The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends

jeffpelaccio
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Interviews with successful leaders and company founders sharing stories of their career journey, great leadership, and not-so-great. It will help you become a better leader while poking fun at all the crazy shit that happens in corporate America. Hosted by Jeff Pelaccio who has over 40 years of leadership experience for every t-shirt size company - Small (4 employees) to XL (over 1 million employees). Listen, learn, and laugh each week to learn from great leaders from all walks of life.

  1. 1d ago

    Back on the Couch: Help Me Think Through This with Mary Messner

    Mary Messner is back on The Corporate Couch. Again. At this point, she may need her own parking space. Mary returns with her new book, Help Me Think Through This (https://a.co/d/06Af484P), built around a simple idea: creativity is not just for artists or designers. It is the courage to keep going in a new and different way. Jeff and Mary talk about where that idea came from, including the wonderfully strange story of a failed band called Wicked Lester that reinvented itself with face paint, wigs, new names, and a slightly more memorable identity: KISS. They also unpack Mary’s idea to “stand on your own circle,” her Highline framework for moving forward when you do not have the entire route figured out, and why saying “help me think through this” is so different from asking someone to solve your problem. The conversation also gets into TED Talks, keynote speeches that bomb, ghostwriters, deleting 10,000 words from your own book, asking better questions, and learning to say: I don’t know how to do this yet. This is a conversation about creativity, courage, experimentation, purpose, asking for help, and putting something into the world before you are completely sure how it will turn out.   At Pelaccio & Partners, we help leaders stay connected to their people as their organizations grow. We create internal podcasts that make leadership communication more human, give employees a voice, and help build a more connected and engaged workforce. Think less corporate broadcast. More conversation people actually want to hear. Whether your employees are across the hall or across the country, an internal podcast can keep leaders visible, employees connected, and important messages from getting buried in the inbox. Curious what one could look like for your organization? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or schedule a 15-minute call with Jeff.

  2. Sep 28

    George Brooks: Build the Company. Get Out of the Way.

    George Brooks (bio below) built Crema almost by accident. Then, 18 years later, he did something that may have been even harder: He left it for two months. Completely. No email. No checking the pipeline. No “just one quick question” from the founder. And when George returned from his sabbatical, the company was doing just fine. Actually, better than fine. That created a much bigger question: If the company can thrive without you, who should you be when you come back? George’s path to entrepreneurship was hardly textbook. He left college, taught himself design, worked a job he hated to support his wife through nursing school, and eventually started freelancing largely because he needed to stay close to his premature daughter, who spent the first seven months of her life in the hospital. Then came one of my favorite startup stories. A potential client asked George to propose a redesign of a massive healthcare website. He did some back-of-the-napkin math, slid a proposal across the table for $400,000, and they said yes. George’s reaction was basically: Excellent. Followed immediately by: Well, shit. Now I actually have to do this. That project helped turn freelancing into Crema and eventually a company that grew to around 60 people. George and I talk about building a culture where people can do the best work of their lives, why great leaders should destroy bottlenecks instead of becoming one, how sabbaticals can expose weaknesses in an organization, and why being great at reacting to everything may not actually mean you’re leading effectively. We also get into AI, human-centered technology, curiosity, “humble confidence,” sleep, rest, and George’s wonderfully counterintuitive advice for young professionals: Ignorance can be a superpower. Ask dumb questions. Make terrible work. Keep learning. Because terrible work eventually becomes better work. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, culture, leadership, family, rest, reinvention, and the strange moment when a founder realizes one of the greatest signs of success may be that everything doesn’t fall apart when he leaves.   This episode is brought to you by... Pelaccio & Partners. Ever wish your company updates could be less “quarterly earnings report” and more “late-night talk show”? At Pelaccio & Partners, we help leaders stay connected to their people as their organizations grow. We create internal podcasts that make leadership communication more human, give employees a voice, and help build a more connected and engaged workforce. Think less corporate broadcast. More conversation people actually want to hear. Whether your employees are across the hall or across the country, an internal podcast can keep leaders visible, employees connected, and important messages from getting buried in the inbox. Curious what one could look like for your organization? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or schedule a 15-minute call with Jeff.   About George: George Brooks is driven by bringing together creative and innovative teams to do the best work of their lives, especially in the era of AI. As CEO of Crema, he stands by the idea that he's in the business of people. His passion for people has led to the sought-after environment inside Crema.  Crema has served brands like Adidas and H&R Block, top global consultancies, global private equity firms, and cybersecurity providers from around the world.   Currently, George is the co-host and facilitator of the People of Product podcast. He's often found having a cup of coffee with other business leaders who are trying to navigate and adapt in an ever-changing world.

  3. Sep 21

    Bad Bosses, Better Leadership, and Calling Your Own Shots with Steve Jorgenson

    Steve Jorgenson (see bio below) has had an interesting career. Law school. An MBA. Government contracts. Staffing and recruiting. Entrepreneurship. Hockey. Rugby. Remote work around the world. And more than a few bosses who provided excellent examples of how not to lead. In this conversation, Jeff talks with Steve about growing up outside Chicago, being a spectacularly unenthusiastic high school student, eventually earning both a JD and MBA, and navigating a career filled with difficult managers, big responsibilities, entrepreneurial swings, and a few hard-earned lessons. Steve shares what it was like managing a $200 million government contract in his twenties, building trust with an employee who initially wanted nothing to do with him, and repeatedly finding himself in workplaces where truth-telling and new ideas were not always welcomed. He also talks about launching his first company, learning some painful lessons when business partners betrayed his trust, and why those experiences helped shape his newest venture, Poach Prevent, a company designed to help businesses protect themselves from having recruiting partners poach the very employees they are being paid to help hire. Along the way, Steve explains why the best boss of his career earned his trust by giving him room to do his job, why managers should be resources rather than roadblocks, and why great leaders give credit away instead of hoarding it like leftover Halloween candy. This is a conversation about bad bosses, good leadership, entrepreneurship, trust, resilience, remote work, career reinvention, and what happens when you finally realize work does not have to feel miserable. And yes, we also cover rugby in Ireland, hockey dreams, hip replacement at 35, working abroad with your spouse for months at a time, dog summer camp, signing a contract with the NHL, and canceling a $600 wing-walking adventure because apparently standing on top of an airplane without doing barrel rolls was not exciting enough.   This episode is brought to you by... Pelaccio & Partners. Ever wish your company updates could be less “quarterly earnings report” and more “late-night talk show”? At Pelaccio & Partners, we help leaders stay connected to their people as their organizations grow. We create internal podcasts that make leadership communication more human, give employees a voice, and help build a more connected and engaged workforce. Think less corporate broadcast. More conversation people actually want to hear. Whether your employees are across the hall or across the country, an internal podcast can keep leaders visible, employees connected, and important messages from getting buried in the inbox. Curious what one could look like for your organization? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or schedule a 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Steve: Steve Jorgenson is the founder of Poach Prevent, a first-of-its-kind compliance auditing tool designed to bring more transparency to non-solicit agreements between external recruiters and their clients. He is also the Global Director of Legal Operations and Data Privacy Officer at The Planet Group, with deep experience across recruiting, staffing, contracts, compliance, and entrepreneurship. With a JD and MBA, Steve brings a practical business lens to complex legal and operational challenges. Outside of work, he and his wife have embraced remote work and global travel, spending much of the past several years living and working abroad.

  4. Sep 14

    From Laminating ID Cards to the C-Suite with Diankha Linear

    Diankha Linear’s career (see bio below) did not exactly begin with a polished five-year plan. It started with a red hope chest, a flight from Seattle to Washington, D.C., and the discovery that she had forgotten to apply for housing and complete the FAFSA. So naturally, she joined the Army. In this episode, Jeff talks with Diankha about a remarkable career that moved from humble beginnings in West Seattle to military service, airborne school, law school at the University of Pennsylvania, big law, in-house leadership, tech startups, the C-suite, CEO roles, and major board leadership. Diankha shares how school became her haven, why fairness and justice pulled her toward the law, and how the Army transformed from “temporary college funding plan” into one of the most important chapters of her life. She also talks about becoming a JAG officer, learning logistics and leadership, making the jump from lawyer to operator, and discovering that she did not just want to advise decision-makers. She wanted to be in the room where the decisions were made. Jeff and Diankha also dig into Nordstrom’s culture, Convoy’s startup intensity, board leadership, risk in the age of AI and cybersecurity, and her newest venture, Tribute, a purpose-driven elder care concept with what she calls “Golden Girls energy.” This is a conversation about reinvention, ambition, service, leadership, curiosity, judgment, resilience, and what happens when someone refuses to stay in just one lane. And yes, we also cover driving ranges, physics rabbit holes, Audible badges, blackberry soup, Kmart fishing poles, Thurgood Marshall, LinkedIn Easy Apply, the Nordstrom employee discount, and why leading people with appreciation and respect is not optional unless you enjoy being quietly sabotaged.   This episode is brought to you by... Pelaccio & Partners. Ever wish your company updates could be less “quarterly earnings report” and more “late-night talk show”? At Pelaccio & Partners, we help leaders stay connected to their people as their organizations grow. We create internal podcasts that make leadership communication more human, give employees a voice, and help build a more connected and engaged workforce. Think less corporate broadcast. More conversation people actually want to hear. Whether your employees are across the hall or across the country, an internal podcast can keep leaders visible, employees connected, and important messages from getting buried in the inbox. Curious what one could look like for your organization? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or schedule a 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Diankha: Diankha Linear is a senior executive, operator, and board director with more than 25 years of experience leading across highly regulated technology, logistics, retail, and healthcare organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and as Risk Committee Chair for Lumen Technologies, Board Chair for Swedish Health Services, and Chairperson of Seattle Hospitality Group.​  Previously, Diankha served as President and CEO of Community, Inc., a customer engagement technology company, and held executive leadership roles at Convoy, Nordstrom, and Expeditors International. Her leadership foundation also includes 16 years of military education and training as an Army Airborne/Paratrooper, Civil Affairs, Special Operations, and JAG officer. Throughout her career, Diankha has been a passionate advocate for youth, health equity, and education, serving on multiple nonprofit boards and community organizations.tion.

  5. Sep 7

    When the Map Runs Out: Leading Beyond the Uniform with Milford “Beags” Beagle

    Milford “Beags” Beagle (bio below) has spent his life getting over hurdles. Sometimes literally. Before he became a senior U.S. Army leader with a 35-year career, Beags was a kid from small-town South Carolina who admired his truck-driving father, played in the woods, broke his mom’s chairs practicing hurdle technique, and became a state champion hurdler. That combination of blue-collar grit, athletic discipline, and comfort with hard things eventually led him into the Army, where he discovered a new kind of team. In this episode, Jeff talks with Beags about what it means to wear “the cloth of our nation,” how his military career shaped his leadership philosophy, and why the transition from military service to the private sector is not about leaving leadership behind. It is about translating it. Beags shares stories from his first days as a young platoon leader, when he was suddenly responsible for more than 30 soldiers before he was even old enough to legally drink. He also reflects on leading at scale, including the challenge of influencing thousands of people across multiple layers of an organization. The conversation also covers his powerful Fort Jackson story, where Beags commanded the same post where his great-grandfather trained during World War I, exactly 100 years later. It is a remarkable full-circle moment about history, progress, service, and legacy. Jeff and Beags also talk about truth tellers, the danger of leaders getting trapped in a “cone of silence,” why feedback is the breakfast of champions, and why great leaders should be data-informed, not data-driven. This is a conversation about service, humility, uncertainty, leadership, reinvention, and why the best leaders keep moving even when the map runs out. And yes, we also cover 18-wheelers, “steel and sex appeal,” broken living room chairs, getting voted off the island and finding your way back, “how to handle me” documents, climate as the front door to culture, and why you lead people but manage systems and processes.   This episode is brought to you by... Pelaccio & Partners. Ever wish your company updates could be less “quarterly earnings report” and more “late-night talk show”? At Pelaccio & Partners, we help leaders stay connected to their people as their organizations grow. We create internal podcasts that make leadership communication more human, give employees a voice, and help build a more connected and engaged workforce. Think less corporate broadcast. More conversation people actually want to hear. Whether your employees are across the hall or across the country, an internal podcast can keep leaders visible, employees connected, and important messages from getting buried in the inbox. Curious what one could look like for your organization? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or schedule a 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Beags: Milford H. “Beags” Beagle Jr. is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General, leadership advisor, and organizational strategist with more than 35 years of experience leading transformation inside some of the nation’s largest and most complex institutions.​  As the former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Beags led the Army’s professional military education, leader development, doctrine, and training integration enterprise, influencing more than 200,000 learners annually and modernization efforts impacting more than 1.5 million personnel worldwide. Today, he advises public and private sector organizations on leadership, organizational effectiveness, strategic alignment, and the human side of transformation, helping leaders turn complexity into clarity and strategy into action.

  6. Aug 31

    DJ DiDonna: Big Time Off and Feeling Human Again

    DJ DiDonna (see bio below) believes time off can change your life. Not “check your email from a beach chair” time off. Real time off. In this conversation, Jeff talks with DJ about his new book, Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One, and why sabbaticals can be far more than an extended vacation. DJ’s own sabbatical came after building what looked like a dream career. He co-founded a mission-driven company, lived and worked around the world, and was doing meaningful work that helped expand access to credit in emerging markets. From the outside, it looked like success. From the inside, he was burned out. So DJ stepped away. He walked a 900-mile pilgrimage in Japan, spent time caring for his mother, helped family and friends, wrote postcards, picked up music again, and started to understand what it means to feel human again. Jeff and DJ talk about functional workaholism, why vacations are not the same as sabbaticals, how work becomes identity, why people often wait for a crisis before taking real time off, and how companies could use sabbaticals as a serious tool for retention, creativity, leadership development, and human sustainability. This is a conversation about burnout, ambition, identity, family, creativity, rest, and the radical idea that maybe we were not designed to be productivity appliances with LinkedIn profiles. And yes, we also cover Notre Dame, karaoke theory, A-ha’s “Take On Me,” Angie's List, Japan, ukulele songwriting, Pebble Beach, and why your retirement bucket list might deserve a few items moved closer to today.   This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while keeping them informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   About DJ: DJ DiDonna is a senior lecturer of business administration at Harvard Business School, where he teaches MBA courses on entrepreneurship and building meaningful professional and personal lives. He has spent his career translating social science research into real-world tools for positive change.​ In 2019, DiDonna founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research the role of sabbaticals in modern life. He has helped organizations around the world—from nonprofits to Fortune 50 companies—design and implement sabbatical policies. His work has been featured in The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Time, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Previously, DiDonna cofounded EFL Global, a fintech company that enabled more than $2 billion in capital to underbanked businesses and individuals across twenty countries before its acquisition in 2018. DiDonna earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. On his sabbatical, DiDonna walked nine hundred miles on pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan​ kitchen. Outside work, you can find him plotting how to be in the Big Outdoors. Learn more at​ www.thesabbaticalproject.org and www.djdidonna.com.

  7. Aug 24

    Joy Spotting and the Spiritual Side of Work with Jessica Grossmeier

    Jessica Grossmeier (see bio below) has spent more than 25 years helping organizations understand what it really takes for people to thrive at work. And no, it is not just a fitness challenge, a meditation app, and a sad banana in the break room. In this episode, Jeff talks with Jessica about workplace well-being, burnout, human-centered organizations, and the deeper role that meaning, connection, purpose, and spirituality play in how people experience their work. Jessica grew up in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, home of Leinenkugel’s beer, competitive diving, lots of reading, and, apparently, the possibility of a beer-and-mustard tour across Wisconsin. Her early love of movement, health, and learning eventually led her into corporate wellness, where her first job placed her inside the UAW Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant. That experience taught her an important lesson: never assume you know someone’s full story just because of their job title, uniform, shift, or rough edges. From there, Jessica built a career as a practitioner, researcher, author, advisor, and speaker. But after years of studying workplace well-being, she experienced burnout herself and realized something important: burnout is not just an individual problem. It is often a system problem. Jessica also shares the story of her 2021 sabbatical, the restlessness that led her to take it, and how that year helped her explore workplace spirituality: the practices that help people connect more deeply to themselves, to others, and to something bigger than themselves. This is a conversation about burnout, purpose, leadership, sabbaticals, faith, joy spotting, human-centered work, and why how you do your job matters just as much as what you do. And yes, we also cover introverted speakers, Stephen King in fifth grade, The Godfather, springboard diving, water aerobics, Polish-free Wisconsin beer tourism, corporate layoffs, and why “your colleagues think you’re prickly” may be one of the more useful performance reviews a high achiever can receive.   This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while keeping them informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff. About Jessica: Jessica Grossmeier, PhD, MPH is an organizational strategist, researcher, and author of two books on workplace well-being and human thriving. For more than 30 years she has studied what drives sustainable human performance — and helped organizations demonstrate the value of investing in the conditions that make it possible. She helps leaders identify those conditions and design them into new ways of working, for the benefit of people and the organization. She is a Senior Fellow at the Health Enhancement Research Organization, chairs the Workplace Wellbeing Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute, and has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles.

  8. Aug 17

    Matthew Naylor: From Billy Carts to Liberty’s Beacon

    Dr. Matthew Naylor (see bio below) grew up in Melbourne, Australia, making billy carts from rubber factory wheels and learning early lessons about independence, possibility, and the common good. Today, he is the President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, one of Kansas City’s most iconic institutions and, in Matthew’s words, “Kansas City’s front porch.” In this episode, Jeff talks with Matthew about his Australian childhood, his father’s World War II service, his own early experience as an exchange student in the United States, and the leadership journey that eventually brought him to Kansas City. Matthew shares powerful stories about purpose, stewardship, servant leadership, and why the Museum and Memorial is much more than a place to remember the past. It is a gathering place, a civic symbol, and a beacon for democracy. They also talk about Matthew’s deeply moving connection to Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, the leadership lesson that changed how he thinks about reality versus the preferred future, and why he believes even straight mowing lines and picking up tiny pieces of trash matter when you are caring for sacred ground. This conversation comes during the Museum and Memorial’s centennial year, leading up to the Sept. 21 Centennial Gala at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the debut of "Liberty’s Beacon", a lighting and video installation designed to illuminate the Memorial in a way Kansas City has never seen before. This is a conversation about leadership, memory, democracy, service, storytelling, and what it means to steward something bigger than yourself. And yes, we also cover Australian go-karts, tattoos in World War I, free speech on the lawn, Kansas City’s best view, and why a CEO should never be too important to pick up a piece of paper.   This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while keeping them informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Matt: Dr. Matthew Naylor is the President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Since beginning his tenure in 2013, Matthew has helped lead the Museum and Memorial through a period of extraordinary growth, including record-setting attendance, philanthropy, educational engagement, community events, digital learning, and national visibility.​  Under his leadership, the Museum and Memorial has continued to expand its role as one of Kansas City’s most meaningful gathering places, hosting major civic events, championship parades, the 2023 NFL Draft, and the city’s annual Independence Day celebration.​ Matthew brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience and has been recognized as Nonprofit PRO’s “Executive of the Year,” one of Ingram’s “50 Missourians You Should Know,” and a recipient of the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas City’s “Outstanding Kansas Citizen Award.” Originally from Australia, Matthew earned his Ph.D. from Curtin University in Perth and serves on boards for several civic and educational initiatives.

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About

Interviews with successful leaders and company founders sharing stories of their career journey, great leadership, and not-so-great. It will help you become a better leader while poking fun at all the crazy shit that happens in corporate America. Hosted by Jeff Pelaccio who has over 40 years of leadership experience for every t-shirt size company - Small (4 employees) to XL (over 1 million employees). Listen, learn, and laugh each week to learn from great leaders from all walks of life.

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