Most CEOs think their CPA only sees the numbers. Pat Fuelling sees the patterns — the warning signs, the blind spots, and the decisions that separate leaders who scale from those who stall.

Pat is a partner and executive committee member at Doran Mayhew, one of the top 30 CPA firms in the U.S., and has spent 32 years advising privately held businesses through growth, crisis, and everything in between. In this conversation with Glen Dall and John Ninkovich, he shares what he actually observes from inside the companies he serves.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Imposter syndrome in the CEO seat — why it doesn’t go away and how it shows up
• The physical and behavioral warning signs Pat sees before companies hit a wall
• Reacting vs. responding: the distinction that matters most under pressure
• Growth for growth’s sake — a real example of doubling revenue while cutting profit
• What high-performing leadership teams actually look like (and how rare they are)
• Why the right time to invest in your team is when things are hardest
• Cash flow: the blind spots most CEOs carry longer than they should
• Financial transparency — what to share, who to share it with, and how
• Pat’s three unconventional CEO Playbook additions: empower your people, learn from the next generation, and teach people how to think

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 — Introduction and how Pat and John met

2:46 — About Doran Mayhew and Pat’s role

8:07 — The CEO Doom Loop explained

10:46 — Imposter syndrome: does every CEO feel it?

12:46 — Recognizing imposter syndrome and finding your way out

14:03 — Growing leaders: from sink-or-swim to intentional development

19:30 — Clients vs. people: which comes first?

22:35 — 360 feedback and giving leaders room to grow

23:35 — Financial warning signs and the early signals of a Doom Loop

26:14 — Reacting vs. responding under pressure

26:37 — Leadership team quality: what Pat actually sees

33:29 — Outside advisors and why objectivity matters

35:32 — Reinvesting in the business when it’s hard

39:00 — Financial acumen for founder-CEOs

43:23 — Cash flow: defining terms and building a foundation

45:00 — Receivables and the false sense of security

48:24 — Financial transparency with the leadership team

51:46 — CEO Playbook: Pat’s three pieces of advice

57:15 — Why Pat went into accounting (and how he discovered it was actually about people)

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Pat Fuelling is a partner and executive committee member at Doeren Mayhew, a top-30 CPA firm serving privately held businesses. He’s been in the profession for over 32 years and was one of the early connectors behind the research project that became the CEO Playbook — the foundation of this podcast.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Escape the CEO Doom Loop is hosted by Glen Dall and John Ninkovich of Apex North Business Coaching. Every episode is built for CEOs of growing companies who are tired of carrying everything — and ready to lead differently.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• The CEO Playbook — NinkCoach/ Apex North Business Coaching
• Doeren Mayhew — doranmayhew.com

#CEOLeadership #ImpostorSyndrome #BusinessGrowth #CashFlow #CEODoomLoop #ApexNorth #Podcast #TrustedAdvisor #LeadershipDevelopment #PrivatelyHeldBusiness

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