All good things must come to an end, including the Strategic Growth Podcast. Episode 200 ends a series of conversations we began back in 2017 to help entrepreneurs, business owners and decision-makers better understand how to be successful in the real world. We end with a customer service training lesson based on a very recent experience of mine, with advice on how to better prepare your team to avoid these same mistakes no matter what industry you're in. What started as "Conversations with The ...
Aug 21, 2024•27 min
Before the Strategic Growth Podcast and before the NeoMarketing Podcast, we recorded three pilot episodes called "Conversations With The Golding Group." These 3 episodes became the prototype for our current podcast and video interview series. As the podcast/video series comes to an end, we look back at these first three shows to see how the advice holds up. (Spoiler Alert: it does!) Ep1: Crisis Management in the Real World We discuss the real-world application of crisis management protocols. Thi...
Aug 07, 2024•22 min
Special guest Cara Evans is the Director of AXIS business incubator powered by Francis Tuttle Technology Center, immediate past chair of the Oklahoma Venture Forum and long-time entrepreneur whose economic development journey has come full circle. Evans was previously at Autry Technology Center, where she specialized in innovation, economic development, business consulting and entrepreneurship. She has also taught business and technology courses at several other technology centers and junior col...
Jul 17, 2024•31 min
Special guest George Glover is an executive coach for Vistage Oklahoma City. He manages multiple private peer advisory groups of over 50 high-integrity Oklahoma CEOs, key executives and managers who desire to improve their personal and business growth. Glover has 24+ years in global mining, steel manufacturing and construction. He has extensive corporate-level and direct business leadership experience. His international exposure to diverse leadership styles and varying team dynamics has deepened...
Jul 03, 2024•39 min
Special guest Sean Akadiri, MBA is the Founder, President & CEO at AgBoost, a data analytics company in Oklahoma City. He is an Ag-Tech entrepreneur passionate about using data analytics to improve the performance and productivity of livestock. Akadiri came to the U.S. from Nigeria when he was 19 years old on a student visa to attend college. He received a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry from East Central University and earned his MBA from Mid-American Christian Univers...
Jun 19, 2024•31 min
Justin Wilson, MBA, is the President and Managing Director at Plains Ventures, an OKC and Tulsa-based Venture Capital fund management firm with over $120m in assets under management. With a background in private equity, healthcare, politics and non-profit leadership, Wilson brings a broad base of perspectives to his approach to leadership and asset management. Plains Ventures provides resources, guidance and support needed to grow successful companies. They fuel revolutionary ideas between the c...
Jun 05, 2024•32 min
We have two return guests, Suzette Change and Corey Walker, on the podcast today to talk about a BBQ fundraiser for Thick Descriptions, a non-profit org. that disrupts traditional education methods to help humans thrive where they are, building a better community with anthropology. They add anthropology to STEM education (making it STEAM). Thick Descriptions' innovative education programs offer students immersive experiences in science, technology, engineering, Anthropology and math, tailored to...
May 01, 2024•17 min
The best businesses have three main components: Solve a problem, offer a manageable solution and provide value above what is expected. Local startup Storm Check was launched with this in mind. After initial success, the founders recently went through a brand elevation to become Shelter Ready! full-service cleaning and prep. for storm shelters. Learn more at https://cleanmyshelter.com The decision to rebrand is always a tricky proposition, even more so when a company is only a year old and practi...
Apr 03, 2024•23 min
A guide to being strategic, systematic and comprehensive in your decision-making. Today's episode provides a structural overview that anyone can use; just apply your situational details. You need to know four things before you begin the strategy process. • Know yourself • Know your audience • Know your value • Know your position This episode will provide you all the information you need to craft a strategy and plan for implementation, execution and measurement. You can be strategic, systematic, ...
Mar 20, 2024•8 min
Since 1998, i2E has been a trusted and accomplished partner in Oklahoma’s community and economy, working closely with business owners and leaders to develop and strengthen their ideas, scale their companies responsibly, launch successfully and ensure relevance. Our guest today is Rex Smitherman, President of i2E. He is responsible for providing leadership in strategic business planning, management of company operations, managing relationships with funding sources and supervising underwriting fun...
Mar 06, 2024•30 min
We're making a BOLD but true statement today to grab your attention but also offer you an opportunity to improve your business in specific ways that create sustainable success and profitability. The Golding Group can help you do just that. All you have to do is just ask, via this link: https://calendly.com/grow-with-us/fix-my-business There are two ways to create sustainable profitability in any business: Effectiveness and Efficiency. Both should be pursued simultaneously and continually with fo...
Feb 21, 2024•19 min
Here's a cool idea: for one day, co-work with VCs in your ecosystem. Our guest today is Darrel Frater, Senior Associate at Serac Ventures talking about VC Day - OKC on Thursday, February 8th. This is an open event for VCs, LPs, and Founders interested in networking within a casual setting. The goal is to create a low-pressure environment for all participants while enabling access to the greater venture capital ecosystem. Listen to learn more and find out details about how you can participate and...
Jan 31, 2024•16 min
Last year, we had so many amazing guests, insightful conversations and interesting topics discussed on the Strategic Growth Podcast. We kick off 2024 with part two (part one posted on 1/3/24) of the best clips from July to December). Guest appear in this order: • Jeanean Yanish Jones, Executive Director of Health Alliance for the Uninsured • Jonathan Dodson, CEO of Pivot • Professional Podcasting: Communication, Not Selling • Jeffery Barnett, Boston Safety & Compliance • Wine With Kelley McG...
Jan 17, 2024•21 min
We had so many amazing guests, insightful conversations and interesting topics discussed on the Strategic Growth Podcast in 2023. We kick off 2024 with a review of the best clips from January to June (Part 2 will cover July to December). Guest appear in this order: • Kitt Letcher CEO of the BBB-OKC • Alex Ruhter, founder of JackBe Drive Thru Grocery • Business Pan Triage with startup founder Zacharias Voulgaris • Hoang Lam, CEO of CMM Financial • Elizabeth Larios, Program Director at gBETA OKC •...
Jan 03, 2024•22 min
Biotech, nanotech and medical device development are rapidly advancing in Oklahoma. Chelsea Luxen, CEO of ParaNano Wound Care, is one of the innovators in these industries in the Sooner State. Her startup is a pre-clinical company founded in 2018 directed towards the development and commercialization of an advanced wound care product line called the Nanosheet™, a flexible nanofiber membrane that visually changes color when infection is detected all with no wires, batteries or cumbersome device. ...
Dec 20, 2023•35 min
Rebranding an existing business is not an easy task to be taken lightly, but when done right the benefits are worth the extra effort, attention to detail and dedication to the process. Our guest on episode 184 is Tim Priebe, CEO of Backslash Creative , which recently went through a multi-year rebranding process from T&S Online Marketing (since 2014) and the original launch name of T&S Web Design. The Backslash Creative team recently unveiled (still technically in transition) the major re...
Dec 06, 2023•35 min
"Every decision that I make as a business owner, I want it to be through the lens of people first. What's best for not just my people but also for the people we're working with and contracting with are trusting us by hiring us. What's best for them as well." - Bryce Thompson, owner of Cord Construction Services and Managing Partner of the Community Through Beer (CTB) Group. CTB Group includes The Patriarch in Edmond, Social Capital in downtown OKC, The Joinery in Bricktown, 1884 in Edmond and Th...
Nov 22, 2023•33 min
Our special guest for this episode is William (Will) Blake, CEO of Vesta Foundation Solutions & Unisonworx, President of Construct My Future Non-Profit and Business Consultant. We discuss developing systems, working with the right people, scaling up million-dollar businesses, starting over and how focusing on your vision keeps you on the path to success. https://www.vestafoundationsolutions.com https://unisonworx.com https://www.constructmyfutureok.org https://williamwalkerblake.com The Stra...
Nov 01, 2023•39 min
Venture Capital (VC) investing is more than just writing checks. VC firms, limited partners and individual investors offer support, connections and expertise to the startups and early-stage companies in their portfolios. To better support your investments, we have curated a specialized list of additional support services to assist essential business activities in key areas critical to VC firms and investors: Human Resources, Treasury Services, Strategic Planning, Audience Development, Fractional...
Oct 04, 2023•31 min
Special guest Ashley Coffey is host of Coffey & Code Podcast, CEO of Coffey & Consult startup and TEDx Speaker focused on bridging the gap between technology and people. She is an emerging technologies subject matter expert with over a decade of experience in the tech industry, including public, private and non-profit roles. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the local non-profit Oklahoma Women in Technology and volunteers as a mentor in the OKC community for young women pursu...
Sep 20, 2023•33 min
Special guest Kelley McGuire is on a mission to make wine fun and enjoyable for all people, no matter their level of experience or knowledge. She started her private and/or virtual wine-tasting and consulting business Wine With Kelley as a response to her problem (untraditional availability) along with a passion for helping others better understand and enjoy wine. We talk about how all of her life and professional experience prepared her to formalize an idea, launch her startup and build a busin...
Sep 06, 2023•35 min
On this BONUS 5th Wednesday of the Month episode, Kyle Golding interviews Jeffery (Boston) Barnett, owner and Chief Consultant of Boston Safety & Compliance. He has a deep passion for ensuring that workers across all industries make it home safely at the end of their work day. Barnett, often called Boston for his East Coast accent, has extensive knowledge in occupational safety in the construction, oil and natural gas Industries. https://www.bostonsafetycompliance.com/ The Strategic Growth P...
Aug 30, 2023•26 min
Tips and techniques for hosting or being a valued guest on podcasts. Special guest Casey Farmer, rookie podcaster and VP of Marketing at the BBB serving Central Oklahoma joins our podcasting veteran CEO Kyle Golding for a conversation about making the most of podcast as a host or guest. How to prepare, connect with audiences, create ROI and be collaborative via podcast. Everyone has a story to tell, so why not make it a marketing opportunity? Let's talk about it! The Strategic Growth Podcast off...
Aug 16, 2023•30 min
Businesses should be utilizing podcasts to communicate without selling. Instead of going straight for the close, use podcasting to create trust, develop working relationships and build community around your brand. Who can take advantage of podcasting in 2023? Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, business leaders, brands, small businesses, big businesses, professional organizations, community groups, non-profits and government agencies. We explain the why and how of podcasting for business communi...
Aug 02, 2023•26 min
Ten years ago, Jonathan Dodson traded his banking job for a regular seat at Elemental Coffee, hoping to figure out what to do with his career. Within ten months, David Wanzer asked Dodson to partner on redeveloping the Tower Theatre. Within eighteen months of that, Pivot went from concept to "real" business. Since then, Pivot has developed over $100MM in assets all within the OKC community and realized that development is just a means to be a part of human flourishing. Dodson follows the philoso...
Jul 19, 2023•29 min
Health employees are productive employees and contributing members of society. On this episode, we discuss the multitude of benefits that come from keeping our employees healthy through insurance coverage and the options employers and employees have for health insurance with special guest Jeanean Yanish Jones, Executive Director of the Health Alliance for the Uninsured nonprofit org . But we also learn so much more about mission-driven leadership, managing organizational expansion and work/life ...
Jul 05, 2023•30 min
We’re discussing the immense value of employing Veterans for business owners, the country and the Veterans themselves with special guests Chad Watts, CEO of Scars and Stripes Coffee and Major Ed Pulido, Co-Founder of the John-Daly Major Ed Heart of a Lion Foundation . We discuss the value of teamwork, accountability and mission focus that Veterans bring to post-service careers and the resources for businesses that hire them. Scars and Stripes Coffee empowers Veterans to build their own business ...
Jun 21, 2023•39 min
What is Business Process Management (BPM) and how can it benefit your business? That's the discussion today on the podcast. BPM is an absolute dedication to the continual improvement of everything that makes up your business! To start, The Golding Group Definition: Business Process Management is a strategic approach to aligning company workflow, procedures, communication and human assets to create the most effective, efficient and manageable systems for sustainable business growth and longevity....
Jun 07, 2023•27 min
Thanks to recent spectacular failures in audience relations from major brands (Bud Light), organizations (FBI) and high-profile individuals (pro athletes) we decided to revisit and review one of our most popular episodes regarding the proper way to manage crisis communications. Originally premiered March 17th, 2021 but still valid today, we continue our conversations about when, why and how to utilize crisis communications protocols instead of out-of-date plans. "The Professor" Pritch Pritchard,...
May 17, 2023•16 min
Soon after we started the How To Write A Strategic Plan talk at The Treasury OKC last Friday, OKC-FD asked us to vacate the building due to a gas leak nearby. Before we were asked to leave the building, we discussed lots of great tips on the differences between a business plan and a strategic plan, how to get started crafting a strategy and the most common mistakes start-ups and small businesses make in the strategic process. Here is the content (before the fire department intervened) and some o...
May 03, 2023•17 min
