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 visionary leader he is today. From building a tech company that grew 60X in just three years (and was later acquired by a Fortune 500 firm) to his viral TEDx Talk on AI and the Future of Work (over 1.1 million views), Frankie’s insights are raw, real, and radically useful.

We talk about what it means to create a workplace where everyone’s genius comes out, why most organizations stifle innovation, and how a little weirdness might be the missing link to your next breakthrough. Oh—and yes, you’ll finally find out what the hell a “Donkey Barbeque” is.

If you’re tired of the same old corporate playbook, this conversation will shake things up in the best way possible.

Watch Frankie’s TEDx Talk: AI and the Future of Work

 

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder Jeff Pelaccio doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Frankie: ​Frankie Russo​ (Website) is a visionary in authenticity, imagination, and growth. An entrepreneur with a proven track record for using innovative methods to unlock rapid growth. Russo has led multiple companies to remarkable growth, landing on the Inc. 500/5000 list 8 years in a row, including 60X growth in three years of his tech company 360ia, leading to an acquisition by a Fortune 500 company.​ Organizations that Russo has collaborated with who have embraced his “Love Your Weird” movement were able to adapt, innovate, and grow through massive uncertainty and change. In his latest work, Russo shares the critical unlocks for driving unprecedented and continuous growth by leading with authenticity, imagination, and generosity.​ He is the author of two best-selling books and a sought-after speaker known for transforming organizational cultures and inspiring individual and corporate growth. His keynote experiences are tailored, experiential, and full of actionable insights for fostering a culture of authenticity, imagination, and collaboration to unlock breakthrough results and extraordinary transformation and growth. Frankie’s highest calling is his family, and he happily lives with his wife and six children in Louisiana.

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 his work with an NBA player and explains how his postural therapy approach can help athletes maintain symmetry, improve movement efficiency, and extend their careers. Whether you're a weekend warrior or a seasoned pro, this episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to keep their edge.

 

Special Offers for our Listeners:

• A free 30-minute consultation with Align Pain Solutions
• $25 off a single visit
• $100 off an 8- or 16-visit package.

Learn more and book a free session at Align Pain Solutions​ (you can also visit their YouTube Channel for examples of their therapy -YouTube).

 

About Rick:

Rick Mathes is the co-founder and owner of Align Pain Solutions, a postural therapy clinic based in Austin, Texas. Together with his former wife Teresa, Rick practices the ​Egoscue method, pioneered by Peter ​Egoscue in the 1970s.​ Rick's journey into postural therapy began after a life-changing car accident in 1992. At age 31, he suffered a severe collision on Interstate 10 outside Tucson, breaking his back in five places. After two years of intensive physical therapy, doctors told him he would never return to activities like tennis or hiking (and most likely be in a wheelchair in several years). Unwilling to accept this prognosis, Rick spent six years searching for alternatives as his pain worsened to debilitating levels.​ When a neurosurgeon recommended spinal fusion surgery, Rick discovered the​ Egoscue Method and began treatment at ​Egoscue's clinic in San Diego. Within three to four months, Rick experienced remarkable improvement, returning to playing tennis at a 4.5 level without pain.​ This transformative experience inspired Rick and Teresa to change careers and open Align Pain Solutions. Their practice focuses on correcting posture through gentle exercises rather than treating symptoms, helping clients with chronic or acute pain issues who haven't found relief through conventional therapies. Rick's approach emphasizes repositioning the body to achieve postural balance, enabling muscles to function properly without manipulation, drugs, or surgery.  

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 accept that prognosis, he discovered the Egoscue Method—a revolutionary approach to correcting posture and eliminating pain without drugs, surgery, or manipulation.

We cover: ✅ Rick’s incredible recovery journey and why he rejected spinal fusion surgery. ✅ How postural therapy differs from chiropractic care, physical therapy, and other treatments. ✅ Why pain isn’t always caused by injury—but by how your body is positioned. ✅ The simple, corrective exercises that can help relieve chronic pain and increase mobility. ✅ How Align Pain Solutions helps people reclaim their movement, strength, and quality of life—no matter where they live.

I’m not just the host today—I’m also a client of Align Pain Solutions, and I’ve personally experienced the benefits of postural therapy. If you’ve struggled with chronic pain or want to improve your mobility and flexibility, this episode is a must-listen!

Special Offers for our Listeners: 🆓 Free 30-minute consultation with Align Pain Solutions 💲 $25 off a single visit 💲 $100 off an 8- or 16-visit package

📌 Learn more and book a free session at Align Pain Solutions

🎧 Tune in now to discover how small postural changes can lead to big pain relief and greater mobility!

 

Rick's Bio:

Rick Mathes is the co-founder and owner of Align Pain Solutions, a postural therapy clinic based in Austin, Texas. Together with his former wife Teresa, Rick practices the ​Egoscue method, pioneered by Peter ​Egoscue in the 1970s. Rick's journey into postural therapy began after a life-changing car accident in 1992. At age 31, he suffered a severe collision on Interstate 10 outside Tucson, breaking his back in five places. After two years of intensive physical therapy, doctors told him he would never return to activities like tennis or hiking (and most likely be in a wheelchair in several years). Unwilling to accept this prognosis, Rick spent six years searching for alternatives as his pain worsened to debilitating levels. When a neurosurgeon recommended spinal fusion surgery, Rick discovered the​ Egoscue Method and began treatment at ​Egoscue's clinic in San Diego. Within three to four months, Rick experienced remarkable improvement, returning to playing tennis at a 4.5 level without pain. This transformative experience inspired Rick and Teresa to change careers and open Align Pain Solutions. Their practice focuses on correcting posture through gentle exercises rather than treating symptoms, helping clients with chronic or acute pain issues who haven't found relief through conventional therapies. Rick's approach emphasizes repositioning the body to achieve postural balance, enabling muscles to function properly without manipulation, drugs, or surgery.  

Jennifer Rome describes herself as on a mission to make a positive impact on all she crosses paths with.  She serves as a mortgage advisor for Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and is the co-founder and president of a local non-profit called The Giving Professional KC.  She is a mother to two incredible young men and is proud to be a Kansas City native.  

In 2019 and 2020, her world was turned upside-down and she had to quickly make choices on how she would rebuild.  She was finalizing an extremely tumultuous divorce, when she would encounter a life-threatening health crisis and then lost her job due Covid, just before closing on the purchase of her new home.  Essentially, she and her boys were displaced from everything they knew with limited ability to rebuild.  

But Jennifer is not one to succumb to crisis and knew her mindset and the small choices she made each day would lead her and her boys to a new life. 

And she is not stopping there.  Instead, she is using her experiences to connect with others and to give back to those whose hardships are great.  

Her goal is to be a voice of inspiration for anyone who needs the courage of another to overcome their heartache and their hardship.  

Upcoming projects include a podcast and a book.  Although neither yet has a release date, she is one to watch.  She is particularly interested in human stories and the power that sharing offers us on our journey to live profound lives,  

And in her words, “At the end of my life, I intend to look back and say "Yes, I lived! And, yes, I made a difference for the people in my life! And if I am lucky, I will leave a legacy!".

 

Our conversation will make you laugh and cry but you will leave inspired by hearing Jennifer's story. Please enjoy!

​In this episode, we explore Pamela Norton's journey as an American entrepreneur and visionary who believes in the interdependence of business and social impact. Join us as we delve into her groundbreaking work at Borsetta and TitleChain, where she utilizes blockchain, AI, and micro-electronic chip solutions to revolutionize the digital asset and Intellectual Property landscape. Learn how Pamela's disruptive innovation and cheerful futurism are shaping the economic Web3 growth and increasing liquidity while eliminating manual valuation operations by 90%. Throughout her illustrious career, Pamela has built world-class technology solutions, high-performing product development teams, and fruitful partnerships with clients, resulting in multi-million-dollar bottom-line growth. 

Pamela talks about "failing forward" and how difficult it was for a female CEO during the "Dot.Com" boom to get funding while PE firms were lending money to companies like sockpuppet.com. We talk about how she should have died on 9/11 as she would have been in the World Trade Center that day but she was ousted by the company that had acquired her start-up and the repercussions of that experience took a toll on her physically, mentally, and emotionally.

  This conversation with Pamela is fascinating on so many levels. Please enjoy!   You can learn more about Pamela and her company at:   http://www.titlechain.world

 

 

Henning ​​Schwinum is a creative and results-driven global founder and executive with extensive domestic and international experience in Sales, Supply Chain, and General Management, both in a corporate and entrepreneurial setting. He​nning launched Vendux in 2019 as the matchmaker, the agency for fractional and interim sales leadership. And almost four years later, Vendux is the only matchmaker focusing on CRO, CSO, or VP of Sales roles, representing North America's largest community of Sales Leaders.​ For more information, you can visit https://www.vendux.org/.   Please enjoy my conversation with Henning!

Amy Bradshaw recently joined Capitol Bridge, LLC, and is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. In her role. Amy is responsible for scaling the organization’s financial and accounting infrastructure to support the growth of the overall company.

Before joining Capitol Bridge, Amy worked with technology and services companies to evolve the accounting and finance functions. She has experience building strong teams and implementing new systems and processes to enable growth. Amy is a strong leader passionate about developing her team members and finding creative solutions to challenging situations.

Amy graduated summa cum laude from Miami University with bachelor's degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Accounting. She also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Amy is an active member of her community and currently serves on the non-profit boards of Cornerstones of Care, BraCoutureKC, and the Kansas City chapter of Financial Executives International.

 

Please enjoy my great conversation with Amy!

Mark Mears is a #1 Best Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building shareholder value—driving innovation and profitable growth among world-class, high-profile brands such as PepsiCo/Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, NBCUniversal, and The Cheesecake Factory. Today, Mark serves as Chief Growth Officer for LEAF Growth Ventures, LLC—a consulting firm inspiring individuals, teams, and organizations to find purpose in fulfilling their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference in the world. Mark has just released his new book, The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder. Mark is also a member of the Senior Leader Network within Conscious Capitalism, Inc., a global organization whose mission he shares: Elevating Humanity Through Business. In doing so, his goal is to put the “Human” back in Human Resources. For more information, please visit https://www.MarkAMears.com or connect with Mark on LinkedIn at Mark's LinkedIn profile   It's a great conversation with Mark...Please enjoy!  

​Valerie Jennings is CEO of Jennings​  Social Media & MarTech (JSMM​ - ​https://jsmmtech.com.​), which she founded in 2003 and has grown into a highly competitive ​Martech agency. The agency specializes in paid media, SEO, content strategy, and influencer marketing, working with clients in the automotive industry, transportation, ​logistics, healthcare, beauty, financial services, travel and tourism, technology, ​and ​home services. ​She presented at the 2023 Midwest Digital Marketing Conference in St. Louis and​ ​has earned awards and honors from the Stevie Awards, FOLIO, AMBIT, and others for her entrepreneurship, industry leadership, and excellence. Valerie remains a leader in the industry and is involved in the community, speaking at conferences, moderating and participating in digital panels, and speaking to community groups. ​She advocates for numerous charities, giving back to non-profits, including those focused on animal welfare, children and families, women, ​​and girls. Valerie invests her time mentoring women and entrepreneurs and is highly engaged in the AI community. A cornerstone of her agency continues to be fostering a positive community through education, technology, and career development. Please enjoy my conversation with Valerie!  

​Lisa Seim has traded and sold treasury products for various financial institutions in Austria, Germany, and NYC in the mid-80s and 90s. In July 2011, she realized the markets were lost and stuck between the new regulatory mandates of Dodd-Frank regulatory reform and coming to terms with the fact that legacy technologies had little capacity to handle the new regulatory environment. Transparency and managing risk became at the top of everyone’s list. Lisa decided to establish Strategic Exchanges to help financial firms navigate through this new and very difficult path. She now steers financial institutions towards innovative solutions that will help them adhere to the new regulatory mandates. Lisa Seim presently engages over seventeen different firms that address various issues on the way trades are executed, processed, reported, and settled within the framework of the new regulatory mandates. Her consortium members currently comprise data, research, and analytics companies, aggregation services and applications, trade surveillance systems, clearing house services, legal services around financial technology applications, collateral and liquidity management systems along with lightweight, web-based portfolio management solutions. Through roundtable discussions, Lisa’s consortium members provide the latest tools to address the mandates as they are enacted. Lisa completed the equivalent of a master's degree in International Law & Finance in Vienna, Austria, and continues to stay on top of the global regulatory mandates and their impact on the financial industry.     Please enjoy my conversation with my junior high and high school friend, Lisa Seim!    

Lori Saitz is the founder and CEO of Zen Rabbit ​​and host of the podcast “Fine is a 4-Letter Word.” An award-winning author, speaker, and broadcaster, Lori is on a mission to teach the world to be calm and grounded no matter what’s going on.​ ​High achievers come to her because they have a strong drive to be productive, but at the end of the day never feel accomplished enough. As a nationally recognized gratitude and meditation expert, Lori guides those entrepreneurs and business leaders from stressed and chaotic to peaceful and focused as well as showing them how to live a sabbatical life. Then they start seeing sales increase, relationships strengthen, and overall health improve.​Lori was also founder/CEO of her own bakery company for 11 years which was featured on the Rachel Ray show​ In August 2022, Lori took a month-long sabbatical road trip with her 19-year-old cat. Read her account in chapter 8 of Love Warriors. You can often find Lori in her sanctuary, aka the weight room at the gym. She also loves cupcakes, Thai food, and classic rock music.   Please enjoy my conversation with Lori!

​Megan Galloway is on a mission to make our workplace a more authentic and human place for current and future generations to thrive. She works with Campfire (https://www.getcampfire.com/) to help managers be the best versions of themselves through innovative, community-based learning. She's spent over a decade building learning and development programs from the ground up for companies that have never had them before, including one recognized as a top global learning program. She lives in Kansas City with her family, loves Ted Lasso, and aspires to be a Great British Bakeoff baker.     You will enjoy my conversation with Megan!  

When Dan Hurst (www.DanHurst.com) was born in Texas, his parents moved. To Honduras. They thought he wouldn't find them. He grew up speaking Spanish. Well, “grew up” might be stretching it a bit. When he was 14 years old he got his first job in radio.  The radio station changed its locks on him. His parents sent him to reform school.  He got kicked out. He finally graduated from High School although the principal "forgot" to call his name at graduation. He spent 13 of the best years of his life in college. 4 different ones. And he actually graduated! He got married and had 3 children.  They moved out.  But they keep coming back to eat. He had a dog, but it ran away. He’s been a voice talent for over 25 years. Mostly because he’s not any good at anything else. He spends most of his days in a small, dark voiceover booth talking to himself.

But other than that, it's been a pretty normal life.

Oh, and by the way, he just won the 2022 Golden Trailer Award (the Oscars of voiceovers) for his work for HBO/Max’s TV series – Winning Time: The Rise of the Laker Dynasty (see the trailer here: Winning Time)

 

Please enjoy my conversation with the very funny Dan Hurst!

I was honored to chat with Mindy Corporon (see her bio below), a leader, author, and advocate for empathy in the workplace. Mindy’s journey is one of profound loss (losing both her father and oldest son when a white supremacist killed them), resilience, and transformation—from her successful career in wealth management to her mission-driven work with SevenDays® and Workplace Healing.

In our conversation, we discuss:

- Her powerful story of loss and how it reshaped her life’s purpose. - The importance of empathetic leadership and how corporate leaders can better support employees through grief and life transitions. - Her innovative Human Recovery Platform™ and how it’s changing workplace culture. - Lessons from navigating career pivots and finding purpose after tragedy. - The role of kindness and connection in overcoming hate.

Mindy’s resilience in the face of adversity is nothing short of inspiring. Whether you’re a leader looking to foster a culture of compassion or someone navigating your own life transitions, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and actionable takeaways.

Check out Mindy’s book, Healing a Shattered Soul, and learn more about her work at Workplace Healing and SevenDays®.

Tune in now for an unforgettable conversation about healing, leadership, and the power of kindness.

 

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder Jeff Pelaccio doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

 

Mindy's bio: Mindy Corporon ​(LinkedIn) is the Vice President of Strategy and Engagement with Global Care Force, where she drives sustainability through strategic growth initiatives and partnership development. Focused on aligning performance metrics with mission impact, she enhances organizational effectiveness and engagement across diverse stakeholders. As the Co-Founder of Workplace Healing and innovator of the Human Recovery Platform™ and Grief Forecast, Mindy empowers corporate leaders to transform how they support employees navigating life and loss transitions. By integrating the head-based corporate environment with empathetic, heart-based strategies, she helps build cultures rooted in trust, long-term productivity, and morale. Mindy’s vision for Workplace Healing was born from personal tragedy and a challenging re-entry into corporate life. At the height of her career as CEO of a successful wealth management firm and while raising two talented sons, her father, and oldest son were murdered by a white supremacist intent on killing Jews. This profound loss shifted her life purpose from guiding people financially to pioneering initiatives that help leaders and organizations embrace empathy and compassion.

An inspirational speaker and author of Healing a Shattered Soul (2021), Mindy shares her family’s story of resilience, faith, and unwavering commitment to courageous kindness. In response to the tragedy, she and her family founded SevenDays® Inc., a foundation dedicated to overcoming hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue. SevenDays® engages communities, businesses, and schools in its mission to Make a Ripple, Change the World. Mindy remains deeply committed to SevenDays and Workplace Healing, using her passion to help schools foster kindness and businesses lead with empathy through innovative resources, kindness clubs, and leadership tools.

When Dan Hurst (www.DanHurst.com) was born in Texas, his parents moved. To Honduras. They thought he wouldn't find them. He grew up speaking Spanish. Well, “grew up” might be stretching it a bit. When he was 14 years old he got his first job in radio.  The radio station changed its locks on him. His parents sent him to reform school.  He got kicked out. He finally graduated from High School although the principal "forgot" to call his name at graduation. He spent 13 of the best years of his life in college. 4 different ones. And he actually graduated! He got married and had 3 children.  They moved out.  But they keep coming back to eat. He had a dog, but it ran away. He’s been a voice talent for over 25 years. Mostly because he’s not any good at anything else. He spends most of his days in a small, dark voiceover booth talking to himself.

But other than that, it's been a pretty normal life.

Oh, and by the way, he just won the 2022 Golden Trailer Award (the Oscars of voiceovers) for his work for HBO/Max’s TV series – Winning Time: The Rise of the Laker Dynasty (see the trailer here: Winning Time)

 

Please enjoy my conversation with the very funny Dan Hurst!

Cody Isabel is a brain researcher, entrepreneur, and the CEO & Co-Founder of Mind Brain and Body Lab (https://www.mindbrainbodylab.com/) which focuses on bringing successful treatment outcomes to those healing from CPTSD & anxiety caused by traumas like emotional abuse, and burnout, or after a breakup/divorce.

They use AI algorithms to analyze the biometric & behavioral data to aid in the treatments we provide our clients. Their mission is to provide better ways to objectively measure, diagnose, and treat individual mental health conditions.

Please enjoy my conversation with Cody!

Komalpreet “Komal” Kaur is the 18-year-old founder of Eye of An Immigrant (https://www.eyeofanimmigrant.org/ ), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to sharing the stories of the immigrant journey and to providing resources and funds for immigrants to gain a legal pathway to citizenship.

Komal is a freshman at the University of Kansas majoring in Political Science and Business Administration with a minor in Intelligence and National Security Studies on the pre-law track in the Honors program. At the University of Kansas, she is a Student Senator serving on the Finance Council and a member of the South Asian Student Association Executive Board.

Before starting college, Kaur was deeply involved in youth activism and involvement in local government. She served as the two-time co-chair of the Olathe Teen Council and interned in the City Manager’s Office at the City of Olathe her senior year.

Kaur’s family immigrated from Punjab, India to the United States in the late 1980s. She was born and raised in Queens, New York, and moved to Olathe, Kansas in 2017.

Please enjoy my conversation with Komal!

 

If you are moved by Komal’s inspirational story and helping immigrants you can donate to Eye of An Immigrant here: https://www.eyeofanimmigrant.org/

​Michael Smith is a 25+ year veteran of the IT industry.  Michael has led several complex digital and operational transformations for various companies during his career.  Most recently, he led an end-to-end business and digital transformation for a national healthcare association.  His efforts were recognized as recently as 2020, being named one of the 100 most innovative CIOs globally.  Furthermore, his teams have been identified as some of the most innovative in the industry, including being recognized as one of the 100 best companies to work for in IT in 2021 across the United States.  The team he managed, and the organization he led the technology strategy for was the only company in Kansas City to receive that designation.  During Michael’s career, he has worked for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the world, as well as a successful consulting career, affording him the opportunity to work across various industries.  As an experienced, award-winning technology strategist with an extensive executive leadership background, Michael is uniquely positioned to meet organizational strategic objectives while enforcing IT execution to achieve more significant growth and sustained profitability.

Michael is currently the CIO for a startup biotechnology company in the greater Kansas City area focused on revolutionizing and disrupting the sample prep Microbiology industry; through a patented technology process that uniquely positions the company for significant growth and expansion opportunities.

You will enjoy my conversation with Michael!

Frank Bonura started as an information technology recruiter in 1979 with a focus on the contract‐for‐hire methodology. Pursuing his passion for executive recruiting he launched Alternative Search in 1984 focusing on information technology and C-level search engagements.

In 1987, Frank gained a reputation for connecting people regardless of their personal or professional stations in life. By the end of the decade, he came to be known as “The Connector”. Business owners/leaders who recognize that “relationships” are a major contributor to their company’s success hired Frank to introduce them to other like‐minded business owners/leaders (Frank wants people to know that relationship creation and nurturing are not to be confused with networking, which is nothing more than “card swapping”).

In 2008, he founded Franklin Executive Solutions, LLC (https://feskc.com/), and created the Executive Agent (EA) methodology.  Frank used this to manage the careers of executive operators in much the same fashion that professional agents represent the interests of actors and athletes.  With the support of a research team, he did everything from identifying and pursuing EA client opportunities to negotiating the terms and conditions of each engagement.  Also, as an alternative to outplacement services, Frank began providing “unorthodox” career management counseling and transition support services to displaced employees of companies at every professional level.

At the start of 2015, he became acquainted with many military veterans and their unique post-service employment transition.  Through introductions, Frank uncovered an urgent need for a paradigm shift in how veterans and employers viewed each other.  In analyzing this need, he defined a methodology by which veterans can create and secure the opportunities they deserve.

In 2017 Frank's business partner, Elizabeth Allen Founder of Economy of One, and Frank created a ten-module workshop.  The workshop "Creating Opportunities Instead of Chasing Jobs" has been successfully delivered to the private sector, military, colleges, and universities.

As a Kansas City native, his wife Danita and Frank have two daughters and five grandchildren. His interests are my faith, family, golf, and creating measurable value for all he encounters.

 

Please enjoy my conversation with "The Connector", Frank Bonura!

​Scott ​Burditt (linkedin.com/in/scottburditt) is genuinely interested in learning about others and loves nothing more than listening to customers tell their stories of ​"jobs" they​ are ​trying to get done unsuccessfully. For two decades, ​Scott has used those moments of customer frustration to fuel business growth by creating solutions and leading anywhere from 50 to 1,000 associates in delivering these solutions to the market through sales, marketing, and customer experience.

He​ has changed the way investors transact business by leading the creation of the first transactional mutual fund website. ​Scott saved the financial services industry millions by overseeing the development of the industry’s first electronic statement, trade confirmation, and compliance documentation. He identified new uses for an old agricultural commodity by facilitating the collaboration of scientists, government officials, business executives, and international diplomats. ​Scott helped credit unions underwrite jumbo mortgages by partnering with investment banks to create a credit union mortgage-backed security. And, he changed the value proposition of a creative services firm from printed retail signage to digital resulting in a 55 percent growth and a 1,000 percent increase in profits.

Scott’s broad industry experience, laser focus on customers, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity for discovering the root of any problem, and collaborative approach to aligning people around a common vision enable him to invent, communicate and execute transformative strategies that achieve growth.

You will enjoy my conversation with Scott!​

Nick Giuliani is currently the Director of Sales at Dynamic Logistix. Nick has spent most of his career in the logistics and supply chain industry, with the last eight years focused on software sales and leadership. Before joining the workforce, Nick graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2009 with a degree in Marketing and played on the baseball team.

Since joining his current company Dynamic Logistix in 2018, the company has gone from 28 employees and 23 million in revenue to over 120 people and almost 300 million in revenue. In November 2021, Nick created the KC Shout-Out Series, one of the only LinkedIn series dedicated to highlighting and featuring leaders, nonprofits, and women-owned businesses in the Kansas City area. In early February 2023, Nick created the KC Shout-Out Series blog (kcshoutoutseries.com) to house the 150+ features and have a singular place for people to learn about the fantastic people, nonprofits, and businesses in KC.

Nick also sits on the executive board for KC CAN (Kansas City Children’s Assistance Network), was a 2022 Rockstar for Band of Angels, and a 2022 Most Wanted Honoree for Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City.

 

Please enjoy my conversation with Nick!

​Danny Bader (www.dannybader.com) is a best-selling author and sought-after speaker whose life was transformed after he died when 8,000 volts of electricity ripped through him…then, he came back to life, from a place where he connected with “something bigger than us.” He uses his experience to lead people to create more perspective, joy, and a love that replaces weariness with inspiration, drives vision, and creates momentum for people in all areas of their lives. Danny has been inspiring the people of Fortune 500 companies like Merck, Comcast, The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, and Lincoln Financial with insight and practical tools that build momentum in the midst of defeating monotony. Often people find themselves stuck in their story of misfortune, lack of purpose, failure, or inadequacy, when in fact a bold vision and the right perspective are what they need to propel them forward with greater resilience, focus, and purpose. Danny’s reputation as an influencer in this arena continues to grow among some of the most well-respected brands and organizations nationwide.   Ranked #1 by Amazon and hailed by Success Magazine, Danny’s recent books are compelling stories that allow readers to identify themselves with real-life characters and turn that final page with a renewed awareness of their own purpose and passion for living resilient and fulfilling lives. Back to Life, Danny’s podcast and blog, are inspiring people worldwide with real-life stories, thought-provoking conversations, and practical, proven strategies to create resilient, energized, and fulfilling lives. ​Danny's story is one you will not want to miss so please enjoy!​

Steve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketing and strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups. His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for top brands like Sprint, Ford, ADP, and USAA.  Steve joined Unbound (https://www.unbound.org/) an international nonprofit organization, based in the Kansas City area, as the Chief Marketing Officer, where he leads a team of marketers, business development, creative services, and media relations professionals who are focused on creating sustainable growth for Unbound.     Prior to joining Unbound, Steve was the Senior Vice President at American Century Investments where he was responsible for overseeing the retail division which served over 600,000 individual investors and had $36B in assets under management. Steve is a graduate of Rockhurst University and earned an MBA from Webster University. He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife, Mary Beth. They have raised five children together and are enjoying a life stage that includes grandchildren.   You will enjoy my conversation with Steve!​

Steve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketing and strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups. His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for top brands like Sprint, Ford, ADP, and USAA.  Steve joined Unbound (https://www.unbound.org/) an international nonprofit organization, based in the Kansas City area, as the Chief Marketing Officer, where he leads a team of marketers, business development, creative services, and media relations professionals who are focused on creating sustainable growth for Unbound.     Prior to joining Unbound, Steve was the Senior Vice President at American Century Investments where he was responsible for overseeing the retail division which served over 600,000 individual investors and had $36B in assets under management. Steve is a graduate of Rockhurst University and earned an MBA from Webster University. He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife, Mary Beth. They have raised five children together and are enjoying a life stage that includes grandchildren.   You will enjoy my conversation with Steve!​

Join me as I chat with Marci Weisler (see her bio below), a tech strategist and fierce advocate for female founders, about navigating career challenges, overcoming bad bosses, and staying ahead of the curve in emerging technology. Marci shares her incredible journey—from navigating toxic leadership and making bold career moves to helping businesses leverage emerging technologies before they hit the mainstream. We discuss:

- The "bad boss" experience that pushed Marci to take a leap of faith in her career. - Why she’s passionate about empowering women founders and leaders. - The power of embracing cutting-edge technology—before the market is ready. - Lessons learned from working in both scrappy startups and corporate giants like T-Mobile. - Practical career advice for young professionals and aspiring leaders.

Marci’s story is one of resilience, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to lifting others up. If you're looking for inspiration on navigating career challenges, breaking barriers, and staying ahead of the curve in tech, this episode is for you!

 

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder Jeff Pelaccio doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   Marci's bio: Marci Weisler​ (LinkedIn) is a strategic digital leader in mobile, media, and ad tech who drives growth through commercializing new products; leveraging disruptive technology to improve outcomes, and developing partnerships to open new revenue streams and achieve aggressive growth goals. She takes an entrepreneurial approach to creating innovative solutions, incubating new ventures, scaling businesses, and leading teams.​ Thriving in high-growth dynamic environments, Marci has transformed both emerging and incumbent businesses by offering a fresh perspective, understanding how data and emerging technologies (such as AI)  can be applied to it to unlock revenue streams, upend existing models, and grow customer bases at both startups and brands, including T-Mobile, Kellogg’s, Time Out, and Vengo. Marci is a senior advisor at Oaklins DaSilva & Phillips, a global investment bank specializing in media, tech, and marketing, and advises startups on strategy and growth.​ She was named a Woman2Watch in Business Disruption in 2020 and is on the board of WE.DOOH, empowering women in digital out-of-home media.​ Marci passionately supports female founders and women-led businesses as co-founder of SWSI (Smart Women. Smart Ideas) Media, mentorship, and investment.

Brandon Calloway is the CEO and co-founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow (GIFT - https://www.kansascitygift.org/). As someone who grew up in the urban core of Kansas City, he has long been committed to finding ways to create transformative change in the areas of the city that needs it most, for the residents that reside there. Brandon has spent the last 10 years of his career in the business and nonprofit sectors, and he uses the combined experiences of those two worlds to drive the work happening at G.I.F.T. and to have a direct impact on closing Kansas City’s racial wealth gap.

When Brandon is not impacting the KC community as the CEO of GIFT, he is a husband, father, and founder of Darkmoon Comics. Brandon is also the writer and creator of many titles at Darkmoon Comics, Including Black Spartans, Reign of Chaos, Michael, and more.

Please enjoy both parts I and II of my conversation with Brandon!

Brandon Calloway is the CEO and co-founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow (GIFT - https://www.kansascitygift.org/). As someone who grew up in the urban core of Kansas City, he has long been committed to finding ways to create transformative change in the areas of the city that needs it most, for the residents that reside there. Brandon has spent the last 10 years of his career in the business and nonprofit sectors, and he uses the combined experiences of those two worlds to drive the work happening at G.I.F.T. and to have a direct impact on closing Kansas City’s racial wealth gap.

When Brandon is not impacting the KC community as the CEO of GIFT, he is a husband, father, and founder of Darkmoon Comics. Brandon is also the writer and creator of many titles at Darkmoon Comics, Including Black Spartans, Reign of Chaos, Michael, and more.

Please enjoy both parts I and II of my conversation with Brandon!

eresa Carey has more than 25 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Before launching PerformancePointe, Inc (www.performancepointe.com/), she held positions for the world’s second-largest document technology company in sales, professional development, and sales leadership. She was also instrumental in helping take two other companies from start-ups to rapid growth before exiting. As a coach and strategist, Teresa has led individual and organizational change in diverse sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, financial, legal, and technology. Throughout her career, Teresa has assisted over 50,000 professionals in improved performance. ​ ​

Teresa is active in the community as a volunteer including being a mentor in the KC Fellows Program and a member of the Stateline Service League. Teresa is a mom, wife, triathlete, and author of the book, The Attractive Trap™. She enjoys adventure, travel, and cooking.

 

Please enjoy both parts I & II of my conversation with Teresa!

 

Teresa Carey has more than 25 years of experience as a professional leadership coach and facilitator. Before launching PerformancePointe, Inc (www.performancepointe.com/), she held positions for the world’s second-largest document technology company in sales, professional development, and sales leadership. She was also instrumental in helping take two other companies from start-ups to rapid growth before exiting. As a coach and strategist, Teresa has led individual and organizational change in diverse sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, financial, legal, and technology. Throughout her career, Teresa has assisted over 50,000 professionals in improved performance. ​ ​

Teresa is active in the community as a volunteer including being a mentor in the KC Fellows Program and a member of the Stateline Service League. Teresa is a mom, wife, triathlete, and author of the book, The Attractive Trap™. She enjoys adventure, travel, and cooking.

 

Please enjoy both parts I & II of my conversation with Teresa!

 

Terri Foudray’s career spans 25 years, demonstrating an affinity for leadership, achievement, curiosity, and versatility. She is currently the trusted Strategic Advisor to C-suite executives seeking growth through better human capital alignment. Think Moneyball for business. Ms. Foudray previously was the CEO of a software technology company focused on manufacturing performance improvement through real-time performance insights. Prior to that, Ms. Foudray’s experience has included executive positions at two technology companies and at a nationwide hospitality company, P&L responsibility at a Fortune 500 company, and leadership roles in media relations, product development, sales and marketing, and brand management. She also started and sold her first business venture. Ms. Foudray was a member of CompTIA’s worldwide IoT Advisory Council from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, Ms. Foudray was honored by the Women Tech Founders organization as the award winner in Women-in-Tech Intelligence and Automation.  She holds a Bachelor of Journalism-Advertising from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She was awarded a scholarship and completed the WBENC Energy Executive Program with the University of Texas at Austin in 2019.  

 

Please enjoy both my conversations with Terri!

Terri Foudray’s career spans 25 years, demonstrating an affinity for leadership, achievement, curiosity, and versatility. She is currently the trusted Strategic Advisor to C-suite executives seeking growth through better human capital alignment. Think Moneyball for business. Ms. Foudray previously was the CEO of a software technology company focused on manufacturing performance improvement through real-time performance insights. Prior to that, Ms. Foudray’s experience has included executive positions at two technology companies and at a nationwide hospitality company, P&L responsibility at a Fortune 500 company, and leadership roles in media relations, product development, sales and marketing, and brand management. She also started and sold her first business venture. Ms. Foudray was a member of CompTIA’s worldwide IoT Advisory Council from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, Ms. Foudray was honored by the Women Tech Founders organization as the award winner in Women-in-Tech Intelligence and Automation.  She holds a Bachelor of Journalism-Advertising from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She was awarded a scholarship and completed the WBENC Energy Executive Program with the University of Texas at Austin in 2019.  

 

Please enjoy both my conversations with Terri!

Isaac Wambua is the CEO of Dynamo Methods, a leadership coaching and management training business. He is a professional speaker, trainer, and author of a newly-published bestseller called: Now that I’m a Manager, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

Isaac works with leaders at every level to improve organizational efficiency,  communication, and employee engagement. After working as an engineer for eight years, he decided to venture into business coaching, speaking, and training to inspire leaders and professionals to conquer their fears and step into greatness.

For his speaking and training, he focuses on: ● Inspiration and Motivation ● Diversity and Inclusion ● Employee engagement ● Leadership and communication skills

Here are a few key and general signature topics Isaac focuses on:

● The Dynamo Success Path: How to Create and Live a Life of Significance ● The Legacy Within: How to Build a Culture of Accountability and Performance ● Escape The Rat Race: Transform Yourself into A Highly Successful Professional. ● Pushing Through the Tough Times: How to Keep Yourself Motivated

Please enjoy the conversation with Isaac (our first internationally-born guest)!

Isaac Wambua is the CEO of Dynamo Methods, a leadership coaching and management training business. He is a professional speaker, trainer, and author of a newly-published bestseller called: Now that I’m a Manager, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

Isaac works with leaders at every level to improve organizational efficiency,  communication, and employee engagement. After working as an engineer for eight years, he decided to venture into business coaching, speaking, and training to inspire leaders and professionals to conquer their fears and step into greatness.

For his speaking and training, he focuses on: ● Inspiration and Motivation ● Diversity and Inclusion ● Employee engagement ● Leadership and communication skills

Here are a few key and general signature topics Isaac focuses on:

● The Dynamo Success Path: How to Create and Live a Life of Significance ● The Legacy Within: How to Build a Culture of Accountability and Performance ● Escape The Rat Race: Transform Yourself into A Highly Successful Professional. ● Pushing Through the Tough Times: How to Keep Yourself Motivated

Please enjoy the conversation with Isaac (our first internationally-born guest)!

André Davis is the Corporate and Community Engagement Executive for Built Interior Construction, a prefabricated interior construction company that builds commercial environments.

André is an accomplished thought leader, influencer, social activist, mentor/coach, speaker, and philanthropist and has been a guest on numerous podcasts & webinars to discuss various topics.  Andre has over 20+ years of experience working with CEOs, Executives, and Entrepreneurs while continuing to give back to the community. 

André's community and civic engagement work are below:

*Board Member for PrepKC which creates and implements strategies to improve college and career preparation for Kansas City's urban High School Students. 

*Ambassador Board Member for Big Brothers Big Sisters - Kansas City, where he and other members personally fund and award scholarships to local kids in the BBBS program.

* Board Member/Board President for the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City - Kansas City Tomorrow Alumni Association (KCTAA) which serves to support Members who are interested in enhancing their non-profit and civic leadership skills & talents.

* Formerly, a Board Member for UMKC - Marketing Advisory Council (MAC )where he helps to prepare Undergraduates that are entering the field of Marketing.

* Founding Board Member for The Beacon which is a newly launched Non-Profit online news media outlet, focused on public interest journalism.   * Board Member for C3KC Conference (Corporate, Civic, Community), the Junior League's annual collaborative conference which serves to spark change for a better Kansas City.                        

*Formerly Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters – Kansas City which was created to identify diverse Mentors of Color.

* Awarded the Jane Bryan Distinguished Alumni Award by the Grandview Education Foundation. This award honors Individuals whose deeds and character exemplify outstanding achievement in their life's work and/or service to their communities.  The Honoree's spirit and leadership are worthy of recognition and have inspired praise and gratitude amongst his/her peers.

* Recently awarded Ingram's Magazine 2022 Local Heroes Award which recognizes extraordinary philanthropic work in our region and was featured in their 26th annual Philanthropy Special Edition.

*Chosen for the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City  Tomorrow leadership program which serves to develop leaders for civic, community, and non-profit engagement

*An alumnus of The Independent Magazine, Rising Star Award which highlights up-and-coming Leaders. 

*Co-Founded and personally funds The NexTus scholarship at his Alma Mater College geared towards African-American students.

Additional information:

André's roots started on the East Coast but He was raised in Kansas City.  André is married to an Entrepreneur and they live in Johnson County with their two kids. 

You can connect with André on the following social platforms: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreldavis/ Twitter:  @AndreLDavis

Please enjoy the conversation with Andre!

André Davis is the Corporate and Community Engagement Executive for Built Interior Construction, a prefabricated interior construction company that builds commercial environments.

André is an accomplished thought leader, influencer, social activist, mentor/coach, speaker, and philanthropist and has been a guest on numerous podcasts & webinars to discuss various topics.  Andre has over 20+ years of experience working with CEOs, Executives, and Entrepreneurs while continuing to give back to the community. 

André's community and civic engagement work are below:

*Board Member for PrepKC which creates and implements strategies to improve college and career preparation for Kansas City's urban High School Students. 

*Ambassador Board Member for Big Brothers Big Sisters - Kansas City, where he and other members personally fund and award scholarships to local kids in the BBBS program.

* Board Member/Board President for the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City - Kansas City Tomorrow Alumni Association (KCTAA) which serves to support Members who are interested in enhancing their non-profit and civic leadership skills & talents.

* Formerly, a Board Member for UMKC - Marketing Advisory Council (MAC )where he helps to prepare Undergraduates that are entering the field of Marketing.

* Founding Board Member for The Beacon which is a newly launched Non-Profit online news media outlet, focused on public interest journalism.   * Board Member for C3KC Conference (Corporate, Civic, Community), the Junior League's annual collaborative conference which serves to spark change for a better Kansas City.                        

*Formerly Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters – Kansas City which was created to identify diverse Mentors of Color.

* Awarded the Jane Bryan Distinguished Alumni Award by the Grandview Education Foundation. This award honors Individuals whose deeds and character exemplify outstanding achievement in their life's work and/or service to their communities.  The Honoree's spirit and leadership are worthy of recognition and have inspired praise and gratitude amongst his/her peers.

* Recently awarded Ingram's Magazine 2022 Local Heroes Award which recognizes extraordinary philanthropic work in our region and was featured in their 26th annual Philanthropy Special Edition.

*Chosen for the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City  Tomorrow leadership program which serves to develop leaders for civic, community, and non-profit engagement

*An alumnus of The Independent Magazine, Rising Star Award which serves to highlight up and coming Leaders. 

*Co-Founded and personally funds The NexTus scholarship at his Alma Mater College geared towards African-American students.

Additional information:

André's roots started on the East Coast but He was raised in Kansas City.  André is married to an Entrepreneur and they live in Johnson County with their two kids. 

You can connect with André on the following social platforms: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreldavis/ Twitter:  @AndreLDavis

Please enjoy the conversation with Andre!

Resilience, Reinvention, and the Power of Taking Control with Deb Coviello In this episode I chat with Deb Coviello (see her bio below), also known as The Drop In CEO™, to discuss leadership, resilience, and her journey from corporate executive to entrepreneur, speaker, and author. Deb and I share remarkably similar career paths—both coming from corporate backgrounds, navigating unexpected exits, and ultimately finding fulfillment by forging our own way. We dive into: - The challenges of corporate life and what it feels like to get "kicked out of the nest" - How Deb turned repeated corporate rejections into an opportunity to build The Drop In CEO brand - The importance of emotional intelligence and influence in leadership - Why every professional should invest in personal branding and relationships—before they need them - Insights from The CEO’s Compass and her upcoming book, "The New CEO Playbook". Deb’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and embracing the unknown to create a career and life on her own terms. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this episode is packed with wisdom on navigating career transitions, leading with authenticity, and finding peace of mind in the process.

Check out Deb’s books and podcasts at dropinceo.com.  Tune in for a candid, inspiring, and insightful conversation that will leave you rethinking your own career path!

 

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wished your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder Jeff Pelaccio doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   Deb's bio: Known as The Drop In CEO™, Deb’s superpower is lowering the temperature and elevating conversations with empathy and patience. As a speaker, author, podcaster, and consultant, she teaches C-Suite leaders how to establish a “Lift, Light, Lead” environment and create calm amidst chaos or crisis. She is the author of “The CEO’s​ Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track,” and, “The New CEO Playbook: Stop Chasing Results and Start Pursuing Peace of Mind.”​ Her long-running podcast, The Drop-In CEO, is in the top 1.5% globally among Apple podcasts. 

Alana Muller (Coffee Lunch Coffee) is an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community.  She is the former President of Kauffman FastTrac (a division of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), a global provider of training to aspiring and established entrepreneurs, providing them the tools, resources and networks to start and grow successful businesses. Additionally, Alana spent a number of years as an executive with Sprint Corporation serving in a variety of general management roles, including marketing, talent management, corporate strategy and wireless data product marketing.   Today, Alana is founder and CEO of Coffee Lunch Coffee where she is a networking speaker, strategist, workshop facilitator, coach and an internationally bestselling author of Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking, the anthology Growth – Deconstructing GRIT Collection, and a blog, CoffeeLunchCoffee.com. Her accessible, relevant, immediately actionable approach to professional networking for those interested in connecting with others, getting involved in their communities, seeking to advance their careers or looking to build social relationships, has helped thousands of people formulate a strategic mindset around Networking.  Coffee Lunch Coffee is a WBENC-Certified WBE.   Alana is also Community Director for American Public Square at Jewell, an organization that brings together non-like-minded people to engage in civil conversation about controversial topics, for which she launched KC Common Good, now a standalone 501(c)3, designed to give all members of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area access to hope and opportunity while reducing violence.   Alana enjoys connecting with people around the world and sharing stories on topics such as Networking, Executive Presence, and Discovering Purpose.  She is the host of Enterprise.ing podcast, a columnist for American City Business Journals’ BizWomen.com and other publications, has been a contributor to Forbes.com, The Huffington Post and CNBC, and, twice, was a featured speaker at TEDxOverlandPark. Alana has a master’s degree in business administration with concentrations in General Management and Strategy from the University of Chicago, where she was the recipient of the Mike and Karen Herman Fellowship for Women in Entrepreneurship, and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Smith College. She is actively engaged in the community and serves on a number of corporate and volunteer boards including Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, Enterprise Bank (NASDAQ: EFSC), ISCTE International Business School (Lisbon, Portugal), Morningstar Communications, Swartz + Associates, SevenDays, Jewish Community Foundation, and Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee. Alana is the immediate past president of the Kansas Chapter of International Women’s Forum.  She is an alumna of Coro Kansas City and the Civic Council’s Kansas City Tomorrow program.  She was recognized as the 2019 JCRB|AJC Emerging Leader, the 2017 Instructor of the Year by the Turner Construction Management Program, a 2013 NextGen Leader by the Kansas City Business Journal and a 2012 Influential Woman by KC Business magazine.  Alana is a Strengthscope-certified coach.   Enjoy part II of my conversation with Alana!

Alana Muller (Coffee Lunch Coffee) is an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community.  She is the former President of Kauffman FastTrac (a division of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), a global provider of training to aspiring and established entrepreneurs, providing them with the tools, resources, and networks to start and grow successful businesses. Additionally, Alana spent a number of years as an executive with Sprint Corporation serving in a variety of general management roles, including marketing, talent management, corporate strategy and wireless data product marketing.   Today, Alana is founder and CEO of Coffee Lunch Coffee where she is a networking speaker, strategist, workshop facilitator, coach and an internationally bestselling author of Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking, the anthology Growth – Deconstructing GRIT Collection, and a blog, CoffeeLunchCoffee.com. Her accessible, relevant, immediately actionable approach to professional networking for those interested in connecting with others, getting involved in their communities, seeking to advance their careers or looking to build social relationships, has helped thousands of people formulate a strategic mindset around Networking.  Coffee Lunch Coffee is a WBENC-Certified WBE.   Alana is also Community Director for American Public Square at Jewell, an organization that brings together non-like-minded people to engage in civil conversation about controversial topics, for which she launched KC Common Good, now a standalone 501(c)3, designed to give all members of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area access to hope and opportunity while reducing violence.   Alana enjoys connecting with people around the world and sharing stories on topics such as Networking, Executive Presence, and Discovering Purpose.  She is the host of Enterprise.ing podcast, a columnist for American City Business Journals’ BizWomen.com and other publications, has been a contributor to Forbes.com, The Huffington Post and CNBC, and, twice, was a featured speaker at TEDxOverlandPark. Alana has a master’s degree in business administration with concentrations in General Management and Strategy from the University of Chicago, where she was the recipient of the Mike and Karen Herman Fellowship for Women in Entrepreneurship, and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Smith College. She is actively engaged in the community and serves on a number of corporate and volunteer boards including Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, Enterprise Bank (NASDAQ: EFSC), ISCTE International Business School (Lisbon, Portugal), Morningstar Communications, Swartz + Associates, SevenDays, Jewish Community Foundation, and Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee. Alana is the immediate past president of the Kansas Chapter of International Women’s Forum.  She is an alumna of Coro Kansas City and the Civic Council’s Kansas City Tomorrow program.  She was recognized as the 2019 JCRB|AJC Emerging Leader, the 2017 Instructor of the Year by the Turner Construction Management Program, a 2013 NextGen Leader by the Kansas City Business Journal and a 2012 Influential Woman by KC Business magazine.  Alana is a Strengthscope-certified coach.   Please enjoy the conversation with Alana!

Dr. Michelle Robin is the founder of Small Changes Big Shifts®, Big Shifts Foundation®, and the Kansas City Wellness Consortium®, but more importantly, she is a visionary for the well-being of many generations. After opening her chiropractic practice in Kansas City over 30 years ago, she’s become a national influence and memorable leader in the wellness industry. Her simple framework – called the Quadrants of Well-Being – is the key to what many people have been looking for when it comes to discovering their best life. She has spent the majority of her career helping people make small changes that ultimately create the biggest shifts in their well-being. As a chiropractor, author, teacher, holistic healer, podcast host, unshakable optimist, international speaker, and passionate advocate for generational change, Michelle has left an impression on thousands of lives by helping them find their unique path to wellness and enriching their purpose in life.

To find out more about Dr. Michelle Robin, please visit:

https://smallchangesbigshifts.com/

 

Enjoy the episode!

Eastman enjoyed a 35-year career in IT sales and sales management. Managing district, regional, as well as worldwide sales teams on both a domestic and international scope. His experiences include selling and managing for Fortune 500 companies as well as experience with start-up organizations.

In his career, Eastman estimates that he hired over 400 sales team members and interviewed in excess of 2000 candidates. His background includes direct sales as well as channel and distribution sales models. He was a part of 3 mergers where he integrated sales teams on a global basis as well as being part of senior management for a company that successfully completed its IPO. During his career, Eastman had P&L responsibility for North American divisions and managed sales goals in excess of $800 million in sales revenue.

He also had a great jump shot back in the day :-) Go Jaspers!

 

Please enjoy the episode!

Dave Patrick has over 30 years of marketing and sales experience including leadership positions at Procter & Gamble, Leo Burnett, Interpublic, and J Walter Thompson leading high-performance brand teams. He has created and led high-performance growth teams in the roles of CEO, President, COO, CMO, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Sales Officer, and Group Account Director in intensely competitive categories including restaurant, hardware, electronics, professional services, telecommunications, analytics, automotive, beverage, toys, fashion, jewelry, golf, CPG, grocery, QSR, apparel, higher education, software, e-commerce, B2B, pet, tech, retail, real estate, and sports.

Leadership brands he helped impact include McDonald's, Procter & Gamble, Leo Burnett, Kraft, General Motors, Miller Lite, JWT, Sprint, Kellogg, Kroger, LG Electronics, Citgo, ToysRUs, Applebee's, Payless, Burger King, Interpublic, KFC, Ace Hardware, and Bridgestone-Firestone. As an entrepreneur, Dave’s built five successful companies including his most recent: High-Performance Marketing Boot Camps. Dave is currently a Partner at WizeWebz, a marketing +technology consulting firm.  Dave also teaches entrepreneurship, marketing, and advanced brand strategies in the MBA programs at the University of Missouri - Kansas City and the University of Kansas. 

 

You will enjoy the episode!

Brad Douglas is a partner in PLX Corp, a consulting firm that works with boards, CEOs, and executive teams of both for-profit and non-profit organizations to help them solve problems and achieve their goals. He is a former CEO and a licensed attorney with a unique blend of both non-profit and corporate executive leadership experience. Areas of expertise include public affairs, government relations, business development, community relations, and communications.

He is a proven leader and is energized by helping people, leading teams, growing organizations, developing leaders, and building relationships. Following law school, Brad began his career in Washington, D.C., where he held roles as a lobbyist with deep expertise in federal appropriations, a U.S. Senate staffer on Capitol Hill, and as the Director of the State of Missouri Office for the Governor of Missouri. He also worked for the White House at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as Deputy Administrator of Congressional and Legislative Affairs, eventually overseeing two-thirds of the agency’s operations. Brad came back to his home in Kansas City as the Midwest Regional Administrator for the White House Office of Small Business Advocacy and was then asked to also oversee the SBA’s regional offices in four states. He went on to lead Public Affairs in the corporate sector at Cerner Corporation in Kansas City before later moving to the non-profit sector as the head of Business Development for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. He headed up sales for more than 10 years for two different businesses before being selected as the President and CEO of the trade association that supported over 180 credit unions across Kansas and Missouri, serving in that role for more than six years.

Brad has served and Chaired numerous boards, including his role as Director and Chairman of Community/America Credit Union in Kansas City and Chairman of ArtsKC, Kansas City’s Regional Arts Council.

 

Enjoy the episode!

Scott Havens is a vice president at Hub International. After eight years in the insurance industry, he became a partner at Truss, one of Kansas City’s largest privately held insurance brokerages. In August of 2019, Truss sold to HUB International making Scott one of the youngest shareholders in North America for the largest privately held insurance brokerages in the world. The Kansas City Business Journal wrote an article in 2020 calling Scott the top connector in the city & a recipient of the 2020 NEXT GEN Business Leaders award. Ingram’s Magazine recognized Scott as 20 in their Twenties & 40 under 40. He runs 9 peer groups consisting of over 200+ C-Level executives. Scott sits on 5 not-for-profit boards along with running 2 popular Kansas City podcasts. He is an owner & partner in 4 private Speakeasies in the Kansas City Metro. 

Please enjoy!

Tabitha Scott (https://speakerhub.com/speaker/tabitha-scott) is an award-winning author and speaker who helps inspire action, ignite change, and provide connection, direction, and power. With over 20 years of experience leading corporate innovation and sustainability, she was named by Industry Era as one of the Top 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders of 2022, is a thought leader on the 2023 Forbes Business Council, and her work was honored at the White House as part of its Energy Data Initiative.

Tabitha’s talks focus on the transformational power of human dynamics to create sustainable business growth and success. Also a bestselling author, she currently serves as Partner at Epic Pivot, advising on engagement, innovation, and cutting-edge leadership practices for large organizations. Tabitha recently led IT Strategy for a Fortune 400 Company during its record growth period. Formerly CEO of Cole Scott Group and Military Assistance Company, and SVP of Innovation & Sustainability at global companies Balfour Beatty Investments and Lend Lease Americas, she has deep experience leading purposeful business transformations. 

Tabitha is known for her groundbreaking expertise in leveraging the principles of modern and ancient energy bioscience to accelerate innovation, productivity, and success for organizations. She led efforts to create the world’s largest solar-powered community and initiated three “net zero” communities. Tabitha has published dozens of original works in leading industry publications, like Forbes, Success Magazine, the Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, the Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology, and CEO Magazine on energy, human dynamics, behavior change, and avoiding burnout.

You can find Tabitha's book "Trust Your Animal Instincts: Recharge Your Life & Ignite Your Power" on Amazon (https://a.co/d/5r0sD9c).

Enjoy!

Caroline Markel Hammond (www.carolinemarkelhammond.com) is the CEO and Founder of Safe In Harm’s Way, a Kansas City-based nonprofit and an online secure resource for people navigating the sadness, worries, lies, screaming, fear, and pain of domestic violence. Premiering last summer in Times Square, and spreading across the country, Caroline and her team launched two unique campaigns for diversified communities related to domestic violence, achieving one billion impressions and opportunities for immediate and actionable help. As CEO and Founder of Epizon Strategy Solutions, Caroline and her team create tailor-made solutions for employers within diversity, equity, and inclusion criteria related to profit, safety, retention, reward, and recruitment.  

As a survivor of domestic violence, plus revival from a death experience, Caroline uses storytelling to evoke change and has been featured on Oprah, Forbes, PBS, NPR, Ms. Magazine, M+M Magazine, national and regional television, and podcasts as an initiator to disrupt complacency within the domestic violence arena and overcoming adversity. 

Leslie Anderson's (www.lesliebanderson.com) purpose is to develop legendary executives who demonstrate and inspire others toward exceptional leadership. During nearly 20 years in retail leadership roles for Hallmark Cards, Talbots, Burberry, and Hermes, she took great pride in her executive performance producing tangible, dramatic earnings.  By asking really good questions and listening with authentic curiosity to find what is going on behind others’ words and actions, she helps high-performance executives develop self-awareness that makes them better leaders - and better in all of life’s relationships. 

 

Welcome to a short-form Special Edition of The Corporate Couch (it's more of a loveseat episode:-)!

I sit down with longtime sports broadcaster, speaker, podcaster, and author Joel Goldberg (see his bio below) to dive into the lessons from his second book, Small Ball, Big Dreams. Drawing from his years covering championship teams and business leaders, Joel shares how small, consistent actions lead to game-changing success—both on and off the field.

We discuss:

⚾ Why the "small ball" mindset is the key to long-term wins in business and life. ⚾ Stories from the clubhouse and boardroom that prove details matter. ⚾ The importance of culture, leadership, and resilience in achieving big dreams. ⚾ How embracing daily habits creates momentum for lasting success.

Packed with real-world insights, sports analogies, and leadership wisdom, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to level up their career, mindset, or team dynamics.

📘 Get your copy of Small Ball, Big Dreams, and start building your championship mindset today! - (Amazon)

 

Joel's Story: Joel Goldberg broke into the sports broadcasting scene by knocking on the doors of television stations, cold calling broadcast executives, and sending out resume tapes in the 1990s.​ His career was never handed to him. Rather, it was the product of building connections and dedication, mixed with years of hard work. Joel has worked in four markets during a 30-year career, covering two World Series Championship teams and thousands of baseball games—not to mention multiple Super Bowls, NHL playoffs, and NCAA March Madness basketball games.​ Joel has had the pleasure of interviewing countless athletes, Hall of Famers, and celebrities while traveling the world, telling stories from famous stars to under-the-radar role players.

His longtime job covering the Kansas City Royals as a host and reporter is a privilege, enabling him to entertain, inform, and connect fans to athletes. Through his years of storytelling and watching championship organizations succeed (and fail), he realized his access to methods executives use to build culture and championship teams translated to the corporate world.​ That’s why Joel created the Game Changer Speaking Series to help organizations win trust and build a championship culture. Access insights from Joel through his podcast Rounding the Bases or book him for your next event.

Harry Campbell (www.harryscampbell.com) has been a President for two Fortune 500 companies, co-owner of an award-winning small business, CEO of an Internet start-up, and founding member of the industry-changing Wal-Mart/P&G team. He has driven exceptional people and business results in organizations of 5 to 3,500 employees in a broad range of industries from consumer-packaged goods to telecom to sports marketing to digital media to healthcare. Harry is known as an identifier, developer, and motivator of exceptional talent at all levels of the organization.

He has a passion for speaking on leadership to companies and organizations. His books, Get-Real Leadership, Get-Real Culture, and Get-Real Mindset, are available on Amazon. Harry donates 100% of his speaking fees and book royalties to brain cancer research in honor of his wife, Kris.

Please enjoy!

Join me as I sit down with Grant Gooding (see his bio below), founder and CEO of Proof Positioning, to discuss how emotional data is transforming market research and business strategy. With a background in mergers and acquisitions, Grant saw firsthand why so many deals fail—leading him to pioneer a groundbreaking way to measure what truly drives customer decisions.

We cover:

- The surprising reason 70% of business acquisitions fail. - Why traditional market research methods don’t work—and how to fix them. - The neuroscience behind how people really make decisions. - The power of finding your “A+” skill and building a team around strengths instead of weaknesses. - Lessons learned from pivoting a business and navigating industry resistance.

Grant’s journey from aspiring lawyer to M&A expert (it was like getting an MBA every day) to neuroscience-driven entrepreneur is filled with insights, humor, and actionable takeaways for leaders, business owners, and anyone looking to understand decision-making on a deeper level.

Listen in for a fascinating conversation that challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on leadership, business strategy, and the future of market research.

 

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

 

Grant's bio: Grant ​Gooding (LinkedIn) got his professional start in the mergers and acquisitions world working first on the legal side then buy-side analysis, valuations, and eventually transition management.  After roughly a decade of analyzing, valuing, and transitioning hundreds of small and mid-market businesses, Grant naturally gravitated towards understanding the 70% failure rates of acquisitions.​ After years of analyzing acquisition failures, he discovered the leading cause of transaction failures was a lack of understanding and measurement as to why customers do business with organizations.​With his MBA emphasis in qualitative marketing, Grant spent the next several years experimenting with methodologies and measurement techniques that could be used to quantify qualitative data.  After working with a nationally renowned brand analyst, Grant discovered a quant method that could be used to assess brand preferences.  With that as a starting point, he and his team utilized some principles of neuroscience and created a new methodology that accurately quantifies emotional resonance.​ After several hundred iterations, the PROOF method stands alone as one of the most compelling and accurate ways to quantify human emotion.  Today, Grant speaks all over the country in the areas of Emotional Data, an emerging field that PROOF is helping pioneer.

In this episode, I chat with the inimitable Michael Mackie (see his bio below), a multi-talented storyteller, Emmy-award-winning host, entertainment journalist, and travel writer. With his signature wit and humor, Michael takes us through his fascinating career, from his early days in Des Moines TV to interviewing A-list celebrities and even hosting his own PBS travel show, "Get Lost!".

We dive into:

• Michael’s hilarious and sometimes disastrous celebrity interviews, including Sarah McLachlan and Jennifer Lopez.
• His pivot from TV journalism to storytelling in advertising and travel writing.
• The art of personal branding, creating genuine connections on LinkedIn, and why authenticity is key.
• A sneak peek into his upcoming gig as a host for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Sevilla excursion.

Michael’s advice for life and career? “Just say yes.” Whether it’s showing up for opportunities or embracing the unexpected, his philosophy will inspire you to stay open to life’s twists and turns.

Don’t miss Michael’s insights on storytelling, building a personal brand, and his unfiltered anecdotes from a career filled with laughs, lessons, and a few surprises!

 

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Michael's bio: Michael Mackie(LinkedIn) is an Aries with a Pisces rising. (IYKYK.)​. Growing up as a proud Midwesterner, he knew he always knew he wanted to be in TV. Or on TV.​ Or watching TV (He's not picky). By complete accident and happenstance, Mackie began interviewing a litany of Emmy-, Academy-, and Grammy-award winners. What started as a hobby, quickly became his own unexpected claim to fame. His motto? “You name the celebrity and I’ve probably interviewed them. Twice.”​ "My parents never could comprehend how I earned my keep stringing words together for the universe to appreciate," he says. "Frankly, that makes three of us. But I feel like telling stories is what I was put on this earth to do. I was born to spend no more than five minutes in a room chatting up a celebrity and then somehow cobble brilliance together. Whether you read it or watch it—welp, that’s up to you