S02 E04 The Invisible Weight of Leadership | Joshua Christopherson

In this episode of Untold, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Joshua Christopherson, CEO of Achieve Today, to explore the hidden realities of leadership that rarely make it into press releases or boardroom summaries.

Joshua shares his deeply personal journey from sales and marketing leadership roles to becoming CEO of Achieve Today, an EdTech company based in Utah that has helped more than 150,000 people in 72 countries through coaching and personal development programs. After nearly two decades with the company, Joshua Christopherson reveals the mindset shifts required to grow from an individual contributor to an executive leader responsible for the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of employees.

The conversation dives into the unseen pressures of leadership, the emotional weight of running a company, and the internal battles leaders face while appearing confident on the outside. Josh Christopherson also opens up about the inspiration behind his book, CEOs and Suicide: The Invisible Game of Leadership, where he discusses the mental and emotional struggles many executives silently experience.

From navigating financial crises and near-miss payroll moments to confronting loneliness at the top, this episode uncovers the inner game that every leader must face but few openly discuss.

If you're a founder, entrepreneur, executive, or aspiring leader, this conversation provides powerful insights into resilience, vulnerability in leadership, and what it truly takes to carry the responsibility of leading others.

Topics covered in this episode:

Leadership mindset shifts from “me” to “we”
The hidden emotional costs of running a company
Why leadership can feel lonely at the top
Lessons from nearly 25 years in the education and coaching industry
The story behind the book CEOs and Suicide
Building a strong workplace culture and supporting employees
Facing business crises and staying resilient as a leader

About the guest
Joshua Christopherson is the CEO of Achieve Today, a personal development and coaching company headquartered in Utah. With more than two decades of experience in education and leadership, Joshua Christopherson has helped scale the company into a globally recognized coaching platform while building one of the most awarded workplace cultures in the state.

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#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #CEOLeadership #BusinessPodcast #PersonalDevelopment #StartupLife #ExecutiveLeadership