Peak Presence: Leadership Origin Stories

About Peak Presence: Leadership Origin Stories

Most people see the title, the success, and the highlight reel. What they don’t see is what it actually took to become that person. The pressure, the doubt, the setbacks, and the moments that quietly changed everything. This podcast goes deeper into those stories. Each episode features real conversations with leaders across healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond, including CDMO executives, operators, surgeons, and builders who have lived it. These are not surface-level interviews. They are honest, human conversations about the experiences that shape leadership over time. We explore the defining moments in their journeys, the failures no one talks about, and how they navigated uncertainty, growth, and responsibility. More importantly, we talk about the role of presence. Not just performance, not just results, but the internal shift that allows people to lead with clarity, resilience, and intention. This is not a podcast about perfect careers or polished answers. It is about becoming. It is about understanding that leadership is not something you arrive at, but something you grow into through experience, reflection, and action. If you are building something, leading people, or trying to figure out who you are in the process, you are in the right place.

Publisher

TJ Wallenhorst

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Apr 2026

Latest episode

8 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Aug 2026

   What a Dollar-Store Christmas Revealed About Resilience with James Porter

   Positivity, resilience, and the habits that turn hard starts into leadership. James Porter, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Beacon MedTech Solutions, shares how a childhood marked by constant moves, a single mom working nurse shifts, and early lessons in survival shaped the way he leads, learns, and lives today. James opens up about the teacher who changed his Thanksgiving, the military experience that gave him structure, and the career pivots that took him from technical hands-on w...

2. 

   1 Aug 2026

   From Fax Machine to CEO — Tobe Allenbrand on Failure, Mentors, and Building in Manufacturing

   How do you go from sending faxes in 1993 to running a manufacturing rollup in 2026? That's the thread I pulled on with Tobe Allenbrand, CEO and President of Langdale Holdings. Tobe came up in sales the same way a lot of us did, trying anything and everything to get noticed (his fax campaign story is worth the listen alone). Over the years that turned into a career built almost entirely on relationships, learning, and a refusal to treat problems as failures. We get into a lot in this one: why ...

3. 

   12 Jul 2026

   Fires, Firings, and Coming Back: 26 Years of Resilience with Mike Nelligan

   Unlock the mindset that turned a spontaneous choice into a 26-year career of independence, resilience, and growth. Mike Nelligan, a veteran in med device sales and founder of Marathon Medical, reveals the counterintuitive wisdom behind embracing risk, rejection, and living life fully no matter the setbacks. In this episode, Mike shares how betting on himself, rather than relying solely on corporate stability, created a safer, more flexible future. You’ll discover how his strategic actions lik...

4. 

   6 Jun 2026

   One Word for Leadership: Helper | Jeremy Horton, CEO of Avera Packaging

   In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Horton, CEO of Avera Packaging, to discuss his leadership journey and the philosophy that has shaped his career. Jeremy believes the role of a leader is simple: remove barriers so others can succeed. In fact, when asked to describe a CEO in one word, his answer was "helper." We discuss servant leadership, humility, the willingness to ask for help, and why Jeremy believes the best organizations are built on trust and empowerment rather than hierarchy. He...

5. 

   25 May 2026

   Leadership in Medical Device Starts with the Team | Rom Mendel, CEO of Optinova Group

   In this episode of Peak Presence, I sit down with Rom Mendel, CEO of Optinova Group, for a conversation on leadership, growth, and the inner work required to lead at a high level. We explore the role fear, insecurity, and ego play in leadership and why the best leaders ultimately make it about the team, not themselves. Ram shares insights from leading a global medical device manufacturing organization, including how to balance long term vision and structure with the ability to stay present an...

6. 

   9 May 2026

   Why failure and rejection are the pathway to success | Andrea Waltz

   In this episode of Peak Presence Leadership Origin Stories, I sit down with bestselling author Andrea Waltz, co-author of Go for No. We talk about: • Embracing rejection instead of fearing it • Dealing with the inner critic • Taking action before you feel ready • Why failure is often the path to growth • Building resilience in sales, leadership, and life • Reframing “no” as part of the process instead of proof you’re not enough A powerful conversation about courage, mindset, and continuing to...

7. 

   3 May 2026

   The Truth About Value, Service, and Authentic Leadership | Bob Burg

   In this episode, we dive into what it really means to lead with authenticity, create value, and serve others at a high level. We explore the difference between price and value, why service is at the core of meaningful leadership, and how small, intentional actions can create a lasting impact. There is also a powerful reflection inspired by Michael A. Singer on how each moment can leave things a little better than we found them. If you are focused on growth, leadership, and showing up in...

8. 

   20 Apr 2026

   Eric Hubbard on Faith, Relationships, and Service in Leadership

   Eric Hubbard joins the podcast for a thoughtful conversation on faith, relationships, and service in leadership. We discuss the role values play in guiding leaders, the power of authentic relationships, and why service remains one of the most effective leadership principles.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.