It Comes Back to People is a podcast for investors, executives, and senior leaders who understand that the hardest business problems are not solved with better financial models, sharper strategy, or smarter org design. They are solved by getting the people piece right.
Trust, communication, influence, empathy, teamwork …these are not secondary concerns. For the leaders and investors on this show, they are the primary levers of performance, execution, and value creation.
Hosted by Netysha Santos, Leadership Development Consultant and Executive Coach at Avion Consulting, each episode is a candid conversation with operators, executives, and investors who have learned that human capital is not a supporting factor. It is the determining one.
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AI Combined With Leadership for Managers Will Make Teams Lazy, Build Problem Solvers with Fabrice Bernhard
Season 1 · Episode 4
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 • Duration 38:31
In this episode of It Comes Back to People, Netysha Santos of Avion Consulting sits down with Fabrice Bernhard, Cofounder of Theodo, a multi-country tech consultancy, to discuss building high-performance tech teams. Fabrice shares why the most critical challenges in scaling teams are human, not technical, and how lean principles can transform organizations. He explains the importance of trust, empathy, psychological safety, and collaboration, and how these factors drive innovation and efficiency. Fabrice also discusses his book, The Lean Tech Manifesto, which applies Toyota’s lean production principles to modern software teams.
Expect to Learn:
Why human factors often outweigh technical skill in high-performing tech teams
How lean principles guide problem-solving and decision-making
The importance of psychological safety and team trust for innovation
Tools and methods to identify skill gaps and coach teams effectively
How AI can support human-centric problem solving
Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
[00:00] - Introduction to Fabrice Bernard & Thedo consultancy
[02:36] - Fabrice’s background and professional progression
[04:13] - Transition from technical expertise to leadership focus
[06:29] - Defining the working environment: skills, technology, and management support
[09:43] - Skills assessment and continuous learning within teams
[12:21] - Lean thinking and systematic problem solving
[15:04] - Writing The Lean Tech Manifesto and learning from the process
[17:41] - Early team structures, scaling challenges, and bureaucracy vs autonomy
[24:19] - Benefits of lean principles on team performance and culture
[30:21] - AI and human-centric automation in lean teams
How Great Founders Build Teams That Scale Without Losing Culture with Aaron Battista
Season 1 · Episode 3
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 46:25
In this episode of It Comes Back to People, Host Netysha Santos of Avion Consulting, Inc. is joined by Aaron Battista, a seasoned retail industry leader with over 25 years of experience. Aaron is the Founder and CEO of Battista Co., Managing Partner and Chief Retail Officer at The Ember Co., and a retail executive who has worked with global brands including VF Corporation, Gucci, Lucky Brand, and Seven for All Mankind
Aaron shares how leadership in modern organizations is deeply tied to people, culture, and trust rather than just strategy or numbers. He explains why high-performing teams thrive when they are given space to learn, make mistakes, and grow. The conversation explores how culture, onboarding, and leadership behavior shape long-term business success, and why human-centered leadership is becoming more important in an AI-driven world.
Expect to Learn:
Why leadership success depends more on people than strategy alone
How psychological safety enables teams to learn through mistakes
Why high-performing teams need freedom to experiment and grow
How strong onboarding and training improve retention and engagement
Why HR and talent functions must have a strategic role in business
How brand promise and culture directly impact customer experience
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:00] – Introduction of Guest
[00:01:54] – Aaron’s background, education, and transition from operator to advisor.
[00:03:00] – Experiences with global brands like Seven For All Mankind, Gucci, and The Body Shop.
The Culture Advantage Business Leaders Need to Survive AI Disruption with Kevin Nelis
Season 1 · Episode 2
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 • Duration 47:43
In this episode of It Comes Back to People, Host Netysha Santos of Avion Consulting, Inc. sits down with Guest Kevin Nelis, Advisory Principal at True. and a strategy advisor with over a decade of experience across venture building, consulting, and leadership advisory.
Kevin breaks down why culture is not a soft concept but the real driver of execution, performance, and survival in modern organizations. He explains how strategy without culture collapses in practice, why investors prioritize founders over products, and how leadership today is about building adaptability in a world shaped by constant AI-driven change. He also introduces the idea of “human infrastructure” and explains why the future belongs to organizations that invest in communication, behavior, trust, and decision-making systems rather than just tools and technology.
Expect to Learn:
Why culture determines whether strategy actually works in execution
How investors evaluate leadership teams beyond products and markets
Why adaptability is now a survival skill in an AI-driven business world
What “human infrastructure” means and why it drives organizational success
How leaders can design environments that improve decision-making and behavior
Why growth mindset and learning matter more than raw talent over time
Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
[00:00] – Introduction to Kevin Nelis and his background in consulting, venture building, and advisory work
[03:34] – Defining organizational culture and what actually shapes it inside companies
[05:04] – How leaders intentionally shape culture and influence behavior
Brilliant with Numbers, Gone in 18 Months: The CFO Paradox
Season 1 · Episode 1
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 • Duration 51:08
In this episode of It Comes Back to People, Netysha Santos from Avion Consulting sits down with Ken Hickey, CFO coach at Ken Advisory and a finance leader with over 30 years of experience, including 16 years at Microsoft, to discuss the evolving role of the CFO. Ken explains why technical expertise alone is no longer enough and how CFOs must develop strategic leadership skills to navigate ambiguity, influence stakeholders, and drive business value.
He shares insights on executive presence, the human role of CFOs as a signal to boards and investors, and how finance can be the starting point for AI and digital transformation initiatives within organizations.
Expect to Learn:
How the CFO role has evolved from technical reporting to strategic leadership
Key leadership skills CFOs need for influencing boards, CEOs, and investors
Why executive presence and personal authority are critical for CFO success
How to manage ambiguity while maintaining professional rigor
The role of finance in driving AI adoption and digital transformation
Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
[00:00] - Introduction to Ken Hickey & his career background
[02:55] - Transition from corporate finance to executive coaching
[05:12] - Challenges of the CFO role and high turnover
[09:30] - Gap between technical training and strategic leadership needs
[12:48] - Executive presence and communicating effectively with stakeholders
[15:18] - Risks of not developing strategic CFO capabilities
[21:05] - Moving from control to influence; operational to strategic focus
[25:55] - Learning leadership through experience and self-development
[32:15] - Managing ambiguity and decision-making frameworks
[35:04] - AI and innovation: finance as a starting point for digital transformation
New Episodes Coming Soon
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 • Duration 01:12
In the world of leadership, the best talent isn't just filling roles—they're shaping the future of organizations. They're the strategic thinkers, the cultural architects, and the leaders who drive performance through their people.
Welcome to Leadership: Risk and Return, hosted by Netysha Santos. With a proven track record in leadership development and executive coaching, Netysha has been empowering organizations to create high-performing teams and visionary leaders for years. This podcast delves into the real-world challenges and opportunities that leaders face across industries, from building cohesive teams to transforming decision-making processes.
Whether you're an executive striving to navigate organizational change or a leader looking to elevate your team’s potential, Leadership: Risk and Return is your essential resource for building effective leadership systems that deliver lasting impact.
Subscribe now to Leadership: Risk and Return and start redefining what leadership means for your organization. A new episode is coming soon!
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