Wheel of Risk

A Podcast by Allianz Trade

_{Picture this: It’s the middle of the night and your company’s shipment is stuck halfway around the world, hopelessly snarled due to an unexpected trade embargo. You’re hemorrhaging money. Wide awake, worried, your mind goes round and round in circles like some high stakes wheel of fortune.In the world of international trade, there’s no shortage of things that can keep you up at night.But here’s the good news – you’re not alone. "Wheel of Risk" is a brand new podcast – brought to you by Allianz Trade – designed to help you keep your business safe, secure, and well ahead of the competition. Every episode, host Alix McCabe talks to business leaders and experts who’ve faced, and overcome, real trade-related challenges to keep their businesses alive and thriving. They know what it means to truly protect their organizations and themselves. They learned the hard way, so you don’t have to. So go ahead – spin the wheel – we’ve got you covered!}

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Alix McCabe - Host

Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer, Allianz Trade Americas

Alix McCabe brings more than 20 years of international leadership experience to her role as
SVP, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer at Allianz Trade Americas. She
steers the company’s human capital and communications strategies – inclusive of reward and
performance, learning and development, talent acquisition, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Alix joined Allianz in 2012 and has held various leadership positions in marketing and people
development, including Group Chief Marketing Officer based in the company’s global
headquarters in Paris, France. Prior to joining Allianz, Alix held marketing and talent acquisition roles within the higher education, healthcare and broadcast journalism sectors. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a certified and credentialed Project Management Professional (PMP ® ).

Follow Alix on LinkedIn!

S1E1 - A/R Concentration Risk

How to remain calm when an important client can't pay

It's one of those scenarios almost any business owner can relate to: one of your critical customers -- who accounts for a big chunk of your revenue -- is falling further and further behind on their payments, then stops meeting their deadlines altogether. What can you do, other than panic?

On this series premiere episode of Wheel of Risk, presented by Allianz Trade, join host Alix McCabe as she sits down with Tim Nemec, the Chief Financial Officer of M. Lipsitz & Co. LTD, to discuss just such a situation. They’ll also hear from Allianz Trade’s Senior Economist for North America, Dan North, as they explore the surprisingly high-risk world of scrap metal recycling, where fluctuating commodity prices can be the difference between feast and famine. Listen to the very end for Dan’s expert analysis on the current economic situation, including the looming likelihood of recession, and for Tim’s ‘parting gift’ to listeners; some important advice to help other businesses avoid the same snags his company has faced.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 1

S1E2 - When the Going Gets Tough

Trust versus red flags for a family business in Texas

It used to be a foundational part of any business relationship. But in our increasingly digital, modern world -- where many deals are made without even meeting people in person -- trust has become an increasingly rare commodity. So at what point should you let gut feelings or red flags begin to erode the trust you have in a client or customer?

On this episode of Wheel of Risk, presented by Allianz Trade, host Alix McCabe is joined by Aaron Sanders, the founder of Red River Logistics in Dallas Texas, who has an unusual story about a client that owed his company more than a million dollars, and started treating every single payment as a noteworthy occasion. Also joining the conversation is Justin Seedorf, Southwest Regional Vice President at Allianz Trade, to offer his perspective on managing risk, and the importance of doing your due diligence on any potential partners, customers, or clients before signing on that dotted line.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 2

S1E3 - We're Going to Need a Bigger Boat

Weighing risk and reward when scaling your business

It’s a riff on one of the most memorable lines in movie history -- but in this case, the team at Nassau National Cable Corporation wasn’t worried about sharks -- it was whale-sized clients they were after. And in the tumultuous world of international business and trade, bigger clients can mean bigger risks, and potentially bigger rewards.

On this episode of Wheel of Risk, presented by Allianz Trade, host Alix McCabe sits down with Karellys Mattos, the President of Operations at Nassau National, to discuss the challenges the New York-based wire and cable distributor encountered in trying to scale up its business. They’ll also be joined by George Pipala, an Account Underwriter at Allianz Trade, who shares his insights on what business leaders can do to overcome those challenges. Be sure to listen to the end and you may even gain a new appreciation for the concept of a ‘backseat driver’, at least within the context of trade credit insurance.

Listen to Episode 3

Shipping Container With Sunset in Background

S1E4 - Supply Shock

Turning a domestic product glut into a global opportunity

In the world of trade and business -- you might think it’s a good problem to have. But it turns out, a sudden production increase in one of your company’s key commodities can still pose a big challenge; namely, what to do with all that extra product!
On this episode of Wheel of Risk, presented by Allianz Trade, host Alix McCabe looks at the incredible growth trajectory of MGI International Llc, fueled in part by a spike in plastic production in the U.S. over 10 years ago. As you’ll hear from MGI’s Chief Financial Officer, Craig Wellen, that spike forced the plastic resin distributor to turn increasingly to international markets to find buyers, which presented a whole host of challenges. Alix and Craig will also be joined by Al Reytan, Senior Director at Allianz Trade in North America, who shares his expert advice for navigating those challenges, and some tips to minimize your company’s risk, regardless of the industry in which you operate.

Listen to Episode 4