ROI’s Into the Corner Office Podcast: Powerhouse Middle Market CEOs Telling it Real—Unexpected Caree...

Herb Cogliano leads his own advisory practice, Aspire Growth Advisors, leveraging the Scaling Up Performance Platform, described in Verne Harnish's award-winning book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits-Scaling Up. As an International Business Coach, experienced CEO Scaling Up Practitioner, and Professor of the Scaling Up Masters Business Course, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges. Herb is pursuing his passion of working with leaders of growth companies to achieve more freedom by helping them create industry leading strategies, a culture of accountability, flawless execution along with a healthy cash flow within their organizations. Herb was formerly CEO of Sullivan and Cogliano Designers, a 53-year privately held family owned, Technology Staffing and Workforce Solutions firm and in 1993, he also founded the Sullivan and Cogliano education business. Sullivan and Cogliano joined a select group of companies that have appeared on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company list multiple times. The Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth over a four-year period. This achievement puts us in a unique position, especially if you consider that over 27 million businesses are registered in the USA. His firm was a Multiyear recipient of Boston and South Florida Business Journal Best Places to Work Award. This honor recognizes Sullivan and Cogliano achievements for changing the business landscape, in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working conditions and company culture. Herb serves on the Carroll School of Management Board of Advisors at Boston College. He has served as a Board of Director of the American Staffing Association. He is past president of the Massachusetts Association of Staffing Services, and previously served on the boards of Employment Resources, Inc. and Junior Achievement. He received his BSBA from Boston College in 1987 and his MBA from University of Massachusetts (International Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma) in 2016.

Jeremy Macdonald is the CEO of Bonney Plumbing, Electrical, Heating and Air where he and his team are on a mission to build the most trusted home services company in California. Prior to joining Bonney, Jeremy worked as an entrepreneur in South Africa’s rapidly evolving telecoms industry. Jeremy moved to the US with his family 5 years ago in search of better opportunities and adventure. At Bonney, Jeremy Macdonald is focused on constantly improving company culture, hiring and developing talent and pursuing sustainable growth.

Manos Kalaitzoglou is the co-founder and CEO of Arcweave and is a Greek founder originally from Crete, Greece. Before becoming a founder, Manos studied architecture in the National Technical University of Athens, then switched to becoming a web designer as he was always fascinated by design, tech and storytelling. He worked with various startups in design lead and consultancy roles, which eventually led him to realise he and his teams were not efficient with the existing collaboration tools for interactive experiences. He founded Arcweave to help lower the bar of game design and development and allow everyone to take their first steps in this fascinating industry.

Nick is a Co-Founder and Partner at Four Pillars, a Private Equity firm that partners with entrepreneurs and investors to purchase and operate lower middle-market businesses ($20M to $250M in sales) with an untapped potential for growth. Four Pillars isn't your typical PE firm. We take a relationship-first approach and aren’t about financial engineering or extreme cost-cutting. Instead, we leverage our experience as entrepreneurs to help grow companies in terms of revenues and employees. So far, they have invested millions of dollars in seven businesses, including Southwest Steel Fabrication, the longest-operating steel fabricator in the Kansas City region, involved in projects like fencing around the White House and work on bridges and dams nationwide. To make these purchases, Four Pillars has worked with well known capital providers including Capital for Business (nearly $1 billion in portfolio company revenue) and Peninsula Capital ($2 billion in assets under management). Nick has 15+ years of experience as a private equity investor and is highly regarded in the PE community for his ability to find and invest in businesses that last far into the future. Over at Four Pillars, most of Nick's activities revolve around fundraising as well as deal origination and execution. He also runs a popular YouTube channel with over 250K+ views, where he regularly shares knowledge about the ins and outs of private equity investments with his growing audience of over 1,700 subscribers.

Todd Stewart is President of Gulf Winds International. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a B.S. in Marketing and immediately joined Gulf Winds International in 1996. Beginning as a fork-lift operator, he has served within or led every department within the company, leading to his current position of President. Todd is primarily responsible for working with key stakeholders to establish and maintain a culture that reflects the mission, values and overall strategic "world class" vision for the organization. Through being an active C12 Group member, Todd Stewart continues to learn how Gulf Winds International is here to serve a greater purpose and holds strongly to the biblical servant leadership model that empowers team members to grow personally, professionally and spiritually. He is passionate about how the gospel of Christ can restore hope in local and global communities. In 2017, this led Todd to found More Than The Move Foundation which exists to aid life-changing non-profits such as International Cooperating Ministries, Steiger International and Ground Wire via corporate generosity, corporate volunteerism and corporate advocacy. Gulf Winds International, Inc. is a second-generation family-owned business that was founded in April 1996 near Port Houston. With a mission to glorify God by providing world-class logistics services through continual investment in people, clients, community and the world Gulf Winds continues to have a clear direction and a broad horizon. Two things that separate Gulf Winds from other logistics companies is its authentic core values and common sense business strategy. Driven by Values Gulf Winds is driven by values and those values are intentionally and continually instilled in every employee in the company.

John Clancy is the founding and managing member of Planet Fitness Midwest. PFMW currently has 50 stores throughout the Midwest and Southern United States. PFMW has an additional 10 stores currently under construction, with the rights to build another 15 stores. In 2015, PFMW was named “Franchisee of the Year” by Planet Fitness. Mr. Clancy focuses on the real estate site selection, development, lease negotiations, marketing and financing. He sits on the Independent Franchise Association committee for real estate and development for the Planet Fitness franchise system. Mr. Clancy is also the managing member of Smoothie King Midwest, a developer and operator of 30 Smoothie King units in NY, OH, KY, IN, and AL. As the managing member of Cornerstone Properties, Mr. Clancy has developed a retail real estate portfolio valued in excess of $100 million with an additional $50 million currently under development. Mr. Clancy serves in a board capacity for multiple non-profit organizations and charities that assist in spreading The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr. Clancy, his wife Regina, and their three children are active members of Christ Fellowship church. Mr. Clancy was born and raised in Massapequa NY. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York’s Business School at Plattsburgh.

Gonzalo Zubieta is a CEO, founder, and disruptive transformation expert with more than 15 years of experience in leadership and strategy consulting. He is the head of Emet Partners, a consulting firm that helps Fortune 100 companies redefine their value proposition, strategic design, and value chain creation. He has a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, a Certificate in Developmental Entrepreneurship from MIT, and a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from Harvard Business School. As a speaker, mentor, angel investor, and advisor, Gonzalo is passionate about transforming the lives of those who lead organizations. He has worked with CEOs and executive teams in various sectors, enabling them to increase their competitive edge, improve their corporate climate, and foster a culture of honor in their organizations. He is also a recognized resource and facilitator for YPO, a global network of young business leaders. He has published a book on the analysis behind the trap of choosing the "right" decisions and speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and French.

For over three decades, Corey has been engaged in the global world of direct selling. He has lived and worked in Hong Kong, Japan, China, Australia and, of course, the United States, solving complex business issues. Corey has worked in senior C-level positions for two billion dollar-plus consumer product companies that market products through direct selling–one being doTERRA. Developing competent and loyal teams has been the hallmark of Corey’s professional career. He holds a BS degree in accounting and an MBA degree, and began his professional career in 1987 working for one of the world’s largest public accounting firms prior to beginning work in the direct selling world in 1990. He loves all sports, especially golf, but Corey is quick to point out that his favorite pastime is being with his amazing wife, Janis, along with his eight children and their families including 20 grandchildren doing whatever it is that they want to do. About doTERRA: doTERRA sources, tests, manufactures, and distributes pure essential oils and natural wellness products to over nine million Wellness Advocates and customers. Our products are shipped to 86 countries and counting. Through industry-leading, responsible sourcing practices—Co-Impact Sourcing®—doTERRA maintains the highest levels of quality, purity, and sustainability in partnerships with local growers around the globe. The doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation®, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, offers resources and tools to sourcing communities and charitable organizations, raising self-reliance, increasing access to healthcare, promoting education, advancing sanitation, and fighting against human trafficking. With our social impact mission to triple our impact by 2030, doTERRA is helping the world heal—one drop, one person, one community at a time. To offer everyone the best personal essential oil education and experiences around the world, doTERRA uses the power of people via our modernized direct selling model. This approach allows distributors to work with customers, which allows people to learn about and experience essential oils from somebody they know and trust. This model also creates the opportunity for individuals and families to achieve their dreams of self-reliance. Over three million Wellness Advocates now use and sell doTERRA products around the world.

Ray Higdon is the CEO of the Higdon Group. Ray shows Network Marketers how to Grow their Team, Skills & Profits with Simple Faith Driven Strategies. Since 2017 Ray has helped sales teams generate over 300,000 new customers and recruit over 70,000 new sales reps. Ray has shared the stage with world renowned thought leaders, including Tony Robbins, Rachel Hollis, Les Brown, Brendon Burchard, Robert Kiyosaki, Bob Proctor, Gary Vaynerchuk, Grant Cardone, Magic Johnson and many more. Ray is currently co-mentoring with best-selling author and leadership expert John Maxwell in the Higdon Maxwell Mentorship Program, an elite mastermind group for high achievers. Ray's podcast, Home Business Profits, has over 10 million downloads and his company, the Higdon Group, has been recognized as an Inc 5000 company, and hosts live and virtual events where thousands of people gain knowledge and sharpen their skills every year. Please note: some listeners might find some of the details in this episode difficult.

Tony Martignetti is a trusted advisor, leadership coach & facilitator, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker. He brings together over 25 years of business and leadership experience and extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. He has been recognized by Thinkers360 as one of the Top 10 Leadership Coaches and by LeadersHum as one of the Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2023. Before becoming the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Partners, Tony was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the world's leading life sciences companies. Along his journey, he also managed small businesses and ran a financial consulting company. Tony hosts The Virtual Campfire podcast and is the author of "Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life" and the co-author of "Secrets of Next-Level Entrepreneurs." He has been featured in many publications, including Fast Company, Forbes, Life Science Leader, and CEO Today.

Justin Roethlingshoefer centers his performance-enhancing programs on a holistically integrated approach to health and performance. His core philosophy is that performance is realized when health is optimized and we cannot separate physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. He is the co-founder of Own It Coaching, a multiple seven-figure coaching company that applies this health and performance philosophy to clients ranging from NHL stars, to Fortune 500 executives, to entrepreneurs looking to take that next step and level up. He’s also the creator of the Own It App, which provides simple data collection, meaningful insights, and personalized plans to help users OWN their habits and improve recovery, health, and performance. Justin has spoken at dozens of events, including the TEDx stage. He’s the host of the Sports Science and Recovery Podcast and The Own It Show. Additionally, Justin is the author of three books (Amazon bestsellers), including Intent: A Practical Approach to Applied Sports Science for Athletic Development and Own It. Whether in his coaching, writing, or speaking, Justin is well-regarded for his ability to take complex scientific topics and distill them into practical, applicable action steps. He has a rare combination of the ability to understand the science of sports performance, sleep, and recovery on a deep level, while being able to translate and distill the complex topics into a form others can actually use.

Chad Jenkins is the President & CEO of SeedSpark. Chad's bio: I bring a distinctive blend of attentive listening, curiosity, and strategic principles to the forefront of business innovation. My mission lies in the relentless pursuit of that elusive 'secret sauce' that drives businesses to soaring heights of growth and prosperity. Horses were my initial foray into the world of business, instilling the foundational lesson of non-verbal communication and cooperation. The lessons learned from equine entrepreneurship naturally extended to my landscaping business in middle school, which flourished for some time before I sold it to focus on a rapidly expanding new venture. The success of these ventures in my younger years was a practical application of what would later become the Growth FlyWheel principles™. By 21, I became part of a revolutionary retail concept in partnership with Purina — America's Country Store. My role there segued into a pivotal alliance with Nextel Communications, where the applications of my unique methodologies pushed me to become the top distributor in the Carolinas within just eighteen months. It was through observing the friction customers experienced with billing that I spotted another opportunity — a service to rectify billing inaccuracies, saving my clients millions and securing a substantial competitive edge. My success at Nextel Communications propelled me into the software domain with the inception of SeedSpark, a venture dedicated to equipping clients with strategic advantages. Today, SeedSpark stands as my primary venture, fostering partnerships and providing services that embody the very principles of my successful entrepreneurial blueprint. At the core of my SeedSpark Growth FlyWheel™ approach exist three frameworks: 🔵 Remove the FILM™: A strategy that peels back layers of inefficiency to reveal a clear path to improvement. 🔵 Just Add A Zero™: An audacious goal-setting tactic that propels businesses toward ambitious growth. 🔵 100X Collaborations™: Leveraging partnerships to amplify impact and reach exponential success. This triad of principles has proven transformative as I collaborate with industry leaders to identify and capitalize on growth opportunities, overcome barriers, and create formidable competitive advantages. With a vision that goes beyond conventional business wisdom, I am humbled to be a catalyst for change, growth, and innovation in the entrepreneurial world.

Kelley Thornton is the Founder & CEO of Tiege Hanley. He was born and raised in Towson, MD. He moved to Brookfield, CT to finish up high school and start his first entrepreneurial pursuit, house painting. With the money he earned from the business, he financed his college tuition at the University of Connecticut, where he would meet his future business partner and co-founder of Tiege Hanley, Rob Hoxie. After college, Kelley entered the Metropolitan New York area workforce as a sales representative in the point-of-purchase display and packaging industry. A few years into his career he was tasked with developing a Chicago presence for his company, Phoenix Display & Packaging, which later became part of International Paper. He relocated to Chicago, IL in 1993 and continued his trajectory to National Accounts Manager and ultimately Regional Sales Manager. After a successful 20-year career in the throes of Corporate America, he left the industry to found his second company, Purchase Point LLC. Purchase Point helped CPG companies think differently about their in-store merchandising platforms. Growing quickly with global customers such as Unilever, Mars Wrigley, Bayer, and Pfizer, Kelley brought a creative approach to captivating consumers during the last seven seconds along their Path to Purchase. Through his experience at Purchase Point, Kelley found the rapidly growing men’s care industry inspiring. In 2016 he stepped away to found his next company, Tiege Hanley, a 6-year-old e-commerce company with the mission of helping men look and feel amazing. The business has evolved from selling three distinct Skin Care Systems to boasting a wide variety of products, including deodorant, bar soap, body wash, and a detoxifying clay mask. Tiege shipped its 1.5 millionth box in July 2022 and has over 350,000 customers worldwide. Kelley is focused on enriching the experience for all customers and guiding men to healthier lifestyles founded on self-confidence.

Satyam Kantamneni is the Managing Partner & Chief Experience Officer of UXReactor. Satyam founded UXReactor in 2014 together with his brother, Prasad. Under his leadership, UXReactor has become the fastest growing specialized experience design firm in the USA, with a team of 60+ employees spread over three continents. Before starting his entrepreneurial journey, Satyam served as Managing Director of Product Design at Citrix in San Francisco, where he played a crucial role in growing the product design team from four members to over 100+ practitioners. Satyam was instrumental in building PayPal’s Global Design Center in India while leading a design team in Silicon Valley. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s famed General Management Program, studied Design Thinking at Stanford University, and holds a master’s degree in Human Factors from Wright State University. While at Harvard, Satyam realized that most businesses aren’t leveraging the full power of UX as an engine for strategic growth. Companies either don’t have the in-house design expertise or relegate design to a support role — even when hiring external UX agencies. Satyam resolved to change that. Through UXReactor, Satyam is demonstrating that UX can and should drive enterprise-wide innovation and business outcomes. UXReactor has enabled clients to generate multiple billions in additional value from user-centered innovation. Satyam has also advanced the UX discipline by developing the PragmaticUX framework: a consistent, replicable, measurable, and scalable approach to innovation. UXReactor relies on this proven framework to lead user experience and product innovation for multiple Fortune 500 Companies. He lives in Pleasanton, California with his wife and children. Together with his brother and business partner, Prasad, Satyam leads UXReactor’s global service operations, headquartered outside San Fransisco in Pleasanton.

Chase Harmer is the founder of Wishes. After receiving a full track and field scholarship to Cal Poly in 1998, he decided to attend another college called "The School of Hard Knocks" and started his first business in the payments industry at 19. That business would eventually become a 40 million per year business before Chase was 32. As the founder at Wishes, he and his team have focused on the biggest problems in the charitable giving space today by making donations for social impact instant, fully transparent, tax-deductible, and rewarding, in addition to delivering funds to recipients 10X faster than any competitor in the market. At Wishes, they are passionate about redefining the charitable giving experience and creating a more connected future for all humanity. Prior to Wishes, Chase Harmer spent seven years as the founder at ProfitPay, which was acquired by the travel platform OnRiva. As a non-tech founder, ProfitPay was the single greatest challenge of his career and he learned more meaningful lessons in those seven years than the combined 27 previously. ProfitPay was a massive product, with many moving parts, hundreds of employees, and partners which had us moving 100 mph at all times. The end product delivered an all-in-one platform that included payments, a proprietary gateway, and card issuing tech with integrated fraud prevention which made payments centralized, easy, and more secure for online stores and marketplaces. Chase has spent nearly three decades in payments and has built products and infrastructure on both the acquiring and issuing sides. Chase brings a diverse and rare perspective from his time in the trenches, producing positive outcomes for connected partners and internal stakeholders.

Replacing fear, shame and insecurity with love, grace and the mercy of God—that is Angela Ball’s life work. Angela hails from the vibrant land of Colombia, South America, and embarked on a courageous journey to the United States at a tender age of 15, all while still in High School. Her path led her to North Palm Beach, Florida, where she serendipitously crossed paths with her wonderful husband, Ray, with whom she has shared 28 blessed years. Together, they are proud parents to their 19-year-old son, Ashton, a passionate basketball enthusiast, die-hard Heat fan, and a young soul filled with entrepreneurial zeal. Angela's story of abortion turned her pain into her purpose. Her experience with abortion became the catalyst for her life's purpose—to be a beacon of hope and support for single mothers who exhibit bravery and courage she once struggled to find during her own journey. Her heart aches for these brave souls, and for the past 12 years, Angela has tirelessly served single mothers in various capacities and through different organizations. Stepping into the world of non-profits, she obeyed her calling and founded "Hearts for Moms" in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she currently serves as the dedicated CEO. Angela's passion lies in shedding light on the everyday challenges that single mothers and their children face. Driven by a commitment to excellence, Angela honed her leadership skills by attending Christ Fellowship's Leadership College. The mission of "Hearts for Moms" is to provide invaluable resources to enrich the lives of single mothers and their precious children. Their ultimate goal is to keep families united, heal brokenness, help rebuild futures, and restore lives. In Angela's inspiring words, she encourages us all to LIVE OUT OUR FAITH, GIVE SINGLE MOMS HOPE AND SHOWER THEM WITH LOVE! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these remarkable women and their families.

Brad Casper is the CEO and co-Founder of Heart & Soul Marketing, the fiercely independent boutique agency for challenger brands that uses strategy, art, science, and our unique voices to create purpose-driven business solutions, while being a positive force for change. With a lifetime of experience on the client side of the table, Brad knows what matters to brands and marketers most, which led him to create Heart & Soul. Beyond that, he also recognizes many of the modern pain points both agencies and brands face, and that all actionable solutions must have a heartbeat and a conscience to truly make a difference. He’s now stepped out from established leadership roles in previous companies to infuse his entrepreneurial spirit into his clients, while helping challenger brands compete against legacy brands as well as market leaders. A leading business executive across industries, Brad has a diverse track record of success leading some of the world’s most iconic brands like Tide, Dial, Olay, Pampers, Pantene, Arm & Hammer, Trojan, First Response, and Right Guard. He has run large, well-resourced companies, as well as entrepreneurial, smaller ones -- publicly traded, private, and private-equity backed. Previously, he served in several client side leadership roles, including: CEO of Dogswell, a private-equity backed pet food company located in Los Angeles; Executive Chairman of Dymatize Nutrition, a private-equity backed sports nutrition business in Dallas; President of the Phoenix Suns; President and Chief Executive Officer of The Dial Corporation in Scottsdale, Arizona; President of Church & Dwight in Princeton, New Jersey; and more than 16 years at Procter & Gamble in a variety of leadership positions domestically and globally. Brad Casper received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Virginia Tech University, and was extended a fellowship by Thunderbird Graduate School of Management. He also attended executive education courses at Harvard Business School. Brad served as an advisor on the Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech for nearly a decade. He has also been involved in a significant number of community roles in Arizona, including Greater Phoenix Leadership (GPL) and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), as well as industry association boards (GMA, CHPA, CPC)

Vince Moffitt is the owner and CEO of Basin Home Health and Hospice, Basin Coordinated Health Care, Partners Assisted Living Services (PALS), and Arroyo Rescue and Recreational Training Inc. Vince is from Farmington, New Mexico, and is a board member of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce, Basin Good Neighbor Foundation, San Juan United Way and the New Mexico Association of Home and Hospice Care. He is a Farmington Native and has raised his three children, Natasha, Sheala, and Asa, in this beautiful community. As a CEO/Administrator of a large healthcare company, retired Battalion Chief from Farmington Fire Department, Director of Field Operations, and Incident Management Chief with Team Rubicon, Vince has over 30 years of crisis leadership, emergency/disaster response, Incident Management Team (IMT), and instructional experience. He has been responding to and teaching Fire/Rescue/EMS since 1991, specializing in Technical Rescue and large-scale disasters, and continues to stay active in this area through Team Rubicon, Urban Search and Rescue, and Arroyo Rescue. Vince believes in constantly developing and growing as a leader, using our positive and negative life lessons and Follower-ship and Servant Leadership as foundations to become strong and effective. He also believes in philanthropy as a foundation for personal development and growth. For the past decade, his focus has been developing and training new leaders to develop their strengths instead of perceived weaknesses. He is a perpetual student.

Brian Will is a Serial Entrepreneur, a Two-time Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author, and an industry-leading Business and Sales Management Consultant. Brian has created or co-created seven successful companies in four different industries during his career. These companies were worth over half a billion dollars at their peak. He has also done multiple turnaround projects for companies from startups to Fortune 500, and helped those organizations drive billions of dollars in sales. His multifaceted background allows him to understand and teach agile processes and principles and articulate their implications from multiple perspectives, from the development team to the executive board. Today, Brian owns a growing chain of restaurants in the Atlanta area and a residential and commercial Real Estate business in Georgia and Florida. He also serves on the city council in his hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia.

John Case is the Chief Executive Officer of Acumatica. John brings nearly three decades of industry leadership in cloud services, software product management, marketing, partner sales, digital promotion, and brand development to his role as CEO of Acumatica. Before joining Acumatica, John served as president and CEO of Unify Square, a leading provider of operations and performance management software and cloud-managed services. He also spent 16 years at Microsoft in a variety of executive-level positions, including corporate vice president of Office and Office 365, where he spurred the digital transformation of Microsoft’s most successful cloud business; and vice president of the worldwide OEM division in marketing and sales, where he jointly oversaw the global distribution and reseller channels for Microsoft.