Explaining Your Gut: The Missing Step in Decision-Making with Gladys Kong
Release Date: 11/12/2025
Explaining Your Gut: The Missing Step in Decision-Making with Gladys Kong
The Cred Podcast
Some people talk about trusting their gut. Gladys Kong has learned how to explain hers. In this conversation, the CEO of Azira joins Mack to talk about how she makes tough decisions: when to lean on data, when to listen to her instincts, and how to translate that gut feeling into something her team can understand and act on. With the precision of an engineer and the perspective of a seasoned leader, Gladys shares how she brings logic and empathy to the table and why transparency builds stronger teams than perfection ever could. Gladys reminds us that leadership isn’t about having all the...
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The Final Filter: Layering Intuition over Data and Debate with Danielle Lee
The Cred Podcast
From building AT&T’s first-party audience business to helping take Spotify public and reimagining the NBA’s fan experience during the height of the pandemic, Danielle Lee has made high-stakes calls across some of the world’s most visible brands. In this episode, she breaks down her decision-making framework: get crystal clear on goals, weight what matters most, pressure-test with trusted voices, and never let hype (or “golden handcuffs”) outrank integrity. The final layer? Intuition. Danielle explains how reading the intangibles (integrity, character, fit) sits on top of...
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How a Journalist’s Mindset Drives Better Decision-Making with Margaret Magnarelli
The Cred Podcast
In this episode, Mack talks with Margaret Magnarelli, VP of Marketing and Communications at Baldor Specialty Foods, about how her roots in journalism shape the way she leads, makes decisions, and builds teams. Before leading marketing for one of the East Coast’s largest specialty food distributors, Margaret spent years as an editor at Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Money Magazine, a background that taught her to ask better questions, understand audiences deeply, and communicate with empathy. She and Mack dive into how those same skills translate into stronger leadership: knowing when to...
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Decision Intelligence for the C-Suite: Inside Snowfire AI with Greg Genung
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack McKelvey talks with Greg Genung, founder and CEO of Snowfire AI, about how AI is reshaping the way executives make decisions. After two decades in cybersecurity, Greg built Snowfire to solve one of leadership’s biggest pain points: turning overwhelming business data into clear, actionable intelligence. He shares how the platform personalizes insights, accelerates due diligence, and (most importantly) gives leaders their time back. They also explore what it means to make adaptive decisions in real time, how AI can transform boardroom dynamics, and why...
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Call the Shots. Own the Outcomes. A Founder’s Framework with Jon Reilly
The Cred Podcast
What does real ownership look like in leadership? In this episode, Mack McKelvey sits down with Jon Reilly, co-founder and CEO of Akkio, to explore the kind of decision-making that builds momentum. Jon breaks down his mental model for making decisions—from obvious 80/20 calls to murky 51/49s—and shares how speed, clarity, and accountability help his team move faster and smarter. He also discusses the importance of hiring people with a strong sense of ownership—those willing to make decisions, stand by them, and lean in to learn from their mistakes. We talk about: 💡 Why decision...
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The Opportunity Lens of Decision-Making with Sheila Marmon
The Cred Podcast
This week, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Sheila Marmon, founder and CEO of Mirror Digital, to explore the art of decision-making, overcoming obstacles, and embracing transparency. Sheila reflects on the valuable lessons from her first venture, highlighting the importance of alignment, shared vision, and the power of listening to diverse voices when making decisions. At Mirror Digital, Sheila has built a tech-enabled media company that helps brands connect with diverse, trend-setting audiences. Her approach to decision-making is clear: “Decisions aren’t always easy, but you have to move...
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The Ripple Effect of Leadership Decisions with Jason Kaplan
The Cred Podcast
The Ripple Effect of Leadership Decisions with Jason Kaplan Every decision a leader makes sends ripples through a business, a team, and even a career. In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Jason Kaplan, CEO of SixMap, to explore the complexities of decision-making in leadership. From navigating tough calls—like leaving a company—to understanding when to go slow and when to move fast, Jason shares insights from his journey as a founder and executive. In leadership, there are no easy answers—if it were easy, someone else would have already made the call....
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Bridging Academic Insight and Real-World Wisdom with Dr. Alvin Glay
The Cred Podcast
In this episode, Dr. Alvin Glay, Chief Strategy Officer at Response Media, shares his approach to decision-making—blending data with contextual intelligence. Drawing from his experience as a Liberian refugee, Dr. Glay explains how navigating uncertainty and high-pressure situations sharpened his ability to make fast, high-stakes decisions. For Alvin, no decision is too small, every mistake is a data point for future decisions, and great leaders equip their teams with the tools to make confident decisions. 🎧 Tune in to learn: 🔹 Why data informs, but context drives decisions 🔹 The...
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AI as an Ally: Minerva Tantoco on Keeping Humans in the Loop.
The Cred Podcast
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Breaking Down Decisions: From Gut Instincts to AI Insights with Dr. Aaron Andalman
The Cred Podcast
In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack McKelvey sits down with Dr. Aaron Andalman, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Cognitiv, to break down the science behind decision-making. With a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from M.I.T. and research experience as a Helen Hay Whitney Fellow at Stanford, where he developed advanced computational microscopy methods to study learning and memory, Aaron brings a unique perspective to the table. He covers: Balancing the rigor of academia with the fast-paced nature of tech The science behind gut instincts Key traits of top decision-makers AI’s role in...
info_outlineSome people talk about trusting their gut. Gladys Kong has learned how to explain hers.
In this conversation, the CEO of Azira joins Mack to talk about how she makes tough decisions: when to lean on data, when to listen to her instincts, and how to translate that gut feeling into something her team can understand and act on.
With the precision of an engineer and the perspective of a seasoned leader, Gladys shares how she brings logic and empathy to the table and why transparency builds stronger teams than perfection ever could. Gladys reminds us that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about creating space for others to speak up, learn, and grow with you.