Prepare for part one of this nail-biting conversation with Jill Dempsey, C-suite positioner (CEO, CFO, and COO) of a half-a-dozen different non-profit and growth-stage companies. Witness her journey leading up to her shocking discovery of a multi-million-dollar fraud taking place within her company.Learn how to balance professional growth and personal values with Jill's powerful story:"Don't scale what's toxic.""Integrity is expensive, but worth it.""Rebuild with aligned ecosystems.""Live in your legacy, not for it."Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jilld/See more at: MarkSpencerCook.com/Podcast/Links for Mark S. Cook: MarkSpencerCook.com | WindfallPartners.comLinkedIn for Mark S. Cook: LinkedIn.com/in/@MarkSpencerCookOther Social Media: @MarkSpencerCookQuestions Explored:• How to lead multiple different companies?• When to stand up against your superiors?• How to leverage your assets?• How to rebuild after a total loss?• Who to turn to when times are dim?Lessons Learned:• Be willing to adapt to compromise.• Snuff out toxicity before it grows.• Being grateful for obstacles.• Stand by your integrity no matter what.• Work for what you love.• Your legacy is how you live right now.• Don't be afraid to pivot.Keywords:CEO, CFO, COO, Non-profit, Entrepreneurship, Woman leaders, Resilience, Legacy, Rebuilding, Fraud, Whistleblower, Workplace toxicity, Middle-East, Integrity.

Join Kevin Eikenberry, one of Inc.com's Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World, as he shares his secrets to success. For thirty years, Kevin has been training leaders realize their potential and shoot for the stars!

Exclusive tips to be a better boss in a hyper-speed work-world:

"Think big, start small…"

"Practice with people, not data…"

"Never forget the fundamentals…"

Learn more from best-selling author and expert leader…

See more at: MarkSpencerCook.com/Podcast/

Links for Mark S. Cook: MarkSpencerCook.com | WindfallPartners.com

LinkedIn for Mark S. Cook: LinkedIn.com/in/@MarkSpencerCook

Other Social Media: @MarkSpencerCook

Questions Explored in this Discussion:

• How to close the "knowing/doing" gap?

• How to set long-lasting habits?

• How to balance consistency with flexibility?

• How fast to progress through life?

• What to do in transitionary periods?

Lessons Learned:

• Observe successful leaders to become one.

• You have to build habits to gain skills.

• Learn to balance conflicting skills.

• How and when to give helpful feedback.

• Be patiently persistent.

• Life moves one day at a time.

• It's never too late to return to the fundamentals.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

3:40 Changing With the Times

11:00 Kevin's Background

14:06 Learning to Lead

17:05 Mindset/Skillset/Habitset

22:26 Flexibility vs Consistency

28:48 Intentionality

32:45 Giving Grace

38:11 Positive vs corrective feedback

45:24 Think Big, Start Small

47:12 Transitioning into Leadership

49:04 Return to Your Roots

Website: kevineikenberry.com

Flexible Leadership Book: kevineikenberry.com/flexible

Confidence Masterclass: kevineikenberry.com/gift

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry/

Keywords:

bestselling author, leadership, flexibility, patience, constructive feedback, habits, consistency, intentionality

What if everything you’ve believed about marketing was based on a broken premise? Erik Wolf—former award-winning agency founder, speaker, and creator of the Unified Marketing System—reveals the shocking disconnect between what clients buy and what actually delivers results.

Erik takes us through his riveting career journey from fake jobs and false starts to real breakthroughs and a final reinvention as the behind-the-scenes “Coach X” for marketing teams nationwide. From watching a dream crumble in his twenties to building a multimillion-dollar agency—and then walking away—he now mentors executives and marketing managers to finally fix what’s broken inside.

Start treating marketing like a business problem—not a branding mystery.

Secret: The #1 reason marketing fails has nothing to do with the agency you hired… and everything to do with you:

"It's not enough just to do a job."

"I realized my job was made up."

"Become an expert in something."

You won’t believe Erik’s first stop in the professional world!

Links:

https://ewolf.live

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikwolf

MarkSpencerCook.com/Podcast/ | WindfallPartners.com

YouTube.com/c/MarkSpencerCook/

LinkedIn.com/in/MarkSpencerCook

All Social Media: @MarkSpencerCook

Questions Explored:

What do you do when you discover your job isn’t real?

How can younger professionals find their footing without clarity?

Why do most companies fail at marketing before they even begin?

What’s the most effective way to make marketing profitable today?

What happens when a founder outgrows their own business?

Lessons Learned:

Real marketing starts with customer truth—not creative assets.

Talk to 7–10 actual clients before building strategy.

Your service’s real value isn’t what you think it is.

Don’t confuse inertia with commitment.

If your heart’s not in it anymore, step out before you sell out.

Leaders must be marketing literate, not just buyers of services.

Marketing managers need mentorship—not just instructions.

Treat marketing like a system, not a series of tricks.

Chapters:

00:00 The Evolution of Marketing: A Personal Journey

02:47 Navigating Early Career Challenges

06:06 Discovering Passion in Marketing

08:57 The Transition to Entrepreneurship

11:52 Building a Marketing Agency: Lessons Learned

15:06 The Changing Landscape of Marketing

18:05 Realizations and Shifts in Perspective

21:03 The Decision to Pivot: Ending the Agency

24:03 Looking Ahead: New Beginnings

35:40 The Turning Point: Choosing Yourself

41:29 Navigating Career Transitions

45:46 The Shift to Coaching and Consulting

51:56 Practical Career Advice for Growth

55:42 Keys to Profitable Marketing

Keywords:

marketing leadership, business growth, marketing coaching, Erik Wolf, strategic reinvention, agency founder, startup lessons, customer discovery, career pivot, internal marketing teams, profitable marketing, client strategy, expert positioning, broken marketing systems