Executive Careers with Fexingo: VP, C-Suite, and Senior Leadership Career Strategy

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how senior executives use organizational network analysis (ONA) to identify informal influence before accepting a new role. Lucas shares a specific case: a VP of Sales at a mid-market tech firm who conducted a pre-move ONA and discovered that 80% of strategic decisions in her target company ran through three people who weren't on the org chart. The episode walks through how to conduct your own mapping, what to look for, and why this strategy is becoming table stakes for C-suite transitions. A practical, data-driven approach to avoiding the hidden landmines in a senior hire.

#OrganizationalNetworkAnalysis #HiddenPowerCenters #ExecutiveCareer #CareerTransition #InformalInfluence #C-SuiteStrategy #SeniorLeadership #JobSearchStrategy #ExecutivePresence #CorporatePolitics #CareerAdvancement #BoardReadiness #Networking #LeadershipDevelopment #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers #ExecutiveCareers

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Uncover the strategy senior executives use to build a personal board of directors—a curated group of trusted advisors who provide candid feedback on career moves, compensation, and strategic pivots. Lucas and Luna explore a concrete case: a VP of Engineering who avoided a costly misstep by consulting her personal board before accepting a CTO offer. Backed by a Center for Creative Leadership study showing that executives with diverse advisory networks are 2.3 times more likely to achieve successful transitions, this episode details how to recruit board members from past bosses, peer executives, and industry outsiders, set meeting cadences, and keep discussions honest. Learn the difference between a personal board and a mentor group, and how to start building yours this quarter. A practical guide for leaders at any level, drawing on real-world examples and avoiding the typical fluff.

#PersonalBoardOfDirectors #SeniorLeadership #CareerStrategy #ExecutiveCareer #LeadershipDevelopment #Mentorship #CareerAdvice #BoardService #ExecutiveCoaching #CareerTransition #Networking #TrustedAdvisors #StrategicPivot #CenterForCreativeLeadership #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ExecutiveCareers

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Episode 137 of Executive Careers with Fexingo dives into a critical but overlooked aspect of senior leadership transitions: calculating your financial runway before making a move. Lucas and Luna discuss why most executives underestimate their true burn rate, how to model three scenarios—conservative, moderate, and aggressive—and why having 18 months of expenses can fundamentally change your negotiation leverage. They walk through a real-world example of a VP of product at a mid-sized SaaS firm who used her runway to turn down a lowball offer and land a role with 30% higher total compensation. The hosts also cover practical tips on COBRA vs. private insurance, tax implications of liquidating assets, and when to bring in a fee-only financial advisor. If you are an executive contemplating a career change, this episode provides the framework to make that decision from a position of strength rather than desperation.

#SeniorLeadership #CareerStrategy #FinancialRunway #ExecutiveTransition #JobSearch #Negotiation #CareerPlanning #Leadership #Finance #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ExecutiveCareers #Compensation #InterviewTips #PersonalFinance #CareerAdvice #RunwayAnalysis

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In this episode of Executive Careers with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a powerful but underutilized strategy for senior leaders evaluating a new role: the pre-employment listening tour. They break down how a former Fortune 500 CFO spent two weeks meeting with mid-level managers, suppliers, and even a former employee before accepting a CEO position at a mid-cap company. Lucas explains the three-part framework: map the informal power structure, test the gap between stated values and lived behavior, and evaluate whether the board truly backs the CEO. Luna shares a counterexample from her own experience that went wrong when she skipped the listening phase. The hosts also discuss how to propose a listening tour without alarming the hiring team, what to look for in off-the-record conversations, and why this tactic is especially critical for leaders transitioning into a new industry or a privately-held firm where Glassdoor reviews are thin.

#SeniorLeadership #CareerStrategy #ExecutiveCareers #JobSearch #PreEmployment #ListeningTour #CultureFit #CEOTransition #CFO #Fortune500 #MidCap #BoardDynamics #OrganizationalCulture #Careers #ExecutiveSearch #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LeadershipLessons

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In this episode of Executive Careers with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how senior leaders strategically leverage executive coaches—not as a last resort, but as a proactive career accelerator. They unpack a real-world case: a Fortune 500 CFO who hired a coach six months before stepping into the role, using the coach to pressure-test boardroom communication and build a 90-day credibility plan. Lucas shares data from the Stanford Graduate School of Business showing that 67% of C-suite executives have worked with a coach, yet most engage reactively. The hosts discuss the difference between coaching, therapy, and consulting, and outline a framework for vetting coaches: track record in your industry, chemistry, and a defined scope. They also address the stigma that still lingers at the VP+ level—the perception that coaching signals weakness. Luna offers a counterpoint: that top performers in any field use coaches, from athletes to surgeons. The episode closes with practical advice on how to initiate a coaching relationship without making it feel like a remedial step. This is Episode 135 of Executive Careers with Fexingo, and the show is listener-supported. To keep it ad-free, a small group of listeners contributes at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo.

#ExecutiveCoaching #CareerAcceleration #SeniorLeadership #C-SuiteStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCareers #CoachingVsConsulting #VPStrategy #BoardroomCommunication #90DayPlan #CareerMomentum #StanfordResearch #Fortune500 #ImposterSyndrome #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #CareersPodcast #ProfessionalGrowth

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In this episode of Executive Careers with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna unpack the strategic career reframe: how senior leaders reshape their professional narrative after a layoff. They walk through the case of a former chief marketing officer at a Fortune 500 retailer who, after being let go in a restructuring, repositioned herself as a growth specialist in e-commerce—not a cost-cutting casualty. The conversation covers the three-part reframe structure (context, pivot, proof), why you should never use the word 'downsized' in your first verbal pitch, and how to time the reframe for maximum impact in interviews and networking conversations. Lucas shares a specific framing template from a recruiter who placed 14 laid-off VPs in 2025, and Luna challenges whether the reframe works differently for C-suite versus director-level leaders. By the end, listeners have a concrete framework for turning a layoff into a career inflection point.

#CareerReframe #ExecutiveCareers #LayoffStrategy #SeniorLeadership #CareerNarrative #JobSearch #ExecutiveTransition #PersonalBranding #GrowthMindset #CMO #Fortune500 #Restructuring #Networking #InterviewTips #CareerPivot #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers

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Episode 133 of Executive Careers with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna explore a strategic tool rarely discussed in career coaching—the pre-transition mentor map. They walk through a concrete example: a VP of engineering at a mid-cap enterprise SaaS company who, before even starting a formal search, mapped out six key relationships across her board, her industry peers, and a former CEO. The hosts break down why mapping mentors before you need them changes the leverage dynamic, how to categorize mentors into three distinct zones (insight, advocacy, and sponsorship), and the specific ask structure that respects a senior leader's time. Lucas and Luna also discuss a pitfall they've seen repeatedly: leaders who treat mentoring as a transactional ask rather than a relationship investment. No fluff, no generic advice—just a tactical framework any VP or C-suite executive can apply in their next transition. Plus, a brief and natural listener-support moment tied directly to the value of strategic career tools like this one.

#ExecutiveCareers #CareerStrategy #MentorMap #SeniorLeadership #VPTransition #CSuite #CareerTransitions #Sponsorship #LeadershipAdvice #CareerGrowth #Networking #ExecutiveCoaching #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #CareerTools #Mentorship #BoardRelationships #Careers

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Episode 132 of Executive Careers with Fexingo explores the hidden job market for senior leaders. Lucas and Luna unpack a 2025 study from the Harvard Business School alumni network showing that 58% of C-suite placements in the past 18 months originated through personal referrals from a small, trusted circle — not recruiters or job boards. They discuss how to cultivate a 'quiet recruiting network' before you need it, why the best opportunities never appear on LinkedIn, and the specific signals that make a peer think of you when a board seat opens. Featuring the story of a former chief revenue officer who landed her next role through a quarterly dinner group she joined three years earlier. No job applications, no interview loop — just a single conversation over espresso at a hotel lobby.

#C-Suite #ExecutiveCareers #HiddenJobMarket #QuietRecruiting #CareerStrategy #Networking #Leadership #BoardSeats #SeniorLeadership #HarvardBusinessSchool #PersonalReferral #ExecutiveSearch #CareerMobility #RelationshipBuilding #Careers #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Every senior leader eventually faces an interview that goes sideways. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dissect the anatomy of a failed interview and the recovery playbook that separates seasoned executives from candidates who crumble. They walk through a real case: a VP of Strategy at a Fortune 500 retailer who bombed a panel presentation but turned it into an offer three weeks later. The hosts discuss the 24-hour decompression rule, the honesty reroute tactic, and how to request a second chance without sounding desperate. They also cover what to do when the failure is final — how to extract feedback, rebuild credibility with the recruiter, and stay on the bench for future roles. Listeners will learn the exact email template for a recovery request and why the best recovery move is often counterintuitive: admitting the specific mistake out loud.

#CareerStrategy #SeniorLeadership #InterviewRecovery #ExecutiveCareer #FailedInterview #JobSearch #Leadership #InterviewTips #CareerAdvice #ExecutiveSearch #VPLevel #CSuite #PanelInterview #InterviewMistakes #CareerComeback #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers

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Episode 130 of Executive Careers with Fexingo dives into the often-overlooked pre-offer psychometric assessment—a tool many senior leaders encounter but few know how to navigate strategically. Lucas and Luna explore a 2025 study by SHL showing that 68% of Fortune 500 companies now use personality or cognitive tests for VP-level and above roles, yet only 22% of executive candidates prepare for them. The hosts break down the three most common test types: the Hogan Assessment, the Predictive Index, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. They discuss how to read the scoring framework, avoid common pitfalls like over-rotating on a perceived 'ideal' profile, and use the results to strengthen your positioning rather than merely pass a gate. The episode also covers the ethical tightrope—how much to self-censor vs. show authentic leadership style—and ends with a practical two-week prep timeline. Whether you're ten years from a job search or expecting an offer next week, this episode gives you a tactical edge in the final mile of an executive search.

#PreOfferPsychometric #ExecutiveAssessment #HoganAssessment #PredictiveIndex #MyersBriggs #SHL #LeadershipHiring #SeniorLeaderStrategy #ExecutiveInterviewPrep #CareerNegotiation #VPLevelHiring #CSuiteStrategy #TalentAssessment #PersonalityTesting #CognitiveTest #ExecutiveCareers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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