CEO 2 CEO - Conversations with Executive Leaders of The CEO Roundtable

Episodes

1. Ep 26. The Corporate Athlete: Why Game Time Isn't the Time to Practice – Chris Heim, Heim Leadership – CEO 2 CEO

   5 Aug 2026 · 27 min

   Leadership doesn't begin when the difficult conversation starts or the unexpected crisis lands on your desk. According to CEO, board director, and endurance athlete Chris Heim, that's game time—and game time isn't the…

2. Ep 25. The AI Lens: People Before Technology – Jason Dailey, Brandography – CEO 2 CEO

   18 Jun 2026 · 21 min

   AI is everywhere, yet many business leaders still wrestle with the same question: How do you embrace it without disrupting your culture, overwhelming your team, or creating fear about the future?In this episode of CEO…

3. Ep 24. 10X — From Incremental to Transformational Growth – Andy Siemens, Tailwind Voice and Data – CEO 2 CEO

   14 Apr 2026 · 17 min

   In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, Scott Sustacek sits down with Andy Siemens, CEO of Tailwind Voice and Data, to explore what it really means to think—and lead—at a 10X level. But this isn’t about bold declarations or…

4. Ep 23. Are You Ready for a Board — and Is There a Board Ready for You? – Anne Sample, Navigate Forward – CEO 2 CEO

   5 Feb 2026 · 33 min

   Aspirations for a board seat can often be viewed through a glamorous lens — a prestigious, and perhaps cushy, gig as a next step in one’s career. In reality, true board work is very different than anticipated, board…

5. Ep 22. Stepping Into the Seat: A New CEO’s Candid Debrief – Ann Houser, The Bailey Group – CEO 2 CEO

   11 Dec 2025 · 17 min

   Stepping into the CEO seat for the first time can feel like walking into a room where every light switches on at once — the ability to change the trajectory of a company through the decisions made and direction set;…

6. Ep 21. Supercharging Marketing and Driving Revenue Growth with AI – Nick Archer, Industrial Tool – CEO 2 CEO

   21 Oct 2025 · 18 min

   Artificial intelligence is continuously evolving and rapidly redefining how middle-market companies can operate — far beyond the early days of experimentation with ChatGPT. In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, Scott Sustacek…

7. Ep 20. The ESOP Secret to Recruiting, Retention...and Growth – Samantha Olinger, Christensen Group – CEO 2 CEO

   26 Aug 2025 · 32 min

   What happens when a succession plan is also a growth strategy? Done right, transforming a business into an ESOP doesn’t just secure the future—it reshapes culture, influences recruiting, sparks collaboration, and…

8. Ep 19. Doing Good, Doing Well: Where Purpose and Profit Go Hand in Hand – Teresa Fudenberg, CEO of Storm Creek – CEO 2 CEO

   7 Aug 2025 · 29 min

   What happens when a CEO dares to lead with purpose — even when the stakes are high? In this episode, Storm Creek CEO Teresa Fudenberg joins Scott to share the remarkable story behind the reinvention of a brand built on…

9. Ep 18. Driving Growth Through Recapitalization – John Martin, Chairman of FlutterBee Education Group – CEO 2 CEO

   19 Jun 2025 · 23 min

   What if stepping back could actually move your business forward? In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek sits down with John Martin, Chairman of FlutterBee Education Group, for an interesting conversation on…

10. Ep 17. Culture: It isn’t a Perk, It’s a Plan – Travis Peterson, Snap Install – CEO 2 CEO

    1 May 2025 · 25 min

    What does it take to build a company where culture isn’t just talked about—but lived at every level? In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek sits down with Travis Peterson, Founder and CEO of Snap Install, to…

11. Ep 16. More Than a Title: How CEOs Can Build Influence and Impact – Alexis Walsko, Lola Red – CEO 2 CEO

    4 Apr 2025 · 38 min

    Thought leadership isn’t just for Fortune 500 executives. It’s for any CEO with expertise, passion, and a story to tell. In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek talks with Alexis Walsko—founder and CEO of…

12. Ep 15. Scaling Smarter with EOS: A Leader’s Playbook – Brent Lau, Medina Electric – CEO 2 CEO

    27 Feb 2025 · 22 min

    The Twin Cities is an EOS hotbed with many companies using or considering the Entrepreneurial Operating System, aka Traction, to help accelerate growth. In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek sits down with…

13. Ep 14. Fast Growth and Fast Decisions in the Otho Arms Race – Adam Berry, Summit Orthopedics – CEO 2 CEO

    18 Dec 2024 · 29 min

    In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek sits down with Adam Berry, CEO of Summit Orthopedics. With orthopedic facilities popping up at a rapid pace in the Twin Cities and Minnesota, Adam shares how Summit is…

14. Ep 13. Navigating AI: Possibilities and Real-World Strategies – Andrew Fernholz, Ambient Consulting – CEO 2 CEO

    13 Nov 2024 · 51 min

    AI is everywhere in our lives and changing every day. This is a hot topic for every leader. In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, host Scott Sustacek goes overtime with Andrew Fernholz, CEO of Ambient Consulting in exploring…

15. Ep 12. More than a Sale: When Legacy and Vision Align – Kai Milota, The Maintenance Team and Jeff Chanen, former owner – CEO 2 CEO

    31 Oct 2024 · 31 min

    This episode of CEO 2 CEO explores an incredibly unique transaction between a seller with a vision of the outcome he wanted and a buyer with a vision of how he would begin his own entrepreneurial journey. Host Scott…

16. Ep 11. Built to Sell: From Startup to Sold – Jaime Harris, Hydra-Flex - CEO 2 CEO

    16 Oct 2024 · 19 min

    Selling your company is, without question, an epic event. It can bring stress, uncertainty, and the full gamut of emotions that go along with letting go of a significant part of your life. In this episode, I talk with…

17. Ep 10. Building a Brand That Wins – Bob Freytag, Introworks – CEO 2 CEO

    24 Jun 2024 · 27 min

    In this episode of CEO 2 CEO, I had the opportunity to talk with Bob Freytag, the CEO of Introworks, about branding. When people use the term ‘branding’, I think of the true meaning of what a brand is and how building…

18. Ep 9. Managing Change: The Intricacies, the Impact – Karen Kleinhans, Community Dental Care – CEO 2 CEO

    19 Apr 2024 · 26 min

    In this episode, I talk with Karen Kleinhans, CEO of Community Dental Care, about change management. Karen candidly shares her experience tackling the challenges she inherited and orchestrating a profound shift in her…

19. Ep 8. Buying a Business: Creating a Playbook and Running it – Tom Henrich, Eagle Aluminum – CEO 2 CEO

    2 Apr 2024 · 26 min

    Tom Henrich, the CEO of Eagle Aluminum, talks with me about his decision to become a business owner and his process towards a successful acquisition in 2022. Amidst a landscape where transactions may be opportunistic…

20. Ep 7. Business growth through leadership development – Mary Nutting, CorTalent – CEO 2 CEO

    5 Mar 2024 · 21 min

    Forward thinking CEO’s will tell you how important executive development is to the growth and health of the organization. Deliberate focus on the development journey can accelerate the pace of building solid teams…

21. Ep 6. Successful Leadership Transition – Mike Monson, Benson-Orth General Contractors – CEO 2 CEO

    15 Feb 2024 · 23 min

    The strategic separation of visionary and integrator roles in a company, as emphasized by EOS Traction, can be a catalyst to accelerated business growth. Mike Monson, CEO of Benson-Orth General Contractors, talks…

22. Ep 5. The Mindset of the C-Suite: Fighting Fatigue with Focus – Matt Kucharski, Padilla – CEO 2 CEO

    30 Jan 2024 · 37 min

    Matt Kucharski, President of Padilla, shares some deep insights from Padilla’s recently completed annual survey, "Mindset of the C-Suite". In just a year’s time, the major theme has shifted from 'conflicted' to…

23. Ep 4. Executive Talent: Getting Your Next Executive Hire Right - Steve Yakesh, Versique Search - CEO 2 CEO

    12 Dec 2023 · 26 min

    Time, money, growth, and culture are on the line when hiring for an executive position so finding the right person is crucial. In this episode of CEO2CEO we talk with Steve Yakesh, President of Direct Hire and…

24. Ep 3. The Family Business: How Warners' Stellian Creates an Enduring Family Legacy - Bob Warner, Warners' Stellian Appliance Co. - CEO 2 CEO

    21 Nov 2023 · 29 min

    Minnesota-based brand has built a growing national footprint while staying true to the Warner family roots – and values – planted in 1971. In this episode, Bob Warner, CEO of Warners’ Stellian Appliance Company, gives…

25. Ep 2. Talent: Finding and Keeping It - Glenn Starfield, Express Employment Professionals - CEO 2 CEO

    20 Nov 2023 · 35 min

    The fight for talent in small and medium-sized companies is ever present with nearly 10M job openings. How do you attract and retain the talent you need? Glenn Starfield, owner of two Express Employment franchises in…

26. Ep 1. Selling to Private Equity: What You Need to Know - Renee Ernste, Orange Tree Employment Screening & John Dyke, All States Ag Parts, Inc - CEO 2 CEO

    17 Oct 2023 · 25 min

    Are you thinking about selling your business to private equity? Renee Ernste, CEO of Orange Tree Employment Screening and John Dyke, Executive Chairman of All States Ag Parts, both sold their businesses to Private…

27. CEO 2 CEO - Conversations with Executive Leaders of The CEO Roundtable

    11 Oct 2023 · 16 min

    In this special episode, we turn the spotlight on our very own podcast host and long-time curator of wisdom, Scott Sustacek. In this introspective conversation with Lisa Orts, executive leader of The CEO Roundtable,…