Learn to Lead

History is filled with companies that became incredibly good at the current game, right before the game changed completely. Through stories from the mobile phone and retail industries, this episode explores why disruption often comes not from doing something better, but from asking a fundamentally different question.—Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 50 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below:Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.comHost Matthew Confer:Upcoming Book: https://www.theupsideofdownsidethinking.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/Matthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_makingMake sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

What if the price you put on something didn’t just reflect value—but created it? In this episode, we explore three real-world stories where pricing reshaped perception, influenced behavior, and even altered experience itself. From shirts to luxury office supplies to the world of wine, each example reveals how price can tell a powerful story. And for leaders, that story matters—because how you position value can shape how others see your product, your brand, and even your leadership. —Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 50 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.comThe Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConferMatthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

What do a photography giant and a live comedy show have in common? In this episode, we explore how two iconic institutions—Kodak and Saturday Night Live—faced the same challenge: what to do when the thing that made you successful starts holding you back. One resisted change and paid the price. The other built reinvention into its DNA and stayed relevant for nearly five decades. These stories reveal the high stakes of clinging to comfort and the power of breaking what works—before the world does it for you. If you’re leading anything today, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. —Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 50 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.comThe Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConferMatthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

The Gold Rush was full of dreamers searching for fortune—but the biggest successes didn’t come from those digging for gold. In this episode of Learn to Lead, we uncover the surprising stories of those who found lasting success by thinking differently. Their journey holds a powerful lesson for leaders today.—Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 50 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development -https://www.abilitie.comThe Learn To Lead Podcast -https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer:LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/Twitter -https://twitter.com/MatthewConferMatthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making -https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

After 130 episodes exploring leadership, I decided to shake things up and let technology step into the spotlight. For this episode, I used AI to analyze and learn from every conversation we’ve had so far. From those 130 episodes, the AI has pieced together its own take on leadership, shaped by the many insights we’ve shared along the way. I gave the AI tool no guidelines whatsoever, I simply asked it to summarize the key topics from this podcast, and I hit generate. —Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 30 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.comThe Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer:- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/- Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConfer- Matthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

Lisa Bodell is the CEO of Future Think and the bestselling author of "Why Simple Wins" & "Kill the Company.” She joined me on the show to talk about why successful leaders don't fear failure, instead they fear complacency. We also talked about her process around goal setting and what advice she would have for her younger self. We closed the conversation talking about the power of curiosity and how education needs to change to prepare future leaders and professionals for the current challenges they face. — Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 30 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.com The Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer: - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/ - Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConfer - Matthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

Erin Defosse is a longtime entrepreneur in the Austin area and is the founder of the Magellan School. He joined me on the show to talk about his experience as a founder and leader of early stage companies and what that has taught him about the importance of inspirational leadership. We also discuss why effective leadership begins by realizing that it isn’t about you as the leader. We close by talking about his lessons for his younger self and the importance of knowing oneself in the pursuit of becoming the best leader you can be. — Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 30 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.com The Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer: - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/ - Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConfer - Matthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

Vitaly Veksler, is the CEO of Vista Social, a unified social management tool that has almost 3 million social profiles connected through their platform. On this episode we talk about the defining moments in getting Vitaly to the place he is today and what he has learned along the way. We also talk about lessons around hiring effectively and figure out how to find balance in work and in life. — Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie’s simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 30 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.com The Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConfer Matthew’s TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.