SuperPower Success

View from the Top is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Please do me a huge favor – follow and listen to the first episode out now. I can’t wait to share these new conversations with you. Coming from people who inspire me, and I know will inspire you too. Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube

For almost eight years, I have had the privilege of hosting conversations with leaders who achieve incredible things. And earlier this year, I paused. Not because the work was finished, but because I wanted to be intentional about what came next. Today, I’m excited to relaunch the podcast under a new name: View From the Top. This show is for leaders who’ve reached the summit and realized that success doesn’t end there. It evolves. The climb mattered. The stumbles mattered. And often, the most meaningful work begins after achievement. In View From the Top, we’ll talk honestly about what it looks like to redefine success, navigate change, and do the inner work that shapes the next chapter of leadership. If you’ve ever found yourself asking “What’s next?”… this space is for you. Follow the podcast and join me for the journey.

Erin Newkirk is the Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Caribou Coffee. Her career journey has been anything but typical and in this episode Erin shares her perspective on leading from the Head, Heart, Gut and Voice to truly create impact as a leader.

Tami Enfield, a Brand Strategist and the founder of Brand Yourself, a consultancy launched in 2011. Not only does she LOVE marketing strategy, it’s also her passion. She loves consulting about as much as she loves reading about it. After launching Brand Yourself, she’s been told (and tries to embody) that she has a mix of intelligence, humor, and heart that creates a safe space for her clients to openly discuss their business challenges. Her mission is to give the gift of authenticity to the internet by encouraging leaders to write more CANDID Content. Our conversation was focused on how leaders can find their voice to show up authentically to help inspire their teams during tough times. What are your pivot stories that might impact others who are where you once were?

Shay Eskew is a world renown endurance athlete, a dad of 5 kids, and a believer that success is on the other side of the uncomfortable things. His story of overcoming trauma at the age of 8 that significantly changed the trajectory of his life has led him to lead a life that constantly challenges him to get better everyday and be courageous in doing things that are uncomfortable.

Jill Kalogerson is a lawyer, a construction executive, a founder and owner and a community advocate, in addition to being a mom of 6! Through all of these roles, she has learned a lot about herself and how to live more at her edges so she is constantly challenging herself to grow. Her message is one that we all need to hear right now as we navigate times that feel chaotic – how can we learn through them?

Klaus Lemke, Managing Principal at Midion, shares his journey to helping organizations and leaders get unstuck by asking different questions and showing them a better way. So many of us use the same thinking to solve our problems instead of challenging ourselves to think differently and have fearless experimentation. Here is a link to Klaus Lemke’s book, Better Building

Megan Lindahl Goodrich is a trauma survivor who writes about her experiences in the book, Beyond Terminal: Processing Childhood Trauma to Reclaim Self. In this episode she shares her journey to healing and how it’s helped her step deeper into her leadership and purpose. Trauma does not have to be the thing that defines you, it can in fact be the thing that strengthens you to live into your purpose. You can get more information on Megan’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Terminal-Processing-Childhood-Reclaim-ebook/dp/B0DF96QCLN

Gene Hammett is an executive coach who has lived many lives, including the collapse of his business and the rebuilding of his live. He was drawn to coaching when he realized that he was not a great leader, and through his own development decided that his purpose is to help other leaders on their journeys. He is the author of How to Have Tough Conversations with his wife Amanda Hammett. Gene shares with us his vulnerable journey to becoming the man that he is today and all of the lessons he’s had to learn along the way – and being able to have tough conversations was the key. https://genehammett.com/training-workshop-difficult-conversations/

Leah Berend is a force in the private equity and investment world. She joins us to share her perspective on how business has to change, leaders have to lead in a different way and be present in their leadership to produce the results of the future. This podcast will inspire you and give you hope that while the world feels really messed up, there are forces at work that are shifting how we think about leadership and business results. Leah Berend, a seasoned professional with a trifecta of expertise in accounting, business administration, and investment, founded Marrin Investment Partners, a firm that invests in established companies with a proven track record of success, with a keen eye on emerging opportunities and trends. Distinguishing itself from traditional private equity firms, Marrin Investment Partners transcends mere transactions by cultivating enduring stakeholder relationships and driving sustainable growth for its portfolio companies. Through their innovative Private Equity As a Service approach, they bring a values-based, long-term mindset to their investments cementing that the companies who do right by the stakeholders are proven to provide hearty returns to investors. Leah holds a CPA, Masters of Accountancy and a Masters of Organizational Leadership. When she’s not charting a course for Marrin Investment Partners’ portfolio companies, Leah can be found plotting her next family adventure with husband Matt and their two young kids, or whipping up a sweet treat in the kitchen, where her baking skills are the perfect blend of art and science – a trait that serves her well in her investment approach, too Listeners can go to www.MarrinInvestment.com to learn about our work and keep an eye out for announcements about Leah’s upcoming book on Private Equity. Leah Berend https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahberend/

The more we work on ourselves, the more successful we will be in all aspects of our lives. Dawn Dahlby is a successful entrepreneur, speaker and Author of Live WELLthy, and she attributes her success to decades of personal development work. She works on herself so she can be better for those around you. Her guidance is to just own it…all the good parts and the bad parts and be committed to personal development and you will achieve success. dawndahlby.com

As leaders, our job is to not always have the answer, but to model the way forward in how we get to the answer. When we get hung up on being the smartest in the room or feeling like we don’t have it all together, we show up in a way that isn’t authentic and that shifts the culture of our team. Christ Cossette joins us to talk about her leadership journey and how she’s always thinking about how she can model the way forward for her people. Christi Cossette is an International Best Selling Author, Speaker, and the founder of two businesses. The first is Transformation Mastery Partners where she helps middle market businesses transform their financial operations to execute better, faster, and cheaper. The second is the Powerhouse Women Network where as a High Performance Coach for female executives she gets to live out her passion of supporting and building a community of trailblazing powerhouse women who are actively seeking their next level. She uses her Fulfilled Life Formula to teach women how to become Fulfilled and Limitless in all areas of their lives. She has been married to her husband, Andy, for 20 years and has 3 young boys (one with special needs) and has faced the joys and challenges of navigating a demanding career, her busy home life, and various health and relationship challenges. She uses her Fulfilled Life Formula to build resiliency, purpose and joy into her own life as well as her clients. Contact info: www.christicossette.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinecossette/  

Kelly Veit is the CEO of Veit & Company. She joins us to share her non-traditional career path that has allowed her to use her superpowers to become the leader the organization needs at this phase of their growth. Kelly’s deep commitment to her own growth has helped her ensure she has the skills necessary to lead the 90+ year old organization it’s its next phase of history by never settling and always digging deeper.

Kelly Aronson joins the podcast for a second time to share more wisdom and how she is re-inventing herself to keep her passion and energy as a leader. As our career progresses, it can be easy to get caught on auto-pilot, focusing on issues and what next problem you need to solve. But you can’t outwork the job of being a leader, it will always be bigger than you. Once you realize that, you can take a different perspective in your growth. Kelly shares her approach to take risks and step outside of your leadership comfort zone to find passion in new and different places. Learn more about Kelly and follow her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyaronson/

David Strohsack has led a successful corporate career, rising through the ranks to now leading a newly acquired company through significant change and transformation. Through it all he has leaned on his internal motivation to be better and do better to help him become a truly conscious leader. Listen in to hear more about his journey and the wisdom he’s acquired along the way.

As leaders we tend to lead and persuade people with data and logic, but brain science tells us that people are not persuaded by that, they are persuaded by emotion. Sally Zimney, Speaker, Coach and Author helps us understand the impact of sharing simple stories to connect with people and inspire them to take action. You can find out more about Sally and her services at www.sally-z.com To order Sally’s new book: https://bemoved.com/speaking-story

Chelsey Paulson, the queen of culture and leadership, and one of my fantastic team members joins us to talk about Happiness. Not from a fluffy perspective, but from a scientific, find the source and focus on it perspective. Our world needs more leaders, more humans who have the tools to find more joy and happiness. It doesn’t mean we live in it everyday, but it can mean that we are striving to be 1% Happier. Connect with Chelsey on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsey-paulson/

So…this one is a deep one. Be prepared to laugh, maybe cry a little, but truly be impacted. I’m so grateful to have Mick White, a dear friend of mine on the podcast to share his story around finding his purpose and how he is living into it every day. Find out more about Mick’s 100 year manifesto work here: https://www.100yearmanifesto.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/100yearmanifesto/

How do you embrace a beginners mindset, how can humility help you create a career and a journey that leaves a legacy? Kanthi Yalamanchili has had a very unique path to success, one that has forced her to use her humility as a superpower to step into new roles where she had no experience and figure out how to create success. Her journey is one that can inspire us to pay attention to the opportunities that present themselves and go after our dreams. Connection with Kanthi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kchili/

Many of us spends are days in full execution mode, answering emails, attending meetings and heads down working through issues. We don’t spend much time thinking strategically or planning for the future. And, even if we are given time in our schedule to think, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. Mary Rapaport, the creator of The Strategic Playground, set out to solve that for leaders. Listen in as she shares with us how to insert strategy into our day to day lives. Learn more about Mary and her workshops at the following links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryrapaport/ https://xceleratebiz.com/resources https://xceleratebiz.com/services/strategic-thinking-workshops

So many times, in life, circumstances happen to us that make us question our worth, deplete our confidence and sometimes knock us down all together. But what if that “kicked off the wheel” moment is there to help you find strength in new places? What if it’s there to help you build muscle for what’s next. Heather Boshke joins us to share her journey that includes multiple times where she was kicked off the wheel and how each one helped her get closer to who she really was. Edit Edit date and time Find out more about Heather, her marketing expertise and her children’s books at the following links: https://www.buddhabirdie.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/boschke/

Any successful person will tell you that their career has had many different seasons. Seasons when you hit the gas and focus on your career and seasons where you are braking and focusing on your own life or your family. It’s normal and being able to make the right choices for you at the right time is what leads to sustainable success as a leader. Jennifer Zick, founder and CEO of Authentic joins us to talk about her success journey in all of the roles that she plays. Connect with Jennifer here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jzick/ and learn more about her company Authentic here: https://authenticbrand.com/

Leaders of all types and experience levels are feeling restless right now. We all feel kind of stuck and as our guest Sarah Line describes it, Creating Cages of Comfort. We know there’s more out there, we know there’s growth we want to have, and we don’t know how to gain the courage to do it. Sarah shares her life experience and her mission with her company Boredroom Breakouts to help people grow through experiences. Find out more about Sarah’s retreats at https://www.boredroombreakouts.com/, and find specific information about the retreat that Jaime will be co-leading with Sarah in June of 2024 in the Italian Dolomites: https://youli.io/t/breakaway/2024-ladies-in-leadership-the-dolomites

There is a new tension evolving in the business world. This tension of restlessness on the side of the employees and frustration from leaders. We each want more, but we aren’t sure what we need. Our energy is low and it’s compounding the issue. Dena Mayne, COO of Keystone discusses her perspective and guidance on how to overcome restlessness – as an employee, a leader and an organization.

Stephanie interviews CEO and Founder Jaime Taets, and Chief Strategy Officer, Chelsey Paulson about the pure joy as well as agony of writing a book. What it takes to start with an an idea and bring it to life in the form of a book. They share their mindset and details on the writing and process, the high and lows and and how much Jaime and Chelsey both LOVE Culture. Culture is intertwined in both of their lives, personally and professional. Listen now, from Keystone’s own Culture experts. An episode you don’t want to miss. Connect with us!

How often does fear impact our approach and decisions as leaders? Matt Schwandt joins us and shares his wisdom and approach around leaning into the edge of fear and how it can shift your perspective. Learn more and connect with Matt at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-schwandt-360aba243/ Matt is a seasoned entrepreneur with nearly 10 years of experience as co-founder and president of Bauhaus Brew Labs, a popular craft brewery and taproom located in Northeast Minneapolis. Throughout his time at Bauhaus, Matt has effectively managed teams of over 20 employees across three distinct business units, while also spearheading the successful development and launch of multiple product lines from initial concept to market release. Matt’s leadership philosophy centers around cultivating a dynamic and creative work environment that empowers teams to achieve their full potential. His passion for leadership development has resulted in a thriving workplace culture that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and individual growth. In addition to his work in the brewing industry and consulting space, Matt is also an attorney who previously served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Minnesota. In this role, he represented the state’s largest executive branch agency, providing valuable legal guidance and representation. Subsequently, Matt transitioned into private practice with a firm specializing in employment law and representing clients in a wide range of business-related matters. Learn more and connect with Matt at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-schwandt-360aba243/

Leadership is hard sometimes, but when you figure out that your job is to be the coach and not the doer, things get a lot easier. Andy Dulka has honed his leadership skills over his entire career and continue to learn and evolve as a leader. He shares his leadership wisdom with us in this podcast and leaves us with the message that as leaders, we need to be kind to ourselves and realize that we aren’t going to always get it right, but we can always learn. Connect with Andy and learn more about him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andydulka/

Kelly Kolar has spent her entire career creating spaces that support growth and comfort. As the Founder of Kolar Design, she has built office, healthcare and other spaces around the world. She shares her leadership journey and what she has learned about how spaces truly create environments where people can thrive. Learn more about Kelly and the work that her and her team do at https://kolardesign.net/

Eric Harkins is the President and Founder of GKG Search & Outplacement, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that helps organizations Get talent, Keep talent & Grow talent. He is also an Amazon #1 best-selling author of: Great Leaders Make Sure Monday Morning Doesn’t Suck; How to Get, Keep & Grow Talent. His goal is simple: Help every company he works with make sure Monday morning doesn’t suck for their employees. Eric is a motivational speaker, consultant, executive-coach, and an expert in helping companies create a culture high performers want to be a part of. During his 25-year career in corporate America, Eric held leadership roles ranging from Manager to Chief Human Resources and Chief Administrative Officer. Listen in to get his 3 rules to being a great leader. Connect with Eric Harkins and learn more about his organization here. Get your own copy of Eric’s book here.    

Missy Chicre, CEO at Menttium joins us and shares her story of how she constantly strives to design the life she wants, not the life that others want for her. And while that is always a struggle, and takes hard work, she has proven in her career that people will support you and you can still achieve success – on your terms. Find out more about Missy and Menttium’s services on LinkedIn: Missy Chicre – https://www.linkedin.com/in/missy-chicre/ Menttium – https://www.linkedin.com/company/menttium-corporation/ Missy Chicre is the Chief Executive Officer at Menttium Corporation, a woman-owned and woman-led professional mentoring company. She is a curious, passionate, authentic leader who strives to create positive change in individuals and in organizations. Missy sets the vision and strategic direction for Menttium, which has been the leader in innovative mentoring programs for over three decades. In Missy’s Menttium tenure, she has touched nearly all aspects of the business and was named CEO in January 2023. Missy is committed to Menttium’s mission to strengthen organizations through their people. Menttium is changing lives and driving performance one mentoring match at a time, through authentic human connections. Prior to joining Menttium in 2017, Missy spent over a decade as an HR leader in various large corporations, including Cargill, Best Buy, and Accenture. From roles in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that took Missy all over the U.S. and Latin America, to roles in various areas of talent management and HR transformation in Fortune 500 organizations, Missy has a track record for driving results. Missy is bilingual in English and Spanish and cares deeply about the development and advancement of women. As a working mom, she is particularly passionate about helping working mothers navigate careers and motherhood. She was a finalist for the 2016 TeamWomenMN WaveMaker Award and is a frequent speaker at local and national conferences. Missy has also been featured on WCCO I CBS News Minnesota and in the Star Tribune to share her expertise on the power of mentoring. Missy earned a master’s degree in Hispanic Literature at the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University. Missy serves on the Board of Directors for Twin Cities ROCK (Raising Our Celiac Kids), a local non-profit that brings education, awareness and resources to families who have children with Celiac Disease. Missy resides in the Minneapolis suburbs, living a bilingual, bicultural, interfaith life with her husband and two children.

Marney Andes is an Author, Keynote Speaker and Leadership Coach that has taken her Fortune 50 experience and turned that into a career that helps others leaders build their best lives. In this episode we talk about as leaders how important it is to recognize your own bias and how to use the day to day learnings to grow as a leader, through the time you take to reflect. You can learn more about Marney, her book and her services, at Marney Andes is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in performance consulting, organizational design, leadership development, and executive coaching. Marney’s diverse background spans various industries, including healthcare and finance, where she has helped leaders and employees navigate complex challenges and change with simple and practical approaches. In addition to her impressive career, Marney is an accomplished author and host of the popular weekly podcast. Her first book, Start with the Give-Me Shots: 8 Homegrown Lessons for Business and Life, is a must-read for anyone looking to gain insights on achieving success in their personal and professional lives. Marney’s approach to problem-solving is grounded in truth-seeking, honest storytelling, and a deep commitment to creating space for others to do the same. Her passion for empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential is evident in her work as owner and principal consultant of Dynamic Intention. A college basketball player and former Mrs. America, Marney holds a master’s degree in information and learning technologies from the University of Colorado Denver. She resides outside of Denver with her husband, Allen, and their two sons, Owen, and Brody. To learn more about Marney’s work and insights, visit her website at www.marneyandes.com.

Michael Levin has been responsible for ghostwriting close to 1000 books. He helps people bring their message to life to share with the world. In this this podcast he shares his story and his leadership wisdom with us around how to focus on doing what you want to do and not what you have to do to create more positivity in your life. Michael Levin is one of the most accomplished and experienced ghostwriters in the United States. Over a 30-year career, Michael has written, co-written, edited, ghosted, or published more than 900 books, of which 23 are national best sellers, two are New York Times best sellers, and three are Amazon number one bestselling business books. His websites are www.MichaelLevinWrites.com and, for business fiction/business fables, www.TheFableFactory.com. Michael appeared on the first episode of Season Three of ABC’s Shark Tank, has appeared on BBC worldwide TV and radio and Good Morning, America, has been quoted in Inc. Magazine, and in Bloomberg Business. He is most proud of having edited Zig Ziglar’s final book, Born To Win.

Tricia Timm, lawyer, venture investor, author and speaker joins us to share her journey as a Latina in the corporate world and as an immigrant who has worked to find her own voice. Her guidance is so impactful and can help all of us as leaders creating greater belonging in our own teams and organizations. Learn more about Tricia, her speaking and her book at www.triciatimm.com

Simon Bray is a change agent and innovator who has worked with global brands to help them evolve. He also just happens to be a part of the group that Jaime climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with. They discuss their passion around leadership and the change that leaders need to be prepared to lead as well as their lessons from the mountain and what they learned about themselves and the world around them. Simon is an expert in leadership, culture and organizational development, who understands what it really takes to unlock innovation, collaboration and engagement. He has worked in over 20 countries and has lived in the UK, Brazil, the US, and Singapore. Simon’s background is management consultancy. After gaining a degree in Psychology, he began his career with Accenture where he specialized in organization development and talent strategy, before moving to a boutique change management consultancy called 7days. He was then with the innovation consultancy ?What If! from 2005 to 2014, leading teams in London, New York and São Paulo. He held multiple leadership roles while at ?What If!, including US Client Development Leader, Americas Transformation Practice Leader and Brazil Business Leader. He then spent 2 years as a Partner at The Rise Group, where his work focused on helping organizations define and activate their ideal culture, and 3 years as a Principal at Vega Factor where his work involved helping organizations use the science of total motivation to become higher performing. What If! was acquired by Accenture in 2019, and in 2020 Simon returned to co-lead the? What If! Singapore office, manage the integration of ?What If! into Accenture in Asia, and set up Accenture’s Leadership & Culture practice in AAPAC. He is now back in New York, helping grow Kates Kesler (another Accenture acquisition) by developing new organization designs and operating models for clients across the world.

Jaime Taets, CEO, Visionary, and Founder of Keystone Group International talks about her summit to Mt. Kilimanjaro and her lessons learned along the way. Jaime talks about shifting your perspective and putting yourself in situations that make you think differently. In this raw, and authentic podcast, Jaime shares some of her vulnerabilities and experiences from her trip and how she is incorporating them into her personal and professional life. How fear can be a catalyst to move you forward instead of holding you back. Are you courageous in the face of fear? Listen now! Also be sure to check out Jaime’s blog series, Lessons from the Mountain. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimetaets/ Blog  

Andy Risvold is the owner and founder of Forgotten Star Brewing. He is a serial entrepreneur and shares his leadership lessons and how he focuses on the new leaders to ensure they have the space and support to learn as they transition to leading others. So many organizations and leaders don’t take the time to train and mentor leaders in their organization to build the skills they need to be successful leaders and managers.

Alyza Bohbot James, Owner and CEO Alakef Coffee Roasters and City Girl Coffee As owner and CEO of Alakef Coffee Roasters, Alyza leads the specialty coffee roasting company that her family founded in 1990 in Duluth, Minnesota. Alakef Coffee Roasters today provides responsibly sourced and produced coffee to grocery stores, co-ops, coffee shops, Universities, and restaurants throughout the Midwest, and online to retailers and consumers.   Shortly after taking over company reins in 2014, she launched an entirely new brand, City Girl Coffee, in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, featuring USDA Organic Certified blends. She is keeping Alakef’s longstanding support of the coffee industry alive – with a special focus on women. City Girl Coffee empowers women by sourcing as many beans as possible from women coffee farmers throughout the world. A portion of every sale goes to organizations that work to provide these women access to funding, education, resources, and more. In January of 2021, Alyza launched The City Girl Empower Hour, an inspiring new podcast serving up grounded advice and whole bean wisdom on how listeners can succeed in both their personal and professional lives.   Alyza takes an active role in the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and its Women in Leadership program. She is a member of the Minnesota Leadership class of 2017, and currently sits on the Minnesota Chamber’s Board of Directors. She was recognized by the Minneapolis Business Journal as a recipient of its 2017 40 under 40 award, and by Minnesota Business Magazine as one its Women Who Lead. Awarded the Future Forward award from the WBDC for her business acumen, marketing savvy and entrepreneurial spirit. Most recently, she was awarded the Wavemaker award by Team MN Women for making waves in her community, profession, and for her demonstration of outstanding achievement, entrepreneurial spirit and initiative through leadership within her profession and community.

Organizational effectiveness expert Teresa Sande joins us to talk about her own leadership journey and those pivotal moments that shaped her as a leader. She also brings a wealth of insight into getting back to the basics of leadership to be able to lead into this new era, starting with asking yourself how can I be useful vs what do I need to do? Connect with Teresa and learn more about how she helps leaders and organizations on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresasande/

Kelly Aronson Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer Kelly is responsible for enterprise information technology strategy and implementation and providing strategic partner support to each of Andersen’s divisions and functions. Previously, she was vice president of information technology (IT) responsible for Andersen enterprise customer experience technology (marketing, sales, quote & order, service, and portal). She was also director of technology for Renewal by Andersen where she was responsible for all aspects of IT, including manufacturing technology and retail technology teams.​​​​​​​ Kelly joined Andersen in the fall of 2014. Prior to Andersen, Kelly held a variety of IT leadership positions at Target, Thomson Reuters and Accenture. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in from Saint Olaf College. She is a board of trustee member for the Science Museum of Minnesota.

David is the founder and CEO of multiple businesses. Most prominent among them is his longest-running company, ISU Corp. ISU is a custom software solutions company with clients ranging from start-ups to multi-million-dollar conglomerates like General Electric and Heinz. Located in Canada’s Silicon Valley, ISU Corp increases entrepreneurs’ net profits with exceptional custom software solutions. We have been granted awards like the “Best Innovative High-Tech Enterprise Software Company of the Year” from Global 100, and ACQ5’s “Game Changer of the Year” to attest to our excellence. Most recently, ISU Corp has been chosen as a recipient of the Canadian Business Excellence Award for the fifth year in a row as a recognition of our outstanding company culture and effective process (2018-2022). David Mansilla is passionate about inspiring others. A priority in his life is sharing his experiences in hopes of encouraging a new generation of entrepreneurs to reach their full potential. David is the host of The Break Free Podcast, where he invites a diverse set of guests to bring audiences valuable knowledge on living life on their own terms, whether it’s professionally or personally. David is also a #1 international bestselling author for his book, Breaking Out of Corporate Jail.

Jen Tregarthen is a military veteran, purple heart recipient, huge supporter of veterans and one of the most vulnerable leaders I know. She brings a sense of logic and vulnerability to her leadership approach and through her work is able to help bring those same skillsets to her clients. You can connect with Jen here to learn more about her and her work at Lockton Companies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-tregarthen/ Here’s the video that Jen mentioned in the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWW-5Q_EzKM

Aaron Eggert Founder + CVO : Coalition9 This Minnesota professional has a history of turning small business into big business and connecting the brains of the Twin Cities community. With roles in several businesses as both an advisor and investor, co-founding a non-profit called Minneapolis HOPE, and proof of his incredible ability to grow an organization – it isn’t hard to believe that he has a knack for initiating and maintaining great relationships and great business. Aaron made his first major break-through at an office products distributor when he broke the first three years sales record that had been in place longer than he had been alive. Then, at age 29 he became Vice President of Sales leading the company into more profit and took a mediocre office furnishings division from bland to booming in 2 short years. That’s when he was noticed and recruited to join iSpace Environments as a Partner, which at the time was a medium sized office furnishings business. In 5 years, Aaron and his team led the company to 270% growth through brand awareness, strategic planning, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. He believes that his success is about being genuine in his desire to understand his client’s business with the passion to connect and to be a resource to others. The beginning of this journey began in the summer of 2017. Aaron had just turned forty years old and found himself in a bit of a predicament. As a partner in a successful office furnishings and technology firm that had grown exponentially over the past few years, he should have been on top of the world. However, it was quite the contrary. It’s not like he was going through a mid-life crisis or anything, he was just missing something. So, Aaron took some time off to reflect and get to the root of what was causing this void. During his reflection it became abundantly clear how fortunate he was. He has lived a life filled with success and fantastic experiences, his wife is a complete rock star independent business owner, and they own a hobby farm with seven chickens. What’s not to love about that? Then it hit him. Aaron found himself asking “What am I doing to create purpose and solidify my legacy?” After a couple years of consulting as a Revenue Strategist, the idea of Coalition9 was born. The C9 community was created around one simple premise. Bring good people together, regardless of their progress in the leadership journey, with a focus on Character First. We strive to create a community where a diversity of experiences in business and life is celebrated with a vision of Changing Business Nine Leaders at a Time. Doing business with other Members should make life just a bit easier. Surrounding yourself with top leaders will push you to be your best. Focusing on the things that really matter – your impact on the business community and those you lead – will change you for the better. Lastly, we believe it’s highly important to make this financially accessible, yet exclusive, based on Character. We’re working hard to bring good people together to ignite a leadership revolution. Aaron’s role as Chief Vision Officer is to ensure that we are driving the experience and community forward for the maximum positive impact on the lives of our Members. The role of the Members and facilitators is to guide this community and be a constant voice for growth, evolution, and relationship building. All Members will have access to and play a part in the well-being of the community, and their voices will be heard on how to continue providing an unmatched experience. Without the Members and their voices, we have nothing. As someone who thrives on connection, Aaron takes great pride in building a relationship with every single Member. Together, we are building something really special here. https://www.coalition9.com/aeggert-bio

As a child born in a third-world country and living in four continents by the age of ten, Haydee learned not only to survive but thrive in disruption. Today, we need this ability more than ever as our world becomes more volatile and uncertain. For twenty-two years Haydee’s high-energy, power content and practical solutions has impacted thousands of leaders and professionals globally from Government offices to Fortune 500 boardrooms. Together with her team she has also coached celebrities (even a Miss World and Miss Universe). From being the youngest director of multinational L’Oréal to owning retail and manufacturing companies – her work and life lessons embody courage and triumph over adversity. Haydee’s book “Packaged For Success” ranked number one international Amazon bestseller in eleven categories. She is a CSP (certified speaking professional) a designation held by only 12% of professional speakers worldwide. Not bad for a Bolivian girl who dreamed to speak English one day. Haydee sees her biggest achievement as giving birth to twins at age 47, listens to everything ’80s, and loves her life in the Temecula wine region of SoCal. Relevant links: Haydee Website: http://www.haydeeantezana.comHaydee Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haydeeantezana1 Haydee Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydee-antezana-71500125/ Contact Haydee: [email protected]

Barb Patterson partners with entrepreneurs and leaders across the globe to help them understand their purpose and impact and tap into their unlimited human potential. She joins us to talk about tapping into something new to solve issues and shares her own leadership journey and the pivotal points along the way. Connect with Barb to learn more about how she can support you or your team. [email protected] Connect with Barb: Instagram: @barb_p Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/ Facebook: Barb Patterson Twitter: @Barb_Patterson

Since joining Reell in 2004, Shari Erdman has worked across many areas of manufacturing including sourcing, customer account management, accounting support, manufacturing process improvements, HR management, quality and overall office administration of Reell’s Spring Technologies division. Her unique story of HR leader to president, is one filled with curiosity, drive. Listen how Shari maintains and instills the company’s values in everything she does.    

John Schwanke is the President of Lakeview Industries. To say that Lakeview has been transformed over the last few years is an understatement. John talks about his own leadership growth and how his evolution has helped the entire Lakeview organization evolve, grow and transform into a business that is stronger than ever. Connect with John Schwanke here

As leader’s we all have a story that has driven who we are and how we show up every day.  Jackie Rieck, marketing leader for King Technologies joins us to talk Jackie is an innovative, entrepreneurial, and consumer centric head of marketing with extensive experience developing and executing successful business strategies, teams and functions that facilitate aggressive company growth and positive corporate culture. Adept at building and analyzing strategies, capitalizing on market trends, and building competitive advantage. Authentic and inspirational leadership style that generates trust, loyalty, respect, and results. Connect with Jackie here

Chelsey Paulson, Chief Strategy Officer at Keystone Group, talks with Steve Preda, Pinnacle Business Guide & Bestselling Author, about elevating your business from GOOD to GREAT. About Steve: STEVE PREDA is a Leadership Team Coach whose passion is to help privately owned businesses grow and thrive. He pursues it by simplifying and teaching management and strategy concepts used by large companies, and elite consulting firms. Since 2012, he has helped over 100 businesses grow their teams, revenues, and profits as a business coach, EOS Implementer, and as a Pinnacle Business Guide. Steve explores business-growth shortcuts on the Management Blueprint podcast, and delivers workshops and keynotes to business leaders around the US. He loves helping growth-minded entrepreneurs and their leadership teams reach their business-pinnacles. Buy your copy of the book, Pinnacle: Five Principles that Take Your Business to the Top of the Mountain, HERE

Rana DeBoer from Keystone Group chats with Abbey Vanderwerf, Vice President, Employee Health & Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency Dakotas about leading with conviction through growth, and the evolution of business & people. About Abbey Abbey Vanderwerf is the Vice President of Employee Health & Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency Dakotas. Since joining the agency in 2008 she has held a variety of roles assisting employer groups with their overall benefits strategy, spending time educating on the Affordable Care Act, leading both operations and sales for the team and currently is responsible for both the Sioux Falls and Fargo benefits team. Prior to joining MMA she spent the early years of her career in Human Resources. Abbey stays active in the community on two local non-profit boards and teaching religious education at her church. In her free time, she can be found camping and fishing with her family, catching a run on a good dirt road or riding her peloton bike. About Marsh McLennan Agency: MMA is a local Insurance Agency with Global Reach. They are committed to their culture and colleague experience, giving employees the opportunity to grow in both their personal and professional aspirations leaving them with limitless potential.

Chelsey Paulson from Keystone Group chats with Jim Roddy, CEO of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) about the moments that shaped him, and the many lessons he learned through leadership transitions. About Jim: Jim Roddy has been active in the retail IT channel since 1998, including 11 years as the President of Business Solutions Magazine, six years as an RSPA board member, and one term as RSPA Chairman of the Board. Jim has been recognized as one of the world’s Top 100 Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail and as a Leading CannaTech Influencer by 420MSP. He is author of The Walk-On Method and Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer and is host of the award-winning RSPA Trusted Advisor podcast. Contact Jim: [email protected] www.gorspa.org Book: The Walk-On Method Book: Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer