Podcast

DePaul University’s Economics & Strategy Podcast is a monthly conversation with individuals who use frameworks taught in the Economics and Business Strategy & Decision-Making programs. The interviewees will represent multiple industries and various roles within their firms. The premise of the podcast is to examine how economic theory is being practically applied in real-world strategic situations.

Episode 060: Matthew Robins, NetApp

It’s a cold January in Chicago but we’re happy to have MBA alumnus Matt Robins on for a conversation on technology sales.  Matt works with NetApp’s AWS Alliance team and has spent his entire career in technical sales.

He tells us why “sales is hard” but also how his business strategy & decision making concentration focused his efforts. Time is a finite resource, so using it more efficiently is a sure path to better outcomes. He also shares how getting his MBA was so valuable in helping him distinguish good opportunities from bad, see internal management decisions through a different lens, and understand how changes in pricing models, like software subscriptions, can be a rare win-win.

Have a listen!

 

Episode 059: Michael Kremer, American Concrete Pipe Association

For the holiday season we are joined by MBA alumnus Michael Kremer, Vice President of Marketing for the American Concrete Pipe Association. In this wide-ranging discussion, Michael shares knowledge gained over a 20+ year career in marketing, and how luck played a part in his story.

The role of luck in life and business is often overlooked or underweighted. Many fall victim to this fallacy – myself included. However, luck rarely arrives for those not prepared to see it or capitalize on it. That’s the role of strategy; to prepare for and navigate towards the range of opportunities most likely to present themselves. So, how do you prepare to meet luck with gratitude?

 

Listen in.

Episode 058: Check In with Marty Friel, Ameriprise Financial

This month, Marty Friel joins us for our second Check In episode in this podcast series. Marty is a MS-EPA graduate and veteran financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial and his original episode aired on 3/9/21. In that episode, Aaron Pagel hosted Marty for a great conversation on how and why he pursued this career and what strategy is responsible for his success.

Here we take the chance to review Marty’s progress and focus in on how growth, and the challenges that come with it, have impacted his work. Marty gives us some sage perspective on how he manages growth and updates on what advice he might give others seeking to join him in his chosen field.  It’s full of great knowledge and wisdom from someone who has been in the arena for quite some time.

 

Give it a listen.

Episode 057: Edith Freeze, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Edith Freeze is a Community Scientist at Northwestern University Fienberg School of Medicine and a fierce champion of environmental rights. Her career is the product of endless curiosity, a thirst for education, and hustle. Her passion for environmental issues comes directly from her experiences growing up in Ecuador and a reverence for her Andean Indigenous roots.

This double demon joins to explain how she balances her work as an empirical researcher in healthcare with her long-standing advocacy for environmental rights. These two parts both complement and overlap each other and allow her to make contributions is ways that may not be possible without traveling her unique journey.  

Give it a listen.

Episode 056: Josh Dickey, Hyzon Motors

Josh Dickey is an experienced finance professional, DePaul MS-EPA alumnus, veteran of the Federal Reserve, and our guest this month. Josh has great stories to tell about his career, time at the Fed, and current work at the fuel cell manufacturer Hyzon Motors.

Hyzon focuses on producing zero-emission heavy duty trucks; a nascent market with huge potential. Like many new markets, though, the path ahead isn’t always crystal clear. How do you get where you want to go, when the destination doesn’t exist yet? Hyzon has a solid strategic plan to build around its core fuel cell technology & expertise that maintains flexibility, leverages strong IP, and fixed costs, and can provide significant scale economies if or when this market blooms.

Listen in to hear how they’re doing it.

Episode 055: Nuna Becic, Logitech

Our guest this month is Nuna Becic. Nuna is the embodiment of resilience, effort, and passion! Qualities earned from life experience as an immigrant, mother, MBA, and marketing professional.

She currently handles strategic alliances at Logitech and has an interesting story of getting there. This story includes terrific role models, some luck, and a lot of hard work. A LOT! Her current role uses her business strategy concentration to help Logitech create mutually beneficial strategic alliances that open new markets, leverage firm advantages, and efficiently fill market gaps. Any business alliance brings risk, but Nuna serves as a point of continuity to maximize the benefits while minimizing any risk. Listen in to hear how.

Episode 054: Ryan Polak, Bell Flavors & Fragrances

2024 summer break brings our first guest with a B.A. in Economics, Ryan Polak. Ryan is Associate Director for Purchasing at Bell Flavors & Fragrances; a developer and manufacturer of ingredients in many consumer products who sits in the upstream market of the consumer product makers.

Clients rely on Bell’s scientific expertise to be successful, and their food scientists rely on Ryan to deliver raw materials at scale and on budget. That requires him to constantly gather market intelligence on who has what, where, how much of it and at what price. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one answer to that question and that keeps him very busy. Listen in to hear how.

Episode 053: Part 2 Luke Balderson, Arc3 Gases

June is part 2 with Luke Balderson and a great discussion on leadership and organizational culture. We explore how Luke made the connection between these two interdependent concepts and how they create sustainable business success.

The servant-based leadership model discussed here begins at the top and requires discipline to scale and maintain. However, done well, this model of selflessly developing and enabling talent, creates a self-sustaining culture in its likeness and the benefits are significant. These human and organizational benefits become assets that, from a resource-based view, provide a competitive advantage hard for others to overcome. Treat your people well, I think I’ve heard that before?

Episode 052: Luke Balderson, Arc3 Gases

For May, we begin a two-part interview with Business Strategy & Decision Making alumnus Luke Balderson. This part 1, dives deep into Luke’s multidecade career in the far reaching and fascinating industrial gases industry.

Luke is a composed, experienced, and highly capable executive in a sector that demands clear thinking and strategic insight. These skills were honed by a remarkable father, a natural inclination to listen and learn, and an education that enables him to synthesize information into a strategic framework. Success in business necessitates understanding the value proposition for your customers, employees, and suppliers, and this can only be accomplished through curiosity and active listening! Interested? Give it a listen.

Episode 051: Roxy Kozyckyj, AdvaMed

For Episode 51, MS-EPA graduate Roxy Kozyckyj joins us. Roxy is Senior Director, State Government & Regional Affairs for the advanced medical technology association AdvaMed and has spent most of her career in healthcare policy, from advocacy, to intern, to analyst, capitol hill fellow, and finally lobbyist.

This experience gives her the ability to see how policy goals that serve everyone, require working, step-by-step through the interested parties. Roxy openly admits game theory plays a role in her work and backward induction seems to fit well here. Think of it this way, start with a policy goal, navigate backwards solving each preceding step, the resulting path theoretically achieving the desired outcome. Sounds strategic to me. Give it a listen.

Credits

Hosted by Contributing Faculty in the Business Strategy & Decision Making Program
Produced & Edited by Aaron Pagel
Music Composed by Liz Fohl

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