Ever feel like you want to embrace AI, but it is moving so fast? What you just learned is already outdated—and you're worried your competitors might be pulling ahead while you're still figuring it out?

This episode is basically a reality check for you as a leader: AI isn't a "someday" thing anymore. It's here, it's democratized, and it's about to split industries into the "haves" who use it to accelerate growth and the "have-nots" who get left behind. If you're trying to grow a mid-to-large company, keep your team relevant, and avoid getting blindsided by tools your people are already experimenting with, this conversation meets you right where you are. You'll hear why AI-first thinking isn't hype—it's how you protect your business and unlock more creativity, speed, and capacity across every function.

By listening, you'll walk away with:

• A clear, CEO-level way to think about AI as a multiplier, not just an efficiency tool—so you can free your team from the mundane and push more energy into innovation and growth.

• Practical guidance on adopting AI without freezing up, including how to handle the very real fear of job disruption by leveling up faster instead of resisting change.

• Concrete, cross-functional use cases you can copy immediately, from smarter customer and HR communications to rapid code generation, finance/M&A insight spotting, legal review, and hiring support—plus the "hybrid model" mindset to keep humans in the loop where it matters.

Hit play now and steal these AI-first leadership moves so you can get ahead of the curve this quarter—not six months from now when the gap is harder to close.

Check out:

• 04:30 — "AI will split the world into haves and have-nots"
  Jim tees up the urgency, and Eric immediately reinforces that this divide is coming in months, not years.

• 12:00 — "AI as the 5th tectonic tech shift + democratization"
  Eric walks through the internet → PC → web → iPhone → GenAI progression, and why democratized access changes everything for CEOs.

• 27:30 — "AI-first mindset + real business use cases (HR, finance, legal, hiring)"
  The conversation shifts into practical deployment: AI-first workflows, hybrid human+AI supervision, and concrete examples like HR response automation, M&A insight spotting, and interview-transcript evaluation.

About Eric Vaughan

Eric Vaughan is a globally sought-after speaker and pioneer of AI-driven digital clones, leading IgniteTech's AI-first transformation and reinventing products, services and the workforce while shaping the future of enterprise AI. He's known for launching two innovative AI products in just ten months and steering the high-profile acquisition of Khoros. Eric founded and led three successful software companies and managed over 50 major M&A deals. He's also a regular writer, tech educator and passionate runner who has completed 50 marathons and more than 50 ultramarathons.

Ever feel like your "new product" ideas stall out — not because they're bad, but because the team can't stay aligned long enough to bring them to life?

If you're trying to grow in a world of constant AI disruption, you can't afford ideation that dies in committee or teams that melt down under pressure. This episode hits the real blocker most CEOs run into: brilliant people get promoted, but nobody ever taught them how to lead, think clearly under stress, or build a team that can take an idea from "interesting" to "in market." You'll hear how misdefined problems, ego-driven leadership habits, and check-the-box people programs quietly slow your growth — and what to do instead.

• A practical way to spot why ideas aren't turning into products (hint: it's usually a problem-definition gap, not a talent gap).

• A clearer read on your own leadership wiring — what's hardwired, what's learned, and how that mix impacts trust, communication, and execution.

• Simple, high-leverage moves to elevate your team's thinking so you can stop living in the tactical weeds and lead more strategically.

Hit play now and steal Curtis Sprouses' tools for sharpening your team (and your own leadership) so your next big idea actually makes it to market — with fewer headaches and better results.

Check out:

06:30 — The perfectionist founder example + why EQ can cap your growth
Curtis walks through the real profile of a biotech CEO (high dominance, extreme perfectionism, low emotional intelligence) and shows how that combo derails fundraising, trust, and team performance — even when talent is off the charts.

18:45 — "Do you want to be remembered as the leader who grew people… or the one everyone avoided?"
Curtis shares a sharp coaching story about a long-tenured exec who'd been rewarded for harsh habits for decades — and the one reframing that finally got him to shift how he led (with ripple effects at work and home).

28:00 — The #1 fatal flaw: CEOs define the problem wrong
Curtis explains the "pressure vs. problem" distinction and gives a quick diagnostic (person vs. process vs. resources vs. priorities). This is the core "aha" for why teams spin and boards get frustrated.

About Curtis Sprouse

Curtis Sprouse is the founder of EurekaConnect and the Institute for Biomedical Entrepreneurship (IBE), where he helps leaders and teams outperform through strategic behavioral programs. With over 5,000 professionals coached and 200+ biomedical innovations advanced, Curtis specializes in turning science and technology into viable, impactful ventures. His programs have helped companies raise tens of millions in capital and bring real products to market. Curtis speaks on leadership, team building, personal development, and the future of business and society.

What if the real competitive edge in your company isn't another strategy shift—but your human sustainability as a leader?

You're expected to perform like a high-level athlete: stay sharp, set direction, handle pressure, and keep your team moving—often while AI disruption speeds everything up. But here's the catch: if your internal system is running at red line, your decision-making, culture, and results eventually pay the price. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with Pearce Cucchissi, a former Army Ranger turned executive performance coach, about how leaders build the stamina, clarity, and resilience to thrive long-term—without burning out or becoming the bottleneck themselves.

By listening, you'll gain:

• A fresh way to think about leadership as human sustainability—how to keep your mind and body durable enough for the pace you're running.

• Tools to identify "people bottlenecks" on your team, including what's really behind wrong-person/wrong-seat issues.

• A practical, data-informed approach (like psychometric assessments) to reduce stress deltas, improve fit, and increase longevity for you and your leaders—especially during growth or acquisitions.

Press play to learn Pearce's battle-tested methods for building human sustainability into your leadership—so you can win the long game with more energy, focus, and staying power.

Check out:

• 04:30 – "Business athlete" framing
  Jim and Pearce connect elite athletic performance to executive leadership—stamina, mental state, keeping score, and bringing the team along.

• 12:40 – Operator syndrome → CEO burnout bridge
  Pearce explains "operator syndrome" (stuck in fight-or-flight) and why the same pattern shows up in CEOs, athletes, and PE-backed exec teams.

• 24:10 – Psychometric delta + right person/right seat
  The Culture Index / psychometric "delta" idea: how to spot misalignment, stress, disengagement, and predict longevity—plus what to do with hotspots on a leadership team.

About Pearce Cucchissi

Pearce is a former military special operator who brings battlefield-tested strategic thinking and elite team dynamics to the boardroom. As the founder of Built to Evolve, he helps executives and teams unlock peak performance through a cutting-edge blend of neuroscience, psychology, and physiology. His mission is to create business athletes, leaders with the stamina, clarity, and resilience to thrive under pressure and deliver maximum positive impact.

Pearce has worked with top-tier organizations including Citibank, The Las Vegas Raiders, and Charter Communications. Today, he advises executives within Private Equity-backed portfolio companies, where the stakes are high and the mental toll is real. His coaching style is direct, data-driven, and deeply human, balancing performance optimization with personal well-being to ensure leaders are built to evolve, not burn out.