The Insightful Leader

Business leaders are turning to the arts—from storytelling to jazz ensemble, orchestra conducting to tap dance to Argentine tango—for insights into how to do their own jobs better. Hear how using arts-based experiential learning brings epiphanies to business leaders.

Most people understand the importance of a good first impression. So on our first day with a new company, we arrive early. Maybe we overdress. We know that starting out strong will make it easier to succeed in the long run.

But when it comes to achieving success, the onus is not only on the recent hire. Companies need to set the stage for their employees to hit the ground running.

In this month’s Insight In Person podcast, you will hear from Kellogg's U.S. Army Chief of Staff Senior Fellow about how the Army handles a high rate of transition on a personal level. Later, a Kellogg School lecturer and entrepreneur looks at onboarding in younger, leaner organizations—like startups—that are experiencing explosive growth.

Companies need to set the stage for their employees to hit the ground running. Hear how companies from the U.S. Army to scrappy startups handle onboarding.

This month’s three-part podcast follows the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition.

This month’s three-part podcast follows the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition.

This month’s three-part podcast follows the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition.

This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods.

In the third episode of the series, we are joined by Mandell and Joe Dwyer, adjunct lecturer of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School and a partner at Digital Intent, to look at how Enjoy Life Foods financed its growth. How did Mandell navigate a tricky funding environment in order to become a category-maker in the allergen-free packaged food industry? What can other startups learn from Enjoy Life’s successes--and its numerous setbacks?

This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods. In our second episode, we are joined by Mandell and Daniel Weinfurter, an adjunct lecturer of management and organizations at the Kellogg School, founder and CEO of the integrated sales effectiveness firm GrowthPlay, and author of Second Stage Entrepreneurship. We look at how Enjoy Life Foods scaled its business, in the process becoming one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing private companies for three years running. Once Enjoy Life landed a coveted slot at Whole Foods markets in the Midwest, the stage was set for it to become a major player in a still-forming category. But expectations for allergen-free foods had traditionally been low. In order to exceed them and really stand out, the company would need to take some radical steps.

 

This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods. Our first episode examines the origin of Enjoy Life Foods. How was it able to establish itself as the first major brand in its category? Episode two looks at how Mandell successfully scaled the business. The third episode dives into how timing, preparation, and a bit of luck helped the company overcome financial setbacks.

 

Storytelling is a key business skill. In this month’s Insight in Person podcast, you’ll hear from two Kellogg School professors and a lecturer about the power of storytelling, as well as their tips to become a better storyteller.