Problem Solvers

Catherine Connelly cofounded one of the first social media platforms, and was early in the online dating space. And over time, she learned how to do a very hard thing: She killed features that she loved, and that customers loved, because they no longer served the company. How and when do you do that? She discusses. Read Catherine's new book, Designing Success: Lessons from 20 Years as a Female Tech Entrepreneur.

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Carla Ondrasik hates the word "try." She says it's holding you back from taking action achieving your goals. On today's episode, Carla will give you a better way to approach big and scary tasks: No more trying allowed.

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How do you grow, while staying true to what made you successful in the first place? It's something that Chip & Joanna Gaines (Fixer Upper, Magnolia) think a lot about. In this episode, a candid conversation with them about growth, challenges, and what should always remain the same.

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I bombed on stage. It was terrible and embarrassing. Then I learned something very important about how to recover, and it's a lesson I'll use for the rest of my life. Here it is. It'll make you feel better the next time something goes wrong.

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Work is changing. People don't feel job security they way they did before. So how do you motivate teams that are operating scared? Mithu Storoni has a unique answer. She's a physician, neuroscience researcher and ophthalmic surgeon who advises multinational corporations on mental performance and stress management (and author of the new book Hyperefficient). On this episode, she explains what really motivates people, and how to create that empowerment despite turbulent times.

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Want to build incredible products? Listen closely to your customers, and (importantly!) have a system to turn those insights into action. In this episode, I speak with Mary Beth Westmoreland, VP of Selling Partner Experience at Amazon, about how this happens on her global selling partner experience team. Her team's products impact millions of businesses, so the stakes are high — and she's incredibly thoughtful about how great leadership, teamwork, and customer feedback systems can combine in all the right ways.

To learn more about how Amazon is helping independent sellers succeed, visit http://sellingpartners.aboutamazon.com/

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We had an idea: What if we took a talented but financially struggling artist, and paired them with a coach who helps artists build businesses? The result was magic! Today, you'll hear art-business coach Carolyn Edlund work with photographer Matthew Cortellesi. At the start, Matthew was selling occasional photos but had no idea how to create a real business. By the end, he had a new website and an entirely new sales strategy. This episode is for anyone who makes something they love, but can't figure out how to make money doing it.

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Pasta is a crowded space, so how did Amazon help Madalina Defta and Arash Hashemi, the husband-and-wife duo behind Kaizen Food Company, transform their vision into a thriving brand without relying on traditional marketing? In this episode, they explain how they did it: They leveraged engaging content to build a loyal clientele, refined their product that speaks to an underserved customer base, and, when faced with overwhelming demand for fulfillment and customer service, strategically pivoted to Amazon.

To learn more about how Amazon is helping independent sellers succeed, visit http://sellingpartners.aboutamazon.com/

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Erin Wade hated her job. So she created a mac & cheese restaurant called Homeroom, then rethought how every other employee should be treated. In this episode, she explains how she rethough discipline, incentives, and the working environment, and built a place that people actually want to work in. Erin's new book about this is called Mac & Cheese Millionaire.

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Mike Maples Jr. is one fo the pioneers of seed-stage investing, and invested early in the likes of Twitter, Twitch, and Lyft. I asked him to do something a little unusual: give advice to small business owners who, instead of pitching VCs like him, are instead pitching their family and friends. His advice reveals a lot about how investors think, whether they're pros like him or just a mom or pop at home.

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