Cheryl Kunkle was named CEO of youth financial literacy nonprofit Junior Achievement in Fort Myers in January. Prior to this role, she held leadership positions for health care and medical nonprofits, including the ALS Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. And prior to getting into nonprofit work, Cheryl was a teacher. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Cheryl and Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon talked about how and why she got into nonprofits; a piece of feedback she received as a young leader that has proved invaluable as she has grown into her career; and a few big goals she and the team at Junior Achievement have for 2026 and beyond.

3 Takeaways:

1. (07:00) Every organization needs to evolve
2. (11:00) Every individual has different priorities but you have to unite them under a common goal
3. (12:30) You don’t have to carry the weight of the organization on your shoulders

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Cheryl Kunkle, president and CEO, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida

(04:45) What is Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida?

(06:25) What is Junior Achievement most known for?

(08:00) Cheryl’s career arch

(10:30) Lessons from mentors

(12:00) Hard to hear feedback

(13:45) Trusting your team

(15:35) What do you look for in new hires?

(16:40) What are you looking forward to in 2026 with Junior Achievement?

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Forbes Riley, author of Pitch Secrets A to Z: How to Increase Your Influence, Impact, and Income, lays out the keys to making a great pitch: It’s not about the sale. And it’s not really about the product, either. She joins Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon for a rollicking conversation about all things pitch.

3 Takeaways:

1. (08:00) Get to ‘yes’
2. (15:50) There’s no such thing as a perfect pitch
3. (23:45) Buy your competition

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Forbes Riley, president, Forbes Riley Media

(04:15) Name association

(10:10) Forbes Riley’s background

(15:00) Get people to say ‘yes’

(18:40) Letter F of the book, Pitch Secrets A to Z

(23:00) R is for research

(27:10) Pitching provides a solution to someone’s problem

(27:50) What is coming up the rest of the year?

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Fintech CEO Tad Phelps, even at the helm of a 400-employee financial technology company, is something of a man of the people. He holds CEO sessions open only to non-management employees. He has a CEO Council of future leaders. And he loves to quote University of Georgia football coach Kirby Smart. Hear his leadership strategies in this conversation with Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon.

3 Takeaways:

1. (05:20) Be visible for your employees, answer questions
2. (08:00) Create ways for your employees to grow
3. (14:00) Integrity and emotional intelligence are must have leadership characteristics

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Tad Phelps, CEO, Fintech

(02:30) What is Fintech?

(05:00) What is a CEO session?

(07:40) What is the CEO council?

(10:45) Making a large organization feel small

(12:25) How did you get into this business?

(13:45) Must have leadership characteristics

(15:00) Leadership influences

(16:40) Hard to hear feedback

(17:50) Leadership legacy

(18:45) What is coming up for Fintech?

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.