Blazing Trails

Aligning your career to your purpose in life is a key element to professional longevity and satisfaction. Understanding that your work can be more than just a means to an end leads to a more fulfilled life. The powerful voices of Carla Harris, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley; Morgan DeBaun, Founder and CEO of Blavity, Inc; and Trevear Thomas, U.S. Leader for Mergers and Acquisitions at Deloitte, share their decades of wisdom on aligning the personal and professional. Whether you are in a key executive role at a large Fortune 500 company or an entrepreneur with a young startup, the work you do can be fulfilling fiscally and emotionally. Following a deeper purpose that feeds your heart will guide you in finding your voice and succeeding in life and work.

Style is a very personal part of what makes someone who they are. The way you dress is a reflection of who you are or who you want to be, and what speaks to you may be totally foreign to the next person. Knowing all of that, it’s understandable if you believe that something as personal and experience-driven as style could never be boiled down to data points or plugged into an algorithm. But… you’d be wrong.At Stitch Fix, a combination of human stylists, powerful AI, and behind-the-scenes technology has created a winning model that delivers a personalized online shopping and styling experience straight to clients’ homes. A powerful data science team is one of the key reasons that Stitch Fix has been able to launch its valuation into the billions. Stephanie Yee is the VP of Data Science at Stitch Fix, and on this episode, we feature her conversation on the Up Next in Commerce podcast. She explains all the ways that data and technology are being put to use to create the best customer experience possible.If you e

Joining the podcast today is former Olympian and current business consultant Mike McIntyre. Mike won gold in the 1988 Summer Olympics in the Star Class Sailing Competition, and since that experience, he’s been helping companies around the world streamline and grow their businesses for over 20 years. Today, he talks about what it takes to compete at the Olympic level, including how to work well under pressure, and how to take those lessons into business and into life. Plus, Mike shares his journey becoming a Salesforce consultant and what it’s been like mentoring his daughter who has followed his Olympic footsteps.

In an ever-evolving world full of raw and untapped potential, brands require a CMO who can keep up and take charge. That’s why when VICE Media Group was in search of its first Global CMO, Nadja Bellan-White was at the top of the list. For more than a quarter-century, Nadja has used her voice proactively to challenge brands to think differently, think creatively, but most importantly to think about how they can make an impact in their communities.On this special episode, we feature Nadja's conversation from the Marketing Trends podcast. Nadja details why she was excited to accept the challenge of running a marketing team trusted with pushing VICE’s vast portfolio forward. Plus, Nadja details why marketers are in the midst of a renaissance and must alter the way data powers their decision-making.If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe to Marketing Trends wherever you get your podcasts!

What is impostor syndrome? And how do you overcome it?Whether you are feeling it in your life or career, self-doubt can be debilitating.On today’s special episode, we feature a conversation from the Salesforce show #BossTalks with Ebony Beckwith. Ebony is the Chief Philanthropy Officer of Salesforce, and she is joined by NFL athlete Kelvin Beachum for a discussion about self-doubt and impostor syndrome.Kelvin shares his personal struggles with negative self-talk, and he and Ebony discuss ways to silence that voice and build confidence. They also discuss how to mentor those who may be feeling impostor syndrome and share tips for teaching children to lead with confidence from a young age.

Today, technology is an integral part of the sports landscape. In fact, it’s become so ingrained in American sports that data and algorithms are part of pretty much every broadcast and in every locker room.Technology is now used to predict win probability, analyze launch angles of home runs, and track shot charts of NBA superstars. But technology isn’t just used to build a better viewing experience. It is also being dropped into the hands of coaches to do things like perfect a runner's stride and track every moment from the beginning of a sprint to the final lunge across the finish line.On this episode of Blazing Trails, we feature a conversation from the IT Visionaries podcast with guest Johnathan Lee. Johnathan is the director of sports performance technology for the Olympic technology group at Intel, and today, he talks about how his department worked to enhance 3D tracking technology ahead of the 2021 Olympic games in Tokyo. Plus, he dives into the countless other applications for these types of algorithm

In 2007, Khali Sweeney was on a mission - he had a vision for a unique youth program that combined education with boxing. Today, that vision has come to life in the form of Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit. But the startup process wasn’t always smooth sailing (it never is), and a lot of lessons were hard learned.Today, Khali joins the podcast, along with Executive Director of Downtown Boxing Gym, Jessica Hauser, to discuss how companies can build successful partnerships with non-profits. He and Jessica touch on the importance of building a team early on, why shared mission is vital when pursuing partnerships with businesses, and the different ways businesses and nonprofits can work together to leave a lasting impact on those in need.

Brittani Marie, Lead Brand Editor at Salesforce, and Shane Snow, founder of Contently, discuss how their time working together at Contently taught them important lessons about inclusion and diversity. They talk about Shane’s dream team framework, why Brittani values “team agreements,” and why it’s okay as a leader to not always have all the answers. Plus, they explain how to have honest conversations about diversity in the workplace, and what it means to look for micro opportunities to be inclusive.

A decade ago, trusting a brand meant trusting the quality, consistency, and delivery of their service or product. While that still rings true today, now trust between consumer and company relies heavily on a new pillar: trusting that the brand is protecting your data.With data leaks, breaches, and hacks becoming increasingly more sophisticated, who better to invite on than Taher Elgamal, known as the “father of SSL” -- the encryption that makes the websites we visit secure. Taher joins the show for a discussion about the past, present, and future of cybersecurity. He talks about his background in the industry, why stopping ransomware requires a game of catch up, and what should be top of mind for CIOs and CTOs today.

“We are in this together.” That’s the key message Ana Navarro and Dr. Geeta Nayyar want to send in today’s episode.Ana is an American political strategist who appears regularly on CNN, Telemundo, and The View and Dr. G, Chief Medical Officer at Salesforce. They joined Producer Rachel Levin to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis worldwide, the role private and public partnerships can play in helping deliver vaccines to countries in need, and what individuals can do to help. Plus, they talk about the future of telehealth and what employers should consider when thinking about bringing employees back to work.

How do you lead with compassion and create a company culture where people feel valued? Joining us to help answer these questions and more is Ania Smith, CEO of TaskRabbit. Ania talks with host Hayley Nelson, Vice President of Content Marketing at Salesforce, about what it means to be a compassionate leader. They discuss the future of work, what flexible work means for organizations, and how to define and celebrate company values. Plus, Ania shares her personal story as a leader, how she learned to lead with empathy, and what she does to maintain work-life balance.

No one knows the Salesforce Platform like co-founder Parker Harris. For 22 years it’s been his focus. On this episode, Harris shares his thoughts on the evolution of the Salesforce platform over the last two decades, his vision for the future, and why he always celebrates the moment when a customer removes code from their Salesforce implementation.

If this past year has taught us anything, it’s a lesson in embracing patience, finding gratitude, and building resiliency. So who better to call on for advice than a four-time Olympian?Joining us on this episode of Blazing Trails is Chaunté Lowe, an Olympic high jumper, bronze medalist, and world champion. From facing competition on the field to battling breast cancer off it, Chaunté knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity. In today’s conversation, she shares her story, the mindsets and thought patterns she leans on to push through stressful times, and how we can all work to create more inclusive environments for each other.So tune in for your daily dose of inspiration and positivity, brought to by the amazing Chaunté Lowe.

“The bottom line is it’s time to be decisive… we have to actually disrupt ourselves. We have to literally disrupt the idea of personal ownership of vehicles.”According to Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford Motor Company, the automotive industry is due for a shake-up. Jim recently joined host Monica Langley on an episode of The Inflection Point to share his personal journey as well as his vision for the future. They discuss Jim’s passion for cars, what brought him to Ford, and how the automotive industry is going green. Plus, Jim grants us a behind-the-scenes look at the latest electric vehicles from Ford.

“I’d love your feedback …” It’s a phrase we use every day. We say it to our direct reports, co-workers, bosses and customers. We think that feedback is what we need to grow as individuals and as employees -- but what if we told you that the entire way we think about, deliver, and receive feedback is all wrong?Joining the show today are Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall, coauthors of “Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World.” Marcus and Ashley have spent years studying the impact (or lack thereof) of feedback on teams’ success, and they have some news for us: feedback does not create growth. In this discussion, Ashley and Marcus share their learnings while writing “Nine Lies About Work,” the fallacy of feedback, and how managers should really be engaging with their teams to encourage growth in a meaningful way.

Scott Galloway, professor at NYU Stern, multi-time founder, best-selling author, and host of the Prof G Show, joins the podcast with Karen Mangia, VP of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce. In this wide-ranging conversation, Scott and Karen share their perspectives on the long-term economic and social effects of the pandemic, the ever-evolving relationship between consumer and brand, and the rapid acceleration of digital. Plus, hear a deep dive with Scott on the death of higher education, company-driven training programs, and what he learned about healthcare while trying to schedule a vasectomy.

“Can you feel both good and bad at the same time?” According to cellist and world-renowned musician Yo-Yo Ma, you most certainly can. On this episode, Ma joins Salesforce’s Leah McGowen-Hare for an honest, heartfelt reflection on pandemic life. They discuss constructive habits, communing with nature, and how they are finding happiness within. Plus, Ma shares what he’s learned about himself in the process.

For Dan Schulman, being the leader of a major tech company isn’t about the financial bottom line -- for him, it’s about the social bottom line. Dan is the CEO of PayPal, and he’s dedicated his life and career to using his influence as a tech CEO to chase missions that go far beyond business. From helping solve issues of equity and equality, to addressing homelessness and providing living wages, Dan’s redefining what it means to run a business.Today, we feature a conversation between Dan and Monica Langley, host of "Inflection Point," They discuss why Dan believes business and social impact should go hand-in-hand and why taking care of your employees makes your business more valuable in the long term.

What does it mean to be a purpose-driven business? And how does having a mission help with hiring, employee satisfaction, and customer loyalty?On Blazing Trails, we are joined by Frank Cooper III, CMO of BlackRock, and Jon Fee, SVP and Head of Global Marketing for Salesforce.org. Frank and Jon both have extensive experience driving purpose-driven change in their careers, and today, they share how they think about defining a mission, how they create buy-in with employees and customers alike, and why they think the future of business is one where mission will be a key differentiator.

Burnout. We’ve all felt it – perhaps over the last year more than ever before. So what can we do to relax, recover, and rebound from a position of burnout?Joining the podcast today are Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, and Karen Mangia, Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce. They discuss microsteps to avoid burnout, the science behind stress, how companies can be more human-led, and what tools and technologies they’re using to help manage stress individually and across their teams.