The Market That Moves America

Middle market companies continue to express concern about customer engagement and relationships as well as their own talent management capabilities and culture. What should middle market leaders be doing to adjust these issues and how has technology and digitizing the customer-employee experience enhanced the success of a real estate company located in the outer banks? Listen as NCMM's managing director Doug Farren talks with Clark Twiddy of Twiddy & Company Vacation Rentals and Real Estate Sales.

As we start to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, middle market companies continue to express concern about customer engagement and relationships, as well as their own talent management capabilities and culture. How do middle market companies create and position their own brand effectively to both attract and retain customers as well as employees? Come find out in our discussion with Julie Hamilton of +Intention.

Buying or Selling a Business might seem like an easily repeatable process for those with lots of resources and capabilities, but how do companies plan to operationalize and execute these deals in order to maximize value? Listen to our discussion with Dietrich Partners' founder and executive chair, Celia Dietrich, to learn more!

How does a successful middle market CEO think about culture and the use of digital technologies to drive growth? The National Center for the Middle Market sat down with PDC Machines CEO, Kareem Afzal, to find out.

How do companies in the lower middle market with $10 - $50 million in annual revenue need to respond when buying or selling a business? Elliott Holland, Managing Director at Guardian Due Diligence, sits down with the National Center for the Middle Market to share his expertise on both sides of deals in the middle market.  

Reflecting on 2020 and looking at the year ahead - is the worst behind us? Hear what leading economist Dan North of Euler Hermes has to say on this episode of The Market That Moves America.

Leaning on her deep understanding of companies in transition, Jennifer Fondrevay joins Doug Farren and the National Center for the Middle Market to share what business leaders have done to lead their organizations through the the uncertainty of 2020 and how these lessons can help others grow.

Now more than six months into the pandemic, NCMM welcomes AchieveNext CEO, Nick Araco, to share what he's seeing from CEOs and CHROs and how they're planning to lead their companies forward into 3Q 2020 and beyond, plus what those with a strong "immune system" in managing through the pandemic have in common. 

Pivoting throughout the life of a company can mean the difference between growth and shuttering your doors. Hear how one company has been able to focus on its core strengths while adjusting to changes in market demands. 

Larry Inks, Clinical Associate Professor in Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University joins Thomas A. Stewart to discuss how the future of the workplace changes and stays the same as the pandemic continues and companies weigh the return to the physical office space. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light not only challenges but opportunities for middle market business owners. Hear from our guest guest John H. Brown, founder of Business Enterprise Institute, Inc. to find out what you can do right now to grow and protect your business.

The National Center for the Middle Market's Thomas A. Stewart welcomes ApartmentData.com's Rudy Mui and John Severance to share how they've used the power of data and digital transformation have changed their industry and bring in new efficiencies and opportunities. 

As much of the country moves to a work-from-home setting, middle market companies mustn't overlook the risks of malevolent opportunists targeting the new home office. We welcome Ohio State Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Emre Koksal who shares how you can protect your company from incoming threats.

As the COVID-19 pandemic crisis sweeps the nation, companies are looking for ways to cut costs and free up cash flow during uncertainty. Tom Stewart of the National Center for the Middle Market welcomes Expense Reduction Analysts Principal Consultant Paul Zaleski to talk about the oft forgotten 20% of spending or "tail spend." 

It's a new normal for companies across the world. Now that COVID-19 has pushed so many employees home, how can middle market companies make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible while managing everything else going on? We welcome Jessica Lipnack to the podcast to share decades of expertise studying virtual teams and collaboration you can put to use immediately to help your team thrive. 

When firms have big-company problems without the big-time budgets, where do they go to get support? The National Center for the Middle Market's Thomas A. Stewart and Doug Farren welcome Jack Lavin, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to hear how his organization works to help mid-sized companies in the region.

 Jeff Eldersveld from the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team joins NCMM Managing Director Doug Farren to talk about an often forgotten player in the middle market: professional sports teams. And just like many other middle market companies, they're working to bring data analytics into the business to create the ultimate game-day experience.

In what's become an annual tradition at NCMM, Dan North, Euler Hermes' chief economist for North America, joins Thomas A. Stewart and Doug Farren to talk about what middle market executives can expect in the year to come.

NCMM Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart welcomes George Calfo and Russell Sanders to talk about our latest research and how middle market executives can prepare for coming business transitions. 

Nextrade Group Founder and CEO Kati Suominen joins Tom Stewart to talk about the impact technology is having on global trade and what middle market companies can do to take advantage of the increasingly available advances coming their way. 

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky joins the Market that Moves America to bring up the strategic errors that cost organizations and careers. Whether it's going with your gut or relying on hard data, leaders have to make the right decisions when it counts. Hear about best practices to avoid bad decisions. 

Professor Isil Erel of The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business joins NCMM Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart to talk about her research on non-bank lending and what it might mean for middle market companies. 

Data analytics is a hot issue for businesses today. Ohio State data expert Ralph Greco joins NCMM executive director Thomas A. Stewart to discuss how middle market companies can join in and keep up with the growing importance of data analytics. 

We welcome David DeLong, Ph.D. to share tips on how middle market companies can address the workforce shortage and knowledge loss that comes with it. 

Ever wonder how to find out-of-the-box ideas using the best new research and innovating minds? Professor Deborah Mitchell of The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business joins NCMM Managing Director Doug Farren to talk about this year's Fisher Invitational where MBA students from around the country helped one middle market company find solutions for their current business concerns. 

Growth Institute co-founder and CEO Daniel Marcos joins Thomas A. Stewart to share his insights on scaling companies and how that differs from simply "growing." Learn how you can achieve scaling successes in this episode of The Market that Moves America.  

Imagine having your family involved in all your big decisions. That's the reality of middle market companies that are family owned and operated. We're talking to family business advisor John Messervey, an expert on keeping things civil--and making the right choices for the good of the business.

Rhythm Systems Business Growth Consultant and Culture Expert Cathy McCullough joins Thomas A. Stewart to talk about the need for leaders to balance culture with strategy, and giving employees the freedom to make decisions and grow. Listen in for four key areas leaders need to focus on for growth and success.  

Hear from one of the people with an ear to middle market CFOs around the country. Nick Araco of the CFO Alliance joins Tom Stewart to talk about the interesting year ahead and how to empower your company's leaders to make decisions that align across disciplines. 

The U.S. economy has grown for more than 116 straight months. But can it continue on that trajectory for much longer? Hear what Euler Hermes economist Dan North has to say on this episode of The Market That Moves America. 

As unemployment drops, middle market employers are fighting to fill job openings with right set of skills. NCMM's Tom Stewart talks with the Toledo Chamber of Commerce to learn how companies in Northwest Ohio are tackling the labor shortage. 

While disruption may be the new norm in business, it doesn't have to be associated with the fear that often comes with it. Our guest Jennifer Fondrevay talks to Tom Stewart about how to ease your company--and your talent--through big changes. 

Managing Director Doug Farren sits down with CBUS Retail's Anne Marie Thomas to find out how mid-sized retailers fare in today's economy and talk about the recent report they partnered on for NCMM.

The National Center for the Middle Market Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart welcomes Incept CEO Sam Falletta who shares the structure of what's driven Incept's strategy and driven growth.

The National Center for the Middle Market Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart sits down with The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business Professor Leiblein to talk about the findings of the recently released Strategic Planning report from NCMM. 

What's it take to disrupt the commoditized world of shipping and logistics? Brad Hollister talks with NCMM's Thomas A. Stewart to get to the bottom of how SwanLeap has become the fastest growing company in America.

Senior Ohio State lecturer John Schaffner joins National Center for the Middle Market Managing Director Doug Farren to share his thoughts on what really makes a good team and consider how growth is defined. 

Thomas A. Stewart and Catapult Growth Partners' CEO Doug Johnson talk professional services, what it takes to build a brand and what's important when attracting and retaining customers. Tip: Start with knowing what you're good at. 

Steve Perkins, GrantThornton National Managing Director of Technology, talks with the National Center for the Middle Market about what middle market companies can learn to grow with technology and what to avoid if they want to thrive in the ever-changing sector.

Signature Consultants has been growing at three times the industry rate and has doubled in size since 2010. Learn their secrets to growth and what drives their culture as EVP Geoff Gray and CCO Mark Nussbaum talk with National Center for the Middle Market Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart.

The National Center for the Middle Market's report "The DNA of Middle Market Growth" featured three types of growth DNA that lead successful growth in the middle market. One type of growth DNA is the "Investor." Executive Director Tom Stewart talks with Don Daseke, chairman and CEO of Daseke Inc. about the investments he's made to grow from $30 million to $1.5 billion in revenue in just under a decade.

Sarah Sladek is a best-selling author and CEO of XYZ University. An expert in how to drive stronger engagement with younger generations, Sladek joins Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart to talk about the difference age makes (or doesn't make) in today's workplace. 

National Center for the Middle Market Managing Director Doug Farren sits down with BrewDog USA CEO Tanisha Robinson to talk about how BrewDog has found rapid success in the United States and how others might follow.

National Center for the Middle Market Executive Director Tom Stewart joins Dr. Ian Sheldon, The Ohio State University Professor and Andersons Chair of Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy to talk about how trade and tariffs affect agriculture in Ohio and the United States.

Tom Stewart, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, sits down with Ed Kleinguetl, partner at Grant Thornton, to talk about the importance of cultural synergy when dealing with M&A.

Doug Farren, Managing Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, sits down with Bob Grote of The Grote Company to talk about experiences with M&A, and some tips for beginning the process.

Tom Stewart, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, and Doug Farren, Managing Director of the Center, sit down with Dan North of Euler Hermes, a leading economist. They discuss current economic trends and outlooks and how those might affect the market. 

NCMM's Tom Stewart talks M&A with Joe Feldman, an M&A consultant of 'Joseph Feldman Associates' about surprises during the M&A process.

NCMM Executive Director Tom Stewart and special guest Phil Renaud from the Risk Institute discuss how the middle market can navigate and avoid risk.

Businesses of all sizes are affected by cybersecurity. How can middle market companies ensure they are secure? The NCMM gets the scoop from Joey Muniz, Technical Solutions Architect at Cisco Systems.

The NCMM discusses M&A in the middle market with special guest George Calfo, Managing Director at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.