Claim OwnershipYour Seat at the Table - Real Conversations on Leadership and Growth
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© 2026 Your Seat at the Table - Real Conversations on Leadership and Growth
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Join hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin as they delve into authentic stories of leadership, decision-making under pressure, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Each episode offers candid conversations with seasoned leaders, exploring the challenges faced, the triumphs celebrated, and the insights gained from real-world experiences. Whether you’re an aspiring leader or a seasoned executive, pull up a chair and find your seat at the table.
18 Episodes
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What turns a promising team into a durable company? John Connors—former Microsoft controller, CIO, CFO, and long-time VC—joins us to dive into the mechanics that actually move the needle: recruiting exceptional people, making clear calls under pressure, and scaling only after the signals are real. From a Montana upbringing marked by hard work on farms and railroads to high-stakes meetings with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, John shows how resilience and curiosity become a leader’s edge. For de...
Martha McSally's life story reads like an action-packed novel—from losing her father at 12 to becoming America's first female fighter pilot in combat to serving as a U.S. Senator. But beneath these remarkable achievements lies a profound journey of self-discovery that offers wisdom for anyone struggling with identity, purpose, and leadership. For anyone ready to challenge their comfort zone or confront what’s holding them back, this conversation is an invitation to run toward the roar—to face...
Financial leadership isn't just about managing numbers—it's about navigating uncertainty and building resilience. In this candid conversation, Tom Casey draws from his remarkable journey as CFO at institutions including GE Capital, Washington Mutual, Clear Channel, and Lending Club to reveal what truly matters when steering organizations through transformation and crisis. Casey shares how his blue-collar upbringing instilled the relentless work ethic that became his professional signature. "...
Terry Hill shares her journey from HR professional to C-suite executive, revealing how she learned the "fine art of approximation" after watching male colleagues confidently present rough estimates while she felt compelled to provide decimal-point precision. • Early career path from retail to American Express to Nationwide Insurance • Moving from HR into business leadership and the challenges of that transition • The importance of building strong peer relationships across organizations • Lea...
Troy Johnson, co-founder of Slalom Consulting, shares the power of gratitude and how simple moments of appreciation can transform our outlook in both work and life. From his beginnings in Iowa to building a global consulting powerhouse, Troy reveals how authentic connection with people has been the cornerstone of his leadership philosophy and Slalom's phenomenal growth. • Troy's journey from small-town Iowa to co-founding what would become an 11,000-person global consulting firm • The serend...
What happens when a natural-born entrepreneur with a "Pied Piper" gift for leading others transitions into corporate America? In this episode of Your Seat at the Table, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin talk with serial entrepreneur and technology visionary Marty Renkis. Marty shares his incredible journey from lemonade stands and selling scrap paper as a kid to founding multiple successful tech companies — including TrainerSoft (sold to Outstart) and Smartvue (acquired by Johnson Controls). ...
In this episode of Your Seat at the Table, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin sit down with entrepreneur, culture expert, and author Darius Mirshahzadeh to explore a deep leadership question: how do you stay ambitious and driven without losing joy and fulfillment along the way? Darius shares his journey as a high-achieving CEO who learned that chasing "more" doesn’t always lead to happiness — and that truly understanding what is "enough" can change your entire leadership approach. They discuss...
In this inspiring episode, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin talk with Ken Sim — entrepreneur, founder of Nurse Next Door, and Mayor of Vancouver. Ken shares how his entrepreneurial mindset shaped his approach to public service and why core values like kindness, compassion, and optimism guide every big decision. From growing a healthcare company with 16,000 employees to running one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Ken explains how to build a team you deserve, the importance of firi...
In this powerful episode of Your Seat at the Table, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin sit down with best-selling author, entrepreneur, and business mentor Mike Michalowicz. Mike opens up about his dramatic journey from a financially driven entrepreneur — complete with luxury cars and big ego — to losing everything during the 2008 financial crisis. He shares how hitting rock bottom led him to rediscover his true purpose: to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. You’ll hear candid stories of how ...
What does it take to truly see the future — and help others act on it? In this lively episode, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin sit down with Mike Bechtel, Chief Futurist at Deloitte. Mike shares his fascinating journey from ska bands to anthropology, consulting, venture capital, and teaching at Notre Dame. They discuss the power of curiosity, why expertise can sometimes be a liability, how to stay relevant, and what it means to be a "dot connector" in a world dominated by AI. Mike also give...
In this premiere episode of Your Seat at the Table, hosts Mike Maddock and John Tobin dive into the most important — and often overlooked — topic for CEOs and executive leaders: trust. Discover why choosing who to listen to is critical for growth, how to avoid dangerous "echo chambers," and what great leaders really look for in feedback. Whether you're a CEO, entrepreneur, or aspiring leader, this conversation will give you actionable insights into building stronger advisory circles, asking b...
What happens when an engineer-turned-marketer takes the wheel of a consumer brand inside a 175-year-old, family-owned enterprise—and decides focus is the strategy? Tim joins us to share how a “fewer, bigger, longer” philosophy transformed a sleepy category, why he tested a bold spin-mop bet online, and how Amazon visibility quietly lifted Walmart sales. The story isn’t just about product wins; it’s about the discipline to say no, retire legacy SKUs, and build a flywheel that compounds with ev...
Ever notice how money advice often tells you to wait—save more, take more risk, and hope it all works out decades from now? We flip that script. With Garrett Gunderson, we explore how to break scarcity thinking, redefine wealth as the power to be present, and design a life you don’t want to retire from. For decision-makers dealing with financial anxiety—and for any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls about money—this conversation reframes wealth as stewardship, not accumulation. Garre...
You know that tense moment when everyone swears they’re aligned—and then the work tells a different story? We sit down with Brent Tadsen, former GE master black belt and combat engineer, to unpack why teams miss the mark and how simple, disciplined moves restore clarity, speed, and trust. For decision-makers dealing with execution gaps—and for any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls about accountability—this conversation cuts straight to what actually works. Brent takes us from Notre...
Stop treating conferences like lectures and start treating them like catalysts. We sit down with Carol, a Detroit-based entrepreneur who left a secure GM career to build a national event agency that designs gatherings people still talk about years later. For decision-makers dealing with disengaged audiences—and for any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls about budget, flow, or impact—Carol reframes event design through a question-driven lens. She believes the real ROI happens in hallw...
What if your product lives in a world people need but don’t want? That single question reframes how we think about life insurance, sales, and innovation. With Maria Ferrante Sheppis, we unpack the hard truth: protection is a negative demand category—more like TSA than a car lot—and the playbook must honor that reality. Fear tactics backfire; trust, clarity, and frictionless design win. For decision-makers dealing with skeptical markets, and for any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls,...
What if the most valuable seconds of your life aren’t the longest ones—but the ones that ripple the farthest? In this episode, we sit down with Olympian and design thinking expert John Coyle to rethink how performance, memory, and time actually work, and how a few well-designed moments can reshape a career, a team, or a family. For decision-makers dealing with impossible trade-offs, and for any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls, John shares what happens when you stop trying to “fix ...
There's nothing quite like a family recipe passed down through generations. When that recipe becomes the foundation of a thriving business that spans restaurants and nationwide retail distribution, the story gets even more fascinating. Dan Costello, CEO of Home Run Inn Pizza and fourth-generation family member, joins us to share the remarkable journey of this iconic Chicago brand. From humble beginnings on 31st Street where his Italian immigrant grandparents hosted Sunday family dinners, to n...
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