Show Notes:

Communication is one of the most underestimated leadership skills in business today.

In this episode of C Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with leadership expert Kim Bohr, incoming CEO of SparkEffect, to discuss the critical role communication plays in building trust, scaling organizations, and leading through change.

Kim shares insights from national research on leadership trust, the challenges of merging company cultures, and the behavioral dynamics that influence how leaders communicate under pressure.

From navigating mergers and organizational change to managing stress driven communication breakdowns, this conversation provides practical leadership insights for founders, executives, and business owners who want to build stronger teams and more resilient companies.

Bio:

Kim Bohr is CEO of SparkEffect, where she leads the firm in helping Fortune 1000 companies and emerging enterprises navigate disruption without fracturing trust. 

With over 25 years of executive experience, Kim and her team partner with leaders, Boards, and CEOs on strategy, talent, and organizational performance, building trust, accelerating change, and delivering measurable outcomes. Central to this work is SparkEffect Trust Elasticity™ framework, a research-backed model designed to evaluate and fortify trust during periods of change, whether it be AI integration, leadership turnover, or restructuring.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbohr/

https://sparkeffect.com/

https://sparkeffect.com/sparkeffect-podcast-courage-to-advance/

🎁sparkeffect.com/csuite - we will have the trust report and organizational guide for listeners to download. 

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist

Show Notes:  

In this episode of C Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Jason Fishman, a leading expert in investor marketing and capital raising strategy. Jason shares how founders can shift their mindset from simply raising money to building a scalable marketing engine that attracts investors consistently.

Jason explains why most fundraising efforts fail due to a lack of structured marketing, not a lack of opportunity. He breaks down how digital campaigns, content funnels, and strategic outreach can drive both investor acquisition and brand momentum.

The conversation dives into different capital raising pathways including Regulation D, Regulation CF, and Regulation A plus, highlighting how each model works and when to use them. Jason also unpacks the importance of traffic, conversion rates, and social proof in building a successful raise.

Heather and Jason discuss the emotional and strategic side of investing, emphasizing that investors are driven by trust, excitement, and belief in the founder just as much as financial return.

They also cover common mistakes founders make when they are under pressure to raise capital, including giving up too much equity or failing to plan for long term growth.

Jason introduces his eight point marketing framework, a structured approach to planning and executing a successful investor campaign. He emphasizes that preparation, consistency, and visibility are the key drivers of success.

The episode wraps with actionable advice for founders who are planning to raise capital in the future, including building partnerships early, creating a strong marketing foundation, and understanding the full investor journey.

Bio:

Jason Fishman is the CEO of Digital Niche Agency, a marketing firm specializing in investor acquisition for equity crowdfunding campaigns. Over the past decade, Jason and his team have helped more than 500 startups raise nine figures in capital through strategic digital marketing. Jason is also the host of the Test Optimize Scale podcast, where he interviews founders and growth leaders about the strategies behind building and scaling companies.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jafishman/

http://digitalnicheagency.com

https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalNicheAgency

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist

Most business owners think profit will tell them if things are working.

CFOs know better.

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, Heather Parsons breaks down what it actually means to think like a CFO—even if you don’t have a finance background.

Because here’s the truth:

Profit isn’t something you manage in real time.

If you’re waiting on profit to tell you what’s working, you’re already behind.

Heather walks through how CFOs actually look at revenue, cost, and decision-making—focusing on what creates profit, not just the number itself. You’ll learn how to break down your offers, identify where money is being lost, and start making decisions that make your business more profitable and easier to run.

This is the shift from operator to financially minded CEO.

00:00 Introduction to C-Suite Secrets

LinkedIn:

All Links:

https://oneroomhq.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth

Show Notes:

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with entrepreneur JP Revel to discuss the realities of building and scaling a business. JP shares how an unexpected layoff early in his career pushed him toward entrepreneurship and how that moment reshaped his perspective on job security and risk.

JP walks through his journey from IT professional to freelancer to founder of a software development company. Along the way he learned the hard truth that technical expertise does not automatically translate into business leadership. One of his biggest breakthroughs came from learning the concept of “delegate and elevate,” recognizing that founders often become the bottleneck in their own businesses.

The conversation explores the challenges founders face when transitioning from doing the work to leading a team. JP shares how reading The E-Myth helped him realize he needed to step away from writing code in order to truly grow his company.

JP also shares the story behind launching his second company, Major Major Marketing, which was inspired by his experience working with talent in the Philippines during the pandemic. What began as hiring virtual assistants evolved into a mission driven marketing agency focused on creating opportunities for Filipino professionals while reinvesting profits into local communities.

Heather and JP discuss how meaningful work, strong culture, and fair treatment of global teams can create both social impact and stronger business outcomes.

The episode also dives into practical insights around marketing ROI, founder mindset, and the importance of community for entrepreneurs. JP emphasizes that marketing success rarely happens overnight and typically requires sustained effort over a year to properly measure results.

Throughout the conversation, both Heather and JP stress the importance of surrounding yourself with experts, peer groups, and mentors who help you grow as a leader and avoid the isolation many founders experience.

Bio:

I've been doing this at Lelander since 2010. Prior to that, I spent over a decade as a solo freelancer mostly working with agencies. Then add another decade of working at top agencies across the country in technology. No wonder I'm mostly bald - I already pulled out my hair so you don't have to!

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jprevel/

http://lelander.com

MajorMajor.Marketing

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist

Show Notes:

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with entrepreneur and agency leader Kevin Maude to unpack what it really takes to build, pivot, and sustain a business over the long term.

Kevin shares his 30 plus year entrepreneurial journey, from launching early digital initiatives to running a 22 year video production company and evolving into a results driven marketing agency model. He explains how lowering barriers to entry in video production forced a strategic pivot and why agencies must adapt quickly to shifting market economics.

A central theme of the conversation is measurable ROI. Kevin outlines how his team builds strategy first by defining objectives, key metrics, and engagement benchmarks. Rather than focusing on vanity metrics like likes and views, he emphasizes community growth, meaningful engagement, and conversion driven alignment as true indicators of success.

Bio:

Kevin Maude is an entrepreneur and content strategist who helps brands turn connection into growth. With more than 30 years in media, marketing, and technology, he builds authority-driven content engines for modern businesses. Kevin is the founder of West Coast Content

Company, where he develops platforms like ThoughtVoice, PulseIQ and TrustReel that help brands transform ideas, expertise, and customer voices into content that builds trust and drives revenue.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

https://westcoastcontent.com/

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

Show Notes:

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Barbara O Stephenson, Agency Principal of 300FeetOut, for a candid conversation about branding, leadership, AI, and building a resilient business.

Barbara shares her journey from COO to entrepreneur after acquiring the agency during a recession. She opens up about the mindset shift required to move from executing someone else’s vision to creating her own and the lessons she learned while scaling the company through economic downturns and the pandemic.

A core theme of the episode is clarity. Barbara explains that branding is not a logo or color palette but the strategic foundation of a business. Without clarity on vision, values, and audience, companies struggle to differentiate and convert. She introduces her four hour Brand Sprint process and explains how founders can gain strategic clarity before investing in design and messaging.

The conversation also explores the rapid evolution of search from SEO to AI driven discovery including AEO and GEO. Barbara breaks down what business owners need to focus on to remain visible including technical website foundations, structured writing, keyword strategy, and building authority across platforms.

Heather and Barbara discuss the responsible use of AI in marketing. Barbara emphasizes that AI is an augmenter, not a replacement. When properly trained, it amplifies expertise. When misused, it magnifies confusion and produces generic content. Authenticity and voice remain irreplaceable assets.

The episode concludes with insights on financial discipline, shifting from project based revenue to retainers for stability, navigating COVID in a dense market like San Francisco, and the importance of staying aligned with your values instead of chasing trends.

BIO:

Barbara sets the bar high for helping clients build authentic brand-centric interactions that are hard-hitting and impactful in the marketplace. With a focus on basic brand authenticity and how it needs to incorporate inclusion and accessibility, Barbara’s tenure has included work with SAP, Visa, and Roche/Genentech, as well as various venture capital, finance, and biotech firms. Her work in travel and lifestyle means she has worked with a multitude of lifestyle and arts organizations, technology startups, and hospitality clients on all levels of their projects from strategy to project management. She has served as the Director of Marketing and Communications for the NorCalHSAMI board, as Vice Chair of the Visual Media Alliance (VMA), has been a WebAward Judge for 10 years, and is a part of WPO, Provisors, AMA, and AIGA organizations.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

http://300feetout.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraostephenson/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/300feetout 

https://www.instagram.com/300feetout/?hl=en

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist

In this episode of C Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Matt Schalsey, founder of Perfect Hire, to break down what is actually broken in recruiting and how founders can rethink hiring, headcount strategy, and ROI.

Matt shares his journey from entrepreneurial kid selling pencils to HR tech founder building a next generation applicant tracking system. The conversation dives into why recruiting has historically been treated as a cost center, how AI should actually function in HR, and what founders get wrong about culture, hiring, and talent planning.

This is a tactical discussion for operators who want clarity, efficiency, and measurable impact from every hire.

Bio:

Matt Schalsey is the CEO and founder of Perfect Hire, the people-first talent platform helping companies hire smarter and faster with AI-powered tools and human-first processes. A lifelong sales and recruiting leader, Matt’s on a mission to fix broken hiring systems and put people back at the heart of talent acquisition.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

http://www.theperfecthire.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-schalsey/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-perfect-hire

https://www.instagram.com/the.perfect.hire/

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

Show Notes:

In this special episode of C Suite Secrets, Heather Parsons announces the launch of OneRoom, a joint venture created in partnership with commercial lending expert Jen West, founder of Wild Fig Commercial Lending.

For the first time, listeners are given an inside look at the boardroom, where financial clarity, capital strategy, and executive level decision making come together.

Heather and Jen break down a recurring issue they both observe from different sides of the table. Profitable and growing founders are often operating reactively, without a defined capital strategy, without true financial clarity, and without understanding how lenders assess risk.

This episode explores the difference between reactive operators and financially minded CEOs, and why clarity, structure, and mindset ultimately determine whether capital becomes a strategic advantage or a financial burden.

Bio:

Jen West is the CEO and founder of Wild Fig Commercial Lending, a commercial lending strategist, real estate investor, and creative finance expert with more than a decade of experience.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WildFigFinancial/

Website:  http://www.wildfigcommerciallending.com

Connect with me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist

Most business owners think profit will tell them if things are working.

CFOs know better.

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, Heather Parsons breaks down what it actually means to think like a CFO — even if you don’t have a finance background.

Because here’s the truth:

You don’t need to “fix everything.”

Heather explains why profit is a result, not a strategy — and why most founders can’t outwork a broken model. If everything runs through you, you don’t have a scaling problem… you have a structure problem.

This episode will help you shift from reacting to numbers to interpreting them — so you can make decisions that actually make your business easier to run.

This is the identity shift from operator to Financially Minded CEO.

Why profit is the result of effective management — not hustle

Why most founders become the bottleneck (without realizing it)

The difference between looking at numbers and interpreting them

Why you don’t need a financial background to run a strong business

The one question that simplifies everything:

How CFOs see outcomes before they show up

Why it’s not about the numbers — it’s about the quality of your questions

How to recognize early warning signs before profit drops

00:00 – Introduction to C-Suite Secrets

LinkedIn:

All Links:

https://oneroomhq.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth

Show Notes:

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, Heather Parsons sits down with J. Daks, founder of Hexagon IT Solutions, for a candid conversation on how software development has evolved and what leaders must prioritize to drive real business outcomes.

Jay shares why successful technology initiatives start with a deep understanding of client needs and why the industry is moving away from feature-driven builds toward outcome-based solutions. He unpacks the growing role of AI in modern software development, the critical importance of compliance in regulated industries, and the key metrics executives should focus on to measure success.

The discussion also explores leadership at scale, the long-term cost of technical debt, and why properly vetted contracts are essential for protecting both growth and innovation. Jay closes by reflecting on the lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey and the insights that continue to shape his approach to building sustainable, high-impact technology solutions.

Bio:

Daks J is a technology entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Hexagon IT Solutions, a global software and AI-driven technology company headquartered in Utah, USA. With over 16 years of experience, he specializes in building scalable, business-focused software platforms that help organizations modernize operations and execute with clarity.

Founded in 2007, Hexagon IT Solutions was created to move beyond one-size-fits-all systems and deliver custom, outcome-driven software solutions. Under Daks’s leadership, the company has evolved into a multi-entity technology group delivering CRM platforms, AI solutions, enterprise integrations, and custom applications across industries including construction, finance, healthcare, and professional services.

Daks is known for his hands-on product leadership, deep technical understanding, and ability to bridge strategy with execution. He works closely with enterprise clients and teams across the US, UK, UAE, and India to turn complex requirements into practical, scalable systems.

Through his thought-leadership initiative “Innovate with Daks/Hexagon,” he shares insights on AI adoption, product execution, and building systems that create real business impact.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daksj/

Website:  https://hexagonitsolutions.com/

https://linqhive.com - We are providing a 90 days free usage.

Connect with me: 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/

https://heatherparsons.com/links

https://oneroomhq.com/

Join the C-Suite Insiders Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders

🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth  https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist