Harbert Podcast

When Olga Chaikouskaya arrived in the United States at the beginning of her career, there were several obstacles standing in her way. She spoke no English, had no money, and faced perhaps her biggest career barrier: she didn’t know how much she didn’t know. Now, after twenty years of financial experience across an array of industries, Olga reflects on that transition as a lesson in becoming comfor...

Jennifer Tarazon knows how to reach her clients; not just because she comes from a Spanish-speaking community similar to the ones she now develops programs to reach, but because her area of expertise is in providing ways for her company to establish relationships. As Director of Multicultural Engagement at Mountain America Credit Union, Jennifer explains that outreach is a lot more than 'good...

Randi Leath wants your budding entrepreneurship idea to be safe; and that starts with having copyright law on your side. She knows that young business leaders might see their idea as 'too small' to warrant registration, and she wants you to avoid that pitfall. Randi shares how to properly document the generation of your entrepreneurial idea at each phase, when it's time to get an in...

Phil Fraher knows his way around the C-Suite, having held various offices from President to CFO to COO of companies across the software and technology world. But now, continuing his 30+ year career, you won't find him behind the wheel as often as he navigates from the 'number two' position. As a consultant and advisor, Phil prefers the analytical side of entrepreneurial success. He...

Today you'll find Eric Finch on video thumbnails and blog posts across the web through his insightful YouTube channel Higher Levels. But it's been a long journey from his time at Auburn as an engineering student and goalie for the USA Team Handball residency. How'd it happen? Eric shares why leading with your particular background is an important part of reaching your full potential...

Elliot Quinones is a former US Army Squad Leader and the current owner of the Grout Medic of Chattahoochee Valley. As a former Army squad leader who mentored over 300 soldiers, he now helps salespeople and entrepreneurs develop their leadership skills and sales technique.

Denise Groves, CPA  is a financial consultant and strategist, and the founder of CFO Support Inc. With a background that includes positions at  KPMG and Fortune 500 companies, Denise is an Advanced Certified Profit First professional. Her engaging style helps clients implement the cash flow philosophy of Mike Michalowicz’ book, Profit First . She is an Auburn College of Business alumnus and a memb...

Twenty years ago, Michael Giles wondered if his experience and education would be what employers were looking for. It was. Now Giles encourages Harbert students today to open their minds to career paths they previously thought were 'off limits.' He also suggests setting boundaries at work to make time for life at home.

Stephanie Todd knows that the value of hard work (see also: true grit) helped propel her into her role as an executive manager with Bank of America, a job that keeps her more than busy. But in this episode she also helps us understand the importance of interceding on your own behalf, learning it's okay to say no, and voicing your goals to the leaders above you-- even if you're just start...

Amy Jones is the founder and managing director of South Street Partners LLC in Elmherst, Illinois. She started her own company in order to share her passion for finance with other start ups. Prior to that, Amy spent fourteen years with the McDonalds corporation's Global Finance team with a three year assignment to Singapore. Amy is a 1996 Harbert Graduate with a BSBA in Accounting.

Kevin Sommers is a 2018 graduate of the Harbert College of Business at Auburn University. He currently serves as the Assistant Chief Financial Officer of TriStar Skyline Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare, in Nashville, TN. He has worked at SCA Health (part of Optum and United Health) in their Financial Operations group, supporting surgery centers and surgical hospitals across multiple states....

Greg Winchester is the founder and CEO of Summit Investors, a firm specializing in commercial and residential real estate investments in both North America and Europe.  Along with his wife Jan, he's the founder of the Winchester Institute for Real Estate Development at the Harbert College of Business.

Mack Johnson, 2021 Harbert graduate, shares a story of tragedy to triumph. After suffering a paralyzing spinal cord injury in 2016, Mack found his home at Auburn University earning a degree in Accounting and Information Systems Management. Now, as a leader and mentor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mack expresses the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce.

Brooks Fuller is the founder and CEO of Room2Room Movers, a former member of the Auburn University Baseball Program. He is a 2022 Harbert College of Business graduate in finance.

Winston C. Tucker is a Senior Manager of Lateral Partner Recruiting at Ropes and Gray, LLC in New York. He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2002 and his M. Ed in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University in 1999.

The CEO of Allegiance Merchant Services saw opportunities to apply technology to the movement of money by developing customized transfer services for companies. A one-size-fits-all approach may not work, he noted: “My daughter is three. She’ll never write a check. My mom is in her 70s. She’ll never pay with her watch.”

Ebony Ruffin understands that life insurance is not a popular topic, especially among younger people, but in her Atlanta-based business, Ruffin Consulting Services,  the 2005 Harbert finance graduate helps others understand that insurance is a significant component of sound financial planning. As she explains in this podcast, buying life insurance when young is a smart financial move.

The image of shipping containers falling off ships into the ocean intrigued Meghan Nicholas and prompted her to pursue a career in solving the complex problems of supply chain management. That led to her current position as vice president for operations transformation and innovation at “Fortune 1” – Walmart.

For entrepreneur Patrick Brown, a willingness to “jump into the unknown where you don’t know the end of the story” has guided a varied business career that includes forming a highly successful adult kickball league. Brown, a 1994 Harbert graduate and former Auburn SGA president, notes the importance of identifying the “core offering” of your proposed  business.

For Jamie Garverick, a Harbert degree in finance proved to be an excellent background for a career in sales, especially for high-ticket items. Garverick, chief revenue officer at Fullstory, a digital experience analytics firm in Atlanta, says “The ability to know your way around the spreadsheet is really, really important.”

For Pavan Reddy, chief counsel at Auburn Ventures, a law degree was an ideal complement to his 2010 Harbert degree. As the commercial real estate company has grown, his dual background has allowed him to see the business from a legal perspective as well as a business viewpoint. 

An early mentor’s advice to always do the right thing has stuck with Steve Fleming throughout a long career in mortgage lending and now in commercial real estate development. In this podcast, Fleming, a 1984 Harbert finance graduate, also shares his experiences as a founder of On To Victory, Auburn’s Name, Image and Likeness collective.

Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo, caught the entrepreneurial bug early from her family’s business endeavors. Her company’s bitters are sold across the country, but because they are non-alcoholic, she can distribute them without having to deal with varying state alcohol laws. That’s a key ingredient in her recipe for success.

Given the competition in today’s financial markets, asset management and cryptocurrency firms need strong, data-driven media solutions to reach investors and advisors. For Stephen Love, a group director at Ptarmigan Media, that requires staying on top of critical areas such as consumer trends, competitors and technology trends. Love earned an international business degree from Harbert in 2012 and...