Podcast Summary
What if empathy could be the cornerstone of great leadership? Join us on a transformative journey with Susan Odle, the visionary CEO of StorMagic, as she unravels the secrets behind her remarkable 30-year career in the tech industry. From her beginnings in sales to ascending to the role of CEO, Susan shares how listening and building trust have been pivotal in her leadership. As a woman and visible minority, she offers unique insights into balancing gut instincts with evidence-based decision-making to navigate the swiftly changing tech landscape.
Discover StorMagic’s strategic vision for growth in the edge virtualization market, where simplicity and trust are the keys to capturing new opportunities. Susan emphasizes the importance of maintaining customer trust amidst the challenges posed by competitors like Broadcom. She sheds light on the rewarding aspects of leadership, from fostering a motivated workforce to practicing radical candor in delivering feedback. Tune in to uncover how transparency and kindness can lead to lasting success and positive transformation in the world of technology.
Episode Highlights
- Empathy and Leadership in Tech: Explore Susan Odle’s inspiring journey as she shares how empathy and trust have been integral to her leadership style. Her experiences as a woman and visible minority in the tech industry highlight the importance of diverse perspectives in fostering innovation and success.
- Balancing Instincts with Data-Driven Decisions: Susan emphasizes the necessity of combining gut instincts with evidence-based decision-making in the fast-paced world of technology. This approach is vital for navigating the rapid advancements in AI and processing speeds, ensuring strategic and informed leadership.
- StorMagic’s Vision for the Future: Discover StorMagic’s commitment to simplicity and customer trust as it positions itself within the growing edge virtualization market. Susan discusses the company’s potential to capture emerging opportunities by maintaining a strong legacy in hyper-converged storage solutions.
- Building a Culture of Radical Candor: The episode delves into the concept of radical candor, where honesty paired with kindness can drive positive change. Susan highlights the significance of creating a motivated workforce and establishing a culture that values both performance and empathy.
- Personal and Professional Growth: Gain insights into Susan’s methods for recharging and maintaining clarity in decision-making. Her practices, such as meditation and engaging with nature, underscore the importance of balancing professional demands with personal well-being.
- Inspiring a Legacy of Kindness: Susan shares her vision of leaving a legacy where kindness and high performance coexist. Her leadership philosophy challenges the traditional notion of leadership, advocating for transformative, empathetic approaches in building successful companies.
Connect with Paul here:
Website: https://innovativewealth.com/
Instagram: https://businesslegacypodcast.com/
Connect with Susan here:
Website: https://stormagic.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-odle/?originalSubdomain=ca
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About Susan:
Susan Odle was appointed as CEO and member of the board of directors in 2025, to accelerate StorMagic’s innovation execution and to drive significant growth. She previously served as StorMagic’s chief growth officer, leading all-company initiatives resulting in 600% growth in qualified pipeline, increasing the average sale value, securing a strategic OEM agreement and expanding StorMagic’s market through net new customer acquisition and engagement. With over 25 years of experience in frontline and executive leadership, Susan has a distinguished and diverse technologies background across sales, channels, technical professional services and operations. She is the author of the business strategy book, “Successful Change”. Before joining StorMagic, she served as founder and CEO of 8020CS, COO of BDO Lixar and VP of operations at GFI Software and Youi.TV. Additionally, she was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in SaaS by The Software Report in 2020 and has successfully navigated multiple M&A events in good and challenging economic conditions.
