Show Notes
We are joined on CSI Chat by Nathan Mueller. Nathan, a CPA, worked for an insurance company in a finance role and he began embezzling money to pay off personal debt and fund a passion for gambling. What started as a $1,100 check to a credit card, spiraled into an $8.5 million fraud over the next four years. After being caught, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison. He was released in September of 2014 and now is a sought-after public speaker preaching the value of ethics and strong internal controls to finance teams around the globe. During our "Chat", we talk to Nathan about: - His upbringing and how he started in finance. We then get into the details of how he managed to defraud an insurance company for over $8 million in a short period of time. Nathan also outlines how he was able to keep Internal Audit and the external auditors "at bay". - Nathan outlines how he eventually was caught and his experience in jail. Nathan outlines what was harder, "Going into jail at the outset or being released?" - Nathan outlines best practices in ethics training and internal controls which should be present in all finance groups. I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Nathan!
More from CSI Chat
We are joined on CSI Chat by Professor Ron Adner to talk about "Disruption". Ron is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and the author of two terrific books on disruption, The Wide Lens: What Successful Innovators See that Others Miss and Winning the Right Game: How to Disrupt, Defend, and Deliver in a Changing World. During our "CSI Chat" with Ron, we discuss: - How do companies recognize that they are being disrupted before it is too late? Why is it so important to understand all of the elements of a business unit's "value architecture" so that you can respond accordingly. How did "Tom Tom" GPS respond when their "in-car" GPS was being replaced with phones? How did Lexmark respond when companies were moving away from printing? Ron provides some colour on these terrific case studies. - Kodak - the story of Kodak and their collapse is misunderstood. Kodak's business model was, "Capture", "Produce", "View" and "Share" and the reality is that they managed to get most of these elements right in the "Digital Age" (including inventing the digital camera). Which element did Kodak fail at and what can we learn? Ron explains. - Microsoft - Microsoft is a great example of a company who reinvented themselves under current CEO Satya Nadella. What did Satya Nadella do differently as compared to the previous CEO Steve Ballmer? Ron explains why Microsoft is a great example of the importance of leadership during times of disruption. I hope everyone enjoys our "CSI Chat" with Ron Adner!
We are joined on CSI Chat by pricing expert and AI investor, Madhavan Ramanujam. Madhavan is currently a GP at 49 Palms Ventures and previously he was a Managing Partner at Simon-Kucher & Partners, a global pricing strategy firm. Madhavan is also the author of two terrific books on pricing, Monetizing Innovation and Scaling Innovation. During our "Chat" with Madhavan, we touch on a number of areas: - The current "lay of the land" of Artificial Intelligence and what it means for technology companies. What are the key characteristics of tech companies who will thrive in this new environment? - The importance of pricing new products in the AI age. What are the key elements of pricing AI related products in order to drive both customer adoption and revenue growth? - What are some great examples of companies who have priced products extremely well (such as Apple) and companies who have managed disruption (Microsoft). What can we learn from both of these companies? I hope everyone enjoys the " CSI Chat" with Madhavan!
We are joined by Scott Anthony who is a professor of strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth where his research and teaching focus on the adaptive challenges of disruptive change. Scott is also the author of the terrific book, "Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations that Shaped our Modern World". We have a terrific "CSI Chat" with Scott whereby we discuss the concept of "Disruption" and touch on: - A few specific case studies from his book, including Bethlehem Steel (a company that was disrupted) and Apple (a company that was the disruptor). What can we learn from both of these examples? - What are the core characteristics of leaders and a workforce that can withstand disruption? - Generative AI and its impact as a "Disruptive Technology". I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Scott!
We are joined by Anthony Scilipoti, the President and CEO of Veritas Investment Research. Veritas Investment Research is Canada's leading independent equity research firm and is staffed entirely by CPAs. We spend some time talking to Anthony about a variety of topics, including:
We are joined by Mike Abrashoff, a NY Times Best Selling Author, Leadership and Teamwork Expert and the former captain of USS Benfold. Mike is the author of the best-selling book, "It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy". At 36, he was selected to be Commander of USS Benfold and was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. The challenges of this underachieving destroyer were staggering, with low morale and the highest turnover rate in the Navy. Few thought the ship could improve. Yet 12 months later it was ranked #1 in performance -- using the same crew. How did Mike do it? By replacing command and control leadership with commitment and cohesion. The lesson was clear: Leadership matters and culture is everything. Since leaving the Navy, Mike has worked with over 1200 organizations instilling leadership initiatives at every level – achieving phenomenal change in unexpected places. We talk to Mike about how we can apply these leadership strategies in the business world!