Podcast Summary

Podcast: Driving Impact: The Top 5% Method®
Host: Katheline Jean-Pierre
Episode: How One Google Coffee Club Program Goal Taught Her the Skills that Built a 6-Figure Business
Date: September 9, 2025
Guest: Ivana Tai

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between host Katheline Jean-Pierre and Ivana Tai, a former tech individual contributor who leveraged the skills and confidence gained from Google’s Coffee Club leadership program to build Playfield, a six-figure, revenue-generating business. The episode dives into how Ivana’s goal of developing executive presence led her to bold networking moves, her mindset shifts, and the foundational lessons that translated from corporate growth to entrepreneurial success. Listeners get actionable advice on career acceleration, executive presence, and transformative self-awareness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power of Executive Presence and Intentional Networking

• The Coffee Club Program

  • [00:50] The Coffee Club, created by Katheline in 2015 at Google, is highlighted as a pivotal leadership incubator for emerging talent, fostering self-awareness and confidence, especially for women in tech.
  • Ivana shares how her program goal was to master executive presence: “I was still pretty early, first time working in a corporate environment where you’re interfacing with someone, C-suite level representatives. One thing I really want to work on was just executive presence—like how do I carry myself differently, how do I think about presenting things to key stakeholders?” (Ivana, 02:20)

• Noticing—and Acting on—Opportunities for Connection

  • [03:00] Ivana recounts a pivotal story of seeing a stranger in a stunning trench coat at Google, leading her to discover the MM LaFleur brand. The chance encounter sparked research into the founder’s story and set Ivana on her path of bold outreach.

Bold Outreach That Changed the Trajectory

• Cold Emailing a CEO

  • [04:15] Demonstrating resourcefulness, Ivana “guessed” the email of MM LaFleur’s founder, Sarah LaFleur, and sent a message sharing her admiration and personal story.
  • On the act of reaching out, Ivana says:

    “I didn’t know her email so I guessed it. I was like most likely it’s first name at domain.com. I told her how I discovered the brand and then just sent it off to her, and she replied so quickly.” (Ivana, 04:30)

• Passion as a Differentiator

  • [05:10] Ivana reflects:

    “It genuinely just came from a place of passion and a desire to connect, and I think people can sense that.” (Ivana, 05:15)

Translating Skills from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

• The executive presence, initiative, and networking skills Ivana honed at Coffee Club directly enabled her to build a successful company. Host Katheline highlights:

  “She talks about how she built the executive presence to be able to launch herself in the world as the CEO of Playfield.” (Katheline, 01:20)

• Ivana’s journey encapsulates the importance of self-awareness, using every encounter as a learning opportunity (“Even feeling that sometimes at Google you feel like you’re one in a million. But she was able to overcome any challenges, own her power, build a confidence…” — Katheline, 00:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Executive Presence:

  “One thing I really wanted to work on was just executive presence—like how do I carry myself differently, how do I think about presenting things to key stakeholders?”
  —Ivana Tai, [02:20]

• Serendipity in Career Building:

  “It was at Google, someone walked out of the women’s bathroom wearing a trench coat that was like, stunning. And they told me they bought it from MM LaFleur.”
  —Ivana Tai, [03:05]

• Resourceful Networking:

  “I didn’t know her email so I guessed it... and she replied so quickly.”
  —Ivana Tai, [04:30]

• Genuine Connection:

  “It genuinely just came from a place of passion and a desire to connect, and I think people can sense that.”
  —Ivana Tai, [05:15]

Important Timestamps

• 00:50 – Overview of Coffee Club & its leadership mission
• 02:20 – Ivana discusses her executive presence goals
• 03:05 – Serendipitous encounter with MM LaFleur’s brand
• 04:15 – Story of cold-emailing the CEO
• 05:15 – The value of authentic connection in outreach

Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, inspiring, and practical—a blend of Katheline’s motivational leadership style and Ivana’s grounded, accessible storytelling. Both stress actionable lessons learned and the value of being “gracious with time, energy, and resources” (01:30) while pursuing growth.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Embrace executive presence as a transformative skill—it changes both how you’re perceived and what opportunities you can access.
• Bold, genuine outreach—when done with passion—can change the course of your career.
• Building self-awareness and confidence is a compounding asset that often starts with small, courageous acts.
• Leadership development programs like Coffee Club can have career-defining impact—seek out or start communities that elevate and challenge you.

Perfect for those seeking to accelerate their career, master impact-driven leadership, or learn actionable networking and self-awareness hacks from the top 5%.