The Third Growth Option with Benno Duenkelsbuehler and Guests

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Jamie Gallagher, CEO of 4 the Win Partners, shares his evolution from corporate climbing to visionary leadership. Drawing from experiences at European giants like Lego and mentorship from Count Anton Wolfgang Faber-Castell, Jamie navigates the complexities of leadership and innovation in today's volatile business landscape. Find out what the 4 gro...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Kai Bitter shows us the steps of training lawyers in the nuances of sales—or as we call it, Sales 101 for Lawyers.  From overcoming the 2008 economic storm, embracing rejection, and finding that sweet spot where personal and professional interests align for success, Kai shares how authenticity and passion are the true catalysts for forging long-lasting...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? As an outside general counsel, Todd Wilkowski talks about how legal expertise can act as a catalyst for growth and innovation. Rather than being a mere gatekeeper, Todd serves as a facilitator, ensuring that legal considerations seamlessly integrate with expansion goals, thus becoming an indispensable asset in corporate leadership. We delve into practi...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? When Steve Berry swapped the familiarity of Boston for Miami's melting pot, his world turned upside down, and so did his approach to business and life.  Steve's transformation from being rooted in uniformity to thriving amidst diversity led to a personal leap across cultural lines, led to love, and also to the creation of multi-million dollar...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? How do you build personal trust communities, to catapult your growth in life and career? Mike Thorne, the brain behind and CEO of Trust Inside, shares his journey and how these communities have become his rock. Mike's mantra of 'belong, build, believe', acts as a compass guiding him through life's different stages, as a valuable wor...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? We speak to  KAIVAC's leader, Bob Robinson Jr., about  how to view progress and creativity in business. Bob's seasoned perspective emphasizes how innovation transcends mere product development, shaping the very essence of corporate systems. Drawing parallels between KAIVAC's innovation ethos and the miracle of new life, Bob illustrates a...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? You've spent years building your business, pouring every ounce of your energy into fostering its growth. But, it's time to move on. The decision to sell your business is a significant one, and it's crucial to understand the journey you're about to embark on. In this candid conversation with Brent Rippe, partner at RKCA, an investmen...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? John Baines, a remarkable leader who ascended from engineer to president by the age of 29, shares his compelling journey to growth by embracing the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable, and even the panic-inducing aspects of leadership. John offers invaluable insights into leadership evolution.  In our reflective dialogue, we delve into the iceberg metaphor o...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? The blueprint-to-finished-building analogies are unavoidable when speaking both personal and corporate growth, with Jeffrey Sackenheim, the visionary CEO of SHP. Jeff is an architect's architect, and he's turning a 123-year-old design and architecture firm into a national trailblazer in educational design in both a humble and talented way.  J...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Listen to David Garascia, a seasoned consumer products commercial leader with a $3.5B sales record, share his secrets of successful sales strategies, growth perspectives and the importance of occasionally changing lanes. He'll walk us through the fundamentals of sales, from the importance of consistency and follow-up to influencing actions through...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Gavin Marks is the forward-thinking CEO and Lightbulb Moment Igniter of DM Merchandising. Gavin shares how he became a growth mindset evangelist for his team and customers, and how embracing discomfort can be a leader's most potent tool. This episode is filled with real world insights, from his evolution in the family business to igniting those li...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? We asked three consumer executives who had just returned from two important January 2024 tradeshows, to share their observations (on product trends, consumer behaviors, sourcing-, buyer-, and marketing shifts) and their outlook for 2024.  Laurie Gilner (President/CEO of Transpac Brands and exhibitor at Atlanta Market among others), Rick Haase (Founder/...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? We talk about the role of leadership and training within organizations of all sizes. From the deck of a Navy ship to the corridors of Ivystone (an entrepreneurial multiline sales agency), Andy Bjork, a Navy-Captain-turned-Chief-Sales-Officer, shares methodologies and real life examples that nurture effective growth. Learn how the Navy's allowance...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Kristina Stevens loves to challenge norms, so clearly not your average Operations and Supply Chain leader. Kristina's big vision for life, unconventional perspective, and unwavering ambition for improvement shape the core of our discussion. Our conversation reveals a compelling narrative of Kristina's life - conquering a demanding career, rai...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Ever wondered how one transitions from a corporate job to being a purpose-driven entrepreneur? Or how iconic brands like Saks Fifth Avenue create unforgettable shopping experiences? I sat down with Harry Cunningham, the brain behind Saks' stunning Christmas windows and co-founder of GoodMRKT. Harry unveils the mysteries of visual merchandising and...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Ever wondered what it's like to be an ER doctor, but in the business world? Witness the high-stakes, high-pressure arena of corporate turnarounds in our latest episode with Jeff Sands, the founding partner of Dorset Partners. Jeff illuminates the unique challenges faced and the speed and creativity required to execute successful turnarounds. He dr...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Imagine being a small business, fighting against the tide of big retail giants in the digital space. What if there was a platform designed to level the playing field, geared towards a community-focused digital solution for local retailers? This episode is a heart-to-heart chat with Kate Giovambattista, visionary founder of Beyond Main, who has been cha...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Imagine scaling Everest Base Camp, not just for the thrill of it, but to draw deep life and leadership lessons. Our guest, Ketul Patel, is a seasoned supply chain and operations executive, and a climber who dared to reach the Everest Base Camp despite naysayers pointing out his age. The challenges he faced, the motivations that propelled him, and the i...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? How did a traditional factory navigate the journey to digital touchpoint transformation? Meet Nuno Malheiro, Head of Global Sales at Tintex and founder of Expegy,  who offers the frontline perspective on transforming a textile factory's sales process from analog to digital. This isn't just about tech - it's about how Nuno transplanted a...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Ready to discover what drives a man to pursue the startup life, learn inside corporate America for over a decade, then lean back into the startup world? Join us as we engage in an enthralling conversation with Nelson Warley, co-founder of True Places. Learn how this visionary is redesigning the consumer goods space by pioneering an asset-light model. N...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Process, growth, and creativity - starting your career at 18 and scaling the corporate ladder to become a successful business executive and CEO - that's Brittany Toler's inspiring journey. She cut her teeth at Cape Craftsman, earned her stripes at Evergreen, and eventually led a direct-to-consumer company as CEO, running on the Entrepreneuria...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? In this episode, we are chatting with Trent Guyer, VP of Marketing and Digital Strategy at Grasshopper Mowers in Moundridge, KS—a small town in the heart of the United States. Theirs is a third-generation family business that has embarked on an exciting journey from old-school manufacturing to cutting-edge product and market innovation.   Trent takes u...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Welcome back, podcast aficionados! In this episode with Cheri Lantz, we're diving deep into the world of recruitment and talent acquisition, with a dash of entrepreneurial growth mindset. We understand that many of our listeners are eager to bridge the talent gap and become true magnets for exceptional individuals. In this riveting episode, before...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Curious about the creative process? How does it apply to innovation and teamwork in general? Enter Nick DeSario, a deeply experienced and talented furniture designer, whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. Nick and I talk about the creative process, collaboration, how to blend and pair ideas and influences to bring fresh s...

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Reigniting the spark of a 48-year-old legacy company, whose founder had passed away some years ago, is a difficult balancing act. Chuck Fraelich, president of tag - a legendary tabletop and seasonal decor brand founded by David Glassberg - in this episode is walking me through both the brand relaunch, and the 4 stages in his career that prepared him fo...