I recently went one-on-one with Russ Reeder, CEO of XTIUM.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Russ: I graduated from James Madison University with a business degree in Computer Information Systems and went right into developing financial systems for banks. After getting tired of living at a client site for every project, I wanted to stop traveling as much and went into technical customer support for the engineers in the field. After that, I started to sell enterprise solutions as a sales engineer, then directly into sales, and then sales management at Oracle. In 1997, I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. I was promoted to help run Enterprise Application Sales for Oracle and moved to Redwood City, CA. Within two years, I was recruited out by Sequia Capital to be the Director of Sales for a B2B startup called RightWorks, which we ended up selling to ICG within two years before the dot-com crash. After we sold, I left to start my own company, RightsLine, and sold that company in 2006. RightsLine is the leading provider of streaming rights and royalties, and today, it runs the back office for streaming companies like Disney+ and Hulu. In 2007, I started working with Private Equity firms as an operating executive to help lead transformative growth through innovation, customer success, and building cultures that scaled.
At every company, there were roadblocks and surprises that I never would have thought existed. The biggest lesson I have learned to be able to get around them, adapt, and continue to hit our targets is to understand each challenge from all angles. When running a company, you must be able to approach each problem with all stakeholders in mind – your employees, customers, partners, and shareholders. Understanding that you have a fiduciary duty to increase shareholder value has always been my north star. At the end of the day, the biggest challenges and opportunities are always around people.
Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?
Russ: Building a strategy for growth is much more formulaic than addressing all the tactical issues along the way, but the best way to ensure success starts with the vision, mission, and values, and then into the operational systems and processes that you implement to track key metrics to allow the team to make small changes as they are needed.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Russ: Trust is the core foundation for success when building, leading, and managing teams. You must also ensure that every team member understands what success means for the company and how their role and their success specifically contribute. You also have to take the time to ensure everyone has what they need to be successful.
Leaders also must have consistent and clear messaging, directly to their team. Be careful of the old “telephone game,” where your message cascades down the ranks, changing every time.
Adam: What are the most important trends in technology that leaders should be aware of and understand? What should they understand about them?
Russ: Of course, it’s AI, but more specifically, every leader should be aware of how to use AI agents to help their employees and company do more while providing better customer service and being more accurate and responsive. This will also help free up time for your employees to perform more valuable work. We are implementing AI Agents to help coach our sales and support teams.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Russ: Most people fail at leadership because they fail to motivate their most valuable assets, their people. I’ve adopted a methodology I call HEAR: Honesty, Empathy, Accountability, and Respect. These four core foundations are the basis of all interactions.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Russ: Moving from an individual contributor to a leader is a big jump everyone must take on their leadership journey. For many, especially in sales, it could even mean you initially make less money as a manager than you did as an individual contributor. So do not be afraid when given the opportunity, but do whatever you can to make sure your team is successful. Being a true servant-based leader will pay off as your team wins. The coach of a team can never win unless the individual players perform, the team plays well together, and they do what it takes to win.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Russ:
- Be authentic: People can tell when you’re not genuine, whether leading a company, a team, or a community. Authenticity builds trust faster than anything else. The more authentic you are, the more people will want to follow you.
- Be honest: In leadership, honesty isn’t optional; it’s essential. Even when the truth is difficult, people deserve transparency and clarity. When you’re honest about challenges, successes, and where you’re headed, you create an environment of trust and shared purpose.
- Be humble: Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about empowering others, learning constantly, and recognizing that no one builds anything great alone. Staying humble keeps you open — open to feedback, open to change, and open to the kind of growth that makes success sustainable.
Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding?
Russ: Always look through the lens of the other person. Whether you’re selling, marketing, or building a brand, it’s critical to understand the other side’s perspective — their needs, challenges, and goals. It’s not about pushing your message but meeting people where they are. Brands are built through trust, consistency, and delivering real value over time.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Russ: The best advice I ever received came from my grandfather, Russell P. Reeder (Colonel Red Reeder).
He helped plan and lead the invasion of Normandy during World War II, later created the leadership program at West Point, and helped establish the Bronze Star. His life was devoted to leadership, character, and service.
He always told me:
“It takes your entire career to build your name, and only one bad mistake to destroy it.”
That advice stuck with me. I hear it as a call to stay grounded in character, to lead with integrity, and to understand that every action, big or small, shapes your legacy. It’s easy to get focused on short-term wins. My grandfather’s words remind me that real success isn’t just about hitting business goals and numbers — it’s about earning trust, living your values, and building something that endures. That’s the kind of legacy I work to create every day.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Russ: I’d like to share something personal about my grandfather, Russell P. Reeder. He was a West Point graduate, a D-Day hero, and the author of more than 35 books – a man who spent his life honoring the ideals of leadership, integrity, and perseverance.
Following his example, I attended West Point Prep, believing I would continue the family tradition. But after a year, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: I realized my true calling was in business and technology, and I chose to forge a different path.
West Point wasn’t just a school to my family. It was a symbol of everything my grandfather stood for. The day after I left, he was hospitalized — a moment that has stayed with me ever since. But even in that difficult time, the lessons he taught me never wavered: lead with character, build your own legacy, you can never be successful without having your team be successful, and honor the values that matter most.
Every step I’ve taken since has been guided by those principles. My career, my leadership style, and my commitment to doing things the right way are all part of the legacy he entrusted to me.
