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Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™

Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™

By: Christopher Lochhead
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Christopher Lochhead | Follow Your Different is pioneer in real dialogue podcasts. “The best business podcast” – Podcast Magazine “The worst business podcast” – Neil Pearlberg© 2022 Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™ Podcast Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 412 Fighting In Gaza & Lebanon: Through an IDF Tank Commander’s Eyes with Benaya Cherlow

    412 Fighting In Gaza & Lebanon: Through an IDF Tank Commander’s Eyes with Benaya Cherlow
    Oct 13 2025
    On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, we sit down with Captain Benaya Cherlow, an Israeli-American army officer, strategist, and veteran of both Gaza and Lebanon. In the aftermath of October 7th, when the world witnessed astounding levels of violence and heartbreak, conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have often focused on the political, religious, and strategic dimensions. Yet, beneath the headlines are deeply personal stories of loss, identity, and the moral quandaries faced by those on the frontlines. This dialogue traverses the emotional aftermath of tragedy, the complexities of identity in a region at war, and the indelible lessons learned amid chaos, with the hope of peace as a guiding light. You’re listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let’s go. Bearing Witness to Evil and Wrestling with Identity Christopher opens the conversation by acknowledging his own pain in the wake of October 7th, having lost close friends to acts of violence and identifying deeply with the Jewish community through family and lifelong friendships. This sense of shared heartbreak becomes the backdrop for his discussion with Captain Cherlow, a man whose background embodies the intersection of cultures and conflict. Born to a Lebanese-Jewish mother from Beirut and an American father, himself descended from Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, Captain Cherlow describes his upbringing as a “crisis of identity.” Fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, he straddles the worlds of his ancestors, fighting on behalf of one homeland in the land of the other. The experience of entering Lebanese villages as an IDF officer—aware of his maternal roots and hearing echoes of his family history everywhere—is a stark reminder of how personal the region’s turbulence becomes for those with ties on both sides. Captain Cherlow’s ability to speak Arabic and understand the culture gave him insights into the threats posed by Hezbollah, but also led to moments of profound irony and unexpected kindness even in the midst of war. Moral Decisions on the Battlefield and the Human Cost of War The conversation takes a raw turn as Captain Cherlow recounts experiences from the frontlines in Gaza. With the war dragging on, he describes the sheer exhaustion experienced by Israeli soldiers and citizens alike, each hoping for peace but aware of the tenuousness of any truce. It is in recounting a harrowing night, when he was faced with choosing between saving fellow soldiers or responding to a possible hostage situation, that the moral complexity of war is laid bare. Cherlow refuses to divulge the decision he ultimately made, insisting instead that listeners sit with the impossible pressure of those few seconds, a pressure for which neither military training nor life experience truly prepares anyone. The story of using a hospital as a base of operations, only to discover women and children being used as human shields by Hamas combatants, adds another layer to the moral maze soldiers must navigate. Christopher and Captain Cherlow both focus on the humanity amidst chaos; whether that is in giving snacks to Gazan children or improvising medical care for wounded comrades. Through all this, Cherlow reflects on the importance of conveying these complexities to decision-makers in Congress. The reality of urban warfare, he emphasizes, is not the relentless heroics dramatized on television; it is long stretches of hunger, confusion, and impossible choices, punctuated by moments of both tragedy and grace. On the Precipice of Peace, and the Weight of History A theme running through the episode is the flickering hope for a different future. For what may be the first time, a coalition led by the United States and Israel has assembled nearly all the major Arab and Muslim nations,
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    1 hr and 41 mins
  • 411 The Prime Minister of Subscription: Tien Tzuo and The Art of Category Making

    411 The Prime Minister of Subscription: Tien Tzuo and The Art of Category Making
    Oct 6 2025
    The business world rewards those bold enough to bet on seismic shifts; those who don’t just ride the wave, but fundamentally reshape the tide. In a fascinating conversation with Tien Tzuo, legendary founder of Zoura, we get a rare look into category design, entrepreneurial persistence, and the mindset required to rewire an entire industry, as Tzuo did for the subscription economy. As technology continues to accelerate, with AI now setting the stage for yet another major leap, this dialogue holds powerful lessons for anyone seeking to lead, not follow. You’re listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let’s go. Building Enduring Category Leaders: Evangelism and Timing Legendary startups aren’t created by chance. As Tien Tzuo describes, successful category creation starts with seeing a shift others overlook, then boldly evangelizing that vision. "Part of the category is to say, okay, there's a shift that's happening with this new technology. It's a significant, meaningful, profound shift." - Tien Tzuo Tien Tzuo’s journey with Zoura began well before “subscription” was a buzzword; when Netflix mailed DVDs and Wall Street scoffed at recurring revenue. He and his team endured blank stares and skepticism, proving that timing, storytelling, and the relentless ability to communicate the new reality separates mere participants from true category leaders. The Relentless Power of Story and Persistence Distilling complex ideas into a market-moving narrative is as important as technical innovation. Tzuo credits much of Zoura’s momentum to persistent storytelling: on stage, in books, and across every communication platform available. “What I saw was good storytellers…talk about a big, big trend that’s happening all around us…the market, the world.” Writing a book, he admits, was hard but necessary. "The only person that can tell your company story is you. Right, because it’s your idea, it’s your vision." For founders, being ignored or doubted isn’t a sign to pivot away; it’s a signal to refine and hammer home the message until the world is ready to hear it. Tien Tzuo's Advice for Category Creators in the AI Era Today, the pace of change is faster than ever. Yet the recipe for winning new categories remains strikingly consistent. Tzuo counsels entrepreneurs to begin with their unique insight into a megatrend, not with the category label itself: “Don’t start with a category. Start with…what gives you a right to exist?” - Tien Tzuo The logic applies in AI as much as SaaS: massive investments will be lost by those chasing what’s already established, while the next category-defining companies will stay close to their customers, listen relentlessly, and focus on the transformation they alone can catalyze. As Tzuo puts it, “With every new technology shift, there's an opportunity to displace an incumbent.;” if you have the courage to shape, not just surf, the future. To hear more from Tien Tzuo on the art of Category Making, download and listen to this episode. Bio ChatGPT said: Tien Tzuo, acclaimed author of Founders, Keepers, is a visionary entrepreneur and respected thought leader in the subscription economy. Best known as the founder and CEO of Zuora, he has helped redefine how companies build recurring revenue models, drawing on decades of experience at the forefront of technology and innovation. In Founders, Keepers, Tien shares powerful insights on leadership, culture, and the enduring commitment required to build companies that last. His writing blends practical guidance with stories from his own journey scaling global businesses. A sought-after speaker and mentor, Tien inspires founders to stay true to their mission while adapting to change, fostering organizations that thrive for generations. Links Connect with Tien Tzuo! Zuora Website | LinkedIn | Medium
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    57 mins
  • 410 Founders, Keepers: Rich Hagberg & Tien Tzuo on the Data-Backed Truth About Entrepreneurship

    410 Founders, Keepers: Rich Hagberg & Tien Tzuo on the Data-Backed Truth About Entrepreneurship
    Sep 29 2025
    When it comes to startup success, few voices are as insightful as Rich Hagberg and Tien Tzuo. On this episode of “Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different,” these two innovators unveiled the complex tapestry of traits, behaviors, and pitfalls that define great founders. With decades of psychological research and hands-on experience in the tech ecosystem, they’ve distilled their findings in their new book, Founders, Keepers: Why Founders Are Built to Fail and What It Takes to Succeed. This lively, honest conversation goes far beyond the usual business platitudes, aiming to equip listeners, whether aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned founders, or investors, with tools for self-awareness, adaptability, and ultimately, building companies that last. You’re listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let’s go. The Double-Edged Sword of Founders: Why Strengths Can Be Weaknesses One of the core insights that Hagberg and Tzuo bring forward is the “double-edged sword” nature of founder psychology. Successful founders often possess massive vision and creative drive, seeing the future before others do and inspiring teams with almost evangelical zeal. Yet, these very strengths can morph into ticking time bombs as companies grow. Founders are frequently high in vision but far less gifted in execution or relationship building. Hagberg’s decades of data, including 50+ measured personality elements and 46 leadership competencies, reveal consistent patterns: founders often struggle to manage and scale companies beyond their own shadow. As Hagberg observes, those strong on visionary skills can be “allergic to structure,” resisting the very systems and processes that enable growth and stability. Tien Tzuo, drawing on his own journey as a founder, recounts the moment when his company started unraveling as it outgrew his initial hands-on approach. The culture suffered, teams fragmented, and productivity declined. Only by honestly confronting his own leadership shortcomings and seeking help from coaches like Hagberg, was he able to pivot and build an organization beyond himself. The lesson is clear: self-awareness is not optional; it’s the foundation for sustainable success. The Critical Role of Self-Awareness, Adaptability, and “Recovering Founders” Delving deeper, Lochhead, Hagberg, and Tzuo discuss a trait that repeatedly separates successful founders from those destined to “blow up”: brutal, reflective self-awareness. Hagberg’s research shows that founders who actively seek feedback, reflect on both successes and failures, and are open to learning are dramatically more successful than their peers. It’s not just about innate curiosity; it’s about the willingness to recognize weakness, hire complementary strengths, and genuinely adapt as the organization matures. This journey often requires what the guests jokingly call becoming a “recovering founder,” someone who learns the hard way that vision alone won’t scale an enterprise. The most successful founders are those who create adaptable organizations, listen keenly to advisors and employees, and deliberately build processes for collective decision-making. They reserve their opinions in meetings, choosing instead to solicit diverse viewpoints before weighing in; a counterintuitive move that leads to more honest conversations and smarter strategy. The inability to adapt, on the other hand, is lethal. Data from Hagberg’s cohorts shows that unsuccessful founders are consistently more egotistical and stubborn, craving to be right over being successful and cultivating environments where disagreement is stifled. This leads to what Hagberg terms “sunflower bias”; teams that simply turn to follow the founder, rather than challenging assumptions or uncovering blind spots. Building Teams, Accountability, and the Myth of the Asshole Genius
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    49 mins
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