Branch Out - A Podcast from Connection Builders

In the evolving landscape of the accounting world, firms need to manage growth and shifts in the right way if they are going to survive. Here on the podcast today, we are joined by Gary Shamis , Principal of Winding River Consulting , who shares the wisdom he has acquired in his long and illustrious career as a leader in this space.  Firm leaders will not want to miss the insights Gary shares as w...

People are at the center of almost every business, whether clients, employees or a combination of both. This is even more true in the professional services industry, where a people-focused approach is essential to success. However, it is not always clear what a people-centered approach is and how to establish it in your organization’s culture. In today’s episode, we speak to Paul Aversano , a Mana...

Are you looking to succeed in business, exceed your goals and ambitions, and advance in your career? Well, you're in the right place, and today, you'll learn how staying ahead of the curve can set you apart, especially early on in your profession!  In this episode, we welcome back returning guest Leon Brujis of Palladium Equity Partners , the oldest minority-owned private equity buyout f...

Professional firms typically bill by the hour, as any accountant or lawyer knows all too well. But, as you'll discover in this episode, today's guest argues strongly for implementing a subscription-based model.  Meta-consultant and business iconoclast, Ed Kless is the Senior Director of Partner Development and Strategy for Sage in North America and a Senior Fellow at the VeraSage Institu...

Mergers and acquisitions can sometimes feel daunting for entrepreneurs, but they don't have to be. In fact, growth through M&A can yield huge rewards if you are willing to accept some risk and remain open to opportunities. Today, we are joined by John Bly , the South Atlantic Regional Leader for Top 35 CPA firm, Aprio , as he cracks the code to M&A growth with us, sharing some of the...

Change is inherent in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) transactions, making preparation and methods to overcome the challenges associated with the change essential to a successful process. In today’s show, we speak to Jennifer Fondrevay , an M&A expert, speaker, and Founder of Day1 Ready. Her company is on a mission to rediscover the humanity in business and provides services for a wide vari...

It's no secret that the B2B buyer has changed more in the past ten years than in the previous 100. The modern consumer is digitally driven, socially aware, and has all the information they need at their fingertips. So, how can B2B service providers keep up with this rapid evolution and meet the buyers of today where they're at?  To help us find the answer to this question, we're joi...

Today on the Branch Out Podcast, we are joined by a passionate people developer and self-described rebel with a cause, Maria Moss ! Maria is a training and development consultant and the owner of Phoenix Leadership Solutions , a training consulting firm that utilizes classroom-based learning and development programs to help empower leaders to reach their full potential. By sharing the discoveries,...

Jeff Henningsen has always been curious, creative, and committed to his goals. These are some of the traits that have allowed him to succeed in so many different realms. Jeff’s entrepreneurial career started with mowing lawns to make some extra money while he was still in school; this turned into a business that he was able to sell at the age of 22. After that, he gained experience in the private...

Today we speak with accomplished Founder and CEO of Star Mountain Capital , Brett Hickey . Brett shares his personal and professional journey from a small town in Northern Canada to founding one of the leading lower middle-market investment firms in New York City. Brett discusses how his unique background led him to where he is today and why he believes that it is so important to focus on making a...

"Hire smart people and get out of the way." This is the leadership philosophy of today's guest, Tyler Fair . Tyler is the co-founder and CEO of SourceScrub , the leading data service for dealmakers who want to find, research, and connect with founder-owned businesses. Though the company is just seven years old, it has grown into an 8-figure business that works with top private equit...

Some of the many work-life aspects that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted were the opportunities to network and build professional relationships. Talking to us today about his professional journey and how he made it through the pandemic is Thom Singer , professional speaker, coach, podcast host, and networking expert. Thom started his career in marketing and sales; however, he grew into a networking...

Today we are joined by George Khalife , the Vice President of US Capital Formation with the Toronto Stock Exchange , and the host of the podcast, Let's Grab Coffee . Listeners can expect to get some great insight into how creating content offers direct value to your network and you and why it is so important to show up as your best self for your audience and community. Being a creator, in thi...

Often, we put in so much time and effort to create a brand identity, but we don't realize that there's a huge disconnect between that brand identity and our consumers' perception of our brand image. In this episode, we are joined by Lydia Michael , Founder of Blended Collective , a multicultural marketing firm that helps people and brands reach and engage diverse audiences. We discu...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . For today’s conversation, we are joined by Brandon Hawkins , Chief Revenue Officer at CFO Hub . Brandon shares the story of how he benefits from having a diverse pool of people in his corner, both professionally and in life, and what motivates him to imple...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . Ernie Lyles was always incredibly ambitious, and at the Howard University School of Law, Ernie gained the confidence which made him realize what he was capable of. Starting his finance career with a summer internship at a bulge-bracket investment banking f...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . No matter your educational background or where you start out in your career, if you have support, an open mind, and are willing to put in the effort, there is no limit on which direction you can go! Nobody epitomizes this truth better than today’s guest, M...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . Being financially literate does more than help your bottom line: it also improves your mental health. Today’s guest has experienced this firsthand… Join us to hear from Karen A. Clark , SVP Multicultural Strategies with City Nation Bank, a community activi...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . In today’s conversation, we are joined by Ariail Barker , Senior Director of Business Development & Sponsor Coverage with 7 Mile Advisors , a boutique middle-market investment banking firm. She is also the host of the Deal Us In Podcast , which promote...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . Building a career without coming from a background rich in resources can lead to many challenges and struggles. But it can also develop unique qualities that bring perspective and diversity into the workplace and sets you apart as someone with unique value...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . One of the easiest ways to drive diversity equity and inclusion is to reach out to the youth, show them that they can do it too, or give them the opportunities to enter the field. Talking to us today about how to inspire the next generation is Marcia Nelso...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . Today we are joined by Leon Brujus , a Partner at Palladium Equity Partners . Leon shares his three-pronged approach to diversity that he and his firm use. We discuss the importance of cognitive diversity and how it drives decision-making and creates alpha...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . In today's episode, we are joined by Thomas Bohn , President and CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) , and Martin Okner , President and COO of dpHUE and past chair of the ACG Global Board of Directors, for a discussion around the key ele...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Diversity Matters in the Middle Market, brought to you by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Connection Builders . Joshua Berggrun joins us today to share his thoughts on how firms can create a more inclusive workplace and why that tends to attract and retain better talent. Josh is an attorney with Calfee, Halter & Griswold , based in Cleveland, Ohio. In this episo...

Many of us could not readily answer if you asked us what we had for lunch yesterday or how we spent our time last week. Talking to us today about making time for growth is Ryan Cutter , senior associate with CID Capital and positive intentions and actions enthusiast. Ryan tells us how he manages a full-time job yet still gives himself time to read books, exercise, and meditate. He breaks down the...