Ania Smith learned early that you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can be intentional about what you do next. After moving from Poland to South Dakota at 12 without speaking English, she developed a curiosity and adaptability that would eventually take her to companies including Airbnb, Uber Eats, Walmart, and now Taskrabbit, where she serves as CEO. In this conversation with Ryan, Ania talks about the difference between reacting to change and choosing it for yourself, and why asking better questions has given her the confidence to keep making big moves. She also opens up about taking her family on a gap year in Argentina and the surprisingly simple framework she and her husband use to balance two ambitious careers with raising three kids. Plus, Ania shares what she’s learned from more than a decade building marketplaces, how AI could transform the way we hire people to help in our homes, and why staying close to Taskers remains deeply personal to her.
