Grounded Toward Growth
Welcome to my Leadership Podcast, Grounded Toward Growth. I work with amazing leaders in the Baltimore, MD area, and I firmly believe that growth, both personally and professionally, begins with grounded, foundational balance.
Episodes
The best leaders I know are humble, hungry, and emotionally intelligent. That’s not something I learned in a classroom. It’s something I inherited. I come from Swedish immigrants who didn’t talk about leadership—they lived it. They worked hard, built community, and made a better life through quiet determination. Their legacy shapes the way I coach CEOs today: not just to grow companies, but to grow as humans.
Join me and former Vistage member, Jamie Waldren, to discuss his new book: Exit on Your Own Terms - 10 Blind Spots You Need To Know To Plan Your Exit and Make Work Optional It’s a common dilemma for many business owners, where the demands of daily operations often take precedence over long-term planning. Focusing on keeping the business running smoothly may have kept you in survival mode, but now it’s time to think strategically ab...
M. Luis Construction is a civil construction company specializing in asphalt milling/paving and concrete site construction with offices in Baltimore, Silver Spring and Rockville, Maryland. M. Luis Products operates 2 full service asphalt manufacturing facilities in Rockville and Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Their president, David Slaughter, is one of the founding members of my Vistage Chief Executive group.
Elana Burr never planned on becoming a recruiter. Fresh out of college with a degree in Family Studies, she initially expected to pursue a career in social work—until she realized she wanted a profession centered around people while also allowing her the freedom to build something of her own. At just 22, she quit her job after three months in recruiting and launched her first firm, Metro Recruiting. Over 17 years, she grew it into...
Many business owners start with the belief that after a few years of hard work, they’ll be able to ease off the gas. But too often, they find themselves still grinding, working long hours, and struggling to scale beyond their current plateau. In this conversation, I'll sit down with current Vistage Member, Diane Mentzer, to discuss her practice untangling jumbled operations for busy business leaders. If your business is stuck betw...
As leaders, we need to be open to unpredictability. The wind can shift suddenly, and so can market conditions, team dynamics, or customer needs. Just as a sailor reads the wind and adjusts the sails, we must read our environment and respond accordingly, all while keeping our eye on the destination.
Join me and current Vistage member, Harry Haywood, on his work with HBS Solutions and how Vistage has impacted his business growth. HBS is a Technical Service Company focused on providing facility engineering solutions to government and commercial facilities.
Join me and current member, Jamie Waldren for this LinkedIn Live event. Jamie operates JN Private Wealth Management, an independent RIA Registered Investment Advisor operating as a Virtual Family Office. Their fiduciary VFO model offers comprehensive wealth management strategies for CEOs, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and individuals transitioning into retirement to help make work optional. With a client centric holistic appro...
Join me and Doug McGinnis, who has been a Vistage member for 10 years. He is the owner of Bunting Door & Hardware Co. one of the largest distributors of Hollow Metal Doors and Frames, Wood Doors, Architectural Hardware, Specialty Doors and Bath Accessories in the Mid-Atlantic region. Bunting acquired LOKTEK Entry and Access Solutions in 2018, and added LOKTEK Automatics this year. They distribute and install Horton Automatic ...
Interview with Chris Brown.
Current member Bradley Marks serves as Chief Client Officer at Vheda Health, bringing nearly 20 years of health care experience. In this role, Bradley holds the responsibility for ensuring targeted growth for market dynamics, client needs and preferences while ultimately delivering on member satisfaction. Join us to discuss his work and what led him to join Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
Join me and founding Key Group member, Michael Costa. Mike is the Director of Operations with HBS. HBS is a Technical Service Company focused on providing facility engineering solutions to government and commercial facilities. The HBS Solutions team is comprised of skilled professional engineers, project managers, consultants and technicians who are widely sought for their specialized experience and accomplishments. The mission of ...
Who is your "Radar O'Reilly"? All great leaders need the support of an excellent executive team.
In fact, servant leadership is a leadership style that prioritizes the growth, well-being, and empowerment of employees. It aims to foster an inclusive environment that enables everyone in the organization to thrive as their authentic self.
Check out this conversation with my col...
Join me and current member, Kristen Coveleski, to learn why she drives two hours each way every month to be at our meetings. Kristen is Regional Director with Inter-Fluve, and a senior water resources engineer with experience in all phases of river and estuary restoration including business development, project management, proposal writing, surveying, hydrology, hydraulic modeling, sediment transport, designs, permitting, specifica...
Last month, I introduced a new Vistage group called the Key Executive Program. This exclusive group is designed to cultivate and empower C-level executives who play a crucial role in driving your business strategy and taking it to new heights. Whether you are succession planning, or looking to optimize your business strategy, my CEO members are excited to bring their C-suite execs into the Vistage fold.
Grayce Carson and I discuss ...
Join this discussion with Gary Stockman, a current member of my Trusted Advisor group. Stockman is a chief marketing officer and partner at Chief Outsiders, a strategic management consulting firm that provides mid-sized companies, large enterprises and private equity firms with top-tier, proven marketing executives as fractional CMOs. He helps companies across industry verticals improve their revenue and profitability, enter new ma...
Join me with Chris Hood, the CEO of ARCA International Expat Relocation Services. Chris is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in the transportation/trucking/railroad industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Import, Operations Management, Freight, and International Moves. We'll talk about what drew him to Vistage, and the culture of our group.
This theory proposes that once you get past the initial upswing, the life cycle of a successful company takes on the form of a sigmoid, or S curve. The S shape represents growth over time—starting out slowly, picking up speed during rapid growth, then tapering off as growth slows. So how do you keep your business growing?
For video with visual aides, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sVN2rdzgbE&t=3s
What is Executive Coaching? Here, my colleague Grayce Carson and I break it down. Looking for an executive coach? Message me today about joining Vistage.
rick.vanasse@vistagechair.com
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