In this podcast episode, host Filiberto interviews Rafal Walendzik about his 30+ year career across FMCG/CPG, food and beverages, and spirits, spanning Unilever, Kraft Heinz, and roles in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Southeast Asia, leading multicultural teams. Rafal says continued growth depends more on mindset than title, emphasising learning through failure, leaving the comfort zone, and taking calculated risks rather than plateauing. He explains that leading across markets and company sizes requires co-creating a strategy with teams, understanding what motivates people and owners, and focusing limited resources in smaller firms while staying agile as conditions change. Rafal connects cycling to goal-setting, self-talk, and the rewarding experience of progress.
00:00 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro
02:58 Career Growth Mindset and Risk
14:34 Leading Change Focus and Motivation
29:47 Building the Next Chapter
33:04 Influence Without Authority
45:00 Three Questions to Move Forward
Get Answers to Your Questions
Join our next online workshops: a bit of intelligence, a bit of frameworks, a ton of your questions, in a confidential, private, secure environment.
Most growth discussions focus on tactics. These workshops focus on the harder question: what actually drives profitable growth today?
A series of one-hour, small-group workshops for senior FMCG leaders. Each session combines fresh research with a confidential discussion on a single strategic challenge: Volume vs Value Growth, Demand Spaces, and Shrinking for Growth. Expect practical insights, candid peer exchange, and perspectives you can apply immediately to your growth strategy.
