In this episode of Masters of Resilience, hosts Mark Phillips and Ryan Seager sit down with Ale Breuer, a founder, investor, and professor, to explore the critical role of resilience in entrepreneurship. Ale shares her personal journey—from launching Ezza Nails to navigating challenges as an investor—highlighting the power of persistence, embracing failure, and developing emotional intelligence in leadership.

The conversation dives into key themes like the difference between persistence and resilience, the concept of a resume of failure, and the emotional aspects of failure and shame. Ale also discusses how her experiences continue to shape her work in MBA education and venture capital, emphasizing the importance of founder diligence, self-awareness, and servant leadership.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or leader, this episode offers invaluable insights into mastering the inner game of resilience in business.

00:00 Introduction to Resilience and Adversity

02:22 Ale’s Journey: From Founder to Investor

05:01 The Role of Failure in Success

10:07 Navigating the Pandemic: Challenges and Decisions

20:12 Lessons in Leadership and Servant Leadership

26:07 The Legacy of Ezza: Teaching Resilience to Future Entrepreneurs

28:24 The Theater of Resilience

29:04 Building Resilience in MBA Students

30:57 The Resume of Failure

32:45 Disassociating Shame from Failure

33:36 Persistence vs. Resilience

37:22 The Future of Entrepreneurship

41:21 Founder Diligence in Venture Capital

50:52 Mastering the Inner Game of Entrepreneurship