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Pull the Chute podcast features Chip Massey, Founder of The Convincing Company, Crisis Communications, Influencing Trends, Persuasive Business Strategy, Negotiation, and Public Relations Expertise.

An Ex-FBI hostage negotiator and special agent for 22 years, Chip Massey investigated 9/11 terrorist attacks and led the New York FBI Office’s Crisis Negotiations Team—in all five boroughs. As the Co-Owner of the Convincing Company, he teaches executives and their teams how to apply the FBI’s techniques to every workplace scenario. Clients include C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies, including Facebook, Samsung, and Goldman Sachs.

Chip is the co-author of Convince Me: High-Stakes Negotiation Tactics to Get Results in Any Business Situation. A natural communicator and teacher, Chip has trained FBI agents, police officers, and various federal officials in hostage negotiation techniques, de-escalation, and other law enforcement issues. Additionally, he has taught thousands of military personnel and civilians at West Point, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, and other high-profile colleges.

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Pull the Chute podcast features Lynn Daniel, CEO at The Daniel Group, MBA, Customer Experience Expert.

Lynn Daniel started The Daniel Group in 1989. His background includes management consulting experience, corporate planning and new product management positions with Rexham Corporation (now Ball Corporation), and sales and sales management experience with Eli Lilly Company.

The Daniel Group provides strategic planning, research, and customer satisfaction measurement and management services. The firm’s clients include International Motors (formerly Navistar), AGCO, Okuma Americas, and 80% of the Caterpillar dealers in North America.

Lynn has written articles that have appeared in Long Range Planning, The Journal of Business Strategy, Industry Week, and The Business Journal. He has been quoted in publications such as the New York Times, INC Magazine, Charlotte Observer, and Business NC. He has appeared on several podcasts and has spoken to numerous business groups.

Lynn has served and continues to serve in numerous volunteer capacities. He has served on the boards of the Charlotte Repertory Theatre, the Charlotte Chapter of the American Marketing Association, and the Hornets’ Nest Girl Scout Council. He also served as president of the North Carolina State University Alumni and the University Foundation.

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Pull the Chute podcast features Retha Nichole, ICF Certified Business Coach, Certified Life Coach, Professional Speaker, Helping Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs to be Confident Business Owners.

Retha led the firm’s focus on driving discipline and accountability for clients. Under her leadership HillRidge has grown and represents clients from all over the US.

Retha’s expertise includes real estate, small business operations as well as helping small business companies figure out how to include diversity and inclusion in their business. Retha understands the levels of discipline that people work in and helps take them further with her unique accountability plans. She supports clients and their entire organization through a process that takes every perspective into account and provides a balanced approach.

The authentic nature she brings to every conversation will help you uncover the most authentic version of yourself; that’s what a successful business foundation is built upon!

Retha has years of executive professional experience and is a sought after speaker, trainer and executive coach with a unique perspective on various issues and challenges facing the professional woman. She received her Coaching certification through the International Coaching Federation. She has served on numerous community boards and leadership roles. Retha is the mother of three boys and a major college football fan.

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Pull the Chute podcast features Kyle Smith, Empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with expert financial guidance and transparency while promoting a healthy work-life balance for their team.

Kyle Smith, CPA, is a dedicated champion of small and medium-sized businesses. Beginning his career in Austin, he honed his skills as an accountant and Controller for various bar and restaurant groups.

Kyle’s journey continued at Scalefactor, where he advised clients across diverse industries. His ultimate ambition was fulfilled when he became a co-partner at Strata Cloud Accountants, where he provides top-tier advisory and CFO services.

Strata Cloud Accountants was founded on shared principles, focusing on family and freedom to grant financial independence to clients and foster a healthy work-life-family balance for their team.

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Pull the Chute podcast features Dave MacDonald, Hiring Professionals to meet your specifications, Managing an otherwise time consuming and painful process - taking the guess work out of hiring decisions.

At Better Together Group Consulting, we believe in the power of knowledge but recognize that relationship is the bridge knowledge crosses enroute to implementation. We connect our clients with various industry thought leaders and subject matter experts to gain valuable insights they wouldn't have otherwise have access to. Our name says it all: we're better when we work together.

His goal is to change the way employers and employees think about "Employment Agencies"​.

Understanding that Zig Ziglar is right when he says "You can have everything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." We want to help professional drivers find the jobs that support their families and give them opportunities to achieve their greatest personal goals.

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Pull the Chute podcast features Patrick Hardy, Helping Audiences Apply the Secrets of Disaster Planning to the Disruptions of Everyday Life, Internationally-Recognized Disaster Preparedness Expert, Keynote Speaker, Author of "Design Any Disaster”.

As a globe-trotting disaster and business continuity consultant for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and families, he led teams around the world through the greatest natural, technological, and security emergencies an organization or community can face.

His domestic and international exploits as a multi-certified disaster preparedness and response professional have earned the title “The Indiana Jones of disaster planning.”

Many of his plans are now considered best practice across dozens of industries, including his chapters on disaster preparedness, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction written for use in the US National Curriculum. His published work includes “Design Any Disaster: The Revolutionary Blueprint to Master Your Next Crisis or Emergency.”

He loves getting on stage to bring real-life stories of disaster and lessons learned to audiences looking to skillfully convert disruption into opportunities for growth. His high-energy, optimistic approach challenges those who think disaster planning is not allowed to be fun.

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Kat Walsh, GenZ-ologist, Founder and recognized thought leader on Gen Z in the workforce.

Kat consults with leaders across all public and private industries, helping them attract, integrate, develop, motivate, and communicate with Gen Z in their workplaces.

Kat's career began with her first commercial business at age five. Since then, she has been at the forefront of seeing early signals for business. For three decades, Kat has funded, coached, and advised young professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs on their startups and other entrepreneurial endeavors.

✨Frequent Guest lecturer on news, radio, podcasts, and colleges.

✨ She has guest lectured at some of the nation's top universities, including the University of Notre Dame.

✨Kat maintains an advisory role at the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

✨ Prior to her current role, Kat acted as Chief Legacy Officer for Ultra High Net Worth Individuals. Kat created the strategies and managed the execution of over 25 personal and family legacies, with project values over $100M.

✨ Before that, Kat founded a VC fund, raising and managing $50M, where she identified potential early startups for investment opportunities.

✨ In 1993, Kat founded and ran The Monthly Gourmet, the first subscription model, direct-to-consumer, mail-order meal kit business.

✨ Throughout her career, she has started and exited two first-in businesses and introduced several new products.

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Norman Wolfe, Founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders, Author of The Living Organization, Strategy Execution Consultant, Speaker.

With over four decades of work experience in various organizations from Fortune 500 to technology startups, I view each one as something that can uncover new possibilities for growth and development.

In his book, The Living Organization, the process of flawless execution is being emphasized and highlighted which requires a deeply held purpose, efficient business processes, and enhanced talents, energy and maturity of people.

Quantum Leaders help CEOs determine the critical issues blocking flawless execution bringing their senior executive team to new standards of performance just by using The Living Organization Model for success.

Before it began, he worked as a turnaround agent in the systems engineering, administration and sales organizations and was labeled as a 15-year veteran of Hewlett Packard. Later on, he became the head of Administrative Operations for the Western Sales Region, and was highly acclaimed for taking a failing $1.2 billion operation and setting new standards of productivity and customer service.