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Matt Sharrers is the Managing Partner of ETJ Advisory and Founder of ETJ Life, a private, invitation-only community that supports CEOs backed by private equity in navigating leadership transitions and building fulfilling lives. As the former CEO of SBI, Matt helped scale the company and guided it through multiple successful exits, while his current ventures draw on decades of executive leadership and board advisory experience.

A former professional hockey player who represented Canada at the national level, Matt is passionate about helping both elite athletes and business leaders achieve their highest potential. His work and recent book, The Second CEO, focus on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by CEOs in high-pressure, private-equity-backed environments.

The path to reinvention is rarely linear, especially when shifting from elite athletics to corporate leadership and then to entrepreneurship. Many high performers struggle to release old identities while stepping into roles that demand new skills, new mindsets, and deeper purpose. What does it really take to navigate such dramatic transitions, and how can you redefine success without losing yourself?

Matt Sharrers, an expert in executive leadership and CEO advisory, shares how he progressed from professional hockey to corporate sales and ultimately to building a respected advisory practice and CEO community. Matt explains how shedding his athletic identity taught him resilience, why stepping in after a charismatic founder required deliberate, disciplined leadership, and how professionalizing a fast-growing organization prepared him for future transitions. Through stories and lessons learned, Matt demonstrates that reinvention thrives on ongoing reflection, courage, and an unwavering commitment to meaningful impact.

Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Matt Sharrers, Managing Partner of ETJ Advisory and Founder of ETJ Life, about navigating major career reinventions. Matt shares insights on scaling as a second CEO, building communities for high achievers, and designing a life anchored in purpose.

Jennifer McPherson is the President of Chickenango Marketing Solutions. The company specializes in public outreach and marketing for government agencies, and branding, design, and proposal writing for the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) sector. Jennifer started her company at age 46 after gaining 27 years of experience in the AEC industry, and she is now launching Chickenango University, an educational program aimed at enhancing marketing and business development skills in the AEC space.

It is easy to take public infrastructure for granted — until a new project appears in your neighborhood and suddenly changes your daily rhythm. People want to understand what is happening, why it matters, and how it affects their lives, yet updates are often buried in technical language or arrive far too late. How can agencies and contractors communicate these massive, complex projects in a way that builds trust rather than frustration?

According to Jennifer McPherson, a veteran communicator in the infrastructure world, the answer starts with meeting people where they are — literally. She explains that effective engagement hinges on clear, human conversation rather than engineering jargon. Instead of expecting residents to attend formal meetings, her team shows up in the places where real life happens: ice cream shops, street festivals, school events, even sidewalks along busy corridors. These moments create space for honest feedback, especially when tensions run high. And when people feel heard, Jennifer says, they become more open to the bigger picture and the long-term benefits behind the disruption.

Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Jennifer McPherson, President of Chickenango Marketing Solutions, to discuss how to build trust and engagement through public infrastructure communication. They explore the shift from traditional public meetings to creative pop-up outreach, how to translate engineering language into something the public can actually understand, and why active listening matters more than polished messaging.

Jason Barnard is the CEO of Kalicube, a digital marketing agency specializing in brand SERP optimization and knowledge panel management to help individuals and companies control how they appear in search and AI-powered results. Often referred to as "The Brand SERP Guy," Jason has helped clients secure and enhance their Google knowledge panels, and Kalicube's methodologies have established the company as a world leader in digital brand intelligence. With a background that includes working with major brands like Disney and Samsung, Jason is passionate about teaching others how to become verified authorities in their niche as search engines and AI evolve.

It's a strange feeling when you Google your own name and the results don't quite match the person you've built yourself to be. Maybe it points to outdated bios, a random YouTube interview, or — worse yet — someone else entirely. In a world where AI tools rely heavily on what they find online, how do you take control of that digital first impression?

According to Jason Barnard, a leading authority on digital brand identity and entity optimization, you start by helping machines understand exactly who you are. He explains that most people assume knowledge panels are reserved for celebrities or people with massive public followings, but he's seen even team members with only a few social profiles earn them. Jason breaks the process down to something almost mechanical: choose your "entity home," structure your facts clearly, create consistency across the web, and let the machines do the rest.

Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Jason Barnard, CEO of Kalicube, to discuss how to create your Google Knowledge Panel. You'll learn why your "entity home" matters, how to structure facts so AI understands them, and what to update across your online profiles before Google can fully verify you. Jason also shares practical steps for overcoming name collisions and improving how AI presents you online.

John Corcoran is a recovering attorney, an author, and a former White House writer and speechwriter to the Governor of California. Throughout his career, John has worked in Hollywood, the heart of Silicon Valley, and run his boutique law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, catering to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Since 2012, John has been the host of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, where he has interviewed hundreds of CEOs, founders, authors, and entrepreneurs, including Peter Diamandis, Adam Grant, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Marie Forleo.

John is also the Co-founder of Rise25, a company that connects B2B businesses with their ideal clients, referral partners, and strategic partners. They help their clients generate ROI through their done-for-you podcast service.

Podcasting continues to evolve, and not always in ways creators expect. One minute, the industry is celebrating growth, and the next, it is wrestling with algorithms, labeling rules, and shifting listener habits. With so many moving parts, how do hosts stay ahead without overthinking every episode?

According to John Corcoran, a longtime leader in the podcasting space, the answer starts with understanding how small details can shape the listener experience. When asked about the issues podcasters should pay attention to, he points to something as simple as explicit-language labeling and how easily it can trip up creators. John explains that platforms often flag episodes automatically, sometimes even when no one has actually used a swear word, which means podcasters spend more time worrying about symbols than strategy. He also highlights how tools like accurate speech-to-text technology can transform productivity and consistency, especially when injury or busy seasons complicate content creation.

Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as Chad Franzen of Rise25 interviews John Corcoran to discuss the biggest issues impacting podcasts today. You will hear why explicit ratings matter more than most hosts realize, how speech-to-text tools can double your productivity, and what separates authentic B2B podcasts from forgettable ones. John also provides insights on using podcasting as a strategic tool to build relationships and grow your business.

Tracey Felicidade Jones is the CEO and Founder of Trace Brand Building, a global branding and marketing agency with operations in South Africa and the United States. With over 20 years of experience in FMCG and pharma, Tracey's leadership has earned her company an impressive client list, helping international brands like Dr. Oetker and Novartis build memorable, iconic brands. Tracey's journey growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid and later expanding her business in the US gives her a uniquely resilient perspective on brand building and entrepreneurship.

What does it really take to rebuild your life and business from the ground up? For some, reinvention is a branding exercise. For others, it's survival. How do you start over in a new country, in a new market, and still manage to build something stronger than before?

For Tracey Felicidade Jones, a brand marketing expert, the answer begins with grit and perspective. A lifelong entrepreneur who has faced everything from rolling blackouts to armed hijackings in South Africa, Tracey believes that true brand reinvention mirrors personal resilience. Drawing on her background in dietetics, global marketing, and storytelling, she built a business rooted in authenticity — helping companies rediscover their identity through archetypes and emotional connection. After relocating to Colorado, she reimagined her agency to fit the American market, proving that adaptability and heart can turn disruption into growth. Her story is a reminder that great brands, like great people, thrive by staying true to their essence while boldly embracing change.

Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Tracey Felicidade Jones, CEO and Founder of Trace Brand Building, to discuss how she reinvented her global agency after moving from South Africa to the US. Tracey also shares her vision for the future of creative leadership and the value of staying authentic in a rapidly changing world.