Every business reader has heard of a BHAG thanks to the writing of Jim Collins. But do you know how to achieve a BHAG? Successful entrepreneur, consultant, author, and speaker, Shannon Susko, has found that answer through her 3HAG framework and supporting execution tools. If you love the writing of Verne Harnish, then you’ll enjoy listening to Shannon whose enthusiasm is infectious.
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Distressed Investing Gone Wrong
If you liked the book, Barbarians at the Gate, then you’ll enjoy The Ceasars Palace Coup. Max Frumes is one of the co-authors of this work of narrative non-fiction. We learn more about what went wrong when the investors levered Harrah’s with nearly $27 billion in debt when they took the gaming business private. Think you have a handle on bankruptcy? You might change your mind after this one as you learn about the winners and losers in the process.
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Dr. Edwin Locke On Goals and Prime Movers
Everything you know or have studied about goals is probably resting on the research conducted by Dr. Edwin Locke and his co-contributor in the late 1960s. Dr. Locke has also written a book similar to Good to Great entitled, The Prime Movers. During this interview, we revisit some of Dr. Locke’s key findings on goal theory, and the characteristics shaping the prime movers in the business environment.
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Ron Baker on the Value of Intellectual Capital
One of Mark’s favorite books in 2021 has been Mind Over Matter by Ron Baker, a best-selling author and the co-host of The Soul of Enterprise weekly radio show. In this show, we discuss why studying intellectual capital is important along with its three primary components – human, structural, and social. As Ron says, there’s nothing more pragmatic than a good theory. Accordingly, our chat is far from conceptual or abstract.
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Gary Harpst on Strategy and Execution
Gary Harpst should need no introduction within the accounting and finance world. Gary is one of three co-founders of Solomon Software which was ultimately acquired by Great Plains (and Microsoft later acquired Great Plains). Gary then did a deep dive into the success traits of small businesses. His research turned into a consulting firm and two books centered around Six Disciplines. During this show, we talk about VFOs, strategy, limited resources, and much more.
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An Inner Journey Through Failure and Renewal
According to Mark Jacobsen, he had been steeped in books about failing fast, failing forward, resilience, grit, and moonshots as a startup founder. But what happens to the founder when that world comes crashing down on the hopes and dreams who started that journey? While there are numerous books about epic business collapses, few exist on dealing with personal failure where Mark shares his inner battles in his book, Eating Glass.
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A Virtual Dinner with Guy Spier
I enjoyed reading about Guy Spier’s lunch with Warren Buffett in his book, The Education of a Value Investor. That gave me an idea. What if I could pull off a virtual dinner with this deep-thinking value investor? With a huge thank you to Adam Mead, author of The Complete History of Berkshire Hathaway, that satisfying conversation became a reality. Grab a sandwich and your favorite beverage, and be prepared to learn from this gifted value investor.
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The Education of a Value Investor
I have read many investment books over the past 30 years, and one of the titles easily in my Top 5 is The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier. In the world of value investing, Guy needs no introduction. He’s been interviewed hundreds of times and he’s also been a Talks at Google presenter. With thanks to another author, Guy gladly said he’d join the show, and he certainly delivered.
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Data Visualization for Financial and Business Leaders
Steve Wexler is one of my favorite teachers in the data visualization space because he’s easy to understand and doesn’t speak over our heads. He’s the co-author of The Big Book of Dashboards, and his newest book is The Big Picture. Our topics include preattentive attributes, the love affair with stoplight colors, dead-end dashboards, and important tips when building visualizations. We also talk about the so-what of three different chart types.
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People Skills for Analytical Thinkers
Once upon a time, I was all business. I was overly analytical and a bit too direct on every project I worked on. I was never mean-spirited, at least I didn’t think I was. I just thought everyone should be like me when working on critical projects. Four years into my career, some people who cared about me said, “Mark, you’re smart, but you need to go to charm school.” That was a transformational experience.
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