Beyond the Bottom Line with Bert Miller

In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, Bert Miller sits down with Scott Northcutt, Senior Vice President of HR at Bacardi, who shares his 15+ year journey helping build one of the world's most iconic spirit portfolios while maintaining its family-owned culture.Scott reveals how Bacardi, still completely family-owned, uses the original 1862 yeast strain and keeps its recipe under lock and key - known only to two people. Learn how this commitment to quality drives everything from innovation to talent development.

Join host Bert Miller in this fascinating episode of Beyond the Bottom Line as he interviews Joe Fortune—CEO (or “Chief Meister”) of Jägermeister—about the brand's 90-year legacy and its innovative transformation in the U.S. market. Discover how Jägermeister balances a close-knit, family-owned culture with high-performance goals, adapting to changing consumer preferences while staying true to its iconic shot identity. Joe shares insight into the company's multi-generational perspective, strategic leadership approach, and the importance of talent acquisition for sustainable growth. Plus, learn how the brand's data-driven focus aligns with Jägermeister's heritage to create a thriving, future-ready organization.In This Episode, You'll Learn:•How a fifth-generation, family-owned business stays agile in a competitive beverage industry•Why redefining target consumers is pivotal for Jägermeister's ongoing success•The role of employee engagement, open communication, and organizational development in building a high-performance culture

In this impactful episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, Bert Miller sits down with Sean Parkhurst, CEO of REDCON1, to unpack his unconventional journey to the helm of a leading CPG brand.With a rich background in finance, lobbying, hospitality, and consulting, Sean shares how his unique path has shaped an innovative leadership style that drives a high-performance, mission-driven culture supporting the military and delivering premium products.Tune in to hear Sean's insights on building powerhouse teams, adapting to trends like ready-to-drink products, and how he successfully navigated a complex, high-profile energy drink acquisition.

In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, host Bert Miller interviews Pete Carr, CEO of A1RWATER - Americas, and Ryan Bibbo, COO of - A1RWATER Americas, to explore the future of sustainable drinking water solutions through cutting-edge air-to-water technology. Pete and Ryan, both industry veterans with extensive experience at renowned companies like Red Bull and Bacardi, discuss how their new roles at A1RWATER are aligned with a mission to combat water scarcity. Learn how their innovative approach extracts humidity from the air to create clean, drinkable water, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional water sources. With a focus on reducing environmental impact, A1RWATER's air-to-water solutions aim to address the water scarcity. From insights into their transition to the water technology space, to the challenges of educating consumers on the benefits of air-to-water systems, Pete and Ryan share their vision for reshaping the water industry. Discover how A1RWATER is targeting key markets, from South Florida to global regions facing water shortages, and offering eco-conscious options like reusable glass bottles. Join us as we dive into a conversation about water innovation, sustainability, and the power of leadership in driving change. Explore more about A1RWATER's mission to provide accessible, pure drinking water to communities around the world. Learn more about Pete and Ryan here: https://a1rwater.com/company-updates/meet-our-new-us-leadership-team/  

In this inspiring episode, join host Bert Miller as he welcomes back Raul Leal, the visionary CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts. Dive into the world of sustainability and experiential luxury in hospitality as Raul Leal discusses how they've created sustainability as a culture, not just a checkbox. Bert and Raul discuss sustainability and experiential luxury in the hospitality industry and how guests are now looking for unique and intimate experiences. Explore the brands' ambitious global expansion plans, including their sustainability-driven growth with   1 Hotels, Treehouse, and the ultra-luxury Baccarat brand. Raul emphasizes the importance of manpower planning and establishing a strong local presence to honor the unique cultures of the regions they enter. Bert and Raul also discuss how SH Hotels & Resorts preserves the brand culture during rapid growth, and how his hands-on approach and commitment to sustainability ensures that the brand's mission and culture are not just words on paper but a way of life. Technology investments in marketing, like AI and data-driven personalization, are being implemented to continue to delight guests and redefine luxury in a changing world. Throughout this discussion, SH Hotels & Resorts' mission for sustainability and dedication to doing good for teammates, communities, and partners is clear. This episode is a must watch! 

In this episode, host Bert Miller sits down with the visionary CEO of AirWater Ventures, Alex Guy, to discuss the ground-breaking technology that is disrupting the way we source water. “The vision is to transform the way we think about water sourcing, making it accessible and eco-friendly, without straining existing resources," Alex states in his conversation with Bert.  The company developed a technology capable of producing 1,000 liters of clean drinking water daily. Initially aimed at aiding frontline military personnel and humanitarian relief efforts, the company soon transitioned to cater to the escalating concerns around single-use plastics in consumer products.  Throughout their discussion, the Air Water Company's North Star and mission is clear: To become the most sustainable water company in the world. Their impact spans far beyond just providing water. Their sustainable approach encompasses a circular system, utilizing reusable glass bottles and offering a total water solution to various sectors. Success stories in the UAE, particularly in hotels seeking to reduce plastic waste, stand as testaments to their transformative potential. Don't miss the full discussion on how the Air Water Company is addressing global water scarcity and environmental challenges. With its innovative technology and unwavering commitment to sustainability, it's poised not just to disrupt the water-sourcing industry but to create a positive impact on a global scale. 

In this episode, Bert Miller is joined by Craig Huse, CEO of Huse Culinary Group, in a captivating conversation on how he grew a legacy brand in the hospitality industry. Discover how Huse Culinary grew from one restaurant, the 121-year old St. Elmo Steakhouse, to generating $70 million in revenue. Beyond the restaurants, Craig oversees the St. Elmo Foods Group, which produces beloved products like St. Elmo shrimp cocktail sauce and seasonings. He's also launched RTD St. Elmo Cola and has ambitious plans for a distillery on the horizon. Their forthcoming distillery marks a strategic move to diversify revenue streams. This steady, strategic approach to brand expansion is the foundation of their success. But what truly sets Huse Culinary apart isn't just their diverse portfolio; it's their unwavering commitment to teamwork and fostering positive energy within their establishments. Creating a supportive and positive work environment, coupled with robust training and benefits, has been instrumental in retaining top-tier talent within the hospitality industry.  Craig also highlights the pivotal role guests play in creating a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere in their restaurants. For instance, St. Elmo hosts the unforgettable annual St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail Eating Contest, featuring competitive eater Joey Chestnut. The company's owner-operated model and unwavering commitment to stability and continuity have been key pillars of their enduring success. The Huse Culinary Group is a testament to the power of steady growth, diversified portfolios, and a relentless focus on team excellence. 

Join Bert Miller in this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line as he engages in an insightful conversation with Stacie Ruen, Global People Development & New Hire Experience expert at General Motors. Discover how Stacie's approach and dedication to fostering a culture of innovation are reshaping the corporate landscape. She highlights the importance of holistic onboarding, emphasizing the alignment of team members with core company values, both at work and in their daily lives. Through consistent communication and messaging, driven by over 3,000 culture ambassadors within GM, advocates ensure that every team member feels connected to the larger organizational vision. Stacie and Bert delve into the significance of continuous learning and upskilling, especially within the context of AI integration and its transformative impact on learning and development programs. Despite challenges, Stacie anticipates the creation of numerous net positive job roles. However, the heart of the conversation lies in fostering psychological safety as the foundation for innovation. Stacie emphasizes that when employees feel secure in expressing their ideas and concerns, it nurtures creativity and inclusivity. Trust within teams emerges as another vital aspect, driving innovation naturally in an environment where candidness and curiosity thrive. General Motors' culture and employee development initiatives, highlighting their profound influence on customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and performance. Stacie underscores the far-reaching consequences of nurturing a culture of innovation and continuous learning throughout the employee journey. Don't miss this illuminating episode!  

Join Bert Miller and Lisa Chang in a captivating discussion about The Coca-Cola Company's journey to earning the 2023 Hunt Scanlon Culture of Excellence Award and their unwavering commitment to preserving their unique culture, even during turbulent times. Throughout this enlightening conversation, uncover the key factors driving Coca-Cola's ongoing success: their adaptability, unwavering commitment to innovation, and a steadfast sense of purpose in an ever-evolving business landscape. Lisa delves into invaluable leadership insights, resilience strategies, and innovative approaches that have kept Coca-Cola at the forefront of the industry. Gain insights from their past misstep with New Coke, which has changed their internal processes and commitment to prioritizing consumer permission, as seen with the launch of exciting new products, like the ready-to-drink Jack and Coke and Fresca and vodka. As the company is looking to the future of work, Lisa speaks to how Coca-Cola is harnessing the power of AI to empower and enhance its exceptional workforce, equipping its team for the challenges and roles of tomorrow. Throughout this enlightening conversation, Bert and Lisa discuss the key factors behind Coca-Cola's ongoing success: their adaptability, relentless pursuit of innovation, and unwavering sense of purpose in an ever-evolving business landscape. Don't miss this insightful episode! 

John spent 23 years with Kraft Foods in a progression of leadership roles within Logistics, Customer Service and Supply Chain Operations in both the US and Canada before joining Mark Anthony as Vice President of Logistics and Demand Management in January of 2012.John was instrumental in the development of the US based Supply Chain organization and led the implementation of several significant process and waste reduction initiatives including a companywide Sales and Operations Planning Process, streamlined transportation sourcing, inventory controls and improved customer service KPI's.As President of Mark Anthony Brewing John has led the transformation of our manufacturing network to include the building of three company owned breweries during 2020-2022. Overseeing the end-to-end Supply Chain, he is responsible for all planning, manufacturing, procurement, transportation, and distribution. During his tenure the Mark Anthony Brewing Team has increased capacity by 10x and has grown the team from 25 people to over 650.

Find out what it takes to win high-stakes negotiations and uncover tactics to help you get more of what you want in business and your career.In hostage situations, successful negotiations often mean the difference between life and death. Similarly, in business and in our careers, thoughtful discussions can make or break favorable outcomes. When the stakes are high or emotions boil over, it can be difficult to know what to say, or how to bring others together with you down a shared path.Chris Voss knows how to diffuse high-pressure situations, and come out ahead. After growing up in the Midwest, Chris became a Kansas City police officer and went on to join the FBI as a lead crisis negotiator. His best-selling book, Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, is largely considered the industry handbook for successful business negotiations. Today, as Founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group Ltd., Chris helps others to master the art of negotiation.

Dan Arment was appointed to president and chief executive officer of Riddell and BRG Sports in June 2016.Dan joined BRG Sports in 2001 and has held a number of leadership roles at both the brand and corporate level. Most recently, he served as executive vice president of BRG Sports, member of the BRG Sports Board of Directors, president of Riddell, and president of Bell Cycling Products. As a BRG Sports executive, he played a key role in several transactions including the divesture of the Action Sports business and Kollege Town Sports.Promoted to president of Riddell in June 2008, Dan guided Riddell to unprecedented financial growth and market share totals. Under his leadership, Riddell changed the landscape of football and player protection through game-changing technologies that include innovative head impact monitoring, personalized head protection using 3D scanning technology and a path to the next generation helmet.He continues to be responsible for expanding the brand's footprint in the sporting goods industry through increased e-commerce capabilities, a strong institutional sales model, maximizing key partnerships, and strategic acquisitions.Dan is also an influential ambassador for the industry, serving as chairman of the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Board of Directors. In his role, Dan collaborates with leaders in sporting goods manufacturing to guide industry growth and direction, while navigating challenges faced by these organizations.Dan began his career with the company as vice president of sales for the Mass Cycle Division at Bell Sports and quickly elevated in the organization to general manager. He built a robust business model for the bike brand despite stiff market competition and developed strong relationships with key customers.Before joining the BRG Sports family, he served as the vice president of national sales for the Speedo Division of the Authentic Fitness Corporation and served in broad sales and consumer marketing roles with such well-known brands as Playtex, Mennen and Revlon.Dan holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Colgate University, where he played collegiate football.

Tracy Holland is a founder, investor, Executive Chairman, and entrepreneur who is an authority on beauty and wellness with a global track record of incubating and launching brands. Tracy has dedicated her career to creating new brands and success stories by spotlighting innovation, amplifying authentic and celebrity voices in beauty and personal care, and nurturing promising talent--especially other women entrepreneurs.After holding executive positions at numerous standout companies, Tracy co-founded theHATCHBEAUTY brand accelerator in 2009. She has since led highly successful developmentstrategies and launches for popular brands including: Naturewell by Jewel, Nuance by Salma Hayek, BLISS color, FOUND Active, and Orlando Pita Haircare. In the process, she built HATCHBEAUTY from a startup to a recognized global leader in beauty and wellness brands. Her awards and honors include 2019 Fashion and Beauty Award for Beauty Service Provider of the Year, EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, and election to The Committee of 200, an organization of the most successful women business leaders globally.

From dreams of becoming a rockstar to being voted one of the Top CEOs from Comparatively & Best Places to Work for Women, Ellis Singer McCue, CEO of Territory Foods, joins us for Season 2 Episode 3 of Beyond the Bottom Line with Bert Miller. Join us as Ellis shares her mission to make the world a better place through healthier food, deep-diving into consumer and brand relationships, and crafting a personal relationship with the brand you lead and work in.About Ellis Singer McCueEllis is a passionate executive and inspiring leader with a strong strategic, product, and growth skillset, a background in finance, supply chain, and technology, and 10+ years of experience developing end-to-end growth strategies that evolve global businesses and drive innovation for CPG, food, high tech, and retail companies. She is dedicated to building best-in-class leadership structures, performance measures, and organizations to drive disruptive growth.Territory Foods is a venture-backed, innovation-focused, food technology company bringing chef-prepared, healthy meals to intentional eaters across the USA.Recently, Ellis has been featured as a top 25 Consumer Health Tech Executive (2021 & 2022) for her foundational work in the Food as Medicine space, and top 15 CEOs of start-ups and small/midsize businesses, with Territory being featured as one of the top places for women to work in the US. Before joining Territory Foods, Ellis led successful, forward-looking business strategies for major global companies such as Deloitte, Gap Inc., and ZX Ventures(AbInBev).

Throughout his tenure at Mast-Jägermeister US, one thing remained consistent: The authentic joy Jeff brought to his team and the brand every single day. Jeff Popkin, Former CEO of Mast-Jägermeister US joins Beyond the Bottom Line with Bert Miller in Episode 2 of Season 2 to walk through the marriage of Jägermeister and Redbull, finding brands you love, and the keys to successfully growing a consumer brand. Prior to joining Mast-Jägermeister U.S. in 2015, Jeff served as President of Vita Coco, CEO of Red Bull Distribution, along with many senior leadership positions with top beer and beverage brands such as Molson Coors Beverage Company.

In the Season 2 opener of Beyond the Bottom Line with Bert Miller, Ishveen Jolly, CEO and Founder of OpenSponsorship, discusses how she took her love for sports and boosted an analog industry to the digital age by creating a model to accelerate the non-top 5% sponsorship market. Ishveen walks through lessons she's learned as a leader, OpenSponsorship's "secret sauce" in creating the data-driven and intentional platform, what she's found is the major difference between a successful and unsuccessful company, and the categories that are experiencing the greatest opportunities within this digital sponsorship model.The Story of Ishveen and OpenSponsorship:My love for playing sports started as a child from playing catch with my father in our backyard, which led me to captain the Keble College, Netball, and Cricket teams at Oxford University. It also gave me the courage to leave my career in management consultancy in London and move to New Delhi, India to become a sports agent. Working with premier leagues, teams, clubs, and athletes – brokering sponsorship deals gave me an insider perspective on how fragmented and unanalytical the sports sponsorship industry is. Realizing the industry lacked transparency, information, access, tracking, and tech innovation meant there was a huge untapped potential in the annual $60 Billion sports sponsorship market. Why wasn't there an Airbnb for sponsorship? Well, now there is, OpenSponsorship.com. Today OpenSponsorship is the largest and smartest marketplace connecting brands and smart marketers to over 5,700 professional athletes. We are democratizing sponsorship by making it accessible, efficient, and data-driven. Using analytical insights, AI-based matching, and proprietary ROI information tracking we are leveraging technology and data to create meaningful partnerships and revolutionizing the way you search, secure, and track sports sponsorship.The network effort - with 3,500 deals completed through the platform, covering over 160 sports, in 120 countries – the marketplace only gets smarter. We plan on applying the analytics and learning beyond athletes to teams, leagues, events, and other entertainment verticals. Bringing sponsorship into the digital age!About Beyond the Bottom Line:In the Beyond the Bottom Line podcast series, Bert E. Miller connects with leaders across categories to discuss their proudest achievements, greatest challenges, and where they focus their energy each day. Tune in for countless valuable lessons that can be applied to today's World of Work.

Find out what it takes to win high-stakes negotiations and uncover tactics to help you get more of what you want in business and your career.In hostage situations, successful negotiations often mean the difference between life and death. Similarly, in business and in our careers, thoughtful discussions can make or break favorable outcomes. When the stakes are high or emotions boil over, it can be difficult to know what to say, or how to bring others together with you down a shared path.Chris Voss knows how to diffuse high-pressure situations, and come out ahead. After growing up in the Midwest, Chris became a Kansas City police officer and went on to join the FBI as a lead crisis negotiator. His best-selling book, Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, is largely considered the industry handbook for successful business negotiations. Today, as Founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group Ltd., Chris helps others to master the art of negotiation.Chris joins Bert to discuss what makes someone a great negotiator, and how human beings are all driven by the same decision-making systems. Discover the one tactic that anyone can leverage to gain an advantage, and how to rally others to your side. Chris talks about what goes into getting a little better each day, and how leaders can inspire their teams and others to realize mutual gains.

Sean Koffel returns to Beyond the Bottom Line to talk about building brands for tomorrow's buyer. He predicts the demise of craft culture ("I think it's sort of lost the plot"), and contrasts the "cool factor" of generations past with Gen Z's desire for great products that tell the truth..Sean credits this shift to Gen Z being raised with social media. He describes how the cohort isn't using their Instagram or TikTok channels to perfectly curated version of themselves — and they expect the same of today's brands. In tandem, they're really the first generation to connect their external appearance with what they put in their bodies. They're curious about what's in their food, their alcohol, their makeup in a way that past generations weren't. They're looking for transparency at every level.Add in the fact that people of all ages have spent the last year thinking about what it is they really want — from products, from brands, and from their lives in general. Sean warns against trying to force a pre-COVID brand strategy into a post-COVID world. In the second of a two-part series, Sean and Bert dissect what this means for consumer-facing brands, what unique opportunities the pandemic has presented, and how Watchfire is helping emerging brands from "zero to one". 

In the first of a two-part series, Sean talks about the business lessons learned from his time with the Marine Corps, and how new consumer behaviors resulting from the pandemic will shape our economy for generations to come. A mainstay in the adult beverage industry, Sean first met Bert while he and his business partner were launching American Born Moonshine in Nashville a decade ago. The duo have since turned their success into launching a Venture Capital Firm call Watchfire Ventures that invests in early stage consumer product and consumer technology businesses.Sean shares his perspectives on the bifurcated consumer segments that are developing before our eyes: those more hesitant and risk-averse who will place increasing trust on word-of-mouth and micro influencers, and those craving consumerism, travel, and in-person brand exposure at a scale never before seen. His prediction? A whole new type of "cool" factor as people look to reconnect and share new meaningful experiences with friends. Tune in to hear all of Sean's predictions and advice on designing true omni-channel businesses and strategies that are built to last. 

Raul Leal leaving his role at the helm of Virgin Hotels this year to find the next challenge should come as no surprise. "It's a company that believes in reinvention," Leal says. Leal was first hired as CEO of Virgin Hotels, more than a decade ago, to turn a PowerPoint presentation into a reality. Today he sits on the Virgin Group Board of Directors, providing strategic oversight to the full portfolio of Virgin companies.In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, Leal describes just how much trust Sir Richard Branson places in his team. "His philosophy is really to hire the most talented people and let them do their thing," shares Leal. "He always gives credit to the people that are actually doing the job."Part of Virgin Group's leadership strategy has always been to push for a point of view. When it came to matters concerning the planet, the team's POV was that implementing CSR quotas wasn't nearly enough. They wanted to actually educate their teams on what a carbon footprint was, how to calculate it, and how to shrink it, in order to then take that knowledge home to their families and their communities and effect real change. "Knowledge is power," Leal says. "I think a lot of time, that information stays at the top, and it needs to come down."The planet is just one element of the three Ps that guide Virgin Group's vision: people and partners round out the trifecta. So when Leal was building the Virgin Hotels team from the ground up, finding people who bought into the purpose was P1. In this tell-all interview, he shares his strategy behind a true people-first company, his predictions for a post-pandemic hospitality sector, and more. 

Dr. Jean Carruthers is nothing short of a pioneer. The Vancouver-based ophthalmologist was treating a patient for eye spasms in the 80s when she connected the dots between the botulinum toxin A she was injecting and softened wrinkles in the treated area. Fast forward four decades, and Dr. Jean's discovery — now widely known as Botox — has become perhaps the most popular cosmetic dermatology treatment used today. In this 30-minute conversation, Dr. Jean — who has since brought several more new drugs and treatments to market — describes how to pursue a belief that you know to be correct, even when everyone around you thinks you're wrong. The legendary MD explains how to support your theory with research, find an advocate, and stop at nothing to effect change that will make a difference in other people's lives — lessons that translate into any area of business. While Dr. Jean continues to be involved in clinical trials for revolutionary new drugs and treatments, her perspectives on innovation aren't limited to her medical expertise. Among other takeaways that can be applied across industries, sectors, and disciplines, is Dr. Jean's advice on the future of shared workspaces. Having opened a new patient practice in the spring of 2020, Dr. Jean shares some of the details — from an optimized patient flow, to a state-of-the-art ventilation system — that every sector should consider as we navigate return-to-work plans. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Jean proves the value in remaining open to change and to proactively seeking out opportunities to innovation. Learn what it takes to shift public perception with data and science, and impact the course of an entire industry from the Canadian doctor who first discovered the cosmetic application of Botox.

“Can I use swear words?” Bacardi North America Regional President Pete Carr quips when asked how Bacardi, a 158-year-old family business, survived the impacts of 2020. Pete  identifies the very moment on March 12 that he knew things were undergoing irreversible change, how the entire company rallied around an “all in” founder's mindset, and the importance of constant communication from that point onwards.He shares the many ways the Bacardi business was set up for success, from the global footprint which afforded the North American division foresight as they watched what took place in China and across Europe, to the the long-term runway he's afforded as a leader within a family-run business that maintains a generational mindset. Learn how Bacardi got creative with recipe development, cocktail delivery kits, and the fastest ever product launch: hand sanitizer for first responders, and take note on how Bacardi underwent rapid digital adoption to guarantee no dead ends when 70% of consumer purchases shifted online. 

In the first ever episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, Bert speaks with Peter Mondavi Jr. and Judd Wallenbrock about how they've successfully transitioned a legacy family business into the modern world. Peter Mondavi Jr., son of Peter Mondavi Sr., kicks things off by sharing the family history that underpins one of the biggest names in New World wine. He explains how his grandfather's winemaking pursuits took off during prohibition — when it was somewhat accepted for individuals to make up to four barrels of wine for personal consumption — and how the Charles Krug brand aligns well with the Mondavi history.He and Judd describe the passion required to work in the wine industry, the rapid shift to a digital focus they navigated earlier this year, and how their safety precautions have increased in light of both COVID-19 and the California wildfires. Learn how an 8,000 year old industry has thrived across generations, and why Peter and Judd predict data analytics will become the most critical skill in their space.

In this engaging and honest conversation, Andy Callahan, President & CEO of Hostess Brands explains what his team had planned for 2020 and how they pivoted in the face of a crisis. The U.S. Naval Academy graduate shares what his military background taught him about preparing better than anyone else for something you never want to face, and how he was able to apply this as the leader of a century-old brand. Andy explains that Hostess established a COVID-19 task force designed to cement the organization's core values during a time of disruption. He outlines the many initiatives undergone to maintain a strong sense of safety, agility, and service as the foundation of the company's culture — beginning with an altered bonus structure as soon as performance-based compensation no longer made sense. Join Bert and Andy as they discuss the brand new Hostess Innovation Lab, what innovation means to the 100-year-old company, and what's in store for the century to come.