CSI Chat

#49 - David Thomas

We are joined by author and prominent Canadian business writer David Thomas.  David has been writing about businesses for decades for various publications, including the Financial Post, the Globe and Mail, MoneySense and Macleans.  David recently released his first book, "The Fairfax Way: Inside Prem Watsa's Secret to Lasting Success" which documents the history of one of Canada's most successful companies.  During our "Chat" with David, we discuss: - How was David able to build a relationship with Prem Watsa which ultimately resulted in the terrific book on the entire history of Fairfax.  - David provides some perspectives on Prem Watsa who arrived in Canada from India with $8 in his pocket and ultimately became one of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs.     - How was Fairfax able to become so successful through leveraging their core values of "Fair and Friendly"?   David's book on "The Fairfax Way" is a must read for anyone looking to learn about one of Canada's most successful companies.  I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat".

#48 - Peter Cappelli

We are joined by Peter Cappelli who is the George W. Taylor Professor of Management at The Wharton School and Director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources.  We talk to Peter about his latest book which he co-authored, entitled "In Praise of the Office:  The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work".   During our "CSI Chat", we talk to Peter about: - The evolution of "Work from Home" and current state of the work force in 2026.  What do most employers expect in 2026 as it relates to working from home vs. from the office? - What does the data support surrounding the effectiveness of working from home?  Is it is more productive to work in the office or work from home?  Peter would argue that it depends on the nature of your job.   - What is the right way to transition a team from working from home to working from the office?   I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat" with Peter!

#47 - Nathan Mueller

We are joined on CSI Chat by Nathan Mueller.  Nathan, a CPA, worked for an insurance company in a finance role and he began embezzling money to pay off personal debt and fund a passion for gambling. What started as a $1,100 check to a credit card, spiraled into an $8.5 million fraud over the next four years.  After being caught, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison. He was released in September of 2014 and now is a sought-after public speaker preaching the value of ethics and strong internal controls to finance teams around the globe.   During our "Chat", we talk to Nathan about: - His upbringing and how he started in finance.  We then get into the details of how he managed to defraud an insurance company for over $8 million in a short period of time.  Nathan also outlines how he was able to keep Internal Audit and the external auditors "at bay".   - Nathan outlines how he eventually was caught and his experience in jail.  Nathan outlines what was harder, "Going into jail at the outset or being released?" - Nathan outlines best practices in ethics training and internal controls which should be present in all finance groups. I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Nathan!

#46 - Jeffrey Pfeffer

We are joined on CSI Chat by Jeffrey Pfeffer who is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University where he has taught since 1979 and has authored or co-authored over 16 books on various business topics, including Power, leadership and career development.  We talk to Jeffrey about his latest book, "7 Rules of Power:  Surprising – But True – Advice on how to get things done and advance your career".  We touch on a number of topics with Jeffrey, including: -   What is the definition of "Power" and why is it important to have "Power"?  Is there a positive correlation between happiness and power? - What are the "7 Rules of Power"?  Why do several of these rules run counterintuitive to our upbringing?    - Is there one of the 7 Rules which is most important?  Do you need to apply all 7 rules in order to obtain "Power"? I hope everyone enjoys our "Chat" with Jeffrey Pfeffer.

#45 - Michael Jarman

We are very lucky to be joined on CSI Chat by the reigning 2024 Microsoft Excel World Champion, Michael Jarman.  We talk to Michael about a number of topics, including:  * What do the "Microsoft Excel World Championships" entail?  How does one prepare themselves for the World Championships?  If somebody was interested in competing, how do they go about qualifying? * What is more important at the Excel World Championships, Speed or Skill?   * What is Michael's favorite Excel function for moderate and advanced users of Excel? * How is the process going for 2025?  Is Michael going "back-to-back"? I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with the top Excel user on the planet Michael Jarman.