In Good Companies

It’s been four years since we started In Good Companies and, as we look ahead, we feel that our vision for this show is complete. Together we navigated the forces shaping your business over the past six seasons, bringing in experts on culture, M&A, corporate security and so much more. We conclude this series with a special final episode. We’re keeping our promises and launching you into 2025 with a conversation you don’t want to miss. 

Our final guest, Doug Farren, is a pioneer in business research and the co-founder of the National Center for the Middle Market at Ohio State University. A thought leader, researcher and educator, Doug joins us to share his insights into one of the most overlooked segments of the economy: mid-size businesses — a "forgotten third" that drives a significant portion of private sector growth.

In this episode, Doug sheds light on the challenges and opportunities facing middle-market companies in 2025. From technology adoption to talent retention, risk management and succession planning, we discuss how to help mid-sized businesses navigate the road ahead. We also break down the findings of the Middle Market Indicator – a cutting-edge study that Doug runs bi-annually, to outline the needs of mid-size businesses and connect leaders in the field. Together, we share important business stories, as we love them on this podcast. 

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur or visionary who wants to know what is shaping 2025, this episode is for you. Here’s to embracing the future – and being with us – one last time, on In Good Companies.

Highlights:

• Introducing Doug Farren (01:59)
• What is the Middle Market? (03:02)
• Scaling up: Needs, Challenges and Opportunities for Midsize Companies (06:59)
• Building a Network, with the Middle Market Indicator (10:46)
• Understanding the Macro-Economic Environment in 2025  (14:38)
• Technology and Innovation in the Middle Market (16:57)
• The Issue with Middle Market Brand Visibility & Talent Retention (19:42)
• Thinking Ahead: Governance, and Succession Planning (22:28) 
• The Climate Question: Assessing Risks for Business Growth (25:12)
• Where to Find Resources for Middle Market Leaders (30:14)
• Telling Business Stories, Making New Connections (32:44)
• A Final World from In Good Companies (35:07)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Doug Farren LinkedIn
• Doug Farren - NCMM Website
• Doug Farren - Fisher College of Business
• National Center for the Middle Market Website
• “The Market that Moves America” - NCMM Podcast
• Middle Market Indicator - Year End 2024
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or its topics , email our producers [email protected] or  [email protected].

Acquisitions are a major tool to grow your business; but for leaders, they can feel like a daunting leap. So how do you gain confidence in your company to make that jump? What are some key steps to consider before sealing the deal? And once you’ve successfully expanded your ventures, how do you do it again? 

For our next season six episode, we bring in co-founder and business leader Miles Crowe for a story that is nothing short of inspirational. His company Crowe Custom Countertops is one of the leading granite fabrication firms in the southeast U.S. Through strategic acquisitions and a commitment to teamwork, Miles has expanded his business to five locations and gained international reach. 

With our host Ari Marin, Miles discusses how he found his footing in business and established a strong foundation before pursuing acquisitions. He breaks down how he made the most of his opportunities for expansion. From assessing other companies critically, to planning for integration and strengthening his business model; there are many lessons to be learned. 

So tune in to learn how a humble two-person operation becomes a multi-location enterprise generating millions in revenue. This is a story from a small business guy who’s done well – just as we like them on In Good Companies. 

Highlights:

• Introducing Miles Crowe (1:23)
• How Miles launched into business by accident (3:21) 
• “The two-man days”: starting Crowe Custom Countertops (5:02) 
• The first growth spurt: overcoming challenges and finding your foundation (7:00) 
• How the recession helped Miles find his business model (10:01)
• First acquisition: becoming a distributor (13:14) 
• Navigating authority and the emotional load of business expansion (15:30)
• Second acquisition: expanding to Chattanooga (19:19)
• Third acquisition: Nashville during the Covid-19 pandemic (22:32)
• Latest acquisition: return to the Atlanta market (25:14)
• Aligning your business goals to the future of your industry (25:52)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Crowe Custom Countertops Website
• Crowe Custom Countertops LinkedIn
• Crowe Custom Countertops Facebook
• Miles Crowe LinkedIn
• Book: Michael E Gerber, “The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It”
• Book: Don Soderquist, “The Wal Mart Way: The Inside Success Story of the World’s Largest Company”
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].

Before In Good Companies returns next week, we'd like to help you finish January on a high note; so we're bringing back one of our favorite episodes on joy. 

Recent research by Oxford University found that workers are 13% more productive when they’re happy. And yet, another study by BCG found that most company leaders aren’t building their strategies around how their employees feel at work. So joy? It’s a real business question.

In this episode, we are joined by designer and joy specialist Ingrid Fetell Lee, to find out how to make our workplaces, our jobs, and ourselves more joyful. A former design director for IDEO, Ingrid is a self-starter with a decade’s worth of research into the science of joy. Her findings made it into a book: Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. 

Today, she helps us answer the hard questions: how do we get to feel joyful? Our surroundings, the objects in our homes, the things and people we interact with every day… Why do they influence our emotions? And crucially: what does that mean for our companies? Together, we discuss how to make our workplaces more enjoyable and productive, and what joy means for leadership, teamwork and our business philosophy. 

Join Ingrid and Ari to spread joy today and make it an integral function of your organization.

Highlights:

• When Ingrid first stumbled upon Joy (2:45)
• Universal joyful patterns (4:54)
• The evolutionary explanation for joy (7:32)
• The difference between joy and happiness (9:33)
• The Aesthetics of Joy in the Workplace (10:29)
• How physical space can impact our mental health (13:32)
• The branded environment: “No one wants to work inside the corporate logo” (15:30)
• The case of joy contagion at Coca-Cola (16:34)
• Adopting a new joyful leadership (18:56)
• “The biggest mistake that I've seen employers make is inconsistency” (20:56)
• Undoing the corporate bias against joy (22:03)
• Signs that we have changed our team for the better (23:23)
• Finding joy while working remotely (25:57)
• Embracing joy in the present (27:46)
• Gen Z: a new philosophy of joy (29:27)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• The Aesthetics of Joy Website
• The Aesthetics of Joy Instagram
• Ingrid Fetell Lee X (Twitter)
• Ingrid Fetell Lee LinkedIn
• Ingrid Fetell Lee Instagram
• Ingrid Fetell Lee Pinterest
• Ted Talk: “Where Joy Hides and How to Find It”
• Research: Oxford University - “Happy workers are 13% more productive” 
• Research: BCG - “Joy at work matters more than you realize”

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].

This January, In Good Companies revisits some favorite episodes to relax, reset, and dive right back into business. 
 
In today's episode, we ask a touchy question: why do we burn out? In 2024, 38% of US employees reported having experienced burnout; a phenomenon recognized by the World Health Organisation as an occupational issue. We want to start the new year on a different footing.

So how do we change our systems and habits to enhance well-being at work, and avoid burnout? When it comes to our corporate lives, what can we do to stay motivated, productive and healthy in the long term? We answer these questions with Paula Davis, a burnout recovery and well-being expert, and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute.

In this episode, our new host Ari Marin speaks with Paula about what burnout feels like and how to recognize it before it’s too late. Together, we strategize recovery and discuss how to undo stigma, and to open up conversations on mental health inside our companies. Throughout, Paula will share her experiences of triumph over chronic fatigue; proving that burnout is not the end of the road, but a fork in it. 

So tune in with Paula and Ari, to start a new conversation today and find your path to stress resilience. 

Highlights: 

• Paula’s own experience with Burnout (2:19)
• How habits, values, or preconceptions contribute to Burnout  (5:05)
• Taking the time for recovery (7:07)
• Recognizing early signs of Burnout (9:12)
• An exercise to notice symptoms  (13:03)
• A “me” and a “we” approach to Burnout (15:27)
• The “core six” drivers of chronic stress (17:12)
• How to tackle motivation from generation to generation (19:55)
• Strategies for recovery and prevention (22:15)
• Paula’s go-to resources for education (25:45)
• Breaking the stigma around Burnout (26:59)
• Using flexibility for professional empowerment (29:41)
• Burnout as a constructive journey (33:04)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• The Stress & Resilience Institute Website
• Paula Davis LinkedIn
• Paula Davis in Forbes
• World Health Organisation - “Burnout as an ‘occupational’ phenomenon”
• Spill - “Burnout Statistics You need to know for 2024”
• Book - Nick Patrie’s “Work Without Stress”
• Ted Talk - Dr Kelly McGonigal’s “How to Make Stress Your Friend”

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].

According to recent polls, nearly 50% of small business owners feel stressed about their finances. But in 2025, we are determined to change that statistic. 

So this January, we revisit a favorite episode that will help us learn about our money feelings. Where do they come from? Are they serving us well? And how can we gain confidence in our potential, to build a healthier relationship with our finances? To answer these questions: we welcome back Saundra Davis.

Saundra is a Financial Planner and Coach, the Director of Financial Programmes at Golden Gate University, and the founder of Sage Financial Solutions, a non-profit offering support and education to people from all backgrounds. And in today’s episode, she joins Ari for an honest, vulnerable and insightful conversation on financial well-being.  

Together, they recall how Saundra launched her career after having made every mistake possible in her first business. They spell out the link between trauma and behavior and explain why a good financial plan starts with understanding our needs and values. Working through Saundra’s “Continuum of Financial Well-being”, they also cover what professional support looks like in practice; how to avoid some typical budgetary mistakes when launching a new venture; and how to assess if you’re coping well with your current financial situation.

Join them to hit reset and align your dollars, your cents and your values with your business vision. 

Highlights:

• “There's no aspect of our lives that money doesn't touch” (3:01)
• The impact of money feelings on business decisions (4:36)
• How to recognize an unhealthy financial mindset (6:04)
• Understanding the "Continuum of Financial Well-being" (8:03)
• Financial wellness: a subjective question (10:37)
• Typical financial challenges when launching a new venture (13:50)
• Financial stress: how we can look out for each other (16:23)
• Why building trust with your Financial Planner matters (18:28)
• Financial support starts with your needs (21:25)
• Money wellness as an investment into the future  (23:12)
• Saundra’s go-to resources for financial support (25:08)
• “Know where you are; know you're going; build a plan to get there “ (26:39)
• No Shame Zone: Saundra’s new money mindset (28:18)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Saundra Davis LinkedIn
• Saundra Davis Golden Gate University
• Sage Financial Solutions Website
• Sage Financial Solutions Instagram
• Article - “Half of Small Business Owners Experience Poor Mental Health”
• Resource - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Well-being Questionnaire 
• Resource - Financial Therapy Association
• Resource - Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].

Happy New Year! We always like to kick start the year with a reset - and today's guest will help us get the fresh start we all strive for.

Dr. Julia DiGangi is the author of Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power. She is a neuropsychologist who works with businesses and entrepreneurs to help them harness their power, and keep their mindset fresh. And for her, great leadership starts when we understand the human brain!

Whether you’re building your company up through growth and innovation or by investing in your culture, being in business often means striving for performance. But is there a science to good leadership? Research in cognitive psychology shows there might be. 

In today’s episode, Dr. DiGangi joins our new host Ari Marin to decode the clever machinery of the brain, and unlock new potential! Together, they discuss our cognitive ability to recognize patterns and our natural aversion to uncertainty; they unpack how we can reshape our behaviors to undo fear-based nervous habits; and they reveal that focusing on identity can move organizations towards better cooperation. Dr. DiGangi shares her invaluable research and wealth of knowledge on corporate leadership to help us tap into our brain power. 

So tune in with Julia and Ari today, and get ready to adopt a whole new performance mindset. 

Highlights:

• Understanding how the brain works (3:00)
• Anxiety as a reaction to uncertainty (4:37)
• Cognitive strategies: why we'd rather choose physical pain (6:05)
• Building leadership from the energy of emotion (8:25)
• “Working” and “overworking” as different nervous responses (11:34)
• Why identity is the best response to uncertainty (12:54)
• The emotional math of our professional lives (15:12)
• Reframing micromanagement as a fear reaction (16:45)
• Recent changes in the conversation around mental health (18:34)
• The impact of technology on emotional intelligence (20:28)
• The creativity of leadership (22:24)
• Speaking the language of emotions (24:11)
• “The greatest asset that companies have today is relational intelligence” (26:23)
• Staying optimistic for the future of collaboration  (29:12)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Dr. Julia DiGangi Website 
• Dr. Julia DiGangi X (Twitter)
• Dr. Julia DiGangi LinkedIn
• Dr. Julia DiGangi Instagram
• Book - “Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power”

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].

December is often a busy month, so whether you’re working through it, reuniting with loved ones or cooking up a storm… Consider this your reminder to take a minute and breathe! 

For the next two weeks, In Good Companies is taking a holiday break to rest and celebrate. We’ll be back in January, with some brand new episodes, as well as a couple of old favorites we picked out just for you.

Between business success stories, discussions on corporate well-being and an exclusive look into the trends that will define 2025, we’re not done bringing you the best experts to talk about everything business. So stay with us!

We wish you all the best this holiday season and beyond. Thank you for being a part of In Good Companies.

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]

When he opened his food distribution business back in 2006, Don Coenen started with three semi-trucks in a crowded market. Nearly 20 years later, his company Don's Cold Storage and Transportation is a multi-million dollar corporation, open for business 365 days a year. More than a profitable operation, it’s a business that has provided a livelihood for countless people in Arkansas, Missouri and beyond. 

So how do you achieve this kind of growth? What does it take to turn the dream into a reality? And is reality just as glorious as it seems? Today, our host Ari Marin sits down with Don – a loyal Cadence Bank customer – to answer these questions and hear all about his journey through the food distribution industry.

From Don’s early inspirations and mentors, to his passion for business, we’ll also learn about his goals for the future. We’ll see that Don’s Cold Storage is not just a logistics company. It’s the product of a dream, a resilient financial strategy and a culture of wellness built with intention and purpose. 

Join us in conversation to hear Don Coenen’s inspiring tale of grit, and discover a whole new world: the buzzing world of Don’s Cold Storage. 

Highlights:

• Introducing Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (0:35)
• A typical day in Don Coenen’s life (3:28)
• Northwest Arkansas: a thriving place for business (5:15)
• Rethinking the economy of “scale” (07:08)
• Why the food sector is a resilient industry (8:31)
• The early days of Don’s Cold Storage (10:13)
• Hard earned financial lessons (13:09)
• Don’s growth mindset: don’t back down, double down (15:27)
• Challenges and opportunities during the Covid pandemic (16:52)
• Unpacking Don’s business culture (18:18)
• The benefits of promoting from within (20:21)
• The importance of self-care and employee support (21:36)
• Why Don’s Corporation is more than a workplace (24:51)
• How Don flies the company flag (26:26)
• Future goals for Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (28:22)
• Don’s final word: “The future is coming anyway” (31:05)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation Website
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation LinkedIn
• Don Coenen LinkedIn
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].

What does it take to create workplaces where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and innovate without fear of failure? Well, the answer can be summed up in two words: psychological safety. 

Psychological safety is not just a trend or a culture that is “easy” on employees. It's a business philosophy that seeks to empower teams and boost performance. 

So in this episode of In Good Companies, we’re diving into the increased attention being paid to psychological safety in the workplace — what it is, why it matters and how to build it into your organization’s DNA. To open this important conversation, we’re bringing in a mental health advocate with 30 years experience in the field: Kathy Pike, CEO of the non-profit One Mind at Work.

With a career spanning academia and the private sector, Kathy brings a global perspective to the challenges and opportunities of workplace well-being. Together with our host Ari Marin, they break down why psychological safety should be treated as a strategic business priority, and explore practical ways to embed it into leadership and operations. They also discuss the benefits of psychological safety for attracting talent, improving team performance, and shaping the future of work.

Make room for humanity and tune in to unlock the full potential of corporate well-being for your business. 

Highlights:

• What Psychological Safety really means (1:09)
• Why we’re talking more about mental health in the workplace (3:36)
• “Mental health and well being is a strategic imperative for the future of work” (5:59)
• Psychological Safety to improve your leadership and performance (8:11)
• The Mental Health at Work Index (10:11)
• Proving the benefits of Psychological Safety (12:16)
• Examples of company initiatives that promote Psychological Safety (14:36)
• Questions leaders should ask to assess Psychological Safety (17:32)
• “Being kind means being prepared to have difficult conversations” (19:57)
• Diversity as a contributor to Psychological Safety (21:48)
• Mental health support: the challenge of remote work (23:44)
• How workplaces are evolving and what it means for social connection (26:51)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Kathy Pike Website
• Kathy Pike LinkedIn
• One Mind at Work Website
• One Mind at Work YouTube
• The Mental Health at Work Index
• Article - One Mind's Mental Health at Work Index
• Article - The Hybrid Work Model and Loneliness in the Workplace
• Book - The Return of Kindness, by Bonnie Hayden Cheng 

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].

Over the last decade, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investments have exploded; as evidenced by global market projections, which predict 40 trillion dollars in ESG assets by 2030. 

That will not only reshape our financial markets, but also our consumer choices, our recruitment prospects, the range of our suppliers, and even our leadership strategies. So how do we seize that opportunity for change? What new possibilities does ESG open up? 

We answer these questions with two of the leading voices from EY Sustainability: Marie Johnson and Brandon Sutcliffe. Every day, these two experts in Business and Financial Sustainability help companies integrate ESG goals into their core strategies and operations. From stakeholders to customers, they show leaders how to reach the next stage of their development.

Today, they bring their wisdom to In Good Companies and help us see how Environmental, Social, and Governance goals can add value to our businesses. They undo misconceptions around sustainability, share strategies to implement effective reporting, and lift the veil on what will drive the transition towards ESG practices. Spoiler alert: it involves your stakeholders, your clients, your governance, and a component of education. To round up their conversation with Ari, Brandon and Marie will also discuss the development of ESG regulations and help us prepare for the future by asking: what’s next? 

No matter where you’re coming from, sustainability is part and parcel of everyone’s business, so get ready to answer the bell. 

Highlights:

• Introducing EY Sustainability, with Marie and Brandon (1:47)
• What does ESG look like for day-to-day business? (3:41)
• A home-based approach for small businesses (7:07)
• Middle market considerations: balancing sustainability and growth (8:37)
• How large corporations focus on capital deployment (10:05)
• Who or what can drive the transition towards ESG? (12:16)
• ESG as a strategy for long-term value (14:20)
• Do’s and dont’s of ESG reporting (16:06)
• Breaking out of the “sustainability silo” (18:34)
• How to turn ESG practices into business as usual (19:57)
• Reframing perceptions around sustainability: a “bottomline” argument (21:56)
• A tour around the world of ESG legislation (24:06)
• Why public-private partnerships could change everything (25:42)
• 10 years ahead, what’s next for ESG? (27:55) 
• Embracing sustainability as a business opportunity (29:01)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• EY Sustainability 
• Marie Johnson EY Website
• Marie Johnson LinkedIn
• Brandon Sutcliffe EY Website
• Brandon Sutcliffe LinkedIn
• Bloomberg - “Global ESG assets predicted to hit $40 trillion by 2030”
• Microsoft - “Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap: Helping businesses move from pledges to progress”
• Article - “ESG regulation in 2024: Everything you need to know”
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].