How Leaders Lead gives you a front-row seat to exclusive conversations with the world’s most iconic leaders across business, sports, and entertainment. Hosted by David Novak, Co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, this podcast pulls back the curtain on how top CEOs, founders, and game-changers make things happen. When you tune in, you’ll learn from legends like Tom Brady, Condoleezza Rice, Jamie Dimon, Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), Indra Nooyi, Stanley Druckenmiller, and more.
Other guests include:
CEO of Starbucks
CEO of Target
Co-founder of Home Depot
and many others...
David’s unique perspective and thought-provoking questions distill the wisdom of these leaders into actionable insights you can use to elevate your own leadership game. Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or already leading teams, this show helps you build the confidence you need to lead well.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 25/09/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to How Leaders Lead with David Novak, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
#310: Demond Martin, Cofounder and CEO, WellWithAll – Recognize how others shape you
Episode 310
Thursday, September 24, 2026 • Duration 56:05
A lot of leaders brag that they’re “self made.”
Demond Martin says he’s “community built.”
He recognizes all the people who helped him move out of a violent environment as a preteen and go on to work at the White House, graduate from Harvard Business School, and become a successful hedge fund manager.
Now, as the Cofounder and CEO of the wellness brand WellWithAll, he’s trying to do the same for others – putting a portion of profits toward ending health inequity.
In this conversation, you’ll get an inspiring look at Demond’s philosophy of being a “friend of the good” – someone who sees the humanity in other people and builds relationships on respect, not transactions.
When you learn how to surround yourself with those people (while striving to be one yourself!), you’ll find a whole new level of meaning and purpose in leadership.
This episode is for you if:
You’re wondering if you can scale a business while keeping people at the center
You want to either find a mentor – or become one
You want to develop more ways to give back through your business
You could use a big jolt of inspiration
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#309: Ben Zobrist, 2x World Series Champion – Prepare for pressure
Episode 309
Thursday, September 17, 2026 • Duration 01:07:32
Game 7 of the 2016 World Series had gone to extra innings. The Cubs were trying to break a 108-year championship drought that some called a curse.
If you’re a baseball fan, you already know what happened next: With two runners on base, Ben Zobrist stepped up to the plate. Despite being 0-4 in the game so far, he pinged a double to left field that brought in the winning run and made him a Chicago legend.
So yeah, Ben Zobrist knows about pressure.
And you do, too: pressure is a part of every leader’s reality. How you understand it, prepare for it, and handle it in the moment can make or break your career – not to mention your overall sense of well-being.
This conversation is a candid look at how to navigate all the pressure you face – from success, from failure, from life in general – plus the habits and routines that keep you ready and regulated when you’re feeling it.
This episode is for you if:
You struggle to deal with pressure, especially after a big success
You’re trying to find better self-care habits and routines
You want to get better at understanding and managing your emotions
You’re a coach or parent of a child athlete
You just love all things baseball
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
Imagine being Zac Taylor in 2019. He was 0-11 in his first season as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. He knew they were doing a lot of things right, but the results just weren’t coming.
Eventually, they did: just over two years later, Zac led his team to the Super Bowl.
But for a while, there was a big, painful gap. And you may be in a similar place right now – where you believe you’re on the right track, but the results aren’t showing up yet.
In this conversation, you’ll see what great leadership looks like in those seasons when you’re building, grinding, and learning – but not necessarily seeing results. It’s a powerful reminder of the power of consistency … and a fun way to get ready for another exciting year of NFL football!
This episode is for you if:
You’re in a season where progress feels invisible
You need solid advice on managing elite talent
You’re trying to connect more meaningfully with your team
You want to know what weirdly simple habit Zac attributes his success toTake your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#307: Clark Lea, Head Football Coach, Vanderbilt – Belief is a practice
Episode 307
Thursday, September 3, 2026 • Duration 01:15:02
We’ve all got big goals and dreams, both for ourselves and our people.
But often, there’s a gap between what we say we want and what we’re actually willing to do to get it.
Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea is obsessed with closing that gap. For him, the ultimate measure of your beliefs isn’t how you feel or what you say. It’s the actions you take. And that alignment is at the heart of the incredible turnaround he’s leading.
Under his leadership, Vanderbilt’s football program has gone from being the punching bags of the SEC to one of the NCAA’s most exciting teams, notching their first 10-win season in 2025.
This conversation gives you an inside look at what’s driving their success … and an inspiring reminder that your true beliefs show up in what you practice, not what you preach.
This episode is for you if:
You feel disconnected from your goals or your core values
You want to disrupt a culture that’s gotten used to losing
You’re feeling discouraged after a setback
You just love all things college football
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#306: Tony Spring, Chairman & CEO, Macy’s, Inc. – Hit the ground listening
Episode 306
Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 01:04:03
Everyone says to “hit the ground running.” Tony Spring thinks that’s terrible advice.
Tony is the Chairman and CEO of Macy’s, Inc. an iconic retail institution with over 150 years of history. He took charge in 2024 after a 35-year career moving through the ranks at sister company Bloomingdale’s. But despite knowing the organization well, he didn’t come right out with a shiny reinvention strategy.
Instead, he hit the ground listening – to customers, colleagues, data, and the culture at large.
For Tony, listening isn’t passive. It’s something you do with your whole heart and mind. And it’s the foundation of any big change, including a turnaround.
If you want to see how he does it (with plenty of memorable stories and metaphors along the way!) don’t miss this episode.
This episode is for you if:
You work in the retail or hospitality industry
You’re leading a big change or turnaround
You want to be more intentional in meetings
You’re not sure whether to kill an initiative or keep developing it
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#305: Harry Arnett, Cofounder & CEO, MUNICIPAL – Bet on yourself
Episode 305
Thursday, August 20, 2026 • Duration 01:08:43
As a leader, you take chances all the time. On big ideas. On new hires. On financial investments.
But when was the last time you bet on yourself?
That’s what Harry Arnett did when he co-founded the golf sportswear brand MUNICIPAL along with Mark Wahlberg. After years of success running marketing at Callaway, Harry realized it was time to find a new challenge – something that would help him grow into the person he knew he could be.
In this candid conversation, Harry breaks down what it really means to bet on yourself: the fear, the risk, and ultimately, what it takes to choose growth over comfort.
This is episode is for you if you:
Have ever thought about leaving a comfortable job to start something new
Want to know the trick to good marketing (hint: it doesn’t involve marketing)
Are asking big questions about work, life, and integration
Don’t want your functional expertise to limit your next career move
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#304: Ron Johnson, Creator of the Apple Store – A great customer experience is an act of love
Episode 304
Thursday, August 13, 2026 • Duration 01:10:31
You’ve probably been inside an Apple Store. And if you have, you know: it’s a totally different kind of retail experience.
That’s because of Ron Johnson. He was Steve Job’s handpicked hire to launch the Apple Store, after Steve saw how Ron revitalized Target with an emphasis on design.
He and Steve Jobs worked closely to launch what has to be one of the greatest retail experiences ever built. In this episode, you’ll see exactly how they did it – and how it all stemmed from Ron’s belief that you should love your customers.
He also talks (with refreshing vulnerability!) about what he learned from his failed turnaround attempt at JCPenney.
This episode is for you if:
You need to improve the customer experience at your company
You’re trying to get buy-in on a big idea
You want to build more excellence into your culture
You admire Steve Jobs and the Apple brand
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#303: Ben Goodwin, Cofounder, CEO & Formulator, OLIPOP – The power of emotional intelligence
Episode 303
Thursday, August 6, 2026 • Duration 54:45
It’s statistically harder to get a job at OLIPOP than it is to go pro in the NBA.
And after this conversation with CEO and Cofounder Ben Goodwin, you’ll see why.
OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda Ben formulated and built from the ground up. So how did he go from creating tasty soda products to building a culture that everyone wants to be a part of?
It all comes down to emotional intelligence.
You can have the best product in the world. But if you lack the emotional intelligence to connect with people and create a mission they want to be a part of, your bottom line will suffer.
This episode is for you if:
You’re an entrepreneur (or thinking about becoming one)
You want to attract better talent
You do any kind of product development work
You want a few fun facts about soda to drop at parties
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#302: Varun Krishna, CEO, Rocket Companies – Culture is rooted in behavior, not words
Episode 302
Thursday, July 30, 2026 • Duration 01:13:22
We’ve all heard the famous quote that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
But as CEO of Rocket Companies, Varun Krishna knows that a healthy work environment doesn’t just happen. In this episode, he talks about why so many organizations get it wrong. He also shares several key principles he and his team use to forge their culture in real behavior, not just words on a slide deck.
That foundation has allowed Rocket to scale massively—including over $16 billion in acquisitions—without losing who they are.
This episode is for you if:
You are always looking for ways to strengthen your culture
You want to find a noble cause for your business
You develop products or work with customers
You want to be more present at home
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.
#301: Julie Bornstein – Founder & CEO, Daydream – People skills matter most
Episode 301
Thursday, July 23, 2026 • Duration 01:13:42
The tech landscape is changing faster than ever, as we’re all trying to navigate big shifts in AI, consumer shopping habits, and more.
But it’s nothing new to Julie Bornstein. She’s been at the forefront of retail for decades, leading big brands like Nordstrom and Sephora through the ecommerce revolution.
And now, as the Founder and CEO of the AI-powered fashion search engine Daydream, she’s once again at the bleeding edge of technological change.
But through every shift, the thing she keeps coming back to is this: people skills matter most.
In this conversation, Julie will help you stay on the front edge of technology – without sacrificing the people skills it takes to make them work.
This episode is for you if:
You’re thinking about making the shift from corporate to entrepreneurship
You’re doing any work with customer-facing AI
You want to understand the future of retail and ecommerce
You’re trying to design a strong loyalty program
Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:
The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go
Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.