The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Angela Kreps, The Chief Helping Officer - How She Made The Leap from Sales Manager to CEO, Why Everyone Is Capable of More, and Building a Network One Person At A Time

An inspiring conversation with Angela Kreps who decided after surviving a rollover car accident with her three young daughters that she needed to focus on making a difference while being open to new things. She then leaves her successful role as a sales manager for a Fortune 50 company to become a CEO. We talk about what she learned growing up being a pig farmer and having her first job in 3rd grade, why everyone is capable of more, believing in yourself, and why titles don't matter.
 
Please enjoy my conversation with Angela!
 
Angela Kreps (linkedin.com/in/akreps ), co-founder of SolutionBrokers.US and former CEO of BioKansas. Her career titles include CEO, Vice President, and Executive Coach with a consistent record of improving team performance while growing revenue and market share across multiple industries. Angela's career began selling B2B services to C-Suite clients, turning in record-breaking, award-winning results. She has experience in large multinational firms, small privately held companies, and non-profits.
 
 

Cory Scheer, The Trust Doctor - Why Most Companies Have A Trust Gap, The Process of Getting Clear on the Work You Do, and Why Lacking a Career Strategy is Okay

You will enjoy Cory Scheer's career journey and why not having a career strategy is okay. We talk about the leadership lessons he learned from being a whitewater rafting guide, driving a forklift as his first job out of college, running 29 marathons including a 56-mile ultramarathon, what a "Christmas Money Consultant" is, why most companies have a trust gap, and asking yourself what you want to do career-wise while trusting the answers are in the journey.
 
Cory Scheer (linkedin.com/in/coryscheer ) is the Founder and CEO of TrustCentric™ Consulting (TrustCentricConsulting.com), an organizational and leadership development firm. In addition to over twenty-five years in leadership roles in multiple sectors, Cory has obtained an Executive MBA (Rockhurst University) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (University of Missouri). Cory has worked with small businesses, school districts, corporations, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, ministries, the military, and municipalities to provide vital support and clear direction on how to ensure people, practices, and policies become more trustworthy so that key performance indicators improve. He is the author of the seminal work "Closing the Trust Gap: Taking Action on What Matters Most for Leaders, Teams, and Organizations," (Amazon) each a testament to his commitment to fostering trust within organizations. Cory and his wife live in Kansas City, Missouri with their 4 children.

Sly James, The Servant Leader Driven By His Passion For Purpose - How He Succeeded As Kansas City's Mayor, The Jackie Robinson of KC Law Firms, and Reinventing Himself Every 10 Years

It is so fitting that one day after the Kansas City Chiefs won their fourth Super Bowl, our new episode features one of the best mayors in KC history - Sylvester "Sly" James. I was honored and humbled during our conversation as we discussed how he became mayor of the 37th-largest city having never held any political office, being the Black first associate/partner in one of KC's largest law firms, being the lead singer of a rock band that opened for Jefferson Airplane, why both passion and purpose drive him, and why he does not fall victim to imposter syndrome.
Please enjoy the great Sly James' great career journey!
 
Sly James (linkedin.com/in/sly-james ) was sworn in as the 56th Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri on March 22, 2011. After taking office, he focused on making Kansas City best in four key areas: Education, Employment, Efficiency, and Enforcement. This ‘4 E agenda’ drove all of Mayor James’ major policy decisions. Mayor Sly James was born and raised in Kansas City on the city’s eastside. He graduated from Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City in 1969. After serving his country as a military police officer in the Marines from 1971-1975 in California, the Philippines, and Japan during theVietnam War, Mayor James graduated cum laude from Rockhurst College with a B.A. inEnglish. He then went on to earn his law degree, also cum laude, from the University ofMinnesota in 1983.
Prior to his election, Mayor James enjoyed a successful legal career which spanned almost three decades. Over the years, Mayor James has served on numerous boards andcommissions in leadership positions including The Missouri Board of Law Examiners, President of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Economic Development Corporation, Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, Jackson County Ethics Commission, Legal Aid of Kansas City, Jackson County Bar Association, Bishop Hogan High School Board, Genesis School Board, and The United Way. Mayor James also served in leadership positions in several national organizations including US Conference of Mayors, African American Mayors Association, National Democratic Mayors, and Urban Land Institute.
He currently is the co-founder and partner at Wickham James Strategy and Solutions (wickhamjames.com ). Sly also has written two books - "A Passion for Purpose: Building Cities for Our Children" and "The Opportunity Agenda: A Bold Democratic Plan To Grow The Middle Class".

David Komar, The CEO Culture Coach - Surviving 9/11 at The Pentagon, Why Most CEOs Don't Have a Clear Vision of The Culture They Want, and Why Great Leadership Equals a Great Culture

David Komar is our third podcast guest who survived 9/11. Born to immigrant parents who lived the American Dream, David wanted to give back to his country by serving in the military for 31 years. We talk about being at the Pentagon on 9/11, his first leadership/culture lesson at 16 years old working for a regional department store, how 90% of CEOs do not have a clear vision of what culture they want their company to have, and how the best companies help their employees be better human beings after their workday is done.
Please enjoy my conversation with David!
 
David Komar (linkedin.com/in/davekomar ) grew up in central New York State and graduated with a BA in Business and Economics from Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania. He was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. He served over 31 years on active duty in a variety of positions and retired at the end of 2018 as a Brigadier General. Komar’s career enabled him to travel and live all over the US as well as across the world. He is a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. He led the Army’s capability development enterprise that planned and prioritized the Army’s annual $25 billion modernization program. As the Director of Army Business Operations, he led the Army’s business initiatives program, process improvement program, and organizational performance management programs. These programs provided billions of dollars in savings annually across the Army.
Komar was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Fellow and agraduate of the Executive Development Program at the Kenan-Flagler Business Schoolat the University of North Carolina. He also earned Master’s Degrees in NationalSecurity and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Military Operational Artsand Science from the Air University and in Management from Webster University.. General Komar is currently the president of EDA Inc. (Company Website ) which is a top-of-the-house executive development service and technology company. He has recently written "Conquer Your Culture" (available late February 2024). It is a “how to” book for CEOs and other senior leaders on how to build an exceptional and enduring company culture. 
 

Franny Goolsby, The All Gas, No Brake Sales Executive - Why Discipline is Freedom, Loving to Prospect, and Her Focus on Hard Work and Mental Toughness

My conversation with senior vice president of sales at Salelytics Franny Goolsby will motivate you in so many ways. We discuss her first job as a crane operator, how she decided to do a half Ironman (70.1 miles: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run) in four months without knowing how to swim, why she loves prospecting, her belief in hard work, why events are neither good nor bad, and balancing being a mom of four daughters. Franny has also done "75 Hard" twice (https://andyfrisella.com/pages/75hard-info).
 
Franny Goolsby began her career at Salelytics in 2008 on the Executive Sales team. Her expertise spans from Fortune 500 Companies to new startups. As she works intimately with prospects and clients to implement strategic business plans beyond traditional feet-on-the-street sales models - she identifies their go-to-market sales challenges and develops solutions to drive incremental revenue.Franny Goolsby has a degree in Psychology from Creighton University, where she was Captain of the Women's Soccer Team and earned All-Conference Honors in each of four seasons. She continues to stay active and busy with her husband, Aaron, and their children Justice, Gwendolyn, Beatrice, and Estelle.

Marc Shaffer, KC's Most Generous Connector - Creating a Culture of Helping People, His "Fail Early" Advice, and Having Kids Later in Life

Marc Shaffer is a gift to the Kansas City community helping everyone from recent college graduates with career advice to CEOs with financial planning. Marc is one of the few guests to sit on The Corporate Couch who knew exactly what career he wanted post-college. We talk about his love for Kansas State University, being a first-generation college graduate, his motocross racing days in high school (his number was 420 :-), why he loves helping people, books that influenced his early career, and his love of travel.
 
Marc Shaffer (linkedin.com/in/marcshaffer) has built his life to enjoy and promote things he loves – family, travel, adventure, and service. He is a co-owner and serves as the CFO of Searcy Financial Services Inc. (https://www.searcyfinancial.com/) and Allos Investment Advisors LLC (https://allosadvisors.com/).  Marc joined Searcy Financial in 2006 and was promoted to Partner in 2010, the same year he became a co-owner of the firm.
As a fee-only financial advisor, Marc specializes in helping clients and their families achieve continuity in their financial planning through generations and achieve their vision of an ideal life by encouraging goal setting and active monitoring of their financial plans. He also mentors students coming up in the industry.
Rotary, the Growing Futures Early Education Center Board, and other organizations keep him busy in the community. He has been recognized locally and nationally for his contributions to others and his profession.
He and his wife, Bridgette, are parents to Grant and Emily.

Sue Tetzlaff, The Caring Healthcare Culture Guru - Why The New R and R Will Make Your Culture Better, Having Intellectual Boyfriends That You've Never Met, and How To Achieve Great Results

Join me and this week's guest Sue Tetzlaff the co-founder of Capstone Leadership Solutions (www.CapstoneLeadership.net) for her great story of how she helps small healthcare organizations improve their patient and employee experience. We discuss her intellectual "boyfriends" (mentors she has never met who just happen to be all male), her reading of 50-60 books a year, and how the best cultures send their employees home every day with the energy to be fully present with their loved ones. We even get a Brady Bunch discussion that relates to our personal lives :-)
 
You will love Sue's energy and caring spirit...please enjoy!
 
 
Sue Tetzlaff, RN, RHIA, MHA, FACHE, has over thirtyyears of healthcare strategic planning, leadershipdevelopment, and execution experience. Thetransformation of organizational culture, successfullynavigating change, developing new programs andexpansion of services, strategic planning, training andcoaching leaders, employees, and teams are among thefavorite aspects of her work. Since co-founding Capstone Leadership Solutions in2012, Sue has served as a strategist, trainer, and coachto dozens of healthcare organizations undergoing wide-scale improvement initiatives.Before co-founding Capstone, she served as a healthcare executive for more than 20years as a Vice President of Quality and Safety, Chief Nursing Officer, Interim CEO, andChief Operating Officer.
Sue has degrees in nursing and health information administration from Ferris StateUniversity, a master's degree in Healthcare Administration from the University ofMinnesota. Sue is a Board Certified Fellow in the American College of HealthcareExecutives.
 

Kyle Doherty, The Fashion Founder - Falling In Love With La Dolce Vita, Competing In An Industry Where There Are No Barriers To Entry, and Creating Impact Not A Brand

You will enjoy one of the most unique career journeys of any guest who has appeared on the podcast when you listen to my conversation with Kyle Doherty (linkedin.com/in/kydoherty). We talk about how making clothes was part of his upbringing as his grandmother worked for one of the first female entrepreneurs in the United States making dresses for the incredible Nell Reed (Wikipedia) and how he started sewing at age 4. The story of why he founded his clothing company Charles & Richards is truly inspiring. You will also find out if he was voted best dressed in his high school senior class :-)
 
For the last 30 years, Kyle Doherty has had his hand in the tailoring world.  He spent time in his teens as a foreign exchange student in Northern Italy.  Falling in love with “la dolce vita” he made it back for a study abroad program in college. Being exposed to Italian manufacturing he was hooked. Post college he worked for several clothiers honing his skills. After years designing clothes for other brands he was drawn back to Italy to create a line stitched by hand providing the perfect marriage of form and function for the guy on the go without compromising the highest standards in quality.  
In 2016 he launched Charles & Richard's (Company Website) lifestyle.  He continues to grow the brand catering to the ever-changing office environment giving gentleman the best quality from jeans to tuxedos.  

Elizabeth Souder, Recovering Attorney Turned Culture Coach - Not Wanting To Do Sh*t Work, Carving Your Own Career Path, and Winning The Hard A$$ Award

A fun conversation with Elizabeth Souder (we worked "together" in the early days of Sprint PCS - now T-Mobile). We talk about her love of basketball and her college basketball records, God/Universe moments, why she stopped practicing law and started her own company, being clear on the work you want to do, and her realization that radical adherence to core values guides and informs every action and decisionof a healthy corporate culture. Please enjoy!
 
Elizabeth McJimsey Souder is a “recovering” attorney andorganizational health consultant and coach (www.whatsnextbiz.com) who helpscompanies and leaders realign the disconnect between who they say they are and how they behave. She has worked with some of Kansas City’s leading organizations as they launched, prepared for growth, prepared for expansion, addressed COVID and post-COVID related interruptions, reimagined who they were, restructured how they functioned, and rebuilt the culture in which they worked. Elizabeth also enjoys working with new managers and their teams to build trust, align and operationalize values, empower one another, and win together. Elizabeth brings 20+ years as a corporate lawyer with two of Kansas City’s largest employers where she witnessed and experienced the relationship between an organization’s health and alignment and its success. As a collegiate and lifelong athlete, the relationship between health and performance has always been obvious. The trick was translating what she knew to be true as an athlete and an attorney into a context that impacts organizations. The result led to therealization that radical adherence to core values guides and informs every action and decision of a healthy and successful organization.

Ray Ruecker, The Introspective CEO - Being Left At The Steps Of An Orphanage, Lessons from Being Fired 7 Times, and How Starting a Company Is Like Parenthood

This is one of the most fun interviews on The Corporate Couch with my friend Ray Ruecker. His journey starts at the end of the Vietnam War on the steps of an orphanage. We talk about everything from the almost tragic (the plane he was supposed to be on from Vietnam to the US to live with the parents who adopted him crashed), to his daily, habit started 23 years ago of journalling every day (approximately 8400 days), to college/pro football. Ray is also the author of "How to Score from First Base! (In Sales)" (Ray's Book), one of the best tactical sales prospecting books ever.
Please enjoy my conversation with Ray!
 
Ray Ruecker is the Managing Director of Connect 5000 (Connect 5000), a Kansas City-based lead generation, prospecting training, and sales consulting company. Since March 2010, Connect 5000 has helped countless software, technology,
and consulting companies boost sales revenue with effective lead-generation
campaigns, sales prospecting strategies, and inside sales management. In
addition to providing support to existing company leadership, Ray has also
served as a firm's interim sales leader until they found a permanent solution.
 
Ray holds two Bachelor's degrees from Washburn University in Business
Administration with an emphasis on marketing and management. Born in
Saigon, Vietnam, and raised in the rural Midwest, Ray now lives in Kansas
City Metro with his wife, Kate, their two children, Olivia and William, and
their mischievous Goldendoodle, Millie.

David Voorhees, The Driven CEO - From Professional Student to Founder/CEO, His Mission to Revolutionize Healthcare, and Why Size (Employee) Does Not Matter

This is a very fun conversation with David Voorhees the founder/CEO of True Captive where we talk about learning about healthcare by accompanying his grandfather while he made house calls to his patients, why he stayed in college so long, how he learned to be confident, being driven by in the same way as Michael Jordan, and his thoughts on the HR function in an organization. You will love David's passion to revolutionize the healthcare industry. 
 
Meet David Voorhees (the founder/CEO of True Captive - truecaptive.com), a progressive, award-winning business leader with a mission to revolutionize healthcare. As a passionate leader, David has led countless implementations of uncomplicated but sophisticated healthcare programs for his clients nationwide, creating win-win solutions for employees and business operators.
Growing up, David saw what uncomplicated healthcare looked like while going on house calls with his grandfather and believes in implementing solutions for companies that can uncomplicate healthcare and deliver savings to businesses.
With a proven track record in benefits strategy, self-funded insurance, risk analysis, and leadership, David has sat in the seat of his clients, running Human Resources and Operations for organizations ranging from small-to-medium size businesses to Fortune 500 organizations in the US and Overseas. He understands the needs of the business and the employees and is committed to making healthcare less complicated, more transparent, and cost-efficient.
When not working to bring stability and control to companies’ healthcare expenses, David enjoys spending time with his family and traveling to new places.
 

Reinhard Mabry, The Servant Leader CEO - Running a Not-For-Profit Like a Commercial Company, Why Good Leaders Build a Network, and Why Your Integrity is Your Currency

Join me in a mini-course in organizational leadership with one of the best CEOs in Kansas City, Reinhard Mabry of the not-for-profit organization Alphapointe. Please consider helping Alphapointe with your time, ideas, or donations - https://www.alphapointe.org/.
 
Bio: Reinhard Mabry has been the President & CEO of Alphapointe since2007, which is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Alphapointe isone of the largest employers of people who are blind in the UnitedStates, with principal operations in Kansas City and New York City.Alphapointe provides employment opportunities for people who areblind through light manufacturing, injection molding, retail, and callcenter services for federal, state, and commercial customers.Alphapointe is the only Comprehensive Rehabilitation and EducationCenter for people who are blind or visually impaired in the state ofMissouri, serving over 7,000 people annually in its various programs.Reinhard is a past president of the Board of Directors of The NationalAssociation for the Employment of People Who Are Blind. He has served on the Board ofDirectors of the National Industries for the Blind. Reinhard currently serves on the KansasAdvisory Committee for the Blind & Visually Impaired, and the Board of Directors of theVisionServe Alliance.
Reinhard began his career in the field in 1994 when he joined RESPECT of Florida, Florida’s state use program, where he was soon appointed as the Director by the Governor’s Commission for Purchase from the Blind and other Severely Handicapped. During his tenure at RESPECT, the program’s sales doubled. Under contract, Reinhard also held the position of Director of Georgia Enterprises, Georgia’s state use program, during a transitional period for that program, growing its sales and employment for people with disabilities. He was a Vice President for the Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, responsible for Marketing, Business Development, and Base Supply Stores for the agency before joining Alphapointe in 2006.
Reinhard received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and his MBA from Florida State University. He is married and hastwo sons.

Yoav Snir, The Global Tech Executive - How To Create Great Strategic Partnerships, Honoring Cultural Diversity, and Changing Jobs When You Have Learned Enough

You will enjoy this conversation with Yoav Snir as we discuss his outstanding tech career that began in his homeland of Israel for one of the biggest telecom tech companies (30,000+ employees) and why he left to go to an 18-person startup to satisfy his entrepreneurial passion.
 
With 24 years of Startups and Fortune 500 international leadership in technologysales, product engineering, global strategy, partnerships, channels, and alliances, Yoav Snir (linkedin.com/in/yoavsnir) has been crafting dynamic solutions and delivering multimillion-dollar results at every turn. He has built and led teams of up to 400 people with $100M P&L and early-stage startup teams. He is an entrepreneur, works with startups as a mentor (with TechStars and Pipeline Entrepreneurs), started a nonprofit, and even within the big corporation, he ran “start-up-like” initiatives. In his last role as the chief partnership officer for a Fintech startup (Novel Capital), he created a partner ecosystem from the ground up. He rolled out a nationwide channel partners program, generating 19% of new customer deals within a year. Before that, he ran global partnerships for a $4B multinational product and services company (Amdocs) where he oversaw 100 partners, generating $30M. Yoav is a creative partnerships and alliances guru known to drive revenue growth through partnerships by building relationships and using cross-functional leadership.
On the personal side - Yoav moved to the US from Israel in 2008 with his family.He served in the Israeli Defense Forces and is also an aspiring musician.
 

Terri Jordan, The Constantly Evolving Entrepreneur - Her Bill Belichick Career Strategy, How She Constantly Overcame Adversity and Being Driven By Helping Others

You will truly enjoy this conversation with Terri Jordan where we talk about her fear of picking the wrong career, not being afraid of taking the lowest level job to learn about a new industry, her bout with cancer and other illnesses, her superpower of observation, and much more...
As an entrepreneur, Terri Jordan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrijordankc/ ) has successfully started/scaled six companies and brings over 25 years of strategy, sales, technology, and marketing leadership including extensive experience in legal, medical, tech, e-commerce, retail, restaurant, B2B, and B2C. Terri’s passion is growth strategy - helping her clients uncover and realize their next phase of growth through WizeWebz (Founder and CEO) and High Performance Marketing Boot Camps (President and Partner). She serves on the Mentor Advisory Board at UMKC, and the Marketing Advisory Board at JCCC. Terri finds fulfillment in working with aspiring entrepreneurs.

Tammie Osborne, Nurse to Entrepreneur - Being the CEO of You, Never Having a ”No” Leader, and Pivoting As A Career Strategy

Please join me and Tammie Osborne (linkedin.com/in/tammieosborne) as we have a great conversation talking about how an ER nurse changed her life, being a female healthcare tech pioneer, pivoting from nursing to Corporate America, the importance of relationships, and starting two companies (one during the pandemic in an industry she had no experience).
 
Tammie L. Osborne is an established healthcare executive and experienced small business owner with a passion for equipping others to succeed. Tammie has 30 years of experience in healthcare as an enterprise technology executive leader, EHR/EMR consultant, and clinician. In 2012, noticing a need for additional support for healthcare organizations as they implement and adopt new technology, Tammie founded Bridgemore IT (bridgemoreit.com ), a healthcare IT consulting, whereshe continues to lead as CEO. Through her healthcare consulting firm, Bridgemore IT Consulting, Tammie has managed change and new technology adoption for multi-million and billion-dollar projects by leading the world’s most top-tier organizations. Bridgemore IT also supports the Department of Defense’s EHR modernization Project. She has been helping these organizations streamline their operations and improve patient outcomes for over 12 years.
In 2020, while experiencing the challenge and changes of professional isolation brought on by the worldwide pandemic, Tammie saw an opportunity to support other female entrepreneurs in her community and tapped into her expertise by providing a coworking and event space. In response, she founded The Sapphire Suite( thesapphiresuite.com ), a luxe coworking environment where women can focus, grow, and connect in their busy professional and personal lives. With her extensive  leadership experience, her career-long focus on innovation, and her commitment tocollaboration, Tammie was uniquely equipped to build a space that not only helps women be productive but also provides the support and a community of seasoned professionals to help them succeed.
She is a wife and mother of three adult children, one of whom has special needs and she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Special Edition with William Godwin - What A Business Transformation Can Do For Your Company

This special edition episode features William Godwin (see bio below) as we discuss business transformation initiatives. William lends his expertise to what is most critical, what companies struggle with, what employees find most challenging, and how leaders can help ensure a successful transformation. Please enjoy my conversation with WIlliam!
 
​William Godwin ​(linkedin.com/in/william-godwin ) is an executive Leader with 20+ years of experience with iconic brands, small, mid-size, and large companies. His ability to leverage insights in novel ways based on a keen understanding of sound business
principles consistently leads to transforming businesses and unmatched operational excellence. His background includes everything from sales, training, and service, to internal and field operations. He is known for leading businesstransformation initiatives that optimize companies which leads to driving sustainable revenue and profits. William is a big fan and student of continuous learning and is passionate about leading, motivating, and inspiring people to be their personal best so that the company can be its best. One of his mottos is “Let’s stretch to be better tomorrow than we are today.” He embraces challenges, solves problems, and has a reputation for succeeding where others could not and being counted on to do the impossible.

Jonathan Jones, The Cultural Conversational Leader - Helping People Find Purpose And Meaning In Their Work, Why Company Culture Is Like Your A Lawn, and Givers Versus Takers

Join me with the great Jonathan Jones as we talk about how he pivoted from 12 years working for churches to a successful career in corporate America. You will love the insights from him on building a great company culture!
Jonathan Jones (linkedin.com/in/jonathanjoneskc ) joined DEMDACO (demdaco.com  ) in the fall of 2006 to give leadership to the company’s focus and intentionality about its culture. Since that time Jonathan has helped develop and lead conversations around DEMDACO’s Purpose: pursuing business the way it ought to be, and its Mission: to lift the spirit in measurable and tangible ways. He helps the company tell its stories both inside and outside the company.DEMDACO, located in Leawood, KS, specializes in artist-driven gift and home décor products that lift the spirit and help people connect in meaningful ways.As a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach, Jonathan loves helping others discover their Strengths and find ways to leverage them to achieve their goals.
Jonathan and his wife Maria live in the Kansas area. They have four children and five grandchildren. 
 

Jane Deterding, From Lawyer to Chairperson of the Board - What She Learned Working for Senator Bob Dole, Why Banks Are Being Challenged, and Her Circuitous Career Journey

Join my conversation with Jane Deterding as we talk about her experience working for the legendary Bob Dole, becoming a lawyer, and her pivot to running her 101-year-old family bank!
Jane Deterding is a fourth-generation banker at Citizen Bank of Kansas (CBK), Jane’s ties to banking started at an early age. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board, with other roles including General Counsel and Chief Strategic Marketing Officer. She is a graduate of Wichita State University, where she earned a BBA in finance and economics, and the University of Kansas School of Law.
Jane joined CBK full-time in 2001 after a decade in private law practice. Jane serves as a Commissioner on the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission and is involved with the Wichita Animal Action League, Wichita Chamber of Commerce, and Wichita Area Delta Gamma Alumnae, among other interests. Jane and her husband, Brent Lehner, have two adult children and live in western Sedgwick County with their four rescue dogs.

Kristen Ragusin, A Beautiful Soul About to Change The World - How She Predicted The 2008 Global Financial Crisis and Why Our Money System Makes Us Miserable

You will love my conversation with Kristen Ragusin (www.kristenragusin.com/ )! Her book "The End of Scarcity: The Dawn of The New Abundant World" (Amazon: https://a.co/d/0nyU1cX) will be one of the most important books you will ever read. She has such great energy and is on a mission to change our world by implementing a new system of exchange to create and sustain a life worth living.
About Kristen:
Kristen’s interest in money began as a child as she studied the stock and bond markets with her father to earn her allowance. She grew up seeing the markets as a tool of empowerment but all that changed when she saw the coming financial crisis of 2008. Sensing something was amiss in her worldview, she discovered everything she knew about money was wrong. Through a shocking revelation, she learned that what we use as money today works against us, creating perpetual suffering and scarcity.
This sent her on a seven-year journey around the world to find another way to create money. She uncovered a new way so simple and so beautiful, a new way already beginning to emerge. Preparing to unleash the natural abundance that exists, we stand on the precipice of the coming revolution of how we do money. Unstoppable, it comes closer every day. Reading her book will take you from grief, fear, and scarcity to hope, love, and abundance.
Kristen is a professional wealth management consultant with thirty years of experience. Investing over $150 million, she helps clients navigate markets and achieve financial goals. She is a certified digital currency professional and earned her Masters Degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Kristen holds certificates in FinTech from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in Money and Society from the University of Cumbria, London. She loves the adventure of Life and everything it brings from the many kinds of people to the wonders of Nature. She has traveled throughout the world. Her many journeys include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, hiking through the Sahara desert and studying at a spiritual school located in the foothills of Southern India.
https://www.theendofscarcity.com/contact

Aaron Fulk, The Transparent CEO - How She Became a LinkedIn Pioneer, Overcoming Hardships, and How to Network With Intention

Aaron Fulk (www.aaronfulk.com) is the CEO and founder of Lillian James Creative (https://lillianjamescreative.com/). You are going to enjoy this conversation with Aaron in this wide-open chat about her unconventional upbringing and career journey.  Here is the bio Aaron gave me to use for the episode:
In 2016, as a single mom without a college degree, Aaron (spelled like a boy) founded Lillian James Creative in her garage. She leaned on her marketing and sales experience, tapped into her personal and professional networks, and utilized her intuition and ambition to overcome obstacles, conquer challenges, and achieve company goals.
You will so enjoy listening to Aaron's unfiltered and unapologetic view of her life!

Baron Lukas, A Born Leader - Being a Lifelong Learner, How to Cultivate Leadership Excellence, and the Essence of Great Culture Building.

Please enjoy this mini-course on leadership with Baron Lukas!
 
Baron Lukas is an executive leader, advisor, coach, and retired Marine Corps Colonel. He has 42 years of leadership, management, and mentoring experience. His professional career spans a diverse spectrum of positions: fighter pilot, instructor, strategist, intelligence officer, professor, commander, and finally, business executive, entrepreneur, board member, and advisor.
Baron is a Principal at ExecHQ, a consulting firm comprised of over 100 senior executives in North America and globally with extensive C-Suite (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, etc.) experience. ExecHQ delivers on-demand, cost-effective solutions for complex business problems faced by CEOs and business owners. Baron’s advisory services include pre-transaction valuation improvement, strategy development and execution, executive coaching, corporate governance, and succession planning. Baron heads “ExecHQ MULTIPLE,” an advisory program specifically intended to prepare businesses for an M&A transaction or capital raise, and ExecHQ’s Executive Coaching and Corporate Governance practices.
Baron’s long history of business and military leadership positions gives him a unique perspective that blends the best practices of both worlds. A native of Germany, Baron is bilingual (English and German) and holds two master’s degrees. Baron and his wife, Tanya, an award-winning author, live on a small ranch just west of Fort Worth, Texas.

Maki Moussavi: Navigating the Spiritual Journey of Success - Dealing With Toxic Work Relationships, Helping High Achievers Overcome Self-Doubt, and Embracing Your Unique Path to Success

Enjoy my conversation with the magnificent Maki Moussavi as we get into some deep topics about work and fulfillment. Her book is fantastic!
 
Maki Moussavi (www.makimoussavi.com) is a mindset and executive coach, as well as the author of The High Achiever’s Guide (Amazon). She helps high achievers catalyze empowering change through deep examination of their conditioning to identify limiting patterns that keep them from reaching their full potential. Maki helps high achievers create positive disruption in their lives by de-complicating the process of making change. Like her clients, she identifies as a type A high achiever and spent 13 years in corporate America. Combined with her training in genetic counseling, her background provides the unique skills and experience to guide clients through the emotionally complex process of self-examination, deconditioning from standard paradigms of success, and uncovering a personally aligned approach that is holistically fulfilling.  

Special Edition - What 10 Exceptional Executives Focus On To Build A Great Corporate Culture

Welcome to the first special edition of the Corporate Couch Podcast! These episodes will be more of a loveseat and will range from 15 to 30 minutes in duration. In each special edition episode, I will ask one or more exceptional executives how they deal with the challenges that face corporate America today. This first special edition episode is about a topic near and dear to my heart, corporate culture, and you will hear from 10 exceptional executives on what they focus on to build outstanding cultures. You will hear from the following impressive group of leaders:
 
- Harry Campbell (linkedin.com/in/harryscampbell )
- Mike Allison (linkedin.com/in/mike-allison-connect )
- Jonathan Jones (linkedin.com/in/jonathanjoneskc )
- Pamela Norton (linkedin.com/in/pamelaannnorton )
- Sherri Gilligan (linkedin.com/in/sherri-w-gilligan-95845097 )
- Steve McClain (linkedin.com/in/steve-mcclain-981b648 )
- Brad Douglas (linkedin.com/in/braddouglas1 )
- Jy Maze (linkedin.com/in/jy-maze-0a23a8156 )
- Franny Goolsby (linkedin.com/in/frannygoolsbysalesleader )
- Mark Mears (linkedin.com/in/markamears ).
 
Please enjoy this inaugural special edition episode!

Mary Messner - Empowering Women in the Workplace - Overcoming Self-Doubt, Championing Authenticity, and Inspiring Leadership for Today and Tomorrow

Mary Messner  (www.marymessner.com) is a professional speaker, an advocate for women and girls, a mother, and a wife (not necessarily in that order). She has dedicated her career to approaching challenges with creativity, refusing to accept the status quo, and leading with a determination to grow others.Mary partners with organizations to provide inspiration, offer knowledge, and identify solutions. She is committed to creating a workplace culture where women are recognized and celebrated for their authentic and powerful abilities. Her speaking engagements and workshops provide tangible strategies that demonstrate how to empower women in the workplace. While off the stage, Mary spends her time as the Executive Director for Madam President Camp, a non-profit youth organization designed to inspire girls to use their voice to become leaders in their communities now and in the future. Mary brings her corporate, non-profit, and small business experience to each interaction with the goal of creating meaningful connections with her clients and audience.
 
You will enjoy my conversation with Mary!

Jy Maze, Transportation Trailblazer - Leading with Integrity, Diversity As Your ”Why”, and Entrepreneurship Lessons from Toddlers

Jy Maze is the President of award-winning Maze Freight Solutions (https://mazefreightsolutions.com/). She has been in transportation and supply chain management for over 12 years. Her sales success with large and small companies, along with the lack of diversity in the industry led to the founding of Maze Freight Solutions in 2017. The company, which emphasizes integrity, quality, and superior customer service, has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception.
Jy is a wife and mother of two, Author of Finding Your Toddler Ambition (https://a.co/d/0ysShIM), Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist/Trustee of the Maze Foundation, Mentor, and a 2023 KC Biz Journal, Women Who Mean Business honoree.
You will love Jy's energy and the conversation. Please enjoy!

Kristin Herman, The Wholehearted Wealth Advisor - Living By Design, Having Courageous Vulnerability, and Money as a Measure of Desire

Kristin Herman (LinkedIn Profile ) is a wealth management advisor at Northwestern Mutual. Her wealth management philosophy:
In the world of wealth management, there is a lingering misconception about what financial advisors are and do. Many feel that financial advisors are only out to collect a fee or to transact a result. They believe that transparency is the last thought of the financial advisor, and as a result, strategy and education go by the wayside.
The people who work with Kristin don't want to make a transaction. They want someone to understand and counsel them at a deep level by clarifying and aligning their intentions and actions so that they can know what is meaningful in their lives will also be measurable. This helps them pursue ‘Wholehearted Wealth’ through ‘Living by Design’ and achieve financial freedom, confidence, and peace of mind.
Kristin and her team work with amazing individuals nationwide who want to create a legacy of wealth that matches their passions and joy—and they do it by creating clarity, confidence, and security. In their journey with her team, their courageous vulnerability helps them pursue ease in their financial paths, becoming empowered and equipped to pursue their own wholehearted lives. As they create meaningful change in their finances, they experience a peace they never knew was possible.
When you feel empowered, wholehearted, and cared for, the world is your oyster. 
 
Please enjoy my conversation with Kristin!

Mike Allison, The Culture Champion - Having a No Asshole Policy, The Impact of the Pandemic on Corporate Cultures, and Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Please enjoy my conversation with Mike Allison as we discuss how to build a great corporate culture, leading with emotional intelligence, the pandemic's impact on leadership, and his one interview question.
Mike Allison (linkedin.com/in/mike-allison-connect )is the Vice President of Talent and Culture at Spotlight where his focus is on talent acquisition, employee growth/engagement, and leadership development. Spotlight was recently named one of Kansas City’s best places to work for in both Ingram’s magazine and theKansas City Business Journal. Mike is also an Adjunct Professor andBloch Executive Education instructor within the Bloch School at theUniversity of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC). Prior to his role at Spotlight, Mike enjoyed over 22 years of healthcare IT leadership experience working at Cerner. His final role there involved leading a group of faculty who developed and deliveredadvanced education to cohorts of Veterans Administration (VA)clinicians, informaticists, and analytics professionals. He also workedwith internal and external leaders on change management and otherorganizational development initiatives. Previously, Mike held executiveresponsibilities within Cerner’s client and associate learningorganizations. His award-winning teams, many of which wereinternationally based, provided practical and effective end-to-end learning solutions to Cerner clients and associates around the world. Mike also spent a year as the Vice President of Learning and Development at AMC Theatres where heled a team of learning professionals focused on building, supporting, and retaining talent across multiple guest-facing brands.
Mike regularly carries out public speaking engagements and provides coaching to business leaders across the Kansas City metropolitan area. He presents and instructs on diverse topics such as leading through change, emotional intelligence, holding difficult conversations, building a culture of feedback, advanced presentation techniques, cultivating trust, and executive presence. Prior to working in the private sector, Mike was involved in city management for three years. He worked primarily as a management analyst for the city of Kansas City, Mo. He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in public administration (MPA) from Brigham YoungUniversity.
Mike is married to Amy Allison, a non-profit leader serving as the Executive Director for The Farmer’s House. They have three young adult children (girl, boy, girl). Besides being an avid family man, Mike is passionate about volunteering, seeing the world, hiking, music, disc golf, and all things San Francisco. He was born and raised in the “City by the Bay.”

Joel Goldberg: Living His Childhood Dream - From Sports Broadcasting to Business Success, Culture Building, and Championship Insights

Joel Goldberg (https://joelgoldbergmedia.com/meet-joel/ ) is an Emmy Award Winning Broadcaster. Keynote Speaker. Published Author. Joel began dreaming of a career as a sportscaster at a young age, always wanting to deliver news of the previous night’s game to his grade school teachers. He’s spent over a quarter century on television, relying on relationship-building to tell athletes’ stories. Joel’s unique access enables him to share lessons learned from the baseball field to the board room as a motivational speaker and to homes everywhere through his business podcast.

Haley Prophet, Being a Chief Wellness Officer - Well-Being vs. Wellness, Introducing Meditation to Your Employees, and Having a Human-Centered Approach to the Workplace

With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate well-being, Haley Prophet (linkedin.com/in/haleyprophet ) brings a multi-dimensional approach and authentic presence to her strategies for fostering an atmosphere where individuals, organizations, and community relationships can thrive. She creatively evaluates and implements well-rounded, multi-dimensional whole-person well-being opportunities through intentional planning and alignment with company and program goals and values. Haley emphasizes the notion that energy management has to begin with how individuals care for and prioritize their well-being which leads to happier, healthier, and more productive workplaces and communities. She is also in her college Hall of Fame and has been voted as a 100 Top Wellness Professional in 2014 and 50 Top Wellness Professionals in 2016.
 
Please enjoy my conversation with Haley a true pioneer in corporate well-being!

Doug Morse, The CEO with the Heart of a Teacher - What is the Value of An Employee, Rural Healthcare Zealot, and How 1+1 =3

Doug Morse knows small hospitals and clinics are the healthcare and economic engines driving rural life. 30+ years of leadership as critical access hospital CEO, healthcare system executive, and entrepreneurship instructor. His first CEO position was in a small rural hospital system in Iowa. In his role as an educator teaching budding entrepreneurs, he was named "Teacher of the Year" twice. Doug is an accomplished author, speaker, and consultant who thrives on adding value to everyone he meets. Today he helps rural hospital C-Suites and Boards achieve exceptional scorecards and strong community support.
You will enjoy my conversation with Doug, a true servant leader!
 

Resilience Redefined with Jennifer Rome: Overcoming Crisis, Rebuilding Dreams, and Leaving a Lasting Legacy

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!

Pamela Norton, Serial Founder/CEO - How She Survived 9/11, Pioneering the Edge Economy, and The 3 Revolutions Happening Right Now

​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, Global Sales Executive - Being a Sales ”Matchmaker”, The Biggest Mistake Most Sales Professionals Make, and Why You Should Move On When You Are Not Learning Anymore

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, The Creative CFO - How To Be a Leader That People Want to Work For, Why You Should Be Curious, and Having No Defined Career Path

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 toevolve 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 inManufacturing Engineering and Accounting. She also earned a Master of BusinessAdministration 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, Purposeful Growth Revolutionary - From the Great Resignation to the Great Re-Purposing, Why Community is More Important Than Culture, and Paying It Backwards

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, Social Media Pioneer - Being a 24 year old, Female, Tech Company Founder/CEO in 2003, How AI is impacting MarTech/Marketing, and Having a Growth Mindset

​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, The Wall Street Connector - Being on a Mission to Enlighten the Financial Industry, Understanding Web3, Crypto, and Blockchain, and The Future of Our Financial Markets

​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, Being Zen in a Chaotic World -Why You Should F*** Being Fine, Why High Achievers Meditate, and The #1 Question to Ask at a Networking Event.

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, Corporate Learning Innovator - Building Connected Communities, Making the Workplace More Authentic, and Innovating Corporate Leadership Development

​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!
 

Dan Hurst (Part I), Award Winning Media Talent​ -​Making Kenny Loggins Cry, Predicting the Demise of Radio, and Struggling with Mental Health

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!

Dan Hurst (Part II), Award Winning Media Talent​ -​Making Kenny Loggins Cry, Predicting the Demise of Radio, and Struggling with Mental Health

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, Neuroscientist, and Start-Up Founder - Lessons from Being a CEO at 25, Using AI to Improve Mental Health, and Living Heroically

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!

Komal Kaur, The 18-year-old Not-for-Profit Founder - ​Her ”Why” on Helping Immigrants, How To Manage Being Involved In Many Things, and Advice for Managers Hiring Recent College Graduates.

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, Award-Winning CIO - ​Wanting to be on Broadway and the dreams of being an FBI agent, Reinventing IT from being the Division of No, and Why IT is not all about Technology

​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, The Ultimate Connector and Executive Recruiter - H​ow Relationship Building, The Deck Repair ”Guy”, and Being a Dishwasher Led to a Phenomenal Career; Helping Those in Career Transition

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, ​Strategic Growth Advisor - ​Lessons from His Dad, ​Being Genuinely Curious, and ​Learning By Failing

​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 thosemoments 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 percentgrowth 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 achievegrowth.
You will enjoy my conversation with Scott!​

Nick Giuliani, KC’s Biggest Advocate - Being a Positive Force in the World, Empathy in Leadership, and Raising Others Up

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, andbusinesses 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, Inspirational Speaker/Life Coach - Being Dead for 8 Minutes, Turning Tragedy into Purpose, and Harnessing the Power of Vision

​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 (Part ​I), ​ The Servant Leader - How Nice Guys Finish First, Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs, and Not-for-Profit Leadership

Steve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketingand strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups.His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for topbrands 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 AmericanCentury Investments where he was responsible for overseeing the retail division whichserved over 600,000 individual investors and had $36B in assets under management.Steve is a graduate of Rockhurst University and earned an MBA from WebsterUniversity.
He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife, Mary Beth. They have raised five childrentogether and are enjoying a life stage that includes grandchildren.
 
You will enjoy my conversation with Steve!​

Steve McClain (Part ​I​I), ​ The Servant Leader - How Nice Guys Finish First, Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs, and Not-for-Profit Leadership

Steve McClain’s career includes more than 30 years of diverse experience in marketingand strategy development for large corporations, as well as entrepreneurial startups.His career has been focused on consumer marketing and business development for topbrands 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 AmericanCentury Investments where he was responsible for overseeing the retail division whichserved over 600,000 individual investors and had $36B in assets under management.Steve is a graduate of Rockhurst University and earned an MBA from WebsterUniversity.
He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife, Mary Beth. They have raised five childrentogether and are enjoying a life stage that includes grandchildren.
 
You will enjoy my conversation with Steve!​