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Artwork for Best Manager Ever

Best Manager Ever

Annie Riley
Leadership
Management
Communication
Career Development
Startups
Team Management
Feedback
Startup Culture
Leadership Development
Personal Growth
Team Dynamics
Design Management
Workplace Relationships
Startup
Management Skills
Employee Development
Team Development
Team Collaboration
Startup Environment
Mentorship

Best Manager Ever reveals the secrets of successful management and empowers leaders to build winning teams. Join a community dedicated to sharing insights and stories from the most successful and beloved leaders in the startup world. All guests have been nominated as the “best manager ever” by a recent direct report. Before each interview, we go behind the guest’s back to collect feedback and stor... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes64Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersManagementBusiness

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Best Manager Ever

Latest Episodes

After 50 episodes with some of the top leaders in startups and tech, Annie Riley takes a moment to reflect and share her top five leadership takeaways that surfaced again and again throughout the latest season. 

Annie also reflects on the current mo... more

The stereotype of the hard-charging executive is hurting performance. Scott Lamb moved to NYC to pursue journalism, but ended up joining Buzzfeed when it was just five people and has been on the startup path ever since. In this episode, Scott sits do... more

The voice pushing you forward is also holding you back, and your inner critic is costing you more than you think. Annie Riley talks with clinical psychologist and self-compassion teacher Dr. Michael Klein to explore the psychology behind ambition, ac... more

JZ has built product teams at Airbnb, Webflow, Dropbox (and now Laurel), and in this episode she shares her honest leadership playbook and lessons learned. JZ covers why conviction is really about speed to signal, how to move fast without creating ch... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Podcast Host
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Recent Guests

Scott Lamb
Head of Content (or leading the content org) at Medium
Medium
Episode: Rethinking Executive Presence with Scott Lamb
Michael Klein
Clinical therapist and educator specializing in self-compassion and mindfulness
Private practice in the Bay Area; Stanford affiliate
Episode: Self-Compassion Break for High Performers
Anna Randall
Seasoned sales leader, Director of Enterprise at Curri; former roles at Oracle, Autodesk, PlanGrid, TigerEye
Curri, Oracle, Autodesk, PlanGrid, TigerEye
Episode: How "Temporary Permanent" Drives Progress
Silvia Oviedo Lopez
Founder and CEO of Blomma; former leader at Pinterest and Canva
Blomma
Episode: Ex-Pinterest & Canva Exec: Curiosity As A Muscle
Maayan Roth
Head of Engineering at Crux Climate
Crux Climate
Episode: Unblock Your Team with Powerful Questions
Ed Batista
Executive coach and Stanford lecturer
Stanford University
Episode: Top CEO Coach On The Difficulty of Empathizing Up
Maura Church
VP of Product and Engineering at Two Chairs
Two Chairs
Episode: “Smart Rats”: Belief Boosts Performance
Whitnie Narcisse
Former partner at First Round Capital; leader known for relationship-building and startup ecosystem impact
First Round Capital
Episode: Be Champagne, Not Flat Soda
Junan Pang
VP of Customer Success at Intercom
Intercom
Episode: Time Kills Follow-Up: Share Context Now

Host

Annie Riley
Host of Best Manager Ever

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 61 ratings
  • So much practical wisdom

    I feel so grateful for this podcast and the conversations Annie leads. I’ve learned a lot of valuable, applicable lessons about how to be better at this crazy, complex thing called people management. This is so worth your time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Meancougar
    United Statesa month ago
  • Instantly hooked!

    I love this podcast! If you’re looking for a podcast that will allow you to continue to develop as a manager this podcast is for you! Annie is great! So many great takeaways in every episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Monette Moneco
    United States6 months ago
  • Great energy and great advice

    Annie is an incredible host: she is warm, smart, curious and insightful. Her guests give great advice because she is so good at drawing it out of them. Her energy is infectious. You will be in a better mood and more informed at the end of each episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AYJ77
    United States10 months ago
  • Love what Annie is doing

    Annie brings together great people and helps them grow. This show is a window into the magical world of Fort Light.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Charlie Co.
    United Statesa year ago
  • new fav show

    fantastic guests and helpful, honest leadership advice. can’t wait for new episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LeeAnnBobka
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The coaching and feedback-forward format is often highlighted as a standout feature.
Guests are consistently described as credible experts who share actionable leadership tactics.
Listeners appreciate the host's warm, insightful style and the practical takeaways each episode delivers.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#92
Canada/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#146
Norway/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#152
Austria/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Top CEO Coach On The Difficulty of Empathizing Up
Q: And what do you think is so hard about empathizing up?
Empathizing up is hard because leaders are taught to show strength and invulnerability, which can discourage vulnerability. Yet recognizing their loneliness and stress—and offering support—can improve the relationship without requiring you to concede your own goals.
How "Temporary Permanent" Drives Progress
Q: How do you handle the fear of saying hard things to customers or team members?
Use worst-case scenario planning to normalize discomfort, walk it back to likely outcomes, and build up evidence from past experiences to muster courage for the next tough conversation.
How "Temporary Permanent" Drives Progress
Q: How do you build and maintain a strong team culture across startups and large corporations?
Triangulation and three-pillar dreaming—focus on current role success, expansion beyond the role, and personal well-being; align autonomy with company direction and keep language flexible to map the chaotic product-go-to-market process.
How "Temporary Permanent" Drives Progress
Q: What's the number one tool or lesson from your therapy training that other managers could adopt that you find the most useful?
Conflict resolution is key; boil it down to simple facts to guide decisions, whether it's pricing or helping an employee move past a sticking point, and this simple focus unlocks clearer pathways.
Ex-Pinterest & Canva Exec: Curiosity As A Muscle
Q: How do you manage across a spectrum of performer types when you're growing a team?
Her approach is to set clear expectations, check for understanding regularly, and tailor support to individuals—from self-managed high performers to those who need more direction.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Best Manager Ever

What is Best Manager Ever about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical leadership-focused series that investigates how top managers actually work, by collecting candid feedback from their teams before interviewing the guest to uncover real strengths, blind spots, and playbooks. Episodes center on managing under pressure, building high-performing teams, and practical leadership rituals—from executive presence and psychological safety to running efficient meetings and fostering growth. Noteworthy are the concrete, battle-tested tactics shared by guests with backgrounds in startups, tech platforms, and scaleups, plus a recognizable commitment to humane, human-centered leadership. The show stands out for its framework of team-validated leadership and for featuring guests frequently connected to major t... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Best Manager Ever:

1. Good Hang with Amy Poehler
2. No Bullsh!t Leadership
3. the goop podcast

How many episodes of Best Manager Ever are there?

Best Manager Ever launched 2 years ago and published 64 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Best Manager Ever?

Recent guests on Best Manager Ever include:

1. Scott Lamb
2. Michael Klein
3. Anna Randall
4. Silvia Oviedo Lopez
5. Maayan Roth
6. Ed Batista
7. Maura Church
8. Whitnie Narcisse

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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