Roxanne Petraeus, co-founder and CEO of Ethena, joins Sarah to explore entrepreneurship, leadership and the challenge of building meaningful culture in complex, fast-moving environments.

Drawing on her experience in the military, consulting and early-stage startups, Roxanne shares how a non-linear path led her to build Athena, a company focused on transforming compliance training from a tick-box exercise into something genuinely engaging and impactful.

In this thoughtful and practical conversation, Roxanne reflects on:

* Why most workplace training fails and how to make it truly effective

* The reality of building a business while raising a family and operating in constant uncertainty

* How to find and work with “innovator” customers who share your vision early on

* The balance between creativity and technology in building scalable solutions

* Why culture is not static and must be actively maintained through continuous feedback

* The importance of authenticity in leadership and why trying to fit a mould rarely works

Roxanne also shares candid insights into the challenges of scaling a technology platform, navigating legacy systems, and building a company that reflects the values it teaches. Her perspective on feedback, both giving and receiving it, offers a powerful reminder that strong cultures are built through openness, honesty and daily effort.

Looking ahead, she explores how AI will reshape learning and development, moving from one-size-fits-all training to truly personalised experiences tailored to individual roles, risks and behaviours.

This episode is honest, practical and deeply human. It is essential listening for leaders building teams, shaping culture and navigating the realities of modern work.

Website - https://www.goethena.com

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