The Shiny Object Trap Most Leaders Fall Into (And How to Escape It) with Ema Roloff
Wed Feb 04 2026
Feeling overwhelmed by all the shiny objects you're being told are necessary for your business to run. Yet you're unsure how any of it will actually solve your business problems?
This episode is your answer. Join Jess as she dives into a conversation with Ema Roloff, co-founder of Roloff Consulting.
Emma brings refreshing clarity to the hype around technology and the shiny object syndrome within the tech industry. She focuses on trust and intentionality over chasing trends.
Discover why true digital leadership requires more than just adopting new tools, and how being authentic can revolutionize your approach to growth and innovation.
Here's the quote Ema mentioned during the interview at 22:48, from John Chambers, CEO, Cisco:
“40% of businesses in this room, unfortunately will not exist in a meaningful way in 10 years… If I’m not making you sweat, I should be” John Chambers, Cisco CEO.
Watch media coverage of his remarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2IYvlVY8s
Contact & Follow Ema:
Ema Roloff, Co-Founder, Roloff Consulting
Website: https://www.roloffconsulting.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emaroloff/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emaroloff7690
Instagram Handle: @transformationprincess
02:00 The Power of Content and Authenticity
05:17 Rethinking Sales Strategies
09:30 The Importance of Relationship Building
13:08 Ema's Journey: From Teaching to Sales
20:17 Navigating Shiny Object Syndrome
22:22 The FOMO Cycle in Technology Adoption
27:24 The Cycle of Ineffective Software Adoption
28:37 The Cost of Integration and Implementation
30:07 The Importance of Starting with 'Why'
32:29 The Shift in Digital Leadership
35:12 Authenticity in Leadership and Content Creation
42:14 Experimentation and Continuous Learning
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Feeling overwhelmed by all the shiny objects you're being told are necessary for your business to run. Yet you're unsure how any of it will actually solve your business problems? This episode is your answer. Join Jess as she dives into a conversation with Ema Roloff, co-founder of Roloff Consulting. Emma brings refreshing clarity to the hype around technology and the shiny object syndrome within the tech industry. She focuses on trust and intentionality over chasing trends. Discover why true digital leadership requires more than just adopting new tools, and how being authentic can revolutionize your approach to growth and innovation. Here's the quote Ema mentioned during the interview at 22:48, from John Chambers, CEO, Cisco: “40% of businesses in this room, unfortunately will not exist in a meaningful way in 10 years… If I’m not making you sweat, I should be” John Chambers, Cisco CEO. Watch media coverage of his remarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2IYvlVY8s Contact & Follow Ema: Ema Roloff, Co-Founder, Roloff Consulting Website: https://www.roloffconsulting.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emaroloff/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emaroloff7690 Instagram Handle: @transformationprincess 02:00 The Power of Content and Authenticity 05:17 Rethinking Sales Strategies 09:30 The Importance of Relationship Building 13:08 Ema's Journey: From Teaching to Sales 20:17 Navigating Shiny Object Syndrome 22:22 The FOMO Cycle in Technology Adoption 27:24 The Cycle of Ineffective Software Adoption 28:37 The Cost of Integration and Implementation 30:07 The Importance of Starting with 'Why' 32:29 The Shift in Digital Leadership 35:12 Authenticity in Leadership and Content Creation 42:14 Experimentation and Continuous Learning