ExecDNA

Mario Rivas
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated weekly

The world's most important decisions deserve better intelligence. ExecDNA is the Executive Intelligence company for founders, executives, board directors and investors, helping leaders make better decisions, accelerate their careers and build stronger organisations. This podcast is where that intelligence comes to life. Each week, we sit down with CEOs, founders, board directors, investors and operators to have honest conversations about leadership, governance, AI, growth and what really happens when companies scale. No theory. No recycled advice. Just the patterns, decisions and lessons th

  1. 3 Sept

    2 Exits. Built Airbnb in Asia. Now building again. Alan Chang's Founder Journey

    Alan Shang's career has taken him from running restaurants to becoming an Airbnb executive, building startups, navigating extreme financial pressure, completing an acquisition and exit, and starting again in FinTech. In this episode of ExecDNA, Alan shares the decisions, failures and transformations that shaped him as an entrepreneur and leader.Most founders struggle when their role shifts from day-to-day operator to global leader. In this conversation, Alan breaks down the reality of scaling a business, from building 50 restaurants to expanding Airbnb across Asian markets. You will learn the specific leadership lessons he gained from nearly missing payroll by less than two business days and how that pressure changed his approach to business growth. We discuss the difficult decisions involved in a founder journey, the mistakes that nearly cost him everything, and the strategy behind his eventual exit. Whether you are currently navigating financial pressure or planning your next venture, these insights into the reality of entrepreneurship are essential for anyone scaling a team. Subscribe for more weekly leadership breakdowns. Timestamp for you: 00:00 Trailer 01:03 Introduction 01:36 The Payroll Problem 04:01 Growing Up in a Family Restaurant 06:33 Building 50 Restaurants 12:19 From Restaurants to Airbnb 14:17 Expanding Airbnb Across Asia 17:16 From Operator to Global Leader 20:30 The Biggest Business Mistake 24:54 Growing Out of Cash 26:59 What the Crisis Changed 30:51 The Exit 34:39 Building Patch 38:15 Turning a Crisis Into an Inconvenience 38:53 Alan’s ExecDNA Join the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. 👉 Join the community & waiting list: https://www.execdna.com #MarioRivas – Founder of ExecDNAHost of ExecDNA PodcastLinkedln: / mariorivassanchez Alan Chang – Co-Founder & CEO of Patch SystemsLinkedln:https://www.linkedin.com/in/changalang/Company LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patchsystems/ Company website: https://trypatch.com/ Watch 'ExecDNA' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0... #businessgrowth #execdna #businessmindset #careergrowth #ukpodcast

  2. 3 Sept

    How to Stay Relevant in Cybersecurity for 26 Years (It’s Not What You Think) | Robbie Tyrie

    Building a sustainable cybersecurity career path requires more than just technical certifications and initial training.After 26 years in the industry, Robby Tyrie joins us to discuss how he navigated the complexities of information security management. This interview moves past entry-level advice to examine the mindset needed to maintain relevance when industry standards evolve. We analyses the practical reality of professional growth, focusing on how a seasoned practitioner adapts to shifts in technology and corporate requirements over nearly three decades.Throughout our discussion, we look specifically at the ISO 27001 certification and how it functions as a pillar for senior roles. If you are aiming to transition into high-level security management, this conversation provides a realistic roadmap for long-term endurance. You will learn why a cybersecurity expert must balance tactical skills with strategic planning to avoid burnout and stay competitive in a crowded market.Timestamp for you00:00 Why were you risking by starting again?01:16 What do you think you would be by thirty?01:52 How was Robbie like at school?02:30 What was your first proper job?03:25 Three decisions that accelerated his career 04:05 Story of JPMorgan's software security06:00 How to lead others07:41 He is only been in cybersecurity for the last 15 years.08:05 THE TWO BIGGEST MISTAKES OF HIS CAREER09:14 THE HARDEST 12 MONTHS OF HIS CAREER10:30 REINVENTION12:00 LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY13:50 When he move from corporate to be an entrepreneur15:49 BUSINESS GOALS16:44 AI + CYBERSECURITY18:22 How can weak security put a six or seven figure contract at risk?19:12 Will AI take over the Cybersecurity work?20:21 Three Important AI cyber numbers 21:30 Dynamic with the C-suite team23:17 How to grow in 202624:07 HOW HE BECAME C-SUITE27:36 THE NEXT VERSION OF ROBBIE28:24 Robbie's EXEC DNAJoin the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform.👉 Join the community & waiting list: https://www.execdna.com#Mariorivas – Founder of ExecDNAHost of ExecDNA PodcastLinkedln: / mariorivassanchez Robbie Tyrie – Founder of Torridon CyberLinkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrie/Watch 'ExecDNA' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0...#businessgrowth #execdna #businessmindset #careergrowth #cybersecurity #technology

  3. 24 Aug

    I Spent 25 Years In The Boardroom Only To Realize This | Mark Hedley

    I sat down with Mark Hedley, Co-Founder of Adeus — and the rare corporate executive who walked away from twenty-five years in the boardroom to start over at zero. He's lived and worked across four continents, held senior roles at Citibank, Deutsche Bank, and Corn Ferry, and built a career that started with a university dropout and a one-way ticket, not a plan.Timestamp for you:00:00 Introduction00:25 Growing up between the UK and Australia02:16 Why school didn't shape his career path03:47 The curiosity that took him to India, Korea, Indonesia & Hong Kong05:40 The key skills that built his career08:32 The moment that changed his career trajectory11:44 The hard skills behind the soft skills13:43 Why he decided to build his own business15:27 "Why am I building somebody else's dream?"17:34 Building Adeus — wills and legacy planning, reimagined19:36 A career failure: leaving university21:21 The visa crisis that sent him to Singapore22:26 Spent $150,000, went to MBA23:42 What most executives get wrong about hiring25:26 Why skills degrade fast in the age of AI26:35 What Activity to do to staying in shape as a founder28:47 Building a legacy company, and what legacy really means29:41 Why 60% of people still don't have a will32:07 Mark's exact DNA33:22 Closing#MarioRivas – Founder of ExecDNAHost of ExecDNA PodcastLinkedln: / mariorivassanchez Mark Hedley – Co-Founder & COO of AdeusLinkedln: / markjhedley Watch 'ExecDNA' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0...#businessgrowth #execdna #businessmindset #careergrowth #ukpodcast

  4. 5 Aug

    The Hardest Conversation Every CEO Will Face (Executive Coach Explains) | Nicole Alos

    After 20+ years coaching hundreds of executives, from first-time founders to seasoned CEOs, Nicole Alos kept seeing the same gap: leaders left coaching sessions feeling confident, but froze the moment a real high-stakes conversation began.In this episode of Exec DNA, Nicole joins Mario Rivas to unpack why communication, not technical skill, separates exceptional leaders from competent managers. She shares how she built Socratyc Sidekick, an AI-powered practice tool that lets founders and executives rehearse investor pitches, layoffs, board updates, and difficult co-founder conversations before they happen for real. Nicole opens up about the most common communication failures she's seen across hundreds of leaders on three continents, why "leaders don't need more information, they need more readiness," what psychological safety actually requires from a leader, and why she believes AI will never fully replace human coaches, even as it changes what coaching looks like.Mario also shares his own experience delivering one of the hardest conversations of his career: telling 500 employees a turnaround effort hadn't worked.Connect with Nicole Alos:🔗 nicolealos.com🔗 socratycsidekick.aiChapters:00:00 – Welcome to Exec DNA & introducing Nicole Alos 01:03 – From executive coaching to building an AI product 04:26 – Where Socratyc Sidekick stands today (beta, Sept 1 launch)07:14 – 100+ executives coached: the patterns she's seen 08:19 – Young founders raising millions without the experience to match 09:41 – "Leaders don't need more information, they need more readiness" 10:39 – Can AI ever become an executive coach? 13:00 – The most common communication mistakes leaders make 15:04 – Avoiding hard conversations until they explode 16:43 – Direct vs. kind feedback — and getting it wrong both ways 17:28 – The power of clear non-negotiables 18:47 – The hardest conversation every CEO has to face 20:05 – Mario's story: telling 500 people the turnaround didn't work 23:23 – Why you should never have a high-stakes conversation "for the first time" live 24:09 – Why human skills matter more as AI automates the rest 25:07 – B2B vs. B2C: how Socratyc Sidekick actually works 27:08 – Building as a solo founder with no-code tools 28:56 – What surprised Nicole most about launching the product 32:46 – The hardest truth she's told a CEO 35:17 – Psychological safety without losing accountability 37:19 – Where to find Nicole and try the product 38:48 – Closing advice: get curious with your team

  5. 28 Jul

    While Everyone Chased SaaS and AI, He Built a £25M Business Nobody Talked About | Amrit Daliwal

    Amrit Dhaliwal, founder of Walfinch, left hospitality, bought a franchise and spotted what most entrepreneurs completely overlooked: a £68 billion UK home care market with almost no one thinking seriously about scale, quality or wellness. Six years later, Walfinch operates across 40 locations nationwide, serves over 1,000 clients and is on track for £25M in network revenue in 2025. In this startup and scaleup masterclass, Amrit breaks down the franchise model that is taking him to £100M, why boring businesses outperform sexy ones, and the leadership principles that work in restaurants, retail and healthcare alike.Walfinch is not just a care business. Amrit is actively rebranding how the UK thinks about aging, building proprietary AI tools alongside third party platforms, and running a franchise support system that graduates operators from zero to £80K a month. He reveals what separates top performers from average franchisees, how he attracts and retains carers in the most talent-starved sector in the country, and why the future of home care looks a lot more like a wellness brand than a traditional care agency. 00:00 Introduction to Home Care and Franchising 01:51 Transition from Hospitality to Home Care 06:32 Understanding the Home Care Business Model 10:52 Challenges and Opportunities in Home Care 18:14 The Role of AI in Home Care 27:45 Building a High-Impact Care Business 33:11 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

    While Everyone Chased SaaS and AI, He Built a £25M Business Nobody Talked About | Amrit Daliwal

  6. 23 Jul

    How to Challenge a CEO Without Getting Fired as a NED | Alessandro Hatami

    Alessandro Hatami has spent 25 years at the heart of global fintech and banking, holding senior leadership roles at PayPal Europe, Lloyds Banking Group and GE Capital before founding Pacemakers and serving nearly a decade as an FCA regulated non-executive director. In this fintech and board governance masterclass, he breaks down why incumbents have proven far more resilient than anyone predicted, what boards are getting dangerously wrong about AI liability, and why the NED role is fundamentally misunderstood by most executives who transition into it. Alessandro argues that board governance is quietly becoming one of the most significant challengers of AI implementation inside financial institutions, not because boards are obstructive, but because they carry personal legal liability for technology decisions that most of them are not yet equipped to evaluate. He also unpacks how Pacemakers operates as an executive search firm for fintech partnerships and why the adapt, evolve, transform framework determines which banks survive the next wave of disruption. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Alessandro Hatami and 25 Years Across PayPal, Lloyds and GE Capital 01:58 What Has Fundamentally Changed in Banking Over 25 Years 03:08 The Innovators Dilemma: Why Incumbents Struggle to Move at Fintech Speed 05:21 Why Nobody Is Actually Closing Their Lloyds Account for Revolut 09:46 When Will Challengers Truly Overtake Incumbent Banks 12:21 How Pacemakers Matches Banks With the Right Fintech Partners 19:28 The Biggest Challenges Boards Face as AI Enters Financial Services 25:52 What Most Executives Get Wrong When They Become a Non-Executive Director 27:11 How to Challenge a CEO Without Overstepping as a NED 29:02 What Separates a High Performance Board from One That Just Meets 33:08 Key Questions Boards Are Asking About AI Governance Right Now 37:38 The Toughest Board Decision Alessandro Has Ever Faced 🎙 New episodes every Tuesday at 11:00 UK🌐 https://execdna.com🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.🤝 Join the ExecDNA Community on LinkedIn and WhatsApp. Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: MB11LKLDVUWQOLI0

  7. 15 Jul

    The Three Valuation Drivers Every Acquirer Looks for Every Single Time| Steven Pivnik

    Steven Pivnik failed his first two startups, built his third into a $40M revenue business operating across 20 countries, and sold it in 2020 completing due diligence in just 30 days. Now, as an exit advisor and author of Built to Finish, he has helped founders generate over $1.1 billion in exit value across 38 transactions. In this startup and scaleup masterclass, Steven breaks down exactly what founders must fix before approaching any acquirer and why most exit processes fail before they even begin.The mistakes that cost founders millions at the table are almost always avoidable: founder dependency, customer concentration, weak recurring revenue, and an underprepared finance function. Steven reveals his three-part exit readiness assessment covering psychological, financial, and enterprise value drivers, and explains why average exit preparation takes three years and why AI is already reshaping how acquirers evaluate differentiation and IP. Hosted by Mario Rivas About Startup Scaleup People Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages, we cover growth, leadership, funding, exits, governance, AI, fintech, SaaS, and business transformation. New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Steven Pivnik and $1.1B in Founder Exit Value 01:30 Failing Twice: What Steven Did Differently on Startup Number Three 02:41 Building to $40M Revenue Across 12 Countries 03:07 Three Valuation Drivers Acquirers Look for Every Time 05:39 How Long a Proper Exit Process Really Takes 08:21 Earning the Trust of Microsoft, IBM and Google as a Startup 10:40 The Valuation Killers Founders Almost Always Overlook 12:37 Negotiation Tactics: When the Seller Has the Leverage 15:33 Exit Readiness Assessment: Three Angles Every Founder Needs 20:40 Why Endurance Sports and Business Success Feed Each Other 24:48 How AI Is Changing Due Diligence and Company Valuation 27:44 Replacing Yourself as Founder: The COO to CEO Move

  8. 6 Jul

    The Skill That Gets You Promoted Will Also Get You Fired | Navid Nazemian

    40% of Executive Transitions Fail, Navid Nazemian on the Leadership Gap. Navid Nazemian, executive transition coach and author of Mastering Executive Transitions, has coached 350+ senior leaders across 7 industries over 26 years and the data is stark: 4 in 10 executive transitions fail. In this startup and scaleup leadership masterclass, he reveals why technical skills get you promoted into the C-suite and why the lack of soft skills gets you fired, and how leaders can use his Double Diamond Framework to onboard successfully before costly mistakes derail the transition. With only 1% of leaders reporting confidence in deploying AI and CEOs saying the role has changed more in the past year than in the previous 25, Navid breaks down the leadership paradox at the heart of today's organisations. He also reveals the world's first executive transition intelligence LLM, built on 12 years of coaching transcripts, book citations, and 116 podcast episodes, designed to give every executive access to world-class transition coaching at scale. Chapters: 00:35 Introduction to Leadership and Coaching 08:48 Executive Transition Challenges 15:04 Qualities of Exceptional Leaders 20:31 Understanding Executive Presence 25:01 The Impact of AI on Leadership34:45 Cultural Differences in Leadership

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The world's most important decisions deserve better intelligence. ExecDNA is the Executive Intelligence company for founders, executives, board directors and investors, helping leaders make better decisions, accelerate their careers and build stronger organisations. This podcast is where that intelligence comes to life. Each week, we sit down with CEOs, founders, board directors, investors and operators to have honest conversations about leadership, governance, AI, growth and what really happens when companies scale. No theory. No recycled advice. Just the patterns, decisions and lessons th

Information

  • Creator
    Mario Rivas
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mario Rivas
  • Show Website
    ExecDNA