What does it take to build a value-creation engine that scales across portfolios, empowers CEOs, and blends purpose with performance?
In Episode 27, host Linnea Jungnelius sits down with Tory Ramaker, Senior Partner and Co-Head of Vistria PRG, LLC ("Portfolio Resources Group") at The Vistria Group, one of the private-equity industry’s most forward-thinking operating leaders.
From founding the PRG from the ground up to re-engineering how portfolio teams drive transformation, Tory shares what it really means to create impact in essential industries — where financial returns and societal outcomes go hand in hand.
For Operating Partners, CEOs, and investors alike, this conversation breaks down the next generation of value creation, grounded in partnership, empathy, and disciplined execution.
What You’ll Learn:
• How to architect a portfolio operations model that bridges strategy and execution
• Why management ownership, not investor direction, determines success
• The playbook for aligning boards, sponsors, and CEOs around one value-creation plan
• Why the best portfolio leaders blend consulting rigor with real operating experience
• The leadership balance between autonomy and accountability that builds lasting trust
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
00:15 Guest Introduction: Tory Ramaker, The Vistria Group
00:54 Early Lessons in Resilience and Adaptability
02:26 Learning to Influence: From Data and Logic to Empathy
07:13 Building the PRG: Founding Vision and Early Model
08:04 Evolving the Model: From Generalists to Functional Specialists
09:51 Portfolio Priorities: Technology, Talent, and Finance
11:06 Hiring Strategy: Product-Minded Tech Leaders and PE-Proven CFOs
11:45 Next-Gen Operating Talent: Consulting Rigor Meets Operating Experience
13:00 Operating Model Shift: Fewer Companies, Deeper Engagement
14:33 Value Creation Planning: It Must Be Management’s Plan
15:14 Execution and Measurement: Defining Success Metrics
17:03 Integrating Impact: Embedding Purpose into Value Creation
19:00 Partnering with CEOs: Building Trust and Candid Collaboration
21:03 Leadership Alignment: Autonomy with Accountability
22:35 Co-Investment Collaboration: Clarity and Over-Communication
23:46 Change Leadership: Applying AI and Data to Transformation
26:42 Capacity Discipline: Forced Scarcity and Strategic Resourcing
29:15 Leadership Standard: Autonomy with Accountability
31:39 Human Capital Playbook: Assessments, Coaching, and CEO Readiness
36:20 Leadership Evolution: EQ Over IQ
38:19 Lightning Round: Personal Reflections
Resources:
Tory Ramaker:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tory-ramaker-a077141/
Linnea Jungnelius:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius
X: https://x.com/itslinnea
Explore the Podcast:
Spotify: https://acertitu.de/tory-ramaker-spotify-podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://acertitu.de/tory-ramaker-apple-podcast
Blog: https://acertitu.de/tory-ramaker-blog
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Website: https://www.acertitude.com
What does it take to modernize a legacy sport, inspire global fans, and build commercial engines that stand the test of time?
In Episode 26, Linnea Jungnelius sits down with Jeff Price, Chief Commercial & Philanthropy Officer at the PGA of America, and one of the most influential architects behind golf’s modern growth story.
From transforming brand partnerships at Gatorade and MasterCard to reshaping how millions experience the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, Jeff has built a career at the intersection of sport, business, and innovation.
His lessons apply far beyond the fairway: they’re about building trust, culture, and commercial momentum in any business facing disruption.
What You’ll Learn:
• How to turn sponsorships into lasting, growth-driving partnerships
• The leadership shift from instructing teams to empowering them
• Why understanding your “dual-habit” consumers drives sustainable engagement
• How to extend experiences beyond the venue and into culture
• Why focus and the smart use of AI defines the next wave of sports innovation
Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:26 Guest Introduction: Jeff Price
1:09 Early Career & Lessons from Rejection
02:45 Career Journey: NBA, Gatorade, MasterCard
06:31 Startup Experience & Learning from Failure
08:43 Leadership Evolution: Empowerment vs. Instruction
10:16 Decision-Making & Strategic Frameworks
11:37 Joining PGA of America: Strategic Gaps & First Moves
13:15 Partnership Economics & PGA’s Commercial Strategy
17:10 Ryder Cup: Brand Unification & Global Growth
20:36 Commercial Innovation: Events, Experiences, and Media
22:51 Media Strategy: ESPN+ Streaming Deal
25:42 The Future: AI, Data, and Personalization in Golf
30:05 Building High-Performing Teams: The “We” Mentality
32:51 Commercial Leadership: Data, Social Media, and Revenue
34:01 Advice for CEOs & Commercial Teams
35:00 Personal Routines & Sustaining Performance
36:41 Sources of Inspiration & Industry Trends
38:01 Trends in Sports Business & Media
49:00 Lightning Round: Personal Reflections
Resources:
Jeff Price:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-price-24481318/
Linnea Jungnelius:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius
X: https://x.com/itslinnea
Explore the Podcast:
Spotify: https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-spotify-podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-apple-podcast
Blog: https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-blog
Found Value?
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/brilliantpeoplepod
Website: https://www.acertitude.com
What does it take to transform a team, ignite a movement, and build a future that didn’t exist before?
In Episode 25, Linnea Jungnelius sits down with Dr. Allison Barber – trailblazing leader, ex-president of the Indiana Fever, and now the force behind Marvella Academy, the first-of-its-kind youth sports and leadership campus built entirely for girls.
From reimagining a professional sports franchise to shaping the next generation of leaders, Allison shares lessons from the locker room, the boardroom, the Pentagon, and beyond. Her stories reveal how vision, conviction, and the courage to show up, again and again, can create lasting impact in business, sports, and life.
What You’ll Learn:
Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:11 Guest Introduction: Dr. Allison Barber
01:16 Transforming the Indiana Fever: Rebuilding & Strategy
01:39 Building a Championship Culture: The Three C’s
02:17 Leadership Lessons: Vision, Strategy, and Patience
04:34 The Caitlin Clark Moment: Preparing for Transformation
08:54 Building Belief: Fans, Culture, and the “Movable Middle”
14:17 Shaping a Winning Culture: Optimism & Fundamentals
16:55 What Matters Most in Leadership: Integrity
24:13 9/11: Leading Through Crisis
28:24 The Mission Behind Marvella Academy
34:17 Marvella’s Best-in-Class Approach
35:51 The Business of Youth Sports
39:57 What’s Next: Marvella Mobile & Campus Launch
40:54 The Surge in Women’s Sports: What’s Fueling It?
45:11 Advice for Women in Sports Leadership
49:20 Book & Podcast Recommendations
50:05 Marvella’s Legacy: Empowering Girls
52:58 Lightning Round: Personal Reflections
Resources:
Dr. Allison Barber:
Website: https://www.marvellasports.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-barber-phd-06201a2/
Linnea Jungnelius:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius
Explore the Podcast:
Spotify: https://acertitu.de/dr-allison-barber-spotify-podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://acertitu.de/dr-allison-barber-apple-podcast
Blog: https://acertitu.de/dr-allison-barber-blog
Found Value?
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X: https://www.x.com/acertitude
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acertitude
Website: https://www.acertitude.com
What makes a truly great board? And what defines a life well-led? In Episode 24 of the Brilliant People Podcast, host Linnea Jungnelius sits down with Peter Browning, one of the most respected governance voices in America. With over 14 public company boards under his belt—including lead director roles at Nucor, Acuity Brands, and ScanSource, plus 16 years on the board at Lowe’s—Peter brings a rare depth of experience and perspective to the conversation.
He shares the board-level decisions that matter most, from CEO succession to crisis leadership, and the personal stories that shaped his approach to communication, transparency, and resilience. It’s a deep dive into how leadership is built through pressure, listening, and connection—long before the boardroom.
What You'll Learn:
– The 3 questions every board must answer
– What most boards get wrong about CEO succession
– How to lead through bankruptcy, crisis, and culture change
– Why the best directors listen more than they speak
– How climbing mountains and running plants shaped his edge as a leader
Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:11 Peter Browning: Corporate Legend
01:35 Living Life as a Contact Sport
14:57 Inside the Boardroom: ScanSource, Lowe’s & More
16:42 Sales Trainee to CEO: Sonoco, Continental Can, National Gypsum
22:18 Earning Trust Across 300 Plants, 36 Countries
24:38 Bankruptcy Playbook: Reinventing National Gypsum
29:59 Listening as a Leadership Advantage
35:16 Modern Boardroom: From Rubber Stamp to Strategy Engine
40:46 Great Lead Directors Influence Without Authority
43:36 CEO Succession: Making the Hardest Calls
47:32 Board Chemistry: Trust in High-Stakes Rooms
51:49 When, Why & How to Replace a CEO
54:58 Earning Your Seat as a New Director
01:04:07 Favorite CEOs, Leaders & Books
01:08:31 Lightning Round: Family, Focus & Living Fully
Resources:
Peter Browning:
Website: www.peterbrowning.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/peter-browning-4421454/
Linnea Jungnelius:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius/
Explore the Podcast:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4q2SyG7jTqV109lC37RtOV
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brilliant-people-podcast/id1582636185
Blog: acertitu.de/peter-browning-blog
Subscribe and rate the show: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/brilliantpeoplepodcast
Stay Updated on Acertitude:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/acertitude/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRywuMZMbDfHR77TyzEQZQ
Instagram: www.instagram.com/acertitude
Website: www.acertitude.com
For Charlie Turano, legacy isn’t just nostalgia. It’s strategy. As Executive Director at Heritage Werks, Charlie is helping pro sports teams, leagues, and now even universities unlock the untapped power of their history—not just to preserve the past, but to propel the future.
Before that, he co-founded Genesco Sports Enterprises, shaping it into one of the industry’s most respected corporate representation firms, advising global brands on how to maximize their presence in sports. But it all started with the Dallas Cowboys, where Charlie got his first taste of the business side of sports, an experience that sparked a career defined by innovation, storytelling, and the pursuit of enduring value.
What You'll Learn:– How to turn your team's history into a high-ROI brand asset– How to drive fan engagement and revenue with digitized legacy content– The power of cutting through the noise with story-driven brand campaigns
Resources:
Charlie Turano:
Website: https://www.heritagewerks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-turano-7605302/
Linnea Jungnelius:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius/
Explore the Podcast:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4q2SyG7jTqV109lC37RtOV
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brilliant-people-podcast/id1582636185
Blog: www.acertitu.de/charlie-turano-blog
Stay Updated on Acertitude
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/acertitude/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRywuMZMbDfHR77TyzEQZQ
Instagram: www.instagram.com/acertitude
Website: www.acertitude.com
Today, as Go-to-Market Operating Partner at Sixth Street, Paul brings both commercial operator chops and deep empathy to help CEOs, CROs, and deal teams turn strategy into sustainable results.
He doesn’t do playbooks. He does pattern recognition. His approach is high-trust, high-discipline, and highly customized. Whether he’s transforming revenue orgs or coaching commercial leaders, Paul shows up like an athlete: focused, gritty, and committed to continuous improvement.
Today, as Managing Director of Technology and Digital at CD&R, Chris helps companies do the hard work behind “digital transformation” with no buzzwords, no shortcuts, and a sharp eye on what the business actually needs.
His path has been anything but linear. But the throughline is clear: build great teams, make bold decisions, and lead from deep in the trenches.
Before Jimmy Holloran was leading talent strategy for a $16B private equity powerhouse, his path ran through classrooms, consultancies, portfolio companies, and boardrooms—and, in the very early days, behind the bar at his family’s Irish pub in St. Louis.
Today, as Talent Partner at American Industrial Partners (AIP), Jimmy is reshaping what it means to drive value through people. He built the firm’s talent function from the ground up—advancing it from Talent 1.0 (better hiring, structured feedback), to Talent 2.0 (proactive leadership development, early diligence, a repeatable CEO playbook). Now, he’s laying the groundwork for Talent 3.0: a full-cycle leadership engine anchored by the Alpha Lab to grow and promote the next generation of C-suite talent.
As Founder & CEO of WestRiver Group—a thematically driven investment platform that funds and builds companies across the global innovation economy, and Vice Chairman of Topgolf Callaway Brands, Erik has led and scaled some of the most iconic and forward-looking brands in sports, tech,and entertainment.
Under his leadership, Topgolf became a globalphenomenon, reimagining how people connect through play. He’s also a recognized visionary at Singularity University, where he helps organizations embrace exponential technologies to tackle complex global challenges.
Ram Charan, world-renowned business advisor, has spent decades inside boardrooms guiding CEOs and leadership teams through transformative decisions. Fortune calls him "the most influential consultant alive," and for good reason - his insights on leadership, strategy, and talent development have shaped the course of global businesses.
Joining him in conversation is Kevin O’Neill, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Acertitude, a firm dedicated to unleashing human potential through executive search. Together, they delve into the forces shaping today’s business landscape and what separates great leaders from the rest.
From professional basketball to private equity, Rob Delaney's journey is as diverse as it is impressive. Now Managing Director at Carrick Capital Partners, a growth-oriented investment firm, he is laser-focused on helping entrepreneurs scale their software and tech-enabled services companies, with a keen eye on the payments space.
In this dynamic episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Rob joins host Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, to unpack:
-Focusing on the critical few factors that move the needle in business
-Building unshakable trust with management teams
-Carrick's value creation playbook, showcased through DailyPay's meteoric rise
-The role of artificial intelligence in private equity and portfolio companies
-Maintaining peak performance and keeping your “monster" in check
Mark Fiske, seasoned marketeer and master of digital, is Operating Partner and Head of Digital Transformation at H.I.G. Capital, one of the largest and most influential private equity firms in the middle market, managing $65 billion in capital across a portfolio of over 100 companies. In his role, Mark drives the digital transformation strategy and co-leads the Generative AI practice, partnering with portfolio management to accelerate value creation. Before making his mark in PE, Mark led the marketing teams at fast-growing powerhouse brands like Ancestry and Credit Karma.
In our latest episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Mark joins host Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, to explore:
-The evolution of the operating partner role and its impact on growth
-Proven marketing strategies for driving scale and success
-Navigating the shifting landscape of the modern CMO
-Harnessing Generative AI as a powerful tool for value creation
Ben Humphreys is a Senior Operating Executive at Monomoy Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on the middle market. The firm recently closed Fund V, exceeding its initial $1.6 billion target to close at an admirable $2.25 billion.
Ben has journeyed through many of the world's elite organizations, including investment firms like BlackRock and Cerberus along with enterprises like General Electric.
Leveraging rich experience as both operator and operating partner, Ben takes a hands-on approach to partner with portfolio management and transform companies at Monomoy.
On this episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, sat down with Ben to share his toolkit approach to value creation. The show covers Ben’s strategic frameworks for organizational change, recruiting winning leaders, building strong partnerships, and what allows him to show up and be his best self.
Jerry Hughes is the Director of Commercial Excellence at American Securities, a leading private equity firm in the U.S. with $27 billion in committed capital. With typical equity investment ranging from $300-700 million, Jerry has the exciting remit of scaling sizeable industry players and capturing market share.
With a career that’s revolved around the persistent pursuit of growth, Jerry has the tested ideas and tools that strengthen sales and marketing capabilities – and achieve business results.
On this episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, was priviledged to sit down with Jerry to share some of those with you.
The show also covers the American Securities approach to value creation, Jerry’s views on the big value unlock of AI in sales, and what inspires him to work and live life to the fullest.
Dominic is Managing Director and Head of Digital & AI at Bridgepoint, Europe’s leading middle-market growth investor with €43 billion euro of assets under management. As part of the Operational Support Group, he is a force for advancing digital, dispersing collective wisdom, building brands, and driving growth.
David Acharya is the Managing Partner of Acharya Capital Partners, a New York City-based PE firm that buys and grows lower middle market companies.
He discovered his passion for the independent sponsor model after progressing over 25 years as a private equity investor with a fund, and investment banker on Wall Street, thriving in the pace of change, alignment, and impact that he's able to bring forth. David also serves on the Board of ACG Global, the community for middle market deal-making.
Over the last 20 years, Farhan shaped and pioneered some of the most visible and successful digital transformations in the consumer and financialsectors, holding leadership positions with Ahold Delhaize, McDonald’s, Bank of America, and Target.
As chief digital officer of Ahold, he cracked the code on digital change for its 20 brands. It’s no surprise that when Ahold acquired FreshDirect, he was asked to serve as interim CEO and pivoted the company from survival mode to growth mode.
Farhan took the private equity plunge in 2021, today an operating partner at BayPine, a private equity firm with an unrelenting focus on modernization that invests in core-economy, market-leading businesses. His rare vantage point from holding roles as Operating Partner, CEO, and Chief Digital Officer give him an edge in delivering digital capital and guiding portfolio leaders.
Tiffany Lopinsky, alongside fellow co-founders Harry Rein and Chris Tinsley, set out to change the influencer marketing space in 2020. Their vision: craft a revolutionary tool for the creator economy – ShopMy.
Already, they have grown its network to over 40,000 creators and 300 brand partners, signing on renowned beauty brands like Tatcha, Dior, and Elemis and retailers like Nordstrom, Nike, and Lululemon. Recently, they secured $18.5 million in funding, which they are now using to innovate product features, attract even more brands to the platform, and build the team to support its strategic investments.
Ben Gaw embraces the chance to address complex challenges head on, approaching them with passion, grit, and determination. His pursuit of unleashing organizational potential is fueled by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of leadership and operational excellence. This conviction is the cornerstone of his distinguished career in the private equity industry.
Daniel Perry is an energized revenue leader who, time and again, has been the driving force for scaling companies and delivering successful exits. The challenges he tackles are as varied as his approaches to solving them, whether collaborating with portfolio companies to dramatically scale their productivity, provide capacity to their go-to market teams, or help accelerate revenue growth.