CEO.com | Dispatches from the frontiers of leadership

In this episode of the CEO.com Podcast, host Clint interviews Graham Dugoni, the founder and CEO of Yondr. Yondr is revolutionizing the way we experience live events and education by creating phone-free spaces. Discover how Graham's background in sociology, philosophy, and professional soccer influenced his journey to founding Yondr and the impact of phone-free environments on schools and live events.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:13 - What is Yondr?00:26 - Concept of Phone-Free Spaces00:47 - Implementation in Events and Schools01:36 - Founding Yondr and Initial Vision02:39 - Early Challenges and Validation03:53 - Professional Soccer Experience04:44 - Lessons from Sports to Entrepreneurship05:35 - Thoughts on AI and Technology07:20 - Impact of Phone-Free Schools09:06 - Personal Experience Without a Smartphone10:21 - Mental Clarity and News Consumption12:13 - Reading Preferences and Recommendations12:58 - Economic Outlook and Selling to Schools15:07 - Importance of Giving and Taking Chances16:46 - Collaboration with Dave Chappelle17:59 - Cultural Impact of Phone-Free Spaces18:26 - Closing Remarks and Appreciation

Welcome to the CEO.com Show! In this episode, host Clint Betts sits down with Aileen Alexander, the Chief Executive Officer of DSG Global, the world's largest woman-founded executive search firm. Eileen is also the co-author of the influential best-selling book, "Deliberately Different: 50 Years, Two Generations, Leading in a Changing World."Join us as Aileen shares her unconventional path to becoming the CEO of Diversified Search Group, her experiences in the US Army, and her insights from working in Washington, D.C. Aileen also discusses the evolving landscape of executive search, the impact of AI on leadership, and the timeless qualities that remain essential for leaders today.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:18 - Aileen's background and path to CEO01:00 - The founding of DSG Global by Judy Von Zelnick02:05 - Eileen's career in the US Army and Washington, D.C.03:50 - Transition to the business world and executive search05:29 - The decision to become CEO and the process07:18 - Writing "Deliberately Different" and its significance09:08 - Unconventional paths to leadership10:40 - Leading in today's uncertain environment11:24 - Essential qualities for modern leaders13:10 - A typical day for Aileen15:15 - The role of AI in executive search17:13 - Timeless leadership principles18:49 - The importance of giving and taking chances

Welcome to another episode of The CEO.com Show! In this episode, Clint Betts sits down with Denver Naidoo, the CEO of Zeligate, an innovative Australian startup that's revolutionizing the way businesses operate with AI. With 24 years of experience in the software industry, Denver shares his journey from working with the Commodore 64 to gaining early access to OpenAI's LLMs, and how these experiences led to the creation of Zeligate.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:17 - Denver Naidoo's Background01:16 - The Journey to Zeligate02:30 - Early Access to OpenAI's LLMs03:55 - Building a Startup in Australia06:39 - How Zeligate Uses AI10:07 - Real-Life AI Use Cases19:08 - The Future of Zeligate27:01 - The Role of a CEO in a Startup30:24 - Who Gave Denver a Chance?

Welcome to the CEO.com Show! In this episode, host Clint Betts sits down with Bill Donlan, the CEO of Astound Digital. With a rich background in IT services and consulting, Bill shares his journey from working at Arthur Anderson Management Consulting to leading Astound Digital.Bill discusses the current state and future of consulting, emphasizing the transformative role of AI in the industry. He also delves into the challenges and opportunities of leading a private equity-owned company, the resilience of his team in Ukraine, and his approach to maintaining a work-life balance.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:17 - Bill Donlan's background and journey to becoming CEO00:58 - Overview of Astound Digital02:43 - The current state and future of consulting04:25 - The role of AI in consulting and project delivery07:36 - Balancing work-life as a CEO09:52 - Bill's leadership style and company culture11:17 - Remote and hybrid work at Astound Digital12:56 - The resilience of the Ukrainian team14:25 - Balancing work and personal life15:14 - Leading a private equity-owned company16:59 - Outlook for 2025 and comparison to 202418:37 - The importance of giving and receiving chances

Welcome to the CEO.com Show! In this episode, host Clint Betts sits down with Amir Elichai, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Carbyne, a global leader in mission-critical technologies. Amir shares his incredible journey from being an Israeli army officer to founding Carbyne, a company revolutionizing emergency communication with cutting-edge cloud and AI technologies.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Amir and Carbyne01:00 - The Origin Story of Carbyne02:33 - Carbyne's Technological Innovations03:46 - Carbyne's Success and Reach05:10 - The Role of AI in Carbyne's Growth07:59 - Future of AI in Emergency Services10:21 - Global Expansion and Use Cases11:08 - Carbyne's Customer Base and Sales Strategy12:39 - Fundraising and Investors13:36 - Company Structure and Workforce14:06 - Amir's Perspective on Current Events in Israel15:40 - Challenges in Selling to Local Governments17:49 - Future of AI in Law Enforcement19:49 - Reflecting on Opportunities and Support

In this episode, Clint Betts sits down with Adam Wilkes, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Carma, a global house of brands that partners with cultural icons like Mike Tyson, Ric Flair, and Future to revolutionize industries. Under Adam's leadership, Carma creates unique products and experiences through brands such as Tyson 2.0, Ric Flair Drip, and Evolve by Future, bridging the worlds of entertainment, culture, and commerce.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Adam Wilks and Carma HoldCo00:54 - Overview of Carma HoldCo's Brands and Products03:21 - Mike Tyson's Involvement and the Genesis of Carma HoldCo04:22 - The Creation and Success of Mike Bites06:00 - Global Expansion and Adaptation of Products09:10 - Evolution and Future of the Cannabis Industry12:40 - Personal Anecdote: Adam's Grandmother and Cannabis13:06 - A Day in the Life of Adam Wilkes14:30 - Leadership Philosophy: People First15:34 - Advice for Entrepreneurs and Investors in the Cannabis Industry17:27 - Elements of a Great Marketing Campaign19:33 - Selecting Celebrities and Influencers to Work With22:06 - Manufacturing and Partnering with Growers24:24 - Acknowledging Those Who Gave Adam a Chance26:18 - Closing Remarks and Gratitude

In this episode, Clint sits down with Anthony Georgiades, the general partner of Innovating Capital. Anthony shares his journey from a finance student at the University of Pennsylvania to leading investments in disruptive technologies across cybersecurity, enterprise infrastructure, and Web3.Anthony dives deep into his early experiences, including the challenges he faced with his first startup and how it led him to pursue a more technical path. He also discusses the current state of Web3, the impact of meme coins, and the role of AI in transforming the industry.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:40 - Anthony's journey to Innovating Capital04:06 - The current state of Web306:12 - The impact of meme coins09:42 - Success stories: Solana and Injective Protocol12:34 - Thoughts on XRP17:23 - A day in the life of Anthony Georgiades18:41 - The role of AI in Web322:17 - Traits of successful founders24:56 - Who gave Anthony a chance?

In this episode, Clint Betts sits down with Genevieve Bellaire, the founder and CEO of Real World, an AI-driven platform designed to help young adults navigate the complexities of modern life. From setting up a 401k to finding the right health insurance, Real World aims to be the one-stop shop for all things adulthood.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Guest Overview00:17 - Genevieve's Background and Real World Origin01:09 - Realizing the Knowledge Gap in Adulthood01:51 - The Impetus for Creating Real World02:22 - Evolution of Real World Platform03:06 - Early Validation and Pattern Recognition03:59 - Experimenting with Different Product Formats04:58 - Initial Focus on Educational Courses05:51 - Challenges with B2B Model and Pivot to B2C07:07 - Future of Education and AI Integration07:34 - Personalization and Generative AI in Real World08:58 - Automating Adulthood with AI10:03 - Excitement and Challenges of Rapid Technological Advancements11:11 - Overcoming Significant Challenges and Pivots13:06 - Differences Between B2B and B2C Models15:23 - User Feedback and Long-term Vision18:06 - A Day in the Life of a CEO19:06 - Reading Habits and Recommendations20:49 - Fundraising and Venture Capital Strategy22:04 - Important Attributes of Leadership23:19 - Admired Leaders and Their Impact24:40 - Lessons Learned and Trusting Your Gut26:00 - Current Market Outlook and Optimism for 202528:37 - Acknowledging Those Who Gave a Chance29:44 - Closing Remarks and Gratitude

In this episode of the CEO Podcast, we sit down with Matt Tebbe, the President and CEO of Cartus, a global leader in corporate relocation and talent management services. Matt shares his journey to becoming the CEO, the unique challenges and opportunities in the relocation industry, and how Cartus is leveraging AI to enhance productivity and client experience.Timestamps:00:06 - Introduction to Matt Tebbe and Cartus00:40 - Matt Tebbe's Journey to CEO of Cartus01:28 - Overview of Cardist's Services02:44 - Lessons Learned as CEO03:35 - Work from Home and Hybrid Work Trends05:24 - The Role of AI in Cardist07:44 - AI's Impact on Productivity09:00 - Future of AI in the Workplace09:48 - DEI Programs and Their Impact11:31 - DEI as a Political Topic13:16 - A Day in the Life of Matt Tebbe14:08 - Reading Recommendations15:26 - Leaders Matt Tebbe Admires16:40 - Lessons Learned in Leadership17:46 - Building Culture in a Remote-First Company19:00 - Over-Communicating in a Remote Environment19:49 - Economic Outlook for 202521:53 - The Importance of Giving Chances23:04 - Closing Remarks

In this episode of the CEO Podcast, we sit down with Cleveland Brown, the co-founder and CEO of PayScout. Cleveland shares his fascinating journey from building a communication platform for public schools to leading a global payment processing technology company. Discover how PayScout transforms payment processing from a cost center to a profit center using their proprietary payment orchestration platform and AI-driven tools.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:16 - Cleveland's journey to becoming CEO of PayScout00:50 - What is PayScout?01:20 - Cleveland's excitement about payments02:25 - Transition from communication platform to payment processing03:04 - Studying philosophy and its impact04:07 - First experience with Nietzsche04:54 - Importance of company culture06:19 - Mentorship at PayScout07:09 - AI in payments and its future09:25 - Crypto and its impact on payments11:08 - Using AI for fraud detection13:21 - Cleveland's reading recommendations15:34 - Thoughts on raising capital16:20 - Leaders Cleveland admires17:11 - Outlook for 202519:17 - Cleveland's name and family legacy20:23 - The importance of taking chances