I’m excited to share the next episode in my series of conversations with interesting people on topics where business and life intersect.

My discussion partner this week, Raman Sehgal, is a man of many interests. By day, he is the SVP, Head of Marketing for EDO, a leading, scaling platform measuring predictive behaviors driven by Convergent TV advertising. By night, he is the father of two young children, the host of three podcasts, and the biggest fanboy of Andor you’ll ever meet.

We first met as client-agency partners, then quickly became friends. Raman eventually came to work for the startup I founded. And despite lots of ups and downs, our friendship survived and deepened.

Raman is an incredibly thoughtful, creative, quirky, and fun person, so it's no surprise that we didn’t discuss marketing strategy or startup challenges. Besides, there are plenty of other places you can find that stuff, including your favorite AI tool. Instead, we discussed life and how business has served as a kind of proving ground for our personal development.Helpful links:

Raman Sehgal on LinkedIn

Modern Minorities - podcast co-hosted by Raman

Learning from Leaders, the P&G Alumni Network Podcast - also co-hosted by Raman

Quarantined Comics - another one co-hosted by RamanRevolutions - The Martian Revolution - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/11-0-welcome-to-the-martian-revolution/id703889772?i=1000673780901Schedule Office Hours with Bob: https://calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hoursThe Martian Revolution: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolutions/id703889772

Fleet: https://fleetholdingco.com/

Revelin: https://www.revelinsolutions.com/

A2 Influence: https://www.a2influence.com/

As you read these words, tens of millions of people are sitting in conference rooms or on Zoom calls discussing whether to do one thing or another.

They work in startups, corporate gigs, not-for-profits, and government jobs.

And 99% of these meetings will end with indecision. A task force will look at it. Consultants will be called. And, of course, a follow-up meeting will be scheduled as soon as everyone is available again. Maybe by Q4.

But in the other 1% of those meetings, an individual or small team will roll up their sleeves and get to work.

If it’s this easy—and often even fun—why isn’t everyone doing it?

Likely fear of failure, combined with groupthink and a lack of real urgency. But maybe someone out there just needs to see what’s possible, even within a giant corporation.

I hope this story is your unlock…Delightful by Steve Bryant: https://stevebryant.substack.com/

Schedule Office Hours with Bob: https://calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hours

Fleet: https://fleetholdingco.com/

Revelin: https://www.revelinsolutions.com/

A2 Influence: https://www.a2influence.com/

Smart public investors seek uncommon insights about the CEOs of companies to make better buy, hold, and sell decisions.

Even smarter public investors look for diverse insights on what makes a great leader from other people who assess leaders for a living, such as executive recruiters, pro sports psychologists, and startup founders like me! 

My friends Pip and Brynne recently invited me on their podcast to share a few things I’ve learned the hard way, and I’m taking this opportunity to outline my approach more fully here.

Whether you're trying to beat the market, picking a new head of sales, or deciding to work for a new manager, these are some proven ways to better assess the potential of people to lead us through the storms ahead.Coburn Ventures Podcast with Bob: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dJu0C8Jyz3QWGGfwW1q4B?si=UwiDefJiRWWBtzmitnD-Ug

Schedule Office Hours with Bob: https://calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hours

Fleet: https://fleetholdingco.com/

Revelin: https://www.revelinsolutions.com/

A2 Influence: https://www.a2influence.com/

“Funny how we have to come all the way out here to meet.”

That’s what my friend, Jack, says as we sit down for breakfast on a beautiful, sunny morning at an outdoor cafe across from the ocean.

His observation is one that we’ve all heard a hundred times in conferences around the world. It never gets old to hear this self-owning joke because it’s so true and so strange. But no one goes past the observation to break down why we meet out here more often and what that means.

This time I observed, and now I know…This is my story on why we let our guards down on the road, and what happens when we do.

I’m excited to share the next podcast episode in my series of conversations with interesting people on topics where business and life intersect.

My discussion partner this week, Joe Hovde, is a data scientist who has worked in retail media, the venture capital industry, and now the podcast+broadcast business at Spotify.

We worked at the same company for a few months years ago, but never met until I became addicted to his Substack, Residual Thoughts. Over there, Joe shares “short, data-centric observations about business, technology, and psychology.” Recent topics have ranged from an analysis of the fast salad industry to the use of first names in interviews to the optimal time to see a celebrity comedian at The Comedy Cellar.

What I love about Joe is that he plays the game of business well, but, more importantly, he’s very interested in watching how the game works and why it works the way it does.

For our discussion, I asked him to serve up a topic on his mind. And, true to form, he suggested a doozy…“Why Does Business Media Evolve Toward the Spiritual?”

Recently, a brilliant young founder came to me with a startup idea. In this case, “young” = high school. Junior year.

Instead of judging his idea or spouting off a lifetime of advice, I told him the cautionary tale of another young founder who rose to great heights with potential, yet eventually lost it all.

I followed this story for over a decade, and I’m still learning from it. Now it’s your turn.Adam Mastrioanni’s “The Bluetooth Test and other keyholes to the soul.” https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-bluetooth-test-and-other-keyholes

Schedule Office Hours with Bob: https://calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hours

Fleet: https://fleetholdingco.com/

Revelin: https://www.revelinsolutions.com/

A2 Influence: https://www.a2influence.com/

One of the interesting things about being an entrepreneur is discovering how many other people would like to follow in your footsteps—and are hungry for advice.

Years ago, I would fill a half-hour conversation with my assessment of the idea, keys to success, and watchouts.

However, I’ve finally realized that my evaluation of an idea is essentially meaningless. I’ve seen so many “great ideas” of my own die an ugly death, and frequently been surprised when products I thought were dumb ended up as massive hits.

While I don’t know whether an idea will work or not, I do know what it’s like to be an entrepreneur—and an Idea Person. It’s a rare gift…that can turn into a curse.

I’ve wasted years of my life on bad ideas that once got me excited.

Now, when people bring an idea to me, I try to help them see themselves in the mirror. This is my little speech, and my story…

Twenty-seven years ago this month, one of my first managers, Ann, shared something with me that changed my career and life for the better…

In coaching me on how to work with my agency, she said: “They don’t work for you, you work for them.”

It blew my mind at the time, but eventually it made sense. I used it to great success and continued to find new ways to be a servant leader throughout my career.

I’ll bet you can similarly rattle off a phrase or two that made a big difference in your work+life. But only now do I understand why I was able to listen back then, and how wise words can take hold in us today.

When we let the walls of our ego—our defenses—come down, the most valuable truth eventually finds us.

I wasn’t planning on posting this week. The long Memorial Day weekend is coming up in the U.S., and I know from previous years that open, listen, watch, and engagement rates plummet starting now.

But about ten different synchronicities—including from people close to me—suggest that people are really struggling out there.

Welcome to the challenge of our generations.

It sucks, it’s not fair, it’s been going on too long, and it feels like we’re sacrificing our children to some golem of change—with no relief in sight.

We need something to believe in and something to do about it. I want to share what works for me. It might help you handle the stress, and maybe even convince you to be the tiny pair of butterfly wings that delivers positive change.

Do you know why people buy your company’s brand and category? Are you really sure?

Often we’re fooling ourselves…or at least not digging deep enough to understand how these crazy people called “customers” actually make decisions.

It takes lots of curiosity—and usually getting personally embedded in a business—to see how things really work.

Here I share the lesson I first learned from my friends on Downy—the product that’s really Love in a Bottle—then went on to practice myself on Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and in my advertising agency.

Digging into the real reasons people buy your product or service can unearth directions for innovation and differentiation. It can also highlight blind spots where customer retention is at risk.

And you just might use it to learn more about yourself along the way.