Case Interview Preparation & Management Consulting | Strategy | Critical Thinking

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss how to hold networking conversations Networking calls/coffee chats are tricky. You should not be following the advice found for general recruitment. We insist our clients network with partners so most of the advice we provide is for networking with McKinsey and BCG partners. The reality is that partners are best equipped, and most influential, to assess a unique profile and make a judgement call on the spot. The danger is that if you do not impress the partner, you are very unlikely to go anywhere with further networking. The more atypical your profile, though, the greater the need to network with a partner, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

20 Feb 20239min

Welcome to an episode with Frank O’Connell, the author of Jump First, Think Fast. In this episode, Frank takes us on his career journey as he successfully explores multiple industries from baked goods to sporting apparel to video games. He shares the lessons he learned and how he built lasting relationships as he worked in different industries. Frank O’Connell is known for his unconventional approach for high performance through his strategic thinking, brand building, breakthrough marketing, and new product ideas. His accomplishments include serving as president of Reebok Brands, president of HBO Video, CEO of Indian Motorcycle, and chairman and CEO of Gibson Greetings, Inc. He spent the first fourteen years of his career developing well-known brands at Arnold Bakery, Mattel, Carnation Company, and Hunt Wesson foods, among other brands in the baking and natural foods industry. O’Connell was a senior partner with The Parthenon Group, a top strategic consulting company for seven years. He also spent sixteen years on the board of TreeHouse Foods Inc., and he is an investor and board member at Schylling, Inc., a toy company and is cofounder of Tuckerman Capital. He has also served on numerous Cornell University boards where he earned his BS in Economics and an MBA. Get Frank’s book here: Jump First, Think Fast: An Unconventional Approach to High Performance. Frank O’Connell Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

15 Feb 202353min

Welcome to an episode with a Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Ravi Sarathy. What happens if a company or country regulates its own digital currency? In this episode, Ravi Sarathy answers very interesting questions about blockchain and cryptocurrency. He outlines the features and capabilities of a blockchain, the implications of using it, and how organizations can leverage blockchain to their advantage. Ravi Sarathy is the author of Enterprise Strategy for Blockchain, published by MIT Press in Oct. 2022, in which he explains how companies can gain a competitive advantage by developing and deploying blockchain capabilities. Ravi has published in journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Small Business Economics, and California Management Review. His previous book was Firms within Families: Enterprising in Diverse Country Contexts. His research interests are in global strategy, technology strategy, and family business. Ravi holds a Ph.D., Univ. of Michigan, and is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has taught executive education programs for companies such as BAE Systems, LG Electronics (S. Korea), Masa Shipyards (Finland), Mathworks, EMC, and others. He was a Fulbright scholar, as the Fulbright-Flad Chair in Strategic Management at the Technical University of Lisbon. He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, at the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney, and other institutions. Get Ravi’s book here: Enterprise Strategy for Blockchain: Lessons in Disruption from Fintech, Supply Chains, and Consumer Industries (Management on the Cutting Edge) Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

13 Feb 20231h 1min

Welcome to an episode with Nick Santhanam, the CEO of Fernweh Group, an investment company adapting an engaged investor & operator model (EIOM) to create alpha in the industrial and industrial technology sector. In this episode, we dig deep into the prevailing narrative about the decline of manufacturing in the US and if that is the case, the actions needed from the government to bring back the US as a thriving manufacturing nation. Nick Santhanam is a former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company’s Palo Alto office and was the leader of their global industrials practice. In addition, Nick was the global convener of several McKinsey annual events, including the Industrial CEO event (GILS), Industrial-tech and Semiconductors CEO event (T-30), Food Processing CEO event (FPH-30), and Senior Tech Influencers Summit (TEDS). He co-authored several of their leading industrials research: McKinsey on Industrials, McKinsey on Food Processing and Handling, and McKinsey on Packaging. He is also on the Advisory Board of Smithsonian Libraries, given his passion in continuous learning. Early in his career, Nick worked as a technical manager at a printed circuit board (PCB) and ceramics manufacturer in New York. He also worked as a manufacturing engineer at another PCB and ceramics manufacturer in their Delaware facility. Nick has an MS in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois and an MBA in Strategic Management and Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Ford and Palme Scholar. Get Nick’s book here: The Titanium Economy: How Industrial Technology Can Create a Better, Faster, Stronger America. Asutosh Padhi, Gaurav Batra, and Nick Santhanam Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

8 Feb 202354min

Welcome to an episode with a highly regarded global executive, Daphne E. Jones. In this episode, Daphne shares her inspiring journey of overcoming criticism, judgment, racism, and doubt. She was told by her career counselor that Black girls don’t successfully make it in college, but should instead go to secretary school. Today, Daphne is a corporate board member who has held CIO and other leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies including IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira (now Pfizer) and General Electric. With the right mindset and perseverance, Daphne defied everyone’s doubts, overcame life’s challenges, and emerged victorious. Daphne also discussed the role and significance of finding the balance with your 5 F’s (faith, family, finances, fitness, and furthering your career) to succeed in life. She also elaborated on the 4-step EDIT methodology (Envision, Design, Iterate, and Transform) that enables women to transform their mindset to win. Daphne E. Jones has 30+ years of experience in general management and executive level roles at IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira, and General Electric but began her career as a secretary. At GE, she served as SVP for Future of Work, SVP & CIO for Product Engineering, Imaging, and Ultrasound, and as Senior Executive & CIO for Global Services, all of which composed a $13 billion segment of GE Healthcare. Jones serves on the board of directors for AMN Healthcare, Inc., Barnes Group Inc., and Masonite International Corp, and is the recipient of numerous domestic and international awards. She recently started a company that teaches leaders how to prepare to serve on boards.  Get Daphne’s book here: Win When They Say You Won't: Break Through Barriers and Keep Leveling Up Your Success Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

6 Feb 20231h 20min

Welcome to an episode with the first-ever Chief Design Officer and SVP of PepsiCo, the world's second-largest food and beverage company, Mauro Porcini. In this episode, Mauro talked about how his career started and how his love of what he is doing helped made PepsiCo what it is today. He also talked about the step-by-step process of designing and establishing a new culture in any corporation and how this would lead to innovation, eventual growth, and overall success. In the past eight years, Mauro and his design team have won more than 1,100 design and innovation awards and in 2018, PepsiCo was recognized by Fortune in its Driven by Design list. He was previously 3M’s first Chief Design Officer. Porcini has been recognized with several personal awards, including Fortune’s 40 under 40, GQ Italia’s 30 Best Dressed Men, and Fast Company’s 50 Most Influential Designers in the United States. In 2018, he was awarded a knighthood (cavaliere) by the president of the Italian Republic. He lives in New York City. Get Mauro’s new book here: The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People. Mauro Porcini. Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

1 Feb 20231h 26min

Welcome to an episode with Linda Yates, the founder and CEO of Mach49, the leading growth incubator for global businesses with clients including Goodyear, Hitachi, Intel, JetBlue, Nestlé Purina, Prudential and Shell.   In Linda’s new book The Unicorn Within, she empowers large companies to beat startups at their own game—to build a pipeline and portfolio of new ventures to drive meaningful growth through teachable, repeatable, scalable method focused 100 percent on execution across the spectrum of venture creation from Ideate to Incubate, Accelerate, and Scale. She also offers keys to managing the Mothership and seizing the Mothership advantage to ensure your ventures reach escape velocity and thrive. Linda Yate is a seasoned CEO with over 25 years of experience creating global strategy and driving innovation for large multinationals around the world. A native of Silicon Valley, Linda spent a decade as a member of the Board of Directors for NYSE-traded Sybase Inc. (now SAP) and has been a board member and advisor to many entrepreneurs and private companies. Linda was previously CEO of Strategos, pioneering the field of Corporate Innovation with Co-Founder and Chairman, Professor Gary Hamel. She is a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute. She has been interviewed by Reid Hoffman for “Masters of Scale” and other programs. Get Linda’s book here: The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed. Linda Yates. Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

30 Jan 20231h 14min

Welcome to an episode with a top-rated speaker, best-selling author, and consultant, Dr. Cindy McGovern. Get Cindy’s book here: https://amzn.to/3Cys1ae Most of us view “sales” as a pushy, manipulative, and one-sided thing. But really, “sales” is understanding what others need and trying to deliver on those needs. Regardless of the nature of work—whether you're selling a product, service, or idea, you are selling yourself first and it is a life skill that everybody needs. Therefore, it is important to first build trust and develop your personal brand around it which will make selling easier.  In this episode, Dr. Cindy defined sales in a different light. She discussed how to sell yourself and how to proactively manage your personal brand. Dr. Cindy McGovern is the founder of Orange Leaf Consulting, which helps organizations, entrepreneurs, and individuals create dynamic and robust sales processes. Before launching her business, McGovern was a college professor of communication as well as a successful sales professional. She has worked with hundreds of organizations of all sizes and specialties across the globe and is now one of the most sought-after business and sales authorities. Get Cindy’s book here: Sell Yourself: How to Create, Live, and Sell a Powerful Personal Brand. Dr. Cindy McGovern. https://amzn.to/3Cys1ae Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

25 Jan 202355min