Directionally Correct podcast

One of the most commented-on topics in the media today is the question of how to work with Millennials. In this podcast, we speak with someone who almost exclusively works with the even younger Generation Z entrepreneurs - Matt Smilor, Director of the Values and Ventures Business Plan Competition at TCU. 

Most of our topics on this podcast have been focused on established industries and businesses we've all heard of before.  But there's a lot going on right now with small business and entrepreneurship.  We're seeing more investment from PE firms and family offices in start-up ventures especially in the medical field.  So we thought we'd reach out to an expert in this area.  Greg Saltsman talks with Cameron Cushman, Director of Innovation Ecosystems at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. 

We've talked a lot on this podcast about the state of turnarounds in the U.S. right now with our coverage of the Turnaround Management Association and their conferences.  We've said it before - an economic downturn is expected in the next 18-24 months.  In this episode of Directionally Correct, we get perspective from someone in the turnaround business.  Greg Saltsman talks with Josh Eppich, partner at the law firm of Bonds Ellis in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Turnover sucks.  It's hard on your staff, your customers and your brand.  But do you know what the actual dollar cost of a lost employee is?  We look at research from the Drucker Institute and talk about our own experience, offering insights on things you can do to lower the high cost of employee turnover in your business.

Should you align your entire organization to one performance metric?  A well known VC firm says "yes".  We respectfully disagree.  This week on Directionally Correct we discuss the One Metric Dilemma, and how to choose the right metric (or metrics) for your organization. 

We revisit the story of CSX Railroad with an update on the company's strategy and how it appears to be going. 

If you've listened to this podcast before you know we touch on a lot of subjects that affect business performance.  If you've ever wondered why that is, today we reference a study from the Drucker Institute about the benefits of consistently delivering high performance over a range of business areas in order to achieve higher financial performance. 

Previously we talked about value added partnerships and the perils of making them work, specifically as it related to the curious arrangement between Best Buy and Amazon.  Last week Best Buy announced sales were up 7% in the previous quarter yet the stock price went down, a possible signal that investors aren't on board with the long term benefits of the new relationship with Amazon.  Best Buy is just one example as we look at other retailers in the news making questionable moves. 

Big data and big analytics are having a big impact on our businesses and daily lives.  Today we talk to a non-profit consultant who is having remarkable success getting organizations to completely change how they operate by using data and metrics that show a better way.  Greg Saltsman talks to Cathy Sheffield of ThinkGiving. 

It's becoming more common for businesses to form strategic partnerships with suppliers, retailers, distribution companies and even customers in order to further their own goals.  But what's the best way to structure these arrangements and do they really add value most of the time?  In this episode, we look at a few partnerships in the news - both successful and unsuccessful - and discuss the factors that are critical for success. 

This week on the podcast, we look at a few real-world examples of how the implementation of best practices can move the needle dramatically for businesses, and discuss why some firms are unable to accomplish these changes. 

In July 2017 Southern Oak Consulting authored an analysis entitled, "Management Consulting's Impact on Private Equity Performance".  The analysis used data from the Pitchbook database and revealed that U.S private equity funds who used management consultants for operational performance improvement outperformed the IRR of their peer groups by an average of 1.52% - that's no small number. As it turns out, our analysis was in good company as a former PE analyst has been actively campaigning to show that PE firms are not really great at operations and turning their portfolio companies in to winners.  What are your thoughts on that? Today we look at the question:  Does PE have an operations problem and if so, what can be done about it?

Last week the Turnaround Management Association had their Southwest Conference in San Antonio and Southern Oak Consulting was there.  Greg Saltsman shares the latest insights about what's being discussed at the TMA event.

How aware are you of disruption happening in other industries?  We look at 3 seemingly unrelated fields - self driving cars, real estate, and recycling - to show how disruption all around us may be an opening to new growth in your business. 

Walmart is all about "low prices" and until now they have reigned supreme.  But when a company competes on price, there will always be someone "cheaper" coming up from behind and that's what's happening with advances by Amazon.  Walmart is making it clear they won't give up their position quietly and lately we've noticed a few curious stories in the news.  What does Walmart know about the future?  It's anyone's guess, but you may be surprised to hear about moves the company could be making to fend off competition. 

KPI scorecards are standard practice for financial metrics, but what about qualitative goals?  Diversity, inclusion, employee satisfaction, sustainability, innovation, ethics - all are important and none are attached to a general ledger.  In this podcast we talk about the softer side of scorecards and how much weight should be given to non-financial metrics. 

Relying on external auditors is not enough to protect your company from loss.  Do you have effective processes and procedures in place  for fraud control?  We look at a few examples of easy traps and cautionary tales for companies both large and small.  Kelsey Robertson of Swingle Collins & Associates explains "Social Engineering" - a terrible new crime that is on the rise and could happen to your firm.  What it is and what you can do about it. 

What do oil companies really do?  They are efficient allocators of capital.  In this podcast we take a look at what Shell Oil is doing to transform their business in the face of an historic shift away from petroleum to electricity.  A few lessons from a big company, doing it right.  

The plan you had was wrong.  Now what?  Under what circumstances should you consider changing your strategy and how do avoid doing it either too soon, or too late. 

What are the real benefits of FP&A and why are they so often ignored by business?  Greg Saltsman addresses a few common questions about Financial Planning and Analysis, the strengths and limitations.

Some have said we are in the "Golden Age" of Private Equity investment.  However there are signs that may be changing, with growing disagreement on what impact Tax Reform will have on PE.  In this episode we look at what leading publications are saying and what it might mean for your business. 

It's always easier NOT to challenge widely held beliefs - especially those beliefs that may have historically been successful.  But some companies now are revisiting past decisions more often, to rethink how they make money and how they add value to their customers.  For some, "Re-Thinking" has become not only profitable, but also a strategic advantage in the marketplace.  Today we look at a few examples of that using business models most of us are familiar with; rental cars and concessions at sporting events.

The Turnaround Management Association held their Las Vegas conference on Distressed Investing and Southern Oak Consulting was there.  Greg Saltsman shares with us what he's discovered at the event, what insiders are saying about deal flow and market volatility, the implications of tax reform that might surprise you and what to expect in 2019 (yes, 2019).

Customer Service is a key component to any good business strategy.  Today we talk to an expert about why getting more complaints is actually a GOOD thing, the benefits of considering your customers-customer, and the one thing about your business that is fundamental to its success - and by the way it also offers a huge return on investment.   Greg Saltsman interviews customer service expert, George Saltsman. WHAT LED YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED IN CUSTOMER SERVICE? THE FIRST THIRD OF MY CAREER WAS IN MANUFACTURING WITH ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE TO CUSTOMERS AND THEN THIS WAS ALL B2B..   WHEN I LEFT THE PLANT ENVIRONMENT, I WAS PUT IN CHARGE OF - AMONG OTHER THINGS - A CALL CENTER THAT TOOK IN ORDERS FROM OTHER FIRMS.   IN THOSE DAYS THE COMMON METRIC FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE PERFORMANCE WAS COMPLAINTS. COMPLAINT HANDLING WAS VERY NEGATIVE AND OFTEN ENDED WHEN THE BLAME FOR INCIDENT HAD BEEN DETERMINED, USUALLY WITHOUT ANY INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMPLAINING CUSTOMER AND NOT A LOT OF URGENCY.  IT WAS AN IMPEDIMENT TO MANUFACTURING/MARKETING RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL DURING THIS TIME I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CO-WORKER WHO HAD BEEN RAISED WORKING AT HER DAD'S SERVICE STATION AND SHE KNEW CUSTOMERS FIRST HAND.    WE SAT DOWN ONE DAY TO DESIGN HOW WE MIGHT APPLY CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (BILL CONWAY) AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION WE NEEDED TO INCREASE FEEDBACK – COMPLAINTS – FROM CUSTOMERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE TO IMPROVE.   We came to realize SOLVING PROBLEMS DID NOT REQUIRE ASSIGNING BLAME . NOW MORE COMPLAINTS WAS NOT POPULAR WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT.  FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE MY VICE PRESIDENT TO APPLY QUALITY IMPROVEMENT METHODS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WE EMBARKED ON THE QUEST FOR MORE DATA, MORE FEEDBACK, DISCARDING COMPLAINTS AS A BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MEASURE.    OVER THREE YEARS WE WENT FROM 6 COMPLAINTS/YEAR TO ALMOST 2,000  -  AND LEARNED A LOT (MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL.....) THE LARGEST NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FELL INTO AN AREA WE DID NOT EXPECT: BILLING.   ADDRESSING THAT SUBJEC AREA FIRST, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE BILLING PROCESS SEQUENCE WAS ALL THAT NEEDED TO CHANGE.    IN ONE MEETING WE FIXED IT AND CURED THE LARGEST DISSATISFACTION CATEGORY AT VERY LITTLE COST. DR DEMING (THE GURU OF QUALITY) WAS RIGHT OF COURSE :  90% OF DEFECTS COME FROM THE PROCESS, ONLY 10% FROM PEOPLE. THE REACTION OF OUR CUSTOMERS WAS STUNNING, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO SOLE SUPPLIER STATUS WITH TWO OF THEM, BASED ON THE TRUST WE EARNED BY ACTUALLY IMPROVING IN AREAS THEY VALUED. BY-THE-WAY : THE COWORKER WHO TAUGHT ME THE PRINCIPLES SHE LEARNED AT HER DAD'S GAS STATION LATER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSOCIATION HOW DOES CUSTOMER SERVICE FIT INTO A  SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS STRATEGY?  I ONCE CAME ACROSS A SLOGAN ON A LAPEL BUTTON: “NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL SOMEONE BUYS SOMETHING” CUSTOMERS DRIVE A BUSINESS.  FAILURE TO OBTAIN CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS THE DEFINITION OF BUSINESS FAILURE.  NO CUSTOMERS, NO BUSINESS. UNDERSTAND THAT I AM TALKING ABOUT  FOUR “CUSTOMER” GROUPS, ALL WHO NEED THE ATTENTION AND PRODUCT OF A SERVICE STRATEGY.  THEY ARE: THE CONSUMER - OBVIOUS THE STAKEHOLDER – POSITIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THE ASSOCIATE – COMPENSATION ABOVE PAY THE PUBLIC – INCLUDING MEDIA, REGULATORY, COMPETITION, AND NOW SOCIAL NETWORKING EACH GROUP SEEKS TO HAVE THEIR EXPECTATIONS MET BY A BUSINESS IN VARYING DEGREES.  EACH SUPPLIES A UNIQUE FORM OF FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT. COLLECTIVELY THEY MAKE SUCCESS.   AS INDIVIDUALS, WE BELONG TO ALL FOUR GROUPS. TO CREATE CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES  - TARGETING EACH GROUP – REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BUYING TRANSACTION, UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE – THAT MAKES OR BREAKS A RELATIONSHIP FORTUNATELY THERE ARE ONLY TWO DIMENSIONS – TWO FACTORS – TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS    IT IS BASED ON A YES OR NO ANSWER TO TWO QUESTIONS: DOES THIS OFFERING HAVE SUFFICENT VALUE? – PRECIEVED BENEFITS DERIVED @ COST OR PRICE  (TIMEX VS. ROLEX)  DOES THIS SUPPLIER CARE ABOUT ME? – DO OUR INTERESTS ALIGN? #1 IS ABOUT PRODUCT DESIGN & QUALITY AND PRICING   #2 IS THE MISSION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE   THIS RESULTS IN FOUR POSSIBLE OUTCOMES : 1) NO VALUE, NO CARE = NO SALE, NO RELATIONSHIP – A VERY STABLE RELATIONSHIP  2) NO (NOT ENOUGH) VALUE, BUT YES, THEY DO CARE = MAYBE SOME DAY; POTENTIAL – THE ISSUE OF DEMAND CREATION  3) YES  THERE IS VALUE TO THE OFFER, YES, THEY CARE ABOUT ME = CUSTOMER ENJOYS HIS CHOICE OF SUPPLIER  4) YES, THERE IS VALUE,  BUT NO, THEY DON'T  CARE = I'M FORCED TO BE A CUSTOMER (CABLE COMPANY; UTILITIES, AIRLINE) (LACK OF COMPETITION) COMPETITION USUALLY KEEPS  BENEFITS  IN BALANCE WITH PRICE; IN THE CASE OF LACK OF COMPETITION, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS UNSTABLE SITUATION REVERTS TO THE #1 CASE, NEVER TO BE A CUSTOMER AGAIN ; AS I SAID, A VERY STABLE SITUATION. NOW THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT CARE (THE CS COMPONENT) HAS UNLIMITED POTENTIAL TO GROW IN THE EYES OF THE CUSTOMER CONSISTENTLY EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS CREATES “SUPER CARE” - AND THAT YIELDS TRUST (WHERE VALUE IS A “YES”) OR “WANTS TO BE A CUSTOMER” ATTITUDE (WHERE VALUE IS NOT OVER THE BUYING THRESHOLD)  (DISNEY WORLD ) EXPECTATIONS ARE TRANSFORMED INTO PROCESS OUTPUT BY  1) LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS  2) ADAPTING PROCESSES TO MEET EXPECTATIONS 3) ANTICIPATING SITUATIONS AND SOLUTIONS, IN ADVANCE OF FAILURE HOW SHOULD A BUSINESS APPROACH MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS?   FUNDAMENTALLY, EVERY CUSTOMER HAS THEIR OWN CUSTOMER THEY WANT TO PLEASE   RESEMBLING A CHAIN, CUSTOMERS ARE FOCUSED ON THEIR CUSTOMERS  ONCE YOU ASSERTAIN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR CUSTOMER'S CUSTOMER, YOU CAN TRY TO ANTICIPATE AND DESIGN-IN WHAT YOUR PROCESS MIGHT PRODUCE FOR  THEM TO DELIVER SATISFACTION TO THEIR CUSTOMER.   APPRECIATION OF YOUR CONSISTENT SUPPORT BREEDS TRUST. ONE CAUTION: DON'T PROMISE WHAT YOU CAN'T DELIVER.  RELY ON INSTALLED, DOCUMENTED AND TRAINED PROCESSES TO EXECUTE DELIVERY; NOT INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE.  LACK OF CONSISTENCY CAN DESTROY TRUST - FOREVER ITS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS YIELDS POSITIVE STORIES : THE “WOW FACTOR”;  THE PLEASANT SURPRISE OF DELIVERING UNEXPRESSED DESIRES THE DISADVANTAGE OF EXCEEDING EXPECTATION IS THAT THEN THIS  OFTEN BECOMES INCORPORATED INTO FUTURE TRANSACTIONS. NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES 1) GENERATES THE “YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME” ATTITUDE 2) SUBTRACTS FROM CUSTOMER'S AVAILABLE TIME    3) PUTS CUSTOMER'S AT RISK OF DISAPPOINTING THEIR “CUSTOMER”  4) HAS DEMONSTRATED MORE ENERGY FOR REPEATING THE STORY: THEY DO MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD STORIES DO GOOD (UNITED AIRLINES) FEEDBACK ANALYSIS CAN PROFILE THE NEGATIVES AND WEIGHT PRIORITIES.  BUILD THOSE INTO YOUR QUALITY REQUIREMENTS & STRATEGIES FOR PRODUCT DELIVERY ANTICIPATE WHAT MIGHT PLEASE THE CUSTOMER'S CUSTOMER: LIKELY IT SOLVES A PROBLEM.  LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMER'S CONCERNS. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO ADDRESS THEM? INNOVATIVE / CREATIVE SOLUTIONS CAN YIELD COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE POSITION YOURSELF WITH A QUICK RESPONSE PROCESS TO COMPLAINT/DEVIATION, A RISK MITIGATION TEAM (FIRE EXTINGUISHER), TO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE SITUATIONS AND QUELL THEM BEFORE THEY GAIN MOMENTUM.  THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. (THINK FRONT LINE EMPOWERMENT; E.G. A WAITER OFFERING FREE DESSERT FOR A SERVICE COMPLAINT). WHAT ADVANTAGE CAN EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDE? RESPONSIVE, CARING, LISTENING, ADAPTING , AND ANTICIPATING PROCESSES FOCUSED ON THE RECIPIENTS OF BUSINESS' PROCESS YIELD ENORMOUSLY POSITIVE RESULTS TO A BUSINESS.  CUSTOMERS COME FIRST SHOULD NOT JUST BE A SLOGAN BUT A FUNDAMENTAL OF A BUSINESS. AMONG THE RETURNS ARE: 1) BUILDING THE PRICELESS ASSET OF REPUTATION  2) REPEAT BUSINESS / LOYALTY / WELCOME / OPEN DOORS / RETAINED STAFF 3) INCREASED COMPETITIVE SHARE / MARKET POSITION  4) LESS DISTRACTION FROM NEGATIVE ISSUES (YOU WILL NEVER KNOW RISKS AVOIDED) 5) PRO-ACTIVE, EVOLVING DEFINITION OF PRODUCT/SERVICE QUALITY REQUIREMENTS 6) INSIGHT ON DESIREABLE IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCT/FEATURES (FORD'S CUP HOLDER) IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS TO BE PREACHED BECAUSE IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO BUSINESS SUCCESS AND IT'S RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS HUGE MY FAVORITE SIGN OF ALL TIME WAS IN ONE OF SUPPLIER'S WAREHOUSE: “CUSTOMERS FEED OUR FAMILIES – TREAT THEM ACCORDINGLY” TO ME THAT SAYS IT ALL.   WE ARE IN BUSINESS TO FEED OUR FAMILIES: CUSTOMERS  (ALL KINDS OF CUSTOMERS )  ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS ****end***  SouthernOakConsulting.com

The latest moves made by the Cleveland Browns illustrate even more parallels between national sports and corporate decision making.  What happens when carefully made strategies are changed before the solutions created have a chance to fully take root?  This week we look at poor decisions with negative outcomes and how this type of action can be avoided.  Plus an update on another story in the news, Kimberly-Clark.

Business leaders are always pressured to expand operations, often with new products or markets.  In this podcast we look at what's happening with two of the most venerated corporations in America, and how the constant push for sales growth has brought them to serious financial trouble.  If it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone.  What can be learned form these two giants, and how can your business benefit from their lessons?

Why do some companies who stumble never quite recover?  Is it bad luck or poor decisions?  In this podcast we discuss the much publicized woes of a popular Mexican restaurant chain and offer a few suggestions to consider for a comeback.  Also, we'll have follow-up news on previous discussions about CSX, Restoration Hardware and the water balloon inventor terrorized by a patent challenge.  All this and more on episode #18 of Directionally Correct. 

Most of us were taught at an early age never to assume.  But we know in business there are still situations where companies collectively hold on to deeply held assumptions.  Whether it's what you think you know about your customers or an accepted company culture of, "We've always done it that way", assumptions can be deadly.  This best-of podcast from early November looks at a few examples where good things came from simply challenging assumptions.

Cost reduction is a basic business expectation.  Yet many businesses fail to understand the true costs of cuts in the wrong places.  In episode #16, Greg Saltsman and Alicia Hicks discuss 3 key points relating to cost reduction; 1.  Areas where you can cut costs without hurting your business. 2.  Where you should avoid cutting costs. 3.  What you should do with the money you save as a result of cost reduction efforts.  Cost reduction may seem obvious, but there's more to it.

If there's one aspect of doing business that's more Art than Science, it's pricing.  Balancing profit with customer satisfaction and brand strength can be a real challenge.  It's also the key to unlocking the true potential of your business.  In this episode we discuss pricing theory, pricing reality and how to create an approach that actually works for you and your customers, with real examples from Whole Foods, a local Kolache bakery and the City of San Francisco. 

If you've ever watched an episode of Shark Tank you know the importance of patents.  But are they really the best defense to protecting your strategic advantage?  This week we talk about the combination of intellectual property, company culture, barriers to entry and how you can keep your Secret Sauce a secret, even when competition comes calling. 

The plan you had was wrong, now what?  In episode 12 we talked about strategy in both definition and practice.  This week want to know, under what circumstances should you consider changing your strategy and how you can avoid pivoting either too soon or too late.  We talk about GE, Netflix, JC Penney and more. 

Beyond the text book definition, how much do you really know about business strategy?  Whether it's the ultimate end goal achievement for your business or that thing you do just to get through the quarter - Strategy means many things to all of us.  In this episode we want to know the real meaning of strategy.  How often it should be updated or revised, where tactics come in to play and the number one question to ask before you craft your strategy.  It might surprise you.  Who knew STRATEGY could be such a hot topic??

What gets measured, gets fixed.  What if you don't change what gets measured but HOW it's measured?  Companies are using more "customized" metrics to report to investors that their performance wasn't sub par - as long as you consider the numbers they say are important.  Is this a dangerous practice and if so, what can be done to drive meaningful performance? This week we look at fuzzy math, creative financials and what it really means. 

Most of us were taught at an early age never to assume.  But we know in business there are still situations where companies collectively hold on to deeply held assumptions.  Whether it's what you think you know about your customers or an accepted company culture of, "We've always done it that way", assumptions can be deadly.  This week we take a look at a few examples where good things came from simply challenging assumptions. 

Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) is a hot metric for business managers to be graded on.  At some point in your career you've been challenged to do more with less.  For some, that's an impossible challenge.  But for highly effective managers doing more with less is a super power that can turn around a company and grow revenue streams.  In this podcast we look at best practices and clever (yet simple) ways to do more with less. 

This week the Turnaround Management Association is holding its annual conference in our home market of Dallas/Fort Worth.  We thought it would be timely to take a look at some tactical examples that have proved successful in turnaround situations and a few that were less than successful. 

Is it a dip or a downturn and how do you know the difference?  In previous episodes we've explored what to do and what not to do when your business gets disrupted.  But what if your business strategy isn't working because consumer interests have shifted?  We talk about dog food, retail electronics and the strategy of changing your strategy.

What gets incentivized gets accomplished, right?  But for some companies that depend on commissioned sales people or who have top management with large compensation tied to KPI's, incentive pay comes with both ethical and strategic issues.  When big bonuses are at stake, managers can be motivated to do bad things including sand bagging the numbers or worse.  Yet there's still a need to align the interests of the firm with those whose job it is to execute the firms strategy.  In this episode we take a look at how to properly incentivize in a way that's best for the company.

Furniture is a $100B+ annual business in the U.S.  Traditionally the industry has been slow to respond to customer demands and trends.  But that's all changing as customers insist on faster, cheaper, and greater selection.  How is one of the world's oldest industries reacting?  Don't call it disruption.  The furniture business is evolving, with technology, continuous improvement, supply chain revitalization and a better value proposition. 

A 2017 report shows the total number of people in the U.S. who work remotely on a regular basis is around 22% and that number is expected to grow to over 70% by 2025.  However, recently in the news major companies are moving against this trend and calling their employees back to the office.  What is their logic in making this decision and is it the right strategic move? 

Business and sports have a lot of similarities.  Both require a strong strategy, tactical asset deployment and a good understanding of data to reach the goal and win the game.  Greg Saltsman and Alicia Hicks of Southern Oak Consulting talk about football and business. 

If you haven't experienced it already, disruption is coming for your business segment.  Are you ready for what lies ahead?  Greg Saltsman and Alicia Hicks of Southern Oak Consulting discuss a timely example in the news of category disruption that's upending the traditional advertising agency model.  What are the effects of disruption, how are firms reacting and what you can do to stay a step ahead of the next threat to your industry. 

Welcome to Directionally Correct, where we talk about recent stories in the news and what it might mean for your business.  In a "ripped from the headlines" style, Greg Saltsman and Alicia Hicks discuss current topics and cutting edge trends and how you can benefit.