Unmasked: The CEO Files

Unmasked: The CEO Files

The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters In a world of curated content and algorithm-chasing brands, UNMASKED offers something rare: a human signal that resonates. These are the stories behind the success. The decisions made in uncertainty. The moments that rewired how a leader shows up.

Episodes

August 6, 2026 58 mins
What if the biggest factor influencing your leadership isn't what you say, but how people experience you under pressure? In this episode of UNMASKED: The CEO Files Podcast, Alan McLaren and Leanne Bucaro explore the concept of Leadership Signal and why even the most experienced CEOs can unintentionally create friction in high-stakes conversations. Whether you're leading an executive team, presenting to a board, raising capital, s...
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UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of cura...

Listen
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Mark as Played

We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of curated content and algorithm-chasing brands, UNMASKED offers something rare: a human signal that resonates. These are the stories behind the success. The decisions made in uncertainty. The moments that rewired how a leader shows up. Check out The Room Scan,...

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Mark as Played

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of cura...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of cura...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of cura...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

UNMASKED: The CEO Files. The mic is on. The masks are off. UNMASKED: The CEO Files explores the leadership journeys you don’t see on LinkedIn. The turning points, the real pivots, the moments that shaped who these leaders became beneath the title. We sit with executives as they talk candidly about building trust at scale, shaping culture, and staying visible without selling out who they are. Why it matters: In a world of cura...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

If you’re a CEO, founder, executive, or investor navigating growth and high-stakes decisions, this episode offers powerful insight into the invisible variables shaping leadership outcomes! 🔗 Connect with Kerry Siggins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/ Check out Kerry's books by visiting these two Amazon links: 📚Talk with Trust: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GX7N175H 📚Ownership Mindset: https://w...

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What if the fear holding you back was actually the fuel for your biggest breakthroughs? In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, Alan McLaren sits down with Patrick Sweeney - Wall Street Journal bestselling author, investor, entrepreneur, world-record athlete and globally recognized fear expert known as “The Fear Guru”. Patrick shares his incredible journey from battling rare leukemia and crippling fear, to buildi...
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In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren sits down with entrepreneur and YPO leader Jeff Cullen for a deeply honest conversation about leadership, neurodiversity, trust and building a values-based business that lasts. Jeff shares his journey from founding a Canadian logistics company at 27 to scaling it into a multinational organization across 17 countries and navigating both a painful fire-sale exit and a la...
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In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren chats with Richart Ruddie, Founder of Captain Compliance, to unpack the real journey behind building exiting and scaling businesses in fast-changing digital environments. From starting his career during the financial crisis to becoming an entrepreneur by accident, Richart shares how relentless learning shaped his leadership journey while discussing the emotional reality...
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In this episode of Unmasked: The CEO Files, host Alan McLaren sits down with Dusty Holcomb, a leadership advisor and YPO member for a deeply personal and insightful conversation on what it really takes to lead. From growing up homeschooled to building a 30-year career in leadership and corporate growth, Dusty shares the experiences that shaped his mindset and the lessons he learned from a retired colonel who became his greatest m...
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Join Alan McLaren as he chats with Pádraig Ó Céidigh (teacher, lawyer, accountant, entrepreneur, and former senator) who built a €150M airline from the ground up, is a former winner of Ireland EY Entrepreneur of the Year and represented Ireland at EY World Entrepreneur of the Year. Alan and Pádraig discuss the art of purposeful decision-making in leadership, exploring how to align personal values with business goals, balance immed...
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Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of business. Click the links below, hit that 'Follow' button, and let the journey towards a stronger, more authentic personal brand begin! Connect with us and learn more about how you can create your own authentic personal brand: Website: https://strataoriginals.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8045398 Insta...

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Running a family business is rewarding, but succession, buyouts, and leadership transitions are never simple. In this episode of STRATA Originals, Alan McLaren speaks with Chuck Phillips- CEO, board member, and family business consultant about the realities of keeping both businesses and families thriving across generations. Chuck unpacks the emotional, financial, and governance challenges that come with family enterprises. From b...
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While he may not wield a lightsaber, this Mark Hamill is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to guiding executives through the next chapter of their leadership journey! Mark Hamill, founder of The Naked Headhunter, Virtual Advisory Board, and MyFractional, joins Alan McLaren to break down how high-level executives can navigate life after the C-suite - and find new purpose, relevance, and opportunity. With a global team of ...
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From the Streets to the C-Suite, Kevin Johnson, CEO of WPP Media Group, joins Leanne to unpack what it really takes to lead with bold inclusive leadership. In this episode, Kevin shares the personal story behind his leadership: how one teacher nearly broke him and another lit the fire that never went out. That fire led him to the C-Suite and to Launchpad, an internal WPP program that trains people from non-traditional backgrounds...
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In this episode of STRATA Originals, Leanne Bucaro chats with Jeremy Sharpe, President of Sharpe Development Group on how he grew a multigenerational real estate and development company behind Rancho Sahuarita- a 3,000-acre award-winning master-planned community in Southern Arizona. Jeremy shares his passion for creating a better life for people through thoughtfully built communities. From residential development and commercial as...
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In this STRATA Originals episode, Alan McLaren is joined by two industry leaders, David Tsubouchi and Marc Kealy, as they dive deep into their groundbreaking book, The Ripple Effect. Together, they explore how building authentic relationships, offering real value, and staying true to oneself can lead to long-term success and credibility in business and beyond. David Tsubouchi is an author, former politician, regulator, and Integr...
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