Steve Fitzgerald - CEO of the FireStorm Group

02/12/25 • 49 min

From assembling elite teams at Ford Motor Company and Sun Microsystems to navigating the high standards of Bridgewater Associates, Steve Fitzgerald has honed the craft of leadership—yet every other day, you’ll find him carving through fresh powder in the Rocky Mountains. As a seasoned HR leader, startup advisor, and board member, Steve has spent three decades weaving together people and profits, championing both efficient business outcomes and more fulfilling personal lives. In this episode, Ryan and Steve dive into the principles that have shaped Steve’s unconventional career path, such as strategic leaps of faith and walking away from corporate safety in pursuit of authentic balance. They explore Ray Dalio’s “pain plus reflection equals progress” outlook, offering tangible takeaways on how to welcome tough feedback, develop a growth mindset, and build teams that thrive on continuous practice.

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Marian Salzman - SVP, U.S. at Philip Morris International

Marian Salzman is a celebrated global thought leader, trendspotter, and author credited with popularizing “metrosexuality” and helping launch the worldwide #GivingTuesday movement. Over three decades, she’s guided top brands through cultural transformations and now serves as Senior Vice President at Philip Morris International, championing a smoke-free future. In her conversation with Ryan, Marian reveals the driving forces behind her 30th—and final—annual trends report, shining a light on the rising importance of “bite-sized delights” and proactive “life care.” She explores how fear can become a positive accelerant for growth, and why the pursuit of curiosity and courage must go hand in hand. Marian also shares insights on living more intentionally—from the resurgence of traditional rituals like tea time to finding personal refuge in a fast-paced digital world.

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Ron Berger - Co-Founder of MVBMS & Adweek Pioneer

Picture an era when advertising didn’t just sell products—it shaped culture. That’s the legacy Ron Berger helped build, from co-founding the 700-person agency MVBMS with Tom Messner, Barry Vetere, Louise McNamee, and Bob Schmetter to penning era-defining taglines like “Time to Make the Donuts” and “Subway Eat Fresh.” In this episode, Ryan reconnects with his former boss to explore how Ron helped launch Adweek and nurtured a culture of candid collaboration over empty hierarchies. Drawing a line between sports competition and creative excellence, he explains why teamwork, accountability, and “impact winning” have always been at the core of his leadership style. Ron also shares on building a culture at MVBMS that prized strategic clarity over trendy cool.