In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Highs of Innovation, I sit down with Alexandra Doyle, Director of Sales in Boston and National Enterprise Strategy at Mondo.

Alexandra’s story is not a linear climb up the corporate ladder. It is a journey marked by adversity, reinvention, resilience, and ultimately, alignment.

From living independently at 17 and working multiple restaurant jobs, to accelerating through community college and graduating from University of Connecticut in record time, Alexandra built her life through relentless commitment and short-term sacrifice for long-term growth.

At Mondo, she rose quickly, opening markets, leading high-performing teams, and reaching the VP level. But when success collided with burnout, illness, and identity loss during COVID and early motherhood, sheer willpower was no longer enough.

In this candid conversation, we explore:

• What happens when drive and ego overtake authenticity
• Why “flow” is a leading indicator of alignment
• The dark side of strengths—and how to manage it
• The courage it takes to step down in order to rise stronger
• How self-awareness transforms leadership

Through deep personal development work and insights from the Gallup Strengths framework, Alexandra rebuilt her leadership from the inside out. Today, she is growing again, opening new markets, building high-performance teams, and leading from authenticity rather than ego.

This episode is about more than career progression. It’s about identity, humility, resilience, and the power of knowing yourself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck at the top, disconnected from your own success, or unsure how to reinvent yourself, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Abby Flynn, Senior Manager of HR at Olympia Hospitality, a family-owned hotel management company with an impressive portfolio of properties. Their portfolio includes the exceptional Inn by the Sea, which is one of the favorite properties of our family.

What stood out most in our conversation? A simple, but often overlooked truth articulated by Abby, "You cannot deliver a great guest experience without first creating a great employee experience."

Abby shares how Olympia Hospitality navigated the post-COVID talent crisis in an industry known for long hours, limited remote flexibility, and historically lower pay. Rather than retreat, they adapted:

- Reframed hospitality roles around transferable skills

- Rebuilt talent pipelines by recruiting from adjacent industries (including daycares and customer service sectors)

- Increased pay competitiveness

- Focused on flexibility in scheduling

- Strengthened onboarding and training

But the real differentiator isn’t just recruitment, it’s Olympia Hospitality's leadership philosophy.

Abby is deeply committed to a Strengths-based approach to leadership. Instead of obsessing over weaknesses, she focuses on identifying where employees naturally excel and developing those areas from a “6 to a 10,” rather than trying to force a “2 to become an 8.”

Her perspective on leadership is rooted in:

- Servant leadership (“Home Office,” not “Corporate”)

- Self-awareness and receptivity to feedback

- Investing in long-term employee growth

- Recognizing that team members are at the core of business success

We also discussed:

- Why hospitality teaches highly transferable leadership skills

- The importance of adaptability over rigid plans

- The power of ownership culture (if you see the trash, you own it)

- How longevity within an organization reflects leadership health

- Why focusing on strengths unlocks performance at scale

One of my favorite insights from Abby, “We’re in the memory-making business. We are part of people’s stories.” That mindset changes everything.

This episode is a powerful reminder that strategy, service excellence, and performance all begin with how leaders treat their people.

If you care about leadership development, culture, Strengths-based management, or the future of hospitality, then this conversation is worth your time.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Maite Quinn Richards, President of Resource Recycling and Executive Director of the U.S. Flexible Film Initiative. What stood out most was not just her industry insights, but the remarkable non-linear career journey that brought her there.

From Storytelling to Systems-Building – Maite began her career as a television and documentary producer. A single idea – following the life of recyclables from curbside to overseas markets and back again – pulled her into the recycling industry. That curiosity became a career pivot into operations, marketing, and eventually executive leadership.

Scaling Infrastructure, Not Just Narratives – Maite’s career path took her from running recycling companies to helping build some of the largest material recovery facilities (MRFs) in the country, working closely with municipalities, private equity, and infrastructure investors. She witnessed firsthand how global policy shifts (like China’s Green Fence) reshaped U.S. recycling economics — and why domestic infrastructure matters.

Private Equity as an Unexpected Lever for Sustainability – Another pivotal turn was helping launch a private equity fund focused on recycling infrastructure, acquiring and scaling facilities, and, ultimately, building what is now the largest privately held pure-play recycler in the U.S. It’s a powerful example of how capital markets and sustainability intersect.

Listen to this episode for inspiration with Maite's journey and to learn from her insghts.

In this episode, Melanie Gillis shares what it’s like to step into HR leadership at a fast-growing climate startup that acquired a 50+ year-old, family-owned manufacturing business. We explore:

• Change management in a legacy industrial environment

• Why safety must include both physical and psychological safety

• Employer branding and why “we’re a family” corporate messaging often does more harm than good

• Rethinking performance reviews, feedback, and accountability

• Treating employees like adults, and why that mindset matters for engagement and innovation

This conversation is especially relevant for leaders navigating growth, transformation, or cultural change in traditional industries.

As the legendary Founder of The North Face, Hap Klopp built one of the most prominent brands in the world. He championed sustainability and circular economy before those terms were even in use.

Hap shares so many insights and so much wisdom in this podcast. From demographic trends to common sense in business, this podcast episode is chock full of gems that will help you in business and in life.

In this episode, Laura Rexford, VP of Global Client Success at Korn Ferry, shares her insights on a number of topics from the changing role of clients success to drive revenue growth to authentic leadership, to importance of curiosity, to how AI is changing the workplace.

Our discussion with communications and branding leaders Sara Ajemian, who has nearly two decades of experience in brand marketing and communications focused on a number of key areas:

1. Transformative Technology: Sara emphasized how her career has revolved around helping organizations navigate various tech transformations, from mobile revolutions to AI advancements. Understanding technology's internal use and its communication outward is vital.

2. Maximizing Tools: We tackled the common issue of underutilized technology. Sara highlighted the importance of training and creating “super users” within organizations to champion new tools and drive adoption.

3. Strategic Focus: The discussion touched on how critical it is to maintain a clear direction or "North Star" when making technology investments. This ensures alignment with overall business goals and encourages creativity within defined boundaries.

4. Generative AI: Sara shared her observations on the evolving landscape of AI. While it's a powerful tool, we must remain discerning and not allow it to replace strategic thinking or original thought.

5. Human Connection: Ultimately, the conversation reminded us that effective communication and understanding team dynamics are essential for building high-performance teams. Balancing technology and human insight is key to driving success.

Listen to this episode and start implementing these strategies to drive innovation.

In this episode of "Highs of Innovation," we interview Casey Cheshire, a prominent podcaster and expert on podcast creation, as well as the founder of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. The conversation delves into the state of marketing and the significance of podcasts in building authentic connections.

Casey shares his journey into podcasting, which started as a means for thought leadership while running a marketing agency. He emphasizes that the essence of podcasting lies in connection—not just metrics or view counts. Despite common challenges like pod fading, where most podcasts lose momentum after only a few episodes, Casey argues that with the right goals, podcasts can thrive and extend a brand's reach.

The episode highlights the importance of knowing your audience deeply, cautioning against "disconnected marketing." Casey explains that engaging with customers through meaningful conversations often yields better insights than traditional surveys. He advocates for authentic discussions as a pathway to building trust and fostering relationships. Casey encourages listeners to "start ugly," emphasizing the importance of initiating conversations with customers, whether in-person or via podcasts, to bridge the gap between marketers and their audience.

This insightful discussion provides tips for harnessing the power of podcasts in modern marketing, making it a must-listen for those looking to connect authentically with their audiences.