talentwinspodcast

Jason Mandel is the Founder and CEO of Mandel Family Office, a firm dedicated to providing comprehensive financial services to high-net-worth individuals and families. He is a Wall Street insider and a private financial adviser and has held senior positions at the LeFrak Organization, D.E. Shaw, and Cantor Fitzgerald. Jason has over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience in financial services and risk management. Additionally, he is the President of Caretrust Financial and the author of DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Stop Wall Street Greed and Rising Taxes From Destroying Your Wealth.

In this episode…

Talent is a cornerstone of success in business leadership, entrepreneurship, and advisory roles. How does talent influence the course of various business ventures?

From founding and growing enterprises, talent has played a pivotal role in driving Jason Mandel’s organizational growth and innovation. Jason empowers his teams to excel and achieve their goals by fostering an environment that encourages continuous learning and development. Additionally, he aligns team members' goals with organizational objectives through effective incentive structures. Through strategic talent acquisition and management, Jason believes businesses can enhance their competitive edge, drive innovation, and foster long-term growth.

In the latest episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau hosts Jason Mandel, Founder and CEO of The Mandel Family Office, to highlight the profound influence of talent on business success. Jason emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent, shares insights on aligning employees' goals through incentives, and provides a deep dive into his specialized expertise.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Jason Mandel on LinkedIn
• Contact Jason Mandel: cell phone 917-603-2365
• The Mandel Family Office
• Caretrust Financial
• DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Stop Wall Street Greed and Rising Taxes From Destroying Your Wealth by Jason Mandel

Chris Mursau is the President of Topgrading, a proven system that helps organizations build and maintain high-performing teams through hiring, development, and promotion strategies. Since 2001, Chris has been consulting and teaching organizations and individual managers how to pack their teams with A Players.

Chris has conducted over 2,500 in-depth Topgrading assessments for internal and external candidates, helped hundreds of people achieve their A potential, and trained thousands in the guaranteed methods for improving their success. His client list is broad and diverse, including Fortune 500 companies, small to medium-sized businesses, and nonprofit organizations. In April, Chris co-authored his first book, Foolproof Hiring, along with Brad Smart. The book reveals an easy-to-follow instruction course in Topgrading, a time-tested hiring methodology for recruiting A Players.

In this episode…

Topgrading is a well-established technique for recruiting and retaining high-performing teams. However, the three available editions of the book are quite comprehensive, making it challenging to absorb all of the information thoroughly. As a result, hiring teams may wonder how they can effectively use the methodology without fully implementing the system.

Over the years, Chris Mursau, a seasoned executive at Topgrading, has conducted several feedback sessions with the system’s users. During his evaluations, he determined that many users were not referencing the appropriate components of the process. Moreover, many smaller companies could not onboard needed resources, such as a human resources department or hiring program. To mitigate the improper use of Topgrading procedures, Chris conceived the idea of writing Foolproof Hiring, an abbreviated manual version. Foolproof Hiring guides readers through the process by providing a starting point and assisting them in executing Topgrading best practices.

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Rise25’s Chad Franzen once again interviews Chris Mursau to discuss Foolproof Hiring, a book he co-authored with Brad Smart. Chris reveals the inspiration for writing the book, shares five typical hiring challenges, and identifies the hiring habits that acquisition teams should avoid.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Chad Franzen on LinkedIn
• Rise25
• Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys to Hiring High Performers by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau

Lee Prosenjak is the Managing Director at Valentines Resort & Marina, a luxury all-suite hotel on Harbour Island, The Bahamas. He is also a Senior Partner at Hesse Partners, a forum facilitating learning and growth opportunities for executives, corporations, universities, and membership organizations. For over 20 years, Lee operated a dance studio in Denver, Colorado. He is a tenured Entrepreneurs’ Organization member and a former Master Forum Trainer.

In this episode…

Populous cities have an easier time filling positions because there is a larger pool of talent to recruit from. However, hiring managers in smaller communities may need help to attract top talent. What strategies can they implement to spearhead the process?

Business leader Lee Prosenjak shares that he continuously networks with clients, customers, and work associates in addition to sourcing talent in neighboring communities. He explains that this helps build a Rolodex of potential hires and allows him to plan out at least six months in advance to ensure all job positions are filled. Although finding talent in smaller communities can be more challenging, Lee thinks that companies should still follow a rigorous hiring process. He recommends hiring managers conduct reference checks, verify past employers, and vet work gaps. Additionally, Lee asserts that companies with reputable brands can entice candidates to apply for employment.

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau welcomes Lee Prosenjak to discuss recruiting top talent in small communities. Lee discusses sourcing talent as the largest employer in a small community, talent acquisition processes, and strategies for building a solid team.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Lee Prosenjak on LinkedIn
• Valentines Resort & Marina
• Beastie Boys Book by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz
• Creative Quest by Questlove
• Questlove Supreme

Lee Benson is the CEO of Execute to Win (ETW), a consulting firm helping organizations improve results through fostering intentional leadership, strategy, execution, and culture. He has over 25 years of experience as a CEO and has founded seven companies with exits ranging from low-figure millions to over nine figures. After selling Able Aerospace Services to Textron Aviation for nine figures, Lee committed to helping leaders maximize their potential. In June 2022, he published his first book, Your Most Important Number: Increase Collaboration, Achieve Your Strategy, and Execute to Win.

In this episode…

It is unlikely that most employees can recite their company's core values. Even for those who are familiar with the values, they may not fully understand them. So, do company values contribute to an organization's success?

A company's mission statement aims to persuade customers to use its products or services and to serve as a reminder to employees. If employees do not add value to an organization, their jobs may be at risk. That’s why Lee Benson, a veteran CEO, created the MIND Methodology (Most Important Number and Drivers Methodology), a practice that focuses on behavior over value. This approach encourages employees to complete assigned tasks on time and in sequence. The MIND methodology is effective in increasing employee engagement and productivity. When employees understand and believe in their company's values, they are more likely to be motivated to do their best work.

In this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau sits with Lee Benson, CEO of Execute to Win (ETW), a consulting firm for high-achieving leaders, to discuss how organizations can better run a business using the MIND Methodology. Lee elaborates on the Leadership Audit Checklist, MIND Methodology, and understanding the most important number. 

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Lee Benson on LinkedIn
• Evaluate To Win (ETW)
• Your Most Important Number: Increase Collaboration, Achieve Your Strategy, and Execute to Win by Lee Benson

Bruce Cazenave is the Founder and Principal of Inflection Management LLC, a company that specializes in helping businesses survive challenging periods and mentors freshmen CEOs. Before Bruce founded Inflection Management LLC, he held multiple leadership roles at companies including Black and Decker, Timberland, Dorel Juvenile Group, Nautilus, and Bluestem Brands. Bruce takes pride in being a turnaround specialist with a proven track record of uplifting organizations and their leadership.

In this episode…

Are you a leader of an organization that’s facing tough times? Have you been able to identify the problem?

As a veteran turnaround specialist, Bruce Cazenave has experienced many crises, from bankruptcy to negative work cultures to high turnover. So, how does senior leadership rise above when it seems there is a point of no return? Bruce explains that it starts with diagnosing the situation. 

In this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, host Chris Mursau sits down with Bruce Cazenave, the Founder and Principal of Inflection Management LLC, to talk about building competent teams when organizations face detrimental challenges. Part of rebuilding includes integrating a thriving company culture, a rigorous hiring process, and a CEO and CHRO partnership. Plus, Bruce offers CEOs advice on how to scale a company and more. Let’s get started!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Email Topgrading: Info@topgrading.com
• Talent Wins podcast
• Bruce Cazenave on LinkedIn
• Inflection Management
• Six Sigma

Special Mentions

• Culligan Water
• Capital One
• TD Industries

Books Mentioned

• The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success by William N Thorndike
• That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph
• Work Stronger: Habits for More Energy, Less Stress, and Higher Performance at Work by Pete Leibman
• The Story of the Wright Brothers: A Biography Book for New Readers by Annette Whipple
• Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W Chan Kim
• The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary by Mark Sanborn

Chuck Cohen is the Managing Director of Benco Dental, the nation’s third-largest dental distributor with customers across the US. Benco was founded in 1930 by Chuck’s grandfather and now has 1,500 employees across all 50 states. They were recently recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the “Top 20 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.” Chuck is a results-oriented leader who enjoys developing and executing strategies and coaching others to grow.

In this episode…

Benco Dental is a highly successful company, achieving almost a billion dollars in sales this year and making it on the list of “Top 20 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.” How did it reach this level of success, and how can your business do the same?

It starts with the interview. Using the Topgrading system, Chuck Cohen was able to level up his interview skills, hire candidates who exceeded expectations, and shape a cohesive and skilled team. Chuck says that Topgrading isn’t just for high-level interviews and big companies — it’s for every interview at any size company.

In this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau talks with Chuck Cohen, Managing Director of Benco Dental, about his hiring strategies and advice for other business leaders. Chuck shares his experience using the Topgrading system, why you should invest in hiring processes before you have talent issues, and tips for winning as a team.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Chuck Cohen on LinkedIn
• Benco Dental
• Topgrading (How To Hire, Coach and Keep A Players) by Brad and Geoff Smart
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins
• Brad Smart on LinkedIn
• “Ep. 10: Kyle hires a super team” with Brad Smart on This is Small Business
• George Rable on LinkedIn

Todd Bradley is an Operating Partner at One Equity Partners, a middle market private equity firm focused on transformative combinations within the industrial, healthcare, and technology sectors in North America and Europe. Todd is also a member of the Board of Directors at Mattel, Commvault, and Spartronics.

Before One Equity Partners, Todd was the CEO of Mozido, President of TIBCO Software, Inc., and EVP at Hewlett-Packard. He also held senior management positions at GE Capital, Palm Inc., Gateway, and AC Nielsen.

In this episode…

Early in Todd Bradley’s career, he learned a very simple (yet valuable) philosophy: If you take care of your people, they will take care of your service and your customers, who, in turn, will take care of your profits.

But what are the best ways to look after your people and create a winning team? According to Todd, you must assess your weaknesses and turn them into strengths, give your team effective performance feedback, and be exceptionally honest.

In this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau is joined by Todd Bradley, Operating Partner at One Equity Partners, to talk about his experience creating extraordinary teams. Todd shares how he worked through challenges in his career, how talent management has changed recently, and his favorite book.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Todd Perlman is the President of BT Partners, a technology consulting company that delivers impactful solutions and services. As the President, Todd strives to establish trusted relationships with clients and is focused on going above and beyond to help them achieve their goals. 

Before joining BT Partners over 20 years ago, Todd worked in public accounting as a Controller and Operations Manager for several companies across industries. He’s also served as Committee Chair for the Illinois CPA Society and is currently a member of AICPA and APICS. Additionally, he’s a Board Member of the Information Technology Alliance.

In this episode…

When an employee leaves or is not a good fit, it can greatly disrupt your business. It takes a lot of energy to manage this issue, and even worse, it puts more pressure on the rest of your employees. So how do you retain top employees, and how do you ensure that you’re hiring the right candidates in the first place?

Todd Perlman faced the same challenges, but after some big mistakes that impacted the company, he had a wake-up call. Todd realized that he needed to trust his hiring committee, give everyone veto power, and make sure they were focusing on the culture fits. To further improve the hiring process, he included detailed culture fit interviews, made sure that each member of the committee was on board for a new hire, and confronted bad hires right away. 

In this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau sits down with Todd Perlman, the President of BT Partners, to talk about the hiring process and gauging culture in an interview. Todd shares how his hiring process developed throughout the years, the book that changed his perspective, and the disadvantages of hiring C and D players. 

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Todd Perlman on LinkedIn
• BT Partners
• Who by Geoff Smart and Randy Street
• The Heart of Business: Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism by Hubert Joly
• Ownership Thinking: How to End Entitlement and Create a Culture of Accountability, Purpose, and Profit by Brad Hams

Chris Mursau is the President of Topgrading, a proven system that helps organizations build and maintain high-performing teams through hiring, development, and promotion strategies. Since 2001, Chris has been consulting and teaching organizations and individual managers how to pack their teams with A Players.

Chris has conducted over 2,500 in-depth Topgrading assessments for internal and external candidates, helped hundreds of people achieve their A potential, and trained thousands of people in the guaranteed methods for improving their success. His client list is broad and diverse, including Fortune 500 companies, small to medium-sized businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

In this episode…

The interview is one of the first steps in hiring a candidate. However, most hiring managers aren’t experts at interviewing. So, what can you do to improve the interview stage and ensure you’re hiring the perfect people for the job?

This is where the Topgrading methodology can help you. The Topgrading team has designed a powerful, long-form interview approach to help hiring managers learn from candidates’ stories, identify patterns, and get a rich data set about that person. Through this approach, companies are finding more A players without having to hire and fire candidates who aren’t the right fit. 

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, host Chris Mursau is interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25 to talk about improving the interview process. Chris shares how he helped one company implement Topgrading and transform their business, why the Topgrading interview is so powerful, and how the long-form interview helps you seek out A players.  

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• E&I Cooperative Services
• Chad Franzen on LinkedIn 
• Rise25

Kristine Jacobson is the CEO, Founder, and Chief Marketing Strategist at Conveyance Marketing Group, a Virginia-based consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs achieve measurable success through comprehensive marketing solutions. Kristine founded the company in 2009, bringing years of experience in the marketing field. 

Before Conveyance Marketing Group, Kristine was the Vice President of Marketing for Surety and an independent consultant for various companies, including Concert Technology, Inc and Digicon. Currently, she volunteers her time as an Advisor for Loudon County Chamber of Commerce and Warriors4Wireless, a Board Member for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and an Instructor for Young Entrepreneurs Academy, Inc.

In this episode…

What are the top strategies for attracting and retaining top talent? And how should you plan to hire and strengthen your team during times of growth?

Kristine Jacobson knows these challenges all too well. Her company, Conveyance Marketing Group, grew 65% in the last year alone. Amidst bad hires, adoption of virtual tools, and the difficulties of shaping a collaborative team during a pandemic, Kristine figured out what works in attracting and retaining “A players.” The key factors include intentional culture, team-building initiatives, and living out your core values. So how can you do this, too?

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau is joined by Kristine Jacobson, CEO, Founder, and Chief Marketing Strategist at Conveyance Marketing Group, to talk about the best ways to hire (and keep) top talent — even when you’re a growing company. Kristine discusses the recent challenges she’s faced around hiring and recruiting, the tools she uses to improve the hiring process, and the no-fail strategies for strengthening your team through times of growth.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Kristine Jacobson on LinkedIn 
• Conveyance Marketing Group
• Topgrading PreScreen Snapshot
• EOS Worldwide
• The Referral of a Lifetime: Never Make a Cold Call Again! by Tim Templeton
• How to Be a Great Boss by Gino Wickman and René Boer
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

Chris Mursau is the President of Topgrading, a proven system that helps organizations build and maintain high-performing teams through hiring, development, and promotion strategies. Since 2001, Chris has been consulting and teaching organizations and individual managers how to pack their teams with A Players.

Chris has conducted over 2,500 in-depth Topgrading assessments for internal and external candidates, helped hundreds of people achieve their A potential, and trained thousands of people in the guaranteed methods for improving their success. His client list is broad and diverse, including Fortune 500 companies, small to medium-sized businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

In this episode…

What makes a good leader? How do you hire and retain the right people for your company? What steps can you take to strengthen your entire team? 

Over the last year, Chris Mursau has been digging deep into these questions and talking with successful leaders, from CEOs to business coaches, to get the answers. Whether you’re looking to scale by hiring new talent or focusing on growing your current team, there are many factors that can impact your success. Tune in to Chris’ must-listen interviews to learn how to lead, hire, and strengthen your team the right way. 

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, host Chris Mursau is interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz, Co-founder of Rise25, to talk about the top lessons learned throughout the past year. Together, they go back into the podcast archives to highlight top tips on hiring practices, culture work, communication techniques, leadership models, and more! 

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Dr. Jeremy Weisz on LinkedIn 
• Rise25
• Talent Wins Podcast archives

Nick Araco is the Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of AchieveNEXT, a provider of talent development performance solutions and peer learning networks. Nick is an expert at making connections that count, and he’s used this skill over the past two decades to empower leaders and grow their organizations. 

Nick is also the host of the Level Up podcast, where he has conversations with business and industry trailblazers on how to take growth, diversity, and leadership to the next level. Before founding AchieveNEXT, Nick served in senior leadership roles at leading global law, accounting, and business advisory firms.

In this episode…

What’s the secret sauce for a successful company? How can organizations improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives? What’s the number one driver of shareholder value and performance?

According to Nick Araco, the answers lie within your people. Whether it’s your employees, clients, or peers, it’s always helpful to gain feedback and create a dialogue around the things that impact your business. That’s why Nick’s company offers executive coaching and access to peer advisory networks —  because it’s difficult to tackle the big questions and challenges alone. What other advice does Nick have for achieving next-level growth?

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau sits down with Nick Araco, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of AchieveNEXT. Together, they discuss how Nick’s company helps others drive performance through talent acquisition, the importance of reaching out to peers and partners, and how companies can take action towards better diversity, equity, and inclusion structures. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Nick Araco on LinkedIn
• AchieveNEXT
• Level Up podcast
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want From Your Business by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters

Kevin Akeroyd is the CEO of PROUnlimited, a workforce management solution that leverages AI, machine learning, data visualizations, and analytics. The company is the first vendor-neutral managed services program (MSP), employing the most innovative vendor management software.   

Kevin began his career at R.R. Donnelley, eventually rising to VP of Sales and leading the company’s first software division. He later took on sales leadership roles at several marketing, technology, and e-commerce companies. Kevin would go on to become the CEO and GM of Data.com at Salesforce, the GM and SVP of the Oracle Marketing Cloud, and the CEO of Cision, a $780 million SaaS company which he eventually sold back into private equity for $2.8 billion.   

In this episode…

How can leaders embrace change and guide their teams through challenges? What goes into successfully implementing new systems and programs?

Kevin Akeroyd, who became the CEO of PROUnlimited in the midst of the pandemic, knows how to lead effectively and help a company evolve. Before making any changes as the new CEO, Kevin spent two months listening and learning from the team. Within a year, he’s been able to develop a five-year plan, foster growth, and implement innovative systems. How did he do it? By declaring his objectives, communicating clearly, investing in his ideas, and measuring success. 

In this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau is joined by Kevin Akeroyd, CEO of PROUnlimited, to talk about powerful leadership techniques. Kevin shares how his company has been successful in the COVID era, the four key tactics leaders need to follow for effective innovation, and tips for improving company culture and welcoming change. Stay tuned! 

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Kevin Akeroyd on LinkedIn
• PROUnlimited

Jill Belconis is a strategic business coach and business leader who helps CEOs and other business leaders reach new heights and scale their companies through her practice, Jill Belconis Enterprises. Jill has more than 30 years of experience growing and scaling companies, developing leadership teams, and enhancing strategic planning and organizational alignment. 

Jill is the former International Chairman of the Board of the Young Presidents Organization. She speaks at professional conferences, including TEDx, where she gave the talk “Succeed Like a Man, Lead Like a Woman”. Jill is also Scaling Up Certified as a member of Scaling Up Coaches. 

In this episode…

Are you a CEO struggling to scale your company? Does your team contain top talent? How can you ensure that your new hires fit your company culture? Jill Belconis can help.

Jill is a strategic business coach with over 30 years of experience growing companies and being a successful leader. She has helped countless CEOs and business leaders with their leadership, scaling, and attracting top talent. Today, she’s here to give you some top tips for making you a better CEO.

On this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau talks with strategic business coach, Jill Belconis, all about scaling companies and hiring top talent. They discuss what it takes to be a successful CEO, strategies for attracting top talent that fits your company culture, the evolution of leadership in the digital age, and much more. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Jill Belconis on LinkedIn
• Jill Belconis Enterprises
• “Succeed Like a Man, Lead Like a Woman” TEDx Talk
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
• CAPA PRO by Table Group
• The 6 Types of Working Genius by Table Group
• Young Presidents Organization

Sean Magennis is the CEO of Capital 54, a private equity firm that focuses on investments in boutique professional service firms. Sean started his career at Dow Chemicals before running a professional services firm that focused on organizational development consulting and executive search for 14 years. His expertise includes real estate platforms, electricity infrastructure development, and financing.

Previously, Sean was the global President for both Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and YPO (once known as the Young Presidents’ Organization). He is now Chairman of two professional membership organizations, LUMINI and Collective 54. Sean also co-hosts a podcast, The Boutique, with Greg Alexander, the Chief Investment Officer at Capital 54.

In this episode…

Did you know that top players and exceptionally high performers always want to work in companies with great cultures? What is the value of building rapport with new employees from the time they are hired? Do you have strategies in place for building a top-tier team?

Sean Magennis, the CEO of Capital 54, knows the priorities that leaders need to have. Sean says that it’s paramount for CEOs to build an attractive culture in their organizations and provide employees with a quality working atmosphere. From his storied career in management, Sean understands how to develop healthy and valuable working relationships with his teams — now you can, too. 

On this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau interviews Sean Magennis, the CEO of Capital 54, about his process for identifying and hiring top talent. Sean also explains how LUMINI helps with strengthening CEO-EA partnerships and talks about the benefits that come with joining a leadership community.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Capital 54
• Sean Magennis on LinkedIn
• LUMINI
• The Boutique podcast
• The Boutique: How To Start, Scale, And Sell A Professional Services Firm by Greg Alexander
• Greg Alexander on LinkedIn
• SBI
• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
• YPO (formerly known as Young Presidents' Organization)
• Vistage 
• The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues by Patrick M. Lencioni
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, Prioritize Your Time by Rob and Steve Shallenberger
• Robert Ludlum's books

Michael Schweitzer is a seasoned financial services executive with extensive experience building and leading diverse teams in companies such as HSBC, UBS, and Merrill Lynch. Over the past 30 years, Michael has fortified his skill set when it comes to talent, building great teams from scratch, and inheriting developing a group into a high-performing team.

In this episode…

Finding great employees can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Entrepreneurs and recruiters alike are constantly looking for ways to make the hiring process more effective and efficient. So, wouldn’t it be nice if you had a list of potential candidates ready to go every time a role opened up? 

Michael Schweitzer actually recommends creating that list in advance — way in advance. Rather than waiting until he needs to hire someone, Michael is constantly meeting with talented individuals and planning how they could contribute to the company. He finds it’s much more effective than the old-fashioned “post-and-pray” approach of using online job boards, not just for your time, but for your team. 

On this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau talks with Michael Schweitzer, a seasoned financial services executive, who’s built and led winning teams for companies like HSBC, UBS, and Merrill Lynch. Together, they discuss how to develop an ongoing list of great candidates, the essential attributes Michael looks for in future employees, why his final interviews are three hours long, and the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation of leadership.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Michael Schweitzer on LinkedIn
• Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times by Donald T. Phillips
• Harvard Business Review
• Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

Andy Bailey is the Founder, CEO, and Head Coach at Petra Coach, a coaching company dedicated to empowering leaders and their teams to scale their organizations through proven methods and habits. Andy has been building businesses since he graduated college and is also the Founder and General Manager of his vacation rental company, 30AVHP. 

Andy is a Member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Before starting Petra, Andy was the President at NationLink Wireless.

In this episode…

The hiring process can seem like the most tedious aspect of business ownership to some executives. However, it is often the most important — and ultimately, what will attract more A Players and top talent to your company. So, how do you assemble an industry-leading team?

Andy Bailey is the Founder, CEO, and Head Coach of Petra Coach, a coaching company dedicated to empowering leaders and their teams to scale their organizations through proven methods and habits. Andy built his first business right out of college, and now he uses his expertise to coach other fast-growth entrepreneurs and executives on building better businesses. He’s here to share his tips and tricks, and give some killer book recommendations along the way.

On this episode of the Talent Wins Podcast, Chris Mursau talks with Founder, CEO, and Head Coach of Petra Coach, Andy Bailey, about what it takes to successfully scale a business. They discuss how to attract A Players through a strategic hiring process, the slow pace of success, why extensive hiring routines are worth it, and much more. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Andy Bailey on LinkedIn
• Petra Coach
• Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
• Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness by Tim Grover
• The Last Dance, TV Mini Series

Larry Borden is the Founder and CEO of Aardvark Group of Companies, which includes Aardvark Mobile Tours and Aardvark Mobile Health. Aardvark Mobile Tours is a one-stop-shop mobile tour vendor service that produces experiential marketing programs, retail activations and product launches, and of course, mobile tours. Aardvark Mobile Health was started in the middle of the pandemic and offers mobile testing clinics, vaccine sites, and healthcare units. 

Before starting Aardvark, Larry was the CEO of The Borden Agency and Vice President of Client Services at Spevco, Inc.

In this episode…

What qualities should you look for in a potential employee? How can a CEO implement core values into their workplace? What’s a mobile tour and how can you rent one?

Larry Borden has been supporting himself since the 11th grade. Through many part-time jobs and career paths, Larry found his entrepreneurial spirit and went on to found two companies. He’s confident in his executive abilities and wants you to be, too. That’s why he’s here to offer tips and tricks to hire the right people, be a better leader, and get five-star reviews on Glassdoor. 

On this exciting episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau talks with Founder and CEO of Aardvark Group of Companies, Larry Borden. With over two decades of experience in the mobile tour and design agency industries, Larry discusses his key rules to being a successful CEO, the core values he places at the forefront of his workplace, how to hire the best people, and much more. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Larry Borden on LinkedIn
• Aardvark Mobile Tours
• Aardvark Mobile Health
• HubSpot
• Tesla

Vijay Sajja is the Founder and CEO of Evergent, a technology company that offers cloud-based revenue and customer management services for customers spanning 175 countries. He has over two decades of experience in building business and operational support systems and management and technology leadership. He is one of the top business and technology leaders in Silicon Valley. 

Before starting Evergent, Vijay was the CEO of Infotech Solutions, Inc., a technology services company that delivered customer care solutions for leading service companies. He has been a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization since 2002.

In this episode…

Are you having trouble finding top talent to hire? How can you start a company without any funding? Does the work space you’ve created affect productivity?

Vijay Sajja has firsthand experience with all these questions and more. As the Founder and CEO of Evergent, Vijay knows the strategies for hiring senior talent with ease and making sure your company is connected through culture, no matter where they are in the world. 

On this episode of the Talent Wins podcast, Chris Mursau talks with Founder and CEO of Evergent, Vijay Sajja. Vijay shares his tips on hiring the right people, how Topgrading influenced his employee experience, what it takes to be a standout CEO, and much more. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Vijay Sajja on LinkedIn
• Evergent
• Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy 
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins 
• Beyond Entrepreneurship: Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company by James Collins
• Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle 
• Love is Free. Guac is Extra.: How Vulnerability, Empowerment, and Curiosity Built an Unstoppable Team by Monty Moran 
• Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy by Amy C. Edmondson 

Donald (Donnie) Hampton, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer of Pace Industries, LLC, an integrated company based in Detroit. With facilities across the United States, Pace Industries provides quality die casting, manufacturing, and engineering solutions worldwide. He has more than two decades of leadership experience for reputable companies like Honeywell International, Hayes Lemmerz International, Rea Magnet Wire, and Faurecia. Before launching his executive career, Donnie graduated from Tiffin University with a degree in Accounting and entered the U.S. Navy. Later, he earned his Master’s in Business and Finance. 

In this episode…

How can CEOs impact workplace culture? What steps can you take to attract A Players to your business? How can you become the right boss for your employees? These may seem like daunting questions, but Donnie Hampton is here to answer all of them and more.

From Navy veteran to CEO, Donnie Hampton has climbed the executive ladder for over 20 years. He knows what it takes to strengthen your leadership and positively impact your company. But the journey to effective leadership hasn’t been without its challenges.

On this exciting episode of the Talent Wins podcast, host Chris Mursau talks with the CEO of Pace Industries, Donnie Hampton, about all things leadership. Donnie shares stories about his personal inspirations and mentors, how to attract and maintain A Players within your company, his values and commitments to his team, and much more. You won’t want to miss this episode of the Talent Wins podcast with special guest Donnie Hampton!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Chris Mursau on LinkedIn 
• Topgrading on LinkedIn
• Topgrading
• Donnie Hampton on LinkedIn
• Pace Industries
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… And Others Don’t by Jim Collins
• Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, Charles Burck on Amazon