A BetterLife Pharma

•	Strengthen shareholder relationships through regular contact, special meetings, & topical discussions
•	Execute IR activity that generates corporate interest, delivers key messages, & brings market activity
•	Leverage industry information to address inquiries, provide education, and share relevant data
•	Monitor financial, regulatory, and research landscape to consult management on key findings
•	Produce corporate material: social media posts, factsheet, infographics, and info cards
•	Manage company’s CRM system to enhance and elevate shareholder relationships

Manager of Investor Relations

MagicMed

•	Coordinated company's participation in investor conferences, roadshows, and events to maximize visibility
•	Analyzed industry and competitor developments to help identify potential opportunities and risks
•	Orchestrated a consistent flow of corporate information to shareholders and financial community
•	Collaborated with VP PR to ensure company’s narrative meets investor’s messaging needs
•	Worked with CEO to develop the investor relations outreach & awareness programs

Investor Relations Manager

Western Magnesium Corporation (TSXV: WMG | OTCQB: MLYF | FRA: 3WM)

•	Set up company CRM to organize shareholder data, automate contact flow + create an organic funding source
•	Conducted research trends on peers, industry, and associations to report key findings to management
•	Strengthened relationships with shareholders, prospective investors, plus sell-side research analysts
•	Initiated and implemented timely presentations for shareholders and prospects
•	Utilized workable KPIs to measure IR strategy success
•	Organized and ran a North American-centric IR team

Investor Relations Manager 

Provincial Health Services Authority

•	Realigned project methodology from function-driven to client-focused to better patient journey
•	Conducted detailed assessment + results at various stages of the business analysis process
•	Determined systems based on client needs, intentions, requirements, goals, & aspirations
•	Delivered result-oriented scope, business, analytical reports timely enhancing client trust 
•	Delivered critical pre-go live training and timely post go-live follow-up + trouble shooting 
•	Well versed on various levels of testing: end-to-end, system, project, and product

Lead Business Analyst

Contractor 

•	Introduced leadership transformation methodology heightening collaboration & performance 
•	Analyzed & enhanced workflow efficiency - process design, HR strategy and system adoption 
•	Utilized process mapping for consistent progression between current and future initiatives
•	Provided stakeholder guidance & coaching facilitating successful change transformation
•	Designed, composed improvements to business processes and operational procedures
•	Conducted process & goal analysis identifying key needs, deliverables, and solutions

Business Management Consultant 

MY PASSION:	
* Be a trust-based relationship architect for shareholders and new investors 

MY DELIVERABLES:
* Provide transparent and holistic communication to enhance engagement 

* Sync investor expectation with management goals to develop long-term fans 

* Continuously learn and adopt new tools that allow for outcome optimization

David B.   Melles

There’s ALWAYS beauty in innocence and in authenticity in life! 🌷

Of course a bit of humor can honor the moment of joy. 🥹 

How often will we be able to experience realism like this if we are conjuring a world of AI …. that’s ubiquitous! ?

David B.   Melles 

“They are in trouble again!” 😅👶💥

When a baby, a dog, and a cat team up, chaos is guaranteed — and AI is just sitting there trying to analyze the disaster 🤖🐶🐱👶

From spilled milk to knocked-over plants, AI Nexus is learning fast… but even the smartest algorithms can’t predict the pure adorable anarchy of pets and toddlers together.

AI Nexus: exploring intelligence, one hilarious mess at a time. ⚡😂


Please DM for credit 🙏 


#AINexus #FunnyAI #BabyDogCatChaos #TechMeetsLife #AIHumor #PetFails #ToddlerMishaps #MachineLearningLaughs #AIAdventures #ChaosAnalysis #FunnyMoments #LifeWithPets #TechAndPets #DigitalCuriosity #UnexpectedLaughs #AIExperiments #HumorInTech #PetAndBabyFails #AIWatchdog #LaughWithAI

Kumud, thank you for sharing these very important historical lessons.

🚀  To me ... 
~ a rejection is set up for resumption 
~ a setback is a precursor for a comeback 
~ a NO gets us ready for a N.O. - "New Opportunity" 

All of these moments do not define us as failures. Instead, these "failings" affirm our vision in, conviction in, faith in, and commitment to our dreams. 

These hurdles are necessary for new heights of experiences to be innovated, formed, and realized. 🌱

200K+ LinkedIn & Newsletter Community 🐝 Helping Founders and Leaders Scale with LinkedIn Growth, Talent Acquisition/Hiring & Brand Partnerships 🐝 AI-Savvy - Human-First Approach 🐝 Neurodiversity Advocate

Some of the world’s greatest innovations were born from rejection.

Visionaries who were underestimated went on to reshape entire industries.
🚗 Toyota rejected a mechanic’s new design idea- he built Honda instead.
🐂 Ferrari dismissed advice from a tractor maker- he built Lamborghini.
🏎️ Lamborghini refused to fund an engineer’s carbon-fiber project- he built Pagani.
💻 HP turned down a computer idea from their own engineer- he co-founded Apple.
🎮 Nintendo walked away from a Sony engineer’s disc-console concept- he built PlayStation.
📼 Blockbuster laughed at a founder looking to partner- he built Netflix.
Rejection isn’t a dead end. It’s a redirection.

Sometimes the “no” you hear today becomes the reason you build something the world can’t ignore tomorrow.

If you’re working on something bold and people don’t get it yet…
Keep going.

What’s one rejection that pushed you toward something better? Share your story below. 
Repost as someone might need this reminder to keep going. Thanks!

Visual Credit: Chandrakumar K. Pillai

Rejection Leads to Big Things

Arcqus Group

After 25+ years leading high-growth organizations as a senior executive, president, and CEO, I saw firsthand that even the most accomplished leaders can get stuck—not due to lack of ambition, but due to misalignment between vision, strategy, and execution.

That realization led me to found Arcqus Group—to equip CEOs and senior leaders with the clarity, tools, and confidence to unlock transformational growth.

My Leadership Journey:
✅ Red Stag Fulfillment – Scaled revenue 50%+ in 3 years, expanded capacity 250%, and drove record-setting performance.
✅ AAA Carolinas – Led multi-business transformation, built high-performing teams, increased NPS, and launched new ventures like FINS Car Wash.
✅ Across Industries – Built teams and cultures that thrived on vision clarity, execution alignment, and purpose-driven growth.

At Arcqus Group, we bridge the gap between vision and execution, partnering with growth-minded leaders to drive sustainable success through:

Clarity – Defining success and aligning leadership around it.
Alignment – Ensuring teams move forward together with ownership and accountability.
Execution – Turning strategy into action with precision and focus.
How We Help:
Executive Coaching – One-on-one support to help leaders operate with clarity and confidence.
Leadership Team Alignment – Proven frameworks to unify teams and accelerate performance.
Leadership Growth Systems – Custom tools and strategies to scale leadership capacity.
Why It Matters:
I know the weight leaders carry—because I’ve carried it myself. Leading transformation at AAA Carolinas, I saw how clarity and alignment turned resistance into momentum. That experience shaped my belief: Leadership breakthroughs happen when vision, strategy, and execution align.

That’s why I built Arcqus Group—to help purpose-driven leaders unlock their potential, scale their impact, and build a legacy of growth.

👉 Let’s connect. Message me here or visit www.arcqusgroup.com to learn more.

CEO & Founder

HeroWear

Independent Director - Chair of Compensation Committee

Advising an innovative exoskeleton company on growth strategy, go-to-market execution, and operational effectiveness.

Board Member

Red Stag Fulfillment

Led Red Stag Fulfillment through a period of hyper-growth, transforming a scrappy eCommerce startup into a high-performing, scalable 3PL fulfillment enterprise.

Scaled revenue by 52% from 2021 to 2023, on track for 30% growth in 2024.
Doubled net operating income YoY through improved efficiency, cost reduction, and revenue expansion.
Increased labor efficiency by 30%, driving $4.8M+ in annual savings.
Expanded capacity by 250%, launching a new 700K-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Tennessee.
Converted 60% of revenue from 30-day contracts to multi-year contracts for greater stability.
Reinforced a ‘people-first’ culture, prioritizing communication, transparency, and engagement.
Led Red Stag to multiple business excellence awards, including Multichannel Merchant’s Top 3PL Provider and the Knoxville Chamber’s Pinnacle Award.

Chief Executive Officer

Vistage Worldwide, Inc.

Engaging with top executives to drive business growth and leadership excellence.

Member

AAA-The Auto Club Group

Drove membership innovation and strategy following the merger of AAA Carolinas and The Auto Club Group to ensure brand relevance in a rapidly changing industry.

Reimagined membership offerings to align with shifting customer expectations and industry disruptions.
Partnered cross-functionally to develop and launch strategic initiatives that modernized core membership benefits.
Provided expertise to overhaul AAA Travel’s business strategy, adapting to post-COVID shifts in consumer behavior.

Head of Membership Innovation

AAA Carolinas

Took over FINS Car Wash, launching 9 locations in one year and laying the groundwork for 6 more.
Led AAA Membership Strategy, driving customer retention, benefits innovation, and digital engagement.

Senior Vice President, AAA Membership & Fins Car Wash

Transformed AAA Membership’s business model, cutting service costs 33%, increasing revenue 6%, and boosting auto-renewals 42%.

Led AAA Car Care turnaround, improving revenue 10.6%, gross profit 12.5%, and NPS 18.9%.

Senior Vice President - Member Experience & Analytics

Developed AAA’s first enterprise CRM strategy, increasing customer engagement and revenue per relationship by 6.7%.
Exceeded operating profit plans by 47.9%, introducing AAA’s first company-wide incentive program.
Spearheaded the launch of FINS Car Wash, securing board buy-in and establishing a high-growth business unit.

Vice President - Automotive

Increased AAA membership by 15.4%, making AAA Carolinas a top-performing affiliate.
Drove $9.7M in new revenue by launching AAA Premier membership, attracting 70K+ members.
Led AAA’s strategic planning, defining core values, future vision, and major business initiatives.

Vice President Operations & CMO

AAA Car Care

Took over the day-to-day operations of the Car Care division (33 locations) to rectify declining performance, build a strong leadership core, and establish a change-oriented team focused on continuous improvement. Drove an organizational transformation that transitioned the culture to one that was more intentional and purpose-driven, aligned with the broader vision, and customer- and member-centric. Curated a servant leadership culture, instilling in key leaders a “get it done” attitude and an unwillingness to accept the status quo. Launched an internal/external rebranding to promote key brand promise pillars of integrity, expertise, and convenience.

President, AAA Car Care

Vice President, Motor Club Operations

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about making the right ones, at the right time, with the right people.

Even the most accomplished CEOs and senior leaders hit a wall. You have a bold vision, but translating it into aligned teams, clear strategies, and sustainable growth can feel harder than it should. Leadership can be isolating, and the weight of high-stakes decisions is real.

I believe leadership starts with self-leadership—owning your time, priorities, and mindset with intention. When leaders operate with clarity, alignment, and purpose, their teams and organizations follow.

That’s where I come in.

As CEO & Founder of Arcqus Group, Board Member, and Strategic Advisor, I help growth-minded executives unlock clarity, align their teams, and scale with precision. Sustainable success isn’t about working harder—it’s about leading smarter.

Transformational growth happens when leaders:
1. Gain absolute clarity on their vision and next steps
2. Align their teams with ownership, accountability, and purpose
3. Execute with precision, turning strategy into measurable results

I’ve guided high-performing leaders across industries, helping them bridge the gap between big vision and real execution. I know the pressure you’re under—and I know what it takes to build the confidence, systems, and strategies to scale with purpose.

If you’re ready to break through the plateau and lead with clarity, let’s connect.

Message me here on LinkedIn or visit www.arcqusgroup.com to learn more.

Dusty Holcomb

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: ABA Board Leadership Accelerator Program from Advisory Board Architects! Becoming a High Impact Board Leader has been a tremendous experience and honing my skills under the tutelage of my fellow YPO'er Bob Arciniaga has been such a gift. Not only did Bob teach incredible skills and techniques he assembled an amazing cohort of talented board leaders to learn alongside of. I'm very grateful for this experience and knowledge!

Helping CEOs, Entrepreneurs & Senior Leaders Achieve Clarity, Align Teams & Scale for 10x Growth | YPO | CEO & Founder | Board Member | Coach & Mentor

I got them fired.

Not on purpose. But looking back, that's exactly what I did.

They were one of the best people I've ever worked with. Brilliant with customers. Hit every number. People loved them.

Except they couldn't show up on time. And I mean, really couldn't - not the occasional 5 minutes late we all do. Chronically. Predictably. Every single day.

So I did what I thought good leaders do. I built systems around them. Gave them schedule flexibility nobody else had. Created reminders. Had the conversations. Bent every rule I could bend.

Someone else fired them anyway.

And here's the part that still keeps me up sometimes: my help got them fired. Because I'd taught them they didn't have to own their choices. That someone would always rescue them. That consequences were negotiable.

I thought I was being compassionate. Turns out I was being selfish - making myself feel like a good leader while robbing them of what they actually needed: the chance to own their stuff and grow from it.

The shift? I had to learn the difference between helping people and rescuing them. 

Helping means giving them what they need to make a great choice. Rescuing means taking away the choice entirely.

This week's Leadership Unlocked talks through what I'm calling the Choice Enablement Model. It's basically everything I wish I'd known before I "helped" that person right out of their job.

One stat that hit me: Harvard research shows 59% of people value autonomy over salary. Every time I rescued someone, I was taking away the thing they wanted most.

So here's what I'm sitting with: Where am I still doing this? Where am I solving problems for people who are perfectly capable of solving them themselves?

And more importantly, where are you?

Listen if this resonates. Then come back and tell me what lands. I truly learn more from your comments than I do from recording these episodes. I'll put a link in the comments.

#Leadership #ExecutiveDevelopment #ServantLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipUnlocked

Leadership Unlocked podcast Episode 30 title card: "Why Great Problem Solvers Struggle to Build Great Teams" in white serif typography on navy blue dotted background. Professional headshot of host Dusty Holcomb in charcoal blazer and light blue shirt, framed in gold circle. Leadership Unlocked logo with padlock icon at bottom left. Gold-bordered badges show "with DUSTY HOLCOMB" and "EPISODE #30" at bottom right. Premium executive podcast branding in navy, white, and gold color scheme.

Five BS flags flew across the table at my leadership team retreat when someone suggested we play it safe with our annual goals. An hour later, someone threw one at me.

That’s when I knew the BS Flag Framework was working. Stanford research shows 67% of strategic initiatives fail not from bad strategy, but because teams won’t challenge authority when they see problems, costing companies 6-7 figures in misallocations. The fix? An $8 penalty flag from Amazon and four cultural principles that make psychological safety structural, not theoretical.

I’ve deployed this with every leadership team I’ve led for 15 years, and knew it was working when flags showed up in people’s pockets at standup meetings.

Full framework here in this weeks newsletter. 

#Leadership #Strategy #ExecutiveCoaching

I vividly remember introducing BS flags for the first time at a two-and-a-half-day annual planning retreat with my leadership team. I had a high-funct

Open article: The $8 Tool That Stops 6-Figure Strategy Mistakes by Dusty Holcomb • 3 min read

The $8 Tool That Stops 6-Figure Strategy Mistakes

"There are just too many damn meetings."

This is the #1 complaint I hear from my clients, when speaking at conferences, or via conversations here on LinkedIn (and it's been shared over and over by folks asking for the Ideal Week template I shared recently).

Okay. It's time to stop complaining.

Meetings don't have to suck.

After over 28 years in corporate leadership and coaching hundreds of senior leaders, I've discovered something: Bad meetings aren't always a problem with time management. There's a clarity problem.

Here's what we have to fix:

The framework in this post is what I actually use whether it's in the boardroom or with founders in two-person startups. This is a real implementation framework that reduces meeting time by at least 25% while significantly improving decision quality.

Three rules that matter:

Rule #1: Every meeting must have a stated goal. At the beginning. With clear expectations. With a time-bound focus.

No goal? No meeting.

I start every client session the same way: "What's the most important thing we need to discuss today?" Sometimes we need to pivot from what has been prepared, and sometimes we just need to focus our attention.

Your calendar is a strategic asset. Protect it like your bank account.

Rule #2: There are only three reasons to have a meeting:
1. To decide. Determine what needs to be done that will lead to action.
2. To communicate. Create an environment to enhance what needs to be shared by leveraging vocal and visual mediums.
3. To brainstorm. Leverage the combined talents and perspectives to create something special.

Doesn't fit into one of these three categories? Send an email. Record a video. Write it down.

Stop defaulting to meetings because it feels easier than thinking clearly.

Rule #3: Be willing to cancel. No goal, no purpose, no meeting.

The best teams I work with don't wait to cancel unnecessary meetings. They've embraced the opportunity to always ask: "What's the goal here?"

Enroll your people in this. Be willing to cancel any meeting if it's not clear why you are there. 

Share this framework with your teams. Let them help govern the calendar.

End every meeting with one question: "Who will do what by when?"

Meetings don't suck because they exist. They suck when we treat them like default calendar fillers instead of an opportunity to accomplish something intentional. 

When you control your meetings, you're showing everyone around you that intentionality isn't optional.

I'm building plug-and-play templates that make this system work for any team size. Message or comment "MEETINGS" and I'll send them with notes on how we actually use them.

What's the one meeting on your calendar this week that probably shouldn't exist?

#LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #TimeManagement #IntentionalLeadership

Hand-drawn leadership framework on white paper by Dusty Holcomb, dated 11/17/25 in top right corner. Red cursive title reads "Meetings don't have to suck..."

Rule #1 appears on bright yellow highlighted background: "Every meeting must have a stated goal..." with three black ink bullet points connected by curly bracket: "At the beginning," "with clear expectations," "with a time bound focus." Bold red text to the right declares "No goal, no meeting."

Rule #2 in black handwriting: "There are only 3 reasons to have a meeting..." followed by three circled numbers: ① "To decide ⇒ Action," ② "To communicate ⇒ leverage vocal/visual mediums," ③ "To brainstorm ⇒ to create."

Rule #3 heading: "No goal, no purpose, no meeting..." with three implementation bullets: "Enroll people to always ask for the goal" (word "always" highlighted in bright green), "Be willing to cancel if not clear," "Share with your teams... Let them help govern..."


I can’t stop thinking about what happened Thursday night.

After giving a keynote for a construction and engineering firm, a senior manager approached me. He looked genuine, even very emotional.

“I’m ashamed to admit that after 18 years of doing my job, I finally know why it matters.”

This person literally saves lives. 18 years of focused and dedicated work. And he just now understood why it mattered.

That conversation has stayed with me all weekend because it revealed something every leader needs to understand about organizational performance.

Here’s what shifted for him (and why it matters for you):

When you connect someone’s daily work to organizational purpose, three things happen immediately:

The little things make sense. That tedious paperwork? Those double-checks? They’re not bureaucracy. They’re the difference between someone going home to their family or not.

They find the courage to do hard things. Even when people resist. Even when recipients don’t understand. Purpose gives you the strength to stand strong.

Work transforms from transaction to mission. You stop watching the clock. You start asking, “What difference am I making?”

In our Vision to Victory cohorts, we start with purpose right after self-awareness for exactly this reason. Purpose unlocks discretionary effort. It’s the gap between good work and great work.

But here’s what most leaders miss: your team assumes they understand this connection. They don’t.

Try this exercise with three team members next weekby asking them to fill in the blanks:
1. “The work I do matters because _____ which means _____.”
2. “If I didn’t do my job well, _____ would happen to _____.”
3. “The difference between adequate versus excellent means _____.”

You’ll immediately see where clarity exists and where fog remains.

Will you reach everyone? 

No. 

Do you need to? 

No.

Change one person. Impact one person. Help one person connect what they do to why it matters.

That’s how you build an army of missionaries evangelizing your organizational purpose in everything they do.

Because change happens one person at a time.

What’s one way you’ve helped a team member connect their work to a deeper purpose?

#Leadership #PurposeDriven #OrganizationalCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching

Quote graphic: "Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." - John F. Kennedy. Arcqus Group branding at bottom. Cream background with black serif text.

Most leaders breathe in gratitude but forget to exhale.

Marshall Goldsmith said it perfectly: "Gratitude is not a limited resource, nor is it costly. It is abundant as air. We breathe it in, but we forget to exhale."

As leaders, we notice what people contribute. We appreciate their work. We rely on them when it counts.

But we forget to exhale.

We keep that gratitude internal. A mental note filed away. Meanwhile, the person who made the contribution never hears it.

The cost? Disengagement. Turnover. Good people who feel invisible despite doing great work.

The fix takes 30 seconds.

Here's my challenge: Before you scroll to the next post, think of one person in your work world who isn't expecting to hear from you.

Pick up the phone. Send a text.

Tell them thank you. Specifically.

Not "Great job on everything," but name what they did and why it mattered.

Dale Carnegie put it this way: "Try leaving a trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily trip. You will be surprised how they will set small flames of friendship that will be rose beacons on your next visit."

Then do it again tomorrow. And the day after that.

Read the full challenge in this weeks newsletter and take action: 

Who are you going to thank today?

#LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #Gratitude #ServantLeadership #TeamCulture

Every morning, I take a few minutes to write down what I am grateful for today. It’s woven into my prayer time. A simple practice I’ve kept for years.

Open article: This Thanksgiving habit takes 30 seconds but changes everything
 by Dusty Holcomb • 3 min read

This Thanksgiving habit takes 30 seconds but changes everything

Are you the bottleneck? Is your ability to solve problems getting in the way of enabling real success? 

That's what I tackle in this episode of Leadership Unlocked. Our job isn't to be the best in the world at solving the problems our people bring to us, it is to empower them to make the right choices so they can solve the problem. 

When we solve problems, we can become the bottleneck. 

Link to the full episode in the comments. 

Question for you: Are you empowering great choices, or are you enabling others to wait on you? 

 #executiveleadership #PowerofChoice #leadershipunlocked #EmpoweredLeadership

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