Becoming Preferred

Michael Vickers
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

In this informative and practical podcast, Michael and his guests share the latest strategies and tactics to help you become the preferred provider (the emotional favorite) in the markets you serve. The key insights and strategies discussed, come from Michael's experience working with many of the finest brands in business today and his guest interviews will inspire you, educate you, and give you the tools you need to be successful in today's turbulent and competitive marketplace.

  1. 2d ago

    Debra Angilletta — Transforming Financial Chaos: The Hidden Profits Framework

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 2 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast designed to help you level up your game and become the best version of you. If your income or revenue personally or professionally looks strong on paper, but your bank account at the end of the month tells a completely different story, you are definitely not alone. Too many brilliant entrepreneurs and professionals, find themselves trapped on a cash-flow roller coaster, driving top-line growth while quietly sacrificing their peace of mind, their sleep, and their freedom outside of work. Because financial stress doesn't stay at the office. When your finances are reactive and unpredictable, it bleeds into your personal life, robbing you of the energy you should be spending on your family, your health, and the things that truly matter. Our guest today is a master at turning financial chaos into predictable momentum. With over 30 years of finance experience, she is a powerhouse Fractional CFO, business strategist, and the author of Hidden Profits. She specializes in helping entrepreneurs uncover silent profit leaks, improve cash flow, and finally build the financial stability needed to pay themselves consistently and reclaim their lives. Please join me for my powerful conversation with Debra Angilletta. Guest Bio: Debra Angilletta is a former Wall Street trader, Fractional CFO, and Master Certified Profit First Professional with more than 30 years of experience helping business owners turn revenue into real profit. As the author of Hidden Profits: Stop Chasing Cash–Predictable Profit in 90 Days, Debra helps answer the question, "Where did all my money go?" Debra uncovers the hidden money leaks draining cash, helps owners create predictable profit, and shows them how to build financially healthy businesses that generate more cash without simply working harder or selling more. Resource Links: Website: findmyhiddenprofits.comProduct Link: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Schedule-Streamline-Skyrocket-ebook/dp/B00PMKZZSA?ref_=ast_author_mpbProduct Liink: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Profits-Chasing-Predictable-Profit-ebook/dp/B0GRRNXWVY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GSPXOX3YE87O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.52U2iz0_Uqn5afS6AInqhg.4K6mExhPPZil55I0iyvjk2u72m7gbwEXLy1JImrOY58&dib_tag=se&keywords=hidden+profits+debra+angilletta&qid=1782742975&s=digital-text&sprefix=hidden+profits+debra+angilletta%2Cdigital-text%2C179&sr=1-1 Insight Gold Timestamps: 02:09 When I was a child, my favorite toy was the cash register 03:03 Money equaled freedom 06:10 Are you seeing common mindset issues? 07:51 When it comes to money, it's something that people feel like they're a math person or they're not a math person 10:51 A lot of times they don't have time to work on the business 13:12 Start making money, expenses keep going up 16:48 I like to revisit the SaaS subscriptions, make sure we're using everything in the business to the ability that we can 20:39 That can really increase your revenues just by making that one little tweak 22:38 We call it the Goldilocks pricing 25:34 What is it that you love that your accountant does for you? And what is it that you wish they did more of? 27:47 It all depends on what the business owner is looking for 30:53 She wound up 10X'ing her profits and then reducing her expenses by about half 34:11 CAC is the customer acquisition cost, and LTV, lifetime value of the client, and most people don't go there 36:22 If your revenue resets to zero on the first of every month, you don't have a scalable business, you just have a high-stress job 37:02 I always like to say the money's in your time 39:42 If I was to design things in an ideal manner, what would my life and my business look like? 42:45 Your book, Hidden Profits, is an incredible roadmap 42:54 You can find it at findmyhiddenprofits.com Connect Socially: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraangilletta/ Email: debra@debraangilletta.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Debra Angilletta — Transforming Financial Chaos: The Hidden Profits Framework

  2. Aug 24

    Joe Davis — Leadership Redefined: Embracing Generosity as Your Competitive Edge

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 5 Episode Overview: Welcome back to the Becoming Preferred Podcast, where we focus on insights to help you level up your game and become the best version of you. When you think about what makes a business or a leader valuable, it’s easy to focus on strategy, metrics, and technical execution. Most people associate top-tier strategy consulting with pure analytics and spreadsheets—our guest today proves that the highest-yield leadership strategy on Earth is actually generosity. Joe Davis spent nearly four decades at Boston Consulting Group, serving as Managing Director and Senior Partner, leading BCG North America, and co-founding its Public Sector practice—guiding leaders right through the heart of the 2008 banking crisis. He’s helped build innovation hubs across Silicon Valley and now serves as an award-winning author and speaker on a mission to redefine high-performance leadership. In his landmark book, The Generous Leader, Joe shows us why treating people with deep, intentional generosity isn't soft—it’s your greatest competitive advantage. Please join me for my conversation with Joe Davis. Guest Bio: Joe Davis is an award-winning author and speaker on a mission to bring generosity to leadership. He spent 1987 to 2025 at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he served as a Managing Director and Senior Partner. Joe led BCG North America and founded its Center for Inclusion and Equity. After working in BCG’s Boston and Australia offices, Joe co-founded BCG’s Washington, DC, office in 1996 and took over its leadership in 2006. While leading the Washington, DC, office, he became the firm’s first Northeast System Leader. In 2008, Joe launched BCG’s US public sector practice, where he worked with Sheila Bair and the FDIC during the peak of the banking crisis. In 2011, Joe was recognized as one of Consulting Magazine’s Top 25 Consultants for excellence in the public sector. In 2013, Joe moved to San Francisco to lead BCG’s West Coast System. While on the West Coast, he was instrumental in founding BCG Digital Ventures. Joe also served as the BCG Executive Sponsor and Vice Chairman of B Capital Group, working with founders Eduardo Severin and Raj Ganguly. During this time, his team worked with Bay Area leaders to bring Super Bowl 50 to San Francisco in 2016–an experience Joe reflected on in his 2013 Ted Talk. In his book, The Generous Leader, Joe offers a seven-part guide to heartfelt and collaborative actions that transform the reader into a generous leader. Joe earned a BA in Economics from Whitman College—where he now serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees—and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Throughout his career, Joe has led with a collaborative approach, a commitment to equity, and a track record of delivering results that shape both organizations and communities. Joe has been married to his wife, Sarah, for over four decades. They have four wonderful children and eight grandchildren. Resource Links: Website: https://www.joedavis.com/Product Link: https://www.joedavis.com/#row-book Insight Gold Timestamps: 01:50 We're talking about your book The Generous Leader 03:52 The value of hard work, that was clear 07:18 The work-life world has blurred 09:24 Let's invert the pyramid and that leader should be at the bottom supporting the organization 11:42 You can't say you don't know, you're the CEO, you have to have all the answers 16:54 Today it seems like we're looking for creativity, we're looking for innovation 17:58 40+ percent of the Gen Z and millennials are stressed every day 19:57 To be really an inspiring leader and move mountains, you need to be connecting 25:36 If you're not inspiring your people, listening to them, motivating them to deliver in those moments with some humbleness, good luck 29:38 Those that burn out early are those that think they can do it all themselves 32:06 How can leaders give generously to others without running their own batteries down to zero? 34:26 If someone does a job well done, take a moment to write an email to them or a text 37:25 Just say I don't know, if you don't know 40:15 The book's called The Generous Leader: Seven Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone's Game by Joe Davis Connect Socially: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedavis1313/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoeDavisTGL Email: joedavistgl@gmail.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Joe Davis — Leadership Redefined: Embracing Generosity as Your Competitive Edge

  3. Aug 17

    Nima Rahmany (Part 2) — Navigating Emotional Triggers: A Journey to Personal and Professional Development

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 4 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred! Last week, in part one of our conversation with Nima Rahmany, we laid the groundwork by looking inward—focusing on personal development, emotional regulation, and what it truly takes to become 'trigger-proof'. If you missed that episode, I highly encourage you to go back and give it a listen. But today, we are diving into part two, where we translate those personal insights directly into professional development. We’re taking a hard look at the 'paradox of the decorated wreck'—why so many high-achieving leaders and entrepreneurs master business execution, yet find themselves unequipped when personal dynamics or workplace stress spill over. We’ll explore how drive can sometimes be a coping mechanism, how to move from intellectual insight to real embodiment, and practical tools to regulate your nervous system under high stakes. Please join me for part two of my conversation with Nima Rahmany. Guest Bio: Nima Rhamany helps high-performing individuals, couples, and families heal relational wounds, regulate their nervous systems, and become trigger-proof in love, leadership, and connection. Formerly a chiropractor, Nima now guides clients through somatic and shadow integration to interrupt unconscious relational patterns and create emotionally safe, co-regulated relationships. Nima's work blends neuroscience, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and transformational coaching to help people build more secure, authentic connections. Resource Links: Website: https://becometriggerproof.com/Product Link: https://becometriggerproof.com/shop/ Insight Gold Timestamps: 01:34 I want to talk about the paradox of the "decorated wreck" 02:08 The thing that makes us successful in business, it actually hurts us in intimate relationships 04:31 Most entrepreneurship and success-driven behavior is a trauma response 06:21 The wound will show up, and your children are designed to bring that up for you, your partner is designed to bring that up for you 09:24 Trauma is not just what happens to us, it's what's happening inside of us 12:48 How do we know then if our drive is coming from a place of inspiration or a place of running away? 15:35 Addictions in the child become the solution to receive the connection that they're not receiving from parents 19:08 Insight alone is not enough 20:55 It needs to be practiced and addressed the same way that you can't become a good dancer from reading a book or listening to a podcast 24:22 If you're living in an identity of a victimhood... 26:44 Their egos stop them from actually admitting the truth that there is a vulnerable part of them 28:51 What was the nervous system of the parents that got downloaded onto your nervous system 34:38 You can still have the same type of pain in losing a client 36:56 Disrespect is not a feeling; disrespect is a story 45:36 When you apply the skills, the methodology, regulate, integrate, communicate, you just come back home sooner 48:51 The first step is to repair with yourself Connect Socially: Facebook: facebook.com/nimarahmanyofficial Instagram: instagram.com/nimarahmanyofficial YouTube: youtube.com/@NimaRahmanyOfficial Email: support@becometriggerproof.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Nima Rahmany (Part 2) — Navigating Emotional Triggers: A Journey to Personal and Professional Development

  4. Aug 10

    Nima Rahmany (Part 1) — Navigating Emotional Triggers: A Journey to Personal and Professional Development

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 3 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast dedicated to helping you level up your game and become the best version of you. Normally, we spend our time developing strategies for market dominance, leadership, and business growth. But true success isn't just about what you accomplish on paper—it's about how you show up as the highest, best version of yourself in every area of your life. That’s why today’s episode is part one of a special two-part series. This week, we’re laying the foundation by focusing entirely on personal development. We’re joined by Nima Rahmany to explore what it means to become 'trigger-proof,' break intergenerational patterns, and build genuine emotional safety. Then, be sure to tune in next week for part two, where we’ll build on these insights and pivot the conversation directly toward professional development! So, let's get into part one—join me for my conversation with Nima Rahmany. Guest Bio: Nima Rahmany helps high-performing individuals, couples, and families heal relational wounds, regulate their nervous systems, and become trigger-proof in love, leadership, and connection. Formerly a chiropractor, Nima now guides clients through somatic and shadow integration to interrupt unconscious relational patterns and create emotionally safe, co-regulated relationships. Nima's work blends neuroscience, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and transformational coaching to help people build more secure, authentic connections. Resource Links: Website: https://becometriggerproof.com/Product Link: https://becometriggerproof.com/shop/ Insight Gold Timestamps: 04:35 By the age of 13, I was like hellbent on becoming a chiropractor 05:13 I inherited this intergenerational angst of this constant feeling of hypervigilance 10:02 This is what they call the anxiety alarm loop 14:56 It was like the universe gifted me this experience... 17:16 There's no gap between stimulus and response if you're carrying shame 22:01 The true test of somebody's teaching of something is what are they living? 24:40 What you're talking about is the concept of creating emotional safety 27:26 The first thing is when I put an expectation on myself to make a quick turnaround... 30:15 There's an unconscious covert expectation that we have 35:32 The problem is actually called enmeshment 38:00 Just normal experiences of people with different values 44:46 What would love do? 46:28 A true successful person, I look at the way their partner looks at them 47:19 The website is becometriggerproof.com Connect Socially: Facebook: facebook.com/nimarahmanyofficial Instagram: instagram.com/nimarahmanyofficial YouTube: youtube.com/@NimaRahmanyOfficial Free Gift from Nima Email: support@becometriggerproof.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Nima Rahmany (Part 1) — Navigating Emotional Triggers: A Journey to Personal and Professional Development

  5. Aug 3

    Matt Wolfe — What Broadway Stagecraft Teaches Us About Marketing

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 2 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast for business professionals and entrepreneurs who want to level up their game and become preferred in the markets they serve. If you run a B2B company, there’s a high probability you’ve hit a very specific growth ceiling: you built a fantastic business through relationships and word-of-mouth, but the moment you try to scale beyond referrals, your marketing completely stalls out. You keep tweaking your website, changing ad agencies, and wondering why it’s not converting.' Our guest today says the problem isn't your marketing tactics; it's that you are performing the wrong show. Matt Wolfe is a brand strategist, Partner at Brand3, and one of the country's most experienced StoryBrand Certified Guides, having transformed the messaging of over two hundred and fifty organizations across thirty industries. But what makes him truly unique in this space is his background: before moving into full-time marketing, Matt spent twenty-five years on professional stages, including Broadway. He understands better than anyone alive why some scripts grip an audience and others cause them to walk out by intermission. Today, we are unpacking his 'Brand-First Rule,' how to scale a relationship-driven B2B beyond referrals, and how to make your marketing look less digital and significantly more human. Join me for my conversation with Matt Wolfe. Guest Bio: Matt Wolfe spent 25 years on professional stages, including Broadway, before pivoting to full-time marketing. That path looks like a detour until you hear him explain why a business’s brand message works the same way a script does. Every word either earns an audience’s attention or loses it, and most companies are performing the wrong show. Today, Matt is a Partner at Brand3 and one of the most experienced StoryBrand Certified Guides in the country, with work across 250+ organizations in more than 30 industries. He helps B2B leaders who’ve built businesses on strong word-of-mouth figure out why their marketing doesn’t reflect that fact - and fix it at the source. Brand3’s Scale Beyond Referrals program helps relationship-driven B2Bs tell a story that connects with their ideal clients. In a world that’s growing more digital, his team makes marketing more human - and makes B2Bs the obvious choice to their ideal clients. Resource Links: Website: https://www.brand3.net/Website: https://www.mattwolfemarketing.com/Product Link: https://www.brand3.net/ways-to-engage/ Insight Gold Timestamps: 03:40 You have this fantastic phrase where you say that most B2B companies are performing the wrong show with their marketing 05:05 That's really all that is at the end of the day, is the right story to the right people 06:36 StoryBrand says make your audience the hero of the story 07:53 I think StoryBrand has moved the needle on that conversation 11:43 I'm going to make this bold statement, and then I'll qualify it: Demographics don't work 13:47 At the end of the day, these sales only happen through carefully built trust and relationships 17:02 We've been using the phrase: trust recession 19:30 You have a strict brand first rule that says, "Stop marketing a message you haven't built yet" 21:22 The game's going to be won or lost on that header and whether or not that says to somebody, "I'm telling your story" 23:39 Good marketing is shining the spotlight back on the ideal client 25:06 If you don't articulate the problem that they're facing, there just is no story 26:57 We just have to keep asking the question, how will this digital thing that we're doing now lead to a human encounter? 32:36 If you do this right, you're putting more humans in front of the right ideal client humans to have these great encounters 36:03 We were like, "Why aren't we telling that story?" 38:34 Matt Wolfe, the website is brand3.net 38:41 Your personal website as well mattwolfemarketing.com 38:58 You can also go to scalebeyondreferrals.com 39:13 We have a podcast called The CEO's Heart for Service Connect Socially: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/MattWolfeMarketing Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brand3marketing/ The CEO's Heart for Service Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ceos-heart-for-service-scaling-business-without/id1896298694 Email: mwolfe@brand3.net Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Matt Wolfe — What Broadway Stagecraft Teaches Us About Marketing

  6. Jul 27

    Scott Armstrong — From A**hole to Ally: Why Ambitious Professionals Lose Trust and How to Get It Back

    SEASON: 7 EPISODE: 1 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast designed to help ambitious business professionals and entrepreneurs build unshakeable client trust, scale their impact, and become preferred in the markets they serve. If you run a professional services firm, an agency, or a consulting practice, you’ve likely fallen into a very common trap: you try to win clients by being the smartest person in the room. You show up to pitches armed with deep expertise and immediate answers, only to wonder why the client chose someone else. Our guest today says that over-indexing on your own 'smartness' is the fastest way to kill a deal. Scott Armstrong is a marketing veteran, global agency founder who scaled his business to over twenty-two million dollars, and the mastermind behind Win The Question. He is also a self-reformed 'expert' who learned how to build trust the hard way. His upcoming book, From A*****e to Ally, is a field manual on how highly qualified professionals accidentally lose trust and exactly how to get it back. Today, we’re unpacking how to stop relying on rare 'rainmakers,' how to coach trust as a tactical skill across your entire team, and how to shift from pitching answers to truly winning the question. Please join me for my conversation with Scott Armstrong. Guest Bio: R. "Scott" Armstrong has spent 38 years learning what most ambitious professionals figure out the hard way: it's not about you. Scott is the founder of Win The Question, where he teaches ambitious professionals how to build trust by reducing their natural self-orientation and working to win the question before the answer. Scott's book "From A*****e to Ally: How Ambitious Professionals Lose Trust and How To Get It Back" is the field manual and it will be launch in the fall. He lives at the end of a dirt road in Creemore where he trusts his neighbors and his motorcycle. Resource Links: Website: winthequestion.comProduct Link: https://www.winthequestion.com/book Insight Gold Timestamps: 02:20 I hadn't really learned yet how to build trust, I just learned how to hustle 04:27 Trust has a math to it, or professional services trust at least has a math to it 05:15 Trust is really the shift from about me to about you 07:31 Your upcoming book has a brilliantly provocative title, From A*****e to Ally 10:30 What does it mean to win the question in a high-stakes client meeting? 12:12 Stephen Covey's fifth habit, "Seek first to understand, then seek to be understood." 14:23 Often the managing partner or the leader of the firm doesn't even really know what skills they're using successfully to build trust 16:28 Ask before you answer 17:05 You should be learning from my mistakes rather than my successes 20:28 At the top of my page, I just put a little reminder, "Shut up," that's my first prep note 22:38 Using that methodology, we lost a $10 million account in a review, and won it all back and more 12 months later 25:08 Give me 45 minutes to come and have a conversation, and then we'll craft a perfect solution for you based on that conversation 27:52 He was better at asking questions than I was, and his big win question's a real simple one 31:30 One of the things I like about your podcast is how much research you all do 34:05 Bottom line is if you're putting deposits into that relationship bank account on an ongoing basis, they don't divorce you when the proverbial hits the fan 37:49 The tagline for that company is not go fast, don't die, it's really go fast, go far 39:47 You might have a weather forecast, but it can change 42:10 You can literally these days run Otter on a call or in the meeting itself... after the meeting is over, will tell you not only how often did you speak versus when your client spoke... 42:49 The book is From A*****e to Ally: Why Ambitious Professionals Lose Trust and How to Get It Back by Scott Armstrong. (available Q4) 43:33 Scott Armstrong at winthequestion.com Connect Socially: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rscottarmstrong/ Email: scott@thewtq.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Scott Armstrong — From A**hole to Ally: Why Ambitious Professionals Lose Trust and How to Get It Back

  7. Jul 20

    David Barnett - The Truth About Buying or Selling a Business: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know

    SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 36 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast for ambitious entrepreneurs and business professionals who want to level up their game and become the best version of you. Every week, we talk about how to become preferred, but let me ask you a tough question: You might be building a brand that customers love, but are you building a business that an investor would actually buy? Whether you’re an established entrepreneur looking for an exit strategy, an investor looking for high-yield cash flow, or a professional wanting to skip the startup phase and buy an existing company, today’s episode is your ultimate playbook. Joining us is David C. Barnett, an international private transaction consultant, 3-time best-selling author, and the master strategist behind 11 books on business acquisitions, financing, and valuation. Today, we are pulling back the curtain on how businesses are actually bought, sold, and valued in the real world. Join me now for my conversation with David Barnett. Guest Bio: David Barnett has been working with small and medium sized businesses for over 20 years. He has helped entrepreneurs buy and sell them. He has helped them grow. He has helped people finance them. David is the host of a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos about buying, selling, financing and managing small and medium sized businesses and can be found anytime at his blog site www.DavidCBarnett.com. Resource Links: Website: www.DavidCBarnett.comDavid's Books: https://www.investlocalbook.com/p/buy-book.htmlProduct Link: https://www.investlocalbook.com/p/courses.html Insight Gold Timestamps: 03:13 It seems very obvious to me, and I didn't understand why they didn't see what I saw 07:07 I was with the Yellow Pages for about seven years, it was fantastic 10:46 If they don't pay for it, they don't value it 13:54 People seem to have a lack of imagination 19:06 All you're doing if you overpay for a business is you're trading startup risk for financing risk 20:40 There isn't anyone who is cautious, intelligent, and wise who's willing to write a check for that business 23:23 Would you like to hear some sobering statistics? 24:53 Cashing out of a business is something that happens in Silicon Valley, i's, it's really a unicorn story 29:15 Let me get something absolutely clear, it is possible for somebody to buy a business with none of their own money 30:15 How do you expect to trade nothing for something of great value... 31:28 I'll say, "What's the debt to equity ratio on your opening balance sheet?" 34:27 Do you know what it's called when you run a household profitably 38:57 Can you invest in a small business and outperform things like the stock market and all those other kinds of things? 41:05 You can actually get paid to learn about businesses by going and working there 43:25 Whether or not you're going to be able to sell your business comes down to two questions 46:01 The top 5 reasons small, privately controlled businesses go up for sale are... 43:37 You authored a book called 21 Stupid Things People Do When Trying to Buy a Business 47:05 You become the end of all blame-chains 49:08 If you're buying, selling, or starting, davidcbarnett.com Connect Socially: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbarnettmoncton/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidCBarnett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbarnettmoncton/ Email: info@alpatlantic.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    David Barnett - The Truth About Buying or Selling a Business: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know

  8. Jul 13

    Brian Fielkow - Leading People Safely: How to Win On The Business Battlefield

    SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 35 Episode Overview: Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast for business professionals and entrepreneurs who want to stand out, level up their game, and become the best version of themselves. Every leader listening to this wants three things: flawless operational excellence, absolute team accountability, and a bulletproof culture. Yet, so many organizations get it completely wrong. They mistake rigid compliance for culture, and they mistake punishment for accountability. Our guest today cracked the code on how to align these elements to drive massive enterprise value. Brian Fielkow is a veteran corporate executive, the former CEO of Jetco Delivery, and an organizational performance expert who has spent three decades leading companies in high-risk, high-hazard industries. He’s the author of the upcoming book, Making Safety Happen, but today, we are exploring the universal business principles that apply to any company—from startups to tech giants. We’re talking about how to break down silos, build unshakeable employee trust, and design bulletproof processes that eliminate dangerous shortcuts. Join me for my conversation with Brian Fielkow. Guest Bio: Brian L. Fielkow is a recognized business leader, board director, and advisor known for transforming how organizations manage safety, risk, and performance. He leads a national team supporting thousands of companies in strengthening culture, improving safety outcomes, and driving profitable growth across high-consequence industries. A sought-after international speaker, he is widely respected for translating safety leadership into practical business strategy. Previously, as CEO of Jetco Delivery, he built one of North America’s most admired logistics companies, earning national recognition for its safety culture. He is a recipient of the National Safety Council’s Distinguished Service to Safety Award and was named one of the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs. His insights have been featured in leading publications including The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Entrepreneur, and other leading business publications. His new book Making Safety Happen, is available for sale on Amazon. Resource Links: Website: https://brianfielkow.com/Product Link: https://brianfielkow.com/author-books/Product Link: http://brianfielkow.com/on-demand-courses/ Insight Gold Timestamps: 03:02 They pay a premium not necessarily for what you sell, but for how you deliver, for your reliability 06:37 I don't know with 100% turnover how you create a stable, predictable offering 07:52 Price can only be important if it's an apples to apples competition 08:43 Price is never the issue, unless it is the issue, and when it's the issue, it's the only issue 11:11 You talk about a direct connection between culture, accountability, and operational excellence 12:03 We had our drivers, our professional drivers write the handbook 13:10 Continuous training on the core processes to me is more important than trying to find a new topic every week 16:01 I figured that if I held myself to those standards, I would've had to fire myself in the first week because I make a lot of mistakes 18:45 Sometimes it's as simple as who you invite to the table 21:13 Leadership is how you show up 21:57 Everything improved because we broke down the silo, we opened up the lines of communication and built trust 24:38 You've got to remember that your employees are your representative to your customers and other stakeholders 27:22 If there's a better way of doing things, we keep our minds open and we adjust the process 29:15 The fact that something didn't go wrong, doesn't mean the process is a good one, it just might mean you're lucky 31:14 I recommend to your audience: The Checklist Manifesto 31:52 We need to be reminded more than we need to be taught 33:45 You only have one chance, and only one, to make a first impression 35:40 This is a journey with no finish line 37:31 The website is brianfielkow.com 38:00 brian@brianfielkow.com Connect Socially: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfielkow/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYzVEB9dcSsuHeDFpuDamIw Email: info@brianfielkow.com Sponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIx Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

    Brian Fielkow - Leading People Safely: How to Win On The Business Battlefield
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5
out of 5
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About

In this informative and practical podcast, Michael and his guests share the latest strategies and tactics to help you become the preferred provider (the emotional favorite) in the markets you serve. The key insights and strategies discussed, come from Michael's experience working with many of the finest brands in business today and his guest interviews will inspire you, educate you, and give you the tools you need to be successful in today's turbulent and competitive marketplace.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Vickers
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Michael Vickers
  • Show Website
    Becoming Preferred

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