Strategy and Leadership Podcast

Achieving a $100 Million Valuation: The Strategic Vision Behind Howdy.com W/ CEO Jacqueline Samira

Are you curious about the strategic vision that led to Howdy.com's remarkable $100 million valuation?
Join us in this Strategy and Leadership Podcast episode as we interview Jacqueline Samira, the CEO, and founder of Howdy.com. Discover the core concepts behind their success and Jacqueline's journey here. Starting her company in 2018, Jacqueline's strategic approach involved nailing the foundation before scaling it, a decision that proved crucial. With a focus on deliberate growth, Howdy.com gained a reputation for exceptional customer experience and word-of-mouth referrals. In this interview, Jacqueline shares insights on the impact of sales experience, the importance of aligning sales and delivery, and the significance of having a clear strategic vision as a CEO.
#strategicvision #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businessgrowth
#leadership #startupsuccess #strategicplanning #scalingbusiness #visionaryleadership
#businessstrategy #successstories
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➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/

How to Drive Business Transformation for Maximum Value and Growth W/ Sanjeev Loomba

Looking to turn your organization into a value-driven powerhouse through business transformation? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, we speak with Sanjeev Loomba, the author of "The Ninth Gear." With 27 years of experience, Sanjeev is a transformationalist and former CEO who has helped transform hundreds of organizations and thousands of people. He shares his insights on how to shift your perspective on doing business and drive wealth transformation.
Sanjeev understands the challenges that businesses face in today's world, including disappearing market share and slowing growth. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on the customer in the current market and notes that businesses must integrate their teams to deliver products that provide value to the customer. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
- Sanjeev proposes a new perspective on business transformation by finding potential in individuals, teams, and organizations.
- Sanjeev shares leadership lessons from running a 5000-person company and shifting how people think about doing business, and explains the concept of value partnership and how it differs from entrepreneurship.
- Learn how to help your organization become more distinguished by becoming business value-obsessed and providing personal value to your customers.
Sanjeev believes that businesses must listen to the customer and create personalized solutions that meet their needs. He also advises leaders and managers to give their team members more responsibility to make them redundant and promote talent flow.

Pioneering a Movement of Women in Business to Drive Social Change through Impact 100 / Wendy Steele

In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of women in business in their communities.
Our guest is Wendy Steele, the founder, and CEO of Impact 100 Global. Wendy shares her incredible journey of overcoming limited resources and building a successful model that gathers at least 100 women who each donate $1000 to create grants of $100,000 or more that stay in their local community. With 65 Impact 100 chapters worldwide and over $123 million in grants given away, Wendy's work has truly made an impact. During the episode, Wendy also discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership and how companies can find leaders who bring unique skills and experiences to the table, regardless of their gender or background. She encourages women to step into their power, overcome barriers, and create positive change. This episode is a must-listen for women in business and female leaders who aspire to make a difference.
► Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on strategy & leadership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHLNRrpk3rGUdg7qUQjiog/?sub_confirmation=1
➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/

Streamlining Decision-making: Strategies for CEOs and Executives in the Digital Age W/ Atif Rafiq

Is your team making optimal decisions?
In this episode of the podcast, we had the privilege of speaking with Atif Rafiq, a seasoned leader with extensive experience in executive roles at billion-dollar business units such as McDonald’s, Volvo, and MGM Resorts. Notably, he was the first Chief Digital Officer in the history of the Fortune 500, a pioneering role he held at McDonald’s, and he rose to the president level in the Fortune 300. He is also the author of “Decision Sprint,” where he shares insights on his design process and lessons learned.
In this Podcast, we delve into Atif's insights on decision-making:
- Understanding the two components of the process: upstream and downstream, involving exploration, alignment, and detailed decisions.
- Shifting focus from “what” to “how” in his latest approach, prioritizing collaboration and teamwork over product or service-centric thinking.
- Emphasizing the value of exploration before alignment, empowering teams to reach their own conclusions and work towards a shared goal.
#digitaltransformation #teamalignment #decisionmaking #strategicplanning #leadershipdevelopment
► Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on strategy & leadership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHLNRrpk3rGUdg7qUQjiog/?sub_confirmation=1
➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/

Creating Inclusive Workplaces: Lessons from Joy Fitzgerald, Chief DEI Officer at United Health Group

Does your organization have a DEI Strategy, or is looking to create one? Then this podcast is for you.
Creating an inclusive workplace involves navigating multiple layers, and it can pose challenges, particularly for large and established organizations that are entrenched in the status quo. So, how can these organizations make progress toward inclusivity?
We recently had the privilege of speaking with Joy Fitzgerald, SVP & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at United Health Group, , who recently authored the inspiring book "Finding Authentic Rhythm: How to Win on Your Terms in Corporate America." Join us as Joy shares her journey, insights, and experiences in the human capital space, where she has been a champion for the underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized. Joy's practical and relatable approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to create a more inclusive environment in your workplace and beyond. Through personal anecdotes and lessons learned, Joy highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and tailored solutions for individuals and communities.
Get her book here: https://www.speakingjoy.com/authentic-rhythm
#Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Leadership #Strategy #Podcast #AuthenticRhythm #Inspiration #DifferenceMakers #DEI #JoyFitzgerald #UnitedHealthGroup
► Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on strategy & leadership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHLNRrpk3rGUdg7qUQjiog/?sub_confirmation=1
➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/

How to Create Sustainable Cash Flow and Turn Your Business into a Valuable Asset w/ Ryan Tansom

Are you a business owner or entrepreneur looking to build a valuable asset (organization) that can be sold or transferred at your desired valuation? In order to achieve this, you need to focus on creating sustainable, predictable, and transferable cash flow. Unfortunately, many businesses fail to properly manage their finances, leading to negative equity and liabilities that are not immediately apparent.
In this podcast episode, Anthony talks to Ryan Tansen, founder of Arkona LLC, about his experience in turning around his father's struggling business and selling it for eight figures. Ryan shares the lessons he learned and the mindset shifts he had to make to transform the business into a financial asset.
Ryan emphasizes the importance of knowing if what you're doing is worth it and aligning everyone in the organization towards the same goal. He also talks about his current company, Arkona, which provides training and financial services to help business owners grow the value of their businesses.
In this podcast, we discuss the following topics with Ryan Tansen:
- How business owners can misunderstand their cash flow
- The importance of professional financial management
- Creating sustainable, predictable, and transferable cash flow
By listening to this podcast, you'll gain actionable insights and a fresh perspective on how to view and run your business like a financial asset.

Leadership Communication: The High Cost of Avoiding Uncomfortable Conversations in Business

What does healthy Leadership Communication look like and how can you become better at it?
In this Strategy and Leadership podcast episode, Anthony Taylor interviews Erin Marcus, founder and CEO of Conquer Your Business. We learn about the importance of having uncomfortable conversations in the workplace. When managers are unhappy with their team's performance but are uncomfortable having a conversation about it, it can lead to resentment and the firing of team members, which is expensive and does not solve the problem. Similarly, when team members are having issues with their superiors, but don't feel comfortable expressing themselves, they can become disengaged and eventually leave, which can harm both the employee and the company. The key to having these difficult conversations is to start with the end goal in mind and to focus on what you want to achieve from the conversation. By taking ownership of our relationships and being proactive about having uncomfortable conversations, we can create better outcomes for everyone involved.

Strategic Planning and Execution: Insights from the Chief Strategy Officer of Israel’s Leading Bank

As a business leader, you know that creating and implementing an effective strategic plan can be overwhelming.
There are so many things to consider: the field your company operates in and how quickly it changes affect the complexity, length, and scope of your strategic plan. It’s crucial to understand the timelines and interdependencies between different components of your plan, and identifying the most critical areas to focus on first will help ensure that your plan is achievable and impactful.
But have you ever wondered what process you need to go through and how long your strategic planning and execution timelines should actually be? If so, you’re not alone.
That’s why we’ve invited Tagil Green, the Chief Strategy Officer at Bank Hapoalim, Israel’s Largest Bank to share her insights on how to “Right-size your Strategic Planning” as a large organization.
In this podcast, we’ll discuss the following topics with Tagil Green:
- How multinational organizations can navigate the complexities of the strategic planning process, including timelines, prioritization, and cultural relevance.
- How to align your strategic plan with your organization’s values and mission regardless of its size.
- How can CEOs and CSOs of large organizations get buy-in from their stakeholders during the strategic planning process?
Remember, your strategic plan can’t fix everything. While it should address your most significant challenges and opportunities, some issues may require separate initiatives to ensure it is fully executed. Keep your plan focused and manageable, and you’ll be more likely to achieve your goals and make meaningful progress.

The William Murray Golf Success Story: How to Build a Strong Brand Community w/ Kerry Michaels

Bill Murray fans this is for you!
Do you want to know how a community-driven business can build brand loyalty and drive demand? Look no further than Kerry Michaels, the co-founder and CEO of William Murray Golf.
In this episode, we sit down with Kerry to discuss the incredible story of William Murray Golf and the valuable lessons she's learned along the way. Kerry shares how William Murray Golf grew into an authentic community of diverse individuals who share a love for golf and the brand's spirit.
One of the things that made William Murray Golf stand out was its scarcity model, which built demand for the brand. Kerry shares how they started with limited inventory, buying only a couple of hundred polos, and sold out very quickly. This scarcity model led to demand for the brand, with customers eagerly awaiting new releases and sometimes waiting up to 12 or 18 months to see a popular polo again.
Kerry also offers some practical advice for business leaders growing their companies. She emphasizes the importance of clear guardrails and priorities for yourself and your team, as well as saying yes to the right things and ignoring distractions to set your business on the right path.
Through Kerry's experiences in building a community-driven business, she demonstrates that building a brand around a strong community can drive demand, build loyalty, and create authentic connections between people.
Join us as we dive deep into the fascinating story of William Murray Golf and learn from Kerry's journey in growing this unique and inspiring brand.
Check out the William Murray Golf Brand: https://www.williammurraygolf.com/
#CommunityDrivenBusiness #BrandLoyalty #ScarcityModel #BusinessLeadership
► Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on strategy & leadership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHLNRrpk3rGUdg7qUQjiog/?sub_confirmation=1
➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/

The Art of Navigating Leadership Team Relationships for Long-Term Success w/ Tanis Jorge

How can senior leadership teams create and sustain strong partnerships that endure over time?
In this episode, we explore the critical factors that enable effective collaboration, including the importance of complementary skills, the demands of multitasking, and the distinctive roles of CEOs and COOs in both startup and mature company settings. In essence, co-founders must be adaptable and allocate responsibilities based on each other's strengths, while supporting one another in their respective roles to ensure seamless operations.
That's why we invited Tanis Jorge, the founder of Co-founders Hub, who brings a wealth of experience from co-founding and leading multiple successful startups, including Twilio. Tanis shares her insights and expertise on how co-founders can strengthen their partnerships and avoid common challenges that arise when leading a company, including the impact of communication on relationships, the importance of building trust, and the role of conflict resolution in senior leadership partnerships to help create more successful outcomes for your organization.
Given the scarcity of resources and tools available to co-founders seeking to strengthen their businesses through stronger partnerships, Tanis decided to share her experience through her book, Co-founders Handbook, and her company, Co-founders Hub. Co-founders Hub is an online resource that provides co-founders with the necessary tools and support to enhance their collaboration and drive business success.
Get in touch with Tanis: https://www.tanisjorge.com/
#leadershipdevelopment #teamcommunication #csuite #cofounder
► Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on strategy & leadership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHLNRrpk3rGUdg7qUQjiog/?sub_confirmation=1
➡ Looking for a sample agenda for your strategic planning offsite? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/sample-strategic-planning-agenda
// Connect with us:
► Contact us: https://www.smestrategy.net/contact
► Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/
// About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:
SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.
► Work with us: Are you looking for someone to facilitate your strategic planning process? https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator
► Check out our Strategy & Leadership Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yND4JKofh64gcvyvcLMqW
► Check out our online course on how to successfully lead your next strategic planning process: https://courses.smestrategy.net/