“Chai is amazing — it should be right alongside a good cup of coffee, espresso, or cappuccino. This business helped me reconcile my American upbringing and my Indian heritage — that push and pull, that beautiful combination of everything.”
Ayan Sanyal is co-founder of Kolkata Chai Company, a vibrant café and online brand redefining what masala chai means to America. Founded in 2018 by two brothers, Kolkata Chai Co has a simple mission: to bring the authenticity, respect and tradition behind a cup of masala chai to NYC and beyond. What quickly became clear to Ayan was that his work went beyond tea brewing. It was about creating a space - and product - to understand and celebrate culture, comfort, and connection.
The Kolkata Chai story caught the attention of many, including comedian Hasan Minhaj, a passionate investor and advocate. Before founding Kolkata Chai, Ayan established a strong career in marketing and advertising — as Managing Director at Green Room Creative, driving growth strategies for startups and mid-stage companies, and held key digital roles at 2U, Havas Media, Hill Holliday and Connelly Partners. Bridging a life of rock music, marketing, and brewing - Ayan’s journey is informed from travels between Amherst, Kolkata, Brooklyn, and everything in between. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about family, culture, and entrepreneurship, hopefully with a good cup of chai.
This episode is from Modern Minorities, Raman's other podcast - where we share minority conversations for all of our majority years — which we hope will inspire new perspectives and learnings.
“Every behavior we have is motivated by either fear or love — and productive fear we have to lean into to give energy and to exhibit love , and productive and healthy behaviors.”
Teresa Tanner is the Founder and CEO of Reserve Squad, an innovative talent platform that helps companies re-engage former employees — especially women — through flexible, project-based work. A nationally recognized leader in gender equity and workforce transformation, Teresa spent nearly three decades in corporate America, including a decade in the C-suite at Fifth Third Bank, where she served as Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, and 18 years in operational and HR leadership roles at McDonald’s. Teresa currently serves on the boards of Ms.Medicine and Best Upon Request, and previously held board roles at Vectren. Throughout her career, Teresa has championed corporate cultures that support employees both at work and at home. At Reserve Squad, she’s reimagining how companies can retain skilled talent — particularly working mothers — by disrupting rigid full-time work models and offering “Reservist” opportunities for alumni to stay engaged, contribute meaningfully, and return when ready. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation with Teresa — full of wisdom, heart, and hard-earned insight — as we talk about leading with love over fear, holding your mission while staying open to reinvention, and why the workforce of the future will be driven by connection, not conformity.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“People are so hungry to really be understood and the challenge that's primary now, is a growing inability to understand each other.”
What if doing less could actually lead to more impact? Greg McKeown, is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s most influential voices on productivity, purpose, and leadership. Greg shares the story his book "Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less", and powerful insights on how leaders can cut through the noise to focus on what truly matters. If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin or overwhelmed by too many priorities, this conversation will inspire you to take a bold step: do less, but better. LEARN MORE: gregmckeown.com
Greg has delivered keynote addresses in over 40 countries and worked with more than 500 organizations, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nike — and hosts a top podcast in self-improvement and education. A Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Greg also serves on nonprofit boards and has co-created Stanford’s popular “Designing Life, Essentially” course. Greg is currently conducting doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, holds an MBA from Stanford, and completed a Global Leadership and Public Policy certificate at Harvard Kennedy School. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on how to say no more often, how to lead without overwhelm, and how to build cultures where excellence becomes effortless.
This conversation is from from P&G Alum Stefan Homeister’s top podcast “LEITWOLF” - for more inspirational conversations on leadership subscribe to Leitwolf wherever you get your favorite podcasts. LEARN MORE: stefan-homeister-leadership.com
Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“ We might need only 10% of the population to have a tipping point into a brighter future — to change lives for the better at scale by recognizing your potential to calm others. We're in this thing together.
Life right now seems chaotic, but there's a method to the madness — welcome to the challenge of our generations. It sucks, it’s not fair, it’s been going on too long, and it feels like we’re sacrificing our children to some golem of change—with no relief in sight. We need something to believe in and something to do about it, so longtime friend of the pod Bob Gilbreath shares what works for him. It might help you handle the stress, and maybe even convince you to be the tiny pair of butterfly wings that delivers positive change.
This conversation is from P&G Alum Bob Gilbreath’s podcast & newsletter “The Workaround” — Bob is a repeat startup founder with two exits. Bob’s stories and conversations — from a career in tech startups and corporate innovation — are here to make you think, smile, and discover a shortcut to success or a trap to avoid. You can subscribe at behearty.substack.com
This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode - reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“Understand the cultural sensitivities to really engage people — It is so critical to create an inclusive atmosphere for better decision making and influencing.”
Koji Kobayashi is Coca Cola’s Head of Human Insights for Japan and Korea. Koji San is a global marketing and insights leader who's worked across the U.S., Japan, and Southeast Asia, on categories ranging from affordable every day consumer products to luxury goods. Koji San got his start at P&G, where he spent 14 years as a CMK leader, working Prestige Skin Care, Beauty Care, and Household Care, across Singapore, Asia, and the United States. He’s also passionate about giving back, supporting children's education and health through amazing organizations like Save the Children and UN Women. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation of experiences across multiple cultures from Japan to Singapore to the United States — and how influence can look very different across individualistic and collective cultures and lessons on how leaders can architect inclusiveness into their teams.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“ Chinese consumers today are quite different — a massive middle class of 500 million people. So big upside, but also bigger challenges.”
Sarah Kochling is the Founder and Managing Principal of Shanghai Blossom Innovation, where she leads strategic growth initiatives for global brands and startups in China since 2014. With over 30 years of experience across Asia, This is a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and early-stage ventures alike—guiding brand transformation, innovation strategy, and culturally attuned consumer engagement.Sarah got her start at Procter & Gamble in Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the early 1990s, where she managed brands across Greater China during a pivotal time of regional economic opening. Since then, Sarah’s experience across China and Asia at J&J International, as well as leading innovation practices at agencies and advising several China startups. Fluent in Mandarin and deeply immersed in the Chinese market, Sarah brings a rare combination of strategic rigor, creative vision, and cross-cultural fluency—helping organizations navigate complexity and chart bold paths forward. Sarah attended is based in Shanghai, China. She studied Mandarin and Political Science from Wellesley College, and holds certifications in Chinese language and law from MIT Sloan. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Beijing Foreign Languages Normal College, and Harbin Institute of Technology. Sarah lives in Shanghai. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about a career at the intersection of culture, commerce, and innovation.
This is part of our Chinese leaders series - hosted by P&G Alumni Emily Chang. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“ The future is unwritten — the more I work with AI, the more I see opportunity for more human connection - a tool to get me out of the drudge-work - to sitting down and listening to people.”
Marc Stoiber is a creative director and strategist who reinvents leading brands for a living — his work has been recognized by virtually every international industry award for advertising and design. While Executive Creative Director at Grey - a leading creative agency - Marc helped P&G brand team turn around the iconic Mr. Clean brand. Marc’s writing on on brand innovation has been featured by TED, the Huffington Post, Fast Company, GreenBiz and Sustainable Life Media. You can learn more about Marc’s work at BrandsInvestorsLove.com or MarcStoiber.com. Marc joined friend of the pod Bob Gilbreath for a fascinating conversation on how he’s building a one-person strategy+creative agency…with the help of an army of AIs. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation - full of practical stories - about how one entrepreneur is using AI as a creative wingman, looking at the future of work through an augmentation lens, and embracing our inner cluelessness.
This conversation is from P&G Alum Bob Gilbreath’s podcast & newsletter “The Workaround” — Bob is a repeat startup founder with two exits. Bob’s stories and conversations — from a career in tech startups and corporate innovation — are here to make you think, smile, and discover a shortcut to success or a trap to avoid. You can subscribe at behearty.substack.com
This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode - reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“You spend the first half of your life building up — and it's then a really interesting moment to let go of trying to prove things and figuring out what you're really capable of — just recognizing and reflecting.”
Meredith Meyer is a people and talent leader — as CEO + Lead Consultant of Infinite Potential, LLC, where she provides strategy and talent consulting services. Meredith has also served as a fractional Chief Talent Officer at more than a dozen orgs - partnering with executives & HR teams to create strategic talent plans and tackle tough business problems. Meredith also served as VP of Global Workplace for Veeva Systems, a leader in cloud-based software for the global life sciences industry, and previously held senior roles from CMO to VP of Talent at KnowledgeWorks, a leader in personalized, competency-based learning for kids. Meredith started her career at Procter & Gamble in brand management on brands like Tide and Oral-B globally. You’ll enjoy this insightful conversation between two old brand management buddies - focused on lessons learned from coaching people.
This conversation is from P&G Alum Bob Gilbreath’s podcast & newsletter “The Workaround” — Bob is a repeat startup founder with two exits. Bob’s stories and conversations — from a career in tech startups and corporate innovation — are here to make you think, smile, and discover a shortcut to success or a trap to avoid. You can subscribe at behearty.substack.com
This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode - reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“ I had a manager who taught me the notion of survey leadership — to be someone who genuinely wants to help — not only solve a problem, but someone who wants you to grow.”
Bob is the Media Innovation lead for Media Lab, the internal media team for Google marketing — responsible for ideating new media innovations, developing and scaling them across all of Google marketing. Prior to Google, Bob was an early veteran of digital marketing. He spent 3 years at Kellogg’s as Director of Digital and Social strategy for North America, leading the digital marketing and social media practice. Bob got his career start at P&G, in roles responsible for the global digital strategy across the Home Care, Feminine Care and Oral Care. Bob studied at the University of Cincinnati, and lives in San Francisco with his wife, who he also happened to meet at P&G. Beyond stories and perspectives from some of the earliest days of digital marketing and making sense of AI’s impact on our future, you’ll enjoy this candid conversation on how servant leadership has become a core pillar of Bob’s approach to management and work.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“ Very often we forget to ask, who do we really want to serve? We have to actually interact to change their perspective, to improve their lives.”
Ayu Kartika Dewi is Managing Director for Indika Foundation, which focuses on peacekeeping efforts in Indonesia. She also serves as Special Staff to the President of Indonesia. Ayu’s career is the most fascinating mosaic of unique experiences. While she started at P&G Indonesia, working in Consumer Insights, she left after 5 years to dedicate herself to teaching in a remote island community. From there Ayu moved into leadership roles in the nonprofit sector and government, serving as Special Staff to the Governor of Jakarta, and now as Special Staff to the President of Indonesia. Ayu is an avid scuba diver, a passionate meditator, and a devoted dog lover.You’ll enjoy this candid conversation and be touched by Ayu’s commitment to making the world a better place and her belief that kindness and tolerance can be taught, even in communities with deeply held beliefs.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
What's the legacy you want to leave — what values are most important to you? We're all made differently, so it’s always important that people show up at work who they are.”
Adam Antoniewicz is Nike China’s VP of Mens Marketing, leading groundbreaking campaigns that redefine consumer engagement. Previously, he served as Apple’s Head of Marketing Communications for Greater China, overseeing all customer-facing communications in Apple’s $44B market - spearheading iconic campaigns, launching the company’s first social media in the region, and navigating complex challenges like the China Cybersecurity Law and U.S.-China trade tensions. Adam’s earlier roles include leading Nike Basketball in Greater China, where he led the Rise (打出名堂) campaign and launched the House of Mamba - the world’s first reactive LED basketball court. Adam also drove key marketing partnerships for the NBA and helped build the NFL’s presence in China. You’ll enjoy the candid conversation about how we can enhance our team by learning from sport, and the importance of a pregame before work!
This is part of our Chinese leaders series - hosted by P&G Alumni Emily Chang. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“What makes for a good entrepreneur? Grit, perseverance. if you feel passionate about a problem or want to create something you're passionate about — you need that grit and staying power. “
Rashmi is the Co-founder and COO of FlexiBees, a company that connects women returning from career breaks with flexible roles. Before FlexiBees, Rashmi spent 8 years at P&G Singapore in Consumer Insights, first in the feminine hygiene category and later in digital marketing, eCommerce, and Media strategy. What you will find most insightful in this conversation is how anybody can elevate themselves to a trusted business partner regardless of their function in an organization, and how sometimes frustration at an unsolved problem can be the perfect fuel to fire your entrepreneurship journey, even more so when that unsolved problem resonates at a human level. Don't be fooled by her joyful, almost disarming style, Rashmi has the most impressive and relentless obsession with driving tangible impact through her work and she breaks it down into applicable concepts.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“ There was trust - the mission was very clear. The problem isn't the idea. The problem is choosing. It starts with being purpose driven.”
Eric Tholomé is a former Google product leader and tech CEO. At Google, Eric led product initiatives in Switzerland and the US - including the launch of Gmail themes and YouTube internationally in 10 countries. At Google Eric was the first ever Product Manager ever promoted to Director outside the US. Eric also spent one year as the CEO of European telecom company 1&1 IONOS. Prior to these experiences, Eric had early professional experiences at tech companies like Handspring, Palm, Schlumberger, and Nortel Networks, and is a Stanford Graduate.
This conversation is from from P&G Alum Stefan Homeister’s top podcast “LEITWOLF” - for more inspirational conversations on leadership subscribe to Leitwolf wherever you get your favorite podcasts
Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“Giving back connects me to a new generation of people . It's important that people are curious and ask bold questions. It's about not giving answers, but enabling people to find their own answers.”
Falk Fuhrmann is an award-winning creative strategist with over 25 years of experience, in growing businesses of local, regional or global scale. Falk currently leads HuíLüè — a strategy consultancy he founded in Shanghai specializing in brand strategy, cultural insights, and business innovation. Falk has also been teaching at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou since 2020… empowering the new generation of Chinese creatives to bridge cultural differences and embrace strategic innovation that resonate locally and globally. While Falk has invested his impressive career on the agency side with leaders like TBWA, DDB, and Saatchi & Saatchi, he also led strategy for multiple P&G’s categories across CEEMEA, APAC and Greater China. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on the fun of liquid collaboration, comparing Chinese and German cultures, and learning about the importance of getting from weird to wonder.
This is part of our Chinese leaders series - hosted by P&G Alumni Emily Chang. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“ At the end, marketing is about connection. What makes it magical is the perfect convergence of creativity, the connection to human behavior, the unpredictability, and all the analytics.”
Raul Murguia leads Integrated Marketing at LinkedIn Sales Solutions, driving brand narratives and campaigns that resonate with sales professionals. Previously, Raul led integrated marketing and later focused on product marketing at Meta for Messenger, orchestrating go-to-market strategies for Messenger and earning a Clio and two Shorty Awards for the "That Close" campaign. Raul’s passionate about integrated marketing communications — focusing on brand growth, product adoption, and delivering impactful campaigns. Raul’s career is a story of pivots - from Latin America to the US, across integrated and product marketing, from CPG to Tech — working across companies like Zespri, Pharmavite, Pepsico, Sara Lee, and seven years in brand management at P&G. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on adaptability and transitions across industries and cultures.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“To create content — it's got to give you pleasure, it can't be a chore. Be honest with yourself. If you're putting goodness out into the world consistently, something's going to hit — trust that process.”
Whether you've got a corporate job, a side hustle (like a podcast or three), or are even a full-time entrepreneur or entertainer, the idea of ‘content creation’ has become increasingly important. But what if the act of marketing content becomes more work than the actual act of making actually good content? Inspired by a recent NY Times article, P&G Alums Drew Tarvin (Humor That Works) + Bob Gilbreath (the Workaround) got together to discuss and debate their own approaches to all that is creating content.
This is a special “topic-driven” episode where we bring together P&G Alum experts to share their personal learnings. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out atpgalumpod@gmail.com
LEARN MORE
nytimes.com/2024/12/31/arts/television/netflix-comedy-marketing.html
Bob Gilbreath newsletters "the Workaround" -behearty.substack.com
Drew Tarvin:drewtarvin.com/
“ What we need is meaning, purpose, something to wake up in the morning and go do that matters. You're living life to the fullest when you're doing something you believe in that matters, that makes a difference.”
Gerry Preece is a 22-year veteran of P&G leading agency strategic sourcing and marketing operations —building purchases/procurement organizations around the globe in areas such as media, advertising agencies, promotions, commercial production, digital marketing, and public affairs. After retiring from P&G, Gerry served as Executive Director at The Matthew Kelly Foundation,. He's also consulted with the 4As, GSK, and many other industry leaders. Gerry received his Bachelors in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point
In this far-ranging conversation between a longtime mentor and his mentee, fellow alum Rajiv Satyal - from years past - the two compare notes on their own learnings of purpose, work, life, politics, and family. You’ll enjoy this timely conversation between two old friends reconnecting - and not necessarily agreeing on everything, but learning from each other.
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Rajiv Satyal, the Los Angeles-based comedian, host, and speaker - from his own podcast. You can learn, see, and hear more at RajivSatyal.com
“ You have to authentically and always be yourself because that's the most ownable strategy that you can own as a person.”
Michael Seitz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Barebottle Brewing Company, an award-winning crowd-inspired craft brewery with four locations in San Francisco. Michael and his family moved to San Francisco in 2016 to open Barebottle, scaling from zero to over $10 million in revenue — and now San Francisco’s largest brewery. Michael spent 10 years at P&G in Cincinnati as a Brand Manager, where he met his wife Raquel Rozas, started brewing beer at home, earned his credential as a certified beer judge, and completed studies at the World Brewing Academy in Chicago. Michael studied Economics at Stanford and was a Park Fellow at Cornell’s Business School where he received his MBA and was the Vithala and Saroj Rao prize recipient graduating first in his class. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on entrepreneurship and authenticity, and when you’re next in San Francisco, stop by a Barebottle and say hi!
This episode is hosted by P&G Alum Sudha Ranganathan, who’s spent over 19 years in diverse Marketing leadership roles at companies like P&G, PayPal, and LinkedIn where she’s honed her passion for customer-centric marketing and talent development.
“Where in our lives do we feel something has changed fundamentally inside of us? Those are stories.”
Matthew Dicks is a master storyteller and author of many books - including “STORYWORTHY: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling.” Matthew has earned the title of Master Storyteller— as a five-time Moth GrandSLAM champion. The Moth is New York City’s iconic storytelling platform (which also has a great podcast) — and Matthew has dominated it, winning 52 StorySLAMs around the country. Matthew also co-founded Speak Up, a storytelling organisation that has helped thousands craft more compelling stories. He's written a # of fiction and nonfiction books - including STORYWORTHY. Matt's Homework for Life project is a powerful tool for anyone looking to enrich their daily life through storytelling, one small step at a time. You'll enjoy this candid conversation that might just help you find some simple, practical ways to find more meaning and connection in your life,
This conversation is from from P&G Alum Sharad Lal’s top podcast “HOW TO LIVE” - for lots more great conversations with Sharad and thought leaders, subscribe to How To Live wherever you get your favorite podcasts, or visit howtolive.life
Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
“Systems really matter — we can play with the media instead of it playing us. I don't want to be used by a system that gets in the way of real learning and insight — this is more of a survival issue than we think.”
Brynne Thompson is an investor, advisor, and all-around brilliant - and thoughtful - person who helps startup founders and institutional investors figure out where the future is heading. Brynne is the founder of Respire Enterprises, and former partner of Coburn Ventures. Brynne supports and invests in startups built for the next generation of stewardship, climate awareness and multi-stakeholder management. With Coburn ventures, she led and advised investments in areas where technology may generate a dramatic shift in an industry.
In this conversation with P&G Alumni Bob Gilbreath on “the Workaround” — Brynne & Bob compare notes on navigating the information overloaded moment we're in — and share some useful stories and hacks on how to thrive. In this candid discussion, we discover how all of us can take advantage of all the information available at our fingertips without falling for the non-wisdom of the crowd—and driving ourselves crazy in the process.
This conversation is from P&G Alum Bob Gilbreath’s podcast & newsletter “The Workaround” -. Bob is a repeat startup founder with two exits. Bob’s stories and conversations — from a career in tech startups and corporate innovation — are here to make you think, smile, and discover a shortcut to success or a trap to avoid. You can subscribe at behearty.substack.com
This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode - reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com
