What's Next! with Tiffani Bova

How to Think Different and Change the Game with Ron Johnson 17.09.2026 28мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. Every once in a while, I get to sit across from someone who didn't just participate in an industry, but helped change what we expect from it. Ron Johnson is one of those people and I'm excited to have him as my guest. At Target, he helped bring great design to the mass market. At Apple, working alongside Steve Jobs, he created the Apple Store and helped reimagine a store as something much bigger than a place to buy things. He also has been the CEO of JCPenney and founder of Enjoy Technology. He has a new book out, Shop Different. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…entrepreneurs, founders, and business leaders looking to challenge conventional thinking, create differentiated experiences, and turn bold ideas into lasting business impact. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…great businesses are about more than selling a product. Ron shares what he learned at Target, JCPenney, Apple about creating experiences that make people want to come back. He also talks about why leaders need both conviction and an open mind, and why the right people and culture are so important when you're trying to do something new. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Conviction matters, but leaders need to stay close to customer feedback and remain open to changing course. The best customer experiences start with a clear vision and an employee experience designed to support it. Differentiation isn't simply about being different, it's about creating something meaningfully better. Transforming a business requires the courage to think beyond what has worked in the past. The strongest brands create experiences that go beyond transactions and give people a reason to come back. WHAT I LOVE MOST…the best innovations don't always start with a goal of changing the world. They start with someone willing to think differently, do the work, and create something people genuinely value. Running Time: 28:05 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Ron Online: LinkedIn Ron's Book: Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius

Leading Well Under Pressure with Caroline Webb 10.09.2026 25мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm excited to welcome Caroline Webb to the show this week. She is an economist, executive coach, former McKinsey partner and senior advisor to the firm, and the best-selling author of How to Have a Good Day. She's also been recognized by Thinkers 50 as one of the world's top executive coaches. Her new book, Leadership Intelligence, draws on psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to tackle 21 of the everyday challenges leaders face. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders and managers looking to lead more effectively under pressure, communicate with greater intention, and turn good leadership knowledge into better everyday behavior. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…knowing what good leadership looks like is one thing; practicing it when you're tired, stressed, or under pressure is another. Caroline explains how stress affects our ability to think and respond well, and shares practical ways leaders can pause, ask better questions, give clear feedback, and stay connected to what matters. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Stress and fatigue can make good leadership much harder to access in the moment. Small habits can help leaders respond thoughtfully instead of reacting. Better questions create space for people to share concerns and different perspectives. Clear, specific feedback is a form of kindness, not a lack of empathy. Taking a pause can lead to better decisions and better leadership. WHAT I LOVE MOST…great leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about building the habits that help you respond with intention when it would be much easier to react. Running Time: 25:35 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Caroline Online: LinkedIn Website Caroline's Book: Leadership Intelligence: Science-Backed Strategies for Mastering 21 Everyday Management Challenges

RELOAD: Molly's Game with Molly Bloom 03.09.2026 33мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week I'm reflecting on a conversation I had with Molly Bloom. Molly is an inspirational keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and the bestselling author of Molly's Game, a memoir which was adapted into an award-winning film of the same name by Aaron Sorkin. Molly began her career as a world-class skier. While training as a pre-teen she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and had to undergo surgery that doctors said would end her athletic career. A year later, fully recovered, she was back on the slopes and went on to join the U.S. Ski Team. But, her Olympic dreams would go unrealized and this would lead her to what she thought would be a year sabbatical in LA. She was finishing her degree in Political Science at the University of Colorado – Boulder and was in the process of applying to top tier Law Schools, when her assistant job turned her into an accidental entrepreneur running one of  the most exclusive, high-stakes underground poker games in the world, pulling in as much as $4 million per year. What happened next is where her story truly begins! THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…everyone! Everybody and anybody will find Molly's story fascinating and intriguing. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…Molly shares her story of inspiration, intrigue, and events straight out of a Hollywood movie! She recounts her journey from Olympic-hopeful and college student, to LA waitress, to building and operating the largest and most notorious private poker game in the world. Molly's story is one of innovation, inspiration, ambition, redemption, and entrepreneurship. WHAT I LOVE MOST…I love what Molly has to say about owning your name, and really being seen and heard. I also love how clear she is on finding what you stand for, and getting clear on what you are and are not willing to do. Running time: 33:10 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Molly Online: LinkedIn

Doing Good, Better with Scott M. Curran 27.08.2026 25мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm excited to welcome Scott M. Curran to the show this week. Scott is a social impact lawyer, advisor, educator, founder and CEO of Beyond Advisors and former general counsel of the Clinton Foundation, where he advised a global nonprofit operating in more than 40 countries. His new book, Better Good, asks a deceptively simple question: instead of always trying to do more good, how can we get better at the good we're already doing? THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone looking to create meaningful impact without feeling like they have to do more, give more, or solve everything. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…doing good isn't about doing more, it's about doing better. Scott shares how small, intentional actions can create meaningful impact, why businesses benefit from aligning with their values, and how each of us can focus our time and energy where we can make the biggest difference. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Small actions can create meaningful collective impact. Doing good can be good for business, too. Your "not-to-do" list matters as much as your to-do list. Focus your time on what aligns with your strengths and values. Momentum grows when people take action together. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Scott's reminder that we don't need more money, time, or influence to make a difference. Sometimes, doing better simply starts with being more intentional about how we use what we already have Running Time: 25:51 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Scott Online: LinkedIn Website Scott's Book: Better Good: A Simple System for Creating Lasting Impact

Rethinking How Teams Work with Karina Mangu-Ward 20.08.2026 26мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week I'm joined by Karina Mangu-Ward, organizational design expert and author of Teams That Meet The Moment. Karina has worked with organizations ranging from PepsiCo and Chanel to Planned Parenthood and the Sundance Institute. Her work challenges a fundamental assumption about performance: that the individual is the unit we should be trying to optimize. I'm excited to share this conversation with her. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…entrepreneurs, founders, and business leaders looking to build stronger and more effective teams. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…organizations often try to solve performance problems by focusing on individuals: hiring a superstar, coaching an underperformer, or replacing someone on the team. But Karina argues that the real issue is often the system surrounding those individuals. She explains why teams, rather than individuals, are the true unit of value creation and how shared language, clear decision rights, and better teaming practices can help organizations move faster and learn more effectively. In this conversation, we also explore what happens when AI agents become part of the team and why automating a broken process can simply make the problem bigger. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Teams, not individuals, are the true unit of performance. Consensus isn't always the goal; decisions need clarity and momentum. Clear decision rights can make teams faster and more effective. AI amplifies the need for strong processes, roles, and collaboration. WHAT I LOVE MOST…this conversation challenges the instinct to always look at the individual when something isn't working. Sometimes the most important thing to fix isn't the person, it's the way the team is designed to work together. And as AI changes how work gets done, that lesson is only becoming more important. Running Time: 26:55 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Karina Online: LinkedIn Newsletter Karina's Book: Teams That Meet the Moment: 9 Practices for Unlocking Performance and Growth in Uncertain Times

How to Build a Market, Not Just a Product with Bruce Cleveland 13.08.2026 29мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm excited to welcome Bruce Cleveland to the show. He's a venture investor, former senior executive at Oracle. Siebel, Apple, and C3 AI, founder of Traction Gap Partners and author of the book, Market Engineering. Over the course of his career, he's helped build and invest in companies that have grown into billion dollar businesses. And his latest work argues that markets don't simply emerge, they are intentionally built. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…founders, CEOs, marketers, product leaders, and entrepreneurs who want to understand how to intentionally create demand, shape markets, and become a category leader. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…building a great product is no longer enough to guarantee success. The companies that become market leaders today don't simply engineer products, they engineer markets by intentionally shaping how customers think about a problem and its solution. Bruce explains that through category design, positioning, messaging, storytelling, and thought leadership, organizations can create demand before they ever scale demand generation. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Great product engineering is table stakes. Lasting market leadership comes from intentionally engineering demand. Creating or redefining a category helps companies compete on their own terms instead of someone else's. CEOs, not marketers, must own market engineering because they control the resources needed to build awareness and shape perception. As AI makes product development faster and more accessible, differentiation will increasingly come from positioning, storytelling, and creating a market customers recognize and value. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Bruce challenges one of the most common assumptions in business: that the best product wins. He makes a compelling case that the real winners are the companies that teach the market how to think before anyone else does. Running Time: 29:29 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Bruce Online: LinkedIn Website Bruce's Book: Market Engineering: Because Markets Don't Build Themselves

Beyond Network Effects: Building Brands People Belong To with Roger Martin 06.08.2026 29мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, Roger and I dive into Beyond Network Economics. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…business leaders, marketers, founders, and anyone looking to build deeper customer loyalty by creating experiences people want to be part of. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…for years, businesses have focused on network effects: adding more customers to create more value. Roger argues that's no longer enough. Instead, the companies pulling ahead are creating "worlds" that customers genuinely want to belong to, where the relationships between customers become just as valuable as the product itself. Through examples like TikTok, Hermès, Nike, Starbucks, and Ford, Roger explains why building community may be the next evolution of strategy. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Network effects helped build today's biggest technology companies but they aren't an unbeatable competitive advantage. The strongest brands create communities where customers want to interact with one another. Companies that disrupt or ignore their customer communities risk damaging long-term loyalty. Strategy should focus on creating experiences and relationships, not simply acquiring more users. Brands that successfully shape a world around their customers create advantages that competitors struggle to replicate. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger challenges the idea that customers are simply individuals to acquire. Instead, he reminds us that the strongest businesses create communities people genuinely want to belong to. That's a much more durable competitive advantage. Running Time: 29:10 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website

Seeing Opportunity Before Everyone Else with Garrett Sutton 30.07.2026 25мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. My guest this week is Garrett Sutton who is an entrepreneur and author. He is the co-author of Sports Heaven, The Birth of ESPN. While ESPN is now one of the most influential media brands in the world, its beginning was anything but certain. It had an idea that many people doubted a business model that had never been proven and a future that very few people could actually see. What makes this story so relevant today isn't sports. It's what it teaches us about entrepreneurship, innovation, conviction, and recognizing opportunities before the rest of the market catches up. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…entrepreneurs, founders, and business leaders looking to recognize opportunities, navigate uncertainty, and build conviction before everyone else sees the vision. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…many of today's biggest success stories seem obvious in hindsight, but they rarely feel that way in the moment. Garrett shares the entrepreneurial lessons behind ESPN's unlikely rise, from spotting an unmet need to making bold decisions when few others believed the idea would work. Through the story of founder Bill Rasmussen, he explores how vision, timing, partnerships, and persistence come together to turn an unconventional idea into an industry-defining business. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Great opportunities often look impossible before they look inevitable. Timing can be just as important as having the right idea. Strong partnerships can accelerate growth beyond what entrepreneurs can accomplish alone. Vision requires the confidence to move forward despite skepticism. WHAT I LOVE MOST…this story isn't really about ESPN. It's about having the courage to believe in an opportunity before anyone else can see it. That's a lesson every entrepreneur can apply. Running Time: 25:54 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Garrett Online: LinkedIn Garrett's Book: Sports Heaven: The Birth of ESPN

The Next Evolution of AI with David Bach 23.07.2026 31мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. My guest today is Dr. David Bach, founder and CEO of Optios. David is a physician, neuroscientist, serial entrepreneur, and someone who spent years studying how elite performers from military pilots and financial traders to professional athletes make decisions under pressure. His work draws on more than $350 million of DARPA-backed neuroscience research to explore how AI and humans can work together more effectively in real time. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, technologists, and innovators who want to better understand how AI can enhance, not replace, human performance. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…we've spent years asking how AI can become smarter, but David argues we're asking the wrong question. The next breakthrough won't come from AI knowing more. It will come from AI understanding the people it's working with. Drawing on neuroscience research and work with elite performers, David explains how context, physiology, and cognitive awareness can help AI become a more effective partner in learning, decision-making, and performance. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Context is essential for AI to become truly useful. Human-machine teaming outperforms either one alone. Physiological awareness can dramatically improve learning and decision-making. AI should augment human judgment, not replace it. The future of AI depends on understanding people, not just processing information. WHAT I LOVE MOST…David's Iron Man analogy perfectly captures where AI is headed. The greatest opportunity isn't replacing people with technology. It's creating a seamless partnership where each makes the other better. Running Time: 31:36 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find David Online: LinkedIn

Why Great Companies Lose Their Way with Eric Ries 16.07.2026 36мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. My guest is Eric Ries, someone who has changed the way founders and companies think about innovation, experimentation, and growth through The Lean Startup. After spending decades helping companies scale, Eric has started asking a very different question: why do so many successful companies slowly become the thing they once set out to disrupt? His new book, Incorruptible, explores this. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…founders, executives, and business leaders who want to build organizations that stay true to their mission as they grow. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most companies don't lose their values overnight, they drift away from them one decision, one incentive, and one compromise at a time. Eric argues that this kind of organizational corruption isn't caused by bad people, but by systems that reward short-term thinking over long-term purpose. He explains why mission, governance, and incentives must work together if companies want to grow without losing what made them successful in the first place. Most importantly, he reminds us that building a great company isn't just about scaling but about creating an organization that can stay true to its purpose over time. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Organizational drift happens gradually, not all at once. • A mission should guide decisions long after a company begins to scale. • Long-term value is created by serving customers and employees first. • Great companies are intentionally built to resist corruption. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Eric's bridge analogy perfectly captures the challenge leaders face. Corruption isn't inevitable, it happens when organizations are built with the wrong materials. Eric reminds us that leaders have the opportunity to design them differently from the start. Running Time: 36:18 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Eric Online: LinkedIn Website How Is Incorruptible Going? Eric's Book: Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great

Building a Smarter Growth Strategy with Roger Martin 09.07.2026 34мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In our tenth episode, Roger Martin interviews me about my book, Growth IQ. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders looking to accelerate growth, make better strategic choices, and connect strategy with execution. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…many organizations approach growth as if there's a single initiative that will unlock results. Roger and Tiffani challenge that idea, arguing that sustainable growth comes from understanding all of the options available and making deliberate choices about which ones to pursue. They discuss the ten growth pathways Growth IQ was built around, how leaders can combine those pathways for greater impact, and why context and sequencing matter just as much as the choices themselves. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Growth is rarely driven by a single initiative. Strong strategies come from making deliberate choices. Combining growth pathways creates greater impact than pursuing one in isolation. Existing customers are often the biggest growth opportunity. Sales execution and strategy must be developed together. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's reminder that you can't make decisions about categories you don't know exist. The more complete your view of the options available, the better your strategic choices become. Running Time: 34:09 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website

The Future Belongs to Learn-It-Alls with Caroline Stokes 02.07.2026 29мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. My guest this week is Caroline Stokes, a leading strategist, executive coach, Thinkers 50 Radar honoree, and author of AfterShock to 2030. Her work focuses on helping leaders navigate reinvention in a world where the old playbooks may no longer apply. While we spend a lot of time talking about AI, disruption and transformation, Caroline argues that the real challenge may be something deeper: how leaders adapt themselves before they try to transform everyone else. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders navigating the changes of our world who want to stay relevant, help their teams adapt, and build confidence in an increasingly uncertain future. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…many leaders are focused on transforming their organizations, but Caroline argues that the real challenge is transforming themselves first. As AI, economic uncertainty, and societal shifts accelerate simultaneously, old leadership playbooks are becoming less effective. Caroline explains why curiosity, continuous learning, and self-reinvention are now essential leadership skills. She also explores how leaders can use AI thoughtfully without losing the human connection that drives trust, collaboration, and meaningful change. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Curiosity is one of the most important skills leaders can develop. AI should enhance human collaboration, not replace it. Transformation starts with personal reinvention. Fear slows adaptation while experimentation accelerates learning. Leaders must help people navigate change, not just announce it. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Caroline's reminder that it's never too late to become a "learn-it-all" instead of a "know-it-all." In a world changing this quickly, curiosity may be the most valuable leadership advantage we have. Running Time: 29:40 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Caroline Online: LinkedIn Website Caroline's Book: AfterShock to 2030: A CEO's Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse

Becoming More Adaptable with Phil Le-Brun and Jana Werner 25.06.2026 29мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week we're talking about something almost every leader is wrestling with right now: why transformation is so hard even when they know they need to change. My guests are Phil Lebrun and Jana Werner, co-authors of The Octopus Organization, a book that challenges the traditional way companies are structured and led. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders navigating transformation and growth who want to build organizations that can meet the level of change. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most organizations approach change as a transformation project with a clear beginning and end. Jana and Phil challenge that idea, arguing that the current environment requires organizations to continuously adapt, learn, and respond rather than rely on top-down change initiatives. In this conversation, they explain why so many transformation efforts fail, how bureaucracy and rigid structures slow organizations down, and why behavior change matters more than new technology or organizational charts. KEY TAKEAWAYS… Transformation is often overused when continuous adaptation is what organizations really need. Behavior change matters more than organizational charts or new technology. Bureaucracy grows when organizations prioritize control over learning. Curiosity and psychological safety fuel innovation and adaptability. Leaders create lasting change by empowering the people closest to the work. WHAT I LOVE MOST… Phil and Jana challenge the idea that transformation is something you complete. The organizations that thrive are the ones that treat learning and adaptation as part of everyday work. Running Time: 29:13 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Phil Online: LinkedIn Find Jana Online: LinkedIn Phil and Jana's Substack: The Octopus Organization Phil and Jana's Book: The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation

How To Learn Strategic Thinking with Roger Martin 18.06.2026 31мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we're talking about the four key characteristics of strategic thinking. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants to strengthen their strategic thinking and make better decisions in complex, uncertain environments. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…many people think strategy is about making plans, setting goals, or controlling outcomes. Roger argues that strategic thinking starts by accepting the opposite: the most important variables are often the ones you don't control. Customers, competitors, and markets will ultimately do what they want to do. The strategist's job is to influence those outcomes by thoughtfully configuring everything within their control. In this conversation, Roger breaks down the four key characteristics of strategic thinkers. Together, he and Tiffani explore how these skills can be developed and why strategic thinking is less about innate talent and more about deliberate practice. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Strategic thinkers focus on influencing outcomes they cannot directly control. The best decisions come from combining quantitative and qualitative information. Strong strategies emerge when multiple variables are considered simultaneously. Strategic thinking is a learnable skill that improves through practice and training. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's reminder that strategic thinking is not something you're born with. Too often, people assume strategy is reserved for a select few with a natural gift for seeing around corners. Instead, Roger reframes strategic thinking as a set of skills that anyone can develop. Running Time: 31:02 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website Show Summary on Substack

The Discipline Behind Hypergrowth with Denise Persson 11.06.2026 35мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week, I'm delighted to speak with Denise Persson. She is the Chief Marketing Officer at Snowflake and co-author of Make It Snow: From Zero to Billions. Over the last 25 years, Denise has helped build and scale some of the most recognizable enterprise technology companies, including Snowflake, Apigee, and Genesis, guiding organizations through hyper-growth, IPOs, acquisitions, and major market shifts. What I really love about Denise's perspective is that she understands growth isn't just about demand generation or pipeline, it's about building the operational alignment, customer trust, and internal culture that allow companies to scale sustainably. So today we're going to dive right into these topics. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…marketing leaders and growth-focused executives helping teams stay aligned while navigating rapid change and ambitious growth goals. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…many companies believe growth comes from moving faster, launching more campaigns, or constantly evolving their message. Denise argues the opposite. Drawing from her experience helping scale Snowflake into one of the most successful technology companies in the world, Denise explains why some of the biggest growth opportunities come from creating clarity and not complexity. Denise and Tiffani discuss what happens when organizations grow faster than their processes, why customer advocacy is more powerful than any marketing campaign, and how leaders can balance innovation with consistency. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Category creation succeeds when customers immediately understand the value. Consistency creates trust for customers, employees, and partners. Hypergrowth often exposes gaps in leadership, hiring, and alignment. Strong data foundations are essential for personalization and AI success. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Denise's perspective that growth isn't always about doing more. It's often about creating more clarity. In a business environment that constantly encourages organizations to move faster, add more, and chase the next opportunity, her reminder that consistency builds trust feels especially important. Running Time: 35:00 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Denise Online: LinkedIn

Sometimes Wrong But Never in Doubt with George Barrios 04.06.2026 26мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. Today's conversation is about reinvention, resilience, and what it really means to lead when the pressure is at its highest. My guest is George Barrios, former co-president of WWE and the architect behind some of the biggest media and sports deals in history and author of the new book, Sometimes Wrong, But Never in Doubt. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating career pivots, high-pressure decisions, or uncertainty while trying to grow with confidence and conviction. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…success isn't built on having all the answers but having the conviction to move forward before certainty arrives. George Barrios is a master at this: from helping transform WWE into a global media powerhouse to navigating a very public firing and reinvention, George explains why resilience, continuous learning, and a willingness to take calculated risks are what truly shape long-term success. Throughout the conversation, George and Tiffani explore the difference between confidence and arrogance, why leaders must stay in constant learning mode, and how reading, writing, and developing a strong point of view can separate great leaders from passive participants. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Conviction comes from preparation and doing the work. Confidence and ego can look similar, but they are not the same. Reading and writing are essential leadership habits. Big opportunities often require moving before certainty exists. Failure is often part of the path toward meaningful success. Leaders grow faster when they actively develop their own point of view. WHAT I LOVE MOST…George's perspective that confidence isn't something you're born with but something you build through curiosity, preparation, and action. His insight that "being passive creates self-doubt" feels especially important right now in a world where so many people are waiting for permission, certainty, or someone else to guide them forward. Running Time: 26:00 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find George Online: LinkedIn Website George's Book: Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt

How Great Companies Stay One Step Ahead with Roger Martin 28.05.2026 30мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we're rethinking Warren Buffett's "moat" metaphor for competitive advantage. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, entrepreneurs, strategists, and innovators who want to build a sustainable competitive advantage instead of competing in a race to the bottom. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most companies think about competitive advantage as something static, or what Warren Buffett famously coined the "moat" that protects the business from competitors. But Roger argues that this metaphor falls short in this day and age and introduces a more dynamic way to think about strategy: moving through "rooms" ahead of competitors. Roger explores why the best companies stay curious, how customer observation leads to innovation, why benchmarking can actually hurt differentiation, and how asking different questions is often the foundation of breakthrough growth. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Competitive advantage must evolve constantly, it can't stay static. Customer observation often reveals opportunities data alone misses. Benchmarking competitors too closely can limit innovation. Sustainable growth comes from continuously moving to the "next room." WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's perspective that competitive advantage is about continually evolving faster than your competitors. His "rooms" metaphor is such a powerful way to visualize innovation, customer learning, and staying ahead by asking smarter questions over time. Running Time: 30:44 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website Show Summary on Substack

The Chase for a "Perfect Strategy" Ends Here with Roger Martin 21.05.2026 27мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss how your current actions impact your strategy. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and teams trying to improve results without getting stuck chasing the "perfect" strategy. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…whether you claim it or not, you already have a strategy. It's reflected in the choices you're making every day. In this episode, Roger and Tiffani unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in business: the belief that strategy is something you create from scratch during a planning session. Roger explains that every company already has a strategy because every organization is making choices about investments, hiring, marketing, products, customers, and priorities. The real question is whether those choices are producing the results you want. KEY TAKEAWAYS… Your current results are the outcome of the strategic choices you've already made. Strategy fails when leaders expect immediate results from long-term decisions. Chasing the "perfect strategy" often delays meaningful progress. Betterment comes from continuously improving the biggest problems first. Writing down assumptions helps leaders evaluate whether a strategy is truly working over time. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's emphasis on "betterment" over perfection. Instead of trying to engineer one flawless strategy that solves everything forever, he encourages leaders to continuously improve the choices creating the biggest pain points. Running Time: 27:38 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website Show Summary on Substack

How to Make Smart Decisions in the Age of AI with Cheryl Strauss Einhorn 14.05.2026 25мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, author, decision strategist, and creator of The Area Method. Her new book, The Human Edge, really challenges a core assumption we're all making right now that more technology automatically leads to better outcomes. What I love about her work is that it's not anti-AI, it's pro-human. She gives us a framework to think more clearly, challenge what we're seeing, and ultimately make decisions with more confidence and intention. Because at the end of the day, the question isn't whether we'll use AI, it is whether we will lead it or it will lead us. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone using AI in their work and wondering how to make better decisions without losing their human edge. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…AI can make you faster but it doesn't automatically make you better. Cheryl breaks down why decision-making, not technology, is the true competitive advantage. While AI can accelerate research, generate ideas, and even mirror your voice, it lacks context, judgment, and an understanding of what truly matters to you. Cheryl introduces the concept of "strategic stops" which are intentional moments to reflect, question assumptions, and ensure you're solving the right problem in the first place. KEY TAKEAWAYS… AI is only as good as the context you give it. Without that critical piece, you risk getting answers that sound right but aren't useful. Strategic pauses ("friction") improve decisions by helping you question assumptions and refine your thinking. AI can reinforce bias or limit perspective if you don't actively challenge its outputs. The most important decisions still require human judgment especially when stakes are high and outcomes are uncertain. The future belongs to strong decision-makers, not just companies with the best AI tools. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Cheryl's perspective that AI isn't replacing thinking but is actually demanding better thinking. The idea that we're all "chief deciders" in our own lives is a powerful reminder: no matter how advanced the technology gets, the responsibility to think critically is still ours. Running Time: 25:56 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Cheryl Online: LinkedIn Website Cheryl's Book: The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI

The Most Important Question in Strategy with Roger Martin 07.05.2026 27мин

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss the concept of what would have to be true for something to be a good idea. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone frustrated by endless debates who wants a smarter way to make strategic decisions. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most teams get stuck arguing about what's true when the better question is what would have to be true. In this conversation, Roger reframes one of the most common breakdowns in strategy: teams debating data, context, and "facts" without ever moving forward. Instead of trying to prove what's true today, he introduces a more powerful approach, working backward from a future outcome and asking what conditions must exist for it to succeed. KEY TAKEAWAYS… "What would have to be true" shifts teams from arguing about data to aligning on logic. Strong strategies often make something true that isn't true yet. Breaking goals into assumptions exposes whether a plan is realistic or wishful thinking. WHAT I LOVE MOST…the idea that strategy isn't about proving you're right, it's about testing whether your thinking holds up. When you shift from "this is true" to "what would have to be true," the conversation changes completely. It removes ego, surfaces assumptions, and forces clarity. Running Time: 27:35 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website Show Summary on Substack

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