In this powerful and deeply emotional conversation, Kevin Rice sits down with Tracy Ryan, co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of Encore Biotherapeutics, to explore what happens when a mother refuses to accept “incurable” as the final answer.

Tracy shares the moment her 8-month-old daughter, Sophie, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. In a single phone call, her perfect life as a successful agency founder, new mom, and entrepreneur shattered. What followed was seven years of chemotherapy, 13 surgeries, blindness, seizures, and relentless uncertainty.

But Tracy did not collapse under the weight of it. She built.

From launching a medical cannabis company to support her daughter’s immune system, to producing a Netflix documentary, to raising millions for cancer research, Tracy transformed unimaginable trauma into purpose. When she discovered her daughter had zero natural killer cells in her brain, it sparked a scientific breakthrough that led to the founding of Encore Biotherapeutics, a company now developing next-generation immunotherapy for cancer patients.

This is a story about resilience, betrayal, faith, science, marriage under pressure, and what it really means to choose purpose over despair. Tracy’s journey is tragic, beautiful, and wildly inspiring all at once.

If you have ever faced something that felt impossible, this episode will change how you see suffering, strength, and what is possible.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What happens psychologically when a parent hears “brain tumor”
• Why pediatric cancer research is drastically underfunded
• How cannabis research led to breakthroughs in immune system science
• What natural killer cells are and why they matter in cancer treatment
• The difference between surviving trauma and transforming through it
• How entrepreneurship can become a vehicle for purpose
• Why 85 percent of marriages fail after a child’s serious illness
• The mindset required to build companies while living inside crisis
• How to find meaning inside overwhelming suffering
• Why resilience is often built, not born

Key Takeaways:

• Tragedy can either break you or become your calling
• Meaning is assigned, not discovered
• Trauma can sharpen purpose when processed intentionally
• Scientific breakthroughs often begin with personal desperation
• Resilience grows when you zoom out from the moment
• You cannot control the storm, but you can control your response
• Marriage under pressure requires active fighting for each other
• Sometimes the worst moments create the most powerful missions

In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea, which he built from a home kitchen concept into a category-defining brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. Today, Seth is the CEO and co-founder of Just Ice Tea, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, and Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely.

Seth shares what it really takes to build and rebuild an iconic company, including why Honest Tea was ahead of its time, what it felt like to watch it eventually be discontinued, and how that unexpected ending created the opportunity to launch Just Ice Tea into a market with a massive vacuum. He also breaks down the difference experience makes in entrepreneurship, from having no relationships early on to now being able to scale faster because trust and credibility are already established.

The conversation goes behind the scenes of leadership and parenting. Seth opens up about launching Honest Tea while raising three young sons, including a major family health scare that happened the same day as his first Whole Foods presentation, and the reality that balance is not always possible. He shares how parenting shaped his leadership philosophy, why you cannot manage people the same way, and how focusing on outcomes over process can unlock performance in teams.

If you are building something big while trying to show up fully at home, this episode is both grounding and practical.

• How Seth went from a mission-driven mutual fund career to founding Honest Tea with a breakthrough brand idea

• What it was like building a startup while navigating a major family medical crisis

• Why Seth believes balance is not always real, and how he stayed grounded anyway

• The story behind launching Just Ice Tea after Honest Tea was discontinued, and how to spot opportunity inside loss

• How parenting shaped Seth’s leadership style, including managing people based on how they learn and operate

• Why purpose-driven businesses must scale to create meaningful impact

• Startups and family life rarely move in neat seasons, life and business happen at the same time

• Your relationships and reputation become your unfair advantage the second time you build

• Great leaders focus on the outcome, then adapt the path based on how people work best

• Purpose is not just values, it is a strategy that strengthens teams, trust, and resilience

• The real legacy is not the exit, it is the impact you build and the family culture you leave behind

Seth Goldman is the co-founder and CEO of Just Ice Tea and the founder of Honest Tea, which he grew into a leading organic beverage brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. He is Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely, and serves on multiple mission-driven boards focused on ethical sourcing and sustainable food systems. Seth is widely known for building purpose-led consumer brands that scale without compromising values, with a leadership philosophy grounded in transparency, long-term stewardship, and real-world impact.

• (00:00:00) - Seth Goldman's Current Ventures and Personal Life
• (00:04:35) - The Birth of Honest Tea
• (00:07:30) - Emotional Journey of Selling Honest Tea
• (00:10:08) - Transitioning to Just Iced Tea
• (00:12:54) - Family Life and Balancing Work
• (00:15:48) - Teaching Resilience to Children
• (00:18:44) - Health Perspectives on Plant-Based Products
• (00:25:44) - Teaching Resilience Through Adversity
• (00:27:41) - Navigating Learning Differences: A Personal Journey
• (00:30:26) - Leadership Lessons: Supporting Employees
• (00:32:28) - Building Relationships for Business Success
• (00:34:49) - Scaling Impact: A Vision for Change
• (00:38:00) - Avoiding Past Pitfalls in Business
• (00:40:00) - Evolving Parenting Styles: Lessons Learned
• (00:42:06) - From Authority to Friendship: Evolving Relationships
• (00:43:43) - Board Roles and Intentions

• (00:00:00) - Introduction
• (00:05:53) - Transitioning to Consulting: Embracing New Opportunities
• (00:14:19) - Love in the Workplace: A Personal Story
• (00:17:38) - Navigating Early Parenthood and Career
• (00:21:56) - Setting Boundaries Between Work and Family
• (00:26:39) - Being Present: The Key to Parenting
• (00:36:52) - Personal Responsibility in Career Management

Anncy Rowe has spent decades building iconic beauty brands, but this conversation goes far beyond titles and milestones. In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the Chief Commercial Officer of Rodan + Fields to explore what it really looks like to grow into leadership over time while navigating identity, motherhood, ambition, and legacy.

Anncy reflects on rising through the ranks at L’Oréal without ever chasing a specific end goal, driven instead by passion for the work itself. She opens up about navigating imposter syndrome at every new level, being the only one in the room who looked like her, and learning to trust that she belonged. From loving the craft of brand building to leading a major omni-channel transformation at Rodan + Fields, Anncy shares how purpose and confidence are built through experience, not certainty.

The conversation also moves deeply into parenthood and seasons of life. Anncy shares the emotional reality of red-eye flights for birthdays her son would never remember, the wake-up call of burnout, and the moment of dropping her daughter off at college that felt like an “extraction.” She reflects on what it means to redefine yourself as your children grow more independent, asking the powerful question, “Who are you when you’re no longer caring for someone?”

This is an honest, thoughtful episode about ambition without a blueprint, leading with care, modeling behavior for teams and children, and preparing for the next chapter with intention. It’s a conversation for anyone navigating growth, change, and the evolving definition of success.

In This Episode You'll Learn

• Why Anncy never chased titles but still rose to the C-suite

• How passion builds confidence faster than career planning

• What imposter syndrome really looks like at senior levels

• Why over-sacrificing can lead to burnout

• How to rethink presence in parenting and leadership

• What changes emotionally when your child leaves for college

• How to model boundaries and behavior for teams and family

• Why legacy is about how you make people feel

Top Takeaways

• Confidence is built through doing, not knowing

• Imposter syndrome often signals growth, not failure

• You don’t need a 10-year plan to build a meaningful career

• Over-functioning eventually comes at a cost

• Children learn more from what we model than what we say

• Leadership and parenting require the same self-awareness

• Preparing for the next life chapter is an act of leadership

• Legacy is rooted in care, kindness, and impact

About Anncy Rowe

Anncy Rowe is a seasoned beauty industry executive and currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Rodan + Fields, where she is helping lead the brand through a major omni-channel transformation. She previously held senior leadership roles at L’Oréal, including on the Maybelline brand, and served as CMO of StriVectin. A passionate advocate for helping women feel confident at every stage of life, Anncy is also a mother of two and a leader deeply committed to purpose-driven growth, culture, and legacy.

Chapters

00:00 Loving the work without chasing the title
02:31 Rising through the ranks at L’Oréal
06:02 Confidence, tenacity, and imposter syndrome
10:07 Passion, purpose, and finding your industry
13:53 Leading Rodan + Fields through omni-channel change
18:56 Immigration, upbringing, and resilience
25:17 Over-sacrificing, burnout, and red-eye wake-up calls
27:35 Self-care, faith, and filling your cup
32:51 Modeling boundaries for teams
36:29 Dropping a child off at college
39:43 Redefining identity and...

• (00:00:00) - The Secret to Success in Career
• (00:00:48) - CEO and ABC: Real Stories From Executives
• (00:01:56) - What gave you the confidence to climb the ladder at L'O
• (00:06:48) - Have You Got Imposter Syndrome?
• (00:10:16) - Passion and purpose in the makeup industry
• (00:13:18) - Ulta Beauty's Big Change to Direct-to-Consumer
• (00:18:36) - The Importance of Stories From Your Parents
• (00:21:05) - Married Parents Talk About The Sacrifice They Make
• (00:27:26) - The Secret to Taking Care of Yourself
• (00:29:41) - The Secret to a Happy Holidays
• (00:33:27) - The Importance of Modeling
• (00:35:50) - Have You Cried When Your Daughter Goes To College?
• (00:39:33) - The Next Chapter in Your Life
• (00:42:35) - Tim Ferriss on His Legacy
• (00:44:45) - CEO and ABCs: Ansi and Kevin

Robert LoCascio went public at 33, helped invent web chat, and spent nearly three decades building LivePerson into a $6 billion company. What followed was not the ending he expected.

In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the founder of LivePerson for a rare and deeply honest conversation about leadership under extreme pressure, navigating macro events like the dotcom crash, 9/11, and COVID, and what happens when the greatest threat comes from inside the system. Rob opens up about activist investors, an unplanned exit from the company he built over 28 years, and the emotional toll that season took on his identity and his family.

Rob shares the hard-earned leadership lessons that shaped him, from the moment a board member told him “just don’t bullshit them,” to why the best response to chaos is often no response at all. He explains why slowing down during crises creates clarity, how fear-based decisions compound risk, and why your weakest links matter most when you’re under attack. The conversation also explores fatherhood, marriage later in life, and what it looks like to rebuild from scratch.

Today, Rob is starting again in a completely different space, building a kid-first AI product designed around safety, creativity, and bringing families back into connection. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, integrity, and what it really means to begin again when the game changes.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

- What it’s like to take a company public at 33
- How to lead through layoffs with honesty and integrity
- Why slowing down is critical during macro crises
- How fear distorts decision-making at the executive level
- What activist investors really do behind the scenes
- How leadership pressure spills into family life
- Why rebuilding sometimes means starting from zero
- How fatherhood reshaped Rob’s definition of success
- Why imposter syndrome may actually be your inner child
- How to think about AI, kids, and creativity responsibly

Top Takeaways

- Truth builds long-term trust, even in the hardest moments
- The worst decisions are made when fear is driving
- Macro events should be observed before they’re reacted to
- Weak leadership links are exposed under pressure
- You cannot dump the business onto your family and stay connected
- Success brings visibility, and visibility brings risk
- Resilience is modeled, not taught
- No one can take your ability to create and rebuild
- Starting over can unlock deeper purpose

About Robert LoCascio
Robert LoCascio is the founder of LivePerson and a pioneer of internet-era customer communication, credited with inventing web chat. He took LivePerson public in 2000 and led the company for nearly 30 years, growing it to a peak market capitalization of over $6 billion. Today, Rob is the founder of KID, a kid-first AI product designed to empower creativity, ensure safety, and strengthen family connection. He is also a father of three and a lifelong builder focused on integrity, imagination, and impact.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction
• (00:05:52) - Navigating Challenges: Lessons from the Dot Com Era
• (00:12:53) - Growth Through Adversity: The Impact of COVID-19
• (00:19:46) - Balancing Act: Family Life and High-Pressure Careers
• (00:29:53) - From Public Company to Startup: A New Chapter
• (00:30:16) - The Impact of Activist Investors
• (00:34:22) - Navigating Existential Threats in Business
• (00:38:42) - Family Dynamics During Corporate Turmoil
• (00:43:01) - Rebuilding After Exit: A Personal Journey
• (00:47:08) - Lessons Learned from Leadership Challenges
• (00:49:59) - Innovating for the Next Generation: A New Venture

Jessica Serrano has spent nearly two decades shaping some of the world’s most loved food brands, but what makes her story hit is the way she’s built a life that can hold both motherhood and executive ambition.

In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with the CMO of Bagel Brands (Einstein Bros and Noah’s Bagels) to talk about what it really takes to lead at a high level without feeling like you’re constantly choosing between work and family. Jessica shares the full circle moment of starting a new CMO role on the exact day her twin daughters started kindergarten, with three generations in one car on day one. From multi generational living and cross country moves to ruthless prioritization and energy protection, she breaks down the real systems that keep her grounded.

They also go deep on career growth, including the hard lessons that came with moving into the C suite, why conviction matters when you report to a founder, and how she evaluates roles using a skill building matrix so she doesn’t fall in love with the fireplace. If you’re trying to grow your career, stay present at home, and lead with clarity, this conversation will give you both perspective and practical tools.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

• How Jessica makes big career moves without destabilizing her family life
• Why the first 15 minutes after work are the highest impact parenting minutes
• How multi generational living can unlock ambition without guilt
• What changes when you move from director to the C suite
• How to lead through others when you’re used to being in the trenches
• Why protecting energy matters more than protecting hours
• How to make career decisions using a skill building matrix

Top Takeaways

• Parenthoood does not shrink ambition, it clarifies it
• You can do both, but usually not with traditional life constructs
• Presence is an energy decision, not just a time decision
• Strong leaders bring conviction, not compliance
• The right support system makes travel and demanding roles sustainable
• Work and life do not need strict buckets, they need intention and alignment

About Jessica Serrano

Jessica Serrano is the Chief Marketing Officer of Bagel Brands, home to Einstein Bros and Noah’s Bagels. She has led culturally resonant marketing across some of the biggest names in food, including leadership roles at Taco Bell and Burger King, and she helped drive brand and growth as CMO at Dig Inn. Jessica is known for blending business rigor with warmth and creativity, and for building teams and brand strategies that connect deeply with consumers while staying grounded in what matters most at home.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction
• (00:02:54) - The Decision to Move for Career Opportunities
• (00:08:42) - The Impact of Motherhood on Career Ambitions
• (00:14:53) - Maintaining Family Connections Amidst Career Demands
• (00:17:40) - Transitioning to Executive Roles
• (00:26:26) - Career Growth Through Unconventional Roles
• (00:29:46) - Balancing Work and Family Life
• (00:35:21) - Managing Stress in New Roles
• (00:38:31) - Keeping Your Cup Full
• (00:41:36) - Empathy in Leadership

Rishad Tobaccowala believes work is changing more between 2020 and 2029 than it did in the previous fifty years. In this conversation, he joins Kevin Rice to unpack what those waves of change look like across society, demographics, technology, marketplaces, and emotion, and why return-to-office debates miss the bigger picture. Rishad shares practical ways leaders can design organizations around trust, flexibility, dignity, and outcomes so people and performance both thrive.

They dive into how to measure engagement instead of attendance, why skills will matter more than roles, and how to build cultures that create belonging while still raising the bar. Rishad also previews his new Rethinking Work Platform and show, a resource hub for leaders navigating the next era of work with clarity, courage, and humanity.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why the 2020s are a once-in-a-career reset for how work gets done
• How to lead for outcomes, not optics, and move beyond attendance theater
• The shift from jobs to skills and what that means for talent, learning, and pay
• Practical ways to build trust, flexibility, and psychological safety without losing accountability
• New metrics that capture engagement, energy, and effectiveness
• How to communicate change so people feel seen, not managed

Top takeaways

• Work design should start with human reality and end with business outcomes
• Engagement beats enforcement when you want performance that lasts
• Hybrid works when rituals, tools, and trust are explicit
• Invest in skills, not just titles, to future-proof teams and careers
• Leaders need a point of view, a plan, and the humility to iterate

About Rishad Tobaccowala
Rishad Tobaccowala is the founder of the Rethinking Work Platform, a new initiative helping leaders navigate a decade of unprecedented change with content, curated resources, and actionable guidance. A globally respected advisor and storyteller, Rishad has spent his career helping companies align people, technology, and strategy so work becomes both more human and more effective.

Links:

⁠Rishad Tabaccowala Home Page⁠

⁠What's Next? Podcast ⁠

⁠Rethinking Work by Rishad Tobaccowala ⁠

⁠Restoring the Soul of Business ⁠

• (00:00:00) - Introduction
• (00:01:15) - Rethinking Work: The Central Role of Purpose
• (00:03:01) - The Impact of AI on Job Security
• (00:05:54) - Embracing Change: Adapting to AI and HI
• (00:08:58) - The Shift from Jobs to Meaningful Work
• (00:11:48) - Cultural Influences: Growing Up in India
• (00:14:41) - Building a Career: Loyalty and Opportunities
• (00:17:28) - Corporate Culture: Support During Personal Crises
• (00:23:31) - The Future of Work: Attracting Talent
• (00:26:08) - Morning Routines: The Key to a Successful Day
• (00:42:47) - Thinking Like an Immigrant: Embracing Change and Opportunity