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. 1 day ago

    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.

    46 min

  2. 4 days ago

    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.

    1hr 5min

  3. 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.

    43 min

  4. 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.

    45 min

  5. 12 Jun

    41 – How One Blog Post Generated Millions of Readers and 1,000+ Sign-ups

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Gleb Budman, the co-founder and CEO of publicly listed Backblaze (NASDAQ: BLZE). In this episode, Gleb shares his visionary take on why first-principles thinking and long-term organic growth are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech hyperscalers. Gleb discusses the evolution of his thinking from his early days as a multi-time exited founder to his team's decision to bootstrap Backblaze without initial venture capital funding. He explains why modern "best practices" of raising massive funding rounds early on can often feel like a trap, hollowing out a startup's focus by prioritizing investor pitches over earning a dollar from real customers. He introduces the reality of building an infrastructure company from a one-bedroom apartment—surviving on "rice and beans" while choosing to fund physical servers over founder salaries. As the conversation explores the future of cloud computing and AI workloads, Gleb highlights why Backblaze has become the core infrastructure layer for the "Neo-Cloud" gold rush, and why the most resilient brands will be those that offer open, flexible data storage without predatory egress fees. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of performance, including Gleb’s advice on how to protect an organization from the "cortisol fluctuations" of stock market volatility by focusing the team on metrics they can actually control. He shares insights from his decades spent scaling Backblaze, explaining how a single, open-source technical blog post 15 years ago blossomed into a sustainable marketing engine that now attracts millions of readers annually. He also breaks down their recent, deliberate decision to close their physical headquarters—acknowledging their remote-first reality while introducing highly intentional playbooks to keep a 400-person team deeply connected. 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 resilient in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Gleb, find him on LinkedIn (Gleb Budman) or follow his insights at @glebbudman on X. You can also visit backblaze.com/blog 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 relayto.com/contact. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

    49 min

  6. 15 May

    37 – The Anti-Sales Manual: How Curiosity Closes More Deals

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Barry Rhein, the founder of Barry Rhein & Associates and the legendary creator of the "Selling Through Curiosity" methodology. In this episode, Barry shares his visionary take on why genuine curiosity and human connection are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and transactional sales pressure. Barry discusses the evolution of his thinking from his early days as a 12-year-old "worm entrepreneur" to his current role as a faculty member at Stanford Business School. He explains why modern sales "best practices" often feel like a destructive monoculture, hollowing out the trust between companies and their customers. He introduces the "Triangle of Curiosity"—a blueprint for balancing information gathering and relationship building with the customized value required to solve a customer's highest business priorities. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Barry highlights why the speed of technology cannot replace the "muscle memory" of human learning, and why the most resilient brands will be those that prioritize authentic problem-solving over mere product demos. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and the psychology of performance, including Barry’s advice on how to move beyond the "stigma" of sales by adopting an attitude of service. He shares insights from his decades spent training global giants like Salesforce, DocuSign, and SAP, explaining how practicing "open-ended" communication can protect a company’s mission and even save personal relationships. 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 curious in an era of unprecedented uncertainty. To connect with Barry, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights at barryrhein.com. You can also visit sellingthroughcuriosity.com to see his vision for high-integrity 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 relayto.com/contact. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

    1hr 13min

  7. 6 May

    36 – Surgically Deboned: How Modern Finance Kills Great Companies

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Eric Ries, entrepreneur, author, and the pioneer of the Lean Startup movement. In this episode, Eric shares his visionary take on why "trust" and "structural integrity" are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and short-term financial pressure. Eric discusses the evolution of his thinking from the "Build-Measure-Learn" feedback loop to his new framework for "Incorruptible" organizations. He explains why modern "best practices" have become a destructive monoculture, hollowing out the missions of once-great companies. He introduces the concepts of Ethos and Integrity—a blueprint for balancing a company’s character with the legal strength required to resist the "mercenary" pressures of the modern market. As the conversation explores the future of AI, Eric highlights why the speed of technology cannot replace the slow process of human learning, 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 Eric’s advice on how to talk to skeptical "amoral" investors about long-term goals. He shares insights from his time building the Long-Term Stock Exchange and working with global giants, explaining how "Industrial Foundations" and specific governance structures can protect a company’s "spark" for 50 to 100 years. 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 Eric, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights at Incorruptible.co. You can also visit ltse.com to see his vision for long-term capitalism 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.

    51 min

  8. 1 May

    35 – Building Brands with Heart: How Emotion Drives B2B Success in the Age of AI

    Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Adam Morgan, VP of Brand at Twilio and author of Sorry Spock, Emotions Drive Business. In this episode, Adam shares his visionary take on why the "human element" is the ultimate competitive advantage in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise. Adam discusses the shift from purely "data-driven" demand generation to a brand-first strategy, explaining why B2B companies must move past technical "specs" to create deep emotional connections. He introduces his "Hierarchy of Messaging"—a neuroscience-backed framework for balancing the brain’s "fast" emotional systems with its "slow" logical ones. As the conversation explores the future of creativity, Adam highlights why "taste," "vision," and "bespoke experiences" are the only things AI cannot replicate, forming a "human moat" around successful modern brands. The conversation also touches on the practicalities of leadership and buy-in, including Adam’s "manifesto" approach to winning over skeptical boards and C-suite executives. He shares the story behind Twilio’s "Builder" identity, explaining how a single, powerful archetype can unite a chaotic portfolio of products and inspire everyone from developers to CEOs. This episode serves as a masterclass for any leader looking to fight the "B2B snorefest" and build a brand that resonates in the hearts, not just the minds, of their audience. To connect with Adam, find him on LinkedIn or follow his insights on Medium at The Creative Machine. You can also visit twilio.com to see the "Builder" story in action. Don't just execute—become the architect of your brand’s future! Want to be a guest on the show? Contact us HERE. To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: [relayto.com].

    52 min
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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
    104
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Alex Shevelenko
  • Show Website
    Experience-Focused Leaders