Power & Impact

Jim McCann Power & Impact

Power & Impact brings a sharp focus on conversations with top CEOs, executives, and thought leaders. Together, we'll explore their journeys to success, the challenges they've faced, and how they're using their influence to drive meaningful change in their industries and communities.

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26 episodes
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English

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Tuesday · 46 min
Why Storytelling Is A Leadership Superpower | With Joe Lazer
Every kid is a natural storyteller. Somewhere along the way, most of us lose our nerve for it. Joe Lazer believes rediscovering that skill may be one of the most powerful ways to connect with other people, especially in an age of AI. A writer, marketing executive, and AI strategist, Joe has spent his career studying what makes stories work. He sees storytelling as a human ability that starts early in life, and one most of us simply talk ourselves out of as we get older. In this week's Power & Impact, Joe and I explore why stories capture our attention, make ideas memorable, and create a shared emotional experience between people. Those qualities make storytelling especially valuable in business, and we talk about how leaders can use stories to communicate a vision and build trust. And then there's AI. As technology gets better at producing content and analysis, Joe believes our ability to form relationships and create emotional connection only becomes more valuable. He sees AI less as a replacement and more as a tool for thinking, an "intellectual sparring partner" that can challenge our assumptions.
September 15 · 34 min
What Happens When Money Tests Family Trust | With Emily Bouchard
Money can complicate even the strongest family relationships. It can bring to the surface questions about trust, loyalty, responsibility, and the roles everyone thought they understood. Those are questions Emily Bouchard has spent more than 20 years helping families work through. Her conversations often begin with wealth, inheritance, philanthropy, family businesses, or succession, but quickly get to the relationships underneath them. Her interest in family dynamics grew out of her own experience with loss. Emily was 14 when she suddenly lost her mother, and that loss has shaped how she thinks about resilience and about what holds a family together. In this week's Power & Impact, Emily and I explore what happens when money enters the family dynamic — and why the real challenges are rarely about the money itself. Trust is built in some moments and broken in others. Certain conversations get avoided, generation after generation. We also talk about what gets passed from one generation to the next, from wealth and responsibility to values and family stories. Emily's work is a reminder that what holds a family together can't always be measured on a balance sheet.
September 9 · 37 min
He Turned Fortune Cookies Into a Global Media Business | With Shawn Porat
What happens when you notice an opportunity hiding in plain sight? Shawn Porat has built his career around that instinct. He started a technology company while in law school and later created a marketplace for buying and selling legal judgments. His next idea came while sitting in a Chinese restaurant, watching diners open their fortune cookies. They read the messages, laughed, talked about them, took pictures, and tucked the fortunes into their pockets. Shawn recognized the value of that attention and began building a media platform around it. Today, his company reaches roughly 135 million Americans a month and works with some of the world's biggest brands. In this episode of Power & Impact, shawn tells me how he built the business, why cold outreach has opened so many doors, and how he kept going through $200,000 in credit card debt and moments when he was ready to quit. We also talk about AI, the future of advertising, the value of real-world experiences, and how shawn's unconventional approach has shaped the way he sees opportunities. His advice for anyone with an idea is simple: start by sending the email or making the call, because you don't need to know the entire path before taking the first step or getting that first response.
September 1 · 42 min
Can Capitalism Work Better for Everyone? | With Martin Whittaker
Capitalism has a PR problem. Martin Whittaker thinks the solution isn't abandoning it but rather making it work better for more people. Martin is the CEO of JUST Capital, an organization built around a big idea: Business can be one of our most powerful tools for solving society's toughest problems, particularly when doing good and doing well point in the same direction. In this week's episode of Power & Impact, we talk about why Martin chose business after earning his Ph.D., how JUST Capital set out to "bend the arc of capitalism," and why jobs, wages, opportunity, and economic security matter so much to people's faith in the system. We also explore AI. Martin sees enormous potential for the technology to boost productivity and expand opportunity. How businesses put it to work will help determine what that opportunity looks like, especially for young people trying to find the entry-level jobs that have traditionally launched careers. Finally, we discuss philanthropy, incentives, the power of work, and creative approaches that bring business and social purpose together to solve difficult problems. It all comes back to one question: How do we build a future in which more people believe they have a stake?
August 25 · 42 min
Building What Lasts
What does it really take to build something that lasts? Starting something is hard. Making it successful is even harder. But building something that can survive changing markets, new technology, different generations and challenges you never saw coming takes something more. In this final episode of our Lessons Learned series, I look back at conversations with leaders who have built organizations and brands designed to endure. Jeff Sprecher shares how he recognized the lasting value of the New York Stock Exchange and why sometimes building the future means knowing what is worth preserving. Alan Fuerstman explains why culture, people and knowing what your brand stands for matter more than simply chasing growth. Omer Acar shows how powerful culture can become when employees are trusted and empowered to create meaningful experiences for customers. And Judy Marks shares why a company with nearly 173 years of history still has to embrace AI, technology and change to remain relevant. The lesson I took away from all of them is simple. Building what lasts doesn't mean building something that never changes. It means creating a strong enough foundation to evolve without losing what made it special in the first place. That's what I've learned about building what lasts.
August 18 · 31 min
The Longevity Playbook
What if living longer isn't actually the goal? What if the real goal is living better? In the third episode of Lleadership lessons, we explore the longevity playbook with some of the leading voices in health, wellness, and purposeful aging. From the Blue Zones and the foods that help people live longer, to chronic disease, lifestyle medicine, sleep, stress, relationships, biological age, and the power of community, this conversation looks at what really matters when it comes to adding more healthy years to our lives. We talk about why our closest relationships can influence our health, why fear isn't always enough to change our behavior, how lifestyle choices can make a difference, and why our genes may not determine our destiny. But longevity isn't just about adding years. It's about purpose. It's about staying connected. It's about continuing to learn. And as one guest puts it, maybe the goal isn't to stay youthful forever — maybe it's to stay useful. This is The Longevity Playbook. What can you change today to make the years ahead healthier, more meaningful, and more connected?
August 11 · 35 min
Relationships Advantage For the Coming Days
What really makes us happy? What makes us successful? What makes a life meaningful? After a year of conversations with some of the most interesting thinkers, leaders, and entrepreneurs, one lesson keeps coming back to the same place: relationships. In the second part of Power & Impact's Leadership Lessons series,, we revisit powerful conversations about the relationships that shape our lives, our happiness, our careers, our communities, and ultimately who we become. David Brooks explains why our society is facing a relationship crisis and why learning how to listen, ask better questions, disagree, forgive, and truly connect with other people are skills we all need to develop. Arthur Brooks shares what decades of research has taught us about happiness and why love, friendship, generosity, and meaningful connection matter more than money, power, or status. Dan Ariely explores how our relationships shape the way we see the world and why connection can help us move beyond an us-versus-them mentality. John Rivers shares a deeply personal story about faith, community, friendship, encouragement, and how the people around us can help us find the courage to pursue a dream. The lesson running through all of these conversations is simple: The quality of our relationships can shape the quality of our lives. This is the relationship advantage.
August 4 · 32 min
Leadership Lessons for What's Next
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping how we work, learn, and make decisions. For leaders, the challenge is learning how to move forward when the pace of change makes certainty impossible. This week's episode of Power & Impact kicks off Leadership Lessons, a month-long series exploring what today's most thoughtful leaders can teach us about navigating change. In this first installment, I revisit conversations with Reid Blackman, Dr. Gary King, Azeem Azhar, and Eric Gertler, who each offer a distinct perspective on leading through extraordinary technological and organizational transformation. We explore why expertise may become even more valuable in the age of AI, how leaders can make faster decisions without losing sight of risk, and why curiosity and continuous learning remain essential leadership skills. We also discuss the importance of trust and the human relationships that help organizations adapt and thrive. If you enjoy conversations about leadership, innovation, and navigating change, subscribe to Power & Impact and join us throughout the Leadership Lessons series.
July 28 · 32 min
Why Entrepreneurial Thinking Matters More in the AI Age | With John Mullins, Ph.D.
What will separate the companies that thrive in the AI era from those that fall behind? In this conversation, I speak with London Business School professor and author John Mullins about the entrepreneurial mindsets that help people move faster, test ideas, and build businesses around real customer demand. John explains why experimentation is replacing traditional strategic planning and how AI can become a powerful critical-thinking partner. We also explore the rise of AI-native companies and the growing class of highly skilled independent workers. The lessons we discuss include those from Costco, Amazon, SpaceX, and other businesses that have challenged conventional thinking. For business leaders and anyone trying to understand where business is heading, this episode offers a practical framework for navigating change with greater clarity and confidence.
July 21 · 41 min
What AI Can't Replace: Original Thinking | With Roger L. Martin
What happens when artificial intelligence can perform routine tasks faster, cheaper, and better than we can? In this episode of Power & Impact, I sit down with renowned business strategist Roger L. Martin to explore what will make people valuable in an AI-driven economy. Roger offers a compelling framework: AI excels at finding the most common or predictable answer, while people create value by applying judgment, imagination, and original thinking. Roger's own career backs it up. He spent years building a global strategy firm, then ran a business school — then walked away from a chance to rebuild his old firm and instead built a one-person practice on his own terms. It's the kind of choice he says more people will face as companies stop promising jobs for life and start looking for people who can solve problems no one's solved yet. For business leaders, recent graduates, and anyone thinking about what comes next, this conversation offers a practical guide to thriving in a world where expertise is becoming easier to access. Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, innovation, business strategy, and the future of work on Power & Impact.
July 14 · 40 min
From Inheriting a Mountain of Debt To Leading $3.3B Investment Firm | With Dr. Silver Kung
Most people hope to inherit wealth. At 27, Dr. Silver Kung inherited $10 million in family debt instead. That unexpected burden became the catalyst for an extraordinary journey. Today, he leads a $3.3 billion investment firm and has captured his hard-won wisdom in a new book, Silver Linings. In it, he shares the core principles that guided his turnaround, from the rigor of his early aerospace engineering background to pioneering impact investing in global supply chains. In this week's Power & Impact, we dive deep into the mindset required to turn a daunting crisis into an opportunity. We discuss why he embraced AI agents long before they became mainstream, his unique perspective on funding the future of clean energy through nuclear fusion, and why he views finance as a language everyone should learn. Beyond the balance sheets, Dr. Kung opens up about the personal rituals that ground him and why lifelong learninsg remain life's greatest investments of all. If you enjoy conversations about leadership and entrepreneurship, be sure to subscribe to Power & Impact for new episodes every week.
July 7 · 39 min
The Leadership Skills AI Can't Replace | With Steve Bandrowczak
Every business conversation this year seems to circle back to artificial intelligence. This week's episode of Power & Impact circles back to something older: leadership. Former Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak has spent his career helping organizations navigate massive change. In our conversation, he makes the case that the companies who get AI right will be led by people who know how to help others adapt, learn, and take on new ways of working — not necessarily the ones with the sharpest technology. Steve also shares the experiences that shaped him decades before he became a CEO: leaving home at 16 with little more than a paper bag, earning a master's degree alongside his daughter years later. He's built a career out of proving that showing up and staying curious outlasts any title. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on the mindset required to guide teams through major technological transitions. Share your thoughts at podcasts@celebration.com.
June 30 · 36 min
Building Better Men Through Better Relationships | With Austin Cole
Young men are facing unprecedented challenges—from loneliness and anxiety to social media pressure and the loss of meaningful friendships. Young men are facing unprecedented challenges—from loneliness and anxiety to social media pressure and the loss of meaningful friendships. Licensed therapist Austin Cole joins Jim McCann for an honest conversation about what is really happening with men's mental health, why relationships matter more than ever, and how parents, friends, and mentors can help the next generation thrive. Whether you're a parent, mentor, leader, or someone navigating life's challenges, this conversation offers practical insights and hope for building stronger relationships and a healthier future. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more conversations with today's leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.
June 23 · 47 min
Could a Single Molecule Be Key to Healthy Aging? | With Dr. Nathan Bryan
In this week's Power & Impact, I spoke with Dr. Nathan Bryan, a scientist whose life's work centers on a molecule that most of us have never heard of — but one he believes may hold important clues to how we age and why we get sick. Nitric oxide helps regulate blood flow, oxygen delivery, and cellular communication throughout the body. Dr. Bryan says we produce plenty of it when we're young, but much less as we get older. He believes that decline may contribute to many of the conditions we associate with aging, from cardiovascular disease to diminished energy and cognitive performance. Our conversation explores why modern medicine often focuses on treating disease after it appears rather than preventing it in the first place. Dr. Bryan argues that many of the habits we've come to accept as normal — from what we eat to how we care for our oral health — may have unintended consequences for our long-term well-being. He also shares the research that led him from a university laboratory to founding his own company in an effort to bring those discoveries to a broader audience. Whether you agree with all of Dr. Bryan's conclusions or not, I think you'll find this conversation thought-provoking. After all, progress often begins when someone is willing to question conventional wisdom and follow the evidence wherever it leads.
June 16 · 41 min
The Power of Someone Who Believes in You | With Larry Long Jr.
Larry Long Jr. lost his father more than a decade ago. He still hears his voice every day. As a struggling freshman baseball player at the University of Maryland, Larry found himself mired in a brutal slump. His father sat him down and delivered a message he didn't necessarily want to hear: Fix your mindset and everything else will follow from that. The lesson stuck: Larry went on to hit .319 in ACC play that season, and the advice has continued to guide him throughout his life and career. In this week's episode of _Power & Impact_ , Larry reflects on his father's influence and the setbacks that shaped his journey. We trace his growth from a student-athlete into an internationally recognized speaker, coach, and author, exploring the philosophies that drive his success. Our conversation dives into why relationships will always matter more than resumes, how sales is ultimately an act of service, and what young people entering today's competitive workforce can do to carve out their own opportunities. As we celebrate Father's Day, this episode serves as a beautiful tribute to the legacy of the people who believe in us and the wisdom that continues to light our way long after they're gone.
June 9 · 37 min
The Human Side of Grief and the Power of Ritual | With William Villanova
In this week's episode of Power & Impact, I sat down with William Villanova, president of the iconic Frank E. Campbell funeral home in New York City. After more than 25 years in funeral service, William has guided families through some of life's most difficult moments while helping preserve traditions that have endured across generations. Our conversation explored how those rituals are adapting to a changing world. Technology now allows services to reach loved ones across continents, but the purpose remains the same: creating a space where people can come together and honor a life. If anything, the disruptions of the pandemic reinforced how deeply people need those moments of connection. We also discussed a subject many of us tend to put off indefinitely: planning for the end of life. We make plans for our careers, our finances, and our families, yet often avoid conversations about our own wishes, leaving loved ones to make difficult decisions without guidance. William has seen how powerful those conversations can be. Far from being morbid, they can provide clarity, reduce uncertainty, and reflect what matters most to us. In that sense, preparing for the inevitable is less about death than it is about giving a final gift to the people we leave behind.
June 2 · 39 min
What a 173-Year-Old Company Knows About the Future of AI | With Judy Marks
Most of us step into an elevator without giving it a second thought. That's exactly how Judy Marks likes it. In this week's episode of Power & Impact, I speak with the CEO of Otis Worldwide Corp. about the invention that helped make modern cities possible — and what it can teach us about another technology now reshaping daily life. Otis moves 2.5 billion people every day, and Judy sees firsthand how trust, safety, engineering, and human judgment all have to work together before people will fully embrace a new way of moving through the world. Judy believes AI will transform nearly every industry, though she sees the future as "human-led and AI-enabled." Her advice for graduates and business leaders alike centers on lifelong learning, communication, judgment, and adaptability. She also offers a fascinating perspective on the question: What can a 173-year-old elevator company teach us about navigating one of the biggest technological shifts in history? As you'll see in this week's podcast, the answer is a lot.
May 26 · 45 min
The Death of Corporate Integrity — And How to Bring It Back | With Eric Ries
In this episode of _Power & Impact_, Eric Ries, creator of Lean Startup, joins Jim McCann to reveal why even the most successful businesses can lose sight of the core values that first propelled them to greatness—insights found in his new book, Incorruptible. From Costco and Johnson & Johnson to AI, venture capital, Wall Street pressure, and the future of leadership, Eric breaks down the hidden forces that push companies toward short-term thinking, corruption, and cultural collapse. He explains why metrics can become dangerous, why trust is disappearing in modern business, and why the next generation of leaders must rethink what success actually means. The conversation takes a fascinating turn into artificial intelligence, where Eric warns that society may be moving faster than it understands — and why the world could be headed toward a "Chernobyl moment" for AI if innovation outpaces responsibility.
May 19 · 46 min
AI Is Moving Fast. Are We Ready? | With Sol Rashidi
In this week's episode of Power & Impact, I speak with Sol Rashidi about one of the biggest questions facing leaders, workers, students, and families today: How do we prepare for a future that is arriving faster than almost anyone expected? Sol is an AI strategist, board adviser, and former chief AI officer who has spent years helping organizations understand how artificial intelligence is changing business. She brings s deep expertise and real concern to this conversation, especially as companies race to adopt AI before they've fully thought through the implications for governance, security, and the people whose work will be affected. We talk about what AI may mean for career paths, classrooms, consulting firms, startups, and family life. Sol explains why efficiency alone is not enough and why critical thinking and judgment may become more valuable than ever. Sol never loses sight of the human side of the issue. AI fluency is becoming essential, but technology alone will not determine the future. The question is whether we can use these tools wisely while preserving the expertise and relationships that make work — and life — meaningful.
May 12 · 41 min
The Future Belongs to Those Who Keep Learning | With John Donovan
In this week's Power & Impact, I speak with John Donovan, the former CEO of AT&T Communications, about what it takes to lead when technology is changing the ground beneath your feet. John had a front-row seat to some of the most important technological shifts of the past several decades, including the rise of fiber communications, smartphones, and cloud computing. One of his most important insights is that real innovation happens when an idea reaches customers at the right time and helps them do something better. That lesson feels especially relevant today. As AI reshapes the workplace, leaders cannot promise that every job will stay the same. What we can do is invest in people, help them learn, and build cultures where curiosity and continuous improvement are part of the daily rhythm. John offers a simple formula: Try to do your job a little better each day, do something kind for a teammate without expecting credit, and steal a little time each day to get better. Change may be unavoidable, but how we meet it is still up to us. As John says, the future will belong not only to those who understand the technology, but also those who keep learning and bringing others along.

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