In this episode of Clover, I sit down with my friend Kara Mandeville — a powerhouse leader at Microsoft whose career journey is equal parts inspiring, relatable, and incredibly timely. From growing up as a military brat and dreaming of working with horses to leading high-performing teams in the fast-moving world of enterprise tech and AI, Kara’s story is proof that careers don’t have to follow a perfectly linear path to become extraordinary.

What I loved most about this conversation is how honest and grounded Kara is about leadership, ambition, burnout, and navigating change. We talk about the pressure of leading through massive industry shifts like AI, how to stay steady when everything feels uncertain, and why some of the best leaders are the ones willing to slow down, listen, and experiment instead of pretending they have all the answers.

This episode feels less like a corporate conversation about AI and more like a real discussion about the future of work, humanity, creativity, and how we can build careers that actually support the lives we want to live.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it’s really like growing your career inside a massive enterprise organization
• How great leaders create calm, clarity, and trust during periods of change
• Why AI may completely reshape the way we work, collaborate, and lead
• The importance of experimentation, curiosity, and staying adaptable in uncertain times
• Redefining success beyond burnout, hustle culture, and constant achievement

This conversation is thoughtful, practical, inspiring, and full of perspective for anyone navigating leadership, career growth, or the rapidly evolving world of AI. I know you’re going to love Kara as much as I do.

Connect with Kara on LinkedIn