, designer, and founder of Purple Compass, to discuss how leaders can strengthen their ability to anticipate change, make better decisions, and prepare their organizations for uncertainty. Drawing...

Are you earning at a high level while your money is still working far less efficiently than you are? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Lon Welsh, founder of Ironton Capital, to discuss how executives and accredited investors can use real estate to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds while building a portfolio around their time, risk tolerance, and long...

What if your next employee is not a person, but AI? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Sean Campbell to examine how artificial intelligence is changing the economics of entrepreneurship, hiring, and career ownership. Sean explains why one person can now operate with capabilities that once required an entire team, and why knowing how to delegate effectively may be...

What if executive presence has less to do with charisma and more to do with how you think, decide, and lead when the pressure is high? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dan Kasper, a former Navy SEAL leader and founder of Piloteer, to discuss what elite teams can teach business leaders about performance, decision-making, and adaptability. Dan explains why high p...

What if companies trained their people with the same consistency and intention they now use to train AI? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Rob Marcus, founder of Blue Stallion Leadership and author of Crossing the Divide, to discuss why being great at your job does not automatically prepare you to lead other people. Rob breaks down the five challenges new leader...

What if you could generate income backed by real estate without owning the property, managing tenants, or dealing with repairs? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Fred Moskowitz, fund manager, educator, and bestselling author, to break down the world of mortgage note investing and what it means to step into the position of the bank. Fred explains how investors ca...

How much is outdated data, repetitive work, and disconnected systems quietly costing your business? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Zulfiya Forsythe, founder of Omadli, to discuss how businesses can turn scattered data and manual processes into systems that support faster, clearer decision-making. Zulfiya shares how her own frustration with repetitive accounti...

What separates leaders who can grow a business from those who can guide an entire organization through transformation? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Alex Dixon, advisor at GMA Consulting and former CEO of Resorts World, to discuss the intersection of finance, operations, governance, technology, and enterprise leadership. Alex shares how his early experience...

Is your LinkedIn profile actually building your reputation, or is it still functioning like an outdated online résumé? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Al Kushner, author of The AI LinkedIn Advantage, to discuss how professionals can use LinkedIn and AI to increase visibility, strengthen credibility, and turn passive profiles into active business assets. Al exp...

What if some of the habits affecting your leadership performance are not simply mindset issues, but patterns connected to your individual biology? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Jennifer Little-Fleck, a molecular biology expert who translates complex genomic science into practical insights for leadership, communication, and personal performance. Jennifer intr...

What if your startup does not have a product problem, but a pricing, positioning, or customer problem? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Alex Shartsis, founder and CEO of Skip and Silverwood, to discuss why so many founders undercharge, chase the wrong customers, and mistake activity for real go-to-market traction. Alex explains why charging early gives founders...

Is your business actually using AI strategically, or just adding tools because everyone else is? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Angela Tipton and Travis Franklin to discuss how leaders can connect AI, marketing, automation, and business strategy without getting distracted by every new tool hitting the market. Angela shares how companies can stay flexible when...

What if AI could handle the pursuit of opportunities without replacing the human presence that actually builds trust? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Terry Higgs, entrepreneur and founder of SpeakerRealm, to discuss how AI agents and operating systems are changing business development, personal branding, and what one person can realistically accomplish. Terry...

What if your retirement account could invest in more than stocks, bonds, and mutual funds? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Kaaren Hall, founder of uDirect IRA Services and author of The Self-Directed IRA Handbook, to explain how self-directed IRAs can give investors access to alternative assets such as real estate, private equity, private lending, precious met...

Are employees really resisting the office, or are they resisting workplaces that no longer give them a reason to show up? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Ciara Peter, Senior Vice President of Product at Robin, to discuss how hybrid work is changing workplace strategy, office design, company culture, and the employee experience. Ciara explains why employees are...

What separates a leader people willingly follow from one who simply holds the title? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Marcylle Combs, an entrepreneur, speaker, mentor, and longtime leader in the home care and hospice industry, for a candid conversation about developing people, leading through uncertainty, and building a legacy that lasts beyond business success...

What happens when you leave corporate, lose the built-in structure, and suddenly have to become the strategist, marketer, salesperson, and operator all at once? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Javier Lozano Jr., a fractional growth leader who helps B2B companies build repeatable go-to-market systems and move from reactive marketing toward more predictable grow...

What if the way you lead others is limited by how well you lead yourself? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Regina Huber, transformational leadership coach, speaker, and author of Living My Freaking Amazing Life, to discuss why self-leadership is the foundation of sustainable leadership. Drawing from a career shaped by multiple continents, cultures, and leadersh...

What if poor leadership is costing your company far more than low morale? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, an experienced leadership advisor who has worked with government leaders, Fortune 500 executives, family businesses, and global organizations, to examine why leadership should be intentionally designed rather than simply inherited....

What if earning more money is not the same as feeling secure, building wealth, or creating financial freedom? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Hilary Hendershott, founder and chief advisor of Hendershott Wealth Management, Certified Financial Planner, and creator of the Money Operating System, to discuss why financial confidence often has very little to do with...

What if your lack of energy, focus, or progress is not a motivation problem, but a sign that your body is under-recovered? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Mauro Stara, founder of Six Pack CEO, to discuss why high-achieving executives often sacrifice their health while building successful careers and businesses. After experiencing burnout and heart-related heal...

What if your company’s biggest untapped investment is not technology, real estate, or another acquisition—but the people already inside the business? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, USA Today bestselling author, executive coach, and longtime human resources leader, to rethink how organizations hire, develop, and invest in talent. Cy...

What happens when you look successful on the outside but feel exhausted, pressured, and disconnected on the inside? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Grace Najean, keynote speaker and high-performance leadership coach, to discuss what she calls “achievement fatigue” and why success powered by stress eventually comes at a cost. Drawing from years of coaching foun...

Why do some leaders make people lean in while others struggle to make their message stick? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Marcia Layton Turner, award-winning ghostwriter and business strategist, to discuss why storytelling has become one of the most valuable leadership skills in business. Marcia explains how stories give facts and ideas context, helping execu...