Masters of Scale

Alyona Mysko, CEO of Fuelfinance, shares her incredible insights on leading a B2B startup in Ukraine during wartime. She emphasizes resilience and creativity in crisis, recounting how her team often works from bomb shelters while maintaining client satisfaction. Alyona highlights the entrepreneurial spirit sweeping across Ukraine, urging support for local businesses. She also discusses innovative strategies adopted to navigate operational challenges, showcasing how adversity has sparked collaboration and adaptability in her team.

Discover five transformative hiring mindsets that can elevate your business. Learn how cultural fit trumps job titles and why shared values matter. Hear success stories from leaders at Apple and Google, emphasizing the need for diversity of thought. Explore creative recruitment strategies that promote adaptability and a supportive work environment. Lastly, delve into upskilling current employees and navigating the future skills landscape, all while harnessing a global talent pool for your team.

Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of Emburse, discusses the company's proactive measures to support tech contractors in Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict. He shares how they ensure employee well-being, offering relocation to safer locations like Spain and funding housing for those seeking refuge. Friedrichsen emphasizes shifting support from donations to cash-based assistance, illustrating the impact of crisis on operations. He champions community-oriented leadership, showcasing the moral and business benefits of investing in employee care during emergencies.

Hamdi Ulukaya, the Founder and CEO of Chobani, champions community-centered business practices. He discusses how his experience growing up in a Kurdish family taught him the importance of social responsibility. By reviving a local dairy plant, he created jobs and embraced refugee integration within his workforce. He reveals the innovative 'Lobatical' program, which rewards employee loyalty with additional paid time off. Ulukaya emphasizes that scaling a business effectively stems from fostering a sense of shared ownership and community engagement.

Jennifer Bisceglie, CEO of Interos and an expert in supply chain risk management, discusses how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered unprecedented supply chain shifts. She highlights the vulnerabilities exposed in extended systems, with many tech companies facing unexpected risks. Bisceglie emphasizes the urgent need for businesses to enhance resilience through supply chain transparency. She advocates for a move towards self-sufficient supply chains and innovative management strategies to thrive amidst global disruptions.

Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and chairman of Airbnb.org, discusses how their charitable arm is providing free housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. He shares inspiring stories of generosity and the innovative use of Airbnb's platform to transfer $15 million directly to Ukrainians. Gebbia emphasizes the importance of corporate responsibility and the need for businesses to make impactful contributions to society. The conversation highlights collective efforts and community resilience during a crisis, encouraging listeners to get involved.

Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva, discusses the transformative power of onboarding. She emphasizes how her platform's success hinges on engaging newcomers swiftly and simply. With over 40 million monthly users, Perkins shares strategies for onboarding not just customers, but also investors and employees, ensuring alignment with company values. Memory expert Ron White adds insights on enhancing memory retention, linking it to effective communication. Together, they showcase how thoughtful design and onboarding can foster long-term loyalty and innovation.

Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and author of Pay Up, advocates for systematic changes to support women in the workplace. She boldly asserts that it’s the systems that need fixing, not the women struggling within them. Reshma discusses the economic necessity of subsidizing childcare and challenges Silicon Valley's lack of diversity. She emphasizes that corporate feminism often fails to address these deeper issues, calling for collective action to promote equity and support working mothers post-pandemic.

In this engaging conversation, Daymond John, the founder of FUBU and a prominent figure on Shark Tank, shares his unique insights on building successful partnerships. He emphasizes that authentic collaborations can truly transform ventures, showcasing stories from his experiences with brands like Coogi and Pharrell Williams. Listeners will discover the importance of aligning missions to establish trust and learn how to navigate the complexities of strategic partnerships. Daymond's journey is filled with lessons on innovation, mentorship, and the power of meaningful connections.

In this discussion, Tokunbo Koiki, co-founder of Black Women for Black Lives and a passionate social worker, shares her inspiring journey from outrage to action. After witnessing the struggles of African students fleeing Ukraine, she and her team mobilized to create an aid organization within just a weekend. They utilized community networks to provide crucial support, raising funds rapidly while maintaining transparency. Tokunbo emphasizes the power of collective action in shaping narratives and fueling humanitarian efforts to create lasting change.