Jim Lindstrom - Lessons from Being a 3x CEO - EP.245

Ep.245: Alex (@aebridgeman) is joined by James Lindstrom (@James-Lindstrom).

The episode features Jim Lindstrom, a seasoned CEO with experience in leading companies like IES, Providence Service Corp and Verdian. The discussion covers his experiences with accelerating company growth, executing turnarounds, managing balance sheets, and strategic value creation. Jim shares insights on governance, operations, capital allocation, team alignment, and business simplification, drawing from his extensive experience in various leadership roles.

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Learn more about Alex and Think Like an Owner at https://tlaopodcast.com/

Links:

James on LinkedIn

Verdian Insights

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:03:55) - Is there a model you try to follow as a new CEO in the early days?

(00:07:26) - Identifying problems and meeting philosophies

(00:13:37) - Encouraging urgency

(00:16:54) - James’ first executive role

(00:21:54) - Formative career experiences

(00:25:26) - Preventing layoffs

(00:31:15) - Discovering a company’s opportunities before becoming involved

(00:37:11) - How do you approach a turnaround?

(00:43:21) - What is a “normal” level of company debt?

(00:47:53) - How do you manage cyclical businesses?

(00:52:27) - Fostering imagination

(01:00:39) - Are there any industries you would stay away from?

(01:02:40) - Advice for CEOs