From There to Here

Adam Wallace is a serial business owner, executive, and Board member.  In this episode, Adam talks about the value of obstacles and opportunities, translating disconnects, balancing economic value, what the consumer is actually paying for, investing your time, and finding the story within.Adam Wallace has spent years unlocking pricing power for products and services. After more than a decade as a corporate fixer, joining Fortune 100 leadership teams to capture additional value on multibillion dollar ventures, he now serves as an interim executive and board member for a portfolio of private companies.  Inspired by creating scalable ways to capture additional value, Adam has created multiple leadership approaches that are utilized by thousands of people every day. Adam’s industry experience includes technology companies, consulting services, financial services, energy operations, and reliable delivery of the world's largest megaprojects. His recent book "(Re)Value” identifies oft-neglected strategies for sustainably increasing profit margins by tapping into human nature to reveal what customers and employees value and for which they will happily pay or contribute more.  Adam grew up in a two-story log cabin outside of Nashville, built by his 7th generation grandfather prior to Tennessee becoming a State. He now resides with his wife and son in the quaint seaside village of Del Mar, California. https://www.adamwallace.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Re-value-Raise-Prices-Legacy/dp/1637426062To learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Scott Couchenour is a life and business strategist.  In this episode, Scott talks about messing with the plan, dividing the work, the lesson in hubris, building a life by design, acknowledging your moonshine, and living a life true to yourself.Scott Couchenour is a seasoned "fourth quarter" life and business strategist dedicated to empowering high-achieving individuals over 45 to take command of their futures. With nearly three decades of executive leadership experience as a COO and CEO, Scott excels at guiding accomplished leaders through pivotal life transitions, offering clarity and actionable strategies to realign their lives and businesses.Scott’s expertise extends into the realm of exit and legacy planning, helping business owners navigate the human side of transition. He understands that exits are more than financial transactions—they are deeply personal transformations that require identity, purpose, and legacy considerations. By helping entrepreneurs envision their post-exit lives, Scott ensures they move forward with confidence, fulfillment, and a well-defined legacy.His approach combines visionary planning with iterative execution, ensuring tangible results and sustainable growth. His clients consistently surpass their own expectations, unlocking potential and achieving transformative breakthroughs.Beyond his professional pursuits, Scott cherishes his roles as a devoted husband, father, and proud "Poppy" to his grandchildren. A pianist, spreadsheet enthusiast, and avid coffee connoisseur, he infuses passion and precision into every facet of his life.Connect with Scott:•LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcouchenour/•Website: https://www.servingstrong.com•Email: coach@servingstrong.com To learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Lisette Keus is a lionfish huntress and entrepreneur.  In this episode, she talks about widening horizons, the awareness of differences, non-profit contradictions, adapting to the opportunities, being in charge of the whole chain, fixing the problems as they occur, and to keep moving.Lisette Keus was born in the Netherlands and grew up in the world, thanks to her adventurous and business-minded parents. Her journey has taken her from Australia to Curaçao to Bangladesh, shaping her view of the world with every step. She once had the idealistic dream of becoming a human rights lawyer, but after a few detours, reality led her (back) to the ocean. Lisette eventually started Lionfish Caribbean, where they’re helping to tackle the invasive lionfish problem by catching them, and turning them into delicious LionDishes and beautiful jewelry. She strongly believes that long-term real change comes from businesses, not so much from non-profits, and that sustainable solutions can be both impactful and profitable. For her, life is all about moving forward, opening your eyes and staying connected to the world around you. And if you want things to be different, then change it! Learn more about Lissete:www.lionfishcaribbean.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Chris LeBeau is the owner of Decoding Cocktails, a cocktail education business.  In this episode, he talks about being a dreamer, doing it for yourself, big thoughts, the understanding of motivation, and knowing your pain thresholds.I’m Chris LeBeau and I run a cocktail education business. I didn’t enter this industry until I was 38. Before that, I spent years in jobs that involved suits, PowerPoints, and too many meetings. I was good at wearing suits. The rest? Debatable.I’m am an intensely passionate person who takes both learning and fun very seriously. This has, at times, made me an odd fit in corporate settings. Turns out, enthusiasm and curiosity don’t always pair well with boardrooms. But they do go well with entertaining and teaching.I got into cocktails because a book showed me how simple they can be to make, and I wanted to share that with my friends. One thing led to another, and somehow, this became a business.For all the romanticization of entrepreneurship, Marc Andreessen sums it up best: "Entrepreneurs only ever experience two emotions: euphoria and terror." I’ve found that to be viscerally true. The upside? These are also the moments when you feel most alive.To balance this boozy rollercoaster, I have a never miss morning coffee routine, meditate and swim (sometimes), cook, and send my friends a mix of absurd and heartfelt messages. Website: decodingcocktails.comPodcast: Decoding Cocktails PodcastLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clebeau/Contact: info@decodingcocktails.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Ron Story Jr. is an entrepreneur and speaker coach.  In this episode, Ron talks about having an athletic mind, selling the intangible, learning from the inside, the problem-pain spectrum, buying the next solution, and the value of persistence.Born and raised in East St. Louis, IL, Ron Story Jr. is an entrepreneur, speaker coach, and CEO of SpeakerHub, the world’s largest AI-powered speakers bureau. With over 10,000 booked meetings as a former agent, Ron has mastered the art of getting speakers on stages—without relying on traditional bureaus.Through SpeakerHub Pro and his SpeakerFlywheel™ method, he helps speakers land paid gigs, leverage smaller stages to get bigger opportunities, and turn speaking into a marketing engine. Now based in Medellín, Colombia, he manages an international team of employees across South America and Europe.Learn more about Ron Story Jr.:www.ronstoryjr.comwww.speakerhub.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Julian Scadden is the President and CEO of Nexstar, a member owned organization fostering growth for businesses in select trades.   In this episode, Julian openly shares about the challenges and lessons of a tougher childhood environment, being who you are, the way we treat each other along our journey, change coming from experience, understanding the operations, the racehorse vs. the mule, moving through isms, and being available to those who are alone.Julian Scadden serves as President and CEO of Nexstar Network, a member-owned organization supporting the PHCE home services trades that drives business growth and development through continued education and the sharing of ideas. With more than 1,000 members and 100 employees, Nexstar Network offers professional coaching, expert training, and valuable resources to help the world’s best tradespeople become the world’s best businesspeople.Learn more about Julian Scadden:https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianscadden/julians@nexstarnetwork.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

In this episode, Eric Pratum talks about a lack of attachments, using the time paid by others, the ease of pain with exposure, a complicated relationship with social media, learning empathy on the job, encouraging the feeling of insight, becoming what you spend your time on, and recognizing people (and their mindset) as the foundation.Eric Pratum is a marketing strategist and podcast host with a background in digital marketing, analytics, and integrated marketing. He has worked with Fortune 100 companies, thousands of nonprofits, and numerous other organizations large and small, helping them develop data-driven, audience-centered strategies that are measurable, repeatable, and connect with deep human needs.Eric’s work and podcast focus on understanding the motivations and desires of the people behind communications and leadership—both the teams executing it and the audiences they aim to reach.Learn more about Eric Pratum:https://bigwidesky.com https://unfoldingthought.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpratum/ eric@inboundandagile.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

In this episode, John and I talk about storytelling and why you tell the story differently, using stories in your own story, the importance of humility, the future state of your story, the pitfall of telling people who you are, the story behind business strategy, asking your audience, and knowing the take-away you want.High-growth companies and those navigating transitions, such as M&A or generational leadership changes, often struggle to effectively communicate their value both externally and internally.John Knicely is an award winning journalist and business owner who helps clarify and align that unique value. He uses authentic storytelling to drive culture and generate business. John often works with businesses that have a great story, but the unique value is not being told to the specific target audiences the way THEY need to experience it.Learn more about John Knicely:https://www.storyonpurpose.com/linkedin.com/in/john-knicelyjohn@storyonpurpose.comTo learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Dr. Kate Lund is a clinical psychologist.  She shares how a medical condition in her youth taught her empathy, her clinical focus on adaptation, the human side of injury, the importance of hope, maximizing potential in one’s unique context, her focus on parenting, strategy to help more people, and focusing on the possibilities.Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist of 15 years, peak performance coach, best-selling author and TEDx speaker. Her specialized training in medical psychology includes world-renowned Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, all of which are affiliated with Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Kate uses a strengths-based approach to help her clients improve their confidence in school, sports and life while helping them to become more resilient and reach their full potential at all levels.Outside of her work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and twin boys exploring the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest and she can often be found on the golf courses.https://www.katelundspeaks.com/The Optimized Mind - Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-mind/id1648306501?i=1000581545932To learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

Glenn Akramoff is an organizational rehabilitation consultant.  Glenn generously shares his stories and his lessons learned; including to care about what is important to you and those you care about, preparing for the worse, not applying yourself and the impact on others, the importance of recognition, lessons on empathy, recognizing a miscast, the awareness of your emotional intelligence, and giving people permission.Glenn Akramoff is the founder and CEO of Akramoff LLC. His expertise is rehabilitating and revitalizing municipal government workplaces and has developed a program that will improve any organization by returning humanity to the center of focus. Glenn’s life experiences and core values are the center of his purpose. Having worked from seasonal maintenance to City Manager and now consultant and business owner over a 30-year career, he’s observed a connection between fulfillment at work and happiness at home. He has an intense desire to improve the lives of everyone he works with. Glenn creates environments that are innovative, inclusive, growing, and rich in communication and respect. His Human Centered program empowers teams and leaders to overcome and succeed together.https://akramoff.com/The Human Side of Work : Redefining Workplace SuccessListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-started/id1750303750?i=1000657832054To learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/