How do you go from nurse to franchise founder to aerospace advocate to Vistage Chair? Ask my Chairwaves guest Erin Herringshaw. Her career path is anything but conventional—but every step has led to deeper insight into what business owners truly need: support, perspective, and someone to challenge their blind spots.

In this episode, Erin shares how she built and sold a meal-prep business that started with wine, food stations, and a Sharpie-covered signature wall. She opens up about what it took to launch her first Vistage group, how she screens new members (spoiler: arrogance is a dealbreaker), and the advice she’d give her younger entrepreneurial self. “If I’d had Vistage back then,” she says, “it would’ve changed the whole trajectory.”

The best way to reach Erin is to connect with her on LinkedIn.

When your members name the group “The Refinery” and plan their own retreat, you know something special is happening.

Vistage Chair Jim Ristuccia shares how a retreat full of logos, laughter, and cross-talk turned his CE group into something deeper. From career Navy officer to award-winning COO to full-time Chair, Jim brings a systems mindset and deep emotional intelligence to his work—including a one-of-a-kind Emerging Leaders group he leads for Vistage employees. We cover everything from the power of writing your own CEO job description to what it means to build culture on purpose—not by accident.

To connect with Jim, visit his website.

When a career banker walks away from the industry without a plan, the next chapter isn’t usually “Vistage Chair of five groups and best practice leader for all of Chicago.” But that’s exactly how Aimee Daniels rewrote her story.

In this episode, Aimee shares the moment she stepped away from corporate life and stepped into something entirely new—eventually becoming a Vistage Chair, mentor, and trusted voice among her peers. We talk about the difference between peer pressure and peer support, the unique dynamics of Vistage Inside groups, and why even the most seasoned leaders need a chair of their own. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a Chair—or wondered what makes someone good at it—Aimee breaks it down with clarity and candor.

The best way to contact Aimee is via LinkedIn or by email at aimee.daniels@vistagechair.com.

Before Monty Montoya was a biotech CEO or a Vistage Chair, he was a 22-year-old harvesting corneas from cadavers—an intense, hands-on start to a career in ophthalmology that would eventually earn him the Visionary Award from the Ophthalmology World Leaders. After nearly two decades as a Vistage member, Monty stepped into a new role: Chair of the very same group that had shaped him. That transition—from peer to coach—wasn't easy. He had to unlearn his instinct to “fix” things and instead embrace what his members really needed: a space to feel seen, challenged, and supported. In this episode, Monty shares how one member’s deeply personal breakthrough changed the dynamic of the entire group, and why asking the right question is always more powerful than giving the right answer.

To connect with Monty, email monty.montoya@vistagechair.com.

San Diego-based Vistage Chair Mark Fackler didn’t always see himself as a leader. In fact, for much of his early life, he coasted—doing just enough to get by. That changed one day, mid-career, when a crisis with a client forced him to ask a hard question: Was he willing to keep failing quietly—or finally try his hardest and risk failing loudly? That moment became a turning point. In this episode, Mark reflects on that shift, the long road from entrepreneur to executive coach, and what it means to lead with love, humility, and courage. From launching a tech company to stewarding a decades-old Vistage group (and guiding MBA students at UC San Diego), Mark’s story is one of second chances, big lessons, and giving back.

To contact Mark, email him at mark@markfackler.com.

Ramona Wink is a fan of the F-word. Feelings that is. As a trained mental health professional, Ramona encourages the members of her Des Moines, IA based Vistage group to explore their feelings, trust in the process, and be an active part of the network of support that lifts each other up in times of both personal and professional need. Her group’s motto is “We are better together,” and it’s not just about supporting the members. Her tight knit group thrives on supporting her too.

If you would like to contact Ramona, she can be reached through email at ramona.wink@vistagechair.com or on her cell at 319-212-0366. She’d love to hear from you!

A person can be inspired by something or they can be inspired to do something, and according to San Diego Vistage Chair and Speaker, Danielle Baldwin there is a difference. What inspires people and what gets them to turn that inspiration into action is of profound interest to her. So much so that, in addition to running her own business, chairing three Vistage groups, working as a Vistage Speaker, and Vistage faculty member, Danielle is also writing a book on the subject of inspiration and the psychological states that can facilitate it into practice. When it comes to helping leaders in her peer groups, it is key that her members be both intentional and accountable so that they may inspire others through the work that they are doing for themselves.

If you have questions for Danielle or are interested in contacting her for more information about the work that she is doing, she can be reached at danielle.baldwin@vistagechair.com

Not all peer groups look the same, and that’s a good thing. San Antonio, TX, Vistage Chair, Delise Simmons leads two very different groups of executives. After decades of work in the airline industry helping to develop and cultivate positive corporate culture, Delise has taken her talents to the next level, leading one group of private equity members from around the country in virtual sessions, and another group of female-only executives from central Texas. And while it may seem like a simple ask for a CEO to get personal development and accountability training through executive peer groups, not everyone feels comfortable doing so. That’s where Delise’s expertise in organizational culture development and operationalizing through values and behaviors comes in handy.

It is quite a balancing act for Delise, who also still runs her own company and is not only a Vistage Chair, but also a speaker.

If you’d like to contact Delise you can check out her website, The Culture Think Tank, or contact her by email at delise.simmons@vistagechair.com