You can’t lead a team if people are afraid to tell you that you’re wrong.

For Cincinnati Children’s President/CEO Steve Davis, the lessons of high-stakes medicine — making life-or-death decisions with incomplete information, building teams that speak up and owning mistakes — became the foundation for leading Cincinnati Children’s.

He shares how bringing people together to solve complex problems helped drive meaningful organizational change, including $20 million in savings through collaborative purchasing.

Steve also explains why the strongest leaders create cultures where people at every level feel empowered to challenge assumptions, contribute their expertise and innovate together.

That philosophy extends to AI, which he sees not a means to replace people, but as an opportunity to make health care more human.

Key Quotes

* “I’m a person who never waits to be told to go fix things.”

* “Hierarchy make it hard for people to speak up.”

* “If you’re leading a team, it really shouldn’t be completely obvious that you’re in charge all the time. Otherwise, you’re controlling too much and you’re limiting the potential of the rest of your team.”

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

After moving from a small town in India to Cincinnati to pursue graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, Padma Chebrolu built a remarkable career spanning technology, finance, operations and leadership during three decades at Procter & Gamble.

Along the way, she developed a knack for connecting dots across functions and adapting quickly to new environments. But her professional career has always been just one part of a much bigger picture.

Outside the corporate world, Chebrolu has pursued her passions for dance, music, theater, filmmaking and community service — including founding the Cultural Centre of India and producing, directing and acting in the award-winning film Passage of the River.

She sees no sharp divide between these pursuits: the discipline and presence required to perform, the storytelling needed to engage an audience, and the systems thinking needed to lead a business all reinforce one another.

For Chebrolu, leadership is ultimately about bringing out the best in others. Whether leading teams at P&G or building a volunteer-driven arts organization, she emphasizes creating the conditions for people to contribute and grow, giving credit generously and helping others discover their own potential.

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company, reflects on the unexpected path that took him from aspiring investigative journalist to leading a national media company.

Symson shares how curiosity, risk-taking and a willingness to learn along the way shaped his career — and why the skills that make a great journalist can also make a great business leader.

Symson also explores the tension at the heart of leadership: having the conviction to move an organization forward while maintaining the humility to recognize that you may not have all the answers. Drawing on nearly a decade as CEO, he discusses learning from mistakes, navigating uncertainty and leading alongside people who bring expertise beyond his own.

The conversation offers a candid look at what it really means to lead in a rapidly changing world — and why the best leaders never stop learning.

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

Every big idea starts with a leap, but no one brings it to life alone. FC Cincinnati President and Co-CEO Jeff Berding shares the leadership lessons behind building a Major League Soccer franchise from the ground up.

A first-generation college graduate and fifth-generation Cincinnatian, Berding discusses the mentors who shaped him, the importance of embracing discomfort and why earning trust is essential when leading change.

From attracting investors to partnering with West End residents, Berding offers practical insights on building buy-in, bringing people together and creating something bigger than yourself.

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

Why might the skills of a great salesperson have little to do with being persuasive?

In this episode of Bearcats Mean Business, Ann Sojka, assistant professor of marketing and academic director of the Grau Center for Professional Selling, challenges common stereotypes of sales and explains why “sellers aren’t born, they’re made.”

She shares how her own sales career taught her that no experience is wasted, why great selling starts with listening and asking the right questions, and how treating customers the way they want to be treated can turn a transaction into a lasting relationship.

Sojka also takes listeners inside Lindner’s hands-on approach to sales education—from sales labs and real-world role plays to resilience training and national competitions—and explains why sales skills are life skills.

She discusses helping students overcome their fear of selling, why sales is ultimately a problem-solving and helping profession, and how AI is changing the work while making human skills like empathy, adaptability and relationship-building even more valuable.

***

Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

What does it take for a first-generation college student with a geology degree to become CEO of a major telecommunications company?

In this episode of Bearcats Mean Business, Lindner MBA alumnus and altafiber President and CEO Leigh Fox reflects on an unconventional career defined by hard work, curiosity and a willingness to embrace uncertainty.

From working 40 hours a week while putting himself through college to pivoting from geology into business, Fox shares how saying "yes" to difficult opportunities — and figuring them out along the way — shaped his leadership and career journey.

In this conversation with Lindner dean Marianne Lewis, Fox also offers an honest look at what leadership requires once you reach the corner office. He explains why the CEO title can be dangerous if you let it feed your ego, how intentionally staying humble has made him a better leader, and why learning, failure and continuous growth never stop.

The UC Foundation Board of Trustees Chair also discusses the importance of civic leadership and giving back, describing how scholarships, philanthropy and community engagement became central to his purpose after Lindner changed the trajectory of his own life.

***

Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

Every meaningful change starts with someone willing to bring people together.

In this episode of Bearcats Mean Business, Cincinnati Regional Chamber President and CEO Brendon Cull reflects on a career that has spanned government, corporate affairs, public policy and regional leadership.

From advising elected officials and Fortune 500 executives to helping lead transformational initiatives across Greater Cincinnati, Brendon shares how trust, curiosity and a commitment to serving something larger than yourself have shaped his approach to leadership.

Along the way, Brendon offers practical leadership lessons for students and emerging professionals on navigating career pivots, building coalitions and inspiring others around a common purpose.

At one point, he compares leadership to an initial public offering: if you want people to believe in your vision, you have to "sell shares" by giving them ownership of it. Whether you're leading a company, a team or a community initiative, Brendon argues that lasting momentum comes when people don't simply support your mission—they feel it's theirs, too.

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.

Some students join campus organizations. Others build them.

In this episode of Bearcats Mean Business, Lindner student Hamsa Tadpatri shares how a desire to create community led her to found two student organizations: UC Future Business Leaders of America and Hindu Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action.

Hamsa also discusses how majoring in business analytics, finance and operations management complements her co-op experiences and long-term career goals.

She offers thoughtful advice on time management, leadership and embracing opportunities you never planned for — showing how the combination of academics, involvement and real-world experience can prepare students to make an impact long before graduation.

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Welcome to Bearcats Mean Business, the official podcast of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, where inspiring career stories, honest lessons and fresh business perspectives from the people building impact in the real world come together.