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Say It Skillfully®

Say It Skillfully®

By: Molly Tschang
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Molly Tschang's Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you benefit from Molly's guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. She helps everyone from CEOs to interns to recognize that we are all both part of the problem as well as the solution, and that the path to solving any problem is to say what needs to be said. Molly is a rare breed: tough enough to advise CEOs and company boards, but empathetic enough to understand the human costs of not allowing talent to shine. She has helped dozens of management teams navigate the human after-effects of mergers and acquisitions, and her show brings her expert guidance to a wider audience.Molly Tschang Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • 231 Say It Skillfully® – Noel Moldvai - The Blessing & Curse of Naivete

    231 Say It Skillfully® – Noel Moldvai - The Blessing & Curse of Naivete
    Jun 15 2026
    In this episode of the Say It Skillfully® podcast, Molly sits down with Noel Moldvai—entrepreneur, CEO, and co-founder of Augment—for an inspiring conversation about resilience, emotional intelligence, and what it truly means to lead. Noel shares his journey from leaving Yugoslavia as a young boy to navigating life as a first-generation immigrant in Canada and California, learning English as his third language, and finding his path from Berkeley to Google to Rubrik before taking the leap into founding his own company. He opens up about the hard-won lessons that shaped him as a leader: why EQ matters more than IQ, how he learned to manage his own emotional reactions before trying to lead others, and the near-death moments at Augment that tested everything he had. He also shares the surprisingly personal origin story behind Augment (a platform now being called the Robinhood for private markets) born out of his own frustration trying to access locked-up startup equity just to buy an engagement ring and a home. Honest, grounded, and deeply human, this episode is a reminder that naiveté can be both a blessing and a curse, and sometimes, it's exactly what it takes to build something the world has never seen. Chapters: 0:00 EQ, IQ, and the importance of people 0:33 Molly introduces Noel Moldvai and Augment 2:34 Noel’s earliest memory and leaving Yugoslavia 3:52 Leaving family behind and starting over 6:28 Learning English in Canada 8:03 School, math, physics, and childhood mischief 11:05 Belonging, family traditions, and growing up between cultures 13:12 Returning to Hungary and Serbia 14:24 College, self-motivation, and finding his path 19:23 Becoming a self-starter and learning to build teams 21:41 Google, Rubrik, and realizing he wanted something different 28:00 Why EQ matters more than IQ 30:42 Managing emotional reactions and making better decisions 33:53 Meditation, exercise, and creating stillness 35:37 The backstory behind Augment 36:57 Unlocking private equity and the problem Noel wanted to solve 40:52 Building the Robinhood for private markets 41:29 Co-founding Augment and learning from differences 47:52 Respect, empathy, and high-performing teams 48:43 Ego, rejection, and the pain of startup life 50:48 Reducing risk one step at a time 52:49 Hobbies, family, ice baths, reading, and motorcycles 53:42 Introversion and heavy metal 54:53 Noel’s do-over: taking it easier in college 55:55 Rapid-fire: next life, nicknames, and favorite food 56:42 Noel’s top takeaway: the blessing and curse of naiveté 57:03 What it was like for Noel to share his journey 57:58 Molly’s closing reflections 58:29 Final thought: people and the connections among them 58:58 Say It Skillfully closing message
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    59 mins
  • 230 Say It Skillfully® – Sandy Ogg - A Curveball Journey to Leading with Impact

    230 Say It Skillfully® – Sandy Ogg - A Curveball Journey to Leading with Impact
    May 18 2026
    In episode 230 of Say It Skillfully®, Molly welcomes back Sandy Ogg, CEO of Curve Sports and founder of CEO.works, for an inspiring conversation about baseball, leadership, and creating opportunity for others. Sandy shares how sports shaped his life from childhood through college, teaching lessons in teamwork, perspective, resilience, and character. He also reflects on how that lifelong connection to baseball evolved into a larger mission: helping underserved young athletes access pathways to education, growth, and opportunity. From stories of youth teams and scholar athletes to reflections on leadership, privilege, AI, and the uniquely human skills that cannot be replaced, Sandy offers a powerful reminder that success is not just about winning games — it’s about helping others discover what is possible. A heartfelt conversation on purpose, impact, and using the gifts we’ve been given to give back. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Sandy Ogg’s Leadership and Baseball Journey 02:41 Where Sandy’s Love of Baseball Began 04:22 Baseball, Family, and the Coast Guard Academy 06:42 Lessons from Youth Sports and His Father 08:08 Learning Context Beyond Winning 11:16 Coaches, Leadership, and Team Development 13:43 Recognizing an Uneven Playing Field 16:18 Building a Team with Access and Opportunity 17:49 Scholar Athletes, Grades, and College Jerseys 20:33 Life Lessons Beyond the Field 22:05 The Parent-Coach-Athlete Triangle 24:40 Defining What Winning Really Means 26:06 Gratitude, College Jerseys, and a Doorstep Moment 27:59 Realizing the Gift Was Also for Him 30:16 Giving Back to the Sport That Gave So Much 30:50 Curve Sports Foundation and Scaling Impact 33:29 How Others Can Help Young Scholar Athletes 34:35 Scholar Athletes as a National Treasure 36:24 AI, Human Skills, and What Cannot Be Replaced 38:14 Personal Side: Trumpet, Introversion, and Creative Tinkering 42:16 Favorite Food and Childhood Memories 42:59 Top Takeaway: Learn What AI Can’t Replace 45:04 Reflecting on the Conversation 46:24 Molly’s Closing Reflection
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    48 mins
  • 229 Say It Skillfully OUR VOICES - Lynden Archer, Closed Doors Provide Direction

    229 Say It Skillfully OUR VOICES - Lynden Archer, Closed Doors Provide Direction
    Apr 14 2026
    In Episode 229 of the Say It Skillfully® podcast, Molly welcomes chemical engineer, researcher, and Cornell University professor Lynden Archer. A leader in the field of biomaterials and sustainable energy innovation, Lynden shares insights from his groundbreaking work developing environmentally responsible materials that could transform industries ranging from plastics to batteries. In this inspiring conversation, Lynden reflects on the pivotal role of mentors in his life and how he found his way from growing up in Guyana to graduate school and a distinguished academic career. He shares the experiences and influences that helped shape his path and the lessons he learned along the way about perseverance, curiosity, and staying open to opportunity. Filled with insights on innovation, leadership, and scientific discovery, this episode offers listeners a compelling look at finding your north star and how bold thinking and collaboration can drive meaningful change.
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    1 hr and 6 mins
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