Mark Alan is the founder of Legato Leadership Coaching, where he helps leaders strengthen their business development strategies with a focus on product markets and new product innovation. With 23 years of senior management experience at companies including Charter Wire, Chicago Faucets, and Inpro Corporation, Mark brings a deep understanding of how products, people, and markets intersect inside growing organizations. After retiring from corporate leadership, he launched Legato Leadership Coaching in 2023 to support executives in making more aligned, well-informed decisions. Outside of his work with business leaders, Mark is a dedicated classical pianist who finds inspiration in music, an influence that shapes his thoughtful, connected approach to coaching.

In this episode, Brad and Mark discuss:

• How Mark transitioned from a music career into manufacturing and senior leadership roles
• Connecting the dots across product development, sales, marketing, and operations is essential for business success
• The challenges companies face when trying to innovate within saturated or highly competitive markets
• How fear of failure and resistance to change can stall organizational growth
• The role of Paranet and leadership circles in helping business owners gain perspective

Key Takeaways: 

• Growth requires alignment across all functions, manufacturing, sales, marketing, logistics, and leadership must move in sync. When leaders break down silos and connect the dots, small changes can unlock major opportunities.
• Fear of failure often prevents companies from launching new products or trying new strategies. Leaders must balance risk with research and push their comfort zones to stay competitive.
• Many organizations struggle not because of a lack of effort, but because “they don’t know what they don’t know.” Bringing in an outside perspective helps identify blind spots and uncover new possibilities.
• The most common challenge among leaders is the belief that they’ve already solved the problem. Coaching helps them step back, ask better questions, and see options they hadn’t considered.
• AI, supply chain dynamics, and competitive intelligence are rapidly reshaping business. Leaders who monitor the horizon and adapt early will be best positioned for the future.

“So I had a system a wide breadth of experience, and during the course of that, lots of opportunities to make mistakes, make errors, and learn from them along the way.” - Mark Alan

Connect with Mark Alan: 

Website: https://paranetgroup.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-alan-83154822/ 

Connect with Brad Foley:

Website: https://www.hrvaluepartners.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfoley/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hrvaluepartners/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hrvaluepartners/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

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