Embracing a Nonlinear Career & Values-Driven Decision-Making with Boston Startup Catalyst Shereen Shermak
Release Date: 11/15/2023
Credibly Irreverent: Terry Kawaja Unfiltered
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack McKelvey sits down with Terry Kawaja, founder and CEO of Luma Partners and a leading voice in the ad tech industry Terry shares his nuanced approach to decision-making: moving quickly on small matters, while deliberately hitting the “pause button” on larger decisions. "I usually have a gut instinct right away,” he explains, “but I have a pause button now. I don't allow myself to make a big decision quickly. I sit on it, I sleep on it, think about it. Sometimes I'll bounce it off a few people I trust.” Known for his objective...
info_outline
Gut Intuition, Diverse Perspectives, and the Midlife Chrysalis with Andrea Sullivan
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Andrea Sullivan, President of vYve, a leadership acceleration program within Vayner Media. Andrea dives into the challenges modern leaders face, from the impact of stress on decision-making to the importance of delegating decisions and balancing gut intuition with diverse perspectives. She also discusses the "Midlife Chrysalis" and the power of building a culture of kindness and inclusivity as a leader. Plus, tune in to discover how Andrea’s first job at a farmer’s market shaped the foundation of her marketing...
info_outline
Timing Your Decisions with Mickey Alam Khan
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, we’re joined by Mickey Alam Khan, CEO of Luxury Roundtable, global luxury expert, brand builder, and turnaround specialist. Renowned for his ability to anticipate and capitalize on market shifts, Mickey has founded influential publications like Luxury Daily, Mobile Marketer, and American Marketer, and successfully navigated four business exits—making decision-making his specialty. Mickey shares his approach to swift decision-making (24-48 hours max), why you can’t live with regret, and the few times a coin comes into play. “You make the decisions...
info_outline
The Future of Decision-Making with Kate O'Neill
The Cred Podcast
In this episode, we’re joined by “Tech Humanist” Kate O’Neill, a global keynote speaker, author, and executive advisor renowned for her expertise in helping leaders navigate the future of technology, transformation, and human-centered innovation. With over 25 years of experience, Kate shares insights on how executives can make smarter decisions in the age of AI, balancing the immediate need for digital adaptation with the long-term vision for meaningful, human-centric progress. She also discusses themes from her upcoming book, What Matters Next: A Leader's Guide to Making...
info_outline
The Role of Failure in Success with Gary Goldberg
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Gary Goldberg, Founder and President of SquadLocker, Inc., to explore the complexities of leadership, decision-making, and the powerful role of failure in success. Drawing from his early experiences observing his father build a successful textile business, Gary shares valuable insights that shaped his approach to leadership and innovation. When it comes to decision-making, Gary stresses that everything should be wrapped in the company’s goals, cautioning that leaders often overlook the importance of communicating and...
info_outline
Bumpers, Bets, and Context: Paul Hanges’ Approach to Decision-Making
The Cred Podcast
Description: In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey chats about decision-making with Paul Hanges, CEO of JibJab, where the mission is to spread joy. Paul believes in empowering his team to make decisions by acting as the "bumper" in the bowling lane—guiding them while providing the context necessary for them to see the bigger picture. He explains, “I'm going to guide you to knock down the pins and make sure you're not veering off course, but I'm not here to do the work for you.” Rejecting hustle culture, Paul embraces hyper-prioritization, keeping his schedule as open as...
info_outline
People Magic, Placing Bets & Perfecting the OODA Loop
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Gina Bianchini, founder and CEO of Mighty Networks. With an impressive background in the tech world, Gina shares her distinctive approach to decision-making, underscoring the importance of self-care, taking bets, and building a culture that’s safe to fail. At Mighty Networks, Gina and her team harness the OODA Loop Framework—observe, orient, decide, act—to make decisions, continually cycling back to observation. This iterative process strips away emotional biases from decision-making and is most effective when...
info_outline
Unapologetically Authentic with Jo Kinsella—Listen to the Whispers, Don’t Wobble & Fail Fast
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack sits down with Jo Kinsella, Global President & COO of XR Extreme Reach, to explore her career journey—from backpacking in Bali to breaking into the fintech and adtech industries, and ultimately leading transformation at XR Extreme Reach. With a successful exit under her belt, Jo shares the lessons she’s learned while leading teams through change, launching companies, and embracing authenticity along the way. Her decision-making mantra? “Sit or stand, but don't wobble. Because if you wobble and you're indecisive as a leader then that wobble...
info_outline
Decision-Making by Design: Say Yes, But Measure Twice with Yelitsa Jean-Charles
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey chats with Yelitsa Jean-Charles, founder and CEO of Healthy Roots Dolls. Yelitsa shares the story of how a class project at Rhode Island School of Design turned into her mission to bring more diversity and representation to children's toys. What began in college with just $4,000 has evolved into a national brand, with Healthy Roots Dolls now available in Target stores across the country. Yelitsa opens up about the complexities of decision-making as a leader, emphasizing the importance of asking the right questions. She lives by the...
info_outline
The Horizontal Climb: Marcy Quinn Samet’s Holistic Path to the C-Suite
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Marcy Quinn Samet, Founder and Chief Growth Architect of LBRBCOLLECTIVE, to discuss her unconventional career path to the C-suite, where she strategically moved horizontally across roles to master the inner workings of the agency business. Marcy shares insights on quick decision-making, the importance of mentors, and rebounding from mistakes. Tune in to hear her unique take on balancing speed with thoughtful leadership, why she doesn’t believe in work-life balance, and the toughest career decision she ever made. Plus, get...
info_outlineSince entering the startup space in 2007, Shereen Shermak has had a successful career. A serial entrepreneur, she has been the CEO and co-founder of several companies. With personal stakes in nearly 80 early-stage companies, Shereen has been an avid investor in the Boston startup scene. During this episode of “The Cred Podcast” host Mack McKelvey and Shereen dove into the importance of paying it forward and how Shereen has dedicated her time to doing that through founding TBD Angels, advising up-and-coming or aspiring entrepreneurs at Harvard Business School, and more.
Shereen also shared her approach to decision-making, which in large part depends on the type of decision at hand. For micro decisions, aka daily decisions, she uses a decision tree model in which she takes stock of the options, their associated risks, assesses the odds that a certain outcome will come to fruition, and whether she can do anything to change those odds. For personal or life decisions, however, it comes down to knowing her values. She advises leaders to understand their values so they can make decisions faster and with more confidence.