ZTP Episodes

Aaron Khoo spent nearly 30 years in technology, including ten years at Microsoft, time working on the early body-camera team at Axon, and almost ten years at AWS. In this episode of Zero to Prove, Aaron talks with Anthony Bay about the decisions that shaped his career, from leaving Microsoft shortly after a promotion to eventually stepping away from Amazon without another full-time role waiting. He discusses why successful careers can become difficult to leave, the loss of identity that can come with stepping away from a senior role, and the conversation with a friend that made him question whether he needed another job at all. Aaron also shares how curiosity now shapes his life, from writing and technology projects to improv, music and learning new skills, and why fear can be present without being allowed to determine what comes next.

Jeff Teper has spent more than three decades at Microsoft, helping build products including SharePoint and Teams and repeatedly reinventing his work as technology moved from the PC to the internet, the cloud and now AI. In this conversation, Jeff reflects on taking a 50% pay cut to join Microsoft, choosing opportunities over titles, learning from failed products, and the leaders who continued to bet on him before success was obvious. He also explains why taking more "shots on goal" matters, why grit and humility can coexist with fierce competitiveness, and why, at a stage when many of his peers have stepped away, the arrival of AI has given him another reason to stay in the game.

Dennis Hoffman spent 22 years at EMC and Dell Technologies, moving deliberately from role to role, engineering, strategy consulting, startup founder, corporate fixer, and division builder, driven by what he calls his one real motivator: the fear of lost time. In this conversation, he traces the mentors and moments that shaped that instinct, from a business school application that changed the trajectory of his career to founding and selling a company in the wreckage of the dot-com crash, to the open-heart surgery that finally pushed him to ask what came next. He talks about staying authentic inside large organizations, why people work with people they like rather than people who are merely right, and how a personal health scare led him to build The Retirement Strategy, a framework and AI-assisted tool for the parts of retirement that have nothing to do with money. It's a conversation about noticing when a path has stopped working, and having the discipline to act on it before time makes the decision for you.

Paul Suzman moved from South Africa to Seattle in 1980 with few connections and went on to build a successful commercial real estate business by pioneering an approach focused entirely on representing tenants rather than landlords. But his story extends far beyond business. In this conversation, Paul reflects on immigration, integrity, relationships, and the experiences that led him from farming and real estate to helping guide VillageReach, a nonprofit working to improve healthcare access in some of the world's hardest-to-reach communities. He also shares why maximising wealth was never his ultimate objective, why he continues working and serving decades later, and the two things he fears most as he gets older: losing curiosity and losing relevance.

Paul Clarke has spent his career helping some of the world's most influential professional and financial services organisations navigate transformation, crisis, and change. In this conversation, he reflects on the collapse of Arthur Andersen, the lessons he learned inside organisations including Deloitte, EY, McKinsey, Prudential, and Paul Hastings, and why calm, attentive leadership can be more powerful than commanding a room. Paul also shares how relationships shaped nearly every major career opportunity, why he repeatedly chose learning over status, and what led him to leave corporate life to build something of his own. This is a conversation about trust, curiosity, cultural perspective, and recognising that the most meaningful careers are often built around people rather than plans.

Terry Garcia has spent his career at the intersection of public policy, law, exploration, conservation, and storytelling. After leaving a successful legal career, he became the second-ranking official at NOAA before spending 17 years at National Geographic, where he helped fund and support hundreds of explorers, scientists, filmmakers, and conservationists around the world. In this conversation, Terry shares what he learned from backing unconventional people and ambitious ideas, why exploration requires optimism, and how science and storytelling can work together to create real change. He also reflects on leaving established institutions, building a portfolio life, and why he believes pessimism is ultimately irresponsible.

Bryan Gillette never measured success by title or wealth. Instead, he spent decades intentionally building the financial freedom and career flexibility to live life on his own terms. In this conversation, Bryan shares how choosing great leaders over great companies shaped his career, why surrounding yourself with exceptional people accelerates growth, and how a series of personal experiences—including attending multiple funerals in a short period of time—caused him to fundamentally rethink success. Together, they explore optionality, intentional living, financial discipline, family, community, and why the most fulfilling careers are often built around contribution rather than constant striving.

Charles Grimsdale has spent his life identifying major technology shifts before most people could see them—from parallel computing and virtual reality to digital music distribution years before Spotify existed. In this conversation, he reflects on the pattern recognition, determination, and curiosity that fueled multiple entrepreneurial journeys, as well as the lessons learned from founding companies, raising capital, and investing in startups. Charles also shares the deeply personal transition that came later in life, when he realized that maximizing wealth was no longer the goal and shifted his focus toward music, creativity, mentorship, and finding purpose beyond traditional measures of success.

Phil Frank has spent his career at the center of some of technology's biggest infrastructure revolutions—from the rise of wireless networks to the emerging commercial space economy. After decades in leadership roles at major global companies, he made the surprising decision to return to entrepreneurship, ultimately founding Rendezvous Robotics to help build the future of space infrastructure. In this conversation, Phil shares lessons from scaling companies, spotting transformational technology waves, taking risks later in life, and why purpose, curiosity, and mission eventually become more important than traditional measures of success.

Katie Shannon has spent over two decades placing some of the world's top executives—but her story is really about relationships, resilience, and choice. From an early life shaped by loss to building a career grounded in trust and authenticity, she shares how following curiosity—and not having all the answers—led her to success. In this conversation, Katie reflects on redefining priorities, taking risks, and what it means to design the next chapter of your life on your own terms.

Peter Mills has spent his career quietly operating alongside some of the most important leaders and technology shifts of the past 50 years—from Ford and DEC to Sematech and the rise of the internet venture capital boom. He reflects on lessons learned from icons like Bob Noyce and Ken Olsen, the realities of building companies and backing entrepreneurs, and why humility, trust, and creating lasting value matter more than titles or status. Peter also shares how he evolved into a life of mentoring and advising after reaching a place where he had "zero to prove."

Jay Samit has spent his career at the center of disruption—from early video games and special effects to digital music, streaming, and AI. He shares how solving problems—not chasing opportunities—became the foundation of his success, why perseverance matters more than credentials, and how he repeatedly reinvented himself across industries and decades. Jay also discusses his latest book, The Second Act Advantage, and why technology and AI are creating unprecedented opportunities for people to build meaningful second careers later in life.

Cary Bowman went from aspiring archaeologist to investment banker to entrepreneur—but his biggest shift wasn't career, it was how he defined success. After building a thriving distillery business, he redesigned his life around time, family, and freedom instead of scale at all costs. In this conversation, Cary shares how he built businesses that don't own him, why curiosity matters more than credentials, and how he's now diving into AI and tech with zero formal background.

In this episode, Anthony Bay speaks with Al Lindsay, who spent nearly three decades in tech, including leading the team that built Alexa from a concept into a product used by hundreds of millions. Then, at the peak of that success, he made the unexpected decision to walk away. He shares what it really costs to operate at that level, why stepping away is harder than it seems, and how he's redesigned his life around impact, learning, and choice.

In this episode, Anthony Bay and Steve Mosko explore the crucial themes of authentic relationship-building, self-motivation, and leading with values over ego. Steve opens up about how the most successful people never truly stop striving—they just shift from trying to prove themselves to others to pushing themselves for personal satisfaction and growth. Drawing on stories from sports legends and behind-the-scenes moments in the entertainment business, they unpack how genuine friendships, honesty, and integrity can be your greatest career assets.

Anthony Bay sits down with David Peinsipp, partner at Cooley, for an honest reflection on ambition, authenticity, and what it means to reach a point in your career when you have nothing left to prove, but everything left to gain from staying engaged. This episode dives into how true fulfillment isn't just about money or title, but about shaping your own path, building lasting relationships, and knowing when to say no.

Host Anthony Bay sits down with acclaimed safari guide and author Peter Allison. Together, they share personal stories of facing fear, overcoming imposter syndrome, and redefining what success truly means. From near-miss encounters with stalkers and the FBI to hilarious and humbling moments guiding ultra-high-net-worth guests through the bush, Anthony and Peter explore how curiosity can overcome fear, and why "just showing up" often opens the door to opportunity.

Host Anthony Bay sits down with executive coach, author, and trailblazer Rania Anderson for a conversation that crosses continents, careers, and the personal pursuit of purpose. Anthony and Rania discuss her early journey from the Middle East to college in the U.S. at 16, her rise through the banking world, and her bold transition into coaching and global leadership. Rania opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her path, the importance of taking risks, and the power of allies and sponsors—especially as a woman navigating male-dominated environments.

Introducing a podcast for experienced leaders who are shifting from external success toward pursuing work and life on their own terms. Host Anthony Bay shares his personal turning point after a long tech career, explaining how it led him to redefine success around fulfillment and contribution.