Leading By Example: Executives Making An Impact

After helping scale Dell from $100 million to a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse alongside Michael Dell, Joel Kocher thought he had leadership figured out — until success forced him to relearn humility. Now the founder and CEO of Humann, Kocher reveals why adaptability is make-or-break in leadership, especially when transitioning fields. He also shares why he left an early retirement to build a company rooted in purpose, not h...

For Taskrabbit CEO Ania Smith, a professional gap year was exactly what she needed to rediscover purpose-driven leadership. She was feeling stuck in the Silicon Valley grind, losing sight of her "why." So she and her family packed up all their things and moved to Argentina — somewhere they'd never been before — to focus on anything but work. Upon her return, Ania was confident that this was the right path, which empower...

What does it take to turn a simple idea into a $100 million brand? In the Season 2 premiere of Leading By Example, host Jessica Chen sits down with Grace Lee Chen, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Birdy Grey, the direct-to-consumer company reshaping how people shop for weddings. Grace shares how she transformed a personal frustration as a six-time bridesmaid into a thriving business built on empathy, creativity, and deep custo...

What sets remarkable leaders apart? In Season 2 of Leading By Example, Emmy Award winner and global communication expert Jessica Chen uncovers how today’s executives inspire trust, navigate change, and lead with purpose. From bold decision-making to everyday empathy, these conversations pull back the curtain on the communication skills, mindset shifts, and human stories behind impactful leadership. Whether you’re managi...

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 Pe...

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 mott...

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 chal...

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&rsqu...

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 stor...

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 ac...

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 fr...

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. D...

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 t...

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...