Inside the Leader's Mind

David Suson
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business

What if the biggest leadership breakthroughs happen not from learning something new—but from seeing yourself differently? Welcome to Inside the Leader's Mind, where host David Suson—executive coach, keynote speaker, and creator of The Perception Code™—sits down with high-performing executives, founders, and thought leaders to unpack the internal shifts behind their external success. This isn't just another leadership podcast. It's a deep dive into the stories, identity shifts, decisions, and moments that changed everything. Each conversation explores how leaders spot limiting patterns, shift their perception, and spark action that leads to real performance, real results—and real impact. If you're a leader who wants to lead with more clarity, empathy, and influence, this is your new go-to podcast.

  1. Aug 13

    What Data and AI Can't Detect | Elizabeth Rea, Insightful

    Summary On this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Elizabeth Rea, founder of Insightful, who advises CEOs, founders, investors, and board members on what their data cannot show them. She calls her approach Expanded Intelligence, an ability to perceive hidden agendas, true character, and unspoken dynamics that logic, data, due diligence, and AI cannot detect. Her access opened after a near-death experience at sixteen and expanded dramatically about fifteen years ago, but she kept it private for decades, worked discreetly with U.S. federal agents on cold-case murder investigations, and only recently went public. Elizabeth and David talk about the accountant who was misrepresenting a firm's financials to its bank, the hidden second decision-maker who unlocked an acquisition worth tens of millions, the con man she identified by his golf pants, and why she believes inside technology, not outside technology, is the coming competitive edge.   Takeaways Data, logic, experts, and conventional due diligence cannot detect a hidden agenda, cloaked character, or a lack of integrity, because business is ultimately done by people. Everyone has intuition, which she describes as access to non-local intelligence. What distinguishes her work is that the details are specific and verifiable, so a client can act on them. She kept her ability private for decades out of fear of being judged, and says the thing that was in the way was her own concern about other people's scorn. A C-suite hire in Silicon Valley costs roughly a million dollars once recruiting and relocation are counted, and a bad one can cost nine to fifteen times that. The people who do the most damage inside a company often look excellent on paper and are charming, charismatic, and popular, so no one catches it until it is too late. The work is not only about spotting risk. In one acquisition, showing more deference to the owner's assistant, an unrecognized second decision-maker, unlocked a deal worth tens of millions. The higher a leader rises, the more people package the truth for them, and clients rely on Elizabeth precisely because she has no attachment to the outcome. AI can only see what has already been recorded, so as leaders offload more cognition to machines, perceiving what was never recorded becomes the real advantage.   Soundbites "In business, people lie. And they even lie to themselves." "Outside technology is great, but it's old news. Inside technology, like this, is what is going to deliver the competitive edge." "I don't sell it. I just show it." "What was in the way was me. Isn't that always the thing that's in the way?"   Contact links for the guest Website: www.insightful.foundation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethannrea/   Keyword tags Elizabeth Rea, Insightful, expanded intelligence, non-local intelligence, executive advisory, due diligence, executive hiring, mergers and acquisitions, leadership decisions, intuition, hidden agendas, character assessment, investor insight, high stakes decisions

    What Data and AI Can't Detect | Elizabeth Rea, Insightful

  2. Aug 13

    The Engineer Who Became a Homeopath | Dr. Jo Polich, ActivMend

    Summary On this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Dr. Jo Polich, a former director of engineering turned homeopath, inventor, and founder of ActivMend. Dr. Jo held senior technology roles at IBM and Alcatel, worked on satellite chipsets and fiber optic manufacturing, and holds three engineering degrees, two of them in materials engineering. Then her two-year-old daughter spent a year with stomach problems no specialist could diagnose, and a homeopathic remedy she grabbed almost at random from a Whole Foods shelf resolved it in a day. That sent her back to school for a medical license and into a second career. Years later she ruptured her own ACL, treated it with a topical she had improvised for patients, and walked into the head of orthopedics at Northwestern with an unswollen knee. He told her she had discovered something remarkable. Dr. Jo and David talk about walking away from a respected engineering title, why she tells customers not to buy her product, the difference between irrational optimism and denial, and what it took to win the first modern homeopathic patent.   Takeaways Homeopathy drew her in precisely because it was not supposed to work. She saw it resolve her daughter's year-long illness, then researched it and could not explain the result. Engineering turned out to be ideal training for homeopathy, which she says demands more analytical rigor than anything else she has done. Her career was spent troubleshooting manufacturing problems, where following false data is fatal. Leaving engineering cost her professional respect. Say you are an engineer and people assume you are smart; say you are a homeopath and, in her words, they look at you like you have grown a new ear out of your head. After rupturing her ACL she had near-complete flexion at one month without anti-inflammatories, and the head of orthopedics at Northwestern told her she was doing better than 90 percent of his patients who used them. A conservative orthopedist told her he could not get a homeopathic study approved even if he sponsored it, so she took the work to plastic surgeons and dermatologists instead. In a controlled study they dropped a three pound bar twenty inches onto a hip to produce consistent bruises, and prevented them entirely rather than just resolving them. Allergan licensed the technology, the first time a major pharmaceutical company embraced an arnica-based product. The patent office initially refused any homeopathic product outright. Clinical data reversed that position and produced the first truly homeopathic patent in modern times. ActivMend's website states plainly what the product does not work on, including shin splints, high ankle sprains, and long-degraded tendon injuries. If a customer emails about a condition it will not help, staff tell them not to buy it. Irrational optimism is fine as long as the data supports it. The moment the data says no, you have to follow the data, and she says the same to the startups she advises. Her empathy runs high enough that her challenge is dialing it down, and she credits listening as the route to it. If you really listen to someone, it is hard not to reach their humanity.   Soundbites "It was the fact that it's not supposed to work that intrigued me." "I have been the head of orthopedics for thirty years and have never seen a fully ruptured ACL that's not swollen." "Irrational optimism is fine based on the data that you have." "If you ever speak to any physician and they say I can fix anything, you should leave the office." "I have given to the world so much more by making that change than I ever could have as an engineer."   Contact links for the guest Website: www.activmend.com Email: dr.jo@activmend.com   Keyword tags Dr. Jo Polich, ActivMend, homeopathy, career change, engineer to entrepreneur, arnica, sprains and strains, OcuMend, Allergan, medical patents, radical honesty, startup advising, women inventors, empathy in leadership

    The Engineer Who Became a Homeopath | Dr. Jo Polich, ActivMend

  3. Aug 10

    The Toilet Seat That Reads Your Vitals | Olivia Lew, Casana

    Summary On this episode of Inside the Leader's Mind, David Suson sits down with Olivia Lew, CEO of Casana, the company behind the Smart Seat, a device that passively monitors vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels at home, with no wearables, cameras, or microphones required. Olivia grew up on Martha's Vineyard as the daughter of two doctors, which shaped her early draw to healthcare even as her parents discouraged her from becoming a physician herself. Her path to Casana wound through nonprofit work, business school, and a chance reconnection with a family she once nannied for, which led to a chief of staff role and years as a healthcare investor at General Catalyst. Olivia and David talk about what separates founders who succeed from those who just present well, how the Smart Seat actually works, the leadership challenge of balancing excitement and fear six days into a product launch, and the surprising role Mandarin Chinese once played in her career.   Takeaways The Smart Seat is a standard toilet seat with embedded EKG electrodes, a pulse oximeter sensor, and load cell sensors that measure heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, blood oxygenation, blood pressure insights, and bathroom patterns, all without wearables, cameras, or charging. Olivia grew up on Martha's Vineyard, the daughter of two doctors, and her parents actively discouraged her from medicine given how frustrating the system had become. A chance reconnection fifteen years after nannying for a summer led Olivia to a chief of staff role and then years as a healthcare investor at General Catalyst. The best founders share a personal, hard to shake connection to the problem they're solving, not just a polished pitch. Many aging tech products fail not because older adults dislike technology, but because remembering to wear, charge, and check another device is its own burden. Casana's product launched six days before this recording, and Olivia is navigating the mix of excitement and fear that comes with an eighteen person team watching the market respond. Building culture on a mostly remote team takes deliberate effort, since the informal cues people once picked up in an office no longer happen automatically. Olivia's biggest leadership lesson has been learning to make decisions and stand by them rather than waiting to have all the answers, and to lean on her network when she doesn't.   Soundbites "This conversation is about much more than just an unusual product." "Everyone seeks relevancy." "You gotta stand by it, and you can order something else next time." "We just launched last Tuesday, and it's so exciting. We're so excited to be here." "I don't think this is just inning one."   Contact links for the guest Website: www.casanacare.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-lew-a330014/   Keyword tags Olivia Lew, Casana, Smart Seat, healthcare investor, health tech CEO, General Catalyst, women in leadership, career pivot, remote work culture, product launch, founder mindset, chief of staff, home health monitoring, leadership journey

    The Toilet Seat That Reads Your Vitals | Olivia Lew, Casana

  4. Jun 2

    Logan Cuvo: From Hockey Burnout to Building Best Dam Tape

    Summary Logan Cuvo, CEO of Best Dam Tape, joins David Suson to share how losing his hockey identity became the start of a new entrepreneurial path. After years of chasing elite hockey, moving away from home at 15, and facing the pain of being benched and burned out, Logan had to decide who he was without the sport that shaped him. That transition led him to build a bootstrapped sports tape company while still in college, now used by NHL and NCAA teams. This conversation explores identity, resilience, imposter syndrome, ego, friendship, and what young leaders can teach more experienced ones. Takeaways Logan Cuvo built Best Dam Tape while still a full-time college student. His hockey dream ended earlier than expected, forcing him to rebuild his identity. Elite athletics taught him discipline, commitment, teamwork, and mental toughness. He believes athletes often "die twice": when their sport ends and when life ends. Best Dam Tape grew from a $9,000 inventory investment into a brand used by NHL and NCAA teams. Logan says imposter syndrome is real, especially in big rooms with powerful people. A key leadership lesson he has learned is to separate ego from decision-making. He believes young people can earn trust through genuine relationships and follow-up. Soundbites "Athletes die twice." "Either you consume the stage or you let the stage consume you." "I will not fail. I cannot fail." "Separate your ego from yourself and your decisions." "People across the world want to work with people that they like." "Don't undermine the power of friendship." "None of us have any idea really what we're doing." Timestamps 00:01 Welcome to Inside the Leader's Mind 02:30 What is Best Dam Tape 06:11 Building a business while graduating college 06:50 Growing up in hockey 08:18 Moving away from home at 15 10:09 When hockey stopped feeling like the future 11:41 Feeling like he let people down 14:12 Turning pain into a business idea 15:07 What hockey taught him about confidence 17:20 Rebuilding identity after disappointment 19:14 Imposter syndrome and big rooms 20:42 NHL teams, Walmart, and the moment it became real 22:11 Bootstrapping and staying scrappy 26:12 What older leaders miss about ego 28:46 Advice for people in an in-between season 31:10 Why friendship matters in business 33:20 Logan's favorite films 34:39 How to connect with Logan Contact links for the guest Email: logan@bestdamtape.com Website: bestdamtape.com Social: @bestdamtape

    Logan Cuvo: From Hockey Burnout to Building Best Dam Tape

  5. May 7

    Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Aras Sheikhi on Risk, Resilience, and Rebuilding From Zero

    Summary Aras Sheikhi, CEO of Janus Innovation Hub, has rebuilt his life from zero four times -- in Iran, Dubai, Australia, and now San Diego. A former faculty member at Sharif University of Technology, Aras found his calling as a bridge between academic research and industry need. After a successful exit in Australia, he launched Janus to support first-generation immigrant founders who have the resilience to build but need the right mentors, playbook, and community to thrive. Aras and David also explore neurodivergent entrepreneurship, why failure is just compressed learning, and what it really means to build your wings on the way down. Takeaways Immigrants are wired for entrepreneurship. Having rebuilt their lives, networks, and identity from scratch, first-generation founders carry resilience and flexibility -- the two traits that matter most in a startup journey. Mentorship only works when it's matched correctly. A mentor who hasn't lived the same concerns can't truly advise. Janus pairs founders with mentors from their own communities who understand the full picture -- visa stress, cultural pressure, and business all at once. Failure is compressed learning. Reframing failure removes the stigma and keeps founders moving. If you haven't pivoted or failed, you probably haven't built anything meaningful yet. Name it and tame it. When you rename failure as a compressed lesson, you can own it instead of avoid it. Language shapes how founders process setbacks and keep going. Neurodivergent thinkers see over the fence. Through co-founder Mustafa and the Nordic Frontier pipeline with Vanderbilt, Stanford, and UCSD, Aras is building ecosystems that treat neurodivergent thinking as an asset, not a limitation. Soundbites "Immigration is like building your wings on a way down when you don't have a safety net." "The idea is not important at all. The things you need are resiliency and flexibility." "If you know how to negotiate with your fear, congratulations -- welcome to the club. You are an entrepreneur." "When we see the fence, neurodivergent people see over the fence." "If I don't fail on a daily routine, something happened -- I'm on my safe side. And that is not development." Timestamps 00:01 -- Introduction: Aras Sheikhi, CEO of Janus Innovation Hub 01:14 -- From Iran to Dubai to Australia to San Diego: the full journey 07:07 -- When academia stopped being enough and the bridge role emerged 09:21 -- Seeing talent in others as a core leadership ability 11:25 -- Why immigrant founders need a different playbook 13:53 -- Mentor matchmaking: why community alignment matters 15:29 -- Life and business are interwoven -- especially for immigrants 17:18 -- Why immigrants may be naturally suited for entrepreneurship 20:06 -- Nothing to lose: the risk advantage of starting over 23:15 -- Where early-stage founders get stuck most often 25:07 -- How to destigmatize failure and keep moving 27:53 -- What pivoting signals about a founder's mindset 29:33 -- Defining neurodivergent: seeing over the fence 31:27 -- Mustafa and the founding of the Nordic Frontier pipeline 35:24 -- What changes when investors see neurodivergent thinking as an asset 39:32 -- The obstacle that became the path 43:49 -- The question Aras wishes people would ask him Contact Links LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aras-sheikhi-9210b54b/ Website:  janusinnovationhub.com Keyword Tags Immigrant founders, entrepreneurship, startup ecosystem, Janus Innovation Hub, neurodivergent entrepreneurs, resilience, failure mindset, compressed learning, mentor matchmaking, San Diego startups, early stage startups, pivot strategy, Nordic Frontier, Vanderbilt University, UCSD, Stanford, Inside the Leader's Mind, innovation hub, immigrant leadership, ecosystem building

    Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Aras Sheikhi on Risk, Resilience, and Rebuilding From Zero

  6. May 4

    The Brain Behind Sharpie, Graco & Expo: Kris Malkoski on Building Billion-Dollar Brands From Farm Girl to Fortune 500

    Summary Kris Malkoski, CEO of Learning and Development at Newell Brands, shares how growing up on a Nebraska farm shaped her leadership philosophy, work ethic, and ability to make a difference in complex organizations. From gathering eggs as a child to leading global brands like Sharpie, Graco, Paper Mate, Expo, Dymo, NUK, and Elmer's, Kris explains why leadership begins with clear expectations, personal accountability, human connection, and caring deeply about the people you lead. She and David Suson discuss what younger employees may be missing in a digital-first world, why meetings need more human presence and fewer distractions, how agile teams move faster, and why leaders must model the culture they want to create. Kris also shares why feedback is a gift, why developing people is 50% of business performance, and how her curiosity about what makes people tick has helped her build beloved consumer brands. Takeaways Work ethic matters, but making a difference matters more. Kris learned early that overdelivering creates opportunity, trust, and career momentum. Leadership culture starts at the top. If leaders do not define and model expectations, a culture will form anyway, but it may not be the one they want. Human connection drives speed and performance. Kris believes teams move faster when they talk directly, stay off devices in meetings, and operate with shared objectives. Developing people is part of the job. Kris says 50% of business performance is the business plan, and 50% is the people. Feedback is a gift. Honest, thoughtful feedback can help people grow, redirect their careers, and find success in the right place. Soundbites "If you always make a difference, it doesn't matter what your background is." "Control what you can and let go of what you can't." "Leadership agenda and behaviors start at the top." "My team and my business performance is as good as the weakest link." "Feedback is a gift." "People want fair, transparent expectation setting." Timestamps 00:02 Introduction to Kris Malkoski and her leadership background 03:40 Growing up on a Nebraska farm and learning hard work 04:52 Prioritization, resilience, and controlling what you can 07:57 Why making a difference became Kris's career mantra 09:00 Entering Procter & Gamble as a nontraditional candidate 16:06 Learning business through farm economics and brand leadership 18:22 Technology, analog writing, and the future of communication 22:09 Why Kris expects device-free, fully engaged meetings 24:53 Agile teams, shared objectives, and daily communication 29:38 Why Kris loves seeing people grow and develop 33:55 The CEO's role in organizational effectiveness 37:36 How leadership and parenting both require clarity and consequences 41:22 Caring about people while holding expectations 43:15 Why feedback is one of the greatest leadership gifts 45:26 How curiosity helps Kris build brands consumers love Contact links for the guest Kris Malkoski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-malkoski-2346122/ Company: newellbrands.com Keyword tags Kris Malkoski, David Suson, Inside the Leader's Mind, Newell Brands, leadership, executive leadership, brand leadership, consumer packaged goods, CPG, human connection, work ethic, feedback, leadership development, agile teams, organizational culture, Sharpie, Graco, Paper Mate, Expo, Elmer's, women in leadership

    The Brain Behind Sharpie, Graco & Expo: Kris Malkoski on Building Billion-Dollar Brands From Farm Girl to Fortune 500

  7. Apr 15

    Morag Barrett: The Hidden Cost of Disconnection at Work (And How to Fix It)

    Summary In this episode, Morag Barrett, leadership expert and author, explores the growing epidemic of disconnection at work and its impact on performance, engagement, and wellbeing. She explains how modern workplaces have created an illusion of connection through technology, while true human relationships have weakened. Morag shares practical ways leaders can rebuild connection, from small daily interactions to modeling vulnerability. She highlights the business cost of disconnection—estimated at $406 billion annually—and shows how meaningful relationships directly improve results, safety, and collaboration. Takeaways Success is powered by relationships, not just strategy or data Disconnection is widespread—1 in 5 employees feel isolated at work Technology creates an illusion of connection, not real connection Small actions (like 5 minutes of banter) can transform culture Leaders must model vulnerability to build trust Disconnection impacts productivity, safety, and retention Real connection improves decision quality and innovation The shift starts with self-awareness: you, me, we Soundbites "Fine is a four letter word." "We've created an illusion of connection through technology." "Success in business is powered by relationships." "Metrics don't provide meaning—connection does." "You can't build connection with others if you're disconnected from yourself." "How can I help? is the question we don't ask enough." Timestamps 00:01 – Intro to Morag Barrett 01:27 – What she does and mission 02:49 – Transition from banking to leadership 04:49 – Defining disconnection at work 07:34 – Pre vs post-COVID connection challenges 10:21 – Business cost of disconnection 12:40 – Simple connection practices in meetings 13:28 – Executive pushback 15:38 – Technology and illusion of connection 17:35 – AI and emotional substitution 19:53 – Vulnerability and leadership 23:30 – Practical tools for teams 25:03 – What still surprises her 30:01 – Personal leadership obstacles 33:52 – Biggest influence 36:35 – Question she wishes people asked 37:35 – How to connect with Morag Contact Links for the Guest Website: https://www.skyeteam.com LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/ Ally Profile: https://skyeteam.cloud/youmewe

    Morag Barrett: The Hidden Cost of Disconnection at Work (And How to Fix It)

  8. Apr 4

    Julia Stefani | Designing a Life on Your Own Terms: Clarity, Courage, and the Leadership Lessons of Motherhood

    Summary Yulia (Julia) Stefani, founder of SWolta Ventures and former Chief Product Officer at Treasure Financial, joins David Suson on Inside the Leader's Mind for a rich conversation about leadership transformation, radical honesty, and intentional career design. Yulia shares how becoming a mother in March 2020 — at the height of COVID — cracked open her definition of success and set her on a path toward a portfolio career that includes fractional executive consulting, real estate, and e-commerce. She reflects on what she learned scaling products at Expedia, Meta, and SoFi, how she turned around an underperforming team, and why the most overlooked leadership skill is truly understanding what drives the person in front of you — not who you think they are, but who they are right now. Takeaways Motherhood can be the most transformative leadership school you never expected. True empathy isn't putting yourself in someone's shoes — it's being them in their shoes. The fastest path from complexity to clarity is defining your goal in actionable, measurable terms. Leaders who came from building often either hold on too tight or let go too completely — both are costly. What motivates someone today may be completely different six months from now — great leaders stay current. A portfolio career isn't just about income streams — it's about designing work around what fulfills you. AI makes now the best time ever for women to explore working independently and scaling themselves. Radical honesty only lands well when the relationship is built first — otherwise it just sounds blunt. Soundbites "I define myself with my professional achievements. And when I became a mom, I didn't expect much of that to change. It all changed." "The biggest leadership job you'll ever have is raising a child who doesn't fully understand you yet." "It's just as dangerous to drop something as it is to stay on it too long." "Nobody will look out for you if you don't look out for yourself first." "Mothers are the most productive workers you will ever have." "Every environment is a brand new canvas. Bring your learnings, hold them loosely, and start with a beginner's mindset." Timestamps 00:03 — Welcome & guest introduction 02:15 — How motherhood completely rewired Yulia's definition of leadership and success 06:24 — Can leadership empathy actually be taught, or does it take lived experience? 10:59 — What SWolta Ventures does and the variety of problems founders bring 13:35 — What Expedia, Meta, SoFi, and Treasure Financial each taught her about scaling 17:22 — How she assesses whether a team and product are healthy from day one 23:29 — The most common leadership mistake technical founders make 27:50 — What coach-style leadership rooted in radical honesty looks like in practice 34:00 — How she turned around an underperforming team at Treasure Financial 36:05 — What leaders consistently misread about what motivates people 41:13 — One practical step leaders can take this week to create clarity 44:50 — What was in the way that ultimately became the way for Yulia 47:34 — Advice for women in the workforce and for male leaders managing women 53:15 — The question no one asks her — but should   Guest Contact Information Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliastefani/ Website:  https://www.swolta.com/

    Julia Stefani | Designing a Life on Your Own Terms: Clarity, Courage, and the Leadership Lessons of Motherhood
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About

What if the biggest leadership breakthroughs happen not from learning something new—but from seeing yourself differently? Welcome to Inside the Leader's Mind, where host David Suson—executive coach, keynote speaker, and creator of The Perception Code™—sits down with high-performing executives, founders, and thought leaders to unpack the internal shifts behind their external success. This isn't just another leadership podcast. It's a deep dive into the stories, identity shifts, decisions, and moments that changed everything. Each conversation explores how leaders spot limiting patterns, shift their perception, and spark action that leads to real performance, real results—and real impact. If you're a leader who wants to lead with more clarity, empathy, and influence, this is your new go-to podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    David Suson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Inside the Leader's Mind