Leading By Example: Executives Making An Impact – Details, episodes & analysis

In our premiere episode, Farnoosh Torabi sits down with Will Pearson, President of the iHeart Podcast Network, to uncover how his personal journey and core beliefs guided his path from college entrepreneur to podcast industry pioneer. Pearson reveals how his early experiences—launching a company from his Duke University dorm room—instilled leadership principles that still drive his decision-making today as he oversees the world's largest podcast network. Through candid conversation, he shares the deeply personal insights that informed pivotal choices throughout his career, from identifying the right business partner to making an early, conviction-driven leap into podcasting. Pearson opens up about how each phase of his journey—including building partnerships with creative forces like Will Ferrell and Shonda Rhimes—refined his leadership philosophy and shaped iHeart's innovative approach to podcast advertising that's transforming the industry.

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Welcome to 'Leading By Example: Executives Making An Impact,' from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio. What shapes a leader's core beliefs about building and guiding successful organizations? In this series, host Farnoosh Torabi ('So Money' podcast and CNBC) sits down with today's most influential executives and entrepreneurs to uncover the pivotal life experiences that define their leadership approach. Through intimate one-on-one conversations, these leaders reveal how personal challenges, victories, and transformative moments have profoundly influenced their vision for the workplace. Against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and evolving work cultures, discover how their hard-earned wisdom is helping chart a purposeful path forward for the future of work.

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In this timely and thought-provoking episode, we're joined by Shannon Schuyler, Chief Purpose & Inclusion Officer at PwC. Shannon brings her wealth of experience from three decades and over fifteen different roles within the global consulting firm. As organizations grapple with evolving federal policies around diversity initiatives, Shannon offers invaluable insights on creating lasting, authentic change in corporate culture. Drawing from her extensive career journey, Shannon delves deep into how companies can move beyond numbers to build inclusion programs that genuinely honor and support their employees' diverse experiences and backgrounds.

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Kathleen Griffith, the mastermind behind the bestselling book "Build Like a Woman," sits down with Farnoosh for an inspiring conversation about becoming a corporate burnout to building an empire. Kathleen reveals her transformative journey from feeling trapped in corporate advertising to becoming a serial entrepreneur and founder of Grayce & Co, where she has directed more than $500M in marketing dollars with clients ranging from NIKE Women to Verizon. Kathleen shares the essential principles that guided her success, giving intimate insights from her book and explaining how these lessons can help other women build thriving businesses without sacrificing their dreams.

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From Microsoft dropout to moonshot entrepreneur, Naveen Jain joins Farnoosh as he share's his quest to revolutionize healthcare through AI. From his humble roots in India to becoming the CEO of Viome, serial entrepreneur and visionary Naveen expands on his remarkable journey of resilience and innovation. The former Microsoft executive challenges conventional wisdom about entrepreneurship, revealing why successful founders should actually be risk-averse. Listen as Naveen details his leap into entrepreneurship, bouncing back from his Infospace departure, and his unique perspective on measuring true success.

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What does it mean to actually lead with empathy? In this candid, energizing episode, Farnoosh sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, to explore how emotional intelligence, radical transparency, and kindness can shape corporate culture. From redefining empathy as “riding shotgun” on someone’s journey to building an award-winning workplace from the inside out, Claude shares the origin story of her unconventional role, the challenges of navigating hybrid work, and her bold philosophy of emotional efficiency.

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Marisa Thalberg has made a career out of smart pivots—and bold bets. As Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at Catalyst Brands, she now oversees some of retail’s most iconic names, including JCPenney and Brooks Brothers—brands with deep roots and fresh potential. In this dynamic conversation, Farnoosh and Marisa dive into the art of leading with both confidence and humility, the value of bringing an outsider’s perspective to long-established institutions, and why embracing the “underdog mindset” can spark real transformation. Marisa shares the lessons she’s learned from navigating across industries—from luxury beauty to fast food to mass retail—and offers an honest look at what happens when big ideas don’t land. It’s a masterclass in resilience, modern leadership, and finding clarity in complexity.

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Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg have lived every chapter of theSkimm’s story—from scrappy startup to multimillion-user platform to their recent acquisition by Ziff Davis. In this candid conversation, Farnoosh sits down with the co-founders to explore resilience, leadership, and how they’ve stayed deeply connected to their audience of millennial and Gen Z women. They open up about rejection, burnout, and the challenges of being women founders—including the ones that still persist. Plus, the story behind their viral #ShowUsYourLeave campaign, why caregiving is the next workplace frontier, and how they’re helping women navigate the realities of adulthood—with clarity, confidence, and just the right amount of Froot Loops.

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Ryan Serhant has built a real estate empire by doing things differently. As the CEO of SERHANT.—a brokerage, media company, and tech platform all rolled into one—he’s redefining what it means to sell in the modern market. In this dynamic conversation, Farnoosh and Ryan talk about launching a company during the pandemic, building a brand that scales, and why “always in, all ways” isn’t just a motto—it’s a mindset. Ryan shares how he hires, the surprising way he tests for emotional intelligence, and why listening is his ultimate growth strategy. They also dive into AI’s growing role in real estate, what’s really behind the affordability crisis, and how innovation—not litigation—is Ryan’s favorite way to win.

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In this special in-between-seasons bonus episode of Leading by Example, host Farnoosh Torabi is joined by supervising producer Nakia (Kia) Swinton to reflect on standout leadership lessons from Season One. From authenticity and inclusion to empathy, expertise, and the power of introspection, Farnoosh and Kia revisit powerful moments and behind-the-scenes insights from their conversations with industry trailblazers including Will Pearson (iHeartMedia), Shannon Schuyler (PwC), Kathleen Griffith, Naveen Jain, Claude Silver (VaynerX), Marisa Thalberg, Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin (TheSkimm), and Ryan Serhant. Whether you're new to the show or a longtime listener, this highlight reel captures the spirit of the series—and sets the stage for an inspiring Season Two.

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