Connection in modern times can feel transactional, and professional growth is often siloed by status, title or background. Melissa Aarskaug, an accomplished professional and founder of Executive Connect, saw the need for human-centered spaces becoming more apparent. She found her mission in creating spaces where people from all walks of life feel seen and supported. She champions knowledge-sharing, inclusivity and empowerment for executives, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders. She shares her strategies through her podcast, speaking engagements, coaching and community initiatives.
Aarskaug’s background: innovation, leadership and growth
Aarskaug’s career started in banking and engineering, managing massive infrastructure projects. Afterward, she assumed leadership roles in business operations at an investment company in Las Vegas, optimizing commercial and industrial property portfolios. Aarskaug then transitioned into gaming compliance and cybersecurity services, determined to identify gaps, build high-performing teams and drive growth.
For over 13 years, Aarskaug has played a role in driving business development as the Global Vice President at a company providing leading testing and certification services for the gaming industry. The firm expanded into untapped verticals such as healthcare, state government, finance, voting, construction and education under her leadership.
Still, beyond her background in strategic innovation and leadership, Aarskaug stands out for her depth of experience, the diversity of her roles and the humanity she brings to the boardroom. She’s a devoted mentor and community leader, serving on multiple boards, empowering others and providing knowledge. She is striving to create spaces where others can grow, especially those who once felt like outsiders as she did.
A platform for a new generation of leaders
In 2023, Aarskaug co-founded Executive Connect, a platform for the new generation of leaders. The inspiration behind this platform stems from her experience. She recalls times when she felt powerless, lacking the tools, knowledge and community to rise above systemic challenges. These experiences motivated her to create a space where no one would have to feel that alone again.
“I realized that the professional world operated on transactions—favor for a favor, connection for clout, donation for a tax write-off. I wanted something different, a platform built not on status but service,” Aarskaug says. “I want a space where people, regardless of gender, race, nationality, income level, or political beliefs, could access real, unfiltered conversations and fuel a sense of belonging.” This vision became the foundation for Executive Connect.
Aarskaug and her husband, Bryan Hancock, co-founder of Executive Connect, created a private equity fund, Texas Freedom Fund, which provides executives a pathway to financial freedom, making their money work for them instead of working for their money. “We trade our time and well-being for wealth, in the pursuit of success people often bankrupt their bodies. People hustle for years to make money chasing income, realizing too late that health is the ultimate form of currency,” Hancock states.
The Executive Connect podcast: giving new perspectives
The first initiative under the brand is the Executive Connect podcast, which is built around real stories, hard-won insights and cross-industry leadership lessons. It covers a wide range of topics: leadership, wealth-building, technology, communication, mental health and branding. Episodes feature C-suite executives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who bring a fresh lens to leadership and success.
Executive Connect offers listeners perspective. Here, Aarskaug discusses parenting while leading global teams, the importance of kindness in business and how to navigate being both vulnerable and strong. “People want us to be laser-focused—stick to engineering or stick to investing. But that’s not real life. We’re moms, daughters and business leaders. We have layers. And what we’re building with Executive Connect is a platform to give people tools so they can rise, earn more, and eventually invest in their own future,” she remarks.
More ways Aarskaug helps others to grow and thrive
Besides the podcast, Aarskaug’s other offerings include speaking engagements, events, coaching and educational programs for high-achievers and doers. She meets people where they are, whether an SVP in a Fortune 500 company or an investor exploring risk capital. Her speaking topics dive into themes such as mental and physical health, unconventional leadership, AI, personal branding, parenting in executive leadership and how to break through fear in a world that typically rewards conformity.
Authenticity, success and leadership
Although Aarskaug has created innovative offerings, she measures her impact through the stories she hears rather than metrics. For example, according to Aarskaug, an executive at a recent conference approached her in private to thank her for her LinkedIn posts. Another woman shared that a post on courage inspired her to apply for a job she felt unqualified for, and she got the job. These moments affirm that her work matters.
Ultimately, Aarskaug says her work is about humanizing leadership. Her platform encourages people to take off the armor, ask hard questions and rediscover what makes them powerful. She states: “I want people to know that life is messy, and that’s okay. I want someone negotiating a salary, navigating motherhood and leadership, or facing imposter syndrome to find something they can connect with. I spent years feeling like I couldn’t be a wife, a mom, or even wear makeup. But now I’d tell younger Melissa: be you. The real you will get where you’re meant to go faster.”
