Material Growth Podcast

We had a great conversation last month with Ron Malachuk on the Executive Roundtable. I wanted top speak with him because the global materials industry is undergoing significant upheaval and change. Slowing global demand and rapidly changing geopolitical dynamics are impacting the industry worldwide. Corporate priorities are shifting as once reliable sources of growth vanish. As a result companies are faced with new realities that require new leadership. We discussed the seismic global shifts occurring today in Materials and the impact on current demand for Executive roles. We also look at what characteristics the next generation of executive leaders will need, and what makes executive search unique from other forms of recruiting.Ron Malachuk is a Partner at JM Search and a member of the Firm’s Chemicals and Process Industry Practice. Over his career as an executive search and talent consultant, Ron has conducted C-Suite (CEO, CFO & COO), and Senior Advisor searches and leadership projects across multiple sectors, including agribusiness, chemicals, engineering and construction, materials, packaging and plastics. His clients include global industrial conglomerates, the Fortune 500, middle market manufacturing organizations, and portfolio companies of leveraged buyout and venture capital firms. ​Who should listen?* Executives who want to understand how tomorrow’s materials leaders will differ.* Executives staffing leadership teams for the new realities of the materials industry.Topics covered included:* Why the current downturn in chemicals and materials is fundamentally different from previous cycles* What the Current Climate Requires of New Leadership* The one leadership trait that consistently separates top-decile executives from everyone else* What private equity firms are really looking for in leadership today* What Makes Executive Search unique from other job searchesShow Notes* Executive Summary - 3 minute read* Video Replay* Ron Malachuk on LinkedIn* JM Search* Kendall Justiniano on LinkedIn* Join the live conversations by becoming a Roundtable Member. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

This episode of Material Growth features our founder, Kendall Justiniano on the “Burn the Playbook” podcast. Host Marc Crosby interviews Kendall Justiniano, and together, they discuss the ongoing downturn in chemicals and manufacturing, the impact of digital transformation, evolving roles in sales and marketing, and ways companies can uncover growth opportunities. The conversation centers on moving beyond outdated approaches to successfully navigate today’s challenging business environment.Key insights:* The mindset shift is essential for surviving the toughest downturn in decades?* How digital transformation is rewriting the rules for sales & marketing teams?* Which of today’s practices should be “burned”? Which new ones to build?* Are sustainability initiatives worth the investment, or overdue for a shakeup?* What overlooked strategy could double your company’s growth rate with resources you already have?Kendall Justiniano is the founder and managing director of Growth Arc Advisors. With a career spanning over 30 years at leading companies including Dow and WR Grace, he brings extensive experience in the chemical and material industries. Kendall has worked across sales, marketing, and product management, navigating diverse industry sectors—from specialty to commodity, high-growth to turnaround situations and divestments.His unique strength lies in his “Fundamentals Analysis” approach, allowing him to “read the tea leaves” and identify significant opportunities, such as his early championship of composites at Polyone/Avient, which now accounts for a substantial portion of Avient’s revenue. This comprehensive perspective is central to Growth Arc Advisors’ mission: helping chemical leaders find growth opportunities in an increasingly challenging environment.Key topics discussed* Structural Shifts in the Chemical Industry* Challenges of the prolonged downturn and the need for new growth tactics.* The importance of adapting to changing customer habits and technology.* Mindset and Strategy Adjustments* Evaluating sustainability initiatives critically, focusing on ROI.* Necessity of cost cutting while retaining/building strategic capabilities.* New Approaches for Sales & Marketing* Permanent changes in the sales cycle due to digital tech and AI.* Marketing’s expanded role in early customer engagement.* Emphasis on consultative selling and building customer relationships.* Importance of revisiting segmentation to find growth opportunities.* Future-Proofing & Growth Models* The risk of standing still; focus on phased, fundamentals-driven growth strategies.* “Burn It or Build It” Segment* Quick takes on current industry trends (e.g., sustainability with no P&L impact: “burn it”; sales and marketing alignment: “build it”; nearshoring, customer self-service, inside sales, etc.).* Final Takeaways* Immediate, actionable advice: review and deepen segmentation for actionable insights and growth.Show Notes* The Burn the Playbook Podcast and a transcript of this Episode* Kendall Justiniano on LinkedIn* Growth Arc Advisors website* Marc Crosby (podcast host) on LinkedIn This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

This episode Material Growth, features a discussion by our Founder, Kendall Justiniano, on The Chemical Show with Victoria Meyer, and offers a compelling look into the current state and future trajectory of the chemical industry, particularly focusing on the evolving landscape of sustainability and innovation amidst significant global shifts. Chemical Show host Victoria Meyer invites Kendall to delve into what he and other industry executives are observing and grappling with.Topics discussed include:* The length and root causes of the current global downturn* Why the Old Playbook for chemical leaders is no longer enough.* Re-assessing Sustainability to survive economic headwinds.* China’s role in the current downturn.* The decline of Commercial Excellence in Industrial B2BKendall Justiniano is the founder and managing director of Growth Arc Advisors. With a career spanning over 30 years at leading companies including Dow and WR Grace, he brings extensive experience in the chemical and material industries. Kendall has worked across sales, marketing, and product management, navigating diverse industry sectors—from specialty to commodity, high-growth to turnaround situations and divestments.His unique strength lies in his "Fundamentals Analysis" approach, allowing him to "read the tea leaves" and identify significant opportunities, such as his early championship of composites at Polyone/Avient, which now accounts for a substantial portion of Avient's revenue. This comprehensive perspective is central to Growth Arc Advisors' mission: helping chemical leaders find growth opportunities in an increasingly challenging environment.Victoria and Kendall discuss the current industry environment, one of the longest down cycles the industry has ever seen. This shift is primarily attributed to the end of a two-decade-long growth era fueled by China, whose real estate sector has imploded and materials sector is now significantly overbuilt. This has left the global market with substantial excess capacity, leading to grim commodity prices and challenging the conventional "down cycle playbook". Many of today’s current leaders may not have experienced or managed through such prolonged downturns, making the strategic challenges even more acute.The episode also critically examines the transformation of the sustainability imperative. What began as an optimistic "rah-rah" movement with ambitious Net Zero goals has now confronted the harsh realities of profitability and implementation. Companies are engaged in a significant "pruning" or rationalization of sustainability investments, weighing trade-offs and questioning if financial returns truly go hand-in-hand with these initiatives.For executives looking to manage and grow in this challenging environment, the episode underscores the critical need for reassessment based on fundamental business principles, especially in cost-constrained and capital-constrained scenarios. It also emphasizes that the "easy options" for growth, such as growth by acquisition, may no longer be viable. Instead, investing in core capabilities for organic growth and rediscovering muscle for new business, market-driven innovation, and advanced commercial excellence is paramount.Show Notes* The Chemical Show Podcast and a transcript of this Episode * Victoria Meyer on LinkedIn* Kendall Justiniano on LinkedIn* Growth Arc Advisors website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Discover strategies to transform team dysfunction into collaboration and performance with insights from Bob Johnson, PhD.Teams where members feel that everyone “has your back” are rare. Whether it’s teams on fast-paced project teams or executive teams full of ego and co-opetition, dysfunction is so often the norm that we become resigned to it. It doesn’t have to be that way, and in fact it’s a critical competitive advantage if it’s never that way.Learn:* What’s at the heart of team dysfunction.* How teams could approach problems but rarely do.* How our own actions are often to blame.* Understand the real key to influence in group dynamics.* The criticality of team cohesion at the executive level and what it takes to achieve it.Bob Johnson, Ph.D., is the Founder and Managing Partner at Shoreline Partners. With a track record of guiding over 1,000 CEOs, executives, and their teams, he equips clients with the awareness and skills to transform friction into fuel - turning their recurring problems into partnerships that drive performance.Who should listen?* Executives wanting to improve their influence on and dynamics of the teams they lead.* Leaders at all levels who feel like they are spending too much time as “The Referee.”Show Notes* NEW! Slides used during the session* NEW! Executive Summary (2 min read)* Bob’s White Paper: Better Teamwork: Mindset Shifts for Transforming Problems Into Partnerships* Connect with Bob on LinkedIn* Connect with Kendall on LinkedIn* Growth Arc Advisors* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

This recording is of a seminar I did a few months ago to a group of C-Suite Executives.Seminar Summary: Mastering Influence for Effective Leadership and ChangeThe ability to influence effectively has become the essential skill for executives across all sectors. This seminar focuses on the pivotal role of influence in executive roles, offering insights that can reshape your approach to leadership and organizational change. Lack of effective influencing often leads to challenges such as misaligned executive teams, inability to gain CEO support for initiatives.Why This Topic is Important:* Drive Alignment: Influence is vital for aligning leadership teams and eliminating silos, fostering a more cohesive and efficient organizational culture.* Facilitate Change and Innovation: Without influence, even the most well-crafted change recommendations can face resistance, stalling growth.* Enhance Persuasive Communication: Mastering influence helps you to communicate more persuasively, overcoming barriers that may arise from entrenched behaviors and mindsets.Topics Covered:* When case-making is a poor tool for persuasion.* How to diagnose blind spots.* Reframing as key to unlocking collaboration.* How to achieve trusted advisor status.Join us to uncover how influence can become your most powerful tool in leading change and achieving your organizational goals.Show notesLinks Mentioned in the seminar.* Slide deck used for this seminar* Jeff Bezos Interview with Lex Friedman* Join the Executive Breakthrough Mastermind* Material Growth Newsletter* The Executive Roundtable for Material Growth* Material Growth podcast* Connect with Kendall on LinkedIn* Growth Arc AdvisorsTable of Contents0:00 Kendall's Bio and Growth Arc Advisors 2:47 Common Executive Failures 4:56 Conventional Wisdom about Influence 6:15 The BIG MYTH - Case-making 7:30 Why THE TRUTH doesn't Persuade 9:35 What's Missing? - THE FRAME 14:30 The CRITICAL MISTAKE of Case-making 15:36 Question: do you find Frames through questioning? 16:15 What is a FRAME? 20:16 Conflicts Arise when Frames are Different 22:20 BLIND SPOTS are Critical to Diagnose 23:14 A Different approach to Influence conversations 23:34 The OLD WAY - case making 25:34 THE NEW WAY - work to REFRAME FIRST 30:45 Get INVITED to offer your solution 32:45 Question: Doesn't it take more time? 33:20 Crucial difference in the way conversations play out 33:12 How this approach gives you EXECUTIVE PRESENCE 36:39 The Key different to the approach 37:30 Being a Trusted Advisor to a CEO 38:10 Why Leadership Teams become dysfunctional 39:40 Tenure as a Defense against Influencing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

With geo-political instability in global markets and uncertainty around development of growth trends such as sustainability, effective decision making in highly uncertain environments is crucial today in the materials sector.Paul Strzelec and I discuss why a planning mindset is critical to execute on growth, including:* why planning is a crucial component of strong execution* how to view planning in the face of dynamic and uncertain futures,* what makes growth a unique challenge for planning teams, and* what organizational capabilities are needed for effective decision-making.Paul has over 30 years of global experience helping companies across a broad array of industries deploy growth-oriented, cross-functional planning capabilities and disciplines. He specializes in connecting commercial, finance, supply chain, and operations teams with processes and system capabilities to optimize segmented go-to-market strategies, reduce complexity, and leverage insight-driven practices.He has held various senior leadership positions with companies that pioneered major advancements in integrated business planning, supply chain management, and network-centric technologies, including Manugistics (now Blue Yonder) and VeriSign. And he has extended that expertise to organizational and process competencies in the SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and Kinaxis ecosystems.Paul has helped some of the world’s most respected companies implement innovative business models and demand-driven strategies, including Church and Dwight, Darden, Dell, DuPont, FMC, Ford Motor Company, Ingevity, W.R. Grace, Microsoft, The Mosaic Company, Nalco Company, Procter & Gamble, Rolls Royce, Unilever, United States Department of Defense, Utz, Wegmans, and Xilinx.Who should listen?* Executives responsible for go-to-market execution, and customer satisfaction.* Operational and Supply executives responsible for supply scenario development and decision-making* Leaders involved in the coordination of operations, supply chain and commercial teams. Topics covered included:* Why Growth is particularly challenging to planning.* The keys to avoiding “one size fits all” mandates to your planning implmentation.* Assessing your organizational capability.Show Notes* NEW! Video Replay* NEW! Slides used during the workshop* NEW! Executive Summary of the webinar (2 min read)* Paul’s LinkedIn Profile* Kendall’s LinkedIn Profile* Growth Arc Advisors* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Goal setting is a common activity at the beginning of the year.But, it’s usually dominated with business objectives.All that time invested to benefit... your company. ?!Instead, let’s invest some of that time and take a few minutes to work on the activities you need to advance your career in 2025.In this 50 minute workshop we’ll help you think about some of the topics and activities you’ll need to make substantive career progress this year.Who should listen?* Directors and Jr. executives (VP’s) who want to get to the next level or want to stand out at their new level.This workshop draws heavily from some of the fundamental frameworks used in the Executive Breakthrough Mastermind, our premiere coaching program for high potential Directors and Jr Execs designed to help propel you to thrive in the Executive ranks.Most developmental goals seem to center around skills. We don't think skills get you very far by themselves. We’ll go beyond those topics and discuss:* Executive-level Learnings you may need* Experiences you should try to obtain* Key leaders you must influence and common traps when people tryShow Notes* NEW! Video Replay* NEW! Slides used during the workshop* Executive Breakthrough Mastermind* Growth Arc Advisors This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Modern digital innovations have radically altered the ways customers research and buy products, making it more convenient and cost-effective for companies to engage with them at any stage of the buying process. It’s widely recognized that companies that ignore or dabble in digital engagement are far less able to connect with customers. Yet it’s equally costly when companies aggressively add digital methods into activation efforts built on conventional marketing wisdom. Because of a key blind spot, materials companies often fail to achieve growth, leaving commercial executives feeling that their marketing and sales efforts have been wasted.Bob Lurie, PhD, is the former Vice President of Strategy at Eastman Chemical, and author of AMA award winning book The Organic Growth Playbook, which highlights the ideas and methods that helped companies in every market sector and continent generate growth rates 1.5-2X higher than expectations.Bob and I discuss why companies fail to activate markets, whether launching new products or improving growth of existing franchises. We drill into the subtle yet crippling traps hidden within conventional market activation wisdom, including:* over-focusing on technical needs* neglecting customer behavior in the buying process* failing to remove barriers to behavior changeWe also discuss the proven methods Bob developed to generate growth, while at Monitor, and which he successfully implemented at Eastman.Who should listen?* Commercial executives responsible for generating growth from new products, and new markets.* CMO’s responsible for leading marketing transformations within their companies.* Digital Marketing champions who want to tie their activities more tightly to growth results.Show Notes* NEW! Video Replay* NEW! Slides used during the workshop* NEW! Executive Summary of the webinar (2 min read)* Bob’s LinkedIn Profile* Kendall’s LinkedIn Profile* Growth Arc Advisors* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

This month’s podcast episode is a webinar we did last month on consultative selling. If that sounds familiar, it’s because we have dealt with that topic in a past episode. This episode is unique however for 2 reasons:* I deal here with the fatal flaw in value selling. It’s one that you can’t recover from, and one that makes consultative selling uniquely qualified to deal with today’s B2B sell. This topic was not covered at all in the previous version.* The whole presentation is just cleaner and more concise. Check the show notes for updated slides as well, as you’ll want those to follow along with.If you want to skip the fatal flaw section specifically, it starts at about minute 13:00.Note: this episode of the podcast is being offered to BOTH paid and unpaid subscribers. To get access to more podcast episodes, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Value and solution-selling are rapidly becoming table stakes in the materials industry.Today's B2B materials buying teams are better informed than ever about their options. In fact sometimes customers are over-informed and overwhelmed. And that makes the buying process harder not easier for today's materials sales reps. * educating customers about your solutions isn't enough.* identifying solutions and quantifying value points isn't enough.Most reps aren't prepared to act when they've done all that, and the customer still isn't convinced. Rather than information about their options, today’s customers instead report needing a different kind of help altogether.Reps that can provide that help differentiate themselves, close more business, and reach "advisor" status with their customers. Spend a few minutes to learn what's required.Topics discussed:* Trends and insights that changed the materials B2B buying process.* The neuroscience behind why a consultative approach is more effective to convert business?* Value Selling’s Fatal Flaw - why value pitches don’t work a lot of the time.* How does one implement a consultative sales method? and pitfalls to avoid.Who should listen?* Commercial Officers and Executive leaders of sales teams* Sales and Marketing VP's of materials companiesShow Notes* NEW! Video Replay* NEW! Slides used during the workshop* NEW! Executive Summary of the webinar (2 min read)* Kendall’s LinkedIn Profile* Growth Arc Advisors* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

To get access to this and other podcast episodes, consider becoming a paid subscriber. In addition to the audio replay, you get show notes with slides, reference links, and video replay as well.The truth is, companies struggle with executive development. At most firms, learning executive skills is still mostly done by observation. It's a lot like watching submarine maneuvers from the surface. You know there’s a lot of action going on, but you can't see any of it. Directors and Junior Executives report to us that vying for an executive role feels like a “medieval apprenticeship.”This workshop reviews what makes breaking into the executive ranks is so difficult, and ways to start change your prospects, including:* Why exclusive executive development programs don't prepare you well* The gaps and issues with internal mentorship* Common traps new executives fall into that halt their progress* The leadership skills executives must have, but are rarely taught, including those that companies don't want you to know* At least 2 tools from our Executive Mastermind that you can begin to implement for yourself  Many companies invest in leadership and executive development, whether it’s internal time devoted to mentoring or formalized leadership programs.Yet, according to 2017 work by Egon Zehnder:* Only 13% of executives have confidence in their rising leaders!* Only 24% of executives think their leadership programs are working* While commonly, company executives are hired from the outside.And yet, 72% of managers show potential to grow into C-Suite roles, as determined by 4 key leading indicators: curiosity, insight, engagement, and determination.What is wrong with this picture? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Note: this episode of the podcast is being offered to BOTH paid and unpaid subscribers. To get access to more podcast episodes, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Value and solution-selling are rapidly becoming table stakes in the materials industry.Today's B2B materials buying teams are better informed than ever about their options. In fact sometimes customers are over-informed and overwhelmed. And that makes the buying process harder not easier for today's materials sales reps. * educating customers about your solutions isn't enough.* identifying solutions and quantifying value points isn't enough.Most reps aren't prepared to act when they've done all that, and the customer still isn't convinced. Rather than information about their options, today’s customers instead report needing a different kind of help altogether.Reps that can provide that help differentiate themselves, close more business, and reach "advisor" status with their customers. Spend a few minutes to learn what's required.The workshop is hosted by Kendall Justiniano, founder and Managing Director of Growth Arc Advisors LLC. After a 30-year career as an executive in the chemical industry, Kendall founded Growth Arc to help materials executives implement the new thinking required for changing fundamentals. The firm delivers customized engagements including consultative selling, and digital sales and marketing.Topics discussed:* Trends and insights that changed the materials B2B buying process.* The neuroscience behind why a consultative approach is more effective to convert business?* Case: How Sea-Land Chemical used Consultative Selling techniques to grow.* How does one implement a consultative sales method? and pitfalls to avoid.* What's the ROI of an investment, and what is needed to start?* How does the method compare with other methods out there?Who should listen?* Commercial Officers and Executive leaders of sales teams* Sales and Marketing VP's of materials companiesEvent held: Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 at 10:00 am ESTShow Notes* Kendall’s LinkedIn Profile* Growth Arc Advisors* Video Replay* Executive Summary of the workshop* Slides used during the workshop* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Companies mentioned:* Sea Land Chemical This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Fred Moesler serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Global Thermostat, a leading company in direct air capture. He has extensive expertise in the development and commercialization of bio-based, chemical, and hybrid processes. This includes areas such as biopolymers, biofuels, lignocellulosic deconstruction, in addition to direct air capture of carbon dioxide. He has also held leadership positions at Renmatix, NatureWorks, and Dow Chemical.Fred is well-known for his exceptional fundraising achievements and his groundbreaking contributions to technology. He is committed to driving sustainable solutions and is considered an influential figure in the field.Fred and I discuss his career in the chemical industry and some of the key insights and formative experiences operating in both corporate and start-up contexts. We discuss his pivot to the start-up world, and his perspective and outlook on the sustainability trend in materials.Sustainability is currently the prominent trend in materials, dominating both startup and incumbent firms' technology portfolios. It encompasses a range of approaches such as the implementation of carbon capture techniques such as those used by Global Thermostat, circular business models that prioritize recycling traditional petroleum derived materials, and the use of bio-derived materials. It is important to note that each of these options comes with its own strategic considerations, risk profiles, and execution methods.Who should listen?* Executive leaders of sustainability companies and corporate initiatives.* Investors looking at sustainability options.* Sustainability innovators and strategists.Topics covered included:* which investments are typical for venture, strategic venture, and internal corporate investment* what areas are hot right now for venture investment in materials* what is critical for commercial viability* what are Fred's perspectives on key materials hypothesisEvent held: Thursday, October 5th, 2023 at 10:00 am ESTShow Notes (Paid Subscribers)* Fred’s LinkedIn Profile* Global Thermostat* Video Replay - Aug 23, 2023, 10 am EST* Executive Summary* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Companies mentioned:* UBQ* Renmatix* NatureWorks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

A conversation with Julie McAlindonJulie A. McAlindon is the senior vice president, regions and chief supply chain officer for Eastman. She is responsible for overseeing supply chain, sourcing and procurement, and regional leadership. McAlindon is also leading the transformation of Eastman by developing business operating model capabilities and serves as the executive sponsor for Equality, a resource group for LGBTQ+ team members and their allies. She joined Eastman in 2016 with extensive experience in marketing, sales, and business leadership. Before joining Eastman, McAlindon held various leadership positions at Avient Corporation and Dow.Julie and I discuss her role and experiences in organizational transformation across large organizations, including businesses and functions. We discuss the imperatives and trends requiring deft organizational change and identify some of the fundamental capabilities required for future organizational success in materials. We also talk about keys to successfully leading and executing such changes.Among such trends as digitalization, sustainable materials, and rapidly changing geopolitics, the pace of change for the materials industry is rapidly accelerating. Companies that can incorporate change and large scale transformation into their operating models stand to accelerate their competitive leads.Held: Thursday, Sept 14, 2023, at 10:00 am ESTTopics discussed* What constitutes large organizational transformation* What factors give rise to the need for it* Execution Success Factors* Changing Culture* Examples of Eastman's transformation projects* Influencing for transformation* Dealing with dissentWho should listen?* Materials company executives.* Leaders attempting to influence change at any scale in their organizations.* Leaders of company transformation efforts.* Aspiring future leaders seeking to ready their skills in change management.Show Notes (Subscribers only)* Video Replay - Sep 14, 2023, 10 am EST* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Most recently, Richard Altice served as the President and CEO of NatureWorks, a leading developer and manufacturer of biopolymers (polylactic acid). During his five-year tenure, Altice successfully led the company to achieve significant revenue growth and profitability. Richard Altice is an experienced executive in the specialty chemicals and biopolymers industry. He has consistently achieved revenue growth and profitability by employing a market-focused and value-driven approach in various businesses, markets, and organizations.Rich and I discuss his career in the chemical industry and some of the key insights and formative experiences he had in leading multiple large global organizations. We discuss his pivot to sustainable materials company NatureWorks one of the earliest companies in the bio-derived plastics segment, and his perspective and outlook on the sustainability trend in materials.Sustainability is currently the prominent trend in materials, dominating both startup and incumbent firms' technology portfolios. It encompasses a range of approaches such as the use of bio-derived materials like NatureWorks PLA, circular business models that prioritize recycling traditional petroleum derived materials, and the implementation of carbon capture techniques. It is important to note that each of these options comes with its own strategic considerations, risk profiles, and execution methods.Who should listen? Those who:* Materials executives* Sustainability strategistsTopics covered included:* Dealing with novel materials * Current maturity of biomaterials * How to consider investments in sustainability * Getting execution right * Common blind spots for novel biomaterials * Reference customers and their role * Industry collaborations and role for non-corporate entities * Recycling vs. biodegradabilityShow Notes: (subscribers only)* Video Replay - Aug 23, 2023, 10 am EST* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Bob Eckert is CEO at New & Improved. He focuses on helping organizations harness and develop the innovative brain power of their people to deliver new and improved results.Bob and I discuss what specific requirements fall to leaders of innovative organizations. This includes both what leaders need to do to build effective innovation organizations and what traits leaders of innovative organizations exhibit. We discuss leader comportment, leader role in building systems and culture, and necessary behaviors around collaboration and accountability.Who should listen? Those who:* are driving corporate and business unit innovation initiatives.* manage and motivate their business unit's innovation resources.* seek to be champions of innovation within their organizationsShow Notes:* Video Replay - July 20, 2023, 10 am EST* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary* Slides presented during interview* Growth Arc’s Executive Breakthrough Coaching program mentioned in the episode This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

As Executive Director of Alto Impacto, a management and organizational consulting firm, Rodrigo del Campo has worked with companies, and their top leaders, in their transformational processes to become more agile and effective.With the increasingly accelerating pace of business today most business leaders have begun to realize the importance of flexibility and agility within their organizations over simple productivity and efficiency initiatives. Yet, achieving it is a complex process of changing corporate systems, values and culture. Most corporate efforts on culture change focus on perceptions of an organizations culture, rather than the more fundamental changes to the organization’s systems and values that will result in durable shifts in its performance.Rodrigo and I discuss keys to unlocking systemic agility within an organization. From examining and addressing key organizational systems: strategic, operational, innovation and people as well as working with the de facto values under which the organization operates, we’ll discuss the challenges, pitfalls, and investments required, as well as the potential payoffs from successful implementation.Topics covered include:* What changes in today's world give rise to the need for organizational agility* What does agility consist of?* How does an organization begin to improve their agility?* What has to change in management systems to foster agility?* What leadership capabilities are necessary to lead a more agile organization?Who should listen? Those who:* C-Suite and General Managers who require agility from their organizations, and may be struggling to achieve it.* HR Professionals who support executives desiring durable improvements in organizational agility.Show Notes:* Video Replay - June 14th, 2023 10 am ET* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary* Slides presented during interview* Growth Arc’s Executive Breakthrough Coaching program mentioned in the episode This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Welcome to our next episode of Material Growth, a podcast of the Material Growth Network hosted by Substack. Find the network at materialgrowth.substack.com and join a community of entrepreneurs and business developers who are focused on growth and business-building in the materials industry.Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted at the end of last year, with guest speaker Bob Lurie, PhD.Bob Lurie is the former Vice President, Corporate Strategy for Eastman. Prior to joining Eastman, he was co-managing partner of Monitor Group which was acquired by Deloitte in 2013. He founded Monitor's marketing and growth practice, known as M2C, and led it through more than a decade of double-digit growth. He was the architect of the innovative approach to organic growth that fueled M2C’s success and laid the groundwork for his book The Organic Growth Playbook.Traditional marketing is being revolutionized today by the digital approaches and tools we have available. We’ve never had the ability as we do today to understand our customer’s buying behavior in detail through the use of digital tools. And frankly, the materials industry hasn’t figured that out yet. The standard Marketer’s playbook of Segmentation-Targeting-Positioning and the 4P’s though helpful, is simply table stakes today. It will let you keep up, but it won’t help you grow and thrive.The core of M2C’s success and Bob's key insight is that while the traditional playbook is good, Marketing must fundamentally be re-oriented to a behavioral model, one where the behavior of the customer, understanding that behavior throughout the buying journey is the key to unlocking growth, even in highly competitive product categories. As Bob likes to put it, “how a customer buys determined what they buy.”This growth potential is reinforced and accelerated by the tools and methods that come only in the digital marketers tool kit. In fact, I think it’s what makes digital B2B marketing really understandable in the context of materials.Companies that choose to reorient their marketing models, stand to gain significant competitive advantage and leverage the growing digital arsenal of tools, but only if they commit to this new approach. Everyone who doesn’t could be at a significant disadvantage.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Bob Lurie here at Material Growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Welcome to our next episode of Material Growth, a podcast of the Material Growth Network hosted by Substack. Find the network at materialgrowth.substack.com and join a community of entrepreneurs and business developers who are focused on growth and business-building in the materials industry.Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted last year, with guest speaker Catherine Keenan.Catherine is a member of the Board of Directors of Agilyx AS, an advanced plastics recycler. Previously, she was Head of Sustainability, Public Affairs and EHS for Trinseo, a $5B materials company. She is the Founder of her own consulting firm, Catherine C. Keenan Consulting which specializes in sustainability and ESG.With 30+ years in the Chemical industry, Catherine has deep expertise in sustainability strategy development and ESG. She has built global sustainability programs with disclosure/public reporting aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). She led the setting of 10-year sustainability goals for two global companies, and has positioned companies for improved scores on Environmental/Social/Governance (ESG) ratings frameworks.Sustainability is THE hot topic in materials today. You can’t turn around but see a chemical company announcing a sustainability report or new initiative based on sustainability. But are all sustainability initiatives created equal? Where are the pitfalls or mirages in sustainability? I can’t think of a better person to help answer some of that than Catherine.We touch on a variety of topics related to sustainability including: ESG Goal setting, Net Zero and climate initiatives, Product innovation, and the Circular Economy.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Catherine Keenan here at Material Growth.Show Notes* Video Replay - July 21, 2022 10 am ET* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary* Slides presented during interview This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted at the end of last year, with guest speaker Terry Kaufman. Terry Kaufman is the Director of Strategy at Formerra, a $1B plastics distributor spun out of Avient Corporation. Formerly, he was Director of Inside Sales at Avient and former Sr. Manager, Digital Marketing and Customer Experience. He’s spent the last decade working at the intersection of marketing, sales, and technology building digital ecosystems to accelerate B2B growth.We all know digitalization is becoming more critical in our industry. It’s harder though to really get a sense of how digital is upending the way sales is done. In many quarters sales is still a relationship, face-time game. In order to help you visualize the change, I wanted to visit with a group that has centered their work around digital tools to understand how traditional approaches to sales have to be modified.You'll see in our discussion, Terry's group doesn't just use digital to do sales the same way it's been done, it requires not only new tools, but new processes, new organizational design and new culture.When I was thinking about what kind of guest was right for today’s show, I was looking for someone who had spent his career in Digital, and someone who was a digital native. Frankly, when I talk to executives my age, we’re … best ways to put it is “behind” - when it comes to digital. I think Terry has unique insights to share on theses trends.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Terry here at Material Growth.Show Notes* Video Replay - July 19, 2022 10 am ET* Executive Roundtable for Materials Growth website* Executive Summary* Slides presented during interview* Chief Martec - tech stack landscape* Related White Paper: Going Digital - Why the Materials Industry Struggles This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted at the end of last year, with guest speaker Bob Eckert. Bob is CEO at New & Improved LLC where he focuses on helping organizations harness and develop the innovative brain power of their people to deliver new and improved results.He has written extensively about innovation leadership, authoring numerous books and articles including his book: More Lightning, Less Thunder: How to Energize Innovation Teams. Organizations that have benefited from his organizational and leadership development work include: General Electric, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Mercedes-Benz, TE Connectivity, Kimberly Clark, and many others.I was first introduced to Bob and his practice over a decade ago, and it was transformational for me. As a Marketing executive, I worked for much of my career at the interface of operating existing businesses and developing new ones, and have often encountered this phenomena of a well-run businesses being unable to effectively incubate new businesses at the same time. That’s actually a very common phenomena.Bob’s work in the creativity space has focused on disseminating findings about the neurochemical links to creativity, what are the essentials of creativity behaviors, and what sort of organizational cultures foster creativity and creative problem solving. We discuss what is at the core of creativity, why organizational culture is so critical to fostering innovation, what happens when companies have innovation processes without that culture foundation, and innovation beyond R&D.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Bob Eckert here at Material Growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Welcome to the first episode of Material Growth, a podcast of the Material Growth Network hosted by Substack. Find the network at materialgrowth.substack.com and join a community of entrepreneurs and business developers who are focused on growth and business-building in the materials industry.Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted at the end of last year, with guest speaker Dr. Rajshree Agarwal. Dr. Agarwal is the Rudolph Lamone Chair of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Director of the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets at the University of Maryland. She studies the evolution of industries as fostered by the twin engines of innovation and enterprise.This is a very special episode for me firstly because Rajshree is a good friend, but more importantly because of the criticality of her research. Like many people of my generation who are focused on innovation and growth, I was highly influenced by the narrative of creative destruction proposed by Joseph Shumpeter and popularized as “disruptive innovation” by Clayton Christensen, author of the Innovator’s Dilemma. The basic narrative is that new industries are pioneered by new entrants that upend the old industries, and that incumbents are mostly inertial players, struggling to responding effectively.Rajshree’s research over the last 2 decades takes a fresh look at new industry development and really rewrites the narrative. She takes a much more holistic view of new industry ecosystems and finds a more nuanced narrative in an ecosystem of collaboration. She finds critical roles for incumbents, and established firms from other industries as well as startups. And she takes a more detailed look at the motivations and actions of individuals as they transfer knowledge across firms in that ecosystem.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Rajshree Agarwal here at Material Growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com

Welcome to the first episode of Material Growth, a podcast of the Material Growth Network hosted by Substack. Find the network at materialgrowth.substack.com and join a community of entrepreneurs and business developers who are focused on growth and business-building in the materials industry.Today’s episode is an Executive Roundtable that we hosted at the end of last year, with guest speaker Dr. Rajshree Agarwal. Dr. Agarwal is the Rudolph Lamone Chair of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Director of the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets at the University of Maryland. She studies the evolution of industries as fostered by the twin engines of innovation and enterprise.This is a very special episode for me firstly because Rajshree is a good friend, but more importantly because of the criticality of her research. Like many people of my generation who are focused on innovation and growth, I was highly influenced by the narrative of creative destruction proposed by Joseph Shumpeter and popularized as “disruptive innovation” by Clayton Christensen, author of the Innovator’s Dilemma. The basic narrative is that new industries are pioneered by new entrants that upend the old industries, and that incumbents are mostly inertial players, struggling to responding effectively.Rajshree’s research over the last 2 decades takes a fresh look at new industry development and really rewrites the narrative. She takes a much more holistic view of new industry ecosystems and finds a more nuanced narrative in an ecosystem of collaboration. She finds critical roles for incumbents, and established firms from other industries as well as startups. And she takes a more detailed look at the motivations and actions of individuals as they transfer knowledge across firms in that ecosystem.Get ready to have your thinking turned upside down as we speak with Rajshree Agarwal here at Material Growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit materialgrowth.substack.com