Mission-driven leadership is more than a tactic—it's a calling. In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon sits down with Jason Menzo, CEO of Foundation Fighting Blindness, for a candid conversation about building high-performing teams, driving medical breakthroughs, and leading with authenticity. Jason reveals what it takes to pivot from the private sector to the nonprofit world and shares the moonshot mission guiding his organization: delivering treatments and cures for blinding diseases. With nearly $1 billion raised and groundbreaking advances in gene therapy, Jason’s story is packed with lessons for anyone driven by purpose and impact. From finding the right people for your team to navigating massive goals and building a culture of trust, this episode offers actionable takeaways for leaders in every field—plus hope for the millions affected by inherited retinal diseases. Whether you want to up-level your hiring, create more belonging, or just hear an inspiring story of resilience, you’ll leave with new tools and renewed motivation. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Jason transitioned from corporate leadership to running a world-changing nonprofit The power of authenticity—and why letting people show up as themselves boosts happiness and performance Strategies for onboarding, interviewing, and building high-caliber, collaborative teams What to do when your team members aren’t the right fit (and how empathy and responsibility intersect) How Foundation Fighting Blindness funds research, drives innovation, and fosters community—for patients and families nationwide The role of AI, venture funding, and creative talent deployment in accelerating medical breakthroughs How to balance moonshot ambitions with everyday wins—keeping hope alive while driving real results Timestamps: 00:00 – Jason on raising the bar at Foundation Fighting Blindness 00:30 – The mission and moonshot goals: delivering cures for blinding diseases 02:49 – Why authentic workplaces outperform others 04:00 – Linking happiness, authenticity, and productivity 05:30 – Jason’s journey: from Michigan furniture salesman to CEO 07:58 – Why vision research became Jason’s passion 10:04 – Key differences between private sector and nonprofit leadership 12:45 – Jason’s first 90 days: listening tour and change management 14:51 – How to push back and set boundaries with boards/shareholders 17:14 – Building high-caliber, collaborative teams (and fighting organizational silos) 20:46 – The interview process: transparency and culture fit 23:54 – When a hire misses the mark: motivational vs. cultural fit 26:36 – Moving people into the “right seats” on the bus 27:59 – Creativity in talent deployment: a real-life turnaround story 31:37 – Balancing empathy with organizational responsibility 34:03 – Dealing with the stress of mission-driven leadership 36:41 – Breaking moonshot goals into actionable, realistic milestones 39:02 – Foundation Fighting Blindness: key initiatives and impact 41:38 – The RD Fund and the baton metaphor for drug development 44:23 – Recent wins: transformative gene therapy breakthroughs 48:25 – Navigating the challenge of gene-specific treatments 50:40 – The accelerating role of AI in blindness research 52:42 – How Jason inspires his team (and leadership secrets from his CHRO) 56:04 – How you can get involved with Foundation Fighting Blindness About Jason Menzo Jason...
