Ep 22: Building Next Gen Leadership at an Admired Atlanta Brand with Mark Beal

Mark Beal joins us on the show today as the new owner of the beloved brand, Instead of Flowers. Today, you’ll hear about why he and his investor group bought the brand, what they’ve done in his two years there so far, and their plans for growth in what is a dynamic and constantly changing industry. From lessons learned to important insight into casting a vision and building up the next generation of leaders, this episode is full of wisdom you don’t want to miss!

After starting out in accounting, Mark pivoted to wealth manager before moving on to become CEO. Listen in as he gives us a glimpse into his journey from a corporate advisor role into becoming an owner and operator. You will hear key insights on the timing of buying a business, what improves the success rate of closing a deal, and how to prioritize decisions when taking on a new business or project.

What You’ll Learn:

• Where Mark was heading when he found Instead of Flowers and why he decided to buy it.
• His growth vision for the brand.
• How they differentiate themselves from similar services.
• How the succession, exit, and entrance processes went for Mark.
• The biggest changes he has faced in the last few years.
• How the shifting landscape of the industry and market have prompted big changes.
• The most important thing to do as a leader.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “People can be wildly successful doing any number of things.” – Mark Beal
• “We love the idea of continuing the legacy of this brand and all of the great things it has done.” – Mark Beal
• “There are a lot of different opportunities out there so one of my challenges is to be in tune for what is out there, what things are popping up, what people are having success with – and to be open to those ideas but being careful not to be distracted by everything that we come across.” – Mark Beal

Resources:

• Mark Beal: LinkedIn
• Instead of Flowers
• Cannon Carr: LinkedIn
• CornerCap