“Dreaming big takes the same amount of effort as dreaming small, so go big.
- Jose R. Costa
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jose R. Costa, CEO of For Eyes, which is part of GrandVision, a global leader in optical retail with more than 7,000 stores worldwide. He has a background steeped in marketing, franchising, multi-unit retailing and enhancing customer experience at some of the most recognized brands in the world.
He is the author of “Leading With Edge: Activate Your Advantage Through Personal Insight,” which features the concept of leadership as a practice, inviting readers to acknowledge the determination and grit it takes to be a good leader.
Previous to his current role as CEO, he served as Group President of Driven Brands where he led MAACO®, CARSTAR® and Drive N Style®. Collectively, these brands operate more than 1,400 body shops across North America, generate more than $1.8 billion in annual system sales and further establish Driven Brands as a leader in the automotive aftermarket space. Previously, he was President of MAACO®, where he was responsible for managing and developing 500 automotive body shops across the U.S. and Canada.
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"Get up early. Stay late. Do what your passion is. And don't be afraid of taking risks."
- Stephen J. Cloobeck
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Stephen J. Cloobeck, a self-made entrepreneur with more than thirty years’ experience across every aspect of hospitality design, development, and deployment … AND author of the new book CHECKING IN: Hospitality-Driven Thinking, Business, And You.
As the original founder and former CEO and chairman of Diamond Resorts International – a business that grew to become the second-largest vacation-ownership company worldwide with more than four hundred properties across thirty-three countries in its portfolio – Cloobeck made a name for himself as the industry's most adamant advocate for radical customer service, what he calls embracing the Meaning of Yes.
To Cloobeck’s own amusement, he is perhaps most frequently recognized for his appearances on CBS’s hit TV show Undercover Boss. Featured on multiple episodes across multiple seasons, Cloobeck to this day ranks as the “most generous boss” who has ever participated in the unscripted program.
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“Everybody has a defining moment which changes their life for better or worse.”
- Ulrich Kellerer
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Ulrich Kellerer, business leader, international speaker, and mental health activist from Munich, Germany. For over twenty years Kellerer worked in the European fashion industry as the founder and CEO of the German clothing line, Faro Fashion, which took over distribution rights for the brand CLOSED (the leading European fashion company for women’s and men’s sportswear) in Bavaria - south Germany. Kellerer is the co-author of The Soul of Success with Jack Canfield and the author of the recently released title: One Moment Can Change Your Life: Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary People. Today, Kellerer's life is dedicated to fighting the depression epidemic and promoting mental wellness in the workplace.
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“Creativity is a skill that can be honed by everybody and should be.”
- Alexandra Levit
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alexandra Levit, managing partner at PeopleResults and workplace consultant, author and speaker.
A former nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal and writer for the New York Times, Fast Company, and Forbes, Alexandra has authored several books, including the international bestseller They Don't Teach Corporate in College and her newest book HUMANITY WORKS: Merging Technologies And People For The Workforce Of The Future, in which she provides a vision of a future where people are free to work wherever and for whomever they choose, machines perform multiple tasks, and virtual teams come together and disband at lightning speed.
She consults and writes on leadership development, human resources, entrepreneurship, career and workplace trends on behalf of numerous Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Canon, Deloitte, DeVry University, Intuit, SilkRoad, and Staples, and has spoken on these topics at hundreds of organizations around the world including Abbott, Aetna, Bank of America, Cardinal Health, Campbell Soup, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Human Capital Institute, McDonalds, Microsoft, PepsiCo, the Society of Human Resource Management, and Whirlpool.
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“If you’re curious, you’re a good sales person.”
- Brandon Bruce
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Brandon Bruce, COO & Co-Founder of Cirrus Insight, a plugin for Gmail and Outlook salespeople. Bruce grew up in a tiny California town of 800 people where he only had one classmate at a school using outhouses as their bathroom. He went from those humble beginnings to co-founding and growing Cirrus Insight to $12 million in revenue and #41 on the Inc. 500 (after a six-year rollercoaster of success and setbacks).
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“Prospects have their walls up. We need to bring those walls down before we can have the human to human conversation.”
- Hamish Knox
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimaco interviewed Hamish Knox, who plays an important role in Sandler’s worldwide organization and is a recognized business development expert specializing in executive sales consulting and sales productivity training. A dynamic, enthusiastic speaker certified in the proprietary selling system developed by David Sandler, Knox informs, entertains, and motivates leadership and rank-and-file sales teams to achieve their full potential. He heads a Sandler training center in Calgary.
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“You don’t become confident and then act confident. You act your way into confidence.”
- Sally Helgesen
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Sally Helgesen, International Speaker, Leadership Consultant & Author.
In her newest book, How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, Sally and her co-author Marshall Goldsmith, help women identify specific behaviors that keep them from realizing their full potential, no matter what stage they are in their career. They help identify why what worked for them in the past will not necessarily get them where they want to go in the future -- and how to finally shed those behaviors so they can advance to the next level, whatever that may be.
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“It’s better to invest in what you can track.”
- Jake Baadsgaard
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader Gina Trimarco interviewed Jake Baadsgaard, CEO of Disruptive Advertising. After growing one of his first PPC clients from 25 to 250 employees, Jake realized he had a gift for using pay-per-click marketing to drive dramatic business results. To help more companies succeed online, Jake founded Disruptive Advertising, a PPC, and CRO management agency that has helped hundreds of companies realize unprecedented growth and profitability from the online advertising.
In the four years since its founding, Disruptive Advertising has grown from two employees working in Jake’s basement to a flourishing agency with more than 90 employees and a run rate of over $12 million - putting it at #145 on the 2017 Inc 500 list!
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“We as leaders and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to make sure that if the ‘what-if’ does happen, the prudent planning and prudent steps are in place.”
- Patrick Ungashick
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Patrick Ungashick, CEO of NAVIX Consultants. For more than twenty-five years Patrick has provided exit advice and solutions to business owners with companies as small as several million in revenues to more than half a billion. Patrick is the author of two books helping business owners prepare for exit: Dance in the End Zone: The Business Owner’s Exit Planning Playbook, and the award-winning A Tale of Two Owners: Achieving Exit Success Between Business Co-Owners. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Week and other media. He speaks to several dozen business groups per year on how to achieve successful exits. As CEO of NAVIX Consultants, Patrick leads a national team of exit planning consultants located in nearly two-dozen US cities.
Outside of work, even though he cannot juggle nor play a musical instrument, Patrick is a proud member of the Atlanta Distinguished Clown Corps, a group of full-time CEOs and part-time clowns that have raised about $1.5 million for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the largest pediatric hospital in the U.S.
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“If you’re going to start a business,
you have to be willing to grind.”
- Nate Lawrie
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Nate Lawrie, CEO, Brazyn Life. Nate played 8-years of professional football in both the National Football League (Buccaneers, Saints, Bengals) and United Football League (Sacramento Mountain Lions), before retiring after the 2011 season.
A self-described “NFL Grinder,” Lawrie fought through numerous injuries throughout his pro-career which led him to rethink many of the products he was using to take care of his body - wanting tools that were more convenient to use without compromising functionality.
In 2015 Nate launched a new business called Brazyn Life. Brazyn Life is dedicated to helping people achieve their fitness and health goals through innovative, high-quality, and travel-ready recovery and fitness tools. Brazyn’s launch product is The Morph Collapsible Foam Roller, a premium foam roller that folds flat making it easy to use at home, the office, the gym, or on the road.
“Surround yourself with amazing people and a wonderful team.”
- Roger Morgan
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Roger Morgan, founder and CEO of pawTree, a direct selling pet nutrition company he created in 2014 to provide a better way to care for and love pets. Just days before this interview, Roger received the Rising Star Award from the Direct Selling Association out of all the direct selling companies less than five years old.
Roger has built a way to change a pet and pet parent’s life one meal at a time and to enable pet lovers to thrive as small business owners who share and sell its products. A pet-industry veteran, Roger served as CEO for a major pet products manufacturer for almost a decade as well as served on boards for the American Pet Products Association, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and PetSmart Charities. He is dad to dogs, Bella & JoJo.
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“Everyone’s got an idea but not everyone has balls to bring it to market.”
– Paul Szyarto
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Paul Szyarto, a globally recognized expert in entrepreneurship, business leadership and self-defense. He is highly sought-after for his executive coaching and business leadership training. Known for applying the principles of Krav Maga – the Israeli self-defense system – into everyday business and life scenarios, Szyarto has trained hundreds of law enforcement professionals and groups of NFL players, in addition to business executives and entrepreneurs. He’s also co-founder of the VMMA Fitness franchise.
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“It’s important to take risks, as a business leader, as an entrepreneur. This business was a huge risk from day one.”
- Alex Danza
Imagine a better way to interstate business travel on a luxury motor coach that offers only 22 comfortable leather seats and amenities such as, steward service, noise-canceling headphones, WiFi, satellite television and an onboard conference room!
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane luxury motor coach service that he founded in 2014 to give Texas travelers an alternative to the delays and interruptions that accompany short-haul flights and the hassles of driving one’s own vehicle. Starting with routes between Dallas and Austin, Alex has expanded the company’s reach, and now the five biggest cities in the Texas Triangle are completely accessible on Vonlane with plans for expanding out of Texas.
Alex also is the 2017 recipient of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in the Southwest region in the category of Emerging Retail and Consumer Products.
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“Your people deserve great managers.”
- Mark C. Winters
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark C. Winters, co-author of the Rocket Fuel. Mark's passion is helping entrepreneurs get unstuck so they can pursue their freedom. Depending on the unique situation, Mark’s talent for introducing just the right combination of perspective and process sparks teams to start moving, move faster, or begin moving in the proper direction - with clarity. As a teacher, coach, and facilitator, Mark spends most of his time directly engaged with entrepreneurial leadership teams as a Certified EOS Implementer—helping them implement EOS in their own companies. He's delivered over 500 full-day EOS workshops with companies from around the U.S.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast67_mark-winters
– Dave Mattson
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Dave Mattson, a best-selling author, sales and management visionary, and leader of the world’s largest sales effectiveness organization. As CEO and President of Sandler Training, he oversees the corporate direction and strategy for the company’s worldwide network of operations serving clients through
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Full show notes at: https://pivot10results.com/podcast66_dave-mattson
“We’re going to have less sales people than ever before … 60% or more of the sale is already done by the time a sales person is contacted.”
- Tom Niesen, CEO, Acuity Systems
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Tom Niesen, CEO of Acuity Systems, who spent 14 years in upper sales management and marketing positions with companies like Polaroid and Fuji Film before starting Acuity Systems, Inc. in 1990. At those companies he built sales teams and began to understand how and why sales teams failed, the difference between effective sales processes and what just sounded good, and what it really took to create a superstar sales force.
Today, he blends his own experiences with nationally proven training and evaluation tools from The Sandler Sales Institute, Objective Management Group, and Extended DISC, to teach a unique brand of sales training and personal development. It's so unique - and so engaging - that Niesen closes his own prospects at a rate that would make most salespeople green with envy.
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“I’ve gotta reward people for taking chances.”
- Mark Donnolo, Founder, SalesGlobe
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark Donnolo, founder and managing partner of SalesGlobe and Michelle Seger, Global Sales Strategy and Change Management Leader with SalesGlobe.
Mark is the author of the books The Innovative Sale, What Your CEO Needs to Know About Sales Compensation, and Essential Account Planning. He has worked with Global 1000 companies around the world for the past twenty five years, focusing on sales innovation, sales strategy, sales coverage, account planning, sales compensation, and quota setting.
Michelle Seger with leadership teams to transform their sales organizations, improve sales productivity, and increase return on the organization’s investment in sales from sales strategy to sales organization, to sales compensation. She has a concentration on global harmonization for multinational organizations and implementing change within diverse organizations.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast64_salesglobe
“No one can achieve any kind of greatness by themselves.”
– Julia Landauer
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Julia Landauer, a two-time championship winning NASCAR racer from New York City. With dozens of wins across different series, Julia has set records since she was 10 years old. Away from the track, Julia is a graduate of Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Science, Technology 3and Society.
During college Julia was a contestant on season 26 of CBS’ reality TV show SURVIVOR. It was also in college that Julia started her motivational speaking career, with a TEDx talk. Julia is now making her name synonymous with more than speed and grit; as she climbs the NASCAR ladder Julia uses her racing platform to continue advocating for STEM education and women’s empowerment.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast63_julia-landauer
“The more comfortable people are with themselves and the more clear they are about who they are, the more everyone respects them.”
– Mark Fisher
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Mark Fisher, co-founder of Mark Fisher Fitness and Business For Unicorns, in addition to being an in-demand international speaker, consultant, and entrepreneur. His core expertise is helping business owners achieve financial success and personal freedom through community building, leadership development, and creating healthy organizational cultures. He's also excellent at playing with puppies.
Mark and his “non-sexual life partner” Michael created Business for Unicorns in 2016 and have since worked with clients like Sony Music, Sylvan Learning, and the ACLU, as well as many of the leading fitness studios across the US and UK. They are also proud alumni speakers of TEDx Broadway.
In addition to their consulting and teaching through Business for Unicorns, Mark and Michael also co-founded Mark Fisher Fitness, one of the most successful gyms in the history of the fitness industry. MFF has two physical locations in Manhattan and was recognized as #312 on the 2015 Inc. 500 fastest growing companies in America, as well as one of Men's Health's "Top 20 Gyms in America."
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Full Show Notes including book list: https://pivot10results.com/podcast62_mark-fisher
“The biggest leading indicator to any success are the people.”
– Jason Williford
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Jason Williford, a professional business speaker and executive consultant focused on all human decisions, where he works with domestic and international organizations of all shapes and sizes. He also is a licensee and consultant for Culture Index.
Culture Index is a strategic advisory firm that works exclusively with visionary entrepreneurs, CEOs, business leaders, and management to scale and transform organizations using applied analytical traits. And if you’ve never taken the Culture Index profile assessment, it is like no other personality assessment you’ve ever taken.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast61_Jason-Williford
“I can teach you everything, but I can’t teach you ambition”– Nezha Alaoui
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Nezha Alaoui, Founder and President of Mayshad Foundation. Nezha is a global advocate for change. She is an international entrepreneur working in sustainability, philanthropy, wellness, business, media and fashion. She backs her “Be Who You Want To Be” philosophy with action and tireless advocacy.
Nezha is also the Creative Director of her luxury handbag brand Maison Mayshad, where she designs limited collections of handbags using recognized processes of the art world, including serial numbers, limited production, and auction sales.
At age 29 she created an import/export business simultaneously with a foundation, when many discouraged her goals to create a company with a positive message that also has a philanthropic mission. She is an only child from aristocratic family in Morocco who, despite many opposing factors, proves you can “be who you want to be”. Starting her career in the hotel industry, she traveled the world where she experienced different cultures and learned that we all have common values.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast60_Nezha-Alaoui
“I’ve tasted my own ignorance. It’s horrible. It’s bitter. And it’s so expensive.” [on the importance of learning]
– Carlos Vaz
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Carlos Vaz, CEO and co-founder of Texas-based Conti Organization, a thriving commercial and multifamily real estate investment company whose portfolio is valued at more than $400 million. Carlos’ passion, discipline and creativity coupled with his extensive real estate experience have yielded a portfolio of over 1,400 units his first year in the multifamily business. He is passionate about building a solid vertically integrated company with strong core values, proven systems and an adept team. Carlos directs strategy, team building, investment sourcing and capital origination.
The second-youngest of nine children and one of six boys, Carlos came to the United States in 2000 from his home country of Brazil with just $300 in his pocket. He began working at the age of seven at the family farm and his father’s butcher shop. He eventually entered a federally-funded law school in Brazil but became frustrated with professors routinely going on strike. This motivated him to secure an apprenticeship at a Boston law firm. As the internship was unpaid, Carlos worked multiple jobs while interning and taking classes through Harvard’s extension program. After his internship ended, he started working in construction and ultimately built a construction company. He then started working in the mortgage industry, while maintaining his construction company and buying and flipping houses. By 2007 he purchased his first apartment complex and then formed Conti, named in honor of his mother Neusa Conti. Since its inception, Conti has closed deals involving more than 5,000 units and $400 million in value.
At the time of this interview Carlos had just completed Harvard Business School OPM Program.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast59_CarlosVaz
“In order to manage your growth, you have to manage people.”
– Chris Power
In this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Chris Power, founder and CEO of Power Consulting Group, Inc., a New York IT Managed Services firm with a focus on technology for financial, legal, non-profit and education sectors.
Chris is passionate about fostering customer trust through direct one-on-one communication. As CEO, he is responsible for driving Power Consulting’s “Technology is for People” vision. He believes in hiring team members with strong personal values and great communications skills. He has created a company in which engineering talent and outstanding interpersonal abilities go hand-in-hand.
His training in philosophy has informed his distinctive leadership style. Twenty-five years after founding Power Consulting, his core conviction about IT services remain the same: the purpose of technology is to help people and organizations achieve their goals.
Chris starts by sharing his 9/11 story, as a business owner and resident of Manhattan. He was there when it happened and recalls going to the hospital to see how he could help, waiting for ambulances that never arrived. It was a pivotal time in the country and in his business. It was the tipping point for what was a “lifestyle” business for him.
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast58_chris-power
“The things that set us back propel us forward.”
– David Blu, Retired Professional Athlete
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed David Blu, a retired, world class athlete, who played internationally at the highest level of professional basketball and now works in the insurance industry. David has continued to stay active in basketball by working with young athletes on the mentality and skills needed to reach a higher level of player development. He speaks around the country and in Israel about his life, goals, challenges and successes. David is also the brand ambassador for a new, Israeli, startup tech company and continues to stay involved with Maccabi in Israel.
Subscribe to the podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast57_ego-management_davidblu
“You can’t differentiate yourself in the marketplace on smarts. You need to differentiate yourself on team health.”
– John Fulwider
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed John Fulwider, CEO, gear80. John helps entrepreneurial leadership teams get everything they want from their businesses. He implements a complete, proven system with a set of simple, practical tools that helps businesses get vision, traction, and healthy.
John founded his fourth company, gear80, when two clients of his third business—an executive coaching firm with clients nationwide—said the same thing to him in the same week: “John, I need tools.” For both clients’ companies, the vision was clear, and their teams were healthy and cohesive. But accountability, discipline, and execution to link the two were absent. John went looking for tools and found the Entrepreneurial Operating System in the book Traction, and he’s never looked back.
While he charges a lot for his other services, his advice on eating out is always free and he gives some great foodie recommendations!
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Full Show Notes: https://pivot10results.com/podcast56_Traction_JohnFulwider