In Good Companies

Happy New Year! 2024 is here, and, as is our tradition, our team celebrates bringing good companies forward. So to close season four, we welcome back some well-loved guests to talk about one of our favorite topics: how to lead with integrity. Consider this your all-in-one guide to business leadership. This episode features a variety of short clips where our guests share their depth of experience to help you learn how to communicate better, take challenges in stride and land on winning strategies. We will see that effective leadership is bolstered by a human approach and that it always starts with vulnerability and collaboration. And of course, you will hear from leaders who did everything wrong, before finding their way. Get ready to get inspired, with our fantastic guests: Mohammad Anwar, the loving CEO of Softway; Anna Catalano, an impressive advisor and board director with 40 years of experience in corporate leadership; Dr. Marcus Collins, a powerful speaker and expert in culture and marketing; the wise and inspiring Craig Flowers, an Army veteran and the founder of Sideline Leadership; and born-to lead, former Super Bowl champion, Keith Jackson Sr. To hear more from them, find their individual episodes linked below.Let’s wrap up season 4 together, and be ready to lead our companies into the new year!Highlights:How Craig Flowers earned his stripes as a leader (1:54)Craig’s definition of leadership (3:39)Mohammad Anwar: from bad boss, to loving CEO (5:48)The leadership strategy that changed the game (8:57)Love as a plan of action (11:12)The Holmgren way: Keith Jackson Sr. on coaching and teamwork (13:43)Finding mentors at every stage of your career (15:40)The art of communication, with Dr Marcus Collins (19:22)When leading with empathy takes practice (21:24)Diversity and decision making, with Anna Catalano (23:36)The importance of board refreshment (26:09)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInCraig Flowers LinkedInMohammad Anwar LinkedInKeith Jackson WebsiteMarcus Collins WebsiteMarcus Collins LinkedInAnna Catalano’s WebsiteAnna Catalano’s LinkedInPast Episodes:Craig Flowers: “Know, Care, Challenge: The Keys to Talent Retention”Craig Flowers: “Several Habits of Effective Leaders”Keith Jackson Sr: “Leadership, with Super Bowl Champion Keith Jackson”Mohammad Anwar: “All You Need Is Love: the origins of “Love as a Business Strategy”Mohammad Anwar: “Everlasting Love: Sustaining a Culture of Love”Dr Marcus Collins: “Nurture your Culture: Dr Marcus Collins on the Power of Culture in Business”Dr Marcus Collins: “Under the Influence: Learning Marketing Strategy from Pop Culture”Anna Catalano: “All Aboard: Anna Catalano on Gender and Diversity on Boards” If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

New year, new you, same great podcast. We are back this week with another fan-favorite episode, which is our way of wrapping up the holidays and starting the new year on a high note!This week, meet (again) Jennifer McNorton, senior director of talent attraction at Indeed, one of the most popular job sites in the world. Jenn is in charge of sourcing and recruiting for leadership positions at Indeed. But she doesn’t just manage hiring at a top tech company. From her vantage point, she sees talent acquisition trends across the economy. So in this episode, we explore the macro view of talent acquisition: how the workforce has evolved and why companies are competing for talent like never before. Hear how you can differentiate your business and offer what jobseekers value most.Highlights:What is “talent attraction”? (1:37)The three key hiring battles (2:18)The biggest misconception about talent attraction (4:08)The value of proactive differentiation (6:05)How small & medium businesses can compete with fewer resources (9:06)The benefits and perks that jobseekers value most (10:47)These trends are here to stay (13:43)Patrick summary (15:05)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInIndeed.comJennifer McNorton LinkedInIndeed.com LinkedInIndeed.com - Talent attraction resourcesIndeed.com - Build Awareness for Your Brand—and Jumpstart Your Recruitment and HiringIndeed.com - Enhance Your Employer Brand: 4 Factors to Focus OnIndeed.com - Navigating the US Labor Market in 2022Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

We wish you a very happy holiday season! Join us in revisiting a much loved episode from season three. It’s our gift to you to say thank you for being part of our In Good Companies community.This fan favorite episode asks: Are you thinking about selling a business? Or buying into a venture in the new year? Then you know that when it comes to dealing with the deal, both stakes and emotions are high. So, to help you navigate the opportunities ahead, we dive into the human element of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). What’s it like to sell your business? How do you manage change? What can you do to build trust?To answer these questions, we speak with two people who have experienced the whole spectrum of M&A transactions. The father and son team George & Joshua Robertson run GrowCo Capital, an investment firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. But before they were in venture capital, they ran their own businesses, including National HME. Hear the story of how George and Josh navigated the strategic partnership and eventual sale of their family business and the lessons they now bring to the buy-side. We’ll explore how to manage your emotions, communicate with employees and set a clear vision so that everyone can win. Grab some hot cocoa and join us for a season three greatest hit to learn how to “Deal with the Deal.” Highlights:The Robertsons’ family background (2:05)Planting the seeds for National HME (4:40)National HME: the early years (7:43)Why the Robertsons went looking for strategic partners (8:54)How they chose partners (10:02)Managing emotions (12:06)How George and Josh adapted to new partners (14:22)The golden nugget (16:41)Communicating with employees (18:03)Saying goodbye to the company you’ve built (19:23)Having values at your core (21:47)George and Josh on the buy-side (22:53)Using what they’ve learned (23:57)Channeling emotion towards a goal (26:13)MasVida Health and the future for the Robertsons (28:17)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInGrowCo CapitalGeorge Robertson LinkedInJoshua Robertson LinkedInMasVida HealthForbes - Emotions Matter When Selling Your CompanyHarvard Business Review - Dealing with the Emotional Fallout of Selling Your BusinessLinkedIn - What CEOs must do to lead successful mergers and acquisitionsFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

As a company, how long does it take to make it? The U.S. Bureau of Labor reports that 20% of companies go bust in their first two years. What’s more, only one-fifth make it past their 15th anniversary. But on In Good Companies, we’re hopeful. That’s why in this episode, we talk to Charlie Malouf, a leader who has seen it all, and came out the other end crowned with success. Charlie is the president and CEO of Broad River Retail, a home furnishings retailer and licensee of Ashley Stores. Over the past two decades, what was once a three-store licensee has become a fast-growing top 100 retailer, with 31 locations and more than 800 employees. As for Charlie, his innovative vision and his impact on the local community have made him one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Most Admired CEOs. In this episode, Charlie shows us that in business, trials and tribulations can still lead to a perfect moment. Together, we talk about taking strategic leaps of faith, reframing failure as a data point and using creative reinvention to your advantage. We unpack how a focus on human capital can carry your company through the toughest times, and you will see that with a powerful vision, you can break new ground and create abundance for everyone. So tune in with Patrick and Charlie, to hear the tale of an overnight success, twenty years in the making.Highlights:●      Introducing Broad River Retail (2:21)●      When Charlie joined Broad River: the story of a leap of faith (34:39)●      Risk-taking as an opportunity to learn (5:54)●      When a business breaks all of its bones (7:23)●      Creative Destruction 101 (9:11)●      Reframing failure as a data point (11:13)●      From “Human Resources” to “Human Capital” (13:01)●      Changing the rules of the retail industry (15:09)●      Restructuring during Covid-19 (17:00)●      Coming out of the pandemic with positive momentum (20:51)●      How Broad River Retail is doing today (22:37)●      A podcast in a podcast - introducing Stories from the River (25:14)●      The importance of sharing abundance with your community (28:40)●      Charlie’s proudest achievements (30:39)Links:●      Cadence Bank Website●      Cadence Bank Twitter●      Cadence Bank LinkedIn●      Charlie Malouf LinkedIn●      Charlie Malouf Twitter●      Broad River Retail Website●      Broad River Retail LinkedIn●      Broad River Retail Podcast - "Stories from the River"●      Statistics - “Why Young Businesses Fail” If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Information brings us food for thought. It grounds a lot of our discussions, and perhaps, most importantly, it gives our work direction and purpose. This is why on this podcast, we bring you expert guests and start every episode with a little bit of data! A recent survey by Deloitte finds that 83% of business leaders believe leveraging human data can reap benefits for both their organization and their workers. But only 19% feel equipped to start this work. So how do you bridge that gap? We find out, with Mike Lanciano and James Chapman, engineering executives from Clarity Innovations.Clarity Innovations is a firm that connects people with accessible digital services and cutting-edge data solutions. From government to commercial organizations, they have helped clients tap into the power of data. In today’s episode, Mike and James reveal how to forage information inside our companies and put it to good use. They show us how data can improve our processes, our products, and our business culture if only we ask the right questions. They also unpack key concepts like “unstructured data,” and debunk the big fears around Artificial Intelligence to help us navigate a whole new world of technology! Get started on your data journey with Patrick, Mike, and James. They’ll make you a little more tech-savvy today. Highlights: Defining “data intelligence” (2:05)What a data management solution looks like (3:11)Why cybersecurity matters (5:23)Looking for data in every corner of your business (6:24)How Clarity Innovations manages their data in-house (8:23)Finding data solution through experiment (12:34)What does bad data look like? (15:03)Asking the right questions, to find the right data (16:38)Mastering the art of “proximal objectives” (18:14)Taking caution with Artificial Intelligence (20:19)How to outsmart your AI tools (22:30)Debunking the bias question (24:18)Final advice from James and Mike (27:55)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInClarity Innovations WebsiteClarity Innovations LinkedInClarity Innovations FacebookMike Lanciano LinkedInJames Chapman LinkedInDeloitte on Data in Business - “2023 Global Human Capital Trends” If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers,Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

In 2023, beer became the most popular alcoholic drink in the U. S., with a market estimated at $74 billion. So perhaps it’s no surprise that in recent years an increasing number of businesses have taken to the keg. A recent article by The Conversation reports that since 2015 the number of American craft breweries have doubled. This rise in popularity is in part explained by craft beer’s power to foster community, which is greater than any of its corporate competitors. To understand this phenomenon, we speak with Kaitlynn and Nate Kressin, owners of Just Tap’d and Fall Line Brewery.Nate and Kaitlynn are partners in business and life. Together, they've built three craft beer establishments in their beloved city of Macon, Georgia. Today, the pair runs a lively taproom and restaurant, and a brewery where they craft their products in-house and host local events. From opening their first storefront to distributing beer across the entire state of Georgia, they have built their thriving multi-shop business on love, teamwork and community. Today, the Kressins tell us how they have made all their craft beer dreams come true. They shine a spotlight on their homemade business strategy; revealing what to look for in a business partner, how to overcome the challenges of entrepreneurship, what a local community can do for your company… And of course, they share their secret to a good pint.Get ready for an episode brewed with love, and hop on the beer wagon with Patrick, Kaitlynn and Nate!Highlights:Opening Just Tap’d and Nate’s journey into craft beer (2:06)When Nate meets Kaitlynn: building a partnership (4:02)Marriage and business as a juggling act (7:02)Strategies to design professional and personal spaces (9:13)In business together, for better or for worse! (11:12)Launching Fall Line Brewery Co in the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic (13:48)Adapting to challenges: new distribution strategies (15:14)Looking at Fall Line Brewery Co today (17:01)How to make good beer with Nate Kressin (19:04)Role models and team building in business ownership (21:27)Community engagement with Kaitlynn Kressin (23:37)The Kressins’ impact on the local economy (25:14)Championing Macon beyond its borders (27:14)Community and adaptability: the pillars of a local success (29:07)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInFall Line Brewery Co. WebsiteFall Line Brewery Co. InstagramFall Line Brewery Co FacebookJust Tap’d WebsiteJust Tap’d  InstagramJust Tap’d FacebookKaitlynn Kressin’s LinkedInThe Conversation - “Why craft beer fosters better communities than its competitors”Statistica - Beer Market Statistics in the United StatesIf you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Think about something you learned recently. Whether it is a scientific finding, a fun fact, a historical event or something else, there is probably a great story behind it. Research by the London School of Business shows that most people only retain 5%-10% of the information they're given when presented with facts and figures. But fold the same data into a story, and your audience will remember 70% of it. So it seems that storytelling is a potent tool. In fact, according to our guest Esther Choy, it can change the way we do business.Esther is the Founder, CEO and Chief Story Facilitator of Leadership Story Lab. With her firm, she uses design thinking to help businesses sharpen their identity, build their own leadership narrative and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Since 2010, she has been working with companies across various industries, including healthcare, tech and manufacturing. In today’s episode, Esther tells us how the science of persuasion and the art of storytelling can help leaders gain a competitive moat. You’ll learn how to find stories inside your business and what to do with the great material at your disposal. Listen until the end of the episode to hear Esther in practice: you will hear what great storytelling sounds like, and get to know our very own host, Patrick Pacheco, a little bit better.So join us in conversation with Esther and Patrick today, and live to tell the tale! Highlights:Esther’s experience with leadership storytelling (2:15)Storytelling as a tool for persuasion (5:11) An example of storytelling in political leadership (7:29) Discussing vulnerability in leadership (10:35)Storytelling as a whole brain experience (13:44)The importance of a “conceptual core” (15:18)IRS: Intriguing beginning, Riveting middle, Satisfying end (17:02)Learning from other storytellers (19:45)In practice: when Esther asks the questions (21:38) In practice: introducing Patrick Pacheco (27:38)When the specific represents the universal (31:20) Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInLeadership Story Lab WebsiteLeadership Story Lab TwitterLeadership Story Lab InstagramLeadership Story Lab YouTubeLeadership Story Lab LinkedInEsther Choy’s LinkedInStorytelling Statistics: Why Marketing Storytelling Works So WellIf you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers,Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

'Tis the season to be thankful! While our team takes a short holiday break, we’re bringing back a fan favorite episode from last season. It's our way of saying thank you for making “In Good Companies” a success. So together, let’s revisit a conversation that got us thinking about what it means to champion diversity in entrepreneurship. Because when in business, we all need a helping hand to reach our true potential. That’s especially true for those from underserved communities. So how do we empower entrepreneurs? What can we give them, and what do they have to do for themselves?To find out, we speak with John Hope Bryant, an accomplished entrepreneur himself. John’s been called “The Conscience of Capitalism,” advising three sitting U.S. presidents and was named one of Time Magazine’s “50 Leaders for the Future.” His nonprofit, Operation HOPE, is the largest nonprofit provider of financial literacy, inclusion, and economic empowerment tools in the United States.Having built his own path in entrepreneurship, John knows the barriers that minority business owners face. So in this episode, we hear what John has learned from his journey, the challenges and opportunities of minority entrepreneurship and Operation HOPE’s “One Million Black Businesses” initiative. We’ll cover how to build networks, capital, and belief in budding entrepreneurs.Listen in to hear Patrick and our powerhouse guest, John Hope Bryant, discuss empowering entrepreneurs with hope.Highlights:Introduction to Operation HOPE (1:47)How entrepreneurship changed John’s life (3:59)Enterprise can create generational wealth (5:48)John’s first business at 10 years old (7:21)How the Rodney King riots changed John’s perspective (10:06)The origins of Operation HOPE (11:15)Barriers to entrepreneurship (12:28)Never give up (12:51)Empowering entrepreneurs with belief (14:28)Helping an entrepreneur build their network (16:20)One  Million Black Businesses (19:30)How entrepreneurs can empower themselves (21:47)“Just do something” (23:20)The 3rd Reconstruction (24:45)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInOperation HOPEJohn Hope Bryant HoldingsJohn Hope Bryant LinkedInJohn Hope Bryant - BooksOperation HOPE - 1 Million Black BusinessesOperation HOPE - Small Business DevelopmentCadence Bank - SBA LoansInc. Magazine - How to Empower Underrepresented EntrepreneursForbes - Eight Ways to Support Your Fellow EntrepreneursFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com. 

According to the national census, there are 16.2 million veterans in the U. S., with over 4 million under the age of 55 years old. Many come back from deployment with a whole life ahead of them, and savings ripe for investment. So where does this new life begin? Our guests today will show you the way. In honor of Veterans Day, this week, we welcome LDR Growth Partners to the podcast. This veteran-founded, people-focused investment firm was built from the ground up over the last decade. Today, we learn from those who made LDR’s success: Rich Sexton and Will Brame. Rich co-founded the firm in 2013, with two fellow veterans, after seven years of service overseas as an Airborne Ranger and an Infantry Officer. Meanwhile, Will’s background is in finance; he worked at JP Morgan for over a decade, before joining LDR as a partner in 2015.In this episode, Rich and Will give us a lesson in business ownership. They look back on the early days of LDR and its inception in Casper, Wyoming, to reveal how they found their space in the market. With touching authenticity, they discuss their passion for family-owned businesses. They show us how they collaborate with the companies they acquire, and bring their focus on people, first and foremost. And you will hear it at every turn: military leadership continues to inform their business philosophy today. So join Patrick, Rich and Will on the front line, for a story of grit that will leave you inspired!  Highlights:Rich’s story of grit: the origins of LDR Growth Partners (1:56)The deal that put LDR on the map  (3:37)Finding a competitive edge between Casper and New York (5:48)Will’s story of grit: from the trading floor to private equity (7:15)Finding a niche with family-owned business (9:49)Every Partner plays their part (11:36)Why carrying a legacy is important (13:48)Understanding who you are working with (15:05)The untapped potential of manufacturing companies (18:08)Military leadership as a business philosophy (20:36)A roadmap to internal restructuring (23:28)How to bring in new leadership (25:09)“No plan survives first contact” (26:06)Collaboration at the heart of LDR (28:11)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInLDR Growth Partners WebsiteLDR Growth Partners LinkedInRich Sexton’s LinkedInWill Brame’s LinkedInStatistics - “U.S. Veterans 2021, by age and gender”If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

If you've been listening to In Good Companies for a while, you know that sometimes we like to shake things up. In this episode, we bring back a special guest, Dr Marcus Collins.Remember Marcus? He is a culture expert, marketing professor and author of the best-selling book “For the Culture”. He joined us in a previous episode to talk about the power of culture in building business strategy. If you haven’t listened to it yet, you should check it out!Marcus is an inspiring speaker, and he had a depth of knowledge to share on culture. So today, he is back in for more. In this bonus episode, Marcus pulls back the curtain on influential strategies we can find in pop culture, every day! Marcus looks back on his background in the music industry and shares what he has learned from influential personalities like Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift. Together, we dive further into the makeup of fandoms, to understand the power of community-building. So once more, join Patrick and Marcus in conversation, and remember: we are all influential! Highlights:A refresher: why culture matters in business (1:43)Marcus’s background in the music industry (2:43)The power of fandom (5:23)Are influencers actually influential? (8:54)Breaking down the Taylor Swift effect (10:57)Links:Cadence Bank WebsiteCadence Bank TwitterCadence Bank LinkedInMarcus Collins WebsiteMarcus Collins TwitterMarcus Collins LinkedInMarcus Collins InstagramMarcus Collins’s book - “For the Culture”If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.