Strategy Hero

What drives a project to transform an organization? In this episode, Ray Collis, co-founder of Growth Pit Stop, shares his “super projects” formula—blending ambition, confidence, alignment, complexity, and collaboration. You’ll learn how successful leaders manage bold initiatives by embracing uncertainty and fostering seamless team alignment. Ray’s “pit stop” strategy—pausing to regroup and refocus—offers a practical way to navigate challenges and keep momentum.

From Big Pharma’s hidden innovators to boardroom successes, Ray’s insights reveal how to turn complexity into opportunity, celebrate small wins, and ask, “What does my team need to thrive?” empowering you to lead with clarity and unlock your team’s full potential.

In this episode, Jim Longshore, Vice President at SBTI and author of The ABCs of Strategy Execution, shares insights from over 25 years of driving Lean Six Sigma deployments across manufacturing, healthcare, and insurance.

Jim reflects on his early career experiences at American Standard and Trane, where the integration of Lean and Six Sigma first clicked, and how understanding measurement systems and capability analyses transformed his approach to strategic problem-solving. He outlines the key components of a successful deployment, from having a single project hopper and champion, to building infrastructure that aligns improvement work directly to business strategy.

Drawing from real-world stories, like why recordable injury rates were misleading or how misjudged patient placement disrupted hospital staffing, Jim makes a compelling case for curiosity, clear metrics, and data-driven decision-making. He also weighs in on the future of Lean Six Sigma, the role of AI, and why leaders must resist rewarding heroics over consistency.

For anyone involved in operational excellence or strategy execution, Jim’s advice is simple but powerful: stop fighting fires, start preventing them.

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In this episode, Hensley Sejour, Principal at Black Tech Nation Ventures, shares how a mindset rooted in curiosity and community has guided his unconventional path—from PhD chemical engineer and 14-year BP veteran to AWS product manager and now venture capital leader.

Hensley reflects on pivotal career moments, including how a move to Alaska unlocked a journey toward an MBA at Carnegie Mellon and a transition into tech and investing. Drawing on experiences in process design, operations, and strategy, he unpacks lessons on stakeholder alignment, human-centered design, and the value of real-world execution before strategic planning.

He also explores the parallels between oil refineries and startups, the role of mentorship in career growth, and how learning—whether from books, people, or setbacks—can be a lifelong competitive advantage. For aspiring leaders navigating career change, Hensley’s advice is clear: you’re capable of more than you think.

In this episode, Anthony Huffman, Enterprise Architecture Strategist at Koch Industries, discusses the transformation of manufacturing through Industry 4.0. With over 20 years of experience in operational excellence and smart manufacturing, Tony shares insights into lean principles, change management, and the integration of digital technologies such as Gen AI and predictive analytics.

Tony outlines the four layers of Industry 4.0—smart assets, smart manufacturing, supply chain integration, and digital transformation—emphasizing the importance of aligning strategy with technology rather than simply adopting new tools. He also highlights common pitfalls in transformation efforts, the role of middle management in change adoption, and how Gen AI can enhance decision-making while avoiding hallucinations.

For leaders looking to leverage Industry 4.0 technologies, Tony advises starting with capability maturity rather than technology-first approaches. He stresses that transformation requires balancing "run, improve, and transform" strategies while ensuring that digital tools augment rather than add complexity to existing workflows.

Roger Longden, founder and chairman of the UK's leading OKR consultancy There Be Giants, brings a wealth of experience in helping organizations excel in strategy execution. From his corporate IT background to a coaching qualification at Henley Business School, Roger's journey has spanned leading project management at Fujitsu, coaching in the North Sea oil rigs, and establishing an international consultancy that empowers businesses to thrive with OKRs.

In this episode, Roger delves into the transformative potential of OKRs, emphasizing their role in fostering alignment, engagement, and cross-functional collaboration. He explains how OKRs offer an alternative to traditional "cascade" methods, empowering teams to devise solutions that connect directly to organizational objectives. Roger highlights the significance of psychological safety, trust, and inclusivity in OKR adoption, while also addressing challenges like maintaining agility in corporate settings.

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Featuring amazing guests such as Roger Longden of There Be Giants, Enterprise Architecture Strategist for Industry 4.0 at Koch Industries, Anthony Hoffman and Hensley Sejour, Investor at Black Tech Nation Ventures.

James Milsom, host of the Strategy Hero podcast, has spent two seasons uncovering the stories and strategies behind the world of business transformation, operational excellence, and strategy execution. As a seasoned marketer and thought leader at i-nexus, James has connected with practitioners, consultants, and unsung heroes to share their insights and experiences.

In this special episode, James takes the guest seat, reflecting on his journey as a host and the evolution of the podcast. He reveals the inspiration behind the show: creating a platform that replaces the watercooler conversations lost in a remote-first world, while highlighting the voices of those on the frontlines of strategy execution.

James shares lessons learned from the podcast, such as the importance of balancing structure with spontaneity in storytelling, building genuine relationships with guests, and capturing the humanity behind business strategies. He recalls standout moments, from deep conversations about leadership and culture to personal stories like the shared impact of family with Festus Akinbusoye.

Wes Bush is the founder and CEO of ProductLed. He is the bestselling author of Product-Led Growth: How To Build a Product That Sells Itself and is one of the most sought-after product experts in the world. After working for some of the world’s fastest-growing companies in the world, today he trains teams around the globe how to turn their products into powerful growth engines.

Wes explains how PLG flips traditional sales-led methods by using the product itself to acquire, engage, and monetize users, enabling a frictionless and efficient customer journey. He emphasizes the importance of understanding ideal users, creating a clear organizational strategy, and aligning product, marketing, and sales teams for long-term success.

Listeners will learn how to avoid common pitfalls, from relying on surface-level tactics to underestimating the role of data in shaping user experiences. Wes also discusses the significance of fostering a product-led organization, addressing change management challenges, and continuously improving through experimentation and user feedback.

This episode is packed with actionable insights for CEOs and leaders eager to embrace PLG and align their teams with a data-driven, user-first approach to strategy execution. 

In this episode, Simon Wardley, creator of Wardley Maps, explores how mapping brings clarity to strategy and complex decision-making. Wardley shares how his frustration with vague corporate strategies led to his development of the Wardley Mapping methodology, inspired by a bookstore conversation about The Art of War. Wardley Maps visually map out an organization’s strategic landscape by illustrating user needs, capabilities, and how these evolve, helping organizations understand their context and make informed decisions.

In this episode, we explore the 27-year career of Grant Elder, a seasoned change management leader, known for his expertise in fostering transformation through empathy and communication. Grant reflects on his experiences leading complex organizational change, emphasizing the critical role of strategic planning, environmental analysis, and the engagement of employees through processes like Catchball and Gemba walks.

Grant outlines the importance of data-driven decision-making and how emerging technologies, particularly AI, are reshaping the landscape of change management and business transformation. He stresses that there is no universal strategy for successful change, advocating for a tailored approach that takes operational intricacies into account. Throughout the discussion, Grant explains the value of meticulous planning and sustained employee involvement as key drivers of successful transformation and execution in organizations.