Grand Slam Journey

In this episode of the Grand Slam Journey Podcast, host Klara Jagosova speaks with Peter Linder , Head of Thought Leadership Americas at Ericsson, one of the world's leading voices in telecommunications and technology, ranked the #1 technology expert on LinkedIn in 2022, and a 35-year veteran of Ericsson, shaping the global narrative around broadband, 5G, and AI, and now sporting events. Pete...

In this episode, Klara Jagosova speaks with Brian Modoff , founder and CEO of MC3 Ventures, Advisory Partner at Summit Partners, and former EVP of Corporate Strategy at Qualcomm. Brian's journey spans enlisting in the US Navy at 17, eight years of night school while working full time, 23 years as one of Wall Street's most consistently top-ranked technology analysts, a pivotal role at Qua...

In this episode of the Grand Slam Journey Podcast, host Klara Jagosova speaks with John Madura, mechanical engineer, 2x USA Rowing National Team Member, and robotics innovator at Dexterity . John's journey spans from being recruited into rowing over pizza in a college lunch line at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, to representing the United States at the World Championships in 2012 and 2015,...

Klara Jagosova speaks with Josh Simons — musician, songwriter, entrepreneur, and CEO of Vinyl Group — about his journey from touring internationally with indie band Buchanan to leading Australia’s only ASX-listed music company. Josh shares lessons on creativity, performance, and building sustainable careers beyond the stage. Drawing parallels between music and sport, the conversation explores: Gro...

Want a front-row seat to how a global CFO blends tennis-honed grit with people-first leadership to rethink telecom’s future? In this episode, Klara Jagosova sits down with Jurgen Arts , Vice President & CFO for Market Area Europe & Latin America at Ericsson , who brings nearly three decades of experience leading M&A, finance transformation, and cross-regional teams. We trace Jurgen’s p...

What if we could revolutionize healthcare and other industries by using the untapped computing power that sits idle in hospitals every night? Meet Rani Yadav-Ranjan , Chief AI Officer at Greycloud AI, who's pioneering a breakthrough approach to AI that respects both data privacy and urgency. After watching her mother's medical journey, Rani had a revelation: doctors function as "dat...

Noah Sturm , Senior Vice President of Sales and Revenue at Augment AI, shares his journey from an unstructured upbringing through professional golf aspirations to becoming a transformative sales leader building AI-powered relationship technology to transform and redefine how B2B sales are done. • Raised in a dynamic, homeschooled environment that fostered creativity, resilience, and comfort with u...

Josh Payne shares his unique journey from musician to tech entrepreneur, exploring how AI is creating a more personalized, adaptive internet experience that could revolutionize how we interact with the internet, websites, and overall digital experiences.  • Personalization is fundamentally changing the internet, making it more contextual and adaptive to individual users • Josh sees personalized ex...

Abby Davisson shares a comprehensive framework for making life's biggest decisions, from career transitions to family planning, with a clear process that reduces anxiety and builds confidence. • The Five C's Framework: Clarify what's important, Communicate with those involved, Consider broad choices, Check in with trusted resources, and examine Consequences across time horizons • Re...

Picture this: a technology salesperson walks into a meeting armed with impressive specs—gigabytes, terabytes, processing power—only to face a small business owner who simply asks, "What will this do for my business?" This fundamental disconnect lies at the heart of why so many technology companies struggle to serve the massive small and medium business (SMB) market effectively. In this c...

This episode was produced by Google Notebook LLM using my latest blog post on my website: https://www.grandslamjourney.com/post/tennis-tuesdays I'm curious what you think about it. I found this a fun experiment. https://notebooklm.google/ Send us Fan Mail 8 EIGHT SLEEP Save $200 on 8Sleep and get better quality and deeper sleep with automatic temperature adjustment LEORÊVER COMPRESSION AND AC...

Unlock the secrets of transforming athletic discipline into entrepreneurial success with our special guest, James Hilovsky , a former minor league baseball player who now helms the FranDream . In this episode, we tackle the myth that franchising is just about food and restaurants, revealing opportunities in diverse fields, from pest control to pickleball clubs. James takes us through his journey o...

Unlock the secrets to maximizing your potential with our special guest, Dre Baldwin , a former Professional Basketball player turned entrepreneur, coach, and speaker. How do skills like communication, energy, and salesmanship multiply your success? Dre takes us through his unique journey from the basketball court to the boardroom, highlighting why mastering the art of selling matters more than jus...

Ever wondered how the discipline of sports can catapult you into a life of entrepreneurial success? Join me as I sit down with former professional basketball player turned entrepreneur Dre Baldwin to reveal how the lessons from the court can translate into boardroom victories. Dre, known for his "Work On Your Game" philosophy, dives into his personal story of grit and determination, demo...

Thank you all for tuning in. I share some reflections on the past almost 1.5 years of creating content and releasing episodes on a weekly basis, as well as announcements of what's next. I would appreciate it if you could share some feedback with me as I think through how to iterate on this podcast. Send me an email to share your feedback: klara@grandslamjourney.com Or submit it on my website:...

Step into the dynamic world of visionary leadership and strategic innovation with Dr. Nicole Wieberneit ,  the Managing Director of Sales Strategy and Business Architecture Cross Solutions at Microsoft, whose journey from competitive skiing to global leadership is nothing short of inspiring. Our latest episode reveals how Nicole integrates Key Performance Indicators into her leadership style and t...

Discover the intertwined worlds of professional sports and corporate strategy as we sit down with business and tech titan George Mulhern , the former CEO of Cradlepoint. George shares his unique perspective on how the competitive drive and quick decision-making honed on the tennis courts served as the perfect training ground for his meteoric rise in the business world. From his early aspirations o...

Embark on a journey with Dan Gluck , a former competitive tennis player who's aced his way into the investment world as the co-founder and managing partner at Ground Force Capital. Join us as we explore the unique parallels between the discipline of sports and the dynamism of finance and entrepreneurship. Dan's narrative is a testament to the transformative power of a sports mindset in t...

Embark on a journey with us as we unravel the mysteries of psychedelics with the inimitable Paul F. Austin , founder of Third Wave. From the shackles of guilt and shame to a world of liberation and insight, Paul shares his extraordinary path, guiding us through the wilderness where ancient wisdom meets scientific inquiry. Together, we traverse the landscape of personal transformation, where psyche...

Unlock the secrets to unwavering commitment in your physical and professional pursuits as strength and conditioning sage James de Lacey joins us on a compelling odyssey through consistent performance. Let James, armed with a wealth of experience, unravel the myth that perfection trumps persistence. Together, we dismantle some of the fitness industry's most stubborn myths, providing clear-cut...

Embark on an inspiring journey with Mona Pretorius de Lacey , the karate world champion turned Olympic weightlifting powerhouse. She shares the mental fortitude that propelled her to the pinnacle of three sports: Karate, Olympic weightlifting, and CrossFit. Her candid revelations about tackling the psychological hurdles of Olympic weightlifting and the versatility needed to switch disciplines serv...

As I weave through the cherished memories of my grandmother's 91-year long life, a poignant tapestry of love, strength, and wisdom unfurls. Her time as a telegraph operator, her exceptional marriage, and the life lessons she embedded in the fabric of our family's history are stories I hold close to my heart. In this intimate episode, I invite you into our family circle to celebrate her l...

Embarking on a leadership journey fraught with challenges and triumphs, I had the pleasure of engaging in an intimate conversation with Jeanette Irekvist , President of Ericsson Canada. From her modest beginnings in a small Swedish town to steering a tech giant, Jeanette's narrative is a beacon of inspiration, highlighting the necessity of delivering exceptional work and navigating profession...

When Mandy Marquardt wheels into the spotlight, her story unfolds with more twists and turns than a high-velocity velodrome. Mandy is a Professional Track Sprint Cyclist living and racing with type 1 diabetes for the USA Cycling National Team and Team Novo Nordisk, the world's first all-diabetes professional cycling team.  In this episode, the 27-time US National Champion, 5-time American Rec...

Ever pondered the intersection of technology and human creativity? Join me as I sit with Eve Psalti, a luminary from Microsoft Azure AI and ex-Google Cloud guru who passionately advocates for women's ascent in tech leadership. Our spirited exchange traverses the landscape of self-advocacy and confidence for women, distinguishing the finesse of networking for career upliftment from the simple...