Execution Exchange with Jake Allen: Insights from Optitude CEO Brian Kerlin
In this episode of Execution Exchange, host Jake Allen dives into the essential habits, mindsets, and methods that successful leaders use to achieve significant results. Jake introduces the first guest of the series, Brian Kerlin, the founder and CEO of Optitude, www.optitude.co a consulting firm specializing in helping first-time B2B founders and CEOs build internal capacity and sales systems. Brian shares his journey from a blue-collar upbringing in Pittsburgh to leading teams at Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson and Stryker. He discusses the importance of trust in leadership, the lessons learned from managing remote sales teams, and the challenges and strategies involved in scaling businesses. This episode is packed with actionable insights for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone looking to sharpen their focus and accountability. Visit www.getmissiondriven.com to learn more about Mission-Driven Leadership and how it helps companies close the execution gap.
00:00 Building Trust as a Leader
00:37 Introduction to Execution Exchange
01:30 Meet Your Host: Jake Allen
02:05 Introducing Brian Kerlin
03:55 Brian's Early Life and Career
06:38 The Value of Hard Work and Sports
16:57 Transition to Healthcare Sales
18:53 Challenges in Sales Management
21:51 Building Trust in Remote Teams
26:02 Receiving Critical Feedback
26:54 Building Trust Through Actions
27:29 Empathy and Leadership
29:16 Aligning with the Company's Mission
32:35 Challenges of Scaling a Business
33:26 Importance of Goal Clarity
34:56 Execution Performance Index
35:41 The Importance of 'Why' in Business
43:56 Focusing on the Main Effort
47:50 Lessons from Stryker
51:15 Services Offered by Aptitude
54:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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