Ep. 607 - Optomi Professional Services COO Nick Murphy - Our People Are Our Inventory

What happens when a company builds its growth strategy around reviving forgotten small towns instead of chasing the next big metro?

In this episode our co-host, Lindsay Smith, sits down with Nick Murphy, COO of Optomi Professional Services, a 100% US based technology firm operating through two brands: Optomi, which delivers high-end IT staffing, and Provalus, which brings IT and business process consulting to centers of excellence in rural America.

He built his career across investment banking, a decade at The Home Depot, and a senior finance role at Ibotta before joining Optomi in 2023 and being appointed COO in December 2025.

Together they get into the exact criteria Provalus uses before betting on a town, how one Wall Street Journal feature turned into a wave of national press, and why Nick says his people are the closest thing his company has to inventory.

Listen now.

Sponsored by:

Cadre AI - If you are ready to turn AI into real growth for your business rather than just more tools visit Cadre AI to discover how their team helps companies increase revenue, improve profitability, and implement AI that truly delivers results: https://www.cadreai.com/coo

Timestamped Highlights

0:00 — Staying Close to the Business

0:44 — Nick Murphy Introduction

6:25 — "Business Partners First, Finance Partners Second"

10:41 — Wall Street Journal Feature