Breakthrough Builders

David Sandstrom has a really interesting way of thinking about brand. In terms of driving awareness and growth, he's clear about what he thinks brand can do—and what it can't do. In his talk with Jesse, David discusses how finding friction and identifying an enemy can help teams differentiate and deliver value in a space with lots of companies, but with very few true brands; why it's important to find creative ways to message your product so you don't bore your audience and add to the noise; why it's important, but sometimes really hard for marketing leaders to be customer driven, rather than CEO or boss driven; and the importance of discovering and acting on truth in marketing.Guest BioDavid Sandstrom currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Klarna and is a member of the executive management team. Sandstrom joined Klarna in 2017 where he led the fintech company to an extensive brand transformation, from one of many financial institutions to a rethinking lifestyle brand. During his time at Klarna, he has overseen several pioneering marketing campaigns that have attracted great attention internationally, working with high profile celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg. Sandstrom was behind Klarna's 2021 Super Bowl Advertisement starring Maya Rudolph that was an immediate hit with the public and garnered over 13 million views on YouTube. Prior to joining Klarna, Sandstrom was the CEO of one of Sweden's foremost advertising agencies. Helpful Linksklarna.comDavid believes: ‘Virtual shopping' can take over retailDavid on The CMO PodcastDavid on LinkedIn and Twitter 

Whether you're an early adopter or a skeptic of the metaverse and the technology enabling people to experience it—chances are it's on your mind. And if you're curious about where the metaverse is heading, there's no better person to hear from than Brian Irving.In his conversation with Jesse, Brian discusses how his distinctive combination of curiosity and a desire to do well by others led him down a marketing career path; why he thinks it's important for marketing leaders to have an appreciation of both craft and collaboration; how he balances an innate curiosity with the need to drive focus and pragmatism; the foundations of trust and respect that he believes the team at Reality Labs is built upon; the use cases he thinks will typify the early stage metaverse; and the role of marketing in telling a persuasive story about the possibilities for the future.(2:13) Building curiosity and finding opportunity in Flint, Michigan(7:02) Learning the tenets and importance of marketing craft at Apple(9:02) Brokering healthy relationships between marketing and communications teams (12:55) Why Brian joined Reality Labs, and thoughts on the metaverse's early applications and long-term possibilities  (21:03) How Brian's team is addressing the challenges of marketing the metaverse(24:22) Targeting big outcomes, but celebrating small milestones(26:17) The importance of saying yes to things that scare you Guest BioBrian is the VP of Global Marketing for Meta's Reality Labs, where he leads the team responsible for marketing the company's AR/VR hardware and software products including Meta Quest, Meta Portal, Ray-Ban Stories, and Meta Horizon. Prior to joining Meta in 2020, Brian was the Chief Marketing Officer at Eventbrite. Over the past two decades, he has led iPhone and iPod Marketing Communications at Apple, Global Marketing for the Google Play brand, and the launch of Airbnb's repositioning from homes to trips as Global Marketing Director. Brian is no stranger to shepherding iconic brands, having spent the early part of his career at Levi Strauss & Co, GE and General Motors.Helpful LinksMeta.comHave VR gear? Check out Beat Saber (Brian recommends)AdAge: Meet the Meta Reality Labs Marketer Branding the MetaverseBrian on LinkedIn

Jacob Jaber describes Philz Coffee, the company he co-founded with his father, as a ‘people company serving coffee, not a coffee company serving people.' This distinctively human approach is not just the engine driving the company's remarkable growth; it's also deeply reflected in Jacob's perspectives on leadership, product experience, and brand strategy. In his talk with Jesse, Jacob reflects on formative years with his father and describes how their efforts to build community through hospitality came to define the Philz experience for customers and employees. He breaks down the tenets of his own personal growth, including what he learned about leadership while serving as CEO during Philz' expansion. Throughout, he lays out a blueprint for any leader looking to create and scale a more human business.(2:18) Jacob describes the early days of working with his father (5:41) On character, competence, and the mountains we choose to climb(11:55) The makings of an authentic and energizing experience (18:40) Why ‘good hospitality is often inconvenient to the giver'(20:19) Leading humbly, but with a fresh outlook(23:40) Bringing the Philz mantra of hustle and hospitality to new marketsGuest BioJacob Jaber is Co-Founder and Chairman at Philz Coffee. Jacob and his father, Phil, built the business together. Jacob was most recently CEO of Philz successfully growing the business from one store and two employees to over 70 stores and 1,500 employees before transitioning to Chairman. Jacob is passionate about consumer experiences, community, people, product and business. In addition to Philz, Jacob is a renowned investor, advisor, and was listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2016.Helpful LinksPhilzcoffee.com Peninsula Press: The Origin Story of PhilzLaunching a partnership to feature local student artistsJacob on LinkedIn  and Twitter

Liz Jarvis-Shean grew up with an engrained love for public service—a devotion that was realized in her work for Candidate and President Barack Obama. When she eventually moved to the private sector, the motivation was less about what she was leaving behind, and more about what she was able to bring with her—her mission to effect change at scale through story.  In her talk with Jesse, Liz describes the importance of her family and their examples of public service early in her life; the formative impact of the time she spent in post-apartheid South Africa; the way she brought together facts, circumstance, vision, and persuasion to connect with citizen audiences on President Obama's team and Candidate Obama's team; the important parallels that she sees between the emotional connections we seek from people and the excitement we want from products; how she made the decision to move into the private sector and into tech; and her reflections on driving impact at scale at Tesla, Airbnb, and DoorDash.(6:17) How time spent at Berkeley and studying abroad in South Africa drew Liz to storytelling(10:08) Life as an opposition researcher on an historic presidential campaign trail (14:26) Telling stories of ‘promises kept' to make emotional connections with citizens (20:28) Finding an opportunity to affect massive change in the private sector at Tesla(23:32) Blending the inspirational, the aspirational, and the practical to make a compelling narrative(27:19) Airbnb's impact at scale, in her own words(30:04) How DoorDash achieves its mission to empower local economies by being customer-obsessed, not competitor-focused(35:46) Advice for organizations: ‘Don't just tell your story better. Have a better story to tell.'Guest BioElizabeth Jarvis-Shean is Vice President of Communications and Policy at DoorDash, leading the company's policy, government relations, social impact, public affairs, and global communications initiatives. Liz sits on DoorDash's Executive Management Team. Previously, she oversaw Airbnb's global public affairs and corporate communications teams, and has managed strategic communications at pioneering companies, including Tesla Motors, healthcare technology startup Nuna, and data science firm, Civis Analytics. Liz helped shape and drive research, rapid response and messaging for both of Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and his White House, and held leadership positions at CNBC and political research consultancy IMS, Inc. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and valedictorian in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.Helpful LinksLiz describes DoorDash's partnerships with food banksLearn more about the WeDash programLiz on Newcomer's Dead Cat podcastLiz on LinkedIn and Twitter

Rob Markey is the co-creator of the now-ubiquitous Net Promoter System—borrowing from Churchill, he refers to it as “the worst customer loyalty metric, except for all the others that have been tried.” But because of his accountability to clients and colleagues, Rob has higher expectations than many: Through 30+ years at Bain he's passionately championed the sometimes-unfulfilled mission behind the system—to put the customer at the center of business decisions and operations, at scale.In his conversation with Jesse, you'll hear about how Rob found his way to consulting; what he thinks makes him an effective client advisor and leader; how he helps senior executives find their voices and have those voices heard; how he gets leadership teams to make and stick to tough decisions; the structural barriers that keep companies from achieving true customer centricity; and the innovations in technology and operating models that are helping bring down those barriers. Along the way, he tells the “in the room where it happened” origin story of NPS, and presents his hypothesis on why NPS has had such staying power over the past two decades. (2:31) Rob's first impressions of consulting, and the circumstances and realizations that brought him into the field(6:48) Rob describes his strengths and his approach to helping executives embrace customer centricity(10:28) How staying focused on a larger mission has guided his long tenure at Bain(14:15) The barriers to being customer-focused at scale, and how to overcome them (20:20) Co-creating NPS, the “acid test of loyalty” (23:50) What really makes someone a promoter, passive, or detractor?(29:24) Why NPS is still at the center of CX efforts today(35:42) Lightning Round: most memorable marathon and a brand that's delighted him without failGuest BioRob Markey is a Senior Partner at Bain & Company, where he has helped lead dozens of successful customer-centric transformations at large global companies over 30+ years at the firm. Rob leads the NPS Loyalty Forum, a group of approximately 35 senior executives from loyalty-leading companies around the world, such as The Vanguard Group, American Express, JetBlue, Telstra, TD Bank, LEGO, Progressive Insurance, PwC and Intuit. Additionally, Rob is the creator of Bain's approach to customer-centricity, the co-inventor of the Net Promoter System, and co-author of The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.  Helpful LinksThe Ultimate Question 2.0 Rob's Net Promoter System PodcastRob writes for HBR: Are You Undervaluing Your Customers? Qualtrics Blog: Your Ultimate Guide to Net Promoter ScoreRob on LinkedIn and Twitter

How do you turn a genuine desire for improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into actions that actually change systems, processes, and cultures for the better? In our episode with Kamala Avila-Salmon, the first Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group—you'll find practical guidance from a luminary who's helped to orchestrate change at scale and across industries.In her talk with Jesse, Kamala describes the influence of black characters on TV early in her life; how she got curious, creative and scrappy to find jobs and create meaningful roles early in her career at spots like RCA and Bad Boy Entertainment; her practical and brave perspective on professional networking; how she pushed the music and television industries to adopt a more inclusive posture as the era of digital transformation took hold; the impact she had on both customer and employee experiences by widening representation in marketing at Google and Facebook; what she sees as the tenants of inclusive marketing; and where the entertainment industry needs to go from here on representation, inclusion, and equity. (3:00) Kamala's early years: drawing inspiration from representation(06:45) Breaking through without direct connections in a ‘who you know' industry(11:47) Reflections from a disruptive time in the music business(15:48) Back to business school & back to her first love: television(17:16) Experiencing the intrapreneurial, energizing culture of Google(21:17) Discovering her tenets of inclusive marketing(25:38) Accepting the role of a lifetime with Lionsgate(28:41) How transforming the workforce makes inclusion possible across systems, processes, and policies Guest BioKamala Avila-Salmon is the first-ever Head of Inclusive Content for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, where she develops and implements diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies to reflect a globally diverse audience in the studio's film slate. After pursuing her BA and MBA from Harvard, she has worked across music, movies, TV, tech, and streaming entertainment, leading marketing campaigns for Janelle Monae, The Voice, and Red Table Talk, to name a few. She is an outspoken voice on issues of race, racism, and anti-Blackness, working to diversify the powerful images and messages disseminated by Hollywood. She has penned several Medium articles on DEI in the workplace, and in the entertainment industry specifically; and she hosts the podcast, “From Woke to Work: The Anti-Racist Journey”, geared at helping people go from "woke" feelings to clear, effective action to advance racial justice.Helpful LinksThe Anti-Racism FunnelFrom Woke to Work podcastReferenced in episode: Work Rules by Laszlo BockListen to Janelle MonaeKamala on LinkedIn

Jenny Wood describes her career guidance as ‘common sense that's rarely common practice.' But through her creation and stewarding of the Own Your Career program at Google, she's taught over 39,000 people and counting. And she's now writing a highly anticipated book. So it's safe to say that ‘common practice' might not be that far away.In her talk with Jesse, Jenny describes how 15 years at Google—where she grew from entry-level employee to operations executive—gave her the wisdom and experience to write a new playbook for any employee seeking to develop more confidence and chart their own journey to fulfillment. She touches on lessons she learned from resilient grandparents & industrious parents; her F-L-I-P method for knowing when it's time to change roles; how to improve your approaches to networking and finding mentors; and ways to position yourself as a rockstar during organizational upheavals. No matter your industry or stage in life, Jenny's advice is insightful, easy to remember and certain to transform how you think about your career. (2:59) Lessons from a hard-working family(5:05) Seeking growth from within during 15 years at Google(8:11) Knowing when to F-L-I-P your role(11:23) About the Own Your Career program(13:10) Gifts and hooks: How to land an awesome mentor + new ways to network(23:24) The keys to thriving during a reorganization at work(29:18) On writing for an ‘everybody audience'Guest BioJenny Wood has grown from entry-level to an executive role at Google over her 15 years with the company, and she leads a large operations team that helps drive tens of billions of revenue per year. In 2021, she started a passion project within Google called Own Your Career. Through the program she founded, she's trained 39,000 people on: acing a job search, building relationships, personal branding, effective email writing, landing the right mentor, maximizing workplace influence, and most importantly, increasing confidence.A former Harvard Business Publishing writer, Jenny is now writing a book about going above and beyond to unapologetically achieve your goals. Jenny is an FAA-licensed private pilot, a daily hiker, an improv student, a tap dancer, and a zucchini bread connoisseur. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her two young children and her husband, Jon. Helpful LinksItsjennywood.comJenny's articles for EntrepreneurReferenced in the episode: Build for Tomorrow by Jason Feifer (avail Sep 2022)Jenny and Jon's story in the New York TimesJenny on LinkedIn

While practicing as an orthopedic surgeon, Justin Barad asked himself: With 1.1 million surgeons around the world, doing 310 million procedures a year—what if every single one of them was able to improve their performance by 200 or 300%? In his talk with Jesse, Justin describes how his love of video games and his medical expertise led him to develop Osso VR, which combines virtual reality technology and training to give surgeons a faster, more accessible route to mastering some of the world's most complex procedures. You'll hear about the transformative impact that Osso VR is having on the world of medicine today. Justin also shares his thoughts on how art can and should influence science, why we need to rethink how we educate doctors in order to address a growing skills gap, and, for lighter fare—he reveals his favorite slice of pizza in the US. (4:01) How Justin got hooked on video gaming(7:23) Discovering that not all physicians take a single-minded approach to their work(12:32) How Justin's pathways into medicine and tech converged with the development of Osso VR(20:28) Measuring the impact and improving the experience of Osso VR technology and training(27:49) Why we might see more MBA + MDs in the near future(30:59) How to pursue what you're passionate about (32:04) Exploring life journeys, and the search for the perfect pizza slice Guest BioJustin is a board-eligible orthopedic surgeon with a Bioengineering degree from UC Berkeley, and an MD from UCLA. Originally interning to become a game developer at Activision-Blizzard, he co-founded Osso VR with a mission to improve patient safety and democratize access to modern surgical techniques.Justin has spoken at multiple conferences including TEDMED, CES, Exponential Medicine, and Health 2.0. He also currently serves as a member of the Consumer Technology Association's Health Technology Division Board of Directors. He currently resides in sunny Northern California with his two Great Danes. In his free time, you can find him enthusiastically singing karaoke and searching for the perfect slice of pizza.Helpful LinksOssovr.comThe Slice podcastJustin's TED appearanceRead about The Hospital for Sick Kids, where Justin received some life-changing adviceJustin's favorite pizza spot: Rosie'sJustin on LinkedIn and Twitter

Executive and entrepreneur Atif Rafiq suggests that, in his career, he's often been at companies “too early.” For example, his foray into mobile applications actually pre-dated the iPhone. But is being ahead of your time ever really a bad thing? Atif certainly doesn't think so—especially when it comes to rewriting the rules of leadership. In his talk with Jesse, Atif reflects on his early roles as an executive at Audible (Amazon), as an entrepreneur at Covigna, and as the Chief Digital Officer at McDonald's, a first-of-its-kind position for a Fortune 500 company. He describes the challenges of finding a balance between safety and profitability at MGM Resorts during the pandemic. And throughout the conversation, he reveals the most important things he's learned about leadership (and the notions he's left behind). (4:23) How roles at Audible and Covigna taught Atif to ‘keep pivoting' in new markets(8:40) Focusing on the speed of learning at Amazon (10:57) Helping McDonald's reconnect with its heritage through new service models(15:40) Why the role of the executive in problem solving is calibration(19:09) Stewarding MGM Resorts through the pandemic(20:53) It's not just the decision: how you get there matters(23:27) Authoring Re:Wire on LinkedIn to accelerate changes in how we leadGuest BioAtif Rafiq is an executive, board member, social media influencer, and author. Atif has been part of the executive committee of 3 large cap global companies working directly for their CEOs and interacting with their boards on transformation and strategy. His C-suite roles at some of the world's most recognized brands (McDonald's, Volvo and MGM Resorts) followed a 15+ year career in Silicon Valley. Helpful LinksThe Re:Wire Newsletter, subscribed to by over 100,000Future Forum Exec Spotlight: Moving away from command and controlOne of Atif's innovations: McDonald's Rolls Out Table Service (from Business Insider)Atif on LinkedIn and Twitter

Varun Parmar has spent decades as a product leader, helping to define successive waves of category and product innovation at companies like Adobe, Doculus, EMC, Box, and now, Miro. He's gone from executive to entrepreneur and back again. During his journey, he has observed that “over time, every product either becomes better or worse. It never remains the same.”  It's an important reminder to build with intention, even when you're building fast and beating your head against the wall. And it's one of the many subjects he discusses with Jesse in this episode of Breakthrough Builders. You'll hear how he helped guide product strategy during Adobe's successful transition to the cloud, how he developed his own guidelines for making headway in sectors with dominant players, the value he places on staying close to one's craft, and why he's confident that Miro will reach its ambitious goal to have 500 million users working together inclusively and seamlessly around the globe. (2:42) Reflections from helping to lead the SaaS transition at Adobe(7:06) The role of customer empathy in product design(13:40) How to determine the right frequency for updates and releases(15:33) Thriving in a hypercompetitive market: 3 learnings from ‘taking on' Microsoft (21:58) On the opportunity to join Miro and the ambition to forge a path toward effective, distributed work for all(31:33) Advice for builders: Bet on people. Never let go of the craft. Declare the destination.Guest BioVarun is the Chief Product Officer at Miro, the visual collaboration platform with 35M+ users. He has worked in leadership roles at companies with high-growth, category-defining and innovative products such as Adobe (#1 in the world for creative and digital publishing software), Box (#1 in the world for cloud content mgmt. software) and EMC (#1 in the world for storage software and systems). In addition he has deep domain expertise in the collaboration market, enterprise content management and business process & workflow management markets; having spent 20+ years building businesses, including managing cross-functional teams spanning product management, design, engineering, marketing, sales, corporate strategy and business development.Helpful LinksMiro.comComputer World: Miro looks to move beyond the whiteboardRecent appearance: Lessons from uncharted growth territory Varun on LinkedIn and Twitter

On this episode of the Breakthrough Builders Podcast, Jesse is joined by the writer Daniel H. Pink. Dan and Jesse have a far-reaching conversation that touches upon:The formative role of reading in Dan's childhood, and the importance and randomness of having access to great libraries as a son of the State of Ohio (4:33)How Dan becomes so enthralled with a subject that he chooses to write a book on it (which he's now done 7 times!) (6:35)The high regard in which Dan holds the structure of a book, and the high bar he sets for himself in continually revising his initial structural hypotheses as he writes (8:53)How Dan developed a writing style that's intellectually coherent and wonderfully accessible (11:01)The importance of cross-disciplinary thinking in today's world (14:08)How Dan asks the right questions in his research to obtain valuable and insightful responses (15:50)The importance of constantly pushing to get feedback from people who have “taste and judgment” – and who will also be radically candid with their feedback (18:06)The “wide diet” of reading that Dan recommends if one is interested in growing and improving as a writer (20:07)Reflections on the applicability of the theses of three of his books – A Whole New Mind (2005), Drive (2009), and The Power of Regret (2022) – to our world today (21:28)The distinction and relationship between “Big P” and “Little P” Purpose in our lives, and how Dan sees “Thinking as a form of Doing and Doing as a form of Thinking” (25:34)Regret as a specific case of the more general case of the need to embrace paradox in our lives (27:59)Dan and Jesse also discuss Dan's favorite Ohio sports memory, the authors he admires most, what he sees as his biggest professional breakthrough (hint: it's not what you think), and his view on who really won the Toledo War. Guest BioDaniel H. Pink is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. His other books include the New York Times bestsellers When and A Whole New Mind — as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human. Dan's books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 42 languages, and have sold millions of copies around the world. He lives in Washington, DC, with his family.  Helpful LinksDan's official website and TwitterTED Talk “The Puzzle of Motivation,” viewed over 28 million timesDan on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Sheppard and Monica Padman - March 2022 Dan speaking about the 4 kinds of regret and what they teach us about ourselves (in light of his worldwide study on regret and his latest book)The Worldwide Regret Study, insights from which formed the foundation of Dan's latest book The Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, which came up no fewer than three times in 30 minutes in Dan's conversation with Jesse

As companies around the globe struggle to find a new normal way of working —questions abound: How do we manage people's desire for flexibility with the imperative to keep colleagues connected? And how do we make sure that we don't regress to work models that have historically excluded much-needed voices and perspectives?Perhaps no one thinks more about questions like these than Atlassian's Work Futurist, Dominic Price. For nearly ten years he's been leading efforts at the enterprise tech company to create a flexible employee experience based on listening, not speculation. And in his talk with Jesse, Dominic describes ways to embed earnest empathy into your own ways of working. Listen for his advice on how to drive change from within your organization, his reflections on delivering his immensely popular TED talk, and instruction on how to do a Personal Moral Inventory that helps you achieve balance in your life.(6:46) The foundations of earnest empathy(11:28) How to build belonging with authentic leadership, not labels(14:10) Reflections on the journey to becoming a work futurist and accomplished public speaker(23:54) How to make change happen from inside an organization(27:54) Exiting the pandemic: hopes and fears(31:38) The nuance of purpose(34:45) Using the Personal Moral Inventory as a tool for achieving balanceGuest BioBorn to Joy in the harsh Manchester Winter of ‘77, Dominic Price has a career that has reached far and wide through Europe, US and Asia PAC. An accomplished TED speaker, Dom is proud to work at Atlassian, the home of the most intelligent t-shirt wearers in business. As the resident Work Futurist. Dom is Atlassian's in-house “Team Doctor” helping Atlassian scale by being ruthlessly efficient and effective, and spends over half his time helping our customers navigate transformation, agility, leadership, and the future of work.Dom has a deep passion for elite human performance, highly effective distributed teams, and building thriving businesses. He has previously been the GM Program Management for a global gaming company and a Director of Deloitte.Helpful LinksDom on TEDxSydney: What's your happiness score? *viewed over 1.7m timesDom Writes: Why you should swap resolutions for a Personal Moral InventoryAlso, might be time to spring clean your work habitsThoughts on The Future of WorkDom's Website, LinkedIn and Twitter

David Meltzer believes that mistakes ‘promote and protect us'. It's a hard-earned belief—his own story substantiates the idea that with the right mindset, no setback is permanent. In his talk with Jesse, David describes his journey from humble beginnings in Ohio to becoming wildly successful and rubbing shoulders with sports legends as the CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports. He also describes the undoing of that success—a downfall he recounts with inspiring vulnerability. He identifies the people, moments, and insights that helped him build back to a joyful life. Throughout the conversation, he shares profound ideas for how to become a fast learner, develop more empathy, find hidden reserves of gratitude, and reach your ultimate potential. And he and Jesse share a memory of an Ohio sports memory that any NBA fan will know well.(4:21) The power of ‘starting today' when addressing big problems(8:17) David as a ten-year old: disadvantaged but ambitious(10:02) Landing a lucrative job with Leigh Steinberg Sports(11:35) Experiencing the compounding effect of bad behavior(17:04) How telling the truth illuminated a path forward(18:11) Advice for building a brand—the importance of frequencyGuest BioDavid Meltzer is the Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly served as CEO of the renowned Leigh (“Lee”) Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. David has been recognized by Variety Magazine as their Sports Humanitarian of the Year and awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He is also the Executive Producer of the Bloomberg and Apple TV series 2 Minute Drill and Office Hours.His life's mission is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him on an incredible journey to provide one thing...VALUE. As part of that mission, for the past 20 years, he's been providing free weekly trainings to empower others to empower others to be happy.Helpful LinksDavid's websiteWatch Season 1 of Office HoursThe Playbook podcastDavid on LinkedIn and Twitter

From practicing, teaching and leading at The Cleveland Clinic to her new tenure as the Chief Medical Officer at Qualtrics, Dr. Adrienne Boissy has been one of the healthcare industry's greatest champions for imbuing empathy into the patient experience. In her talk with guest host Susan Haufe, she describes her journey as a builder: from navigating a childhood that often felt unsteady and unsafe, to becoming a neurologist, to finding her ultimate calling as an experience-minded executive working to transform healthcare. Throughout the episode she shares profound ideas about how to give yourself grace and overcome obstacles. And she leaves us with a look at the future of the healthcare industry, offering poignant ideas about how we can leverage technology to make the patient experience more humane and compassionate.(05:07) Adrienne at 12: Who's the person we would've met?(08:28) Her healthcare journey, from researcher to chief experience officer(14:53) How to take a ‘Failure Bow' and move on(19:01) Why everyone should think more about how they spend their time(23:13) On the importance of gratitude(32:14) Using technology to facilitate human connection and empathy in healthcare(34:33) Post-interview conversation with Jesse and guest host Susan HaufeGuest BioDr. Adrienne BoissyAdrienne Boissy, MD, MA, is the Chief Medical Officer at Qualtrics, where she shapes the strategic direction of patient and employee experience in the healthcare industry, including technology design, research, consulting and innovation in experience management. She is the former Chief Experience Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Health System and a current staff neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. A compelling speaker and thought leader, Dr. Boissy has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Washington Post, Forbes, and The Atlantic, among others. Susan Haufe (Guest Host)With 20 years of experience combining the tools, discipline, expertise, and passion to design and drive a customer-centric culture, Susan Haufe is known for organizational transformation built on brand promise, purpose, and values. She currently serves as the Chief Industry Advisor for Healthcare at Qualtrics. Prior to joining Qualtrics, Susan served as the inaugural Chief Experience Officer for Yale New Haven Health, developing the vision and roadmap to support the execution of critical initiatives, including centralizing patient experience functions across the health system.Helpful LinksLearn more about Dr. Boissy's role at QualtricsTED appearance: Can Empathy Help Us Heal Healthcare?A useful exercise: Your Pie Chart of HappinessAlso check out: Our Breakthrough Builders episode with New York-Presbyterian Hospital's Rick EvansDr. Boissy on LinkedIn

Maureen Farrell's The Cult of We chronicles the rise and fall of WeWork—the once-transcendent real estate company founded by now-maligned magnate Adam Neumann. But whereas other works have focused almost entirely on Adam's tragic character, her book takes a broader lens: exploring not just the man but the conditions and constructs that enabled him.In her talk with Jesse, Maureen expounds on the story she wrote while also reflecting on her own journey as an author—why she chose to devote her first book to this subject, how she managed to complete it during the pandemic with co-author Eliot Brown, and the important role that persistence played in uncovering the riveting stories that make The Cult of We such a compelling and essential study of entrepreneurial audacity and institutional delusion.(7:31) Establishing the scope of the story(10:28) Key takeaways for readers(13:04) Advice for aspiring authors(15:17) Maureen reads a favorite excerpt from the book(22:13) Lightning Round: Maureen's recommended reads & moreGuest BioMaureen Farrell reports on business for the New York Times, covering big money and private capital. Prior to the Times she worked at the Wall Street Journal, where she was a recipient of the Newswomen's Club of New York's Nellie Bly Award. Farrell previously worked at Forbes, Debtwire, and Mergermarket, where she covered deals, bankruptcy, and startups. She is a graduate of Duke University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is based in New York.Helpful LinksThe Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup DelusionLatest NYT article: The New Financial SupermarketsQ&A with Maureen for Duke ArtsMaureen on Twitter and LinkedIn

From apparel to handbags, Rebecca Minkoff's designs are described as personifying ‘downtown romantic sensibility and Bohemian rocker style.' It's the kind of clarity you don't achieve, especially in the highly competitive fashion industry, unless you've built and evolved your brand with the same care you've put into designing and launching your products.In her talk with Jesse, Rebecca discusses her journey as a brand founder— from being the brand to needing to expand and articulate the brand's product signatures and core values. She describes the inequities that led her to launch the Female Founder Collective and launch the Superwomen podcast. She talks about her efforts to normalize kindness and inclusion in the fashion industry, and she identifies her own secret sauce as a leader and mother for balancing vulnerability with indomitable spirit.(3:27) Taking her brand from organic growth to purposeful expressions(6:30) What was different about launching a fashion brand in 2005? And where is the industry headed now?(9:37) Launching the Female Founder Collective(14:12) Highlighting the importance of diversity and addressing the impact of the pandemic on women in the workplace(19:57) Hosting the Superwomen podcast: opening up the conversation for vulnerability(22:55) Lightning round: Get to know Rebecca and her secret sauceGuest BioAfter developing an affinity for design while in the costume department in high school, Rebecca Minkoff moved to New York City at only 18 years old to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. In 2001, Rebecca designed a version of the “I Love New York” t-shirt as part of a five-piece capsule collection. Today, Rebecca Minkoff is a global brand with a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, jewelry and accessories—playful and subtly edgy designs that integrate the elements of bohemian femininity with a little bit of rock ‘n' roll.In September of 2018, she established the Female Founder Collective, a network of businesses led by women that invests in women's financial power across the socio-economic spectrum by enabling and empowering female-owned businesses.Helpful LinksRebeccaminkoff.comFemalefoundercollective.comCNBC: How Rebecca Minkoff Started Her Business with $10,000 and an Appetite for RiskRebecca's podcast: SuperwomenRebecca on LinkedIn and Twitter

Rachel Tipograph implores aspiring founders to: “Know what your superpower is, and how you can align it to a problem you want to solve.” It's a playbook she's lived out—as she leaned on her own particular brand of fearlessness to embrace ‘crazy' marketing ideas as Gap's youngest-ever Global Digital Director; to found MikMak to help businesses e-commerce-enable all their digital channels; and to use her influence as an investor to champion diversity, equity and inclusion at the founder and executive levels.In her talk with Jesse, Rachel reflects on her early years as a student, intern, and self-identified member of the ‘digerati'. She describes how being born into a family of small-business owners spawned an entrepreneurial spirit, but also deep reflections on the inequities that have historically accompanied lines of succession. She identifies the forward-thinking insights that led to the founding of MikMak. She outlines the criteria that guide her personal investments. And she leaves us with a look at the future of media, commerce, and the workplace experience. (2:59) From NYU, to saying goodbye to Hollywood internships(6:07) Digital Directing at Gap: Sans-scrutiny, try crazy things(10:40)  When not everyone had a voice in the family business(13:35) Not a female founder. A founder. (17:11) Diversity at MikMak: the progress and the challenges(19:04) The deepening intersection of media and commerce(24:54) The future of of the workplace experienceGuest BioRachel Tipograph is the Founder and CEO of MikMak, a global eCommerce enablement and analytics platform for multichannel brands. MikMak has earned recognition for its workplace culture and DE&I efforts as a “Fastest Growing Company in America” and “Best Place to Work” by Inc Magazine, “#10 Startup in the United States” by LinkedIn, “Breakthrough Brand” by Interbrand and “Nineteen Technologies Underpin AI And Analytics For Retail” by Forrester.Rachel has also been recognized as a thought leader by leading media publications including Forbes (“30 under 30 Who Are Changing The World”), Fast Company ("The Most Creative People in Business") AdAge ("The Most Creative People of The Year"), Adweek ("The Young Influentials Shaping Business and Culture") and many more.Helpful LinksMikMak's websiteRachel's podcast: Brave CommerceCrunchbase: MikMak secures $10M Series AAppearance on Forbes: Building An E-commerce Presence That SellsRachel on LinkedIn and Twitter

Matt Kalish saw an opportunity to bring avid sports fans like himself closer to the sports they follow. And out of that opportunity came DraftKings, the ubiquitous platform that has been a leading player in the growth of fantasy sports gaming.In his talk with Jesse, Matt describes the conditions, insights, and strategic moves that positioned DraftKings for success. He discusses his early years as an entrepreneur and gaming enthusiast, the importance of product-led growth, and the innovations that DraftKings is bringing to the fan experience across sports leagues; all while offering advice on how to build in line with your own purpose.(4:42) Matt's early years before venturing into corporate America(9:43) Discovering how to build products for “skin-in-the-game” fans(13:16) Scaling from Daily Fantasy to other offers and experiences(18:28) Using customer data to push advertisers, networks, and leagues to embrace experiential innovation(21:46) Turning competency and passion into opportunity(27:00) Keeping the customer at the center of everythingGuest BioMatt Kalish is President of DraftKings North America. Kalish co-founded DraftKings in 2012 and is accountable for all North America revenue, bringing together all marketing, operations, and related analytics functions. Kalish has led his team to go beyond the industry standards by finding ways to improve DraftKings' customers' game experience by introducing more sports and ways to play, driving DraftKings towards offering the most comprehensive platform for skin-in-the-game sports fans available in the US. Moreover, he maintains a strong focus on DraftKings' consumer protections to ensure the company maintains high standards of integrity and responsibility.Helpful Links DraftKings websiteMatt's podcast with Gary Vaynerchuk: Props & DropsForbes: The First Five Years of DraftKingsThe Verge: DraftKings signs up real NFL players to use in ‘gamified NFT collections'About DraftKings' commitment to responsible gamingMatt on LinkedIn and Twitter

Perhaps no food and drink company has reinvented itself so expertly over the years, or refined and ended its brand to be more vibrant, more culturally relevant and more inclusive as has Pepsi. Head of US Cola Marketing Todd Kaplan has been the architect of many of those bold moves and transformational ideas.In his talk with Jesse, Todd describes his journey to becoming a steward of one of the world's largest and most culturally connected consumer brands. He recounts his experience working with the Olympics at Visa. He tells the story of the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams project that often seemed impossible, but ultimately came to life in vivid detail for one grateful fan and an enthralled public. He reflects on launching Pepsi's LIFEWATR and Bubly brands with core insights about the consumer. Throughout, Todd cites instances where moving with purpose and persistence helped turn audacious dreams into breakthrough brand experiences.(4:07) Todd describes his early years in sports marketing and formative work with the Olympics(10:02) Seizing the opportunity to make connections at Pepsi(12:15) If you build it…(The Pepsi Max Field of Dreams project)(16:57) Embracing and understanding the consumer's mindset(19:39) Branding with purpose: the ins and outs(22:59) Launching LIFEWATR to refresh consumers and support the arts(26:26) How to react when people say ‘no' to an idea you believe inGuest BioTodd Kaplan is the Vice President of Marketing at Pepsi where he is responsible for leading PepsiCo's flagship brand. Since Fall 2018, Kaplan has brought a challenger mindset and culture-forward perspective that has been foundational to turning around and re-energizing the Pepsi brand.  Under his leadership, the Pepsi brand has delivered twelve consecutive quarters of positive sales growth (and counting), along with significant increases in brand equity and all-time highs in creative effectiveness. Todd was recently named one of the “Top 25 Most Innovative CMO's” in the world by Business Insider.Helpful Links The Drum article: Pepsi's VP of Marketing says “start backwards” to create ads fit for modern cultureMeet the LIFEWATR ArtistsWith Gary Vaynerchuk: The Strategy Behind Pepsi's “Challenger” Brand ApproachTodd on LinkedIn and Twitter

During this 40th episode of Breakthrough Builders, host Jesse Purewal reflects on the 39 episodes produced thus far. It's part year-in-review, part host-tells-all as he sits down with Studio Pod Media's TJ Bonaventura and the team behind the show for an enlightening conversation about storytelling with empathy, favorite moments with guests, and everything in between (there's even some hockey talk).   (0:57) Describing the show's origins and evolution(8:45) Jesse identifies four main themes of the show so far w/ episode reflections(15:14) The importance of empathy: why we all need to be continuously understood, and re-understood(17:08) Looking ahead to 2022(17:57) Favorite pods, the Dream Guest, & more: Jesse answers a lightning round of questions from the Breakthrough Builders teamReferenced Episodes Building with Purpose: Robert ChatwaniThe Spirit of Possibility: Gurdeep PallCreating Customer Love: Sheila VasheeEmbarking on Purpose: Lakshmi ShenoyAuthoring Encouragement: Sean TaylorDiscovering Vulnerability: Brad BalukjianInclusive Inventor: Jenny FleissFaith in the Future: Rob LoCascio

Four-time-startup-founder Chris Gladwin is a Chicago guy, and he's spent much of his career bucking the notion that game-changing tech solutions can only be nurtured to market maturity on the coasts. But if you ask him, it's not lightning-in-a-bottle moments that have propelled his journey; it's the idea that successful companies are built in increments, over what he calls “person centuries,” by constantly lending an ear to your customers and earnestly addressing their concerns and needs.In his talk with Jesse, Chris talks about his journey as an IT customer and deliverer of user-friendly enterprise solutions. He describes why IT systems are becoming more complex, and why the need for adept IT talent isn't likely to lessen any time soon. He reveals the ambitious plan behind P33, the organization he started to transform Chicago into a tech hub. He describes in detail how businesses can listen to the customer at scale. And he leaves us with a look at the future of data analysis - a future he's helping to write as CEO of Ocient. (2:51) How Chris's early journey as a customer of IT products prepared him to build consumer-friendly solutions(8:19) The rapidly accelerating complexity of IT systems and data ownership(12:40) “We know what works” -- how to prepare more people to work in IT(14:56) The allure of Chicago, and why Chris started P33 to help transform it(21:17) Building organizations that know how to listen at scale(25:36) Looking ahead: We can analyze more data than ever, but what will we do with it? Guest BioChris Gladwin is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ocient, the Chicago-based company enabling rapid analysis and management of the world's largest datasets. In 2004, Chris founded Cleversafe, which became the largest and most strategic object storage vendor in the world (according to IDC). The technology he started generated over 1,000 patents granted or filed. Prior to Cleversafe, Chris was the Founder and CEO of startups MusicNow and Cruise Technologies, and led product strategy for Zenith Data Systems. He started his career at Martin Marietta, and holds a mechanical engineering degree from MIT.Helpful Links Ocient's websiteP33 Chicago: The organization Chris started to turn Chicago into a major tech hub by 2033Article on Chris in the Chicago TribuneChris on LinkedInEpisode features: Royalty Free Music "Chicago Nights" Prod. by Danya Vodovoz

You've probably heard about NFTs. You may have even googled, “What is an NFT?” and learned a thing or two about the emerging marketplace commodity known as the Non-Fungible Token. But if you want to really lift the veil on NFTs, including how and when they can and should be used as part of a successful, customer-centric growth strategy, you're in the right place. Avery Akkineni is the President of VaynerNFT, and she understands the value and potential of NFTs better than most. In her talk with Jesse, she describes her journey to becoming a leading voice in the space. She reflects on the night-and-day experience of going from Google, the world's biggest data aggregator, to the decentralized world of crypto and blockchain technology. She describes what makes a successful NFT strategy—for artists, musicians, celebrities, and brands. And she shares her learnings from working with VaynerMedia's clients around the world and standing up its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Whether you're a customer-centric growth marketer who wants to stay on the cutting edge, an NFT-curious consumer, or anywhere in between, our talk with Avery will get you up to speed quickly on the builders' new currency of creation.(3:33) Avery describes the start of her crypto journey and lessons learned from early stints at Target and Google (6:44) Why there's a push among creators to “cut out the middleman”(10:37) NFT lightning round: Avery gives you the basics (18:55) Advice for brands on developing successful NFT strategies(26:00) How to personally become NFT-proficient(29:08) Lessons learned from building abroad in Singapore and elsewhereGuest BioAvery Akkineni serves as the president of VaynerNFT. She leads the company's mission to build long-term strategic NFT projects for the world's leading intellectual property owners, serving brands, celebrities, athletes and associations. Avery previously led VaynerMedia's expansion into APAC, growing a team from 0 to 150+, opening offices in Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Sydney. Prior to joining Vayner, she spent six years working at Google, in both Silicon Valley and New York City.Helpful LinksVaynerNFT websiteWhy NFTs Are a Big Deal, explainedVaynerNFT launches with Budweiser as flagship clientAvery's appearance on NFT Now podcastAvery on LinkedIn and TwitterReferenced in episode: Jesse's conversation with Adobe's Scott Belsky

Bruce Smith peered into the future and saw a different path for rowing—one that transcended old perceptions of the sport: that rowing on water is for the rich, and rowing in the gym is for Type A personalities with something to prove. And that vision led him to create Hydrow, an immersive in-home rowing experience unlike anything that the world had seen before.In his talk with Jesse, Bruce describes his entrepreneurial journey, starting with setting up shop in Boston and how the city proved to be both a fitting backdrop and a powerful catalyst for early growth. He gives an insider's look at rowing culture and how it led him to pursue a more inclusive path. He breaks down his company's process for designing machinery, software, and content synchronously. He advocates for rowing's holistic health benefits. And he offers a peek into how Hydrow was able to develop its now-patented approach for broadcasting content live from the water. Throughout, it's an inspiring look at how an insider disrupted the status quo to bring a beautiful human experience to everyone.(3:28) Launching Hydrow in Boston(6:21) Why in-home rowing needed, and deserved, a deeper connection to on-water rowing(8:50) “The best things in life should not be reserved for elites.”(15:45) Building the machine, software, and content in parallel(22:32) Ripples of the future: what lies ahead for live outdoor reality(27:16) Navigating a successful omni-channel strategy (31:11) Safeguarding the mission to create the most beautiful human experienceGuest BioBruce Smith is a lifelong entrepreneur and an accomplished rower and coach. A former Head of the Charles winner, Bruce coached the US Lightweight Eight to a Bronze medal at the 2015 World Rowing Championships. He is the former Executive Director of Community Rowing – Boston. He holds a BA in English Literature and Theory from McGill University.Helpful LinksHydrow.comCommercial: The Best Indoor Rowing Machine ExperienceBruce's interview with ForbesThe mental fitness boost of rowingBruce on LinkedInAlso check out: Jesse's conversation with Steve Schwartz, Founder of The Art of Tea

Geetha Murali, CEO of Room to Read, talks with Jesse about her work in ending illiteracy and gender inequality, the importance of consistent skill building in one's career, reflections on a career shift, and her vision for the future of education. Geetha shares how her mom refused a marriage at 13, leaving home to become a nurse and move to the United States. Geetha shares how her mother's determination and father's affable serenity helped shape her growth and values in ways that helped her become an effective builder. She shares insights into how education changes and benefits children, and their communities, including success stories she has helped build at Room to Read. Geetha shares practical insights on how she collaborates with local leaders, governments, and schools to create sustainable change, and about how Room to Read has scaled with the goal of impacting 40 million children by 2025. She shares her transition from statistician to non-profit leader to CEO and her thoughts on how to have a positive impact no matter where you work. She shares her secrets to success, including how she views the importance of education and relationships. How does education influence your success and the success of the people you care about? How do relationships and cooperation factor into your success? How do you plan your career to include meaningful impact? How do you rethink your strategy to scale into the future?(6:28) How Geetha learned the value of education from her mother's trailblazing journey(16:08) Geetha describes moving beyond achieving goals, to fulfilling her purpose(24:05) How Room to Read grew to impact 40 million children worldwide(33:05) The central role that reading plays in developing empathy(34:44) Advice for anyone pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector(38:51) Jesse asks: Which influential people do you want to meet through your work?Guest BioDr. Geetha Murali is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Room to Read, an organization that believes World Change Starts with Educated Children.® Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality by helping children in low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls to build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. The organization collaborates with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. Room to Read has benefitted more than 18 million children across 16 countries and 37,000 communities and aims to reach 40 million children by 2025.As Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Geetha oversees Room to Read's global operations, which include programmatic work in 16 countries, a global network of investors and volunteer chapters, and a worldwide staff of approximately 1,600 employees.Geetha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gkmuraliRoom to Read Website: https://www.roomtoread.org/Helpful LinksSo Good They Can't Ignore You, a book recommended by Geetha that was seminal to her early in her role as Room to Read's CEO“How to Citizen” podcast by Baratunde Thurston Room to Read success story of KamlaBBC World Radio interview on COVID-19 impact on girls' educationGeetha op-ed on the power of books on our mind“Six Terrific Book Ideas for Getting Girls into Tech” interview with Geetha Murali and Youtube CEO Susan Wojcicki in Wired MagazineGeetha's background and story, shared by the Shakti CollaborativeMichelle Obama & Julia Roberts meet with Room to Read kids in VietnamAward from the Library of Congress for Room to Read's special response to COVID-19

One of the defining characteristics of this age of business is ambiguity. And to face that ambiguity with courage, we need to heed both ambitious visions of the future and the hard-earned lessons of the past. And you couldn't ask for a better source of prescient ideas and valuable lessons than LivePerson CEO & Founder Rob LoCascio. He's the rare tech entrepreneur who really may have seen it all.In his talk with Jesse, Rob discusses the ups and downs of his 25-year journey, revealing how he managed through the dot-com bubble, the Great Recession, and now, a global pandemic. He reflects on his company's invention of cloud-based web chat for business, achieved decades before the cloud as we know it came into existence. Rob offers thoughts on the future of conversational commerce, and reveals how LivePerson is now building AI tools that can hold remarkably natural and confidence-inspiring conversations with customers. Finally, he attests to the power that blockchain technology can offer to workers, and describes how he's leading with empathy in support of employees. Throughout, Rob's depiction of what he calls his “beautiful journey” is refreshingly frank, earnestly offered, and packed with useful advice and encouragement for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs alike.(4:01) Why the entrepreneurial journey is full of setbacks and unknowns, but worth it(8:54) Inventing the cloud, decades before the cloud(13:24) How LivePerson builds chatbots that can hold more natural & personalized conversations with customers(21:55) The rise and democratizing potential of blockchain tech for workers(26:25) How conversational commerce can actually decentralize commerce—for good(28:12) To college or not to college?Guest BioRob LoCascio has served as LivePerson's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors since the company's inception in November 1995. Additionally, he founded the charity Feeding NYC, hosts the podcast Over The Wall and is a frequent contributor to Inc., and other publications. Rob was named a New York City Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2001 and 2008, and was the winner of the 2015 Smart CEO Circle of Excellence Award.Helpful Links Rob's podcast: Over the WallInc. article: Four things to consider before turning your business over to bots (Rob authored)Announcing the launch of Conversational MarketplacesRob's charity: Feeding NYCRob on LinkedIn and Twitter

Jenny Fleiss is co-founder of category creator Rent The Runway, but in some ways, that's an understatement of the time and energy she put in to revolutionize the designer fashion industry—and forever change old ideas of Who Gets to Wear What. In her talk with Jesse, Jenny recounts the detailed logistics work and core insights it took to drive growth at Rent The Runway, with lessons learned for aspiring founders. She describes how she now brings her entrepreneurial experience to bear as an investor, emphasizing inclusivity and the growing importance of shared wins. Jenny outlines a format that digital commerce businesses can follow to create personalized experiences at scale. And she offers advice for parents on how to inspire entrepreneurship from an early age. All told, Jenny's story highlights the transformational power of building in oneself – and others – the confidence to excel.(3:13) How Jenny's experience as an entrepreneur led her to join Volition Capital this year(8:32) Assessing the state of digital commerce—global challenges & innovations(11:47) Jenny's POV on the three pillars of personalization-at-scale(16:56) Launching Rent The Runway with an unprecedented dive into logistics and a crucial market insight(23:29) How Jenny linked up with RTR co-founder Jenn Hyman, along with her tips for finding co-founders(29:23) Changing the VC funding landscape and increasing opportunities for women-run businesses(31:23) Lessons for parents on teaching and encouraging entrepreneurshipGuest BioJenny Fleiss joined Volition Capital in 2021 as the company's first Venture Partner, where she focuses on next-generation consumer brands. She is an entrepreneur and intrapreneur, founding two scaled digitally native businesses from scratch: Rent the Runway and Jetblack. During her time at Rent the Runway, Jenny wore many different hats, serving as President, Head of Logistics, and Head of Business Development.Jenny has been honored with numerous recognitions including Inc. Magazine's “30 Under 30”; Fortune Magazine's “40 Under 40” and “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs”; and Fast Company's “Most Influential Women in Technology.”Helpful LinksRent the RunwayVolition CapitalFast Company: Inside Rent The Runway's Secret Dry-Cleaning EmpireHarvard Business Review: Women-Led Startups Received Just 2.3% of VC FundingJenny on LinkedIn and Twitter

(4:32) Reflections on having a mother who was an executive; the pros and cons (8:11) What media companies were like two decades ago, versus what they're like now(13:59) Bringing together a passion for content with deep acumen in PR and comms at Peloton(18:26) How Peleton led out as a category creator(20:40) The power of community and how it can be amplified authentically(24:29) Advice for PR pros on communicating with humanity & empathy(32:48) How Jessica wrote a book as a working mom; advice for any aspiring author with too little timeJessica Kleiman is a PR & comms veteran, a published author, and a principal contributor to one of the greatest brand stories of the new millennium.In her talk with Jesse, Jessica takes us on her journey from 90s media rooms to directing communications at Peloton, where she helped blend content with technology to turn living rooms around the globe into supercharged exercise studios and cherished virtual meeting places. She describes how, throughout her career, she leveraged a background in literature and love of story to bring an editor's eye and human openness to the oft-sanitized world of PR, and how she managed to write her first book in the months after becoming a mother. Increasingly, the stories a brand tells are an integral part of how people experience a brand—Jessica's advice is invaluable for any builder seeking to build a passionate following with authentic and empathetic content.Guest BioJessica Kleiman is Senior Vice President, Global Communications at Peloton, the leading interactive fitness platform, where she oversees the brand's public relations, corporate communications, internal communications and social media initiatives. Before Peloton, she spent two years leading consumer communications at Instagram and over a decade at Hearst Magazines, where she managed PR efforts for 20 U.S. media brands. Jessica also led PR and IR for The Knot, Inc., the nation's leading wedding website and media company, and helped take the company public. Helpful LinksPeloton Founder John Foley on How I Built This (ref'd at 17:28)Hollywood Reporter article: The Hollywoodization of PelotonJessica's book: Be Your Own Best PublicistQ&A with author Kate White (ref'd at 33:56)Jessica on LinkedIn and Twitter

Hey everybody, it's Jesse. Thanks so much for listening to Breakthrough Builders.I know it's been a second since we dropped our last episode. That's because the team here has been preparing to share a series of recent conversations I've had with some really incredible guests. Starting next week, we're back to dropping shows on Wednesdays with the start of Season Five of Breakthrough Builders. The theme of this season is Building Experiences at the intersection of Technology & Purpose. Over the next few weeks, you'll hear from CEOs, Founders, and other top executives at some wildly cool brands like Rent the Runway, Peloton, Bonobos, VaynerMedia, LivePerson, Hydrow, and more.My conversations this season will be with Builders who are challenging the status quo to put interesting, innovative, and really important things into the world. Products, services, and especially experiences that make a difference in people's lives, and that are rooted in a shared sense of purpose between company and customer. Before we ‘round the bend into this next series of conversations, I wanted to take a moment to hype up and get you hyped up about our next 2 Guests!On Wednesday, November 3rd, you'll hear my conversation with Jessica Kleiman, Senior Vice President of Global Communications at Peloton. Jessica and I talked about the work she and her team have been doing to build and cast Peloton as a new kind of company that's purposefully and wonderfully blurring the lines between fitness, community, and entertainment.Then, on Wednesday, November 10th, you'll hear my conversation with Rent the Runway Co-Founder Jenny Fleiss. Jenny has had a hand in creating some of the most inspiring and inclusive innovations at the intersection of fashion and technology over the past decade. The lessons she learned, starting and then running logistics for Rent the Runway, are a must-listen for any Builder with the ambition to build breakthrough experiences and create emotional connections with customers.Keep sharing your input on the show, as well as any suggestions for Guests you would like me to have on! You can reach us on our website, over at breakthrough-builders.com, that's breakthrough-hyphen-builders-dot-com, or on Qualtrics' socials, @Qualtrics. You can also hit me up on Twitter @jesse underscore purewal.Again, thanks for taking the time to subscribe to the show, and for leaving a rating and a review. And if you like the show, please, tell a friend!Looking forward to having you again next week, on Breakthrough Builders.

(3:29) Recognizing the devastating impacts of climate change(6:24) How Kim ended up in the food industry, and why making better & tastier plant-based meat became her primary pursuit(11:59) Going beyond the old staples: Cooking up delicious new products with a breakthrough ingredient(13:59) On serving a public who increasingly wants to eat less meat(15:57) Building a brand that's for everyone in order to drive global impact(20:48) Encouraging diversity of thought and perspectives on the Prime Roots teamPrime Roots CEO & Co-Founder Kim Le is on a mission to combat climate change on a global scale—one meatless meal at a time. And her approach is remarkably authentic: Like the vast majority of Americans, she wants to eat less meat, and decrease her environmental impact in the process. But she also wants better plant-based meat to enjoy. And that's why the company she started is developing and delivering delicious new products that taste amazing, appeal to everyone, and aren't made with over-processed, bland ingredients.In her talk with Jesse, Kim discusses her journey to becoming a disruptive force in the food industry. You'll hear how climate change became a problem she couldn't ignore, and how she formed her belief that the omnivores and flexitarians among us have truly enormous power to stave off the emerging crisis. Throughout the discussion Kim describes the importance of building an authentic brand, how she's encouraging diverse perspectives as a leader, and the power of storytelling. It's an intriguing look into the mindset and motivations of a builder who's made it her mission to help tackle one of the biggest existential problems of our time.Guest Bio Kim Le is the CEO & Co-Founder of Prime Roots. She's a scientist-entrepreneur-foodie and life-long learner determined to make positive changes in our global food system. Kim has been working in management within the food industry (retail, food service, investing) for over ten years and is determined to bring delicious, sustainable, and nutritious foods to the masses and increase accessibility and equity in our food system. She's a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. Helpful LinksTry it yourself! Order via the Prime Roots websiteForbes article: Bacon Without The Oink Is The Next Plant-Based FrontierAlso featured in Fast Company, Business Insider, & more Kim on LinkedIn and Twitter

(4:12) Brad describes the origins of his passion for baseball, and the contrarian criteria he used to identify his heroes(8:37) Art and science, connecting: How the premise of The Wax Pack was linked to Brad's study of Tahitian bugs, and the parallels Brad sees more broadly between science and journalism(15:46) Refusing to be taken out of the game (as a character in his own book)(19:30) Journalism as therapy, and discovering the power of embracing vulnerability(22:59) How to write the telling details (27:26) Some of Brad's favorite (and surprising) moments from his time on the road with retired players: Rick Sutcliffe, Don Carman, Rance Mulliniks, and others (32:10) Giving yourself the freedom to let go of expectations In 2020, Brad Balukjian's first book The Wax Pack reached #7 on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list and was named one of NPR's Best Books of the Year. The book was formulated on a breakthrough premise, evident by its universal reception––lifelong baseball lovers and the merely curious followed Brad as he tracked down all the players in a single pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards, drawing unexpected connections between their lives and his own in the process.In his talk with Jesse, Brad dishes on his unconventional journey to becoming a celebrated chronicler of the remarkably human 'afterlives' of uniquely talented athletes. You'll hear about the early connections he made between the scientific method and journalism, how he's currently embracing what he calls a 'hybrid career,' and of course: scores of anecdotes and special insights from his time on the road with retired major league ballplayers. Guest BioBrad Balukjian teaches natural history at Merritt College in Oakland, California. He is pursuing a hybrid career of teaching, writing, and research to get the word out that science is accessible and (gasp!) fun.Brad, a Filipino-American, studied journalism and island biogeography (yes, that's a thing) at Duke University and earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley.Helpful LinksWaxpackbook.comBrad's past work for Rolling Stone, National Geographic, and more An interview with Brad on MLB.comBrad on LinkedIn and Twitter

(02:24) How the journey started: trips to the library, and an up-and-down primary school experience(08:23) Studying at Cambridge, gravitating to fellowship over scrutinous scholarship(15:23) Some of Sean's inspirations, featuring a reciting of Robert Graves' poem, Flying Crooked(17:45) Advice for writers on how to nurture ideas into form(20:40) Describing the mechanics and joy of working with illustrators (22:53) Thoughts on the value of physical books in a screen-obsessed world(24:34) Why independent bookstores and libraries need our support now more than ever(31:19) Sean reads from his latest book, How to Be Cooler than CoolThe builders we interview on this show frequently cite the encouragement they received at an early age to explore their passions and find their purpose. And that's exactly the kind of human encouragement you'll find in the charming, award-winning children's books authored by Sean Taylor– stories that include Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise, the recently published How to Be Cooler than Cool, and over 60 others.In his talk with Jesse, Sean offers advice for aspiring writers, as well as any builder with aspirations to write their own story and forge a unique path in life. You'll hear why he opted out of the strictly scientific approach to literature that was prevalent during his time at Cambridge; how he found fellowship and honed his storytelling in London as a member of a group called The Basement Writers; and how he found his ultimate calling to write stories for children. Along the way Sean recites poems that have guided him, shares the methods that inspire him, and affirms the virtues of a mantra that you'll find woven into many of his works: in all things, be yourself. Guest BioAll about Sean, in his own words. Helpful LinksHow to Be Cooler than CoolSean's websiteIndieBound.org: Find an independent bookseller near you

(02:41) Brennan describes Frontline Ventures' mission and his role there(04:17) The mistakes companies typically make when moving into Europe(09:18) How Brennan taught himself to code and found his calling as a builder(11:13) Working at Google in the early days, and getting the opportunity to lead efforts in London and Dublin (15:11) Observations from Google Europe, including why the best companies are always reinventing themselves(21:02) Leading social network Yammer through its acquisition by, and learning from the practices of, Microsoft(26:44) Discovering vulnerability as an essential leadership trait(29:13) Technology innovations that excite Brennan and his team In a recent article for TechCrunch, Frontline Ventures partner Brennan O'Donnell described the burgeoning opportunity that European markets offer to U.S companies, particularly in tech, pointing out that EMEA now represents 38% of the world's GDP and is the world's second-largest B2B software market. But in order to capitalize on the opportunity, CEOs would be wise to learn from thought leaders like Brennan, who have been through the rigor of scaling high-growth companies in Europe and seen the potential pitfalls. In this episode, Brennan talks to Jesse about the most common mistakes he's seen brands make when expanding into Europe, what it was like to lead growth at Google Europe, reflections on guiding Yammer through its acquisition by Microsoft, how he's learned to embrace vulnerability as an essential leadership trait, and the emerging technologies he's most excited about as an investor.Guest BioBased in Silicon Valley, Brennan O'Donnell has over 20 years of experience building technology businesses and scaling global teams. As a partner with Frontline Ventures, he invests in growth stage startups with a focus on helping them expand into Europe. The fund's portfolio includes companies such as TripActions, Lattice, Clearbanc and Attentive.Before moving into venture capital, Brennan spent nearly a decade at Google, where he held multiple go-to-market leadership roles in the US and EMEA, building teams across both the Cloud and Ads businesses. After Google, he went on to hold c-level and executive roles in several early stage and high growth SaaS startups, including Yammer (acquired by Microsoft), SurveyMonkey (IPO), Euclid (acquired by WeWork) and most recently Airtable. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.Helpful LinksFrontline Ventures websiteTechCrunch: Proactive CEOs should prioritize European expansionThe Irish Times: Frontline Ventures targets US tech companies with new $80m fund Brennan on LinkedIn and Twitter

[6m41s] Izabel describes the wrongful imprisonment of her father in Brazil, and the impact it had on her and her family[9m13] The legacy of her mother's warrior spirit, resilience, and love[13m40s] Why Izabel puts storytelling at the heart of Salt & Light Coalition's curriculum and its efforts to build empathy and trust[17m40s] The importance of non-judgment as a culture value[19m15s] Izabel describes the healing program that thrivers participate in during their first six months at Salt & Light[22m26s] The story of Salt & Light's founding, including an unexpected insight gained when teaching yoga at Cook County Jail[26m20s] The intentionality of building an all-female Board of Directors, and the necessity of maintaining a diverse staff[27m56s] The coalition's heralded successes, including 80% workforce placement after graduation [30m04s] How Salt & Light adapted and developed a more flexible format during the pandemic While teaching yoga at Illinois' Cook County Jail, Dr. Izabel Olson discovered a startling insight: over 70% of female inmates had been victims of trafficking. And when she looked around at the resources available in the Chicago area to trafficking victims, she found that there was a substantial gap in programs that offered rehabilitative services. Shortly afterward, she embarked on founding Salt & Light Coalition to fill the need.In her talk with Jesse, Dr. Olson describes how she came to understand the conditions that enable trafficking in part through the lens of her own lived experience; how she built Salt & Light on the cultural foundations of empathy and non-judgment; the profound effect that Salt & Light has had on the lives of its graduates; and lessons learned from trying to keep the coalition's critical support network open and available during the pandemic. Izabel's story is an inspiring journey of love and understanding and a powerful reminder to build toward our life's purpose with both an open mind and open heart. Guest BioDr. Izabel Olson is the founder and CEO of Salt and Light Coalition, a grassroots organization breaking the cycle of human trafficking through mind-body restoration and workforce development. Dr. Olson is dedicated to the empowerment of women, especially survivors of human trafficking as they reframe their traumatic experiences and find success in the workplace and throughout society. Prior to establishing Salt and Light Coalition, Dr. Olson was a researcher at Northwestern University, where she earned her Ph.D. in the Learning Sciences. Helpful LinksSalt & Light CoalitionInterview: Preying on the Vulnerable: Half of Trafficked Women and Girls Are ImmigrantsQ&A with Voyage ChicagoDr. Izabel Olson on TwitterAlso check out our conversation with Dr. Gheeta Murali, CEO of Room to Read

[3m04s] What sparked Alex's interest in finance and economics and led him to launch his career at Intuit[6m36s] The origins of Alex's interest in human-centered product design[12m24s] How the opportunity to work for Asana meshed with Alex's drive to bring clarity to the product development process [16m42s] Advice on how to apply human-centered design and develop customer empathy as a product builder[20m45s] How Asana is working to solve the pain points associated with hybrid work [27m21s] Why it's so important to unify brand experience, product experience, and culture [32m53s] Reflections on Asana's IPO, and how the company used its own platform to pull it off for Asana, by Asana, on Asana[34m32s] The importance of not wasting time on decisions that are easy to reverse [36m20s] Alex's thoughts on leading with curiosity In today's fractured world of work, Asana develops products that bring connectedness to teams and business processes using a human-centered design approach that prioritizes observing and understanding. And at the center of that process is their Head of Product, Alex Hood. In his talk with Jesse, Alex illuminates the principles he's developed over a career that spans tenures at Intuit, TubeMogul, and Asana. While reflecting on leading key initiatives like the development of Quickbooks at Intuit, Alex gives his advice on how to build customer empathy at scale, how to make the right product decisions while in hypergrowth, how to lead with curiosity, and much more.Guest BioAs Head of Product, Alex leads Asana's product strategy, planning, and the management of the entire product organization, which includes product management, design, and user research. Prior to Asana, Alex was a VP of Product Management at Intuit and led QuickBooks Online. Alex was also the VP of Product at TubeMogul, which is now Adobe's Advertising Cloud and has held positions at the Nasdaq Stock Market. Alex has an MBA from UC Berkeley.Helpful LinksAlex's appearance on the CIO Classified PodcastSeven insights for building hypergrowth products (from Asana blog)Forbes article: You spend 60% of your job on ‘work about work”Alex on LinkedIn and Twitter

[2m23s] The parallels and synergies Scott sees between the product development and writing processes[6m45s] Why Scott decided to go "all in" on advancing creative meritocracy in his career[11m03s] The opportunity Scott sees for our world to get to true creative meritocracy [13m26s]  A  framework Scott counsels organizations leaders to use when recognizing and rewarding creatives[16m56s] Scott's perspective on thinking at the "Edge of Reason" as an essential ingredient to innovating product, advancing culture, and improving diversity [25m36s] How Scott helped drive Adobe's business and technology transformation, including his reflection on the amazing journey of bringing Behance into the company whose Photoshop software he tinkered with as a kid  [30m07s] Scott's view on the brand portfolio strategy at Adobe, including the Adobe master brand, the Creative Cloud brand, and the signature application (product) brands [33m53s] Scott's perspective on the product culture at Adobe[35m34s] Scott's view on the most promising broad-based technology innovations coming our way over the next 5-10 years[37m58s] Scott and Jesse discuss the future of work, and the changing psychology, operating models, and use cases of working physically together[40m56s] Scott offers his perspective on the future of NFT technology and the linkages between NFT, digital (art)ifacts, and creative meritocracy[44m02s] How Scott chooses people and organizations to partner with as an investor and advisor===============How can companies sustain product and brand innovation in the face of constant challenges? And how can they nurture creative collaboration in our new world of work while providing employees the space and autonomy to do the best work of their lives?Perhaps no one is better suited to answer these questions than Scott Belsky, bestselling author and Chief Product Officer at Adobe. In his 2018 book The Messy Middle, Scott laid out the methods that enable people to find their way through the most difficult phases of bold projects and new ventures. In his talk with Jesse, Scott describes why it's critical to make product decisions at “The Edge of Reason,” and discusses how his ability to bring to life a vision for the future of creative collaboration would turn out to make him a key contributor to Adobe's well-chronicled transition to the Cloud.Along with his reflections on what it was like to ultimately assume the next phase of growth for products he had used and revered since his early years, Scott discusses his motivations for founding Behance; the parallels he discovered between the processes of writing books and of developing software products; his transformative ideas on product culture; and even his beliefs about the future of NFT technology to continue to unlock creative democratization. Time and again, he offers us timeless guidance on how to gain confidence from doubt and nurture our ability to create without limits.Guest BioScott Belsky is an executive, entrepreneur, author, and investor (and all-around product obsessive). He currently serves as Adobe's Chief Product Officer and Executive Vice President, Creative Cloud. Scott's passion is to make the creative world more productive, connected, and adaptive to new technologies. Scott co-founded Behance in 2006, and served as CEO until Adobe acquired Behance in 2012.Alongside his role at Adobe, Scott actively advises and invests in businesses that cross the intersection of technology and design - and help empower people. He works closely with a number of venture capital firms including Benchmark and Homebrew, and is an early advisor and investor in Pinterest, Uber, sweetgreen, Carta, Cheddar, Flexport, Airtable, and Periscope (now part of Twitter) as well as several others in the early stages. Helpful LinksScott's books: The Messy Middle (2018) and Making Ideas Happen (2010) Inc.: What it Takes to Keep Your Business Ahead of the Pace of InnovationMedium: The Furry Lisa, CryptoArt, & The New Economy Of Digital CreativityScott on LinkedIn and TwitterLoved this talk with Scott? Check out our conversation with Cisco's Jeetu Patel

Next week, we're starting in on Season Four of Breakthrough Builders. The Theme of Season Four is Product Builders & Storytellers.You'll hear Jesse's conversations with people like Alex Hood at Asana and Brennan O'Donnell at Frontline Ventures - who've driven wildly cool, deeply impactful, and radically inclusive product-led growth and innovation. You'll hear fun dialogues with people who write for a living. Renowned children's author Sean Taylor and trailblazing writer Brad Balukjian, to name a few. And you'll hear from some Builders who are both Product Leaders AND Authors, like Scott Belsky, founder of Behance and 99U, author of two incredible books about the creative process, and now, Head of Product at Adobe.This 8-episode season will take us from mid-July to mid-September. On Wednesday, July 21, we'll drop Episode One of the season, with the aforementioned Scott Belsky.

Robert shares how his parents and early childhood experiences influenced his entrepreneurial drive and his desire to be a builder. He recounts the influence of mentors early in his career who helped him explore his skills and values, the decision to move to Silicon Valley to start a venture early in his career, a deeply authentic commitment to philanthropic efforts spurred by tragic circumstances, an intensely personal personal decision to leave eBay, and his perspectives on the future of marketing and brand as the CMO of Atlassian.How can you discover and articulate your purpose? How can you make difficult career decisions? How can you incorporate your values into the professional decisions you make? How can you be a better marketer, mentor, and leader?  Robert shares his perspective and insights on finding a sense of purpose and making purpose the driving influence in career decisions. Guest Bio:Robert is a marketing executive with a passion for building early-stage and large-scale consumer platforms. Deep experience in driving revenue growth through performance marketing and consumer branding.“I believe that technology serves as a force for positive change in society. My passion is building businesses that foster human connections, create hope, and expand opportunity. I lead with empathy, and focus on attracting, retaining, and growing great talent and world-class teams.”LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chatwaniTwitter: @chatwaniBuilding Blocks:Reflect on, and write down, what you love and your “why.” Robert suggested that it's a worthy exercise to take out a piece of paper and write down your reflections on two things: what you love most, and your reason for being. It won't be easy, and it might take some time. But, speaking from experience, it's worth it! It helps provide a ton of clarity on how to think about prioritizing your time, effort, and energy. Plus, it will help simplify your life and will help make you more memorable, distinctive, and compelling to others. Check out the Simon Sinek TED talk on this topic, and Brian Solis' book Lifescale, to get started.If you'd like to share, get it out there on social with the Hashtag #BreakthroughBuilders. Or, if you'd prefer to not share it publicly, go ahead and email it to me at jesse@breakthrough-builders.com. I'd love hearing from you and learning from what you built.Helpful Links:The seminal Simon Sinek TED talk on Starting with WhyReflections from Robert on his story at the Atlassian Work Life BlogRobert's Author Page on the Atlassian Work Life Blog2-minute interview with Robert speaking about Atlassian at TieCON 2019Robert quoted on marketing's role in driving brand-led growth at CMO.comDaniel Pink on Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose here (article) and here (video) Creating a CMO Transformation Agenda: Thought Leadership from Prophet hereFour Priorities for CMOs to Reimagine and Rignite Marketing: Thought Leadership from Prophet hereResearch Reference:Qualtrics' 2021 Labor Shortage Study: https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/labor-shortage-study/

With games like its played-the-world-over League of Legends, Riot Games has a history of developing entertaining, rich worlds for highly devoted and skilled players. Now, Jason Bunge has joined Riot as the company's first CMO, and he's focusing on building a brand unlike any yet seen in gaming.In his talk with Jesse, Jason describes his journey from advertising to tech to gaming, with stops along the way at Saatchi & Saatchi, Microsoft, EA, and now, Riot Games. He discusses how he believes Riot uniquely hybridized product and culture, and how he's helping push the brand into new creative territory— maintaining Disney-like ambition—without abandoning the legendary player centricity Riot Games is known and beloved for. Jason talks about the importance of versatility and adaptability in his career; the role of emotion in B2B marketing; the experience of building Microsoft 365 into a cloud platform; the respective roles of the game brand, studio brand, and publisher brand; his role in building engagement and community at EA; and his advice for incoming CMOs. Guest BioJason Bunge joined Riot Games as its first Chief Marketing Officer in 2020. He oversees the Global Marketing organization, which carries the torch for marketing and publishing excellence across all the company's games, products, and player experiences and includes overseeing strategy and execution for brand, creative, channels, and community communications globally. Prior to Riot Games, Jason held leadership roles at Electronic Arts, Trulia (Zillow Group), Skype, Microsoft and Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising. Most recently at EA, Jason led the company's games portfolio, including the record-setting launches of Apex Legends, the SIMs, and that franchise's first TV series, as well as partnering with Lucasfilm on the successful suite of Star Wars games. Jason graduated with a BS from Boston College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.Helpful LinksRiot GamesForbes Article: In a World Let Loose, Video Game Makers are Doubling Down Jason's hiring announcement Jason on LinkedIn

Despite her years of experience consulting for venerable brands, and her celebrated successes leading business development at 1871 in her native Chicago, Lakshmi Shenoy describes herself as a “Starter CEO,” with a propensity to come to the table with as much acknowledgement of the things she doesn't know, as the things she does. And it's that growth mindset that makes her, and the organization she leads, Embarc Collective, perfect partners for aspiring entrepreneurs in the fast-growing tech hub of Tampa, Florida.In her talk with Jesse, Lakshmi discusses the extraordinarily creative paths she's taken—from her first scrappy campaigns to save the earth's rainforests, to turning a sociology degree into a coveted advertising role at Leo Burnett, to finding ways to keep Chicago's graduating business talent from breezing out of the Windy City. You'll hear why she left Chicago to come to Tampa Bay at the invitation of Jeff Vinik, and learn the unique approaches she's taking now as she helps put Tampa on the map as a rising hub for top entrepreneurs in tech.Guest BioLakshmi Shenoy is the CEO of Embarc Collective, where she leads the mission to make Tampa Bay a prime destination for diverse startup talent. Before moving to Tampa, Lakshmi lived in Chicago and served as the Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at 1871, the top university-affiliated business incubator in the world. Prior to 1871, Lakshmi focused on growth strategies for a variety of businesses through previous roles at Prophet Brand Strategy, Time Inc., Procter & Gamble, and Leo Burnett. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Chicago, and a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Lakshmi was recognized in 2017 as one of Chicago's “20 Rising Brand Stars” by Ad Age.Helpful LinksEmbarc Collective websiteLakshmi on St. Pete X podcastArticle: Jeff Vinik's Embarc Collective innovation hub opens in TampaLakshmi on LinkedIn and Twitter

If you ask Jeetu Patel about the nature of success, he'll tell you that “no one is entirely self-made.” And he'll be quick to point out all the times that friends and mentors sustained, encouraged, and inspired him as he grew into positions of leadership at innovative companies like Doculabs, EMC, Box, and now, Cisco—where, as SVP and GM of Security and Collaboration, he's taking on the mission to transform the company around SaaS offerings that break down geographical barriers and improve access to opportunity for people around the world.But as we often highlight on Breakthrough Builders, opportunity has a strong tendency to gravitate toward grit and curiosity—personal characteristics that are as much a part of Jeetu's story as his gratitude. In his talk with Jesse, hear how Jeetu pursued a new family legacy in the US after leaving unsafe conditions in his childhood home of Mumbai, India. You'll hear how he first became a business owner with a loan secured more by passion than means, why he left that role after seventeen years for a position where he was expected to learn as much as lead, and how his unique path prepared him to harmonize the often-competing disciplines of privacy and product development at Cisco. Throughout the episode, Jeetu offers a compelling case for why unheard voices need to be amplified, why titles should stay out of the room when product ideas are being debated, and why empathy is now the ultimate driver of business success.Guest BioJeetu Patel is Cisco's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration. He leverages a diverse set of capabilities to lead the strategy and development for these businesses while helping to redefine Cisco's SaaS business and strategy around differentiated products that diverge in the way they're conceived, built, priced, packaged and sold.Prior to joining Cisco, Jeetu was the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Box, a role he pioneered. He transformed Box from a single product application to a multi-product platform used by 100K customers representing 69% of the Fortune 500. Before joining Box, Jeetu was General Manager and Chief Executive of EMC's newly acquired Syncplicity business unit and President of Doculabs, a research and advisory firm co-owned by Forrester Research. Helpful LinksDec 2020: Cisco Announces All-New Webex Features 10 Lessons on How to Scale Your ProductReferenced in episode: Radical Candor by Kim ScottManagement in 10 Words by Terry LeahyJeetu on LinkedIn and Twitter

Hey, it's Jesse. Thanks for tuning into Season 3 of Breakthrough Builders!In case you didn't notice, we've made a few changes to the experience of the show - you've probably taken note of some new intro and outro music. That's just one of the many cool things that's happened because of our partnership with StudioPod Media in San Francisco. They've joined up with the team here at Breakthrough Builders to do editing, production, and music. Thanks to TJ, Julian, Katie, and Deanna for partnering up with me and Todd to make the show happen.So, we're now 5 episodes into our 8-episode Season 3. Before we round the bend into the final lap of Season 3 conversations, I wanted to take a minute to tell you about and hype up our next 3 Guests!Our guest on May 26 will be Jeetu Patel, who runs the Security and Collaboration businesses at Cisco. He's got an incredible story about emigrating to the US from India, remaining at one company for 17 years, then going on to product and strategy leadership roles at EMC, Box, and Cisco. He's a great leader and an even better human being, he's accomplished, he's humble, he's reflective, and he's got an incredibly human story to tell.We're off the week of the Memorial Day Holiday in the US. Then, on June 9th, you'll hear my conversation with Lakshmi Shenoy, the CEO of Embarc Collective, a Tampa-Florida based organization founded in 2018 at the nexus of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Lakshmi moved to Tampa from Chicago, where she led strategy at innovation incubator 1871, after meeting and being persuaded by the vision of Jeff Vinink for the future growth of Tampa. Lakshmi talked to me about how she brings together creative energy from her days at Leo Burnett, brand acumen from her time at P&G, Time, and Prophet Brand Strategy, and the startup gusto she honed working with the community at 1871. And she explained how exciting it is to be a CEO and an entrepreneur for and with entrepreneurs in a region that's experiencing the early waves of transformative growth.And, for our last episode of Season 3, on June 16th, I talk to Alex Hood, the Chief Product Officer at team-based work management platform Asana. We haven't recorded that conversation yet but Alex is someone I've known for a while and you can trust me that it'll be a great one. Alex has been a product person his entire career - at Nasdaq, Intuit, TubeMogul, and now Asana - and if there's anybody who can tell the story of what it's like to build and thrive in a career in product management, it's Alex.Keep sharing your input on the show, your reactions to the episodes, and of course, any suggestions for Guests you want to hear on the show! Contact us through our website, over at breakthrough-builders.com, that's breakthrough-hyphen-builders-dot-com.Again, thanks so much for taking the time to follow or subscribe to the show, and if you're on Apple Podcasts, to leave a rating and a review. If you've already done it, thank you! And if you like the show, please, tell your friends!Looking forward to having you again next week, on Breakthrough Builders. 

Natalie Sunderland believes the primary job of a marketer is to create growth. It's a simple but powerful conviction that's helped her land and thrive in high-impact roles throughout her career at some of the largest, most venerable brands in the Financial Services industry. In her talk with Jesse, Natalie describes her lifelong journey as a marketer that began with producing public television programs in her native Ontario. She describes the experience of leading legendary product teams at American Express, the challenges of re-building Citigroup's brand after the Great Recession, and the strenuous and unexpected role of leading Castlight Health to its IPO in 2014. Ultimately, she leaves us with a look at the changing role of the CMO as businesses continue to build and re-center their brands around consumer experiences.Guest BioNatalie Sunderland is the global CMO of Addepar, a leading fintech platform for wealth management. She is a noted enterprise SaaS marketer with a track record of building iconic brands, creating new categories and accelerating growth. Prior to joining Addepar, she served as Vice President of Marketing at A.I. leader Qventus as well as Castlight Health, leading both companies through periods of hyper-growth. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at American Express, Citigroup, and Ameriprise Financial. Natalie is from Canada and holds a degree from Queen's University.Helpful LinksAddepar's websiteNatalie's appearance on Fintech Impact podcastNatalie on LinkedIn

In today's upended world of work, some questions have moved to the forefront: Just what does the future hold? And how can People Leaders responsibly embrace change to move past old obstacles, inequities and biases? Few are better prepared to answer these questions than Stacia Garr of RedThread Research. Stacia's commitment to uncovering truth and turning data into compelling stories about employee experience has made her a trusted advisor to executives from many of the world's leading brands.In her talk with Jesse, Stacia shares how her love of history turned into a mission to better peoples' lives at work. She discusses some of her most compelling and unexpected research findings gained over the past decade. She identifies the opportunities that ultimately led her to pursue a path of entrepreneurship, and she leaves us with a look at the new workplace: where it should go, where it shouldn't, and why moving work forward should be everyone's concern. Guest BioStacia Garr is a researcher and thought leader on talent management, leadership, D&I, people analytics, and HR technology. A frequent speaker and writer, her work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal as well as in numerous HR trade publications.Stacia co-founded RedThread Research in 2018 after leading talent and workforce research for eight years at Bersin by Deloitte. Before Bersin, Stacia spent nearly five years conducting research and creating learning content for the Corporate Leadership Council, part of CEB/Gartner.Helpful Linksredthreadresearch.comRedThread Research's podcast: Workplace StoriesForbes article: A Mere 12% of Companies Are Truly InclusiveStacia on LinkedIn and TwitterQualtrics' Future of Work 2021 StudyAdvertiser ContentDesign a workplace that works better for everyone on Qualtrics XM. Visit:www.qualtrics.com/future

Rick Evans and his team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital were at the American epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in early 2020. They had an incredibly harrowing year. And though their community endured a profound sense of loss, New York-Presbyterian was both a beacon of hope and a pragmatic system of action that helped save lives and make the moves that led a path forward in the pandemic.In this episode of Breakthrough Builders, Rick speaks with Susan Haufe, Chief Industry Advisor for Healthcare at Qualtrics. Rick offers an insider's look at the battle to stem the first surge of COVID-19 in the U.S., and shares deeply personal reflections about the far deeper and older scourge of systemic racism in America. Rick and Susan combine to leave us with a vision of the future of patient experience, issuing a call to action to the industry to join them in continuing to repair broken experiences that have persisted in healthcare for too long. GUEST BIOSRick Evans Rick Evans, MA, is Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer for NewYork-Presbyterian. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing NewYork-Presbyterian's efforts to enhance the patient and family experience across the continuum of care, and developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy to increase patient satisfaction across the enterprise. Previously, he served as the Chief Experience Officer for Massachusetts General Hospital and its physician organization for four years, overseeing the patient experience along with physician leadership programs, visitor education programs, and the referral management office.Susan Haufe (Guest Host)With 20 years of experience combining the tools, discipline, expertise, and passion to design and drive a customer-centric culture, Susan Haufe is known for organizational transformation built on brand promise, purpose, and values. She currently serves as the Chief Industry Advisor for Healthcare at Qualtrics. Prior to joining Qualtrics, Susan served as the inaugural Chief Experience Officer for Yale New Haven Health, developing the vision and roadmap to support the execution of critical initiatives, including centralizing patient experience functions across the health system.Helpful Links Article from Becker's Hospital Review:  Leading Through a Spring Like No OtherJoin us in supporting Patient Experience WeekRick's story also featured at Qualtrics' 2021 WorkDifferent.comNY Presbyterian Hospital's website

Nicole Bernard Dawes has long held the conviction that, when done right, healthier food can be everyone's first choice, not an alternative choice. But as she followed in the footsteps of her parents, who were both food entrepreneurs, she learned that grocery aisles weren't going to change for the better unless she committed herself and her career entirely to the cause.In her talk with Jesse, Nicole describes her lifelong journey that began with a food retreat and her role greeting customers at her mother's natural food store. You'll hear about her first venture into entrepreneurship as a 12-year-old chef and marketer, and what she learned working for her father's company, Cape Cod Chips. And you'll hear how Nicole founded Late July Snacks, stewarded it through a recession and family tragedy, and found the courage to take bold but well-understood risks in the name of good health - helping to spark an organic revolution Nicole would remain at the forefront of for years to follow. Guest BioNicole Bernard Dawes is a pioneering business owner whose lifelong dedication to transforming the food industry led her to create delicious, organic options like her co-founding Late July Snacks in 2003, one of the country's most successful organic snack brands, and most recently Nixie Sparkling Water in 2019. Nicole has been named Food & Wine and Fortune Magazine's ‘Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink' and Forbes Magazine's ‘Top Five Women Breaking Barriers in Food and Beverage.'Helpful LinksDrinknixie.comNicole's appearance on the LA Woman podcastForbes article, “How The Founder Of Late July Includes Generation Z In The Snack Business.” Feature in Inc., series How I Did It Nicole on LinkedIn and  Twitter

Ximena Vengoechea has a knack for writing the right thing at the right moment. From her first article that became an editor's pick on Medium to her widely heralded Life Audit, Ximena's ability to provide creative solutions to the hard problems of everyday living has earned her a devoted following. Her new book Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection couldn't be more timely in a world where being in the physical presence of others feels like the exception rather than the norm.In her talk with Jesse, Ximena describes how she learned to harmonize her work as a user researcher with her writing. She describes how she created the Life Audit exercise, a unique blend of design thinking and introspection that has helped people all over the world manage their goals and aspirations in an extraordinarily organized way. And she shares insights from her new book about the importance of peer mentorship and the tactics we have to employ now if we want to listen well and build strong relationships with others.Guest BioXimena Vengoechea is a user researcher, writer, and illustrator whose work on personal and professional development has been published in Inc., The Washington Post, Newsweek, and Huffington Post. She is the author of the recently published book, Listen Like You Mean it: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection.She is a contributor at Fast Company and The Muse, and writes Letters from Ximena, a newsletter on tech, culture, career, and creativity. She is best known for her project The Life Audit. An experienced manager, mentor, and researcher in the tech industry, she previously worked at Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter.Helpful LinksListen Like You Mean It Ximena's websiteThe Life AuditXimena on Twitter and LinkedIn

Hey Everybody. It's Jesse.So, we're here at the end of Season Two of Breakthrough Builders, and, if you're anything like me, you've learned some incredibly helpful things about how to go build teams, products, brands, cultures, and experiences. And you might've also picked up some great perspective on how to build, and continue to shape, that all-important asset - YOU.We started the season hearing from Climate CEO Mike Stern about how to build products and transform companies and categories in the agriculture sector. Andrea Robb talked to us about the importance of Belonging and how to cultivate it, and Kellie McElhaney shared some candid and powerful reflections on blending inspiration and agitation to help people grow and change.Bill Carr taught us how Amazon works backwards to stay agile and innovative, and Kim Scott offered her guidance on how to bring Radical Candor and Justice to the workplace.Gurdeep Pall of Microsoft regaled us with his stories from the invention of VPN and other core communication technologies, and Charlene Li taught us how to embrace and benefit from disruption. Steve Schwartz, founder of Art of Tea, talked about how to blend innovation with tradition, and Sheila Vashee closed Season Two by sharing wisdom earned at Dropbox and Opendoor on what it takes to drive growth at scale in Software.Thanks to all of our Guests here on Breakthrough Builders for inspiring us with your stories and sharing your practical wisdom. And thanks to each one of YOU for listening to the show. I appreciate you.On April 7th, our first show of Season Three will drop. In Season Three, we'll introduce you to the Founder and CEO of two incredible food and beverage companies. We'll talk to Chief Marketing Officers, Heads of Product, and Chief Technology Officers from cloud infrastructure, fintech, and software businesses. We'll host Diversity & Inclusion leaders, influential authors, HR and Talent experts, brave entrepreneurs with animated side hustles, and other amazing, accomplished people who truly are Breakthrough Builders.If you're not yet subscribed to the show, please do subscribe. And please, tell your friends.If you're a listener on Apple Podcasts, please rate the show and write a review. It really does help other people find the show.As always, if you've got suggestions for Guests, or if you have any feedback on the show, send me a note on the Contact page at breakthrough builders.com, that's breakthrough hyphen builders dot com. I so look forward to hearing from you, and I can't wait to have you join us for Season Three - of Breakthrough Builders.     

It's hard to imagine that there was a time when the word “cloud” was eschewed in technology, but for Sheila Vashee, it was an imperative in the early days of Dropbox. Instead of droning on the next tech buzzword, Sheila helped Dropbox stay relentlessly focused on customer love, making sure people understood the concrete benefits of the technologies Dropbox was developing to make their lives easier and help them work more productively. In her talk with Jesse, Sheila shares what drove her interest in technology, how her early experiences at well-established brands prepared her to guide Dropbox through its leap from consumer brand to enterprise platform, and what compelled her to join Opendoor at a time when Dropbox was hitting its stride as a public company. Sheila also draws on her knowledge of today's technology landscape as an investor at Basis Set Ventures to offer a glimpse of what the future might hold for workplaces in every industry.Guest BioSheila Vashee is a Partner at Basis Set Ventures, an early stage venture fund focused on investing in the future of work. Previously, she was the VP of Growth at Opendoor, where she oversaw the marketing, partnerships, and product teams responsible for growth across the buyer and seller marketplace. Sheila took Opendoor from 4 to 21 markets and billions in GMV in a few years. Prior to that, she was the second marketing hire at Dropbox, where she launched every major product, including Dropbox Business, and helped 12x the Dropbox user base to 600m users and >1Bn in revenue.Helpful LinksSheila's podcast: Hypergrowth: The Early YearsForbes article on Sheila joining BSV Basis Set VenturesSheila on LinkedIn and Twitter

When Steve Schwartz founded Art of Tea, it was with the belief that there was an opportunity to make people's lives better through tea. His authentic yet innovative blends and passion for teaching ultimately gave rise to a highly successful B2B business through partnerships with leading restaurateurs, chefs, and hospitality brands - which grew into a D2C brand in the wake of the pandemic. In his talk with Jesse, Steve describes his journey from inquisitive student to master tea blender to business founder. Follow him from the Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico, where he studied plant alchemy, to tea-growing fields in Asia, where he first began to “believe in the leaf,” to make-or-break business meetings with some of the country's most well-known chefs and restaurants.Finally, learn how Art of Tea has adapted during the pandemic to help consumers continue to enjoy a delicious, time-honored ritual that gives at least a little control back to us in these turbulent times.Guest BioSteve Schwartz is a Master Tea Blender and the Founder of Art of Tea, a hand-crafted tea purveyor based in Los Angeles. At Art of Tea, Steve applies his background in ayurveda to the creation of award-winning blends that showcase his passion for the alchemy of combining herbs and botanicals.Steve's drive and passion for expanding people's knowledge of the history of tea has cultivated relationships with brands, acclaimed chefs and restaurants such as Google, Vera Wang, #Slack, The Peninsula Hotels, Huntington Gardens, Wolfgang Puck, Adam Perry Lang, Rustic Canyon Group, Craft Los Angeles and more.Helpful LinksThe Art of Tea websiteSpotlight on Art of Tea in the Los Angeles Times in 2014Q&A with Steve in Forbes in 2020Steve's Teacher: Dr. Vasant Lad Steve on Linkedin

Disruption and change have been with us forever. But disruption and change at work, in business, in organizations—somehow it seems harder. It's unpredictable, it's uncertain, and it's stressful. And we often back away from it as a result.In her conversation with Jesse, Charlene Li reflects on a career spent empowering everyone—from frontline workers to CEOs—to embrace and move forward in the face of disruptive change. She discusses her experience growing up in Michigan as a woman of color, and how it led her to embrace her own disruptive nature. She describes the structural attributes and convictions that allowed organizations like Adobe, Amazon, and Southern New Hampshire University to see the needs of their future customers - and overcome deeply entrenched barriers and elements of the status quo to serve them. And she offers a poignant look at why organizations in every industry must embrace Diversity and Inclusion now if they are to reach their potential for growth and impact.  Guest BioFor the past two decades, Charlene Li has been helping people see the future. She's the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including her newest release,The Disruption Mindset: Why Some Businesses Transform While Others Fail, and Open Leadership, as well as co-author of the critically-acclaimed book, Groundswell. She founded and ran Altimeter Group, a disruptive industry analyst firm, and has been a respected advisor to Fortune 500 companies.Named one of the Top 50 Leadership Innovators by Inc., and one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company, Charlene has appeared at events ranging from TED and the World Business Forum to SxSW. She has appeared on 60 Minutes and PBS NewsHour, and is frequently quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, and The Associated Press.Helpful LinksCharlene named to the list of the 100 B2B Thought Leaders and Influencers You Should Follow in 2021Website for Altimeter @ Prophet, the analyst firm studying digital disruption founded by Charlene.Charlene's Book The Disruption Mindset on AmazonCharlene's websiteCharlene on Twitter

Gurdeep Pall is a monumental builder whose constant curiosity, occasional audacity, and lifelong penchant for asking “what if” and “why?” positioned him as one of the key creators of and contributors to the most foundational Internet and communications technologies of the Third Industrial Revolution. Now in his 32nd year at Microsoft, Gurdeep has turned his attention to the scalable and ethical development of high-utility Autonomous Systems.HIs conversation with Jesse touches on the sources of Gurdeep's fascination with technology, the inventive culture of Microsoft during the internet revolution, Gurdeep's role in inventing technologies central to today's digital economy like TCP/IP, VPN, and cloud-based communications, his personal reflections on working directly with Bill Gates, and a philosophy for moving from Comprehension to Creation that Gurdeep has applied in his stewardship of technologies and teams. The conversation closes on a discussion of the enormous potential of Gurdeep's present-day work in AI.Throughout, you'll learn how Gurdeep brought together a lifelong love for learning, a disciplined technical expertise, and a deep interpersonal empathy to not only invent practical technologies - but to reimagine and help advance our world in the process. Guest BioGurdeep Singh Pall is the Corporate Vice President for Business AI at Microsoft and member of Technology & Research Leadership Team. He is an intrepreneur, a product thinker, and foremost a passionate technologist.Gurdeep's team of research scientists, engineers and business leaders is bringing digital transformation to business tasks through the power of AI, including a recent effort to train autonomous systems with reinforcement learning efficiently. Gurdeep is also responsible for Microsoft Garage and Hackathon, a hyper-scale, grassroots innovation program.Teammates had the following to say about Gurdeep:“A visionary builder of great products and businesses.” -Amey Parandekar“I was struck by his authenticity.” -Moz Thomas“He never let hierarchy get in the way of engaging with us personally.” -Kavita Kamani“Gurdeep reaffirms for me that the role of a leader is to inspire.” -Ross SmithHelpful LinksAutonomous Systems: Gurdeep's current world at Microsoft: https://innovation.microsoft.com/en-us/autonomous-systemsGurdeep on the future of autonomy on the Microsoft Blog:https://blogs.microsoft.com/ai-for-business/autonomous-systems-vision/A perspective on Gurdeep's life published by The Global Sikh Trail:https://theglobalsikhtrail.com/story-english/gurdeep-singh-pall/Gurdeep on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurdeep-pall-0aa639bb/