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
Episodes
33 episodes
Building the Future, One Flight at a Time with Manoel Coelho
In this episode of Coffee with a T-Bird, I sit down with Manuel Coelho—entrepreneur, Thunderbird alum, and founder of Speedbird Aero—to talk about what it really takes to build something from the ground up.We get into his journe...
Marc Sondheimer’s Journey: From Setbacks to an Oscar
In this episode of Coffee with T-Bird, Alex Rozenfeld sits down with Marc Sondheimer, an Academy Award–winning producer known for his work at Pixar on films like The Incredibles, WALL-E, Finding Dory, ...
From Startup to Whole Foods: Blaine Yates on Building Xlear and Scaling a Health Brand
In this episode of Coffee with a T-Bird, Alex Rozenfeld interviews Blaine Yates, Thunderbird alum, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Xlear(Clear), the xylitol-based nasal and oral health company. Blaine shares how Xlear gre...
The 20-Year Overnight Success: Ilya Vinogradsky on Bootstrapping a Global Giant
In this episode, Alex Rozenfeld sits down with Ilya Vinogradsky, the Co-Founder and Chief Solutions Officer of Astound Digital. Ilya shares his "ultimate Silicon Valley story"—immigrating from the Soviet Union at 14, teaching hims...
Leading at Boeing: Maria Laine on Career, Family, and Taking the Leap
In this engaging conversation, Maria Laine shares her journey from her unique upbringing in Finland and Sweden to her successful career at Boeing. She reflects on a truly meaningful day at Thunderbird—standing at the podium as keynote speaker w...
Grit, Growth & Career Pivots with Ekaterina Solovova, Head of Albania at EBRD
In this insightful episode, Alex Rozenfeld sits down with Ekaterina Solovova, Head of EBRD in Albania, to explore her remarkable journey from post-Soviet Russia to leading economic development across emerging markets. With over 20 years of expe...
A Life in Diplomacy with Ambassador Larry André
In this special episode, Alex Rozenfeld sits down with Ambassador Larry André, a veteran of more than 33 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. From his beginnings as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal to serving as U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, Djib...
From Wall Street to Clean Energy: Bo Lee's Entrepreneurial Journey
In this episode, we explore the remarkable journey of Bo Lee, an entrepreneur who has navigated the complexities of Wall Street and ventured into the promising realm of clean energy. Bo shares his strategic insights and experiences, offering a ...
From One Clinic to a European Network: Dennis Diokno on Scaling FirstMed
In this episode we sit down with Dennis Diokno, founder and CEO of FirstMed, to unpack a 30-year journey of building trusted healthcare for expats across Europe. From launching a single clinic in Budapest to expanding into Rome, Milan, and beyo...
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From Morgan Stanley COO to Bestselling Author of Visible: May Busch on Owning Your Career
In this engaging conversation, I spoke with May Busch, a former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe and author of the book 'Visible'. We discussed May's journey from a challenging corporate career...
Ray-Bans, Rock Bands & AI: Jim Groo on Embracing Change
In this episode, we speak with Jim Groo — a Thunderbird alumnus whose international journey is anything but conventional. From frying chicken in Connecticut to launching Ray-Bans in post-communis...
From Small-Town in India to Forbes 40 Under 40: Sanghita Dey's Startup Playbook
In this episode, I spoke with fintech entrepreneur Sanghita Dey, co-founder and CEO of Solus Finance, a company making crypto derivatives more accessible through gamified, social trading. A ...
Scaling Mountains and Hotels: Michael Johnston's Journey from Private Equity to Hospitality and Beyond
In this conversation, Michael Johnston shares his fascinating journey from strategy consulting and private equity to becoming a hospitality entrepreneur. He discusses his early travels, the impact of his Peace Corps experience in Ukraine, and t...
The Speech, The Scale, The Shift: Eduardo Donnelly on Leading Uber LATAM—and the Transition to Executive Coaching
Eduardo Donnelly spent nearly a decade helping build Uber in Latin America—from launching Uber Eats and scaling it 7×, to leading operations across 18 markets and overseeing half of the company’s global trips. But at the height of his career, h...
From Scuba Diver to CEO: How Joe O’Dowd Turned Global Adventures into Purpose-Driven Leadership
In this conversation, Joe O'Dowd discusses his transformative gift to establish the O'Dowd Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ocean Diplomacy and Leadership at Thunderbird. He explains the significance of ocean diplomacy, the blue economy, and the impo...
From Executive TV Producer to Startup Advisor: The Many Lives of Maria Botta
In this conversation, Maria Botta shares her unique journey from a multicultural childhood as the daughter of Cuban refugees to a successful career in film, television, and startup advising. She discusses the challenges of adapting to different...
How to Sell Your Company to Walmart: Insights from Bill Goodwin
In this conversation, Bill Goodwin shares his extensive experience in leadership and business transformation, discussing his journey from a young worker in various jobs to becoming a CEO and eventually a leadership coach. He emphasizes the impo...
From IBM to Entrepreneurship: Carter Looney on Scaling, Hiring, and Raising Millions
In this conversation, Carter Looney shares his extensive experience as an entrepreneur, discussing his journey from a successful exit in 2010 to his current focus on helping businesses grow through mergers and acquisitions. He emphasizes the im...
Laura Libman: Building Health, Hope and Human Dignity One Community at a Time
When Laura Libman left a successful aerospace career, she didn’t plan to start a nonprofit. But a summer of field research in rural Mexico after graduating from Thunderbird changed everything. In this episode, she shares the incredible a...
Coca Cola lessons and global adventures with Shawn Gallegly
Join us as we delve into the fascinating global marketing journey of Shawn Gallegly, a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience. From driving growth for iconic brands like Coca-Cola and Carlsberg to his adventures in Lagos and beyond, S...
From Casablanca to Startup Founder with Rabie Zahri
Rabie Zahri didn’t speak a word of English when he arrived in the U.S. at 18. Fast forward to today — he's the CEO and co-founder of Positon, an AI platform transforming the M&A lifecycle from deal origination to post-close int...
Goodyear, Gretzky, and Global Growth: Inside Marco Molinari’s Leadership Story
In this conversation, Marco Molinari shares his extensive experience in global business, highlighting his successful marketing campaigns at Goodyear, including a notable celebrity endorsement with Wayne Gretzky. He reflects on his upbrin...
Clean Beauty, Big Dreams: How Suzanne Martens Built Adesse New York from Scratch
In this conversation, Suzanne Martens, founder of Adesse New York, shares her journey from a childhood in Pennsylvania to becoming a leader in the clean beauty industry. She discusses her entrepreneurial spirit, the challenges of startin...
From India to England in a 73-Year-Old Car: Daman Thakore’s 13,000 KM Family Road Trip
What happens when a childhood dream, a vintage convertible, and a tight-knit Indian family collide? You get the incredible journey of Daman Thakore—a businessman, tennis champ, and explorer at heart—who drove 13,000 kilometers from Ah...
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 entrepreneur...
