Craig Leach, MBA

Welcome to where transforming companies and careers with precision-tailored executive placements and progressive leadership coaching meets personalized solutions that align with your unique culture and strategic goals. If you're here, you're likely seeking to attract and retain top-tier talent in a competitive market, align leadership teams with corporate strategy and culture, navigate leadership transitions without disrupting operations, and ensure new hires are the right fit for long-term success.

With over 30 years of experience in leading teams, I guide executives from uncertainty and misalignment to building high-performing teams that drive results. Is reducing time spent on recruiting or mis-recruiting on your radar? Do you aspire to increase productivity and performance? If these aspirations resonate, you've found your path.

I blend my diverse skills in negotiation, business planning, operations management, sales, market development, and leadersip with my passion for talent development, crafting strategic solutions that truly represent your organization's needs. This strategy allows you to transform your leadership capital and achieve sustainable success.

My 21st Century technology-influenced approach uses personalized executive search and coaching to create long-term impact that delivers reduced commercial downtime, improved employee retention rates, and reduced overall costs to hire. I empower hiring managers to make confident decisions, so 96% of our placements are still in place after 12 months.

What you can expect:
• Minimized client commercial downtime
• Improved new employee retention rates
• Reduced overall costs to hire

Your outcomes:
• 96% of placements still in place after 12 months
• 94% of placements still in place after 24 months

Embrace a journey that transforms your organization through strategic leadership development and succession planning. Ready to start?

I offer different ways to work with me to suit your budget and needs:
• Retained Search: Exclusive tailored executive search and coaching solutions, best suited for senior leadership positions (C-Suite, VPs, Directors)
• Contingency Search: Exclusive search for technical, sales, and marketing roles
• Executive Coaching: Tailored, one-on-one partnerships to empower leaders and high-potential professionals to maximize performance and achieve personal and organizational goals

Who it's for:
• C-suite executives
• Senior managers
• Emerging leaders
• Professionals transitioning to higher leadership roles

Begin your journey: https://calendly.com/6202205911/30min

President

Craig Leach

The most expensive thing a CEO can have is a recruiter who won't say no.

A Fortune 500 company offered me $75K to find their next CFO.

I walked away.

Not because of the money. Because of what I heard in the boardroom.

"We need someone who can clean house. Fire 30% of finance. No questions."

I asked what was driving the 30% number.

"We promised the board headcount reduction. Easier to hire fresh talent at lower salaries."

They weren't looking for a CFO. They were looking for an executioner.

Their last three CFOs? All lasted under 18 months. Turnover rate? 47%. One former CFO told me they made him fire people who'd been there 20 years—good people—then blamed him when culture imploded.

A "yes" recruiter would have taken that search. Cashed the check. Placed someone. And watched them burn out in a year.

Then done it again. And again.

I offer a 1-year placement guarantee. Risk definitely outweighed the reward.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗲𝘀-𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂:

• The $75K fee—three times over
• Six CFOs in three years
• Stock down 34%
• Glassdoor rating: 2.1 stars
• Every good candidate now knows to stay away

The recruiter fee was never the expense.

The expense was nobody saying: "This isn't a search problem. This is a leadership problem."

After 200+ placements, I've learned this:

The best thing I can do for a client isn't always finding them a candidate.

Sometimes it's telling them they're not ready for one.

They called me unprofessional when I walked away. Threatened to blacklist me.

That was three years ago.

I sleep fine.

Would your recruiter tell you no if you needed to hear it?

I Work with Senior Leaders to Build Teams that Shape the Future | Executive Search | C-Suite | 2x Top Voice

Most leaders misdiagnose their team problems.

They see the same symptoms—low energy, missed deadlines, tension in meetings—and reach for the same fix: motivation.

200+ placements taught me something different.

A stressed team and a checked-out team look almost identical. But they need completely opposite interventions.

𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:

• Small issues trigger big reactions
• People seem on edge, scanning for threats
• Exhaustion that doesn't improve with time off
• They care deeply but can't perform

These people are in survival mode. Their nervous systems are overwhelmed.

𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:

• Flat reactions to good news or bad news
• Minimal effort—just enough to not get fired
• Silence that feels like surrender
• They've stopped caring altogether

These people have emotionally left. Something broke the connection.

Here's why this matters when I evaluate leadership environments:

You can't motivate a dysregulated team. Pep talks and incentives don't work when people are overwhelmed. They need safety first.

You can't regulate a disengaged team. Breathing exercises won't help people who've already checked out. They need honest conversations about what's broken.

Before I place any executive, I look for this:

Does leadership understand the difference between a team that's drowning and a team that's already gone?

The executives who fail often walk into dysregulated environments and push harder. Or they walk into disengaged cultures and try to inspire their way out.

Same symptoms. Wrong diagnosis. Predictable failure.

The executives who last? They read the room before they try to change it.

What's the first thing you look for when assessing a team's health?

I Work with Senior Leaders to Build Teams that Shape the Future | Executive Search | C-Suite | Top Voice 2024 - 2025

Why I Tell Candidates to Negotiate AGAINST Their Own Salary

Most recruiters coach executives to ask for more.

I ask them to argue for less.

Not as a trick. As a test.

200+ placements taught me this pattern:

The executives who can articulate why they might be overpriced are the ones worth every dollar.

Here's what I tell candidates in final rounds:

"Give me three reasons a company shouldn't pay you what you're asking."

The weak candidates freeze. Deflect. Get defensive.

The exceptional ones? They go deep.

"My industry experience is strong, but I've never led a team this size."
"I'm asking for equity I haven't earned yet."
"My last company's brand opened doors—I need to prove I can do it without that."

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀:

• Self-awareness that can't be faked
• Intellectual honesty under pressure
• The ability to see their own blind spots

The executives who can argue against themselves are the ones who won't oversell and underdeliver.

They know what they're worth. And they know what they still need to prove.

I've watched candidates talk themselves into higher offers by being honest about their gaps. Boards respect it. CEOs remember it.

The ones who can't find a single reason they might be overpriced?

They're usually the first to underperform.

Confidence is knowing your value.
Self-awareness is knowing your limits.

The best executives I've placed have both.

Is there a question you ask that reveals more than a resume ever could?

Your LinkedIn headline doesn't matter as much as you think.

Controversial? Maybe. But after 200+ placements, here's the truth:

I spend about 2 seconds on your headline. Then I scroll straight to your experience section.

I've seen candidates with perfectly optimized headlines—all the right keywords, clever formulas, impressive-sounding buzzwords.

Then I look at their actual work. Nothing there.

I've also seen candidates with headlines that just say "CFO" or "VP Operations." No formula. No flair.

But their experience section tells a story. Clear results. Specific impact. A thread I can follow.

Guess which one I call?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲:

• Does your experience section show progression or just job hopping?
• Can I understand what you actually did, or is it buried in jargon?
• Do your results have numbers, or just vague claims?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁:

• Headlines stuffed with buzzwords that mean nothing
• "Thought Leader | Visionary | Change Agent"
• Anything that sounds like marketing copy instead of a person

Here's the uncomfortable truth:

A great headline on an empty profile is like a beautiful cover on a blank book.

And a boring headline on a strong profile? I'll still pick up the phone.

Your headline is the wrapper. Your experience is the product.

Stop optimizing the wrapper. Start building something worth unwrapping.

What's the first thing you actually look at when you review someone's profile?

I Work with Senior Leaders to Build Teams that Shape the Future | Executive Search | C-Suite | Top Voice 2024

Apple Just Created a Head of Executive Retention (And Every Fortune 500 Should Follow)

Most companies treat executive retention like an afterthought.

"We'll worry about keeping them once they're here."

Then their best leaders walk out the door to competitors. And suddenly everyone's scrambling.

Apple just did something different. They created a dedicated role focused entirely on keeping their top executives.

Not recruiting them. Keeping them.

After 200+ placements, I've watched this pattern destroy companies:

They spend $500K finding the perfect CFO.
They spend $0 figuring out how to keep her.
Then they spend $750K finding her replacement 18 months later.

The math never works.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:

The war for executive talent isn't about hiring anymore. It's about holding.

Every Fortune 500 company has recruiters hunting your best people. LinkedIn messages. Competitor calls. PE firms dangling equity.

Your executives aren't wondering if they have options. They're wondering if you're worth staying for.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴:

• They assume compensation is enough
• They ignore the small frustrations that compound
• They wait until the resignation letter to ask what went wrong
• They treat retention as HR's problem instead of a strategic priority

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀:

The cost of losing a great executive isn't the replacement search.

It's watching them build your competitor's empire with your blueprints.

I've placed the same executive three times because their previous bosses didn't understand this. They all called me afterward asking for "another Mike."

They had Mike. They lost Mike. And they still didn't get it.

Creating a Head of Executive Retention sends a message: We're not just investing in finding you. We're investing in keeping you.

That's the difference between companies that build dynasties and companies that build revolving doors.

How is your company thinking about executive retention?

Stop chasing “talent” as if it’s a fixed trait.

Most companies believe talent is something you’re born with. Either you have it, or you don’t.

That’s a myth. Talent isn’t fixed. It’s potential waiting for the right environment.

I’ve seen “average” candidates become legends. I’ve watched “top talent” burn out fast.

The difference? Leadership.

Great leaders don’t just spot talent. They build conditions for it to thrive.

They challenge before people are ready. They see potential others overlook. They push past perceived limits.

The best hires I’ve made weren’t the most credentialed. They were the ones someone believed in.

Talent is everywhere. What’s rare is the environment that unlocks it.

Are you hiring what they’ve done? Or what they could become?

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Most hiring fails for one reason nobody wants to admit.

Companies hire for skills. They should hire for mindset.

200+ placements taught me this pattern:

The candidate with the perfect resume flames out in 8 months. The one with "potential" becomes a company legend.

Skills can be taught. Mindset can't.

I've watched CFOs with flawless credentials crumble under pressure. And I've seen "underqualified" operators build teams that transformed entire divisions.

The difference was never what they knew. It was how they thought.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄:

• Do they take ownership when things break?
• Do they learn from feedback or defend against it?
• Do they lift others up or climb over them?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:

• The "right" certifications
• The prestigious company names
• The polished interview answers

Here's the uncomfortable truth:

You can teach someone your systems. Your processes. Your industry.

You cannot teach someone to care. To persist. To adapt when the playbook stops working.

The executives who last 10 years don't have better skills than the ones who last 18 months.

They have better mindsets.

Your next hire's resume tells you where they've been.

Their mindset tells you where they'll take you.

Which one are you screening for?

6 Principles That Separate Great Hires from Expensive Mistakes

If you're questioning your role at year 4, you're not impatient. You're right on schedule.

Here's what nobody tells executives:

In my experience, average Fortune 500 C-suite tenure often hovers around 5 years. CEO tenure? About 7-8 years.

200+ placements taught me this pattern:

The executives who stay too long aren't loyal. They're on autopilot.

The ones who start asking hard questions at year 3 or 4? They're the ones who end up in their best roles.

I placed a CFO two years ago who almost didn't take my call. She'd been in her role for five years. Good company. Solid performance. But something felt off.

She kept saying, "I should be grateful. It's a great job."

I asked her one question: "When's the last time you were excited about a Monday?"

Silence.

Six months later, she was leading finance at a company twice the size, building something from scratch. She told me recently it was the best decision she almost didn't make.

The signs were all there. She'd just convinced herself to ignore them.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:

• Give yourself permission to evaluate fit (not just performance)
• Revisit the impact you want to have in the next 5–10 years
• Start strengthening your network now, not when you need it

The real risk isn't exploring your next move too early. It's waiting until external forces push you out.

Executive careers are a series of strategic moves. The best leaders know when to make their next one.

When did you know it was time to write your next chapter?

If Your LinkedIn Says "Executive Recruiter" in 2026, You're Leaving Placements on the Table

A candidate asked me something last week that stuck:

"Why should I work with you instead of the 50 other recruiters in my inbox?"

Fair question. I had an answer. Most recruiters don't.

Here's what 200+ placements taught me about positioning:

The generic title is killing your pipeline.

"Executive Recruiter" tells candidates nothing. It tells clients even less. You're competing with thousands of people who have the exact same two words on their profile.

Meanwhile, the recruiters winning the best mandates?

They don't call themselves recruiters at all.

They're "FinTech CFO Specialist." "Private Equity Operating Partner Talent." "Healthcare C-Suite Search."

The shift isn't about being clever. It's about being findable.

When a PE firm needs a portfolio company CEO, they're not searching "executive recruiter." They're searching for someone who understands their world.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸:

• Industry-specific positioning attracts inbound
• Niche expertise commands higher fees
• Candidates trust specialists over generalists
• Clients stop comparing you to commodity recruiters

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹:

• "Full-service" positioning that means nothing
• Trying to be everything to everyone
• Competing on speed instead of insight
• Hiding behind a corporate brand instead of building your own

The recruiters who'll thrive in 2026 won't be the ones with the biggest databases.

They'll be the ones clients and candidates think of first when a specific need arises.

Your title isn't just a label. It's your first pitch.

Make it count.

What does your LinkedIn headline actually say about your expertise? Recruiter or not?

If you're questioning your role at year 4, you're not impatient. You're right on schedule.

Here's what nobody tells executives:

In my experience, average Fortune 500 C-suite tenure often hovers around 5 years. CEO tenure? About 7-8 years.

200+ placements taught me this pattern:

The executives who stay too long aren't loyal. They're on autopilot.

The ones who start asking hard questions at year 3 or 4? They're the ones who end up in their best roles.

I've watched executives ignore the internal signals for years. The role changed. The organization shifted. Their goals evolved. But they kept showing up to the same job.

By the time they finally moved, they'd lost momentum. Lost leverage. Lost options.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:

• Give yourself permission to evaluate fit (not just performance)
• Revisit the impact you want to have in the next 5–10 years
• Start strengthening your network now, not when you need it

The real risk isn't exploring your next move too early. It's waiting until external forces push you out.

Executive careers are a series of strategic moves. The best leaders know when to make their next one.

What's driving your questions – a problem, or a readiness for growth?

I just placed a VP of Technology who never finished college.

She beat out five Ivy League candidates.

Here's why the board chose her:

She taught herself AI, rebuilt her company's entire tech stack, and led a digital transformation that doubled revenue in 18 months.

The others had perfect resumes.

She had proven learning velocity.

This is the shift I'm seeing after 200+ placements:

Skills-based hiring is replacing credential worship.

Boards don't ask "Where did they go to school?" anymore.

They ask "How fast can they learn what we need next?"

The data backs this up:

Skills assessments reduce mis-hires by 88%.
They predict job success better than any CV.

What companies prioritize now:

• Learning agility over tenure
• Digital literacy over job titles
• AI proficiency over degrees
• Pivot speed over pedigree

Our 96% retention rate comes from one philosophy:

Hire for mindset and adaptability.
Train for skills.

The executives thriving today don't have the longest credentials.

They have the sharpest learning curves and measurable impact.

That VP of Technology?

Still crushing it two years later.

Outperforming every "safer" candidate on paper.

Are you still hiring resumes or hiring potential?

The best interview question I've ever asked isn't on any list.

After 200+ placements, I've sat through thousands of interviews. Watched hiring managers ask the same tired questions. Watched candidates deliver the same rehearsed answers.

Everyone's prepared for "Tell me about yourself." Everyone's got a weakness that's secretly a strength.

So I stopped asking what everyone else asks.

Now I ask this:

"Tell me about a time you were wrong about something important, and what it cost you."

Silence. Every time.

Because this question does something the others can't. It forces honesty.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗿:

• Do they own the mistake or blame circumstances?
• Can they quantify the impact or do they minimize it?
• Did they actually learn something or just survive it?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻:

• Candidates who can't answer have never been accountable for anything meaningful
• Candidates who blame others will do the same in your company
• Candidates who get specific and own it? Those are your people

The resume tells you what someone did. The interview tells you who they are.

But only if you ask questions they can't prepare for.

Your best hires won't be the ones with the perfect answers. They'll be the ones who can sit in discomfort and tell you the truth anyway.

What's the one interview question that's revealed the most about a candidate for you?

Most executives ask the wrong question about their career.

"How long can I keep this job?"

That's survival thinking. Not strategy.

Here's what 200+ placements taught me:

The moment you step into a C-suite role, you're on a 3-7 year runway. That's not pessimism. That's the data. Average C-suite tenure hovers around 5 years. CEOs get about 7-8.

The best executives I've placed don't think about how long they can stay. They think about what this chapter will be known for.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿:

• What do I want this chapter to be known for in 3-5 years?
• What needs to be true for me to stay energized here?
• At what point will it be time to design the next move?

High-performing executives treat their career like a portfolio. Regularly reviewed. Intentionally rebalanced. Aligned with where they can create the most value next.

I've watched executives cling to roles that stopped fitting years ago. They weren't loyal. They were comfortable. And comfort has a cost.

The executives who build remarkable careers don't wait for a crisis to reassess. They build reflection into the rhythm of how they lead.

If your current role no longer matches the leader you've become, that's not a problem.

It's your signal.

How often do you step back and evaluate whether your role still fits?

Most companies call me when they're desperate.

CFO just quit. No succession plan. Board meeting in 30 days.

Then they ask: "How fast can you find someone?"

Wrong question.

The right question is: "Why didn't we prepare for this six months ago?"

Here's what reactive hiring actually costs:

• 6-9 months average search timeline under pressure
• $2M+ in lost productivity per vacant C-suite role
• Remaining executives burning out covering gaps
• Strategic initiatives stalled or abandoned
• Competitors poaching your best people during chaos

I've seen it destroy companies.

One client waited until their COO announced retirement. Two weeks notice.

No pipeline. No internal candidates ready. No transition plan.

They promoted someone unprepared. He lasted four months.

Total cost: $3.7M in severance, recruiting fees, and operational disruption.

Compare that to my clients who build partnerships before crisis hits:

We map their leadership bench quarterly.
Identify succession gaps before they're urgent.
Build relationships with potential candidates over time.
Coach internal talent for future roles.

When someone leaves? We're ready in weeks, not months.

One CEO told me: "Craig, having you embedded in our strategy saved us when our CFO got recruited away. We had her replacement starting within 45 days."

The companies crushing it aren't reacting to turnover.

They're anticipating it.

Because in executive search, preparation isn't expensive.

Desperation is.

When's the last time you stress-tested your succession plan?

I've placed 200+ executives.

96% are still there after 12 months.

Here's what separates the ones who thrive from the ones who don't:

It's not credentials.
It's not pedigree.
It's not even experience.

The last five years in executive search taught me retention comes down to three things:

1. Strategic Alignment

The executive's vision must match where the company is actually going.

Not where they say they're going in the job description. Where they're really going.

I've seen brilliant CFOs fail because they were hired to transform, but the board wanted stability. And vice versa.

Misalignment kills placements faster than anything else.

2. Cultural Fit

Skills get you hired. Culture keeps you employed.

An executive can have every qualification on paper and still be gone in six months if they don't fit how the company operates.

I don't mean they need to be best friends with everyone. I mean their leadership style needs to work within the existing culture or have the mandate to change it.

3. Leadership Agility

The ability to adapt when things don't go as planned.

Because they never do.

The executives who last are the ones who can pivot, read the room, and adjust their approach without losing sight of the goal.

They don't need perfect conditions. They create them.

Here's what I've learned:

You can't fake these three things in an interview.

But you can assess for them if you know what to look for.

That's why our placements stick. We don't just match resumes to job descriptions.

We match people to reality.

What do you think matters most for executive retention?

NorthStar Wealth Navigation

You may wonder whether you are saving enough to pay for your home, your kids' education, and your retirement. You might feel nervous that you do not know how to reduce what you owe in taxes, plan for a job loss, or retire at the right time. If any of these financial worries keep you awake at night, you are not alone. 

In my role as Private Wealth Lead Advisor at NorthStar Wealth Navigation, I am deeply committed to the financial well-being and peace of mind of my clients across generations.

⇛ For young professionals: I ensure they maximize company benefits while addressing their budgeting and saving needs to buy a house, pay for childcare and kids' education, or start a business. 

⇛ For peak-career executives: I harmonize long-term incentive planning with retirement blueprints, transforming mid-life aspirations and family dreams into realities.

⇛ For late-career professionals nearing retirement: I develop a tailored distribution planning strategy that emphasizes 'wealth retained,' ensuring fees and taxes don't diminish their hard-earned assets.

Here's a glimpse of how I craft peace of mind:

⇛ Holistic Financial Planning: I believe in crafting strategies that are tailored to individual client needs, ensuring a comprehensive approach that stands the test of time and unpredictable market dynamics.

⇛ Wealth Accumulation & Distribution Strategy: With an in-depth understanding of market trends and investment strategies, I guide clients through wealth accumulation phases and ensure seamless wealth distribution, keeping future generations in mind.

⇛ Risk Management: Wealth preservation is as crucial as accumulation. I always focus on identifying potential risks and crafting strategies to mitigate them, ensuring your hard-earned assets are protected.

⇛ Flexible Client Service Model: I am fully licensed to serve on both an advisory and commission basis. This flexibility allows me to align with individual preferences and needs, ensuring transparent and personalized service.

Private Wealth Lead Advisor

Schlage Locks

Director, Channel Marketing & Analytics | Kansas City, MO 

Selected to provide vision and strategy in Consumer Channels as Director of Channel Marketing & Analytics, I led a cross-functional team in monitoring, enforcing, and reporting our authorized seller policy and gathering key channel insights for strategic program initiatives of Allegion Home's consumer business. 

As part of my role, I leveraged multi-disciplinary expertise in finance, supply chain and logistics, pricing, and multi-tier distribution strategy to maximize value for consumers while sustaining business profitability and minimizing risks to the business.

Following are some of my key initiatives and accomplishments:

⇛ Devised and implemented a strategic plan to prevent arbitrage and cross-channel margin leakage in multi-tier distribution channels. Championed and developed the concept of Channel Health with a dashboard implemented to drive focus. 

⇛ Developed and implemented a 120-day Ramp Up Plan to optimize engagement, productivity, and capacity planning while maximizing talent development and retention.

⇛ Created digital content operations and resource allocation plan to optimize the current external quantitative content score by 40% in 4 months.

⇛ Instilled a "one consumer voice" approach by listening to all key consumer stakeholders and partnering with the VP of Consumer Fulfillment to advance business opportunities for consumer fulfillment.

⇛ Drove process improvements to realize team efficiencies and seamless in-store, showroom, and online implementation. 

⇛ Led semi-annual account deep dive cross-functional sessions to create engagement and business integration plan, which were successfully piloted and implemented.

⇛ Scoped direct fulfillment eCommerce models to add pricing transparency for products and service offerings by quantifying the cost to serve, demand generation, promotional activities, and value-added by multi-tier distribution channels at every touchpoint throughout the segmented customer journey.

Director Channel Marketing & Analytics, Allegion Home Consumer Channels

As a Director of eCommerce Sales, provided leadership to sustain growth and profitability of national E-tailer account, Build.com, with all Allegion brands in the door hardware category. As part of my role, I assessed new business partners from ideation to onboarding stages and contributed with pitches and strategy building to support multimillion-dollar P&L cross-functional efforts. I also led channel expansion vetting with target market segmentation and gap analysis, driving new channel creation such as Houzz, Best Buy, and Walmart. I held accountability for $35M P&L and 3000+ SKU count, and scoped direct fulfillment eCommerce models to enable significant arbitrage opportunities.

Following are some of my key initiatives and accomplishments:

⇛ Established a transparent approach to double-digit growth accounts in fulfillment of promotional support areas.

⇛ Crafted a promotional plan, which enabled company brands to outperform category competition while leveraging investments to maximize profitability.

⇛ Implemented monthly operations review of Build.com and fulfillment partner operations' metrics on returns, in stock %, root cause analysis, and corrective actions, improving in stock by 2% and reducing returns by 3.5% in 10 months.

⇛ Created business case to test Facebook campaigns for Consumer & PRO audiences, which delivered return on ad spend (ROAS) of more than double the anticipated projections.  

⇛ Achieved success in creating and executing brand protection, including identifying and eliminating gray market online sellers.

E-Commerce Sales Director

Director of Sales | Kansas City, KS  | 2009 – 2017
Director of Sales | Minneapolis, MN | 2006 – 2008 ✦ Sales Manager | Minneapolis, MN | 2013 – 2013

As Director of Sales, I managed National Account, Menards, with Schlage brands in the door lock category. I led 3P Service Agency through optimizing in-store training to provide a premier brand experience. As part of my role, I performed strategic channel planning and business case creation in new channels by evaluating potential business partners. I also led a team of up to 3 National Account Managers for Convenience Hardware Channel in 2013. Held accountability for multimillion-dollar P&L, merchandising, promotion, brand experience, and inventory optimization.

Following are some of my key initiatives and accomplishments:

⇛ Pioneered Menards On-Site Analyst Program as the vendor/employee #1, which grew to 75+ vendors/employees.

⇛ Collaborated with internal/external partners in the creation/execution of over 20 promotions per year via print, on shelf, and television, as well as post-promotion ROI analysis. 

⇛ Trained 600+ store associates at annual training event on product, process, and upcoming program changes, resulting in premium brand experience in-store by team members.

⇛ Trusted advisor to Retail/Residential team on program operations, finance, marketing, customer experience, and product management across multiple channels, with accounts such as Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Build.com.

⇛ Captured double-digit percentage revenue growth and surpassed operating income target by restructuring the fragmented Convenience Hardware Channel to create a strategic growth pipeline.
⇛ Drove 40% increase of Ace Hardware assortment through leadership during line review and optimization efforts.

⇛ Reduced: 1) write-offs for pricing discrepancies by 60%; 2) orders/month by 66% while driving significant operational efficiencies; 3) vendor compliance fines exposure from 4.1% to 0.02% of sales, and defective/unsaleable returns by 29%.

Director of Sales - National Accounts

Ingersoll Rand

Sales Controller ― Residential / Retail Channel | Indianapolis, IN | 2005 – 2006

As Sales Controller for the Residential/Retail Channel, I led a team of 5 Analysts through business cases, spend analytics processes, and strategy to optimize payback at the customer level and above. During my tenure, I developed strategic channel approach to complement the existing annual/long-range planning cycle still active today. I also executed more than $50M of annual trade contract program funds and more than $25M SG&A budget. 

Following are some of my key initiatives and accomplishments:

⇛ Partnered with Sales and Finance Teams to create and manage customer programs which included revenue forecasting, budgets, internal/external audits, and annual/long-range strategic planning for national programs. 

⇛ Created Customer P&Ls for the largest accounts to implement sales incentive compensation plans tied to revenue and operating income.

⇛ Assessed and negotiated freight allowances with large retail customers (e.g., The Home Depot) based upon understanding and communication of actual freight costs and mode transport analysis. 

⇛ Evaluated and recommended contract programs for new construction and retail business opportunities such as Pulte Homes, Lowe's, The Home Depot, and D.R. Horton.

Sales Controller - Residential|Retail Americas

Distribution Controller ― Residential / Retail Channel  | Kansas City, MO | 2002 – 2005

As Distribution Controller, I collaborated with Operations and Finance teams to identify operational efficiencies and opportunities for US distribution in residential/retail channels. I also led a team of 2 Analysts on business cases, operational metrics, spend analytics processes, and strategy to optimize supply chain and customer experience. 

Following are some of my key initiatives and accomplishments:

⇛ Negotiated and created a statement of work for multiple 3PL locations in Puerto Rico, the continental US, and Mexico.

⇛ Established transportation, productivity, and footprint metrics to support manufacturing operations move from Mexico to Asia; identified the root cause of 25% higher transportation costs than projected and presented to ELT.

⇛ Completed strategic distribution relocation analysis and recommendations for Kansas City, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Dallas based upon change in manufacturing footprint and outbound customer contracts. 

⇛ Analyzed distribution relocation opportunities to balance transportation costs and lead time for high volume/low-mix distribution within the Americas upon change of manufacturing footprint and outbound customer contracts. Completed analysis of the shutdown of $5M Olathe, KS manufacturing facility, executed in July 2004.

Distribution Controller- Residential|Retail Channel

Cargill Animal Nutrition

Joined Cargill Animal Nutrition to provide leadership and direction to regional teams of 20 direct reports in the areas of logistics, customer service, inventory management, purchasing, pricing, risk management, bill of materials, sales operations, credit, and accounting in 4-7 manufacturing plants. I also conducted on-site interviews of prospective strategic acquisition targets as a due diligence team member.

Some key initiatives and responsibilities include:

⇛ Introduced value-based pricing compensation plans for sales professionals across multiple channels and a multi-tier distribution pricing strategy for retail/wholesale markets in the US and Canada. 

⇛ Reduced unidentifiable gross profit/margin erosion by 80%+ in one year in Oklahoma City and Alberta assignments; reduced demurrage expense from 80%+ in one year. 

⇛ Received the Working Capital Improvement Award for achieving the greatest working capital reduction division-wide.


My positions at Cargill Animal Nutrition included:

Regional Business Manager | Oklahoma City, OK & Alberta, Canada | 1999 – 2002
Regional Business Manager Trainee I & II | Sioux City, IA District & Fort Worth, TX District | 1998 – 1999

Regional Business Manager

I am an inventive and discerning leader with over two decades of experience leading teams to develop the best ideas, create key performance indicators, and garner executive leadership buy in

You aren't sure how to navigate the complex financial landscape. You want to achieve financial independence and security. You’re frustrated because the financial jargon and numerous options are overwhelming.

🚫 Without proper financial planning, your hard-earned money might not work as effectively for you. 🚫 Missing out on potential financial opportunities can hinder your long-term goals.

The truth is: With the right guidance and strategies, financial independence is within reach.

Without: • Expert advice tailored to your unique situation • A clear understanding of financial tools and options • A personalized and comprehensive financial plan
It’s hard to: • Maximize your financial potential • Achieve peace of mind regarding your finances • Plan effectively for the future

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional, I've helped clients transform their financial lives. With a strong background in Finance, Agricultural Economics, and an MBA, I’ve guided executives, business owners, retirees, and young families towards financial success.

I’ve helped clients like you: 
✅ Turn complex compensation packages into effective financial plans. 
✅ Optimize long-term incentive plans for maximum benefits. 
✅ Achieve financial security and independence.

I help executives, business owners, retirees, and young families to: • Craft personalized financial plans. • Navigate complex financial landscapes with ease.
Work with me to: • Achieve your financial goals. • Gain peace of mind and financial security.

✅️ Increased financial security for a retiring executive. 
✅️ Optimized financial strategies for business owners. 
✅️ Financial plans tailored to young families’ unique needs

DM me 'GET' for a no obligation conversation. 

📧 joey.peck@nm.com 📞 913-270-9951 🌐 NorthStar Wealth Navigation Team

Joey Peck

Mid-30s prospective client. Approaching $1M net worth. $175-225K income. All US equities. Two years worth of cash.

An emergency fund is typically six months. She has four times that. "Last year's podcast said stay in all US equities. That's what I did." She missed international markets all year. Knows it. Feels the conflict about it. But she's rationalized it away.

The cash hoarding? That's a signal. Something underneath knows something's off.
She just doesn't feel it enough to act.

She doesn't see the cost of staying blind.

Same week. Different mid-30s couple. Also approaching $1M net worth. Same income range.

But they're in a completely different place. Old 401ks strung out everywhere. But they're building. Both building, a business and a W2 career. Seeing exactly what they get out of what they put in.

Getting out of them what they put into them. The compounding is working.
They like all the money stuff. They see it. They're winning.

But they also see something else: if they're going to hit freedom day by 55, they need strategy. Real strategy. Not just discipline.

"We want you in our corner. We want to drive our growth. We want you to handle the strategy piece so we can focus on what we do best."
They're ready to choose.

One chooses to stay confident in what she knows.
One chooses to get curious about what they don’t.

Same week.
One said "I know enough."
One said "I need help."
The difference between those two choices is everything.

Joey Peck, CFP® MBA

Most six-figure W2 earners can retire 7-12 years earlier. They just don’t know it yet ✦ Raised with Farmkid Grit, Forged in Corporate, Built to Guide ✦ Your Transition Navigator Who’s Lived It ✦ Author ✦ Speaker

Last month I shared a story about an early 30s couple who went from paralysis to peace. A few of you asked: "How did you actually build that?"

Here's the framework: 
$225K household income. Just crushed their dream home goal saving 20% to put down. Then came the hard question: "Now what do we do with that $3,500/month we were socking away?" They had the goal (walk away from their W2s by 55). They had the income. But they were paralyzed by the decisions. $3,500/month building up in checking at 0%. Every month, inflation eating at it. Analysis paralysis was costing them.

Here's what we built together:

Defense first: 
Income protection. Life insurance. Right-sized emergency fund. No margin for error if something breaks.

Then automated offense: 
401k maxed. Roth IRAs funded. Non-qualified investment accounts feeding every month. Every dollar got a job. Every transfer got scheduled.

The magic wasn't in the individual pieces, it was in removing the daily decisions. Once it was on autopilot, the paralysis lifted. They stopped having to think about it. Stopped second-guessing. The system decided, and they executed. One year later: $42,000 deployed with zero emotional friction. No more wondering if they were making the right move. That $3,500/month? Over 20 years at 8% average return, it becomes $1.46M. But more than the number, they bought peace. And certainty. And a clear line of sight to 55. The couple didn't need to understand everything. They needed a system that worked without them having to manage it every month.

I spent over a decade as a B2B Sales Exec. Now I advise the ones who made the same choice I did:  DON’T WASTE JANUARY

The ones who built something. The ones who are thriving now.

And I've watched both paths long enough to know the difference.

2005.	Sales Controller. In the engine room calculating sales bonus compensation plans.

I saw how much work went into getting it right. Saw that targets weren't even finalized yet while everyone was freaking out about them. Saw that the books had to close out first. Finance wasn't sitting around complaining. They were grinding. Not to even mention the bigger question of bonus payouts for the year that just finished a few days ago. 

2006.	I moved to the other side. Sales Exec now. Charged with growing.

That's when I really understood. The people stuck in the underbelly talking about bonuses and targets that weren't even set yet? And payouts for work already completed? They were already behind.

The A-players? They executed. While everyone else vented, they grew.

I made a choice early on: don't get pulled into that. Don't spend January stewing about things out of your control.

The math is simple. If your competitor is NOT grinding in January while you are, that's an 8.33% advantage you just built.
One month of momentum they'll spend the rest of the year trying to catch up on.

20 years later, I can tell you who's building wealth and who's not.

It's not the smartest. Not the most talented. It's the ones who didn't waste January.

The ones who understood: the market they are selling into isn't going to make or break them. The targets are going to be a stretch. But January is still yours to own.

The A-players already have their 2026 strategy mapped out. Now it's time to go execute.

No one else is talking about Christmas trees now. But the pool noodle with the light strands is now tucked away in storage. Just waiting patiently for November. 

We've been prelit for years until November we discovered we weren't anymore! 

Does anyone else still do this? Or I am the only one turning into my grandmother?

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The Battle

Craig Leach

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Craig Leach's LinkedIn Performance

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