The Savage Leader Podcast
Ep. 65: Breaking Barriers as a Navy Pilot and Shifting into Tech
In this episode, host Darren Reinke interviews Karen Brasch, the Head of Business Strategy & Operations at AWS. Karen shares her remarkable journey from growing up as the daughter of an Air Force pilot to becoming a pioneering female Navy helicopter pilot. Listeners will be inspired by Karen's perseverance in overcoming doubters and breaking barriers to achieve her dreams. She also provides valuable insights on effective leadership, including empowering your team and maintaining a positive mindset. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in stories of determination and finding purpose in one’s career.
Ep. 64: Margie Newman Tsay on Building Your Reputation and Managing Crises
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Margie Newman, an expert in reputation management and crisis communication. Margie discusses her journey from theater to leading a communications firm, emphasizing the importance of trust and authenticity in leadership. She provides practical advice on managing personal and corporate reputations, handling crises effectively, and maintaining a communication mindset.
Ep. 63: Jordan Justus on Automotus’ Mission to Reduce Congestion, Improve Safety, and Cut Emissions
In this episode of The Savage Leader Podcast, Darren Reinke sits down with Jordan Justus, the innovative co-founder and CEO of Automotus. Dive into the world of curb management solutions that are reshaping cities and airports worldwide. Jordan shares his journey from a $780 tradeshow test that led to the launch of his successful company. He offers powerful insights on the realities of entrepreneurship, building resilience, and developing thicker skin as an entrepreneur.
Ep. 62: Mike Kijewski's Journey from High School Physics Teacher to Medcrypt CEO
In this episode, Darren Reinke speaks with Mike Kijewski, the founder and CEO of MedCrypt. Mike discusses his journey from teaching high school physics to pioneering cybersecurity solutions for medical devices. He shares insights into his career transitions, the challenges of starting a tech company, and the impact of cybersecurity on medical technology.
Ep. 61: Michael X. Burns on Grateful Dead and Rasta Inspired Leadership
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Michael Burns, a serial entrepreneur with a diverse background ranging from tech recruiting to cannabis farming. Michael shares his journey to becoming a multifaceted business leader, emphasizing the pivotal role sales has had on his career, the power of showmanship, and how the Grateful Dead's philosophy influences his approach to business.
Ep. 60: Aaron Fulkerson on Rebuilding Trust in Technology
In this episode of The Savage Leader Podcast, Darren Reinke chats with Aaron Fulkerson, CEO of Opaque Systems. Aaron discusses his transition from entrepreneurship to ServiceNow and how he's found his way back to the entrepreneurial world. He also discusses the issue of trust erosion within the technology sector and how Opaque Systems is spearheading efforts to rebuild this trust through secure application development for collaborative analytics and AI.
Ep. 59: Anthony Lee on Revolutionizing Education at Westcliff University
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Anthony Lee, CEO of Westcliff University. Anthony shares his journey from childhood passions to leading a university that's making a significant impact in the education sector. They delve into the future of education, how Westcliff University is preparing students for a rapidly evolving job market, and Anthony's personal insights on entrepreneurship and leadership.
Ep. 58: How Two Army Rangers Created an Engagement Ring Company
In this episode, Darren Reinke explores the journey of entrepreneurship with Co-Founder of Wove, Andrew Wolgemuth. Andrew recounts his unique journey from West Point to becoming an Army Ranger to starting a jewelry company, highlighting why nobody should face entrepreneurship alone. He shares insights on leveraging distribution channels that help your business win, building a supportive community, and the pivotal moments that shaped Wove.
Wove is a 21st century jeweler, bringing the jewelry designer directly to couples for custom engagement ring creation.
Ep. 57: AI Expert Som Shahapurkar on the State of AI and Why Knowledge is Dead
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Som Shahapurkar, leading AI expert and founder of OzzSom AI. Som discusses the current state of AI, the importance of guardrails in preventing unintended consequences, why you should prioritize curiosity over judgement, and everything you need to know about ChatGPT, AI, and its future in society.
Ep. 56: Alternate Side Co-Founder Zack Zarrillo on Building Authentic Brands in Music
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Zack Zarrillo, the co-founder of Alternate Side, a full service music company that represents a diverse roster of platinum and gold talent with a combined catalog of over 5 Billion streams throughout alternative, rock, indie, electronic, and metal. Zack shares how he got into the music business, how he creates brands and businesses for his artists, the raging epidemic of mental health in music industry, how he got involved in the donut business, and why he tells his artists that nobody can care more about their music than they can.
Ep. 55: Volo Beauty Co-Founder Jonathan Friedman on Developing an Entrepreneurial Risk Profile
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with the Jonathan Friedman, Co-Founder and President of Volo Beauty, about his entrepreneurial journey. Jonathan shares insights into how he dealt with failure as an entrepreneur, how he learned to not take things personally, and how he developed a strong enough risk profile to take the entrepreneurial leap.
Ep. 54: William Toti on How He Made the Jump from Submarine Commander to CEO
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with former Navy Submarine Commander and Sparton CEO William Toti. William discusses what it’s really like to live on a submarine for months on end, the key leadership lessons he learned from the navy, solutions to help transitioning military members thrive, why companies need to hire more veterans, and so much more!
Ep. 53: Musician Wes Geer on Life as a Rock Star and Transforming Lives through Music
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with musician and founding member of the band Hed PE and Korn guitarist, Wes Geer. Wes shares his experience falling in love with music, his inspiring story about addiction and how he overcame it, the factors that led him to starting to Rock to Recovery, and how Rock to Recovery is helping people battling addiction and mental illness all around the world.
Ep. 52: Crossing Borders Co-Founder Dan Chung on the North Korean Refugee Crisis and What His Organization is Doing to Help
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Crossing Borders. Dan shares stories of hope from some of the North Korean women he has worked with over the last 20 years, the spark that led him to creating Crossing Borders, his personal definition of Greatness, and so much more!
Ep. 51: Supermojo CEO Amir Sarhangi On Why You Should Incorporate NFTs Within Your Business
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with the founder and CEO of Supermojo, Amir Sarhangi. Amir discusses his original spark for entrepreneurship, why conviction is the most important part of entrepreneurship, his decision to start another company after a successful exit, how he become interested in NFTs and so much more!
Ep. 50: Pray.com Co-Founder and CFO Mike Lynn On Why You Can’t Afford to Play It Safe
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Pray.com, Mike Lynn. Mike discusses how is mom being swindled out of money during his childhood led him to pursue wealth management, why he left a very successful career at Merrill Lynch to pursue entrepreneurship, why you can’t book smart your way into being an entrepreneur, and so much more.
Ep. 49: Singer & Songwriter Christian Gibbs on the Importance of Prioritizing Authenticity
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with singer songwriter Christian Gibbs. Christian discusses how he got into the music business, how he joined iconic 80s band Modern English, how he balances commercial pressure from record labels with his desire to create authentic music, how he uses music to help kids, and so much more.
Ep. 48: Mitchell Thorp Foundation Co-Founder Beth Thorp on Transforming Grief into Purpose
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Beth Thorp, co-founder and executive director of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation. Beth discuss how losing her son to a mysterious illness led her and her husband to starting the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, how they harnessed their grief and turned it into purpose, the positive impact their foundation has had on kids with life threatening illnesses, their families, and their communities and so much more!
Ep. 47: Black Mamba Foods CEO Claudia Castellanos on the Importance of Metrics and Accountability in Social Impact Companies
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Claudia Castellanos, founder and CEO of Black Mamba Foods. Claudia discusses how a decision to volunteer in Africa led her to find her life’s purpose, the importance of metrics and accountability for social impact businesses, how Black Mamba Food measures their impact, and how companies can expand their influence and make a difference.
Ep. 46: Quiverr Founder Ryan Mulvany on Turning a Side Hustle into a Scalable Company
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Ryan Mulvany, Founder and President of Quiverr. Ryan shares how he turned a side hustle into a scalable company that he eventually sold, the importance of trust in scaling critical business relationships, and how his willingness to lean into being different has helped him in both business and in life.