Inbal Shani dropped her PhD for a job offer she never expected to recieve, and it set off a career spanning Amazon, AWS, Microsoft, GitHub, and now Twilio, where she serves as CPO and Head of R&D. In this episode, Inbal explains how curiosity is really a leadership trait, why introverts can be the most connected leaders in the room, and how the future of product management is being rewritten.

References:

• AWS https://aws.amazon.com/
• Github: https://github.com/
• Inbal Shani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inbalshani/
• Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/
• Technion: https://www.technion.ac.il/en/
• Tel Aviv University: https://english.tau.ac.il/
• Twilio: https://www.twilio.com/
• Uber: https://www.uber.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:47 Inbal's childhood: introversion and learning to build

06:00 Being one of six women in aerospace engineering

07:06 Fostering a strong belief in yourself

09:36 Why Inbal dropped out of her PhD

13:27 Learning to lead others as an introvert

15:24 Why curiosity is a core leadership trait

16:45 Two books that shaped Inbal's career

18:27 What determines a great team member

22:40 Empathy is a prerequistie to success

26:36 How Inbal made her career choices

28:31 Advice to younger women navigating their career

31:14 Inbal's journey to CPO at Twilio

34:04 The future of product management

39:42 Could the app era be over already?

In today’s episode, Carly sits down with Scarlett Leung, Chief Brand Officer and Co-founder of Pretty Tasty, a collagen tea company. Scarlett shares her unconventional path from accountant, to turnaround CEO, to CPG founder, and how growing up around intense family entrepreneurship shaped her views on work. This conversation covers Scarlett’s experiences navigating parental expectations, making big career pivots without a rigid 5-year plan, and the stripped-back, unglamorous reality that is founding a consumer brand.

References:

• AllSaints: https://www.allsaints.com/
• Carolina Herrera: https://www.carolinaherrera.com/
• Deepak Chopra: https://www.deepakchopra.com/
• Deloitte: https://www.deloitte.com/global/en.html
• Estée Lauder: https://www.esteelauder.com/
• FreshDirect: https://www.freshdirect.com/
• Gucci Group / Kering: https://www.kering.com/
• Honest Tea: https://www.honesttea.com/
• L’Oréal: https://www.loreal.com/en/
• Lancôme: https://www.lancome-usa.com/
• LVMH: https://www.lvmh.com/
• MIT: https://www.mit.edu/
• Philip Morris International: https://www.pmi.com/
• Pretty Tasty: https://www.prettytasty.com/
• PwC: https://www.pwc.com/
• Sugarbreak: https://www.sugarbreak.com/
• Target: https://www.target.com/
• Uniqlo: https://www.uniqlo.com/
• University of Waterloo: https://uwaterloo.ca/
• Virgin Group: https://www.virgin.com/
• Waterloo Sparkling Water: https://www.drinkwaterloo.com/

Timestamps:

(01:17) Growing up with an entrepreneurial family
(06:59) The decision to study accounting
(09:47) Should you choose a risky career path?
(13:39) Unpacking Scarlett’s unique career journey
(18:12) Lessons learned from a travel-heavy role
(22:51) Why you need to advocate for yourself
(23:39) Why Scarlett went to MIT business school
(26:11) Scarlett’s superpower in business
(31:10) Pretty Tasty’s culture manifesto
(32:55) The journey to founding Pretty Tasty
(36:16) Developing the collagen product
(38:44) The one thing most CPG founders miss
(40:05) Advice for someone starting a company
(42:15) Scarlett’s scariest founder moment
(44:41) How to navigate a quarter-life crisis

Mandy’s a true trailblazer who transformed how more than half of people today find romantic connections – through online dating and dating apps. As CEO of Match Group after its 2015 IPO, Mandy led the company's expanding portfolio of dating apps including Tinder, Match.com, OKCupid and Plenty of Fish, while later adding Hinge to establish Match Group as the dominant force in online dating, that owns over 45 dating apps and services. 

During her tenure, Mandy broke new ground as the first female CEO to conduct a comprehensive organizational pay audit to address gender wage disparities. 

Mandy holds a Bachelors degree from UC Berkeley in Spanish and English literature, and then went on to earn her MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton.

Currently, Mandy also serves on the boards of Uber, ThredUp, Universal Music Group and Flow Health, while working as an Operating Partner at Advent International, a global private equity investment firm.

In this episode, Carly chats with Mandy Ginsberg (former CEO of Match Group and Princeton Review). Mandy covers her competitive nature from childhood, her transition from marketing roles to executive positions, and the remarkable gender pay audit she conducted.

The conversation highlights Mandy’s commitment to transparent, authentic leadership, showcasing why she’s such a compelling figure in the tech and business world.

For a deeper dive into the episode, check out Carly's Substack: https://carlymalatskey.substack.com/

Where to find She Leads:

• Apple Podcasts
• Website
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Instagram
• X (Twitter)
• Substack

Where to find Carly:

• LinkedIn
• X (Twitter)

Where to find Mandy:

• LinkedIn

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction to Mandy Ginsberg
(02:36) Mandy's Upbringing
(04:04) The Influence of Powerful Woman on Mandy
(07:00) Navigating Berkeley & the woman's soccer team
(11:51) You work for a person, not a company
(14:20) Leadership hack: support your team
(15:14) Psychology of consumer tech
(16:14) Wharton Business school lessons
(23:12) Early professional career at i2
(26:00) Joining Match.com's Chemistry
(35:25) Mandy leading Match Group
(37:58) Imposter syndrome
(43:28) How to evaluate new opportunities
(51:18) Building culture at Match Group w/ Shar Dubey
(56:30) Conducting the pay audit 
(01:00:08) Advocate for yourself at work 
(01:03:02) The power of vulnerability at work  

Mandy's craft that she's spending a lifetime honing? Learning new sports 🎾

Referenced:

• Edelman
• Flow Health
• Hinge
• Match Group
• Meta (formerly Facebook)
• OkCupid
• Plenty of Fish
• Princeton Review
• Salesforce
• ThredUp

After years of experience in the food industry as a Plant Manager at top companies including Sara Lee, See’s Candies and Bimbo Bakeries, Angie transitioned to an entire new industry as she is now the Vice President of Global Operations at Lyft! She shares the value of bringing a different perspective to the table, especially as a woman. From the insight in balancing motherhood and work, to the lessons learned embracing a career transition, Angie shares so many pieces of great advice. Enjoy!

Amy is a Partner at Accel - a leading venture capital firm that works with startups in seed and growth stage investments. Amy is passionate about finding growth opportunities, forming valuable relationships, and technology. Before Accel, Amy spent about 8 years launching new products, business lines, and markets in many different roles at companies including Uber, Stripe, and Twitter. She shares so many insights into career transitions, mentorship, and personal development - coming from being a woman in venture capital who adapted to this new career path. Enjoy!

Danielle Strachman is the Founder and General Partner of 1517! She has so much depth in her career experiences, from founding her own non-profit charter school, to being at the forefront of the well-renowned Thiel Fellowship, to founding 1517, a venture capital fund built on the belief that not everyone needs to attend university in order to pursue their passions. Danielle’s passion for helping others and entrepreneurship really embodies her “yes” mentality. She also chats about the importance of building a tight-knit community and seeking out founders who have such a pure passion for what they’re building that they wouldn’t be able to do anything else. For any young entrepreneur, this one’s for you - Danielle brings a wealth of knowledge and experience working with young entrepreneurs. Enjoy! 

Kristin Thayer is the Senior Director of Sales and Client Partnerships at 1stDibs, a marketplace for luxury design. Kristin shares her valuable experiences at multiple companies throughout the years, from her role in product partnerships at Facebook and Uber, to being a Partner in Market Development at the well-renowned  Venture Capital firm at Andreessen Horowitz. She shares the importance of advocating for yourself and always embracing the mentality to learn - regardless of your age or career stage.  She also shares the importance of transparency in partnerships, and how she has found success throughout her career.

Before starting her own company, Jess Hershfield has years of product management experience at both startups and large scale companies, including at Lime and Uber. After embarking on an international work experience, she shares her amazing experience overseas. Now, Jess is passionate about overcoming challenges and believing in her product. Her depth of experience offers so many lessons for everyone! 

 Yvonne Wassenaar - the CEO of Puppet, an infrastructure automation platform for large enterprises! Yvonne shares the path of her career, and the lessons she’s learned while navigating. She offers helpful tips for dealing with unconscious bias, and shares the importance of networking and managing your own career opportunities. Yvonne’s passion for mentoring is unmatched, and she has so many lessons for everyone! 

As the head of AWS Backup at Amazon, & Founder of Advancing Women in Product, Nancy is passionate about female leadership in big tech companies. She shares valuable advice for female leaders: forming relationships, building a reputation, and important principles for successful product managers. 

This - and so much more - from Nancy! Enjoy. 

Jess Galica shares the experiences she has working in both a start-up and large consulting firm, but most importantly the value of “checking in where your energy lies” and following your passion. Jess shares the lessons from her upcoming book, “ “Climb Your Own Ladder: Stories of Women Redefining Career Success”” which include the importance of looking at career evolution in the context of women, and the difference in the ways women approach career changes. 

Only 4% of sports coverage is dedicated to women's sports. Haley Rosen set out to change that by founding Just Women’s Sports, a company dedicated to promoting and highlighting women’s sports.  As a former collegiate and professional soccer player, Haley has experienced her fair share of injuries and setbacks. Now, as a young entrepreneur, she reflects on the lessons she learned during her time as an athlete and from her transition into the workforce. Haley’s story highlights resiliency, passion, and the search for purpose. Enjoy! 

Susan has had so much experience in technology companies over the years, and shares her journey from college to becoming CEO of Edmodo, a worldwide educational platform with nearly 150 million accounts! From the lessons she learned working at large companies, including early on at eBay and Google, to the importance of authenticity as a leader, Susan shares so many lessons for anyone seeking a leadership position in their professional (or personal) lives!

Resilience, Leadership, and Redefining Success with Farnaz Azmoodeh, CTO of Linktree.

In this episode of She Leads, Carly sits down with Farnaz Azmoodeh, the Chief Technology Officer of Linktree. Farnaz shares her remarkable journey, from growing up in Iran to becoming a leader in the tech industry. Her story highlights resilience, adaptability, and the transformative power of diverse leadership.

Join us as Farnaz reflects on her childhood, her passion for engineering, and her transition from technical roles to executive leadership. She also shares valuable insights into building a supportive work culture, fostering effective collaboration, and navigating challenges with a positive, gamified mindset.

Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a tech enthusiast, or simply looking for inspiration, this episode is packed with wisdom, vulnerability, and practical advice.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:52 – Introduction
• 02:03 – Farnaz's Early Life and Childhood in Iran
• 05:44 – Academic Journey and Introduction to Coding
• 08:53 – University Experience and Gender Dynamics in Engineering
• 12:18 – Transition to the United States and Cultural Adaptation
• 15:29 – Entering the Tech Industry and Joining Google
• 17:24 – Career Growth and Leadership at Google and Snap
• 23:09 – Reflecting on Tough Times and Resilience
• 25:50 – The Concept of Wartime Leadership
• 26:35 – "Bull in a China Shop": A Unique Leadership Style
• 28:12 – Building Relationships with Kindness
• 29:18 – Transitioning from Engineer to CTO
• 31:09 – Joining Linktree: A New Adventure
• 37:18 – Navigating Challenges with a Gamified Mindset
• 39:03 – Addressing Gender Disparities in Tech
• 42:09 – Redefining Success and Embracing Struggle
• 45:50 – The Art of Loving and Caring

Key Takeaways:

• How resilience shaped Farnaz’s journey from Iran to the U.S.
• The importance of adaptability in career transitions.
• Building strong work cultures and effective executive relationships.
• Addressing gender disparities and fostering diverse leadership styles.
• The evolving definition of success and finding joy in challenges.

Tune in to hear Farnaz’s inspiring story and her advice for aspiring leaders navigating their own unique journeys.

🎙️ Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | She Leads website

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Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, and many more.

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#SheLeads in FINANCE! Unlike many career paths, Mandy always knew she loved numbers - ever since she was helping her mom organize the family budget at 8 years old. Mandy’s passion has always been the driving force in navigating her career. Prior to her role as the Chief Financial Officer at e.l.f BEAUTY, Mandy held senior leadership roles at well-known brands in Albertsons, Safeway, and as the CFO at Bevmo! Beyond her tips for navigating one’s career, which involves the scary but effective cold-email, Mandy shares the top three-skills important for CFOs, grabbing opportunities as they come, and other pieces of insight for making transitions into various industries. 

#SheLeads in Law Enforcement! After years as an Award-Winning veteran SWAT officer, undercover detective and decorated US Air Force Desert Storm veteran, Lisa turned her focus to writing and became a reinvention coach. Lisa is used to being the only female in the room, especially during her time as a police officer and in the Air Force. Her early childhood and early relationships have taught her a multitude of lessons that she has carried with her throughout her career, whether it is in the police force, as a TV Crime Analyst, or as a reinvention coach. Key: Embrace a “Next, And” mentality, Use your Past to Motivate you, Not Diminish You. 

Leslie unpacks her book, “Pretty Good Advice” as she shares the lessons she’s learned throughout her career - from making Big Macs at McDonalds, to dropping out of university (or leaving and never returning as she likes to think of it), to then creating the most amazing, powerful beauty brand built on community, humor and creativity -- eventually taking bareMinerals public in one of the largest cosmetic IPOs when it was acquired for $1.8 billion dollars.  

Out of the 97 pieces of advice in Leslie’s book, here are a few that I love that Leslie unpacks more: desperation breeds creativity if you allow it to, use your fears and anxieties as fuel to pursue your passions, and one of my favorites: luck is just another form of optimism. Start believing you’re lucky and you’ll be surprised how this new outlook changes your outcome.

Please please do yourself a favor and read Pretty Good Advice if you haven’t already! It’s one of the most refreshing and genuine books out there and not only do you get to know Leslie as a person and leader, but you learn actionable tips to use in your personal and professional life. 

If you're enjoying SheLeads, please drop us a review! 

As the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Platform, Trailhead & Developers at Salesforce, Sarah specializes in bringing emerging technologies and trends into the market, and she shares her passion for helping people develop the skills needed to obtain their dream jobs. Sarah chats about the importance of female role models, embracing our natural empathetic instincts as a woman, and removing fear from decision-making in order to lean into our passion and purpose.

Becc Holland shares her passion for helping others, and most of all her excitement for the recent launch of Flip the Script, which provides an in-depth analysis of successful strategies for sales. From the lessons she’s learned transitioning from college to the workforce, to dealing with failure as a saleswoman, to always holding a high standard for yourself, Becc has so many valuable lessons for everyone. 

Enjoy!  

For years, Maggie Ntim has worked passionately with soccer players and athletes on and off the field. She shares her motivation to fight for what she believes in, and the key values she shares with the players she works with. She continues to break the glass ceiling by being the first African American female soccer agent who continues to fight for female athletes. As a successful female agent in the sports world, Maggie has overcome numerous obstacles and has so many lessons for everyone. Key Lesson: a “No” is just a maybe. 

 When people express doubts: In Maggie’s mind, “It’s possible … so, when they tell me that, I just laugh.” 

Enjoy the newest #SheLeads! 

Please like, share, and leave a review! 

After being a nurse practitioner for 28 years, Angie and her husband Dan decided to start popping popcorn at local spots around the community --- Angie’s BoomChickaPop began as a local hit, and soon became a national sensation. Angie shares her experiences as an entrepreneur, and offers valuable insight on the importance of teamwork and grit when starting your own successful business. She also provides some tangible advice and common traps for new entrepreneurs to avoid. Enjoy!

Before becoming the Senior VP of Engineering at Under Armour, Ann Funai shares her passion for being “glue that brought things together,” at IBM, People Admin and now Under Armour. Ann provides insightful tips on taking risks, and shares the difficult transition she made leaving IBM after 20+ years, but concludes: “It’s the best thing I could have done for myself.” From being a female in the technological workforce, to being yourself and overcoming self doubt, Ann shares so many lessons for everyone. 

As an early Silicon Valley pioneer founding and leading her own software company, Heidi Roizen shares insight to the importance of building a great team and forming honest relationships amongst peers. From the lessons she learned entering the job market with only an undergraduate degree, to the founding story of T/Maker, to entering (and dominating) the world of venture capital, it is clear that Heidi epitomizes what it means to be a #SheLeader!

She also shares the well-known 20-40-60 rule and how to approach mistakes: “Learn from the mistake and then learn to put it away. The more you can train your brain to do that, the better off you’ll be” 

This - and so much more - from Heidi! Enjoy, share, and subscribe!

For 20+ years, she continues to help businesses develop visual strategies and plans for the future through ArloSoul Visualize Innovation. From lessons she’s learned while finding her path, to challenges faced working with different customers, to writing her very own book, Chris shares so many lessons for everyone. For the unprecedented times, Chris shares how “If you can visualize yourself living into that future, it becomes much easier to say no to some things and yes to other things that help you move into that future.” -- Chris calls this the “Future Pull,” and shares many helpful pointers for our journeys to the future! Enjoy this new episode! 

Ossa is the President of Aurora – a public company that provides self-driving technology for safe, accessible, and efficient transportation - with a market cap of ~ $9 billion dollars.

Prior to Aurora, Ossa spent over twenty years at innovative technology companies in high-growth industries, serving in both strategic and operational functions. Most recently, she served as president & COO of Istation, a leading education technology provider serving millions of students across the United States. Prior to Istation, Ossa served as senior vice president of strategy and analytics at the dominant dating company Match Group, known for such brands as match.com and Tinder. In addition, she spent almost a decade at global consulting firm Bain & Co, ultimately serving as a partner in the technology, media, and telecom practice. She began her career as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs. 

Ossa also serves on the board of directors for Instructure, a public edtech company serving over 30 million users, and Hometown Ticketing, a digital ticketing company.

Ossa is a member of the Yale Alumni Association Board of Governors and has a bachelor’s in economics from Yale University, an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a master’s in education from Stanford Graduate School of Education.  She holds both Swedish and American citizenship and is fluent in both Swedish and English. She is also married with two teenage daughters.

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Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.

Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube

Check out the She Leads website

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In Today's Episode with Ossa Fisher We Discuss:
1. Ossa's Upbringing and Passion for School
2. Early Professional Years at Goldman Sachs 
3. Choosing To Go To Stanford Business Schools + Masters In Education
4. Joining Consulting at Bain for 10+ years 
5. Decision-Making Formula: Will I Regret It in the Future?
6. Self-Advocacy at Bain
7. The Biological Clock Women Face
8. Lessons in Transitions from IC to Manager
9. Choosing to join Match Group 
10. Goal-Setting 
11. Transitions into C-Suite Executive + Navigating Restlessness
12. Joining Aurora and Leading A $10Bn Company 
13. Honing the Craft of Influence

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For 30+ years, Shonda utilizes her passion for agriculture and finance to help create more investments in the agricultural community. Shonda hopes to inspire the younger generation to choose something that fascinates them; she encourages young people to dig into agriculture, because the importance of food will never dissipate. She discusses the impact that COVID-19 has had on agriculture and food sourcing -- “We need to have good strong localized systems, regional systems … really encourage people to be founders, to start businesses that might be perhaps considered slightly old fashioned, but are not old fashioned.”

As the founder and CEO of Van Robotics, Laura is aiming to explore the potential of robots to improve the lives of individuals with learning, social and communicative challenges. Similarly to many #SheLeaders, Laura had no idea she would be an entrepreneur. After discovering her new passion for education and technology, she never turned back, even though people told her she’s crazy. 

From starting Van Robotics to the challenges of receiving funding - we go through Laura’s journey and discuss the key traits in every leader. Laura gives advice for all female founders - always stay true to yourself, be transparent with your team, and know that an investor can’t define your success or failures!

For 20+ years, Shuly continues to bridge the gap between the Israeli and US business market by helping young entrepreneurs break into the US market. From the lessons she learned serving in the Israeli Defense Force to the founding story of UpWest, Shuly shares so many lessons for everyone -- New grads: treat your 20s as a “Decade of Discovery” - spend that time to find your passions and  curiosities - it’s worth it down the road.  Women: Shuly says “the tendency to doubt ourselves as women needs to just go away.” Everyone: Shuly reflects on the early stages of her career during the financial crisis to know that “we come out stronger from times like this.” 

In this #SheLeads, Monica Arés discusses how she went from an actuary to becoming a teacher. Her passion for #education continued to soar. Combining her “yes and..” mentality and her natural curiosity, she began to see the incredible amounts of innovation that are needed in the education sector. Now, as the Head of Innovative Technologies for Education at Facebook,  Monica focuses on using #VR/#AR technology to transform education. She also gives incredible advice about dealing with failure, or “happy accidents”, and the importance of recognizing that we are all a “work in progress” - we’re constantly evolving, growing and learning new things. So many takeaways that everyone can apply in their lives! Enjoy!

As the founder of PopSugar, Lisa Sugar reflects on her early career in advertising that eventually led her to reassess her future. POPSUGAR then became a side project that found her writing content at every moment she could: before work, lunch breaks, after work and more.

Beyond the insane growth (and some challenges) of the POPSUGAR journey, Lisa shares more about her book, "Power Your Happy" and gives incredible advice about work-life-blend, reaching out to people, and finding the right team - oftentimes, with people who are smarter than you! So many incredible lessons in this latest #SheLeads!

Lisa mentions: “I had been working really hard at great jobs that I didn’t love for a long enough time to be able to say ‘it’s time for a change.’”

#SheLeads in #Cybersecurity! As the founder and Chief Product Officer of Odo Security, Noa Shafir reflects on the fears she had starting her own company, the challenges that come with leading a team in Israel and the U.S, and how she took on the CPO role at Odo! We also chat about what it’s like to be a top leader in cybersecurity, a space that is often male-dominated regardless of the country.  

Noa mentions: “My biggest struggle is to be seen as an entrepreneur (who is also female) and not a female entrepreneur..”

#SheLeads in Broadway! Katrina Yaukey takes us into the world of Broadway, especially as a female leader in this industry. We discuss the mental and physical demand of doing 8 shows/week, how to embrace rejection in an industry where it is all too common, and the skills that she has learned in the entertainment industry that she used in starting her accordion repair business! 

Fun Fact: Katrina owns about 35 accordions…

“You won’t because you’re a female.” 

Eileen heard her fair share of this in the beginning of her career, especially as the only female in a male-dominated environment. Now, she uses this fuel to teach women all around the world to reach their full potential professionally. As an avid traveler, Eileen reflects on her decision to postpone a college degree and the challenges she faced juggling a full time job, night school, and a family. She discusses the importance of education, intentionally creating a space for failure, and how different cultures around the world perceive female leaders! 

Taylor’s passion for horses taught her that horse-showing and therapy are not mutually exclusive. With EQ Wellness, she teaches young boys and girls the power of therapeutic riding. Taylor discusses the importance of finding your community, celebrating the small wins in starting a business, and embracing challenges and hardships as learning opportunities. Enjoy the latest SheLeads episode with a leader in the equine industry! 

From career advice to building your resilience muscle, Parul shares it all in the latest #SheLeads episode! Throughout Parul’s life, she has fought professional and personal curveballs - whether it’s getting laid off unexpectedly from her dream job or getting diagnosed with breast cancer. If anyone knows how to be resilient, it’s Parul. She shares the lessons she has learned throughout her life - applying to jobs, finding your Ikigai, or dealing with hardships. Enjoy and be sure to share with others who could benefit from Parul’s incredible lessons!

Maureen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Baobab Studios, a 10-time Emmy winning interactive animation company that blends cutting edge technology (AI, metaverse, mixed reality) with storytelling. 

Baobab Studios was named Fast Company’s 2018 Most innovative company and the industry leader in merging gaming and Hollywood after winning 4 interactive Emmys. 

With Baobab, Maureen has created projects that have attracted incredible talent - including Oprah. John Legend, Kate Winslet and Ali Wong. 

Before founding Baobab, Maureen earned her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in a self-designed major that combined arts, computer science, and psychology. After Stanford, she held senior product and UI roles at ebay and also helped birth the social casual games revolution as Zynga’s VP of Games, overseeing the original Farmville franchise.

She also interned at Pixar while completing her master’s degree at Harvard Business School.

Maureen’s work has earned her recognition as one of Ad Age’s Most Creative People of the Year, Gold House’s Top 100 Influential Asians, and Variety’s Executive to Watch and Top Digital Creative lists.

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Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.

Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube

Check out the She Leads website

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In Today's Episode with Maureen Fan We Discuss:
1. Maureen's Upbringing and Values Instilled 
2. Early Adversity in Assimilation with Asian Identity
3. Conflict between Passion and Job Security 
4. Attending Stanford University: Creating Her Own Major 
5. The Power of Champions and Mentorship
6. How To Ask for a Mentor
7. The Value of Business School: Is It Worth It?
8. Doing the Dirty Work in Hollywood
9. Transition into Tech at Ebay and Zynga 
10. Founding Baobab Studies 
11. Building Self-Esteem + Confidence as a Founder 

Please share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

“I signed up before my mind had a chance to tell me it wasn’t possible.” 

Although Leslie said this before signing up to run a 50K ultramarathon, Leslie learned this lesson much earlier on when she was a Captain in the US Army. The Lieutenant Colonel telling her she’s a liability rather than an asset set the foundation for Leslie’s future in teaching others that it is up to us to change our inner recording. While we can’t control the outside, there is one thing we can control: our thoughts. This episode is truly special from a U.S Army Veteran who is now using the lessons she learned throughout her career to help other leaders. A #SheLeader in every sense of the word. Enjoy!

 Shanna discusses her path to starting Modsy, an online interior design platform to help you decorate your new living space. Before Modsy, Shanna started a company in the gaming industry that later got acquired by Autodesk. To be the best entrepreneur, she added #VentureCapital into her toolkit as a Partner @GoogleVentures to understand what it’s like sitting on the other side of the table. Beyond her incredible journey, learn about Shanna’s goal-setting technique that she makes all of her employees do at Modsy! 

SheLeads in #Education! Tanya Sheckley is no ordinary mother. Having a daughter born with cerebral palsy, Tanya heard countless times from schools that it’s not educationally necessary for her daughter to reach her potential. Struggling to accept this, she took it into her own hands by founding UP Academy, a school for all students to reach their full potential. Tanya’s journey is so inspiring! She shares the roller coaster of a ride it has been starting her own school, the importance of mentality as a leader, and so much more. Enjoy! 

As the author of the best-selling career advice book, Leave Your Mark, Aliza Licht shares the secrets to planning out your career, getting a job during COVID-19, approaching failure, and so much more! Also, hear about Aliza’s “goal folder” - a trick she’s used throughout her career to keep track of her wins and losses. Enjoy this great episode with Aliza! 

As the Head of Enterprise Sales at Slack, Dannie Herzberg discusses her career path that led her to a role where she thrives working closely with other people.Beyond sales, Dannie shares tangible tips for everyone to practice, whether it’s setting goals, establishing relationships with your team, or becoming more resilient and comfortable with rejection - a key trait for anyone to succeed - especially in Sales. So much packed into this episode. Enjoy!

As the Founder and Executive Director of Spread The Vote, Kat is helping people attain the state IDs necessary to vote - which is more important than ever right now. Beyond her story of founding Spread the Vote, Kat shares lessons in learning from those who come before you, the challenges of social entrepreneurship, and the fundamental rule in leadership: treat your employees the way you would want to be treated. Enjoy this fun episode!

Lexi discusses the importance of embracing the journey in navigating your career, the top skills that every COO needs to have, and a tool she uses to practice work-life integration as a top tech leader, mother, and wife (and more). Bring a pen and pad to this one! Enjoy.

Learn from Ann’s incredible career to know what it takes to truly make an impact in the world. She shares her career path, her passion to make a level playing field for founders and funders everywhere, and her "sphere of control" when dealing with uncertainty - especially now during COVID-19. 

Melinda Thomas is the Co-Founder and COO of Octave Bioscience, a company aiming to improve outcomes in neurodegenerative diseases. Melinda discusses key aspects in leadership. Key themes include practicing the 80/20 Rule, having a bias towards action, and never lowering the bar when hiring - even when push comes to shove.

This week’s episode brings you Natalie Pierce - from being a first-generation college student to a Partner at a top Law firm at Littler Mendelson, Natalie talks about the importance of seeking mentors, being a female in law, and the future of work with the adoption of new transformation technologies, including AI and automation.

Lara leads all things marketing, partnerships, business development and communications at Linktree, a platform that allows creators to build personalized landing pages with multiple links to all of their content.

Before joining Linktree, Lara spent a decade at Twitter (now known as X), where she served as Global VP of Partners & Marketing. In her early days at Twitter, she was the Head of Entertainment and Lifestyle Partnerships, where she shaped and redefined Twitter’s narrative for talent and entertainment partners.

One of her standout achievements in this role was spearheading the iconic activation of Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie at the 2014 Oscars.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester and began her career as Editorial Director at US Weekly, back when it was owned by Wenner Media.

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Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.

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In Today's Episode with Lara Cohen We Discuss:
1. Lara's Upbringing
2. Career + College Aspirations in Political Journalism
3. Early Career at US Weekly - Entertainment Journalism
4. Entertainment Media Pre-Social Media
5. Journalism Culture: Deadlines, Constant Grinding, Hustle.
6. Transition from Conventional Journalism into Tech at Twitter
7. The Genesis of the Iconic Ellen Degeneres Selfie at the Oscars
8. The Value of Being the Non-Technical One in the Room
9. The Power of Storytelling in Marketing
10. The Rise and Implications of the Creator Economy
11. Twitter Under Elon's Takeover
11. Linktree's Campaign for Voter Registration is LIVE! To find out more information, check out the Linktree blog and this USA Today article

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Vanessa Larco, Partner at NEA - New Enterprise Associates. Prior to venture, Vanessa has extensive experience in the social gaming industry as a ProductManager and as the founder of her own company. She shares her insight on career-planning, the parallels amongst PM and VC, investment decisions, and so much more. Enjoy!

Sylvia Acevedo, the CEO of Girl Scouts, shares incredible stories throughout her career - beginning at Stanford University to now Girl Scouts (while being a Rocket Scientist at NASA in between). Sylvia shares lessons in negotiation, confidence, and goal-setting, and wow - so much more.

Kara is the founder and CEO of Hint, Inc. - the healthy lifestyle brand best known for its hint water! Kara shares the founding story of Hint and the many lessons learned along the way about failure, fundraising, hiring, and more. Please enjoy, take notes, and share with others. (and apologies for the odd lighting -- just one of the tricky parts of Zoom interviews!)