Chris Adams: Scaling Culture, Construction & ‘Why Cleveland?’

Chris Adams: Scaling Culture, Construction & ‘Why Cleveland?’

Can you grow a business without losing what makes it great? Scaling doesn’t have to mean sacrificing culture. The key is prioritizing people, connections, and the values that got you there in the first place.

In our latest episode of “What’s Up at Work?” we talked with Chris Adams, President and CEO of Park Place Technologies. Host Sam Clyde Schroeder dives into Chris’s journey from CFO to CEO and how his data-driven approach is fueling the company’s exponential growth.

You’ll hear firsthand insights on scaling culture during rapid expansion, integrating acquisitions, and creating a workplace that attracts and retains top talent—all while balancing remote work and in-office culture.

Timestamps & Topics:

  • 00:00 – Introduction: Tackling leadership challenges and the importance of people in business growth
  • 01:00 – Chris’s evolution from CFO to CEO and the value of financial acumen
  • 02:00 – Transitioning operational roles: CFO to COO insights
  • 04:00 – Merging sales and operations 
  • 06:00 – Scaling a company without losing the unique culture
  • 00:08 – Strategies for smooth M&A integration and employee onboarding
  • 14:00 – The role of employee recognition and the impact of a well-executed incentive program
  • 20:00 – Balancing remote work and in-office collaboration for innovation
  • 25:00 – Investing in state-of-the-art headquarters and employee amenities
  • 31:00 – HR Hot Seat: Rapid-fire Q&A on leadership, feedback, and work-life balance

Episode Links:

Author

  • Sam Clyde Schroeder is an experienced leader in B2B demand generation, who specializes in developing and executing strategies to bridge the gap between digital marketing and sales. She brings over 7 years of sales and marketing experience to ERC from the software and lead generation industries.

    As ERC’s Director of Business Development, Sam is a member of our leadership team. She prepares and directs business development, sales, and marketing strategies for new and existing ERC products and services. She also oversees and manages our internal sales and marketing teams as well as our vendor partners.