Journey With Lei

Join us as we chat with Patricia Bothwell, General Manager and VP of Product for GoGuardian's Safety & Productivity business. In this episode, Patricia shares insights from her experience in product and strategy leadership roles at Avalara, PayPal, and Carnival Corporation, and how she ramped up fast while moving from industries to industries. We also dive into the importance of developing empathy, building feedback loops, and finding the right mentors as a people's leader.

Join us for a conversation with Shannon Burch, the Vice President of Experience at Neo Financial, where she is focused on disrupting the banking landscape in Canada. With an unconventional career journey that has taken her across Canada and internationally, Shannon has built transferable leadership skills that have helped her advance her career. In this podcast episode, she shares her experiences on advocating for her own career advancement, dealing with imposter syndrome, and how learning through failure has helped her to speed up the leadership growth journey. Additionally, she discusses the importance of empathy skills in leading teams in a dynamic environment during an uncertain time. As a board member at several non-profit organizations, Shannon also mentors up-and-coming leaders and donates time to numerous causes. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on leadership, career growth, and disrupting the status quo.

Join us in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Richard Osibanjo, a leading expert in transformational leadership, as we explore how to design a career that aligns with your passion and purpose. As a chemist turned executive coach and keynote speaker, Dr. Richard shares valuable insights on how to transition careers, find your voice, and clarify your goals by aligning your potential, passion, and purpose.

In this episode, we sit down with Holly O'Dell, the first female President and CEO of Montana State Fund, to discuss the importance of building relationships with other women in the workplace. Join us as Holly shares her personal experiences and best practices on advocating for oneself, balancing family and work, and the power of asking for what you want.

Join us as we talk to Jill Wiedemann-West, CEO of People Incorporated, as she shares her insights on building a culture of transparency, encouraging diverse voices, and fostering employee engagement. Discover how her leadership style has helped to encourage new ideas and create a positive work environment.

Join us as we chat with Jocelyn Tan, CEO and founder of Sisu VR, about her journey to success in the virtual reality industry and how our Mental Fitness program helped her become a more confident and effective leader. Learn about Jocelyn's pivot from focusing on funding to customer acquisition, and her passion for immersive learning through virtual reality. Discover how our Mental Fitness program helped her shift to a positive mindset and feel happier in her entrepreneurial journey. Key takeaways: 1.   Virtual reality can revolutionize corporate compliance training and make it more enjoyable for employees. 2.   Focusing on customer acquisition can be more beneficial than just seeking funding. 3. Mental Fitness program can help entrepreneurs become more confident and effective leaders. 4.    Positive mindset can be developed through specific techniques and strategies.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Elizabeth Funk, the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of DignityMoves, a nonprofit that has developed an innovative solution to end street homelessness in our communities. Elizabeth's career experience spans various industries, including real estate, venture capital, climate technology, and several non-profit ventures. In this podcast episode, she shares her journey and how a "can do" mentality led her to find an innovative solution to combat the homeless conundrum in our communities. She also discusses how to implement a Silicon Valley startup culture in a nonprofit organization, and the value of exploring various career tracks, industries, and functions. To date, Elizabeth has served on 19 Boards of Directors, 7 of them as Chairman. Tune in for a high-energy interview that is sure to inspire and motivate.

Join us as we speak with Jutta Williams, a career data protection professional and AI Ethics evangelist, about building resilience and a growth mindset in both personal and professional life. Jutta shares her insights on the power of speaking accurately, introducing struggle to promote growth, and finding fulfillment through personal growth. She also discusses the importance of training resilience like a muscle and preparing teams to handle crises through open communication and exposure to smaller challenges. Tune in to learn how to stay open to opportunities and keep life exciting and fun.

Join us as we speak with Dr. Katherine Grill, CEO and co-founder of Neolth, a technology company that provides personalized mental health support to teens. Dr. Grill shares her experience of transitioning from a research scientist to an entrepreneur, and provides valuable advice and lessons learned along the way. We also dive into how she applies mental health tools to her own team, the decision-making process when starting the company, and how she deals with wellness, balance, and mental health as a start-up founder. Additionally, she discusses the challenges she faces as a leader and shares her strategies for overcoming them. Tune in for an insightful conversation on entrepreneurship and mental health.

Join us in this insightful podcast interview with Megan Effertz, an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience. Megan shares her journey of building companies in different industries and how she developed her transferrable skills to jump from industry to industry. She also provides timely advice for job seekers, including how to do two-way interviews to find the right cultural fit and not settle for just any job. As a leader, Megan emphasizes the importance of humbleness and good listening to build trust with the team and create a supportive work environment. She also shares tips on how to truly get to know the team, support employees' personal pursuits, and motivate them to achieve their potential. Whether you're a job seeker or a leader looking to improve your skills, this episode is full of valuable insights and practical advice.

How did Alibaba, a company started by an English teacher in a second-tier city in China, become one of the most influential companies in China, and one of the largest and most valuable companies in the world? Alibaba’s story is about how businesses can succeed by focusing on serving the good. In his latest book, the Tao of Alibaba, @Brian A. Wong, explores the nuts and bolts of how Alibaba connects its mission with execution to make the vision come true. His vivid account of many behind-the-scene stories about Jack Ma, the visionary founder of Alibaba, reveals profound leadership lessons on how the relentless pursuit of one’s purpose leads to lasting success. Brian A. Wong was the first American and only the fifty-second employee to join Alibaba Group. He contributed to the company’s early globalization efforts and served as Jack Ma’s special assistant for international affairs. During his sixteen-year tenure, Brian helped expand Alibaba’s business presence in the US, Europe, India, and Asia, established the Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI) division, and was the founder and executive director of the Alibaba Global Leadership Academy. There are lessons for everyone in this interview that you may want to listen to more than once to grasp fully: How leaders can walk the talk to genuinely embody the value, mission, and vision of the company; How to execute value consistently across all levels in a big corporation and keep it fresh year after year; How to attract the best talent and build a winning team; How to make performance review a gift, an opportunity for growth, for everyone; How to cultivate a culture of servant leadership; How to motivate employees so that they care about the business like their own business;   And for entrepreneurs who are just starting: How to discover your passion and your true north; How to identify the best opportunities for long-term career growth; How to turn weakness into a strength to succeed against all odds.

How did Alibaba, a company started by an English teacher in a second-tier city in China, become one of the most influential companies in China, and one of the largest and most valuable companies in the world? Alibaba’s story is about how businesses can succeed by focusing on serving the good. In his latest book, the Tao of Alibaba, @Brian A. Wong, explores the nuts and bolts of how Alibaba connects its mission with execution to make the vision come true. His vivid account of many behind-the-scene stories about Jack Ma, the visionary founder of Alibaba, reveals profound leadership lessons on how the relentless pursuit of one’s purpose leads to lasting success. Brian A. Wong was the first American and only the fifty-second employee to join Alibaba Group. He contributed to the company’s early globalization efforts and served as Jack Ma’s special assistant for international affairs. During his sixteen-year tenure, Brian helped expand Alibaba’s business presence in the US, Europe, India, and Asia, established the Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI) division, and was the founder and executive director of the Alibaba Global Leadership Academy. There are lessons for everyone in this interview that you may want to listen to more than once to grasp fully: How leaders can walk the talk to genuinely embody the value, mission, and vision of the company; How to execute value consistently across all levels in a big corporation and keep it fresh year after year; How to attract the best talent and build a winning team; How to make performance review a gift, an opportunity for growth, for everyone; How to cultivate a culture of servant leadership; How to motivate employees so that they care about the business like their own business;   And for entrepreneurs who are just starting: How to discover your passion and your true north; How to identify the best opportunities for long-term career growth; How to turn weakness into a strength to succeed against all odds.

Jenn Donahue, Ph.D., is a retired US Navy Captain and civil engineer who works on large-scale, high-profile geotechnical projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq war, commanded an 800-personnel Battalion in Afghanistan, and constructed combat outposts in the middle of deserts filled with insurgents. Jenn has led earthquake and tsunami reconnaissance missions in places like Samoa and Japan, designed the seismic plans for a bridge over the Panama Canal, and built roads in the coldest climes of Ketchikan. Along the way, she mentored scores of young leaders. Today Jenn runs JL Donahue Engineering. She also lectures at UC Berkeley and UCLA.

Jenn Donahue, Ph.D., is a retired US Navy Captain and civil engineer who works on large-scale, high-profile geotechnical projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq war, commanded an 800-personnel Battalion in Afghanistan, and constructed combat outposts in the middle of deserts filled with insurgents. Jenn has led earthquake and tsunami reconnaissance missions in places like Samoa and Japan, designed the seismic plans for a bridge over the Panama Canal, and built roads in the coldest climes of Ketchikan. Along the way, she mentored scores of young leaders. Today Jenn runs JL Donahue Engineering. She also lectures at UC Berkeley and UCLA.

Admiral Sandy Stosz was the first woman to command an icebreaker on the Great Lakes and lead a US armed forces service academy. Sandy served for 12 years at sea, commanding two ships, and led large Coast Guard organizations during crisis and complexity. She finished her career as the first woman assigned as Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, directing one of the Coast Guard’s largest enterprises. Today, we discuss how to earn respect as a leader even when you are a minority in your workplace and how you can be an ally to those aspiring minority leaders.

Admiral Sandy Stosz was the first woman to command an icebreaker on the Great Lakes and lead a US armed forces service academy. Sandy served for 12 years at sea, commanding two ships, and led large Coast Guard organizations during crisis and complexity. She finished her career as the first woman assigned as Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, directing one of the Coast Guard’s largest enterprises. Today, we discuss how to earn respect as a leader even when you are a minority in your workplace and how you can be an ally to those aspiring minority leaders.

Nate Thompson is an award-winning catalyst and healthy disruptor who has been leading transformations across four industries over the past 20 years. Creating the future has been the throughline of his career in top companies such as Qualcomm, Comcast, DaVita, Oppenheimer Funds, and Invesco. In this episode, we discuss how leaders can continue to grow and innovate through changes.

Nate Thompson is an award-winning catalyst and healthy disruptor who has been leading transformations across four industries over the past 20 years. Creating the future has been the throughline of his career in top companies such as Qualcomm, Comcast, DaVita, Oppenheimer Funds, and Invesco. In this episode, we discuss how leaders can continue to grow and innovate through changes.

Tammy Barlette, a US Air Force fighter pilot, retired in 2018 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Upon retiring she became a professional speaker and founded Athena’s Voice, a speaker referral business featuring female military pilots from around the United States. Tammy served in the US Air Force for over 20 years, and she assisted and protected troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In this episode, Tammy shares what it takes to succeed in a demanding military career, balance it with her role as a mom of three children, and consistently practice self-care.

Tammy Barlette, a US Air Force fighter pilot, retired in 2018 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Upon retiring she became a professional speaker and founded Athena’s Voice, a speaker referral business featuring female military pilots from around the United States. Tammy served in the US Air Force for over 20 years, and she assisted and protected troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In this episode, Tammy shares what it takes to succeed in a demanding military career, balance it with her role as a mom of three children, and consistently practice self-care.