#252: Becoming a Fractional Chief Strategy Officer with Susan Maly, USAFA ‘03

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The more I worked with different organizations, the more I just saw this need for strategic support. Being able to embed with the leadership team and walk them through that journey…I love it. I was born a planner…so it’s a really good opportunity to wrap that into the work that I do.”</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">- Susan Maly (USAFA ‘03)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Susan Maly (USAFA ‘03) is the Founder and CEO of Maly Strategies where she helps small to medium-sized businesses scale and grow as a fractional Chief Strategy Officer. As a seasoned leader serving clients across industries, Susan loves helping people and her passion is transforming ideas into impact. After serving in the U.S. Air Force as an F-16 maintenance officer and speechwriter, Susan spent over a decade at a large Fortune 500 management consulting firm with leadership roles across government and commercial businesses, as well as corporate headquarters. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we discuss:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What a fractional Chief Strategy Officer does and how Susan became one</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why time, focus, and follow-through are the biggest strategic challenges for all businesses</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How to determine the best strategy for your business</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why good communication is the foundation of an effective business strategy</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Susan’s experience as an Air Force speechwriter helps her succeed today</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Susan also shares who her ideal clients are, how strategy differentiates itself from operations, marketing sales, and finance, and why she enjoys aligning people within bu