People You Should Know

EP 04 | Steve Vigliotti on What Leaders Owe the People Who Work for Them

Octus — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:17:18 -0300

Steve Vigliotti was told he would be an accountant before he had much say in the matter. A childhood aptitude test, a cousin named Joseph and a Long Island neighborhood that ran on plumbing routes and stickball did the rest.

Steve joins host Jenny Bain to talk about becoming a CPA, making partner at BDO by his early thirties and walking away to take his first CFO position at a bond brokerage inside the World Trade Center (07:13).

On September 11, 2001, a late train saved his life. Sixty of his colleagues never made it home (10:23). Steve shares how that day changed the way he lives and leads, the survivor’s guilt he worked through (21:40) and why he still holds a daily standup with his team (37:09).

Now the first CFO in Octus history, Steve also reflects on the acquisition he is proudest of (33:20) and the one relationship he wishes he had prioritized sooner (44:56). It is a conversation about responsibility, perspective and what leaders owe the people who count on them.

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Hosted by Jenny Bain
Featuring Steve Vigliotti, Chief Financial Officer, Octus
Produced and edited by two-time Emmy Award-winning producer Tanya Hubbard

(00:00) - Cold open with Jenny Bain
(01:30) - Meet Steve Vigliotti
(04:00) - The aptitude test that picked his career
(06:00) - From BDO partner to first-time CFO
(09:30) - September 11 at the South Tower
(19:00) - Rebuilding a company and calling every family
(24:00) - Coming to Octus as the first CFO
(30:00) - How he decides what gets a yes
(37:00) - The daily standup and what it taught him
(44:00) - What he wishes he'd figured out sooner

EP 03 | Colbert Cannon on Big Bets and the Life Around Them

Octus — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:00:00 -0300

Colbert Cannon was born in Anchorage because his father wanted to fly a Cessna on skis into remote Alaskan villages (00:01:08). He got into finance because he watched the movie Wall Street and figured lawyers must be the ones doing the deals, then landed at Goldman Sachs out of Harvard in 1997 (00:04:50). He quit banking because a deal made him miss a friend's rehearsal dinner (00:09:35). He launched his own fund, wound it down, and landed at HPS Investment Partners on the strength of people he had trusted for decades (00:13:45). Then the whole firm merged into BlackRock, and now he says the most absurd sentence in his life: my parent company manages 14 trillion dollars (00:16:19).

That's the career. The rest is better. He cooks every meal in his house and runs Thanksgiving for 30 off a 15 minute Excel grid (00:28:08). He sits on the board of Edible Schoolyard NYC (00:30:26). He almost took a standing Monday night gig at a bar on Bleecker Street (00:32:31). He met his wife at 18 and now watches her run City Pickle, the business that put pickleball courts in Central Park (00:35:00).

He has spent 13 seasons asking other people these questions on The HPScast (00:23:03). Jenny Bain asks him the one she asks every guest: what do you wish you had figured out sooner (00:38:33).

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Hosted by Jenny Bain
Featuring: Colbert Cannon, Managing Director at HPS Investment Partners
Produced and edited by two time Emmy Award winning producer Tanya Hubbard
People You Should Know is presented by Octus and part of the Octus Podcast Network

(00:00) - Cold open and intro
(01:08) - Born in Alaska, raised in North Carolina
(04:50) - Harvard, the lawyer plan, and Goldman in 1997
(09:35) - Boston, Audax, and learning how businesses actually work
(11:42) - Glenview, launching Wingspan, and what running a fund teaches you
(13:45) - Joining HPS and the prescience of private credit
(16:19) - Inside the BlackRock merger and a $14 trillion parent
(19:43) - What the press gets right and wrong about private credit
(23:03) - Hosting a podcast and the Danny Meyer lesson
(28:08) - Cooking, Thanksgiving for 30, and Edible Schoolyard
(32:31) - Music, Bleecker Street, and City Pickle
(38:33) - What he wishes he'd figured out sooner

EP 02 | Dr. Jonathan Fader on The Psychology of High Performers

Octus — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:45:00 -0300

Why do some incredibly talented people never make it, while others with average talent become unstoppable? Dr. Jonathan Fader, Co-Founder and Director of Performance Coaching at SHRPA, joins Jenny Bain on the latest People You Should Know. Fader traces his curiosity back to the 80s, sitting in zip-up pajamas listening to his mother reframe career stories for clients at the kitchen table (02:24). He walks through what he learned working with the Mets, the Giants, and the FDNY about why prospects fizzle and suspects outperform (05:13). He breaks down the "X Factor" trap where a leader's greatest strength becomes their Achilles heel (16:07), and gets specific on the five-minute-a-day skill that compounds into transformation (44:13). A conversation about adjustment, trust, and the practice of being present.

----more----Hosted by Jenny Bain
Featuring: Dr. Jonathan Fader, Co-Founder and Director of Performance Coaching at Strata Performance.
Produced and edited by two-time Emmy Award-winning producer Tanya Hubbard.
People You Should Know is presented by Octus and part of the Octus Podcast Network.

EP 01 | Molly Breen on Building a Career You Can't Plan

Octus — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:34:04 -0300

Molly Breen got her first finance job by inviting a room of bankers to a White Russian party during a D.C. snowstorm. The interview answers didn't land her the offer. The invitation did. Molly, Head of Capital Markets at Permira, joins Jenny Bain on the very first episode of People You Should Know, season two. She walks through the rotational program that taught her to learn fast (04:34), the senior woman who took one look at her and said "you belong on a syndicate desk" (05:59), and the cliff-jump from equity syndicate into leveraged finance that almost broke her (10:48). She also gets into raising the debt that helped acquire Octus, the boardroom seat she now holds, and why she still picks up calls at 3 a.m. (24:20). A first guest worth starting with.

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Hosted by Jenny Bain.
Featuring Tanya Hubbard.
People You Should Know is presented by Octus and part of the Octus Podcast Network. Find us at octus.com.

(00:00) - Cold open
(01:30) - Meet Molly Breen
(02:09) - The snowstorm that started a Wall Street career
(04:34) - Rotational program and the value of learning fast
(05:59) - The syndicate desk prediction
(07:43) - A front-row seat to how management actually thinks
(09:35) - The leap from equity to leveraged finance
(15:32) - The Permira call, twelve days postpartum
(18:09) - Investing in Octus and earning a board seat
(21:21) - Chaos as a personal operating system
(25:55) - Wrap and credits

07 | Tejs Broberg on Why Winning Isn’t the Point

Octus — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:06:01 -0400

In this episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus, Jenny Bain speaks with Tejs Broberg about competition, leadership, and learning when winning is no longer the point. Tejs shares his early life growing up in a small town in Denmark and how a childhood rooted in sports and community eventually led him to ski racing and the long road to the 1998 Nagano Olympics (02:24). He reflects on how failure shaped his mindset early on, including the realization that happiness does not come from podiums or rankings, but from loving the work itself and committing to the journey (11:05). The conversation explores how that philosophy carried into leadership and entrepreneurship, including founding FinDox, navigating high-risk startup environments, and ultimately joining Octus to help scale data and workflow alongside editorial insight (14:27).

Tejs discusses building high-performance teams grounded in trust, ownership, and psychological safety, as well as his approach to conflict, decision-making, and long-term relationships (22:29). As the conversation turns personal, Tejs reflects on parenthood, therapy, love, and the idea of “enough,” including why more is not always better and why fairness and perspective matter more than status or accumulation (37:21).

A thoughtful conversation about ambition without ego, leadership without noise, and choosing a life built on purpose rather than outcomes.

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Host: Jenny Bain
Guest: Tejs Broberg
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

(00:02) - Jenny Bain opens the show
(02:24) - Tejs Broberg on growing up in Denmark and discovering ski racing
(04:37) - Leaving home at sixteen to chase the Olympic dream
(07:19) - Falling in love with numbers, systems, and competition
(11:05) - Why winning does not bring happiness
(14:27) - Founding FinDox and becoming a builder
(16:13) - Joining Octus and scaling data and workflow
(22:29) - Leadership, trust, and psychological safety

06 | Alix Brozman on Legacy, Loss, and the Life You Choose

Octus — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:42:00 -0400

In this episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus, Jenny Bain speaks with Alix Brozman about legacy, loss, and the choices that quietly shape a life.

Alix begins by reflecting on growing up alongside her identical twin in Northern Westchester and how independence, sports, and time spent alone in the woods shaped her early sense of self (01:15). She shares how her family navigated years of medical uncertainty when her sister became ill, and how that experience taught her resilience and self-reliance at a young age (04:45).

The conversation turns to Alix’s mother, a pioneering bankruptcy judge, and the moment Alix truly understood the scale of her mother’s impact after her passing (11:00). Alix reflects on mentorship, leadership, and the legacy her mother left behind, including the creation of Tina’s Wish and its mission to advance early detection for ovarian cancer (14:30).

Alix discusses her own path into restructuring law, why private practice ultimately wasn’t the life she wanted, and how she helped build Octus breaking news and legal editing function from the ground up (24:00). She explains what it means to lead behind the scenes, build durable systems, and support teams operating under constant pressure (28:30).

As she prepares for a new chapter as a parent, Alix shares candid reflections on ambition, boundaries, and choosing a life that balances meaningful work with presence at home (36:20). The episode closes with a look forward, including what Alix hopes to carry into parenthood and pass on to the next generation (42:00).

A thoughtful, deeply human conversation about becoming who you didn’t plan to be and choosing the life that’s truly yours.

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Host: Jenny Bain
Guest: Alix Brozman
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

EP 5 | Jack Keck on How Builders Think

Octus — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:16:32 -0300

What happens when a small-town kid with a pink mohawk trades the Marines for Goldman Sachs?

Jack Keck, Head of Application Development at Octus, proves that unconventional paths often lead to breakthrough leadership. From sleeping under his desk during the Marcus launch to building the Apple Card infrastructure, Keck's journey challenges everything you think you know about tech leadership. He didn't follow the traditional script—no computer science degree, no Silicon Valley pedigree. Instead, he learned by doing, taking swings at problems others wouldn't touch, and turning imposter syndrome into unstoppable drive.

Listen now to discover how authentic leadership stems from climbing mountains with your team, not standing above them.

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Hosts: Jenny Bain
Guest: Jack Keck
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

(00:00) - Intro
(02:24) - Unconventional beginnings
(07:45) - The Marine reset
(14:00) - Love through pen pals
(26:00) - Fatherhood changes everything
(29:50) - Breaking into tech without a degree
(41:45) - Goldman Sachs and building Marcus
(49:17) - Leadership philosophy in action

EP 04 | John Erban on Building Culture That Works

Octus — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 13:39:08 -0300

John Erban, our Chief People Officer, knows that culture is more than just a buzzword. His path to leadership, shaped by creativity, resilience, and personal challenges, has given him a unique perspective on how to build an environment where people truly thrive.

In this episode of People in Focus, John shares:

How his empathetic leadership was forged from childhood creativity and adversity
The impact of living with a chronic illness on his pace, ambition, and perspective
Why clarity is kindness and how it influences his leadership
What culture really means in practice and how to scale it in a high-growth company

Join us for a candid conversation about life, leadership, and building workplaces that are as human as they are high performing.

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Hosts: Jenny Bain
Guest: John Erban
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

EP 03 | Jennifer Merritt on Journalism, Justice, and Responsibility

Octus — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:52:38 -0300

What does it take to go from rural Florida to the global stage of media and business leadership? Jennifer Merritt, Octus’ Global Editorial Strategy Lead, has lived it all. This episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus explores her remarkable trajectory, where grit and determination shaped every chapter of her life.

Join us as Jennifer discusses:

Her early years overcoming adversity and finding her calling
Insightful stories from her time helping exonerate a wrongfully convicted man
Leadership lessons from top-tier roles at the Wall Street Journal, BBC, and more
The art of balancing bold transformation and authenticity in leadership

Don’t miss this deep-dive into a career built on bold choices, unwavering persistence, and a passion for championing truth and fairness.

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Hosts: Jenny Bain
Guest: Jennifer Merritt
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

EP 02 | Kent Collier on Building Octus

Octus — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:00:00 -0300

Jenny Bain sits down with Kent Collier not the CEO, not the founder, but the person.

In his most personal conversation yet, Kent opens up about the weight of building Octus, the legacy of his parents, what he’s still learning as a father, and why he hasn’t taken an out-of-office in over a decade. He shares what drives him, what haunts him, and why making music might be the only thing that helps him slow down.

This is the Kent most people don’t get to meet. The man behind the product, the pressure, and the playlist.

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Hosts: Jenny Bain
Guest: Kent Collier
Produced and Edited by: Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network

EP 01 Welcome to Inside Octus Where People Shape the Story

insideoctus — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:54:47 -0300

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus, where we dive deep into the stories, journeys, and experiences of the people who make Octus what it is today. Hosted by Jenny Bain, this series is all about transparency, culture, and growth both within the company and beyond.

In this first episode, Jenny sits down with Tanya Hubbard, the producer who helped bring this podcast to life. Together, they unpack their career journeys, the vision behind Inside Octus, and what it means to be part of a fast-growing, innovative company. From navigating career changes to fostering a culture of creativity and adaptability, this episode offers a candid look at what makes Octus unique.

Expect honest conversations, inside perspectives, and real talk about the wins, the challenges, and everything in between. Whether you’re part of the Octus team or just curious about how a company shapes its people-first culture, this episode is the perfect starting point.

(05:00) - Meet Your Host Jenny Bain
(08:59) - Introducing Tanya Hubbard The Creative Force Behind the Podcast
(11:09) - From Law to HR Jenny’s Unexpected Career Shift
(17:23) - Why This Podcast Exists The Story Behind Inside Octus