In this inspiring episode, Shannon Schuyler, Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer at PwC, talks about the art of crafting a fulfilling and impactful career. Shannon, a trailblazer who has shaped her own roles multiple times, shares her insights on aligning your work with your purpose while simultaneously understanding and supporting the goals of key stakeholders to drive meaningful change. Shannon highlights the power of intellectual curiosity as a cornerstone of her success. This mindset has enabled her to identify untapped opportunities, deepen her listening skills to better understand colleagues, adapt her communication style to resonate with diverse audiences, and activate the right business levers at pivotal moments. Whether you’re navigating career transitions, driving innovation, or seeking alignment between purpose and professional impact, Shannon’s wisdom offers actionable guidance for every Catalyst. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Amit Sidhpura to explore the transformative power of self-discovery. Amit recounts his own journey, from climbing the corporate ladder and relocating to Singapore to confronting feelings of isolation and disconnection. This pivotal moment launched him into a quest to uncover his true self and personal purpose. Amit shares invaluable insights on aligning work with your vision of happiness and fulfillment. He emphasizes that true success isn’t defined by external achievements but by doing what genuinely brings you joy and focusing on the elements of life within your control. Listen in, as Amit’s story reminds us of the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and the courage to pursue a life true to who we are. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with David O'Malley, Principal at Stay Lean, Go Fast and former SVP of Product Strategy & Innovation at VNS Health, to unpack the essentials of leading change in large organizations. Drawing a brilliant parallel to Newton’s First Law of Motion, David reveals how overcoming inertia in organizational transformation begins with one crucial role: the Catalyst. He emphasizes that to get the rock rolling, leaders must build trust, identify a burning platform, rally a coalition of the willing, and avoid wasting energy on resisters. David also delves into the importance of culture as the bedrock of sustainable change and highlights the skills needed to excel as a Catalyst at the executive level, including networking and storytelling. Whether you're navigating the complexities of corporate strategy or looking to lead transformative initiatives, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom for driving impactful and enduring change. Show notes: https://youtu.be/BiN_OoAyt_w?si=l0Pe5Ay-LBfxFI97 Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this inspiring episode, we speak with Ruth Gotian, Chief Learning Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine, who has spent years studying the world’s most successful individuals, including Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions in order to understand what they do when the world isn't watching. Ruth shares her key insight: the value of choosing the more interesting path in life and balancing it with her mentor’s advice to “Do something important, not just interesting.” Ruth also tackles imposter syndrome with a provacative perspective from her article, "Why You Earned the Right to Have Imposter Syndrome." She reframes it as a signal of growth, explaining, “If you’re feeling imposter syndrome, it’s not because you’re a fraud—it’s because your efforts are finally being noticed.” Join us as Ruth inspires Catalysts to embrace discomfort as a marker of impactful change and offers actionable wisdom for navigating the interesting and important road to success. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Dr. Ebrahim Patel, Future Markets and Sustainability executive at RMB Bank, South Africa, introduces Innovative Empathy—a transformative approach for Catalysts driving change. He emphasizes the power of understanding stakeholder realities, including their constraints and resources, to foster trust and dismantle resistance. Drawing from his karate practice, Dr. Patel shares the importance of meeting resistance with humility and self-awareness, rather than force, offering a fresh perspective on navigating change. To sustain energy and prevent burnout, he suggests maintaining a portfolio of projects, ensuring at least one initiative provides momentum and inspiration during challenging times. Tune in for actionable insights on empathy, systems thinking, and personal sustainability to drive impactful change in a complex world. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Katie Blum, Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation at the University of Illinois Foundation, shares valuable insights into the challenges she’s faced as a Catalyst executive. She explores three key hurdles: the need to balance visibility and influence, managing objection burnout, and cultivating a supportive community of “yes and” peers.. She emphasizes the power of amplifying other innovators’ work to gain visibility and understanding when it’s culturally appropriate to spotlight your own contributions. On overcoming objections, Kathryn reframes “no” as often being a “not yet” and highlights the insights objections can provide when we listen deeply. Finally, she underscores the importance of peer communities, like the Catalyst Leadership Trust, in providing energy and momentum to drive change. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Catalysts walk a fine line between being outsiders and belonging—a tension that fuels their ability to think differently and connect dots that others may not see. In this episode, George White, Director at Slalom, explores how Catalysts can navigate this knife edge of having a vision for change while needing to bring others along on transformative journeys. George shares how essential frameworks, like the Houde Prototyping Model, combined with the power of storytelling, can clarify a vision for change to our colleagues. George also shared that having a “translator” co-conspirator can play a vital role in helping us to successfully drive bold ideas into organizational action. George explained that by embracing collaboration, clarity, and connection, Catalysts can turn the delicate balancing act of the knife edge into a launchpad for transformative impact." Check out more: What do Prototypes Prototype? What Professional Service Firms Must Do to Thrive Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this podcast episode with Matteo Cattaneo, Group Chief Transformation & Services Development Officer at Reale Group, we dive deep into the key skills required to lead successful transformation efforts. Matteo emphasizes the importance of understanding the business and speaking the language of key stakeholders combined with the need to be able to stay aligned with the speed business and not move too fast. He shares insights on how to help organizations navigate the hype while creating safe spaces for exploration, all while keeping explorations tied to the company's vision and strategy. As a fun side conversation, we also geeked out on how regulated industries can explore and adopt new technologies like GenAI. Don’t miss this episode filled with practical wisdom from a true maestro of transformation. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this podcast episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Nezha Alaoui, CEO of Women Choice. From her time working at the United Nations, Nezha saw firsthand the urgent need to uplift women on a global scale. Her experiences led her to establish Women Choice, an organization that operates at the powerful nexus of business, government, and institutional influence, focused on driving measurable impact. Nezha shares her insights on the importance of having a clear vision to mobilize others toward change. For her, clarity isn’t just about lofty ideals but the ability to execute by starting small—maybe just with the “1%”—and demonstrating impact early on, even if that’s through a single pilot or first customer. Her advice? Define your north star but stay agile, ready to adapt, measure, and iterate. Nezha also highlights key skills that have helped her foster successful public-private partnerships: humility, deep listening, and a strong commitment to understanding the unique needs of stakeholders. These traits have allowed her to navigate complex systems, generate revenue, and clearly communicate the impact she’s after. Check out this empowering discussion with Nezha as we explore the mechanics of creating lasting change and the skills that bring ambitious visions to life. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Christopher Wellise, Global VP of Sustainability at Equinix, dives into his unique journey at the crossroads of environmentalism and business. Christopher shares his experiences in taking calculated risks, from moving from a government research role into tech marketing to persuading C-suite executives who once resisted sustainability to become its champions. Reflecting on his most impactful moments, Christopher reveals that his career breakthroughs came when he challenged the status quo. Tune in for his advice on navigating calculated risks with resilience and persistence, and hear why a little patience, solid communication, and a readiness for “big moments” are essential for change-makers. Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.