Founder's Mentality: The CEO Sessions

What does it take to back a decision that may take years to prove itself?     Soon after becoming CEO of Stryker, Kevin Lobo backed a $1.6 billion acquisition of Mako, a loss-making robotics company many customers, investors and industry experts believed was unnecessary. The deal would reshape both orthopedic surgery and Stryker’s growth trajectory.     Join host Jimmy Allen of Bain & Company...

Before a strategy becomes a success story, it's a judgement call. For 35 years, Jimmy Allen has been in the room with the world's most consequential CEOs, and this season, he's bringing you inside those conversations. Twelve leaders. Twelve moments that tested everything they thought they knew about leading. And one question that keeps coming back: it's not just what the CEO should do. It's who th...

As this season of Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions comes to a close, we take a step back to ask the question that has driven every conversation: how do you lead and grow in an era of turbulence? In this season finale, host Jimmy Allen revisits the season’s most powerful insights from the leaders of global brands and high-growth innovators, uncovering the new rules of scaling. You’ll hear from...

What does it really take to stay relevant when the world refuses to stand still? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Marcos Galperin, Founder and Executive Chairman of Mercado Libre, and Chris Zook, Advisory Partner at Bain & Company and co-author of Profit from the Core and The Founder’s Mentality, to explore what it really takes to keep growing when the rules of strategy are being re...

How can a hyperscaler grow at lightning speed without losing its soul? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Pedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal and former CFO of Mercado Libre, to explore how to scale at pace while keeping culture, relevance, and energy intact. From building one of Latin America’s most successful e-commerce and fintech giants to steering a new generation of high-growth businesses, Pe...

What does it take to stay connected to your customers when scale and complexity threaten to pull you away? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with David Haines, Group CEO of Flora Food Group, to explore how leaders can keep their focus vertical - anchored in the customer and the frontline, while running global organizations. From his early days at Mars and Vodafone to leading GROHE and Flora,...

How on earth can we simplify when business complexity feels inevitable? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Stuart Gent, Partner and Co-Head of Europe Private Equity at Bain Capital, to explore how leaders can strip away noise, refocus their teams, and rediscover what truly drives performance. From defining the heart of a business to knowing which problems only the CEO can solve, Stuart sh...

As the year winds down, Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions takes a festive turn. In this special holiday bonus episode, host Jimmy reflects on the season’s conversations with global leaders, each sharing a lesson they bring home to their families.  This episode gathers a wreath of insights about resilience, curiosity, and gratitude. You’ll hear from CEOs who’ve learned to sweat the details, emb...

Big companies are built to deliver, but in a world where technology shifts daily and customer needs change overnight, delivery alone isn’t enough. Business building has to become part of the culture. In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Tanuja Randery, Managing Director of Amazon Web Services in EMEA, to explore how AWS scales without becoming a bureaucracy. From codifying leadership princi...

How do you grow a bold idea into a global agribusiness leader… and then reimagine it all over again? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and CEO of Olam, to discuss how repeatable models can deliver both discipline and discovery. From sourcing cashews in Nigeria to building a business that now spans 60 countries, Sunny reflects on how differentiation, curiosity,...

What does it take to ‘refound’ a company that you started, this time in the public spotlight? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Nirav Tolia, Co-Founder and CEO of Nextdoor, to explore the art of reorientating a company without losing momentum. From balancing the pressure of quarterly results with the need to reignite innovation, to radically shifting his own leadership style, Nirav share...

What happens when a founder’s vision doesn’t just spark a company, but reshapes an entire industry? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Don Katz, founder of Audible, to explore how a writer-turned-entrepreneur built a global brand that redefined the spoken word. From his early influences such as Ralph Ellison and his career at Rolling Stone, to commercializing the first digital audio playe...

What turns a routine into a ritual that actually changes how people work? In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Christina Zhu, President and CEO of Walmart China, to explore how she builds focus and resilience while leading through one of the fastest-changing retail landscapes in the world. From creating “joyful routines” that empower frontline associates, to translating customer centricity...

Pizza may seem simple, but leading one of the world’s most iconic brands is anything but.  In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Aaron Powell, Global CEO of Pizza Hut, to explore how he’s helping the company rediscover its magic in over 20,000 restaurants across 110 countries. From falling back in love with the product to celebrating the heroes of the frontline, Aaron shares how moments of j...

What does it take to lead - and live - when the world won’t sit still? Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions , hosted by executive advisor and bestselling author Jimmy Allen, goes beyond the boardroom to uncover lessons in leadership and growth. Each episode features candid conversations with top CEOs - from Audible, Walmart, AWS, and more - as well as artists, comedians, and other unconventional...