In our premiere episode, Farnoosh Torabi sits down with Will Pearson, President of the iHeart Podcast Network, to uncover how his personal journey and core beliefs guided his path from college entrepreneur to podcast industry pioneer. Pearson reveals how his early experiences—launching a company from his Duke University dorm room—instilled leadership principles that still drive his decision-making today as he oversees the world's largest podcast network. Through candid conversation, he shares the deeply personal insights that informed pivotal choices throughout his career, from identifying the right business partner to making an early, conviction-driven leap into podcasting. Pearson opens up about how each phase of his journey—including building partnerships with creative forces like Will Ferrell and Shonda Rhimes—refined his leadership philosophy and shaped iHeart's innovative approach to podcast advertising that's transforming the industry.

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Welcome to 'Leading By Example: Executives Making An Impact,' from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio. What shapes a leader's core beliefs about building and guiding successful organizations? In this series, host Farnoosh Torabi ('So Money' podcast and CNBC) sits down with today's most influential executives and entrepreneurs to uncover the pivotal life experiences that define their leadership approach. Through intimate one-on-one conversations, these leaders reveal how personal challenges, victories, and transformative moments have profoundly influenced their vision for the workplace. Against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and evolving work cultures, discover how their hard-earned wisdom is helping chart a purposeful path forward for the future of work.

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