The Chemistry Factor

Things Get Easily Done When The Right People Surround You with Tatiana Wilk

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 10:00:53 GMT

Who we work with is way more important than who we work for. Being more creative, happy, and productive at the workplace depends more on the people we surround ourselves with than the title at our office's door or the name of the company we work for.

In today's episode, Tatiana Wilk visits us to share her experiences as Head of Finances at Mother, one of the world's more respected independent creative companies. Tatiana has been in the finance world, working for public and private advertising agencies for over 15 years, and she is a firm believer in the power of relationship chemistry and connecting from shared values.

We had a fantastic conversation about how choosing the right people dramatically affects the workflow and work environment's smoothness and productivity. Tatiana explained how being surrounded by creative people influenced her to be creative, even though she works with numbers. We also chatted about the importance of celebrating failure, peak moments in Tatiana's career, why we should look at the blank canvas as an adventure, and so much more.

Some Questions I Ask:

Where outside of the office does your creativity shine? And how does it help you connect with the people at Mother? (2:15)
How do you know you were making a wise choice? And when did you realize it was time to move on? (4:52)
How do you determine the right talent to hire? (9:50)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About Tatiana's accurate gut feeling and the decision to work for Mother (6:52)
How it is to work in a creative ecosystem (12:41)
What is the best way to keep a positive attitude (16:09)
What values were born from the flourishing of hybrid work environments (21:35)
How to turn a blank canvas into an adventure (27:10)

Resources:

Book: David Cottrell - Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Sessions You Can't Afford to Miss

Connect with Tatiana:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading Through Kindness and Empowering Love with Jeff Casto

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 09:00:11 GMT

Clear, well-distributed, and easy-to-access information cleans up any organization's workflow. If team members don't need to chase information, they can focus exclusively on their job and spend more time in their zone of genius. Today's guest, Jeff Casto, does a great job explaining why information management is so important, among many other things.

Jeff Casto is an Artist, Business System Analyst, and content creation information management expert. Jeff's vast experience in advertising took him to work in places like Google Creative Lab, SS+K, Deltek, and Anomaly, to name a few. His leadership style, based on kindness, brings the best of himself to the workplace and awakens the best in those who work with him.

In this episode, we explore Jeff's fascinating mix of abilities as an accomplished artist, business systems analyst, and software architect. He explains why he believes everything is information management, the benefits of having teams in sync with clear information, and why leading with kindness is a game-changer.

As the deep thinker he is, Jeff shares brilliant analogies that bring art, the agency world, and leadership together, creating an exciting and unique point of view of these different yet connected spaces. We also discuss values, peak moments, downsides in his career, and much more.

Some Questions I Ask:

What is content creation information Management? (2:36)
Tell us about your work and success in the art world (12:58)
What does your artistic mind and content creation mind have in common? (19:16)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Everything is information management (3:18)
About's Jeff approach to leadership (7:04)
Why Jeff decided to create little portraits (16:05)
Helping people get out of their frustration through kindness (21:19)
Creatives love independence (25:31)
What happens when you empower love (32:28)

Resources:

Jeff Casto Art website

Connect with Jeff:

LinkedIn
Email: mailbox@jeffcasto.art

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seeing the Numbers Come Alive with Bill Afonso

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:00:39 GMT

Bill Afonso joins us today to talk about the importance of creating a culture at the service of people, how to empower ourselves to make the right choices when hiring and laying people off, and how remote work impacted companies, leaders, and employees.

Bill is the Chief Financial Officer at Johannes Leonardo and a Thought Leader in the industry. Before joining JL, Bill went from Finance Coordinator to Finance Director at 72andSunny, where he spent the last three of his ten years career in the company overseeing the financial operations in 72andSunny's office in Amsterdam.

In this episode, we delve into Bill's journey in the advertising world and why he decided to work with creatives. We talk about Bill's leadership style, the highs and lows he experienced throughout his career, how he prepares himself before interviewing a potential employee, and how to ensure we make the right choice when hiring.

Bill shared his thoughts on remote work's impact on companies, leaders, employees, and our idea of work itself. We discuss how to empower ourselves when having hard conversations with clients and employees, the importance of embracing "no" as a whole sentence and the best answer sometimes, and more.

Some Questions I Ask:

What inspired you to work for highly creative agencies? (2:31)
What is your leadership style for success within a creative agency? (4:39)
How do you determine the right talent to hire? (11:10)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

What makes the advertising world so attractive (3:38)
How the empowerment aspect of diversity changes one’s perspective on many things, not only work (9:28)
The reason Bill prefers conversational interviews when meeting with a candidate for an open position (11:28)
How remote work has impacted people’s relationships with their jobs (19:23)
Dealing with the challenge of laying someone off (25:59)

Resources:

Johannes Leonardo website

Connect with Bill:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Art of Using Numbers to Tell Stories with Justin Gee

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 09:00:17 GMT

Joining us today is Justin Gee to talk about success, legacy, and the values that helped him go victorious through corporate chess and lifted him up when he was at his low during the pandemic.

Justin is the CFO at Ziff Media Group. He is a creative and innovative business leader with over 22 years of experience in financial management experience. His resume is filled with huge names like PepsiCo, Wavemaker, and The Walt Disney Company, and he is passionate about building strong finance capabilities within dynamic, complex, and transformative businesses.

In this episode, we go through Justin's journey in corporate America, the lessons he learned along the way, and what challenges made him stronger. We also discuss what's truly relevant during a hiring process, the changes the pandemic imposed on how we support and lead our teams, and the improvements it caused in terms of diversity and inclusion.

Justin described his management style, how he approaches conflictive situations, and what values assisted him in navigating through tough times during the pandemic.

Some Questions I Ask:

How do you define success? (2:28)
What factors do you look for in deciding the directions you've taken to climb the ladder of success? (6:17)
How has the workplace evolved from when you started over 24 years ago to now? (11:05)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About Justin's view on being successful at work and at home (5:19)
Being a good storyteller is also necessary in the world of finances (9:44)
Justin talks about the changes the pandemic forced upon us (11:22)
Justin describes his management style for success (15:39)
What are the things we can do when we feel disconnected (29:44)

Resources:

Ziff Media Group website

Connect with Justin:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helping Companies Hit A Home Run Through Managing Culture with Elba Lozano D’Elia

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 09:00:30 GMT

Small talk, fortuitous meetings at the water cooler, and human interaction face to face, in general, are an essential part of keeping a company's culture flowing and growing. On the other hand, companies forced by the circumstances to work remotely or in hybrid attendance models certainly struggle to find a way to recreate real-world interaction in virtuality and keep culture alive and relevant.

Today, Elba Lozano D’Elia joins us to share her thoughts on how to build a thriving community and humanize the workplace from virtuality. Elba is the Group Director of People and Culture at Group M (Americas); she is a member of CHIEF, a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there.

Throughout our conversation, we dive into Elba's passion for working with people and creating a culture that makes people feel happy and comfortable while enhancing their skills and increasing productivity. We talk about the aspects she pays attention to for ensuring a successful hire, the evolution of the people and culture function in companies, and the peak moments in her career that empowered her values. Elba kindly explained the relevance of instilling curiosity within an organization, the need for increasing empathy, and bringing people together in the workplace.

Some Questions I Ask:

Aside from skill, what are the critical aspects of a successful hire? (5:22)
I'd like you to name a peak moment in your career that inspires your value of confidence (9:07)
You're a member of CHIEF. Can you tell me a little about that? (13:07)

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

About the importance of collaboration and how to adjust to its multiple definitions (6:17)
The importance of promoting curiosity within an organization (8:28)
How working with people and culture makes her feel (11:07)
Elba’s biggest struggles as a leader (11:57)
How to enhance human interaction in a virtual workplace (19:38)
The best way to promote inclusion and promote productivity (24:03)

Resources:

GroupM website

Connect with Elba:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Using the Less Traveled Road To Create A Massive Social Impact with Michelle Stevenson

Tue, 24 May 2022 09:00:51 GMT

Michelle Stevenson is joining us today to talk about communication and the power of active listening in marketing and PR, feminine empowerment, and solidarity. She is the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the Milken Institute and one of the founding members of Chief, a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there.

Michelle Stevenson started her career in the film industry. She was fascinated by the idea that a film is, in essence, a product ideated to reach as many people as possible. Then she transitioned to PR, where her passion (and talent) for building brands' stories took her to work with FleishmanHillard, Burson-Marsteller, and the HL Group.

In this episode, we delve into Michelle's journey from majoring in Theatre at Northwestern University to the PR and agency world. We talk about the peak moments and the hardest challenges she faced throughout her career and the lessons she took from them. Michelle kindly described her sensations during her career transition, why she decided to join Chief and her work at The Giving Keys.

Some Questions I Ask:

When did you discover your passion for building brand recognition? (2:51)
Name a peak moment in your career that inspires confidence in you (7:46)
Tell us about a difficult challenge in your career and how you overcame it (14:19)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The power of active listening applied to marketing and PR (4:13)
Pro tip: Speak to people the way they speak to each other (9:48)
The massive impact of storytelling (13:51)
Empowering our values by going to happy places in our minds (19:43)
About the benefits of discovering our flexibility before getting too beat up (28:27)
The importance of keeping our minds open and never stop learning (34:22)

Resources:

Milken Institute website

Connect with Michelle:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making Everything Run Smoothly by Prioritizing Values and Connections with Jason Cammorata

Tue, 03 May 2022 09:00:11 GMT

Being the "everything operations" person leading sustainable growth, putting "everything operations" teams together, and overseeing those teams throughout several mergers and acquisitions sounds, at minimum, a little bit overwhelming. However, our guest, Jason Cammorata, managed to do it his entire career and with impressive efficiency.

Jason Cammorata was the SVP and Head of Global Operations at Stagwell Global. He has over ten years of experience in cross-functional leadership in highly successful private and public marketing and technology companies. Jason is an actively involved leader, passionate about growing, strengthening, optimizing, and scaling teams, systems, and processes. He is also a devoted husband and father and pet owner of a lovely cheagle.

In this episode, we delve into Jason's activities as the "everything operations" person and his role in the several mergers and acquisitions he promoted and facilitated throughout his career. We discuss the importance of observing values when building teams, recognizing our blind spots, surrounding ourselves with diversity and excellence, and implementing the "field trip mentality" into our endeavors as team leaders.

Some Questions I Ask:

How did you come to call yourself the "everything operations" person? It sounds challenging and exciting (2:43)
What do you love about what you do? (4:40)
Give me a challenge that was just a disappointment; how did you manage it, and what did you learn from it? (6:57)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Jason shares one of his peak success stories (6:07)
What Jason has learned about empathy and how has that helped throughout his career (11:16)
About Jason's perfectionist tendencies and how that can hold us back in our lives (15:53)
The better you know yourself, the better you can connect with others (18:50)
How can "the field trip mentality" improve our relationships (23:40)

Resources:

Stagwell Global website
Book: Richard Carlson - Don't Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life.

Connect with Jason:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dancing with Life In The Great Reprioritization Era with Mary Anne Powers

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:00:53 GMT

Project managers are essentially problem solvers; they undergo lots of stress as they carry big chunks of responsibility on their shoulders. On the other hand, they don't hold any authority, teams don't report directly to them, and they can't tell teams what to do; they can only facilitate them towards a common goal. This is why our guest, Mary Anne Powers, believes that project managers must play Jedi tricks to build trust among those teams or, as she put it: define the swim lanes and have transparency around.

Mary Anne Powers is a Digital Pioneer and Strategic Business Leader specializing in operations, product development, and project management. Mary Anne thrives on solving complex business challenges, mentoring teams, and implementing processes and tools to help everyone focus on doing their best work.

In this episode, we explore the project management world, guided by the experienced Mary Anne, who kindly shows us shortcuts, secrets, and gems of her craft. She unravels her "Yoda approach" to project management, how she inspires teams, and what she considers are the most significant modifications the pandemic generated in the industry. We also talk about the loss of personal connection and the role of flexibility in project management. Finally, Mary Anne shares her experiences during the dot-com boom when she bet on the internet, and everyone around her thought it was just a fad.

Some Questions I Ask:

What would you recommend to others in your profession to minimize stress and maximize efficiency? (2:25)
What do you love about operations and project management? (3:44)
Operations management requires constant juggling of priorities. What type of personality do you find fits best in that environment? And what values do you look for? (13:47)
We're now living in a virtual work world, with many jobs being remote. How do you see that affecting operations management, especially in diverse cultures and international timezones? (15:44)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About the invisible hand of project management and operations work (3:53)
What is project management really about (6:39)
What happens when we force things into people (15:31)
We are going through the great reprioritization era (20:31)
Mary Anne talks about her mindset and convictions during the dot-com boom (20:58)
New technologies are toddlers; they will make mistakes, but they will also evolve and eventually grow (22:45)

Connect with Mary Ann:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Inquisitive and Protective Approach To Leadership with Mark Sanders

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 09:00:45 GMT

As every company has its own flavor of nonsense, it is the management's responsibility first to pick the right team to do the job and, second, to remove all the noise from corporate politics so that team can focus on the important and not the urgent. Our guest, Mark Sanders, believes that his job as CFO is as simple as building a team of smart people, helping them set clear goals, and then just letting them do their job.

Mark Sanders is the CFO at Linksys. He is an entrepreneurial and adaptive corporate leader with vast accounting and public company experience. Mark assessed and directed new tactics and KPIs to drive growth in product and service areas, promoted culture transformation, reorganized leadership teams, and led all financial aspects of successful client proposals for multiple Top 20 Us advertisers. He also developed alternative client revenue streams and served as agency executive lead and decision-maker in a relocation project to 3 World Trade Center of a 4,200 person and 700,000 square foot project.

In this episode, our conversation spins around the idea of inspiring leadership, granting our teams freedom to create and act. We talk about the courage to jump into the unknown, the power of resilience to come back from mistakes and errors, and how being organized and setting clear expectations can determine a project's success. Mark also shared peak moments in his career and the uncomfortable feeling of making massive mistakes with the potential to cause devastating effects on his career and the company he was representing.

Tune in and listen to episode 11 and learn about Mark's unique approach to management, team building, and how we can use curiosity as a powerful ally to grow and expand our leadership skills.

Some Questions I Ask:

Every leader has their own management style for success. What's yours? (2:20)

What story can you share about a peak accomplishment in your career that inspires you? (4:04)

What story can you share? That was a disappointment? And how did your resilience overcome it? (10:10)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Every company has its own flavor of nonsense. How should leaders deal with it (3:03)

The courage needed to jump into the unknown (7:08)

How being organized and helping people organize themselves helped Mark hugely during his career (20:35)

Brilliant ideas are contextual. Although brilliancy is always welcomed, we must confirm those ideas fit our company's needs and context (21:41)

About the power hidden in mastering patience (27:18)

Mark shares some words of wisdom on how to build a successful career (30:27)

Linksys Resources:

Connect with Mark:

Let's Connect:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turning Boring Spreadsheets Into Retention Increasing Dashboards with Vincent Marra

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:00:15 GMT

New technologies and the increased precision in which agencies and media companies can track down and measure their KPIs transformed the marketing and advertising industry. Advertising in social media, streaming platforms, and even video games created a plethora of options for brands to advertise their products, niche down, and be very specific on reaching their target audience.

Vincent Marra, VP of Financial Planning & Analysis Director of MullenLowe US and Mediahub Worldwide, visits us to shed some light on agencies and media companies' present and how they cut through the noise to advertise their products.

Throughout our conversation, Vincent talks about his journey in the advertising industry and the changes he observed during his 15 years of experience in the agencies world. We delve into how the increase of data available impacted the industry and how they had to pivot and niche down to reach their target audiences, like creating marketing departments specifically designed to grab TikTok users' attention. We also talk about increasing retention by eliminating or reshaping tedious tasks, his tendency to simplify things that served him well throughout his career, and how sophisticated dashboards can increase productivity and retention.

Tune in and listen to episode 10 of The Chemistry Factor and glimpse at the possibilities of advertising and product placement new technologies can offer.

Some Questions I Ask:

You've been around the agency world for 15 years. The amount of data and analysis has grown tremendously; how has that affected your role in finance and operations? (1:49)
How does your work affect different departments? (4:58)
How do you keep up with constantly changing technology to upgrade operational efficiency? (12:54)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About the new spaces technology offers to brands to place their campaigns (4:01)
The difference between how commercials were made when advertisement channels were limited vs. how brands market their products on social media (8:29)
The importance of being constantly nurturing our network (14:28)
How tedious tasks affect teams' happiness and decrease retention rates (19:21)
About how sophisticated dashboards create smoother intercompany communications between departments (27:07)

Resources:

MullenLowe US website
Mediahub Worldwide website

Connect with Vincent:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lead Your Professional Life with Your Heart And Brain; The Body Will Follow with Gary Fishman

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 10:00:23 GMT

One of the biggest takeaways our guest, Gary Fishman, got from his vast experience working for over 30 years as a head of IR and corporate PR is that no matter what kind of work we do, we must put our passion into it. He believes that whether it is working on IR or PR, being passionate about it will allow us to think about it constantly and develop creative solutions and new and more effective ways of doing things.

Gary Fishman is the Managing Director at Anreder & Company, an independent investor and public relations firm. Throughout his 30+ years career, Gary has successfully advised publicly traded and privately held companies on their investor and corporate public relations. In 1991, he founded the Hudson Stone IR and PR firm, which he later merged into Publicis. Gary is also the creator of the Marvel Quarterly and Annual Reports, one of the most successful investor relationship tools on Wall Street. He also collaborated to write three books on investing and trading and lectured at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

In this episode, Gary shares the details of two of his career highlights, one collaborating with Marvel's Initial Public Offering and being deeply involved with Vince and Linda McMahon's WWE when the company went public. We talk about Gary's biggest learnings working with massive companies, the challenges he faced when he decided to work for himself, and the most significant hurdles companies face dealing with government regulations in the IR and PR industry.

Tune in and listen to episode 9 of The Chemistry Factor and discover Gary's fascinating story of passion, hard work, and creativity.

Some Questions I Ask:

How did you become interested in investing and public relations? (2:16)
What were some of the challenges you faced working for massive companies? (16:07)
How did you know it was time for you to run your own business? (19:21)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Gary talks about his past as a news reporter (3:44)
Putting together his lifelong passion for comics and quarterly reports for shareholders. Gary talks about the creation of Marvel Quarterly and Annual Reports (4:09)
Gary talks about his experiences working with the WWE (13:38)
The three significant obstacles everyone working for themselves must dribble (20:37)
Knowing how to look at the big and small picture simultaneously and having a 3D imagination. Gary shares a couple of advice for those interested in joining the IR and PR world (33:55)

Resources:

Anreder & Company website

Connect with Gary:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Creative Look To Numbers and Finances with James Berman

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:00:48 GMT

After finishing high school, our guest, James Berman, knew he loved the English language and creativity. Still, he had no clue what career path to choose, so he consulted an educational psychologist. After several aptitude tests, the results indicated that James's more suitable career paths would be either journalism or accounting. Numbers looked the more practical choice, so he took the accounting route; he chose numbers over copywriting. But his love for creative work and being in creative environments was deep, so to avoid losing touch with his creative side, he built his career in the advertising industry.

James Berman is the CFO of CBX, former CFO of the HL Group, and former Controller of MRM Worldwide, the digital agency of McCann Erickson. Born in Wales, James and his family moved to South Africa, where he grew up and experienced an extremely isolated culture during apartheid. At 21, James traveled to the UK first, then visited a couple of countries in Europe and America, where he would establish himself and stay for good.

We had a fantastic conversation about creativity, culture clash, diversity, and customer service. James shared his journey into the agency and advertising world and how he absorbed the impact of the cultural differences between the South African and the American approach to work. We also talk about how it was for James to establish himself as an immigrant in the US, his experiences dealing with C-Level and partners, his thoughts on client service vs. strategy, and more.

Tune in and listen to episode 8 of The Chemistry Factor and see creativity, the advertising world, and the American work ethic from a different perspective.

Some Questions I Ask:

You have been in the agency world for over 18 years, including the advertising audit work you did as a CPA. What do you love about advertising? (2:36)
What was the most challenging part of becoming an immigrant in the USA? (8:16)
Diversity is a major topic in the agency world. As an immigrant, how do you see yourself fitting into diversity? (10:56)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The special moment of creating the connection between the advertised product and the audience (5:01)
About the advantages of being exposed to talented people at work (16:57)
How crucial it is to make clients feel like part of the team (26:57)
James' perspective on the relevance of getting new business for big and small agencies (31:52)
James shares his take on the secrets to enjoying the agency life (34:23)

Resources:

CBX website

Connect with James:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Embracing Growth with The Long Tentacles of An Engaged Community

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Community is everything nowadays; it can literally make or break a business overnight. The online marketplace is so crowded that an engaged online community is the lifeblood of brands' relevance. A brand that speaks the language of its community, cares about the same things, and shares its values, is halfway through the finish line of success.

Our guest, Warren Carlyle IV, is a Professional Community Building Strategist; he is the Founder and CEO of OctoNation, The Largest Octopus Fan Club, a nonprofit organization that inspires ocean conservation by teaching about octopuses.

Warren is convinced that a fanatical community is the best way for a brand to stand out in the digital space, and he teaches how to do it using his 7 Cs of Growing a Fanatical Community. Warren has gotten the attention of celebrities & global organizations such as Michael B Jordan, Ellen Degeneres, Joe Rogan, and Facebook HQ.

In this episode, Warren shares the story of how OctoNation started, moved by his obsession with aliens, and his curiosity to learn everything about those alien-looking animals, the octopuses. We go through the journey that inspired and created his 7 Cs system to create a fanatical community and his experiences building and growing OctoNation. We also talk about communities' power, the metaverse, core values, and more.

Tune in and listen to episode 7 of The Chemistry Factor and discover communities' true power and the best way to communicate with them.

Some Questions I Ask:

How's life in the fanatical community world? (3:19)
What inspired you to create OctoNation? And how did it change your life? (4:21)
Tell us your story on how you first got involved in community development and what you love about it? (7:06)
How do you see the growth of the metaverse affecting fanatical community growth in the future? (35:11)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

An obsession with aliens and Warren's inspiration to create OctoNation (4:30)
About the best way to get people to interact with a brand (8:21)
The pros and cons of creating a community that is obsessed with a particular subject (13:06)
About Warren talking to leaders, he was inspired by (18:36)
The 7 Cs of Growing a Fanatical Community (24:52)
A piece of Warren's advice on community building (40:17)

Resources:

Warren Carlyle website
OctoNation website
Book: Sy Montgomery - The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

Connect with Warren:

LinkedIn
Email: Warren@OctoNation.com

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoying the Ride, Empowering Our Values, and Serving To Win

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:00:18 GMT

Too often at work, we get caught in the urgency of the things we have to solve, the goals, or the results, and forget what is essential. Almost inevitably, we end up passing our stress and frustration to our teams or colleagues, and we create an endless cycle of discomfort and lack of passion for the job.

The answer to prevent this from happening is within ourselves, and it's pretty simple: empowering values.

In this episode, we delve into this uncomplicated yet highly effective strategy to increase productivity, do more in less time, and create "on the rise" business relationships.

We analyze real-world examples of how powerful empowering our values can be and what it can do for our teams and ourselves. We also talk about the three types of business relationships, the four steps to empower our values, and more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About how I used to drain and stress my team and myself (1:43)
What is your chemistry factor, and how can you discover it (3:46)
About my attempts to make it to the tennis team and how I found the advantages of empowering my values (4:51)
What happens when we are disconnected from our values (10:37)
The three types of business relationships (12:03)
Four steps to empower your values (15:33)

Let's Connect:

Website
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
Email: barney@thechemistryfactor.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Mozolewski | Past, Present, and Future of the Merger & Acquisition Space

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 10:00:25 GMT

Although mergers and acquisitions (M&A) aim to enhance business opportunities, growing in areas a company or a group of companies are not serving at their full potential or simply getting a more significant share of a market, when M&A is all, and only about the numbers, they're doomed to suffer.

Today, to talk about the right way of doing mergers and acquisitions is Chris Mozolewski, CFO of Decoded Advertising, a company recently acquired by the S4 Capital Group.

In this episode, we explore the factors companies should consider before launching themselves into the intricate path of mergers and acquisitions. We discuss the importance of considering how cultures will mesh, come together, and work in the new environment. Chris also highlighted the importance of effective and fluid communications to ensure peaceful and smooth transitions; he shared some of his own experiences in merging processes and some of the biggest learnings and discoveries he made along the way.

Tune in and listen to episode 5 of The Chemistry Factor and discover a more humane and culture-centered look at mergers and acquisitions.

Some Questions I Ask:

You've been in the agency world for almost 30 years. What do you love about it? (2:42)
What do you think are the challenges that startups and tech entrepreneurs will face in merger or acquisition situations? (4:59)
What would you say are some of the values that you find most helpful when it comes to M&A? (6:56)
What challenges have you experienced due to the pandemic related to the merger that you're doing now? (9:32)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About how the changes of the business world affect the dynamics of mergers & acquisitions (4:32)
Why M&A that are all about the numbers tend to suffer (7:13)
About the things, we can discover from ourselves and our companies when dealing with challenges (11:28)
Why communication has a crucial role in the M&A space (16:14)
What are the things entrepreneurs should be aware of before starting a business (18:32)
Chris shares an inspirational peak moment of his career (22:41)

Resources:

Decoded Advertising website

Connect with Chris:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vivian Xu | Understanding the Differences to Build Stronger Relationships

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:00:33 GMT

Going through massive changes and facing tough challenges seem to be a constant in our guest's life, Vivian Xu. She came to America from China in the '80s as a classical violinist. Then, following her father's advice, she pursued a career in business, getting an MBA from Golden Gate University.

Vivian enjoyed a successful career in finance and operations in the advertising industry. She started as a Finance Director at BBDO, then worked at Bozell. Then she became the CFO of IPG at Avrett Free Ginsberg before returning to China, where she became CFO, COO of Greater China McCann Worldgroup.

In this episode, we delve into a fascinating conversation about cultural differences, personal choices, and inspiring leaders. We compare our experiences at what I call reverse culture shock: coming back to our hometown after long years in a foreign country. We explore the differences and similarities between American and Chinese consumers, leaders, and colleagues to touch on one of The Chemistry Factor purposes, understanding the differences to make seeing what we have in common easier.

Tune in and listen to episode 4 of The Chemistry Factor and learn about the differences that bring people closer.

Some Questions I Ask:

What age were you when you decided to learn the violin? (2:25)
How stressful was it for you to shift from classical music to finance? (5:09)
How did you choose to join the advertising industry? (7:47)
What stands out for you is the difference between American and Chinese consumers? (15:21)
What would you say is the most inspiring part of what you do? (24:37)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A Summer camp that forced Vivian to learn English (4:31)
How impactful it was for Vivian to go back to China and find a completely different country (9:46)
Learning a language is much more than knowing how to read and speak it (11:54)
Three main differences between Chinese and American consumers (17:21)
Some of Vivian's father more valuable lessons (23:26)

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Piazza | Empower Flexibility and Trust for Greater Agency Success

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 10:00:09 GMT

Using Trust, Humility, and Authenticity to Keep Values Alive in Virtuality

The massive changes we've experienced in the last couple of years affected how we work and connect, and marketing agencies are not strangers to these transformations. The new virtual reality forced them to reinvent themselves at a tremendous pace to keep up with technology innovations. One of the toughest challenges agencies face is staying in touch with marketers to ensure they are aligned with their goals and priorities.

Joining us today is Mark Piazza, SVP of Business Intelligence & Inside Group at the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's), a trading association for marketing agencies founded in 1917. Mark believes that trust is key to ensuring agency and client are on the same page, and we used that concept as a trigger for our insightful conversation.

In this episode, our conversation revolves around the challenges marketing agencies are facing after the changes produced by the pandemic regarding communication, staff management, and hiring and retention. Mark kindly shared an inspiring story about how trust made him enjoy one of the best experiences he ever had with a client. We also talk about the need for blending personal and professional experiences, agencies flexibility, gen Z's priorities when looking for jobs, and much more.

Tune in and listen to episode 3 of The Chemistry Factor and discover some of the challenges marketing agencies are dealing with and how they are overcoming them.

Some Questions I Ask:

The marketing communications industry is reinventing itself at a tremendous pace to keep up with the technology innovations. How do you keep up with that? (3:04)
People want to learn how to make the system work better. What are 4A's doing to help them do that? (6:29)
What are some of the new challenges and added stresses agencies face as they adapt to the new virtual reality? (12:32)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Agencies had to force themselves to find ways to keep their culture alive, even in virtual work (5:06)
What happens when agencies and clients don't share values (8:20)
Mark shares a story where trust make the difference in the relationship they had with a large client (8:53)
Some of the challenges agencies are dealing with regarding remote work, and the things they'll have to deal with shortly (12:27)
Once we go through "the difficult conversation" with a client, communication becomes easier (20:22)

Resources:

The American Association of Advertising Agencies website

Connect with Mike:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Cahill | Behind the Scenes of the Global Talent Crunch

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 10:00:46 GMT

As the world is slowly going back to normal, companies started asking their employees to go back to work in their physical places. But, after almost two years of spending extra time at home with their loved ones and seeing that it didn't affect their productivity, most talents reject this idea, causing them to quit their jobs and look for other remote work opportunities. In professional pharmaceutical advertising, hiring and retaining talent has always been problematic, and indeed, this new scenario is not making things easier.

Joining us today is Chris Cahill, an experienced HR and talent acquisition specialist who is undoubtedly in the front lines of the so-called talent crunch. Chris is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Evoke, a great human being, and a dear friend.

In this episode, our conversation revolves around the staff shortage companies are experiencing, how it affects both leaders and staff members, and how Chris deals with it. We also go through the current challenges of hiring and retaining talent, how Chris knows when a candidate fits the company's culture, and what keeps him up at night. Chris kindly shares a win-win-win moment of his professional career. We also analyze how letting circumstances dictate how we react forces us to focus on the result, stopping us from enjoying the journey.

Tune in and listen to episode 2 of The Chemistry Factor and get a closer look at talent acquisition and retention from a different perspective.

Some Questions I Ask:

With retention difficulties and talent shortage, how challenging do you see it for agencies in this market? (3:39)
How does a long open position affect the morale of an agency? (6:49)
How challenging is it for you to find not just the talent but the right chemistry fit? (9:01)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why people are quitting their jobs, making the hiring and retention job harder than ever (4:04)
How Chris keeps talents engaged and in tune with the company's culture (7:36)
About a win-win-win story from Chris' professional life (10:45)
Coach Barney's take on the current staff shortage (17:01)

Resources:

Evoke website

Connect with Chris:

Let's Connect:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Sorro | Empower Your Mindset

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 04:00:18 GMT

Stress is a reaction, not a decision, yet it drains our energy, and it stops us from feeling fulfilled at work, in our lives, and in our relationships with others. I invite you to join me on this journey and, together, discover how to empower our attitude and achieve the level of satisfaction and success you've always wanted.

In this first episode, I have the pleasure of bringing Michelle Sorro to the show. She is a Coach and Mentor for Leaders and digital CEOs. Michelle built a seven-figure business by helping experts scale their businesses with digital coaching programs, purpose-driven podcasts, and highly curated masterminds. She is also a podcaster, a published author, and an active member of Operation Underground Railroad, a nonprofit dedicated to saving children from trafficking and exploitation.

We had a fantastic conversation about leadership, empowering relationships, core values, and purpose. Michelle kindly shared some of her experiences as a leader and mentor, how she navigated the challenging task of building empowering relationships with her teams and offered some tips on keeping an online audience engaged and connected. We also explore the concepts of test and field trip mentality, authentic connection, and much more.

Buckle up and get ready for the first episode of The Chemistry Factor, where we explore the power of being connected with our values and how to empower them.

Some Questions I Ask:

What's your formula for success in creating authentic relationships in your career and life? (3:01)
What challenges have you faced in achieving empowered relationships in Zoom meetings? And how did you overcome them? (4:52)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why emotional intelligence is crucial for the times we are living in (8:04)
The destination is in the doing. How preparing for the first step rather than for the end can help us release stress and empower our values (11:22)
The test mentality and its destructive power (12:51)
The field trip mentality and its empowering effects (14:34)
How to achieve authentic connection with our values (19:54)

Connect with Michelle:

Website
Fire and Soul podcast with Michelle Sorro
LinkedIn
Instagram

Let's Connect:

The Chemistry Factor website
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.