Best Manager Ever

Amit Shah is the COO of Virta Health, where he’s built the company from ~30 team members to over 800 colleagues working to reverse obesity and diabetes. Amit has 10+ years of experience in building and scaling entrepreneurial and high-growth healthcare organizations, with a focus on delivering financial and operational results while aligning on mission and values.

Amit’s direct reports praise his ability to balance the needs of Virta’s members, business, and staff, describing him as incredibly kind, caring, driven, and a fierce protector of his team. He is celebrated for his passion, structured thinking, dedication to his own growth and development, and continuous improvement in leadership.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Amit,

and they cover:

• How to build a gratitude practice that supports your team – and yourself
• The importance of emotional awareness and regulation in leadership 
• Energy management habits and practices   
• A process to take charge of feedback, learning, and growth 
• The relationship between execution and strategy in startups

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Amit Shah 

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s producer Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Reynolds is the Co-Founder and Head of Product at Office Hours, an expert marketplace. Patrick started his career as a software engineer, before becoming a self-taught product designer and making the leap into product leadership. He has worked at an array of tech companies and startups including Affirm, Sweep, and Adobe. 

Patrick's direct reports praise him for his exceptional thoughtfulness, noting his ability to remember personal details and small, meaningful actions that remove friction and boost morale. They describe him as a natural coach who not only sets high standards but also provides the necessary support and resources to achieve them. 

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Patrick, and they discuss:

• The difference between leadership and management  
• How to prime yourself so it’s easy to spot opportunities to support your team 
• The difference between a culture that inspires ambition vs. enforces it 
• How to consume content for maximum ROI 
• The best way to spot (and stop!) perfectionism 

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Patrick Reynolds

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Ruddock brings deep expertise in scaling mission-driven tech companies, and is now the COO at Empathy. Sophie was an early employee at Multiverse, where she grew with the company and ultimately became their global COO leading through rapid growth and market expansion. 

Sophie’s direct reports praise her empowering leadership style, her commitment to their development, and her unwavering advocacy. She hires people for their unique expertise and encourages them to bring their full selves to work, and reminds them of their value even in moments of self-doubt.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Sophie, and they discuss:

• What a “founder mindset” really means for employees 
• How to earn the right to dissent 
• How to lead when someone on the team has an unexpected crisis 
• The mindset shift that enabled Sophie to go from managing 3 to 600+ people 

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out:  [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Sophie Ruddock

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this expert episode, Annie Riley sits down with Matt Wallaert, an applied behavioral scientist who made the leap into the tech and startup worlds. Matt is currently the CXO at Oceans, and he’s previously held leadership roles at Clover Health, LendingTree, Microsoft, frog design, and more. 

Matt explains why all leaders should know and use the principles of applied behavioral science– because all startup leaders are in the business of behavior change with our customers, our teams, and ourselves. 

They discuss specific tactics that leaders can use to influence their team’s behavior, including the SIDE framework, promoting and inhibiting pressures, iterative experimentation, and more. Matt explains how applied behavioral science can be the key to unlocking lasting and meaningful behavior change, and to achieving a more empathetic and effective leadership style. 

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Matt Wallaert

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

​​In this special Halloween episode of Best Manager Ever, host Annie Riley recounts the top worst manager moments of her career. 

Tune in to hear scary manager stories, from tales of micromanagement to vague (and unsettling!) feedback… and even Annie’s own manager missteps. 

There’s value in learning from the best, and ALSO from the worst! You’ll finish this episode feeling less alone, and even with some actionable lessons to help you avoid the same manager mistakes. 

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Yamner Jenkins is the Chief Operating Officer at Meadow, which is an early-stage fintech startup working to transform the financial experience for students and universities. Amy started her career as a classroom teacher, and pivoted into startups by working at NewSchools Venture Fund. Before Meadow, she had a long and successful chapter building Education Elements, and then led the partnerships team at Outschool. 

Amy’s direct reports describe her as an empowering leader, someone who provides useful and constructive feedback, fosters a high-trust environment, and enables team members to grow.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Amy,

and they discuss:

• Why connection and context should come before content 
• How to notice and combat bias in hiring 
• A simple 2x2 framework to exchange feedback with your team 
• Why you should avoid using common words like “obviously” and “of course” as a leader 

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Amy Jenkins

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Fishman is a product and growth advisor with 20+ years of experience building and leading startup teams. Adam was on the early team at Lyft, where he served as Head of Growth. He then went on to lead Product & Growth at Patreon and Imperfect Foods, before launching his portfolio career. Adam has been an advisor and fractional leader at ResortPass, Mozilla, HelpScout, Peerspace and more. He is also the creator of FishmanAF newsletter and the host of the Startup Dad podcast. 

Adam’s direct reports praise him for his exceptional support, trust, and empowerment, as is recognized as a catalyst who brings people together across teams, fostering high trust and commitment. His team members appreciate his transparency, proactive communication, and the way he sets clear mutual expectations. 

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Adam, and they discuss:

• How to build trust quickly as a new leader or fractional executive, and why starting from a place of trust matters.
• How to get more honest feedback from your direct reports
• The best way to manage defensiveness when receiving feedback– and how Adam learned it the hard way 
• Predictions for how AI will impact product leadership roles 
• Why distributing credit and advocating for your team’s growth leads to higher performance and engagement.

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Adam Fishman

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Gold is the Chief Customer Officer at Kustomer, an AI-powered CX platform. Lauren began her tech career at Yahoo before joining the early team at Yext, where she rose from individual contributor to SVP of Enterprise Customer Success. 

Lauren’s direct reports and colleagues describe her as a leader who supports without micromanaging, fosters autonomy, and creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing, learning, and growing. She’s recognized for her attention to detail, data-driven approach, and willingness to jump in and help, while always encouraging her team to take ownership and develop their own skills.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Lauren to discuss:

• How to start well in new roles and build trust quickly
• The art of supporting teams without micromanaging
• Transitioning from first-line leader to managing managers
• Spotting and developing leadership talent within your team
• The importance of over-communication and transparency in leadership
• Why building relationships and understanding individual motivations matter

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Lauren Gold

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Coglianese is the Chief Technology Officer at Paloma Learning, a VC-backed edtech startup using AI to improve student learning outcomes. Charlie started his career in finance, before making the leap into startups. He was the Founder & CEO of a startup called Schoolrunner, which was acquired by SchoolMint. Charlie served as the CTO at SchoolMint post-acquisition before returning to early-stage building in his current role

Charlie's direct reports describe him as a leader who invests deeply in the growth of his team. He’s recognized for his ability to spot potential, provide the right level of challenge, and create an environment where people feel trusted to take ownership, try new things, and grow. The most common theme in their feedback is that Charlie empowers his team—he’s known for his intellectual honesty, willingness to jump in alongside his team, and his focus on building trust and clarity.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Charlie, and they discuss:

• How to spot talent through trajectory, instead of outcomes
• The concept of “productive struggle” and how to balance challenge and support
• Advice for working with founders and navigating the founder-executive relationship
• Strategies for retaining top performers and keeping them engaged
• The importance of clear goals and mission in motivating teams

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack 

Connect with Charlie Coglianese

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karin Simelaro is the Chief Revenue Officer at SchoolAI, an AI platform that supports teacher and student success. Previously, Karin served as the Revenue leader at BrainPOP, Pathful, and Seesaw. She was an early employee at Nearpod, where started as the first field sales rep when the company was fewer than 30 people and around $10M ARR, and ultimately grew the business to $100M ARR and a successful exit. 

Karin’s direct reports describe her as open, transparent, energetic, and having high expectations for herself and her team. Her unique blend of skills positions her as a key player in the intersection of education and technology, poised to shape the future of learning.

In this episode, show creator and Fort Light founder Annie Riley sits down with Karin,

and they discuss:

• How to evaluate performance amid the uncertainty of early-stage building using the “REKS” framework 
• The importance of a weekly “coffee and contemplation” 
• How to act like an owner of the business – whether you’re an IC or C-level 
• Using AI to prepare and clarify your thoughts

If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Best Manager Ever, reach out: [email protected]

Join us on Substack

Connect with Karin Simelaro

Connect with Annie Riley

Check out Fort Light to level up your leadership skills

Connect with our show’s Producer, Alexis Ramdaou

Nominate your Best Manager Ever for the Podcast

This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.