The Executive Appeal with Alex D. Tremble

Alex D. Tremble
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

The Executive Appeal is the show for CEOs of early eight‑figure, operations‑heavy companies who feel like the business only really moves when they push. If you’re running a $10M–$25M company and every big decision still rolls up to you… your leaders are smart but misaligned… and you’re tired of being the hero that keeps everything moving… this is your room. Host Alex D. Tremble – Industrial‑Organizational Psychologist, bestselling author, and CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions – sits down with CEOs and senior leaders (especially from multi‑location and logistics / industrial services businesses) to talk about what it actually takes to: Stop being the bottleneck in every major decision Build leaders who own problems and bring solutions Install a simple leadership operating system so the company runs fast without you in every fire You’ll hear unfiltered stories about wins, misses, and the behavior changes that made the biggest difference – not canned talking points. Alongside CEO interviews, Alex releases occasional short solo episodes breaking down specific leadership behaviors, operating rhythms, and 90‑day plays you can apply directly in your company. New episodes available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. If you want a company that can run without you carrying it on your back, hit play.

  1. EP 224: The Real Reason Operators Can't Step Away And How One CEO Fixed It

    May 27

    EP 224: The Real Reason Operators Can't Step Away And How One CEO Fixed It

    If you're running a multi-location, operations-heavy company and you're still the person every major decision runs through, this episode is a direct conversation about why that's happening and what it actually takes to change it. Anthony Apa, President of Mark-It Express LLC and a third-generation operator in transportation and logistics, built a portfolio spanning asset-based trucking, freight brokerage, warehousing, and supply chain services. He's done the hard thing: scaled past the point where the business runs on his daily presence alone. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how and how long it took. You'll learn: - Why most CEOs at this level hit a trust ceiling around the 80% mark, and why waiting for 100% certainty is what keeps you stuck - How Tony vets outside advisors and coaches (the non-negotiable credential that disqualifies most of them immediately) - Why venting down the org chart quietly destroys your team's confidence, and what to do instead - How tolerating the wrong high performer costs you your best people and your culture - What finally signaled to Tony, in a single moment after a dinner with his wife, that he had built the right leadership bench If every high-stakes decision still lands on your desk first, if you haven't taken real time away without your phone running hot, or if you're not fully confident your regional and senior leaders will own the right calls without you, this episode gives you a framework, not a pep talk. Listen now, and take the free Scorecard Diagnostic to find your specific leadership bottleneck: 👉 https://gpsleadership.org/scorecard/ Share this episode with another operator who needs to hear it.

    52 min
  2. EP 223: How CEOs Can Stop Every Decision Rolling Back Up

    May 20

    EP 223: How CEOs Can Stop Every Decision Rolling Back Up

    What happens when the CEO becomes the operational bottleneck, even with a strong team in place? In this episode of The Executive Appeal, Scott Lovell shares how he transitioned from HR manager to President/CEO of SmithCo Side Dump Trailers and learned one of the hardest lessons for growing operations-heavy companies: if every major decision still depends on the CEO, growth eventually slows down. With more than 25 years helping scale SmithCo, Scott breaks down how he moved from working in the business to building a leadership team capable of owning decisions, driving execution, and leading without constant oversight. In this conversation, CEOs and operators will learn: - How to reduce “everything comes back to me” leadership patterns - Why high-performing leaders need space to lead instead of constant approval - How trust and visibility impact ownership across the organization - The operational risks of micromanaging multi-location teams - How servant leadership increases accountability, buy-in, and execution speed Scott also shares practical lessons on introducing automation without destroying trust, building leadership infrastructure before scaling, and creating succession readiness inside operations-heavy organizations. This episode is for you if: - Your managers still escalate too many problems to you - Your company has strong people but inconsistent ownership - You struggle to find time to work on the business instead of constantly firefighting inside it - You want faster execution without personally carrying every major decision Listen now and share this episode with another CEO or operator working to build a stronger, more proactive leadership team. Take the CEO Scorecard here: gpsleadership.org/scorecard

    44 min
  3. EP 222: How Leaders Build Ownership and Adapt Through Constant Change

    May 13

    EP 222: How Leaders Build Ownership and Adapt Through Constant Change

    In this episode of The Executive Appeal, Siri and Alex D. Tremble unpack what leadership really looks like when teams are moving fast, change is constant, and the pressure to adapt never stops. Sirisha “Siri” Swahari is Vice President and PMSO Sector Leader for US Global Technology Operations at CGI, where she leads global infrastructure operations, oversees multi-million-dollar portfolios, and helps drive responsible AI innovation at scale. They explore why leaders struggle with letting go, how proactive leadership creates ownership, and why resistance to change remains one of the biggest barriers to growth, even in high-performing organizations. You’ll learn: - How to shift teams from reactive execution to proactive ownership - Why adaptability is becoming one of the most important leadership skills - How leaders can make difficult “right vs. right” decisions with clarity - What causes burnout in high-performing leaders and how to prevent it - How AI is forcing organizations to rethink processes, governance, and leadership This episode is for you if: - You feel stuck solving the same problems repeatedly - Your team works hard, but ownership still falls back on you - You’re leading through rapid change and uncertainty - You want to build a healthier, more sustainable leadership approach Listen now and learn how stronger leadership habits create stronger teams, better decisions, and more resilient organizations. Take the scorecard here: gpsleadership.org/scorecard

    41 min
  4. EP 221: How Leaders of Operations Businesses Build Ownership That Reduces Daily Firefighting

    May 6

    EP 221: How Leaders of Operations Businesses Build Ownership That Reduces Daily Firefighting

    Michael Wright, Vice President of Strategic Growth at JANUS Research Group, has spent 25+ years helping organizations evolve from activity-driven execution to outcome-based performance in high-stakes environments. In this episode, he and Alex D. Tremble break down a challenge most leaders of a multi-location, operations-heavy business doing roughly eight figures in revenue face: your team is busy—but you’re still the one driving results. They explore how leaders get stuck in constant firefighting, why ownership breaks down, and how emerging tools like AI are forcing leaders to rethink how work—and leadership—actually happens. You’ll learn: How to shift your team from activity to outcome-driven executionWhat it really takes to build ownership across your leadership benchWhy leaders struggle to “let go” and how to fix it without losing controlHow to balance daily operations with long-term strategic thinkingWhere AI helps—and where it quietly increases leadership risk This is for you if: You’re still the default problem-solver for your teamYour leaders stay busy, but progress feels slowYou struggle to step out of the day-to-day without things slipping Listen now and start building a team that owns results—not just tasks. If this hits home, share it with another operator who’s feeling the same pressure.

    42 min
  5. EP 220: How CEOs of Operations Businesses Build Trust That Drives Action

    Apr 29

    EP 220: How CEOs of Operations Businesses Build Trust That Drives Action

    If you’re a CEO of a multi-location, operations-heavy business doing roughly eight figures in revenue, you’ve likely felt this: you have solid managers but they still hesitate, filter information, or wait for you before making a move. In this episode of Executive Appeal podcast, Alex sits down with Janis Middleton, Chief Inclusion Officer at 22Squared and founder of First, Not Only Network. With years of experience influencing senior leaders and building trust inside complex organizations, Janis breaks down why teams hold back and what leaders do that either builds or quietly erodes trust. This isn’t theory. It’s what actually happens inside teams when people don’t feel safe to speak up or act. You’ll learn: How to communicate in a way that keeps people engaged instead of defensiveWhy your managers hesitate to act and how to unlock real ownershipHow to create an environment where truth shows up early, not lateWhat to do so decisions stop bouncing back to your desk This episode is for you if: You’re still the one everyone waits on before actingProblems show up late instead of earlyYou feel like you’re carrying too much of the decision load If you want your team to move faster, take initiative, and stop relying on you for every call—this episode will show you where to start. Take the free Executive Leadership Diagnostic here: https://gpsleadership.org/diagnostic/ Listen now and share this with another operator who’s tired of being the bottleneck.

    44 min
  6. EP 219: How Multi-Location CEOs Build Trust Through Hard Decisions

    Apr 22

    EP 219: How Multi-Location CEOs Build Trust Through Hard Decisions

    If you’re a CEO of a multi-location, operations-heavy business doing roughly eight figures in revenue, you already know this: growth doesn’t break your business, misalignment and low trust do. In this episode, Alex sits down with Ryan Changcoco, Principal at CCG and The Marketing Ronin, GP at Anchorage Pointe Ventures, and CEO of a fast-growing pediatric behavioral health organization expanding across multiple states. Ryan shares what it actually looks like to lead through pressure, government shutdowns, layoffs, rapid expansion, and high-stakes decisions that impact both people and performance. This is a conversation about trust under pressure and how CEOs either build it or break it when it matters most. You’ll learn: - How to use transparency to build trust even when delivering hard news - A practical decision framework to handle “right vs. right” leadership calls - How to get buy-in from your leadership team during uncertainty - Why most teams hesitate and how to create real ownership instead - How to move from emotional noise to clear, fast execution This episode is for you if: - You’re still the one carrying every hard decision - Your team is capable but hesitates or waits for your call - Growth is exposing cracks in alignment, trust, or execution This isn’t theory. It’s what real CEOs do when the stakes are high and the business can’t slow down. Listen now and learn how to build the kind of trust that drives execution not dependency. Take the free Executive Leadership Diagnostic here: https://gpsleadership.org/diagnostic/

    47 min
  7. EP 218: For CEOs Tired of Slow Execution | Build Teams That Act Without You

    Apr 15

    EP 218: For CEOs Tired of Slow Execution | Build Teams That Act Without You

    If you’re leading a $10M–$25M, multi-location, operations-heavy business, you’ve likely felt it: revenue slows down unless you step in and push. In this episode, Alex D. Tremble sits down with Lara Shackelford, CEO of Hawksmoor.ai, where she architects AI-driven go-to-market systems for enterprise and mid-market companies. With deep experience across Oracle, Microsoft, and high-growth environments, Lara breaks down why most teams fail to act on the signals right in front of them and how that creates hidden bottlenecks at the top. This conversation focuses on a core issue many operators face: a lack of proactive ownership across teams, leading to slow execution, misalignment, and too many decisions rolling back to the CEO. You’ll learn: How to get your leaders to own revenue, not just their functionWhy sales, marketing, and operations must act as one coordinated systemHow to use real-time signals to trigger action without waiting for directionWhat it takes to build teams that move faster without constant oversightHow better alignment reduces decision fatigue and execution delays This episode is for you if: You’re still the one pushing revenue forward every weekYour teams are smart, but not acting fast enough without youExecution across locations or departments feels uneven Take the free Executive Leadership Diagnostic here: https://gpsleadership.org/diagnostic/ Listen now to learn how to build a business that moves without everything running through you.

    41 min
  8. EP 217: How Leaders Eliminate Backchannel Decisions and Build Real Trust

    Apr 8

    EP 217: How Leaders Eliminate Backchannel Decisions and Build Real Trust

    If you’re leading a $10M–$25M, multi-location, operations-heavy business, you’ve likely seen it: your team aligns in the meeting… then decisions get questioned, reshaped, or quietly undermined afterward. In this episode, Alex Tremble sits down with Laurie J. Fitzmaurice, Independent Board Member and Consultant, who brings 30+ years of experience building and leading $7.5B+ in energy infrastructure projects across the U.S. and Latin America. She’s led companies, sat on 8 boards, and currently serves on the board of Saavi Energía, the largest private power generator in Mexico. This conversation gets real about trust breakdowns at the leadership level—and how CEOs unintentionally create them. You’ll learn: Why executive teams say “yes” in the room but disagree in the hallwayHow side conversations and small-group alignment quietly erode trustHow to force productive disagreement in the room, not after the factPractical ways to build transparency so decisions actually stickHow to structure communication so your team owns decisions without you re-stepping in This is for you if: You feel like decisions don’t hold once the meeting endsYour leadership team is strong—but not fully alignedYou’re still the one reconciling conflicts and re-making decisionsThere’s more politics or hesitation than you’d like at the top This episode will help you build the kind of trust that speeds up execution—and gets decisions to stick the first time. Listen now and share this with another operator who’s tired of carrying every decision. Take the free Executive Leadership Diagnostic here: www.gpsleadership.org/diagnostic

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Executive Appeal is the show for CEOs of early eight‑figure, operations‑heavy companies who feel like the business only really moves when they push. If you’re running a $10M–$25M company and every big decision still rolls up to you… your leaders are smart but misaligned… and you’re tired of being the hero that keeps everything moving… this is your room. Host Alex D. Tremble – Industrial‑Organizational Psychologist, bestselling author, and CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions – sits down with CEOs and senior leaders (especially from multi‑location and logistics / industrial services businesses) to talk about what it actually takes to: Stop being the bottleneck in every major decision Build leaders who own problems and bring solutions Install a simple leadership operating system so the company runs fast without you in every fire You’ll hear unfiltered stories about wins, misses, and the behavior changes that made the biggest difference – not canned talking points. Alongside CEO interviews, Alex releases occasional short solo episodes breaking down specific leadership behaviors, operating rhythms, and 90‑day plays you can apply directly in your company. New episodes available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. If you want a company that can run without you carrying it on your back, hit play.

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