The BEST and Most Important Conversation I've Ever Recorded: Growth Mixtape with Bob Mathers

Today we talk to Kristi Faltorusso, who is a Chief Customer Officer, a LinkedIn Influencer, and CS Strategist. She’s a very big deal. When I started this podcast, it was about talking to people from way outside my comfort zone, to talk about anything other than what I did for a living. And that hasn’t changed. But Kristi and I both work in very similar circles so this conversation was a bit of an experiment - what if two people who did the same thing for a living got together and talked about anything but work? What would we have in common? What could we learn about each other?

And it turns out it was one of the most vulnerable, thoughtful, and emotional conversations I've ever had. And it makes me wonder what I might be missing by staying in my lane, and the conversations I could be having with people if I were as brave as Kristi to talk about things we just never talk about.

Kristi talks about growing up on Long Island, losing her brother in a motorcycle accident, the pain she still carries from family trauma, her complicated relationship with alcohol and her journey with sobriety. We also explore the fragility of self-confidence, and the quiet courage it takes to completely be yourself online.

Full disclosure, the most memorable part of this conversation for me happened after we hung up. I sat in my chair, and cried. I can’t explain why. The closest I can come up with, is that it’s conversations like this I’ve been searching for.

Please enjoy, Kristi Faltorusso.

Key Takeaways

• Confidence can be fragile. Kristi opens up about how even with years of experience and external validation, her confidence can unravel with a single moment of doubt.

• Stereotypes run deep. Despite her authentic and vulnerable presence online, Kristi shares how people often misjudge her based on surface-level impressions—and how powerful it is when we prove those assumptions wrong.

• Grief changes everything. The loss of her brother in a motorcycle accident became one of the biggest forks in the road of her life, shifting her perspective and fueling her to live with intention.

• LinkedIn is more than a platform. For Kristi, it’s been a creative outlet, a community, and even a form of therapy. She shares how writing has helped her find her voice and connect more deeply with others.

• The dark side of alcohol. With over 800 days of sobriety, Kristi talks candidly about the decision to quit drinking, the cultural normalization of alcohol, and how giving it up has been one of the best decisions of her life.

• You don’t need a five-year plan. Instead of rigid goals, Kristi’s leaning into the unknown—welcoming the opportunities that show up when you bring your whole self to your life and your work.

• The people closest to you can hurt the most. She reflects on how deep family wounds still linger, and the ache that comes from not getting closure, even years later.

• Creativity is everywhere. From work emails to support tickets, Kristi finds inspiration all around her—and keeps a notebook nearby to capture ideas as they come.