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In March 2020, brothers Kaleb and Kolby Rush lost their internships with the onset of the pandemic. They decided to put their skills and knowledge to good use. Alongside their dad, they spent months perfecting their five-ingredient, human-grade, meat-based dog treat recipes. With a passion for entrepreneurship, a love for dogs, and their unique knowledge of dog treat craftsmanship, Kaleb and Kolby got down to business and co-founded Saint Rocco’s Treats. They’re focused on opening 15 Saint Rocco's kitchens by 2030.

Kaleb Rush is also the Production Manager at Prime Packaging Partners LLC. Kaleb graduated from the Fox School of Business at Temple University with a major in supply chain management and a minor in entrepreneurship, selling skills, and sales operations. He is also the Recruitment Chairman for Delta Chi, where he developed a recruitment strategy and successfully onboarded 20 new members to help grow its colony and build Delta Chi's brand on campus.

Kolby Rush sharpened his practical understanding of the business world as an Associate Consultant for Chess Consulting LLC, an Intern at Primerica, and by working for his dad at American Butcher Brand. Kolby received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University with a major in finance and a minor in economics. He also studied abroad in Germany at Pforzheim University, learning business and economics.

In this episode…

Your four-legged friend has always been there with a gentle nose and a warm heart, so how can you make sure you’re catering to your pet’s dietary needs? What steps can you take to ensure an authentic consumer experience across various touch points?

When Kaleb and Kobly Rush began their dog treat brand, they were certain about one thing — dogs deserve better. By bootstrapping their brand, they control the ingredients that go into each treat, so man’s best friend will only get top ingredients. Kaleb and Kolby enhanced their marketing recipe by using a genuine approach to reach their target audience and make a positive impact in their community by donating $1 to local dog rescues for every pound of treats sold. Bring tail wags to your home with this episode. 

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco is joined by Kaleb and Kolby Rush, Founders of Saint Rocco’s Treats, to discuss the commitment and passion behind creating a pet food brand. Together, they talk about launching a human-grade dog food brand, why authenticity has a greater impact on consumers, and why remaining committed to your values is essential.

May Thao-Schuck, EdD, is the Vice President of Career and Professional Development at St. Catherine University. With a strong background in leading and advancing teams and organizations, May successfully propels growth through innovative strategic organization and business design. She was previously the Divisional Director of Workforce Development Employment and Training Programs at the Minnesota Department of Employment and the Director of Organizational Development for Training and Development at ActivStyle.

She earned her doctorate in organization development and change from the University of St. Thomas, an MBA from Argosy University, and her bachelor’s in therapeutic recreation and recreational therapy from the University of Minnesota. May is an active board member at the Minnesota State High School League and CommonBond Communities.

In this episode…

Making difficult decisions and recognizing when it's time to pivot can be challenging for leaders. How can you embrace a diverse talent pool to create a stronger team and work environment?

When statistics show that within the first 18 months, 40% of internal promotions and 55% of outside hires leave, how can you equip your organization with the right systems and processes to assemble lasting leadership? For May Thao-Schuck, EdD, the answer may be surprising: holistic positioning. Positioning leaders based on foundational career competencies and adaptability can set up organizations for success. If you want your organization to become successful, begin with your leadership.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with May Thao-Schuck, EdD, Vice President of Career and Professional Development at St. Catherine University, to discuss cultivating a workplace with equity and opportunity. May talks about the impact employees make on the workforce environment, challenges organizations face while handling human capital, and how to empower leaders for generations to come.

Reyn Holden is the Head of Finance and Accounting at Truebill, a finance company that manages subscriptions, improves credit scores, tracks spending, and builds budgets for consumers. He is a Global Advisory Board Member at AchieveNEXT and the Owner of Quintessence Properties I.

Reyn led a team of internal and external staff supporting the technology acquired by Rocket Companies and helped Truebill become a member of the Rocket team. He is experienced in the finance sector and was previously the Lead Data Financial Analyst for the Virginia Regional Transit, a Consultant at LMI, Head of FP&A for Great Minds, and a Consultant for Clarendon Partners, LLC.

In this episode…

How can you communicate financial information that satisfies the appetite? What can you do to align objectives with financial goals for a product-driven company?

Reyn Holden says the simplest way is not to overwhelm your clients with too much information. Effective communication requires tailoring and altering your message to a given audience. If your audience doesn't have the same level of understanding, you must express your message by directing it to the information that they want and need to know. Not everyone is a financial expert, so you must voice what's necessary to validate the next steps a business wants to take. Strategic business initiatives are built on the backs of financial information and assessing the risks and rewards of those decisions. Reyn helps translate the company’s financial needs and the desires of its product and brand-building goals, so the two form a cohesive strategy and set the company up to become an enduring enterprise. 

On this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Reyn Holden, Head of Finance and Accounting at Truebill, to discuss authenticating and improving your business results. Reyn talks about examining the long-term success of your product, how to communicate financial needs effectively, and the steps you can take to balance a company’s financial and operational needs.

Misty Law Flurry is an accomplished human resources leader who brings over 20 years of experience to her position as Director of Talent Solutions at AchieveNEXT, a company that helps businesses achieve performance goals and outcomes through its peer communities, data, insights, and talent solutions. Misty’s years of experience enabled her to garner specialization in cultural transformation, organizational and executive development, and inclusive leadership. To put it simply, Misty is a champion for the people. Additionally, Misty has held senior HR roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Mellon, and Xerox.

Milton Corsey brings over 20 years of experience to his role as Director of Human Capital Solutions at AchieveNEXT. In his role, Milton leads the leadership and management development practice. His experience and life lessons have led him to pen articles for acclaimed publications such as Harvard Business Review and Middle Market Growth. Milton is revered as a skilled facilitator who can break down complex concepts to help the diverse audiences he serves.

In this episode…

Have you overcome struggles and challenges to become the person you are today? Having the courage to sift through the trials and tribulations of life shapes you at your core. And you can use your triumphs and failures as tools to help others.

You don’t have to have a colorful life to offer the world your talents or the lessons you’ve learned. Milton Corsey and Misty Law Flurry have unique backgrounds and have used their life lessons to become better leaders and serve their clients at a high level. Through their experiences, they’ve learned how to ask questions and listen to arrive at meaningful solutions using the empathy they’ve discovered inside themselves. They’ve learned to draw on the inspiration of the people they admire, pivot and change course when needed, live life with intention, and put in the work. Milton and Misty have applied their talents to their careers and have evolved and grown as people and leaders regardless of what curves life has thrown in their paths because they aren’t afraid of change and hold true to their values. In an ever-changing world that throws continuous obstacles at us, it is evident that we must become comfortable with the one constant in life — change.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Misty Law Flurry, Director of Talent Solutions, and Milton Corsey, Director of Human Capital Solutions at AchieveNEXT, to examine the ingredients that go into helping their clients. How do they do it? From sharing their own journeys, Misty and Milton talk about life lessons, what inspires them, and how they drew from tough experiences that helped shape their lives.

Matt Aaron is the President and CEO of the Special Olympics Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of sports to transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Over the course of 13 years working for this statewide nonprofit, Matt has more than tripled annual revenues by fostering a strategic vision to expand and regionalize the organization. Matt has positioned the Special Olympics Pennsylvania as an innovator and a next-level performer.

Prior to joining Special Olympics Pennsylvania, Matt established a career in the US Navy, gained valuable marketing experience within the Strategic Planning Division of Procter and Gamble, and honed his business skills through management consultancy work with Booz Allen Hamilton. He completed his MBA with a concentration in nonprofit management from Yale School of Management.

In this episode…

As a sports organization, how do you allow athletes to engage in a meaningful way during the pandemic? When the dust settles, is it possible to build for the future to better engage and serve athletes across the globe?

While the pandemic brought many challenges for businesses, it provided Matt Aaron the opportunity for innovation and reinvention. He and his team took action to effectively serve their athletes in the Special Olympics by implementing virtual events, challenges, and races. And after emerging from the lockdown, Matt knew that to boost the impact his organization brings to the community, he needed to create a new formula to rebuild.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Matt Aaron, President and CEO of Special Olympic Pennsylvania, to discuss how to better serve the community and athletes with higher-quality programs. Matt talks about grappling with the challenges of the pandemic, strategies for embracing organizational change, and innovative ways to connect athletes across the globe.

RJ Juliano is the Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer at Parkway Corporation. He helps companies create environments where people want to work and customers enjoy doing business. In 2016, he began his career with Parkway as the Chief Information Officer, and in 2020 he was promoted to the dual role of Chief Marketing Officer. In 2021, he was also handed the Senior Vice President role. 

Working in real estate, higher education, and investments, RJ has over 25 years of business leadership and consulting experience specializing in technology strategy, media and marketing, operations, team development, and business processes. RJ earned both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from The University of Delaware.

In this episode…

How can you ensure your message is delivered and embraced by employees across all career lattices? When you’re communicating internally and externally, how can you portray the value and culture of your brand? For RJ Juliano, showing integrity and vulnerability should be your foundation.

By establishing trust and authenticity, you’re creating the substance and form of the information you’re communicating across all levels of your company. RJ recommends being vulnerable and asking questions, no matter your leadership status, to connect with your community and employees. An outstanding leader is always willing to learn and teach strategies and goals for the benefit of the company — and RJ is here to share his expert strategies for finding value and contributing to your company’s success.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with RJ Juliano, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer at Parkway Corporation, to discuss optimizing and balancing your relationships and experiences across all levels of business. RJ talks about the importance of clearly communicating information, how to avoid counter productivity, and developing a corporate culture that reflects your core values.

Regina Black Lennox is the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Satell Institute, a company well-known for a strong, supportive culture of accountability and dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Ed Satell founded and fully-endowed the groundbreaking Satell Institute, a “Think and Do Tank for Corporate Social Responsibility.” The Institute is focused on championing the interdependence of successful business organizations, the well-being of the communities they operate in, and the need they have for each other, recognizing an inescapable priority for business leaders — to make the communities they operate in better by partnering for-profits with quality nonprofits, for the greater good.

As a consultant, speaker, and presenter, Regina has also worked with faith educational institutions and nonprofit organizations to provide global resources to help companies understand and maximize their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, training retreats, and motivational seminars. Her best-known presentations include: The Language of Leadership, Ways to Incite & Excite; Stay Proactive—Not Reactive; Communicate to Create;Called, Challenged and Gifted; and Implementing Change Powerfully and Successfully.Regina serves on several boards and advisory councils and has received The Distinguished Advocate Award issued by The Support Center for Child Advocates.

In this episode…

As a business leader, how can you take action and make a positive change in your community? Where can you turn to find workable strategies and resources to nourish people in need and your community?

Regina Black Lennox knows that leaders need access to tools and resources to take actionable steps to impact workforce development to sustain the community and the people who live there. She has been at the forefront of actively engaging and encouraging leaders to create immediate — and lasting — change in their communities through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Regina advocates for people to remain authentic and connect to others with a deeper meaning and to hold true to Founder Ed Satell’s belief, model, and teaching of “Think we, not just me.”

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Regina Black Lennox, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Satell Institute, to discuss the importance of research and a commitment for doing good within the community. Regina talks about the sequence of connecting through research and education, ways to develop positive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and creating a sustainable future through the next generation. Stay tuned!

Gretchen Goffe is the Founder and CEO of DTLiveLAB, which helps companies drive revenue and improve the customer experience using a human-centered approach to innovation. DTLiveLAB works with clients spanning all industries and sizes, from small agencies to Fortune 100 giants such as Nationwide, Ohio State University, Smithfield, and more. 

As the CEO, Goffe bridges the gap between executives and employees, helping them innovate and develop a customer experience roadmap. She personally manages client relationships and is continuously developing new frameworks and teaching methods. DTLiveLAB offers a “learn-by-doing” approach that includes engagement rewards, live interviews, real-world examples, and coached sprints that always keep the customer top-of-mind.

In this episode:

When it comes to innovation, there are two ways most companies look at it: like a machine and like a garden. With an innovation machine, companies are responsible for the design, construction, and management. With a garden, companies sow the seeds and let the magic happen. But, according to design thinking strategist Gretchen Goffe, there’s one major component that both approaches need: a human-centered approach. 

Goffe has helped notable organizations like Nationwide, The Ohio State University, and Smithfield cultivate innovation opportunities through a customer-centric lens. By adopting the customer’s perspective throughout the entire buying journey, an innovator can look for opportunities not just in the product or service itself, but at many other places where there are pain points, unmet needs, or simply ways to do things better. 

How can you inspire your team to generate these innovative ideas? One of the most powerful tools to understand the customer journey is empathy — walking in the customer’s shoes. But according to Goffe, 90% of employees never get to talk to a customer. In order to foster more empathy in the workplace, Goffe ensures that each member of her team engages with a customer down their internal supply chain. The results? An innovative team with a customer mindset. Goffe talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Gretchen Goffe, Founder and CEO of DTLiveLAB, to talk about cultivating innovation through a human-centric lens. Goffe explains the steps a company should take to fill growth gaps, where to find opportunities for innovation, and how to empower employees to understand the customer perspective.

Kendall Qualls is a Republican Candidate for the Governor of Minnesota. Before this, he was the Founder and President of TakeCharge Minnesota, an organization created to inspire and educate black and minority communities. He has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, working as the Chief Commercial Officer and EVP for PotentiaMetrics and the Global Marketing Vice President for Covidien/Medtronic, as well as other roles for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies. Kendall also served on the board of trustees at Nyack Hospital in New York City and the board of directors at Colorado UpLift.

Prior to his career in politics and the healthcare industry, Kendall served as an officer in the US Army, Field Artillery. He earned his MBA from the University of Michigan and his master’s degree in communications and economics from the University of Oklahoma.

In this episode…

The most accomplished leaders are focused on building relationships, cultivating success, and developing a valuable culture for generations to come. For Kendall Qualls, these values helped him achieve success when the odds were against him. So, how did he do it, and what steps can you take to grow professionally and personally?

Before becoming a candidate for the Governor of Minnesota, Kendall built a nonprofit helping minority communities achieve prosperity. He learned through his career and life the importance of fair and equitable opportunities for people from all walks of life. Now, he is here to share his story of becoming a pillar of courage within his community, creating a culture that moves past differences, and recreating the future for the next generation of leaders. 

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Kendall Qualls, Republican Candidate for the Governor of Minnesota, to talk about advocating for a better future for generations to come. Kendall shares the motivation and lessons he learned from childhood, how to prioritize prosperity in minority communities, and the important traits a leader should have. Stay tuned!

Justin Spizman is an award-winning and best-selling author, ghostwriter, editor, and proposal writer. Since beginning his writing career in law school, Spizman has worked on numerous nonfiction books and successful book proposals. He now works with people from all different backgrounds, upbringings, and expertise (including celebrities, athletes, and entertainers) to author and consult on their books.

Working closely with some of the most successful people in their respective industries, Spizman has gained strong insight and understanding into the most efficient and effective ways to create a marketable story. He collaborates with clients to not only write books, but also strengthen brands, build legacies, and create enormous opportunities.

In this episode:

Pat Summitt, the former Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, once said, “Most people get excited about the games, but I get excited about practice because that’s my classroom.” This wisdom doesn’t only apply to athletic coaches. Whether on the court or in an office, leaders have to be students of the game. This is just one takeaway from award-winning author Justin Spizman’s study of the chemistry and capability of coaching, which he describes in his book, Coach: The Greatest Teachers in Sports and Their Lessons for Us All.

In his book, Spizman interviews 168 renowned leaders in sports, including famous coaches like Pat Summitt, Bill Belichick, and Aimee Boorman, and also dozens of unknowns who lead high school teams or stand at the side of individuals and teams in minor sports, to discover their strategies for developing top-performing players and teams. Although every coach has a unique approach, Spizman breaks down their action plans into four main coaching styles: the strategists, the team builders, the technicians, and the closers. When you understand your coaching style, you can better play to your strengths, hire for your weaknesses, build an impressive team, and help individual players reach their full potential.

However, these four categories aren’t the only keys to success. No matter if you’re in business or sports, all coaches need fortitude, dedication, and an insatiable desire to learn and improve. Spizman talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks with best-selling author and consultant, Justin Spizman, about lessons on leadership from some of the best coaches in the sports industry. Spizman shares how this wisdom applies to the business world, guides listeners through the four coaching styles, and explains why it’s crucial for leaders to be a student of their craft.

Emma Pollard is the Director of Global Talent Development at Teleflex, a global provider of medical technologies with more than 14,000 employees worldwide. With over a decade of experience in talent acquisition, Emma helps companies develop and engage their employees and customers at every part of the enterprise. She enjoys exploring international environments, organizations, and cultures. Additionally, Emma has a background in psychology that assists with her communication, analytic skills, and interactions.

In this episode…

How can you set your employees up for success? What can you do to improve your company culture while enriching your employees' experiences? For Emma Pollard, it’s all about cultivating skillful communication in the workplace.

As a talent development expert, Emma has helped teams improve the performance and experiences of their people. She believes there is strength in understanding another person beyond what they can contribute to the workplace. It takes authentic and personal connections to create a positive experience. So, what does this mean for your organization?

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Emma Pollard, the Director of Global Talent Development at Teleflex, to discuss cultivating and aligning core values between employers and employees. Emma talks about generating authentic relationships in a remote team, the importance of a foundation rooted in communication, and how to set employees up for success in the workplace.

Dan Rhoton is the Executive Director at Hopeworks, a nonprofit founded in 2000 to help Camden, New Jersey young adults return to school and create pathways for gainful employment. Dan is an experienced education and nonprofit leader with two decades of experience helping youth and adults achieve their dreams. With a focus on education, technology, and entrepreneurship, Dan and his team at Hopeworks provide a positive, healing atmosphere that propels young people to build strong futures and break the cycle of violence and poverty.

In this episode…

Everybody deserves a second chance, and you never know what an opportunity can lead to. As a leader, how can you help someone that’s struggling achieve their goals? And where can you find the right people to help you?

As Dan Rhoton says, all you need to do is show someone the right path and opportunities for growth to build a stronger future workforce. It takes people that are bold and brave to seek out help from others so that they can bring their authentic selves to what they are doing. You don’t have to shoot for perfection — instead shoot for better and lead with purpose.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Dan Rhoton, the Executive Director at Hopeworks, to discuss how you can strengthen your business and community by helping other people achieve their goals. Dan shares his proudest moment at Hopeworks, how to create competence and confidence in the young workforce, and the three elements to look for when hiring.

Nick Araco is the Founder and CEO of AchieveNEXT, a peer-led advisory network organization that empowers market leaders and their teams to meet ambitious growth goals. Over the last 20 years, Nick has helped facilitate a community of forward-thinking, entrepreneurial-minded, and financially educated C-Suite executives across industries. He serves as the voice of the CFO community, representing over 10,000 leaders and members of The CFO Alliance and The CHRO Alliance.

Prior to founding AchieveNEXT, Nick served in growth strategy and business development leadership roles for companies including Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and RSM US. He is currently a renowned public speaker, a recognized global business leader, and the host of the Level Up podcast.

In this episode…

Creating and managing a business can be a daunting task. Where can you find industry experts to help you build your team and achieve next-level performance?

For Nick Araco, interviewing today’s top leaders has given him an inside look at the biggest challenges affecting executives and their teams — and the tools to overcome them. This week, Nick shares key insights into cultivating a workplace environment that is inclusive, making your team feel valued, and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs to create a more diverse and connected world. There’s something for everyone in this episode.

In this episode of Level Up, Rise25 Co-founder Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with host Nick Araco to talk about some of the major lessons and insights from Nick’s past podcast episodes. Nick shares how consistency and sincerity produce growth, the importance of cultivating a diverse and inclusive work environment, and the key qualities that make a great leader.

Paul Leinwand is the Global Managing Director of Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting group, where he advises clients on the topics of strategy, growth, and capability building. Leinwand is also an Adjunct Professor of Management and Strategy at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He has co-authored three books as well as several articles in the Harvard Business Review and strategy+business.

Mahadeva Matt Mani is a Partner at PwC’s Strategy&. As a global leader of their transformation platform, he works with companies and leaders across industries to achieve improvements in business performance and organization cost and effectiveness. Mani has over 25 years of industry and consulting experience, and he’s co-authored one book and many articles published in the Harvard Business Review and strategy+business.

In this episode:

Digital transformation isn’t just about the latest and greatest technology — it’s also about leadership. But how is digital changing the work and role of a leader? What do leaders need to succeed in the digital age? Paul Leinwand and Mahadeva Matt Mani talk about this and more as they join Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

With the rise of digital, many leaders are worried about keeping up with the newest tool or strategy. But, Leinwand and Mani say there’s a more important question that leaders need to address: how are you going to lead your organization through these changes? These two strategy experts have thoroughly researched the effects of digital transformation on leaders in a multi-year, in-depth study of leadership, digitization, and transformation at a dozen companies, ranging from Honeywell to Adobe, Microsoft to Komatsu. In their book, Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future, they detail how these and other enterprises have navigated this shift and the key steps leaders should follow to find success digitally.

Instead of focusing on processes and tools, Leinwand and Mani say that companies must begin by reimagining their place in the world, starting from there to rethink strategy, talent, and the products and services they sell. As the digital world evolves, so do the expectations of a leader. How do you uniquely contribute to customers and stakeholders? What value can you bring to your ecosystem of networks to create a win-win for everyone? The foundations of success in the digital age are laid in a values-based circle of trust between you, your team, and your customers. Focusing on this will help you and your organization stay relevant — regardless of the digital disruption around you.

In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Paul Leinwand and Mahadeva Matt Mani, Global Managing Director and Partner of Strategy&, respectively. Together, they discuss how leadership is changing in this new digital age. Leinwand and Mani lay out the steps leaders should take to navigate current changes, the skillsets leaders need to succeed digitally, and how to gain privileged insights from a value-based customer relationship.

Roy Schindele is the President of RDS Advisers Corp and the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing at Mission Inn Resort & Club. He grew up in an entrepreneurial household and has been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years. Roy’s customer-oriented focus and strategic planning experience have played a key role in his successful career. Previously, he was the Founder of a fashion design company, a Consultant at Walt Disney World, and the Resort Director at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

In this episode…

In the hospitality industry, the manner in which you treat your guests and employees can make or break your success. This same lesson can apply to almost every other field or sector. So, how can you uphold a standard of excellence within your business? And, as a leader, how can you inspire your team to deliver an outstanding performance?

Roy Schindele delivers one-of-a-kind experiences to his clients and team through integrity, personalization, and an exceptional culture. As a leader in the hospitality industry, Roy knows that this experience is what can scale or crush a brand — which is why he specializes in helping people make unforgettable memories, not mediocre experiences.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Roy Schindele, the President of RDS Advisers Corp and the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing at Mission Inn Resort & Club, to talk about cultivating innovative and unique experiences to expand your brand. Roy discusses the importance of the client experience, strategies for creating impactful growth, and what exceptional leadership actually looks like.

Myles Anderson is the Founder and CEO of BrightLocal. BrightLocal is a marketing technology business that provides solutions to local marketing challenges. Their tools and services have helped over 80,000 local marketers develop success for their brands and clients. The BrightLocal team has grown to more than 200 employees working in four countries. Before launching his business, Myles was the Product Manager and Marketing Manager for VideoJug and the Director of Business Development for eHarmony.

In this episode…

It’s one thing to manage two employees. It’s a different challenge when you’re leading a team of 50. But, it’s a whole new ballgame to manage over 200 people in multiple different countries.

Myles Anderson understands this firsthand. As he says, a growing company needs growing leadership — not just in numbers of people with fancy titles, but with people who are actively learning to become better leaders. What kinds of skills does a good leader need? Where can you learn them? How will it impact your company?

In this episode of the Level Up podcast, host Nick Araco is joined by Myles Anderson, Founder and CEO of BrightLocal, to discuss how he grew as a leader while his company expanded. Myles talks about why learning great leadership skills was a priority, the culture he developed at BrightLocal, and how his team’s eight core beliefs power every business decision.

Julian Birkinshaw is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School. He has been on the faculty for 23 years, where he is also the Academic Director of the Insitute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital. Birkinshaw is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Academy of Social Sciences, and the Academy of International Business.

Birkinshaw is a recognized expert in innovation, entrepreneurship, and renewal in large corporations. He has written 15 books, including Fast/Forward and Becoming a Better Boss. He’s also published over 90 articles in journals such as the Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and the Strategic Management Journal.

In this episode:

As the demand for digital intensifies, companies are feeling pressure to quickly digitize every facet of their strategy. This begs the question: is the “transform or die” mentality the key to success? When it comes to digital transformation, how do you separate strategic need from hype and salesmanship? Professor Julian Birkinshaw, an expert in innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship, is looking beyond the headlines and using data to drive insight and answer the question: “How digital do you really need to be?” 

Although digital disruption is a phenomenon that everyone is talking about, Birkinshaw says that much of the change is concentrated in the technology, media, telecom, and retail industries. Analyzing data from Fortune 500 companies between the mid-90s, when the Internet first started to become a business phenomenon, and present day, Birkinshaw found that only 17 out of 500 companies are less than 25 years old. The other 483 have been in existence since 1995 — or much earlier. What exactly does that mean for your company in the era of digital? 

Although the transformative mindset is top-of-mind with a focus on digital revolutionaries such as Amazon, Google, and Apple, there aren’t as many fully digital companies as you’d think. Your company doesn’t have to completely transform itself in the digital world, but you should learn to adapt to the demand. 

Birkinshaw suggests that incumbents take a look at their industry and decide which strategy is best to adapt — whether that’s waiting out the disruption, fighting back, consolidating, or reinventing yourself. Above all, Birkinshaw advises the following: “We must not lose sight of our identity and our core [values], and we should not allow ourselves to be taken away from what it is that’s always made us successful.” Birkinshaw talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School, to talk about the truths of digitization. Birkinshaw breaks down the hype around digital disruption, shares stories of success and failure within digital transformation initiatives, and discusses the strategies established brands can use to become more agile in this fast-changing world.

Stu Benton is the President and CEO at Bradford Soap Works, an international manufacturer of personal care products focused on sustainability. He has been with Bradford Soap Works for over ten years, serving as their CFO before expanding to his current position. Stu has held several executive manufacturing, distribution, and financial roles for companies including Northeast Security Inc., New Energy Alliance, Plymouth Rubber Europa S/A, and more.

Stu holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Bentley University and an Executive MBA from Suffolk University. He is the Past President of the Massachusetts Society of CPAs and previously served on the Board of Directors of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

In this episode…

How do you run a successful, sustainable business? For Stu Benton, it’s about understanding the vision behind the company. As he says, building a long-lasting business begins with gathering like-minded individuals that are passionate about the company’s core values and mission.

Stu is the leader of a manufacturer of personal care products that has dominated the market for more than 140 years. To grow in the industry, Stu knows that communication across all levels of a business is critical to cultivating an environment of passion and innovation. So, how can you mirror these core values in your brand?

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Stu Benton, President and CEO at Bradford Soap Works, to discuss the framework of a successful brand. Stu talks about his transition from finance to leadership, why supportive leaders are crucial for brand success, and how he builds on his company’s fundamental value of innovation. Stay tuned!

Jade Huang is the Co-founder and CEO of StyleSage, an AI-powered data analytics platform designed for the fashion, beauty, and home industries. An ex-fashion designer-turned-technologist, Huang has over 10 years of award-winning experience in digital strategy, design, and technology. 

Huang is a frequent industry speaker, having presented in more than six countries over the span of her career. She studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design and holds a bachelor’s degree in international trade from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Huang also has an MPA in international economics from Columbia University and an MBA from INSEAD, where she was awarded the L'Oreal Scholarship for Creativity and Entrepreneurship Spirit.

In this episode:

In the era of digital transformation, information is power. And with increasing online accessibility, consumers now have more information at their fingertips than ever before — often more than retailers themselves. So how do brands keep up with this ultra-savvy, digitally native generation of customers? Award-winning technologist and former fashion designer Jade Huang talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

Huang has worked with world-class retailers including ASOS, Zalando, and Neiman Marcus, empowering them with real-time data so they can make more informed, market-driven, and profitable decisions. Her company, StyleSage, has been recognized by CNBC, Vogue, and more for its AI-powered, fast-track solutions for retailer success. Using image recognition and machine learning tools, StyleSage’s platform helps brands analyze the complex details behind a product, understand consumer purchase drivers, and stay up to date on the shifting trends of the fashion industry–even learning when and in what locations competitors put specific items on sale, for example. 

With an extensive background in technology, Huang understands that digital is here to stay. When e-commerce first emerged, it was a very small part of retail, taking up between 1% and 5% of sales. Now, that number has jumped between 15% and 20% for hybrid businesses (and often much higher for digitally native brands). E-commerce initiatives and up-to-date market research are a must if you want to compete with the big-name brands. With StyleSage, companies that don’t have the scale and reach of larger retailers can still analyze local and global consumer trends to revolutionize their digital strategies–and big companies can track the behavior of rivals that might otherwise have flown beneath their radar. 

In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Jade Huang, Co-founder and CEO of StyleSage, to talk about transforming the retail industry through AI-powered data analytics. Huang shares how her company is helping retailers make data-driven decisions, the lessons she learned on self-care and building out processes, and why technology enablement is vital to the success of current retail brands.

Jeff Terhune is the Director of Federal Affairs at JBS Communications, LLC, a bipartisan government relations firm. In his role, Jeff is a trusted advisor to private sector leaders, community agents, and public policymakers — providing strategy guidance that is informed by his experience with federal and state government officials. He serves small and medium-sized enterprises, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with a primary focus on improving livelihoods in rural America.

In this episode…

Are you struggling to come up with solutions that best fit your problems as a leader? What if there was a simpler way to solve your challenges?

Jeff Terhune has a proven record of finding unique answers for any given problem. Through his experience as a government relations advisor, he has gathered the required ingredients for becoming a successful leader. As he says, great leadership is not complicated — you only need to adopt the right mindset.

In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Jeff Terhune, the Director of Federal Affairs at JBS Communications, LLC, to talk about problem-solving and servant leadership. They discuss the mindset a leader should have, tips for executing on diversity and belonging, and how to maintain valuable relationships for the success of your business.