21 Min CxO- Gen. Kevin "Chili" Chilton
CXO Conversations
In “General Kevin ‘Chili’ Chilton, Board Member, Astronaut and Flying the Space Shuttle,” shares lessons from his extraordinary 34½ years in the U.S. Air Force and his successful transition into corporate leadership. On this episode of CXO Conversations, Chili reflects on problem-solving and leadership training, the astronaut band Max Q, and the experience of flying three space shuttle missions. From serving as Deputy Program Manager of Operations for the International Space Station to becoming the only astronaut to achieve the rank of 4-star General, Chili’s story is a powerful...
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2 Min CxO Clip- David Cox
CXO Conversations
What does it take to transform one of the world’s most respected publications without losing its identity? In this episode of CXO Conversations, David Cox discusses his 14 years at The Economist, including his role as CFO and COO, where he spearheaded the company’s global shift from print to digital and live events. He explains how he balanced editorial independence with client demands, why pricing digital at the same level as print was a pivotal decision, and what he learned about storytelling, teamwork, and leading large-scale transformation. David’s lessons remain invaluable for...
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10 Min CxO Clip- David Cox
CXO Conversations
In “Leading an Iconic Brand Through a Global Transformation,” former CFO of The Economist, shares how he helped guide the publication through its bold shift from weekly print to a digital-first and live events model. On this episode of CXO Conversations, David reflects on early digital adoption, the value of listening to clients, and how consultative selling reshaped the way advertisers and subscribers engaged with the brand. From launching Economist Espresso to hosting government roundtables across the globe, David’s story is a playbook for executives leading organizations through...
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2 Min CxO Clip- Jack Blaha
CXO Conversations
What does it take to go from West Point to the corner office? In this episode of CXO Conversations, Jack Blaha, CEO of Cendyn, opens up about his path from Army officer to five-time SaaS CEO and the lessons he’s learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability, continuous leadership development, and building a strong professional network, while sharing strategies for excelling in current roles and preparing for future opportunities. For aspiring and current leaders alike, Jack offers practical insights on team building, mentorship, and how presence and emotional...
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10 Min CxO Clip- Jack Blaha
CXO Conversations
In “West Point to CEO,” , CEO of Cendyn, shares his remarkable journey from Army veteran to seasoned executive leading multiple SaaS companies. On this episode of CXO Conversations, Jack reflects on how military-honed adaptability and leadership shaped his transition into the corporate world, from hospitality to social media marketing software. He discusses the impact of emotional intelligence on company culture, the value of mentorship, and the importance of building strong teams—including bringing trusted colleagues to ensure operational success. Jack’s story is a masterclass in...
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2 Min CxO Clip- Laura Ortman
CXO Conversations
What does it take to go from making cold calls to leading a hyperscale data center company powering the cloud? In this episode of CXO Conversations, Laura Ortman, CEO of COLOGIX, shares her journey through pivotal roles across tech, the lessons she carried into the C-suite, and why broad business experience is critical for informed leadership. She reflects on perseverance, mentorship, and transforming challenges into opportunities for growth, while emphasizing the importance of corporate culture, strong networks, and risk-taking. Laura’s story is a masterclass in resilience, relationship...
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10 Min CxO Clip- Laura Ortman
CXO Conversations
In “Leading with Impact: Laura Ortman’s Journey to CEO at COLOGIX,” shares how her career path—spanning Lockheed Martin, Jeppesen, VMware, and Hologic—prepared her to lead North America’s leading network-neutral interconnection and Hyperscale Edge data center company. On this episode of CXO Conversations, she discusses the unique challenges of scaling with private equity partners, her customer experience strategy of listening and rebuilding trust, and how her athletic background shaped her “Together We Win” leadership philosophy. From making cold calls to steering a tech...
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2 Min CxO Clip- Sean Odendahl
CXO Conversations
From Army paratrooper to Chief Transformation Officer, Sean Odendahl’s career path is a masterclass in adaptability and leadership. In this episode of CXO Conversations, discover his lessons on mergers, building high-performing teams, and creating a culture of trust and feedback. For the full interview: https://ocns.co/sean-odendahl-partner-and-chief-transformation-officer/ #mentorship #executiveleadership #careergrowth #careerdevelopment #CXO
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10 Min CxO Clip- Sean Odendahl
CXO Conversations
Mentorship and direct feedback can make or break a career. , Chief Transformation Officer, joins CXO Conversations to discuss how candid conversations, military discipline, and legal expertise shaped his leadership style. A must-listen for executives and future leaders. For the full interview: https://ocns.co/sean-odendahl-partner-and-chief-transformation-officer/ #mentorship #executiveleadership #careergrowth #careerdevelopment #CXO
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2 Min CxO Clip- Rand Lewis
CXO Conversations
What makes a successful executive worth following? In this CXO Conversations episode, Rand Lewis—accomplished investor, co-founder of Delta-v Capital, and former McKinsey consultant—shares lessons from hiring and backing leaders across some of tech’s most recognized companies, including Zayo, Iterable, and Chegg. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, Rand explains the traits he looks for in candidates, why decisiveness and followership matter, and how building authentic relationships is just as important as financial investment. A must-listen for founders, CEOs, and aspiring...
info_outlineBill Wosilius joins the show to discuss matters ranging from declaring your role and how to obtain it, assessing the situation and making hard executive changes, why become a CEO, and how to prepare for it. He has a wealth of advice to share and the experience to back it up; don’t miss this episode.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
After graduating from the U.S. Airforce Academy and serving for eight years, Bill worked for companies such as InFlow, Sunguard, Healthgrades, CoreSite, Optiv, and now NexusTek.
GET IN TOUCH WITH BILL WOSILIUS ON LINKEDIN
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Podfly Productions: Podfly.net
Veterans of Foreign Wars: VFWpost1.org
OC Executive Search: OCExecutiveSearch.com
KEY TAKEAWAYS
[1:52] Michael introduces Bill and asks him to share an interesting tidbit about himself — Bill made a promise to himself that he would run one adventure race a year, every year until he couldn’t.
Bill talks about what NexusTek does and who they are.
ACCIDENTAL CEO [5:55] Bill shares how he came to be a CEO at NexusTek, and shares a few pieces of advice for reaching the C-suite, including avoiding target fixation!
ALL OF IT IS IMPORTANT [9:35] Looking back on what led him to where he is today, Bill shares that every single experience in the last 10 years has contributed to him being an accidental CEO and IT guy.
FIVE FROGS [12:24] Bill shares the story of how he led his first integration and what cascaded from it, including the challenges of merging and integrating the Hatfields and the McCoys!
M&A BACK OFFICE [19:02] Although he wasn’t directly responsible for the back-office functions, Bill did get a chance to see how an M&A affects them. He touches on how important it is to hire strong, competent leaders for each of the functions.
NEWLY MINTED CEO [21:36] Bill describes his first 30, 60, and 120 days at NexusTek. He shares the first four questions he asks:
- What’s working?
- What’s not working?
- What should we start now?
- What should we stop now?
H.A.C. G.A.S. N.A. [24:54] Bill breaks down the acronyms he used to keep himself on track in choosing a team.
HUGE CHESS MOVES [27:36] Within his first 120 days, Bill had brought in — among others — a new CFO, COO, VP of Professional Services and a VP of Integration; he speaks to those decisions.
MANAGEMENT STYLE [30:22] Bill describes his management style, which he’s been both praised and criticized for!
ADVICE FOR ASPIRING CXO’s [32:32] Quit focusing on it! Just do a good job — the best job you ever had is the one you have right now.
HIRING EXECUTIVES [38:34] Bill shares the qualities he looks for when hiring for executive positions. He shares the use of the FORMS acronym.
FINAL THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS [44:38] Bill shares his final advice: every job prepares you in some way; all of them are important. Michael shares his best worst job for the first time!
BEST WORST JOB BILL EVER HAD [46:52] All of them were good: except two where he worked for authoritative micro-managers.
Michael shares his own best worst job for the first time!
MORE FINAL THOUGHTS (as the music plays Bill off the stage!) [49:18] Bill has more invaluable advice to offer.
[50:35] Michael thanks Bill for coming on the podcast to share his insight and closes out the podcast with his favorite takeaways.
We hope you learned something today and enjoyed the conversation. Please give us 5 stars on iTunes and share your comments so we can improve and ask the questions you want to hear.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Five Frogs on a Log: A CEO's Field Guide to Accelerating the Transition in Mergers, Acquisitions & Gut Wrenching Change, by Mark L Feldman and Michael F. Spratt
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Lief Babin
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World,
by Admiral William H. McRaven
SPECIAL THANKS TO