College Admissions. Like many other sectors, it has seen significant disruption this past year. Admissions offices across the United States are in the midst of a cycle the likes of which they’d never seen. First, COVID-19 hit which kept college-bound high school students from visiting campuses. Then, some high schools moved from letter grades to pass/fail grades. Then, many colleges and universities waived the required SAT and ACT. Those events and others have changed the admissions landscape co...
May 01, 2021•23 min
Since last March, businesses, organizations and professionals worldwide have made continuous changes in order to compete in the environment caused by COVID-19. Many important elements of business and leadership were put on the back burner this past year in some organizations. Training and professional development, performance evaluations, coaching and other programs were among those often pushed aside as organizations dealt with new hurdles and opportunities. As we get closer to what will hopefu...
Apr 15, 2021•21 min
If you’re familiar with college athletics, then you’re familiar with the term “walk-on.” Walk-ons are college athletes who, unlike many of their teammates, were not recruited by the coaching staff. They had to try out to make the team. And, unlike many of their teammates, walk-ons do not receive scholarships to be a part of the team. Yet virtually all college sports teams at all levels have walk-ons on their rosters. Most coaches will agree that walk-ons are a special breed. They work extremely ...
Apr 01, 2021•19 min
After a year of social distancing, virtual meetings and home schooling, people are ready to shed their masks and get back to life as we knew it before we were introduced to COVID-19. As the weather improves and we see family, friends, and colleagues receiving vaccinations, people are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. As we record this episode of the podcast, the CDC reports 11% of American adults have received both coronavirus vaccine doses. And two million doses a day are being adm...
Mar 15, 2021•21 min
When the pandemic first took over the United States last March, two William & Mary MBA students decided to use their talents to help others, Cara Simpson and Vicki Harrington quickly founded the CrimDell Small Business Network, named after a popular landmark on the William & Mary campus. They formed a partnership with the Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center, then began offering free strategic business advising to small businesses in the greater Williamsburg area affected by t...
Mar 01, 2021•21 min
For some CEOs and leaders, getting pulled in countless directions each day is par for the course. Many leaders feel they have to be involved in all aspects of their business. When that happens, they end up spending valuable time, effort, and focus on low priority items and low priority decisions. Before they know it, they’re overworked and burned out. And they fail to move the organization forward. Trey Taylor says instead of doing everything, leaders should focus on the right things. Taylor’s t...
Feb 15, 2021•18 min
There are few things in life more stressful than being out of work. Mid- to late-career professionals face an especially difficult challenge. The unemployment rate for older professionals is more than three times the national average. And as this group exits the workforce due to downsizing, COVID-19, or termination, it takes them twice as long as others to get hired, and often for less money than they had been making. The picture for unemployed workers over 50 is not pretty. But rather than blam...
Feb 01, 2021•18 min
Imagine a world without e-mail. While that’s not likely anytime soon, the way e-mail looks and the way we use it is changing. The days of video e-mail have arrived. Everyone’s familiar with the negative aspects of traditional e-mail: It leads to overloaded inboxes, there’s too much back-and-forth, writing and replying take up a great deal of our time. But beyond that, e-mail and websites that rely on the written word are “low touch,” and the intent is sometimes misinterpreted. David Jay is out t...
Jan 15, 2021•18 min
There’s no doubt the pandemic has had a significant economic impact on the people of the United States and the world. Since March, many individuals and families have experienced a reduction in employment, and a loss of income. People of all ages have been affected. The news isn’t all bad, though. For example, in the second quarter of 2020 credit card balances in the US declined considerably. The percentage of delinquent loans also declined in most consumer debt markets. And while you can’t dicta...
Jan 01, 2021•17 min
If you like television and movies, you’re familiar with Michael B. Jordan, Donald Glover, Taraji P. Henson, and Idris Elba. They’re among the biggest actors in the business. They’re also people of color who are represented by a new management firm called M88 - an organization that represents actors, directors, writers, and producers of color, and focuses on inclusive storytelling. One of the two men who created M88 is Phillip Sun, a William & Mary graduate who - after earning his Bachelor’s ...
Dec 17, 2020•18 min
Since the start of the pandemic, our workdays have changed. We’re working longer, and attending more meetings. Look at your calendar, you’re likely to see a never-ending list of meetings. And most of those meetings are taking place virtually: On Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Skype, and other vehicles. That virtual world requires a particular set of skills. Communicating on camera is different than doing so in a face-to-face environment. If you communicate poorly on video, your brand, credibility, and repu...
Dec 08, 2020•19 min
It’s been eight months since COVID-19 began to change our world, and during that time some leaders, professionals, and organizations have been quite successful in launching new ventures, serving customers differently, and finding new sources of revenue. But for others, the pandemic has been more of a challenge. It’s stifled their creativity and their ability to move forward. The uncertainty and fear of the unknown has caused them to spin their wheels. Our guest today says if you are struggling, ...
Nov 19, 2020•19 min
The consequences of COVID-19 have been numerous. Some have been positive, some negative, and some have been eye-opening. Like the news that hundreds of thousands of women are leaving the workforce. In fact, leaving at four times the rate as men. Some of the departures are due to layoffs in hard hit sectors like hospitality and retail, but that’s not the driver behind the numbers. In many cases, women are leaving to homeschool their children and serve as care givers. The fallout has the potential...
Nov 05, 2020•17 min
According to a recently released report by McKinsey, jobs will most likely change following the pandemic. The report says the adoption of automation and digitization will accelerate. Demand for contract and remote workers will increase as well. Thanks to COVID-19, the way we look for a new job is changing too. In person, face-to-face interviews have moved to video. Traditional networking is now mostly online. But those changes don’t mean you should put your job search on hold. Some of the tactic...
Sep 30, 2020•20 min
It’s been six months since COVID-19 began to change life dramatically in the US and across the world. And as we move into the fall, that change continues, and the amount of uncertainty seems to be growing. Along with it comes ambiguity, disruption, and other elements human beings generally dislike. All of those factors lead to what our guest today calls “chronic too much-ness.” For many people today, just “hanging in there” is a real challenge. But there are ways to not only hang tough, but to a...
Sep 03, 2020•22 min
You have control regarding the way you’re perceived and positioned by others. Your personal brand tells people what you offer and how you’re different from - and better than - your competition. In recent years, thanks in part to the continuously growing world of social and digital media, building and especially promoting your personal brand has become easier than ever before. But with COVID-19, the personal branding landscape has changed somewhat. Our guest says the changes bring new opportuniti...
Jul 17, 2020•25 min
Seventy percent of all businesses fail to survive past the first generation of business owners. One reason for the failures is the lack of succession plan. Our guest today says not only should family and closely held businesses have succession plans, but creating one greatly increases the odds of a successful leadership handoff and a bright future for the business. Brad Franc is the author of “The Succession Solution: The Strategic Guide to Business Transition.” He’s an attorney, entrepreneur, a...
Jul 01, 2020•18 min
It’s been over a week since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Protests and demonstrations have taken place in cities across America. Business leaders and CEOs have responded in different ways. For example, the CEOs of Target, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Lowe’s, Apple, and Google were among the first CEOs to speak out following the nation-wide civil unrest. Other CEOs have remained silent. How should business leaders and CEOs respond? What roles and responsibilities does the CEO have in this cas...
Jun 09, 2020•19 min
After several weeks of social distancing, virtual meetings, and shelter in place, most people are ready to go back: Back to work, back to their favorite restaurant, and back to normal. While we’re ready, we don’t know how long it will take, and what it will take before we can return to normal. Rajiv Kohli is the John N. Dalton Professor of Business at William & Mary. He’s a leading scholar in health information technology and a healthcare expert. For over 15 years he’s worked and consulted w...
Apr 27, 2020•17 min
Everywhere you turn, you’re hearing and reading more about coronavirus: Testing kits, the number of cases, quarantines, the effects to the economy and the stock market, universities and schools going online, people working from home. It’s clearly the top-of-mind issue, and new territory for everyone. Managing your thoughts and emotions during this unprecedented disruption will have a great effect on your attitude, outlook, and overall mental health. Dr. Kelly Crace is a licensed psychologist. He...
Mar 24, 2020•28 min
SAIC - it’s a premiere technology integrator headquartered in northern Virginia. The organization solves the nation’s most complex modernization and readiness challenges across several markets including defense, space, federal, civilian, and intelligence. Josh Jackson is Executive Vice President and General Manager for SAIC’s Solutions and Technology Group. He leads 3,000 of the organization’s 23,000 employees. In his almost 20 years with SAIC, Jackson’s had some interesting leadership experienc...
Mar 20, 2020•17 min
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average professional changes jobs 10-15 times during his or her career. For most people, that means changing employers too. But for others, like Phil Tuning, the changes occur within the same organization, and they often lead to a terrific career and organizational success. For 20 years, Tuning worked for John Deere where he held a variety of leadership roles in the US and abroad. In his most recent position, he was President of John Deere Financi...
Mar 05, 2020•18 min
Do you like your job? Does it make you happy? Despite a good economy and low unemployment, a number of recent studies by organizations such as Gallup, Deloitte, and others state “the majority of people in America and the world do not like their jobs. The majority are not engaged at work.” There are a number of reasons for being unengaged: A bad boss, a low salary, poor company culture, and the list goes on… But our guest today says if you’re unhappy at work you can do something about it. In fact...
Feb 20, 2020•32 min
Your office, or physical workspace: It has an effect on your attitude, your outlook, and your performance. That’s why companies and organizations turn to workplace strategists to help them design a space or facility that promotes excellence, collaboration, and wellness. Andrea Sarate is the Senior Director of Workplace Strategy for Colliers International - a commercial real estate brokerage firm. For 10 years, she’s helped organizations get the most out of their physical space. She joins us on t...
Feb 01, 2020•18 min
She’s an entrepreneur, an athlete, coach, teacher, scholar, and listener, and she’s at the helm of America’s second oldest university. Katherine Rowe became President of William & Mary in the summer of 2018 - the first woman to serve in that role in the university’s 325-year history. Since her arrival, Rowe’s been focused on making William & Mary a university that thrives amid rapid change. One that successfully serves people and organizations for the long haul. She joins us on the podca...
Jan 15, 2020•18 min
A new year. A fresh start. For many professionals, it signals a new beginning, such as seeking a new job or promotion. For others, it’s a time to set goals. Goals that can make the upcoming year your best year ever. Sarah Levitt is a leadership coach. She works with CEOs and executives of Fortune 1000 companies and senior leadership teams. In addition, through her Making Magnificence Project, she’s met with top leaders to capture their leadership and success journeys. She joins us on the podcast...
Jan 01, 2020•19 min
With communication going for you, anything is possible. Without it, nothing is possible, no matter how talented and ambitious you may be. That passage comes from “Positioning,” the classic marketing book. And while it’s been decades since the book was first published, those words about the importance of communication are more relevant than ever. Neal Batra is a consultant with Deloitte. He’s a Principle in Deloitte’s Life Sciences and Healthcare practice. Much of his work as a consultant revolve...
Dec 15, 2019•20 min
Americans like their prescription drugs. According to WebMD, the number of prescriptions filled for Americans rose 85% between 1997 and 2016. That’s four times the population growth during that same period. While many Americans count on their prescription drugs, many also have an unfavorable opinion of the pharmaceutical industry. John Osborn is a senior advisor with the Washington office of the international law firm Hogan Lovells. He spent over 20 years with leading life sciences and healthcar...
Dec 01, 2019•18 min
The Securities and Exchange Commission was established eighty-five years ago to regulate the commerce in stocks, bonds, and other securities. The mission of the SEC is three-fold: To protect investors, to maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and to facilitate capital formation. The SEC is led by five commissioners, each nominated by the President of the United States, with consent by the U.S. Senate. Hester Peirce is one of the commissioners. Peirce recently visited the William and Mar...
Nov 15, 2019•17 min
If you were with us for our last episode, you hear the story of entrepreneur Anshuman Vohra and how he founded Bulldog Gin which became the fourth best-selling gin in the world. After selling Bulldog Gin in 2017, Vohra was trying to write the next chapter of his entrepreneurial life. That chapter is on its way to a happy ending. Today on the podcast, we share the second of a two-part conversation with Vohra. He tells us about the events that led to his new venture - a premium certified organic b...
Nov 01, 2019•17 min
