Experience-Focused Leaders

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Ted Elliott, CEO of Copado and experienced tech entrepreneur. In this episode, Ted shares his visionary take on why operational alignment and deep empathy are critical to cutting through modern business friction, especially in a world where corporate complexity and generative AI are rapidly rewriting the rules of leadership and enterprise communication. Ted discu...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Michelle Bridenbaker, Global Head of Medical Excellence and Communications at Recordati, Vice President of MILE, and CEO of Unbiased Science . In this episode, Michelle shares her visionary take on why scientific transparency and human empathy are critical to cutting through the modern "attention economy," especially in a world where social media algorithms and g...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Sephi Shapira , a four-time tech founder, author of Fundable , and a legendary coach who has helped founders secure over a billion dollars in venture funding. In this episode, Sephi shares his visionary take on why "fundability" is an internal quality of the leader rather than a metric of the business, especially in a world where AI is rapidly rewriting the rules...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Payal Raina, an experienced corporate marketing leader and the founder of the fin.tech marketing community. In this episode, Payal shares her visionary take on why smart communication, human connection, and long-term relationships are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech shifts and AI. Payal discusses the e...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Dave Hersh , the visionary founder of Jive Software, an active investor, and the author of the upcoming book The Eros Advantage . In this episode, Dave shares his deep-dive into why human connection and psychological awareness are the ultimate competitive advantages in an era where AI is rapidly commoditizing traditional business "moats." Dave discusses the evolu...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Michael Marcon, the founder and CEO of Symphony Risk Solutions. In this episode, Michael shares his visionary take on why smart communication, human connection, and long-term relationships are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech shifts and AI. Michael discusses the evolution of his thinking from his early...

our host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Nathan Christensen, entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and former CEO of Mineral. In this episode, Nathan shares his visionary take on why "trust" and "structural integrity" are the ultimate competitive advantages in a business world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and short-term financial pressure. Nathan discusses the evolution of...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Gleb Budman, the co-founder and CEO of publicly listed Backblaze (NASDAQ: BLZE). In this episode, Gleb shares his visionary take on why first-principles thinking and long-term organic growth are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly dominated by trillion-dollar tech hyperscalers. Gleb discusses the evolution of his thinking from his early da...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Barry Rhein, the founder of Barry Rhein & Associates and the legendary creator of the "Selling Through Curiosity" methodology. In this episode, Barry shares his visionary take on why genuine curiosity and human connection are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and transactional sales pressure...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Eric Ries , entrepreneur, author, and the pioneer of the Lean Startup movement. In this episode, Eric shares his visionary take on why "trust" and "structural integrity" are the ultimate competitive advantages in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise and short-term financial pressure. Eric discusses the evolution of his thinking from the...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Adam Morgan, VP of Brand at Twilio and author of Sorry Spock, Emotions Drive Business. In this episode, Adam shares his visionary take on why the "human element" is the ultimate competitive advantage in a world increasingly flooded with automated, AI-generated noise. Adam discusses the shift from purely "data-driven" demand generation to a brand-first strategy, e...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Greg Shove, the CEO of Section and a six-time CEO with a storied history of building companies that redefine how we work. In this episode, Greg shares his vision for the "Super Company," offering a candid masterclass on why AI transformation must start at the bottom of the organizational pyramid with the workforce, rather than being dictated from the top down by...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Brian Liu, the visionary founder and former CEO of LegalZoom, the company that redefined access to legal services and became the first publicly listed legal tech giant. In this episode, Brian shares his journey from a law school "misfit" to a pioneer of industry disruption, offering a rare look at how to scale a business in one of the world's most conservative pr...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Amit Pande, an enterprise product leader with over two decades of experience at industry giants like Oracle, Yahoo, HP, and C3AI. In this episode, Amit shares his insights on the evolving landscape of go-to-market (GTM) strategies, particularly in the context of AI and enterprise applications. They delve into how GTM has transformed from a mere marketing and sale...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Scott Britton, author of Conscious Accomplishment, for a profound exploration into the intersection of high-performance entrepreneurship and deep spiritual awareness. Scott, a prolific achiever and co-founder, shares his journey of moving beyond "ego-driven" success to find a more sustainable, "joy-centered" way of creating impact in the real world. Together, the...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes "cohabitating" co-authors Jeffrey Chernick and Alix Gitter for a deep dive into the human soul of entrepreneurship. Jeffrey, a serial founder with 20 years of "startup life" addiction and multiple exits, joins forces with Alix, a professional actress and writer, to debut their bestselling book, High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder. Together, they challen...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Karin Reed, an Emmy Award-winning journalist turned leadership communications expert, for a masterclass in modern connectivity. As the CEO of Speaker Dynamics and the author of Suddenly Virtual and Suddenly Hybrid, Karin has become the go-to coach for global giants like Lenovo and Eli Lilly, helping executives move from being "talking heads" to authentic leaders...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Ravi Sawhney, the CEO and founder of RKS Design and PA AI, for a deep dive into the intersection of cognitive psychology and world-class innovation. With a career that began at the legendary Xerox PARC developing the first touchscreen interfaces, Ravi has spent over four decades helping global giants like Samsung, Intel, and Lego move beyond traditional aesthetic...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Scott Britton, entrepreneur, author of Conscious Accomplishment, and a former Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. After the successful acquisition of his venture-backed company, Troops, by Salesforce in 2022, Scott turned his focus toward the "Third Way"—a philosophy that integrates high-level material achievement with deep internal fulfillment and spiritual awareness. I...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Professor Hermann Simon, founder and honorary chairman of Simon-Kucher and the world’s leading authority on pricing and strategy. Often cited as the most influential management thinker since Peter Drucker, Hermann brings five decades of experience identifying the "Hidden Champions" of the global economy and advising world-class organizations on value and growth....

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Luke Giancarlo , Director of the FinTech Innovation Lab in New York and an executive at Accenture , where he leads digital currency and AI initiatives. Luke brings a unique perspective, combining hands-on startup experience with deep insight into enterprise innovation, fintech, and emerging technologies. In this conversation, Luke shares his view on corporate-sta...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Sergey Netessine, Senior Vice Dean of Innovation and Global Initiatives at the Wharton School and Durbani Armani Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Sergey is also an Amazon Scholar and a seasoned investor, bringing a rare blend of academic rigor, corporate strategy, and hands-on venture experience to the world’s leading organizations. In this conversat...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Stephen Josephs, a pioneer in adult development and the co-author of the seminal book Leadership Agility . With over 40 years of experience as an executive coach, Stephen helps senior leaders navigate high-pressure environments by recognizing the inner patterns that drive their behavior. A lifelong practitioner of meditation and Tai Chi, Stephen brings a unique b...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Magali Anderson , a global sustainability and innovation leader and former Chief Sustainability & Innovation Officer at Holcim. Magali brings deep, real-world experience leading change at scale—across operations, markets, and incentives. Today, she serves on the boards of Anglo American and the Capitals Coalition, mentors founders through the Creative Destruc...

Your host Alex Shevelenko welcomes Shannon McClenaghan , the CEO of StartX , Stanford University’s elite, non-profit startup community for alumni, faculty, and serial founders. A seasoned leader at the helm of one of Silicon Valley’s most powerful "secret weapons," Shannon oversees an ecosystem that has helped launch 20 unicorns and create over $120 billion in value—all without taking a single cen...