The Breakout CEO
The Breakout CEO podcast brings you candid conversations with scaling CEOs at leadership & strategic inflection points. Each episode is a curated interview that explores the mindset, strategy, and pivotal decisions driving breakthrough success for high-growth companies ($5MM-$50MM+). Jeff Holman is the host of The Breakout CEO podcast and the founder of Intellectual Strategies, where he works closely with CEOs and leadership teams of scaling companies on strategy, governance, and risk during periods of rapid growth. Jeff has spent years inside the decision-making rooms of growth-stage companies, helping leaders navigate moments when complexity increases, tradeoffs become unavoidable, and the cost of misalignment rises. He brings a peer-level perspective shaped by that experience, focusing conversations on the inflection points that materially change a company’s trajectory. The Breakout CEO podcast reflects his approach with candid, operator-level discussions centered on real decisions rather than retrospective storytelling or promotion. Guest Participation - We feature a limited number of CEOs leading scaling companies with meaningful, first-hand breakout moments. If you believe your story would add value for an audience of scaling CEOs, please apply here: https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/ Media & Event Partnerships - For press access, on-site recording, or event collaboration inquiries, please contact us. We record a limited number of on-site conversations at select events with CEOs and founders whose stories align with the podcast’s focus on leadership, strategy, and execution.
Episodes
Scaling a business does not usually break because of strategy.
It breaks because the CEO is carrying too much.
In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Corinne Morahan, founder and CEO of Grid + Glam, to talk about burnout, boundaries, and the leadership shift that changed how she built her business.
Corinne shares her journey from Wall Street to entrepreneurship, why she burned out more than o...
Scaling doesn’t fail because of strategy, capital, or product. It fails because of a leadership weakness almost every founder carries into growth.
Impatience.
In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with David Sluss, Professor at ESSEC Business School and advisor to scaling CEOs, to unpack how impatience quietly undermines leadership as companies grow.
David explains why the habits that help founders win...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Leah Brown, former corporate lawyer turned mediator and founder of The WayFinders Group, to explore what really breaks inside fast-growing companies and how CEOs can address it before it slows everything down.
Leah shares what she’s seen firsthand inside boardrooms and leadership teams when growth outpaces relationships; communication breaks down, and conflict g...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, I sit down with Steve Smith, a veteran business coach with more than 45 years of experience in manufacturing, corporate leadership, and executive coaching. Steve breaks down what he’s learned from big companies and small companies, and why scaling smart always comes down to the same three factors: capacity, funding, and alignment.
If you’ve ever felt the tension between growing fast and ...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Noah St. John, bestselling author of Power Habits and the creator behind the Zero Friction Framework. Together, they unpack why so many CEOs hit income ceilings, stall out after early wins, and unknowingly sabotage their own growth. They discuss the concept of 'Power Habits' and how understanding the unconscious habits of successful individuals can lead to ...
In this episode of the Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman interviews Jerry Brazie, an entrepreneur with a remarkable journey from poverty to success. Jerry shares his experiences growing up in a challenging environment, the lessons learned from his family, and the importance of accountability and responsibility in business. He emphasizes the value of community and mentorship, discussing how his involvement in peer-to-peer group...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Natasha Todorovic-Cowan, author of Making Change Work and expert in Spiral Dynamics, to unpack the real challenges CEOs face when leading through rapid change. Natasha shares her own story of navigating unexpected disruption early in her career and explains why adaptability, human behavior, and cognitive bias awareness are mission-critical for modern l...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with leadership coach and former competitive chess player John Whitt to explore the powerful parallels between chess strategy and modern business leadership. John shares how his early experience competing in the U.S. Chess Championships shaped his approach to clarity, planning, and decision-making, skills he later applied throughout a successful corporate ...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO, Jeff Holman sits down with Paige Arnof-Fenn, a 24-year marketing veteran and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, to break down what truly drives growth for scaling companies. Paige explains why the core principles of marketing haven’t changed even as tools, platforms, and AI evolve. She shows why a strong brand story still outperforms clever features, and how emotional connection is the u...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Aasha LaCount, CEO of BeyondEQ International, to explore how emotional intelligence (EQ) is transforming modern leadership.
Aasha shares her raw personal story of burnout, anxiety, loss, and rebuilding, and how those experiences led her to uncover the hidden link between emotional regulation, team performance, and business growth.&...
This episode is part of our CEO Expert mini-series where we talk with experts who coach, mentor, train, and work with scaling CEOs to expand their insights and help identify and achieve their breakout moments.
In this episode of the Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman speaks with Angela Lapovsky, a fractional COO, about the challenges and strategies for scaling CEOs. They discuss Angela's background, her approach to helping startups...
In this episode of the Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman speaks with Earl Foote, founder of Nexus IT, about the company's growth, team culture, and the importance of personal development in leadership. Earl shares insights on how to motivate teams, the evolution of his organization, and the significance of coaching and development programs. He also discusses his personal breakout moments and offers advice for aspiring CEOs on ...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Chairman at Healionics Corporation, Mike Connolly. Mike shares his journey from teaching physics to co-founding startups that have revolutionized women’s health and dialysis care.
He discusses the challenges of medical device innovation, the importance of persistence, navigating regulatory and reimbursement hurdles, an...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Partner at Aspen Mountain Partners, Greg Schow. Greg shares lessons from his early ventures, the value of teamwork, and the realities of acquiring and growing “non-sexy” businesses like vending machines and steel fabrication.
He emphasizes the importance of hard work, people over prestige, and adapting to challenges. Greg also...
9 - How Curiosity Drives Innovation: Leadership Strategies for Growth with INSEAD's Spencer Harrison
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Full Professor at INSEAD, Spencer Harrison. Spencer discusses his journey from aspiring English professor to business scholar, focusing on creativity and curiosity in organizations.
Drawing on research and personal stories—including lessons from their influential high school physics teacher, Mr. Jackson—they explore how leader...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Founder of Product 1, Steven Selikoff. Steven shares insights on navigating recent changes in import regulations, the importance of building resilient businesses, and why profitability—not just revenue—should guide product decisions.
He emphasizes learning from mistakes, the value of experienced mentors, and the critical role ...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Co-Founder at Shyft, Alex Burdge. Alex shares his entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of Shyft, and how the company navigated major disruptions like the US-China trade wars and COVID-19.
He discusses building a resilient international team, adapting to constant changes in global logistics, and the importance of main...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO and Founder at ASA, Landon Glenn. Landon shares his journey from humble beginnings to building ASA, which partners with banks and credit unions to securely connect financial data and services using advanced technologies.
He emphasizes the challenges of fintech entrepreneurship, the importance of financial education, key pa...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the Chief Solutions Architect at Intel Corporation, Dr. Darren Pulsipher. Darren discusses his diverse career, from teaching at Vanderbilt to leading digital transformation at Intel.
Darren shares pivotal “breakout moments,” including lessons learned from startup setbacks and hypergrowth leadership. He covers balancing passion wit...
In this episode of The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs, Jeff Holman speaks to the CEO at DevSquad, Phil Alves. Phil shares his journey from Brazil to building a scalable SaaS development company in the U.S. He discusses the challenges of scaling a service business, the importance of team structure, culture, and playbooks, and Phil’s focus on sustainable, bootstrapped growth over chasing venture capital.
Phi...
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