Best Manager Ever

Mari Nazary is the CEO of App Academy, and brings a strong background working at the intersection of product, operations, and learning science at several ed tech companies across different stages. Her team praises her as the best leader they’ve ever had, citing her strengths in systems, process, and talent development. In this episode, Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light dives into Mari’s unique approach to building trust and rapport quickly, and how she seamlessly blends high expectations with extensive support for her team. They also discuss frameworks for assessing team members’ competencies, the significance of feedback and tools in management, and maintaining personal relationships while navigating professional growth and performance challenges.Connect with Mari NazaryConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special New Year's episode of Best Manager Ever, Founder of Fort Light, Annie Riley dives into self-management for leaders. Drawing from personal experience and past interviews with top managers, Annie shares insights on how to set yourself up for success in 2025. Key strategies include taking necessary breaks to avoid burnout, identifying daily activities that bring joy and recharge you, preparing for inevitable workplace chaos, and investing in healthy work relationships. This bonus episode offers invaluable advice for leaders aiming to thrive in their roles and foster a positive work environment this year.Connect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouLooking to create a podcast email our producer AlexisNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special holiday spoof episode of Best Manager Ever, Annie Riley, host and founder of Fort Light, chats with the one and only Santa Claus! Known for spreading holiday cheer and managing a diverse team at the North Pole, Santa gives a rare interview about life behind the scenes. His direct reports, including elves and reindeer, praise Santa for his leadership, though they note he's their only manager ever. We dive into Santa's leadership style, the secrets behind the naughty and nice lists, and the challenges of maintaining the Christmas spirit all year long. Join us for a fun-filled episode with laughter and insight into the man behind the magic.Connect with Annie RileyConnect with our hilarious Santa, Jason GoreListen to Jason’s podcast 108.9 The HawkCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan D'Souza is the Director of Analytics at Credit Karma, and formerly led teams at Lending Club and Upgrade Inc. Known for fostering a culture of fun, hard work, and results, Alan's direct reports recall his empathetic and direct feedback style, along with his ability to inspire and motivate with humor. In this episode, Annie Riley, founder of Fort Light sits down with Alan to discuss his transition from startups to larger organizations, the distinction between managing small and large teams, and how he channels humor appropriately in different work contexts. He also shares his views on encouraging experimentation and innovation, the importance of transparency and radical accountability, and the necessity of maintaining a collaborative and engaging work environment to achieve team success.Connect with Alan D'SouzaConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Romero-Heaps is the Chief Product Officer at Seesaw Learning. She has built her career at the intersection of education and technology, and previously led product and content at Nearpod. Sara is known for aligning her team's individual aspirations to business goals, and her direct reports describe her as a visionary and empathetic leader. In this episode, Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light, discusses with Sara the importance of discovering where employees want to grow and identifying how that aligns with the company's needs. If you're looking to understand how to effectively foster growth in a way that benefits both individuals and organizations, this episode provides valuable perspectives and practical advice.Connect with Sara Romero-HeapsConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thianh Lu is the Chief Product Officer at Autograph and is a 3x founder, with one company acquired by WordPress and another by Blockchain.com. He has a unique and well-rounded perspective on leadership, having been in the roles of early employee, later-stage executive, and founder/CEO. Thianh's direct reports praise his empowering and collaborative style, and remember him for building high-trust teams with a rapid tempo of learning and development. In this episode, Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light  sits down with Thianh to discuss the importance of specific feedback, fostering a culture of learning, and balancing speed with thoughtful decision-making. Tune in to learn how Thianh's unique blend of curiosity and rigor drives both personal and team growth in dynamic startup environments.Connect with Thianh LuConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie Corder-Paul is a beloved leader. She’s currently building a portfolio career, as the Head of Operations and Customer Success at early-stage startup levelheaded and the first-ever Executive in Residence at Fort Light. Previously, KCP was an early employee at Guild Education and held leadership roles in ops and customer success at Proof, Nomad, and Sondermind. Katie’s past direct reports LOVE her, and we think you will too. They praise her for being a fierce advocate for her team, a warm and empathetic leader, and a champion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In this episode, Annie Riley and Katie discuss her methods for fostering a strong team culture, and her strategies for driving success. Tune in to learn more about Katie's impact on her team and the broader organization.If you want to learn more from Annie and Katie, check out Fort Light’s group coaching programs at www.fortlight.com Connect with Katie Corder-PaulConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doug Hanna, President & COO at Kustomer and former COO at Grafana Labs, is renowned for his expertise in customer service and operational excellence, having significantly contributed to the growth of companies like Help.com and Zendesk. During his tenure, he helped scale Grafana Labs from a team of 70 to over a thousand employees. Doug's direct reports praise his hyper-rationality, exceptional context-switching abilities, and a balanced approach to management that marries analytical rigor with empathy.In this episode, Annie Riley, founder of Fort Light, sits down with Doug to discuss his strategies for addressing system failures during scaling, his approach to effective delegation and building scalable structures, and the art of maintaining responsiveness and understanding team motivations in a fast-paced environment. Tune in for a deep dive into Doug's dynamic leadership techniques and operational insights that drive success at Kustomer.Connect with Doug HannaConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Werner is the COO of Shop Shops, a live stream shopping app with a talented team of 50-60 employees across five countries. She is an experienced operations executive with a record of piloting, scaling, and managing new businesses and marketplaces.Lauren is lauded by her direct reports as a stabilizing force with an unflappable presence, known for her empathy, clear communication, and methodical approach to managing and scaling distributed teams.In this episode, Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light, sits down with Lauren to discuss her leadership strategies, the importance of maintaining composure and stability in high-pressure startup environments, and effective communication and prioritization in managerial relationships. Tune in to explore Lauren's experience in navigating multicultural leadership and her journey as a woman leader in tech.Connect with Lauren WernerConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean Twersky is Head of Business Operations at Even Up, and previously Instacart. He has 15+ years of experience that thrives on bringing structure to even the most chaotic situations and scaling for long term success. Sean’s direct reports across various companies describe him as a bright, adaptable leader and a great equalizer who successfully manages diverse teams.On this episode, host Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light, explores Sean's methods for helping  direct reports grow in ambiguous environments, his approach to effective feedback, and how he maintains a motivating and fun team culture. Tune in to learn from Sean’s  playbook on how to  draw out strengths from team members, turn ambitious tasks into enjoyable challenges, and ask for feedback in a structured and actionable way.Connect with Sean TwerskyConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Sean’s blog General PractitionerCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouThis is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brittany Hall is the Head of Customer Experience at ReMatter, a series A startup. She is also known for her notable work at companies like GoGuardian, People.ai and DataGrail. Over the past decade, Brittney has built a reputation for her outstanding ability to build and scale customer-facing teams from scratch. Brittany's direct reports describe her as an exceptional leader who is clear, honest, and genuinely caring. They highlight her ability to build high-performing teams and manage early-stage company challenges. In this episode Annie Riley, Founder of Fort Light, sits down with Brittney, to discuss the framework for hiring non-traditional candidates, her strategy for timely feedback and team communication, and her approach to self-advocacy and prioritizing tasks. Tune in to learn how Brittany's leadership style and execution mindset drive startup success.Connect with Brittney HallConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zayd Badwan is a founding team member and VP of Enterprise at Uplimit. Before joining Uplimit, Zayd scaled the Customer Success team at Coursera. With 15+ years of experience in learning and development startups, he brings insights from working closely with global governments and nonprofits, and industry-leading companies including Google and Salesforce. Zayd is described by his direct reports as a positive leader with a knack for building trust, making work fun, and bringing relentless energy in the face of challenges. In this episode, Annie Riley sits down with Zayd to discuss the highs and lows of building teams from scratch, prioritizing learning as the best way to win in early stage company-building, and managing burnout and building emotional resilience. Zayd also highlights the importance of authenticity and candor in work relationships, and shares strategies for communicating across the company. Tune in for valuable insights on leadership, especially in very early-stage startup environments.Connect with Zayd BadwanConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Morgane Palomares is the VP of Marketing at Vercel, and is known for her significant roles at GitHub, Zendesk and Change.org. Morgane's direct reports praise her exceptional leadership, high standards, and ability to create a trusting and safe environment. They describe her as 'superhuman,' 'aggressive,' and 'a winner,' highlighting her unique ability to balance high demands with personal care for her team. In this episode, Annie Riley, the founder of Fort Light, talks with Morgane about strategies for setting high expectations, creating space for emotions, and fostering team camaraderie. Learn about Morgan's approach to continuous learning, her unique lingo, and her emphasis on early career coaching. Morgan also talks about balancing work-life commitments, organizing her time effectively, being proactive about personal growth, and the importance of sharing information openly with her team.Connect with Morgane PalomaresConnect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouNominate your Best Manager Ever for Season 2This is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Manager Ever reveals the secrets of successful management and empowers leaders to build winning teams. Join a community dedicated to sharing insights and stories from the most successful and beloved leaders in the startup world. All guests have been nominated as the “best manager ever” by a recent direct report. Before each interview, we go behind the guest’s back to collect feedback and stories from their team about what they’re *actually* like to work for. Then we sit down with the guest to unpack that feedback and to dig into their leadership playbook and lessons learned. Tune in, learn from the experts, and enhance your management skills while building meaningful connections throughout your career.Connect with Annie RileyCheck out Fort Light to level up your leadership skillsConnect with our show’s producer Alexis RamdaouThis is a Production of Fort Light and Now it’s Hear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.