The Pivotal Leader

“The key is to know who you are and understand what drives you, what makes you happy and what drives you as a leader.” - The Our Shawn McBride On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina interviewed The Our Shawn McBride is a corporate lawyer licensed in 12 states and Washington, DC and is a CPA licensed in 3 states. He heads The R. Shawn McBride Law Firm, PLLC, a corporate law boutique and McBride For Business, LCC a business strategy firm where he is often called upon to speak or consult on the future of business. He is the author of Business Blunders which showcases common business mistakes to avoid and three other books. His extensive experience in the sales arena comes from running his multiple businesses and being called upon repeatedly to help sales organizations increase their sales results. Episode Highlights: FULL SHOWNOTES

"Whenever you do something you love it becomes a renewable source of energy for you. It unlocks creativity, energy, enthusiasm and it’s no wonder I am doing all this crazy stuff right now, because I did something that I loved." - Julian Placino On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina interviewed, Julian Placino, a recruiting professional with 12 years of experience in agency and corporate staffing. He’s been instrumental in advancing the careers of hundreds of technology, creative, and sales professionals around the country. For seven years, he led talent acquisition for Bottle Rocket, one of the premier mobile development firms in the world. Julian also is the creator of the Pathways to Success Podcast in iTunes where he conducts in-depth interviews with world-class performers to discover their mindsets, tactics, and behaviors. He has interviewed CEOs, New York Times bestselling authors, TEDx speakers, celebrity athletes, company founders, leading entrepreneurs, and prolific thought leaders. Podcast Highlights: FULL SHOW NOTES Pivot10Results

"I tell everybody, you want to figure out what you are made of? Launch your own business. I don't know any other tool, in the world, that will make you grow up, level up, figure yourself out faster than launching your own business.” - Donnie Boivin On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Donnie Boivine - Success Coach, Podcast Coach, Content Developer, International Speaker and host of the Success Champions Podcast. He’s an expert sales professional and top 200 iTunes podcaster. Episode Highlights: FULL SHOW NOTES Spontaneous Selling 1.0

"Create the atmosphere that allows you to become all that you are meant to be.” - Tom Ziglar On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco and Rachel Pitts(co-host of Women Your Mother Warned You About) interviewed Tom Ziglar, son of Zig Ziglar and CEO of Ziglar, Inc. This is a two-part series with part two (about sales) available on Women Your Mother Warned You About. This episode focuses on leadership. Episode Highlights: FULL SHOW NOTES

“To be successful, you have to be able to convince people, you have to be able to listen, and you have to do all of those kinds of things that a good salesperson does.” - Tom Murry On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Tom Murry, former CEO of Calvin Klein, where he ran the company for 17 years and facilitated the brand's growth from 2.8 billion to 8 billion. Prior to that, he spent the majority of his career working for iconic fashion brands, one including Tahari and rising through the ranks to the greatest job in the world. Working alongside designer extraordinaire Calvin Klein with the same and no-nonsense approach that he applies to fashion. Podcast Highlights: FULL SHOW NOTES

"If you start managing innovation teams in some sort of a regular traditional business model ... forget it. It's not going to work. It's not going to happen. You need chaos. You need structured chaos and you need freedom." - Bjorn Oste On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Bjorn Oste, Co-Founder & CEO of Good Idea Drinks, also known as "The Swedish Sugar Buster". Good Idea is a sugar and sweetener free flavored, carbonated water that helps people with normal blood sugar levels handle the blood sugar spikes following a meal. Prior to Good Idea, he co-founded Oatly, a 100% oat-based milk, sold in over 25 countries including North America, Europe and Asia with his nutrition professor brother as a co-founder, He also co-founded Aventure AB – a research-based company specializing in the development of advanced and functional food concepts. Their purpose is to develop attractive food products with preventive properties that make it easier for people to move towards a healthier lifestyle. It's a totally new approach and they chose the USA as their first market for obvious reasons. Lifestyle related diseases such as type 2-diabetes, obesity and CVD are sky rocketing, and they see a real need of changing the paradigm – from cure and treatment to protection and prevention by lifestyle change. And prior to this, he co-founded Dynasoft, a world leader in specialized complex computer security systems for global banks, blue chip companies and governments. Podcast Highlights: FULL SHOW NOTES

“There's no prize for 2nd place in sales - it's win or lose, sell or die.” - Jeffrey Gitomer On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed the King of Sales Jeffrey Gitomer and Jennifer Gluckow, speaker, trainer and writer on all things sales. Buckle up for this ride with Jeffrey and Jennifer – truly one of the funnest podcasts Gina has recorded to date and they did it live in the Sell Or Die Podcast studio in Charlotte. Podcast Topics Include: FULL SHOW NOTES

“Dreaming big takes the same amount of effort as dreaming small, so go big. - Jose R. Costa On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jose R. Costa, CEO of For Eyes, which is part of GrandVision, a global leader in optical retail with more than 7,000 stores worldwide. He has a background steeped in marketing, franchising, multi-unit retailing and enhancing customer experience at some of the most recognized brands in the world. He is the author of “Leading With Edge: Activate Your Advantage Through Personal Insight,” which features the concept of leadership as a practice, inviting readers to acknowledge the determination and grit it takes to be a good leader. Previous to his current role as CEO, he served as Group President of Driven Brands where he led MAACO®, CARSTAR® and Drive N Style®. Collectively, these brands operate more than 1,400 body shops across North America, generate more than $1.8 billion in annual system sales and further establish Driven Brands as a leader in the automotive aftermarket space. Previously, he was President of MAACO®, where he was responsible for managing and developing 500 automotive body shops across the U.S. and Canada. Podcast Topics Include: FULL SHOW NOTES

"Get up early. Stay late. Do what your passion is. And don't be afraid of taking risks." - Stephen J. Cloobeck On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Stephen J. Cloobeck, a self-made entrepreneur with more than thirty years’ experience across every aspect of hospitality design, development, and deployment … AND author of the new book CHECKING IN: Hospitality-Driven Thinking, Business, And You. As the original founder and former CEO and chairman of Diamond Resorts International – a business that grew to become the second-largest vacation-ownership company worldwide with more than four hundred properties across thirty-three countries in its portfolio – Cloobeck made a name for himself as the industry's most adamant advocate for radical customer service, what he calls embracing the Meaning of Yes. To Cloobeck’s own amusement, he is perhaps most frequently recognized for his appearances on CBS’s hit TV show Undercover Boss. Featured on multiple episodes across multiple seasons, Cloobeck to this day ranks as the “most generous boss” who has ever participated in the unscripted program. Podcast Topics Include: FULL SHOW NOTES

“Everybody has a defining moment which changes their life for better or worse.” - Ulrich Kellerer On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ulrich Kellerer, business leader, international speaker, and mental health activist from Munich, Germany. For over twenty years Kellerer worked in the European fashion industry as the founder and CEO of the German clothing line, Faro Fashion, which took over distribution rights for the brand CLOSED (the leading European fashion company for women’s and men’s sportswear) in Bavaria - south Germany. Kellerer is the co-author of The Soul of Success with Jack Canfield and the author of the recently released title: One Moment Can Change Your Life: Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary People. Today, Kellerer's life is dedicated to fighting the depression epidemic and promoting mental wellness in the workplace. Podcast Topics Include: “You buy things with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like.” FULL SHOW NOTES Fine tune your "mood manager" skills!

“Creativity is a skill that can be honed by everybody and should be.” - Alexandra Levit On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alexandra Levit, managing partner at PeopleResults and workplace consultant, author and speaker. A former nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal and writer for the New York Times, Fast Company, and Forbes, Alexandra has authored several books, including the international bestseller They Don't Teach Corporate in College and her newest book HUMANITY WORKS: Merging Technologies And People For The Workforce Of The Future, in which she provides a vision of a future where people are free to work wherever and for whomever they choose, machines perform multiple tasks, and virtual teams come together and disband at lightning speed. She consults and writes on leadership development, human resources, entrepreneurship, career and workplace trends on behalf of numerous Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Canon, Deloitte, DeVry University, Intuit, SilkRoad, and Staples, and has spoken on these topics at hundreds of organizations around the world including Abbott, Aetna, Bank of America, Cardinal Health, Campbell Soup, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Human Capital Institute, McDonalds, Microsoft, PepsiCo, the Society of Human Resource Management, and Whirlpool. Podcast Topics Include: Managing and motivating the rising generations; Gen Y as the new leaders, Gen Z as the new Gen XUnconscious bias – things women can do to be part of the solution; negotiation and assertive communicationsBeing called the B word; the difference between assertive and aggressive communicationTransformational leadership: showing people you careThe 3 Cs of Future Work: Collaboration, Customization & CreativityWhat roles machines and technology should playBeing able to work cross-functionally and the ability of leaders to structure employee career pathsUsing creativity to have empathy, judgement and proble- solving skills in ways that machines cannotPracticing and promoting intrapreneurshipSeeing the “writing on the wall” with automation threats to stay competitive and marketable, especially for tech employees lacking creativityThe importance of human skills in all industriesThe importance of sales training for everyone (not just sales people)Having the mindset of being able to reinvent yourselfHer biggest worry – people who won’t be able to adapt having to sell themselves all the time; by 2030 half of all workers will be part of the gig economy (contract workers)Using gamification and virtual reality simulations for our future avatars to connect interpersonallyStrategies for businesses BEFORE things become dire FULL SHOW NOTES

“If you’re curious, you’re a good sales person.” - Brandon Bruce On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Brandon Bruce, COO & Co-Founder of Cirrus Insight, a plugin for Gmail and Outlook salespeople. Bruce grew up in a tiny California town of 800 people where he only had one classmate at a school using outhouses as their bathroom. He went from those humble beginnings to co-founding and growing Cirrus Insight to $12 million in revenue and #41 on the Inc. 500 (after a six-year rollercoaster of success and setbacks). Podcast Topics Include: improv FULL SHOW NOTES

“Prospects have their walls up. We need to bring those walls down before we can have the human to human conversation.” - Hamish Knox On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimaco interviewed Hamish Knox, who plays an important role in Sandler’s worldwide organization and is a recognized business development expert specializing in executive sales consulting and sales productivity training. A dynamic, enthusiastic speaker certified in the proprietary selling system developed by David Sandler, Knox informs, entertains, and motivates leadership and rank-and-file sales teams to achieve their full potential. He heads a Sandler training center in Calgary. Podcast Topics Include: “The leader has to go first.” FULL SHOW NOTES

“You don’t become confident and then act confident. You act your way into confidence.” - Sally Helgesen On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Sally Helgesen, International Speaker, Leadership Consultant & Author. In her newest book, How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, Sally and her co-author Marshall Goldsmith, help women identify specific behaviors that keep them from realizing their full potential, no matter what stage they are in their career. They help identify why what worked for them in the past will not necessarily get them where they want to go in the future -- and how to finally shed those behaviors so they can advance to the next level, whatever that may be. Podcast Topics Include: The Female Advantage FULL SHOW NOTES

“It’s better to invest in what you can track.” - Jake Baadsgaard On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Jake Baadsgaard, CEO of Disruptive Advertising. After growing one of his first PPC clients from 25 to 250 employees, Jake realized he had a gift for using pay-per-click marketing to drive dramatic business results. To help more companies succeed online, Jake founded Disruptive Advertising, a PPC, and CRO management agency that has helped hundreds of companies realize unprecedented growth and profitability from the online advertising. In the four years since its founding, Disruptive Advertising has grown from two employees working in Jake’s basement to a flourishing agency with more than 90 employees and a run rate of over $12 million - putting it at #145 on the 2017 Inc 500 list! Podcast Topics Include: “We don’t penalize top performers.”“Let me know what I can do to help,” FULL SHOW NOTES

“We as leaders and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to make sure that if the ‘what-if’ does happen, the prudent planning and prudent steps are in place.” - Patrick Ungashick On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Patrick Ungashick, CEO of NAVIX Consultants. For more than twenty-five years Patrick has provided exit advice and solutions to business owners with companies as small as several million in revenues to more than half a billion. Patrick is the author of two books helping business owners prepare for exit: Dance in the End Zone: The Business Owner’s Exit Planning Playbook, and the award-winning A Tale of Two Owners: Achieving Exit Success Between Business Co-Owners. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Week and other media. He speaks to several dozen business groups per year on how to achieve successful exits. As CEO of NAVIX Consultants, Patrick leads a national team of exit planning consultants located in nearly two-dozen US cities. Outside of work, even though he cannot juggle nor play a musical instrument, Patrick is a proud member of the Atlanta Distinguished Clown Corps, a group of full-time CEOs and part-time clowns that have raised about $1.5 million for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the largest pediatric hospital in the U.S. Podcast Topics Include: Emergency Guidance Letter FULL SHOW NOTES

“If you’re going to start a business, you have to be willing to grind.” - Nate Lawrie On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Nate Lawrie, CEO, Brazyn Life. Nate played 8-years of professional football in both the National Football League (Buccaneers, Saints, Bengals) and United Football League (Sacramento Mountain Lions), before retiring after the 2011 season. A self-described “NFL Grinder,” Lawrie fought through numerous injuries throughout his pro-career which led him to rethink many of the products he was using to take care of his body - wanting tools that were more convenient to use without compromising functionality. In 2015 Nate launched a new business called Brazyn Life. Brazyn Life is dedicated to helping people achieve their fitness and health goals through innovative, high-quality, and travel-ready recovery and fitness tools. Brazyn’s launch product is The Morph Collapsible Foam Roller, a premium foam roller that folds flat making it easy to use at home, the office, the gym, or on the road. Shark Tank Full Show Notes

“Surround yourself with amazing people and a wonderful team.” - Roger Morgan On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Roger Morgan, founder and CEO of pawTree, a direct selling pet nutrition company he created in 2014 to provide a better way to care for and love pets. Just days before this interview, Roger received the Rising Star Award from the Direct Selling Association out of all the direct selling companies less than five years old. Roger has built a way to change a pet and pet parent’s life one meal at a time and to enable pet lovers to thrive as small business owners who share and sell its products. A pet-industry veteran, Roger served as CEO for a major pet products manufacturer for almost a decade as well as served on boards for the American Pet Products Association, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and PetSmart Charities. He is dad to dogs, Bella & JoJo. Podcast Topics Include: FULL SHOW NOTES

“Everyone’s got an idea but not everyone has balls to bring it to market.” – Paul Szyarto On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Paul Szyarto, a globally recognized expert in entrepreneurship, business leadership and self-defense. He is highly sought-after for his executive coaching and business leadership training. Known for applying the principles of Krav Maga – the Israeli self-defense system – into everyday business and life scenarios, Szyarto has trained hundreds of law enforcement professionals and groups of NFL players, in addition to business executives and entrepreneurs. He’s also co-founder of the VMMA Fitness franchise. Podcast Topics Include: Never Broke(n) FULL SHOW NOTES

“It’s important to take risks, as a business leader, as an entrepreneur. This business was a huge risk from day one.” - Alex Danza Imagine a better way to interstate business travel on a luxury motor coach that offers only 22 comfortable leather seats and amenities such as, steward service, noise-canceling headphones, WiFi, satellite television and an onboard conference room! On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane luxury motor coach service that he founded in 2014 to give Texas travelers an alternative to the delays and interruptions that accompany short-haul flights and the hassles of driving one’s own vehicle. Starting with routes between Dallas and Austin, Alex has expanded the company’s reach, and now the five biggest cities in the Texas Triangle are completely accessible on Vonlane with plans for expanding out of Texas. Alex also is the 2017 recipient of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in the Southwest region in the category of Emerging Retail and Consumer Products. Podcast Topics Include: Favorite books: Good to Great Full Show Notes