The Drop In CEO

On today’s episode Andrew Kraft reveals how he created a path to the role of CEO by working in positions at every level, creating his own degree in leadership. Listen in as Deborah and Andrew discuss why becoming a COO was possible because of his prior roles, why he strives to never be the smartest person in the room, and the right questions to ask yourself to reach your next career milestone. Andrew also shares how you can use your current experiences to learn the communication strategies that truly prepare you for a C-Suite role.

Andrew Q. Kraft has served as Chief Operating Officer of The Arena Group since October 1, 2020. Mr. Kraft first joined us in December 2018 as Chief Revenue Officer and then Chief Venture Officer. He transitioned to a consulting role in early 2020 before rejoining the company as COO.

Prior to his time at Arena, Mr. Kraft served as the “utility infielder” on the executive team at AppNexus (acquired by AT&T as part of Xandr) for seven years. Roles at AppNexus included head of business and corporate development, co-founder of the company’s publisher business, global head of ad sales, and interim Chief Financial Officer.

Previous roles included Senior Vice President, AMP & Publisher Solutions for Collective, where he led business development for the company’s audience management and monetization platform, as well the Head of Revenue & Member Services for the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Mr. Kraft, who studied Physics and Theater at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before leaving to help join the “web” business at Sapient, lives with his family in Hillsborough, NJ. He spends summers slow-cooking Texas-style BBQ and winters participating in curling tournaments throughout the Northeast.

You can connect with Andrew via his website: https://thearenagroup.net/

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Tom Hardison shares how to assess and empower your team to find the right roles for optimized productivity. Listen in as Tom and Deborah discuss leadership strategies for building confidence within your team, how to help individuals understand their potential, and why it’s important to ask what an employee really wants to accomplish before a promotion.

Tom Hardison helps leaders build great teams and organizations with a culture of collective leadership so they can scale from 200-1000+ employees. He led change and business growth initiatives at Hewlett Packard for 28 years, a period when revenue grew from 5 billion to 127 billion. He now uses this extensive experience to guide leaders and their teams to leverage the generative power of people working together to achieve sustainable growth.

You can connect with Tom via his website: https://generativeleadershipgroup.com/

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Nikki Klugh shares the importance of creating a beautiful, functional environment in your home office space. Listen in as Deborah and Nikki discuss how your environment impacts your mindset, organization, and success. Nikki shares tips for creating your own profit zone, how to create visual representations of your goals, and how designing your space in the right way can reduce stress and improve productivity.

Nikki Klugh is an award-winning interior designer, three time author and the principal designer and owner of Nikki Klugh Design Group. Specializing in luxury homes and commercial spaces, Nikki has appeared on BET, NBC, San Diego Lifestyles, and The American Dream Show. Her work has been featured in publications such as San Diego Home and Garden magazine, FINE Magazine, Discover San Diego, Coastal Homes, Black Southern Belle, and many others. As a National Council of Interior Design Qualification certified designer, Nikki is a professional member of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). She has also served on the board of ASID as the Director of Membership.

You can connect with Nikki in the following ways:

http://nikkiklughdesign.com/

https://www.instagram.com/nikkiklughdesign/
https://www.facebook.com/NikkiKlughDesign/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkiklugh/
https://www.pinterest.com/nikkiklughdesigngroup/

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Deborah breaks down the key strategies you should know to help your team transition through change. Listen in as Deborah shares how to establish expectations in times of uncertainty, why accountability is crucial, even when adapting quickly, and why relationships are critical for long-term success.

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Claudia Miller shares how organizations can identify, nurture, and promote women in leadership roles. Listen in as Deborah and Claudia discuss why women are often overlooked when promoting from within, how organizations are addressing gaps in talent pipelines, and strategies women can implement today to position themselves for leadership roles. Claudia also shares key questions organizations can ask to identify top talent.

Claudia Miller is a sought-after Career Coach for Women In Tech and she's helped her clients land fulfilling jobs in less than 90-days with an average of 56% in salary increases. Her clients have received $30,000 to $120,000 in additional earned income. She also partners with companies and organizations in identifying rising stars within their organizations and providing strategy insights and support in developing a leadership and talent pipeline with a focus on Women and Women of Color.

Due to her efforts she's worked with Top Fortune 500 Clients + has partnered with World Business Chicago in developing a Workforce Development strategy in coordination with the City of Chicago's efforts in decreasing unemployment rates for persons of color. She's also the Creator & Host of "Roadmap To The Executive Suite" podcast. Due to her clients success she's been featured multiple times in Forbes, MSNBC, Thrive Global and Business Insider put her in their top global list of Top Innovative Career Coaches.

You can connect with Claudia in the following ways:

Website: https://www.claudiatmiller.com/

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

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Bob Burg shares why the negative emotions surrounding salesmanship prevent the development of nurturing of relationships and business sustainability. Listen in as Deborah and Bob discuss how to create your own sales system that aligns with your values, the real reason why people buy from you, and how to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships in an authentic way.

For over 30 years Bob Burg has been successfully showing entrepreneurs, leaders, and sales professionals how to communicate their value and accelerate their business growth.

Although for years he was best known for his sales classic, Endless Referrals, it’s his business parable, The Go-Giver, coauthored with John David Mann that has created a worldwide movement.

While part of a four-book series, The Go-Giver itself has sold more than one million copies and been translated into 30 languages. It was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of The Most Motivational Books Ever Written, and was on HubSpot’s 20 Most Highly Rated Sales Books of All Time.

Bob is founder of The Go-Giver Community Network, the first of its kind online business community created by and for Go-Givers.

He is an advocate, supporter, and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve.

He is also an unapologetic animal fanatic and served on the Board of Directors of Furry Friends Adoption & Clinic in his town of Jupiter, Florida.

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Kenny Chapman shares how in-home trades have been impacted by the Great Resignation and how leadership can elevate their skills to speak to the needs of workers with a desire for independence. Listen in as Deborah and Kenny discuss the empowerment of independent contractors, how to build confidence as a leader, and why networking is critical for long-term success.

Kenny Chapman founded The Blue Collar Success Group with the focus of providing guidance that the in-home industry severely lacked – consistent ethical technician training and retention, on-site consulting, personalized marketing and business strategies to boost the bottom line for owners and entrepreneurs.

He noticed a need after hearing complaints from his industry peers and experiencing that frustration on his own, back in 1994 when he bought a plumbing company in Colorado and only took in $1,000 a month in revenue.

Kenny, now an award-winning industry trainer who later built that business into a multi-million dollar company, used his expertise to fill a void with the ever-changing Blue Collar Success Group designed for electricians, plumbers and HVAC services.

The team provides expert coaching for each individual trade needs, training for owners, technicians and office team members, multiple membership levels catered to the specific needs of each client, networking among businesses near and far who may experience similar issues, web-based schools, live events and more to grow your business and have a better quality of life.

The Blue Collar Success Group and its premier, industry-proven programs have been featured in USA TODAY, Contracting Business, Plumbing & Mechanical, and on Fox News, NBC and ABC News.

You can connect with Kenny in the following ways:

Website: thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3045910/admin/

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Deborah shares key strategies to share information in a way that influences your audience and creates an impact. Listen in as Deborah explores the power word choice, clarifying your outcome, and putting intention behind the information you want to share.

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Will Bachman shares how his company is connecting independent contractors to opportunities and resources that create growth and sustainability. Listen in as Deborah and Will discuss the importance of independent contractors to corporate organizations, key questions to ask yourself before leaving your corporate role, and how to sustain independent work while utilizing your unique skillset.

Will Bachman, a McKinsey alum, is the Managing Partner of Umbrex, a global community connecting independent management consultants with one another and with project opportunities. Bachman is a former nuclear-trained submarine officer and a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Business School.

You can connect with Will in the following ways:

Website: www.umbrex.com

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

The Umbrex Guide to Setting Up Your Own Consulting Practice includes 90 short videos and over 30 tools and templates on how to get started with your own firm.

Normally $500, listeners of CEO's Compass may register for free using the discount code: CEOCOMPASS

This code expires 12/31/2022.

Register here: https://umbrex.com/become-a-consultant/set-your-intentions-goals/

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode Stephanie Kunkel shares how you can be a more compassionate leader and lead the way to a workplace culture focused on mental health. Listen in as Deborah and Stephanie discuss the prominence of mental health issues in the workplace, the critical role of leadership to create a safe and nurturing space for their teams, and simple communication strategies for empowering your team to focus on mental health.

Stephanie is an author and leadership development expert. By day she is a master collaborator for a Madison based company, leading multiple teams to come together through a major corporate restructuring. Stephanie has previously consulted for Fortune 500 companies and carries over 14 years of sales and marketing experience. After developing a leadership development program across multiple teams, she launched her coaching and mentoring career. She has been leading teams since 2007, and as a leader, her passion has developed from watching others grow and succeed.

Stephanie has been working with leaders, tenured and new, for over 9 years to curate healthy and happy team cultures. Additionally, Stephanie is an international best-selling author, with over 10 years of experience in coaching and training. But, Stephanie doesn’t just teach or facilitate, she takes the topic of mental health and of leadership and shifts people’s perspectives. She works to open hearts, minds, and spirits in a way that leads to a more cohesive and productive team environment. Stephanie has her master’s degree in leadership and management with an emphasis on leadership development.

You can connect with Stephanie at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiftingperspectives

Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.