CEO 2 CEO - Conversations with Executive Leaders of The CEO Roundtable

CEO-ROUNDTABLE
CEO 2 CEO - Conversations with Executive Leaders of The CEO Roundtable

In the official podcast from The CEO Roundtable, Scott Sustacek hosts peer-to-peer conversations about the unique challenges you deal with as a chief executive. From transformational growth to talent to acquisitions and transitioning your business, we explore the big issues that impact businesses with CEOs who have been there, done that, struggled, succeeded, and are here to share their insights.

  1. NOV 13

    Ep 13. Navigating AI: Possibilities and Real-World Strategies – Andrew Fernholz, Ambient Consulting – CEO 2 CEO

    AI is everywhere in our lives and changing every day.  This is a hot topic for every leader.  In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek goes overtime with Andrew Fernholz, CEO of Ambient Consulting in exploring the ways lower middle market companies can leverage AI. In this wide-ranging conversation, Andrew shares his experience with the transformative power of AI. We discuss the best ways for CEOs to begin and we start by talking about the ‘why’ and how it can help your team or customers.  Andrew shares his insights on how AI is not about replacing jobs but reshaping the work we do - improving efficiencies, enhancing engagement and boosting effectiveness.   We then venture into building a differentiated strategy. We get deep into leveraging AI to improve efficiency in hiring and employee retention, from the possibility of shifting from traditional credentials to competency-based hiring to upskilling employees to stay competitive.  It is all fascinating stuff!   If you're curious about leveraging AI to drive strategy and growth in your business, this is an episode you will want to hear.

    51 min

  2. OCT 31

    Ep 12. More than a Sale: When Legacy and Vision Align – Kai Milota, The Maintenance Team and Jeff Chanen, former owner – CEO 2 CEO

    This episode of CEO  2 CEO explores an incredibly unique transaction between a seller with a vision of the outcome he wanted and a buyer with a vision of how he would begin his own entrepreneurial journey.  Host Scott Sustacek met with Jeff Chanen, the former owner of the Maintenance Team, and Kai Milota, the current owner and CEO, to discuss their long, deliberate ownership transition and build a collective vision for this transaction and the Maintenance Team's legacy.  They share the ups and downs of navigating a business sale—from establishing trust and managing last-minute surprises to staying calm under pressure. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of the challenges and triumphs, the boundaries and concessions, the post-sale dynamics, and their long-standing friendship.  If you’re contemplating selling your business or are fascinated by tales of successful leadership transitions, this episode is a must-listen. Get inspired by a story where legacy and vision align.

    31 min

  3. OCT 16

    Ep 11. Built to Sell: From Startup to Sold – Jaime Harris, Hydra-Flex - CEO 2 CEO

    Selling your company is, without question, an epic event.  It can bring stress, uncertainty, and the full gamut of emotions that go along with letting go of a significant part of your life.  In this episode, I talk with a long-time friend, Jaime Harris, who sold his company, Hydra-Flex, in the middle of a great growth run.  Jaime reveals how he scaled his business from a two-person startup to a $40 million enterprise.  His strategic mindset focused on scalability, developing a strong leadership team, and having the right systems and metrics in place to thrive. The conversation with Jaime reveals how being prepared allowed him to close a deal in just 27 days and reward his team for a successful transaction. Whether you’re a business owner considering a sale or just starting, Jaime’s experience offers valuable insights into scaling a company for long-term success and preparing for a lucrative exit.

    19 min

  4. JUN 24

    Ep 10. Building a Brand That Wins – Bob Freytag, Introworks – CEO 2 CEO

    In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, I had the opportunity to talk with Bob Freytag, the CEO of Introworks, about branding.  When people use the term ‘branding’, I think of the true meaning of what a brand is and how building a truly differentiated brand can be the catalyst in changing your organization.  Brand is about the stories you have created where you have helped customers in a unique way.  It’s not just the product, service, or the social media posts.  It is how you live your brand in every interaction with your stakeholders – employees, customers, vendors – that builds the essence of your brand. Bob talks about great brands that have three common traits: ✔They are emotional: they appeal on a higher level that compels you.  ✔They are simple: while products and services can be complex, the result they deliver needs to be conveyed with simplicity.  ✔They are remarkable: In the minds of a customer, a brand is different from all the others.  He takes you through the thinking you can do concerning your brand and how to bring it to life in the eyes and hearts of your customers. I’ve had the great fortune of experiencing Bob’s work firsthand, and his passion and creativity around the brand are second to none.

    27 min

  5. APR 19

    Ep 9. Managing Change: The Intricacies, the Impact – Karen Kleinhans, Community Dental Care – CEO 2 CEO

    In this episode, I talk with Karen Kleinhans, CEO of Community Dental Care, about change management.  Karen candidly shares her experience tackling the challenges she inherited and orchestrating a profound shift in her organization’s culture and results.   We explore how an organization can perceive their circumstances through a biased lens, overlooking harsh realities. Karen's data-driven approach, peeling away opinions and conjectures, enabled her to convince both her board and her team of the business realities Community Dental faced.  Through her determination to overcome the company’s inertia, she led them to a stronger financial footing and future.  Whether you're in the midst of change or contemplating its necessity for sustainability or growth, you will find this episode invaluable.

    26 min

  6. APR 2

    Ep 8. Buying a Business: Creating a Playbook and Running it – Tom Henrich, Eagle Aluminum – CEO 2 CEO

    Tom Henrich, the CEO of Eagle Aluminum, talks with me about his decision to become a business owner and his process towards a successful acquisition in 2022. Amidst a landscape where transactions may be opportunistic or with tunnel vision, Tom's approach was very strategic and deliberate. He identified his preferred geographic area and targeted industry sectors and then did the really hard work of networking and forging vital relationships with key advisors to any business–– from accounting firms to banks, attorneys, and consultants. This work led him to evaluate numerous deals and put together multiple Letters of Intent (LOIs), giving him a spectrum of options. Additionally, he also built his financing structure to get the deal done.    This is a fun success story of a local entrepreneur who is now growing Eagle Aluminum into their future. Be sure to subscribe to CEO 2 CEO and listen in on conversations where Scott connects the dots between the issues CEO’s face and the experience of remarkable guest leaders in upcoming episodes. And, be ready to be wiser from it.

    26 min

  7. MAR 5

    Ep 7. Business growth through leadership development – Mary Nutting, CorTalent – CEO 2 CEO

    Forward thinking CEO’s will tell you how important executive development is to the growth and health of the organization.  Deliberate focus on the development journey can accelerate the pace of building solid teams aligned with your vision of the future.  The reality of today’s business world is that intentional development can often get overrun by the needs of today’s strategic and operational challenges.  Do your direct reports have a development plan, and are you having consistent conversations about their progress?  What role are you playing in their growth?  We’ve turned to Mary Nutting, CEO of CorTalent, for insights on those questions.  Mary has developed an executive coaching platform that is helping companies drive more growth.  This conversation with Mary is on point with what visionary CEOs are thinking about and her perspective on the error many make in thinking that hiring a strong COO or integrator will solve all the problems…far from it, as Mary is quick to point out.  If you are about coaching and growing a stronger team to accelerate your business, you will enjoy this episode.

    21 min

  8. FEB 15

    Ep 6. Successful Leadership Transition – Mike Monson, Benson-Orth General Contractors – CEO 2 CEO

    The strategic separation of visionary and integrator roles in a company, as emphasized by EOS Traction, can be a catalyst to accelerated business growth. Mike Monson, CEO of Benson-Orth General Contractors, talks about the inflection point when he knew he needed to make this move, his decision, as well as the execution plan for a successful leadership transition.   He shares how he successfully hired the right person and developed the President position to help accelerate the growth of the company.  You’ll hear Mike’s thoughtful approach to this and the communication cadence they honed, creating a tandem that ensures Mike and his president are on the same page with major decisions. The CEO Roundtable comprises executives representing many fast-growing Minnesota companies who desire to share their ideas, experiences, and insights. Our CEO Roundtable leadership development groups include entrepreneurs interested in growing their companies by leveraging the knowledge of their peers.

    23 min
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5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

In the official podcast from The CEO Roundtable, Scott Sustacek hosts peer-to-peer conversations about the unique challenges you deal with as a chief executive. From transformational growth to talent to acquisitions and transitioning your business, we explore the big issues that impact businesses with CEOs who have been there, done that, struggled, succeeded, and are here to share their insights.

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