We recently had the privilege of interviewing Cristian Salazar, Founder at CSM Groupe Conseil, a strategic consulting firm in sustainable development and food quality. With more than two decades of expertise in this industry, Cristian has been working with national and international clients to design and implement innovative and effective business solutions.
With crucial skills like strategy creation, circular economy, quality management, quality systems, and leading multidisciplinary teams, among others, Cristian Salazar is committed to projects that positively impact the world. In this insightful interview, Cristian Salazar shares his career journey, challenges and triumphs, services, and how he balances operational efficiency.
A Glimpse Of Cristian’s Journey
We started the interview by asking, “Can you tell us about your professional journey and what led you to your current role?”
Cristian shared, “I decided to create my path by creating my consulting company, CSM Groupe Conseil, and starting as a consultant in 2018 after several years of management positions in the food and chemical industries. After studying chemical engineering, I started working in the food industry and held many positions in operations, quality, and R & D. These experiences gave me a good glance and in-depth understanding of the industry.
As a young manager, I quickly learned and evolved to adapt to the challenges and opportunities in front of me. A few years later, I got a Master’s in Food Safety and moved to Canada, where I worked as an operations and quality manager for major manufacturing companies. Here, I learned all the aspects of a corporate position and the constant challenges for the food industry and its supply chain. However, at some point, I realized that I wanted to share my experience and guide as many companies as possible, which is why I am a consultant today.”
Setting CSM Apart
It is essential to offer unique services and products to maintain a strong brand presence in the market. So, we asked, “What sets your business apart from competitors in the industry?”
Cristian asserts, “With my expertise in the management position, I have faced many challenges in the industry, which helped me develop deep knowledge of the manufacturing industry. So I know how to help and guide companies with their strategic planning, crisis management, sustainability, operations management, and quality assurance.”
Worth-Sharing Achievements
As every business faces ups and downs, we were intrigued to learn about the triumphs of Cristian Salazar’s business. So, we asked, “What has been your business’s biggest achievement to date?”
He shared, “Helping companies to get new clients by creating efficient and sustainable strategies and improving their operations management and quality controls.”
Being A Visionary Consultant
To learn more about the leadership style followed by Cristian Salazar, we asked, “How would you describe your leadership style?”
“I always try to act like a coach. I listen first, propose a few scenarios, and move on with a good plan. I’m a visionary consultant who always tries to show my clients what’s coming for their businesses and how to take advantage of all the opportunities ahead.” Cristian replied.
Building A Healthy Team
Having strong cooperation among the team is paramount for the success of any business. We asked, “What strategies do you use to motivate and develop talent in your organization?”
He shared, “Founders and managers must realize that the team must take care of the clients, so it’s our responsibility to take care of our team, listen to them, know them. Learn about their dreams and aspirations and do anything to let them achieve those.”
AI As Productivity Booster
Currently, when AI is at its peak, and businesses are making the most out of it, we were intrigued to learn Cristian Salazar’s perspective on this technology. So, we asked, “What role do you see artificial intelligence or technology playing in this industry?”
Cristian responds, “The manufacturing industry has used AI for quite a while. Many people fear AI will cut many jobs, but I have a different vision. AI is instead going to improve the productivity of many companies. Many “operator” positions will become “technician” positions or of other types. Small and medium companies, on the other hand, might be affected by the investments, and if they can’t keep up with the pace of big companies, they might suffer. But I see the adoption of AI positively in general.”
Future Of Manufacturing Space
To learn more about Cristian Salazar’s vision of the future of this field, we asked, “How do you envision the future of your industry?”
“The manufacturing industry will be affected by a recomposition of a new geopolitical reality, the emergence of China, the impact of the pandemic on the supply chain, the continuing efforts to improve sustainability and the incorporation of circular methodologies like eco conception, industrial ecology, collaborative economy and inverse logistics, and in-depth incorporation of AI. All these aspects will reshape some supply chains, creating challenges and many opportunities.” He replied.
Addressing Challenges
Challenging phases are an inevitable part of any business. We asked, “What have been some of the most significant hurdles you’ve encountered in your business, and how did you address them?”
Cristian responds, “As a consultant, not everybody knows you. So, it is imperative to reassure clients quickly whenever I am solicited to have an exploratory conversation or at the beginning of a mandate. I address this by being as transparent as possible and showing them how any challenge or problem can be a great opportunity to improve or evolve their company.”
A Customer-Centric Approach
We further asked, “What is an excellent piece of business advice you have ever received?”
He shared, “Provide outstanding customer service, no matter the sector. I think the client or customer experience is significant.”
Balancing Ideas And Operations
We ended the interview by asking, “How do you balance investing in up-to-date ideas with ensuring ongoing operations remain successful?”
“This is very hard for me because I’m always exploring new trends and ideas, and I like to create many scenarios for my company, but we cannot lose track of our main objectives. Creating good key performance indicators and taking quick decisions when something is not working has been the key for me.” Cristian concluded.
Follow Cristian Salazar on LinkedIn.
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