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Welcome to The Third Growth Option, where we're not just talking about growth—we're making it our mission. At TGO, we understand that success isn't a fixed destination; it's an ongoing journey with twists, turns, and unexpected detours that take us to new places. Those moments are our Third Growth Options, where we throw away binary choices to create our own path. Hosted by Benno Duenkelsbuehler, O.G #GrowthNerd, we're on a mission to redefine success inside and outside of business, one epis ...
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Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered what happens when a mathematician turns his talents to the world of laundry and sustainable paper products? You get a riveting conversation with David Van Himbergen, the former Tide innovator and current CEO of Reel Paper, who sits down with me to recount a journey that's as much about crunching numbers as it i…
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Send us a Text Message. When it comes to enduring brands in the beauty industry, few can boast the legacy and resilience of Frownies. The podcast episode with Helen Morrison offers an intimate glimpse into how a family's dedication to a simple wrinkle solution evolved into a viral sensation in the age of social media. The story begins with the ince…
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Send us a Text Message. When Melissa Allen's husband faced the harrowing ordeal of skin cancer, little did they know their dog would be the one to unearth the life-changing diagnosis. This spark ignited Melissa's mission to craft a sunscreen brand designed with both heart and health in mind. On the Third Growth Option podcast, I have the pleasure o…
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Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered what it takes to leave the security of a full-time job for the rollercoaster world of entrepreneurship? David Gebhart, co-founder and president of Global Views, joins us to unfold the story of his transition from employee to entrepreneur and the inception of a business that has weathered nearly three decades of…
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Send us a Text Message. Michelle discusses scaling a product-based business through personal investment and navigating venture capital for a tech venture. She emphasizes adaptability in the competitive tech startup landscape and explores ShopDot, a drop-shipping platform empowering, brick-and-mortar stores. Discover valuable lessons on entrepreneur…
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Send us a Text Message. When it comes to the entrepreneurial journey, the tale of Fortessa Tableware Solutions stands out as a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of culture in crafting a successful business. Scott Hamberger, founder of Fortessa, sat down to recount the story of the company's evolution from a modest garage start-up t…
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Send us a Text Message. Jamie Gallagher, CEO of 4 the Win Partners, shares his evolution from corporate climbing to visionary leadership. Drawing from experiences at European giants like Lego and mentorship from Count Anton Wolfgang Faber-Castell, Jamie navigates the complexities of leadership and innovation in today's volatile business landscape. …
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Send us a Text Message. Kai Bitter shows us the steps of training lawyers in the nuances of sales—or as we call it, Sales 101 for Lawyers. From overcoming the 2008 economic storm, embracing rejection, and finding that sweet spot where personal and professional interests align for success, Kai shares how authenticity and passion are the true catalys…
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Send us a Text Message. As an outside general counsel, Todd Wilkowski talks about how legal expertise can act as a catalyst for growth and innovation. Rather than being a mere gatekeeper, Todd serves as a facilitator, ensuring that legal considerations seamlessly integrate with expansion goals, thus becoming an indispensable asset in corporate lead…
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Send us a Text Message. When Steve Berry swapped the familiarity of Boston for Miami's melting pot, his world turned upside down, and so did his approach to business and life. Steve's transformation from being rooted in uniformity to thriving amidst diversity led to a personal leap across cultural lines, led to love, and also to the creation of mul…
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Send us a Text Message. How do you build personal trust communities, to catapult your growth in life and career? Mike Thorne, the brain behind and CEO of Trust Inside, shares his journey and how these communities have become his rock. Mike's mantra of 'belong, build, believe', acts as a compass guiding him through life's different stages, as a valu…
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Send us a Text Message. We speak to KAIVAC's leader, Bob Robinson Jr., about how to view progress and creativity in business. Bob's seasoned perspective emphasizes how innovation transcends mere product development, shaping the very essence of corporate systems. Drawing parallels between KAIVAC's innovation ethos and the miracle of new life, Bob il…
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Send us a Text Message. You've spent years building your business, pouring every ounce of your energy into fostering its growth. But, it's time to move on. The decision to sell your business is a significant one, and it's crucial to understand the journey you're about to embark on. In this candid conversation with Brent Rippe, partner at RKCA, an i…
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Send us a Text Message. John Baines, a remarkable leader who ascended from engineer to president by the age of 29, shares his compelling journey to growth by embracing the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable, and even the panic-inducing aspects of leadership. John offers invaluable insights into leadership evolution. In our reflective dialogue, we delve …
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Send us a Text Message. The blueprint-to-finished-building analogies are unavoidable when speaking both personal and corporate growth, with Jeffrey Sackenheim, the visionary CEO of SHP. Jeff is an architect's architect, and he's turning a 123-year-old design and architecture firm into a national trailblazer in educational design in both a humble an…
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Send us a Text Message. Listen to David Garascia, a seasoned consumer products commercial leader with a $3.5B sales record, share his secrets of successful sales strategies, growth perspectives and the importance of occasionally changing lanes. He'll walk us through the fundamentals of sales, from the importance of consistency and follow-up to infl…
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Send us a Text Message. Gavin Marks is the forward-thinking CEO and Lightbulb Moment Igniter of DM Merchandising. Gavin shares how he became a growth mindset evangelist for his team and customers, and how embracing discomfort can be a leader's most potent tool. This episode is filled with real world insights, from his evolution in the family busine…
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Send us a Text Message. We asked three consumer executives who had just returned from two important January 2024 tradeshows, to share their observations (on product trends, consumer behaviors, sourcing-, buyer-, and marketing shifts) and their outlook for 2024. Laurie Gilner (President/CEO of Transpac Brands and exhibitor at Atlanta Market among ot…
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Send us a Text Message. We talk about the role of leadership and training within organizations of all sizes. From the deck of a Navy ship to the corridors of Ivystone (an entrepreneurial multiline sales agency), Andy Bjork, a Navy-Captain-turned-Chief-Sales-Officer, shares methodologies and real life examples that nurture effective growth. Learn ho…
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Send us a Text Message. Kristina Stevens loves to challenge norms, so clearly not your average Operations and Supply Chain leader. Kristina's big vision for life, unconventional perspective, and unwavering ambition for improvement shape the core of our discussion. Our conversation reveals a compelling narrative of Kristina's life - conquering a dem…
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Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered how one transitions from a corporate job to being a purpose-driven entrepreneur? Or how iconic brands like Saks Fifth Avenue create unforgettable shopping experiences? I sat down with Harry Cunningham, the brain behind Saks' stunning Christmas windows and co-founder of GoodMRKT. Harry unveils the mysteries of v…
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Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered what it's like to be an ER doctor, but in the business world? Witness the high-stakes, high-pressure arena of corporate turnarounds in our latest episode with Jeff Sands, the founding partner of Dorset Partners. Jeff illuminates the unique challenges faced and the speed and creativity required to execute succes…
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Send us a Text Message. Imagine being a small business, fighting against the tide of big retail giants in the digital space. What if there was a platform designed to level the playing field, geared towards a community-focused digital solution for local retailers? This episode is a heart-to-heart chat with Kate Giovambattista, visionary founder of B…
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Send us a Text Message. Imagine scaling Everest Base Camp, not just for the thrill of it, but to draw deep life and leadership lessons. Our guest, Ketul Patel, is a seasoned supply chain and operations executive, and a climber who dared to reach the Everest Base Camp despite naysayers pointing out his age. The challenges he faced, the motivations t…
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Send us a Text Message. How did a traditional factory navigate the journey to digital touchpoint transformation? Meet Nuno Malheiro, Head of Global Sales at Tintex and founder of Expegy, who offers the frontline perspective on transforming a textile factory's sales process from analog to digital. This isn't just about tech - it's about how Nuno tra…
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Send us a Text Message. Ready to discover what drives a man to pursue the startup life, learn inside corporate America for over a decade, then lean back into the startup world? Join us as we engage in an enthralling conversation with Nelson Warley, co-founder of True Places. Learn how this visionary is redesigning the consumer goods space by pionee…
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Send us a Text Message. Process, growth, and creativity - starting your career at 18 and scaling the corporate ladder to become a successful business executive and CEO - that's Brittany Toler's inspiring journey. She cut her teeth at Cape Craftsman, earned her stripes at Evergreen, and eventually led a direct-to-consumer company as CEO, running on …
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode, we are chatting with Trent Guyer, VP of Marketing and Digital Strategy at Grasshopper Mowers in Moundridge, KS—a small town in the heart of the United States. Theirs is a third-generation family business that has embarked on an exciting journey from old-school manufacturing to cutting-edge product and market…
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Send us a Text Message. Welcome back, podcast aficionados! In this episode with Cheri Lantz, we're diving deep into the world of recruitment and talent acquisition, with a dash of entrepreneurial growth mindset. We understand that many of our listeners are eager to bridge the talent gap and become true magnets for exceptional individuals. In this r…
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Send us a Text Message. Curious about the creative process? How does it apply to innovation and teamwork in general? Enter Nick DeSario, a deeply experienced and talented furniture designer, whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. Nick and I talk about the creative process, collaboration, how to blend and pair ideas and…
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Send us a Text Message. Reigniting the spark of a 48-year-old legacy company, whose founder had passed away some years ago, is a difficult balancing act. Chuck Fraelich, president of tag - a legendary tabletop and seasonal decor brand founded by David Glassberg - in this episode is walking me through both the brand relaunch, and the 4 stages in his…
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Send us a Text Message. Todd and Jannetta Litzman built, evolved, merged or sold and have been running a software business for the last 25+ years. In this episode, Todd shares their growth journey from cashier to CEO, from technology before laptops and handheld devices to giant handheld calculator-looking things and Palm Pilots to iPads, and most i…
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Send us a Text Message. It’s one thing to develop a hugely successful product and build a company around it - Willow Tree is that product and industry leader DEMDACO is that company - it’s another to constantly reinvent yourself, going on three decades now. Demi Lloyd, CEO of (and the DEM in) DEMDACO, talks about the less than glorious early days, …
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Send us a Text Message. Post-acquisition integration is where most M&A acquisitions succeed or fail. Steve Nunn is CEO of Intista, a company that helps to integrate acquired small-to-midsize companies (“air traffic control for integrations”). As a follow up to Ep #18 with Steve, in this episode we’re having a chat about his journey of bottling his …
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Send us a Text Message. Preet Brar, global brand leader in consumer goods and guest on this episode, understands markets and teams. I asked her about changes in the external markets, and how to lead teams internally to bring ideas to reality. External - new ideas in the market: 3:52 - “There was a lot of cross-category buying… people that were in o…
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Send us a Text Message. My guest is John Lanman, a consumer products CEO/General Manager who cut his teeth in Marketing roles with well-known names like Thermos, Blyth Candle/Fragrances, and progressed to GM or CEO of Oriental Trading Co and Precious Moments. John and I both served as Board Members, and here John shares his thoughts on the importan…
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Send us a Text Message. This episode evolved from a conversation I had with Tara Dikos, EVP at Transpac, in which she used the phrase “chasing leaders” - here, we talk about what that means, how to spot talent, learn from talent, and also to recruit and develop talent, especially in the world of consumer businesses that develop and sell products fr…
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Send us a Text Message. Growth does not happen in a vacuum, we grow with others and do so in a thousand different ways. In this episode, Patrick Keiser, Executive Director of Heart on Main Street - a non-profit organization and community of retailers, for retailers to learn and grow their business - shares how he spearheaded building this particula…
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Send us a Text Message. My guest on this episode is Tom Ungrodt, a Gift & Home Industry Community Builder and sometime (re)ALIGN Sherpa. If you’re interested in growing by joining or intentionally building industry groups, this episode is for you. Tom shares his experience as a former Vistage Chair and current Community Builder of the Mission Possi…
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Send us a Text Message. Two entrepreneurs - Gary Levine, founder/CEO of Roaring Brook Art Licensing Company, and Benno, Chief Sherpa/CEO of (re)ALIGN Expansion Sherpas - are talking about how “superpowers” (both personal and a team’s or business’) are guiding their businesses, about the power of quiet confidence, about not selling but just showing …
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Send us a Text Message. Michael Nieves shares an international expansion story: taking a UK company from a tiny six-figure USA footprint to the $25M to $30M range of US revenues within eight years, from a one-man-band to a 12-person team, required a certain mindset, a willingness to take the long view, and also the humility to accept failures along…
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Send us a Text Message. This episode is a tour de force with George Chanos, author of Millennial Samurai, a current futurist and former Attorney General of Nevada. George talks about his “secular bible for the 21st century”, values and talents needed to thrive in the current and coming decade, about AI, singularity, and what the potential of 10x-in…
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Send us a Text Message. Vic Clesceri is a uniquely well-rounded business leader, and we talk about helping people and companies to grow, by aligning corporate strategy and workforce strategy, by synthesizing both while translating confusing terminology into simple concepts people can rally around. 3:15 - “Strategy is a set of choices about winning.…
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode two brand owners/founders and their sales agency partner share notes how they help each other to grow - by taking an informal yet intentional approach to grow, listen, and learn from each other to become better and stronger. Lindsay DeMyer is president of Darrah & Co, a large manufacturers’ rep agency across …
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Send us a Text Message. Curious how a mid-sized B2B wholesale business - established decades before the internet - embraced digitalization and added a B2C channel? Sushil Arora, CEO of Danica and Now Designs, shares Danica’s growth story of going Digital First, in both customer-facing and operations-facing ways, with curiosity, step-by-sometimes-un…
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Send us a Text Message. Priya Klocek moved to Cincinnati from India as a 20-year-old, so she is no stranger to managing change. Now she works with leaders of businesses and organizations to help with change management and DEI issues – diversity, equity, and inclusion. She brings a refreshingly “real world” perspective to how we view and are viewed …
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Send us a Text Message. How do you compete with commodity product in Big Box retail and direct to consumer? Sure, the glib answer is about vision and marketing and connecting the dots. But really, how do you get to 8- and 9-figure revenues, within years, not decades? Dean van Zyl moved to Virginia, USA from Swaziland, Africa and founded National Ad…
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Send us a Text Message. Sumeet Nath has grown his 3rd generation business into a leading group of factories with 6,000 employees. Each generation worked to keep the business relevant by updating product mix, customer mix, organization and indeed ownership. 3:52 – after Sumeet walked me through a short historic overview how the Indian region of Pani…
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Send us a Text Message. Jason Hauer co-founded the Garage Group in Cincinnati, OH a dozen years ago – to teach executives in big companies to hustle, innovate, and grow like small start-ups. I founded (re)ALIGN to work with midsized companies to grow into new categories, new channels, or grow faster with a cross-functional go-to-market approach. Th…
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Send us a Text Message. Edgar Blazona is the real deal: he grew and learned as a punk-ass kid designer and furniture rebel, went to college in corporate America, continued as a serial entrepreneur and founded several successful companies, including Benchmade Modern, the folks who make and sell Rebellious Luxury by the inch. We talked about Edgar’s …
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