The Bob Johnston Podcast (Bob Johnston)

My second guest of the new season is Ken Goldman, who currently serves as President of Hillspire, which is Eric and Wendy Schmidt’s family office. Eric, of course, being the former executive chairman of Google and its parent company, Alphabet. Ken is widely known in Silicon Valley and the broader business world, as well, having served as CFO of Yahoo, Fortinet, Siebel, and currently sits on a number of corporate, startup and non-profit boards.

Ken and I cover his high school days in Peabody, Mass. – where only 25% of his graduating class went to college, yet he managed his way to Cornell through grit and a competitive spirit – to his time at Cornell and Harvard Business School, and why he chose the technology industry as a career path at a time when it was an outlier. We also discuss why picking the right place to work when first starting out can make a huge difference (and the advice he gave his kids on this front). 

Ken also provides his views on why Silicon Valley is still a meritocracy (hint: there’s a lot of money around for the right ideas) and industries where he feels entrepreneurs should consider creating new companies, such as the political arena. As a longtime observer of the political sector, I agree completely. Of note, there are nearly 100 “decacorns” roaming around – unicorns with over $10Bn in value – and this number is growing every quarter. As such, Ken discusses his own investment philosophy as an angel investor as well as the focus at Hillspire, ranging from environment to human rights to non-profits. 

Finally, Ken and I dig into the notion of ethical businesses (and the importance of transparency with your boards), the non-profits that he’s involved in…what’s on his browser (fun fact: he’s a big weather buff)...and more.

PS: You’ll notice a trend with Ken and the conversation with my first guest of the season a few weeks ago, Mark Hawkins – both Ken and Mark have developed a widely respected personal and business ethos and have imbued this ethos in their teams, industry peers, and startups in which they invest. Dissecting this ethos is an overarching theme in both podcasts. Ken and Mark are leaders to whom other leaders look up. Lots of great learnings!

Ken’s Bio

Ken Goldman is the current president of Hillspire, a family office responsible for financial and administrative functions, along with real estate, aviation and maritime activities.

Goldman is the former chief financial officer of Yahoo. He joined Yahoo in 2012 and throughout his five-year tenure was responsible for Yahoo’s global finance functions, including financial planning and analysis, controllership, tax, treasury and investor relations. 

Donato J. Tramuto is the author of The Double Bottom Line, How Compassionate Leaders Captivate Hearts and Deliver Results. 

Donato joins Bob to discuss his new book along with a superstar panel including Kurt Small, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for the Government Business Division at Anthem, Inc., Tom Riley, Chairman of the Board of Seniorlink, Laurie Cameron, Founder of PurposeBlue, and Phil Johnston, President & CEO of PWJ Associates.

Amir Hemmat is Co-Founder and CEO of Welcome Technologies (Welcome), the “digital Ellis Island '' and future operating system for immigration. Welcome is a venture funded technology platform that is building innovative financial solutions for this cohort, including a digital wallet, to ensure access to previously elusive opportunities and to propel this consumer sector, and our society, forward. Welcome is currently focused on the Hispanic community, the largest immigrant group in the world, through its consumer platform SABEResPODER® (SEP). The platform reaches over 9 million immigrants a year across 50 US markets and connects these consumers to custom financial services. To date, Welcome has raised $50 million from TTV Capital, Owl Ventures and SoftBank’s Opportunity Fund, with participation from Crosscut Ventures, Mubadala Capital, Next Play Capital and Owl Capital.

Prior to Welcome Tech, Amir co-founded an educational platform also called SABEResPODER (SEP). SEP provided informational content to the Hispanic community and produced comprehensive and practical information for navigating life in the United States, including topics such as healthcare, financial services, education, technology, and governmental services. Through SEP, he conducted in-depth market research on the U.S. immigrant market and co-authored educational guides on financial literacy, with millions of copies distributed nationwide.

My guest today is Alan Patricof, founding father of venture capital and author of a new book entitled, "No Red Lights: Reflections on Life, 50 Years in Venture Capital, and Never Driving Alone." Alan and I dig into the book and we also cover a potpourri of topics that had me feeling inspired for many days after our conversation.

My guest today is Lara Abrash, Chair and CEO of Deloitte.  She is a true leader and I really enjoyed our time together. We discussed her personal journey and path, particularly an impressive trajectory in her career and how she has navigated it from a perspective of constantly evolving. Curiosity is a driver for being willing to evolve and an important tenet for any leader. 

Barak Turovsky is Executive in Residence at Scale Venture Partners, a leading Enterprise venture capital firm. Barak spent 10 years at Google as Head of Product and User Experience for Languages AI and the Google Translate teams, focused on applying cutting edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to deliver experiences across Google Search, Assistant, Cloud, Chrome, Ads and other products.

Prior to joining Google in 2011, Barak was Director of Product in Microsoft’s Mobile Advertising team, Head of Mobile Commerce at PayPal and Chief Technical Officer in an Israeli start up. Most recently, Barak served as Chief Product Officer – responsible for product management and engineering at Trax – a leading provider of Computer Vision AI solutions for the Retail and Commerce industries. 

 He lived for more than 10 years in Russia, Israel and the US and speaks three languages fluently. Barak earned a Bachelor’s of Law degree from Tel Aviv University and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Barak’s recent work on AI:

• A framework for evaluating Generative AI use cases. 
• Barak's interview with GLG Experts Network about Generative AI
• Keynote at CES 2021 about latest and greatest in Languages AI 
• Talk at CES 2020 about dealing with bias in AI models (super relevant for ChatGBT/Generative AI)
• Google AI work with Google Ads team to improve ads targeting (Semantic Targeting) 
• The Great AI awakening story from New York Times (covering the first-ever productization of deep neural networks with Google Translate), is one of best written stories about ML/AI history and challenges 
• Barak presentation to Indian Prime Minister Modi when he visited Google campus
• For some fun – Google Translate vs. La Bamba (Google Translate team playing with visual, AR-based translation feature)

Cool investment thesis resource:
Y Combinator Investment Thesis Map for AI (Note: once again, “Productivity” hardly a big theme)

Summary

In the course of this in-depth conversation, Larry McDonald – author of How to Listen When Markets Speak and CEO of Bear Traps Report – delves deep into the financial insights acquired from his global network, discussing the major economic shifts and their impact on financial markets, as captured in his latest book. His intention is to democratize financial information, moving away from traditional, bank-dominated imprints on markets. This democratization is partly driven by technological advancements that increase access to critical financial data. Our conversation broadens into the implications of recent economic upheavals such as the COVID-19 pandemic, hinting at persistent inflation and the need for strategic financial planning, going forward.

We further explore passive investing's role in current market dynamics, highlighting how long-term disinflationary trends have buoyed such investments, which now face risks from potential normalization of inflation rates. Larry is rightly concerned about heavy investments in financial assets like growth stocks and bonds, favored from 2010 to 2020, that might not perform well under high inflation. Our conversation then transitions into a review of macroeconomic trends, government debt, and the implications of current fiscal and monetary policies. Each topic uncovers deeper concerns about the sustainability of current financial strategies and the potential need for drastic changes in the face of evolving global economic conditions, such as shifts towards multipolarity and its impact on commodity markets.

Finally, we dig into some of Larry's go-to websites and resources for information and news. Enjoy!

Larry's Bio

Larry McDonald, a New York Times bestselling author and a seasoned CNBC contributor, excels as a Political Risk Expert. He founded The Bear Traps Report, an independent weekly Macro Research Platform that delves into global political and systemic risks, providing subscribers with actionable trading insights. Larry is renowned for his ability to intertwine humor with critical analyses on topics such as the Trump Administration, the U.S. Financial Crisis, European Sovereign Debt issues, and the economic challenges facing China.

In 2016, Larry took on a partnership role at ACG Analytics in Washington D.C., leveraging his expertise as one of the foremost political policy risk consultants and strategists. His professional journey includes significant tenure as Managing Director and Head of U.S. Macro Strategy at Société Générale from 2011 to 2016. Furthermore, he founded an investment research firm in 2010 that publishes The Bear Traps Report, focusing on political and systemic risks, complemented by actionable trading strategies. Larry is also a frequent presence on CNBC, where he discusses political and economic risks and opportunities.

Before his current endeavors, Larry McDonald made notable contributions to the finance world as Vice President at Lehman Brothers. There, he successfully led his team in capitalizing on the subprime mortgage crisis, securing over $2 billion in profits for the firm prior to its collapse. This experience formed the basis for his international bestseller, A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers, which has been translated into 12 languages and sold over 400,000 copies. Earlier, Larry co-founded Convertbond.com, an innovative resource for convertible securities, which was later acquired by Morgan Stanley in 1999. His insights are not only sought after in financial circles but have also featured in documentaries such as the Academy Award-winning "Inside Job" and National Geographic’s "The 2000’s." Larry continues to contribute regularly to Bloomberg TV and Radio, Forbes, and Fox Business. His keynote speeches, which now exceed 125 worldwide.

Summary

One of the most important roles in the C-suite is ownership of company ethics, culture, and policy. Who better to give us insights than someone who spearheads this role at a company that’s navigated these waters for over 123 years?! Enter Beth Rose, Chief Compliance, Ethics, & Integrity Officer at Ford Motor Company. 

Beth and I sit down to discuss the career and personal path – and, importantly, key choices along the way – remember every decision we make is, in fact, a “choice” –  that propelled her into the C-suite at Ford. Beth learned the ropes by tackling multiple in-house Legal responsibilities, gradually moving from general litigation to being a corporate law specialist at Ford.

We discuss how compliance and ethics are viewed at Ford which, despite being a large, family-owned enterprise, stands out for its ethical corporate culture. We also cover the complexities of developing and launching compliance policies, administering integrity training, and running Ford’s “speak up” hotline. Further, we hit on technology and regulatory issues that are a constant in the industry, both in the US and globally. 

Beth also touches on the importance of clear and effective corporate communication, especially in a multinational environment with a diverse workforce. For example, maintaining consistency in company policy and culture across different geographical regions can pose challenges, particularly in a hybrid work setting and during times of corporate shift like we all are experiencing. As such, Beth emphasizes the necessity of strong internal relationships and effective communication to manage through these challenges. Using data and feedback to measure the success of compliance programs is crucial, moving beyond simplistic metrics that may not capture the full context of an issue. 

We wrap up our discussion with Beth’s personal reflections on career development, the value of mentoring, and the significance of vulnerability, all of which lead to growth and provide insights into the human aspects of how you can navigate your own company’s ethics, integrity and compliance program.

Bio

Beth Rose joined Ford Motor Company as an attorney in 1995 after graduating from Wayne State University Law School.  Throughout her career with Ford, she has managed various aspects of the Company’s litigation and compliance program.  

Beth previously served as Assistant General Counsel with responsibility for the Product Litigation Group, comprised of the Product Litigation, Asbestos, and Discovery teams.  In 2019, Beth became Ford’s Chief Compliance, Ethics, and Integrity Officer and Assistant General Counsel, responsible for the Company’s global ethics and compliance program.

In addition to a juris doctorate, Beth holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Beth is also a board member of Vista Maria, a Michigan non-profit that provides residential and support services for girls and young women dealing with trauma.  

Beth is a champion for the development of women, particularly within the legal profession.  She has experience curating and delivering career development programming within Ford and the broader legal community. In 2016, Beth established the Legal Alliance for Women (LAW) at Ford, creating a forum for members of OGC to work together on leadership, service, and networking initiatives.  Beth also led the OGC Diversity Committee for several years, with a focus on developing and fostering a pipeline of diverse talent within the legal profession. She is actively involved in pro bono, community service, and mentoring projects.  

Beth is married and has two daughters.

Everybody is talking about longevity nowadays…such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink, supplements such as NAD to Rapamycin, and various blood tests and full body MRI scans. 

How does one sift through the noise and make sense of what’s what? 

Dr. Bill Kapp, CEO of Fountainlife, lays it out for us in layman’s terms. We discuss:

• Fountain Life's plans to make advanced health screening technologies more accessible by partnering with corporations, hotels, residential communities, and golf clubs
• How you can leverage AI and wearables to make health tracking fun
• The potential of new technologies in extending life (he predicts major advancements by 2030)
• Why Peter Diamandis and Tony Robbins decided to create Fountain Life
• Dr. Kapp’s personal health and fitness philosophy

And a whole lot more! Enjoy!

Dr. Kapp's Bio:

Dr. Kapp is a dynamic entrepreneur who has founded several healthcare start-ups, ranging from surgical centers and hospitals to electronic health record systems and medical real estate developments. He is passionate about introducing cutting-edge technology to enhance both the facilities and operations of healthcare organizations. As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, former USAF Flight Surgeon, and type-rated jet aircraft pilot, Dr. Kapp has a unique combination of medical expertise and aviation knowledge. Moreover, he is dedicated to advancing the new healthcare paradigm that focuses on the detection and reversal of asymptomatic diseases. Dr. Kapp is deeply committed to this cause and strives to improve patient outcomes by leveraging the latest advancements in medical technology and innovation.

Summary

CHROs are having a special moment right now – and rightfully earned, given that HR is arguably the most important role in an organization. As such, I'm excited to share my conversation with Michael Fraccaro, who currently serves as Mastercard's Chief People Officer. We discuss Michael's early career, which began as a high school teacher in Sydney as well as where his interest in HR was sparked (in university and beyond).

Michael and I cover the evolving role of the CHRO, particularly the emphasis on adaptability over the past few years. He points out the importance of lifelong learning and how Mastercard's internal talent marketplace facilitates this ethos for employee career growth and development. The platform allows employees to showcase their skills and interests, matching them with relevant projects and mentorship opportunities, ultimately enhancing the employee experience. Michael also underscores the necessity of executive support as a strategic approach to successfully implement such initiatives.

We also discussed implementing new initiatives at a company the size of Mastercard. Michael highlights the need for clear objectives, executive buy-in, and meticulous program management to ensure success. Moreover, he hits on the significance of measuring outcomes and shares metrics used to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives such as the talent marketplace (these include: employee engagement, utilization rates, and career mobility, illustrating the tangible benefits derived from its adoption).

We then jump into organizational culture and Michael underscores its critical role as the essence and DNA of Mastercard. He outlines the company's approach to fostering a strong culture aligned with its purpose and mission, emphasizing values like decency and transparency. Michael elaborates on the Mastercard way, a framework comprising pillars of creating value, growing together, and moving fast, which are embedded into various aspects of the organization, including recruitment and performance management. Additionally, he discusses the development of a culture health index, demonstrating the company's commitment to monitoring and nurturing its culture at all levels, from the frontline to the boardroom.

We also cover key principles guiding his leadership philosophy, emphasizing trust, adaptability, and the importance of letting go, at times, to foster shared accountability. Drawing from his experience as a school teacher and various mentors throughout his career, he highlights the significance of feedback and learning as essential components of effective leadership. Additionally, he touches on the discipline of effective communication, stressing the enduring impact of written language and the importance of clarity and precision in conveying messages.

Shifting the conversation to the role of AI in HR and organizational operations, Michael shares his insights into Mastercard's approach to integrating AI technologies. He discusses the widespread adoption of AI across product development, fraud detection, and customer care, highlighting its role in enhancing efficiency and productivity. We also discuss the importance of responsible AI practices, including human oversight in decision-making processes. Michael also explores the potential of AI in improving workplace satisfaction and well-being, illustrating initiatives such as integrating well-being reminders into daily workflows to promote mental health and work-life balance.

On that point, Michael rightfully feels that the beset way to address mental health and well-being in the workplace is to emphasize the importance of open communication and vulnerability, particularly among executive leadership, to de-stigmatize mental health issues. Through initiatives like the mental health champions program and holistic well-being seminars, Mastercard aims to provide comprehensive support to employees worldwide. Michael also highlights

Summary

Have you ever wondered what kind of companies are being created in the Space industry, outside of the one or two that you've heard about such as SpaceX? It's a $500Bn market today (and trillions over the next couple of decades). You're invited to listen and absorb the knowledge of Space Capital's founder, Chad Anderson, as he takes us on the journey and provides a roadmap of what's in store.
 
Chad has real vision and we discuss his career evolution in finance to creating the UK's first Space innovation center to ultimately shifting directly into launching a fund with an exclusive focus on the Space space. We discuss the emerging potential of the industry, navigate the challenges of investments in the sector during the early days, and how it's evolved now that the likes of Musk, Bezos, Branson and others are putting their weight behind the industry.

One of my biggest takeaways is the the importance of recognizing trends, overcoming obstacles, and staying ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing industry. Through Chad's perspective, our audience gained a deeper understanding of the opportunities and complexities within the space investment landscape, painting a vivid picture of the future possibilities in the space economy.

Enjoy!

About Chad
Chad Anderson is a pioneering figure in the space investment industry, as highlighted by TechCrunch calling him "among the best-positioned people to weigh in on the current and future state of the space startup industry." As the founder and managing partner of Space Capital for over a decade, Chad has been instrumental in driving investments in the Space Economy. He is also the author of "The Space Economy: Capitalize on the Greatest Business Opportunity of our Lifetime," published by Wiley.

With a strong media presence, Chad has been featured in reputable outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Financial Times. Apart from his work at Space Capital, Chad serves on the board of the Satellite Applications Catapult, contributing to the growth of the UK's space sector. He is also on the board of the Explorers Club, a nonprofit promoting scientific exploration, and has been a member of the User Advisory Committee for the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory.

Prior to founding Space Capital, Chad had a successful tenure at JPMorgan Chase, managing a $50-billion real estate portfolio during the Great Recession. He holds an MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation from the University of Oxford, showcasing his diverse expertise and experience in finance, entrepreneurship, and the space industry.

Philip Rowley, CFO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, might just win the award for The Most Interesting CFO in the World. 

Aside from having amassed decades of knowledge about his industry and craft, he's also extremely well-read and and has an incredible knack for leadership, based in part, at least, on his breadth of reading (Side note on reading: Mark Twain once said, "The man who does not read had no advantage over the man who cannot read."). 

Philip and I cover a lot of ground, including:

• How he became a company President at age 29
• Navigating the complexities of supply chains in the Music industry
• Leveraging technology and AI as a lens into data standardization and integration

One of my biggest takeaways is the importance of adapting one's leadership style over time – i.e. don't be rigid, be flexible – and emphasizing continuous learning. (Note: Philip's reading list has been widely circulated at his company. See show notes).

He also shares his belief in managing for value rather than short-term metrics, providing contrasting examples from his time at AOL Europe and Sony Pictures. Bill highlights the significance of balancing short-term and long-term goals and describes his approach to leadership as one that fosters intrinsic motivation and trust within teams. Additionally, he touches on the challenges of avoiding overwork and the importance of leveraging coaching to empower employees. And, a lot more!

Enjoy!

About Philip

Philip Rowley is Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). Mr. Rowley is responsible for all of the Company’s financial affairs and oversees SPE’s information technology, facilities, procurement, security, and health and safety divisions. Rowley was at AOL Europe in London from 2001-2007. As CFO, he was instrumental in moving the company into profitability and was in due course named COO, and later CEO. Before AOL, Rowley was at Kingfisher PLC, where he served as Group Finance Director; at Golden Books Family Entertainment as COO and CFO, and was co-founder and Managing Director of Tribeca Technologies in New York, a technology company specializing in ISDN connectivity and sound compression technologies. 

Rowley was based in New York as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of EMI Music Worldwide, where he was responsible for finance, strategic planning, information technology, human resources, and the studio's group (which included Abbey Road). During the six years in that role, he led the acquisition of Virgin Music, Chrysalis Records, and IRS Records. Before that, Rowley served in several senior roles at EMI Music including Finance Director for Europe. He was Vice President for Finance at Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment in Los Angeles; and Vice President for Finance and Planning for Thorn EMI Video in New York. 

Since 2007, Rowley has held several non-executive board seats including Promethean World plc, where he served as Non-Executive Director and then Chairman from 2010-2015; HMV Group plc, where he served as Non-Executive Director and then Chairman from 2007-2013; MISYS Plc and Tradus PLC; and ARM Holdings plc, where he served for over nine years, during which time he successively chaired the audit and remuneration committees.

Rowley is known for his strong leadership skills, strategic mindset, and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. He is highly respected within the industry for his financial acumen, business acumen, and commitment to driving value for shareholders. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Rowley is also actively involved in various industry associations and community initiatives. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from a prestigious university and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His dedication to excellence and passion for the entertainment

How's your nutrition discipline and exercise routine going this Summer? If you're anything like me, it's been up and down due to loads of travel and too many restaurant meals. So...in today’s episode, Dr. Joey Mattina and I go down the rabbit hole to cover our current exercise, nutrition and supplement strategies and see where we can get optimized.

Of note, we dive into the following areas and try to demystify and distill all of the noise we hear in the media, particularly social media:

Resistance training: Why it's crucial for maintaining muscle mass and bone density as we age. He emphasizes the importance of challenging your body with heavier weights to trigger essential hormonal responses and maintain overall health.

Data, data, data: Comprehensive blood tests and scans designed for early detection of health issues. Tests Joey and I have done and want to do.

Supplements: Do they matter? How do we know if they're working? 

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We cover a ton of topics for busy people, regardless of whether or not you want to get started from a standstill and little knowledge, are hoping to get back on track, or are pretty optimized and want to level up.

Enjoy!

About Joey

Dr. Joey Mattina, DC earned his doctorate from Southern California University of Health Sciences where he graduated magna cum laude and salutatorian. He has extensive training and experience in myofascial release and osteopathic manipulation of both the soft tissue and skeletal systems. Dr. Mattina aims to improve tissue function through manual techniques that typically involve slow, firm, compressive pressure in very specific anatomical locations and positions. Through this direct pressure he is able to reorganize the skeletal system while simultaneously treating the overlying tissue layers. Treating in this way helps joints move properly, stimulates the secretion of synovial fluid, improves glide and lubrication between tissue layers, and decreases inflammation that has become trapped in taut or damaged tissue.

Dr. Mattina began his professional career as an intern studying under Dr. Dennis Colonello. In that role, he honed his craft at Peak Wellness working side-by-side with Dr. Colonello for 7 years. Dr. Mattina served as the team chiropractor for the Los Angeles Clippers for 4 years and the LA Kings hockey team for 2 years. Known for his keen clinical acumen and deft diagnostic and treatment skills, Dr. Mattina has been entrusted to care for a plethora of important clientele.

Has your approach to leadership and organizational culture evolved? Navigating these areas can be challenging—especially with the rapid changes in today’s workforce and work environments.

In this episode, I sit down with Wonzie Gardner to explore the complexities of modern leadership and organizational dynamics. Together, we dive into critical areas that are reshaping the work culture landscape, all to benefit you:

• Personal Influence and Values: Wonzie reflects on how his father’s servant leadership shaped his own approach, offering a powerful perspective on leading with purpose. 
• Community and Connection: We discuss the importance of maintaining strong personal connections, even in a hybrid work world where face-to-face interactions are fading.
• HR’s Evolving Role: As remote work and the pandemic continue to reshape the workplace, we delve into how HR can support both employee well-being and organizational goals.
• Transparency and Vulnerability: Wonzie opens up about the value of authentic leadership and shares personal challenges that helped him build a supportive, transparent workplace culture.
• Future of Work: We tackle the delicate balance between physical and virtual workspaces, and the ongoing efforts to create a sustainable and cohesive organizational culture.
  
  Enjoy the wisdom and insights from one of my favorite leaders, Wonzie Gardner!

The intricacies of entrepreneurship and scaling a startup are massive – from hiring talent to raising capital to securing customers, the clock is often the enemy. Today, we dive into the life of launching and running a startup with Eleonore Crespo, CEO of Pigment, a fast-growth company based in Paris. Eleonore and I discuss the rewards of leadership and taking care of your teams (and yourself and family!), aimed at providing valuable insights, whether you sit in the founder's seat at a startup or are scaling a new project within a Fortune 100 company. We cover the following topics:

• Work-Life Balance: Eleonore shares her journey of managing a growing business while balancing family life, emphasizing the non-traditional hours and dedication it requires.
• Motivation and Growth: We discuss how personal motivation, influences, and expectations can be your guideposts as things scale.
• Leadership Philosophy: Eleonore discusses advice she receives from seasoned leaders (she has several top leaders in Silicon Valley on speed dial)
• Team Dynamics: She highlights the significance of creating a supportive environment, where work ethic sets the tone
• Long-Term Vision: We explore the importance of sustainable growth strategies and the patience required for building a successful organization.

I hope you enjoy the insights and experiences from one of my inspiring leaders, Eleonore Crespo!

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About Eleonore:

Eléonore Crespo is a dynamic leader and co-founder of Pigment, a business planning platform designed to empower organizations to make better, faster decisions in an ever-evolving landscape. Built for agility and scale, Pigment connects people, data, and processes in one elegant, feature-rich platform that allows planners in every department to prepare for any eventuality. The company is trusted by industry-leading companies around the world including Unilever, Merck, Klarna, Miro, and Poshmark.

Before launching Pigment, Eléonore was an investor at Index Ventures, where she collaborated closely with entrepreneurs and led investments in innovative companies such as Alan, Spendesk, Swile, and Slite. Her prior experience includes a significant role as a senior analyst at Google, where she reported directly to the EMEA president and CFO, focusing on strategic planning and initiatives.

Eléonore holds a background in quantum physics and engineering, having studied at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure and the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines, two of France's most competitive institutions of higher education. Her unique blend of technical expertise and entrepreneurial insight positions her as a prominent figure in the business planning landscape.

In today’s episode, futurist David Mattin, co-founder of The Exponentialist, discusses the evolving role of technology in shaping human behavior. From AI to robotics, David shares insights into how these innovations fulfill timeless human desires and the ethical challenges they bring. Whether you’re leading a business or exploring future trends, David offers practical advice on harnessing technology to drive meaningful change.

We all wish we had a better grasp on upcoming trends. Better yet, wouldn’t it be great to have a framework to anticipate trends, i.e. see into the future? If so, you'll love futurist, David Mattin. Among other topics, David and I cover:

• What is the critical role of understanding human needs in predicting the future?

• What is the evolving relationship between technology and human behavior?

• How are technologies like AI are not just tools but partners in fulfilling age-old human desires like connection, status, and convenience?

• What are the ethical challenges of rapid innovation, the decentralization of AI, and its impact on governance, creativity, and the workplace?

I hope you enjoy David’s thought-provoking perspectives and roadmap for thriving in a world shaped by exponential technological change!

David’s Bio:

David Mattin writes about the trends, ideas, innovations, and people set to reshape our shared future.

His work delves into the evolving relationship between technology and human behavior. With a rich background in journalism and history, David transitioned from covering technological revolutions at The Times to consulting global brands on the impact of emerging innovations. He is also co-founder of The Exponentialist, a research service created with RealVision that explores the exponential age of technology. David is passionate about helping individuals and organizations navigate transformative trends in AI, robotics, and beyond.

He gives practical and inspiring talks that bring these ideas to life and works with leading organisations to orient their innovation around the trends and futures scenarios that matter.

At the heart of his work is an attempt to understand this version of technological modernity. What is its nature? Where is it leading us? How can we make that future better for everyone?

His writing has appeared everywhere from The Times, to Quartz, to Google Think Quarterly, and David has written and presented documentaries for BBC Radio 4. Previously, David sat on the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Consumption. 

CEO of the Red Cross Los Angeles, Jarrett Barrios is a father, cook, consumer of media and an advocate. He was six blocks from the finish line during the Boston Marathon bombing (and he was CEO of the Red Cross in Mass. at the time!). Jarrett has become a go-to leader in the 'crisis space' and you'll learn why our conversation was, in fact, uplifting and motivational. 

Alan Patricof is a founding father of Venture Capital and chairman emeritus & co-founder of Greycroft. 

NFL Houston Texans CEO discusses sports, leadership and running two teams in two leagues. Plus his 3-month road trip in 1992 taking informational interviews with 50 pro sports teams.

Former COO of New York Stock Exchange dishes on his latest venture as CEO of one of the top cannabis businesses in the US and how a horseback riding trip in Botswana changed his perspective on his place in the world.

Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) and Toronto Argonauts (Canadian Football League) president discusses what it's like running two pro sports teams in two different leagues, hanging signs in the minors and fan engagement.

James Kaplan, Global Head of Cybersecurity at McKinsey & Co. & Ryan Kalember, EVP, Cybersecurity Strategy at Proofpoint discuss how companies are dealing with the new threat model around COVID-19 and protecting millions of remote workers.

Sydney FC's CEO talks about his time as a professional athlete, starting and eventually selling his business for $250m to Nielsen and the parallels between business and sports. 

Mohegan Sun sports chief, Amber Cox, discusses managing two pro teams – WNBA's Sun and Major League Lacrosse's Black Wolves. Plus her time with the Big East, the undeniable element of the right types of marketing to drive fan engagement (and revenue), plus pay equity and a lot more.

David Davies, OBE (Order of the British Empire – given for chivalry), is a former CEO of the UK Football Association, BBC broadcaster, FIFA and IOC advisor and legend in the UK and European sports world. He discusses growing up in Euston Station, London, living in Belfast and reporting for BBC during the "troubles,' his greatest failure of never getting fired, why humor is an underused asset...plus much more.

Donato Tramuto talks about compassionate leadership and lessons for CEOs around transformation, during this time. We also discuss his founding and selling two startups – one to Merck and the other to United Health – plus his theories around Herd Kindness, giving back/legacy, and a phrase he's coined called "collab-ovation." Donato is legally deaf, was bullied as a kid, and is one of the most compassionate and inspirational leaders who I've met over the years.

NYC-based Transform GST co-founder & CEO, Paul Watson, discusses gymnastics strength training for adults. Paul has a strong foundation in biochemical and biomechanics sciences and we compare and contrast GST with traditional weight training. Paul also talks about some of the ways you can build serious core strength and develop often unused muscle groups. Much of the training can be done anywhere with little equipment. 

Seattle Storm's CEO Alisha Valavanis talks leadership, reimagining the team the past several years which led to a WNBA championship in 2018, the force of Force 10 (her sports management firm), coming fro ma family with two identical sets of twins (of which she is one)...and lots more!

Atlanta Falcons CEO, Steve Cannon, discusses his leadership style and approach, serving as CEO the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United soccer, plus his days at West Point (and why it breeds leaders). We also discuss his living and working in Germany, military lessons in leadership, working for the Arthur M. Blank Group (owner of Falcons) and, last but very much not least...having 9 kids!

I was lucky enough to riff with Zeel CEO, Samer Hamadeh, and tennis great, Venus Williams. Zeel provides health and wellness services (both in person and virtually), to consumers and businesses. Venus, in addition to being one of the world’s all-time greatest athletes, is a Zeel board member. We covered a lot of topics ranging from what they each do to keep a calm head during times of crisis, to keeping employees fit using virtual environments. How can you combat “tech neck” (if you’re spending too much time hunching over your device like the rest of us!)? And, how can you keep yourself fit using virtual environments? Plus, you’ll hear a whole lot more around the entrepreneurial mindset. 

The head of the first venture fund dedicated to investing in the Space industry discusses getting the typical citizen-tourist to space in just a few years from now, the partnership between SpaceX and NASA (and NASA's suddenly-sexy brand), why the early days of human space flight resembles the early days of humans in airplanes...the roughly $400 billion being invested in Space-related startups, and more.

St. Louis Blues CEO, Chris Zimmerman, discusses what lessons in storytelling, trust and how you behave can be gleaned from running a sports team (Tim cut his teeth in advertising and c-level roles at Nike and Saatchi & Saatchi). We also cover the amazing ‘story’ of how the Blues came all the way from last place and won the Stanley Cup, his time as a player and coach at the collegiate level, the importance of being coachable regardless of your stage of career, why today's pro athlete is a "specialist," how Chris re-engaged Tiger Woods while at Nike...and much more.

If you've ever tried to secure a student loan, you know all too well how frustrating it can be. After experiencing the trying process firsthand, David Klein, CEO of CommonBond, set out to change things. His goal was simple - - launch a digital startup to automate the archaic student loan industry. Fast forward eight years, and CommonBond has facilitated more than $6 billion in student loans via their platform. David spent his first semester of grad school writing a business plan, ultimately dropping out to make his dream a reality (he was able to convince his co-founders to drop out, too!). 

Peter J. Solomon is a prominent banker and founder of PJ Solomon, one of the country’s first independent investment banks. But, I bet very few of you know him as a keeper of bees, an avid birder, or as a collector of children’s books. At risk of being called an “underachiever”, Peter recently authored the book, “Wasting Time Constructively: A Guide to a Balanced Life”, in which Peter documents his journey to success, the obstacles and failures encountered along the way, and his never-ending quest for a balanced life. Peter shares his insights around a variety of topics ranging from daily personal fulfillment to idiosyncrasies and how developing them is a sign of an evolved mind. We discuss the importance of sharing honest opinions with customers and (gasp!) developing friendships them. Plus, we cover Peter’s risky departure from his Vice Chairman role at Lehman Brothers to work for NYC Mayor Ed Koch and subsequently, President Carter. 

We’re covering a topic today that has been getting a lot of press attention – online voting. The media often presents either the left or right view, but as it turns out the majority of citizens don’t fall squarely into one camp or another. As with a lot of things in life, most people just want to collect as many data points as they can to make an informed decision. That’s what we hope to accomplish with our guests today, Larry Moore and Kahlil Byrd. Larry is Co-Chair of Civic Engagement and Voting Rights at the National Council for Independent Living and Kahlil (KB) is the founder and CEO of Invest America.

Today we’re sitting down with Jim Van Stone, who is President and Chief Commercial Officer at Monument Sports – Jim oversees the Washington Wizards, Capitals, WNBA Majestic, several venues and e-sports properties.

There's a lot of lessons on leadership and tenacity from sports, which is why I love talking with and interviewing sports execs. Out of all of them, Jim Van Stone might have the most diverse experience – he’s worked at five teams in four leagues over his 30-year career.

You’ll hear Jim’s thoughts about why connecting with such a wide range of people across his career has informed his own management style, how he enters new markets / businesses, negotiates large deals and makes him a better leader. His boss is Monumental Sports founder Ted Leonsis (co-founder of AOL) and we hit on some of the great things he’s learned from Ted and his son, Zach, too.

We also cover Esports – Monumental is placing some strategic bets on Esports and it has me super excited to dive deeper into the space. Keep an eye out for a future podcast on the topic.

Today’s podcast dissects the inspiring story of Saeju Jeong, co-founder and CEO of Noom, arguably the most important weight loss app on the market. Saeju is a witty, soulful, exceptional leader. It was such a pleasure talking with him and hearing about his humble beginnings, from coming to NYC from South Korea and selling 99¢ trinkets on the streets, to meeting his co-founder and building Noom.

It’s safe to say that you’ve probably been living under a rock if you’ve never heard the Andretti name, which has  been synonymous with auto racing for decades. What you may not know is the personal story behind racing legend, family scion, and  current Andretti Autosport CEO, Michael Andretti.

First, Michael may be one of the winningest athletes in all of sports – he turned pro at 17 and has 42 wins under his belt, behind only his father, Mario, and A.J. Foyt (Tom Brady eat your heart out). And, he's the last American to podium in Formula 1.

Michael is also a savvy entrepreneur – overseeing properties across Indy, Formula E and “Extreme E” (which brings attention to the environment with races that take place at glaciers and deserts with all-electric vehicles). And, the Andretti Autosport factory (if you can call it that) that he built in Indianapolis, is more like a state-of-the-art "operating room for cars” combined with a vibe that feels like Apple’s Cupertino headquarters – I toured the ‘factory' back in 2018 and was blown away.

As a notable fact (and a note to all of you corporate sponsors), racing is one of the most sponsor-able sports platforms in the world. The loyalty metrics and dollars spent per fan is multiples higher than any other sport.

Boxed has established itself as a major force in the world of online commerce with a brand that has a highly curated and artful shopping experience, yet thankfully no signs of hubris. After talking with CEO Chieh Huang, I can see why they are crushing it but remain humble. He embodies the brand and, frankly, no easy feat to pull off this balance in such a highly competitive industry.

My guest today is Dr. Joey Mattina who, at the age of 33, is the head chiropractor for the LA Clippers. He also works with legendary chiropractor, Dr. Dennis Colonello, at Peak Wellness in Los Angeles, whose patients include athletes from the NBA to the NFL. Joey has a sixth sense for how to heal the body, whether you're a pro athlete or just been sitting too much like most of us nowadays.

With the exception of cybersecurity (i.e. protecting remote employees), the topic on the minds of nearly every enterprise CEO and board these days is…wait for it…Workplace Management. Today’s guest is Dan Teran, founder of Managed by Q – a leading workplace management technology platform, which was sold to WeWork last year.

We are all social animals – sitting in front of a computer at home isn’t the same as engaging and creating together in a physical environment.

Having said that, the old way of “doing office” is probably dead.

The WeWorks and Reguses of the world used to be the exclusive domain of small and medium businesses. Now, there is a generational opportunity for large enterprises to be relieved of their big leases and explore the flexibility and scale enjoyed by the SMBs – imagine a large enterprise having a single dashboard view into all of the goings-on across multiple locations…and having all vendors and contractors handled through a single source.

You can see why this is on the mind of every large enterprise.

Dan and I cover this in more detail and also discuss his raising $100m for Managed by Q – and why this isn’t always necessary for young companies. We also discuss the ability to be anti-fragile in this environment, Dan's view on the Gig Economy vs. the Passion Economy…and his year-round surfing habits on Rockaway Beach just outside of NYC.

It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all had firsthand experience with telehealth over the past seven months. Even my ol’ Mom is an expert at Zooming with her doctor. Where are we as a society with telehealth? Which ailments are best suited for telehealth?

My guest today is Yulun Wang, Ph.D., who is a Teladoc Fellow and sold his company, InTouch Health, to Teladoc in January, 2020 (yes, good timing given the massive sum; in Teladoc’s stock).

Yulun has spent his entire career in healthcare technology and the past 20 years focused on telehealth. He’s also considered the father of surgical robots, having founded his first company in the mid-90’s and merged it with Intuitive Surgical.

We cover a lot of ground…ranging from Teladoc being at the center of massive transformation in healthcare…where they’re headed next, the 3 hurdles that telehealth is overcoming from the public view, his early days raising VC money and taking his company public…and of course surfing near his home in Santa Barbara!

Q: Why do we love brands like Apple, Yeti (love a cooler – yes!) and Vespa? A: Because we feel them. The leaders at these companies have figured out how to decipher what feel and look good to them and mobilize teams to embed it in the products. This is pure magic.

My guest today is Pauline Brown, former chairman of LVMH and author of the book, Aesthetic Intelligence. She also worked at Bain, Estee Lauder and The Carlyle Group and served as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

Pauline and I discuss and decipher what, exactly, it means for a brand – whether B2C or B2B – to infuse aesthetic intelligence into their strategy, thinking and products to delight the senses of customers. Little did I know that Vespa products have a far greater re-sale value than competitors – they’ve figured out how to tap into A.I. and Pauline shows us how you can do the same.

We also cover ground on the state of Retail, what’s in store for Black Friday / Cyber Monday, the 4 steps to adding A.I. into your personal life, plus leading a life of not just success…but significance and meaning.

There’s a lot of scuttlebutt about Bitcoin these days. Perhaps its most prominent proponent is former Goldman Sachs executive and RealVision founder, Raoul Pal.

I’ve been eager to have Raoul on the podcast to discuss his vision for Bitcoin because he’s not a tech or diehard Bitcoin person – instead, he comes from the world of finance and has a more objective and surgical thesis on Bitcoin, which he believes is the best asset to come along in generations.

We also discuss RealVision’s macro lens on the world and markets and how it’s democratizing the very best financial information. We dissect the show Billions, assess a contrarian view he holds (spoiler alert: inflation is never coming back), why he left London and got out of the rat race (a.k.a. “lifestyle arbitrage")...and a whole lot more.

As a fun fact: Raoul now lives directly on the beach in Little Cayman and runs his businesses from there.

You can learn more about RealVision at this link. They have a 30-day trial of RealVision Essential for just one buck. I'm a RealVision Pro member and love it.

One of the  big issues that’s top of mind right now for all businesses is the ability to innovate around meaningful customer experiences. Not just because they lead to customers who are ‘delighted' (bow to Tony Hsieh at Zappos) – but also because they  drive massive loyalty and lifelong engagement.

My guest today is Stephen Revetria who, as President of San Francisco Giants Enterprises, is on the cutting edge of curating and developing new fan experiences. Stephen was the first to experiment with blending entertainment experiences alongside the typical sporting event way back in 1999, when the team ownership tasked him with solving the conundrum of what is now known as ‘fan engagement.’ 20 years on, his approach is now the gold standard for sports teams worldwide.

Stephen is also board chairman of Meeting Professionals Intetnational, sits on the U.S. Dept. of Commerce Travel & Tourism Advisory Board. and is on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Travel Association.

We dig into how he got started in the business – chartering luxury yachts. We also discuss the key tenets of fan experiences and the importance of leveraging real estate to drive these goals. 

Finally, we talk about the invitation that Stephen received, among other global sports leaders, to sit with Pope Francis to discuss principals that people globally feel about sports, ranging from compassion and respect to empowerment, balance and joy.

Enjoy!

Each of us has an ‘origin story’ about our childhood, family and their effect on our adult lives and career. In the case of today’s guest, who is considered to be the “father of impact investing,” I walked away from our conversation with tremendous admiration and respect for how his early years have influenced his life’s work.

At age 11, Sir Ronald Cohen’s family fled Egypt during the Suez crisis of 1956. His father lost a thriving business and they were forced to start over in the UK, as refugees. Flash forward just six years later and Sir Ronald earned acceptance to Oxford University – where he was President of the Oxford Union no less, followed by a full scholarship to Harvard Business School. Flash forward another handful of years and Sir Ronald joined Alan Patricof, who now runs Greycroft (listen to my podcast with Alan here) at Apax Partners to form one of the world’s first venture capital firms.

Sir Ronald got into venture capital to back tenacious individuals who came from nothing – just like he did – with a goal of using venture as a tool for good to create jobs in the UK, at a time when three million people there were unemployed. It made an enormous impact and he was knighted for his efforts.

Fun fact: the first fund at Apax was just $15m (sizable for the time)…and Apax’s latest fund raised a whopping $11Bn!

In the podcast, we discuss Sir Ronald’s latest book, Impact: Reshaping Capital to Drive Real Change, the program he chairs at Harvard which measures the environmental impact of over 1,800 companies, how impact is directly correlated to a company’s stock price, how a cost can be ascribed to a corporation’s pay gaps and a corporation’s lack of diversity…his thoughts for the new Biden administration as it relates to impact…and much more!

My favorite quotes:

• “Do you really want your headstone to read: ‘He delivered 30% IRR (Internal Rate of Return)?’” – On why venture capital should be more than just making money
• “We bring in the ‘Invisible heart’ of markets to lead.” – On how to tame the wild beast and ‘invisible hand’ of the markets

Creating something out of nothing is a mystery for many of us, particularly if you’ve worked in the corporate world for many years. In today’s podcast. I sit down with Zach Garippa, Co-founder and CEO of Negotiatius, to look under the hood and discuss life inside a startup.

We dig into the business and personal sides of launching a startup and de-bunk myths about the entrepreneurial mindset. Counter-intuitively, risk mitigation – i.e. “calculated risk tolerance” – is one of the overall thematics of successful founders. Zach left a good job at Morgan Stanley and his co-founder, Tom Jaklitsch, dropped out of college to launch the business. Clearly, they both had high conviction and courage. And, would it surprise you to learn that they spent nearly 24 months researching the industry before deciding to quit job and school? That’s a lot of smart leg work around calculated risk tolerance.

We also discuss (the necessity of!) Flinstone-ing things in the early days of a startup...pressure as a constant...the hunt for traction and learnings...and how to get through problems quickly (i.e. "indecision is the killer").

And, finally, Zach gives us a primer on raising money as well as finding and keeping talent and customers – note that there are parallels across all three areas. Zach is also a big fan of picking up the phone and talking with industry folks to help problem-solve and solicit views that are contrary to his own. He also is a fan of short-form material when it comes to reading for business but prefers long-form reading for personal pursuits (hint: baby #2 on the way in March).

Zach Garippa is the CEO and Co-Founder of Negotiatus, a category-creating B2B software at the intersection of finance, operations, and procurement that radically simplifies spend decisions.

Founded in 2016 with a mission to empower businesses to make better spending decisions faster, Negotiatus serves hundreds of customers across the small and medium sized enterprise space. Negotiatus establishes itself as core spend management infrastructure by working within their client’s existing purchasing and payment process - from spreadsheets to ERPs and everything in between - and adding simplicity, automation, and insights to deliver value every step of the way. Negotiatus has been recognized as a pioneer by industry publications including Spend Matters and Inc, and is backed by leading investors such as Rally Ventures, 645 Ventures, Green Visor Capital, and Stage 2 Capital. 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Castbox, or your preferred podcast platform.

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Will A.I. eat the world, as Elon Musk and others are predicting? My guest today is Barak Turovsky, Director of Product for Google A.I.. He’s been working on “A.I.” for so long that there was no name for it during his days doing video and audio surveillance in the Israeli Military Intelligence Corps.

The numbers are, indeed, staggering and you can see how A.I. is truly taking over the world ever day…and in every way. Google Translate in and of itself went from a ho-hum product to over a billion users in just 2.5 years. That said, we discuss why Barak believes that adoption across text, speech and other forms is ‘evolutionary’ and not revolutionary.

We also discuss deep neural networks, Barak’s upbringing in Communist Russia – his father was an engineer but also a political activist and imprisoned for his activism. We hit on how his father’s experience shaped Barak’s life and career…his early days in the Intelligence Corps, the roadmap for A.I. moving forward, why less human involvement will enhance a human…and much more.

Barak Bio

Barak Turovsky is responsible for product management and user experience for Natural Language Understanding AI and Google Translate. Barak focuses on applying cutting edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to deliver magical experiences across Google Search, Assistant, Cloud, Chrome, Ads and other products. 

Prior to joining Google in 2011, Barak was Director of Product in Microsoft’s Mobile Advertising group, Head of Mobile Commerce at PayPal and Chief Technical Officer in an Israeli start up. He lived more than 10 years in 3 different countries (Russia, Israel and the US) and fluently speaks three languages. 

Barak earned a Bachelor’s of Laws degree from Tel Aviv University, Israel, and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley. 

My favorite quotes:

“Humans talk in imperfect language,” – On why we have a long way to go for A.I. to speak back to humans 

“Social networks can make extreme views seem like the mainstream ideas.” – His contrarian view about social networks

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One of the major seismic shifts in the markets since last Summer has been the increasing (and massive) adoption of Bitcoin by financial institutions, corporations, family offices, and retail investors (i.e. you and me).

My guest today is Michael Saylor, Chairman & CEO of MicroStrategy. MicroStrategy has purchased more than $2Bn in Bitcoin since last Summer, using both cash and sales of convertible debt. As of today, it’s worth close to $5Bn.

Michael and I do a deep dive around Bitcoin on a number of fronts – his framework for Bitcoin as a store of value for your corporate Treasury, how it’s fared versus other assets (hint: it’s crushing them), time of entry and cost of entry into a position, allocation size…and a lot more.

We also hit on market size and where it’s potentially headed, whether to buy through a fund or buy Bitcoin directly, and a super deep dive on the dynamics that are driving price and the growth of Bitcoin network.

Finally, we talk about the overfixation on whether we’re in a Bitcoin “bull cycle” or not, why big banks will likely support Bitcoin, what’s in it for payment platforms such as Google Pay and ApplePay, and Bitcoin as the apex monetary asset as well as the first digital monetary network.

My favorite quotes:

"Bitcoin has a 10-year compounded growth of 199%, gold 1.8%, S&P 11%, and NASDAQ." – On why Bitcoin is a proven Treasury reserve asset

"Will the war between Google, Apple and Facebook be won by which platform stores your photos the best? Or which stores your money the best?" – On why Bitcoin is a material competitive advantage for big tech companies

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Bob Johnston and his PR guru, Robert Dowling, riff on current events in the first (and maybe the last!) "Bob Robert Podcast." 

In the immortal words of Monty Python, now for something completely different…my guest today is Robert Dowling, who might win an award for being the most interesting person. He also happens to be one of the most accomplished and connected PR execs on the planet, having cut his teeth heading up Weber Shandwick’s Silicon Valley Office, running Fleishman-Hillard’s east coast office, and now operating his own firm, Hudson Cutler, which has offices in New York City and Los Angeles.

Robert is an old friend and I trust his firm to handle my own PR. He and I have had a lot of riff sessions over the years and we decided to video our latest chat, since we had many topics to catch up on.
 
He and I cover Bitcoin, Tesla, and GameStop…and also discuss cancel culture, why President Biden needs a CMO…and wrap with some banter on cannabis, longevity and anti-aging hacks…plus we get a tour of Robert’s loft in SoHo NYC (fun fact: his wet bar a re-purposed perfume bar from a major luxury retailer on 5th Avenue) and his one-of-a-kind motorcycle…enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Castbox, or your preferred podcast platform.

Imagine if you could tap into your own energy supply to feel better. Dr. Barry Morguelan will teach you just how to do that, and more. “Dr. B.” has spent the past 25 years teaching a special approach to using energy for success, which is a 5,000 year old approach that he learned in China. Dr. B. Is the fist English-speaking person to be trained in this methodology.

Simply put, his thesis is that we all want to connect to that force we had as kids – tapping into energy without a lot of forethought. He also believes it’s important that we all harness our energy to stave off challenges in the right way, improve relationships with the people in our lives who we care about…and get joy out of our jobs not just the grit. Who wouldn’t want that?

Dr. B feels that just because we grow older each day that life doesn’t have to be a little bit harder and a little less vibrant. Not true! We get control over the things we want to have happen in our life and his practice allows you to look forward to the day ahead. We discuss some of the obstacles that he faced while learning this methodology going back and forth to China for years and how he ultimately become one of only 7 living Grandmasters.

“Going faster is not the way.” – On why going too fast will make you miss the purpose of why you do what you do

“Get joy out of your job instead of just the grit.” – On harnessing the right type of energy from within us

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Castbox, or your preferred podcast platform.

Despite a global pandemic, it’s been a remarkable year for the markets, both public and private. The Dow and NASDAQ reached (and are still reaching) record highs and the number of private equity and venture capital deals has been at a fever pitch. 

My guest today, Jon Korngold, has a front row seat from the world’s largest investment firm – Blackstone. Jon is the Global Head of Blackstone Growth (BXG), which provides capital, resources and a deep network to high growth companies.

Jon and I dig into the current markets as well as BXG’s investment philosophy, focus and incredible resources that the firm brings to its portfolio companies. 

Of note: Jon started fundraising last March at the beginning of the pandemic and recently closed the fundraising with subscriptions in excess of the $4.5Bn initial target (Boom!).

Many VC and Growth Equity firms have an incentive to invest in a lot of companies because a bull market naturally encourages more activity when “all boats rise” and so that they can deploy their funds faster en route to raising their next funds. In contrast, Jon and his BXG team have differentiated themselves with an investment philosophy characterized by a comparatively more-focused portfolio construction, along with a more operationally intensive approach to partnering with entrepreneurs to build companies of significance over a long-term horizon.

We touch on a number of other areas in our conversation, as well, ranging from his view about sitting on boards (hint: less is more) and taking a thematic approach to investing…his early career at Goldman Sachs and working in Beijing…plus Jon's background coming from a family of doctors and why that instilled a strong sense of commitment in him to support children’s charities.

Jon’s Bio

Jon Korngold is the Global Head of Blackstone Growth (BXG), which is focused on providing capital to companies seeking to manage the execution risks associated with high-growth environments. Jon is a member of both the BXG and Tactical Opportunities Investment Committees.

Prior to joining Blackstone in 2019, Jon was head of General Atlantic’s Global Financial Services and Healthcare sectors, Chairman of the firm’s Portfolio Committee, and was a member of the firm’s Management and Investment Committees.

Jon also previously worked at Goldman Sachs in the Principal Investment Area and in the Mergers & Acquisitions groups in London and New York, respectively. Jon has spent extensive time in China, where he studied Mandarin Chinese at Peking University and did pro bono work for the U.S. Embassy’s Foreign Commercial Service in Beijing.

Jon is active with Harvard University, where he serves on the Harvard College Fund’s Executive Committee. He is a member of The Council on Foreign Relations and has been an Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a Commissioned Kentucky Colonel, and a member of the Rockefeller University Council. He also serves as a Trustee of The Dalton School, of The Central Park Conservancy and of the 92nd Street Y.

Jon received an AB in Economics from Harvard College, graduating with Honors, and he received his MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts,

In Part II of my conversation with Dr. Barry Morguelan, we provide you with a short, instructional video that has a number of simple exercises you can do at home to increase your energy levels (using me as the guinea pig).

With demanding schedules and hectic lives, we all want more energy. In this podcast, Dr. Barry Morguelan explains how we can tap into Source Energy and increase our awareness and productivity.

We also cover Dr. B’s four categories of human behavior, which revolves around people who either add to your energy or deplete it. For me, I can now spot who in my life falls into which category and this has allowed me to set boundaries, when needed.

The techniques shown in the video can be done anywhere and anytime – before or during a Zoom or face-to-face (remember them?) meeting, before a big presentation…or even before your mother-in-law comes for a visit. They are meant to add buoyancy to your life without the mumbo jumbo. Just straight up, simple exercises that make you feel more energetic in the moment and throughout the day.

About Energy for Success and Dr. B.

Energy for Success offers a simple, practical solution that eliminates stress and anxiety while promoting clarity, peace, and authentic connection.

A world-renowned surgeon and pioneer in gastroenterology, Dr. B scoured the planet for the world’s most practical and effective systems of healing, well-being, and personal success.

Following a harrowing 30 year apprenticeship under the guardianship of a powerful sage deep in the mountains of China, Energy For Success presents an ancient tradition of personal energy mastery reimagined and adapted for the modern world by its only western Grand Master.

Dr. B proves we can feel younger as we age. We are in control of our lives and happiness, and his practice will get us to our destination. Hit play to listen as we discuss the obstacles Dr. B faced while learning this methodology in China and how he ultimately became one of only seven living Grandmasters.

Dr. B is offering you, our listeners, access to his programs through a special URL: www.energyforsuccess.com/executive

This intensive program addresses all areas of your life and includes a set of very simple, fast, easy to adapt practices you can use in daily life. Regain balance and reclaim your mind from whatever distractions and problems and stay calm and focused in the face of life’s challenges. Remember, a calm mind is a brilliant mind. This program is more hands-on including facilitator calls & more!

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It’s no easy feat starting a business. Are entrepreneurs born fearless or can this mindset be tapped into and developed through life experiences? 

Today’s guest, Erica Liu Williams, founder of Gr8nola, is a driven founder, yet it took her a few steps to get there from A to B.

Erica attended Stanford on a swimming scholarship and, upon graduation, wasn’t particularly career-driven. Instead, her ambition was to be a homemaker. However, after her parents divorced, she decided that she wanted to be financially independent. She watched others build their passions and decided, “if they can do this, why not me?”

Erica and I dig into the mindset of an entrepreneur, her intense (and frankly grueling!) schedule as an elite swimmer from the age of 13 onward, how she thinks about work-life balance, her work cadence on a given day on the weekends – something that all founders struggle with – along with other personal daily rituals.

On the biz front, we cover Erica’s thoughts around growth and raising outside capital vs. growing your business from customer revenue. We also discuss an epiphany that she’s had this year, managing challenges (and why they should be meaningful challenges…).

And, finally, we cover her personal and business metrics for success, the importance of mentorship, and tools and platforms that she uses on a daily basis.

Erica’s Bio

Erica Liu Williams is a former Olympic Trials swimmer and Silicon Valley techie-turned-food-entrepreneur. She came up with the idea for gr8nola by accident when she was searching for a delicious, yet healthy snack for a post-Super Bowl "cleanse" she and her NFL hubby do each year. Stuck with few options, she created her own low-sugar granola recipe using clean ingredients and unique and functional superfoods.

Her granola was such a hit that she created a side business out of it in 2013, selling it at the farmers market while working full-time. 4+ years later, Erica officially left her 10-year tech career to pursue gr8nola full-time and has hustled her way into becoming Silicon Valley's favorite granola, supplying gr8nola at some of the biggest tech companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Linkedin and more. 

The gr8nola line features seven superfood flavors (The Original, Cacao Crisp, Cinnamon Chai, Black Coco Chia, Matcha Vibes, Golden Spice and Peanut Butter) that are free of soy, dairy and refined sugars and have only 5g sugar per serving. You can find gr8nola on Amazon Prime, gr8nola.com and 100+ grocery stores.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Castbox, or your preferred podcast platform.

Donato Tramuto is CEO & Founder of Health eVillages. Founded in 2011, Health eVillages bridges that gap in health education with mobile technology. Our lifesaving resources include medical reference and clinical decision support tools for medical and public health professionals in the most challenging clinical environments in the U.S. and abroad. It is our belief that by delivering technology, facilitating access and empowering health care providers, we can help “heal the villages” and move the needle on global health care.

Donato recently retired as CEO of Tivity Health, one of the largest health improvement, nutrition, fitness and social engagement platforms in the world and parent company of Nutrisystem. Donato is one of my favorite people – he talks about compassionate leadership and lessons for CEOs, regardless of the times. He’s had his fair share of adversity (legally deaf, schedule to be on a 9/11 flight, etc.). Yet, despite all of that, he started and sold two businesses to Merck and United Health, became a public company CEO, launched several not-for-profits and was a recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award.

Most importantly, he has led with compassion. We also discuss his theories around "Herd Kindness," giving back/legacy, and a phrase he's coined called "collab-ovation.” Donato is an all-around exceptional human being.

Donato J. Tramuto is the former CEO of Tivity Health, Inc (NASDAQ: TVTY), a leading provider of fitness and health improvement programs, with strong capabilities in developing and managing network solutions in healthcare. A recognized innovator and industry leader, he has more than 35 years of healthcare experience, with a deep commitment to global healthcare access, a steadfast focus on patient outcomes and a keen understanding of digital solutions.

In less than a year after being named Tivity Health’s CEO, Tramuto executed a turnaround of the company’s performance by harnessing the lessons he learned through various adversities and “bulldozer” moments, and engineered a creative sale of one of the company’s non-performing divisions, adding nearly $1 billion of valuation to the company. In 2008, Tramuto founded Physicians Interactive Holdings (now known as Aptus Health), a global provider of insight-driven digital engagement solutions for healthcare professionals and consumers. There he served as CEO and chairman prior to joining Tivity Health, Inc.

In 2011, Tramuto founded Health eVillages, a non-profit organization which provides state-of-the-art mobile health technology in the most challenging clinical environments. He is also the chairman and founder of the Tramuto Foundation, which helps individuals and organizations achieve their educational and healthcare goals.

Nimit Sawhney is Co-Founder and CEO of Voatz, Inc, an elections platform that uses identity proofing, biometrics, and blockchain technology to enable end-to-end verifiable and accessible remote voting via smartphones and tablets. Voatz has run more than 76 elections in partnership with both major political parties at the state level, as well as with state/county governments, towns, cities, universities, professional organizations including the country’s first mobile voting project with West Virginia in 2018. Nimit’s background is in mobile security and software development, previously serving as Director of R&D at Oberthur Technologies, and prior to that, as Director of R&D at MoreMagic Solutions.

Nimit holds a graduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Business Management and is an alumni of the Harvard Business School’s YALP (Young Americans Leadership Program) Class of 2019.

Hi Gang, we’re kicking off the Fall podcast season with a deep dive discussion around longevity and anti-aging with Elysium Health’s Co-founder and CEO, Eric Marcotulli.

I interviewed Eric at the Executive Council’s annual Health & Biotech Summit in 2017, which feels like forever ago, particularly given all of the buzz around anti-aging regimens and the popularization of the space from various industry leaders and mainstream press.

To start off, Eric and I discuss why it’s important to track aging. This might seem like a basic questions but the idea of “aging” isn’t so much about “old age” as it is about addressing health in a more holistic manner, as you’ll learn. Chronological age is only a number, in a sense, and what might matter most is cellular age. More on that in our discussion.

We also talk about quantifying and measuring products such as Elysium’s Basis, which is Eric’s core product. Elysium also has a product called Index which measures your biological age and also tracks your cumulative rate of aging which may be the most important metric of all. Absorption rate of products like Basis is also an important factor and we hit on that, as well. 

On the personal front, we touch on Eric’s evolving daily regimen vis a vis supplements and routines (AM/PM, exercise, diet, etc.). It’s always fun to discuss  this particular topic with guests because I personally get tips that I can use and of course you can hopefully gain some actionable tips, too. 

Finally, we talk about what’s coming down the pipeline for Elysium and across the industry and what Eric is most excited about.  

Eric Marcotulli, Elysium Health co-founder and chief executive officer, graduated from  Harvard Business School and joined Sequoia Capital as its youngest partner to lead growth  investing in mobile technologies. While in Silicon Valley, Marcotulli realized that despite the  significant, positive impact of new technologies on our understanding of health and disease, 

there remained a lack of innovation in the consumer-facing portion of the healthcare market  beyond wearables and basic mobile apps. 

With a keen interest in aging research and its potential to have a profound impact on the most important areas of health, he wanted to create a company focused on developing compelling compounds found in nature that support long-term health. 

Mark Hawkins is an award-winning executive who, for four decades, has led finance organizations at global software and technology companies including Salesforce, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard.

Raised in Michigan, Mark attended Michigan State where he studied operations management. His first job was at Hewlett-Packard where, at just 21, he was a buyer for the supply chain by day and getting his MBA in finance from University of Colorado Springs by night. Hewlett-Packard later sponsored him to attend the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Mark was the President and CFO of Salesforce until 2021 and is currently a board member at Toast, Plaid, DataRobot, Secureworks, and sits on the NYSE Listed Company Advisory Board.