Connections. Conversations. Common Threads. A podcast that seeks to explore what brings us and keeps us together. One conversation at a time, we share stories of struggle, triumph, and leadership that leave a lasting impact. Join host Heath Alloway as he highlights the ways guests have touched the lives of others in their communities, and tackling the big questions we all face. How can I make an impact? What is my role in molding our future? Am I making a difference?
Rooted in legacy, the power of one: This is Common Threads.
Djordje Rakovic, a senior associate in Sorren's Tax Practice, sits down with Heath Alloway on Episode 24 of Common Threads to trace how initiative compounds into career momentum. Four years into his career in public accounting, Djordje has already asked his way into the firm's Builders Program and pushed for business development work beyond what is normally expected from team members at his level. He recounts walking up to Heath at an office retreat and simply asking for mentorship, a move that opened doors that waiting never could have. Djordje describes how reframing selling as helping clients solve problems made business development feel natural instead of forced, and he and Heath dig into why the worst-case scenario almost never plays out the way fear insists it will. Watching senior partners handle client meetings taught Djordje what leadership looks like from a "doing it for real" perspective rather than just focusing on a title of acclaim, and the fact that he didn't manage to get past the CPA exam on the first try was for him a turning point rather than stopping him. For such a newcomer to the profession, Djordje has plenty of wisdom to share with us all.
Get the full show notes and more resources at CommonThreads.Sorren.com
30 Sept 2026
Character Beats Competence in the Age of AI
Jennifer McCloskey started her career as a civil engineer in construction and at the Department of Energy before founding Girardi Associates, where she now trains leaders across corporations, government agencies, and universities worldwide. On Episode 23 of Common Threads, she tells Heath Alloway about how her guiding mantra, "find a way," comes from a remarkable story about her father illuminating a dark runway with nothing but Jeep headlights so a low-fuel pilot could land safely. That same resolve carried her into a male-dominated field and eventually into corporate training, where she discovered that motivation without process rarely sticks. Jennifer and Heath dig into what's shifting in leadership development, like situational leadership, the move from small talk to deep talk in networking, and why resiliency training has become such a hot topic at firms. All of this informs a closer look at how professional services firms should position themselves as AI takes on routine work, and why character, not competence, is the trait worth hiring for.
Get the full show notes and more resources at CommonThreads.Sorren.com
16 Sept 2026
Optimism as a Key Growth Strategy
David Harper sold books door-to-door before landing in Big Four accounting, then left it to chase the sales side he felt he was missing. That detour eventually built the forensic accounting and valuation practice he ran solo for a decade and that merged, via another merger, into Sorren. David now leads advisory nationally and has scaled organic growth roughly 300% by treating internal trust the same way his team treats client relationships. On Episode 22 of Common Threads, he and Heath Alloway trace what this expansion has actually required: honest conversations instead of blind positivity, treating business transitions as ownership handoffs rather than exits, and getting a company's financial house in order years before any sale. David lays out the frameworks his team uses to spot opportunity early, like value drivers, recurring revenue, and attorney relationships, arguing that a firm's ability to bring multiple service lines around one client is what actually makes it indispensable… and profitable.
Get the full show notes and more resources at CommonThreads.Sorren.com
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
3.0 / 5
2 ratings
Contact Common Threads
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Common Threads?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
