In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Doug Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, shares his extensive journey in sales and business development. He discusses his early experiences in sales, transformative moments in his career, and the unique approach of his consulting firm, which focuses on metrics and optimization. Doug also delves into the concept of intrapreneurship and offers insights on how individuals can find their voice and ask for more within their organizations. He explores the ...
Jul 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 202
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, host Andrew Temte speaks with Tracy Nolan, a Fortune 100 executive and board director, about her journey in leadership, the importance of mentorship, and the challenges women face in the corporate world. Tracy shares her experiences of stepping outside her comfort zone, the significance of communication in business transformations, and her commitment to empowering women through organizations like Dress for Success. The conversation emphasizes the nee...
Jul 10, 2025•33 min•Ep. 201
It's a very special episode of the Balancing Act Podcast! We're celebrating our 200th episode with a return to the show's beginnings and a conversation with Kaplan's Chairman & CEO, Andy Rosen. In this 200th installment of the show, I welcome back my former boss for an unforgettable episode full of insight, candor, and warmth. Rosen opens up about how a rare heart condition almost ended his life as a child and how surviving it shaped his outlook on life, work, and leadership. Rosen and I exp...
Jul 03, 2025•40 min•Ep. 200
What is evidence-based medicine and why should healthcare consumers care? What role does cognitive bias play in everyday healthcare decisions? What separates a quality, informative research paper from dubious, low quality research papers? As a healthcare consumer, how can you tell the difference? To help answer these questions, we have Dr. Brandon Temte joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Brandon is the outgoing Chief Pulmonary and Critical Care fellow at the University of Wisconsin, ...
Jun 26, 2025•45 min•Ep. 199
What is the Objectives & Key Results (OKR) framework? Why is the measurement and transparency of operating results so important to organizational health? How does the adoption of the OKR framework help make achieving balance between trust and accountability more achievable? To help answer these questions, we have Philipp Schett joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Philipp is the founder and CEO of Wave Nine – a strategy execution consultancy focused on helping companies get the mos...
Jun 19, 2025•37 min•Ep. 198
What is Sawubona Leadership? Should generational differences be considered when investing in organizational health? Does cross-generational mentorship lead to improved employee engagement? To help answer these questions, we have Susan Inouye joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Susan is an executive coach, author of Leadership’s Perfect Storm, and co-founder of Sawubona Leadership. With a two-decade career helping to transform over 600 companies, she’s renowned for integrating millenni...
Jun 12, 2025•33 min•Ep. 197
What are the top three ways musicians can make money from their work? What is sync licensing and why does it matter to a musician's economic success? Why is understanding the business side of music as, or more, important than the intellectual property creation process? To help answer these questions, we have Lionel Lodge joining us this week on the Balancing Act Podcast. Lionel is the co-founder and CEO of SyncLodge–an award winning music IP management platform, and is on the board of The Intern...
Jun 05, 2025•39 min•Ep. 196
Why is a growth mindset essential for success in medical careers? What should high school students be doing to set themselves up for success in their journey to becoming a doctor? Why is building mental resilience one of the most important things a prospective physician can do? To help answer these questions, we have Brandon Deason joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Brandon is the founder, CEO, and lead educator at DDQX Learning, a medical education business operating with the missio...
May 29, 2025•41 min•Ep. 195
How can leaders build a "great place to work" organizational culture? What are the twenty tenets of culture? What's the one thing that will torpedo a journey to build a great corporate culture that most leaders aren't thinking about? To help answer these questions, we have Brett Hoogeveen joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Brett is a co-founder of BetterCulture, a technology and training company intently focused on making the world a better place to work. He’s a former engineer, an e...
May 22, 2025•29 min•Ep. 194
What does it mean to be a 'tech humanist?' What are the most common challenges of technical transformation projects? Should business leaders 'move fast and break things' or is there another approach? To help answer these questions, we have Kate O'Neill joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Known globally as the 'Tech Humanist,' Kate is a leading voice on AI ethics, responsible tech, and human-centric digital transformation. As a sought-after expert, she advises Fortune 500 leaders and s...
May 15, 2025•35 min•Ep. 193
What does it mean to be a Broadway producer? What are the most important skills an aspiring Broadway producer needs to hone? What's the most important balancing act a Broadway producer has to play? To help answer these questions, we have Jeffrey Seller joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Jeffrey is one of the most successful American producers of our time. He produced the Tony Award–winning musicals Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, and Hamilton. His shows have garnered twenty-two Tony ...
May 08, 2025•33 min•Ep. 192
Why do so many continuous improvement journeys fail? What are the essential ingredients to any successful continuous improvement journey? What's the link between continuous improvement and change management principles? To help answer these questions, we have Scott Burgmeyer joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Scott is the founder and CEO of BecomeMore Group, a business transformation and optimization consultancy. Scott is also the co-author of Chief Optimization Officer: Shattering th...
May 01, 2025•34 min•Ep. 191
What does it mean to truly listen? What myths about listening should we debunk? How can you build the skill of active listening? How can we improve the quality of our meetings? To help answer these questions, we have Oscar Trimboli joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Oscar is an award-winning author, host of the Deep Listening podcast, and a sought-after keynote speaker. His third book is How to Listen – Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication – the most comprehensive book abo...
Apr 24, 2025•39 min•Ep. 190
What's the most important thing a college graduate can do right now to set themselves up for success in a career in sales? How can a corporate warrior make the shift to entrepreneur and business founder? How can a late-stage career professional reignite the passion they once had for their work? To help answer these questions, we have Ursula Mentjes joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Ursula is a five-time bestselling author, award winning entrepreneur, business growth expert, and is t...
Apr 17, 2025•31 min•Ep. 189
How important are storytelling skills for entrepreneurs and business founders? What are the benefits of engaging with a start-up accelerator or incubator? What's the Amazon PRFAQ Framework and why does it matter? To help answer these questions, we have Marcelo Calbucci joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Marcelo is a founder, product and engineering leader, and an innovator with a passion for solving customers’ biggest pain points. He is also the author of The PRFAQ Framework: Adaptin...
Apr 10, 2025•29 min•Ep. 188
What happens when businesses don't take product design seriously? What are the benefits of investing in design resources? Why haven't we made more progress toward solving big societal challenges and how can solve them through innovation and design? To help answer these questions, we have Todd Bracher joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Todd is the founder of BetterLab, a science-based design platform addressing global challenges through innovative solutions. Todd’s work at BetterLab a...
Apr 03, 2025•29 min•Ep. 187
What's the most common mistake first-time business buyers make? What is quality of earnings and why does it matter to both buyers and sellers? What are the psychological traits of successful business buyers? To help answer these questions, we have Elliott Holland joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Elliott is the managing partner of Guardian Due Diligence and is an expert in the acquisition of small and medium sized businesses. He helps first-time business buyers manage through the ch...
Mar 27, 2025•30 min•Ep. 186
Why do so many of us avoid conflict? Why do leaders put up with the "genius jerks" that infect their corporate culture? What are the skills needed to get better results from engaging in challenging conversations? To help answer these questions, we have Jonno White joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Jonno is the Co-Founder of Clarity Group Global in Brisbane, Australia and is the author of Step Up or Step Out: How to Deal with Difficult People Even If You Hate Conflict. We’re going to...
Mar 20, 2025•38 min•Ep. 185
What is the Believe-Own-Learn-Design framework? What is a "belief conflict?" What holds you back from achieving your goals? To help answer these questions, we have Leigh Burgess joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Leigh is a former health care and education executive, is the founder of Bold Industries Group, and the author of Be BOLD Today. Tune into episode 184 to hear Leigh's story, her career "rocket-booster" moment, and her perspectives on helping individuals and teams reach their...
Mar 13, 2025•29 min•Ep. 184
What are the primary challenges organizations face as they work to improve their corporate cultures? What does the term "organizational culture" mean? How valuable is coaching to building a positive organizational culture? To help answer these questions and more, we have Andrea Wanerstrand joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Andrea is ex-Microsoft and is the Founder & CEO of A3 Culture Lab. As a leadership speaker and coach, she collaborates with organizations–from startups to mul...
Mar 06, 2025•25 min•Ep. 183
How have modern corporate finance practices and principles changed the world of business? How do we improve the financial acumen of non-financial managers and business stakeholders? What's the most common misperception about the role the finance function plays in business? To help answer these questions, we have Don Chew joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Don is a world-recognized expert on corporate finance and author of The Making of Modern Corporate Finance: A History of the Ideas...
Feb 27, 2025•34 min•Ep. 182
What was it like to be a whistleblower and help expose what was happening at Theranos? How can a conflict-avoider find their voice? How can you navigate the balancing act between saying too much (the complainer) and saying too little (the pushover) at work? To help answer these questions, we have Tyler Shultz joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Tyler is a keynote speaker, venture partner at Verge HealthTech Fund, an Advisory Board Member at The Signals Network, former CEO/founder of F...
Feb 20, 2025•32 min•Ep. 181
What does the concept of self love have to do with being a great real estate broker? What's the most common mistake that new real estate brokers make? Why is self love so important to career success as a leader? To help answer these questions, we have Kim Rogne joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Kim is a keynote speaker, business coach, licensed real estate broker, and best-selling author of two books. Her latest work is For the Love of Self: Reshape Your Perception - Reach Your Pote...
Feb 13, 2025•34 min•Ep. 180
Boys and men are falling behind based on a number of metrics - academic achievement, labor force participation, university attendance, and mental health. How can men's communities like METAL MEN help reverse the trend of "male malaise?" How do we create a "both/and" world where everyone is supported and has an opportunity to thrive? Why is creating a sense of brotherhood and belonging in men so important to our collective future? To help answer these questions, we have Will Henshall joining us t...
Feb 06, 2025•40 min•Ep. 179
Why is engaging in constructive conflict so difficult? Why do we avoid saying the things that need to be said? How can we build the skill of courage so we can have more meaningful conversations? To help answer these questions, we have Justin Jones-Fosu joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Justin is the CEO of Work. Meaningful., is a sought-after keynote/business speaker, and is the author of several books: The Inclusive Mindset, Your Why Matters Now, and his latest work is I Respectful...
Jan 30, 2025•33 min•Ep. 178
What does it mean to be a futurist? What is the skill of futures literacy and why does it matter in business? How can we improve the skill of decision-making in working adults? To help answer these questions, we have Donna Dupont joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Donna is the founder and chief strategist at Purple Compass. She is an award-winning designer and futurist with experience in the fields of healthcare, public safety, defense, and security. Tune into episode 177 to hear Don...
Jan 23, 2025•31 min•Ep. 177
Is earning a college degree the only path to a rewarding career? How can we build more pathways into the world of work? Are more diverse apprenticeship models the answer? To help answer these questions, we have Ryan Craig joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Ryan is a managing director at Achieve Partners–an education-focused private equity firm based in NYC. Ryan is also the author of Apprentice Nation: How the “Earn and Learn” Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger an...
Jan 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 176
What are the obstacles to building financial literacy in our communities? How do we grow financial literacy skills in our youth? How can families make progress toward improving their financial literacy? To help answer these questions, we have Irma Neal joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Irma is a partner and certified financial coach at Onyx Rising, is the former Deputy Mayor of Indianapolis, and is the author of Leading in Chaos: Insights to Lead through the Storms. Tune into episod...
Jan 09, 2025•29 min•Ep. 175
Are you feeling stuck in your career? Do fear, uncertainty, and doubt overwhelm you? How can you embrace taking more calculated risks? To help answer these questions, we have Anne Marie Anderson joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Anne Marie is a three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and keynote speaker. You’ve likely seen her in the play-by-play booth at major sporting events on prominent networks including ESPN, ABC, NBC, and FOX. Her first book, Cultivating Audacity - Dismantle...
Jan 02, 2025•30 min•Ep. 174
What is The Haven on Main? How can communities around the country create more affordable housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities who have the ability to live independently? How can parents of children with disabilities balance their wish to provide continuing care with the desire to see their children become self-sufficient after reaching the age of majority? To help answer these questions, we have Terry Cowgill joining us today on The Balancing Act Podcast. Terry owns Badger Smi...
Dec 26, 2024•32 min•Ep. 173
