Experience-Focused Leaders

Alex Shevelenko
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated weekly

Introducing Alex Shevelenko, CEO and founder of RELAYTO and the host of the Experienced-Focused Leaders Podcast. With a mission to empower seasoned business owners who recognize the critical role of customer experience in achieving success, Alex brings together a community of discerning listeners eager to explore new perspectives and strategies for enhancing their experience-centric approach. In our thought-provoking podcast episodes, we dive deep into the stories and insights of accomplished business owners who have honed their expertise in delivering exceptional customer experiences. These industry veterans possess a wealth of knowledge and practical experience, making them valuable resources for our audience of seasoned professionals who are passionate about creating meaningful connections with their customers. Our podcast serves as a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and exploring innovative approaches to customer experience. We understand that our audience is composed of discerning individuals who have already achieved considerable success and are constantly seeking new ways to elevate their customer-centric strategies. If you are a seasoned business owner with a profound understanding of the significance of customer experience in driving business growth, we invite you to join us as a guest on our podcast. Share your unique insights, success stories, and the strategies that have set you apart in your industry.

  1. 4 days ago

    46 – How to Build Your "Uncertainty Muscle" When the Stakes Are High

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Elizabeth Weingarten, a journalist, applied behavioral scientist, and author of How to Fall in Love with Questions. In this episode, Elizabeth shares her visionary take on why active curiosity and emotional regulation are critical to cutting through modern friction, especially in a world where AI tools and corporate pressure push us toward fast, easy answers over genuine understanding. Elizabeth discusses the evolution of her thinking from navigating personal and professional turning points during the pandemic to studying the cognitive science behind how we handle ambiguity. She explains why modern business communication often feels like a misunderstood struggle, with leaders hollowing out team trust by romanticizing curiosity in theory while demanding rigid certainty in high-stakes meetings. She introduces her "Tree Framework" for categorizing questions—distinguishing short-term "Peach" queries from long-term "Pawpaw" challenges and core "Heartwood" values—providing a blueprint for letting go of ruminative "Dead Leaf" thoughts and focusing on the inquiries that actually drive growth. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Elizabeth highlights why instant digital answers risk atrophying our "uncertainty muscles," and why the most resilient leaders will be those who prioritize intentional, open-ended inquiry over knee-jerk solutions. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of team trust, including Elizabeth's advice on how to move beyond defensive management by taking a strategic pause—a simple "Hmm"—to regulate emotions under pressure. She shares insights from years spent analyzing how people and teams process fear and ambiguity, explaining how reframing binary choices into expansive questions can protect a company's operational clarity and even heal interpersonal relationships. This episode serves as a masterclass for any tech, operations, or personal growth leader looking to move beyond "answer-obsessed" culture and build an environment that is philosophically and mentally equipped to stay curious in an era of unprecedented digital uncertainty. To connect with Elizabeth, find her on LinkedIn or visit her website at elizabethweingarten.com. You can also read her leadership and behavioral science thoughts on her Substack, Time Travel for Beginners. Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us HERE. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  2. 10 Jul

    45 – The 1,000-Yard Stare: How Near-Death Rewrites Success

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Ted Elliott, CEO of Copado and experienced tech entrepreneur. In this episode, Ted shares his visionary take on why operational alignment and deep empathy are critical to cutting through modern business friction, especially in a world where corporate complexity and generative AI are rapidly rewriting the rules of leadership and enterprise communication. Ted discusses the evolution of his thinking from serving on the frontlines as a first-time founder navigating the heavy "burden of foundership" to stepping into global leadership roles across high-growth startups and tech unicorns. He explains why modern business communication often feels like a misunderstood struggle, with executive teams hollowing out their alignment by misinterpreting their own goals and operational data. He introduces the concept of navigating "the thousand-yard stare" of veteran leadership—a blueprint for balancing highly ambitious growth targets with the narrow, disciplined focus required to solve an organization’s or a customer’s most urgent distribution needs. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Ted highlights why the speed of automated tools cannot replace the clear, intentional connection of a trusted message, and why the most resilient enterprise organizations will be those that prioritize verified internal communication tools over unguided data sprawl. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of team trust, including Ted’s advice on how to move beyond defensive, reactionary management by adopting an empathetic, open-minded approach to feedback. He shares insights from his decades spent analyzing how information and software spread across global, multicultural markets, explaining how practicing radical transparency and strategic simplicity can protect a company’s operational speed and even save a leader's organizational trust. This episode serves as a masterclass for any tech or operations leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build a corporate ecosystem that is philosophically and technically equipped to stay aligned in an era of unprecedented digital uncertainty. To connect with Ted, find him on LinkedIn or view his leadership thoughts on the Forbes Technology Council. You can also visit copado.com to see his vision for high-integrity DevOps and automated software delivery in action. Don't just build a product—build the trust to solve the world's problems! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us at info@relayto.com. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  3. 3 Jul

    44 – How to Turn "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" of Pharma Data into a Trusted Asset

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Michelle Bridenbaker, Global Head of Medical Excellence and Communications at Recordati, Vice President of MILE, and CEO of Unbiased Science. In this episode, Michelle shares her visionary take on why scientific transparency and human empathy are critical to cutting through the modern "attention economy," especially in a world where social media algorithms and generative AI are rapidly rewriting the rules of healthcare communication. Michelle discusses the evolution of her thinking from serving on the frontlines as a critical care nurse to stepping into global leadership roles across drug safety and medical affairs. She explains why modern medical communication often feels like a misunderstood struggle, with clinicians hollowing out their limited patient time to meet heavy administrative demands. She introduces the concept of navigating "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of data—a blueprint for balancing highly regulated information with the narrow, disciplined focus required to solve a patient's or clinician's most urgent health literacy needs. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Michelle highlights why the speed of generative tools cannot replace the "human connection" of a trusted messenger, and why the most resilient healthcare organizations will be those that prioritize verified, guardrailed data environments over generic internet content. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of public trust, including Michelle’s advice on how to move beyond defensive, judgmental communication by adopting an empathetic, open-ended approach to patient inquiries. She shares insights from her decades spent analyzing how information spreads across global, multicultural markets, explaining how practicing radical transparency and data literacy can protect a company’s compliance and even save a clinician's professional trust. This episode serves as a masterclass for any life sciences leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an communication ecosystem that is philosophically and technically equipped to stay trusted in an era of unprecedented digital uncertainty. To connect with Michelle, find her on LinkedIn or follow her insights at unbiasedscipod.com. You can also visit mile-association.org to see her vision for high-integrity medical information leadership in action. Don't just build a product—build the trust to solve the world's problems! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us HERE. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  4. 29 Jun

    39 – Why Investors Aren't Buying Your Startup

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Sephi Shapira, a four-time tech founder, author of Fundable, and a legendary coach who has helped founders secure over a billion dollars in venture funding. In this episode, Sephi shares his visionary take on why "fundability" is an internal quality of the leader rather than a metric of the business, especially in a world where AI is rapidly rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship. Sephi discusses the evolution of his thinking from raising $100M+ for his own startups to coaching the next generation of "Unicorn" founders. He explains why modern fundraising often feels like a misunderstood struggle, hollowing out the energy of even the most motivated entrepreneurs. He introduces the concept of "The Prize"—a blueprint for balancing high-level vision with the narrow, disciplined focus required to solve a customer's most painful "buzzing in the ear" problems. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Sephi highlights why the speed of generative tools cannot replace the "coherency" of a human founder, and why the most resilient brands will be those that prioritize "market pull" over merely forcing a product into existence. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of performance, including Sephi’s advice on how to move beyond "Blunder Mode" by adopting a "Victor Mentality." He shares insights from his decades spent analyzing why some startups thrive while others fail, explaining how practicing radical responsibility can protect a company’s mission and even save a founder’s mental health. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an organization that is philosophically and technically equipped to stay "fundable" in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Sephi, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights at sephyshapira.com. You can also visit sephyshapira.com/book to see his vision for high-integrity fundraising in action. Don't just build a product—build the fundability to solve the world's problems! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us at relayto.com/contact. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  5. 26 Jun

    43 – Rebranding the CMO: Drop the "ING" and Speak the CEO's Language

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Payal Raina, an experienced corporate marketing leader and the founder of the fin.tech marketing community. In this episode, Payal shares her visionary take on why smart communication, human connection, and long-term relationships are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech shifts and AI. Payal discusses the evolution of her thinking from her early days during the pandemic to her decision to bootstrap a global network that breaks down industry-specific silos to bring traditional finance, fintech, and tech infrastructure together. She explains why modern corporate "best practices" of hiding behind generic demand generation tricks and vanity metrics can often feel like a trap, hollowing out an organization's focus by prioritizing transactional numbers over earning genuine trust from real customers. She introduces the reality of presenting complex B2B strategies—breaking through the noise of crowded markets by prioritizing "peer validation" and clear storytelling above all else. As the conversation explores the future of corporate leadership and fast-paced client relationships, Payal highlights why her community has become a core trusted advisory layer for over 25,000 members globally, and why the most resilient brands will be those that rebrand themselves to speak the numbers-driven language of the CEO. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of client engagement, including Payal's advice on how to protect an organization from digital detachment by servicing both human buyers and the emerging world of "machine customers" with structured, interactive content. She shares insights from her decades spent scaling marketing efforts, explaining how a simple, intentional focus on building a true sense of belonging can blossom into an unbreakable foundation of client loyalty. She also breaks down her deliberate, highly personal playbooks for keeping a growing network deeply connected—from encouraging board members to pay it forward to fostering high-engagement global events that feel like an authentic reunion. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an organization that is philosophically and humanly equipped to stay resilient in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Payal, find her on LinkedIn (Payal Raina). You can also visit fintechmarketingcommunity.com to see her vision for authentic, high-value communication in action and sign up for their free forum. Don't just build a product—build the skills to solve the world's problems! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us at support@relayto.com. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  6. 23 Jun

    38 – Why Your Childhood "Programs" Are Tanking Your Startup

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Dave Hersh, the visionary founder of Jive Software, an active investor, and the author of the upcoming book The Eros Advantage. In this episode, Dave shares his deep-dive into why human connection and psychological awareness are the ultimate competitive advantages in an era where AI is rapidly commoditizing traditional business "moats." Dave discusses the evolution of his thinking from his journey leading Jive Software through its 2011 IPO to his work today coaching high-impact leaders. He explains why modern "hyper-growth" culture often creates a destructive monoculture, pushing startups to scale prematurely and hollow out the creative spirit of the organization. He introduces the concept of "Emotional Market Fit"—a blueprint for moving beyond functional pain points to understand the subconscious desires and identity shifts of the people a company serves. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Dave highlights why "ego-fueled" leadership is becoming a liability and why the most resilient brands will be those that prioritize "World Building" over mere transactional marketing. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of performance, including Dave’s advice on the "Inner Board Meeting." He shares a framework for diagnosing the "shadow parts" of a founder’s personality—such as the warrior, the child, or the hero—explaining how internal alignment can protect a company’s mission and even save a leader’s personal well-being. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an organization that is philosophically and technically equipped to stay "alive" in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Dave, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights at davehersh.com. You can also subscribe to his newsletter to see his vision for human-first business moats in action. Don't just build a product—build a world where people want to belong! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us at relayto.com/contact. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  7. 19 Jun

    42 – Words Matter: The Secret to Winning in a Zero-Sum Market

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Michael Marcon, the founder and CEO of Symphony Risk Solutions. In this episode, Michael shares his visionary take on why smart communication, human connection, and long-term relationships are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech shifts and AI. Michael discusses the evolution of his thinking from his early days as a multi-time founder to his team's decision to build Symphony Risk around industry-specific specialties that harmonize like a finely-tuned orchestra. He explains why modern corporate "best practices" of hiding behind massive legal disclaimers and industry jargon can often feel like a trap, hollowing out an organization's focus by prioritizing transactional metrics over earning genuine trust from real customers. He introduces the reality of presenting complex risk strategies—breaking through the noise of crowded markets by refusing to use confusing acronyms and prioritizing clarity above all else. As the conversation explores the future of corporate leadership and fast-paced client relationships, Michael highlights why his firm has become a core trusted advisory layer for high-stakes industries like private equity, and why the most resilient brands will be those that offer open, transparent solutions instead of burying their value behind endless caveats. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of client engagement, including Michael's advice on how to protect an organization from digital detachment by focusing presentations on a clear "headline" of expectations that buyers can easily digest. He shares insights from his four decades spent scaling firms, explaining how a simple, intentional focus on plain English and targeted analogies can blossom into an unbreakable foundation of client loyalty. He also breaks down his deliberate, highly personal playbooks for keeping a growing team and network deeply connected—from sending handwritten client notes to personally signing birthday cards for every employee. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an organization that is philosophically and humanly equipped to stay resilient in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Michael, find him on LinkedIn (Michael Marcon) or reach out directly to his team at michael.marcon@symphonyrisk.com. You can also visit symphonyrisk.com to see his vision for authentic, high-value communication in action. Don't just build a product—build the skills to solve the world's problems! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us at support@relayto.com. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

  8. 17 Jun

    40 – Managing Your Last 10%: How to Spot and Fix Your Leadership Blind Spots

    our host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Nathan Christensen, entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and former CEO of Mineral. In this episode, Nathan shares his visionary take on why "trust" and "structural integrity" are the ultimate competitive advantages in a business world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and short-term financial pressure. Nathan discusses the evolution of his startup journey, from early failure attempting to sell direct-to-consumer to scaling a partner-driven ecosystem that supported over one million small businesses. He explains why modern "best practices" often prioritize short-term hustle over the slow building of real relationships, hollowing out the long-term value of a brand. He introduces the concept of a "sacred bond" with partners and the powerful framework of "Fuel vs. Friction"—a blueprint for balancing a company's strategic character with the operational clarity required to resist the "mercenary" pressures of the modern market. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Nathan highlights why the speed of technology cannot replace the slow process of building human trust, and why the most resilient brands of the next century will be those that prioritize value creation over value extraction. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and board-level buy-in, including Nathan’s advice on how a CEO must step back from being the "chief doer" to act as an empowering "orchestra conductor." He shares insights from his time building Mineral and advising private equity and venture-backed companies, explaining how true organizational culture can protect a company’s "spark" and allow it to scale past the personal limitations of its founders. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to move beyond "innovation theater" and build an organization that is legally and philosophically equipped to stay true to its mission in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Nathan, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights at X. You can also visit his new AI-native startup, Huckleberry, to see his vision for closing the workplace coaching gap in action. Don't just build a product—build an organization that can survive the century! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us HERE. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

See All (108)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Introducing Alex Shevelenko, CEO and founder of RELAYTO and the host of the Experienced-Focused Leaders Podcast. With a mission to empower seasoned business owners who recognize the critical role of customer experience in achieving success, Alex brings together a community of discerning listeners eager to explore new perspectives and strategies for enhancing their experience-centric approach. In our thought-provoking podcast episodes, we dive deep into the stories and insights of accomplished business owners who have honed their expertise in delivering exceptional customer experiences. These industry veterans possess a wealth of knowledge and practical experience, making them valuable resources for our audience of seasoned professionals who are passionate about creating meaningful connections with their customers. Our podcast serves as a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and exploring innovative approaches to customer experience. We understand that our audience is composed of discerning individuals who have already achieved considerable success and are constantly seeking new ways to elevate their customer-centric strategies. If you are a seasoned business owner with a profound understanding of the significance of customer experience in driving business growth, we invite you to join us as a guest on our podcast. Share your unique insights, success stories, and the strategies that have set you apart in your industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Shevelenko
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Alex Shevelenko
  • Show Website
    Experience-Focused Leaders