Episodios

  • How to Manage Up, Build Influence, and Grow Your Career | Andrea Wasserman

    How to Manage Up, Build Influence, and Grow Your Career | Andrea Wasserman
    Mar 31 2026
    What if the key to career growth is not working harder, but learning how to manage up with influence and impact?

    In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Andrea Wasserman, Fortune 500 executive, advisor, and founder of The Executive Express, to talk about how leaders can give feedback to their boss, build trust with senior stakeholders, and grow their executive presence. Andrea breaks down what managing up really means, why timing matters, and how rising leaders can become strategic thought partners instead of just task executors.

    This conversation is for professionals who want to build influence at work, communicate with more confidence, and move from mid-level management into executive leadership. Andrea also shares how to handle a blocking boss, improve emotional intelligence, and create more visibility without overstepping.

    What You Will Learn
    • How to manage up without looking like you are sucking up
    • Why timing matters when giving feedback to your boss
    • How to build influence with senior leaders
    • What separates strategic leaders from task doers
    • How to grow executive presence inside your company
    • What to do when your boss controls communication
    • The top career accelerators for rising leaders
    • How emotional intelligence helps leaders earn trust

    Chapters
    (0:32) Why giving feedback to your boss feels risky
    (2:55) What managing up really means
    (4:05) Why timing matters in upward feedback
    (6:13) How strategic thought partners think
    (7:49) Building influence without stepping on toes
    (9:42) What to do when your boss blocks access
    (13:50) Three career accelerators for rising leaders
    (17:04) Common blind spots that slow advancement
    (18:46) A real executive success story
    (22:14) Style flexing and executive presence
    (25:12) Emotional intelligence tools for leaders
    (27:28) Final advice on managing up
    (28:00) What Andrea would tell her younger self

    About Andrea Wasserman
    Andrea Wasserman is a Fortune 500 executive advisor and founder of The Executive Express. With more than 20 years of leadership experience across major brands and industries, she helps rising leaders strengthen executive presence, build influence, and grow their careers with more clarity and purpose.

    CONNECT with Andrea Wasserman
    Website: https://www.theexecutiveexpress.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawasserman/
    Instagram: @TheExecutiveExpress
    TikTok: @TheExecutiveExpress
    YouTube: The Executive Express

    CONNECT with Executive Connect
    Website: www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
    If you like the content please do share, subscribe and like the channel.
    Tune in to the complete episode on the channel under podcasts.
    For more visit - executiveconnectpodcast.com
    #executive #leadershipdevelopment #team #cxos #ceo
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    29 m
  • How To Communicate Clearly Under Pressure | Jen Mueller

    How To Communicate Clearly Under Pressure | Jen Mueller
    Mar 30 2026
    What if your communication style is costing you trust, clarity, and opportunities without you even realizing it?

    In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Emmy-winning sports broadcaster and communication coach Jen Mueller to break down what great communication actually looks like under pressure. Drawing from years on NFL and MLB sidelines, Jen explains why small talk is not fluff, how leaders accidentally create confusion and drama, and what it takes to communicate with more clarity, confidence, and connection.

    From high-stakes interviews to everyday workplace conversations, this episode shows how to make your message land faster, build stronger trust, and create better outcomes with the people around you.


    What You Will Learn
    • Why small talk is a real leadership skill
    • How to turn casual conversation into trust and connection
    • Why vague communication creates confusion and stress
    • How to set expectations clearly before high-pressure moments
    • The ETA method for stronger conversations
    • Why context matters more than most leaders realize
    • How to communicate better with introverts on your team
    • How short interactions can create long-term opportunities


    Chapters

    (0:20) Why communication is a leadership edge
    (1:18) Jen’s path from sports to coaching
    (3:07) Why small talk actually matters
    (5:49) Lessons from high-pressure interviews
    (10:46) How to build a better communication culture
    (13:16) Why messages get lost at work
    (18:39) How to keep people engaged
    (23:57) How to help introverts speak up
    (26:56) Why preparation improves communication
    (28:52) Final thoughts on stacking small wins
    (30:49) Where to connect with Jen


    Guest Bio

    Jen Mueller is an Emmy-winning sports broadcaster, communication coach, and founder of Talk Sporty to Me. With more than 25 years of experience interviewing athletes, coaches, and leaders in high-pressure environments, she helps professionals communicate with more clarity, confidence, and impact. Known for her work on NFL and MLB sidelines, Jen now brings those same communication strategies to business leaders who want better conversations, stronger relationships, and more trust in every room they walk into.


    Connect with Jen Mueller

    Website: https://www.talksportytome.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmuellertalksporty/
    YouTube: Talk Sporty to Me
    YouTube: I Cook, You Measure

    Connect with Executive Connect

    Website: www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    31 m
  • The Emotional Patterns Keeping Leaders Stuck | Zaina Orbai

    The Emotional Patterns Keeping Leaders Stuck | Zaina Orbai
    Mar 26 2026
    What if the next level of leadership is not about doing more, but understanding what has been driving you all along?

    In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Zaina Orbai, executive coach and former senior leader who helped take both Yelp and The RealReal public, to talk about the emotional programming that quietly shapes leadership, ambition, perfectionism, and reinvention. Zaina shares what happens when high-achieving women hit an inflection point, why old patterns stop working, and how internal beliefs around worth, control, and success can quietly hold leaders back.
    This conversation is for anyone who looks successful on the outside but feels stretched, stuck, or disconnected on the inside. Zaina offers a grounded look at how leaders can build more self-awareness, create better internal alignment, and redefine success in a way that is actually sustainable.


    What You Will Learn
    • What emotional programming means in leadership
    • Why high achievers can still feel deeply stuck
    • How perfectionism quietly limits growth
    • What IPO pressure teaches about identity and success
    • Why slowing down can strengthen performance
    • How emotional intelligence shapes stronger organizations
    • The daily shifts that help leaders create internal alignment

    Chapters

    (0:00) The hidden chaos behind success
    (1:22) What happens at leadership inflection points
    (4:24) The cost of internal misalignment
    (5:28) Why perfectionism is hard to define
    (6:24) What emotional programming really means
    (9:05) Lessons from taking companies public
    (12:14) What surprised her most about IPOs
    (13:31) What she would tell her younger self
    (14:15) How success can distort identity
    (16:44) Energy leadership and thought patterns
    (20:19) How to handle stressed-out leaders
    (22:11) Shifting energy in hard conversations
    (23:53) Reprogramming the inner CEO
    (26:33) Why leaders fear slowing down
    (28:31) Daily shifts that create internal change
    (33:02) Why emotional intelligence matters more now
    (37:04) Rapid-fire leadership truths
    (39:42) Final advice for women in reinvention


    Guest Bio

    Zaina Orbai is an executive coach and former senior leader with more than 20 years of experience in high-growth companies. She helped guide both Yelp and The RealReal through the IPO process and now works with accomplished women who are navigating reinvention, leadership growth, and deeper internal alignment. Her work focuses on emotional awareness, identity, and helping leaders move beyond old patterns that no longer serve them.


    Connect with Zaina Orbai

    Website: https://zainaorbai.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainaorbai/


    Connect with Executive Connect

    Website: www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    41 m
  • Why Sleep Is Costing Your Company Money | Dr. Michael Breus

    Why Sleep Is Costing Your Company Money | Dr. Michael Breus
    Mar 24 2026
    Most companies are losing money every day, and many do not realize the real reason. It is not strategy, culture, or motivation. It is sleep.

    In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Michael Breus, also known as The Sleep Doctor, to talk about the true business cost of poor sleep. From lower productivity and weaker decision-making to safety concerns and rising healthcare costs, Dr. Breus explains why sleep is one of the most overlooked factors behind performance at work.

    He also shares his practical five-step plan for better sleep, explains chronotypes and sleep patterns, and shows how leaders can use sleep as a real strategy to improve energy, thinking, and team performance.

    If you want healthier teams, sharper leadership, and stronger results across the board, this episode may completely change the way you think about sleep.


    What You Will Learn
    • Why poor sleep quietly drains company profit
    • How sleep impacts productivity, safety, and decision-making
    • What presenteeism is really costing your business
    • Why most wellness programs fail without addressing sleep
    • How chronotypes affect employee performance and schedules
    • The difference between sleep quantity and sleep quality
    • Dr. Breus’s five-step plan to improve sleep by 20 to 30 percent
    • How leaders can use sleep as a performance advantage


    Chapters

    (0:34) Why sleep is costing companies
    (2:12) The business impact of poor sleep
    (3:44) Why wellness programs keep failing
    (8:56) How Dr. Breus became The Sleep Doctor
    (15:24) The sleep animal system explained
    (28:31) How sleep affects leadership decisions
    (31:38) How much sleep executives really need
    (34:33) Why sleep is a safety issue
    (37:19) Why personalized sleep strategies work
    (42:51) How companies can roll this out
    (53:28) The five-step sleep plan
    (1:00:24) Where to learn more


    Guest Bio

    Dr. Michael Breus is a clinical psychologist, board-certified sleep specialist, and one of the most recognized voices in sleep medicine today. Known as The Sleep Doctor, he has spent more than two decades helping people improve sleep quality, energy, health, and performance. He is one of only 168 people in the world to pass the sleep medicine board exam without going to medical school. Dr. Breus has appeared on Oprah, Dr. Oz, and Good Morning America, and works with both individuals and organizations to turn sleep into a measurable performance advantage.


    Connect with Dr. Michael Breus

    Website: https://sleepdoctor.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesleepdoctor/

    Take the quiz: https://chronoquiz.com

    Connect with Executive Connect

    Website: www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    1 h y 1 m
  • How to Scale With Outsourcing and Automation | Kirsten Graham

    How to Scale With Outsourcing and Automation | Kirsten Graham
    Mar 23 2026
    Still trying to do everything yourself in business? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Kirsten Graham to talk about what really changes when entrepreneurs stop wearing every hat and start building support systems that actually work. Kirsten shares how outsourcing, automation, marketing virtual assistants, video, and podcasting can help service-based business owners scale without burning out. She explains why delegation is not about losing control, but about creating structure, clarity, and momentum inside your business. This conversation is especially helpful for coaches, agents, creatives, and founders who feel stuck in the day-to-day and know they need support, but do not know where to start.


    What You’ll Learn
    • Why delegation is a skill every CEO must build
    • What keeps entrepreneurs stuck in overwhelm
    • How to hire the right virtual assistant for the right role
    • What a marketing VA actually does behind the scenes
    • Why video and podcasting build trust faster than almost anything else
    • Which simple automations can save time right away
    • How systems create more freedom, focus, and profitability


    Chapters
    (0:00) Why delegation is a ceo skill
    (1:14) How outsourcing changed her business
    (3:24) Control coaching and letting go
    (6:22) What keeps owners stuck
    (9:01) Building better delegation systems
    (12:09) What a marketing va really does
    (14:47) Why video builds trust faster
    (19:19) Automation that saves the most time
    (24:00) What real freedom looks like
    (29:12) Delegating as a learned skill


    Guest Bio

    Kirsten Graham is a business coach, speaker, and entrepreneur who helps service-based business owners scale through outsourcing, automation, video, and podcast-driven marketing. She specializes in helping coaches, agents, creatives, and founders build smarter systems, delegate with confidence, and create businesses that generate leads without creating burnout. Through her work, Kirsten empowers entrepreneurs to stop doing everything themselves and start building support that leads to long-term growth.


    Connect with Kirsten Graham

    Website: https://sixfigurebusinesscoaching.com
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengrahamsfbc/

    Connect with Executive Connect

    Website: https://www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    34 m
  • Why AI Projects Fail and How Leaders Can Get It Right | Kathleen Walch

    Why AI Projects Fail and How Leaders Can Get It Right | Kathleen Walch
    Mar 19 2026
    Why do so many AI projects stall out, overspend, or quietly fail inside organizations?

    In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Kathleen Walch, leader at the Project Management Institute and co-creator of the CPMAI methodology, to talk about what actually makes AI succeed. Kathleen explains why AI failure is rarely just a tech problem and why leadership, change management, data quality, workflow design, and trust matter far more than most teams realize. She also shares what strong organizations do differently before they invest, how leaders can spot failure early, and why AI literacy has to become part of the culture.

    If your company is experimenting with AI, rolling out copilots, or trying to move from hype to business value, this episode will help you approach it with more clarity and fewer expensive mistakes.


    What You’ll Learn
    • Why most AI failures are people and process failures
    • The early warning signs an AI project is going off track
    • Why AI should not sit only inside IT
    • How to think about ROI before approving AI spend
    • Why AI literacy matters more than most leaders think
    • What successful organizations do before deployment
    • How to build trust, governance, and adoption across teams



    Chapters

    (0:00) Why leaders must stop waiting
    (0:29) Kathleen Walch on AI execution
    (1:23) Why AI is change management
    (2:31) What leaders underestimate most
    (6:58) Why AI is not just IT
    (9:27) The top reasons AI projects fail
    (11:57) Early warning signs before failure
    (14:11) Who owns AI outcomes
    (15:44) How leaders quietly block progress
    (18:17) Where hierarchy slows AI learning
    (21:51) What successful organizations do first
    (25:47) Why so many AI projects fail
    (29:02) How to build trustworthy AI
    (32:25) What leaders should start now
    (37:42) The AI myth leaders must drop
    (43:16) Final advice and where to connect


    Guest Bio

    Kathleen Walch is a leader at the Project Management Institute and co-creator of the CPMAI methodology, a framework built to help organizations run and manage AI projects more effectively. She has spent the last decade working at the intersection of AI strategy, execution, education, and change management, helping leaders move AI from hype into real business value.

    Connect with Kathleen Walch

    LinkedIn: Kathleen Walch

    Connect With Executive Connect

    Website: www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    44 m
  • Why Great Operators Win in Oil and Gas | Nathan Calvin

    Why Great Operators Win in Oil and Gas | Nathan Calvin
    Mar 17 2026
    What actually makes an oil and gas investment work long term?

    In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Mark Elliott of Summit Ventures and operator Nathan Calvin for a grounded conversation on what separates real execution from boardroom theory. They break down why good geology matters, how bad operators destroy strong assets, and why capital discipline can make or break an otherwise promising deal. Nathan shares what it means to be asset-driven, how experienced operators find value in overlooked fields, and why patience often beats greed in the oil patch.

    If you want a clearer picture of how oil and gas deals are really evaluated, where the risks actually are, and what smart operators do differently, this episode is worth your time.


    What You’ll Learn
    • Why good rock still needs a great operator
    • What “asset-driven” means in oil and gas
    • How operators destroy value by getting greedy
    • Why capital discipline matters as much as production
    • How neglected fields can become high-value assets
    • The difference between real execution and boardroom strategy
    • How experienced operators think about risk, focus, and scale


    Chapters

    (00:00) Why capital discipline matters most
    (00:31) Mark introduces Nathan Calvin
    (03:08) What separates operators from strategists
    (05:40) How to spot teams early
    (07:34) Why rock has different personalities
    (11:09) Geology, engineering, and repeatable performance
    (15:56) How operators cut corners
    (19:27) What makes assets underperform
    (21:47) Building and scaling energy companies
    (24:16) Evaluating opportunities the right way
    (26:35) How great operators find hidden value
    (33:37) Lessons from business beyond oil
    (42:33) Balancing growth and downside risk
    (48:13) Doing hard things early
    (50:22) Building a culture that confronts problems
    (54:47) Final lessons on oil and gas opportunity


    Guest Bio

    Nathan Calvin is an operator, entrepreneur, and oil and gas executive with experience building, buying, scaling, and exiting businesses across multiple industries. His background includes Foundation Oil Company, Black Belt Operating, Titan Operating, and ventures in pest control, martial arts, and non-emergency medical transportation. He is known for an asset-driven approach to oil and gas, disciplined capital management, and practical field execution.

    Mark Elliott is the CEO of Summit Ventures and a seasoned entrepreneur and investor focused on oil and gas, private investing, and long-term wealth creation. He works closely with operators and investors to identify energy opportunities built around sound geology, disciplined execution, and downside protection.


    Connect with Mark Elliott and Summit Ventures

    Website: https://blackbeltoperating.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-nate-calvin-81a945321/

    Connect with Executive Connect

    Website: https://www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    59 m
  • Clarity Beats Chaos in Leadership | David Prosper

    Clarity Beats Chaos in Leadership | David Prosper
    Mar 16 2026
    Why do so many leaders feel busy but still stuck? The real problem is not productivity. It is lack of clarity.

    In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with David Prosper, leadership strategist and author, as he explains why leaders often mistake motion for progress. When clarity is missing, teams become reactive, communication breaks down, and leaders spend their time solving problems instead of creating direction.

    David shares practical frameworks for designing a life and leadership strategy with intention. From his C5 clarity framework to the stages of the clarity cycle, this conversation reveals how leaders can move from confusion and distraction to purpose, alignment, and impact.

    You will also hear how David’s upbringing as the son of Haitian immigrants shaped his philosophy on resilience, service, and building a life by design instead of default.

    If you feel like you are doing everything but still going nowhere, this episode will help you reset your thinking and lead with focus.


    What You Will Learn
    • Why activity does not equal progress in leadership
    • The hidden cost of confusion inside teams
    • The C5 Framework for building clarity in life and leadership
    • How leaders accidentally create chaos without realizing it
    • The difference between living by design versus living by default
    • The four stages of the clarity cycle, from wanderer to flowmaster
    • How asking better questions creates a culture of clarity
    • A simple habit that improves focus and decision-making


    Chapters

    00:00 Why leaders stay busy but make no real progress
    03:50 The GPS metaphor for finding clarity in leadership
    05:05 The hidden side effects of confusion inside teams
    07:45 Living by design instead of default
    08:05 The C5 framework for clarity and personal alignment
    12:05 Signs you are working hard but moving nowhere
    14:30 Why balance is actually about seasons in life
    18:05 The four stages of the clarity cycle
    20:35 How leaders create a culture of clarity in organizations
    25:10 How David’s upbringing shaped his leadership philosophy
    27:30 When lack of clarity costs you years of progress
    31:10 One simple habit that creates clarity immediately
    32:40 Clarify, verify, and never assume


    Guest Bio

    David Prosper is a leadership strategist, speaker, and author known for helping leaders gain clarity in their purpose, decisions, and direction. Often referred to as a “clarity architect,” David teaches leaders how to move from confusion and distraction to intentional leadership through structured frameworks and mindset shifts.

    Drawing from his experience as the son of Haitian immigrants and his work coaching leaders and entrepreneurs, David focuses on helping individuals design lives and organizations that align with their values, strengths, and long-term impact.


    Connect with David Prosper

    Website: https://davidbprosper.com
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidprosper/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclarityguy_/
    Email: davidbprosper1@gmail.com

    Connect With Us

    Website: https://www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
    YouTube: Executive Connect YouTube Channel
    LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
    Instagram: @executiveconnectpodcast
    TikTok: @executiveconnectpodcast
    Facebook: Executive Connect
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    34 m