In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Zak Ali, General Manager of the U.S. at Finder, to unpack one of the most unconventional leadership journeys in modern tech — building a senior executive career without a college degree.

Zak’s path didn’t follow a traditional blueprint. Instead of credentials, he focused on learning by doing, building products, growing audiences, and mastering the mental discipline required to lead at scale. From co-founding Rantt — which evolved from a news aggregator into a widely cited media platform — to leading growth and eventually the U.S. business at Finder, Zak’s story is about momentum, focus, and deliberate thinking.

A key theme of the conversation is attention — what you choose to focus on shapes your outcomes. Zak shares a powerful mental model, to explain how awareness, mindset, and intentional focus can quietly determine success or stagnation in both career and life.

Together, Alessandro and Zak explore:

• How Zak built executive-level responsibility without formal academic credentials

• Why controlling your thoughts and attention is a competitive advantage

• The difference between learning skills and mastering judgment

• How growth leaders scale teams, culture, and systems sustainably

• Why many careers accelerate not through planning, but through pattern recognition

• The role of self-belief, criticism, and resilience in leadership development

• What aspiring leaders should focus on instead of titles and credentials

This episode goes beyond career advice. It’s a conversation about mental discipline, leadership under uncertainty, and building credibility through execution rather than permission.

If you’re interested in leadership development, growth strategy, unconventional career paths, mindset mastery, or what it really takes to earn trust and responsibility at the executive level, this episode offers practical insight and hard-earned perspective.

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In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Tim Bean, an engineer and founder whose unconventional career journey led him into the world of autonomous defense technology and AI-driven systems — not through a lifelong plan, but through pivotal moments and real-world opportunity.The conversation begins with 9/11, a defining global event that reshaped Tim’s perspective and ultimately redirected his career. Rather than “following his dreams,” Tim explains how he followed important problems, learning along the way and building technology where accountability, ethics, and leadership truly matter.Together, Alessandro and Tim discuss:• How global events can shape leadership paths and career decisions• Why many successful founders never planned their end destination• The difference between ambition and obsession — and why obsession can become dangerous• What it takes to build autonomous systems and defense technology in high-stakes environments• How AI, robotics, and autonomy intersect with ethics and responsibility• Why proximity to meaningful problems matters more than titles or credentials• How strong judgment and values define long-term leadership successThis episode goes beyond technology and AI trends. It’s a deep conversation about leadership, decision-making under uncertainty, career growth, and building impactful technology without a traditional roadmap.If you’re interested in founder stories, leadership development, autonomous systems, AI in defense, engineering careers, or unconventional paths to success, this episode offers rare insight into how meaningful work is built — one decision at a time.

In this episode of Behind Numbers, host Alessandro Cozzi sits down with Frank, one of the rare leaders who has operated at the very top of both the consulting and corporate worlds. Frank served as Chairman and CEO of Deloitte Italy, where he led the firm through one of its most challenging periods, and later as President and CEO of Herbalife, guiding the global organization through transformational change. Today, he is CEO of Finaxstrure, continuing his mission of building strong cultures and elevating people.Frank opens with a powerful truth: culture is the most important factor in your career. Intelligence and talent alone don’t guarantee success—being in the right environment does. If you’re in the wrong culture, you’ll struggle. In the right one, you’ll thrive beyond expectations. This theme anchors an episode full of hard-earned wisdom, personal stories, and unfiltered leadership lessons.Together, Alessandro and Frank explore:🔹 Why great careers aren’t designed—they’re built by delivering excellence in every assignment, no matter how small or unglamorous.🔹 How being proactive, not reactive, creates opportunities long before a title appears.🔹 Why you should choose leaders and culture, not logos, and how staying in the wrong environment is the fastest route to stagnation or failure.🔹 The differences between leading in Europe and the U.S., from negotiation styles to contrasting ideas of ethics, accountability, and transparency.🔹 Frank’s people-first leadership philosophy, built on loyalty, fairness, trust, courage, and compassion—and why employees will follow leaders who consistently live these values.🔹 His toughest leadership moment as Chairman & CEO of Deloitte Italy: arriving to find the firm on the brink of collapse, forced to cut 30% of the workforce to save the organization—and the lessons in dignity, honesty, and courage that shaped him.🔹 How he approached global leadership as President & CEO of Herbalife, managing diverse cultures, intense scrutiny, and rapid decision-making.🔹 How to recognize true talent, why everyone has a “genius zone,” and the leader’s responsibility to place people where they can excel.Frank also offers candid reflections on living and leading in Italy—learning the culture, adapting to the pace, and navigating a society where relationships matter as much as results.This episode is more than a career conversation—it’s a masterclass in leadership, resilience, values, and navigating the realities behind executive decision-making.If you’re a future leader, an ambitious professional, or simply curious about what happens at the highest levels of organizations, this episode pulls back the curtain with honesty, humility, and insight.