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With the Co-Authors of The Greater Game and Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach and John Bowen of CEG Insights Louis Diamond speaks with Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach® and John Bowen of CEG Insights about founder dependency, enterprise value, and the architecture behind scalable businesses. In Summary Many advisory firms grow successfully while remaining highly dependent on their founders. Dan Sullivan and John Bowen argue that the difference between a successful practice and a valuable enterprise comes down to architecture. Louis sits down with the co-authors of The Greater Game to discuss founder dependency, enterprise value, intellectual property, and why some businesses scale beyond their owners while others do not. The conversation offers advisors a framework for thinking differently about growth, succession, and long-term optionality. The Storyline Many advisors spend their careers helping clients build valuable businesses. Far fewer stop to ask whether their own firms are being built the same way. That tension sits at the center of Louis Diamond's conversation with Dan Sullivan, co-founder of Strategic Coach®, and John Bowen, founder of CEG Elevate Group and CEG Insights. Their new book, The Greater Game, challenges a common assumption about growth: that bigger businesses are simply the result of working harder, adding more clients, or improving existing systems. Instead, they argue that enterprise value is created through architecture—the deliberate design of a business that can scale, transfer, and thrive without its founder at the center. The discussion introduces a framework for understanding why some entrepreneurs remain trapped in optimization while others build enterprises that compound in value over time. Along the way, Dan and John explore founder dependency, intellectual property, succession planning, strategic partnerships, and the role advisors can play in helping entrepreneurial clients navigate each stage of growth. For advisors, the framework creates an important mirror. The same forces that limit enterprise value for entrepreneurial clients often exist inside advisory firms themselves. The result is a conversation that extends well beyond business growth and into questions of optionality, transferability, and what ultimately makes a firm valuable. Topics Covered Enterprise Value Creation Founder Dependency Risk Business Architecture vs. Optimization Intellectual Property & Scalability Strategic Partnerships & Leverage Succession Planning & Optionality Legacy, Impact & the “Greater Game” Mindset > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors What is The Greater Game—and why does it matter to advisors? (17:57) Dan and John introduce the framework behind their new book and explain why advisors should think about it both for entrepreneurial clients and for their own businesses. Why do only a small percentage of entrepreneurs create exponential enterprise value? (22:24) The discussion explores the difference between “architects” and “optimizers” and why most business owners remain focused on improving what exists rather than designing what comes next. Why is founder dependency such a significant valuation risk? (35:00) John explains how businesses that depend on a single individual often struggle to scale, transfer, or command premium valuations. How does expertise become intellectual property—and why does that matter? (35:00) The transition from expertise to transferable systems may be the most important bridge in the entire framework, creating leverage that extends beyond the founder. What prevents many advisors from fully serving entrepreneurial clients? (18:00) The conversation examines why most advisors are well-equipped for traditional planning needs but less prepared for the governance, succession, and enterprise-value challenges entrepreneurs eventually face. What does the next game look like after you've already “won”? (50:00) Dan and John discuss why many successful entrepreneurs and advisors eventually shift their focus from accumulation to significance, impact, and legacy. What's the single most important move an entrepreneur can make? (52:30) Dan shares the concept of Unique Ability® and explains why simplifying around your highest-value strengths often creates the greatest multiplier effect. Key Takeaways Enterprise value is created through architecture, not effort. Many successful businesses continue to grow while remaining highly dependent on their founders. The firms that command premium valuations are often built differently from the start. Founder dependency acts as a hidden valuation discount. The more a business depends on one person, the more difficult it becomes to scale, transfer, or sell at a premium. Intellectual property is often the bridge between a practice and an enterprise. When expertise becomes codified, transferable, and repeatable, value begins to exist independently of the founder. Advisors and entrepreneurs often face the same challenge. The same founder-dependency issues advisors help clients solve frequently exist within their own firms. Strategic partnerships create leverage that expertise alone cannot. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs grow through collaboration, ecosystems, and coordinated expertise rather than attempting to solve every challenge themselves. Most advisors are trained to solve early-stage problems. Entrepreneurial clients eventually require guidance around succession, governance, scalability, and enterprise value—areas that extend beyond traditional planning. The next stage of growth is often not about growth at all. For many successful entrepreneurs, the question eventually shifts from accumulation to significance, impact, and the legacy they want their business to create. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY5xOB8GTQY Quotable Moments “The exit multiple is downstream of the architecture.” “The difference between a three-times and a fifteen-times multiple is often whether the business depends on the founder.” “You have to simplify in order to multiply.” “We're not talking about a 10x game anymore. We're talking about a 100x game.”     FAQs Why do some advisory firms command higher valuation multiples than others? Dan Sullivan and John Bowen argue that valuation is often determined long before a transaction occurs. Firms that reduce founder dependency, codify intellectual property, and build transferable systems typically command higher multiples than those built around a single rainmaker. What is founder dependency and how does it impact enterprise value? Founder dependency occurs when clients, revenue, and decision-making remain concentrated around one individual. While those businesses can be highly successful, advisors find they are often more difficult to scale, transfer, or sell. What is the difference between an architect and an optimizer? An optimizer focuses on improving an existing business model. An architect builds systems, intellectual property, and structures designed to create leverage, scalability, and long-term enterprise value. What does Dan Sullivan mean when he says “100x is easier than 2x”? The concept challenges entrepreneurs to stop thinking incrementally. Rather than working harder within the current model, transformational growth often comes from redesigning the model itself through better leverage, collaboration, and systems. How can advisors better serve entrepreneurial clients? Many entrepreneurial clients eventually need guidance beyond investment management, including succession planning, governance, intellectual property strategy, and enterprise value creation. Understanding where a client sits in their business journey can help advisors provide more relevant advice and coordination. What is the expertise trap and why does it matter for advisory firms? The expertise trap occurs when critical knowledge, relationships, and processes remain inside the founder's head. Until that expertise becomes transferable and repeatable, enterprise value often remains limited regardless of growth. Dan Sullivan and John Bowen argue that valuation is often determined long before a transaction occurs. Firms that reduce founder dependency, codify intellectual property, and build transferable systems typically command higher multiples than those built around a single rainmaker. Founder dependency occurs when clients, revenue, and decision-making remain concentrated around one individual. While those businesses can be highly successful, advisors find they are often more difficult to scale, transfer, or sell. An optimizer focuses on improving an existing business model. An architect builds systems, intellectual property, and structures designed to create leverage, scalability, and long-term enterprise value. The concept challenges entrepreneurs to stop thinking incrementally. Rather than working harder within the current model, transformational growth often comes from redesigning the model itself through better leverage, collaboration, and systems. Many entrepreneurial clients eventually need guidance beyond investment management, including succession planning, governance, intellectual property strategy, and enterprise value creation. Understanding where a client sits in their business journey can help advisors provide more relevant advice and coordination. The expertise trap occurs when critical knowledge, relationships, and processes remain inside the founder's head. Until that expertise becomes transferable and repeatable, enterprise value often remains limited regardless of growth. Related Resources The Greater Game by Dan Sullivan and John Bowen Strategic Coach® CEG Elevate Group The Greater Game Dashboard Diamond Consultants Advisor Transition Report Dan Sullivan The world's foremost expert on entrepreneurship in action, Dan Sullivan has spent the past five decades empowering business owners to reach their full potential in both their professional and personal lives. His strong belief in and commitment to the power of the entrepreneur is evident in all areas of his company, Strategic Coach®, and its successful membership community. Dan is married to Babs Smith, his partner in business and in life. They jointly own and operate The Strategic Coach Inc., with offices in Toronto, Chicago, and the UK Dan and Babs reside in Toronto. John Bowen John J. Bowen Jr. is the founder and CEO of CEG Elevate Group, the holding company that includes CEG Worldwide and CEG Insights. Through these companies, he helps elite financial advisors serve fewer, wealthier clients exceptionally well while building more valuable and scalable businesses. Before founding CEG, John spent 26 years as a financial advisor and built a $2 billion wealth management business. That firsthand experience grounds CEG’s work today across advisor coaching, enterprise programs, empirical research through CEG Insights, and practical frameworks for advisors who want to move beyond practice growth to enduring enterprise value. John is the author of 21 books on wealth management, entrepreneurship, and success. His newest book, The Greater Game: Your 100x Blueprint for Exponential Growth, Freedom, and Legacy, co-authored with Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach, will be published by Hay House Business in May 2026. Today, John and the CEG team work with leading advisors and enterprise firms — including some of the largest advisor organizations in the United States — to help advisors deepen relationships with affluent clients, build scalable practices, and design lives of greater significance. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Architecting 100x Growth: A “How-To” From Legends Dan Sullivan and John Bowen A conversation with Louis Diamond and Co-Authors of The Greater Game, Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach and John Bowen of CEG Insights.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Architecting 100x Growth: A “How-To” From Legends Dan Sullivan and John Bowen, a conversation with the industry’s top coaches and co-authors of The Greater Game. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Most entrepreneurs and many advisors spend years optimizing for growth without realizing they’re building a business that still depends entirely on them. Revenue and complexity grow; enterprise value, transferability, and freedom often lag far behind. Dan Sullivan and John Bowen argue that the issue isn’t effort or intelligence; it’s architecture. No doubt these are familiar names in the wealth management industry, but just to set the stage, Dan is the co-founder of Strategic Coach, and John is the founder of CEG Elevate Group and CEG Insights. Together, they spent decades coaching and studying high-performing entrepreneurs and advisory firms. Their latest book, one they joined forces on, The Greater Game, lays out a very different framework for thinking about growth, one built around scalability, transferrable value, and long-term leverage rather than incremental optimization. What makes this conversation especially relevant for advisors is that the framework cuts both ways. It applies to the entrepreneurial clients that advisors serve, as well as to the advisory firms themselves. And in many cases, the same founder dependency and expertise trap that limits a client’s enterprise value is quietly limiting the advisor’s business too. We talk about the difference between operators and architects, why 100 times growth can actually be easier than two times growth, where businesses tend to stall as they scale and how advisors can start thinking differently about their own firms, particularly when it comes to enterprise value, succession, and long-term optionality. It’s rare access to a conversation with two of our industry’s legends whose advice and counsel has not only helped to transform the business lives of many of our listeners, but also my own. So let’s get to it. Dan and John, thank you both for joining us today. Dan Sullivan: Thank you, Lou. It’s a real pleasure. John Bowen: I’ve had the privilege of joining you before, but never with my co-author, Dan Sullivan, and I’m excited to share what we’re doing because I think it can make a big impact in our advisor industry. Louis Diamond: No doubt about it. Yeah, this has been an interview I’ve been very excited to host. So let’s jump right in. Dan Sullivan, I think you are a man that needs little introduction. So many advisors in the industry are fans or clients of your firm, Strategic Coach, but for those who aren’t as familiar or need a refresh, can you just give some quick context into why you started Strategic Coach and what the company does today? Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Well, it goes back to 1974. I was a copywriter at BBDO, the Canadian branch of BBDO, big global advertising agency. It still is. But I’ve been sort of a lifetime coach. I remember once when my mother finally caught up with what I was doing in life and I was describing what I was doing, she says, “Well, you were doing that when you were a child. You were talking to adults and you were asking adults about their experiences.” And I said, “Yeah, I could do this when I was eight or nine years old, but it took me a long time to get a business model wrapped around it.” But I jumped out in 1974 and started coaching anybody, but it actually turned out that entrepreneurs were the best people to coach because they would write a check on the spot and they would make a decision on the spot and I needed cashflow and I did it. So I’ve been personally, as a Strategic Coach, which was named by someone else. You’re just out there trying to get cashflow to pay for the rent. So I started in ’74, and I was lucky and it really relates to your target audience, Lou. Right off the bat, I got what are called top-of-the-table life insurance agents. And that was really, really great because life insurance agents are purely a conceptual business. So someone can get a new idea at breakfast and they can have a new business by dinnertime just because they can change their mindset. And that moved on. And I did that for 15 years, just one-on-one, 1970s, 1980s. And then, I’d had enough experience that we turned it into a workshop program in 1989. We’ve been at it ever since. So I was at a talk. Joe Polish is a great friend of ours, Joe Polish with Genius Network. And he had a speaker there, and he says, “You’re one of the original gangsters, aren’t you? You’re one of the first people.” And I said, “I don’t know if I’m the original, but I think I’m the only surviving one.” So it’s 52 years that I’ve been doing what I’m doing. And I had the good fortune to meet John in around 2009. John, was that the year? 2009? John Bowen: Yeah, in the little economic downturn that everybody knows about here. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. And John had a great coaching program and we had a great coaching program. And over the years, we’ve talked a lot about what makes a entrepreneur exponential in their thinking. And finally, about two years ago, we decided, let’s write a book about this. And that’s the new book, which is called The Greater Game. That’s where this all started. It’s just been a great pleasure because we sync very well. Louis Diamond: Amazing. And Dan, I think a lot of people likely know you either from Strategic Coach. I know I’m personally a big fan of two of your books and I know of others, The Gap and The Gain and Who Not How. We’re going to talk about your new book, but I think it’d just be helpful. Can you talk about the key premise of some of your prior books, The Gap and The Gain and Who Not How? Dan Sullivan: As a result of my membership, I’m a member in other groups. And so Joe Polish of Genius Network fame, he’s been in my program for 28 years, and I’ve been in his program for 15 years. And there was a writer who was in one of the first Genius Network workshops, and he approached me. And I created a lot of books, but I create small books and they’re self-published. I do a book a quarter. I’m 82 in about three weeks. So when I was 70, I said, “I’m going to give myself a 25-year project. I’ll write 100 books in 100 quarters.” And this is quarter number 47, and I’m writing my 47th book. But they’re little books. They’re 60, 70 pages. They’re one-idea books. And Ben Hardy, who was, at that time, the number one writer on Medium, which is a blogging type medium, he approached me, and he said, “I know you don’t write big books and you don’t have publisher books. But,” he said, “if you ever did,” he said, “I’d like to collaborate.” And that was a great good fortune on my part. So we produced three books in five years. The first book was Who Not How. Who Not How basically says when you have a goal, the biggest problem with the goal, you’re excited about the goal, but you’re not excited about doing it. So you find “Whos” who help you and you build teamwork around it. And that was a big seller. And then, we had another concept which was called The Gap and The Gain that entrepreneurs, depending on how they measure their progress, can be perpetually unhappy or they can be perpetually motivated. And it all depends on how they measure their progress, how they measure their goal setting and their goal achievement. And then the third book, which has really turned out to be the big one, up until this book, this book will be bigger. It’s called 10x Is Easier Than 2x. So hence, Coach, everybody has a 10x game plan. Whatever number they want to choose, revenues, personal net worth, whatever, you have a framework of 10x, which is sometime in the future, but you use that future framework for deciding what you’re going to do today that will end up as a 10x result. I thought that was going to be our formula for the rest of my life until I met John. And then John is a great AI practitioner. And I began to realize that that 10x is now becoming 100x for really top-notch entrepreneurs, but the 10x is easier than 2x. And we just crossed the million mark with the three books, which is really good. And it’s great for lead… we’re having people show up and they’ve really bought into what Strategic Coach is. We have a good size company. We’re not a small company. We have 120 team members. We’re in five centers: Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto and London, England. But it’s been really great because we’ve really grown with technological change and it’s basically, we teach people how to think about their thinking. And Lou, you were in for three years, both in-person and virtual. So you know what the starting structure of it is, but I’m in love with entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are crucial characters on the planet, but mostly they operate alone and what we’ve done is create a community for them. Louis Diamond: Fantastic. Thank you, Dan. And John, I think perfect segue to you, because I know you’ve spent your career serving and helping entrepreneurs as well, mostly within financial services or within wealth management. And you’ve been very kind to share some of your amazing research on advisors serving entrepreneurial clients in the past. But for anyone who’s missed those episodes, similar question for you, can you share what your companies do? CEG Elevate, CEG Insights, your new research, and then we’ll dive into your exciting new book. John Bowen: Thank you, Louis. And Dan and I are very excited about just entrepreneurs in general. Dan is, because he’s working with them directly. The best clients for financial advisors are entrepreneurs, largely, if you’re going to go high net worth, ultra-high net worth. So we have a company, CEG Elevate, which is our parent company. Two of the companies that are really interesting for this podcast is CEG Insights and this is our research arm. And we’ll study about 20,000 high net worth, ultra-high net worth clients this year in depth and 6,000 up to 7,000 we’ll do just of entrepreneurs. And this is in the partnership. Lou, I invited you up to… We were skiing two years ago in Park City and you couldn’t join us. But Dan and I made a deal to do a 25-year partnership studying entrepreneurship, one for Strategic Coach and his coaching clients, but really the opportunity for financial advisors. And it’s probably just as well because I came down, and I think, Dan, you were 80 at the time and I was 69. I’m 70 now. And I was skiing with a whole bunch of 40-year-olds, and they’re all going, “You guys are way too optimistic.” And Dan and I are just getting started on this. And the other company that’s applicable is CEG Worldwide, where we have the privilege of coaching and training some of the top financial advisors, those aspiring, and also working with the enterprises to really help move up market and do this great experience. Louis Diamond: Fantastic. Dan, question for you. What was the core problem you and John were trying to solve in your new book, The Greater Game? What is it that existing frameworks weren’t touching? And then John, I’ll have a follow-up question for you after that. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Well, by the very nature of what we do, we’re not going for wannabes. We’re not going for entrepreneurs who hope to be really successful someday. We’re engaging with and we’re registering into both of our communities, people who, they’re already great. They’re already doing so many things right, but they’re kind of doing it unconsciously. They just have a unique ability for growth. They have a unique ability for networking and expansion, but the very, very core is they’ve done it on their own. And they’ve done it out of intuition and they’ve done it out of ambition and motivation. But their biggest problem is that they’re really lonely. I’m in my sixth decade now of coaching entrepreneurs, and people say, “Well, what’s the number one problem that entrepreneurs face?” And I said, “Loneliness.” They can’t explain themselves to the family they grew up with. They can’t explain themselves with their lifetime friends. They have thoughts about how they’re operating. And they take enormous pride in their ability to transform difficulties into breakthroughs, but they don’t have anybody to talk to. So what we’ve created is a community where when you walk in the room, everybody in that room immediately understands you. Everybody immediately applauds what you’ve done. Everybody is inspired by you. So my framework is I call, “What you’ve done on your own, you’re great. You’re a winner already, but who do you talk to?” You have to hide a lot of your success because they just won’t understand what it is that actually motivates you. And the beauty of the partnership with John is the vast majority of our clients are in 70 or 80 different industries, so they’re not peculiar. We start off with financial services, especially life insurance. But what I notice is that all the difficulty they get into life is they’re trying to communicate with people who don’t understand them. And what we’re saying is, “Stage one, you did it on your own, you’re great by any standard whatsoever. You check all the boxes for being a successful person, but you don’t really have any way to actually check out how other people are doing this.” And so we’ve created a community, and John has created a community where people, immediately, there’s understanding. And not only that, but there’s opportunity because they’re unique in their own ways. Every one of our entrepreneurs has created a very, very unique pattern of success that if they were with 10 other people, they could learn from this. If they were with 30 other people, they would learn even more. So that’s what we’ve done. So stage two is now joining a community where everybody gets you. Louis Diamond: Interesting. And that’s the premise of the book. We don’t want to have people not buy it, but what is the greater game? What’s the game that folks are playing and pursuing and how do you make it greater? Dan Sullivan: I tell you, what I’ve always been lacking, I’m sort of intuitive like most entrepreneurs are. We’ve done about 300 times growth since we started the program. But it’s intuitive. I don’t have any research to back this up. I’m low on fact finder. I find, generally speaking, the best facts are just the facts that I make up, but at a certain point, you’d like to have some actual research to back me up. So I’ve gone as far as I can go with our company without real research. Then John comes into the picture, and now we got some real research. And I will say this, this is generally true. It’s not just a problem with me that I don’t have research. I find that entrepreneurism is one of the least researched subjects on the planet. And John comes along and he’s done all the backfill for how entrepreneurs actually perform and I’ve got research to prove it. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Yeah, John, question for you. So what is The Greater Game? And then, how do you think it relates to what financial advisors have been missing? John Bowen: One of the things that we as financial advisors all want to work with people who have already won. And there’s no better group than entrepreneurs, successful entrepreneurs. If we look at people with 25 million or more of investible assets across all households in the US, 90% are entrepreneurs. And at the 5 to 25 million of investible assets, it’s three out of four. So at CEG Worldwide, we’ve always wanted to really understand advisors. And we said we’ll partner with Dan and his passion with entrepreneurs, we’ll go ahead and study them so that we can bring insights on how we can better serve them. And the very first thing we want to do is understand, yeah, there’s very different stages that we see of entrepreneurs and we talk about the whole concept of The Greater Game. And the idea here is we wanted to identify… And I’ll share some PowerPoint slides. I know a lot of us are listening and I just want to walk through this, but Louis will have it in show notes, his team will. We really saw four areas. The first one was level one, stage one was foundation for freedom. They had ambition, the vision, but they really needed security. And Dan calls this, and I love this term, “cash confidence.” But it’s really using a financial advisor to have security. And one of the things, the last time I was on with you, Louis, we talked about there’s 59.2% of entrepreneurs who want to switch advisors because they don’t believe they have that security. And that’s kind of the foundation. And this is why you’re never going to read a more friendly financial advisor book for entrepreneurs than this because in our coaching program, we’re developing workshops and so on to bring this message out. And then the second level is where now we saw… and there were four levels. Dan and I identified 5.4% of these entrepreneurs that were just killing it and they were going through all four levels. The second level was energy for expansion. They were very motivated, they were excited about getting up and really the intellectual property, and Dan’s been one of the big leaders in this, is so much of what we know… And as I go through this too, I want every one of the advisors to think about it’s not only your entrepreneurial clients, this is for you too, is having this intellectual property, getting it out of your head so that your business is not founder-dependent or personality-dependent. You’ve got this enterprise. And then, the third level where it really took off was collaboration and multiplication. And Dan talked about the power of community and this is so big. And for advisors, the community is often working with other professionals, the accountants, the attorneys, the investment bankers. Matter of fact, when we survey, we found that 40% of the people with 25 million or more that they invest with an advisor came through an investment banker. So creating that community, teamwork, having the right team and then autonomy. Can you step away from your practice? The entrepreneurs step away 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, making that independence, moving from the founder-dependent to the enterprise. And the last level was exponential. And this is all along the way, the AI opportunities to accelerate this and augment this is really real, but the agency where the blue ocean, creating new markets, then getting the commitment and courage. And at each of these levels, we saw different entrepreneurs just really taking off. And one of the things that’s so important, Louis, for what we’re talking about today is advisors all are ready to treat stage one, the foundation for freedom, but they don’t really understand the other stages, and that’s really what entrepreneurs want. So if you want to work in this market, it’s very important for you to understand what you can do to help. The difference is often for an entrepreneur, a three to five multiplier versus 15, the level one or stage one to stage four. And this is where it gets really exciting. Louis Diamond: This would be a question for John. You found, and he’s mentioned it, that only 5.4% of entrepreneurs operate as architects versus optimizers. Can you explain the difference between those two personas? John Bowen: Well, I’m going to set up the research and let Dan really bring it home. But Dan and I came up with this framework, The Greater Game and the 10 Multipliers, and we’ve got that and we’re putting it in order and we wanted to really confirm. And everything we do is empirical research. So we reached out to 1,000 very successful entrepreneurs, 1,016. And it became very clear that the 5.4% of them were actually executing on all these levels and they were just distancing everyone else. And what we came up with, and Dan mentioned it earlier, that his book, 10x Is Easier Than 2x, but we said, what we’re seeing… and we’ve got a whole bunch, I think it’s 26 stories in the book of entrepreneurs, we’re seeing so many people blow this out that 100x is easier than 2x, and it forces a whole different mindset where if you’re optimizing, you’re kind of looking incrementally. But when you step back as an architect, big picture, wow, huge opportunity, both for entrepreneurs and advisors that are entrepreneurs to make a real big difference. This is something you’ve really coached to and had the privilege of working with thousands of entrepreneurs helping them on that journey. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. One of the things that was confusing for me, Lou, when I first started coaching, because everybody who came in to coach, you remember when you came into your first Chicago workshop, that everybody in the room was motivated. I’m not a motivational speaker. I don’t have to motivate the entrepreneurs who are in Coach. They’re already motivated. The problem is the focus of their ambition and focus. And what we discovered was that there were two types that showed up. I didn’t really understand it, but they’re what I call status-oriented entrepreneurs. And what they are when they were a kid, they didn’t have anything. Their family wasn’t at the top of the pole. When they were born, they grew up in a certain community, but there were certain people who lived in the right part of town and they had really big houses and everything about their lifestyle was way above everybody else in the lifestyle. And they saw the lack of what they had, because of the way they were born, that they were going to match it. But the matching was based in not only what the big home looks like. They’ve got other homes, they’ve got vacation homes. They belong to clubs. There’s clubs for the winners, and the losers aren’t part of those clubs, golf courses and boating clubs and everything else. And what I noticed was their motivation was simply to get to that point where they had the same sort of status. And they’re interesting for a while, but once they’ve gotten to that level of status, they’re not interesting anymore. They go on cruise control at that point and they just want to stay within that framework. But the really interesting entrepreneurs, and we really highlight them in the book, it’s just about growth. So when they get to one level, they say, “That’s great. Okay, now I’ve got a new baseline and now I want to grow even further.” And we have one story, very, very interesting. When he came into my Chicago workshop, I met him and he said, “I’ve got a big engineering company.” This is Paul VanDuyne. He’s out of the Quad City area of Iowa. And he says, “My ambition for your program is for three years, I’m just going to plan my retirement.” And I said, “Well, we’ve got some thoughts about that.” So I said, “Just do your first workshop and we’ll talk about it 90 days from now.” And he came back and he had an entirely different game plan, and he’s grown basically 250 times in his last 13 years. He’s completely transformed the industry that he’s in and he had this growth. So what we’re looking for in The Greater Game, we’re looking for those entrepreneurs who are already successful, but they don’t see any stopping point. They’ll grow to one level and then they say, “Okay, that’s the new baseline. Now I grow to another level.” Meanwhile, three years ago, what happened is the world got a new capability called AI. AI, you’re not talking 10x. If you use it properly… a lot of people are in the very early stages here, but we can see the ones who are applying it for growth. John has set up an entire research structure just to measure the people, and what are the people who are just motivated by growth? They don’t see any stopping point. They don’t see any retirement age. They’re just growing. They’re in better health now than they were when they started their ambition. One of the great breakthroughs we’re having now is the impact of AI on physical fitness and health right now. And so you have 70-year-olds now who are way more ambitious at 70 than they were at 50. So we think a whole new world is being created in front of us, but there isn’t the research to measure what the real winners of this new game are actually doing. And The Greater Game is a lot of Strategic Coach thinking tools, but it’s also the phenomenal research that John is doing, and we’re measuring exactly what are these people who just constantly grow, what are they actually doing? John Bowen: Louis, if I can jump in, I want to go back to Paul just for a second because he was going to do something classical, and Dan is also my coach and I was going to do something similar. Paul told Dan that he was going to retire at 65, and his wife. And he were going to open up a little mom-and-pop coffee shop. And the reason so many of the entrepreneurs are caught in the 2x optimization is they’re grinding it out. They’re working harder to be more successful and the desire to do that isn’t very high. That’s why you retire. On the other hand, what we found, the ones working on 100x are building platforms and ecosystems. They’re architected. And as we were writing the book, CEG grew by 58%. I’m going to give a lot of credit to the book, because as Dan and I were working on the processes, I wanted to walk all the talks. This is where the world is changing. I want everybody to think as a financial advisor, you’re being served twice, one with The Greater Game, they don’t care about a few basis points on returns. That’s table stakes. So much of the level one is taking care of the investment side, mitigating taxes, taking care of the areas, protecting the assets, some charitable planning, maybe shoot in some succession planning. I can tell you only 6% of the entrepreneurs actually feel they’re getting that from you, but that’s only level one. If you can help them from each of the stages, stage one through four, and help them create that vision, they’re going to love you to death. Because many of them want to continue in this path and create tremendous value, bigger impact, not creating legacies in the sense of enduring legacies, but active legacies. Last year, my wife and I set up a private foundation. I called it The Greater Game Foundation. I just love this so much, the difference that you can make, and I want to do it while I’m living, not while I’m gone type of thing. I think that’s one Dan and I very much share. Louis Diamond: Awesome. You wrote the book 10x Is Easier Than 2x, but now you’re claiming 100x is easier than 2x. How can that be the case? Dan Sullivan: The interesting thing, one of my points of proof on the original idea, the 10x Mind Expander, I use a lot of what the entrepreneurs have already done to prove the future. In other words, I said… You’ll remember the exercise, Lou. And I said, “I want you to pick your best number.” Everybody’s got a best number. It’s revenue, it’s net worth, whatever. And I said, “I just want you to multiply by 10.” And immediately there’s this reaction. He says, “You know how hard it was to get to just where I am 10 times?” And I said, “Well, you’ve already done 10 times. You’ve probably done 10 times twice. So let’s go back to the beginning. When were you 1/10 of where you are right now?” And they can nail it. They can tell you the year, they can tell you the month when they were 1/10 of where they were. And I said, “Let’s write the actual structure that got you from 1/10 to where you are right now.” And there’s five stages, and usually it’s an event, it’s a new relationship and all of a sudden they get a big check. And we measure, as entrepreneurs, size of check is a good scorecard. When you’re first starting, you got a $10,000 check, that was the biggest check. But about five years later, you get a $100,000 check, and all of a sudden it seems strange at breakfast, but by dinner you’ve normalized the idea, “Well, I know what it’s like to get a much bigger check, a 10 times check.” And so I have them create five growth stages that took them from where they were 1/10 to where they are right now, and I said, “Now let’s go back and talk about doing 10 times more.” And what they recognize, 80% who’ve got them 10 times the first time is going to be the same. It’s relationship, it’s having a great team, it’s having a simple approach that always works and it’s about the kind end customer. It’s not about them. It’s about who is it that you’re being a hero to in the marketplace. Because the truth is people don’t want to have a lot of relationships as they grow. They’d like to have one relationship to grow. They’d like to have an advisor who’s growing with them. But then John introduced me to the whole world of AI and I said, “We’re not talking 10 times anymore. We’re talking 100 times.” I said, “If you apply this new form of thinking, because it is an entirely new form of thinking, to what you’re doing right now, you can see that 10 times is going to happen just by doing three or four things where you’re eliminating waste, you’re eliminating things that just don’t work anymore, changing relationships, changing teamwork, changing collaborations in the marketplace.” But meanwhile, this new world of thinking is making you healthier. It’s making you more fit. So where before you thought you wouldn’t have the energy at 70, you now have more energy at 70 than you had at 50. So you’re the only one who says when it’s going to stop. I’m 82 in three weeks. We’re having this… I’m 82 and I’m way more ambitious at 82 than I was at 52. And the world is, because the world outside in terms of technological capability and access is way, way bigger in my 82nd year than it was in my 52nd year, and I love the growth. I have to tell you that the greatest point where AI is going to have the impact is going to be making money. The big titans, the Metas, the Googles, the Nvidias, what do they have in common? It’s about the money and where AI is being applied most is how you do new things with money. So that’s where the 100 times now comes from. I’ve normalized it. I said, “We’re not talking a 10x game anymore. We’re talking 100x game.” But the number on the scoreboard isn’t the issue. The scoreboard is, are you actually having fun? Louis Diamond: Yeah, we call it living your best business life. That’s our major barometer in charge. John, I don’t know if you could pull up your slides again, but I want to talk about the bridge between stage two in your pyramid to stage three. So that’s from expertise into scalable property. Can you explain how this relates to a financial advisor or an independent business owner and why this concept is so important for the valuation of a business? John Bowen: The book, it’s written for entrepreneurs, but I wanted to create some bridges while we’re together with Louis on really what’s going on for financial advisors and how you can help them. So if they’re at our stage one, Dan and my stage one of The Greater Game, and they want to go to two, they’re kind of dreaming oftentimes, and we want to help them begin creating the architectural structure. And as an advisor, this is really going to encourage everybody to read chapter two, The Greater Security. It talks about really the VFO, Virtual Family Office structure that they want, and you got to help them get financially solid, building personal wealth outside of the business, tax, estate, insurance, business structure. That’s what we all do today. Then though, if they want to move from level two to three, what we find over and over again, advisors are not equipped to do this, because what we’re taking is that founder where everything’s in its head, we’re now helping them move from just having that expertise to having scalable property. This is that codifying the process of building IP that’s transferable. And this is where the real valuation changes. Now, I’m not asking financial advisors to be the IP experts, but what the entrepreneurs want is they want somebody to help them curate and then coordinate between each of these levels. We go from three to four that the founder is indispensable, oftentimes at three. Now we want the team there to be invincible. And it’s not just the individual team as Dan was talking about. It’s the community. The collaboration is where this really takes off. The noise of AI is making it harder to market, but by partnering, particularly as financial advisors, we can very quickly have groups. One of the reasons why I’m collaborating with Dan, I want to help our financial advisors to work with entrepreneurs. Dan wants that research. So this is the natural collaboration. But they’re interested here in governance, self-managing teams. One of the things that Strategic Coach is brilliant at, the pre-transaction they want. And what we find so often is the indispensable discount. So many businesses sell, if they sell at all, they’re selling for three to five times multiplier, not advisory, but traditional businesses. Well, if you can make it to four, all of a sudden you’re now talking to 10 to 15 times multipliers. And think of it as if I’m a buyer and I’ve been involved in 50-some transactions, what happens is if the business is the guy, the gal, they’re the business, then you’re buying a very expensive job type thing. So let’s just keep a simple one. They’re having a couple million dollars of EBITDA. And let’s say the high range of that, five times EBITDA is $10 million. Well, the difference at 15 times two million is 30. Now, a few basis points I don’t really care about. I really care about capturing that difference. And because there’s a machine working without, I can buy that machine and generate that cash flow and it’s also taking advantage of the vision. And then when we get to level four, this is where most advisors make the biggest mistake is, “I’ve won. I’m at level four. I’ve got tremendous wealth.” Okay, but I’m now looking at significance. And I do want to go, “It’s not enduring legacy I’m looking for. I’m looking for active legacy. I’m looking for family governance.” Do I want to continue to build it like Dan and I’m doing at 70? I’m building the business so I can continue doing it as long as I want to do it. At the same time, and I love the impact we have and I know you do too, Louis, for the impact you have. Why not build the platform that’s going to allow you to do that as long as you want to do that? And if you don’t want to do it, let’s create the most value to transfer. When you start having conversations like that with families, entrepreneur families, it just changes, and very few advisors can do that. And that’s what we’re finding. We have a coaching company, training company, we train those things. They’re winning, quite honestly, almost 100% of the time because entrepreneurs didn’t know that was available to them. Louis Diamond: Interesting. It seems like the difference between stage two in your pyramid, to leap to stage three or four, that seems like a pretty massive pivot point for valuation for building a scalable business, having a self-managing company, et cetera. Do you find or have you seen that advisors or entrepreneurs that are in stage two themselves, they kind of pattern-match when they’re working with their own clients and kind of manage their own clients into stage two, or is it not really connected? John Bowen: I think that once you get the bigger picture and see the greater game, you can help your clients. That is a very small percentage. Remember, it was only 5.4 of when we surveyed successful entrepreneurs were actually playing the greater game, all four levels, the 10 greater multipliers. So I think what we tend to do is we get stuck on what we can do. And all the training is for level one for financial advisors. We don’t know how to guide them through the other levels. And really, the big difference from two to three, Dan and I’ve talked about this a lot, and I think Dan’s one of the biggest champions of this, is collaboration, putting together strategic partnerships. It could be with your competitors. This is for entrepreneurs, competitors, it could be various vendor partnerships. But the ability to open up markets that way when you have now put together in level two your IP, value creation’s huge. For advisors, it’s putting together partnerships with centers of influence. When we survey top financial advisors, 70% of their best clients came through COI, Centers of Influence with accountants, attorneys, investment bankers, and so on. Well, let’s do it on purpose, be successful on purpose. Louis Diamond: Dan, question for you. In all your experience working with successful financial advisors, insurance producers, probably any entrepreneur, what do you feel are the most common things that folks do unintentionally to really hurt their enterprise value even long before, or if ever, they decide to sell their business? Dan Sullivan: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is they stay entirely within their industry. One of the first questions that we ask our entrepreneurs when they come into the program and where you see it most is in the professions: lawyers, accountants, engineers, architects. I’ll say, “Well, what is it that you are?” And they’ll say, “Well, I’m a lawyer. I’m a tax lawyer.” And I said, “Are you a tax lawyer or are you an entrepreneur who has a specialty in tax law?” Okay. It makes a big difference, because if you see yourself as a tax lawyer, then you’re saying that you’re a better paid factory worker. You’re a manual laborer. But if you’re an entrepreneur, it’s a fairly recent idea in human history. There’s always been entrepreneurs, but it wasn’t until about the beginning of the 1800s that you start seeing this really different class of people in the marketplace, who, it didn’t matter how they were born, they were taking advantage of some new multiplier technology. Steam power being a great example. Around 1800, steam power came on. And anybody who had a bright vision for themselves and had the wherewithal to figure out what needs could be satisfied with a new technology, all of a sudden they became rich. They became rich. And it was very disruptive, because up until then it was based on aristocracy and you were born into wealth or you were born into poverty. There was no crossover. So what we’re saying is anybody who comes into Strategic Coach, I said, “I’m not going to tell you anything about your particular industry.” I said, “You know all the best practice people in your industry and they have workshops and they have conferences and you go to them, but they don’t know how to be entrepreneurs. You know how to create a really well-paying job, but you haven’t created a company.” A company is a totally different realm and I would say the vast majority of entrepreneurs, 95% of entrepreneurs haven’t really created a company. They’ve just created a really well-paying job which requires their presence and their attendance. I said, “You don’t get any payout for your company. If you’re the company, you need to have a structure.” I’ll give you an example. We started the company in 1989, and we’re about 270 times what our first year revenues were, and that was a great year. I was very happy for the first year, but we’re about 270 times. Along the way, what I did is I created other coaches so it wasn’t just Dan, the coach. So we have 16 other coaches. And I’ll give you a little example. In 1994, that year our company did 144 workshop days, 36 per quarter. One coach: me. Last year we did 600 workshop days and I did 12. 588 were done by other coaches. And our coaches are great. They’re clients who have coaching instincts and they do it. So about four years ago, I met one of our clients who’s an M&A specialist, and I laid out all the facts just in conversation, “This is our revenues. We have no debt. It’s repeatable income, around 70% is repeatable for one year.” I put the whole structure together. And I said, “So right off the top, I don’t have any relatives on staff.” The first thing they look for, “Any relatives working for you?” And he gave me a number. It was a big number. It was probably four times revenue for that year. He said, “We got a lot of structures.” Then something happened in the marketplace, and this is a great breakthrough that the US Patent Office sometime in the last 10 years recognized that up until about 10 years ago, to get a patent, you had to have a technological component for what you were doing. Sometime in the last 10 years, the patent bureaus decided that the internet is the technological component. So they’ve introduced education and entertainment as patentable processes. So in the last three years, we’ve gotten 82 patents. 82 patents. And these are our thinking tools, Lifetime Extender, Free Focus and Buffer Days. You know the routine that you learn in the first three days, and we’ve got 82 of them. We’re averaging about 25. I get a new patent about every two weeks. So I saw this M&A specialist, and I said, “This has happened in the last three years.” And he said, “Immediately it doubles the valuation of your company.” So what John’s saying here, as you go through the four stages, more and more you get paid for your creativity, retail, you get paid for your retail. But if you structure it, you record it, you package it, it is even greater than what you got paid for your creativity. Louis Diamond: Super interesting personal anecdote, and I appreciate you sharing that because that definitely did drive the point home for me. I see the applicability to probably any industry, but especially to any financial advisor. Dan Sullivan: Oh, yeah. Louis Diamond: The best RIA firms, the best advisors, they pretty much all start off with a cult of personality founder who’s the rainmaker. And then the practices that really grow and scale and are valuable are more platforms. That’s what private equity wants to invest in. And those are the firms that get the higher multiples. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. So the big thing is there’s a really, really great IP lawyer. He’s in our program and he’s made the breakthrough, and he’s the first IP lawyer that doesn’t charge by the hour. He charges by the patent. If the IP lawyer charges by the hour, it’s a very slow patent. If he charges by the patent, it’s a very fast patent. But the big thing, he showed a slide that in just big corporations, 1980, you took big corp, Fortune 500, the S&P 500, more than 80% of their valuation was tangible. It was property, it was real estate, it was fleets, it was equipment. Last year, more than 80% were intangibles. It was your ideas, intellectual. If you look at Elon Musk, it’s all intellectual capital. If you look at Meta, you look at anything, it’s intellectual. It’s not tangibles. So we’ve entered into that new world and AI has introduced us to that new world. It’s new processes, new structures, new approaches and it’s really interesting. It’s hard for entrepreneurs to get their idea that your creativity is actually property. Louis Diamond: It sounds like the ultimate challenge for anyone listening is translate your process, your ideas, the stuff that you’re doing by instinct as you both had said, and turn it into something patentable or something repeatable that another advisor, another executive, another owner can pick up and deploy and scale. John Bowen: We share the process in chapter four. It’s the fourth greater multiplier. And we actually share Caldwell, the attorney that Dan’s talking about, his story and the value creation. He’s now the major player in that space. And this is where we as advisors, we’re given a twofer, Dan and Louis, is that you can help your clients, but you can do this yourself too. You’ve been involved in a number of large transactions. The difference, I had a $2 billion advisory practice I sold in ’98, and we sold for 16 times earnings. And a big part of it, we were in that blue ocean. We had agents that we created and strategic process that would run without me, and it did type thing. And it continued to grow and went for about 10 fold what I sold for a number of years later. This is something that’s very real. Louis Diamond: Absolutely. I got two more questions for you guys because I know you’re both busy. For an advisor who feels like they’ve won the growth game, they grow 10, 15, 20% per year, they’re charged up, they’re on the Barron’s list, the Forbes list, they’re hitting their AUM milestones, they built an amazing team, they have a family member in the business. They have everything that anyone could want. What does the next game look like for them? What’s the next frontier once you’ve achieved all those things that from the outside looking in, seems like you have it all? What’s the next game to play? John Bowen: Well, we’re going to both say The Greater Game, but the- Dan Sullivan: Well, tell them about the dashboard, John, because the book is just part of the deal here. It gives you the landscape. There’s a great tool that comes with the book. So tell them about the dashboard. John Bowen: Really what we wanted to do is to create kind of a community just around the book. Dan and I and team built a dashboard. We were very creative on naming, thegreatergamedashboard.com. You can go in and we’re now studying every month over 500 successful entrepreneurs. We have that data in here. You’ll be able to see how you compare at each of these stages, the four stages, the 10 multipliers. And you’re going to get specific recommendations. This is for entrepreneurs. But again, you should do it. If you’re a financial advisor, you have an equity ownership, you should definitely be doing it as well. And one of the things that we see over and over again, and Louis, you probably see this a lot in the conversations. They have advisors who have already won. They don’t know what the next game is. And it’s easy to check out at that point. It’s easy to frustrate the next generation of leaders and so on. If you take the time to really see what the opportunities are and architect to realize that vision, you can create, whether it’s selling the practice, creating tremendous value there or designing a role for yourself, maybe it’s executive chairman type for that business that you can guide it with the vision and what you’ve brought and strategy. But bring that team up. That’s going to create so much value, so much impact and you can design it for the life that you want. And that’s where I get very excited. Louis Diamond: I can hear the passion in your voice. Dan, let’s finish with you. Given all of your experience working with entrepreneurs, advisors, business owners, et cetera, what’s the one move that you’ve seen the most successful entrepreneurs in your orbit make that’s changed the trajectory of their firms and their life more than anything else? Dan Sullivan: I’ll answer it in a little roundabout way. Periodically, I have a thinking tool. I said, “If everything was taken away from you as an entrepreneur and they moved you 1,000 miles away, what’s the one thing that you would take with you? It has to be portable. So what is the most portable thing that you have that you would start over again with the greatest value that you had created previously? What would it be? And then you would rebuild what you’ve already created, but you would do it much faster. What would be the one thing?” It’s an interesting thought. But in our concept, it’s called unique ability, that there’s something about you, as an individual, that first of all gave you enough confidence to become an entrepreneur because it’s risky. It’s a risky proposition. It’s guessing and betting and it’s risky business and it’s unique ability. So the starting point for all growth in Strategic Coach is that there’s something about you that’s absolutely unique. You don’t have any competitors on this and it has two qualities. One is that you’re so good at it, you don’t take it seriously. You’ve done this since you were a child and it just comes to you naturally and you don’t see the significance of it. When you’re in Coach, you start seeing the significance of it. And the second thing is you just absolutely love doing it. It’s what you love doing most of all. It comes to you naturally. You don’t even have to think about it. And then you begin to realize that anything else you’re doing as the founder and the owner of your company, probably somebody else can do. So you’re doing 20 things, but really you should be doing three things. The other 17 things still need to be done but not by you. And that’s the breakthrough. You have to simplify in order to multiply. Louis Diamond: I absolutely love that. I know when I was in Coach, that was my biggest takeaway or realization was figuring out what my unique ability was because I think the two components,

Joseph Marconi is a writer and director from the Hudson Valley, New York. He began his career in advertising, working with global companies like BBDO and Showtime. After a brief stint as a New York City nightlife photographer, he transitioned to writing and directing short films, music videos, and branded content. His short film, Baby Love, won Best Short Film and Best Made in Montana Film at the 2021 MINT Film Festival. He edited the documentary feature Hargrove (directed by Eliane Henri) and the Muslim Futurism music video Alhamdu (directed by Abbas Rattani), both of which premiered at Tribeca 2022. Joseph is also a 2021 Film Independent Fellow. Baby Love will be his debut feature film. Joseph is represented by Brian Levy at Entertainment 360. Maury Sterling is an actor, writer, and producer originally from Mill Valley, California. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films, series, and recurring roles, most notably of late as Max Piotrowski on the Showtime juggernaut Homeland. Maury and his wife Alexis recently launched their production company, Little Idea Media. Under the banner of this new production company, which aspires to create stories that challenge narrative, perspective, and tradition, they have produced the short film Blood and Water, the feature My Dead Friend Zoe (winner of the 2024 SXSW Audience Award), and now Baby Love. Maury is represented by Forward Entertainment and Innovative Artists.Kiana Madeira is a powerhouse actress whose past credits prove that she cannot be put in a box. Although she started her career in Toronto at the age of ten, Kiana's international breakthrough came when she led the cast in the hit Netflix horror trilogy “Fear Street.” Playing multiple characters across three timelines, Kiana's seemingly effortless ability to take on the challenge did not go unnoticed. She went on to star in the Toronto Film Festival favorite “Brother”, which earned her an ACTRA Awards nomination for Outstanding Female Performance. Brother won fourteen Canadian Screen Awards and now lives on Netflix. Being no stranger to the streamer, Kiana also stars in the Netflix Original series “Trinkets” and the hit “After” franchise of YA films.Breaking into the action space, Kiana has recently starred in the film “Perfect Addiction,” where she brought to life Sienna Lane, an MMA trainer-turned-fighter. Her physicality in this role has carved a lane for her as she is currently set to star in the survivor thriller “Titan”, with filming commencing later this year. The “Resident Evil” Producers Constantin Film & JB Pictures are behind both Perfect Addiction and Titan.Kiana is currently making her first leap into producing as executive producer of “Baby Love”, an indie fighter drama centered around Madeira, who portrays the lead character.She currently splits her time between Toronto and the US and is bi-coastal

In Ep#3 of our Effie series, strategists share lessons on how they approach a new strategic initiative. Johnny Corpuz, Head of Comms Strategy at BBDO, Asmirh Davis, Partner and President at Majority, and Gunny Scarfo, Co-Founder at Nonfiction join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com

Josh Gross is an elite, award-winning creative executive known for building viral, culture-shaping campaigns that merge massive scale with genuine human soul. Having established himself as a powerhouse creative leader during a highly successful decade at Energy BBDO, he was appointed to oversee the newly integrated FCB Global / BBDO Chicago creative team following the major Omnicom network merger.In this role, Josh is tasked with unifying two of Chicago's most historic and distinct agency cultures, focusing on real-time, high-speed creative experimentation to keep major global brands culturally relevant.Key Career Highlights & Creative Philosophy:Scale with Soul: Josh operates under a unified creative vision to "do big things by scale, with soul." He rejects the idea that a campaign must choose between data-driven, massive reach and emotional depth, pushing his teams to find the golden intersection of both.

Tony Celano and John Gotti Eye to EyeWhat does a man do after spending 22 years working organized crime cases for the NYPD — including going face-to-face with John Gotti during a surveillance operation and serving on the task force that fought through the bloodiest mob war of the 20th century?If you're Tony Celano, you build a second career running a major corporate security firm. And then you write seven crime novels.This episode of Do You Ever Wonder is one you won't want to miss.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT OUR GUEST━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Anthony Celano is a retired NYPD Detective Squad Commander who served 22 years on some of the most dangerous assignments in modern New York law enforcement history, during the era when the New York Mafia was at the absolute peak of its power. His assignments included:

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. We're joined this month by Landi Day, CSO at BBDO, Chicago and Omar Quinones, CSO at LERMA/, Dallas. We're having some laughs and talking Subaru and Vaseline. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. www.onstrategyshowcase.com

AI has made marketing easier to produce - but harder to win. That's the sharp framing Cameron Partridge, Chief Growth Officer at Humanforce, brings to this conversation. Drawing on nearly a decade in the US, including a front-row seat to the AI boom at Invisible Technologies, working directly with OpenAI, Meta, Google, and Microsoft on AI training, Cameron delivers one of the most grounded takes on where marketing is heading. From the collapse of specialist roles to why marketing must own revenue, this is the episode to send to every marketing leader sitting on the fence about what AI means for their team and career. Guest Introduction Cameron Partridge is Chief Growth Officer at Humanforce, an AI-driven human capital management platform serving frontline workforces globally. He spent nearly a decade in the US, most recently as CMO of Invisible Technologies, one of North America's fastest-growing AI companies, where he helped grow revenue from $25-30M to close to $200M run rate while working directly with the world's leading AI model providers. He previously held senior leadership roles at BBDO and Macquarie Group, and began his career at Medibank, Telstra, and GE Capital in Australia. Key Topics Why AI has lowered the floor of marketing quality and what "AI slop" means for how you actually win in a crowded content landscapeHow the marketing function is collapsing from siloed specialists into generalists - and why that's both an opportunity and a threatWhy Cameron no longer hires for deep channel expertise, and what he looks for instead: cultural fit, outcomes focus, and "neural plasticity"Why marketing must stop reporting on activity and move toward shared revenue ownership with sales - and the rise of the Chief Growth Officer titleThe go-to-market engineer role: what it is, why it's a critical hire, and why these people are rare in AustraliaWhy AI boosts individual productivity but not organisational productivity, and how systems thinking closes the gapCameron's AI toolkit: Claude for deep work, ChatGPT for quick questions, Claude Code for vibe coding - and why courses are the wrong way to learn AIThe job outlook for marketers: why middle managers face the most risk and why now is the time to act Resources & Links Tools Claude - Cameron's go-to for deep work and complex tasksClaude Code - Used by Cameron for vibe coding projectsChatGPT - Cameron's "new Google" for quick questionsManus - Meta owned AI agent platform Cameron is experimenting withNotebookLM - Recommended for knowledge workSEMrush - Part of Cameron's cross-platform insights dashboardX (formerly Twitter) - Recommended for following AI researchersSubstack - Recommended for action-oriented AI insights People Mentioned Allie K. Miller - Top LinkedIn voice on AI; also on Instagram Companies OpenAI - Worked with directly at Invisible Technologies; recommended for following researchersAnthropic - Makers of Claude; referenced as a foundational model provider worth followingGoogle - Referenced in Cameron's analytics dashboard and as a major AI model providerInvisible Technologies - Cameron's former employer; recommended as a source for enterprise AI developments Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Cameron Partridge Produced by:  Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Daale Carter is a powerhouse creative executive and the first-ever Global Chief Client Experience Officer at BBDO Worldwide. Appointed in early 2026, her role signals a major evolution for the agency network, shifting the focus from traditional "account management" toward a holistic, experience-driven partnership model. Professional Background Agency Pedigree: Before stepping into her global role, Daale served as EVP and Managing Director at Energy BBDO, where she was known for bridging the gap between high-level strategy and experiential marketing. Eclectic Roots: Her career began in entertainment law before she moved into music event production and media strategy. This diverse background—combining legal rigor, event logistics, and brand empathy—allows her to view the client-agency relationship through a unique lens.

Rather than answers, this celebrates curiosity and openness. It affirms that becoming isn't about arriving, it's about staying awake to possibility. Core question: What does "more" mean to you now, and how will you make room for it? Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Stefoni Rossiter, retired educator, caregiver, and creative spirit. She shares how this season of transition has opened the door to deeper self-trust, creativity, and a more compassionate way of becoming. In today's episode, we discuss: Pay attention to what has always drawn you in. The things we were naturally curious about early in life often still point toward what matters most to us now. Looking back can help you notice patterns you may have overlooked and reconnect with parts of yourself that are still waiting to be used. Creativity does not have an expiration date. Whether it is sketching, journaling, cooking, gardening, writing, or building something with your hands, trying something new can open up a different kind of confidence. You do not need to be an expert to benefit from creativity. Your role can change without your value changing. A transition like retirement, caregiving, or a career shift can leave you wondering who you are without your old responsibilities. Identity can expand, and a new season does not erase the impact of the one before it. Self-care can be practical and personal. It does not have to look fancy to matter. For Stefoni, routines, movement, reading, gardening, and creative time all help her stay grounded, and that is a good reminder that self-care works best when it actually fits your life. You do not have to do it perfectly to do it well. Stefoni's willingness to try, fail, adjust, and keep going is part of what makes her story so relatable. That same mindset can help anyone loosen their grip on perfection and make room for growth.   RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Stefoni Rossiter is a veteran theater arts performer, director, and choreographer with over 50 years of experience.   Retiring from full-time teaching in 2024, she now teaches middle school theater arts part-time at a local charter school.   Awards: Parent of the Year, Autism Society Ventura, California, Mayor's Award for Arts Educator of the Year 6 Teachers of the semester awards Teacher of the year Inducted into the Hall of Fame  Since retirement, Stefoni has learned to fill her days with self-care, which includes incorporating daily creativity. Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/   

The 2026 Agency of the Year Awards was a night of high fashion, hard-won trophies and heartfelt reflections on what it means to lead in today's advertising and marketing landscape. In this special episode, we're coming to you live from the celebration, capturing the raw energy of the industry's biggest night. We dive into the deeper, personal side of the business, discussing the "small town" feel of the agency world and what it means to lead a high-stakes creative career. We also hear from the giants behind some of the year's most historic mergers and iconic campaigns. They reflect on retiring legendary brand names while keeping the creative fire lit, sharing secrets behind the work that broke the mold. It is a night about community, "addiction" to the craft, and the rule that defines the best in the business: never have the same year twice. campaignlive.com Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop. What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you think the biggest growth opportunity in marketing is Gen Z, Millennials, or Gen Alpha, this episode may change your mind. We kick off a special monthly series focused on how marketers approach different generations, starting with Gen X and Baby Boomers.To explore the 50+ audience, Jim welcomes Brent Rivard, CEO and co-founder of Geezer Creative, an agency built around one bold premise: the marketing industry has been ignoring consumers who represent an $8 trillion opportunity.Gen X and Boomers control roughly 70% of disposable income in the U.S., yet most brands remain obsessively focused on youth. Gen X alone outspends Gen Z by multiples in categories like alcohol, while affluent 50+ consumers are driving massive growth in travel, wellness, longevity, and lifestyle spending.Brent studied at the Ivey Business School in Ontario and went on to spend two decades at top agencies, including BBDO, Anomaly, Doner, and Lowe Roche. After a stint as a CMO, he founded Geezer Creative in 2024 to help brands reposition themselves for what he believes is the most overlooked and fastest-growing audience in North America.Tune in for a conversation with an advocate fighting for smarter audience choices in advertising.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/ccs Promo Code for $150 off ticket prices: CMOPODCCS26—This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Future Fuzz, host Harry Duran speaks with Rob Rankin, President of Clarity Coverdale Fury (CCF), about why emotional connection remains the most powerful force in marketing, even as technology and AI reshape the industry. Rob shares how CCF helps brands “throw a big rock” in crowded markets by creating creative communications that demand attention while building genuine emotional resonance with audiences.The conversation explores how fragmented media landscapes have changed the way brands reach consumers, why presence and attention are prerequisites for performance marketing, and how experiential moments can amplify brand storytelling. Rob also discusses how agencies should approach AI adoption—experimenting first, then embedding it strategically into operations—without losing the human touch that drives trust and loyalty.Guest BioRob Rankin is the President of Clarity Coverdale Fury (CCF), a creative communications agency known for building emotionally resonant brand campaigns that demand attention and drive connection. Under his leadership, CCF delivers full-service marketing solutions including strategy, creative development, and media planning, with a strong focus on healthcare and financial services.Rob began his career at BBDO, working on major consumer packaged goods brands and developing a strong foundation in data-driven marketing. Since joining CCF in 1998 and later helping lead the agency's transition to new ownership, he has helped evolve the firm's signature approach—leveraging the emotional catalyst between brands and audiences to build trust and long-term brand value.TakeawaysEmotional connection remains the most powerful driver of brand trust and memorability.In a fragmented media environment, brands must demand attention before delivering their message.Experiential marketing combined with digital amplification can dramatically expand reach.AI will transform agency workflows but should enhance, not replace, human creativity.Leaders must balance involvement with trust, empowering teams while staying strategically present.Long-term brand positioning built around authentic emotional insights can last for decades.Effective planning means defining long-term vision and chunking goals down into actionable steps.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Rob Rankin and Clarity Coverdale Fury 00:14 A proud parent moment and life outside the office 01:04 What Clarity Coverdale Fury does and the power of emotional marketing 01:37 Rob's role as President and leading a 20-person agency team 02:42 Why healthcare became a core focus for the agency 03:12 The importance of emotional catalysts in marketing 04:37 Media fragmentation and the challenge of capturing attention 06:12 “Throwing a big rock”: Creating campaigns that demand attention 08:20 How brands can create modern “water cooler” moments 11:05 Presence vs. performance in marketing strategy 12:21 Marketing fundamentals that still hold true today 13:45 How agencies are experimenting with AI tools 16:17 The rise of AI skills and prompt-driven workflows 18:04 Keeping up with AI trends and industry learning 19:38 Encouraging teams to experiment and share AI use cases 20:21 Leadership lessons about delegation and trust 23:11 The emotional catalyst framework explained 25:34 Building brand positioning that stands the test of time 25:51 Planning strategy: thinking in three-year and quarterly horizons 27:27 Recognizing when priorities drift and staying accountable 29:04 The importance of being fully present with clients 30:26 The future of marketing and the risk of losing human connection 32:27 Rob's unexpected path into advertising 34:39 A classic marketing book that still holds up todayLinkedInFollow Rob Rankin on LinkedIn Follow Harry Duran on LinkedIn

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Stephanie Baker, Chief Experience Officer and artist. She highlights her journey of moving beyond achievement, sharing how embracing vulnerability, creativity, and leading with empathy has redefined what true success means, for herself, her teams, and those she mentors. In today's episode, we discuss: Reimagine your definition of success. Step back from titles and checkboxes. Ask yourself whether your work aligns with your core values and your true impact. When your work is a reflection of who you are, fulfillment finds you, not the other way around. Lead with empathy and inclusion. Performance isn't just about KPIs; it's about how people feel in your presence. When you foster empathy, inclusion, and psychological safety, you build teams that are resilient, innovative, and engaged at every level. Make becoming a lifelong pursuit. You don't have to have it all figured out. The most effective, impactful leaders are those who stay open to growth and keep redefining who they are—at work and in life. Protect your energy unapologetically. Learn to say "no"—and realize that it's a complete sentence. Being deliberate with your time and focus allows you to say "yes" to what truly matters and show up at your best. Give yourself permission to explore new interests. Try picking up something new—painting, mentoring, creating. You never know which hidden strengths or sources of joy are waiting for you. (Check out her paintings in the show notes. She is GIFTED!)   RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Stephanie Baker is a Senior operations executive with 20+ years of experience driving enterprise performance and operational excellence. A trusted partner to CEOs and Boards, I specialize in aligning people, processes, and technology to deliver exceptional outcomes for customers and employees. Recognized for building inclusive, engaged teams and leading transformational change with clarity and purpose. Website/Social Links www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-baker-5833b78 slbaker28@gmail.com Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

If culture moves at the speed of TikTok, then today's CMO has to move just as fast. This week, Jim is joined by Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing and Commercial Partnerships at TikTok. Since launching in the U.S. in 2018, TikTok has reshaped culture, content, and marketing. And its mission, to inspire creativity and bring joy, has fueled extraordinary growth, even as the company has navigated controversy and major shifts, including the recent acquisition of TikTok U.S. by a consortium of investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. The platform now reaches more than one billion users globally and has grown into a multi-billion-dollar advertising business, generating an estimated $33 billion in ad revenue in 2025.Sofia has spent the past six years helping build TikTok's business during one of the most dynamic growth periods in tech. In her role, she helps brands around the world show up effectively on one of the most culturally influential platforms in the world. Before TikTok, Sofia served as Chief Client Officer at the consumer insights platform Suzy and began her career in advertising at Publicis, later spending five years at BBDO. An activist at her core, Sofia also speaks openly about representation in tech, where Latinas hold roughly 1% of executive roles, and she is deeply committed to fostering inclusion across the industry.Tune in for a conversation with a leader who believes today's CMOs must evolve into enterprise leaders who connect culture, creativity, and business results.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/newfrontsPromo Code for free access: CMOPODNEW26*Note: promo code is exclusive for brand and agency, brand marketers and media buyers. IAB reserves the right to cancel any registrations that don't meet this criterion. —This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Elizabeth Haggerty,  EVP Customer Solutions, America's Division, CRH. She highlights how navigating life's and career pivots, unexpected business challenges, and a life-changing health diagnosis led her to discover untapped reserves of courage and resilience, offering real-life strategies to thrive through uncertainty and continual growth. In today's episode, we discuss: Adopt the "one foot in, one foot out" approach. When considering a new role or industry, bring core skills you already have while stretching into new territory, so you're growing without completely untethering yourself. Let your setbacks refine, not define, you. When a business is sold, or a role ends abruptly, even through being fired, treat it as a painful but powerful pivot point, not a verdict on your worth or future potential. Integrate joy and self-care into your life. Make space for passions, hobbies, and relationships outside of work. These experiences not only enhance your overall well-being but also give you energy and perspective to face professional challenges with renewed spirit. Redefine your identity beyond job titles. Reflect on how external achievements and positions have shaped your sense of self. Shift your focus from titles to your skill sets, values, and unique contributions. This empowers you to navigate transitions and derive fulfillment from multiple aspects of life. Release the need to do everything alone. Accept that asking for help is a sign of wisdom, not weakness. Rely on your team's expertise and focus on asking insightful questions. This collaborative approach strengthens outcomes and develops your leadership. Guest Bio: Elizabeth Haggerty is a high-impact executive with over a 35-year history of driving growth and profitability in the building products industry.   Starting in the HVAC industry leading global product and channel P&Ls before transitioning to the industrial material products space where she has led large P&L businesses and key customer growth strategies.   Liz has experience in green fielding businesses as well as leading turn arounds and corporate carve-outs.   All of this done through building and developing high performing teams and investing in leadership development.  She has a bachelor's and master's degree in metallurgical engineering and an MBA.  Elizabeth has been recognized by:  Glass Magazine as one of the industry's Most Influential People,  Engineered Systems Magazine as 20 Women to Watch  HVAC and by Industry Week for women in manufacturing.   She was also recognized by the Manufacturing Institute a Women in Manufacturing Step Ahead Honoree in 2021. Website/Social Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-haggerty-81885115/  Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-105-yohan-daver This Friday sees the last in our New York specials and we're finishing with a cracker, Yohan Daver, ECD at at BBH, USA Yohan started his career in India, at BBDO and then BBH, before continuing his journey with the black sheep to LA and now BBH New York. Yohan's work has been recognised at every major awards show, winning big at Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, and the Clios. We discussed some of his very best campaigns, starting with Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge, a genuinely intriguing, funny and superbly on-brand campaign that questioned the morals of New Yorkers and what they would do for money. Next we covered the ‘Black-owned Friday Every Day' initiative for Google in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. to reframe the busiest shopping day of the year as a celebration of Black-owned businesses. We did a quick bit of Heineken, before finishing on Dunkin' at Home which we've loved ever since we saw it last year. It is the epitome of great OOH, fantastic idea, brilliantly executed. Yohan gave us the story behind the idea which is not to be missed. Then we chatted about the beautifully crafted execution. It deservedly won our International Poster of the year and we imagine it will clean up in the awards shows later this year. Thanks again Yohan for coming on. A great end to a fun week. Huge thanks once again to Joe at Rockefeller Center's Newsstand Studios for making us sound (semi)professional. Thanks also to our all our guests both in the studio and at AdFest, you were all amazing. Kudos as ever to Jon for the edits. Gas for the music. And the good people of New York who made us feel so welcome. V much hoping to return. BTB ❤️ NYC And as ever, huge thanks to all our sponsors, who make the show possible: Bauer Media Outdoor View2Fill Super Optimal GAS Music

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Emily Garvey, Head of Strategy at Zulu Alpha Kilo, NYC, and Caitlin Cody, EVP, Group Strategy Director at BBDO, Chicago. As always, balancing our opinions with facts are Tracksuit's Matthew Herbert and System1's Vanessa Chin. 

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with  Melissa Muir, acclaimed jewelry artist and teacher. She highlights how embracing life's unexpected pivot points opens new paths for creativity, personal growth, and transformation. In today's episode, we discuss: Honor your pivot points. Notice the moments whernt feels like a dead end. What would be different if you chose to see it as a time to redesign? Use every closed door or "mistake" as information for your next step. Allow creativity to be learned. Release the belief that you're "not creative" and give yourself permission to practice, experiment, and grow your skills one imperfect attempt at a time. Come home to your own truth. Gently question inherited beliefs, rules, and expectations so you can build a true relationship with yourself, the divine, and others that feels loving, spacious, and genuinely your. Choose communities that help you flourish. Intentionally seek out people who are curious, creative, and kind, knowing that "creativity breeds creativity" and you don't have to do it alone. Talk gently to your younger self. Revisit the bullied, lonely, or hurting version of you and let them know what's coming, so you can release old pain and stand more fully in who you are now. RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Melissa Muir is a metalsmith, educator, and trusted voice in the jewelry industry, known for bridging traditional craftsmanship with modern tools and techniques. With decades of hands-on experience at the bench, she specializes in jewelry fabrication, welding, stone setting, and emerging technologies such as pulse arc welding and engraving. As an educator and public speaker, Melissa is passionate about making complex processes approachable for both professional jewelers and dedicated hobbyists. Through workshops, online courses, product testing, and in-depth tool reviews, she empowers makers to work more confidently, efficiently, and creatively. Her clear, honest teaching style has made her a go-to resource for jewelers seeking practical knowledge they can immediately apply. Melissa is also the founder of Melissa Muir Metalsmith, where she shares education, demonstrations, and industry insights through video content, webinars, and live events. Her work focuses on raising the standard of jewelry education worldwide while inspiring makers to embrace innovation without losing sight of craftsmanship. Whether at the bench, on stage, or behind the camera, Melissa Muir is dedicated to helping jewelers refine their skills, invest wisely in tools, and rediscover joy in the making process. Website/Social Links: Melissa@melissamuir.com Www.instagram.com/metalsmithmelissa   Www.youtube.com/melissamuir Www.tictok.com/metalsmithmelissa Belinda's Bio:  Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace.   Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with you as I launch the new "Still Becoming" series. I highlight how the journey of growth and self-discovery continues long after success is achieved, inviting you to explore the moments of untapped courage, unexpected opportunities, and personal evolution that unfold beyond traditional milestones. In today's episode, we discuss: Explore life beyond achievement. Reflect on the moment when hitting goals and earning recognition stopped answering everything, and consider whether it's time to redesign what success looks like for you now. Listen for your quiet evolution. Notice the subtle inner shifts, new perspectives, expanded freedom, unexpected gentleness with yourself, that change how you see your work, your impact, and what's truly possible. Let the unexpected become a doorway. Revisit the chapters you never planned, a random elevator conversation, a surprise opportunity, a path you "stumbled into", that you now wouldn't give back for anything. Tap your untapped courage. Acknowledge the deeper reservoir of bravery it takes to step away from predictability, trust your inner knowing, and say yes when your path is no longer obvious or linear. Choose meaning over momentum. Ask where you're sprinting on autopilot and where you're ready to consciously trade speed for impact, alignment, and the kind of contribution that actually matters to you. Define what "more" means for you now. Let go of one-size-fits-all ambitions and get curious about your current version of "more" in this season—more joy, more presence, more service, more creativity—and honor that as valid and enough. RESOURCES: Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

In an era where consumer attention is more fractured than ever, the traditional "ad" is no longer the cure-all for a brand's woes. This week, BBDO Worldwide's Nancy Reyes, global president and CEO, and Chris Beresford-Hill, global chief creative officer, join Campaign Chemistry to pull back the curtain on the agency's next chapter.Following a whirlwind of acquisitions and industry shifts, the leadership duo discuss the much-needed evolution from "creative department" to "business partners." They dive deep into the necessity of upskilling talent for the AI age, the reality of dwindling brand loyalty and why the most successful creatives of the future will be the ones who understand the ins and outs of the client's business. The sound bite"Creatives need to think beyond just making campaigns."The key takeawaysCreativity should solve business problems, not just create ads.Understanding how a business makes money is crucial for success in advertising, especially when working at ad agencies.The future of advertising requires a blend of creativity and business acumen.Brand loyalty is diminishing in a fragmented market.Emerging talent should focus on being business-minded to thrive in the industry. campaignlive.com Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop. What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Robertson, former CEO and current Chairman of BBDO and author of The Creative Shift, to unpack why creativity gets squeezed out of adults, teams, and organizations and what it actually takes to bring it back. We talk about the difference between innovation and true creation, why most brainstorming fails, and how businesses unintentionally shut down their people's most powerful ideas. Andrew shares the research, stories, and real-world lessons behind some of the most iconic campaigns of our time and why creativity is not reserved for "creative people," but for anyone solving meaningful problems. We also go deep into the practical side. Andrew breaks down BBDO's famous Workout process, a structured and repeatable way to unlock breakthrough ideas in any organization. Along the way, we explore unforgettable stories from Snickers to Guinness to hard-earned failures that reveal how great ideas are actually discovered, protected, and brought to life.   Topics We Cover in This Episode:  Why innovation alone rarely creates real competitive advantage The surprising reason most teams believe they are "not creative" How redefining the problem can unlock entirely new solutions Why generating bad ideas is a critical step toward great ones The mindset shift that helps leaders evaluate risk without playing it safe How iconic ideas are often hidden in plain sight What most brainstorming sessions get wrong The conditions that allow creativity to thrive inside real organizations If you are leading a team, growing a business, or feeling stuck repeating what has always worked, this episode will challenge how you think about creativity and what is possible when you design for it on purpose. Tune in, listen closely, and ask yourself what could change if you stopped asking for one good idea and started creating space for many.   Resources Mentioned: Order your copy of Give to Grow Get the Supplemental materials for Give to Grow Get a copy of your GrowBIG Playbook today! Inquire About Andrew's Talks and Speeches: andrew.robertson@bbdo.com  Link to Andrew's Book The Creative Shift: https://a.co/d/hVrfaHr  Andrew Robertson Outlines Principles of Business Development Success: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-relationships-real-revenue-video-edition-invest/id1504330338?i=1000565194906

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Robertson, former CEO and current Chairman of BBDO and author of The Creative Shift, to unpack why creativity gets squeezed out of adults, teams, and organizations and what it actually takes to bring it back. We talk about the difference between innovation and true creation, why most brainstorming fails, and how businesses unintentionally shut down their people's most powerful ideas. Andrew shares the research, stories, and real-world lessons behind some of the most iconic campaigns of our time and why creativity is not reserved for "creative people," but for anyone solving meaningful problems. We also go deep into the practical side. Andrew breaks down BBDO's famous Workout process, a structured and repeatable way to unlock breakthrough ideas in any organization. Along the way, we explore unforgettable stories from Snickers to Guinness to hard-earned failures that reveal how great ideas are actually discovered, protected, and brought to life.   Topics We Cover in This Episode:  Why innovation alone rarely creates real competitive advantage The surprising reason most teams believe they are "not creative" How redefining the problem can unlock entirely new solutions Why generating bad ideas is a critical step toward great ones The mindset shift that helps leaders evaluate risk without playing it safe How iconic ideas are often hidden in plain sight What most brainstorming sessions get wrong The conditions that allow creativity to thrive inside real organizations If you are leading a team, growing a business, or feeling stuck repeating what has always worked, this episode will challenge how you think about creativity and what is possible when you design for it on purpose. Tune in, listen closely, and ask yourself what could change if you stopped asking for one good idea and started creating space for many.   Resources Mentioned: Order your copy of Give to Grow Get the Supplemental materials for Give to Grow Get a copy of your GrowBIG Playbook today! Inquire About Andrew's Talks and Speeches: andrew.robertson@bbdo.com  Link to Andrew's Book The Creative Shift: https://a.co/d/hVrfaHr  Andrew Robertson Outlines Principles of Business Development Success: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-relationships-real-revenue-video-edition-invest/id1504330338?i=1000565194906 

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Robertson, former CEO and current Chairman of BBDO and author of The Creative Shift, to unpack why creativity gets squeezed out of adults, teams, and organizations and what it actually takes to bring it back. We talk about the difference between innovation and true creation, why most brainstorming fails, and how businesses unintentionally shut down their people's most powerful ideas. Andrew shares the research, stories, and real-world lessons behind some of the most iconic campaigns of our time and why creativity is not reserved for "creative people," but for anyone solving meaningful problems. We also go deep into the practical side. Andrew breaks down BBDO's famous Workout process, a structured and repeatable way to unlock breakthrough ideas in any organization. Along the way, we explore unforgettable stories from Snickers to Guinness to hard-earned failures that reveal how great ideas are actually discovered, protected, and brought to life.   Topics We Cover in This Episode:  Why innovation alone rarely creates real competitive advantage The surprising reason most teams believe they are "not creative" How redefining the problem can unlock entirely new solutions Why generating bad ideas is a critical step toward great ones The mindset shift that helps leaders evaluate risk without playing it safe How iconic ideas are often hidden in plain sight What most brainstorming sessions get wrong The conditions that allow creativity to thrive inside real organizations If you are leading a team, growing a business, or feeling stuck repeating what has always worked, this episode will challenge how you think about creativity and what is possible when you design for it on purpose. Tune in, listen closely, and ask yourself what could change if you stopped asking for one good idea and started creating space for many.   Resources Mentioned: Order your copy of Give to Grow Get the Supplemental materials for Give to Grow Get a copy of your GrowBIG Playbook today! Inquire About Andrew's Talks and Speeches: andrew.robertson@bbdo.com  Link to Andrew's Book The Creative Shift: https://a.co/d/hVrfaHr  Andrew Robertson Outlines Principles of Business Development Success: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-relationships-real-revenue-video-edition-invest/id1504330338?i=1000565194906

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I dive into exploring a simple but often overlooked question: Have you set yourself up for success, or expecting yourself to "just make it happen"? This conversation isn't about fixing what you've done in the past or pushing harder in the year ahead. It's about approaching your goals with greater clarity, compassion, and intention—so what matters most has a real chance to take root. In this episode, I reflect on: What it truly means to set yourself up for success Not through pressure or perfection, but through thoughtful preparation that builds confidence and capacity over time. How to reverse-engineer what you want to experience, create, or achieve Looking at daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly rhythms that support growth in a way that's sustainable and realistic. Why warming up matters, on and off the field Using a pole-vaulting metaphor to explore how gradual expansion and attention to form prepare you for new levels of leadership and impact. The value of pausing to distinguish desire from obligation Gently asking whether a goal truly reflects what you want now—or whether it's something you've been carrying out of habit or expectation. At its heart, this episode is an invitation to replace self-demand with self-leadership, and to remember that professional success and personal fulfillment are not competing goals. They are meant to grow together. If you're looking to begin 2026 with greater clarity, alignment, and momentum, so better prepare yourself for celebrations at the end of the year, rather than disappointment with a list of things you did not accomplish. This podcast episode is for you. Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Join us for our first video episode, now available to watch on Youtube! This week, Justin chats with Dan Blaney, an accomplished head of production, now working as Executive Director of Production at Fig. Dan has an impressive resume that includes roles at Wieden+Kennedy, BBDO, Apple, and more. The discussion explores various subjects including what it really means to be a great producer in advertising, not just as a manager of budgets and schedules, but as a creative partner, mentor, and problem-solver.Dan shares personal stories from his career working on major campaigns for brands like Bud Light, AT&T, Apple, and the Jordan Brand, including behind-the-scenes insights from large-scale productions, Super Bowl activations, and high-pressure shoots where there's only one chance to get it right. He emphasizes the significance of viewing roles beyond transactions, encouraging creative voices, and maintaining passion and dedication in the advertising field.Dan also discusses what makes creative collaboration succeed: from choosing the right directors and production partners, to creating space for ideas to come from anywhere, and knowing when to speak up to make the work better. Throughout the episode, Dan emphasizes a simple but powerful philosophy: there's always a way to make it happen, regardless of budget or scale.This episode offers practical insight, hard-earned perspective, and a refreshing reminder that great work comes from curiosity, empathy, and collaboration. You don't want to miss Dan's insights here.Links:Dan's Site - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/Bud Light: Up For Whatever - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/#/bud-light-up-for-whatever/The Talk: P&G - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/#/new-page/If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City. Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com

Some leaders talk about the power of creativity, and a select few leaders build a career proving it. Jim's guest this week is one of those. Andrew Robertson is the long-time leader of BBDO Worldwide, one of the most awarded and effective creative advertising networks in the world. He served as President and CEO from 2004 to 2024 before stepping into his current role as Chairman. During his tenure, BBDO was named Network of the Year at Cannes Lions a record seven times and was crowned Network of the Decade in 2020.Today, as Chairman of BBDO Worldwide and Chairman Emeritus of the Ad Council, Andrew is focused on mentoring the next generation of creative leaders and helping brands harness creativity for real business growth. In 2022, Andrew was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame. In 2025, he added a new chapter to his legacy as a bestselling author with his book “The Creative Shift: How to Power Up Your Organization by Making Space for New Ideas.”So tune in for a conversation with a leader who believes that creativity is not an occasional flash of inspiration but a way of operating inside any organization. And from the entire team at the show, we wish you all a very Happy New Year!---Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/almPromo Code for $500 of ticket prices: ALMCMOPOD26---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte, TransUnion and the IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I am going to share the wisdom from this year's guests. I noticed a theme in the messages that the guests shared. They each spoke from their perspectives on the importance of failure and being human as key elements of their success. Not the lack of them, but rather embracing them. In today's episode, we discuss: Remember that you succeed because you're human, not despite it. Give yourself permission to feel, learn, and be imperfect, self‑trust and humanity fuel far better leadership than white‑knuckled control ever will Commit fully to the action and loosen your grip on the outcome. When you focus on aligned effort instead of rigid results, "failure" turns into feedback, experimentation feels safer, and it becomes much easier to stay in motion. Let your intuition come to work. The quirks, nonlinear career steps, and hard‑won stories you're tempted to hide are often exactly what make your leadership memorable, trustworthy, and uniquely valuable. Build flexible "blueprints" instead of rigid scripts. Map out where you're headed, but hold the plan lightly so you can adjust to new information, opportunities, or constraints without losing your sense of direction. In seasons of disruption, ask: Who am I becoming? Instead of freezing or bracing for impact, use job changes, industry shifts, or personal upheavals as prompts to align more closely with the kind of leader and human you want to be. Normalize vulnerability as part of your leadership toolkit. Naming your struggles, asking for help, or saying "I don't know yet" builds trust, strengthens teams, and creates room for others to be honest about what they need to thrive. Belinda's Bio:  Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant, and Keynote speaker, and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals, and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with organizations such as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has conducted over 120 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders, who share their personal journeys to success, revealing the truth about what it took to achieve their success on her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President and Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing over 500 people worldwide. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace.   Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/  Surround yourself with experienced mentors. From public speaking training to business skills, Jourdan emphasizes that growing into leadership is a journey supported by those who have already walked the path.

Audio has a magic all its own. The power to connect deeply, inspire emotion, and build lasting trust. In this week's episode, Jim Stengel sits down with Jenny Nelson, Chief Marketing Officer of Audacy, one of the nation's leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment companies. Founded in 1968 (then known as Entercom Communications Corporation) and rebranded as Audacy, Inc. in 2021, the company grew from a traditional radio broadcaster into one of the U.S.'s leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment companies.With over two decades in the industry, Jenny has become an authority on how sound drives emotion, performance, and brand growth. From her early days at BBDO to her pivotal role guiding Audacy's transformation from a traditional broadcaster to a digital-first audio powerhouse, Jenny shares invaluable lessons on brand storytelling, creativity, and the future of audio marketing.Recorded live at the ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando and powered by TransUnion, this conversation explores what it truly means to create, and harness, the magic of sound.---Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/alm (utm: https://www.iab.com/events/annual-leadership-meeting-2026/?utm_source=ad&utm_medium=The+CMO+Podcast) Promo Code for $500 of ticket prices: ALMCMOPOD26---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte, TransUnion and the IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I heard from so many of you after my first conversation with today's guest that I asked him to come back and take our conversation to the next level.   Who is this mystery guest? Well, today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Chad Lefevre, Founder and Ceo of The Most Important Conversations. He highlights how embracing your unique wiring as a creator can transform uncertainty into opportunity and inspire you to step into your own leadership and impact. In today's episode, we discuss: Discover Your Early Sparks. Ever wonder why some kids just don't stop asking "why?" Chad did that to the point of driving his mom nuts. So it was no surprise that, in Catholic school, the traditions and rituals drew him toward life's deeper mysteries. That kid-like curiosity? It's your clue to passions waiting to light up your path, no matter your age now.​   Own Your Unique Wiring. Notice where you think differently, ask endless questions, or spot connections others miss. Chad calls this your natural wiring, not a glitch, and says leaning into it turns "annoying" traits into your secret edge for fresh ideas. We've all got that inner wiring; the question is, are you plugging it in?   Master the Pause in Chaos. That urge to react when life hits hard? Chad's emotional sobriety trick, feel it, breathe, saved him from recycling stress loops. In our wild world of AI shake-ups and uncertainty, this space between trigger and response is your superpower for calm, smart moves.   Step Up in the Storm. With jobs shifting and change everywhere, do your best not to freeze like you are watching a car wreck. Chad challenges us: who will you become amid it all, a fighter, fleer, or creator, grabbing the opportunity? Link arms in community, trust your gut, and turn disruption into your breakthrough story.   RESOURCES: Complementary Resources: …https://www.inc.com/tracy-leigh-hazzard/building-fans-by-connecting-brands-to-brains.html  Guest Bio: Chad Lefevre is an international Design Thinker, business philosopher and strategist, author, speaker and psychonaught with twenty years of senior business experience, successfully designing business strategy, and leading cultural transformation and leadership development initiatives from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies.  Chad's work centers around Liberation, creativity, and being-centered human potential. He focuses on designing and delivering on what is possible when human beings are liberated, in alignment, empowered, and supported to overcome limiting perceptions and beliefs, to increase performance and deliver desired outcomes for themselves and the companies they work for.  Chad is Founder and CEO of The Most Important Conversations (TMIC) a ground-breaking weekly online transformation community, which some have referred to as "AA for healthy normals". Previously, he was Founder of NeuroBe Inc., a research and consulting firm focused on delivering profound performance inside of corporations by working with leaders in the areas of being, perception, and cognitive mastery. He was also co-Founder of Ncite Neuromedia, a neuroscience-based video game development company specializing in leadership development through what he referred to as "transformational gaming".  Chad has has architected transformative business strategies and solutions effecting the areas of business operations, leadership development, cultural transformation and team building, branding, PR and marketing communications (for which he was featured in INC.). His work has included serving such companies/brands as: Coca-Cola, TELUS, Sony Music Latin, Music World, SimWin (AI sports leagues), United Way, Shell, Hoffman, the Canfield Group, Bell, Richard Blanco: Poet Laureate to the Obama Administration; co-producing SANG (which featured leading thinkers including Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Peter Guber, Tony Hsieh, and Peter Diamandis, among hundreds of others); co-producing the Sundance Thought Leader Summit, participating in Larry King's Breakfast Club, among others. Chad is an avid student and researcher in the areas of neuropsychology, perception, and choice making. Other areas of research and expertise supporting his work include game theory, complexity theory, change management, and Systems Thinking.  Website/Social Links …  https://chadlefevre.com The Most Important Conversations @ https://tmicglobal.com https://tmicglobal.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadlefevre /   Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/

Omnicom completed its acquisition of IPG on Wednesday 26 November after clearing EU regulation. On the Monday that followed (1 December) the new holding company revealed a huge restructure including 4000 job cuts to happen by the end of the year, agencies merging, new leadership announced and some networks ceasing to exist.In this episode of The Campaign Podcast, Campaign's editorial team discuss the shape of the new holding company, which agencies are left and what chief executive John Wren is hoping will make it succeed against its competitors. Hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, the episode features editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier, editor Maisie McCabe and news editor Will Green.Further reading:John Wren's ‘defining moment': can the last King of Madison Avenue make the new Omnicom work?John Wren on how Omnicom ‘will succeed': more collaboration, new bonuses, big job cutsOmnicom consolidates global advertising agencies into TBWA, McCann and BBDOOmnicom keeps six media networks but switches global CEOs to brand presidentsAdam & Eve/DDB to merge with TBWALondon and FCB to fold into AMV BBDOOmnicom Media promotes Natalie Bell and Katrina Bozicevich following IPG dealFCB's Tyler Turnbull set to be appointed CEO of McCann WorldgroupChaka Sobhani set for new role after Omnicom acquires IPGOmnicom-IPG: How merger will reshape the competition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer of the General Assembly. She emphasizes how resilience, courage, and the willingness to ask for help have been key in her transition from a childhood of poverty to a successful executive leader.  In today's episode, we discuss: Reflect on the childhood influences that shaped you and your future aspirations. Jourdan shares how her experience growing up in extreme poverty shaped her early dream of working in advertising, inspired by the TV show "Bewitched." That dream became a guiding star through hardship. Create your own learning path to fill critical gaps. When promoted to a leadership role outside her area of expertise, Jourdan built Project FLAT: Financial Literacy Advancement Training to master finance through journaling, mentorship, and resilience quickly. Cultivate resilience as a core leadership skill. Jourdan's story illustrates how bouncing back from setbacks and persisting despite obstacles is essential for long-term success and impact. Define leadership through vulnerability and empathy. Jourdan explains how her acronym DRIVEN (determined, resilient, impactful, vulnerable, empathetic, nimble) reflects her belief that true leadership includes asking for help and lifting others up. RESOURCES: Guest Bio Jourdan Hathaway is Chief Business Officer at General Assembly, a global leader in talent development and upskilling. She oversees marketing, sales enablement, client delivery, admissions, student experience, career services, alumni relations, and partnerships. Jourdan's journey spans agency marketing to edtech, blending operational excellence with a passion for building inclusive, future-ready organizations. She is recognized for strategic leadership, business growth, and talent transformation, and serves as a mentor and member of the Exceptional Women Alliance.   Website/Social Links www.GA.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/jourdan-hathaway Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant, and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals, and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with organizations such as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has conducted over 120 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders, who share their personal journeys to success, revealing the truth about what it took to achieve their success on her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President and Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing over 500 people worldwide. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/  Surround yourself with experienced mentors. From public speaking training to business skills, Jourdan emphasizes that growing into leadership is a journey supported by those who have already walked the path.  

Christian Godden, Head of Strategy at Malmo FF on the role of community in driving international partnerships and long-term development for Sweden's most successful football club. The former strategic Director and Partner at BBDO in the Nordics, advising global brands on marketing and communications, explains Malmo FF's unique model of competing in human currency rather than financial resources. Owned by its 14,110 members, it puts community engagement at the heart of its business, with initiatives like educational programs and job placement services. It is community and relationships, he argues, that work harder for the club than data-driven strategies in brand building and societal development.#Sports #Business #Communications

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Tony Crescenzo, CEO of Intelligent Waves & Founder of Peak Neuro, LLC. He highlights his compelling journey from a resilient upbringing and military service to pioneering leadership insights and transformative healing with brain-training technology.   In today's episode, we discuss: Remember the importance of "always do the right thing." Tony's grandfather's timeless advice served as his moral compass, guiding him through every personal and business decision. He discovered that by valuing integrity, you foster trust and build a strong, lasting reputation. See adversity as an opportunity to grow and learn. Tony's time in the military, especially the hurdles he faced as his military career came to a close, reminds us how much reputation truly matters. Welcome setbacks as moments to build character and become someone others truly respect and trust. To ease conflicts, try to understand the root of fear rather than just anger. Through his journey with anger, he learned that anger is really fear turned upside down. Embracing this awareness enabled him to transition from fear/anger to compassion and a deeper understanding of himself and others in times of challenge. Consider responding to anger with empathy—it can be a beautiful way to strengthen both your work and personal relationships. Prioritize your sleep and mental health with effective strategies. For instance, Tony saw wonderful improvements in his sleep, memory, and mood by using brainwave entrainment. Taking some proactive steps to care for yourself—such as getting good rest and keeping your mind clear—can truly make a significant difference in your happiness and productivity. Adopt the idea of "generals eat last" as your leadership guiding principle. As Tony beautifully shared, inspiring leaders always put their teams first, creating a warm environment full of trust and stability. When you focus on serving and supporting others, it gently builds loyalty and can significantly lift your team's performance. Embracing this approach can truly make your leadership journey more rewarding and fulfilling! Be open to new modalities of healing. Tony lived with PTSD for 30 years. He believed his anger and stress from his time in the military were a part of him and his life now. It wasn't until he stumbled across a new assistive technology that he learned that was not the case. It is also inspired the creation of PeakNeuro, an AI-enabled platform that uses acoustic audio-entrainment to help veterans and leaders regulate stress, get better sleep, and improve human performance overall through cognitive resilience. Is anger and or stress driving your life? If yes, check out PeakNeuro. It may be just the help you have been looking for. RESOURCES: Complementary Resources: Enclosed Link to a published article about the science of PeakNeuro: https://info.peakneuro.com/documents/2025JUN24PCSRwithTrainingSummary.pdf  Guest Bio Tony Crescenzo is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Intelligent Waves (IW), a veteran-owned, mission-driven systems integrator delivering advanced technology solutions in cybersecurity, systems engineering, data science, software development, and cognitive human performance to the U.S. government. Simultaneously, he is the Founder of Peak Neuro, LLC, a neuroscience and AI-powered company. Peak Neuro harnesses proprietary neuroacoustic technology through a mobile app to enhance sleep, emotional resilience, and trauma recovery—especially for veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD, TBI, or chronic stress. Website/Social Links LinkedIn Social Media:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrescenzo/   Intelligent Waves' website: https:/www.IntelligentWaves.com  Peak Neuro, LLC: https://www.PeakNeuro.com  BOOKS UnSEALed: A Navy SEAL's Guide to Mastering Life's Transitions by Mark Greene & Sheilby Rawson https://amzn.to/47qDR5P Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

An encore airing of this multiple Gold Effie winner. Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO shares the real story behind the Michael Cera campaign, one he led while at Ogilvy. Frustrated by how it was being told, he shares the reality. 

Five NY strategy leaders reflect on our topic and share their points of view on where we are today and how strong the future looks for what we do. Joining us are Jeff McCrory of Mischief, Tass Tsitsopoulos of W+K, Anibal Casso of Ogilvy, Emily Portnoy and BBDO, and Tom Morton of Narratory Capital. Thanks to our live tour sponsors: The Effies, Tracksuit and Ipsos. 

In this episode of Marketing Insights with Shanita Baraka Akintonde, we look into Advertising Ecosystems to explore what really fuels today's advertising industry — people, purpose, process, and perspective.Her guest, Sean Brewster, Global Business Lead, Omnicom Production, is a seasoned advertising professional with over two decades of experience guiding some of the world's most recognized brands. From Bayer and Bud Light to SC Johnson and Quaker, Sean has led integrated campaigns across media, PR, social, experiential, and e-commerce, first at BBDO and now as part of Omnicom Production.Together, Shanita and Sean unpack the ever-evolving advertising ecosystem — how brands are building content systems that deliver at scale without losing soul — and what it takes to balance that professional intensity with real-life priorities like faith, family, and growth.Get ready for an inspiring, behind-the-scenes look at how leaders like Sean bring both strategy and humanity to the fast-paced world of modern marketing. #AdEcosystem #MarketingInsightsPodcast#AdvertisingLeadership#MarketingStrategy#BrandStorytelling#OmnicomProduction #BBDO#ShanitaSpeaksLLC#GlobalMarketing#AdIndustryTrends

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Kash Rocheleau, CEO of Icon Foods, Inc.. She discusses the importance of mentorship, fostering cultures of ownership and transparency, and explains why real growth occurs when we step outside our comfort zones. In today's episode, we discuss: Recognize the impact of supportive mentors in your life. Seek out people who champion your goals and remind you of your strengths during challenges; even one person who believes in you can turn obstacles into opportunities.  Lean into self-reliance but also understand when collaboration is important. Balancing independence with the ability to ask for help allows you to own your journey while benefiting from collective wisdom, a dynamic that improves both personal and professional relationships.  Embrace your imperfections as valuable leadership assets. When you let go of perfectionism and openly admit your mistakes, it demonstrates authenticity that naturally builds trust and boosts team morale. Remember, vulnerability can often be your greatest strength.  Foster cultures of ownership and transparency wherever you are. Whether as a leader or team member, contributing to an environment where people feel responsible for outcomes creates a sense of pride and belonging that benefits everyone. Reexamine the personal “ceilings” you accept or create in your life. Believe that your potential is not capped by others but by yourself, and seek (or become) the kind of support that encourages ambition, so you always have the permission to grow. RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Kash Rocheleau is the CEO of Icon Foods, a leading supplier of clean-label sweetening systems and functional ingredients for the food and beverage industry. With a background in finance and a deep passion for innovation, Kash brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and creative problem-solving to the world of food science and formulation. Under her leadership, Icon Foods has continued to pioneer sugar reduction strategies using natural sweeteners like allulose, stevia, monk fruit, erythritol, and soluble fibers. Kash is a strong advocate for transparent labeling, functional nutrition, and providing CPG brands with concierge-level support—from custom formulation guidance and particle reduction to full-scale production planning. Known for her sharp industry insight and no-nonsense leadership style, she is committed to helping brands bring better-for-you products to market without compromising taste, texture, or integrity. Kash is also a regular contributor to thought leadership in clean label trends, gut health innovation, and female-focused wellness solutions in food and beverage. When she's not driving the next big formulation breakthrough, she's focused on mentoring emerging talent and fostering a culture of agility, ownership, and continuous improvement at Icon Foods. Website/Social Links https://www.iconfoods.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/kash-rocheleau-a0678528/ Belinda's Bio: Belinda Pruyne is a renowned Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach, Consultant, and Keynote Speaker recognized for her ability to transform executives, professionals, and small business owners into highly respected, influential leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, she partners with top-tier organizations, including IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Discovery Channel, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Recently, she led the redesign of two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is also a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. A thought leader in leadership development, Belinda is the creator and host of the Notable Leaders Radio podcast, where she has conducted 95+ interviews with top executives and business leaders, revealing the untold stories behind their success. Previously, as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, she oversaw a global team of 500 professionals, gaining deep expertise in client services and executive leadership. With 25+ years of experience, Belinda is a trusted advisor to startups, turnarounds, acquisitions, and Fortune 500 companies, delivering strategic, high-impact solutions in today's fast-evolving business landscape. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with JulieAnn Bornales, Creative Operations & Marketing Consultant, and Podcast Producer. She highlights the lessons learned from career setbacks, finding your voice in challenging environments, and the importance of asking for what you're worth.   In today's episode, we discuss: Don't overlook the power of self-belief when facing challenges or workplace uncertainty. Trusting in your ability to solve problems encourages you to keep going through setbacks, helping you recover faster and reach your goals. Know your worth and stand firm in negotiating it, even if it feels uncomfortable initially. Advocating for yourself early in your career can lead to better pay and opportunities later, so get used to asking for more, even if you're eager just to get your foot in the door. Be bold and reach out to people or platforms outside your comfort zone. Sometimes the simplest act of curiosity, like sending an email or asking a question, can lead to big opportunities, so never underestimate the power of taking that next small step. Explore passions and hobbies outside your job to boost creativity and emotional resilience. Participating in activities you enjoy, like baking or theater, can decrease stress and help you bring fresh energy and new ideas back to your main pursuits.   RESOURCES: Master's Thesis  Imagery implications of MTV : teen pop, adolescent girls, and sex role behaviors: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/3364/   Guest Bio A native of Northern California, JulieAnn received a double undergraduate degree in Sociology - Organizational Studies and Communications from the University of California at Davis and earned her Master's Degree in Mass Communications, writing her thesis on MTV, music videos, and gender identity at San Jose State University.  A music industry veteran of over 15 years, she spent the majority of her career at Warner Music Group, contributing across sales, marketing, digital strategy, and creative development—driving cross-functional initiatives that supported both artist growth and brand innovation.  She was a key contributor to the launch of Warner Music Group's first FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channels, helping to program the company's expansion into this rapidly growing digital media space.  She also played a central role in unifying podcasting initiatives across international markets and served as producer of the award-winning, Chartable-ranked series Totally 80's: The Podcast.  A proud alumnus of the Atlantic Theater Acting School in New York City, JulieAnn has also appeared in Off-Broadway productions, web-series and short films. An avid baker in her spare time, she is always on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.   Website/Social Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieann Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieannnyc    Belinda's Bio: Belinda Pruyne is a renowned Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach, Consultant, and Keynote Speaker recognized for her ability to transform executives, professionals, and small business owners into highly respected, influential leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, she partners with top-tier organizations, including IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Discovery Channel, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Recently, she led the redesign of two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is also a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. A thought leader in leadership development, Belinda is the creator and host of the Notable Leaders Radio podcast, where she has conducted 95+ interviews with top executives and business leaders, revealing the untold stories behind their success. Previously, as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, she oversaw a global team of 500 professionals, gaining deep expertise in client services and executive leadership. With 25+ years of experience, Belinda is a trusted advisor to startups, turnarounds, acquisitions, and Fortune 500 companies, delivering strategic, high-impact solutions in today's fast-evolving business landscape.   Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Most agencies don't make it 25 years but Bill Swanston's has. From surviving 9/11 to leading a 30-person team through COVID, Bill shares how Bosun (formerly Frederick Swanston) adapted, learned to love KPIs, empowered their team, and even pulled off a successful rebrand. His story proves you can survive the toughest agency seasons and come out stronger—if you track the right numbers, avoid “superclient” risk, and learn to truly let go. What You'll Learn Why resilience (not just growth hacks) is the real agency survival skill How ignoring KPIs almost cost the agency big—and how to avoid that mistake Why letting go of control is the only way to grow past founder-dependence What a rebrand really signals about an agency's maturity and leadership shift The hidden dangers of relying on a “superclient” Key Takeaways Keep overhead light in uncertain times—it gives you room to maneuver when crises hit. Track your KPIs like a client project: salaries as % of AGI, AGI per employee, revenue per client. Don't rely on a single client for survival—client concentration is a silent killer. Empower your team early—you can't scale if you're reviewing every deliverable yourself. Rebrands work when they reflect a cultural shift—not just a new logo. What does it really take to keep an agency alive through market crashes, pandemics, and the endless grind without burning out or losing your edge? Today's featured guest will unpack his journey from starting in a basement with a couple of clients to leading a 30-person team through some of the toughest seasons an agency can face. From navigating financial blind spots to learning how to actually let go and trust his team, and the reason the agency's 25th anniversary actually marked a big shift with a new rebrand. Bill Swanston is the president and founder of Bosun, an Atlanta-based agency that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Formerly known as Frederick Swanston, the agency has weathered market crashes, client shakeups, and a pandemic while building a powerhouse team with deep creative and digital chops. In this episode, we'll discuss: The challenges that really tested the agency's resilience. How learning to love KPIs saved the business. Why rebrand after 25 years? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Building Through Adversity and Surviving 9/11 After moving back to Atlanta from New York, Bill was freelancing at BBDO and thinking about switching to smaller agency. As he saw it, it was better to be a big fish in a smaller pond. Unfortunately, his gig at the smaller agency was short lived, since the agency shut down for good. Instead of packing it in, Bill and his partner Scott Frederick grabbed a few clients, set up shop in a basement, and got to work. Built-in revenue gave them a smoother start than most scrappy entrepreneurs, but reality set in quickly. By the early 2000s, they were hit hard by 9/11 and its ripple effect on corporate events. It was a reminder that whether you're at a big holding company or running your own small shop, stability is often an illusion. Surviving those first waves meant keeping overhead light, grinding it out, and learning how to adapt before the word “pivot” became a business cliché. The Challenge that Really Tested the Agency's Resilience Partnerships can make or break an agency and Bill admits the early years with his partner had their rough patches, not as creatives, but as business owners learning how to disagree productively. Over time, their different strengths meshed into what became a powerful leadership duo. But nothing tested the agency quite like COVID. With a staff of 30 suddenly looking to them for answers, the partners had to act fast. They slashed salaries, cut their own pay completely, and relied on federal relief programs like PPP loans to keep the team intact. That lifeline, combined with quick adjustments, got them back on track. As Bill put it, “It was the absolute worst period of time for the agency. But we came out stronger because we had no choice but to figure it out fast.” From Gut Instinct to KPIs That Saved the Business Like a lot of creative-led shops, Bill and his partner weren't exactly obsessed with financial metrics at first. According to Bill, they mostly leaned on QuickBooks, check-writing, and gut instincts. That worked until it didn't. By the time they realized improprieties had slipped under the radar, they knew it was time to upgrade. Today, they track everything from salaries as a percentage of adjusted gross income to AGI per employee to recurring revenue versus project-based work. They also look at revenue per client to ensure there isn't any one account that is overwhelming the team. Like many agencies, they had this happen at one point, with a client that accounted for 50% of their billing. He remembers being scared once this client started to dwindle as a result of the ‘08 crisis, which taught him the danger of relying on superclients that can walk away and take half your revenue with them. Bill stresses that KPIs aren't about being a math whiz, but about having clarity. Knowing your true profitability by client or department means you stop guessing and start making better decisions. “We do it for our clients,” he said, “so we've got to do it for ourselves too.” Nowadays, he works with an external CPA and an internal comptroller who help him keep an eye on the agency's finances. Pro tip: If you're not yet at the point where you can have a CFO but don't know where to start to assess your agency's financials, use askquick.ai. It's a tool developed by Jason and his team that'll help you figure out your most profitable clients, assess your financial red flags, measure your KPIs, and more. Learning to Let Go and Empower the Team For the first decade, Bill and Scott were deep in the weeds, reviewing every creative output, managing every account, carrying the business on their backs. Eventually, the workload became too much and they had to learn how to trust others. Empowering team members to make real decisions wasn't easy. It started organically as new hires took over account management, media, and digital responsibilities. Over time, Bill realized the work improved when people felt ownership and felt empowered to shape the agency. “The ability to let go and trust others is essential to grow your agency,” he says. This trust not only gave the agency room to grow but also gave Bill and Scott the freedom to step back from being prisoners of their own business. Why Would a 25 Year Old Agency Rebrand Now? After two and a half decades as Frederick Swanston, the founders made the bold move to rebrand as Bosun to better reflect what they'd become. The decision was about more than a new logo. According to Bill, keeping their surnames in the brand felt too self-centered and didn't reflect the agency's culture. The rebrand signaled a shift: it's not about Bill or Scott anymore. It's about the team, the clients, and the relationships that actually fuel the work. While rebrands often make clients nervous, Bill said the transition was seamless. In fact, many partners celebrated alongside them, proving that strong relationships matter more than the name on the door. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Send us a textIn Episode 7 of this season's Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian welcomes Marissa Nance, Founder and CEO of Native Tongue Communications, a multicultural marketing agency helping brands connect with diverse audiences. for a conversation on how to build authentic connections in today's marketing world. Podcast Breakdown00:00 – 04:49 Introduction, Handbags, Love & Basketball house, & NBA ties04:50 – 09:48 Athletics, Teamwork & Values that shaped her career09:49 – 15:28 AI, Culture, & The importance of authenticity in marketing15:29 – 23:44 Early career at BBDO, Survivor, Top Chef & Castaway23:45 – 30:00 Storytelling, microcultural marketing, & Audience connection30:01 – 33:50 Leaving Omnicom & Launching Native Tongue33:51 – 41:15 Challenges as a founder & Building cultural competency41:16 – End Proudest career moments, & Advice for future leaders

Creativity is undergoing a transformation as data, technology, and shifting consumer expectations reshape how ideas are formed and shared. With decades of leadership at BBDO Worldwide, Andrew Robertson explores this evolution in his new book, "The Creative Shift". He goes Inside the ICE House to discuss how organizations can unlock innovation, foster emotional storytelling, and adapt to a rapidly changing creative economy.

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Lauren Cassidy, Founder/Executive Creative Director – LC Studio Productions. She unpacks how showing up as your best self, seizing opportunities, and evolving through every challenge leads to success and fulfillment. In today's episode, we discuss: Embrace a “greatness over perfection” mindset to fuel creativity and avoid stagnation. Lauren learned that seeking perfection sets ceilings and fosters disappointment, while aiming for personal greatness keeps you evolving; by shifting your mindset this way, you allow yourself room for growth, more creative output, and less self-judgment, which benefits anyone seeking fulfillment and innovation in any field. Align your work and life as closely as possible with what you love. Lauren insists on infusing her passion for music and creativity into her work, and when that's not possible, she finds ways outside of work to feel fulfilled; everyone benefits by seeking or creating alignment between their passions and daily activities, which boosts motivation and overall life satisfaction. Stay open to unexpected career forks and don't fear following your curiosity. Lauren's pivotal choice between a theater tour and an HBO job taught her to pursue new opportunities even without guarantees; you too can learn from serendipitous crossroads, as flexibility and openness often lead to bigger breaks and more satisfying work than rigid planning. Use pressure as a moment to pause and collaborate rather than panic. When faced with a high-stakes challenge with Joan Rivers, Lauren demonstrated the value of staying calm and working with her team. So, when you find yourself in a similar situation, remember that stressful moments are best met with composure, seeking help, and trusting your problem-solving skills. RESOURCES: Guest Bio Lauren Cassidy, the founder of LC Studio Productions, has spent her career staging productions that come to life both on-screen and in person, where strategy, storytelling, and execution meet. Picture a show where C-suite executives are the lead actors, the brand is the script, and the audience is everyone from consumers to business partners. Her role? Casting the right team, directing the production, making sure the lines land, and yes, reminding people that Post-its are not, in fact, a filing system. Lauren brings all the pieces together so that when the curtain rises, the story doesn't just play. It sticks. During her 17 years at AMC Networks, Lauren built and led an internal creative studio that doubled as a powerhouse production crew for five core brands and streaming platforms. She produced everything from record-breaking campaigns and B2B activations to all-hands meetings that looked suspiciously like late-night variety shows. (Think executives who never thought they'd sing suddenly nailing a parody number with surprising confidence.) Along the way, she earned a reputation as the connective tissue, linking strategy to execution, creativity to business goals, and vision to reality. Awards, industry recognition, and happy executives were part of the outcome, but the real thrill was watching teams she mentored flourish in the spotlight. When she's not orchestrating corporate blockbusters, Lauren borrows inspiration from theater, music, and pop culture while also fronting a rock band. For her, work has always been about building the right ensemble, setting the stage for success, and giving people a reason to lean in. Whether it's a breakthrough campaign, film festival, upfront, social impact PSA, or an executive keynote, Lauren believes the show must not just go on; it should leave an impression worth remembering. Website/Social Links: @laurenbcassidy  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-cassidy/ www.lcstudio.io      Belinda's Bio: Belinda Pruyne is a renowned Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach, Consultant, and Keynote Speaker recognized for her ability to transform executives, professionals, and small business owners into highly respected, influential leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, she partners with top-tier organizations, including IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Discovery Channel, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Recently, she led the redesign of two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is also a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. A thought leader in leadership development, Belinda is the creator and host of the Notable Leaders Radio podcast, where she has conducted 95+ interviews with top executives and business leaders, revealing the untold stories behind their success. Previously, as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, she oversaw a global team of 500 professionals, gaining deep expertise in client services and executive leadership. With 25+ years of experience, Belinda is a trusted advisor to startups, turnarounds, acquisitions, and Fortune 500 companies, delivering strategic, high-impact solutions in today's fast-evolving business landscape. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/   

Why does so much around us feel "vaguely familiar"? In this episode, we dive deep into the creative malaise of our overstimulated world—where endless scrolling, constant content, and a deluge of data make everything seem slightly derivative and uninspiring. We unpack the concept of “vague familiarity” and examine why our passion for novelty is constantly dulled by today's information overload.To help us cut through the noise, we're joined by Andrew Robertson, chairman of BBDO and author of The Creative Shift. Andrew brings decades of frontline experience in fighting creative sameness at one of the world's most successful advertising agencies. We explore the sometimes uneasy balance between operational excellence and breakthrough creativity, and how organizations can make space for real innovation without falling for surface-level quick fixes.Along the way, we break down actionable principles for reigniting creative excitement, including finding inspiration at the "edges," practicing attentional minimalism, and prioritizing productive passion over passive consumption. Andrew shares compelling stories—including how Delta Airlines redefined the passenger experience by rethinking the real source of travel stress—and reveals what it really takes to recognize a great idea (even in risk-averse environments).Five Key Learnings from this Episode:Rediscover the Edges: Creativity flourishes at the intersections and boundaries of different disciplines and domains. Stepping outside your usual circles—whether it's through new conversations or learning in unfamiliar fields—leads to fresh insights.Practice Attentional Minimalism: With relentless digital noise, deliberate focus and margin are essential. Setting boundaries around your inputs and carving out undistracted time helps you notice what truly matters.Pursue Productive Passion: Creative energy comes from making, not just consuming. Progress and intrinsic motivation fuel innovation more than passive amusement.Define the Real Problem: The most effective solutions come from unwillingness to leap immediately to action. Every creative breakthrough begins by deeply diagnosing the real challenge, even if sitting with ambiguity feels uncomfortable.Manage Risk—Don't Chase Certainty: Seeking certainty kills originality. Instead, smart creative leaders evaluate the downside, manage risk, and are willing to act without guarantees—knowing that bold ideas don't come with precedents.Get full interviews and bonus content for free! Just join the list at DailyCreativePlus.com.Mentioned in this episode:The Brave Habit is available nowMy new book will help you make bravery a habit in your life, your leadership, and your work. Discover how to develop the two qualities that lead to brave action: Optimistic Vision and Agency. Buy The Brave Habit wherever books are sold, or learn more at TheBraveHabit.com.

Few platforms have changed culture as quickly—or as globally—as TikTok. Khartoon Weiss, VP and GM of North America and Global Business Solutions, is at the center of it, helping brands and businesses connect with audiences in ways that are creative, authentic, and impactful. From scaling Spotify to leading top agencies, she's built a career on turning bold ideas into cultural movements—and now she's shaping the future of TikTok. What You'll Learn in This Episode How TikTok has broken the traditional brand storytelling arc Why authenticity and “real production” outperform polish on the platform How content, commerce, and search converge on TikTok Why short form content can still drive loyalty and long-term brand love What brands like Chipotle, McDonald's, and Gap are doing right on TikTok Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (00:38) Why TikTok has changed brand building (02:12) Stewarding TikTok's brand and helping other brands grow (03:34) Unlearning traditional storytelling on TikTok (06:01) Authenticity over polish with examples from Chipotle and McDonald's (10:20) Content, commerce, and the rise of search on TikTok (14:04) Can short form content build brand loyalty (21:08) Brand safety, trust, and TikTok's uncertain future (24:48) Lessons from scaling brands at Spotify, agencies, and TikTok (27:09) The that made Khartoon smile recently About Khartoon Weiss Khartoon Weiss is the VP and GM of North America and Global Business Solutions at TikTok. She previously led global revenue at Spotify, served as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director at MDC Partners and Mediacom North America, and was a VP at iHeartMedia. She began her career at BBDO, Ogilvy, and Grey Worldwide. Weiss has been recognized by Campaign's “40 Over 40,” AdAge's “40 Under 40,” and AdWeek's “Top 50.” She completed executive education at The Wharton School and lives in New York City with her husband and two rescued cats. What Brand Has Made Khartoon Smile Recently? Khartoon pointed to Gap as the brand making her smile lately. She praised the retailer for collaborating authentically with creators, staying true to its roots, and showing up on TikTok in ways that feel natural and culturally relevant. For her, Gap's bravery and creativity prove that when brands lean into community and culture authentically, audiences instantly recognize it—even without the logo. Resources & Links Connect with Khartoon on LinkedIn. Learn more about TikTok for Business. Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I'll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Andrew Robertson, Chairman at BBDO Worldwide, to unpack what makes great work, how AI is transforming creativity, and why managing risk, not chasing certainty, is key to bold brand storytelling. From emotional resonance to strategic simplicity, Andrew shares hard-won insights from his decades leading one of the world's most decorated creative agencies.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Andrew Robertson on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textMost leaders say they want creativity. Few know how to make it happen. Andrew Robertson, Chairman of BBDO Worldwide, has spent two decades leading one of the most awarded creative networks in the world—and now he's written the playbook for bringing creativity back to the heart of business.In his new book, The Creative Shift, Robertson argues that organizations can't just hope for inspiration—they need to deliberately design for it. He explains how to balance operational discipline with imaginative thinking, why bad ideas are essential for breakthroughs, and how simple changes—like rethinking meeting spaces—can spark better group collaboration.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why most corporate cultures quietly stifle creativityThe flaws in traditional brainstorming—and how BBDO aims to fix themHow to manage creative risk and know which ideas to pursuePractical ways to spark group creativity and make room for unconventional thinkingWhy operational excellence and visionary thinking aren't opposites—they're partnersLinks & Resources:Andrew's book: The Creative Shift: How to Power Up Your Organization by Making Space for New Ideas (released Sept 2, 2025)

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Andrea Wilson Woods, President & Founder, Blue Faery. She highlights how she transformed early hardship, loss, and fierce protectiveness into founding Blue Faery, a nonprofit dedicated to liver cancer advocacy, while sharing lessons on empathy, resilience, and finding joy amidst adversity. In today's episode, we discuss: Recognize the power of role models in shaping your identity. Reflect on who inspired you in childhood (real or fictional) and what qualities you admired. Consciously apply those traits—such as resilience, strength, or compassion—in your daily decisions and relationships, just as Andrea channeled Wonder Woman's fierceness and protectiveness throughout her life. Practice “detachment with empathy.” If you work or volunteer in caregiving or helping professions, learn to care deeply without carrying every burden as your own. Create emotional boundaries so you can keep showing up with compassion, just as Andrea does, without risking burnout. Use counseling, mindfulness, or peer support to reinforce this practice. Intentionally cultivate moments of joy and humor, even during tough times. Look for lightness: share a joke with loved ones, recall funny memories, or build small rituals that make you smile. “Joy is a resilient muscle, strengthening it will give you balance and energy to keep going.”  Separate your self-worth from your achievements. Reflect on how your roles (career, family, volunteer, etc.) do not define your value. Develop interests and relationships untethered to performance, and give yourself grace in moments of transition—embrace who you are, not just what you do. Join or build supportive communities. If you or someone you know is affected by a particular challenge (like liver cancer), seek out or help create organizations and groups that provide understanding and resources—there's power in connection and shared experience. RESOURCES: Guest Bio Andrea Wilson Woods is a keynote speaker, a writer who loves to tell stories, and a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. For over ten years, Andrea worked in the education field as a teacher and professor for public and private schools as well as universities. Andrea obtained her master's degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California; her nonfiction writing has won national awards. Her best-selling and award-winning book, Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, is a medical memoir about raising and losing her sister to liver cancer.   Complementary Resources: I'd Rather Be Dead Than Deaf:  https://www.bluefaery.org/review    Website/Social Links Website: https://bluefaery.org  Email: info@bluefaery.org  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluefaerylivercancer/  X: https://twitter.com/BlueFaeryLiver  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluefaeryliver/  LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-faery  LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawilsonwoods/  Website Personal: https://andreawilsonwoods.com  Belinda's Bio: Belinda Pruyne is a renowned Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach, Consultant, and Keynote Speaker recognized for her ability to transform executives, professionals, and small business owners into highly respected, influential leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, she partners with top-tier organizations, including IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Discovery Channel, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Recently, she led the redesign of two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is also a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. A thought leader in leadership development, Belinda is the creator and host of the Notable Leaders Radio podcast, where she has conducted 95+ interviews with top executives and business leaders, revealing the untold stories behind their success. Previously, as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, she oversaw a global team of 500 professionals, gaining deep expertise in client services and executive leadership. With 25+ years of experience, Belinda is a trusted advisor to startups, turnarounds, acquisitions, and Fortune 500 companies, delivering strategic, high-impact solutions in today's fast-evolving business landscape. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

What is a brand, really?Peter Wilken, former agency exec at Ogilvy, BBDO, and Leo Burnett joins the show to dismantle one of the biggest misconceptions in marketing: that branding is just visuals.He shares how great brands are built through emotional differentiation, internal culture, and strategic alignment - not just pretty logos and color palettes.We also talk about:The difference between branding vs. brand buildingWhy most small businesses think they're “not ready” for brand (and why that's wrong)How to avoid the AI-driven “blanding” of everythingWhat Peter learned leading brand strategy across Asia-Pacific for global companies, and how those same lessons apply to solopreneurs todayIf you're struggling to define what your business truly stands for or how to make it stand out, this episode is for you.

Peter Wilken is a branding expert with 30 years of experience working with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Coca-Cola, BMW, Disney, FedEx, IBM, McDonald's, Shell, Sony, and Visa.A 'madman' advertising veteran, Peter ran top creative agencies such as BBDO, Leo Burnett, and Ogilvy. He co-founded The Brand Company in 2002, a Hong Kong-based firm whose clients included AIG, SmarTone-Vodafone, and Shangri-La Hotels.A global nomad, Peter has lived in England, Scotland, America, the Solomon Islands, Singapore, China, and the Philippines. He moved to Canada in 2007, where he founded his private consulting company, Dolphin Brand Strategy, and the online brand strategy coaching platform, The Lighthouse Brand Strategy Academy. Launched in late 2023, the academy is Peter's online course and mentoring program focused on democratizing effective brand strategy, making it accessible, affordable, and actionable to small business owners, solopreneurs, and brand strategists everywhere.Peter is the author of Dim Sum Strategy: Bite-Sized Tools to Build Stronger Brands, which includes more than 40 carefully curated, bite-sized creative and strategic thinking tools, as well as the free e-book, The 10 Commandments to Build a Strong Brand (and Steer Your Ship). He lives in West Vancouver, BC, with his wife Regina. They have three grown sons, two grandchildren, and a beagle.Connect with Peter here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwilken/https://www.facebook.com/lighthousebrandstrategy/https://www.instagram.com/dolphinbrandman/https://www.peterwilken.com/Don't forget to register for my FREE LinkedIn 101 workshop on June 9th from 12 - 1:30 pm EST here:https://networkacademy.kartra.com/page/LinkedIn101