Sara Sheehan welcomes guest Jim Carlough, a business strategist, author, and speaker with over 30 years of leadership experience, to the podcast for a conversation about how leaders are developed. Jim talks about his career journey and what makes for good leadership, highlighting insights from his book “The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success”. Sara and Jim focus on specifically discussing the two pillars of integrity and empathy as they relate to powerful leaders. Jim’s philosophy on empathy includes an obligation to lead employees and teams with compassion and camaraderie.

Jim shares advice from his current role as a Chief Sales Officer and offers a glimpse into the future of growth he envisions for his company. His other focus is leadership and helping people become better leaders, which is the impetus for writing his book “The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership”. Sara learns that while Jim envisioned the book as being written for corporate America, he’s had a great deal of success with the book being popular among superintendents and teachers in schools. Of the six pillars, Jim claims integrity is the non-negotiable pillar because transparency and integrity are vital for building trust with teams and organizations.

Better leaders are developed in part by getting in among the team being led. Jim notes that true camaraderie and integrity can’t be built “if you sit behind a closed door and sit behind a computer and just send emails to people all day”. He discusses stories from his own leadership experiences with Sara, highlighting the necessity of connection and empathy as cornerstones of effective leadership. Jim’s insights inspire thought on how leadership can be developed with people as the focus, and offer sound advice on what can be done to see greater success.

About Jim Carlough:

Jim is a graduate of Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, with a degree in Psychology. He is an accomplished executive with experience in the C-suite and EVP/VP with over 30 years of expertise in driving explosive growth and profitability for healthcare and healthcare technology organizations ranging from start-ups to large-scale enterprises. With a demonstrated history of success in building high-performance teams, revitalizing struggling portfolios, and leading successful M&A integrations. A strategic leader capable of energizing and transforming any organization.

Jim is also a professional public speaker and published author. Speaking has been part of his professional responsibilities for a large portion of his career.

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Resources discussed in this episode:

• “The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success” by Jim Carlough
• “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Jim Carlough

• Website: JimCarlough.com
• LinkedIn: JimCarloughMS
• Email: Jim@JimCarlough.com
• Facebook: JimCarloughMS

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In this solo episode, Sara Sheehan offers a message on unlocking the power of customized change management training, a strategic investment for CEOs. Success hinges on the ability to effectively manage business change, so investing in a private, customized version of a Mastering Change Management course is a key step for leadership teams. Sara breaks down all the ways in which customized training is an essential part of a successful transformation and details exactly how a private course would work.

There are six reasons, explained by Sara, on why a change management course is so essential for CEOS navigating complex projects. One, it is tailored specifically to suit the company investing in it. Two, it enhances leadership alignment and capability. Three, it builds organizational capacity for change, even in this era of constant disruption. Fourth, it speeds up change adoption and reduces employee resistance. Five, it’s scalable for long-term growth. And sixth, it cultivates a stronger organizational culture.

What does such a customized course look like? How is it built? Sara breaks it down into steps: 1. Initial consultation, 2. Customized content development, 3. Interactive workshops, and 4. Ongoing support. In navigating complex projects, change, and business transformation, there’s no greater toolkit to invest in than a carefully-tailored course designed to keep the leadership and team on track and engaged while key growth happens. Sara makes a compelling case for using this long-term strategy to achieve a business advantage.

About Sara Sheehan:

Sara’s professional career includes working with leaders in Fortune 100 companies and top-tier firms. She offers expert change management strategies to help businesses navigate complex transformations. Through her 25+ years of experience, she supports executives in developing change capability, in developing more leaders at more levels of the organization, and in creating high-performing teams. Sara’s knowledge spans change, organization design and effectiveness, talent development, training, marketing, business building, and business development.

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Resources discussed in this episode:

• Sara Sheehan Calendly

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is R.T. Custer, co-founder and CEO of Vortic Watch Company and Colorado Watch Company. R.T. transforms antique American pocket watches into one-of-a-kind wrist watches through Vortic Watch Company, and with Colorado Watch Company, will be building the most American-made watches at scale available today. Sara talks with R.T. about how he identified his calling in converting pocket watches, surviving a crippling lawsuit early in his entrepreneurship, loyal customers, and where he’s headed next.

R.T. discusses launching on Kickstarter and shipping watches to customers a year and a half later. Vortic scaled from shipping 100 watches to 200, and R.T. realized due to how the restoration of antique pocket watches works, he would face a maximum capacity of roughly 400 watches a year. This led to the formation of his Colorado Watch Company brand to address the ability to create quality American-made watches at scale. He and Sara talk about sourcing the antique watches, the market for wrist watches, and the triumph of surviving the 2017 lawsuit that he calls the hardest thing he’s ever done.

The lessons R.T. has learned from his entrepreneurial ventures are many and varied. He shares how he learned that people want to invest in momentum and how he realized that momentum and being the visionary for his company can only come from him. Sara learns about R.T.’s Angel investing, plans for the Colorado Watch Company scaling, why R.T. feels such a connection to military service, and the intricacies of antique pocket watches. This episode is a fascinating glimpse into a very niche entrepreneurial venture that is being scaled through an additional brand without sacrificing the original vision. Sara takes listeners deep into R.T.’s inspirational journey.

About R.T. Custer:

R.T. Custer is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, speaker, and guide supporting founders through community, connection, and mentorship. As the CEO of Vortic Watch Company, the Chief Revenue Officer of Carter & Custer Agency, and the co-host of Fast Foundations Mastermind, he knows what it takes to build a successful business and drive impact. He wholeheartedly believes that you can live a life of wealth and freedom when you’re not afraid to take risks, and he uses his platform to empower founders to step into their worth.

R.T. is also deeply passionate about his work as an Angel Investor and Advisor in consumer product companies through his video podcast, “Products Worth Talking About”. He is a sought-after speaker and podcast guest, especially after launching a 2nd YouTube show called “Custer & Wolfe, Building a Watch Company” with his business partner, Tyler Wolfe, to document everything that goes into building an American manufacturing company. R.T. has proven that it is possible to enjoy life to the fullest while building wealth, and he wants to share everything he’s learned so that you can enjoy the same freedom.

Most importantly, R.T. is a partner to Lindsay Roselle and the father of two boys, Sawyer and Wesley. They live in Fort Collins, Colorado, where they run their collective 5 businesses, chase their kids and two dogs around, and spend their (minimal) free time golfing, working out, drinking whiskey, and hanging out with friends and family.

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact R.T. Custer | Vortic Watch Company / Colorado Watch Company:

• Vortic Website: VorticWatches.com
• Colorado Website: ColoradoWatchCompany.com
• R.T. Custer: Website: RTCuster.com
• LinkedIn: RTCuster
• Instagram: @rtcuster

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is Dr. Kerriann Greenhalgh, CEO and Chief Science Officer of KeriCure Medical. Kerriann shares the story of how she fell in love with chemistry and came to a place where she developed her own wound barrier and infection care skin spray, KeriCure. KeriCure is a revolutionary medical product and contains a nanopolymer technology that Kerriann worked to develop for topical wound care. Sara learns the history of its development and how Kerriann is using her knowledge and KeriCure to change the lives of children, adults, and pets everywhere.

When Kerriann discovered she had a natural aptitude for and enjoyment of chemistry, she obtained her PhD working in a lab focused on a nanoparticle, nanopolymer drug delivery system. While the lab focused on internal applications, Keriann focused on topical usage, and KeriCure was born. KeriCure spray is an acrylate polymer, which means it has the same elasticity and stretch as skin. It works to seal wounds, scrapes and rashes while disinfecting, reducing pain, and keeping bacterial infection at bay while the wound heals.

Sara and Kerriann discuss the varied use cases for KeriCure, from kids to sporting events to military packs, and explore both how portable the spray is and how easy it is to use. The difficulties inherent in FDA approval, marketing, online sales, and everything else entrepreneurs face are part of Kerriann’s story as well. She talks about expansion, creating a prescription-strength formula of KeriCure, as well as a pet and animal formula and what her plans are for the future of her creation. This is a fascinating look into a woman-led and created business that has a profoundly helpful impact on everyday lives.

About Dr. Kerriann Greenhalgh:

Dr. Kerriann Greenhalgh is a wife, mom and the inventor behind KeriCure Medical’s technology. Dr. Greenhalgh received her Bachelor’s in biochemistry and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of South Florida. She was an initial member of MiMedx Inc. (later MiMedx Group) as lead of R&D and product development, and successfully submitted the company’s first 510k to the FDA for a collagen surgical mesh. Her experiences working on projects at the FDA, Homeland Security, US Army Medical Research Center, and with industry leaders, including Battelle and Constellation, have given her the insights on how to successfully develop and launch critical need products. She has been an invited reviewer for multiple NIH grant review panels, scientific journals, and is an established author and contributor to many medical and scientific journals and publications. Dr. Greenhalgh has over half a dozen patents, including many for the KeriCure technology, and is a frequent keynote and guest speaker at symposiums and conferences. Dr. Greenhalgh brings unique expertise to KeriCure as the CEO and Chief Science Officer and has dedicated her life to bringing safe, natural, and effective skin and wound care products to the world.

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Dr. Kerriann Greenhalgh:

• Website: KeriCureMedical.com
• Store: KeriCure.com
• LinkedIn: kerriann-greenhalgh-548b7813

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is Laura Patterson, Co-Founder and President of VisionEdge Marketing and author of “Fast-Track Your Business”. Sara and Laura discuss what prompted her to write her latest book and the themes it addresses. Laura delves into what customer-centric means to her and why it’s key to growth strategies. From software that assists companies in finding individualized success measures to what she’s learned from mistakes in business, Laura provides an insightful look into how she built her success.

One of the driving themes of Laura’s book, and her career, is the idea of being customer-centric. She uses a term called “the circle of traction” to illustrate how to create a customer and then find ways to keep them and grow their value. She and Laura talk about eliminating random acts to focus on deliberate, customer-centric approaches to business instead.

Laura shares where to source insights and data for clients, and marketing software platforms that she recommends. She weaves her customer-centric approach into all the questions that drive research; by focusing on what the customer needs, the data sourced will drive growth that is specifically tailored to creating and sustaining customers. Laura asks ‘How do we help our people grow’ when contemplating future choices in order to maintain focus on investing in people. The lessons she’s learned and advice she has to share are invaluable for any business looking to grow and foster greater customer success.

About Laura Patterson:

No newcomer to customer-centricity and its accelerators (performance management and operational excellence), Laura’s passion for customer-centricity, as the definitive growth engine, started at Motorola in the ‘90s. During her corporate career, she’s held the roles of director of customer marketing and brand strategy, customer relationship manager, customer marketing initiative lead, and customer loyalty architect.

Laura is an award-winning author. Her fourth book is Fast-Track Your Business: A Customer-Centric Approach to Accelerate Growth. She has won 12 thought leadership awards including Most Powerful Thought Leaders to Follow. Laura holds numerous marketing certifications and received a patent for her performance management software. She is also a peer-reviewed researcher and is a trusted advisor to CXOs and board members.

Growth is in her DNA. As president and co-founder of VisionEdge Marketing, Laura has helped grow 250+ companies worldwide and of all sizes. Most of her customers have been in the B2B space in these industries: technology, cybersecurity, financial services, manufacturing software, and medical devices/bioscience.

Laura is a medal-winning triathlete and brings high energy to everything she does. She lives in Austin, TX where she is Mom to Riley, a toy Aussie. She is a superfan of hummingbirds and maintains a garden to attract them. She keeps her Zen with Yoga and reenergizes with a long run.

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Laura Patterson:

• Website: VisionEdgeMarketing.com
• LinkedIn: LauraPattersonVEM
• Book: “Fast-Track Your Business: A Customer-Centric Approach to Accelerate Market Growth” by Laura Patterson

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is Samuel Hale, the CEO and Co-Founder of Nurish’d. Sam discusses the evolution of Nurish’d, a digital health and nutrition platform that connects users with registered dietitians and personalized meal planning, assisted by AI. Sam tells Sara about his career journey and how he originally launched as a ready-to-eat meal prep company before transitioning into Nurish’d. Sam shares how his platform now optimizes meal plans that align with users’ health profiles, dietary preferences, and wellness goals.

Sam’s entrepreneurial path demonstrates a strategic pivot from food production to healthtech innovation. His proprietary AI system automates dietary recommendations while preserving the key human element of dietitian-led consultations. His leadership in this nutrition-as-a-service model has helped expand Nurish’d from Canada into the U.S., especially in states leveraging the 1115 Medicaid waiver for medically tailored meals.

Sam’s mission is the idea that “if we eat well, we feel well.” The food as medicine movement is supported through Nurish’d, offering evidence-based nutrition plans to manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. The platform also partners with insurance providers and telehealth integration, delivering meals and virtual care to users with covered conditions. Sam tells Sara his future goals are to expand Nurish’d’s role in preventive health, supporting food-insecure populations, and collaborating with benefits providers to make healthy eating accessible at scale.

About Samuel Hale:

In a world where diet often dictates our health, Sam Hale believes in a holistic approach, where wellness is about a sustainable lifestyle that fosters individual health and well-being. He is driven by the vision to transform our relationship with food, seeing it not just as sustenance but as a tool for longevity, illness prevention, and overall well-being.

This belief led Sam to establish Nurish'd, a platform partnering users with registered dietitians and leveraging AI to integrate personalized nutrition seamlessly into our daily lives by connecting users to healthy meals that best fit their lifestyles and goals. If we eat well, we feel well.

Through innovation and commitment, we can harness the ability to improve our health profiles, enhancing our well-being. Sam strives to create a ripple effect of health awareness, empowering individuals and organizations to make informed choices toward a healthier future.

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Samuel Hale:

• Website: Nurishd.io
• LinkedIn: Samuel-Hale-94539779

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is the president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching and Journal Engine Software, Kim Ades. Kim uses journal-based coaching in her direct coaching style with clients; she tells Sara exactly what that is and how she came to develop it. Following a life-altering divorce, Kim’s focus became helping others build emotional resilience to thrive despite challenges. She and Sara discuss how introspection and writing can reframe experiences, and how that shift can impact client success.

Kim founded Frame of Mind Coaching to empower people to focus on their thought patterns instead of external behaviours. She developed a unique journaling software to facilitate a journaling-based coaching method that helps her reflect on client writing to aid in uncovering their limiting beliefs. Through this method, Kim finds she can go past typical performance metrics to target the root of thought processes. It’s in this way that sustainable growth and emotional intelligence are unlocked.

Sara and Kim talk about the value of self-awareness and emotional clarity. This especially applies to entrepreneurs and executives who are under constant pressure. Kim’s unique coaching philosophy highlights the idea that success is truly driven by mindset more than circumstances. Kim is a pivotal voice in the world of leadership development and personal transformation. She has a proven track record in helping clients overcome adversity, and she openly shares her philosophy and insights with Sara.

About Kim Ades:

Kim Ades, MBA, is a serial entrepreneur who, after a decade running a simulation-based assessment firm, sold her company and briefly worked for a local coaching company. She left after 8 months, believing she could offer better coaching. Kim felt the prevailing coaching model was flawed, intuitively realizing that driven leaders needed to understand the link between their thoughts and outcomes rather than being “held accountable.”

In 2004, Kim founded Frame of Mind Coaching®, focusing on helping leaders maximize their potential and live fulfilling lives. She also created the Frame of Mind Coaching® Certification program to teach leaders effective coaching techniques.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Great Leaders are Great Coaches course

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Kim Ades:

• Website: FrameOfMindCoaching.com
• Website: JournalEngine.com
• Email: kim@frameofmindcoaching.com
• LinkedIn
• Instagram: @coachkimades

Sara Sheehan’s guest in this episode is AI Strategist, Digital Transformation Leader, and founder of AIboration, Nicole Hilgenkamp. Nicole discusses AI and how it is more than just an IT function; it is a transformative force in business. The new role of Chief AI Officer reflects the cross-functional nature of AI and Nicole explains why dedicated leadership is required to integrate AI across entire organizations. Ensuring that it is embraced to ensure a future-ready company is essential.

Nicole shares strategies for AI integration and recommendations on how to stay updated on AI developments through focused newsletters, by joining communities, and through experimenting with tools like Perplexity. She advocates for leaders to champion AI from the top down so a culture where employees are encouraged to use AI safely and creatively is fostered. Mindset shifts are key to using AI in the promotion of self-awareness and personal growth.

Sara and Nicole look ahead to agentic AI, which are AI systems capable of decision-making and functioning as digital team members. Such systems will change the structure of organizations and put humans in charge of overseeing AI agents in customer service or sales roles. Nicole advises that everyone upskill to avoid being left behind, and urges the adoption of AI now, being mindful of bias and data protection, and committing to lifelong learning.

About Nicole Hilgenkamp:

Nicole is a digital transformation leader with the world's largest companies, where she leads enterprise scale AI and digital transformation across global operations. She is also the founder of AIboration, an AI consulting firm that helps businesses implement generative AI.

Nicole is an optimist who believes people and technology can work better together. With a background in sociology, she has always been fascinated by how people group, interact, and adapt—whether in organizations, markets, or digital spaces.

Her work revolves around structuring chaos—helping businesses use technology to improve processes, enhance collaboration, and drive results. Nicole sees patterns in people, systems, and data, making sense of complexity and turning it into strategy.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

• “The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter, Decisions” by Geoff Woods’
• The Neuron newsletter

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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:

• SaraWSheehan.com
• Sara Sheehan on LinkedIn
• Meet with Sara

Contact Nicole Hilgenkamp:

• Email: aiboration@outlook.com
• LinkedIn