I had the express pleasure of being seated next to an actual CEO on the 8:16 this morning. He boarded in White Plains and took the window seat next to my aisle seat. In true CEO fashion, he booted up a laptop and tweaked a spread sheet showing half-year results, elbowing me in the ribs every time he typed an A, S, D, F, E or C. (I saw that snappy CEO title as he fired off a few emails.)

Also in true CEO fashion, this would-be master of the universe talked business–quite loudly, in fact–into his cell from Tuckahoe to the Grand Central tunnel.

The gentleman’s firm, which I won’t name out of decency and fear of litigation, is a management consulting firm that, according to its Website, helps global corporations with “decision making.” (Turkey or roast beef for lunch? Roast beef! Sprite or Sunkist? Er, let’s do a focus group.)

A few chief executive nuggets that the rest of the car were treated to this morning:

The Full-Time Advisory Consultant

“It’s one of those things we alluded to…we do not have a 100% full time advisory consultant sales guy…there’s no doubt that that’s a glaring weakness…Clearly I’m not able…I can’t be everywhere.”

The Rainmaker

“Getting a rainmaker in the advisory services business is the hardest thing to get. The opportunity to get business over the transom is there, but you never know.

“Jeff”

“Jeff is actually pretty innovative, and at times even effective. But his strength is selling solutions out.”