The Think Factory Podcast

.Welcome to a fascinating episode of the Think Factory's Workplace Podcast, where we explore the crucial role of culture in business and community. Host Alka Bahal sits down with Farhanna Sayegh, a seasoned cross-cultural marketing strategist, founder of Cultural Fit, and the First Lady of Paterson, New Jersey. Farhanna draws on her extensive experience working with global brands and her deep civi...

In this episode of The Think Factory’s Workplace Podcast , host Alka Bahal sits down with Dr. Gary Ingenito, a seasoned healthcare executive whose career spans clinical development, regulatory affairs, and medical operations. Dr. Ingenito shares how his dual MD and PhD shaped his critical thinking, career trajectory, and ability to bridge academic research with the pharmaceutical industry. He refl...

What happens when your child suddenly stops hitting their developmental milestones—and you have no idea where to turn? In this episode of The Think Factory , Mary Krupp, Co-Director of Progressive Steps, opens up about the emotional side of early intervention. She shares what it’s really like for parents dealing with fear, stigma, and information overload, and how Progressive Steps makes the proce...

.In this episode of The Think Factory , host Anthony Davis speaks with John Harada, co-founder of Solace AI, a pioneering company based in Pennsylvania that’s redefining how AI operates by prioritizing privacy, regulatory compliance, and local data storage. This approach allows businesses—especially in sensitive sectors like banking, healthcare, HR, and disaster relief—to benefit from AI-driven in...

Join host Chris Santomassimo in our latest episode of The Think Factory as he sits down with John Cappelletti, Senior VP of Kirkwood Secure Health (Kirkwood) for an insightful journey through the ever-evolving world of print. Discover how John's unique path, from the tactile experience of offset printing to pioneering dynamic and personalized communications for CVS shaped his unparalleled expertis...

In this episode of The Think Factory Podcast , Bob Stewart of Hannaford and Dumas shares how his military background as a Marine officer has shaped his approach to leadership, sales, and operations in the commercial printing industry. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a customer’s mission before jumping into solutions, and how cultivating goodwill and relationship capital often leads t...

In this episode of The Think Factory , we sit down with Ryan Autumn, the creative force behind Autumn Woods. Along the way, he explains how a combination of resourcefulness, mentorship, and persistent optimism helped him scale the company into a sellable, sustainable enterprise—one that he eventually sold, then boldly bought back. He dives into the power of doing the hard jobs yourself first, the...

In this powerful episode of The Think Factory , podcast host Susan Kleiner interviews Annette Redding and Coralee Schmitz—two behavioral health leaders whose personal journeys have uniquely shaped their mission at GoMo Health. The episode explores how COVID-19 accelerated innovation in behavioral health, prompting Annette and Coralie to lean into technology they once viewed skeptically. Tune in to...

What if your print shop could see exactly where it’s making—or losing—money in real time? In this episode, Print Profit founder Nick Gawreluk joins The Think Factory to reveal how outdated cost models are quietly draining profits across the industry. He shares how his software gives print businesses 20/20 visibility into their pricing, costing, and margins—transforming guesswork into strategy. Fro...

In this episode of The Think Factory - Workplace Podcast, host Alka Bahal speaks with Rachel Platt, CEO of PLATTinum Consulting, about the evolving role of strategic human resources in today’s workplace. Rachel shares her transition from corporate HR executive to founder of a consultancy that partners with small and mid-sized organizations to build intentional, people-first strategies by bringing...

In this episode of The Think Factory’s Workplace Podcast, host Alka Bahal speaks with Tom Redding, Executive Vice President and Healthcare Practice Leader at St. Onge Company. Redding unpacks his journey into healthcare consulting and highlights how his team helps major health systems improve operational performance. The discussion spans pressing industry shifts, from the growing importance of hom...

In this episode of The Think Factory podcast, Alka Bahal sits down with Valerie Chianuri—General Counsel, Head of People, and wearer of many hats at NTOP, a computational design startup reshaping advanced manufacturing with AI. With refreshing honesty, she opens up about navigating chaos in startups, bridging cross-generational communication, and why being a "roll-up-your-sleeves" leader is often...

In this episode of the The Think Factory podcast, host Alka Bahal sits down with Jonah Fink, President of Net2Phone, to discuss how the company is transforming cloud communications and workplace productivity. Originating from IDT’s early days in VoIP, Net2Phone has evolved into a global provider of modern, mobile-first cloud communications tools for businesses. Their latest innovation, Net2Phone C...

In this episode of TheThink Factory , Rich Vaill—President of Custom Marketing Solutions, LLC and a proud Marine Corps veteran—shares his journey from military service to entrepreneurship, and the mission he’s embraced to support fellow veterans through career transitions. Rich discusses the emotional challenges of leaving the military, the struggle to translate service experience into civilian ro...

In this episode of The Think Factory , Paul Yater shares the unconventional path that led him to IT leadership and ultimately to serving as both Chief Information Officer and Head of Human Resources at 84 Lumber—highlighting the value of agile, cross-functional leadership in today’s business environment. With roots in various IT leadership roles, Yater stepped up to lead HR during a time of transi...

In this episode of The Think Factory , host Chris Santomassimo sits down with Erik Norman, President of swissQprint America. With swissQprint’s recent wave of innovation and product launches making headlines, the timing couldn’t have been better. The conversation kicks off with a spotlight on the new Generation 5 platform—specifically the Nyala 5 and Impala 5 models. Erik also sheds light on swiss...

In this episode of The Think Factory , host Chris Santomassimo sits down with Paul Hudson, CEO of Hudson Printing, for a candid conversation on innovation, purpose, and the evolving role of print in a digital world. Paul unpacks how Hudson Printing is pushing boundaries—from environmental commitments like carbon balancing to proprietary offerings like Spark+ (enhanced color) and TOPO (tactile embe...

In this episode of The Think Factory , therapist and Train Emotions founder Barbara Mosquera shares how childhood trauma, cultural identity, and access to care shape her mission. A former teacher turned therapist, Barbara now leads a diverse team focused on making mental health support more relatable and affordable—especially for communities of color. She opens up about her psychodynamic approach,...

In this episode of The Think Factory podcast, host Chris Santomassimo speaks with Kevin Heslin, President of Seaway Printing, and Ian Heslin, Vice President, about Seaway’s evolution from a $1 million general commercial shop into a $27 million specialized, data-driven operation. They discuss how performance transparency and real-time data tracking have optimized productivity and fostered a culture...

As the owner and COO of Evolve Human Labs, Courtney Balderas-Jacob is shaping what care looks like with trauma-informed leadership and spaces that welcome everyone who walks in. In this episode, she shares how designing for empathy and simplicity isn’t just good for clients—it’s transformed how her teams work, grow, and stay engaged. Courtney also gets candid about leading a workplace where five g...

In this episode of The Think Factory podcast, Alka Bahal sits down with Darryl Stratton, HR Director of Alpine Ocean. Alpine Ocean provides expert services in acquiring, analyzing and interpreting data from marine offshore, nearshore and freshwater environments. The company caters to complex and challenging projects that require high-quality data, on-time delivery, and exacting safety standards. S...

In this episode of the Think Factory Workplace Podcast , our podcast host Alka Bahal sits with Deepak Shrivastava to discuss valuable HR insights, emphasizing the importance of hiring the right talent for fast-paced, evolving environments. Drawing from his experiences, Deepak explains that the key to success is hiring individuals exhibiting natural curiosity and adaptability, citing real-life inst...

In this episode of The Think Factory Podcast , Mark Whitehead, co-founder of NDAY Security, pulls back the curtain on the world of offensive cybersecurity---where expert testers play the role of attackers to strike first and expose vulnerabilities. While most businesses think defense means installing antivirus software and hoping for the best, he explains how real protection comes from testing you...

In this episode of The Think Factory , we sit down with Amy Zitelman, co-founder of Soom Foods, to trace her family’s bold journey turning tahini from a niche ingredient into a pantry staple across 5,000 stores — including Whole Foods and Walmart. Amy shares the experiences that set the stage for their breakout success during the pandemic, when home cooks discovered tahini’s magic beyond hummus —...

In a candid conversation, La-Toya Hackney shares her professional journey and what it means to grow into leadership roles you once dreamed about. As Saint-Gobain North America's SVP and General Counsel, she reflects on navigating increasing complexity in the world of law, embracing Gen AI responsibly, and balancing risk without burning out teams or budgets. La-Toya leaves listeners with a practica...