Show Notes
From her time in the Navy to her career with ABB, Robin Holdren has been making waves everywhere she goes. Her empathy, honesty, and interest in others have impacted her life in many amazing ways, helping her make friends during her deployment in Kuwait and getting others to open up with her persistent and loving attention in the workplace. Listen to the episode to hear lessons from the Navy, the power of forming personal relationships, and why we should all live like our houses have no walls.
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Cheryl McKissack Daniel sees leadership as the continuation of a legacy built through resilience, strategy, and relationships. As the fifth generation to lead McKissack & McKissack, she reflects on a family history that stretches back more than two centuries and explains how each generation invested in skills, relationships, and long-term thinking. In this conversation, Cheryl shares how her mother taught her business development by pushing her to speak before she felt ready. That lesson helped her enter difficult rooms, connect with people, and build the confidence to become the first Black chair of the New York Building Congress in its 102-year history. Cheryl also discusses fear, stress, and the responsibility of using leadership platforms to address difficult issues. Her practical advice is to treat courage like a beta test: try it, learn from the response, and remain true to yourself. She explains why effective leaders must be decisive, consistent, dependable, and willing to create an environment in which others can reach their full potential.
Marc Cooper believes growth begins when we step outside our comfort zone. As Chairman and CEO of Solomon Partners, he has helped expand a specialized investment bank into a firm with more than 200 bankers and expertise across more than a dozen industry sectors.
Jayney Howson believes leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating the conditions where people can thrive. As Chief Learning Officer at ServiceNow, she helps millions of learners prepare for the future of work through one of the world’s largest AI-powered learning ecosystems.
Cybele Negris believes the greatest breakthroughs come from doing the very thing that scares us most. As CEO and Co-Founder of Webnames.ca, Canada's original dot-CA registrar, she has grown a scrappy side project into a multi-million-dollar company trusted by governments, law firms, and Fortune 500 brands. Along the way, she has served on some of Canada's most influential boards, mentored a rising generation of leaders, and become one of the country's most recognized voices on entrepreneurship and resilience. In this conversation, Cybele shares how she went from a shy, self-doubting kid to a serial entrepreneur, why “feel the fear, but do it anyway” became her guiding motto, and how a very public moment on a TEDx stage taught her the true power of authenticity. She opens up about her long struggle with imposter syndrome, explains why great leaders empower others instead of commanding them, and reflects on how mentorship and the work ethic her father instilled shaped the leader she is today.
Howard Hochhauser believes the most powerful technology doesn't replace human connection, it strengthens it. As CEO of Ancestry, he has led the company through a remarkable turnaround by refocusing on its purpose: helping people discover, preserve, and share their family stories. Along the way, he has reshaped the company's culture around humility, curiosity, and honest feedback, while embracing AI to bring millions of untold stories to life. In this conversation, Howard shares how curiosity led him to Ancestry, why feedback is one of the greatest gifts a leader can receive, and how humility creates stronger teams and better decisions. He also discusses balancing innovation with humanity, building trust across an organization, and why great leaders focus on doing today's job exceptionally well instead of worrying about tomorrow.