PODCAST · business
I'm Up! He Sees Me, I'm Down! Podcast
by Mike Turner
This is "I’m Up, He Sees Me, I’m Down" — the podcast that breaks down the role of the Fractional CTO through a lens of tactical precision and real-world business impact. I’m Mike Turner, Marine veteran and founder of AlamoTech. I help growing companies understand the why, when, and how of bringing in high-level tech leadership without the full-time cost. Whether you're scaling a startup, fixing tech chaos, or trying to align your tech with your business goals. I’m here to give you straight talk, clear insights, and a mission-first mindset. Think of me as your CTO on call in, out, and always moving with purpose.
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16
When Life Calls You Somewhere Unexpected
We like to think we are in complete control of our decisions, but science tells a different story. Your conscious mind only handles about 5% of your thoughts and actions. The other 95%? Driven entirely by your subconscious programming.On this week's episode of I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, Mike Turner and high-performance coach Nicole Kernahan dive into why it is so incredibly difficult to break out of old ruts. From childhood, our brains are wired by well-meaning adults to default to "safe," "don't do that," and "no, you can't."This creates deep, stubborn neural pathways. It's like trying to steer a bicycle out of a deeply grooved mud track—your brain automatically slips right back into the default programming of self-doubt and hesitation.If you want to change your results, you have to stop fighting the 5% and start actively rewiring the 95%.👉 Tune in to discover how to reprogram your default settings: https://imupheseesmeimdown.co/→ I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down — real conversations about rising when life knocks you down.
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15
Human-First Leadership in a Burnout Culture
Kathy Eastwood started her career as a CPA at EY, thinking business was run entirely by numbers, routines, and standard structures. But when she left public accounting for the tech world, she hit a wall that completely flipped her perspective on corporate change.She was running a project management implementation, teaching teams how to build airtight dependency chains and work breakdown structures. During a session, a client sponsor raised his hand and asked a simple question: "How do you actually get someone to do these tasks?"Kathy answered with the confidence of a young executive: "Well, they're assigned to it. They'll do it."The sponsor smiled and shook his head. "No, they won't. What if they don't report to you? What if this isn't their priority?"That single moment shattered the illusion of "command and control" management for Kathy. She realized you can have the most beautiful Smartsheet or Google Sheet in the world, but if you don't understand the human being behind the keyboard—their motivations, their stresses, and their personal "Why"—the project is dead on arrival.On this episode of I'm Up He See's Me I'm Down, Mike Turner and Kathy dive deep into why human-first leadership always beats task-performance at all costs, and how the best leaders build teams that protect them from the top down.
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14
Science, spirituality, and human connection
Roxanne Chaput is a leadership steward and architect of courageous conversations focused on helping founders, executives, and influential leaders navigate the deeper internal dimensions of leadership. Her work centers on what she calls the “inner architecture of leadership,” exploring how unresolved emotional patterns, fragmentation, fear, and misuse of power quietly shape organizational culture and decision-making.Drawing from her experience building businesses internationally and stewarding more than 20,000 leaders globally, Roxanne helps leaders move beyond reactive leadership into grounded stewardship rooted in self-awareness, discernment, compassion, and responsibility.She is widely recognized for bridging leadership, spirituality, consciousness, emotional healing, and human-centered leadership into conversations that challenge fear-based leadership models and advocate for leadership grounded in humanity and integrity.
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13
Remember no one can stop you but YOU!
Albert Butler is a CPA, partner at his firm, and a thought leader focused on helping individuals and business owners build true clarity—not just in their finances, but in their lives. His work centers around the idea that you can’t scale a business until you learn how to scale yourself. Beyond the numbers, Albert brings a deeper mission—helping people build legacy, govern their lives intentionally, and understand the true role money plays in the bigger picture. His perspective was shaped not just through his career, but through life experiences, including a major injury that forced him to slow down and ultimately led him to write a book centered on truth, love, loss, success, and failure.
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12
Twice Broken, Still Standing — Rebuilding Life, Leadership, and Purpose After Cancer
In this inspiring episode, Savio Clemente shares his remarkable journey through cancer, resilience, and leadership. Discover how he navigated life-threatening health challenges, embraced faith, and turned adversity into purpose, offering valuable lessons for leaders and individuals alike. keywordsresilience, leadership, cancer, faith, wellness, mental health, personal growth, healthcare innovation, emotional intelligence, transformation key topicsCancer journey and resilienceThe Aloha framework for healingFaith and spirituality in recoveryLeadership after crisis and relapse guest nameSavio Clemente key frameworksAloha Framework action itemsPractice the Aloha framework: acknowledge, listen, open, harness, act with courage.Use silence and stillness to connect with your inner messages.Share your wisdom freely to foster growth in others.Approach health and leadership with a holistic, non-linear perspective.TitlesFrom Cancer to Leadership: Savio Clemente's Resilience JourneyThe Middle Way: Navigating Life and Illness with Savio Clemente sound bites"Lean into the discomfort, don't avoid it""Share your wisdom freely to empower others""Find common ground beyond polarization"Chapters00:00 Introduction to Resilience and Leadership03:14 Savio's Early Life and Career Journey06:03 Facing Cancer: The First Diagnosis08:52 The Journey Through Treatment and Recovery12:03 The Second Cancer Diagnosis and Its Challenges14:55 Exploring Faith and Belief Systems17:48 Integrating Healing Modalities and Personal Growth23:07 Reframing Cancer Treatment28:15 Leadership Through Crisis33:07 The Role of Humanity in Healthcare39:21 Lessons from Cancer and Leadership43:37 Finding Clarity in Chaos resourcesSavio Clemente's Website - https://aviopclementi.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/humanresolveLinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/savioclemente
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11
The Five C’s of Influence: From Rock Bottom to a Stage That Pays
The conversation covers a range of topics including life-changing habits, influential books, career pivots, journalism, media integrity, teaching in inner city Los Angeles, and mindset and attitude. The speakers discuss the impact of pivots in their careers and lives, the challenges of journalism and the importance of media integrity, the experience of teaching in inner city Los Angeles, and the significance of mindset and attitude in leadership and personal development. The conversation delves into the importance of mindset and positive influence, highlighting the impact of storytelling in leadership and communication. It emphasizes the power of a positive mindset and the nurturing of a supportive environment. Additionally, it explores the significance of storytelling in leadership, communication, and public speaking, emphasizing the use of relatable, authoritative, and purposeful storytelling to engage and connect with audiences.TakeawaysPivotsJournalism vs. CommentaryTeaching ExperienceMindset Positive mindsetThe power of storytellingChapters00:00 Mindset and Attitude
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10
Make AI Choose You
The conversation covers the impact of health, early life experiences, navigating personal challenges, real-world business experience, vertical specialization, and the importance of authenticity and human connection in business. The conversation delves into the significance of authenticity in business, the influence of values on business operations, the impact of marketing AI on business owners, and the pitfalls of digital marketing and AI. The key takeaways emphasize the importance of authenticity and value-based business approaches for long-term success.TakeawaysHealth impactUnique business adviceStarting from zeroPersonal challengesCompartmentalizationVertical specializationHuman connection Authenticity in business is crucialValue-based business approach is essential for long-term successChapters00:00 Impact of Health06:08 Navigating Personal Challenges14:25 Real World Experience21:24 Authenticity and Human Connection33:17 The Pitfalls of Digital Marketing and AI
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The Long Game: Consistency, Commitment, and a Life That Holds Up
The conversation covers Kirk McCarley's early life, career, marriage, broadcasting, executive leadership coaching, and the impact of fear. Kirk shares insights on routine, overcoming fear, and the misunderstood measures of success. The conversation also delves into the impact of authenticity in media and the importance of communication.TakeawaysRoutineOvercoming fearChapters00:00 Early Life and Career05:44 Marriage and Longevity18:57 Executive Leadership Coaching32:44 Overcoming Fear and Impact of Fear
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8
The Golden Principles — Leadership Lessons from a Rescued Dog
Most people think leadership is about strategy, authority, or results. Andy Neillie sees it differently — leadership is personal.In this episode, Andy breaks down what over 20 years of real-world leadership has taught him — from building multi-million dollar businesses to leading teams inside high-pressure environments. But what makes this conversation different is where those lessons come from.Some of the most powerful leadership principles Andy teaches didn’t come from boardrooms — they came from rescued dogs.We get into:• How bad leadership early in his career shaped his mission• Why most managers fail when they try to “lead”• The four necessities every leader must develop to earn trust• What companies get wrong about culture and retention• How faith, character, and discipline show up in real leadershipThis isn’t theory. It’s practical, hard-earned truth about what it actually takes to lead people well.If you’ve ever worked under a bad leader — or you’re trying to become a better one — this episode will hit home.🎧 Listen now and rethink what leadership really means.
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7
She Pushed Through the Pain… Until Her Body Broke
Based on the transcript and the "She Pushed Through the Pain..." hook from your screenshot, here is a compelling episode description for I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down.Episode Description"I always experienced really bad hip pain and no one really knew where it was coming from... I was taught that pain is mental and that we could just endure through it."What happens when your entire identity is built on your ability to outrun the pain—and then your body finally says, "No more"?In this powerful episode of I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, host Mike Turner sits down with leadership coach and organizational expert Carylynn Larson. For years, Carylynn defined herself as an elite marathon runner, using the sport as a coping mechanism for life's stresses. But beneath the surface, a battle with hip dysplasia and a silent struggle with an eating disorder were leading her toward a total physical and mental breaking point.In this conversation, we discuss:The Cost of High Expectations: Growing up in an academic household and the pressure to excel at all costs.The Military Spouse Journey: Navigating isolation, deployment during a pandemic, and the vital role of community.The Breaking Point: Moving from elite athlete to being confined to a wheelchair, and the "hard work" of learning to sit with yourself.Identity vs. Achievement: How to lead when your "superpower" is taken away and you’re forced to reconnect with your body and faith.Healing Communities: Why modern organizations need leaders who aren’t just "task-oriented," but who create safe spaces for the human experience.Carylynn’s story is a masterclass in resilience—not the surface-level "hustle" kind, but the deep, transformative grit required to rebuild a life from the ground up.
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Creating Value Instead of Chasing It
Most people spend their lives chasing value, in their career, relationships, and identity.But what if that’s the problem?In this episode, Mike sits down with Jordan White, a self-leadership coach, to break down what it actually means to create value instead of chase it.They dive into identity, mindset, and the internal work most people avoid, including how your thinking patterns shape your decisions, your leadership, and ultimately your life.Jordan shares his journey growing up navigating identity, how that shaped his perspective on leadership, and why self-awareness is the foundation for everything.If you’ve ever felt stuck, misaligned, or unsure of your next move, this conversation will challenge the way you think.
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The Hard Truth About Leadership: It Starts With You
Kevin D’Anna didn’t have a "typical" path to success. His early chapters were written in the shadow of an alcoholic father and a childhood spent moving between 27 different homes. By age 18, he was facing his first DUI; by his third, he was sitting in a jail cell realizing he had built the very bed he was lying in.The turning point wasn't a sudden stroke of luck—it was a book and a choice. He realized that he was his own biggest problem. Once he took ownership of his life, he didn't just find sobriety; he found his calling as a leader.He went from bartending to running a Hertz counter, eventually buying a collision center and nearly doubling its revenue in three years by focusing on the one thing most owners ignore: the people.Today on I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, we sit down with Kevin to discuss:The moment he realized alcohol was stealing his potentialHow to transition from a "technician" to a true CEOWhy he’s now on a mission to give Think and Grow Rich to an entire generation of kidsThis isn't surface-level motivation. This is a story about the grit required to rebuild from the ground up.
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AI Won’t Save You… Leadership Still Matters
AI is moving fast. Most companies are moving faster than they should.In this episode, Mike sits down with Tia Christopher, founder and CEO of The Orange Peel Collaborative, to break down what responsible AI actually looks like inside a real business. This is not a conversation about hype or tools. It is about leadership, accountability, and the decisions companies are making right now that will either build trust or destroy it.Tia brings a grounded perspective shaped by her experience as a US Navy veteran and a 100 percent disabled veteran. After navigating layoffs and career transitions, she built a company focused on helping organizations implement AI with intention, not urgency.They get into the real issues leaders are facing today. Why most companies are adopting AI without clear policies. The growing divide between enterprise tools with strict guardrails and more open experimental platforms. And the long term risk of prioritizing speed and cost savings over people and culture.This conversation also goes deeper into something many leaders avoid. The human impact of AI. Tia makes a strong case for reskilling over layoffs and explains why ethical leadership is not optional in a technology driven world.If you are a founder, executive, or operator trying to navigate AI without compromising your values, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, risk, and responsibility.
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3
Quiet Quitting Isn’t the Problem… Leadership Is
We’ve all seen it: the superstar hire who looks perfect on paper but starts drowning within six months.They have the degree. They have the experience. They have the "Midwest work ethic" Dustin DeBoer and I talked about. So what went wrong?On the newest I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down, Dustin explains that productivity isn't just about effort—it's about alignment. When you ask a natural visionary to manage minute details, or a natural supporter to make cold, hard executive decisions, you are asking them to "mask" their true selves.That mask is heavy. It leads to burnout, errors, and eventually, departure. Dustin’s work in leadership consulting proves that when you align a person’s role with their God-given wiring, productivity doesn't just improve—it becomes effortless.
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Most Leaders Have No Idea Who They Are
Most leaders believe their biggest hurdle is execution, but what if the real problem is an identity crisis? In this episode, Mike Turner sits down with executive coach and leadership consultant Desiree Cocroft to discuss the philosophy behind her company, Destination Life.With over 22 years of experience, Desiree shares why high-performing professionals often fall into the trap of "proving energy"—constantly trying to validate their worth—rather than leading from a place of secure identity and "being energy". The conversation explores how to move beyond productivity systems to focus on intentional growth, the importance of psychological safety in the workplace, and why leadership is a skill that must be cultivated rather than a trait you are simply "born with".Whether you are feeling stuck in your career or simply need a reminder to pause, breathe, and reset, this episode provides actionable insights on how to enjoy the journey of leadership while managing the stressors of today’s fast-moving world.Key Discussion Points:Identity vs. Execution: Why your inability to reach a goal is often an identity or root-cause issue, not a lack of strategy.The "Proving" Trap: How to shift from "proving energy" (scarcity-based) to "being energy" (security-based).The Art of the Pause: Practical habits for self-care and re-centering yourself to neutral throughout a high-stress workday.Cultivating Leadership: Why leadership is a learnable skill that requires constant cultivation, similar to athletic training.Defining Success: How to chase a feeling of peace and joy rather than just chasing the next job title.→ I’m Up He See’s Me I’m Down — real conversations about rising when life knocks you down.
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He Had Everything… Then Lost It Overnight
In this episode of I'm Up! He sees Me, I'm Down PODCAST, Mike Turner talks with Steve Lentini — CEO of Lord & Lentini, bestselling author, and host of Different Thinking for Different Times. They explore Steve’s extraordinary journey from a near-death experience to a mission-driven career coaching CEOs and sales leaders. Together, they discuss how emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and “Sales CPR” can reignite purpose, elevate performance, and bring new life to leadership in today’s business world.
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Leaders Are Faking It… Here’s Why
In this episode of I'm Up He Sees Me I’m Down, host Mike Turner sits down with executive transformation coach William Deck, founder of MindBusiness LLC and creator of the Presence Over Performance™ system. William opens up about his path through corporate leadership, burnout, and the powerful moment in the ICU that shifted the entire direction of his life.Mike and William dig into identity, trauma, imposter syndrome, and the internal narratives that quietly shape a leader’s confidence and decision-making. William explains why so many high performers break down in silence, how faith and surrender rebuilt his foundation, and what actually happens inside his six-week transformation system that has helped hundreds of leaders move from pressure to presence.A candid, inspiring conversation for leaders searching for clarity, authenticity, and a path back to alignment.
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He Left the Boardroom for Surgery… Here’s Why
In this episode of I’m Up, He Sees Me, I’m Down, host Mike Turner sits down with Paul Sylvester, award-winning executive coach and founder of Team Sylvester – Leadership Coaching Redefined.After helping take a billion-dollar company public, Paul’s life changed forever when a sudden aortic aneurysm left him fighting for his life. That near-death experience set him on a mission to redefine leadership and help others transform without having to endure life-altering events.Together, Mike and Paul discuss what it means to lead with humility, the difference between management and true leadership, and how service organizations like Folds of Honor inspire his purpose-driven approach.
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Burnout Doesn’t Look Like You Think
In this episode, host Mike Turner sits down with Michelle L. Cox, an Executive Leadership Coach and ICF Professional Certified Coach, to explore what it really means to lead authentically in today’s high-pressure corporate world. After two decades in senior corporate leadership, Michelle left the boardroom to help executives transform burnout into balance and rediscover purpose through accountability and self-awareness. Her coaching philosophy — “transform the leader, transform the business” — has guided executives across industries to achieve sustainable success without the 80-hour workweeks. Michelle opens up about how personal loss reshaped her perspective on resilience, why emotional intelligence outperforms authority, and how leaders can cultivate clarity and connection in their organizations. She also shares actionable insights for veterans and high-performing professionals seeking to translate their discipline and drive into compassionate, human-centered leadership.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This is "I’m Up, He Sees Me, I’m Down" — the podcast that breaks down the role of the Fractional CTO through a lens of tactical precision and real-world business impact. I’m Mike Turner, Marine veteran and founder of AlamoTech. I help growing companies understand the why, when, and how of bringing in high-level tech leadership without the full-time cost. Whether you're scaling a startup, fixing tech chaos, or trying to align your tech with your business goals. I’m here to give you straight talk, clear insights, and a mission-first mindset. Think of me as your CTO on call in, out, and always moving with purpose.
HOSTED BY
Mike Turner
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