Talk to executives preparing for 2026 and you’ll hear a common refrain—pressure is rising, margins are narrowing and the consequences for strategic indecision are greater than ever.
In the January episode of Strictly Business, we examine those pressures with someone who works inside them daily: Cullen Talley, founder and head coach of the Baton Rouge–based firm Exit Momentum, which advises leadership teams across the country.
Talley’s perspective is informed by executive experience—he previously served as COO of a $20 million company and was part of a leadership team involved in a more than $200 million exit—along with years spent coaching organizations through growth and transition. His work centers on decision-making, operating systems and succession, particularly in companies where the founder remains central to day-to-day operations.
The episode, which airs Jan. 15, explores several key questions surrounding leadership in 2026: why many leaders describe the year ahead as more demanding; where organizations are losing their edge most quickly; and what leadership “discipline” looks like at a time when clarity and consistency are increasingly required.
Talley outlines the difference between strategy problems and decision-making problems, and discusses early signs of misalignment within leadership teams.
We also explore the operational challenges that emerge as companies scale, including systems that lag behind growth and structural vulnerabilities that may not be visible until performance begins to slip. Execution habits—both effective and ineffective—are a central theme.
Talley also talks succession planning: building a leadership bench, recognizing potential COO and CEO candidates and identifying when an organization is overly dependent on a single individual.
For executives entering a year expected to test leadership capacity, the episode provides context on the conditions shaping 2026 and the adjustments leadership teams may need to consider to remain competitive.
Strictly Business is sponsored by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. Register here.
