From Battlefield to Boardroom: Leading with Precision, Purpose, and Power

There are leaders who build from experience—and then there are leaders like Sheila Rondeau, who led from the frontlines, both literally and figuratively. A military veteran turned powerhouse CEO of MOGXP, Sheila is not only a division leader of C-Suite Network Experiential, but also one of our Hero Leaders contributing to The Leader’s Playbook: CEOs Transforming Vision into Action.

In this special edition of C-Suite Success, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Sheila to unpack how she turns complexity into clarity, chaos into structure, and uncertainty into measurable success. Whether it’s managing multi-city activations, orchestrating pop-ups in the middle of Times Square, or shifting entire campaigns due to natural disasters, Sheila brings a mindset that inspires confidence, accountability, and bold action.

 

The Power of Precision and People

From the moment Sheila speaks, there’s a calm certainty that follows her words. That calm, she shared, comes from knowing people. It’s a leadership skill honed through her time in the military and sharpened in business: “You need to know the people above you and the people below you,” she explained. “Understand their strengths and weaknesses so you know where to step in and where to let others shine.”

This isn’t just theoretical leadership, but something Sheila lives every day. When she partners with clients, she doesn’t just manage timelines. She manages people’s expectations, plays to their strengths, and fills in where needed. It’s more of an orchestration and not just a  collaboration.

 

Throwing Down the Gauntlet

What stood out most in our conversation was Sheila’s unapologetic approach to accountability. “I’m not afraid to throw the gauntlet,” she said. “Whether it’s a team member, a vendor, or even a client; when something needs to be done, I make it clear what’s required. Then it’s simple: Are you in, or are you out?”

This level of directness isn’t harsh; it’s liberating. It empowers those around her to step into clarity, to eliminate ambiguity, and to work from a shared commitment to the goal. Sheila’s clear-eyed leadership is a breath of fresh air at a time where ambiguity kills momentum,

 

Marketing, Math, and the Biggest “Suck”

When Sheila talks marketing, she doesn’t talk trends, she talks logistics, math, and execution. At time, marketing is treated like a creative black box, but Sheila is the disruption. “I solve problems using math, logistics, and operations,” she said, lighting up as she described how her analytical mind thrives in a field filled with creatives.

She also wasn’t shy about calling out the greatest barrier to success: time. “Time is the biggest suck,” Sheila told me. “It’s the biggest contributor to failure. So, we cut layers, get to decision-makers, and move fast.”

And move fast, she does. From organizing national tours for brands like Budweiser that included mobile military tributes, to shifting event activations across states in the face of natural disasters, Sheila has built a reputation as the go-to strategist when the stakes are high and the timeline is short.

 

Embracing the Puzzle of Leadership

Sheila described her approach to business and life as solving a puzzle — adjusting levers to find the right combination of people, equipment, and strategy. “You don’t always get to plan everything,” she said. “Life throws you opportunities, and you need to be ready to embrace them.”

She didn’t always envision being in the military. She didn’t map out the path to owning her own business. But with each step, she adapted, evaluated, and made deliberate choices to grow, lead, and deliver impact. “Take the extra minute,” she advised. “Don’t make rash decisions based on short-term problems. And when you commit — commit all in.”

 

Purpose, Brand, and Impact

When asked about her brand, both personal and business, Sheila was crystal clear: “I want to be authentic. I’m bold. I’m edgy. I solve problems with logic, and I don’t back down.” That brand of disruption, the kind rooted in clarity and consistency, gives her a competitive edge in an industry where fluff can sometimes outweigh function.

Her secret? Find joy in the mission. “When those trucks rolled out at 3 a.m. after our national tour launched, I wasn’t ready to leave,” she told me. “I grabbed a broom and just soaked it in. I needed to feel that moment. We had done something no one thought we could do.”

 

A Leader Worth Following

Sheila Rondeau isn’t just a military veteran; she’s a veteran of business, leadership, and high-stakes execution. Her story reminds us that success isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room, it’s about having the strength to step up, the wisdom to adjust, and the grit to deliver—every time.

If you’re looking for an example of what it means to lead with purpose, clarity, and power—Sheila is that example. And if you’re ready to build your business, your brand, and your impact with certainty, this is the kind of leader you want in your corner.

Watch our full C-Suite Success conversation and learn what it means to be bold, be strategic, and always deliver: https://c-suitenetwork.com/show/c-suite-success-with-tricia-benn/.