555: How a Billion-Dollar CEO Thinks and Leads (with Bill Canady)

555: How a Billion-Dollar CEO Thinks and Leads (with Bill Canady)

Your company’s next breakthrough isn’t about doing more, but doing less with purpose.

In this episode, I speak with Bill Canady, CEO of two major industrial companies (OTC Industrial Technologies and Arrowhead Engineered Products), a former U.S. Navy officer, and author of From Panic to Profit, about the operating system he’s used to turn around billion-dollar businesses and lead through uncertainty.

Bill brings a rare blend of military discipline, private equity strategy, and grounded human leadership. With more than 3,600 employees and $1.5 billion in revenue under his care, he shares what really drives growth, and why focus, not frenzy, is the secret to long-term results.

We talk about:

  • How Bill used 80/20 thinking to stabilize a struggling company during the pandemic

  • Why “doing everything” is the death of momentum and how to identify your critical few

  • The real reason most teams fail to deliver (hint: it’s not effort)

  • How AI is helping leaders focus on what matters and where human judgment still matters most

  • Why you may need to say no to good ideas to unlock great outcomes

  • The leadership triangle: visionary, operator, and prophet, and how to build teams that thrive

Bill also shares personal reflections on learning through failure, navigating high-stakes decisions, and how he’s applying his own advice as a continuous learner and leader of leaders.

Whether you’re in a turnaround, scaling up, or simply trying to get more focused in your business or career, this episode offers both strategic clarity and deeply practical tools for creating profitable, people-centered growth.

Bill Canady is the CEO of both OTC Industrial Technologies and Arrowhead Engineered Products (AEP). With over 30 years of experience, he specializes in driving organizational growth, cutting costs, and boosting profitability. At OTC, he led a 43% increase in revenue and an 80% rise in earnings, with annual sales now exceeding $1 billion. At AEP, he oversees more than 3,600 employees and $1.5 billion in sales. A U.S. Navy veteran, Bill holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Business Administration from Elmhurst University. His Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS) has helped countless organizations overcome challenges and seize new growth opportunities.

Get Bill’s book here: https://rb.gy/3a4mou

From Panic to Profit: Uncover Value, Boost Revenue, and Grow Your Business with the 80/20 Principle

Here are some free gifts for you:

Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach

McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf

Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

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481: Former CEO of AT&T Business, Anne Chow, on How to Lead Bigger

481: Former CEO of AT&T Business, Anne Chow, on How to Lead Bigger

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 481, an interview with the author of Lead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion, Anne Chow. In her book, Anne shows us how we can all learn to leverage inclusion far beyond DEI to elevate our work, workforce, and workplace. Lead Bigger offers a no-nonsense approach to leading outside of traditional parameters that challenges us all to “lead bigger” by seeking a broader impact, embracing the whole of your team beyond the workplace, and engaging in self-reflection.   As the former CEO of AT&T Business, Anne Chow was the first woman and first woman of color to hold the position of CEO at AT&T in 2019, overseeing more than 35,000 employees who collectively served 3 million business customers worldwide during her time there. She is currently the Lead Director on the board of Franklin Covey, serves on the board of 3M and CSX, and teaches at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. You can listen to Anne on Harvard Business Review’s Race at Work, WFAA and MSNBC.   Get Anne’s new book here: https://rb.gy/965ygk Lead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

9 Sep 202452min

480: Why approve investments with negative returns? (Strategy Skills classics)

480: Why approve investments with negative returns? (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study.   In this podcast, we look at the problem of superficial financial analysis. One way to save the client money, before they run out of cash in about 16 months, is to stop all investments which lose money. This, however, is a terrible idea that will cause enormous damage to the client’s core business, consumers, and the economy. We discuss how we handle this recommendation and what we proposed in the study to fix the problem.   Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

4 Sep 20249min

479: Marshall Goldsmith on Democratizing Learning Using AI and Leadership With AI

479: Marshall Goldsmith on Democratizing Learning Using AI and Leadership With AI

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 479, an interview with Marshall Goldsmith, a world-renowned executive coach and leadership thinker.   In this episode, Marshall offers invaluable advice for aspiring leaders and coaches, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an adult-to-adult relationship in coaching scenarios. His focus on measurable results has made him a trusted advisor to some of the world's top CEOs and leaders. He also gave us a glimpse of marshallgoldsmith.ai, an Al Avatar that is infused with Marshall’s knowledge, experience, nuances and voice to answer management-related questions leaders have.   Whether you're a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this episode offers practical wisdom and inspiration from one of the best in the business world.   Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the only two time Thinkers50 #1 leadership thinker in the world. He has been recognized as the #1 executive coach in the world for over a decade. He is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of books that have sold over 3 million copies including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, MOJO, Triggers and The Earned Life. He is the only living author who has 2 books recognized by Amazon.com as the Best Leader and Success books of all time. He has over 1.5 million followers on LinkedIn alone.   Learn more about Marshall here: https://marshallgoldsmith.com/   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

2 Sep 202452min

478: Math for English Majors with Ben Orlin

478: Math for English Majors with Ben Orlin

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 478, an interview with Ben Orlin, a math teacher turned full-time writer who's on a mission to make mathematics engaging and accessible to all and the author of the book Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language.   In this episode, Ben offers insights into his teaching and writing journey, the challenges in teaching math, the unexpected success of his first book "Math with Bad Drawings," and how he balances teaching with his writing career. He also touches on the broader implications of mathematical thinking in various fields, from business to everyday life.   Whether you're a math enthusiast, an educator, or someone who's always found math intimidating, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on the beauty and relevance of mathematics in our world.   Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His book Math with Bad Drawings (2018) has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, and has since been followed by Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 2024). His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, Slate, Vox, and The Los Angeles Times; he himself has appeared in the lines to ice cream stores everywhere. BBC star and leading mathematician Hannah Fry once described him as "terribly bad at drawing" before kindly adding “he’s also fantastically clever and charming.”   Get Ben’s new book here: https://rb.gy/ode008   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

28 Aug 202443min

477: Why Everything You Know About Public Speaking Is Wrong—And What You Should Be Doing Instead

477: Why Everything You Know About Public Speaking Is Wrong—And What You Should Be Doing Instead

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 477, an interview with Hollywood insiders and the authors of Briefly Speaking, Deborah Shames and David Booth.   In this episode, we discuss effective communication and presentation strategies for individuals and business professionals. With their extensive experience coaching executives, celebrities, and leaders, Deborah and David share invaluable insights about different topics including the power of storytelling in business communication using the OSB (Obstacle-Solution-Benefit) template, practical tips for leaders to command attention in meetings and presentations, how to showcase your unique attributes and differentiators, how to present yourself authentically, and how you can engage audiences through visual language, novelty, and genuine enthusiasm.   This episode offers actionable advice to help you connect with audiences, win pitches, and advance your career through more impactful speaking and presenting.   Deborah and David are co-founders of Eloqui, a business communication and presentation training firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They have translated performance techniques from the entertainment industry for the business professional. Eloqui training utilizes the latest research from neuroscience on how to be memorable. They also draw upon impression management from the field of psychology.   Learn more about Deborah and David here: https://eloqui.biz/   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

26 Aug 202453min

476: Handling client's difficult questions (Strategy Skills classics)

476: Handling client's difficult questions (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we address how to answer difficult questions raised by the client during an executive workshop or another type of client's executive group meeting.   We start with discussing the right mindset any consultant requires to be able to effectively handle difficult questions from a client. We thereafter review the particular steps in addressing a client's difficult questions raised during a workshop or a presentation. Lastly, we dive into which skills are required to be able to handle difficult questions, especially the kind of questions for which you don't have an immediate answer.   Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

21 Aug 202415min

475: 3.4 million followers minister on building a business and professional brand from the ground up

475: 3.4 million followers minister on building a business and professional brand from the ground up

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 475, an interview with Dr. Sam Adeyemi (Ah Day yeh me), a global speaker, strategic leadership expert, minister, and author who has influenced millions of people on success and leadership through radio, television, conferences, and information products for more than 25 years.    Atlanta-based Dr. Sam Adeyemi leads leaders. He shifts mindsets to help leaders see possibilities and become those possibilities. More than 3 million CEOs and high performing individuals follow Dr. Sam on top social media sites. He holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Virginia's Regent University, and is author of the book "Dear Leader: Your Flagship Guide to Successful Leadership." He and his wife, Nike (say Nee keh) have three children and founded Daystar Christian Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. More than 45,000 alumni have graduated from Dr. Sam's leadership school.    As a global conference speaker, Sam has addressed audiences in the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, South Africa, Nigeria, India, and several other countries. In 2015 and 2017, he spoke at the Global Leadership Summit, a global conference attended by over 400,000 leaders in 130+ countries.   Get Dear Leader here: https://rb.gy/cin0ng   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

19 Aug 202454min

474: How accurate was our financial model for the market entry strategy study? (Strategy Skills Classics)

474: How accurate was our financial model for the market entry strategy study? (Strategy Skills Classics)

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss how accurate our financial model for the market entry strategy study is.   Watch the video version here: How accurate was our financial model for the market entry strategy study?   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

14 Aug 202413min

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