Confessions of a Vistage Chair

Confessions Podcast Network
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Confessions of a Vistage Chair is a podcast by Talent Harbor, hosted by Ryan Hogan, featuring real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. Each episode digs into leadership growth, peer advisory groups, tough decisions, and what actually happens inside Vistage meetings. Through honest stories and practical insights, this show explores how Chairs help CEOs and business professionals gain perspective, tackle complex challenges, and grow stronger, more resilient businesses. Let's pull back the curtain!

  1. E13: Fear, Identity, and Finding Freedom with Angelo Sisco

    May 26

    E13: Fear, Identity, and Finding Freedom with Angelo Sisco

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let's pull back the curtain!   In this episode, Angelo Sisco brings one of the most remarkable life stories we have had on this show. His father went to federal prison when Angelo started kindergarten. He opened his first pizza restaurant at 17. He ran a poker game through his early 20s. He lost 100 pounds in seven months and built a CrossFit empire across multiple gyms, a nutrition company, and an online programming business before selling everything three weeks before the COVID lockdown. Then he moved his family to San Clemente, leveled up his business perspective, returned to Chicago, turned around a friend's $15 million company, joined Vistage, and launched his own group in December of 2025 with 10 members.   But the real story is not any of that. It is how Angelo figured out that his business was just a mirror reflecting back his own internal state, and what happened when he finally stopped operating in fear.    You're not going to want to miss this one! Timestamps 05:39 Lessons from the Pizza Business 15:13 The Power of Feeling Seen 22:02 Coaching Identity and Leadership 26:03 Shifting Away from Fitness 39:54 The Secret Ingredient for Growth 46:37 Detaching Self-Worth from Numbers 52:04 Overcoming Fear Guest Links angelo@siscoadvisors.com https://siscoadvisors.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelosisco/ Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0032E00003Nv9ObQAJ/angelo-sisco

    1h 6m
  2. E12: The Turnaround Guy: Saving Billion-Dollar Companies by Fixing People First with Bob Murray

    May 19

    E12: The Turnaround Guy: Saving Billion-Dollar Companies by Fixing People First with Bob Murray

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let's pull back the curtain! Bob Murray is the type of person who went from wiring data centers as an electrician in Saskatchewan to leading billion-dollar turnarounds at one of the world's largest mobile companies. In this episode, Bob unpacks what three decades of turnaround work taught him about fixing people before fixing businesses, why toxic culture almost always comes down to a small handful of people, and how building an organization where people bring their hearts to work is the only strategy that actually scales.   Timestamps 00:00 From Electrician to CEO: Early Culture 02:32 Unexpected Path to Leadership 06:03 Core Excellence and Values Alignment 15:02 Building Culture Through Small Actions 22:07 Vision and Direction in Turnarounds 25:28 Leadership Assessment: Vision & Foxes 31:56 Owner Meddling and Schizophrenic Culture 34:45 Surgical Approach to Toxic Culture 40:28 Unlocking Potential and Life’s Purpose 44:46 Vistage Members and Imposter Syndrome   Guest Links https://robert-murray.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsmurray1/ https://tec-canada.com/our-speakers/robert-murray/

    48 min
  3. E11: EOS and Vistage Aren't Competing. Here's Why You Need Both with Christine Spray

    May 12

    E11: EOS and Vistage Aren't Competing. Here's Why You Need Both with Christine Spray

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let’s pull back the curtain!   In this episode, Christine Spray breaks down the difference between EOS and Vistage in a way I've never heard explained before. She also tackles why you shouldn't have to choose between them and what she's learned about leadership, resilience, and never doing it alone, over a career unlike anyone else's in this space.   This one is a masterclass from start to finish. Timestamps 02:57 Adversity, Resilience, and Self-Help 12:57 Overcoming Fear and Continuous Improvement 19:54 Lessons from Public Speaking and Boards 25:59 Strategic Networking and Leadership Growth 32:07 Effective Coaching and Sales Development 39:52 Hiring Sales Talent and the EOS/Vistage Dynamic 43:59 EOS vs. Vistage: Distinct Values   Guest Links Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/00380000018bSb0AAE/christine-spray LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinespray/ EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/christine-spray/

    48 min
  4. E10: Peer Accountability: Toxic Culture Always Starts at the Top with Heather Anderson

    May 5

    E10: Peer Accountability: Toxic Culture Always Starts at the Top with Heather Anderson

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let's pull back the curtain!   Heather Anderson is the type of person who said yes to coaching a sixth-grade field hockey team, having never seen a field hockey game. In this episode, Heather unpacks what she learned taking a 2-and-10 team to 10-and-0 and how those same leadership principles show up in every boardroom she walks into. She gets into why toxic culture always traces back to the leader, why emotional intelligence starts with self-awareness, and what her secret sauce has been for two decades of success. Timestamps  04:19 Coaching Without Expertise 07:05 Cultivating Team Culture 11:53 Peer-Led Culture vs. CEO Culture 28:11 Self-Awareness in Leadership 39:12 Three-Perspective Exercises 44:29 Vistage Chair Success Secrets Guest Links Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0038000000slKqPAAU/heather-anderson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-anderson-72230b/

    53 min
  5. E9: From Enlisted to the White House to Vistage Chair: The Long Road with Brian Roberts

    Apr 28

    E9: From Enlisted to the White House to Vistage Chair: The Long Road with Brian Roberts

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let’s pull back the curtain!   In this episode, Brian takes us from enlisting in the Air Force at 18, through the Reagan-Gorbachev summits, the birth of the internet, a radio show that got him one-phone-call access to any CEO in DC, and eventually to becoming a Vistage Chair. He also gets brutally honest about the one decision he regrets most: not joining a peer group before the recession hit.   This one is packed with wisdom, war stories, and the kind of perspective that only comes from actually living it. Timestamps 04:44 Path to Becoming an Officer 12:47 Transition to Civilian Life 17:59 Military Skills in the Civilian World 24:34 Resilience Through Career Challenges 28:06 Entrepreneurial Journey: 9/11 and Beyond 43:55 Recession and Business Collapse 47:36 Becoming a Vistage Chair 54:27 The Entrepreneurial Struggle   Guest Links brian.roberts@vistagechair.com Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0038000000slWEfAAM/brian-roberts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrobertscroix/

    58 min
  6. E8: "You're Unemployable": Chris Quinn's Midlife Pivot That Changed Everything

    Apr 21

    E8: "You're Unemployable": Chris Quinn's Midlife Pivot That Changed Everything

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings. Let's pull back the curtain! Chris Quinn’s path to Vistage Chair is anything but conventional. He went from shaving his surfer hair at Officer Candidate School to commanding infantry platoons in the Middle East, serving as aide-de-camp to a two-star general, and eventually becoming president of a public biotech company, all before his wife sat him down and told him he was flat-out unemployable. In this episode, Chris gets real about what the Marine Corps actually teaches you about leadership that no MBA ever could, why empathy and sympathy are not the same thing, and what it means to run a Vistage group the way a great coach runs a team.  Tune in! You won't want to miss it.   Timestamps 00:00 Military Beginnings 03:52 Military Deployments and Aid Role 12:30 Simplicity and Agility in Leadership 16:32 Key Leadership Behaviors and Self-Control 20:50 Challenges and Reflections on Military Life 26:21 Embracing Entrepreneurship and Values 32:08 Personal Growth and Career Redirection 36:09 The Power of Vistage and Peer Advisory 41:59 Transition to Consulting & E-Learning 45:34 Marketing Readiness Diagnostic   Guest Links Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0038000002BRNSKAA5/chris-quinn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-quinn-ceoadvisor/

    1h 7m
  7. E7: Sacred Spaces, Assumed Uncertainty, and the Art of Leading Others with Julie Reinganum

    Apr 14

    E7: Sacred Spaces, Assumed Uncertainty, and the Art of Leading Others with Julie Reinganum

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let’s pull back the curtain!   Julie Reinganum has lived one of the most unconventional paths I've ever heard of: from studying Chinese on a whim to landing at the UN during the early days of U.S.-China diplomatic relations, to leading AT&T's first international deal in China, selling her own consulting firm, and becoming a Vistage Chair. She didn't follow a plan. She followed her instincts.   In this episode, Julie gets honest about what it actually means to create a sacred space within a Vistage group and why planning with assumed uncertainty is the only strategy that works in today's environment. Tune in! You won't want to miss it. Timestamps 03:13 - U.S.-China Relations and Early Career 11:18 - AT&T and the Business School Impact 17:18 - Launching a Consulting Firm 23:27 - Selling a Business and Peer Groups 32:01 - Transition to Vistage Chair 37:16 - Evolving Business Challenges and Leadership 44:31 - Planning Amidst Uncertainty 57:04 - Vistage Connect: Virtual Groups Guest Links Email: Julie.Reinganum@vistagechair.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliereinganum/

    1h 1m

  8. Apr 7

    E6: You're Hiring Wrong, Firing Wrong, and Onboarding Wrong with Dick Singer

    Welcome to Confessions of a Vistage Chair, a podcast by Talent Harbor, where we have real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. They share honest stories and practical insights on leadership growth, peer advisory groups, and what actually happens in Vistage meetings.   Let’s pull back the curtain!   In this episode, Dick Singer gets honest about how most companies are hiring fast and firing slow when it should be the exact opposite, why behavior beats skill every single time in the hiring process, and what it actually means to be a Vistage Chair who puts members first. We also get into business acquisitions, due diligence, and what a six-year drought in Lake Tahoe taught him about making decisions with your gut instead of your head.   This is 25 years of wisdom in one conversation. Don't miss it! Timestamps  07:09 - Recruiting Challenges and Member Retention 16:24 - Tailoring Vistage Groups 25:57 - The Importance of Due Diligence and People 35:14 - Hiring for Behavior, Not Just Skill 44:26 - Strategic Hiring: Always Interviewing Guest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dicksinger/ Vistage Website: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0038000000slK2zAAE/dick-singer   #HiringStrategy #OnboardingStrategy #DueDiligence #IssueProcessing

    54 min
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About

Confessions of a Vistage Chair is a podcast by Talent Harbor, hosted by Ryan Hogan, featuring real, behind-the-scenes conversations with Vistage Chairs. Each episode digs into leadership growth, peer advisory groups, tough decisions, and what actually happens inside Vistage meetings. Through honest stories and practical insights, this show explores how Chairs help CEOs and business professionals gain perspective, tackle complex challenges, and grow stronger, more resilient businesses. Let's pull back the curtain!

Information

  • Creator
    Confessions Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Speakeasy Studios
  • Show Website
    Confessions of a Vistage Chair