Motivated To Lead Podcast - Mark Klingsheim

In this week’s episode, we revisit our interview with Alisa Cohn. Alisa is an Executive Coach who has worked with C-suite executives at prominent startups (such as Venmo, Etsy, Draft Kings, The Wirecutter, Mack Weldon, and Tory Burch) and Fortune 500 companies (including Dell, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Pfizer, Calvin Klein and The New York Times.) She is the author of From Start-up to Grown-up, which won the 2022 Independent Press Award, and the creator and host of a podcast of the same name.  A frequent keynoter, Inc. Magazine named Alisa one of the top 100 leadership speakers, and she was named the Top Startup Coach in the World at the Thinkers50/Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards and the #1 Global Guru for Startups. She is the executive coach for Cornell’s New York City tech incubator, and she has coached leaders from around the world, including the first female minister of the transition state of Afghanistan and the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. She has guest lectured at Harv

This week, we revisit our conversation with Dr. John Lowry. John is a recognized authority on negotiation through his experience as a lawyer, management consultant, entrepreneur, negotiation coach, and university administrator. We discuss his new book, Negotiation Made Simple: A Practical Guide for Solving Problems, Building Relationships, and Delivering the Deal. His results-focused, systematic approach to negotiation has been successfully implemented by thousands of professionals across the United States. John teaches negotiation at the top-ranked Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law and lectures in Vanderbilt University’s Master’s in Management in Health Care program. John serves as president of Thrivence, a new management consulting firm affiliated with Barge Design Solutions. In addition to leading the firm, John counsels clients on leadership, executive team effectiveness, strategy, revenue growth, and conflict management. He also provides negotiation t

This week, we interviewed Tim Lupinacci. Tim is the CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, which is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. We are going to discuss his new book, Everybody Leads: How You Lead and Why It Matters. As a self-professed “leadership junkie,” Tim’s journey to stepping up as a leader began thirty years ago as a young lawyer after disappointing a boss with an epic failure. The boss challenged Tim (after significant yelling and tough love!) by saying he saw Tim as a strong young leader who needed to recognize that he was a leader, and step up to own his work, his career, and his ambitions. In the three decades since, Tim has studied, read, and grown his leadership skills through hard work, being curious, trying novel ideas, failing, learning from the failures, and getting better every day. This culminated in launching a non-profit called “Everybody Leads,” which focuses on empowering individuals in underserved communities with basic leadership skills and confidence to better lead

In this episode, we revisit our conversation with Kim Cameron. Kim is a Professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business he shares his thoughts around positive leadership and the impact it has on organizations. He is a co-founder of the discipline of Positive Organizational Scholarship—the scientific study of what produces extraordinary performance in organizations and their employees.   He actively consults with business organizations on five continents, federal and military organizations, and health care and educational organizations. He received BS and MS degrees from Brigham Young University and MA and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University.    

This week, we revisit our conversation with Dr. Karyn Gordon (Leadership & Relationship Expert), author of The Three Chairs: How Great Leaders Drive Communication, Performance & Engagement. Karyn is the CEO and co-founder of DK Leadership, a global leadership coaching company whose purpose is developing great leaders at work and home. She has spoken to more than 500,000 people across 17 countries—including Fortune 500 companies, family businesses, entrepreneurs, professional associations, and others.  She is also a media personality & consultant (Good Morning America, Forbes, The New York Times) - and the TV resident Leadership & Relationship Expert for Canada’s #1 Talk-Show – Cityline). In 2021, she was nominated for the 29th annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award.  Karyn has a Doctorate in Marriage & Family and certifications in Leadership and Emotional Intelligence, Dr. Karyn was invited to collaborate with professors from The Wharton School to develop an EQ training curriculum s

This week, we revisit our conversation with George Bradt. George has led the revolution in how people start new jobs - accelerating transitions so leaders and their teams reduce their rates of failure and fulfill potential. After Harvard and Wharton (MBA), he progressed through sales, marketing, and general management roles around the world at Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and J.D. Power’s Power Information Network spin-off as chief executive. Now he is Chairman of PrimeGenesis, author of ten books on onboarding and leadership, including The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan. He has over 700 columns for Forbes, and eighteen plays and musicals (book, lyrics & music).    

  This week we revisit our interview with Steven Kwast, who is the CEO of SpaceBilt. He is a retired Air Force General who has spent his life understanding the art of peaceful International affairs and national security strategies. He was raised in a remote African tribe and is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy in astronautical engineering. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He has extensive experience in recruiting, educating, training, and developing the workforce for the US Air Force. He was the University President for the Air Force’s University (Air University) in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a combat-seasoned fighter pilot with extensive command experience at every level in the US Air Force. He authored the "Fast Space" study that puts forward a plan to develop the economic and national security power of Space for 21st-century challenges.

This week, we interviewed Daron Lembi. Darin has led Learnit, a global training company for nearly three decades. In that time, they have upskilled over 1.8 million individuals in the workplace. Through this journey, he has gained insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Coming to business from a career in baseball, he brings an athlete’s perspective on leadership and training to my informal mentoring of executives. He has distilled those hard-won insights into my bestselling book, The Learn-It-All Leader—Mindset, Traits, and Tools, and keynotes on leadership, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning.   

This week, we revisited our conversation with Susan Templeton. Susan is a board member and served as Vice Chair of Sebold Capital Management, an investment advisory and financial planning firm serving high-net-worth individuals and families.  Susan is also on the board of directors for Claridges Trust Company where she sits on the investment and audit committee. In addition, she is on the advisory board of Seyen Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. Susan has her BSBA from the University of Denver, MBA from the University of Chicago and is a graduate of the Board Governance Program- at Northwestern University. 

This week, we interviewed Dr. Denny Coates. Denny is the CEO of Grow Strong Leaders. For over 30 years he has published award-winning, brain-based assessment and learning programs used by millions of people worldwide, as well as hundreds of articles and a dozen books, the most recent of which is Grow Strong Character. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he is a decorated combat veteran who retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service. He earned a Ph.D. from Duke University and has served on the faculties of the United States Military Academy, the Armed Forces Staff College, the College of William and Mary, and the Center for Creative Leadership. 

This week, we interviewed Scott Laster. Scott is an award-winning entrepreneur with 20+ years of global medical device and digital health leadership. His time spent within an FTSE 100 and Top 4 Global Medical Device Manufacturer was focused on high-growth markets and transformational commercial business models. His roles drove deep knowledge of business structure, process excellence, and commercial execution – honed by leading teams for product launches (4 platform systems), acquisitions and corporate integrations (>$300M USD), and consistent commercial execution (10x market growth). Scott holds 5 patents and 4 provisional applications. He has also co-authored 4 peer-reviewed scientific posters and 3 peer-reviewed publications and has lectured globally at key industry events such as the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty (ISTA) and International Congress for Joint Replacement (ICJR) , among others. As MiCare Path’s Chief Executive Officer, he oversees all functions across all aspects of t

This week, we interviewed Phil Olsen. Phil is the President of Know Your Strengths, he is a Certified DynaMetrics Professional (CDMP) with Professional DynaMetric Programs. CDMP is PDP’s highest attainable credential dealing with the recognition of human potential and its applications in human performance. He is also credentialed by the Society for Human Resource Management as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). In addition to a degree in business from Utah State University, Phil’s business skills and visionary talents have been shaped and developed through three decades of entrepreneurial business endeavors. His business experience includes management consulting, real estate development, brokerage, investments, mortgage banking, syndications, and automotive dealerships. Phil’s competitive drive was forged in the fire of athletic competition. He was a two-time football All-American at Utah State University, an NFL first-round draft choice, and a 9-year pro football veteran. Phil was inducted

This week, we interviewed Karen Davis. Karen is a seasoned executive coach, speaker, and author with over 25 years of leadership experience in the B2B tech sector. She brings nearly two decades of coaching mastery to high-performing executives, entrepreneurs, and fellow coaches. Karen is the co-author of How to Get the Most Out of Coaching: A Client’s Guide for Optimizing the Coaching Experience, a go-to resource for making coaching more effective and transformational.  Known for her intuitive and heart-centered approach, Karen helps leaders uncover blind spots, reclaim clarity, and make bold, aligned decisions. She lives and works near Boulder, Colorado, drawing inspiration from nature, travel, andher vibrant family—including her life partner, adult children, and her beloved dogs, Jax and Pepper. Learn more at KarenDavisCoaching.com

This week, we interviewed Jeremy Laynor, the Senior Vice President of Sales at Providence Medical Technology. We discussed his book The Point Guard Approach. Jeremy offers some insight into what it takes to be a leader at work and at home. Jeremy has a strong track record of success in medical device sales leadership, with specific experience in the spinal implant market. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales at Paradigm Spine, where he was instrumental in growing their commercial effort since 2013. Jeremy held sales leadership positions at Medtronic and previously at Salient Surgical, where he helped the market development of their advanced energy platform to the standard of care for many common orthopedic and spine procedures. He began his healthcare career with Cardinal Health, where he specialized in cultivating national sales teams for new pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical technologies. Jeremy graduated from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where he played point guard for the

This week, we interviewed Nathan King. Nathan is a consultant who helps leadership teams achieve powerful execution for organizational growth. After leading a healthcare services business unit from $25M to $100M in revenue at Shearwater Health, Nathan launched a consulting practice dedicated to turning strategic intent into sustained organizational outcomes.  With over two decades of experience in high-growth publicly traded and PE-backed companies, Nathan specializes in two key areas: guiding organizational transformations and helping leaders build high-performing teams through executive coaching and facilitating leadership-team development. Nathan holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and resides in Nashville, TN.

This week, we interviewed David Dennis. David is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Eckerd Connects, one of the nation’s largest nonprofits providing workforce development, Job Corps, juvenile justice, and child welfare services across the country. We talked about his book Gameness: Land on your Feet, not on your feelings. He has earned certifications as a licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, and childcare administrator. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Becky live in Clearwater, Florida. They have five grown children.

This week, we interviewed Lori Chmura, the Chief Executive Officer and Board Director at Nyra Medical, an innovative medical device company developing a next-generation transcatheter mitral valve repair technology. Before joining Nyra Medical, she served as Chief Executive Officer, and Board Director at Soundbite Medical Solutions and Dune Medical Devices, where she led the restructuring of both businesses resulting in a cross-border licensing deal at one company, and an acquisition of the other. In addition, Lori brings leadership experience in several large multi-national medical device companies, including positions with Medtronic, Covidien and Johnson and Johnson, where she led the growth of the businesses in the United States and globally. Lori previously served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bluestem Medical. She has also served on the Board of Directors, Audit Committee and Deal Team at OpSens Medical (TSX- OPS), which was acquired by Haemonetics (NYSE-HAE) in 2023, and on the Board of

This week, we interviewed Laura Stoltenberg. Laura is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Cryosa. Laura brings nearly three decades of experience in strategy, business development, and global general management. She has a passion for developing and commercializing novel products to improve the standard of care. Most recently, Laura was Sector Chief Executive at Halma PLC, responsible for $1B in revenue. While at Medtronic, she served as Vice President and General Manager at Medtronic Diabetes and built a new business focused on Type 2 patients. Laura served as Chief Commercial Officer at Exact Sciences Corporation, where she was responsible for developing the global commercial strategy prior to FDA approval. Earlier in her career, she held escalating commercial and leadership roles at General Electric, including leading GE Healthcare’s global bone densitometry business and completing a number of acquisitions. Laura earned an MBA at Columbia Business School and bachelor’s degrees in electrical enginee

This week, we interviewed Chuck Brynelsen. Chuck is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors at Envoy Medical; he serves on the board of Alebra Technologies and is a Venture Partner at SpringRock Ventures. Previously, Chuck served as a Senior Vice President of Abbot Vascular; Chuck Brynelsen led an organization focused on reducing cardiovascular disease's global impact. Chuck was previously the Global President of Early Technologies for Medtronic and President of Early Technologies for Covidien. Chuck has also spent seven years as CEO of Intrapace, a start-up medical device company treating obesity. Before Intrapace, Check spent 24 years at Medtronic in various regional, business unit, and corporate leadership roles. The company went from a $250 million pacemaker company to a diversified medical technology enterprise with over $10 billion in revenues.

This week, we interviewed John Hironimus. John is the CEO of Origami Surgical, an accomplished medical device executive with a track record of successfully commercializing novel medical devices. He has focused on scaling new technologies and applications to benefit patients, clinicians, and providers. His 25 years of experience span numerous areas of healthcare. An entrepreneur at heart, his passion is building world-class teams who relentlessly focus on improving patient care.   John began his career with United States Surgical Corporation, helping surgeons provide advanced procedures to their patients. He then built the domestic and international commercial team for Salient Surgical Technologies, culminating in a successful acquisition by Medtronic in 2011. Under his leadership, the business grew from $40M in revenue to over $350M. John has most recently led commercial teams at Outset Medical and Dilon Technologies.    John graduated from Indiana University, earning a Public Financial Management degree.