#53: Why Vulnerability Is a Superpower in Leadership – with Elizabeth Glasbrenner
The Freedom Experience with Jean Moncrieff
<p>In this episode of <em>The Freedom Experience</em>, I sit down with Elizabeth Glasbrenner — CEO of Smiley Technologies, a family-owned business providing core banking software to community banks and financial institutions.</p>
<p>Elizabeth’s story is one of courage, clarity, and people-first leadership. After co-founding the business in 2002 with her brother Vance and father Walter, she stepped into the CEO role in 2016 — not just to scale the company, but to rebuild trust, reshape the culture, and guide the business through a period of rapid growth.</p>
<p>In this conversation, Elizabeth opens up about what it took to make that transition. From navigating imposter syndrome to balancing extreme personal challenges — including her husband’s Everest expedition and her daughter’s life-threatening health issues — she shares what it really looks like to lead with empathy and authenticity, even when the stakes are high.</p>
<p>🎥 Watch this conversation on YouTube. And SUBSCRIBE!</p>
<p>Key Themes:</p>
<p>🔹 The Leadership Shift<br> Why the leader who starts the business isn’t always the one to scale it — and how Elizabeth found her own leadership voice.</p>
<p>🔹 Building Trust from the Inside Out<br> How Elizabeth rebuilt trust in the organization after stepping into her brother’s shoes — and why listening was her first strategy.</p>
<p>🔹 Leading Through Personal Crisis<br> Balancing high-stakes leadership with an intense family situation — and the strength that came from showing up fully in both.</p>
<p>🔹 Quiet Strength<br> Why vulnerability, empathy, and consistency became her edge — and how that reshaped the culture at Smiley Technologies.</p>
<p>🔹 Freedom and Leadership<br> What freedom means when you're responsible for others — and how Elizabeth learned to lead in a way that aligned with her values.</p>
<p>Quotes from the Episode:</p>
<p>💬 "You don’t need to know all the answers. You need to ask the right questions."<br> 💬 "Trust is everything. Without it, nothing moves."<br> 💬 "I thought I had to prove myself. What I really needed to do was show up as myself."<br> 💬 "Listening was the most powerful thing I did as a new CEO."<br> 💬 "Freedom is finding calm in the chaos."</p>
<p>Links & Resources Mentioned:</p>
<p>🌍 Smiley Technologies: <a href="https://www.smileytechnologies.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.smileytechnologies.com</a><br> 📲 Connect with Elizabeth: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-glasbrenner-b77906132/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-glasbrenner/</a></p>
<p>📚 Books Mentioned<br> – <em>The Speed of Trust</em> by Stephen M.R. Covey<br> – <em>Dare to Lead</em> by Brené Brown<br> – <em>Quiet</em> by Susan Cain</p>
<p>Actionable Takeaways:</p>
<p>✅ Step Into the Role: You don’t need to be the same kind of leader as your predecessor — just the one your business needs next.<br> ✅ Lead with Empathy: Listening is often more powerful than directing.<br> ✅ Rebuild from Trust: Sustainable growth starts inside the team.<br> ✅ Embrace Your Season: Life and business don’t happen in separate lanes — lead with full presence.<br> ✅ Redefine Success: It's not about doing more — it's about doing what matters most.</p>
<p>🎧 If this episode made you think differently about leadership, growth, or freedom — subscribe, share, and leave a review.<br> For more conversations on purpose, people, and building businesses that last, visit <a href="http://www.jeanmoncrieff.com" rel="nofollow">www.jeanmoncrieff.com</a>.</p>