Growing Pains

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May 2026

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Growing Pains with Ewa Hutmacher is an interview‑driven long-format podcast about strategy, organizational culture and leadership behavior in organizations finding their next direction. Ewa meets innovators, investors, thinkers and doers who challenge the status quo — navigating transitions and the moments where direction matters most. We explore what happens beneath the surface of leadership: the choices, the real problems, and the candid conversations that influence how organizations move forward. If you’re leading through growth, realignment or an organizational shift — subscribe to Growing Pains. ewahutmacher.substack.com

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49 recent

May 31, 2026Episode 4858 min

48 Joey Hayes: The real work starts after the capital round

Raising capital is often seen as a milestone. In reality, it marks the beginning of a more complex phase of leadership.In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher speaks with Joey Hayes — founder of thru. and angel investor in more than 65 startups — about what happens after the round closes.Together, they explore a pattern seen across many companies: founders turn inward, communication slows, and the network behind the capital remains largely underutilized.Rather than focusing on funding itself, this conversation looks at what leadership requires once it is in place — and why access to support does not automatically translate into action.If the people around you are willing to help — what is preventing you from engaging them?About the guestJoey Hayes is the founder of thru. and an angel investor in 65+ startups. After experiencing the impact of founder isolation firsthand, he now focuses on helping founders activate the network behind their capital.LinkedIn: Joey Hayes and thru.To learn more about Joey and thru., please visit: www.comethru.co This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

May 18, 2026Episode 471 hr 1 min

47 Annmarie Higgins: When There’s Finally No One Left to Impress

When there’s finally no one left to impress, leadership changes.Executive coach Annmarie Higgins and host Ewa Hutmacher explore what happens beneath senior leadership roles — where responsibility is high, expectations are constant, and honest reflection becomes rare.A grounded conversation about:* Loneliness at the top* Values under pressure* Why mindset shifts before behavior* The transformation power of coaching CEOs and C‑suite leadersNo performance hacks. No leadership theatre.Just a real conversation about leadership when the mask no longer helps.A question to sit with: What are you no longer willing to ignore — even if it comes at a cost?Learn more about Annmarie Higgins at LinkedIn or hopstoneltd.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

May 4, 2026Episode 4652 min

46 Gustavo Razzetti: False harmony - why executive teams get stuck

Most leadership teams don’t lack intelligence or good intentions. What they lack is the courage — and the structure — to name what everyone already sees.In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher is joined by Gustavo Razzetti — culture strategist, bestselling author, and CEO of Fearless Culture, for a candid conversation about false harmony: the quiet agreement that makes teams feel aligned while real issues remain untouched.We explore why leaders confuse politeness with alignment, how silence at the top is often misread as consent, and why teams don’t get stuck because they disagree — but because they stop believing that speaking up will change anything.Drawing on decades of work with executive teams across the world, Gustavo Razzetti shares why avoided conversations create hidden costs, how groupthink disguises itself as consensus, and what it actually takes to move from nice conversations to decisions that stick.A question to sit with: What does your team call “alignment”? What are you actually avoiding? Gustavo Razzetti is the bestselling author of Remote, Not Distant, Stretch for Change, and his forthcoming book, Forward Talk. He’s facilitated more than 1,500 workshops with leadership teams at Mars, Microsoft, Merck, the Inter-American Development Bank, and hundreds of organizations across the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

April 19, 2026Episode 4537 min

45 Pasquale Mazzuca: When leaders have no place to hide

What happens when leaders no longer have clear answers — but still carry full responsibility?In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher is joined by Pasquale Mazzuca, executive coach and trusted adviser to CEOs and senior leaders for more than three decades.This is a candid conversation about integrity in the boardroom, the discomfort of not knowing, and being true to yourself. Drawing on lived experience across cultures and leadership contexts, Pasquale reflects on what ambiguity reveals — not just about decisions, but about who leaders choose to be.A grounded, human dialogue for CEOs, board members and executive teams navigating uncertainty, pressure and the space between knowing and acting.A question to sit with: When was the last time you had to make a decision without clarity — and what guided you in that moment? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

April 5, 2026Episode 4442 min

44 Anders Brolin Jaconelli: Den dolda fällan i komplexa beslut

När bias driver besluten ur kurs räcker inte mer data — det krävs modiga ledare som vågar korrigera riktningen.I det här avsnittet möter vi Anders Brolin Jaconelli och utforskar varför perspektiv ibland bromsar mer än de hjälper. Hur överanalys skapar stagnation och varför mod, inte perfektion är den verkliga vägen till riktning.Vi pratar om bias i beslutsprocesser, kvalitetsfällor i offentlig sektor och varför små fel tidigt skapar bättre resultat än stora fel sent.Det här avsnittet är för dig som vill se klarare, tänka skarpare och leda med större mod.Anders Brolin Jaconelli är enhetschef inom förebyggande vård och omsorg med bakgrund som ambulanssjuksköterska, chef, inspektör på IVO och politisk rådgivare. Han kombinerar systemperspektiv med operativ erfarenhet och ett skarpt analytiskt ledarskap.👉 Vilken typ av bias stöter du oftast på i ledningsgruppen? Hur påverkar den er riktning? Kontakta Ewa Hutmacher om du vill diskutera detta medr. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

March 22, 20260 min

Which leaders should join us on Growing Pains?

Edtech Tuesdays is now Growing Pains. Growing Pains goes beneath the surface of leadership — exploring behaviors, organizational culture, and the choices that shape how organizations move through growth and transition.As we’re recording the next episodes, we’d love your input:Who brings the kind of candor, clarity, or challenge that sparks real conversations about leadership and strategy?Drop your suggestions by sending a DM to Ewa Hutmacher. Your perspective might inspire a future guest.Visit us at growingpains.se This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

February 2, 2026Episode 431 hr 7 min

43 Peter Almberg: Värdet i det du inte ser

Vi går rakt in i det som styr resultatet: att de viktigaste rösterna ofta är tystast, att ansvar aldrig kan lämnas till teknologin, och att värde uppstår först när man vågar prata om verkliga problem.Ewa Hutmacher möter Peter Almberg, grundare och styrelseordförande i Katalysen i ett samtal om frågor som ofta avgör om organisationer lyckas: ansvar, relationer och hur problem definieras.Vi diskuterar varför ansvar blir avgörande i takt med att AI tar över det operativa, hur gruppers förmåga att lyfta fram olika perspektiv påverkar beslutskvalitet, och varför problemdefinition är central för både entreprenörer och investerare.Samtalet berör också värdelogik: varför det enkla tappar pris, varför det unika skapar värde, och hur snabbt människor kan förändra arbetssätt när osäkerhet gör det nödvändigt.👉 Vilket värde tror du att din organisation skulle frigöra om de verkliga problemen kom upp på bordet? Dela och prenumerera gärna på Edtech Tuesdays om du gillar avsnittet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

January 20, 2026Episode 421 hr 11 min

42 Magnus Burström: Kraften i positiva avvikelser

Vi samtalar i årets första avsnitt med Magnus Burström, enhetschef för Smittskydd och Vårdhygien i Region Östergötland och skapare av podden Vårdsnack med kloka och inspirerande samtal.Vi utforskar kraften i positiva avvikelser - hur små framgångar och modet att se det som fungerar kan driva kultur, lärande och utveckling framåt. Magnus berättar också hur han använder AI som bollplank i sin reflekterande och systematiska process och hur det har påverkat hans lärande, reflektion och ledarskap.Fundera gärna under lyssningen:👉 Vilket litet ögonblick i ditt eget arbete har haft oväntat stor effekt på kultur eller utveckling?Dela gärna detta med andra! Prenumerera gärna på Edtech Tuesdays om du gillar avsnittet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

December 9, 2025Episode 4153 min

41 Chris Fenning: Two meeting-free days = 71% more productivity

Ever wondered why your calendar is packed with meetings? It’s not just a scheduling issue, it’s a culture problem. In this episode of Edtech Tuesdays, Ewa Hutmacher talk with Chris Fenning about the hidden cost of bad meetings, why TPO (Topic, Purpose, Output) is a game changer, and how two meeting-free days can boost productivity by 71%. Tune in now and give your meetings a makeover.What you’ll learn in this episode:✔ Why meetings are a mirror of your organizational culture✔ The 3-word framework that changes everything: TPO (Topic, Purpose, Output)✔ How two meeting-free days can boost productivity by 71% and improve collaboration by 43%Meetings aren’t just meetings. They impact trust, engagement, and results. If you lead teams or spend hours in meetings, this conversation will change how you think about your calendar.What’s your bold move to fix meeting culture in 2026? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

November 11, 2025Episode 4051 min

40 Patrik Nordin: Från fruktkorg till flexibilitet och vad medarbetare faktiskt vill ha

Vi möter Patrik Nordin som är forskare, rådgivare och förändringsledare. Vi pratar om arbetsplatsens framtid, vad som hindrar oss från att förändra, hur gamla strukturer lever kvar, och vad som faktiskt fungerar.Några insikter från samtalet:Flexibilitet är inte en lyx, det är en nödvändighetAI kan förstärka gamla mönster om vi inte använder det kloktLedarskap behöver uppgraderas från administration till riktningKultur är nyckeln till förändringsförmågaMät rätt saker och gör det oftaLadda ner rapporten Sweden Culture Pulse och förstå vad de organisationer gör som formar framtidens svenska arbetsplatser.Vad behöver du släppa taget om för att skapa en bättre arbetsplats? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com

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