Leadership Legacies: Family Business, Innovation, and Building People-First Companies

From Warehouse Floors to Corner Offices: How Leaders Build Careers, Teams, and Opportunity

What does it take to build a successful career, lead high-performing teams, and create opportunities for others? On this episode of Real World Leaders, students sit down with Andy Balsan, President of Johnstone Supply; Crystal MacNeill, President & CEO of Acentus Practice Management; Amol Waishampayan, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Fullthrottle.ai; John Gulnac, CEO of SolomonEdwards Group; and Alex Garashchenko, Managing Member of Doodle, LLC. These accomplished leaders share the experiences, challenges, and personal lessons that shaped their careers, from their earliest jobs to leading organizations and driving innovation. Students learn how resilience, curiosity, relationship-building, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities can open unexpected doors.

Behind the Scenes of Leadership: From Theater to the Boardroom

On this episode of Executive Leaders Radio, guests shared how childhood experiences, family influence, and early responsibilities shaped the leaders they are today. Joe Marciagelo discussed how growing up in Blackwood, New Jersey and working in technical theater sparked his passion for audiovisual production and taught him how to thrive under pressure while leading teams at Starlight. Michael Simpson shared how football, preparation, and team culture helped shape his leadership approach at Brinker Simpson. Andrew Berg reflected on lessons learned from his parents, emphasizing authenticity, hard work, and relationship-building in his role at Berg Advisors. The conversation also featured Ryan Eddington, who joined the lineup to discuss leadership and business growth at Allfield. Together, the guests explored how personal experiences outside the classroom often become the foundation for effective leadership, problem-solving, and long-term business success.

From Busboy to Boardroom: Leadership Lessons from Four Business Builders

In this episode, John Moerman, Managing Director of CUT Consulting Group, shares how his early years working as a busboy and growing up as the oldest of five siblings shaped his servant-leadership approach and client-focused mindset. Joining him are Michael Schreiber, Founder and CEO of Playfly Sports, Ryan Edington, CEO of All-Fill Inc., and Leonid Glazychev, CEO of Logrus IT. Together, they reflect on the childhood experiences, challenges, and pivotal moments that influenced their leadership journeys. From overcoming dyslexia and growing up in a family business to navigating entrepreneurship after the fall of the Soviet Union, each guest shares valuable lessons on resilience, innovation, and relationship-building. The conversation also explores hiring, leadership development, and the qualities that drive long-term business success. This episode offers an inspiring look at how early life experiences can shape extraordinary careers and leadership styles.

Leadership, Resilience, and the Stories That Shape Success

In this episode, Steven Katz, Partner at HBI Partners; John Melton, CEO of Melton Industries; Pete Ciarrocchi, Vice President of Operations at Chickie's & Pete’s; and Tanya Wilson, McDonald’s Franchise Owner and Operator, share the life experiences that shaped their leadership styles and business philosophies. From growing up in family businesses and working at a young age to lessons learned through sports, music, and personal adversity, each guest reflects on the values that influenced their success. The conversation highlights themes of resilience, teamwork, perseverance, mentorship, and the importance of building strong relationships both personally and professionally.

Leadership Through Loss, Resilience, and Reinventio

This group shares personal experiences about loss, gratitude, and the lasting impact parents and mentors leave behind. Rich Hipp, CEO of SLM Facilities discusses growing up as the oldest of four children in a single-parent household and how becoming “the man of the house” at a young age shaped his leadership style, work ethic, and entrepreneurial mindset. Robert Strong, President/CEO of Quaint Oak Bank shares lessons learned from working alongside adults early in life, the influence of his entrepreneurial grandfather, and how he helped grow a community bank into a publicly traded company with more than 200 employees. Gary Puddles, CEO of AnswerNet Communications reflects on overcoming a rare childhood disease, discovering music during recovery, and developing the communication and problem-solving skills that later fueled his entrepreneurial success. Ron Scheese, CEO of F.M. Brown’s Sons, Inc explains how leading a sixth-generation family business required evolving from a numbers-focused executive into a people-first leader dedicated to bridging generational gaps within both the company and family.