Suits and Sneakers: Leadership Unfiltered

Mentorship Boards and Marketing Math with Courtney Johnston-Naumann

Host: Carrie Tuttle     Guest: Courtney Johnston-Naumann Can you name someone who has mentored 10 or more people? I can. Courtney Johnston-Naumann is the founder of Weave Strategy and a fractional chief marketing officer (CMO) who has led brand and marketing teams at Edmonton Economic Development, Service Credit Union, and CashCo Financial. She helps organizations move from scattered marketing efforts to focused, purpose-driven growth. Some leaders treat marketing as an art form. Courtney has spent her career proving it's also math. Courtney explains how she built a bridge between marketing and sales, why she says every strategy starts with intention before it touches a spreadsheet, and what it really takes to lead a team through a founder-to-management transition. The juiciest part of this episode is when Courtney shares her approach to mentorship, including the concept of a personal mentorship board. She sets the expectation that mentees own the relationship before they start and believes in having a framework. You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of how to lead people through ambiguity without losing them, and why the words you choose at work matter more than you think. QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS * “I find mentees who want to work harder than I'm going to work for them.“ * “There’s a lot of math in marketing. When you really look at your pipeline and your growth objectives, you have to reverse engineer it and then connect it with what’s the story we’re trying to tell.” * “If you’re on my team, I will train you to take my job. Because at some point that’s going to happen and that’s okay.” EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Marketing is both head and heart. * Strategy starts with intention, then reverse-engineers tometrics. * Build a strong sales–marketing partnership to align on shared organizational goals. * “Words matter” and miscommunication often happens when we assume others share our definitions. * Create a personal mentorship board: peers, seniors, experts, and people younger than you all have a role. * How Courtney structures mentorship relationships: ground rules, a starting package, and the expectation that mentees own the pace. * Trust and know how much “gray” each team member can handle. LINKS FROM EPISODE Courtney Johnston-Naumann on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnstonnaumann/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnstonnaumann/] Brené Brown — brenebrown.com [https://brenebrown.com] ---------- Like What You Heard? Don’t forget to subscribe or follow uson YouTube or your favorite podcast service, so you never miss an episode! Want to be an expert guest? APPLY HERE [https://forms.gle/8aYBERq8SRByXwyU9]

Building Your Dream Team with Rebecca Wood

Host: Carrie Tuttle     Guest: Rebecca Wood Most leaders are handed the keys to their first team without a roadmap. Rebecca Wood has been there. She is a leader with over 25 years of experience as a former National Director of Sales and a Director transforming membership models at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Now, the founder of Romeo Whiskey Consulting, Rebecca has built teams from scratch and coached executives navigating the real loneliness that comes with senior leadership. She joins Carrie to talk about what it takes to build a dream team. They dig into the key ingredients, like trust, communication, clarity, mindset, and the courage to have hard conversations before things fall apart. Rebecca shares a practical approach to using communication tools like DISC to help leaders adapt how they deliver messages, and she's candid about the moments her own high-D drive got in the way of the very results she was chasing. Whether you're stepping into your first people leadership role or a seasoned leader who has lost momentum with your team, this conversation offers real frameworks, honest stories, and a grounded reminder that you don't have to figure it all out alone. QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS * "It's not about you and succeeding. You now have to get that team to where you need them to be. " * “I don't need all the credit. I want other people to be able to step up into their own and have the confidence to make the decisions they need to make.” * "Be vulnerable and get some support, because you don't have to do it alone. And it can be very lonely." EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Trust is the foundation. Without it, everything stays surface level. * Knowing your own communication style is the first step to adapting it for the people around you. * Clarity on goals and alignment on direction are what keep a team rowing the same way. * A quarterly action plan only works if the team actually refers back to it. * Hire for mindset and attitude — skills can be taught, but mindset is harder to shift. * Have the hard conversation early. Letting it build is harder on everyone. * Momentum comes from investing in people, celebrating milestones, and leading with energy over fear. * Self-awareness is the prerequisite to leading others — know your own pace before you set it for your team. * You don't have to figure it out alone. A mentor or coach is one of the most effective tools a new leader has. LINKS FROM EPISODE Rebecca Wood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawoodyyc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawoodyyc] Rebecca Wood's website: https://www.romeowhiskey.ca/ [https://www.romeowhiskey.ca/] Books mentioned: Radical Candor — Kim Scott The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Patrick Lencioni Start With Why / other titles — Simon Sinek Extended DISC — mentioned in episode. See also: Suits & Sneakers Episode with Markku Kauppinen https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZA79RJWfrTZCtROBE7LHw?si=mwmt_9i2SQicxuoA5Ai_ZA [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZA79RJWfrTZCtROBE7LHw?si=mwmt_9i2SQicxuoA5Ai_ZA] ---------- Like What You Heard? Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube or your favourite podcast service, so you never miss an episode! Want to be an expert guest? APPLY HERE [https://forms.gle/8aYBERq8SRByXwyU9]

Let AI Give You Thinking Time with Carrie Tuttle

Host: Michael Dargie Guest: Carrie Tuttle What does AI mean for leaders — and what does it not replace? Carrie Tuttle, founder of Team Mojo, invites Michael Dargie (Make More Creative / RebelRebel podcast for entrepreneurs) to host. We keep this one short and sweet, with Carrie sharing how technical founders are embracing AI, why revenue teams should consider using it to draft messaging sequences and communication templates, and exactly where it falls short. She also talks candidly about her own use of AI in her coaching practice, including the honest admission that first drafts aren’t her strongest suit! With AI changing so fast, it’s hard to keep up. So much so that her business use has changed in the months between recording and publishing this episode. Send her a note if you want to compare notes on what else she is using AI for with revenue teams. Walk away with some ideas of what AI can carry for you and what still needs a human leader in the room, specifically around empathy, challenging blind spots, and keeping your team accountable. Listen up for when Carrie reframes the AI speed conversation entirely and makes a case for humans to slow down and think. Enjoy! P.S. Check out similar topics, like “Data Therapy First, Then AI with Ian Tell” and “Succeed at Recruiting in an AI World with Serge Boudreau”. QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS: * “What if we framed it as: let’s let AI go do all those repetitive things so that we can take a step back and have some thinking time to do creative work?” * "Having AI say ‘great job’ is different than having another human say, I really like what you did there, and here’s why.” * "Learn everything you can about how AI works now, because now is the foundation for the future." EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Technical founders are broadly embracing AI, some dedicating full resources to governance and implementation. * AI gets you 85% of the way there, but a human still needs to review it. * AI augments coaching; it does not replace the human relationship. * Leaders still need humans for genuine empathy, real feedback, and real accountability. * AI is a strong starting point for revenue team communication templates and outreach sequences. * Building AI literacy now makes future adaptation easier. * Sales and marketing team misalignment is an underestimated gap. LINKS FROM EPISODE Carrie Tuttle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1carrietuttle/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/1carrietuttle/] Team Mojo website: https://www.teammojo.ca/ [https://www.teammojo.ca/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrieatuttle/ [https://www.instagram.com/carrieatuttle/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teammojo_ca [https://www.youtube.com/@teammojo_ca] FREE Ultimate Delegation Playbook: ⁠https://lp.teammojo.ca/ultimate-delegation-playbook⁠ [https://lp.teammojo.ca/ultimate-delegation-playbook] Michael Dargie website: https://makemorecreative.com/ [https://makemorecreative.com/] The RebelRebel Podcast : https://rebelrebelpodcast.com/ [https://rebelrebelpodcast.com/] ---------- Like What You Heard? Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your favourite podcast service, so you never miss an episode! Want to be an expert guest?  APPLY HERE [https://forms.gle/8aYBERq8SRByXwyU9]

The Evangelist Model for Technical Founders with Guillermo Salazar

Host: Carrie Tuttle   Guest: Guillermo Salazar Carrie sits down with Guillermo Salazar, Industry Principal at Vendoroo, an agentic AI maintenance coordinator for property management. He’s the former CEO of IrisCX, and a four-time founder with three exits. He's also the host of the LinkedIn Live show Getting to Hell Yes! In this episode, Guillermo unpacks what he's learned growing three companies from $0 to $2MM+ and why those wins all share the same engine. He explains the four-point framework he uses to cut through noisy ideal-customer profiles, and why technical founders unintentionally hold their teams back when talking about technology instead of the buyer's problem. He also shares the prioritization rubric he runs teams on. You might appreciate when Guillermo gets candid about his own leadership edges. He admits he doesn't have it all figured out, and talks about why he pursues the discomfort of growth on purpose. Listen for the moment when Guillermo admits he'll create chaos on purpose when things get too repetitive and why that's actually a leadership asset when you know how to hand off. Whether you're a first-time founder or a leader trying to get your team pointed in the same direction, this episode has gold to get you thinking about revenue, scale and aligning on key priorities. QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS: * “Listening is the plan. Not having the answers is okay.” * “I’m constantly pursuing the discomfort of growth.” * “Listen to the market, listen to your customers, and they will pull you to where they want to go next.” EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Evangelist customers compound growth in a way ad spend can’t match. * Pull-based go-to-market makes each new customer easier to acquire than the last. * Technical founders often hold teams back by emphasizing the solution over the buyer’s problem. * A sharp ICP comes down to four points: the problem, why it’s unavoidable, the options considered, and their limitations. * Clear expectations are the prerequisite to coaching andfeedback. * Prioritize work by stopping what hurts you, staying good enough at table stakes, and be best-in-the-world at what makes you different. * Start / stop / continue is a simple cadence for cascadingpriorities without micromanaging. * Saying “grateful” with intention lands differently than acasual “thank you”, especially on remote teams. * Listening is the plan. Not having the answers is okay. * Founders who listen let the market pull them to the realopportunity. LINKS FROM EPISODEGuillermo Salazar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1guillermosalazar/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/1guillermosalazar/] Getting to Hell Yes! (LinkedIn Live show): https://www.linkedin.com/events/7440854704177397760/ [https://www.linkedin.com/events/7440854704177397760/] Vendoroo: https://venderoo.ai/ [https://venderoo.ai/] Resources mentioned: Reframe newsletter and The Power of Pull — Rob Snyder (forthcoming, July 2026) Dan Sullivan — Strategic Coach Gino Wickman — Traction / EOS Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) newsletter ---------- Like What You Heard? Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube or your favorite podcast service, so you never miss an episode! Want to be an expert guest? APPLY HERE [https://shorturl.at/dwFCd]

Mastering Credibility with Mitchell Levy

Host: Carrie Tuttle Guest: Mitchell Levy Carrie sits down with Mitchell Levy, global credibility expert, two-time TEDx speaker, and international bestselling author of over 60 books, to explore one of the most overlooked leadership advantages: credibility. With experience building 20 companies and publishing over 750 books, he brings a unique perspective on what it truly means to be seen, heard, and trusted as a leader. From his new book “Executive Abundance”, Mitchell shares what it means to build executive abundance with five stakeholder groups. In this episode, Mitchell breaks down how credibility isn’t just about reputation—it’s about clarity, alignment, and consistently serving others. He explains how leaders can articulate their value, build stronger stakeholder relationships, and create meaningful impact through authentic communication. In fact, he demonstrated how quickly he does it. It’s simple, not easy. You’ll hear why many leaders struggle to define their message, and how becoming “credible” unlocks opportunities, influence, and growth. QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS: * “Credibility is the quality in which you're trusted and liked.” * “Executives are being evaluated against… Will they be good tomorrow when the company is X percentage bigger?” * “Being seen and heard starts with understanding how you serve others, not just what you do.” EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * What credibility actually means—and why most leaders misunderstand it * How lack of clarity impacts leadership effectiveness and team trust * The connection between credibility and thought leadership * Why leaders struggle to articulate their value * Being seen and heard starts with understanding how you serve others, not just what you do * How to position yourself so others can easily understand and trust you * Authenticity builds long-term influence * Credible leaders strengthen relationships with stakeholders * Practical ways to become more visible and trusted in your industry LINKS FROM EPISODE Mitchell Levy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchelllevy/ Website: https://mitchelllevy.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/happyabout X https://twitter.com/happyabout Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mitchell.levy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/CredibilityNation Resources: Executive Abundance, Mitchell Levy https://amazon.com/execabundance [https://amazon.com/execabundance] Credibility Nation, Mitchell Levy https://getbook.at/CredibilityNation [https://getbook.at/CredibilityNation] TEDx “BEing Seen and BEing Heard as a Thought Leader”: https://AHA.pub/TEDtalk [https://AHA.pub/TEDtalk] ---------- Tell us a topic you’d like to hear more about in the comments. Want to be an expert guest? APPLY HERE  [https://shorturl.at/dwFCd] Follow us on socials:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teammojo/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teammojo.caInstagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teammojo/Website: https://www.teammojo.ca/