Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders

Today, there are countless platforms to reach consumers, but utilizing too many outlets can also fragment a brand's image. Our guest on this episode specializes in strategic brand exposure, providing clients with guidance to target consumers, and maintain a united market presence.

We're sitting down with Anton Nicholas, Managing Partner at ICR. Anton just celebrated his 12th anniversary at ICR, and he runs the corporate PR team for all of Consumer, from retail to apparel to food to restaurants to CPG. It's a big practice within ICR, but we've also added a new brand: Blue Engine, an ICR offshoot creative consumer communications agency, and Anton is also taking care of that.

We'll dive into Anton's career and his work with Blue Engine, but not before settling an important debate about snack foods...

Highlights:

• Tom and Anton break the ice (2:51)
• Anton's work background and path to ICR and Blue Engine (4:34)
• Anton describes the work he oversees at ICR (5:30)
• How the ICR Lifestyle Lab transitioned into Blue Engine (6:52)
• Anton explains what distinguishes Blue Engine's work from the Lifestyle Lab (7:52)
• The acquisition that led to Blue Engine (8:52)
• Size and scale of the business (10:04) 
• Where ICR and Blue Engine connect, and differ in their approach (11:52)
• Where the name 'Blue Engine' came from (14:21)
• The industries and clients Blue Engine is best suited for (15:28)
• Anton walks through potential hurdles as the business grows (17:47)
• An example of Blue Engine's offerings through their work with a specific client, and how they handle crises for clients (19:09)
• Anton answers a burning question from Tom (22:14)

Links:

Anton Nicholas on LinkedIn

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

In the effort to recover from the impact of the pandemic, the hospitality industry has had a surge of innovation, ideas, and new technologies. And while the boost has been essential to getting the industry back on it's feet, it has also intensified the competition. Today's guest is setting themselves apart with their consumer-focused approach.

We're sitting down with Matt Tucker, who is the head of Tock, a technology driven hospitality business owned by Squarespace, and trading under the symbol SQSP. Matt oversees commercial success and growth of the Tock business, which includes a reservation system, table management, carry out operations and events for operators across 33 countries. Matt came to Squarespace after nearly two decades of experience building teams and operating companies of all sizes and has a strong background in hospitality tech and the startup world.

Most recently, Matt served as President and COO of Olo, the leading provider of SaaS solutions to the chain restaurant industry, serving almost 90,000 locations. He spent nearly nine years there taking the company from 10 people and one product to a public company with over 700 team members, six core products and nearly 200 million in revenue.

Prior to Olo, Matt was on the founding team of LendingTree and was also the founder of Rely Software. He has an MBA from Georgetown and a BA in political science from the University of Michigan. 

Highlights:

• Matt's background and path to restaurant software (3:10)
• Matt describes Tock's founding and current work (4:11)
• How Tock works in the restaurant to optimize reservations (6:01)
• Matt explains how Tock targets customers, and the ROI (7:36)
• Data captured through Tock, and what makes Tock's approach to data optimization unique (11:35)
• Matt talks about recent economic hurdles and how Tock has navigated the atmosphere (13:05)
• Matt discusses Tock's versatility in the restaurant industry (15:12)
• How Squarespace and Tock's work interconnect (16:50)
• Field competition and the state of the restaurant technology market (19:00)
• Tock's senior team and their history in hospitality (21:58)

Links:

Mathew Tucker on LinkedIn

Tock on LinkedIn

Tock Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Over the last few years, the wavering economy has presented problems for virtually every market. In real estate, rising rates and inflation have challenged buyers and sellers alike. But while wading in those waters, today's guest managed to find a silver lining in their unique investment field. 

Today, we get to sit down with Matt Fraser, a 20-year veteran of real estate, private equity, and corporate finance. He is the founder and CEO of Jones Street Investment Partners, a multi-family investor with more than 2 billion in assets under management. In this role, Matt is responsible for all aspects of the company's growth, including fundraising, deal sourcing, and the growth of the Jones Street team.

Prior to forming Jones Street, Matt served as the VP of Investments and Capital Markets at Taymil Partners, a multi-family owner and operator active throughout New England. Before that, he was a VP at the private equity and venture arm of Fleet Bank, which became Bank of America. Matt received a BA in media studies with a concentration in philosophy, with honors and distinction from Penn State University.

Highlights:

• Matt's background in finance, and the road to founding Jones Street (2:45)
• Jones Street's humble beginnings and team development (3:47)
• Matt describes Jones Street's strategic approach to their unique geographic locations (5:17)
• The status of supply and demand in Northeast / Mid-Atlantic markets (6:48)
• Cities that Jones Street are currently targeting in their specified markets (10:00)
• Financing options (11:29)
• How Jones Street have positioned themselves for the upcoming wave of multifamily loan expiration (12:50) 
• The team at Jones Street (15:39)
• Where Jones Street fits in the market of multifamily real estate, and field competition (17:00)
• Future growth and current trajectory (18:48)
• How Matt approaches other opportunities outside of the multifamily market niche (20:15)
• Matt's advice to those interested in investing in multifamily properties (22:46)
• How Matt maintains his prudent focus in the market (24:29)
• Matt's vision for Jones Street in the next 10 years (25:44)

Links:

Matt Frazier on LinkedIn

Jones Street Investment Partners on LinkedIn

Jones Street Investment Partners Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Every investment comes with plenty of responsibility, but in a multifaceted market like sports and entertainment with varied revenue streams and worldwide integration, navigating this complex landscape can be overwhelming. Today's guest is helping his clients make sure that all the bases are covered. Literally. 

We're sitting down with Charles (Chuck) Baker, who chairs Sidley Austin's Entertainment, Sports, and Media Group. Chuck represents investors in professional sports, businesses and teams, and advises on sports and entertainment transactions. He has decades of experience in the sports industry and has represented sports franchise purchases across multiple leagues, including the NFL, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the NBA, the NHL, the National Women's Soccer League, and multiple European football leagues.

Recently, Chuck represented Genius Sports in its multi-year strategic partnership with the NFL and the Canadian Football League, and also advised on the acquisition minority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers, the Charlotte Hornets, as well as the 6+ billion dollar purchase of the Washington Commanders.

Chuck has been highly recognized in the field of sports and entertainment law by multiple national publications. Most recently, the National Law Journal named him to its 2022 list of sports gaming entertainment law trailblazers. The Sports Business Journal also named him to their 2021 Power Players list, and Law 360 added him to their 2020 Sports Betting MVPs.

Chuck is an active board member for the March of Dimes and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is also an adjunct professor and advisory board member at the University of Miami School of Law, and a distinguished lecturer at NYU's Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media and Business.

Chuck was also an associate for former Senator, Dollar Bill Bradley, one of Tom's all time favorite Knicks! 

Highlights:

• Chuck's work background and how he came across his opportunity at Sidley Austin (3:36)
• Secular trends currently driving the sports and entertainment investment market (6:57)
• Chuck describes the investor audience specific to sports and entertainment (8:55)
• Current sports markets with high deal flow (11:59)
• Chuck tells the story of the Chelsea FC deal and his role in the transaction (14:15)
• The current trend and future of sports investments going international (16:54)
• Chuck describes Sidley Austin's recent partnership with Arctos (19:11) 
• Market competition, industry saturation, and the market's outlook (22:12)
• How streaming and entertainment consumption affect media rights (24:18)
• Women's sports and growing investment markets (26:18)
• How market developments and investments affect fan experience (27:55)
• Chuck's most recent wins with his own sports teams (28:46)

Links:

Charles Baker

Charles Baker on LinkedIn

Sidley Austin on LinkedIn

Sidley Austin Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Providing effective healthcare isn't just about the right treatment, it's a field with many branches, and strong relationships and communication channels are just as essential to providing patients with the care they need. Today's guest has developed a platform to bridge those gaps and facilitate collaboration. 

Today we're sitting down with Maital Rasmussen, who has over 20 years experience as a global commercial executive and strategic advisor. In her role as chief commercial officer at Octave, Maytel is responsible for leading and bringing the first in market precision care solution in neurodegenerative diseases to patients, physicians, pharmas and payers.

She is a leader in the global commercialization of digital health and precision medicine solutions and has extensive experience in growth and value creation of patient centric, data-driven health tech products across multiple disease areas, including oncology, neurology, diabetes, infectious diseases, and more.

Maital previously served as Global Head of Marketing at Roche during her tenure there, she defined Roche's personalized healthcare strategy and successfully launched digital solutions globally, positioning the company as a world leader in health technology. Some of her other positions included Director of Strategic and Product Marketing at Oracle Healthcare and Precision Medicine, Vice President of Global Marketing at JPMorgan Chase, and Founder and CEO of Rasmussen Communications. 

Maital draws on deep insights, fresh thinking, and relationships. She turns great ideas into action and delivers results driven programs without losing sight of the big picture, as so many often do.

Highlights:

• Maital describes her career background, and her transition from tech and finance to healthcare (3:16)
• Maital describes how the Octave opportunity came to her (4:38)
• Octave's work, and their unique approach to MS treatment (6:06)
• Octave's innovative digital platform, and its benefit to patients and physicians (10:41)
• Maital describes the unique technology in Octave's blood test (12:01)
• Market competition, and what sets Octave's precision medicine apart (13:10)
• Octave's relationship with MS research communities (16:24)
• Partnerships, and how Octave is facilitating collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem (18:17)
• Maital explains the outlook for Octave and how they allocate capital investments (19:31)
• The potential for Octave's innovative technology to expand into new disease sectors (21:32)
• Recent leadership changes and how that will affect the company and Maital's role (23:02)
• How COVID changed the digital health landscape (24:53)
• How Octave is collaborating to bridge the gap between patients, pharma, payers, and physicians in the healthcare ecosystem (26:52)
• Maital's goals and predictions for the future of Octave's platform and research (28:07)

Links:

Maital Rasmussen on LinkedIn

Octave on LinkedIn

Octave Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As today's guest will tell us, breakfasts have recently overtaken Friday dinners as the number one dining out experience of choice. So in the always-competitive hospitality industry, restaurants that do those meals particularly well are in a fantastic position. 

Chris Tomasso definitely understands how to excel in this space. Chris is the CEO of First Watch Restaurants, which trades under the symbol FWRG.  Prior to taking the helm in 2018, Chris served as President for three years and as Chief Marketing Officer from 2006 to 2015.  Before joining First Watch, Chris led strategic branding and marketing for renowned national and international brands such as Cracker Barrel and Hard Rock Cafe International.

In 2021, Chris was named one of the restaurant industry's most admired C-suite leaders by FSR Magazine. Later that year, he led First Watch into Wall Street with their IPO. 

Chris earned a BA from the University of Central Florida and is an active alum who currently serves on the University of Central Florida Foundation Board of Directors. He was inducted into the University's Nicholson School of Communication and Media Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Highlights:

• Chris describes First Watch's background and market concept (2:57)
• Competition and First Watch's position in the market (4:08)
• Chris describes First Watch's business model (6:17)
• First Watch's unique shift schedule, and why it attracts employees (8:43)
• Chris' approach to business operations (10:36)
• Chris describes the importance of remaining in the restaurant atmosphere as a CEO (12:06)
• How First Watch incorporates developing technology into their business (13:59)
• How Chris applies his marketing background in his role at First Watch (15:30)
• Chris' capital allocation strategies (17:21)
• More on First Watch's disruptive business model, and their strategic market placement (18:54)
• Chris' view on inflation and its ongoing impact on the hospitality industry (20:28)
• Chris describes the impact of First Watch to becoming a public company (22:09)
• How Chris was introduced to the hospitality industry (24:27)

Links:

Chris Tomasso on LinkedIn

First Watch Restaurants on LinkedIn

First Watch Restaurants Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

During the holiday period, we're re-sharing this very popular episode from earlier this year. If you missed it the first time, definitely check out Tom's chat with Stem's John Carrington!

Extreme weather, aging grids, power storage and distribution; these are just some of the challenges that clean energy is stepping up to solve. And companies like Stem are at the forefront, with cutting edge AI-driven services. On this episode we get to hear from John Carrington, CEO of Stem. John leads the energy storage and analytics movement at the company and has more than 25 years of leadership experience in technology, energy, and industrial companies.

John came to Stem from MiaSolé, the world's largest CIGS-based thin film solar company, where he was CEO and Director. Prior to that, John was the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at First Solar, growing the company from 250 million to more than 2 billion dollars in open markets in the US, Asia, and Europe.

John also spent over 16 years at General Electric, most recently as the General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of GE Plastics. He was part of a small executive team that executed on the 12 billion dollar sale of GE Plastics to SABIC in 2007. We sat down with John to talk about his fascinating career trajectory and the huge runway he has in front of him with Stem. 

Highlights:

• John discusses how he got his start in the energy field (2:51)
• How John ended up at Stem, and what the company does (4:39)
• How Stem fits into the larger energy transition (7:28)
• John talks about the ground-breaking software that Stem has built and the real-life use cases (8:39)
• Stem's total addressable market (11:44)
• How the Inflation Reduction Act is benefiting energy storage (13:16)
• The ease of "going solar" today (14:40)
• Stem's partnership with In Charge, an EV charging infrastructure solution(16:17)
• John talks about Stem's truly innovative approach (18:07)
• The benefits of being a public company for Stem (18:58)
• How John is positioning Stem in this challenging economic time (19:29)
• The key drivers for margin expansion in the next few years (20:49)
• The backlog for 2022 vs. 2021 (22:01)
• John talks about his great team (24:08)
• Stem's approach to capital allocation (25:20)
• John's outlook for energy storage in the next three to five years (26:31)
• John's most important mentors (27:49)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

John Carrington LinkedIn

John Carrington, Stem Inc bio

Stem LinkedIn

Stem website

Stem Twitter

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

In a year of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: no one could accuse 2023 of being boring. On this short holiday episode, Tom Ryan, Founder and CEO of ICR, and host of Welcome to the Arena looks back on the highs and lows of 2023, shares some of his top episodes and favorite guests of the year, and his advice for businesses and strategists for a successful 2024.

Happy holidays from everyone at ICR and Welcome to the Arena! Look for new episodes and more incredible guests from our team in the new year!

Links:

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Tom Ryan LinkedIn

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

At a time when parents are fighting a losing battle against screen-time for their kids, real world, active and educational experiences are a huge draw. Today's guest is passionate about these kinds of opportunities for kids, and has built an amazing business to fill that need.

We're sitting down with Michael Browning, Founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands, a platform company that houses the world's best franchise brands to help kids learn, play, and grow. Michael launched Unleashed Brands in 2011 after noticing a void in the market for parents looking for trusted resources for kids' activities.

The company's growing portfolio currently includes Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, Premier Martial Arts, XP League, and Class 101. In 2011, Michael launched Urban Air Adventure Park, the world's preeminent family indoor adventure park, which has since served over 20 million kids annually and generated over half a billion dollars of system-wide revenue.

A young entrepreneur, Michael was named a rising star by the Dallas Business Journal in their annual 40 under 40 list in 2021. Having spent years as an entrepreneur, he leads the team with true insight into the challenges that new businesses face as he doggedly pushes the team to look for new ways to overcome obstacles and break down barriers to achieving success.

Highlights:

• Michael on ideation and execution (3:30)
• What the company does, their current scale and why they’re in their sweet spot (4:05)
• Some of the brands in the portfolio, and how the business model works (6:13)
• Why the business model is a competitive advantage, and how it’s been for the franchisees (8:53)
• Being asset-light (10:30)
• Their partnership with Seidler Equity Partners (12:05)
• How they are using data to improve the company (13:54)
• The decision-making process on what to include in the portfolio (15:50)
• Who is the customer and why Unleashed Brands are recession-resistant (17:24)
• What Michael is focused on for 2024 (19:50)
• Michael discusses the team and his leadership style (21:08)
• Michael tells us about how the Unleashed Brands Foundation is helping kids, and how his family has gotten involved (23:18)
• The goals for the foundation in 2024 and later (27:25)

Links:

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Michael O. Browning Jr. on LinkedIn

Unleashed Brands on LinkedIn

Unleashed Brands Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

The sign of a strong apparel brand isn't always about covering every billboard. It's about longevity, steady growth, and speaking the customer's language. And today's two guests certainly know how to do that.

On this episode, we're sitting down with Kevin McLaughlin, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of J.McLaughlin, and Mary Ellen Coyne, the company's CEO. Kevin started J.McLaughlin in 1977 with his brother, Jay. They envisioned a timeless lifestyle brand with a legacy of style and a spirit of connection. And they did just that, opening their first shop on 74th Street and Third Avenue in Manhattan. It immediately became the post-brunch destination for the Ivy league, JG Mellon crowd.
 

Kevin's taste and design-sense has guided the J.McLaughlin collection since the first store opened, and he prides himself on creating effortless and enduring styles with a modern twist. Each style is thoughtfully designed with impeccable craftsmanship, original colors and prints and innovative fabrics.  

Mary Ellen Coyne is the CEO of J.McLaughlin, and joined the brand in 2016. She oversees all aspects of strategy and operations, including merchandising, product development, marketing, retail expansion, and e-commerce. Under her leadership, the brand has launched new product verticals, including swim and footwear, enjoyed robust retail expansion, and recently launched a brand refresh. Prior to joining the company, Mary Ellen had two decades of leadership experience at Ralph Lauren, where she most recently served as the Chief Merchandising Officer of Polo Women and Children's Division. Her career kicked off in the Macy’s Training Program, and from there, she sharpened her industry expertise with key merchandising roles at Ann Taylor, The Gap, and Victoria’s Secret.

J.McLaughlin now has over 170 beautiful stores on the most charming streets in America and true to the McLaughlin brothers' vision, each store is entirely unique.

Highlights:

• Kevin tells how he and his brother Jay started the business in 1977, and who the core customer is (3:48)
• Mary Ellen talks about why she joined the company (6:31)
• The store locations, key markets and expansion strategy (8:08)
• The menswear category as the early foundation of the brand, and how the company approaches their relationship with the customer (10:16)
• Kevin talks about the role that intuition plays in the company (14:53)
• J.McLaughlin's philanthropy and their "local and loyal" approach (16:58)
• Mary Ellen discusses the company's impressive financial performance (17:57)
• The company's marketing and the role that their catalogue plays in that mix (19:43)
• New categories and opportunities for 2024 (22:06)
• Working with Trey Laird to update the company's branding and marketing (25:16)
• Kevin discusses the expansion and brand awareness he'd like for the company (27:38)
• Competition, and the profile and shopping habits of J.McLaughlin's customers (29:39)
• Trends and retail projections for the coming season (30:47)
• Mary Ellen and Kevin's goals for the next 5 years (32:06)

Links:

Mary Ellen Coyne on LinkedIn

J.McLaughlin on LinkedIn

J.McLaughlin Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].