Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Tim McVay, second-generation president of Marco Transport—a 31-truck heavy-haul fleet moving 260-thousand-pound “yellow iron” across the Southwest. Tim recounts how a routine scan in 2023 blindsided him with Stage-4 colorectal cancer and why he still shows up at 6 a.m., greets every nurse with “I’m fantastic,” and opens the company books so employees feel like owners. Challenge → A sudden terminal diagnosis, surging insurance costs, and a labor market where driver turnover can hit 100 %—all while Tim’s father’s legacy company…
Author: Andreas Pettersson
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify On this episode of ADAPT or Die: Transformative Leadership Conversations, former tech-CEO-turned-executive-coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with Stella Han, software-engineer-turned-founder of Fractional, the platform letting everyday investors pool small checks into big real-estate deals. Stella traces her journey from “cheap family labor” on Bay-Area flips to hacking a one-page mock-site that drew 2,000 wait-listers and vaulted her into Y Combinator—then reveals the high-stakes pivot that saved the company. Challenge → Legal and accounting chaos crushed early group deals, and a consumer-focused product stalled when rising rates froze $5k hobby investors. Adaptation → After a six-hour co-founder debate, Stella…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify In her teens, poet and entrepreneur Ryanna Hammond felt life slipping out of reach. By 28, she’d published seven books, launched the lifestyle brand All With Heart, healed generational wounds—and is now preparing for motherhood. In this episode of ADAPT or Die, Ryanna walks host Andreas Pettersson through the inner work that turned a private journal into a public mission. Challenge → Years of depression, disordered eating, and self-doubt left Ryanna stuck in numbing routines. Adaptation → A four-month, full-time therapy program—mixing CBT, breath-work, group sessions, and daily writing—taught her radical honesty and vulnerability. With a nudge from…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify Supply-chain whiplash, 40 % ingredient hikes, and an ERP rollout that face-planted—2022 nearly soured Alex Wendling, 28-year-old president of Custom Flavors. In this episode of ADAPT or Die, Alex reveals how scrapping a six-figure system (and 13 months of work) became the catalyst for three straight years of double-digit growth. Challenge → COVID demand spikes and runaway costs exposed brittle pricing models while a “can’t-fail” software switch ground production to a halt. Adaptation → Alex pulled the plug, rebuilt on a real-time operating system, and shifted from hands-on “chief problem solver” to process-first strategist—empowering leads to own decisions…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify Most elite leaders swear by data—but ignore the data their own bodies generate. Neuro-emotional performance coach Leila Entezam joins host Andreas Pettersson to prove that feelings are the missing metric at the top. Challenge → High-stakes CEOs, founders, and athletes hit a wall: detachment, compartmentalization, and a nagging sense of emptiness despite record-breaking results. Adaptation → Leila blends neuroscience, psychology, and EQ to show why the brain processes information emotion-first. By slowing down, cultivating somatic awareness, and seeing emotions as a critical dataset, high performers unlock deeper decision-making, richer connections, and sustainable momentum. Success → Clients trade burnout…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify Serial entrepreneur and technologist Jeff Kunzelman (3 exits out of 6 startups) joins Andreas to unpack why today’s AI wave is “10 × bigger—and faster—than the original internet boom.” They cover: Challenge – Spotting market-shifting tech before it’s obvious—and the risk of waiting even 12 months. Adaptation – Using generative-AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Notebook LM) to collapse weeks of research and prototyping into minutes—and the culture shift CEOs need to spark that curiosity. Success – Building leaner, higher-impact teams, saving 2–3 hours per day, and turning interns into instant thought partners. Lightning Round highlights: Jeff’s current AI tool…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify When securities attorney & serial entrepreneur Bethany LaFlam watched her first investment fund implode, she lost more than cash—she lost confidence. In this premiere of ADAPT or Die, host Andreas Pettersson unpacks the exact moment Bethany hit rock-bottom, the mindset pivot that set her free, and the measurable wins that followed. Challenge → A brilliantly complex $50 M fund no investor could understand—followed by debt, doubt, and angry LPs. Adaptation → Bethany gave herself permission to fail forward, invested in masterminds & coaching, and coined her core philosophy: OPE—Other People’s Everything. Success → She rebuilt credit, launched a…
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify ADAPT or die: Transformative Leadership Conversations is a weekly podcast where former tech CEO and leadership coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with top executives, founders, and change-makers to dissect the pivotal moments that forced them to pivot—or perish. Each 30-minute episode follows a Challenge → Adaptation → Success framework, offering real-world insights into how leaders navigate disruption. Episodes also feature a rapid-fire “Hot-Seat” coaching segment, providing actionable takeaways for listeners. Visit ADAPTorDIEpod.com for show notes, free resources, and coaching programs.
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify ADAPT or die: Transformative Leadership Conversations is a weekly podcast where former tech CEO and leadership coach Andreas Pettersson sits down with top executives, founders, and change-makers to dissect the pivotal moments that forced them to pivot—or perish. Each 30-minute episode follows a Challenge → Adaptation → Success framework, offering real-world insights into how leaders navigate disruption. Episodes also feature a rapid-fire “Hot-Seat” coaching segment, providing actionable takeaways for listeners. Visit ADAPTorDIEpod.com for show notes, free resources, and coaching programs. Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/andreas-pettersson/