August 20, 2024 • 45 mins
Dive into this week’s episode of Women in the Arena as we sit down with Kash Rocheleau, the dynamic new CEO of Icon Foods. Kash's journey is anything but ordinary—what began as a desire to be a stay-at-home mom transformed into a trailblazing career in the corporate world.
🌟 Highlights of Kash's Journey:
- 💼 Unexpected Beginnings: Kash started at Icon Foods as an executive assistant, soon realizing her calling extended far beyond the role she was hired for. Her rapid ascent to CFO—despite lacking traditional experience—demonstrates the power of unyielding determination and strong mentorship.
- 🏗️ Building Credibility: Kash shares the importance of seizing every opportunity, no matter how small. From becoming forklift certified to embracing servant leadership, she reveals how these actions cemented her respect and credibility within the company.
- 🚀 Navigating Leadership in a Male-Dominated Industry: As a young female CEO, Kash faces unique challenges. Hear how she uses her strong voice to combat disrespect and drive an inclusive work culture, proving that small victories can have a big impact.
- 🌱 Embracing Failure & Growth: Kash opens up about the lessons learned from professional missteps, like presenting inaccurate financial data. She explains how these moments fueled her growth and strengthened her leadership.
- 💡 Networking & Mentorship: The episode concludes with Kash’s heartfelt insights on the value of networking, mentoring the next generation, and cherishing life’s chaotic phases.
Join us for an inspiring conversation that celebrates Kash Rocheleau's remarkable leadership and the optimism she brings to the future of Icon Foods.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kash-rocheleau-a0678528/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Audra (00:00):
Welcome in everyone and thank you so much for joining me
again this week.
This week.
I cannot wait for you to meetthis amazing woman that I was so
impressed with the very firsttime I met her this week.
My guest is Cash Rochelleau.
She's a young woman that haslearned to take advantage of
(00:20):
every opportunity, even if theopportunity wasn't readily
obvious right away.
She is currently the newlyappointed CEO of Icon Foods.
She has worked her way up fromstarting at the very beginning
and learning the organizationfrom the ground up.
(00:42):
She's here to discuss with ushow she learned to grow and
flourish in the most humble ofplaces to the very greatest
heights.
It is both my pleasure and myhonor to introduce to you Cash.
Cash, thank you so much forbeing here and welcome to the
show.
Kash (00:57):
So thank you, the honor and pleasure is all mine.
Audra (01:01):
Cash, as I said in the intro, I was extremely impressed
with you the very first timethat I met you, because you are
a very young CEO.
You are newly appointed intoyour role and, as I indicated in
the intro, you started withyour organization from.
You were very young and youstarted from a very entry point
(01:25):
of view, so do you mind sharingwith us your beginnings with
your organization and how youtook advantage of the
opportunities that werepresented to you and how you
worked extremely hard to gainknowledge and experience to get
(01:49):
where you are in your positiontoday?
Kash (01:52):
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean, my career start wasa little bit of a fumble because
I always wanted to be a momfrom like the jump and when my
husband and I met we had quite abit of infertility, which I
think just exacerbated the factthat I wanted to be a mom.
And this fairy tale of stayinghome with my kids, or what I
(02:15):
thought was a fairy tale, whenit finally came to fruition, it
just it wasn't for me and I aminfinitely grateful and amazed
by all parents that choose tostay at home life and for even
furthering that point.
My husband actually stays homewith our kids now and he thrives
in that position.
And a very terrible, it was avery terrible time in my
(02:39):
marriage just because I thoughtI wanted this, I was fortunate
enough to do it, I was sounhappy, which I think also kind
of came across as ungrateful,and so I finally just got to the
point where I was like I justwant to go back to work and my
(03:00):
husband was grateful that I cameto that decision.
But I didn't know what I wantedto do.
I had a degree, but I didn'thave any hard skills.
I had a business degree, verygeneral.
What do you do with that.
Everyone says you could doanything with a business degree,
which you can, but it leavesinfinite opportunities where you
go to look.
(03:20):
And so I went to job postingsand there was a post for an
executive assistant to a CFO andat the time I was like how hard
could it be?
Right, you can't mess this oneup.
My only trepidation was Ididn't really love math and so
(03:45):
that was all I could think aboutin the finance world.
So I sent in a cover letter,sent in my resume, and they
accepted me here at Icon Foodsand I learned to love it.
I had a great mentor in the CFOspot at the time who was very
(04:06):
good about teaching and therewas no dumb questions and really
brought me along the processand everything that she did.
And about two months into thisendeavor she needed to go back
to Hawaii to care for somefamily members at the time and
we were not set up to be remote,and so she put in her
(04:29):
resignation and said I thinkCash could do my job.
And at the moment, you know,it's kind of this catch-22.
Like you know, there's so manypeople in the world that would
be grateful for this opportunity, but there's also so many
people in the world that wouldbe grateful for this opportunity
, but there's also so manypeople in the world that are way
more qualified than I am.
(04:49):
I said yes very reluctantly, butI think the difference between
a lot of people that I've seenin these positions is I said yes
but was willing to do anythingit took to get to the level I
needed.
I was also fortunate enough tobe provided with a very
supportive team who kind of wasgraceful with me along the way
(05:13):
but also provided me with thetools that I needed.
No one else in the business hada finance background, and so I
was given contacts for people inthe industry, contacts for
people in the area who, again,never judged when I called and
asked some very stupid questionswith the title that I was
(05:35):
holding, and I think that thatjust changed the trajectory of
everything and from that Ilearned to not only love the
finance world, but I started todo that in every area of the
business in such detail that ifthey wanted me to learn how to
drive the forklift or theopportunity was granted I went
(05:57):
and got forklift certified.
I went out into production andran production with our team.
When you mentioned that I tookevery opportunity.
I truly took every opportunity,whether it pertained to finance
or not.
If it could better my career orbetter my resume, I was willing
to say yes.
Audra (06:17):
Well, I think, first of all, you've said a lot of things
right there.
The first thing that you saidvery bravely which not a lot of
women are willing to say outloud which is you didn't thrive
being a stay-at-home mom.
I am also one of those womenthat was not a great
(06:41):
stay-at-home mom.
I did it for a year.
I'm grateful that I did it fora year.
I was miserable, yes, I just Itried really hard to love it.
I couldn't.
That is not to say that I lovemy children any less.
A hundred percent.
Kash (07:20):
But I think it's a very taboo subject.
I mean we don't need to getinto fertility.
I mean that's a whole nothersubject, conversation for a
different day.
But I think when we look atwomen specifically, there's so
many tab my heartbeat from theinside and they're walking
around this world as anextension of me, and so I do.
I love them infinitely.
But yeah, to your point, I justI felt like I didn't, it wasn't
(07:40):
enough of a purpose for me.
Audra (07:43):
Yeah, there was something more that you had to be.
Yes, and I just for me.
I wasn't enough of a mother forthem, only being their mother.
Yeah, I had to be somethingelse, to be a fully mother for
them.
I don't know if that makessense, oh it does.
Kash (08:06):
And I think when you say that, the first thing that comes
to mind for me is when I lookedat myself at that point.
I was somebody's wife, I wassomebody's mother, I was
somebody's daughter, but all ofthese things were like
identifiers for someone else andI hold my mother title and my
daughter title and my wife titlevery near and dear to me.
(08:28):
But when I really looked in themirror I was like, what am I
doing for myself?
Where is the identity in myself?
Because, sadly, one day mychildren are going to go live
lives of their own and myparents parents, very
unfortunately are not going tobe here for all of my life and
while my husband is kind ofstuck with me, he can't be my
(08:52):
identifier.
I can't identify myself in myhusband and he shouldn't have to
bear that responsibility either.
And so that was, that was forme.
And again, I want to be veryclear in that.
There are people that findpurpose in that and I am so
grateful and I don't want todiminish that because that's
(09:13):
great.
It just wasn't for me.
Audra (09:16):
Like I said in the beginning, you took advantage of
everything else that was put infront of you, even if it wasn't
readily obvious of where it wasgoing to lead you, like getting
fork truck certified.
You would not necessarily knowwhere that was going to lead you
or what opportunity that thatmight present to you in the
(09:37):
future.
I mean, no one would say, hey,that's going to add to your
repertoire of being a better CFO, but it did.
Kash (09:47):
It did, and the funny thing is is that it didn't
really add to my resume, but itadded to the respect that I have
with people here and it addedto.
I mean, I try to uphold myselfto the standard of not asking
people to do things that I'm notwilling to do myself.
I don't ever want to ask any ofour warehouse team to stay
(10:09):
after five o'clock to load atruck.
That's late if I'm not willingto do it myself.
And so I would say that thoselittle things in the moment they
seem so minute and I think itgets really easy to say like
that's below my pay grade or whywould I do that?
But the relationship that Ibuilt throughout the entire
(10:32):
company and the respect that wasmutually earned, that was the
value in kind of some of thoselittler things.
And to me they may seem little,to listeners they may seem
little, but they still talk toeach other about it.
Like our CEO has come down andspent a week getting forklift
(10:55):
certified.
Who else is doing that in theindustry?
Audra (10:59):
I mean, it's this credibility that you have earned
with the people that work foryou, and that's one of the
things that we wanted to talkabout, which is leading from a
different point of view andbeing a different type of CEO
and having a differentperspective, because I have said
(11:23):
many, many times on my showthat corporate America, in its
core, has not been built forwomen, but you're a different
kind of leader, so you'rebuilding a different structure
where everybody can thrive.
(11:43):
Yeah, and that's one example isthat you're not doing something
or you're not asking somethingthat you're not willing to do
yourself, like driving aforklift, like staying late.
What other examples are youdoing to lead differently and
(12:04):
build a different structure sothat everybody can thrive?
Kash (12:10):
Yeah, I think one of the biggest things for me is that I
try to be a servant leader.
I'm not always successful inthat, but I definitely like that
.
That's what I try to do.
I would say that it's reallyimportant to me to to use my
words wisely and in speakingwith people, and which is very
(12:31):
hard for me because I'm a veryfast moving person, just
naturally in all areas of mylife, and so I like to make
decisions quick.
I like to get things off theto-do list quick, and I've
learned moving from the CFO tothe CEO.
It has some big changes and somesmall changes.
Some of those bigger changes isthat you now are making
(12:53):
decisions for the entireorganization and so, although I
want to make decisions quick,who am I affecting?
And so I'm really slowed downin my decision making.
But something that's reallyimportant to me is making sure
that the team understands andknows that they don't work for
me, that they work with me, andwithout them we don't have
(13:16):
anything, and and I found thatwhen they feel like they're a
part of something bigger thanthemselves or a part of this
team, you tend to get morebuy-in than them thinking that
they're coming and working forthe man or for the woman, and I
think at the end of the day theystill are, but we can kind of
(13:37):
change how that feels and so forme it's definitely making them
feel like they are with me andnot here for me.
Audra (13:49):
You operate in an industry that is, in the
industry of food and beverage,which is still a very male
dominated industry as a whole,and you are a very young CEO.
What challenges do you thinkyou're going to face in the face
(14:12):
of this industry, althoughyou've made a very, very
positive name and reputation foryourself you already have, what
do you think you're going tohave to overcome?
Kash (14:27):
I think, just the normal things.
I think that you know the firstcouple board meetings.
I mean I've been a part of highlevel meetings and board
meetings over the last few years, just sitting in the CFO seat,
and I've been one of theyoungest faces at a lot of those
meetings.
I hate to say, but I would sayat 98% of those meetings I've
(14:49):
been the only female.
For me, I think that I'm goingto have to have a stronger voice
.
That's something that I'm goingto have to overcome.
I'm one that, when we go tothese tables, I like to kind of
take the back seat and kind ofwatch everything unfold.
Like I said, be a little bitslower to decision making, a
little bit slower to using yourwords.
(15:10):
Very big advocate of you havetwo ears and one mouth.
For a reason you should listentwice as much as you speak, and
so I think just the normalchallenges of being a woman and
then being a young woman in thebusiness world are going to be
some of these challenges.
I think, though, also, as Istart to have successes, I'm
(15:33):
really going to have to lean onthose small wins and victories,
because I think that those smalllittle pebbles will end up
creating the mountain that Iwant to ultimately stand on and
give me the credibility that Iwill need to prove myself in
this industry.
(15:54):
Fortunately for me, I have hadgreat mentorship and people that
have had my back.
Our previous CEO and founderwas a big and is a very big
advocate for women.
Otherwise I would not besitting here today.
He has been very diligent andif there is any type of misogyny
(16:16):
or disrespect towards me in anysense of the fashion, we tend
to say no to those deals, no tothose businesses, no to those
conversations, no to thosebusinesses, no to those
conversations.
And he will still hold a boardposition and so I don't imagine
that sense of it will change.
But he's also given me theconfidence to to say no when
(16:36):
it's when it needs to be saidlike I don't deserve to be
treated like this.
I have a place at the table andit's okay to say that.
Audra (16:47):
How do we, as Other women , help change that?
And what I mean by that is howare we better advocates for each
other?
And, for instance, you and Idon't work in this, in the same
fields, but that doesn't meanthat we can't be supportive of
(17:09):
each other from afar.
From afar, we don't sit in thesame rooms, we don't.
We don't work in the samestates, but that doesn't mean
that we can't be the same, wecan't be advocates for each
(17:29):
other.
And here's an example alsosubscribe to two ears, one mouth
, because I would rather hearwhat my counterparts are saying
and, more importantly, whatthey're not saying to me, than
have just speak just for thesake of having my voice heard.
(17:51):
However, I have othercounterparts that just like to
have the sound, their own voicebeing heard.
How do we change that narrativewhere we can still take up
space in the room and not justhave to fill the room with sound
(18:12):
and know that we are supportingeach other from afar?
I mean, that's what keeps me upat night.
How do I let other women thatare in the same seat that I am
across the country know that Ihave their?
Kash (18:27):
back For me.
I'm really big in LinkedIn andreally trying to support those
people on LinkedIn the femaleentrepreneurs, the female
leaders.
I think that it also.
You know, sometimes it's hardto go to those board meetings.
I'm not going to sit here andlie to you.
(18:48):
There are meetings on mycalendar this week that were all
men, that it was just like Ireally don't want to go to this.
That we're all men, that it wasjust like I really don't want
to go to this.
And you go.
And to your point.
I don't think that the lack ofwords being said is detrimental,
because I've noticed that, eventhough my word count may be
(19:09):
less than some of the otherpeople in the room, when I do
speak it tends to be heard, andso I think that the quality over
the quantity that phrase doesmatter.
I also think that you know,within your own organization,
outside of your organization Iuse the phrase with my own
ladies here in the organizationstraighten each other's crowns
(19:31):
without telling the world thatthey were crooked.
There's no reason to go blastthat some woman or male, but
specifically woman failed.
Help them privately, and then Ithink for the leaders at the
top, it's bringing the peoplealong, a better CFO coming along
(19:52):
, because it meant that therewas room for me to grow.
I was never scared of someoneelse coming along, and even to
this day maybe not this day, butin the near future I want to
know that there's a CEO that cancome along and take my spot.
I'm not afraid of that, becauseit means that I then have room
(20:14):
to go do something even biggeror something that will bring me
even more purpose and so notbeing afraid of the people
behind us and bringing themalong, and being transparent
with females my assistantcontroller right now, who is
kind of also raising through theranks we do an hour and a half
(20:38):
leadership meeting every Tuesdayand she asked what are you guys
doing there for an hour and ahalf?
And it never dawned on me thatthe company was wondering why,
you know, these six leaders golock themselves in a room for an
hour and a half every Tuesday,and I just said why don't you
(20:59):
come and audit the meeting?
And she took that opportunityand said absolutely.
And so I think giving peoplethose opportunities that were
awarded to you is going to pavethe way and also offer support
and confidence, because I thinkthe lack of confidence is where
(21:22):
people kind of become reluctantto go forward, like what if I
fail?
What if you fail?
Over the last seven years Ihave failed more times than I've
succeeded, but I've learnedfrom those.
So I would say creating a safeplace and helping build
confidence and outwardlysupporting female leaders that
(21:48):
are killing it.
Audra (21:51):
You've never learned your greatest lessons from the
things you were great at thatyou succeeded at.
The greatest lessons that, forme personally, that I ever
learned from were the thingsthat I crashed and burned at.
Yeah, absolutely those are thethings that I was like oh yeah,
I learned a lot from that one.
(22:12):
Yeah, the things that Isucceeded at was like oh yeah, I
learned a lot from that one.
The things that I succeeded at.
The reason why I succeeded isbecause I learned from those
huge, colossal mistakes.
Kash (22:22):
Yeah, yeah, and I think too, yeah, like creating that
safe place like this is kind ofembarrassing, but why the heck
not?
I remember my, my, not my first, but it was my first memorable
fail within this company.
I had newly been appointed tothe CFO spot again, probably not
(22:46):
, probably completelyunqualified and I was on an
investor meeting because we werelooking to tee ourselves up for
an acquisition.
It was kind of the peak ofCOVID and M&A deals were just
happening at stupid multiplesand we were trying to ride those
coattails and I jumped on theinvestor meeting and I
(23:11):
completely presented inaccurateEBITDA numbers and we got off
the call and the person calledthe investor had called Tom, our
previous CEO and founder, andsaid she's completely
unqualified.
I don't know why you would haveher on there.
No deal In the moment.
His words were not great, but itwas also a learning moment for
(23:34):
me because it taught me it'sokay to fail.
You've got people that aregoing to support you.
But it also taught me to double, triple, quadruple check things
before you go on to a meeting,a board meeting, xyz.
But the biggest lesson Ilearned from that was that it
(23:55):
was okay to ask for help.
I felt like I needed to provemyself in this role, that I had
people that appointed me andbelieved in me and had given me
the tools that I needed to haveall of my ish together and I
could have just asked for helpor a second set of eyes, and I
didn't.
And even to this day, sittingas a CEO, I still ask for help.
(24:20):
I sent off an email thismorning and asked for a second
set of eyes before it went off,and so yes to your point of
failures.
I learned so many, and when Ilook at the same time period
there, were so many successes,but I don't remember them as
vividly because it was kind oflike that was great and you move
(24:42):
on.
So don't be like they'rerewarding in the moment.
Audra (24:48):
Well, I think that your former CEO has the same
philosophy that I have, not onlyfor myself.
Ceo has the same philosophythat I have, not only for myself
, but for the people that haveworked for me, and it came from
a very long time ago, from aleader of mine, and it was
during a time that I thoughtthat perfection was the goal,
(25:09):
and he was very kind to me andhe pulled me aside and he said
we don't want you to be perfect,we want you to make mistakes.
And I was stunned what is hetalking about?
And he said if you are perfect,that means you are not growing,
(25:30):
and if you are not growing, youare not doing what we need you
to do, which is we want you tocontinually push outside your
comfort zone.
We need you to continually pushoutside your boundaries, which
means you're growing, and ifyou're growing, we're growing.
And if you're growing outsideyour boundaries and your comfort
(25:53):
zone, of course you're makingmistakes, because you're doing
things that you've never donebefore.
We're asking you to makemistakes.
We want you to make mistakesbecause we want you to grow.
That's the only way that youhelp us.
Yeah, and that has stuck withme.
That was said to me 20 yearsago.
That was said to me 20 yearsago and so now that's just a
(26:15):
part of my fiber, my everydaylife, that I'm constantly trying
to push myself outside of mycomfort zone and I'm constantly
making mistakes on purpose.
Kash (26:29):
Yeah, we say that actually within the company.
So one of our core values is agrowth mindset.
But we say be uncomfortablewith the uncomfortable.
Because for that exact reason,if you're not uncomfortable,
then you're not growing, you'renot challenged.
And I think it's in all areasof your life, not just the
business world, like if you'recomfortable in your marriage, I
(26:51):
worry, are you good in yourmarriage?
If you're comfortable with yourparenting, are you setting up
the next generation for success?
I just think it can be relatedto all areas of your life in
that uncomfortable growth phase,but 100% and I think that not
only for us being okay to makemistakes.
(27:13):
I would say to any leaders thatare listening to this if that's
your belief, if that's what youare conveying to your team,
then you also, you got to beuncomfortable.
Be okay making mistakes, it'sokay to fail, and then when
(27:39):
those mistakes happen, there'snot the support that has been
conveyed.
Audra (27:44):
That's a big deal that you're telling that you have to
be okay with them makingmistakes when they make them,
exactly.
It can't just be lip service.
You can't say we want you tomake mistakes and when they make
mistakes, you punish themExactly.
It can't just be lip service.
You can't say we want you tomake mistakes and when they make
mistakes, you punish them forit.
Right, yeah, like I said,you're trying to create a
different culture.
(28:05):
I would love for the culturethat you're trying to create be
a blueprint for otherorganizations, which is
different, for otherorganizations, which is
different.
You're trying to create aculture that promotes people to
be their best selves, tochallenge themselves constantly,
to encourage creativity, toencourage inclusion, to
(28:30):
encourage people to challengethe status quo.
Your assistant controllerchallenged the status quo by
asking you what are you doing inthere all day?
That was a challenge.
Kash (28:44):
It was a challenge, but I also think for us as leaders
it's important to kind of stepout of the box, because all six
of us at that table, when thatquestion was posed, I brought it
to the leadership team.
Like, do you realize that theorganization is wondering what
we're doing in this room for anhour and a half?
We know what we're doing.
We're talking about.
(29:04):
We are not a meeting culture.
I hate meetings actually, to behonest.
So we save all of our stuffunless the building is on fire.
For that Tuesday it's an hourand a half long.
Everything goes on the table.
We walk out of United Front andthen we wait until the
following Tuesday to bringissues to the table.
And so it just never occurredto us until she asked and we
(29:30):
sent out an email to the rest ofthe team saying like this is
what we're doing in here.
You're welcome to audit.
There's, of course, someconfidential conversations that
happen in there and there'sweeks that an audit can't happen
.
But I think that it's soimportant for us as leaders to
get out of our office, away fromour screen, and be in
(29:52):
conversation and community withour people.
Audra (29:56):
So what if one of your employees came to you male,
female doesn't matter and said Iwant to shadow you, I want you
to be my mentor?
What would your response be?
Are you?
Kash (30:13):
sure, are you sure, are you sure?
And I say that just for thelaugh, because I remember when I
was offered the position and Iwas like, yeah, I think I just
need a minute to think about it,and I came back and said yes.
And my previous CEO has said hesaid multiple times are you
sure, are you sure?
(30:33):
And when we kind of talkedwithin the industry a little bit
, they had all times, are yousure, are you sure?
And when we kind of talkedwithin the industry a little bit
, they had all like, are yousure?
I feel like the CEO position.
It is so exciting and I love itbecause I love being able to
lead people.
But I think that a lot ofpeople don't understand that
most days it's putting out amillion different fires.
(30:55):
It's not really all that it'scracked up to be all days.
I think that the reward of itoutweighs all of the busyness.
But I think, jokingly, my firstresponse would be like are you
sure?
And if they're truly seriousabout it, my answer would always
be absolutely Absolutely.
I'm a very transparent personwith most of our employees.
(31:21):
It's a very small 27 employeecompany, so there's really
nothing to hide and if they wantthat opportunity, sure.
Audra (31:30):
All they have to do is ask.
I think that why most peopledon't do is because they don't
ask and because they think theycan't.
Yeah, ask.
(31:59):
And they'd be surprised whathappens when they do ask,
because I have found, most ofthe time the answer is yes,
sometimes the answer is no, butno one's ever died from no, so
right, so take a chance and ask.
And sometimes the response isnot not yet.
Kash (32:16):
Right, I'm not going to say that is like that's what I
try to use.
If I'm going to use a no, Iusually and I'm going to give my
secrets away for my team thatmay be listening but it's
usually no, but like no, butlet's put a plan together.
No, but I need more data.
(32:36):
No, but so it's not a no period, it's a no comma or a no
semicolon, and so I don't everwant to close a door on
something because doors weren'tclosed on me.
Again, as leaders, it is ourresponsibility to know what our
(32:56):
team wants.
It's our responsibility to knowwhere they want to go in their
career.
It's our responsibility to knowwhat their aspirations are,
because it's our responsibilityto try to help them get there,
whether it's with us in ourorganizations or with someone
else in their organization, andso us in our organizations or
(33:17):
with someone else in theirorganization.
And so, yeah, there's timesthat you have to say no as a
leader, but I would challengeall the leaders that are
listening to this it's a no, but.
Audra (33:24):
No, but let's put together a plan.
Maybe you're not ready.
What can we do to be ready?
Right, maybe there's a step inbetween.
Maybe there is a mentor classyou can take, maybe there's,
maybe there's something elsethat's, that's between this and
(33:45):
that.
Kash (33:47):
Yeah, I have never found that it is a flat out no, or
maybe it's just not the rightperson or maybe it's just not
the right person, right, I can'tremember like in my in all of
my, my short career, I can'tremember any time that I've had
a hard no.
I just I can't remember anytime that I've had a hard no.
(34:10):
I think the caveat to that is Ialso haven't asked for anything
unreasonable.
Yeah, I just.
I think the caveat to that is Ialso haven't asked for anything
unreasonable.
Yeah, I just.
I think that there shouldalways be a pathway.
Like you want to make $300,000.
I can't do that today, buthere's the tools we can get you
and an estimated timeline andwhat you will need to do to get
(34:34):
to this and, I think, alsodrilling down into what is the
motivation for that right,because a lot of times the goal
is not necessarily the goal andwhen you start to pick apart the
asks, you realize that whatthey're asking for may not truly
(34:54):
be the words that they'reconveying.
Audra (34:59):
Could be something else.
Yeah, and I've also found thatif the response is no or the
door is locked, maybe you'rejust trying the wrong door.
I've done that, the door waslocked and I'm like okay, then
I'll just go try another door.
Yeah for sure.
(35:20):
Sometimes it's just a littlebit of persistence, because
eventually you'll find anunlocked door.
Kash (35:27):
Yeah, exactly.
Audra (35:28):
Exactly as a servant leader and a leader that is
willing to do what your forkliftdrivers are doing and willing
(35:49):
to unload the truck and all ofthose things that all of your
employees have done, and alsomentor.
You also mentioned, through allof that, that you are willing
to reach out to women that ask,even if we don't live and work
in the same area, and you hadmentioned that you're active on
(36:09):
LinkedIn.
How can you serve the womenthat may be brave enough to ask
and reach out to you, thestrangers that reach out to you
on LinkedIn?
If they are brave enough toreach out to you and they ask
and say, cash, how can I becomea CEO in my 30s?
Kash (36:32):
You know, what's funny is I've sent so many LinkedIn
messages to people that havegone unanswered, and one of my
fatal flaws is that I know thatfeeling when you're reaching out
for a purpose right, they maynot see that purpose, and I know
that feeling of rejection seemslike a really strong word, but
(36:55):
they didn't respond to you.
So I guess you can userejection and so I do not
respond to any message.
It may take me a little bitlonger to respond to messages,
especially now, but if you takethe time to reach out to me, I
will take the time to give you aresponse.
(37:15):
So I would say, anyonelistening, if you take the time
and you are courageous enough toask and there are no silly or
dumb questions, I promise youthat that I will take the time
to meet with you or respond toyou.
Audra (37:34):
And I would encourage you all to do that, because she is
a wealth of knowledge.
Do not let her young age foolyou.
I told you at the beginningthat I was incredibly impressed
by her.
I was impressed by herexperience, by her being so
grounded and also being verythoughtful and being wise enough
(37:56):
to take advantage of theopportunities that have been
presented to her and beingknowledgeable enough to know
that it wasn't easy None of thisis easy but being aware enough
that, in the uneasiness and thediscomfort, to just go ahead and
(38:21):
lean into it and to make surethat she reached back behind her
to bring the next generationwith her Male, female doesn't
matter.
So I encourage you all to dothat.
Cash, I want to thank you forbeing here today, to being brave
enough to share somevulnerability, to being brave
enough to say yes to everythingyou've said yes to, because
(38:48):
being a CEO is not for the faintof heart.
It is not.
Before I let you go, I want togive you an opportunity to have
a intimate moment directly withthe audience that you can leave
them with a lasting thought thatthey can take.
Leave them with a lastingthought that they can take with
them with their day, so they canmarinate on whatever, whatever
(39:10):
moment you have with them, sothey can give them something to
think about.
So the mic is yours um.
Kash (39:17):
To the, the younger, less mature people in their career,
I would say put down the phones,put down the screens, open up
books and and really expand yourknowledge.
Reach out to people face toface and start taking on some of
(39:37):
the responsibility of thepeople that have laid this path
before you.
Don't let the road end here Tothe older, more mature leaders,
the higher up leaders bringthese people along with us.
They're the next generation andthey are only going to be as
(39:58):
strong as we bring them up to be.
As we bring them up to be.
I think about you know myparents, my grandparents always
making comments of.
You know this generation isn'tas good as our generation or
isn't as strong as ourgeneration.
And that may be true.
I think that my generation ispretty smart and doing pretty
well for themselves, but it'salso their responsibility to get
(40:22):
us where they expect us to be.
And it is now ourresponsibility to get the
generation behind us where weexpect them to be to day and
(40:46):
miss all the good, bad ugly.
Pretty that's happening.
I would say take a moment toenjoy the journey.
Audra (40:51):
The journey is the point it is.
It's from this side of themicrophone, sitting from the
empty nester seat, where I knowthat you're in the thick of it
with three young children.
It goes by in a blink.
It does.
(41:11):
The days are long, but theyears are short, yeah.
So don't get so focused on thegoal that you forget to enjoy
the journey, even the hard part.
Trust me, you'll look back onit and go yeah, that was really
hard, but I really miss it.
The days of screaming for themto turn their music down.
(41:35):
There are moments that I miss,that I miss the noise.
I know.
Kash (41:45):
I can't believe.
I'm saying that out loud.
I'm so glad that you're sayingthat because I mean, to your
point, I am totally in the thickof it.
And there are days in myhousehold we say I always tell
them you're driving me a bananasandwich, and they just know at
that moment mom is about to loseher marbles.
But my parents are very muchthat voice of I you're gonna
(42:09):
miss this, I miss this.
And in the moment I'm like, amI like, am I going to miss this?
Um, but the funny thing is Iactually travel back and forth
between the home office andwhere my primary residence is,
and when I'm at the office I geta glimpse of man.
(42:30):
You do miss it and and so, yes,it's refreshing to hear it from
other voices than your parents,even at my, my old, young age
even at my old young age, toknow that your parents still
know what they're talking about.
Audra (42:48):
So, even in the middle of chaos, enjoy the chaos.
Yeah, because one of these days, it's going to be very, very
quiet, yeah.
So, cash, once again, thank youfor being here.
You are so lovely, you are sorefreshing.
Like I said, you are so down toearth and just.
(43:10):
I look forward to you being thenext generation of leaders,
because if all leaders are likeyou, we are in great hands.
So thank you for being here andthank you for sharing your
experience, sharing your wisdomand for being the lighthouse
(43:34):
that we have for the nextgeneration of organizations.
So thank you for being here.
Kash (43:39):
Thank you for having me in your sweet words.
Audra (43:42):
It has been a pleasure for me to have you here and I
want to thank you all forlistening, and we'll see you
again next time.
Welcome in everyone and thank you so much for joining me
again this week.
This week.
I cannot wait for you to meetthis amazing woman that I was so
impressed with the very firsttime I met her this week.
My guest is Cash Rochelleau.
She's a young woman that haslearned to take advantage of
(00:20):
every opportunity, even if theopportunity wasn't readily
obvious right away.
She is currently the newlyappointed CEO of Icon Foods.
She has worked her way up fromstarting at the very beginning
and learning the organizationfrom the ground up.
(00:42):
She's here to discuss with ushow she learned to grow and
flourish in the most humble ofplaces to the very greatest
heights.
It is both my pleasure and myhonor to introduce to you Cash.
Cash, thank you so much forbeing here and welcome to the
show.
Kash (00:57):
So thank you, the honor and pleasure is all mine.
Audra (01:01):
Cash, as I said in the intro, I was extremely impressed
with you the very first timethat I met you, because you are
a very young CEO.
You are newly appointed intoyour role and, as I indicated in
the intro, you started withyour organization from.
You were very young and youstarted from a very entry point
(01:25):
of view, so do you mind sharingwith us your beginnings with
your organization and how youtook advantage of the
opportunities that werepresented to you and how you
worked extremely hard to gainknowledge and experience to get
(01:49):
where you are in your positiontoday?
Kash (01:52):
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean, my career start wasa little bit of a fumble because
I always wanted to be a momfrom like the jump and when my
husband and I met we had quite abit of infertility, which I
think just exacerbated the factthat I wanted to be a mom.
And this fairy tale of stayinghome with my kids, or what I
(02:15):
thought was a fairy tale, whenit finally came to fruition, it
just it wasn't for me and I aminfinitely grateful and amazed
by all parents that choose tostay at home life and for even
furthering that point.
My husband actually stays homewith our kids now and he thrives
in that position.
And a very terrible, it was avery terrible time in my
(02:39):
marriage just because I thoughtI wanted this, I was fortunate
enough to do it, I was sounhappy, which I think also kind
of came across as ungrateful,and so I finally just got to the
point where I was like I justwant to go back to work and my
(03:00):
husband was grateful that I cameto that decision.
But I didn't know what I wantedto do.
I had a degree, but I didn'thave any hard skills.
I had a business degree, verygeneral.
What do you do with that.
Everyone says you could doanything with a business degree,
which you can, but it leavesinfinite opportunities where you
go to look.
(03:20):
And so I went to job postingsand there was a post for an
executive assistant to a CFO andat the time I was like how hard
could it be?
Right, you can't mess this oneup.
My only trepidation was Ididn't really love math and so
(03:45):
that was all I could think aboutin the finance world.
So I sent in a cover letter,sent in my resume, and they
accepted me here at Icon Foodsand I learned to love it.
I had a great mentor in the CFOspot at the time who was very
(04:06):
good about teaching and therewas no dumb questions and really
brought me along the processand everything that she did.
And about two months into thisendeavor she needed to go back
to Hawaii to care for somefamily members at the time and
we were not set up to be remote,and so she put in her
(04:29):
resignation and said I thinkCash could do my job.
And at the moment, you know,it's kind of this catch-22.
Like you know, there's so manypeople in the world that would
be grateful for this opportunity, but there's also so many
people in the world that wouldbe grateful for this opportunity
, but there's also so manypeople in the world that are way
more qualified than I am.
(04:49):
I said yes very reluctantly, butI think the difference between
a lot of people that I've seenin these positions is I said yes
but was willing to do anythingit took to get to the level I
needed.
I was also fortunate enough tobe provided with a very
supportive team who kind of wasgraceful with me along the way
(05:13):
but also provided me with thetools that I needed.
No one else in the business hada finance background, and so I
was given contacts for people inthe industry, contacts for
people in the area who, again,never judged when I called and
asked some very stupid questionswith the title that I was
(05:35):
holding, and I think that thatjust changed the trajectory of
everything and from that Ilearned to not only love the
finance world, but I started todo that in every area of the
business in such detail that ifthey wanted me to learn how to
drive the forklift or theopportunity was granted I went
(05:57):
and got forklift certified.
I went out into production andran production with our team.
When you mentioned that I tookevery opportunity.
I truly took every opportunity,whether it pertained to finance
or not.
If it could better my career orbetter my resume, I was willing
to say yes.
Audra (06:17):
Well, I think, first of all, you've said a lot of things
right there.
The first thing that you saidvery bravely which not a lot of
women are willing to say outloud which is you didn't thrive
being a stay-at-home mom.
I am also one of those womenthat was not a great
(06:41):
stay-at-home mom.
I did it for a year.
I'm grateful that I did it fora year.
I was miserable, yes, I just Itried really hard to love it.
I couldn't.
That is not to say that I lovemy children any less.
A hundred percent.
Kash (07:20):
But I think it's a very taboo subject.
I mean we don't need to getinto fertility.
I mean that's a whole nothersubject, conversation for a
different day.
But I think when we look atwomen specifically, there's so
many tab my heartbeat from theinside and they're walking
around this world as anextension of me, and so I do.
I love them infinitely.
But yeah, to your point, I justI felt like I didn't, it wasn't
(07:40):
enough of a purpose for me.
Audra (07:43):
Yeah, there was something more that you had to be.
Yes, and I just for me.
I wasn't enough of a mother forthem, only being their mother.
Yeah, I had to be somethingelse, to be a fully mother for
them.
I don't know if that makessense, oh it does.
Kash (08:06):
And I think when you say that, the first thing that comes
to mind for me is when I lookedat myself at that point.
I was somebody's wife, I wassomebody's mother, I was
somebody's daughter, but all ofthese things were like
identifiers for someone else andI hold my mother title and my
daughter title and my wife titlevery near and dear to me.
(08:28):
But when I really looked in themirror I was like, what am I
doing for myself?
Where is the identity in myself?
Because, sadly, one day mychildren are going to go live
lives of their own and myparents parents, very
unfortunately are not going tobe here for all of my life and
while my husband is kind ofstuck with me, he can't be my
(08:52):
identifier.
I can't identify myself in myhusband and he shouldn't have to
bear that responsibility either.
And so that was, that was forme.
And again, I want to be veryclear in that.
There are people that findpurpose in that and I am so
grateful and I don't want todiminish that because that's
(09:13):
great.
It just wasn't for me.
Audra (09:16):
Like I said in the beginning, you took advantage of
everything else that was put infront of you, even if it wasn't
readily obvious of where it wasgoing to lead you, like getting
fork truck certified.
You would not necessarily knowwhere that was going to lead you
or what opportunity that thatmight present to you in the
(09:37):
future.
I mean, no one would say, hey,that's going to add to your
repertoire of being a better CFO, but it did.
Kash (09:47):
It did, and the funny thing is is that it didn't
really add to my resume, but itadded to the respect that I have
with people here and it addedto.
I mean, I try to uphold myselfto the standard of not asking
people to do things that I'm notwilling to do myself.
I don't ever want to ask any ofour warehouse team to stay
(10:09):
after five o'clock to load atruck.
That's late if I'm not willingto do it myself.
And so I would say that thoselittle things in the moment they
seem so minute and I think itgets really easy to say like
that's below my pay grade or whywould I do that?
But the relationship that Ibuilt throughout the entire
(10:32):
company and the respect that wasmutually earned, that was the
value in kind of some of thoselittler things.
And to me they may seem little,to listeners they may seem
little, but they still talk toeach other about it.
Like our CEO has come down andspent a week getting forklift
(10:55):
certified.
Who else is doing that in theindustry?
Audra (10:59):
I mean, it's this credibility that you have earned
with the people that work foryou, and that's one of the
things that we wanted to talkabout, which is leading from a
different point of view andbeing a different type of CEO
and having a differentperspective, because I have said
(11:23):
many, many times on my showthat corporate America, in its
core, has not been built forwomen, but you're a different
kind of leader, so you'rebuilding a different structure
where everybody can thrive.
(11:43):
Yeah, and that's one example isthat you're not doing something
or you're not asking somethingthat you're not willing to do
yourself, like driving aforklift, like staying late.
What other examples are youdoing to lead differently and
(12:04):
build a different structure sothat everybody can thrive?
Kash (12:10):
Yeah, I think one of the biggest things for me is that I
try to be a servant leader.
I'm not always successful inthat, but I definitely like that
.
That's what I try to do.
I would say that it's reallyimportant to me to to use my
words wisely and in speakingwith people, and which is very
(12:31):
hard for me because I'm a veryfast moving person, just
naturally in all areas of mylife, and so I like to make
decisions quick.
I like to get things off theto-do list quick, and I've
learned moving from the CFO tothe CEO.
It has some big changes and somesmall changes.
Some of those bigger changes isthat you now are making
(12:53):
decisions for the entireorganization and so, although I
want to make decisions quick,who am I affecting?
And so I'm really slowed downin my decision making.
But something that's reallyimportant to me is making sure
that the team understands andknows that they don't work for
me, that they work with me, andwithout them we don't have
(13:16):
anything, and and I found thatwhen they feel like they're a
part of something bigger thanthemselves or a part of this
team, you tend to get morebuy-in than them thinking that
they're coming and working forthe man or for the woman, and I
think at the end of the day theystill are, but we can kind of
(13:37):
change how that feels and so forme it's definitely making them
feel like they are with me andnot here for me.
Audra (13:49):
You operate in an industry that is, in the
industry of food and beverage,which is still a very male
dominated industry as a whole,and you are a very young CEO.
What challenges do you thinkyou're going to face in the face
(14:12):
of this industry, althoughyou've made a very, very
positive name and reputation foryourself you already have, what
do you think you're going tohave to overcome?
Kash (14:27):
I think, just the normal things.
I think that you know the firstcouple board meetings.
I mean I've been a part of highlevel meetings and board
meetings over the last few years, just sitting in the CFO seat,
and I've been one of theyoungest faces at a lot of those
meetings.
I hate to say, but I would sayat 98% of those meetings I've
(14:49):
been the only female.
For me, I think that I'm goingto have to have a stronger voice
.
That's something that I'm goingto have to overcome.
I'm one that, when we go tothese tables, I like to kind of
take the back seat and kind ofwatch everything unfold.
Like I said, be a little bitslower to decision making, a
little bit slower to using yourwords.
(15:10):
Very big advocate of you havetwo ears and one mouth.
For a reason you should listentwice as much as you speak, and
so I think just the normalchallenges of being a woman and
then being a young woman in thebusiness world are going to be
some of these challenges.
I think, though, also, as Istart to have successes, I'm
(15:33):
really going to have to lean onthose small wins and victories,
because I think that those smalllittle pebbles will end up
creating the mountain that Iwant to ultimately stand on and
give me the credibility that Iwill need to prove myself in
this industry.
(15:54):
Fortunately for me, I have hadgreat mentorship and people that
have had my back.
Our previous CEO and founderwas a big and is a very big
advocate for women.
Otherwise I would not besitting here today.
He has been very diligent andif there is any type of misogyny
(16:16):
or disrespect towards me in anysense of the fashion, we tend
to say no to those deals, no tothose businesses, no to those
conversations, no to thosebusinesses, no to those
conversations.
And he will still hold a boardposition and so I don't imagine
that sense of it will change.
But he's also given me theconfidence to to say no when
(16:36):
it's when it needs to be saidlike I don't deserve to be
treated like this.
I have a place at the table andit's okay to say that.
Audra (16:47):
How do we, as Other women , help change that?
And what I mean by that is howare we better advocates for each
other?
And, for instance, you and Idon't work in this, in the same
fields, but that doesn't meanthat we can't be supportive of
(17:09):
each other from afar.
From afar, we don't sit in thesame rooms, we don't.
We don't work in the samestates, but that doesn't mean
that we can't be the same, wecan't be advocates for each
(17:29):
other.
And here's an example alsosubscribe to two ears, one mouth
, because I would rather hearwhat my counterparts are saying
and, more importantly, whatthey're not saying to me, than
have just speak just for thesake of having my voice heard.
(17:51):
However, I have othercounterparts that just like to
have the sound, their own voicebeing heard.
How do we change that narrativewhere we can still take up
space in the room and not justhave to fill the room with sound
(18:12):
and know that we are supportingeach other from afar?
I mean, that's what keeps me upat night.
How do I let other women thatare in the same seat that I am
across the country know that Ihave their?
Kash (18:27):
back For me.
I'm really big in LinkedIn andreally trying to support those
people on LinkedIn the femaleentrepreneurs, the female
leaders.
I think that it also.
You know, sometimes it's hardto go to those board meetings.
I'm not going to sit here andlie to you.
(18:48):
There are meetings on mycalendar this week that were all
men, that it was just like Ireally don't want to go to this.
That we're all men, that it wasjust like I really don't want
to go to this.
And you go.
And to your point.
I don't think that the lack ofwords being said is detrimental,
because I've noticed that, eventhough my word count may be
(19:09):
less than some of the otherpeople in the room, when I do
speak it tends to be heard, andso I think that the quality over
the quantity that phrase doesmatter.
I also think that you know,within your own organization,
outside of your organization Iuse the phrase with my own
ladies here in the organizationstraighten each other's crowns
(19:31):
without telling the world thatthey were crooked.
There's no reason to go blastthat some woman or male, but
specifically woman failed.
Help them privately, and then Ithink for the leaders at the
top, it's bringing the peoplealong, a better CFO coming along
(19:52):
, because it meant that therewas room for me to grow.
I was never scared of someoneelse coming along, and even to
this day maybe not this day, butin the near future I want to
know that there's a CEO that cancome along and take my spot.
I'm not afraid of that, becauseit means that I then have room
(20:14):
to go do something even biggeror something that will bring me
even more purpose and so notbeing afraid of the people
behind us and bringing themalong, and being transparent
with females my assistantcontroller right now, who is
kind of also raising through theranks we do an hour and a half
(20:38):
leadership meeting every Tuesdayand she asked what are you guys
doing there for an hour and ahalf?
And it never dawned on me thatthe company was wondering why,
you know, these six leaders golock themselves in a room for an
hour and a half every Tuesday,and I just said why don't you
(20:59):
come and audit the meeting?
And she took that opportunityand said absolutely.
And so I think giving peoplethose opportunities that were
awarded to you is going to pavethe way and also offer support
and confidence, because I thinkthe lack of confidence is where
(21:22):
people kind of become reluctantto go forward, like what if I
fail?
What if you fail?
Over the last seven years Ihave failed more times than I've
succeeded, but I've learnedfrom those.
So I would say creating a safeplace and helping build
confidence and outwardlysupporting female leaders that
(21:48):
are killing it.
Audra (21:51):
You've never learned your greatest lessons from the
things you were great at thatyou succeeded at.
The greatest lessons that, forme personally, that I ever
learned from were the thingsthat I crashed and burned at.
Yeah, absolutely those are thethings that I was like oh yeah,
I learned a lot from that one.
(22:12):
Yeah, the things that Isucceeded at was like oh yeah, I
learned a lot from that one.
The things that I succeeded at.
The reason why I succeeded isbecause I learned from those
huge, colossal mistakes.
Kash (22:22):
Yeah, yeah, and I think too, yeah, like creating that
safe place like this is kind ofembarrassing, but why the heck
not?
I remember my, my, not my first, but it was my first memorable
fail within this company.
I had newly been appointed tothe CFO spot again, probably not
(22:46):
, probably completelyunqualified and I was on an
investor meeting because we werelooking to tee ourselves up for
an acquisition.
It was kind of the peak ofCOVID and M&A deals were just
happening at stupid multiplesand we were trying to ride those
coattails and I jumped on theinvestor meeting and I
(23:11):
completely presented inaccurateEBITDA numbers and we got off
the call and the person calledthe investor had called Tom, our
previous CEO and founder, andsaid she's completely
unqualified.
I don't know why you would haveher on there.
No deal In the moment.
His words were not great, but itwas also a learning moment for
(23:34):
me because it taught me it'sokay to fail.
You've got people that aregoing to support you.
But it also taught me to double, triple, quadruple check things
before you go on to a meeting,a board meeting, xyz.
But the biggest lesson Ilearned from that was that it
(23:55):
was okay to ask for help.
I felt like I needed to provemyself in this role, that I had
people that appointed me andbelieved in me and had given me
the tools that I needed to haveall of my ish together and I
could have just asked for helpor a second set of eyes, and I
didn't.
And even to this day, sittingas a CEO, I still ask for help.
(24:20):
I sent off an email thismorning and asked for a second
set of eyes before it went off,and so yes to your point of
failures.
I learned so many, and when Ilook at the same time period
there, were so many successes,but I don't remember them as
vividly because it was kind oflike that was great and you move
(24:42):
on.
So don't be like they'rerewarding in the moment.
Audra (24:48):
Well, I think that your former CEO has the same
philosophy that I have, not onlyfor myself.
Ceo has the same philosophythat I have, not only for myself
, but for the people that haveworked for me, and it came from
a very long time ago, from aleader of mine, and it was
during a time that I thoughtthat perfection was the goal,
(25:09):
and he was very kind to me andhe pulled me aside and he said
we don't want you to be perfect,we want you to make mistakes.
And I was stunned what is hetalking about?
And he said if you are perfect,that means you are not growing,
(25:30):
and if you are not growing, youare not doing what we need you
to do, which is we want you tocontinually push outside your
comfort zone.
We need you to continually pushoutside your boundaries, which
means you're growing, and ifyou're growing, we're growing.
And if you're growing outsideyour boundaries and your comfort
(25:53):
zone, of course you're makingmistakes, because you're doing
things that you've never donebefore.
We're asking you to makemistakes.
We want you to make mistakesbecause we want you to grow.
That's the only way that youhelp us.
Yeah, and that has stuck withme.
That was said to me 20 yearsago.
That was said to me 20 yearsago and so now that's just a
(26:15):
part of my fiber, my everydaylife, that I'm constantly trying
to push myself outside of mycomfort zone and I'm constantly
making mistakes on purpose.
Kash (26:29):
Yeah, we say that actually within the company.
So one of our core values is agrowth mindset.
But we say be uncomfortablewith the uncomfortable.
Because for that exact reason,if you're not uncomfortable,
then you're not growing, you'renot challenged.
And I think it's in all areasof your life, not just the
business world, like if you'recomfortable in your marriage, I
(26:51):
worry, are you good in yourmarriage?
If you're comfortable with yourparenting, are you setting up
the next generation for success?
I just think it can be relatedto all areas of your life in
that uncomfortable growth phase,but 100% and I think that not
only for us being okay to makemistakes.
(27:13):
I would say to any leaders thatare listening to this if that's
your belief, if that's what youare conveying to your team,
then you also, you got to beuncomfortable.
Be okay making mistakes, it'sokay to fail, and then when
(27:39):
those mistakes happen, there'snot the support that has been
conveyed.
Audra (27:44):
That's a big deal that you're telling that you have to
be okay with them makingmistakes when they make them,
exactly.
It can't just be lip service.
You can't say we want you tomake mistakes and when they make
mistakes, you punish themExactly.
It can't just be lip service.
You can't say we want you tomake mistakes and when they make
mistakes, you punish them forit.
Right, yeah, like I said,you're trying to create a
different culture.
(28:05):
I would love for the culturethat you're trying to create be
a blueprint for otherorganizations, which is
different, for otherorganizations, which is
different.
You're trying to create aculture that promotes people to
be their best selves, tochallenge themselves constantly,
to encourage creativity, toencourage inclusion, to
(28:30):
encourage people to challengethe status quo.
Your assistant controllerchallenged the status quo by
asking you what are you doing inthere all day?
That was a challenge.
Kash (28:44):
It was a challenge, but I also think for us as leaders
it's important to kind of stepout of the box, because all six
of us at that table, when thatquestion was posed, I brought it
to the leadership team.
Like, do you realize that theorganization is wondering what
we're doing in this room for anhour and a half?
We know what we're doing.
We're talking about.
(29:04):
We are not a meeting culture.
I hate meetings actually, to behonest.
So we save all of our stuffunless the building is on fire.
For that Tuesday it's an hourand a half long.
Everything goes on the table.
We walk out of United Front andthen we wait until the
following Tuesday to bringissues to the table.
And so it just never occurredto us until she asked and we
(29:30):
sent out an email to the rest ofthe team saying like this is
what we're doing in here.
You're welcome to audit.
There's, of course, someconfidential conversations that
happen in there and there'sweeks that an audit can't happen
.
But I think that it's soimportant for us as leaders to
get out of our office, away fromour screen, and be in
(29:52):
conversation and community withour people.
Audra (29:56):
So what if one of your employees came to you male,
female doesn't matter and said Iwant to shadow you, I want you
to be my mentor?
What would your response be?
Are you?
Kash (30:13):
sure, are you sure, are you sure?
And I say that just for thelaugh, because I remember when I
was offered the position and Iwas like, yeah, I think I just
need a minute to think about it,and I came back and said yes.
And my previous CEO has said hesaid multiple times are you
sure, are you sure?
(30:33):
And when we kind of talkedwithin the industry a little bit
, they had all times, are yousure, are you sure?
And when we kind of talkedwithin the industry a little bit
, they had all like, are yousure?
I feel like the CEO position.
It is so exciting and I love itbecause I love being able to
lead people.
But I think that a lot ofpeople don't understand that
most days it's putting out amillion different fires.
(30:55):
It's not really all that it'scracked up to be all days.
I think that the reward of itoutweighs all of the busyness.
But I think, jokingly, my firstresponse would be like are you
sure?
And if they're truly seriousabout it, my answer would always
be absolutely Absolutely.
I'm a very transparent personwith most of our employees.
(31:21):
It's a very small 27 employeecompany, so there's really
nothing to hide and if they wantthat opportunity, sure.
Audra (31:30):
All they have to do is ask.
I think that why most peopledon't do is because they don't
ask and because they think theycan't.
Yeah, ask.
(31:59):
And they'd be surprised whathappens when they do ask,
because I have found, most ofthe time the answer is yes,
sometimes the answer is no, butno one's ever died from no, so
right, so take a chance and ask.
And sometimes the response isnot not yet.
Kash (32:16):
Right, I'm not going to say that is like that's what I
try to use.
If I'm going to use a no, Iusually and I'm going to give my
secrets away for my team thatmay be listening but it's
usually no, but like no, butlet's put a plan together.
No, but I need more data.
(32:36):
No, but so it's not a no period, it's a no comma or a no
semicolon, and so I don't everwant to close a door on
something because doors weren'tclosed on me.
Again, as leaders, it is ourresponsibility to know what our
(32:56):
team wants.
It's our responsibility to knowwhere they want to go in their
career.
It's our responsibility to knowwhat their aspirations are,
because it's our responsibilityto try to help them get there,
whether it's with us in ourorganizations or with someone
else in their organization, andso us in our organizations or
(33:17):
with someone else in theirorganization.
And so, yeah, there's timesthat you have to say no as a
leader, but I would challengeall the leaders that are
listening to this it's a no, but.
Audra (33:24):
No, but let's put together a plan.
Maybe you're not ready.
What can we do to be ready?
Right, maybe there's a step inbetween.
Maybe there is a mentor classyou can take, maybe there's,
maybe there's something elsethat's, that's between this and
(33:45):
that.
Kash (33:47):
Yeah, I have never found that it is a flat out no, or
maybe it's just not the rightperson or maybe it's just not
the right person, right, I can'tremember like in my in all of
my, my short career, I can'tremember any time that I've had
a hard no.
I just I can't remember anytime that I've had a hard no.
(34:10):
I think the caveat to that is Ialso haven't asked for anything
unreasonable.
Yeah, I just.
I think the caveat to that is Ialso haven't asked for anything
unreasonable.
Yeah, I just.
I think that there shouldalways be a pathway.
Like you want to make $300,000.
I can't do that today, buthere's the tools we can get you
and an estimated timeline andwhat you will need to do to get
(34:34):
to this and, I think, alsodrilling down into what is the
motivation for that right,because a lot of times the goal
is not necessarily the goal andwhen you start to pick apart the
asks, you realize that whatthey're asking for may not truly
(34:54):
be the words that they'reconveying.
Audra (34:59):
Could be something else.
Yeah, and I've also found thatif the response is no or the
door is locked, maybe you'rejust trying the wrong door.
I've done that, the door waslocked and I'm like okay, then
I'll just go try another door.
Yeah for sure.
(35:20):
Sometimes it's just a littlebit of persistence, because
eventually you'll find anunlocked door.
Kash (35:27):
Yeah, exactly.
Audra (35:28):
Exactly as a servant leader and a leader that is
willing to do what your forkliftdrivers are doing and willing
(35:49):
to unload the truck and all ofthose things that all of your
employees have done, and alsomentor.
You also mentioned, through allof that, that you are willing
to reach out to women that ask,even if we don't live and work
in the same area, and you hadmentioned that you're active on
(36:09):
LinkedIn.
How can you serve the womenthat may be brave enough to ask
and reach out to you, thestrangers that reach out to you
on LinkedIn?
If they are brave enough toreach out to you and they ask
and say, cash, how can I becomea CEO in my 30s?
Kash (36:32):
You know, what's funny is I've sent so many LinkedIn
messages to people that havegone unanswered, and one of my
fatal flaws is that I know thatfeeling when you're reaching out
for a purpose right, they maynot see that purpose, and I know
that feeling of rejection seemslike a really strong word, but
(36:55):
they didn't respond to you.
So I guess you can userejection and so I do not
respond to any message.
It may take me a little bitlonger to respond to messages,
especially now, but if you takethe time to reach out to me, I
will take the time to give you aresponse.
(37:15):
So I would say, anyonelistening, if you take the time
and you are courageous enough toask and there are no silly or
dumb questions, I promise youthat that I will take the time
to meet with you or respond toyou.
Audra (37:34):
And I would encourage you all to do that, because she is
a wealth of knowledge.
Do not let her young age foolyou.
I told you at the beginningthat I was incredibly impressed
by her.
I was impressed by herexperience, by her being so
grounded and also being verythoughtful and being wise enough
(37:56):
to take advantage of theopportunities that have been
presented to her and beingknowledgeable enough to know
that it wasn't easy None of thisis easy but being aware enough
that, in the uneasiness and thediscomfort, to just go ahead and
(38:21):
lean into it and to make surethat she reached back behind her
to bring the next generationwith her Male, female doesn't
matter.
So I encourage you all to dothat.
Cash, I want to thank you forbeing here today, to being brave
enough to share somevulnerability, to being brave
enough to say yes to everythingyou've said yes to, because
(38:48):
being a CEO is not for the faintof heart.
It is not.
Before I let you go, I want togive you an opportunity to have
a intimate moment directly withthe audience that you can leave
them with a lasting thought thatthey can take.
Leave them with a lastingthought that they can take with
them with their day, so they canmarinate on whatever, whatever
(39:10):
moment you have with them, sothey can give them something to
think about.
So the mic is yours um.
Kash (39:17):
To the, the younger, less mature people in their career,
I would say put down the phones,put down the screens, open up
books and and really expand yourknowledge.
Reach out to people face toface and start taking on some of
(39:37):
the responsibility of thepeople that have laid this path
before you.
Don't let the road end here Tothe older, more mature leaders,
the higher up leaders bringthese people along with us.
They're the next generation andthey are only going to be as
(39:58):
strong as we bring them up to be.
As we bring them up to be.
I think about you know myparents, my grandparents always
making comments of.
You know this generation isn'tas good as our generation or
isn't as strong as ourgeneration.
And that may be true.
I think that my generation ispretty smart and doing pretty
well for themselves, but it'salso their responsibility to get
(40:22):
us where they expect us to be.
And it is now ourresponsibility to get the
generation behind us where weexpect them to be to day and
(40:46):
miss all the good, bad ugly.
Pretty that's happening.
I would say take a moment toenjoy the journey.
Audra (40:51):
The journey is the point it is.
It's from this side of themicrophone, sitting from the
empty nester seat, where I knowthat you're in the thick of it
with three young children.
It goes by in a blink.
It does.
(41:11):
The days are long, but theyears are short, yeah.
So don't get so focused on thegoal that you forget to enjoy
the journey, even the hard part.
Trust me, you'll look back onit and go yeah, that was really
hard, but I really miss it.
The days of screaming for themto turn their music down.
(41:35):
There are moments that I miss,that I miss the noise.
I know.
Kash (41:45):
I can't believe.
I'm saying that out loud.
I'm so glad that you're sayingthat because I mean, to your
point, I am totally in the thickof it.
And there are days in myhousehold we say I always tell
them you're driving me a bananasandwich, and they just know at
that moment mom is about to loseher marbles.
But my parents are very muchthat voice of I you're gonna
(42:09):
miss this, I miss this.
And in the moment I'm like, amI like, am I going to miss this?
Um, but the funny thing is Iactually travel back and forth
between the home office andwhere my primary residence is,
and when I'm at the office I geta glimpse of man.
(42:30):
You do miss it and and so, yes,it's refreshing to hear it from
other voices than your parents,even at my, my old, young age
even at my old young age, toknow that your parents still
know what they're talking about.
Audra (42:48):
So, even in the middle of chaos, enjoy the chaos.
Yeah, because one of these days, it's going to be very, very
quiet, yeah.
So, cash, once again, thank youfor being here.
You are so lovely, you are sorefreshing.
Like I said, you are so down toearth and just.
(43:10):
I look forward to you being thenext generation of leaders,
because if all leaders are likeyou, we are in great hands.
So thank you for being here andthank you for sharing your
experience, sharing your wisdomand for being the lighthouse
(43:34):
that we have for the nextgeneration of organizations.
So thank you for being here.
Kash (43:39):
Thank you for having me in your sweet words.
Audra (43:42):
It has been a pleasure for me to have you here and I
want to thank you all forlistening, and we'll see you
again next time.
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