In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Dani Pickens, Founder & Chief Enablement Officer of The Executive Evolution (TEE). Dani shares how a non-compete lawsuit, career pivots, and personal grit led her to build a growing women’s network for tech and channel professionals.
With over 120 members across the US, TEE is redefining mentorship and support. No dues, no gatekeeping, just real talk and real community.
00:00:13 – Meet Dani Pickens and The Executive Evolution
00:01:33 – From Istanbul to door-to-door telecom sales
00:03:27 – What selling DSL taught Dani about grit
00:05:45 – Becoming Channel Chief before 40
00:07:26 – The non-compete lawsuit that changed everything
00:09:49 – Founding TEE out of personal pain
00:12:26 – The idea behind "The Human Channel"
00:15:56 – Building skills, sharing them freely
00:17:09 – What makes TEE different from other networks
00:20:32 – How TEE built a board from its first retreat
00:25:04 – Organic growth and member referrals
00:28:05 – Relaunching the mentorship program
00:31:22 – Cross-generational mentoring in action
00:33:33 – Annual Hope Kit fundraiser and impact
00:39:26 – Balancing leadership, TEE, and family
00:45:25 – Launching the Leadership Exchange program
00:47:55 – Dani’s advice to herself on Day 1: stay the course
