Hampton 1

Alexander Hampton

Professor Kathryn Hughes

COMM 1010

26 February 2017

When people ask me what I want to do for work the answer is simple. I want to be the

man you answer to. I want to call the shots. Take the risks. Make the right decisions. Make the

mistakes. So, when presented with the task of interviewing someone from the field I have chosen

to pursue, I sought out the privilege of sitting down with 3CubeLifes Chief Financial Officer,

Brad Barham. Brad specializes in mergers and acquisitions. I had the opportunity to inquire

about his background a bit and was able to ask him about what some of his responsibilities are in

his position. I asked for his recommendation on what education I should pursue and any skills he

found to be invaluable that I should develop. Most importantly, I asked what advice on how to be

successful he had for an entrepreneur and someone planning to own and operate their own

business. The following is a brief overview of some things I learned as well as an assessment of

how the interview went.

Recommended Courses and Skill Sets to Develop

Brad had a few courses that he believed would be very helpful Unit Economics, Managerial

Accounting, and Financial Analysis. He advised these courses would be useful in developing

analytical and strategical skills which are essential to the position. He also said that becoming

proficient at using Microsoft Excel would be wise. Also, he expressed the importance of

communicating effectively and having good people skills.

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Responsibilities and What a Typical Day Looks Like

One of Brads main responsibilities is to review business plans to identify a companys

objectives. He then assesses their assets, strengths, and weaknesses. Then using data, he makes

projections to determine and identify any obstacles or hurdles that may present themselves.

Finally, he develops strategies for ways the company can handle these challenges or jump the

hurdle when the time comes. He said he works an average of about seventy hours a week. Forty

of those hours being spent in meetings with clients whether over the phone or in person. The

other thirty spent doing computer work, things like making projections and developing strategies.

Progression of the Position

I learned that the role of a C.F.O. has been evolving. Brad shared with me that, Now we are

more of strategists than accountants... I am like a Chief Strategic Officer. He explained that now

typically they use whats called a controller to handle accounting and treasury which used to be

something the C.F.O. would work with.

Dealing with Investors

It is as important to qualify/vet potential investors as it is for them to qualify/vet you as the

investee. You want to make sure the people you are doing business with values and integrity

aligns with your own.

Advice for Building and Running a Successful Business

One of the first things objectives when building a company is to build a team. When you are

building your team, Brad advised, To build a strong and successful team you need to align

employees in a role that fits with who they are as people. He addressed communication as the

single most challenge aspect of being a good leader and executive. A lot of people are scared to
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communicate with the executives. It is important to create an environment where your employees

feel safe communicating with the executives. Brad shared something with me that I found very

powerful and profound. He called them his, Four pillars. and said that if you can put these in

place your company will succeed. The four pillars are 1. A purpose driven vision. The Soul.

Meaning that your vision isnt about simply making money but serving a purpose that means

something and that you are passionate about. 2. A Creativity driven Culture. The Heart. When

you have a team that is working towards the same objective and shares the same passion and

values it becomes your culture. You want for your culture to be innovative and driven by

creativity.

3. Customer centered systems. The Body. You want for your strategies and your systems that

you put in place to be for the benefit of the customer. No business can operate without customers

and they should be the center of your focus. 4. Data driven decisions/Strategy. The Mind.

Sometimes in business people make decisions that are emotionally driven and that has the

potential to hinder the company. You want to be sure to make logical, data driven decisions as is

best for the company which may at times be difficult.

Analysis of Business Owner, C.E.O./C.F.O. as My Career Choice

As I learn more about what it takes to own and operate your own company, I am reassured that I

have chosen the right career path. Something I like about gaining the skills of running a business

is not only can you help other people run and develop their business but you can also run a

business of your very own which presents endless opportunity. There will always be businesses

and they will always need someone to run them.

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I learned to have a successful company you need to build a strong team of employees.

This is a challenge that I very much look forward to. I believe that my chosen career path will be

something that I enjoy and will be deeply passionate about.

Analysis of My Interview Process

I had a very loose, laid-back approach to the interview and it worked well for me. I had some

questions prepared but I didnt try to force a structure on the conversation. I knew that it would

be more of an interactive conversation that an interview. I was sure to get through all the

questions I had prepared but mostly we casually conversed. We met at The Spaghetti Factory and

had lunch during the interview which I felt was an appropriate setting as it may be the setting for

executive business meetings. My goal was to have a causal conversation while also keeping

focus and directing the conversation to serve its purpose which I was able to accomplish rather

well. The casual setting I chose worked well for my relaxed approach. I didnt plan a definitive

introduction instead I allowed for a natural conversation to develop and eased into a business

oriented conversation to serve the purpose of the interview.

I didnt run into any issues with controlling the interview or any of the process for that

matter. Brad complimented me on how I had done and expressed that he enjoyed being

interviewed by me. After we enjoyed our meal I kindly thanked Brad for meeting with me and

we went our separate ways.

In the future, I could improve by preparing more or better questions so that the time can

be used more efficiently. I would also think about organizing and structuring the interview more

to where there was a specific amount of time I spent on each subject. I would be careful not to be

too forceful on a structure so that it takes away from the natural flow of a conversation.
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I learned many of the important skills you need and what it takes to build, own, and

operate your own company. I also learned some college courses that I can take that will help me

become a successful business executive. I gained reassurance that I have chosen the correct

career path. I had a wonderful experience and was given much advice that was very meaningful

to me, such as the 4 pillars, that I cherish and will carry with me as I venture through my career

and walk through life.