The CEO Shift

Shawndel Spader
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

The CEO Shift is a leadership podcast for CEOs, agency owners, and founders ready to think differently about how they lead, grow, and scale. Hosted by Shawndel Spader of Spader Group, each episode features real conversations with experienced CEOs, authors, and industry experts who share the mindset shifts that helped them move from reactive to intentional leadership. This is not about doing more. It is about leading better. From decision-making and team development to profitability, systems, and mindset, The CEO Shift explores what it actually takes to build a business that works for you, not because of you. If you are ready to stop spinning your wheels and start leading with clarity, confidence, and purpose, this podcast is for you. Follow The CEO Shift on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. 1d ago

    Why 80% of Businesses Fail with David Guttman

    About 80% of businesses fail, and David Guttman will tell you it is almost never the market that killed them, it is leadership. David has spent a 35 year career building, scaling, and exiting 8 and 9 figure companies. He has bought and sold 15 businesses, raised more than $25 million across fintech, edtech, crypto, and health tech, and worked in more than 45 different industries as an operator, mentor, and consultant. He is a 3x Inc. 500 entrepreneur, a 2x TEDx speaker, and the founder and CEO of Guttman Media, and he mentors CEOs ranging in age from 18 to 47. In this conversation, David makes the case for servant leadership as the most effective approach available to the rest of us, and then gets specific about what it looks like in practice. He explains the equity mistake almost every growing company makes, which is guarding ownership while the business is worth very little and giving it away once it is worth a lot, and he walks through how phantom equity, four year vesting, and a one year cliff let a CEO share real upside without giving up control or handing the team a tax bill. He explains why a team with ownership roots for an exit instead of working against it, why he tells CEOs to run the business from day one as if they are going to sell it, and why he calls running a company without a budget financial malpractice. David also shares the two moments that shaped how he leads. At 24 he was misdiagnosed with terminal cancer and told by three doctors that he had six months to live, and years later his chief operating officer told him something after a meeting he handled badly that he describes as a cold bucket of water in the face. What came out of both is the rule he now teaches every CEO he mentors, which is to absorb as much blame as humanly possible and deflect as much credit. Connect with David Guttman Website: https://www.guttmanmedia.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realdaveguttman X: https://x.com/realdaveguttman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drguttman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman Titan Arc: https://www.titanarc.com 30 Acts of Kindness: https://www.30actsofkindness.org Connect with The CEO Shift Website: https://www.spadergroup.com/ceo-shift Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpaderGroup Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spadergroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spader-group-llc Shawndel Spader on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spadergroup/

  2. Sep 1

    Love You First, Lead You First with Kashonna Marrow

    Most CEOs have a dashboard full of warning lights they have learned to drive right past. In this episode of The CEO Shift, Shawndel Spader talks with Kashonna Marrow, President and CEO of Simply Kashonna LLC, about authenticity, rest, and the vision you were never meant to carry alone. Kashonna is a speaker, coach, author, and corporate trainer who works with people on showing up as one person across their whole life instead of a different version in every room. She explains why pretending is a lot like telling a lie, what changes when you stop looking for permission, why the root of the word executive is execute and what that does to a leader over time, how rest builds capacity rather than costing momentum, and why great CEOs hire great people so the company keeps running when they step away. If you have ever felt the loneliness that comes with the CEO role, this conversation is a reminder that the work you have been putting off might be you. Connect with Kashonna Marrow Website: https://www.leadersmoveforward.com Website: https://www.simplykashonna.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simplykashonna Instagram: https://instagram.com/kashonnamarrow Newsletter: sign up at either website for her twice-monthly encouragement emails   Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Find every episode and subscribe for monthly email delivery at spadergroup.com/ceo-shift.

  3. Aug 18

    No Decision Is a Bad Decision with Jess Haney

    What if the most expensive thing in your business is the decision you keep putting off? In this episode of The CEO Shift, Shawndel Spader talks with Jess Haney, Partner and COO of Kismet Marketing, about decisive leadership and the shift every growing CEO eventually faces: learning to let go. Jess spent 13 years in education before taking a leap into agency ownership. With a gift for building systems and pulling people across the finish line, she has become a leader who values calm, clarity, and action. She shares why no decision is a bad decision, how to get a team clear on who leads what, how she decides what to offload to an employee, a contractor, or AI, and what she has learned building a women-owned business in male-dominated industries. If you have ever felt the loneliness at the top, this episode is a reminder that you were never meant to run it alone. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Find every episode and subscribe for monthly email delivery at spadergroup.com/ceo-shift. Connect with Jess:  Website: https://www.kismet-marketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kismetmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KismetMarketing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kismetmarketing/

  4. Aug 4

    In the Absence of Clarity, People Make Stuff Up with Angela Dee

    Growth rarely stalls because a CEO stopped working hard. It stalls because everything still lives in one person's head. Shawndel Spader sits down with Angela Dee, founder and CEO of Ascend Strategic Advisory, to unpack why clarity, not effort, is the real engine of scale. With more than 20 years in strategy and leadership development, Angela shares why teams invent their own narrative when direction is missing, how she productized her services and built a capability architecture so the business could run beyond her, and why she tells CEOs to build for the size they want to be rather than the size they are today. It is an honest look at the shift from being the center of everything to creating clarity In the Absence of Clarity, People Make Stuff Up | Angela Dee others can lead from. If you feel like the bottleneck in your own business, this episode is for you. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube, and find every episode at spadergroup.com/ceo-shift.

  5. Jul 21

    Your Core Values Are Immutable DNA with Marc Robertz-Schwartz

    What if your core values aren't a poster on the wall, but the immutable DNA of your company? In this episode of The CEO Shift, Shawndel Spader talks with Marc Robertz-Schwartz, President of RTU Solutions and author of The RED APPLES Way, about why the word "core" is the part most CEOs skip. Marc spent 15 years building the multimedia marketing agency Red Apples Media before selling it at the end of 2024, and he learned that the strongest companies define who they are first, then let those values drive every hire, partnership, and pivot. Marc and Shawndel get honest about staying people-first in an age of AI, why values should evolve without losing their center, and why the CEO always sets the cultural tone. They also trade a few laughs about jargon, from P&L to EBITDA. If you lead a company and want to lead with more clarity and intention, this conversation will help you take a hard look at whether your stated values still match how you actually operate. Connect with Marc Robertz-Schwartz: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertz/ Website: https://www.MarcRobertz.com The RED APPLES Way: https://www.TheRedApplesWay.com Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/RED-APPLES-Way-TransformedDesperation/dp/1966168586 Connect with The CEO Shift: Website: https://www.spadergroup.com/ceo-shift Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpaderGroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spader-group-llc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spadergroup

  6. Jul 7

    If Nobody Notices You, You're in the Wrong Room with Angela Obert

    If nobody notices you in a networking room, you are not in the wrong. You are just in the wrong room. Angela Obert opens with that reframe and does not let up. Shawndel Spader sits down with Angela Obert, Franchise Owner and Community Facilitator of Network In Action Minnesota, a curated, trust-first community where relationships come before transactions. They dig into why authentic relationships drive growth and retention, how to tell a wrong room from the simple fear of doing something new, and why networking is a learnable skill, not a personality trait. Angela also shares the shift that changes everything for a stretched leader: let go of the hats, stay in your lane of genius, delegate, and learn to receive. If you feel like you are doing it all with no room left to grow, this conversation is for you. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. Subscribe for monthly delivery at spadergroup.com/ceo-shift. Season and episode number: confirm on the master tracker before upload. Connect with Angela Website: www.niamn.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaobert Free guide: https://www.niamn.com/better-networking-guide Guest pass: https://www.niamn.com/guest-pass   Connect with Spader Group: Subscribe for monthly episode delivery: spadergroup.com/ceo-shift CEO Desicion Guide: SpaderGroup.com/ceo-guide

  7. Jun 23

    Make Generosity Your Brand with Henry DeVries

    What happens when someone tells you that you will never be a CEO? On this episode of The CEO Shift, host Shawndel Spader sits down with Henry DeVries to explore the mindset shifts, strategies, and leadership lessons that move CEOs from operator to visionary. About Henry DeVries: Henry DeVries is the CEO of Indie Books International and a marketing advisor who has helped authors publish more than 200 books. Known as a Chief Encouragement Officer, he helps agency owners and business leaders become the go-to authority in their field. In this conversation, you will learn: - From corporate VP to Chief Encouragement Officer - Lessons from publishing more than 200 business books - Why generosity is the ultimate brand strategy - The Japanese concept of Ikigai applied to leadership - Leaving a six-figure career to build your masterpiece - How authority-building through books creates long-term clients - The mindset shift from selling to serving through storytelling Who this episode is for: CEOs, consultants, and service business founders who want to establish authority, write a book, and build a brand rooted in generosity and expertise. Connect with Henry DeVries and Indie Books International: Website: https://indiebooksintl.com Persuade With A Story: https://www.persuadewithastory.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henryjdevries About The CEO Shift Podcast: The CEO Shift is a weekly leadership podcast hosted by Shawndel Spader, founder of Spader Group. Each episode features candid conversations with CEOs, agency owners, founders, and industry experts about the real mindset shifts, strategies, and systems that turn capable operators into intentional leaders. If you are growing a service business, running an agency, or leading a team, The CEO Shift is designed to help you lead with clarity and scale with confidence. Follow and subscribe to The CEO Shift on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave a rating and review to help more CEOs discover the show. Visit spadergroup.com/ceo-shift for episode resources and the free CEO Decision Guide. Connect with Shawndel Spader: Website: https://spadergroup.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndelspader/

  8. Jun 23

    Scaling a Business Through Productized IP with Pamela Slim

    The amount of time you have been in business has nothing to do with how sophisticated your operations are. On this episode of The CEO Shift, Shawndel Spader talks with Pamela Slim, award-winning author and CEO of the Pamela Slim Agency, about scaling a business through productized IP. Pam has spent three decades helping experts package their ideas into frameworks that create bigger impact and new revenue streams. She shares her three-part test for a durable business: market fit (will it sell), method (will it work), and model (will it stick), and makes the case that your method, not you, should be the main character of your brand. The two also dig into when to update a proven method, the cost of shiny object syndrome, and where AI helps and where it can dilute your thought leadership. Connect with Pamela Website: https://pamelaslim.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelaslim Podcast: https://pamelaslim.com/podcast Free resource: https://pamelaslim.kit.com/35436399c4 Connect with The CEO Shift Subscribe and get episodes by email: spadergroup.com/ceo-shift Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The CEO Shift is a leadership podcast for CEOs, agency owners, and founders ready to think differently about how they lead, grow, and scale. Hosted by Shawndel Spader of Spader Group, each episode features real conversations with experienced CEOs, authors, and industry experts who share the mindset shifts that helped them move from reactive to intentional leadership. This is not about doing more. It is about leading better. From decision-making and team development to profitability, systems, and mindset, The CEO Shift explores what it actually takes to build a business that works for you, not because of you. If you are ready to stop spinning your wheels and start leading with clarity, confidence, and purpose, this podcast is for you. Follow The CEO Shift on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    Shawndel Spader
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    The CEO Shift