The Resilient Journey

What does it take to lead a global community through change, challenge, and transformation? This week's guest has spent nearly a decade doing just that—guiding resilience professionals through shifting landscapes, and evolving expectations.   Welcome to Episode 189 of the Resilient Journey Podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we are honored to welcome to the podcast, the Executive Director of the Business Continuity Institute, David Thorp.   David shares his perspective on how the industry has changed over the past nine years, and what he's most pleased with during his time at the helm of the BCI. He and Mark talk about the BCI Resilience Framework, and explore how it provides clear, strategic guidance for resilience professionals around the world. David also discusses the growing importance of roles like the Chief Resilience Officer, the impact of AI on the resilience space, and the challenges BCI members are facing today.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Have you ever had a "light bulb moment"? A time in your life or career that shed light on what you wanted to do, or gave you insight into how to do things differently? This week's guest not only had a lightbulb moment, but also remembers the date that it happened.   Welcome to Episode 188 of the Resilient Journey Podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we are pleased to welcome Miranda Spivey to the podcast as we talk about loss control, light bulb moments, and what to do when crisis enters the room.   Miranda explains how a catastrophic event, triggered her light bulb moment, and changed the way she approaches planning, exercising and executive buy in. She says that plans are important, and need to be flexible. She tells us that things like compliancy don't really show themselves until crisis enters the room. And once it does, it's time for response.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

When we think about our career path, it can sometimes be intimidating. But this week's guest wants us to be strategic in our career roadmap. And she even suggests that it might be good to take a job, even if it's not our dream job. You'll want to listen to find out why.   Welcome to Episode 187 of the Resilient Journey Podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group!   This week, we're revisiting a popular topic: resilient employment. Our guest is Debbie Wildrick, who shares valuable insights on navigating our career roadmap with confidence.   Debbie encourages us to stay alert and aware of our surroundings (to be aware of the writing on the wall) and to be proactive in looking for that next job. If you find yourself out of work—don't panic. Debbie has some advice for how to navigate the transition.   She reminds us that starting a new job isn't starting over—it's building on everything you've already accomplished, continuing your story and building your legacy.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

You gotta love all those commercials where big pharma is trying to sell you medication. They always want you to "ask your doctor, if this or that is right for you." But do you want to know what the medical field gets right? Resilience. And we can all benefit from learning more about it.   Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 186 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're going to learn about resilience in the healthcare industry - and talk about how their good practices can be applied to whatever industry you work in. We're pleased to be joined by Shane Mathew, who talks to us about value stream mapping, building tested workflows and objective driven planning. Shane gives us advice on how to apply streamlined principles to our own programs by looking at the big picture and understanding the components needed to get things done.   Warning, this episode may cause improved processes, better engagement and higher executive buy-in.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

Last week, in part 1 of our two-part series on using AI in resilience, we talked about using AI for building human capabilities in our programs. This week, we dig deeper and talk about how AI can help us with training and awareness, and much more.   Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 185 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group!   This week, we conclude our two-part series on AI in resilience as Jason Hoss returns to continue the conversation. Jason and Mark talk about the ethics of AI and the need to have a human element in decision making. They talk about voice cloning, deep fakes and have a funny moment about making still-pictures move. They discuss using AI as a research tool, augmenting your communications capabilities during a crisis - AND - if you've never used AI, Jason gives you some tips on how to get started. And stay tuned to the end for a special announcement.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter.   Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

If you ask Jason Hoss what AI stands for, he will say “Augmented Intelligence”, a tool used for building human capabilities, rather than replacing them. This is the start of a two-part series about hands on AI within your resilience program. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 184 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, our dear friend Jason Hoss returns to elaborate on his massively successful presentation at DRJ Spring on using AI to augment your resilience program. In this episode Jason will explain why he calls AI a “bold face liar” and encourages us to distrust > trust > and verify whatever AI tells us. And he provides us with tips to mitigate risks, and ideas that you can do right now to start using AI in a meaningful way.    Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

This week's guest says that she uses her network connections on LinkedIn to see what other, smart people are talking about – and she germinates ideas from there. One of her posts caught our attention, compelling us to invite her onto the podcast." Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 183 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we're joined by Laura Jury, a risk and resilience professional from New Zealand. She shares essential skills for resilience professionals to prepare for 2030. Laura emphasizes that 2030 is just a blink away and underscores the criticality of analytical thinking. She advocates for deeper integration within our workplaces, mastering the language of the business, and assuming the role of organizational translators. These steps, she believes, empower us to add influence and position ourselves for future leadership roles. Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

You've probably seen AI getting a lot of attention, as many resilience professionals have been posting AI generated action figures and even bobbleheads (….Mark). That's cute. But this week's guest says it's time to take AI to a whole new level. And that's just what we do. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 182 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we are thrilled to be joined by long time friend Gonzalo Vargas to talk about one of the hottest topics in our industry – Artificial Intelligence. But we're taking a different approach as we look at how we as resilience professionals can leverage AI in our day-to-operation. Gonzalo encourages us to load our BCP data into private AI tools to review your business continuity or crisis management plan, leverage AI to do scenario analysis and to automate testing functionality. Gonz and Mark explore the idea of using AI to monitor media and social media outlets to see what is being said about your company during a crisis and to analyze the tone of your statements. And stay tuned to the end to hear Gonz share an AI prompt idea to give you better results.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

When we think of the skills required to be a successful risk or resilience professional, we tend to think inside the walls of whatever organization we work for. But what if we applied those skills in ways that could change the world? Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 181 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we're joined by long-time resilience professional Patrick Dunn, who uses his background in technology, disaster recovery and business continuity to volunteer with an organization called Roots of Peace. Patrick helps Roots of Peace in their mission to transform war-torn lands into thriving farmlands, through a vision that establishes peace AND RESILIENCE through agriculture. There is a surprising level of similarity between the work we do each day and the approach Roots of Peace takes. In this episode, you'll learn how to leverage your resilience skills to do bigger things.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

This week's guest encourages us to be proactive and adaptive. She works to help companies avoid “crisis mode” by resiliently working through a disruption. You may call it something else, but she calls is “Disruption Resiliency” Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 180 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week, we're joined by consultant and resilience program manager Claire Mechan who says the best way to bounce back fast is to never have to bounce back at all. She explains that disruption resiliency does four things: It protects our business continuity program, enhances our competitive advantage, protects our company's reputation and mitigates financial loss. Claire's goal is clear. Rather than reacting in crisis mode – resilient organizations operate from a position of preparedness. She says they have the ability to resist, absorb and adapt.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Many organizations have addressed their need for good security practices by implementing ISO Standard 27001. The problem is, we often miss how the application of this standard applies to us as resilience professionals. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 179 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by Carolin Hellestam and we're talking about ISO 27001 and how it pertains to risk and resilience programs. Carolin reminds us that the Standard is Risk based, and it is tailored to meet your company's overall requirements. Mark and Carolin walk through the major steps required to become certified, the benefits of certification and the threat of going through the process without actually changing any of your practices.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

We often talk about “soft skills” and their importance in our professional development. This week's guest is committed to improving your emotional intelligence and this episode is committed to helping resilience professionals use these skills to advance our programs. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 178 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we are joined by JD Walter, co-founder and President of Walteric LLC, JD tells Mark how important it is to be able to “read the room”. He calls collaboration our “competitive advantage” and they break down the four ingredients of Emotional Agility: Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness and Social Management. Stick around because these skills will help you advance your career.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Kijuan Amey served in the United States Air Force until he sustained major polytraumatic injuries in a motorcycle accident. Now, he motivates others through his recovery journey and says that even though he lost his sight, he never lost his vision. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 177 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! Prepare to be inspired and get ready to share this episode with your network. This week, we introduce you to Kijuan Amey, the head of Amey Motivation. After a tragic accident in 2017, Kijuan found his true calling: serving others. Now a motivational speaker, mentor, and resilience coach, Kijuan joins Mark to discuss his accident, his recovery, his spiritual journey, and the profound response he received when he questioned God. Kijuan wants you to know that there IS life at the end of whatever tunnel you're going through. And to cap it all off, stay to the end to hear what Kijuan chose as his walk-up song.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

We get it. Many of you are sick and tired of paying attention to the news coming out of Washington. There are days that we feel the same way. But there are things we need to understand. Things we need to pay attention to. Welcome to part two of Conquering the Chaos. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 176 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This is part two of our mini-series on conquering the chaos and we're joined by Dan Stoneking, who has 25 years experience in the US Army and 15 years experience with FEMA. Dan and Mark talk about the Emergency Management External Affairs Association and then they get into the issues at hand: how federal job cuts will impact emergency management. Dan asks, “If programs disappear, who picks up the effort?” He says response efforts will drill down to the states, ultimately affecting you and your business.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Let's be clear. This episode is not about politics. It's about chaos, flooding the zone, the impact on business and what we as resilience professionals globally should be focusing on. Join us now for part one of a two-part series on conquering the chaos. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 175 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we've reached out to someone with 43 years of experience who is perfectly suited to gives us advice on conquering the chaos – as we're joined once again by Regina  Phelps. Regina re-emphasizes that we as resilience professionals, now more than ever, must have situational awareness. And she urges us to get our information from un-biased, reliable sources. She also tells us that in our industry, now is the time for us to stand up, make some noise, have good data and ask good questions. You cannot afford to miss this episode.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

It seems that tariffs are part of the ‘new normal' of international trade in 2025.  Today we're talking about what they are, how they impact global trade, and what we as resilience professionals should be doing to help mitigate the risk. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 174 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we've engaged our resident supply chain expert Betty Kildow to talk with us about tariffs. Betty and Mark explain how tariffs work. Betty provides tips on how to report tariffs to your executive team – AND – how to protect yourself when you report on a topic that is constantly changing. She offers advice on how to mitigate the impact of tariffs, and shares what your supply chain teams should be doing with your suppliers. She says it's helpful to have a single person focus on gathering details on pending tariffs – and you'll want to listen to find out who that person should be!   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

One of the things we like to do at the Resilient Journey is chat with guests who are making a difference in our industry. This week we're going to explore some real-life lessons and insights from a wide-variety of topics, all related to business continuity. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 173 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by emcee of DRJ Spring, Melissa Muniz about a series of articles she's writing called BCDR Unplugged: Real-Life Lessons & Insights. Melissa explains what prompted her to write the series, and her use of the old school “BCDR” title. She and Mark talk about why BCDR matters, key takeaways from natural disasters, a fascinating conversation about digital twinning – and they have a great chat about fatigue, personal resilience and self-care. And Melissa shares a sneak-peek into what else is coming in her exciting series.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

When you say "Hey, Siri" out loud (and the option is enabled), the virtual assistant will start listening to your commands. The problem is: saying “Hey Seriously” or “A City” – can also trigger the prompt– and this week's guest wondered – what data is being collected and how is it being used? Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 172 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're going beyond the firewall as we're joined by cybersecurity and privacy expert, Jason Rowe. What we love about Jason is we get to leverage his skills to allow the rest of us to understand how technology can affect us on a daily basis. Jason tells us that technology is exciting – but we need to slow down and understand what data we're giving away. Jason explains how Apple noticed the “hey Siri” debacle and what happens with the conversations they collect when you trigger that prompt. And Jason gives us all practical advice on things we need to consider when using AI tools.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

Do you think of resilience as an academic endeavor? Or maybe it's more of a practical response to mitigating risks. Well, this week's guest says that it's both of those things and more – stating it's also a moral and ethical duty. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 171 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're looking at Disaster Science, Multi-Hazard Risk Management and Resilience as we're joined by PhD Researcher, Stephanie Buller. After giving some background about disaster science, Stephanie provides insights on how we can influence resilience. She emphasizes no matter a citizen's color, creed or religion – we all deserve to be protected from a disaster. She doesn't believe there are ‘hard to reach groups', just groups we are not trying hard enough to reach. She talks about how competing priorities influence our overall readiness.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Organizational buy-in of resilience programs is tough at the best of times, but when there are internal challenges – it can get even harder. This week's guest tells us the secret sauce for building a program that resonates across the organization. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 170 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by Daniela Parker, a risk and resilience consultant with over 20 years in the financial services sector. This episode is packed with great information as Daniela provides us with tips to make sure your program is valued by the people in your organization – from the top executes right on down. She talks about the importance of understanding process gaps and helping people connect the dots when it comes to understanding resilience. She and Mark talk about increasing awareness  – and even how you can use cupcakes to market your program.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.     

Wildfires, Meta, Tik Tok, tariffs, and severe weather are all dominating the headlines as 2025 roars to life.  This is crisis management – ripped from the headlines. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 169 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by Deb Hileman, CEO of the Institute for Crisis Management. Deb and Mark talk about crisis events in the news and the impact that these events could have on your business. For example, we've all heard that Mark Zuckerberg removed fact checking from Meta – but how does the increase in misinformation potentially affect your organization? Also, we're all anticipating tariffs. Deb discusses some strategies to help move your company forward and actually improve your relationships with customers.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.   

This week, for the first time on the Resilient Journey, we are shifting gears and going the extra mile to take a look inside a trucking and logistics company. The goal: to find out what your logistics and supply chain manager should be concerned about. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 168 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by Colby Varley, Vice President of Sales and Principal of Advanced Transportation Services – a company that has provided quality transportation of perishable products for over 40 years. Colby tells Mark what signs you should watch for to let you know if your shipping company might be having problems. He explains how businesses can be better prepared for a supply chain disruption and describes the things that keep him up at night. Colby's story is an inspiration of the value of learning every aspect of your business and always doing more than is expected.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Within the first 10 days of 2025, we saw massive wildfires devastate Los Angeles, winter storms disrupt lives across the US and the UK, an earthquake that ravaged Tibet, the resignation of Canada's Prime Minister and more. What will the rest of the year bring? Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 167 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! This week we're joined by our good friend Regina Phelps, who helps Mark put together a bingo card of plausible crisis level events that could happen in 2025. The card is available by clicking here. Mark and Regina are using this approach to raise awareness of the vast number of things that we as risk and resilience professionals need to be aware of as we plan for 2025. Topics include infrastructure, geo-political threats, natural disasters, supply chain, cyber, AI and even diseases. As Regina says, people who aren't scared to death  , simply aren't paying attention.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Want to learn more about Anesis Consulting Group or Mark Hoffman? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.     

Welcome to 2025! What are your plans as we head into the new year? What do you hope to accomplish? What risks or threats do you have your eye on? This week's guest tells us how to plan out the year, and what to be paying attention to. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 166 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by Anesis Consulting Group! We kick off the year with longtime Risk and Resilience professional Dan Bailey who covers two main topics in this episode. First, Dan provides valuable insights on how we should plan the work for our risk and resilience programs. Then Dan tells us about five key risks and threats that we should be paying attention to. And he makes it personal – by giving us advice that will help us advance our careers. As for the check-the-box mentality, Dan says we should “do the right thing because it's the right thing to do”.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about Anesis Consulting Group here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

For many the holidays are a time of reflection. And the same can be said for us at the Resilient Journey podcast. That's why we want to take a few minutes and reshare some of the most memorable and compelling moments of 2024. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 165 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are revisiting seven episodes from 2024. They are either the most popular episodes (in terms of downloads and online listens) or they have a compelling story to tell. We'll hear from Lindley Gooden, Kristin Torres, Frank Shultz, Regina Phelps, Chloe Demrovsky, Jason Hoss and Mark Armour. We'll cover everything from misinformation, to secrets of a good resilience program, good messaging, polycrisis, the perfect elevator pitch and we'll even discuss if we need business continuity plans. 2024 was a heck of a year. Have a listen.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

On December 4th, UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson was tragically shot and killed outside a Manhattan hotel. The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of corporate security protocols. And this week's guest is a subject matter expert. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 164 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we want to talk about corporate and executive security in the light of the tragic shooting of Brian Thompson. We are joined by Doug Farber, CEO of a boutique security consulting company called Horsepower Advisors. Doug and Mark talk about the need for situational awareness, the importance of using predictive intelligence and why security must be something we think about around the clock. Doug explains his all hazards approach to building a security profile, and discusses his use of people, process and technology.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

In 2010, BP CEO Tony Hayward faced backlash for saying, "I'd like my life back," during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis. His comments are seen as the gold standard of what not to do in crisis communications. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 163 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. We have a very unique episode this week as we are joined by veteran news reporter turned media trainer Sean Mallen, who absolutely grills Mark during a mock press conference. In today's episode, Mark pretends to be an unprepared company spokesperson facing the media after a very public cyber attack. Early in the episode Sean warns about spokespersons “facing a grilling” and being in for a “hard ride” – and that's exactly what he gives Mark. Tune in to find out how quickly things can go off the rails.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

Ronald Reagan's famous quote, “trust, but verify” captures the balance between faith and caution. It reminds us to value trust while backing it up with evidence. When we think about risk and resilience, this week's guest tells us the same thing. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 162 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we revisit the relationship between risk and resilience by welcoming special guest Donna Speckhard. Donna and Mark talk about emerging threats that you and your organization should consider as we head into 2025. Donna explains how her own diversity of interests helps make her a better resilience professional. Then, she and Mark talk about third party risk and the importance of understanding what our key suppliers have in place in terms of plans, procedures and training.  And, she says “trust, but verify”.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

This week's guest takes a very simple approach to a complex problem. He gathers information about your business and then uses gaming software to build plausible threat cases to simulate an attack on your business. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 161 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are joined by AJ Leece, Managing Director of Brekade – the business resilience arcade company that builds software to allow organizations to run complex and informative exercises. AJ tells Mark that our industry fails to understand how people learn and explains his two very popular video games: Phishing Expedition and Incidents and Accidents. Brekade helps organizations understand the impact when people, process or technology fails unexpectedly. And for AJ, it comes down to one simple goal – protecting how your company makes money.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

In what is arguably the best television show ever written, Aaron Sorkin captured the spirit of a White House and a President. The show was The West Wing. The President was Jed Bartlett. The phrase that was repeated over seven seasons was “What's Next?”. Today, many of us are asking the same thing. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 160 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This is an episode that every risk management, business continuity and crisis management professional needs to hear as we welcome long-term political advisor and crisis management expert John Ashford back to the podcast. John and Mark talk about the pending change in Washington with Republican control of the Oval Office and both houses of Congress. John offers an intentionally balanced view of what's next – as it relates to tariffs, deregulation, infrastructure and the new administration's impact on Ukraine and all of Europe.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

They say you can't improve what you don't measure. So what do we do? Maturity assessments? KPIs? Metrics? How do we translate all of this information into an effective story. What does good look like for your organization? Stick around and find out. Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 159 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, we discuss  the ‘why, what, when, and how' of program measurement and maturity assessments with industry veteran Stuart Murray. Stuart emphasizes the importance of telling your story by reporting on what truly matters to your executive team. He explains that simply counting completed BIAs or updated plans doesn't convey the full picture. Instead, he highlights three key areas of effective measurement: completeness, quality, and compliance. Stuart reminds us that having complete plans doesn't necessarily mean they are of high quality. Plus, Mark explores the KPIs that executives prioritize, setting the stage for a future episode.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

This week's guest calls himself a thorn in the side of the resilience industry. He doesn't believe in documented plans, leveraging Mike Tyson's quote – “Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face.”   Simply put, heeees baaaack! Hello everyone and welcome to episode 158 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, resilience antagonist Mark Armour joins the podcast to talk about how to prepare and empower organizations without using documented business continuity plans. He believes organizations can have a great deal of capability without a plan. For him, our industry focuses too much on documentation and not enough on capability. Mark and Mark talk about the difference between plans and planning.  And they discuss the difference between capability and compliance.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

The last several weeks of the 2024 hurricane season have been devastating for many in Florida and Georgia. Hurricanes Helene and Milton have seemingly popped up out of nowhere, leaving destruction in their wake. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 157 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, we're happy to be joined once again by meteorologist Staci Saint-Preux who talks about the 2024 hurricane season. Did it meet expectations? How can powerful storms like Helene and Milton form quickly and still be so powerful? She reminds us why it's so important to listen to weather experts when bad weather is approaching. She provides some advice to those responsible for business continuity and crisis management when it comes to weather related events. And, Staci explains what Storm-Geo is all about.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

If you are responsible for coaching your executives, this week's guest tells us a secret. People don't “need” coaching, they have to “want coaching”. And he tells us that past experiences with crises, can prepare our leaders to be more resilient. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 156 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, we're pleased to be joined by Terence Clarke a transformational executive coach and cross-cultural leadership expert. This week, Terence shares his insights on resilient leadership. Including how we need to be prepared so that we can respond to a crisis, rather than react. Terence talks about his Triple A approach to understanding how to be effective when working in a different culture. And he reminds us that just because something is different, doesn't mean it's wrong. And, Mark let's Terence get away with something he said he would never allow. Listen to the end to find out.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

When two senior crisis management consultants collaborate on a response plan, it starts out a little more basic than you'd think – like establishing who's in charge of the crisis and the skillset of that leader. And that kicks off an amazing conversation. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 155 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, Mark is joined by friend of the podcast Regina Phelps and the plan was….these two would walk through their crisis management approach to a cyberattack. That didn't exactly happen. I mean, they talked about it. But really…it turned into an insightful conversation about building your crisis management team, and how to identify who works on what. Regina shares some incredible tips on knowing what to focus on and how team members can actually build their own checklist. And it's probably very different than what you've been doing. And…Regina uses her walk up music to share some words of encouragement.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

This is the 20th year of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! While technology has changed in the last two decades, the threat and impact of cybercriminals has not gone away. If you don't think a cyberattack can happen to you – think again. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 154 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week Mark is joined by cybersecurity thought leader Michael Perdunn. Michael and Mark discuss society's desensitization to news of a data breach and how organizations cannot afford to take that same approach. Michael gives some expert advice on how to provide better phishing training. And they do a deep dive into a real-life and very scary extortion email. Michael explains how the bad actors make them look so real.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

How much does your background play a part in how you approach your work in resilience? Do the personal experiences and traumas that we've overcome, lay the foundation for future attitudes? This week's guest thinks so, and so do we. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 153 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week Mark is joined by Sheena Downey, CEO and Founder of Worldwide Resilience. Sheena is based in Australia and has the slogan “prepare today and protect tomorrow”. She tells us that her experience with domestic family violence and work in male dominated industries, definitely laid the foundation for her to become a leader in resilience. In fact she calls herself a “pink princess in steel toed boots.” Sheena uses her background and skills to encourage us all to stop sleep-walking through resilience.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

In sports, the ‘greatest of all time' is referred to as the GOAT. It's a good acronym. Clean, easy to say. On the resilient journey – we are counting down the greatest walk-up songs of all time. And…well…GWUSOAT is just a terrible acronym. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 152 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. Each week Mark asks our guest to name a song that they would have played as they walk to the podium to speak. This week, is part 2 of our countdown, revealing the top five best walk-up songs selected by our guests.  We also share insightful comments from the guests who selected the songs:  Staci Sant Preux, Shane Mathew, Michael Crooymans, Vince Davis and Chris Platt. So…without further adieu – here's the top five.  

If you're a fan of the Resilient Journey, you know that our most popular question is this: If you could pick a song to be played as you are walking to the podium to speak, what song would you pick and why? Hello everyone and welcome to episode 151 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we begin our countdown of the top ten best walk-up songs selected by our guests.  What's the criteria? First, it has to be a GREAT song – that's an absolute MUST. AND… it needs to fit in with the overall message that the guest conveys during their episode. This week we'll share songs ten through six and a few honorable mentions. If you like music and resilience, this episode is for you.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Do you believe we landed on the moon? Was the 2020 election stolen? Is the earth really flat? Did aliens come down and tidy up Lindley Gooden's garden? People believe different things. But rather than fight, our guest says it's time for reconciliation. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 150 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, we continue our conversation with Lindley Gooden, founder of Greenscreen and author of a new book called The Future of Truth. Lindley and Mark talk about social media's involvement in the spread of mis and disinformation and how organizations should combat misinformation. Lindley gives us tips to help us identify if what we believe is actually just a conspiracy theory and offers advice on how to respond to people who believe them. And he identifies the real concern of disinformation – that it does harm. And the recent events in the UK are proof.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

What if I told you that this was the final episode of the Resilient Journey? If I told you that because it was a fact, that would be the truth. If I said it because I heard a rumor, that would be misinformation. But if I new it was a lie, what would that be? Hello everyone and welcome to episode 149 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, Mark welcomes Lindley Gooden, founder of Greenscreen and author of a fantastic new book called The Future of Truth. Lindley says that COVID wasn't the only disease to sweep the world in the early 2020's. They talk about the difference between mis and dis-information, how to spot it and what it means to those of us in the risk and resilience industries. Lindley explains that it is extremely valuable to be a good story teller and suggests we learn to hug our inner chimp.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

The Resilient Journey is here to help resilience professionals learn more about adjacent disciplines. Last week Mads Paerregaard shared important details about physical security. This week, we dive into the world of crisis communications. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 148 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, Mark welcomes Stephanie Craig, the President of Kith – a crisis management consulting firm that helps clients prepare for, manage, and navigate high-profile crises. Stephanie explains that when it comes to crisis communications, the goal is to always protect reputations. She and Mark talk about the who, what and how of crisis communications, the importance of knowing your stakeholders and the value of pre-drafted templates. Stephanie explains why trust and clarity are critical to effective communications. Let's find out why.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

From time to time, we all struggle with aspects of our job that are less familiar to us. You may have worked in the resilience industry for a number of years, but never had reason to focus on an adjacent discipline. The Resilient Journey is here to help. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 147 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, Mark welcomes Mads Paerregaard, CEO of Human Risks.  Mads and Mark are talking about physical security risk and the natural connection it has with resilience. They talk about the value of understanding the business and communicating in clear business language. Mads says that by understanding the criticality of specific facilities, we can establish appropriate security measures and resilience strategies. And…Mads give advice to resilience professionals who don't have a lot of experience with physical security.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Diversity, equity and inclusion has been all over the news recently. In fact, DEI is everywhere – from the corporate boardroom to the political arena. This week's guest knows a thing or two about diversity and she says “DEI is going to win!” Hello everyone and welcome to episode 146 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week, Mark welcomes guest co-host Lisa Jones. Lisa and Mark are joined by Dee C. Marshall, CEO and Managing Partner of Diverse and Engaged.  In this important episode Dee explains that we are experiencing what she calls “DEI 4.0” and tells us what's going on with DEI globally. Lisa asks if organizations rushed to implement DEI and what's the reason for the recent change in direction. They discuss American privilege and if American culture really cares about the well-being of its people.     Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

Gilda Radner said “Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what's going to happen next.”  Change is inevitable. So we asked today's guest how to deal with change and she said:  Get Over It. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 145 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are joined by professional motivational speaker and fire ball – Anne Bonney. Anne and Mark walk through the 5 Ps of Navigating Change. Anne encourages us to dance in the discomfort zone, focus on what we can control – and how to know when to Punch It Margaret! They talk about that inner voice of doubt and Anne explains that often, the last mile is the hardest. And find out what Anne means when she tells us what is “huglier importer” than offering help to someone.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

In this week's episode we're going to look at things a little differently. Instead of looking at business continuity through your eyes, we are challenging you to look at your response plans through the eyes of first responders. And we have just the guest to do it. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 144 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we look at business continuity through the eyes of a first responder as we're joined by Erik Endress, CEO of On Scene Technologies. Erik tells us what business continuity planners often overlook and how important communication is when it comes to getting first responders to the right spot, as quickly as possible. Erik and Mark discuss things we need to keep in mind when it comes to accounting for our people after an evacuation. And they discuss Run, Hide, Fight techniques and once again – the importance of effective communications. Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

In episode 99 of this podcast, Mark Armour joined us to talk about Adaptive Business Continuity. During our conversation Mark said that he doesn't like the BIA, plans or documentation. Well…..today's guest has a different point of view. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 143 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are going to Newfoundland as we're joined by Garth Tucker, a Director of Business Continuity with over 20 years of experience. In addition to talking about getting Screeched In, Come From Aways and cod kissing, Garth explains that without BIA data, we can't do effective plans. And without plans, people panic. He provides us with tips and tricks for a better BIA – including how to improve your process, what data to collect and how to effectively use that data.

This week's episode combines soft skills like active listening with sales, marketing, customer service and even acting. You might be wondering what all of this has to do with resilience. Well, stick around because it all comes together in one episode. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 142 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are joined by one of the most prominent professionals in the resilience industry – Chloe Demrovsky. In her interview with Mark, Chloe explains why she stepped down from her leadership role with DRI. She shares her view on the state of the resilience industry in 2024 and says that our mandate has never been stronger because the disruptions just…keep…coming. Chloe advocates for having a strong message, being approachable and demonstrating how much we care about the organization by repeating back your executive's core language.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

In last week's episode, we began a conversation with John Ashford about the uncertainty that elections all over the world are going to have on business. John told us that what he's seeing in 2024 reminds him more of what life looked like in the 1930s. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 141 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This is part two of a special conversation about business resilience during political uncertainty. We are joined once again by John Ashford, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group who tells Mark what he thinks the implications are of the November US election – including impacts on green energy, infrastructure, and supply chains. John gives advice to businesses and reminds us that in chaos there is opportunity. John explains that risk assessment and risk management will be more important in the next six to twelve months than ever.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.

They say that politics is something you should never discuss in polite conversation. But the truth of this episode is that business hates uncertainty and if we're going to have a real view of risk and resilience in 2024, this is a conversation we must have. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 140 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are joined by John Ashford, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group who says that there are three specific types of threats business face today: Shooting wars, non-shooting wars and the domestic crises making cities unsustainable for business. On top of our day-to-day focus, much of the world is heading for elections as people will head to the polls in the US, UK, and France and leadership is either new or in jeopardy in the Netherlands, Germany and Canada. This is part 1 of a special two-part episode.   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.  

In last week's episode Mike Janko told us that every journey needs a roadmap. This week's guest went on a 4 day hike. She had a roadmap, a guide and a chef and still struggled. But the outcome is a treasure for all of us to hear. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 139 of the Resilient Journey podcast, presented by the Resilience Think Tank. This week we are joined by Melissa Muñiz who shares her lessons about personal and community resilience based on her personal journey in Machu Picchu. Melissa ties her 4 day hike along the Inca trail to her own personal resilience and shares lessons we can apply to our resilience programs.  She and Mark talk about the need for adaptability and how a diverse point of view can help you navigate to a better position. Melissa also shares inspirational stories of community resilience which are lessons for all of us. Listen and find out – did Mark really climb Pike's Peak?   Be sure to follow The Resilient Journey!  We sure do appreciate it! Learn more about the Resilience Think Tank here. Want to learn more about Mark? Click here or on LinkedIn or Twitter. Special thanks to Bensound for the music.