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PODCAST

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Interviews with successful leaders and company founders sharing stories of their career journey, great leadership, and not-so-great. It will help you become a better leader while poking fun at all the crazy shit that happens in corporate America. Hosted by Jeff Pelaccio who has over 40 years of leadership experience for every t-shirt size company - Small (4 employees) to XL (over 1 million employees). Listen, learn, and laugh each week to learn from great leaders from all walks of life.

business careers

All Episodes

01:09:25

From Cold Calls to Kale Bowls: How Staci Cross Built...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/08/11

Join me as I sit down with Staci Cross (see her bio below), the fearless entrepreneur behind Enjoy Pure Food + Drink. In this captivating conversation, Staci shares her remarkable journey from television advertising executive to restaurant founder, including her incredible ability to land major clients through cold calling, including securing Johnson & Johnson for her Baby Basics company with a cold call to the switchboard.Discover how Staci built Baby Basics into a $2.5 million business

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18:21

Special Edition: The Future of Recruitment -...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/08/06

Join us for the inaugural episode of this bi-monthly Special Edition (short 15-30 minute episodes) of The Corporate Couch, airing on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. We dive into the evolving landscape of talent acquisition with John Mercurio and Jordan Mercurio-Lewis from Blue Ocean Search Firm. Discover how technology and human connection are reshaping recruitment, the importance of looking beyond resumes, and the strategies to find hidden talent in today's fast-paced world. Explore the

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01:00:53

Curiosity, Questions, and Customer Champions: Donna...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/08/03

Most companies treat customer onboarding like an afterthought. Donna Weber sees it as a growth strategy. With her Orchestrated Onboarding® framework and decades of experience in customer success, Donna helps companies deliver value faster, retain more customers, and scale smarter. We talk about her concept of “time to first value,” the biggest mistakes companies make after the sale, and how her global journey, starting in Scotland, shaped her approach. She also shares why A More Beautiful Question

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23:08

Special Edition: It's 5 O'clock Somewhere -...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/07/30

In this fifth edition of our “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” series, Marc Shaffer and I swap stories like you would over a cold drink on a hot summer night. From our 4th of July celebrations (including Joey Chestnut, $20,000 firework shows, and toddler-approved explosions) to the power of legacy and generosity, we cover it all. Marc shares an emotional story about the late Giftology author John Ruhlin and how he’s honoring his memory by surprising and delighting the author’s daughters. We also talk about

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53:36

Just Say Yes: Dana Bernstein on Brave Careers,...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/07/27

Dana Bernstein (see her bio below) has built a career and a life by saying yes to unexpected opportunities. From publishing dozens of articles on negotiation to managing a family-run animal hospital to coaching leaders in high-stakes conflict, Dana brings empathy, clarity, and boldness to everything she touches.In this episode, Dana turns the tables mid-conversation and coaches me through a moment of internal conflict, bringing her interactive book, It’s the Thought That Counts, to life in real

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01:11:32

Deals with Heart: Cam Bishop’s Journey from...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/07/21

Cameron “Cam” Bishop’s (see his bio below) journey from copywriter to CEO is proof that leading with vision, grit, and heart still matters. In this episode, Cam reflects on a career that spans startups, scale-ups, turnarounds, and multimillion-dollar exits, but at the core of it all is his unwavering belief in the power of people. Now a Managing Director at Raincatcher, Cam helps business owners navigate the emotional and financial complexities of selling their businesses. With more than 70 M&A

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01:08:05

Flow, Fulfillment, and Feeling Seen: Ari DeGrote on...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/07/13

Ari DeGrote (see her bio below) was born because of a New Year’s resolution literally. And that origin story might explain a lot about her mission to help people make intentional, aligned choices that spark real change.Ari believes everyone craves two things at work: meaning and mattering. As the founder of Upward & Inward and a human potential coach, Ari helps leaders and teams move beyond burnout and back into purpose by reconnecting with what makes them feel alive, aligned, and in flow. In

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01:05:50

From Police Reserves to Practical AI: Dale Thomas on...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/07/07

Dale Thomas (see his bio below) doesn’t wear the typical “tech founder” label lightly. Before launching ActionableOps and becoming a bestselling author, Dale served in the police officer reserves, an experience that shaped his no-nonsense, service-first approach to problem-solving. In this episode, Dale shares how his path from public service to operations leadership to “AI Explorer” has always centered on one thing: making things work better for real people. He doesn’t call himself an AI expert,

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01:00:47

Born to Sell: Dr. Cindy McGovern on Why Sales Is the...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/29

Dr. Cindy McGovern (see her bio below) doesn’t just teach sales; she redefines it. Known as the “First Lady of Sales,” Dr. Cindy brings her signature energy and insight to The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends with one simple truth: “Sales is not a business or soft skill. Sales is a life skill.”From classrooms to boardrooms, Dr. Cindy has helped people embrace their inner salesperson to get more of what they want in both life and work. Whether you're asking for a raise, pitching

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21:59

Special Edition: It's 5 O'clock Somewhere - From...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/25

Marc Shaffer returns for round four of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere, the recurring happy hour-style Special Edition of The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends. It’s the kind of conversation that flows between business, family, books, and community, with a splash of margarita-shirt energy. Marc opens up about how becoming a dad to two young children has transformed the way he works, delegates, and protects his time. He also shares reflections from The Five Regrets of the Dying

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01:00:09

A Voice for the Voiceless: Christal Watson’s Path...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/23

Christal Watson (see her bio below) has spent her entire career guided by one mission: To be in a position of influence so I can be a voice for those who don't have one. That mission has shaped every role she’s taken on—from championing students in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools to revitalizing the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce into a powerhouse for minority-owned businesses. Now, with more than two decades of impact behind her, Christal is stepping into her boldest chapter yet: running

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21:16

Special Edition: How AI Can Help You Scale Smarter...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/18

In this Special Edition of The Corporate Couch, Greg Deitch (CEO) and Jeremy Stephens (President) of Fluent Consultants demystify how small and mid-sized businesses can harness AI to boost efficiency, cut costs, and stay competitive without needing a tech army or Silicon Valley budget.Greg and Jeremy break down how AI is moving from trend to tool, and why now is the time for growing companies to experiment with automation, language models, and data-driven insights. From double-checking

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01:14:25

From Ivory Tower to Inclusive Leadership: Dr....

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/16

Dr. Victoria Farris (see her bio below) traded a tenured track in academia for the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. As a transformational leadership strategist, she now helps business leaders foster high-trust, inclusive workplaces where people want to show up and contribute. Our conversation explores the modern leader’s reality: managing five generations in the workplace, each with their own expectations, communication styles, and values. Victoria breaks down how trust isn’t built

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57:46

From Southern China to Strategic Force: Fiona Lin on...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/08

Fiona Lin (see her bio below) brings a global lens to leadership, starting with her childhood in southern China and leading to her rise as a business transformation expert in the U.S. As the first guest on the podcast born and raised in China, Fiona shares how growing up without toys or pets (and carving fish with friends in the river) shaped her creativity, resilience, and lifelong love of learning.We explore Fiona’s evolution from English teacher to COO, her passion for aligning strategy and

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01:05:00

From Packaging to Powerhouse: How Mary-Catherine...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/06/02

Mary-Catherine “M-C” Reinert (see her bio below) isn’t just a brand strategist, she’s a force of nature. In this episode of The Corporate Couch, M-C shares her journey from a quiet, science-loving kid from Kansas City to the founder of Fortissima, a bold branding and marketing firm whose name (Italian for “very loud”) reflects both her fierce personality and her Sicilian roots.M-C opens up about the lessons she learned in the family restaurant, the middle school teacher who helped her find

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28:30

Special Edition: It’s 5 O'Clock Somewhere with Marc...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/05/28

In this third Special Edition of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Marc Shaffer and I enhance our usual conversation by doing what any good happy hour calls for: sipping a cold beer. From deep work strategies and smart calendar hacks to journaling habits and our favorite recent reads, this episode is packed with personal insights and practical takeaways.We also swap stories about standout people we’ve recently met, the power of connecting others, and the local causes we’re proud to support. It’s a relaxed

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01:05:43

Charting Your Own Path: Massimo Backus on...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/05/27

This episode of The Corporate Couch features Massimo Backus (see his bio below), executive coach, organizational psychologist, and author of Human First, Leader Second. One of the least traditionally “corporate” guests we’ve had on the show, Massimo brings depth, vulnerability, and candor to a conversation about how to thrive in work and life by embracing our full humanity.From attending seven different colleges to working in door-to-door sales, film, commercial real estate, and ultimately

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25:43

Special Edition: Inside TIGER 21 of Kansas City –...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/05/23

In this special edition of The Corporate Couch, we explore the elite world of TIGER 21 with Kansas City Chairs Heidi Lehmann and Joe Kessinger (see their bios below). For high-net-worth individuals navigating success, succession, and significance, TIGER 21 is the global peer network that offers more than just financial advice, it provides a trusted community, deep reflection, and powerful perspective.Heidi, a five-time tech entrepreneur and nationally recognized investor, and Joe, a veteran finance

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01:13:46

From KC Chiefs Fan to Media Mogul: Zach Best on...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/05/19

In this fun and insightful episode, Zach Best, co-founder of FanSided and Executive VP at Minute Media, joins to talk about turning fandom into a media empire, building thriving remote teams, and why culture beats everything. Zach’s Kansas City roots and love for the Chiefs sparked a journey that turned a humble sports blog into a major digital media player acquired three times, including by Time/Sports Illustrated and Meredith Corporation. You’ll hear about: How Zach built a strong remote culture

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01:05:05

Branding the Biggest Games on Earth: Inside Sports...

The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends ·

2025/05/12

In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Kansas City native and sports marketing legend Mike Goff shares stories, lessons, and the occasional war wound from his trailblazing career in brand strategy and sponsorship. From his early days dreaming of sports journalism to leading iconic campaigns with the NFL, World Cup '94, and Rolling Stones tours, Mike’s career is a masterclass in storytelling, strategy, and savvy execution.Mike, whose resume includes everything from being the force behind Sprint’s

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186 results

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