Kyle Johnson of SmartAction on Transitioning from CRO to CEO, Mindset, and Scaling Relationships

The Capital Stack

Kyle and I have known each other for quite some time, having served together on the board at Allbound. We once attempted to recruit him as CEO, but he politely declined. Perhaps he felt it wasn't the right moment, or maybe it was because the company was a complete disaster. However, it appears that he has now taken that leap and is currently serving as the chief executive officer at SmartAction- a conversational AI platform for call centers. This is a must listen. You can watch/listen to the pod on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify.

What does it take to take up and succeed in a CEO role? What skills are needed to let go of your fears and bet on your capabilities to lead an entire organization?

In this episode of The Capital Stack, Kyle Johnson talks about his transition from his 25+ years career in go-to-market to a CEO role. Kyle is a technology co. board member, investor, and chief executive officer at SmartAction, an artificial intelligence-based voice self-service provider.

Listen in to learn how past experience in leadership and team trust allowed Kyle to transition from a CRO to a CEO. You will also learn about the power of a genuine relationship with your team as a leader, delegating and investing in developing your team’s skills.

What You Will Discover:

· [00:57] How Kyle’s career journey and skills development allowed him to become a CEO.

· [03:34] The doubts he experienced fitting into the CEO role and moving to a new company.

· [05:48] The impact he desired to make in his career and drive for company culture by taking on the CEO role.

· [07:12] He explains the tech services SmartAction offers to end-users as a SaaS platform company.

· [13:38] How past experience in leadership and team trust allowed him to transition from CRO to CEO.

· [17:03] The importance of instilling genuine relationship notions in your team and customers as a leader.

· [19:32] Learning how to delegate ad trust your team as a leader to have time to prioritize yourself.

· [21:08] How to evaluate your team for strengths and weaknesses to understand where you need to develop more.

· [24:12] Random questions with Kyle – his morning routine, diet, and book recommendations.

Memorable Quote:

· “Building genuine relationships with people is one of the most important things you can do as a leader.”- Kyle [14:32]

Connect with Brian:

· Website: https://smartaction.ai/

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylegjohnson/

Books Mentioned:

· Why Employees Don't Do What They're Supposed to by Ferdinand Fournies

· Coaching for Improved Work Performance by Ferdinand F. Fournies