Going Long Podcast with Billy Keels

Are you a high-performing executive who wants to earn freedom while keeping your professional edge?Then the Going Long Podcast with Billy Keels is for you.This podcast shares the actionable insights you want to make more money, build more freedom, and maintain the career you've built. Whether you're building a business on the side, investing your capital, or identifying your passion project, you'll get real stories and tactical strategies from others who've done the same on their terms.Hosted by international advisor and founder of The Executive Edge Advisory™️ Program, Billy Keels, this is your blueprint for creating income optionality, growing with intention, and protecting the professional momentum you've earned.With over 550 episodes and more than five years of insights, this show delivers a mix of solo episodes and expert guest interviews.

Going Long Podcast with Billy Keels is a business podcast hosted by Billy Keels, with 666 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Billy Keels hosts Going Long Podcast with Billy Keels, a business show with 666 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #669

  9 to Thrive: Turning Enterprise Skill Reps into High-Value Services - Izu Nwachukwu

  Oct 1, 202639 minS1

  Are you an overachieving tech leader, account director, or enterprise strategist sitting on valuable skill capital, wondering how to channel your expertise into independent assets without sacrificing your corporate career? In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Izu Nwachukwu—Senior Client Solutions Manager at LinkedIn (MENA), founder of IN Marketing Consultancy, podcast host, and author of 9 to Thrive: Side Hustle to Success. Izu pulls back the curtain on his 20-year corporate evolution, sharing how early retail failures made him fear entrepreneurship for a decade—until a global economic reset forced him to re-evaluate his timeline. Discover why treating your corporate employer as your "first business partner" changes your entire career dynamic, how to convert job description KPIs into high-margin market services, and why setting a 10-year vision allows you to navigate setbacks with total resilience and schedule sovereignty. Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm Izu Nwachukwu welcomes you to connect with him at these links: Website: https://inmcagency.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izu-nwachukwu-%F0%9F%8E%99%EF%B8%8F-47880510/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izu.nwachukwu/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-people-real-business/id1782493612 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can a senior corporate professional view their 9-to-5 employer as a primary business partner? What is the psychological process for recovering from an early entrepreneurial failure to build again? How do you translate internal corporate KPIs into high-value services for the open market? Why is finding an employer with clear side-project policies critical for long-term career optionality? How can high achievers maintain operational momentum while keeping a 10-to-15 year long-term vision? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Broadcast Recording Setup: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with Izu Nwachukwu 02:00 - Digital Strategist & Marketing Expert: Two Decades Across Europe and MENA 03:04 - The 20-Year Itch: Bouncing Back from Early Retail Business Failures 06:30 - The Corporate Hierarchy: Why Big Companies Function Like the Military 08:10 - Real People, Real Business: Unpacking the Raw Reality of Executive Setbacks 09:43 - The First Business Partner: Re-Framing Your Corporate Role as a Capital Engine 12:15 - Open Boundaries: Navigating Corporate Side-Project Policies with Confidence 15:10 - Turning KPIs into Services: Packaging Tech Acumen into Marketable Value 18:00 - Failing Fast: Shutting Down Misaligned Brands After 12 Months 21:00 - 9 to Thrive: Writing a Book in 12-Month Sprints and Cutting 50% of the Draft 25:00 - Trough Principles: "We'll Make It Happen" and Adapting to Daily Friction 29:20 - Reclaiming Your Freedom and Connecting with Izu Nwachukwu About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels

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  Episode #668

  The Power of "No": How High Performers Eliminate Burnout and Reclaim Focus

  Sep 29, 202613 minS1

  Are you an overachieving corporate director, VP, or enterprise tech leader who constantly says "yes" to every special project, initiative, and request—only to end up completely exhausted and stretched thin? In this practical solo episode, host Billy Keels breaks down a powerful insight inspired by a conversation between entrepreneur Jesse Itzler and podcaster Joe Rogan. Billy examines the corporate trap of seeking validation through endless "special assignments" and explains why people-pleasing creates a virtuous cycle that ultimately leads to burnout. Discover how learning to "strategically decline" unaligned opportunities—or simply learning how to say "no"—increases your focus on core priorities, improves your Return on Sleep (ROS), and gives you the exact time capital needed to excel in your 9-to-5 while building your own independent side business. Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm Questions Answered in This Episode: Why do high-performing corporate executives fall into the trap of taking on too many special projects? How does constant people-pleasing at work lead to chronic exhaustion and diluted focus? What does it mean to "strategically decline" an opportunity without damaging your corporate reputation? How does mastering the word "no" improve your focus and increase your Return on Sleep (ROS)? How can you use your reclaimed personal time to build independent side assets while overperforming at work? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Finding Inspiration: Lessons from Jesse Itzler and Joe Rogan 01:10 - The People-Pleasing Trap: Why Executives Say "Yes" to Every Special Assignment 02:25 - The Exhaustion Cycle: Diluting Your Time Capital When You're Already Overperforming 03:40 - The Jesse Itzler Insight: Learning the Value of the Word "NO" 04:30 - Strategic Decline: How to Decline Opportunities That Don't Move the Needle 05:45 - Maximizing ROS: How Reclaimed Focus Boosts Performance and Eliminates Burnout 06:50 - Building the Day Dream vs. The Evening Dream: Using Reclaimed Time for Side Assets 07:45 - Moving From Theory to Practice Today About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels

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  Episode #667

  Building Small by Design: How to Turn Enterprise Skill into Niche Authority - Stephen Slater

  Sep 23, 202654 minS1

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or enterprise leader sitting on specialized market knowledge, wondering how to transition your corporate reps into a lifestyle-focused firm that serves you and your family first? In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Stephen Slater—former city planner, Verizon corporate real estate manager, and founder of Blue Croix. Stephen shares his unique trajectory of walking away from a fast-track corporate career right after receiving an employer-funded MBA, relying on raw intuition, naivety, and a clear understanding of his own risk tolerance. Discover how Stephen built a high-margin, low-volume consulting firm by creating specialized cash-flow solutions for major telecommunications giants, why "it's not what you make, it's what you keep," and how to structure a business designed specifically to support your life choices rather than relentless, unnecessary headcount scale. Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm Questions Answered in This Episode: How do you evaluate your personal propensity for risk before stepping off the corporate fast track? What does it look like to build a high-margin, niche consulting business that services enterprise telco giants on your own terms? Why is "it's not what you make, it's what you keep" the ultimate financial mantra for independent enterprise consultants? How do you leverage your corporate network while maintaining genuine, long-term professional relationships? What is the "Protean Corporation" structure, and how does it allow you to scale fluid teams up and down per project? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Broadcast Recording Setup: Thursday, July 30, 2026, with Stephen Slater 00:30 - Public to Private Sector: Managing $7 Billion Real Estate Operations 02:45 - Walking Off the Fast Track: Risk Tolerance, Intuition, and Partner Support 07:15 - Testing the Water: Creating a Cash Flow Model on Vacation Days 11:20 - Unfiltered Networking Truths: What Happens to Corporate Relationships When the Title Changes 14:05 - Designing a Niche Business: Choosing High Margins over Mass Scale 18:10 - Lifestyle Architecture: Building a Business That Serves Your Family and Time 22:15 - Recovering Hidden Assets: How Blue Croix Solves Complex Zoning and Permitting 26:40 - Corporate Skill Transferability: What You Learn vs. What You Keep 30:10 - Fluid Team Building: Leveraging Trusted Vendor Networks Across Decades 33:20 - Working Remotely for 25 Years: Selective Project Execution 37:15 - The Power of Now: Focusing on What You Have in the Trough 40:30 - Connecting with Stephen Slater and Blue Croix About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels

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  Episode #666

  From Luxury Timepieces to Time Sovereignty: Re-Evaluating Your Corporate Success

  Sep 22, 202610 minS1

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or enterprise executive who has accumulated the traditional markers of success—the luxury watches, the high-end gifts, the big compensation packages—yet feels a persistent pull toward owning more of your actual time? In this deeply personal solo episode, host Billy Keels reflects on his 26-year corporate trajectory, including 17 years in the enterprise software space. Billy breaks down the distinct seasons every high performer navigates: from the early phase of working relentless hours to validate success through luxury material purchases like Cartier timepieces, to the realization that physical items cannot match the value of cash-flowing assets and true schedule sovereignty. Discover why feeling like you're "being sent to the principal's office" when requesting PTO is a major signal that your priorities have evolved, and learn how to intentionally transition from acquiring things to engineering life-changing experiences and lasting memories with the people who matter most. Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm Questions Answered in This Episode: How do an executive's definitions of success naturally evolve across different career seasons? Why do luxury status symbols eventually lose their appeal for mature high performers? What does feeling anxious about asking for PTO reveal about your current schedule autonomy? How can corporate professionals pivot their focus from material accumulation to asset-backed experiences? What are the foundational steps to gaining control over both your time capital and income generation? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - A Conversation in Barcelona: Reflecting on Luxury Timepieces and Corporate Trajectory 01:10 - The Early Phase: Compensating for the Grind with Cartier and Tiffany Purchases 02:25 - The Mindset Shift: Realizing You Can Only Wear One Watch at a Time 03:15 - Shifting Priorities: From Buying Toys to Creating Global Family Experiences 04:30 - You Are Not Crazy: Normalizing the Transition to Time Sovereignty 05:40 - The Chesapeake Bay Story: Capturing Unforgettable Moments with Family 06:50 - The Principal's Office Paradox: Why Asking Permission for Time Away Signals a Need for Change 08:10 - Taking Intention Action: Owning Both Income Production and Time Control 09:15 - Moving From Theory to Practice Today About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels

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  Episode #665

  From $1.6B CMO to Executive Advisor with Marcus Phillips

  Sep 17, 202643 minS1

  Are you a high-performing corporate executive, VP, or C-suite officer who has achieved massive success, yet feels a quiet, steady pull toward building something you completely own? In this powerful guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Marcus Phillips, executive advisor, keynote speaker, author, and creator of The Zone Shift. Marcus pulls back the curtain on his 18-year corporate trajectory, culminating as the Chief Marketing Officer of a $1.6B global business unit spanning five continents. He candidly breaks down what happens when you step away from enterprise prestige, revealing why the hardest part of leaving corporate life isn't the financial loss, but overcoming "identity lag" the gap between who you have become and the role you're still performing as. Discover how to leverage core corporate skills like empathy and resilience, navigate AI-driven enterprise changes, and build alternative ventures on a solid foundation without unnecessarily burning the boats. Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm Questions Answered in This Episode: How does an 18-year corporate executive handle the transition out of a $1.6B global CMO role? Why is the morning-after "title removal" far more challenging than walking away from a corporate paycheck? What is "identity lag" and how does it quietly create a artificial ceiling for high-performing corporate leaders? How can executives navigate the 3 core pillars of enterprise AI: Adoption, Efficiency, and Governance? Why is treating side-business missteps as "tuition" essential for building sustainable long-term options? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Recording Track Setup: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, with Marcus Phillips 01:50 - The Before and After Moment: Stepping Down as CMO of a $1.6B Enterprise 03:10 - The Quiet Pull: How a Long-Standing Vision Resurfaced After 18 Years 04:55 - Gratitude First: Why Enterprise Leadership Is the Ultimate Foundation 05:55 - Transferable Assets: Empathy, Resilience, and Leading Teams Through NICU Realities 10:02 - The Money Fallacy: Why Identity, Not Cash Flow, Is the True Transition Friction 13:23 - Who Reaches Out When the Title Is Gone? Auditing Your Real Executive Network 15:30 - Elated vs. Deflated: The Physical Relief of Leaving the Enterprise Email Triage 19:15 - Demystifying Corporate AI: Adoption, Efficiency, and Low-Hanging Fruit 23:39 - The $40K Logistics Tuition: Learning How to Build Options Without Burning Boats 28:02 - The Genesis of Zone Shift Enterprises: Waking Up at 4 AM to Write the Book 31:26 - Unlocking the Network: Landing Keynote Stages Through Past Corporate Relationships 36:01 - Trough Principles: Overcoming the Identity Lag and Choosing to "Keep Going" 41:26 - Connecting with Marcus Phillips and Exploring The Zone Shift Connect with Marcus: Website: https://thezoneshift.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusgphillips/ Email: marcus@thezoneshift.com About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels

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