More Elephant

Former United Nations peacekeeper, leadership coach, mountaineer, and author Urs Koenig has spent his career in environments where leadership is tested under pressure. From conflict zones in the Balkans and the Middle East to executive coaching and keynote stages, his experiences led him to a simple but often misunderstood idea: humility is not weakness. In this conversation, we explore the philos...

Brandy Thompson never set out to become the CEO of a fast-growing health benefits technology company. As CEO of benefitbay , she now leads a platform helping employers and employees rethink how healthcare benefits are delivered, however her path to leadership was anything but traditional. In this conversation, we explore what happens when someone with an operator’s mindset and a passion for solvin...

Sabrina Parsons grew up watching entrepreneurship happen in real time inside a cramped Palo Alto home where her father built Palo Alto Software from a tiny bedroom office while introducing his family to bleeding-edge technology long before computers were mainstream. Years later, Sabrina would inherit the company and face a defining choice: evolve or disappear. In this episode of More Elephant, Sab...

In this episode of the More Elephant podcast, we sit down with Don Graves , former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce and founder of Highland Creek Advisors , to talk about leadership, economic policy, and what it takes to create real impact at scale. Don’s path into public service was shaped by a deep-rooted commitment to community, influenced by generations of educators and mentors who challenged...

In this episode of More Elephant, we sit down with Andrew Watterson, founder of Blue CSR Strategies, an ESG consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses, governments, and nonprofits accelerate their impact on their environmental and sustainability strategies. Andrew’s journey began with early inspiration from his grandmother and sixth-grade science teacher, both passionate about environmental s...

Heather Tuason didn't set out to be an entrepreneur—she hustled through a tough childhood in Southern Virginia, working full-time at Domino's Pizza from age 15 to support her family after her parents' divorce, all while raising her younger sister and powering through college. That grit forged her "doer" mantra, propelling her from bank teller to Capital One exec, where she...

In this conversation with Andy Ellwood, founder of Stretch, we explore what happens when childhood frugality, serial entrepreneurship, and AI-powered innovation collide around one persistent problem: how to know you are paying the best price for groceries. Stretch is building the first true shopping intelligence platform, empowering everyday families to compare full basket prices across nearby sto...

In this conversation with Dr. Ella Fung and Dr. Nancy Schoenbrunner, co-founders of Rosalind Dx, we explore what happens when scientific rigor, lived experience, and a bold entrepreneurial leap collide around one simple but powerful idea: access. Rosalind Dx is reimagining prenatal testing by moving it from complex, centralized genome sequencing to a faster, more affordable PCR-based approach. The...

In this second part of the conversation with Anita Ghosh, founder and CEO of Bridjr, we go deeper into what is really missing from most transformation efforts. We talk about why organizations keep failing at digital transformation, why technology alone is not enough, and why human adoption is the real driver of return on investment. Anita brings a powerful, practical framework that connects strate...

In this episode of More Elephant, I sit down with Anita Ghosh, Founder and CEO of Bridjr, for a deeply human conversation about leadership, listening, and what it really takes to build organizations that work for people, not just systems. Anita’s work sits at the intersection of empathy, technology, and business transformation. However, this conversation goes further than frameworks and models - s...

In this episode of the podcast, we kick off 2026 with Brooke Dukes — author, executive coach, and founder of BMD Consulting and Success by Design Club. Her book, ‘ Burn On, Not Out’ , is her personal narrative that led to the creation of her business focused on empowering high-achieving leaders to conquer burnout through human design and purpose alignment. The realization that Brooke, as a corpora...

In this episode of More Elephant, we sit down with Jorge Perez — the Venezuelan-American designer and entrepreneur behind Betsy Moss, a women’s ready-to-wear brand celebrated for its effortlessly sexy yet chic resort wear. What began as a childhood game of dressing up with his sister has evolved into a thriving fashion house that blends Miami’s vibrant energy with the elegance of Venezuelan cultur...

In this episode of More Elephant, we sit down with Riley Gibson and Nader Akhnoukh , the founders of Wildly Virgin — a small-batch Portuguese olive oil producer and recent Gold Medal Winner at the prestigious New York International Olive Oil Competition [NYIOOC] world olive oil competition. Beloved by customers, top chefs, and olive oil experts, Wildly Virgin was born from burnout, curiosity, and...

In this episode of More Elephant, we sit down with Narda Malakzad and Andrea Laderman — the founders of Goldi, a food-tech platform revolutionizing how hotels and restaurants personalize menus for every guest without making a single change in the kitchen. What began as two Moms struggling to navigate dinner with dietary needs has grown into an innovative company using data to transform how the wor...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming Brian Polen , the founder and CEO of Brooklyn Kura , an innovative American craft sake company based in Brooklyn, New York. Brian shares his journey from a successful career at American Express to embracing entrepreneurship and building a business rooted in more than a thousand years of Japanese brewing tradition. Our conversation explores how Bro...

In this episode, we sit down with Rodrigo Vargas, founder of American Vinegar Works. Rodrigo’s story goes beyond vinegar as just an acid — it’s about rediscovering and revitalizing a craft deeply rooted in history and tradition. He shares how his passion for craft fermentation, dating back to the 1800s, inspired him to create a company that elevates vinegar as an essential and sophisticated ingred...

In this episode, we sit down with Noel Kinder, former Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, to explore what it really means to lead change inside a global brand. Noel’s path from operations into sustainability gave him a front-row seat to and, later in his career, explicit accountability for how decisions in one part of the business ripple across supply chains, factories, and communities worldwide...

In this episode of The More Elephant Podcast, I sit down with Jamal Sims. Jamal’s story begins in Southern California, where he taught himself to dance by recording MTV videos on old-school VHS tapes and studying Soul Train on Saturday mornings. What started as a kid emulating moves in his living room turned into a remarkable career that includes performing with Michael Jackson, choreographing for...

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Hurtak—Fortune 100 executive, community leader, dad, and author of The Play Sheet. Brian brings forward a grounded, honest conversation on what it means to carry the weight of work, family, ambition, and expectations—and still show up with intention. Inspired by the structure of football, and how coaches coach, The Play Sheet isn't a sports book. It&apos...

In the opening episode of the second season of More Elephant, we are in conversation with Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, an activist deeply influenced by her upbringing in South Africa, in the era of apartheid, and by her late father, Reverend Desmond Tutu. Rev. Tutu shares her journey from rejecting the idea of priesthood to embracing her call to ministry in her 50s. Our conversation delves into h...

Season One was a chance to sit down with people doing real, meaningful work. Founders, leaders, creators, friends. People figuring things out in the middle of it all, not after the fact. This episode is a look back at some of the moments that stayed with me. The quiet pivots. The bold moves. The stories that made me think a little deeper about how we show up in our work and in our lives. From buil...

In this episode of the More Elephant podcast, we engage in an insightful conversation with Alan Stein, the founder and CEO of Kadima Careers. Kadima is on a mission to level the playing field for underestimated talent by accelerating one million careers by 2040 by offering a framework, support, and practical advice for navigating corporate careers, developing relationships, and defining strategies...

In this episode of the More Elephant Podcast, Lorna Kapusta, Head of Women and Engagement at Fidelity Investments, discusses the importance of financial planning and investing for women. The conversation discusses how often we leave behind the teaching of financial literacy and underappreciate the need for tailored solutions to meet women’s unique needs. Lorna candidly shares her journey, includin...

In this episode of the More Elephant podcast, we celebrate Pride month in the United States and continue our feature of highlighted great work by non-profit leaders and their teams. We talk with Jaymes Black, CEO of Family Equality, the leading non-profit focused on fighting to protect and support LGBTQ+ families. Jaymes shares her journey from corporate America to leading Family Equality and bein...

In this edition of the More Elephant podcast, we are in conversation with GRAMMY® Award-winning bassoonist, music faculty, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Monica Ellis , a founding member, co-artistic, and Executive Director of the acclaimed Imani Winds Quintet. Monica's journey, from her childhood in Pittsburgh to her time at Oberlin and Julliard, is a testament to the transformative power...