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Past Episodes

February 15, 2024
Connections, creativity and championing innovation with Synapse Florida CEO Lauren Prager

This week, we are speaking with Lauren Prager, CEO of Synapse Florida. Lauren has been involved with Synapse Florida since 2018, when she volunteered for the launch of Synapse Summit, …

February 8, 2024
Insights into retail leadership with former Macy's and Neiman Marcus CEO Terry Lundgren

This week, we are speaking with Terry Lundgren, former CEO and Chairman of Macy’s. Together, we speak about Terry’s turning point in college, his rise to becoming CEO at Macy’s …

February 1, 2024
Brisket, BBQ and how to run a strong restaurant business with Dick Rivera

This week, we speak with Dick Rivera, owner of Suncoast Hospitality Partners, a Sarasota-based restaurant and development company. Brands it operates include Brick’s Smoked Meats and Classico Italian Chophouse, both …

January 25, 2024
See the world through the eye of an economist with University of Tampa's Abby Hall Blanco

This week we speak with Abby Hall Blanco, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Tampa. Abby teaches a variety of economics classes, while also conducting a wide range …

January 18, 2024
Overseeing business turnarounds and saving companies from themselves with Paul Fioravanti

This week, we are speaking with Paul Fioravanti, CEO and Managing Partner of Qorval Partners. Qorval is a boutique management consulting, turnaround, restructuring and advisory firm, founded in 1996.  Together, …

January 11, 2024
How Stephanie Ink Edwards tackles a big and daunting mission with energy and enthusiasm

This week, we are speaking with Stephanie Ink Edwards, CEO of Community Cooperative in Fort Myers. The mission of Community Cooperative is to eliminate hunger and homelessness in southwest Florida …

January 4, 2024
Accountability and being an authentic leader with Game On Nation’s Steve Shenbaum

This week, we are speaking with Steve Shenbaum, founder and president of Game On Nation. Game On Nation, based in Bradenton, works with professional athletes, high-level business and nonprofit executives, …

December 28, 2023
Radically shifting the restaurant industry compensation model with Zach Feinstein

This week, we are speaking with Zach Feinstein of the Feinstein group. Zach’s restaurant and hospitality company, which he founded in 2014 with his wife, operates The Black Pearl in …

December 21, 2023
Positive affirmation and people-centered leadership with Candice and Lauren Henry

This week, we are speaking with Candice and Lauren Henry, co-founders of Aretios. Together, we discuss how to develop and maintain a positive leadership mindset, how younger people can lead …

December 14, 2023
From the Baseball Diamond to the Commercial Real Estate Boardroom with Matt Siegel

This week, we are speaking with Matt Siegel, former professional baseball player and coach turned commercial real estate market leader for Colliers. Together, we discuss lessons Matt learned from playing …

« 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 »

Team

Host

Mark Gordon

Mark Gordon is the managing editor of the Business Observer. Mark has been a business journalist and editor for more than 20 years, and one of his passions is writing about leadership. That led to Mark to start writing a leadership column in 2021 in the Business Observer, called Leadership Matters. It also led to the creation of the From the Corner Office podcast in June 2023.

Producer

Read Corley

Read attended elementary, middle and high school in Manatee County. After graduating from Florida State University and navigating the pandemic, Read joined up with his father to create the podcast I 501(c) You - The Podcast for Nonprofit Board Members. As the podcast has grown, Read has created a path producing podcasts for others, including the Business Observer.

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