There is a unique energy that exists when you place five CEOs around one table. In our last Tea CEO round table The episode, the dynamics took place in full. I sat down with Danny Wirtz (Chicago Blackhawks, Breadthru Beverage), Ashley Thompson (Mush), Gregg Majewski (Craveworthy Brands), Emily Groden (Evergreen) and Luke Saunders (Farmer’s Fridge) news It means to be the CEO in today’s world. It was an open replacement of Candida for a hard -to -win lesson, intestinal decision and a type of self -reflection that comes only from the leadership of high and minima.

One of the big ones from this discussion was the emotional roller coaster of business and leadership. Almost everyone at the table shared stories about the personal weight of the company management. Emily spoke about the fact that she could feel upstairs, and Danny stressed that when you are in the driver’s seat, there is nowhere to hide, specifically when you are the CEO of the professional sports team. Gregg said it simply, “It’s not sexy.” It wasn’t just war stories – it was a reminder that the leadership came with a cost that cannot be measured in valuation or printing headlines.

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Another powerful topic was Latting – At least I’m learning. Each of these leaders founded their society or took over an inheritance with a clear vision, but their businesses grew, as well as they had to believe others to do. Luke spoke of the complexity of the scaling of the farmer’s fridge and the moment he realized he couldn’t do everything himself. The same feeling came over the table. Ashley, now with a larger team and investment behind Kaša, talked about the balance of practical energy with the ripeness of leadership. It turned out that growth means giving up control to get dynamics.

We also dug into the unique pressures of consumer -oriented enterprise. All five leaders sell something you can touch, taste or experience – products that depend on the brand, shelf space and customer emotions. Whether it is the Nostalgia Evergreen Waffles or Boldnes of Craveworthy’s Restaurant Portfolio, strangers shape what the Americans eat and how they feel. This means fast feedback loops, tight edges and constant adaptations. No one at the table is isolated from inflation, bread of supplier chain or shorts, but each of them tries to incorporate resistance into their operations.

One thing I did not expect – AIM probably should have – was how deeply personal conversation. Gregg described the feeling of almost dependent on the chaos of starting life. Ashley shared how Impost’s syndrome crawls, even after massive success. Danny spoke not only of the brand but of heritage. And Luke reminded us that the startup culture is not always, that people in the field of mental health think. The room was vulnerable, and this made a more sincere dialogue – and frankly, more useful – for anyone trying to understand modern leadership.

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As a moderator, my goal was not to extract sound bowls. It was supposed to give room for complexity. It was not a panel of inviolable icons. They are people who find real -time decisions on chaotic, developing markets. The biggest lessons? Being the CEO today means to know yourself as well as you know your P&L. Also, when you are the CEO of the Great Organization, you have a great responsibility for management with integrity, serve your employed and customers and use the business “forever”. Otherwise, what do we do here?!