Some careers look like a carefully plotted chess game. Yali Harari’s looks more like jazz.

She didn’t follow a roadmap from math student to serial entrepreneur, public company executive, and impact investor. She followed her gut — choosing people and visions over titles, and saying yes to what felt alive. That unplanned path has given her not just an impressive résumé, but a leadership style that’s deeply her own.

In this conversation, Yali dismantles the myth that leadership comes from a book, a framework, or a perfect LinkedIn post. For her, leadership is about listening so closely you hear what’s being said even when no words are spoken. It’s about showing vulnerability in rooms that reward bravado. And it’s about building partnerships that feel like spine support — the kind that holds you up when you can’t do it alone.