Sandra Campos: Experience Builds Wisdom

Sandra Campos: Experience Builds Wisdom

Author: Chris Schembra October 27, 2025 Duration: 41:59

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down in person with Sandra Campos, a trailblazing CEO, board advisor, and serial entrepreneur whose story spans global fashion houses, digital transformation, and compassionate leadership.

From humble beginnings in her parents’ tortilla factory to leading billion-dollar brands like Diane von Furstenberg and PetMeds, Sandra’s journey is one of grit, grace, and reinvention. Sheopens up about her mother’s influence as an immigrant and lifelong learner, how that shaped her own discipline and drive, and why gratitude remains the throughline of every chapter in her life.

Together, Chris and Sandra unpack the difference between knowledge and wisdom, exploring how true leadership comes not from perfection but from experience, the kind earned through risk-taking, failure, and self-belief. Sandra shares how she’s learning to slow down, to truly listen to the sounds around her, from the birds on her rescue horse farm to the people who cross her path, and why presence might be the most powerful skill in business today.

They talk about the courage to show up before you’re ready, the importance of respect in partnerships, and how every ending can be the start of a new beginning if you meet it with optimism and curiosity. Sandra’s reflections on authenticity, self-authorship, and purpose offer timeless lessons for anyone navigating change or chasing meaning in modern leadership.

This episode is a reminder that you can’t teach wisdom — you live it. It’s a celebration of resilience, risk, and gratitude, and an invitation to believe that, no matter your age or stage, you’re always just beginning.

Themes & Highlights

●​ How Sandra’s immigrant mother instilled grit, gratitude, and lifelong learning 
●​ From “knowledge builds confidence” to “experience builds wisdom”

●​ Taking uncalculated risks — and learning to thrive through failure 
●​ The emotional intelligence behind leading through change 
●​ Presence as the ultimate leadership skill

●​  Why reinvention is not a restart, but a continuation of purpose​

Why Listen

At a time when leadership often feels defined by speed and perfection, Sandra reminds us that true wisdom comes from slowing down, showing up, and learning through experience. Her journey from small-town Texas to the global stage is proof that success built on gratitude, curiosity, and courage doesn’t just change careers...it transforms lives.

“Experience Builds Wisdom” is more than a conversation, it’s an invitation to see every risk, every chapter, and every quiet moment as a teacher.


Chris Schembra, known as the "Gratitude Guru" by USA Today and a columnist for Rolling Stone, hosts Gratitude Through Hard Times. For nearly a decade, he has traveled the globe facilitating meaningful human connection, work that extends directly from his #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling book of the same name. In this podcast, he moves beyond simple self-help platitudes, creating a space where ancient Stoic wisdom meets contemporary neuroscience and psychology. Each episode is a practical exploration of how to find genuine appreciation and resilience not in spite of difficulty, but because of it. Schembra acts as both guide and fellow traveler, using his experience as a dinner host and facilitator to frame profound questions and share conversations that dissect the mechanics of fulfillment. Listeners will hear a blend of personal narrative, philosophical insight, and actionable science, all aimed at reframing life's inevitable challenges. This isn't about blind optimism; it's about building a durable, grounded perspective that serves in both business and personal relationships, in moments of entrepreneurial stress and cultural shifts. The Gratitude Through Hard Times podcast provides a thoughtful, evidence-based toolkit for anyone seeking to cultivate a deeper sense of purpose and connection in a complex world, proving that gratitude is a skill forged precisely when it feels most out of reach.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Gratitude Through Hard Times
Podcast Episodes
Brent Kenneway: Meaningful Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:16
Episode OverviewIn this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Schembra sits down with Brent Kenneway, National Group VP of Sales at UKG, for a conversation about the kind of relationships that aren’t transaction…
Julie Peck: Reclaim Your Humanity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:11
Podcast Show OverviewIn this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Schembra welcomes back Julie Peck—a seasoned tech and growth executive and current CEO of Talent Neuron, a global leader in workforce intelligen…
Eric Stine: The Power of Saying Yes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:04
In a world obsessed with speed, optimization, certainty, and AI-driven answers, this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times offers a necessary pause. Chris Schembra sits down with Eric Stine, CEO of Sitecore, for a deep…
Katie Parla: Rome Wasn't Built in a Day [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:10
Episode OverviewIn this rich, sensory journey through the Eternal City, I sit down with food historian, author, and Rome expert Katie Parla, a woman whose love affair with Rome began at sixteen thanks to her mother’s qui…
Kirti Naik: Redefine Reputation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:29
Episode SummaryIn this deeply human and heartfelt conversation, Chris Schembra sits down with his longtime friend Kirti Naik, a powerhouse brand leader turned soulful storyteller, for an episode that moves beyond titles…
Drew Sullivan: From What to Why [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:46
Episode SummaryIn this special episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra welcomes Drew Sullivan, a purpose-driven dealmaker, speaker advocate, and Senior Vice President at APB Speakers, for a raw and h…
Mark Rix: Shared Language Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:06
Episode SummaryThis episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times is about one of the most important and misunderstood challenges in business today, how to build workplaces where people truly thrive.Host Chris Schembra welcome…
Julie Peck: The Gift of a Curvy Path [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:08
Episode OverviewSometimes the most remarkable leaders don’t arrive at the top by climbing a neatly planned ladder, they stumble, pivot, and rebuild along winding roads. In this deeply personal and unexpectedly funny epis…
Mattan Griffel: Optimism Is a Discipline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:55
In a time when the headlines are bleak and social feeds are filled with outrage, what does it mean to be deliberately optimistic? In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with return…
Swapnil Shinde: Strength Training for the Heart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:01
Episode SummaryIn this special episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Swapnil Shinde, a three-time entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Zeni, the AI-powered finance platform tra…