ExecDNA

Mario Rivas
  • 5.0 (1)
  • 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. 4d ago

    Why Most AI Initiatives Fail: It’s Not the Technology | Rujuta Singh

    Why do so many business change initiatives fail? Rujuta Singh joins me to explain why the human element often determines whether transformation succeeds or stalls. With more than 22 years across technology, consulting and transformation, Rujuta has seen the gap between strategy and execution from the inside. We explore why focusing only on systems and tools can lead to failure, why leadership teams can spend months trying to make one decision, and how executives can create genuine adoption rather than resistance. This conversation is especially relevant for CEOs, executives and transformation leaders managing major technology and AI programmes who want to move beyond tools and understand the organisational realities behind change. Rujuta started her career in technology, worked with Microsoft in Seattle, advised companies across multiple industries and eventually discovered that the hardest part of transformation usually is not the technology. It is people. Her own journey was not linear. She moved to the UK with almost no money, survived on one inexpensive meal a day while waiting for her first salary, has been fired twice, built her own company and learned through difficult periods to trust herself. Today, through Solve Together, she works with executives and boards on AI strategy and transformation, helping organisations move from tool first thinking towards measurable business value. Timestamp for you: 00:00 Introduction 01:24 Why AI programmes struggle to create value 02:49 Why starting with the AI tool is wrong 05:15 Measuring AI productivity 09:13 Growing up loving maths and computers 12:25 Moving from technology into business 14:39 Working with Microsoft in Seattle 20:09 The leadership meeting that changed her thinking 21:05 Six months trying to make one decision 23:20 Why transformation is a people problem 26:20 Why she founded Solve Together 30:13 Moving to the UK with almost no money 32:39 Learning to trust herself 37:32 Why traditional transformation models fail with AI 39:56 Why a three year AI roadmap may already be wrong 41:24 The role of orchestration in transformation 45:39 Rujuta's exact ExecDNA 46:54 Closing Join the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform: https://www.execdna.com Mario Rivas Founder of ExecDNA LinkedIn: mariorivassanchez Rujuta Singh Founder of Solve Together Website: solvedtogether.co.uk LinkedIn: rujutasingh Spotify: ExecDNA Podcast Apple Podcasts: ExecDNA Podcast #execdna #ai #leadership #businesstransformation #businessstrategy

  2. Oct 1

    Success Will Never Make You Feel Worthwhile I Kenny Whitelaw-Jones

    I sat down with Kenny Whitelaw Jones, Co Founder of Gridlines, after more than twenty five years in finance, senior roles at KPMG and Deloitte, building a business of around 140 people across four continents, and training tens of thousands of professionals. Then his career took a very different turn. Kenny describes what he calls a midlife awakening. A period where the identity he had built around career, money, status, business and being a provider was no longer the whole story. We talk about the personal crisis that forced him to look at himself differently, why he became a psychotherapist, what shadow work taught him about leadership, and why success can never fully solve questions of identity and self worth. We also explore fear, anger, ego, childhood patterns, relationships, AI, executive performance and the parts of ourselves we often abandon while trying to become successful. Timestamp for you:00:00 Introduction01:00 From finance entrepreneur to psychotherapist03:11 When success stopped feeling like the whole story05:32 Who Kenny was at eighteen08:37 What success meant in his twenties09:57 The first promotion that made him feel successful11:15 Why he walked away from the Big Four path13:22 Building Gridlines differently15:45 Growing to around 140 people across four continents17:44 The career chapter that made him miserable18:58 The business mistake that changed how he thinks about ownership20:45 Learning to back himself21:39 The personal crisis that transformed him24:43 What he abandoned while becoming successful26:46 Why business growth could never define his self worth28:00 The death of his mother and rethinking how to use his remaining time31:42 Shadow work and the five principles of acceptance35:26 Why acceptance matters in leadership and company culture37:26 Fear, control, insecurity and ego in senior leaders39:47 Why anger is one of the most misunderstood emotions42:14 AI, leadership and why human skills matter more46:33 The advice Kenny gives leaders about accepting themselves48:45 Kenny's exact ExecDNA49:09 Closing Join ExecDNAJoin the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. 👉 Join the community and waiting list:https://www.execdna.com Mario RivasFounder of ExecDNAHost of ExecDNA Podcast LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/ Kenny Whitelaw JonesCo Founder of GridlinesPsychotherapist LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennywhitelawjones/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theshadowatwork/ TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@theshadowatwork Deep Process Therapy:https://www.deepprocesstherapy.com/ The Shadow at Work:https://www.theshadowatwork.com/ Listen to ExecDNASpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU?si=ce622db462c84839 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/execdna/id1847157416 #execdna #leadership #executiveleadership #personalgrowth #psychology

  3. Sep 15

    What It Really Takes to Become a Fintech CEO | Mike Saraswat

    I sat down with Mike Saraswat, Co-Founder and CEO of Stoa, an entrepreneur who went from building a marketing agency to taking on one of the hardest challenges in fintech. His latest chapter took almost 30 months of fundraising, around 2,000 investor approaches and 300 meetings before Stoa closed its $2.4M pre-seed round. But that resilience was built much earlier. Mike tells the story of spending nine days at Cannes being rejected while trying to finance a film, nearly losing his life in a motorway accident, then getting back into the car, driving to his meeting and winning the project. We also explore what years of chasing difficult problems taught him about failure, momentum, founder obsession and coming back faster when things go wrong. Today, he is building Stoa, a fintech challenging the way people think about idle cash and giving customers a different way to get value from money sitting in their accounts. Timestamps00:00 Introduction00:38 Raising $2.4M after 30 months of fundraising01:09 2,000 investors, 300 calls and mostly rejection03:33 Who Mike was before becoming an entrepreneur06:15 Why he has always chased difficult problems08:39 Starting his first agency in his early 20s09:23 Why raising money for a movie nearly broke him12:33 What he learned from successful fintech founders14:58 Why founder obsession matters17:21 Why success is not only about money21:02 The difficult moments that shaped Mike23:01 Facing serious illness in his early 20s24:03 Nine days of rejection at Cannes26:00 How to shorten the window of despair28:10 Resilience, momentum and coming back faster31:19 The motorway crash he walked away from34:10 He survived the crash and still won the project34:29 Why defeat only becomes defeat when you stop35:00 From agency owner to building Stoa36:00 The enormous problem of idle cash39:22 How Stoa actually works41:13 More than 200 benefits and the future of the platform42:44 Closing Join ExecDNAJoin the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. Join the community and waiting list Mario RivasFounder of ExecDNAHost of ExecDNA PodcastLinkedIn Mike SaraswatCo-Founder and CEO of StoaStoa Listen to ExecDNASpotifyApple Podcasts #ExecDNA #Entrepreneurship #Fintech #FounderStory #BusinessMindset

  4. Sep 3

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

    Alan Chang'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. Alan breaks down the reality of scaling a business, from building 50 restaurants to helping expand Airbnb across Asian markets. He shares the leadership lessons he learned from nearly missing payroll by less than two business days, and how that experience permanently changed the way he thinks about growth, cash and risk. We also discuss the mistakes that nearly cost him everything, the decisions behind his eventual exit, and what it means to start again with a new company. Whether you are navigating financial pressure, scaling a team or thinking about your next venture, this is a conversation about the reality behind entrepreneurship, leadership and reinvention. Subscribe for more weekly conversations exploring the people, decisions and transformations behind extraordinary careers. Timestamps00:00 Trailer01:03 Introduction01:36 The Payroll Problem04:01 Growing Up in a Family Restaurant06:33 Building 50 Restaurants12:19 From Restaurants to Airbnb14:17 Expanding Airbnb Across Asia17:16 From Operator to Global Leader20:30 The Biggest Business Mistake24:54 Growing Out of Cash26:59 What the Crisis Changed30:51 The Exit34:39 Building Patch38:15 Turning a Crisis Into an Inconvenience38:53 Alan's ExecDNA Join ExecDNAJoin the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. Join the community and waiting list Mario RivasFounder of ExecDNAHost of the ExecDNA PodcastLinkedIn Alan ChangCo-Founder & CEO of Patch SystemsLinkedInPatch Systems on LinkedInCompany Website Listen to ExecDNASpotifyApple Podcasts #ExecDNA #BusinessGrowth #BusinessMindset #CareerGrowth #UKPodcast

  5. Sep 3

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

    Building a sustainable cybersecurity career takes far more than technical certifications and initial training. After 26 years in the industry, Robbie Tyrie joins ExecDNA to discuss how he built, adapted and reinvented his career across technology, leadership and information security. This conversation moves beyond entry-level cybersecurity advice to explore what it actually takes to remain relevant as technology, regulation and corporate expectations continue to change. Robbie shares the decisions that accelerated his career, the two biggest mistakes he made, the hardest 12 months of his professional life, and how those experiences eventually pushed him towards reinvention and entrepreneurship. We also explore leadership, ISO 27001, the relationship between cybersecurity and the C-suite, and how weak security can put six or seven-figure commercial contracts at risk. Finally, we look at AI and cybersecurity, whether AI will replace parts of security work, and what professionals need to develop if they want to grow into senior and C-suite roles. This is a conversation about cybersecurity, career longevity, leadership, reinvention and what it takes to keep evolving after decades in one of technology's fastest-changing industries. Timestamps00:00 Why risk starting again?01:16 What did you think you would be doing by 30?01:52 What was Robbie like at school?02:30 Robbie's first proper job03:25 Three decisions that accelerated his career04:05 The JPMorgan software security story06:00 How to lead others07:41 Moving into cybersecurity08:05 The two biggest mistakes of his career09:14 The hardest 12 months of his career10:30 Reinvention12:00 Leadership philosophy13:50 Moving from corporate life to entrepreneurship15:49 Business goals16:44 AI and cybersecurity18:22 How weak security can put a six or seven-figure contract at risk19:12 Will AI take over cybersecurity work?20:21 Three important AI and cybersecurity numbers21:30 Working with the C-suite23:17 How to grow your career in 202624:07 How Robbie reached the C-suite27:36 The next version of Robbie28:24 Robbie's ExecDNA Join ExecDNAJoin the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. Join the community and waiting list Mario RivasFounder of ExecDNAHost of the ExecDNA PodcastLinkedIn Robbie TyrieFounder of Torridon CyberLinkedIn Listen to ExecDNASpotifyApple Podcasts #ExecDNA #Cybersecurity #Technology #BusinessGrowth #CareerGrowth #Leadership

  6. Aug 24

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

    I sat down with Mark Hedley, Co-Founder and COO of Adeus, a corporate executive who walked away from more than 25 years in senior leadership to start again as a founder. Mark has lived and worked across four continents, held senior roles at Citibank, Deutsche Bank and Korn Ferry, and built a career that began not with a clear plan, but with leaving university and following his curiosity around the world. In this episode of ExecDNA, we explore the decisions, risks and setbacks that shaped his career, from building an international corporate career to asking himself: Why am I building somebody else's dream? Mark shares the skills that accelerated his career, the moments that changed his trajectory, and why he ultimately decided to leave corporate life and build Adeus. We also discuss what executives get wrong about hiring, why skills degrade quickly in the age of AI, staying effective as a founder, and what it means to build a company around legacy. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction00:25 Growing up between the UK and Australia02:16 Why school did not shape his career path03:47 Curiosity took him to India, Korea, Indonesia and 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 and reimagining legacy planning19:36 A career failure: leaving university21:21 The visa crisis that sent him to Singapore22:26 Spending $150,000 on an MBA23:42 What executives get wrong about hiring25:26 Why skills degrade fast in the age of AI26:35 Staying in shape as a founder28:47 Building a legacy company29:41 Why 60% of people still do not have a will32:07 Mark's ExecDNA33:22 Closing JOIN EXECDNA Join the ExecDNA community and get early access to the platform. Join the community and waiting list MARIO RIVAS Founder of ExecDNAHost of the ExecDNA PodcastLinkedIn MARK HEDLEY Co-Founder and COO of AdeusLinkedIn LISTEN TO EXECDNA SpotifyApple Podcasts #ExecDNA #BusinessGrowth #CareerGrowth #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

  7. Aug 5

    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

  8. Jul 28

    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
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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
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mario Rivas
  • Show Website
    ExecDNA