Arizona Originals

This week we talk with Max Hansen, the CEO of Y Scouts, a purpose-based executive recruiting firm.  Max grew up in Glendale, Arizona and went to Northern Arizona University thinking football would be his future.  He discusses that change in plan and what ultimately led him to the field of recruiting.     Max covers a wide range of topics, including how to align purpose, values, leadership and culture within an organization and within your hiring process.  He discusses being disruptive in the marketplace, connecting people and purpose, having an attitude of abundance, and winning the Gumball 3000.   Also, be sure to check out Y Scouts co-founder Brian Mohr's own podcast - Built On Purpose - which takes a look at leaders in Arizona and beyond.   SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST   The Captain Class by Sam Walker   Human Elements   Arizona Chamber of Commerce contact@azoriginals.net    

This week we talk with Justin Gray, the CEO and founder of LeadMD, co-founder of PaidSuite,  co-owner of Greyson Organics (an organic farm in rural Missouri), and co-founder of Six Bricks. Justin, who grew up in Fountain Hills and attended the University of Arizona, talks with us about his passion for entrepreneurship and modern-day marketing - topics he has written and spoken about extensively.  Justin has been published over 300 times in industry publications and holds his own column, Tribal Knowledge in Inc., as well as featured contributor statuses with Entrepreneur and others. We cover a wide range of topics including how he approaches writing (and why it is important for marketers to hone this skill), when should founders get out of the way, the importance of culture and values governing behavior, his views on unicorns and hiring, empathy, and the concept of 1+1=4. Also, check out Justin's podcast - Driven & Co. - which examines guests' "unconventional roads to leadership."  Great stuff! SELECT LINK

Todd Belfer is the managing partner of the venture capital firm Canal Partners.  Todd shares his early entrepreneurial days when he bused fraternity and sorority students to Laughlin and later found himself founding software companies, restaurants (Ra Sushi Bar), and supplement and herbal tea companies.  Today, he and his partners focus on helping entrepreneurs and founders, in a defined stage of their growth, flourish. Todd touches on a number of topics of interest to founders, entrepreneurs, college students, and each one of us who have a passion for what we do.  In fact, he really dissects the subject of "passion" and gives some great insights we can all learn from on that and many other topics. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST DeMello Spirituality Center New Way Academy Jiro Dreams of Sushi - Official Site Blink by Malcolm Gladwell Arizona Chamber of Commerce contact@azoriginals.net  

Ambassador Barbara Barrett joins us for this week's conversation.  She currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Aerospace Corporation and as the CEO of Triple Creek Ranch.  Ambassador Barrett has served as the US Ambassador to Finland, the Deputy Director of the Federal Aviation Administration, the President of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and the CEO of the American Management Association, just to mention a few. Our conversation covers not only her story, but her passion for education, lifelong learning, problem solving, and leading through significant change and rebuilding of an organization.  Ambassador Barrett discusses her passion for supporting the military, advocating for space exploration and aerospace, and giving back to the community.  She also shares some poignant thoughts on legacy, influence and why she does not embrace the concept of a "bucket list" (and what she and her husband, Craig, use instead).  Undoubtedly, you will benefit personally and professio

Heidi Jannenga is the president and co-founder of WebPT, a SaaS company providing support to physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.   WebPT has been on the INC 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the US for five years straight and is one of Arizona's fastest growing companies.   Our conversation takes us from Heidi’s days playing basketball to finding her passion in the profession of physical therapy. She then explains how seeing a huge problem led to the creation of WebPT. We talk about corporate culture, engaging your customers, the fear of failure, generational issues, and so much more. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST WebPT WebPT careers hjannenga@webpt.com WebPT's values Conscious Capitalism Special Episode with Michael Lorsch - Vision v. Behavior Special Episode with Michael Lorsch - Overcoming Failure Headspace Arizona Chamber of Commerce Email us at contact@azoriginals.net Rising Strong - Brene Brown

This week Jeffrey Pruitt, founder and CEO of Tallwave, joins us for a fascinating conversation about his journey from accountancy to entrepreneurship and from "running through walls" to leading smarter. An Arizona native, Jeffrey explores taking ideas to market, finding capitol for those ideas, and building a strong organization based on values and strategy.  You will want to have your notebook ready for this conversation, especially as he talks practically about how Tallwave strives to be a friction-less workplace. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Jeffrey Pruitt on LinkedIn Tallwave Tallwave Capital YPO Camelback Mountain 12 Week Year by Brian Moran The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Contact us at the podcast: contact@azoriginals.net  

This week, Colleen Jennings-Roggensack returns for the second installment of our conversation.  When she last joined us in Season One, we left her in Colorado, and today we hear the rest of the story. In addition to her journey, Colleen addresses topics each of us can learn from.  Those range from mentoring, to life-long learning, to taking risks, and finding balance in life.  You will also want to hear her story about one particular cast of the show "Evita" and the lessons we can learn about excellence and accountability. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST ASU Gammage Stadium 365 Built to Last The Experience Economy Bernstein Meets Broadway Yes, Chef: A Memoir Setting the Table Noorderzon - Performing Arts Festival - Groningen Traverse Theatre Edinburgh Game of Thrones Being Mary Jane Arizona Chamber of Commerce Email us at contact@azoriginals.net

  Jason Pistillo is the president of the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona.  Our conversation takes us from Jason building his first computer game at the age of eight, to becoming a network engineer at 21, to his 23-year career at UAT.  He has been recognized as a leader in business and was most recently given the East Valley Institute Technology's "Sam and Olga Bender Award" for being a strong community partner over the past decade. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from building a "fast, fun, friendly and smart" culture, instituting rigorous hiring practices, maintaining motivation and focus, investing in the community, and empowering staff.  Jason also discusses why their culture of vulnerability among staff has made their team stronger, and so much more. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST University of Advancing Technology Contact Jason via email Ballet Arizona YouTube video Valley Leadership YPO Leading Geeks by Paul Glen Alignment For Success by Katherine Halpin The Fifth Discipline

Greg Head has spent most of his professional life in the world of software, including being part of the startup and growth stages of two major Arizona companies and as the chief marketing officer for Chandler-based Infusionsoft.  Today, Greg consults founders and CEOs, curates Gregslist (an active list of Arizona-based software companies...over 300 strong), and has more projects and initiatives on the way. In our conversation, Greg shares thoughts on not only marketing, but focus, intensity, scaling your business, Arizona's technology mindset, and what it means to transition your business from being ADD to OCD.  You will want to take notes! SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Greg Head - LinkedIn Greg Head Consulting Gregslist Clate Mask podcast interview Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Contact us at the podcast at contact@azoriginals.net

Our first guest of the new season is Brian Mueller - Chairman, President and CEO of Grand Canyon University.  Our conversation begins in Milwaukee, WI where Brian grew up along with his parents and seven siblings.  We then look at his years as a teacher and basketball coach and ultimately to his move into leading two major higher education institutions. President Mueller discusses everything from finding purpose and passion to the importance of focusing on planning and preparation.  He talks about the time in his life he received the best training for leading businesses, and discusses his decision checklist when it comes to running a publicly traded company.  We also talk about partnerships, team building, and so much more. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Grand Canyon University _____________________________________________________________________ Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Contact us at the podcast at contact@azoriginals.net

This week we are joined by Jackie Norton who is the president and CEO of The Rodel Foundation of Arizona.  A native Arizonan, Jackie's career path has taken her from the private sector as a partner at the Gallagher & Kennedy law firm, to the public sector where she held several positions including the Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce for two governors, and in the non-profit space where she led the Arizona State University Foundation and now leads at Rodel. Jackie shares valuable insights about how to become an effective leader though collaboration, focus, and discovering how to leverage assets.  Her views on mentoring, lifelong learning, and vision for an organization will instruct and inspire you.   SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Interview with Shawn Linam   Arizona Originals Podcast Website Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Give us feedback at contact@azoriginals.net  

This week we are joined by Colleen Jennings-Roggensack who serves as the executive director of Arizona State University's Gammage and is ASU's Vice President for Cultural Affairs.   We recorded this episode just days after Colleen returned from the Tony Awards.  She holds the distinction of being the only Arizonan who casts a ballot for the Tony Awards.  And this year she celebrates both her 25th year leading the way at Gammage and the fact they have already sold out their 2017-18 season.  Not to mention the fact she is responsible for bringing Hamilton to Arizona next year. Colleen talks about life as a military brat in which she found herself living in 13 states and two countries before going to college.  She recounts the influence her parents had on her and her siblings through the lens of "sacred texts" her parents taught them to live by. In our brief conversation, we cover several issues related to leadership and personal growth...and we provide some teasers for an eventual Part II to this delightful con

We all read books and hear inspirational speakers which motivate us to look at how we lead or run our organizations.  But, often, the daily grind prevents us from actually taking action on those ideas. This week we have a special, topical episode featuring Michael Lorsch, principal consultant for The Table Group which was founded by best-selling author, speaker, and leadership guru Patrick Lencioni.  Today, Michael discusses how to strategically do the hard work to implement ideas.

This week we speak with Jim Ward, the president and CEO of The Phoenix Symphony.  In addition to his role at the Symphony, Jim is also a Venture Partner in the venture capital firm, Alsop Louie Partners. In our conversation, Jim takes us from his roots in Indiana to his first move to Arizona where he attended the Thunderbird School of Global Management.  From there, his career took him to places he never expected and afforded him the opportunity to lead global marketing campaigns for Apple, Microsoft, and Nike.  Jim was also recruited to oversee the global distribution and marketing of all of Lucasfilm's motion picture, television, and video properties...and develop the plan to launch Star Wars Episodes 1-3.  In case he needed more to do, he was concurrently named the President of LucasArts where he oversaw the rebuilding of the video game company. Jim talks about mentors (including his influential piano teacher, Ms. Breckenridge), building trust with clients, the importance of teams, how data influences mark

What happens when your organization drifts from its core mission?  How do successful entities innovate and push the envelope while maintaining firm footing? This week we have a special, topical episode featuring Michael Lorsch, principal consultant for The Table Group which was founded by best-selling author, speaker, and leadership guru Patrick Lencioni.  Today, Michael discusses the concept of strategic anchors and how organizations use them to make efficient and focused decisions. Next week we will be back with our regular program where we talk with another Arizona Original!  Please join us again next week. Arizona Originals Podcast Website Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Give us feedback at contact@azoriginals.net

This week's guest is Phil Potter, founder and CEO of The Armory Incubator - a non-profit with the mission of helping veterans launch and scale startups.  Fast Company magazine listed The Armory as Arizona's contribution to its "United States of Innovation" special feature in the May, 2017 issue. Phil earned his Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University and then received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Arizona State University.  Phil shares what led to his decision to join the US Air Force where he received his commission and served for six years.  Following his service in the Air Force, Phil returned to academia at ASU and found his way to an opportunity focusing on helping veterans seeking to become entrepreneurs. Phil shares the early influences which led him to be an entrepreneur, in his own right, at an early age.  From there, he discusses lessons learned from the Air Force, why it is good to be the "dumbest person in the room", identifying the context of leadership, his connecti

Today's guest is longtime Arizona radio personality Tim Hattrick.  In our conversation, Tim tells  stories about notable personalities he has worked with over the years, including his nearly three-decade partnership with Willy D. Loon (the Tim and Willy Show).  At the beginning of 2017, Tim returned to the airwaves at KNIX 102.5 FM as a member of the morning show (the Tim, Ben and Brooke Show) after he encountered some unexpected twists and turns professionally. Tim shares entertaining stories (including one about Glenn Beck you may not know) and valuable insights he has gained over his many years in the broadcasting booth.  He touches on a number of topics including working with millennials, building rapport with a team, and pursuing your passions.   SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Connect with Tim via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook The Moth podcast Arizona Storytellers on KJZZ Arizona Originals Podcast Website Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Give us feedback at contact@azoriginals.net    

Today's guest, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, has served as a US Navy physician, was hand selected to serve for two years as one of three attending physicians for the US Congress (including the US Supreme Court Justices), and has practiced medicine in Arizona. The son of political refugees from Syria, Dr. Jasser also founded the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and can often be found testifying before Congress and speaking at conferences and on television about issues related to terrorism, Islam, and democracy. He shares his story about growing up in middle America and how his paternal grandfather, in particular, helped foster his passion for political, social and cultural change.  He discusses the concepts of passion, hard work, and how to channel a strong competitive spirit in positive directions.  And listen to the very end of the discussion where he shares some fascinating thoughts about having a sense of humor. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Reform This! - podcast hosted by Dr. Jasser Dr. Jasser on Twitter (@DrZu

This week, Dolan Ellis joins us to share his journey from a farm in Kansas, to landing a job at KOOL-TV in Phoenix, to winning a Grammy with The New Christy Minstrels, and then back to Arizona where he continued his career in music.  The merging of his passion for Arizona, music, heritage, nature and photography has resulted in a diverse body of work spanning nearly six decades. In 1966, then-Governor Sam Goddard approached Dolan and asked if he would be willing to be Arizona's official balladeer, and the first person in the country designated as such.  The next 12 governors made the same designation, and this year marks Dolan's 51st year as Arizona's official balladeer. In our conversation, we cover a number of topics relevant to entrepreneurs, artists, and people who simply love Arizona, including pursuing your passion, finding mentors, taking risks, and making time for contemplation.  Dolan belies his age (82-years-old) and will enrich the way you think about Arizona. SELECT LINKS FROM THE PODCAST Dolan's

You will not want to miss our conversation with Glenn Williamson.  Glenn serves as the Honorary Consul of Canada to Arizona, is the founder and CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council, is the chairman and CEO of EPCOR Water USA, and owns and operates Nest Ventures.  But the list of titles and jobs does not end there.  Glenn shares his passion for family and community involvement, and why he values his role as assistant Boy Scout leader. Glenn holds nothing back as he shares his story which begins in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  His journey takes him from a dysfunctional family, to military school, to becoming a wunderkind in the tourism industry, to finding great ups and downs in the entrepreneurial world, and ultimately to Arizona where he lives out his passion for building strong economies and strong families. We cover a host of topics and he shares some remarkable insights into how he leads, how he views success and failure, how his mistakes got him hired to a remarkable job, and how he engages with his c