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

In this episode of the NCMM podcast, we sit down with Dr. Mike Knemeyer, Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at The Ohio State University, and Jeremy Jansen, Head of Global Originations for Wells Fargo Supply Chain Finance. Together, they explore how middle market firms are adapting to ongoing supply chain disruptions, economic uncertainty, and shifting trade policies. From short-term tactics like inventory front-loading to long-term strategies around diversification, financing tools, and global resilience, this conversation sheds light on how businesses can turn volatility into opportunity.

For more on this topic, check out the Wells Fargo report From factory to checkout: The supply chain story you didn’t know you were living [https://www.wellsfargo.com/assets/pdf/commercial/insights/business-viewpoints/supply-chain-report-factory-to-checkout.pdf].

Navigating Global Supply Chain and Economic Uncertainty

In this episode of The Market That Moves America, Minyi Su, Head of Marketing at Bluemercury and Fisher College of Business alum, joins us to share how a premium beauty retailer is adapting to rapid change. We discuss the evolving role of brick-and-mortar stores in a digital-first world, the ways AI is enhancing—not replacing—human connections, and the importance of innovation in meeting shifting consumer preferences. Minyi also offers candid insights into the challenges of attracting and retaining top talent, balancing supply chain pressures, and fostering agility in a mid-sized company. From consumer behavior trends to practical leadership lessons, this conversation highlights how middle market firms can stay resilient while putting the customer experience at the center.

Navigating Technology and Talent in the Middle Market

In this episode, Doug Farren is joined by Roger Bailey, Associate Dean of Executive Education and Centers at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, to explore how AI is reshaping customer-centricity.  We discuss why putting customer value at the center of business decisions drives profitability, how AI is transforming both qualitative and quantitative research, and what these changes mean for mid-sized companies.

From practical examples of AI in action to strategies for maintaining authenticity in a digital-first world, this conversation offers a roadmap for leveraging technology without losing sight of what matters most — the customer.

How AI is Changing Customer Connections 

In this episode, we dive into the transformative power of AI in the modern workplace with Stephanie Donahue, Practice Leader at Avanade. As tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent-based systems gain momentum, the pressure is mounting for middle market companies to modernize responsibly. Stephanie unpacks how businesses can build a strong digital foundation, shift organizational culture, and empower employees through intentional change enablement. With real-world insights and a future-focused lens, she explores what it means to prepare for a hybrid workforce of humans and intelligent agents.

Building an AI Ready Workplace

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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