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Crisis doesn’t care about your schedule,  and when it hits, the difference between survival and collapse comes down to judgment, preparation, and who you have in your corner. In this episode of Cut to the Chase, Gregg Goldfarb sits down with Itay Ben Horin, one of Israel’s leading crisis strategists and owner of Israel’s largest communications consulting firm, Ben Horin & Alexandroitz, to unpack what a real crisis looks like and how the best leaders navigate it.

From his new English-language book — Crisis Management: Inside Views of How Business and Political Giants Won or Lost Big — to his firsthand role in the 50-day campaign to free Israeli child hostages following October 7th, Itay brings a perspective that is equal parts strategic and deeply human. He walks through 16 case studies covering figures from Lance Armstrong and Bill Clinton to Netanyahu and Chancellor Merkel, extracting the universal lessons buried inside some of history’s most high-profile meltdowns and comebacks.

Join Gregg and Itay on Cut to the Chase as they explore:

  • What actually defines a crisis, and why most leaders misidentify it

  • Why knowing your target audience is the most overlooked rule in crisis management

  • The ‘golden hour’ principle and why every hour of preparation equals ten hours in the fire

  • When to act fast, when to wait, and how to tell the difference

  • Why fighting isn’t always the answer, and what the smartest exit looks like

  • How social media has permanently changed the crisis management playbook

 

KEY MOMENTS

0:00 — The opening hook: leadership under real pressure

0:26 — Introducing Itay Ben Horin and what crisis strategy really means

2:03 — When does a bad moment become a crisis?

3:39 — Inside the book: 16 case studies of political and business giants

4:44 — The October 7th hostage crisis and Itay’s 50-day campaign for the children

7:03 — The #1 principle: understand your path to victory before you act

9:32 — Lance Armstrong: the cost of refusing to cut your losses

17:04 — Timing is everything, acting too fast or too slow, both kill you

23:03 — The biggest mistakes leaders make when facing a crisis

25:10 — Why 2026 demands a completely different crisis playbook

29:44 — Netanyahu’s first primaries; the origin of his ‘always attack’ strategy

33:02 — Closing: why preparation is the only real competitive advantage

 

Itay Ben Horin is one of Israel’s foremost crisis strategists and the owner of Ben Horin & Alexandroitz, Israel’s largest communications consulting firm. With over 25 years of experience advising politicians, corporations, and public institutions through their most critical moments, Itay has been in the room when the stakes couldn’t be higher — and has consistently delivered results under pressure.

His book, Crisis Management: Inside Views of How Business and Political Giants Won or Lost Big, was a bestseller in Israel in its Hebrew edition and has now been translated into English — featuring 16 real-world case studies and a new chapter on his role in the October 7th hostage crisis. Itay’s frameworks have helped clients ranging from global CEOs to heads of state understand that how you handle a crisis is one of the most defining tests of leadership.

His coaching methodology focuses on what he calls the “people side” of business: developing leaders who can communicate clearly, build trust, hold teams accountable, and inspire organizations to reach their next level.

 

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

  • Book: Crisis Management: Inside Views of How Business and Political Giants Won or Lost Big — by Itay Ben Horin (English edition, 2025)

  • Learn More: Ben Horin & Alexandroitz Communications Consulting Firm

  • Case Studies Referenced: Lance Armstrong, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Angela Merkel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Starbucks, McDonald’s, BP

 

Contact Itay Ben Horin / Ben Horin & Alexandroitz:

Website: https://ibh.co.il/en/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itayb1/

 

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