The Leadership Exchange

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange podcast, Tracy Lee sits down with Rich Walker, CEO of Quick, to explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, AI, and modern software development. Rich shares his unconventional journey from a finance graduate and self-taught coder to leading an enterprise SaaS company, highlighting how he leveraged AI agents like Claude to build a fully functional, enterprise-grade product in record time.They explore the mindset shift required to integrate AI into business, treating it as a collaborative expert rather than a junior assistant, and how this approach can transform productivity, coding efficiency, and innovation. Rich also discusses his philosophy as a product-oriented CEO who is not afraid to get hands-on, and how AI is enabling leaders and teams to rethink their roles and scale their impact. Rich also gives insights into his podcast Customer Wins, where he explores how business leaders create exceptional customer experiences.Keypoints from this episode:- Rich Walker, a non-traditional technologist, leveraged AI agents like Claude to build a fully functional, enterprise-grade web application, handling everything from databases to dashboards.- He treats AI as a collaborative expert rather than a junior developer, using iterative planning, unit-of-work breakdowns, and business-driven prompts to achieve high efficiency.- Integrating AI requires a mindset shift for leaders, focusing on orchestration, product vision, and problem-solving rather than hands-on coding, elevating both individual and team impact.- Clear and detailed business plans, implementation strategies, and structured prompts allow AI to understand requirements, optimize processes, and deliver results aligned with business goals.Rich Walker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quikformsceo/Tracy Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyslee/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot Labs: https://ai.thisdot.co

On this episode of the Leadership Exchange, Rob Ocel talks with Ivan Burazin, co-founder and CEO of Daytona. Ivan shares how his company is building “computers for agents,” what he’s learned from years of developer tooling and event organizing, and why trust, context, and long-term relationships matter more than chasing star résumés. They also dig into cultural differences in engineering talent and what it really takes to grow a resilient team in the AI era.Key Points from this Episode:Daytona is building infrastructure that gives AI agents workspaces similar to how a MacBook serves a human.Strong teams form through trust, shared context, and long-term relationships rather than stacking résumés with big names.Eastern Europe has exceptional engineering talent but often lacks emphasis on sales, branding, and communication.Experience organizing developer conferences built a network that continues to fuel Daytona’s growth.Ivan Burazin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanburazin/Rob Ocel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robocel/Danny Thompson on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dthompsondev/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot Labs: https://ai.thisdot.co

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, host Rob Ocel speaks with Alfredo Lopez, VP of Engineering at Hearst, about what it really takes for leaders to guide their organizations through AI adoption. Alfredo shares insights from more than a decade at Hearst on how engineering leadership has evolved, from balancing startup urgency with long term stability to knowing when not to solve problems with code. Together they explore the cultural shifts needed for AI readiness: why context matters more than prompts, how process discipline separates hype from meaningful results, and why leaders must help teams break down work into smaller, repeatable tasks that AI can accelerate.Key points from this episode:- AI adoption is a cultural shift, not just a technical one, requiring leaders to focus on communication, context, and process discipline.- The quality of AI outputs depends more on context and documentation than on prompts alone.- AI is most effective when applied to small, structured tasks that build momentum rather than tackling complex features in one step.- Leaders play a critical role in setting the tone for sustainable AI transformation by modeling clarity, investing in documentation, and raising expectations for process discipline.Alfredo Lopez on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfredo/Rob Ocel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robocel/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot Labs: https://ai.thisdot.co/

In this episode of The Leadership Exchange, Tracy Lee sits down with Sam Bhagwat, co-founder of GatsbyJS and now co-founder and CEO of Mastra AI. Sam shares his journey from building one of the most popular React frameworks to leading an open-source TypeScript framework for AI agents. The conversation explores lessons learned from scaling Gatsby, why intuition and pattern recognition matter in leadership, and how trust, feedback, and collaboration shape strong teams. Sam also talks about the shift of web developers moving into AI, the importance of usability in developer tools, and his book Principles of Building AI Agents.Key points from this episode:- Sam reflects on his journey from co-founding GatsbyJS to building Mastra, highlighting how past lessons in developer experience and scaling shape his current approach.- The conversation explores how web developers moving into AI are carrying over a culture of usability and accessibility, making it easier for more people to adopt AI tools.- Tracy and Sam discuss the role of intuition in leadership, including how to know when to pivot, when to trust your instincts, and how to calibrate confidence.- They dive into the importance of collaboration, feedback, and trust in building strong teams that can weather both successes and setbacks together.Chapters00:00 – Intro01:04 – Gatsby Journey01:38 – Founding Mastra.ai02:37 – From Web to AI03:47 – Building Mastra & YC06:17 – Web Devs Entering AI08:08 – Lessons from Gatsby11:20 – Trust and Leadership13:37 – Mistakes and Course Correction17:20 – When to Pivot20:14 – Culture of Feedback23:28 – Resilience Through Challenges25:30 – The Role of Intuition29:09 – Book: Principles of Building AI Agents30:21 – Closing ReflectionsFollow Tracy Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyslee/Follow Sam Bhagwat on Linkeidn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambhagwat/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot: https://ai.thisdot.co/

Tracy Lee sits down with Charlie Cichetti, a leader in green building and workforce upskilling, to unpack what it really takes to run high-performing, healthy, and profitable buildings. Charlie shares lessons from years helping companies pursue LEED and WELL certifications, navigate decarbonization, and turn sustainability goals into measurable ROI.They get into practical playbooks for retrofits vs. new builds, how policy and incentives shape project timelines, the role of data and AI in ongoing building performance, and the skills teams actually need to execute. You will also hear Charlie’s career advice for future sustainability leaders and a candid look at what separates projects that stall from ones that scale.Key Points from this Episode- Sustainability Certifications in Action: Charlie explains how organizations can pursue and maintain LEED and WELL certifications while aligning them with business goals.- Data and AI in Building Performance: They discuss how modern tools, from sensors to AI analytics, help monitor energy use, improve occupant health, and ensure long-term operational efficiency.- Retrofit vs. New Construction: Charlie shares the trade-offs, cost considerations, and policy influences that shape the decision between upgrading existing buildings and starting fresh.- Developing the Next Generation of Leaders : The conversation covers the skills future sustainability professionals need and practical career advice for breaking into and growing within the green building industry.Follow Tracy Lee on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyslee/Follow Charlie Cichetti on Linkeidn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-faddoul-917b81a/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot: https://ai.thisdot.co/Chapters0:00 – Gratitude as the Antidote to Overwhelm1:08 – Introducing Guest Charlie Cichetti2:20 – Bourbon, Atlanta, and Shared Connections2:31 – Founding Schema.ai for Architects and Developers3:06 – Transition from Green Buildings to AI3:53 – Tips for Greening Your Business and Home Offices7:54 – AI Predictions and Data Privacy in Architecture13:26 – Enabling Early-Career Professionals with AI14:38 – Previous Ventures and Building Multiple Companies16:42 – How to Found and Operate Multiple Businesses22:02 – Avoiding Overwhelm While Leading28:14 – Patterns for Running Businesses in Tandem31:03 – Management vs. Leadership and the Five Levels34:18 – Final Sustainability and Leadership Tips35:01 – Bourbon as Community and Collection37:30 – Favorite Bourbons and Ryes40:44 – Closing Remarks and Where to Find Charlie

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange podcast, Tracy Lee sits down with Tanya Faddoul, VP of Strategy for Cisco’s Digital Resilience business. The two reflect on Tanya’s nonlinear journey from media sales to leadership roles at Amazon, DocuSign, and now Cisco. Tanya shares how she brings the voice of the customer into product strategy and how she’s navigating the fast-changing world of cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation. They unpack how AI is reshaping internal collaboration, the urgency companies are feeling around reinvention, and why shared goals and customer-aligned narratives are key to healthy product and go-to-market partnerships.Key points from this episode:- Tanya Faddoul shares her unconventional path into tech leadership, highlighting lessons from her transitions between Amazon, DocuSign, and Cisco.- She emphasizes the importance of aligning product strategy with real customer pain points, using voice-of-customer insights and sentiment analysis.- The conversation explores how AI is transforming both external products and internal collaboration, enabling faster iteration and smarter decision-making.- Tracy and Tanya discuss the need for strong cross-functional partnerships, clear shared goals, and compelling narratives to drive successful digital transformation.Follow Tracy Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyslee/Follow Tanya Faddoul on Linkeidn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-faddoul-917b81a/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.social

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange podcast, Tracy Lee sits down with Atlanta-based investor, coach, and creator Von Wright for an honest conversation about purpose, transformation, and building a better future for yourself both personally and professionally. Von shares his journey from corporate success to finding deeper meaning in the “second half of life”, how personal challenges sparked radical change, and why he now focuses on impact-driven work. Von also breaks down why it’s important to invest in a healthy human economy and what he looks for in purpose-driven founders.Key points from this episode:- Von Wright shares how personal challenges pushed him to leave a successful corporate career and pursue more meaningful, purpose-driven work in the second half of his life.- He explains Zane Venture Fund’s focus on improving human health as a way to build a stronger, more sustainable economy.- He talks about creating Lifters of Men, a group that helps men through life transitions and encourages service, accountability, and support.- He describes what he looks for in founders, including a deep sense of purpose, lived experience with the problem, humility, and resilience.Chapters00:00 Trusting Yourself Over Outside Advice01:12 Meet Von Wright and the Many Roles He Plays04:47 What the Second Half of Life Really Means08:01 Futurecasting and the Pull to Create13:58 How Venture Capital Became a Path to Purpose15:43 What a Healthy Human Economy Looks Like21:04 Red Flags and Green Lights in Founders27:06 Von’s Personal Breaking Point and Reinvention32:28 The Question to Ask When You're at a Crossroads34:44 Tuning Out the Noise to Find Your PurposeFollow Von Wright on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonwright/Follow Tracy Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyslee/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot Labs: ai.thisdot.co

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, Rob Ocel sits down with John Aron, founder and CEO of Aronetics, to talk about authenticity in leadership, business, and government contracting. They explore what it takes to build trust and credibility as a small player in a space dominated by massive public and private institutions. John shares how staying grounded and transparent has helped him win trust in high-stakes environments, and how authenticity can scale from individuals to entire organizations. It’s a candid conversation about ambition, honesty, and why faking it just doesn’t cut it when the stakes are high.Key points from this episode:- John Aaron emphasizes the importance of being honest about your capabilities, especially in high-trust environments like government and defense. Trying to appear bigger than you are can backfire.- Despite competing with massive government contractors and enterprises, John shows how startups can hold their own by focusing on transparency, deep expertise, and consistent execution.- Authentic sales isn’t about manipulation. It's about clearly stating your value, understanding the other party’s needs, and seeking alignment, not just closing a deal.- As organizations grow, the authenticity of leadership sets the tone. Leaders who model transparency and integrity create space for their teams to do the same, building trust at every level.John Aaron Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jga/This Dot Labs Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotLabsThis Dot Media Twitter: https://x.com/ThisDotMediaThis Dot Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisdotlabs/This Dot Labs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisdot/This Dot Labs Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisdotlabs.bsky.socialSponsored by This Dot Labs: ai.thisdot.co

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, Tracy Lee speaks with Karyn Mullins, a Fractional CTO, about how engineers can increase their impact by becoming more business-savvy. They unpack what it really means to “stay close to the money,” how understanding a company’s business model unlocks stronger engineering decisions, and why engineers should be involved early in strategic planning.Karyn shares practical advice for both engineers and business leaders: from how to identify a business-oriented engineer, to how cross-functional collaboration and exposure to customer needs can elevate careers and company outcomes. They also touch on AI, tech trends in healthcare, and why curiosity might be one of the most underrated engineering traits.Key takeaways from this episode:- Engineers who ask “why” instead of just “how” tend to be more aligned with business goals and create more impactful solutions.- Building relationships across departments like marketing and operations helps engineers gain context and improve decision-making.- Involving engineers early in strategic conversations leads to better outcomes, especially as AI shifts execution expectations.- Exposure to customer needs, through calls or direct feedback, helps engineers prioritize and design more valuable features.Follow Karyn Mullins on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karynmullins/Sponsored by This Dot: ai.thisdot.coChapters 00:00 – Why most AI projects fail and the need for early engineering involvement02:20 – “Stay close to the money”: what business-savvy engineering looks like06:00 – Why this mindset matters more now than ever09:18 – How to identify engineers who think like business partners13:47 – Practical ways engineers can become more business-aware14:17 – What leaders can do to support business alignment in engineering19:58 – The engineer’s role in customer experience and value delivery22:01 – Strategic engineers drive better business outcomes25:35 – A healthcare case study of early engineering impact28:13 – Three actions engineers can take this quarter30:23 – Rewarding curiosity and building inclusive cross-functional teams31:20 – Final thoughts: it’s a great time to be an engineer

How should business leaders approach AI?In this episode of Leadership Exchange, Rob Ocel sits down with Dr. Priya Sarathy to unpack what it really takes for organizations to adopt AI successfully. Priya shares insights from her executive workshop and upcoming book The AI Leadership Compass, emphasizing the critical role of leadership in making AI initiatives impactful and sustainable.They discuss why AI isn’t just a tech project, the importance of cross-functional stakeholder involvement, how to build AI fluency without hype, and why empathy matters more than ever. Whether you’re a tech-savvy leader or just starting to explore AI’s potential, this conversation is a practical guide to thinking strategically and humanely about transformation in the age of AI.Keypoints from this episode:- AI success starts with leadership engagement — Leaders must go beyond delegating AI initiatives to technical teams and develop personal fluency with the tools to guide strategy and measure impact effectively.- Business goals should drive AI adoption — AI shouldn’t be adopted for its own sake. Start with a clear business need, then explore how AI can enhance or support that objective.- Cross-functional collaboration is essential — Successful AI integration requires involvement from a wide range of stakeholders, including procurement, UX, and customers, not just data or engineering teams.- Empathy and communication reduce fear — Leaders must proactively address team concerns about AI replacing jobs by reframing the conversation around growth, new opportunities, and human strengths AI cannot replicate.Follow Priya Sarathi on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyasarathy/Sponsored by This Dot Labs: thisdotlabs.com