In this episode, Doug Farren sits down with Tony Pietrocola, Co-Founder and President of AgileBlue, to explore how agentic AI is reshaping cybersecurity, and why middle market companies are now prime targets. They discuss rising threats like deepfakes, accelerated vulnerability exploitation, and “shadow AI,” along with the growing need for standalone cyber budgets and stronger governance.

Tony also shares lessons from building and scaling tech companies, offering guidance for leaders navigating today’s fast-moving digital risk landscape.

For more on AgileBlue, visit: agileblue.com [https://agileblue.com/]

Securing the Middle Market: Cyber Risk, Agentic AI, and the New Digital Reality

What happens when a company decides its next chapter should belong to its employees? In this episode, Doug Farren sits down with John Drake, president at advertising agency Drake Cooper, to explore the agency’s transition to a 100% employee-owned ESOP. They discuss continuity, talent attraction, employee engagement, and why employee ownership can create stronger alignment between culture, performance, and long-term growth.

To learn more about Drake Cooper, visit their website:  https://drakecooper.com

To read NCMM's case study on Drake Cooper's ESOP journey, visit:  https://www.middlemarketcenter.org/case-studies/drake-cooper

Rethinking Succession in the Middle Market: The ESOP Journey of Drake Cooper

In this episode, Doug Farren sits down with Laura Cooke of Positive Foundry to explore why talent management has shifted from an HR function to a core business strategy. They discuss how middle market companies can build high-trust cultures, develop manager effectiveness, and navigate the challenges of a multigenerational workforce. Laura also shares her perspective on AI's role in the workplace and why human connection remains irreplaceable in learning and development.

To learn more about Positive Foundry, visit: https://positivefoundry.com/

People Are the Strategy: Building High-Performing Cultures in the Middle Market

What separates companies that weather disruption from those that fall behind? In this episode, Justin Boardman of Chubb joins NCMM’s Doug Farren to explore how resilience is becoming a defining capability for middle market organizations. From the rise of cyber risk as a board-level priority to the growing importance of business continuity planning, the discussion highlights how leaders can prepare for the unexpected. Learn why agility, proactive planning, and integrated risk strategies are critical to staying competitive in today’s environment.

To explore Chubb's Middle Market Insights, visit this link [https://www.chubb.com/us/ncmm].

Building Resilience in a World of Constant Risk

Host Doug Farren of the National Center for the Middle Market sits down with Jerry Grisko, CEO, and Brad Lakhia, CFO of CBIZ, to unpack new research on how middle market leaders make the hard calls that shape performance.

Drawing on NCMM's recent survey of 400 middle market businesses, they break down the four decision-making mindsets that emerged from the results and what leaders protect (or sacrifice) when pressure hits.

You’ll hear where ROI is showing up (especially in technology), understand why clarity and reliable data drive decision-making, and why “growth matters most” even as profitability often wins when tradeoffs get real.

You can read the full report here: Middlemarketcenter.org [https://www.middlemarketcenter.org/middle-market-research-reports-full-research/the-tradeoff-economy]

Tradeoffs That Move America

Economic headlines can be noisy—but the data tells a clearer story.

Join NCMM’s Doug Farren and Wells Fargo economist Jackie Benson as they connect Q4 2025 Middle Market Indicator results with national economic trends. The discussion covers how middle market companies are navigating tariffs and labor force constraints, why growth has remained resilient, and what business leaders should keep an eye on as interest rates and policy dynamics evolve in 2026.

What’s Driving Business Thinking Now? An Economist’s Take on Tariffs, Rates, and Labor

In this episode, Doug Farren sits down with Interim Dean Aravind Chandrasekaran to explore how The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business is redefining business education through experiential learning, industry partnerships, and forward‑looking curriculum design. They discuss the critical role of research centers like the National Center for the Middle Market, which has a long and storied connection to Fisher, in bridging academic insight with real‑world challenges facing mid‑sized companies.

Shaping the Future of Business Education: A Conversation with Fisher’s Interim Dean

This episode spotlights lower/emerging middle market companies—fast‑scaling businesses tackling “big‑company” challenges with limited resources—through a candid conversation on working capital, digitization and AI, supply chains, risk, and resilience.
Edward Galvin of Visa and Rob Poliseno of Chubb share practical takeaways for 2026, from building clear digital innovation and cybersecurity plans to succession readiness amid generational ownership shifts, plus how to leverage trusted advisors to translate today’s volatility into tomorrow’s momentum
To read Visa's Emerging Middle Market report, visit this link [https://globalclient.visa.com/middlemarket?_gl=1*1jhppb5*_gcl_au*NDU4Njc5Njk2LjE3NjU5MTAxNTQ.*_ga*MTkzMTM5ODk4Ni4xNzY1OTEwMTUy*_ga_MFHD9HS65Z*czE3Njg5Mjg0MDUkbzMkZzEkdDE3Njg5Mjg0MzUkajMwJGwwJGgw]
To explore Chubb's Middle Market Insights, visit this link [https://www.chubb.com/us-en/businesses/campaign/ncmm-research.html]

Middlemarketcenter.org [https://www.middlemarketcenter.org/]

Scaling Smart: How Emerging Middle Market Firms Turn Uncertainty into Growth

Join Doug Farren, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, as he reflects on the state of the U.S. middle market in 2025 and previews what’s ahead for 2026. This episode covers key economic trends, insights from the Center’s research, and a preview for the upcoming 15th year, including new reports, partnerships, and programs. Discover how middle market companies, and NCMM, are navigating challenges, embracing resilience, and preparing for the future.

For more about NCMM, please visit our website at: middlemarketcenter.org 

The Market That Moves America: Year-End Insights

In this episode of The Market That Moves America, Doug Farren, Executive Director of NCMM and Andrew Korz, Senior Vice President of Investment Research at Future Standard, explore how private equity and private credit are shaping growth for U.S. middle market companies, debunking common misconceptions and highlighting key trends. Learn why operational value creation—not cost-cutting—is driving success in today’s evolving economic landscape.

Future Standard, formerly FS Investments, is a global alternative asset manager that invests in private equity, credit, and real estate, focusing on the U.S. middle market. The company's mission is to deliver differentiated performance for its institutional and private wealth clients by connecting them to hard-to-access private market opportunities, challenging the status quo, and innovating in its investment solutions.

Private Equity’s Growing Role in the Middle Market

With the help of industry experts and company leaders, the National Center for the Middle Market offers insights about a critical but often overlooked segment of the US economy – the middle market. Each episode, we get a new perspective from middle market leaders and stakeholders on current trends and emerging issues, allowing us to see the full picture and get an inside look into the market that moves America.

Doug Farren

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