Success Beneath the Surface

Deborah Fell sits down with Brian "Lex" Luther, whose distinguished naval career equipped him with the unique perspective that revolutionized Navy Mutual.

"The principles that guide a naval officer—discipline, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to mission—translate remarkably well to corporate leadership," shares Luther. "At Navy Mutual, we didn't just implement changes; we navigated a complete organizational transformat...

In last week's conversation with Ryan Frederick, Principal of Transform Labs, we explored the delicate balance between expertise and humility. Ryan shares how the companies that failed in his experience often stumbled due to assumption-driven leadership rather than curiosity-driven validation.

"I think there's a lot to be said in approaching thing...

Deborah Fell connects with Ryan Frederick of Transform Labs about strategic technology implementation. Ryan positions his firm as independent advisors rather than product reps, ensuring "our advice to clients is in the best interest of the client."

Ryan captures the uncertainty many CEOs face with a compelling metaphor: "It's almost like being in ...

Welcome to our curated collection of the most impactful conversations from the first quarter of 2025. This playlist features transformative discussions with leaders who have mastered the art of building thriving organizations through unconventional wisdom and authentic leadership.

Join ...

Welcome to the 100th episode of Success Beneath the Surface. This is a podcast where we dig into what lies beneath the surface of a CEO's success, your success, and insights deeply rooted at times in family, beliefs, or a drive that's just always been there. Our top downloaded episodes include Lessons from Navy Seal Kyle Buckett, number 57, who challenges the notion of leadership from the top, and gives life-saving reasons to build...

This commentary features Carl Satterwhite, President and Owner of RCF Group. This segment focuses on the evolving workplace landscape. Carl shares his unique observations on post-pandemic challenges, multigenerational workforces, and the often-overlooked phenomenon of "culture creep." His remarkable business philosophy—Making Others Realize Extra (MORE)—has powered RCF Group's expansion to 50 states and 22 countries. At the same ti...

Deborah welcomes Carl Satterwhite, President and Owner of RCF Group, a unique commercial furniture, architectural interiors, and facility services company operating in all 50 states and over 20 countries.

Carl shares his remarkable journey from managing "all the other stuff" at Procter & Gamble to building a continuously evolving business by listening deeply to client needs. His story is of faith, visi...

In a world obsessed with ROI and KPIs, the most valuable asset might be sitting across from you at lunch. This bonus conversation between Deborah Fell and Harold Green reveals something we often overlook in our digital-first world.

What stands out in this conversation is the genuine human connection that developed between two professionals who met...

In our conversation with Harold Green, one theme resonated particularly strongly: business evolution requires building on past experience while constantly looking forward. After nearly five decades in the paving and recycling industries, Harold has turned his attention to helping companies measure and monetize their carbon reductions. In this segment, he explains how his past work prepared him for this new mission and why translati...

In today's business landscape, environmental consciousness isn't just about doing good—it's becoming a business imperative. Deborah Fell interviews Harold Green, CEO of Global Emissionairy, a business leader who has blended entrepreneurship with environmental stewardship throughout his career. Starting from humble beginnings working at a country club at age seven, Harold built multiple successful businesses before recognizing the o...

In today's volatile business landscape, the alignment between Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and Chief Sales Officers (CSOs) isn't just a nice-to-have—it's critical for sustainable growth. Deborah Fell dives deep into why this partnership is more crucial than ever for mid-market companies. Drawing from Chief Outsiders' experience across 5,000+ engagements, she explains why the most successful leaders start with curiosity—asking th...

Leadership is a craft—refined through experience, challenge, and continuous growth. This past quarter, Success Beneath the Surface brought together some of the most dynamic CEOs and business minds to explore what it takes to lead with impact.

From James Hyman’s masterclass on corporate turnarounds to Ryan Clark’s formula for urgency-driven culture, these episodes aren’t just conversations—they’re playbooks for growth, innovation, a...

Deborah Fell recounts a chance meeting with J. Nicole Martin-Lawton, CEO of Phoenix Language Services, during an Amtrak service disruption. What started as strangers standing together in a crowded café car turned into an enlightening conversation about leadership and resilience. Nicole had stepped into the CEO role following her father's sudden death, successfully leading an all-women team while honoring her father's vision for lan...

When J. Nicole Martin Lawton suddenly became CEO of Phoenix Language Services in May 2020, it was under extraordinary circumstances. Not only was the world grappling with a global pandemic, but she had just returned from maternity leave with her second child when her father, company founder Bill Martin, passed away. In that moment, Nicole stepped into leadership of the company he had built from the ground up since 1993 - a business...