The Gap Between Good and Great Isn't Technical
The Executive Edge
Released May 14, 2026 Episode 233 Fourteen years working with NBA players teaches you something most leadership books miss: the gap between good and great is almost never technical. It's psychological. This week I sit down with — 40+ years coaching elite athletes and business leaders, co-author of an Amazon bestseller with Joe Montana, and author of the new book Embrace Your Inner Coach. Tom’s central argument is deceptively simple: the gap between good and great is almost never technical. It’s psychological. And the tools that work in a locker room work just as well in a boardroom. ...
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Why Your Employer Brand Is Already Defined — Whether You Realise It Or Not
The Executive Edge
Episode 232 Released April 29, 2026 This week on The Executive Edge, I'm joined by , founder of and an employer brand strategist based in Melbourne. Sri works with leaders to close the gap between what their organisation says it stands for — and what talent actually experiences. It's a conversation that will make you look at your hiring process very differently. The big idea: Your employer brand is already being defined — by what you prioritise, what you fund, and what you tolerate. Whether or not you're paying attention to it. Three things that stood out for me: The talent...
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Executive Presence — How to Command, Connect and Close with Dr. Laura Sicola
The Executive Edge
Episode 231 Released April 16, 2026 About this episode You know what you want to say. So why doesn't it land? I'm joined by executive communication expert and author to unpack the real meaning of executive presence — and why it could be the single biggest factor holding talented leaders back. We discuss: The gap between brain and mouth The biggest communication challenge isn't knowledge or expertise — it's the three inches between what you think and what comes out. If your message isn't clear, concise, and compelling to your audience, it doesn't matter how brilliant you are. The Three Cs...
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Breathing Easy: The Antiviral Technology That Could Change the Way You Work and Live
The Executive Edge
Episode 230 Released April 2, 2026 In this episode, I sit down with Gemma Borgert — a medical device specialist with over 20 years of industry experience and a deeply personal reason for championing this technology. Gemma introduces the e4life personal, a groundbreaking portable antiviral device that uses electromagnetic waves to inactivate airborne viruses in real time. Whether you're protecting a vulnerable family member, supporting staff reluctant to return to the office, or simply wanting an extra layer of defence against seasonal illness, this conversation will make you think...
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The Uncertainty Advantage: How Smart Leaders Turn Volatility into Growth
The Executive Edge
Episode 229 Released March 19, 2026 Guest: Rebecca Homkes (Economist, Growth Strategist, Lecturer at London Business School & Duke University) Episode Overview In this episode, I am joined by economist and growth strategist Rebecca Homkes for a conversation about leading through uncertainty. With macro volatility showing no signs of letting up, Rebecca shares a practical, no-nonsense framework for how executives can stop reacting to the noise — and start growing through it. Key Themes & Takeaways Build internal predictability You can't control the macro environment, but...
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Are you coping, surviving — or actually thriving?
The Executive Edge
Episode 228 / Released March 5, 2026 Are you coping, surviving — or actually thriving? In this episode, I talked with , speaker and coach, who has spent over a decade helping leaders build the kind of resilience that lasts. His background spans the NHS, BT, and years of leadership development work — and he brings a refreshingly practical lens to a word that can feel overused: resilience. What We Covered VUCA — and its antidote We unpacked VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) — the environment most of us are operating in right now. Russell introduced me to VUCA Prime: Vision,...
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Act Like an Owner — How Culture Really Gets Built
The Executive Edge
Episode 227 Released February 19, 2026 With Greg Hawks, Corporate Culture Specialist What if the problem with employee engagement isn't the disengaged — it's the people you've been tolerating? That's the starting point for this week's conversation with Greg Hawks, corporate culture specialist, keynote speaker, and author of Act Like an Owner: Five Unlocks for Creating Culture People Love and Results People Need. Greg has spent 15 years helping organisations build environments where people genuinely buy in — and his framework is built around three types of employee. Owners, Renters,...
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Developing a Future-Ready Mindset with Allister Frost
The Executive Edge
Episode 226 Released February 5, 2026 In this episode, Sue Firth talks with about why cultivating a future-ready mindset is essential for leaders navigating constant change—and how to do it without feeling overwhelmed. About Allister Frost Allister spent ten years in traditional manufacturing before joining Microsoft, where Bill Gates' philosophy—"If it works, it's obsolete"—transformed his thinking about innovation. For the past 15 years, he has worked as a consultant, speaker and coach, helping individuals and organisations thrive amid relentless transformation. His mission: to...
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The Leadership We Need - with Maria Brinck
The Executive Edge
Episode 225 Released January 22, 2026 Episode Overview In this episode, I'm joined by , leadership consultant, public speaker, and author of The Leadership We Need. Maria shares her remarkable journey from corporate America to the rainforests of Cameroon, and explains why the leadership models we've relied upon for generations are no longer fit for purpose. This is an essential conversation for any leader ready to challenge conventional thinking and create meaningful, lasting change. About Maria Brinck Maria Brinck is the founder of Zynergy International and a certified StrengthsFinder...
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Selling Your Business: What Nobody Tells You About Letting Go
The Executive Edge
Episode 224 Released January 8, 2026 This week I’m joined by , a fellow Vistage member who’s been on quite a journey – from building a manufacturing business with his brother over nearly two decades, through its sale, to running a funeral director businesses in Kent. through acquisitions, post-acquisition challenges, and the transition out of businesses. What struck me most was James’s honesty about the emotional reality of selling a business. We hear the success stories – the champagne corks, the celebration – but rarely what comes next. James opens up about what he...
info_outlineEpisode 218
Released 2025-10-02
Episode Overview
In this episode of The Executive Edge, host Sue Firth sits down with confidence coach and entrepreneur Tara Lafon Gooch to discuss building authentic confidence, personal branding, and the transformative power of gratitude. Tara shares her journey from corporate burnout to becoming a TEDx speaker, author, and CEO, offering practical strategies for anyone looking to step into their power and purpose.
Key Topics Discussed
From Corporate Success to Personal Fulfillment
- Tara's 2022 turning point as a corporate sales director
- The difference between external success and internal fulfillment
- Recognizing when it's time for transformation
The Foundation of Confidence
- How childhood experiences shape our confidence levels
- The seed analogy: understanding your inherent purpose and potential
- Why external validation isn't enough for lasting confidence
The GRASP Method
- Gratitude: Rewiring your brain and taking control of your internal environment
- Responsibility: Developing an ownership mentality
- Action: Moving from theory to application
- Sight: The power of visualization and seeing your future self
- Purpose: Aligning with your natural strengths and fulfillment
Building Your Personal Brand
- Overcoming the fear of visibility and judgment
- Why consistency matters more than perfection
- The "one moonshot a day" philosophy
The TEDx Journey
- Landing a TEDx talk before publishing her book
- Choosing ideas with global resonance
- How TEDx became a launching pad for bigger opportunities
Practical Takeaways
- Start and end each day with gratitude to bookend your life in thankful acknowledgment
- Use "ninja mindset moves" to interrupt negative thought patterns
- Take one daring action every single day (365 moonshots = guaranteed results)
- Control your internal environment first when external circumstances feel overwhelming
- Remember: You can't be what you can't see—visualization is essential
Key Quotes
"Without that contrast of darkness, it can be hard to appreciate and have perspective," - Tara
"If I was to give you 10 million today but you're not going to wake up tomorrow, you don't care so much about 10 million. Every single day you wake up, you won the lottery." - Tara
"An ounce of doing is worth more than a pound of theorizing." - Wallace D. Wattles
"You can't be what you can't see." - Marian Wright Edelman
"You don't need anybody else; you just need you. You have all the tools and purpose within you already." - Tara
About Tara Lafong Gooch
Tara is a confidence coach, TEDx speaker, author, and CEO of Best Branding Solutions. She helps authors, speakers, and thought leaders build their personal brands through coaching, podcasting, and speaking engagements. Her upcoming book focuses on confidence in leadership, applying the GRASP method to team development.
Connect with Tara
- Website: TaraLaFonGooch.com
- LinkedIn: Available for connection (self-proclaimed frequent user!)
- Social Media: YouTube, Facebook
- Company: Best Branding Solutions
Resources Mentioned
- TEDx Nottingham talk on confidence and gratitude
- Book: How to deliver and market a TEDx talk
- Upcoming book: Confidence in Leadership (using the GRASP method)
- The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (1910)
The Executive Edge provides practical skills you can apply to achieve and maintain success in life and business.