Phil Codd is the CEO of Explio, an IT services company in Ireland, where he has worked for over 15 years. He started his career in sales and enjoys building rapport with customers, emphasizing the importance of positive interactions and relationships in business.

Highlights:

Phil grew up in London after his family moved from Dublin in the 1960s. He worked in the early days of the computer industry in Ireland when it was still quite small and immature.

He got his start in sales selling newspapers and working retail, where he enjoyed the "buzz" of meeting customers and making sales. This indicated his natural inclination towards sales.

Phil has been with Explio, an IT services company, for 15 years now. He takes pride in the company's growth to over 850 employees in Ireland, as well as its diversity and empowering culture.

He believes mentorship is very important for leaders and managers. Having someone outside your company to provide advice and guidance is invaluable.

Key Insights:

Ireland offers a "luxury" for salespeople and business development to leverage personal connections and relationships unlike bigger countries.

Decisions made at work are generally quite small compared to big life decisions. Employees should feel empowered to make decisions themselves.

Interactions with people, no matter how small, are never neutral - they either leave you with a positive or negative feeling. Phil aims to have positive interactions.

We need more nuance and balance in how we view leaders and public figures, rather than simplistic "good or bad" judgments.

In this episode, I speak with James Ring for an intimate chat. James paints a picture of his childhood amidst the scenic backdrop of Limerick City—a haven of Irish simplicity untouched by urban chaos. Rooted deeply in his homeland's traditions, James revealed in the essence of every local holiday, not feeling the pull of foreign shores until nearing his twenties.

In his close-knit community, the pursuit of a college degree was as rare as a cloudless Irish day. Yet, with the foresight of his grandparents and the unwavering support of his parents, James was inspired to venture beyond these conventional boundaries. They recognized a changing Ireland and saw the spark of ambition in James, pushing him to reach for opportunities that many in his community hadn't even dreamt of. As he carved his unique path, he was free from the pressure of predetermined outcomes—a testament to his family's trust in his vision.

Reflecting on his formative years, James holds his memories of Limerick close to his heart. He's quick to acknowledge the unwavering support from key figures in his life, emphasizing the invaluable role of positive influences during one's youth.

In this conversation, Christian Nick discusses various topics related to personal and professional development. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, understanding one's values and motivations, and the need for leaders to provide context and purpose in their instructions.

He also talks about the changing dynamics of the younger generation in terms of seeking meaning and purpose in their work. Christian shares his inspiration from subject matter experts in his field and the influence of his wife's cultural background on his perspective on community and human interaction.

He also mentions his passion for music and his desire to release an album if he didn't have to work. Overall, he highlights the significance of continuous growth and taking calculated risks in life.

Johan Sloos developed an optimistic, entrepreneurial mindset from an early age, growing up immersed in his father’s printing business in the Netherlands.

Seeing his dad build the company instilled in Johan a positive outlook and strong work ethic. Despite challenges, his father always believed he would pull through. Johan tries to emulate this attitude.

Two other important lessons from his father were treasuring family time together, like sharing dinner daily, and maintaining balance - never working excessively long hours. Johan still prioritizes these values today as a husband and father.

Johan has over 10 years experience leading sales teams in the Dublin tech sector. He realizes the value of continuous learning to stay at the top of his game, rather than relying on experience.

In sales conversations, Johan advocates asking a few insightful questions rather than interrogating prospects. Curiosity, industry knowledge and understanding the customer are more important than perfect tactics.

Johan believes AI brings both excitement and fear. While driving productivity gains, the risk is people don't get more leisure time and quality of life improvements.

To succeed in business, Johan stresses bringing value to others, not money, status or job title. He aims to be remembered for his interest in people and helping them develop.

If he wrote a book, it would be about maximizing value from expertise by consulting effectively. Johan enjoys contributing to companies in areas like sales strategy and recruitment.

In this conversation, Milan Jarosch discusses his experience with cancer, the importance of living life to the fullest, and the impact of his father's absence on his life. He emphasizes the value of pushing oneself, finding purpose, and being happy with what one has achieved.

Milan also shares his love for audiobooks and his desire to continue making a difference in the lives of others. Overall, he believes in living life on his own terms and cherishing the moments with his family.