The Pivotal Leader: Recent Episodes

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“The key is to know who you are and understand what drives you, what makes you happy and what drives you as a leader.” - The Our Shawn McBride

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina interviewed The Our Shawn McBride is a corporate lawyer licensed in 12 states and Washington, DC and is a CPA licensed in 3 states. He heads The R. Shawn McBride Law Firm, PLLC, a corporate law boutique and McBride For Business, LCC a business strategy firm where he is often called upon to speak or consult on the future of business. He is the author of Business Blunders which showcases common business mistakes to avoid and three other books.

His extensive experience in the sales arena comes from running his multiple businesses and being called upon repeatedly to help sales organizations increase their sales results.

Episode Highlights:

• What consulting on the future of business means and what we should be looking at when creating business plans for the future
• Some changes or trends that business should be anticipating over the coming years, including block-chain (and what block-chain is)
• What smaller businesses should be doing to prepare for block-chain technology
• The importance of looking at the ripple effects of new technology and the disruption it can or will bring
• Common business mistakes that Shawn has seen and some solutions to the mistakes, including some LLC setup blunders
• Should you setup your business as an S-Corp or LLC?
• Partnership Agreements and the 4 D’s (death, disability, divorce or disagreement) Shawn says you should always run through before going into a partnership
• How Shawn does it ALL, his system and processes and how inter-connectivity aids him in his day-to-day business activities

FULL SHOWNOTES

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"Whenever you do something you love it becomes a renewable source of energy for you. It unlocks creativity, energy, enthusiasm and it’s no wonder I am doing all this crazy stuff right now, because I did something that I loved."

• Julian Placino

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina interviewed, Julian Placino, a recruiting professional with 12 years of experience in agency and corporate staffing. He’s been instrumental in advancing the careers of hundreds of technology, creative, and sales professionals around the country. For seven years, he led talent acquisition for Bottle Rocket, one of the premier mobile development firms in the world.
Julian also is the creator of the Pathways to Success Podcast in iTunes where he conducts in-depth interviews with world-class performers to discover their mindsets, tactics, and behaviors. He has interviewed CEOs, New York Times bestselling authors, TEDx speakers, celebrity athletes, company founders, leading entrepreneurs, and prolific thought leaders.

Podcast Highlights:

• Julian’s fascinating story, how he went from recruiter to podcaster to keynote speaker and owner of Pathways to Success Training Company
• The importance of finding the intersection of your inner strengths
• Some advice to an organization that is trying to create a culture of innovation and inspiration
• What inspired Julian to create the Pathways to Success podcast, how his recruiting experience aided him in doing so and what the podcast is all about
• Creating a social footprint and discovering what a personal brand truly is
• How having a podcast, a personal brand and message can leave an impact on your followers
• Using LinkedIn as a medium to produce and publish content and how it helped Julian build credibility as a personal branding consultant
• Social media acts as a great feedback mechanism and the importance of listening to your market
• The benefits of recharging and what Julian does to recharge
• Julian’s view on the future of podcasting from a business perspective and the wrong and right energy

FULL SHOW NOTES

Pivot10Results

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"I tell everybody, you want to figure out what you are made of? Launch your own business. I don't know any other tool, in the world, that will make you grow up, level up, figure yourself out faster than launching your own business.”

• Donnie Boivin

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Donnie Boivine - Success Coach, Podcast Coach, Content Developer, International Speaker and host of the Success Champions Podcast. He’s an expert sales professional and top 200 iTunes podcaster.

Episode Highlights:

• The difficulties of moving from an employee mindset to a business owner mindset
• The benefits of podcasting and interviewing guests
• The challenges of podcast monetization
• Using the social proof of being a podcaster to get exposure on 'the big stage'
• Discovering podcasting for business
• The accountability of having processes and systems in place
• The fear of success
• The power of incremental growth when your next milestone soon becomes your new comfort zone
• Keep going after failure
• Evolve your experience, rather than just repeating the same experience year after year
• Are you a salesperson OR 'just' an order taker
• Managing sales teams, measuring performance and encouraging competition
• How a podcast episode can power your content marketing

FULL SHOW NOTES

Spontaneous Selling 1.0

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"Create the atmosphere that allows you to become all that you are meant to be.” -Tom Ziglar

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco and Rachel Pitts(co-host of Women Your Mother Warned You About) interviewed Tom Ziglar, son of Zig Ziglar and CEO of Ziglar, Inc. This is a two-part series with part two (about sales) available on Women Your Mother Warned You About. This episode focuses on leadership.

Episode Highlights:

• Following in the footsteps of an iconic family member
• The characteristics of an excellent leader
• Scaling a business so it is NOT dependent upon ONE person
• Defining success, significance and legacy
• How to make better self-care choices and leverage them to become a better leader
• The four keys to physical health
• The essential benefits of getting enough sleep
• Three things goal achievers ALWAYS do
• Creating an organizational culture that attracts and retains top talent
• Four actions to create a GREAT atmosphere in an organization
• If you want to change the culture of an organization, it starts with leadership

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“To be successful, you have to be able to convince people, you have to be able to listen, and you have to do all of those kinds of things that a good salesperson does.” - Tom Murry

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Tom Murry, former CEO of Calvin Klein, where he ran the company for 17 years and facilitated the brand's growth from 2.8 billion to 8 billion. Prior to that, he spent the majority of his career working for iconic fashion brands, one including Tahari and rising through the ranks to the greatest job in the world. Working alongside designer extraordinaire Calvin Klein with the same and no-nonsense approach that he applies to fashion.

Podcast Highlights:

• How Tom went from working on oil rigs to working in fashion
• The power of teamwork and how the same rules apply from the oil rig to the runway to the boardroom
• How “rocking the boat” showed up in the fashion industry
• The importance of being a good salesman
• Tom’s journey in learning all facets of the apparel industry (from manufacturing, to merchandising, and everything in between)
• From Tahari to his dream job at Calvin Klein
• For the aspiring C-Suite professional, Tom describes some ways you can position yourself to become the next CEO
• It’s important how you show up and roll up your sleeves to be noticed
• Fundamentals of business success and the four principles to execution in apparel and other industries
• How leaders can create a more collaborative team player culture
• Strategies for attracting team players with the right potential
• Tom’s perspective on stereotypes in the fashion industry and how to work with the creative personality
• What it was like working with Calvin Klein

FULL SHOW NOTES

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"If you start managing innovation teams in some sort of a regular traditional business model ... forget it. It's not going to work. It's not going to happen. You need chaos. You need structured chaos and you need freedom." - Bjorn Oste

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Bjorn Oste, Co-Founder & CEO of Good Idea Drinks, also known as "The Swedish Sugar Buster". Good Idea is a sugar and sweetener free flavored, carbonated water that helps people with normal blood sugar levels handle the blood sugar spikes following a meal.

Prior to Good Idea, he co-founded Oatly, a 100% oat-based milk, sold in over 25 countries including North America, Europe and Asia with his nutrition professor brother as a co-founder, He also co-founded Aventure AB – a research-based company specializing in the development of advanced and functional food concepts. Their purpose is to develop attractive food products with preventive properties that make it easier for people to move towards a healthier lifestyle.

It's a totally new approach and they chose the USA as their first market for obvious reasons. Lifestyle related diseases such as type 2-diabetes, obesity and CVD are sky rocketing, and they see a real need of changing the paradigm – from cure and treatment to protection and prevention by lifestyle change.

And prior to this, he co-founded Dynasoft, a world leader in specialized complex computer security systems for global banks, blue chip companies and governments.

Podcast Highlights:

• The story behind being a serial entrepreneur growing multiple successful startups into global organisations
• Developing a nucleus of competence
• Curiosity and innovation as the key to growth
• Lessons learned growing a computer security company
• Being super creative about launching new products and developing a new market
• An interesting observation about the impact of family life on entrepreneurship
• Launching brands direct to consumers
• The importance of collaboration with global experts
• Expanding an idea and identifying related opportunities
• Developing a product that reduces blood sugar spikes after meals
• Process and strategy for taking a new product to market
• Achieving 'proof of concept' as a major step to success
• Authenticity and storytelling rather than the brand
• Identifying your audience and communicating in a way that resonates with them

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“There's no prize for 2nd place in sales - it's win or lose, sell or die.” - Jeffrey Gitomer

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed the King of Sales Jeffrey Gitomer and Jennifer Gluckow, speaker, trainer and writer on all things sales.

Buckle up for this ride with Jeffrey and Jennifer – truly one of the funnest podcasts Gina has recorded to date and they did it live in the Sell Or Die Podcast studio in Charlotte.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The problems of sales mis-information
• Learning presentation skills by singing karaoke in bars
• Why discovering your customers 'pain' isn't a great place to start
• Building rapport in sales conversations
• Modern sales training to reflect the realities of our modern world
• Sales lessons experienced at a Bruce Springsteen concert
• Are you friends with your top customers?
• Politically correct vs conversational - don't forget to be friendly or human!
• Using positive language and humor to build a relationship and get past the gatekeepers
• Creating trust and the experience to help people buy
• Learn how to be creative on the spot rather than memorize a script
• Let's all highlight how to succeed rather than how to fail
• The benefits of interviewing as a strategy to gain access to decision makers

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“Dreaming big takes the same amount of effort as dreaming small, so go big.

• Jose R. Costa

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jose R. Costa, CEO of For Eyes, which is part of GrandVision, a global leader in optical retail with more than 7,000 stores worldwide. He has a background steeped in marketing, franchising, multi-unit retailing and enhancing customer experience at some of the most recognized brands in the world.

He is the author of “Leading With Edge: Activate Your Advantage Through Personal Insight,” which features the concept of leadership as a practice, inviting readers to acknowledge the determination and grit it takes to be a good leader.

Previous to his current role as CEO, he served as Group President of Driven Brands where he led MAACO®, CARSTAR® and Drive N Style®. Collectively, these brands operate more than 1,400 body shops across North America, generate more than $1.8 billion in annual system sales and further establish Driven Brands as a leader in the automotive aftermarket space. Previously, he was President of MAACO®, where he was responsible for managing and developing 500 automotive body shops across the U.S. and Canada.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The inspiration for writing a leadership book
• Why there is high demand but low supply for strong leadership
• How to lead with edge
• The importance of the “Ask, Listen & Be Curious”
• How to become more curious and a better listener and how improv skills can help
• Theater and improv skills in business
• Employee engagement strategies
• Core (common sense) leadership fundamentals
• Jose’s “no computer” policy during meetings
• Jose’s four key meeting reasons: to explore, inform, decide or debate
• Advice for becoming a CEO and successful in business
• His experience on Undercover Boss
• Performance reviews, “spontaneous feedback” and millennials
• Training and development strategies for employees
• The value of working with the worst managers
• Creating a culture of education and continuous learning
• Advice for franchisees and franchisors
• Jose’s favorite books (and he reads a lot) – book list available on our website

FULL SHOW NOTES

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"Get up early. Stay late. Do what your passion is. And don't be afraid of taking risks."

• Stephen J. Cloobeck

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Stephen J. Cloobeck, a self-made entrepreneur with more than thirty years’ experience across every aspect of hospitality design, development, and deployment … AND author of the new book CHECKING IN: Hospitality-Driven Thinking, Business, And You.

As the original founder and former CEO and chairman of Diamond Resorts International – a business that grew to become the second-largest vacation-ownership company worldwide with more than four hundred properties across thirty-three countries in its portfolio – Cloobeck made a name for himself as the industry's most adamant advocate for radical customer service, what he calls embracing the Meaning of Yes.

To Cloobeck’s own amusement, he is perhaps most frequently recognized for his appearances on CBS’s hit TV show Undercover Boss. Featured on multiple episodes across multiple seasons, Cloobeck to this day ranks as the “most generous boss” who has ever participated in the unscripted program.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How the five biggest companies are hospitality companies
• The meaning of “A culture of no is a culture of losing” and “Leadership is hollow without ownership”
• Delivering “the meaning of yes”
• Be an accessible and approachable leader to customers and employees by making your personal contact info available
• Passion as the root of success
• Complacency emanates from the top
• Communication, Collaboration and no Stagnation
• Stephen’s experience partnering with Bill Marriott
• Overcoming dyslexia
• Advice for how best to connect with others
• Work ethic: the old-fashioned way of working hard and “no free lunch”
• Advice for scaling a business

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“*Everybody has a defining moment which changes their life for better or worse.”*

• Ulrich Kellerer

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ulrich Kellerer, business leader, international speaker, and mental health activist from Munich, Germany. For over twenty years Kellerer worked in the European fashion industry as the founder and CEO of the German clothing line, Faro Fashion, which took over distribution rights for the brand CLOSED (the leading European fashion company for women’s and men’s sportswear) in Bavaria - south Germany. Kellerer is the co-author of The Soul of Success with Jack Canfield and the author of the recently released title: One Moment Can Change Your Life: Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary People. Today, Kellerer's life is dedicated to fighting the depression epidemic and promoting mental wellness in the workplace.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Becoming a “mood manager”
• People make the difference - being a role model by showing you care to change people and lives
• Communication – the biggest ability of humankind
• Decreasing loneliness and depression, especially for entrepreneurs, to increase life expectancy and the reality of loneliness in the U.S.
• How to support someone with suicidal thoughts and anxiety
• Overcoming “Luxury Problems” eliminate the attitude of “You buy things with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like.”
• How to motivate yourself to greatness – structure, discipline, dreams, and self-respect
• Having more than one "best hour of your week" life experiences

FULL SHOW NOTES

Fine tune your "mood manager" skills!

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“Creativity is a skill that can be honed by everybody and should be.”

• Alexandra Levit

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alexandra Levit, managing partner at PeopleResults and workplace consultant, author and speaker.

A former nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal and writer for the New York Times, Fast Company, and Forbes, Alexandra has authored several books, including the international bestseller They Don't Teach Corporate in College and her newest book HUMANITY WORKS: Merging Technologies And People For The Workforce Of The Future, in which she provides a vision of a future where people are free to work wherever and for whomever they choose, machines perform multiple tasks, and virtual teams come together and disband at lightning speed.

She consults and writes on leadership development, human resources, entrepreneurship, career and workplace trends on behalf of numerous Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Canon, Deloitte, DeVry University, Intuit, SilkRoad, and Staples, and has spoken on these topics at hundreds of organizations around the world including Abbott, Aetna, Bank of America, Cardinal Health, Campbell Soup, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Human Capital Institute, McDonalds, Microsoft, PepsiCo, the Society of Human Resource Management, and Whirlpool.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Managing and motivating the rising generations; Gen Y as the new leaders, Gen Z as the new Gen X
• Unconscious bias – things women can do to be part of the solution; negotiation and assertive communications
• Being called the B word; the difference between assertive and aggressive communication
• Transformational leadership: showing people you care
• The 3 Cs of Future Work: Collaboration, Customization & Creativity
• What roles machines and technology should play
• Being able to work cross-functionally and the ability of leaders to structure employee career paths
• Using creativity to have empathy, judgement and proble- solving skills in ways that machines cannot
• Practicing and promoting intrapreneurship
• Seeing the “writing on the wall” with automation threats to stay competitive and marketable, especially for tech employees lacking creativity
• The importance of human skills in all industries
• The importance of sales training for everyone (not just sales people)
• Having the mindset of being able to reinvent yourself
• Her biggest worry – people who won’t be able to adapt having to sell themselves all the time; by 2030 half of all workers will be part of the gig economy (contract workers)
• Using gamification and virtual reality simulations for our future avatars to connect interpersonally
• Strategies for businesses BEFORE things become dire

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“If you’re curious, you’re a good sales person.”

• Brandon Bruce

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Brandon Bruce, COO & Co-Founder of Cirrus Insight, a plugin for Gmail and Outlook salespeople. Bruce grew up in a tiny California town of 800 people where he only had one classmate at a school using outhouses as their bathroom. He went from those humble beginnings to co-founding and growing Cirrus Insight to $12 million in revenue and #41 on the Inc. 500 (after a six-year rollercoaster of success and setbacks).

Podcast Topics Include:

• Brandon’s humble beginnings, his “hero story”, and how he went from small town kid to entrepreneur and pivotal leader
• The story behind Cirrus Insight startup and taking it from idea to implementation, including Brandon’s six-year roller coaster of success and setbacks
• Today’s selling environment and using the right communication medium to connect with customers
• Goal setting strategies for attending conferences and maximizing opportunities
• Angel investors: how Cirrus Insight got funded
• On becoming an Inc 5000 Ranked Business
• Why Brandon thinks curiosity is an important trait of a good salesperson
• Using improv to move forward with innovation in technology
• Why competitors can make good mentors and can be great to turn to for support
• Brandon's favorite books

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“Prospects have their walls up. We need to bring those walls down before we can have the human to human conversation.”

• Hamish Knox

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimaco interviewed Hamish Knox, who plays an important role in Sandler’s worldwide organization and is a recognized business development expert specializing in executive sales consulting and sales productivity training. A dynamic, enthusiastic speaker certified in the proprietary selling system developed by David Sandler, Knox informs, entertains, and motivates leadership and rank-and-file sales teams to achieve their full potential. He heads a Sandler training center in Calgary.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How to overcome the word “decision” in the selling process
• How to go right to the top of the selection making chain
• Sales and cold calls advice from Hamish: Why it’s so important to stay present and to always remember that it’s never about you
• Hamish’s point of view on accountability, especially as it relates to your sales team
• Strategies for implementing an effective and sustainable accountability program
• On accountability:“The leader has to go first.”
• How to create a leadership mentality in 20 minutes
• Why Hamish is known as the ‘behavior guy’
• The sales role: “need to have” versus “nice to have” behaviors
• How to change behaviors and why “mom always wins”
• Tips for leaders to understand the feelings, personal goals and motivation of their team members
• Hamish explains Sandler’s “cookbook” philosophy
• Hamish’s perspective on our rising workforce and their interpersonal skills

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“You don’t become confident and then act confident. You act your way into confidence.”

- Sally Helgesen

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Sally Helgesen, International Speaker, Leadership Consultant & Author.

In her newest book, How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, Sally and her co-author Marshall Goldsmith, help women identify specific behaviors that keep them from realizing their full potential, no matter what stage they are in their career. They help identify why what worked for them in the past will not necessarily get them where they want to go in the future -- and how to finally shed those behaviors so they can advance to the next level, whatever that may be.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Habits and behaviors that hold women back from getting to the next level
• Expecting people to spontaneously notice the great things you’ve done; the differences between how men and women notice things
• Advice to women struggling to get noticed for their achievements without appearing to be showboating
• How women can work on leveraging relationships rather than just building them
• How to leverage relationships to achieve real influence and authority
• Understanding your worth and how it relates to confidence
• Sally’s book, The Female Advantage, and women leadership skills and styles

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“It’s better to invest in what you can track.”**

- Jake Baadsgaard

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Jake Baadsgaard, CEO of Disruptive Advertising. After growing one of his first PPC clients from 25 to 250 employees, Jake realized he had a gift for using pay-per-click marketing to drive dramatic business results. To help more companies succeed online, Jake founded Disruptive Advertising, a PPC, and CRO management agency that has helped hundreds of companies realize unprecedented growth and profitability from the online advertising.

In the four years since its founding, Disruptive Advertising has grown from two employees working in Jake’s basement to a flourishing agency with more than 90 employees and a run rate of over $12 million - putting it at #145 on the 2017 Inc 500 list!

Podcast Topics Include:

• How Jake got started in PPC advertising
• Jake walks us through the moment he decided to create Disruptive Advertising in his basement and the transition out of the basement
• How to scale a business quickly
• Getting past founder-based selling
• What Disruptive Advertising focuses on, who they serve and how they maximize the results for their clients
• The biggest challenge in the PPC and advertising industry, plus Jake’s biggest business challenge
• Finding and developing talent: some of the ways Jake is finding, developing and keeping talent, including his approach to top performers - “We don’t penalize top performers.”
• How Jake deals with perception of industry problems by using case studies and quantifiable data
• Some of the ways to measure marketing results, blended customer acquisition costs and analytics
• Customer acquisition advice straight from Jake
• Why Jake dislikes the phrase, “Let me know what I can do to help,” and what you can do to put a different spin on it
• Jake’s advice to rising CEOs and entrepreneur who are growing or starting their businesses

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“*We as leaders and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to make sure that if the ‘what-if’ does happen, the prudent planning and prudent steps are in place.”***

- Patrick Ungashick

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Patrick Ungashick, CEO of NAVIX Consultants. For more than twenty-five years Patrick has provided exit advice and solutions to business owners with companies as small as several million in revenues to more than half a billion. Patrick is the author of two books helping business owners prepare for exit: Dance in the End Zone: The Business Owner’s Exit Planning Playbook, and the award-winning A Tale of Two Owners: Achieving Exit Success Between Business Co-Owners. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Week and other media. He speaks to several dozen business groups per year on how to achieve successful exits. As CEO of NAVIX Consultants, Patrick leads a national team of exit planning consultants located in nearly two-dozen US cities.

Outside of work, even though he cannot juggle nor play a musical instrument, Patrick is a proud member of the Atlanta Distinguished Clown Corps, a group of full-time CEOs and part-time clowns that have raised about $1.5 million for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the largest pediatric hospital in the U.S.

Podcast Topics Include:

• What inspired Patrick to help businesses plan for successful exits
• Some challenges Patrick faced early on in his business
• The effects of exiting on home life and relationships
• Immediate steps and strategies for creating an exit plan
• 15-year plan for exiting a business, plus determining which of the four possible exit strategies to choose
• Differences between the four exit strategies, plus some advantages and disadvantages
• Steps to take if a business is being “given” to you
• Co-owners and exit plans: what you need to know
• Risk management: what to consider if the business owner dies or becomes incapacitated
• Patrick offers a free Emergency Guidance Letter template every owner should have

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“If you’re going to start a business,

you have to be willing to grind.”

- Nate Lawrie

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Nate Lawrie, CEO, Brazyn Life. Nate played 8-years of professional football in both the National Football League (Buccaneers, Saints, Bengals) and United Football League (Sacramento Mountain Lions), before retiring after the 2011 season.

A self-described “NFL Grinder,” Lawrie fought through numerous injuries throughout his pro-career which led him to rethink many of the products he was using to take care of his body - wanting tools that were more convenient to use without compromising functionality.

In 2015 Nate launched a new business called Brazyn Life. Brazyn Life is dedicated to helping people achieve their fitness and health goals through innovative, high-quality, and travel-ready recovery and fitness tools. Brazyn’s launch product is The Morph Collapsible Foam Roller, a premium foam roller that folds flat making it easy to use at home, the office, the gym, or on the road.

• Service providers or professional athletes are their own product
• How Nate developed, created and released his first product
• The benefits of using of using a foam roller
• Nate takes up through the process of how he went from just having an idea to creating a collapsible foam roller for mass production
• The nuances of launching a successful Kickstarter campaign
• Nate’s shares his experience on Shark Tank and the aftermath following the episode airing
• The challenges of launching a new project; raising capital, taking risks and manufacturing of a physical product
• Finding the right people for your team and also relying on a little bit of luck
• How startup life can be extremely overwhelming, but yet so rewarding
• Pulling from peer groups for support, valuable knowledge and guidance
• Being an “NFL grinder” and how it’s applicable to starting a business

Full Show Notes

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“Surround yourself with amazing people and a wonderful team.”

- Roger Morgan

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Roger Morgan, founder and CEO of pawTree, a direct selling pet nutrition company he created in 2014 to provide a better way to care for and love pets. Just days before this interview, Roger received the Rising Star Award from the Direct Selling Association out of all the direct selling companies less than five years old.

Roger has built a way to change a pet and pet parent’s life one meal at a time and to enable pet lovers to thrive as small business owners who share and sell its products. A pet-industry veteran, Roger served as CEO for a major pet products manufacturer for almost a decade as well as served on boards for the American Pet Products Association, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and PetSmart Charities. He is dad to dogs, Bella & JoJo.

Podcast Topics Include:

• What is pawTree? (not just a pet food company)
• What inspired Roger to start pawTree
• Some of the biggest challenges Roger faced in the early days of business startup
• How to put together a great team for your startup venture
• Why Roger chose the direct selling model for his business
• The growth of pawTree customers, sales and Pet Pros
• The ideal profile of a remote sales associate (aka Pet Pro)
• Keeping sales associates and team members informed, trained and connected
• Where Roger goes to get support, advice, leadership and coaching

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“Everyone’s got an idea but not everyone has balls to bring it to market.”

– Paul Szyarto

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Paul Szyarto, a globally recognized expert in entrepreneurship, business leadership and self-defense. He is highly sought-after for his executive coaching and business leadership training. Known for applying the principles of Krav Maga – the Israeli self-defense system – into everyday business and life scenarios, Szyarto has trained hundreds of law enforcement professionals and groups of NFL players, in addition to business executives and entrepreneurs. He’s also co-founder of the VMMA Fitness franchise.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Paul’s VMAA strategy on martial arts and when VMMA started
• Turning your hobby into a scalable business
• Paul explains true entrepreneurship and “survivor-preneurship”
• Never Broke(n) Paul’s new book on lessons of entrepreneurship and survival
• Stress Management - Paul talks about one of the greatest lessons on how being adaptable can get you through any situation
• Paul shares advice to shift a stagnant or toxic organizational culture
• What to do when there is no one to change poor leadership
• Motivating and engaging your talent and understanding your talent needs
• Best practices to ensure being the best possible leader you can be
• Being a leader and CEO - Paul discusses support and mentorship he needs

FULL SHOW NOTES

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“It’s important to take risks, as a business leader, as an entrepreneur. This business was a huge risk from day one.”

- Alex Danza

Imagine a better way to interstate business travel on a luxury motor coach that offers only 22 comfortable leather seats and amenities such as, steward service, noise-canceling headphones, WiFi, satellite television and an onboard conference room!

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane luxury motor coach service that he founded in 2014 to give Texas travelers an alternative to the delays and interruptions that accompany short-haul flights and the hassles of driving one’s own vehicle. Starting with routes between Dallas and Austin, Alex has expanded the company’s reach, and now the five biggest cities in the Texas Triangle are completely accessible on Vonlane with plans for expanding out of Texas.

Alex also is the 2017 recipient of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in the Southwest region in the category of Emerging Retail and Consumer Products.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Alex describes Vonlane – “it’s like a private jet on the ground”
• How personalized and proceduralized training is the key to creating an amazing customer experience
• Recruiting employees and referrals and how to get top talent in the door
• Making gut decisions, taking risks to progress and innovate
• Spending advertising dollars as a startup
• Scaling and growing: identifying prospects and keeping the model pristine
• Raising capital to get a business venture off the ground
• Suggested strategies for CEOs seek help and guidance for leadership and as an entrepreneur
• Favorite books: Good to Great

Full Show Notes

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“Your people deserve great managers.”

- Mark C. Winters

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark C. Winters, co-author of the Rocket Fuel. Mark's passion is helping entrepreneurs get unstuck so they can pursue their freedom. Depending on the unique situation, Mark’s talent for introducing just the right combination of perspective and process sparks teams to start moving, move faster, or begin moving in the proper direction - with clarity. As a teacher, coach, and facilitator, Mark spends most of his time directly engaged with entrepreneurial leadership teams as a Certified EOS Implementer—helping them implement EOS in their own companies. He's delivered over 500 full-day EOS workshops with companies from around the U.S.

Podcast Topics Include:

• A general overview of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
• The visionary and integrator defined
• The phases of the visionary and integrator relationship
• Connecting visionaries with the right integrators
• How a small business can grow following a plateau
• The benefits of EOS and how does is impact a business
• How patience is so important when implementing EOS
• How to determine if you are a visionary or integrator using Mark’s book: Rock Fuel.
• Company culture and who becomes responsible - visionary, integrator or both?
• Productivity vs. creativity, attention residue and intensity formula
• Time blocking to help with attention residue

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast67_mark-winters

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“We’ve gotten away from developing people … we take the risk of becoming order takers.” – Dave Mattson

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Dave Mattson, a best-selling author, sales and management visionary, and leader of the world’s largest sales effectiveness organization. As CEO and President of Sandler Training, he oversees the corporate direction and strategy for the company’s worldwide network of operations serving clients through

Podcast Topics Include:

• Dave and Gina's thoughts on Vistage’s Confidence Index for 2018 and what he thinks we are missing
• What to do with the rising workforce of millennials as it relates to interpersonal skills
• Where most companies miss the boat on motivating team members
• Good and bad practices for salespeople and sales managers
• Being a doctor of sales
• What sales managers need to do for their salespeople
• What are the common trends that sales people contact Sandler for help and training
• How Sandler helps sales teams turn things around and how they help companies by creating a common sales language and sales approach
• Dave’s dirty secret relating to sales teams and training
• The importance of turning down clients when you know management is not buying into what is being sold
• What makes one franchise stronger than another and what has made Sandler so strong
• Sandler’s growth strategy, including why they limit the number of franchises they add each year and going international
• What the future of training looks like

Full show notes at: https://pivot10results.com/podcast66_dave-mattson

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“We’re going to have less sales people than ever before … 60% or more of the sale is already done by the time a sales person is contacted.”

- Tom Niesen, CEO, Acuity Systems

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Tom Niesen, CEO of Acuity Systems, who spent 14 years in upper sales management and marketing positions with companies like Polaroid and Fuji Film before starting Acuity Systems, Inc. in 1990. At those companies he built sales teams and began to understand how and why sales teams failed, the difference between effective sales processes and what just sounded good, and what it really took to create a superstar sales force.

Today, he blends his own experiences with nationally proven training and evaluation tools from The Sandler Sales Institute, Objective Management Group, and Extended DISC, to teach a unique brand of sales training and personal development. It's so unique - and so engaging - that Niesen closes his own prospects at a rate that would make most salespeople green with envy.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Tom shares how he closes his own prospects in a way that would make most sales people green with envy
• Sales should be looked at as a science and is better referred to as lean selling (similar to lean manufacturing)
• Building solid foundation for sales and having the right processes and behaviors in place to support your sales team
• What “going into the cooler” means
• Goodhart’s Law: When one measurement becomes a goal, it’s a bad goal
• Culture issues that affect sales and how to change those processes
• Creating a “sales map” without the sale person
• Effective vs non-effective sales training
• Tom’s view on the 2017 Q4 Vistage CEO confidence report
• How to get better at interpersonal communication and rapport building with the rising workforce of a younger generation
• Using a pattern interrupt strategy in communications and sales
• Using improv in the sales approach
• Having an upfront contract about how you work
• How to have a superstar sales force
• Emerson’s Law of Compensation

Full Show Notes

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“I’ve gotta reward people for taking chances.”

• Mark Donnolo, Founder, SalesGlobe

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark Donnolo, founder and managing partner of SalesGlobe and Michelle Seger, Global Sales Strategy and Change Management Leader with SalesGlobe.

Mark is the author of the books The Innovative Sale, What Your CEO Needs to Know About Sales Compensation, and Essential Account Planning. He has worked with Global 1000 companies around the world for the past twenty five years, focusing on sales innovation, sales strategy, sales coverage, account planning, sales compensation, and quota setting.

Michelle Seger with leadership teams to transform their sales organizations, improve sales productivity, and increase return on the organization’s investment in sales from sales strategy to sales organization, to sales compensation. She has a concentration on global harmonization for multinational organizations and implementing change within diverse organizations.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The importance of company culture and handling big challenges facing companies
• What to do in a situation when a CEO is the problem with the company culture
• How to retain and attract top sales talent
• The differences between priorities in the flow of sales strategy and how to align talent to different roles in the company
• The use of talent assessment piece to prevent failure
• The Innovative Sales Book​, a left brainers approach to right brain thinking
• The importance of building creative muscle memory

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast64_salesglobe

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“No one can achieve any kind of greatness by themselves.”

– Julia Landauer

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Julia Landauer, a two-time championship winning NASCAR racer from New York City. With dozens of wins across different series, Julia has set records since she was 10 years old. Away from the track, Julia is a graduate of Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Science, Technology 3and Society.

During college Julia was a contestant on season 26 of CBS’ reality TV show SURVIVOR. It was also in college that Julia started her motivational speaking career, with a TEDx talk. Julia is now making her name synonymous with more than speed and grit; as she climbs the NASCAR ladder Julia uses her racing platform to continue advocating for STEM education and women’s empowerment.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Early childhood development and its effects on women’s mindset for success
• Becoming a female racer at the age of 10
• The challenges of a woman racer in a male-dominated industry
• Taking a communal approach to self-awareness
• Finding support and mentoring for self-improvement
• Why do women undervalue themselves?
• Some habits needed to succeed
• Understanding and being empathetic to those within your environment
• Nascar race teams and earning respect
• Advocating for women using STEM

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast63_julia-landauer

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“The more comfortable people are with themselves and the more clear they are about who they are, the more everyone respects them.”

– Mark Fisher

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark Fisher, co-founder of Mark Fisher Fitness and Business For Unicorns, in addition to being an in-demand international speaker, consultant, and entrepreneur. His core expertise is helping business owners achieve financial success and personal freedom through community building, leadership development, and creating healthy organizational cultures. He's also excellent at playing with puppies.

Mark and his “non-sexual life partner” Michael created Business for Unicorns in 2016 and have since worked with clients like Sony Music, Sylvan Learning, and the ACLU, as well as many of the leading fitness studios across the US and UK. They are also proud alumni speakers of TEDx Broadway.

In addition to their consulting and teaching through Business for Unicorns, Mark and Michael also co-founded Mark Fisher Fitness, one of the most successful gyms in the history of the fitness industry. MFF has two physical locations in Manhattan and was recognized as #312 on the 2015 Inc. 500 fastest growing companies in America, as well as one of Men's Health's "Top 20 Gyms in America."

Podcast Topics Include:

• Creating a talent pipeline
• Giving the team veto power in the hiring process
• When clients become team members
• “Interning” new employees to test fit
• Irreverent and escalation marketing strategies
• How to be successful by being authentically kind and crass at the same time
• Combining artistry and fitness to create a business that becomes a marketing vehicle for other revenue streams
• Whether or not to franchise your business
• Becoming a “conscious business” as a force for social change
• Advice for speakers and why business owners need to be speakers
• The power of unicorns, rainbows, profanity and naked men with wings
• Lots of book recommendations!

Full Show Notes including book list: https://pivot10results.com/podcast62_mark-fisher

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“The biggest leading indicator to any success are the people.”

– Jason Williford

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jason Williford, a professional business speaker and executive consultant focused on all human decisions, where he works with domestic and international organizations of all shapes and sizes. He also is a licensee and consultant for Culture Index.

Culture Index is a strategic advisory firm that works exclusively with visionary entrepreneurs, CEOs, business leaders, and management to scale and transform organizations using applied analytical traits. And if you’ve never taken the Culture Index profile assessment, it is like no other personality assessment you’ve ever taken.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The history, process and benefits of the Culture Index
• Studying, interpreting and mobilizing the 7 personality traits (Autonomy, Social Ability, Pace or Patience, Conformity, Energy Units or Mental Stamina, Logic, Ingenuity)
• Getting people on the right bus in the right seats, mathematically
• Keeping A players (harder to do than finding them)
• Psychometrics = Psychology + Math to acquire valid assessments
• Overcoming disengaged (70%) employees
• Analysis of Gina Trimarco’s personality

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast61_Jason-Williford

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“I can teach you everything, but I can’t teach you ambition”– Nezha Alaoui

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Nezha Alaoui, Founder and President of Mayshad Foundation. Nezha is a global advocate for change. She is an international entrepreneur working in sustainability, philanthropy, wellness, business, media and fashion. She backs her “Be Who You Want To Be” philosophy with action and tireless advocacy.

Nezha is also the Creative Director of her luxury handbag brand Maison Mayshad, where she designs limited collections of handbags using recognized processes of the art world, including serial numbers, limited production, and auction sales.

At age 29 she created an import/export business simultaneously with a foundation, when many discouraged her goals to create a company with a positive message that also has a philanthropic mission. She is an only child from aristocratic family in Morocco who, despite many opposing factors, proves you can “be who you want to be”. Starting her career in the hotel industry, she traveled the world where she experienced different cultures and learned that we all have common values.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The challenge of making innovative choices
• Building a company with soul
• Attracting talent through purpose; starting employees at 20% less for first three months
• Hiring for ambition
• Creating customer experiences, using all five senses
• Story of the deaf frog and not letting people “should on you”
• Sexual harassment and the media

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast60_Nezha-Alaoui

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“I’ve tasted my own ignorance. It’s horrible. It’s bitter. And it’s so expensive.” [on the importance of learning]

– Carlos Vaz

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Carlos Vaz, CEO and co-founder of Texas-based Conti Organization, a thriving commercial and multifamily real estate investment company whose portfolio is valued at more than $400 million. Carlos’ passion, discipline and creativity coupled with his extensive real estate experience have yielded a portfolio of over 1,400 units his first year in the multifamily business. He is passionate about building a solid vertically integrated company with strong core values, proven systems and an adept team. Carlos directs strategy, team building, investment sourcing and capital origination.

The second-youngest of nine children and one of six boys, Carlos came to the United States in 2000 from his home country of Brazil with just $300 in his pocket. He began working at the age of seven at the family farm and his father’s butcher shop. He eventually entered a federally-funded law school in Brazil but became frustrated with professors routinely going on strike. This motivated him to secure an apprenticeship at a Boston law firm. As the internship was unpaid, Carlos worked multiple jobs while interning and taking classes through Harvard’s extension program. After his internship ended, he started working in construction and ultimately built a construction company. He then started working in the mortgage industry, while maintaining his construction company and buying and flipping houses. By 2007 he purchased his first apartment complex and then formed Conti, named in honor of his mother Neusa Conti. Since its inception, Conti has closed deals involving more than 5,000 units and $400 million in value.

At the time of this interview Carlos had just completed Harvard Business School OPM Program.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Building a business based on core values
• The pursuit of knowledge and constant learning
• The importance of integrity, trust, commitment, family and respect
• Employee Retention – hiring people that fit the culture
• Strategies for scaling a business: Combining EOS with Culture Index (Combining an operating system with personality assessments) – Listen to future episode when Gina has her Culture Index report reviewed by Jason Williford
• Why it’s okay to be as “boring” as “vanilla yogurt” in business
• Best conferences for CEOs to attend
• Advice for rising CEOs & COOs
• Recommended Books: Get A Grip, Profit From The Core, The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast59_CarlosVaz

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“In order to manage your growth, you have to manage people.”

– Chris Power

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Chris Power, founder and CEO of Power Consulting Group, Inc., a New York IT Managed Services firm with a focus on technology for financial, legal, non-profit and education sectors.

Chris is passionate about fostering customer trust through direct one-on-one communication. As CEO, he is responsible for driving Power Consulting’s “Technology is for People” vision. He believes in hiring team members with strong personal values and great communications skills. He has created a company in which engineering talent and outstanding interpersonal abilities go hand-in-hand.

His training in philosophy has informed his distinctive leadership style. Twenty-five years after founding Power Consulting, his core conviction about IT services remain the same: the purpose of technology is to help people and organizations achieve their goals.

Chris starts by sharing his 9/11 story, as a business owner and resident of Manhattan. He was there when it happened and recalls going to the hospital to see how he could help, waiting for ambulances that never arrived. It was a pivotal time in the country and in his business. It was the tipping point for what was a “lifestyle” business for him.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Moving out of a “lifestyle” business
• Attracting talent that are excellent customer service focused engineer show like people; asking customer service related questions in interviews
• Having the will power to not compromise in hiring
• Applying the Kaizen Method of “continuous improvement”
• Customer Service Commandments
• Email Policies – tips on when and how to use email effectively
• The Three Pillars: People, Process & Purpose
• EO vs BNI – going beyond sales and referrals to run a business with the best support

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast58_chris-power

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“The things that set us back propel us forward.”

– David Blu, Retired Professional Athlete

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed David Blu, a retired, world class athlete, who played internationally at the highest level of professional basketball and now works in the insurance industry. David has continued to stay active in basketball by working with young athletes on the mentality and skills needed to reach a higher level of player development. He speaks around the country and in Israel about his life, goals, challenges and successes. David is also the brand ambassador for a new, Israeli, startup tech company and continues to stay involved with Maccabi in Israel.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Ego Management
• Business as it relates to sports and having an athlete mentality
• Practicing patience and compassion
• Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation
• Doing charitable work
• Learning from children about taking risks and being playful
• The impact of birthday cakes at the office
• Strengthening resilience through tragedy
• The power of Passive/Active Listening & Empathy Skills

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast57_ego-management_davidblu

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“You can’t differentiate yourself in the marketplace on smarts. You need to differentiate yourself on team health.”

– John Fulwider

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed John Fulwider, CEO, gear80. John helps entrepreneurial leadership teams get everything they want from their businesses. He implements a complete, proven system with a set of simple, practical tools that helps businesses get vision, traction, and healthy.

John founded his fourth company, gear80, when two clients of his third business—an executive coaching firm with clients nationwide—said the same thing to him in the same week: “John, I need tools.” For both clients’ companies, the vision was clear, and their teams were healthy and cohesive. But accountability, discipline, and execution to link the two were absent. John went looking for tools and found the Entrepreneurial Operating System in the book Traction, and he’s never looked back.

While he charges a lot for his other services, his advice on eating out is always free and he gives some great foodie recommendations!

Podcast Topics Include:

• What is EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System)
• Ensuring your company has vision, traction and health
• Where to find 90% of the answers to your problems
• The new ROI: Return On Intelligence
• Top pain points and how to overcome them: People, Profitability, Control & Solutions
• Defining Culture by having 3 to 7 expected core behaviors
• Why being smart isn’t good enough for success; hint: smart already exists
• Knowing how to Hire, Fire, Review, Reward & Recognize People

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast56_Traction_JohnFulwider

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“You have to think about it [talent acquisition] almost in terms of like an NFL draft or major league baseball. You’re all going after the same talent. What’s going to make you look better?”

– Ali Schwanke

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ali Schwanke, CEO and founder of Simple Strat, the marketing agency for companies that are serious about growth. Through digital marketing and thought leadership, Simple Strat helps companies own their category, generate more leads and close more sales. Simple Strat is also a Wistia video partner. Ali sits on the National Practitioner’s Council for the American Marketing Association, the National Marketing Week Live Event team and was recently named one of 32 Young Professionals to Watch in the Midwest. A self-professed podcast junkie, Ali has more shows than songs on her Apple iPhone. She also has a weekly podcast called "Bar Napkin Business" where she and her cohost, Matt, grab some craft beer and talk with business owners about running and growing their small business.

Ali originally wanted to be a doctor because she loved solving problems. Ah, but there was all that schooling. Her passion for photography led her into her career as a marketing director. And it was her creation of a fitness app that put her on the entrepreneurship path as founder of Simple Strat. As most entrepreneurs do, she fell into her business and figured it out along the way.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Establishing company core values that go beyond the cliché “honesty and integrity”
• Ways to build an active pipeline of future talent
• Strategies for thought leadership positioning
• Creating marketing content
• Social media marketing
• Identifying activities that negatively impact culture and profitability
• Business “crushes”
• Ali’s favorite podcasts

Full Show Notes:

https://pivot10results.com/podcast55-ali-thoughtleadership

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“When companies innovate, all of our lives are better.”

– Dr. Kumar Mehta

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Dr. Kumar Mehta, author of the new book THE INNOVATION BIOME: A Sustained Business Environment Where Innovation Thrives.He has been at the forefront of innovation, research and data analytics for over 25 years. Dr. Mehta founded Bridges Insight, an innovation think tank committed to researching innovation and helping organizations accelerate their rate of innovation. Kumar has studied innovation before innovation was a buzzword, basing his 1990 Ph.D. dissertation on the diffusion of innovations. Since then he has applied many innovation frameworks in his 14 years at Microsoft and throughout his tenure building out innovative companies. Just as Kumar built a successful enterprise with a vision around the institutionalization of data analytics a decade ago, today he is embarking on a journey to institutionalize innovation science.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Building a sustainable environment where innovation thrives
• Becoming more innovative
• Understanding the meaning of biome
• Types of creativity and characteristics of innovative people
• The correlation between intelligence and creativity
• Harvard study on Brainstorming vs Individual Thinking and understanding why brainstorming creates an unwelcome setting for creativity
• How to attract and retain innovative employees
• Why employees leave and become entrepreneurs (and take their talent with them)
• Creating a culture of innovations in every single area of a business (product, packaging, marketing and more).

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast54-mehta-innovation

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“We give other people the pen to our story. This is your life. Take the pen back.”

– Aaron Davis

This very lively conversation is sure to set the tone to kick off your new year because it’s all about having the attitude of a champion and peak performer. Gina Trimarco and Aaron Davis share their thoughts on attitude, training, speaking and being catalysts for change and sustainability in life and business.

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Aaron Davis, speaker, author, thought leader, former National Champion Football player and noted authority on peak performance. Known as "The Enthusiator" because of his contagious enthusiasm to equip others to perform like champions, Aaron’s powerful and high-energy presentations are interactive, fresh and yet simple so that anyone can use his tips & techniques to attain greater success professionally and personally!

Podcast Topics Include:

• Characteristics of a champion or peak performer
• Overcoming negative attitudes and dealing with the “Negative Nancys” & “Negative Nathans” of the world.
• The gift of having the choice to DECIDE
• Stopping others from writing your story
• Teaching attitude – start with children and equip people with tools!
• The fallacy behind not achieving due to a dysfunctional childhood or life
• Performing “attitude background checks” in the workplace
• The difference between “being lucky” and “taking risks”
• Changing behavior, training and long-term development in the workplace; it starts with the leadership
• The quick and cheap fix: wanting G5 results on a Crop Duster budget – it doesn’t work!
• Being a “twinkie speaker” or a catalyst for sustainability

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast53_Adavis

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“Create your dreams. Crave your dreams.

Cultivate your dreams.”

• Frances Prado

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Frances Prado, CEO of Ageless Beautiful Clever Creations and inventor of Hanging Secrets, the world's first and only patented bra and lingerie organizer. HANGING SECRETS has identified and filled a previously unmet need for the storage of women's intimate apparel in a convenient and practical way.

Her grit, determination and work ethic are fueled by her journey as the daughter of Mexican immigrants who began their lives in the United States in 1963 as field workers and her career path with Costco. She worked alongside her parents in the fields picking produce in Bakersfield. At the time, she did not realize the great impact working in dirt with her parents would have on her. Her father always made sure they were the first ones in the fields and the last ones to leave. At Costco, she’s earned multiple positions. She’s most proud of being the first Latina woman to be Assistant General Manager of CWI Packaging.

These experiences have greatly influenced the person she is today and helped provide her with the necessary skills for success as an inventor, entrepreneur and U.S. patent holder. To date, only 7% of U.S. patents are issued to sole female inventors in the United States. And only 0.3% of those are Latinas. Frances is one of them!

Frances is passionate about her business because it has allowed her the satisfaction of contributing to both the U.S. economy and to women’s charitable causes, which, for her, is the true meaning of living the American Dream.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Becoming an inventor, patent holder, CEO and “side launcher” … and as a woman
• Living the “American Dream” as a daughter of immigrants
• Learning work ethic at an early age
• Understanding the need to do market analysis to determine who your customers really are beyond your assumptions
• Being on the Home Shopping Network “American Dream Fast Track”
• Leveraging management experience from Costco
• The Costco Culture: running departments like entrepreneurial businesses
• Understanding that “You’re only as good as your vendors”
• The power of professional development and training

Full Show Notes at: https://pivot10results.com/podcast52_fprado

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“Authenticity opens the door to conversations that are important.” – Brandon Black

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Brandon Black, co-author of EGO FREE LEADERSHIP: Ending The Unconscious Habits That Hijack Your Business.

Brandon retired as the CEO and Director of Encore Capital Group in 2013. During his nine years as President and CEO, the company built significant cost and operational advantages, expanded into new asset classes, and made acquisitions that established Encore as the industry’s leading debt management and recovery solutions provider.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Workplace politics
• How our brains confirm our own biases
• How our behavior manifests and causes reactions in others
• The ego’s role in creating negative distractions
• The dollar cost of ego in a business
• The pursuit of culture and a noble goal
• Authenticity as an entry into important conversations
• Transitioning from blaming to co-responsibility and from dysfunctional to productive
• When the leader is the problem
• Difficult and necessary conversations around gender, race and others who are different from you

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast51_Bblack

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“I want our employees to look forward to Monday.” – Jay Feitlinger

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jay Feitlinger, serial entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of StringCan Interactive, a strategic online marketing agency in Scottsdale, Arizona with a regional office in Paris, France. Since StringCan’s launch in 2010, Jay oversees strategy and vision with a mission of building a culture that makes going into work something his team looks forward to. He’s also responsible for recruiting additional team members to help exceed client goals, leading the team and allocating where StringCan invests time and money. One of Jay’s proudest accomplishments is earning Phoenix’s Best Places To Work award, on two occasions, recognizing StringCan for its dedication to its staff personal and professional development.

Practicing what he preaches around helping companies stay focused, Jay has positioned StringCan to work with multi-location, family oriented companies (such as swim schools or gymnastics schools) with their inbound marketing and online advertising needs. This focus has allowed StringCan to position itself as a leading authority in addressing the complex structure around multi-location online marketing needs, especially with local Internet search. This commitment has earned multi-year contracts with companies such as The Little Gym with over 250 locations and GameTruck with over 175 locations.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Maintaining culture and values in multiple locations internationally
• Managing client pace differences in different countries
• How to be a “Best” company to work for
• Hiring for fit, specifically for fast changing environments and passionate mindsets
• Creating ideal employee avatars for recruiting and marketing to top talent
• Phone screening interviews based on culture before skill
• Personality and skills assessments
• Employee surveys and feedback (Tiny Pulse)
• Group interview approach
• When company core values can come back to bite you
• Managing family life like a business and having work/life balance
• Investing in yourself as an entrepreneur and company owner

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast50_JFeitlinger

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“Fat lions don’t hunt. Stay hungry.“ – Justin Zastrow

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed, a very lively and energetic Justin Zastrow, CEO of Smart Armor. Smart Armor started last year and didn't officially launch until September. Since then they’ve generated more than $1M in sales and counting. He’s also been offered at least $20M to sell his company! Justin has an extremely diverse business development background that highlights his strengths within concept creation, software integration and corporate execution. He has built, sold, and licensed several companies throughout his career, and his entrepreneurial and business management education has helped his ventures to build platforms, engage partnerships, and forge syndication.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Building a company based on a basic life need
• Becoming an overnight success in four years
• Creating a culture of treating others well
• Hiring “friends” instead of “hiring blindly”
• Staffing a company with existing entrepreneurs
• Giving away equity to get skin in the game – “Bring on the talent and give them a piece”

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast49_justin-zastrow

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“If you have enough of the right people, you have an immune system against the wrong people.”

– Steven Benson, CEO, BadgerMapping.com

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed, Steven Benson, CEO of BadgerMapping.com. After receiving his MBA from Stanford, Steven worked in Sales at IBM, HP and Google where he was Google Enterprise's Top Sales Executive in 2009. In 2012, Steven founded Badger Maps, the #1 Sales App in the Apple App Store, which helps Field Sales People be more successful.

Badger Maps provides automatic territory management for Field Sales Reps and helps them take action on their customer data by visualizing it on a map. Reps use it to optimize schedules and routes to get more meetings and sales.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Turning a sales challenge into a business
• Getting a company off the ground and building a team
• Leveraging “zero value deals”
• How fear can kill a sale
• Finding the right people and getting rid of the wrong people
• The reality of not recognizing culture problems
• Creating a culture where people thrive
• The “Badger Of The Week” culture builder concept everyone should be doing!
• Try out Badger Maps by mentioning this episode!

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast48_steve-benson

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“Culture isn’t just put some core values on the wall and call it a day. It has to be infused in absolutely everything you do.” – Felena Hanson

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Felena Hanson, a long-time entrepreneur and marketing maven. Her latest venture, Hera Hub, is a spa-inspired shared workspace and business accelerator for female entrepreneurs. This as-needed, flexible work and meeting space provides a productive environment for growing businesses. Hera Hub members have access to a professional space to meet with clients and to connect and collaborate with like-minded business owners, thus giving them the support they need to be prosperous.

She has three company owned locations in San Diego and licensed locations in Phoenix, DC, and Sweden, with more cities launching soon. She’s on a mission to support over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their businesses by 2020.

Felena and Hera Hub have been featured in Inc Magazine, the BBC News, Forbes, and the New York Times. She also is the author of “Flight Club – Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business”.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Fast growth of the entrepreneurial businesses, especially women-owned businesses
• How Hera Hub, Hera Angels & Hera Labs was started and funded
• The difference between angel investors and venture capitalists and the growth of female angels
• Commercial real estate challenges; negotiating leases as a new business concept
• Licensing vs franchising and culture adaptation with licensed locations
• Figuring out formulas to make a business profitable

Full show notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast47_felena-hanson

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“Culture is up to us. We need to be the thermostat for culture. Not just a thermometer.“ – Rick Coplin, Former VP, Rev1

Podcast Topics Include:

• Entrepreneurial drive
• The passion of sales people
• Pitching for customer and concept validation before funding
• The type of talent to look for
• When culture matters the most and how to set it
• Retrofitting a culture in trouble
• Employee empowerment
• Successful and consistent communication as a strategy

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast46_rick-coplin

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“If you are transparent and honest 100% of the time, you are open not just to asking questions but also open to advice and suggestions, [and] people are going to respect you more.” – Russell Tuchman, CEO, BashPros

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Russell Tuchman, entrepreneur, world traveler, personal trainer, cinephile, adventure seeker, and Founder & CEO of BashPros.

As co-founder of his first startup, Buddytruk, Russell oversaw various aspects of the company including operations, fundraising, sales, insurance, HR, and business development. He left Buddytruk in order to start up BashPros, after recognizing an opportunity to aggregate the event industry. The goal of the BashPros platform is to make events more accessible, affordable, transparent, and streamlined for the masses and helps people find the perfect event professionals for their needs.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Helping clients have and create unique experiences
• Building a double-sided market place
• Managing Type A personalities
• Family member leadership role models
• Setting standards for yourself and others to follow
• Balancing work and personal in relationships
• Being a transparent leader
• Being a no-ego business to do what’s best for the business
• Leadership advice for startups

Full show notes at: http://pivot10results.com/podcast45_russell-tuchman

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“You can’t pull together a team without putting a priority on understanding what everyone’s background and culture is.“ – Peter Gasca

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Peter Gasca in person in the studio, where they bantered about being an entrepreneur, adapting to cultures, the differences between Gen X and Gen Y and so much more.

Peter Gasca is an experienced business executive and entrepreneur, with a background in multiple business disciplines across several industries. He is a management consultant, coach, speaker, business writer, startup advisor/mentor, co-author of One Million Frogs and a regular contributor to Entrepreneur.com and Inc.com

Peter also works with Coastal Carolina University as the Director of the Community and Business Engagement (CoBE) Institute, a student-led management consulting organization with a focus of pairing high achieving students in real world business projects. He also serves as an Assistant Professor.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Working in Russia as an American
• Establishing credibility when you don’t know company AND country cultures
• The importance of knowing how talk, listen, empathize and pivot
• Leveraging your personal strengths
• Acceptance vs Agreement (and other improv philosophies)
• Social media story filtering and information disparity
• Income inequality
• “Niche is the new big” in business and the marketing behind niche businesses
• How to be a successful start-up
• Why traction is more important than ideas
• Differentiating yourself and your business
• Trends in employee retention and how to let go of star performers
• Why Millennials (“The Choice Generation”) jump jobs
• References to Justin Irizarry (OrthoNow), Charlie Fusco, (Brains, Boobs & Balls), Paul Singh (500 Startups)

Full Show Notes at: http://pivot10results.com/podcast44_petergasca

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“Outward success is an inside job.“ – Bobby Albert

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Bobby Albert, CEO of Values-Driven Leadership LLC, an Institute focused upon teaching others the growth enabling potential of building foundational values into company culture. These values affect how employees treat one another and how they serve the company's customers. When the right values are in place, employees become empowered to make decisions they believe in and that allows leaders to gain the leverage they need to grow revenue and profit.

Bobby, a Wichita Falls, Texas native, took over the family moving business when his father died unexpectedly. He transformed his father’s five-person business into a fast growth company, eventually employing 150 people before The Albert Group of Companies was approached by a strategic acquirer. Rather than simply accept their first acquisition offer, Bobby patiently negotiated the offer up by more than 100% before he agreed to a deal.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Creating a “people first” culture based on respect
• How to build a culture
• Why culture is like the wind
• Delighting versus Satisfying the customer
• The Triple E philosophy (Experience that Exceeds Expectations)
• Having a participative leadership style
• Core values that everyone can authentically live by (versus aspire to live by)
• Being a values-driven organization instead of results-driven
• Ways to get buy-in for core values and fostering culture

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast43_bobbyalbert

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“If they’re just not the right fit for you, it’s toxic to your company and it’s toxic to your growth. As hard as it is to walk away from a revenue stream, it has to be done.” – Karla Jobling, COO, BeecherMadden

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Karla Jobling, COO and Owner of BeecherMadden, a recruitment firm with offices in London and New York. Their expertise is in the attraction of senior global talent and subject matter experts, with a specialty in technology solutions. Company culture has been very important to the growth of the business and keeping that culture through the past 5 years, has not always been easy for them. Karla notes that they can tie periods of poor performance back to a shift in the company culture. They have also had to balance keeping people who are toxic to the culture, when they are high performers.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Managing cultures in different parts of the world, including employees and clients
• The first few months of onboarding new employees
• Managing without micromanaging
• Having a “family” company culture
• The core value of honesty
• The secret sauce to attracting the right talent: asking questions that align with your company core values; “Have you ever told a lie?” as an interview question
• Managing top performers as well as underperformers who don’t fit the culture
• Eliminating toxic people
• The U.S. “Hire or Fire” Culture vs the U.K.’s mandate of giving employees one to three months to improve before termination
• Meritocracy
• Getting business by being confident enough to ask for it
• Being open minded about potential job candidates that might not fit your “profile”

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast42_karlajobling

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In this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Alex Moen, San Diego California native and lifelong entrepreneur. Alex has had multiple Fortune100 corporate partners in his career, gone from zero to 30 employees in less than 3 months, and has run businesses with home offices in multiple states AND countries. The companies being both online and offline in nature. Currently he is running two subscription box, automated online businesses, which include MatchMadeCoffee.com and TheLoadedVault.com (men’s fashion accessories).

Podcast Topics Include:

• Being a serial start up business entrepreneur
• The Subscription Box business model and industry
• Finding employees with the “right” attitudes versus the “right” resumes
• How to avoid a mass employee exodus during fast growth
• Employee handbooks with core values that don’t match reality
• The Half Ass, Quarter Ass Theory
• Getting to know your employees personally while separating personal from business
• Choosing natural and organic growth over fast growth
• The three types of mentors that every leader needs
• Best conference for CEOs to attend for networking: CEO Space

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast41_amoen

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“When you think of the CEO’s job, if you have very talented people around you, hopefully should make yourself irrelevant 99% of the time because all the day-to-day stuff is being handled by people who are better at their jobs than you are.” – Jonathan Frankel, CEO, Nucleus

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jonathan Frankel, Founder and CEO of Nucleus – a startup on a mission to fundamentally redefine the home intercom system and help people stay closer to loved ones.

One of the coolest things about Jonathan is hearing his story about having an idea to make life better for families and with no real knowledge of technology, hardware, manufacturing and managing people, he had enough desire and passion to find the right team members and venture capital to innovate a new product!

Nucleus is a home intercom device that launched in August 2016 to transform the way families communicate in and away from the home. Its lightweight intercom can be mounted or propped anywhere in the home (or between homes) to create instant points of audio and HD video communication between rooms, homes, or mobile-to-home with its smartphone app.

Within one day of its launch, Nucleus sold out completely. And in one month, Nucleus hit sales in 50 states – major traction for mainstream adoption of smart home technology.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How to be the antithesis of the typical tech start up
• Building a company based on the core values of being family friendly, kind, nice, easy going and respectful
• How to find talent: let them find you
• Starting a business from an idea, raising capital and producing a product that sells out on the first day
• Raising capital through traction and connection
• What to do when you’re not a natural connector
• The theory of “lines, not dots” in the VC world
• Managing fast growth = Managing cash flow
• Leadership based on logic and rational thinking
• CEO responsibilities

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast40_jfrankel

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In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Trevor Longino, an American marketer with 20 years of experience in the industry, focused mostly on strategic, digital and event marketing, and he has been a consultant at Disney's Yellowshoes Interactive, Universal Studios, Stratosphere Casino, Cox Communications, CD Projekt, and many more companies. He has taken 4 different startups from newly launched to #1 in their industries.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Having an open and honest culture
• When leaders “screw up” - Making and learning from mistakes (and how companies give lip service to this)
• Being a leader vs a manager
• “Why” starts with leaders and employees fill in the “how”
• The difference in between Gen X & Gen Y in problem solving
• The leadership approaches of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk & Google
• Understanding personalities and having emotional intelligence
• Getting extraordinary talent at less cost
• Explaining your leadership style and sharing expectations when hiring team members
• Balancing your craft/expertise with being a leader

Full Show Notes at http://pivot10results.com/podcast39_trevorlongino

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“Approachable is not about being your best friend or even that nice. The question [about a leader] is ‘Is this person someone you feel safe coming to?’” - Phillip B. Wilson

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Phillip B. Wilson, Founder and Chief Evangelist of Approachable Leadership, a leadership consulting firm.

For over two decades as a labor expert, Phil has helped thousands of companies survive – and triumph over – life-or-death employee relations disasters. Over and over, he’s been an eyewitness to leadership train wrecks. Over years of watching what doesn’t work (including a lot of traditional leadership advice) he’s stumbled upon what he calls “the One Ring of leadership,” approachability. Yeah, he’s also a self-proclaimed nerd.

Like all business owners, Phil is a leader too. He is an Entrepreneur's Organization board member and owner of an Inc. 5000 consulting business. Before that, he was a labor lawyer and HR Director of a riverboat casino (really!) – he has struggled through the same leadership challenges each of us face every day.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Going from broken to positive leadership
• The employment relationship – a different kind of marriage
• Leveraging leadership to turn things around
• The “one ring” of leadership philosophy
• Understanding leadership styles
• Focusing on connection and approachability
• The 3 most important questions a leader should ask
• “Power Distance” – a leadership failure
• The “Stop, Listen & Confirm” approach
• Strategies for leadership training consultants

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast38_philwilson

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“I believe that there is currency in humanity. People are currency with value while money is superficial.” – Paul Amelio, CEO, N2 Global Solutions

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco, Chief Results Officer of Pivot10 Results, interviewed Paul Amelio. Paul is a creative ad genius and inventor. He’s also the co-founder and CEO of N2 Global Solutions, Inc., a New York City-based technology company that has developed the first integrated wireless network of its kind—an Internal ‘Super Grid’ that consists of modules that retrofit into a building’s existing electrical junction boxes, that communicate remotely with an existing Building’s Management Systems (BMS).

What’s most interesting about Paul is his journey from Italy to the Bronx, living his own “Bronx Tale” in the 60s. He arrived in America, as a child, with his family one month prior to the assassination of Martin Luther King. His mother didn’t want him to end up a Shepard, so they boarded a cruise ship as "vacationing" passengers to America with no intention of returning to Italy so they could have a better life. His story of growing up and grabbing the American dream is inspirational. Ironically, the cruise line was called the SS Michelangelo. Paul is a true “Renaissance Man” you need to know!

Podcast Topics Include:

• The journey from immigrant to US citizen to entrepreneur
• Realizing your talents and leveraging them
• The difficulty of creating a product “that’s a piece of you” and needing the help of others to sell it
• Selling a necessity vs, a commodity
• Building currency in relationships to create real equity
• Creating jobs while fixing the environmental climate
• Providing training and opportunities for minorities
• Having a “CBO” as a secret weapon for success

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast37_paulamelio

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“Diversity of thought is one of the most critical things in business today.” – Kendley Davenport, CEO, Source4Teachers

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco spoke to Kendley Davenport, Chief Executive Officer for Source4Teachers, a leader in the K-12 education staffing space. He leads a team of more than 250 corporate employees, in addition to 30,000 daily and long-term substitute teachers and support staff across eight states.

Source4Teachers offers educational talent management solutions, specializing in teacher recruitment. They are the fastest growing company in their space, the 7th largest staffing firm in America and on the 2017 Forbes list for Best Large Companies in America.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How and why to be disruptive
• Managing fast growth (50-60% growth in one year)
• Having a collaborative decision-making approach
• Diversity of thought as a tool for solutions
• Predicting client needs to forecast growth
• Ways to engage talent pools
• Keeping remote teams feeling connected
• Discovering and understanding employee needs
• Choosing the right customers
• Maintaining a high level of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast36_kdavenport

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“We had to improve the performance of the organization because lives were in the balance.” – Joe Roth, CEO, NJ Sharing Network

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco spoke to Joseph (Joe) Roth, president and CEO of NJ Sharing Network, the nonprofit organization that saves lives through organ and tissue donation in New Jersey and one of the few non-profits that is “excruciatingly regulated” by federal law.

He has fostered a culture of selflessness, where each of the 180+ employees feel a sense of responsibility for the success of the organization, and more importantly, for the lives that depend on it.

In this podcast interview, Joe talks about how he and his leadership team have built a collaborative and team-focused environment in an organization with highly stressful and emotional jobs.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Recruiting people based on company mission
• Recruiting for high stress positions
• Developing a set of core values that are cornerstone to business
• Hiring consultants to develop leadership teams
• The importance of trust and accountability for leaders
• Eliminating the “command and control” leadership style

Full show notes at: http://pivot10results.com/podcast35_JoeRoth

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“This is what I suck at. So, you better be good at it.” – Sharon Koifman on how to be the best leader with the best team.

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco spoke with Sharon Koifman, Founder and CEO of Distant Job, where he has modeled a new method for subject matter experts and startups to hire and manage exceptional and remote IT talent. He is a specialist in global IT recruitment, with over a decade of experience in the IT sector and HR industry. He has also successfully operated and managed an international web hosting company, as well as an IT consulting firm, building a customer base of nearly 3000 accounts and overseeing 30 remote employees in offices across the globe.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Finding your “happy place” in recruiting
• “Quantity for Quality” approach to building the best team
• The controversy over paying lower wages to remote workers in other countries
• Working with recruiters who specialize in your industry
• Managing remote “offshore” employees just like your local ones
• Knowing how to connect to create loyalty – have good conversations
• Admitting to mistakes as a leader
• How to tell a difficult sales story in creative ways
• The value of hugs!

Full Show Notes at: http://pivot10results.com/podcast34_SharonKoifman

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“There’s no success or failure gene.” – Michael Alden

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco spoke to Michael Alden, CEO, TV Host & #1 Best Selling Author of Ask More Get More and 5% More. He matter-of-factly talks about his rough childhood growing up in the “hood” as a kid destined for failure, surrounded by a family of addicts.

Michael Alden, Esq., has over 15 years of experience in Direct Response Marketing. Starting his career in direct response customer service while in law school, Michael moved onto call center sales and quickly became a sales manager before being promoted to General Counsel, a position he held for over 4 years. In 2009 Michael founded Blue Vase Marketing, LLC based on the values taught in the book The Go Getter and under his direction, Blue Vase Marketing, LLC has grown to be a premier Direct Response firm.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How the brain can change and impact talent by acquiring skills that lead to success
• A company culture based on “It Shall Be Done”, “focus on what you’re doing and not what others are doing” and a “Queen Bee” mentality
• Getting the job done and not worrying about where that happens
• Recruiting strategy: hiring and training from within
• Why micro goals are better than stretch goals
• Asking for more of yourself, others and life – “you should never NOT ask for more.”
• Recommended books: Go Getter, The Fred Factor, The Talent Code, Good To Great

Full Show Notes at:

http://pivot10results.com/ podcast33_michaelalden

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In this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco spoke to Katie Lemieux and Dr. Kate Campbell, co-founders of The Private Practice Start Up and discussed what it takes to be build a private practice and be an evolving entrepreneur.

They are both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who are passionate about inspiring other mental health professionals and entrepreneurs to fulfill their private practice dreams by making them become a reality! They each have their own successful six-figure private practices that they built from the ground up. The path to success was not a straight line. They say it was much more representative of the stock market including the downturn during the recession.

While they were creating their individual practices, there was little information on how to establish a full fee, six-figure practice. Each of them have done that in their own way coming across many mistakes, challenges, and throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what would stick. And now they help other practitioners strive in their own practices.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The business side of having a private practice
• Scaling beyond “hours for dollars”
• Being clear about ideal clients and your “why”
• Overcoming the scarcity mindset trap
• The importance of having a with vision, mission, culture first
• Creating systems
• Making sure to “self five” yourself whenever possible

Full show notes at:

http://pivot10results.com/ podcast32_PrivatePracticeStartUp

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“You’re thinking about hiring people and they’re going to give you the better years of their lives and I feel if I’m asking that of my employees, in turn their lives should be better because of my company.” – Drew Sementa, CEO, Tidal Commerce

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco spoke to Drew Sementa, CEO of Tidal Commerce.

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that Drew Sementa was always an entrepreneur at heart. Even at 14 years old and working during the summers for his grandfather’s construction business, he was hungry to make his mark. And then there was that time selling candy on the school bus (that his mom bought in bulk for him).

Drew tells Gina about how he grew business after becoming a college drop-out during the early 2000s when many start-ups were going under, including the one he dropped out of college for! After the third company went under, he decided he could do it better in the unregulated industry of credit processing, starting with being honest in business!

In 2003, from the basement of his home, Drew started what is today’s Tidal Commerce, an established player in the Merchant Processing Services Industry. Drew has been Tidal's driving force and CEO ever since its beginning.

Pivot10 Results is not only a client for many years, but is also a partner of Tidal Commerce, offering training and tools to their clients, starting in June 2017!

Podcast Topics Include:

• Being fearless in an unregulated industry that is often criticized
• Rebranding and reinventing an existing business
• Strategies for acquisition and culture immersion
• The mindset of expecting employees to stay a lifetime
• Attracting clients through honesty and transparency
• Working with a partner who’s also your spouse
• Scaling culture BEFORE scaling growth
• How to sell to CEOs

Full Show Notes at:

http://pivot10results.com/ podcast31_drewsementa

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“Reach across the table and make things happen.”

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco spoke to Janine Iannarelli, international aircraft broker and Founder/President of Par Avion Ltd based in Houston, Texas. Janine is considered a pioneer among women in the aviation industry with over 30 years of aviation business experience. having represented numerous corporations and private individuals worldwide with respect to both the sale and purchase of business aircraft.

Par Avion is an aircraft marketing firm that specializes in the exclusive representation and acquisition of business aircraft and whose area of expertise lends itself to the Bombardier, Citations, Falcons, Gulfstreams, Hawkers, and Phenom product lines.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Buying and selling aircrafts
• Surviving and thriving in economic downturns
• Key Strategies for success: Flexibility and Dealing with Mercurial Prospects
• Core Values start with Family Values (upbringings)
• Strategies for women in male-dominated industries
• How horse riding prepares one for business success
• The power of listening
• Preparing for financial security

Full Show Notes: http://www.pivot10results.com/ep30_thepivotalleader_janineiannarelli

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“You have to have ‘culture by intention’ as a CEO – we have to have authentic core values and lead with those. We have to make them [core values] NOT a plaque on the wall.”

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Adam Robinson, CEO of Hireology. Adam believes most companies are bad at recruiting and that’s why he scaled his recruiting business into a cloud-based hiring platform. Hireology's cloud-based hiring platform is used by over 3,000 organizations in the United States and Canada.

Adam also is author of THE BEST TEAM WINS: Build Your Business Through Predictive Hiring, in addition to be being a noted recruiting industry expert, speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience in the field of hiring and selection management.

Adam and talked about his mission to help business owners make better hiring decisions using predictive data and technology and much more …

Podcast Topics Include:

• Scaling from a service business to a product business
• Strategies for preserving culture as you scale quickly
• How to hire right (motivated people) versus managing headaches
• Answering the question “Would you fire your top performer if they’re not a culture fit?”
• Instilling trust and not caring about cell phone and social media usage
• Understanding intrinsic motivation as being “hard wired” versus “acquired”
• Internal locus of control – hiring those with the mindset of “You didn’t tell me to do it that way” versus “I should have done a better job understanding what you wanted”
• The “No Asshole Rule”
• The importance of having an employment brand that attracts the right people and repels the wrong ones
• Why they have two gorillas in their office

Full show notes at: http://pivot10results.com/podcast_adamrobinson29

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“Hiring is casting. If the film is poorly cast and the actor can’t act, you won’t get there.” - Gabriella Mirabelli

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco spoke to Gabriella Mirabelli, the foremost authority on translating millennial behavioral trends for executives at major media enterprises. She was listed on Inc. as one of the "5 Unsung Heroes of New Media" and is the CEO and co-founder of ANATOMY, a New York based, Emmy Award winning creative agency and branding consultancy. As the host of The Up Next Podcast, she talks with the brightest innovators, risk takers, and disrupters on the front lines of change from Hollywood, Wall St. Silicon Valley, and beyond.

Over the last half decade, Gabriella has studied how the practices of media brands intersect with the media consumption habits of millennials. Her most recent in-depth report “Millennials At the Gate” is an examination of streaming, ad blocking, and piracy habits of young millennials. It has been cited by major publications such as Forbes, The Wrap, MediaPost, and Yahoo Finance.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Why employee recruitment is failing at the point of selecting the team
• How NOT to become a “helicopter office” (replacing helicopter parents)
• Seeing hiring employees as “casting” actors – A players produce higher box revenue
• The reality behind motivating team members; bean bags are not the answer!
• When parents contact employers to resolve their adult children’s work problems
• Behaviors to note during interviews
• How to “future proof” your business
• Pivotal strategies for overcoming difficult economic times
• Our contemplation about Millennial behavior in the workplace and how to leverage it
• Onboarding first-job employees

Full show notes:

http://pivot10results.com/episode-28-the-pivotal-leader-gabriella-mirabelli

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In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Michael Amini, CEO and Founder of Amini Furniture. Amini Furniture is one of the largest furniture companies in the world known for original, high quality and intricately designed home furnishings.

Originally from Iran, Michael Amini has lived all over the world, spending most of his life outside of his home country. With an education and short career in engineering, Michael discovered his passion for fashion and entrepreneurship. When he realized how challenging the fashion design world was to fund, he got a job as a furniture salesperson. It's then that he realized his true love for designing furniture to help people create sanctuaries in their homes and to exemplify their personalities.

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader you’ll learn about his passion to connect people to culture through furniture, to turn furniture into a passion versus a commodity, and much more …

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• The challenge of designing furniture for a global marketplace
• Managing employees all over the world
• Attracting talent by becoming “well-known and successful”
• Hiring people for their talent before you actually need them
• Changing the product because you can’t change the people
• Finding inspiration in EVERYTHING to develop new products
• Being well traveled to be successful as a global company
• Leadership Must-Haves: Respect for others, taking risks and moving quickly

Full Show Notes: http://www.pivot10results.com/episode-27-the-pivotal-leader-michael-amini

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In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ambar Januel, acclaimed contemporary artist, creative director, and the co-founder of Januel+Johnson.

Her well-documented travels and unique perspective on life has led to an illustrious career. During her childhood she traveled often with her family, moving from place to place like artistic hippie nomads. From the jungles of Mexico to the frozen mountains of Vermont, Ambar embarked on journey after journey that would leave a lasting-mark on her artistic sensibilities. Her eclectic style presents a reflective growth of the adventures where she shifted between art and fashion, utilizing her intuitive mindset and artistic skills to help various fashion startups develop their vision.

Now, Ambar continues to grow her artistic catalogue and provide creative strategies for brands and professionals through her business.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• How travel experiences and exposure to cultures can shape businesses
• Managing a team of creative artists
• Creating systems and processes to figure out and avoid “time wasters”
• How the fashion industry impacts marketing trends
• Attracting clients through speaking and networking instead of traditional advertising
• The power journalists have on brands
• Selling services that cannot promise ROI
• The need for sales teams, beyond marketing

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-26-pivotal-leader-ambar-januel/

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“As a growth company, what you were doing yesterday is not what you’re going to be doing today and what you’re doing today is not going to work tomorrow.” – Keith Walters, President, Axiometrics

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Keith Walters, President of Axiometrics, a high-growth provider of apartment market and student housing research and analysis.

Keith has grown Axiometrics from approximately 30 employees to more than 110, largely attributable to the core strategies and corporate values he implemented. He has spent more than 25 years successfully growing businesses with an entrepreneurial focus. At Axiometrics, he is responsible for guiding the company in a rapid growth path and overseeing the daily activities that strengthen the company’s vision.

With his help, Axiometrics attracts the brightest talent focused on continuous quality improvement for data-driven products and services.

Podcast Topics Include:

• What it means to be a “culture first” organization
• The difference between core values and core behaviors, why it matters and how to apply them to scale growth
• Having an “open wall” policy
• Hiring right for growth
• Transitioning an entrepreneurial, lifestyle company into a fast growth company
• Why it’s important to learn how to “let go” to grow
• Where to connect with other leaders, advisors and mentors

Books you should be reading: eMyth, Rocket Fuel, Rockefeller Habits

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-25-pivotal-leader-keith-walters/

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"It’s not practice that makes the difference – it’s perfect practice that does." – Justin Irizarry

Justin Irizarry, CFO of OrthoNow is NOT the stereotypical CFO. His innovative ability to start the nation's only franchised orthopedic urgent care center is supported by his belief that employees are the biggest asset on the balance sheet.

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviews this dynamic entrepreneur, who started as an investment banker on Wall Street and was recently named CFO of the Year and 40 under 40 by the South Florida Business Journal. A Wharton MBA, he partnered with Dr. Alejandro Badia to create the OrthoNOW business model. The concept achieves the industry’s quadruple aim - lower cost, better outcomes, improved patient experiences and enhanced provider outcomes in the 42 billion dollar orthopedic care industry.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How OrthoNow came to fruition
• Taking an idea to concept testing to franchise model
• Breaking the status quo in the patient care business model
• Taking advantage of market demand to change behavior for patient care
• Disrupting an industry where consumers aren’t the ones paying the for services rendered and providers don’t know what they’re getting paid for those services
• Creating good will that leads to referrals in an industry where a high percentage of customers don’t pay.
• Attracting top talent by being interesting instead of hiring just to fill a position
• Creating a fun culture that impacts patients AND employees
• Raw vs Emotional Intelligence

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-24-pivotal-leader-justin-irizarry/

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“There are times when you need to reposition conflict in a way that may not feel as comfortable in your business relationship but the outcome at the end of the day is going to be stronger.” – Julie Smith, President, Homewatch CareGivers

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Leann Reynolds, CEO, and Julie Smith, President and COO, of The Homewatch CareGivers franchise network, the premier provider of home care worldwide. Together, Leann and Julie share their story about how a family business, turned franchise, has grown to the next level by bringing in a new leader (Julie) from the “outside”. Listen in to learn ….

Podcast Topics Include:

• Mistakes made and successes achieved in business growth
• Scaling a franchise model that started as a family business
• Passing the power from a family owner to a non-family member
• The importance of company mission to attract talent
• Best practices for leadership transition plans
• Being mindful and purposeful in making decisions for what employees and franchisees need and want
• Balancing opportunities while not making sudden changes
• The need to ask every employee and franchisee “What have we done well and not so well?”
• The difference between being a “support” versus “growth” partner as a franchisor
• “Who” is in your database when it’s time to grow and hire?
• Involving everyone in your organization in the hiring process
• The importance of bringing on people who have been where you want to go, not where you have been

Full Show Notes:http://pivot10results.com/episode-23-pivotal-leader-homewatch-caregivers-franchise-network/

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Gina Trimarco spoke with Tahaji Felder, CEO of the Goose & Gander Brand. From an accounting career to social entrepreneur, Tahaji will inspire you with her passion for purpose and remind some of you more tenured entrepreneurs why you do what you do!

Tahaji Felder had no plans on becoming a social entrepreneur. Equipped with a Master's Degree in International Business from Nova Southeastern University under her arm, and a love of fashion, she made a conscious decision to go beyond the status quo, say yes to her dream, & launch Goose & Gander Brand in September 2015.

Goose & Gander Brand is a lifestyle brand that exists to inspire others to pursue their passion. She knew she wanted to create a bigger impact but was held back by fear. She launched the brand after a long career in finance, and getting laid off from her corporate job as an accountant.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Fear is the #1 dream killer
• What it takes to be a start-up business
• How “Corporate America” could do a better job with employee retention
• How to turn employees into fans of your company by putting the employee “first, first”
• Why “big box” stores are suffering
• The rise of “pop up shops” for customer connection
• Selling “movements” and purposes
• Having a “give back” strategy like the EmpowerYOU Series with One Page Closer

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-22-pivot…er-tahaji-felder/

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Gina Trimarco spoke with CJ Johnson, CEO and founder of the LA-based, award-winning digital agency, Januel+Johnson (J+J). A true creative who started out as a filmmaker, CJ is also an influencer who uses the power of story and narrative to shape his company’s culture and the cultures of the brands he serves at his boutique agency, that he doesn’t really like to call an agency; his agency is more of a “collective think tank” that helps builds brands throughout the world.

Among other accolades, CJ has been featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Fast Company, Forbes, Vice … and now The Pivotal Leader!

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Knowing what you stand for to help your clients succeed
• The power of creative narrative in marketing
• Utilizing mystery and allure to attract a specific clientele
• How Hollywood and the fashion world can teach you how to negotiate, stretch a budget and compete in a world of judgmental people
• Having a strategy in marketing, including the need to niche
• Being a “taste maker” and trend setter
• Today’s political climate, boycotts and the fleeting strategy of being “mean spirited”
• Finding success by being outspoken

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode21-the-pivotal-leader-cj-johnson

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Gina Trimarco had a lively conversation with Paul Jarrett, CEO of Bulu Box, a “discovery e-commerce” product. Bulu Box is a pioneer in their industry; Paul started out in the ad agency world (think “Mad Men”) and is a pioneer in the subscription box industry; one of the first in a market of 5,000+ subscription boxes. Subscription boxes have grown 3000% since 2012. You might be surprised by what he inspired him to enter this industry!

One of Paul’s core values is “Fire the assholes” – a key learning from his time in the ad world. Even more pivotal is his perspective on how to retroactively change a negative company culture. Hint: It starts with you, the leader.

“If you want to change the culture, it starts with self-awareness.”

– Paul Jarrett, CEO, Bulu Box

Podcast Topics Include:

• The fast growth of the subscription box industry
• The importance of data acquisition to scale businesses
• What causes negative company cultures
• How to retroactively build a better company culture
• The danger of perfectionism in business
• Having an “Athletic Recruiting” mentality for talent acquisition
• Managing frustrations with “The One-On-One Vent Session”

Full Show Notes: http://www.Pivot10Results.com/episode20-the-pivotal-leader-paul-jarrett

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Gina Trimarco spoke with her “business girl crush” Charlie Fusco, CEO and Creative Mastermind of Synergixx, a full service direct response agency, a company she founded, nearly lost and grew to success in the past 17 years (while being a mom and wife). Her success can be attributed to her philosophy of “You can be a little bit of a hot mess, as long as the results are there.”

Named a Top SmartCeo by Brava, Top CEO Under 40, and known as a major business influencer for entrepreneurs in her region, Charlie Fusco provides business coaching and advice to her growing followers on ThatGirCharlie.com, her social media channels, and her CEO Powercast Radio Show.

Charlie has authored four books including her latest Brains, Boobs, & Balls: Life Lessons Any Female Entrepreneur Can Follow. The title alone is what got Gina interested in interviewing her.

In this episode, they discuss customer and employee acquisition, excel spread sheets, orgasms and overcoming F words.

Podcast Topics Include:

• “Fly By The Seat Of Your Pants” Culture and why it works
• The two most important questions you should be asking your clients AND employees
• How to become a company where clients say, “How do we get to work with you?”
• Creating a “voice” around the company
• Setting up your own “Access To Resources” to scale a business
• The difference between flat squirrels and fat squirrels – aim to be FAT!
• Why waiting to write perfection job descriptions will cost you top talent
• Introducing employees for their next jobs and bosses
• The importance of orgasms and excel spread sheets to be a successful CEO
• Marketing lessons for writing a book

Shownotes:

http://pivot10results.com/episode-19-pivot…er-charlie-fusco/

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From soda bottle recycling entrepreneur at the age of six to senior executive leader responsible for billions of dollars for the Coca Cola Company, Terence Chatmon has served in senior executive leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson, Citibank and Coca Cola. Terence is a transformational leader amongst senior executives and CEOs. He is a successful entrepreneur and has served as President and CEO of global non-profit organizations.

He now serves as President and CEO of Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, (FCCI) a fellowship of executive leaders in 92 countries. In his role, he is leading unprecedented efforts to equip and encourage leaders in small, medium and large size companies. FCCI is known around the world for their global platform, world class annual international conference, rich library of business leadership resources and their transformational Kingdom Leader and Kingdom Company model.

In addition to his leadership at FCCI, Terence has recently written and published his first book, “Do Your Children Believe? Becoming Intentional about your Family’s Faith and Spiritual Legacy,” available now from Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Podcast Topics Include:

• What he learned about leadership from Johnson & Johnson CEO James Burke during the Tylenol crisis of 1982
• Why wearing burgundy and powder blue suits wasn’t a good idea at Arthur Andersen during the 80s – learning how to “dress the part”
• The importance of taking personal time to invest in people
• Whether or not it’s possible for leaders to teach work ethic
• The five phases of an organizational life cycle
• Biblical principles in the workplace
• The power of parenting that shapes leaders

Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-18-pivot…-terence-chatmon/

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Jim Cavale is an entrepreneur who starts, invests in and leads disruptive brands, with a passion for social impact. When I first met Jim, he was President and partner of Iron Tribe Fitness, a national fitness brand with more than 40 gyms from Seattle to Miami, and in between. He sold his ownership in Iron Tribe and stepped down in September 2016 to work with multiple brands and begin building a new company in the sports world again.

At the time of our interview, Jim continues to serve as Entrepreneur-In-Residence for the Velocity Accelerator Fund, a $3mm accelerator fund that helps startup CEOs in Birmingham, Alabama.

In this episode, we talked about his passion for starting and scaling businesses, customer acquisition and the importance of supporting Gen Y professionals, like him, in making things happen.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How to be a legacy brand
• Creating systems to represent a company’s vision for growth
• Purpose and Mission as boundaries to build a culture
• “Having a baby and giving it to someone else to raise” - the hurdles of franchising
• Customer & Employee Acquisition Strategies
• The importance of “story” in business and how to leverage it
• Relational Capital vs Transactional Interactions
• Building success by knowing what’s next and what’s most important
• What most investors want to know about your company
• How Gen Y / Millennials will transform businesses

Jim’s involvement in helping entrepreneurs launch in Birmingham

Shownotes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-17-pivot…eader-jim-cavale/

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Kevin Garber is the CEO and Co-founder of http://ManageFlitter.com – a product that layers a set of search, filtering, sorting and follow tools on top of your Twitter account. In this episode, I talked to Kevin about customer acquisition, employee retention and business growth.

A great reminder he provided is that “You’re not Google, Facebook or Twitter – you still have to do marketing to raise awareness about your business”. And when it comes to employees in his tech world, Kevin believes that “tech people are highly intelligent and motivated by challenging problems to solve.”

Kevin is also the co-host of the weekly http://itsamonkey.com Podcast that talks to thought leaders in the tech and entrepreneurship world. Kevin is obsessed with avocado and the TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Mastering the “art of being a CEO”
• Avoiding “gimmicks” in your employee retention strategy
• “Casting a wider net” to find the best team
• The benefits and necessity of highly diverse teams
• The REAL reason why you’re micromanaging everyone
• The best marketing tool
• What you need to prepare for company growth
• The upcoming launch of ManageSocial.com (and how to get in on their alpha test)

Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-16-pivotal-leader-kevin-garber

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“You need a great brand to propagate a culture. It’s hard to keep everything aligned without a strong brand,” says Mario Natarelli, managing partner of MBLM, the brand intimacy agency which is brands and technology. In this episode, Mario and I talked about the power of brand intimacy to create emotional connections with customers and how great brands build great cultures. According to MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2017 Report, which is the largest study of brands based on emotions, top ranked intimate brands continued to outperform the S&P and Fortune 500 indices in revenue and profit over the past 10 years.

Mario’s career started as an architect where he learned how to balance art with science. In his perspective, in architecture you need a strong theory, focus and belief system and this parallels what it takes to be a great brand and culture.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The definition of brand intimacy and why it matters
• Building stronger bonds with customers
• The role emotions play in ranking brands
• The top ranking brands based on brand intimacy
• The brand that ranks highest with Millennials
• What takes priority? A strong culture or a strong brand?
• How the short term “fix” can hurt your brand and culture
• The partnership model for leading a multidisciplinary, multicultural and multigenerational team looking to expertly solve problems

Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-15-pivotal-leader-mario-natarelli

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Before becoming a certified hypnotherapist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Dr. Elizabeth Bonet was a yoga teacher and founder of Yogafairy Prenatal Yoga. She won the 2014 Top 100 Leading Moms In Business Award, grew an international community of mothers and ran the company for 15 years before selling it to focus on her psychology practice. And before all of that, she worked in tech as a project manager where she launched the first website to do online trading of international securities.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The number one thing that your business needs to succeed
• Knowledge is power: How to find out what your customers really want
• Strategies for overcoming “jerk leaders” or becoming one
• How to recognize and manage employee anxiety to improve productivity
• Culture-based employee manuals
• Attracting talent that fits your culture and leadership style

Show notes:
http://pivot10results.com/episode-14-pivotal-leader-dr-elizabeth-bonet/

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Cathey Petkash, is a Franchise Specialist who assists people identify and research franchise models that meet their personal and business goals and objectives. She joined FranNet after 18 years in the “corporate world” of Hewlett-Packard. Her professional consulting career at HP involved building strategic relationships with HP customers by implementing IT solutions to meet their business goals and objectives. Cathey also is a seasoned business owner. She achieved her “business ownership” dream with the purchase a floral business. Cathey applied the business principle of “absentee ownership,” executing the business end of the business, while her Floral Designer ran the everyday floral shop activity. She successfully grew the business for over four years, and then profitably sold the business. From control freak and directive to relaxed and collaborative, Cathey’s transition from “Corporate America” resulted in her being a leader who prides herself on listening and thinking more.

Podcast Topics Include:

• The secret to being a successful business. Hint: Your Employees
• Knowing how to interact with people and knowing your management style
• How to avoid the loneliness of being the boss
• The Passion Factor: why you need to be more passionate about running a business more than being passionate about the “what” of your business
• Understanding what motivates people
• The advice Cathey would give to struggling businesses, including HP

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-13-catheypetkash

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Michael Schein always wanted to be a rock star, as in a real, musician rock star. A true creative and artist, who admittingly hates making cold calls, he turned his talents into a business that elevates the statuses of other business people.Michael is CEO of MicroFame Media, a marketing agency that turns consultants into celebrities in their fields when they don't have the time to do it themselves. He has created or facilitated the production of content for companies such as eBay, Linkedin, Avectra, TESLA, Inc., SEER Interactive, The Medici Group, Arise Virtual Solutions, Interiors by Steven G., and Citrix. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with Honors and got his start at Spin the Bottle, Inc., the production company behind VH1 hit show Pop Up Video. He is an Inc columnist, the leader and moderator of New York Technology Council's (NYTECH) Interactive Marketing Panel Series, and the author of Teenage Roadhogs (MacMillan).

Podcast Topics Include:

• Michael’s journey from blogging to writing for Inc. to turning consultants into celebrities
• Harnessing and encouraging creativity to fulfill purpose for employees
• Being a niche thought leader
• Using content effectively in the “Google Wilderness”
• Following a process to eliminate fear
• Understanding the core principles of Hype & Connection in business
• Knowing what you stand for

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode12/

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Greg Marcus, CEO of The Marcus Corporation, is a charismatic leader (and secret agent) that not only earned accounting and law degrees but went to film school before returning to the family business, his grandfather started in 1935. Also known as Agent BB, Greg has led the company to its newest entertainment ventures – Safe House Chicago and Escape House. In this podcast he narrates the company’s journey “From The Sopranos to the Game Of Thrones” and shares his pivotal moments as leader of a publicly traded lodging and entertainment organization that is considered one of Forbes Magazine's Most Trustworthy Companies, Listen in to find out why he believes that “Make sure you stop and look around” is a great metaphor for great leadership.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Family sayings as core values to live by
• Scaling a business through diversification
• The importance of debt control to leverage opportunities
• Creating first class experiences at coach seating prices
• Treating employees like family
• Pivotal strategies for leaders
• The “high class problem” of making good people great
• The history of The Marcus Corporation

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode11

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Carey Cranston, the inaugural president for the new American Writers Museum in Chicago shared with us his passion for the written word and his journey to launching the only American Writers Museum in the United States. What resonated the most during this interview was his approach to earning the trust and respect of his newly acquired working board of directors. There’s a vast difference in transitioning from a for-profit academic institution to a non-profit artistic organization. His approach: “I go to them. I’ll even go to their house to meet with them. I want my board to feel appreciated.”

Prior to his new role, Carey most recently served as President of Fox College, a private career college in Chicago, where he spent the last 12 years.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Adapting as a leader to a new industry
• Transitioning from a for-profit to NPO environment
• Creating culture from the ground up in a start-up
• Engaging and managing governance and working boards of directors
• Acquiring top talent based “being the right fit” for the company mission
• Managing team members who may not share the similar core values, such as as “hard work pays off”, respect and openness
• Best practices for effective communications: in person versus virtual
• Being a leader who is passionate about the purpose of an organization

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode10

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Steve Bernas, President & CEO for the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, Inc. and the President of the Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation, grew up wanting to be a policer and helping people. When he came to the conclusion that he might have to shoot someone with a gun, he took another direction by joining the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and has been there for the past 29 years, growing in the ranks from the top up “with nowhere left to go internally”. In a different kind of way, he’s still living his dream by policing businesses to protect consumers.

In this episode, the most obvious common denominator for him is trust. “Trust is the currency of today’s marketplace,” he says. Learn more about his leadership style.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Employee career development for retention
• Continuous development for CEOs to be effective leaders
• need to continuously develop themselves to develop others
• The importance of instilling the values of loyalty and dedication
• Learning from and learning to love Millennials
• The “secret sauce” for attracting top talent
• “Setting the table” to find the right mentors, at all levels in one’s career
• Steve’s recommended list of books to read and development suggestions

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-9

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“Timesheets are a culture killer,” is only one of the many insights that Jody Padar shared with me in this episode. Listen in to hear how this leader is transforming the accounting industry by being “radical”. She recently took over the family practice that her father founded and has changed the way clients are served and how the industry regards her as a change agent.

Podcast Topics Include:

• How to be “radical” in a conventional industry
• Changing a business model to adapt with the times and technology
• Serving clients the way they need and want to be served
• Becoming a subject matter expert for competitors
• Recognizing that most non-Millennials want to be Millennials
• The value of telling employees to “Come back again” with their ideas
• Succession planning in family owned businesses

Show notes: http://pivotal10results.com/episode-8

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What sets Aleksandra Scepanovic apart from many leaders is her philosophy on how to attract top talent. In this podcast she shared with me, “We decided it was very important to actually hire a human as opposed to a salesman … the best salespeople are people who are people first and then they do sales for a living.”

Aleksandra Scepanovic is Managing Director of Ideal Properties Group, one of the largest, privately owned, independent real estate firms specializing in premier Brooklyn neighborhoods. A full-service firm, Ideal offers pre-development marketing and branding as well as residential, commercial, office and retail services.

Originally from Serbia where she worked as an editor and media analyst, with firsthand experience of reporting from the war zones of the Balkans, Aleksandra came to New York to pursue a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Ironically, her passion for architecture and interiors is evident in her organization. She designed the office space to be transparent from street view. This physical transparency has organically manifested into a company culture of transparency and openness.

Topics include:

• Seeing company culture as an intricate fabric of everyday commitments and personal resolutions that one makes to themselves and others, resulting in effective teamwork
• The need to have a creative streak to be successful in disrupting business and staying ahead of the competition
• How to look at problems from a different perspective to solve them
• The need for openness and transparency
• Creating a work environment that’s unusual for its industry where employees are quick to help each other and everyone at all levels of production is considered equal
• Top pivot strategy all leaders should have in their playbook: pay close attention to your results
• Additional strategies that leaders need to pivot successfully

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-7

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In episode #6 of The Pivotal Leader, CEO Paul Galvin shares his philosophy: “As the CEO, it’s your job to create the conditions for your team to win. And that’s what sports is about. It’s not doing everything yourself. It’s creating an environment for your team where everybody can do the best that they have to offer. And that everybody’s blind spots are protected and covered while the clarity of purpose is that we, as a group, are just much more talented and much more capable than we are as individuals. And so, as the CEO, it’s constantly about trying to make sure that I’m putting myself and my colleagues in the right positions where they can execute.”

If you’ve been to the Container Bar in Austin, Texas or Container Park in downtown Las Vegas, you’ve experienced SG Blocks, Inc. Paul Galvin is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SG Blocks, Inc., a leading innovator and designer of container-based structures. Founded in 2007, SG Blocks utilizes code-engineered cargo shipping containers to construct and provide safe, strong and green structures and environments.

With his French bulldog “purring” in his lap during our interview, Paul’s affable personality quickly gives you an idea of what it would be like to be on his team … most likely fun and rewarding.
lege.

Topics include:

• How SG Blocks found a way to create a sustainable engineered building system with applications across construction markets
• Keeping labor overhead low while maintaining the right culture through strategic partnerships
• Bringing ambitious people with vision together to bring something meaningful to the marketplace by following an unconventional path
• How Paul has created a culture and purpose that attracts Millennials as potential entrepreneurial customers
• Helping customers actualize their dreams by reducing or eliminating traditional barriers to financial success
• The need for flexibility as a leader to be able to pivot with the dynamic forces of the economy and world events

Show notes: http://www.pivot10results.com/episode-6

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Robby Hill, Founder & CEO of information technology consulting firm HillSouth, started designing websites in the 7th grade and by the time he was legally old enough to sign contracts in South Carolina (age 17), he signed a lease for his first office space because he was generating enough revenue to do so. Plus, he was tired of running his business out of his parents’ house. Fifteen years later he’s a business role model and a public servant who leads a business culture based on fun.

• The importance of surrounding oneself with successful people who have also experienced failure
• Connecting with the right mentors and being a mentee
• Learning from NOT being the best boss as an early leader
• Having a fun culture to offset long hours, deadlines and high level work stress
• The need for transparency and knowledge sharing with employees
• How working with clients who impact that world creates internal excitement

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-5

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“When you’re not enjoying the success that you were used to you start to question that a little bit,” said Andy Milovich (Milo), President and General Manager of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. This is a sentiment that many leaders feel at some point in their careers and for pivotal leaders, it’s this type of moment that inspires leaders to leap forward and take risk. And it’s what motivated Andy to take on his current role – to see get out of his comfort zone and take a risk with a new team in a new city. Growing up in South Bend, Indiana, Andy, the son of a little league coach, had a dream to play short stop for the Chicago Cubs. At age 25 he was one of the youngest general managers in baseball who eventually became President and General Manager for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the affiliate team for the Chicago Cubs. In this episode, you will learn his philosophy on how to create a “play it forward” culture for employees, fans and the community based on the core values of fun, family and purpose. Andy will do almost anything to inspire community involvement, including getting a prostrate exam in front of 6,600 people!

Topics Include:

• Fostering a culture based on the core values of purpose, fun, family and community
• Being a “community owned baseball stadium” as a way to engage and give back to motivate people to come out and spend time with family and friends.
• The importance to be willing to put yourself out there as a leader to have some fun … like getting a prostrate exam in front of 6,600 people and broadcasted over the world to raise awareness for prostrate cancer
• How the Pelicans organically and unintentionally increased attendance by 26% through community investment and involvement
• Leveraging the brand of the Chicago Cubs to grow the popularity of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans while playing a part in driving tourism from the Midwest
• Being successful by delivering an experience to fans (customers) in a short amount of time at an affordable price
• The importance of personal development opportunities for employees from health/wellness programs to personal financial planning resources, plus other perks like free meals and game tickets

Show notes: http://pivot10results.com/episode-4

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Debbie McArthur, CEO, Integra Fabrics went from being a school teacher and principal to running a manufacturing plant in Loris, SC. Her energy and spunk plus catapulted her to learning business skills on the fly – a true pivotal leader.

Topics Include:

• Becoming a female CEO in manufacturing
• Applying the experience of being a school teacher and principal in business
• Building a happy, autonomous and empowered talent without micromanaging
• Why committees are better than suggestion boxes for employee engagement
• The rewards and risks of buying out a partner to take 100% control of a business
• One of the most important characteristics needed to being an effective leader

For full show notes, visit http://www.pivot10results.com/podcast

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Ron Holt, CEO & Founder of TWO MAIDS & A MOP™ went from managing chemical engineers and scientists to cleaning toilets … literally. His company has been ranked by Inc Magazine as one of the fastest growing cleaning companies in the country, now boasting 31 franchises. His number one pivotal strategy for success is having grit … and not just the grit you clean up. He lives and dies by this philosophy: “When you hit those moments when failure seems imminent, you’ve gotta have grit to fight through it. Money is less important than grit. From the highest level executive in the ivory tower to the lowest level employee, to success in business, you’ve gotta have some grit.” He was attracted to this “unsexy” industry and his reasons and strategy are fascinating.

Topics Include:

• The strategy to scaling a business in an “unsexy” industry
• Engaging and motivating a “blue collar” staff
• Staying focused on company vision in good and bad times
• Getting employees to care as much about the business as the leaders do
• Leveraging an employee compensation plan as a selling tool for acquiring new business
• What grit’s got to do with it

For full show notes, visit: pivot10results.com/podcast

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Gina Trimarco, Chief Results Officer of Pivot10 Results (P10) is an international speaker, trainer, business strategist, certified sales coach and serial entrepreneur who helps businesses shift from "people problems" to performance results. And now she’s the host and creator of The Pivotal Leader podcast. Gina also founded and owns Carolina Improv Company, an improv comedy school and theater in Myrtle Beach, SC. Her improv training makes her a dynamic show host who flows with her guests.

This weekly podcast will feature interviews with pivotal and diverse leaders of various industries, geographies and sizes who will share their experiences and stories to inspire rising leaders to shift their own organizational cultures to higher success.

Topics Include:

• The reason for The Pivotal Leader
• More about future show guests
• How Gina merged corporate strategy with improv comedy
• The importance of culture-building
• More about Pivot10 Results

Learn More About Pivot10 Results:

Pivot10Results.com

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Shawn Karol Sandy is a sales leader who hears “try another angle” when someone tells her “no”. She started wearing suits in the third grade because she liked the feeling of power it gave her while she ran “meetings” on the playground. For the record, she doesn’t recall what those meetings were about.  In this podcast episode Shawn defines company culture as “the overwhelming ubiquitous mindset of the people who work there and the result of the actions they take as a result of that mindset” and recommends mastering the use of a machete to forge new paths. Her “thunderstruck” moments will inspire you.

Topics Include:

• How to lead and influence people to grow and scale through sales and selling
• Where culture comes from
• Building an “open ended” business model to pivot quickly
• The core value of rejecting the status quo
• What it means to be “learning harder”
• What it means to be a “wolf” in business