LEADERSHIP TEST KITCHEN

This time, I’m featuring Elaine Walker, President of Seattle Gymnastics Academy, one of the most respected youth gymnastics programs in the PNW. I’ve come to know Elaine as a fellow CEO in Vistage, a board member at SGA, and now as a client at CFO Selections. When I sat down with Elaine, we talked about what it actually means to put the customer first. Not just saying it, but using it to make decisions about people, programs, facilities, and where you invest your time an

September brings a lot of things forward. For many organizations, annual planning.  You find me a few weeks away from a key leadership retreat to kick off our 2027 planning, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how much change we should actually put on the agenda. This question feels especially relevant for us this year. We’ve been going through a significant transformation of our own. We’ve rebranded and repositioned our company around t the human side of business, and forme

When I joined CFO Selections®, I did the thing I always do in a new place. I started calling customers, current and past ones. I wanted to hear how they described us when nobody from the firm was in the room. Almost none of them started with the firm. They started with a person. The CFO who sat with them through a change. The controller who found the thing nobody else had found. More than once, the person telling me the story could not remember which of our companies that

Introducing a new business strategy reminds me of introducing a new recipe at home. Everyone gathers around the table, takes a bite, smiles politely, and tells you it's delicious. But if you're paying attention, you start noticing the signals. No one asks for seconds. The business equivalent of this is the scariest meeting in any CEO's calendar: the one where you lay out the big idea and the room goes quiet. Or worse, everyone says "great idea." That is when you know you are

If you know me, you probably know that I’m a cross-country skier. On my favorite course, there is one particular hill that earns its reputation every single time. It’s long and difficult, even in good conditions. Add wind, ice, and fresh snow into the equation, and it becomes a real test of will.  After climbing that hill many times, I’ve learned something that may sound obvious, but took me a few years to internalize: the work before the climb matters as much as the climb

This time, I’m featuring Jodi Garza, who leads Kalinin Holdings and its three airline brands — SeaPort Airlines, Island Air Express , and Alaska Seaplanes — serving communities across Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.  I have worked with Jodi over the past year through my Vistage cohort, watching her navigate one of the most unforgiving operating environments in aviation: rising fuel costs, a persistent talent shortage, and climbing maintenance expenses, all while delivering r

Every few weeks, I’ll use this space to spotlight other accomplished leaders. Today, I’m featuring Christopher Poh, President and General Manager of Ecotech Solar. Chris has a gift for finding growth where others see a ceiling. His track record at Ecotech Solar, several start-ups, and Starbucks backs that up. When I sat down with him recently to talk about how Ecotech Solar is holding its ground in a shrinking market, I was ready for a playbook on sales leadership or go-to-

Until last year, I was afraid of heights. In 2025, I decided to repaint our house, including the 18-foot ceilings. What I discovered is that repeated practice on a very high ladder breaks down your resistance faster than any pep talk ever could. Step by step, rung by rung, the fear recedes. Building a risk-taking culture works the same way. Over five years, I assessed risks for some of the largest transformations at some of the largest organizations. Then I got to test my ow

Every few weeks, I use this space to spotlight accomplished leaders. I'm featuring Amy Wolf, CEO and Founder of Evo3 Marketing, a marketing and events firm redefining what it means to create a brand experience for some of the largest technology companies in the world — and a fitting spotlight for Women's History Month. Amy is one of the CEOs I am privileged to support through my Vistage CEO coaching work, and she is one of the most original thinkers I've had the pleasure of

The Leadership Test Kitchen is a newsletter where I share the ingredients behind leading and growing successful companies. Some editions feature practical frameworks from CEOs who’ve mastered challenges in strategy, culture, and growth. Others share lessons I’ve learned firsthand as a CEO, or insights I’ve gained from working with other executives.

I recently sat down with George in our Vistage Worldwide, Inc. CEO Group to talk about strategic execution. Not the theory of strategy, but how it actually gets done inside a growing company. George’s approach has helped his team achieve nearly double-digit growth in an industry declining by about 10% annually, while building a culture where people are aligned, committed, and clear on the company’s annual goals.

This one comes from the front lines. If you’re bored with your next All-Hands Meeting, you can only imagine what your employees think. Routine is ok, but not if it gets in the way of the message. Recently, my work with local business leaders led me, inadvertently, down the path of storytelling and effective presentations. I intended to focus on 2026 planning. Instead, communicating 2026 plans took the main stage.

In this moment of stability, the question I keep coming back to is: how will the challenges of 2025 impact this year’s decision-making? After hundreds of conversations over the past 8 months, here are the Top 10 Questions I heard from CEOs, owners, presidents, and directors in the PNW: What SMB Leaders Asked Most in 2025

In this episode, Damon Lembi sits down with Brian Turner, longtime leader, Vistage Chair, and former President & CEO of Point B, to unpack what it really takes to spot and elevate rising leaders. Brian shares candid stories, including the “RC moment” that changed his career outlook, revealing why mindset often outpaces tenure, how blind spots trip up senior execs, and why transparent leadership is the ultimate game-changer.

Culture From the Heart Podcast

We are in conversation with Brian Turner, Former President and CEO of Point B. An ‘Innovative Pathfinder’ and developer of future leaders, Brian delves into the intricate dynamics of leading through change and the profound impact of leveraging personal experiences in advising others.

Brian Turner and Sicely Donaldson have a combined almost 50 years of experience navigating change in the healthcare space. Join them on LinkedIn Live for a conversation on how to proactively manage transformation in the healthcare space, including insights on: The role of innovation, technology, and people in transformations The risks of stagnation and outdated practices Enabling effective cross-functional integration and collaboration The trends to watch

Brian Turner is the first to admit that he’s not the smartest person in the room. He’s rarely been the best at anything, whether as a high school baseball player, student, or leader. How did he become a strong player, a good student, and the CEO of a $100+ million consulting company? In everything he’s done, curiosity has been his lifeline. In this unique conversation, we get inside the mind of Brian, the person and leader. He speaks about how curiosity is central to his lea

Seattle-based Point B recently appointed Brian Turner as President of Consulting. As the top consulting executive, Turner leads the firm's customer delivery teams, guides internal leadership and team development, and drives key business transformation initiatives and strategic direction for the firm's work in the Digital, Mergers & Acquisitions, Future of Work, and Data and Analytics spaces.