How to Move from VP to the C-Suite

Episode notes

In this debut episode of Mission One: The Executive Edge, hosts Gerard Miles and Dan Hampton dig into what it truly means to reach the C-suite and why the corner office isn’t always the prize it seems. Drawing on their years of executive search experience across global giants and fast-growth startups, they unpack the leap from VP to C-level, where the job shifts from delivering results to owning vision, influence, and strategy. They explore why empathy and communication are underrated power skills, how “leading through layers” separates good leaders from great ones, and why gravitas, more than charisma, is the quality that earns lasting respect. The conversation also takes a candid look at the trade-offs: more travel, more pressure, less proximity to your team, and the isolation that often comes with the top job. Gerard and Dan round things out with practical hiring advice for boards and CEOs, including why charisma without substance can be dangerous, how politics play out in large organizations, and why sometimes the hungriest number two is a better bet than the safest, most seasoned candidate.