The Alexander Group's Podcast

Impact & Insight: Marchesa Mahjong Founder Arabella Hibbert

Podcast host  sits down with Arabella Hibbert, founder of  on this episode of Impact & Insight. After more than 20 years in marketing, communications, and event planning, Arabella stepped away from her career to raise her family, searching for something that would challenge her mind and restore her sense of community. That something turned out to be mahjong.  What began as a single casual lesson quickly grew into a passion she now plays five to six times a week, and ultimately, a business. Arabella founded Marchesa Mahjong to share the joy, laughter, and connection the game had brought to her own life. Find more at www.thealexandergroup.com

Impact & Insight: Deborah Farone, Marketing Executive, Author, Founder of Farone Advisors

In the latest episode of Impact & Insight, Sally King [https://thealexandergroup.com/team/sally-king/], Managing Director of The Alexander Group and Principal of SFK Advisors, sits down with Deborah Farone, former Chief Marketing Officer at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, founder of Farone Advisors [https://deborahfarone.com/], and author of Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Build Thriving Practices. Learn more in this candid, wide-ranging conversation about authenticity, ambition, and what it really takes to build a practice in today's legal landscape. Find more at www.thealexandergroup.com

Impact & Insight: Luxury Retail Expert, CEO & Entrepreneur Robert Sakowitz

Before Houston became a global hub for business and culture, there were leaders quietly shaping what excellence looked like while also setting standards others would follow. One of those leaders was Robert Sakowitz. As a driving force behind the iconic luxury department store Sakowitz, he helped redefine retail in Texas—bringing a level of sophistication, service, and customer experience that was truly ahead of its time. But his impact goes far beyond fashion. At its core, his story is about understanding people—how to build trust, create loyalty, and turn a business into something far more meaningful within a community. In this episode of Impact & Insight, Managing Director Jane Howze and Sakowitz discuss the swiftly changing luxury retail landscape, what modern branding really is and the last item Sakowitz purchased in a brick-and-mortar location. Find more at www.thealexandergroup.com

Impact & Insight Episode: Author/Producer Barnet Bain

Barnet Bain is an Academy Award–winning filmmaker, author of How to Be a Friend [https://www.amazon.com/How-Friend-Unfriendly-World-Connection/dp/1394388861/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TSQO3NLAJDEI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3utbN27IDikMzwo3m8ccJr1QW9VgjcWp-h11v4-Dp0MtB-GxRqW0mfcTJqkS8hqRdvIvuapv2SFE-K2t8eMIL2jxwYzVwYjp1_rWV8ZH1QGzZS3Gb3j60KVEQP2gJX38KYay1st9p4V2Wr4ah615ZFF-vzbpXlJPLijitl1hNdz1fTmeRq6V_Rlvk2UqPHtt.asouTxRJYRw7wWSRlxTIo2To23XavxlK0AL0ptXJi1s&dib_tag=se&keywords=barnet+bain&qid=1772211676&sprefix=barnet+bain%2Caps%2C425&sr=8-1], and a thought leader at the intersection of creativity, connection, and human potential. Best known for producing What Dreams May Come, Bain has spent his career exploring how stories shape not only what we see on screen, but how we relate to one another in everyday life. In conversation, he brought that perspective to leadership, arguing that the quality of our professional impact is inseparable from the quality of our relationships. Bain’s discussion with Managing Director Jane Howze offers a compelling reminder that success is not only measured by outcomes but also by the strength of the relationships that make those outcomes possible. Find Bain’s book here [https://www.amazon.com/How-Friend-Unfriendly-World-Connection/dp/1394388861/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TSQO3NLAJDEI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3utbN27IDikMzwo3m8ccJr1QW9VgjcWp-h11v4-Dp0MtB-GxRqW0mfcTJqkS8hqRdvIvuapv2SFE-K2t8eMIL2jxwYzVwYjp1_rWV8ZH1QGzZS3Gb3j60KVEQP2gJX38KYay1st9p4V2Wr4ah615ZFF-vzbpXlJPLijitl1hNdz1fTmeRq6V_Rlvk2UqPHtt.asouTxRJYRw7wWSRlxTIo2To23XavxlK0AL0ptXJi1s&dib_tag=se&keywords=barnet+bain&qid=1772211676&sprefix=barnet+bain%2Caps%2C425&sr=8-1]. Find more at www.thealexandergroup.com

Impact & Insight Episode: Sports Journalist/Professor Alan Abrahamson

Alan Abrahamson is one of the most respected and influential voices in Olympic and international sports journalism. Over a career spanning decades, Alan has covered every Olympic Games since 1992, reporting from the center of the world’s biggest sporting moments while offering rare insight into the leadership, pressure, and decision-making that shape outcomes on the global stage. Known for his depth, independence, and storytelling, his work goes far beyond medals and results to explore the human dynamics behind elite performance. As the Olympic spotlight intensifies, we’re thrilled to welcome Alan to share his perspective on what the Games reveal about leadership, resilience, and the people who carry the weight of the world’s expectations. Find more at www.thealexandergroup.com