CEO Podcasts consists of CEO Chat (CC), I AM CEO (IAM) & CBNation.TV (TV) podcast episodes. Value-packed episode including interviews & resources for CEOs, entrepreneurs, startups founders & business owners. The CEO Chat episodes are our long-form episodes w/ interviews and digital marketing resources. The I AM CEO episodes are laser focused (about 16 min.) w/ interviews & a discussion about what it means to be a CEO. Powered by Blue16 Media & CBNation.co. Hosted by Gresham W. Harkless Jr.
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
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
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!
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
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!
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
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!
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
In this episode, Gresham reflects on the past year of planning, the emotional hurdle of acknowledging the time that has passed, and the excitement of welcoming a potential candidate—identified through LinkedIn—who may become his first deal.
He emphasizes transparency with prospects, encouraging them to voice disinterest openly to avoid ghosting and to keep the pipeline moving efficiently.
The episode highlights several practical insights: the need to target the right audience (shifting from business owners to non‑owners), the importance of addressing objections early, and leveraging data analytics backgrounds when matching candidates to franchise opportunities.
Harkless notes that while progress can feel uncertain—“moving forward or backwards”—the key is constant motion.
- 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!
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Friday Oct 31, 2025
In this episode, Gresham opens up about the internal doubts that have slowed his progress over the past two months. He wrestles with the classic “where’s the payoff?” question, balancing paid lead packs against the organic social media tactics that have yielded better results for him.
He also questions the “broad‑stroke” philosophy advocated by some brokers, noting that casting a wide net brings unqualified leads and dilutes focus.
Finally, Gresham commits to a step‑by‑step approach, experimenting with the new domain, building out content, and granting limited access to a partner who can help execute the plan.
He emphasizes the importance of consistency, creativity, and community collaboration, promising regular updates and encouraging listeners who are builders to keep moving forward.
- 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!
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
In this episode, we have Kevin Surace, a prolific Silicon‑Valley innovator, inventor of the first cellular‑data phone, early AI virtual assistants, and author of The Joy Success Cycle.
Kevin shares hard‑earned lessons about the true nature of the CEO role: setting tone, culture, and direction while spending most of the day handling the “crap” – unhappy customers, product glitches, personnel issues, cash flow, and missed sales targets.
His broader advice for entrepreneurs is to focus on solving real problems for real people who have real money, warning against chasing vanity projects that lack market demand.
Kevin believes great CEOs must have been good followers first, learning from mentors and mastering two‑way listening. While fostering consensus, a CEO must also make decisive calls to keep the business moving, because every day of inaction costs money.
Website: www.kevinsurace.com
LinkedIn: ksurace
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!
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
In this throwback episode, we have Grant Polachek, head of branding at Squadhelp.com—a top‑rated naming platform serving over 20,000 clients ranging from early‑stage giants like Nestlé and Pepsi.
Grant emphasized that effective branding sits at the intersection of copywriting, creativity, and business strategy, helping companies translate their vision into a compelling brand narrative.
He outlines a simple yet powerful naming framework: start by clarifying who you are and what you aim to create (the business plan), identify your audience, decide the desired perception and tone, and then develop secondary branding elements that capture the core idea.
Grant shares that their smart dashboard surfaces the four most critical naming factors, curates ideas, and delivers real‑time alerts, enabling rapid, data‑driven iterations that large companies now prefer over traditional agencies.
Website: www.squadhelp.com
Previous Episode: iam386-head-of-branding-helps-corporations-with-product-naming
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!
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
In this throwback episode, we have Marcus Taylor, founder and CEO of Venture Harbor, a young entrepreneur who launched his digital‑innovation studio at 25 without any external funding.
Starting with a love for coding and music at age 10, he merged those passions into building websites for bands and experimenting with online marketing.
Venture Harbor does not offer consulting services; instead, it maintains a portfolio of nine highly automated online ventures that are 99 % hands‑free, allowing the small core team to concentrate on creating a new venture each year.
Website: www.ventureharbour.com
LinkedIn: marcustaylor100
Facebook: MarcusTaylor100
Previous Episode: iam377-ceo-builds-multi-million-dollar-portfolio-of-online-businesses
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!
Monday Oct 27, 2025
Monday Oct 27, 2025
In this episode, Gresham walks listeners through his current stage: day 281 of his franchise‑broker path, experimenting with low‑cost investments to test scalability, and applying the “Who Not How” principle.
He draws parallels between franchise brokering and affiliate marketing, noting that both rely on cultivating long‑term relationships that culminate in sizable purchases.
Looking ahead, Harkless plans to bolster his outreach through newsletters, community‑building initiatives, and possibly leveraging existing team members as the “who” to drive growth.
With 12‑week goal frameworks focused on revenue rather than rigid tactics, he remains hopeful and committed to iterating on his strategy while inviting feedback and collaboration from his audience.
- 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!
Sunday Oct 26, 2025
Sunday Oct 26, 2025
In this special episode, Gresham dives into the practical challenges he’s facing, particularly around lead generation. After receiving a modest lead pack from his franchising organization, he realized that buying leads alone isn’t delivering the results he wants.
He’s now weighing two options: partnering with a low‑cost program that offers SEO‑optimized content and running minimal‑budget Facebook ads, or taking a DIY approach to create and execute the strategy himself using the resources and team he already has.
He feels torn between learning from an external expert and maintaining full control over the execution.
Finally, he outlines his strategic plan to consolidate traffic and leads across multiple domains. Because some of his sites already rank well, he proposes creating a sub‑domain on the strongest site, publishing SEO‑focused content there, and funneling the resulting leads back to his broker business under a broader “umbrella” brand.
- 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!