According to recent polls, nearly 50% of small business owners feel stressed about their finances. But in 2025, we are determined to change that statistic.

So this January, we revisit a favorite episode that will help us learn about our money feelings. Where do they come from? Are they serving us well? And how can we gain confidence in our potential, to build a healthier relationship with our finances? To answer these questions: we welcome back Saundra Davis.

Saundra is a Financial Planner and Coach, the Director of Financial Programmes at Golden Gate University, and the founder of Sage Financial Solutions, a non-profit offering support and education to people from all backgrounds. And in today’s episode, she joins Ari for an honest, vulnerable and insightful conversation on financial well-being.

Together, they recall how Saundra launched her career after having made every mistake possible in her first business. They spell out the link between trauma and behavior and explain why a good financial plan starts with understanding our needs and values. Working through Saundra’s “Continuum of Financial Well-being”, they also cover what professional support looks like in practice; how to avoid some typical budgetary mistakes when launching a new venture; and how to assess if you’re coping well with your current financial situation.

Join them to hit reset and align your dollars, your cents and your values with your business vision.

Highlights:

• “There's no aspect of our lives that money doesn't touch” (3:01)
• The impact of money feelings on business decisions (4:36)
• How to recognize an unhealthy financial mindset (6:04)
• Understanding the "Continuum of Financial Well-being" (8:03)
• Financial wellness: a subjective question (10:37)
• Typical financial challenges when launching a new venture (13:50)
• Financial stress: how we can look out for each other (16:23)
• Why building trust with your Financial Planner matters (18:28)
• Financial support starts with your needs (21:25)
• Money wellness as an investment into the future (23:12)
• Saundra’s go-to resources for financial support (25:08)
• “Know where you are; know you're going; build a plan to get there “ (26:39)
• No Shame Zone: Saundra’s new money mindset (28:18)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Saundra Davis LinkedIn
• Saundra Davis Golden Gate University
• Sage Financial Solutions Website
• Sage Financial Solutions Instagram
• Article - “Half of Small Business Owners Experience Poor Mental Health”
• Resource - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Well-being Questionnaire
• Resource - Financial Therapy Association
• Resource - Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.

Happy New Year! We always like to kick start the year with a reset - and today's guest will help us get the fresh start we all strive for.

Dr. Julia DiGangi is the author of Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power. She is a neuropsychologist who works with businesses and entrepreneurs to help them harness their power, and keep their mindset fresh. And for her, great leadership starts when we understand the human brain!

Whether you’re building your company up through growth and innovation or by investing in your culture, being in business often means striving for performance. But is there a science to good leadership? Research in cognitive psychology shows there might be.

In today’s episode, Dr. DiGangi joins our new host Ari Marin to decode the clever machinery of the brain, and unlock new potential! Together, they discuss our cognitive ability to recognize patterns and our natural aversion to uncertainty; they unpack how we can reshape our behaviors to undo fear-based nervous habits; and they reveal that focusing on identity can move organizations towards better cooperation. Dr. DiGangi shares her invaluable research and wealth of knowledge on corporate leadership to help us tap into our brain power.

So tune in with Julia and Ari today, and get ready to adopt a whole new performance mindset.

Highlights:

• Understanding how the brain works (3:00)
• Anxiety as a reaction to uncertainty (4:37)
• Cognitive strategies: why we'd rather choose physical pain (6:05)
• Building leadership from the energy of emotion (8:25)
• “Working” and “overworking” as different nervous responses (11:34)
• Why identity is the best response to uncertainty (12:54)
• The emotional math of our professional lives (15:12)
• Reframing micromanagement as a fear reaction (16:45)
• Recent changes in the conversation around mental health (18:34)
• The impact of technology on emotional intelligence (20:28)
• The creativity of leadership (22:24)
• Speaking the language of emotions (24:11)
• “The greatest asset that companies have today is relational intelligence” (26:23)
• Staying optimistic for the future of collaboration (29:12)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Dr. Julia DiGangi Website
• Dr. Julia DiGangi X (Twitter)
• Dr. Julia DiGangi LinkedIn
• Dr. Julia DiGangi Instagram
• Book - “Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power”

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

December is often a busy month, so whether you’re working through it, reuniting with loved ones or cooking up a storm… Consider this your reminder to take a minute and breathe!

For the next two weeks, In Good Companies is taking a holiday break to rest and celebrate. We’ll be back in January, with some brand new episodes, as well as a couple of old favorites we picked out just for you.

Between business success stories, discussions on corporate well-being and an exclusive look into the trends that will define 2025, we’re not done bringing you the best experts to talk about everything business. So stay with us!

We wish you all the best this holiday season and beyond. Thank you for being a part of In Good Companies.

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com

When he opened his food distribution business back in 2006, Don Coenen started with three semi-trucks in a crowded market. Nearly 20 years later, his company Don's Cold Storage and Transportation is a multi-million dollar corporation, open for business 365 days a year. More than a profitable operation, it’s a business that has provided a livelihood for countless people in Arkansas, Missouri and beyond.

So how do you achieve this kind of growth? What does it take to turn the dream into a reality? And is reality just as glorious as it seems? Today, our host Ari Marin sits down with Don – a loyal Cadence Bank customer – to answer these questions and hear all about his journey through the food distribution industry.

From Don’s early inspirations and mentors, to his passion for business, we’ll also learn about his goals for the future. We’ll see that Don’s Cold Storage is not just a logistics company. It’s the product of a dream, a resilient financial strategy and a culture of wellness built with intention and purpose.

Join us in conversation to hear Don Coenen’s inspiring tale of grit, and discover a whole new world: the buzzing world of Don’s Cold Storage.

Highlights:

• Introducing Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (0:35)
• A typical day in Don Coenen’s life (3:28)
• Northwest Arkansas: a thriving place for business (5:15)
• Rethinking the economy of “scale” (07:08)
• Why the food sector is a resilient industry (8:31)
• The early days of Don’s Cold Storage (10:13)
• Hard earned financial lessons (13:09)
• Don’s growth mindset: don’t back down, double down (15:27)
• Challenges and opportunities during the Covid pandemic (16:52)
• Unpacking Don’s business culture (18:18)
• The benefits of promoting from within (20:21)
• The importance of self-care and employee support (21:36)
• Why Don’s Corporation is more than a workplace (24:51)
• How Don flies the company flag (26:26)
• Future goals for Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (28:22)
• Don’s final word: “The future is coming anyway” (31:05)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation Website
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation LinkedIn
• Don Coenen LinkedIn
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.

What does it take to create workplaces where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and innovate without fear of failure? Well, the answer can be summed up in two words: psychological safety.

Psychological safety is not just a trend or a culture that is “easy” on employees. It's a business philosophy that seeks to empower teams and boost performance.

So in this episode of In Good Companies, we’re diving into the increased attention being paid to psychological safety in the workplace — what it is, why it matters and how to build it into your organization’s DNA. To open this important conversation, we’re bringing in a mental health advocate with 30 years experience in the field: Kathy Pike, CEO of the non-profit One Mind at Work.

With a career spanning academia and the private sector, Kathy brings a global perspective to the challenges and opportunities of workplace well-being. Together with our host Ari Marin, they break down why psychological safety should be treated as a strategic business priority, and explore practical ways to embed it into leadership and operations. They also discuss the benefits of psychological safety for attracting talent, improving team performance, and shaping the future of work.

Make room for humanity and tune in to unlock the full potential of corporate well-being for your business.

Highlights:

• What Psychological Safety really means (1:09)
• Why we’re talking more about mental health in the workplace (3:36)
• “Mental health and well being is a strategic imperative for the future of work” (5:59)
• Psychological Safety to improve your leadership and performance (8:11)
• The Mental Health at Work Index (10:11)
• Proving the benefits of Psychological Safety (12:16)
• Examples of company initiatives that promote Psychological Safety (14:36)
• Questions leaders should ask to assess Psychological Safety (17:32)
• “Being kind means being prepared to have difficult conversations” (19:57)
• Diversity as a contributor to Psychological Safety (21:48)
• Mental health support: the challenge of remote work (23:44)
• How workplaces are evolving and what it means for social connection (26:51)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Kathy Pike Website
• Kathy Pike LinkedIn
• One Mind at Work Website
• One Mind at Work YouTube
• The Mental Health at Work Index
• Article - One Mind's Mental Health at Work Index
• Article - The Hybrid Work Model and Loneliness in the Workplace
• Book - The Return of Kindness, by Bonnie Hayden Cheng

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.

Over the last decade, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investments have exploded; as evidenced by global market projections, which predict 40 trillion dollars in ESG assets by 2030.

That will not only reshape our financial markets, but also our consumer choices, our recruitment prospects, the range of our suppliers, and even our leadership strategies. So how do we seize that opportunity for change? What new possibilities does ESG open up?

We answer these questions with two of the leading voices from EY Sustainability: Marie Johnson and Brandon Sutcliffe. Every day, these two experts in Business and Financial Sustainability help companies integrate ESG goals into their core strategies and operations. From stakeholders to customers, they show leaders how to reach the next stage of their development.

Today, they bring their wisdom to In Good Companies and help us see how Environmental, Social, and Governance goals can add value to our businesses. They undo misconceptions around sustainability, share strategies to implement effective reporting, and lift the veil on what will drive the transition towards ESG practices. Spoiler alert: it involves your stakeholders, your clients, your governance, and a component of education. To round up their conversation with Ari, Brandon and Marie will also discuss the development of ESG regulations and help us prepare for the future by asking: what’s next?

No matter where you’re coming from, sustainability is part and parcel of everyone’s business, so get ready to answer the bell.

Highlights:

• Introducing EY Sustainability, with Marie and Brandon (1:47)
• What does ESG look like for day-to-day business? (3:41)
• A home-based approach for small businesses (7:07)
• Middle market considerations: balancing sustainability and growth (8:37)
• How large corporations focus on capital deployment (10:05)
• Who or what can drive the transition towards ESG? (12:16)
• ESG as a strategy for long-term value (14:20)
• Do’s and dont’s of ESG reporting (16:06)
• Breaking out of the “sustainability silo” (18:34)
• How to turn ESG practices into business as usual (19:57)
• Reframing perceptions around sustainability: a “bottomline” argument (21:56)
• A tour around the world of ESG legislation (24:06)
• Why public-private partnerships could change everything (25:42)
• 10 years ahead, what’s next for ESG? (27:55)
• Embracing sustainability as a business opportunity (29:01)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• EY Sustainability
• Marie Johnson EY Website
• Marie Johnson LinkedIn
• Brandon Sutcliffe EY Website
• Brandon Sutcliffe LinkedIn
• Bloomberg - “Global ESG assets predicted to hit $40 trillion by 2030”
• Microsoft - “Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap: Helping businesses move from pledges to progress”
• Article - “ESG regulation in 2024: Everything you need to know”
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.

How much better would the world be if everyone loved going to work? How much more engaged would we be? How much more efficient? That’s the vision of Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre (Softway Solutions and Culture+), two co-authors of the Wall Street Journal-bestseller Love as a Business Strategy. They want to revolutionize the way companies do business, by putting people at the center of every decision. But this idea didn’t come out of nowhere. It was born from the real life transformation of their company, Softway Solutions.

While we're taking a well-deserved Thanksgiving break, we’re telling that story: how a leader learned to appreciate his team and, in doing so, transformed his company and himself. This episode is a "best of" re-run from Season 3 and is worth every minute!

Mohammad founded Softway Solutions when he was 20 years old, and he’d grown the business to over 300 employees since its inception. But by 2015, the company had developed a toxic culture, and Mohammad was known for his unprofessional outbursts. With the business struggling, morale was low. Two weeks after Chris was hired, Softway Solutions laid off a third of its workforce by gathering them in a conference room and telling them all at once. Mohammad didn’t know if the business would last another month.

But then he had a realization, and together he and Chris went on a journey to institute a “culture of love.” Through slow, quiet work, Mohammad changed his behaviors and made Softway Solutions a place that employees loved. Success soon followed. Now, they help other businesses change their own cultures. On this episode, we’ll explore the leader’s role in a culture of love: their responsibilities, behaviors and how they stand to benefit.

So, join us, as we answer the question: “What’s love got to do with it?”

Highlights:

• Meet Mohammad Anwar & Chris Pitre (1:12)
• What is “love as a business strategy”? (2:22)
• The origins of Softway (3:23)
• The infamous “Dirty fridge” email (5:44)
• Softway’s darkest day (9:39)
• Why it’s hard to be a leader (12:02)
• Mohammad’s epiphany (15:07)
• Misconceptions about the culture of love (17:21)
• Perks are not culture (20:21)
• Culture eats strategy for breakfast, but behaviors eat culture for lunch (21:29)
• Redefining leadership (23:11)
• Changing behavior (26:30)
• Trickle-down culture (28:21)
• The role of forgiveness (30:15)
• Softway’s turnaround (31:35)
• No excuses (35:54)
• Seneca Leaders (38:28)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank Twitter
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Mohammad Anwar LinkedIn
• Chris Pitre LinkedIn
• Seneca Leaders
• Love as a Business Strategy - Book
• Love as a Business Strategy - Podcast
• Softway Website
• Culture+ Website
• Season 3 Episode 6 - All You Need Is Love: The origins of “Love as a Business Strategy”
• Season 3 Episode 7 - Everlasting Love: Sustaining a Culture of Love

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, eydie.pengelly@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

Artificial Intelligence is the technology on everyone’s minds. Whether it’s using Chat GPT for content creation, or bringing in new tools to process our data differently. We have all started interacting with AI and we all stand to gain from it. Contrary to popular belief, a recent survey by McKinsey shows that AI would not threaten but create millions of new jobs. So how do we integrate this technology into our companies?

Answering this question on In Good Companies is Bob Trotter, executive partner at Gartner, and self-labeled “Fintech Evangelist.” Bob is someone who believes in the power of new tools to improve people’s lives. Over the last 25 years, he has developed his IT expertise with companies like EY or ThyssenKrupp. At Gartner, he works with CIOs and CTOs for banking and financial institutions, helping them with their strategy and tech modernization and leveraging emerging technology like artificial intelligence.

In this episode, Bob joins our host Ari Marin to discuss everything AI: from backend tasks, to product personalisation and planned integration. We find out how to use this new technology, and address the big questions that are permeating the business world. Why Artificial Intelligence? What does it mean for the future of business? And how can we start using it to our advantage, now?

Join Bob and Ari today, and get ready to hack the AI business mindset.

Highlights:

• Why should we be paying attention to AI? (2:55)
• How the launch of Chat GPT changed access to Artificial Intelligence (4:15)
• AI’s talents: customization and authorship at scale (5:42)
• Companies should define their AI “ambitions” (7:00)
• The importance of identifying good data (8:20)
• AI to enhance customer facing and operation services (9:54)
• Addressing fears around data security (12:52)
• Breaking the myth of AI replacement (14:46)
• AI will change our business models (17:17)
• Tips to make AI technology accessible for your teams (20:03)
• What is the current legal framework around AI? (22:42)
• “We are still at the beginning of a tremendous journey” (25:00)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Gartner Website
• Gartner LinkedIn
• Bob Trotter LinkedIn
• McKinsey Global Institute - “Generative AI and the future of work in America”
  
  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.