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The Leadership Enigma

The Leadership Enigma

By: Adam Pacifico
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 For 30 years I've uncovered the best and worst of human behaviour and endeavour.Now it's time to truly understand what we mean by leadership in a chaotic world. I've delivered live events to over 60,000 around the world as a leadership expert, author, opinion columnist and barrister. Each week I'll explore the power and potential of the human being with global experts, academics, rising stars, ambitious upstarts and disruptors across sectors, disciplines and geographies as we explore 'The Leadership Enigma.'Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner or seasoned corporate executive, this show will uncover the tools, techniques, strategies and lessons learned to catapult your leadership capabilities in preparation for success in a constantly changing landscape. The Leadership Enigma is an award winning globally ranked show powered by LaunchPod Studios. www.leadersenigma.comYouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.© 2024 Adam Pacifico Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ep 241: Fearless & Unfiltered | Jessica Sweetman

    Ep 241: Fearless & Unfiltered | Jessica Sweetman
    Nov 17 2025
    British singer-songwriter Jessica Sweetman shares her incredible story of resilience, creativity, and leading with authenticity. From busking in Soho and performing in jazz clubs at 16, to squatting inside a Nashville record label until they offered her a deal, Jessica’s fearless pursuit of her dream redefines what it means to lead yourself through risk, rejection, and reinvention. Now working independently, collaborating with legends like Paul Oakenfold and Alfie Boe, and recording at Abbey Road Studios, Jessica opens up about mental health, self-leadership, and finding peace in the chaos of the music industry. 🎧 In this episode: How Jessica broke into music against all odds Why her record deal nearly broke her — and how she came back stronger The truth about creativity, control, and leadership in the arts Her powerful new collaborations and life lessons on authenticity 👉 Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with global leaders, creatives, and change-makers. NOTE: Jessica Sweetman and Alfie Boe have recently collaborated on a duet called "Broken Perfect Love" and are touring together, with Sweetman as a special guest on Boe's 2026 tour #LeadershipEnigma #JessicaSweetman #MusicIndustry #Creativity #Leadership #Resilience #AbbeyRoad #PaulOakenfold #AlfieBoe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    48 mins
  • 240: Weed Empire | Adam Bierman

    240: Weed Empire | Adam Bierman
    Nov 3 2025
    Adam Bierman—co-founder of MedMen—shares how a desperate, all-in bet on a federally illegal, unlicensed Venice Beach shop in 2010 became the world’s most recognized cannabis brand, with Apple-style stores from Beverly Hills to Fifth Avenue and a multibillion valuation. A dingy dispensary doing ~$300k a month revealed massive demand; a “Canna Mums” encounter reframed the mission from retail to culture, policy, and patients. MedMen pieced together legitimacy—operating under California’s medical veil, banking out of Las Vegas, and listing in Canada—helping drag cannabis into the mainstream (yes, Kardashians and Kimmel included). But hypergrowth met hard limits: heavy cash burn, governance questions, and a key PharmaCann merger slowed by unusual DOJ antitrust scrutiny under AG William Barr. Financing from Gotham Green Partners (Jason Adler) kept the lights on—on senior, highly protected terms. As debt mounted and regulation remained choppy, the story ended in bankruptcy/liquidation, even as MedMen’s retail blueprint reshaped how dispensaries look and operate across the U.S. Why leaders should watch: 🌟Operate at the edge—professionally: If you’re in a gray zone, build legal, policy, and regulatory muscle early. 🌟Purpose fuels endurance: Mission moments (like “Canna Mums”) align teams and win stakeholders. 🌟Brand ≠ business: Beautiful stores and celebrity buzz can’t replace unit economics and cash discipline. 🌟Know your capital stack: Convertible, secured money buys time—but often controls the downside. 🌟Governance scales growth: Incentives, board structure, and spend controls matter more at speed. 🌟Regulatory timing is execution: Antitrust, banking, and listing choices can make—or break—deals. 🌟Narrative management: Fame multiplies scrutiny; prepare for media, parody, and reputational shocks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • 239: From Hype to Action | Sam Burman

    239: From Hype to Action | Sam Burman
    Oct 23 2025
    Leaders are rushing into AI—but many treat it like another IT program. In this episode, Sam Burman, Global Managing Partner for Frontier Tech at Heidrick & Struggles, shares practical steps to activate AI without losing the human system at the heart of every organization. We cover why the CEO must be the sponsor (not the expert), how to align the exec team on investment, governance, adoption, and operating models, and when to build vs buy vs partner. We discuss the rise of the Chief AI Officer (strategist + storyteller), the power of tying AI to core strategic drivers, and why fast followers are winning by doing something now. Looking ahead—from enterprise GenAI adoption to AGI scenarios—boards will choose: multiply your people, or chase marginal gains. Top takeaways 🌟CEO sponsors; exec team owns 🌟Align on strategy, governance, adoption 🌟Consider a CAIO with commercial + storytelling capabilities 🌟Build for top line; buy for process; partner for speed 👉 Don’t forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & SHARE Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    52 mins
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