CEO Coaching International Podcast

Guest: Erin Cigich, CEO of Perform[cb], a leading outcome-based marketing firm that helps brands acquire customers on a performance-based model where companies pay only for real results.

Overview: Every BIG starts small. In order to achieve their vision and sustain growth, the CEO has to establish precise, actionable steps that build towards measurable results. Keep the right numbers trending in the right direction every day, month, quarter, and year, and you'll keep Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Erin Cigich explains how thinking about sales as a "math problem" and working with a CEO coach have been instrumental in helping the company beat its sales target by more than 200%. We also talk about leveraging AI for customer acquisition, clarifying your ideal customer profile, and building a performance-based culture.

Guest: Matt Plitt, President & Chief Executive Officer of Valent U.S.A. LLC, which is part of Sumitomo Chemicals Global Agricultural Operations. Matt is responsible for driving growth across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

Overview: Every BIG is even BIGGER at a truly global business. Subsidiaries and their holding companies need to synchronize culture and processes to achieve a wide array of goals that impact a huge number of stakeholders. But leaders also have to be able to identify the specific action items that belong at the top of their to-do lists so that their company finds that sweet spot between operational rigor and optimal performance. 

On today's show, Matt Plitt explains how he led Valent by building a culture that balances entrepreneurial spirit with discipline. He also explains how working with CEO Coaching International helped him implement a framework for high performance, cultural alignment, and accountability.

Guest: Spencer Shaffer, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Spencer is a four-time CEO and entrepreneur with a wealth of experience across engineering services, energy, technology, and software as a service business models. He's also been a YPO member since 2006. Over the past 26 years, Spencer has led numerous business transformations through M&A, scaling operations, leadership development, and change management. He is passionate about building people, teams, and cultures.

Quick Background: The very best companies make the hard work of daily execution and consistent progress look easy. But to lead a company to that place where every cog is in sync and every flywheel is spinning, the CEO has to master three essential elements that keep people and processes heading in the same direction. 

On today's show, Spencer Shaffer dives into how these three essential elements combined with his top tactics for driving powerful execution will Make BIG Happen.

Guest: Greg Martin, an entrepreneur, CEO, private equity investor, and a coach at CEO Coaching International. Greg led four separate companies onto the Inc. 5000 list while achieving growth rates of over 6,000%. Combined, his businesses have generated more than $3 billion in revenue, created over 2,500 jobs, and resulted in two high-eight-figure exits.

Quick Background: A great company is always BIGGER than the sum of its parts. The very highest performers align everything they do around key elements that ground the company's purpose and guide its daily operations towards achieving BIG goals. 

On today's show, Greg Martin explains the five business elements all CEOs need to align to Make BIG Happen.

Guest: Anthony Venus, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Anthony is an experienced entrepreneur and CEO who led his latest venture-backed SaaS firm YayPay from its inception to a successful exit.

Quick Background: Why are some founders and CEOs able to repeat BIG success? Because they understand that winning a market, consistent growth, and nine-figure exits aren’t a matter of luck. Once you’ve learned how to install specific, measurable, and actionable systems, you can repeat those processes at new companies, and even in new industries.

And the best of the best, like the team at CEO Coaching International, can teach other CEOs how to do the same and Make BIG Happen.

On today’s show, Anthony Venus discusses how his leadership and strategic vision fueled YayPay’s growth and ultimate success, the importance of developing a strong company culture, and what his recent travels have taught him about the need for CEOs to lead with passion and purpose.

Guest: Mary Naylor, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Mary is a repeat founder, CEO, and board member working in diverse sectors including customer loyalty, consumer services, concierge and lifestyle services, hospitality, travel, financial services, call center customer service, and technology platforms. She has 30 years of expertise in enterprise business development, go-to-market strategies, sales optimization, channel partnerships, team building, and fundraising.

Quick Background: What's the BIGGEST mistake CEOs make about their go-to-market strategy?

Acting like it's finished. 

Consistently studying and refining your value proposition, customer profile, and messaging is the only way to keep your company competing, growing, and Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Mary Naylor walks us through the five steps she uses to ensure that a CEO's go-to-market strategy stays relevant and dynamic in a constantly evolving marketplace.

Guest: Lisa Tanzer, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Lisa is an accomplished executive with over 30 years of experience, including 10 years in CEO and president’s roles and 10 years leading marketing teams as the CMO. She’s worked with Fortune 1000 companies like Gillette, Staples, and Hasbro, as well as privately held and venture-backed companies across a range of industries.

Quick Background: Nothing can move the needle on your company’s ceiling quicker than talent. That’s why great companies hire the best people, period. But how do you know if your teams are coalescing around the company’s BIG goals and cultural values?

On today’s show, Lisa Tanzer details the five traits of high-performing teams and her proven approach to building and managing the talent CEOs need to Make BIG Happen.

Guest: Chris Justice, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Chris is a former CEO with a proven track record of managing business units from $25 million to $700 million across diverse industries, including retail, lodging, automotive, e-commerce, and casino gaming.

Quick Background: Running a business has always been hard. And considering that today's CEOs need to manage complex generational divides, global competition, rapid technological advances, and a constantly evolving economic landscape, leading isn't going to get any easier. But if your company has a clear vision, top talent, and dependable systems, there are very few BIG goals or problems that a CEO can't break down into smaller, more manageable parts. 

On today's show, Chris Justice shares his practical, five-step framework for turning around companies and dealing with complicated business situations.

Guest: Sarah Dusek, the founder of Under Canvas, the leading upscale outdoor hospitality brand that she grew to a value of over $100 million. Today, Sarah is a venture capitalist, a cofounder of a new hospitality company, and the author of the new book, Thinking Bigger: A Pitch-Deck Formula for Women Who Want to Change the World.

Overview: In 2012, Sarah Dusek's "glamping" company was starting its first season at Yellowstone National Park. One fateful afternoon, a huge thunderstorm rolled in and flattened the campsite, and, seemingly, Sarah's dream. 

But Sarah, her husband, her employees, and even her customers rallied. She rebuilt her business model with an eye towards repeatability and scale. And as the company began to get to BIG, Sarah began "thinking bigger" as well. 

On today's show, Sarah Dusek describes her incredible journey from the brink of collapse to building a $100-million industry leader. She also shares lessons from her new career in VC about what makes a business investible.