Blazing Trails

Latest Episodes:

How Team USA Olympians and Paralympians Use Tech and Data to Win, Engage With Fans, and Drive Social Change Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

The innovations of technology and data in sports are massive and they’re driving athletes to maximize their performances in almost unimaginable ways. From wearables to virtual reality, Olympians know best how fine the edge is between a career-defining gold medal performance and slipping micro-seconds behind your competitors into obscurity.

Each of the champion athletes in this episode have conquered that razor's edge to success and then gone on to use their platform to do good. Our guests this week - Apolo Ohno, Elana Meyers Taylor, Jessie Diggins, and Mike Schultz - use technology not only to improve their performance, but also to promote positive messages around topics like body image and environmental sustainability. Learn more about the different ways each is leveraging tech as a platform for change on this episode of Blazing Trails.

From the White House to Sesame Street: A Conversation with Sherrie Rollins Westin, President of Sesame Workshop Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

She went from working in the White House for President George H.W. Bush to traveling the world with Elmo, Big Bird, and the cast of Sesame Street - and Sherrie Rollins Westin says she wouldn't have done it any other way. In this week's episode, Sherrie, the president of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street, joined host Michael Rivo at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit to talk about her unique career path. They discuss the importance of brand and core values, why she believes in mentorship, and what CEOs and business leaders can actually learn from watching Sesame Street. All this up next on Blazing Trails.

Geeking out with Raj Seshadri, President of Data and Services at Mastercard Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

Not many people will admit that they “started their life as a geek,” but today’s guest is more than proud of her STEM-focused beginnings. Joining the podcast is Raj Seshadri, a former Phd. physicist and the current President of Data and Services at Mastercard.

Raj shares why she made a career jump from physics to business, and what she loves about the work she does today. She tells us how Mastercard champions the philosophy of “doing good while doing well,” what the company is investing in today to prepare their offices for the workforce of the future, and how they are using data to tease out insights and trends that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

How to Turn Setbacks into Success: A Conversation with Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

“Have at least three mentors in your career. One you work with, one who loves you and a third one who scares the living daylights out of you.” That’s career advice Sarah Friar lives by and credits for her incredible career journey from Wall Street to executive roles at Salesforce, Square and most recently Nextdoor.

On the second episode of our five-part, mini-series on the personal journeys of some of the world’s most innovative CEO’s and business leaders, we’ll be speaking with Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar. She delves into the role of mentorship in a successful career, including how she became a mentee of Marc Benioff, and discusses why she believes slower growth is benefitting Nextdoor. Plus, she and host Michael Rivo touch on the ways that Nextdoor continues to serve communities and address shifting needs to enhance connection, respect, and trust. All this up next on Blazing Trails.

What Scares Kara Swisher? A Conversation with the Most Respected and Influential Tech Journalist Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

As the news landscape becomes ever more crowded, it takes a straight-shooting, old-school journalist to cut through the din. One like Kara Swisher, who is arguably both the most respected and feared reporter covering tech for decades.

Kara, host of both The New York Times Opinion podcast “Sway” and Vox Media’s "Pivot" podcast, discusses the overarching lack of diversity that still exists in tech, why she's not afraid of anyone, and how being famous isn't such a bad thing. All this up next on Blazing Trails.

Scenario Planning to Prepare for the Future with Peter Schwartz, Mick Costigan, and Niall Ferguson Dec 29, 2021

Show notes

Can we really predict the future?

Today’s guests make future-planning their business… but they will also be the first to tell you that the future is far from predictable.

Peter Schwartz, Mick Costigan, and Niall Ferguson join the podcast to discuss what they call scenario-planning; the process of identifying the most likely outcomes for the future and helping businesses and governments prepare. They reflect on decision-making in the past year, share 2022 trends business leaders should prepare for, and offer advice for individuals who want to apply scenario-planning to their own lives.

About the Guests:

Peter Schwartz is the Chief Futures Officer and SVP of Strategic Planning at Salesforce.
Mick Costigan is the Vice-President of Salesforce Futures.
Niall Ferguson is a historian and author. He is a Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, as well as a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard.

Axios CEO Is Betting on Brevity for Political News Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

A "mix between The Economist and Twitter" -- that was Jim VandeHei’s vision for Axios when he founded the company in 2016. Today, as CEO, he leads his team of several hundred with that principle top of mind. He calls it “Smart Brevity” and in this episode, he joins Sarah Franklin, Salesforce’s President and Chief Marketing Office, to discuss how that mindset has helped the company stand out among consumers, while also creating trust within the company. Tune in to learn how to apply Smart Brevity to your business.

How Google’s CEO Hopes Tech Can Solve World Crises: A Conversation With Sundar Pichai Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

Growing up in India, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai dreamed of working in Silicon Valley. Now he helms one of its most iconic companies. Sundar led the development of Google’s most important products, including Chrome, Android, and Maps. The understated CEO with an oversized influence on the world is guiding the company into the future of AI development.

This week on Blazing Trails, join Monica Langley, Salesforce EVP Global Strategic Affairs, as Sundar shares his passion for technology as an equalizing force to bring products to everyone, his optimism on how tech can help solve climate change and his fun experience with his son using AI to chat with Pluto.

What Makes You Different Makes You Stand Out: A Conversation with Stacey Cunningham, President of NYSE Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

What makes you different makes you stand out. As one of few women at the helm of the finance industry, Stacey Cunningham, President at NYSE, knows this better than most.

In today’s episode from the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, Cunningham shares some of the key moments that have marked her career and made her the leader that she is. She shares advice for how to be thoughtful when communicating with your team, dives into diversity and inclusion in corporate America, and explains why you should always lean into the qualities that make you stand out from your peers. Plus, stay tuned for her take on upcoming investor trends and opportunities, including why she believes most companies should go public.

Pessimist or Realist? A Conversation with Scott Galloway on the Future of Everything Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

This week we feature a rerun of one of our favorite episodes from earlier this year. Enjoy!

Scott Galloway, professor at NYU Stern, multi-time founder, best-selling author, and host of the Prof G Show, joins the podcast with Karen Mangia, VP of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce. In this wide-ranging conversation, Scott and Karen share their perspectives on the long-term economic and social effects of the pandemic, the ever-evolving relationship between consumer and brand, and the rapid acceleration of digital. Plus, hear a deep dive with Scott on the death of higher education, company-driven training programs, and what he learned about healthcare while trying to schedule a vasectomy.

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