The Chief Executive Podcast

This episode of the Chief Executive Podcast features Donna Orender, CEO of Orender Unlimited. In this episode, we ask Donna about her incredible resume, having been an all-star professional basketball player, and later the President and Commissioner of the WNBA, a senior executive at the PGA Tour, and a board member and contributor to many charitable organizations. Learn how she navigated the changes of her career and handled the disruption that comes with changing your industry, role, and leadership position.

Deanna Mulligan is the former CEO of Guardian Life Insurance, Fortune 250 Chairman, Director, Entrepreneur and Best Selling Author. In this incredible episode with Deanna and co-host, Pranay Agrawal, Deanna talks with us about succession planning. Listen to her insights around training and investing in the next generation of leadership - from day 1!

Dave Chang is an American restaurateur, author, podcaster and television personality. He is the founder of the Momofuku restaurant group, which includes Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Milk Bar, and Momofuku Ko in New York City; Momofuku Seiōbo in Sydney; Momofuku Noodle Bar and Kojin in Toronto; and Momofuku CCDC in Washington, DC. In 2009, Momofuku Ko was awarded two Michelin stars, which it has retained each year since. In 2018, Chang created, produced, and starred in a Netflix original series called Ugly Delicious. In 2019, he produced a Netflix original titled Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. On November 29, 2020, he became the first celebrity to win the top prize for his charity, Southern Smoke Foundation, on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Marguerite Zabar Mariscal is the CEO of Momofuku. Marguerite joined Momofuku in 2011 as an intern. She took on design and communications for the group and was named Brand Director in 2016. In 2018, she was promoted to Chief of Staff and Creative Director. She became CEO in 2019.

Aicha Evans, Harry Kraemer, Hubert Joly and Hortense Le Gentil sat down with me to talk about their experiences as CEOs, the journeys to their fields and more.

Herb Kelleher, Cofounder of Southwest Airlines, is known as one of the Most Admired CEOs in the United States. His passion for great customer service, a local, family-friendly experience, and affordable prices has led Southwest to be a leader in the airline industry. As the legend goes, it all started in 1967 when Rollin King and Herb met at a bar and sketched out an idea for a new type of airline experience on the back of a cocktail napkin. I flew to the Love Field airport in Dallas to chat with Herb about his leadership and the story of the famous napkin.

Today, we honor the legacy of Quincy Jones, whose contributions transformed music, film, and culture. Known affectionately as "Q," Quincy was more than an artist—he was a leader, collaborator, and source of inspiration.

Insights from the Chief Executive Podcast

Mark was honored to spend time with Quincy Jones at his home, interviewing him about his remarkable and inspiring journey, his efforts to promote people of color and their impact on American culture and art, and discussing his groundbreaking career—from producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller to organizing We Are the World. Quincy emphasized the importance of building teams, nurturing talent, and leading with empathy—qualities that defined his work and life.

Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Greatness

Quincy overcame significant adversity to become one of the most awarded figures in music history. His collaborations with legends like Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and Steven Spielberg showcased not only his creative genius but also his commitment to authenticity and genuine connection.

A Lasting Influence

Today, we celebrate Quincy Jones for his art, his leadership, and his enduring impact on the world. His influence will continue to resonate for generations to come.

Charles Schwab is easily one of the most recognizable names in business, having led his company to become a household name in investing, serving millions around the world.

Mark sat down with Chuck to talk about his early challenges and failures as an entrepreneur - and his journey to creating one of the biggest firms on Wall Street.

My guest today is Pau Gasol, NBA Championship Player and two-time Olympic medalist. Pau has played in the National Basketball Association for almost 20 years, starting with the Memphis Grizzlies and later joining the Los Angeles Lakers that won back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. He is a six-time NBA All-Star, as well as the first foreign player to be an NBA Rookie of the Year. Pau is also passionate about his philanthropy organization, the Gasol Foundation, that he founded with his brother, Marc Gasol, that works to reduce childhood obesity rates in Spain and the US. I sat down with Pau’s to talk about how he stays focused and present, handles stressful situations and the importance of preparation for all he does.

Herb Kelleher, Cofounder of Southwest Airlines, is known as one of the Most Admired CEOs in the United States. His passion for great customer service, a local, family-friendly experience, and affordable prices has led Southwest to be a leader in the airline industry. As the legend goes, it all started in 1967 when Rollin King and Herb met at a bar and sketched out an idea for a new type of airline experience on the back of a cocktail napkin. I flew to the Love Field airport in Dallas to chat with Herb about his leadership and the story of the famous napkin.

Candice Carpenter is the Cofounder of one of the biggest mass media companies in the 1990s, iVillage. As a leader in the dot com industry, Candice developed a unique company culture for her organization that was key to her success in scalable growth. She used a method for her employees called "Radical Mentoring" to provide them the feedback they needed to grow at an incredible pace. Candice and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about the details of her style of mentoring.