Break down the barriers to small business success with 'The Chris LoCurto Show'. Tailored for the tireless entrepreneur facing the daily grind of managing cash flow, leading a team, and carving out a competitive edge, this podcast offers more than just advice—it offers a lifeline. Chris LoCurto brings decades of firsthand experience leading small businesses and delivers straightforward strategies and actionable insights. Every episode tackles the real issues you face—how to inspire your team ...
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Coach Hernando Planells is a former basketball coach at Duke University, the NBA G-League and overseas. Now as a leadership entrepreneur, he helps organizations connect, lead and grow with their heart, soul and mind - and he occasionally moonlights as an actor and sports choreographer on film and TV. The Be Contagious Leadership Experience (BCLE)mission is to share stories of inspiration from leaders in the world of business, sports and film so that you too can Be Great, Be the Light and Be ...
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Welcome to the Relentless Customer Leader Podcast – How Customer-Obsessed Leaders Win. This is a podcast that will ignite your passion for delivering experiences that leave your customers craving for more. In each episode, we'll dive into the minds of visionary leaders and trailblazing companies who have made customer experience their sacred mission. Prepare to be inspired as we unpack the game-changing strategies, unconventional thinking, and real-world stories of customer-centric transform ...
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623 | Why Boldness is Contagious: Leading With Confidence to Inspire Your Team
30:18
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30:18In this episode, I’m walking you through five powerful ways boldness transforms your leadership, builds trust, and sets your team in motion. If you want a team that takes ownership, leans into change, and drives results, it starts with how you lead. 👉 Plus, I’m giving you practical action steps and sharing how bold leaders shape culture, innovation…
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622 | Boldness vs. Burnout: Reclaiming Your Energy to Lead with Confidence
52:50
52:50
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52:50Burnout isn’t inevitable—and boldness doesn’t mean doing more. In this episode, I walk you through the warning signs of leadership burnout and how real boldness can help you lead with renewed energy and clarity. You'll get powerful examples, spiritual insight, and a 3-step plan to recharge and lead well. ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome – Why burnout …
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621 | Bold Leadership vs. Resistance: Breaking Cycles and Leading Effectively
40:47
40:47
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40:47Resistance—whether it’s internal, from your team, or from leaders above—can stall progress and create frustration. In this episode, Chris breaks down how bold leaders confront resistance head-on, overcome the “why try?” mindset, and turn obstacles into action. You’ll learn how to lead in all directions, influence resistant leaders, communicate with…
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620 | How to Build Predictable Revenue with Memberships with Stu McLaren
37:22
37:22
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37:22Tired of unpredictable sales and chasing new customers every month? In this episode, I sit down with Stu McLaren—membership expert and author of Predictable Profits—to unpack how recurring revenue can bring stability and freedom to your business. We break down the four types of memberships (with real-world examples), how to start without a big audi…
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619 | How to Spot and Stop Sabotaging Behavior in Your Leadership Team
24:38
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24:38By Chris LoCurto
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Why your CX might be failing (and what punk rock has to do with it)
53:02
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53:02Summary In this conversation, Dr. Chris L. Brown speaks with Adrian Swinscoe about the evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) and the challenges organizations face in meeting rising consumer expectations. Adrian shares his journey into the world of CX, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and managing expectations effe…
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618 | The Silent Team Killer: How Unspoken Expectations Undermine Success
29:55
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29:55If your team is struggling with execution, accountability, or a disconnected culture, unspoken expectations might be the root cause. These assumptions create confusion, frustration, and failure. Let’s break down what’s really happening and how to fix it. The Reality of Unspoken Expectations (00:01:37) Leaders assume their teams understand what to d…
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617 | The High Cost of Avoiding Accountability in Your Leadership Team
28:28
28:28
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28:28Avoiding accountability creates chaos, misalignment, and inefficiencies that impact every part of your business. If leaders aren’t holding each other accountable, you’ll see wasted resources, declining morale, and reduced profitability. Let’s dive into why accountability matters and how to fix it. Kodak: A Leadership Failure (00:02:03) Kodak invent…
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616 | How to Address Underperforming Leaders Without Crushing Their Confidence
26:52
26:52
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26:52Maybe you’ve got someone on your team who’s struggling, and you’re dreading the conversation. You don’t want to demoralize them, but you also can’t ignore the problem. So how do you handle this in a way that leads to improvement and not fear? That’s what we’re covering today on The Chris LoCurto Show. Leading people is tough, especially when a lead…
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Cultivating Fearless Creativity: Inside the Mind of an Advertising Executive Jerker Fagerström | Relentless Customer Leader
1:01:16
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1:01:16Summary Jerker Fagerström shares his leadership journey, starting with his early role models in ice hockey and his military service in Sweden. He discusses the importance of teamwork, trust, and empathy in leadership. Jerker then talks about his career in advertising and the customer-centric culture of agencies. He emphasizes the need to create an …
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615 | Emotional Boundaries for Leaders: How to Stop Carrying Stress That’s Not Yours
41:26
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41:26On today’s episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we’re tackling the issue of carrying emotional weight that isn’t yours. We’ll explore why it happens, how to recognize it, and what you can do to stop it. If you’re ready to lead with greater clarity and reduce stress, this is for you! What Does It Mean to Carry Emotions That Aren’t Yours? (00:02:35) Ta…
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614 | How Accountability Creates Better Teamwork
38:30
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38:30Accountability. It’s a word that can make people squirm, but if you want to see real transformation in your business, you need to embrace it. Today on The Chris LoCurto Show, we’re unpacking how accountability creates clarity, aligns teams, and strengthens leadership. We’ll cover the essential tools you need to build a culture of accountability and…
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613 | Taking Back Control from Controlling Team members
43:47
43:47
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43:47Controlling behavior in the workplace is a silent culture killer. It seeps into meetings, projects, and conversations, causing frustration, lowering morale, and even driving great people away. In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we uncover how to recognize and address controlling behavior to protect your culture and create a thriving team. E…
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612 | Mastering the Art of Difficult Conversations with Clients
40:15
40:15
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40:15Tough client conversations are inevitable, but handling them well maintains trust and business relationships. Unlike internal team discussions, a single misstep can cost you a client. In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we cover five key principles for navigating these conversations confidently. Why the Stakes Are Higher (00:03:22) Clients d…
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611 | Managing Crisis with Confidence: Strategies for Small Business Leaders
28:28
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28:28Crises in business are inevitable. Whether it’s a financial crunch, a reputation issue, or losing key team members, they will come. But with the right tools, preparation, and mindset, you can navigate these storms and come out stronger. In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we dive into five strategies to manage crises with confidence. Let’s e…
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610 | Surviving the Hard Times: How to Lead When Cash Flow is Tight
27:23
27:23
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27:23Navigating tough financial times isn't just about cutting costs. It requires intentional leadership, proactive financial strategies, and keeping your team motivated. Whether you're feeling the pinch now or preparing for potential challenges, this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show is packed with actionable insights to help you lead with confidence. …
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David Kenney | Why the best salespeople actually don't sell.
1:00:49
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1:00:49Summary David Kenny shares his early experiences in business, starting with selling orange juice door-to-door as a child. He then transitioned into accounting, but found his passion in helping entrepreneurs and advising startups. David emphasizes the importance of leadership, training, and culture in building successful businesses. He discusses the…
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609 | The Secret to Leading a Winning Team? It’s All About KRAs
25:04
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25:04In this episode, we explore how Key Result Areas (KRAs) are more than just management tools—they’re the foundation of a well-run business. KRAs bring clarity, align roles with company goals, and eliminate confusion, helping your team achieve greater productivity and success. If you’re ready to streamline your leadership and business processes, this…
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608 | Reset Your Leadership: Strategies to Lead in a New Year
29:33
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29:33Welcome to The Chris LoCurto Show! As we kick off the new year, instead of chasing new strategies, let’s focus on resetting and recommitting to the essentials that drive success. In this episode, I’m sharing actionable steps to help you align your team, elevate your leadership, and make 2025 your strongest year yet. Let’s dive in! Recommit to Disci…
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607 | The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Small Business Leadership
39:46
39:46
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39:46Welcome to The Chris LoCurto Show! Today, we’re tackling emotional intelligence—an essential skill every leader needs. Emotional intelligence isn’t just a concept; it’s the foundation for understanding yourself, leading your team, and building a thriving business. Let’s dive into why it matters and how you can grow in this area. Episode Overview In…
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606 | Scaling Your Business Without Sacrificing Your Values
35:23
35:23
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35:23Scaling a business can be thrilling, but it’s also challenging. How do you grow without compromising your mission? In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we explore the key steps to scaling with integrity and purpose, ensuring every decision aligns with your values. Time Stamps and Highlights: Introduction (00:00:00) Scaling your business doesn…
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605 | How to Build a Team That Operates Without You - Part 2
31:41
31:41
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31:41Welcome to The Chris LoCurto Show! In today’s episode, we continue our discussion on building a team that operates independently. If you missed part one, be sure to check it out later—but today’s insights stand strong on their own. Let’s dive into the tools you need to create a thriving, self-sustaining team. Time Stamps & Titles Introduction (00:0…
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604 | How to Build a Team That Operates Without You - Part 1
39:11
39:11
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39:11Welcome to The Chris LoCurto Show! Today, we’re diving into a vital topic for leaders: how to build a team that operates without you. If stepping away from your business feels impossible, or if your team relies on you for every decision, this episode is for you. We’ll explore the power of delegation, empowering your team, training, and building cla…
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603 | How to handle team members you view as "I can't do this without them"
37:56
37:56
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37:56Today, we’re tackling a critical leadership topic: how to build a business that thrives without being overly reliant on key individuals. If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t do this without them,” this post is for you. The “I Can’t Do It Without Them” Mindset - 00:02:05 Many business leaders feel their business hinges on a few key people—top performers…
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602 | The 4 Questions Every Leader Must Ask (and Why the Answers May Surprise You)
38:06
38:06
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38:06Hey folks, welcome to another episode of The Chris LoCurto Show! Today, we’re diving into four offbeat, yet powerful questions every leader should ask themselves—and maybe even their team. These aren’t your standard leadership questions; they’re designed to shake things up, challenge your thinking, and reveal truths you may have been avoiding. If y…
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An Introduction to The Customer Culture Imperative with AI
15:34
15:34
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15:34Welcome to something a little different on today's episode! As many of you know, I've been fascinated by the possibilities of AI in content creation, and we decided to try an interesting experiment. We fed my book 'The Customer Culture Imperative' into an AI system and asked it to create a 14-minute summary of the key concepts and takeaways. What y…
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601 | Why Enhance Leadership Through Asking Questions?
38:45
38:45
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38:45In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we’re diving into the simple yet powerful tool that can transform your leadership: asking great questions. You’ve probably been in meetings where opinions fly, but solutions don’t. Today, we’ll unpack how asking thoughtful questions can sharpen communication, enhance decision-making, and build a culture of…
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600 | Year-End Reflections: Turning Insights into Action for Next Year
1:04:59
1:04:59
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1:04:59The end of the year is here, and with it comes a crucial opportunity: setting yourself up for success in the next year. In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, I’m joined by our VP of Leadership Development (and my daughter), Lyneé South. We’re pulling back the curtain to show you how we close out our businesses for the year, why it’s so importa…
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599 | Leading a Team Member Out of Irrational Thinking
34:41
34:41
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34:41Hey, folks! Welcome to The Chris LoCurto Show. Today, we’re diving into a big leadership challenge: helping a team member step out of irrational thinking. Whether you’re dealing with stubborn mindsets, emotional outbursts, or plain refusal to see things logically, we’re going to walk through how to approach these moments with empathy, clarity, and …
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598 | When Toxic Relationships Drain Your Team: What to Do Next
1:13:57
1:13:57
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1:13:57Toxic relationships —whether they involve team members, clients, or others in the workplace—can drain your energy, damage your business, and impact your mental health. But as much as these relationships can be exhausting, it’s crucial to understand how to handle them professionally, with empathy and clear boundaries. I’m not someone who loves drama…
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597 | Lead Like a Pro: Discover the Key Leader Edge - Part 2
49:50
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49:50On today’s episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we continue to dive deep into the heart of leadership challenges with Lyneé South, VP of Leadership Development and a core coach in our Key Leader Program. This episode is packed with practical insights on how to improve delegation, accountability, and communication with your leadership team. If you hav…
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596 | Lead Like a Pro: Discover the Key Leader Edge - Part 1
1:03:16
1:03:16
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1:03:16In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, I’m thrilled to bring on a very special guest, our new VP of Leadership Development—and my daughter—Lyneé South. Not only is Lyneé a phenomenal leader with over two decades of experience, but she’s also been instrumental in helping leaders break free from the dreaded Leadership Crazy Cycle. Today, we’re ta…
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Co-founder & CEO of Nurture Genomics Former CIO of Perkin Elmer & Beaumont Health Hans Keil | Relentless Customer Leader Podcast
40:22
40:22
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40:22Summary Hans Keil shares his leadership journey, starting from growing up on a farm and joining the Coast Guard to his career in various industries and his current role as a co-founder of Nurture Genomics. He emphasizes the importance of work ethic, authenticity, and building a strong team. Hans also discusses the challenges and opportunities in he…
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595 | Face the Facts: Stop Avoiding Tough Conversations in Business - Part 2
40:36
40:36
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40:36In today's episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we dive into part two of our series on overcoming conflict avoidance. This episode is all about learning how to have tough conversations and gaining tools to handle them effectively. If you haven’t yet listened to part one (Episode 594), go back and listen to that first, as it sets the foundation for un…
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594 | Face the Facts: Stop Avoiding Tough Conversations in Business - Part 1
1:19:20
1:19:20
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1:19:20In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we tackle an issue that affects many leaders and businesses: conflict avoidance. While conflict is inevitable in any organization, avoiding it often leads to bigger problems down the line. We dive into why conflict avoidance occurs, how to recognize your tendencies, and the steps you can take to handle con…
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593 | Build an Unstoppable Support System to Maximize your Business
52:51
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52:51Running a business is hard, especially when you're trying to do it all on your own. You need to Build an Unstoppable Support System to truly Maximize Your Business. In our latest episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we dive deep into a critical topic for business owners: the importance of building a support system. From overcoming fear and imposter s…
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592 | How to Calculate Risks and Rewards in Business
35:28
35:28
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35:28Hey folks! In this latest episode, we're diving into a crucial topic for every leader—how to calculate risks and rewards when making important business decisions. Whether you’re launching a new product, considering a team change, or evaluating an operational shift, understanding how to balance risk and reward is key to moving your business forward …
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591 | What to do to Overcome Self-Destructive Behaviors
36:22
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36:22In the latest episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we tackle a challenge many leaders face but often struggle to address—self-destructive behaviors within their teams. These behaviors, whether it’s people-pleasing, perfectionism, or isolation, can quietly undermine team productivity and morale. As a leader, recognizing and supporting team members thr…
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590 | How to Achieve Work-Life Balance with Zig Ziglar's Wheel of Life
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33:50In the latest episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we explore the elusive concept of work-life balance. This episode is packed with valuable insights to help you understand what true balance looks like and how to achieve it in a realistic, sustainable way. A key tool we discuss is Zig Ziglar's Wheel of Life, which breaks down life into seven essentia…
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FROM RECEPTIONIST TO MULTI-TIME CEO, Nicole Noye | Relentless Customer Leader
56:29
56:29
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56:29Summary Nicole Noye is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across diverse sectors, including retail, hospitality, leisure, entertainment, fitness, car sharing, and franchising. Her career has been marked by a relentless commitment to driving organizational success, leadership, team empowerment, and customer satisfaction. She has h…
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589 | Unexpected Benefits of Shifting your Mindset from Scarcity to Abundance
23:57
23:57
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23:57Hey, folks! Welcome back to the Chris LoCurto Show! I hope you're having an incredible day, wherever you are. Today’s episode is all about something that could radically change the way you live, lead, and approach life: shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. This is not just about thinking positively—it’s about adopting a whole n…
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588 | How do you Address Passive-Aggressive Behavior at Work?
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51:05We all know that maintaining a positive and productive work environment is crucial for the success of any business. But sometimes, subtle behaviors like passive-aggressiveness can creep in and erode your team's morale, trust, and collaboration. In this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we dive deep into identifying and addressing passive-aggressiv…
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587 | Why Embrace Servant Leadership in Business?
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30:59In today's fast-paced business world, success isn’t just about hitting your numbers; it’s about creating an environment where your team can truly thrive—both personally and professionally. In this episode, we explore how aligning your team's personal goals with your business objectives can foster a high-performing, motivated, and engaged workforce.…
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Former Managing Director, Konica Minolta Dr. David Cooke | Relentless Customer Leader
1:25:02
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1:25:02Summary Dr. David Cooke shares his experiences growing up and entering the business world. He discusses how he stumbled upon Transcendental Meditation and became a teacher of it before transitioning into a sales role at Xerox Corporation. He reflects on his journey in the imaging industry, including his time at Canon and Konica Minolta, and the cha…
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586 | How the Top 1% Achieve Personal Growth and Professional Success
1:03:35
1:03:35
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1:03:35Hey folks, welcome to another enlightening episode of The Chris LoCurto Show! Today, I'm diving deep into what makes top leaders and achievers truly successful. By understanding themselves on a deeper level and living with intentionality, they can navigate life with less stress and more happiness.This episode is packed with insights on how your pas…
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585 | How to Lead Someone With a Victim Mentality
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37:11Today, we’re diving into a challenging yet crucial topic: leading someone with a victim mentality. Let's jump right in! Victim mentality is that mindset where someone feels something is always happening to them, and they can’t do anything about it. Have you seen it? Someone on your team who constantly blames others for their circumstances, never ta…
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584 | How to Overcome Self-Sabotage in Your Business Journey
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36:59Whether you're a leader, business owner, or team member, these behaviors can be a major roadblock to your success. Trust me, I’ve been there, and I know how tough it can be to overcome. But with the right strategies and mindset, you can beat it! Key Points from This Episode: Understanding Self-Sabotage: We break down what self-sabotage really means…
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Ken Wilcox Former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank and Dr Chris L. Brown discussing Leadership and Culture | Relentless Customer Leader Podcast
1:11:58
1:11:58
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1:11:58Summary Ken Wilcox, former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, shares his journey and leadership philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and creating a positive customer experience. Ken's leadership style is centered around diversity in counsel and unity in action. He encourages decision-making at all levels of the organization and f…
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583 | Why Good Communicators Are Great Listeners
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51:30Today, we’re diving into a skill that every great leader needs to master: the art of listening. This episode is called “Why Good Leaders Are Great Listeners,” and it’s packed with insights and strategies to help you become a more effective leader. Sneak Peek: The Art of Listening So, let’s get real for a moment. We all have ears, right? But having …
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On today’s episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s close to my heart – the journey to financial freedom. Our special guest, Peter Sawatzky, has recently achieved what many dream of: he is 100% debt-free. That’s right, Peter has managed to free himself from the financial chains that held him back, and today, he’s here to share his journey with us.…
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