The Executive Podcast

In this episode we interview Bob Miglani, bestselling Author, Speaker, founder of Hoot Health Inc, and Management Advisor.

He is the author of the Washington Post Bestseller, Embrace the Chaos, which is about his journey of learning to embrace change and move forward in his job, career, business and in life. His most recent book, Make Your Own Luck shows how to help tilt the odds of luck and success in our favor.

Bob grew up helping his family run their Dairy Queen family business for 20 + years which was the subject of his first book, Treat Your Customers. Afterwards he worked in corporate America for Pfizer Inc. for 23 years in numerous successful roles and did business in over 30 countries. After leaving Pfizer, he joined a startup as Chief of Business Development, helping to bring a Big Idea to Market.

Today he advises companies and CEOs, speaks to audiences everywhere and advances the idea that in order to GROW in times of change, we must think and act differently. We must embrace change. Find out more at https://bobmiglani.com/

Purchase the book Make Your Own Luck on Amazon here

A pioneer in the cannabis and psychedelics industry, Ronan Levy has inspired millions of people to find healing and inspiration through elevated states of consciousness.

His work and entrepreneurial endeavors have been featured in The New York Times, CNBC, Nature, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fast Company, The Economist, Report on Business, Robb Report and more. His work includes co-founding The Non-Ordinary Therapy Company Ltd., Canadian Cannabis Clinics, Field Trip Health Ltd. and Reunion Neuroscience Inc.. He is co-author of The Trip Journal (Libra Publishing) and The Ketamine Breakthrough (Hay House) and is host of the podcast How We Evolve.

Find out more at:

How We Evolve - A Non-Ordinary Podcast

Greg McDonough is a managing partner at Blackburn Capital. He works with businesses and organizations ranging from early-stage startups to $100 million enterprises.

He has led companies through turnarounds, mergers, acquisitions, and other significant financial events. Whether a business is struggling to survive, or striving to grow effectively and efficiently, Greg has the tools and expertise to assure the process goes smoothly. He meticulously examines and assesses a company’s financials and operations to help pave the way for success.

As a seasoned entrepreneur himself, Greg has an extensive understanding of the challenges inherent in owning a business. He knows what it takes to guide a company through a tough turnaround.

Greg is a certified insolvency and restructuring advisor (CRA), president of the Washington, DC chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), and the author of The Turnaround (2017).

Shelli Copelan Taylor is the CEO of Alamo Drafthouse. She joined Alamo in May 2020. She has rebuilt the executive team, bringing in leaders who are passionate and committed to Alamo’s iconic brand, coupled with the required professional experience to grow and scale the brand. Today the company’s culture is healthier than ever and – despite Covid and the industry headwinds – Alamo Drafthouse is outperforming the industry by 12% and in growth mode, adding six new franchisees and five corporate locations.

Her 30-year global career spans the US, China, Taiwan, Starbucks Coffee Company, The Walt Disney Company, and Planet Fitness. Shelli is well known for leading high performance teams through rapid growth and transformation to achieve outsized results.

Shelli joined Starbucks Coffee in 1992, when the pre-IPO company had fewer than 125 stores. As a store manager, Shelli quickly proved her capacity to drive sales through culture and leadership development. As a result, she was regularly called upon to take progressive roles of leadership in the organization in operations, real estate, human resource roles, food and beverage R&D, bakery and business development.

Known for leading from the front to drive outsized results through culture and people, Shelli was relocated to Starbucks in Taiwan, where she successfully joined Starbucks joint venture partner to reimagine the customer journey and real estate strategy, resulting in an 11-point profit improvement. She then relocated to China to join the China Starbucks executive team. There she was part of the executive team that flipped the customer value proposition to meet the China market needs and thus solved the unit economic model that enabled rapid growth. In 2015 she was promoted to SVP, head of China Retail. She led the multi-billion China business, opened 500 stores (a store every 15 hours), and grew the market from 1200 stores to more than 3000 stores. At The Walt Disney C

ompany in China Shelli scaled the newly formed business from five to 20 locations throughout China. In 2017, Shelli relocated back to the United States to repeat her success in Texas, scaling the largest Planet Fitness franchisee from 48 locations to 170 locations in two and half years through unit economic improvement, organic growth and M&A, resulting in sale of the company.

Today she serves on the board for Fitness Connection, a regional high-value, low-priced fitness chain backed by Roark Capital. As a board director she provides thought leadership and guidance in the areas of company culture, strategy, member journey, capital investment and real estate for the CEO.

Shelli also serves as an advisor for FestivalPass, a Texas based start-up. She has helped the founder with network and community connections to complete a successful capital raise.

Shelli is the proud mother of Rory who is attending Syracuse University. She is committed to affordable housing, serving on the Austin Habitat for Humanity Board.

Find out more at /in/shellitaylor/

Kerry Siggins, CEO of StoneAge, Inc. a fast growing manufacturing and technology company based in Colorado. Under Kerry’s leadership, StoneAge has experienced double digit growth, year over year. In 2015, she successfully transitioned the company’s ownership structure to an ESOP, ensuring that all employees share in the success of the company through employee ownership. Kerry is a helpful and impactful board member and business advisor due to her success and experience in scaling companies and building world-class cultures.

Kerry is a dynamic, sought-after speaker who presents worldwide at corporations, universities, seminars, and conferences. She hosts several podcasts, including the wildly popular podcast Reflect Forward. She is an author, blogger, and contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Authority Magazine, and BIC Magazine, and her blog is visited by thousands of readers each month.

Find out more at kerrysiggins.com and /in/kerry-siggins/

In this interview we spoke to Mick Spiers, the CEO and Founder of The Leadership Project and the bestselling and award winning author of the book "You're a leader, now what?"

His purpose is to empower leaders with all of the knowledge and skills they need to create amazing teams and amazing workspaces so that people fall in love with their jobs again" After a long and successful career as an executive in the Urban Mobility sector he has now shifted his focus from de-stressing the commute to de-stressing the workplace.

Find out more at https://www.mickspiers.com/

Maryam Taheri is an advisor, business + executive coach, VC-backed founder, YC alum, leadership expert, and dog mom. She specializes in a people-centric and data driven approach to business and startups. You can connect with her and access all of her podcasts, articles, and resources here.

Daniel Lamarre is the executive vice chairman of Cirque du Soleil, a position he took after serving for nearly two decades as the circus and entertainment company’s president and CEO. He is the author of, Balancing Acts: Unleashing the Power of Creativity in Your Life and Work, which describes how others can unleash Cirque’s creative management techniques, even if they’re not in the business of clowns and acrobats.

Get in touch with Daniel on LinkedIn and Daniel.Lamarre [at] CirqueduSoleil.com

Craig Dowden (Ph.D.), a Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has a Doctorate in Psychology, with a concentration in Business. An engaging and inspiring coach, Craig partners with leaders and executives from diverse industries and sectors to work on their most important challenges. In his role as a trusted advisor, Craig integrates the latest findings in the science of leadership, team, and organizational excellence into his coaching and consulting work.

Craig has been asked to share his thought leadership in leading HR and business publications, including the Huffington Post (U.S.), the Financial Post, the Financial Times, as well as Psychology Today.

In 2009, Craig was recognized as one of Ottawa’s Forty under 40 business leaders by the Ottawa Business Journal. Individuals under the age of 40 who “exemplify leadership, entrepreneurship and community building” are selected using three criteria: career accomplishments, professional expertise and community and charitable involvement.

Find out more at https://craigdowden.com/

Discover more:

Interested in leadership and career coaching services, check out Live for Yourself Consulting and Dr. Benjamin Ritter

Devin Schain is a serial entrepreneur who has successfully started and sold four companies and has invested in more than 40 start-ups and early stage businesses. Currently, Devin is Founder and CEO of Student Playbook.

Devin has more than 30 years in numerous entrepreneurial ventures. As a sophomore at The University of Pennsylvania, Devin launched On Campus Marketing (OCM.) He sold OCM after building it to the point where it was working with almost 1,000 colleges and universities and sold to a public company. Another company Devin founded, Educational Direct became the leading consolidator of student loans on the internet before being sold in 2006 to the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners valued at $375,000,000.

Also, Schain has invested in over 40 start up and early stage companies primarily in education, direct marketing and specialty finance. Schain is active in Young Presidents' Organization (YPO)

In addition to being a serial entrepreneur, Devin is a dedicated philanthropist: he founded ShalomLearning an on-line Hebrew School with over 14,000 students and 1800 teachers. In addition, he cofounded, The Social Sector of Scaling Up which helps not for profits operate more like For Profits.

He is married with three children and lives in the Washington DC area.

Interested in getting in touch, reach out to devin [at] thestudentplaybook.com

Discover more:

Interested in leadership or career coaching services, check out Live for Yourself Consulting and Dr. Benjamin Ritter