Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes A.J. Thomas, the CEO of The Troublemaker Lab and Founder and General Partner of Good Trouble Ventures. A visionary leader and former "Chaos Pilot" at Google X, A.J. specializes in helping extraordinary founders build enduring companies through coaching, strategy, and mindful innovation.

In this conversation, A.J. explores the intersection of technology, creativity, and culture. She discusses her "Troublemaker" philosophy—scaling companies without losing one's soul—and breaks down her unique framework of balancing Self, Health, and Wealth for sustainable leadership. Drawing from her non-traditional background as a musician and a former undocumented immigrant, she shares how the "courage to be curious" can transform constraints into "portals" for innovation.

If you’re focused on human-centered innovation, building mission-driven cultures, or navigating the complexities of scaling at the edges of technology and creativity, this episode offers a profound mindset shift for modern leaders.

To learn more about A.J. and follow her insights, visit thetroublemakerlab.com and goodtrouble.vc.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Nicole Alvino, a pioneering leader in employee experience and founder of FirstUp, a platform that connects organizations with their workforce at scale. With experience building technology solutions for some of the world’s largest companies, Nicole helps enterprises engage frontline employees, drive alignment, and create meaningful workplace experiences through personalization and innovative communication strategies.

In this conversation, Nicole talks about the challenges companies face in connecting with their entire workforce, why personalized and hyper-relevant communication is critical for engagement and performance, and how leaders can foster a people-first culture while scaling globally. She shares lessons from building FirstUp, selling to large enterprises, and creating a mission-driven organization that balances technology, culture, and employee wellbeing—illustrating how thoughtful leadership and authentic connection drive measurable business outcomes.

If you’re focused on improving employee engagement, bridging gaps between leadership and frontline teams, or delivering a more human-centered approach to enterprise communication, this episode offers actionable insights and inspiration.

To learn more about Nicole and follow her insights, visit: FirstUp website and LinkedIn.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Iliana Oris Valiente, a multidisciplinary innovator at Accenture who sits at the intersection of emerging technology, human-centered design, and capital investment. With experience bridging startups, large enterprises, and family offices, Iliana helps organizations turn insights into measurable business impact, foster innovation, and unlock growth opportunities.

In this conversation, Iliana talks about the challenges enterprises face when adopting new technologies, why human-centered design is critical for innovation to deliver real business results, and how startups and corporates can collaborate effectively without slowing progress. She shares lessons from structuring design sprints, advising venture-backed companies, and guiding capital allocation for maximum impact—illustrating how patient capital and strategic partnerships can accelerate growth and innovation.

If you’re focused on driving measurable business outcomes through innovation, bridging organizational silos, or investing strategically in high-potential opportunities, this episode delivers actionable takeaways you can put into practice.

To learn more about Iliana and follow her insights, visit her LinkedIn and Substack.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com.

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Stephan Kuhnert, co-founder and co-CEO of Empower, a software suite that helps organizations create consistent, professional, and on-brand content across Microsoft 365. With clients ranging from global enterprises to Microsoft itself, Stephan has spent years helping teams save time, boost productivity, and ensure every document, presentation, or spreadsheet reflects their brand and builds trust.

In this conversation, Stephan talks about the challenges companies face in creating high-quality, engaging content, why first impressions in documents matter more than ever, and how professional design—applied at scale—can influence trust, engagement, and even revenue. He shares insights from working with some of the most complex and detail-oriented organizations in Germany and beyond, offering practical approaches leaders can apply immediately to make their communications clearer, more consistent, and more persuasive.

If you’re focused on building trust, improving internal and external communications, or ensuring your brand is represented consistently at every touchpoint, this episode delivers actionable takeaways you can put into practice.

To learn more about Stephan and Empower, visit: empowersuite.com

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit: relayto.com

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Kevin Lee, a digital marketing pioneer who has spent decades helping companies grow revenue through sharper execution rather than inflated budgets. Before Google existed, Kevin was already building the technology and tactics many teams still rely on today. He co-founded Didit, scaled it into one of New York’s leading agencies, authored four books, and built nonprofit initiatives like Giving Forward, raising millions for social causes along the way.

In this conversation, Kevin talks about what it really takes to build trust, deliver value, and drive outcomes in a world flooded with automation and noise. With firsthand experience from every phase of digital marketing, he brings clear principles leaders can apply immediately—especially when teams are expected to achieve more with less.

If you’re focused on customer trust, team leadership, or building a business grounded in real purpose—not just louder messaging—this episode delivers strong takeaways you can put into practice.

To learn more about Kevin, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/variousventures/

Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com.

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Donna Griffit, a globally recognized corporate storyteller who has helped hundreds of startups and Fortune 500 leaders raise more than $1.5B by clarifying their narratives and showing the true value behind complex ideas.

Together, they discuss why visual storytelling is the key to breaking through noise, especially in industries where information is dense, regulated, and difficult to understand. Donna explains why people don’t connect with text-heavy content and how a simple shift—show first, talk second—can change the way audiences listen, remember, and act.

Donna shares practical advice on crafting a pitch people care about, the importance of a powerful demo, and how showing a product in action creates instant understanding. She breaks down why the human brain responds to visuals, what Steve Jobs mastered that most founders miss, and how to structure a story that lands across different audiences.

To connect with Donna, visit DonnaGriffit.com or try Deck Check at DonnaGriffit.com.

Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com.

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Federico Marchetti, the entrepreneur who reshaped luxury retail by founding Yoox Net-a-Porter, a public company later sold in a transaction valued at $6 billion. Today, Federico serves on the board of Giorgio Armani and leads large-scale initiatives in digital innovation and regenerative sustainability.

Together, they explore how creativity and business discipline can coexist at scale—and why this combination is the real competitive edge for brands navigating rapid digital change. Federico shares the origins of bringing luxury fashion online, long before e-commerce was mainstream, and what it takes to build something enduring in a market where everyone else looks the same.

He also discusses his current work with leading fashion houses, including the rollout of digital product passports, regenerative materials, and supply-chain transparency. Federico opens up about lessons from collaborating with Giorgio Armani and King Charles, the importance of being a “doer” around visionary leaders, and why courage—not shortcuts—has shaped every step of his journey.

Federico also highlights themes from his new book, The Geek of Chic: American Dream, Italian Style, written to inspire the next generation to take risks and stay true to themselves.

To continue the conversation with Federico, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com.

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Randy Wootton, a seasoned revenue leader and CEO whose career spans leadership roles at Microsoft, Salesforce, RocketFuel, Percolate, Seismic, and Maxio. Together, they explore how AI is reshaping go-to-market strategy and what it takes to build enduring organizations in a time of rapid technological change.

Drawing from decades of experience driving growth and orchestrating major acquisitions and exits, Randy shares how leaders can balance innovation with execution—and why clarity of purpose is the true multiplier for scaling teams and revenue. He discusses lessons from integrating AI into business operations, building strong company cultures through transitions, and helping today’s founders lay the groundwork for long-term success.

Randy also shares insights from his current work at CEOx, where he advises AI-first and Agentic AI companies on building scalable go-to-market engines and leadership infrastructure.

To continue the conversation with Randy, connect with him on LinkedIn or learn more about CEOx.

Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Erik Carlson, President and CEO of Notified, a leading technology partner for investor relations, public relations, and communications professionals. Together, they explore how leaders and companies can turn content into trust—and trust into measurable business impact.

With more than 15 years of experience across private equity, M&A, and strategic finance, Erik shares why trust is the most valuable business currency and how consistent, authentic storytelling builds it. He explains how organizations can unlock the power of content by repurposing and personalizing it for investors, employees, and customers, and why quality human storytelling still matters even in an age of AI.

Erik also dives into leadership in transition, reflecting on his first 90 days as CEO, and shares his philosophy of presence with purpose—focusing fully on what matters most, whether at work or at home.

To continue the conversation with Erik, connect with him on LinkedIn or learn more at notified.com.

Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com.

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Christopher Lochhead, a three-time public company CMO, best-selling author of Play Bigger, Niche Down, and The Existing Market Trap, and host of Follow Your Different. Together, they explore what most businesses get wrong about growth, positioning, and innovation.

Known as the godfather of category design and often called the Gordon Ramsay of business, Christopher doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. He explains why the idea that “the best product wins” is the biggest lie in business, how the most successful companies create new categories instead of competing in existing ones, and how to recognize whether you are solving a hard-to-solve or a hard-to-sell problem. He also shares why AI is replacing book-smart people, not street-smart ones.

Christopher reveals the hidden force he calls “the existing market trap,” which keeps even great companies from breaking through, and explains how leaders can escape it before it kills their strategy.

To continue the conversation with Christopher, connect with him on LinkedIn or learn more at lochhead.com.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

To learn more about RELAYTO, visit relayto.com.