Leading With: Curiosity and Strategic Transformation — with Sarika Lamont

In this episode of Becoming Better with StartupExperts, Jesse sits down with Sarika Lamont, Chief People Officer at ARD and one of our 25 Leaders to Follow in 2025. Sarika shares her unique, nontraditional path into HR—beginning in sales and marketing at Philip Morris, moving into management consulting, and eventually stepping into senior HR leadership through a deep understanding of business systems, people strategy, and organizational scale. Together, Jesse and Sarika unpack lessons from building fast-growing organizations, bridging the gap between business and people teams, and gaining credibility as a talent leader without a traditional HR background. She reflects on leading through transformational moments, including today’s rapid AI shift, and how pausing before reacting has reshaped her leadership style. Sarika also offers candid advice on navigating careers with a “lattice mindset,” the importance of leaning into your strengths, and how choosing fulfillment and impact—rather than titles—ultimately leads to better growth and better leadership. A thoughtful, energizing conversation with one of the most grounded and strategic CPOs in our community.