In this episode, Mack talks with Margaret Magnarelli, VP of Marketing and Communications at Baldor Specialty Foods, about how her roots in journalism shape the way she leads, makes decisions, and builds teams. Before leading marketing for one of the East Coast's largest specialty food distributors, Margaret spent years as an editor at Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Money Magazine, a background that taught her to ask better questions, understand audiences deeply, and communicate with empathy.

She and Mack dive into how those same skills translate into stronger leadership: knowing when to move fast or slow, balancing data with intuition, and helping her team make confident, customer-centric choices. It's a conversation about curiosity, clarity, and what it really takes to make thoughtful decisions in a fast-moving business.

In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack McKelvey talks with Greg Genung, founder and CEO of Snowfire AI, about how AI is reshaping the way executives make decisions.

After two decades in cybersecurity, Greg built Snowfire to solve one of leadership's biggest pain points: turning overwhelming business data into clear, actionable intelligence. He shares how the platform personalizes insights, accelerates due diligence, and (most importantly) gives leaders their time back.

They also explore what it means to make adaptive decisions in real time, how AI can transform boardroom dynamics, and why waiting on clean data is no longer an option.

Along the way, Snowfire may be doing something even bigger: unintentionally breaking down silos across teams by aligning everyone around the same intelligence. The result? A clearer path to accountability, faster action, and smarter outcomes.

What does real ownership look like in leadership? In this episode, Mack McKelvey sits down with Jon Reilly, co-founder and CEO of Akkio, to explore the kind of decision-making that builds momentum.

Jon breaks down his mental model for making decisions—from obvious 80/20 calls to murky 51/49s—and shares how speed, clarity, and accountability help his team move faster and smarter. He also discusses the importance of hiring people with a strong sense of ownership—those willing to make decisions, stand by them, and lean in to learn from their mistakes.

We talk about:

💡 Why decision paralysis is the enemy of progress

🎯 Why prioritization is as critical as the decisions themselves

💥 What it means to bet on yourself—and stake your reputation on it

🛠️ Why "we can do better" isn't just Jon's mantra, it's his leadership operating system

Jon also shares why he doesn't read business books and the power of building a board that challenges you to think bigger. This episode is a must-listen for anyone building, leading, or learning how to make decisions that matter.

This week, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Sheila Marmon, founder and CEO of Mirror Digital, to explore the art of decision-making, overcoming obstacles, and embracing transparency. Sheila reflects on the valuable lessons from her first venture, highlighting the importance of alignment, shared vision, and the power of listening to diverse voices when making decisions.

At Mirror Digital, Sheila has built a tech-enabled media company that helps brands connect with diverse, trend-setting audiences. Her approach to decision-making is clear: "Decisions aren't always easy, but you have to move when something is pressing. And if you make a bad decision, you pivot. Understanding the cost of not making the decision allows me to move forward with making decisions and trying new things."

For Sheila, decision-making is a practice, not a process. Her "test and learn" mentality fosters a culture of experimentation, growth, and continuous learning. By standardizing smaller decisions, she frees up mental space for bigger challenges, creating a democratic culture at Mirror Digital that stays in tune with the cultural zeitgeist.

In a world that never stops changing, Sheila is always looking ahead, staying curious, and challenging herself and her team to never settle.

The Ripple Effect of Leadership Decisions with Jason Kaplan

Every decision a leader makes sends ripples through a business, a team, and even a career. In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey sits down with Jason Kaplan, CEO of SixMap, to explore the complexities of decision-making in leadership. From navigating tough calls—like leaving a company—to understanding when to go slow and when to move fast, Jason shares insights from his journey as a founder and executive.

In leadership, there are no easy answers—if it were easy, someone else would have already made the call.

In this episode, Dr. Alvin Glay, Chief Strategy Officer at Response Media, shares his approach to decision-making—blending data with contextual intelligence. Drawing from his experience as a Liberian refugee, Dr. Glay explains how navigating uncertainty and high-pressure situations sharpened his ability to make fast, high-stakes decisions. For Alvin, no decision is too small, every mistake is a data point for future decisions, and great leaders equip their teams with the tools to make confident decisions.

🎧 Tune in to learn:

🔹 Why data informs, but context drives decisions
🔹 The importance of teaching decision frameworks to avoid bottlenecks
🔹 The lessons behind a $250,000 mistake
🔹 Why moving fast doesn't mean skipping the learning process

Insightful, inspiring, and packed with academic insight and real-world wisdom.

In this episode of The Cred Podcast, Mack McKelvey sits down with Dr. Aaron Andalman, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Cognitiv, to break down the science behind decision-making.

With a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from M.I.T. and research experience as a Helen Hay Whitney Fellow at Stanford, where he developed advanced computational microscopy methods to study learning and memory, Aaron brings a unique perspective to the table.

He covers:

• Balancing the rigor of academia with the fast-paced nature of tech

• The science behind gut instincts

• Key traits of top decision-makers

• AI's role in making faster, smarter choices

• How free will (if it exists) factors into it all