Paul Hutchinson, the primary investor and executive producer of the film Sound of Freedom which is a composite of various true stories, played a critical role in the rescue of over 120 victims in Colombia from child trafficking organizations. 

That event inspired him to start the Child Liberation Foundation, an organization actively involved in the fight against child trafficking, a form of modern slavery which engulfs over 10 million children worldwide…. including in hundreds of US communities large and small. Paul has led or held a critical role in over 70 undercover rescue missions in 15 countries, and  has contributed to or been directly involved in the rescue of over 5,000 children.

Paul started his career as the co-founder of Bridge Investment Group Partners, a US real estate firm which now has over $48 billion in assets under management and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as BRDG. His interview also describes how Bridge attracted international investors and addressed their primary concerns.

{You can hear the full episode on Friday August 25th}

Richardo Franco Romo, Global Commercial Director of PRODENSA, explains the many advantages of setting up operations in Mexico, a significant investment destination for US and foreign companies due to its strong economy, stable macroeconomic factors and vastly improved infrastructure. In 2023, Mexican exports were $500 billion with 86% coming to the US.

Ricardo also shares the many special bonuses that employees receive; issues of corporate governance and taxation; and various HR laws for vacations, maternity/paternity leave, healthcare, among others. As a largely top-down, paternalistic work environment, the family plays a key role in employee retention programs (such as grocery coupons) and bonuses paid for punctuality and transportation.

Culturally, the concept of time (“Ahorita”) has multiple meanings and East Asian manufacturers, especially Koreans, face particular challenges. Nevertheless, the workforce is extremely productive; technical talent is abundant and growing; the threats of bribery and extortion are real but less than 2% of GDP; and salaries/wages remain far lower than in Europe, the US or Canada.

{You can hear the full episode on Friday, August 18}

Teo Husemann, the head of Reebok in Mexico joins us to share his experience working on team development and strategic thinking with brands such as Pepsi, Nokia, Adidas, and others. He explains how Reebok’s marketing is similar to the US but has different channels, e-commerce, and seasonal weather. Teo talks about the differences between the brand promises of Adidas, ASICS, and Reebok, and explains the challenges of managing global brands in Mexico and how to customize the strategy and listen to local executives. {You can hear the full episode on Friday, July 28th}

Running large departments for Fortune 100 companies at home and abroad, Victoria Pelletier, a CEO by age 41, breaks norms and molds to achieve desired outcomes … while explaining why she is not conforming. At her large and complex companies, she motivates her teams by asking what challenge they are solving and what success looks like for each person …. In essence, reshaping the way companies deliver services for clients and empowering team members to have full ownership of their part of the organization. Some of this shift is from personal relationships to Procurement departments and is influenced by corporate and national cultures.  On a personal level, Victoria advises young women and others to determine what skills they need for today and tomorrow, to brand themselves with their values and interests, and to determine what they want to be known for.

{You can hear the full episode on Friday, August 4th}