Leading In Business Podcast

Jason Feifer is the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. A veteran of the publishing world, he has previously worked as an editor at Fast Company, Men’s Health, Maxim, and Boston, and has written about business and technology for New York, Slate, Popular Mechanics, and others. Jason also hosts a podcast called Pessimists Archive, which deals with the history of our unfounded fear of technology. In this conversation with IVY’s Co-founder, Beri Meric, Jason tells stories from his time at Entrepreneur Magazine, and discusses the common traits he often finds in great entrepreneurs. Please enjoy our conversation, with Jason Feifer.   -- This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Instasleep.  Attaining quality sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle and vital in achieving success. Plenty of research has shown the indisputable benefits of getting a good night’s rest. InstaSleep is a drug-free quick melt sleep aid that is gluten-free, kosher and non-habit forming. They taste great, and help you fall

Crowned as the Millennial Mentor, Gerard Adams is a serial entrepreneur, branding expert, and philanthropist. In February 2012, Adams co-founded Elite Daily, the online publication known as the Voice of Generation Y. By the end of 2013, the company earned $400,000 in profit and averaged 41 million monthly readers. Gerard sold the company in 2015 to Daily Mail for $50 million dollars. Gerard also launched FOWNDERS, a social-enterprise accelerator and mentorship movement to help others succeed in business. FOWNDERS offers entrepreneurs benefits that include a free workspace, mentorship, and access to funding. In this in-depth discussion with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Gerard speaks about his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons he learned by educating a new generation of founders. He also speaks about the importance of mentors and how to find them.   Please enjoy our conversation, with Gerard Adams. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-pe

Academy Award and Emmy award-winning producer, Brian Grazer, has been making movies and television programs for more than 30 years. As both a writer and producer, he has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards®, and in 2002 he won Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind. Over the years, Grazer's films and TV shows have been nominated for a total of 43 Oscars and 162 Emmys for shows such as 24 and Arrested Development. In this fascinating conversation during an IVY Ideas Night, Grazer recounted many illuminating and often hilarious anecdotes from his journey to the top of the Hollywood food chain, and opined about the important connection between entertainment & entrepreneurship. Please enjoy our conversation with Brian Grazer. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

As the Founder and former CEO of TaskRabbit, Leah Busque has over 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. In 2008, she founded TaskRabbit, the world’s leading on-demand service marketplace, which connects consumers that are looking for help with everyday tasks, with independent workers willing and able to lend a hand. Leah has since expanded TaskRabbit internationally, raising more than $50 million in venture funding, and has inspired legions of startups in the collaborative consumption space. In 2012, Fast Company named Leah one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business,” and her achievements have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Time. At an IVY Entrepreneur Night in San Francisco, Leah discussed the entrepreneurial tools necessary to become a creative leader, pioneer revolutionary concepts across diverse industries, and launch a successful business around the world. Please enjoy our conversation with Le

Amanda Signorelli is the CEO of Techweek, a massive media conference whose purpose is to support entrepreneurs and innovators in the tech world, provide them with a platform for networking and collaboration, and ultimately, to spread wealth creation to diverse people and places.  Amanda came to Techweek from a management background at McKinsey & Company, where she saw firsthand how advancements in technology could disrupt large corporations. During her tenure, Techweek has grown to operate in 9 different markets: Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Kansas City, D.C., New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami.  In this illuminating discussion, Amanda revealed how she tapped into the entrepreneurial and tech communities in cities all around the country and mobilized them to come together and share their knowledge and resources to their mutual advantage. Please enjoy our conversation with Amanda Signorelli. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person

One of the true pioneers of Internet commerce, Jed Katz has spent his career developing, advising and investing in early stage technology ventures. Jed is a founding partner and Managing Director at Javelin Venture Partners, which holds investments in some of the most successful startups including Thumbtack, Masterclass and Clutter. Jed’s entrepreneurial journey started as the COO and Founder of Rent Net, the Internet’s first rental and relocation guide, which he eventually sold for over $900 million. In this in-depth conversation with IVY’s co-founder Beri Meric, Jed gives invaluable advice on how to attract venture capital, how to know when it’s right for your venture, and what qualities he looks for in a great entrepreneur.   Please enjoy our conversation with Jed Katz. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

A 24-year veteran of the FBI, Christopher Voss knows a thing or two about high-stakes negotiation. In 2003, he was chosen to be the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator, an elite role he held for four years. Voss has since applied his singular experience to the world of business. In his best-selling book, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended On It‎, Voss reveals the field-tested techniques FBI agents use to talk criminals and hostage-takers around the world into (or out of) just about any scenario you can imagine — and shows how we can all use these strategies to become powerful negotiators both in business and in life. He is also the founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm which instructs businesses and individuals in the implementation of these techniques. At an IVY Ideas Night in Los Angeles, Christopher recounted stories from his days at the FBI, and broke down the tactics you can use to become a better negotiator. Please enjoy our conversation wi

From her small start selling goods on eBay, Corri has quickly become a leading expert in the luxury consignment industry with her multi-million dollar business, eDrop-Off, which specializes in the resale of authentic designer handbags, clothings, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. More recently, Corri was inspired by the birth of her daughter Zelda to launch a second site, Glitter and Bubbles, a guide for moms looking for inspiration in fashion, décor, and food. In this illuminating discussion, Corri revealed the entrepreneurial tools necessary to build a company from the ground up and how to unlock your potential by pursuing your passion.   Please enjoy our conversation with Corri McFadden. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

Brian Halligan’s background in venture capital helped him become a huge success when he co-founded HubSpot in 2006, growing the business into a leading marketing software company with more than $20 million in profits and over 300 employees. Brian was named Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011, a Glassdoor 25 Highest Rated CEO in 2014 and 2015, and an Inc. Founders 40 in 2016. In this illuminating discussion, Brian drew on his experience as a marketing expert to reveal how to expand your network and build game-changing ventures from scratch. Please enjoy our conversation with Brian Halligan. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

All Jim Obergefell wanted was to marry John Arthur, his partner of 20 years, before he died of ALS. But in 2013, Ohio would not recognize gay marriage. And so, by fighting to get his union to John legally recognized, Jim unexpectedly changed history. In 2015, Jim became the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case, Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage across the United States.  Embracing his role as an “accidental activist”, Jim received calls of congratulations from President Obama and Vice President Biden after the historic ruling,  During an IVY Ideas Night in Washington DC, Jim shared his inspiring story, and discussed his continued work as an activist with organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Ohio.  Please enjoy our conversation, with Jim Obergefell. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.  

A Florida native, David hit it big when he was tapped to create a nightclub in Jeff Soffer’s billion-dollar revamping of the Fontainebleau Hotel, which led to the creation of LIV, now one of the most successful nightclubs in the country. Since then he has gone on to create some of the most well-known venues such as LIV, Story, Komodo, and the recently opened Upstairs at OTLA. David is also credited by Rolling Stone magazine as being one of the most important people in bringing electronic dance music to nightclubs in America after he was inspired by the scene in Ibiza, Spain. In this illuminating discussion on the power of resilience, creativity, and passion, David shared his insights on developing projects that converge at the apex of commercial success and entertainment brilliance.   Please enjoy our conversation with Dave Grutman. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions

Bobbi Brown is the legendary founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, which is, to date, the most successful makeup artist brand founded by a woman. After moving to NYC as an aspiring makeup artist in the 80’s, she started mixing her own products. And eventually turned it into a multi-million dollar line of cosmetics that she told to Estee Lauder in 1995. Bobbi has written 8 bestselling books about makeup and beauty, her most recent being Beauty From The Inside Out. In this illuminating discussion, Bobbi demonstrates how tenacity, creativity, and originality can transform a passion project into a world-changing entrepreneurial success.   Please enjoy our conversation with Bobbi Brown. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions. -- This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed. The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattr

Veteran entrepreneur Christian Cotichini is the Co-founder and CEO of HeroX. This revolutionary organization empowers anyone to crowdsource the solutions to their most urgent challenges and incentivizes innovators from around the world to compete to solve them. Through this platform, NASA has already challenged coders to speed up its supercomputer, Land O’Lakes has called on investors to develop drone technology to assist in agriculture, and NBC has sought new designs for its iconic peacock logo, just to name a few examples.  HeroX was co-founded in 2013 by Christian, Peter Diamandis & Emily Fowler to democratize the innovation model of their existing company, XPRIZE, which was designed to offer huge financial incentives for groundbreaking innovations in science, technology, and engineering. In 2004, XPRIZE was responsible for incentivizing the first private suborbital spaceflight, by rewarding the triumphant developers of SpaceShip One with $10 million dollars. Using HeroX, anyone can post a challenge a

Suki Kim did the unimaginable—she broke all the rules and worked undercover in North Korea for an entire year, documenting her fascinating experience. An award-winning novelist & journalist, Kim has been featured on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria’s GPS, Christiane Amanpour’s Show and Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. She has authored two books, Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Koren Elite and The Interpreter - which have both been tremendous critic and commercial successes. In this illuminating episode, Kim tells her story about her travels abroad as she helps us all understand this elusive In this illuminating episode, Kim tells her story about her travels abroad as she helps us all understand this elusive world, while addressing the broader social and political implications.   Please enjoy our conversation with Suki Kim.  And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, an

With a background in both marketing and the military, Australian native Adam Garone's career took a left turn in 2003 when his brother challenged him to grow out a mustache. The two wondered if they could bring the mustache back in vogue and, in the process, both raise awareness for men's health, and fundraise for prostate cancer research. Thus began the Movember movement.  The Movember challenge is simple: men begin November 1st clean shaven and, for the next 30 days, grow out their mustaches while seeking out sponsorship for their efforts. The proceeds go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation as well as Livestrong. In 2011, Movember raised $126 million in 14 countries.  As Movember’s CEO from the start, Adam built the company into one of the most innovative and impactful charities created this millennium, changing the face (both literally and figuratively) of men's health, and in the process, creating a cult brand that inspired a global movement. As part of an IVY Ideas Night at Movember’s LA office, Adam sh

For the past twenty-five years, Aldo Civico has served as a negotiation adviser and facilitator in armed conflicts in Colombia, the Western Balkans, and Syria. He has also led efforts to curb urban violence in Mexico, Haiti, Italy, and the United States, and advised national governments on the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former combatants. Since 2001, Aldo has been intimately involved in the peace talks between the Colombian government and the insurgent group known as the National Liberation Army. Though most of us will, fortunately, never be forced to negotiate with terrorists, drug lords, and urban gangs, a close study of these same scenarios, according to Civico, yields lessons relevant for any successful leader -- involving communication, flexibility, and self-mastery.  In this fascinating conversation with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Aldo led IVY members through several conflict resolution scenarios and unpacked the thinking behind them. Please enjoy our conversation, with Ald

Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress and the CEO and founder of Automattic. Matt launched WordPress in 2003, transforming the free blogging software into the most popular publishing platform in the world. More than 27% of the web currently runs on WordPress, making Matt a crucial figure in powering a generation of writers, entrepreneurs, startups, and companies across the globe. Automattic is also the company behind WooCommerce, and Jetpack, among other products, with more than 500 employees working from more than 50 different countries.  In this illuminating conversation, Matt talks about his journey from open source developer to tech tycoon, revealing the entrepreneurial tools necessary to scale a company as large as Automattic, and create world-changing platforms for success. Please enjoy our conversation with Matt Mullenweg. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institu

Jeff Rosenblum is an author, documentary filmmaker, and the founder of Questus, a digital marketing agency that has worked with some of the world’s most influential brands including American Express, Apple, Bloomberg, and Capital One, just to name a few. Jeff is widely regarded as one of the leading innovators in the field of digital marketing. His latest book, Friction argues that brands don't simply need clever messages or new, shiny technologies. They need a fundamental change in strategy.  Jeff further explored these themes as the co-writer and director of a groundbreaking documentary, The Naked Brand, which speculates about the future of the advertising industry and argues that corporations have the opportunity to use their influence to save the planet. In this live discussion with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Jeff discusses what it takes to become a ‘passion brand’ and assess friction in every aspect of business and leadership. Please enjoy our conversation with Jeff Rosenblum.  -- This episode

In his final State of the Union address, President Obama asked Vice President Biden to head up the “Cancer Moonshot” to end cancer as we know it. Our next guest, Greg Simon was named the Executive Director of this Initiative, leading a team of professionals to seek out unprecedented advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Greg’s work supported the passage of the “21st Century Cures Act” on December 7, 2016, providing $1.8 billion for the Cancer Moonshot over the next seven years. In this fascinating discussion, Greg explains the steps necessary to make a Moonshot Initiative succeed by harnessing the resources of government, academia, non-profits, and the private sector in the fight against cancer. Greg illuminates how we can all bring together diverse groups of people to create movements that solve the world’s biggest problems. Please enjoy our conversation with Greg Simon. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collabor

As a partner at the premier venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Eric Feng focuses on consumer Internet investments and incubations.  Before joining KPCB, Eric was the founding Chief Technology Officer and head of product at Hulu.com. Under Eric’s leadership, Hulu was recognized as the Associated Press Website of the Year (2008), the PC World Best Product (2008), and the TIME Magazine Best Invention (ranked No. 4 in 2008), among other honors. Earlier in his career, Eric was Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore. Eric was also previously CTO at Flipboard, the personal magazine application for mobile devices. At Flipboard, Eric led the global engineering team as well as strategic partnerships and company strategy, including financings and M&A. Eric sat down with IVY’s co-founder Beri Meric, and spoke about the role of a venture capitalist outside of just a monetary investment. They also dove into what makes a great entrepreneur and what investors look for in both a company and t