Year: 2023

Episode 044: Howard Gilman, LinkedIn

Rich Mullen Podcast

Let’s welcome strategy alumnus Howard Gilman to the podcast. Howard currently serves as Lead Deal Desk Strategist for LinkedIn’s Sales Solutions group. LinkedIn, as a firm, is many things though; software company, social media platform, hiring & recruiting services, and more.

So, what’s the product, and who’s the customer? Well, it depends. For Howard’s group, it’s firm’s looking for market intelligence to grow their business but what about the others? Such is the nature of a multi-sided platform. A business model that seeks to create value for distinct groups interacting across a core technology platform. LinkedIn has built a very elegant and focused version of this model.

What to know more? Keep Listening!

Episode 043: Jason Knoespel, Evolent

Rich Mullen Podcast

For August, MS-EPA alumnus Jason Knoespel joins us to discuss his work as Managing Director, Client Analytics at Evolent; a provider of technology, reporting, and intelligence services designed to increase efficiency & patient outcomes for its healthcare partners.

Jason talks about his current work, new developments in value-based care, information sharing and big data, and the potential of non-traditional health determinants. Evolving markets do make strategy challenging, but Evolent recently showed its strategic guile by refocusing into value-based, specialty care. Indicating this market could be engaging in value addition; a concept where firms focus on separate & distinct segments and increase value for everyone.

A rare economic win/win? Listen in.

Episode 042: Amy Wilson, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Rich Mullen Podcast

In our July episode MBA alumna Amy Wilson joins us to discuss her work at the market leading cloud services provider Amazon Web Services (AWS). Amy sells AWS offerings to state and local governments that operate in Windows environments.

In this increasingly competitive industry, there are reasons why this segment would seem difficult to crack, even for AWS. So how do they overcome these difficulties? Using the strategic principle of looking ahead and reasoning back. AWS looked ahead to each stage of client interactions, anticipated obstacles (perceived or real), and designed optimal responses to reinforce their market leading strengths. Leading with your strengths, I like that!

You should give it a listen.

Episode 041: Dain Rideau, Torc Robotics

Rich Mullen Podcast

This episode welcome’s strategy alumnus Dain Rideau. As a Product Manager for autonomous vehicle developer Torc Robotics, he works on connecting vehicles to information. Torc, a subsidiary of industry leading OEM Daimler Truck, focuses on self-driving trucks and while this space is filled with strategic uncertainty, this OEM partnership is a strategic marvel.

Why? During uncertainty, a leading firm’s priority is to protect its position. This partnership allows Daimler to participate in the advancement of autonomous technologies in its own vehicles. Simultaneously protecting its position and embracing the change, whatever that looks like. Smart!

Listen in.

 

Episode 040: Liam Bruno, Walgreens Boots Alliance

Rich Mullen Podcast

This month we meet Liam Bruno, a Double Demon currently serving as Senior Manager for Procurement at Walgreens. Liam’s focus is on integrating ESG into day-to-day operations. ESG is, of course, well established and proven to create value when executed well, but there are many obstacles.

Still, forward thinking firms like Walgreens are widening their definition of stakeholder to include social and environmental interests, seeing the potential payoff of cooperation between this wider interest group. In essence, Liam’s role is seeking, what economic theory calls, a Pareto optimal solution, where all these interest groups are served while taking away from none.

How does he do that? Listen in.

Episode 039: Philip Costa Hibberd, Automation Boutique

Rich Mullen Podcast

In this episode we meet entrepreneur Philip Costa Hibberd with Automation Boutique. Philip designs and builds robotic process automation, or RPA, for clients in the finance industry. He solves a productivity problem by automating rote computer tasks often done by highly paid analysts.

This is a great example of firm-level microeconomics where investments change production functions and the allocation of resources towards more efficient use. Seems intuitive but nice to see theory meet reality. Efficiency is always a strategic imperative and not just in perfectly competitive markets. Philip helps his clients get there. He’s also got a terrific outlook on life and business that’s worth hearing too.

You should listen!

Episode 038: Aaron Pagel, University of Oregon (PART 2)

Rich Mullen Podcast

In this Part 2 with Aaron Pagel, we learn more about his practice of wandering, and how that inspired him to ask an interesting question; what is hype? Turns out, isolating hype as a function itself, apart from its context, is relatively uncharted territory with little precedent or literature to lean on.

So, he decided to enter a PhD program and find out for himself. The open-ended, scholarly research process would provide the perfect sandbox to create and test these ideas. Is this a final destination? Maybe, maybe not, but that inspiration resulted from the curiosity before it, and whatever is next will result from the same. And so, it goes.

Want to be inspired? Listen in…

Economics & Strategy Talk Series featuring Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope

Rich Mullen Event

Our next guest in the Economics and Strategy Talk series is award-winning educator, researcher, author, and documentary filmmaker​ Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope. She is the Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Her presentation is entitled “The Who, What and Why of Fraud with Kelly Richmond Pope” and is adapted from her latest book Fool Me Once.

In Fool Me Once, this renowned forensic accounting expert, shows us fraud in action, uncovering what makes perpetrators tick, victims so gullible, and whistleblowers so morally righteous, while also encouraging us to look at our own behaviors and motivations in the hope of protecting ourselves and our companies. It’s sure to be a fascinating presentation with engaging Q&A as well.

This event will be held May 4th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm CT in room 8206 at DePaul University’s Loop Campus DePaul Center building. There will be a reception and book signing following the event.

Tickets for this free event are available through the registration & RSVP links below. Please note that in person seating is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fool Me Once is available at Barnes & Noble in the DePaul Center and at the book signing following the event.

In Person RSVP
Zoom/Online RSVP

Presenter Biography

Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope is the Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Pope is a nationally recognized expert in risk, forensic accounting, and white-collar crime research, and an award-winning educator, researcher, author, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. Pope teaches managerial and forensic accounting both at the undergraduate and graduate level.

In 2020, the AICPA and the CPA Practice Advisor named Dr. Pope among the top 25 most powerful women in accounting. Her area of expertise lies in understanding and identifying financial fraud risk within financial statements, assessing corporate culture and compliance systems designed to confront internal control challenges. Pope’s research on executive misconduct culminated in directing and producing the award-winning documentary, All the Queen’s Horses which explores the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. Pope’s TED Talk entitled “How Whistle-blowers Shape History” has been viewed over 1.6 million times, translated into 20 languages, and serves as a resource to help organizations and individuals embrace internal whistleblowing.

Episode 037: Aaron Pagel, University of Oregon (PART 1)

Rich Mullen Podcast

This month, I’m delighted to welcome my friend and creator & original host of this podcast Aaron Pagel. Aaron is currently pursuing a PHD at University of Oregon in Management Strategy with emphasis on Hype. However, his path getting there was anything but a straight line.

He joins us for part one of a two-part interview to discuss his unorthodox career path, lessons learned along the way, and where he’s going now. His story is a reminder that opportunity comes in unexpected ways, and at seemingly random times. However, good decisions at those moments are made easier with varied experience, openness to change, and even a little creativity.

Life’s short, enjoy the ride and make sure you listen in!