View From the Summit

James Jedlic
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Careers

View from the Summit is a podcast to help teens identify potential careers and unlock passions. I’ve always loved talking to people about how they’ve shaped their careers and built their lives from the ground up because it motivates and inspires me that I can do the same. I started this podcast as a means to share these conversations with my peers.  Each episode taps into the mindset and worldview of leaders across industries, bringing their perspectives on how to break into an industry, what skills are valued and needed to excel, and advice they wish they had learned sooner. I hope to offer perspective to help my peers find fields that resonate with them.

Episodes

  1. 11h ago

    Ep 05: Bridget Legnavsky, CEO of Sugar Bowl Resort

    Bridget’s Path from New Zealand Ski Instructor to Sugar Bowl CEO Bridget, CEO of Sugar Bowl for four years and a resort resident, recounts growing up in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, working in her father’s scenic flying business and developing operations skills early. She began skiing at Mount Dobson, quickly advanced into instructing and certification, earned a physical education degree while doing back-to-back seasons in Japan and Colorado, and competed in what was then called extreme skiing. At Cardrona, unplanned promotions took her from events manager through leadership roles to general manager, where she built instructor training and competitive programs, expanded ski days, and pursued an online MBA culminating in the Soho master plan, alongside acquiring Treble Cone. She describes COVID impacts, China initiatives, and how centralized corporate work felt less fulfilling, leading her to Sugar Bowl after connecting with its board. She contrasts New Zealand and U.S. business culture, outlines Sugar Bowl’s multi-business operations and current capital projects, and shares a favorite memory: a May 5, 2023 powder day during the Donner Summit event. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:39 New Zealand Roots 03:17 Teaching and Racing 04:06 Degree and Seasons Abroad 07:41 Cardrona Career Ladder 09:55 Teams Mentors Values 12:50 Scaling Cardrona Up 14:42 Growth vs Sustainability 17:37 Big Moves and COVID 21:23 Global Expansion China 22:17 Why Sugar Bowl Called 28:25 NZ vs California Culture 32:55 Networks in Tahoe 34:20 Projects and Daily Work 36:32 Favorite Powder Memory 38:07 Closing Thoughts

  2. Aug 4

    Ep 04: Matt Paul, Founder of Loose Cannon Pictures

    In this episode of View From the Summit, I sit down with Matt Paul — Sugar Bowl Academy alum, former U.S. Navy SEAL, and founder of Loose Cannon Pictures. Matt got cut from his college ski team junior year and calls it the best thing that ever happened to him. What he did next took him through Hell Week, an infection that nearly ended it, two deployments, and eventually into a room with an Oscar-winning director who threw him out before she let him in. He's since mortgaged his own home to finance a film, and has another premiering at TIFF this September. We talk about failure as a redirector rather than a terminator, why leaving the military was hard for reasons he didn't expect, and how you build a tribe on purpose instead of by accident. Here are some notable chapters to listen for in the episode: 00:35 Introduction 01:40 What's your connection to Sugar Bowl? 02:30 The old Caltrans lodge, firewood, and a class of three 05:10 Bates, Maine ice, and getting cut from the D1 ski team 08:20 Theater over thesis 11:30 Enlisting, Hell Week, and Class 287 16:10 "To thine own self be true" — handling the naysayers 20:50 The camera, the intel department, and looking for work 23:00 Why you can't multitask 24:35 Cold-messaging his way into Hollywood 26:30 Shadowing Kimberly Peirce 29:45 Loose Cannon Pictures, Violet, and Breakwater 31:30 Skin in the game 33:30 How to build a community on purpose 34:45 What running a film set actually feels like 37:30 Malibu, San Francisco, and what's next 41:00 Life after the military 44:00 One skill, one mindset

  3. Jul 24

    Ep 03: Nadia Costa, Founding Partner, GVR

    Nadia describes her family’s long connection to Sugar Bowl through her son’s academy and racing, their move from the Bay Area to Truckee, and why the community remains meaningful even after their kids left the academy. She recounts a difficult high school experience, starting at junior college, working at a crisis nursery, studying sociology at UC Santa Barbara, earning a funded master’s opportunity at the University of Chicago before transferring to UCLA, and working in residential drug treatment and then as an emergency response worker for Children’s Protective Services. Encouraged to pursue law, she attended UC Berkeley (Boalt) and entered land use after transferring from commercial litigation. She details seven and a half years of pro bono work on Debbie’s case, firm pressures, leaving big law for Miller Starr in Walnut Creek, building client relationships, and later launching the land use firm GVR. She emphasizes mentorship, networking through reciprocal consultant relationships, recognizing luck, and advice against hyper-curated overachievement. Favorite Sugar Bowl memories include early racing-era weekends and freeride competition community. Here are some chapters: 00:00 Sugar Bowl Roots 02:12 High School Struggles 03:40 Finding Purpose in College 06:21 Grad School and Frontline Work 11:47 From Social Work to Law 12:26 Accidental Land Use Career 15:08 Debbie Case Pro Bono Fight 19:17 Big Firm Reality Check 21:31 Mentors and Team Culture 26:04 Networking and Client Trust 30:51 Launching GVR Together 35:37 Luck and Advice for Youth 40:14 Favorite Sugar Bowl Memories

  4. May 4

    Ep. 02: Jason Bogardus, 545 group, Morgan Stanley

    The conversation covers Jason's early life, career exploration, college experience, the importance of networking and persistence, creating your own luck, the ingredients of success, career progression, overcoming challenges, networking and creating opportunities, and Jason's career at Morgan Stanley and success factors. The conversation delves into the themes of resilience and overcoming adversity, navigating career challenges, and the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. It emphasizes the value of persistence, adaptability, and the pursuit of knowledge in personal and professional growth. Takeaways Career paths and opportunities have evolved significantly over timeCreating your own luck is a key factor in career success ResilienceCuriosity Chapters 00:00 Early Life and Career Exploration06:02 The Importance of Networking and Persistence11:55 The Ingredients of Success17:54 Overcoming Challenges and Persistence23:57 Career at Morgan Stanley and Success Factors29:40 Overcoming Adversity and Resilience37:11 The Importance of Curiosity and Learning

    Ep. 02: Jason Bogardus, 545 group, Morgan Stanley

  5. May 4

    Ep. 01: MaiLy Pham Kopasty, Senior Vice President, Global General Manager at Fenty Beauty

    In this episode of View From the Summit, I sit down with Mai-Ly, Senior Vice President and Global General Manager of Fenty Beauty at LVMH. Mai-Ly shares her unconventional path from engineering school in France to the top of the global beauty industry. From interning at Chanel on Avenue Montaigne to falling in love with the fast-paced retail world at Sephora, and ultimately stewarding one of the most culturally significant beauty brands in the world. She opens up about the power of noticing what fills your cup, how to find mentors who genuinely have your best interest at heart, and what she actually looks for when hiring. I hope you enjoy this candid, wide-ranging conversation about passion, grit, and building a career that feels like your own. Key topics: The importance of paying attention to what activities make you lose track of timeHow early interests in art, math, and fashion influenced her career trajectoryThe role of family influences and cultural background in career choicesNavigating internships, networking, and persistence in landing coveted rolesThe value of mentorship, curiosity, and authenticity in career growthStrategies to identify personal strengths and areas of genuine interestEmbracing lateral moves and setbacks as part of professional developmentTips on self-awareness, visualization, and aligning work with personal fulfillmentRecognizing toxic environments and knowing when to say noPractical advice for young professionals on job selection and growthTimestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Starting points and early passions 02:19 - Recognizing what makes you lose yourself in activities 05:02 - Childhood interests in ballet, makeup, and numbers 08:32 - Transition from engineering to fashion and luxury 11:37 - Educational journey and lucky breaks in career 14:10 - Finding mentors and building your network 17:54 - The importance of following what you love in your career 21:32 - Breaking into the luxury industry through boldness and persistence 24:48 - Lessons learned from high-end retail roles 30:37 - How authentic customer relationships drive success 36:43 - Overcoming industry challenges and toxic environments 43:33 - Climbing the career ladder: promotions, lateral moves, and setbacks 50:07 - Visualizing success and setting clear goals 54:24 - Traits to look for in hiring and team building 56:41 - What fills your cup: personal fulfillment and work-life balance 57:25 - Managing ADHD and leveraging rapid bursts of focus in training 58:24 - Predicting trends in economics and understanding macro impacts 61:14 - Future educational plans and broadening horizons 62:24 - Final thoughts: continuous learning and connecting with well-informed individuals

    Ep. 01: MaiLy Pham Kopasty, Senior Vice President, Global General Manager at Fenty Beauty
  • 5 Episodes

About

View from the Summit is a podcast to help teens identify potential careers and unlock passions. I’ve always loved talking to people about how they’ve shaped their careers and built their lives from the ground up because it motivates and inspires me that I can do the same. I started this podcast as a means to share these conversations with my peers.  Each episode taps into the mindset and worldview of leaders across industries, bringing their perspectives on how to break into an industry, what skills are valued and needed to excel, and advice they wish they had learned sooner. I hope to offer perspective to help my peers find fields that resonate with them.

Information

  • Creator
    James Jedlic
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 James Jedlic