The Edge

Robert Chavez on leading through service and perspective

Listen

Description

Robert Chavez's journey is a full-circle leadership story. From entering YDI's youth employment program at age 14 to now serving as CEO, Robert reflects on how discipline, fairness, and perspective shaped his career. He and host Alex Rodriguez discuss servant leadership, building strong executive teams, and why supporting families and communities is essential to long-term impact. This episode highlights how lived experience, hard work, and mentorship can become a lifelong edge in leadership. 

Connect with Robert on LinkedIn. Learn more about Youth Development, Inc.  

 

Key Takeaways: 

  • What is YDI? (1:40)
  • How joining YDI at 14 shaped his entire leadership path (4:35)
  • Lessons on managing older, more experienced teams at age 21 (8:34)
  • Building elite teams through complementary skills at Intel and YDI (14:20)
  • Disagree and commit (16:08)
  • Staying close to family (17:38)
  • Why perspective, not privilege, became Robert's greatest edge (18:30)