Who are the toughest negotiators in your world?

From navigating high-stakes decisions at Google and Facebook to advocating for her neuroatypical child, Alexis Hochleutner shares candid lessons on trust, resilience, and why four-year-olds might just be the toughest negotiators of all. 

Tune in for a refreshingly real take on leadership, advocacy, and embracing the chaos. Alexis Hochleutner dives into the messy, human side of leadership—both in the boardroom and at home. 

linkedin.com/in/alexishochleutner/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Who's your closest partner? What makes that partnership work?

Dive into the dynamic partnership between Sandra Muoio and Ryan Blum, two advertising leaders whose decade-long collaboration has weathered high-stakes challenges, heated debates, and plenty of laughter. From a fateful conversation on a stuck Chicago L train to transforming major client strategies, their story is a masterclass in trust, empathy, and authentic leadership.

Hear how they navigate disagreements, build creative solutions, and inspire their teams—all while staying true to themselves and each other. This is a conversation about the human side of leadership, where mutual respect and a no-BS approach make all the difference.

Sandra:
linkedin.com/in/sandra-muoio

Ryan:
linkedin.com/in/nothingsaid/
ryanblum.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What does it take to lead with purpose?

In this episode of 99 Humans, EJ Kim, Co-Founder & CEO of NNABI, shares her inspiring journey from corporate life to bootstrapping a wellness startup laser-focused on perimenopause. Guided by her passion and purpose, EJ is forging her own path with what she calls a “portfolio career.” Her drive to change how women experience perimenopause—with support, clarity, and community—makes this a must-listen for anyone looking to create meaningful impact.

EJ dives into the unique challenges of perimenopause, how she’s transforming the conversation, and what it means to pursue a career fueled by both passion and purpose. If you’ve ever wondered how to discover your own path, pursue a personal mission, or embark on a journey of self-discovery, this episode is for you.

Tune in to hear EJ’s insights on authentic leadership, honest self-reflection, and the transformative power of living your purpose.

linkedin.com/in/ej-kim/
about.me/EJKim

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

When life changes in an instant, how do you build resilience to see the positive?

Cristina Nuti is a marketing executive at Dell, an IronMan finisher, Paralympic Triathlete, and a Marathoner. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of thirty-six, Cristina shares her inspiring journey to building a rich life, which includes being one of the first ever IronMan finishers with MS. She is an inspiration, with a life perspective centered on acceptance and hard work which fuels incredible achievements and makes her a powerful example of being so much more than a disease.

Cristina's story celebrates the power of the human spirit, peeking behind the curtain of accomplishments to see her energy, sense of humor, and a wonderfully human leader.

linkedin.com/in/cristinanuti/
instagram.com/cristinanuti/
On TEDx

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

"Climb the ladder!" How do you foster the courage and self-awareness to get what you want out of your career, instead of what's obviously next?

Jing Suk has held leadership roles in huge multinational corporations and smaller companies, most recently CEO at Skyrocket Studios. Jing shares stories about overcoming career inertia with deliberate steps to "move the ladder to a different wall" instead of just climbing to the next rung.

From Computer Science to Digital Marketing, big corporations to smaller and back again... Jing shares what it feels like to take risks and be intentional in pursuing what's right for her. With emotional storytelling, Jing's vulnerability brings clarity to these relatable moments about getting more out of life than what's in front of you.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingsuk/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

How do you foster creativity at the core of yourself and your company?

Valerio Cometti is Founder and Creative Director at Valerio Cometti+V12 Design, the home of Deep Design Thinking. Product design is such a creativity-forward business, and yet as founder of the studio Valerio shares how he has built a mix of skills (and people!) who make the company thrive.

From the beginning where he studied Mechanical Engineering, Valerio was intentional in building a mixed skillset to help him pursue his childhood dream to run a design studio. With clients ranging from 6 to 160k employees, Valerio flexes a variety of leadership skills while keeping precious his creative core.

linkedin.com/in/valerio-cometti-v12design/
v12design.com/?lang=en

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Why are you a people manager, and how do you react when the going gets tough?

Ted Fernandez is the Global Head of Product Marketing at TikTok, with an illustrious career across Tech Companies in the social, video, and education space. Ted shares a specific time when the perception of his team's work was not what he wanted it to be, and how he navigated the situation by customizing messages to all angles: personal, stakeholder and individual contributors.

Ted is a powerhouse of authentic leadership, beloved for his effectiveness and adaptability building high performance teams. From tactical tips to overcome relatable team challenges to sharing his unique expertise on "How to be successful as an Influencer" this episode overflows with rejuvenating reminders of what matters most and practical tips.

linkedin.com/in/ted-fernandez-a678172

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

You probably know that less than 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. What's going on? Why isn't this changing despite it being a known inequity?

Jennifer McCollum is a trailblazing leader, currently CEO at Catalyst Inc, she is making her life's work emulating authentic, human leadership while raising awareness and lifting women up through the leadership ranks. Women face a double (or triple!) bind when it comes to leadership positions, contorting themselves to fit surrounding perceptions and systems.

How can women succeed in leadership, and what can allies do to help? Jennifer shares personal experience and research from her book "In Her Own Voice. A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership" in this masterclass on women leadership.

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What could one new habit do for you?

Morris has a knack for building new habits... waking up early (4am!), going to the gym, months fasting from alcohol and social media, studying leadership, and more! Morris uses discipline to design a dream life filled with family, friends, and career while staying humble enough to talk openly about lessons he's learned from mistakes along the way.

As a Marketing Intelligence & Science Executive, Morris has held leadership positions at some of the largest ad agencies in the world (Wavemaker and Publicis), embodying how much discipline can matter to human leaders using it intentionally.

linkedin.com/in/morrismartin/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What's the secret to expressing your personal genius?

Tom Burke has coached TED speakers, C-suite execs, authors, Broadway singers and Hollywood actors for over 20 years as speech-language pathologist and voice coach. His job is to help people tap their passions, quirks, and sense of humor to find their voice, the raw ingredient for gorgeous language.

Tom demonstrates human leadership as he unpacks his entrepreneurial journey and shares stories of the process he uses to help his clients find their authentic voice.

linkedin.com/in/tomburkevoice/
expressyourgenius.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Service is selfless, but what's the most important ingredient in any meal?

Pasquale Martinelli is the Founder and Executive Chef at Alloro New York Private Dining, brining authentic Italian experiences to his clients. It takes less than ten seconds to feel Pasquale's passion, an incredibly attractive leadership quality, amplified by his love for serving people.

Pasquale shares his journey from Puglia to NYC, overcoming hardships to find success creating transcendent dining experiences. This is a human leader with a love for life, for people, and for good food, and it's a joy to hear how he's living leadership in a way that fully embraces these loves.

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

AI! It's everywhere, but how do you position yourself to take advantage of career opportunities?

Enrico Santus has worked on, or advised for, AI work at companies like Bloomberg, Bayer, Hospitals, and the Women's Brain Project. So to say that his career is "having a moment" is an understatement. Enrico shares his story from a small Italian town to journalism to advising household names on the future of AI and human-AI collaboration.

What does leading (people) "in AI" even mean? Hear Enrico's tips for positioning your career at the forefront of AI while learning what he thinks are the benefits and risks in front of us.

linkedin.com/in/esantus/
esantus.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

You’re the CEO of your own narrative. So, what’s your next chapter?

Kay Munday, a communications coach, NLP practitioner, and creative business leader at Google shares her journey from being a self-proclaimed “terrible communicator” to becoming a sought-after expert in helping people and brands own their narratives. Through her personal story of transformation, she reveals how overcoming her fear of communication taught her the importance of aligning your internal story before mastering external expression.

Kay’s relatable anecdotes and actionable insights make this episode a masterclass in reinvention, vulnerability, and the art of storytelling.

linkedin.com/in/kay-munday-14a8b039
kaymunday.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Do you give trust up, down, and sideways in your organization? What about to yourself?

Kathrin Holzfurtner has been a Director of Talent Acquisition for companies like iDeals and Microsoft, making a career out of her ability to find, hire, and support high performance teams by leading them herself. Every high performance team wants to drive impact and to innovate, and Kathrin tells a powerful story about the role of trust in success.

Employees trusting leaders; leaders trusting employees; earning vs. giving trust; the role of trust in motivation. Kathrin provides a masterclass in the importance and strategies for harnessing trust as a leader by telling a story of how it's mattered to her.

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What's the last decision you made to drive your own career?

Nils Vinje is the Founder of Leadership MBA, which helps people get promoted faster, save time, and build stronger teams. Before Nils could help others he first had to help himself, and that's the story he shares in this episode.

From StengthsFiner to being the CEO of your own career, Nils shares what it was like to go from the "passenger seat"  to the "driver seat" of his career. From there he became a successful founder and CEO and it all started with realizing that he needed to be in control of his own career.

leadershipmba.com
linkedin.com/in/nilsvinje/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Ever been laid off? Led a team through layoffs? This episode reveals the raw emotions and tough decisions behind those moments and how to make them less devastating.

Natasha Davidson, currently CMO at Group GTI, has an incredible background of executive leadership positions. Among amazing career highlights, Natasha shares an incredibly challenging moment managing reorganizations that lead to layoffs.

Hear how Natasha navigated her personal journey managing layoffs, communicating them in the most human way possible, and helping those who weren't laid off process the changes and focus on the future. Incredible insight into the reality of navigating layoffs, but from a leader who demonstrates grace, humility, and growth throughout.

linkedin.com/in/natashadavidson

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What motivates you?

Alfonso De Gaetano has succeeded in leadership positions at Consulting firms, at Google, and as a Founder of CRURATED. He credits this success to learning along the way... how to work hard; how to lead; and how to create. Alfonso shares how he creates a vision for where his life (and company) are going -- not necessarily how to get there.

With a resume many strive to achieve, Alfonso opens up about the pros and cons of ambition. What's it like to look at the world, succeed, and want more? A fantastic dive into human leadership to find, achieve, and move through success.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/degaetanoalf

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

After learning that she hated law, Julie Saxon started her illustrious career as a temp Secretary at an Ad Agency. Since then, she's been the CRO at The Weather Company, VP at Verizon, and most recently followed her own advice to be Head of Consumer Sales at X where she is working with a mentor and people she loves.

What you see is what you get, a mantra for authenticity tested by Julie's husband's cancer diagnosis. Juggling kids, a high visibility job, and her own journey Julie shares the choices she made in what authentic leadership can look like and how those choices impacted everyone around her.

While Julie's story navigating this challenging time role models how to be transparent while setting healthy boundaries, there is so much more to learn from this incredible leader. The common thread? Magic happens when you're intentional about who you're around at work and in your personal life.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliesaxon

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Covid + School Districts = Complexity. How does human leadership help?

Harold S. Henry, Jr. is the Chief of Schools at Baltimore Curriculum Project and spent six years as a principal in Baltimore City Public Schools. He's experienced the brunt of misperceptions about what leadership in school districts, and shares a powerful story of leadership through Covid to exemplify how empathy and human leadership made all the difference.

Teachers, principals, and administrators in public school face a unique challenge re-humanizing leadership, but it resonates across all industries. In this episode, Harold shares how purpose was a secret sauce for rising above challenging circumstances.

linkedin.com/in/hshenryjr/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What do you really want? You won't get it if you don't spend time prioritizing your authentic goals.

Paola thrives in difficult environments -- from influencing the Italian economy as one of few women in the space, to executive leadership in Big Tech. How? Resilience - having and focusing on the bigger picture, the bigger goal. 

Paola shares how human leadership principles/platitudes like "knowing yourself," actually helped her succeed in challenging times and thrive over the longterm. A masterclass in human leadership, Paola is fascinating to listen to and empowering to learn from.

linkedin.com/in/paolamarazzini/
paolamarazzini.com/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

You've heard of a non-profit, but what about a Zero Funds organization?

Enter Neel Ghose, the kind of "human leader" who takes the challenge of leading in the philanthropic world to a new level. Neel created Robin Hood Army, a Zero Funds organization connecting what would be "food waste" to those in need, a fully volunteer led effort that has grown to 237,197 "Robins" (volunteers), 403 cities, and 133,963,731 meals.

Hear Neel describe how a purpose-driven organization (with all this success, Robin Hood Army sees their job still only 1% done) sparks his personal passion and allows him to lead an organization that is loose and completely lacking in many traditional motivational techniques (read: money).

robinhoodarmy.com/
linkedin.com/in/neelghose/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What is leadership without language?  What about leadership in language?

Milena Koralczyk is founder and CEO of the language school, "L'Ecole Parisienne de Langues," a premiere language school based in Paris teaching French to executives and ex-patriots seeking to find their place in French culture. Milena shares why language is important but also what made it important to her.

From AI's impact on language, to language's impact on leaders, Milena brings a fresh perspective to human leadership in her company and the people she teaches.

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What would it take to reinvent yourself? What things would you need to lose in order to gain?

Craig Siegel spent thirteen years as a gladiator in the wrong arena, pouring his energy and time into Wall Street before finally cutting the cord and becoming an entrepreneur. It was then that his passion for reinvention caught fire , he founded Cultivate Lasting Symphony (CLS) and inspired millions through his bestselling book, podcast, and speaking engagements.

Hear Craig's tips for how to reinvent your career and your life. Find what lights up *your* soul. Set goals, because those goals give you purpose and enthusiasm. Carve out time each day to work towards that dream life.

linkedin.com/in/craig-landon-siegel/
cultivatelastingsymphony.com/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

How do you do it all and ENJOY THE RIDE?!

Max Traylor, a fourth-generation entrepreneur and independent consultant, shares his journey of redefining success. From the pressures of running a marketing agency to discovering a business model that puts personal life first, Max reflects on the lessons he’s learned about work-life balance, mental health, and building a fulfilling life.

Max offers practical insights for consultants and entrepreneurs on simplifying work, focusing on impact, and, above all, enjoying the ride. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about prioritizing what truly matters.

linkedin.com/in/maxtraylor/
maxtraylor.com/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Do you cringe thinking about name tags and awkward conversations at “networking” events?

Kurt Schmidt, Author and President of The Foundry, one of Inc Magazine’s fastest growing companies, shares how walking in ill prepared for one of his employee’s performance reviews sent him on a journey to sharpen his leadership toolset. Hear how he practices confidence in the face of natural uncertainty, by building an intentional network around him.

Networking isn’t a personality trait, it’s work that pays back with personal growth and mutual value. That’s at least what Kurt says, and he literally wrote the book on it.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/-kurtschmidt/

The Little Book of Networking: How to Grow Your Career One Conversation at a Time: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1634895835

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Ever heard that GenZ doesn't want to work?

Celine Chai busts that myth, sharing the story behind her co-founding of NightyEight and becoming a GenZ entrepreneur.

Hear how Celine struggled through challenge to now embrace the mantra, "You can't plan life." Celine exemplifies human leadership as she works hard to lead a successful business without losing her passion for dance and a rich balanced life.

linkedin.com/in/celine-chai
ninetyeightla.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

"We hire women, don't we. We hired you!" How would you respond in the moment?

Diana Agu is a strategist, business leader and entrepreneur who studied Law & Criminology in the United Kingdom but climbed the corporate ladder working in Project & Business management.  From Morgan Stanley to Capgemini to CEO of her own startup, Diana has proven herself in high pressure  corporate settings, but it's her nonprofit and "extracurricular" impact that she says defines her.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Diana shares how embracing authenticity may not always be easy but it's critical to building the life she wants.  This conversation illustrates how Diana's approach to human leadership creates opportunities for success, while also helping her handle challenges with grace and confidence.

linkedin.com/in/dianaagu

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

"When I went on mental health leave..." Can you imagine saying that?

Newton Cheng is the Director of Health and Performance at Google, and he said those words when he mustered the courage to prioritize himself. So long as mental health conversations are stigmatized, it's hard for leaders to do right for themselves, their family, and their teams. Newton is looking for new ways to approach the topic, better suited for the complexity of today’s world.

Hear how Newton faced down the negative energy fueling his accomplishments inwork and in power lifting, to built a new source of motivation. Practical tips and intentional resilience building prove the power of human leadership.

linkedin.com/in/newtoncheng

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Back-to-back meetings, pregnant, and contractions in the office.

Ashley Patel shares a harrowing story when the demands of entrepreneurship collided with the birth of her child, highlighting the importance of making intentional choices with your life and career. Co-Founder of CurbWaste, Ashley is building a company on the forefront of waste management software, while growing her life and family alongside.

In a conversation sparked by Ashley's emotionally challenging story, we discuss gender norms, cultural norms, country laws, and more as we explore how messy the human leadership journey can be.

linkedin.com/in/ashley-patel-61632865/
curbwaste.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Happy 50th episode!

On this special edition, Nadia and Jeff reflect on their 99 Humans journey: what we've learned from the incredible guests and from the journey of creating the show.

How does a coaching background help and hurt being a podcast host? How do you create a podcast with no prior experience? How do you get the podcast out into the world, and what does it feel like to have mixed success?

We are so thankful for the incredible ride 99 Humans has been; the skills we've learned; the challenges we've overcome; and the incredible humans we've had the chance to connect with, learn from, and apply their skills to our daily leadership lives. Thank you for listening and for connecting! We love this adventure!

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Leadership isn't life and death, right?

Pierre Monice is President of MacNeal Hospital, and shares how important it is to listen to experts, in this case medical professionals working in the hospital, when making decisions. He sees his core role as a relationship builder, where everyone is a stakeholder. In the operations realm, Pierre has seen major capital improvement projects, managed costs and oversee HR operations with 99th percentile measurement in employee engagement.

Before working in healthcare Pierre was a Pastor, and he shares how that experience shapes his leadership style while also honing the craft of human leadership and the difference it makes to his team's - and their patients' - success.

linkedin.com/in/pierremonice/
linktr.ee/pierremonice

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Being on a non-profit board is often thought of as a late-stage move, once you've mastered your career, arranged your life, and can finally give back. But what if it could be used to accelerate your career and life?

Ann Piccirillo is an accomplished and data-driven People Operations and Strategy Leader, acting as Senior VP  of People Strategy & Operations at JDA.  Sharing a personal story of hardship which interrupted a previously smooth ladder-climbing career, Ann flips the script on volunteering to stand out, learn skills, and accelerate her career.

"It was the pain that drove me." Ann shares insights about overcoming challenges and using creative strategies to succeed in the job market and impact many through real human leadership

linkedin.com/in/annpiccirillo
X: annpiccirillo

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Career Abundance. Money Abundance. Financial Freedom.

Adam Coelho manifested his dream job at Google as a Senior Data Transformation Lead, but this is only the tip of the iceberg as he also hosts the Mindful FIRE Podcast, a podcast all about achieving Financial Freedom. Adam shares how his journey towards financial freedom intersects with career highs and lows.

Hear how Adam applies the tools of mindfulness to transform his life. From money to personal development to job growth, these are practical tips that can be applied to get what you want from your life.

linkedin.com/in/adamcoelho
mindfulfire.org/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

"Work culture" is critical, but how do you change it?

Giulia Redavid has 15 years of experience leading companies across different roles in innovative Supply Chains.  At Luxottica she reorganized an entire office and supply chain from California to Milan. The most challenging part? Navigating the change in culture.

From moving, changing roles, reorganizing teams, having a baby, and more Giulia shares what it takes to land a successful culture change at Luxottica and how that experience shapes her leadership today.

linkedin.com/in/giulia-redavid-03b94a7/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Trust and collaboration. Every team needs it, but how do you create it?

Alexia Palau started a new role on March 20, 2020 just as things began unravelling for COVID. Alexia shares how the next few years challenged her with building trust and collaboration in her multi-national team. Applying lessons learned from startups and past roles, Alexia shares how she nurtures relationships that avoid the echo chamber and keep her grounded with what the team needs to succeed.

For Alexia, success is a constant process of iteration, requiring a team of people who will tell you what they think and what they need.

linkedin.com/in/alexia-pr/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

The moment you become a leader people stop giving you feedback.

Joris Merks-Benjaminsen knows, because he was a Google leader in EMEA for almost thirteen years before he wrote "Managing without power" and leaving to help managers become leaders. The difference is knowing how to harness strengths, not just force results.

How do you overcome the echo chamber that only gets worse the more senior you are? How do you harness intrinsic motivation to avoid forcing actions and disengaging team members? Joris shares practical tips for managing without power.

linkedin.com/in/joris-merks-benjaminsen-5673384/
managingwithoutpower.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Have you ever heard a real couple share how they navigate two successful careers while juggling parenthood, their relationship, and all the trimmings of a messy, beautiful partnership?

Brittan Bright and Michael King are both successful. Entrepreneur. Intrapreneur. Author. Founder. All these words bedazzle their individual resumes. But how does that intersect with parenting? With being their for your significant other? And vice-versa with their leadership? This is the stuff of human leaders.

Hear how Brittan and Michael juggle ambition, with compassion and peek behind the curtain of a more complex and beautiful reality than a sleek LinkedIn Profile could ever show. This is a 99 Humans first as we interview two successful human leaders at once and see what we can learn from these incredible humans.

acquire.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanbright

ipullrank.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkingphilly

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Sure, failing is learning, but what if it was also a measure of success.

Ben Jankowski is starting his own practice after succeeding in countless global leadership roles at Mastercard, Omnicom, MPG, and more. Ben opens up about what sparked the move to do his own thing, what he anticipated, and what surprised him.

Be helpful. Don't give it away for free. Don't hold on too long. Leverage relationships. This episode explores Ben's background of success leading multi-billion companies and lessons from going out on his own. Helpful to the intra- and entre-preneurs out there looking for practical tips on being a successful, human leader.

linkedin.com/in/benjankowski/
modernmediasolutions.org/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

A leader is wronged; how do you navigate with strength and grace?

S Renee Smith is a trailblazing leader, most recently overseeing Amazon’s Leadership and Executive development programs, while championing the Coach approach and literally writing the book on Self-Esteem (Self Esteem for Dummies!). Along the way she learned to manage her both herself and those around her to show up as a leader no matter what comes her way.

In this episode, S Renee shares the tiresome challenges that come from being a strong, black woman leader. Jeff and S Renee reflect on an experience they shared where this entered the room, and in that reflection explore the realities of race and gender, and how S Renee demonstrated the pinnacle of human-centric leadership.

linkedin.com/in/srenee/details/experience/
srenee.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

How do you align the expectations of success between Founders before there's any success?

Paolo Privitera has founded six companies, raising over $300M across startups and funds, engaging with a wide range of employees, partners, buyers, customers, and more.  Paolo shares tips for navigating those early moments between passionate cofounders -- the beautifully messy and human reality of all new companies  which starts with an idea and a dream of success that hasn't yet occurred..

Hear what conversations Paolo recommends prioritizing, alongside personal experiences of the ups and downs along the journey to successful leadership of high-growth startups.

evensi.com
linkedin.com/in/paoloprivitera

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Grit rewires your thinking to know that things will always get better.

Madona Wambua leveraged her expertise as a Google Developer Expert to founding, and now serve as CTO of, Jibu Labs product development. Madona is a trailblazer in a male dominated field, and shares how her first dream of aeronautics evolved into a curiosity for technology that became a successful career.

Hear how Madona overcomes challenges by leaning into her strengths while pursuing a passion for creating things and helping others along the way.

linkedin.com/in/madona-wambua
jibulabs.com/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Listening. David Tutera wishes we did it more, and says its helped him snag and delight clients like Elton John, Vanessa Williams, Shania Twain, The White House, Lil'Kim and Barbara Walters.

David Tutera is a globally-lauded wedding & entertaining expert, a television personality, fashion designer, entrepreneur, author, husband, father, and so much more.  Hailed as an artistic visionary his outstanding reputation has brought success in the lifestyle arena for over 30 years.

In this episode, peek behind tremendous success to hear from a humble man whose pursuit of his passion brought opportunities and hilarious stories. Human skills are at the root of the ultimate resume, as David makes us laugh, cry, and reflect on leading to success.

DavidTutera.com
linkedin.com/in/david-tutera-120a2620a

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

You won't find a perfect job, but you can find a better one.

Alan Stein shares his journey of leadership across some of the biggest companies in the world (Google, Facebook, AmEx, and more) in a no holds bar discussion about the ups and downs of corporate life. Alan keeps it real (even sharing his paystub publicly!), as a means to shock people into the driver seat of their own careers.

Hear the difference that corporate culture can make to a leader's day-to-day, and how for Alan, that led him to his passion of helping people land the best jobs at the best companies.
 
linkedin.com/in/alanjstein
kadimacareers.com/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

We are told, be quiet, don't cause any issues, never lift your hand in meetings, just do the work, and the work will speak for itself. That's a lie.

Eugina Jordan is an executive who has built her career from a secretary to chief marketing officer in telecom, where women represent only 12 percent of the C-suite. Eugina shares how she learned to navigate a culture not designed for her success, and now helps others do the same. 

This is a practical approach to taking the driver seat of your career to get what you want. As the author of "UNLIMITED: The Seventeen Proven Laws for Success in a Workplace Not Designed for You" Eugina is able to make messy, human topics actionable and approachable for direct application.

linkedin.com/in/euginajordan
euginajordan.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

"My door is always open." It's what leaders say. But what happens when someone walks through to share feedback?

Marco De Carli, Ceo & Co-Founder of DINN!, shares how leading from his core values creates helpful predictability for the team. "Failure doesn't exist; Learn from success; Feedback is a gift." These are a few examples of Marco's values as a leader, and they allow him to react to situations in ways his team can predict--a healthy, consistent drum beat to a strong company culture.

Hear how value-centric, human leadership builds habits that build a strong team culture of success, growth, personal development, and genuine relationships.

linkedin.com/in/marco-de-carli-1579273
dinndesign.com 

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

How often do you say no? It may be getting in your way.

Dustin Riechmann is a serial entrepreneur, and since he's always juggling multiple businesses, he's had to learn the importance of letting things go. A 6-month deadline to make a profitable side business became the opportunity to give notice and pursue his passions.

Dustin shares tricks of the trade from successes and failures of starting companies, now coaching other founders on making the 7-figure leap.

linkedin.com/in/dustinriechmann/
7figureleap.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

What helps women thrive at a company like Google?

Elise Birkhofer is the global head of women's community programs at Google, helping women thrive at the company. With a community and responsibility that spans more than 36,000 women, Elise shares the ups and downs of conquering personal hardships and big company dynamics to do amazing work.

Hear how passion sparked by a shattering personal experience started her journey to help women thrive. From personal career management tips, to braving hard conversations with men, to concrete corporate responsibility... Elise shares the humanity behind her leadership of twists and turns to make a difference.

www.elise-marie.com
www.instagram.com/hey.elise.marie

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

How does your identity impact your leadership? What if it was something you were proud of but unsure how others would react if they knew?

Jewel Love, founder of Black Executive Men, is on a mission to help black men make 7-figures. Jewel shares how proud he is to lead a mission-driven organization, but also how hard it was for him to reveal his mixed race identity along the way. Can the founder of an organization empowering and employing black men be successful as mixed?

Hear Jewel share the connection behind conquering self-doubt and success, describing past challenges that led him to live authentically as a passionate, human leader helping black men thrive.

blackexecutivemen.com
linkedin.com/in/jewellove

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Leaders get kicked in the teeth. It comes with the territory. What makes the difference is what happens the next morning.

JiYoung Kim, President at GroupM Nexus, found passion and success in hard work and good ideas. As an immigrant, these were her secret weapons, and she shares how that competitive nature drove her to find opportunities where they would shine. Those opportunities, that growth - it turns out - is hard!

When you wake up in the morning after a hard day do you look forward to doing it again, or are you unhappy? When you're unhappy enough that it's changing who you are -- it's not worth it -- because eventually it's going to ruin you. JiYoung Kim shares earned wisdom in building a successful career centered on hard work and how that taught her how to pursue happiness alongside success.

linkedin.com/in/jiyoungk
groupm.com

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans

Even if you doubt where you fit into the picture, as a leader, you have a very significant role to play. Lean into the doubt, because your vulnerability is an opportunity to reach more people.

Dave Haskins, an Astrologer and Coach, shares his journey discovering the importance of human leadership across his career at Siemens, Coca-Cola, and launching his own business helping leaders tune into Universal Signals. Connecting Astrology to human leadership is a unique perspective with wonderfully powerful, relevant insights into how to open yourself up to opportunities and impact.

Dave asks leaders a powerful question about their ability to tune in: the universe is always sending signals, are you picking up on them? A fun, unique take on human leadership!

universal-signals.com/
linkedin.com/in/d-haskins-2680b0215/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans