Leading By Example: Executives Making An Impact

Since she was a teenager, Shellye Archambeau knew she wanted to be a CEO. And with unapologetic ambition—she got there—becoming the leader of MetricStream, a software company focusing on government risk and compliance.  But her path to power wasn't easy — there was loss, uncertainty and even a global recession that tried to stop Shellye in her tracks, but she was always one step ahead. Shellye shares her advice for guiding your team through a major setback, reclaiming your power as a leader, and inspiring others along the way.  Book: Unapologetically Ambitious Shellye's Nonprofit: Ignite Ambition See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After helping scale Dell from $100 million to a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse alongside Michael Dell, Joel Kocher thought he had leadership figured out — until success forced him to relearn humility. Now the founder and CEO of Humann, Kocher reveals why adaptability is make-or-break in leadership, especially when transitioning fields. He also shares why he left an early retirement to build a company rooted in purpose, not hype — and how walking your talk 100% of the time is the only way to truly lead by example. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to turn a simple idea into a $100 million brand? In the Season 2 premiere of Leading By Example, host Jessica Chen sits down with Grace Lee Chen, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Birdy Grey, the direct-to-consumer company reshaping how people shop for weddings. Grace shares how she transformed a personal frustration as a six-time bridesmaid into a thriving business built on empathy, creativity, and deep customer connection. She opens up about scaling her brand, collaborating with her best friend and co-founder, and why stepping down as CEO to focus on creative leadership was the most empowering decision of her career. Through her journey, Grace reveals what it means to lead with trust, authenticity, and heart in today’s fast-changing business landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special in-between-seasons bonus episode of Leading by Example, host Farnoosh Torabi is joined by supervising producer Nakia (Kia) Swinton to reflect on standout leadership lessons from Season One. From authenticity and inclusion to empathy, expertise, and the power of introspection, Farnoosh and Kia revisit powerful moments and behind-the-scenes insights from their conversations with industry trailblazers including Will Pearson (iHeartMedia), Shannon Schuyler (PwC), Kathleen Griffith, Naveen Jain, Claude Silver (VaynerX), Marisa Thalberg, Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin (TheSkimm), and Ryan Serhant. Whether you're new to the show or a longtime listener, this highlight reel captures the spirit of the series—and sets the stage for an inspiring Season Two.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg have lived every chapter of theSkimm’s story—from scrappy startup to multimillion-user platform to their recent acquisition by Ziff Davis. In this candid conversation, Farnoosh sits down with the co-founders to explore resilience, leadership, and how they’ve stayed deeply connected to their audience of millennial and Gen Z women. They open up about rejection, burnout, and the challenges of being women founders—including the ones that still persist. Plus, the story behind their viral #ShowUsYourLeave campaign, why caregiving is the next workplace frontier, and how they’re helping women navigate the realities of adulthood—with clarity, confidence, and just the right amount of Froot Loops.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to actually lead with empathy? In this candid, energizing episode, Farnoosh sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, to explore how emotional intelligence, radical transparency, and kindness can shape corporate culture. From redefining empathy as “riding shotgun” on someone’s journey to building an award-winning workplace from the inside out, Claude shares the origin story of her unconventional role, the challenges of navigating hybrid work, and her bold philosophy of emotional efficiency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathleen Griffith, the mastermind behind the bestselling book "Build Like a Woman," sits down with Farnoosh for an inspiring conversation about becoming a corporate burnout to building an empire. Kathleen reveals her transformative journey from feeling trapped in corporate advertising to becoming a serial entrepreneur and founder of Grayce & Co, where she has directed more than $500M in marketing dollars with clients ranging from NIKE Women to Verizon. Kathleen shares the essential principles that guided her success, giving intimate insights from her book and explaining how these lessons can help other women build thriving businesses without sacrificing their dreams.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our premiere episode, Farnoosh Torabi sits down with Will Pearson, President of the iHeart Podcast Network, to uncover how his personal journey and core beliefs guided his path from college entrepreneur to podcast industry pioneer. Pearson reveals how his early experiences—launching a company from his Duke University dorm room—instilled leadership principles that still drive his decision-making today as he oversees the world's largest podcast network. Through candid conversation, he shares the deeply personal insights that informed pivotal choices throughout his career, from identifying the right business partner to making an early, conviction-driven leap into podcasting. Pearson opens up about how each phase of his journey—including building partnerships with creative forces like Will Ferrell and Shonda Rhimes—refined his leadership philosophy and shaped iHeart's innovative approach to podcast advertising that's transforming the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.