Executive Runtime

Meet Papanii Okai

Johnny Austin — Mon, 11 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Papanii Okai is the Executive Vice President of Product Engineering at Rocket, where he leads the teams building AI-powered systems that transform how millions of people experience homeownership. Before Rocket, he served as CTO of Venmo, scaling a platform trusted by over 60 million users, and held senior engineering and architecture roles at PayPal across nearly six years. His career spans fintech, platform architecture, and human-centered design, with a through line of translating emerging technology into systems that actually serve people. Originally from Ghana, Papanii brings a global perspective and a leadership philosophy rooted in building things that last and people who thrive. We're glad to have him on the Executive Runtime.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - AI as an Ironman Suit
(00:00:42) - Show Welcome and Guest Intro
(00:01:57) - From SF to Ghana Farm Life
(00:04:21) - Two Suitcases to America
(00:06:31) - Movies That Sparked Engineering
(00:09:31) - College Path Into CS
(00:11:24) - First Engineering Roles at BEA
(00:15:02) - Zong and Mobile Payments
(00:18:01) - Mentorship and Sponsorship Playbook
(00:23:17) - From IC to Engineering Leader
(00:29:10) - Teamwork Over Tech
(00:30:42) - M&A Integration Reality
(00:32:39) - North Star Alignment
(00:35:14) - Choosing Rocket Journey
(00:39:28) - Detroit Culture Shift
(00:46:09) - AI Changes Everything
(00:49:18) - AI Tools For Execs
(00:53:02) - Learning Empathy Future
(00:56:14) - Lead By Example Close

Meet Rory Verrett

Johnny Austin — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Rory Verrett is the founder and managing partner of Protégé Search, a boutique executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on diverse talent. Over two decades, he has placed C-suite leaders at organizations including Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, Twilio, Pinterest, and The New York Times.

Before founding Protégé Search, Rory served as the first-ever Head of Talent Management at the National Football League, where he managed succession planning, leadership development, and executive search functions. He also led diversity practices at Spencer Stuart and Russell Reynolds Associates, two of the world's most prestigious executive search firms.

Rory is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Howard University. He has testified before Congress on best practices in inclusive recruiting, advised the Biden administration on leadership strategy, and authored The Pomegranate Principle: Best Practices in Diversity Recruiting (Wiley). He is a former president of the Harvard Law Black Alumni Association and former trustee of Howard University. He now operates Protégé Search from Lisbon, Portugal, serving clients globally.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Skills, Networking, Reputation: The Career Progression Rule
(00:00:29) - Meet Rory Verrett: Executive Search Insider
(00:01:46) - Rory's Path: From Howard & Harvard Law to Headhunting
(00:05:34) - How Retained Executive Search Really Works
(00:07:11) - Getting 'On the Radar': What Recruiter Relationships Are For
(00:15:50) - What Companies Really Hire For: Steward, Reformer, or Disruptor
(00:16:06) - Purpose-Driven Leadership: Profit, Performance & Purpose
(00:18:00) - The 1% Trait: Followership
(00:20:50) - Biggest Red Flag: Weak Interviewing at the Senior Level
(00:24:59) - How to Win the Executive Interview
(00:26:58) - Setting Up the Compensation Conversation
(00:27:04) - Breaking the $250K→$500K Ceiling
(00:27:49) - Stop Job-Hopping: Stay Through the Seasons
(00:29:33) - Strategic Networking & Thought Leadership
(00:31:45) - 2026 Market Reality: AI Disruption & the War for Jobs
(00:33:16) - Surviving a Dysfunctional Market
(00:35:55) - The Mental Toll of Senior Leadership
(00:39:33) - How Executive References Get Scrutinized
(00:41:21) - Hiring as Risk Mitigation: Fit, Timing & Team Chemistry
(00:42:55) - Culture Fit & Building the Place You Belong
(00:44:54) - Advisory Boards, Reputation & Avoiding Elegant Mediocrity
(00:50:14) - Final Words: Faith, Ethics & Hard Work

Meet Alphonzo Terrell

Johnny Austin — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Spill, a social media platform that became the #1 most downloaded Social Networking app shortly after its 2023 launch and was named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies in Social Media" in 2024. Before founding Spill, Phonz served as Global Head of Social and Editorial at Twitter, where he led brand campaigns that dramatically increased engagement and earned multiple industry awards including Clios and a Cannes Lion. With over 15 years of experience spanning HBO, Showtime, Sony Music, and Island Def Jam, he has built a career at the intersection of technology, culture, and marketing. Named to CNN Business's "2023 Risk Takers" list alongside tech leaders like Sam Altman and Tim Cook, Phonz is a sought-after speaker who has appeared on Good Morning America and at major conferences including SXSW and AfroTech.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Host Welcome
(00:00:34) - Guest Introduction: Alfonso Terrell
(00:01:41) - Early Career and Musical Beginnings
(00:04:18) - College and Record Label Journey
(00:08:10) - Transition to Television and HBO
(00:12:43) - HBO's Culture and Creative Risks
(00:16:38) - Twitter and Social Media Insights
(00:22:04) - Impact of Social Technology
(00:25:48) - Elon's Unexpected Takeover
(00:27:22) - The Rollercoaster of Acquisition
(00:31:46) - The Mass Layoffs Begin
(00:34:11) - Building Something New: Spill
(00:35:49) - What is Spill?
(00:39:45) - Challenges of Being a CEO
(00:42:45) - Vision and Recruitment
(00:45:50) - Future of Spill
(00:51:03) - Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Meet Smruti Patel

Johnny Austin — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Smruti Patel is the SVP of Engineering at Apollo GraphQL, where she leads the charge in building highly performant APIs at scale. With more than two decades of experience, she previously transformed Stripe's Data Platform organization, scaling the team from 30 people to nearly 180 while bringing dozens of discrete products under its umbrella. Her journey includes 11 years at VMware building enterprise disaster recovery solutions and pioneering cloud-based data protection initiatives. Known for her "shift left" engineering philosophy and systems thinking approach, Smruti has mastered the art of building critical infrastructure that ensures security, reliability, and efficiency for global businesses.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
(00:01:10) - Smruti's Role at Apollo GraphQL
(00:02:22) - Smruti's Origin Story and Early Career
(00:04:47) - Navigating Career Challenges and Growth
(00:08:19) - Building a Network and Personal Brand
(00:18:13) - Evolving Engineering Leadership
(00:25:46) - Measuring Engineering Success
(00:27:10) - The Role of AI in Engineering
(00:32:35) - AI's Impact on Junior Engineers
(00:36:27) - Transitioning to Senior Leadership
(00:41:48) - The Importance of Mentorship and Sponsorship
(00:44:06) - Balancing Leadership and Personal Life
(00:47:32) - Final Thoughts and Advice

Meet Stephen Ovadje

Johnny Austin — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Stephen Ovadje is a seasoned P&L leader and Chief Marketing Officer at Best Egg, bringing over two decades of expertise in consumer finance, fintech, and strategic leadership. With an impressive track record spanning JPMorgan Chase, where he led Chase Sapphire acquisitions and loyalty marketing, to his consulting work at Deloitte delivering $60MM in profitability improvements, Stephen has consistently driven growth and transformation across major financial institutions. Beyond his corporate leadership, he's an active entrepreneur and board member, co-founding multiple ventures including energy companies in Nigeria and serving as a trustee at St. Anne's Episcopal School. Armed with an MBA from Wharton and deep expertise in analytics, strategic planning, and multi-channel marketing, Stephen offers unique insights into scaling financial products, building customer acquisition strategies, and leading through complex organizational transformations. This conversation explores his journey from analyst to C-suite executive and his perspective on the evolving landscape of consumer lending and fintech innovation.

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Meet Rob Zuber

Johnny Austin — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Rob Zuber brings a refreshingly unconventional path to the C-suite, having evolved from analyzing production defects on factory floors with an engineering physics degree to leading distributed teams of 200+ engineers across five continents. As a three-time founder and five-time CTO, Rob has navigated the full spectrum of startup life—from watching businesses "disappear overnight" when Facebook flipped their mobile switch to successfully guiding companies through acquisitions and multi-round funding cycles. His leadership philosophy centers on being "wrong as fast as humanly possible" to discover what's right, a mindset forged through decades of building in an industry where, as he puts it, the only constant is that software engineers are fundamentally uncomfortable with things staying the same. When he's not solving complex technical problems, you'll find Rob snowboarding, playing guitar, or perfecting his appreciation for viscous cappuccino.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Welcome
(00:00:38) - Guest Introduction: Rob Zuber
(00:01:06) - From Engineering Physics to Software Development
(00:02:56) - The Intersection of Manufacturing and Software
(00:04:53) - AI and Software Development
(00:06:21) - Entrepreneurial Journey and Early Lessons
(00:13:44) - Navigating Market Shifts and Pivots
(00:23:31) - Transition to CircleCI
(00:24:27) - Joining CircleCI: The Early Days
(00:24:55) - Transition to Leadership
(00:28:51) - Skills for Scaling a Company
(00:30:21) - Humility and Continuous Learning
(00:34:08) - Building a Talented Team
(00:37:22) - Evolving Leadership Styles
(00:41:52) - Effective Communication
(00:47:01) - Balancing Work and Family
(00:50:55) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Meet Kathryn Koehler

Johnny Austin — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to welcome Kathryn Koehler, Director of Developer Productivity Engineering at Netflix. Kathryn brings over 25 years of software development experience and embodies what it means to be both a product-focused and people-oriented leader.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
(00:00:50) - Katherine's Early Passion for Race Car Design
(00:01:55) - Transition to Software Engineering
(00:04:36) - Balancing Technical Knowledge and Leadership
(00:08:18) - Netflix's Culture of Informed Leadership
(00:14:11) - Building Communication Skills
(00:18:13) - Journey from Individual Contributor to Leadership
(00:24:32) - Decision-Making and Accountability
(00:29:35) - Evaluating Job Hopping in Talent Acquisition
(00:32:10) - Navigating Organizational Change During COVID-19
(00:32:49) - Challenges and Adaptations in Hybrid Work
(00:35:29) - Netflix's Competitive Edge and Content Strategy
(00:39:12) - Creating a Thriving Work Environment
(00:41:11) - Career Risks and Their Rewards
(00:43:54) - Balancing Work and Personal Life
(00:47:59) - Future Goals and Leadership Development
(00:49:52) - Favorite Shows: Love, Death & Robots vs. Black Mirror
(00:51:01) - Conclusion and Farewell

Meet Will Larson

Johnny Austin — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Please join me in welcoming Will Larson, Chief Technology Officer at Imprint and a thought leader whose work has shaped how many of us think about engineering leadership. Will is the author of three influential books in the engineering leadership space: "An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management," "Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track," and his most recent release, "The Engineering Executive's Primer."

Will's books:

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Show Intro
(00:00:26) - Guest Intro
(00:01:22) - The Need for an Engineering Executive's Primer
(00:02:54) - Challenges in Middle Management
(00:06:23) - The Role of Senior ICs in Organizations
(00:17:03) - Early Career Experiences at Yahoo and Digg
(00:25:30) - Lessons from a Painful Management Transition
(00:26:17) - Executive Offer Negotiation Insights
(00:32:59) - Identifying Red Flags in Job Offers
(00:38:38) - Contextual Leadership vs. Playbooks
(00:45:21) - The Power of Writing in Leadership
(00:51:08) - Final Thoughts and Farewell

Meet Troy Dennis

Johnny Austin — Mon, 05 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

I'm excited to welcome Troy Dennis, Head of Digital Transformation for North America at Mastercard. Troy brings over two decades of experience in fintech innovation, payments strategy, and product leadership across some of the most influential financial institutions in North America.

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Meet Lucia Guillory, PhD

Johnny Austin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Lucia Guillory, Chief People Officer at Virta Health and a fascinating example of someone who's successfully bridged the worlds of academia and corporate leadership. Lucia's journey offers a masterclass in combining analytical thinking with human-centered leadership.

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Meet Zaina Orbai

Johnny Austin — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Join me as I speak with Zaina Orbai—a remarkable executive coach and growth catalyst who has helped shape some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, Zaina played pivotal roles in scaling both Yelp and The RealReal through their IPOs, growing Yelp from $80M to $1B in revenue and expanding it to over 20 countries.

Zaina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainaorbai/
Learn more about Zaina's coaching service: https://zainaorbai.com/
Email Zaina: zaina.orbai@gmail.com

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Welcome to Executive Runtime

Johnny Austin — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Executive Runtime Podcast. Here's a quick introduction to your host and the purpose of this show. Stay tuned for our first full episode and guest in the coming weeks!