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