David Safeer:
A Gut-Wrenching Pivot
When Kodak shifted from analog to digital, David Safeer found himself at the center of a high-stakes transition. His story reveals what happens when professional decisions clash with personal relationships.
Bio
David Safeer is a leading expert in cash flow optimization, and founder of Cash is Clear Learning Systems, an education and advisory company serving the financial professionals that work with small businesses. He has consulted with hundreds of international small businesses to optimize their cash flow and improve profits.
As vice president and general manager of Kodak Latin America, he transformed his division from years of loss to profitability in 18 months. With a master’s degree in International Management and 20 years working with companies like Morgan Stanley, Dell, and Kodak, he is highly regarded by business owners and CFO’s.
David teaches accountants how to grow their revenue with cash flow advisory services through his Cash is Clear™ certification programs and mastermind groups. He is a trusted advisor to businesses with revenue from $1 million to $20 million.
Topics
- Navigating layoffs with empathy and integrity
- The human cost of digital transformation
- Leading cross-cultural teams through change
- Making business decisions with moral weight
- Balancing strategy and compassion in leadership
- The emotional side of restructuring
- Why good employees still get let go
- Leadership lessons from Kodak’s digital shift
- Hiring vs. upskilling in high-stakes transitions
- Long-term impacts of hard decisions
Guiding Questions
- What was the moment you realized restructuring was inevitable?
- How did you prepare yourself emotionally to lay off people you respected?
- What made this the most difficult decision of your professional life?
- How did you weigh loyalty against skillset when choosing who to retain?
- What surprised you about the aftermath of your decisions?
- What role did culture and geography play in the restructuring process?
- How did you grow personally as a result of this experience?
- How do you handle the long-term relationships with those you had to let go?
- What would you do differently if faced with a similar challenge today?
- How can leaders stay compassionate while making high-stakes decisions?