Staying Grounded and Authentic While Scaling Through Uncertainty With Tracie Williams скачать в хорошем качестве

Staying Grounded and Authentic While Scaling Through Uncertainty With Tracie Williams

Tracie Williams is the President & CEO of SONGWON International Americas, Inc., part of SONGWON Industrial Group, where she oversees operations across North and South America. SONGWON is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of polymer stabilizers and a global leader in specialty chemicals. She specializes in global strategy, planning, risk management, and financial control to drive revenue and profitability. Tracie began her career as an art teacher before transitioning into finance, a journey that shaped her people-focused leadership style and commitment to empowering teams and transforming culture. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: • [00:00] Introduction • [5:33] Tracie Williams explains why leading second graders is tougher than leading boardrooms • [7:22] How a creative background fueled Tracie’s finance career journey • [12:38] The importance of pivoting fast when mistakes happen in leadership • [13:41] How promoting internally can outperform external hiring in a crisis • [23:06] Why talent, not just tech, is the key to financial transformation • [26:46] How adaptability in teams beats chasing every shiny new tool • [27:46] Why narrative intelligence and adaptability are CFOs’ must-have skills • [30:12] How purpose-driven leadership is shaping the next generation of CFOs • [37:30] Tracie’s top tip to stay relevant, impactful, and future-ready In this episode… In times of rapid change and relentless uncertainty, even the most seasoned leaders can struggle to stay centered. As organizations grow and the pace of innovation accelerates, how do leaders maintain their authenticity, remain people-focused, and continue to lead with heart instead of reaction? Tracie Williams, a former art teacher and now a finance executive, believes the essential factor is remaining true to both your team and your mission. She emphasizes that growth and transformation begin not with technology or automation but with trust, connection, and clarity. By leading with intention, Tracie believes leaders can transform chaos into clarity and empower their teams to adapt with confidence. Her approach, rooted in empathy and presence, reveals how authentic leadership creates alignment and lasting impact even amid disruption. In this episode of Level Up, Nick Araco sits down with Tracie Williams, President & CEO of SONGWON International Americas, Inc., to discuss staying grounded and authentic while navigating uncertainty. They discuss how to lead with intention in times of change, why people (not technology) drive real transformation, and how to build clarity from chaos. Tracie also shares how her creative roots continue to shape her leadership philosophy today. Resources mentioned in this episode: • Nick Araco on LinkedIn -   / nick-araco-jr-37b834   • CFO Alliance - https://www.thecfoalliance.com • Tracie Williams on LinkedIn -   / tracielwilliams   • SONGWON Industrial Group - https://www.songwon.com/ • “A Financially Driven Business Strategy with Jennifer Yousem, Founder of I Heart EBITDA” on the Level Up podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... • “The Pathway to Financial Leadership with Peter Nesbitt, Vice President of Finance at Teampay” on the Level Up podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... • “How People-First Leadership Defines Modern CFO Success With Ilana Esterrich” on the Level Up podcast - https://sites.libsyn.com/302459/how-p... • “Scaling Mission-Driven Work Through Financial Discipline and Innovation With Aaron Wilkins” on the Level Up podcast - https://sites.libsyn.com/302459/scali... These days, your business needs total visibility, from global shipments to tariff impacts to real-time cash flow. That’s NetSuite, by Oracle — the #1 AI Cloud ERP, trusted by over 42,000 businesses. Download the free e-book, “Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders” at NetSuite.com/CFOALLIANCE Sponsor for this episode... Level Up is proudly brought to you by Oracle NetSuite — the #1 cloud ERP trusted by thousands of high-growth, finance-led companies around the world. NetSuite gives CFOs and finance leaders real-time visibility, automation, and control across their financials, operations, and planning—so they can lead with confidence and scale with speed. Oracle NetSuite is also a proud and long-time global partner to The CFO Alliance, supporting our shared mission of empowering finance leaders to drive strategy, build resilient teams, and deliver next-level impact. If you’re serious about building a modern finance function that keeps pace with your business, NetSuite is your platform. Learn more at www.netsuite.com.