CEO Podcasts: CEO Chat Podcast + I AM CEO Podcast Powered by Blue16 Media & CBNation.co

IAM2648 - Business Partners Help Businesses Scale by Providing Top-notch Virtual Employees

In this throwback episode, we have Anne and Mark Lackey. Entrepreneurs that has a series of ventures that each emerged from a real‑world problem they faced themselves.

When a valued employee abruptly quit, they recognized the hidden cost of staff churn and the difficulty of finding reliable “drudgery” workers—people willing to handle repetitive, phone‑based tasks. Their answer was to create HireSmart Virtual Assistants.

HireSmart’s model combines two core services: rigorous recruiting that matches the right talent to the right role, and a one‑week certification boot‑camp that trains virtual assistants in both technical skills and cultural communication.

They also act as an ongoing HR partner, handling issues that arise after placement. The result is a seamless experience for clients—calls sound as if they’re coming from the U.S., tasks are completed efficiently, and companies enjoy significant cost savings.

The founders also note the broader social impact: they now provide health care to thousands of Filipino families, a benefit many Fortune 500 call centers don’t offer.

Facebook: HireSmartVAs
Anne – www.facebook.com/AnneLackey
Mark – www.facebook.com/markslackey
LinkedIn: Anne – www.linkedin.com/in/annelackey
Mark – www.linkedin.com/in/markslackey

Previous Episode: iam390-business-partners-help-businesses-scale-by-providing-top-notch-virtual-employees

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I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2647 - Serial Entrepreneur Works With Clients to Build Brand Evangelism and Social Impact

In this throwback episode, we have Monique “Moni” Jefferson, an active‑duty Air Force spouse and serial entrepreneur, founded Dog Tags & Heels, a virtual PR and social‑media agency that works with national and celebrity clients to build brand evangelism and social impact.

Her agency focuses on deep, high‑impact connections rather than paid ad space, turning satisfied customers into brand advocates.

The platform offers peer‑to‑peer mentorship, masterclasses, and a membership space for collaborators to share resources, troubleshoot challenges, and even hire fellow spouses. 

Most recently, Moni introduced the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE), an influencer database that connects brands seeking authentic ties to the military community with vetted military‑spouse creators. 

Website: www.monijeffersonpr.com

MilSpouse Creative and Entrepreneurs: www.facebook.com/groups/themilspousecreative
MilSpouse Creative: www.instagram.com/milspousecreative

LinkedIn: moni-jefferson

Previous Episode: iam389-serial-entrepreneur-works-with-clients-to-build-brand-evangelism-and-social-impact

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2646 - The Transformative Power of Change

In this special episode, Gresham discusses how change is inherently messy: altering one part of a business triggers a domino effect that ripples throughout the whole operation.

As his original marketing company, Blue 16 Media, morphed into an umbrella brand with multiple niche services, he recognized gaps and inefficiencies that needed new solutions.

Scaling back in one area led to staff turnover, prompting him to emphasize accountability—whether you’re a solo practitioner, franchisee, or business owner—because doing the same thing will never produce different results. He stresses the importance of foundational fixes before sustainable growth can happen.

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2645 - Day 291: The Return to Networking

In this special episode, Gresham outlines several parallel initiatives he’s pursuing: launching a sub‑site called “Franchise CEO” within the CB Nation community, publishing video snippets on YouTube, and re‑joining a flexible BNI networking chapter that allows up to 12 missed meetings per quarter.

He’s also rebooting his digital‑marketing arm, experimenting with affiliate programs, high‑ticket sales, and the “CEO Hacks” series to scale relationships and revenue streams.

Throughout, he emphasizes the importance of creating multiple income sources—affiliates, digital services, and franchise brokerage—to stay resilient in today’s market.

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2644 - Reboot Your Life: Day 290

In this special episode, Gresham shares that he’s already 290 days into his franchise‑broker venture, highlighting the everyday challenges of entrepreneurship—early mornings, fatigue, and the need for continual self‑rebooting.

He describes an experiment with ChatGPT to identify ways to overhaul his business processes, acknowledging that minor tweaks aren’t enough when foundational issues exist. He likens the situation to trying to replace drapes on a shaky house; the real work must start at the foundation.

Moving forward, Gresh envisions a lean team structure: himself as the visionary, an integrator, and a virtual assistant to help rebuild the business step by step.

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2643 - Nibble Your Way Through the Week!

In this special episode, Gresham shares what he’s been doing to generate leads: cold direct messages on LinkedIn using Sales Navigator, a few automation tools (Closely), and follow‑up emails to keep contacts warm.

While he’s begun to see “nibbles” — small bits of traction — he admits to frustration over the limited results. Through reflection he realizes he may have been targeting the wrong audience (B2B instead of the more receptive B2C segment of people facing layoffs or career dissatisfaction) and recognizes the importance of networking and leading with empathy.

Gresh wraps up by acknowledging that success comes from consistently doing the right things over time, not just repeating ineffective tactics. He sees the current outreach as planting seeds that could later grow, and commits to experimenting, learning, and taking the journey one step at a time. 

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2642 - CEO Helps Large‑Scale Business Problems in Finance, Insurance and Retail

In this episode, we have Rohit Garewal, CEO of Object Edge and a veteran of 30 years solving large‑scale business problems in finance, insurance and retail.

Rohit explains that every for‑profit enterprise is fundamentally trying to maximize either revenue or margin, and that the key to doing so lies in aligning people, processes and technology.

His firm helps customers turn fragmented, legacy data into AI‑ready assets, then builds custom applications that embed AI into core workflows, allowing companies to continuously optimize operations rather than “start‑stop” improvement cycles.

Rohit stresses the rising importance of a “business‑engineer” mindset—high IQ, high EQ, and solid technical chops—to translate strategy into concrete, data‑driven actions. 

LinkedIn: rohit-garewal

Website: rohit-garewal

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2640 - Founder Helps Small Teams and Entrepreneurs Make Sales Repeatable

In this throwback episode, we have John Hill, founder of Adaptive Growth, helps small teams and entrepreneurs use technology and processes to make sales repeatable.

John helps capture the “instinctual” parts of their sales conversations, document them, and embed them into customized CRM workflows. By doing so, he shortens ramp‑up time, eliminates gaps between reps, and creates data‑driven pipelines that can be refined just like digital‑marketing campaigns.

He reinforces these ideas on his “Sales Throwdown” podcast, where he breaks down personality‑type frameworks (e.g., DISC) and stresses the importance of building rapport, using consistent scripts, and continually testing what works.

Website: adaptedgrowth.com

Personal brand/blog: johnsmallmountain.com
Podcast: www.salesthrowdown.com
Linkedin: johnblanehill

Previous Episode: iam387-founder-helps-small-teams-and-entrepreneurs-make-sales-repeatable

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2639 - Unlocking the Mystery of Day 289

In this special episode, Gresham uses a vivid analogy involving his newborn son learning to crawl. He describes a recent moment at a restaurant where the baby’s frustration and determination mirrored the challenges he faces as an entrepreneur juggling a newborn, a digital‑marketing business, and the launch of his franchise.

He reflects on the inevitable setbacks—crying, yelling, feeling stretched thin—and emphasizes the importance of patience, honesty, and realistic expectations. By acknowledging that progress will take longer than hoped, he encourages himself (and listeners) to keep taking incremental steps, learn from each attempt, and avoid discouragement.

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

IAM2638 - The Struggle and Strength in Change

In this episode, Gresh shifts to the challenges he’s faced in his existing digital‑marketing and franchise‑brokerage businesses. After years of relying heavily on his own involvement, he realized the models had hit a ceiling and required major pivots.

He discusses how his original target market for the brokerage didn’t generate enough traction, prompting him to rethink prospecting strategies—using LinkedIn to focus on people with clear pain points, such as those affected by layoffs, and reshaping the business foundation to become more scalable and less dependent on him alone.

The conversation ends with a personal metaphor: Gresh recounts training for a 10‑mile run and adopting the Galloway run‑walk method to build endurance despite limited time.

He parallels this fitness adjustment with the business pivots he’s making—recognizing when a current approach no longer works, breaking things down to the “studs,” and rebuilding from the ground up. 

• Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
• Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
• Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
• Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site - coming soon) - franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. 

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!