Dr. Ian Williamson, Dean of UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, shares how he applies his assessment framework to both his leadership role and the organizations he advises. He explains that, whether leading an academic institution or consulting with companies, success depends on regularly understanding the external environment, evaluating operational health, and aligning strategy with future trends.

• He applies the same logic to organizational assessment: identify external shifts, sense them early through the right advisors, and translate insights into strategy, hiring, and service design
• His talent management philosophy includes building internal capabilities (“making”) alongside acquiring new talent (“buying”) to create sustainable performance

Williamson’s approach highlights that effective leadership requires continual reflection on where time is spent, awareness of the environment’s influence, and disciplined adjustments to remain relevant. – The Business of Creativity Podcast – Tai M. Brown

BOCreativity Question: When should an entrepreneur's role change within the company they founded?

Peak Sports MGMT executives, Ryan Holloway (President) and Wes Abercrombie (Vice President), talk about evolving roles within the company. Holloway, co-founder and president, has been the technician, the manager, and the entrepreneur throughout the company's existence. Abercrombie started in an entry-level position and has worked his way up to the #3 executive within the organization. The two hash out roles and responsibilities as Abercrombie's role and influence has grown along with the company.

Peak Sports MGMT is a 3rd Party Multi-Marketing company which operates primarily within the college athletics industry. - The Business of Creativity Podcast - Tai M. Brown

Urina Harrell started her company, Vox Pop Branding, while she was a student-athlete at Duke. At the time, college athletes couldn't make any extra income as it was before the Name-Image-Likeness movement we see today. Now, 11 years later, she is still focused on the purpose of the company which is to help people grow their businesses using positive impact messaging.

Key insights:

• Communication breakdowns often underlie organizational challenges
• Her background as a Walmart buyer informs her marketing expertise
• If the work you do is based on who you are, work-life balance can be elusive

With clients such as Jrue & Lauren Holiday, Harrell is very selective in the businesses she engages with. The primary filter is the focus on positive impact. - The Business of Creativity Podcast - Tai M. Brown