What happens when you're a high-performing leader who loves the work, but you're exhausted in a way that a vacation won't fix? Jaime Taets gets honest about her own journey with burnout and what she's learned about the weight of responsibility.

Jaime shares why burnout is one of the most overused words in leadership, and why it's often misunderstood. It's not about hating your job. It's about caring so much that you take on everything: every problem, every outcome, everyone's emotions. That sense of responsibility is what makes you successful, but it can also quietly become the thing that drains you.

She explores the difference between rest and recovery, why letting go of control is harder than it sounds, and how a thousand small shifts can create more space than one dramatic change. She also challenges leaders to ask themselves one question: What are you carrying today that might not be yours to carry?

If you've ever said "I'm busy" when asked how you are, or felt like you can't set anything down, this episode is for you.

Timestamped Chapters

00:00 Welcome to View From The Top
01:30 Why burnout is overused and misunderstood
02:15 Working hard vs. carrying too much responsibility
03:45 The fatigue of believing nothing can be set down
05:30 Why success increases the weight you carry
06:45 Letting go of what used to be yours
08:00 Rest vs. recovery
09:15 What are you carrying that isn't yours to carry?

Quotes from the Episode

"Burnout isn't always caused by working too many hours. It comes from carrying too much responsibility for too long."

"The better you perform, the more successful you are, the more responsibility you carry."

"It's not one dramatic decision that fixes burnout. It's a thousand small ones."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership burnout?

Leadership burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged responsibility, decision fatigue, and the pressure to hold everything together. Unlike general tiredness, burnout often affects leaders who love their work and care deeply, but have taken on more than they can sustainably carry.

Why do leaders struggle to let go of responsibility?

Leaders often tie their identity and value to their ability to solve problems and make decisions. Letting go can feel like losing usefulness. But holding onto tasks that others can do limits growth—for both the leader and their team. Learning to release responsibility is a sign of maturity, not weakness.

Resources

• Learn more about Jaime Taets and Keystone Group International
• Explore Jaime's Women’s Executive Retreats
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this episode shifted how you think about burnout, share it with a fellow leader who needs to hear it.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more real talk on leadership, resilience, and building something that matters.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Leadership development isn't about collecting promotions. It's about growing through uncertainty, embracing discomfort, and developing people instead of simply solving problems.

Matt Ropchak shares the experiences that reshaped his leadership, from overcoming imposter syndrome to surviving a life-changing heart attack that redefined his perspective on success. Together, Matt and Jaime explore why leaders should embrace change, coach instead of always providing the answers, and build a legacy by developing others.

Whether you're leading through uncertainty or redefining success, this episode offers practical leadership insights.

Timestamped Chapters

00:00 Welcome and why growth starts outside your comfort zone
02:11 Meet Matt Ropchak
03:44 Don't keep both of your feet in the familiar
08: 57 From imposter syndrome to confident leadership
11: 13 Coaching instead of providing all the answers
15:13 Leadership, priorities, and making difficult decisions
22:50 The life-changing health event that shifted everything
30:11 Redefining success and building a lasting legacy
39:05 Leadership habits, mindset, and final reflections

Guest Bio

Matt Ropchak is an executive leader with nearly three decades of experience leading engineering, operations, and supply chain organizations. He helps organizations build high-performing teams through authentic leadership and resilience.

Quotes from the Episode

"Don't keep both of your feet in the familiar."

"Coach more. Solve less."

"Your legacy is measured by the leaders you help grow."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership development?

Leadership development is the ongoing process of building the mindset, skills, and behaviors needed to lead people effectively. It includes self-awareness, coaching others, sound decision-making, and continuous growth through new challenges.

Why is stepping outside your comfort zone important for leaders?

Leaders grow by intentionally taking on unfamiliar challenges. Stepping beyond what's comfortable builds confidence, adaptability, and stronger decision-making while preparing leaders to navigate change.

Resources

• Connect with Matt Ropchak on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and Keystone Group International: https://jaimetaets.com
• Explore Jaime's Executive Retreats: https://jaimetaets.com/executive-retreats/
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this episode challenged the way you think about leadership development, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, executive growth, and building organizations where people and performance thrive.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Building a successful business isn't about having all the answers. It's about staying curious, making decisions with confidence, and continuing to move forward even when the path isn't clear.

In this episode, Lindsay Holden, Co-Founder of Odele Beauty, shares her journey from leading merchandising at Target to building one of the fastest-growing hair care brands in mass retail. She and Jaime discuss trusting your intuition, navigating the shift from founder to leader, balancing growth with personal priorities, and why there is no single formula for success.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or preparing for your next big leap, this conversation offers practical leadership insights grounded in real experience.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Lindsay Holden
2:15 Leaving Corporate Life to Build Odele
8:42 Building a Brand with Purpose and Accessibility
15:10 Progress Over Perfection in Entrepreneurship
22:18 Transitioning from Founder to Leader
30:40 Protecting Creativity, Energy, and Relationships
33:40 Bonus Round

Guest Bio

Lindsay Holden is the Co-Founder of Odele Beauty, a fast-growing hair care brand redefining premium products at accessible prices. After spending eight years as a merchant at Target, she co-founded Odele in 2020, growing the company to more than 15,000 retail locations nationwide. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, authentic leadership, and building brands that combine purpose, performance, and accessibility.

Quotes from the Episode

"Progress over perfection."

"There's no one right way to do anything."

"Trust your intuition."

Leadership Insights

Why is trusting your intuition important in leadership?

Strong leaders gather advice, but they don't ignore their own experience. Trusting your instincts allows you to make confident decisions while staying true to your values, especially during periods of growth and uncertainty.

What does progress over perfection mean?

Waiting for perfect conditions often slows growth. Leaders who embrace progress over perfection learn from mistakes, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward instead of becoming stuck by fear or unrealistic expectations.

Resources

• Connect with Lindsay Holden on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Odele Beauty
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and Keystone Group International: https://jaimetaets.com
• Explore Jaime's Executive Retreats: https://jaimetaets.com/executive-retreats/
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this episode encouraged you to dream bigger and trust your own leadership journey, share it with someone who needs the reminder.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, growth, and building organizations where people and performance thrive.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Andrea Sullivan, CEO and Co-founder of vYve and former Chief Marketing Officer of VaynerX and Interbrand, joins Jaime Taets for a candid conversation about personal growth, identity, success, and the courage to become someone new.

Andrea shares her journey from the Midwest to New York City, through nearly two decades in corporate leadership and into entrepreneurship. Along the way, she discovered that titles, achievements, and external validation can become so closely tied to our identity that they eventually keep us from seeing what could come next.

Together, Andrea and Jaime explore identity shifts, imposter syndrome, community, resilience, intuition, and why what got you here may not be what gets you where you're going next. They also talk about finding the right rooms, creating space for reflection, and becoming more human in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Timestamped Chapters 

00:00 Meet Andrea Sullivan and the power of identity shifts
06:04 From corporate leadership to building vYve
07:30 When success looks right but doesn't feel right
10:39 You have the right to dream and change
13:50 Why the rooms you're in shape your growth
14:47 Letting go of titles, achievement, and external validation
17:09 Discovering who you are beyond serving others
19:44 Redefining success and releasing the CMO identity
22:15 Why what got you here won't get you there
25:29 Finding grounding through running and active meditatio
28:16 You don't have to navigate your next chapter alone
32:06 Trusting your intuition
33:26 Andrea's message for leaders 

Guest Bio

Andrea Sullivan is the CEO and Co-founder of vYve, a company focused on helping entrepreneurs and C-suite leaders become their best and happiest selves. She previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerX and Interbrand, building a career around branding, leadership, and helping organizations and leaders grow.

Through vYve, Andrea helps high-performing leaders explore where they may be stuck, identify what is holding them back, and design their next chapter with greater clarity and authenticity.

Quotes from the Episode

"You have the right to dream and to realize those dreams."

"What got us here is definitely not going to be getting us to wherever it is that we're going."

"We're not in this alone."

Leadership Insights 

What is personal growth?

Personal growth is the ongoing process of becoming more self-aware, resilient, and intentional about who you are and what you want next. Andrea's story shows that growth can mean letting go of an identity built around titles, achievements, and external expectations so you can make room for a more authentic version of yourself.

Why can identity hold successful leaders back?

When titles, achievements, reputation, and external validation become part of how leaders define themselves, letting go of them can feel like losing part of who they are. Andrea's experience shows that releasing an old identity can create space to dream again, trust your intuition, and step into a new chapter.

Resources

• Learn more about vYve and its community for entrepreneurs and leaders.
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and her leadership work.
• Explore Jaime's Women's Executive Retreats.
• Explore Keystone Group International and its leadership, culture, and organizational growth work.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this conversation challenged the way you think about personal growth, identity, or success, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, personal growth, resilience, and becoming the person you're meant to be.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Kristi Piehl, Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, joins Jaime Taets for a vulnerable conversation about resilience, fear, leadership, identity, and the moments that force us to rethink what matters most.

After losing her television news career during the 2008 economic crisis, Kristi spent nearly two years figuring out what came next before founding Media Minefield. Years later, her son's cancer diagnosis created another life-changing moment that reshaped her perspective on family, work, success, and what truly matters. Through both experiences, Kristi learned to control what she could control, lean on community, and choose the hard things when they were still a choice.

Jaime and Kristi discuss how difficult experiences can clarify your values rather than completely change who you are. They explore why leaders need to know who they are, why you cannot go through hard times alone, how relationships can change during adversity, and why success can ultimately mean having the freedom to make meaningful choices and help others.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 From Job Loss to Finding a New Path 
2:35 From TV News Reporter to Entrepreneur
7:51 Control What You Can Control
9:26 Choose Hard Before Life Chooses It for You
11:23 When Adversity Reveals What Really Matters
12:59 Success = Freedom
16:32 Know Who You Are Before You Lead Others
21:22 Take the Next Right Step
23:28 The Fear You Choose vs. The Fear That Chooses You
28:26 Be Yourself, Lean Into It, and Leave a Trail

Guest Bio

Kristi Piehl is the Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, a national award-winning public relations firm specializing in media relations, executive social media, reputation management, crisis communication, and training.

Before launching Media Minefield in 2010, Kristi spent 12 years as an Emmy Award-winning television news reporter. She is also the author of Flip Your Script: Own Your Story & Unlock the Positive Power of Social Media, host of the Flip Your Script podcast, an experienced keynote speaker, and a Forbes Councils contributor.

Kristi has been recognized with multiple PRNEWS awards and named one of Minnesota's 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders. She earned her Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School.

Quotes from the Episode

"Choose hard when it's a choice."

"Success equals freedom."

"If you choose fear when you can, you are more ready to be available for the fear that chooses you."

Leadership Insights

What is resilience?

Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and continue moving forward when faced with difficult circumstances. Kristi's experience shows that resilience can be strengthened before a crisis by intentionally choosing challenges, building supportive relationships, and learning how to focus energy on what you can control.

How can leaders build resilience before a crisis?

Leaders can build resilience by doing difficult things while they still have a choice, trying unfamiliar experiences, strengthening their relationships, and developing a clear understanding of their values. Kristi argues that practicing hard things in ordinary moments can make you more prepared when circumstances become genuinely difficult.

How can difficult experiences change leadership?

Difficult experiences can clarify what matters most without requiring someone to become an entirely different person. For Kristi, adversity reinforced the importance of family, meaningful work, authentic leadership, and using her position to help others.

Resources

• Learn more about Kristi Piehl and her work in leadership, media, and storytelling.
• Explore Media Minefield, Kristi’s public relations and reputation management agency.
• Listen to Flip Your Script, Kristi’s podcast about transformation, storytelling, and using social media for positive impact.
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and her work in leadership development and organizational growth.
• Explore Jaime’s Women’s Executive Retreats, focused on dreams, fears, purpose, and meaningful change.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this conversation challenged the way you think about resilience, fear, or the hard things in life, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights. 

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, resilience, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Giselle Ugarte, performance coach, international speaker, and executive coach, joins Jaime Taets for a candid conversation about control, confidence, authenticity, and the pressure of other people's expectations.

After leaving college without a plan, Giselle reinvented herself multiple times before launching her own business during the pandemic. She opens up about difficult seasons involving mental health, illness, and identity — and how those experiences taught her to take responsibility for what she can control. She also shares a powerful mindset shift: "Respectfully, you are not my audience." Not everyone who loves you or has an opinion about your choices is qualified to advise you on where you're going next.

Jaime and Giselle discuss how to filter outside opinions, ask for the support you need, and build a circle that helps you grow. They explore why authentic connection requires someone to go first, how vulnerability creates a ripple effect, and why success is ultimately about using what you've been given to make a positive impact on others.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Giselle Ugarte
3:05 From TV Host to Entrepreneur: Reinventing Yourself
7:00 The Importance of Being Seen and Sharing Your Story
9:00 Health Struggles and Showing Up Authentically
13:23 Changing Your Identity and Your Circle
16:00 How to Handle Criticism Without Becoming Defensive
19:12 Letting Go of Family Approval
22:58 "Respectfully, You Are Not My Audience"
25:22 Redefining Success and Creating a Ripple Effect
29:19 Protecting Your Energy and Building a Reflection Practice
34:31 Ask for the Support You Need

Guest Bio

Giselle Ugarte is a performance coach, international speaker, executive coach, and professional speaker. Her career has included television hosting, multiple career reinventions, and launching her own business during the pandemic. Her work centers on confidence, trusting yourself, authenticity, purpose, and helping people recognize their full potential.

Giselle is also the creator of Action-Forward Coaching, a confidence and communication boot camp designed to help you be seen and heard.

Quotes from the Episode

"Respectfully, you are not my audience."

"You are in more control than you think."

"Ask for what you need."

Leadership Insights

What does "control more than you think" mean?

"You control more than you think" means recognizing the areas of your life where you can take responsibility instead of giving all of your power to circumstances, other people, or outside opinions. Giselle encourages listeners to focus on what they can influence, ask for the support they need, and take ownership of the choices available to them.

How do you know whose advice to listen to?

Not everyone who gives you advice is qualified to guide your next move. Giselle's framework is to ask whether the person is your audience or a mentor: have they done what you're trying to do, or are they someone you actually want to serve? If not, their opinion may not deserve the weight you're giving it.

Why is it important to ask for support?

Many people expect others to read their minds and then feel disappointed when support doesn't come. Giselle explains that asking for help is part of taking responsibility. If you need encouragement, accountability, or a cheerleader, you have to name it and ask for it.

Resources

• Connect with Giselle Ugarte: giselleugarte.com | Hub for performance coaching, speaking, and her newsletter.
• Follow Giselle on Instagram and LinkedIn
• Action-Forward Coaching | A confidence and communication boot camp to help you be seen and heard. 
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and her work in leadership development and organizational growth.
• Explore Jaime’s Women’s Executive Retreats, focused on dreams, fears, purpose, and meaningful change.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have been waiting for permission to stop letting other people's opinions define your path, this is your sign. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear that they are in more control than they think.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about control, confidence, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Ben Utecht, former NFL tight end, Super Bowl champion, speaker, author, and culture expert, joins Jaime Taets for a conversation about fear, failure, preparation, belief, identity, and the peaks and valleys that shape a meaningful life.

Ben shares the story of going from a potential first-round NFL draft pick to an undrafted free agent after a devastating injury and then receiving an unexpected call from Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts. His journey ultimately led him to the NFL, a Super Bowl championship, a career in speaking and culture, and his book The Champion's Creed. But the real story is not the highlight reel. It is what happened in between.

Jaime and Ben explore what it means to stay grounded when you are at the top, rebuild yourself when you are in the valley, and stop allowing achievements to define your identity. They discuss how preparation builds confidence, why surrender can be a catalyst for winning, and how leaders can build a foundation of beliefs they can return to in difficult seasons.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Ben Utecht
2:36 From Minnesota to the NFL with Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy
7:11 Discovering Purpose Beyond Achievement
9:56 Fear of Failure and the Voice of Self-Doubt
12:16 From Potential First-Round Pick to Undrafted Free Agent
14:58 The Unexpected Call from Tony Dungy
16:59 Finding Consistency Through Peaks and Valleys
18:36 Navigating Identity Shifts
22:56 Redefining Success and Letting Go of Materialism
25:22 Why Surrender Is a Catalyst for Winning
29:38 Building a Foundation You Can Return To

Guest Bio

Ben Utecht is a former NFL tight end, Super Bowl champion, speaker, author, entrepreneur, and culture expert. He played for the Indianapolis Colts, won Super Bowl XLI, and learned under legendary coach Tony Dungy.

After football, Ben built a career focused on leadership, organizational culture, personal development, and transforming people. He is the author of The Champion's Creed: Transform Your Culture Through the Power of Belief.

Ben's work centers on the idea that organizations will always have a culture, either by design or by default, and leaders have the opportunity to intentionally build one that transforms people.

Quotes from the Episode

"Find the consistency through the peaks and valleys."

"Believe."

"Surrender is actually the catalyst for winning."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership through adversity?

Leadership through adversity is the ability to remain grounded, make purposeful decisions, and continue leading when circumstances become difficult. Ben Utecht's story shows how preparation, belief, values, and endurance can give leaders a foundation to rely on during uncertain or challenging seasons.

Why is preparation important for overcoming adversity?

Preparation creates confidence because it gives people something concrete to fall back on when fear and uncertainty appear. Ben explains that his preparation in sports, through film study, training, and repetition, helped quiet self-doubt and gave him confidence when facing difficult situations.

How can leaders build a foundation for hard times?

Leaders can build a foundation by clarifying what they believe, writing down their values, and creating a personal creed they can return to. Ben explains that when you are in the valley, having objective truths you have already defined can pull you out of fear and uncertainty.

Resources

• Connect with Ben: ben@ben-utecht.com
• Follow Ben on LinkedIn for culture and leadership insights
• Book: The Champion's Creed: Transform Your Culture Through the Power of Belief 
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and her work in leadership development and organizational growth.
• Explore Jaime’s Women’s Executive Retreats, focused on dreams, fears, purpose, and meaningful change.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have ever wondered how to stay grounded through the highs and lows of leadership, this conversation is for you. Share it with someone who needs to be reminded that consistency is found in the peaks and valleys.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, resilience, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Kelli Williams, healing-informed executive coach, business and marketing strategist, storyteller, and former nonprofit leader, joins Jaime Taets for a conversation about resilience, identity, guilt, people-pleasing, and redefining what success really means.

Kelli opens up about the experiences that shaped her leadership, including being a teenage mother, navigating major career transitions, surviving domestic abuse, and leading a nonprofit through a crisis involving national attention, threats, and fear for her family. She shares how those moments taught her the difference between being strong and being resilient.

Jaime and Kelli explore why resilience can mean resting instead of pushing through, how trauma responses show up in leadership, and why leaders need to give themselves permission to say, "I am not okay." They discuss how identity shifts over time, why guilt and people-pleasing can become exhausting patterns, and how finding joy in the storm is a choice leaders can make.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Kelli Williams
2:00 From Suffering to Wisdom to Service
4:00 The Hidden Stories Behind the Highlight Reel
6:00 Kelli Shares Her Experience as a Domestic Abuse Survivor
9:00 Leading Through Crisis, Fear, and National Attention
13:00 Why Being Strong Is Not Always the Same as Being Resilient
15:00 Learning to Give Yourself Permission to Pause
18:00 Understanding Trauma Responses and Healing
21:00 Identity Shifts and Shedding Old Versions of Yourself
25:00 Unlearning Guilt, Perfectionism, and People-Pleasing
29:00 Redefining Success Through Happiness and Joy

Guest Bio

Kelli Williams is a healing-informed executive coach, business and marketing strategist, storyteller, and former nonprofit leader. Her work centers on helping people understand their stories, navigate change, build meaningful connections, and use their experiences to serve and inspire others.

Kelli is also working on her first book, described as a love letter to the next generation of women in business, while continuing her work through coaching, storytelling, workshops, and teaching.

Quotes from the Episode

"Resilience can be being softer."

"We can be in the storm and find joy at the same time."

"It doesn't have to work out perfectly for you to be okay."

Leadership Insights

What is resilience?

Resilience is the ability to move through adversity while continuing to adapt, heal, and move forward. Kelli explains that resilience is not necessarily about staying strong during a crisis. It can also mean recognizing when you are tired, giving yourself permission to pause, and learning how to respond differently to difficult experiences.

How can leaders find joy during difficult times?

Leaders can find joy during difficult times by allowing themselves to acknowledge what they are experiencing instead of constantly forcing themselves to push through. Small practices such as movement, breathing, personal check-ins, and identifying moments of hope can help leaders reconnect with themselves while navigating uncertainty.

Why do leaders struggle with identity shifts?

As leaders grow, their identities naturally evolve. Kelli discusses how being a teenage mother, nonprofit leader, founder, or high-performing professional can become part of how someone defines themselves, but those identities do not have to determine who they are forever. Growth often requires shedding old identities without pretending those experiences never happened.

Resources

• Connect with Kelli Williams on Linkedin
• Connect with Kelli Williams: legacyrising.com  
• Explore Jaime's Women's Executive Retreats.
• Explore Keystone Group International and its leadership, culture, and organizational growth work.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have been waiting for permission to pause, rest, and find joy in the middle of the storm, this is your sign. Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded that they do not have to be okay all the time to be a strong leader.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about resilience, joy, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Josh Helgesen, CEO and majority owner of Greiner Construction, joins Jaime Taets to talk about the hidden weight of leadership, energy management, self-leadership, and the cost of confusing exhaustion with success. Josh shares his 26-year journey from apprentice carpenter to CEO, what changed when he realized he was strong for everyone else but was not refueling himself, and why sustainable leadership requires more than ambition.

Jaime and Josh explore what it means to recognize an unsustainable pace before a crisis hits, how to protect white space, and why the climb does not have to mean climbing harder. Sometimes, you need to climb smarter.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Josh Helgesen
2:07 The Hidden Climb of Leadership
3:21 From Apprentice Carpenter to CEO
8:05 The People Who Shape Your Leadership
9:50 The Climb Moment: When Everything Was Working
11:21 Recognizing an Unsustainable Pace
13:09 When Leadership Starts Affecting Home
16:11 Letting Go of Being the One Who Carries Everything
17:10 Redefining Success as Alignment and Endurance
18:40 Protecting White Space and Auditing Your Energy
22:27 Ambition, Alignment, and Self-Leadership

Guest Bio

Josh Helgesen is the CEO and majority owner of Greiner Construction. He began his career with the company 26 years ago as an apprentice carpenter and worked his way through roles including foreman, superintendent, field leadership, ownership, and ultimately CEO.

His leadership journey is a powerful example of how career growth is built through opportunity, experience, relationships, mentorship, peer groups, coaching, and the willingness to keep learning. Josh now focuses not only on leading the business but also on becoming a better leader, father, husband, and human being.

Quotes from the Episode

"You don't get extra credit for exhaustion."

"Ambition without alignment will cost you."

"Protect your energy. Everyone you lead feels it."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership burnout?

Leadership burnout is the exhaustion that can develop when sustained pressure, responsibility, and ambition are not balanced with recovery, boundaries, and personal well-being. Josh emphasizes that pressure itself is not necessarily the problem. The danger comes from unmanaged pressure and an unsustainable pace.

What is self-leadership?

Self-leadership starts with managing yourself before trying to manage everyone and everything around you. For Josh, that means understanding your energy, recognizing your limits, reflecting before reacting, and making sure your ambition remains aligned with the life and relationships you want to protect.

How can leaders recognize an unsustainable pace?

Leaders can recognize an unsustainable pace when they notice subtle signs such as less patience, internal tension, constant go mode, and the feeling of being strong for everyone else but not refueling themselves. Josh explains that these signs often appear when everything looks successful on paper, making them easy to ignore.

Resources

• Connect with Josh Helgesen  on  LinkedIn 
• Learn more about  Greiner Construction
• Explore Jaime's Women's Executive Retreats.
• Explore Keystone Group International and its leadership, culture, and organizational growth work.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have ever felt like you are strong for everyone else but not refueling yourself, this conversation is for you. Share it with someone who needs to be reminded that they do not get extra credit for exhaustion.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, energy management, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Hillary Spreizer, CEO and owner of Latitude Group, joins Jaime Taets for a brutally honest conversation about what leadership really looks like when the wins are happening but you are falling apart behind the scenes. She shares how buying a company, navigating post-COVID growth, and constantly chasing the next milestone forced her to rethink burnout, resilience, success, and what it actually means to lead.

Jaime and Hillary explore why burnout can be a signal of misalignment, not just a capacity problem. They discuss how leaders can build resilience through practice, why anxiety is a flag and not proof that you are broken, and why the point is not to have all the answers.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Hillary Spreizer
2:53 From Recruiter to CEO and Business Owner
4:49 Creating Resilience and Movement During Chaos
8:13 The Unremarkable Story Behind Success
11:01 Buying a Company and Confronting Imposter Syndrome
12:49 When Success and Burnout Happen at the Same Time
14:47 The Wake-Up Call: This Is a Problem
16:22 Redefining Success Beyond Milestones
18:44 Unlearning Scarcity and Choosing Abundance
20:55 Anxiety as a Flag, Not Proof That You're Broken
27:07 Why the Point Is Not to Have All the Answers

Guest Bio

Hillary Spreizer is the CEO and owner of Latitude Group, where she has built her career from recruiter to manager, salesperson, sales leader, and ultimately business owner. After purchasing the company from its founder, Hillary navigated the realities of ownership, post-COVID growth, burnout, and the pressure of leading an organization through uncertainty.

Her leadership philosophy centers on abundance, resilience, intentional movement, and bringing the right people into the room rather than trying to personally have every answer.

Quotes from the Episode

"The point is that I don't have the answers."

"I don't have all the answers. We're just gonna figure it out."

"It is illogical that you have peaked."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership burnout?

Leadership burnout is a state of exhaustion and disconnection that can occur when the way a leader is operating is no longer aligned with their capacity, values, or leadership system. In Hillary's experience, burnout was not simply about the company performing poorly. The company was doing well while she was struggling internally. Recognizing the signal and reassessing alignment can be an important starting point for change.

How can leaders build resilience?

Leaders can build resilience by practicing intentional movement through uncertainty instead of waiting until a crisis happens. That means repeatedly identifying what can be controlled, clarifying accountability and success, creating space for people when needed, and continuing to make thoughtful progress even when the final answer is not clear.

Why is it important to stop trying to have all the answers?

Leaders who believe they must have all the answers often become the bottleneck in their organizations. Hillary explains that the point is not to be the smartest person in the room. It is to bring the right people into the room and create an environment where movement and progress can happen, even in uncertainty.

Resources

• Connect with Hillary Spreizer on LinkedIn 
• Explore Latitude Group
• Explore Jaime's Women's Executive Retreats.
• Explore Keystone Group International and its leadership, culture, and organizational growth work.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have ever felt the weight of believing you need to have all the answers, this conversation is your permission slip to let that go. Share it with a leader who needs to be reminded that leadership is about building the room, not being the smartest person in it.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about resilience, leadership, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Ashley Hawks, serial entrepreneur and owner of SOAR Leadership Groups, joins Jaime Taets for an honest conversation about what happens behind the highlight reel. From building and selling Forever Bride to David's Bridal, navigating corporate leadership, health challenges, burnout, and nearly losing connection with her marriage, Ashley explains why reaching the top is not always the finish line.

Jaime and Ashley explore self-trust, sustainable success, leadership burnout, radical accountability, energy management, and redefining what success actually means. Ashley shares practical ways to create momentum through small actions, protect your energy, and stop letting perfectionism dictate your decisions.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Ashley Hawks

2:04 From Bridal Shop Roots to Entrepreneurship

7:25 When Success Doesn't Feel Successful

8:42 Childhood Experiences, Identity, and Community

12:39 The Hidden Cost of the Girl Boss Mentality

17:10 When Business Success Hides Relationship Problems

24:18 Radical Accountability and Owning Your Choices

27:51 Redefining What Success Actually Means

29:38 Why Meaningful Friendships Matter

34:46 Ready, Fire, Aim: Stop Waiting for Perfect

37:00 How to Get Unstuck Through Small Movements

38:41 Building Trust with Yourself

39:00 The People Around You Shape Your Life

44:04 Finding the Right Rooms and Communities

46:43 You Are Worthy 

Guest Bio

Ashley Hawks is a serial entrepreneur and owner of SOAR Leadership Groups, a community helping entrepreneurs and business leaders grow through connection and accountability. She previously built Forever Bride, which she sold to David's Bridal, before returning to her purpose of helping people build businesses while creating lives filled with health, relationships, and joy.

Quotes from the Episode

"Small actions create momentum and momentum creates trust with yourself."

"Self-discipline is the highest form of self-love."

"You are worthy."

Leadership Insights

What does it mean to trust with yourself?

Trusting yourself means consistently following through on the small commitments you make to yourself. Ashley explains that small actions, getting up when you said you would, moving your body, journaling, reaching out for help, or taking one uncomfortable step, create evidence that you can rely on yourself when bigger decisions arrive.

What is sustainable success?

Sustainable success is success that allows you to achieve meaningful professional goals without sacrificing your health, relationships, joy, or sense of purpose. For Ashley, success has shifted from titles and achievements to waking up genuinely excited about her day and building a life she actually enjoys.

Why is the voice in your head so powerful?

The negative voice in your head can grow louder over time, especially when you are trying to maintain a perfect outer shell and not asking for help. Ashley explains that you have to get control of that voice early on, because if you let it run rampant, it becomes harder and harder to quiet. The first step is recognizing that the voice is not telling you the truth.

Resources

• SOAR Leadership Groups: SOARGroups.com
• The Energy Bus: Ashley discusses the book's message around owning your energy and taking responsibility for how you show up.
• Connect with Ashley: LinkedIn | SOAR Leadership Groups
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you have ever felt like you are succeeding on paper but falling apart inside, this conversation is your permission slip to stop pretending. Share it with a leader who needs to be reminded that they are worthy of building a life they actually enjoy.

Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about self-trust, sustainable success, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Erin Newkirk joins Jaime Taets for a conversation about career transitions, leadership, energy management, and the inner work that often gets ignored when success becomes the goal. From General Mills to entrepreneurship, healthcare, and Caribou Coffee, Erin's career has been less about climbing a straight ladder and more about building a body of work around her strengths, curiosity, creativity, and purpose.

Jaime and Erin explore why alignment is not a soft skill, how burnout can reveal deeper misalignment, and why leaders don't have to be "on" all the time. They discuss Erin's four-step process of grounding in reality, opening to possibilities, leading with love, and taking aligned action—and why becoming your own Chief Energy Officer may be one of the most important leadership skills you can develop.

Timestamped Chapters

 0:00 Introduction to Erin Newkirk and Her Career Journey
 4:05  Why Careers Aren’t Supposed to Be a Straight Line
 6:19  The Hidden Cost of Misalignment and Burnout
 9:04  Erin’s Four-Step Process for Getting Unstuck
 15:06  Energy Management: Breathing, Meditation, and Daily Rituals
 22:25  Redefining Success Around Fulfillment
 23:51 Becoming Your Own Chief Energy Officer
 26:26  What to Do When You’re Stuck: Ground in Reality

Guest Bio

Erin Newkirk is a brand-building and marketing leader whose career spans General Mills, entrepreneurship, consumer technology, healthcare, advisory work, and Caribou Coffee. She has worked on major brands including Cheerios, Old El Paso, and Pillsbury and later founded the consumer technology startup Breadstamp, growing it to a few million users before selling it to Taylor Corporation.

Erin went on to lead marketing and brand strategy at Caribou Coffee before beginning her next career chapter. Her leadership philosophy centers on alignment, inner work, curiosity, creativity, energy management, and building a career around strengths rather than simply chasing titles.

Quotes from the Episode

"Alignment is not a soft skill."

"The who is even more important than the what."

"Don't compromise who you are and what you believe in."

Leadership Insights

What is leadership burnout?

Leadership burnout can happen when the way a leader is operating becomes disconnected from their values, energy, purpose, or the environment around them. Erin describes the importance of recognizing the "slow burn" of cognitive dissonance and misalignment rather than waiting for a major crisis to force a change.

What does alignment mean in leadership?

Alignment means creating greater consistency between who you are, what you value, the work you're doing, the people you're working with, and the purpose you're pursuing. Erin explains that when purpose, people, process, and platforms aren't working together, leaders can experience dissonance, lack of growth, and burnout.

How can leaders become their own Chief Energy Officer?

Being your own Chief Energy Officer means taking responsibility for understanding and managing your energy rather than constantly saying yes or trying to remain "on." Erin emphasizes practices such as deep breathing, meditation, reflection, journaling, stillness, curiosity, and being intentional about what you put on your plate.

Resources

• Connect with Erin Newkirk on LinkedIn
• Explore Erin Newkirk's website
• Explore Jaime Taets Consulting
• Explore Jaime's Women's Executive Retreats
• Explore Keystone Group International and its leadership, culture, and organizational growth work.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If you've ever felt stuck, burned out, or unsure why success no longer feels the way you expected it to, this conversation is a reminder to pause before pushing harder. Your discomfort may not mean something is wrong—it may be telling you that something needs to change.

Subscribe to View From the Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, resilience, personal growth, and the journey from success to significance.

Will see you at the top, and beyond.

Jaime Taets

Our conversation was focused on how leaders can find their voice to show up authentically to help inspire their teams during tough times.   What are your pivot stories that might impact others who are where you once were?

Here is a link to Klaus Lemke’s book, Better Building

You can get more information on Megan’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Terminal-Processing-Childhood-Reclaim-ebook/dp/B0DF96QCLN

Leah Berend, a seasoned professional with a trifecta of expertise in accounting, business administration, and investment, founded Marrin Investment Partners, a firm that invests in established companies with a proven track record of success, with a keen eye on emerging opportunities and trends.

Distinguishing itself from traditional private equity firms, Marrin Investment Partners transcends mere transactions by cultivating enduring stakeholder relationships and driving sustainable growth for its portfolio companies. Through their innovative Private Equity As a Service approach, they bring a values-based, long-term mindset to their investments cementing that the companies who do right by the stakeholders are proven to provide hearty returns to investors.

Leah holds a CPA, Masters of Accountancy and a Masters of Organizational Leadership. When she’s not charting a course for Marrin Investment Partners’ portfolio companies, Leah can be found plotting her next family adventure with husband Matt and their two young kids, or whipping up a sweet treat in the kitchen, where her baking skills are the perfect blend of art and science – a trait that serves her well in her investment approach, too

Listeners can go to www.MarrinInvestment.com to learn about our work and keep an eye out for announcements about Leah’s upcoming book on Private Equity.

Leah Berend https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahberend/

dawndahlby.com

Christi Cossette is an International Best Selling Author, Speaker, and the founder of two businesses. The first is Transformation Mastery Partners where she helps middle market businesses transform their financial operations to execute better, faster, and cheaper. The second is the Powerhouse Women Network where as a High Performance Coach for female executives she gets to live out her passion of supporting and building a community of trailblazing powerhouse women who are actively seeking their next level. She uses her Fulfilled Life Formula to teach women how to become Fulfilled and Limitless in all areas of their lives. She has been married to her husband, Andy, for 20 years and has 3 young boys (one with special needs) and has faced the joys and challenges of navigating a demanding career, her busy home life, and various health and relationship challenges. She uses her Fulfilled Life Formula to build resiliency, purpose and joy into her own life as well as her clients.

Contact info:

www.christicossette.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinecossette/

You can find out more about Sally and her services at www.sally-z.com

To order Sally’s new book: https://bemoved.com/speaking-story

Connect with Chelsey on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsey-paulson/

https://www.100yearmanifesto.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/100yearmanifesto/

Connection with Kanthi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kchili/

Connect with us!

Matt is a seasoned entrepreneur with nearly 10 years of experience as co-founder and president of Bauhaus Brew Labs, a popular craft brewery and taproom located in Northeast Minneapolis. Throughout his time at Bauhaus, Matt has effectively managed teams of over 20 employees across three distinct business units, while also spearheading the successful development and launch of multiple product lines from initial concept to market release.

Matt’s leadership philosophy centers around cultivating a dynamic and creative work environment that empowers teams to achieve their full potential. His passion for leadership development has resulted in a thriving workplace culture that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and individual growth.

In addition to his work in the brewing industry and consulting space, Matt is also an attorney who previously served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Minnesota. In this role, he represented the state’s largest executive branch agency, providing valuable legal guidance and representation. Subsequently, Matt transitioned into private practice with a firm specializing in employment law and representing clients in a wide range of business-related matters.

Learn more and connect with Matt at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-schwandt-360aba243/

Learn more about Kelly and the work that her and her team do at https://kolardesign.net/

His goal is simple: Help every company he works with make sure Monday morning doesn’t suck for their employees. Eric is a motivational speaker, consultant, executive-coach, and an expert in helping companies create a culture high performers want to be a part of.

During his 25-year career in corporate America, Eric held leadership roles ranging from Manager to Chief Human Resources and Chief Administrative Officer.

Listen in to get his 3 rules to being a great leader.

Connect with Eric Harkins and learn more about his organization here.

Get your own copy of Eric’s book here.

Missy Chicre is the Chief Executive Officer at Menttium Corporation, a woman-owned and woman-led
professional mentoring company. She is a curious, passionate, authentic leader who strives to
create positive change in individuals and in organizations. Missy sets the vision and strategic direction
for Menttium, which has been the leader in innovative mentoring programs for over three decades. In
Missy’s Menttium tenure, she has touched nearly all aspects of the business and was named CEO in
January 2023. Missy is committed to Menttium’s mission to strengthen organizations through their
people. Menttium is changing lives and driving performance one mentoring match at a time, through
authentic human connections.
Prior to joining Menttium in 2017, Missy spent over a decade as an HR leader in various large
corporations, including Cargill, Best Buy, and Accenture. From roles in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
that took Missy all over the U.S. and Latin America, to roles in various areas of talent management and
HR transformation in Fortune 500 organizations, Missy has a track record for driving results.
Missy is bilingual in English and Spanish and cares deeply about the development and advancement of
women. As a working mom, she is particularly passionate about helping working mothers navigate
careers and motherhood. She was a finalist for the 2016 TeamWomenMN WaveMaker Award and is a
frequent speaker at local and national conferences. Missy has also been featured on WCCO I CBS News
Minnesota and in the Star Tribune to share her expertise on the power of mentoring.
Missy earned a master’s degree in Hispanic Literature at the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s
degree at Vanderbilt University. Missy serves on the Board of Directors for Twin Cities ROCK (Raising Our
Celiac Kids), a local non-profit that brings education, awareness and resources to families who have
children with Celiac Disease.
Missy resides in the Minneapolis suburbs, living a bilingual, bicultural, interfaith life with her husband
and two children.

Marney Andes is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in performance consulting, organizational design, leadership development, and executive coaching. Marney’s diverse background spans various industries, including healthcare and finance, where she has helped leaders and employees navigate complex challenges and change with simple and practical approaches.

In addition to her impressive career, Marney is an accomplished author and host of the popular weekly podcast. Her first book, Start with the Give-Me Shots: 8 Homegrown Lessons for Business and Life, is a must-read for anyone looking to gain insights on achieving success in their personal and professional lives.

Marney’s approach to problem-solving is grounded in truth-seeking, honest storytelling, and a deep commitment to creating space for others to do the same. Her passion for empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential is evident in her work as owner and principal consultant of Dynamic Intention.

A college basketball player and former Mrs. America, Marney holds a master’s degree in information and learning technologies from the University of Colorado Denver. She resides outside of Denver with her husband, Allen, and their two sons, Owen, and Brody. To learn more about Marney’s work and insights, visit her website at www.marneyandes.com.

Michael Levin is one of the most accomplished and experienced ghostwriters in the United States. Over a 30-year career, Michael has written, co-written, edited, ghosted, or published more than 900 books, of which 23 are national best sellers, two are New York Times best sellers, and three are Amazon number one bestselling business books.  His websites are www.MichaelLevinWrites.com and, for business fiction/business fables, www.TheFableFactory.com.

Michael appeared on the first episode of Season Three of ABC’s Shark Tank, has appeared on BBC worldwide TV and radio and Good Morning, America, has been quoted in Inc. Magazine, and in Bloomberg Business. He is most proud of having edited Zig Ziglar’s final book, Born To Win.

Simon is an expert in leadership, culture and organizational development, who understands what it really takes to unlock innovation, collaboration and engagement. He has worked in over 20 countries and has lived in the UK, Brazil, the US, and Singapore.

Simon’s background is management consultancy. After gaining a degree in Psychology, he began his career with Accenture where he specialized in organization development and talent strategy, before moving to a boutique change management consultancy called 7days.

He was then with the innovation consultancy ?What If! from 2005 to 2014, leading teams in London, New York and São Paulo. He held multiple leadership roles while at ?What If!, including US Client Development Leader, Americas Transformation Practice Leader and Brazil Business Leader. He then spent 2 years as a Partner at The Rise Group, where his work focused on helping organizations define and activate their ideal culture, and 3 years as a Principal at Vega Factor where his work involved helping organizations use the science of total motivation to become higher performing.
What If! was acquired by Accenture in 2019, and in 2020 Simon returned to co-lead the? What If! Singapore office, manage the integration of ?What If! into Accenture in Asia, and set up Accenture’s Leadership & Culture practice in AAPAC.
He is now back in New York, helping grow Kates Kesler (another Accenture acquisition) by developing new organization designs and operating models for clients across the world.

Also be sure to check out Jaime’s blog series, Lessons from the Mountain.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimetaets/

Blog

Alakef Coffee Roasters and City Girl Coffee

As owner and CEO of Alakef Coffee Roasters, Alyza leads the specialty coffee roasting company that her family founded in 1990 in Duluth, Minnesota.  Alakef Coffee Roasters today provides responsibly sourced and produced coffee to grocery stores, co-ops, coffee shops, Universities, and restaurants throughout the Midwest, and online to retailers and consumers.

Shortly after taking over company reins in 2014, she launched an entirely new brand, City Girl Coffee, in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, featuring USDA Organic Certified blends. She is keeping Alakef’s longstanding support of the coffee industry alive – with a special focus on women. City Girl Coffee empowers women by sourcing as many beans as possible from women coffee farmers throughout the world. A portion of every sale goes to organizations that work to provide these women access to funding, education, resources, and more.  In January of 2021, Alyza launched The City Girl Empower Hour, an inspiring new podcast serving up grounded advice and whole bean wisdom on how listeners can succeed in both their personal and professional lives.

Alyza takes an active role in the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and its Women in Leadership program. She is a member of the Minnesota Leadership class of 2017, and currently sits on the Minnesota Chamber’s Board of Directors. She was recognized by the Minneapolis Business Journal as a recipient of its 2017 40 under 40 award, and by Minnesota Business Magazine as one its Women Who Lead. Awarded the Future Forward award from the WBDC for her business acumen, marketing savvy and entrepreneurial spirit. Most recently, she was awarded the Wavemaker award by Team MN Women for making waves in her community, profession, and for her demonstration of outstanding achievement, entrepreneurial spirit and initiative through leadership within her profession and community.

Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer

Kelly is responsible for enterprise information technology strategy and implementation and providing strategic partner support to each of Andersen’s divisions and functions. Previously, she was vice president of information technology (IT) responsible for Andersen enterprise customer experience technology (marketing, sales, quote & order, service, and portal). She was also director of technology for Renewal by Andersen where she was responsible for all aspects of IT, including manufacturing technology and retail technology teams.​​​​​​​

Kelly joined Andersen in the fall of 2014. Prior to Andersen, Kelly held a variety of IT leadership positions at Target, Thomson Reuters and Accenture. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in from Saint Olaf College. She is a board of trustee member for the Science Museum of Minnesota.

You can connect with Jen here to learn more about her and her work at Lockton Companies:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-tregarthen/

Here’s the video that Jen mentioned in the podcast:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWW-5Q_EzKM

Founder + CVO : Coalition9

This Minnesota professional has a history of turning small business into big business and connecting the brains of the Twin Cities community. With roles in several businesses as both an advisor and investor,  co-founding a non-profit called Minneapolis HOPE, and proof of his incredible ability to grow an organization – it isn’t hard to believe that he has a knack for initiating and maintaining great relationships and great business. Aaron made his first major break-through at an office products distributor when he broke the first three years sales record that had been in place longer than he had been alive. Then, at age 29 he became Vice President of Sales leading the company into more profit and took a mediocre office furnishings division from bland to booming in 2 short years. That’s when he was noticed and recruited to join iSpace Environments as a Partner, which at the time was a medium sized office furnishings business. In 5 years, Aaron and his team led the company to 270% growth through brand awareness, strategic planning, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. He believes that his success is about being genuine in his desire to understand his client’s business with the passion to connect and to be a resource to others.

The beginning of this journey began in the summer of 2017. Aaron had just turned forty years old and found himself in a bit of a predicament. As a partner in a successful office furnishings and technology firm that had grown exponentially over the past few years, he should have been on top of the world. However, it was quite the contrary. It’s not like he was going through a mid-life crisis or anything, he was just missing something. So, Aaron took some time off to reflect and get to the root of what was causing this void. During his reflection it became abundantly clear how fortunate he was. He has lived a life filled with success and fantastic experiences, his wife is a complete rock star independent business owner, and they own a hobby farm with seven chickens. What’s not to love about that? Then it hit him. Aaron found himself asking “What am I doing to create purpose and solidify my legacy?”

After a couple years of consulting as a Revenue Strategist, the idea of Coalition9 was born. The C9 community was created around one simple premise. Bring good people together, regardless of their progress in the leadership journey, with a focus on Character First. We strive to create a community where a diversity of experiences in business and life is celebrated with a vision of Changing Business Nine Leaders at a Time.

Doing business with other Members should make life just a bit easier. Surrounding yourself with top leaders will push you to be your best. Focusing on the things that really matter – your impact on the business community and those you lead – will change you for the better. Lastly, we believe it’s highly important to make this financially accessible, yet exclusive, based on Character. We’re working hard to bring good people together to ignite a leadership revolution.

Aaron’s role as Chief Vision Officer is to ensure that we are driving the experience and community forward for the maximum positive impact on the lives of our Members. The role of the Members and facilitators is to guide this community and be a constant voice for growth, evolution, and relationship building. All Members will have access to and play a part in the well-being of the community, and their voices will be heard on how to continue providing an unmatched experience. Without the Members and their voices, we have nothing.

As someone who thrives on connection, Aaron takes great pride in building a relationship with every single Member. Together, we are building something really special here.

https://www.coalition9.com/aeggert-bio

For twenty-two years Haydee’s high-energy, power content and practical solutions has impacted thousands of leaders and professionals globally from Government offices to Fortune 500 boardrooms. Together with her team she has also coached celebrities (even a Miss World and Miss Universe).

From being the youngest director of multinational L’Oréal to owning retail and manufacturing companies – her work and life lessons embody courage and triumph over adversity. Haydee’s book “Packaged For Success” ranked number one international Amazon bestseller in eleven categories. She is a CSP (certified speaking professional) a designation held by only 12% of professional speakers worldwide.
Not bad for a Bolivian girl who dreamed to speak English one day.

Haydee sees her biggest achievement as giving birth to twins at age 47, listens to everything ’80s, and loves her life in the Temecula wine region of SoCal.

Relevant links:

Haydee Website: http://www.haydeeantezana.comHaydee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haydeeantezana1

Haydee Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydee-antezana-71500125/

Contact Haydee: haydee@haydeeantezana.com

Connect with Barb:

Instagram: @barb_p

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/

Facebook: Barb Patterson

Twitter: @Barb_Patterson

Connect with John Schwanke here

Jackie is an innovative, entrepreneurial, and consumer centric head of marketing with extensive experience developing and executing successful business strategies, teams and functions that facilitate aggressive company growth and positive corporate culture. Adept at building and analyzing strategies, capitalizing on market trends, and building competitive advantage. Authentic and inspirational leadership style that generates trust, loyalty, respect, and results.

Connect with Jackie here

About Steve:

STEVE PREDA is a Leadership Team Coach whose passion is to help privately owned businesses grow and thrive. He pursues it by simplifying and teaching management and strategy concepts used by large companies, and elite consulting firms. Since 2012, he has helped over 100 businesses grow their teams, revenues, and profits as a business coach, EOS Implementer, and as a Pinnacle Business Guide. Steve explores business-growth shortcuts on the Management Blueprint podcast, and delivers workshops and keynotes to business leaders around the US. He loves helping growth-minded entrepreneurs and their leadership teams reach their business-pinnacles.

Buy your copy of the book, Pinnacle: Five Principles that Take Your Business to the Top of the Mountain, HERE

About Abbey

Abbey Vanderwerf is the Vice President of Employee Health & Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency Dakotas. Since joining the agency in 2008 she has held a variety of roles assisting employer groups with their overall benefits strategy, spending time educating on the Affordable Care Act, leading both operations and sales for the team and currently is responsible for both the Sioux Falls and Fargo benefits team. Prior to joining MMA she spent the early years of her career in Human Resources. Abbey stays active in the community on two local non-profit boards and teaching religious education at her church. In her free time, she can be found camping and fishing with her family, catching a run on a good dirt road or riding her peloton bike.

About Marsh McLennan Agency:

MMA is a local Insurance Agency with Global Reach. They are committed to their culture and colleague experience, giving employees the opportunity to grow in both their personal and professional aspirations leaving them with limitless potential.

About Jim:

Jim Roddy has been active in the retail IT channel since 1998, including 11 years as the President of Business Solutions Magazine, six years as an RSPA board member, and one term as RSPA Chairman of the Board. Jim has been recognized as one of the world’s Top 100 Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail and as a Leading CannaTech Influencer by 420MSP. He is author of The Walk-On Method and Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer and is host of the award-winning RSPA Trusted Advisor podcast.  

Contact Jim: jroddy@gorspa.org

www.gorspa.org

Book: The Walk-On Method

Book: Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer

About Chaz

Chaz Sandifer is the CEO/Founder of theNEWmpls which focuses on affordable fitness, wellness and nutrition. Bringing her holistic approach to the community, Chaz was able to teach others how to break generational cycles, instilling that fitness is fun, quality nutrition is king, and wellness is key to a healthy future. Chaz is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Certified Life and Wellness specializing in trauma healing, diabetes and arthritis prevention. She teaches a monthly meal prep class called Meal Prep w/a Twist, Works with the CDC, Ramsey County, MN Dept. of Health on Diabetes & Arthritis Prevention Programs and operates /owns a Farmers Market. She is humble and grateful for this journey, Chaz welcomes you to theNEWmpls. 

Connect with her here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenewmpls/

https://www.thenewmpls.info/

https://www.thenewmpls.info/farmersmarket

About Brooke:

A strategic powerhouse with a commitment to clarity, Brooke helps businesses of all sizes achieve dependable, repeatable, scalable revenue. She founded Jayne Agency in 2009 as a bold, creative boutique specializing in strategic planning, storytelling and sustainable brand platforms. Jayne is a 100% woman-owned, 100% inclusive, WBENC-certified company committed to helping diverse businesses grow. The agency’s client roster includes Fortune 100s such as PepsiCo, Nationwide, American Red Cross, Vistra Energy, as well as small- to mid-market companies like Trans International (WBE), MicroAutomation (MBE) and VOZ Advisors.

Prior to striking off on her own, Brooke was a courageous creative leader and digital pioneer, serving as Executive Creative Director at several of the world’s top advertising and marketing agencies, including DDB, Ogilvy and Razorfish. She has created award-winning integrated campaigns and brand experiences, garnering global recognition by the Clio Awards, One Show, NY Festivals, Communication Arts, Webby’s, OMMA, American Design Awards, Communicator Awards, Axiem Awards and MarComm Awards.

A passionate thought leader on the topics of branding, women leadership and supply chain diversity, Brooke is a 2020 Enterprising Woman of the Year Winner and an active contributor to WE USA Magazine and NANOE. She has been a keynote speaker at Social Media Week, HOW Design Live, Eaton’s Supplier Summit, Ad Tech, St. Louis Business Development Connection and many more. She sits on several boards, including Magdalene House Chicago, DesignedbyUs.org and UCAN Chicago, and has achieved numerous certifications and memberships, including WBENC, BEP/CMS, WOSBA, Cook County DBE, DA4S, WIM and NAWBO.

She holds a BFA in Graphic Design from University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Art and Design, and is a graduate of Dartmouth’s Tuck Women’s Executive Program and the Yale Brisaago Program.

About Heather:

Heather Forston Alberti is a seasoned Consultant and Vice President at Pappas DeLaney, with over twenty years’ experience in executive search and executive development.
Heather’s professional practice spans many industries, working with all executive levels from management to board level in Manufacturing, Healthcare and Professional Services. Her clients include publicly held, privately held, ESOP’s and private equity-held companies.  Heather’s consulting and search experience covers the entire lifecycle of an executive’s tenure with an organization-from recruitment, to coaching, to management team development.

About Jay:

Jay D. Rosencrantz is Managing Director at Pappas DeLaney and brings over 20 years of diverse business experience and insights to his consultative role.  Jay possesses proven ability in helping organizations achieve business results through powerful and productive relationships that span diverse industries, disciplines, cultures, and geographies. This business acumen was forged through challenging roles in different industries, including domestic and international, corporate and field, in both public and privately held companies.Jay uses a practical approach in listening to and understanding the unique challenges faced by each client and can take complex situations and ideas, assess the information and present solutions with clarity and simplicity. He has experience in leadership development, business process improvement, consultative sales, workforce restructuring and M&A.

About Nick:

Nick Ovenden was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota by his parents and as a middle child of two brothers. He has a competitive edge which he channeled onto the football field. He started at a young age and eventually led to playing for the Vikings at Augustana College (SD) where he studied Exercise Science. With that passion for fitness and healthy lifestyles, he eventually moved to Minneapolis to work at Lifetime fitness while his wife, Alison, attended law school. After a few years of living life in the city as a lead fitness professional with his wife and dog he received a call to take his talents back to Sioux Falls to be the director of Fitness and Nutrition with a new company called GreatLIFE. The concept of Fitness and Golf coming together intrigued him, but more importantly, the opportunity to make a positive impact in his hometown. Two weeks after the call, he and Alison moved back to their college town and started a new adventure. Since 2014, Nick has been with GreatLIFE and became president in 2019. He enjoys spending time at the lake cabin with his daughters, volunteering at any local charity, hunting with his golden lab, or hanging with friends around the fire. Anyone who meets Nick will see his infectious smile and know he is a man after God’s heart and will go out of his way to make sure that you know that you are valued. He is also a Patriots fan, but don’t hold that against him.

Learn more about GreatLife here

Get in touch with Nick here

About Nate:

Nate Randle is an optimist; a brand storyteller; a people-first kind of leader. Now as CEO of Gabb Wireless, Nate brings more than 20 years of experience and expertise to the nation’s leading kid-safe tech company. 

Above all, Nate Randle is a husband and father of four. He places the highest priorities on people and family. His values directly reflect his leadership at Gabb, where protecting kids and encouraging a stronger connection between families is of the utmost importance. 

Nate graduated in Finance from the David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah. In his early career along the west coast, he held management and director positions at major companies like Callaway Golf and Nike. Finally returning to Utah, Nate managed divisions at Vivint, the Utah Jazz, and Qualtrics before joining Gabb in November 2021.

A few career highlights:

• As CMO of Vivint, he exceeded $1B in revenue with Vivint C-suite team
• Launched Utah Jazz #TakeNote campaign as Senior VP of Marketing (used by team 5+ years running)
• Was an Exec leader on the Nike Golf team that generated YOY double-digit growth with $500M+ in annual revenue
• Was awarded employee of the year at Callaway Golf for brand management leadership

To learn more about Keystone and our services contact us at info@keystonegroupintl.com or visit www.keystonegroupintl.com

Connect with Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenlindahl/ or email her at jen@keystonegroupintl.com

Connect with Chelsey to learn more from our expert about Keystone’s Culture Model and other services KGI offers to elevate your business: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsey-paulson-keystone/ 

Or email her here:chelsey@keystonegroupintl.com

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