Case Interview Preparation & Management Consulting | Strategy | Critical Thinking

Welcome to an episode with the CEO of Meetup, David Siegel. Get David's book: https://amzn.to/3QqTkJ6 In this episode, David talks us through his epic journey of becoming and remaining the CEO of Meetup in spite of the challenges that the organization faced and, later on, conquered. He also spoke about Investopedia – which he was the CEO of prior to joining Meetup. David also highlighted and elaborated on what a community is, how it works, and the value that it brings. David Siegel is the CEO of Meetup, the largest platform for finding and building local community. He has over 20 years of experience as a technology and digital media executive leading organizations through innovative product development, rapid revenue growth, and digital traffic acceleration. Prior to joining Meetup, David was CEO of Investopedia. Before that, he was president of Seeking Alpha. He hosts the podcast Keep Connected, which is dedicated to the power of community. David holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics & Economics and an MBA

Welcome to an episode with Ravin Jesuthasan, a global thought leader and best-selling author, and John Boudreau, a Professor Emeritus of Management and Organization at the University of Southern California. Get John's book here: https://amzn.to/3BJRiiY In this episode, John and Ravin lay out the core principles of work operating systems, and their views about the future of work and jobs that are rapidly evolving through the emergence of alternative work arrangements, diversity, accelerating automation, and the underlying challenges and opportunities that leaders and organizations are battling to overcome. Ravin Jesuthasan is the global leader of Mercer’s Transformation Services business. He is a recognized global thought leader, futurist, and author on the future of work and workforce transformation. He has led multiple research efforts on the global workforce, the emerging digital economy, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the transformation of work. Ravin has led numerous research projects for the Wo

Welcome to an episode with a highly regarded economist and best-selling author, John A. List. Get John's book here: https://amzn.to/3BDlHzj In this episode, John defined scaling – an overused yet often confused word in the startup world today – and elaborated the term. He also spoke about the voltage effect and how it relates to scaling. The discussion revolved around the five vital signs that every scalable idea must possess to avoid voltage drops and gave numerous realistic examples to help us visualize each sign. John also shared the top things that we must keep in mind when making decisions related to scaling. Professor John A. List is the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on combining field experiments with economic theory to deepen our understanding of the economic science. In the early 1990s, List pioneered field experiments as a methodology for testing behavioral theories and learning about behavioral principles that are

Welcome to an episode with a highly regarded leadership well-being coach, relationship expert, author, and speaker, Susan MacKenty Brady. Get Susan's Book here: https://amzn.to/3oKfcTN In this episode, Susan articulated the upside of the global pandemic, specifically the norms about how women manage, lead, communicate, and show up. She also discussed the definition of diversity and inclusiveness and the signs that companies are embracing it versus drifting away from the path of empathy and inclusive leadership. We discussed how to find the best version of yourself and how crucial it is to focus on your strengths and building from there. Susan Mackenty Brady is the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Chair for Women and Leadership at Simmons University and the first Chief Executive Officer of The Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. The Institute develops the mindset and skills of leaders at all stages of life so they can foster gender parity and cultures of inclusion. As a relationship expert, leadership

Welcome to an episode with best-selling author and Customer and Employee Experience Strategist, Dr. Natalie Petouhoff. Get Natalie's book here: https://amzn.to/3z2fKsU   In this episode, Natalie spoke about the need for empathy today and the shift we need to make from focusing on company-centric business strategies to creating employee and customer-centric experiences. She also discussed the importance of customer feedback and how Amazon has used it to thrive. Listening from the other person’s point of view and putting yourself in the shoes of your customers and employees is the key to better human connection and success.   Natalie is a Senior Customer Experience Strategist and Business Consultant at Genesys®. Her career spans many years in technology and customer and employee experience, holding positions in and consulting at companies including Salesforce, Hulu, Marriott, General Motors, General Electric, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Weber Shandwick, Forrester Research, PWC Consulting, Hughes Electronics, P

Welcome to an episode with the Chairman of The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Ravi Venkatesan. Get Ravi's book here: https://amzn.to/3J5OwGc   In this episode, Ravi shared how he started believing in himself and his capabilities, which led to where he is today. He also spoke about the opportunities laying around challenges and the preparations we need to navigate these changes. The conversation revolved around the importance of perspective and mindset, how it contributes to the way we interact with other people, and how it shapes our reality.   Ravi Venkatesan is the Chairman of The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) launched at COP26 with USD10 billion of committed capital to accelerate investment in green energy transitions and renewable energy solutions. He is also UNICEF’s Special Representative for Young People and Innovation, and the Founder of the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME). He serves on the Boards of Rockefeller Foundation, Hitachi Ltd.  

Welcome to an episode with best-selling author and dynamic keynote speaker, Don Schmincke.  In this episode, Don spoke about the counterintuitive insights of successful companies, why some organizations have a lack of performance, and the challenges that CEOs today need to address. He also shared his journey and discovery of Biological Leadership and how it relates to the leadership that organizations apply today. Don has been accused by a NY press agency of providing “the most provocative and sensational view of business than any other speaker today.” What else would you expect from an MIT and Johns Hopkins researcher who was nearly arrested as a capitalist spy in the Soviet Bloc, got shot off an aircraft carrier, survived in the Kurdish capital as the Ayatollah held hostages in Tehran, and developed missile inertial guidance systems while his frat brothers took Vegas (later portrayed in the movie “21”)? Don Schmincke’s irreverent humor and unconventional methods provide audiences with such a refreshing chan

Welcome to an episode with Judi Hays. Judi is a sought-after LinkedIn expert for turning underperforming LinkedIn profiles into prospect-attracting powerhouses. She helps business executives identify their audience and elevate their LinkedIn profiles and personal brands. Watch this episode on YouTube. In this expert session, Judi speaks about the best ways to present and elevate your personal brand through LinkedIn. She shares how to nurture connections, build networks, and grow your business exponentially. Judi conducted an in-depth live LinkedIn profile check to show how to better utilize LinkedIn. Throughout the session, we are expected to learn: How to use your personal LinkedIn profile to grow your business The most common mistakes that you must avoid on LinkedIn that are costing you business and your reputation  How to upgrade your LinkedIn profile and set a stage for how you want to be perceived The difference between a resume-style LinkedIn profile and a resource-style LinkedIn profile How to nurture

Welcome to an episode with a Certified Forensic Interviewer, Michael Reddington. In this episode, Michael shares his knowledge as a CFI and how interviewing skills can be translated to the business world with the Disciplined Listening Method, an approach which he developed. He also spoke about the mindset shift that leaders and organizations need to take to gain a better understanding and awareness of other people's perspectives and reasoning. Michael Reddington CFI, is a certified forensic interviewer and the president of InQuasive Inc., a company that integrates the key components of effective nonconfrontational interview techniques with current business research for executives.  As a Certified Forensic Interviewer, Michael achieved the highest professional designation available in the field of interview and interrogation and spent over a decade training investigators around the world on the successful application of nonconfrontational interview and interrogation techniques. Never one to be satisfied with h

Welcome to an interview with former Indiana University athletic director, Fred Glass. Get Fred's book here: https://amzn.to/3tCY7hj In this episode, Fred discussed how Indianapolis managed to keep the Colts, its strategy to sustain it, and the impact and advantages that the team provides to the city. This podcast will make you think about the economics of business in sports and understand the deep thinking behind the scenes that makes it all possible. Fred served as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge S. Hugh Dillin, also an IU alumnus. From 1989 to 1993, he was chief of staff to former Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh, and, in 2000, helmed the transition team chief for former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. Peterson appointed Fred, then a partner in the law firm of Baker & Daniels (now Faegre Baker Daniels), to the city's Capital Improvement Board, which oversees Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center, Conseco Fieldhouse, and Victory Field. Fred negotiated a number of sports-related wins for the

Welcome to an episode with a well-recognized professor, Ben M. Bensaou. Get Ben's book here: https://amzn.to/3xpI9Zb Many people think that you need a genius leader or need to become a start-up to innovate. But we all have the potential to innovate. In this episode, Ben speaks about everyone's role in innovation and how it can be performed like a habit in our everyday lives. He also discussed the need to develop a deeper understanding of customers and create a culture of collaborating with customers to offer the ideal combination of performance, attributes, price, and other characteristics that customers need and want, or produce a product and service with a powerful market appeal. Ben M. Bensaou is a Professor of Technology Management and Professor of Asian Business and Comparative Management at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. He served as Dean of Executive Education in 2018–2020. He was a Visiting Associate Professor at Harvard Business School in 1998-1999, a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School of Management

Welcome to an episode with the CEO of Tournesol, Alicia Hare. In this episode, Alicia spoke about a new and unique approach of leadership calledthe lead brighter approach, which focuses on improving the quality of people's lives through things that really matter and make a difference. A brighter future is about shared prosperity, quality, connection, discovery, and joy. Alicia is the founder and CEO of Tournesol, a leadership consulting firm that partners with CEOs, senior leaders, and their teams in times of significant change. Tournesol's unique lead brighter approach helps leaders harness the full power of their platform to elevate performance and improve the quality of people's lives.  Alicia's clients include CEOs and senior leaders at Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies. Among others, she's worked with: the CEO of a multibillion-dollar healthcare company to use his platform to transform health and healthcare in America, improving the health of millions; the CEO of one of the world's largest global hos

Welcome to an interview with expert M&A advisor and best-selling author, Mark Sirower. Get Mark's book here: https://amzn.to/39nd0O8 In this episode, Mark elaborated on the meaning of synergy and how it impacts businesses. He also spoke about strategies to maximize the chances of success in M&A and how to deal with its common challenges. Mark Sirower is an internationally recognized expert on M&A and the author of the best-selling book, The Synergy Trap: How Companies Lose the Acquisition Game (Simon & Schuster, 1997) and co-author of The Synergy Solution: How Companies Win the Mergers & Acquisitions Game (Harvard Business Review Press, February 2022). He is a U.S. leader in Deloitte's M&A and Restructuring practice, where he joined in 2008 to launch the M&A Strategy practice. Mark has advised senior executive teams on hundreds of transactions over the past 25 years from strategy and diligence through post-merger integration. Previously, he built the Deals Strategy Group at PwC and

Welcome to an episode with sought-after keynote speaker and coach, Patricia Stark. Get Patricia's book here: https://amzn.to/3MQIzNR In this episode, Patricia spoke about the importance of building a genuine connection with other people, and thoughts about self-belief. She also discussed the factors that restrict us from communicating effectively and how we can deal with them.  Patricia Stark is a Certified Personal and Executive Coach (CPEC of the CaPP Institute - Coaching and Positive Psychology) and a Certified Body Language Trainer (Body Language Institute, Washington DC) and holds certificates in Eclectic Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Visualization/Guided Imagery (LIU). She heads Patricia Stark Communications and specializes in helping clients build their Calmfidence® in interviews, on-camera, and in daily life with tangible strategies for powerful communication skills, mastering self-talk, and stress and anxiety relievers used by the pros. Patricia has extensive experience as a health and medical news

Welcome to an episode with bestselling author and award-winning consultant Stan Bernard, MD, M.B.A. Get Stan's book here: https://amzn.to/3MRzd4t In this episode, Stan spoke about the transcender system and how it has changed the game for many companies that are globally known today. He discussed how we can use this approach to communicate, inspire, and influence people. We will learn why top executives consider the transcender system the most powerful winning system for companies and their products. Stan Bernard, MD, M.B.A., is an internationally recognized, award-winning global competition consultant, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He is the president of Bernard Associates, L.L.C. and the creator of the Transcender System™. Dr. Bernard is a former Senior Fellow at the Wharton School of Business, where he taught marketing to M.B.A. students for 14 years. He has been featured on television and in leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg Businessweek. For nearly

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss corporate strategy. In this episode, we explain why conventional and step-by-step strategy analysis will always yield the incorrect answers in any corporate strategy study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics, where we discuss when a consultant must dissent and how it should be done. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we shared five tips to fight fatigue. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to an episode with a sought-after keynote speaker and a National Champion storyteller, Kindra Hall. Get Kindra's book here: https://amzn.to/3sRmOp3 In this episode, Kindra spoke about the importance of understanding the power of stories that an individual tells and believes and how it impacts our daily lives. She discussed how self-stories influence everything you do, everything you say, and everything you are. Kindra Hall is President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges. Kindra is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers trusted by global brands to deliver presentations and training that inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products and their individuality through strategic storytelling. What began as a chance encounter at age 13 with a storytelling cassette tape grew into a passion for not only telling stories, but a master

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss a special type of case study called a period case study which is significantly harder to do, but incredibly useful. Most consultants prefer case studying the latest and greatest fad, which is extremely misleading, as explained in this podcast. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo