It's not you... but sometimes it is

From endangered species biologist to COO of SWIVEL®, Jenna Cantwell built a career that defies every conventional rulebook by mastering the one skill most executives overlook: transferable expertise. What if your most unlikely career chapter was actually your greatest leadership asset? Jenna Cantwell, Chief Operating Officer at SWIVEL®, crossed three radically different industries, survived Big Te...

Angela Healy built Avenue West into one of Denver's most trusted corporate housing companies, lost everything to COVID in a single phone call, and came back with a leadership philosophy the business world was not ready for. When fully furnished corporate rentals became ghost properties overnight, Angela did not just survive. She dismantled her own blind spots, rebuilt her leadership from the insid...

She was on her own at 15, survived mob violence, had her home burned to the ground, and rose to become one of the most influential Chief People Officers in America. Stacy Winsett, CPO at RATP Dev USA and author of From Ashes to Influence: Leadership Forged by Fire and Faith, did not just survive the fire. She built her entire leadership philosophy out of it. 🎬 Ashes to Authority: When Trauma Beco...

Most leaders obsess over strategy. Brynn Michelich, COO of Jellyvision, built an 18-year career proving the most powerful growth lever in any company is understanding how your people actually think. From project manager to Chief Operating Officer, Brynn has been the architect behind one of the most daring company reinventions in HR tech, guiding Jellyvision through every pivot, talent storm, and c...

Most leaders are quietly failing their teams not because they lack strategy but because they have never been taught that clarity is kindness, and silence is not respect. The uncomfortable reality no business school will tell you is that the most dangerous leader in any room is the one who avoids hard conversations and calls it being nice. Audra Palakodety, COO at APOORVA Corporation, has built her...

The hidden truth about modern leadership: the future isn’t broken, it’s being rebuilt. In a world driven by AI, rapid innovation, and global competition, the leaders who win aren’t the loudest or fastest, but the ones who combine technology with humanity. What nobody tells you is that values driven leadership, emotional intelligence, and bold vision are becoming the ultimate competitive advantage...

The uncomfortable reality of leadership no one talks about… high performers often become the biggest bottleneck in their own success. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Belen Tokarski , President and COO of Mylo, dismantles the outdated leadership myth that being decisive and driven automatically makes you a great leader. From toxic high performance habits to broken team dynamics, this episo...

The uncomfortable truth about leadership growth is that the biggest barrier is often the leader themselves. In this candid and insightful conversation, Bridgette Ferraro, CEO of iCopy Legal, pulls back the curtain on the hidden challenges of scaling companies, leading through hyper growth, and confronting the ego traps that quietly derail leaders. From the myth of doing everything yourself to the...

The banking industry talks about growth, systems, and scale but almost no one talks about the uncomfortable reality of leadership at the top. The hidden truth? Scaling responsibly in financial services is less about strategy decks and more about emotional intelligence, courage, and compassion. In a sector often labeled conservative and transactional, this episode challenges outdated leadership myt...

Step inside the mind of Erin Stadler, COO at Boomtown Innovation, in this electrifying episode of It's Not You, But Sometimes It Is! From tech developer to C-suite powerhouse, Erin reveals the psychology behind leadership, why teams resist change, and how to turn organisational disruption into innovation gold. Packed with humour, authenticity, and actionable insights, this episode is a masterclass...

In this candid, energizing conversation, Karen Wicker a serial entrepreneur, former PR agency founder, board member, and communications strategist ,shares hard-won leadership wisdom from a career built in the trenches. From starting her first business at 15 to scaling and selling a high-growth marketing communications agency, Karen offers real, unfiltered insights on people, culture, and what it t...

In this candid, insightful conversation, Andrea Vinyard - veteran Air Force officer, COO, and founder of The Vinyard Group - shares lessons from decades of senior leadership across military, healthcare, and corporate sectors. We dive deep into conscious leadership, navigating change, building trust, and stepping into your most intentional self. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead with curiosity, r...

In this episode, host Meg sits down with Themis Gomes, an engineer-turned-executive and entrepreneur with one of the most globally diverse career journeys you’ll hear on the podcast. From aerospace engineering to startups, global leadership roles, and ultimately becoming CEO and board member of BeHaven Kids in Nebraska, Themis shares hard-earned lessons on leadership, culture, and the people side...

We sit down with Sabrina Bailey, CEO of Fiducian Advisors, to uncover her journey from a young professional in financial services to a top executive. Sabrina shares her secrets to rapid career growth, overcoming workplace bias, and leading with purpose and impact. ✨ In this episode, you’ll learn: ♦ How to navigate a non-linear career path and leapfrog into leadership ♦ The “people-first” approach...

In this episode of It’s Not You, But Sometimes It Is, executive coach Meg sits down with Fran Maier — Silicon Valley pioneer, co-founder of Match.com, and CEO & Founder of BabyQuip. Fran brings three decades of leadership in tech, marketplaces, and scaling female-led companies in male-dominated environments. From building Match.com in the Wild West of the early internet to scaling BabyQuip int...

In this episode of It’s Not You, But Sometimes It Is, Kelly Lazuka gets brutally honest about the messy reality of leadership—bad bosses, culture problems, tough calls, and the moment she almost walked away from the C-suite entirely. Kelly, now the CEO of Fullerton, opens up about the hard lessons, the surprising victories, and the leadership principles she swears by today. This one is packed with...

We sit down with Kelly Rakowski, CEO of American Health Staffing Group, based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. With more than 30 years in healthcare leadership across consulting, BPO, technology, and workforce solutions, Kelly has navigated industries in crisis, teams in transition, and cultures in need of reinvention. This conversation goes deep. Kelly opens up about leading through COVID’s chaos,...

Stepping into leadership isn’t always a moment of celebration. Sometimes, it begins with a conflict you didn’t expect, pressure you didn’t ask for, or a role you never imagined would be yours. In this episode, Rhonda Levine now the CEO of Ziosk—shares the kind of leadership journey that doesn’t start in a boardroom, but in the messy, human moments where confidence is tested, courage is born, and e...

Today we welcome Angelica Arceneaux, Chief Operating Officer at SAENZ-GARCIA LAW, PLLC Connect with Angelica on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelica-arceneaux-22538b/   Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://missionsquared.com/ Listen to It’s Not You… But Sometimes It Is!, on...

I hope you enjoyed this episode. Like and subscribe to never miss an episode! - Meg Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://missionsquared.com/ Listen to It’s Not You… But Sometimes It Is!, on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0sXianujhOPcs1C4mKiFjv Apple P...

We hope you enjoy this episode with Leslie Randall.  Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslierandall/ I hope you enjoyed this episode. Like and subscribe to never miss an episode! - Meg Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://mission-squared.com/ Listen to It’s...

We hope you enjoy this episode with Allison Rabin.  Connect with Allison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-rabin/ I hope you enjoyed this episode. Like and subscribe to never miss an episode! - Meg Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://mission-squared.com/ Listen to It’s...

We hope you enjoy this episode with Julianne Jones.  I hope you enjoyed this episode. Like and subscribe to never miss an episode! - Meg Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://mission-squared.com/ Listen to It’s Not You… But Sometimes It Is!, on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https:...

We hope you enjoy this episode with Kayla Carey.  Connect with Kayla Carey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylacarey/ I hope you enjoyed this episode. Like and subscribe to never miss an episode! - Meg Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpoag/ Or via email: meg@missionsquared.com Visit the Mission Squared website here: https://mission-squared.com/ Listen to It’s...

What happens when you go from saying "Ew, I don’t want to manage people…” to leading a high-growth tech company as Chief Operating Officer? In this raw, insightful, and relatable episode of It’s Not You, But Sometimes It Is, Serena Schultz (COO at Mogli, Colorado-based Salesforce ISV) shares her unexpected journey from social work dreams to tech exec reality. Serena opens up about leadership misst...