Dr. Cindy McGovern (see her bio below) doesn’t just teach sales; she redefines it. Known as the “First Lady of Sales,” Dr. Cindy brings her signature energy and insight to The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends with one simple truth: “Sales is not a business or soft skill. Sales is a life skill.”

From classrooms to boardrooms, Dr. Cindy has helped people embrace their inner salesperson to get more of what they want in both life and work. Whether you're asking for a raise, pitching a project, or negotiating with your teenager, the skills of great salespeople are already in your toolbox; you just haven’t been calling it “sales.”

She shares how her five-step formula makes selling feel authentic, actionable, and even fun. You’ll hear why she says “Learning to sell will change your life,” how curiosity beats pushiness (“ABC: Always Be Curious”), and why her mission is to help the world reclaim sales as a human, everyday superpower.

Get ready to shift your mindset, sharpen your communication, and rethink what it really means to “sell” yourself—with purpose, confidence, and clarity.

Marc Shaffer returns for round four of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere, the recurring happy hour-style Special Edition of The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends. It’s the kind of conversation that flows between business, family, books, and community, with a splash of margarita-shirt energy.

Marc opens up about how becoming a dad to two young children has transformed the way he works, delegates, and protects his time. He also shares reflections from The Five Regrets of the Dying and how that book is shaping both his life and leadership philosophy.

Jeff talks about Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be, a powerful little book by Steven Pressfield (author of The War of Art, Do the Work, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, and many others). Jeff also shares what it meant to be a guest on Rounding the Bases, the long-running podcast hosted by Kansas City’s own "Podfather," Joel Goldberg.

This episode covers the generational challenges facing today’s leaders, the value of scheduling emails, and the importance of showing up for yourself and your community. Whether you're tuning in from your desk, your deck, or the “water gym,” one thing’s for sure: it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.

Christal Watson (see her bio below) has spent her entire career guided by one mission: To be in a position of influence so I can be a voice for those who don't have one. That mission has shaped every role she’s taken on—from championing students in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools to revitalizing the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce into a powerhouse for minority-owned businesses.

Now, with more than two decades of impact behind her, Christal is stepping into her boldest chapter yet: running for Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.

This conversation uncovers how her deep roots in education, workforce development, and public service have prepared her to lead with both vision and compassion. Christal shares how her upbringing shaped her purpose, why she never lets fear override faith, and how leadership means lifting others, especially when the system doesn’t see them.

From boardrooms to classrooms to city hall, Christal Watson’s story is one of grit, grace, and unshakable commitment to community.

In this Special Edition of The Corporate Couch, Greg Deitch (CEO) and Jeremy Stephens (President) of Fluent Consultants demystify how small and mid-sized businesses can harness AI to boost efficiency, cut costs, and stay competitive without needing a tech army or Silicon Valley budget.

Greg and Jeremy break down how AI is moving from trend to tool, and why now is the time for growing companies to experiment with automation, language models, and data-driven insights. From double-checking invoice entries to transforming customer support and HR workflows, they offer real-world examples that are achievable (and affordable).

We also delve into the differences between personal and enterprise AI tools, why the “garbage in, garbage out” principle remains applicable, and what every CEO needs to know about security, data ownership, and scaling responsibly. Whether you're AI-curious or already testing use cases, this conversation will help you find your first step and avoid being left behind.

Dr. Victoria Farris (see her bio below) traded a tenured track in academia for the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. As a transformational leadership strategist, she now helps business leaders foster high-trust, inclusive workplaces where people want to show up and contribute.

Our conversation explores the modern leader’s reality: managing five generations in the workplace, each with their own expectations, communication styles, and values. Victoria breaks down how trust isn’t built through perks or policies, but through presence, accountability, allyship, and the courage to challenge outdated assumptions. We unpack how self-awareness and inclusive supervision go hand in hand, why feedback is a two-way street, and what it means to lead with clarity in a world that is constantly changing.

Whether you lead a startup team or a global enterprise, Victoria’s insights will shift how you think about leadership, culture, and what it truly means to belong.

Fiona Lin (see her bio below) brings a global lens to leadership, starting with her childhood in southern China and leading to her rise as a business transformation expert in the U.S. As the first guest on the podcast born and raised in China, Fiona shares how growing up without toys or pets (and carving fish with friends in the river) shaped her creativity, resilience, and lifelong love of learning.

We explore Fiona’s evolution from English teacher to COO, her passion for aligning strategy and execution, and why she believes every transformation begins with listening to people first. Whether she’s navigating global supply chains, implementing enterprise systems, or helping a founder scale with purpose, Fiona makes the complex feel human and actionable. You'll hear how she connects the dots between operations, technology, and empathy—and how her concept of the “organizational quarterback” helps bridge the gap between vision and results.

Mary-Catherine “M-C” Reinert (see her bio below) isn’t just a brand strategist, she’s a force of nature. In this episode of The Corporate Couch, M-C shares her journey from a quiet, science-loving kid from Kansas City to the founder of Fortissima, a bold branding and marketing firm whose name (Italian for “very loud”) reflects both her fierce personality and her Sicilian roots.

M-C opens up about the lessons she learned in the family restaurant, the middle school teacher who helped her find her voice, and why she borrowed a friend’s art portfolio to break into design school. We talk about how she transitioned from designing corrugated boxes to launching a strategy-driven agency that fuses data, design, and authenticity.

You’ll hear how M-C's “DIVA mindset” helps clients stop overcomplicating their marketing and start showing up with clarity and confidence. This conversation is a mix of guts, grit, and the debate of "sauce" vs. gravy", with powerful lessons for anyone looking to make their brand (and their voice) impossible to ignore.

This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.

About M-C: Raising the standard of industry norms and practices, Mary-Catherine Reinert (M-C) injects provoking thought leadership, knowledge, and tales from the trenches in all things strategy, branding, business positioning, and marketing alignment. The journey has taken her from a corrugated packaging designer to a luxury bespoke designer to now, a brand strategist and Founder of Fortissima.

With a sole focus on boutique hospitality and luxury lifestyle brands, her well-curated sensorial marketing experiences have elevated hundreds of brands to live louder, strategize more efficient business practices, and deepen their connection with their guests, clients, and customers!

Once you become connected to M-C and the truth of who you are, as a person, founder, brand, business, or marketer — you become Fortissima: confident, proud, and extremely loud! At the end of the day, if you have a passion and begin to take action in changing the way you do, say, create, and present things — this will begin to change the world around you.

In this third Special Edition of It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Marc Shaffer and I enhance our usual conversation by doing what any good happy hour calls for: sipping a cold beer. From deep work strategies and smart calendar hacks to journaling habits and our favorite recent reads, this episode is packed with personal insights and practical takeaways.

We also swap stories about standout people we’ve recently met, the power of connecting others, and the local causes we’re proud to support. It’s a relaxed and real look at what’s working in our lives—and how sharing ideas over a beer can lead to better thinking, better planning, and better community.