Inside Scoop on Leadership Culture & Career Development with Carolyn Sarnoff (ex-Amazon, Pattern)

Carolyn Sarnoff spent 13 years at Amazon before stepping into the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Pattern where she helped shape the company’s marketing and brand strategy leading up to their IPO in late 2025. In this episode of Coffee, Commerce & Cabernet, Carolyn shares the lessons that shaped her perspective on career growth, culture, and how strong teams are built.The conversation explores Amazon’s unique approach to developing people, moving high performers across different parts of the business, encouraging autonomy, and creating an environment where learning from mistakes is part of the system. Instead of avoiding failure, teams are expected to move quickly, learn what went wrong, and improve processes so the same mistake doesn’t happen twice. From navigating career transitions to building supportive communities in business, this episode is an honest conversation about growth, collaboration, and the importance of intentionally designing your career rather than simply reacting to opportunities as they appear.Connect with us:Carolyn Sarnoff (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-sarnoffDestaney Wishon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishonGabi Viljoen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabiviljoen