The Z Pod

Ziba Alizadeh
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We Don't Play Small Here.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    You are Capable of More with Chris Sund

    On this episode of The Z Pod, Host Z sits down with Chris Sund, president of UnitMed and GQR Health Care and COO of Nebula, for a conversation that starts with a stolen shopping cart and ends with a challenge to stop selling yourself short. Chris doesn't open with the resume. He opens with the college prank that turned into a theft charge, and the years of self-doubt that followed him into every job interview after. Then he takes it further back, to dropping out of college to support his young son, landing in a restaurant job, and learning what real leadership looks like from a mentor who never asked anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself. That's where servant leadership stopped being a buzzword for Chris and became a habit. The conversation gets sharper from there. Chris opens up about a leadership blind spot he didn't see coming, being told he deflated a sales meeting by overriding someone else's idea, and what that taught him about ego and letting other people be right. He talks candidly about the risks he's taken, from rental properties to bigger bets on himself, and the mission behind his new book, You Are Capable of More, sparked by something an employee's spouse said to him that he never forgot. He closes with a message everyone needs to hear at least once: chase your potential, and stop selling yourself short. In this episode: The shopping cart prank that shaped how Chris saw himself for yearsWhy he dropped out of college, and the mentor who changed everythingUnlearning the habit of always needing to have the best idea in the roomThe moment that convinced Chris to start taking bigger risksThe real story behind You Are Capable of MoreHis advice to anyone who's been playing it safe

  2. Aug 12

    Owning Your Own Un-Edited Story with Kendra Cato

    On this episode of The Z Pod, Ziba Alizadeh sits down with longtime friend Kendra Cato, director of strategic partnerships at Advance Partners, founding member of Women of Color in Staffing, and active with the American Staffing Association, for a conversation that gets uncomfortable in the best way.Kendra opens up about an exercise that cracked her open while writing her first book, Together We Rise, a journey-mapping workshop that forced her to stop editing her story and start owning it. The "messy middle" isn't something to hide, it's the part that actually connects. Ziba matches her honesty, admitting she built this podcast after years of feeling like she didn't "look the part," and Kendra fires back with a childhood memory about "a couple dollars" that reframes what it really means to wait for permission. Her advice to anyone earlier in their career: trust your gut sooner, and only take guidance from people whose actual lives you'd want.Then it gets tactical. Kendra makes the case that even seasoned executives still need sponsors, mentors, and paid coaches, no one graduates out of needing support. She closes with a line that's sticking with us: "Exposure builds your toolkit, but ownership secures your authority." If you've ever wondered why your work isn't landing the way it should, this is the episode that tells you why. In this episode: -The exercise that forced Kendra to stop polishing her story and start owning it -Why Ziba really started The Z Pod -The childhood lesson about "a couple dollars" that changed how Kendra sees permission -Trusting your gut before you feel ready -Why executives still need sponsors, mentors, and coaches, no matter how far they've climbed -The line that reframes exposure vs. ownership -Tying your value to visible, bottom-line impact Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:17 Done Playing Small 02:22 Unedited Story Strength 04:41 Why This Podcast Exists 06:46 Mentors and Permission 11:26 Trust Your Gut 15:26 Coaches and Sponsors 21:32 Owning Your Authority 25:17 Closing and Subscribe 26:11 Host Recap Takeaways

  3. Aug 5

    Leadership Starts Identity with Rodrigo Alcaine

    On this episode of The Z Pod, Ziba Alizadeh sits down with Rodrigo, CEO of East Ridge Workforce Solutions, to talk about a truth most leaders avoid: you have to step into the identity of who you need to be before the results ever show up.Rodrigo walks through his fast climb, joining East Ridge as Chief Growth Officer, becoming president of staffing and recruiting, then accelerating into the CEO role after a February 2025 divestiture that refocused the company and left the remaining entity operating at a loss. With no runway to ease in, he expanded into finance, legal, and operations while building out a new executive team, ultimately closing the loss gap, growing the business over 12% year over year, and doing it with 22% less cost.The conversation goes deep on declaring your leadership identity to overcome imposter syndrome, why "buy-in" is the wrong goal and alignment is the right one, taking career risks to close experience gaps, the case for executive coaching, and why Rodrigo sees staffing as a noble profession built on hard work and helping people move forward.In this episode:- How Rodrigo stepped into the CEO role during a company-wide turnaround- Why declaring identity comes before results, not after- The difference between seeking buy-in and building real alignment- Taking bold career bets to fill leadership gaps- The value of executive coaching in high-stakes transitions- Staffing as a profession rooted in service, not just placements- The Jenga vs. Legos mindset for rebuilding a teamTimestamps:00:00 Welcome and Setup01:00 Meet Rodrigo03:15 East Ridge Turnaround07:09 Lead Before Ready10:48 Buy In vs Alignment12:53 Bold Career Bets19:03 Staffing Values and Work23:41 Jenga vs Legos Mindset26:07 Closing and Takeaways26:35 Host Reflection Outro

  4. Aug 4

    The Shark on Leaving to Grow: Reinvention, Kindness, and Embracing AI in Staffing

    He was told to leave staffing. Instead, he took his billing from $4,000 a week to $40,000, and he did it without ever losing his humanity.Meet The Shark. On this episode of The Z Pod, we go deep on what it really takes to bet on yourself, the moment he stopped holding back his ideas and decided to go out on his own, and the mentor who taught him that kindness and humility aren't weaknesses, they're the whole game. The Shark opens up about knowing when a culture isn't a fit, why he refuses to let AI scare him out of the industry (spoiler: it won't take your job if you learn it), and why the leaders who win are the ones still in the trenches, on camera, showing up as real people.This one's for anyone who's ever been counted out and used it as fuel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss it, and don't forget to done play small.01:50 Meet The Shark03:11 Done Playing Small04:22 Rocky Mentor Story05:47 Kindness Pays Forward07:00 When to Move On08:11 Proving Them Wrong10:18 Industry Must Evolve13:29 No Fear Career Leap14:27 Social Media and Video16:01 Final Thoughts on AI18:09 Host Closing Reflection

  • 4 Episodes

About

We Don't Play Small Here.

Information

  • Creator
    Ziba Alizadeh
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ziba Alizadeh
  • Show Website
    The Z Pod