ADAPT or die
When disruption hits, average leaders freeze—great ones adapt.
Former tech-CEO–turned-leadership-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with C-suite executives, founders, and change-makers to dissect the exact moment they faced a make-or-break challenge, the mindset pivot that unlocked progress, and the measurable success that followed.
Every episode delivers:
- Challenge → Adaptation → Success — a tight, three-act story you can steal.
- A 60-second “Hot-Seat” mini-coaching segment that turns insight into action.
- Concrete metrics, battle-tested tactics, and candid reflections you won’t hear on the PR circuit.
If you’re scaling a team, steering a turnaround, or future-proofing your career, this show equips you to adapt and thrive—because in leadership, the alternative is extinction.
Episodes
36 episodes
Ryanna Hammond: From Traffic to Truth — Choosing the Sun Over the 9-to-5
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech CEO-turned-executive coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Ryanna Hammond—poet, author, and founder of All With Heart—to unpack the exact ...
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Episode 35
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33:11
Janne Jakobsen: Boardrooms, Boys' Clubs & Breaking Your Own Rules
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech CEO–turned–executive coach Andreas Pettersson reconnects with Janne Jakobsen—Senior Vice President, mentor to rising leaders, and co-author of Po...
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Episode 34
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31:28
Carolina Hernandez: Painting a New Legacy — Leadership, Fire, and Power Without Permission
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech CEO–turned–executive coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Carolina Hernandez—entrepreneur, real estate investor, co-owner of Luis Gloria Painting,...
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Episode 33
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34:41
Alyssa Trenkamp: Make It a Great Day—How Grit, Chaos & Confidence Built a B2B Powerhouse
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech CEO-turned-executive coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Alyssa Trenkamp, a fearless marketing executive who’s navigated five successful acquisit...
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Episode 32
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32:56
Marlene Braga: Leaving the Good Girl Behind—From Steve Jobs to Skirball
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson sits down with Marlene Braga, a dynamic creative executive whose career spans iconic organizations like ABC News, A&E, Azteca America, PBS...
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Episode 31
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36:18
Stephanie Hammerwold: Redefining HR Leadership with Empathy and Limits
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech CEO-turned-executive coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Stephanie Hammerwold, Head of HR at the Skirball Cultural Center and a passionate advoca...
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Episode 30
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35:35
Cindy Chang: From Grief to Grit—Turning Pain into Power in Product Leadership
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Cindy Chang, seasoned product leader and resilience-builder. Known for thriving in ambig...
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Episode 29
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32:41
Marina St. Cyr: Stop Waiting for a Seat—Build the Damn Chair
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Marina St. Cyr, Senior Vice President and operational powerhouse with over 20 years of e...
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Episode 28
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34:03
Kana Waanders: From Self-Doubt to Direct Leadership — Rewriting Fear Into Fuel
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Kana Waanders, Lead Senior Software Engineer and co-author of Power Without Permissi...
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Episode 27
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26:26
Michele Jewett: When the Kids Flew the Nest, So Did She
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Michele Jewett—ICF-certified executive coach, longtime CEO facilitator, and founder of Q...
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Episode 26
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37:12
Julie Stone: Own the Room—Even If You’re Still Finding Your Voice
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Julie Stone, Director of Human Experience at Milestone Systems and co-author of Powe...
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Episode 25
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35:03
Cheryl Strizelka: When You Stop Apologizing, You Start Leading
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson sits down with Cheryl Strizelka, a neurodivergent mother, wife, and thought leader in the HR field. Known for her gift of reading the room and...
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Episode 24
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31:09
Martha Chrisander: From Inner Critic to Inner Compass
On this episode of Adapt or Die, executive coach Andreas Pettersson talks with Martha Chrisander—former journalist, B2B SaaS leader, and co-author of Power Without Permission. From quietly crying off-camera at a company-wide k...
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Episode 23
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39:21
Theresa Bassett & The Diamond Group: From Settlement Stress to Scalable Success
On this episode of Adapt or Die, executive coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Theresa Bassett, CEO of The Diamond Group—a digital marketing and sales strategy firm that’s helped clients generate over $550 million in revenue. There...
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Episode 22
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37:20
Scott Allen: Leading Through Curiosity, Not Control
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson sits down with award-winning educator, consultant, and podcast host Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.—a leadership expert who’s trained organizations like...
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Episode 21
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40:21
Michel Langlois & Calix: Reinventing a Company, Rewiring an Industry — All In, No Turning Back
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, tech CEO-turned-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Michel Langlois, one of the most respected CTOs in the U.S. and author of Beyond the Code. Miche...
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Episode 20
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37:01
Spencer Horn: Delegate to Elevate—How to Let Go and Lead Forward
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson welcomes Spencer Horn, President & CEO of Altium Leadership & Coaching and former NASDAQ company executive. Spencer reveals the hard-e...
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Episode 19
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35:12
Nicolas Pokorny: Leading the People Who Do the Business
On this episode of Adapt or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson sits down with Nicolas Pokorny, neuroscientist, global executive, and Founder & CEO of Mammoth Leadership Sciences. With over 30 years of ...
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Episode 18
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32:31
Graeme Watt: Creating Hope in a Crisis — and a New Creative Future
When COVID shut down every client contract and wiped out his production pipeline, Graeme Watt—Principal and Lead Strategist of the award-winning agency Anthem Creative—faced an unthinkable leadership moment. On this episode of Adapt or Die:...
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Episode 17
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37:10
Tom Galido: Heart Transplants, Company Turnarounds, and the Fight to Lead Again
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, Andreas Pettersson speaks with Tom Galido—5x founder, 3x CEO, and heart transplant survivor—about what it really takes to scale businesses and survive l...
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Episode 16
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35:44
Bill Weathersby: From Bankrupt to $500M+ in M&A—Hard Truths on Scaling Fast, Firing Faster
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Bill Weathersby, 8-time founder and Chairman of Next Stage Trajectory. Bill shares raw, ...
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Episode 15
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28:53
Rick Williams: From Physics Labs to Boardrooms with a Bestseller Blueprint
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Rick Williams—physicist-turned-CEO, board advisor, and author of the Amazon #1 best-sell...
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Episode 14
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33:16
Alex Kuhn & Born to Lead: Coaching Giants, Burning the Playbook, and Leaving by 5PM
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Alex Kuhn, founder of Born to Lead®—one of the fastest-growing coaching companies in the...
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Episode 13
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34:28
Ryan Schonfeld & HiveWatch: From Policing Terror to Securing Tech with Scalable Smarts
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Ryan Schonfeld, a former police officer and the founder & CEO of HiveWatch—a SaaS se...
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Episode 12
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33:41
Marius Vygantas & the Global Bet: Building Across Borders with Integrity
On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, executive coach and former tech CEO Andreas Pettersson speaks with Marius Vygantas, founder of Soling Partners and former Project Manager in the Executive Office...
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Episode 11
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35:59