For You Leaders

My out of office reply is this podcast Mar 12, 2021

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my axe.” Abraham Lincoln

Kirk is on vacation this week. He’s taking some time to “sharpen his axe” so he can be a healthier more productive husband, father, friend, and leader. It’s hard for any leader to disconnect, but it’s even harder to deal with the consequences of not taking time for true self-care. Learn and grow from 9 award-winning CEOs, esteemed journalists, and overall great people about how they think about slowing down to speed up in this special podcast we produced to help you.

Call the Shot, Make the Shot (Part 5): 3 Best practices to get the most from your 1:1’s Mar 02, 2021

“Ideas are great… but they are only as good as the people executing them.”
Sean Spector, CEO + Founder Of Dropoff

It’s almost a foregone conclusion - if you set the strategy and keep measuring it, it will all work out. However, a mediocre strategy with an amazing, aligned team will beat the brilliant strategy with a mediocre team almost every single time. The problem can be counterintuitive. We have all kinds of metrics and measurements to see how the business is performing, but we often neglect the most important metric to executing our strategy: how are our people doing (both personally and professionally)? That’s what today’s episode is all about: how to increase velocity by knowing how your people are doing through impactful 1-on-1s.

Call the Shot, Make the Shot (Part 4): 7 Strategy Myths that quietly destroy healthy strategy Feb 09, 2021

Working closely with leaders and their organizations, I hear a ton of myths around strategy. Many people have a strong opinion on what they think will (or will not) work when it comes to developing and executing their growth strategy. For example, “OKRs don’t work… We have to get everyone aligned to these goals… We need to set stretch goals... We have too many meetings... We need a 10-year vision...” The list goes on and on.

Today, I’m not only going to dispel some common misunderstandings around developing and executing strategy, but I am also going to share the best practices learned from some of the world’s best strategists and CEOs.

Call the Shot, Make the Shot (Part 3): Execution, the Gift that Never Stops Giving Jan 28, 2021

The best gift you can give yourself, your team, your investors, your customers, and your organization is the ability to execute. Ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution of those ideas is where dimes turn into fortunes.

Call the Shot, Make the Shot (Part 2): 1 question CEOs are asking to make sure their 2021 plan gets executed Jan 12, 2021

Today you’ll learn how other successful CEOs and their teams make sure their strategy comes alive through an unlikely process. You will see how to move your team beyond compliance to commitment (to the plan) with 1 key question. This 1 key question will drive clarity and desired alignment to execute in 2021.

Call the Shot, Make the Shot (Part 1): If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time Dec 17, 2020

What confidence level do you have in your 2021 strategy? Will it be executed with the quality, timeliness, and budget you have promised to your investors, customers, and team members? In the latest For You Leaders podcast series, “Call the Shot, Make the Shot,” I will share the best practices around strategy from some of the world’s fastest-growing companies, like Amazon, HomeAway, Dropoff, and many others.

Velocity Vector (Part 5): The Anatomy of Growth Dec 09, 2020

It’s true. NOTHING KILLS FASTER THAN SUCCESS.

That’s because success has a way of masking the issues that rob an organization of its full potential. Every healthy business matures through 3 distinct stages of growth with different characteristics and problems at each stage. If you are successful, you will grow yourself into problems. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to know which stage of growth your organization is in. You must be able to predict and prepare for the journey ahead so you don’t stall out - or worse.

In the Velocity Vector Series’s final chapter, I will unpack exactly what happens as a company scales. I’ll also explain the two critical inflection points in every growing business and what you need to do as a leader to solve the crucial Warning Signs of Success that growth causes in every healthy organization.

Velocity Vector (Part 4): Decision Velocity - What is it and why is it so elusive? Nov 30, 2020

The goal of the Velocity Vector is to provide you with a framework and the mindset needed to achieve Decision Velocity. Although Decision Velocity sounds provocative and like something you should have, what is Decision Velocity? More importantly, why is it the unspoken goal of every leader, yet so elusive?

(SPECIAL) The healing power and science behind gratitude Nov 16, 2020

As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to re-release one of our most popular podcasts ever.

By any measure, 2020 has been a challenging year. That’s why it’s even more important than ever to focus on today’s subject: gratitude. It may sound tone-deaf, but gratitude is a healing tool with an incredible impact on my life and so many others. Furthermore, science proves an attitude of gratitude will literally rewire your brain for success - even in a year like 2020, and all the time.
Listen to this special episode of The For You Leaders podcast all about how you can start this powerful practice in your life.

Velocity Vector (Part 3): The Tension Between Alignment and Speed Nov 09, 2020

One of the top five things I’ve heard over the last 25 years when I start working with a CEO and their team is, “We are not aligned,” or “We want to be better aligned.” Why does it matter? More importantly, are you, your team, and the organization aligned? If you’re not as aligned as you want to be, what would be different? What problems would it solve or how would your life be improved?

This episode of the For You Leaders podcast is all about alignment: why and how the healthiest organizations prioritize and achieve true alignment. Download the tools and graphics discussed in this episode at http://TheVelocityVector.com

Velocity Vector (Part 2): What to do when your plans do not go as planned Oct 29, 2020

Here is one thing experience taught me: your plan will never go 100% according to plan. It doesn’t matter how perfect you think your plan is or how sophisticated your plan is. It doesn’t even matter how much time, effort or energy you put into planning. However, in this episode, you’ll learn a framework to help your team think independently and adjust, even when your plan doesn’t go according to plan.

Velocity Vector (Part 1): How to build momentum and grow Oct 14, 2020

Does everything feel like it is moving too slow in your organization, including growth? Do you feel ready to accelerate into and throughout the new year? What are the stress levels for you, your team, your business, and at home?

If you and your team are looking for ways to speed up growth and slow down stress, this podcast will show you the best practices used by some of the world's most successful leaders. This is not hyperbole, what we share represents the consolidation of 11,000 different conversations over 25+ years.

*** Be sure to download the Velocity Vector + Velocity Vector Leadership Guide at http://TheVelocityVector.com ***

The unfair advantage of trust Jun 10, 2020

We continue our conversation with David Hassell, the CEO and Founder of 15Five. While 15Five is a software platform built to administer the 5-15 Framework, the secret to their success lies in building conditions of trust.
We dive deep into the ways a simple framework (don’t worry, no software is required) is really a secret weapon to build trust and build physiological safety. This is especially important in today’s ever-changing environment.

How to maximize the most important 15 mins of your week May 07, 2020

Today we dive into a framework called “the most important 15 mins of any employees’ workweek” - the 5-15. Our guest, David Hassell, is the founder of 15Five. His company expanded the 5-15 concept to inspire greater performance within individuals, teams and organizations. In this episode, David explains the idea behind 5-15s, why they are so powerful and how you can start using the concepts today.

15Five is offering its service for free until June 15, conditions apply. For more information, visit: http://foryouleaders.com/15five

SPECIAL: Brett Hurt shares how leadership just changed forever Apr 20, 2020

Brett Hurt, co-founder and CEO of data.world, joins us on today’s episode. He provides his unique perspective on leading and communicating during difficult times. Brett has learned from both major breakthroughs as well as major breakdowns: from taking a company public (Bazaarvoice) to his experience in the middle of the dot-com but (Coremetrics). In this episode, Brett authentically shares his experience to help you become a better leader.

Visit ForYouLeaders.com for links to all the resources shared.

SPECIAL: Managing your energy - not your time - to lead better Apr 12, 2020

This social episode was taken from a live Q&A we did in our Private Facebook Group for the executives we work with. Suzi Sosa, the founder and CEO of Verb, joined the group to explain her unique perspectives and approach to leadership - especially in this uncertain time. She covers a wide range of topics from how her leadership team has responded to how her customers (like Facebook, CHANEL, Bumble and Whole Foods) are responding to how she’s changed her focus from managing her time, to managing her energy.

SPECIAL: The #1 priority of the best leaders, past and present Apr 01, 2020

For this special edition of the For You Leaders Podcast, we focus on another way you can improve your leadership and be a force multiplier, especially in this time of uncertainty. By studying the patterns of great leaders from the past, as well as working closely with thousands of leaders, we have identified a short list of priorities the most admired leaders have consistently used to navigate through difficult times. Today, Kirk is going to share the number one priority of every great leader, both past and present.

SPECIAL: Unlocking the power of commander’s intent Mar 26, 2020

Today we bring you another special episode of The For You Leaders Podcast. Today Kirk is going to share a very simple, yet powerful, tool leaders use during uncertain times called “The Commander’s Intent.” It’s so simple, you can start using it today. Listen in as we discuss how to lead during uncertain times by using the power of Commander’s Intent.

Don't miss the previous episode in this series where we discussed more about how to lead during uncertain times, as today’s world is changing and presenting challenges, globally, at a scale and pace greater than anything any of us has experienced - due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

SPECIAL: How to lead in uncertain times Mar 17, 2020

Are you a leader struggling or thinking about how to be leading during uncertain times with Coronavirus / COVID-19 ? If so, we wanted to hit pause and talk about what it means to be leading during uncertain times and the significance of being intentional and leading well. There’s no hype, just perspective on what we’re seeing with the CEOs we have the chance to work with on a daily basis. Let’s hit pause and talk about the importance of your leadership in this uncertain time.

HOW the heck the best product people lead (Part 2 of 2) Mar 11, 2020

Today, we continue the conversation around product development with Christopher O’Donnell, Chief Product Officer at Hubspot and Ash Devata, Head of Product at Duo Security. We cover a wide range of topics from how to creatively interview to ensure you get the right person in your next product management hire, including ways to pressure test for EQ and IQ to specific ways Hubspot and Duo Security develop and execute their product roadmap. We even dive into how CEOs should think about and influence product to deliver the best customer experience.

WHAT the heck does a product person do? (Part 1) Feb 27, 2020

What the Heck Does A Product Person Do? Christopher O’Donnell, Chief Product Officer at Hubspot and Ash Devata, Head of Product at Duo Security share their incredible insights as product leaders. Before you brush off this podcast as something only for high-tech startups or product-centric companies, think again. This episode is full of important perspectives and tips for ANY company, even if you don’t have a "product person" in your business.

Meetings: 2 Practical (and scientifically proven) Ways to Eliminate Wasted Time and Improve Your Meetings Feb 05, 2020

There are approximately 55 million meetings in the US every single day. Yes, you read that right. On top of that, executives said 72% of their meetings were unproductive. What side does your team fall on?

Today, we are talking all about meetings. We provide you with several tips that do not cost you a dime and you can implement immediately.

How to set goals that motivate, acquire companies to grow and worry less - how one award-winning CEO does it Jan 17, 2020

Today, we are continuing our conversation with the award-winning CEO of Four Hands, Matt Briggs. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics from goal-setting to acquisitions to reducing stress. If you missed the previous episode, don’t miss the chance to hear the way Four Hands operationalizes their core values.

One topic to pay extra close attention to in this episode is how Matt and Four Hands set their company goals. In working with businesses around the world, it’s incredible how many companies struggle with goal setting that get (and keep) people focused. Do they set them so they are achievable or so they are more aspirational and very difficult to achieve? Matt does a great job sharing the unique perspective Four Hands has used to set goals to scale. Tune your ear to their approach and how it will help you and your business set goals and grow.

How to Operationalize Core Values to Drive Performance Dec 20, 2019

You might have heard CEOs talk about their core values and wondered: how do they practically live out the core values in the business? Furthermore, how do they use them to drive performance?

Today, you’re going to hear from award-winning CEO, Matt Briggs of Four Hands, Four Hands is a home furnishing company based in Austin, TX. In this episode, Matt shares how they actually live out one of their most unique core values: Fun. You’ll be surprised by the many ways they live up to this core value, how it drives their culture, performance, customer empathy and more. It’s not just window dressing.

Matt shares his unlikely journey from a self-proclaimed ski bum to the CEO of Four Hands, which will surpass $200m in revenue this year.

John James Part 2: The Real and Raw Truth about Success, Growth, Failure and Leaving a Legacy Oct 17, 2019

We continue our conversation with John James, the CEO of Engine. John dives into many of the how-to’s and “wish I would have knowns” from his deep experience.

He candidly shares about the health scare that led to his resignation at Country Outfitter, how he thinks about his legacy and the principles he’s taken with him to his newest venture, Engine. He also provides the powerful and simple advice Alex Dillard, the President of Dillard’s Department Stores, gave him that totally changed the way he viewed being a leader - both at home and the office. Don’t miss this episode.

John James Part 1: Scaling to failing: Why nothing kills faster than success Oct 01, 2019

As a serial entrepreneur, John created several online companies that ultimately led to the creation of Country Outfitter, a giant in western wear eCommerce. Today, John shares the lessons he’s learned from being a medical doctor to scaling an eCommerce company. He candidly shares the story of how Country Outfitter ultimately failed and how he had to step down as CEO. However, that is not the end of the story, John is wildly successful again, both in business and life.

Dug Song Part 3: How to operationalize your values, manage the board and build an enduring company Sep 24, 2019

This is the final episode in our series of interviews with Duo Security co-founder, Dug Song. In this episode, we cover a variety of topics from managing the board to work-life balance. We also dive into how Duo Security actively operationalizes their values to ensure they come to life within the business. There are no cheesy inspirational posters in this episode, just real and raw tactics and advice you can start implementing today. Listen now:

Dug Song Part 2: Make Complexity The Enemy: The Simple but Proven Methods Behind Duo’s Growth Sep 10, 2019

As you scale a business, there’s no shortage of tactics and advice. But how do you decide what to do, when to do it and in what order? Today’s guest, Dug Song, will tell you: “Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. The list of all the things you could be doing are probably the right things to do….at some point in the company.” He warns that doing things “too early will literally kill you...you just can’t afford it when you’re small.”

Dug Song Part 1: A different way to scale to $2.35b: How Duo Security did it Aug 05, 2019

You often hear the headlines like Cisco to Aquire Duo Security for $2.35b, and wonder - what’s the story behind the story? Today you’re going to hear part one of our interview with Dug Song, co-founder and General Manager of Duo Security at Cisco. Dug is a self-proclaimed hacker who humbly describes himself as a one-trick security pony. As you’ll learn today, Dug is an incredible leader that knew, in order to put a unique company together, like Duo, he needed to build it differently.

Dug shares, candidly, the thought processes that drove him to build a business that was ultimately sold to Cisco for $2.35b. However, as Dug highlights, he can’t call the acquisition “an exit” - he’s still in the business.
Listen now to learn from Dug’s humble beginnings at his father’s liquor store to how he built “the most loved company in security,” Duo Security.

Interviewing: Rackspace co-founder shares lessons learned and best practices May 03, 2019

Dirk Elmendorf, a co-founder of Rackspace, learned the hard way: interviewing is hard. It’s even more difficult when hiring for highly technical positions like engineers, that may not excel in a traditional interview. In this episode, Dirk explains his unique approach to hiring and provides tips you can use in your next interview. He discusses gut instinct vs. raw data, how to ask great questions and what you should be listening for in your next interview. Dirk also tells the deeply personal life event that changed the way he views work-life balance. Listen now!

Rackspace Co-Founder: How to build a “fanatical,” customer-obsessed culture Apr 12, 2019

Today we are talking to Dirk Elmendorf, Co-Founder of Rackspace. You’re going to hear the exceptional story behind how he started Rackspace in 1998 with two co-founders and how Rackspace got to be known for its fanatical customer support. Dirk provides simple solutions to make sure customers remain (or become) the center of your business. If you have a business that provides support for your product or service, you do not want to miss this episode.

Work-Life Balance: Is it even possible? How to win the struggle between work and life. Mar 11, 2019

How do busy executives handle the different demands of work and family life? What tips can you start implementing to be a more effective leader and husband/wife/father/mother? In this special episode of For You Leaders podcast, we take a compilation of advice, perspectives and guidance we have gathered over the years and combine it into one episode.

Redbox Founder: How To Hold Employees Accountable And Empower At The Same Time Jan 24, 2019

We all know that people are the most important asset within the business. But how, exactly, do you empower your employees and hold them accountable at the same time?

From Zero to $2B: Lessons from Redbox Founder Gregg Kaplan Jan 14, 2019

Today’s guest is Gregg Kaplan, founder of RedBox. Gregg is an incredible leader with a great story. In today’s episode, Gregg shares the unique story of RedBox (for example, did you know that RedBox started as an idea within McDonalds?) and the lessons he learned on the path to scaling RedBox to over $2b in revenue.

The Top 3 Fears of CEOs Oct 30, 2018

For this special Halloween-themed episode of the For You Leaders Podcast, we’ll explore three huge fears of, even the best, CEOs. Obviously, most CEOs are concerned that their businesses will succeed, but today’s episode goes deeper to uncover why CEOs share these three very common, fears. You will also learn how to overcome these fears in your own life.

Creating something from nothing: Lessons from the audacious vision of Zero Mass Water Oct 19, 2018

Today’s guest is Cody Friesen, CEO of Zero Mass Water. Their mission is lofty by any standard: Perfecting water for every person, every place.Today’s podcast is about a lot more than the incredible product Cody and Zero Mass Water are building. You will learn Cody’s innovative ideas bleed into Zero Mass Water’s culture and hiring.

The 3 types of leaders: Which one are you? Sep 19, 2018

Have you ever wondered how others would describe your leadership style? It does not matter what kind of leader you want to be, aspire to be or even believe you are. What matters is your real leadership style. Today’s For You leaders podcast is all about you and your leadership style.

How the Most Effective CEOs Spend Their Time: An exhaustive 12-year study Aug 27, 2018

We all have the same 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Why do some CEOs seem to get more accomplished than others? As you’ll learn today from a ground-breaking 12-year study from the Harvard Business Review, it all comes down to one word: intentionality.

Culture, Leverage and Getting Stuff Done Aug 07, 2018

Culture, Leverage and Getting Stuff Done: these might be the three most important topics for anyone starting a business. In today’s episode, Blake Garrett, CEO and Founder of Aceable and AceableAgent, tackles all three hot topics – challenging your perception with his unique views.

How to manufacture your own luck: Aligning Priorities and Actions Jul 23, 2018

“Action expresses priorities." - Mahatma Gandhi

If you are trying to manufacture your own luck, it might be time for you to start reflecting on a quote that greatly influenced today’s guest, Blake Garrett. Blake is the CEO and Founder of Aceable and AceableAgent, a hyper-growth startup based in Austin, TX. As you’ll hear today, the Aceable that exists now was not Blake’s original idea. In this episode, Blake tells the story of how he left Ernst and Young to follow his dreams of creating a company, the important reason why he wanted to start a company, and the major roadblocks along the way.

You’ll learn the two-step process he used to hold himself accountable and get around roadblocks. You’ll also learn how you, too, can manufacture your own luck.

Don’t miss the next episode with Blake we’ll dive into Culture, Leverage and Getting $#IT Done. Blake provides even more great advice and tactics on how to build the right culture and get the right stuff done.

Building a culture of performance: hiring hacks from RevZilla - Anthony Bucci Part 2 May 10, 2018

If you missed the first episode with Anthony Bucci, co-founder and former CEO of RevZilla, be sure to listen now. He explains how he and his co-founders scaled RevZilla from an idea to over $140 million in revenue without raising any outside money.

Anthony is a self-proclaimed nerd when it comes to people issues. In this episode, he will challenge your thinking on hiring, leading and managing. He’ll give you a powerful concept we recommend our portfolio companies: the 5-15. Anthony mastered keeping signal strength throughout the business, and he explains in great detail how and why you should use a 5-15 with every direct report.

Anthony also shares about how he debugs his own psychology by utilizing mentors, board members, and outside executive coaches.

We spent over 2 hours with Anthony covering a wide variety of topics. To break down the episodes into digestible bites, we’ve broken up our interview into three parts:

Episode 1: You’ll hear the process Anthony and his co-founders used to start and generate the idea for the company that became RevZilla. Anthony also goes into great detail about how they differentiated themselves and quickly scaled from $0 to over $140 million in annual revenues. Anthony shares why and how they achieved hyper-growth without raising money.

Episode 2 (Today’s Episode): Anthony’s provides specific details of how they approached promoting and hiring, ahead of scale. He offers insights and lessons learned about how to scale people, processes and product - before everything breaks. He also shares what how he utilizes executive coaches, mentors and advisors.

Episode 3: Anthony brings it all home by sharing his perspectives, experiences and journey of merging with another company, stepping down as the CEO and what it is like moving from the fast lane to the family lane.

Everything breaks at scale: How RevZilla navigated explosive growth - Anthony Bucci - Part 1 Apr 26, 2018

There’s a reason why nothing kills faster than success: everything breaks at scale.

Today’s guest is Anthony Bucci, the co-founder and former CEO of the incredibly successful company, RevZilla. As CEO, Anthony navigated RevZilla doubling in revenue almost every year – without raising any outside money.

Anthony provides a unique retrospective on today’s podcast. He’s had a chance to reflect on his experiences inside the rocketship company. He now wants to help normalize the journey for anyone listening to this podcast.

We spent over 2 hours with Anthony covering a wide variety of topics. To break down the episodes into digestible bites, we’ve broken up our interview in three parts:

Episode 1 (Today’s Episode): You’ll hear the process Anthony and his co-founders used to start and generate the idea for the company that became RevZilla. Anthony also goes into great detail about how they differentiated themselves and quickly scaled from $0 to over $140 million in annual revenues. Anthony shares why and how they achieved hyper-growth without raising money.
Episode 2: Anthony’s provides specific details of how they approached promoting and hiring, ahead of scale. He offers insights and lessons learned about how to scale people, processes and product – before everything breaks. He also shares what how he utilizes executive coaches, mentors and advisors.
Episode 3: Anthony brings it all home by sharing his perspectives, experiences and journey of merging with another company, stepping down as the CEO and what it is like moving from the fast lane to the family lane.

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes (or Spotify or Overcast) to make sure you don’t miss one of these compelling episodes.

Other topics from today’s episode include:

The process Anthony and his co-founders used to generate the idea for RevZilla
Why RevZilla didn’t raise any money and how it helped (and hurt) them
If you have raised growth capital, the lessons you can learn from a company that never raised money
How everything breaks at scale and what Anthony and the Revzilla team did to predict and prepare (as opposed to seeing and solving) for explosive growth
How to evolve from Founder to Maker to Manager to Executive to Servant Leader
The advice he gives to other entrepreneurs about raising money
How to get smart money’s advice without raising any money
The obstacles RevZilla faced scaling the business
The concept of Strategic Pillars and the specific pillars RevZilla used to get and keep people focused
How RevZilla differentiated between other online stores, like Amazon

Culture, Values, Raising Money + The Role of CEO Mar 20, 2018

Today, we’re continuing our conversation with serial entrepreneur, Brett Hurt. If you missed the first episode, make sure to listen to learn the resources Brett uses to scale, how to communicate with investors and a lot more.

This episode is jam-packed with insights and actionable advice from Brett. We spend a lot of time talking about exactly HOW to create a thriving culture. Brett shares a unique but powerful way to develop your company’s values so they stick and are memorable. Brett’s built amazing cultures in his previous businesses (including Bazaarvoice, where they won best place to work as a small, medium and large business) and his current company, data.world.

Brett also dives deep into the role of the CEO. His unique perspective will cause you to rethink and possibly redefine the role of the CEO.

Topics include:

The most valuable conference Brett makes sure to attend every single year
The criteria Brett uses when deciding whether to invest in a company or fund (currently Hurt Family Investments is invested in 55 companies and 12 funds)
When is the right time to create your core values in a companies growth
How to create values that reflect your company’s personality
How to get your teams involved in creating your core values
Why the founders of data.world chose to make data.world a B Corporation and why you should consider creating a B Corp
What does passion have to do with creating a business?
What is the role of a CEO?
What to do when you have a bad day as a CEO
How being fully present where you are is more important than work/life balance
The out of office message Brett uses to let people know he is not available

More Leadership Podcasts from Dando.

Scaling: Lessons Learned from Brett Hurt Mar 02, 2018

Today we’re talking to serial entrepreneur, Brett Hurt.

He’s a co-founder and the CEO of data.world and a founder of Coremetrics and Bazaarvoice. Brett also owns Hurt Family Investments with his wife, Debra. They’re now invested in 55 startups and 12 VC funds.

Brett’s had the privilege, both firsthand and through his investments, to see the practices that work (and don’t) for scaling a business. In Part One of our interview with Brett, he shares two practices he wishes more CEOs would utilize: investor communication and continual learning. He shares the exact way he communicates to his investors and the resources he personally uses to learn on a daily basis.

Dive in to hear more about how you can start these simple, but impactful practices today.

Other topics in this episode include:

The lesson of Strategic Pillars:
- What are they?
- How do other companies, like Amazon, use Strategic Pillars?
- Why do they use this concept?
- How it replaces the traditional business plan.
- What are some examples of Strategic Pillars?
- How the simple concept can drive lasting results.
How often should you change the strategic pillars?
What happens when you do change the pillars?
When to create your strategic pillars.
How to create your strategic pillars with your team.

Do you have a question about strategy that we can answer? Shoot us an email at questions @ ForYouLeaders.com We’ll answer the questions in an upcoming episode.

Dando Leadership Podcast

Pancakes, Queso & EBITDA Dec 04, 2017

Restaurants have a notoriously high failure rate and the ones that survive often have razor thin margins. 60 percent of restaurants close or change ownership in the first year of business, 80 percent fail within five years.

The fact that Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin, Texas serves food is almost where the similarities end between Kerbey Lane and most other restaurants. For over 25 years, they’ve done business differently: from hiring to training everyone (down to the table bussers) how their role contributes to the company’s EBITA goal.

Today we are talking to Mason Ayer, the CEO of this unique business. He explains how this family-owned restaurant chain, started by his parents, has always seen their business as more than merely serving food. That passion made Kerbey Lane Cafe an Austin Icon with seven unique locations. Mason, the recent winner of the Best CEO award by the Austin Business Journal, shares the insight he’s learned from running the business from a genuinely open book and a big heart.

You’ll hear the victories - and struggles - they encountered on the way. You’ll also hear how their leadership style made it all possible.

This episode of the For You Leaders Podcast covers a lot of ground, some of the highlights include:

The advice Mason shares with people on the verge of making a significant change in their life.
The secret sauce Mason attributes to Kerbey Lane Cafe’s continued growth and success and how you can apply these same principles in your business.
How Kerbey Lane Cafe uses Open Book Management to empower employees with financial information to help meet the goals of the business.
Why Kerbey Lane Cafe gives every hourly employee financial education, even when Mason knows that most employees will not stay at Kerbey Lane Cafe.
Mason’s journey from pivoting in a career as an attorney to becoming the CEO of the family business.
How Mason intentionally got out of his comfort zone to be an incredible, For You Leader.
The way he views work/life balance with his wife as the controller of the business.
Mason’s favorite restaurants (besides Kerbey Lane Cafe!)
The one job he recommends everyone have at least once in their life.
The impact of having ESPN College Gameday at your business

Make HR a strategic partner in the C-Suite Nov 13, 2017

What comes to mind when you hear human resources?

A lot of us think about rule enforcers, 401k administration or resolving vacation time issues. HR can - and should- be so much more.

Human resources can be an asset to drive the company's goals. HR can be a true strategic partner and asset within the C-Suite.

Does that sound like your HR team?

Today’s podcast is a short interview that reminds us of the powerful possibilities of a different type of HR.

Our guest is Ryan Robinson, the Chief People Officer (CPO) of Bazaarvoice. Ryan is unlike any other HR professional you’ve ever met (his title doesn’t even have “HR” in it).

Just like a salesperson has a clear thought process and strategy around sales, or a product manager thinks about how they manage product, Ryan has a very clear process around how approaches people.

He’ll share his Pillars of People Performance in this episode and you’ll quickly see he approaches people in a unique way.

Compare this to your HR team. If you shared this interview with them - what would their response be? While Ryan is obviously a rare find, your HR team can step up and approach people in a similar fashion.

Today’s Topics Include:

The Pillars of People Performance Ryan uses at Bazaarvoice.
How HR should always circle back to company performance.
How overall organizational performance involves coaching CEOs and other senior team leaders.
Employee culture/engagement: How Ryan focuses the business on creating the employee culture to drive organizational performance.
How to pay attention and develop the talent already within the organization.
The importance of earning the trust of the team around you.
How to approach confidentiality as an HR executive.
The importance of compensation and benefits.
How to approach incentivizing and equity to find and retain top talent.

Takeaways:

Having someone like Ryan on your team is incredibly valuable.

He is obsessed with having the goals of Bazaarvoice on the forefront of everything that he does. People are our most valuable asset. If you don’t have someone to align people to your strategies, it may be time to take a step back and look at your process.

We hope you are enjoying the For You Leaders podcast. We’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below or on iTunes.

dando

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Leadership Podcast

Journey to the Top: Practical Advice for Scaling a Business Oct 25, 2017

People often think that success just happens. Anyone who has ever been in business knows it’s not true. There is no such thing as overnight success. It’s a constant journey.

Today’s episode is all about the journey of growth.

Kirk Dando was a leadership keynote speaker at a recent event at Galvanize in Austin, TX. Listen in as he shares his experience about the journey to the top. He’s been the personal Sherpa to thousands of CEOs have they’ve embarked on the journey of growth.

This is a special episode, giving you the rare opportunity to hear the advice Kirk Dando shares with leaders around the world.

Today’s Topics Include:

What happens to every business on the journey to success.
Analogies you can use with your team about growth and scale - including the powerful analogy of Mt. Everest
Who’s the Sherpa? Sherpa’s know that there will be tough parts of any climb. But they also know how to change the language when scaling a mountain. Business leaders need to change the conversation to change the language to change the outcome in business.
How success can mask potential problems during periods of rapid growth.
Why you can’t brute force your way through a crisis and the three elements of a business “at the top.”
How to get real focus and clarity around goals using an operational cadence.
How to define your management culture.
The importance of breaking the vision down to action.
Why the transition from doing the work to managing the work is so hard.
The leadership mindset needed for scale.
The three kinds of leaders: for you, against you, for themselves.

Links and Resources:

The Business Growth Lifecycle Handout Kirk references in the podcast.
Learn more about the Business Growth Lifecycle

Be a Student of the Game: The Secrets of Startup Success Jan 09, 2017

Sam Decker (@samdecker) is an experienced start-up executive and advisor who has worked at iconic tech companies like Apple. Sam was the founding CMO at Bazaarvoice, founder of Mass Relevance (now Spredfast) and recently founded the digital optimization company, clearhead.

However, it turns out there is a very low-tech way Sam accomplishes so much. He’s learned the secret for startup success is to simply “get uncomfortable.” As you’ll learn, this practice has helped Sam push himself to start new companies and fill the gaps of knowledge.

In this episode, we also talk about:

How to be a student of the game
The advice he thinks most startups need to hear
The biggest mistakes new startups make
What tying knots, race car driving, and flying helicopters have to do with startups
How time tradeoffs are like “pruning a bonsai tree”
His time-management process, looking at desired outcomes
Sam’s role in Kirk’s book, Predictive Leadership

Looking for more great leadership podcasts?

You have a strategic plan, now what? How to improve communication, alignment and results. Dec 20, 2016

“Many organizations draw the bullseye after they fired. They claimed success when they didn’t intend it.” - Tim Hawks

Almost every organization has a strategic plan of some sorts. That’s the first, and easiest, step. The missing piece in the planning process is typically around communication and alignment. It’s the leaders’ role to communicate the plan in a way that creates alignment. Employees need to be able to connect their every day role back to the goals.

Communication of a plan is not a one-time occurrence. There needs to be a process to state and restate the goals. You need to measure the progress continuously. The real work of strategic planning comes after the plan.

That’s exactly what we are unpacking with today’s guest, Tim Hawks. He describes how they operationalize their strategic planning process. Tim dives into their meeting cadence, their communication process and a lot more. Listen in to hear how you can operationalize your strategic planning process to reach your goals.

Today’s Topics Include:

How Tim and his organization approach their strategic plan
How they communicate the plan so everyone understands their role
Using the strategic plan as a tool to get and keep everyone aligned
The importance of getting many involved in the process
The number of goals you need to be successful in strategic planning
Using clear goals to make sure you reach them
1 Year from Now, if we are wildly successful, what is different?
In 90 days, what do we need to accomplish to meet the goal in 1 year?
30 Days from now, what needs to happen?
The mantra of “every team advances every goal every month”
How to check on progress against the goals
Does Tim think the strategic planning process is worth it?
How Tim prepares every week to speak in front of thousands of people
How you can prepare for your next talk by starting with Know, Feel, Do. What does that mean and how can you use it?

More great Leadership Podcasts

Unlocking the sense of destiny within your team Dec 07, 2016

Everyone on your team is connecting to something. Some connect to their paycheck. Others connect to a title or their influence.

What if you could connect them to their sense of destiny?

That’s the challenge and approach our podcast guest, Tim Hawks, takes with his organization. Tim is the head of an organization that inspires over 7,000 people around a common mission, vision and goal.

Tim is the head pastor at Hill Country Bible Church in Austin, Texas. Before you stop reading, I encourage you to listen to this podcast with an open mind. You are not going to hear a sermon, but you are going to hear Tim’s unique perspective as a leader.

Tim is an incredible communicator that leads a volunteer-led organization. He speaks candidly about how he accomplishes the work through staff and volunteers.

Today’s Topics Include:

How Tim accomplishes a lot, without paying a large number of people within his organization
How his organization has many of the same issues of a for profit organization
How Tim inspires thousands of people by aligning them around a common goal
We talk about how more communication can sometimes lead to more confusion
What to do as a leader when people make a mistake
There is a sense of destiny in the heart of everyone

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Management Framework: what’s your plan to operationalize the strategy? Aug 31, 2016

GENE AUSTIN - BAZAARVOICE - PART TWO

Today, we continue our conversation with Gene Austin, the CEO of Bazaarvoice. In the last episode, Gene talked about the unique aspects of being the CEO of a publicly traded company. He also talked about the view from the other side of tough decisions.

Gene also said he's the least likely CEO to have a Chief Operating Officer, due to his very operational approach. Today, we discuss how Gene conducts his one-on-ones and the operational cadence he uses to focus the business.

He describes how he translates the strategy to an executable and measurable plan. This episode is short on fluff and full of actionable advice you can start practicing today.

Today’s Topics Include:

Gene's format for one-on-ones: an open forum that removes obstacles in the way of the employee
How Gene keeps a pulse on the business
The first area Gene investigates when he suspects a management issue
The three things Gene always wants to know about what is going on in the business
Bazaarvoice's Management Framework: the operational cadence they use to stay on track
- Operational Reviews
- Product Council Meetings
- One-on-ones
- Staff Meetings
- The metrics important to Gene
The mistakes made by fast growth companies and their tendency to cut the wrong corners
The most important hires in any startup
Blocking time on the calendar and how to get on top of your work
Urgent vs. important - how do you prioritize?
Gene's thoughts on using coaching in the business

What did you think of this episode? Like it, hate it or indifferent - we'd love to know. Please leave a review on iTunes so we can get better.

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Hurry up and make the tough decisions. Aug 22, 2016

We’ve talked to startups, financial institutions, and even dads. What about a company that has graduated from the startup stage to being publicly traded? How is this different? How is this the same? If you were ever curious about how managing and leading a company changes as it grows, this episode is for you.

Today’s guest is Gene Austin, the CEO of Bazaarvoice. If you've shopped online, you have probably used Bazaarvoice and didn't know it. Bazaarvoice is behind many of the online review and ratings systems on many eCommerce websites.

Gene has more than 30 years of experience growing technology companies. Gene talks candidly about his path to CEO of Bazaarvoice and the clear differences between running a small company to a post-IPO organization.

Today’s Topics Include:

The different seasons of a company's growth and the different requirements of growth
The unique requirements of a public company CEO
Board of Directors: How to use them correctly
The true role of a Board
How to use your Board
Gene's path to Bazaarvoice, including previous experience at other tech companies
How Gene’s leadership and work ethic have roots in Boy Scouts
How to inspire and get people excited around a cause
The leadership style Gene uses to be as transparent as possible
The culture Gene believes works best: it's one that rewards the right attributes, celebrates the right successes, and takes stock of the right failures
Does the CEO get the straight scoop as the company grows?
How Gene builds a relationship with trusted advisors
How he keeps his finger on the pulse of this large organization
The communication nuances of a publicly-traded company
How Gene is intentional about building bridges

More great Leadership Podcasts

How to create core values with Badassitude Aug 08, 2016

GABE KRAJICEK - PART TWO

This is part 2 of our interview with Gabe Krajicek the CEO of Kasasa. If you missed Part One of the interview, make sure you listen to that episode first. Gabe explains more about Kasasa and how they are taking on Goliaths.

Today we talk with Gabe about company core values. Kasasa lives and breaths their core values. Instead of empty words on a page, Kasasa decided to take a different approach to core values. They created a shield, which represents their four core values: Interdependence, Five Star Leadership, Love, and Badassitude.

Kasasa will even pay if for someone to get a Kasasa “shield” tattoo.

In today’s episode, we talk about how Gabe became obsessed with company values and culture. Listen in and learn why Gabe focuses on core values and culture.

Today’s Topics Include:

● Why being obsessed with culture changes the outcome of the business
● How to create a culture that lasts
● Culture starts in the heart of the leader
● Why he created a symbol for their values
● How having and renewing their symbolic values affects Kasasa
● What does it look like to test and challenge employees on the company’s values?
● Who makes sure the best ideas float to the top?
● What kind of leader do people lean on?
● The difficulties of growing a culture with an organization
● How to operationalize culture and values
● An interesting concept….Badassitude

More great leadership and business podcasts

How to take on Goliath and win Jul 25, 2016

The story of David and Goliath is a classic business fable. The big guy takes on the little guy...and wins. It sounds great, but how do you actually do it? Our guest today, Gabe Krajicek, is currently taking on some of the largest businesses in the world. As CEO of Kasasa, he’s taking on the likes of Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Chase.

Kasasa partners with community banks and credit unions to wage a war on Mega Banks. Today, Kasasa’s partners make Kasasa the 6th largest bank in the country - and they are still growing.

However, the journey wasn’t always easy for Gabe and Kasasa. At one point, Kasasa had three months of runway when regulators notified them their product was illegal. In this episode, Gabe talks candidly about that moment and the steps he took to from there to take on the Goliaths of the banking world.

Today’s Topics Include:

How the road to heaven does go through hell. What makes it a day trip or a daily trip?
Scattered focus leads to scattered results
What happens to your company when you have crystal-clear focus
Gabe’s doubts in challenging the largest banking institutions
What a mentor told him when he was ready to quit
The subtle and not-so-subtle clues leaders can give to cause buy-in and alignment
What does Kasasa mean? How did they come up with name?
The “-ER” marketing strategy that causes many companies to fail
The way uniting small financial institutions creates competition with Mega Banks
The role market research has played with Kasasa and their growth
If customers vote with their wallet, not research, how do you know what will work and what won’t?

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How giving leads to growth Jul 13, 2016

Giving back seems like the trendy thing to do these days. Consider the success of Tom’s or Warby Parker. However, giving back isn't just a trendy thing to do. It the only way to grow a business according to our guest today, Paul Trylko, President & CEO of Amplify Credit Union.

Even though Amplify Credit Union is not-for-profit, their mission is still based around a triple bottom line: serving the community, the credit union members and employees. Amplify is a member-owned financial cooperative with more than 56,000 members and over $790 million in assets. They've been serving Austin since 1967, when they started as IBM Texas Employees Federal Credit Union.

Paul has been CEO of Amplify through rapid growth and expansion. He has been named CEO of the Year by the Austin Business Journal and the National Association of Credit Unions.

In this episode, Paul talks candidly about his experience as a CEO: literally from day one to succession planning.

Today’s Topics Include:

Why doing the right thing is the only way to do it
The joy of making a profit (and not for the reasons you typically think of)
What's more difficult: Being a For You Leader or a Servant Leader?
Paul’s aha moment
How to face adversity
How Paul has shifted to putting plans in place for a leadership secession
The leadership secession process: how long does it take? What do you need to be thinking about?
Leaders biggest stumbling blocks
The process of growing as a leader
The role externalizing yourself plays in growing a business
Where Paul finds ideas and perspective for business growth
How you transfer from working "in the business" to "on the business"
How Paul and Kirk first started working together
How Paul copes with stressful times

More great Podcasts about Leadership

How busy, successful leaders manage their time Jul 06, 2016

This is the second half of our interview with tech entrepreneur Mellie Price. Mellie is an experienced investor and a startup innovator. She has an impressive resume and you can read her full bio here. Most importantly, she is a leader that cares deeply about the people she comes in contact with and her own personal accountability. She is constantly reflecting on her life and decisions and is actively becoming a better leader.

In Part 1, Mellie provides some great insights into being a leader and a woman leader. If you missed that amazing episode, listen to it now.

We started to talk about the concept of work-life balance in the last episode. Mellie really latched onto Kirk’s idea of seasons (not balance) and she even took it a step further. Kirk and Mellie also discuss advice she would give to a new entrepreneur, how she says "no" to good opportunities and the power in the edges of a bell curve.

Today’s Topics Include:

How Mellie struggled with not always being on 110% of the time, she realized that humans need to break things up to charge their batteries.
The concept of “seasons” instead of work-life balance.
How to be aware of other people’s “seasons” and let others know when you are entering a new season.
The way Mellie schedules her time.
What happens when you get burned out and the impact it has on those around you.
The ineffective way many leaders respond to being overwhelmed.
How to say no, especially when you want to do it all.
The consequences of constant rescheduling and how to stop rescheduling for good.
The structure Mellie insists on for meetings to make sure they are meaningful for both parties.
How Mellie uses open office hours to keep her calendar under control.
The value of being your true self.
The power at either end of a bell curve
Should you work on your weaknesses or hire to compliment them?

Tweetables:

“I believe in seasons of time, work life balance is just a fallacy.” Kirk Dando

“Balance to me means I’m listening to myself, when I can crank out high quality work, I just ride it.” Mellie Price

“Good leaders recognize that different people have different cycles - creatives, programmers, and finance people have different work cycles or seasons. Recognizing these are critical.” Mellie Price

More great Leadership Advice Podcasts

Mellie Price’s powerful leadership approach for women - and men. Jun 29, 2016

MELLIE PRICE - PART 1

Today our guest is award-winning tech entrepreneur, Mellie Price. She is currently the Executive Director of Technology Innovations at the Dell Medical School. She is a Founder and Managing Director of Capital Factory and a co-founder of SoftMatch. Additionally, she is an experienced investor and fund manager, an eight-time entrepreneur and has managed explosive growth in large and small companies. I'd encourage you to read her full bio here. Her accomplishments are remarkable.

Even with all of her accomplishments, Mellie still feels like she is learning new things. She still feels like a "pup," as you'll hear in this episode. Today, you'll hear from Mellie that leadership is less about the hard skills and more your authenticity and the soft skills. She shares her personal definitions of leadership that led to her success.

I believe there are too few women leaders in the workplace. Over my career, some of the best leaders I've worked with were woman leaders. I asked Mellie her thoughts on why there were so few women leaders.

She, admittedly, didn't see the gap until she saw the workplace through the lens of being a parent. She then experienced the real issues first-hand. Listen to my interview to get Mellie's powerful leadership insight for women...and for men.

Today’s Other Topics Include:

The characteristics of being a good leader.
The simplicity of leadership that we try and complicate.
How your word is your bond with employees, friends and family.
How personal accountability is key.
What do you do when you make a mistake? How can you rise above the mistake?
Mellie's advice for women leaders.
How women are judged by a different measuring stick.
Is it really a man's world?
The role motherhood had on changing her views of women in the workplace and our society.
The practical issues that exist for women she's recently discovered.
The gap in For You leaders.
How the same issues exist for men, but in a different way.
How to find the right boss for your family.

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Wrestling with the pressures of success - Charles Thornburgh - Part Two Jun 22, 2016

Today we continue our conversation with Charles Thornburgh, the CEO of Civitas Learning. Civitas Learning partners with higher education leaders to bring together the best of new leading-edge technology, design thinking and data science on a mission to help a million more students. It’s a huge mission that we talked about in detail in the last episode - make sure you listen to part one.

In this episode, we wrestle with the issues that growth causes. Charles is quick to point out that what many times looks like a finish line, is usually just another starting line.

Civitas Learning has been fortunate enough to raise a large amount of money, recently raising $60 million.

Fundraising brings added pressure on the business, as you are now working with others’ money. From a CEO’s perspective, you are now responsible for fulfilling many more promises. The pressure is tough, but Charles shares how he copes with a growing company, investors and a family in this episode.

Today’s Topics Include:

How do you deal with raising a lot of money? How do you focus with extra responsibility?
Charles is recognizing what looks like the finish line from a distance is actually another starting line.
To help carry the load, Charles talks about he works with coaches and mentors. They help contribute perspective and see around corners.
Running Civitas Learning, his title hasn’t changed, but his role has changed many times.
The biggest way he sets priorities is blowing up his calendar. He shares how he has to decide how he spends his time to make the business the best it can be.
The role of meditation and mindfulness can plan in a busy life.
The missing variable in work-life balance is spending time on yourself.
As stresses get bigger, time needs to be spent on yourself. You need to focus on sleep, exercise, and diet to keep stress levels down and be able to cope.
To truly be force multiplier, you need to take care of yourself.
The analogy of a racehorse.

For You Leaders Podcast

Dando

Force Multiplier: how to exponentially expand your efforts - Charles Thornburgh, CEO of Civitas Learning - Part One Jun 14, 2016

One unique person can reshape generations. For Charles Thornburgh, CEO of Civitas Learning and today's podcast guest, it was his great grandmother. As a woman in the early 1900s, she earned a graduate degree - practically unheard of in that time. That decision was a true force multiplier. You'll learn about the force multiplier and how Charles uses it as CEO in this episode.

Civitas Learning partners with higher education leaders to bring together the best of new leading-edge technology, design thinking and data science on a mission to help a million more students each year learn well and finish strong. Charles shares more about how they are accomplishing this on the podcast.

Listen to this episode to learn more about Charles's incredible grandmother, her influence, the million student problem and how you can be a force multiplier.

Today’s Topics Include:

The unique (and huge) mission of Civitas Learning.
How Civitas Learning is going to solve the million student problem.
How Citivas Learning helps students graduate from college.
The multi-generational impact of having more college graduates.
The amazing story of Charles's grandmother - her convictions, beliefs and actions that changed generations after her.
What leadership means to Charles personally.
How to develop a compelling vision, find a talented group of people to focus on that vision and complete the vision.

Links and Resources:

How to discipline a child - Leading through fatherhood, Part Two Jun 09, 2016

Attend several parenting seminars and they will all offer you conflicting advice. Most agree that discipline plays a major role in a child’s development. Today we talk about a controversial topic - discipline. We even discuss spanking. When does it work? When does it not work? We also investigate time-tested methods of how to discipline a child.

As you might recall I turned the reigns for the next podcasts to Chip Hanna, my VP of Product and Marketing, while I’m on vacation. He’s going to be a new dad in August. He took my vacation as a chance to interview the dads in his life and learn about the most important leadership position - being a parent.

Today’s Topics Include:

- How to handle a crying kid.
- The parenting method used and endorsed by two of the dads.
- Letting your kids be responsible for their actions.
- The role of communication and consequences.
- How to ensure your kids know what you expect from you.
- Spanking - did “the dads” use it? Did it work?
- The two takeaways from “the dads” around discipline

Meet the Dads:

Bob Hanna, Chip Hanna's father, Minister - Salem, Oregon
Kirk Dando, CEO of Dando Advisors - Fort Collins, Colorado
Aaron Marez, Chip's long-time friend - Houston, Texas
Jerome Schiager, Chip's father-in-law - Fort Collins, Colorado

The most important leadership title isn't CEO - Leading through fatherhood, Part One Jun 09, 2016

I've had many titles after my name. COO. CFO. Author. Investor. The list goes on and on. However, there is one role that will always be at the top of that list - Father. I’m the proud father of three beautiful girls. It’s the greatest leadership role in the world.

Leadership starts in the home and it can start with you.

I have a confession to make: I’m on vacation right now with my girls. Traditions and time with my family are part of the non-negotiables you’ll hear me talk about in the upcoming podcasts.

I turned the reigns for the next podcasts to Chip Hanna, my VP of Product and Marketing. He’s going to be a new dad in August. He took my vacation as a chance to interview the dads in his life and learn about the most important leadership position - being a parent.

Part One - Meet "the Dads" in Chip’s life. They set the expectations for how life changes with a new one in the home.

Today’s Topics Include:

- You’ve probably heard about the imposter syndrome with leadership, but how does that relate to being a dad?
- The simple act of trying to be dad is more important than what you actually do.
- The fact that you are trying is more than most and maybe better than most.
- Kirk's one secret to being a great dad.
- What to focus on, so everything will fall in place.

Meet the Dads:

Bob Hanna, Chip Hanna's father, Minister - Salem, Oregon
Kirk Dando, CEO of Dando Advisors - Fort Collins, Colorado
Aaron Marez, Chip's long-time friend - Houston, Texas
Jerome Schiager, Chip's father-in-law - Fort Collins, Colorado

The Insights Behind Creating Great Companies. Lessons from entrepreneur Brett Hurt. May 25, 2016

You may have heard about Brett Hurt, he has started numerous tech companies, invested in even more and serves on many prestigious boards. But you probably don't know the whole story of Brett and his newest endeavor, data.world. You can read more about Brett and his work at his Lucky7 blog.

Here's what's most important to know about Brett. He didn’t set out to be a great leader, he set out to be a great person. In this podcast, you'll hear that he's committed to a lot more than just starting and growing companies. He wants to change the world for the better through technology. He also talks in-depth about all the accomplishments that happen through business. Learn more about this incredible entrepreneur and his unique insight.

Today’s Topics Include:

The three primary roles of a CEO
The secret to developing an incredible startup culture
The family atmosphere he was able to create at Bazaarvoice
The motivation behind his new startup, data.world
data.world's very young (and influential) first investor
The importance of leadership

Family in business: How to navigate bloodlines in the business - Rocky Turner, CEO of LPR Construction - Part 2 May 25, 2016

Family in the business. When does it work? What does it not? We're talking again to Rocky Turner, co-founder and CEO of LPR Construction. Make sure you listen to Part One, where we talk about Rocky's leadership style.

Today, Rocky has all three sons working in the business. One son, Linc, is the President. However, LPR didn't always have a favorable view of family in the business. In fact, at one point, it was outlawed. We asked Rocky what changed and how he now views family in the business. His answers may surprise you.

In todays' episode:

The sticky situation of family in the business. When does it work? When does it not work?
How Rocky holds people accountable - including family.
What Kirk was originally hired for...and what he ended up doing.
Who made the biggest influence on Rocky's leadership.

How your leadership style drives growth - Rocky Turner, CEO of LPR Construction - Part 1 May 25, 2016

In this episode, we're talking to Rocky Turner, co-founder and CEO of LPR Construction. They are one of the largest steel erector and heavy industrial construction companies in the US. While we talk to many startups, Rocky brings the unique prospective of building a construction business from the ground up. You'll love the different style of leadership he brings and the wisdom from many years of experience.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What exactly is a "For You" Leader. It's not just the name of this podcast.
Rocky's model for leadership.
The role humility and instincts play in his role.
How he takes drama out of the business.
The most difficult decisions he has to make.
The one piece of leadership advice he'd give to his kids.
The importance of earning "benefit of doubt."
How to handle people that make mistakes.

Work-Life Balance: How to be a father and founder. Peter Lehrman - Part 2 May 24, 2016

Today we are talking again (listen to part one here) to Peter Lehrman, Founder and CEO of Axial. Axial helps companies plan, grow, or exit by connecting business owners to buyers, leaders, investors and advisors.

Imagine, you’re in the city that never sleeps. It’s your first time being a CEO. You’ve got a growing family. You’ve founded a company that has a really large purpose. How do you manage being a founder of a company and lead a growing family?

Peter Lehrman, CEO of Axial, provides some great insight into how to lead a company - and a family.

Topics covered in this episode:

The three ways he manages being a father and a founder.
How you can use mindfulness.
What Peter loves about being a leader, especially in the company he founded.
His secret sauce for being a leader AND founder.
What a mattress has to do with success.

Lessons for 1st time CEOs - Peter Lehrman, CEO of Axial - Part 1 May 24, 2016

Today we are talking to Peter Lehrman the Founder and CEO of Axial. Axial helps companies plan, grow, or exit by connecting business owners to buyers, leaders, investors and advisors.

Peter is an incredible first time CEO. Even though his journey is and will continue to be difficult, he really believes in his company. He believes in the vision and purpose that they are serving. In this episode, Peter is introspective and transparent about the struggles of being a CEO. He believes that leaders need to have people to confide in that they can trust. Today we talk about the hard lessons learned while being an effective, decisive, and yet empowering leader.

Today’s Topics Include:

Finding people that a CEO can trust and confide in.
The difficulty of starting a company, and how the difficulty increases as the business grows. The air gets thinner at the top.
If you are only doing this for money, it is not sustainable. You really need to believe in what the company does.
Knowing when to flex the different aspects of leadership and knowing when to stay out of the way.
The difficult part about being at the top. You are the decision maker, but there is no one you can call who will have the answer.
Having a coach you can consult with on the true issues really helps.
Trusting your instincts and knowing how to communicate those instincts.

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