Inside the Leader's Mind

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/]

Chris Mele | The Science of Pricing: How Software Companies Leave Millions on the Table

Summary Chris Mele, CEO of Software Pricing Partners (SPP) and creator of the pricing management platform Levelsetter, joins David Suson on Inside the Leader's Mind to pull back the curtain on one of the most overlooked growth levers in B2B software: pricing. A computer science graduate turned Ernst & Young consultant, SaaS co-founder, and now pricing strategist, Chris breaks down why pricing isn't just math — it's licensing, packaging, and strategy working together. He shares how companies are hemorrhaging revenue through discount-happy sales teams, over-complicated offers, and a "set it and forget it" mindset. The conversation also goes deep on leadership: navigating layoffs with empathy, building mental fortitude as a CEO, and why the best business relationships form when you drop the facade and show up as a full human being. Takeaways * Pricing has three distinct pillars: licensing, packaging, and price point — and most companies only think about the last one. * The metric you choose to charge on ripples into every part of your business: sales, marketing, and customer trust. * Simplicity in pricing drives deal velocity — fewer choices close more deals faster. * Sales teams spending 80% of their time internally instead of with customers is a pricing and packaging problem in disguise. * CEOs who wait for a "chemical spill" moment to address pricing are already behind. * Mental fortitude as a CEO means staying calm and grounded even when the business is a roller coaster. * Empathy isn't soft — it's the foundation of retention, loyalty, and lasting business relationships. * Celebrate small wins deliberately; it's what keeps leaders and teams from burning out. Soundbites * "I made the firm over a million dollars and got a $7,500 bonus. I knew I was on the wrong side of the formula." * "If you pick a metric that is too constrained, you can expect revenues and valuation to also be very constrained." * "The antithesis of complexity — the purpose of monetization — is to make the right trade-offs for simplicity without sacrificing revenue." * "Business is personal. As soon as we understand there is no delineation there, you start to build very different kinds of relationships." * "I show up in my shoes, I command the floor the way I want to command it — adopting it on your own and making it your own is one of the most pivotal things that ever happened to me." Timestamps * 00:02 — Welcome & guest introduction * 02:48 — Chris's creative writing life and the Writers of the Future contest * 05:08 — How Chris went from SPP customer to SPP CEO * 06:42 — Why pricing isn't just math — it's strategy * 09:40 — The three buckets of pricing: licensing, packaging, and price points * 12:59 — How pricing complexity kills sales team productivity * 18:23 — The SaaS recession and why pricing is now a boardroom priority * 22:18 — The mindset difference between leaders who get pricing right vs. those who don't * 25:01 — Who in the organization actually champions pricing — CFO vs. CEO dynamics * 33:09 — What it really feels like to go from employee to founder/CEO * 40:26 — The mindset required to survive and thrive as a CEO * 45:25 — What was "in the way" that became the way: layoffs, empathy, and leading his own way * 49:30 — The person who shaped Chris's empathetic leadership style * 56:03 — The question Chris wishes more people would ask him https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermele/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermele/] https://softwarepricing.com/contact/ [https://softwarepricing.com/contact/]

Robynn Storey on Leadership Without Ego and Building a Business That Puts People First

Summary In this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Robynn Storey, Founder of Storeyline Resumes, to explore what leadership looks like when ego steps aside and humanity takes the lead. Robynn shares her unconventional journey from a high-level corporate role at Pepsi to waiting tables, and ultimately building a multi-million-dollar, fully remote company rooted in kindness, accountability, and trust. Robynn explains why she hires for character over credentials, how loyalty is earned rather than demanded, and why culture is built through everyday human moments rather than perks or programs. From sending care packages to protecting work-life balance, her leadership philosophy proves that compassion and high performance are not opposites—they are partners. Takeaways * Leadership without ego creates stronger loyalty and engagement * Culture is built in everyday human moments, not corporate perks * Hiring for character leads to long-term success and retention * Transparency and kindness drive performance more than fear * Strong leaders protect people, not just results Soundbites * "If someone on your team can call you for personal advice, you've won." * "Culture isn't a program. It's how you treat people when life happens." * "People will never work harder for you when you are mean to them." * "Success isn't privilege. It's the result of effort and care." * "We are not brain surgeons. I want people to go have a life." Timestamps * 00:00 – Introduction to Robynn Storey * 03:25 – Leaving corporate life and redefining success * 05:56 – Ego, identity, and waiting tables * 09:48 – Hustle mentality and leadership balance * 15:50 – Loyalty, care, and human-centered culture * 23:32 – Leadership lessons from corporate America * 29:35 – Hiring failures and automated systems * 37:55 – What truly creates strong culture * 45:22 – The donut question and final reflections Contact Links for the Guest * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynnstorey/ * Website: storeylineresumes.com [https://www.storeylineresumes.com/]