Unraveling Uncertainty: Tesla's Former Interim CEO on the Real Job of Modern Leaders

Guest: Michael Marks, Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital & Former Tesla Interim CEO Politics aside, tariffs simply can’t work without devastating business. That’s just one candid, no-nonsense point Michael Marks brings in his conversation with host Maureen Metcalf.   Marks is one of the most respected tech investors in Silicon Valley, with a four decade track record that includes high level leadership and management – including a stint as interim CEO at Tesla, and building Flex from an $8 million to $24 billion company as CEO. His unparalleled success and real-world experience offers rich leadership lessons to profit every growing leader…to profit you! Here's what Michael and Maureen cover: The costly impact of tariffs and impossibility of truly separating countries’ economies and supply chains; Why every good leader needs the three Cs: Curiosity, Conscience, and Courage; and How curiosity built his businesses, and continues to drive him. Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Mastercard’s Chief Innovation Officer on Fostering a Culture of Innovation with Ken Moore - Courageous Followership with Ira Chaleff & Neil Grunberg - Business Disruptions: Are You Disrupting or Being Disrupted? with Mark Kvamme - How Leaders Thrive through Rapid Change with Chris Nolan & Mike Schindler   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.   RESOURCES:   Learn more about Celesta Capital, Michael’s venture capital firm, at https://www.celesta.vc/. The TechSurge podcast is online at https://www.techsurgepodcast.com/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Michael Marks is a Founding Managing Partner of Celesta Capital and a host of the TechSurge Podcast. For 40 years, Michael has successfully led and transformed technology companies. Prior to Celesta, Michael was a founding partner of Riverwood Capital, a Menlo Park-based private equity firm, and served as Partner and Senior Advisor at KKR. He spent 13 years as CEO and then chairman of Flex, growing its revenues from $150M to nearly $30B in that time. Michael also served as an Interim CEO at Tesla. Michael served as an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Graduate Business School from 2008 - 2017, and is currently a Board Director for over 20 companies. Michael previously served as a Director for Schlumberger Limited, GoPro, and SanDisk, among others.