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

Hollenstein joined the roster at eyebobs in July of 2016. As VP of Direct, Hollenstein was responsible for expanding the direct-to-consumer business, which includes e-commerce and catalog. In December of 2017, Hollenstein was named CEO and continues to utilize his collaborative style and passion for building eyebobs unique brand to drive the business forward. Prior to joining eyebobs, Hollenstein was Vice President, Merchandising for Sportsman's Guide. As leader of the product management team, he helped Sportsman's Guide deliver over $300M in annual volume. Previously, Hollenstein led the direct purchase division at G&K Services, and from 2000 to 2008 he helped build the Duluth Trading Co. business as Vice President of Product Development.

In the spirit of summer, we're taking a break from creating new content this August. We'll be back in September with fresh content, but in the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy some of our listeners' favorite episodes! Serhat Unsal is the Chief Executive Officer of Jackson, MI-based Dawn Foods. Sharing CEO responsibilities with Carrie Jones-Barber, he leverages his extensive global leadership experience to help drive greater growth and success for Dawn. Unsal joined Dawn in early 2011. As President International from 2011-2016, he led Dawn’s global growth in the company’s key European markets along with emerging markets in Africa, Middle East, Asia/Pacific, and Latin America. In his four years as President, he doubled the international divisions’ operating profit by developing and deploying completely new regional strategies for Europe, LATAM and AMEAP. During the same period, he also led Dawn’s corporate strategy development & execution. Prior to Dawn, Unsal spent 18 years with Unilever where he started his career as a Project Manager. By 2010, Unsal had risen to the role of Managing Director Unilever Foodsolutions Turkey, Central Asia & Caucasia. In this role, he doubled his division’s annual revenue and operating profit. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Unilever Turkey. Unsal earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

In the spirit of summer, we're taking a break from creating new content this August. We'll be back in September with fresh content, but in the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy some of our listeners' favorite episodes! Dale Easdon is currently CEO of Klosterman Baking Company. At the time of this episode's recording (way back for episode 15!) he was CEO of Snap Kitchen.  Dale Easdon is on a mission to scale clean eating without compromise. As the chief executive officer of Snap Kitchen, he is responsible for taking the company’s omnichannel business model to the next level. Under his leadership, the team is focused on introducing quick store pickup, healthy meal planning, and home delivery—all driven by the new digital app. Previously serving as the chief operating officer, Easdon’s tenure has been marked by an expansion to a state-of-the-art kitchen, wholesale growth, and a proven track record for building winning teams who focus on performance-based leadership. Dale’s commitment to cooking fresh hand- cooked meals to scale is a true differentiator for the brand. Before joining Snap Kitchen, Dale spent time at Taylor Farms, where he served as the chief operating officer. He also spent over eight years at LSG Sky Chefs, holding multiple positions within the company, including chief operating officer for the UK office. During his time at LSG Sky Chefs, Dale was responsible for various roles, including managing over 9,000 employees, strategic deployment, operational excellence globally and his final assignment which had him managing the US market with revenues of $850 million. Prior to LSG Sky Chefs, Dale spent over nine years as a senior director of food services at Continental Airlines during the business turnaround under the leadership of Gordon Bethune. Dale graduated from Manchester University and The Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene. He built his career driving lean manufacturing with training alongside The Porsche Group in Germany, where he also attended the Porsche Academy for Lean Logistics. Dale, originally from Scotland, lives in Austin with his wife Linda, and he is the proud father of four children.

In the spirit of summer, we're taking a break from creating new content this August. We'll be back in September with fresh content, but in the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy some of our listeners' favorite episodes! Stephen Wakeling is a wireless industry entrepreneur with a 10-year track record of developing disruptive, technology-powered services. He is the co-founder and CEO of Phobio, LLC -- a software development company that builds optimized software services to support wireless carriers and retailers. Phobio provides outstanding service and support to wireless retailers around the world and to technology companies, such as Apple, Verizon, and Samsung. Phobio’s flagship product is Safetrade, a device trade-in software that offers simple solutions, unmatched support, and a risk-free program that guarantees device values to wireless retailers. In 2017, Phobio successfully launched its second product -- Rodio -- which provides a two-way communication system designed specifically for enterprises to send important updates and messages to remote and geographically-dispersed teams with ease, and utilizes AI to maximize team engagement.  Stephen holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He is a journalist by education, a technologist at heart, and, as an entrepreneur, he thrives on start-up culture and his personal mission to build things better. Stephen is also an avid pilot, who has moved frequently in his career, living throughout the US, Australia, and Asia. Currently, he lives in Atlanta with his wife and two sons. Email - stephen.wakeling@phobio.com Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwakeling 

Dave Fink thinks the best-kept secret in marketing is hiding where you least expect it — your mailbox. Over a 20-year career he’s generated hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue, powered viral sensations like Dollar Shave Club, and helped launch celebrity startups for Jessica Simpson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Kate Bosworth. Now as founder and CEO of Postie, he’s out to reinvent direct mail marketing for a digital world. Dave’s first encounter with the awesome potential of digital marketing came during the dotcom boom of the late 90’s. He was working for a web 1.0 marketing company, watching his clients at legacy giants like Procter & Gamble and Clorox toiling away at the same cramped desks year after year. Meanwhile, his contacts at digitally-savvy tech startups were busy trading in their Hyundais for Ferraris. Something big was happening, and he was determined to be a part of it. Fast forward to the 2010’s, and Dave had transformed that determination into an incredible career as a multiple-time founder, early stage tech investor, and digital marketing guru. He learned to apply emerging AI and machine learning analysis to various digital marketing channels, fueling the launch of over 20 successful consumer internet startups in the process. But despite the success of his strategy, one advertising channel remained stubbornly resistant to his attempts at modernization — direct mail. After years of research, Dave cracked the problem. In early 2017 he unveiled Postie, finally empowering old-fashioned mail to perform as dynamically as the best modern digital channels. With a suite of powerful tools like real-time attribution and audience modeling, they’ve quickly become the preferred direct mail solution for top digitally native brands like Lyft, Postmates, Casper, Warby Parker, Stitch Fix, and more.

Bill Yoh is chairman of Yoh and co-owner of Day & Zimmermann, Yoh’s parent company. Bill’s prior experience includes president of Yoh and chief customer officer of Day & Zimmermann. A past chairman of the American Staffing Association, which represents the $150 billion US staffing industry, Bill has represented both Yoh and our industry around the country and internationally. Bill’s expertise also includes family business governance and succession, as Day & Zimmermann is one of the largest family businesses in the US as ranked by Forbes. Bill also recently published his first book, Our Way, a biography on his father and past Yoh president, Spike Yoh. More information at ourwaybook.com.

John Costello, the President and CEO of Cherry’s Industrial Equipment Corporation, is responsible for the overall development and success of the organization. He is experienced in every aspect of the company. John started out in the company as a sales assistant and moved up through the ranks to manager, partner, and sole owner during his 25-year tenure. John has been a leader and advocate for employee engagement and financial literacy, implementing open-book management in 2018 with tremendous results. John lives in Illinois with his wife Kim, three beautiful kids Jack, Grace and Leah, and their dog Millie who is adored and loved by all.  John attended Northern Illinois University. He belongs to several industry professional associations including: MHI (Material Handling Industry), EASE (Ergonomic Assist Systems & Equipment), MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association), and IARW (International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.) and actively participates in the open book community GGOB.  John enjoys swimming and competes in 5k open water swims and masters state and national championship meets holding top 10 times in many events.

Sean Caughron is a renowned leader and industry expert in the water treatment sector, with a  stellar reputation for driving innovation and fostering growth. With a successful tenure as the former owner and CEO of Chester Paul Company, now a division of Elbi of America, Sean has made significant contributions to both the company and the industry as a whole.  Throughout his illustrious career spanning several decades, Sean played a pivotal role in shaping the growth and success of Chester Paul Company. Under his visionary leadership, the company transitioned from the “soft drink” beverage industry to the drinking water and water treatment market. This strategic move allowed the company to flourish and solidify its position as a leading provider of water treatment systems and components worldwide. Sean's exceptional business acumen and strategic vision enabled the company to expand its product offerings, explore new markets, and forge strong relationships with clients.  Sean's commitment to excellence and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction earned him a stellar reputation within the industry. Known for his hands-on approach, he actively engaged with customers, understood their unique needs, and delivered tailored solutions that consistently exceeded expectations. His ability to build and nurture long-term partnerships significantly contributed to the company's continued success.  Recognizing the evolving landscape of the industry, Sean spearheaded the decision to sell  Chester Paul Company to Elbi of America. This strategic move facilitated increased synergy,  expanded resources, and enhanced capabilities to better serve clients and remain at the forefront of the industry.  Currently serving as the VP of Sales for Chester Paul, Elbi of America's Water Treatment division, Sean continues to contribute to the company's success by providing strategic guidance and leveraging his deep understanding of market dynamics to drive sustainable growth.  Beyond his professional accomplishments, Sean is actively involved in various not-for-profit organizations, where he serves on boards, committees, sections, and task forces affiliated with the Water Quality Association and its regional partners. His dedication to advancing the industry extends beyond his business endeavors.  Sean resides in Southern California with his wife Suzette and takes pride in being a devoted father to his two grown children, Brianna and Robert. In his leisure time, he has discovered a  passion for endurance sports and has completed numerous marathons and the ultimate test of endurance, the Ironman triathlon.

Paul Anton and Lyth Saeed are the co-founders of Huupe, the world's first smart basketball hoop.  Paul is the CEO of Huupe and is a Greek-American founder originally from Milwaukee, WI. Before becoming a founder, Paul was working as an intellectual property attorney in San Francisco, CA where he helped numerous companies obtain valuable IP. It was through his work in intellectual property where Anton learned about business and what makes a company truly valuable. Anton's first company, Atlas Media, was an out of home advertising startup that was acquired by one of the nation's leading advertising companies. Shortly after that, Anton went on to found Real Shot, an augmented reality basketball gaming company that became part of Deutsche Telekom's exclusive hub:raum accelerator. It has always been Anton's dream to build a way for people to play basketball against each other in different parts of the world. According to Anton, Huupe is a lifelong mission.  Lyth is the COO of Huupe and is an Arab-American founder originally from Milwaukee, WI. Previously, Lyth helped co-found a luxury ride-share app that has done over 60 million rides to date. After that, Lyth moved on to an AI-recruitment technology company that did 20 Million in revenue in its first year. Lyth has experience in early-stage startups and global expansion. As an operational leader, building successful teams and hitting deadlines is his expertise. His love for basketball, technology and blending the two together is the motive for creating Huupe.

Bill Canady is the CEO of Ohio Transmission Corporation, and the President and CEO of Swagelock.  is a global business executive in industrial, engineered and consumer products. He aligns with key stakeholders to set a clear and compelling vision that will rally the organization to drive growth, control cost, and increase profitability. Bill also develops strong leaders and management teams and establishes relationships with customers and stakeholders. Experienced in global public, ESOP, and private companies. Strategic Growth Mergers | Acquisitions | Divestment Acquisition Integration Business Restructuring International Business P&L Leadership Company Transformation Turnarounds & Profitable Growth Product and Market Share Growth People & Team Development