If you’re a business leader, you’re probably involved in your community. Serving on a nonprofit board is a great way to share your time and talent. Perhaps someone asked you to join a board. Don’t feel obligated to say “yes” on the spot. Take a beat and gather information to make sure it’s a good fit for both sides. Ask to schedule a meeting rather than accepting … [More]
Why We Chose an ESOP for Our Growth, Succession and Legacy Options
Restaurant transitions a unique benefit for its employees
In October 2025, our family-owned restaurant announced we were doing something unique: After more than five decades, Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen transitioned 49% of company ownership to eligible employees in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Now as an ESOP, one out of three Spinato’s employees is an owner. An ESOP is an employee benefit plan that provides … [More]
Human Capital Investment Strategy: Six Steps to Cultivate Potential and Yield Competitive Advantage
For decades, CEOs have treated financial capital with rigor, discipline and foresight. But when it comes to human capital — the engine of innovation, execution and growth — most organizations still rely on legacy mindsets and guesswork. This blind spot is costing organizations their competitive edge. Written by Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, executive strategist on human … [More]
People. Culture. Structure. The Architecture of Execution
Strategy isn't the hard part. Execution is. Most companies don't fail because they lack vision. They fail because they never build the architecture to turn vision into reality. Execution isn't magic. It's not hustle. It's a system. That system has three parts: People — right humans, right roles, real ownership. Culture — behavior over slogans; truth flows; conflict … [More]
People and Culture: A Practical Guide for HR Professionals and Leaders
People and Culture is a strategic guide for CEOs, CHROs, HR leaders and senior executives who want to build high-performing organizations through a purpose-led, values-driven and people-centric approach. Written by leading culture and conflict management expert David Liddle, this book shows how to shift from isolated people or culture initiatives to a unified, enterprise-wide … [More]
Justin Steltenpohl: From Law to Leadership
P.B. Bell CEO traded an outcome-driven approach for people-driven one
Justin Steltenpohl’s innate drive led him to study law at The University of Toledo College of Law. Looking back on his time there, he cites what many law students do: that law school teaches you to think differently. It gives alums the ability to not only identify problems but to find unique, creative solutions. He went on to become a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, a … [More]
Bossware Surveillance Is the Death of Workplace Culture
Business leaders cannot build a high-performing workplace on skepticism and wariness
Bossware — surveillance software that tracks, analyzes or flags employee activity in real time — didn’t appear out of nowhere, and it didn’t start with the pandemic. For years, companies in logistics, retail and call centers quietly have used monitoring tools to evaluate workers minute by minute. But over the last several years, especially with the rise of hybrid work, these … [More]
The Hidden Distractions of Leadership: How Leaders Lose Focus and What It Costs
“One thing that keeps us from excellence is distractions.” —Malcom Lewis Leadership is often described as a role of vision, clarity and decisive action. Yet leaders face a constant stream of distractions that quietly erode their effectiveness. These distractions do not always look like interruptions; sometimes they appear as opportunities, competing priorities or … [More]
Millennials and Gen Z Redefine Prenups as Smart Business Strategy
Once viewed as a taboo topic, prenuptial agreements are now gaining ground as a symbol of financial transparency and partnership. A recent study shows that nearly half of engaged or married millennials, and 41% of Gen Z, now have prenups in place. This shift reflects a generational change in how couples approach both relationships and finances, and it carries meaningful … [More]
Jennifer Kaplan on Building a Business through Curiosity, Clarity and Trust
Evolve PR and its founder evolved their culture and style with a focus on relationships
When Jennifer Kaplan talks about building a business, she rarely starts with revenue graphs or milestone moments. Instead, she goes back to the thing that has always driven her: a deep instinct to help people tell their stories. Long before she became the leader of a rapidly growing PR firm, Kaplan was the person connecting people, elevating ideas and making sure good work … [More]
The Exception Code: How to Make Culture, Retention, and Customer Loyalty Profitable
Leadership development isn’t failing because leaders don’t care. It’s failing because most are leading by default. Caught between quarterly pressures, cultural fatigue and constant change, too many capable leaders are doing everything right and still watching engagement, innovation and loyalty slip through their fingers. The Exception Code is for the ones who know there’s … [More]
CEO Ready: What You Need to Know to Earn the Job and Keep the Job
For those who imagine themselves in line for advancement — Being on the short list for the CEO job and having a record of delivering amazing results; having been told they have the inside track; feeling they are the leader in the clubhouse — Mark Thompson and Byron Loflin offer a wakeup call: Don't believe it. They caution readers that, no matter what a leader has heard or … [More]
Leadership Beyond the Playbook: Craft Your Own Path. Lead with Impact
For those who are in a corporate role, building a startup or preparing for their next move, this book will help them craft a leadership path that's entirely their own. Leadership Beyond the Playbook offers no neatly packaged lists or models. Instead, it will help readers become a better leader — with clarity, sharper judgment and greater intention. Roopa Kudva is a rare … [More]
Quick Leadership: Build Trust, Navigate Change, and Cultivate Unstoppable Teams
Quick Leadership by Selena Rezvani equips its readers with modern, people-first strategies for leading in today's fast-moving, fast-changing workplaces. Forget outdated, top-down management ― this book is packed with real-world tips that help readers build trust, boost performance and bring out the best in their teams (without burning themselves out). Selena Rezvani, a renowned … [More]
Guest Editor: Adam Goodman, Goodmans
Leadership and Purpose Arizona continues to distinguish itself as a place where business can grow and innovate. Our natural climate plays a role, but our business climate is earned — shaped by leaders who favor collaboration over division and remain focused on the state’s long-term prosperity. What’s becoming increasingly clear is how much that prosperity depends on … [More]
Mike Boden
Interim Chief Executive Officer OneAZ Credit Union
Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers? What stands out most about my leadership style is that I lead through clarity, collaboration and purpose. I believe people perform their best when they understand not just what they are doing, but why it matters. My role as a leader is to … [More]
Fred Bueler
Teammate Owner and Vice President CHASSE Building Team
Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers? My leadership style is built on calm, steadiness, trust and genuine care for people. I believe strong leadership begins with dependability — showing up consistently, following through on commitments, and helping others find clarity and … [More]
Cristina Perez Hesano: Building Justice, Community and a New Model of Leadership in Law
Perez Law Group exemplifies the philosophy of lifting others as you climb.
When Cristina Perez Hesano founded Perez Law Group in 2010, she set out to do more than build a law firm; she set out to build a movement. In a field where Latinas make up only about 3% of all attorneys in the U.S., and progress has barely moved in 15 years, Hesano stands out as a trailblazer for representation, leadership and advocacy for the “little guy.” Her mission has … [More]
