Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
Entrepreneurship isn’t just a career—it’s a relentless, all-consuming way of life.
Welcome to Founder2Founder a raw and unfiltered podcast where host Aaron Spivak pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build something from the ground up. No sugarcoating, no overnight success stories—just deep, honest conversations with some of the most driven, underrated, and game-changing founders of our time. From brutal setbacks to game-changing mindset shifts, Aaron goes beyond the polished success stories to uncover the unglamorous, deeply personal side of building a business.
As a seasoned entrepreneur himself, Aaron goes beneath the surface and gets into the nitty-gritty of what it truly takes to succeed. He’ll dive into the habits, behaviors, and routines that set elite founders apart, the tactics and strategies that are working today, and the mindset shifts required to push through the hardest moments. Through raw personal stories, late-night struggles, and breakthrough moments, guests open up about what it really means to grow, not just as a founder, but as a person.
Each week, Aaron sits down with visionary entrepreneurs from high-growth startup founders to seasoned CEOs, for real, unfiltered conversations about the highs, lows, and everything in between. Whether you're scaling a company, launching your first venture, or just looking for inspiration, this podcast will give you the insights, motivation, and real-world advice you won’t get just anywhere. If you're ready to strip away the illusion and get real about what it means to build, sacrifice, and thrive, this is the podcast for you. Join us every Wednesday!
Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
Customer-Centric Leadership Lessons for Founders with Karen Quintos, Former Dell CMO
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Founder2Founder, host Aaron Spivak sits down with Karen Quintos, former Chief Customer Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Dell Technologies. Karen’s career spans multiple industries and decades of leadership at the highest levels, including Merck, Citibank, and Dell, where she led through some of the company’s most pivotal transformations. Known for her rare blend of operational rigor and soulful leadership, Karen opens up about navigating billion-dollar decisions while staying anchored in values, faith, and purpose.
Karen reflects on the defining moments that shaped her career, from managing 1,000+ manufacturing employees at age 30, to working directly with Michael Dell. She unpacks what it means to lead with authenticity, how she infused soul into a Fortune 500 brand, and why servant leadership, humility, and staying people-centered are her greatest assets. This episode is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t have to cost you your integrity and that leadership grounded in purpose can drive both performance and legacy.
Chapters:
02:42 – Growing Up on a Farm: Faith, Family and Hard Work
04:15 – Meeting Her Husband at Merck and Building a 40 Year Marriage
05:29 – Knowing She Wasn’t Meant to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
07:21 – From Staff Role to Plant Manager: Learning Servant Leadership
09:48 – Early Mistakes, Union Threats and Listening to the Frontline
12:50 – Leaving Merck, Regretting Citibank and the Pivot to Dell
16:20 – How Karen Was Offered the CMO Role at Dell
18:11 – Why Michael Dell Chose Her: Customer-Centric Leadership
22:16 – Rebranding with Purpose: Tech for Good and Employee Alignment
23:15 – Internal vs. External Marketing: Why It Starts Within
27:07 – People First: Why Technology is a People Business
28:06 – Where Karen’s Soul-Driven Leadership Comes From
30:37 – Head vs. Heart: Operating with Conviction and Integrity
32:06 – Writing Her Book: You Can Be Successful Without Losing Your Soul
35:34 – Redefining Success at Every Stage of Life
37:49 – Playing the Long Game: Why Patience is Power
40:59 – The Knot in Your Stomach: Staying Curious and Grounded
42:28 – Learning from Leaders Around the Boardroom Table
45:52 – The Most Underrated Leadership Trait
47:55 – An Example of CEO Vulnerability and Transparency
51:04 – How Karen Supported Women Through Dell’s Entrepreneur Network
52:48 – Communities That Create Life-Changing Moments
55:14 – Why We Avoid the Environments That Will Help us Grow
57:52 – When the Same Knot Lingers: Making the Leap
58:44 – Advice to Her 13-Year-Old Self: Courage, Confidence Compassion
1:02:46 – Female Founders on Love, Marriage and Building Together
Guest Links:
Instagram: Karenhquintos
LinkedIn: Karen Quintos
Twitter: Karenhquintos
If you're a founder doing $1MM+ in annual revenue, apply for the Founders Club today: https://go.foundersclubofficial.com/intro-fc-aaron
Stay Connected!
Aaron Spivak:
IG: @Spivak
Linkedin
The Founders Club
IG: @TheFoundersClub
Website www.foundersclubofficial.com
Founder2Founder:
TikTok @Founder2FounderPodcast
Youtube @Founder2Founder.Podcast
