Two years ago, it would’ve been hard to imagine a Disneyland devoid of happy families and beloved characters. But for months, the park was mostly empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the crowds are back – but the experience has been updated to account for the new normal. 

Clark Jones is Senior Vice President and CFO at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, is a 26-year veteran of the Walt Disney company's theme park business – and he’s been at the helm of efforts to ensure Disneyland’s success for generations to come, even amid a pandemic. 

EPISODE QUOTES:
On balancing change and tradition
[00:23:15] With the legacy that Disneyland has, especially with its avid fan base, anytime you make a change can be challenging … [but] once you make a change and put it into the environment and let the guests actually then interact with it and participate with it, in most cases, they realize, “You know, sometimes change is good, and sometimes, it's better.” You're never going to make everybody happy all the time, but, if we don't make some changes, we're just going to be the same Disneyland we were, you know, ten years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. And, I think, our guests expect more from us.  

On his advice to people new to the workforce 
[00:20:48] As somebody brand new to the workforce, you're bringing that to the table. You are bringing a brand-new perspective to organizations and to companies. And I don't think you should be afraid to say what you're thinking and say how you might change an organization. Because I think that is your expectation that the company should be listening. And I think we, as leaders, know that that's your expectation, and we need to create an environment in which you can do that. So don't be afraid to come in and provide perspective, add value, and question things. 

On the wisdom of ‘Encanto’
[00:13:29] One of my favorite quotes right now is coming from the film Encanto, which, hopefully, the listeners have had a chance to see. And it's such a great film, and there's a character in there who is the perfect daughter. She says, “It doesn't have to be perfect. Sometimes it just has to be.” And I think when you think about planning, it doesn't have to be spot on all the time. But you have to have [a plan], and you have to be thoughtful about it, and it needs to be there, so when the time does come, you're ready to act upon it.

S1E2: Clark Jones – Riding Through the Pandemic at Disneyland

Recent events have put more of a spotlight on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and its role in all organizations. What can research tell us about how these initiatives affect institutions, and what could change were they not in place? 

Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Mitchell an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado Boulder.  Her research seeks to understand how organizations can improve the effectiveness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices, and how time influences team hierarchy and team affective processes.

Becca breaks down key concepts in DEI, explaining visible “surface level” and invisible “deep level” diversity characteristics. She provides insights into each facet of DEI, including the historical and theoretical background, and how the elements work together. The conversation explores Becca’s research motivations, inspired by her personal experiences and desire to create better organizational environments. Maria and Becca talk about cross-training, mentoring, and social accountability, and Becca presents some of her research findings on affective diversity—the mix of emotional states in teams—and employee resource groups, emphasizing the need for strategic alignment and community building. 

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.


EPISODE QUOTES:
How diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect today

[04:53] Diversity is really beneficial, but we get the most out of diversity when we also have equity and inclusion. If we don't have those pieces in place, then we really can't realize the full value of the diverse perspectives that we have in the room.

Navigating the gap between DEI intentions and impact

[06:54] One trend that I've noticed recently is more research is happening on what we call performative diversity management. I'd like to think that a lot of it isn't that folks are not committed to DEI, but maybe just don't have the resources or the confidence to do it well. So, I think there's a lot of work on initiatives that maybe sound really good but, in practice, don't actually do a lot.

Why a diverse team needs both positive Paulas and negative Nancys

[24:17] What we found is that teams really benefit from having both—like what I call the positive Paulas and the negative Nancys on the team, right? We want both of them on our teams because the people with positive emotions, we found, really help us to seize opportunities. So, we're seeing those opportunities and going after them. We're taking those risks. And then, our negative Nancys are helping us be a little bit more cautious. They're helping us bring things back in and recognize where there might be some threats or pitfalls in our environment. And so, that combination really helps teams navigate complex tasks that require a bit of both, right? We want to be taking risks, but we also don't want to be too risky in our decision-making.


S4E5: Rebecca Mitchell - Aligning Intentions and Actions: Enhancing DEI in Organizations

What does it look like to move from a life of intense athletic competition into the realm of business? What aspects of being an athlete translated well into entrepreneurship, and what strong career motivation can be derived from understanding a simple bell curve? 

Ryan Heckman is a two-time Olympian, Leeds Business School Alumnus, and a longtime entrepreneur.   Ryan co-founded Rallyday Partners, an investment firm dedicated to providing holistic support to company founders and their employees, where he serves as CEO and managing partner.

In this episode, Ryan discusses his unique career path to the world of private equity. Ryan shares personal anecdotes about his college journey, career challenges, and his midlife crisis-turned-awakening that led to the founding of Rallyday. He emphasizes the importance of integrating left brain, right brain, heart, and soul in business, and how Rallyday Partners is shifting the paradigm within the private equity industry through its focus on humanizing the journey and fostering aggressive humility among its leaders. Check out this fascinating conversation.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.


EPISODE QUOTES:

The higher the goals the greater the humility
[12:11] The higher we set our goals, the more humility we generally have because the chances of you reaching those goals are very slim. And so, I think I've shown up, particularly the last 10 years, with a great deal more humility because of the audacity of the goals that I had established for myself seems so farfetched most of the time.


What differs Rallyday from traditional private equity firms? 
[14:48] “We lead people. We don't manage assets.” And what I mean by that is the objective is obviously professional. We want to create a lot of value, but the journey is very personal, you know. Whether it be for the CEOs that we partner with or their executive teams, the middle managers, the employees, they're showing up at our workplace. And we treat that like the privilege that it is. And our obligation is to not manage them. No one likes to feel managed. We want to earn their followership, and we want to be their leaders and take them personally to places they didn't think they could before meeting us and take their companies even further because they're growing so much as individuals. And so, when we talk about what we do for a living, it's all about humanizing that journey very personally.

What does it mean to be aggressively humble at the same time
[15:51] I think that everybody at Rallyday strives to be two things at the same time. We strive to be aggressively humble. And what that means, there's a lot of people that I know who are super aggressive and super not humble. I also know people that are really humble, but typically not very aggressive. And so, we look for this duality of character. And, you know, as it turns out, it works because there's nothing more special than someone that is both of these things at the same time.


S4E6: Ryan Heckman - From Olympic Slopes to Entrepreneurial Success

2025 has been designated the International Year of Quantum by UNESCO, marking 100 years since the creation of quantum mechanics. In that century, the ideas have moved from laboratories and lecture halls to everyday products and a wide general understanding of some principles. How can businesses position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities quantum will create going forward?

Scott Sternberg is the executive director of the University of Colorado Boulder CUbit Quantum Initiative. Scott has an extensive background in leadership and business development, and has a strong commitment to encouraging the long-term sustainable growth of the initiative and Colorado’s quantum economy as a whole.

In this episode, Scott explains the basic principles of quantum science and its evolution over the past century. He highlights how recent advancements have led to practical applications like quantum computers and sensing technologies that promise to revolutionize various industries. With a focus on Colorado's leading role in quantum research and economic development, Scott and Maria talk about the goals and strategies of the CUbit Quantum Initiative. He also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, student engagement, and community awareness to foster growth in the quantum economy.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.


EPISODE QUOTES:

Quantum, explained simply
[01:05] So the word quantum actually relates to the physics or the mathematics that occurs at the very, very small scale—that is to say, at the scale of atoms or even at some atomic levels. And when you start to observe what is happening in terms of the interaction between light and atoms, or atoms with other atoms, you start to see a very different behavior than what we experience in what we call the macroscopic world. So, as we throw a ball and it follows an arc and someone catches it on the other end, we're very in tune with exactly the physics that dominates that trajectory. But when you go into the atomic level and the subatomic level, things behave much, much differently. So, about a hundred years ago, this observation of this new world was starting to come into view, and there was a whole new mathematics around what we call quantum mechanics that was created.

Quantum’s around us 
[05:46] Quantum's around us; you may not realize it, but it's this recent awareness that the impacts to society from quantum computing have really brought this to the forefront for conversation.

Why Colorado needs to be at the center of this innovation hub
[09:18] We have been recognized by the Economic Development Administration through a technology and innovation hub grant that was submitted by an organization called Elevate Quantum as the tech hub for quantum science in the nation. And so, it's this long history that we have—investing in fundamental science, growing into engineering, growing into the interdisciplinary spaces in the other colleges and departments—that has spawned these companies to come out that have kind of taken traction here in the region. And that was, quite frankly, the core of our argument as to why Colorado needs to be at the center of this technology and innovation hub. 


S4E7: Scott Sternberg - The Quantum Wave: Technology, Growth, and Colorado's Role

AI is everywhere, sparking both excitement and anxiety, especially in education. But what if we shifted our perspective from fear to partnership?

Jeremiah Contreras is an assistant teaching professor and the Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar at the Leeds School of Business. Jeremiah is also at the forefront of incorporating the newest AI technologies into business school education across various disciplines. 

In this episode, Jeremiah shares his journey into AI, his early experiences with OpenAI's GPT, and using AI in the classroom. Jeremiah and Mariah also discuss the Leeds AI initiative and how AI is being integrated into core business courses to prepare students for the future job market. As a daily user of AI technologies for several years, Jeremiah has developed tactics and techniques for using AI openly and transparently with his students to foster trust in it as a powerful tool to help efficiency when used correctly. The conversation also touches on the Colorado AI Act, the future of AI in various industries, and Jeremiah’s advice for newcomers exploring AI technology.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.



EPISODE QUOTES:

Why AI literacy is essential for success

[04:18] AI isn't necessarily just a topic. It's really embedded in everything we do, and it's becoming more and more so. And so, what we decided to do is we have 15 core business classes, and so we made sure that we're adding AI into every single core class that all of our freshmen and sophomores take.

What does it mean to use AI effectively?
[06:11] I would say that it's treating it as a partner, more than a doer. And so, it's a collaborative effort. There's a saying that AI could be reversed and you could call it IA or “intelligence augmented.” And so, when we use it to augment our intelligence, not replace our intelligence, I think that's when it's the best partner.

On preparing students to lead with technology
[16:18] Education oftentimes is a bit lagging. When it comes to incorporating technology. I think we really have an opportunity to help become part of the leadership, as far as predicting and foreseeing what can happen and almost being an incubator space to test some of these business ideas and help students grow these skills so that, when they enter the workforce, they're able to help these companies grow.

How AI boosts productivity in business
[14:39] What this new AI era is doing is businesses are having to really rethink, where can I use it? I think one obvious place is increasing productivity. So, when it's used as a thought partner for people or to create PowerPoint slides as an example, when it's used to make you more efficient, you still own as an individual, as a worker, as an employee, I would still own the judgment. I would still own the product and the output, but I have an assistant or I have a partner who can help me become that much more efficient.
So, in that case, it's definitely changing how people do their jobs.


S4E8: Jeremiah Contreras - From Fear to Future: Embracing AI in Education and Business

What implications do consumer business and confidence have on the future of economic growth? How does fear of the unknown come into play with tariffs taking effect, and how will that play into the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates?

Richard Wobbekind is the Associate Dean for Business and Government Relations at Leeds School of Business, and Brian Lewandowski is the Executive Director of the Business Research Division at Leeds School of Business. 

In this episode, Maria talks with Richard and Brian about the current state of the economy. Despite the cooling of Colorado's economy after years of robust growth, there are reasons for cautious optimism. They discuss the impacts of national policy changes, tariffs, and inflation on both the U.S. and Colorado locally. Colorado has seen slower growth in key economic metrics and migration rates, impacting sectors like housing and job market dynamics. Nevertheless, resilience in job growth, positive wage trends, and new business formations show bright spots. 

This conversation was recorded on June 12, 2025 and does not reflect any economic news or developments since that date.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.


EPISODE QUOTES:

On Colorado’s current economic conditions predictions
28:18: [Richard Wobbekind] We're not in a recession, and we don't think we're going into a recession. We do think a slow growth environment is very likely, but it's a growth environment. 

When expectations shape the economy
16:41: [Brian Lewandowski]  I think I am cautiously optimistic. I don't think things are all rosy. I think there's many risks that we're keeping an eye on in the economy right now. And personally, I think there are more risks to the downside right now, especially when we think about Colorado. We have some unique exposures to some of the changes happening right now. We may not be as exposed to the tariffs, but I think we are perhaps more exposed in Colorado to the federal restructuring. We have a high concentration of federal labs in Colorado. We have federal space and defense institutions and Colorado that are perhaps at risk. And then our universities receive a lot of federal funding for early-stage research that is also at risk right now. So, I think there certainly are downside risks that we need to be keenly aware of.

Why do tariffs matter?
07:19: [Richard Wobbekind] When we think about them from, sort of, broad macro policy, tariffs impact the supply side of the economy. They raise the cost of production in the economy. And supply-side inflationary types of issues that tariffs would fall into are very difficult to address with policy. 

Looking at Colorado’s slower population growth as a general concern
06:17: [Brian Lewandowski]  Colorado is a state that, for most of its statehood, has had positive net in migration, meaning that more people are moving to the state than moving away from the state. It's rare for Colorado to have net out migration, but for the past few years, we've had very slow migration to the state.
And that's important. And it's a concern because many of those people who are coming to Colorado from other states or even other countries are already trained…[06:56] So, it ended up filling the vacant jobs that we had in the state and fueling a lot of the growth that we've had in Colorado. So, we look at Colorado's slower population growth and slower net migration as a general concern.


S4E9: Rich Wobbekind and Brian Lewandowski - Colorado's Economic Landscape: Cooling Growth and Future Prospects

What are the societal benefits of whistleblowing? What practical advice is there for those considering speaking up within their own organizations on how to best shed light on an issue without exposing themselves to retaliation? How do people become whistleblowers without even knowing it at the time?

Meghan Van Portfliet is an assistant teaching professor at the Leeds School of Business. Her research focuses on whistleblowing and organizational ignorance.

In this episode, Meghan starts by defining what organizational ignorance is and what constitutes whistleblowing. Meghan and Maria discuss the spectrum of risk involved in whistleblowing, and Meghan outlines the potential retaliations whistleblowers might face. She also emphasizes the importance of legal and PR support, media coverage, and how organizations can foster a culture where employees feel safe to report wrongdoing. The discussion highlights the societal benefits of whistleblowing and offers practical advice for those considering speaking up.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.




EPISODE QUOTES:

Why do societies need whistleblowers?
16:09: We, as a society, want whistleblowers to expose the wrongdoing that is happening within organizations because there is information asymmetry between organizations and the public. And that speaks again to organizational ignorance. Some of that is fine. We do not want to know everything that is going on. We do not need to know everything that is going on in organizations. But because organizations can slip — they can cut corners, they can cover things up that they think will damage their reputation — they can be incentivized by the wrong thing or be structured the wrong way and have it very easy for people to be engaging in fraud, things like that. We, as a society, benefit from whistleblowers speaking up about this.

How teams can foster a speak-up culture
22:38: If you can catch a problem before it goes public, you are saving yourself money, reputation. It is good for organizations to have whistleblowers, right? Like, we want them. And so, just a little award or a recognition or something like that goes a really long way to showing other people, like, "Hey, we care about this. This is something that we want in our organization, and this is something that we celebrate here." And that does set the culture for, "I am not afraid — that something is going to be done."

What is strategic organization ignorance?
00:45: Strategic organizational ignorance is ignorance that can be produced and sustained deliberately by organizations in ways that serve institutional goals, deflect responsibility, or maintain plausible deniability. So basically, it is the way that organizations use ignorance to achieve their goals, which are sometimes goals that are fine, goals that we are okay with as a society, but oftentimes, goals that are ones that we, as a society, do not want them to be pursuing.

S4E10: Meghan Van Portfliet - Speaking Up: The Role and Realities of Whistleblowers

The challenges facing business today are more complex and interconnected than ever before. The Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder offers a cutting-edge perspective of trending topics, along with actionable insights, to help you navigate the evolving world of business.

S1E2: Clark Jones – Riding Through the Pandemic at Disneyland

Leeds Business Insights

Related tracks