ROI’s Into the Corner Office Podcast: Powerhouse Middle Market CEOs Telling it Real—Unexpected Caree...

Be Nimble: How the Creative Navy SEAL Mindset Wins on the Battlefield and in Business Marty Strong's direct and compelling message is focused on business but in truth, its leadership tenets are agnostic as to industry, marketplace, private or public setting. This is not a textbook. It is a personal conversation between a high-performance business leader and professionals searching for actionable insights that deliver results. Be Nimble provides mentorship, tips, tools, and useful examples to help drive home its valuable leadership insights.  It's available now for pre-sale on Amazon (release Jan 1, 2022) Be Nimble: How the Creative Navy SEAL Mindset Wins on the Battlefield and in Business: Strong, Marty: 9781789048407: Amazon.com: Books     BIO - Introduction: Marty Strong is a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, and the author of the new business leadership book: Be Nimble: How the Navy SEAL Creative Mindset Wins on the Battlefield and in Business. After leaving twenty years in the military Marty spent seven years as a successful investment advisor with UBS. He is now the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of the LGS Management Group, Inc., an employee-owned multi-company enterprise focusing on training and healthcare. Social Media Platforms:   Website #1 http://www.martystrongbenimble.com Website #2 http://www.thesagamindset.com Website #3 http://www.mlstrongauthor.com LinkedIn URL https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-strong-9676bb13/ Facebook URL http://www.facebook.com/MartyStrong Instagram https://www.instagram.com/martinlstrongauthor%20%20https://www.instagram.com/thesagaleadershipmindset%20https://www.instagram.com/mlstrongauthor

Ken has been the President and CEO of America’s Thrift Stores since November of 2013 when he stepped off of the board to assume this role. He spent his first 4 years building the team (21 of ATS’s Top 25 leaders came from outside) putting in scalable systems and processes (Net Suite, Dundas BI tool, Day Force HCMS, Speed Rail Processing system), improving operations and cleaning up the balance sheet. All to prepare for accelerating growth.  Today, America’s Thrift Stores (ATS) is America’s premier thrift retailer in the Southeast, with 24 stores on track to deliver over $80 million in revenue and $10 million of sustaining EBIDTA in 2021 at a 66% gross margin and $12 million EBITDA run rate.  In the last 24 months, during the pandemic, ATS has added 7 new stores to its base of 17. Prior to the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, ATS’s business was already incredibly healthy, growing total topline sales for 12 straight quarters and same store sales for 11 straight quarters.  Reopening in June 2020, ATS emerged equally strong, with 4 back-to-back quarters of comp store sales growth, including an historic Q1 where both comp store sales and Total Sales hit record-breaking levels. Sustaining EBITDA is expected to be over $14 million in 2022 and will more than double over next 5 years as the company continues to grow comp store sales, opens 3-5 new stores annually and enters the rapidly accelerating on-line thrift space.  Prior to joining America’s Thrift Stores, Ken a mentor, advisor and coach to small and mid-size company CEO’s as an Operating Partner with Alpine Investors LLC stretching across industries from Online Education to Online Retail Lighting & Design to Retail Furniture to Used Cars to Retail Thrift.  In this role he coached CEO’s and their leadership teams on helping them build and drive their growth strategies and sales & marketing execution. He also stepped into interim leadership roles and helped with sourcing and due diligence on potential new acquisition candidates.  Ken Sobaski has been a visionary, strategic President & CEO with a history of significantly accelerating growth and inspiring teamwork on businesses across multiple different industries: consumer food, online e-commerce, recreational products and giftware. He has over 30 years of experience at blue chip marketing driven companies like Kraft, General Mills, Pillsbury, Polaris and Capella Education Company, where he grew brands like Orville Redenbacher, Green Giant, Wheaties, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Polaris.  Ken’s distinction is his ability to lead his teams to achieve significant levels of growth not reached before. Here are a few examples: At Pillsbury he took a $600mm refrigerated baked goods business that was flat or declining for 5 years and added $120mm in revenue in year 1 and built a pipeline of new products that grew $270mm of incremental revenue over 3 years At Green Giant he successfully launched Create-a-Meal, a $150mm new frozen vegetable meal starter business, achieving record shares in frozen vegetables, moving to #1 position in category in 12 months On Orville Redenbacher he reversed 49-months of declines with 12 months of double-digit volume gains. At Polaris he grew revenue +34% in just over 3 years by focusing/improving marketing execution and upgrading the dealer network At Capella Education Company (online consumer education company) he took growth from +15% per year to +25% per year, adding $120mm in revenue in under 3 years Ken has served on the boards of The Minnesota Diabetes Association, The Twin Cities United Way and The Council on Aging – Orange County.  Ken holds a BA in Economics & Urban Studies from St. Olaf College and an MBA in Marketing & Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University   

Sophie Ross is the Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Technology segment at FTI Consulting and is based in San Francisco. Ms. Ross also leads the Technology Steering Committee and is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Ms. Ross has more than 20 years of experience in company management and operations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Ms. Ross specializes in helping clients manage their overall e-discovery and review through predictable pricing models and by simplifying the multi layers of discovery management. Prior to her appointment as Global CEO of the Technology segment, Ms. Ross led the Western Region for the Technology segment, as well as the managed document review business globally. Ms. Ross joined FTI Consulting through its 2008 acquisition of Strategic Discovery, a leader in the litigation discovery industry, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for data processing, IT and client support, human resources and administration and accounting. Prior to Strategic Discovery, Ms. Ross was Executive Vice President of Global Delivery & Operations at Freeborders Inc., an application outsourcing and software firm. Ms. Ross has also held strategic and operational leadership roles at Revlon Inc./MacAndrews & Forbes and The Boston Consulting Group. In addition to her leadership role in the Technology segment, Ms. Ross serves on the Global Steering Committee of FTI Consulting’s Women’s Initiative, a company-wide program to attract, retain, develop and promote highly talented female professionals. Ms. Ross has served in the Israeli Navy Intelligence, possesses an international and European background and is fluent in four languages. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Tel Aviv University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Peter Greer is the president and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered economic development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining HOPE, Peter worked internationally as a microfinance adviser in Cambodia and Zimbabwe and as managing director for Urwego Bank in Rwanda. He received a B.S. in international business from Messiah University and an MPP in political and economic development from Harvard's Kennedy School. Peter’s favorite part of his job is spending time with the entrepreneurs HOPE serves—whether harvesting coffee with farmers in Rwanda, dancing alongside savings groups in Haiti, or visiting the greenhouses of entrepreneurs in Ukraine. As an advocate for the Church’s role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has co-authored over 10 books, including Mission Drift (selected as a 2015 Book Award Winner from Christianity Today), Rooting for Rivals (selected as a 2019 Leadership Resource of the Year in Outreach magazine), The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (selected as one of the top 40 books on poverty by WORLD magazine) and Created to Flourish (which his mom reviewed with five stars and a smiley face emoji). More important than his role at HOPE is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Liliana, Myles, and London. While his sports loyalties remain in New England, Peter and his family live in Lancaster, PA.

Doug‌ ‌Leeby‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌CEO‌ ‌of‌ ‌Beeline,‌ ‌a‌ ‌global‌ ‌SaaS‌ ‌technology‌ ‌company‌ ‌and‌ ‌solution‌ ‌provider‌ ‌for‌ ‌sourcing‌ ‌and‌ ‌managing‌ ‌the‌ ‌extended‌ ‌workforce.‌ ‌With‌ ‌offices‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌US,‌ ‌UK,‌ ‌Australia,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌Philippines,‌ ‌Beeline‌ ‌serves‌ ‌the‌ ‌world’s‌ ‌largest‌ ‌and‌ ‌most‌ ‌respected‌ ‌brands‌ ‌by‌ ‌managing‌ ‌over‌ ‌$40B‌ ‌in‌ ‌contingent‌ ‌workforce‌ ‌spend.‌  ‌Recognized‌ ‌as‌ ‌an‌ ‌industry‌ ‌innovator‌ ‌and‌ ‌customer‌ ‌champion,‌ ‌Doug‌ ‌has‌ ‌led‌ ‌Beeline‌ ‌to‌ ‌become‌ ‌the‌ ‌largest‌ ‌independent‌ ‌provider‌ ‌of‌ ‌solutions‌ ‌for‌ ‌managing‌ ‌all‌ ‌categories‌ ‌of‌ ‌non-fulltime‌ ‌talent,‌ ‌including‌ ‌temporary‌ ‌staff,‌ ‌professional‌ ‌contractors,‌ ‌service‌ ‌workers,‌ ‌consultants,‌ ‌project-based‌ ‌workers,‌ ‌and‌ ‌independent‌ ‌contractors.‌ ‌ Doug‌ ‌is‌ ‌in‌ ‌his‌ ‌18‌th‌‌ ‌year‌ ‌at‌ ‌Beeline‌ ‌and‌ ‌is‌ ‌based‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌company’s‌ ‌headquarters‌ ‌in‌ ‌Jacksonville,‌ ‌FL.‌  ‌He‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌included‌ ‌on‌ ‌Staffing‌ ‌Industry‌ ‌Analyst’s‌ ‌list‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌“100‌ ‌Most‌ ‌Influential‌ ‌People‌ ‌in‌ ‌Staffing”‌ ‌every‌ ‌year‌ ‌since‌ ‌2012.‌ ‌Doug‌ ‌believes‌ ‌strongly‌ ‌in‌ ‌culture‌ ‌and‌ ‌through‌ ‌his‌ ‌servant-minded‌ ‌leadership‌ ‌has‌ ‌created‌ ‌a‌ ‌corporate‌ ‌culture‌ ‌built‌ ‌on‌ ‌trust‌ ‌and‌ ‌diversity.‌ ‌Doug‌ ‌attended‌ ‌Vanderbilt‌ ‌University‌ ‌where‌ ‌he‌ ‌earned‌ ‌his‌ ‌BA‌ ‌in‌ ‌History‌ ‌and‌ ‌his‌ ‌M.Ed.‌ ‌in‌ ‌Human‌ ‌Resources.‌  ‌He‌ ‌enjoys learning,‌ ‌interacting‌ ‌with‌ ‌interesting‌ ‌people,‌ ‌the‌ ‌outdoors,‌ ‌and‌ ‌any‌ ‌and‌ ‌all‌ ‌time‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌family.‌ ‌

Craig Gunckel is the chief executive officer for Iconex, which he joined in July 2017. With more than 25 years of expertise in the paper, packaging and retail industries, Gunckel brings a proven track record of leadership and helping companies thrive. Prior to joining Iconex, he served as president, enterprise solutions for WestRock. During his 20+ years with the company, Gunckel held a variety of executive roles, including leading its merchandising displays and folding carton businesses. Gunckel currently serves on the board for the Wake Forest University Business School, the Purdue University Krannet School of Management and the Atlanta Area Boy Scouts. He earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Purdue University.

Paul Blanco is the founder and CEO of Barnum Financial Group, an award-winning provider of comprehensive personalized planning, investment and protection solutions, and financial literacy programs to clients across the United  States. Throughout his career, Paul has been a tireless advocate for his firm and the communities it serves as well as for the financial services industry.  He began his career at MetLife as a financial services representative in 1991. In just two years, he moved into management,  taking over a seven person MetLife office in Trumbull, Connecticut. Today, Barnum has over 20 offices in Connecticut,  New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.  In recognition of his vision and leadership, Paul became the youngest inductee into the MetLife Managers’ Hall of Fame.  During his MetLife tenure, he won numerous accolades for his achievements including Top of the Tower, Golden Laureate, and Platinum Laureate. He has qualified for eight consecutive Management Leaders Conferences and fifteen America’s  Council Conferences. Paul led the team at Barnum to be recognized by MetLife as their Firm of the Year in 2004, 2005,  2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, and 2015.  Paul is passionate in his belief that having well-trained and credentialed professionals providing personal financial advice and strategies can have a major positive impact on the lives of individuals and their families. This belief has led him to make substantial contributions to his industry including developing his Growth Through Innovation workshops, a  forum to deliver “best practices” across all aspects of our businesses to financial services leaders throughout the country.  In the last decade, Barnum has consistently been ranked as a “Best Place to Work” by organizations such as the Hartford  Business Journal and Providence Business News and “Best Company to Work For” by the New York State SHRM, The  Business Council of New York, and Best Companies Group. Most recently, Barnum was named a “Best Places to Work for  Financial Advisors” by Investment News.  Most recently, Paul’s understanding of the importance of engaging young adults to take control of their financial futures has inspired him to spearhead the launch of The Establishment Barnum, a new approach to financial education and literacy focusing on young professionals.  He has served on GAMA Foundation’s Board of Trustees and has written for their Great Ideas book series. He has qualified for the Master Agency Award, the International Management Diamond Plus and Diamond Awards, and the First in Class  GAMA International Award. GAMA has also named Barnum one of the top 100 U. S. Financial Agencies multiple times.  Paul was recently accepted into the Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting,  financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms, and has contributed insights to a number of their publications.. A noted industry speaker, Paul has appeared on many radio and television programs as well as in national and local publications, providing insights on leadership, recruiting, philanthropy, and industry innovation.

George is the Owner and President of Drive Research, LLC. He has more than 15 years of experience working on the client and supplier side of market research. He has consulted for hundreds of regional, national, and global organizations. George has vast experience with all types of market research design and project management. He is a certified VoC professional with a focus on innovation and new product management. His interests outside of Drive Research include his wife Jennifer, daughters Abigail and MacKenzie, and his dog Shea. He is an avid tennis player and Mets, Giants, and Rangers fan. This is unfortunate for him most seasons.

Brad Wolansky is the Chief Executive Officer at Dover Saddlery, the largest multichannel retailer of equestrian products in the United States. Brad brings a wealth of leadership and experience to the business. His strengths in operational excellence, omni channel marketing, product development and over 30 years in retail both in the private and public sectors, coupled with his passion and drive to put the customer first, establishes Brad as a strong leader and mentor for growing brands. In addition to Brad’s current position as Dover Saddlery CEO, he spent time as Chief Digital Officer at Performance Sports Group via Boston’s B2C Partners, President, Consumer Direct, and President, Fundraising as well as Chief Marketing Officer for Yankee Candle, part of Newell Brands. Prior to joining Yankee Candle, Brad was CEO of The Golf Warehouse for Redcats USA and spent over 10 years with The Orvis Company, managing catalog and product development and most recently VP of Global E-Commerce. Brad was also Director of E-Commerce Merchandising for Wilson's Leather, spent time at L.L. Bean, has engineered two start-ups, and for ten years ran a family-owned group of luggage and gift stores.

Joshua Broder serves as CEO of Tilson, which under his leadership, has grown from less than 10 employees to 600, earning a top spot on the Inc. 5000 list for the past eleven years. He is also the founder of Tilson’s public utility affiliate, which develops, owns, and leases back 5G infrastructure including poles, towers, and fiber nationwide. Josh cut his teeth in leadership as an Army Signal Officer on missions in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan designing, building, and operating the communications network for US forces. Josh holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and is a graduate of AT&T’s Operation Hand Salute at JFK University with a certificate in entrepreneurial studies. Josh is on the board of Versant Power, VETRO FiberMap, Kleinschmidt Associates, The Jackson Laboratory, and Skowhegan Savings Bank.