How the IKEA Acquisition Began

Before leading global teams and raising more than $170 million to back exceptional founders, this journey started in a crowded home on the West Side of Detroit filled with Motown, discipline, and faith.

In this conversation, she shares how she went from Detroit public schools to Cass Tech and Wharton, then entered Silicon Valley and scaled teams from 14 to more than 1,000 at Google. From global leadership assignments to becoming a first-time CEO, she breaks down the lessons behind leading with conviction, humility, and principle.

She reflects on navigating high-stakes decisions, building trust at the executive level, and helping guide a major strategic transaction with one of the world’s most iconic companies. From serving on public company boards to investing at the Series A and B stage, she explains how operating experience shapes venture judgment and why she built a fund designed to support underestimated talent at scale.

A masterclass in purpose-driven leadership, discipline, and belief, proving that success does not require sacrificing values, family, or faith, and that building with integrity is not a weakness, but a competitive advantage.

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Timestamps:
0:00 — Growing Up in Detroit: Faith, Family & Strong Women
2:18 — Motown Culture, Community & Early Joy
4:01 — Hard Things Young: Grit & Gratitude in Scarcity
5:47 — “God Will Make a Way”: Faith in Difficult Moments
6:58 — Two Things Can Be True: Effort vs Surrender
8:32 — Education as Escape: Earning a Shot at Cass Tech
10:12 — Wharton Dreams Without a Roadmap
12:45 — Breaking Into Tech & Entering Silicon Valley
16:22 — From 14 to 1,000 Employees: Learning to Lead at Scale
19:06 — Leading in India: Humility, Culture & Listening
22:54 — Becoming CEO: Pressure, Confidence & Faith
28:30 — The IKEA Deal: Inside a Transformational Acquisition
33:44 — How Great Boards Really Work (No Surprises Rule)
48:10 — Building Cherry Rock Capital & Investing With Purpose
50:20 — How She Chooses Founders & Helps Them Scale
1:11:26 — Mind Over Matter: Overcoming Hard Seasons
1:12:12 — Marriage Strength & Building a Life Together
1:12:42 — Legacy: Faith, Kids, Meaning & Life’s Real Scorecard

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