In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Rick Lindquist sits down with Yeshwanth Pulijala, co-founder and CEO of Scalpel AI, and Julian Castelli, operating partner at Mercia Ventures.

Scalpel AI is transforming the surgical supply chain using computer vision to ensure every operating room has the right instruments at the right time.

Yeshwanth shares how Scalpel is tackling inefficiencies that have existed for decades in surgical logistics, saving hospitals time and money while improving patient outcomes.

Julian discusses how he supports founders like Yeshwanth as an operating partner, helping them navigate U.S. expansion, build stronger teams, and scale operations with structure and speed.

Together, they break down what makes the partnership between investors and founders work, from trust and transparency to clear priorities and shared accountability. Yeshwanth explains how working with Julian helped Scalpel strengthen hiring, finance, and go-to-market execution as the company accelerates growth in the U.S.

If you are interested in how AI, partnership, and operational expertise can turn complex challenges into scalable solutions, this episode offers a practical look at the power of collaboration between founders and operating partners.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Andy Barraclough, founder and CEO of Voxpopme, and Betsy Shaak, the company’s VP of Product.

Voxpopme is an AI-powered qualitative insights platform that helps brands understand customers through video, turning everyday conversations into powerful data.

Andy and Betsy share how they are transforming traditional market research, once dominated by slow, expensive focus groups, into fast, scalable, and human-centered insights powered by AI.

They explain how the platform lets companies capture real customer voices, run research in minutes instead of months, and surface insights that drive better product decisions.

The conversation also dives into the art of building great products. Andy and Betsy reveal how their product team works closely with engineering and customers, balancing founder intuition with data-driven discovery. They discuss trust, rapid prototyping, prioritization, and how AI is changing what is possible for both product teams and researchers.

If you are interested in how technology, empathy, and speed are reshaping customer understanding, this episode is packed with lessons from two leaders building the future of product insight.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Justin Nassiri, founder and CEO of Executive Presence and a former Navy officer, McKinsey consultant, and serial entrepreneur. Justin shares how he helps CEOs and executives build credibility and influence on LinkedIn.

He explains why LinkedIn has become the most powerful platform for business leaders. He shares how executives can overcome the fear of posting, shift from self-promotion to education, and use storytelling to engage their audience. Julian and Justin discuss the data behind what actually works on LinkedIn, how to turn interviews into high-performing content, and why consistency matters more than perfection.

They also explore Justin’s journey from submarine officer to Silicon Valley founder to leadership advisor, the lessons he learned about timing, product market fit, and the mindset that separates successful entrepreneurs from struggling ones.

If you’ve ever wondered how top executives use LinkedIn to grow their brand, attract opportunities, and inspire their teams, this episode breaks it all down.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Park City High School head football coach Josh Montzingo to unpack the leadership journey behind one of Utah’s most inspiring sports turnarounds.

Coach Montzingo reflects on his experience transforming a struggling high school football team through character development, cultural alignment, and meaningful relationships.

He also explains how mentorship, fundraising, delegation, and personal growth shaped his philosophy and how he guided a high-school football team and its leadership council to redefine their values in pursuing lasting success .

The episode covers parallels between coaching and corporate leadership, how to scale with limited resources, and the mindset needed to do hard things as a team or community.

This podcast gives valuable lessons and insights to those who are leading a startup or sports team.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Explore expert insights, practical strategies, and powerful tools to elevate your impact in business.

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

Let’s grow together!

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks about annual planning with Gord Boyce, a veteran tech CEO and EOS implementer, and Keziah Wonstolen, founder and CEO of Vannin Chief of Staff, an award-winning entrepreneur and former Accenture Chief of Staff.

They share why most companies start planning too late and how shifting the process earlier can set your team up for success.

Gord explains how EOS tools like vision building, rocks, and Level 10 meetings turn strategy into action. Keziah highlights the role of a chief of staff in keeping the process on track, aligning teams, and ensuring consistent communication.

You’ll hear practical tips on retrospectives, top-down and bottom-up planning, quarterly reviews, and how to keep your plan simple and achievable. They also reveal the pitfalls of big-enterprise planning and how to adapt in today’s remote, fast-paced work environment.

So, If annual planning feels overwhelming or messy, this episode will give you a clear playbook to simplify the process, align your team, and make strategy execution part of your culture.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli reveals how to turn your weekly executive meetings into something that actually drives results.

He highlights a harsh reality: executive meetings are among the most costly hours a company spends, yet they are so often neglected.

Julian shares a simple framework to change that:

Start with vision and values, so it sets the tone and reminds everyone why they’re there. Keep updates short and to the point, no rambling. Got a big issue that’s going to eat up time? Toss it into the “parking lot” and come back to it later, without derailing the whole meeting.

He also digs into the prep work that makes all the difference, like how shared docs keep everyone aligned and why assigning clear roles keeps things moving.

So, if your meetings drag on, feel messy, or end without clear action steps, this episode will give you the reset you’ve been waiting for.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

Let’s grow together!

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Dave Garrison, co-founder and Chief Navigation Officer of Garrison Growth and author of The Buy-In Advantage.

Dave shares how great leaders inspire real commitment from their teams instead of just compliance. He explains why so many employees are disengaged and how leaders can create a culture where people care deeply about their work.

Dave and Julian discuss simple, practical tools from his book, including the “collective genius” process that helps teams make smarter decisions together, and the “three is greater than seven” rule that keeps priorities clear and achievable.

Dave also shares how a surprising conversation with a shaman changed his view of leadership, purpose, and success. They explore how defining purpose and values can improve hiring, lower turnover, and boost profits by building genuine buy-in across the company.

The conversation is full of lessons for CEOs, executives, and anyone who wants to lead with purpose and unlock their team’s potential.

If you want to elevate engagement, improve alignment, and help your people thrive, this episode will show you how.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli is joined by Larry Mathis, former CEO of Houston Methodist and author of Mathis Maxims: Lessons in Leadership.

Larry reflects on his journey leading one of the world’s top medical centers through a cultural transformation rooted in service, accountability, and integrity.

He shares candid stories that shaped his leadership philosophy including how he built a high-performance executive team, led billion-dollar growth, and even paddled a canoe through a Houston flood to lead by example.

He also discusses the importance of empowering employees, thinking long-term, and why “the troops eat first” applies just as much in healthcare as it does in the military.

This conversation offers enduring principles for leadership with purpose and the humility to keep learning at every stage.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Explore expert insights, practical strategies, and powerful tools to elevate your impact in business.

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

Let’s grow together!