Episodes
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In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Desiree Motamedi, Chief Marketing Officer of Salesforce's NextGen platform, to explore what happens when AI stops being a work tool and starts becoming a way of life, at the office and at home.
Desiree has built her career across Adobe, Google, Meta, and Shopify before landing at Salesforce, where she now oversees a 12 billion dollar portfolio and is building the infrastructure to scale AI agents safely across her entire organisation. She walks Kevin through what AI maturity actually looks like beyond a chat interface: governance, hosting, access controls, and the discipline required to keep experimentation from becoming chaos.
But the real heart of this conversation is what happens when that same curiosity comes home. Desiree built her own personal operating system, uploading her bloodwork, her finances, and her calendar into an AI agent that nudges her to drink water and caught a missing beneficiary on her retirement accounts. Her 12-year-old son built a paper trading agent with a college mentor and turned 100,000 dollars into 168,000. Together they are building an AI-generated YouTube channel about cereal box characters.
Kevin and Desiree also get honest about the harder parts: the early-career fear of stepping away during maternity leave, the boundaries she had to learn the hard way, and the one thing she insists AI will never replace, the simple act of looking another person in the eye.
This is a conversation about curiosity, governance, and what it means to raise kids who are fluent in AI and still deeply human.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
Why "are you a doctor, are you saving lives" became the mental model that changed how Desiree set boundaries at workWhat she wishes she had done differently during her second maternity leave, and the advice she now gives her own teamHow Salesforce is building governance, hosting, and feedback loops to scale AI agents safely across a large organisationWhy context, not the prompt itself, is what separates a generic AI output from a genuinely differentiated oneWhat it looks like to build a personal AI operating system for your health, finances, and calendarHow a 12-year-old built a real paper trading agent with a college mentor and grew it 68 percentWhy human connection is the one skill Desiree is most deliberate about protecting in her sonsHow becoming a parent made her more structured at work, not less ambitiousWhat the shift to headless platforms and natural language interfaces means for the future of marketing workSimple ways any marketer can start building real AI skills beyond a chat windowTop Takeaways:
You are probably not saving lives. Most things can wait until tomorrow, and treating everything as urgent only trains your team to expect the same from you.The advice Desiree gives every parent on her team now: take the time. The work will still be there. The moments with a newborn will not.AI is only as good as the context you give it. A two-paragraph prompt with real history will always outperform a generic brief.Building governance and infrastructure before scaling is what separates safe experimentation from real exposure.A personal AI operating system can catch what busy humans miss, from hydration to unassigned retirement beneficiaries.Curiosity-led learning, whether it is a trading agent or a YouTube channel, builds skills no curriculum can replicate.No amount of technology replaces eye contact, a handshake, and genuinely asking how someone is doing.About Desiree Motamedi:
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction and Personal Background(00:01:33) - Career Journey and Leadership at Salesforce(00:37:12) - Lessons Learned from Parenthood and Career(00:43:02) - Innovative Projects with Kids and AI(00:47:43) - Preparing Kids for an AI-Driven Future(00:49:29) - Getting Started with AI for Marketers(00:51:20) - Closing Remarks and Future Outlook
Desiree Motamedi is Chief Marketing Officer of Salesforce's NextGen platform, where she leads a 12 billion dollar portfolio and is building the company... -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Jennifer Kattula, Global CMO of Microsoft Advertising, to explore what happens when a systems thinker applies the same rigour she uses to lead AI transformation at scale to the way she designs her family life at home.
Jennifer's path to one of the most senior marketing roles in tech started in chemical engineering, wound through the early days of Meta, and landed at Microsoft, where she is now leading one of the most ambitious AI adoption programmes in enterprise marketing. But the more interesting story is what happened when she became a mother. She did not plateau. She accelerated. And she has a clear theory about why.
Kevin and Jennifer dig into how she is building AI agents that save her team hundreds of hours a week, why she never starts her morning in email, and what it actually means to spend your time only on the things only you can do. Then the conversation turns to something equally ambitious: the family brand. Jennifer and her husband wrote a one-pager before they even got married, run a yearly family visioning session with wine and spreadsheets, and have built five house rules their kids can actually recite. She has since turned that entire framework into an application called House Rules, designed to help any family build their own manifesto with intention.
This is a conversation about AI, ambition, design thinking, and what it looks like to treat your family with the same strategic seriousness you bring to work.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- Why the only thing that prepares you for AI disruption is getting your hands dirty with the tools now
- How Jennifer is leading AI transformation at Microsoft Advertising and what enterprise adoption actually requires beyond usage numbers
- What it means to spend your time only on what only you can uniquely do, at work and at home
- Why becoming a mother made Jennifer more focused, not less, and how ambition and parenthood can compound
- How she and her husband built a shared family vision before they got married and why they still revisit it every year
- What a family brand actually is and how to build one using the same frameworks that make companies great
- How the House Rules app works and why the people who have used it say they feel seen
- Why structure and frameworks create more freedom, not less, especially at home
- How Jennifer thinks about AI and kids: what she is protecting, what she is introducing, and what she does not have figured out yet
- What robots cannot replace and why leaning into your weirdness is a genuine competitive advantageKey Takeaways:
- Spend your time on what only you can uniquely do. Everything else is a delegation or outsourcing decision.
- AI adoption does not equal AI effectiveness. Role-specific solutions and clean data underneath are what make it actually work.
- Becoming a parent forced a focus that ambition alone never did. Constraints, used well, are a creative advantage.
- Families need a brand: a mission, values, operating principles, and a shared sense of how you show up in the world.
- Structure is not the enemy of presence. It is what makes presence possible.
- You cannot lead a transformation you are not personally inside of. Model the behaviour, do not just mandate it.
- The best question in any interview right now: what are you building?About Jennifer Kattula:
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction and Jennifer's Career Journey(00:02:22) - From Chemical Engineering to Tech Marketing(00:06:25) - Learning and Building at Meta(00:09:41) - Leveraging AI for Career Growth(00:19:50) - Teaching my Kids AI(00:33:51) - Creating Family Vision and Intentionality(00:40:02) - Family as a Brand: Values and Identity(00:43:38) - Using AI at Home and in Parenting(00:43:39) - Building the House Rules App for Families(00:47:13) - Ambition, Motherhood, and Focus(00:53:30) - Closing Remarks and Future Aspirations
Jennifer Kattula is Global CMO of Microsoft Advertising, where she leads brand, demand generation, and AI transformation across one of the world's largest advertising platforms. Before Microsoft, she spent nearly 12 years at Meta, building and scaling marketing functions from the ground up across a range of disciplines. A trained chemical engineer turned marketer, Jennifer brings systems thinking to everything she touches,... -
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In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Becca Chambers, Chief Marketing Officer of Scale Venture Partners and one of LinkedIn's most followed voices on authentic leadership, to explore what happens when you stop trying to fit a mold that was never made for you.
Becca opens with a story most high-performers will recognise but rarely say out loud: she started her career with a failed startup, a falling out with her co-founder, and a chip on her shoulder that quietly became her fuel. From there she built some of the highest-retention teams in the industry, not through metrics and mandates, but through psychological safety, a no-assholes rule, and the willingness to absorb the hard stuff so her team never had to.
What makes this conversation different is where that instinct came from. Becca went to a progressive Bay Area elementary school that invented the concept of EQ and taught emotional intelligence from kindergarten on. That foundation shaped everything: how she leads, how she parents a neurodivergent son who is now one of the most self-aware kids you will ever meet, and how she thinks about building environments where people can actually show up as themselves.
Kevin and Becca also get honest about the season she is in right now: too much on her plate, not enough in the tank, and still finding the pockets of presence that will actually matter. No tidy resolution. Just real.
This is a conversation about authenticity, emotional intelligence, and the quiet power of building a world where round pegs do not have to apologise for being round.In This Episode, You'll Learn:
Why imposter syndrome is a signal that you are in exactly the right placeHow psychological safety gets built in practice, not in theoryWhat a no-assholes policy actually looks like when it gets testedWhy emotional labour is a leadership skill that rarely gets named or creditedHow one progressive elementary school taught EQ from kindergarten and why it changed everythingWhat to do when your child's struggles force you to rethink how you define successWhy neurodivergent kids, and leaders, often outperform when the environment finally fits themHow to give your team and your kids autonomy without losing the guardrailsWhy context switching is one of the most underrated skills you can teach a childHow to stay present as a parent when you are in a grinding season professionally
Imposter syndrome means you are learning while doing. That is the goal. When it goes away, it is time to go bigger.Functional teams do not show up for shareholder value. They show up for each other. The shareholder value follows.Psychological safety is not a feeling. It is a decision you make every day about what you allow and what you absorb.Emotional intelligence starts with knowing yourself. Everything else is downstream from that.Your kid is not who you want them to be. They are who they are. Your job is to help them become the best version of that.Presence is not about volume of time. It is about the quality of the pockets you protect.When I say no, they know it means something. That only works if you are not saying no all the time.
Top Takeaways:
Chapters(00:00:00) - How to Win at Work With Imposter Syndrome(00:00:19) - CEO & ABCs: How to Build Confidence After Failure(00:01:22) - CEO and ABCs: Becca's Life(00:02:06) - You're a Round Peg in a Square Hole(00:05:19) - In the Elevator With Tim Draper(00:10:44) - Rebuilding Your Career With a PowerPoint Class(00:13:27) - In the Elevator With Impressions(00:18:50) - How to Become a Leader of People(00:24:40) - One of the Leaders' Quotes(00:27:51) - The First Priority of a Leader's Life(00:32:02) - No Hassles for Teams(00:35:17) - High EQ in the Workplace(00:41:26) - How to Get Through That First Year Of Anxiety(00:44:15) - How to Develop Your EQ Skills(00:46:34) - How To Prioritize Everything For Your Kids(00:51:27) - What Do You Want Your Kids To Remember About You?(00:53:10) - A Parent's Talk About Connecting To Himself
About Becca Chambers:
Becca Chambers is Chief Marketing Officer of Scale Venture Partners and a LinkedIn Top Voice known for candid, high-engagement content on authentic leadership, psychological safety, and showing up as your whole self at work. She has built and led some of the highest-retention marketing and communications teams in the industry across cybersecurity, enterprise tech, and venture. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two kids, and is a vocal advocate for neurodivergent employees and... -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Shachar Orren, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of EX.CO, to explore what it really costs to build something from nothing and what becomes available when family arrives after you have already built yourself.
Shachar spent over a decade growing EX.CO from six people to a 115-person global company, helping publishers and media companies survive and grow in an industry being reshaped by AI. That journey required years of pivots, a full rebrand, and the kind of relentless focus that leaves little room for much else. She describes EX.CO as her first child and means it.
But the story behind the story is harder to tell. A marriage, a divorce, a move back to Tel Aviv, a new relationship, becoming a bonus mother to a seven-year-old, and then having her son Max at 40 while navigating a company at full tilt and a war breaking out in Israel the day after she flew home from receiving a Working Mother of the Year award.
Kevin and Shachar trace the real cost of ambition, why the hustle years actually gave her something, what maternity leave forced her to confront about her leadership, and what it means to build a life on your own timeline when the world has a different plan in mind.
This is a conversation about reinvention, timing, and the unexpected gift of doing things out of order.In This Episode, You'll Learn:
Why building a startup and building a family require the same emotional infrastructureWhat years of searching for product-market fit actually does to a leadership teamHow to know when to pivot, when to adjust, and when to stay the courseWhat maternity leave reveals that no leadership audit ever willWhy becoming a mother later gave Shachar something earlier motherhood could not haveHow to lead with vulnerability without losing your team's confidenceWhat bonus motherhood teaches you about earning trust that biology does not automatically grantWhy the best version of yourself as a leader and as a parent is often the same versionHow to carry something difficult at work without making it everyone else's problemWhat it looks like to build a family that does not follow the expected sequence and still worksTop Takeaways:
Product-market fit announces itself. When 80 to 90 percent of your calls end in yes, you have found it. Until then, keep moving.Hustle years get a bad reputation. For some people, they build the career and the confidence that makes everything else possible.A great manager makes themselves unnecessary. If everything falls apart when you leave, that is not leadership. That is dependence.Maternity leave is the most honest executive audit you will ever have. You find out what only you can do, what others can handle, and what never needed to exist.Vulnerability in leadership is not about falling apart. It is about giving people context so they can trust what they are seeing.Doing things out of order is not failure. For some people, it is the only order that was ever going to work.Confidence is what makes presence possible. Shachar could enjoy motherhood more because there was less fear underneath it.About Shachar Orren:
Shachar Orren is co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of EX.CO, a video and revenue platform helping publishers and connected TV companies grow in an AI-driven media landscape. She joined the company as employee number six and helped lead the pivot and rebrand that defined its current identity. Before a decade in tech, she was a senior journalist at two of Israel's largest newspapers. She was recently recognized as Working Mother of the Year by She Runs It and splits her time between New York and Tel Aviv.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:24) - Winning Working Mother of the Year(00:05:34) - Behind The Scenes Building EX.CO(00:11:59) - The Personal Story Behind Building a Start-up(00:16:18) - Transitioning from Journalism to Tech(00:26:30) - Personal Sacrifices and Building a Family(00:29:39) - Navigating Showing Up Fully in Difficult Times(00:34:24) - Taking Maternity Leave as a Co-Founder(00:39:30) - How Motherhood Shapes You(00:42:29) - Building a Modern Family(00:47:27) - Advice for Aspiring Executives -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Matt Eisenacher, Chief Brand Officer at First Watch, to explore what it actually takes to become a leader of leaders and why the hardest part isn't learning new skills, it's letting go of old ones.
Matt opens with a story most high-performers will recognise: the moment you realise your presence in the room is the problem. From removing himself from creative meetings to learning when not to give the answer, Matt shares how the leap from operator to executive demands a fundamentally different relationship with control, credit, and trust. He explains why the strongest vision is the one that makes your team feel empowered enough to fail and why stepping back is sometimes the most powerful leadership move you can make.
But this conversation goes deeper than the boardroom. Matt and Kevin trace the same instinct across parenting three kids at wildly different stages, a cross-country move that upended a near-perfect life in Ohio, and a spouse who, more than once, saw what he couldn't. Whether it's reading a 17-year-old's need for space or a direct report's need for acknowledgement, Matt's core insight is the same: the people around you need different things, and your job is to figure out what that is before you try to lead them.
This is a conversation about presence, permission, and the quiet discipline of knowing when to speak and when to listen.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- Why removing yourself from creative decisions is one of the most powerful leadership moves you can make
- How to build psychological safety without losing accountability
- The difference between setting a vision and steering the outcome
- What the Florida move taught one family about adversity, resilience, and what comfort really costs
- How youth sports becomes one of the best leadership classrooms available
- Why the same DISC framework that shapes your team management applies directly to parenting
- What modelling behaviour actually looks like and why your team is watching more closely than you think
- How to read what your kids need versus what they're asking for
- Why the 9 o'clock conversation is the one that matters most
- What it means to let someone fail, at work and at home, and when to step in anywayTop Takeaways:
- When you become a leader of leaders, your job is enabling, not doing. Most people know that. Few make the change.
- If you constantly step in, the problem is usually your vision, not your team's capability.
- Hide your own failures and your team has no permission to have theirs.
- Your team won't follow your words. They will follow your choices.
- Observe before you act. The parent and manager who does this will always outperform the one who leads with solutions.
- Adversity is a gift you can give your kids. Comfort has a cost that doesn't always show up until later.
- At home, efficiency is a liability. The conversation your child needs to have will not happen on your schedule.
- Hard limits and guardrails are not the same thing. Knowing which one a moment calls for is most of the job.About Matt Eisenacher:
Chapters(00:00:00) - How to Get the Team to Think Creatively(00:00:17) - How to be a Leader of Leaders(00:01:39) - First Watch's Chief Brand Officer on the Company's Growth(00:04:47) - Are You a Different Leader Today?(00:07:08) - Grow as a Leader:(00:12:18) - How Sports Affects My Daughter's Life(00:17:58) - Married Couple on The Florida Move(00:22:43) - How to Manage People's Lives(00:25:56) - Top Executives on Parenting(00:30:28) - Employees Share Their Values at First Watch(00:35:06) - Dad on How to Parent Different Kids(00:41:14) - Senior Leaders: Model the Behavior(00:46:36) - The Importance of Family Time(00:47:32) - How Do You Want Your Kids To Feel About You?(00:51:18) - CEO and ABCs: Balancing Work and Family
Matt Eisenacher is Chief Brand Officer at First Watch, the daytime dining brand he has helped grow from 200 to over 500 locations, including through a successful IPO. Before First Watch, Matt held senior marketing and brand roles across the restaurant and food industry, building high-performing creative teams grounded in trust, clarity, and culture. Known for his directness, his instinct for talent, and his commitment to family, Matt brings the same values to his team in Bradenton that he brings home to his wife Brooke and their three children. -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Eliot Hamlisch, Chief Commercial Officer at Amtrak, to explore what it really means to lead with humanity, at work and at home.
From transforming customer experience at some of the world’s biggest brands to raising two children while balancing a demanding executive career, Eliot shares the mindset shifts, rituals, and values that have shaped both his leadership and fatherhood.
Together they unpack why success without happiness isn’t success at all, how to compartmentalize work to become more present with family, and why some of the best leaders are simply great listeners.
Eliot also reflects on career-defining moments that pushed him far beyond his comfort zone, including being unexpectedly asked to lead teams and functions he’d never managed before.
This conversation is a masterclass in leadership, optimism, parenting, resilience, and building a life you actually enjoy living.
In this episode:
Why customer experience starts with understanding human psychologyThe surprising rituals Eliot uses to stay connected to his children while travellingHow to compartmentalize work and be fully present at homeThe importance of helping children build resilience through adversityWhy making your boss’s life easier accelerates career growthLessons from leading transformation at legacy brands like AmtrakThe power of optimism and choosing happiness as a measure of successHow ambitious professionals can pursue balance without sacrificing familyKey Takeaways:
The work will always be there.Presence with family won’t.Happiness may be the most important definition of success.Growth often comes from saying yes before you feel fully ready.Children learn values less from what we say and more from what we consistently model.Leadership at home and leadership at work require many of the same skills: listening, patience, empathy, and resilience.About Eliot Hamlisch:
Chapters(00:00:00) - Guest Background and Introduction(00:02:29) - Customer-Centric Leadership at Amtrak(00:08:22) - Navigating Career Growth and Promotions(00:11:13) - Balancing Work and Family Life(00:13:32) - Compartmentalizing Work and Family(00:23:24) - Preparing Children for Success(00:28:26) - Career Growth and Mobility(00:33:52) - The Source of Drive and Ambition(00:39:57) - Instilling Values in Children(00:42:54) - Self-Care and Maintaining Optimism(00:46:41) - Finding Balance in Life
Eliot Hamlisch is the Chief Commercial Officer at Amtrak, where he is leading a customer experience transformation rooted in hospitality and human connection. Throughout his career, including leadership roles at American Express, Wyndham, AMC Theatres, and Deloitte, he has built a reputation for understanding consumer psychology, driving growth, and leading through change. -
What if the future of leadership isn’t about control, authority, or climbing higher… but about creating environments where people genuinely feel seen, trusted, and valued?
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Rachel Wallis Andreasson, former CEO of a multi-billion-dollar family business, leadership expert, and author of The Sixth Level. Rachel shares her extraordinary journey from working outside her family company at PepsiCo, to eventually leading Wallis Companies, a business founded by her father that grew from one gas station on Route 66 into a billion-dollar enterprise.
Rachel opens up about the realities of succession in family business, navigating grief after losing key leaders, stepping into the CEO role, and ultimately making the difficult decision to step away for the greater good of the company’s future.
Together, Kevin and Rachel explore why traditional command-and-control leadership is failing, how trust and transparency create resilient organizations, and why the same principles that build thriving workplaces also create stronger families and deeper parent-child relationships.
This conversation is filled with wisdom on leadership, parenting, legacy, emotional capacity, and the simple human skills we often forget matter most.
If you lead a business, a team, or a family, this episode will challenge how you think about success.
In This Episode:
Why Rachel chose to work outside her family business before joining leadershipThe surprising lessons she learned cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors at Taco BellGrowing a family business from one gas station to over $1.5 billion in revenueThe emotional reality of stepping into, and stepping away from, the CEO roleHow family business succession impacts leadership and legacyThe four conditions behind Rachel’s Sixth Level leadership frameworkWhy psychological safety, transparency, and trust create stronger organizationsHow leadership principles apply directly to parenting and family lifeThe importance of emotional capacity and filling your own bucket firstBuilding cultures, at work and home, where people want to stayKey Takeaways:
Great leadership starts with connection, not control.People thrive when they feel trusted, cared for, and heard.Transparency creates resilience during uncertainty and change.The same principles that build exceptional teams also strengthen families.Leadership is stewardship, whether at work or at home.Sometimes protecting a legacy means having the courage to step away.About Rachel Wallis Andreasson:
Rachel Wallis Andreasson spent over two decades in leadership roles at Wallis Companies, a family-owned fuel and convenience business founded by her father. After rising through multiple roles across the organization, she became CEO in 2017. Today, Rachel is an author, speaker, and advocate for a new leadership paradigm focused on trust, care, mutuality, and human potential through her framework, The Sixth Level.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction and Context(00:01:07) - The Sixth Level Framework(00:02:12) - Leadership Lessons from Family Business(00:17:47) - Core Principles of the Sixth Level(00:20:47) - Transitioning Leadership Styles(00:22:54) - The Importance of Justness and Transparency(00:25:07) - Building a Thriving Culture(00:27:51) - Resilience in Leadership(00:28:45) - Incentivizing Connection and Care(00:30:01) - Real-World Applications of the Framework(00:31:36) - Conclusion and Future Outlook(00:33:14) - The Flywheel of Leadership and Connection(00:35:41) - Parenting Through Leadership Principles(00:38:57) - Rituals and Family Bonds(00:42:37) - Involving Children in Career Conversations(00:45:24) - Stewardship in Leadership(00:45:45) - Starting Conversations for Connection -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Camille Hymes, former Chief Operating Officer of Smoothie King and former executive leader at Starbucks, Jack in the Box, and ExxonMobil, to explore what it means to lead with intention, both at work and at home.
Camille shares how a deeply personal mission statement became the compass for her career: “to live in peace and bliss and to help others succeed beyond what they ever imagined.” From navigating executive leadership roles at some of the world’s most recognizable brands to raising a family through constant relocations, career transitions, and personal tragedy, Camille reflects on the moments that reshaped her definition of success.
Now in what she calls a “power pause” between roles for the first time in her career, Camille opens up about learning to slow down, reconnect with her family, and become more intentional about the opportunities she says yes, and no, to. Kevin and Camille also discuss executive coaching, building a personal board of advisors, the importance of presence, and how leadership rooted in humanity creates stronger teams, cultures, and families.
This is a conversation about ambition, grief, service, leadership, and the courage to align your life with what matters most.
In this episode
• Camille’s journey from ExxonMobil to the C-suite at Smoothie King
• How her personal mission statement guides her decisions
• Why she chose to take a “power pause” between leadership roles
• Learning to say no to opportunities that don’t align with purpose
• The role executive coaching played in her growth as a leader
• Building a personal “board of directors” for support and guidance
• Navigating motherhood while leading at major global brands
• How the loss of her daughter transformed her understanding of presenceKey takeaways
• A clear personal mission statement creates clarity in both life and career
• Leadership is less about authority and more about service to others
• Presence is a practice and small rituals can create meaningful connection
• Executive coaching can accelerate both personal and professional growth
• Great cultures are built through humanity, not just performance metrics
• You don’t have to do everything alone, it truly takes a village
• Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is pause and reflect
• Saying no becomes easier when you know your purposeAbout the guest
Camille Hymes is a transformational executive leader and former Chief Operating Officer of Smoothie King. Over her career, she has held senior leadership roles at Starbucks, Jack in the Box, and ExxonMobil, leading large-scale operations, culture transformation, and organizational growth. Known for her people-first leadership style, Camille is passionate about helping others succeed beyond what they imagined possible. She also serves on the boards of Reading Is Fundamental and Blessings in a Backpack, supporting children’s literacy and nutrition initiatives.Charitable Organisations that Camille Supports:
https://secure.rif.org/page/97851/donate/1https://www.blessingsinabackpack.org/category/donating/ Chapters(00:00:00) - CEO and ABCs: How to Lead(00:00:39) - CEO and ABCs(00:01:55) - Steve Kroffat on His Sabbatical(00:04:26) - Power Prison: Saying No to Opportunities(00:10:22) - The Mission of Service(00:12:32) - The Professional Journey of ExxonMobil's Women(00:15:16) - In the Elevator With ExxonMobil's(00:18:54) - Being More Present With Your Child(00:23:27) - Jack in the Box CEO on Why He Left ExxonMobil(00:25:40) - When Did Leadership Become More About Service than Appointment?(00:27:52) - How to Stay Connected With Your Family(00:29:46) - In the Elevator With Co-workers(00:32:08) - The Personal Element of Company Culture(00:35:57) - Why I Left Starbucks for Domino's(00:37:14) - In the Elevator With Starbucks'(00:39:44) - In the Elevator With Smoothie King's Executive Team(00:41:59) - Tom Cruise on His Strengths and Weaknesses(00:45:21) - Bringing People Along(00:47:55) - Kevin McKinnon on His Next Chapter(00:49:15) - Nonprofits that support literacy and nutrition -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Karen Robinovitz, co-founder of Sloomoo Institute, to explore a journey that moves from pioneering the creator economy to rebuilding a life through something as simple and powerful as play.
Karen was early to everything, journalism, digital media, and influencer marketing, helping shape how brands and creators work together today. But behind that success was a period of profound personal loss that left her unable to function for over a year.
She shares how an unexpected moment—sitting on the floor playing with slime, became a turning point. What started as a small escape turned into a path back to joy, presence, and ultimately, purpose. That moment became the foundation for Sloomoo Institute, an immersive experience designed to reconnect people to play, creativity, and emotional wellbeing.
Kevin and Karen explore the deeper meaning behind play, why so many adults lose access to it, and what it actually costs us personally and professionally. They also connect it to leadership, parenting, and performance, showing how joy, creativity, and presence aren’t distractions, they’re advantages.
This is a conversation about grief, reinvention, and the courage to build something meaningful from the most unexpected place.
In this episode
• How Karen went from journalist to building one of the first influencer agencies
• Spotting the future of digital, creators, and commerce before it existed
• The hidden personal struggles behind outward success
• Navigating profound loss, grief, and a complete life reset
• How a moment of play sparked healing and a new business idea
• The origin and rapid growth of Sloomoo Institute
• Why play isn’t just for kids and what adults lose without it
• The science behind sensory experiences, joy, and nervous system regulation
• Building a brand rooted in purpose, inclusion, and emotional wellbeing
• Expanding Sloomoo into a full-scale universe (products, storytelling, and more)Key takeaways
• Success doesn’t follow a straight line, but patterns make sense in hindsight
• Innovation often looks like “crazy” before it becomes obvious
• You can be thriving professionally while struggling deeply personally
• Joy and play are not indulgences, they’re essential for wellbeing and performance
• Sensory experiences can be powerful tools for healing and emotional regulation
• The best businesses don’t just sell products, they create transformation
• Reconnecting with your inner child can unlock creativity, presence, and clarity
• Sometimes the smallest, simplest moments (like play) can change everythingAbout the guest
Karen Robinovitz is the co-founder of Sloomoo Institute, an immersive, sensory experience designed to deliver joy through hands-on play.Before Sloomoo, Karen was a journalist and co-founded Digital Brand Architects (DBA), one of the first influencer marketing agencies, helping shape the creator economy as we know it today.
Her work sits at the intersection of storytelling, brand building, and cultural insight, but her most meaningful work came from turning personal healing into a mission-driven business focused on joy, inclusion, and mental wellbeing.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:00:48) - CEO and ABCs: Karen Robinowitz(00:01:55) - Sloomoo Institute: In the Slime Museum(00:03:45) - Inventing the Influencer Agency(00:10:46) - What Influencer Marketing Is Really About(00:16:24) - How to Build a Successful Career While Being Present at Home(00:23:50) - How Slime Helped My Friend's Daughter(00:36:34) - "Your Inner Voice"(00:37:20) - The Hardest Part of Starting a Business(00:40:19) - Sloomoo: From Book to Graphic Novel(00:44:35) - Reactivating Your Inner Child With Slime -
What does it really look like to build a career from nothing, and what happens when you finally get there?
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Joe Cannon, SVP at Hyperice, shares the full arc of his journey, from graduating into a brutal job market with no clear path, to piecing together freelance work, sleeping in his car, and chasing any opportunity that could get him in the room.
Joe opens up about the uncertainty and pressure of those early years, applying to hundreds of jobs with little response, and the resilience it took to keep going when nothing seemed to be working. That period didn’t just shape his career, it shaped how he sees people, opportunity, and leadership today.
Now at Hyperice, Joe sits at the center of one of the fastest-growing brands in wellness, helping drive partnerships, cultural moments, and global expansion. From the Super Bowl to SXSW, he’s been part of building a brand that’s redefining how everyday people think about recovery, performance, and health.
But this conversation goes far beyond business.
Joe reflects on what it means to navigate a high-performance career while raising two young children and the constant tension between ambition and presence. He shares the realities of modern fatherhood, the guilt, the trade-offs, and the small intentional choices that matter most.
At the heart of it all is a simple but powerful truth: your kids don’t care about your job title, your deals, or your wins. They just want you.
This is a conversation about hustle, perspective, identity, and redefining success, not just by what you build, but by who you show up as along the way.
In This Episode
From post-college rejection to breaking into the industrySleeping in his car and saying yes to any opportunityHow Craigslist hustles led to career-defining momentsBuilding Hyperice through partnerships and cultural activationsThe explosion of the wellness industry and consumer behaviorLessons from early struggle that shaped his leadership styleThe reality of balancing a demanding career with two young kidsWhy being present matters more than being perfectKey Takeaways
Hustle creates opportunity, but relationships sustain itEarly career struggles build resilience and perspectiveYou don’t need a perfect path, just momentumSuccess at work means less if you’re absent at homeKids don’t care about your title, they care about your presenceBeing a parent is a constant evolution, not a perfect gameCuriosity and humility are superpowers in businessThe best leaders remember what it felt like to be overlookedAbout the Guest
Joe Cannon is the Senior Vice President at Hyperice, a global leader in recovery and wellness technology. He has played a key role in scaling the brand through major partnerships, cultural activations, and experiences across events like the Super Bowl, The Masters, and SXSW. Before Hyperice, Joe built his career through unconventional paths, freelance work, startups, and sheer persistence. Joe brings a unique perspective to leadership, growth, and opportunity. -
What happens when a high-achieving career is working on paper, but no longer feels aligned in real life?
In this episode of CEOs and ABCs, Kevin sits down with Charisse Hughes, a senior marketing and growth executive who has led at some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands, including Estée Lauder, Pandora, Kellogg, and Kellanova. But this conversation goes far beyond titles and career highlights.
Charisse opens up about being raised by a single mother and grandmother who instilled in her the values of education, independence, faith, and community. She reflects on the years she spent on the fast track, getting promoted, traveling the world, and building an impressive career, while realizing that work had quietly become her entire identity.
She shares the pivotal decision to step away from a successful role without another one lined up, the fear that came with it, and the clarity she found on the other side. Kevin and Charisse also talk about leadership, ambition, bonus motherhood, and why presence is not something anyone gives you. It is something you have to choose.
This is a conversation about success, identity, reinvention, and building a life that reflects what truly matters.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
• How Charisse’s mother and grandmother shaped her values around education, independence, faith, and service
• Why starting in finance gave her an edge as a marketer and business leader
• What she learned from moving into beauty, luxury, and global brand leadership
• The hidden cost of life on the fast track and how achievement became her whole story
• Why she left a successful role without another job lined up and what that season taught her
• How Pandora and Kellogg helped shape her leadership and confidence at the highest levels
• What becoming a bonus mom taught her about love, values, and showing up for family
• Why clarity, balance, and presence are not given to us, they must be chosen
Key Takeaways
• Success on paper is not always the same thing as success in alignment with your values
• Career momentum can become addictive if you do not stop to ask what it is costing you
• Taking a step back is not always career suicide. Sometimes it is the clearest move forward
• A background in finance can make marketers stronger, more commercial, and more influential leaders
• Leadership is not just about functional excellence. It is about adaptability, conviction, calm, and the ability to influence others
• Children reflect back what matters most and can keep us grounded in what is real
• You do not need to stay locked into a path just because it once made sense
• Nobody is going to hand you the clarity or balance you want. You have to choose it
Guest Links/Show Notes
Virtuosi League (https://virtuosileague.com/), Equal Justice Initiative (https://eji.org/)Howard University (https://giving.howard.edu/ways-give)About Charisse Hughes:
Charisse Hughes is a senior marketing and growth executive who has held leadership roles at some of the world’s most recognized consumer brands, including Estée Lauder, Pandora, Kellogg, and Kellanova. She has served as Chief Marketing Officer, led major brand and business transformations, sat on the board of Crocs, and was named CMO of the Year by Consumer Goods Technology in 2022. Known for combining commercial rigor with bold leadership, Charisse brings a powerful perspective on career growth, reinvention, and leading with purpose.
Chapters(00:00:00) - A single boss's decision to leave her job(00:00:28) - CEO and ABCs: Parenting Wins and Fails(00:01:49) - How Did Your Mother's Success Shape You?(00:06:59) - The Influencers of Luxury(00:11:00) - How CMOs Can Connect with CFOs(00:13:31) - The Making of Estee Lauder(00:16:42) - Ex-Estee Lauder CEO on The Cult of Productivity(00:21:37) - If You Had Advice For Your Younger Self(00:25:11) - What's Motherhood Like For Bonus Parents?(00:29:24) - As a Bonus Mother(00:31:45) - What values did you want to help instill in your children as(00:35:54) - Pandora's Take a Leave of Absence(00:41:35) - Have You Changed Pandora's Direction?(00:44:59) - What Does a Leader Need to Know to Lead Today?(00:47:09) - What are some ways to develop your leadership skills?(00:49:36) - In the Elevator With Kellogg(00:53:29) - Sharice Jones on Choosing the Right Balance -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Tariq Hassan, former Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s, to unpack a belief that shaped his entire leadership philosophy: you cannot get to incredible outcomes when fear of failure is baked into the system.
Tariq shares how growing up dyslexic quietly wired him for fear and overcompensation, and how that same “paralysis” shows up inside companies as the ideas people never share, the risks teams never take, and the opportunities no one even knows they missed. From Petco turnarounds to leading at one of the most iconic brands in the world, he explains why psychological safety is not a soft concept. It is a performance advantage.
You will hear the simple cultural shift Tariq used to make risk-taking real: celebrating “Amazing Almosts”, the best failures of the quarter, so teams could learn, pivot, and build confidence without losing accountability. Kevin and Tariq also bring this conversation home, exploring parenting, long-distance seasons, two high-performing careers under one roof, and the daily practices that help a child keep talking, especially when the stakes get higher.
This is a conversation about fear, trust, standards, and the environments we create, at work and at home, so people feel safe enough to grow.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why fear of failure becomes invisible, but still drives behavior in high-performing cultures
What psychological safety looks like in real meetings, not in theory
How to build “risk with guardrails” instead of chaos or blame
The “Amazing Almosts” practice, and why celebrating the right failures changes everything
Repairing after you miss it as a leader, and why it only feels awkward the first time
The parenting parallel: when to catch, when to let them fall, and how trust is built
Long-distance parenting, presence vs quantity, and choosing the moments that matter
Why this mindset matters even more in an AI-driven world of continuous learning
Top Takeaways:
You can’t talk a team into psychological safety. You have to prove it through actions and rituals.
Fear shows up most in what doesn’t get said: the risks avoided, the debates not had, the ideas withheld.
The goal is not celebrating constant failure. The goal is learning fast, staying accountable, and building confidence to take smart swings.
Cultural change feels unnatural at first. Keep going until it becomes normal, and the language becomes part of how the team operates.
At home, psychological safety is often measured by one thing: they keep talking.
Presence is less about quantity and more about intentional moments your family remembers.
The best leaders repair quickly, build truth-tellers around them, and stay open to feedback even when it stings.
About Tariq Hassan:
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:00) - Creating Psychological Safety in Organisation(00:11:42) - Cultural Implications of Fear in Organizations(00:21:35) - Celebrating Failures: The Amazing Almosts(00:31:35) - Balancing Risk and Responsibility in Leadership(00:33:08) - Navigating Parenting Challenges(00:37:49) - Creating Psychological Safety at Home(00:42:47) - Balancing Ambitious Careers(00:48:24) - Maintaining Connection During Absence
Tariq Hassan is a senior marketing leader who most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s. Prior to McDonald’s, he held executive leadership roles at Petco, Bank of America, and Hewlett-Packard, building a career across some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Known for blending performance with humanity, Tariq focuses on the cultural conditions that unlock high-performing teams, especially psychological safety, trust, and the ability to take smart risks without fear. -
In this powerful and deeply emotional conversation, Kevin Rice sits down with Tracy Ryan, co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of nkore Biotherapeutics, to explore what happens when a mother refuses to accept “incurable” as the final answer.
Tracy shares the moment her 8-month-old daughter, Sophie, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. In a single phone call, her perfect life as a successful agency founder, new mom, and entrepreneur shattered. What followed was seven years of chemotherapy, 13 surgeries, blindness, seizures, and relentless uncertainty.
But Tracy did not collapse under the weight of it. She built.
From launching a medical cannabis company to support her daughter’s immune system, to producing a Netflix documentary, to raising millions for cancer research, Tracy transformed unimaginable trauma into purpose. When she discovered her daughter had zero natural killer cells in her brain, it sparked a scientific breakthrough that led to the founding of Encore Biotherapeutics, a company now developing next-generation immunotherapy for cancer patients.
This is a story about resilience, betrayal, faith, science, marriage under pressure, and what it really means to choose purpose over despair. Tracy’s journey is tragic, beautiful, and wildly inspiring all at once.
If you have ever faced something that felt impossible, this episode will change how you see suffering, strength, and what is possible.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What happens psychologically when a parent hears “brain tumor”
• Why pediatric cancer research is drastically underfunded
• How cannabis research led to breakthroughs in immune system science
• What natural killer cells are and why they matter in cancer treatment
• The difference between surviving trauma and transforming through it
• How entrepreneurship can become a vehicle for purpose
• Why 85 percent of marriages fail after a child’s serious illness
• The mindset required to build companies while living inside crisis
• How to find meaning inside overwhelming suffering
• Why resilience is often built, not bornKey Takeaways:
• Tragedy can either break you or become your calling
• Meaning is assigned, not discovered
• Trauma can sharpen purpose when processed intentionally
• Scientific breakthroughs often begin with personal desperation
• Resilience grows when you zoom out from the moment
• You cannot control the storm, but you can control your response
• Marriage under pressure requires active fighting for each other
• Sometimes the worst moments create the most powerful missionsAbout Tracy Ryan
Tracy Ryan is the co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of NKore Biotherapeutics, a company focused on developing innovative, plant-based therapies. She has become a leading voice in the health and biotech space, driven by her personal journey as a parent navigating complex medical challenges of her daughter, Sophie. Blending entrepreneurial leadership with lived experience, Tracy brings a deeply human perspective to her work, advocating for new approaches to treatment, resilience in the face of uncertainty, and the power of persistence when traditional systems fall short.
Show Notes:
Nkore Biotheraputics: https://www.nkore.com/Saving Sophie Website: https://www.savingsophie.org/Donate to Saving Sophie: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=W8WLTXHSMRAVYWeed The People Documentary:
Gaia - https://www.gaia.com/video/weed-the-peopleYouTube - https://www....Chapters(00:00:00) - One mother's story of cannabis-assisted treatment(00:00:29) - CEO and ABCs(00:02:00) - Tracy Ryan on CIPC and ABC(00:02:21) - The Mother Who Saved Her Daughter's Life(00:08:22) - One mother's battle with brain cancer(00:12:15) - The Unusual Experience That Led to Can of Kids(00:19:20) - Cannabis for Cancer Patients(00:25:43) - How to start a cannabis company in 2017(00:29:53) - Cannabis for Kids in the Fight Against Cancer(00:36:05) - Cancer and its cure with cannabis(00:38:57) - When My Daughter's Brain Got Cancer,(00:44:38) - The Secret Life of Near Death Experiences(00:50:16) - How to Win a Marriage With an Illness(00:55:23) - One mom's story of the battle with brain cancer(00:59:46) - The Secret to Summit Conference(01:00:31) - The story of cannabis and cancer in kids(01:06:38) - A telehealth patient liaison's(01:07:06) - The battle to cure cancer with natural killer cells(01:13:08) - Sophie Hummingbird's Cure for Cancer -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea, which he built from a home kitchen concept into a category-defining brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. Today, Seth is the CEO and co-founder of Just Ice Tea, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, and Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely.
Seth shares what it really takes to build and rebuild an iconic company, including why Honest Tea was ahead of its time, what it felt like to watch it eventually be discontinued, and how that unexpected ending created the opportunity to launch Just Ice Tea into a market with a massive vacuum. He also breaks down the difference experience makes in entrepreneurship, from having no relationships early on to now being able to scale faster because trust and credibility are already established.
The conversation goes behind the scenes of leadership and parenting. Seth opens up about launching Honest Tea while raising three young sons, including a major family health scare that happened the same day as his first Whole Foods presentation, and the reality that balance is not always possible. He shares how parenting shaped his leadership philosophy, why you cannot manage people the same way, and how focusing on outcomes over process can unlock performance in teams.
If you are building something big while trying to show up fully at home, this episode is both grounding and practical.
In this episode, you’ll learn:How Seth went from a mission-driven mutual fund career to founding Honest Tea with a breakthrough brand idea
What it was like building a startup while navigating a major family medical crisis
Why Seth believes balance is not always real, and how he stayed grounded anyway
The story behind launching Just Ice Tea after Honest Tea was discontinued, and how to spot opportunity inside loss
How parenting shaped Seth’s leadership style, including managing people based on how they learn and operate
Why purpose-driven businesses must scale to create meaningful impact
Key takeaways:Startups and family life rarely move in neat seasons, life and business happen at the same time
Your relationships and reputation become your unfair advantage the second time you build
Great leaders focus on the outcome, then adapt the path based on how people work best
Purpose is not just values, it is a strategy that strengthens teams, trust, and resilience
The real legacy is not the exit, it is the impact you build and the family culture you leave behind
About Seth GoldmanSeth Goldman is the co-founder and CEO of Just Ice Tea and the founder of Honest Tea, which he grew into a leading organic beverage brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. He is Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely, and serves on multiple mission-driven boards focused on ethical sourcing and sustainable food systems. Seth is widely known for building purpose-led consumer brands that scale without compromising values, with a leadership philosophy grounded in transparency, long-term stewardship, and real-world impact.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Seth Goldman's Current Ventures and Personal Life(00:04:35) - The Birth of Honest Tea(00:07:30) - Emotional Journey of Selling Honest Tea(00:10:08) - Transitioning to Just Iced Tea(00:12:54) - Family Life and Balancing Work(00:15:48) - Teaching Resilience to Children(00:18:44) - Health Perspectives on Plant-Based Products(00:25:44) - Teaching Resilience Through Adversity(00:27:41) - Navigating Learning Differences: A Personal Journey(00:30:26) - Leadership Lessons: Supporting Employees(00:32:28) - Building Relationships for Business Success(00:34:49) - Scaling Impact: A Vision for Change(00:38:00) - Avoiding Past Pitfalls in Business(00:40:00) - Evolving Parenting Styles: Lessons Learned(00:42:06) - From Authority to Friendship: Evolving Relationships(00:43:43) - Board Roles and Intentions -
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with Barry Westrum, a veteran restaurant marketer and former CMO who has helped shape some of the most iconic QSR brands including Dairy Queen, KFC, Del Taco, Long John Silver’s, and Taco John’s.
Barry shares what actually makes marketing work at the highest level. Building brands that win through emotion, cultural relevance, and disciplined execution, not just promotions and transactions. Drawing on his 18 years inside Yum! Brands, he breaks down the mentorship, training, and leadership frameworks that accelerated his career and consistently produced C suite talent.
If you aspire to the CMO seat, Barry gets specific about the skills that matter most. Leadership, creative judgment, and persuasion. Because marketing is ultimately the business of selling ideas. The conversation also goes behind the title. Barry opens up about building a meaningful family life while navigating senior leadership roles, including an 18 month commute during his time at Dairy Queen. He shares how setting clear boundaries at work allowed him to stay present for the moments that mattered most at home, and how modeling those boundaries helped shape healthier team cultures.
From raising two daughters to building a multi generational household rooted in creativity and connection, Barry offers a grounded look at what sustainable leadership really requires.
If you are navigating ambition, leadership, and family at the same time, this episode delivers both perspective and practical guidance.
In this episode:
Why emotional connection is the foundation of great brand marketingThe leadership frameworks Barry learned at Yum! Brands and used throughout his careerThe three core skills every aspiring CMO must developHow mentorship and formal training accelerate career growthWhy setting boundaries at work actually strengthens culture and performanceHow to be fully present at work and at home without burning outKey takeaways:
Strong brands are built at the intersection of emotion and functionCareer management is your responsibility, not your company’sLeaders shape culture through behavior, not policyBoundaries create permission for teams to show up fully in every rolePresence matters more than perfection in both leadership and parentingSustainable success comes from managing the whole person, not just the jobAbout Barry Westrum:
Barry Westrum is a seasoned marketing executive and strategic advisor with more than 30 years of experience leading iconic restaurant brands. He has served as Chief Marketing Officer at Taco John’s International, Del Taco, KFC US, and Long John Silver’s, and as EVP of Marketing at International Dairy Queen, with nearly two decades at Yum! Brands earlier in his career. Today, Barry advises emerging AI and technology platforms across the restaurant and consumer space, bringing a clarity and focus leadership philosophy rooted in insight led marketing, strong culture, and emotional brand connection.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:05:53) - Transitioning to Consulting: Embracing New Opportunities(00:14:19) - Love in the Workplace: A Personal Story(00:17:38) - Navigating Early Parenthood and Career(00:21:56) - Setting Boundaries Between Work and Family(00:26:39) - Being Present: The Key to Parenting(00:36:52) - Personal Responsibility in Career Management -
In this deeply personal and powerful conversation, Kevin Rice sits down with Michael Chachula, CTO of Propelled Brands and longtime technology and transformation leader across the restaurant and franchise industry, to explore how adversity, resilience, and empathy shape truly great leadership.
Michael opens up about losing his father as a teenager and how that early loss forced him to grow up fast. Without a single role model to follow, he describes how he began “auditing” the adults around him, learning in real time what kind of man, father, and leader he wanted to become. That mindset followed him into his career, where he learned early on that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership, especially at the C-suite level, and that pausing, observing, and adapting can be a powerful advantage.
The conversation takes a deeply human turn as Michael shares what it was like to face prostate cancer while going through a divorce, navigating nearly a year of treatment largely alone. He reflects on confronting his own mortality, the spiritual moments that gave him strength to keep fighting, and how those experiences reshaped the way he shows up for his teams, his family, and himself. T
hroughout the episode, Michael connects leadership to compassion, self-awareness, and balance. From lessons learned working dozens of jobs at a young age to building a career across IT and business functions, he offers grounded insight into ambition, sacrifice, and what success really means. His message is simple but profound: care about people, and everything else follows.
This episode is for leaders, parents, and anyone navigating hard seasons while trying to build a meaningful life and career.
In This Episode You’ll Learn
- How early loss shaped Michael’s leadership style and work ethic
- Why there’s “no one-size-fits-all” approach to being a CIO or C-level leader
- The “art of the pause” and why “I don’t know” can be the strongest answer
- How moving between business and IT builds rare executive range
- The hidden costs of career acceleration on family time
- What cancer and severe hardship taught Michael about identity, spirit, and perspective
- Why caring deeply about people makes careers skyrocketKey Takeaways
- Michael's early loss shaped his resilience and leadership style.
- Self-love is crucial for personal growth and overcoming adversity.
- Education amplifies hard work but cannot replace it.
- Experience is more valuable than formal education in career advancement.
- Elicitation skills are essential for effective leadership and negotiation.
- Facing mortality can lead to profound self-discovery and clarity.
- Balancing work and family requires conscious effort and prioritization.
- The journey of personal growth often involves navigating through challenges.
- Success is defined by the memories and relationships we build, not just career achievements.
- Being kind to oneself is vital in the face of life's challenges.About Michael Chachula
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction and Background(00:03:17) - Career Journey and Transitions(00:04:54) - Overcoming Early Adversity(00:07:09) - The Role of Faith and Perspective(00:09:52) - Lessons from Adversity(00:12:34) - Early Work Experience and Responsibility(00:14:33) - Education and Career Growth(00:17:08) - The Value of Experience vs. Education(00:24:39) - Leveling Up: The Journey of Growth(00:25:52) - Balancing Act: Career, Education, and Family(00:27:34) - The Cost of Ambition: Time and Relationships(00:29:38) - Teaching Through Example: Work Ethic and Passion(00:31:50) - Career Decisions: The Move to Switzerland(00:33:55) - The Art of Elicitation: Understanding Needs(00:35:42) - Facing Mortality: Lessons from Life's Challenges(00:44:07) - The House of Self: A Framework for Balance
Michael Chachula is the CTO of Propelled Brands, supporting multiple franchise brands including FASTSIGNS, Camp Bow Wow, and My Salon Suite. He’s held executive technology leadership roles across the restaurant and consumer industries, including FAT Brands and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and has extensive experience navigating business transformation, operations, and technology at scale.
Book Recommendation:
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Anncy Rowe has spent decades building iconic beauty brands, but this conversation goes far beyond titles and milestones. In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the Chief Commercial Officer of Rodan + Fields to explore what it really looks like to grow into leadership over time while navigating identity, motherhood, ambition, and legacy.
Anncy reflects on rising through the ranks at L’Oréal without ever chasing a specific end goal, driven instead by passion for the work itself. She opens up about navigating imposter syndrome at every new level, being the only one in the room who looked like her, and learning to trust that she belonged. From loving the craft of brand building to leading a major omni-channel transformation at Rodan + Fields, Anncy shares how purpose and confidence are built through experience, not certainty.
The conversation also moves deeply into parenthood and seasons of life. Anncy shares the emotional reality of red-eye flights for birthdays her son would never remember, the wake-up call of burnout, and the moment of dropping her daughter off at college that felt like an “extraction.” She reflects on what it means to redefine yourself as your children grow more independent, asking the powerful question, “Who are you when you’re no longer caring for someone?”
This is an honest, thoughtful episode about ambition without a blueprint, leading with care, modeling behavior for teams and children, and preparing for the next chapter with intention. It’s a conversation for anyone navigating growth, change, and the evolving definition of success.
In This Episode You'll Learn
Why Anncy never chased titles but still rose to the C-suite
How passion builds confidence faster than career planning
What imposter syndrome really looks like at senior levels
Why over-sacrificing can lead to burnout
How to rethink presence in parenting and leadership
What changes emotionally when your child leaves for college
How to model boundaries and behavior for teams and family
Why legacy is about how you make people feel
Top Takeaways
Confidence is built through doing, not knowing
Imposter syndrome often signals growth, not failure
You don’t need a 10-year plan to build a meaningful career
Over-functioning eventually comes at a cost
Children learn more from what we model than what we say
Leadership and parenting require the same self-awareness
Preparing for the next life chapter is an act of leadership
Legacy is rooted in care, kindness, and impact
About Anncy Rowe
Anncy Rowe is a seasoned beauty industry executive and currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Rodan + Fields, where she is helping lead the brand through a major omni-channel transformation. She previously held senior leadership roles at L’Oréal, including on the Maybelline brand, and served as CMO of StriVectin. A passionate advocate for helping women feel confident at every stage of life, Anncy is also a mother of two and a leader deeply committed to purpose-driven growth, culture, and legacy.
Chapters
00:00 Loving the work without chasing the title
Chapters(00:00:00) - The Secret to Success in Career(00:00:48) - CEO and ABC: Real Stories From Executives(00:01:56) - What gave you the confidence to climb the ladder at L'O(00:06:48) - Have You Got Imposter Syndrome?(00:10:16) - Passion and purpose in the makeup industry(00:13:18) - Ulta Beauty's Big Change to Direct-to-Consumer(00:18:36) - The Importance of Stories From Your Parents(00:21:05) - Married Parents Talk About The Sacrifice They Make(00:27:26) - The Secret to Taking Care of Yourself(00:29:41) - The Secret to a Happy Holidays(00:33:27) - The Importance of Modeling(00:35:50) - Have You Cried When Your Daughter Goes To College?(00:39:33) - The Next Chapter in Your Life(00:42:35) - Tim Ferriss on His Legacy(00:44:45) - CEO and ABCs: Ansi and Kevin
02:31 Rising through the ranks at L’Oréal
06:02 Confidence, tenacity, and imposter syndrome
10:07 Passion, purpose, and finding your industry
13:53 Leading Rodan + Fields through omni-channel change
18:56 Immigration, upbringing, and resilience
25:17 Over-sacrificing, burnout, and red-eye wake-up calls
27:35 Self-care, faith, and filling your cup
32:51 Modeling boundaries for teams
36:29 Dropping a child off at college
39:43 Redefining identity and... -
Robert LoCascio went public at 33, helped invent web chat, and spent nearly three decades building LivePerson into a $6 billion company. What followed was not the ending he expected.
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the founder of LivePerson for a rare and deeply honest conversation about leadership under extreme pressure, navigating macro events like the dotcom crash, 9/11, and COVID, and what happens when the greatest threat comes from inside the system. Rob opens up about activist investors, an unplanned exit from the company he built over 28 years, and the emotional toll that season took on his identity and his family.
Rob shares the hard-earned leadership lessons that shaped him, from the moment a board member told him “just don’t bullshit them,” to why the best response to chaos is often no response at all. He explains why slowing down during crises creates clarity, how fear-based decisions compound risk, and why your weakest links matter most when you’re under attack. The conversation also explores fatherhood, marriage later in life, and what it looks like to rebuild from scratch.
Today, Rob is starting again in a completely different space, building a kid-first AI product designed around safety, creativity, and bringing families back into connection. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, integrity, and what it really means to begin again when the game changes.
In This Episode You’ll Learn
- What it’s like to take a company public at 33
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:05:52) - Navigating Challenges: Lessons from the Dot Com Era(00:12:53) - Growth Through Adversity: The Impact of COVID-19(00:19:46) - Balancing Act: Family Life and High-Pressure Careers(00:29:53) - From Public Company to Startup: A New Chapter(00:30:16) - The Impact of Activist Investors(00:34:22) - Navigating Existential Threats in Business(00:38:42) - Family Dynamics During Corporate Turmoil(00:43:01) - Rebuilding After Exit: A Personal Journey(00:47:08) - Lessons Learned from Leadership Challenges(00:49:59) - Innovating for the Next Generation: A New Venture
- How to lead through layoffs with honesty and integrity
- Why slowing down is critical during macro crises
- How fear distorts decision-making at the executive level
- What activist investors really do behind the scenes
- How leadership pressure spills into family life
- Why rebuilding sometimes means starting from zero
- How fatherhood reshaped Rob’s definition of success
- Why imposter syndrome may actually be your inner child
- How to think about AI, kids, and creativity responsibly
Top Takeaways
- Truth builds long-term trust, even in the hardest moments
- The worst decisions are made when fear is driving
- Macro events should be observed before they’re reacted to
- Weak leadership links are exposed under pressure
- You cannot dump the business onto your family and stay connected
- Success brings visibility, and visibility brings risk
- Resilience is modeled, not taught
- No one can take your ability to create and rebuild
- Starting over can unlock deeper purpose
About Robert LoCascio
Robert LoCascio is the founder of LivePerson and a pioneer of internet-era customer communication, credited with inventing web chat. He took LivePerson public in 2000 and led the company for nearly 30 years, growing it to a peak market capitalization of over $6 billion. Today, Rob is the founder of KID, a kid-first AI product designed to empower creativity, ensure safety, and strengthen family connection. He is also a father of three and a lifelong builder focused on integrity, imagination, and impact. -
Jessica Serrano has spent nearly two decades shaping some of the world’s most loved food brands, but what makes her story hit is the way she’s built a life that can hold both motherhood and executive ambition.
In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the CMO of Bagel Brands (Einstein Bros and Noah’s Bagels) to talk about what it really takes to lead at a high level without feeling like you’re constantly choosing between work and family. Jessica shares the full circle moment of starting a new CMO role on the exact day her twin daughters started kindergarten, with three generations in one car on day one. From multi generational living and cross country moves to ruthless prioritization and energy protection, she breaks down the real systems that keep her grounded.
They also go deep on career growth, including the hard lessons that came with moving into the C suite, why conviction matters when you report to a founder, and how she evaluates roles using a skill building matrix so she doesn’t fall in love with the fireplace. If you’re trying to grow your career, stay present at home, and lead with clarity, this conversation will give you both perspective and practical tools.
In This Episode You’ll Learn
How Jessica makes big career moves without destabilizing her family lifeWhy the first 15 minutes after work are the highest impact parenting minutesHow multi generational living can unlock ambition without guiltWhat changes when you move from director to the C suiteHow to lead through others when you’re used to being in the trenchesWhy protecting energy matters more than protecting hoursHow to make career decisions using a skill building matrix
Parenthoood does not shrink ambition, it clarifies itYou can do both, but usually not with traditional life constructsPresence is an energy decision, not just a time decisionStrong leaders bring conviction, not complianceThe right support system makes travel and demanding roles sustainableWork and life do not need strict buckets, they need intention and alignment
Top Takeaways
About Jessica SerranoJessica Serrano is the Chief Marketing Officer of Bagel Brands, home to Einstein Bros and Noah’s Bagels. She has led culturally resonant marketing across some of the biggest names in food, including leadership roles at Taco Bell and Burger King, and she helped drive brand and growth as CMO at Dig Inn. Jessica is known for blending business rigor with warmth and creativity, and for building teams and brand strategies that connect deeply with consumers while staying grounded in what matters most at home.
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:54) - The Decision to Move for Career Opportunities(00:08:42) - The Impact of Motherhood on Career Ambitions(00:14:53) - Maintaining Family Connections Amidst Career Demands(00:17:40) - Transitioning to Executive Roles(00:26:26) - Career Growth Through Unconventional Roles(00:29:46) - Balancing Work and Family Life(00:35:21) - Managing Stress in New Roles(00:38:31) - Keeping Your Cup Full(00:41:36) - Empathy in Leadership -
Rishad Tobaccowala believes work is changing more between 2020 and 2029 than it did in the previous fifty years. In this conversation, he joins Kevin Rice to unpack what those waves of change look like across society, demographics, technology, marketplaces, and emotion, and why return-to-office debates miss the bigger picture. Rishad shares practical ways leaders can design organizations around trust, flexibility, dignity, and outcomes so people and performance both thrive.
They dive into how to measure engagement instead of attendance, why skills will matter more than roles, and how to build cultures that create belonging while still raising the bar. Rishad also previews his new Rethinking Work Platform and show, a resource hub for leaders navigating the next era of work with clarity, courage, and humanity.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why the 2020s are a once-in-a-career reset for how work gets doneHow to lead for outcomes, not optics, and move beyond attendance theaterThe shift from jobs to skills and what that means for talent, learning, and payPractical ways to build trust, flexibility, and psychological safety without losing accountabilityNew metrics that capture engagement, energy, and effectivenessHow to communicate change so people feel seen, not managedTop takeaways
Work design should start with human reality and end with business outcomesEngagement beats enforcement when you want performance that lastsHybrid works when rituals, tools, and trust are explicitInvest in skills, not just titles, to future-proof teams and careersLeaders need a point of view, a plan, and the humility to iterateAbout Rishad Tobaccowala
Rishad Tobaccowala is the founder of the Rethinking Work Platform, a new initiative helping leaders navigate a decade of unprecedented change with content, curated resources, and actionable guidance. A globally respected advisor and storyteller, Rishad has spent his career helping companies align people, technology, and strategy so work becomes both more human and more effective.Links:
Rishad Tabaccowala Home Page
What's Next? Podcast
Rethinking Work by Rishad Tobaccowala
Restoring the Soul of Business
Chapters(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:15) - Rethinking Work: The Central Role of Purpose(00:03:01) - The Impact of AI on Job Security(00:05:54) - Embracing Change: Adapting to AI and HI(00:08:58) - The Shift from Jobs to Meaningful Work(00:11:48) - Cultural Influences: Growing Up in India(00:14:41) - Building a Career: Loyalty and Opportunities(00:17:28) - Corporate Culture: Support During Personal Crises(00:23:31) - The Future of Work: Attracting Talent(00:26:08) - Morning Routines: The Key to a Successful Day(00:42:47) - Thinking Like an Immigrant: Embracing Change and Opportunity - Show more
