The Executive Connect Podcast

What if the life everyone praises is the exact life that is quietly draining you?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Gregory Russell Benedikt, a former finance professional, coach, and TEDx speaker, to talk about what happens when external success stops feeling meaningful. Greg shares the quarter-life crisis that changed everything, why he walked away from private equity, what 100 days of rejection taught him about courage, and how bold action creates the momentum most people are waiting for.This episode is for high achievers who look successful on paper but feel stuck, burned out, or disconnected from the life they actually want. If you have been telling yourself, “I’ll be happy when,” this conversation will challenge that story in the best way.Press play before your next promotion talks you out of your actual life.What You Will LearnWhy high achievement can still feel hollowWhat the top regret of the dying reveals about successHow identity shifts happen during major career pivotsWhat 100 days of rejection can teach you about courageWhy bold action creates momentum and new opportunitiesHow to start chasing meaning without burning your life downSimple questions that can help you reconnect with purposeChapters (0:01) Why empty success feels hollow (1:17) The moment everything changed (3:23) Letting go of old identity (5:49) Why society rewards achievement (12:17) What rejection really teaches (22:10) Why bold action works (27:20) How to start chasing meaning (39:29) Lightning round on fear and success (41:04) Final advice and where to connectGuest Bio Gregory Russell Benedikt is a coach, speaker, and former finance professional who helps high achievers stop living someone else’s version of success. After leaving a career in private equity, he co-founded a nonprofit focused on bringing personal development into education and built a body of work around bold action, identity shifts, and meaningful living. He is also the speaker behind the TEDx talk How Being Bold Will Change Your Life.Connect with Gregory Russell Benedikt Website: https://gregoryrussellbenedikt.com/ TEDx Talk: How Being Bold Will Change Your LifeConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect

What if the biggest thing blocking your success is not your strategy, but the programming buried underneath it?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Alain Salas, chiropractor and creator of the Goal and Success Clearing System, to talk about the hidden beliefs that quietly shape our health, relationships, and results. Alain shares his journey from life on a yacht in the South of France to building a practice in the U.S., then walking through burnout, divorce, and cancer. That path led him to a system designed to clear limiting beliefs at the subconscious level and help people align thought, emotion, and action.This episode is for leaders, founders, and high performers who feel stuck, even when they know what they want. Press play and find out what old patterns may still be running your future.What You Will LearnWhy a conscious mindset work often is not enoughHow limiting beliefs get programmed into the subconscious mindWhat keeps people stuck in the same patternsHow the Goal and Success Clearing System worksWhy thought, emotion, behavior, and action must alignHow purpose, identity, and legacy connect to successWhy environment and personal responsibility matter in transformationChapters (0:00) Why conscious tools fall short (1:22) From yachts to healing work (6:16) How limiting beliefs get programmed (16:39) The three steps of mind clearing (27:59) Aligning purpose, thought, and action (43:12) Environment, ownership, and attraction (46:09) Why growth often starts in darkness (55:00) Where to connect with AlainGuest Bio Dr. Alain Salas is a chiropractor, speaker, and creator of the Goal and Success Clearing System. Born in France, he spent years living an adventurous life running boat charters in the South of France before moving to the United States to pursue a career in healing. After experiencing burnout, divorce, and cancer, he developed a system focused on clearing subconscious programming that keeps people stuck in repeated patterns. Today, his work helps people address limiting beliefs tied to success, health, relationships, and personal growth.Connect with Alain Salas Website: https://www.themindclearing.comConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect

What if the best deal for your business is the one the wider market never sees?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Himanshu Singh, founder and managing director of HSA Advisory and the creator of CorpFinHub, to talk about how off-market M&A really works in the UK mid-market. Himanshu explains why many strong deals never reach crowded auction processes, where transactions usually break down, and why preparation often matters more than founder optimism. He also shares how valuation gaps get bridged, what buyers look for, why founders should start planning their exit at least 12 months early, and how AI is speeding up investment banking workflows. If you are building toward an exit, raising capital, or trying to understand how the best deals actually get done, this episode gives you a practical view from inside the process.What You Will Learn Why off-market deals can create better outcomes What usually causes deals to fall apart How founders should prepare 12 months before an exit Why valuation expectations often miss the market How buyer alignment shapes a better transaction What CorpFinHub is changing in UK mid-market M&A How AI is speeding up investment banking workChapters (0:01) Why off-market deals matter (1:44) What defines an off-market deal (4:43) The real access problem in M&A (6:04) Why valuation gaps kill deals (8:32) Building a boutique for the mid-market (11:10) How to find the right buyer (14:07) Founder mistakes before an exit (19:10) How CorpFinHub changes deal flow (23:55) Negotiation mistakes founders make (27:32) The future of mid-market M&A (31:14) The first move founders should makeGuest Bio Himanshu Singh is the founder and managing director of HSA Advisory, an independent investment banking boutique focused on UK and European mid-market transactions. He has more than 15 years of experience in investment banking and corporate finance, including work at global firms such as Nomura. He is also the founder of CorpFinHub, a digital marketplace designed to connect buyers and sellers and improve access to off-market deals in the UK mid-market.Connect with Himanshu Singh Website: https://hsa-advisory.co.uk CorpFinHub: https://corpfinhub.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshuathsaConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect

What if the role that changes your career never shows up on LinkedIn? In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Dr. Jeremy Gartner, founder of Career Propulsion, to talk about how senior leaders actually land director, VP, and C-suite roles. Jeremy explains why most executive jobs are filled before they are ever posted, why resumes matter far less than people think, and how story, positioning, and direct outreach create real momentum. He also shares the Fast Track Framework, the difference between applying like an employee and searching like a business owner, and why networking with decision-makers changes everything.If your search has felt slow, crowded, or invisible, this episode will change how you think about your next move.What You Will LearnWhy most executive roles never reach job boardsWhat the hidden job market really isWhy resumes rarely win senior roles on their ownHow to build a stronger narrative for interviewsWhat the Fast Track Framework looks likeHow to approach executive job search like a business ownerWhy networking with decision-makers matters more than applying onlineWhat senior leaders should do before starting a searchChapters 00:01 Why resumes do not win jobs 00:46 Why the best roles stay hidden 02:11 What the hidden job market means 04:05 When executive hiring really begins 06:09 Why online applications break down 12:30 The fast track framework explained 19:45 Why narrative beats the resume 21:22 From engineer to career strategist 27:56 Using systems thinking in job search 32:36 How executives truly stand out 36:58 What to do before searching 39:52 The one networking lesson that mattersGuest Bio Dr. Jeremy Gartner is the founder of Career Propulsion and an executive career strategist who helps leaders land director, VP, and C-suite roles through the hidden job market. His background includes a Wharton MBA, a PhD in aerospace engineering, research at CERN, and innovation work across major organizations. He now helps executives use positioning, story, and direct access to decision-makers to create stronger career moves..Connect with Dr. Jeremy Gartner Website: https://careerpropulsion.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygartner/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.jeremygartnerConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect

What if the challenge you thought disqualified you is actually the thing that could set you apart?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Patrick Engasser to talk about sales leadership, resilience, and what it really means to lead from the front. Blind since birth, Patrick shares how he turned what looked like a disadvantage into a real edge, built a seven-figure sales team, and learned how to help others grow into confident leaders. This episode explores ownership, human-first leadership, empathy in sales, delegation, and why your reason why matters more than ever when the market feels uncertain. If you lead people, sell for a living, or need a fresh perspective on adversity, this one will challenge the way you think.Listen now and rethink what gives you an advantage.What You Will LearnHow Patrick turned blindness into a sales advantageWhy top reps often struggle when they move into leadershipHow to build ownership instead of dependence on a teamWhy human-first sales leadership still wins in an AI-driven worldHow empathy and accountability can work togetherHow to find your zone of genius and delegate the restWhy a clear reason why helps teams stay focused in uncertaintyChapters 00:00 Start with your reason why 00:23 Patrick's story and introduction 01:14 Turning blindness into an edge 05:25 From super rep to leader 08:37 What really motivates people 12:42 Building ownership on a team 17:28 Why human first sales wins 20:19 Balancing empathy and accountability 25:37 Finding your zone of genius 30:57 Leading with vision in uncertainty 39:20 Final thoughts and where to connectGuest Bio Patrick Engasser is a sales leader, executive coach, speaker, and author of If I Can Do It, You Can Do It. Blind since birth, he built a seven-figure sales team and now helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals turn adversity into an advantage, strengthen their leadership, and grow people-first organizations.Connect with Patrick Engasser Website: https://patrickengasser.com Strategy Session: https://www.talkwithpatrick.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@patrickengasserConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect

What separates real innovation from expensive hype?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Irving Wladawsky-Berger, former IBM innovation leader, MIT research affiliate, and longtime advisor to global enterprises, to talk about what actually makes technology matter. Drawing on decades of experience through the rise of computers, the internet, and now AI, Irving explains why breakthrough technology only creates lasting value when it is deployed at scale across business and society.This conversation brings a rare long-view perspective on AI, open systems, enterprise transformation, and the economic realities behind innovation. From ERP and e-commerce to open-source AI and self-driving cars, Irving makes a strong case for focusing less on hype and more on usefulness, productivity, and business results.What You Will LearnWhy technology alone does not create transformationWhat leaders still misunderstand about innovationThe difference between personal AI productivity and business AI valueWhy simple use cases often succeed before complex onesHow the internet era can help leaders think about AI todayWhy open-source AI may change the economics of adoptionWhat self-driving cars reveal about the hidden cost of scaleWhy strong leadership starts with business and market valueChapters (0:01) Why this technology moment matters (1:32) What leaders misunderstand about innovation (4:36) Lessons from IBM’s biggest bets (8:00) Why AI adoption still stalls (13:42) What computers and the internet taught us (23:22) Why AI hype misses the point (29:08) Why open-source AI matters (35:08) Where AI may create near-term value (41:55) The leadership this moment requires (47:02) Why real breakthroughs take timeGuest Bio Irving Wladawsky-Berger is a research affiliate at MIT and a longtime technology strategist, educator, and advisor. He spent nearly four decades at IBM, where he helped lead major initiatives in the internet, open systems, Linux, supercomputing, and enterprise innovation. Over the years, he has advised organizations across industries, including Citigroup, HBO, and Mastercard, and has become a respected voice on how technology, business, and society evolve together over time.Connect with Irving Wladawsky-BergerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irving-wladawsky-berger-31497714/Connect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect