In Good Companies

In our world, it's not a question of if but when a crisis will strike. In 2023, 96% of businesses experienced emergencies, but only one in five companies were prepared to take action. So in today’s episode, we’re learning to expect the unexpected with the help of our guest: Sydney Isaacs.

Sydney is a Managing Director for H/Advisors Abernathy, a communications advisor with one of the leading crisis management firms in the U.S. Far beyond PR strategy, Sydney has spent the last two decades handling and preventing crises like workplace misconduct, product recalls, cybersecurity attacks and physical disasters. 

So today, Sydney helps us come up with action plans to handle many business crises. Together, we learn how to build efficient teams of first responders, spot crises before they occur and prioritize the right course of action to fix imminent issues. We also unpack how trust, emotion and communication influence crisis prevention and recovery.

So keep calm and tune into this week’s episode. With Patrick and Sydney, you’ll learn to weather every storm.


Highlights:
  • What is a crisis? (3:09)
  • A flexible approach to crisis management (5:14)
  • Why actions speak louder than words (8:11)
  • Fight or flight: handling human emotions in a crisis (10:00)
  • Differentiating transparency, honesty and forthrightness (11:49)
  • “In a crisis, we want to be boring” (13:17)
  • When trust interacts with crisis management (14:35)
  • People believe in what they see (16:09)
  • How to assemble a crisis management plan (18:53)
  • The importance of proof-testing your plan  (21:37)
  • Qualities of a first responder (23:13)
  • Crisis management and social media (26:54)
  • Building reputation as crisis prevention (29:12)

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Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.

What is In Good Companies?

Starting and running a business or managing one isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re balancing internal and external forces in a continually changing landscape. This is where Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies comes in. We share our wealth of knowledge–and insights from noted industry experts–to guide you through the forces shaping business today.

It’s hosted by Patrick Pacheco, an EVP and President of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, who has more than 25 years’ experience and is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner. He leads discussions with business owners and subject matter experts about how they’re tackling business challenges like:

● What are ways to grow my business without growing my debt?
● How can I turn my data into meaningful information?
● Why is company culture more important than ever?

It’s information you need, in one place, in under 30 minutes. More than 250,000 listeners tune in each week. Shouldn’t you?

ABOUT OUR HOST
With more than 25 years’ experience in wealth management for business clients and a penchant for hosting, Patrick Pacheco is an EVP and president of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, and presenter of the bank’s In Good Companies podcast, now in its fourth season.
His background features years of legal practice and multiple degrees, including a Master of Taxation from University of Houston, a law degree from Southern Methodist University, and both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Economics from University of Texas at Arlington.
Pacheco describes himself as a lifelong learner and someone who loves asking questions–probably the ones you’re thinking about too. He’s especially excited about season four because of the diversity of topics and guests who will not only share their wealth of knowledge, but listeners will also get tips and tricks they can use in their own businesses, careers and professional lives.