CEOs Unscripted

How to Build Trust and Lead High-Performing Teams: CEO Steve Hedrick Shares Military Leadership Secrets

Join host Jane Gentry in this compelling episode of CEOs Unscripted as she sits down with Steve Hedrick, CEO of AVN Corporation, for an unfiltered conversation about leadership, empathy, and building successful organizations in today's competitive business landscape. What You'll Learn in This Episode: - Leadership Fundamentals - How military experience shapes executive decision-making and resilience - The critical difference between empathy and sympathy in leadership - Why trust is the foundation of high-performing teams - How to simplify complex problems for better communication Scaling and Growth Strategies - Transitioning from large corporations to mid-market companies - Avoiding decision-making bottlenecks while maintaining control - Building organizational nimbleness without sacrificing structure - Creating systems that protect against unnecessary complexity People Development - How to broaden leadership capabilities before promoting team members - The importance of sending employees to top-tier continuing education programs - Why diversity of thought and experience drives better results - Setting conditions for employee success rather than managing failuresNetwork Building and Mentorship - Building a global professional network through relationship-based leadership - The power of having truth-tellers in your inner circle - How YPO Forums provide peer support for CEOs - Maintaining long-term relationships across career transitions Key Takeaways for Mid-Market CEOs: ✓ Trust Your People: Surround yourself with the best talent and empower them to make decisions ✓ Empathy Over Sympathy: Experience challenges with your team rather than just feeling sorry for them ✓ Learn from Losses: Failures provide more valuable lessons than wins ✓ Continuous Learning: Stay curious and invest in your team's development ✓ Simplify Complexity: The best executives can synthesize complex problems into simple solutions ✓ Build Your Tribe: Cultivate relationships with people who will give you honest feedback About the Guest: Steve Hedricks is the CEO of AVN Corporation, a global provider of specialized services to the chemical industry. A West Point graduate with a chemical engineering background, Steve brings unique insights from his military service and extensive experience in both large corporations and mid-market companies. AVN Corporation specializes in solving complex science and technology problems, from R&D through manufacturing scaling. Perfect for: Mid-market CEOs and business leaders - Executives transitioning between company sizes - Leaders looking to improve team performance - Anyone interested in military-to-business leadershiptranslation - Chemical industry professionals and STEM leaders #Leadership #CEOPodcast #BusinessGrowth #MidMarketCEO #ExecutiveLeadership #TeamBuilding #BusinessStrategy #ChemicalIndustry #MilitaryLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment

From Carpenter’s Son to $500M CEO: Growth by Fundamentals, Not Fads — Troy Place (Place Services Inc.)

What does it really take to scale from $60M to $500M without turning your company into a bureaucracy? In this candid conversation, Troy Place (CEO, Place Services Inc.) and host Jane Gentry unpack the unsexy fundamentals behind year-over-year $100M growth: fast decision-making, quality that the customer defines, ruthless focus on profitability, hiring well, and operationalizing culture you can feel.
You’ll learn:
Why a poor decision beats no decision—and how indecision quietly kills growth
The exact fundamentals Troy returns to: sell profitably, deliver consistent quality, hire right people/right seats
How PSI applies EOS (the real-world, non-dogmatic version) and a one-page Proven Process
Practical ways to operationalize culture (new-hire lunches, values-based reviews, peer “praise cards”)
How CEOs avoid becoming the decision bottleneck and build a true decision matrix
Why shiny objects (and premature “college-level” process) derail teams still learning basics
Building leadership capacity while raising nine kids and aiming for a 100-year company
If you’re a mid-market CEO or operator, this is a playbook for durable growth—no fluff, just what works.
📌 Guest: Troy Place, CEO, Place Services Inc. (nationwide commercial & industrial construction; GC + 12 in-house trades)🎙 Host: Jane Gentry — CEOs Unscripted
Chapters:
00:00 Growth snapshot: $60M → $500M (2018–2024) & the case for fundamentals02:38 Show intro & why mid-market leadership is lonely03:08 Troy’s backstory: 3rd-gen carpenter → founder during a recession06:17 What PSI does: GC + 12 in-house trade divisions, nationwide08:19 EOS in practice & the one-page Proven Process11:44 Breaking growth ceilings; the single non-negotiable (fundamentals)13:53 The CEO as (former) bottleneck: discipline, accountability & letting teams fix it16:00 Decision rights & empowering without punishing mistakes18:08 “A bad decision > no decision” (and why indecision kills)21:38 The CEO’s job: decisions, fundamentals & culture you can feel25:33 Operationalizing culture: new-hire lunches, values-based reviews30:23 Peer praise cards & reinforcing the right behaviors31:59 Planning for durable growth; learning from outsiders33:42 Bootstrapping leadership: advisors, books, podcasts, Vistage36:16 Growing the leader as the company scales41:43 When EOS goes wrong: college-level process for elementary-level teams44:39 Shiny object syndrome & long-tail costs45:21 The fundamentals: profit first, quality every time, right people/right seats48:50 What he’s reading & advisory boards50:18 Early lessons from dad: “figure it out” mindset51:41 Message to young leaders: learn to grind52:10 Wish I’d done earlier: build an advisor bench53:29 Getting unstuck: borrow other points of view55:21 Motivation: build a 100-year company56:46 WrapBook Referred in the Podcast: https://www.amazon.in/Game-Changing-Advisory-Boards-Leveraging-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B00CJH8DGKHost: Jane Gentry - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemgentry/Guest: Troy Place - https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-place-3b480242/
 

Fortune 100 Tips: Cash Management, Talent Strategy & Decision-Making Speed with Stacey Tank

Are you a mid-market CEO struggling with cash flow, talent retention, or decision-making speed? Fortune 100 veteran turned growth company CEO Stacey Tank reveals the exact strategies that transformed her leadership from managing billion-dollar enterprises at GE, Home Depot, and Heineken to scaling a high-growth beauty brand.
 KEY TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - From Fortune 100 to Growth CEO 05:30 - Why "Cash is Queen" in Growth Companies 12:45 - The "Aces in Their Places" Talent Strategy 18:20 - Decision Speed: 51-49 vs 95-5 Choices 25:10 - Overcoming the "Know-It-All" Leadership Trap 32:40 - When to Add Process vs Stay Agile 38:15 - 3-Dimensional Innovation Strategy
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Cash Management for Growth: Why Stacey checks cash daily instead of P&L statements. Get specific frameworks for managing cash flow during scaling without debt or investors.
Revolutionary Talent Strategy: Real example of hiring an office manager who now runs warehouse, HR, and marketing. Learn why attitude beats credentials and how to create cross-functional collaboration.
Decision-Making Mastery: When to make lightning-fast decisions vs. letting situations "ripen." How enterprise complexity (51-49 decisions) differs from growth company clarity (95-5 decisions).
Authentic Leadership: Breaking the "Hermione Granger effect" - the need to know everything. How vulnerability and asking for help creates stronger leadership.
Smart Process Implementation: Stacey's criteria for when to add structure: when confusion slows teams down and meaningful value is at stake.
Innovation Strategy: Product, business model, and supply chain innovation during uncertainty (including China decoupling strategies).
STANDOUT INSIGHTS:
"You cannot herd cats, but you can move their food" - aligning teams through shared goals
How to retain top talent without top-tier compensation
The fragility of growth companies vs. enterprise stability
Building culture that scales without losing entrepreneurial speed
Perfect for: Mid-market CEOs ($10M-$500M revenue), founders scaling startups, enterprise executives considering growth company leadership, business owners struggling with talent retention.
Books mentioned in the Episode: Adversity Quotient: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities 
What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
About Stacey Tank: CEO of Bespoke Beauty Brands, 20+ years Fortune 100 experience (GE, Home Depot, Heineken), international executive across 6 countries, sits on public, private equity, and family-owned company boards.
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#CEOPodcast #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #TalentManagement #CashFlow #MidMarketCEO

From the NFL to the C-Suite: Rich Scanlon's Journey of Calculated Risk-Taking

In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane sits down with Rich Scanlon, Chairman of Sendible and a former NFL linebacker turned successful SaaS CEO. Rich shares his extraordinary journey from the football field to the boardroom, revealing how lessons in discipline, accountability, and high-stakes decision-making shaped his leadership style.
Tune in as Rich opens up about:
Transitioning from professional sports to business
Why athletes and military vets make great hires
The power of clarity, trust, and transparency in leadership
His biggest hiring mistakes—and how to avoid them
How to make bold decisions without perfect information
Why every CEO needs a personal outlet (and yes, the gym counts)
This conversation is packed with practical wisdom, unexpected laughs, and a whole lot of honesty. Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned executive, Rich's story will challenge how you think about leadership, risk, and what it really means to build a winning culture.
Timestamps: 
Introduction and Welcome - 0:00
Rich Scanlon's Background and Journey - 2:15
Transition from NFL to Business - 5:30
Decision-Making and Risk-Taking - 12:45
Accountability and Team Dynamics - 18:20
Career Development and Flexibility - 25:10
Maintaining Engagement and Trust - 32:00
Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts - 40:15
Conclusion and Call to Action - 45:00

The Gratitude Advantage: How One CEO Built a Thriving Culture Through Authentic Leadership

What happens when a 39-year-old takes over a family business and inherits employees who are decades older? In this powerful episode of CEOs Unscripted, Jane Gentry sits down with Jim Nooney, who transformed Nooney Controls through the revolutionary power of gratitude and authentic leadership.
Jim shares his raw journey from feeling "unsuited" to run his father's business to building a culture where employees genuinely looked forward to coming to work. You'll discover why he believes gratitude is a "superpower" in business, how being debt-free enabled strategic risk-taking, and why asking for forgiveness can actually deepen business relationships.
Key Takeaways:
Why sincere gratitude (not gifts) transforms workplace dynamics
How to establish authority when leading people older than you
The hidden costs of employee turnover and how to prevent it
Why "no one cares what you know until they know you care"
The business case for putting employee wellbeing first
Here's a timestamp outline for the episode:  [00:00:00] - Introduction to CEOs Unscripted and guest Jim Nooney.[00:05:00] - Jim's backstory and the founding of Nooney Controls.[00:15:00] - Challenges of taking over a family business.[00:25:00] - The role of gratitude in leadership and business success.[00:35:00] - Building sincere relationships with employees and vendors.[00:45:00] - Key insights on gratitude as a leadership tool.[00:55:00] - The impact of gratitude on company culture and employee engagement.[01:05:00] - Jim's advice for young leaders and aspiring CEOs.[01:15:00] - Closing thoughts and takeaways from the conversation.

From Lean Processes to Human Potential: Building Meaningful Work Environments

What happens when a supply chain expert who built and sold a successful consulting firm realizes the real problem isn't broken processes—it's broken workplaces? In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Robert Martichenko, founder of Trail Path Workplace Solutions and former CEO of Lean Core Supply Chain, for an eye-opening conversation about the shift from managing processes to unleashing human potential.
After 17 years of helping companies optimize their operations, Robert made a radical pivot: instead of fixing workflows, he's now focused on creating "meaningful employment environments" that tackle the real drivers behind 60-70% turnover rates plaguing frontline workers.
Jane and Robert dive deep into why traditional approaches to workforce challenges are failing, the difference between Theory X and Theory Y leadership, and how dignity and meaningful work aren't just nice-to-haves—they're competitive advantages that directly impact your bottom line.
00:00 - Introduction
Welcome to CEOs Unscripted with Jane Gentry.
02:15 - Robert's Background
Robert shares his journey from struggling in school to founding Lean Core Supply Chain.
10:30 - Building Lean Core
Discussing the principles of lean culture and operational excellence.
18:45 - Successful Exit
Insights into the process and emotions of selling a company.
25:00 - Transition to Trail Path
Robert's shift to focusing on meaningful employment environments.
35:20 - The Meaningful Employment Framework
Exploring dignity and meaningful work as core principles.
45:00 - Challenges in Workforce Management
Addressing turnover, remote work, and leadership development.
55:30 - Closing Thoughts
The importance of community and relationships in business.
58:00 - Rapid Fire Questions
Quick insights into Robert's personal and professional life.
01:05:00 - Conclusion
Wrap-up and invitation to subscribe to CEOs Unscripted.

Beyond the Exhibit: Building a People-First Company with Michael McMahon

What happens when a bartender-turned-restaurant-owner discovers a passion for experiential marketing and becomes the CEO of one of the top exhibit houses in the country? You get Michael McMahon.
In this episode, Michael opens up to host, Jane Gentry, about his winding path to leadership, how he cultivated his leadership voice over decades, and what it really means to “get out of the way” as a CEO. Jane and Michael go deep on practical tools for empowering executive teams, navigating change, and leading with intentionality and authenticity. If you’ve ever felt like the bottleneck in your business, this candid, reflective conversation will challenge and inspire you to lead differently.

Protect the King: Navigating Family, Business & Hard Decisions with Mark McKenzie

How do you run a thriving business with your siblings—without losing your sanity or your bottom line? In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, Mark McKenzie, CEO of DocQmax, shares the gritty, inspiring story behind his family’s 50-year journey in the printing industry. From navigating family dynamics and hard conversations to staying innovative through digital disruption, Mark brings honest insight on how to lead with integrity and pivot with confidence.He and host Jane Gentry dive deep into why CEOs must protect the business like a king on a chessboard, how automation and AI are reshaping legacy industries, and the uncomfortable—but necessary—truth about letting go of people who no longer fit. Whether you’re leading a family business or scaling through industry shifts, this conversation will leave you with real-world tactics and refreshing perspective.

The Servant CEO: Bold Leadership Lessons with Mike Plaia

In this episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with Mike Plaia, CEO of PharmaPoint, for an unscripted masterclass on building culture, embracing servant leadership, and staying bold in the face of adversity.  
(05:34)  The GE program that fast-tracked Mike’s business instincts (07:25)  Why Mike tells young professionals to start with structured training (10:26) "Don't be Snapple"—and why (12:31)  A powerful philosophy on servant leadership—and what it really means to serve your team.(15:51)  Defining a vision and adapting it as your business grows
(18:46). The role adversity plays in building company culture
(21:01)  Jane discusses hiring "climbers" and the  Adversity Quotient by Paul Stoltz(24:45)  Creating a culture where bold ideas—and mistakes—are welcome(30:35)  Why companies can't "camp" and what CEOs miss when they don’t learn from others(35:07)  Redefining hustle—why family-first doesn’t mean less ambition(37:09)  The importance of having a truth-teller by your side.(39:19)  The four-part execution framework (K-O-D-A) Mike used to embed accountability into his culture. (41:33)  Operationalizing ideas; defining the ambiguous to create behavior change(44:31)  Why shared purpose is at the heart of high-performing teams(51:57)  Why humility, mentorship, and vulnerability are essential for growth—especially for CEOs.
From personal growth to organizational execution, this conversation goes deep on what it really takes to lead a purpose-driven business in a fast-changing world.

Leading with Transparency: Lessons in Open-Book Culture with John Costello

What happens when a 16-year-old managing adults becomes a CEO of a niche manufacturing company? In this candid and inspiring episode of CEOs Unscripted, host Jane Gentry sits down with John Costello, CEO of Cherry’s Industrial Equipment, for a real conversation about leadership, legacy, and the power of transparency.
From navigating a tense business partnership to building a company culture rooted in open-book management and financial literacy, John shares the unfiltered wisdom only earned through decades of gritty experience.
Jane and John explore the weight of leadership, how to foster a culture of financial literacy, and why transparency is one of the most overlooked competitive advantages in mid-market companies — all while keeping a sense of humor and humility.
 (07:31) The value of teaching financial literacy at home (11:38) The bittersweet buyout story and hard lessons from a forced 50/50 partnership (19:52) John's hard-earned advice for CEOs entering business partnerships — and the questions he wishes he’d asked early on (25:11) Why John embraced open-book management — and how transparency with financials built trust, ownership, and accountability across the team (27:38) Teaching financial literacy to employees as a company benefit and its impact on employees’ personal lives (37:39) How one employee’s idea saved $25K and proved the model works (38:34) Why weekly meetings, forecasting, and cadence are key to strategic execution (40:27) The radical transparency used in their recruiting process (42:23) How leadership evolved under this model — and why it’s working (53:58) Reflections on legacy, transitions, and developing people through culture
If you’ve ever questioned how open is too open with your team, or whether your culture really drives performance, this one’s for you.