How AI Preserves Humanity at Ancestry

Guest: Howard Hochhauser, CEO, Ancestry Many organizations are rushing to embrace AI, launch new initiatives, and pursue growth. But in the process, they’re losing sight of the very things that made them successful in the first place: their mission, their customers, and their identity. In this episode, Maureen Metcalf sits down with Howard Hochhauser, CEO of Ancestry, to explore how he helped return the company to growth by refocusing on its core customers, clarifying its mission, and using artificial intelligence to deepen human connection rather than replace it. Howard shares leadership lessons from his experiences working with legendary entrepreneurs such as Martha Stewart, explains why he uses his mother as a decision-making North Star, and discusses how Ancestry is transforming billions of historical records into meaningful family stories. The conversation also explores ethical AI, organizational focus, customer-centered leadership, and the power of understanding where we come from. This episode offers practical insights on how to innovate without losing the soul of your organization. Topics include: Customer-centered leadership • Strategic focus in the age of AI • Ethical and human-centered AI • Organizational culture and transparency • Building customer loyalty and trust • Family history, resilience, and legacy • Mission-driven growth • Leadership lessons from transformation. Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Looking Back to Look Ahead: Leadership, Tech, & Knowing Your Roots with Deb Liu - The Leadership Skill AI Can’t Replace: Super Creativity with James Taylor - How Great Leaders Influence (without Manipulating) with Brian Ahearn For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   There’s a wealth of information on Howard’s company at https://www.ancestry.com/. You can also follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-hochhauser-5791b810/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Howard Hochhauser was named President & CEO of Ancestry, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, in February 2025. Howard joined Ancestry in 2009 as Chief Financial Officer and in February 2012 added the position of Chief Operating Officer. Howard also served as interim CEO of Ancestry from October 2017 to May 2018 while the Board conducted a comprehensive search for a permanent CEO.  During his tenure, Howard has helped lead the company’s initial 2009 public offering, its go-private transaction in 2012, multiple acquisitions, and all of its public equity and debt financings. He was part of the team that grew the company from approximately $200 million in revenue in 2008 to more than $1.3 billion in revenue in 2024, a compound annual growth rate of 12.5.  Prior to joining Ancestry, Howard served as Chief Financial Officer of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and earlier in his career was a Vice President of Equity Research at Bear Stearns & Co. and a Staff Accountant at KPMG Peat Marwick.

Guest: Brian Ahearn, Chief Influence Officer Most leaders assume their biggest challenge is strategy. In reality, the greater challenge is getting people to willingly move with you. In this episode, Maureen Metcalf speaks with persuasion expert Brian Ahearn about the psychology of persuasion and why ethical influence has become one of the defining leadership capabilities of our time. Drawing on the work of Dr. Robert Cialdini, Brian explores the six principles of influence and explains how leaders can build trust, create buy-in, strengthen relationships, and communicate more effectively without relying on manipulation or positional authority. The conversation examines: the difference between persuasion and manipulation why reciprocity and trust matter in leadership how leaders create voluntary alignment the role of social proof and credibility why influence is fundamentally tied to human psychology and how leaders can practice persuasion ethically in everyday interactions. This episode is especially relevant for executives navigating organizational change, stakeholder alignment, cultural complexity, and leadership communication in high-pressure environments.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - How Influence Leads to Great Leadership with Brian Ahearn - Super Creativity: The Leadership Skill AI Can’t Replace with James Taylor - Agape Capitalism: Can Ethics & Profit Coexist? With Jim & Tom Grote For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   The website for Brian’s company, Influence People, is https://influencepeople.biz/. He has a regular blog there at https://influencepeople.biz/blog/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE and a faculty member at The Cialdini Institute. An international keynote speaker and TEDx presenter, Brian is an expert in the science of influence, certified in the Cialdini Method for Persuasion and Pre-suasion. Brian is the author of "Influence PEOPLE" and "Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents." His insights have reached over 700,000 people through his LinkedIn courses and more than a million views on his TEDx Talk. Brian’s latest work, "The Influencer: Secrets to Success & Happiness," weaves these teachings into an engaging business parable.

Guest: James Taylor, Supercreativity author In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with global creativity and innovation expert James Taylor to explore one of the defining leadership questions of our time: As AI automates more routine work, what becomes uniquely human — and uniquely valuable? James introduces the concept of “super creativity”: the amplification of human creativity through collaboration with both people and intelligent machines. Together, Maureen and James unpack why creativity, curiosity, imagination, and psychological safety are rapidly becoming core executive capabilities in the AI era. They explore: The rise of one-person billion-dollar companies The hidden cultural barriers quietly derailing AI adoption Why organizational values may become the most important AI governance framework, and Why the future belongs to leaders who amplify human potential rather than simply automate labor. This conversation is especially relevant for CEOs, boards, senior executives, innovation leaders, and anyone navigating the intersection of leadership, technology, and organizational transformation. James also shares practical frameworks leaders can use immediately to: foster creativity, redesign work, identify hidden talent, and build cultures capable of thriving through accelerating disruption. If you’ve been asking, “What is the role of human leadership in the age of AI?” this episode is for you. Other episodes you'll enjoy: - The Creative Mindset: Mastering Skills that Empower Innovation with Jeff DeGraff - Cultivating WONDER: Unleashing Innovation in Your Business with Theo Edmonds - Greater than Fact: The Power of Leading with Stories with Paul Smith For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:    Learn more about James on his website at https://www.jamestaylor.me/. His book, Supercreativity, is available at local booksellers and on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4fhIioW.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   James Taylor is an award-winning keynote speaker and internationally recognized authority on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence. He started his career managing high-profile rock stars and has since become a global thought leader in business creativity and AI-driven innovation. James is on a mission to help individuals and organizations unlock their creative potential, accelerate innovation, and build a sustainable future. Believing that the greatest competitive advantage comes from creative collaboration between humans and technology, he champions strategies to future-proof businesses in this age of disruption. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Guest: William Smoyer, MD Healthcare is approaching a breaking point: costs are rising faster than inflation, outcomes remain inconsistent, and the current model is no longer sustainable.   In this episode, Dr. William Smoyer, Vice President for Clinical and Translational Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, shares a breakthrough approach called “Learn from Every Patient.” Instead of separating research from care, this model integrates them, turning every patient interaction into a source of insight that improves future treatment.   The results are compelling: in a pilot program, this approach reduced hospital visits and cut total healthcare costs by 25%, while improving patient outcomes.   This conversation explores: Why traditional clinical trials only capture 1–3% of patients…and what happens when that becomes 100% How data from everyday care can drive faster, more effective evidence-based medicine The leadership challenge of implementing disruptive change in high-stakes environments Why physician resistance is rational, and how to align it with transformation, and What it will take to scale this model across health systems nationally, if not globally.   For leaders inside and outside healthcare, this episode offers a powerful lens on how to redesign complex systems, use data more intelligently, and lead change when the stakes are high.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - High-Performance Medicine: Healthcare’s Lessons for Your Elite Teams with Brian Ferguson - Pets, Purpose, & Power: The Animal Science of Leadership with Rustin Moore - From Data to Dialogue: Why Leaders Need More than Numbers with Rens van Loon For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Bill invites physicians and others in the healthcare industry to learn more about the Learn from Every Patient program by emailing him at [email protected].   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. Sponsorship Manager: Kristine Gross   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   William Smoyer, MD, is a member of the Section of Nephrology and Hypertension at Nationwide Children's Hospital, vice president and director for the Center for Clinical and Translational Research at the Abigail Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Robert Kidder chair in Clinical and Translational Research, and a professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Prior to joining Nationwide Children’s Hospital, he served as both the Pediatric Nephrology Division Director and Fellowship Program Director at the University of Michigan, which also included extensive mentoring of both fellows and junior faculty members regarding career and research program development.

Guest: Maria Angel Ferrero, CEO, Makia Labs Most organizations are investing heavily in AI, but very few are seeing meaningful results   In this episode, Maria Angel Ferrero challenges one of the most dangerous assumptions leaders are making today: that adopting AI tools is enough to drive transformation. It isn’t.   As Maria makes clear, tools don’t change organizations; systems driven by people do. We explore why companies are stuck in AI experimentation without measurable impact, and what’s actually missing: a clear problem-first strategy, governance and accountability, and the human-centered design required to drive adoption.   You’ll learn: Why most AI failures are human, not technical How to close the gap between AI investment and business outcomes What “human-in-the-loop” really means for leadership and risk Why starting with the problem, not the tool,is critical to success,and How to move from scattered experimentation to scalable innovation.   If you’re responsible for AI strategy, transformation, or performance outcomes, this conversation will challenge how you think…and how you lead.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - AI, Your Story, & the Professional Identity Crisis with Christopher Washington - Leading When We’ve Stopped Thinking: AI’s Red Flag with Srini Koushik - AI at Work: The Human Side of Tech Transformation with Neil Sahota   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Maria Angel Ferrero is an innovation and responsible AI strategist, entrepreneur, and academic. She is the founder and CEO of Makia Labs, where she works with organizations to design AI-driven innovation ecosystems that integrate technology, people, and purpose. She is also a PhD, researcher, and professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Montpellier, with a background in design thinking and user-centered innovation.   Ferrero’s work focuses on helping leaders move beyond AI experimentation to measurable impact, emphasizing governance, human-centered adoption, and ethical AI integration.   In addition to her advisory work, she creates educational content on AI and innovation across platforms, including LinkedIn and social media, where she shares practical guidance on applying AI in professional and academic contexts.

Guest: Mike Morrow-Fox, PhD   What if avoiding conflict is the very thing holding your team back?   Most leaders believe great teams minimize workplace conflict. But the reality is far more uncomfortable…and far more powerful. In this episode, returning guest Mike Morrow-Fox breaks down why one negative team member can reduce productivity by up to 40%, why “bad apple” behavior spreads faster than positive influence, and why the highest-performing teams don’t avoid conflict -- they design for it. This is conflict management from a completely new perspective.   You’ll learn: Why psychological safety, not harmony, is the foundation of performance How the brain’s threat response shuts down creativity in seconds The SCARF model for building environments where people can actually think, contribute, and collaborate, and Practical tools to turn tension into creative conflict that drives results.   If your team feels polite, but not fully honest, aligned, or even committed, this conversation will challenge how you lead.   Because the goal isn’t less conflict. It’s better conflict.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - The Good Fight: Using Productive Conflict with Liane Davey - Addressing Values Conflicts with John Heiser - Work, War, & In-Between: Lessons from a Peace Negotiator with Lord John Alderdice For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.  -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. Sponsorship Manager: Kristine Gross   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Michael Morrow-Fox, PhD, is a highly-skilled consultant experienced in health care, education, banking, and non-profit management. Michael has over 20 years of experience in leading technology and human resources operations, and several years of full-time university teaching. Michael uses this background to blend his real-world understanding with current theoretical models, helping clients reach goals beyond their current thinking. Michael’s project management, process excellence, problem-solving, and human performance management skills help companies form truly innovative strategies. He’s a valued member of the ILI team.

Guest: Greg Moran, CTO of Pyx Health The pace of change leaders are reacting to today is only 5% of what’s coming. In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with CTO Greg Moran to explore what accelerating technological change actually demands from leaders right now. Moving beyond abstract conversations about disruption, they dig into the practical realities facing organizations: collapsing business models, increasing decision pressure, and the growing gap between how companies are structured and what the environment now requires. They examine why traditional management systems may now be the very barriers preventing adaptation. And they offer a clear-eyed look at what must shift, including how leaders think about constraints, how decisions are made, and how organizations prepare for a future defined by volatility. This conversation is especially relevant for senior leaders who sense that incremental change is no longer sufficient…and who are ready to rethink leadership at a systemic level. Other episodes you'll enjoy: - The End of Stability: Leading in a Disrupted World with Bob Bush, Jr. - Are You Disrupting or Being Disrupted with Mark Kvamme - Facing Uncertainty: It’s VUCA with Chris Nolan   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Learn more about Greg Moran on his LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsmoran/. Information on Pyx Health is on their website at https://www.pyxhealth.com/.     Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Greg Moran is the CTO of Pyx Health, the female-led and LGBTQI+ founded working with national health insurance plans to improve access to quality care. Through his extensive career, Greg has been a director, founder, advisor and operating executive with extensive global operations experience (U.S., Europe and Asia). He holds a strong market focus with deep technology experience, including start-up, scaling, restructuring, sales, finance, and operations.

Guests: Jim Grote, founder of Donato’s Pizza, & Tom Grote, Chief Catalyst, Edge Innovation Hub What if the future of capitalism depends on something most business leaders rarely talk about, and even disdain: love? In this episode, Jim and Tom Grote, leaders behind Donatos Pizza and the Grote Company, share their decades-long experiment in Agape Capitalism, a business model grounded in the principles of unconditional love, the Golden Rule, and long-term responsibility. This isn’t theory. Over multiple industries—including food service and global manufacturing—they’ve built highly profitable organizations while prioritizing people, community, and purpose. In this episode, we explore: What “love” actually means in a business context—and how to operationalize it Why ethical leadership becomes essential during disruption and uncertainty How companies can navigate automation and AI without leaving people behind The shift from competition to “coopetition” and industry-wide responsibility, and The evolving role of business in feeding the world and supporting planetary health. We also dive into one of the most provocative ideas of the episode: Can we program artificial intelligence with the principles of unconditional love, and should we? As disruption accelerates across industries, this conversation challenges leaders to rethink not just strategy, but the values that guide it, too. Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Our Emotional Recession: How to Lead When People Are Depleted with Joshua Freedman - Why Corporate Social Purpose Also Means Profit with John Heiser - Why Principle Beats Process: Inside the Koch Leadership Framework with Steve Daley   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:  Learn more about Agape Capitalism and the Grotes’ Edge Innovation Hub – with businesses practicing this principle – at https://www.edgeinnovationhub.com/agape.     The book Jim Grote referenced, Evolutionary Love and the Ravages of Greed, is available in paperback at https://amzn.to/4tD2N3v.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.   Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.   -----------------------  OUR PODCAST TEAM:  Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US: YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2 Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com   Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating! -----------------------  About Our Guests:  Based on the power of positive thinking and the Golden Rule, Jim Grote founded Donatos Pizza in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio. Sfter years of applying sliced pepperoni by hand in the pizza shop, he went on to invent and patent the Pepp-a-matic, a machine to slice and apply pepperoni directly to pizza. He founded The JE Grote Company on this invention in 1972, which manufactures food processing equipment globally. Grote recently founded the Edge Innovation Hub, a center for creativity, where forward thinking companies can innovate at the edge of possibility.   Grote’s moonshot is to instill unconditional love into artificial intelligence, countering the apocalyptic predictions surrounding AI.After growing up in the Catholic tradition, Grote began his search for a deeper understanding of the golden rule, loving your neighbor as you love yourself. He learned about the Christian traditions of unconditional love, eastern traditions of yoga philosophy, meditation and the teaching of Buddhism on loving kindness and compassion. Jim’s massive transformative purpose is to help evolve the American capitalist system to a profitable model based on the power of love and the Golden Rule, which he calls Agápe Capitalism.    ----- Thomas Grote grew up on Columbus Ohio's south side, working at the original Donatos Pizza and later rising to the post of Chief Operating Officer as the business grew from seven restaurants to over 150. He graduated with a finance degree from Miami University, and his MBA with honors from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.   He opened the groundbreaking Out On Main, a casual fine dining restaurant which celebrated the lives of gays and lesbians. Thomas became chief financial officer for Green Biologics, a UK based biotech company, and continues to consult in business development and brand strategy. Thomas is and has been a tireless advocate for LGBTQ equality.   Tom lives with his husband and two daughters in German Village, Ohio.

Guest: Julia Hartz, EventBrite Co-Founder & former CEO In a matter of days, Eventbrite went from growth to crisis, processing more refunds than revenue as live events canceled worldwide   In this episode, Julia Hartz shares what it really takes to lead when the business you built suddenly stops working.   Drawing on a 20-year journey spanning startup, hypergrowth, IPO, global expansion, and eventual reinvention, Julia reveals the leadership systems that sustained Eventbrite through massive technological shifts, from social media to AI.   More importantly, she offers a candid look at the hardest decisions leaders face: Acting decisively with incomplete but critical information Making painful calls to protect long-term viability Rebuilding culture and trust after disruption, and Leading teams through uncertainty, layoffs, and transformation.   At the core of her approach is a simple but powerful principle: care for people first, and build systems that make that real.   This episode is essential listening for CEOs, senior executives, and leaders navigating rapid change, high-stakes decisions, and the human realities behind them. If you’re leading through uncertainty (and who isn’t?), this conversation will challenge how you think about culture, resilience, and what leadership really demands when everything is on the line.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - AI, Your Story, & the Professional Identity Crisis with Christopher Washington - Thriving During Crisis in the Middle East with Aline Kamakian - The Human Energy Crisis at Work with Joshua Freedman   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.   RESOURCES:    Learn more about Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/about/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Julia Hartz is the Co-Founder, former CEO, and Executive Chair of Eventbrite. Under her leadership, Eventbrite grew from an innovative idea into one of the world’s largest marketplaces for shared experiences, powering more than five million events annually across the globe. Since its founding in 2006, the company has generated billions in gross ticket sales and processes over two million tickets each week. Julia has prioritized building a strong organizational culture alongside business performance, scaling Eventbrite to more than 700 employees across nine countries. The company has been recognized on Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces for Women and for Millennials, and has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has received numerous accolades, including Fortune’s 40 Under 40, Inc.’s 35 Under 35, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs, and Inc.’s 500 Female Founders (2026). Her leadership and impact have been featured in leading global publications. Julia began her career as a development executive at MTV and FX Networks before moving to Silicon Valley. She believes that real-life human experiences foster individual happiness and stronger global communities—a conviction that continues to shape Eventbrite’s mission.

Guest: Dr. Marcia Reynolds Why do difficult conversations so often go wrong, even when you prepare for them?   In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Marcia Reynolds to explore how leaders can turn resistance into meaningful results. While most approaches focus on what to say, Marcia reveals that real change happens when leaders shift mindsets, starting with their own.   Together, they unpack: Why knowing what to do rarely leads to behavior change, How emotional reactions (both yours and theirs) shape the outcome of every conversation, and Why psychological safety is the foundation for honest dialogue and high performance.   You’ll learn how to mentally prepare for difficult conversations, manage your emotional state in the moment, and use a coaching approach that helps others see differently so they can act differently.   This episode offers practical tools for navigating high-stakes conversations with clarity, courage, and care…whether you’re giving feedback, addressing conflict, or guiding someone through change.     Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Why You Fight Against Your Own Interests with Lord John Alderdice - Our Emotional Recession: How to Lead When People Are Depleted with Joshua Freedman - Let’s Talk: Four Steps to Bridging Disagreements with Michael Morrow-Fox For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Marcia’s book is Coach the Person, Not the Problem. It’s available in paperback at https://amzn.to/4sEWtIo, and as an audiobook at https://amzn.to/4uMnbR5.   Her prior book is The Discomfort Zone: How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs. You can find it in paperback at https://amzn.to/40PluVk, and as an audiobook at https://amzn.to/4dGfe9L.    You can also learn a lot more about her work online at https://covisioning.com/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. The Kindle version is available at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 .You’ll find further details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI. Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko Assistant Editor & Raconteur: Luigi Morelli (Information requiring higher security clearance than you have): Jenna Reik & Mike Morrow-Fox CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Like and subscribe! -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Dr. Marcia Reynolds, president of Covisioning LLC, is endlessly curious about how humans learn and grow. She found coaching to be the best technology we have for accelerating the process of change. She has coached and trained leaders and coaches in 41 countries and has presented at the Harvard Kennedy School, Cornell University, and The National Research University in Moscow. Dr. Reynolds is a pioneer in the coaching profession. She is a founding member and 5th global president of the International Coach Federation. She returned to the board for two years in 2016 where she focused on credentialing requirements and strengthening relationships with coach training schools. She is the Training Director for the Healthcare Coaching Institute and on faculty for the International Coach Academy in Russia and Create China Coaching in China. Global Gurus recognizes her as one of the top 5 coaches in the world. Dr. Reynolds has published 5 books.