Driving new revenue is not just having a great product or service. Companies have to get the message distributed to the right people. If you had marketing strategies for fast-growth, you would see more traction in your market. CEOs often resist some of the strategies that require them to be the face and voice of the company. Developing marketing strategies for fast-growth requires new thinking. My guest today is Karen Hayward, Managing Partner of Chief Outsiders. His company was ranked #2827 in ...
Feb 10, 2020•22 min•Ep. 520
Nearly every company I know wants to have customer service excellence. You may look at brands like The Ritz-Carlton or Zappos to model what real customer service excellence is. The truth is it is not technology or even flawless processes. The secret to customer service excellence is putting employees first. My guest today is Matt Margolis, CEO of Stackify. His company was ranked #379 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We look at what customer service excellence is. Matt and I talk about why putting empl...
Feb 06, 2020•24 min•Ep. 519
Ownership is not just something reserved for the founders, partners, and stockholders. Ownership is a state of mind that can be developed. I believe that the most potent technique available to leaders in developing leadership coaching skills. When you coach an employee, you are not telling them what to do. Leadership coaching skills are essential for getting people to feel like owners. Today, I am sharing a few essential skills in coaching your team members. We look at it through the lens of tho...
Feb 04, 2020•13 min•Ep. 518
Do you want a culture of speed? In our changing world, you may think about getting your people to speed up and adapt quicker. It does take exceptional leadership to enable a culture of speed. My guest today is Ryan Margolis, CEO of Professional Hair Labs. His company was ranked #372 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Discover the secrets of a culture of speed with Ryan. We look at why it is vital in today's marketplace. We look at the specific aspects of leadership that make it possible to create a cult...
Feb 03, 2020•26 min•Ep. 517
Many leaders across the world believe growth comes by putting customers first. However, fast-growth company leaders look at it another way. Employee first leadership is what drives growth. When employees feel valued, they are bought into the growth goals fo the company. My guest today is Josh Leslie, CEO of Cumulus Networks. His company was ranked #320 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Employee first leadership is a way to develop employees with a feeling of ownership. Today, we talk about employee fir...
Jan 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 516
Many people believe that the journey of success to significance must be linear. As in once you achieve success, you can create significance. I discovered that success to significance is more like a dance. Success and significance are best when they work together, much like partner dancing. Today, I am sharing some of the reasons why a linear approach of success to significance is wrong. I also share what you can do to create significance in your life by sharing my story of losing it all. Get the...
Jan 28, 2020•7 min•Ep. 515
When leaders value innovation, they often have a value for a continuous improvement culture. If you look at the products and services of your company, they have evolved over time. You might want even more innovation. You can be intentional about creating a continuous improvement culture when you understand how others do it. My guest today is Johnny Owens, Founder of Owens Recovery Science. His company was ranked #136 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Johnny shares his wisdom about continuous improvemen...
Jan 27, 2020•26 min•Ep. 514
Going beyond accountability is what I call an ownership culture. In an ownership culture, your employees feel the pride of ownership that drives a higher degree of customer satisfaction. It also drives fast growth like today's gues. Mason Arnold is the Founder of CeCe's Veggie Noodle. His company was ranked #3 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Mason and I discuss the power of the ownership culture. We look at how it works inside of a fast-growth company and why it is essential. Discover how you can lea...
Jan 23, 2020•25 min•Ep. 513
Today's episode is what I like to call "behind the scenes" of my life. I share a personal story of a failure I had to endure. It was tough for me to share behind the scenes elements like this until I remember that being vulnerable is not a weakness. Showing your sensitive side is a sign of courage. This behind the scenes takes you right into the darkest time of my professional life. I share what happened to me and the questions I asked myself that helped me find my direction. Join me today for a...
Jan 21, 2020•7 min•Ep. 512
Embracing healthy conflict is hard to do. Often attempts at including healthy conflict within your culture fail. My guest today is Magdiel Rodriguez, CEO of Alivi. His company was ranked #300 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We talk about what is healthy conflict. We look at the power of it. Discover the growth benefits of healthy conflict for your company. Get the show notes for Why you want healthy Conflict To Create Growth with Magdiel Rodriguez at Alivi Click to Tweet: Listening to an amazing epis...
Jan 20, 2020•25 min•Ep. 511
Learning is a process of continuous improvement. Leaders are often looking for strategies that activate continuous improvement across their organizations. My guest today is Chris Jacob, CEO of Gateway Genomics. His company was ranked #236 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Continuous improvement is not just a mantra; it is a way of working. Their products have iterated over the years to create the innovation they have now. Discover how you can engage your team to higher levels of continuous improvement....
Jan 16, 2020•22 min•Ep. 510
Have you ever experienced a failure to success journey in your life? This is my story from failure to success to significance. Ten years ago, I had to deal with a huge failure that changed everything for me. We have all had defining moments that have transformed us. The failure to success journey pushes us to change. This is a look behind the scenes of what made me become a coach to successful leaders. Get the show notes for My Story from Failure to Success to Significance - Behind the Scenes Pa...
Jan 14, 2020•4 min•Ep. 509
Today, we talk about business core values. We talk about how to hire using your business core values. My guest today is Alex McKeown, CEO of Fusion Recruiting Labs. His company was ranked #223 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Alex shares the importance of business core values. He talks about how he uses those values to enhance culture. Your business core values are essential to the growth of your company. Get the show notes for How to Hire With Your Business Core Values with Alex McKeown at Fusion Rec...
Jan 13, 2020•29 min•Ep. 508
The company's core values are more than just words on the wall. The company's core values define how you lead and make decisions. My guest today is Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo. His company was ranked #73 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We talk about how to develop company core values. We also discuss how to use them as a leader. In this episode, you will learn the importance of company core values and how they drive growth. Get the show notes for Living Company Core Values with Todd Olson at Pendo Click...
Jan 09, 2020•24 min•Ep. 507
Do you want to achieve your goals this year? Have you ever wanted to hit a target or make a goal, but you missed it. Today, I share with you a straight forward process to achieve your goals. Go behind the scenes with me as I set my goals for the year. I will share the simple tools which consist of three pieces of paper to help you achieve your goals. Please don't leave it to chance. I will also give you three power questions to will help you leverage all of yourself to achieve your goals. Get th...
Jan 07, 2020•17 min•Ep. 506
When you develop employees, you must invest in their skills. If you want to speed up the time to effectiveness, you must be intentional to develop employees. My guest today is Tyler Convey, CEO of MDStaffers. His company was ranked #49 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We talk about how to develop employees. Tyler shares some mistakes he has made as a leader that you can learn from. Now is the time to be proactive to develop employees so they can help you drive the business forward. Get the show notes ...
Jan 06, 2020•25 min•Ep. 505
When you hire top talent, you must also give them the environment to excel. Top talent needs space to have the autonomy, and they crave a challenge. All too often, we focus on strategies and techniques to drive the company forward. However, top talent requires different leadership. My guest today is Jared Kaplan, CEO of Opploans. His company was ranked #321 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Jared gives us his strategies to lead top talent, which includes failing forward. We look at what is working for ...
Jan 02, 2020•23 min•Ep. 504
Looking back at your past is a powerful tool in leadership. The bIggest lessons on leadership come when we get radically honest with ourselves. I want to give you a look into my year in review with my goals and milestones. I also share the bIggest lessons on leadership from hundreds of interviews. Please tune in to see my process for starting the new year and looking back at the reality of the previous year. I also make some big announcements about what 2020 will look like. Get the show notes fo...
Jan 01, 2020•18 min•Ep. 503
Your executive leadership team can make your company or break it. Hiring the executive leadership team is the process of finding people with the right experience, values, and fit for your company stage. You want to hire your executive leadership team slowly and develop them with strong leadership. My guest today is Jason Hennessey, Founder of Hennessey Digital. His company was ranked #290 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Jason's company has grown fast because of a strong executive leadership team. Whe...
Dec 30, 2019•20 min•Ep. 502
Persistence is needed more than ever as everything is changing fast. Those people that have persistence will drive the company goals forward. Part of the formula is hiring people that already have a natural dose of persistence inside them. You also have to lead them to increase their confidence too. My guest today is James Heller, Founder of Wrapify. His company was ranked #309 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Discover how James sees persistence in his fast-growth company. We talk about the ins and ou...
Dec 26, 2019•22 min•Ep. 501
WOW! Today marks the 500th episode of the show, and I am beaming with pride. I took a journey back at the past episodes and the fantastic guests that have been on the show. Best selling authors, amazing speakers, leaders in the trenches (pun intended), and so many get topics. Today, I am honored to share with you the 500th episode of the podcast. Join me and walk down memory lane. I might share some key episodes that you have missed. Get the show notes for The 500th Episode: A Look Back At My Fa...
Dec 24, 2019•42 min•Ep. 500
Transparent leadership creates trust with your people. When you embrace openness within everything, you have a chance to create a remarkable culture. Employees feel heard and valued. The transparent leader must be courageous. My guest today is Adam LaBarbera, CEO of EETechMedia. His company was ranked #301 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We talk about the power of being a transparent leader. Adam shares his journey to figuring it out. Discover why being a transparent leader drives company growth. Get...
Dec 23, 2019•21 min•Ep. 499
Your job as a leader requires you to have stamina and mental clarity. Your best strategy for increasing your energy and being a healthy leader is to focus on your nutrition. Recently, I started a journey to be a healthy leader for my team, my family, and mostly for myself. My guest today is Angelo Poli, founder of MetPro. They are focused on the science of transformation. We talk about why being a healthy leader is essential. We look at some of the mistakes we make as leaders. I dive deep into A...
Dec 19, 2019•38 min•Ep. 498
We all know that when you invest in yourself you get to grow in new ways. However, many people let their fears control them. Warren Buffett has said openly about the need to invest in yourself, "The most important investment you can make is in yourself." Today, I share why you must invest in yourself. I share a story about one of my clients who invested in himself in a time that was tough, but he wanted the payoff. Discover how you can get over your fear and invest in yourself as a leader. Get t...
Dec 17, 2019•7 min•Ep. 497
Our people are the most valuable aspects of our businesses. It more than their hard work and even their output. However, customer first has dominated much of the leadership for many decades. "Employee First" is a model of leadership where people are put ahead of the strategy, technology, profits, and even customers. My guest today is James Dowd, Co-Founder of Iuvo Logistics. His company was ranked #310 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Discover the benefits of "Employee First" beyond happy employees. J...
Dec 16, 2019•29 min•Ep. 496
What do you do with the excuses your people come up with for why they didn't make a goal? If you tolerate excuses, you will get more of them. This episode is about creating a "no excuses culture." This episode is a proactive strategy to align your company to take ownership of their work. A "no excuses culture" will generate loyalty and creativity when times are challenging. If you are tired of the excuses, this is the interview for you. My guest today is Roy Dekel, Founder of SetSchedule. His co...
Dec 12, 2019•23 min•Ep. 495
We have things we do each day that define who we are. Your leadership rituals are just as important as any other rituals you have. This is the holiday season, and our rituals often make us happy. These traditions often allow us to reflect on life and give it to others. When you think about your leadership rituals, you want to select them with care. You also want to be mindful of the rituals that empower you and those that don't. Today, I share some of the top leadership rituals that you will all...
Dec 10, 2019•6 min•Ep. 494
You want to create an organization that adapts quickly. My guest today is Adam Petrilli, Founder of Web Presence. His company was ranked #208 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Discover how to create an organization that adapts quickly. Get the show notes for How to Create an Organization that Adapts Quickly with Adam Petrilli at Web Presence Click to Tweet: Listening to an amazing episode on Growth Think Tank with featuring @AdamPetrilli with me your host @GeneHammett http://bit.ly/AdamPetrilli #Create...
Dec 09, 2019•22 min•Ep. 493
Have you ever wondered, "why is culture important?" Culture for some companies is an afterthought. I talk to many fast-growth companies, and they know the importance of culture. Today we talk about why is culture important with Johnny Owens, founder of Owens Recovery Science. His company is #136 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Johnny shares with us how he looks at culture. His company has grown very fast, and the team is relatively small. Tune in to the interview to hear "why culture is important" if...
Dec 05, 2019•25 min•Ep. 492
When and where you work play a massive role in your happiness. If you are reactive to your work schedule, you will feel like you are always behind. I believe that if you want to be the best leader you can be, you have created a work schedule that serves you. Yes, you have to work to lead your team, but how you work and when you work matters. Let me share with you some tips about your work schedule that you can leverage to improve your effectiveness. I share a story about my work schedule that wi...
Dec 03, 2019•7 min•Ep. 491
