Podcasts about Independent director

In this episode of On Boards, hosts Joe Ayoub and Raza Shaikh welcome Lynn Clarke, an experienced leader in family board governance who has served on more than a dozen family and private equity-backed boards including as an independent chair and lead director. Lynn is also a strategic advisor and mentor and has served on boards spanning from beverage and food services to e-commerce and manufacturing.  Lynn has mentored next generation board members and leaders throughout her career and  was named the Private Company Director of the Year by National Association of Corporate Directors in 2022. She also serves as one of three judges for Deloitte's best managed private company awards program.   Key Takeaways 1. Interviewing for a board role With years of experience serving on boards, Lynn advises aspiring board members to carry a passion for the business, its products and what the company does. It's important to understand why you want to serve on a board, what value you add and what new perspectives you believe you will bring. She advises to make these points clear when you are interviewing for a board seat.  2. New boards vs. existing boards Newly formed boards offer a unique opportunity to build the culture, rhythm, and structure of governance from the ground up, but its success is dependent on the principal shareholder(s), who will define the culture of the board and company. Shareholders set the tone. 3. Knowing when it's time to leave a board or offboard a member Having the self-awareness is key to knowing when it's time to leave. Lynn suggests asking yourself, “am I still a good fit?” and “do I like what I'm doing on this board?”, “Am I enjoying the discussions at the board meeting?”, “Do I feel as though I am contributing to the growth of the company?” If the answers are no, maybe you need to consider stepping out.  Offboarding a member is one of the challenging aspects of board governance, especially in close-knit or long-tenured groups. It requires direct but respectful conversations from the lead director, board chair, or governance chair.  Whether a board member is being asked to leave due to performance issues or company changes, Lynn recommends treating it like a celebration and acknowledgement of the person's service on the board, almost like a retirement.  4. Board evaluations make it easier to provide ongoing feedback Even private and early-stage boards benefit from formal assessments. Annual board effectiveness and peer evaluations help surface underlying issues in board dynamics and performance. Peer evaluations can be sensitive for company boards, so Lynn suggests introducing different types of evaluations in parts.  Quotes “ABARTA Coca-Cola was one of the first family-owned businesses I know to really think about independent governance. There were a majority of independent directors on a board, had a high quality strategic plan that is really a living, breathing document and a good family council or an ownership council. Those are the three things that take a business from Gen 1 or 2 into 3, 4, 5, 6, and beyond.”  ”I take my commitments to the companies and the families that I work with 100% seriously the same way that I did in running a company or working for a Fortune 50.  When you join a board, you are committed to that organization. You're a fiduciary. Why would you do this unless you really wanted to help make an impact, and the only way you can make an impact is to take what you do seriously.”   ”The first thing you need to think about when you've been approached about joining a board: can I really make a contribution? I also think passion for the business is really important, passion for the product, the service and what the company does is really important.” “ It's important when you're on a newly formed board to think about what you know from boards that have been around for a while, and how you apply those learnings to help support the formation and the development of the new board.” “Do I enjoy the conversations? Am I feeling like it's a good fit?” And no matter how many years you've been on the board “do you like what you're doing?"   Links Four Key Questions to Ask Yourself How to Be an Exceptional Director Board Refreshment — When Is It Time? getonaboard.com   Guest Bio Lynn has extensive experience in family board governance, having served on more than a dozen family and PE boards as Independent Chair/Lead/Director. She also is a Strategic Advisor & Mentor to Family Board Chairs for Vitamix and for a Coca-Cola Bottler. And Lynn has mentored next generation board members & leaders. Her industry experience spans CPG, beverage, food, food service, e-commerce, digital, retail, manufacturing,and supply. She currently serves as an Independent Director on several boards, including Vollrath Manufacturing, Just Born (the PEEPS company), Basic American Foods and Kalsec Global Flavors. As an executive at PepsiCo, Lynn gained expertise in corporate strategy, operations, manufacturing, brand strategy, marketing and sales. She was named The Private Company Director of the Year by the National Association of Corporate Directors in 2022. Lynn also serves as one of three judges for Deloitte's Best Managed Private Company program and frequently speaks and writes on effective family business governance.  

Fireside chat with Dr Mark Konyn, Group Chief Investment Officer, AIA Group with Jessica Cheam, CEO, Eco-Business Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in Asia's growth, serving as a major hub for sustainable development investments. Leveraging its robust financial infrastructure and strategic position in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong has emerged as a gateway for international investors seeking to capitalize on Asia's — and particularly China's —growing demand for sustainable capital. As part of its efforts to foster sustainable growth, Hong Kong has launched a comprehensive array of capital market initiatives, including promoting green bonds, sustainable banking, and ESG disclosures – supported by regulatory frameworks that provide clear guidelines and incentives. The city also plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and collaboration across the region. With China on track to peak emissions by 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality ahead of its 2060 target, the region is at the forefront of global climate action and the broader energy transition. Hong Kong and Greater China's policies will significantly influence the world's decarbonization pathway. As investors increasingly demand clear climate transition plans, businesses must adapt and respond effectively. The region must also mitigate and respond to mounting climate risks while integrating resilience into its infrastructure. ‍‍ Unlocking capital for sustainability, Asia's premiere sustainable finance and business forum, hosted by Eco-Business and UNEP FI since 2018, will be hosting its inaugural dialogue in Hong Kong and convene thousands of key decision makers across Asia to chart the way forward on accelerating the region's economic transition towards a sustainable future. Speaker Dr. Mark Konyn Group Chief Investment Officer, AIA Moderator Jessica Cheam Founder and CEO, Eco-Business; Independent Director, Wilmar International and ComfortDelGro Group, MSID, ICDM

Bill Kelly, CAIA former CAIA CEO, returns to discuss his new venture, Educational Alpha. Bill and George explore the importance of financial education, the perils of democratizing investment products, and the role of long-term thinking in retirement planning. Bill also shares insights into his podcasting journey and highlights the significance of due diligence and critical thinking for investors.My interview by Bill on Educational Alpha: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/educational-alpha/id1675164756My previous interview with Bill in 2021: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/improving-capital-allocation-outcomes-bill-kelly-ceo/id1511595070?i=1000540736905RESOURCESWilliam J. Kelly, CAIA on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-j-kelly-caia-ab50a947/Educational Alpha: https://educationalalpha.com/CAIA: https://caia.org/

In this episode, we explore business rates and consider plant & machinery rating with David McCausland, Head of Rating at Farebrother Chartered Surveyors, and Martyn Lyons, Independent Director at the Tank Storage Association

About Dr. Karin Tollefson:Dr. Karin Tollefson is a highly accomplished pharmaceutical executive with over 30 years of experience dedicated to advancing cancer care. Currently serving as Chief Oncology Medical Officer at Pfizer, she leads the Oncology Global and US Medical Affairs Division. Before joining Pfizer in 2023, Dr. Tollefson held the role of Senior Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs at Seagen Inc., where she successfully launched three practice-changing medicines and built a global medical affairs organization. Her extensive career includes significant tenure at Eli Lilly and Company, where she held various leadership roles in clinical operations, development, and medical affairs. Throughout her career, she has contributed to the launch of eight new medicines, impacting patient care across multiple tumor types and therapeutic areas. Dr. Tollefson is an Independent Director on the Board for Verastem Oncology, and has also served on the boards of the American Lung Association and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is a 2024 Healthcare Businesswomen's Association Luminary Award recipient, and is a strong advocate for women in the oncology field, being a sponsor of both the Oncology Women's Network and the Pfizer Butterfly Community at Pfizer. She holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Kansas and completed her undergraduate studies at Kansas State University.Things You'll Learn:The incidence of cancer in people under 50 has increased by 79% since 1990, marking a significant and alarming trend that needs immediate attention, especially with colorectal cancer now the leading cause of cancer death in men and second in women younger than 50 years. Western lifestyle factors such as poor diet, obesity, sedentary behavior, and exposure to toxins are likely significant contributors to the rise of early-onset cancers, suggesting that shifts in lifestyle and public health initiatives could impact cancer rates.Younger cancer patients are often diagnosed at later stages due to a lack of preventative care and symptoms being easily dismissed.Increased screening accessibility is crucial for early detection and prevention. This includes molecular testing and colonoscopies, which offer the opportunity to remove precancerous polyps, preventing them from developing into something more serious.The battle against cancer requires collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, academic institutions, industry partners, and advocacy organizations. This is not just one organization's fight; collaborative efforts must continue.Resources:Follow Dr. Karin Tollefson, Chief Oncology Medical Officer at Pfizer, on LinkedIn.Discover more about Pfizer on their LinkedIn and website.Read more on Pfizer in Oncology here. Patient Resources/Advocacy Links:Explore This Is Living With Cancer's Advocacy Support's website.Visit the Global Colorectal Cancer Alliance's website here. (Pfizer was one of their sponsors)Learn more about the transformative work CancerCare is doing.Find CancerCare's guide on Biomarker Testing here.Read the best practices for Biomarker Testing Coverage here. (Pfizer had input and was a sponsor)Get AONN Biomarker Navigation here. For the Precision Medicine Toolkit, look here.Empower yourself or your patients with essential navigation resources–a site co-created with AONN, to find materials on breast, prostate, health equity, geriatric, and more. (Patient navigators can download and share educational tools for enhanced support.)Deepen your understanding of prostate cancer here. 

"Stewardship is a biblical profession." - Tom GaynerOn an incredibly special episode of The Culture Matters Podcast, we are welcoming back our long-time friend, frequent collaborator on the show, and the founder of Arena Securities, Aleck Arena, to co-host today's proceedings as we welcome a very special guest to the show.  Chairman and Portfolio Manager at Davis Funds and Independent Director on the Board of Directors with Berkshire Hathaway Chris Davis is our guest today and we could not be more excited to have him here to share his unparalleled experience and expertise with our listeners.  Chris, Aleck, and Jay are getting into the lessons and values Chris learned from his grandparents, the importance of learning to think in the long-term when it comes to investing and having no better teacher than Charlie Munger, instilling the value of hard work to the next generation, and questioning whether or not the system itself is fair.  It isn't every day that we get to host a person with the life experiences, success, and wealth of knowledge that we had today and it was truly an honor to have this conversation with the one and only Chris Davis.

On this episode of the Bharatvaarta podcast, we talk to Manish Sabharwal, former independent director at the Reserve Bank of India, explores India's economic and educational reforms over the last few decades. He discusses the impact of city-based growth on GDP, the comparison between India's and China's stock market performance, and the complexities of creating mass prosperity. The discussion covers India's reform agenda, including the significance of NEP 2020, the role of regulatory cholesterol, and the challenges posed by modern state populism. Sabharwal emphasizes the need for continuous, incremental reforms, formalization, and the crucial role of urbanization, industrialization, financialization, and human capital in ensuring sustained economic growth. He also touches upon the importance of skill development, overcoming regulatory barriers, and leveraging India's demographic advantages and overseas diaspora to fuel future growth. Topics: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 India's Economic Transformation: Past and Future 01:40 Challenges and Reforms in India's Economic Policies 02:21 Political Freedom vs. Economic Prosperity 03:01 Fiscal and Monetary Policy: Overrated Solutions? 04:48 Populism and Its Impact on Economic Growth 05:23 The Role of Government, Private Sector, and Non-Profits 08:40 Upcoming Budget and Economic Reforms 10:49 Ease of Doing Business: Regulatory Challenges 16:05 Education vs. Employability: The Skill Gap 21:34 The Importance of English in India's Job Market 28:38 Challenges of Local Governance in India 29:19 The Rise of Bangalore as a Tech Hub 30:35 Infrastructure and Job Creation 32:26 The Future of Kirana Stores and Self-Employment 34:07 Regulatory Challenges and Economic Reforms 34:26 Unpredictability of Job Creation 35:52 Formalization and Urbanization for Economic Growth 37:42 India's Economic Potential and Global Position 46:15 Structural Reforms and Future Challenges 50:19 Leveraging India's Diaspora and Entrepreneurship 52:43 Conclusion: Seizing the Opportunity

Join Mrugank M Paranjape, Managing Partner at MCQube and a seasoned leader in finance and FinTech, as he shares insights from his incredible journey. From early banking days to pioneering technology in risk management, he explores topics like cybersecurity, sustainability in finance, and the art of cross-functional collaboration. 00:34- About Mrugank M Paranjape Mrugank is the managing partner of MCQube, and he's an independent director.  He was awarded the custodian banker of the year for Asia by the Asian Investor magazine in 2012. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tbcy/support

This episode was first released on November 21, 2024, for The Ken's Premium subscribers. We've unlocked it for our Basic and Free subscribers for a limited time. Listen to it on your favourite podcast streaming platforms now.Dmart, the retail group in India, is absolutely number one on vision, execution, and consistency. Dmart opened its first supermarket in Mumbai's Powai suburb in 2002. Like Walmart in the US, it adopted a deep discounting strategy, offering its customers low prices every day. Today, it has 381 stores. In spite of offering its customers the deepest discounts, Dmart's net profit numbers beat the best among its global peers.Yet analysts and investors have been becoming increasingly bearish of Dmart's future strategy. They argue that what got it from 2002 to 2024 might not necessarily take it to, say, 2034.One big reason is quick commerce. Armies of underpaid contract delivery workers rushing from dark stores managed by notionally independent owners on behalf of younger companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Big Basket, and even Flipkart are challenging the conventional wisdom on retail.Forcing Dmart to pause and blink.What should it do? Stick to what it knows and does best? Or learn new digital and delivery tricks in its middle age? With only an estimated 5% of the $500 billion urban market for food and groceries currently penetrated by organised and modern retail, the way Dmart goes has profound implications for India.To discuss this, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan invited Govind Shrikhande, former managing director of Shoppers Stop overseeing all its formats, including Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, Crossword, Homestop, Beauty Formats – MAC, Estee Lauder, Air Port & Duty Free Retail etc. Govind has spent over 40 years in the retail sector, having been part of the launches of Denim and Arrow, the relaunch of Vivaldi and the turnaround of Shoppers Stop. He is currently an Independent Director on the Board of a few Companies and a mentor to a few start-ups.Our other guest is Seetharaman G. Seetha is deputy editor at The Ken and also leads The Ken's coverage of retail. He's written quite a few stories on Dmart over the years as well.Welcome to episode number 18 of Two by Two!------Two by Two episodes referenced in this episode:Is Zepto a gold medallist or a bronze medallist?Swiggy needs to reclaim its past gloryStories and newsletters referenced in this episode:Dmart and the supersizing imperativeZudio wanted Dmart's apparel shoppers. Now Dmart is hurtingDmart changes its mind on store size. AgainDmart is not used to being in a funk for so longWhat if the quick-commerce warehouse was a supermarket?Dmart and investors rekindle their loveDmart's e-commerce bet has gone from counterintuitive to obsolete------This episode of Two by Two was produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.New episodes are released every Thursday. So follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and tell us what you think of the show.You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your thoughts and suggestions.

Just a day ago, Google revealed a quantum computing chip capable of solving complex problems in just five minutes—challenges that the fastest supercomputers in the world would likely spend ten septillion years solving. Quantum computing has long hovered on the fringes of public consciousness, yet it's poised to revolutionize industries on a scale far exceeding that of AI. Recent advancements in quantum chip development, coupled with the ongoing surge in global cybercrime—projected to cost nearly $11 trillion annually—underscore the urgent need for robust technological breakthroughs. As quantum computing races toward practical application, many are asking: What makes quantum computing the cornerstone of the next technological era?Welcome to DisruptED. In this episode, host Ron J. Stefanski dives deep into this transformative topic with Sean Brehm, Chairman and Independent Director of the Spectral Capital Corporation. Together, they explore the revolutionary potential of quantum computing and its implications for data, cybersecurity, and global economic dominance.Key Takeaways:The Quantum Advantage: Sean explains how quantum computing refines raw data into actionable insights far beyond the capacity of traditional AI, positioning it as the foundation of next-generation technology.Cybersecurity Revolution: It also offers unprecedented solutions to combat escalating cybercrime, with applications in quantum ledger databases enhancing transparency, immutability, and data privacy.Global Talent Challenges: Developing the technology requires overcoming a critical bottleneck—limited global expertise and infrastructure.Sean Brehm is a seasoned technology leader with over 25 years of experience, specializing in quantum computing, machine learning, and cybersecurity. He is the Chairman of Spectral Capital and the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of CrowdPoint Technologies, where he pioneers the development of quantum and decentralized ledger technologies to enhance data privacy and redefine AI applications. A former U.S. Army officer and IBM executive, Sean combines his expertise in defense, intelligence, and business to drive transformative innovations across multiple sectors.

Dmart, the retail group in India, is absolutely number one on vision, execution, and consistency. Dmart opened its first supermarket in Mumbai's Powai suburb in 2002. Like Walmart in the US, it adopted a deep discounting strategy, offering its customers low prices every day. Today, it has 381 stores. In spite of offering its customers the deepest discounts, Dmart's net profit numbers beat the best among its global peers.Yet analysts and investors have been becoming increasingly bearish of Dmart's future strategy. They argue that what got it from 2002 to 2024 might not necessarily take it to, say, 2034.One big reason is quick commerce. Armies of underpaid contract delivery workers rushing from dark stores managed by notionally independent owners on behalf of younger companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Big Basket, and even Flipkart are challenging the conventional wisdom on retail.Forcing Dmart to pause and blink.What should it do? Stick to what it knows and does best? Or learn new digital and delivery tricks in its middle age? With only an estimated 5% of the $500 billion urban market for food and groceries currently penetrated by organised and modern retail, the way Dmart goes has profound implications for India.To discuss this, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan invited Govind Shrikhande, former managing director of Shoppers Stop overseeing all its formats, including Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, Crossword, Homestop, Beauty Formats - MAC, Estee Lauder, Air Port & Duty Free Retail etc. Govind has spent over 40 years in the retail sector, having been part of the launches of Denim and Arrow, the relaunch of Vivaldi and the turnaround of Shoppers Stop. He is currently an Independent Director on the Board of a few Companies and a mentor to a few start-ups.Our other guest is Seetharaman G. Seetha is deputy editor at The Ken and also leads The Ken's coverage of retail. He's written quite a few stories on Dmart over the years as well.Welcome to episode number 18 of Two by Two!Two by Two episodes referenced in this episode:Is Zepto a gold medallist or a bronze medallist?Swiggy needs to reclaim its past gloryStories and newsletters referenced in this episode:Dmart and the supersizing imperativeZudio wanted Dmart's apparel shoppers. Now Dmart is hurtingDmart changes its mind on store size. AgainDmart is not used to being in a funk for so longWhat if the quick-commerce warehouse was a supermarket?Dmart and investors rekindle their loveDmart's e-commerce bet has gone from counterintuitive to obsoleteThis is a shorter 'highlights only' episode. If you want to listen and get early access to the full episode, consider becoming a Premium subscriber to The Ken, which in addition to Two by Two, will also give you access to our long-form stories, Premiums newsletters and visual stories. Or if you just want to listen to Two by Two for now, for iOS users, we have enabled Premium subscription on Apple Podcasts.You can sign up for The Two by Two newsletter here—it's free!This episode of Two by Two was produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.New episodes are released every Thursday. So follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and tell us what you think of the show.You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your thoughts and suggestions.

What makes a great sponsor? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Deb Grant, Former President of The GE Foundation, Chief of Diversity, and GE's first Black female corporate officer. Currently, Deb serves as an Independent Director for Edelman and is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Playbook, a business consulting firm. She also leads Dining With Deb, a unique dining experience that brings professional women together to bridge racial, religious, and political divides through meaningful conversation. Deb shares how sponsors played a pivotal role in accelerating her career—and how, at one point, her own sponsor nearly blocked her progress. Here are her insights on what makes a great sponsor: Find a sponsor committed to DEI Deb's sponsor was a senior White male executive leader who prioritized diversity in his leadership team. After receiving feedback on the need for more diversity, he sought out Deb, recognizing her potential, and invited her to work directly under him. Ensure your sponsor gives you feedback Her sponsor helped her grow by meeting with her weekly and providing valuable feedback. He took the extra step of gathering insights from her colleagues, peers, and direct reports to give a well-rounded perspective on her strengths and areas for growth. A good sponsor opens up opportunities Her sponsor entrusted her with high-profile projects and introduced her to senior executives, helping her expand her network and gain visibility with influential leaders. A good sponsor sets you up for promotion He was deliberate in advocating for her promotion, socializing her candidacy with decision-makers and addressing any concerns in advance. Beware of unconscious bias that may block your career When Deb's promotion was under discussion, her sponsor—despite his support—remarked, “Deb is great, but she needs one more thing to develop.” An African American leader in the room intervened, pointing out that her sponsor was holding her to a higher standard than others. Thankfully, Deb received her well-deserved promotion after this realization. Thank you, Deb, for sharing your powerful story with us and highlighting how intentional sponsorship can make a difference in accelerating careers. #WomenLeaders #WomenOfColorRise #Sponsors #GEFoundation Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/ep-90-find-a-sponsor-who-will-accelerate-and-not-block-your-career-with-deb-grant

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you'll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Peter Stevenson, Independent Director and Pharma industry veteran. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Peter, covering: Bringing an outsourcing model from UpjohnPharmacia into Pfizer and then driving manufacturing out of Pfizer into CDMOs without compromising on quality or IP Behind the scenes of Pfizer's mammoth acquisitions of Wyeth and Hospira The failure to spend too much time setting up a reliable, high-quality outsourcing network in China The different perspectives of being 'the mayor of one huge site' to having a diversified, helicopter view across several Switching from buy-side external outsourcing to running Pfizer's CDMO division Pfizer CentreOne Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish when balancing the onshoring manufacturing conundrum and how price controls in the US will impact all aspects of the industry Peter Stevenson is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry with extensive manufacturing and commercial experience. He was a Pfizer's Global Manufacturing Leadership Team member, responsible for global procurement, global external supply, and a portfolio of Pfizer's internal manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and Asia. Today, he is a Non-Executive Independent Board Member at Piramal Pharma. Later, Mr. Stevenson served as General Manager of Pfizer's contract manufacturing business and Value Stream Leader for the Injectables and Hospital Products Value Stream. Mr. Stevenson recently retired from Pfizer and serves as the Board Vice-Chair for Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and Chair of the Governance Committee. Earlier in his career, Mr. Stevenson held positions at Rhone Poulenc and Celanese, including a 3-year expatriate assignment in France. He has a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania.   This episode of Molecule to Market is sponsored by Vetter, a global leader in aseptic filling solutions for injectable products in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Discover more about Vetter's comprehensive services, from early-stage development to commercial production, and how they support clients in delivering high-quality therapies to the market.   Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We'd also appreciate a positive rating!   Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

AI-generated content has exploded into people's feeds, and with that comes greater concern over deep fakes and misinformation. As we scroll through election content this season, how can we ensure we know when something is real or fake? In this interview, IBM's Jesús Mantas addresses how his work proactively stops “fake news” and what we, as ordinary citizens, can do to spot and combat misinformation, especially AI-generated.Jesús Mantas is the Global Managing Partner in IBM Consulting responsible for Business Transformation Services, leading the $10B unit transforming and operating mission critical businesses with digital technology and AI. He also serves as an Independent Director and Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee in the Board of Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), a leading biotechnology company focused on neuroscience. He serves as a member of the Audit Committee as well. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum AI Global Council. Prior to joining IBM, Jesús was a Partner in the High Technology practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, an adjunct professor at University of California Irvine Graduate School of Management, and an officer in the Air Force of Spain.Jesús Mantas is the Global Managing Partner in IBM Consulting responsible for Business Transformation Services, leading the $10B unit transforming and operating mission critical businesses with digital technology and AI. He also serves as an Independent Director and Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee in the Board of Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), a leading biotechnology company focused on neuroscience. He serves as a member of the Audit Committee as well. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum AI Global Council. Prior to joining IBM, Jesús was a Partner in the High Technology practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, an adjunct professor at University of California Irvine Graduate School of Management, and an officer in the Air Force of Spain.

Singapore shares started trading in negative territory today despite overnight gains in global markets. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.3 per cent lower at 3,364.53 points after 23.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have StarHub. That's as the telco appointed DBS Singapore group executive and country head Han Kwee Juan as its independent director as of 1st September.  Elsewhere, from a deep dive into minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting, to LVMH's Sephora cutting about 10% of staff in China, more corporate and international headlines are in focus.  On Market View, The Evening Runway's finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with Terence Wong, CEO, Azure Capital.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, welcomes Sara Bonesteel, the recently retired Chief Investment Officer of Prudential Insurance International. Sara shares her fascinating career journey, starting from her first job in her family's furniture business in Michigan to her leadership role in international insurance investments.   Sara delves into her diverse experiences in finance, discussing her time at Bear Stearns in structured securities, her transition to asset management at PGIM, and her tenure as CIO. She offers insights into the complexities of different financial roles, the critical skills required to succeed, and the evolving landscape of insurance asset management.   Stewart and Sara also explore the challenges and rewards of being a woman in finance. Sara provides valuable advice on career development, the importance of lateral moves, and the need for diversity and inclusion in the industry. Whether you're an aspiring finance professional or a seasoned investor, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration from one of the industry's respected leaders.

Anand Kripalu | MD & Global CEO at Blackstone backed EPLFormer MD at Diageo  India and President Asia at CadburyAnand is an Independent Director and Chairperson on the Board of Swiggy. He also serves as an Independent Director and Chairperson on the Board of United Breweries Limited. Earlier, Anand chaired the CII National FMCG Committee and CIABC (Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies), and has been a member of the Managing Committee of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He also served on the board of Marico Ltd for 10 years.Anand was recently honoured with the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 8 th edition of the Indian Marketing Awards (IMA) by exchange4media.

Previously Bernard was Representative in Japan for Pylote, Group Senior Advisor at Michelin, Nihon Michelin Tire Chairman, Nihon Michelin Tire President, Member of the Board Ichikoh Industries. Bernard has an MBA for HEC School Of Management and a MSC from Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Nancy.

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM. Recently named one of the “Most Influential People Shaping Public Policy” in our nation's Capital by the Washingtonian Magazine, Mr. Taylor's career spans more than 20 years as a lawyer and an executive, serving at IAC, Paramount Pictures, Blockbuster Entertainment Group and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, among other organizations. He is a Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, the University of Miami; a member of the United Way Worldwide Board of Trustees; Independent Director of the Flores & Associates corporate board and a member of the corporate boards of Guild Education, and XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO). He previously served as chairman of the President's Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and on the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Mr. Taylor is a weekly contributor to USA Today, a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources and a SHRM Certified Professional.   Guest: Johnny C. Taylor, Jr: President and CEO of SHRM  (19) Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP | LinkedIn Hosts: Mike Thul - linkedin.com/in/thulmichael Jessie Novey - linkedin.com/in/jessienovey Engineer: Chris Mueller - linkedin.com/in/cjmueller86  INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email sponsors@tcshrm.org. Twin Cities Society For Human Resources: Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, we are an active SHRM group always looking to promote, influence, and educate our members through multiple channels. Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member. https://www.tcshrm.org/ Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.    © MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only. Guest: Johnny C. Taylor, Jr: President and CEO of SHRM  (19) Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP | LinkedIn Hosts: Mike Thul - linkedin.com/in/thulmichael Jessie Novey - linkedin.com/in/jessienovey Engineer: Chris Mueller - linkedin.com/in/cjmueller86  INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email sponsors@tcshrm.org. Twin Cities Society For Human Resources: Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, we are an active SHRM group always looking to promote, influence, and educate our members through multiple channels. Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member. https://www.tcshrm.org/ Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.    © MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.  

Evolving from its roots as an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service provider, Spectrum.Life announces its strategic rebranding to a clinically backed digital health, mental health, and wellbeing solutions provider. This move better reflects the company's position as the premier digital health partner for those in the insurer, workplace and education sectors seeking to support their members, employees and students to thrive. "We needed a new brand to reflect where we are now - without losing sight of who we are as a company - and one that can grow with us. Our new brand identity represents our evolution into a HealthTech innovator, delivering scalable digital health solutions while remaining true to our founding principles. This shift underscores our commitment to innovation and our relentless pursuit of empowering individuals to flourish. "As a second-generation HealthTech company, we are dedicated to make a lasting impact on the future of digital health and wellbeing, prioritising sustainable growth through strategic partnerships built on shared values", said Stephen Costello, CEO and Co-founder of Spectrum.Life. With a focus on global growth, the company launches its rebrand to align with its current market position and embrace future opportunities. "Over the past 24 months, we have been rethinking the supply-demand dynamic for healthcare and pushing for a more efficient and effective model. Technology is reshaping care, making it accessible and patient centred. Our rebrand embraces this shift to holistic digital health, seamlessly integrating technology into daily wellbeing. We're leading healthcare into a new era, driving digital transformation with cutting-edge platforms and dedicated AI teams", Costello continued. "As part of our rebranding, we're excited to unveil several new products and services, including Virtual Primary Care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health supports, Online Neurodiversity Assessments, and Digital Mental Health offerings", said Johnny O'Connell, Chief Customer Officer at Spectrum.Life. "These additions to our portfolio demonstrate our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our clients and their employees, ensuring health and mental health support is timely, on-demand and delivered by experts in the field. Our suite of services will provide first-in-class support for the people in need. There is also a new logo, and a new strapline "Full Spectrum Care, For A Full Spectrum Life" which embody the essence of Spectrum.Life, representing every facet of life with a new look and new feel." This year, Spectrum.Life has made substantial investments to boost its clinical credibility, adding expertise at both the Board level and within its clinical team. These initiatives underscore the company's unwavering dedication to providing evidence-based services that prioritise user well-being. In a strategic move to bolster its clinical leadership, Spectrum.Life has appointed Dr. Paula Franklin, former global Chief Medical Officer of Bupa Group, as an Independent Director of the Board and Chair of the Clinical Advisory Board. Together with a team of eight doctorate-level professionals, Spectrum.Life stands at the forefront of clinical innovation. "With these exciting changes and advancements, we realised the need for a new brand identity that reflects our current position in the market while staying true to our core values and identity. Our new brand will serve as a symbol of our evolution and growth, enabling us to continue serving our partners and customers as best as we can", explained O'Connell. Spectrum.Life remains steadfast in its mission to empower individuals and organisations to thrive like never before. See more stories here.

An independent director can play a crucial role in mitigating conflicts of interest among board members while also providing valuable input. Heidi explains what an independent director does and why it's important for a founder to include one on their board. More information:  https://www.threshold.vc/podcast/the-case-for-the-independent-director Further Reading: Every entrepreneur who raises capital should understand how preference structures work and the inherent pitfalls this creates in corporate governance. Excellent article on the topic here: https://thevcfactory.com/liquidation-preference-conflicts-venture-capital Fortune recently published an interesting piece on director independence. While it is mostly aimed at public companies, there are good considerations for private companies too: https://fortune.com/2023/10/16/modern-board-directors-independence PwC issued this handy guidebook to the whys and hows of adding independent directors to private boards, which you can find here: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/governance-insights-center/pwc-why-private-company-boards-need-outside-directors-v2.pdf A solid checklist from Underscore.vc for bringing on an independent director here: https://underscore.vc/startupsecrets/add-an-independent-director-to-your-board And finally, when you're ready to actually look for that great independent director, theBoardlist (https://www.theboardlist.com) can be a great resource for you, as can Bolster (https://bolster.com).

On this episode of The Founder's Sandbox, Brenda McCabe speaks with Kelly Breslin Wright, Founder & CEO of Culture Driven Sales. They discuss resilience and purpose related to the Culture Driven Sales methodology where Kelly Breslin Wright operates as a C-level executive, board director, advisor, and adjunct university professor.  Kelly Breslin Wright is an experienced executive and corporate board director for both public and private companies, with over 30 years of experience in leadership, sales, operations, and strategy roles. She has served as an Independent Director and Advisor for multiple Boards and has helped companies navigate multiple stages of growth. These include IPOs, enterprise expansion, CEO and leadership transitions, globalization, M&A, financings, business model changes, and global crises. She has a unique mastery of sales, go-to-market, leadership, transformation, strategy, growth and scaling, data and analytics, and culture.  As an operator, Kelly Breslin Wright served as President and COO of Gong, an artificial intelligence platform that serves revenue organizations to deliver insights at scale. There, she managed all go-to-market functions, including Sales, Customer Success, and Marketing. For nearly 12 years prior to Gong, Kelly Breslin Wright was Executive Vice President of Sales (Chief Revenue Officer) at Tableau Software (formerly NYSE: DATA). She joined as the company's first salesperson, where she grew Tableau's worldwide sales and field operations from zero to $850M in revenue and managed over half of the company's 3,400 global employees. Tableau was purchased by Salesforce in 2019 for $15.7B. Before Tableau, Kelly Breslin Wright spent time at Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company, Bank of America, Dale Carnegie Training, AtHoc, and Southwestern Advantage.  You can find out more about Kelly Breslin Wright at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellybreslinwright/   Culture Driven Sales Website: https://culturedrivensales.com/   University of Washington Foster School of Business Website: https://foster.uw.edu/faculty-research/directory/kelly-wright/   Winning the Board Game:   How Women Corporate Make THE Difference   Show transcription: 00:04 Welcome back to the Founder's Sandbox. The Founder's Sandbox is a podcast now in its second season. It's a monthly podcast in which I reach entrepreneurs and business owners that want to learn   00:33 about building resilient, scalable, and sustainable businesses with great corporate governance. I am Brenda McCabe, your host on the Founder's Sandbox, and my mission is really simple. By interviewing guests through their stories, I want to assist entrepreneurs in building those scalable, well-governed, and resilient businesses. Guests to my podcast are founders, business owners, corporate directors, and professional service providers   01:01 who like me want to use the power of the private enterprise, be it small, medium, or large, to create change for a better world. Through storytelling with a guest that will touch on topics that include resilience, purpose-driven enterprise, and sustainable growth, my goal is to recreate a fun sandbox environment where we can equip one startup founder at a time to build a better world through great corporate governance. Today, my guest is Kelly Breslin Wright. Thank you, Kelly, for joining me today.   01:31 Thank you for having me. I'm excited for the conversation. I've been pursuing Kelly for a number of years. And finally, we're making it happen today. So Kelly and I are going to talk about purposeful, culture driven sales. I'm going to give you a little background on Kelly. She is founder and CEO of Culture Driven Sales. She has promoted and led the Culture Driven Sales methodology as a C level executive,   02:01 public and private company board director, advisor, and adjunct university professor. She is an experienced executive and corporate board director for both public and private with over 30 years of experience in leadership, sales, operations, and strategy roles. We actually share a common past. We both originated from McKinsey and Company, where are paths crossed there. She has served as an independent director and advisor for multiple boards.   02:30 She's helped companies navigate multiple stages of growth, including IPOs, enterprise expansion, CEO and leaderships transitions, globalization, M&A, financing, business model changes, and global crisis. So we're in for a treat today. I asked Kelly to come because she really has a unique way of bringing in culture   02:58 behind sales. I think sales often times is a hidden or unwanted child. And I was amazed that none of my guests up until now has the expertise nor did they speak about sales. So it's the first time, Kelly, that you're gonna be talking to my listeners around your 30 years experience in sales. As an operator, Kelly served as president and COO at Gong, an artificial intelligence platform.   03:28 And we're going to talk a little bit about AI today. And prior to Gong, Kelly was Executive Vice President, Sales Chief Revenue Officer at Tableau Software. And it is formerly was on the stock exchange with the sticker symbol DATA. She was there for nearly 12 years. And she joined that company as the 10th employee. And we're going to listen to her story and what brought her to them.   03:57 So thank you again for joining me on the Founder's Sandbox, Kelly. Thank you for having me. You know, when we were just prepping for today's podcast, Kelly said, what actually made you wanna reach out to me? And it goes back quite a few years. Our first encounter was through a common passion serving on corporate boards. And you reached out to me to thank me for sharing my experiences that is in a book.   04:26 published and written by Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, winning the board game, how women corporate directors make the difference. So I'm always thankful to people that do reach out unexpectedly and just thank you. And I finally, two years later, I've achieved what I wanted to get you on my podcast. So I am honored that you agreed to share   04:56 quite a few real world experiences that started while in undergraduate days and informed your career choices that led you to be the first sales person to join Tableau and number 10 employee. And while you were the CRO, the company went public. The learnings you continue to share as advisor, educator, board director, and executive to private and public companies are centered around your passion for culture-driven sales.   05:26 In preparation, I listened to a recent podcast interview on operators, building and scaling companies and your recruitment to Tableau. It had something to do with educational books. It also had something to do with grit and resiliency. And I work on resilience with the founders I serve as the foundational piece. And I wrote an article myself on empowering resilience   05:54 by unlocking your personal and enterprise value. I touch on three things, Kelly. I'm knowing oneself as a leader, having options and making choices, and finally being thankful. So can you share why Tableau asked you to join as employee number 10? That's going way, way, way back to the beginning of the career. Well, so,   06:20 it's interesting, you mentioned about selling books door to door. When I was in college, I knew I wanted to do something entrepreneurial and I wanted to be independent. And I came across this opportunity to run my own business selling educational books door to door. And that's what I did for my four summers when I was in college. And I think there are a lot of things, Brenda, that you had touched base on. One was sales. And we'll talk about that a lot today.   06:49 The second was resiliency. And I appreciate that you're always talking about resiliency because it's so critical, not only in business, but in life. And selling educational books door to door, when you show up at someone's house, you're not the most welcome person that they want to see that day. So there's a lot of doors that are slammed in your face and a lot of adversity that I dealt with in my 18 to 21 year old formative years.   07:20 taught a lot about resiliency of how to get yourself back up, keep on going, being able to learn to control what you can control and not worrying as much about the rest, a whole bunch of things. So we could talk about resiliency. Anyway, going back to how I started at Tableau, because when I was in college, I was known as this person that while everyone else was doing these cool internships or   07:48 They were lifeguarding at their home pool. I was talking to thousands of families, working 80 plus hours a week, running my own business. And people thought I was crazy, but I ended up making quite a bit of money. I paid for my undergrad, it paid for my first car, paid for my first house, paid for most of business school. And so later on in my career, when people were starting their first,   08:17 their startup or starting their own entrepreneurial venture. Oftentimes people would call me and say, hey, Kelly, you did that crazy job in college. They'd say, you sold all those books. Maybe you can help us. And that's exactly what happened at Tableau. So what happened at Tableau was the CEO of Tableau had gone to Stanford Business School and was classmates with a friend of mine from undergrad.   08:45 And so I had met him multiple times as Tableau was an incubation idea. And we had met actually at an Oscar party. And so when it came time to, to hire the first salesperson, there was this conversation of, Hey, maybe you should go talk to Kelly. And I remember thinking about resiliency and just raising your hand. When I first had that conversation and I looked at the job requirement.   09:14 Brenda, I literally didn't match anything on there. It was understand a lot about data, has taken multiple companies public, has been at companies that have grown to sizable amounts of revenue. And I had done none of that. So I think I'd had sales and hopefully the, smart and can think on your feet, hopefully that matched, but I didn't match any of the other things. And it really came down to,   09:41 having a passion about what the company's mission was and alignment of the values and how we wanted to work, which is how I ended up joining as the first salesperson. And then the story goes on from there. Wow. And you did just touch briefly on mission and we're gonna get to that in the next question. Okay. Yeah. So, so Tableau, 12 years, amazing. I admire that company.   10:08 A piece you wrote back in 2021, it's on your website and it will be in the show notes. It's called creating winning company culture by perfecting these two elements. You touch on mission. Often founders wait for later in creating a mission statement. And that they're either focused on for a client, a customer, their product or service, hiring a few of their team members   10:39 When does it make sense in your experience, Kelly, to create a mission statement? And what are those two elements you believe that create a winning company culture? That's a loaded question, but you've written about it. We're gonna hear it here on the founder's sandbox. Well, Brenda, I think that it's really important to have a mission from really early days.   11:04 And I think you're right in that companies often feel like they need to have, they need to figure out their product, they figure out the service, they figure out their operational cadence, they go get the first customers. But it can be very confusing if you don't understand where you're going. The way I like to describe it is building a business as you hire employees and as you get investors and   11:32 as you find your first customers and partners, it's building with these building blocks, similar to having a map. Okay. You have a map, you have to have a destination, you have to know where you're headed, because otherwise you can get very lost. And so although companies might not have their exact wording of a mission statement from very early days, it's important, I mean, I think it's important to have a mission right from the beginning. When I talk about Tableau,   12:02 Tableau from the time I started, the mission was help people see and understand data. And that was something that I really was drawn to, which is how I ended up joining as the first salesperson and employee 10 before we even launched version one. Because everyone then that we were hiring, our customers, the whole team was aligned on what it is that we were doing. What was the company's purpose? What was our why?   12:31 And what ends up happening is when companies are not clear on what that is, you might hire different people that all know you're building something in this space, but they may have very different ideas of the reason and the purpose of the company, the why of the company. And so it's really imperative to not only drive the alignment, but to also...   12:57 be able to make sure that the people that you're hiring to go on this journey with you are passionate and committed to what it is that you're trying to build. And if you don't have a stated mission, then everyone will come up with their own definition and reason for why you exist. And it's not always the same. And one thing, Brenda, that I really liked, like for instance, when you started off and kicked off this podcast, the first thing you said is at the Founder's Sandbox, our mission is this, and you explained it.   13:28 So everyone knows what it is that your, what your purpose is and why they're listening. And it's really important for companies to do that. But the mission isn't the only important part. So the two things is there's a mission and then also core values. Okay. Any companies that I meet with, they'll say, we're not gonna spend that much time on mission and core values, because then they're just words on the wall. You throw it up and it doesn't mean anything. Well.   13:54 If you're going to have mission and core values and they're just going to be words on the wall, yeah, then they're not going to work. They're not going to work and it's not going to mean anything. But it is actually really important to have them and help them guide and advise how you build your business, how you hire, how you engage with your customers, and then holding yourself and your teams accountable.   14:22 to make sure that you're behaving in a way that's in accordance with your core values or your operating principles. And I'm sure we can talk about that more as we go through. But each company that I have joined is very intentional about their mission and core values. And that helps them to be very intentional about how they build their culture and how they're guardians of that culture. Yes, and you actually, for your...   14:52 the course you're teaching in the Culture-Driven Sales Institute. You did a lot of surveys and interviews. Can you shed some light on some of the background? I think you talked about the 85 companies at different stages of growth. Tell us a little bit about what you found, those aha moments of particularly back to mission and core values. Yeah, well, so at Tableau, just to go back a little bit.   15:19 So at Tableau, the management team at Tableau had not built a business of that scale before. We were all doing it for the first time. And so we were in a space that was very disruptive and transformative. We were in business intelligence, we were doing data analytics in a different way. We had a different go-to-market approach of how we were actually handling sales. And there weren't companies to go look at to how to do it. So the way we were doing it as,   15:49 first time executives in a first time team is we were very clear, I mentioned on our mission, to help people see and understand data. And we had very specific core values that helped to drive the way that we were behaving. We were on a mission, we used our products, we kept things simple, and we could go through and talk about a lot of these other core values. Well, that is really what helped us to go build this   16:19 really transformative company. When I finished at Tableau and decided that in this next stage, I wanted to be able to help other companies to grow and scale and do work both in teaching as well as an advisor or board director. I wanted to figure out, well, how can I be the most helpful? What is it that companies actually need? And so I ended up meeting with the whole slew   16:47 of founders, go-to-market leaders and CEOs. So in that first year, I did, I sat down with about 85 founders and CEOs over the course of the next few years. I've met with maybe 135, 140. And I asked these companies some very specific questions. One of the first questions that I've always asked, because I'm so passionate about mission, and I just assumed that companies were doing it in the same way we did at Tableau. And I found out,   17:16 that that actually is not the case. So when I was meeting with companies, one of the first things I would ask these CEOs is, well, tell me about your mission. Tell me about your company why. What I learned was actually quite eye-opening. Some of these founders would say, our mission is to get 30% market share. Our mission is to get to profitability in X number of years.   17:45 or very operational KPIs. And so I'd say to them, that's not a mission statement. That doesn't rally around the purpose of what you're doing. And sometimes these CEOs would say, no, that is our mission statement. That's how we're rallying our team. And so that I kind of was scratching my head. That's not a mission statement. Even more interesting to this though, is often times these CEOs or founders would say, hey, Kelly, you're an expert in go to market.   18:13 we're having some lack of alignment and we need help of why we have our salespeople don't want to sell what it is our product team is building or our sales team is trying to sell something that's different than how the marketing team is marketing it. Got it. And so then I would say, well, let me talk to some of those other leaders. And I would ask everyone that I talked to, first question is, what's your mission statement? And this was what was so...   18:42 crazy. I would ask the CEO, I would ask the co-founder, I would ask the chief revenue officer, I'd ask the chief marketing officer, the head of product, what is your mission statement? And guess what? Almost all of the time, each executive that I would ask would have a different answer to what their mission statement was. Wow, at the same company. So crazy, even if they had a published mission statement. And that's when I realized, oh,   19:12 People are just using these as words on a wall. And then you wanna know, well, why is a company not aligned? Well, if you have a product leader who is driving the engineers according to one mission statement, and you have a sales leader that's going and trying to engage your customers with a different mission statement, well, duh, you're not aligned if you're actually training your teams and advising your customers that you do something different.   19:42 And that was a huge aha. And the same thing was true for the core values. And so it is actually, here's just a main takeaway. Okay. Companies need to realize that the corporate strategy is very intertwined with the go-to-market strategy. Got it. Many companies think of their corporate strategy is often very aligned with the...   20:12 product strategy, but it all trickles down to how are you hiring? How are you engaging with customers? How are you making sure those customers are successful? How are you telling your story on your website and how you engage with your investors and in the world? And that go to market strategy goes all the way back up to the corporate strategy and all starts from mission, vision.   20:41 What is your company's story? What is your company's why? And we need to roll that all together. And that's a lot of what I teach in my course on culture-driven sales. That's a lot of how I end up helping companies when I'm advising or on the board. All right. So I often pride myself on my guests bringing in some practical tools while in the interview.   21:11 alignment of strategy with the culture. All right, we get that. Corporate strategy is very intertwined with sales strategy. And again, depending on the stage of the company, what do you see as key takeaways? I mean, how do you recruit? Is it dependent upon stage of the company? What are those KPIs or what are those core values? How do you measure? So can you walk us through some specific examples and tools that you perhaps used at Tableau?   21:42 on bringing in the mission to the core processes, hiring, training, the sales motion. What are those behavioral elements that you would include in your managing your teams, as well as growing the company? Yeah. Well, Brenda, I think it is really important to be able to have very specific hiring and performance management tactics that help to make sure you're managing that.   22:11 bar of your mission and value. So here are some very specific things. And I can give kind of tangible examples. Like for instance, companies should be using behavioral interviewing. And what happens is many companies are focused so much on the experience and the resume skills that they're looking at, has someone done this job before? Have they been successful in doing this exact   22:40 thing that I need, whether it's enterprise sales or have they been a CFO before, depending on whatever the role is. But it's really important that everyone can do behavioral interviewing. Now behavioral interviewing can be kind of tricky. The first thing you need to do is you need to make sure that you understand what behavioral traits you're trying to flesh out and be very specific on that. And then training everyone that is in the interview process on   23:08 How do you do behavioral interviewing? Now, some of the things that to do with behavioral attributes is look at the most successful people in your company, what are the behavioral attributes that they have, and then how do you interview and flush that out in the interview process? So that's example one, and we can do a little bit more there. Number two is how...   23:36 can you make sure that your core values are being identified and fleshed out, not only in your interview process, but in performance management? So I'll give a very specific example. At Tableau, one of our core values were like the first core value was we build great products, second core value, we use our products. How do we flush that out? In at Tableau, I had.   24:06 at the end, maybe 1800 people on my team in the GoToMarket organization. Virtually every single one when they were hired during the interview process had to do a demo on Tableau because our mission was we help people see and understand data. Our product was so easy, everyone could use it. And typically in software sales, it's the sales consultant or the sales engineer   24:34 that does the demo. But in Tableau, it's so easy, we wanted everyone to use the product. So here's an example of what often would happen, especially for someone that was more experienced and further along in their career, we would give them the assignment of, we need you to go download the product, takes 90 seconds to download, go find your own data set or you can use our sample one and do a demo. And this is gonna be one of the interview stages.   25:04 And sometimes people would be very excited about it. Other times people would say, hey, you know, Kelly, I'm interviewing with a ton of companies. And if you hire me, then I will learn the product, but I'm not gonna spend tons of time to go learn the product in the interview process. And the answer there, you can imagine Brenda, was thank you very much. The interview process is done.   25:33 And yeah, because, and that was a few things. One is our mission is we help people see and understand data. We want people that are super excited about that. So if you want to work here, we want you to be very excited about understanding what it is that we do. And if you're not going to do that in the interview process and you're not really that passionate about our mission. But secondly, we wanted people who were going to be all in and be able to use our product.   26:00 And that was one of our core values that we fleshed out very early on. So there's ways that you can look at that. Another tangible is in the annual performance review, it wasn't just the work that you did, but in our annual performance review, at most of the companies that I've been involved in, one of the checks are how much are you abiding   26:28 and embodying the core values of the company. People didn't get promotions, they didn't get pay increases, they didn't get high ratings unless they were living every day according to the core values of how they interacted with the internal team and with the customer. So those are some tangible ways to summarize again, behavioral interviewing flesh out the core values in the interview process.   26:58 and make sure that those core values and adherence and passion about the mission are part of your annual performance review process. Thank you very much. Three practical tools when you're scaling your organization, not just in sales, the entire organization. That's very, very helpful. You've recently launched Culture Driven Sales Institute.   27:28 And I know in one of the podcasts that you've been a guest to, you talk about storytelling and that a salesperson has to have at least three stories. So I wanted to do a practical exercise here today. Give you a bit of your own medicine, right? Which is you've started a culture-driven   27:58 that you would tell about. Yes. Well, so let's back up a little bit and why storytelling is so important. Thank you. I think what happens is when companies think about selling their product, they often are so focused on the what and the how, they miss the why. And the why comes back to why the mission is really important. Because   28:28 Well, when you think about not only employees, but for customers, customers want to understand why a company exists. Because what people don't realize is that the whole process of purchasing is very emotional. People use logic to do their research, to make sure that that product or service has everything that they need. But the lion's share of why someone actually makes a purchase decision,   28:57 is actually emotional. And so companies need to be emotionally connecting with their prospect and their customers. Think about this on a very tangible level. Just think about it separately of why you as an individual would buy a house or why you would buy a car. If you're looking for a house, you know you want it in this neighborhood, you want this number of bedrooms, you want this amount of square footage, this amount of bathrooms, but in the end,   29:26 you have to like feel it with the house. It's an emotional connection with that house. And this is the same reason that people buy, even if it is a software or an enterprise product or whatever it is that people are buying, a system or consulting, you need to feel it with the person and company that you're going to be interacting with. And it's shown in, if you look at research,   29:56 had done a whole survey to understand why people buy a certain product or service, most companies behave as if it is the specs of the product or service and the price. And as it turns out, those are two reasons why people buy. But the largest reason why people buy is actually their engagement and experience with the company. So this is really important to think about. So now going back to the stories.   30:25 The stories are, well, you want to be able to communicate the company story. You want to be able to communicate the individual, your personal story, and then also your customer story. So three stories, company story, personal story, and your customer story. So if I were to talk about it specifically for me, the company story of why I founded culture driven sales in the first place was.   30:54 What I realized is companies were just focused so much on the what and the how, focused so much on operational processes and operational execution and all these tactics. And they were missing the real reason of why companies buy, which is tied to   31:19 having an integrated go-to-market strategy that ties back to the corporate strategy, coming all the way from mission, vision, company story, values, but then how that ties into how a company tells their company story. What are your unique differentiated value propositions? Who is the ideal customer profile that you're trying to reach?   31:48 And then what is the best sales approach to be thinking about it? Companies were often asking me, well, how can I go get my specific sales? Hey, Kelly, just help me with, should I be enterprise sales or a different motion? What should be on my sales operational tactics? And they were getting in at such a detailed operational level, they were missing that high piece, which helped guide the strategy on the go-to-market strategy. So this is why.   32:16 I founded Culture Driven Sales in the first place. The second reason of my personal story is why was this important to me? Well, when I talk about what we did at Tableau, remember we discussed how this was the first time I had built an enterprise software team. And the first time that I had been building a company from zero up to a public company.   32:46 We had a team that we were so focused not only on building a great company, but thinking about our high priority was we want to build a great place to work. We were intentional on creating a great place to work with a great culture where people felt like they could bring their authentic self and be able to really build their career at Tableau. That was as important a goal to us.   33:15 as it was to go build a huge sustainable business that was creating great products for our customers and good returns for our investors. And what I realized was not all companies were thinking about that, but we were creating this movement where our customers were really excited and our employees are really excited. And this is something companies want to do, but they just don't know how to do it.   33:45 by putting culture at the center is really important. And so having culture drive sales rather than just focusing on your sales and thinking culture will just fall out on the backside. Culture isn't just a derivative that happens. You have to be as intentional and thoughtful about culture as you are in driving all of your other strategic priorities as a company. So that is the whole company story.   34:12 And then my own personal reason, my personal story for why I did it for a customer story is customers are actually realized that they get better results when they do this. And so when I'm on these different boards, oftentimes companies are saying, you know, how, like what, what, one specific example is oftentimes a company will say,   34:41 Well, how can I do this myself? If you look at their website and then you look at the website of their five competitors, they might all look identical. You take their name and their brands off and they all say that they're doing the same thing. But when you weave the company's story into it and their unique differentiated value propositions, that company gets more of a personality. It actually is unique. And that is what...   35:10 can really help to light up these individual companies so they can be different, they can be unique, and they can understand how they're gonna go and differentiate themselves across everyone else in the noise when they go and focus on culture more than they have before. Yeah, so what maybe, you know, biodegradable chickens are largely made by emotional, right? Okay, so.   35:38 One of the things that we did that was very different at Tableau is we did storytelling training. Okay. Many companies, they do when they're training their salespeople, they do customer centric selling, they do spin selling. They're trying to talk about solution selling in a way where it's really more about pitching the wares of the company. When you're really focused on the customer more.   36:06 you want to do storytelling because we've already established that it's an emotional type of cell. So we did a very atypical type of training. We brought in storytelling training and we taught people, well, how can you learn to tell stories? More about the company's why, more about the customer story, more about your personal story. And it was very interesting what happened is after this two interesting derivatives came out of this is   36:35 Our employees said, wow, this is not a typical sales trading. This is a communication trading that's helping me to communicate with not only my prospects and my customers, but everyone in my life, my family, my kids, all these things, because sales is about communication and emotionally connected. So that was the first derivative of our employees said, this is really useful.   37:05 The second derivative that came out of this is we had our customers came back and they were saying to me and my team, huh, why is it that Tableau is selling in such a different way? It seems like the Tableau salespeople are understanding me and my problems and my company in a way that others are not. And it was because when you're storytelling,   37:31 you're really emotionally connecting in this more deep communication way. It's not just twitching your wares. This is why you should buy. Here are all the things that we should do. And companies want to really be able to strive to do that. And the companies that do this well, they're often talked about that they're creating a movement. They're doing something transformational and disruptive where they're bringing these customers in that really wanna be   38:01 part of that whole aura, rather than just buying the widget in a transactional way. It's a way to really connect with your customers in a much deeper, more meaningful way. Thank you. You heard it here. Storytelling training. This is fascinating. Going to switch gears. Let's get back to the corporate boardroom. All right.   38:28 The right you check so many boxes. So you with scaling companies. They start out with advisory boards, but when they're at their first fiduciary fiduciary board of directors, what would you be seeking in a high performing company, Kelly, for this important milestone in terms of all the nuggets you've provided today, mission, core values.   38:57 storytelling, what are some of the nuggets you'd want to bring into the boardroom at the fiduciary board level?   39:06 at the board level? Well, that's a really wide question. I think there's a couple things, Brenda, to consider, especially if people are considering adding board directors or for those in the audience who are considering maybe being a board director yourself. Okay. First thing is companies will often have a board matrix. They'll have their idea of what are the different skills that they want to have represented   39:36 on the board. And so if you're a company, you want to be able to be thinking of what are the different skills and experiences that you want on the board to be able to help guide your executive team and your entire company. So for instance, for me, I brought, I've been a strategic consultant, so there's strategy. Strategy is a very big part of what happens on the board to help   40:06 the company think about their short and long-term strategy. Two, I'm a go-to-market expert, I'm in sales. And many boards will have different experts in different disciplines. So pretty much every board will have a former or currently sitting CEO to be a CEO coach or mentor. Oftentimes there will be a financial expert who was a CFO or worked at one of the big audit firms.   40:36 because they might be chair of the audit committee to help drive all of the financial and regulatory issues that are on there. And then oftentimes they'll have a product person that helps them with the actual product. My expertise would go to market for sales and marketing and branding. And you want different members on the board to have different expertise. So you can bring that and have resources for all those different areas of knowledge   41:05 will help to upscale and scale your team. The next piece is you want to be able to have a culture in the boardroom that is reflective and complimentary to your culture as a company. So you just in the same way, you want to do behavioral interviewing for your employees to make sure that the employees...   41:31 are aligned and operate in adherence with your core values and are passionate about your mission, you want that in the boardroom too. You don't want people that are just gonna tick the boxes for experience and resume, but they're passionate about what it is that your company is doing and that they will behave in a way that will help to further those core values and the culture. The last thing that I'll say is,   42:00 You want to be able to have discourse and open conversation in the boardroom. Yes. And you want to be able to promote diversity of thoughts and ideas so that you not only can have different experiences represented in the boardroom, but you're going to be able to have different respectful conversation so that the best idea wins.   42:29 and that you can have board directors who will challenge your way of thinking and ask questions to make sure that you're getting that top performance. And many companies, they think they want that in the boardroom, but they actually operate in a way where they want more yes people on the board. Just people to validate and say yes and agree, that is not going to be the most effective board.   42:57 You actually want people in the boardroom who are going to be able to challenge your way of thinking to call you when there may be a better way to do things. And of course, they're not the ones ultimately making the decision. You as the operators are going to make the decisions, but you want to have a respectful discourse where people are going to be able to challenge the way of thinking.   43:27 rather than just have a stamp of approval.   43:32 Excellent. Thank you for changing course there. So skill matrix, largely functional, strategy, finance, go to market sales, prior CEO or sitting CEO, culture in the boardroom, that is reflective of the company. So actually choosing and through the interview processes, right? For the corporate boardroom. I like that. And then finally, diversity of thought.   44:01 Right. First thing you thought is really important, not only in the boardroom, it's important inside the company too. And that is when we go back to having the best culture and behavioral interviewing, all of those kinds of things. Remember when you're thinking about culture, companies evolve. So in the past, people talked about cultural fit. I don't like to use that term because cultural fit is they're fitting into the mold of what the company already is. It's more of.   44:30 Are they going to be culturally additive to help to abide by these core values and to help to continue to grow and extend the culture in a way that you're scaling and growing into your next space? Thank you, Kelly. I want to ask you a question because last night when I was preparing the Zoom, we record this on Zoom platform,   45:00 they now have generative AI. And it is the presence of AI for me as an operator on my podcast and other materials that I generate myself, it's quite overwhelming and kind of intrusive. So I tried to turn it off, right? I was unable to. So after this recording, we'll have AI generated summary. How do you see...   45:30 AI's role in sales motions. And can you share your experience while perhaps you served as president and COO at Gong, which is indeed an artificial intelligence platform that serves revenue organizations to deliver insights? Just bring some light and maybe I'll be less overwhelmed. Well, I think Brenda, anytime you're introducing a new technology,   45:58 There is a transformative time because things change. And a lot of it has to do with change management and people just accepting that new technology. And you can think about that with, it took a while for people to accept new cell phones and smartphones. If I think back to early days at Tableau, for people to say, wait, you're going to collect all my data?   46:22 Are you, oh my goodness, no, there's the privacy and all of that. Now that's the same thing that's happening now with generative AI. Okay. Saying, Oh, it's a little scary. It's a little big brother. I don't want someone to be looking at all of this data and information. It seems a little creepy. And this is just typical of technology evolutions. You have the first movers who are the early adopters.   46:49 And then you have the rest of the world you ask to get comfortable with that. So, so Brenda, you shouldn't feel bad. It's just, there's many companies that are saying, Hey, I'm not sure that I'm really comfortable with it. I think the next thing though, is it's interesting for companies to look at it in a different perspective and see generative AI and AI overall. It's here to stay. It is not going away.   47:17 and it's going to transform businesses and transform the way we do work in a pretty meaningful way. And so you can push it, but it's gonna catch up anyway. So the companies who are actually going to do the best are going to be those who embrace the new technology and figure out how they can make it beneficial to them and help get through that change management faster.   47:46 Now you asked a specific question about how is it going to transform and augment go to market and sales. Yes. If you think about a sales person, salespeople have to know so much. I mean, when you're interacting with a company and a prospect, you have so many conversations, you have emails, there's texts, there's so many different things and there's their. Customers are going to your website. They're putting in.   48:15 report and support questions and tickets and all of this. And it is very difficult for any one human being to actually recognize, synthesize, and know everything that's going on with all those customer interactions. Okay. And from a sales way, if you could as a sales person actually have a technology that would help you to understand   48:43 What is this customer a prospect? What are they most interested in? What are their key issues and problems and challenges? What are the main things that they've been bringing up consistently on all of these prior conversations and sales calls and interactions and support tickets? And it was able to say to you, Hey, this is what you need to know. Okay. Then it, then it doesn't become scary anymore. Then it becomes, wow.   49:11 I am helping someone as my own personal assistant to do my job faster and more effectively. And that is what AI does. That's what Gong does, is Gong takes all the interaction with the customer and helps to tease out what are the most important things that you need to know. And now it can even be more of an assistant of I'm writing an email to you as a followup for this call.   49:37 Well, the AI will actually tell me, here are the most important things we talked about. It might even draft the email. And then it allows me to have more time to help my customers and less time having to parse through all of these disparate sources of information and content to try to remember, or sometimes it's not even remembering because I wasn't even involved in all those conversations. So you should think about AI as a way   50:07 that is a personal assistant to help you be faster, more effective, and you can always change it and you can augment it and you can edit it, but it's helping you to do your work faster and better and more effectively. Excellent. Productivity. Productivity, yes. Helping productivity. Wow. So the show notes are actually generated in Zoom. I have...   50:36 use a different platform myself, Riverside. But you should see how it works. Yeah, and it's amazing. Yeah, and it was in beta and now it's fully, so I was like, oh, that saves me at least two hours of running things. It saves you two hours of time. So ask yourself, it seems scary and overwhelming, but if it saves you two hours, then one, you have two hours of your time back to do more meaningful work.   51:04 but it also might give you a bunch of good ideas of synthesizing the content in ways that you hadn't thought of, or it might actually bring up something that you would have missed. So it's making you more effective at your job, but you are still in complete control because you can use it or not use it, right? So it's just helping your productivity. Thank you, thank you. Well, we're...   51:28 This is the time that I want my guests to have an opportunity to provide some contact information on how to reach you. It will also be in the show notes. Would you like to share some contact details? Absolutely. There are two of the best places to reach me. The first is on LinkedIn. Please go find me, Kelly Breslin-Wright on LinkedIn. Connect to me. Reach out. Send me a message. And would love to be connected there.   51:57 The second is on my website, which is cult Just the three words, cult There's tons of content there. There's a lot of tips and tricks and podcasts and speaking bits of what we have talked about there. There's also a contact form on that website. If you would like more information, if you would like to do one of my workshops for your company, if you have any kind of questions,   52:26 or would like to engage in a different way, please go visit the website and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you, Kelly. So I'm bringing it back to the Founder Sandbox now in the second season. I do ask each of my guests to share what the meaning is of certain areas of work that I work with founders on, which is resilience.   52:56 purpose-driven enterprise and sustainable growth. So not one guest has the same definition which makes it so rich. What does resilience mean to you? We kind of started the interview around the grit and resilience you had selling educational books. I think resilience, if we go back full circle to where we started, resilience comes back to one, being able to bounce back, being able to   53:26 control what you can control because there's a lot of uncontrollables. But resilience also means embracing failure and growth with the growth mindset because we learn a lot more from our failures and where things go wrong and our challenges, often than we do from what goes right. And resilience is being able   53:52 to be elastic in that way of not everything is going to be perfect and be able to continue to grow and develop. So that would be my answer on resiliency. And what about purpose driven enterprise? What does that mean to you? Well, purpose driven enterprise. I mean, this is a very easy one for me. I teach class on culture driven sales. Much of that is helping companies to really think about   54:20 What is their mission? What are their core values? So that they can understand and operate in accordance to their company's why, be able to communicate that. And so much of this means is, if you look at what is engaging employees the most now, yes, employees want to be employed at a company where they can identify with the mission and the purpose.   54:48 where they can see how the work they're doing, they're not just a cog in the wheel, but they're actually contributing to have an impact on a larger purpose. So this is important for the employees. The thing though, when it comes to purpose-driven enterprise, it's important for all of those different communities as well because it's not only the employees, it's the prospects, it's the customers, it's the investors.   55:17 it's the communities in which we serve, people want to understand who is it these companies that they're dealing with? And do they believe in the purpose of what that company is? So it's important for not only the culture side, but these purpose-driven enterprises, they're the ones that are getting much better, proven, factual results. The data shows.   55:46 The person driven enterprises are actually the ones that are doing better, getting better performance. Amazing. Sustainable growth, not to be confused with sustainability, but sustainable, scalable growth. What's that mean to you? Yeah. Well, with this for sustainable growth, it's interesting because there's always a balance between doing what's important right now for the short term.   56:15 And also making sure that you're looking far enough out into the future. And the things of this is if you think about companies, companies are building day by day. So one of the tidbits that I often will give companies is don't get too ahead. Don't go too far over your skis because companies are built day by day. And oftentimes there might be a smaller company. I deal with a lot of   56:42 startups or hyper growth companies and they'll say, hey, I want to be a public multi-billion dollar company and they might be at a hundred million now. Well, you're not going to get there overnight and you have to remember that companies are built one day at a time. So make sure you don't go too far at the same time though. You need to balance and say, okay, sometimes people get so looked at what is sitting right in front of them.   57:11 They forget to see the forest between the trees and they're only focused on, well, I'm gonna do this today, I'm gonna do this this week, I'm gonna do this next month. And they end up adding a whole bunch of operational processes and systems that then in six months or a year or two years from now, they're gonna have to rip out and redo. And so we need to be thinking, well, as we add, is this something that is going to help create   57:41 like the baseline of where we're going to go. So it's always a balance of make sure you're not getting too far in advance, but make sure you're not getting too stuck in the weeds today. And I think that if you can balance out those two, then you can really have sustainable growth. Yeah, so thank you so much. This is truly from the voice of an operator. I appreciate that. Last question, did you have fun in the sandbox today?   58:09 I did have fun in the sandbox and Brenda, it's always good seeing you. I appreciate the conversation and looking forward to continuing to connect with people that are going to go play in your sandbox. Thank you. So to my listeners, if you liked this episode with Kelly Breslin, right? Sign up for the monthly release. We're founders, business owners, corporate directors and professional service providers.   58:37 help to share their lessons on how to build with strong governance, a resilient, scalable, and purpose-driven company to make profits for good. Thank you, signing off for this month. Have a great day.  

Judy Titera is the owner of J Titera Solutions, where she provides privacy and security consulting services. She is also a faculty member of IANS Research and serves as Independent Director on the Mitsui Sumitomo Transverse Insurance board. Judy retired from USAA, where she served as the Chief Privacy Officer. She now spends her free time participating in professional and speaking engagements. In this episode… In a vacuum, privacy concerns are a simple matter of ethics and logistics. In reality, the structure of most businesses makes privacy a far more complex topic. With so many executives and experts involved in implementation, how can you communicate effectively? For companies with a board of directors, speaking with boardrooms is a key opportunity to make your voice heard. Talking with executive leadership requires tact, skill, and knowledge. If you learn from professionals who have been in the same situation, you can have an advantage in communicating. In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels have an informative conversation with Judy Titera, Owner of J Titera Solutions, about privacy professionals in the boardroom. They discuss key strategies, why healthy working relationships are so vital, and what privacy success looks like. Judy discusses her career and explains how she was able to become involved with various boards of directors.

Alyssa Henry is the former CEO of Square, a financial services company providing products and services used by over 4 million merchants. Formerly at Amazon, Alyssa led the development and growth of Simple Storage Service (S3) at AWS. Alyssa now serves as an Independent Director at Intel and Confluent. —  In today's episode, we discuss: Lessons from Amazon, Microsoft, and Square “Minimum Remarkable Products” versus Minimum Viable Products Navigating different work cultures in big tech Insider reactions to the disruptive launch of AWS “Pioneer” versus “fast-follower” companies —  Referenced: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com Amazon Web Services: https://aws.amazon.com Bill Gates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamhgates Block, Inc: https://block.xyz Cash App: https://cash.app Fast Company - Back To Square One: https://www.fastcompany.com/3033412/back-to-square-one Gokul Rajaram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gokulrajaram1 Jack Dorsey: https://twitter.com/Jack James Hamilton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshamilton4 Jeff Bezos: https://twitter.com/jeffbezos Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com Oracle Corporation: https://www.oracle.com Sarah Friar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-friar Square: https://squareup.com Tom Szkutak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-szkutak-4b59817 WSJ - Mobile-Payments Startup Square Discusses Possible Sale: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303825604579513882989476424 —  Where to find Alyssa Henry: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/alyssa-henry-0905692 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/alyssahhenry —  Where to find Brett Berson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson —  Where to find First Round Capital: Website: https://firstround.com/ First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstround YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast —  Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:20) Lessons from Microsoft and Amazon (08:29) Noticeable consistencies in the human condition (10:50) Differences in culture at Amazon, Microsoft and Square (13:27) Why “customers come first,” even above employees and community (14:01) Why fast-followers can be less customer-focused (15:50) The challenge of commercializing research projects (18:58) Joining Square and “building a picture” of the org (24:55) Knowing what to replicate from past companies (27:45) Questioning norms in new companies (28:41) The importance of effective communication systems (31:31) How to operationalize company values (33:38) Why shared beliefs are crucial for good company culture (37:05) Building Minimal Remarkable Products at Square (38:13) How to scale an aesthetic (42:46) Org design lessons from Square (50:06) How to align different teams behind business priorities (52:57) Lessons learned from fierce competition (57:39) The “fast follower” vs “pioneer” playbook (61:05) The original thinking behind AWS (66:08) The unlikely origin of Amazon CloudFront and other products (73:47) How Jeff Bezos influenced Alyssa

To influence for good, character paired with strong leadership skills is paramount. Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dana Born '83 brings the two together in Ep. 8 of Long Blue Leadership. ----more---- SUMMARY Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dana Born discusses the importance of character and leadership in the Air Force Academy's mission. She shares her background and career, including her time as the Dean of Faculty at the Academy. The General reflects on her class reunion experience and the impact of her family's military background. She explores the concept of leaders being born vs. made and highlights the value of curiosity and courage in leadership. Gen. Born emphasizes the importance of seeking help and mentorship and shares recommended readings for developing leadership skills.   OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "Character and leadership are paramount for Air Force Academy graduates to influence for good." "I think that if I were to say there's two really important takeaways, those for me have been, be curious, be more curious. And that is just really asking a lot of questions." "I think leading with your heart and leading with, like the recognition that things that are hard, make your heart rate go up. Courage, you know, our heart rate goes up when we're in danger physically, morally, psychologically. And I think leaning into that to where our heart rate goes up a little bit is how we learn and grow." "I think there's that keeping the both and in the integration of that is what helped me in some of those tough decisions. I mean, I remember having to take a security clearance away from a lieutenant colonel, for all the right reasons, but trying, you know, that person then was going to lose their position in the Air Force, because it required a security clearance. And, and it wasn't a situation that I put that person in, right, they put themselves in that position, but what I didn't want to do was deliver the news in a way that then the individual would feel like they have nothing left right to or would ultimately, you know, take their life, right, that always was present to say, uh, don't want this person to go away with anything other than, you know, your life is not over." "I think courage, you know, the root word of courage is heart. And I think leading with your heart and leading with, like the recognition that things that are hard, make your heart rate go up. Courage, you know, our heart rate goes up when we're in danger physically, morally, psychologically. And I think leaning into that to where our heart rate goes up a little bit is how we learn and grow."  - Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dana Born '83   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  EMAIL     CHAPTERS 00:00  Introduction: Character and Leadership 01:22  General Bourne's Background and Career 05:36  Early Life and Decision to Attend the Air Force Academy 08:19  Becoming the Dean of Faculty at the Air Force Academy 11:49  Challenges and Lessons as Dean 22:59  Discovering Leadership Abilities 24:24  Lessons from Friction Moments 26:19  Pivoting and Overcoming Challenges 27:49  Best Attributes of Leaders 29:46  Seeking Help and Mentorship 32:06  Balancing Compassion and Difficult Decisions 34:26  Family's Influence on Leadership 38:12  Developing Leadership Skills: Curiosity and Courage 40:04  Purpose and Passion 41:53  Recommended Readings 44:42  Conclusion     GEN. BORN'S BIO Dana H. Born (Co-Director, Center for Public Leadership (CPL); Faculty Chair, Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) Program; Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government) is a retired Brigadier General with 30 years of service in the United States Air Force. Prior to coming to Harvard, from 2004-2013, she served two terms as the Dean of the Faculty at the United States Air Force Academy where she was also the Professor and Head of the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department. Previously, Dana served as an Exchange Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, Assistant Director for Recruiting Research and Analysis for the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy), Deputy Chief of the Personnel Issues Team for the Department of the Air Force (DC/Staff Personnel), Aide and Speech Writer to the Secretary of the Air Force, Squadron Commander for 11th Mission Support Squadron at Bolling AFB, DC and in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. A graduate with distinction of the United States Air Force Academy, Professor Born received her B.S. in Behavioral Sciences (1983), M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Trinity University, TX (1985), M.A. in Research Psychology from University of Melbourne (1991) and Doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Penn State University (1994). She received Penn State University's Alumni Fellow Award (2012) and Distinguished Alumni Award (2018) and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Simmons College in Humane Administration (2007). Born is the recipient of the Secretary of the Air Force's Eugene M. Zuckert Award for Outstanding Management Achievement, Air Force Association's Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for outstanding contributions to Aerospace education, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Defense Meritorious Service Medal. She has been honored with the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Annual Teaching Awards as well as the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Innovation in Teaching Award in 2017. Dr. Born is a Trustee on the United States Air Force Academy's Falcon Foundation – serving on the Strategy, Governance and Scholarship Committees; Supporting Director on the USAFA Endowment Board, Past President of the Massachusetts Women's Forum; Senior Consultant for the Core Leadership Institute; Peer Evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission; Member of the Women Corporate Directors, International Women's Forum and Council on Foreign Relations; Council Member on Boston Mayor's Pay Equity Workforce; Advisory Board Member for “With Honor;” and “A Child's Guide to War” documentary, “Blue Star Families,” Senior Officer for Mission: Readiness; Past-President of the American Psychological Association (Society for Military Psychology) and previous Independent Director on Board of the Apollo Education Group having served on Compensation, Audit and Special Litigation Committees.  - Copy and image credit:  Harvard University         Gen. Born is a member of the HOW Conversations video (and podcast) series hosting team, bringing together a varied group of experts and leaders to discuss timely issues of our reshaped world through the lenses of moral leadership, principled decision-making, and values-based behavior. VIEW THE VIDEO SERIES  |  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST  - Copy and image credit:  Harvard University     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network, drops every two weeks on Tuesdays, and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT   SPEAKERS Our guest, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dana Born '83  |  Our host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz   Gen. Dana Born  00:06 Through mentorship and wise counsel, in early days actually and magnified through the time at the Air Force Academy, that character is paramount. It's also not enough, because you want to be a person of strong character that also has leadership, qualities that help influence for good. We can have leadership where people are able to influence but maybe not for good. And we can have character but have people of great character that aren't able to mobilize the influence. And so, I have just been, I guess, embracing that character and leadership aspect of our mission.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:19 My guest today is retired Brigadier General Dana Born, a 1983, graduate of the Air Force Academy. I'm excited to host this conversation with General Born, a recognized and widely respected expert in moral leadership, serving as a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. We're going to explore the trajectory of General Born's own development as a leader. Our conversation will begin with her days as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science and Leadership. General Born began building her body of work then, first as a student, then analyst and researcher, now writer, teacher and speaker on public policy and society in the field of moral leadership as a How Institute for Society Distinguished Fellow through her distinguished 30 year military career, and since her retirement from the Air Force in 2013, she has been formally recognized more than 20 times for her exemplary service and academic excellence. In 2004, she became the first female Academy graduate to return to her alma mater as the Dean of Faculty, a role she held for two terms. Her work has been published more than 40 times and she has delivered nearly 200 presentations. General Born has endorsed more than a dozen books on leadership and public policy, and has contributed to five others. In addition to her work at Harvard, she hosts a video podcast series called HOW Conversations during which she discusses the tenets of moral leadership. Her guests include nationally and internationally recognized leaders from the private, military and public sectors. General Born. Welcome, and thank you for being here today.   Gen. Dana Born  02:54 Thank you so much for the wonderful introduction. And it's great to be in the Long Blue Line conversation with you and all our other members of our tremendous extended family in our Air Force. So glad to be here.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:07 Thank you so much, ma'am. And you know, you recently were just here for a reunion. How was that experience?   Gen. Dana Born  03:13 It was spectacular. The only way I can describe it is like going to see family members that you haven't seen for a while. And even after 44 years, since our induction day, it was like just picking up where, you know, we left off in terms of the connection, the common bond, it was probably better than I anticipated. And I can't actually explain why. But it was just so special. It was poignant as well, because certainly during those times, we spend time reflecting on those that are no longer with us. And it was very powerful in terms of the way that our class decided to do that with. We don't call it a yellow cap, right, because there's nothing yellow in the military, but with our gold caps. And classmate who remembered our fallen friend, and lit a candle on behalf of them. And it was too many hats. It was too many candles, it was too many people that we have lost. But it was something that was spectacular in another way because we had such great stories to share that sort of brought back you know, the legacy and the person of our classmates. And so I think we left with a little bit more spring in our step in terms of let's make our lives and the lives of those we love count each day. So it was really inspiring and quite an amazing time.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:41 I love hearing that. I get to come back for my 25th next year and even though I'm, you know, here working in this capacity, there is something so special that's timeless. With graduates, when they come together, we really do just kind of pick up where we left off and so I'm looking forward to that as well.   Gen. Dana Born  04:57 We got together with our what we call "dooley squadron," but you know, with our classes that we were with for the first two years, and then also with the last two years, because we transitioned after our three-degree year, and there was one individual that was in my, like, all four years together. And so that was kind of fun as well, yes.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:18 What our listeners love to do is kind of get to know our speakers as well. So if we could travel back to maybe your childhood and early days before the Academy. We'd really like to get to know what Gen. Born was like back then, you know, where did you grow up? What were you like? What were you into? Maybe you can take us back.   Gen. Dana Born  05:36 That's going back aways because I entered the Air Force Academy in 1979. So it really is going back decades here. But I grew up in a small town in upstate New York called Penn Yan. And, you know, we maybe had two or three thousand people. It was a very small town. If you think of Norman Rockwell, that is kind of, you know, the the old world, maybe even American Graffiti. That is my hometown. Everybody knows everybody pretty much still to this day. And I graduated from high school, the same day that I flew out to start basic training the next day. I literally didn't get to stay for my whole high school graduation. Because on the East Coast, graduations tend to be late June and of course, that's when basic Cadet training begins. So I hopped on a commercial airplane for the very first time, the day I graduated from high school. I flew airplanes before I drove a car. But I flew with my flight instructor actually to the nearest airport and then flew commercially, for the first time in my life, to go start basic training. I'd never been west of Ohio, and of course, people think about Ohio as the Midwest. So it was really going into a brave new world for me, certainly.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:58 So, were you always someone very courageous looking at new things. I mean, you said you were flying before you got into a car. So that's a bit telling there. What are their characteristics? Would you say you had as a young girl?   Gen. Dana Born  07:11 Yeah. I think that's, I wouldn't have characterized it actually as courageous. But I was certainly enjoyed adventure and the outdoors. I mean, some of my favorite activities. My dad was the vice president of a local college. And we grew up on a lake. So you know, waterskiing sailing, you know, boating, I loved to run, I love to fly, I love to ski. So there was that adventurous spirit. And certainly, I think that was part of the selection to go to the service academy. But it was also my dad, being a college professional and administrator, he took me to a college fair at the University of Vermont, I still remember this. And my dad had been enlisted in the Coast Guard, and right after World War Two, but he taught me how to salute. And I was always just kind of enamored with that part of his life. And I saw a Coast Guard Academy booth at this fair. And I got really excited. I went back to my father who was at his booth for his college and I said, "Dad, I know where I want to go, I want to go to the United States Coast Guard Academy." And then, when I applied, they said, "Oh, you missed the application date for this year, you'll have to come next year." And I was not wanting to wait to go to college. Right? I was ready. And so they said, well, there's these other academies. And I went back and talk to my track and cross country coach, and he did some exploration for me. And he said, "What about the Air Force Academy?" And I said, "Where is that?" And they said, "Colorado," and I thought, okay, skiing, mountains, you know, running. And that really was, it was his kind of helping me search through, okay, if this isn't an option, you know, what are your other options? And it turned out to be serendipity, just a very good fit and very grateful to this day, you know, for his mentorship.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:07 Well, I was going to ask how the Air Force Academy came into the picture. And it was by chance from the US Coast Guard Academy timing being off.   Gen. Dana Born  09:16 It was meant to be, I think, and, you know, I've had fun, you know, with over the years certainly while I was the dean working closely with the leadership at the Coast Guard Academy, you know, just kind of puns you know, they've changed their application date, I think to be more aligned now, but it was it was funny in talking with them about that, but it worked out really for the better. Well, you're also aware I have a mixed family in terms of you know, having Marine Corps and Air Force and Navy and Coast Guard. So we're all really in the same profession.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:56 We went kind of back in the early childhood days, but you just about your family kind of having mixed roles in different services. What does that all look like?   Gen. Dana Born  10:05 Yeah, I actually just recalled, as you were asking that question, I thank you for digging deeper there, because I forgot to mention Army as well and certainly my brother in law was a West Point graduate.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:16 We did that for him.   Gen. Dana Born  10:19 So appreciate that. You know, it's interesting, because I did not other than my dad's Coast Guard service really did not have a lot of military in my family. And but when I met my now husband, who is a Naval Academy graduate, when we were assigned to the Pentagon, it opened up a whole like military side of the family, because he does have a brother that went to VMI, one that went to West Point, he went to the Naval Academy, his father was a WWII aviator, who retired from the Navy. And so I and my family was primarily all educators, right? So I must say that it was providence, right, to get to the dean of the faculty position where I think it was keeping both sides of the family happy the educators as well as blended military service. And then of course, we have two daughters who are serving now, and one of them is 2020, graduate from the Air Force Academy, whose IP instructor pilot in helicopters and our youngest, who's a Naval Academy graduate who is in the Marine Corps now and just heading over to serve in Okinawa for three years as a comm. strat. officer in the Marine Expeditionary Forces. So we are certainly in a family business of of military service.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:41 Ma'am, you just shared a little bit about your time at the Academy as dean, first female graduate to become dean and then you serve two terms. What was that like?   Gen. Dana Born  11:50 It's interesting, that you asked that question and, of your, I know your own background in working a lot of issues, particularly women in leadership issues in diversity, equity inclusion, I find it actually paradoxical to think of myself as kind of the, you know, the first female dean because it is a fact, I'm just really grateful that we have a currently serving dean who's also a female. And it's interesting, because we just want to fit in, right, and just be the dean. And yet, if we don't say female dean, then we're invisible. And so it really is paradoxical. Anytime you're a minority of having a an adjective that caveats or clarifies, you know, that your your role. So I recognize that, but I'm really just so thrilled that I had the opportunity, and again, through a lot of mentors, encouraging and supporting through that journey, because I think I like many others, particularly women, take ourselves out of the running, because we haven't seen somebody go into that kind of an authority position before that look like us or are like us. So it was really people telling me, you know, don't you think it's your duty, you know, to offer to serve in that capacity, you know, why take yourself out of the running, if the Air Force thinks you're the right person at the right time, and you're willing to, then it's your duty to put your name in. And, and that was really the thinking that drew me to apply. And I'm really glad to have had that opportunity, not just for one term, but for to, and to see that, you know, there's more behind me that are more, you know, diverse, that is really good for our Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:36 I'm glad you brought that up, because I actually struggled in asking that question for the similar reasons of saying first female to do something and at the same time, having been walking in those paths, understanding that sometimes people need to see people who have walked in those shoes that look like them, etc. So I'm glad that you kind of talked about the importance of recognizing those things, even though at the same time we see ourselves as I'm the qualified person to be doing this. So I appreciate you showing that.   Gen. Dana Born  14:01 It's hard to do though, too, because, you know, if you think about the generation of the first several classes to go through the academy, it was really a token time. I mean, I think we had 8.4% women that came in in our class. And so we didn't want to be seen as anything other than fitting in. And so it is hard for us also. And I remember when General Desjardins and I were serving together as the comm and the dean, right the first time you had two females in those two roles. And we had to kind of get over that. We had many conversations to say, hey, if the current population is wanting to have conversations, you know about women in the military, we need to have those conversations. Those are, you know, part of what we bring and it was and we had to listen a lot, right, because there was so much we didn't know about how the experience is similar and we're different for the now cadet, right, while we were in those positions.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:03 And that was actually one of the questions I had, from your experiences as a cadet, the highs and lows. And then what did that look like for you in the role then if dean, how did that change your perspective? Or, you know, looking at how you improved things, or made a difference?   Gen. Dana Born  15:17 I'm gonna go back to the highs and low question because the high was clearly meeting some of the most amazing, talented, diverse people that I had been exposed to, if you think about coming out of this small town, to the cadet wing that was twice the size, much more diverse representing countries around the world. I was, I was so in awe of look at who I'm here with, I was also very scared because we all got that, you know, warning that look left look, right, one, one or two of you aren't going to be there, right, at graduation. So it was a little, a little bit of a fire, right to say I better stay giving it my best, but I really think that's a high. And to this day, that's and even as the dean, it was always a wow moment to look around and see the incredible people that we got to be in the kind of common cause with and gave me great hope always for the future, both while I was a cadet and as the dean and now serving, you know, with the Air Force Academy Foundation, it's really inspiring and elevating, and provides hope during times that, you know, can be very daunting. The low, I would just want to get that out of the way, right? The low is always hard to talk about. But I think one of my low points, but it didn't last long. Because I I really had a love of flying, and a love of the air, I lost my pilot qualification probably because I was not studying properly. And, you know, my flashlight under my covers trying to pass that "EE" test or something. And so I did not have the opportunity to fly upon graduation. And that was hard. Because one the culture, you know, we're so oriented towards, "What you're, you're not going to fly?" And I couldn't, it was just not an option for me. And so I really just had to pivot in terms of what are the other needs and ways that I might be able to serve. But that that was a hard time to do that. And it was actually right before commitment. And so people were asking, you know, are you still gonna stay? And I thought, "Well, why wouldn't I am sure the Air Force has other, you know, ways to serve." So, but that was that was kind of a low. And I think another I don't know is if it's a low, but it might be one that I look back on. I was intercollegiate for 12 seasons. And so I had a whole lot of depth of really athletics, and really close friendships because of that, and a lot of travel to places I've never traveled to. But I also then think I didn't get as much breadth of experience of because time was so precious and trying to keep up academically. You know, and I think as I look back, you know, I had participated in theater when I was in high school, but I didn't have time for you know, Blue Bards or anything outside of really athletics and some of the military work that we got to do and keep up with academics and, you know, try to do well there and in my major.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:50 So ma'am you mentioned something about the pivot you had to make and you know, some of the disappointment that came with that. How did you kind of get to that positive headspace when your plan changed so dramatically.   Gen. Dana Born  19:02 It's hard for me to go back and put myself in what did it there. But I can think of examples like right now what comes to mind for me is the iRobot or the I don't know what how you refer to it, but those, you know, round circular vacuums that if yes, if they get up against a wall, they know that they're there to clean the floor, and they just find a redirect and they keep going. And that's sort of what I think it's been for me, you know, when you kind of stay oriented on your purpose and what you are passionate about. It's easy to not give up but to find another way. And that happened to me when I was fortunate enough to be in a PhD program sponsored by the Air Force Academy in the Air Force to go to Penn State University and right after my second year, the Air Force was downsizing and trying to provide opportunity for people to not have a commitment to school and to be able to basically give up that commitment and not come into the Air Force. And I got that letter that said, "Hey, you can you know, we're sorry. But right now we have an option if you'd like to, you know, get out of the Air Force, you can." And I remember thinking like, you've invested in me to be here for this PhD program. And, you know, I'm hopeful that there's something with this I can do for my Air Force. And so no, I don't want to get out. And so it was kind of like that same iRobot response of I'm here to do this. And so I'm going to figure out a pivot to be able to stay and contribute in a way that might be valuable.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:44 That is a great analogy, ma'am. That's fantastic. Well, I know this is not new to you, ma'am. Because with you're hosting other podcasts on leadership, there's questions that you know, our listeners love to learn about, that you're very familiar with. So I'd like to start with one that you ask often about leaders being born versus made. And I know your thoughts on this, that they are both born and made. But I'm hoping you might be able to share a little bit more about what led you to that perspective.   Gen. Dana Born  21:12 I think it's through mentorship and wise counsel, in early days, actually, and magnified through the time at the Air Force Academy, that that character is paramount in terms of us being effective humans. And it's also not enough, because you want to be a person of strong character that also has leadership, qualities that help influence for good. And I remember, during my time, even as the dean when we were developing the character and leadership center, and talking about do we call it the in because it used to be the Center for Character Development? Or do we call it the Center for Leadership Development? And are they the same, and I was fascinated with those conversations, because we really got to a point where it is both and and we need to call out character and leadership. Because we can have great, or I won't say great, but we can have leadership where people are able to influence but maybe not for good. And we can have character, but have people of great character that aren't able to mobilize the influence. And so I have just been, I guess, embracing that character and leadership aspect of our mission, primarily, from the time at the Air Force Academy to present day research and investment in teaching and working with executives, graduate students, undergraduates and boards.   Naviere Walkewicz  22:50 Was it would you say at the Air Force Academy is when you knew yourself to be a leader? Or, when did you have the desire to lead?   Gen. Dana Born  22:59 Interestingly enough, I think about that back at my small town of Penn Yan, New York, and some of that, I have to attribute to the fact that we didn't have many people. I mean, my school had 1,000 people but bused in from 20, or 30 miles in every different direction. And so the because the town wasn't that big, so we had a chance. Matter of fact, I was like, I was Miss Flying Club, you know, for the parade. I was, you know, the head of women's athletics for my school, I got to be on Student Council and be a treasure for my class, and, you know, captain of the cross country team and the track team, it really did stretch me into places that I might not have sought out myself. But people kind of put me in those positions, and then helped me to learn through those positions. But I must say, most of my learning was when things didn't go so well, you know, how come you know, people aren't buying into this, you know, motto. And, you know, what is the dynamic that's happening? You know, we're, we're fractured as a team, you know, how can we fix this? And so it was really through some of those friction moments that I probably learned the most and really loved the opportunity have an input and an influence?   Naviere Walkewicz  24:19 Can you share some of those because I think some of our listeners are certainly in parts of their leadership journeys, where they're, they may be facing some of those, you know, friction moments or their early parts of their leadership lessons. You know, what were some of the early lessons that you took on that you might share with them if they experience something like that?   Gen. Dana Born  24:38 I think what came to mind for me, more recent examples, clearly, because they're still pretty fresh. But what came to me when you were talking about maybe early years, was I think we're I may be let myself downs nd we're I didn't feel as though I did well enough to be considered a leader. Right? You have to, you know, it's the hero's journey. And I think that I've learned over the years that you don't need to be perfect as a leader. Quite the contrary, right people can relate and, and really be on their own development journey more when we are human and imperfect. And that took me a long time to really embrace because there is that pressure, right, that we feel like we have to be perfect. And we have to know so much, and do so well. And I think that that's, that's not people know that humans aren't perfect, right? So if you're coming across perfect, right? People look for the chinks in the armor. And the higher you are, the higher you fall. So I think that I had that experience at the Air Force Academy, I shared recently in a Sabre Society, talk that, you know, I had been a commander during 9/11, at Bolling, Air Force Base. And it really, I was so proud of how my unit did, and the people that were recognized for just excellence, and we were prepared, and we were responsive. And it was really exciting. And I chose to stay in and ended up at the Air Force Academy as a department chair. And I brought my same self and my same, you know, you know, command energy and I failed miserably in the first, you know, several months, we were going through the sexual assault and sexual harassment crisis, and I was being fairly directive, which worked well with the population I was leading in Washington, DC during 9/11 did not work as well, when you have a very small but mature, you know, mostly PhDs, professional faculty, that I needed to listen to more and not be directive, and it took not long, you know, for what we call it, the Air Force Academy, the blanket party for quite respectable people to come in and say, ma'am, this isn't working and to swallow that humility pill, and, and realize, okay, we need to, I need to adapt here, not lose myself, but adapt to this new environment and situation,   Naviere Walkewicz  27:11 Maybe you can share some of the best attributes that you've you've come across in leaders, because, you know, everyone leading from the authentic selves, brings it forward in their own ways. But what are some of the ones that you see time and true, and again, that are really spoken with you as best attributes?   Gen. Dana Born  27:27 I think what I have grown to really value is people who probably listen well, and who are curious, and, and I've, I've, I've also found people who see the individual in each person, like, what makes Naviere tick, what is it that's important to you personally, and professionally? You know, what are the ways that you are at your best, and that I think is, is really helpful. I also, I don't know why it just came to me, but I'm kind of led to share it is, I heard some great advice. When I was a younger officer, and for where people were not performing to expectations, instead of blaming the individual or feeling as though you know, they're no good, we need to their poor performer label and move them on. It's really better when we asked three questions, when somebody's not meeting, a standard, you know, have I been as a person, you know, leading? Have I been clear in the expectations? And if I have, then the next question is, have I prepared them? Or given them the right training? Or, you know, opportunity to be good at what I'm asking them to do? And then the third is, if the answer to the first two is I have, I did, then what else is happening in their lives that for whatever reason, they're not meeting, you know, the expectations or standards. And if there's nothing there, then you start the performance plan. But, that was, I think, when people are like giving you space to learn and grow and taking kind of a co collaborative ownership of performance. I've, I've, I've thrived in those situations more than and I hope people in my leadership have thrived in those situations more as well, because it is more of a approach that is a shared approach to getting the mission accomplished and taking care of people.   Naviere Walkewicz  29:38 That's an amazing nugget that you shared. I mean, I'm just I can think back throughout my career and times when I probably should have leveraged something like that, and I might have been more effective. Thinking about what pieces have I not maybe done as well or have I done those things, as you said, kind of do a reflective piece from a leadership perspective, to be able then to collaborate in a you know, a better way forward. That's awesome, ma'am. Thank you.   Gen. Dana Born  30:02 Yeah, I had a couple of terrible times of moral discernment, I would say, in decision making when those situations came up, particularly when, you know, you're having to make a decision where somebody's going to be incarcerated. And, you know, I, I had one of those situations where, you know, I was actually eight months pregnant, and the individual was a failure to show up for he was an honor guardsman failure to show for several funerals. And his, his wife was eight months pregnant. And here I was sitting, as you know, the summary court official having to decide if I'm going to throw, you know, him in a situation where he's absent from his family, and, you know, and what kind of financial, leeway will I have in order to help the family but still hold him accountable. And that was very, very difficult because of my own, you know, situation and empathy. But at the same time, it hit me during that decision that there are a lot of airmen who are not there for the birth of their kids or for special events and are deployed in harm's way. And they're doing the mission, not A.W.O.L.. And so I ultimately decided to, you know, incarcerate him for his failure to go and being A.W.O.L. and also try to protect with some leniency, his family situation.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:39 Leading with compassion, but always being accountable, ma'am, that's, it's tough. And I think, you know, we have many listeners that find themselves in those situations. And I've often been asked, you know, I'm a mom, how can I advance my career professionally, I have to do all these other things as well. And so maybe a question that I might tie to that a little bit. You know, how do you how did you balance, that compassion side of leadership and still be able to make some those difficult decisions in the moment? And you know, what would you share with others and how they might do that and think through things when it maybe feels a little bit too hard or too daunting?   Gen. Dana Born  32:15 It is very hard and is daunting. And you use the term balance, and I, I love the word balance. You know, I'm a middle child, and I'm a Libran. You know, I like balanced, but I have found balance to be very difficult. There's a term called. "balance is bunk." And I like that because it's anytime I feel like I've had anything in balance, it's about ready to go on tilt. And so I try to change out the word balance with the word integrate, that works better for me or Harmonize How do I bring together those things and the Airforce in the time that I was working at the in the Chief of Staff's personnel office came up with a motto, "People First in Mission Always," and it can be, "Mission First." And people always, but it's sort of like the chicken and the egg, they both actually go together. And they're very important. And so I think there's that keeping the both and in the integration of that is what helped me in some of those tough decisions. I mean, I remember having to take a security clearance away from a lieutenant colonel, for all the right reasons, but trying, you know, that person then was going to lose their position in the Air Force, because it required a security clearance. And, and it wasn't a situation that I put that person in, right, they put themselves in that position, but what I didn't want to do was deliver the news in a way that then the individual would feel like they have nothing left right to or would ultimately, you know, take their life, right, that always was present to say, uh, don't want this person to go away with anything other than, you know, your life is not over. But you know, this is a very serious trajectory that you have to decide how you're going to go forward from this point. And that was hard, very hard, but it's both people and mission that I think we have to embrace in the way that we carry on what we're responsible for, for our nation.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:25 Well, I think about you know, some of those stories that you shared and some of the experiences you had, I mean, you probably had to go home and, and your your network at home, your family was there with you through all of the journey. How has your family influenced you as a leader and maybe what role do they play in that?   Gen. Dana Born  34:40 I talked a lot with my family, like the time around the dinner table was really sort of transparency. And that bothered my children because I started to hear things back that I thought they shouldn't have to be hearing some of this, and so I also kind of drew inward and decided that that I, "Who can I talk with," right, because I don't want to bring work home, so to speak, that weighs down the family. I want to focus on them. And so I went through a period where I suffered in silence. And I think many leaders and many people, as particularly when you have, you know, security issues that you can't talk about certain things with others. I think we need to find a way and I ultimately did find someone that I could go to and say, I need some advice. And that was monumental, because it helped me understand that I had not been doing that with with great mentors. And I thought about it. And it shocked me that I was not asking for advice. And I thought, How do I feel like if Naviere or someone comes to me and ask for advice, I feel like, wow, if they think I have, yeah, exactly. They're including me, I have something to offer. They care about what I have to say. And so I really had an epiphany that said, I need to do that more. And I started to reach out. And in one case, I reached out to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, you know, having talked with the superintendent first. And it was phenomenal. Because I had such a different perspective on something I was ruminating over. And I thought Why did I wait so long?   Naviere Walkewicz  36:26 What advice would you give to some that are suffering in silence, and maybe can't see that next step? And to doing that what actually helped you to go seek help and ask for help or ask for guidance and mentorship?   Gen. Dana Born  36:39 I think recognizing, well, in some cases, vulnerability is a strength. And, you know, Brene Brown, who I really do love her work. And her, her, her YouTube or, you know, Netflix, a lot of great science and also practice, but she said, What makes you vulnerable, makes you beautiful. And I think that that is part of it is to recognize that, you know, we're all vulnerable, or we're all broken in maybe different places, right to quote some history. And so I think it connects us and builds trust when we are willing to be vulnerable. And I think it takes courage as well, to let ourselves be seen for all, you know, we have a saying that's warts and all. And, you know, to let ourselves be really fully seen,   Naviere Walkewicz  37:33 That resonates with so many people. I think a lot of times people when they're listening to podcasts, and they're, they're just trying to learn and get better in their professional career in their personal lives. Just a can take one little thing that someone really resonates with. And I think you sharing that bit about being reflective and not necessarily suffering in silence, but but looking for helping others I think is going to be really powerful for some. So thank you for sharing some of that.   Gen. Dana Born  37:56 I think the key takeaway is, is just building on what we just talked about, like if I had a foot-stomper, right from our Air Force Academy days, that's like, if you're starting to fall asleep, right? I use that at Harvard. And I'm like, "Does anybody know what foot stamper actually means?" It means, you know, this, is it pay attention. And I'm, I'm really motivated by the John F. Kennedy quote, "Leadership, well, learning and leadership are indispensable from each other." I think that if I were to say there's two really important takeaways, those for me have been, be curious, be more curious. And that is just really asking a lot of questions. Leaning into not judgment, but leaning into really digging into and trying to understand. And that gets us, I think, in a whole different place. That is a good place. And so I haven't always done that. Well, curiosity is like a growth mindset. And I think that is something that I really would recommend to our listeners, be more curious. And I think that's being helped by Chat GPT and Generative AI because it's all about the questions you ask. And, and then it kind of gets at what answers you get. And I think that's maybe training us to be, you know, more curious and careful in how we're asking and being curious. The other is courage. And you brought this up earlier, but I think courage, you know, the root word of courage is heart. And I think leading with your heart and leading with, like the recognition that things that are hard, make your heart rate go up. Courage, you know, our heart rate goes up when we're in danger physically, morally, psychologically. And I think leaning into that to where our heart rate goes up a little bit is how we learn and grow and how we basically can make positive change. So, those two things together, curiosity and courage, under the umbrella of learning and leading go, you know, they're indispensable to each other is the takeaway. I thought you might ask me like, you talked about purpose earlier. What is your purpose? What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning? And what is it that keeps you going through the tough times? And what is it at the end of your, you know, last breath that will have been your dash in your life, your purpose, your why, and mine actually is a simple phrase to myself. I use the term, "kick chocks", and "kick chocks" is, you know, the bricks in front of the wheel of the airplane, and when you're ready to go, you gotta get, gotta get rid of them, or you can't take off. But sometimes you have to kind of have the chocks there, to pause and to, you know, refuel and to do things. So kick chocks, to me has sort of been a way that I am channeled. Some call it your true north, or your Polaris, your compass, and it speaks to me because I can, I can go, go, go, go and never put chocks in front. I also can keep chocks in front of myself and, and limit myself and, and I'm passionate about what is it that somebody needs to have a break? You know? And when is it when somebody has got something in the way or team or organization that's holding them back? And how do I help identify that and kick chocks with them so we can take off. So, it speaks to me. But yeah, the purpose I think, purpose and passion and the individualization of that, so because everybody is so different comes from our life stories, and I love learning about people's purpose.   Naviere Walkewicz  41:51 General born, might you share with us, you know, maybe what you're reading, watching or listening to that's helped you develop your leadership skills.   Gen. Dana Born  41:59 I love to listen to everything. I mean, I am a listener, you know, we all know how we we learn best, I'm really auditory. So podcasts I pick up, I really do a lot with the Council on Foreign Relations. I do listen also to a lot of leadership podcasts, because I just find the whole topic of leadership fascinating for so many different approaches to what we think we're all talking about the same, it just really is expansive of my understanding. And I also now there are so many ways that you can have, you know, auditory books, and or listen to even academic journal articles. So usually, it's a treadmill thing to listen. And I just, I think that is my approach. I also I do like to read, and I think my favorite leadership book is going to shock you. But it's it's sort of got a nautical theme, I think, not an Air Force theme, but its endurance about Shackleton and Antarctica. And there's so many leadership lessons in that book, endurance is one of my favorites. And another one of my favorites is and they're both kind of historical, is Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, written in 1946. I've read that so many times, and he wrote it in nine days, but it's because he wrote it while he was a prisoner in the Nazi prison camp. And then he rewrote it after it was burned. And he was liberated. And it's just an amazing, timeless evergreen read about life and about leadership, about purpose about meaning. And then most recently, for a current one is True North, and that is emerging leaders by Bill George and Zack Clayton. And I just think that that is a great pedagogy of thinking about ourselves. Put our own oxygen mask on first so that we can better care for the mission and the people that are entrusted to us and the change we want to see in the world. So, that's a current reader TrueNorth for emerging leaders.   Naviere Walkewicz  44:24 It's been amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time, ma'am. It's been a pleasure and an honor.   Gen. Dana Born  44:28 It's a pleasure and an honor. And I thank all our listeners for listening in and we wish you well.   KEYWORDS Air Force Academy, leadership, people, Air Force, talk, family, dean, work, leader, serve, flew, cadet, Academy, Coast Guard Academy, recognized, years, terms, leading, long, podcasts       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

Today's episode on China Business Pain Points is 'How can an independent director in Hong Kong help you?'---------------------------Connect with Kristina Koehler-Coluccia, Head of Business Advisory at Woodburn Accountants & Advisors on LinkedIn here.---------------------------Thrive in China RoundtableGeared towards international companies selling to China who want to systemize & scale their China business. Each week Kristina Koehler-Coluccia hosts a complimentary deep dive into a market entry strategy or implementation guideline that will help you protect and grow your China business.If you are looking to create a solid foundation for your China business and learn how to grow and scale quickly then you can register here. ---------------------------Can Woodburn help you? I am offering a free 30mins call where we discuss the obstacles you are encountering on your China business journey and how we can help accelerate your success. Book a call here.

In light of the escalating threat of climate change, urgent action is paramount. But how do we not only address this pressing issue but do so with climate justice? How can we confront climate solutions head-on, ensuring equitable outcomes for all? And what simple yet impactful steps can each of us take to contribute positively to the cause? Join me in this episode as I delve into these critical questions with Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, a distinguished climate behavioral scientist and CEO of 'We Don't Have Time.' Dr. Sweta Chakraborty is a climate behavioral scientist who is regularly interviewed on major, international news media outlets like CNN, BBC, MSNBC, etc. Sweta is the CEO of North America for We Don't Have Time, the world's largest social media and communications company for accelerating climate solutions. She is a partner at Pioneer Public Affairs and is on the steering committee of the Global Commons Alliance. She is an Independent Director at Lightbridge Corp. where she chairs their ESG committee, and is on several advisory boards like the New York Academy of Sciences and Climate Power. She is a book author from her time as a postdoc at Oxford University. She is a TEDx, SXSW, and globally recognized keynote speaker and consultant for several Fortune 100 companies. Through our conversation, we'll explore strategies for fostering climate action that promotes justice and equity. Tune in now to gain valuable perspectives and take action towards a greener planet!

The award winning, Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. Looking for some hard-hitting insights on compliance? Look no further than Compliance into the Weeds! In this episode, Tom and Matt look at the Trump Organization Monitor and Independent Director of Compliance required in the trial court Order.  The topic of internal controls within the Trump Organization has recently come under scrutiny, with the need for improved financial practices and systems of accounting control becoming increasingly apparent. Tom views internal controls as the backbone of financial reporting and compliance. He points out the inconsistencies and errors in the Trump Organization's financial disclosures, emphasizing the need for accurate certifications and attestations about the organization's financial health. Similarly, Matt underscores the importance of consistent and accurate financial disclosures. He raises concerns about the lack of basic financial controls within the Trump Organization and sees the need for a significant overhaul of internal controls to ensure transparency, accuracy, and compliance with financial reporting standards. Both Fox and Kelly's perspectives are shaped by their extensive experience in the field of compliance and their understanding of the critical role internal controls play in maintaining financial integrity.  Key Highlights ·      Compliance Monitor's Oversight in Fraud Detection ·      Navigating Financial Compliance in the Trump Organization ·      Implementing Effective Accounting Control Systems at Trump ·      Enhancing Financial Integrity in the Trump Organization Resources Matt on Radical Compliance Tom   Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A civil fraud trial that implicated the Trump business empire culminated with a judge obligating the previous president, his kin, and associates to remit a hefty sum surpassing $350 million in damages. The legal decision further imposed a temporary halt on their business operations in the state of New York. The current verdict compelled both the former president and the Trump Organization to settle up in excess of $354 million in damages. More so, Trump was interdicted from acting in any official capacity within any corporate or legal entity in New York for three years. The ruling upheld the continued appointment of a third-party monitor while also necessitating the induction of an Independent Director of Compliance overseeing the company's affairs. The pinpoint issue of the Attorney General's case rested on inflated financial statements, which Trump and his high-ranking executives, namely his sons, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump, sidestepped, attributing the discrepancy to the accountants tasked with arranging these documents. Judge Arthur Engoron rebuffed this stand, with his judgment stating that it was ultimately the responsibility of the Trump Organization to ensure the veracity of the supplied data, pointing to both interested and non-interested witness testimonies reinforced by documentary evidence. The court further underscored the absence of any signs of regret or remorse in Trump and his executives once the fraud was uncovered, necessitating the need for impartial oversight. The Judge characterized the attitude of the defendants towards their alleged misdeeds as bordering on pathological. The crux of the issue was not considered a mortal sin, boiled down to allegations of inflating asset values to increase profits. But their inability and refusal to acknowledge or correct the error was a cause of deep concern for the court. This concern was viewed as an indicator that they would persist with this behavior unless restrained by judicial mandate. Additionally, the court verdict precludes Trump's sons, who were running the business during their father's presidential tenure, from holding any executive position in any New York corporation for two years. In response to the verdict, Trump Jr. expressed his views on social media, lamenting that political beliefs and case venues have become prominent outcome deciders rather than the case facts, expressing alarm at the state of the nation. Alina Habba, Trump's attorney, called the verdict a manifest injustice, expressing confidence that the appellate division would annul this egregious ruling, putting an end to what she termed as 'relentless persecution' against her clientele. A spokesperson for the Trump Organization expressed dismay at the ruling, labeling it as a gross miscarriage of justice, maintaining that the company has always been diligent in honoring their loan payments, and have never defaulted on any loan. This decision marks the second of its kind against Trump this year, coming on the heels of an $83.3 million verdict against him in the defamation case by the writer E.Jean Carroll. The judicial aftermath facing the former president does not end here. He is looking at a probable four criminal trials this year, with the first set to commence in a New York state court on March 25th. This is happening as his presidential campaign heads full throttle towards the upcoming November election. New York Attorney General Letitia James had claimed a sum of $370 million from Trump, his company, and top executives including his sons, accusing them of relentless and systematic fraud, involving forgery of business records and financial statements. She insisted that these financial statements were sometimes ratcheted up to the tune of $2.2 billion. The defendants, according to James, utilized these inflated financial statements to secure bank loans and insurance policies at privileged rates, pocketing ill-gotten gains in the running into several hundreds of millions. On the other hand, Trump defended his statements as prudent and dubbed the AG's allegations a politically stimulated fraud against him. Trump was deeply critical of the case during his appearance in court for the closing proceedings, vehemently maintaining his innocence. During the trial, the court sessions also included testimonies from Trump's older children, hearing out their views on this ruling. Trump's unbending stance and his constant critique of James and the judge compounded friction during the court sessions. His litany of complaints ranged from targeting Engoron, the judge, to casting a negative light on the judge's law clerk, an action which subsequently resulted in a flood of death threats against both the clerk and the judge. Trump was penalized with a $15,000 fine for twice contravening the court order. The alleged fraud instances brought up by the attorney general during the trial included stressed valuations of Trump's real estate assets. Such assets included his sprawling triplex home in Trump Tower in New York City and his golf courses, overvaluing their worth in financial statements. The misrepresentation of his signature residence and social club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, was a notable point of contention. It was appraised by the defendants at an amount between $426 million and $612 million. In stark contrast, the local county appraiser valued the property between $18 million and $27 million. Trump contested these figures during the trial, asserting that the true value of the property exceeded the judge's valuation by a substantial factor. Trump claimed that it was worth, according to his estimates, between one to one and a half billion dollars. The probe initiated into Trump's business activities began as a consequence of the testimony of Michael Cohen, his former personal attorney. This culminated into a lawsuit demanding $250 million in damages from Trump in 2022, followed by appointing a financial monitor for his company's finances in November that year. Real News Now Article Source: https://www.realnewsnow.com/ny-judge-orders-expresident-and-trump-business-empire-to-pay-up-350-million/ Follow RNN on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealNewsNowApp/ X Twitter: https://twitter.com/realnewsapp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realnews/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realnewsnowapp Threads: https://www.threads.net/@realnews/ Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@RealNews YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@realnewsnowapp End Wokeness: https://endthewokeness.com/?ref=fbc Medium: https://medium.com/@realnewsnow SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/realnewsnow Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/realnewsnow Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/realnewsnow/ Podcast: https://omny.fm/shows/merica-now-news-podcast Google: Real News NowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content Warning: In this episode of the podcast David Macdonald and I have a frank discussion of mental illness, depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal thoughts.If you are in Japan and want to talk to someone about these issues please consider contacting the Tokyo English lifeline at https://telljp.com/.Today on the podcast we have a very important conversation with David Macdonald about mental health challenges. Originally from Canada, David is CEO of an independent advisory and consulting firm, focused on supporting Japanese companies go global, and global companies come to Japan, especially in media and tech. Whilst in the corporate world David experienced some mental health challenges that led to a diagnosis of depression and then later bipolar disorder. In this episode David and I discuss what ikigai means to someone for whom simply getting out of bed in the morning is their reason to get out of bed.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. In this episode you'll hear:What brought David to Japan in the 90sWhat it was like for David to be succeeding in his corporate career while simultaneously experiencing depression and being diagnosed as bipolarThe importance of being honest at work and at home about the internal challenges you are facingAbout the work of a Japanese firm, Tech Doctors, using data from wearable devices to improve diagnoses and therapies for various illnessesWhat you can do if you think someone you know is experiencing a mental health challenge like depressionAbout David:David is CEO of an independent advisory and consulting firm, focused on supporting Japanese companies go global, and global companies come to Japan, especially in media and tech. David brings decades of international experience, including strategic leadership, general management, culture development and talent strategy, and a rich multicultural background.A Canadian native with formative years in Germany and the UK, David came to Japan in 1995. Armed with a BA (Honors) in History and Politics (International Relations) and an MSc in East Asian Business, he also holds several qualifications in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Governance, and Cross-cultural Leadership and Management, and is a strong advocate of mental health awareness in the workforce, and is very open with his own struggles with bipolar disorder.He helped pioneer NTT DoCoMo's non-Japanese team in 1999, with the i-mode mobile internet service. His trajectory included key roles at major media and tech brands like Disney, Google (YouTube), and Discovery as GM and President for Japan. Much of his work at Discovery focused on transformation, and post-merger with Warner Media, he steered the Discovery business and served as VP for Networks. He also serves as an Independent Director for Tokyo Prime traded KADOKAWA CORPORATION, as a member of the remuneration committee, and stewards diverse non-profits as a member of their boards.Things mentioned in the episode:David's TedXtalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_macdonald_let_s_talk_about_mental_healthConnect with David:Website: http://djmac.jpLinkedIn:

Dean Carter has been an innovative and industry-recognized leader of People and Culture for over two decades across Fortune 50, hot growth, and culture-driven organizations. He currently serves as the Chief People and Purpose Officer at GUILD Education, a career opportunity platform that enables forward-thinking employers to invest in their employees, unlocking life-changing opportunities for personal and professional growth through learning programs, career development, and one-on-one coaching; and also serves as an Independent Director for Griffith Foods, a high-growth sustainable food company.A former CHRO of Patagonia, Sears Holdings and Fossil Inc., Dean has also previously served in HR and management roles at Pier 1 Imports, Pearle Vision and Procter & Gamble. Dean's innovative perspectives on HR, go-big cultures, and employee experiences have been featured in leading media including The Economist, Harvard Business Review, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and various other books and national publications.Connect with Dean Carter on LinkedInLearn more about Guild's CHRO Compass

Jennifer is the founder of the Vegan Women Summit (VWS), a media and events platform of over 60,000 women founders, investors, and advocates. She is the author of the bestselling book The Future of Food is Female, the world's first book focused on women in alternative protein. Jennifer is an Independent Director of Natural Order Acquisition Co, a publicly-traded company focused on sustainable protein. She built her career under Ron Conway, Founder of SV Angel. Jennifer worked as the industry's leading lobbyist for the world's largest tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Meta.

Jennifer is the founder of the Vegan Women Summit (VWS), a media and events platform of over 60,000 women founders, investors, and advocates. She is the author of the bestselling book The Future of Food is Female, the world's first book focused on women in alternative protein. Jennifer is an Independent Director of Natural Order Acquisition Co, a publicly-traded company focused on sustainable protein. She built her career under Ron Conway, Founder of SV Angel. Jennifer worked as the industry's leading lobbyist for the world's largest tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Meta.

In this week's episode of The Industrial Real Estate Show I was pleased to be joined by world renowned economist KC Conway. Here's what we discussed: 0:00 - Introduction 0:28 - How has the real estate market held up so well? 5:15 - Why did the Feds change their minds so quickly? 9:30 - What happens with interest rates in 2024 18:04 - Commercial real estate market in 2024 23:45 - Deal volume next year 31:02 - What's driving industrial real estate demand? 37:16 - Ocean port markets vs Inland port markets 41:01 - The development market 45:45 - The importance of electricity for site selection 50:19 - Black swan events in industrial real estate 56:16 - Lightning round! About KC: * 35 years commercial real estate experience (30 private industry; 5 within Federal Reserve system 2005-2010). currently available for consulting, speaking & litigation support. * MAI since 1989; Counselor of Real Estate (CRE designation) since 2009, and CCIM designee in 2020. * Independent Director, Monmouth MREIC (Sept 2018 to present). MREIC.com is a top performing industrial REIT specializing in Logistics HQ in Holmdel, NJ - check out Fall 2020 REIT magazine for Monmouth MREIC profile and history). * Prior - Director of Research and Corporate Engagement at AL Center for Real Estate (ACRE) at Culverhouse College of Business, University of AL (Oct 2017 - Oct 2020). * Chief Appraiser & Sr. Market Intelligence Officer SunTrust Bank 2014-2017. * Chief Economist Colliers | United States 2010-2014 and author of North American Port, Industrial and Office Outlook reports 2012-2014. * 2007 recipient of the Appraisal Institute's President's Award * 2009 recipient of "Key Player" Award from the Atlanta Federal Reserve. * 2010 recipient of "Superior Contributions" Award by the FFIEC - Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. * CRE Risk Specialty Officer - NY FED during Financial Crisis 2009-2010. * Briefed Federal Reserve's Board of Governors & Chairman Bernanke in June 2007 on the coming real estate crisis. * Nationally recognized expert and speaker on a wide range of commercial real estate topics ranging from appraisal and bank regulation to ports and securitization. * Expert witness in prominent cases. * Instructor and frequently requested speaker to bank regulatory entities, academic, professional organizations and industry associations, such as the Appraisal Institute, Counselors of Real Estate, CCIM, APTC, ICSC, NAIOP, NAR, RLI, RMA, SIOR, ULI, as well as bank regulatory agencies. Connect with KC: Website: https://kcnomicsllc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kc-conway-mai-cre-10320812 --

Today we were very fortunate to host Fernando Oris de Roa for an insightful discussion on Argentina and the recent dramatic election result there. Fernando served as the Ambassador of Argentina to the United States in 2018 and 2019 is currently an Independent Director of Allkem. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader in Argentina and earned his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. With the country's recent election of political newcomer Javier Milei as President, we were thrilled to visit with Fernando and explore the implications of the new presidency for Argentina and Latin America at large. Fernando first shares his perspective on the political landscape in Argentina, the significance of Milei's win, the libertarian philosophies Milei will bring to office, and reactions within the Argentine business community. We explore Milei's announced and other potential key players in a new government, the United States's cautiously supportive stance thus far, the nation's vast energy and economic opportunities, the issue of dollarization, geopolitical considerations with neighboring countries, and China's growing influence in Latin America. We also discuss the current investment climate in Argentina, the potential for expansion in the mining sector, Fernando's recommended short-term goals for the nation, including stabilizing inflation, the potential for sweeping budget cuts to reduce the size of government, and much more. In our conversation with Fernando, we began to wonder if a good analogy to Milei's win is Lech Walesa in Poland or Vaclev Havel in Czechoslovakia, instead of the often repeated “Trump of Argentina” comparison. It's perhaps too early to tell but a rejection of socialism and government control has clearly happened. We ended by asking Fernando for his ten-year view for Argentina. It was an insightful discussion and we greatly appreciated hearing his insights. Mike Bradley kicked us off by indicating that 10-year bond yields plunged ~20bps and are now trading at a 3-month low of 4.2%. He noted that bond traders are betting the FED is done hiking rates and could soon be cutting due to a growing consensus of a U.S. “soft landing.” He highlighted a couple of rumblings stemming from the COP 28 conference and noted pleas from some more vocal individuals on a more aggressive phase out of coal & other fossil fuels, on the other hand, there was also constructive dialogue for a more aggressive nuclear buildout and more stringent methane monitoring. He highlighted that broader equity markets continue to trade sideways, are technically overbought (post a 10% rally off October lows) and that near-term trading caution is warranted. He highlighted that WTI price traded down to ~$72/bbl. (-$2-$3/bbl.) this week and really needs to hold technical support levels of $72.50/bbl. He further noted that crude price weakness is due both to CTA contract liquidation and physical weakness, which has pushed crude curves into contango from long-held backwardation. He also discussed that the recent OPEC+ meeting concluded with Russia/Saudi extending 1.3mmbpd of cuts, a handful of OPEC+ members agreeing to a 0.9mmbpd “voluntary” cuts through Q1'24, but that traders also remain unconvinced for most of these voluntary OPEC+ cuts, which has pushed crude traders into “show me” mode. He rounded out by highlighting Javier Milei's win of the Argentinian Presidency rallied the Argentinian stock market by 40% on early optimism that he might contain runaway inflation and further open up the oil & gas and mining industries. Jeff Tillery also joined for the exciting discussion with Fernando. Fernando was a fantastic guest and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. Our best to you all. Tomorrow evening marks the start of Hanukkah… so a “Happy Hanukkah” to everyone just a bit early.

Synopsis: Bernard Coulie is the President and CEO of Pliant Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics that seek to halt progression of fibrotic diseases — ultimately preserving organ function. Bernard discusses the arc of his career and shares his perspective on the European biotech ecosystem compared to the United States, and how that's changed over the last 10 years. He talks about the importance of having access to lots of capital in the early days of starting a company. He discusses fibrotic disease, the high medical need to treat it, and the indications they are pursuing. Finally, he discusses the challenges of focusing on multiple therapeutic areas and the advice he would give to others. Biography: Pliant CEO Bernard Coulie, M.D., Ph.D., brings to the company more than 15 years of senior leadership experience and drug development expertise. He joined Pliant from ActoGeniX (acquired by Intrexon Corporation in February 2015), where he was CEO, Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder. In these positions, Dr. Coulie played an integral role in advancing the company's unique technology platform for oral delivery of biologics from early discovery stage through Phase 2 studies. Prior to ActoGeniX, Dr. Coulie held various positions with increasing responsibilities in drug discovery and clinical development at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development Europe. At Johnson & Johnson, he served as Therapeutic Area Leader Internal Medicine, managing a portfolio of products in GI, metabolic diseases and inflammation/immunology, ranging from early drug discovery through Phase 2 studies. Earlier in his career, Dr. Coulie was a Staff Physician in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), Assistant Professor in Medicine at Mayo Medical School and a Mayo Foundation scholar. Dr. Coulie serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of SQZ Biotechnologies, a publicly-traded cell therapy biotechnology company, as Independent Chairman of Dualyx, a privately-held biotechnology company based in Belgium and as an Independent Director at Calypso Biotech, a privately-held biotechnology company based in the Netherlands. Dr. Coulie holds an M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is a board-certified internist and holds an MBA from the Vlerick Management School, Leuven, Belgium.

Susan Chapman-Hughes has quite an impressive resume. Currently, she consults with several Fortune 1000 C-Suite leaders as they embark upon transformation and try to change their organization. She's the co-host of “Navigating the Work Compass” every Wednesday at Noon EST on LinkedIn Live, and is the author of the upcoming book Why Should I Follow You, which is a primer on connected leadership. And today's conversation really dives into what Susan thinks are best practices when it comes to leadership, specifically around empathetic leadership and the power that comes with empathy. She's an Independent Director of the JM Smucker Company, where she serves on the Compensation Committee. She's also an Independent Director of Toast and chair of the Compensation Committee over there. Previously, she served as an Independent Director at Potbelly Corporation, where she led both the Compensation and Audit Committees. She most recently was the Executive VP and GM of Global Digital Capabilities, Transformation, and Operations in the Global Commercial Services Division at American Express, where she led the digital transformation of customer experience and drove the use of big data, predictive analytics, and machine learning to power business strategy.   Susan had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “Writing a book is probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life” (5:55). “The power of growing great leaders was really the key to success for me in business” (6:45). “I always had to lean on the talents skills of the people around me” (7:05). “Being an empathetic leader gave me this leg up” (7:15). “Everybody's role is important, and I think sometimes we forget that” (9:05). “The bigger your organizations get, the more you realize the key to leadership is really around how you connect with people, how can you galvanize them around the strategy and the ideas that you want to work towards, how can you empower them to go and execute, can you have shared goals and shared interests, and can you create a situation where conflict can be resolved constructively for the good of the organization? And that all starts with trust” (9:15). “Well-meaning doesn't always translate into empathetic” (10:00). “The pandemic showed us the difference between leaders who connect with their folks and leaders who don't” (10:55). “[Going towards hard things] is a part of who I am” (12:35). “Being a black CEO of a company was not a thing when I was young” (13:40). “[I do hard things] because I have a passion for learning” (15:00). “When you push yourself out of your comfort zone and you try to work on things that you're not good at, in situations where the stakes are really low, it actually creates a tremendous opportunity for growth in a way that's not hurtful to you” (17:45). “What can I give to be impactful with the things I've been gifted with?” (20:45). “I have to role model what integration looks like for [my daughter] so that as she gets older and wants to pursue her passions and her dreams, she feels like her choices don't have to be binary” (30:20). “My role as a parent is not to inform or impose my will on [my daughter], it is actually to help figure out what it is she wants and help her to guide that in a way that will impact the world” (31:40). “Motherhood is the hardest job I've ever had, and it changes every day” (34:20). “Being a parent forces you to have to be flexible” (36:25). “The tenets of leadership aren't hard, but the commitment to doing it takes effort and engagement” (42:30). “Come as coachable” (46:50). “I'd much rather have someone who's pretty good who's willing to learn and grow, who's open and coachable, who's always going to be thinking about the team, than somebody who's just brilliant and can't get along with anybody” (47:15). “The leaders who I respect the most are the ones who saw me, who understood who I was, what I was trying to accomplish, were not intimidated by that, could appreciate who I was as a person, and really worked hard to help me” (48:00). “The reason why I'm self-aware is because I seek [feedback], I'm always looking for [it]” (48:50). “The more you can prepare an organization to be a change absorber and to integrate, the more likely you're going to be to have people who connect and want to be there” (51:45). “Staying humble but being decisive is very important [as a CEO]” (52:30). “You can be [compassionate to people] and yet not know what they actually need” (1:00:50).   Additionally, you can find Susan's website here and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn as well. Thank you so much to Susan for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

On this episode, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Keki Mistry, Independent Director at HDFC bank. In 1981, Mr. Mistry joined HDFC Ltd. Over the years he held several responsibilities, prior to being inducted onto its Board as Executive Director in 1993. He was appointed as the Managing Director in 2000, as the Vice Chairman & Managing Director in October 2007 and the Vice-Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation with effect from January 1, 2010. Mr. Mistry was also non-executive Chairman of HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited.As a part of the management team, Mr. Mistry has played a critical role in the successful transformation of HDFC into India's leading Financial Services Conglomerate by facilitating the formation of companies including HDFC Bank Ltd., HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd., HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. (earlier known as HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd) and HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd.Besides being on the board of several HDFC Group companies, Mr. Mistry is also on the Boards of Tata Consultancy Services and Torrent Power Ltd, Griha Investments – Mauritius, Griha Pte ltd – Singapore, and Flipkart Pvt. Ltd, Singapore. Mr. Mistry is also a strategic advisor for all financial services ventures of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group. Mr. Mistry is on various committees, prominent amongst them being Member of Primary Market Advisory Committee (PMAC) constituted by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Chairman of the CII National Council on Corporate Governance. He was also a Member of Corporate Governance Committee constituted by SEBI.In this conversation you will learn about the intricacies of corporate Governance, the role of auditors, aspects of mortgages, the regulatory system in India and much more. TCR: Weekend Edition with Keki Mistry on YoutubeFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin | Youtube | Telegram

Recent research suggests mortgage borrowers are facing the highest housing costs relative to income since at least 1984, slashing the amount of cash they have spare to spend in the community.  Effie Zahos is known for making complex financial concepts simple and accessible to all Australians.  Effie is Editor-at-Large at Canstar, sits on the board of Ecstra Foundation, and is an Independent Director of InvestSMART.  You can subscribe to the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/e7C8akgj.  Join the Facebook Group. Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can leaders in today's environment pioneer new forms of workplace interaction, mentoring, performance management, and role-modeling in order to create inspired, high-performing, connected teams across the organization? What lessons can we draw from nature and apply it to the way we deal with human nature? What kind of organization might we create if we integrate work, life and play, to both live happier lives and get closer to our peak potential? Find out from industry-recognized leader of People and Culture, Dean Carter, ex-CHRO Patagonia, in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast.Dean Carter has been an innovative and industry-recognized leader of People and Culture for over two decades across Fortune 50, hot growth, and culture-driven organizations. He currently serves as the Chief People and Purpose Officer at GUILD Education, a career opportunity platform that enables forward-thinking employers to invest in their employees, unlocking life-changing opportunities for personal and professional growth through learning programs, career development, and one-on-one coaching; and also serves as an Independent Director for Griffith Foods, a high-growth sustainable food company. A former CHRO of Patagonia, Sears Holdings and Fossil Inc., Dean has also previously served in HR and management roles at Pier 1 Imports, Pearle Vision and Procter & Gamble. Dean's innovative perspectives on HR, go-big cultures, and employee experiences have been featured in leading media including The Economist, Harvard Business Review, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and various other books and national publications.In this episode, Dean reveals:- A seminal lesson we can draw from nature and apply it to the way we treat people to create inspired, high-performing, connected teams across the organization- How to create experiences at work and in life that leads to joy and fulfillment instead of stress and exhaustion- A proven approach to get everyone to show up as their authentic selves at work, and bring out their best selves in both epic and everyday situations

The Honorable “Bill” Flores is an entrepreneur, business visionary, and public policy leader. In early 2021, he transitioned from public service to reengage in the private sector through board membership, as well as to invest more time with family and community activities. For 10 years, Congressman Flores served in the US House of Representatives from 2011 and 2021 – serving on a number of high-level committees.Bill currently serves as Independent Director and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).Bill has a BBA with Honors in Accounting from Texas A&M University in College Station and an MBA from Houston Christian University. He is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Texas and as a FAA Instrument-Rated Pilot. Bill is a proud ninth-generation. He is married to Gina; they have two adult sons, Will and John; and four wonderful grandchildren. Gina and Bill reside in Bryan, Texas.Chasing What Matters Instagram

Join hosts Josh Lowrey and Dan Pickering in a captivating conversation with Angela John, Independent Director on the Board of Directors (TSX: PKI) at Parkland Corporation, on this episode of The Energy in Transition Podcast. Explore the exciting prospects of the energy landscape as Angela shares her passionate and pragmatic approach to Energy Transition. Delve into the transformative power of AI as Angela discusses its potential to revolutionize renewable energy optimization, grid efficiency, and predictive maintenance. Experience her unwavering passion for driving change in the industry, and discover her well-informed thoughts on carbon tax and markets, exploring their role in incentivizing emission reduction and fostering innovation.  Tune in and become a part of the conversation that is driving the future of energy. Thank you to our sponsors: Pickering Energy Partners https://pickeringenergypartners.com/ Energy Workforce & Technology Council https://energyworkforce.org/ Preng & Associates https://www.preng.com/ ClearSync Soltuions  https://www.csyncs.com World Oil https://worldoil.com For more information on the production of this podcast, visit https://uprightdigital.com/

Two words saved an entire company.Discover how CEO Amy Amick used a simple catch phrase to transform a company that was losing customers and money into one that leads the industry. She distilled her vision into two words that inspired employees from the corner office to the front lines. You'll also learn a great strategy to clarify and communicate your own leadership in a powerful way.Amy is the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer at Aspirion. She's served in the healthcare technology industry for almost 30 years and is fiercely committed to being a force that makes healthcare BETTER. For over two decades, Aspirion has helped healthcare providers maximize their hospital revenue recovery by focusing on their most challenging reimbursements.Amy also served as President and Chief Executive Officer at SPH Analytics, President at MedAssets / nThrive, and held senior leader positions with Allscripts, Microsoft, and M*Modal. She also serves as an Independent Director and Board Member at Experity and Pendrick Healthcare Partners.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-amick-5945255/Company Link: http://www.aspirion.com/What You'll Discover in this Episode:The crucial first step: What she prioritizes in her first week on the job.The benefits of taking a long-term approach to your career.Her proven method for balancing work and life.Prioritizing the essentials: Why leading with 'What Matters Most' is critical.What she does to boost productivity.The power of visuals and narrative: How leaders can communicate effectively.How leaders should use imagery and storytelling to communicate.The moment she found her authentic leadership style.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Shari talks with Dan Bayston, Independent Director, and longtime friend. They discuss Dan's career, what retirement looks like, Dan's involvement on private Board of Directors, being board chair of Sacred ...

Matt McConnell is an accomplished global CEO, COO, Entrepreneur, Community Leader, Board Chairman, Independent Director, and Fortune 50 Senior Executive with over 33 years of experience driving profitable revenue growth through the commercialization of technology. He joins us today to share some insight on his career path and his intake on negotiation, advocating for yourself, and leverage.Tune in to this interesting conversation where Matt shares the strategies he's used that have made him the great leader he is today. We also discuss corporate politics and how they've shaped him along the way and why it is so important to always advocate for yourself.A look at what we talked about:[00:01:40] Meet Matt McConnell.[00:04:40] Matt McConnell's leadership skills.[00:06:56] Corporate politics and how they shaped him.[00:10:37] Having an objective perspective in the workplace.[00:13:14] Gaining confidence over time.[00:15:20] Creating opportunities for yourself.[00:16:50] Advocate for yourself all the time.[00:22:04] Keeping yourself open to receiving feedback.[00:24:04] Matt McConnell's way to being a leader.[00:27:10] Matt McConnell's take on leverage.[00:31:30] The hack to a good relationship.Connect with Matt McConnellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mcconnellmatt/_____________________________________________________Ready to continue your professional growth? Here are a few resources for you: Get my Book: The Art of Everyday Negotiation without Manipulationhttps://susietomenchok.com/buy-the-art-of-everyday-negotiation Join my Newsletter: The Monday Minutehttps://susietomenchok.com/email-list-opt-in Hire me: Learn More About my Serviceshttps://susietomenchok.com/servicespage Connect with Me: Find me on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susietomenchok/

Annually observed in March, Women's History Month recognizes the contributions and achievements made by women. This episode highlights three leading woman driving transformation in the board room. ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. This podcast celebrates Women's History Month and recognizes the contributions and achievements made by women. ClimeCo, which powers this podcast, believes that supporting Women's History Month and International Women's Day aligns with its core values, particularly that of Stewardship. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is integral to our culture. Encouraging all employees to use their unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to help advance business outcomes and foster a culture where everyone feels their viewpoint is valued. We #EmbraceEquity for women and endeavor to provide a platform to share best practices on how we can all contribute to gender equity. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh moderates an inspiring conversation with three accomplished female board members; Kay McCall, Chair of the Board of The Flexitallic Group & Renewable Energy Alliance plus Independent Director of EDP Renewables, Mary Ricciardello, Independent Director of Eagle Materials & ProPetro Services, and Alejandra (Ale) Veltmann, Independent Director of California Resources Corporation. Listen as they foster the shift in gender representation in the board room and share their career stories. They advise women on how to pursue board work and understand the potential role of a 'pioneer' as boards continue to diversify.. If you are interested in serving on a board r, we hope these conversations propel you into action. Boards need diversity of thought – they need you! Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you're notified of our vodcast episodes! Don't forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode!

⭐ My guest today is Bryan Hassin, CEO of DexMat, a next-gen climate tech materials company that transforms carbon from an expensive environmental problem into high-value, high-performance nanomaterials, targeting 2-3 gigatons of GHGs reduced through its solutions. --- In addition, Bryan is also: - Former co-founder and CEO of Third Derivative, the world's largest climate tech accelerator, which has catalyzed $500M+ of investment in 100+ gigaton-potential climate tech startups - Former Entrepreneur In Residence at RMI - Serial entrepreneur with $350M+ of exits to date - Independent Director for Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp., a climate-focused SPAC with a $210M market cap ---

For this episode of the eCom Logistics Podcast, we welcome Dusty Holcomb, CEO of Red Stag Fulfillment. Today, Dusty drills into everything about increasing client value. He talks about how he quickly found a common mission with Red Stag in being people-focused, client-centric, and having a get-stuff-done mindset.Dusty discusses how being people-first is also a strategy for a business's longevity and becoming a 3PL partner that people want to work with. He then focuses on creating a customer experience by doubling down on areas of expertise and gives technical and financial considerations if you are planning on going big and bulky. ABOUT DUSTYDusty Holcomb, an exemplary executive with a 20+ year senior leadership career, is passionate about building innovative and high-performance leadership teams. He is known for solving complex competitive challenges and being able to “connect the dots” between what currently exists and what can and should exist in the future. He has leveraged these skills to reimagine products, services, and systems utilizing his extensive expertise in leadership, technology, and logistics. Dusty is known for his deep belief in the value of creating a differentiated customer experience as the primary driver of predictable recurring revenue growth.As the CEO of Red Stag Fulfillment, a rapidly growing third-party ecommerce fulfillment and logistics services provider, Dusty has a breadth of experience in logistics, strategic governance, and the navigation of dynamic and fast-moving industries. Throughout his extensive career, Dusty held numerous roles at AAA, a multi-billion-dollar organization, including VP Operations, CMO, President, Head of Innovation, and more.Dusty is Board experienced, currently serving as an Independent Director and compensation committee member for HeroWear Exo, an innovative wearable technologies company. Additionally, he has given back to six different non-profit organizations during his career. He enjoys educating CEOs and leaders on the value of building exceptional and intentional customer experiences as a speaker. He is available for select private or public company engagements.Dusty earned a BBA in Business Administration from Columbus State University, and later completed the MBA program at Auburn University. He also completed the Advanced Management program at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Dusty is an active member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). He resides with his family in Knoxville, TN, is an avid sportsman, triathlete, and 5-time Ironman Finisher. HIGHLIGHTS03:45 Joining Red Stag due to a desire to create client value09:51 Be forward-thinking and see through a client-centric lens14:25 What makes a good 3PL partner19:11 A culture that people come first28:39 Do big and bulky if inventory load balance is your expertise QUOTES15:18 Create client value by removing the logistical hassle from customers - Dusty: "I think it really comes down to a mutual alignment of what value creation is. And so what I mean by that is I think a brand has to understand what their core competencies are, and they have to understand the value that they are creating for their customer. And what is debiting that value? So our mission statement as an organization is to do the heavy lifting of e-commerce so our clients can focus on what they do best."26:10 Your core values will enable technical competencies - Dusty: "There are certain core values that are absolute buzz saws. And if you run into that one, it's a buzz saw. You're not gonna make it here if you just don't believe that. So looking for people that are core-value-focused, are people-focused, they understand that what we do is done through the hard work of people, who have a get-stuff-done bias or just GSD, it was get it done, and are client-centric. So it was kind of four big buckets of things that I'm looking for that transcends or enables technical competency." Find out more about Dusty in the links below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustyholcomb/Website: https://redstagfulfillment.com/

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight we feature the panel that North American Ag's Chrissy Wozniak moderated at the FIRA USA conference in October.The topic "Robotics business models and the maintenance of computer based equipment" is an important one for the future of agriculture. Without a profitable business model, ag tech is useless. Hear this group discuss the challenges and opportunities in the ag-tech space. The panel featured:Ben Alfi - Co-Founder & CEO Blue White RoboticsBen is a seasoned combat pilot working for more than ten years on Unmanned Systems in the IAF. In his 25 years in the IDF, Alfi served in various positions. He is an expert in testing, certifying, and operating autonomous systems for any application and an artist in bringing complicated ideas to reality. In 2017, after retiring from the IAF, Alfi founded Blue White Robotics, an innovative and leading autonomous system company. Blue White Robotics provides Robot as a Service - a complete solution for seamless and efficient adoption of autonomous technologies. Bartley Walker -  President Pacific Ag RentalsBartley was born and raised in the Salinas area, and earned a bachelor's degree in Ag Management and Marketing from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Bartley joined his father in a new business venture called Pacific Ag Rentals in 2001. From the initial start of 2 tractors, now the fleet has grown to over 3,500 pieces of equipment, serving growers across a million acres of farmland across the US and Mexico. In 2017 they refined the company's focus on supporting new technologies that make a positive impact in ag, allowing smaller farmers to have access to the latest tech.Matt Hart Lead Engineer Betteravia FarmsMatt Hart is the lead engineer for Betteravia Farms and its sister companies.  His primary objective has been developing and implementing innovative technologies and practices for all aspects of the farming operation.  Matt is a graduate of the Bio-Resource and Agricultural Engineering program at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo.  He has grown up around agriculture and has been working on agricultural equipment for the last eighteen years.  Jennifer Edney President Edney Distributing Co., Inc.Jennifer Edney is the President and Visionary of Edney Distributing Company. She's been with the Company for nearly 15 years with prior experience in Retail and Financial Services.  Edney Distributing Company, Inc. is a wholesale distributor of high quality equipment focusing on agricultural, lawn and turf maintenance, forestry, and light industrial serving the upper Midwest region of the United States.Steven Saunders CEO Robotics PlusSteven has 35 years' experience in the Horticultural sector and is the founder, owner of the Plus Group of companies, which specialize in horticulture management, orchard ownership, propriety fruit varieties, Steven is the co-founder of Newnham Park Innovation Centre in Tauranga New Zealand, an active Angel investor, a Director of many privately-owned companies and tech startups. He is also an Independent Director for Agrigate, a foundingSponsored by Tractors and Troubadours:Your weekly connection to agriculture industry newsmakers, hot-button industry issues, educational topics, rural lifestyle features and the best in true country music. Brought to you by Rural Strong Media.Listen now at https://ruralstrongmedia.com/tractors-and-troubadours/ Lasso helps the cattle sector decrease its emissions and farms receive the recognition and real dollars they deserve by doing so.Our platform will play a key role in making cattle farming carbon neutral and financially sustainable, eliminating nearly 15% of total global warming potential.Visit https://agr.fyi/lasso to learn more.

Bob stops by The Business Brew to discuss his early career, what he has learned over his career, investing in cyclical businesses/industries, and his biggest investment "loser." This conversation is filled with good lessons and we hope you enjoy. Robert Robotti is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Robotti & Company. Prior to forming Robotti & Company, Incorporated in 1983, Bob was a vice president and shareholder of Gabelli & Company, Inc. He worked in public accounting before coming to Wall Street and is currently an inactive CPA. Bob holds a BS from Bucknell University and an MBA in Accounting from Pace University. Some of Bob's areas of coverage include Special Situations, Energy Industry and Home Building. Bob is the principal of the managing member or general partner of several investment vehicles. Bob currently serves on the Board of Directors of a NYSE-listed real estate company, AMREP Corporation, located in Germantown, PA; as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pulse Seismic Inc., a seismic data licensing business located in Calgary, Alberta; as an Independent Director of PrairieSky Royalty, a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company located in Calgary, Alberta, having one of the largest portfolios of sub-surface mineral rights in western Canada; as a recently elected Director of NYSE-listed Tidewater, Inc. which owns and operates one of the largest fleets of OSVs (Offshore Support Vessels) in the industry; and was previously on the Board of Directors of BMC Building Materials Holding Corporation, prior to the completion of its merger with Stock Building Supply Holdings, Inc. on December 1, 2015; and Bob had served on the Board of Panhandle Oil & Gas Company, a NYSE-listed diversified mineral company located in Oklahoma City through May 1, 2020. In addition, he serves on the Boards of many non-profit organizations where he generously donates his time and expertise. Previously, Bob was a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Advisory Committee on Smaller Public Companies, established to examine the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other aspects of the federal securities law. This episode is sponsored by Stratosphere.io. Stratosphere.io is a fantastic web based research terminal for company specific metrics like KPIs and segment revenues. Head over to Stratosphere.io to try the product for free OR use the promo code BREW for 15% off Stratosphere's premium product. Detailed Show Notes Below: 3:20 - Bob's early career 6:35 - How Bob ended up as CFO of Gabelli and Company 10:25 - Bob's evolution as an investor 14:25 - How tough times create better businesses and Builder's FirstSource discussion 18:20 - Holding equities and Bob's biggest loser 29:50 - Why earnings drive liquidity 31:20 - How Bob implements his takeaways from his biggest loser 33:20 - Why Bob got excited about the Revenge of the Old Economy in 2020 35:20 - The case for Olin Corp 43:50 - How Bob's “margin of safety” comes from his portfolio company's asset bases 45:50 - Bob's energy outlook; this is an around the world oil discussion that lasts ~11 minutes 1:02:20 - Why reshoring makes sense 1:04:30 - Did Volker really succeed? 1:05:20 - Why China is no longer deflationary 1:09:20 - The nuance of selling 1:11:20 - The potential perils of linear thinking