Pull the Chute - Grow your People, Grow your Company Podcast

Hosted by Jeff Sesol and Janna Landry

Business ManagementInterviews guests

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Episodes

292

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The goal of this podcast is to interview business owners and/or C-level executives to get an understanding of how they built their culture, what worked, what failed, and what tips can they give new and upcoming business owners. Our goal over the next ten years is to help as many small to medium-sized businesses get to the next level by growing their people, which will grow their company. Through coaching and transformational leadership, Pull the Chute can guide company leaders to invest time to get to know their people and understand their roles, goals, and challenges to provide learning & growth opportunities - ultimately helping their people be the best they can be.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 5830 min

Your CEO Might Be the Bottleneck (And Not Even Know It) Featuring Carol Schultz

Send us Fan MailMost businesses don’t struggle because of a lack of talent.They struggle because leaders become the center of every decision. 👀In this episode of Pull the Chute Podcast, Carol Schultz breaks down:✨ Why CEOs need a Chief of Staff✨ The hidden communication gaps killing team performance✨ Why founders get stuck in operations✨ The real reason hiring keeps failingOne quote that stood out:“Communication is the lowest common denominator around a company’s success or failure.”If your team feels misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck — this episode is worth the listen.

June 12, 2026Episode 5734 min

Your Team Doesn’t Need Another Boss. They Need a Leader Who Understands Them Featuring Preston Zeller

Send us Fan MailMost leaders focus on performance. Great leaders focus on people.One of the biggest takeaways from this podcast episode? Empathy isn’t soft — it’s strategic.When leaders take time to understand their team beyond the job title, everything changes:✔️ Trust improves✔️ Communication gets stronger✔️ Teams become more engaged✔️ People actually feel like they belongSometimes, leadership starts with something as simple as asking:“How are you really doing?”Because people don’t want to feel managed.They want to feel understood.

June 10, 2026Episode 5630 min

5 hard truths entrepreneurs NEED to hear from someone who built a $190M company by age 33 Featuring Garren Hilow

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to build a successful business? 👀In our latest podcast episode, entrepreneur Garren Hilow shares the lessons behind building and selling a company for $190M at just 33 years old — and spoiler alert: success isn’t just about having a good idea.Some of the biggest takeaways:✅ Start with solving a problem, not just a cool idea✅ Don’t build a business that only works when YOU work✅ Protect your control when growing your business✅ Success means being rich in more than just moneyOne line that stood out:“You’re only capable of what you think you can do — or less.”If you’re dreaming about starting a business, growing one, or simply taking control of your future, this episode is packed with real talk and practical lessons.

June 8, 2026Episode 5527 min

95% OF BUSINESS PROBLEMS AREN’T PEOPLE PROBLEMS. They’re PROCESS problems Featuring Kasandra Murray

Send us Fan MailWhat if the biggest problem in your business… isn’t your people?In this podcast episode, business consultant Kasandra Murray shared a powerful perspective:95% of business issues are process-related—not people-related.Instead of asking:❌ “Who made the mistake?”Ask:✅ “What process failed?”Because when systems are unclear, training is inconsistent, and communication is fragmented, even great employees struggle.One of the biggest takeaways?✨ Marketing can bring people in—but operations determine whether they stay.As Kasandra said:“Marketing talks the talk. Operations walk the walk.”If your business feels like constant firefighting 🔥, high turnover, or daily chaos, it might be time to pause and evaluate your systems.

June 5, 2026Episode 5434 min

AI Isn’t Replacing You… But Someone Using AI Might Featuring Kevin Surace

Send us Fan MailAI isn’t coming — it’s already here. 🤖One of the biggest mindset shifts from this podcast episode?The future isn’t about AI replacing humans. It’s about humans learning where they add the most value.Instead of spending hours on repetitive work, AI can help us move faster — giving us more time for strategy, creativity, leadership, and better decision-making.A powerful reminder from the conversation:💬 “Stop doing the things you no longer add value to.”Whether you’re a business owner, leader, creative, or employee — the real question is:Are you learning how to work WITH AI?

June 3, 2026Episode 5330 min

Want to Write a Book? Here’s What Nobody Tells You Featuring Julie Trelstad

Send us Fan MailWhat if writing a book could transform your brand?In this episode, publishing expert Julie Trelstad shares how the world of books has completely changed—from traditional publishing to personal branding and AI-powered writing.Here’s the reality:📚 You no longer need to be a “professional author” to write a book.Today, books are helping business owners, coaches, leaders, and entrepreneurs:✨ Build credibility✨ Grow their audience✨ Share expertise✨ Create new opportunitiesOne surprising stat?😳 More than 4,000 books are published every week.So how do you stand out?👉 Build your niche.👉 Own your story.👉 Create for YOUR audience.And yes… we talked about AI too 👀The future isn’t AI replacing humans.It’s humans learning how to use AI better.

June 1, 2026Episode 5226 min

Scaling a Business? Here’s What Most Companies Get WRONG Featuring Ivan Gekht

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to build a company that lasts?In this episode, tech CEO Ivan Gett shares powerful insights from 25+ years of scaling, leading remote teams, maintaining culture, and adapting to AI.Here’s one big takeaway:💡 Culture isn’t what you SAY—it’s what you tolerate.We also talked about:✅ The hidden challenges of scaling a company✅ How remote teams can stay connected✅ Why communication matters more than ever✅ The truth about AI in businessOne quote that stood out:🗣️ “Communicate in a way that cannot be understood wrong.”If you're a leader, entrepreneur, or business owner, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom.

April 29, 2026Episode 5130 min

Beyond the Title: The Best Leaders Don’t Need to Be Loud—They Need to Be Steady Featuring Emily Schwartz

Send us Fan MailSome of the strongest leaders aren’t the loudest in the room—they’re the steadiest.In this episode of Beyond the Title, Emily Schwartz of Operation Gratitude shared how purpose-driven leadership creates trust, builds culture, and inspires people to serve something bigger than themselves.One line stood out:People don’t need certainty from a leader. They need steadiness.That means showing up with honesty, compassion, and clarity—even when the path ahead isn’t fully visible.If you lead a team, ask yourself:Are people around me feeling seen, heard, and valued?Because great leadership starts there.

April 29, 2026Episode 5024 min

Beyond The Title: Sometimes The Best Leaders Are The Ones Still Learning Featuring Mike Krupit

Send us Fan MailGreat leaders aren’t born knowing everything—they grow through mistakes, reflection, and experience.In this episode of Beyond the Title, Mike Krupit shared how his journey from tech startups to leadership coaching taught him that managing systems is easy… but leading people takes empathy, patience, and continuous learning.The strongest leaders create environments where people feel safe to grow, fail, and improve.If you’re leading a team right now, remember this:You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be coachable.Guest Bio:Mike Krupit is the founder and CEO of Trajectify, where he helps growth-stage technology, manufacturing, and professional services companies bridge the gap between early success and scalable leadership. With more than 30 years of experience as a CTO, COO, and CEO, Mike has led organizations through rapid growth, IPOs, M&As, and even bankruptcies—giving him rare, real-world insight into what actually works when the stakes are high. Known for his practical, candid approach, he helps founders and CEOs build courage, align their organizations, and unlock momentum from the inside out. mike@trajectify.com or https://www.trajectify.com/.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrupit/.

April 29, 2026Episode 4932 min

Want to Write a Book… But Don’t Know Where to Start? Featuring Kevin Anderson

Send us Fan MailEveryone says they want to write a book… but most people don’t know where to begin.The truth? Writing a great book isn’t just about typing words—it’s about clarity, strategy, and telling your story in a way people connect with.A book can position you as an authority, grow your brand, and open new opportunities. But the most powerful books still come from something AI can’t fully replicate: your authentic voice.If you’ve ever thought about writing one, maybe this is your sign to start.