Some leaders chase certainty. Others chase challenge, purpose, and the uncomfortable edge where real growth happens. In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay sits down with Amanda Kahlow, CEO of 1Mind, for a grounded, honest conversation about leadership in the age of AI - where ambition, humanity, and self-awareness all have to coexist. Amanda shares how personal mission, spiritual grounding, and radical clarity shape the way she builds companies, makes hard calls, and shows up as a leader.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Amanda Kahlow on 1mind | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

How does a founder stay deeply hands-on without slipping into micromanagement? And what really happens when you build a company around something the world has been taught not to talk about?

In this episode, Lindsay and Ridhi Tariyal - CEO and co-founder of NextGen Jane, dive into the reality of leading a precision-medicine company in a space shaped by stigma, silence, and an explosion of new science. Ridhi brings a refreshingly candid look at writing, leadership, fundraising myths, and the changing landscape of women’s health - all while building a company that asks people to rethink what menstrual blood can teach us.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Ridhi Tariyal on NextGen Jane | NextGen Jane Instagram | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

What happens when a tech leader decides to take on one of the hardest problems in healthcare - building a system that can actually save lives with data? How do you unite dozens of massive health systems, a pandemic, and a shared mission into one groundbreaking company?

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Terry Myerson, CEO of Truveta and former Microsoft executive, to unpack the story of how an idea born in the chaos of 2020 became one of the most innovative healthcare data platforms in the world. Terry opens up about what it takes to lead through uncertainty, how to rally people around a clear “why,” and what he’s still learning five years into building Truveta.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Terry Myerson on Truveta | Truveta's LinkedIn | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

How do you decide what to build when every day brings a hundred new possibilities? And how do you keep your focus without losing the spark of creativity?

In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay talks with Andrew Grauer, CEO of Learneo, the company behind well-known brands like Course Hero, CliffNotes, and QuillBot. Andrew opens up about what it’s like to lead through rapid change, why empathy has always been at the core of his approach, and how he balances the thrill of innovation with the discipline of prioritization. They also explore the personal side of leadership - what keeps Andrew energized and how he avoids burnout after nearly two decades of building companies.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Why watching an idea go from conversation to prototype to production in record time keeps him energized as an entrepreneur

How empathy for students and professionals reveals the real problems worth solving, rather than chasing surface-level fixes

The way QuillBot is evolving from a writing tool into a broader platform for generative AI and multimodal communication

The simple decision-making framework Andrew uses to weigh priorities, risks, and opportunities when setting a roadmap

How he thinks about the tension between going deeper into one capability versus expanding wide into new product areas

The personal routines and mindset shifts that help him stay healthy, present with his family, and resilient as a leader

Resources:

Andrew Grauer on Learneo | Quillbot | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

Plenty of leaders talk about collaboration. Far fewer can actually make it happen—especially when the stakes are high, and the timelines are brutal. So what’s the real difference between the buzzwords and the leaders who truly deliver?

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Amanda DePalma, Head of Global Marketing for Ultrasound at Siemens Healthineers. Amanda shares the real stuff: how she learned to lead cross-functional teams without micromanaging, the years it took to trust her own thinking style, and the moments that shaped her commitment to mentorship and diversity. She also opens up about the role storytelling plays in healthcare, why patient impact keeps her grounded, and why the current wave of AI innovation finally feels different - and genuinely helpful - for clinicians and patients.

You'll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Amanda DePalma on Siemens Healthineers | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

Every box on your doorstep, every item you’re ready to toss - could those be hidden opportunities to build community? Todd Dunlap, CEO and board chair of OfferUp, thinks so. In this episode, he joins Lindsay to talk about why local marketplaces are about far more than buying and selling. For Todd, it’s about people, trust, and connection - and the leadership lessons that keep him grounded while running a fast-growing business.

You’ll hear them discuss:

How business problems across industries tend to rhyme, but the people you solve them with make all the difference

The ways OfferUp is helping communities unlock local value in goods, services, and even conversations

A simple used boat cover that turned into something life-changing for a family in need

Why Todd welcomes respectful challenge over easy harmony when building teams

His approach to decision-making: right decisions, wrong decisions, and the real risk of indecision

The “platinum rule” of leadership he picked up from his mom, and why it matters more than ever

Why his core principle is people first, even when others argue it should be profit or shareholders

Resources:

Todd Dunlap on the OfferUp | LinkedIn | OfferUp on Google Play | OfferUp on App Store

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

Selling doesn’t have to feel slimy. Open source doesn’t have to feel risky. And leadership doesn’t have to drain you. Dan Lorenc, CEO and founder of ChainGuard, has built a company - and a culture - around those beliefs.

In this episode of North Start Leadership Podcast, Dan and Lindsay dig into what it means to build a “safe source for open source,” how to lead with authenticity, and why sometimes the best way to serve customers is to take work off their plate entirely.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources

Dan Lorenc on the Chainguard | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can’t “ing” your way to winning. At least, that’s how Latane Conant, CRO of 6Sense, sees it. For her, leadership isn’t about cranking out activities - it’s about shaping markets, chasing causes instead of jobs, and finding ways to make the work actually fun.

In this episode, Lindsay talks with Latane about why she calls herself a Chief Market Officer, what it really takes to create product-market fit, and why she believes anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Latane shares her no-nonsense, energetic take on building teams, leading with clarity, and bringing a sense of beauty and joy into the mix.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Latane Conant on 6sense | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

What does it really take to keep growing as a leader when the playbook keeps changing? How do you hold onto curiosity and authenticity while also steering a company through massive shifts like AI?

In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay sits down with Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca, to talk about the art of building - whether that’s products, companies, or culture - and why leadership today is as much about questioning as it is about giving answers. Gregg opens up about what he’s learned from his winding path into tech, how he thinks about rewiring a mature business, and the small but powerful habits that fuel both his work and his life.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Gregg Johnson on Invoca | LinkedIn

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

Are the hardest problems the ones most worth solving? Is leadership about being the smartest person in the room, or about creating space where everyone can bring their best?

In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay talks with Deborah Kilpatrick - former CEO and board chair of Evidation Health, co-founder of MedTech Women, and now partner at Sonder Capital. Deborah opens up about what drives her love of early-stage innovation, the lessons she carried from her small-town Georgia roots, and how she’s learned to lead in ways that bring out the best in others.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Resources:

Deborah Kilpatrick on Sonder Capital | LinkedIn | Sonder Capital LinkedIn | Deborah's Favourite Candy - Peanut Ginger Chews

Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn