The Executive Connect Podcast

What if the life everyone praises is the exact life that is quietly draining you? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Gregory Russell Benedikt, a former finance professional, coach, and TEDx speaker, to talk about what happens when external success stops feeling meaningful. Greg shares the quarter-life crisis that changed everything, why he walked away from privat...

What if the biggest thing blocking your success is not your strategy, but the programming buried underneath it? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Alain Salas, chiropractor and creator of the Goal and Success Clearing System, to talk about the hidden beliefs that quietly shape our health, relationships, and results. Alain shares his journey from life on a yac...

What if the best deal for your business is the one the wider market never sees? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Himanshu Singh, founder and managing director of HSA Advisory and the creator of CorpFinHub, to talk about how off-market M&A really works in the UK mid-market. Himanshu explains why many strong deals never reach crowded auction processes, where...

What if the role that changes your career never shows up on LinkedIn?   In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Jeremy Gartner, founder of Career Propulsion, to talk about how senior leaders actually land director, VP, and C-suite roles. Jeremy explains why most executive jobs are filled before they are ever posted, why resumes matter far less than people think, a...

What if the challenge you thought disqualified you is actually the thing that could set you apart? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Patrick Engasser to talk about sales leadership, resilience, and what it really means to lead from the front. Blind since birth, Patrick shares how he turned what looked like a disadvantage into a real edge, built a seven-figure sa...

What separates real innovation from expensive hype? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Irving Wladawsky-Berger, former IBM innovation leader, MIT research affiliate, and longtime advisor to global enterprises, to talk about what actually makes technology matter. Drawing on decades of experience through the rise of computers, the internet, and now AI, Irving expla...

What separates disciplined angel investors from people who simply get excited by a great pitch? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Marcia Dawood, seasoned angel investor, author, and educator, to unpack what really drives smart early-stage investing. Marcia shares how experienced investors evaluate founders, spot risky patterns early, think in portfolios ins...

What if the smartest growth move is not going bigger, but going smaller first? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with David Solomon, Founder of SERO Growth and also a fractional CRO and growth strategist, to talk about what actually makes expansion work. David shares why rushing into large markets can hurt more than help, how the right first market can teach a c...

Does building real wealth really require stock picks, market timing, and constant financial news? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth, to clear away the noise around investing and financial independence. JL explains why simple strategies often beat complicated ones, why market drops are part of the process, and why m...

What if the biggest edge in private equity is no longer capital, but operational intelligence? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dustin Williams to unpack how AI agents, strategic outcome engineering, and smarter system design are changing the way firms source deals, run diligence, and create value. Dustin explains why so many firms are still trapped by bad...

What if the career that looks good on paper is the very thing draining your energy, confidence, and joy? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with therapist and career strategist Rachel Spekman to talk about what really happens when high performers stay too long in work that no longer fits. Rachel shares how misalignment shows up through burnout, anxiety, low motivation...

What happens when the life that looks successful no longer fits? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Betsy Pepine, bestselling author of Breaking Boxes, founder of Pepine Realty, and creator of Pepine Gives. Betsy shares how she left a secure healthcare career, challenged family expectations, built a nationally recognized real estate company, and learned that...

What happens when AI stops being a tool and starts acting like a teammate? In this episode of Executive Connect, Brian sits down with Nikki Barua, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and co-founder of FlipWork, to talk about what agentic AI really means for leaders. Nikki explains why most companies are getting AI adoption wrong, how human and AI teams should actually work, and why culture ch...

What makes people want to stay, contribute, and actually care about the work they do? In this episode of Executive Connect , host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Joan Hibdon to talk about the real connection between leadership, culture, strategy, and employee experience. Joan shares what she has learned from leading across industries, cultures, and global teams, and why the strongest organizations...

AI is everywhere, but most companies are still getting it wrong. In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa talks with AI strategist and advisor Kavita Ganesan about why so many AI projects fail, what leaders misunderstand about AI readiness, and how to make AI deliver real business value. Kavita explains what she sees when companies rush into AI without a plan, how to tell whether you have an...

In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Daniel Hindi, founder, engineer, and CEO of Gnome.ai, to talk about what AI is really changing in business, leadership, and the future of work. Daniel shares lessons from building and selling multiple companies, and explains why the real power of AI is not just automation, but helping people focus on clearer thinking, bette...

What if burnout is not just stress, but a warning sign that the way you are working is no longer sustainable? In this episode of Executive Connect , host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Garrett Wood , coach, entrepreneur, and founder of Gnosis Therapy , for a practical conversation on burnout, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and sustainable performance. Garrett shares his personal burnout s...

What if the biggest factor in executive success is not saying more, but saying the right thing in a way people trust? In this episode of Executive Connect , host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Elie Jacobs , communications strategist and co-founder of Purposeful Advisors , to talk about executive communication, public trust, and what leaders need to do when the pressure is on. Elie shares lessons...

What if the key to career growth is not working harder, but learning how to manage up with influence and impact? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Andrea Wasserman, Fortune 500 executive, advisor, and founder of The Executive Express, to talk about how leaders can give feedback to their boss, build trust with senior stakeholders, and grow their executive pr...

What if your communication style is costing you trust, clarity, and opportunities without you even realizing it? In this episode of Executive Connect , Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Emmy-winning sports broadcaster and communication coach Jen Mueller to break down what great communication actually looks like under pressure. Drawing from years on NFL and MLB sidelines, Jen explains why small talk...

What if the next level of leadership is not about doing more, but understanding what has been driving you all along? In this episode of Executive Connect , host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Zaina Orbai, executive coach and former senior leader who helped take both Yelp and The RealReal public, to talk about the emotional programming that quietly shapes leadership, ambition, perfectionism, and r...

Most companies are losing money every day, and many do not realize the real reason. It is not strategy, culture, or motivation. It is sleep. In this episode of Executive Connect , host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Michael Breus , also known as The Sleep Doctor , to talk about the true business cost of poor sleep. From lower productivity and weaker decision-making to safety concerns and risi...

Still trying to do everything yourself in business? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Kirsten Graham to talk about what really changes when entrepreneurs stop wearing every hat and start building support systems that actually work. Kirsten shares how outsourcing, automation, marketing virtual assistants, video, and podcasting can help service-based business owne...

Why do so many AI projects stall out, overspend, or quietly fail inside organizations? In this episode of Executive Connect , Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Kathleen Walch , leader at the Project Management Institute and co-creator of the CPMAI methodology, to talk about what actually makes AI succeed. Kathleen explains why AI failure is rarely just a tech problem and why leadership, change manag...

What actually makes an oil and gas investment work long term? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Mark Elliott of Summit Ventures and operator Nathan Calvin for a grounded conversation on what separates real execution from boardroom theory. They break down why good geology matters, how bad operators destroy strong assets, and why capital discipline can make or bre...