What if everything you’ve labeled a failure was actually the beginning of your becoming?

Ed Soo Hoo doesn’t fit into any box—and that’s entirely the point. With nine startups under his belt, he’s lived the full spectrum of business: from working-class roots to boardroom pressure, from seed-stage scrambles to IPO highs—and, yes, total collapse.

Now the CTO of Worldwide Global Accounts, a UC Berkeley Industry Fellow, and a sought-after executive coach, Ed’s insight has been shaped not by perfection, but by persistence, reflection, and a relentless willingness to challenge the expected.

In this wide-ranging and deeply human conversation, Ed shares why he calls himself a “Free Range Chicken,” what it means to poke bears and kick hornets’ nests, and how failure became his greatest teacher.

We explore:

• How failure strips away illusion and reveals truth
• Why trust and storytelling are the cornerstones of real leadership
• The uncomfortable necessity of self-reflection
• Why choosing a personal adjective might matter more than any title
• How challenging expectations can lead to profound personal alignment

Ed’s approach crosses intellectual and practical boundaries. His leadership is asymmetrical, eclectic, and intentional—stretching teams and mindsets from “Now, New… to Next.”

This isn’t a playbook. It’s a philosophy.

It’s not a roadmap. It’s a mirror.

A conversation about letting go of who you were supposed to be—so you can become who you truly are.

About Ed Soo Ho: 

Ed Soo Ho (pronounced Sue Who) - CTO Worldwide Global Accounts at Lenovo - Innovation and Transformation Executive

Unofficial titles ‘Free Range Chicken’, ‘Poker of Bears and Kicker of Hornets nests. Ed is an eclectic and renaissance styled asymmetrical thinker, crossing intellectual and practical boundaries of enterprise and technology. Known for stretching-the-box strategic thinking allowing companies expand from “Now, New to Next.”

Industry Fellow - Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at UC Berkeley and executive coach, Ed brings unique insights coming from a diverse, eclectic set of rich experiences through a career that includes blue-collar teamster, global company leader, and 8 time startup exec (seed to IPO to buyout to disaster).

Connect with Ed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edsoohoo/

Link to the mentioned documentary:  In & Of Itself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4NNuNE3Yg 

🎙️ Hosted by Zivile Einikyte:

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🎵 Music by Luca Nioi: 

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation

02:43 The Importance of Trust and Leadership

05:23 Finding Purpose Through Failure

07:38 The Role of Storytelling in Leadership

10:36 Navigating Expectations and Personal Choices

13:36 The Value of Self-Reflection and Awareness

15:46 Embracing Vulnerability and Learning from Failure

18:18 The Power of Perspective and Growth

20:55 Challenging Conventional Paths

23:29 The Journey of Self-Discovery

26:05 Defining Success and Personal Adjectives