The Chief Strategy Officer Podcast

Agile Budgeting: Capital Allocation at the Pace of Change

• Outthinker

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Today, we are tackling a topic that holding back most organizations from adapting to our rapidly changing business environments, a topic rooted in a habit that is so engrained in most companies that we don’t even think about changing it: budgeting.

In this episode, we sit down with Eric Woodard, Head of Strategy at Primerica and former Bain consultant, to unpack the future of agile budgeting. Eric shares why the old model—locking budgets 12 months in advance—is no longer viable in a world shaped by digital disruption, economic volatility, and shifting priorities. He lays out a practical, compelling alternative: treat strategy as a living, breathing guide for capital allocation.

We explore:
- Why companies are being forced—not just encouraged—to rethink budgeting cycles 
- The key difference between "run the business" and "change the business" spend 
- How to structure dynamic, strategy-led funding pools 
- What cycle times and KPIs work in an agile budgeting environment 
- Why people—not systems—are the biggest barrier to change 
 
Whether you're navigating growth, transformation, or efficiency, this episode will give you the tools to align your budget with your boldest strategic ambitions. 

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Kaihan Krippendorff

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