In episode 26, Hiten Shah reveals the difference between culture fit and work flow fit. Hiten is a multi time founder, building and growing his own companies such as Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics and Quick Sprout. He also co-hosts The Startup Chat, a podcast about startup life, insights and advice. In this episode, Hiten reflects on his first engineering hire and explains the importance of assessing talent accurately during the interview process to make sure they can succeed with you, in the environment you have created. We also talk about identifying slow moving teams, why managers need to be in tune with what their teams actually know (and what they don’t), and how founders can transfer their unique talents and skills to their teams. Tune in to hear Hiten share why environment fit matters to build a well oiled team.

In episode 25, Lenny Rachitsky shares a groundbreaking framework to improve your planning processes and performance reviews. Lenny is an expert in product management and has a wealth of knowledge about company growth, people, and management in the technology world. Previously a product lead at Airbnb, he is currently known for writing a weekly newsletter read by thousands of product leaders. In today’s episode, we talk to Lenny about the importance of unblocking your team by providing them with knowledge and support… so they can do the best work possible. We also explore decision-making and why, as leaders, we need to reframe change as an opportunity. Finally, Lenny walks us through his “W framework”, a step-by-step strategy that can help your team better understand logistics and responsibility.

In episode 24, Camille Fournier (Managing Director of Platform Engineering at Two Sigma) talks about the art of managing technical teams... and why leaders should always strive to develop and improve their own skills. Camille’s previous roles include being the Chief Technology Officer at Rent the Runway... a VP and Technical Specialist at Goldman Sachs... and a Software Engineer at Microsoft. In addition to a vast portfolio in the technology world, Camille is the author of two great management books; The Manager’s Path and 97 Things Every Engineering Manager Should Know. Listen to this episode to learn about the importance of structure, repetition, and managing stress as a leader.

In episode 23, Andrew Waitman reveals why leadership meetings need structure, but also flexibility. Andrew Waitman is the CEO of Assent Compliance… the global leader in supply chain data management and one of Canada’s top growing companies. Tune in to explore the concepts of agility and adaptability and why structure is such an important aspect of strategy, leadership and of course, team management. We also explore why running leadership meetings with purpose comes with exploring the victories, insights and puzzles of business.

In episode 22, Leslie Miley asks us to rethink how we invest in inclusion and uplift our teams. Leslie Miley has an impressive career history leading Engineering teams at Slack, Google, Twitter and Apple... as well as being the first Chief Technology Officer with the Obama Foundation. Tune in to this episode to learn why as leaders, we must move away from performative allyship, and instead… rebuild the trust that has been broken due to racism that is built into systems, processes, and workplace culture. Leslie also shares how important culture is and why learning and respecting the culture of those we work with, creates strong relationships. Press play and let us know your biggest takeaways from this episode!

In episode 21, Erin Bury shares how she brings optimism to her leadership and how we can balance positivity with the challenges that come with business. Erin Bury is the Co-Founder and CEO of Willful, a Toronto based startup building the online estate planning platform for today's generation. Prior to founding Willful in 2019, Erin held senior roles at BetaKit and wrote for publications such as The Globe and Mail and Business Insider. She also led her own creative marketing agency, Eighty Eight, where she worked with clients such as Lyft, Telus, and Sony Pictures Television. Erin recognizes that empathy, awareness and connection are key aspects of being a leader, no matter what kind of business you are leading, be it service based or product based. Listen to this episode to remember just how important our actions are as leaders and how they directly impact our teams and our culture at work.

In episode 20, Michael Litt reminds us how important it is to exercise our minds, so we can execute our missions and our values as leaders. We talk about how leadership changes as your business grows, the importance of communication and structure to keep tasks on track and having empathy and compassion for your team. Michael Litt is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vidyard - the online video platform that helps businesses such as SalesForce and Marketo unlock the power of video. Michael is also a Tedx speaker and has been named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. As CEO, Michael strives to build a team of fantastic developers and evangelists that are dedicated to the company mission. Tune in to hear about what building a business has taught Michael about leadership and management.

In episode 19, Patrick Campbell reflects on his journey as a first time founder and manager. In this episode, you will hear about Patrick’s early career building days working at Google and the US Defence Department, as well as what life was like when he decided to go all in and build ProfitWell in 2012. Patrick is the Founder and CEO of ProfitWell, the software company that helps subscription model businesses like Canva, MasterClass, Classpass, Vice and Prezi (and more) with their monetization and retention strategies. Tune in to this episode to hear Patrick share the importance of building a culture of feedback and how important mission driven businesses can be.

In episode #18, Melinda Briana Epler defines the concept of allyship and what it means and looks like to be a good ally in the workplace. Tune in to learn why it is necessary to be and feel uncomfortable when doing anti-racist work and how to have conversations that promote safety and equality, and interrupt one’s that don’t so you can make changes and create more equal spaces at work. Melinda is the founder and CEO of Change Catalyst, a San-Francisco-based advising company with the mission to build inclusive ecosystems. She is also a startup advisor and TEDx speaker who speaks actively about white privilege, diversity and inclusion in tech, and how to lead with empathy as an ally. Melinda has over 25 years of experience developing business innovation and inclusion strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies and global NGOs. Since the launch of Change Catalyst, she has worked with more than 340 community partners and 450 tech companies -- and her work has been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, Black Enterprise, The Times, and many other publications. Listen to this episode to learn how as a manager, you have the power to build diverse and inclusive teams and how doing so will elevate your organization’s health, productivity and profitability.

In episode #17, Bo Brabo joins Aydin to talk about how leadership, team culture and everyday behaviours at work collide in the military and in  the corporate world. Tune in to hear all about Bo’s journey that has carried him through the military, presidential offices and the corporate world and learn about the similarities that can be identified when teams and their leaders align their behaviours with their values. Since retiring from the U.S. Army as the Chief of HR Operations with the White House Communications Agency …. and as a Presidential Communications Officer for President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, Bo has served in several executive positions as Vice President of Human Resources. Bo is also the author of “From The Battlefield, To The White House, To The Boardroom” -- a book where he shares his experiences from years on the military battlefield and a decade in the White House, and is also the co-host of the Bo and Luke show, a podcast all about doing better so you can be better. Listen to this episode to learn how the needs of leaders and their teams don’t change much, even when their workplaces do!