written by: Kaylee Franklin
Welcome to another Stairway to CEO monthly recap! This month we’re covering April 2023. Let’s see what episodes we launched in April and take a look at what is coming soon for May!
For our 152nd Episode, Lee sat down with Joe Spector to talk about his wild journey to becoming the CEO of Dutch!
Joe Spector sits down to talk about the path leading to his current work helping to make pet care easy and accessible for all types of pet owners, and we get to hear from him about his early years in the former Soviet Union, and the roots of his rebellious and entrepreneurial spirit. Joe unpacks his educational background, his first forays into business, and the startup experiences that taught him the biggest lessons and shaped his current philosophy. Our guest also explains why it's important to over-invest in branding early on, and why we should never avoid confronting the biggest obstacles in our path.
Best piece of advice:
“The fact is that culture is happening whether you like it or not, so you can either control it and be thoughtful about it or just let it happen.”
To learn more about Joe’s journey, be sure to check out Episode 152!
Walking into the second week of April, we heard from Ming Zhao, Co-Founder and CEO of PROVEN Skincare.
Ming shares her journey to becoming the Co-Founder and CEO of PROVEN Skincare, a company that’s revolutionizing the skincare space. Ming sat down with Lee to talk about her incredible transition from China to the United States, what inspired her passion for traveling the world, and how this wanderlust spurred her to create PROVEN. You’ll also hear about the appointment with a celebrity dermatologist that changed her life, the grueling experience of being on Shark Tank, why she chose to delay her pitch at the Y Combinator demo day, and the pivotal moment she knew private equity was not for her. From exploration to skincare creation!
Best piece of advice:
“Before a company is successful is not the time to make a statement. When we want to make a statement is when we have an established, successful company.”
Tune in to Episode 153 to learn more about Ming and her journey to PROVEN Skincare!
Heading into the middle of April, Lee chatted with Paul Schiraldi, the CEO of Murad.
Paul is the CEO of Murad, a leading global skincare brand characterized by a holistic approach that prioritizes the health of your skin above anything else. In Lee’s conversation with Joe, he talks us through his tenacious career trajectory, his passion for both analysis and creativity and the various industries he experimented with before coming to work with the premier brands in beauty. We also dive into his learnable experiences as a first-time CEO, why collaboration comes so naturally to him, and the value of being a generalist when you’re in a leadership role! Tune in to hear about Paul’s eventful journey to becoming CEO and his thoughtful parting advice to aspiring leaders.
Best piece of advice:
“All you can do is plan for the scenarios that you think are likely and to try and get ahead of it by planning for different possibilities.”
Don’t forget to catch up and listen to Episode 154 for a deeper story behind Murad and Paul’s entrepreneurial journey!
Continuing the month with a strong ending, we heard from Ronit Menashe, Co-Founder and CEO of WeNatal.
Sharing her story in episode 155 is the Co-Founder and CEO of WeNatal, Ronit Menashe, who is channeling all of her Israeli ‘chutzpah’ to tackle the fertility crisis experienced worldwide. Ronit, the second oldest of four siblings born to entrepreneurial parents, began her career with a Nike internship and quickly worked her way up the ranks. However, her desire for a more purposeful line of work combined with a tragic personal experience led her to leave the corporate world behind to found WeNatal, where she is now helping couples bring new life into the world!
Best piece of advice:
“Just build relationships because you never know how these people around you will be able to add value to your life at some point.”
Want to hear more about Ronit and WeNatal? Tune in to Episode 155!
In April, we had a common theme from our Founders and CEOs of planning ahead and building relationships with your team, culture, and those around you. They emphasized the importance of cultivating strong relationships within the organization and beyond, as well as proactively planning for the future. By prioritizing these aspects, organizations can create a strong foundation for growth and success.
Stay tuned throughout May to hear from amazing CEOs such as:
Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, or tune in wherever you listen to podcasts.
Have any guest suggestions, comments, or questions about Stairway to CEO? Drop us a line here!
Welcome to the third edition of Stairway to CEO's Holiday Gift Guide– your ultimate resource for finding the perfect gifts. As we’ve reached almost 200 episodes, the options of your favorite leading direct-to-consumer brands. We have a lot of amazing gift ideas for you and we’ll be sure to cover everyone you’re shopping for, so we hope you enjoy!
Welcome back to another monthly recap! I know for some, the month of September felt like the longest month of the year, and for others, it flew by. But nonetheless, we had an incredible lineup of four amazing guests, with incredible backgrounds and stories. Let’s jump in to see what they all had in common, some life lessons they had to share, and take a peak into what we have coming out in October.
As the year hurtles towards its close, the fourth quarter (Q4) offers a prime opportunity to not only meet financial targets but also leave a lasting impression on your customers. It's a time when holiday festivities mingle with year-end goals, and careful planning can make all the difference. In this blog post, we'll explore strategies to navigate Q4 with a focus on delivering outstanding customer experience, and how to partner with Awesome CX to offer seamless solutions to help your business not only weather the storm but also thrive during this crucial season.
