In this episode, Theresa Caragol—founder and CEO of AchieveUnite—shares her journey as a Catalyst leader transforming how companies grow through trust, partnerships, and culture. With over 20 years of global experience and a track record of leading 12 acquisitions, Theresa offers hard-won insights on building alignment in times of major change. A key theme in the conversation is the human side of transformation. Theresa emphasizes that success in M&A and partnerships depends on trust, commun...
Jun 27, 2025•21 min•Season 4Ep. 104
In this episode, we sit down with Paul L’Estrange , former CTO of Mars and PVH Corp, to explore the critical role IT plays in large-scale transformation—and what it takes for Catalyst leaders to drive change while keeping the core business performing. Paul shares powerful insights on the importance of having great #2s and team members who can bring the organization along on the journey, ensuring that transformation isn’t just visionary but executable. We dive deep into listening as a strategic a...
Jun 16, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 102
In this episode, we sit down with John Bryson , Senior Vice President of Startup Services and Venture Banking at Banc of California, to explore his unconventional Catalyst journey—one that has been anything but linear. Inspired by Wayne Gretzky’s famous advice to “skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been,” John shares how his career has been shaped by a series of strategic pivots, each driven by an intentional process of testing hypotheses about emerging market shifts. From ...
Jun 07, 2025•35 min•Season 4Ep. 100
In this episode, we sit down with Megan Noel , Global President of Corporate Affairs at Golin, to learn more about the critical role of communications in leading change. She shares a powerful lesson from her mentor: “Create a B-level strategy with an A-level execution plan.” Megan emphasizes that many companies struggle to clearly articulate their strategy, making it difficult for employees—especially change leaders—to succeed. We explore how effective change-makers bring others along by craftin...
May 14, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 102
In this episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Manning , Change Management Leader, to explore her unconventional path from professional dancer to corporate change leader. With a natural talent for dot-connecting and systems thinking, Elizabeth found herself in the rigid, highly regulated world of big pharma—where generalist capabilities were often overlooked. Yet, as she helped leaders navigate complex challenges, her strategic value became undeniable. Elizabeth’s journey highlights the power of cr...
May 14, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 101
In this episode, we sit down with Thomas Knoll, Head of Innov8rs CoLab, who has spent years bringing together innovation and intrapreneurship communities. Tommy dives into the crucial importance of understanding an organization's "tolerance for change"—especially how much support truly exists at the C-suite level. We explore his thought-provoking article, "Does Your Organization Have a Failure Policy?", unpacking the significance of setting clear failure guardrails within organizations. Through ...
May 09, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 99
In this insightful conversation, we sit down with Jessica Crow , a seasoned change management expert, to explore how the field of change management is evolving to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced world. Jessica shares her perspective on emerging trends, emphasizing the shift towards a more iterative, human-centered approach—one that not only drives business outcomes but also prioritizes the well-being of employees who lead and embrace change. Jessica offers two crucial insights for navigat...
May 01, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 98
In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Jan Sedlacek , a self-described "black sheep" of Catalysts, to explore the hard truths about driving transformation within large organizations. In his early career, he experienced "Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out." Jan shares really authentically and vulnerably about a really tough moment in his life where he felt like he really failed and experience trauma (see article below). This informed the work he does now, which starts with really deep l...
May 01, 2025•47 min•Season 4Ep. 97
In a world where traditional recruiting processes often fall short, how can leaders rethink talent acquisition to unlock exceptional potential? Matt Alder , strategic consultant, author, and host of Recruiting Future, one of the most popular talent acquisition podcasts globally, shares how his catalytic drive to “fix recruiting” propelled him to create his blog, launch his podcast, and reshape the industry conversation. Matt encourages Catalysts to embrace self-awareness, recognizing that tradit...
Apr 24, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 96
In an industry rocked by constant disruption, how can leaders harness the forces of change rather than be swept away by them? In this episode, Christy Soukhamneut , Chief Lending Officer at University Federal Credit Union, shares her perspective on navigating the accelerating pace and scale of change with the wisdom of water as a guiding metaphor. Change is inevitable—it moves with or without us. But by being intentional, we can direct its flow, shaping how and where it leads. Christy emphasizes...
Apr 24, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 95
In this “getting real” episode, we’re joined by Amer Iqbal , Founder & CEO of 5 Ways to Innovate, to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities Catalysts face when driving transformation in large organizations. Amer dives deep into the realities of confronting the "corporate immune system," the entrenched resistance to change that can feel insurmountable. Drawing on his extensive experience, Amer shares powerful strategies for breaking through: getting airtime to share your ideas widely...
Apr 16, 2025•36 min•Season 4Ep. 93
In this engaging episode, Josh Klein , renowned hacker and technology strategist, shares his journey of transforming complex insights into actionable innovation. A master of systems thinking, Josh has made a career out of challenging the status quo—seeing inefficiencies, hacking solutions, and creating exponential improvements. Josh delves into his approach to change, emphasizing the power of stepping back to gain a broader perspective and uncover leverage points that others overlook. He highlig...
Apr 16, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 93
In this episode, we sit down with Loubna Imenchal , VP at Logitech, for an insightful discussion on how leaders can successfully balance delivering on executive priorities while introducing innovative approaches. Loubna shares concrete examples about her fearless journey of stepping into roles beyond her prior industry experience, landing them by demonstrating impact and fresh strategies. She offers practical advice on securing alignment with leadership before accepting a new role, ensuring clar...
Apr 10, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 92
In this compelling episode, Bryon Kroger , founder and CEO of Rise8 and the former COO of the U.S. Air Force's groundbreaking Kessel Run program, reflects on his journey from intelligence officer to software innovator and leader of transformative change. Bryon shares candid lessons learned from catalyzing digital transformation within one of the largest bureaucracies in the world and offers a nuanced perspective on the interplay between rebellion and revolution in creating lasting impact. A cent...
Apr 10, 2025•43 min•Season 4Ep. 91
In this engaging episode, Andy Lopata , a renowned relationship strategist, hall-of-fame speaker, and author of six influential books, shares his transformative approach to networking, mentorship, and leadership. With over 25 years of experience, Andy has become a trusted advisor to global organizations like Google and the BBC and continues to shape conversations on professional relationships. Andy reflects on key themes in his work, from the evolution of networking strategy to his groundbreakin...
Apr 04, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 90
In this episode, Abby Kearns , CTO of Alembic Technologies, shares how embracing her identity as a Catalyst—and its superpowers—empowered her to shed the "pain in the ass" label she’d been given along the way. Abby discusses the keys to success for Catalyst executives, from embracing the possibility of being wrong and leaning into risk, to identifying environments where there is strong executive and board buy-in. She calls out that as Catalyst leaders, we have to be open to having candid convers...
Mar 26, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 88
In this engaging episode, Sandeep Mehta , former Chief Technology Officer at The Hartford, shares transformative lessons from his journey as a Catalyst executive. He highlights the importance of clarity in Purpose—aligning your vision with organizational goals and solving the right first problem to gain stakeholder buy-in. Sandeep underscores the necessity of strong Sponsorship, where leaders show their commitment to your vision of change through tangible investment. Finally, he emphasizes the p...
Mar 20, 2025•41 min•Season 4Ep. 86
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Patti Fletcher , author of Disrupters: Success Strategies From Women Who Break the Mold, to explore the concepts of Disruptors and Catalysts—and why business needs these innate change-makers now more than ever to drive sustainable outcomes. Patti challenges the traditional mindset (and us!) around the language of “empowering” Catalysts, urging leaders instead to acknowledge the inherent power within individuals and focus on equipping them to lead transformat...
Mar 18, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 85
In this insightful episode, we delve into the unique journey of Dan Ward , a Senior Principal Systems Engineer at MITRE, former Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, and author of four books, including The Simplicity Cycle and Fire. Dan reflects on his innovative career, spanning military service, systems engineering, and prolific writing, sharing lessons on catalyzing change and simplifying complexity.Dan’s anecdotes illuminate key ideas: the transformative power of collaboration—“a catalyst by themsel...
Feb 28, 2025•42 min•Season 4Ep. 84
In this episode, Cynthia Hansen , Managing Director of the Innovation Foundation at Adecco Group, delves into the non-linear career journeys of Catalysts. She reflects on her own leap from a civil society domain expert to leading a financial services practice at the World Economic Forum. She shares how the hiring manager was drawn to, what she articulates as, her Catalyst superpowers: identifying opportunities, setting a clear north star, establishing guardrails for exploration, and creating a s...
Feb 17, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 83
In this dynamic episode, Shellery Ebron , Senior Director of Corporate Innovation at RTI International, shares her journey of fostering innovation and leading transformative change. Known for her tagline, “dreamers that do,” Shellery emphasizes the importance of moving forward even in the absence of perfect information, inspiring teams to turn vision into action. Shellery shares her methodology for driving innovation: building a structured yet flexible roadmap with clear milestones to guide prog...
Feb 17, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 82
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of changemaking with Heather Jerrehian , VP of Product Management at ServiceNow and author of Sail to Scale. Heather, who describes herself as a “hexagon” rather than a square peg in a round hole, embraces her multifaceted nature as a Catalyst. She shares insights on why Catalysts are vital for organizations to navigate today's accelerated pace of change and how, as a leader, she prefers paving new roads over following old paths.Heather's wisdom on ar...
Feb 13, 2025•36 min•Season 4Ep. 82
In this inspiring episode, Shannon Schuyler , Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer at PwC, talks about the art of crafting a fulfilling and impactful career. Shannon, a trailblazer who has shaped her own roles multiple times, shares her insights on aligning your work with your purpose while simultaneously understanding and supporting the goals of key stakeholders to drive meaningful change. Shannon highlights the power of intellectual curiosity as a cornerstone of her success. This mindset has en...
Jan 09, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 81
In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Amit Sidhpura to explore the transformative power of self-discovery. Amit recounts his own journey, from climbing the corporate ladder and relocating to Singapore to confronting feelings of isolation and disconnection. This pivotal moment launched him into a quest to uncover his true self and personal purpose. Amit shares invaluable insights on aligning work with your vision of happiness and fulfillment. He emphasizes that true succ...
Jan 03, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 80
In this insightful episode, we sit down with David O'Malley , Principal at Stay Lean, Go Fast and former SVP of Product Strategy & Innovation at VNS Health, to unpack the essentials of leading change in large organizations. Drawing a brilliant parallel to Newton’s First Law of Motion, David reveals how overcoming inertia in organizational transformation begins with one crucial role: the Catalyst. He emphasizes that to get the rock rolling, leaders must build trust, identify a burning platfor...
Jan 03, 2025•40 min•Season 4Ep. 79
In this inspiring episode, we speak with Ruth Gotian , Chief Learning Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine, who has spent years studying the world’s most successful individuals, including Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions in order to understand what they do when the world isn't watching. Ruth shares her key insight: the value of choosing the more interesting path in life and balancing it with her mentor’s advice to “Do something important, not just interesting.” Ruth also tackles i...
Jan 03, 2025•35 min•Season 4Ep. 78
In this episode, Dr. Ebrahim Patel , Future Markets and Sustainability executive at RMB Bank, South Africa, introduces Innovative Empathy—a transformative approach for Catalysts driving change. He emphasizes the power of understanding stakeholder realities, including their constraints and resources, to foster trust and dismantle resistance. Drawing from his karate practice, Dr. Patel shares the importance of meeting resistance with humility and self-awareness, rather than force, offering a fresh...
Jan 03, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 77
In this episode, Katie Blum , Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation at the University of Illinois Foundation, shares valuable insights into the challenges she’s faced as a Catalyst executive. She explores three key hurdles: the need to balance visibility and influence, managing objection burnout, and cultivating a supportive community of “yes and” peers.. She emphasizes the power of amplifying other innovators’ work to gain visibility and understanding when it’s culturally appropriat...
Dec 17, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 76
Catalysts walk a fine line between being outsiders and belonging—a tension that fuels their ability to think differently and connect dots that others may not see. In this episode, George White , Director at Slalom, explores how Catalysts can navigate this knife edge of having a vision for change while needing to bring others along on transformative journeys. George shares how essential frameworks, like the Houde Prototyping Model, combined with the power of storytelling, can clarify a vision for...
Dec 17, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 75
In this podcast episode with Matteo Cattaneo , Group Chief Transformation & Services Development Officer at Reale Group, we dive deep into the key skills required to lead successful transformation efforts. Matteo emphasizes the importance of understanding the business and speaking the language of key stakeholders combined with the need to be able to stay aligned with the speed business and not move too fast. He shares insights on how to help organizations navigate the hype while creating saf...
Dec 05, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 74
