Power & Impact

What would you do if you hit financial independence at 30… and realized the life you built was slowly destroying you? In this week's episode of Power & Impact , Paul Stamoulis and I sat down with Ryan Renteria, a Stanford grad who rocketed through Goldman Sachs, became a rising star in the hedge fund world, and walked away right as he reached the top. His body was failing, his spirit was exhausted...

What can business leaders learn from the mindset of a world-class athlete? In this episode of Power & Impact , I sit down with Austin Ramos, an entrepreneur whose path from All-American long-distance runner at UCLA to private equity leader is filled with lessons on building winning teams.  Austin shares how his years as a competitive athlete shaped his approach to leadership and navigating high-pr...

AI tools are powerful, but misusing them can lead to poor results. How can business leaders avoid "AI slop" and maintain quality as they scale this technology across their organizations? In this episode, I sit down with Andreas Welsch, an AI strategist, educator, and author of The AI Leadership Handbook We talk about why 85% of AI projects fail and what practical steps businesses and individuals c...

Some people chart a course and stick to it. Others let curiosity lead the way. In this week's Power & Impact, I talk with Marc Hodosh, the entrepreneur who revived TEDMED and later co-founded Life Itself with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Marc's path has been anything but predictable — from medical school to inventing a laundry backpack, building breakthrough tech companies, and creating platforms that bring...

Are we on the brink of the end of traditional surgery? In this episode, I sit down with Bill Peine, Ph. D., VP of Surgical Research & Technology at Medtronic — one of the world's leading innovators in medical technology. Bill and his team are reimagining the future of healthcare at the intersection of robotics, AI, and human ingenuity — where the idea of cutting into patients may soon feel as outd...

What if chasing money isn't the path to happiness — but understanding   why   we chase it is?   In this episode of Power & Impact , I sit down with   Jeff Kreisler , a Princeton-educated lawyer-turned-comedian who is now head of behavioral science at JPMorgan Chase .   From the courtroom to the comedy stage, Jeff has built a career that bridges insight and laughter, showing us that understanding p...

It's not every day you get to revisit a conversation that could change lives — but this one just might. In this week's Power & Impact, I had the privilege of catching up with Dr. Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein , a scientist who's on the frontlines of Parkinson's disease research. In our first talk, we explored his early challenges and the uphill fight to push new ideas forward. This time, he shares th...

In this inspiring conversation, entrepreneur and author Chip Conley shares his journey from founding a boutique hotel chain at age 26 to becoming a transformative mentor at Airbnb. He reflects on the importance of "right-sizing" ego, embracing intergenerational learning, and finding purpose in midlife. Chip introduces the concept of being "useful" rather than "used up," a theme central to his book...

In this thought-provoking episode, Reid Blackman, Ph. D. joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about technology, ethics, education, and the ways rapid change is reshaping everything from Fortune 500 companies to family dinner tables.  Reid reminds us that while AI and social technologies offer incredible opportunities, they also raise difficult questions: Who benefits? Who is left behind? What...

In this episode, I sit down with Howard Stevenson , often called the Father of Entrepreneurship . Over 40+ years at Harvard Business School, Howard reshaped how the world understands entrepreneurship — defining it as "the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources you currently control." We dive deep into why entrepreneurship is not about taking risk.   Howard's journey shaping the field of entre...

Today, we sit down with Dan Buettner , the explorer, journalist, and longevity expert who introduced the world to Blue Zones — the regions where people consistently live longer, healthier lives. Dan reveals:   The secrets of Blue Zones like Okinawa, Sardinia, Costa Rica, and Greece.   Why beans, whole grains, and plant-based meals are the real longevity foods.   His new book Blue Zones One Pot and...

Can chronic diseases like Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, and even early-stage cancer actually be reversed — not just slowed down? In this inspiring conversation, world-renowned physician and researcher Dr. Dean Ornish shares groundbreaking insights from nearly four decades of scientific studies. From presenting new Alzheimer's research to showing how lifestyle medicine can outperform drugs...

From the early days of Y2K disaster-recovery planning to helping launch Amazon Alexa, this conversation traces the remarkable career of a leader who has shaped how we think about technology, business strategy, and the future of AI. In this episode with tech leader Noelle dives into the energy, angst, and opportunity of today's AI moment. From Y2K war rooms to Alexa's early days, Noelle's journey s...

In this in-depth conversation, we sit down with Dr. Natalie Nixon — globally recognized creativity strategist, keynote speaker, teacher, and author of the award-winning book The Creativity Leap and her upcoming book Move, Think, Rest . With a background that spans fashion, cultural anthropology, global business, and 16 years in academia , Dr. Nixon shares her personal journey of leaving a "dream j...

What does it take to be the true "CEO Whisperer"? In this powerful conversation, Jeff Sonnenfeld — Senior Associate Dean at Yale School of Management, bestselling author, and trusted advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs — shares leadership insights from decades of experience guiding business leaders through crises, transitions, and reinvention. From his early career as a professor at Harvard and Emory to f...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of   Power and Impact , host   Jim McCann   is joined by the brilliant   Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman   — economist, activist, and author of   The Double Tax . What follows is a dynamic and inspiring conversation about gender, race, economics, and purpose. Anna shares her remarkable journey: from being born in Ghana and winning the U.S. visa lottery, to gro...

On this episode of   Power and Impact we sit down with Venk Varadan, co-founder and CEO of Nanowear, to uncover the inspiring journey behind one of the most innovative startups in digital health. From his academic roots in biomedical engineering and chemistry to working on Wall Street. You'll learn how Nanowear's flagship product, Simple Sense, evolved from a concept to an FDA-cleared wearable tha...

Why is burnout not just tolerated—but praised? On today's Power & Impact, I sit down with Dr. Judith Joseph, psychiatrist, researcher, and author of High Functioning, to unpack the hidden costs of high achievement. From the psychological fallout of workplace trauma to the emotional toll of always saying "yes," Dr. Joseph reveals how our drive to perform can mask unhealed wounds. Drawing on years o...

What if surviving AI disruption isn't about tech skills but human ones? On today's Power & Impact , I sit down with Simon Freakley, Executive Chair and former CEO of AlixPartners, to explore the disruptive fusion of AI, robotics, and human potential. From reshaping the global workforce to redefining how we think about healthcare, education, and productivity, Simon makes the case for bold leadershi...

Can we reverse aging...or at least slow it down? One entrepreneur is betting on it. On today's Power & Impact, I sit down with Artūras Samulis, founder and CEO of Number Longevity, to explore the intersection of personal transformation, cutting-edge science, and holistic health. From quitting coffee and alcohol to tracking biological age through advanced diagnostics, Artūras is on a mission to red...

On today's Power & Impact , I sit down with Dr. Chloe Carmichael, licensed clinical psychologist and author of the upcoming book Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly . Together, we explore how fear, censorship, and cancel culture are reshaping how we communicate, and how we can reclaim authentic dialogue in a divided world. From writing a viral blog about child mask...

Aging isn't a decline, it's an opportunity. One of Fortune's top health reporters is here to prove it. On today's Power & Impact , I sit down with Alexa Mikhail, health and wellness reporter at Fortune , to explore how longevity, connection, and conscious living are transforming not just how we age, but how we think about aging. From growing up in a health-focused family in Ann Arbor to leading gl...

On today's Power & Impact, I sit down with Harriette Cole, journalist, bestselling author, coach, and professor to talk about how to live with purpose, grace, and vision. From modeling runways at 13 to shaping Essence magazine's editorial voice, Harriette has spent her life crafting a message of excellence rooted in her family's legacy of service, style, and strength. We unpack the power of upbrin...

On today's Power & Impact, I sit down with Dr. Uma Naidoo, Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, and author of This Is Your Brain on Food and Calm Your Mind with Food, to talk about how what we eat profoundly shapes how we feel. From growing up in South Africa with a garden-tending grandmother to founding the first hospital-based nutritional psychiatry clinic at Harvard, Dr....

On today's Power & Impact episode, I sit down with Greg Licciardi, professor, marketer, and now author of Holy Grail of Marketing , to talk about what it really takes to connect with consumers in a fast-evolving digital world. From his classroom at Fordham and Seton Hall to the frontlines of martech consulting, Greg shares how a decade of teaching inspired a framework that simplifies marketing wit...