Answering The Call

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Rolston, one of the most influential designers of the last three decades — and he'll be the first to tell you he never planned any of it.

Co-founder of Argo Design and the architect of Frog Design's digital practice, we go through a wide-ranging conversation about Mark's career built entirely on curiosity, craft, and the willingness to walk into a room with no idea what the answer is.

From programming a Commodore 64 at 14 for his father's oil business, to pioneering software interface design before the field had a name, to conducting user research in Taliban-controlled markets in Kabul — Mark has lived a designer's life in the fullest possible sense, including just finished his first album, released on vinyl under his own label.

Mark shares some choice nuggets of wisdom on what it really means to make something, the difference between having an idea and putting teeth into it, what Hartmut Esslinger taught him about never getting precious about your work, the business truth behind "get paid for what you do," and why the best design problems are the ones that scare you a little.

If curiosity is your operating system, this conversation was made for you.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Mark Rolston

email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rolston-161161/

#Design #DesignLeadership #Entrepreneurship #FrogDesign #Creativity #ProductDesign #UXDesign #BusinessAcumen #Leadership #Curiosity #CareerAdvice #StartupLife #Innovation #DesignThinking #MakeThings #PodcastRecommendation

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Rolston, one of the most influential designers of the last three decades — and he'll be the first to tell you he never planned any of it.

Co-founder of Argo Design and the architect of Frog Design's digital practice, we go through a wide-ranging conversation about Mark's career built entirely on curiosity, craft, and the willingness to walk into a room with no idea what the answer is.

From programming a Commodore 64 at 14 for his father's oil business, to pioneering software interface design before the field had a name, to conducting user research in Taliban-controlled markets in Kabul — Mark has lived a designer's life in the fullest possible sense, including just finished his first album, released on vinyl under his own label.

Mark shares some choice nuggets of wisdom on what it really means to make something, the difference between having an idea and putting teeth into it, what Hartmut Esslinger taught him about never getting precious about your work, the business truth behind "get paid for what you do," and why the best design problems are the ones that scare you a little.

If curiosity is your operating system, this conversation was made for you.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Mark Rolston

email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rolston-161161/

#Design #DesignLeadership #Entrepreneurship #FrogDesign #Creativity #ProductDesign #UXDesign #BusinessAcumen #Leadership #Curiosity #CareerAdvice #StartupLife #Innovation #DesignThinking #MakeThings #PodcastRecommendation

In this episode I sit down with Sam Ward and John Alderman, founders and principals at Alderman and Ward, two creative leaders who didn't wait for permission to build something on their own terms.

From punk rock DIY ethics to designing at the intersection of strategy and creativity, Sam and John share what it really took to make the leap — and what they've learned about knowing yourself well enough to do it.

If you've ever wondered what's on the other side of the jump, this one's for you.

How to contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How to contact John and Sam

Website: https://aldermanandward.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alderman/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-ward-88204a2/

#ExecutiveCoaching #CreativeLeadership #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #AnsweringTheCall #LeadershipPodcast #NewEpisode #KnowYourself #BoldDecisions #MakeTheLeap #CareerTransition #LeadershipCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #PurposeDriven #SocialEntrepreneurship #MentalHealthLeadership #CareerPivot #PodcastRecommendation

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Boselli, Executive Director of Groundswell Community Project. We dive deep into her remarkable career journey from a fast-paced, 10-year run in high-growth tech startups—scaling teams at Uber Eats and Brex—to leading a high-impact mental health non-profit.

Shannon shares how a pandemic-era reality check inspired her to re-evaluate her career goals, step away from the corporate status quo, and align her go-to-market skills with social entrepreneurship and trauma healing. We explore how Groundswell utilizes surf therapy to help individuals processing complex trauma, PTSD, grief, and depression build lifelong resilience toolkits.

Whether you are contemplating a major career pivot, interested in social impact, or looking to lead with authentic confidence, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on strengths-based leadership, corporate ESG, and standing up for your core values.

• Breaking the Status Quo: How childhood conviction evolved into authentic, confident leadership.
• The Silicon Valley Tech Sprint: Key lessons learned from scaling early-stage teams at Uber Eats and Brex.
• The Purpose Pivot: Re-evaluating 60-hour work weeks during COVID and transitioning from corporate tech to social impact.
• Ocean & Mental Health: How Groundswell Community Project utilizes surf therapy for trauma recovery and mental wellbeing.
• Corporate Responsibility & ESG: Moving beyond superficial marketing to implement authentic social impact and operational change.
• Strengths-Based Living: Co-founding Introspective and maximizing your natural, energy-giving strengths.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Shannon

Website: groundswellcommunity.org

Introspective Cards: introspectivecards.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonboselli/

#CareerTransition #LeadershipCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #PurposeDriven #SocialEntrepreneurship #MentalHealthLeadership #CareerPivot #PodcastRecommendation

What does it really take to lead through disruption when grace, rather than breaking things, is the necessary ingredient in driving successful outcomes?

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sandy Hogan, former sales and go-to-market leader at Cisco and VMware, and founder and CEO of BozQ, a growth intelligence firm for B2B technology companies, to learn how she took her formula from success from doing books for her father's business at age 11, to gracefully disrupt from the inside, one of America's largest technology companies.

For Sandy, it's not the smartest person who wins. Growing up in a strict immigrant household, she learned three things early — work ethic, respect for everyone in the room, and the belief that there's nowhere to go but up. Those three things quietly ran her career for 30 years.

In this conversation, Sandy and I go deep on what it actually takes — not the idealistic version, but the real one. The rejection letters taped to the dorm room door. The rust hole on her parents' car she'd sprint behind the building to avoid. The moment she realized she was pioneering solutions selling inside Cisco while half the org was trying to shut it down.

And then the decision to take that knowledge and experience to help companies trying to compete in a world of AI disruption.

Sandy's throughline? Graceful disruption. The conviction that how you change things matters as much as what you change.

Hard work doesn't go out of style. This episode proves it.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Sandy

Website: https://bozq.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyhogan/

Email: [email protected]

#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SalesLeadership #GoToMarket #WorkEthic #GracefulDisruption #Curiosity #CustomerCentricity #GrowthMindset #CareerAdvice #WomenInLeadership #StartupLife #AIandFuture #BusinessAcumen #Resilience #Preparation #PodcastRecommendation

What does a theater major who stumbled into design, launched a production company, ran one of the world's most iconic design firms, and then built a thriving academic program have to teach us? Everything.

In this episode, I sit down with Doreen Lorenzo — former President of frog design and Assistant Dean of the School of Design and Creative Technologies at UT Austin — for a candid conversation about career reinvention, fearless decision-making, and leading with empathy.

Doreen shares how she built a remarkable career not by following a plan, but by walking through every open door she encountered — even when (especially when) people told her she'd fail.

From cold-calling a tech startup from a newspaper ad to transforming a struggling fine arts college into a thriving design school of 650+ students, Doreen's story is a masterclass in trusting your instincts, betting on people, and taking action.

Key takeaways:

• Why "what's the worst that can happen?" is the most liberating question in your career
• How transferable skills are more powerful than specialized credentials
• The difference between design thinking and being a true design "ninja"
• Why culture and mentorship are the real engines of entrepreneurial success
• How impact — not accolades — becomes the ultimate career compass

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Doreen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doreenlorenzo/

Email: [email protected]

#Leadership #CareerAdvice #Entrepreneurship #DesignThinking #Coaching #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset #WomenInBusiness #CareerPivot #BusinessAcumen #CreativeLeadership #DesignLeadership #MentorshipMatters #FrogDesign #TakeAction #OvercomingFear #CareerReinvention #HigherEducation #ImpactDriven #PodcastRecommendation

Ruth Yomtoubian is an original corporate innovator who has successfully navigated the three major waves of corporate innovation. Acting as a translator, orchestrator, and practitioner, Ruth bridges the gap between the startup ecosystem, venture capitalists, and enterprise organizations.

As an Independent consultant, Ruth's work focuses on helping companies—particularly within "construct industries" like healthcare—move from mere curiosity to strategic coordination in their AI and innovation efforts.

Known for her pragmatic approach, Ruth champions grounded leadership and clear architecture over "performance theater" to combat mediocrity and drive real business value.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Ruth

Website: ruthyomtoubian.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthyomtoubian/

Email: [email protected]

#TheHumanAdvantage #LeadershipIntuition #CreativeLeadership #AuthenticSuccess #HumanityInTech #SerialEntrepreneur #AIEvolution #ProductMarketFit #AgileLearning #TheArchitectMindset #FamilyFirst #WorkLifeIntegration #BuilderMindset

What does it actually take to win the "championship" of your life? In this episode, David Zemanek sits down with serial entrepreneur Paul Pluschkell to deconstruct a career built on intense energy, radical unlearning, and a refusal to sacrifice the things that matter most.

Paul isn't your typical tech executive. He’s a builder who admits that if he weren't in software, he’d be a carpenter—someone who finds soul-level satisfaction in looking back at the end of the day to see exactly what he created. From the "back nine" of his career, Paul shares the hard-won wisdom of a life lived at the intersection of high-stakes execution and deep humanity.

• The Family Time Boundary: How Paul structured a decade of his career to pause work every afternoon from 3-6pm to coach his four children, proving that professional success doesn't have to come at the cost of being a present father.

• The Courage to Unlearn: Why the "playbooks" of yesterday are becoming obsolete in the age of AI, and why leaders must be willing to "forget 80% of what they know" to avoid getting "Checked" by the future.

• The Anatomy of a Loss: Why Paul remembers every pitch of a lost World Series game with perfect clarity, and how he uses the pain of failure to fuel a "quick-learning" nature that identifies the truth before it gets expensive.

• Culture is Earned, Not Installed: A raw look at why company culture is simply a reflection of how you act every day, and why there are no shortcuts to building a team that holds up under pressure.

• The Athlete’s DNA: How growing up in team sports taught a self-proclaimed "average athlete" that over-preparation and durability are the ultimate equalizers in any arena.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Paul

Website: epicdx.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpluschkell

Email: [email protected]

#TheHumanAdvantage #LeadershipIntuition #CreativeLeadership #AuthenticSuccess #HumanityInTech #SerialEntrepreneur #AIEvolution #ProductMarketFit #AgileLearning #TheArchitectMindset #FamilyFirst #WorkLifeIntegration #BuilderMindset

In this powerful and deeply transparent episode, I sit down with Al Adamsen, a trailblazer in People Analytics and the leader of Adaptive Futures. Al shares his remarkable journey from an introverted "lone wolf" to a global voice on employee experience, leadership, and the rapidly evolving future of work.

We dive straight into the pressing realities of the AI revolution, exploring how artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the nature of work and the impending "societal shock" that professionals and business leaders must prepare for over the next decade.

But this conversation goes far beyond corporate strategy. Al opens up about overcoming profound personal trauma, the life-changing impact of deep self-awareness, and how he transformed his pain into a purpose-driven mission: creating safe spaces for people to show up as their best, authentic selves.

Whether you are Fortune 500 exec all the way to solopreneur, Al's practical frameworks on treating emotions as data, mastering your daily energy, and cultivating a bulletproof sleep routine will leave you inspired and ready to take action.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Surviving the AI Societal Shock: Why the workforce needs to brace for massive shifts in employment and how leaders can responsibly integrate AI without spreading fear.

• Energy as Your North Star: Practical ways to build elasticity into your day, ruthlessly cut out energy drains like commuting, and find your optimal flow state in nature.

• Modern Stoicism: Why the popular advice to "trust your gut" is flawed, and how to use your emotions as valuable data rather than the ultimate decision-maker.

• Healing Through Serving: Al’s incredibly vulnerable story of transforming severe trauma into a career dedicated to compassion, empathy, and elevating the human experience at work.

• Mastering the Bookends of Your Day: The exact morning and evening habits—including a strict, technology-free sleep sanctuary—that fuel sustainable high performance.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact Al

Website: aladamsen.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aladamsen/

Email: [email protected]

Hashtags:

#FutureOfWork #PeopleAnalytics #ArtificialIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #EnergyManagement #EmployeeExperience #HRTech #Stoicism #MindfulLeadership #MentalHealthAtWork #CareerGrowth

In this episode, we dive deep into the career of David Sherwin, a renowned graphic designer, UX design leader, and author of the best-selling book Creative Workshop. David shares his transition from editorial publishing to user experience (UX) design at leading innovation firms like frog, and major companies like LinkedIn, offering a masterclass in how to stay curious and committed to your craft over decades.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Pull vs. Push Career Path: Why being "yanked" into leadership roles often requires a radical shift in skill sets—moving from delivering design to operating a company.

• The Art of Feedback & Critique: Why building an "etiquette" for receiving client feedback is critical for ensuring the quality of your work.

• Building High-Performing Teams: Insights into David’s work with his partner, Mary Sherwin, on design collaboration, culture work, and their toolkit, Team Words, designed to turn groups into cohesive teams.

• Future of Design & AI: David discusses the human "edge" in artificial intelligence, specifically how humans excel at pre-visualization and intentionality while AI handles lower-order tasks.

• Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: A candid look at David’s journey through long COVID, relearning cognitive skills, and finding a sustainable balance between consulting, mentorship, and art.

Whether you are a senior designer looking to move into management, an entrepreneur planning your first startup runway, or a creative professional interested in sustainability and mission-critical health systems, this episode provides the roadmap for a meaningful, impact-driven career.

How To Contact David Z

Website: https://zenten.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzemanek/

Email: [email protected]

How To Contact David S

Website: https://askthesherwins.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsherwin/

Email: [email protected]