PowerUp with Manal

The best leaders take many forms. In business, disruptors and enlightened leaders transform organizations. And those leaders rely on leaders within their teams to pull it all together. One such role is an organizational chief of staff. Call them the ‘consigliere’ or the CEO’s confidant; they can play an invaluable role in seeing and realizing the needs of the whole enterprise.

The road to leadership is always an interesting one, and for those trying to find the path, one piece of advice is to create your unique platform for success. And for one entrepreneur, his unique platform includes the chief of staff as a business priority.

Mackenzie Lee, CEO & Chief of Staff Evangelist at Cedar Chief of Staff, created a business model to bring the leadership power of a chief of staff to the business community, which may not recognize the benefits such a role brings to an organization. He visited Manal Keen on Power Up with Manal to share his journey of discovery and why he believes everyone should invest in creating their unique platform for success.

Through Lee’s early post-college work journey, he began to see the chief of staff role within an organization as necessary. And these experiences sparked an idea.

“I’ve been an investment analyst and a defacto chief of staff,” Lee said. “I saw the power this role has on the C-Suite, the executive team, and the entire company, not to mention the development path for the chief of staff. And I started to think, how could I build a business around this?”

Keen and Lee discuss the following on the show:

• Educating businesses on the benefits of having a chief of staff
• The whys and hows of Lee’s journey to creating his company, Cedar
• Advice for new entrepreneurs

“Start by testing very small ideas,” Lee said. “It all starts with an idea, and it starts with you talking about it with one other person and then talking about it with ten other people to refine your idea. And then create a very small MVP for that idea. So, post about it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or wherever you have a following, and see what the reaction might be from your community and your market, and take it from there. Don’t be afraid to go through hundreds of ideas.”

About Mackenzie Lee:

Mackenzie Lee is a Stanford graduate with over a decade of experience serving executives from Fortune 1000 companies, growth companies, and startups, helping leaders solve tricky business problems and quickly driving operational results. He draws from previous experience as a solution consultant mentored by a former McKinsey manager, an investment analyst mentored by an ex-Goldman Sachs Manager, and a Stanford engineer.

The best leaders take many forms. In business, disruptors and enlightened leaders transform organizations. And those leaders rely on leaders within their teams to pull it all together. One such role is an organizational chief of staff. Call them the ‘consigliere’ or the CEO’s confidant; they can play an invaluable role in seeing and realizing the needs of the whole enterprise.

The road to leadership is always an interesting one, and for those trying to find the path, one piece of advice is to create your unique platform for success. And for one entrepreneur, his unique platform includes the chief of staff as a business priority.

Mackenzie Lee, CEO & Chief of Staff Evangelist at Cedar Chief of Staff, created a business model to bring the leadership power of a chief of staff to the business community, which may not recognize the benefits such a role brings to an organization. He visited Manal Keen on Power Up with Manal to share his journey of discovery and why he believes everyone should invest in creating their unique platform for success.

Through Lee’s early post-college work journey, he began to see the chief of staff role within an organization as necessary. And these experiences sparked an idea.

“I’ve been an investment analyst and a defacto chief of staff,” Lee said. “I saw the power this role has on the C-Suite, the executive team, and the entire company, not to mention the development path for the chief of staff. And I started to think, how could I build a business around this?”

Keen and Lee discuss the following on the show:

• Educating businesses on the benefits of having a chief of staff
• The whys and hows of Lee’s journey to creating his company, Cedar
• Advice for new entrepreneurs

“Start by testing very small ideas,” Lee said. “It all starts with an idea, and it starts with you talking about it with one other person and then talking about it with ten other people to refine your idea. And then create a very small MVP for that idea. So, post about it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or wherever you have a following, and see what the reaction might be from your community and your market, and take it from there. Don’t be afraid to go through hundreds of ideas.”

About Mackenzie Lee:

Mackenzie Lee is a Stanford graduate with over a decade of experience serving executives from Fortune 1000 companies, growth companies, and startups, helping leaders solve tricky business problems and quickly driving operational results. He draws from previous experience as a solution consultant mentored by a former McKinsey manager, an investment analyst mentored by an ex-Goldman Sachs Manager, and a Stanford engineer.

Chasing greatness is something many people in their careers strive to achieve. But what does it take to accomplish that goal? Enlightened Leadership for the next generation of disruption means getting out of one’s comfort zone to make things happen.

Disruption takes many forms. It happens in the tech world through innovative technologies that change everything from construction to healthcare and paradigm shifts in new approaches to education and learning. Still, for those who yearn to be the future disruptors, enlightened leadership that could pave the way for that type of thinking.

On the latest Power Up with Manal episode, host Manal Keen spoke with Rajeev Kapur, President & CEO of 1105 Media and author of Chase Greatness: Enlightened Leadership for the Next Generation, to gain a better sense of what it takes to create a disruptor mindset.

For those who are struggling for ways to advance and grow in their careers, Kapul offered some simple but sound advice.

“The way you distinguish yourself is, you’ve got to raise your hand,” Kapur said. “Ask questions. It’s the simple things that you hear about in your career. It’s, be the first one at the meeting, be the last one to leave; be super curious. If you really want to advance in your career, you have to be really curious.”

During their conversation, Keen and Kapur discuss the following:

• Overcoming challenges on the path to career success
• Kapul’s book, Chase Greatness: Enlightened Leadership for the Next Generation of Disruption and the value it holds for entrepreneurs
• Preparing for the changing world and embracing change

“I’m here to tell you that the CEOs of the future better get on board with the fact that there’s a changing climate coming,” Kapul said. “And I don’t mean climate change. I mean, in the workplace, change, right? With remote work, you have ESG initiatives happening. And you have all those different things, and those are what’s important to employees. One of the best ways you can go forward as a leader is you don’t have to choose between passion, purpose, and profits. If you focus on having both a bottom line and a focus for your business, as well as a bottom-line focus for the welfare of your employees, you could see a 5-to-7 percent improvement in your EBITDA.”

About Rajeev

Rajeev Kapur is a seasoned high-tech executive with broad global experience. He’s worked in over 20 countries across the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He was recognized as a CEO of the Year finalist for 2011-2012 from Teach America and was a finalist for Entrepreneur of The Year from the Orange County Business Journal. He received his Global MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles and Shanghai’s Jiaotong University Antai College of Business and Economics.

Chasing greatness is something many people in their careers strive to achieve. But what does it take to accomplish that goal? Enlightened Leadership for the next generation of disruption means getting out of one’s comfort zone to make things happen.

Disruption takes many forms. It happens in the tech world through innovative technologies that change everything from construction to healthcare and paradigm shifts in new approaches to education and learning. Still, for those who yearn to be the future disruptors, enlightened leadership that could pave the way for that type of thinking.

On the latest Power Up with Manal episode, host Manal Keen spoke with Rajeev Kapur, President & CEO of 1105 Media and author of Chase Greatness: Enlightened Leadership for the Next Generation, to gain a better sense of what it takes to create a disruptor mindset.

For those who are struggling for ways to advance and grow in their careers, Kapul offered some simple but sound advice.

“The way you distinguish yourself is, you’ve got to raise your hand,” Kapur said. “Ask questions. It’s the simple things that you hear about in your career. It’s, be the first one at the meeting, be the last one to leave; be super curious. If you really want to advance in your career, you have to be really curious.”

During their conversation, Keen and Kapur discuss the following:

• Overcoming challenges on the path to career success
• Kapul’s book, Chase Greatness: Enlightened Leadership for the Next Generation of Disruption and the value it holds for entrepreneurs
• Preparing for the changing world and embracing change

“I’m here to tell you that the CEOs of the future better get on board with the fact that there’s a changing climate coming,” Kapul said. “And I don’t mean climate change. I mean, in the workplace, change, right? With remote work, you have ESG initiatives happening. And you have all those different things, and those are what’s important to employees. One of the best ways you can go forward as a leader is you don’t have to choose between passion, purpose, and profits. If you focus on having both a bottom line and a focus for your business, as well as a bottom-line focus for the welfare of your employees, you could see a 5-to-7 percent improvement in your EBITDA.”

About Rajeev

Rajeev Kapur is a seasoned high-tech executive with broad global experience. He’s worked in over 20 countries across the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He was recognized as a CEO of the Year finalist for 2011-2012 from Teach America and was a finalist for Entrepreneur of The Year from the Orange County Business Journal. He received his Global MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles and Shanghai’s Jiaotong University Antai College of Business and Economics.

Do the entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow need to hang out in the C-Suite to gain success and be inspired? Or inspiration lurks beneath the ground’s surface, and all it takes to find it is a shovel and a little ditch digging.

Skilled trades offer rewarding careers without the need for a four-year advanced degree. They also provide career advancement opportunities and longevity. These careers, often unfairly, are not “labeled” as the portrait of professional success. Importantly, that does not mean that financial security, and a rewarding career cannot be obtained through these important industries. Success is depicted by mindsets, the ability to evolve, and the desire to be a lifelong student of knowledge; all key principles for professionals within skilled trades.

Power Up with Manal host Manal Keen always looks for the innovative and inspirational. Talk about inspiring; at 19, Ken Rusk, President of Rusk Industries, traveled across the country helping open ditch-digging construction franchises. It wasn’t long after Rusk opened his own construction business in 1986. So, how does a self-made business owner go from construction to author? That’s one of Keen’s questions for Rusk when he joined her on Power Up.

“When you have a staff of two hundred, and most of them, it’s their first or second job, over a thirty-five-year span, you’re going to hire many people,” Rusk said. “I’ve probably hired over two-thousand people in that period. I noticed a change in how well-prepared people were. No one knew how to think about their future. I became almost this involuntary life coach.” The more Rusk taught essential life lessons, the quicker he realized a solid book idea existed.

Keen and Rusk discuss his book and the following topics:

• Rusk’s belief in culture and leadership philosophy as cornerstones for success
• Understanding how to change your organizational leadership mindset to help drive forward company momentum
• Overcoming challenges as an entrepreneur to move forward and persevere

About Ken

Ken Rusk is an entrepreneur and a proud advocate of following one’s dreams. In addition to his work with Rusk Industries, he is the author of Blue-Collar Cash. Rusk believes everyone must find a path to success that works for them, and he is determined to help people realize their dreams through career fulfillment.

Do the entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow need to hang out in the C-Suite to gain success and be inspired? Or inspiration lurks beneath the ground’s surface, and all it takes to find it is a shovel and a little ditch digging.

Skilled trades offer rewarding careers without the need for a four-year advanced degree. They also provide career advancement opportunities and longevity. These careers, often unfairly, are not “labeled” as the portrait of professional success. Importantly, that does not mean that financial security, and a rewarding career cannot be obtained through these important industries. Success is depicted by mindsets, the ability to evolve, and the desire to be a lifelong student of knowledge; all key principles for professionals within skilled trades.

Power Up with Manal host Manal Keen always looks for the innovative and inspirational. Talk about inspiring; at 19, Ken Rusk, President of Rusk Industries, traveled across the country helping open ditch-digging construction franchises. It wasn’t long after Rusk opened his own construction business in 1986. So, how does a self-made business owner go from construction to author? That’s one of Keen’s questions for Rusk when he joined her on Power Up.

“When you have a staff of two hundred, and most of them, it’s their first or second job, over a thirty-five-year span, you’re going to hire many people,” Rusk said. “I’ve probably hired over two-thousand people in that period. I noticed a change in how well-prepared people were. No one knew how to think about their future. I became almost this involuntary life coach.” The more Rusk taught essential life lessons, the quicker he realized a solid book idea existed.

Keen and Rusk discuss his book and the following topics:

• Rusk’s belief in culture and leadership philosophy as cornerstones for success
• Understanding how to change your organizational leadership mindset to help drive forward company momentum
• Overcoming challenges as an entrepreneur to move forward and persevere

About Ken

Ken Rusk is an entrepreneur and a proud advocate of following one’s dreams. In addition to his work with Rusk Industries, he is the author of Blue-Collar Cash. Rusk believes everyone must find a path to success that works for them, and he is determined to help people realize their dreams through career fulfillment.

Learn how to leverage AI for smarter decision-making and greater efficiency - AI software pages linked below!

Podcast and Mondays with Manal are always available on MarketScale: https://lnkd.in/gQzK_Ak5 or anywhere you listen to podcasts - just type in “Power Up with Manal”

Manal’s Pick: Life Coach and Entrepreneur Ken Rusk's book "Blue Collar Cash" https://lnkd.in/gyJmKcr4

“Blue Collar Cash” is a must-read - just as Tony Robbins mentions in his review of the book! I am beyond grateful that Ken also came onto the PowerUp with Manal Podcast - episode releases on 3/27/23

Product Suggestions: Nosto Recombee Barilliance UNBXD LivePerson Botsify Inc Reply.ai BoostAI MarketMuse BrightEdge Consured JasperAi Salesforce Clari Aviso AI Zoho

#artificialintelligence #ai #entrepreneur #grateful #software #consulting #business #podcast

How can we manage burnout in the workplace as leaders? We breached this topic a few weeks back from an individual perspective - now we talk about organizations 💭

Great read by Harvard Business Review Jen Fisher https://lnkd.in/gv5WtUnv

Manal's Pick: Momento (ai automation for creating moments, show notes, and social content made EASY!) David Salib

PowerUp Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gaKjttx5

#ai #leaders #automation #business #burnoutprevention #humanresources #podcast

Starting a business from scratch can be a challenging but rewarding experience. To manage your business successfully, it's essential to begin by developing a comprehensive business plan. This plan should include your goals, target audience, products or services, marketing and sales strategies, and financial projections. It should serve as a roadmap for your business and help you stay on track as you work towards your goals.

As you launch your business, it's also important to stay organized and keep track of your finances. You may want to consider using accounting software or hiring an accountant to help you with this

But What are the most important factors to consider when starting a business from scratch, and how can entrepreneurs set themselves up for long-term success in today's competitive business landscape?"

On today's episode of Power Up with Manal, host Manal Keen sits down with Hamza Ali, Founder, and Chairman of Hamza Invests, to talk about how you identify and capitalize on new opportunities in your industry and what role does innovation play in your strategy? The two also discussed

1. How can businesses effectively manage their finances, even when it's difficult?

2. What are key strategies to build and manage a strong team to achieve its goals?

3. How can businesses stay up to date with the latest technology and leverage it to their advantage

4. What are some effective marketing and branding strategies that businesses can use to stand out?

"In building a solid team, I don't believe in doing so much at a time; sometimes, you might not see the light at the end of the tunnel; it depends on what you see and keeps moving. I don't think there was a time I faced hardship because I didn't stop working. I had the right mindset, and I kept going," Said Hamza

Hamza Ali is a real estate developer and investor based in Houston, Texas. He has over 16 years of experience as a developer, focusing primarily on industrial real estate. He founded Hamza Invests, a real estate fund that acquires and develops large industrial assets in the US.