McCombs Made

Bill Cunningham has worn many important hats as a Longhorn leader, like chancellor of the University of Texas Systems and president of the University of Texas at Austin. In this episode, host Mahlah Freeman talks to Cunningham about his time at UT, the many influential leaders he met as president of the University and what he wants his legacy to be.

For this episode, host Mahlah Freeman spoke with Kelly Steckelberg, a powerhouse McCombs alumnae who earned her MBA in 1991. She went on to become the CFO of Zoom and a staunch McCombs supporter.

We talked about how philanthropy plays a role in her life, how the lesson she learned at McCombs shaped her, and how she's paying it forward for the next generation.

For the first episode of season two of "McCombs Made," hear from Neal Golden. He's a University of Texas alumnus who continues to be a guiding force at McCombs. Mr. Golden is a very active Texas Ex and holds leadership roles with the McCombs BBA Board and Dean's Advisory Board. In this episode, Mr. Golden discusses how his parents helped shape his career, his latest foray into the beverage business and the importance of giving back.

For the final episode of season one, hear from Lillian Mills, the dean of the McCombs School of Business. In this episode, you'll hear her thoughts on how to build community in business, what she would say to the undergraduate version of herself, and the legacy she hopes to leave in her position as dean.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

April Underwood has worked at Google, Apple, Twitter, and Slack. She's the co-founder of #ANGELS, the investment collective focused on restructuring the ways in which we look at gender inequality, not just in wage gaps, but in financial equity. Most recently, she co-founded the venture capital firm, Adverb Ventures. In this conversation, you'll hear about the ways in which communication and relationships play a role in successful workplace teams, the importance of financial and social equity for the fields of business and technology, and what characteristics she looks for when investing in people and ideas.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

David Druley received his BBA and MBA from McCombs and currently serves as chief executive officer of Cambridge Associates. He interned as an investment analyst at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and started his own investment management firm, Druley Investment Management, which he operated for 9 years. In this episode, host Firdous Khezrian spoke with Druley about risk management and tolerance in business and life, the traits of some of the best portfolio managers, and the legacy he hopes to leave as a Longhorn.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

Cindy Lo is the founder, CEO, and chief event strategist of Red Velvet, a renowned full-service and independent event planning agency. She's also a 1998 McCombs graduate. In this conversation, hear about her unexpected path to a career in event planning, her approach to planning her personal and professional life, and the ways in which she has carried herself throughout her career.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

Billy Freed has been investing in entrepreneurial innovation for years. In 2023, Mr. Freed generously donated $1 million dollars to the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center at McCombs. As a result, the pitch competition was renamed the Freed Family Pitch Competition. In this conversation, you'll hear about the lessons he's learned about entrepreneurship, the role that family has played in his career, and the most important qualities of successful entrepreneurs.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

In 2018, Phil Canfield, BBA Finance '90, generously donated $20 million to the Business Honors Program at the McCombs School of Business, and subsequently the program was renamed after him. In this episode, hear about his career as an investor, his time as a student at McCombs, his connection to the city of Austin, and why inspiring the next crop of business honors students is so important to him.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.

Kendra Scott founded her namesake jewelry company in Austin, Texas, in 2002. In the more than two decades since, the jewelry brand has grown into a household name. In 2019, Scott created a $13.25 million endowment to start the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, which is now part of the McCombs School of Business. In this conversation, you'll hear about the lessons she's learned from her career as an entrepreneur, the importance of philanthropy in her personal and professional life, and the legacy she hopes to leave on the global community.

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This podcast was produced by The Drag Audio Production House. Want to work with The Drag? Reach out here.