Closing the Gap: Why family members do not see things the same way and what to do about it.
The Secret Thoughts of CEO's Podcast
Release Date: 08/12/2024
The Secret Thoughts of CEO's Podcast
Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 142 The Art of Transitions, Maintaining Harmony, and Heritage with Scott Anderson In this deeply revealing episode, Chris Yonker sits down with Scott Anderson, founder and CEO of Doubledare Executive Coaching and a licensed mental health therapist, to unpack the silent epidemic of burnout among entrepreneurs and executives. With personal experience as a serial entrepreneur and trauma-informed therapist, Scott shares the real definition of burnout, why high performers are most susceptible to it, and how to reverse it—quickly and permanently. They explore the...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 141 Balancing Boardrooms and Bedrooms - When You and Your Spouse are in a Family Business Together With Gabriela Embon In this powerful and practical episode, Chris Yonker is joined by transformational coach and author Gabriela Embon to explore what it really takes to sustain a legendary marriage—especially when love and business intertwine. Gabriela shares insights from her journey from engineer to relationship strategist and introduces the Four Pillars of Legendary Marriage from her book Becoming a Power Couple. Together, they dive into boundaries,...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 140 Succession without Sabotage: How to Pass the Baton and Protect Your Culture with Andy Busser In this high-level conversation, Chris Yonker interviews Andy Busser, President and CEO of Pitcairn, a multi-family office with a deep legacy of serving ultra-wealthy families. Together, they unpack what it means to lead a family-owned enterprise, especially as a non-family CEO, and how modern governance, culture, and communication influence business longevity. Andy shares strategic insights and lived experience from both inside and outside the boardroom,...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 139 Leadership Evolution & Strategy with Nicole Van Valen In this inspiring and energizing conversation, Chris Yonker sits down with resilience strategist, author, and former NFL and NBA dancer Nicole Van Valen to explore the real ingredients behind sustainable leadership. From burnout recovery to joyful performance, Nicole shares how leaders can build emotional and strategic resilience in today’s fast-paced business world. They also dive into generational shifts in the workplace, the role of joy in high-performance leadership, and how managers can meet...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 138 Self Awareness & Emotional Intelligence with Stephanie Chung In this electric and eye-opening episode, Chris Yonker sits down with aviation pioneer and leadership strategist Stephanie Chung to unpack what it truly takes to lead in today’s world of diverse teams, generational differences, and ever-shifting business landscapes. Stephanie, the first African American president of a private aviation company in the U.S. and former CGO of Wheels Up, blends boardroom brilliance with neuroscience-backed leadership insight. From building trust through body...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 137 Succession Beyond the Transition: Gaining confidence while strengthening leadership and family relationships with Kristi Baxter In this masterclass-style episode, Chris Yonker and Kristi Baxter deliver a powerful, holistic perspective on the complex realities of succession planning. With decades of experience working with privately held and family-owned businesses—from $1M operations to $10B enterprises—Chris and Kristi unpack the emotional, strategic, and structural dimensions of continuity planning. This session goes far beyond strategy and legal...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 136 What if growth isn't the goal? with Perrin DesPortes In this deeply reflective and energizing episode, Chris Yonker and Perrin DesPortes engage in a rare bidirectional dialogue, unpacking the hidden costs of ambition, the personal reckoning that comes with burnout, and the awakening that’s possible when business success is aligned with inner fulfillment. Perrin, founder of The Next Level Executive, shares his evolution from a high-powered career in dental distribution and M&A to building a purpose-driven coaching practice for healthcare...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 135 Legacy in Limbo: Why So Many Leaders Avoid Succession Planning with Dr. Mohanakrishnan Raman In this eye-opening episode, host Chris Yonker speaks with Dr. Mohanakrishnan Raman, an organizational psychologist and international expert on family business dynamics. With decades of experience consulting Indian family enterprises, Dr. Raman shares how cultural norms, succession planning, and next-gen development intersect in often overlooked ways. The conversation touches on Indian traditions, evolving gender roles, leadership readiness, and the...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 134 Navigating Change: Insights for Family Business Leaders with Dr. Barrett C. Brown In this powerful episode, Chris Yonker is joined by global executive advisor and developmental strategist, Dr. Barrett Brown, for a profound and eye-opening conversation about what it really takes to lead in today’s ever-accelerating world. With experience working across six continents and coaching C-suite executives through high-stakes transformation, Dr. Brown brings hard-earned wisdom about the inner capacities required for high-impact, conscious leadership. ...
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Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 133 Navigating Legacy and Wealth in Family Business with Jason Smith In this powerful episode, host Chris Yonker sits down with Jason L Smith, founder of JL Smith Group, author of The Bucket Plan, and a nationally recognized financial advisor. Jason opens up about being fired by his own father, building a purpose-driven business from the ground up, and the holistic philosophy that now guides his wealth management firm—which oversees more than $4 billion in assets. Jason also shares deeply personal stories about resilience, raising grounded kids, and how...
info_outlineWith a unique background in finance and mediation, coupled with a passion for culture and education, Monica has traveled the globe extensively – exploring all opportunities to continuously enhance her skill set and personal growth. Around the world, she has had the good fortune to learn from some of the most renowned names in her field.
Having previously worked in accounting and finance with corporate giants, Coopers and Lybrand (now PwC), and Rogers Cablesystems, Monica’s initial foray into business began with her family’s manufacturing company – Balthes Farm Equipment. Growing up in a family business, Monica learned the importance of family values, vision, passion, and commitment. This early imprinting ultimately led to her lifetime quest to understand best practices in business and communication skills, and how to live a happy life.
Many years later, she went through the business transition process with her own parents’ company, Kooljet Refrigeration Systems. This experience gave her first-hand knowledge about the complexities of family business systems and how challenging that transition can be.
Monica’s dedication to helping individuals and businesses reach their potential inspires her to work with companies ready to transform their corporate culture. Her experience, coupled with her holistic view of relationship management, supports her clients’ commitment to clarify their objectives and create a profitable, harmonious, and sustainable future.
Monica received most of her formal education in Canada, completing her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Western Ontario. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, a Certified Management Accountant in Ontario, Canada, and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Schulich School of Business at York University. In addition, Ms. Clare holds a diploma in International Studies from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Austria, and studied Modern World Systems and Comparative Political Economy with California Polytechnic State University in Thailand. She has recently obtained her FEA (Family Enterprise Advisor) certification with the FEX (Family Enterprise Exchange).
While living in Europe for 20 years, Monica also accepted invitations to instruct college and university courses.
What You’ll Learn
● How to resolve differences in perspectives.
● How ego affects decision-making.
● How to face the fear of conflict.
● How to unfreeze the lens around trauma.
Timestamps
· [09:13] A bit about Monica.
· [11:13] Defining conflict.
· [13:12] Differing family perspectives.
· [15:15] How the ego affects decision-making.
· [22:34] How to face the fear of conflict.
· [26:33] Strategic vs soft skills.
· [30:48] Helping someone understand a different perspective.
· [37:37] The epigenetic factor.
· [41:31] Freezing people in time.
· [49:48] The next executive forum.
Memorable Quotes
· “The information that you have determines how you make your decisions.” – Monica Clare [14:18]
· “There is an intuitive aspect of our decision-making.” – Monica Clare [29:28]
· “That’s just the way they see things right now.” – Monica Clare [46:16]
Websites