Mark Harrison: How Callisto Grand Redefined Credit Management and Built a Global Community

Introduction

In this episode of the Connect Podcast, Shane Mahi interviews Mark Harrison, founder and CEO of Callisto Grand, to explore the journey from a corporate career to creating a thriving credit management community. Mark shares how he built Callisto Grand from scratch, his experiences running successful events like Credit Matters in Prague, and the challenges of starting a business in Central Europe.

"People buy people at the end of the day."

- Mark Harrison

Key Takeaways

• Mark Harrison has over 40 years of experience in credit and order to cash.
• Callisto Grand started 14 years ago and has grown significantly since.
• Building a community is essential for the success of Callisto Grand's conferences.
• Conferences should be warm and welcoming, fostering genuine connections.
• Education and storytelling are crucial in business presentations.
• Shared services face significant communication challenges.
• The talent pool in Central Europe is highly educated and cost-effective.
• Investing in talent through professional qualifications is often overlooked.
• Mark's health scare prompted him to reconsider his corporate career.
• Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship can be a significant turning point. I gave up a well-paid job with a car.
• It was hard to write a business plan for a unique idea.
• I adopted the attitude of building towards something.
• The first few years of entrepreneurship were tough.
• You constantly think about how to improve your approach.
• The first sense of fulfillment came from a successful contract.
• Building a thick skin is essential in business.
• You have to own your situation and decisions.
• Faith and belief in yourself are crucial.
• Be true to yourself and live today.