The Pivotal Leader

"The things that set us back propel us forward."

– David Blu, Retired Professional Athlete

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed David Blu, a retired, world class athlete, who played internationally at the highest level of professional basketball and now works in the insurance industry. David has continued to stay active in basketball by working with young athletes on the mentality and skills needed to reach a higher level of player development. He speaks around the country and in Israel about his life, goals, challenges and successes. David is also the brand ambassador for a new, Israeli, startup tech company and continues to stay involved with Maccabi in Israel.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Ego Management
• Business as it relates to sports and having an athlete mentality
• Practicing patience and compassion
• Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation
• Doing charitable work
• Learning from children about taking risks and being playful
• The impact of birthday cakes at the office
• Strengthening resilience through tragedy
• The power of Passive/Active Listening & Empathy Skills

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast57_ego-management_davidblu

"You can't differentiate yourself in the marketplace on smarts. You need to differentiate yourself on team health."

– John Fulwider

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed John Fulwider, CEO, gear80. John helps entrepreneurial leadership teams get everything they want from their businesses. He implements a complete, proven system with a set of simple, practical tools that helps businesses get vision, traction, and healthy.

John founded his fourth company, gear80, when two clients of his third business—an executive coaching firm with clients nationwide—said the same thing to him in the same week: "John, I need tools." For both clients' companies, the vision was clear, and their teams were healthy and cohesive. But accountability, discipline, and execution to link the two were absent. John went looking for tools and found the Entrepreneurial Operating System in the book Traction, and he's never looked back.

While he charges a lot for his other services, his advice on eating out is always free and he gives some great foodie recommendations!

Podcast Topics Include:

• What is EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System)
• Ensuring your company has vision, traction and health
• Where to find 90% of the answers to your problems
• The new ROI: Return On Intelligence
• Top pain points and how to overcome them: People, Profitability, Control & Solutions
• Defining Culture by having 3 to 7 expected core behaviors
• Why being smart isn't good enough for success; hint: smart already exists
• Knowing how to Hire, Fire, Review, Reward & Recognize People

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast56_Traction_JohnFulwider

"You have to think about it [talent acquisition] almost in terms of like an NFL draft or major league baseball. You're all going after the same talent. What's going to make you look better?"

– Ali Schwanke

On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ali Schwanke, CEO and founder of Simple Strat, the marketing agency for companies that are serious about growth. Through digital marketing and thought leadership, Simple Strat helps companies own their category, generate more leads and close more sales. Simple Strat is also a Wistia video partner. Ali sits on the National Practitioner's Council for the American Marketing Association, the National Marketing Week Live Event team and was recently named one of 32 Young Professionals to Watch in the Midwest. A self-professed podcast junkie, Ali has more shows than songs on her Apple iPhone. She also has a weekly podcast called "Bar Napkin Business" where she and her cohost, Matt, grab some craft beer and talk with business owners about running and growing their small business.

Ali originally wanted to be a doctor because she loved solving problems. Ah, but there was all that schooling. Her passion for photography led her into her career as a marketing director. And it was her creation of a fitness app that put her on the entrepreneurship path as founder of Simple Strat. As most entrepreneurs do, she fell into her business and figured it out along the way.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Establishing company core values that go beyond the cliché "honesty and integrity"
• Ways to build an active pipeline of future talent
• Strategies for thought leadership positioning
• Creating marketing content
• Social media marketing
• Identifying activities that negatively impact culture and profitability
• Business "crushes"
• Ali's favorite podcasts

Full Show Notes:

https://pivot10results.com/podcast55-ali-thoughtleadership

"When companies innovate, all of our lives are better."

– Dr. Kumar Mehta

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Dr. Kumar Mehta, author of the new book THE INNOVATION BIOME: A Sustained Business Environment Where Innovation Thrives. He has been at the forefront of innovation, research and data analytics for over 25 years. Dr. Mehta founded Bridges Insight, an innovation think tank committed to researching innovation and helping organizations accelerate their rate of innovation. Kumar has studied innovation before innovation was a buzzword, basing his 1990 Ph.D. dissertation on the diffusion of innovations. Since then he has applied many innovation frameworks in his 14 years at Microsoft and throughout his tenure building out innovative companies. Just as Kumar built a successful enterprise with a vision around the institutionalization of data analytics a decade ago, today he is embarking on a journey to institutionalize innovation science.

Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast Topics Include:

• Building a sustainable environment where innovation thrives
• Becoming more innovative
• Understanding the meaning of biome
• Types of creativity and characteristics of innovative people
• The correlation between intelligence and creativity
• Harvard study on Brainstorming vs Individual Thinking and understanding why brainstorming creates an unwelcome setting for creativity
• How to attract and retain innovative employees
• Why employees leave and become entrepreneurs (and take their talent with them)
• Creating a culture of innovations in every single area of a business (product, packaging, marketing and more).

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast54-mehta-innovation

"We give other people the pen to our story. This is your life. Take the pen back."

– Aaron Davis

This very lively conversation is sure to set the tone to kick off your new year because it's all about having the attitude of a champion and peak performer. Gina Trimarco and Aaron Davis share their thoughts on attitude, training, speaking and being catalysts for change and sustainability in life and business.

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Aaron Davis, speaker, author, thought leader, former National Champion Football player and noted authority on peak performance. Known as "The Enthusiator" because of his contagious enthusiasm to equip others to perform like champions, Aaron's powerful and high-energy presentations are interactive, fresh and yet simple so that anyone can use his tips & techniques to attain greater success professionally and personally!

Podcast Topics Include:

• Characteristics of a champion or peak performer
• Overcoming negative attitudes and dealing with the "Negative Nancys" & "Negative Nathans" of the world.
• The gift of having the choice to DECIDE
• Stopping others from writing your story
• Teaching attitude – start with children and equip people with tools!
• The fallacy behind not achieving due to a dysfunctional childhood or life
• Performing "attitude background checks" in the workplace
• The difference between "being lucky" and "taking risks"
• Changing behavior, training and long-term development in the workplace; it starts with the leadership
• The quick and cheap fix: wanting G5 results on a Crop Duster budget – it doesn't work!
• Being a "twinkie speaker" or a catalyst for sustainability

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast53_Adavis

"Create your dreams. Crave your dreams.

Cultivate your dreams."

- Frances Prado

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Frances Prado, CEO of Ageless Beautiful Clever Creations and inventor of Hanging Secrets, the world's first and only patented bra and lingerie organizer. HANGING SECRETS has identified and filled a previously unmet need for the storage of women's intimate apparel in a convenient and practical way.

Her grit, determination and work ethic are fueled by her journey as the daughter of Mexican immigrants who began their lives in the United States in 1963 as field workers and her career path with Costco. She worked alongside her parents in the fields picking produce in Bakersfield. At the time, she did not realize the great impact working in dirt with her parents would have on her. Her father always made sure they were the first ones in the fields and the last ones to leave. At Costco, she's earned multiple positions. She's most proud of being the first Latina woman to be Assistant General Manager of CWI Packaging.

These experiences have greatly influenced the person she is today and helped provide her with the necessary skills for success as an inventor, entrepreneur and U.S. patent holder. To date, only 7% of U.S. patents are issued to sole female inventors in the United States. And only 0.3% of those are Latinas. Frances is one of them!

Frances is passionate about her business because it has allowed her the satisfaction of contributing to both the U.S. economy and to women's charitable causes, which, for her, is the true meaning of living the American Dream.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Becoming an inventor, patent holder, CEO and "side launcher" … and as a woman
• Living the "American Dream" as a daughter of immigrants
• Learning work ethic at an early age
• Understanding the need to do market analysis to determine who your customers really are beyond your assumptions
• Being on the Home Shopping Network "American Dream Fast Track"
• Leveraging management experience from Costco
• The Costco Culture: running departments like entrepreneurial businesses
• Understanding that "You're only as good as your vendors"
• The power of professional development and training

Full Show Notes at: https://pivot10results.com/podcast52_fprado

"Authenticity opens the door to conversations that are important." – Brandon Black

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Brandon Black, co-author of EGO FREE LEADERSHIP: Ending The Unconscious Habits That Hijack Your Business.

Brandon retired as the CEO and Director of Encore Capital Group in 2013. During his nine years as President and CEO, the company built significant cost and operational advantages, expanded into new asset classes, and made acquisitions that established Encore as the industry's leading debt management and recovery solutions provider.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Workplace politics
• How our brains confirm our own biases
• How our behavior manifests and causes reactions in others
• The ego's role in creating negative distractions
• The dollar cost of ego in a business
• The pursuit of culture and a noble goal
• Authenticity as an entry into important conversations
• Transitioning from blaming to co-responsibility and from dysfunctional to productive
• When the leader is the problem
• Difficult and necessary conversations around gender, race and others who are different from you

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast51_Bblack

"I want our employees to look forward to Monday." – Jay Feitlinger

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jay Feitlinger, serial entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of StringCan Interactive, a strategic online marketing agency in Scottsdale, Arizona with a regional office in Paris, France. Since StringCan's launch in 2010, Jay oversees strategy and vision with a mission of building a culture that makes going into work something his team looks forward to. He's also responsible for recruiting additional team members to help exceed client goals, leading the team and allocating where StringCan invests time and money. One of Jay's proudest accomplishments is earning Phoenix's Best Places To Work award, on two occasions, recognizing StringCan for its dedication to its staff personal and professional development.

Practicing what he preaches around helping companies stay focused, Jay has positioned StringCan to work with multi-location, family oriented companies (such as swim schools or gymnastics schools) with their inbound marketing and online advertising needs. This focus has allowed StringCan to position itself as a leading authority in addressing the complex structure around multi-location online marketing needs, especially with local Internet search. This commitment has earned multi-year contracts with companies such as The Little Gym with over 250 locations and GameTruck with over 175 locations.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Maintaining culture and values in multiple locations internationally
• Managing client pace differences in different countries
• How to be a "Best" company to work for
• Hiring for fit, specifically for fast changing environments and passionate mindsets
• Creating ideal employee avatars for recruiting and marketing to top talent
• Phone screening interviews based on culture before skill
• Personality and skills assessments
• Employee surveys and feedback (Tiny Pulse)
• Group interview approach
• When company core values can come back to bite you
• Managing family life like a business and having work/life balance
• Investing in yourself as an entrepreneur and company owner

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast50_JFeitlinger

"Fat lions don't hunt. Stay hungry." – Justin Zastrow

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed, a very lively and energetic Justin Zastrow, CEO of Smart Armor. Smart Armor started last year and didn't officially launch until September. Since then they've generated more than $1M in sales and counting. He's also been offered at least $20M to sell his company! Justin has an extremely diverse business development background that highlights his strengths within concept creation, software integration and corporate execution. He has built, sold, and licensed several companies throughout his career, and his entrepreneurial and business management education has helped his ventures to build platforms, engage partnerships, and forge syndication.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Building a company based on a basic life need
• Becoming an overnight success in four years
• Creating a culture of treating others well
• Hiring "friends" instead of "hiring blindly"
• Staffing a company with existing entrepreneurs
• Giving away equity to get skin in the game – "Bring on the talent and give them a piece"

Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast49_justin-zastrow

"If you have enough of the right people, you have an immune system against the wrong people."

– Steven Benson, CEO, BadgerMapping.com

In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed, Steven Benson, CEO of BadgerMapping.com. After receiving his MBA from Stanford, Steven worked in Sales at IBM, HP and Google where he was Google Enterprise's Top Sales Executive in 2009. In 2012, Steven founded Badger Maps, the #1 Sales App in the Apple App Store, which helps Field Sales People be more successful.

Badger Maps provides automatic territory management for Field Sales Reps and helps them take action on their customer data by visualizing it on a map. Reps use it to optimize schedules and routes to get more meetings and sales.

Podcast Topics Include:

• Turning a sales challenge into a business
• Getting a company off the ground and building a team
• Leveraging "zero value deals"
• How fear can kill a sale
• Finding the right people and getting rid of the wrong people
• The reality of not recognizing culture problems
• Creating a culture where people thrive
• The "Badger Of The Week" culture builder concept everyone should be doing!
• Try out Badger Maps by mentioning this episode!

Full Show Notes: http://pivot10results.com/podcast48_steve-benson