Inspiring Executives

Category: Uncategorized

  • Lessons From Leen Kawas, One of Only 22 Women Founders to Go Public in the US

    Eric Kahn

    In biotech, the story people tell about entrepreneurship is usually about the moment the bell rings. The more consequential work happens earlier, in quieter rooms, when a scientist has to decide which uncertainty is worth carrying and which will sink the entire ship. Leen Kawas built her career around that distinction. She is the CEO Read more

  • Seth Hurwitz on Mistakes Made, Lessons Kept

    Eric Kahn

    In live music, the mistake is rarely theoretical. It has a sound. A feedback squeal at the wrong moment. A line that bottlenecks outside the door. A room that feels half-empty when the night should feel electric. A band that arrives to a load-in that is slower than promised. What makes the best operators different Read more

  • Planning With Purpose: What Drives Michael Shanly’s Long-Term Thinking

    Eric Kahn

    Long-term thinking is easy to praise and hard to practice. In property, the incentives lean toward the opposite. Move quickly, recycle capital, chase the next site. Results show up on a quarterly chart long before they show up in a neighborhood. Then you walk through a market town that feels cared for. The storefronts have Read more

  •  Meditation, Meaning, and Music: Seth Hurwitz’s Inner Life

    Eric Kahn

    Backstage, the noise arrives in layers. The sub-bass from soundcheck. The clipped radio chatter. The low, constant hum of people working a plan that has to hold, even as the night keeps changing its mind. For Seth Hurwitz, this is familiar terrain. He is a Washington, D.C.-based concert promoter, founder and chairman of I.M.P., and Read more

  • Building Your Brand: Visual Identity and Artist Marketing

    Eric Kahn

    The Importance of Visual Branding In today’s visually saturated digital landscape, compelling visual identity separates memorable artists from forgettable ones. Electronic music fans encounter countless producers daily through streaming playlists, social media, and algorithmic recommendations. Strong visual branding creates immediate recognition and communicates artistic identity before listeners hear a single note. Visual branding encompasses everything Read more

  • Alejandro Betancourt López’s Approach to Digital Transformation in Traditional Industries

    Eric Kahn

    Traditional industries often resist digital transformation, clinging to established business models even as technology reshapes consumer behavior. Alejandro Betancourt López takes the opposite approach, viewing digital disruption as an opportunity to challenge incumbent players who move too slowly. His transformation of Hawkers from a small e-commerce site into a global eyewear brand demonstrates how digital Read more

  • HX5’s Growth Story: Precision, Resilience, and Leadership Under Margarita Howard

    Eric Kahn

    Margarita Howard and HX5 are emblematic of a new generation of women-led firms that are reshaping the government contracting landscape through deliberate strategy, disciplined execution and a sustained focus on people and process. According to a recent profile in Young Upstarts, HX5 has navigated the often-complex federal marketplace by leveraging its status as a women-owned Read more

  • If It Doesn’t Make Sense, Don’t Do It: Seth Hurwitz Explains

    Eric Kahn

    In an industry often driven by hype and risk-taking, Seth Hurwitz has built a career on a deceptively simple principle: if it doesn’t make sense, don’t do it. As the founder and chairman of I.M.P., the Washington D.C.–based independent concert promotion company, and co-owner of the 9:30 Club, Hurwitz has spent decades navigating the volatile Read more

  • What Dame Alison Rose Learned in 30 Years at NatWest

    Eric Kahn

    When Dame Alison Rose reflects on her three decades at NatWest Group, she does not describe a career built only on balance sheets or boardroom decisions. Instead, she speaks of lessons shaped by change, crisis, and the steady pursuit of progress. Rising through the ranks of one of Britain’s largest banks and ultimately serving as Read more

  • Hassan Taher Explains How UNESCO’s Bangkok AI Ethics Forum Sets New Standards for Responsible Implementation

    Eric Kahn

    The upcoming UNESCO Global Forum on AI Ethics in Bangkok (June 24-27, 2025) represents a crucial inflection point for establishing international standards for the responsible development of AI, according to AI ethics consultant Hassan Taher. “The Bangkok forum isn’t just another conference—it’s where global AI ethics moves from aspirational principles to actionable implementation frameworks,” said Read more