Hey Sue is where leaders get real. Candid, unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, sales, and the messy truth of life. Each episode, host Sue Heilbronner talks with founders, executives, and change-makers about the challenges they’re facing right now. Sue is a top conscious leadership executive coach who has worked with hundreds of leaders and teams. She draws on 15+ years as a tech executive, her early career as a U.S. Department of Justice attorney, and her experience as co-founder of the MergeLane VC fund. She’s also a Techstars mentor, TEDx speaker, and catalyst for authentic, transformative conversations. Whether you’re leading a team, building a company, or curious about the human side of leadership, Hey Sue offers a rare inside look at what it takes to grow—with candor, courage, a dash of irreverence, and plenty of heart.
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May 6, 2026Episode 6238 min
What Nobody Tells You About Following Your Heart: Heartful Wonders with Vlada Bortnik
My friend Vlada Bortnik — CEO of Marco Polo and host of the Heartful Wonders podcast — recently had me on her show, and she asked me a question I wasn't fully prepared for: What if the emotion you think is your heart is actually fear?It's a good one. Decisions rooted in shame or self-doubt can feel exactly like intuition. The difference, I've come to believe, is direction: whether you're moving toward something or away from discomfort.In this conversation, I get honest about what it actually looks like to follow your heart, including the parts that don't make the highlight reel. The self-doubt. The disappointment. The moments where you still don't believe you're enough, even after decades of building. We also get into Passionate Ambivalence: care deeply about what you're creating, run experiments, but don't tie your worth to whether they work out. Because disappointment is the most common thing that happens. And it doesn't mean you can't come out optimistic on the other side of crying your eyes out.This is a conversation about courage, honesty, and what it looks like to keep showing up after things don't go the way you hoped.Originally published on Vlada's podcast, Heartful Wonders.
October 8, 2025Episode 6148 min
Building Legacy: EJ Meade on Creating a Company that Fosters Genius
In this inspiring episode, Sue sits down with renowned architect EJ Meade of Arch11 to explore the journey of building a meaningful career, the power of authentic client relationships, and the courage it takes to be selective about your work. EJ shares stories from his 30+ years in architecture, the lessons learned from both awards and challenges, and his vision for the next chapter. Whether you’re a creative, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the intersection of art and business, this conversation is packed with wisdom and heart.We talk about:The accidental beginnings and evolution of Arc 11 Why genuine relationships are the foundation of great architecture Pricing, profitability, and the myth of the “lone genius” How awards and recognition shape (or not) a career EJ’s “big hairy audacious goals” for the future The art of challenging clients—and being challenged in return🏡 Explore the beauty and sense of place in Arch11’s architecture📓 See for yourself what the buzz is about. EJ and Arch11 were featured in the recent issue of Modern in Denver. 🎧 Listen now for a masterclass in authentic creativity and business!💡 Subscribe to HeySue for more conversations with inspiring creators. 🌟 Share this episode with a friend who loves design, entrepreneurship, or creative sales! 💬 Watch the full video on the HeySue YouTube channel.
September 24, 2025Episode 6032 min
Passion for People: Amit Shah’s Mission to Reverse Diabetes Through Personalized Nutrition
In this episode, Sue talks with Amit Shah, Chief Operating Officer of Virta Health, to explore how passionate leadership and evidence-based nutrition can transform metabolic health. Amit shares about Virta’s goal of reversing diabetes and obesity by centering its core values—putting people first and trusting evidence-based science—across every team at the company. The ways that this passion and commitment show up in how Shah and the company treat individuals exemplifies what Sue calls “walking around town marketing,” a key piece of Passionate Ambivalence. This one-on-one shares how Virta is revolutionizing diabetes and obesity treatment by putting people first and challenging traditional medical approaches.We talk about:How food can be medicine and reverse chronic health conditionsBuilding followership through authentic passion and personal commitmentThe power of personalized nutrition in transforming a person’s health journeyScaling a mission-driven healthcare solution that genuinely changes livesWhether you're an entrepreneur, healthcare professional, or someone interested in innovative approaches to wellness, Amit's insights will reshape your understanding of what it means to be a mission-driven business.✨ Listen now to hear a groundbreaking approach to the business of healthcare and healing.💡 Explore Virta Health at virtahealth.com.If you loved this conversation, leave a review and buy my new book Never Ask for the Sale: Supercharge Your Business with the Power of Passionate Ambivalence at heysue.com/book.
September 4, 2025Episode 5942 min
A Book Dedicatee and an Author Walk into a Podcast and Talk About WHY
Sue Heilbronner calls Leah Pearlman her “best friend.” Leah calls Sue “one of her best friends.” For some time, that bummed Sue out, but she got over it. For the last 15 years, all of Sue’s best decisions have been influenced by Leah’s wisdom, and the book dedication in Sue’s new book reflects that gratitude.In this episode of the HeySue podcast, Sue and Leah peel back the layers of Sue's mindset around the launch of her upcoming book, exploring the raw journey of writing Never Ask for the Sale: Supercharge Your Business with the Power of Passionate Ambivalence. From the vulnerable moments of putting her heart on the page to her conviction around the nuanced art of selling without selling, Sue reveals the deeply personal stories that shape her approach to business, coaching, and life.Join us as we explore:The unexpected emotional landscape of writing a business bookHow passionate ambivalence transforms selling from a transaction to a connectionThe power of aligning your work with your greatest giftsWhy vulnerability is the secret sauce of authentic business growth✨ Listen now to reimagine what selling can truly mean for you.🦋 Learn more about Leah's work at welcomingway.com📖 Order Never Ask for the Sale at https://heysue.com/book ❤️ If this conversation sparked something in you, leave a review and share it with someone who is looking for some inspiration.
August 19, 2025Episode 5834 min
Fueling Growth by Staying True to Your ICP: Ian MacGregor on Building a Brand for Athletes
In this episode, Sue dives deep with Ian MacGregor, co-founder and CEO of Skratch Labs, to explore a radical approach to building a business that refuses to compromise its values for market share. From pro cycling to creating a revolutionary sports nutrition brand, Ian shares how staying committed to the company’s core customer can be the most powerful growth strategy.We explore:The radical decision to prioritize customer experience over rapid expansionHow a warehouse in Boulder became a testament to company cultureThe art of selling without selling - creating connections that matter more than transactionsWhy saying "no" to certain opportunities can be a brand's greatest strengthA refreshingly honest look at building a business that serves its community first, profits second📖 During the chat, Sue referenced the book, How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth, which has taught her to be more curious about other people’s stories.✨ Listen now to fuel your vision of how to grow.💡 Discover Skratch Labs at https://www.skratchlabs.com/❤️ If your heart rate got revved up by this conversation, leave a review and preorder my new book Never Ask for the Sale at heysue.com/book.
July 17, 2025Episode 5741 min
The Heart-Connected Craft of Selling: Todd Reed's Artful Approach to Business
Join Sue Heilbronner as she sits down with master metalworker and jewelry designer Todd Reed to explore a revolutionary approach to selling that transcends transactions. Todd shares how he built a brand rooted in creativity, emotional connection, and authentic design. We talk about:Why emotional needs matter more than price points in creating meaningful customer relationshipsHow downsizing his company helped him reconnect with his core creative values and his personal joyThe power of designing artful objects that tell profound and often deeply personal stories His journey of building a heritage brand that can outlive himIf you yearn for a more soulful approach to business, consider this episode personally designed for you. Todd’s story will inspire you and meaningfully shift how you think about selling and your own version of “art.”✨ Listen now to hear a profoundly authentic approach to craftsmanship and commerce.💡 Explore Todd's extraordinary work at https://toddreed.com/If you loved this conversation, leave a review, share it, or write a review on Apple podcasts. If you want to hear more about Sue’s selling philosophy of passionate ambivalence, order her new book Never Ask For The Sale at https://heysue.com/book.
July 3, 2025Episode 5628 min
Passionate Ambivalence in Action: Ellen Kindelsperger on Building a Business Rooted in Care and Confidence
In this episode, Sue sits down with Ellen Kindelsperger – sports chiropractor, strength coach, and founder of ChiroLab in Boulder – to talk about selling with a focus on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and scale. Ellen shares how she’s built a thriving practice without pushing packages or locking people into long-term commitments. Instead, she leads with generosity, grounded confidence, and what I call passionate ambivalence (from my new book Never Ask for the Sale).We talk about:Why creating genuine community feeds her business and her soulHow letting go of bespoke training programs unlocked scale and more effective service at lower price pointsThe difference between transactional selling and building lifelong loyaltyHer challenge (and insight) in trying to expand her practice by hiring othersWhether you’re a solopreneur, a coach, or someone rethinking how to grow with integrity, Ellen’s story will shift your perspective on business building.✨ Listen now to hear a radically authentic approach to selling, service, and living your values.💡 Learn more about Ellen at chirolab.com.If you loved this conversation, leave a review and order my new book Never Ask For The Sale at heysue.com/book.
June 17, 2025Episode 5533 min
Hands-on Selling with Kevin Brown of Friction Labs
Welcome to the first episode of a special new focus for the HeySue Podcast: the Never Ask for the Sale Series. These new episodes are inspired by the September 2025 launch of Sue Heilbronner’s newest book, Never Ask for the Sale: Supercharge Your Business with the Power of Passionate Ambivalence. Never Ask is based on the philosophy or sales technique Sue calls “passionate ambivalence,” the freedom to be as passionate as you are about a possible sale and equally unattached to whether you close any specific business. Sue argues in Never Ask that executing on this mindset will propel the success of solopreneurs, startup founders, service providers, company account executives, and anyone who is selling or influencing in a context that depends primarily on themself.The "Never Ask" series will focus on sellers, founders and CEOs Sue believes exhibit features of passionate ambivalence in their approach to selling and growing their companies. Kevin Brown left corporate America and cofounded (with Keah Kalantari) a sports chalk company called Friction Labs a decade ago. There is a lot of talk these days about category creation. Friction Labs didn’t create the category of chalk for, say, rock climbing, but it did create the notion that professional and amateur climbers alike could have better climbing chalk. Friction Labs took a generic category and made it differentiated through pure innovation in both the product, branding, and positioning.In the pod, Kevin talks about how he started this journey, by offering a risk-free way for influential climbers to literally get their hands on Friction Labs chalk. It worked. Climbers loved the product, and sponsored athletes quickly led to a major full-chain rollout of the product line at REI followed by a number of global retailers. A key to the company’s growth is Kevin’s full alignment between this product category and his love of climbing (Kevin is a serious climber and bouldering club owner). He is as passionate an entrepreneur as I’ve ever met. His ambivalence shows up in the money-back guarantee he has used since Day 1. He has told climbers, gymnasts, golfers, tennis players, and major retailers that if they don’t like the product, or if the product doesn’t sell, he will offer a full no-questions-asked refund. He’s had to do this almost not at all.If you love sports. If you love sweating outside. If you love from-the-heart selling, you’ll love this episode, here and on YouTube.You can order Never Ask for the Sale at www.heysue.com/book.Get chalked for your next sweaty adventure at www.frictionlabs.com.You can see this and future episodes of the HeySue podcast on YouTube at www.youtube.com/sueheilbronner.
January 20, 2025Episode 5431 min
No One Cares What I Think. Live Coaching with Sarah Climenhaga
Sarah Climenhaga is a writer and facilitator of Byron Katy’s The Work. She is also a self-professed attention hog who loves to talk! But in this live coaching session with Sue and Leah, she brings her secret worry: “Does anyone actually care about what I have to say?”In this episode of the HeySue podcast, Leah and Sue inquire about the two competing voices in Sarah’s mind, the one who loves to talk and the one who thinks Sarah takes up too much space. This internal contradiction is likely familiar to anyone who is a creator – it certainly resonates for Leah and Sue. What competing messages do you experience?You can learn more about Sarah’s work at https://sarahclimenhaga.ca.And those nifty boots Leah mentioned at the top of the episode? Those are available here.
September 24, 2024Episode 5332 min
Judging My Judgmental Self: Live Coaching with Fernanda Bertrand
Fernanda Bertrand is a business coach and the host of her own podcast. She came to the session with Sue and Leah wanting to better understand the “darker side” of her – a judgmental voice – that keeps intruding on her thoughts. She admits that she has been judging herself and others her whole life... and she judges herself for that! In this live coaching episode of the HeySue podcast, Sue and Leah lead Fernanda to consider what those judgmental thoughts mean, for her sense of self-worth, as a type of gift, and as an internal radio station of judginess. As you listen, hear the openness in Fernanda and hear how your own internal patterns are echoed. We invite you to tune in. You can learn more about personas in Sue’s new co-authored book, Leader Coach: Scaling Conscious Leadership at Work. If you want to go deeper on Leah’s suggestion that your thoughts are not your fault, she recorded a teaching inspired by the session with Sue and Fernanda. You can hear more from Fernanda on her podcast, The Higher Self Project.
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