Podcast
CEOs Unscripted
Hosted by Jane Gentry · EN
Real Talk. Real Growth. Real Results in the Mid-Market
Jane Gentry consulted in enterprise for 20 years. And, after being a CEO in a mid-sized company, she realized why they say it is loneliest at the top. Mid-market CEOs learn their craft through trial and error or by reaching outside their organization for help.
She launched CEOs Unscripted as a bi-weekly podcast by mid-market CEOs for mid-market CEOs. Our purpose is to provide insight into the unscripted, unfiltered journeys of CEOs and Founders as they talk about their wins, losses, lessons and playbooks for growing and scaling their organizations. There is no better forum than learning from your peers.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
He Sold His Company for Twice What He Expected. Here's Exactly How He Did It
2w ago00:49:03Tap to summarizeMost founders spend twenty years building their business and about twenty minutes preparing to sell it. The result? Millions left on the table. Bad deals. Regret. And in too many cases, starting all over again when they should be retired. Jonathan Sherrill has been on every side of a business exit. He helped his father sell. He ran a company for private equity. He built his own company from scratch and sold it for twice what he expected. And then he wrote a book about all of it called The Extraordinary Exit. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, Jonathan sits down with Jane Gentry to share the unfiltered truth about what it really takes to get an extraordinary exit, and why most founders are completely unprepared for what comes after. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The critical difference between building a company for income and building one for wealth ✅ The full advisory team you need before going to market and why most founders skip half of them ✅ Why the emotional preparation for selling is just as important as the financial preparation ✅ What happens when an unsolicited buyer approaches you and why it almost never ends well ✅ The seven levels of why exercise that reveals the real reason founders want to sell ✅ Why ego and pride destroy more deals than bad financials ever will ✅ What to do if your deal falls apart and why it is not the end of the story ✅ How to know if you are emotionally ready to sell before you ever go to market 💡 Key Insight: "If you think growing a business means you can sell one, you are in for a rude awakening. It is a whole different world." ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold open: I had no idea you could sell a company for a multiple until I lived through it 00:55 Welcome to CEOs Unscripted 02:35 Meet Jonathan Sherrill, author of The Extraordinary Exit and founder of Waypoint Founders 03:15 Jonathan's backstory: small town Florida, metal roofing, private equity and his own exit 04:38 What was different about the second exit vs the first 05:06 Learning the exit world from the inside out while working for private equity 06:33 Building a company from day one with the intention to sell it 08:16 Building for income vs building for wealth, the trap most founders fall into 09:22 Why being too important to your own business will kill your deal 09:55 The full advisory team you need before going to market 13:18 Who is the quarterback of the deal and why it matters 14:52 What Jonathan did differently the second time around 16:19 Why bad advisors cost founders millions and how to avoid them 18:50 Do not wait until you are exhausted to start preparing to sell 19:11 The stat that should scare every founder: most are unhappy within 18 months of selling 21:09 The exit why exercise and why your first answer is probably not the real reason 23:32 The emotional void that hits after a great exit and why founders are not prepared for it 25:07 How the book The Extraordinary Exit came to be 27:26 What Waypoint Founders actually does and who it is for 30:56 The seven levels of why exercise explained 33:49 Why learning from other founders is the whole point 35:09 Do not let a friend who sold one company be your only advisor 36:43 What makes deals fall apart and what you can do about it 38:24 If you are not coachable do not waste money on great advisors 39:56 How ego and pride destroy deals worth tens of millions of dollars 41:19 It takes ego to build a company, just do not let it be your downfall at exit 42:18 The exit readiness assessment on the Waypoint Founders website 44:10 How to connect with Jonathan Sherrill and get the book 44:44 The unsolicited buyer trap and why it almost never ends in your favour 46:26 What Jane has seen happen to founders who got bad advice 47:52 Jonathan's closing thoughts on what he genuinely cares about 48:09 Jane's closing thoughts 🎙️ CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs, no fluff, no jargon, just real conversations from leaders who have been in the trenches. 📌 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. 📖 Book Mentioned: The Extraordinary Exit by Jonathan Sherrill #ExitStrategy #BusinessSale #CEOsUnscripted #FounderLife #MergersAndAcquisitions #PrivateEquity #BusinessGrowth #WealthBuilding #MidMarket #Entrepreneurship
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The First 90 Days Mistakes That Quietly Destroy CEO Careers
4w ago00:52:01Tap to summarizeMost incoming CEOs walk through the door ready to prove themselves. Ready to make big moves. Ready to show results fast. And that urgency is exactly what gets them in trouble. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, Jane Gentry sits down with Neill Marshall, Chairman of Health Search Partners in Texas, who has spent years studying and recruiting top healthcare executives. Neill has quietly compiled one of the most valuable playbooks in leadership, a deep body of research on what separates CEOs who gain immediate traction from the ones who quietly lose the room before they ever had it. This is not a theoretical conversation. It is drawn from real patterns, real executives and real consequences. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The biggest misconception incoming CEOs have about their first 90 days ✅ Why symbolic actions in week one matter more than any strategy document ✅ How micromanagement in early days creates a culture of fear that outlasts your tenure ✅ What boards should actually be asking CEO candidates before making the hire ✅ Why focusing too much internally in the first 90 days can be just as dangerous as ignoring it ✅ The questions every new CEO should ask key stakeholders before making any assumptions ✅ Whether you can go back and course-correct if you already blew your first 90 days 💡 Key Insight: "90 days passes at the speed of light when you are new in that role. Letting that feeling cause you to move fast can cause you to make foolish choices." ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold open: Are CEOs as self-aware as they think they are? 01:04 Welcome to CEOs Unscripted 02:40 Meet Neill Marshall, Chairman of Health Search Partners 03:58 Neill's research on what makes CEOs succeed in their first 90 days 07:10 Why the first 90 days can launch you or break you 09:31 What CEOs think the first 90 days is about vs. what it actually is 10:16 What boards expect from a new CEO in the first three months 12:20 What are symbolic actions and why they matter more than you think 13:53 Do employees actually buy in or just go through the motions? 14:39 Authenticity is not a 30 day act, it has to be consistent 16:27 How new CEOs drive culture from day one without realising it 17:20 A story from Neill's research that sticks with him 19:50 What happens when decision rights are stripped from leadership teams 21:22 The hidden cost of micromanagement on your leadership team 22:49 Why self-awareness shrinks the higher you climb 23:38 Neill's research finding: not a single micromanager made it past 90 days successfully 25:00 Jane's story about her father's retirement party and what great leaders leave behind 27:12 Jane's experience being told to fire an executive and why she didn't 29:29 When boards are listening to the wrong people in the organisation 30:41 Why the pressure to move fast causes the most costly first 90 day mistakes 32:01 What does "doing good" actually look like and why boards rarely define it clearly 33:28 What boards should be asking CEO candidates about their first 90 day plan 35:19 Can a CEO focus too much internally in their first 90 days? 36:40 The financial CEO who could not speak any language other than numbers 39:12 Bringing the outside world in to your organisation and why it builds massive goodwill 41:56 How much pushback do CEOs actually give when coached on this? 42:55 The EVP who told Jane "their paycheck is their inspiration" 44:44 Decisions every incoming CEO should make before they even start 46:12 The questions new CEOs should be asking key stakeholders on day one 47:52 Treat your biggest account like a prospect, never assume the relationship is healthy 48:34 Does a strong first 90 days actually shape a great six year tenure? 49:29 What Neill wishes more people asked him about this topic 49:58 Can you go back and fix a bad start if you are already in the role? 50:29 Where to find Neill's articles and research on LinkedIn 51:14 Jane's closing thoughts 🎙️ CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs, no fluff, no jargon, just real conversations from leaders who have been in the trenches. 📌 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. #Leadership #CEOsUnscripted #NewCEO #First90Days #ExecutiveLeadership #BusinessGrowth #MidMarket #CEOMindset #CompanyCulture #BoardGovernance
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The Brutal Truth About Why Most CEOs Fail (From Someone Who's Watched It Happen) | CEOs Unscripted
May 1900:51:54Tap to summarizeRami Cassis has hired four CEOs. He replaced three of them. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, the Monaco-based investor and founder of Parabellum Investments sits down with Jane Gentry to share the unfiltered truth about what separates great CEOs from expensive mistakes and why emotional intelligence matters more than any MBA or sector experience ever will. If you hire CEOs, aspire to be one, or are already in the seat, this conversation will make you rethink everything. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ Why CEOs who come from sales are dangerously optimistic with forecasts ✅ The subtle client signals most CEOs completely miss until it's too late ✅ The difference between managing UP vs. managing DOWN and why it destroys cultures ✅ Why "wartime CEOs" and "prosperity CEOs" are completely different animals ✅ What the first 60-90 days in a new CEO role should actually look like ✅ The single number every CEO must have an iron grip on ✅ Why being NICE is not the same as being KIND and why it matters enormously ✅ How a culture of fear silently kills your best performers 💡 Key Insight: "The way you deliver something is just as important, if not more important, than what you actually say." ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold open: Why hiring a great CEO is as hard as hiring a great salesperson 01:00 Welcome to CEOs Unscripted 02:35 Meet Rami Cassis, Parabellum Investments, Monaco 03:06 Rami's backstory: Egypt, France, Australia, oil & gas, and beyond 05:41 What Parabellum Investments actually does 07:07 What Rami looks for when hiring a CEO 08:08 The three painful reasons his CEOs failed 08:44 Mistake #1: Consistently missing forecasts and why sales CEOs are the worst offenders 10:44 Mistake #2: Failing to read the room with clients 12:47 Why EQ is rarely in the top 3 things we interview CEOs for 13:41 Wartime CEOs vs. prosperity CEOs, which one are you? 17:18 Why emotional intelligence is hard to measure but impossible to ignore 19:38 The self-awareness paradox, the higher you climb the blinder you get 21:26 Is EQ innate or learned? Jane and Rami debate 22:46 Delivery matters as much as content, maybe more 23:54 The difference between being NICE and being KIND as a CEO 25:31 Mistake #3: Managing up but not down and the culture of fear it creates 27:41 Signs you have a culture of fear (Jane's tell-tale meeting test) 29:13 Autonomy vs. accountability, where CEOs get the balance wrong 31:17 When you trust too much, the costly CTO technology mistake 33:39 Why major decisions need an outside voice with no dog in the fight 35:26 What counsel would you give a brand new CEO? 36:35 First 60-90 days, listen, observe, resist the urge to act fast 38:34 It's okay not to know and why admitting it builds more trust than hiding it 39:42 The unprepared sales leader who won his team over with one apology 40:47 Play to your strengths and outsource your weaknesses 41:40 The numbers every CEO must know cold 42:33 Why a 13-week cash flow forecast is non-negotiable 44:25 How do founders know they're in a turnaround situation? 44:33 The financial warning signs of a business in trouble 46:41 Cut marketing or double down? Jane and Rami respectfully disagree 47:22 Why a strong CFO is every CEO's most important co-pilot 48:42 What Jane did differently during COVID and why it worked 49:24 Asking for opinions doesn't mean you have to take them 50:33 Rami's final thoughts and what he hopes others take from his mistakes 51:08 Jane's closing thoughts 🎙️ CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs, no fluff, no jargon, just real conversations from leaders who've been in the trenches. 📌 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. 🔗 Connect with Jane Gentry: [LinkedIn] 🔗 Connect with Rami Cassis: [LinkedIn] #Leadership #CEOsUnscripted #EmotionalIntelligence #PrivateEquity #CEOMindset #BusinessGrowth #MidMarket #Turnaround #ExecutiveLeadership #ScalingUp
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This CEO's Entire Strategy Fits on One Slide, And It's Pure Genius
May 500:49:54Tap to summarizeWhat if your entire company strategy fit on one slide? Jamie Church, CEO of Best Buy Medical, did exactly that and delivered growth in the process. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, Jane Gentry sits down with Canada's top medical supply distributor CEO to unpack how radical simplicity, obsessive customer focus, and authentic leadership culture can outperform any complex strategy. If you're a mid-market CEO drowning in complexity, this episode will change how you think about strategy, people, and growth. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The 3-priority strategy that drove growth, and why less is more ✅ How to actually operationalize "customer centricity" (not just say it) ✅ Why Jamie puts himself in every single new hire's onboarding — from warehouse to exec ✅ The "legends and heroes" culture framework that keeps long-tenured talent committed ✅ How to roll out strategy like a change management initiative (most CEOs miss this) ✅ Why your network is the most valuable career asset you'll ever build ✅ What it's really like working with private equity and what to ask before you say yes ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Cold open: Growth with zero breakdowns, here's how 00:54 — Welcome to CEOs Unscripted 02:29 — Meet Jamie Church, CEO of Best Buy Medical 03:07 — Jamie's 20-year career path & how network got him here 04:06 — Why Jamie left McKesson to run a mid-sized company 05:41 — What drew him to Best Buy Medical's culture & mission 07:08 — Culture as competitive advantage in healthcare distribution 07:54 — Why Jamie keeps strategy to just 3 priorities 08:19 — The 3 priorities: Customer Centricity, Innovation & Sustainability 08:39 — The growth story, how long & what drove it 09:58 — Investing in people, sustainability & domestic partners 11:12 — Involving the leadership team in strategy for the first time 12:11 — What "customer centricity" actually looks like in practice 13:40 — Legends & heroes: recognizing the people who go above and beyond 14:03 — How Jamie onboards every single new hire personally 15:46 — Why a strong culture self-selects out bad hires quickly 16:01 — Town halls, micro-meetings & keeping the whole org aligned 17:14 — Jane's "sneak test": walking the floor to check strategy alignment 18:59 — Milestone recognition programs & why personal notes matter 21:28 — The power of peer recognition over top-down praise 24:26 — What Jamie means by "network" and why it's everything 27:08 — Your network is your most valuable career asset 28:33 — The right way to build a network: give before you ask 30:45 — Building strategy with a leadership team of 8, all promoted from within 32:25 — The one-slide strategy: Jane's reaction says it all 33:12 — How often the leadership team checks in on progress 34:44 — Remote workforce, bi-weekly rhythms & full-team alignment days 36:15 — Change management in action: the Calgary DC move story 37:31 — Why every strategy rollout is a change management initiative 38:17 — What ACTUALLY broke during growth (the answer may surprise you) 40:54 — The "slingshot effect" pulling back to leap forward 42:30 — Keeping it simple is harder than it sounds 43:37 — What to know before taking a CEO role in a PE-backed company 45:21 — Rapid fire: best book, 5X CEO by Tabo Godstream 46:34 — Worst advice Jamie ever received 47:53 — Smartest person in his phone & why 48:33 — What to do when you feel stuck 49:08 — Jane's closing thoughts 🎙️ CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs — no fluff, no jargon, just real conversations from leaders who've been in the trenches. 📌 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #CEOsUnscripted #CompanyCulture #ScalingUp #MidMarket #CustomerCentricity #EmployeeEngagement #PrivateEquity #SimplifyToScale
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What Private Equity Is Really Thinking When They Look At Your Business
Apr 1400:57:34Tap to summarizeThink PE buyers care most about your EBITDA? Think again. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Paul Idziak: PE advisor, former CEO of GV Windpower North America, and field service industry veteran to pull back the curtain on exactly what private equity firms evaluate before writing a check. Whether you're thinking about selling in 3–5 years or simply want to build a more valuable business, this episode is packed with the unfiltered truth most business brokers won't tell you. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ Why management team quality beats financials as the #1 due diligence factor ✅ The real reason client concentration can tank your valuation overnight ✅ What PE firms mean by "selling the future, not the past" ✅ How free cash flow matters as much as EBITDA, and why founders miss this ✅ The M&A muscle, greenfielding capability, and other factors buyers quietly score you on ✅ Why you should conduct a Quality of Earnings (QoE) study on yourself before going to market ✅ How to vet a PE firm the same way they're vetting you TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Cold open: What PE looks at first (it's not financials) 01:02 — Welcome to CEOs Unscripted 02:38 — Paul's background: energy services, PE exits & advising 05:22 — Demystifying private equity for CEOs 06:39 — #1 due diligence factor: management team 08:30 — Does it have to be the founder? No — here's why 09:20 — Leadership succession & its impact on valuation 10:44 — How PE evaluates cultural fit with management 12:54 — "You're selling the future, not the past" 14:32 — Evaluating growth potential: markets & talent 16:02 — Recruiting, retention & training as valuation factors 18:49 — Culture KPIs buyers actually look at 20:22 — Client concentration: the deal-killer no one talks about 23:10 — Contracts, blue-chip clients & recurring revenue 25:33 — Why profitability per client matters more than revenue 28:14 — The hidden cost of difficult customers 29:10 — M&A muscle & greenfielding: what excites buyers 30:41 — Technology stack & ERP maturity 33:21 — Is AI on PE's radar yet? 34:10 — Job costing: the discipline most companies lack 36:23 — Free cash flow vs. EBITDA, what founders miss 38:32 — Pricing strategy & protecting your margins 41:49 — Accounts receivable: why founders avoid collecting 43:45 — Full due diligence checklist recap 45:35 — What to clean up before going to market 46:54 — Why you should run a QoE on yourself first 48:11 — What PE actually needs to see in your processes 50:55 — Not all PE firms are equal, how to vet your buyer 53:47 — Book rec: The Private Equity Playbook by Adam Coffee 55:35 — Teaser: Paul returns to talk life as a PE-backed CEO operator 56:47 — Jane's closing thoughts CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs — no fluff, no jargon, just real conversations with founders and executives who've been in the trenches. 📌 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. #PrivateEquity #CEOsUnscripted #BusinessValuation #MergersAndAcquisitions #ScalingUp #MidMarket #BusinessGrowth #ExitStrategy #EBITDA #Leadership
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Why Most CEOs Get Stuck Between $10M and $50M | And What Actually Gets You Out
Mar 3100:59:27Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to buy and scale a company in a foreign country, with your spouse, right before a global pandemic? In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Corbin Butcher, Managing Director of Beire Exhibitions in the Czech Republic, for a raw, unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship through acquisition, cross-cultural leadership, and what it really means to evolve from a 1.0 to a 3.0 company. Corbin shares how a military career, a "mediocre" stint in investment banking, and a Kellogg MBA led him and his wife Evona to buy a Czech exhibition company, armed with a shoebox full of business cards as their CRM, and turn it into a thriving, scaling business with 80 employees and 2.5x revenue growth. Whether you're leading a $10M or $100M business, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons on scaling systems, building partnerships, managing culture across borders, and knowing when to evolve as a leader before your company outgrows you. Episode Timestamps 00:00 — Cold open: No backup plan, just make it work 01:07 — Welcome to CEOs Unscripted: Jane's intro & what the show is about 02:46 — Meet Corbin Butcher: From Chicago to the Czech Republic 04:18 — Corbin's background: Army officer, Iraq tours, Kellogg MBA 06:06 — Why investment banking wasn't the fit — and what was 07:07 — The search fund model: Buying a business with your spouse 08:18 — The challenge of being a European company trying to break into the US market 10:51 — How to vet a strategic partner (and why face-to-face is non-negotiable) 13:44 — The qualities that make or break a partnership under pressure 15:08 — American work ethic vs. European work culture: The real clash 17:08 — How Corbin built a high-performance culture within European labor laws 20:31 — The pros and cons of being an American CEO leading a European company 21:50 — Running a business with your spouse: The investor who called it "marital risk" 24:38 — How Corbin and Evona divide roles and break ties 25:36 — First-time CEO with no safety net: How do you learn on the fly? 28:59 — The shock of COVID hitting an 85% leveraged company in year two 31:40 — Biere 1.0 vs. 2.0 vs. 3.0: The lifecycle framework every CEO needs to understand 33:13 — Sales in 1.0: A shoebox of business cards as a "CRM" 36:53 — Operations in 1.0: When everything depends on one person 38:18 — Why promoting your best operator to supervisor is often a mistake 41:30 — What changed in 2.0: Systems, structure, and elevating internal talent 43:05 — The power of vision: Can every employee in your company articulate where you're going? 46:01 — How Corbin had to change as a leader from 1.0 to 2.0 49:46 — How strategic planning evolves at each stage of company growth 52:54 — Honest reflection: Some parts of Bira are still in 1.0 — and that's okay 54:01 — Rapid fire: Who's the smartest person in your phone? 55:36 — Best book of the last 12 months: The Wright Brothers by David McCullough 57:09 — What Corbin does when he feels stuck 58:27 — Closing thoughts and where to find more Key Topics Covered Entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) and the search fund model Scaling a mid-market company from 1.0 to 3.0 Cross-cultural leadership and managing European vs. American work culture Building and vetting strategic partnerships in international markets Why founder-dependent businesses are fragile — and how to fix it Running a business with your spouse without losing your marriage Leading through COVID with zero revenue and high leverage The danger of promoting your best individual contributors into management Why communicating vision is the #1 job of a scaling CEO About CEOs Unscripted Hosted by Jane Gentry, CEO advisor, Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial MBA mentor, and consultant to mid-market leaders for over 20 years, CEOs Unscripted is a bi-weekly podcast featuring unfiltered conversations with founders and executives who've been where you are. No fluff. No jargon. Just real talk that drives real growth. CEOs Unscripted, Jane Gentry, Corbin Butcher, Bira Exhibitions, entrepreneurship through acquisition, search fund, mid-market CEO, scaling a business, business growth podcast, CEO podcast, leadership podcast, military to entrepreneur, Kellogg MBA, Czech Republic business, cross-cultural leadership, international business, how to scale a company, company lifecycle, business systems, founder-dependent business, how to buy a business, ETA entrepreneur, CEO advice, business strategy, scaling up, small business growth, mid-market growth, CEO leadership tips, business podcast 2026, entrepreneurship podcast
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Military Discipline Meets Luxury Travel: How Craig Beal Built America's #1 Safari Company
Mar 1700:53:54Tap to summarizeWhat does submarine warfare have to do with luxury safari travel? More than you'd think. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Craig Beal - Naval Academy graduate, nuclear engineer, and CEO of Travel Beyond, the oldest US-founded safari company, to unpack the unconventional leadership principles behind one of the most remarkable family business turnovers you'll ever hear. Craig shares how military discipline, checklist-driven operations, and a radical employee-first philosophy helped him scale a four-person company into a 39-person specialist safari firm with jaw-dropping retention rates. In this episode, you'll learn: Why niching down — fast — is the smartest growth decision a CEO can make How a military-style checklist culture creates five-star client experiences at scale The geographic hiring strategy that virtually eliminates employee turnover Why Craig covers 100% of employee healthcare — and how it removes anxiety that kills productivity How Safari Pros, a competitor collaboration network, actually grows the whole industry Why the best CEOs act on decisions they know are right — before the window closes Keywords: CEO podcast, business growth, leadership, employee retention, family business, niche business strategy, mid-market CEO, scaling a business, company culture, safari industry, military leadership, entrepreneurship TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Introduction & Craig's backstory 5:30 — From the Navy to the family business 12:00 — The power of niching down 18:00 — Employee retention secrets (and the geographic advantage) 26:00 — In-office vs. remote: what actually works 33:00 — Checklist culture & the Checklist Manifesto 41:00 — AI and the future of travel operations 47:00 — Managing client fear & crisis transparency 52:00 — Rapid fire: lessons for every CEO KEY TAKEAWAYS: ✅ Specialize faster than feels comfortable ✅ Processes aren't bureaucracy they're freedom ✅ Take care of employees first; they'll take care of your clients ✅ The best CEOs act on the decision they know is right before it's too late DROP YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY IN THE COMMENTS CEOs Unscripted is the bi-weekly podcast by mid-market CEOs, for mid-market CEOs. No fluff. No jargon. Just the unfiltered truth about what it takes to lead, scale, and grow. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🎙️ Hosted by Jane Gentry — CEO Advisor & Executive Coach #CEOPodcast #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SafariCompany #CompanyCulture #EmployeeRetention #MilitaryLeadership #ScalingUp #MidMarketCEO
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The CEO Who Doubles Every Company He Touches
Mar 300:48:48Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to walk into a business that's hit a ceiling and double its revenue — not once, but three times? In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Buzz Bradley, a seasoned interim CEO and business growth strategist, to unpack the exact frameworks he uses to transform stalled mid-market companies into high-performance organizations. In this episode, you'll learn: Why most founders unknowingly become the biggest bottleneck in their own business The first thing Buzz does in any new company (it's not what you think) How to manage organizational change without losing your culture or your best people Why promoting your top performer could be the most expensive mistake you make The "teach to fish vs. do the fishing" debate — and when each approach wins How cross-generational teams can become a competitive advantage The simple mindset shift that makes faster, better decisions possible Buzz's golden rule: "If it's going to take six months, it takes six months whether you start today or six months from now — so why not start today?" Whether you're a founder navigating growing pains, a CEO preparing to scale past $20M, or a leader trying to build a business that doesn't depend entirely on you — this episode is packed with real talk and actionable insights. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & Buzz's background 04:30 – How Buzz gets into companies and doubles revenue 10:40 – The first thing to do when you take over a business 12:20 – Protecting culture during change 15:40 – Growing pains: when founders hit the ceiling 20:30 – Moving people into the right roles 26:00 – Managing change without creating chaos 33:00 – Developing talent on a budget 38:00 – Cross-generational teams 43:00 – Rapid fire: books, habits & decisiveness 47:00 – Why starting today beats waiting for perfect Keywords: interim CEO, scaling a business, mid-market growth, business leadership, CEO coaching, organizational design, growing pains, founder-led business, business strategy, executive leadership, how to scale a company, CEO podcast, entrepreneurship, talent retention, decision making for CEOs Subscribe to CEOs Unscripted — the bi-weekly podcast for mid-market CEOs who want unfiltered, real-world leadership conversations. No fluff. No jargon. Just the playbooks that actually work. #CEOPodcast #BusinessGrowth #ScalingUp #MidMarket #InterimCEO #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #CEOsUnscripted
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He Lost Everything, Borrowed $200K From Friends, and Built a $50M Company: Here's How
Feb 1800:47:54Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to buy a business with zero money, learn it from the ground up, and scale it for 38 years into a successful exit? In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Robert Brown, former CEO of American Asphalt Company, a man who lost everything, borrowed $200K from 20 friends and family members, and turned a struggling asphalt company into a thriving mid-market business through grit, trust, and relentless relationship-building. This episode is packed with raw, unfiltered lessons every mid-market CEO, entrepreneur, and business owner needs to hear. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: ✅ How to buy a business with no money (and make it work) ✅ Why your best salesperson should NEVER become your sales manager ✅ The #1 reason M&A deals fall apart after the ink dries ✅ How Robert hired a tile salesperson to run asphalt sales and it was his best hire ever ✅ Why preparing for your exit should start on Day 1 of owning the business ✅ The time management strategy that freed Bob from working IN the business ✅ Why trust is your most powerful business tool and how to build it fast ✅ The J-Curve of leadership growth every scaling CEO must understand KEY QUOTE FROM THIS EPISODE: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." — Robert Brown 📌 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Introduction & Episode Preview 01:45 — Robert's Origin Story: Growing Up in a Family Business 04:10 — Growing Too Fast, Losing It All & Starting Over 07:00 — How Robert Bought an Asphalt Company With No Money 10:30 — Learning the Business from the Ground Up (From Employees) 13:15 — The Sales Strategy That Built the Company: Relationships Over Transactions 16:20 — Building & Retaining a Team in a New Acquisition 19:45 — The Trust Formula: What Actually Keeps Employees for 38 Years 22:30 — How Robert Scaled: Buying Bigger Plants & Strategic M&A 27:00 — The M&A Lessons Nobody Warns You About 30:15 — Codifying Process: CEO Peer Groups, Vistage & C12 33:40 — Why You Should Hire a Great Salesperson (Not an Industry Expert) 36:50 — Sales Managers vs. Sales Coaches: The Mistake Most CEOs Make 39:30 — Delegation, Time Studies & Getting Out of Your Own Way 42:45 — Preparing Your Business for Exit from Day One 44:30 — Rapid Fire Round: Leadership Wisdom from 38 Years in Business 46:10 — Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Robert 🎙️ ABOUT CEOs UNSCRIPTED: CEOs Unscripted is the bi-weekly podcast for mid-market leaders hosted by Jane Gentry — CEO advisor, Harvard Business School entrepreneurial MBA mentor, and 20-year consulting veteran. No fluff, no jargon — just honest conversations about what it really takes to lead, grow, and scale. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every two weeks. #CEO #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #ScalingUp #MidMarket #Podcast #CEOsUnscripted #JaneGentry #BusinessStrategy #MergersAndAcquisitions #SalesLeadership #ExitStrategy #SmallBusiness #Delegation CEO podcast, business growth podcast, mid-market CEO, scaling a business, entrepreneurship podcast, leadership podcast, mergers and acquisitions, sales strategy, how to buy a business with no money, exit strategy, delegation for CEOs, CEO advice, Jane Gentry, CEOs unscripted, business scaling tips, asphalt company, family business, hiring salespeople, sales manager vs salesperson, CEO peer groups, business valuation, employee retention, trust in business, small business growth
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Why People Come Before Profits: Norman Radow’s Blueprint for Building Enduring Companies
Feb 301:02:53Tap to summarizeWhy People Come Before Profits: Norman Radow’s Blueprint for Building Enduring Companies From growing up with limited resources to leading one of the most influential real estate firms in the country — Norman Radow’s journey is rooted in purpose, trust, and long-term thinking. In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, Norman, CEO of The Radco Companies, opens up about the experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy, why people should never be treated as line items, and what it truly means to build businesses that outlast their founders. This is a candid conversation about values-driven leadership, calculated risk, and creating impact beyond the balance sheet. What You’ll Learn: ✅ Why people are assets, not expenses ✅ How early-life adversity shapes leadership decisions ✅ Building trust with partners at the highest level ✅ Knowing when not to take capital ✅ Balancing risk-taking with long-term vision ✅ Leading with empathy without compromising results ✅ Creating culture that scales across growing teams ✅ Why values matter more than valuation ✅ Making decisions that align with legacy, not ego ✅ What responsibility really means as a CEO Key Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction to Norman Radow 3:05 – Early life lessons that shaped his worldview 8:30 – The foundation of Radco’s leadership philosophy 13:10 – Trust, partnerships, and alignment 18:40 – Risk, fear, and decisive leadership 24:20 – Capital decisions and investor fit 30:00 – Building people-first organizations 36:15 – Culture as a competitive advantage 41:50 – Long-term thinking in a short-term world 47:30 – Final reflections and leadership wisdom Top Takeaways: Why employees belong on the balance sheet, not the P&L How values guide decisions when numbers alone can’t The hidden cost of playing it too safe Why leadership is about responsibility, not control How trust compounds faster than capital What real impact looks like when culture comes first About This Episode: Norman Radow is the CEO of The Radco Companies, a vertically integrated real estate firm specializing in multifamily and mixed-use developments. His leadership approach is shaped by lived experience, a deep sense of responsibility toward people, and a belief that business success should create lasting social and economic value. About CEOs Unscripted: CEOs Unscripted is the podcast where real talk drives real growth. Host Jane Gentry, a seasoned CEO advisor and former mid-market executive, brings you unfiltered conversations with CEOs, founders, and business leaders who share the wins, losses, and lessons from the trenches. No fluff, no jargon—just honest insights about what it really takes to lead and scale in today's business landscape. Subscribe for More: New episodes drop bi-weekly featuring candid conversations with mid-market CEOs, founders, and executives who are redefining leadership. #CEOInterview #WomenInBusiness #LeadershipPodcast #FemaleLeadership #BusinessGrowth #ScalingBusiness #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerGrowth #MidMarketCEO #BusinessStrategy #CEOsUnscripted #JaneGentry #LeadershipLessons Female CEO success story Logistics industry leadership Overcoming imposter syndrome Women in male-dominated industries CEO interview podcast Business leadership strategies Scaling through industry disruption Change management for CEOs Mid-market business growth Transportation company success Executive leadership development Career advancement strategies Business diversification tactics Authentic leadership style CEO mental health and wellness
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