Why do some people build successful careers without having everything figured out… while others feel stuck even when they’re doing everything “right”? In this episode of Behind Numbers, Catherine shares how her path evolved from early storytelling to journalism, marketing, and eventually building her own business, without a perfectly planned roadmap. Along the way, she […]

He left Google at the peak of his career… but something still felt wrong. Even on a beach in Mexico, the stress didn’t go away. In this episode of Behind Numbers, Julian Pistone (ex-Google leader) shares the moment he realized success wasn’t enough, and what it really takes to redesign your life from the inside […]

Former Microsoft Head of HR reveals what actually drives career success. What if the real key isn’t working harder… but worrying less? In this episode of Behind Numbers, I sit down with Monica Pool Knox — former CHRO and Leader at Microsoft, Twitter/X, Sony, and PepsiCo — to unpack what separates average careers from exceptional […]

Most people ask “Why me?” when life breaks them. She didn’t. After being diagnosed with cancer, Asya had a reaction that most people would never expect… and honestly, most wouldn’t understand. In this conversation, we go beyond the surface to uncover: • How a life-threatening diagnosis reshaped her mindset • Why she prioritizes impact over […]

I spent the first 15 years of my career trying to be the smartest person in the room… and it was a mistake. Most smart professionals fail for this exact reason—and don’t even realize it. In this episode of Behind Numbers, Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Nick Fuoco – Chief Financial Officer, Equity Partner, Honorary […]

At just 24 years old, he left his family, his country, and everything familiar, with only a small suitcase and a big ambition. In this episode of Behind Numbers, I sit down with Pushkar Bedekar, a CFO whose journey started in Mumbai and led him across the world to build a career in global business […]

What separates good leaders from great ones? In this episode of Behind Numbers, we explore, with Jenny Fuss – CFO at Crowley, a powerful mindset shift that changes how leaders think about risk, failure, and decision-making. “Your energy flows where your focus goes.” “Everything is figure-outable.” “Stop asking: What if it fails?”

In this episode of Behind Numbers, I sit down with Andrew Smith, Founder of Savory Fund, to unpack the unconventional choices behind building one of the most successful hospitality investment platforms in the U.S. After years in tech, Andrew made a counterintuitive move: he went back to the dish pit. Not for optics, and not […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Saroop Bharwani, founder and CEO of Senso AI, to unpack what the founder journey really looks like behind the hype — constant rejection, daily failure, and the resilience required to keep building anyway. Saroop describes entrepreneurship as a decade-long journey of rejection, where […]

In the latest episode of Behind Numbers, I sat down with Zak Ali, General Manager of U.S. at Finder, to unpack an unconventional leadership journey – one built without a college degree, but with discipline, focus, and relentless learning. Zak shares a powerful mental model about attention and mindset – the idea that what you […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Tim Bean, an engineer and founder whose unconventional career journey led him into the world of autonomous defense technology and AI-driven systems — not through a lifelong plan, but through pivotal moments and real-world opportunity. The conversation begins with 9/11, a defining global […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Frank, one of the rare leaders who has operated at the very top of both the consulting and corporate worlds. Frank opens with a powerful truth: culture is the most important factor in your career. Intelligence and talent alone don’t guarantee success—being in […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, we go far beyond titles and résumés to explore the story of a leader who built her career with conviction, resilience, and an unshakeable sense of direction. I’m joined by Joy Mbanugo, CFO of CXAI, a publicly traded SaaS company using AI to transform how we experience workspaces. Joy’s […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with X, a leader whose career spans from being employee #2 at a startup to driving billion-dollar M&A deals at a FinTech unicorn and leading transformation at a Fortune 100 company.  Today, as Co-Founder & COO of Bridge, X is tackling one of the […]

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Tara Spalding, a dynamic leader whose journey spans from Silicon Valley startups to the boardrooms of Utah’s most innovative companies. Today, she’s the Strategic Relationship Advisor at Nusano, helping shape the future of isotope manufacturing — a field poised to transform energy and […]

From navigating layoffs during the 2008 crash to leading financial transformation at Google, Lamont Johnson’s journey is a story of resilience, empathy, and reinvention. In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi dives into how Lamont built his career through uncertainty, embraced change, and transformed finance into a driver of innovation and human connection. […]