Get Hired Up: Executive Brand Management by Maureen Farmer

May 29, 2026Episode 852 min

Executive Comp. Series Part III: Executive Equity Compensation and Stock Options

We are pleased to present a special three-part series on executive compensation through our Get Hired Up! podcast.In this series, we bring together three highly respected experts, each offering a distinct perspective:Part I: Scott Calderwood shares the executive recruiter’s perspective, including how compensation discussions unfold during retained search and the mistakes candidates often make.Part II: Ezra Singer explains how executives can negotiate offers, severance, and employment agreements while preserving important relationships.Part III: Mary Russell demystifies stock options, equity, and the legal and tax implications of startup and private company offers.Together, these conversations provide a practical and unusually transparent look at one of the most important—and frequently misunderstood—aspects of executive career transitions.Westgate Executive Branding

May 22, 2026Episode 743 min

Executive Comp. Series Part II: Compensation Strategies for Senior Leaders

We are pleased to present a special three-part series on executive compensation through our Get Hired Up! podcast.In this series, we bring together three highly respected experts, each offering a distinct perspective:Part I: Scott Calderwood shares the executive recruiter’s perspective, including how compensation discussions unfold during retained search and the mistakes candidates often make.Part II: Ezra Singer explains how executives can negotiate offers, severance, and employment agreements while preserving important relationships.Part III: Mary Russell demystifies stock options, equity, and the legal and tax implications of startup and private company offers.Together, these conversations provide a practical and unusually transparent look at one of the most important—and frequently misunderstood—aspects of executive career transitions.Westgate Executive Branding

May 15, 2026Episode 651 min

Executive Comp. Series Part I: Recruiter Insights on Compensation Negotiation

We are pleased to present a special three-part series on executive compensation through our Get Hired Up! podcast.In this series, we bring together three highly respected experts, each offering a distinct perspective:Part I: Scott Calderwood shares the executive recruiter’s perspective, including how compensation discussions unfold during retained search and the mistakes candidates often make.Part II: Ezra Singer explains how executives can negotiate offers, severance, and employment agreements while preserving important relationships.Part III: Mary Russell demystifies stock options, equity, and the legal and tax implications of startup and private company offers.Together, these conversations provide a practical and unusually transparent look at one of the most important—and frequently misunderstood—aspects of executive career transitions.Westgate Executive Branding

April 17, 2026Episode 58 min

Executive Drift; Leadership Under Uncertainty: When Results Lag

In Episode 5 of Season 2, Maureen Farmer discusses strategies for navigating transitions and job search fatigue with clarity and composure. There's a moment that shows up whether you're pursuing a new role, developing business or raising capital. It's the moment where effort is high, but outcomes are delayed. You've had conversations, you've created momentum, you're doing the work, but nothing has closed yet. And over time, something shifts, not capability, not experience, but belief. Waiting turns into doubt, not in your ability, but in the market's recognition of it. And when that happens, fatigue sets in.Westgate Executive Branding

March 26, 2026Episode 631 min

People Platforms That Scale Enterprise Value with Co-Founder, Shylesh Krishnan

Our guest is Shylesh Krishnan, Co-Founder and former CEO of ThoughtFocus—a global technology firm that scaled to more than 2,800 employees across five countries. But this conversation isn’t about headcount. It’s about how leaders architect organizations that grow without losing alignment, accountability, or culture. Shylesh introduces his RPM PulseCheck—a leadership platform designed to give CEOs and investors real visibility into engagement, leadership readiness, and cultural health inside scaling organizations. For those operating in private equity, family offices, or acquisition-driven environments, this is the real question: How do you scale performance without introducing hidden risk into the system? And how do you ensure that as technology accelerates, your people—not just your tools—remain your competitive advantage? If you’re building, acquiring, or leading at scale, this episode will challenge how you think about growth—and what actually sustains it.Westgate Executive Branding

February 27, 2026Episode 550 min

Constructive Activist Investing, Career Mandates, & Investor Psychology with Donald Zilkha

What does it take to survive market crashes, rebuild broken portfolios, and double down when everyone else walks away?In this episode, Donald Zilkha, investor, entrepreneur, and founder of Zilkha Capital Partners, unpacks 40+ years across M&A, venture capital, and constructive activist investing. He shares how he turned a failing dot-com fund into a 2x outcome, why investor psychology matters more than spreadsheets, and how collaborative (not combative) activism unlocks value in public companies. His core belief: people give up too soon and discipline, flexibility, and trust are the real edge in business.

February 6, 2026Episode 47 min

Ageism in the C-Suite

In Episode 4 of Season 2, Maureen Farmer discusses a hot topic that’s been bubbling up among leaders who are struggling with a career transition. When a deal stalls, a job offer is not extended, or when the executive recruiter ghosts you, there is a common refrain: Is it my age? Maureen dispels the myth that gets in the way of many high-performing business leaders who are in transition—after they’ve sold a business, in between corporate roles, or seeking board mandates. Time stamps1:26 – The Ageism Myth1:58 – The Belief2:47 – Signal Mismatch3:30 – Overqualified Misalignment4:10 – Between Roles4:15 – Interpreting Silence5:15 – Professional Networks5:28 – High Performing Leaders5:50 – Role Altitude6:22 – Reframe7:02 - RealignmentWestgate Executive BrandingOur Main Event!Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Podcasts

January 23, 2026Episode 336 min

Governance ≠ Management: The Reality of Fiduciary Board Work

Today we launch Episode Three of Season Two, focused on board readiness, with Alex Cho, President of Personal Systems at HP. Alex leads global teams delivering innovative computing solutions that enable work, learning, and connection in a hybrid world. Known as a purpose-driven leader, he has driven sustainable growth, award-winning design excellence, and HP’s industry-leading sustainability and digital equity initiatives. Having lived and worked across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Alex is currently based in Palo Alto.This is episode three of a three-part Get Hired Up series that explores a pivotal question for senior technology leaders: What really changes when a world-class operator steps into fiduciary governance?2:30 Who this is for3:25 Operations to Governance5:28 The first board meeting7:00 Committee surveys and onboarding8:25 Board meeting cadence10:32 Using and recruiting board advisors12:00 CEO’s role for board education13:09 Board org structure14:02 Board liability and indemnification15:42 CEO Succession19:07 How to raise your hand20:00 Talent management & Succession21:10 CEO Succession playbook24:33 Current Board Issues26:24 Board Megatrends27:43 Activating the workforce31:50 Preparing for board meetings32:54 Build capacity through board passion33:10 Reach Alex Cho on LIWestgate Executive BrandingOur Main Event!Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Podcasts

January 16, 2026Episode 225 min

How Tech Executives Actually Get Recruited to Fiduciary Boards

Today we launch Episode Two of Season Two, focused on board readiness, with Alex Cho, President of Personal Systems at HP. Alex leads global teams delivering innovative computing solutions that enable work, learning, and connection in a hybrid world. Known as a purpose-driven leader, he has driven sustainable growth, award-winning design excellence, and HP’s industry-leading sustainability and digital equity initiatives. Having lived and worked across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Alex is currently based in Palo Alto.This is episode two of a three-part Get Hired Up series that explores a pivotal question for senior technology leaders: What really changes when a world-class operator steps into fiduciary governance?4:00 Leadership optimization and the journey to fiduciary board roles5:12 Networks to referrals7:38 Industry relevance and board quality 8:30 Time to board 8:58 Function & current practice of the nom/gov committee9:47 How to raise your hand10:05 Recruiter & board networks11:00 Industry conversations with directors12:46 Content creation as demand generation16:02 Networking and your unique point of view17:30 Board member insights & thought leadership19:14 Building the Governance muscle21:01 Alex’s advice on leadership development24:15 Authentic leadership and employee followership25:00 Reach Alex Cho on LIWestgate Executive BrandingOur Main Event!Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Podcasts

January 9, 2026Episode 131 min

From Operator to President: Alex Cho’s Leadership Journey at HP

Today we launch Episode One of Season Two, focused on board readiness, with Alex Cho, President of Personal Systems at HP. Alex leads global teams delivering innovative computing solutions that enable work, learning, and connection in a hybrid world. Known as a purpose-driven leader, he has driven sustainable growth, award-winning design excellence, and HP’s industry-leading sustainability and digital equity initiatives. Having lived and worked across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Alex is currently based in Palo Alto.This episode opens a special three-part Get Hired Up series that explores a pivotal question for senior technology leaders: What really changes when a world-class operator steps into fiduciary governance?3:15 – Employee Engagement as a lever4:15 – Work Relationship Index at HP7:25 – EE metrics at HP (28%)9:00 - Management Index10:36 – Connection to company & its mission – enabling a workplace for growth & fulfilment13:32 – Engaged Leaders & Unplugged sessions16:34 Global Implications & Business Outlook17:43 Post-Covid – sparking growth ambition18:34 – helping employees engage via video20:33 – Employees & Customers as Levers22:44 Customer Focus Orientation24:34 AI and leaders of the future26:40 Fueling innovation at HP27:28 Alex’s journey at HP29:36 Alex in Paris32:00 Reach Alex Cho on LIWestgate Executive BrandingOur Main Event!Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Podcasts

Get Hired Up: Executive Brand Management

About the show

Listen to episodes

Executive Comp. Series Part III: Executive Equity Compensation and Stock Options

Executive Comp. Series Part II: Compensation Strategies for Senior Leaders

Executive Comp. Series Part I: Recruiter Insights on Compensation Negotiation

Executive Drift; Leadership Under Uncertainty: When Results Lag

People Platforms That Scale Enterprise Value with Co-Founder, Shylesh Krishnan

Constructive Activist Investing, Career Mandates, & Investor Psychology with Donald Zilkha

Ageism in the C-Suite

Governance ≠ Management: The Reality of Fiduciary Board Work

How Tech Executives Actually Get Recruited to Fiduciary Boards

From Operator to President: Alex Cho’s Leadership Journey at HP

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