The Modern CEO

This isn’t about best practice. It’s about being the best leader you can be. Just straight talk on power, leadership, and making the hard calls at the top. Power. Pressure. Presence. Strategy that cuts through. Hosted by Mr Joe Leech — coach to the boldest CEOs in tech and beyond — this podcast helps you reinvent what it means to lead in the 2020s.

The Modern CEO is a business podcast hosted by Joe Leech, with 17 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Joe Leech hosts The Modern CEO, a business show with 17 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 #4

  The CEO's Guide to Chief of Staff

  Dec 11, 202539 minS2

  The Modern CEO's Guide to the Chief of Staff Role<br /><br />In this episode of The Modern CEO, we covered the rising significance of the Chief of Staff role, joined by experienced Chief of Staff Catherine Shepherd and Nick from the Chief of Staff Association.<br /><br />Catherine provides an insightful look into her day-to-day responsibilities, the importance of building trust and authority, and how she amplifies the effectiveness of a Principal or CEO.<br /><br />Nick offers a broader perspective on the evolving nature of the role globally and identifies key indicators for organizations to know when they're...

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  Episode #3

  The CEO’s Guide to Success (Execution-First Leadership)

  Sep 15, 202533 minS2

  The Modern CEO Podcast, Episode 3: The CEO’s Guide to Success (Execution-First Leadership)<br /><br /><br />What separates good CEOs from great ones? In this episode of The Modern CEO, Joe is joined by Professor Steven Kaplan of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business,  one of the world’s leading voices on CEO performance, hiring, and boards.<br /><br />About the guest:Steve Kaplan is a top private equity scholar and Chicago Booth professor.Co-created the Kaplan-Schoar PME and co-founded Booth’s New Venture Challenge.His students launched companies like GrubHub, Venmo, and Simple Mills.Named one of the top...

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  Episode #2

  The CEOs Guide to Being Punched in the Face

  Sep 10, 202533 minS2

  <b>Episode 2 — The CEO’s Guide to Being Punched in the Face (Metaphorically, Mostly)</b><br /><br />What does it really feel like to lead when the stakes are high, the spotlight’s on you, and everything’s breaking at once?<br /><br />In this episode of The Modern CEO, Joe sits down with <b>Roan Lavery</b>, CEO and co-founder of <b>FreeAgent</b> — a UK-based accounting software platform for small businesses.<br /><br />They talk about the real punches leaders take: the transition from co-founder to CEO, the weight of responsibility, and the difference between having opinions and actually lea...

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  Episode #1

  The CEO’s Guide to Telling Your Investor to F** ck Off

  Sep 10, 202531 minS2

  What really happens when the CEO–investor relationship breaks down?<br /><br />In this bold first episode of The Modern CEO, Joe Leech and guest Paul Traynor (veteran VC and author) unpack the unspoken dynamics between CEOs and private equity investors.<br /><br />Expect sharp insight, real stories, and the kind of candor that never makes it into investor decks.<br /><br />From brutal clarity to boardroom blowups, we talk about:When to say “Back me or sack me”Why soft skills matter more than spreadsheetsThe hidden fears driving investor behaviorAnd what happens when trust breaks down at the topNo fluff...

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  The Modern CEO

  Kick off Episode: The Modern CEO Podcast S2

  Sep 10, 20251 minS2

  <b>The Rules Have Changed. Welcome to The Modern CEO.</b><br /><br />This new season of the podcast is for leaders who aren’t following the old rules, they’re rewriting them.<br /><br />In this short kickoff, Joe Leech shares what to expect this season: unfiltered conversations, bold insights, and real talk about power, pressure, presence, and the hard calls every CEO has to make.<br /><br />No fluff. No safe takes.<br /><br />Let’s redefine leadership, starting now.

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