How Acorns Former VP of Growth Survived A Work CrisisHow Acorns Former VP of Growth Survived A Work Crisis

Anthony Scarpaci - Former VP of Growth at Acorns and Founder of TUNOMATIC, shares the toughest moments in his career that shaped his leadership philosophy. From navigating high-stakes mistakes to balancing empathy with assertiveness, Anthony opens up about the defining experiences that molded him into the leader he is today. He reflects on his journey across growth roles at companies like Betterment, NerdWallet, and Blue Apron, while offering candid advice for leaders facing their own career challenges.

Anthony opens up about:

1. Making a massive mistake early in his career and being told it could cost him his job

2. Getting feedback in a formal 360 review that he was “too nice” as a leader

3. Returning from his wedding in Italy to perform layoffs at 8 AM the next morning

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Owning up to an early career mistake

(08:38) Transitioning from music to tech & marketing

(13:37) The scariest moment of Anthony’s career

(19:46) Learning from a crisis: Building trust and accountability as a young leader

(25:57) Feedback that Anthony was “too nice” and learning to assert himself

(28:21) Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Navattic and Appcues

(31:20) Managing across and up: How to navigate organizational dynamics

(36:08) Conducting layoffs and the emotional toll of tough decisions

(47:55) Key lessons from handling high-pressure situations

(50:46) Giving yourself grace and focusing on what’s in your control

Resources:

Connect with Anthony:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyscarpaci/

TUNOMATIC: https://www.tunomatic.com/

Connect with Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

Thanks to our amazing sponsors!

Learn more about Navattic: https://navattic.com/value

Learn more about Appcues: https://appcues.com/value