Builder’s Mindset with Gregg Johnson

In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay sits down with Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca, to talk about the art of building - whether that’s products, companies, or culture - and why leadership today is as much about questioning as it is about giving answers.

Episode 50 of the North Star Leaders podcast, hosted by Lindsay Pedersen, titled "Builder’s Mindset with Gregg Johnson" was published on November 18, 2025 and runs 33 minutes.

November 18, 2025 ·33m · North Star Leaders

Summary

What does it really take to keep growing as a leader when the playbook keeps changing? How do you hold onto curiosity and authenticity while also steering a company through massive shifts like AI? In this episode of North Star Leaders, Lindsay sits down with Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca, to talk about the art of building - whether that’s products, companies, or culture - and why leadership today is as much about questioning as it is about giving answers. Gregg opens up about what he’s learned from his winding path into tech, how he thinks about rewiring a mature business, and the small but powerful habits that fuel both his work and his life. You’ll hear them discuss: Why Gregg still sees himself as a builder first, and how that shapes the way he spends his time with both technology and customers How his natural tendency to lead through asking questions has helped him as a CEO, and why he’s also had to learn when to simply connect the dots and be direct The tricky but necessary work of “rewiring” an established company to adapt to new technologies like AI, and why he looks for first-principles thinkers rather than playbook followers The cultural lessons he brought with him from Salesforce, and how practices like transparent communication and weekly notes have shaped Invoca’s way of working Why authenticity and empathy are non-negotiables for him, from addressing elephants in the room at work to showing up in small, everyday ways at home Resources: Gregg Johnson on Invoca | LinkedIn Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

Episode Description