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 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.

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 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.

Artificial intelligence continues to advance and the stories of innovators and companies driving this transformation are evolving just as quickly. Their stories are worth hearing again. In this special relaunch from Season 8, we revisit John Rebecchi’s (M.B.A. ’83, Ph.D.) engaging conversation with Sarah Nagy, CEO of Seek AI. Originally recorded during the early rise of generative AI, Nagy reflects on her journey from Quant, specializing in algorithmic trading strategies to becoming an entrepreneur. She shares her experience in pitching to investors, building an AI startup, and leveraging AI to solve real-world data challenges.

Since the episode first aired, Seek AI has become a leader in the agentic AI space, serving top Fortune 500 companies and introducing groundbreaking models like DeepSeek.

Updates from Seek AI:

• Seek AI has secured multiple enterprise customers, including two Fortune 500 companies and an FDIC-insured bank.
• In a recent case study, Welles, a sustainable clothing brand specializing in medical uniforms, used Seek AI to enhance its e-commerce operations. Read the complete case study here: Seek AI Welles Case Study.
• Seek AI launched DeepSeek in 2025, a new AI model that excels in reasoning tasks and competes with leading models like OpenAI’s GPT-4.
• The AI industry has moved past the excitement of generative AI, and entering a new phase of growth: Agentic AI. Seek AI now offers a platform for businesses to ask data questions in plain language and gain real-time insights from AI agents.

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 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.

In this episode, host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83, Ph.D.) welcomes rugby legend Stuart Krohn, whose influence reaches far beyond the field. A standout All-American at UC Santa Barbara in 1986, Krohn's career took him from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Colorado-Boulder to Stade Toulousain in France, where he helped secure a national championship. Krohn then went on to lead Valley RFC in Hong Kong to eight consecutive championships. As a three-time Maccabi USA alumnus, Krohn won silver and gold medals at the Maccabiah Games before serving as Head Coach in 2005. Today, Krohn is focused on giving back as the founder of ICEF Rugby, a program dedicated to developing leadership, teamwork, and character in inner-city youth through the sport he loves.

Krohn will discuss his approach to leadership and focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities that exist within under-served communities. We will explore why strong organizational leadership is essential for cultivating growth and development and the lasting impact of being a positive role model within the community. Krohn will also emphasize the power of leading by example and how it inspires the next generation of leaders.

Hit subscribe and never miss an episode! You can find us in on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, Google 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 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.

In this episode, host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83, Ph.D.) sits down with Perry Carpenter, an award-winning author, speaker, and cybersecurity expert. With over two decades of experience, Perry has dedicated his career to understanding how cyber criminals exploit human behavior. As the Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4, he helps businesses build a strong cybersecurity culture.

We will explore the critical need for organizations to cultivate cybersecurity awareness, educate the workforce on technology literacy, and rethink the nature of cyber risk. We will also learn about the importance of connections in leadership and how being a connector with expertise across multiple disciplines gives Perry a holistic understanding of the world. He will also introduce his latest book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions (Wiley, Oct 2024), while offering strategies for understanding and tackling AI-driven misinformation.

About The In Reality Podcast:

Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted 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.

In this episode, host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83, Ph.D.) sits down with Linda Rust, Principal and Founder of SecuriThink. As a strategic cybersecurity advisor, Linda specializes in crisis management and mission-critical programs, providing guidance to Fortune 100 C-suite executives, Board members, private equity firms, and business owners.

Linda will share best practices and strategies to help leaders evaluate and strengthen their systems, particularly in cybersecurity, while building a foundation for resilience. John and Linda discuss the importance of a proactive mindset when addressing change, AI advancements, and risk management. We will also explore how leaders can make informed decisions, measure impact, implement risk mitigation strategies, manage third party risks, and the importance of adopting continuous learning as an essential strategy for long term success in business and entrepreneurship.

About The In Reality Podcast:

Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted 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.

In this episode, John Rebecchi (M.B.A. ’83), Ph.D., welcomes Radoslaw (Radek) Nowak, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Management and expert in strategic management and managerial effectiveness, to share insights from his research. Nowak holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has experience as a manager and business consultant at Fortune 500 companies in the United States before transitioning to academia.

We will explore Dr. Nowak’s analysis of how organizational practices can support or hinder the ability to adapt to change and the impact of resistance to change (RTC) on innovation, particularly its effect on absorptive capacity (ACAP). We will hear a discussion on how resistance to change can disrupt the innovation process and its effects on organizational success, as well as leadership strategies for implementing change and driving innovation. Dr. Nowak will also share the importance of making a positive impact and being a good person in every aspect of life.

About The In Reality Podcast:

Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted 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.

Welcome to Season 10, Episode 1 of the New York Institute of Technology’s AACSB-accredited School of Management In Reality Podcast! Host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. '83), Ph.D. kicks off the season with special guest, Douglas London, a decorated 34-year CIA veteran who served in executive roles and as Chief of Station across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He was a senior intelligence representative to the President and a CIA subject expert on counterterrorism, counterintelligence, geopolitical flash points and insider threat. Currently, he serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he shares his expertise in national security. His op-eds have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Foreign Policy, The Hill, Just Security, and The Middle East Institute. He is also the author of, “The Recruiter: Spying and the Lost Art of American Intelligence.”

In this episode, we will gain insights on how leaders can better prepare organizations for unexpected risks, including strategies for mitigating threats such as cyber risks and third-party risks. Mr. London will also discuss the importance of creating a positive, open environment for management and the workforce, as well as what it truly means to be an educator who makes a meaningful, positive contribution to society.

About The In Reality Podcast:

Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a School of Management podcast, is hosted 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.