It’s always special when we get to sit down with one of our own at Pixelz. With a global team spread across so many time zones, finding the right moment isn’t always easy, but this time, we had the chance to catch up with Ryan Roberts, Customer Success Director, North America.
If you were at FLOW North America 2024, you might remember Ryan’s singalong debut with Dr. Sebastian Eskenazi, where an impromptu Beach Boys moment set the tone before the final session of the day. Much like his career journey, it was candid, unplanned, and rooted in connection, reminding us that some of the best things happen when you’re willing to jump in.
And that’s exactly how Ryan’s path into the industry unfolded. Entirely self-taught, he began his photography journey in his own backyard—chasing dogs with a film camera—before going on to lead major e-commerce studios in New York and LA. Today, he’s channeling that experience into helping global brands streamline their content creation processes with Pixelz through real relationships and true partnership.
So without further ado, let’s dive in!
Takeaway 1: A True Leader’s Passion Lies in People
For Marysol, leadership isn’t about being flawless; it’s about being honest. She admits that she “did every mistake you can find in the manager’s book,” but says that what mattered most wasn’t perfection, it was vulnerability. “If I were honest about it and vulnerable, the team would always forgive me and grow with me,” she reflects.
Early in her career, she felt the pressure to prove herself, especially as a young woman leading people older than her. She thought she needed to have all the answers, to constantly demonstrate control. But that approach only distanced her from her team. Over time, she realized that her strength lay not in pretending to know everything, but in sharing the journey of figuring things out. “I thought I always had to have the truth, to prove myself as a woman, to show I knew it all,”she says. “And then I realized, when I said, ‘I don’t know — let’s figure it out together,’ that’s when everything changed.”
That shift (from authority to authenticity) became the cornerstone of her leadership style. Marysol describes how even now, years later, she reaches out to former team members to ask for feedback or to apologize for decisions she would make differently today. “The people you manage will always be your best mirror,” she explains. “If you have the courage to go back, ask questions, and face the truth, that’s when real leadership happens.”
It’s a powerful reminder that great leaders don’t avoid mistakes; they own them, learn from them, and grow alongside their teams.
Takeaway 2: Managing Motivation Means Looking Deeper
When teams feel “demotivated,” Marysol doesn’t rush to blame the people — she looks at the system around them. To her, disengagement rarely comes from laziness or lack of talent. More often, it’s the result of poor communication, unclear objectives, or missing structure. “Most of the time, the problem isn’t the team itself but the perception of the team from outside,” she says. “If you create transparency, processes, and culture, things change.”
Her first step in any new leadership role is to pause and observe to understand. For a full month, she studies how people collaborate, how they communicate, and how decisions flow through the team. Only then does she start identifying where energy is being lost. “I always ask myself, is the demotivation coming from the environment, from history, or from the person?” she explains. “If it’s the first two, you can fix it. You can rebuild trust with clarity, connection, and purpose.”
That distinction between external and personal demotivation is key to how she leads. She believes that most people want to do well; they just need to feel seen, valued, and supported. And that starts with empathy. “To change how someone feels about work, you have to talk,” Marysol says. “You have to put on the table that you care that you’re here to help.”
Her approach is both practical and personal: diagnose the source of demotivation, rebuild transparency and trust, and remind people of the “why” behind their work. When leaders listen first, she’s seen even the most disconnected teams find their spark again.
Takeaway 3: Curiosity Drives Growth
Marysol’s career is living proof that curiosity is one of a leader’s greatest assets. It’s what took her from journalism to creative production, from Argentina to Mexico, and ultimately to leading global teams across continents. Every step started with the same instinct: what if?
When offered a role in Mexico with “just a desk and a chair,” she said yes, even without knowing anyone or what a P&L was. “I was always more scared of being bored than of failing,” she says. “There’s a bigger risk in not doing anything.”
That fearless curiosity continues to guide her today. For Marysol, leadership is a journey of constant learning, reflection, and openness to change. “Leadership is not something you finish learning,” she adds. “It evolves as you do.”
Curiosity keeps her moving forward and reminds us that the best leaders never stop asking questions.
Connect with Marysol on LinkedIn and listen to the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. They’re loaded and ready for you there!