It’s time to shift the spotlight.

If you are like us, you want to know what is happening in the real economy. Not the economy of derivatives trading, credit default swaps, politics, media or Silicon Valley. On Real Leadership, we spotlight the heroes at the helm of companies who make, move and process things. Leaders in a world that is more pragmatic than pretty, more steak than sizzle, more guts than glory.  Discover with us what it takes to lead in that world. 

– Real Leadership 

Latest Episode

Your Host

Meet Jim Weaver

When he’s not hosting the Real Leadership Podcast, Jim is Chief Executive Officer of The Ōnin Group, one of the largest staffing companies in the United States. 

Jim began his journey at Ōnin in 2001 as an account executive in Nashville, Tennessee, and has become integral to The Ōnin Group’s phenomenal growth. Under Jim’s guidance, Ōnin has become a leader in the staffing industry and is recognized as one of Staffing Industry Analysts’ fastest-growing and best places to work. As CEO, Jim’s focus lies in developing smart systems and a corporate culture that boosts employee performance and delights customers.

Meet our next guess

Paul Simmons

President of WSI (Warehouse Specialists, LLC)

Get ready to be inspired by Paul Simmons, the President of WSI (Warehouse Specialists, LLC), a leading logistics and supply chain solutions provider. With over 20 years of experience in the transportation industry, Paul has built a career focused on driving revenue, operational excellence, and business growth.

Paul began his leadership journey in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a Captain before transitioning into the transportation sector. He spent over two decades at Schneider National, where he held key leadership roles in Operations, Customer Service, and Intermodal, ultimately serving as Regional Vice President of Van Truckload and Vice President of Intermodal Operations. His career continued with executive leadership roles at Interstate Distributor and Transport America, where he served as President and CEO.

Since joining WSI in 2019, Paul has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategy and operational performance, first as Chief Operating Officer and now as President.

Previous Real Leadership Guests Include:

Are You a Real Leader?

If you are a top executive in the real economy — like the manufacturing, logistics and food processing sectors — we’d love to talk.  

Real Leadership is a platform for you to promote your business and amplify your leadership message as subscribers listen in on a meaningful conversation between our CEO and you. Our goal is to capture legacy career moments for our guests and high-quality, evergreen media content you can leverage for years to come.   

We have a thorough guest evaluation process, and you will be joining a select group of world-class leaders. 

Real Leadership is a great way to:

Build your personal brand

Promote your company across our listener base

Share your leadership message at a pivotal moment in our industry

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