Advertise on podcast: In Reality: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs

Season 13 of In Reality: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs kicks off on International Podcast Day with a special episode unlike anything we have done before. For this special first episode, we are taking a moment to look back at the people and stories that have been part of the podcast over the past seven years. Hear from Deborah Y. Cohn (M.B.A.'89), Ph.D., Professor of Marketing and Executive Producer; John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83), Ph.D., founder, host, and Executive Producer; Patthara Chandaragga (B.P.S.'11, M.A.'13), Producer; and Priscilla Araba Hagan (M.B.A.’26), and Niketan Karunanidhi (M.B.A.’26), who made their debut as student hosts last season and are ready to take the podcast into its next chapter. Together, we will look back at where the In Reality began, how it has changed over the years, the people who have been part of its journey and where we are going next. We hope you enjoy this reflective episode and the stories behind the podcast.

Andrew Woods, a consultant, trainer, and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience across the UK, China, and Canada, joins the MBA Club at New York Institute of Technology to explore how business students and young professionals can thrive alongside AI. Drawing on his book on the six essential soft skills for the AI era — legendary customer service, sales and negotiation, presentation, cross-cultural communication, creativity, and emotional intelligence — Woods argues that while AI will outpace humans on logical, repetitive tasks, it can't replicate the human connection that builds trust, closes deals, and drives careers forward. He shares candid stories from his own entrepreneurial journey, from an impromptu chef gig in an Irish pub to building and rebuilding his training company across three countries, offering hard-won lessons on networking, resilience, execution over analysis paralysis, and knowing when to pull the plug on a failing idea. The conversation closes with practical advice for international students and aspiring entrepreneurs alike: keep sharpening your human skills, don't wait for permission to start, and remember that in an AI-driven world, the personal touch is what will always set you apart.

What does artificial intelligence actually mean for your career, your company, and the way work gets done? In this episode, global HR and workforce analyst Josh Bersin cuts through the noise to offer a grounded, optimistic view of where we're headed — and what professionals at every stage can do to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

In this episode of In Reality: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, host Nikithan Karnanndi sits down with Justin Chen, a Vancouver-based marketing and sales professional with over a decade of experience supporting small businesses, now working in partnership development at Merchant Growth. Justin shares his journey from direct sales to helping small businesses access financing, and offers practical wisdom on entrepreneurship: start in an industry you know, embrace the health and wellness sector's unlimited growth ceiling, use AI as a tool to compress timelines rather than chase it as a trend, and build trust through both competence and character. He emphasizes that success — whether in content creation, sales, or business — demands consistency over time, a willingness to "suck at the beginning," and the courage to take action rather than endlessly consume knowledge. The episode closes with a reminder that community, human connection, and showing up consistently are the real foundations of lasting business success.

Nathan Miller has spent 25 years helping organizations survive their worst moments — and in this episode, he gets into exactly how. From a retailer being extorted by an influencer to executives freezing under pressure, he breaks down why transparency almost always wins, why the cover-up destroys you faster than the original mistake, and what most leaders get dangerously wrong about communication. If you're in business, manage people, or ever have to speak under pressure — which is everyone — this one's worth your time.

When a crisis hits, most leaders get it wrong. In this episode, Nathan Miller — crisis communications veteran and founder of Miller InK— breaks down exactly what to do instead. With real stories, hard-won lessons, and a no-nonsense framework for communicating under pressure, this conversation will change how you think about leadership, trust, and the power of your words. Don't miss it.

Dr. Deborah Y. Cohn introduces season 12

This episode explores how effective cybersecurity is not just about technology but about cultivating a human-centered culture of security. Host John Rebecchi introduces insights from Douglas London (former CIA operations officer), Perry Carpenter (cybersecurity and human risk expert), and Linda Rust (founder of Secure Think), with the discussion framed as an AI-generated compendium of expert perspectives

Host John Rebecchi explores how culture, creativity, and passion ignite the drive to start and sustain new ventures. Using Google’s Notebook LLM, this episode synthesizes interviews with three founders to illuminate diverse paths to entrepreneurial success. The featured entrepreneurs are: Snigdha Sur, founder of The Juggernaut Thulani Ngazimbi, creator of The Rad Black Kids Sue Wilkowski, founder of Casa de Spin and serial entrepreneur

In this episode, host John Rebecki explores how innovators identify opportunities, build strategies, and sustain passion through challenges. Drawing from expert insights by Craig Dubitsky (Hello Products, Colgate-Palmolive), Lorraine Marchand (The Innovation Mindset), Joe Batista (Dell, HP), and Golan Shaked (Kiwi.com, Deezer), the discussion highlights that successful innovation stems from empathy, curiosity, and disciplined execution.

Hosted by John Rebecchi, this episode explores how AI and data analytics are transforming business, education, and society. The conversation blends insights from four experts — Josh Nafman, Dr. Amir Gefen, Jonah Lopin, and Sarah Nagy — into an AI-generated discussion on innovation, strategy, and human-AI collaboration. Across all perspectives, the episode stresses that the defining skills of the AI era are curiosity, adaptability, communication, and continuous learning. Leaders are urged to define problems clearly, avoid technological hype, and focus on building strong teams and customer trust. Ultimately, the future belongs to those who can ask smarter questions, interpret data creatively, and harness AI to augment human ingenuity—not replace it.

This podcast episode is the Season 11 premiere of "In Reality," hosted by John Rebecchi. The episode represents a new format where AI technology is being used to repurpose and synthesize content from over 60 previous episodes spanning 10 seasons. Key Format Changes The show has adopted an innovative approach using Google's AI-powered Notebook LM to analyze past episodes, group them by shared themes, and create new 20-minute episodes. John Rebecki cloned his voice for the AI to use in producing these episodes. Episode Focus This particular episode concentrates on the interconnected topics of leadership, strategy, and culture. It features AI-generated discussions that synthesize insights from several previous guests: Jim Breslowski, President of Henry Schein Bob Chapman, Chairman and CEO of Barry Wehmiller Stuart Krohn, founder of the Inner City Education Foundation rugby program John and Anthony Magliocco, representing the third and fourth generations of Aero Linen Supply Company Production Team The episode is executive produced by John Rebecchi and New York Institute of Technology, with Dr. Deborah Y Cohn serving as co-executive producer and Professor of Marketing at the School of Management. Patthara Chandaragga handles production, marketing, and social media strategy. The show encourages listener feedback through reviews on various platforms or direct emails to [email protected], emphasizing the importance of audience input as they explore this new AI-driven content format.

In this groundbreaking season of In Reality: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, we’re using artificial intelligence to reimagine our most powerful conversations. By analyzing over 60 episodes and organizing them into key themes—like leadership, strategy, innovation, and data science—we’ve created fresh, 20-minute episodes that distill essential lessons from top industry voices. Tune in to hear how AI can transform storytelling and deepen understanding. Don’t forget to share your thoughts by leaving a review or emailing us at [email protected]. Executive Producers: John Rebecchi, Ph.D. and Deborah Y. Cohn, Ph.D.  Both alumni of New York Institute of Technology School of Management.

How do you take one of the most complex and high-stakes processes in business, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and bring clarity and innovation to it? In this episode, host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83), Ph.D. welcomes Kison Patel, Founder and CEO of DealRoom, a project management platform designed specifically for complex financial transactions. With over a decade of experience as an M&A advisor, Kris witnessed firsthand the pain points dealmakers face, which inspired him to create DealRoom. Kison will share how he identified the need for a purpose-built platform, and how DealRoom helps connect the full lifecycle of the transaction process from managing pipelines and overseeing due diligence to post-merger integration. We will explore the role of emerging technologies such as AI and what they mean for the future of the M&A industry. Kison will also discuss a personal mindset he describes as “impatience,” a strategic approach that emphasizes the urgency of identifying inefficiencies, optimizing operational processes and aligning organizational goals for long-term success. Hit subscribe and never miss an episode! You can find us in on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don't forget to share your thoughts by leaving a review! About The In Reality Podcast: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted and executive produced by John Rebecchi (M.B.A. '83), Ph.D., founder of Strategy + Culture Consulting, and features interviews with thought leaders, entrepreneurs from startups to multinational companies, and experts in fields shaping the future of business. Executive Producer Deborah Y. Cohn, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing at NYIT and former Interim Dean of the School of Management (2021–2024), brings her expertise to the show, while Patthara Chandaragga, a Student Advisement Specialist, works closely with both the host and Executive Producers as the podcast’s marketing strategist and producer.

The pace of technological disruption is accelerating, and with it, the risks businesses face have become more complex and interconnected. In this relaunch episode, host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83), Ph.D. welcomes Catherine A. Allen, New York Tech's Board of Trustee, and Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Santa Fe Group, a strategic consulting company based in Santa Fe, NM. The Santa Fe Group, specializes in briefings to C-level executives and boards of directors in financial institutions and critical infrastructure sectors. Their management services focus on strategic industry initiatives designed to address and mitigate third-party risks. We'll explore the critical risk concerns, including cybersecurity, quantum computing, geopolitics, and the rapid pace of technological change. Allen will share the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) as both a risk and opportunity from supporting productivity and innovation to workforce distributions and its use as a disinformation generator. We'll also discover the significance of finding the right mentors, the value of continuous learning, the importance of reinventing oneself to meet market demands, and the readiness to pivot when necessary. Hit subscribe and never miss an episode! You can find us in on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don't forget to share your thoughts by leaving a review! About The In Reality Podcast: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted and executive produced by John Rebecchi (M.B.A. '83), Ph.D., founder of Strategy + Culture Consulting, and features interviews with thought leaders, entrepreneurs from startups to multinational companies, and experts in fields shaping the future of business. Executive Producer Deborah Y. Cohn, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing at NYIT and former Interim Dean of the School of Management (2021–2024), brings her expertise to the show, while Patthara Chandaragga, a Student Advisement Specialist, works closely with both the host and Executive Producers as the podcast’s marketing strategist and producer.