To The Top: Inspirational Career Advice

Joe Vernachio is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Allbirds. He was previously the President of Mountain Hardwear, one of the leading mountain sport brands in the world. Joe is a seasoned retail industry veteran where he began working at Patagonia in the late 1980s and he spent over a decade at Nike. In this episode we discuss: -Commonalities of the best leaders he's worked for -How he earned his real life MBA working at Nike -How he's tried to balance his ambitious career while being a present father and husband -Why "being a pro" is one of the most important principals he leads with, and more.. ----- email comments or questions to omaid@omaid.me    

Aly Orady is a computer engineer by trade, graduating from Stanford. Early on in his career he worked at HP and Sun Microsystems. One of the companies he founded was acquired by Samsung. He's a tech veteran who followed his passion when he wanted to re-focus on his health and well-being which is why he founded Tonal. It's coined as "the world's smartest home gym" where the weights are powered digitally. If you're considering investing in smart at-home fitness equipment it should be part of your evaluation. Aly shares the importance of strength training and why you should be sure to incorporate it into your fitness regiment (not just cardio) and more. Check out Tonal www.tonal.com ----- email question or comments to omaid@omaid.me  

Scott Weiss is the Partner and Principal Recruiter at Makena Partners where he primarily recruits candidates for some of the leading roles in technology. He shares a wealth of advice in and around the interview process, branding yourself properly, and ultimately how to best position yourself for your dream job including: -The benefits creating a failure resume -The #1 advice for your next interview with a hiring manager -The truth about about designer looking resumes -How to approach getting the interview -When experience trumps potential -LinkedIn profile best practices to standout to a recruiter and more.. ----- email questions or comments to omaid.me  

Scott Galloway is a professor of marketing at Stern NYU, an entrepreneur, and author of three books including Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity. His YouTube videos on the Algebra of Happiness and The Future of Education have both gone viral. He's widely known for his views on the intersection of technology and politics.  In this episode we discuss: -The aftermath of the pandemic -The future of education -The pandemic affect on mental health -Solicited parenting tips, and more.. ----- email questions to omaid@omaid.me  

Troy Bigby, along with his brother, co-founded Devil's Reef, a cinnamon spiced rum. His background has spanned technology, music, and spirits. After earning his computer science degree from NYU in the mid 1990s, he joined Roc-A-Fella Records where he helped promote and tour with Jay-Z which led to the height of his career -- arguably the most successful hip-hop star of all-time. Troy's technology career has led him from Goldman Sachs to Moody's and BlackBerry, where he orchestrated some of the largest mobile device deployments in the world. He's recently partnered with his brother (a former Super Bowl champion) to craft and launch a unique flavor of spiced rum that is being distributed around the country.  In this episode we discuss: -Some of the most important lessons from his parents -How he used his computer science degree in the real world -The most important lesson from his experience working with Jay-Z -The inspiration behind Devil's Reef and more.. ----- email questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me  

Dan Sheridan, EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Brooks Running, shares a treasure trove of life and career lessons from his 20+ years at the company. Dan has also experienced the turnaround of the organization through the leadership of their CEO, Jim Weber. Dan shares the lessons he's learned leading the organization before and after the pandemic and how it's positioned Brooks for a bright future.  In this episode we also discuss: -The impact of finding the right CEO -How Dan and his team approach diversity, equity, and inclusion -Traits of the best leaders -How Brooks positioned themselves as a market leader in performance running/training -The upside of working for Warren Buffett and more.. ----- email questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me  

Dr. Srini Pillay is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and brain researcher who has published multiple books on how to address anxiety and how to unleash your full potential. His recent book, Tinker Dabble Doodle Try is about how to create periods of un-focus in your day to re-fuel your brain. In this episode we discuss: -the unconscious mind -a unique approach when feeling overwhelmed with uncertainty -tips to re-fuel your brain during the day to be more productive -ways to boost confidence, relieve stress, and more.. ----- send questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me  

Pete Flint, General Partner at NFX and co-founder of Trulia, shares his remarkable journey from Oxford to Silicon Valley. He discusses the tough decisions faced during the 2008 recession that forced Trulia to pivot its business model. Flint dives into what he values in company culture, emphasizing the importance of hiring for diversity over conformity. He also highlights key lessons from early fundraising rejections, the significance of feedback in growth, and the role of risk tolerance in entrepreneurship.

Bayard Winthrop is the CEO + founder of American Giant, an apparel brand that was coined of making the greatest hoodie ever made by Slate Magazine. AG is also known for sourcing and manufacturing their apparel in the US. Bayard is one of the most forward thinking leaders in the apparel industry. His is obsessed with quality, creating apparel that is American made, and leading his people with compassion. We discuss a range of topics from career advice, his journey, why cheap isn't cheap, and more. ----- This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, the best tasting water filter system that is healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here. ----- Email me any questions or comments omaid@omaid.me

Bruce Smith is the CEO and founder of Hydrow which is like the Peloton of rowing. It's designed as a connected fitness device that has classes in a live outdoor reality setting. Bruce was also an elite rowing coach. He won the Head of the Charles, coached the US Lightweight Eight to a Bronze medal at the 2015 World Rowing Championships and was the former Executive Director of Community Rowing in Boston. In this episode we discuss: How his team was able to bring the product to market in half the time Why it was important to nail the live outdoor reality aspect of Hydrow The values Bruce looks for in a hire Why rowing has some of the best benefits of any other alternative for fitness, and more.. Check out Hydrow at www.hydrow.com ----- This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here. ----- Receive news about the latest interviews by signing up for my newsletter here: www.omaid.me