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

Service Academy Business Mastermind

“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.” - Susan Maly (USAFA ‘03)

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.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What a fractional Chief Strategy Officer does and how Susan became one
• Why time, focus, and follow-through are the biggest strategic challenges for all businesses
• How to determine the best strategy for your business
• Why good communication is the foundation of an effective business strategy
• How Susan’s experience as an Air Force speechwriter helps her succeed today

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 businesses around a common vision. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Susan went from being an F-16 maintenance officer to becoming a speechwriter in the U.S. Air Force and learning about what every good speech should contain. It was awesome talking with Susan and we hope her practical tips help you as you consider your business strategy.

Connect with Susan:

• LinkedIn
• Maly Strategies
• Strategy with Susan Newsletter

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Special thanks to Susan for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01