Leading In The Dark

In this episode of Leading In The Dark, Nick Akers sits down with Adam Markley — CEO & Founder of PROX Capital Group — for an unfiltered look at entrepreneurship through acquisition, leadership under pressure, and the realities behind signing multi-million-dollar personal guarantees.

Adam shares the unconventional journey that took him from failing out of college…
to leading global operations…
to acquiring companies across the U.S.…
to raising a fund that supports other operators on the same path.

Together, Nick and Adam explore:

• What personal guarantees really mean

• The psychology of risk and resilience

• Why some operators succeed — and why others end up in bankruptcy

• What most people overlook in due diligence

• How intrapreneurial environments unlock talent

• Why stacking the deck for success matters more than chasing growth

• How Adam screens operators and underwrites deals

• The difference between “playing business” and actually running one

Adam also shares his standing offer: helping entrepreneurs evaluate deals so they avoid catastrophic decisions and increase their odds of long-term success.

Raw. Honest. Tactical.
This is a masterclass for anyone interested in business ownership, leadership, or the human side of high-stakes decision-making.

Listen now and learn why no deal is infinitely better than a bad deal.

In this episode of Leading In The Dark, host Nick Akers sits down with Kimberli Wasney, co-founder of Ripple’s Edge Advisors—a firm helping owners grow their companies with the exit in mind.

Kimberli brings a unique blend of operational expertise, business development experience, and emotional awareness to the challenges owners face when preparing to step away from their business.

Together, they explore:
• Why most owners wait too long to think about exit
• The difficult process of separating your identity from your company
• How to build a brand that stands on its own—not just on the founder
• The step-by-step path to getting out of the day-to-day
• Why ETA is becoming a powerful option for seller succession
• How culture, values, and leadership continuity shape valuation
• What owners can do today to increase their multiple by 1.5x

Kimberli’s insights are tactical, empathetic, and grounded in real-world experience across industries—from tech to law firms to manufacturing.

If you’re an entrepreneur, operator, searcher, or future seller, this episode is a must-listen.

Listen now and subscribe for more conversations with leaders who are navigating the unknown, building in the dark, and leading through uncertainty.

In this episode, Nick Akers sits down with Katie Schenck, Founder & CEO of Ballyhoo Workshop, a creative communications firm that helps organizations tell their stories through thoughtful, well-crafted employee and investor communication. Katie shares how she built Ballyhoo Workshop from the ground up, balancing creativity and business discipline, leading seasoned creatives in a flexible environment, and evolving through challenges like remote work, brand refreshes, and the rise of AI.
If you’ve ever wondered how leaders keep culture alive in creative teams—or how to “work on the business” without losing the human connection—this conversation is for you.

From environmental services tech to hospital CEO to Managing Director & Head of Corporate Healthcare at PNC, Gyasi C. Chisley has led across every layer of a complex industry. In this episode, Gyasi unpacks his “ABCDs” (Advisory, Brand, Clients, Deals), why healthcare must remain high-touch even as AI scales, and how leaders can balance margin and mission without losing either. We dig into revenue cycle realities, talent shortages, building new growth engines, and the simple habit that changes culture: ask better questions.
If you operate in high stakes with limited certainty, this conversation is a field guide.

Scott Alexander — From Black Swan to Blueprint: ETA, SBA Reality, and the “People → Process → Tools” Playbook

When COVID hit, Scott Alexander (CEO/Owner, JIRUS Micro Marketing) lost 80% of revenue in two weeks—while carrying an SBA-backed personal guarantee. Instead of folding, he pivoted into B2B med-device demand generation and rebuilt bigger than before. In this candid episode, Scott walks through the decisions, frameworks, and hiring practices that actually moved the needle.

In this episode:

• Why he chose Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) over a from-scratch startup

• The fine print of SBA 7(a) financing and personal guarantees—risk, reward, and reality

• Culture change without “yelling leadership”: adults, accountability, and trust

• Hiring with case studies instead of canned interviews (and what he looks for)

• Unifying marketing + sales into one commercial motion, measured end-to-end

• The operating stack: People → Process → Tools (in that order)

Guest: Scott Alexander
Host: Nick Akers
Show: Leading In The Dark — real conversations about leading when the path isn’t lit.

Subscribe for more episodes on resilient leadership, ETA, and building systems that survive uncertainty.

Joey Goone: From Kitchen-Table Startup to Mission-Driven Event Powerhouse

What happens when a small team chooses speed, service, and purpose—then backs it up with world-class execution? In this episode, Nick Akers sits down with Joey Goone, President of Utopia Experience, to unpack the pivot that took his company from niche private events to producing 200+ virtual galas during COVID—raising tens of millions for nonprofits—and on to national conferences, summits, and masterminds.

Joey shares the leadership principles behind that journey: hiring for attitude over aptitude, leading with questions, staying radically consistent with content, and refusing to “transactionalize” what should be human. He also explains why he moved away from the default “exit” mentality toward building a forever business that gives back—aiming to fund nonprofit productions each year as the company scales.

In this episode:

• Standing up one of the first virtual galas—in a week

• Turning events into storytelling engines (and marketing flywheels)

• Consistency > hacks: one-to-one and one-to-many done right

• Culture, vulnerability, and psychological safety in high-pressure work

• Choosing impact over optics (and rethinking the “exit” finish line)

Guest:
Joey Goone, President, Utopia Experience — an event agency producing national conferences, summits, masterminds, and high-impact nonprofit events.

Host:
Nick Akers, CEO of Inzo Technologies & host of Leading In The Dark.

Listen, follow, and leave a review if this episode sparked an idea for your team or your next event.

How do you lead when the stakes are measured in seconds? St. Louis Police Department SWAT Team Leader Mike Flatley joins host Nick Akers to unpack leadership under pressure—from earning a spot on an elite 18-operator unit to guiding Type-A professionals through training, operations, and recovery.

In this episode:

• The unexpected path from business major to law enforcement

• What it really takes to make SWAT (selection, standards, and reps)

• Planning for hostage-rescue while executing daily search-warrant operations

• Building trust with former military teammates and “leading from the front”

• Training with embedded medics and coordinating in complex environments

• Managing risk, stress, and family life—and why small morale moves matter

• Mike’s simple rule for any leader: Do the job no one wants to do.

If you lead teams—on the street or in the boardroom—you’ll leave with practical lessons on preparation, humility, and resilience.

Leading In The Dark with host Nick Akers sits down with leaders who’ve navigated uncertainty, change, and growth to share their unfiltered stories of resilience, leadership, and transformation.

In this episode, Nick talks with Lauren Herring, CEO of Impact Group, a global career and leadership development company. Lauren shares the journey of transforming her family business into the largest women-owned organization of its kind, her personal leadership lessons, and the power of relationships in career success. From tackling the hidden challenges of corporate relocation to scaling leadership coaching for Fortune 500 companies, Lauren’s story is a masterclass in vision, adaptability, and staying human in an AI-driven world.

In this episode of Leading in the Dark, host Nick Akers sits down with Patricia Bosman, President and CEO of The Haven of Grace—a St. Louis nonprofit dedicated to supporting unhoused pregnant women and their children. Patricia shares her journey from corporate leadership to finding her calling in nonprofit service, leading with empathy, humility, and resilience.

She discusses the realities of running a 24/7 shelter, the importance of collaboration across organizations, and the power of community support—even small gifts like $25—that make a real difference. Patricia also opens up about the personal experiences that shape her leadership, from loss and hardship to faith and family.

This episode highlights what it means to lead with purpose, compassion, and conviction—especially in the most challenging circumstances.

In this episode of Leading In The Dark, Nick Akers sits down with Jerry Gennaria, President of the St. Louis-based branding and strategic consulting firm Toky. Jerry shares his journey from senior leader to business owner, unpacking the challenges of entrepreneurship through acquisition, the weight of ownership, and how to scale a business without losing the culture and brand reputation that made it successful.

Whether you're a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply passionate about leadership, Jerry’s insights on brand differentiation, employee experience, and strategic growth will leave you inspired.