The Strategy and Leadership Podcast with Anthony C. Taylor

The global ocean economy is doubling in size to three trillion US dollars. Canada, a country with the longest coastline in the world and the fourth largest ocean territory, sits at roughly fifty billion. Kendra MacDonald calls that gap the opportunity of a generation, and she left one of the largest professional services firms on the planet to go after it.
In this episode of the SME Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada's Ocean Supercluster and former Chief Audit Executive of Deloitte Global. After twenty five years at Deloitte, Kendra stepped out of a 275,000 person organization to become the first employee of a not for profit built to grow Canada's ocean economy. She talks candidly about why she made the leap, what it takes to align competing industries and countries around a shared goal, and why leadership in this moment looks different from what most people picture.
The conversation moves from the raw economic case for the ocean economy to the messy reality of collaboration at national and international scale. Kendra explains how a supercluster functions as a network of networks, why the devil is in the details when it comes to budgets and intellectual property, and how she keeps fishing executives, oil executives, researchers, and government partners focused on a common objective instead of the friction between them. She also shares a personal turning point that shaped her whole career, and makes the case for stepping into leadership even when you do not feel ready.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
How Kendra frames the size of the ocean economy opportunity and why Canada is significantly undersized relative to its coastline. Why collaboration is harder in practice than it sounds, and where partnerships tend to break down. How to keep diverse stakeholders aligned by returning to shared purpose rather than fixating on friction points. What it takes to lead a national initiative that spans four Atlantic provinces, coast to coast to coast, and nine countries. How technology, from sensors and autonomous platforms to AI, is being used to instrument the ocean and solve real problems. Why one moment should never be allowed to become career defining, and why the current moment needs more people to step into leadership.
About Kendra MacDonald
Kendra (she/her) is the CEO for Canada's Ocean Supercluster (OSC), responsible for driving the sustainable growth of Canada's Ocean Economy. Along with the OSC team, Kendra is passionately committed to raising awareness of Canada's ocean opportunity and role as an ocean nation.
Connect with Kendra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendramacdonald-40b574
Canada's Ocean Supercluster: https://oceansupercluster.ca
Saltwater Signals on Substack: https://substack.com/@saltwatersignals
About the Podcast
The SME Strategy and Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with leaders and thinkers from around the world on strategy, leadership, and building organizations that last. Hosted by Anthony Taylor, founder of SME Strategy Consulting and strategic advisor to leadership teams across North America, each episode gives executives practical perspective they can bring back to their own teams.
Strategy Resources
Looking to align your leadership team around a clear strategic plan? Learn more about strategic planning facilitation with Anthony and the SME Strategy team: https://smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604
Produced by Rednyne Productions: https://rednyne.com

Note: This episode contains some strong language.
When a recruiter called George Barrios about a CFO job, George was treasurer of The New York Times Company. His verbatim reaction when he heard the company was WWE: "are you fucking kidding me?" He took the role anyway. Twelve years later, the stock had gone from $15 to $100, and he had helped engineer the largest acquisition in sports entertainment history.
In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony C. Taylor speaks with George Barrios, former Co-President and Board Member of WWE, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Isos Capital, and author of Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt, about how deep preparation builds the conviction to act when everyone says you are wrong. George and his business partner Michelle Wilson took WWE from a roughly $1 billion North American event business to the company that anchored the $9.3 billion merger with UFC to form TKO Group.
Anthony and George explore the insight that the entire industry rejected, why being right when everyone else is wrong is the only kind of right that matters, how over 1,100 meetings in three and a half years changed the market's mind, and what it takes to rebuild after being fired in front of your whole industry. The conversation also goes deep on the research method behind every decision George makes, the partnership dynamic with Vince McMahon, and how he now applies the WWE playbook across La Liga, Ligue 1, and the WTA.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
- How George and Michelle Wilson took WWE from roughly $1 billion to a $9.3 billion valuation
- Why deep preparation, not self-confidence, is the real source of conviction
- The insight about live content that the entire industry insisted was wrong
- Why being right when everyone else is wrong is where the value lives
- What over 1,100 meetings in three and a half years actually accomplished
- How George rebuilt after being fired publicly and then called back to finish the deal
About George Barrios
George Barrios is a business leader, investor, and operator working at the intersection of sports, media, and technology. He is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Isos Capital, where he invests across sports, entertainment, and media. He is also an investor in and Director of Global Sport Group (GSG), a CVC-backed sports investment platform whose portfolio includes La Liga, Ligue 1, the WTA, and Equine Network, and serves as a Trustee of the University of Connecticut.
George is best known for his tenure as Co-President and Board Member of WWE, where he helped transform the company into a global, multi-platform entertainment business and lead its merger with UFC to form TKO Group. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles at The New York Times Company, Time Warner, HBO, and Praxair. He holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business. A first-generation Cuban American raised in Queens, New York, he is the author of Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt.
Connect with George Barrios
Website: https://georgebarrios.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgebarrios/
About the Strategy and Leadership Podcast
The Strategy and Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony C. Taylor, a strategic advisor to mid-market leadership teams ($30M to $300M) across North America. He works directly with CEOs and senior leaders to align their teams, clarify priorities, and execute strategy in complex organizations, interviewing founders, executives, and industry leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.
Strategy Resources for Leaders
Work with a Strategic Planning Facilitator: https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
Produced by Rednyne Productions: https://www.rednyne.com

Three computers, no fridge, and 15 employees. That was Nuheat when John Rose walked in. Sixteen years later it was the North American leader in its industry, and John says culture is the reason why.
In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony C. Taylor speaks with John Rose, former President and CEO of Nuheat Industries, advisor, investor, and board director, about what 16 years at the helm of a market leader taught him about culture, alignment, and building a company people are proud to work for. John took Nuheat from 15 staff, three computers, and humble beginnings to the North American industry leader in electric radiant floor heating, with 120 full time employees and roughly 4,000 distribution partners before its sale to Pentair in 2015.
Anthony and John explore why culture is a precondition for performance rather than a perk, how celebrating 24 nationalities on staff galvanized the team, why alignment is the most important thing a leader can build, and how to define what winning actually looks like. The conversation also covers family business succession, the relationship between an executive and their board, and the two interview questions John used in nearly every hire at Nuheat.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
How John transformed Nuheat from 15 employees into the North American market leader
Why culture is a precondition for performance, not a perk
How celebrating 24 nationalities on staff galvanized the team and drove results
Why alignment is the most important thing a leader can build
How to define what winning looks like for your organization
Why hope is not a strategy and how accountability keeps a plan alive
How to structure family business succession so the next generation can lead
Why an executive should own the conversation with their board
The two interview questions John used in 90% of his hires
About John Rose
John Rose believes a strong corporate culture is the key ingredient for long-term success. Leaders create the culture, and the culture creates results.
John spent 13 years in his family business, Kirkland and Rose, a bakery and grocery supplier across Western Canada, before it sold to a Dutch company in the early 90s. He then served as President and CEO of Nuheat Industries for 16 years. His focus on culture earned Nuheat Platinum Status as a 10 time winner in Canada's Best Managed Companies Program, a Cultural Diversity Award for employing staff from 24 countries, recognition as one of BC's Best Places to Work, and BC Exporter of the Year. The company grew from 15 staff to the North American leader in electric radiant floor heating, with 120 full time staff and roughly 4,000 distribution partners before its 2015 sale to Pentair.
John is also an engaged community leader. He served as a Director and later Chair of Canuck Place Children's Hospice, and Chair of the Board of Mackay CEO Forums. He currently works with companies on Leadership, Succession, and Transition, and sits on the Boards of VanAir Design, Highgate Senior Living, Travelers Financial Group, and Tap & Barrel Restaurants.
Connect with John Rose
Website: https://www.johnroseconsulting.com
Instagram: @johnrose1
About the Strategy and Leadership Podcast
The Strategy and Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony C. Taylor, a strategic advisor to mid-market leadership teams ($30M to $300M) across North America. Anthony works directly with CEOs and senior leaders to help them align their teams, clarify priorities, and execute strategy in complex organizations. He interviews founders, executives, and industry leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.
Strategy Resources for Leaders
Work with a Strategic Planning Facilitator https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
Produced by Rednyne Productions https://www.rednyne.com

What does it actually take to lead when the stakes are life and death, and what happens when those same pressures show up in a boardroom? According to Jenn Donahue, the answer starts not with strategy or skill, but with the voices inside your own head.
In this episode, Anthony C. Taylor speaks with Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE, retired U.S. Navy captain, international keynote speaker, business coach, and USA Today bestselling author of Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt. Jenn commanded an 800-personnel battalion in Afghanistan, built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq War, survived enemy fire and a contract on her life, and led teams through decisions where the cost of hesitation was measured in lives, not quarterly results.
Anthony and Jenn explore the two inner voices that quietly undermine leaders at every level, why self-doubt gets louder the higher you climb, how military preparation maps directly to business leadership, and what a 360 review revealed about her own leadership that changed everything.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
The two inner voices that hold leaders back, what they are, how they work, and why one is harder to catch than the other.
Why self-doubt gets proportionally louder as the stakes get higher, and what neuroscience says about rewiring that response.
How military briefing and debriefing practices translate into business leadership and why most organizations skip the step that matters most.
What Jenn learned when a subordinate called her out for not trusting her team under stress, and how that feedback transformed her command.
Why trust determines how well an organization actually performs, and what it looks like when leaders build it versus let it erode.
How to mentally prepare for high-pressure conversations so you stay grounded instead of falling into fight, flight, or freeze.
The Warrior Framework Jenn developed from combat training: perceive, assess, ready, act, and how leaders can use it to move from stuck to decisive.
About Jenn Donahue
Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE is an international keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy captain, business coach, and one of North America's leading voices on leadership and personal growth. Over a 27-year military career, she commanded an 800-personnel battalion in Afghanistan, built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq War, and led the construction of combat outposts in hostile terrain. Her USA Today bestselling book, Becoming the Warrior, draws on her battlefield experience to build a four-part framework that helps leaders move past self-doubt and take decisive action.
Connect with Jenn Donahue: https://www.jenndonahue.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenndonahue-phd-pe/
Instagram: @iamjenndonahue
About the Strategy & Leadership Podcast
The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony C. Taylor, a strategic advisor to mid-market leadership teams ($30M to $300M) across North America. Anthony works directly with CEOs and senior leaders to help them align their teams, clarify priorities, and execute strategy effectively in complex organizations.
Work with a Strategic Planning Facilitator: https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
Produced by Rednyne Productions: https://www.rednyne.com

What happens when you build a global brand, sell it for $200 million, and realize it's not what you want? According to Mark Rampolla, the real lesson isn't about the exit or buyback. It's about understanding that growth isn't something you do. It's something you become.
In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony C. Taylor speaks with Mark Rampolla, founder and CEO of ZICO Coconut Water, co-founder and managing partner of GroundForce Capital, and author of An Entrepreneur's Guide to Freedom. Mark spent nine years building ZICO into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the world, sold it to Coca-Cola in 2013, and later bought it back for a fraction of the sale price when the company was divested.
What Mark has learned from backing nearly 100 companies at GroundForce Capital, sitting on 40+ boards, and helping raise over $1 billion in capital changes how you think about what separates founders who break through from those who don't. Anthony and Mark explore why self-reflection and curiosity are the most powerful indicators of future success, why the founder to CEO transition breaks most people, and what it really means to treat people the way they want to be treated.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
Why growth is an inside job and what that means for founders
The surprising pattern across nearly 100 companies that separates high performers
Why strategy and execution matter far less than people think
How to spot real indicators of someone's future success
What Mark learned building Zico twice and why the second time was different
The founder to CEO transition and what determines who makes it
How to identify the niche that makes your brand resonate
Why the platinum rule changes how you lead
What a $600 million asset management firm looks for in founder teams
About Mark Rampolla
Mark is co-founder and managing partner of GroundForce Capital, a $600 million institutional asset management firm. He has backed nearly 100 companies, served on 40+ boards, helped raise over $1 billion in capital, and contributed to creating over $5 billion in enterprise value. Before GroundForce, Mark founded and led ZICO Coconut Water from 2004 to 2013, selling it to Coca-Cola before buying it back years later as ZICO Rising. His investment portfolio includes Liquid Death, Osoba, Vive Organic, OWYN, Flying Embers, and Partake Brewing. Mark holds an MBA from Duke University and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America.
Connect with Mark Rampolla
Website: https://www.markrampolla.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksrampolla/
Instagram: @markrampolla
Book: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Freedom
About the Strategy & Leadership Podcast
The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony C. Taylor, a strategic advisor to mid-market leadership teams ($30M to $300M). On this show, he interviews founders, executives, and industry leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.
Strategy Resources
Strategic Planning Facilitator: https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
Produced by Rednyne Productions