Lessons from the Boardroom: Recent Episodes
Kevin Minton
The Lessons From The Boardroom podcast brings together successful CEOs and Presidents of growing small and mid-sized companies from around the world to share successes, challenges, and what’s working now to grow a business, build a culture of accountability and profitability, and increase freedom for you, the business owner and CEO.
Tune in each week as Kevin Minton of Chief Executive Boards International interviews a new leader.
Our special guest on this week’s episode of our Lessons From the Boardroom Podcast is Scott Snider. Scott operates as Vice President of the Exit Planning Institute, based out of Cleveland, Ohio, where he is responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, along with overseeing the company's operations and chapter development. Scott is also an entrepreneur and the Operating Partner of Snider Premier Growth, a private investment firm.
“CEPA is our main credential— certified advisors can help a business owner to rapidly grow value in their business and position them for a fulfilling and successful exit while aligning not only their business goals, but their personal goals, and personal financial goals. It kind of brings these three things all together for an owner,” says Scott.
We chat about initiating an entrepreneurial spirit early in his life, as well as:
- CEPAs - Certified Exit Planning Advisors, and what they offer
- The international growth of the Exit Planning Institute
- The transition from credentialing programs to extensive virtual education programs
- A pivotal moment that required a shift to creating a virtual masterclass
- And more
On this week’s episode of the Lessons From the Boardroom podcast, we speak with Scott Groshans. He is the Vice President of Operations for PBI Performance Products, Inc. in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and has been with the company for 38 years. PBI was purchased from Celanese by the InterTech Group back in 2005 and focuses on manufacturing high-performance polymers and fibers primarily for the firefighter protective apparel market.
We chat about the development of PBI and its involvement with NASA, as well as:
- The various markets PBI serves in addition to the fire service industry
- The challenge of replacing industrial utilities
- Building and maintaining critical relationships
- Creating and executing a vision and continuously pursuing it
- And more
On this week’s episode of the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast, we speak with Mike Davis. Mike is the President and Senior Partner of Hill Electric Company. The company performs machinery installations, including panel placement, power control, and data management, for many manufacturers in their home state of South Carolina.
Mike says, “There are no shortcuts. You have to be willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and put in a lot of long hours, a lot of long weeks, and maybe even some all-nighters to get to where you want to be. If you aren't willing to make those sacrifices, then you really can't expect success to just fall in your lap.”
Mike discusses the evolution of his career, as well as:
- Overhauling the company culture after a period of rapid growth
- Growth outside of the textile industry
- Aligning with the right customer to create long-lasting business relationships
- Looking forward and leaving a strong legacy
- And more
On this week’s episode of the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast, we speak with Robert Duermit. He is the President of Kinsale Contracting Group, a selective demolition and environmental company based in Chicago, Illinois. Alongside three other partners, Robert started Kinsale in 2001, offering lead, asbestos and mold removal, and remediation. Robert has since become President and continues to grow and evolve a very successful company.
Robert says, “Sometimes when you're trying to build your company, you lose sight of the future. And that's where I think a lot of businesses fail. So, you have to look in the future and map it out and follow that map the best way you can.”
We chat with Robert about how offering excellent customer service is a collective team effort, as well as:
- The unpredictability of the economy
- How his team develops the strengths of each employee
- Investing in your workforce
- The separation of work and home life
- Continuously planning for the future
- And more
Our special guest on this week’s episode of the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast is Ben Tarrier, Vice President of The Tarrier Steel Company in Columbus, Ohio. He is a fourth-generation leader of the structural steel fabrication company after his great-grandfather founded the business 100 years ago. He's a husband, a father of three, and a veteran army officer. Ben came up the old fashioned way, starting on the shop floor as a general laborer and eventually working his way through the ranks toward leading the company.
Ben says, “When you fail at something, when you get to step back, you sit there and you analyze it. I think you learn from failure, even if it's not a huge failure, if it's just something that didn't go the way you want it to, you learn from it. I think that helps you be stronger and it helps you make better decisions.”
We chat about how the company has stayed strong for a century, as well as:
- The family legacy of Tarrier Steel
- Transitioning leadership in the future
- Shifting company culture to encourage innovation
- The freedom to make mistakes and the surprising results that often follow
- And more
This week, on the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast, we speak with Andrew Loff, the Co-Founder of Composite Advantage, an infrastructure company specializing in large structural fiberglass components. They’ve engineered longer-lasting materials for vehicle bridges, rails platforms, and various other heavy infrastructure type products. Based out of Dayton, Ohio, they’ve grown from a start-up to a successful multimillion-dollar infrastructure company manufacturing new product lines.
We chat with Andy about beginning a company with the support of a non-profit, as well as:
- The humbling early days of ownership of Composite Advantage
- Avoiding costly mistakes by listening to mentors
- Bootstrap financing
- Encouraging people to grow into their roles by providing opportunities
- And more
On this week’s episode of the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast, we speak with Edward Niles, CEO and Owner of Network Controls, a leading full service provider of structured cabling, outside plant, wireless access and controls, surveillance systems, communications, and technology infrastructure.
Ed says, “Building a culture that is very family orientated takes time and it takes effort; you have to focus on it, you have to try to make it. A culture just doesn't happen, you have to work on it. Whatever culture you may want within your business, it's an everyday thing you have to work on.”
Ed shares how he applied his tenacious spirit, as well as:
- Communications in the military
- Treating every employee like family and listening to their needs
- Offering an open door policy
- Implementing open communication within the company culture
- Being unwaveringly decisive to keep moving forward
- And more
Our special guest on this week’s episode of the Lessons from the Boardroom Podcast is Vince DeLeonardis, President of Auch Construction since 2006, a privately held construction management firm based in Pontiac, Michigan, founded in 1908. They enjoy over 95% repeat business, a rare statistic for a construction management firm.
Vince says, “Our greatest success has been seeing the transformation of our next generation as they're taking care of problems, and in keeping with our core values, taking care of the client results in that repeat business.”
We chat about the road to his leadership role at Auch Construction, as well as:
- Dynamic skills learned from a mine in Colorado, and a nuclear power plant in Michigan
- Moving from running big highrise and historical preservation projects to a smaller firm
- Aiming for a seamless transition of leadership
- Developing a proactive culture of safety and values
- And more...
On this week’s episode of Lessons From the Boardroom, we speak with Zoltan Kovacs, President of Perram Electric and Lampion Companies since 2009. They are heavy highway electrical contractors specializing in traffic signals, highway lighting, outdoor lighting, and airport lighting all over Ohio and western Pennsylvania and have been in operation since 1986.
Zoltan says, “We do what we say we're going to do, and then we go out and we do it well. Follow through on your commitments and produce not just a great product but a great balance sheet too. It all leads to not compromising on your quality and your commitments, and then not compromising on your prices.”
We chat about being decisive, as well as:
- Buying a business in the midst of the 2009 recession
- How running lean operations during the recession was good preparation for the challenges of COVID
- Paradigm shifts by analyzing sales and raising prices
- Finding new hires that align with company core values
- And more
On this week’s episode of Lessons from the Boardroom, we speak with Steve Bitzer. He started his career straight out of high school as a welder, a steel fabricator, and an erector and progressed to become the President of Deerfield Construction company in 1988, where he presides over the company today.
Steve says, “If you're not striving to be better, all the time, then it's going to get stagnant at some point, and you're going to lose employees, you're going to lose customers, it's going to be a step backwards. So I believe anybody who can identify the good, and make it better, and anybody that can identify the not so good and make it better is going to be successful.”
We chat about business strategy, as well as:
- The impact of COVID on this essential business
- The use of remote tools to update project processes
- Takeaways from pandemic operations that will carry on into the future
- Seeking to offer outstanding customer service in the industry
- And more
This week, on Lessons from the Boardroom, we speak with Ryan Yeoman, President of ADW, an OEM automotive distribution company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. ADW warehouses sells OEM parts and accessories from General Motors and parts from Ford Motor Company. Ryan was formerly the COO of Capterra, a technology and online media company he co-founded in 2000.
Ryan says, “The more deliberate you are, the clearer you are on what your culture is, what you stand for, the better chance you have of making sure the people that are part of it, are living it, are empowered by it, and are able to do their best work. And I think that ultimately leads to success.”
We chat about the big shift of company culture occurring in ADW now, as well as:
- Transitioning out of change-averse, stagnation mode
- Establishing a really strong foundation
- Making every company employee feel valued and heard
- Encouraging and Inviting feedback
- Creating an environment in which people can empower themselves
- And more
On this week’s episode of Lessons From the Boardroom, we speak with Murrel Karsh, the President and Co-Founder of Windy City Fieldhouse and WCF Events in Chicago, Illinois. The Fieldhouse itself is a 55,000 square foot sports and entertainment complex, which represents just a portion of their business model. They are also the largest team building and corporate entertainment company in the midwest, with additional events being performed all over the country.
Murrel says, “The unique thing about the events we started planning was that they were very different from anything else that was being offered; virtually everything that was offered was offered by people who had never spent a day in the corporate world. So, the perspectives of consultants and type A's and what they find engaging was not particularly reflected in the events that were available. That's really who we struck a chord with. We defined programs that we, as those employees, would have enjoyed and it exploded from there.”
We chat about making the jump into owning a major event company, as well as:
- Designing engaging corporate events.
- His biggest challenges and successes as an entrepreneur to date and how they have helped him and his business grow.
- Reinvention during COVID and the importance of perseverance.
- And more
On this week’s episode of Lessons from the Boardroom, we speak to Arjun Dhake, Vice President of Business Development at Dhake Industries. The company has been supplying paint and coatings for vehicle interiors as well as hubcaps to suppliers all over the world for over 41 years.
Arjun has been immersed in Dhake Industries since his childhood and has embodied every role in each department in order to effectively execute decisions for the whole of the company.
We chat about the pivotal moments that have shaped the family-owned business and kept them competitive in the global market, as well as:
- Growing into a family-owned business
- Navigating exports to China during the COVID crisis
- The future of the global automobile market
- The importance of understanding every role within a company
- Seizing the opportunity for global expansion
- And more
On this week’s episode, we speak with Chris Eifert, a mechanical engineer who always knew his true path would be one that led him to customer service. Chris was able to make his dreams come true when he became an owner of TriComB2B, an award winning business to business marketing agency with a focus on supporting technical industries. He talks about the ups and downs of the marketing world running a marketing agency that’s number one in its field.
“A mentor of mine taught me that constructive tension is a good thing in a business. You need people with different points of view and eccentric personalities to really make a business like ours work”, says Chris
We chat about the challenges Chris faced on the path to becoming a CEO, as well as:
- Being emotionally vulnerable and admitting when you’ve made a mistake
- Creating a positive business environment
- The importance of constructive tension to your business
- Knowing and accepting your limitations
- And more
On this week’s episode, we speak with Eero Pikat, President of Barchart. Eero began his journey with Barchart as a highschool student and through hard work and perseverance, has evolved the company into a global financial technology leader, providing market data and services to global financial, media, and commodity industries. He joins us today to speak about the trials and successes he experienced along the way.
“We've always been careful not to overextend ourselves. We have a diversified set of customers, not just in the industries that they're in, but also in their size. We are not beholden to one customer that accounts for 50% of our revenue. So we've played smart and safe to some degree, but we’ve also been safely aggressive” says Eero.
We chat about Eero’s entrepreneurial journey, as well as:
- How he turned his general interest in pure software development into a lucrative career
- The transformation of a commercial website into a leading financial portal
- His evolution from college grad to company President
- His biggest challenges as a business owner
- And more
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Tim Allen, CEO of Oberon Technologies. Tim has over 35 years of experience with automating the delivery of enterprise content and virtual reality training. Oberon Technologies has a staff that is over 90% virtual, with its executive team spread across five states, and employees in 33.
Tim had this to say about team collaboration during the pandemic: “One of the things I think that really helped us and made us successful in this was getting everybody's input. And when we got ideas, all the way down to the lowest level employee coming up with ideas as to what we could potentially use to help survive in this situation, we got those kinds of cross-functional ideas that really helped us make good decisions and put everything on the board that we wouldn't have thought of if we just kept it at the executive level, or I tried to come up with solutions on my own.”
We chat about Tim’s entrepreneurial journey, as well as:
- His biggest challenges and successes
- Building success from scratch
- How COVID-19 sped up plans and exposed underlying strengths
- Virtualization in a hurry
- The importance of communication throughout executive levels
- And more
Hi-Tech Furnace Systems produces niche products for very specific industries, including cleaning systems for jet engines and industrial gas turbines for power generation, among others. But, as president and owner of the company for almost 25 years, Robert Kornfeld has seen the power of having a “small” yet very vital product.
Hi-Tech has worked with GE, Siemens, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and many other powerhouse companies over the years. They have an international footprint.
It’s a reputation and expertise Robert has helped instill since he first acquired the company in order to take advantage of coming industry trends. We talk about how he spotted this market change and how he positioned Hi-Tech to capitalize on it… so much so that the company is now regarded as a world leader in the technology.
Tune in to also hear about…
- How he convinced his first clients to do multimillion-dollar deals
- The power of creating “personal” professional relationships
- The #1 biggest driver of business success in this – and any – industry
- A strategy for creating long-term, profitable relationships with your best customers
- And more
Back in 2009, Matt Ray didn’t know what he was getting into when he bought Midwest Retail Services. But he smelled opportunity, even during that tough time for our economy.
Today, this former salesman is still the proud owner and president of this business that provides shelving, displays, and more to stores. In fact, since he took over, the business’s revenues have tripled.
His philosophy since the beginning has been to enjoy the ups and downs, the triumphs and the struggles, because it’s all part of, as he puts it, “living life to the fullest.”
We get into that during our conversation and also talk about…
- Why running a business is like raising kids
- The importance of having a positive company culture – and how to cultivate it
- The role of fear in guiding important decisions
- Maintaining an appetite of continuous learning and improvement
- And more
Steve Hoffman’s two businesses are definitely complimentary.
Skyline provides exhibit design services for tradeshows, while Steve’s new startup, Innovative Environments, provides corporate interior design and signage. He’s been able to leverage a lot from the old into the new.
But his career background is quite different than the “visual impact pieces” his businesses provide today… or is it?
He worked in TV for many years… until he knew he needed a change in location and profession. Yet he knows those past experiences shaped his work today.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The crucial first job in his current industry and how it changed him forever.
- How his new company allows them to branch into unique new markets
- What he learned from his first business that carried over to his new one
- The practice that sets his startup apart from the competition
- And more
On this week’s episode, we speak with special guest, Brain English, Co-Owner and President of 4 Walls, a Cleveland-based company specializing in designing and producing digitally printed wallcoverings, window films, acoustic fabrics, and other decor solutions. Brian started his career as an accountant, but ultimately decided to transition to entrepreneurship to create a lifestyle that better suited his growing family.
“I felt very restricted in the corporate world, and I just kept coming back to that dream I always had of doing my own thing and building it. Lucky for me, I've got the most amazing spouse and her family is incredible. They believed in me and really encouraged me, and us, to kind of go out and try to find a business that we could run on our own. Through some networking, we came across 4 Walls and, at the time, it wasn’t too big or too small, we shared a lot of values with the founder of the business, and the rest is kind of history,” says Brian.
We chat about Brian’s journey from accountant to entrepreneur, as well as:
- His biggest challenges and successes as a business owner
- Reconfiguring your business’ culture
- Locating and navigating your blind spots
- The importance of humility
- And more
When Douglas Morris was in high school, he started computer programming – and loved it.
So it’s no surprise that today he’s the founder and CEO of Computer Systems Innovations, Inc., which has helped nonprofit organizations with their technology needs since 1991. Specifically, with their membership software for things like paying dues, event registrations, and more.
Douglas believes in hands-on work and leadership in the company and that even he can always learn something new, which he does on a regular basis.
We talk about early days of the company, the biggest challenge he’s faced over the years (hint: it was a leadership struggle), and more.
Tune in to discover…
- Why he lost half his stuff overnight – and how he overcome that hurdle
- Advice from Henry Ford that he follows to this day
- The 2 must-read books Douglas recommends that could change your business
- How “shrinking” the business at one point actually made it grow
- And more
On this week’s episode, we chat with Rob Gilmore, Founder and CEO of RX’n’Go, about his journey to building a successful grassroots business. After spending 25 years working for major insurance companies in employee benefits and two years working as a benefit advisor, Rob started RX’n’Go to address some common frustrations with pharmacy costs and delivery of medications.
Since founding the company with his partner in 2010, they have grown from one account to over 250 employer groups offering RX’n’Go to their employees and family members. Rob currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, and enjoys traveling with his wife when he has the time to do so.
We chat about how Rob got his start in business, as well as:
- The idea that prompted the founding of RX’n’Go
- The biggest challenges and greatest successes he has faced in his journey thus far
- Why he believes some businesses achieve success where others might struggle
- Why he is optimistic about the future of RX’n’Go
- And more
There is a saying that goes, “What have you done for me lately?” For technology companies, that means a focus on innovation through research and development because customers are always looking for faster, more effective products.
Spectrum Technologies helps growers, from farmers to golf course turf managers, get the most out of their land through close monitoring of weather, soil conditions, nutrient management, and more. So it’s no surprise Mike Thurow, who founded the company 33 years ago, grew up on a farm.
Mike has an attitude of “always be learning”, which he brings to bear in his role as president and CEO, whether it’s watching industry trends or understanding his clients’ struggles and then identifying or creating technology to solve those problems.
We talk about the journey from founding to today, and what he’s learned along the way, including…
- The most difficult role to hire – and why talented people don’t always work out
- The single change that had the biggest impact on profit margins
- How the creative use of existing technology in radically different industries was pivotal in the early days
- The biggest challenge to continued growth after more than three decades in business
- And more
Sean Steimle, CEO of HPC Fire Inspired, shares how he came to own the company – and the steps he took before the deal to make it happen. He also goes into what the transition was like when he had to blend the existing, already-effective company culture with a growth-oriented mindset to take the business to the next level.
He says it was one his greatest challenges as a CEO, but he and his team were able to overcome it with one key process. Of course, with things like this, Sean notes that there is never an endpoint – it’s a continuous journey.
We dig deep into that, as well as…
- An innovation that has won them industry recognition – and the method anyone can model that got them there
- A technique for creating incremental improvement that leads to major changes
- How targeted collaboration can fill in your company’s “gaps”
- The two traits you must have to reach your most important goals
- And more
When you have a compensation structure based on sales and profitability targets, it can be a challenge to keep your team working together towards common goals, says Darren Springer.
But as president and part-owner DEVITA Engineering, Darren has found a balance that incentivizes team members to excel in their individual roles but also support company goals. A big part of that is a leadership style that provides encouragement and stresses accountability.
He’s doing something right, because DEVITA has managed to grow by 17% year over year for the past eight years. Darren shares how they’ve been able to maintain this growth rate, as well as…
- What they’ve done to account for pandemic-related downturn and how they’re prepping for 2021
- How they’ve adapted to remote working – and why they might never go back to the “old way”
- What he views as the most important job of a company president
- His top tips for managing high-performing people – and their egos
- And more
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Tim Gase, Co-Owner and CEO of the Peerless Saw Company. Tim has been very successful in owning and leading an industrial manufacturing company in the heart of the midwest and has also positioned himself to be able to back away from his business on his own terms.
Through his career, Tim has only ever worked for two companies. He began at Cooper Industries in Dayton, Ohio, where he held 8 job titles over 12 years in addition to earning his MBA, before transitioning to Peerless Saw, where he has been for the last 25 years. Tim currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Jan, and enjoys fishing, hunting, building habitats for wildlife, and traveling across North and Central America.
We chat about Tim’s experience as a CEO with Peerless, as well as:
- His biggest challenges and successes as a business owner
- Maintaining a highly profitable business in a mature industry
- Keeping an open mind and welcoming opportunity
- The importance of having an intimate understanding of your business’ financials
- And more
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by special guest Richard Hagins. Richard comes from a humble background and has propelled himself through challenges and obstacles to position himself as a pillar of leadership within his community. After serving his country for 23 years as a US Naval Officer, Richard followed his entrepreneurial spirit when he founded US&S Inc. in 2003. He has received several accolades and awards, most recently being named Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 - Southeast by Ernst & Young.
Richard was formally educated in electronic engineering technology and holds a Master’s Degree in business management. He also has a wife and three daughters, one of whom has risen to become President of the company that he founded.
We chat about Richard’s journey from naval service to entrepreneurship, as well as:
- The challenges associated with growing his business
- Building and spreading a company culture, as well as culture’s importance to success
- The importance of establishing strong teaming relationships
- His business philosophy
- And more
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by special guest Jamie Prince, the Owner and President of Flourish, a marketing, public relations, and events firm she founded in the midst of the Great Recession. Since 2009, she’s grown her team to include twelve professionals, together with whom her firm has served over 100 brands across the southeast and has garnered over 60 awards for their work.
“Flourish began with just myself helping companies weather the recession, and believe it or not, on the other side of the recession, we experienced great growth and we had a very solid client base. We had earned their trust during a very difficult period for their businesses, and most of those people we still keep in touch with to this day. So that's how we started,” says Jamie.
We chat about her journey to founding Flourish, as well as:
- Her biggest challenges and successes as a CEO
- Learning to manage people and build a welcoming office culture
- The importance of grit
- Taking the right attitude towards failure
- And more
As a business owner, president, or CEO, there are two ways you can grow the business: be a grinder, working 60 or 70 hours a week or… you can work smarter and actually enjoy the financial and personal freedom being the boss is supposed to be all about.
I’m Kevin Minton, CEO of Chief Executive Boards International. Drawing upon my 25+ years of experience in sales, sales leadership, and management, I’m seeking to help owners find balance in their lives – and still achieve breakthrough business success in my new podcast: Lessons From the Boardroom.
I’ll have help, guests who share their real-life experiences and challenges in running their businesses so you can learn from their wins – and losses too. And because you know all too well that you can’t separate your work from your home life, I will also cover how to navigate relationships with spouses, family, and friends.
You can expect a free exchange of ideas and sometimes even some tough conversations.