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Founder's Mentality: The CEO Sessions

Founder's Mentality: The CEO Sessions

By: Bain & Company
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Summary

 What does it take to lead - and live - when the world won’t sit still? Hosted by executive advisor and bestselling author Jimmy Allen, Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is a leadership development podcast that goes beyond the boardroom. Each episode features a conversation with a prominent CEO—from the likes of Audible, Walmart, and AWS—who reflects on the lessons that reshaped their business and their personal growth. But you won’t just hear from business leaders. Jimmy brings in artists, musicians, comedians, and other unconventional thinkers who explore the same lessons through a completely different lens. These conversations surface aha moments from some of the world’s most influential leaders and thinkers. Intensely curious and open to new experiences and perspectives, they seek inspiration in unexpected places as they constantly reinvent their businesses and themselves. In turn, you’ll walk away with a fresh take on how we all grow as individuals, what we are capable of building, and the legacy we leave behind. So, whether you’re a CEO, a rising executive, or simply passionate about leadership, influence, and business at scale, this podcast will challenge and inspire you—one story at a time. About the Host: Jimmy Allen is an Advisory Partner at Bain & Company with over 35 years’ experience advising leading organizations. He’s the author of multiple best-selling books on growth and leadership and the host and founder of Bain’s Global CEO Community Forum. James is a regular speaker at global business events, including the World Economic Forum, and serves on the Botswana Economic Advisory Council. Outside of consulting, James started his own record label (Abubilla Music) in 2008 and supports Singing Wells, a project dedicated to preserving Kenyan village music. Bain & Company: Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is brought to you by Bain & Company, a global consultancy trusted by the world’s most influential business leaders. With decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and leadership development, Bain’s executive insights offer what it takes to lead at scale.© Bain & Company, 2025 Career Success Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Embrace the New Rules of Scaling

    Embrace the New Rules of Scaling
    Apr 28 2026

    As this season of Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions comes to a close, we take a step back to ask the question that has driven every conversation: how do you lead and grow in an era of turbulence?

    In this season finale, host Jimmy Allen revisits the season’s most powerful insights from the leaders of global brands and high-growth innovators, uncovering the new rules of scaling. You’ll hear from founders and CEOs who have mastered the balance between the outer game of strategy and the inner game of leadership, and how they sustain their energy in a role that never stops demanding more.


    From Pizza Hut’s Aaron Powell reigniting pride in the product, to Walmart China’s Christina Zhu turning routines into joy, to Mercado Libre’s Marcos Galperin on culture, competition, and resilience, this episode gathers lessons from leaders who refuse to let complexity kill growth. Alongside them, voices like Don Katz, Sunny Verghese, Tanuja Randery, Stuart Gent, David Haines, and Pedro Arnt reveal how simplicity, focus, and relevance can turn turbulence into momentum.


    Whether you’ve followed every episode or you’re just joining for the highlights, this is your crash course in the season’s biggest ideas and a blueprint for leading at scale, grounded in clarity, powered by purpose, and built to weather even the fiercest storms.

    Join the Conversation:

    To learn more check out the Founders Mentality website or our CEO Insights hub: https://www.bain.com/founders-mentality/

    https://www.bain.com/insights/topics/ceo-agenda


    Learn More:

    The Changing Nature of Strategy: Reflections on Thirty Years - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/the-changing-nature-of-strategy-reflections-on-thirty-years-fm-blog/)


    Bain & Company LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bain-and-company/)

    Bain & Company X (https://x.com/BainandCompany)

    Jimmy Allen LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-allen-3442b/)


    About Founders Mentality

    Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is a leadership podcast hosted by executive advisor and bestselling author Jimmy Allen.


    Each episode features candid conversations with top CEOs, from Audible to Walmart to AWS, as well as artists, comedians, and other unconventional thinkers. Together, they share the lessons that shaped their growth, the “aha” moments that redefined their work, and the surprising ways reinvention happens at every level.


    Whether you’re a CEO, an aspiring leader, or simply curious about leadership, influence, and business at scale, this podcast will challenge and inspire you, one story at a time.


    About the Host:

    Jimmy Allen is an Advisory Partner at Bain & Company with over 35 years’ experience advising leading organizations. He’s the author of multiple best-selling books on growth and leadership and the host and founder of Bain’s Global CEO Community Forum. Jimmy is a regular speaker at global business events, including the World Economic Forum, and serves on the Botswana Economic Advisory Council. Outside of consulting, Jimmy started his own record label (Abubilla Music) in 2008 and supports Singing Wells, a project dedicated to preserving Kenyan village music.


    Bain & Company:

    Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is brought to you by Bain & Company, a global consultancy trusted by the world’s most influential business leaders. With decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and leadership development, Bain’s executive insights offer what it takes to lead at scale.
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Compete, Evolve, Compete Again: Marcos Galperin, Executive Chairman & Founder, Mercado Libre

    Compete, Evolve, Compete Again: Marcos Galperin, Executive Chairman & Founder, Mercado Libre
    Feb 24 2026
    What does it really take to stay relevant when the world refuses to stand still?In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Marcos Galperin, Founder and Executive Chairman of Mercado Libre, and Chris Zook, Advisory Partner at Bain & Company and co-author of Profit from the Core and The Founder’s Mentality, to explore what it really takes to keep growing when the rules of strategy are being rewritten.From a garage in Buenos Aires to a $100B powerhouse, Marcos shares how Mercado Libre became Latin America’s e-commerce titan, outpacing global rivals and thriving through calm and storm alike. He opens up about the personal sacrifices behind building at scale, what it means to lead at 24/7 intensity, and how competition, culture, and constant reinvention have kept Meli’s spirit alive.Chris brings decades of deep research into what separates companies that sustain profitable growth from those that stall, revealing why most failures don’t come from markets, but from losing touch with the core that made them great. He shows how rediscovering an insurgent mission, a frontline obsession, and an owner’s mindset can reignite growth from the inside out.Together, they unpack the brutal truth of sustainable success: that strategy alone won’t save you. It takes energy, resilience, and an ability to deliver and develop at once, optimizing today while inventing tomorrow. This conversation is a masterclass in balancing the outer game of performance with the inner game of purpose, and a reminder that the best CEOs don’t just manage complexity. They master it.Join the Conversation:To learn more check out the Founders Mentality website or our CEO Insights hub: https://www.bain.com/founders-mentality/https://www.bain.com/insights/topics/ceo-agendaLearn More: Escaladores - Podcast Series (https://podcasts.apple.com/ar/podcast/escaladores/id1692216304)The Founder's Mentality Defined (https://www.bain.com/founders-mentality/about/)Profit from the Core - Book (https://www.bain.com/insights/books/profit-from-the-core/)Founder's Mentality® and the paths to sustainable growth - Video (https://www.bain.com/insights/what-is-founders-mentality-video/)Get Your Mojo Back with the Founder's Mentality® - Video (https://www.bain.com/insights/get-your-mojo-back-with-the-founders-mentality-video/)Barriers and Pathways to Sustainable Growth: Harnessing the Power of the Founder's Mentality - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/founders-mentality-barriers-and-pathways-to-sustainable-growth/)Reigniting Growth - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/strategies-for-corporate-growth/)The Lost Engines of Growth - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/the-lost-engines-of-growth-fm-blog/)Bain & Company LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bain-and-company/) Bain & Company X (https://x.com/BainandCompany) Jimmy Allen LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-allen-3442b/) David Haines LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-j-haines)Iona Gaskell LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/iona-gaskell/)About Founders MentalityFounder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is a leadership podcast hosted by executive advisor and bestselling author Jimmy Allen. Each episode features candid conversations with top CEOs, from Audible to Walmart to AWS, as well as artists, comedians, and other unconventional thinkers. Together, they share the lessons that shaped their growth, the “aha” moments that redefined their work, and the surprising ways reinvention happens at every level. Whether you’re a CEO, an aspiring leader, or simply curious about leadership, influence, and business at scale, this podcast will challenge and inspire you, one story at a time.About the Host:Jimmy Allen is an Advisory Partner at Bain & Company with over 35 years’ experience advising leading organizations. He’s the author of multiple best-selling books on growth and leadership and the host and founder of Bain’s Global CEO Community Forum. Jimmy is a regular speaker at global business events, including the World Economic Forum, and serves on the Botswana Economic Advisory Council. Outside of consulting, Jimmy started his own record label (Abubilla Music) in 2008 and supports Singing Wells, a project dedicated to preserving Kenyan village music.Bain & Company:Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is brought to you by Bain & Company, a global consultancy trusted by the world’s most influential business leaders. With decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and leadership development, Bain’s executive insights offer what it takes to lead at scale.
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Stay Relevant, Spark Energy: Pedro Arnt, CEO dLocal

    Stay Relevant, Spark Energy: Pedro Arnt, CEO dLocal
    Feb 10 2026

    How can a hyperscaler grow at lightning speed without losing its soul?

    In this episode, Jimmy Allen sits down with Pedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal and former CFO of Mercado Libre, to explore how to scale at pace while keeping culture, relevance, and energy intact. From building one of Latin America’s most successful e-commerce and fintech giants to steering a new generation of high-growth businesses, Pedro shares what it means to stay adaptable, focus on impact, and reinvent yourself as a leader.


    We’re also joined by Ann Wright, founder of The Wright Approach and a long-time coach to global CEOs, who helps leaders navigate their career crossroads. Ann reveals why self-awareness is a strategic skill, how to protect your time and energy, and what it really means to do only what only you can do. Together, these conversations uncover how the best leaders balance humility with conviction and build organizations that stay curious, grounded, and relentlessly relevant.

    Join the Conversation:

    To learn more check out the Founders Mentality website or our CEO Insights hub: https://www.bain.com/founders-mentality/

    https://www.bain.com/insights/topics/ceo-agenda


    Learn More:

    Introducing: The Net Promoter System® - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/introducing-the-net-promoter-system-loyalty-insights/)

    The Customer Confidential Podcast on NPS - Podcast Series (https://www.netpromotersystem.com/podcast/)

    Closing the Talent Gap: Seven Tips from Dubai - Article (https://www.bain.com/insights/closing-the-talent-gap-seven-tips-from-dubai-fm-blog/)


    Bain & Company LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bain-and-company/)

    Bain & Company X (https://x.com/BainandCompany)

    Jimmy Allen LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-allen-3442b/)

    Pedro Arnt LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-arnt-5a7a69/)

    Anne Wright LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-wright-93587b14)


    About Founders Mentality

    Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is a leadership podcast hosted by executive advisor and bestselling author Jimmy Allen.


    Each episode features candid conversations with top CEOs, from Audible to Walmart to AWS, as well as artists, comedians, and other unconventional thinkers. Together, they share the lessons that shaped their growth, the “aha” moments that redefined their work, and the surprising ways reinvention happens at every level.


    Whether you’re a CEO, an aspiring leader, or simply curious about leadership, influence, and business at scale, this podcast will challenge and inspire you, one story at a time.


    About the Host:

    Jimmy Allen is an Advisory Partner at Bain & Company with over 35 years’ experience advising leading organizations. He’s the author of multiple best-selling books on growth and leadership and the host and founder of Bain’s Global CEO Community Forum. Jimmy is a regular speaker at global business events, including the World Economic Forum, and serves on the Botswana Economic Advisory Council. Outside of consulting, Jimmy started his own record label (Abubilla Music) in 2008 and supports Singing Wells, a project dedicated to preserving Kenyan village music.


    Bain & Company:

    Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions is brought to you by Bain & Company, a global consultancy trusted by the world’s most influential business leaders. With decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and leadership development, Bain’s executive insights offer what it takes to lead at scale.
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
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