In Good Companies

Often, the story of an entrepreneur is focused on exceptional individuals. But every entrepreneur knows that they can’t do it alone. We all need a helping hand to reach our true potential. That’s especially true for those from underserved communities. So how do we empower entrepreneurs? What can we give them, and what do they have to do for themselves?To find out, we spoke with John Hope Bryant, an exceptional individual himself. John’s been called “The Conscience of Capitalism,” advising  three sitting U.S. presidents, and was named one of Time Magazine’s “50 Leaders for the Future.” His nonprofit, Operation HOPE, is the largest nonprofit provider of financial literacy, inclusion, and economic empowerment tools in the United States.An entrepreneur himself, John knows the barriers that minority business owners face. So on this episode, we hear what John has learned from his journey, the challenges and opportunities of minority entrepreneurship and Operation HOPE’s “One Million Black Businesses” initiative. We’ll cover how to build networks, capital, and belief in budding entrepreneurs.Listen in to hear how our powerhouse guest empowers entrepreneurs with hope.Highlights: Introduction to Operation HOPE (1:47) How entrepreneurship changed John’s life (3:59) Enterprise can create generational wealth (5:48) John’s first business at 10 years old (7:21) How the Rodney King riots changed John’s perspective (10:06) The origins of Operation HOPE (11:15) Barriers to entrepreneurship (12:28) Never give up (12:51) Empowering entrepreneurs with belief (14:28) Helping an entrepreneur build their network (16:20) One  Million Black Businesses (19:30) How entrepreneurs can empower themselves (21:47) “Just do something” (23:20) The 3rd Reconstruction (24:45) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Operation HOPE John Hope Bryant Holdings John Hope Bryant LinkedIn John Hope Bryant - Books Operation HOPE - 1 Million Black Businesses Operation HOPE - Small Business Development Cadence Bank - SBA Loans Inc. Magazine - How to Empower Underrepresented Entrepreneurs Forbes - Eight Ways to Support Your Fellow Entrepreneurs Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Whether you’re selling a business or buying into one, it’s a big deal. And when the stakes get high, so do emotions. On this episode, we dive into the human element of mergers & acquisitions. What’s it like to sell your business? How do you navigate change? What can you do to build trust?Fortunately, we spoke with two people who have experienced the whole spectrum of M&A transactions. Father and son team George & Joshua Robertson run GrowCo Capital, an investment firm based out of Fort Worth, Texas. But before they were in venture capital, they ran their own businesses, including National HME. Hear the story of how George and Josh navigated the strategic partnership and eventual sale of their family business, and the lessons they now bring to the buy-side. We’ll explore how to manage your emotions, communicate with employees, and set a clear vision, so that everyone can win. So listen in and find out: how do you deal with the deal?Highlights: The Robertsons’ family background (2:05) Planting the seeds for National HME (4:40) National HME: the early years (7:43) Why the Robertsons went looking for strategic partners (8:54) How they chose partners (10:02) Managing emotions (12:06) How George and Josh adapted to new partners (14:22) The golden nugget (16:41) Communicating with employees (18:03) Saying goodbye to the company you’ve built (19:23) Having values at your core (21:47) George and Josh on the buy-side (22:53) Using what they’ve learned (23:57) Channeling emotion towards a goal (26:13) MasVida Health and the future for the Robertsons (28:17) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn GrowCo Capital George Robertson LinkedIn Joshua Robertson LinkedIn MasVida Health Forbes - Emotions Matter When Selling Your Company Harvard Business Review - Dealing with the Emotional Fallout of Selling Your Business LinkedIn - What CEOs must do to lead successful mergers and acquisitions Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Whether it’s because of new leadership, exogenous shock, or a plain old rut, all companies eventually need to change. While there’s no single template for how to transform your business, you can learn a lot from those who have done it successfully; and there’s probably no better example than Jim Crane and the Houston Astros baseball franchise. When Jim bought the team in 2011, they were one of the worst teams in baseball. Over the course of the next decade, they became one of the most successful. Under Jim, the Astros have won two championships and become perennial contenders. They’ve also tripled their revenue. So how did he do it?On this episode, we’ll explore Jim’s approach to transformation: how he identifies problems, manages his teams, and creates partnerships with multiple stakeholders, all with an eye toward a winning culture. Find out the reason Jim took a hands-off approach to baseball operations and why he invested heavily in the Astros’ charitable foundation. Plus, how Jim applied the same formula to the PGA Tour’s Houston Open.When you transform your business, you have to cover your bases. So join us and get strategies that will help you right off the bat. Highlights: How Jim turned a $10,000 loan into $4B in revenue (1:56) Jim’s passion for sports (4:34) What Jim saw in the struggling Astros (6:02) Diagnosing the team’s biggest problem (7:04) The benefits of a hands-off approach (8:25) Creating a winning culture (11:23) The Community Leaders program and creating external partnerships  (12:59) The Astros become world champions (16:32) The Houston Open: A microcosm of Jim’s approach (17:49) To maintain your edge, you’ve got to keep working (21:02) How to apply these lessons to your business (22:21) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Jim Crane - Crane Worldwide Crane Worldwide Logistics Website Houston Astros Website Astros Foundation Website Houston Open Website McKinsey - What is business transformation? Harvard Business Review - Four types of business transformation Deloitte - Six keys to business transformation Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Last week, Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre introduced us to the concept of “Love as a Business Strategy” and showed how beneficial it is to leaders. But leaders aren’t the only ones in a business. So, what does a culture of love bring to employees? The answer: a lot! They have just as much to gain from a culture of love as leaders do. Love as a business strategy empowers teams and makes them more efficient.While leaders are essential in implementing a culture of love, employees are key in sustaining one. So how do you make that happen? Well, it starts with hiring the right people–and they may not be who you expect. Once they’re in the door, you establish connections and make them feel secure–because when people feel safe they can be honest. “Honesty over Harmony” is one of the foundational tenets of Love as a Business Strategy. Honest communication cuts down on time; honest criticism leads to better products; and honest feedback opens the door to accountability.On this episode, you’ll hear all about how Mohammad and Chris encourage these behaviors and build them into their business; small changes that can make a culture of love much easier to maintain. So join us, as we explore the labor of love.Highlights: Defining Love as a Business Strategy (3:29) What leaders don’t understand about employees (5:02) Empowered employees (6:19) How a culture of love makes employees more efficient (7:08) Hiring: Culture add vs. culture fit (9:13) Hiring: Capability over competence (11:32) How Softway builds connections between employees (13:47) Creating a feeling of security in employees (15:30) Honesty over harmony (16:43) Silence is the biggest cost that’s not on your balance sheet (19:15) Culture vultures (21:00) Holding each other accountable (23:09) How a culture of love sets you up for the future (26:18) Seneca Leaders (28:57) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Mohammad Anwar LinkedIn Chris Pitre LinkedIn Seneca Leaders Love as a Business Strategy - Book Love as a Business Strategy - Podcast  Softway Website Culture+ Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

How much better would the world be if everyone loved going to work? How much more engaged would we be? How much more efficient? That’s the vision of Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre (Softway & Culture+), two co-authors of the WSJ-bestseller Love as a Business Strategy. They want to revolutionize the way companies do business, by putting people at the center of every decision. But this idea didn’t come out of nowhere. It was born from the real-life transformation of their company, Softway. So on this episode, we’re telling that story: how a leader learned to love his team and, in doing so, transformed his company and himself.Mohammad founded Softway when he was 20 years old, and he’d grown the business to over 300 employees since its inception. But by 2015, the company had developed a toxic culture, and Mohammad was known for his unprofessional outbursts. With the business struggling, morale was low. Two weeks after Chris was hired, Softway laid off a third of its workforce by gathering them in a conference room and telling them all at once. Mohammad didn’t know if the business would last another month.But then he had a realization, and together he and Chris went on a journey to institute a “culture of love.” Through slow, quiet work, Mohammad changed his behaviors and made Softway a place that employees loved. Success soon followed. Now, they help other businesses change their own cultures. On this episode, we’ll explore the leader’s role in a culture of love: their responsibilities, behaviors and how they stand to benefit. So, join us, as we answer the question: “What’s love got to do with it?” Highlights: Meet Mohammad Anwar & Chris Pitre (1:12) What is “love as a business strategy”? (2:22) The origins of Softway (3:23) The infamous “Dirty fridge” email (5:44) Softway’s darkest day  (9:39) Why it’s hard to be a leader (12:02) Mohammad’s epiphany (15:07) Misconceptions about the culture of love (17:21) Perks are not culture (20:21) Culture eats strategy for breakfast, but behaviors eat culture for lunch (21:29) Redefining leadership (23:11) Changing behavior (26:30) Trickle-down culture (28:21) The role of forgiveness (30:15) Softway’s turnaround (31:35) No excuses (35:54) Seneca Leaders (38:28) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Mohammad Anwar LinkedIn Chris Pitre LinkedIn Seneca Leaders Love as a Business Strategy - Book Love as a Business Strategy - Podcast  Softway Website Culture+ Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Customers judge your company on more than just the product you sell. They’re evaluating every interaction, from start to finish: Was the website easy to navigate? Were the employees friendly and helpful? Did their order come quickly (and in one piece)? They want convenience, consistency and connection. All that adds up to a customer experience, or CX, as it’s known; and those two little letters have the power to make or break your company. The benefits of good customer experience are huge. Satisfied customers are more loyal and will pay a premium. But the drawbacks of bad CX are even greater: almost three-quarters of customers would switch to a competitor after just two bad experiences. So how do you create a genuinely great customer experience?That question is at the center of everything that Daniel Herrmann works on. Daniel is the vice president of product strategy and customer insights at NCR. It’s his job to make NCR work better for its customers. And to him, CX is more than a strategy; it’s a mindset that infuses every aspect of your business. Together we’ll explore the building blocks of exceptional CX: how you measure, design, and implement CX. Plus, why he thinks CX creates more efficient, innovative, and aligned companies. So, join us, as we pay our respects to CX and walk a mile in Daniel's shoes. Because the customer journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.Highlights: Meet Daniel Herrmann (1:43) Customer experience is anything and everything (3:12) The benefits of good CX (4:49) Without CX, customers won’t stick around  (5:47) Why overall customer satisfaction has been declining for years (6:16) Putting the C in CX (8:45) The role of leadership: articulate and communicate (9:08) A customer-oriented culture (10:10) The most common mistake that companies make when it comes to CX (12:14) Measuring CX: Net Promoter Score (12:58) Creating a narrative with your data (14:04) Why you need quantitative and qualitative data (16:17) How good CX leads to innovation (17:11) Customer journey maps (18:24) The four building blocks to make CX a systematic competence (20:16) Top priority: a process for collecting feedback (21:48) Daniel’s top takeaways (24:04) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Daniel Herrmann LinkedIn NCR Website Harvard Business Review - Understanding Customer Experience Harvard Business Review - 10 Ways to Boost Customer Satisfaction PwC - The Future of Customer Experience American Customer Satisfaction Index - US Overall Customer Satisfaction Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

We've received a great response from you on our sonic branding episode, so we wanted to ride the wave and follow up with some additional content on small business marketing. This week’s episode originally aired in Season 2.We interact with brands every day, so you might think you’ve got the concept all figured out. But experts know: looks can be deceiving. So, we sat down with some of those experts to get an unfiltered view of the branding process. Beth Flom and Andrew Bogucki are senior partners at New York brand innovation firm Tenet Partners —they help companies like Mastercard, Target and IBM build compelling and powerful brands. And they’re clear on one thing. A brand isn’t simply a logo or a tagline —it’s more than that. In fact, according to Cadence Bank’s own Chief Marketing Officer, Jackie Hooper, “brand is the essence of the company.” To be successful, your brand must feel honest and cohesive because it’s reinforced through every interaction that a customer has with your company. To achieve that, it must be built on a solid foundation: culture. But what is your company’s culture? And how do you translate that into a brand?So, on this episode, we’ll hear from three brilliant marketing minds. They’ll share the keys to evaluating culture and developing a strong brand. You’ll learn how to ask the right questions, make key decisions and what small businesses can achieve —it’s more than you think.Join us, as we corner the market on marketing with this brand new, on-brand episode!Highlights: What a brand is–and isn’t (4:40) Where to start with branding: research (9:11) Culture is the foundation of brand (10:11) How to assess culture (11:16) Translating to visual identity (12:05) Both an art and a science (13:17) Navigating the emotions of branding (14:27) How your brand can influence your culture (16:57) Why employee training is integral to the process (17:30) Branding for small companies (19:01) Consistency and follow through (20:00) Takeaways on branding (21:09) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Jackie Hooper LinkedIn Tenet Partners Website Beth Flom LinkedIn Andrew Bogucki LinkedIn Harvard Business Review - Brand Is Culture, Culture Is Brand Harvard Business Review - Build a Culture to Match Your Brand LinkedIn - Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Relationship Between Brand & Culture Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

We’re on the cusp of a new generation of workers. Young people entering the workforce today are, by and large, digital natives. They’ve spent their formative years navigating COVID, and this new world of remote work is the only one they’ve ever known. Like every new generation, they’ll have different values, different expectations and different approaches to their careers. So how do you appeal to the next generation of workers?In a tight labor market, this talent pool presents a huge opportunity for companies. But with young workers in high demand, you’ve got to stand out. Understanding what students and graduates want from their employers can give you a big leg up. So, what do young workers value? How can employers attract them? And what do they need to succeed in your workplace?To answer these questions, we turned to Linda Johnson, director of employee relations for the Career Center at Culverhouse at the University of Alabama. Linda has been helping college students and companies connect for 15 years. She sees both perspectives. Together, we explore why young workers are a valuable resource, the most effective recruiting methods, and what you can do to help these employees succeed once they’re inside your company.So join us as we search for the fountain of youth in a podcast for the ages!Highlights: Meet Linda Johnson (1:49) Why investing in young talent is so important (3:11) Gen Z strengths (4:54) How U of A teaches students soft skills  (5:47) Young workers want to add value (8:45) Why hybrid work appeals to graduates (9:53) Connecting through preferred channels (12:03) Successful recruiting strategies (13:10) Why companies are recruiting younger (16:18) Internships as risk mitigation (17:33) How to set students up for success (18:46) Getting started with recruitment (20:35) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Linda Johnson LinkedIn University of Alabama - Culverhouse College of Business Deloitte - Understanding Generation Z in the Workplace Thought Exchange - Guide to Gen Z at Work McKinsey - How does Gen Z see its place in the working world? National Association of Colleges and Employers - Best Practices for Internship Programs Gallup - Data on Gen Z in the Workplace Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

These days, everyone is vying for our attention. We’re bombarded with videos, tweets, billboards, commercials–every company is trying to catch our eye. One way to break through the clutter is to focus on ears instead. It’s called “sonic branding” and it’s increasingly how businesses cut through the noise and distinguish themselves to customers. But what is sonic branding? To get the whole story, we talked to Stephanie Hunt and Lucas Murray, two members of global sonic branding agency Made Music Studio. Made Music has been carrying the sonic branding torch for almost 25 years; they know what it takes to create sounds that resonate with customers. Stephanie and Lucas walk us through the science and psychology of audio and the process of building a successful sonic identity. That’s a process that we at Cadence know well because we’ve gone through it ourselves. In 2021, when Cadence and BancorpSouth merged, part of our massive rebrand was the development of a sonic identity with Made Music Studio. The leader on the Cadence side was Chief Marketing Officer and friend of the podcast, Jackie Hooper. She’ll tell us about the opportunities and challenges of building a sonic brand–plus, how to successfully roll one out, which Stephanie says is half the battle.Together we’ll dissect the elements of our own sonic identity and give you the tools to implement one for your business. So listen up! It’s time for In Good Companies to face the music.Highlights: Sonic brand: more than just a jingle (2:51) Why Cadence pursued a sonic brand (6:20) The psychology of sound (7:26) All the places where a customer interacts with sound (8:48) Everyone has a sonic identity (9:48) What makes a sonic identity system successful (12:19) Cadence sonic theme breakdown (13:55) How rollout contributes to the success of a sonic brand (19:01) Contextualizing your sonic identity (21:49) The ham sandwich test (23:55) Sonic branding for smaller companies (25:29) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Jackie Hooper LinkedIn Made Music Studio Website Made Music Studio LinkedIn Stephanie Hunt LinkedIn Lucas Murray LinkedIn Made Music Studio - Sonic Branding Guide Deloitte - Sonic Branding and the Rise of Voice Technology Forbes - Sonic Branding: Why every brand needs it today Adweek - Sonic branding will give voice to new tech in 2023 Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

And we’re back! Welcome to Season 3 of In Good Companies. This season, we’re jumping right into the deep end–of the candidate pool. On our latest bonus episode, we got a crash course in the current hiring landscape from Indeed’s Senior Director of Talent Attraction, Jennifer (Jenn) McNorton. She shared the macro trends that have contributed to the tightest labor market in over 50 years and what companies are willing to do to acquire talent. But getting great employees isn’t just about the trends, headlines, or benefits. More often than not, the devil’s in the details–and for employers, that means refining your talent acquisition process. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have every step of your hiring locked in. Because if you don’t, candidates have plenty of other options. On this episode, Jenn takes us through best practices for every step of the hiring process, from sourcing candidates to salary negotiation. She’s compiled the most effective strategies from over 25 years in recruiting, as well as what she’s observed from successful companies across Indeed’s user base.We explore recruiting strategies: where to look for candidates and how to keep them engaged along the way. Plus, the art of the interview, and the science of salary negotiation. So join us, and find out how to uncover your hidden talent.Highlights: Casting a wide net (2:30) The secret to maintaining a good candidate pool (5:23) How to write an irresistible job description (6:44) What makes a good interview process (11:42) Crafting the right interview questions (14:43) Addressing implicit and unconscious bias (16:18) Jenn’s approach to negotiation (19:09) It’s not always about compensation (21:12) Where to go for help (23:11) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Indeed.com Jennifer McNorton LinkedIn Indeed.com LinkedIn Indeed.com - Recruiting and hiring resources Indeed.com - How to Hire Employees: A Setp-by-Step Guide Indeed.com - How to Write a Job Description Indeed.com - 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees Indeed.com - How to Prevent Interview Bias and Improve the Candidate Experience Indeed.com - How to Conduct a Job Interview Indeed.com - 10 Salary Negotiation Strategies for Employers Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Full-length episodes from In Good Companies are almost back! To prepare, we’re previewing Season Three with extras from some of our favorite conversations. In this bonus episode, you’ll meet Jennifer McNorton, Senior Director of Talent Attraction at Indeed, one of the most popular job sites in the world. Jenn is in charge of sourcing and recruiting for leadership positions at Indeed. But she doesn’t just manage hiring at a top tech company–from her vantage point, she sees talent acquisition trends across the economy. So on this bonus episode, we explore the macro view of talent acquisition: how the workforce has evolved and why companies are competing for talent like never before. Hear how you can differentiate your business and offer what jobseekers value most.Highlights: What is “talent attraction”? (1:37) The three key hiring battles (2:18) The biggest misconception about talent attraction (4:08) The value of proactive differentiation (6:05) How small & medium businesses can compete with fewer resources (9:06) The benefits and perks that jobseekers value most (10:47) These trends are here to stay (13:43) Patrick summary (15:05) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Indeed.com Jennifer McNorton LinkedIn Indeed.com LinkedIn Indeed.com - Talent attraction resources Indeed.com - Build Awareness for Your Brand—and Jumpstart Your Recruitment and Hiring Indeed.com - Enhance Your Employer Brand: 4 Factors to Focus On Indeed.com - Navigating the US Labor Market in 2022 Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

We talk to amazing people every week on In Good Companies, and often we find ourselves with more great audio than we can fit into an episode. So in the lead-up to our new season, we’re opening up the vault to share some extra conversations with you.The first bonus episode features a familiar voice from our most recent episode: Craig Flowers, Army veteran and founder of Sideline Leadership. He spoke with us about talent retention and his “Know, Care, Challenge” framework for engaging teams. But through his decade-long work with special operations, Craig has seen incredible leaders up close, and he knows that elite performance starts with elite leadership.So on this bonus episode we talk about several habits of highly effective leaders. Listen on to hear how service, vulnerability and language can make a huge difference, and take your leadership from average to elite. Highlights: Most organizations are average (1:24) Craig’s definition of leadership (3:01) When things go wrong, elite leaders start with themselves (5:03) What Peyton Manning can teach us about leadership (7:41) The importance of vulnerability (9:38) “My team” vs. “Our team” (10:47) Patrick’s summary (11:53) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Craig Flowers LinkedIn Harvard Business Review - The Best Leaders Aren’t Afraid to Be Vulnerable Harvard Business Review - How Great Leaders Communicate Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Over the past year, talent retention has become big news. “The Great Resignation” has seen millions of workers leave their jobs–and it’s not just entry-level workers either. Resignations are highest among mid-career employees. Their departure can be devastating to a business, wiping out continuity, upsetting team chemistry and necessitating an expensive hiring process, all while leaving your team shorthanded. One thing is clear: companies must do more than ever to retain their talent. But what exactly does that mean? More of what?Craig Flowers, founder of Sideline Leadership, has an answer to that; actually he has three. Through Craig’s twenty-five years in the Army–including ten in direct support of special operations and seven as director of cadet activities at West Point–he’s seen the differences between elite teams and average ones. Craig noticed that elite teams don’t have any problem with talent retention–in fact, workers passed on promotions to remain part of the group. Since leaving the Army, he’s established a framework for cultivating that type of culture–one that’s more appealing to employees than greener pastures.So on this episode, we break down Craig’s “Know, Care, Challenge” formula for talent retention and how leaders can implement it in their own organizations. Plus, why retaining an employee starts before you even hire them, and how to adjust your acquisition process to keep talent long-term. It’s everything you need to know, care and challenge your assumptions about talent retention. Highlights: What sparked Craig’s interest in elite teams (2:30) The importance of talent retention (5:36) Talent retention starts with talent acquisition (6:22) The onboarding process (10:13) The role of culture in retention (12:33) Why people leave: The ripple effect of bad behavior (16:48) Instructive vs. constructive cultures (18:10) Know, Care, Challenge (19:16) Mistakes companies make when developing a culture (21:33) How to care for employees without coddling them (23:32) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Craig Flowers LinkedIn Harvard Business Review - Who Is Driving the Great Resignation? Fortune - Great Resignation shows no signs of slowing down Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

On our last episode, we explored how to develop a strong brand. But it’s one thing to talk about those principles, and another to put them into practice. So, on this episode, we’ve got a case study in the process of rebranding from a company that just went through it: Cadence Bank. That’s right–us! In 2021, Cadence Bank officially merged with BancorpSouth Bank, which necessitated a large-scale rebrand to develop a new, shared identity. But while it presented massive opportunity, the branding process was also filled with plenty of challenges. And who better to tell us every detail than the very people who did the hard work? We’re bringing back the voices you heard last episode: our Tenet Partners team of Beth Flom and Andrew Bogucki, as well as Cadence Bank Chief Marketing Officer Jackie Hooper, to take us through every step of the rebranding journey–the difficult decisions, the surprising revelations and the rollout strategy that brought it all together. Plus, we’ll hear from a new guest, someone who had a huge hand in both the decision to rebrand and the culture that guided the process: Cadence Bank Chairman & CEO Dan Rollins.Through their stories, you’ll hear about the ups and downs of this 18-month journey: how Cadence found the right partner in Tenet, what the research unearthed about their shared values, and the ways that Cadence differentiated from competitors. Plus, the unexpected emotions that accompanied all of it.So let’s brand together and travel from a back porch in northwest Alabama to the facade of the New York Stock Exchange to discover what can happen in the best-case (study) scenario.Highlights: Meet Dan Rollins (2:13) How the merger focused on culture (3:57) Why the new Cadence needed to rebrand (5:34) The opportunity–and scope–of the rebrand (6:31) What Jackie looked for in a partner (7:57) The secrets to a great collaboration (8:55) What the research revealed about culture (10:29) Creative decisions: how that culture is reflected in the new brand (13:52) Using sonic branding to differentiate from competitors (17:34) Rollout of the new brand (19:59) How customers kept the process in focus (21:54) Banner reveal at the NYSE (23:45) Transform Awards recognition (25:27) Dan on the importance of brand (26:51) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn James D. “Dan” Rollins III LinkedIn Jackie Hooper LinkedIn Tenet Partners Website Beth Flom LinkedIn Andrew Bogucki LinkedIn Transform Awards North America 2022 Cadence Bank - The new Cadence Bank PR Newswire - Cadence Bank Reveals Its New Logo Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

We interact with brands every day, so you might think you’ve got the concept all figured out. But experts know: looks can be deceiving. So, we sat down with some of those experts to get an unfiltered view of the branding process. Beth Flom and Andrew Bogucki are senior partners at New York brand innovation firm Tenet Partners —they help companies like Mastercard, Target and IBM build compelling and powerful brands. And they’re clear on one thing. A brand isn’t simply a logo or a tagline —it’s more than that. In fact, according to Cadence Bank’s own Chief Marketing Officer, Jackie Hooper, “brand is the essence of the company.” To be successful, your brand must feel honest and cohesive because it’s reinforced through every interaction that a customer has with your company. To achieve that, it must be built on a solid foundation: culture. But what is your company’s culture? And how do you translate that into a brand?In this episode, we’ll hear from three brilliant marketing minds. They’ll share the keys to evaluating culture and developing a strong brand. You’ll learn how to ask the right questions, make key decisions and what small businesses can achieve—it’s more than you think.Join us, as we corner the market on marketing with this brand new, on-brand episode!Highlights: What a brand is–and isn’t (4:10) Where to start with branding: research (8:41) Culture is the foundation of brand (9:41) How to assess culture (10:46) Translating to visual identity (11:35) Both an art and a science (12:47) Navigating the emotions of branding (13:57) How your brand can influence your culture (16:27) Why employee training is integral to the process (17:00) Branding for small companies (18:31) Consistency and follow through (19:30) Takeaways on branding (20:39) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Jackie Hooper LinkedIn Tenet Partners Website Beth Flom LinkedIn Andrew Bogucki LinkedIn Harvard Business Review - Brand Is Culture, Culture Is Brand Harvard Business Review - Build a Culture to Match Your Brand LinkedIn - Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Relationship Between Brand & Culture Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Leaders decide goals and dictate strategy. Perhaps most importantly, they set culture. But the workforce is changing and leadership must evolve with it. So what makes a good leader in this current environment? How do you engage and inspire your workforce? And what can you do to improve, so you can build your business and career?To help us, we turned to one of the greatest leaders we know: Keith Jackson. Keith has an illustrious football journey – he played tight end at the University of Oklahoma and went on to star in the NFL with the Eagles, Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers. Over the course of his career, he was Rookie of the Year, a 5-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. But his experience goes far beyond the football field. Keith is on the board of Cadence Bank and he’s also the president of the youth non-profit P.A.R.K. (Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids), which he founded in 1993. He knows a thing or two about leadership.Throughout his career, Keith played for some of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen: legends like Barry Switzer, Buddy Ryan, Don Shula and Mike Holmgren. So in this episode, we’re going to break down what Keith learned from each of these leaders, and how their teachings apply to business today. Join us, as we tackle leadership with a legend.Highlights: Intro to Keith Jackson  (2:01) What leadership isn’t (3:13) See it, say it, write it: Keith’s formula for successful leadership (3:47) There’s no one-size-fits-all (5:00) “Leaders aren’t born, they’re mentored” (7:16) Barry Switzer and positive reinforcement (8:35) Buddy Ryan: you can’t treat everybody the same (10:18) Eliminating mistakes and the magic of Don Shula (12:59) How Mike Holmgren led by teaching (15:13) How leadership is evolving (17:37) The challenge of disengagement (18:41) Servant leadership as a way to inspire and engage (22:36) Avoiding complacency (24:18) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Keith Jackson Website Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids Website The Coming Jobs War - Jim Clifton (2011) Harvard Business Review - The Trickle-Down Effect of Good (And Bad) Leadership Leadership Circle - How COVID has Influenced Leadership Forbes - The Pandemic Has Changed Leadership for the Better: How Young Leaders Will Respond to Today’s Challenges MIT Sloan Management Review - How to Become a Better Leader Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

One of the most common portfolio constructions is a blend of stocks and bonds. The stocks power growth during times of economic expansion and bonds act as a hedge, since bond prices tend to rise when the economy is in recession. If one goes down, the other goes up. Except for right now. Since the start of 2022, both stocks and bonds are down. It’s the first time that’s happened since the late 1960s. The culprit? Our old friend, inflation. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive response to inflation has the market worried about a recession. Investors have responded by selling, driving stock prices down. But higher interest rates decrease the value of bonds as well. Suddenly, a lot of portfolios are without a hedge. So how do you protect your investments in this unique, uncertain time?One answer is commodities: everything from oil, wheat, copper and cattle. They’re one of the most powerful hedges against inflation–but it’s also a different kind of asset class, subject to all sorts of unique risks. To operate with confidence, you need to learn the language of commodities. Fortunately, we know someone who’s fluent: Callum Bruce, Commodities Specialist at Goldman Sachs.With Callum’s help, we’ll delve into the power, precariousness and possibility of the commodity; everything from what they are and how they work, to why Callum thinks they’re undervalued. Plus, the commodity constraints coming down the road and the surprisingly strong link between certain commodities and the value of the dollar.     So come with us as we explore the cutting hedge, where the oddities are good and the goods are commodities.Highlights: Definition & types of commodities  (3:19) The benefits of trading commodities–for producers and consumers  (5:16) Cost of carry & contango (6:12) Convenience shield & Backwardation (7:07) Why volatility makes commodities a powerful hedge (9:16) How commodities might theoretically fit into a portfolio (11:03) Why Callum sees opportunity in commodities (12:08) Commodity-constraint (13:31) Dollar-oil correlation (16:13) The future of energy commodities (19:20) Metal markets: Double bullish (22:11) Don’t go it alone: the complexity of commodities (23:26) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Goldman Sachs Website Goldman Sachs Insights - Commodities Callum Bruce LinkedIn Vanguard - How commodities stand apart as an inflation hedge CME Group - Commodities as Inflation Hedge Goldman Sachs - How to overhaul the tried-and-tested investment portfolio when inflation soars Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Are you doing enough to protect your business from cyberthreat? With cyberattacks at an all-time high, you may not be as prepared as you need to be. You might even think your business is too small to be targeted, but think again: the Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report states that 43% of online attacks are now aimed at small businesses. Cyberattacks are also expensive – according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrime against small businesses totaled $2.4 billion in 2021 alone. So when you’re surrounded by bad actors, what can you do to protect yourself?Fortunately for all of us, there are people out there like Cadence Bank’s Chief Information Officer Kevin McMahon and Brendan Monaghan, Senior Producer with Cadence Insurance. Brendan and Kevin both keep up to date with the latest cyberthreats and have some simple approaches they recommend for protecting your business. On this episode, you’ll learn what common cyberattacks might look like, their most frequent targets and what to do if you have an incident. Plus, we’ll cover how to transfer your risk with the fast-evolving segment of cyber insurance.So join the cyberthreat triple threat – Kevin, Brendan and Patrick – and together we’ll brave the phishy waters of cybercrime.Highlights: The growing threat of cyberattack (4:08) The consequences of cyberattack (5:03) Who’s at risk? (7:03) Social engineering (8:46) The number one way to protect your business (10:32) Phishing (11:34) Business email compromise (12:54) Ransomware (13:50) Concrete steps to protect your business (15:29) Cyber insurance: how to assess your options (18:27) Incident response planning: every second counts (20:30) Incident response planning: build the right team (20:45) Cyberthreat wrap-up (21:34) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Cadence Insurance Website Kevin McMahon LinkedIn Brendan Monaghan LinkedIn Verizon - 2022 Data Breach Investigation Report FBI - 2021 Internet Crime Report Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Most people sort of understand inflation: prices are rising, cost of living is more expensive, your dollar doesn’t go as far. And that’s true! But what’s behind that phenomenon? That’s when explanations start to peter out. Fortunately, we know someone who is super knowledgeable about inflation Cadence Bank’s Corporate Treasurer Tell Alessio. On this episode, Tell explains the forces that govern inflation and the theory behind it all: supply and demand. Supply and demand are foundational concepts across economics, but when you apply them to inflation, you get a much clearer picture of our current situation: its causes, its consequences and, potentially, its conclusion. We’ll dive into how supply-driven inflation differs from its demand-induced counterpart, and why one is more stubborn than the other. Plus, the surprise beneficiaries of the past six months, the limits of wage inflation and the credit shift that can protect your business.Tell Alessio makes history as our first-ever repeat guest, back by popular (supply and) demand! In this episode, Tell tells all! Don’t miss it!Highlights: Consumer Price Index & the metrics we use to measure inflation (2:18) Healthy inflation (4:12) What constitutes inflation (6:23) What’s causing our current inflation: supply or demand? (7:32) Supply-driven inflation (7:58) Rising labor costs & wage inflation (9:50) Pandemic stimulus and demand-driven inflation (12:15) Why demand-driven inflation sticks around longer (13:35) The people who benefit from inflation (14:57) Sectors hardest hit by inflation (17:57) Converting floating lines of credit into fixed lines of credit (19:16) The next 12-18 months (20:45) Keep an eye on consumption (21:34) Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Tell Alessio LinkedIn S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index New York Times - Consumer Demand Has Been Key Driver of Inflation in the US Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco - How Much Do Supply and Demand Drive Inflation? Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

From the front page of the paper to the top of the nightly news: everyone’s talking about the supply chain. By now we know that pandemic factors across the globe caused disruptions to the logistics industry. But we rarely hear the story from the people running the show. So on this episode, we’re exploring the supply chain from the inside, with the people who know it best.Matthew Decker is the President of logistics company US Multimodal Group, and John Brooks is its CEO. Whether it’s via ship, train or truck, connecting products to businesses is their bread and butter. Over the past several years, they’ve had a front-row seat to the problems at the heart of supply chain interruption. Together, we’ll explore the complexities of the logistics industry, how slowdowns started even before COVID and why labor is actually the biggest hurdle facing their business. Plus, tips for creating strong logistics partnerships and getting the best out of your providers.So listen in as we take you from Point A to Point Z of supply chain challenges.Highlights: The most common misconception about the supply chain (3:15) The fragmentation of the logistics industry (4:10) Labor issues: the heart of supply chain pain (8:44) Aging infrastructure can’t deal with increased capacity (11:09) How labor and material shortages compound each other (12:55) Focusing on your own link in the supply chain (14:08) How consistency unlocks capacity (17:04) How far are we from normal? (18:58) What will ultimately ease supply chain issues (20:20) The supply chain runs on people power (21:25)  Links: Cadence Bank Website Cadence Bank Twitter Cadence Bank LinkedIn Matthew Decker LinkedIn John Brooks LinkedIn US Multimodal Group Website McKinsey - How COVID-19 is reshaping supply chains Feedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.