Is your leadership team truly aligned, or are competing priorities quietly slowing your company's growth?

Even the most talented leadership teams struggle when everyone is chasing different priorities or measuring success differently. In this episode, Kristen McAlister shares a practical framework to help CEOs stay aligned by defining the right outcomes, assigning clear ownership, and creating accountability through meaningful scoreboards and metrics. If you've ever felt like your team is busy but not making the progress you expected, this conversation will help you build the clarity and focus needed to achieve your biggest goals.

What You'll Gain From This Episode:

• Learn how to stay aligned by starting with the end goal and connecting every leader's priorities to the outcomes that matter most.

• Discover how scoreboards, leading indicators, and clear ownership create accountability without relying on annual performance reviews.

• Understand how CEOs can reduce bottlenecks, leverage fractional leadership, and build a business that operates successfully without depending on the owner.

If you're ready to stay aligned, improve accountability, and help your leadership team execute with greater focus and confidence, this episode provides practical strategies you can start applying immediately.

Check out:

• 7:50 – Why Great Leaders Start at the Finish Line
  Karen Miscaluce explains why the first step to helping teams stay aligned is defining the desired outcome before assigning work, making every decision easier and more intentional.
• 22:30 – The One Question That Keeps Teams Focused
  Learn how saying "not now" instead of "no" helps CEOs manage shiny-object syndrome while keeping the organization aligned around its highest priorities.
• 43:10 – Why Every Team Needs a Scoreboard
  Karen shares how visible scoreboards and meaningful metrics create accountability, improve performance, and help leadership teams stay aligned without relying on traditional performance reviews.

About Kristen McAlister

Kristen McAlister is on a mission to make it easier for businesses through the power of intentional leadership and dynamic teams. As an owner of Cerius Executives, she has dedicated the last 15 years to educating companies on how to leverage interim and fractional leadership to address their challenges and achieve growth.

Her passion for empowering businesses is matched by her personal drive and discipline. As a mother, Ironman triathlete and wife of a retired Marine, Kristen brings a unique blend of real-world experiences and a relentless mindset to every challenge. Her life experiences have honed her ability to navigate complex challenges with resilience and grace.

What does it take to turn a simple idea like Chicken Salad Chick into one of the fastest-growing restaurant franchise brands in America?

Growing a business from a handful of locations to hundreds of restaurants takes more than a great product. It requires the right culture, disciplined leadership, a scalable franchise model, and an unwavering commitment to the customer experience. In this episode, you'll hear how Scott Deviney transformed Chicken Salad Chick from a promising regional concept into a nationally recognized brand by focusing on servant leadership, operational simplicity, and building a franchise system that empowers entrepreneurs to succeed. Whether you're leading a growing company or considering franchise expansion, you'll walk away with practical lessons that apply far beyond the restaurant industry.

What You'll Gain From This Episode:

• Learn how Chicken Salad Chick built a scalable franchise system without losing its culture, hospitality, or commitment to quality.
• Discover why servant leadership, operational simplicity, and disciplined franchise selection have fueled the brand's remarkable growth.
• Understand how successful CEOs balance innovation, franchise relationships, and long-term strategic expansion while staying true to their core mission.

If you're interested in scaling a business, building a franchise brand, or leading a high-growth organization without sacrificing culture, this episode delivers practical insights from the CEO behind Chicken Salad Chick's remarkable success story.

Check out:

• 8:45 – Why Scott Deviney Chose Chicken Salad Chick
  Scott shares the pivotal moment he recognized that Chicken Salad Chick was unlike any other restaurant concept, citing its people-first culture, unique market position, and long-term growth potential.
• 28:40 – The Secret to Maintaining Culture Across Hundreds of Franchise Locations
  Learn how Scott and his leadership team preserve the Chicken Salad Chick guest experience by focusing on servant leadership, franchisee selection, operational simplicity, and a shared purpose.
• 47:20 – What's Next for Chicken Salad Chick?
  Scott discusses the company's ambitious expansion plans, the path toward 500 restaurants and $1 billion in systemwide sales, and why he believes the brand is still in the early stages of its growth.

Scott Deviney, CEO of Chicken Salad Chick, has grown his enterprise tenfold in 10 years — from 32 restaurants in six states when he started in May 2015 to 309 eateries in 22 states today. He plans to serve customers in 30 states by year-end 2026. "Chicken Salad Chick is all about people," says Deviney (AB '95). "It's about taking care of our restaurant and franchise teams, taking care of our guests. Making chicken salad fresh, every day, from scratch, is our way to love on people."

Deviney grew up in Carrollton, Georgia. He credits his parents with his work ethic. "They gave me something of tremendous value," he says, "my work ethic. I learned that when things have to be done, you go do them."

Deviney started his professional career at SunTrust Bank, where he spent 13 years, including time in a food and beverage group. In 2008, he left banking to buy 19 Wendy's fast-food restaurants. Six years later, he sold those, plus a few added along the way, then looked for new opportunities. He bought Chicken Salad Chick with a private equity partner. The business was hatched in Auburn, Alabama, in 2008 by Kevin Brown and his wife, Stacy, who named her various chicken salad blends (Fancy Nancy, Classic Carol, Kickin' Kay Lynne) after female family members and friends. Deviney moved headquarters to Atlanta and began spreading the chicken salad gospel.

Are you looking for a way to build additional income without walking away from your career or wondering if franchise ownership is the right path for your next chapter?

If you've thought about creating passive income, diversifying your investments, or transitioning out of corporate leadership, franchising can offer a compelling opportunity—but only if you choose the right business. In this episode, you'll learn how experienced franchise advisor Jeff Schaffertz helps executives identify franchise opportunities that align with their goals, lifestyle, leadership strengths, and financial expectations. You'll also discover why successful franchise ownership is about much more than picking a recognizable brand.

What You'll Gain From This Episode:

• Learn how to evaluate franchise opportunities based on your goals, available time, leadership style, and desired level of involvement.
• Discover which types of franchises are best suited for semi-passive ownership and building multiple income streams.
• Understand the due diligence process, including how to analyze Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs), validate financial performance, and avoid costly franchise mistakes.

If you're exploring franchise ownership as a way to create long-term wealth, diversify your income, or transition into business ownership with greater confidence, this episode will give you a practical framework to make smarter decisions before you invest.

Check out:

• 10:10 – Can You Really Build Passive Income with a Franchise?
  Jeff explains what "manager-run" franchise ownership actually looks like, how much time it requires, and what executives should realistically expect.
• 20:45 – The Biggest Mistake People Make When Choosing a Franchise
  Learn why matching your skills, personality, and leadership style to the right franchise is far more important than choosing a well-known brand.
• 35:00 – How to Evaluate a Franchise Before You Invest
  Jeff walks through the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), explains which sections matter most, and shares how to validate financial performance before making a decision.

Jeff Shafritz

Jeff Shafritz is a Strategic Franchise Advisor and the founder of Franchise Guidance, helping executives and investors bring clarity and confidence to franchise decisions in an industry often clouded by hype. With over 30 years of experience in franchising, he has led franchise development for major brands, successfully owned and sold his own top-performing fitness franchise, and guided hundreds of individuals through critical financial and lifestyle decisions