Julia Stefani | Designing a Life on Your Own Terms: Clarity, Courage, and the Leadership Lessons of Motherhood

Logan Cuvo: From Hockey Burnout to Building Best DamTape

Summary Logan Cuvo, CEO of Best Dam Tape, joins David Suson to share how losing his hockey identity became the start of a new entrepreneurial path. After years of chasing elite hockey, moving away from home at 15, and facing the pain of being benched and burned out, Logan had to decide who he was without the sport that shaped him. That transition led him to build a bootstrapped sports tape company while still in college, now used by NHL and NCAA teams. This conversation explores identity, resilience, imposter syndrome, ego, friendship, and what young leaders can teach more experienced ones. Takeaways Logan Cuvo built Best Dam Tape while still a full-time college student. His hockey dream ended earlier than expected, forcing him to rebuild his identity. Elite athletics taught him discipline, commitment, teamwork, and mental toughness. He believes athletes often "die twice": when their sport ends and when life ends. Best Dam Tape grew from a $9,000 inventory investment into a brand used by NHL and NCAA teams. Logan says imposter syndrome is real, especially in big rooms with powerful people. A key leadership lesson he has learned is to separate ego from decision-making. He believes young people can earn trust through genuine relationships and follow-up. Soundbites "Athletes die twice." "Either you consume the stage or you let the stage consume you." "I will not fail. I cannot fail." "Separate your ego from yourself and your decisions." "People across the world want to work with people that they like." "Don't undermine the power of friendship." "None of us have any idea really what we're doing." Timestamps 00:01 Welcome to Inside the Leader's Mind 02:30 What is Best Dam Tape 06:11 Building a business while graduating college 06:50 Growing up in hockey 08:18 Moving away from home at 15 10:09 When hockey stopped feeling like the future 11:41 Feeling like he let people down 14:12 Turning pain into a business idea 15:07 What hockey taught him about confidence 17:20 Rebuilding identity after disappointment 19:14 Imposter syndrome and big rooms 20:42 NHL teams, Walmart, and the moment it became real 22:11 Bootstrapping and staying scrappy 26:12 What older leaders miss about ego 28:46 Advice for people in an in-between season 31:10 Why friendship matters in business 33:20 Logan's favorite films 34:39 How to connect with Logan Contact links for the guest Email: logan@bestdamtape.com Website: bestdamtape.com Social: @bestdamtape

Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Aras Sheikhi on Risk, Resilience, and Rebuilding From Zero

Summary Aras Sheikhi, CEO of Janus Innovation Hub, has rebuilt his life from zero four times -- in Iran, Dubai, Australia, and now San Diego. A former faculty member at Sharif University of Technology, Aras found his calling as a bridge between academic research and industry need. After a successful exit in Australia, he launched Janus to support first-generation immigrant founders who have the resilience to build but need the right mentors, playbook, and community to thrive. Aras and David also explore neurodivergent entrepreneurship, why failure is just compressed learning, and what it really means to build your wings on the way down. Takeaways Immigrants are wired for entrepreneurship. Having rebuilt their lives, networks, and identity from scratch, first-generation founders carry resilience and flexibility -- the two traits that matter most in a startup journey. Mentorship only works when it's matched correctly. A mentor who hasn't lived the same concerns can't truly advise. Janus pairs founders with mentors from their own communities who understand the full picture -- visa stress, cultural pressure, and business all at once. Failure is compressed learning. Reframing failure removes the stigma and keeps founders moving. If you haven't pivoted or failed, you probably haven't built anything meaningful yet. Name it and tame it. When you rename failure as a compressed lesson, you can own it instead of avoid it. Language shapes how founders process setbacks and keep going. Neurodivergent thinkers see over the fence. Through co-founder Mustafa and the Nordic Frontier pipeline with Vanderbilt, Stanford, and UCSD, Aras is building ecosystems that treat neurodivergent thinking as an asset, not a limitation. Soundbites "Immigration is like building your wings on a way down when you don't have a safety net." "The idea is not important at all. The things you need are resiliency and flexibility." "If you know how to negotiate with your fear, congratulations -- welcome to the club. You are an entrepreneur." "When we see the fence, neurodivergent people see over the fence." "If I don't fail on a daily routine, something happened -- I'm on my safe side. And that is not development." Timestamps 00:01 -- Introduction: Aras Sheikhi, CEO of Janus Innovation Hub 01:14 -- From Iran to Dubai to Australia to San Diego: the full journey 07:07 -- When academia stopped being enough and the bridge role emerged 09:21 -- Seeing talent in others as a core leadership ability 11:25 -- Why immigrant founders need a different playbook 13:53 -- Mentor matchmaking: why community alignment matters 15:29 -- Life and business are interwoven -- especially for immigrants 17:18 -- Why immigrants may be naturally suited for entrepreneurship 20:06 -- Nothing to lose: the risk advantage of starting over 23:15 -- Where early-stage founders get stuck most often 25:07 -- How to destigmatize failure and keep moving 27:53 -- What pivoting signals about a founder's mindset 29:33 -- Defining neurodivergent: seeing over the fence 31:27 -- Mustafa and the founding of the Nordic Frontier pipeline 35:24 -- What changes when investors see neurodivergent thinking as an asset 39:32 -- The obstacle that became the path 43:49 -- The question Aras wishes people would ask him Contact Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aras-sheikhi-9210b54b/ Website: janusinnovationhub.com Keyword Tags Immigrant founders, entrepreneurship, startup ecosystem, Janus Innovation Hub, neurodivergent entrepreneurs, resilience, failure mindset, compressed learning, mentor matchmaking, San Diego startups, early stage startups, pivot strategy, Nordic Frontier, Vanderbilt University, UCSD, Stanford, Inside the Leader's Mind, innovation hub, immigrant leadership, ecosystem building

The Brain Behind Sharpie, Graco & Expo: Kris Malkoski on Building Billion-Dollar Brands From Farm Girl to Fortune 500

Summary Kris Malkoski, CEO of Learning and Development at Newell Brands, shares how growing up on a Nebraska farm shaped her leadership philosophy, work ethic, and ability to make a difference in complex organizations. From gathering eggs as a child to leading global brands like Sharpie, Graco, Paper Mate, Expo, Dymo, NUK, and Elmer's, Kris explains why leadership begins with clear expectations, personal accountability, human connection, and caring deeply about the people you lead. She and David Suson discuss what younger employees may be missing in a digital-first world, why meetings need more human presence and fewer distractions, how agile teams move faster, and why leaders must model the culture they want to create. Kris also shares why feedback is a gift, why developing people is 50% of business performance, and how her curiosity about what makes people tick has helped her build beloved consumer brands. Takeaways Work ethic matters, but making a difference matters more. Kris learned early that overdelivering creates opportunity, trust, and career momentum. Leadership culture starts at the top. If leaders do not define and model expectations, a culture will form anyway, but it may not be the one they want. Human connection drives speed and performance. Kris believes teams move faster when they talk directly, stay off devices in meetings, and operate with shared objectives. Developing people is part of the job. Kris says 50% of business performance is the business plan, and 50% is the people. Feedback is a gift. Honest, thoughtful feedback can help people grow, redirect their careers, and find success in the right place. Soundbites "If you always make a difference, it doesn't matter what your background is." "Control what you can and let go of what you can't." "Leadership agenda and behaviors start at the top." "My team and my business performance is as good as the weakest link." "Feedback is a gift." "People want fair, transparent expectation setting." Timestamps 00:02 Introduction to Kris Malkoski and her leadership background 03:40 Growing up on a Nebraska farm and learning hard work 04:52 Prioritization, resilience, and controlling what you can 07:57 Why making a difference became Kris's career mantra 09:00 Entering Procter & Gamble as a nontraditional candidate 16:06 Learning business through farm economics and brand leadership 18:22 Technology, analog writing, and the future of communication 22:09 Why Kris expects device-free, fully engaged meetings 24:53 Agile teams, shared objectives, and daily communication 29:38 Why Kris loves seeing people grow and develop 33:55 The CEO's role in organizational effectiveness 37:36 How leadership and parenting both require clarity and consequences 41:22 Caring about people while holding expectations 43:15 Why feedback is one of the greatest leadership gifts 45:26 How curiosity helps Kris build brands consumers love Contact links for the guest Kris Malkoski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-malkoski-2346122/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-malkoski-2346122/] Company: newellbrands.com Keyword tags Kris Malkoski, David Suson, Inside the Leader's Mind, Newell Brands, leadership, executive leadership, brand leadership, consumer packaged goods, CPG, human connection, work ethic, feedback, leadership development, agile teams, organizational culture, Sharpie, Graco, Paper Mate, Expo, Elmer's, women in leadership

Morag Barrett: The Hidden Cost of Disconnection at Work (And How to Fix It)

Summary In this episode, Morag Barrett, leadership expert and author, explores the growing epidemic of disconnection at work and its impact on performance, engagement, and wellbeing. She explains how modern workplaces have created an illusion of connection through technology, while true human relationships have weakened. Morag shares practical ways leaders can rebuild connection, from small daily interactions to modeling vulnerability. She highlights the business cost of disconnection—estimated at $406 billion annually—and shows how meaningful relationships directly improve results, safety, and collaboration. Takeaways * Success is powered by relationships, not just strategy or data * Disconnection is widespread—1 in 5 employees feel isolated at work * Technology creates an illusion of connection, not real connection * Small actions (like 5 minutes of banter) can transform culture * Leaders must model vulnerability to build trust * Disconnection impacts productivity, safety, and retention * Real connection improves decision quality and innovation * The shift starts with self-awareness: you, me, we Soundbites * "Fine is a four letter word." * "We've created an illusion of connection through technology." * "Success in business is powered by relationships." * "Metrics don't provide meaning—connection does." * "You can't build connection with others if you're disconnected from yourself." * "How can I help? is the question we don't ask enough." Timestamps 00:01 – Intro to Morag Barrett 01:27 – What she does and mission 02:49 – Transition from banking to leadership 04:49 – Defining disconnection at work 07:34 – Pre vs post-COVID connection challenges 10:21 – Business cost of disconnection 12:40 – Simple connection practices in meetings 13:28 – Executive pushback 15:38 – Technology and illusion of connection 17:35 – AI and emotional substitution 19:53 – Vulnerability and leadership 23:30 – Practical tools for teams 25:03 – What still surprises her 30:01 – Personal leadership obstacles 33:52 – Biggest influence 36:35 – Question she wishes people asked 37:35 – How to connect with Morag Contact Links for the Guest * Website: https://www.skyeteam.com [https://www.skyeteam.com] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/ * Ally Profile: https://skyeteam.cloud/youmewe

Julia Stefani | Designing a Life on Your Own Terms: Clarity, Courage, and the Leadership Lessons of Motherhood

Summary Yulia (Julia) Stefani, founder of SWolta Ventures and former Chief Product Officer at Treasure Financial, joins David Suson on Inside the Leader's Mind for a rich conversation about leadership transformation, radical honesty, and intentional career design. Yulia shares how becoming a mother in March 2020 — at the height of COVID — cracked open her definition of success and set her on a path toward a portfolio career that includes fractional executive consulting, real estate, and e-commerce. She reflects on what she learned scaling products at Expedia, Meta, and SoFi, how she turned around an underperforming team, and why the most overlooked leadership skill is truly understanding what drives the person in front of you — not who you think they are, but who they are right now. Takeaways * Motherhood can be the most transformative leadership school you never expected. * True empathy isn't putting yourself in someone's shoes — it's being them in their shoes. * The fastest path from complexity to clarity is defining your goal in actionable, measurable terms. * Leaders who came from building often either hold on too tight or let go too completely — both are costly. * What motivates someone today may be completely different six months from now — great leaders stay current. * A portfolio career isn't just about income streams — it's about designing work around what fulfills you. * AI makes now the best time ever for women to explore working independently and scaling themselves. * Radical honesty only lands well when the relationship is built first — otherwise it just sounds blunt. Soundbites * "I define myself with my professional achievements. And when I became a mom, I didn't expect much of that to change. It all changed." * "The biggest leadership job you'll ever have is raising a child who doesn't fully understand you yet." * "It's just as dangerous to drop something as it is to stay on it too long." * "Nobody will look out for you if you don't look out for yourself first." * "Mothers are the most productive workers you will ever have." * "Every environment is a brand new canvas. Bring your learnings, hold them loosely, and start with a beginner's mindset." Timestamps * 00:03 — Welcome & guest introduction * 02:15 — How motherhood completely rewired Yulia's definition of leadership and success * 06:24 — Can leadership empathy actually be taught, or does it take lived experience? * 10:59 — What SWolta Ventures does and the variety of problems founders bring * 13:35 — What Expedia, Meta, SoFi, and Treasure Financial each taught her about scaling * 17:22 — How she assesses whether a team and product are healthy from day one * 23:29 — The most common leadership mistake technical founders make * 27:50 — What coach-style leadership rooted in radical honesty looks like in practice * 34:00 — How she turned around an underperforming team at Treasure Financial * 36:05 — What leaders consistently misread about what motivates people * 41:13 — One practical step leaders can take this week to create clarity * 44:50 — What was in the way that ultimately became the way for Yulia * 47:34 — Advice for women in the workforce and for male leaders managing women * 53:15 — The question no one asks her — but should Guest Contact Information Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliastefani/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliastefani/] Website: https://www.swolta.com/ [https://www.swolta.com/]