In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Erik Huberman, founder and CEO of Hawke Media, to unpack why the old marketing playbook is broken—and what actually scales in 2025. Erik shares how AI has collapsed the product moat, making distribution, brand, and go-to-market the real advantages. He explains the “vibe” behind breakout brands (think Liquid Death) and why software companies must now win on trust, positioning, and partnerships rather than feature lists. We dig into Hawke Media’s early differentiation—“your outsourced CMO,” month-to-month flexibility, and a la carte services—and how credibility compounds through consistent standards, client communication, and third-party validation (PR as trust, not awareness). Erik also breaks down the myths of ROAS, how to measure what matters across sales cycles, and a pragmatic framework for investing in founders with an unfair advantage. Finally, he offers founder operating principles: build the company you want to run, avoid burnout and bad debt, and let culture be the brand customers experience. If you lead growth, run a services firm, or invest in SaaS, this is a tactical masterclass in cutting through noise and turning credibility into compounding results.
Takeaways
AI shrinks product moats; distribution and GTM become the edge.
90% should be scalable, repeatable marketing; 10% creative bets to stand out.
Brand “vibe” creates defensibility—even for software—by signaling trust and values.
Positioning that travels (“your outsourced CMO”) fuels word-of-mouth and referrals.
PR is a **trust*asset more than awareness—turn third-party moments into ads.
ROAS often lies; anchor to sales cycle, lifetime value, and full-funnel ROI.
Think in “half-lives”: run long enough to see conversions, then optimize and wait again.
Relationships and communication keep clients through dips; performance alone isn’t enough.
Niche vs. breadth: define ICP and messaging; teams can specialize without shrinking TAM.
Use the Rule of 40 to balance profit and growth when setting spend.
Investors should seek unfair advantages: embedded founders, ecosystem ties, real GTM.
Founder principle: build for yourself; avoid debt/burnout—your ambition sets the ceiling.
Chapters
00:00 Intro and guest setup Erik Huberman and the new moat in an AI world
04:20 Distribution, partnerships, and GTM as the unfair advantage
08:05 Brand “vibe” and positioning that actually travels
11:45 How Hawke Media stood out the outsourced CMO model
21:30 The awareness → nurture → trust framework
34:40 The ROAS trap and what to measure instead
44:05 Spend strategy, Rule of 40, and scaling channels
47:00 Sales-cycle “half-lives” and realistic ramp timelines
48:45 Make-it-work mindset for leaders and marketers
52:50 Investor lens embedded founders and unfair advantages
58:21 Final takeaways and close
Erik Huberman’s Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/erikhuberman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhuberman/
Erik Huberman’s Websites:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Sam Goodner, the serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Catapult Systems — Microsoft’s top-ranked consulting partner at the time of its acquisition. Sam shares his 30-year journey from starting a small IT consulting firm in 1993 with just $17,000 in the bank to scaling multiple companies to eight- and nine-figure exits, including turning a parking tech startup into a unicorn.
Through vivid stories and practical lessons, Sam reveals the disciplines behind operational scalability, decentralized leadership, and what it truly takes to build a company that can run — and grow — without its founder. He discusses his book Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision, the frameworks he used to recession-proof his companies, and how he transformed chaos into predictable growth. From his military lessons in Switzerland to his role as an angel investor mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, Sam offers a masterclass in clarity, systems, and execution — proving that growth isn’t luck, it’s discipline.
Takeaways
Great businesses scale through clarity, disciplined execution, and time, not luck.
Founders often become the bottleneck — true leadership means empowering others to decide and own outcomes.
Operational scalability starts when the company can run and grow without the founder.
Create rules of empowerment: if a decision is right for the customer, company, ethical, aligned with values, and you’re accountable — act.
Codify best practices with playbooks, especially for sales and hiring.
Hire people better than you, then get out of their way.
Mentorship and coachability accelerate growth more than any funding round.
Recession-proofing begins before the downturn — diversify industries, services, and recurring revenue streams.
Every company needs to define what it’s best in the world at and its unfair advantage.
Founders should spend 95% of their time on the business, not in it.
Focus on discipline and systems, not just ideas — execution is where companies win.
Success evolves from climbing mountains to helping others climb theirs.
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Scaling Beyond Chaos
01:30 From Developer to Founder: The Birth of Catapult Systems
03:20 Bootstrapping to Profitability in the 90s
06:00 Why Raising Money Isn’t Always the Answer
07:30 Investing in Flash Parking: Spotting a Unicorn in an Unsexy Industry
12:00 The Power of Coachability and Mentorship
16:50 Breaking Founder Mode and Achieving Operational Scalability
21:00 Building Playbooks for Sales and Talent Acquisition
26:00 Decentralized Decision-Making and the Rules of Empowerment
37:00 The Swiss Army Precision: Inside Sam’s Book “Like Clockwork”
43:00 Recession-Proofing Your Business
51:00 Balancing Focus and Diversification
55:00 Defining Your Unfair Advantage
57:00 The Aha Moment: Realizing You’re the Bottleneck
59:00 The Third Chapter: Giving Back and Mentoring Entrepreneurs
01:01:00 Closing Thoughts: Build Systems, Empower People, Stay Disciplined
Sam Goodner’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samgoodner/
Sam Goodner’s Websites:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan is joined by Christian Ulstrup, founder of Powerline, to explore how AI is transforming business practices. Christian, with over a decade of experience in applied AI, discusses the evolution of AI technologies and their real-world impact on industries ranging from startups to the U.S. federal government. He shares insights on moving from experimentation to impactful applications of AI, stressing the importance of cultivating a culture of continuous experimentation. Together, Avetis and Christian dive into how leaders can leverage AI for exponential growth, from AI quick wins to deep organizational transformations. The conversation touches on practical applications, such as automating back-office processes, improving customer interactions, and identifying hidden opportunities through AI-driven insights. Christian also discusses his firm’s approach to using AI tools to generate value, drive profitability, and reduce costs while maintaining a human-centered focus. His unique perspective on the role of AI in shaping the future of work is both enlightening and inspiring, offering actionable advice for tech leaders eager to embrace the AI revolution.
Takeaways
AI's role is not just about the technology itself but how and where it's applied in business processes.
Business leaders must foster a culture of continuous experimentation to maximize the potential of AI.
AI quick wins involve improving existing processes to work faster and more efficiently, sometimes 10 times faster.
A "10x" approach, rather than incremental changes, can drive larger, more impactful transformations.
Engaging with AI tools and experimenting with them helps uncover surprising efficiencies and new opportunities.
Effective AI adoption starts with clear executive alignment and a formal mandate for experimentation across the organization.
Some AI models like GPT and Claude are revolutionizing business processes that were previously time-consuming or costly.
AI tools should be integrated into everyday workflows, from sales to HR, to gain real-time insights and efficiencies.
Companies should prioritize AI experimentation, with an eye on both short-term wins and long-term cultural transformation.
AI can help businesses of all sizes democratize access to powerful data insights, leveling the playing field for smaller companies.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:26 Christian Ulstrup’s Background
03:15 AI’s Role in Business Transformation
05:47 The AI Quick Win
07:55 Thinking Big for AI Impact
09:54 Three Phases of AI Adoption
12:18 Tools for AI Adoption
14:37 Identifying Power Users
16:58 Formalizing AI Use Across the Organization
19:15 Analyzing Data with AI Tools
23:30 AI for Small Businesses
27:48 AI and Profit Impact in PE-backed Firms
31:46 Second-Order Effects of AI
34:08 Risk Reduction and AI
39:56 Opportunity Spotting with AI
44:23 Change Management and AI
49:42 Biggest Aha Moment in Christian’s AI Journey
54:03 The Future of Work with AI
Christian Ulstrup’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianulstrup/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan lays out a wartime CEO playbook for thriving in downturns, drawing on the same strategies his team used to scale HireClout and help clients grow through multiple recessions. He argues that recessions do not kill companies, timid leadership does, and makes the case for buying market share when others freeze. Avetis explains why momentum dies faster than cash burns, how to reinforce your core and double down on your edge, and where “talent arbitrage” appears when markets are scared. He also breaks down weaponized efficiency, using AI and automation to cut friction instead of people, and how leaders can keep teams aligned by leading with certainty, transparency, and small weekly wins. Along the way, Avetis shares candid stories from COVID, investing in AI startups and real estate, and the tough calls required of a wartime CEO. The result is a concise, practical blueprint for founders and operators who want to play to win rather than “not lose.”
Takeaways
Recessions concentrate opportunity in the hands of bold leaders
Momentum dies faster than cash burns, so “wait and see” erodes advantage
Cut distractions, not drivers; double down on your core edge
Downturns are prime time for talent arbitrage and loyalty building
You cannot cut your way to greatness; savings alone will not scale a company
Use AI and automation to remove friction so people can drive revenue
Turn downtime into build time by rebuilding systems to be 10x-ready
Keep outbound and thought leadership consistent while others go quiet
Lead with certainty; your team mirrors your energy and confidence
Create small weekly wins to sustain morale and momentum
Pair clarity with optimism; either one alone leads to noise or paralysis
The leaders who act decisively now will own the rebound later
Chapters
00:00 Why timid leaders lose in recessions
02:22 The big lie of “conserve and wait”
04:30 You cannot cut your way to greatness
06:45 Recessions as the cheapest time to buy market share
08:23 Talent arbitrage and loyalty during downturns
10:32 Reinforce your core and double down on your edge
12:50 Weaponized efficiency: cut friction, not talent
15:16 Turn downtime into build time and rebuild systems
17:22 Keep marketing; brand compounding when others go silent
19:25 Lead with certainty and reassure through transparency
21:40 Clarity plus optimism and the cost of overanalysis
23:40 No fluff, make it happen: own the rebound
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Jossie Haines—executive coach, fractional engineering leader, and former engineering leader at Apple, Zynga, Tile, and Life360—to unpack how great leaders build inclusive, high-performing teams and adopt AI with intention. Jossie shares pivotal moments from leading Siri teams at Apple (including award-winning Apple TV work) and scaling engineering at Tile, where she helped double the org and architect a culture people still miss. She gets candid about imposter syndrome, why inclusion (not box-checking diversity) drives psychological safety and product quality, and how to communicate in CEO/CFO language: business outcomes, trade-offs, and crisp “yes—and” solutions. You’ll also hear her playbook for leaders using AI to reclaim strategic time, from code-base ramp-ups to custom GPTs that coach junior PMs and engineers. Plus: lessons from Zynga’s two-week company-wide pivot, the value of age diversity in teams, and why “slow productivity” beats 80-hour grinds. A masterclass in defining success on your own terms—and leading with clarity, courage, and measurable impact.
Takeaways
Inclusion and psychological safety are prerequisites for high performance.
Focus on mechanics (meetings, feedback, promotions) before chasing diversity metrics.
Communicate in outcomes and trade-offs; lead with business impact.
Use “yes, and” to surface constraints without being the “no” person.
Leaders should model effective AI use to raise adoption quality.
Treat AI as an 80–90% draft; humans add accuracy and context.
Deploy AI where it frees strategy time: research, ramp-ups, admin loops.
Build leverage by shipping tangible alternatives quickly.
Age diversity strengthens execution and pattern recognition.
Replace hustle myths with sustainable “slow productivity.”
Senior leaders must self-generate confidence signals; feedback gets rarer.
Define success on your terms and make clear, bold asks.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Guest Setup
02:00 Apple & Tile: Wins, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome
05:00 Designing Roles and Cultures People Miss
08:30 Why Senior Leaders Feel Isolated
10:40 Inclusion → Psychological Safety → Performance
13:10 Operationalizing Inclusion (Meetings, Feedback, Promotions)
16:50 Hiring Panels, Representation, and Real Accountability
18:55 Keeping Eyes on Outcomes, Not Optics
21:50 The Overlooked Advantage of Age Diversity
26:20 Boundaries, Peak Hours, and Sustainable Work
28:40 Leaders & AI: Modeling Quality and Guardrails
33:00 AI as Draft Partner: Seniors vs. Juniors
36:30 Practical AI Workflows (Ramp-Ups, Custom Assistants)
40:15 Speaking CFO/CEO: Outcomes, Trade-offs, “Yes, and”
46:50 Shipping Fast for Negotiation Leverage
51:10 Trust Yourself, Ask Boldly, Create Roles
54:30 Closing & Book Recommendations
Jossie Haines’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jossiemann/
Jossie Haines’s Websites:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Radhika Dutt—MIT-trained engineer, entrepreneur, and author of Radical Product Thinking, to rethink how high-growth companies set direction and measure progress.
Radhika explains why traditional goal systems (KPIs/OKRs) often incentivize “performance theater,” tracing their lineage from Drucker’s MBOs to Andy Grove to today’s playbooks—and why they’re mismatched to modern, creative work. She introduces OHLs (Objectives, Hypotheses, Learnings) and a “puzzle setting/puzzle solving” culture that pushes teams to interrogate bad numbers, not hide them. Along the way she names common “product diseases” (HERO syndrome, obsessive sales disorder, pivotitis, strategic swelling, Narcissus complex) and shows how a clear, testable vision prevents whiplash pivots. A standout case study: at Signal Ocean, reframing the challenge for tech-averse users helped double sales in 2024 and again in 2025 while reducing churn from 26% to 4%. Leaders also get a practical script for better reviews (“How well is it working? What did we learn? What will we try next?”) and a reminder to build experimentation muscles before a crisis. The result is a rigorous, human approach to strategy that replaces vanity metrics with compounding learning.
Takeaways
OKRs often reward optics over insight, encouraging “performance theater.”
Use a concrete vision that states the problem, audience, status quo, desired end state, and product’s role.
Shift from “hit the target” to puzzle setting so teams feel invited to solve the right problems.
Run on OHLs: Objectives, Hypotheses, Learnings to measure deeply and learn publicly.
Watch for “product diseases” like HERO syndrome, obsessive sales disorder, pivotitis, strategic swelling, and the Narcissus complex.
Pivot with gravitas by stating what was wrong, what you learned, and what you’ll try next.
Case study: at Signal Ocean, reframing for tech-averse users unlocked adoption, doubled sales year over year, and reduced churn.
OKRs trace back to MBOs, which fit repetitive work but struggle with today’s creative, uncertain problems.
Leaders should act like detectives, not judges to create psychological safety for honest learning.
Introduce OHLs inside your current cadence before replacing existing processes.
Spread market insight beyond the founder so teams can challenge assumptions and stay aligned.
Start with the segment that has the most urgent need, then expand intentionally.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Why Targets Mislead
01:27 Radhika’s Path and Early Lessons
03:41 Hitting Numbers vs. Reality on the Ground
05:31 “Product Diseases” That Derail Strategy
07:51 Writing a Vision You Can Execute
09:49 The Wine Startup Example and Narcissus Complex
13:07 Pivotitis and How to Pivot with Gravitas
16:34 Translating Vision into Actionable Experiments
17:44 Why Goals Alone Don’t Work
20:03 A Short History of OKRs and Their Limits
24:43 From Targets to Puzzles: Reframing Stalled Sales
26:50 OHLs: Objectives, Hypotheses, Learnings
29:14 Running Better Reviews: Three Questions
35:31 Case Study: Signal Ocean’s Tech-Averse Users
39:55 Outcomes: Doubling Sales and Reducing Churn
41:58 Intel’s Lesson: Experimentation Beats Goal Mechanics
47:58 Detectives, Not Judges: Building a Learning Culture
50:06 How to Start Tomorrow with OHLs
59:37 Don’t Do Founder Mode; Spread Insight
01:03:18 Closing Notes & Resources
Radhika Dutt’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhika-dutt/
Radhika Dutt’s Websites:
https://www.radicalproduct.com/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Dr. Reece Akhtar, CEO and founder of Deeper Signals — a leading organizational psychologist and data scientist helping companies unlock human potential through AI-powered talent insights. Together, they explore how the future of leadership is being shaped by behavioral science, soft skills, and the rise of AI in the workplace.
Dr. Akhtar breaks down what defines high-caliber leaders today, emphasizing the evergreen traits of cognitive aptitude, emotional intelligence, curiosity, and execution. He shares powerful stories about helping a scaling company move from 200 to 1,000 employees while improving performance by 15–20% year-over-year by using data-driven assessments.
Listeners will gain a practical blueprint for building talent-centric organizations, minimizing bias in hiring, and turning assessments into tools for onboarding, coaching, and long-term leadership development. This episode is packed with actionable advice for executives and founders who want to future-proof their organizations, hire and grow the right leaders, and create high-performing, cohesive teams in an AI-driven world.
Takeaways
High-performing leaders share four traits: cognitive aptitude, emotional intelligence, curiosity, and the ability to execute.
AI will amplify the need for collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity—not replace them.
Psychometrics offer a data-driven way to reveal leadership potential beyond intuition.
Assessments shouldn’t just filter candidates; they should inform onboarding and ongoing coaching.
Structured interviews combined with assessments dramatically improve hiring accuracy.
Data can act as a guardrail against unconscious bias in leadership selection.
Building a talent-centric organization requires aligning culture, leadership development, and performance metrics.
Cognitive diversity within teams often outperforms a single "A-player" approach.
Over-indexing on charismatic leaders can be dangerous—look for competence, not charm.
The five-factor model (OCEAN) is the most scientifically valid framework for personality assessments.
Leaders should pause before reacting—self-awareness and emotional regulation are key.
"Just pause and listen" is Akhtar’s billboard advice for young leaders.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Why leadership needs data in the AI era
01:35 What defines high-potential leaders today
03:50 Evergreen traits: intelligence, EQ, curiosity, execution
06:25 How psychometrics and AI reveal hidden potential
09:05 Case study: Scaling from 200 to 1,000 employees with data-driven hiring
13:10 Turning assessment data into onboarding and coaching tools
17:00 The five-factor model (OCEAN) and its predictive power
19:00 Limitations of assessments and human adaptability
22:30 Combining interviews, references, and data for better hiring decisions
27:50 Why resumes and unstructured interviews fall short
29:50 Lessons from Dune: Avoiding the charismatic leader trap
32:40 Using data to identify and mitigate bias in hiring
36:15 Building a talent-centric organization and embedding values
44:30 The importance of team fit and cognitive diversity
47:15 Personal lessons: pausing before reacting as a leader
48:30 Recommended reading: Social Physics by Sandy Pentland
49:55 Closing advice: "Pause and listen" for young leaders
51:00 Episode wrap-up and where to connect with Dr. Akhtar
Dr. Reece Akhtar’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reeceakhtar/
Dr. Reece Akhtar’s Website:
https://www.deepersignals.com/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Ari Galper, the world’s #1 authority on trust-based selling and creator of the One Call Sale methodology and Ari AI, an AI-powered sales coaching platform built on decades of proven frameworks. Together, they explore why traditional relationship-building and persuasion tactics often fail in today’s crowded marketplace—and what tech leaders can do instead.
Ari shares how to transition from solution-centric pitching to problem-centric diagnosing, helping prospects see the cost of inaction before presenting a solution. He offers powerful language patterns and mindset shifts that compress long sales cycles into a single conversation, without pressure or chasing leads. Listeners will hear real-world stories, including Ari’s personal turning point that inspired him to build a global movement around truth and trust in sales.
Whether you’re a founder, executive, or sales leader, this episode will help you rethink your approach to business growth—moving from transactional selling to creating deep trust that drives long-term success.
Takeaways
Trust-building, not persuasion, is the foundation of modern sales.
Stop selling pre-sale—diagnose problems first, like a doctor with a patient.
The cost of inaction (COI) is critical: help prospects see the risk of staying with the status quo.
Compressing the sales cycle into one call creates clarity and commitment without pressure.
Relationship-building pre-sale often backfires; it can put you in the “friend zone.”
Avoid using the phrase “follow-up”; ask for feedback instead to uncover the truth.
Silence is a powerful tool—let prospects talk first and reveal their core issues.
Clarity is the true value you provide, not your product demo or case studies.
Create cultural change in sales teams by teaching trust-based frameworks, not scripts.
Use trust-based language to keep prospects on your calendar and avoid chasing ghosts.
Personal transparency and authenticity—like Ari’s lessons from his son Toby—make you more effective.
Market to the problems you solve, not your solutions, to stand out in a noisy world.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Why Trust-Based Selling Matters in Tech
01:30 The Shift: From Product-Centric to Problem-Centric
03:15 Cost of Inaction: The Real Sales Trigger
04:55 The One Call Sale Framework Explained
06:40 Trust vs. Relationship Building
08:20 Real Story: Why “Great Meetings” Don’t Equal Sales
10:40 Diagnosing Over Delivering: Coaching Case Study
13:15 Ari’s Sales Call Script (Doctor Analogy Breakdown)
15:00 The Birth of Ari AI and What Makes It Unique
18:00 How Leaders Role-Play and Write Better Emails with AI
20:00 Difference Between Fact-Finding and Trust Questions
21:40 Never Use “Follow Up” Again Use This Instead
24:30 Building Culture Without Falling into the Friend Zone
26:20 Sales Teams Need Interventions, Not Programs
28:00 Avoiding Bad Business: Qualifying for Urgency
30:00 Ari’s Aha Moment: The Muted Sales Call That Changed Everything
33:30 Why “Being Professional” Still Lost the Deal
35:15 Favorite Book: 80/20 Sales & Marketing
36:00 Why Ari Writes a New Book Every Quarter
37:20 Writing Problem-Centric Cold Emails That Cut Through Noise
39:00 Personal Wisdom from Ari’s Son, Toby
40:10 Final Advice: Trust is the New Currency
Ari Galper’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arigalper/
https://www.youtube.com/@ari_galper
https://www.instagram.com/ari_galper
Ari Galper’s Website:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Susan Ruediger, Founder and Chief Mission Officer of the CMT Research Foundation (CMTRF), and Laura MacNeill, the organization’s CEO. Together, they explore how patient-led research is revolutionizing drug development and catalyzing billion-dollar outcomes. Susan shares the remarkable story of CMTRF’s $128,000 seed investment in DTX Pharma that led to a $1 billion Novartis acquisition — a masterclass in strategic risk-taking and venture philanthropy. Laura explains how CMTRF’s unique “go-out-of-business” mission drives urgency, focus, and impact, while also inspiring other nonprofits to adopt similar models. The conversation dives deep into storytelling’s role in galvanizing donors, the importance of milestones and reinvestment, and how rare disease foundations can unlock breakthroughs for broader neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Whether you’re a biotech leader, investor, or nonprofit executive, this episode offers actionable lessons on focus, partnerships, and creating outsized impact with limited resources.
Takeaways
Patient-led research can de-risk and accelerate drug development.
$128K seed funding led to a $1B Novartis acquisition.
CMTRF uses a venture-philanthropy model with milestone-based funding.
Mission: fund treatments, find a cure, close the foundation.
Storytelling drives awareness, donations, and partnerships.
Early investments keep promising science alive.
Biotech partnerships share risk and leverage expertise.
Novartis validated CMT as a major market opportunity.
Rare disease focus offers faster FDA pathways.
Staying laser-focused means saying no to distractions.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome
01:20 From Grassroots Donations to Billion-Dollar Deals
02:30 Understanding CMT and Its Impact
05:00 Finding the Right Delivery Vehicle for Drugs
07:40 The $128K Bet That Changed Everything
09:50 Other Success Stories & Market Signaling
13:00 The Venture-Philanthropy Model Explained
16:30 The Power of Milestones and Flexibility
18:45 Reinvestment and Sustainable Funding
21:30 Role of Storytelling and Strategy in Movement Building
26:10 Velocity Campaign & Raising $20M
27:25 Why Biotechs Care About Rare Diseases
31:50 CMT as a Gateway Indication for Neurodegenerative Disease
33:30 Staying Focused and Saying No
38:30 The Drug Development Lifecycle and Staying Mission-Aligned
42:10 How to Get Involved and Follow CMTRF’s Work
45:10 Personal & Business Advice for Leaders
48:30 Favorite Books and Final Thoughts
52:00 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Susan Ruediger’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ruediger/
Laura MacNeill’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-macneill-m-b-a-97633732/
CMT Research Foundation’s Website:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Andrew McVeigh, veteran technology leader and Chief Architect, whose career spans transformations at Hulu, Riot Games, and beyond. Andrew has navigated multi-billion-dollar shifts across industries from finance to gaming and healthcare, leaving behind architectures that still power companies today.
The conversation dives deep into some of the most pressing questions in modern tech leadership: What matters most—EQ, IQ, or AI? Should organizations rebuild systems from scratch or evolve incrementally? Andrew shares candid stories, including lessons from Riot Games, the pitfalls of full rewrites, and the importance of balancing optimism with realism.
Listeners will gain insight into how domain expertise and generalist skills complement one another, why EQ becomes more critical than IQ at senior levels, and how AI is reshaping engineering work without eliminating the need for human craft. Andrew also reflects on personal resilience, leadership missteps (like literally flipping a table), and the value of building systems and cultures that endure. This episode offers a rare inside look into decades of architectural wisdom and leadership lessons applicable to anyone guiding teams through complexity and change
Takeaways
EQ often outweighs IQ at senior leadership levels when managing large teams.
Losing emotional control may feel satisfying in the moment but erodes long-term trust and outcomes.
Generalists and specialists both play vital roles—large-scale architecture requires a mix of both.
Domain expertise is valuable but shouldn’t be an absolute barrier to hiring strong engineers.
Successful engineers learn to work at the level of intention rather than just tasks.
Psychological safety fuels better performance and innovation in teams.
AI augments, not replaces—engineers must learn to collaborate with it effectively.
Craft and fundamentals (e.g., programming) remain essential even as AI automates repetitive work.
The Pareto principle (80/20) applies broadly—focus on high-leverage outcomes, not perfection.
Full rewrites often fail; incremental evolution with a defined “North Star” strategy is safer.
Optimism in leadership can shift cultures and reframe challenges as opportunities.
Balancing results with humanity ensures people want to work with you again.
Chapters
00:00 Intro: EQ, IQ, or AI?
01:15 Guest Introduction: Andrew McVeigh’s career at Hulu, Riot Games, and more
02:30 Industry Crossovers: From finance to gaming to healthcare
04:10 Specialists vs. Generalists in large-scale systems
05:20 The rising importance of EQ in leadership
07:10 Riot Games culture and the “must be a gamer” debate
11:20 What makes great engineers stand out
13:40 Leadership, personal resilience, and the humanity factor
17:50 How AI reshapes engineering work
22:30 Applying the Pareto principle in tech leadership
24:50 The rewrite dilemma: Start over or evolve?
31:20 Preserving value while modernizing legacy systems
36:10 Final thoughts: EQ, IQ, or AI? Andrew’s choice
37:30 Book recommendations and sources of inspiration
38:40 Closing advice: Attitude, optimism, and ownership
39:45 Outro and how to connect with Andrew
Andrew McVeigh’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmcveigh/
Andrew McVeigh’s Website:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Chris Hallberg, entrepreneur, business coach, and former military and police leader, known for creating the Business Sergeant Leadership Philosophy. Chris brings decades of experience transforming teams, sharpening execution, and implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) to help companies achieve breakthrough performance.
From his formative years in the Army National Guard and law enforcement to his career as a sought-after business coach, Chris shares powerful insights into leadership, accountability, and the non-negotiables that separate thriving organizations from stagnant ones. He discusses why the best companies are unafraid to make tough personnel decisions, the importance of “re-enlisting” your team every 90 days, and how to kill problems decisively rather than admiring them in endless meetings.
Listeners will hear candid stories from Chris’ journey, his philosophy on curating the right people in the right seats, and practical lessons from his book The Business Sergeant’s Field Manual: Military-Grade Business Execution Without the Yelling and Push-Ups. If you’re a leader looking to build elite teams, create accountability without politics, and drive results with clarity, this conversation is packed with strategies to elevate your leadership game.
Takeaways
Military and police leadership taught Chris the value of learning from both the best and worst leaders—and applying those lessons to business.
Elite teams are built by curating the right people, not trying to “fix” the wrong ones.
Commitment is key: employees should symbolically “re-enlist” every 90 days to stay aligned with company goals.
Healthy conflict is essential; if team members can’t speak the truth, accountability and results will collapse.
Hiring should focus on slow-to-hire, quick-to-fire practices, supported by assessments that ensure cultural and role fit.
Chris’ “three winners, three losers” framework highlights how keeping the wrong people hurts individuals, teams, and future opportunities.
Middle managers (sergeants) are critical bridges between leadership and frontline teams; they must be empowered to hire and fire.
Moving goalposts erode accountability—leaders must set clear deal breakers and stick to them.
Compensation should reflect high expectations: hire in the 75th percentile, expect 90th percentile performance.
Always be recruiting—maintain a pipeline of talent by networking, even with competitors’ top performers.
New hires provide fresh perspectives; leaders should actively solicit feedback in their first weeks.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome
01:15 Lessons from Military & Police Leadership
03:00 Commitment and Sacrifice in Team Building
05:15 Applying Military Principles to Business Growth
07:25 The 90-Day Re-Enlistment Concept
09:30 Accountability and Volunteer Mindsets
13:55 Curating the Right People vs. Fixing the Wrong Ones
18:05 Decisiveness and Killing Problems Quickly
21:20 The Fire Triangle and Root-Cause Problem Solving
23:30 Healthy Conflict, Commitment, and Accountability
28:20 Hiring Practices: Slow to Hire, Quick to Fire
30:35 The Three Winners and Three Losers Framework
35:15 Empowering Middle Managers (Sergeants)
38:40 Lessons from The Business Sergeant’s Field Manual
42:00 Getting to the Next Level with the Right Team
44:15 Favorite Books and Closing Reflections
46:00 Outro & Key Takeaways
Chris Hallberg’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hallberg-01516315/
https://www.facebook.com/chrishallberg09/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Michelle Niemeyer, a former high-powered attorney turned burnout expert, certified health coach, and creator of The Art of Bending Time. With 33 years in law and a personal journey of reinvention, Michelle shares her path from the pressures of litigation and entrepreneurship to becoming a sought-after advisor on sustainable leadership and resilience.
The conversation dives into the pitfalls of chasing “work-life balance,” why multitasking drains focus, and how leaders can prevent burnout by fueling themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Michelle explains how her health challenges and professional burnout led her to develop frameworks that help leaders align their goals with what truly lights them up. From her innovative SWORD analysis for goal setting, to practical strategies for reclaiming focus and accepting help, Michelle offers actionable insights that challenge traditional productivity thinking.
Leaders will come away with fresh perspectives on integrating personal and professional life, the hidden costs of micromanagement, and why bending time isn’t about managing minutes, but about living with purpose, clarity, and energy.
Takeaways
Burnout often stems from chasing “work-life balance,” which can separate people from their whole selves.
Leaders thrive when they integrate passions and strengths from different areas of life into their work.
True productivity requires physical and mental health: quality sleep, nutrition, and consistent movement.
The lymphatic system depends on physical activity — sitting too long allows toxins to build up.
“Bending time” means focusing on what fuels you rather than squeezing more hours out of the day.
Multitasking is a myth — it decreases focus, increases mistakes, and prolongs tasks.
Removing notifications and delegating tasks clears mental space for deep, high-value work.
Leaders must avoid micromanagement and trust their teams to develop and excel.
The SWORD analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, risks, and desire) emphasizes whether goals are truly worth pursuing.
Accepting help is not a weakness; it builds connection and accelerates progress.
Personal and professional networks can be blended intentionally to open new opportunities.
Micro-moments of joy — a walk, a cup of coffee, or celebrating small wins — can prevent burnout more than long vacations.
Chapters
00:00 The myth of work-life balance
00:39 Introducing Michelle Niemeyer: From law to burnout coach
02:21 Early career in law and frustrations with the system
04:34 Burnout and the dangers of “work-life balance”
07:57 Bringing your whole self into work and life
09:31 Health coaching, lifestyle changes, and the lymphatic system
11:34 Discovering autoimmune disease and the shift to health coaching
15:44 Creating The Art of Bending Time framework
19:34 Micromanagement, delegation, and team empowerment
22:10 Why notifications and constant availability hurt focus
27:02 Rituals for winding down and mental clarity
29:54 Clarity, joy, and finding sparks in daily life
31:19 SWORD analysis explained and the role of desire
35:11 Letting go of outdated or inherited goals
38:44 Blending personal and professional networks
43:05 The importance of asking for and accepting help
49:48 Leadership, teamwork, and accountability
50:56 Michelle’s favorite book and final reflections
52:15 The power of daily sparks and micro-moments of joy
56:28 Closing thoughts and community resources
Michelle Niemeyer’s Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/michelle_niemeyer_wellness/
Michelle Niemeyer’s Website:
https://www.michelleniemeyer.com/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Mark Monchek, founder and Chief Opportunity Officer of Opportunity Lab. A seasoned author, speaker, and advisor, Mark has guided leaders from top global organizations through times of radical disruption. Drawing from his books Culture of Opportunity and the forthcoming Opportunity Intelligence, Mark shares how to unlock growth through collaboration, mindset shifts, and purpose-driven leadership.
The conversation explores how leaders can thrive in chaos by embracing abundance over scarcity, building resilient networks, and identifying leverage points in times of upheaval. Mark recounts powerful stories—from rebuilding Asheville’s River Arts District after Hurricane Helene to transforming the Literacy Assistance Center’s resources through network mapping—that illustrate his belief in turning disruption into opportunity. The discussion also dives into cultivating generosity, forging unconventional partnerships (even with competitors), and the philosophy behind his upcoming “UnConference” for mid-market CEOs. This episode offers a compelling mix of history, personal resilience, and actionable strategies for leaders who want to create lasting impact in their organizations and communities.
Takeaways
Radical disruptions impact all sectors simultaneously today, making adaptability more critical than ever.
Leveraging networks can unlock hidden resources—often far more than organizations realize.
Scarcity mindset limits growth; abundance mindset fosters collaboration and innovation.
Crisis moments often accelerate trust, generosity, and community-building.
Major innovations often emerge during economic downturns or crises.
Partnerships—even with competitors—can expand capacity without adding overhead.
Resilient leadership starts with finding a “place to stand” before taking action.
Leaders should cultivate anti-fragility: emerging stronger after adversity.
Most significant personal and professional growth comes from responding to challenges, not avoiding them.
The UnConference model emphasizes peer-to-peer learning and authentic relationship-building.
Storytelling and shared vision drive cooperation and collective success.
Aligning business goals with a higher purpose strengthens resilience and motivation.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Mark Monchek’s background in business, art, and psychology
03:35 Defining radical disruption and why today’s challenges are different
05:24 Rebuilding Asheville’s River Arts District after Hurricane Helene
09:18 Finding leverage points in crisis and innovation during downturns
13:31 Case study: Unlocking hidden resources at the Literacy Assistance Center
19:53 Generosity, abundance mindset, and building collaborative networks
24:12 The UnConference model for authentic leadership connections
34:19 Partnerships, resilience, and balancing priorities
40:09 Lessons in resilience from family history and adversity
46:29 Why the UnConference exists and the outcomes it aims to create
53:31 Closing advice: Lead with purpose and embrace collaboration
Mark Monchek’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmonchek/
Mark Monchek’s Website:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Joel Benge, a strategist, author, and the mind behind "Message Therapy." With a rich and unconventional background that spans theater, video game testing, cybersecurity, and federal communications, Joel helps technical founders transform complex jargon into messaging that actually connects.
Joel unpacks the biggest reason messaging falls flat: it’s too cerebral and not nearly human enough. Drawing from Aristotle, Maslow, and his own experience in government and tech startups, Joel introduces frameworks like his “Message Therapy” card deck, a tool that blends psychology, storytelling, and gamification to uncover the true heart of a brand.
This episode is packed with actionable insights for founders, product marketers, and anyone tasked with explaining something complicated in a way that actually sticks.
If you’ve ever felt like your messaging doesn’t land or sounds like everyone else, this conversation will help you find your voice, and your big idea.
Takeaways
Joel Benge coined the term “Message Therapy” to help founders move from brainy jargon to emotionally resonant messaging.
People don’t want more data — they want their problems taken away.
Message Therapy uses Aristotle’s head, heart, and gut model to build trust, likability, and clarity.
Joel’s background in theater and government communications gives him a unique edge in helping technical teams communicate effectively.
Gamification (via his card deck) helps teams uncover buried insights through fast-paced, structured prompts.
Most messaging fails because it skips emotion and leans too heavily on logic or technical credibility.
One simple fix: print your website and highlight content using color codes for logic, emotion, and credibility to visually audit your message mix.
Outsourcing marketing too early often leads to generic, disjointed messaging without a narrative backbone.
Founders should fall in love with the problem they’re solving, not just the product they’re building.
Creating a shared "mantra" can unify internal teams and external messaging across ICPs and channels.
Emotional storytelling is just as important (if not more) in B2B and technical industries.
True differentiation comes from listening deeply, reframing language, and uncovering the beliefs and values that drive your company.
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Meet Joel Benge & Message Therapy
01:45 From Theater Kid to Homeland Security Comms
04:30 Jargon vs. Real Communication in Tech
05:50 The Birth of Message Therapy
07:00 Why Most Marketing Sounds the Same
08:30 Head, Heart, Gut: The Aristotle Framework
10:15 How Gamification Helps Teams Get Aligned
12:30 Why Jargon Kills Sales and Clarity
14:00 The "Blank Stare" Effect in Messaging
17:00 Role Clarity: Be the Peacock or the Expert
18:00 Website Fix: Use Highlighters to Audit Copy
19:45 The Curse of Knowledge Trap
21:00 Why Outsourcing Messaging Can Backfire
23:00 The Hidden Power of White Papers
25:00 Building a Database of Messaging DNA
26:45 Messaging for Multi-Sided Marketplaces
28:30 Creating Mantras That Actually Stick
29:45 Aha Moments That Unlock the Real Message
31:00 Who “Be a Nerd That Talks Good” Is For
32:30 Why Joel Created a Card Deck
34:00 Personal Advice for Technical Leaders
36:00 Sell the Result, Not the Feature
38:00 Reclaiming Authority in the Age of AI
39:30 Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Joel
Joel Benge’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelmbenge
https://www.instagram.com/joelmbenge
https://www.tiktok.com/@joelmbenge
Joel Benge’s Website:
https://messagespecs.com/link/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with the legendary NFL coach and Hall of Famer, Dick Vermeil—a Super Bowl champion, Rose Bowl champion, and one of the most respected leaders in football history. Known for orchestrating one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history with the St. Louis Rams, Coach Vermeil shares the leadership principles that drove his career—from the gridiron to the vineyards of Vermeil Wines.
This episode dives deep into the human side of leadership: how to build authentic trust, lead with empathy while demanding excellence, and foster strong cultures even during losing seasons. Coach reflects on inviting players into his home, balancing tough decisions with personal care, and the power of connection in high-stakes environments. He also explores delegation, hiring with integrity, and adapting leadership in a remote, modern world.
Whether you're leading a sports team or scaling a startup, Coach Vermeil’s timeless lessons on character, consistency, and heart will leave you rethinking what it means to lead well. Bonus: Don’t miss the story of how he transitioned from football to winemaking—and what it taught him about purpose after peak success.
Takeaways
Trust is built through consistent, authentic care—not performance alone.
Bringing team members into your personal life can strengthen professional commitment.
Great leadership requires balancing high expectations with emotional intelligence.
Delegation is essential for growth—you can’t scale by doing everything yourself.
Culture is most important when you’re losing, not just when you’re winning.
Business leaders should look beyond resumes to truly assess character and capability.
Leadership isn’t just innate—it can be taught if someone has the desire to grow.
Making tough personnel decisions is part of protecting the team’s greater mission.
Even after retiring from football, purpose and service can evolve into new ventures.
The best leaders continue learning, growing, and leading with integrity.
Legacy is measured by the impact you have on others—often decades later.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome & Coach Vermeil’s Legendary Career
02:45 Building Trust Through Authentic Care
05:30 Balancing Tough Love and Compassion
07:20 Handling Players Who Don’t Step Up
10:30 Inviting Players Into His Home
14:00 Why Relationships Deepen Commitment
17:15 Delegation and Scaling Leadership
20:15 Hiring, Referencing & Truth in Interviews
24:45 Leading in a Remote World
25:50 Is Leadership Innate or Teachable?
28:35 Keeping Culture Strong During Losing Seasons
33:00 From Gridiron to Vineyard: The Vermeil Wines Story
41:00 The Hard Truth Leaders Must Hear
46:00 Making Difficult Cuts with Compassion
49:00 Coach’s Favorite Book & Final Wisdom
51:00 Closing Remarks & Toast to Leadership
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan dives deep into the core leadership principle of extreme ownership. In this solo episode, Avetis, a seasoned entrepreneur and tech leader, delivers a powerful and unfiltered message on why every leader must take full responsibility for their culture, team performance, and company outcomes—regardless of external circumstances.
He breaks down how blame limits growth, how silence equals agreement, and why leaders must set the tone through their energy and actions. Through real-world analogies and personal leadership philosophies, Avetis challenges listeners to stop outsourcing blame and instead reclaim control by owning every part of the organization’s success—or failure. He emphasizes that toxic culture, lack of urgency, or underperformance are reflections of leadership neglect, and the fix starts at the top.
Whether you're a CEO, founder, or team lead, this episode is a direct call to courage, clarity, and bold decision-making. If you’re ready to elevate your leadership, tune in and learn how to become the thermostat—not the thermometer—in your company.
Takeaways
Extreme ownership is the starting line for effective leadership.
Blame is a ceiling on growth—leaders must take responsibility to evolve.
Culture is a mirror of the leader; toxic teams reflect leadership gaps.
Every issue—hiring, morale, results—can be traced back to leadership choices.
Silence from a leader signals approval; address issues early and clearly.
Responsibility isn't a burden—it’s your power source as a leader.
Don’t settle in hiring; motivated teams start with intentional recruitment.
Blaming external forces strips you of control; own the situation to fix it.
Leaders must energize the team daily—your presence sets the tone.
Asking your team “What did I do wrong?” creates space for honest feedback.
Don’t make 100 small decisions—make one bold, decisive move.
Leadership isn’t about guilt; it’s about doing something now to shift outcomes.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & Leadership Mindset
01:12 What Is Extreme Ownership?
02:17 Culture Is a Mirror
03:58 Underperformance Starts at the Top
04:55 Silence Equals Agreement
06:11 Structure and Ownership Create Freedom
08:23 Reclaim the Steering Wheel
09:35 Energy Sets the Tone
10:26 Asking the Hard Questions
11:40 Bold Leadership Is Everything
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Mark Donnigan, a seasoned virtual CMO and go-to-market strategist known for helping post-Series A tech companies scale with precision. With a background in video technology, streaming, and category design, Mark brings decades of practical insights to the table on what it takes to move beyond initial traction and build a sustainable growth engine.
Together, they explore why so many engineering-led startups struggle to scale their marketing, what founders get wrong about hiring, and why understanding the customer journey is non-negotiable. Mark reveals the critical difference between volume and quality in outreach, the dangers of overvaluing brand-name hires, and how scaling today often means rethinking headcount in favor of better systems and tools.
From real-world founder anecdotes to lessons learned from giants like Nvidia, this conversation offers a roadmap for any tech leader looking to evolve from early traction to market dominance—without wasting time or burning cash.
Takeaways
Most startup marketing failures stem from brilliant founders not understanding how to build a market, not from flawed tech or product.
Founders should remain hands-on in go-to-market strategy far longer than they think—often for years.
Your best early-stage salesperson? You, the founder.
Misalignment with customer pain is the root cause of ineffective messaging.
Many engineering teams don’t truly listen to customers or experience the product from their users’ point of view.
Messaging must evolve with the customer’s buying journey; spray-and-pray approaches often backfire.
Scaling doesn't always mean hiring—sometimes systems, automation, or refined processes are more effective.
Hiring former big-tech talent can backfire; startup success demands scrappy, self-sufficient operators.
Know whether your motion is sales-led or product-led to define how marketing supports growth.
Talking to just 5–7 ideal customers can provide the clarity needed to realign your strategy.
Founders should read Play Bigger—Mark calls it “the Bible of marketing” for tech startups.
Tools like AI and agents can enhance output without bloating teams, especially in early scale stages.
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Why most leaders fail at hiring and marketing
02:11 Meet Mark Donnigan: Virtual CMO for post-Series A tech companies
03:49 Why founders struggle to scale marketing after traction
05:36 When (and if) founders should hand off go-to-market efforts
07:50 Diagnosing messaging failures and the role of listening
11:12 Customer immersion: The missing link in product-market fit
14:32 Slack, productization, and building for yourself
15:48 Scaling marketing: What does “scale” even mean?
17:18 Systems vs. headcount: Scaling smarter with AI and automation
21:24 Messaging cadence vs. volume: Mapping to the buyer’s journey
24:27 Why marketing funnels fail and journey mapping wins
25:48 The mistake of over-indexing on “big company” hires
28:50 The inertia myth: Why prestige doesn’t equal startup fit
31:55 Mark’s billboard advice: Get in the field, talk to customers
33:27 How many customer convos are “enough” for clarity
34:50 Favorite Book: Play Bigger and the power of category design
35:57 How to get Mark’s free marketing mini-books
36:25 Outro: Better leaders build better companies
Mark Donnigan’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdonnigan/
Mark Donnigan’s Website:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Russ Hawkins, a seasoned three-time CEO renowned for reviving and scaling struggling startups into profitable, exit-ready companies. With a background rooted in sales and a practical MBA earned through hands-on transformation work alongside McKinsey and AT&T, Russ shares his battle-tested playbook for turning chaos into clarity.
Together, they unpack Russ’s journey from humble beginnings to orchestrating successful pivots in tech companies across hardware, software, and analytics. He reveals how he assesses leadership, evaluates products, and identifies untapped markets — even amidst fierce competition and failing patents. Russ emphasizes the importance of listening to customers, understanding competitors, and making quick, strategic decisions based on data.
The conversation also explores signs that a pivot is needed, how to test for willingness to pay, and what makes a company attractive for acquisition — especially in the age of private equity dominance. This is a must-listen for founders, investors, and anyone steering companies through change, disruption, or scale.
Takeaways
Turnarounds require deep customer and competitor understanding — listen more than you speak.
Growth rate and churn are two of the clearest signs a pivot is necessary.
Don’t underestimate small, underserved market segments — they can be goldmines.
Losing patent protection should trigger urgent strategic reassessment.
Price high and validate value — underpricing can signal poor quality.
Strategic pivots often mean repositioning your product, not reinventing it.
Talk to everyone: competitors, customers, staff, and trusted advisors.
Testing willingness to pay should be structured around real customer problems.
Cultivate private equity relationships early — most exits go this route now.
Always “lose quickly” in sales — avoid staying too long in the friend zone.
Leadership assessments should focus on shared values, not just resumes.
A strong turnaround starts with understanding the product’s true capabilities.
Chapters
00:00 Competitive Weaknesses and Sales Foundations
01:30 The Accidental CEO vs. the Professional CEO
03:45 Russ’s Background: Firefighting Roots to Sales Leadership
06:30 The AT&T Breakup and Working with McKinsey
09:00 First CEO Role and Million-Dollar Exit
11:00 Pivoting a Failing Video Tech Company
13:00 Losing Patent Protection and Facing Better-Funded Competitors
15:00 Learning from Competitors and Going Where They Aren’t
17:00 Talking to Customers, Founders, and Trusted Advisors
20:30 Finding Untapped Markets with Existing Technology
23:00 Pivoting Hardware to Telecom Use Cases
25:00 The Benefits of Private Equity vs. Venture Capital
27:00 When a Pivot is Necessary: Signals and External Pressures
29:30 Learning from Mistakes and Backing the Wrong Tech
31:30 Quick Evaluation of Leadership and Sales Team Fit
35:00 Researching New Market Opportunities with Your Team
39:00 Willingness to Pay and the Dangers of Undervaluing
43:00 The Case for Testing High Prices First
45:00 Strategic Exits: PE Ecosystem vs. Traditional Acquirers
48:30 Why Strategic Buyers Need to See Product Fit
50:00 When Founders’ Emotional Attachment Skews Valuation
53:00 Russ’s Favorite Learning Activity: Reading Biographies
55:00 Final Advice: Know Your Product, Know Your Customer, Prioritize Relationships
Russ Hawkins’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russhawkins/
Russ Hawkins’s Website:
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan welcomes Pete Steege, B2B growth strategist, founder of B2B Clarity, and author of the bestselling book Radical Clarity. With decades of experience across startups and Fortune 100 companies, Pete has carved out a unique niche: helping technical founders grow into confident, purposeful CEOs—no more accidental CEOs.
The conversation explores Pete’s unconventional journey from engineer to executive advisor, detailing pivotal moments that shaped his passion for guiding tech leaders. He shares the challenges many founders face when thrust into the CEO role—struggling with emotional leadership, unfamiliar responsibilities, and the overwhelming weight of building a lasting company.
Pete unveils his “Chaos to Clarity” framework and “truth chain” methodology, both designed to help leaders simplify complexity, identify their true value, and scale with purpose. From diagnosing growth blockers to designing category-defining positioning, this episode is packed with practical insights. Listeners will walk away with a renewed perspective on leadership, marketing in the age of AI, and building companies that stand the test of time—by being more human, not louder.
Takeaways
Pete Steege helps technical founders evolve into confident, intentional CEOs.
He coined the term “accidental CEO” for founders unprepared for executive leadership.
Leadership often requires shifting from logic-driven thinking to emotional intelligence.
Doing “more” is usually the wrong approach; doing less but better leads to success.
Pete’s "Chaos to Clarity" framework simplifies decision-making and business focus.
His “truth chain” exercise aligns core identity with customer problems and outcomes.
Customer journey mapping (map-gap-act) helps prioritize strategic business improvements.
Trust is earned by leading with authenticity and a clear, purpose-driven message.
Meaning drives both internal culture and external brand success.
AI is overwhelming marketing—real differentiation comes from human clarity and restraint.
Creating a "category of one" helps brands avoid competing on noise or price.
Persistence, humility, and belief in the mission are hallmarks of CEOs who scale successfully.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pete Steege & B2B Clarity
01:05 Pete’s Career Shift from Engineer to Customer-Facing Leader
02:30 The Rise of the “Accidental CEO” & Existential Pivots in Tech
05:00 Identity Shifts: From Product Builder to Leader of People
07:30 Advice for Overwhelmed Founders Facing Leadership Pressure
10:40 From Chaos to Clarity: Doing Less, but Better
12:20 The Blueprint & “Truth Chain” Framework
16:14 Mapping the Customer Journey to Prioritize Growth
18:28 It’s All About the Customer: Avoiding Random Acts of Marketing
19:31 Inside the Book Radical Clarity: Clarity → Meaning → Purpose
21:28 Building Trust Internally & Externally Through Authenticity
24:47 Case Study: Messaging Breakthrough That Landed a Fortune 50 Deal
27:57 Leadership Challenges in the Age of AI & Content Saturation
31:17 Creating Category-Defining Messaging & Market Singularity
33:45 Human-Centric Outreach in a Noisy World
35:25 Patterns of Successful CEOs: Grit, Humility, Belief
38:49 One Sentence Every Tech Founder Should Read: “Make room for meaning.”
39:41 Closing Thoughts & Bonus Resources from Pete
Pete Steege’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petesteege/
Pete Steege’s Website:
https://www.b2b-clarity.com/meet-pete/
Resources and Links:
In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, we sit down with Michel Langlois, former Cisco and Juniper executive and author of Beyond the Code. From growing up on a chicken farm in rural Quebec to leading 6,000+ global engineers during the rise of the internet, Michel shares a masterclass on scaling tech organizations with heart and strategy.
Takeaways
It's not where you were born that dictate what you will become.
You have to take the ways to get there.
There was no playbook for scaling infrastructure.
You acquire people, not just technology.
Don't assume you're eternal in your market position.
You need to manage your time effectively to avoid internal distractions.
The new generation of workers cares about sustainability and purpose.
Listening is a critical skill for leaders to develop.
You need to find something else to do after retirement.
Understanding financial fundamentals is crucial for business success.
Chapters
00:00 The Roulette of Life and Leadership
01:02 Scaling Infrastructure with Humanity
04:00 The Art of Acquisition
09:59 Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape
15:08 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
20:02 Mentorship and Leadership Dynamics
25:10 The Role of Innovation in Business
30:59 Avoiding Complacency in Leadership
36:58 Predictive Innovation and Market Awareness
42:56 The Challenges of Scaling a Business
48:54 The Evolution of Tech Leadership
54:43 Core Principles of Leadership
Michel Langlois’s Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellanglois/
Michel Langlois’s Website:
Resources and Links: