The Blog
Long-form essays, field notes, and frameworks from the FIRMSconsulting team — published weekly.
All posts
Published weekly-
Jamie Dimon & CEOs Are Rethinking Capitalism – Here’s What That Means for You
In this must-watch episode, authors Seth Levine and Elizabeth McBride discuss insights from their book Capital Evolution, sharing what they learned from interviewing top CEOs including Jamie Dimon, Dan Schulman (PayPal), Peter Stavros (KKR), and others who are helping to reshape the social contract of business. They explore: Why Jamie Dimon led 200 top CEOs…
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Joy at Work in the Age of AI: The Pain Is Optional (with Bree Groff)
“Most people can’t remember the last time they went to bed and thought: today was fun.” In this conversation with Bree Groff, author of Today Was Fun, we recenter the conversation on joy, pleasure, and meaning at work. Bree shares why her mom always said, “I have the best days,” what it taught her about…
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From Gas Station Cashier to Billion-Dollar CEO with Shirin Behzadi
What does it really take to go from working as a gas station cashier to leading a billion-dollar company? In this Strategy Skills Podcast episode, host Kris Safarova speaks with Shirin Behzadi, author of The Unexpected CEO and former CEO of Home Franchise Concepts, where she scaled the business to nearly $1B in sales across…
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What AI Can’t Replace with Ben Swire
In this week’s Strategy Skills episode, we spoke with Ben Swire, author of Safe Danger and former leader at IDEO. His thesis is trust and psychological safety aren’t byproducts. They’re designable conditions. And when designed correctly, they create room for calculated risk, creativity, and deeper collaboration. Below are a few insights that stood out: Experiential…
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Klaus Kleinfeld on AI, Energy & Leading at the Highest Level
Few leaders have run Fortune 500 giants on different continents. Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld has. As CEO of Siemens (Germany) and Alcoa (U.S.), he has led global transformations across industries and advised presidents and heads of state. In this interview, Klaus shares: Why time management is a myth and energy is the real driver of performance…
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Vik Malhotra on What Distinguishes the Best Leaders
Vik Malhotra, McKinsey senior partner and coauthor of CEO Excellence and A CEO for All Seasons, examines the strategic pressures that now define the CEO role: a “30- to 40-year tech revolution,” intensifying geopolitics, shifting consumer behavior, and demographic change. As he notes, “every business at some level is a tech business,” and this multipolar, fast-changing environment places a…
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New York Times Bestselling Author Jim Murphy on How to Overcome Fear & Build Emotional Resilience
In this episode, Jim Murphy, New York Times bestselling author, shares how leaders can build resilience, reframe fear, and operate at their highest level under pressure. His approach blends performance psychology, neuroscience, and spiritual discipline. 1. Identity Beyond Roles Murphy emphasizes the risk of anchoring identity in professional roles or achievements: “When I lost baseball…
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MichaelAaron Flicker, Founder and CEO of Xenopsi Ventures, on Behavioral Science That Sells
MichaelAaron Flicker, founder and CEO of Xenopsi Ventures and coauthor of Hacking the Human Mind, explains how applied behavioral science transforms insight into repeatable commercial advantage across brands, products, and customer experiences. Drawing from his experience building multiple Inc. 5000–recognized companies, Flicker illustrates how understanding “the unconscious biases that drive our actions” can make marketing,…
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From Manager to Director, and now shaping Partner promotions
From Manager to Director, and now shaping Partner promotions We received a message in the last few days from a long-time Insider and Legacy member (see below). (*KPMG is not redacted as per approval from the client.) It means a lot to see that our work has been with this member from the time…
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Sarah Keohane Williamson, CEO of FCLT Global and Former Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, on Turning Investor Dialogue into Strategy
Sarah Keohane Williamson, CEO of FCLT Global and coauthor of The CEO’s Guide to the Investment Galaxy, offers a disciplined primer for executives operating at the intersection of corporate strategy and capital markets. Drawing from her background in investment banking, government, consulting, and asset management, she explains why “investors are not a single audience,” how…
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James White, Former CEO of Jamba Juice, on Leading with Culture
James D. White, former CEO of Jamba Juice, current board chair, and coauthor of Culture Design, shares how culture becomes a management discipline rather than a slogan. Drawing on his eight-year turnaround of Jamba, service on more than 15 boards, and leadership toolkit, he explains how listening, rituals, and disciplined systems embed values into sustained…
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EB-1A Green Card: An Alien of Extraordinary Ability
It’s never been easy to build a life and career as an immigrant. As someone who has immigrated three times, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging, uncertain, and ultimately rewarding this journey can be. Like many who read this, I had to navigate complex bureaucracies, start from scratch in new countries 3 times, and learn how…