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After spending time at Amazon and Meta (formerly Facebook), Stephen Newton knows what a visionary leader looks like. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg certainly fit the bill. Now, Newton is looking to back the next generation of these leaders at his technology-focused investment firm Occipital Ventures. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast, Newton shares how he helped Amazon and Facebook stay in compliance with data protection and privacy laws, and out of the news. We also talked about what makes a visionary leader, the future of AI in business and why you should rock the boat at your job.

1:12 Making an impact at a big company
5:08 Staying in compliance and out of the news
7:45 Trust and science in tech
8:38 Switching to the investor side of the table
10:15 Investing in the visionary and what defines one
14:04 Why AI is crucial to Stephen’s investments and personal life
16:58 Using AI for good
20:35 “Rock the boat”
24:02 Show notes and credits

It’s 2008. The economy is taking a nosedive. The government is bailing out the country’s top mortgage lenders. And Doug Duncan walks into a new job at Fannie Mae. The ship has steadied over the past 15 years and Duncan, the senior vice president and chief economist, has kept his core values intact: good communication, a commitment to the truth, and a willingness to make decisions. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast, Duncan relays how he makes predictions (knowing full well he could get it wrong), his best advice for clear communication and the “big breaks” that put him where he is today.

Table of contents • 1:04 From dairy farm to chief economist • 2:55 Joining Fannie Mae in 2008 • 6:24 Getting to “The Truth” • 9:48 Making predictions and getting it wrong • 10:59 Most important lesson in leadership • 12:29 What to expect from the housing market • 16:09 “Big breaks” in Doug’s career • 19:13 The importance of communication • 21:02 Show notes and credits

Chris Dawson says he’s always been attracted to big challenges—and he certainly found one when he became CEO of Arcimoto earlier this year. The Oregon-based electric vehicle company was floundering: its worth had plummeted, production was at a halt and the staff was reeling from layoffs. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast, Dawson describes his approach to turning around a struggling organization, including his decisions to make deep cuts and how he regained the trust of those who kept their jobs. Plus, he explains how his leadership style shifted to one of implicit trust and weighs in on the future of the electric vehicle industry.

Table of contents • 1:01 “Right-sized” electric vehicles • 3:37 Using “fun” to sell a greener future • 8:22 The future of the electric vehicle industry • 10:53 Taking the helm at a challenging time • 13:31 Cutting staff and regaining trust • Leading with “implicit trust” • 21:11 “Decide it is possible. Make it so.” • Show notes and credits

In a thick, well-loved, black sketchbook, Kirsten Benefiel keeps the lessons she’s learned over her career as an executive. Benefiel’s resume includes stops at Accenture, Newmont Mining, ViaWest and HSS, where she recently served as CEO. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast, Benefiel cracks open her notebook and shares her advice for stepping off the corporate ladder, communicating and selling a vision, navigating an unfamiliar industry, and the importance of the word “and” in leadership.

Table of contents • 1:14 Using PR in a non-PR career • 3:02 Selling your ideas to your employees • 5:24 Becoming CEO in an unfamiliar industry • 9:05 It’s lonely at the top • 11:14 The future of manned security • 12:26 Creating equity through Colorado Inclusive Economy • 14:49 Stepping off the corporate ladder • The power of “and” • 18:09 The entrepreneurial mindset—and what people forget about it • 23:08 Inside Kirsten’s notebook • 26:13 “You can choose your own career” • 27:40 Show notes and credits

Lauren Guthrie wasn’t much of a trekker or backpacker, but there she was, climbing 9,000 feet to reach the base camp at Mount Everest. The opportunity to join an all-Black team of climbers was too good to pass up—plus, it taught her valuable lessons about diversity in the corporate space. Guthrie is the vice president of global inclusion, diversity, equity and action (IDEA) and talent development at VF Corporation, the company behind big-name outdoor brands like The North Face and Smartwool. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast, she explains what it takes to create DEI initiatives that work and how to practice DEI on a global scale.

1:16 Adding “action” to DEI • 4:26 From merchandising to the IDEA sphere • 10:24 DEI work at home • 12:19 “Global” DEI work vs. domestic DEI work • 15:50 What makes a DEI initiative work? • 19:04 Climbing Mount Everest • 22:06 Extending an “invitation to participate” • 26:06 The power of partner dancing • 28:36 “Don’t be fearful of being expansive” • 30:00 Show notes and credits