How does faith rewire your entire career? In this powerful episode of the What It Takes podcast, we sit down with Mrs. Esther Bergman, the CFO of Chai Lifeline, who oversees a massive $45 million budget dedicated to helping families with critically ill children.

Esther takes us on her incredible journey from a Spanish-speaking immigrant taking a job as a store greeter to becoming the financial leader of one of the most impactful non-profits. She pulls back the curtain on her unique philosophy that you don't work for your boss, you work for God, and shares how this mindset opened doors no degree ever could. She reveals how a prayer for fish in Costa Rica was directly answered, the time she saved a $100M organization from collapse, and why she schedules her "depression" for 5 AM.

This is a raw, inspiring, and deeply spiritual conversation about the power of showing up, the true meaning of money, and how to lead with compassion—even when you have to let someone go.

💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:

◼️ Esther’s journey from Costa Rica to CFO without a finance degree

◼️ The Costa Rica “Fish Market Miracle” and talking to God in everyday life

◼️ Her grandmother’s powerful lesson: “Money is like fire”

◼️ The brutal cash flow crisis that threatened to shut down a $100M organization

◼️ How to transition from an individual contributor to a leader who builds other leaders

◼️ The art of firing someone with kindness and a prayer for their future

◼️ Why being multi-talented can be a curse for your career

◼️ The $15 million secret behind Chai Lifeline’s volunteer force

◼️ How to make a lateral career move that sets you up for long-term success

◼️ Her advice for anyone wanting to build a meaningful career in finance or non-profit

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Meet Esther Bergman: The CFO Who Works for God

1:04 The Costa Rica Fish Market Miracle

7:50 Immigrant Story: First Job as a Store Greeter in Brooklyn

10:53 The Kleinfeld Bridal Breakthrough

22:56 Switching from Customer Service to Finance

34:51 How to Fire Someone with Compassion

38:25 The $45M Budget of Chai Lifeline & The $15M Secret

43:02 The Crisis: A $100M Organization Frozen by Fraud

44:37 The Brilliant Idea That Saved the Company

50:50 Final Advice: How to Build a Career with Purpose

🔗 Connect with Esther Bergman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-bergman-87579117/

🔗 Connect with Tuli Kraus

X (Twitter): https://x.com/TuliKraus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/

This episode is sponsored by Blackbird Recruiting. Tired of sifting through unqualified resumes? Let Blackbird Recruiting find you top talent so you can focus on building your business. Visit blackbirdrecruiting.com to learn more.

The Brutal Truth About Being A Creative Director | How a Borough Park Kid Landed HBO, Polaroid, and Brother ft. Sam Ash

How data and storytelling can build a career? In this episode of the What It Takes podcast, we sit down with Sam Ash (not the music store!), a marketing powerhouse and the unconventional creative mind behind iconic campaigns for HBO, Brother, Polaroid, and countless brands in the frum world.

Sam takes us on a hilarious and insightful journey from his Borough Park Yeshiva days to the top of the advertising world, pulling back the curtain on how he launched the Brother P-Touch, made Paint fascinating, and why he never wears the same "professional" face twice. He shares profound lessons on faith, family, and why today's consumers don't want to think, they want to feel.

This is a raw, funny, and deeply authentic conversation about the power of a great idea, the importance of knowing your "why," and what Jewish marketing is missing.

💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:

◼️ Sam’s journey from a Yeshiva kid in Borough Park to a sought-after creative director

◼️ The hilarious story of launching the Brother P-Touch and the "aha" moment that created a new product category

◼️ His philosophy that you're not selling the drill, you're selling the hole! Why benefits always beat features

◼️ The challenge of balancing a demanding creative career with family life and faith

◼️ Why the frum community is the last great bastion of print advertising and how to use it effectively

◼️ His unexpected encounter with John Ratzenberger (Cliff from "Cheers") and the life lesson about money and family

◼️ How to "niche yourself" to break into a creative career

◼️ The problem with AI, SEO, and why they can't replace true talent and insight

◼️ What most Jewish marketing is missing and the agencies that are getting it right

◼️ His advice for business owners on how to choose the right creative agency

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Meet Sam Ash: The Unconventional Creative

3:09 From Borough Park to Big Brands: A Yeshiva Kid's Origin Story

5:07 The Brother P-Touch Launch: Selling the Hole, Not the Drill

22:45 Faith in the Workplace: Wearing a Kippah in Corporate America

27:16 The John Ratzenberger Story: A $150,000 Lesson on Priorities

35:48 How to Break Into a Creative Career: Niche Yourself

41:29 The State of Jewish Marketing: The Last Bastion of Print

43:10 Sam's Final Advice: How to Pick the Right Creative Agency

🔗 Connect with Sam Ash

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samash180/

🔗 Connect with Tuli Kraus

X (Twitter): https://x.com/TuliKraus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/

#WhatItTakesPodcast #Marketing #Advertising #BrandStrategy #CreativeDirector #Entrepreneurship #JewishBusiness #Startup #CareerAdvice

Episode made possible by Blackbird Recruiting. Check em out Blackbirdrecruiting.com

After building a tech business and working with giants like Google and Microsoft, Hillel Fuld SHUT IT ALL DOWN after October 7th. He now commands one of the most powerful pro-Israel voices online, reaching BILLIONS of impressions. In this bombshell conversation, he exposes the uncomfortable truths about Zionism, the open miracles happening in Israel, and why he believes there is "zero justification" for any Jew to live outside their homeland today.

Hillel Fuld is a leading Israeli tech strategist and a powerhouse advocate for Israel, with a massive following across social media platforms.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

◼️ The shocking reason Israel is being "decimated" in the PR war—and what they're doing wrong

◼️ How Zionism is as core to Judaism as Shabbat, and the Gemara that proves it

◼️ The modern-day "gun to your head" argument for why Jews must leave now

◼️ Debunking the biggest Aliyah myths: salaries, language, and quality of life

◼️ Incredible, open miracles from the war that prove divine intervention

◼️ How the Israeli job market really works (it's not about your resume)

◼️ The one thing that still drives him crazy about living in Israel after 30 years

_______________________________________________________________________

00:00 Introduction & Banter

00:31 The Accidental Tech Guru: Hillel's Origin Story

03:10 The Game-Changing Assistant & Business Transformation

04:55 The October 7th Pivot: Shutting Down for Israel

07:48 Why Israel is Losing the PR War

10:25 Defining Zionism & The Core of Jewish Identity

14:24 The Modern-Day "Gun to Your Head" Argument

16:53 Addressing the "I'll Go When Mashiach Comes" Viewpoint

21:54 The "Open Miracles" of the Israel-Hamas War

23:58 A Personal Story of Divine Intervention: The Australian Visa

29:08 Israel as a Practical Paradise: Debunking Aliyah Myths

32:13 How the Israeli Job Market Really Works

41:56 What Actually Drives Him Crazy About Israel

48:35 The Flip Side: The Magic of Israeli Community

51:22 Final Plea: Make a Plan

_______________________________________________________________________

CONNECT WITH HILLEL:

X (Twitter): https://x.com/hilzfuld

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilzfuld/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HillelFuld/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilzfuld/