Arcqus Group

After 25+ years leading high-growth organizations as a senior executive, president, and CEO, I saw firsthand that even the most accomplished leaders can get stuck—not due to lack of ambition, but due to misalignment between vision, strategy, and execution.

That realization led me to found Arcqus Group—to equip CEOs and senior leaders with the clarity, tools, and confidence to unlock transformational growth.

My Leadership Journey:
✅ Red Stag Fulfillment – Scaled revenue 50%+ in 3 years, expanded capacity 250%, and drove record-setting performance.
✅ AAA Carolinas – Led multi-business transformation, built high-performing teams, increased NPS, and launched new ventures like FINS Car Wash.
✅ Across Industries – Built teams and cultures that thrived on vision clarity, execution alignment, and purpose-driven growth.

At Arcqus Group, we bridge the gap between vision and execution, partnering with growth-minded leaders to drive sustainable success through:

Clarity – Defining success and aligning leadership around it.
Alignment – Ensuring teams move forward together with ownership and accountability.
Execution – Turning strategy into action with precision and focus.
How We Help:
Executive Coaching – One-on-one support to help leaders operate with clarity and confidence.
Leadership Team Alignment – Proven frameworks to unify teams and accelerate performance.
Leadership Growth Systems – Custom tools and strategies to scale leadership capacity.
Why It Matters:
I know the weight leaders carry—because I’ve carried it myself. Leading transformation at AAA Carolinas, I saw how clarity and alignment turned resistance into momentum. That experience shaped my belief: Leadership breakthroughs happen when vision, strategy, and execution align.

That’s why I built Arcqus Group—to help purpose-driven leaders unlock their potential, scale their impact, and build a legacy of growth.

👉 Let’s connect. Message me here or visit www.arcqusgroup.com to learn more.

CEO & Founder

HeroWear

Independent Director - Chair of Compensation Committee

Advising an innovative exoskeleton company on growth strategy, go-to-market execution, and operational effectiveness.

Board Member

Red Stag Fulfillment

Led Red Stag Fulfillment through a period of hyper-growth, transforming a scrappy eCommerce startup into a high-performing, scalable 3PL fulfillment enterprise.

Scaled revenue by 52% from 2021 to 2023, on track for 30% growth in 2024.
Doubled net operating income YoY through improved efficiency, cost reduction, and revenue expansion.
Increased labor efficiency by 30%, driving $4.8M+ in annual savings.
Expanded capacity by 250%, launching a new 700K-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Tennessee.
Converted 60% of revenue from 30-day contracts to multi-year contracts for greater stability.
Reinforced a ‘people-first’ culture, prioritizing communication, transparency, and engagement.
Led Red Stag to multiple business excellence awards, including Multichannel Merchant’s Top 3PL Provider and the Knoxville Chamber’s Pinnacle Award.

Chief Executive Officer

Vistage Worldwide, Inc.

Engaging with top executives to drive business growth and leadership excellence.

Member

AAA-The Auto Club Group

Drove membership innovation and strategy following the merger of AAA Carolinas and The Auto Club Group to ensure brand relevance in a rapidly changing industry.

Reimagined membership offerings to align with shifting customer expectations and industry disruptions.
Partnered cross-functionally to develop and launch strategic initiatives that modernized core membership benefits.
Provided expertise to overhaul AAA Travel’s business strategy, adapting to post-COVID shifts in consumer behavior.

Head of Membership Innovation

AAA Carolinas

Took over FINS Car Wash, launching 9 locations in one year and laying the groundwork for 6 more.
Led AAA Membership Strategy, driving customer retention, benefits innovation, and digital engagement.

Senior Vice President, AAA Membership & Fins Car Wash

Transformed AAA Membership’s business model, cutting service costs 33%, increasing revenue 6%, and boosting auto-renewals 42%.

Led AAA Car Care turnaround, improving revenue 10.6%, gross profit 12.5%, and NPS 18.9%.

Senior Vice President - Member Experience & Analytics

Developed AAA’s first enterprise CRM strategy, increasing customer engagement and revenue per relationship by 6.7%.
Exceeded operating profit plans by 47.9%, introducing AAA’s first company-wide incentive program.
Spearheaded the launch of FINS Car Wash, securing board buy-in and establishing a high-growth business unit.

Vice President - Automotive

Increased AAA membership by 15.4%, making AAA Carolinas a top-performing affiliate.
Drove $9.7M in new revenue by launching AAA Premier membership, attracting 70K+ members.
Led AAA’s strategic planning, defining core values, future vision, and major business initiatives.

Vice President Operations & CMO

AAA Car Care

Took over the day-to-day operations of the Car Care division (33 locations) to rectify declining performance, build a strong leadership core, and establish a change-oriented team focused on continuous improvement. Drove an organizational transformation that transitioned the culture to one that was more intentional and purpose-driven, aligned with the broader vision, and customer- and member-centric. Curated a servant leadership culture, instilling in key leaders a “get it done” attitude and an unwillingness to accept the status quo. Launched an internal/external rebranding to promote key brand promise pillars of integrity, expertise, and convenience.

President, AAA Car Care

Vice President, Motor Club Operations

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about making the right ones, at the right time, with the right people.

Even the most accomplished CEOs and senior leaders hit a wall. You have a bold vision, but translating it into aligned teams, clear strategies, and sustainable growth can feel harder than it should. Leadership can be isolating, and the weight of high-stakes decisions is real.

I believe leadership starts with self-leadership—owning your time, priorities, and mindset with intention. When leaders operate with clarity, alignment, and purpose, their teams and organizations follow.

That’s where I come in.

As CEO & Founder of Arcqus Group, Board Member, and Strategic Advisor, I help growth-minded executives unlock clarity, align their teams, and scale with precision. Sustainable success isn’t about working harder—it’s about leading smarter.

Transformational growth happens when leaders:
1. Gain absolute clarity on their vision and next steps
2. Align their teams with ownership, accountability, and purpose
3. Execute with precision, turning strategy into measurable results

I’ve guided high-performing leaders across industries, helping them bridge the gap between big vision and real execution. I know the pressure you’re under—and I know what it takes to build the confidence, systems, and strategies to scale with purpose.

If you’re ready to break through the plateau and lead with clarity, let’s connect.

Message me here on LinkedIn or visit www.arcqusgroup.com to learn more.

"Most AI tools are just expensive crutches that perpetuate a mediocrity doom loop."

That's what hit me during today's mastermind call with Dustin Riechmann's mastermind group. We're all using AI. But most of us are using it wrong. (me included)

I've been guilty of this too. Grabbing the latest tool, playing with it for a week, then watching it collect digital dust while I go back to my old workflows. (I've been on an "AI tool unsubscribe" mission of late...)

But my mindset and workflows shifted when Bzur introduced me to CR8.io.

It hasn't been just another tool. It's actually changed how I think about AI as a force multiplier instead of a shortcut.

During the call, I ended up doing an impromptu demo. Not because I'm trying to sell anything. Because I couldn't help myself. When you find something that fundamentally changes your workflow, you want to share it.

Here's what's different: Most AI tools do one thing well. This platform has let me build assistants that are tuned to my values and the value-creation promise I want for my customers. Then it gives you me the flexible frameworks to use them efficiently. (no more copying and pasting threads to use different models or Assistants)

I recorded this 8-minute walk through because I think seeing it in action explains it better than I can in text.

Fair warning: I'm still figuring this out. Still learning. Still discovering new ways to use it. But that's the exciting part, when tools align with how you actually want to work, the possibilities keep expanding.

Building in public means sharing the messy middle. This is mine.

What AI tool has actually changed your workflow (not just added to it)?

Dusty Holcomb

Helping CEOs, Entrepreneurs & Senior Leaders Achieve Clarity, Align Teams & Scale for 10x Growth | YPO | CEO & Founder | Board Member | Coach & Mentor

I'm the guy who jumps in the deep end.

Not because I'm brave. Because I can't help myself.

Last night in Charleston, the Steep Canyon Rangers played a song that felt like someone had been watching my entire career:

"I'm the guy who jumps in the deep end
Find out quick if I'm sinking or swimming
Long ago threw caution to the wind"

I sat there laughing to myself and just grinning like a maniac. Because it's true.

Every major decision I've made, starting Arcqus, building teams, betting on people before they were "ready, " taking on roles I wasn't qualified for, I jumped first and learned to swim on the way down.

Sometimes I wonder if that's wisdom or just stubbornness.

Probably both.

My good friend and mentor Karl Doerre says "music is art for the soul." Last night proved it. Because in that moment, I wasn't a coach or a consultant. I was just a guy who needed to hear that his instincts, the ones that have terrified him and thrilled him in equal measure, might actually be okay.

Maybe even right.

This week, Jason VanDevere talked on my podcast about designing a life that supports your dreams. And I realized: I've been doing that all along. Not because I had it figured out.

Because I couldn't do it any other way.

So here's my confession: I don't know how to play it safe.

I've tried. It doesn't fit.

The deep end is where I live. Where I learn. Where I become who I'm supposed to be.

Anyone else wired this way? Is this truly the entrepreneur's mindset?

Dustin Riechmann, Nolan Bradbury, Tony DiLorenzo, Colin Sullivan, David Stupay, Charles Hall, Edward Geller, Charles B. Jimerson - I know you guys feel this too.

#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SelfLeadership #BeIntentional #PersonalGrowth #YPO

Steep Canyon Rangers performing live on stage in Charleston, SC, under dramatic purple and blue stage lighting with atmospheric fog. Six-piece bluegrass band featuring violin, banjo, acoustic guitar, upright bass, mandolin, and drums. Lead guitarist center stage wearing tan hat and rust-colored shirt. Concert performance photograph capturing live music experience and communal artistic moment.

I wasn't supposed to be a leader.

Homeschooled. GED instead of diploma. Barely passing SAT scores.

The college admissions counselor looked at my file: "Not everyone is cut out for college. Maybe consider trade school."

Four years later, I slid my magna cum laude diploma across his desk.

"Thank you for giving me the extra energy I needed."

Leadership isn't a learned behavior. It's a learning behavior.

We're shaped by keystone moments, those inflection points that form and reform us. The moments where we learn to bear weight.

The keystone holds the arch together. Without it, everything collapses. With it, you can bear tremendous weight. Stack enough arches, and you build your leadership colosseum.

In this week's solo episode, I share:
→ The full story of that college counselor moment
→ Why a CMO tried to bully me out at 27 (and what standing your ground really means)
→ How homeschooling taught me that leaders are made, remade, and reformed
→ 4 questions that transform these moments into competitive advantage

Plus: Free Keystone Moments Reflection Journal at mykeystonemoments.com

Episode links in first comment

What's one of your keystone moments, an inflection point that shaped who you have become?

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching

Podcast cover image for Leadership Unlocked Episode 24 titled ‘Two Tough Moments Every Leader Needs to Experience.’ The design features a professional portrait of host Dusty Holcomb in a navy suit with a confident smile, set against a deep teal background with subtle geometric texture. The episode title appears in bold white serif text on the left, and the Leadership Unlocked logo with a lock icon, Dusty’s name, and the episode number are displayed along the bottom in gold-accented frames.

"I was terrified to have the conversation."

Jason VanDevere knew he was supposed to be part of his family’s multi-million-dollar car dealership empire. Fourth generation. Guaranteed success. His father had built something extraordinary.

But Jason couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t his path.
So he had the conversation. The one where you tell your father you’re walking away from everything he built - not because it’s not valuable, but because it’s not yours to build.

And then he bet everything on selling paper planners online.

Most people thought he was crazy. A few understood what he was really doing - designing a business that served his vision rather than building a life that served someone else’s business.

Here’s what Jason taught me about courage:

Real courage isn’t about fearlessness. It’s about having the conversation anyway. It’s about honoring what you know is true, even when you can’t yet prove it will work.

Jason’s “crazy idea” became a six-figure business. But the real win? He designed a life where his business serves his dreams instead of consuming them.

In our conversation on Leadership Unlocked, Jason reveals the frameworks that made it possible - including the dream-first business methodology that prevents the entrepreneur’s trap most of us fall into.

If you’re in a role that looks successful but drains you, this episode is worth your time.

Sometimes the most dangerous path is the safe one.

What conversation are you avoiding because you’re afraid of disappointing someone you respect?

Leadership Unlocked podcast Episode 25 with host Dusty Holcomb and guest Jason VanDevere from Goal Crazy Planners

I completely misread the calendar last week.

Showed up with Hyer for his karate class, started working through forms. Twenty minutes in, the sensei pulled me aside: "You know this is the beginner class, right?"

My purple belt son was in the white-orange belt group. My mistake.

"Dad, I don't know if I want to stay for this." Hyer had worked hard for that purple belt. This felt like going backward.

"We're here. Let's just finish class."

What happened next surprised us both. Stances he'd "mastered" months ago suddenly required real concentration. Forms that earned him stripes now demanded focus. He hadn't forgotten them, he'd stopped thinking about them. Halfway through, frustration turned to focus. By the end, he was helping white belts with their stances.

In the car afterward, Hyer said something that has me doing some thinking: "Dad, I forgot how hard those basics were. But when I did them right today, everything else made more sense."

We talked the whole ride home about how fundamentals aren't something you graduate from, they're something you build on.

My mistake became Hyer's reminder: Sometimes going backward is the only way forward.

What fundamental are you rushing past right now?

#LessonsFromHyer #

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My Apple Watch just called me out.

"Your sleep quality is down 23% this week."

In this 48-second clip from Leadership Unlocked, I share why recovery isn't just about feeling better, it's about leading better.

Sports research shows even small increases in quality sleep dramatically improve accuracy and speed. The same is true for leaders.

But we wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. We brag about 4-hour nights. We push through fatigue thinking it shows commitment.

Meanwhile, our decision-making suffers. Our patience evaporates. Our creativity flatlines.

Peak performance isn't about grinding harder. It's about recovering smarter.

When you prioritize sleep, nutrition, and intentional rest, you don't just feel better. You think clearer. Make better calls. Show up with more energy for your team.

Your recovery isn't selfish. It's strategic.

Because the quality of your leadership tomorrow depends on the quality of your recovery tonight.

What's one recovery habit you're committed to protecting?

#Leadership #PeakPerformance #LeadershipUnlocked

The delegation problem isn't your team. It's your clarity.

I've watched too many capable leaders burn out carrying work that shouldn't be on their plate.

Not because their people can't handle it, but because they never created the clarity needed for those people to succeed.

Here's the truth: Most delegation failures happen before the handoff.

We get frustrated with results that don't meet our expectations. But we forget to ask: Did we make those expectations clear? Did we define what "done" looks like? Did we build accountability into the system, or just hope for the best?

This Thursday, I'm leading a 90-minute workshop for Dustin Riechmann's 7 Figure Leap community on "The 10X Leader: Scaling Through Delegation & Accountability"

We're diving deep into:
→ How to create rock-solid clarity BEFORE you delegate (so execution doesn't require you)
→ The accountability frameworks that drive results without micromanagement
→ Systems that scale, whether you're leading a team of 1 or 1,000's

This isn't theory. These are the same frameworks I use with executives in my coaching practice.

Plus, everyone who attends gets a complimentary DISC executive personality assessment, the same one I use with key executives to understand how leadership style impacts delegation effectiveness.

If you're tired of being the bottleneck in your own growth, this is for you.

Register here: https://lnkd.in/e3FtXRw7

The strongest leaders aren't the ones who can do everything. They're the ones who've built systems so they don't have to.

See you Thursday.

Open article: The 10X Leader: Scaling Through Delegation & Accountability by go.7figureleap.com

The 10X Leader: Scaling Through Delegation & Accountability

Leadership isn't inherited. It's earned in the quiet moments nobody sees.

This 38-second clip from Leadership Unlocked captures what I've been thinking about all week.

We love the myth of natural-born leaders. It's a nice story, easy to sell.

But it's BS.

Real leadership is built through reflection. Through those keystone moments that hit you hard and force a choice: Learn from this, or just get through it?

One of my keystone moments came early. A college admissions counselor looked at my GED and SAT scores: "Maybe consider trade school."

Four years later, I slid my magna cum laude diploma across his desk.

Not because I was destined for leadership. Because I chose to be remade by that rejection instead of defined by it.

Every leader I respect has these moments. The ones that could have broken them, but instead forged them stronger.

Leadership evolves when we stop seeing challenges as happening 'to' us and start seeing them as opportunities 'for' us.

What keystone moment remade you?

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #KeystoneMoments #IntentionalLeadership

"For years, I've been the bottleneck holding this organization back."

Last week, I watched a CEO realize she had been the bottleneck in her own organization.

It wasn't awareness she lacked, it was a discipline of intentional reflection.

In my latest newsletter, I share the 4 questions that help leaders extract lessons from experience so they stop repeating old patterns.

Take 3 minutes to read it and reflect on your own Keystone Leadership Moments 👇

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching

I was on a call with a CEO and a key member of her leadership team when something remarkable happened. Mid-conversation, she paused and said, "I just 

Open article: October 21, 2025 by Dusty Holcomb • 2 min read

I love this platform, and here is one of my favorite features, which isn't super sexy but gives REAL value. 

https://lnkd.in/ewU6r3JM

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#AmplifyCreator #GenerativeAI #AIInnovation #CR8io

The moment Coach Bill Foran broke my brain.

20 minutes into our conversation, he drops this: "The undrafted players who made it often outlasted the superstars. Not because they were more talented. Because they worked harder."

I'm sitting there thinking about my own scrappy background. How I've always appreciated the underdogs. The fighters. The ones with something to prove.

But here's what hit me:

Even knowing this, I can STILL get seduced by shiny resumes. Still convince myself that maybe this time, the person with perfect credentials will also have the hunger.

They rarely do.

Meanwhile, my best people? They're the ones who remind me of where I came from. 

No fancy pedigree. Just pure work ethic.

They show up early. Stay late. Do the work nobody asked them to do. Make everyone around them better just by being there.

Coach Foran put it perfectly:

Talent is common.

Work ethic is rare.

And work ethic builds championships.

Sometimes we forget our own story. We start hiring who we think we're supposed to hire instead of who we know will get the job done.

I've listened to this episode three times. It reminded me of some things I'd forgotten about myself.

Link in comments:

Question for you: When was the last time you went against your gut and hired credentials over hunger?

What did it cost you?

https://arcq.us/4of9eak 
https://arcq.us/4q2A07e

Open article: How NBA Coach, Bill Foran, Used These Leadership Fundamentals to Build 4 Championship Teams | Bill Foran - E23 by arcq.us

How NBA Coach, Bill Foran, Used These Leadership Fundamentals to Build 4 Championship Teams | Bill Foran - E23

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