What really happens inside a CEO peer group meeting? In this episode, Jim Schleckser and Julie Walker share real-world CEO peer-group case studies involving multimillion-dollar decisions, organizational changes, acquisitions, succession planning, board expectations, and growth strategies.

These confidential examples reveal the complex issues facing CEOs of companies with revenue ranging from hundreds of millions to more than a billion dollars. Jim and Julie explore how CEOs use advice from experienced peers to challenge assumptions, reframe problems, and uncover risks they may not recognize on their own.

Hear how CEOs worked through decisions such as whether to divest an underperforming business unit, pursue a first acquisition, introduce an e-commerce channel without alienating dealers, restructure a leadership team, and reset expectations with a board. These CEO peer group case studies demonstrate how external perspectives can help leaders make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Listen to the full episode for an inside look at the conversations that take place within a CEO peer group and the practical lessons you can apply to your own leadership decisions.

Check out:

9:35 | Preparing for a First Acquisition
Why even a well-planned acquisition can disrupt the core business and why a dedicated integration team matters.

17:50 | Managing a Board Through Strategic Change
How CEOs can protect their credibility by setting realistic expectations and becoming the hero at results time, not budget time.

24:35 | When a New CEO Inherits Unexpected Problems
Why new CEOs should surface bad news early, reset expectations and address every hidden issue before building forward.

Prior to joining The CEO Project, Julie Walker was CEO of Shopper Events, a $300 million marketing agency with operations in US and Canada supporting Walmart, Sam's Club, and more than 600 CPG clients. She led the business through several transitions, including the merger of three companies into one; portfolio expansion, explosive growth, and first-ever price increase on the largest division; introduction of adult beverage and fresh production services supported by an expanded compliance department; investment in technology to automate consistent service and accountability across multi-unit operations; divestiture of a division to one of the two company owners; and loss of contract and office shutdown on smallest division.

Julie also has extensive experience working for Procter & Gamble. Over 24 years, she held various executive positions with functional expertise in brand management, shopper marketing, and customer business development before retiring to diversify her experience and move into the service sector. She's an inspirational leader with a passion for innovation, inclusive cultures, and executive courage.

What if your workload isn't actually the reason you're overwhelmed? The real problem may be your thought load.

CEOs can spend an entire day moving from meeting to meeting, making decisions, switching between priorities, and managing other people's problems, yet still wonder what they actually accomplished. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with teamwork expert and author Liane Davey about thought load, the invisible combination of cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy that's quietly undermining leadership performance.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Recognize the difference between workload and thought load and identify what's actually draining your capacity.
• Reduce unnecessary meetings, distractions, decision fatigue, and emotional burdens that prevent you from focusing on your most important work.
• Use a practical framework to decide what to delete, delay, distribute, or diminish so you can spend more time where you provide unique value as a CEO.

Listen now to learn how to manage your thought load, reclaim your attention and energy, and create the space you and your team need to do your best work.

05:35 | It's Not Your Workload. It's Your Thought Load.
Liane Davey breaks down the concept of thought load and its three components: cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy reserves. She explains why leaders can feel completely overwhelmed even when workload itself isn't the real problem.

19:40 | Shrink Your Teams and Strengthen Your Communities
Liane explains how oversized teams, endless meetings, and cross-functional complexity increase thought load. Her solution challenges leaders to create smaller core teams while building stronger communities around them for support and expertise.

38:45 | Four Questions to Get Your Time Back
One of the most actionable parts of the episode: Liane shares a four-question triage framework for CEOs. Is it important? Is it urgent? Is it uniquely you? Is all of it essential? The answers help leaders decide what to delete, delay, distribute, or diminish.

About Liane Davey

Liane has spent more than 25 years researching and advising teams on how to perform at their best. Known as the "teamwork doctor," she works with teams from the frontlines to the boardroom, across industries and around the world, from Boston to Bangkok. Through her work with hundreds of teams, including 26 Global Fortune 500 companies (and counting), she has developed a practical, research-backed approach to solving the challenges that prevent teams from working effectively together.

Liane is a New York Times bestselling author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done and The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and a sought-after expert for media outlets including CNN, NPR, USA Today, The Globe & Mail, and Forbes. Her work focuses on increasing productivity, strengthening engagement, developing leaders, and helping teams navigate conflict in healthier, more effective ways.

The next big innovation in the grocery industry isn't happening inside the store. It's changing how families shop before they ever walk through the door.

The grocery industry has experienced rising prices, dynamic pricing, and changing consumer behavior, leaving many families searching for better ways to stretch their budgets. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with entrepreneur Andy Ellwood, founder of Stretch, about using AI and technology to bring greater transparency to grocery shopping while sharing lessons from building and scaling multiple successful startups.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Discover how technology is reshaping the grocery industry by helping consumers make smarter purchasing decisions.
• Learn why the best startup ideas begin with solving real customer problems instead of chasing technology trends.
• Hear Andy's philosophy of "Make Room for Many" and how an abundance mindset can help entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and lasting communities.

Listen now to hear how innovation in the grocery industry is creating new opportunities for consumers and entrepreneurs, while learning practical lessons about AI, startup growth, and building businesses that solve meaningful problems.

Check out:

03:50 | Bringing Transparency to the Grocery Industry

Andy Ellwood explains how rising prices and dynamic pricing in the grocery industry inspired him to build Stretch, an AI-powered platform that helps families compare grocery prices across multiple retailers before they shop.

16:20 | AI Show and Tell: A Simple Idea Every CEO Should Copy

Andy shares how his team holds a weekly AI Show and Tell session where employees demonstrate new AI use cases they've discovered. It's a simple practice that accelerates learning, sparks collaboration, and builds an AI-first culture.

22:45 | The Power of "Make Room for Many"

Andy discusses his leadership philosophy of abundance over scarcity, explaining why helping others succeed has been one of the biggest drivers of his entrepreneurial journey and long-term success.

Andy Ellwood is the founder of Stretch, a new AI platform reimagining how families navigate the grocery aisle. A serial entrepreneur behind companies acquired by Facebook and Google, Andy has built everything from global learning communities to purpose-driven tech startups. His philosophy—Make Room For Many—guides his work as he uses technology to create more access, clarity, and opportunity for everyday consumers.