Coffee with a T-bird hosted by Alex Rozenfeld
Grab a cup of coffee and join Alex Rozenfeld, Thunderbird alum and founder of Freshwater Investments, as he sits down with fellow T-bird graduates who are making an impact in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Each episode features open and insightful conversations that explore the pivotal moments, personal motivations, and lessons learned on their journeys.
From building companies across continents to leading global teams, these stories highlight the drive and mindset behind success. Whether you're a student, alum, or someone passionate about business and personal growth, you'll walk away with fresh ideas and real-world perspective.
This is more than a podcast—it’s a platform for connection, storytelling, and celebrating the global spirit of Thunderbird.
This podcast is sponsored by www.freshwaterinvestments.com
Coffee with a T-bird hosted by Alex Rozenfeld
From Caracas to Pepsi and Koch Industries: Aquiles' Journey of Resilience and Reinvention
In this episode, Aquiles Gatas shares his incredible path from growing up in poverty in Venezuela to leading marketing at PepsiCo and managing billion-dollar investments at Koch Industries. He talks about his transition into entrepreneurship, launching ventures like Eco Wash and Centrum, and his latest company BizzMD, which helps small businesses thrive through remote CEO consulting.
Aquiles also reflects on cultural challenges, lessons from failure (including opening a café just before the pandemic), and his advice for young entrepreneurs: start fast, learn as you go, and don’t wait for perfect timing.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aquiles-gatas-mba-ms-bs-5159a83a/
With over 25 years of experience in marketing, business growth, and brand strategy, Acquiles Gatas worked with leading global brands like PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Telecom Italia Mobile, and Chupa Chups, alongside successful entrepreneurial ventures such as Cenntrum, Rush International Beverages, and PagoPorti.
He specializes in scaling businesses, optimizing multi-channel marketing, and developing go-to-market strategies for SaaS and cloud communications. His expertise in digital marketing, content creation, and data-driven insights has helped companies accelerate customer acquisition and drive revenue growth.
He holds and MBA from Thunderbird Business School, a Master of Science in Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
As a strategic and results-driven leader, He has successfully managed high-performance, cross-functional teams across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. Fluent in English and Spanish, He thrives in diverse business environments, bringing innovation, efficiency, and growth-focused strategies to every project.
This podcast is sponsored by Freshwater Investments