The Bizgnus Podcast

•. David Sauers' ah-ha moment was in a portable toilet•. “My story touches on … the lessons learned from creating a niche brand”It's every parent's worry: At a festival with your very young children when one of them announces they need the bathroom.  Yet the only toilets to be seen are those smelly, wobbly, fiberglass, one-person-if-you'r-skinny portable outhouses. David Sauers had that moment more than 20 years ago and out of it came a career change from local banking executive to entrepreneur marketing a better outdoor toilet experience.David Sauers, co-founder of Royal Restrooms LLC, offers his story in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.Mr. Sauers created a franchise-based company that rents roomy portable toilets with running water to wash up, air conditioning and even breath mints.Over the 20 years he's been in business, Mr. Sauers has expanded — by franchising — to 50 offices across the country.  “My story touches on entrepreneurship, the power of building partnerships, and the lessons learned from creating a niche brand that continues to thrive,” he says.For more information please click here.

•. John Chan helps avoid digital campaign pitfalls •. “Fundamentally, marketing is sales at scale”(Total Recorded Time is 11:18)Owners and operators of small businesses who are thinking of digital ad campaigns, ought to check first with experts.That's what John Chan does — helping businesses market via platforms like YouTu8be and Meta.Mr. Chan joins us for this Bizgnus Interview to explain how to avoid pitfalls in digital campaigns.“Fundamentally, marketing is sales at scale,” Mr. Chan says. John Chan is an entrepreneur, known for his expertise in web/UX design and digital marketing. He dropped out of university when he was 19 to start his own web design consultancy. Since then, he has co-founded 2x Growth Agency, which specializes in helping e-commerce and direct to consumer brands grow and scale with paid ads and ad creative development.For more information:  www.2x.agency 

•. Serial entrepreneur Peter Wasmer shoulders the hassle•. “A revolutionary business process automation platform”(Total Recorded Time is 23:13)Scheduling, dispatch, invoicing, payments, and just plain old customer communication — it can almost drown the pool guy — unless.That's where Peter Wasmer, a serial entrepreneur, spotted a unique niche — automating so much of the non-pool stuff.Peter Wasmer joins us for this Bizgnus Interview. Calling himself a “passionate innovator,” Mr. Wasmer says his cutting-edge solution is already  that empowering from California to Florida, pretty much across what might be termed America's “pool country.”“I've developed and scaled SaaS (software as a service) platforms that simplify complex processes, save time, and drive profitability for my clients,” says Mr. Wasmer.He says his newest company, ProValet, is “a revolutionary business process automation platform designed to transform the pool service industry.”For more information please CLICK HERE. 

•. Sue Pats says going it alone has many rewards•. “I am passionate about sharing knowledge”(Total Recorded Time is 21:00)Woody Allen  could have been speaking for many solopreneurs when he said, “Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.”Freelancers, contractors, consultants, temps — all one-man-bands of one type or another — add up.  In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 41 million of them.Sue Pats, herself a solopreneir, says it doesn't have to be a lonely, bare-bones life.She's selling support and education for solopreneurs and joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.“I specialize in unique marketing approaches, including the use of AI tools and done-for-you services,” she says. “I am passionate about sharing knowledge in an engaging and entertaining way.”For more information: www.nubeginning.com 

• The drawer of Rolexes no longer cut it• “This feeling of being alive transforms you”(TRT is 10:32)When a drawer of Rolex watches doesn't make you feel whole, something ought to be done.And Mo Issa says he did it by making small changes to rediscover himself, embrace simplicity, and focus on a sense of deep fulfillment.What were those steps and why does he think they can help others?Mo Issa joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews to explain.“While I haven't found all the answers, I do feel alive again,” he says. Mr. Issa adds that, in his opinion, “this feeling of being alive transforms you, and whether you know it or not, you have started transforming the world.”He has written three books, the latest entitled “The Midlife Shift: How I Left the Rat Race and Found Myself,” (Kimo Pub Press, November 2024).“My story is more than just about personal growth—it's about showing others that it's possible to dedicate oneself to self-awareness, tackle societal expectations and the pressures that come with them, and create a life of purpose.”For more information: www.mo-issa.com

* Angela Fowler helps businesses tap that market Plus tips for grilling tri-tip (Total Recorded Time is 16:49_ Like thousands upon thousands of Californians, Angela Fowler loves to cook the beef known as tri-tip on her backyard barbecue. “I love getting out there and barbequing,” she says. “People don't realize that a blind person can do that.” Ms. Fowler is a blind accessibility consultant who says that “an accessible business is a prosperous business.”  Her Yuba City-based company, Real Life Access, uses that as its motto. Angela Fowler is our  guest on this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. She says her company offers training and in-depth coaching along with practical steps organizations can take to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities “and user-friendly for everyone.” For more information:  www.reallifeaccess.com

•. Fixing the entry-level jobs turnover problem •. “The results have been amazing” (Total recorded time is 19:48) HONESDALE, Pa. — When Michael Neal set up his optometry practice in rural Pennsylvania, he was focused on his patients even as a problem was growing out of sight. The problem is one that many small businesses of all types face: employee turnover, especially in entry-level jobs. Finally, something had to be done. “I have changed the way I hire for my practice and the results have been amazing,” he says. Today, while still seeing patients, the doctor is busy running a new business that he says helps small businesses with staffing through the use of psychometrics. Michael Neal talks about his solution in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. His new company is called Build My Team. He says it models how companies like Disney and the Four Seasons hire.  As it moves beyond the health care industry, his company has clients in more than 40 states and Canada. Mr. Neal says he identified the performance factors that predicted long-term employee success including speed of learning and the applicant's mindset. In changing how he hired, he says the practice began to retain employees for longer stretches and there was more energy in the practice.  For more information please click here. 

 •. It's not only battlefield bravery •. “Embrace discomfort and try to be brave” (Total Recorded Time is 12:34) Jill Schulman - a former Marine Corps officer and expert in positive psychology — says there's a science to bravery. And it's not just bravery on a remote battlefield but can be the bravery to leave a safe and comfortable job for the toil and uncertainty of striking out on your own in business. “Embrace discomfort and try to be brave,” she says.  “I know it is scary but anything great in life is on the other side of something really challenging.” Jill Schulman joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. Ms. Schulman is founder and principal of Breakthrough Leadership Group. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, “The Science of Bravery,” due out in mid-2025. For more information, please click here . 

•. Many leaders overlook a basic part of the foundation (Total Recorded Time is 19:11) For some leaders, arriving at work leaves them feeling that something's a bit off.  Could it be the culture? And not something that's been growing for months in the break room's fridge. But more like the essence of the organization. According to our guest, many leaders just don't know if their organization's culture is helping or hindering achievement of goals. Laura Hamill, a leadership consultant based near Seattle, has seen it time after time: a mismatch between what leadership thinks should be happening and the rest of the world. As an organizational psychologist, ex-Microsoft director, and Limeade cofounder, through her firm Paris Phoenix Group, she advises companies on how to transform their cultures.  What are the steps that need to be taken?  Laura Hamill is our guest on this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. Ms. Hamill is also host at the Happy at Work podcast and has written a new book about fixing company cultures, “The Power of Culture: An Economist Edge Book,” (The Economist Books, November 2024).  For more information: parisphoenixgroup.com

•How to break the blockages to success •Eight stories to ponder (Total Recorded Time is 16:16)    NEW YORK CITY -- It's called “faction” and entrepreneur and author Bob Kaplan uses the writing style that combines fiction with facts for a new approach to leading and evolving.    Change is hard, Mr. Kaplan notes. The challenge is to get whatever is blocking change out of the way, first by identifying the inside-your-head blockages.   To raise their game, leaders cannot just work on form or technique, he says. Typically, they also need to raise their mental game, adjust it in some way.    Mr. Kaplan's new book uses eight short fictionalized real-life cases that bring that struggle for self-improvement to life.   His new book is “GRAPPLING: Leaders Striving To Improve,” (River Grove Books, August 2024).   Mr. Kaplan earned his doctorate in organizational behavior from Yale and lives in New York City with his wife, Becky.  His previous book is “Fear Your Strengths—What You're Best At Is Probably Your Biggest Problem.”   For more information: www.kaplandevries.com

• Wisdom boils down to eight things • “Is wisdom life's goal?” What is wisdom? Is is common?  Or rare? Through interviews with 60 wise individuals across North America, Dr. Laura Gabayan says she has uncovered eight essential elements that define wisdom. Ms. Gabayan outlines her research in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. Ms. Gabayan has distilled the interviews into a book that she calls “Common Wisdom.”  “Is wisdom life's goal? Or is  wisdom something you should incorporate into your life?” Ms. Gabayan asks. After arriving at the final themes, she and her two research assistants arrived at the following list: • Resilience—the ability to weather through difficulties. • Kindness—being friendly, generous, and thinking of others. • Positivity—the practice of being optimistic in life. • Spirituality—a belief that there is something greater than being human. • Humility—to be humble and modest. • Tolerance—having sympathy for those around us and for other beliefs or practices that differ from our own. • Creativity—the ability to think about problems differently or to look at scenarios from a new perspective. • Curiosity—a desire to learn and an interest in those around you. Each interviewee was found to have at least two themes, she says. A majority had at least five themes, but only one person had all eight. Dr. Gabayan is a physician and medical researcher who has received multiple research grants and awards for her work. She has also published dozens of papers cited by hundreds of researchers. She attended UCLA for her schooling and is now affiliated with the UCLA School of Medicine. The only daughter of Kurdish immigrants from Iran, she attended eight schools prior to attending high school and settling in Los Angeles. For more information please click here.  

Maybe it's time to re-think your relationship  “I found myself burnt out, frustrated” (TRT is 11:00)  Everyone knows the old saying that “money cannot buy happiness.”  But what about having fun with your money? Financial wellbeing coach Erin Gray helps people come to terms with where they are financially.   In this edition of Bizgnus Interviews, Ms. Gray says she's teaching others, especially women, what she learned the hard way.   Ms. Gray says she spent 40 years thinking that “chasing money would eventually lead to happiness and fulfillment.” Not so in her case.  The former certified financial planner and chief financial officer of her family's company finally had a panic attack. “I found myself burnt out, frustrated, and disconnected from the joy of living,” she writes.  For more information: generatealifewelllived.com

•. Here are tips for small businesses •. “Boy are you exposed”   Why haven't you enlisted artificial intelligence in your marketing efforts?   Las Vegas marketing master Mitch Carson has been at the tip of the spear when it comes to AI and marketing.   In this episode of Bizgnus Interviews, he offers examples from his experience of marketing in the 21st Century with AI.   But the first hurdle he has to cross is far more basic than artificial intelligence.   “Marketing is not transaction one time, it's an on-going effort,” he says. “If you're dependent on Facebook only as your lead source, boy are you exposed.”   Mr. Carson is an early adopter of AI.  “I produced events last year on ChatGPT here in Las Vegas,” he says.  “We were the very first to produce live events educating people about the benefits of ChatGPT.”   He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. He later returned to school to earn an MBA with an emphasis in marketing.  He says he has trained more than 600 speakers, authors, coaches, consultants, and CEOs.  “Many have gone on to be bestselling authors,” he says, while “many have been able to experience a life transformation.”   For more information:  https://www.mitchcarson.com/

•  Nonprofit takes mentoring to a new, international level •  “Most of us are mentoring all the time, we just don't realize it” (Total Recorded Time is 17:42) When an organization's leaders give informal but special attention to those with potential but less experience, it's often called mentoring.   But can something so informal be organized?  Yes, says Deborah Heiser, who leads just such an organization.     The Mentor Project began casually when Ms. Heiser, an applied developmental psychologist. talked with a small group of friends about the need to match students with top experts in a vast array of fields, centering on the “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering and math.     The non-profit organization now provides free mentorship to students in elementary school through university.   “Most of us are mentoring all the time, we just don't realize it,” Ms. Heiser says.   The Mentoring Project, which she co-founded, started small but has grown quickly.  “It moved from 10 (mentors) to 60 to 80 to a hundred,” Ms. Heiser says.    “Our organization was built on mentors who didn't have a way to connect with mentees,” she says. “We've been doing it for about five years now and we're in five countries.”   She says it's not just the students who benefit from the program. “The benefits of mentorship for entrepreneurs is tremendous,” she says.   Ms. Heiser is the author of the new book, “The Mentorship Edge,” (Wiley; 1st edition, November 2024).   For more information: www.mentorproject.org and www.DeborahHeiser.com

• Supply chain expert Art Koch offers tips to be prepared • “We have to do a lot more education and training” (Total Recorded Time is 16:15) Assuming President-elect Donald Trump succeeds in imposing massive tariffs on goods imported from other countries, some manufacturing may move back to the U.S., or at least closer to the nation, says Art Koch, an expert in supply chain management. But don't look for any sudden significant increase in domestic manufacturing simply because the trained workers are not available, he says. “We have to do a lot more education and training,” he says. “I don't think it can be turned around in a short time.” How should companies be preparing?  Art Koch offers ideas in this Bizgnus Interview. Mr. Koch is the author of the new book, “The Supply Chain Revolution: Unlocking the Sustainable Profit Chain,” (Business Expert Press, June 2024). For more information: https://arthurkochmgt.com and https://arthurkochmgt.com/the-supply-chain-revolution/

•  AI shows the need for leadership •  “Some people are truly afraid of it” (Total Recorded Time is 18:00)    Edgar Allan Poe missed out on artificial intelligence, dying in 1849.  Had he written his poem “The Raven” nowadays, it might have gone like this: “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “'Tis some AI,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door. Only this and nothing more.”  But for many business leaders today, AI is no specter, but rather just something to deal with, says  Robert Hunt, who leads CEO peer groups and provides executive coaching.  As to that pecking away by AI, Mr. Hunt has some immediate advice.  “I think it's … a novelty and it's exciting -- and fearful to a lot of people,” he says.  “Our job as leaders is like any transition, any new thing, to cast a vision of how it fits into our vision because some people are truly afraid of it.”  Robert Hunt talks about AI and other leadership issues in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.  Mr. Hunt is a partner with Renaissance Executive Forums Dallas and leads CEO peer groups, provides executive coaching, and leadership development.  His new book, co-authored with Salem Thyne, is “Nobody Cares (until you do),” Advantage Media Group (September 2022).  For more information:  http://www.refdallas.com/

•  Dan Handel explains the kinship that exists between forests and spatial design •  “We have a good chance of actually being in a better place”  (Total Recorded Time is 20:00)    HAIFA, Israel -- They stand there for 50, 100, even 500 years until felled by chainsaw, fire, disease or storm.  These are the trees of our forests, which cover fully one-third of the land of the United States.   And while you think you know your local woody areas or even forests, Dan Handel really knows forests and how they impact how we live – and how people are impacting forests   Dan Handel joins us for this Bizgnus Interview.   Mr. Handel is a writer whose work focuses on research-based projects with special attention to underexplored ideas, figures, and practices that shape contemporary built environments.   He is an optimist, despite the daily reports of hurricanes, floods and massive wildfires.   “The crises we are facing … are at least a crisis of the imagination,” he says. “And when I say a crisis of the imagination is that because we collectively act in certain ways it accelerates the crises but at the same time we could reconsider some of our assumptions … in science and public policy. When we get there, we have a good chance of actually doing things differently and being in a better place.”    His new book is “Designed Forests: A Cultural History,” (Routledge; November 2024) which, according to its publicist, “explores the unique kinship that exists between forests and spatial design; the forest's influence on architectural culture and practice; and the potentials and pitfalls of ‘forest thinking' for more sustainable and ethical ways of doing architecture today.” 

•  Brian Brady is creating a multi-part detective series •  “As a native San Franciscan, I enjoy writing about my favorite city”  Remember Nash Bridges? How about the Continental Op?  Sam Spade? Or, surely, Dirty Harry.  All were — or are — fictional detectives working the crime beats of San Francisco. They were created by authors who set new standards for the genre, including Dashiell Hammett who could be considered the foundational author of detectives and the “city by the bay.” It might be time to add Brian Brady to the list of authors who have picked the hilly and often foggy streets of San Francisco as the locale for their books. But unlike many of the other authors, Mr. Brady knows real crime and the real streets of San Francisco.   He's been a cop and even chief of policies suburban Novato.  Add a stint as head of security for NBC Universal in Hollywood and you have a background that has now created two San Francisco-based crime thrillers with a third headed into its final editing. His new book is “Hiding in Plain Sight, (Palmetto Publishing, April 2024).  It is the second of a planned trilogy as he develops his characters and plots. The first book is “Oh. What a Tangled Web.” “As a native San Franciscan, I enjoy writing about my favorite city,” Mr. Brady write. “The city is rich in architecture, sports, tradition, and characters.” He says his characters are based on real people with a bit of literary license.

•  A “life of thrive” is possible instead •  “We facilitate learning pocket-sized techniques”   (Total Recorded Time is 14:51)    Feeling stressed out at work or at home. Or both?  Sara Thornhill hears you.   As a rape survivor who is divorced twice and having come out of the closet later in life, Ms. Thornhill says she understands the upheaval that's possible through big life changes.    But flip the coin.  She says healing is a birthright, that a “life of thrive” is possible for everyone, regardless of circumstances.   “We have strategically cultivated an inclusive culture to serve all humans, especially marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community worldwide,” she says.   Please click here to watch the Bizgnus Interview: https://youtu.be/UNXfqchFOzE   Please click here to listen to the interview or to download the audio file for later reference:     “We lead LGBTQ+ women to healing from heartbreak by reviving their power within,” she says. “We facilitate learning pocket-sized techniques clients can use anywhere to process stress and improve daily happiness, so they can bring the best versions of themselves to their own lives.”   Ms. Thornhill is chief executive officer of Sara Webb Says.  She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and travels internationally for workshops and speaking engagements.    For more information: https://linktr.ee/sarawebbsays

• Why the business owner might be the biggest problem • How to get out of the way of success   (Total Recorded Time is 21:00)    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Bradley Hamner says he's seen it again and again – entrepreneurs who've built their companies into firms generating a six-figure top line, but which seem stuck, unable to grow much larger.   A serial entrepreneur and founder of the BlueprintOS program, Mr. Hamner coaches other small business owners to develop systems that “run like a well-oiled machine and free the owner from day to day operations.” In his guest appearances and keynotes, Mr. Hamner speaks primarily to business owners and visionary entrepreneurs.   He calls it solving the “Rainmaker's Dilemma” – where the founder/owner is the weakest part of the business because he or she has stretched too far.   Mr. Hamner also hosts the Above the Business podcast, with over 4,000 downloads monthly.   For more information:  blueprintos.com

•  Steep growth and no profits is a myth, says consultant  •  It's not explosive growth that makes a business    Who won that race between the rabbit and the tortoise?  Everyone knows the answer, of course, and consultant Manny Skevofilax suggests a business strategy that the tortoise might endorse:  Don't sacrifice profits for growth.  To ensure the health of the business, go for steady growth and steady profits, he says, adding that steep growth and no profits as a long-term strategy is a myth.   After a career as a banker with Comerica Bank, Mr. Skevofilax opened his consultancy back in 2003.  As he notes, it's not explosive growth that makes a business, it's steady growth along with steady profits.  His new book is “Ultimate Profit Management: Maximizing Profitability as You Grow Your Business,”(Productivity Press; June 2024.)   For more information: https://poartalcfo.com

•  Michael Greenberg has been with AI since its early days •  Avoiding wasting money   (Total Recorded Time is 17:00)     Artificial intelligence is the buzz word in business these days. But how do business leaders know if it's critical to their firm's success – or just the buzzing about what's hot?  And how much time and money ought to be devoted to AI?  Michael Greenberg is one who should know.  He's been involved in AI almost from its beginning and now heads a company that helps businesses unlock  growth through AI.  He joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. Mr. Greenberg is founder and chief executive officer of the consultancy Third Brain Automation.  Mr. Greenberg's expertise in AI over the past decade includes developing solutions for integrating AI into business workflows, from automating content creation to building logic routers for project management.   For more information: http://gentoftech.com/ or http://callforcontent.com/

•  A veteran coach offers tips and what to avoid •  Can you actually love your business – and your life?    Consultants and coaches run into a lot of stuff over a career, much of it never to be spoken of.  In a career that has taken her across Canada and the United States, Laura Watson, founder of Venture Coaching International,  may well have heard it all.  She joins us for this Bizgnus Interviews episode to talk about how a typical organization can get the most out of a coach. Venture Coaching has provided life and business coaching to entrepreneurs and executives since 2003. “We exist so you can love your life and business,” Ms Watson writes. “There is no ‘cookie-cutter ‘coaching.”   For more information:  https://venturecoaching.ca

•  AI might help – up to a point •  “There will not be a replacement for a human being”   (Total Recorded Time is 20:12)    ENGLEWOOD, N.J. – The foundation of any business is the customer. But customer relations – that interaction between a business and those who give it money – can be challenging.  So can artificial intelligence help?  One of the world's authorities on customer experience and strategy execution says perhaps.  “I think that AI will do some mundane work that we probably don't care to do anyway,” says Lior Arussy, author, consultant and creative change agent.   “but I am a firm believer that when it comes to authenticity and human touch, there will not be a replacement for a human being.” Mr. Arussy's insights and methods have been put into practice in more than 200 corporate transformations worldwide.  He is also the author of seven books, including “Dare to Author!” (Greenleaf Book Group, October 2024) and “Next Is Now,” (Simon & Schuster; May 2018).   For more information:  https://www.liorarussy.com/

•  Does religion have any business in business? •  “It really comes down to ethics”   (Total Recorded Time is 15:00)  Artificial intelligence, also called AI, “lacks consciousness, self-awareness, emotions, and subjective experiences, which are fundamental aspects of religious belief. AI cannot genuinely ‘believe' or ‘practice' religion in the way humans do,” says ChatGPT when asked to write about AI and religion.   But what does a human religious scholar and entrepreneur think?  “It really comes down to ethics,” says Philip Blackett, an author, consultant and entrepreneur who previously has worked with FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and Chick-Fil-A.  “AI is a technology that isn't inherently good of bad. It just depends on the person who uses it,” says Mr. Blackett, who got his Masters of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his MBA from Harvard Business School.  Philip Blackett is our guest in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. He is the author of six books, the newest of which is “Disagree without Disrespect.”  For more information:  www.philipblackett.com

Johns Island, S.C. -- Steve Selengut carries some secrets that he's eager to share.  Mr. Selengut manages investment portfolios and has written a book to help investors in their efforts for a financially firm retirement.  He says he's developed a methodology for producing spendable income far in excess of the 4 percent generally needed by retirees.  Steve Selengut is our guest in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.  He says his book, “Retirement Money Secrets,” (RIC LLC, August 2023) explains the six basic principles and understandings needed to safely steer investment portfolios into and through retirement without dipping into principal.    For more information: https://theincomecoach.net/

•  The greatest astronomer you've probably never heard of •  “Milton was a very humble guy”   (Total Recorded Time is 18:49)     You'd be stretching the definition when you called him a high school dropout. That's because Milton Humason quit high school after just two days.  This teenage mule skinner guided mules up steep, rocky trails to the summit of Mount  Wilson, east of Los Angeles, where what would then be the world's most powerful telescope was being installed.  He was 30 years old and the best job he could find as a high school dropout was as a janitor at the observatory. But over the next decade he skyrocketed to becoming the world's foremost observer and photographer of distant galaxies.  By the time he was 40, he had co-discovered the Big Bang Theory with Edwin Hubble, after whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named.  Did you catch the name?  Biographer Ron Voller joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews to correct that. One of Einstein's theories stated that the universe was static. Messrs. Hubble and Humason, using the telescope, proved that the universe is not static but expanding, thus disproving Einstein's theory.  “Milton was a very humble guy,” Mr. Voller says. “He believed that Edwin Hubble should get the credit for the work, for the discovery.  He believed in the discovery more tham Hubble did.”   Mr. Voller's latest book,  “Hubble, Humason and the Big Bang: The Race to Uncover the Expanding Universe,” (Springer Praxis Books) tells Milton Humason's amazing story,  He is also the author of “The Muleskinner and the Stars” (Springer 2015).  Mr. Voller is working on his third book, “Bang! Goes the Universe” on cosmic origins and our understanding of them.  For more information: ronvoller.com.

 •  Bakersfield teacher taps 10 of the greatest for their wisdom •  “I think we kind of fetishize to this ethic of victimhood”  (Total Recorded Time is 15:00)    As the nation grapples with what some say is the most divisive politics since the Civil War, a civics teacher in Bakersfield may have an answer.  Jeremy Adams has tapped the wisdom of ten of the nation's past leaders to offer ideas on how to heal today's divide, especially with young people.  In this episode of Bizgnus Interviews, Jeremy Adams explains what he's found.  Please click here to watch the interview: https://youtu.be/GUf4nORwwOQ “Lessons in Liberty,” (Broadside Books; May 2024) highlights ten great Americans who came before us, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who have overcome differences by virtue and good character.   “We are largely byproducts of the voices we hear,” Mr. Adams says. “And a lot of those views are not positive, they're not empowering … they're very cynical, they're very negative.   “I think we kind of fetishize to this ethic of victimhood in a way that's not healthy for using our liberty in a meaningful way.”   Mr. Adams teaches at Bakersfield High School, in California's Central Valley. “Lessons in Liberty” is his fifth book.  For more information:  https://jeremysadamsauthor.com

•  Why you need to vet people and information before you act •  Surrounded by armies of crooks, here'what can the average person do   (Total Recorded Time is 18:12)    Welcome to 2024 and the seemingly everywhere fake-it-till-you-make-it founders, win-at-all-cost politicians, and plain old-fashioned hucksters.   Surrounded by armies of crooks, what can the average person do?   Cynthia Hetherington has some ideas.  The cyber security expert joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews….   Ms. Hetherington says today's problems mean you should thoroughly vet would-be employees and ideas.   She provides specialized training for investigative professionals through the OSINT Academy, and has authored several books on conducting cyber investigations, including her latest, “OSINT: The Authoritative Guide to Due Diligence: Essential Resources for Critical Business Intelligence, 3rd Edition” (Hetherington Group (June 2024).  For more information: http://www.hetheringtongroup.com

•  Adam Wallace says customers seek value, not just low prices •  Pricing strategies that will boost the bottom line   (Total Recorded Time is 18 minutes)    Your customers are value-hunters, not just bargain-hunters. Many will pay a premium for your products or services if… if they save time, solve problems, make them feel good, and more. The key is finding the value that makes your offering irresistible.   Pricing strategist Adam Wallace says for smarter pricing – to make sure you're not leaving money on the table – find out what your customers value and will happily pay more for   Adam Wallace joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews with ideas that could help you gain and retain customers. Adam Wallace is the author of the new book, (Re)Value: Raise Your Prices and Build Your Legacy,” Business Expert Press; July 2024.  In the book, he says he distills his years as a Fortune 100 fixer into pricing strategies that will boost the bottom line.  Mr. Wallace serves as an interim executive and board member for private companies.   For more information: www.AdamWallace.com

•  Learning to match your behavior to your beliefs •  Plus an explanation of what's not quite right with bacon ice creram    Douglas Squirrel has been coding for forty years and knows more than something about artificial intelligence and business.  A lot more.  But he is also concerned with something far more basic than fiddling with ChatGPT and its rivals.  Mr. Squirrel says a successful digital transformation for any organization must start with a conversational transformation.  Douglas Squirrel joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews to explain.  His experience includes growing software teams as a CTO in startups from fintech to biotech to music and coaching leaders in improving their conversations, aligning to business goals, and creating productive conflict.   He lives in Frogholt, England, in what he describes as a timber-framed cottage thought to have been built in the year 1450. He is the author of “Squirrel's Tech Radar,” “Decoding Tech Talk,” and “Agile Conversations: Transform Your Conversations, Transform Your Culture,” co-authored with Jeffrey Fredrick.    For more information:  www.douglassquirrel.com

•  Mental strength is the attribute that most directly correlates with exceptional achievement •  Today's leaders, whether in business or elsewhere, need classic mental toughness    SAN DIEGO -- Fortitude.  Confidence.  Boldness.  Decision-making.  Sounds like a situation-wanted ad from Braveheart.  But no, this is not that of a Scottish rebel of 700 years ago.  It is part of the mix that  Scott Mautz says is needed in today's leaders, whether in business or elsewhere.   Mr. Mautz speaks from personal experience. He is a former Procter & Gamble executive who ran four of the company's largest multi-billion dollar businesses and is also author of three best-selling books, “Leading from the Middle,” “Find the Fire,” and “Make It Matter.”  He joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews with tips and examples that can help make you a stronger leader.  Professionally, and personally, mental strength is the attribute that most directly correlates with exceptional achievement, even in the face of considerable challenges, Mr. Mautz says.   For more information:  https://scottmautz.com/

•  Jeff Sigel calls for better work environments and more fulfilling careers for middle managers •  Take 20 minutes for ideas on bolstering your middle managers    Middle managers have it tough.  They are caught between, well, just about everything.  Middle managers are directing work and they are performing work—and the dual nature of these roles can be challenging.  Jeff Sigel says he has answers tested in companies of all sizes that create better work environments and more fulfilling careers for middle managers.  He shares some of those ideas in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. “Mddle managers often find their job so difficult because they don't really understand their role is actually three different roles at the same time,” Mr. Sigel says. “Most people find the job so hard because they never get explained that leading other people is actually a real part of the job.”  Mr. Sigel is principal onsultant for Proprioceptive LLC, a consultancy focused on turning strategy into action by developing middle management excellence.   He is author of the new book, “The Middle Matters: A Toolkit for Middle Managers.”    For more information: https://jeffsigel.com/

•  Gene Jones has 1,500 thoughts in his recipe book •  The game show host and fire-eater seeks the wisdom of the ages   Gene Jones is a collector of sorts.  Not of balls of string.  Nor coins or stamps.  Mr. Jones collects wisdom.   His latest endeavor is a new book, “Consolidated Wisdom: The Ultimate Book of Quotations For Success, Happiness, and Health,” (Dreamquest Publishing, May 2024). He joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews to share some of the more than 1,500 bits of wisdom that he put into his new book.  In addition to 35 years as a game show host, Mr. Jones is also a creativity coach and producer who, according to him, began his career “as a professional juggler, magician, and fire-eater”  For more information: www.genejoneswisdom.com

• In 10 minutes, Tom Griffiths offers a lifetime of advice • “I help small business owners have a growing and more profitable business” Where did all the money go? Any business owner wondering that might also wonder if they had ever made any money. Business management consultant Tom Griffiths says he's heard those questions too many times, often from business owners totally emeshed int the weeds of running the business. “I help small business owners have a growing and more profitable business so they can achieve their personal and professional goals.” Mr. Griffiths says. “My goal is simple: to help my clients go from feeling overwhelmed [and] stressed about the finances.” Over the next ten minutes, Mr. Griffiths offs advice and tips that cen help even them most be-weeded small business owner get closer to running their business like a CEO, with the numbers driving sound decision making. Please click here to watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz3j4o8xg8k For more information: www.synergycfosolutions.co

As you assemble your team, your money and your resolve to start a new business, keep in mind the need to give back.  Our guest in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews, Jeff Maine founder of Bluffton,  South Carolina-based Pay Proudly, says he had a twofold mission: to provide business owners with payment clarity and to support communities through charity.  How's that working out?  Let's find out.  Mr. Maine says his company directs a portion of credit card processing fees collected to nonprofits and charities on behalf of his merchants.   For more information: https://www.payproudly.com/

•  Matthew Fornaro offers advice to those striking ot on their own  Thinking of starting your own small business?  Better get out the legal maps, that is, the legal advice you'll need to avoid problems down the road.  Matthew Fornaro is a business attorney whose Florida practice is aimed at helping smaller businesses.  In this episode of Bizgnus Interviews, Mr. Fornaro offers advice from his more than 20 years of running a small business that serves small business. Before starting his law firm, he was an attorney at two large law firms focusing on civil litigation. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the District of Columbia Bar.  For more information: https://fornarolegal.com/

•  Julia Carlson says to grow real wealth, you have to transform your relationship with money •  True financial success goes beyond numbers    The cat is doubtful, but your dog probably loves you.  Another thing that loves you is money.  So says financial advisor and author Julia M. Carlson, who has just published "Money Loves You," (Joan of Arc Publishing, March 2024).  Ms. Carlson is founder of Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group, which she says promotes a “holistic wealth management philosophy.”  Ms. Carlson says true financial success goes beyond numbers — it's about aligning financial strategies with individual values, dreams, and life goals.    For more information: juliamcarlson.comor financialfreedomwmg.com  

•  Winning tennis coach offers tips to ramp up your leadership •  “So going from great to superior is that little extra”    “Hit down on the ball!” Countless tennis coaches have made that entreaty to students in countless tennis lessons.  Coaches know it takes more than properly whacking a ball to win a match.  And Rusty Komori knows that and a lot more, proven by his boys' varsity teams winning an unprecedented 22 consecutive state championships, a national record that still stands.  Mr. Komori now coaches executives, is host of a televised series in Hawaii and is author of three books.  In this episode pf Bizgnus Interviews, Mr. Komori offers tips that he uses to help leaders ramp up their success.  “All of us are capable of achieving so much more than we think we're capable of achieving,” Mr. Komori says. “So going from great to superior is that little extra.”   For more information: www.rustykomori.com

•  Cyber security expert offers ideas for businesses •  “Understand that the risk is out there”  TRT is 16:00)    Terrence Ziemniak calls himself a fractional executive, helping a number of small and larger businesses to fend off cyber criminals and the troubles they bring.  His background includes stints leading teams of all sizes involved with information security.  He says that no matter the size of a business, its leaders need to be working daily to protect it from attacks by cyber criminals.  On this edition of Bizgnus Interviews, he offers ideas and suggestions.  “Understand that the risk is out there,” he says. “Understand the big drivers, understand the expectation.”   For mor information: https://www.techcxo.com/

•  Expert takes readers from nightmare to sweet dreams •  Why you read between the lines   (TRT:  19:12)  What can we learn about insurance from Goldilocks, Rapunzel, Humpty Dumpty, Old Mother Hubbard, and others? Chantal Roberts knows.   Ms. Roberts, who calls herself an insurance nerd, has written a book putting lessons about insurance into major rewrites of traditional fairy tales.   She says that insurance -- just as in fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and fables -- what appears to be an innocent story often contains a deeper message.  Ms. Roberts says that if you want to know what is actually going on with your insurance, you need to examine the small print and read between the lines.   Ms. Roberts has previously written two books. Her newest book is “Once Upon A Claim: Fairy Tales to Protect Your Ass(ets),” (Tilting At Windmills Press; May 2024).   She says the new book provides consumers with a better understanding of property and casualty insurance and claims.     For more information: tiltingatwindmillspress.com    

•  Then comes the hard part •  “If you publish the book yourself, you do the marketing”    Put words onto a computer's screen, enough to make a paragraph, then a chapter and perhaps, eventually a book.  Then what?  Michael Bergen of Montreal has done that four times, creating a series of historical novels called “The Rutherford Chronicles.”  In this episode of Bizgnus Interviews, Mr. Bergen talks about becoming an author and suddenly discovering he was once again in charge of a small business.  And like every startup, he is trying to find customers.  “I guess the worst mistake I made was believing that the editors I was using were professional and knew what they were doing,” Mr. Bergen says.   Now the goal is getting people to buy his books.  “The biggest challenge to an independent author like myself is marketing,” he says. “It is finding your readers. The big companies do the marketing [so] if you publish the book yourself, you do the marketing.  That's about ninety percent of the work.”   For more information: https://www.michaelgbergen.com/

•  Management of capital means more than money •  “Human capital should be a primary…focus for startups” (Total Recorded Time is 20:38) Many new businesses -- even those with mountains of money from venture capitalists or angel investors – fail and fail quickly.  While there's a long list of typical reasons for failure, Nikki Blacksmith says there's an often under-appreciated reason: mismanagement of human capital. “Human resource problems … put the startup at risk for failure,” writes Ms. Blacksmith, chief executive officer of Symeta Behavior Science and co-author of a new book on the subject. “We argue that human capital should be a primary, rather than secondary or tertiary, focus for startups.  “Without the right people all the other components are moot because it is the people who generate ideas, make decisions, and execute all of the business functions.” Ms. Blacksmith is an adjunct faculty member at American University in Washington, D.C., and has nearly 15 years of experience as a scientist-practitioner, focusing on psychometrics, selection, decision-making, and entrepreneurial performance. She's the co-author along with Maureen McCusker of the new book: “Data-Driven Decision Making in Entrepreneurship: Tools for Maximizing Human Capital,” (CRC Press; April 2024). For more information:  https://blackhawke.io 

•  How much of a disconnect is there between business and ethics? •  “Ethical leadership matters!”   If you were to ask 11 people if they thought they were ethical in their business, 12 of them would say “yes.”  But we see on the news every day that's not true.    Where's the disconnect and, if there's a general answer, why?  Richard Swegan may have an answer.  Mr. Swegan is the co-author of the new book, “The Practice of Ethical Leadership,” (Routledge, April 2024). He is also founder and principal consultant of Arch Performance of Wexford, Penn. “With power comes responsibility. That is why ethics matter,” write Mr. Swegan and co-author Florian Engelke in their new book. “Ethical leadership matters!”   For more information:  ethicalbottomline.com

•  Geonomics entrepreneur outlines the opportunities •  What you can learn from a mongoose  (TRT is 21:10)   If you could just find the key to your Wayback machine, would you zip into the past to be at the start of the microchip industry?  Or at Steve Job's side as he crafted the first Mac?  Or something else?  No need to wish to return to yesteryear for a ground floor opportunity, says biotech executive Stan Rose.  The next revolution of science is underway now with artificial intelligence being applied to biology.  He says “synthetic biology” is emerging, with “creation of organisms or products derived from those organisms. Mr. Rose, the founder of a series of successful startups, joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews. Following a kidney transplant, Mr. Rose has continued to contribute to science and medicine. His firm, Rose Ventures, Inc., works with early-stage companies developing life science products and services.   He is the author of the new book, “Can't Tame a Mongoose: Memoir of a Genomics Entrepreneur,” Miles Pond Press (March 20  For more information: www.roseventures.net

•  Why some industries seem asleep at the switch •  Using AI to stop problems from developing  (Total Recorded Time is 22:00)  The AI doctor is in.  We don't mean a robot but management consultant Tommy Ogden who has some advice about using artificial intelligence in business.  Mr. Ogden is co-founder of the Houston-based boutique IT advisory firm Activera Consulting where he leads their project excellence and data and AI practices. Mr. Ogden holds two masters degrees - an MBA from University of Houston and an international business degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.  For more information: https://www.activeraconsulting.com

•  A leadership strategy that centers around interoception •  “Emotions feel hard for so many”  (Total Recorded Time is 16:17)    Who might make a better leader – one who is emotional or one who suppresses emotions?  It's likely that Kim Korte, a Napa, California-based consultant and author, would say the former.   She has developed a leadership strategy that centers around “interoception,” the body's sensory system that creates the sensations called as emotions. Ms. Korte says studies have shown "a causal relation between interoception and the rationality of decision making.   Ms. Korte is the author of the new book, “Yucky Yummy Savory Sweet: Understanding the Flavors of Emotions.”   “Emotions feel hard for so many,” she writes. “Without having to journey deep into your past, is there a way to identify and process them?”   For more information:  www.kimkorte.com

•  Jeremy Shapiro says peers can offer the right mix of advice •  Making the transition from “solopreneur” to “business owner”    SAN JOSE, California -- Jeremy Shapiro says he has spent more than a quarter of a century helping small business owners make the transition from “solopreneur” to “business owner.”  It's the common problem of working “in” their business instead of “on” their business.  Mr. Shapiro joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews to offer some ideas. Please click here to watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ybVY04vSm8 For more information:  https://bayareamastermind.com/

•  He says mediocre marketing contributes to the high failure rate of startups •  “They fall into the trap of this sea of sameness”  (Total Recorded Time is 22:48)    SANFORD, Florida -- Daniel Den is an entrepreneur who says he has taught successful marketing to thousands of small business owners over the past two decades.  “What we've found is there is a lot of people when it comes to marketing and sales where they think marketing and sales is taking a look around inside of their market and cherry picking,” Mr. Den says. “Actually, they fall into the trap of this sea of sameness.”  He says mediocre marketing contributes to the high failure rate experienced by eight out of ten startups.  Mr. Den was hoping to become something of an inventor of toys but after finding the needed engineering courses were, to him, a boring way to spend one's life in college, “I became fascinated with marketing and sales almost two decades ago.”  Mr. Den is the author of the new book, “Ideas That Influence."   For more information:  https://www.bigideasbox.com/

•  What happened when Liam Naden went to work on his brain •  “I was forced to try a different approach”   (Total Recorded Time is 22:24)    AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Liam Naden was a wild success.  And then he wasn't.  He says he went from being a millionaire by his mid-40s to losing everything and becoming homeless.  That's when he decided to slice his brain into four parts.  Not literal brain surgery, but through study determining that the brain has four major “parts” that when used properly can lead to success in business and life.  Liam Naden explains what he discovered and how he puts it to work in this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.  “I uncovered this when, after a lifetime of personal development and spirituality study and application (and success as an entrepreneur) … I was forced to try a different approach,” Mr. Naden says.  “This led me to an understanding of how the brain really works - and how it is the key to all of the results we get in our life.”   For more information:  https://liamnaden.com/ 

•  Marilyn Jenkins offers advice you can use today •  “Your customers are digital”   (Total Recorded Time is 12:12)    HOUSTON, Texas -- Google. It's been in business for just a quarter of a century but it has in that time wriggled its way into almost every aspect of daily life, especially business.  Is it now too complex for a small business to tap into?  Marilyn Jenkins, a digital marketing expert, has written a new book that she says is designed to give any local business the tools and instructions to dominate their local Google searches.   She joins us for this episode of Bizgnus Interviews.  “In this day and age, your customers are digital. You need to be in front of them when they have a need,” Ms. Jenkins says.  Her company helps local businesses using paid ads and Google Business Profile optimization.   She says her book, "The Google Business Profile Training Guide," teaches businesses how to dominate local search.  For more information:  https://maximizeyourgbp.com