THINK BLUE co-hosts Manish Sharma and Sri Rajagopalan talk to Mark Baum - who currently serves as Chief Collaboration & Commercial Officer & Senior Vice President, Industry Relations for FMI - The Food Industry Association. In this role, Mark engages retailer, manufacturer, supplier, and service provider C-Suite executives to further trading partner collaboration, leading to operational improvements and growth opportunities across all segments of the food retail supply chain. Baum is known for his intricate knowledge of almost every aspect of the food, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and retail industry. He is also recognized as one of the foremost experts in the design, management, and execution of strategic and commercial sales, marketing, and merchandising models across consumer facing industries.
Find Mark Baum on Linkedin at : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-baum-28b8822/
Find FMI on Linkedin at : https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmithefoodindustryassociation/
Find FMI online at : https://www.fmi.org/
Find Manish Sharma on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicbertram/
Find Sri Rajagopalan on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-rajagopalan-09a0062/
Here's what we discussed :
Manish: Who has been a big influence or mentor for you along the way, and what's one lesson from them that really stuck with you?"
Sri: "That's a great story, Mark. Now, if you had to sum up your leadership philosophy in just a few sentences, how would you describe it?"
Manish: "Balancing vision and day-to-day management can be challenging. How do you manage to keep that balance?"
Sri: "Speaking of challenges, can you share a significant one you faced as a leader and how you overcame it?"
Manish: "Dealing with failures and setbacks is part of the journey. How do you handle them personally and within your team?"
Sri: "Let's talk about decision-making. What's your process when you're faced with critical decisions?"
Manish: "That's fascinating. How do you blend intuition with data when making decisions?"
Sri: "Creating a culture of innovation is so important. How do you foster that within your organization?"
Manish: "And how do you identify and develop emerging leaders in your team?"
Sri: "Looking ahead, what qualities do you think future leaders need to succeed?"
Manish: "How do you see leadership evolving in the next decade, especially with all the technological advancements and changing workforce dynamics?"
Sri: "Personal growth is a continuous journey. How do you keep growing and developing as a leader?"
Manish: "What legacy do you hope to leave behind as a leader?"

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from Thinkblue consulting, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Thinkblue consulting, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Thinkblue consulting LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

Think blue co-hosts Manish Sharma & Sri Rajagopalan discuss a career in retail leadership with Nick Bertram. Nick is the CEO and President of Flashfood, an innovative app-based marketplace that connects consumers with fresh food at great prices, while also reducing the amount of food grocery stores send to landfill. He is also the former president of the Giant company (ADUSA family).

Nick has had an incredible journey. He's a first-generation college graduate who has spent the last 20 years transforming retail, most recently as president of The GIANT Company. He's been a huge advocate for eliminating food waste, which is something we're passionate about as well.

Find Nick on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicbertram/
Find Flashfood on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/flashfoodinc/
Find Flashfood online : https://flashfood.com/
Find Manish Sharma on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicbertram/
Find Sri Rajagopalan on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-rajagopalan-09a0062/

Here's what we discussed:
Manish: "Nick, it's great to have you. Let's kick things off. Can you tell us about a defining moment in your career that really shaped your leadership style?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick shares his story]
Sri: "That's really inspiring, Nick. Who has been a big influence or mentor for you along the way, and what's one lesson from them that really stuck with you?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick shares about his mentor]
Manish: "That's a great story, Nick. Now, if you had to sum up your leadership philosophy in just a few sentences, how would you describe it?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick describes his leadership philosophy]
Sri: "Balancing vision and day-to-day management can be challenging. How do you manage to keep that balance?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick talks about balancing vision and management]
Manish: "Speaking of challenges, can you share a significant one you faced as a leader and how you overcame it?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick shares a challenge and how he overcame it]
Sri: "Dealing with failures and setbacks is part of the journey. How do you handle them personally and within your team?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick discusses handling failures and setbacks]
Manish: "Let's talk about decision-making. What's your process when you're faced with critical decisions?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick shares his decision-making process]
Sri: "That's fascinating. How do you blend intuition with data when making decisions?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick talks about intuition and data in decision-making]
Manish: "Creating a culture of innovation is so important. How do you foster that within your organization?"
Nick Bertram: [Nick discusses fostering a culture of innovation]
Sri: "And how do you identify and develop emerging leaders in your team?"
Nick Bertram: [N

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from Thinkblue consulting, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Thinkblue consulting, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Thinkblue consulting LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.