303: Frank O’Connell, Building careers and lasting relationships

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 303, an episode with Frank O’Connell, the author of Jump First, Think Fast. In this episode, Frank takes us on his career journey as he successfully explores multiple industries from baked goods to sporting apparel to video games. He shares the lessons he learned and how he built lasting relationships as he worked in different industries. Frank O’Connell is known for his unconventional approach for high performance through his strategic thinking, brand building, breakthrough marketing, and new product ideas. His accomplishments include serving as president of Reebok Brands, president of HBO Video, CEO of Indian Motorcycle, and chairman and CEO of Gibson Greetings, Inc. He spent the first fourteen years of his career developing well-known brands at Arnold Bakery, Mattel, Carnation Company, and Hunt Wesson foods, among other brands in the baking and natural foods industry. O’Connell was a senior partner with The Parthenon Group, a top strategic consulting company for seven years. He also spent sixteen years on the board of TreeHouse Foods Inc., and he is an investor and board member at Schylling, Inc., a toy company and is cofounder of Tuckerman Capital. He has also served on numerous Cornell University boards where he earned his BS in Economics and an MBA. Get Frank’s book here: Jump First, Think Fast: An Unconventional Approach to High Performance. Frank O’Connell Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo