TeddyTalk Podcast

Teddy here with another edition of the TeddyTalkPodcast. Todays’ guest is Adam Goldenberg. Adam, a young man in his late 30s, is a serial entrepreneur. Currently, along with Don Ressler, he is co-founder and co-CEO of the Tech Style Fashion Group. You’ll hear more about the company in the podcast. What’s of equal interest is this is Adam’s 5th company. He’s been starting and building companies since he was 15 and this is his largest endeavor to date. I met Adam a little over 5 years ago so this is one of the podcasts with a current client relationship. What attracted me to want to work with Adam (well, anyone who knows him will tell you he’s wicked smart) – but beyond that he’s keen on creating a corporate culture not as a “nice to” but as a “need to” for ongoing, continued success. I’m always in on that. If you’re interested in an entrepreneur’s perspective of building a brand (or a few brands) I think you’ll enjoy his observations of the pilgrim’s path as well as his progress to date. Here we go…

We're back with another edition of the TeddyTalk podcast. This one falls more on the lessons in life than leadership category but of course the two aren't that far apart in my world. I had a chance to sit down with two wonderful humans who also happened to be gifted medical professionals with backgrounds in complementary medicine which means training in both Eastern and Western and holistic modalities. They are Dr. Alona Pulde and Dr. Matt Lederman. And it turns out of course that they're married to each other as well. So I first became aware of them through their presence in a documentary on plant based diet called Forks Over Knives. Some of you may have seen it. It's a wonderful documentary showing the benefits and scientific background of having a plant-based diet. Some years later I was introduced to them personally by my pals at Whole Foods Market and that was at the time that Alona and Matt were just opening some wellness and medical centers for Whole Foods team members and their families. I was helping them on the leadership side of things while immensely enjoying our concurrent chats about health, nutrition, and the benefits of a plant-based diet which those of you who know me well will appreciate I am deeply committed to. So you'll hear the story not only of their journey into complementary medicine but also how that has evolved into a search for joy from the inside out. So as they say sit back and enjoy and listen to the first ever TeddyTalk podcast with two folks at once.

Today my guest is Andy Mooney. Andy is currently the CEO of Fender Guitar (think “dream job” for him as a long-time collector). Prior to Fender Andy spent 20 year at Nike and another 11 at The Walt Disney Company. Please settle in as this episode is a masters level course in brand stewardship. One of the themes from early on in Andy’s career has been his keen sense to point out what needed to be done (and was not being attended to) or what needed to be done differently and then finding himself slotted in to fill that specific need. Innovation, curiosity, and the raising of “pirate flags” have all played a part in the evolution of Andy’s leadership persona. From his days as Chief Marketing Officer at Nike (twice) to his chairmanship of Disney’s Consumer Products division, Andy’s re-telling of his leadership journey is pretty funny as well as inspiring. Now in the midst of his “3rd Act”, Andy is enjoying  the mentoring phase of leadership, his legacy already imprinted on the consumer products divisions of several major Hollywood Studios. All right, let’s have at it.

Today’s episode is with Pamela Lifford. At the time of this recording Pam was President of Warner Bros. Consumer Products Division. Our conversation meanders from the beginnings of Pam’s career path in apparel through the various high profile companies she has worked at and the mentors and lessons she encountered along the way. One of the themes of the conversation is Pam talking about the importance of “showing up” consistently; with enthusiasm, and a willingness to participate. It’s very much how I knew her at The Walt Disney Company where she had nothing short of a meteoric rise. Listen for the choices Pam has made, the courage she has had and how building relationships got her a seat at the table. Towards the end I asked Pam about her observation of the evolution of black women in the workplace. The conversation shifted from career path in work to career path in life. I was humbled by her retelling of childhood experiences with other kids at school and with her father at home and how that has further shaped the choices she makes as a leader to this day. Perhaps a couple of weeks after Pam and I spoke I read in the paper that her job had changed (and gotten even bigger). She was now President of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences of which Consumer Products is a part. Big job, big talent. Let’s get into it…

Today I am speaking with, and delightfully listening to, Eva Sage-Gavin, a very accomplished executive, wife, & mother; not necessarily in that order. I met Eva early in her professional career when we worked on exploring her executive presence and presentation skills. Of the 5 companies we worked at together, we probably had the most time at Disney. It was there that I enjoyed watching Eva become a truly gifted speaker. Far better than I have ever been. And it was during her transition to Disney that I first saw a quality in Eva that I came to recognize regularly and admire wholeheartedly as she and her teams garnered success after success. It was a fierce resolve. A strength of will. And she leads from the heart. Eva embodies the phrase: “How a person does anything is how they do everything.” After retiring from The GAP as Chief Human Resource Officer, Eva has recently re-entered the work force as Sr. Managing Director of Accenture’s Global Talent & Organization Practice. She’s also served as a Senior Advisor of The Boston Consulting Group and former Vice Chair of The Aspen Institute’s Skills for America’s Future. All those experiences and more barely begin to illuminate the qualities of leadership and humanity that Eva possesses. As you can tell, I’m a big fan. If you appreciate leadership, after you listen to this, I imagine you will be one too.

I first met Anton von Rueden about 4 years ago at the first offsite retreat I facilitated for the TechStyle Fashion Group. The company was only a few years old and Anton was a relatively new player on the scene and already making an impact. He’s a pretty large human and reminded me right away of Bruce Springsteen’s song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” where Bruce memorializes Clarence Clemons joining the E Street Band. “When the change was made uptown And the Big Man joined the band” Great song, check it out. Anton had a wealth of global experience and made an immediate positive impact on the Membership Services part of the business. Now serving as Chief Operating Officer of the company, Anton has a wonderful way of challenging people to up their game, at whatever level of leadership they may be. I have been no exception to that and we have formed a fun and productive partnership over these years. Anton was excited as I was for us to make the time to talk about the positive influence conscious leadership can have on an organization. He’s a fun guy in person and I think you’ll find that it comes through on the podcast as well. Listen up!

This week I spoke with Dr. Melanie Matheu, the Founder and CEO of Prellis Biologics.  Dr. Matheu has a background in Immunology, Chemistry, Physiology, & Biophysics…and what have you done lately? I first met Melanie when we were virtually introduced by a mutual acquaintance. The intro email said something like: “Teddy - please meet Mel who is one of the fastest rising CEOs in SF (and) who might keep us all alive 20 years longer!  She is looking for a coach. I thought of you.”  Indeed. Well that captured my imagination in a heart beat. So Melanie and I had a chat and I discovered Melanie’s vision is to eliminate the need for organ donor lists…more on that shortly. When I asked her how can I help she said she’d been in academia all of her adult life. Now I’ve started this company – how do I be a CEO. I’m in is all I said. Rather than me try to explain it any further we’ll let Dr. Matheu have the floor. They say there are no stupid questions…that’s what I was sure hoping as we sat down to talk. Check it out.

This one falls in the category of life more than leadership. And you'll soon hear why. Today you're going to hear a conversation with Sheela Alex, a friend and kindred spirit. One of the reasons I want to record a podcast with Sheela is that she was involved for many years with Osho, an Indian guru and teacher also known as Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh. Although not my teacher, I became aware of Osho through various friends. He preached of meditation love and celebration very prominently during the 1970s and 80s. Recently Netflix aired a documentary entitled Wild, Wild Country, now Emmy-nominated, that told a different side to the story. It was one of politics, conflict, and internecine warfare all behind the scenes. As his group of followers migrated from their ashram in Pune, India to a remote piece of land in eastern Oregon, they created a thriving self-contained city state from scratch. They were anything but welcomed by the handful of retirees who lived there, as well as the local and county governments that consistently fought with Sheela. Coincidentally given the same spiritual name as the documentary's protagonist, Sheela's four years in India and four years in Oregon parallel the story of the documentary. While at the same time revealing the more quiet and introspective path she took in the midst of it all.

My pal Bruce King is like that proverbial brother from another mother. Bruce is a leading researcher, author, and advocate for The New Carbon Architecture, which happens to be the name of his recently published second book. It's a way to slow the accumulation of greenhouse gases which are released by the burning of fossil fuels. It's both important and timely work. But that's not why I asked Bruce to join me for this podcast. Like myself Bruce has a long term meditation practice with a diverse background in a number of different modalities. He's deeply committed to his practice. And though we haven't lived in the same zip code for many years whenever our paths crossed we naturally fall into a space of inspiring one another. As practitioners along the path. But wait there's more. We're also both parenting along with our wives adult children with a developmental disability and that's a very unique club that no one is breaking down the door to get into. So we share our experiences, our wonder, and most of all our appreciation for whatever it is in front of us in the moment. Humans being more than humans doing.

I first met Walter through mutual friends some 25 years ago when he was a Regional President for Whole Foods Market. After stints as COO and Co-President, Walter became Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market in 2010 a position from which he retired a short time ago. In addition to being a super well respected icon in the natural products industry Walter was and still is a beloved leader in the Whole Foods Community. Here’s an example of why. I remember sitting in on a keynote presentation he made to the top 800 leaders in one of Whole Foods’ 12 regions. He began by scanning the audience and calling out names of people he recognized and recounting an experience or an interaction with each person; maybe at a team build or a store opening or simply a store visit. Now, a lot of people have good memories but Walter is one of those folks that when he is with you he is absolutely with you. As the saying goes, he had the room at “hello.” And remember, this was just with one of 12 regions he regularly visited. He then proceeded to identify all the challenges this team and region was facing. It was specific and deliberate (and probably a little difficult to hear)…and then he deftly transitioned to enumerating all the skills, talent, & resources that were present in the room (and region) to meet and overcome those same challenges. When I think of leaders with a powerful human touch, I often think of Walter.  An investor, mentor and advisor to the next generation of American food companies, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market Walter Robb has a long and varied entrepreneurial history, ranging from natural food retailer to farmer to consultant. Robb joined Whole Foods Market in 1991 and in 2010 was named co-CEO along with John Mackey, at which time he joined the Whole Foods Market Board of Directors. In 2017, Robb transitioned his leadership focus to his role as a passionate advocate for greater food access in underserved communities, serving as Chairman of the Board for Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities Foundation. Robb also serves on the Board of Directors for Union Square Hospitality Group, The Container Store, FoodMaven and HeatGenie.

I have known Deena Metzger for about 15 years..and I’ve known about her for many more. She’s been both a teacher and a role model of mine. In some ways it’s hard to describe Deena. Probably the most accurate thing I could say is that she is unconventional. And in a way that’s too bad. Because Deena, in addition to being a writer and author (her latest novel is A Rain of Nightbirds), is also a teacher, a global activist and healer, a Warrior Woman and a Shaman in the classical sense of being a bridge from indigenous ways to the modern world. And I believe the world would benefit from more of this kind of un-convention. We’re chatting on a hot day at the top of one of the canyons outside of LA. We’ve got the company of a puppy that’s a bit frisky some of the time so we enjoyed that as well. Deena’s one of those folks that I learn something from every time I’m around her. Today was no exception. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

If you've been a client of mine any time in the last 20 years, you will have heard of Dan Harrison. You most likely completed the preference inventory he designed, and listened to me bend your ear about it. After studying in India in my 20s and traveling in China and Japan in my 30s I was well aware of the concept of yin yang theory - the completion of opposites. When I met Dan, he introduced me to the western version of this known as paradox theory and how it applied to business captured my imagination then, still does today. Dan who lives much of the time in the rainforest around Chiang Mai in northern Thailand was in LA recently and accepted my invite to have a chat about his global work around employee engagement and leadership and self-awareness. So fun. Dan Harrison, Ph.D. - Organizational Psychology. Dr Harrison is the founder and developer of Harrison Assessments' and originator of ParadoxTechnology™ as used in Harrison Assessments. His diverse background in Mathematics, Personality Theory, Counseling Psychology, and Organizational Psychology has enabled him to make a unique and exceptional contribution to assessment methodology. His 30 years of experience in Psychology and Assessment has enabled the Harrison Assessment tools to fulfill practical needs for recruitment, development and assessment. Dr Harrison's' ongoing world-wide travel gives him direct involvement with the needs of Harrison Assessments' clients and exposes him to the appropriate practical application in a wide variety of cultures.

Wow, in this edition I get to talk to my older brother Matt, who in addition to being my very first roommate he is also one of the coolest guys I know. He’s been an independent bookseller for over 40 years and still going strong. I could say if you ever go to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts you should stop in at his shop in Lenox but really, you should make the pilgrimage and visit him. He knows just about everything you’ll ever want to know about books and authors and after you speak with him for 5 minutes he’ll make recommendations for you that will surprise and delight you. And, when other booksellers started putting coffee shops in their stores Matt put in a Wine Bar. It’s called Get Lit. Check it out

I had the honor of sitting down with Evelyn Allen Johnson to learn about her life, and learned about her lifelong work as a nurse and advocate, the challenges she faced and how she persevered.   Evelyn has been a nurse for more than 70 of her 92 years, and remains active in that practice today! She also is an accomplished author of a number of high-selling books. Her works include “My Neighbor’s Island”, “Pillar of Salt”, “A Nurses Notes”, and articles like The King Drew Atrocity and Don’t Forget Slavery.

I sat down with my old pal Bob, founder of Hurley International, to talk about his initial dream of being a pro surfer, selling his company to Nike, and the work we've done together over the years building leaders at Hurley. Hurley founder and chairman Bob Hurley has made his work his play from the beginning. As a shop kid in Huntington Beach, he nimbly moved to blank-maker, fin-foiler and shaper before acquiring the license to Billabong USA in 1982. Bob started his own clothing brand in 1999 embracing the spirit and creativity of youth. He remains deeply involved in company operations today, except when “product-testing” in Indo or Fiji. He currently resides in Newport Beach.

In this inaugural episode of the TeddyTalk Podcast, I sat down with my long time friend Hass to talk about the early days of the natural foods movement, how he went from a commune-living hippie to venture capitalist, and being a board member of Whole Foods when it was sold to Amazon last year.  S.M. “Hass” Hassan was the co-founder, President and CEO of Alfalfa’s Markets, President of Wild Oats Marketplace, and, subsequently, the founder and Executive Chairman of Fresh & Wild, the U.K.’s leading retailer of organic foods, which sold to Whole Foods Markets. His experience in the natural products industry encompasses both the U.S. and European markets. During his career, he has received numerous awards and industry recognition, including the Natural Foods Industry Pioneer, Chain Store Retail Executive of the Year, Boulder Entrepreneur of the Year and Ernst & Young’s National Entrepreneur of the Year awards.