99 Humans

In this wrap-up episode, Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta look back on the three-year experiment that became 99 conversations exploring the human side of leadership. They revisit the early days when fewer than ten people were listening, the joy of celebrating tiny signs of growth, and the deeper lessons that made the project sustainable.Along the way, they trace the themes that surfaced again and again: leadership grounded in values, the unexpected loyalty that follows honest accountability, and the simple truth that action outlasts perfection.The episode closes with the question asked to every guest: what piece of advice would you leave behind?99 Humans have shared their stories. Now Nadia and Jeff reflect on what they’ll carry into the next chapter.linkedin.com/in/nadiacarta/linkedin.com/in/jefflakusta/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 just the strategy you announce—it’s the story people can believe long enough to live.In this conversation, Gavin McMahon, CEO of Fassforward and author of Story Business, traces his path from mechanical engineer to transformation guide, and reframes change as a human act before it’s a corporate one. What began as faith in logic, meritocracy, and clean answers evolved into something messier and more powerful: the recognition that organizations move when people’s inner narratives move.Gavin shares why emotions aren’t the enemy of good decisions, how hope, fear, and reason work together to create momentum, and what it looks like to lead transformation without flattening the people inside it.This conversation is about cutting through jargon, respecting the psychology of change, and learning to lead with narrative clarity when certainty is a luxury.linkedin.com/in/gmcmahon/fassforward.com99 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 about having all the answers—it’s about learning how to stay steady when none seem to exist.In this conversation, Gila Wilensky, Chief Solutions Officer at WPP Media, shares what it means to lead with curiosity, composure, and a sense of humor in an industry that never stops reinventing itself. From her first lesson—“be a duck”—to her later discovery that tension and change can be creative forces, Gila reveals how she balances decisiveness with empathy and innovation with imperfection.We explore how AI is reshaping the marketing world, why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill, and how the best systems evolve the same way people do—through trial, iteration, and the occasional burnt pancake. Gila also opens up about the rituals that keep her grounded: early mornings, deep focus, and the rare art of doing one thing at a time.This conversation is about staying human in fast-moving systems, leading with calm in the churn, and finding grace by gliding through chaos.linkedin.com/in/gilawilensky/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

Behind every impressive career journey lies a set of values that quietly steer the course.In this episode, Aysun Demircan reflects on how core values evolve over time, why debating both sides of an argument taught her empathy, and how she navigates the tension between chasing growth and staying rooted with people she loves to work with. She opens up about building a decision-making framework that balances intuition with analytical rigor, the role of mentors and “kitchen cabinets” in career choices, and the surprising ways personal life and professional life intertwine.We explore the double-edged sword of loyalty, what it means to be true to yourself while adapting across industries and cultures, and how checking in daily against your values can guide both small choices and life-altering decisions. Aysun also shares how her support structure—partner, son, mentors, and friends—anchors her growth in the face of constant change.Tune in for an inspiring conversation on values, growth, and the art of leading a life that feels whole, not split between work and home.linkedin.com/in/aysundemircan/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's truest test lies in how we treat our peers, own our mistakes, and invite others to run alongside us.From his early days in the U.S. Air Force to his role as a marketing executive at State Farm and pro bono advisor to the National VFW, Sean has spent his career building cultures where curiosity beats criticism, where failure fuels growth, and where meaning matters more than momentary happiness.In this episode, Sean shares why “done beats perfect” is more than a mantra—it’s a mindset that unlocks speed, psychological safety, and innovation. We explore the power of invitation over command, the hidden costs of leaving peers behind, and how to build organizations where agency and trust endure across decades.Sean opens up about missteps, mentors who shaped him, and the 11 three-word mantras he wants to share with his children.Tune in for a candid, energizing conversation on resilience, culture, and what it takes to lead with humanity in a fast-changing world.linkedin.com/in/sean-kingsbury-30415814b/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

While technology rewrites the rules of work, creativity, and truth itself, hold fast to what makes us human by embracing uncertainty and showing vulnerability.From PepsiCo to Visa to the boardroom of a Fortune 200 company, Shiv Singh has spent his career navigating moments of massive transformation. In this episode, he shares why AI is not just another technological shift but a force as profound as the discovery of fire—and why the future of leadership will demand more humanity, not less.We explore the rise of followership in a world of contested truths, why vulnerability is the most underrated leadership trait, and how leaders can prepare teams for a future where jobs are both disappearing and being created at unprecedented speed. Shiv reflects on his own experiences—from corporate boardrooms to family life—and opens up about the one quality that will matter most in the age of superintelligence: human agency.Tune in for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on leadership, inequality, and what it means to flourish when the very definition of work, creativity, and connection is being reimagined.linkedin.com/in/shivsingh/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 yourself—before you can lead anyone else? You start by knowing yourself, being yourself, and showing up as yourself.From scaling startups to stepping away for a “blank canvas” sabbatical, Nish Patel has spent his career reimagining what leadership can look like in an age of rapid change. In this episode, he shares how living with a rare neurological condition became his greatest teacher—shaping his perspective on resilience, perspective, and the human side of innovation.We talk about reframing limitations as circumstances, why friction is the new optimization, and how leaders can model the behavior they want to see—especially when navigating the uncharted waters of AI. Nish opens up about rejecting external algorithms, playing to your own, and why putting yourself first might be the most generous thing you can do for others.Tune in for a candid, energizing conversation about purpose, perspective, and what it means to flourish—both as a leader and as a human—in the age of AI.linkedin.com/in/nishp99 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 courage—when you’re the only one in the room who looks or sounds like you? You advocate for yourself, open the door for others, and build the future one brick at a time.From growing up in a 300-square-foot apartment in India to becoming a global tech executive, Vidya More has built a remarkable career at the forefront of AI and innovation. In this episode, she shares the winding journey that took her from soldering broken radios to leading data and AI strategy at Capgemini—and the quiet resilience it took to get there.Vidya opens up about the power of happy accidents, the barriers she had to unlearn, and the mentors who helped her find her voice. We talk about building psychological safety on teams, the underestimated art of self-advocacy, and why inclusion isn’t just good ethics—it’s good engineering. And yes, we even get into Legos, Bob Ross, and Spider-Man.Tune in for a grounded, heartening conversation about curiosity, courage, and what it means to lead humanely in the age of AI.linkedin.com/in/vidyamore/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 lead in crisis when every protocol breaks down? You listen, adapt—and bring the volleyballs.From night landings in sandstorms to leading sailors mid-pandemic, Navy pilot (and Jeff's personal hero/brother!) Patrick Lakusta shares the messy, human side of leadership in high-stakes environments. In this episode, Patrick opens up about taking command of a Joint Strike Fighter Squadron, the emotional complexity of military transitions, and the unexpected ways transparency and humor sustained his team through COVID isolation.With wisdom forged in flight simulators, quarantine gyms, and desert skies, Patrick reflects on prioritizing what matters, staying grounded under pressure, and leading with integrity—even when the lights go out and the runway disappears.Tune in for a personal conversation about crisis, clarity, and the triangle of leadership that guides him forward: mission, family, sailor.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lakusta-b7716918899 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 lead with humanity in the face of uncertainty? You ask for what you need.From door-to-door sales in Texas to leading national teams in the luxury skincare space, Alessia Todde’s leadership journey is one of grit, transformation, and heart. But behind her impressive résumé lies a deeper story—one of learning from management mistakes (like all of us!), navigating the chaos of working motherhood, and most recently, facing a breast cancer diagnosis with courage and clarity.In this episode, Alessia opens up about the evolution of her leadership style—from micromanaging to compassionate guidance—and shares how the concept of “situational leadership” helps her meet each team member exactly where they are. She reflects on how illness reframed her priorities, what it means to truly advocate for yourself, and why asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.Tune in to hear Alessia’s candid insights on self-compassion, work-life balance, and what it really takes to lead with humanity in the face of uncertainty.linkedin.com/in/alessia-todde-a730571899 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