Podcasts about agencies

Welcome to another compelling episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with special guest Brett Farmiloe, a former agency owner turned SaaS entrepreneur, to unpack the evolving world of PR and media in the age of AI. Together, they dive into the complexities and opportunities that the rapid adoption of AI presents for agencies, especially those aiming to maintain authentic, high-value relationships with journalists and media outlets. In this insightful conversation, Brett Farmiloe shares the unique vantage point gained from his time building and selling a marketing agency, now channeled into his role as the founder and CEO of Featured.com and the current owner of the iconic HARO (Help a Reporter Out) platform. He reveals how both tools are being reimagined to adapt to today's media demands—where automation intersects with the irreplaceable value of human expertise. Agencies will gain an inside look at how AI is reshaping the process of matching experts with media opportunities, the crucial role of maintaining human oversight, and strategies for keeping quality and trust at the forefront in a flood of AI-generated content. Throughout the episode, Drew McLellan and Brett Farmiloe tackle the questions on every agency leader's mind: How can we use AI as an asset, not a crutch? What do journalists expect from agency sources in a world where the line between authentic insight and machine-generated text is increasingly blurred? And what are the best practices for pitching and building real relationships in this new landscape? You'll hear practical strategies, real-world examples, and honest perspectives on keeping your agency—and your clients—ahead of the curve.   Don't miss this episode if you're ready to rethink PR for your agency, streamline your workflows with SaaS-inspired thinking, and learn how to create more value for your clients in a changing media environment. With actionable takeaways on automation, self-service value, and trust building, this discussion is packed with ideas to help you future-proof your agency's PR and client service strategies.   A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How AI is reshaping PR and media relations for agencies   The ongoing importance of human expertise in "human-in-the-loop" PR Maintaining trust and quality when using AI-generated pitches Reviving and modernizing HARO to better connect journalists and sources What agencies can learn from SaaS to increase efficiency and value How journalists are adapting to AI, multiple income streams, and new media channels New opportunities for agencies in proactive PR and as AI consultants for clients

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Running an agency today looks nothing like it did even a few years ago. What used to work: SEO-driven inbound leads, tight vertical niches, and predictable platforms, has shifted fast. Today's featured guest has learned to adapt to these changes and went from having a clear and defined niche to letting clients' needs guide the next steps for her business. She'll talk about navigating those changes, evolving your positioning, and deciding whether you're actually willing to do what adaptation requires. Laryssa Wirstiuk is the owner of Joy Joya, a boutique email and SMS marketing agency that serves women-focused, product-based e-commerce brands. With more than 15 years in marketing and over a decade running her own agency, Laryssa has lived through multiple shifts in platforms, buyer behavior, and agency models. Her background as a marketing generalist, working across SEO, social, and email, gave her the flexibility to adapt as the market changed. That adaptability, combined with a strong point of view on branding, inbound marketing, and outbound growth, made her a great guest for agency owners questioning what's next for their own businesses. In this episode, we'll discuss: Starting out with a clear niche and evolving along the way. Adopting a hybrid growth strategy. Personal brand vs. clear offers. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. How to Choose a Niche Without Getting Stuck In It Laryssa didn't stumble into her original niche by accident. After working across industries like tech, education, and healthcare, she realized none of them truly excited her. Jewelry stood out because of its mix of fashion, storytelling, and creativity. Rather than guessing, she intentionally took in-house and freelance roles in the jewelry industry to build credibility before going all in. That vertical focus paid off. By committing to a specific industry, Laryssa was able to build a strong referral network, speak at trade shows, and create highly targeted content that drove inbound leads. But after nine years in the jewelry space, she noticed that the biggest results she delivered for clients consistently came from email marketing. What started as one service among many became the clear driver of ROI. The shift from a vertical niche (jewelry) to a horizontal specialization (email and SMS marketing) wasn't a sudden pivot. It was a response to real performance data. Stronger results, clearer processes, and deeper expertise made the decision feel natural. Your niche should serve your strengths, not trap you in yesterday's model. Why Inbound Alone Is No Longer Enough For most of Joy Joya's history, inbound marketing did the heavy lifting. Content, SEO, YouTube, and a podcast tailored to the jewelry industry created steady deal flow without much outbound effort. That's one of the biggest benefits of vertical focus: you can dominate a small pond with the right content and relationships. But the market shifted. Search behavior changed. Social algorithms changed and AI entered the picture. Laryssa realized that relying solely on inbound was no longer enough. Over the past year or two, she intentionally started building outbound muscles: cold email, cold calling, LinkedIn outreach, and systems that allowed her team to support those efforts. The key insight here isn't that inbound is dead, it's that inbound alone is risky. Agencies that survived and grew were willing to adapt their acquisition mix, even when it meant doing uncomfortable things. The Hard Question Every Agency Owner Faces Adapting isn't just about strategy. You should also ask yourself whether you want to do what's required next. New platforms, new sales motions, and new expectations can trigger an existential crisis for long-time owners. You don't have to love every part of running an agency, but you do need the discipline to face the things you'd rather avoid. The solution isn't grinding forever but rather identifying what you don't enjoy, systemizing it, delegating it, or removing it altogether. Agency owners should get comfortable with change as a necessary part of running an agency. The hard part is that change often targets the things you already tolerate but don't love. That's why many agencies stall. The owners don't hate their situation enough to change it but they don't love it enough to stay fully committed either. When Personal Brand Creates Attention But Not Conversions As AI and recommendation engines influence buying decisions, developing a personal brand becomes vital when it comes to being recommended by these tools. People want to work with leaders whose beliefs, values, and perspectives they understand. That's why podcasts, long-form content, and consistent points of view matter more than ever. In her case, Laryssa shared an unexpected challenge after developing her personal brand. She had built such a strong personal and brand identity that many people understood her perspective but didn't fully understand what her agency actually did. In some cases, prospects were more familiar with the brand name than the services behind it. The lesson for agency owners is balance. Thought leadership without clear offers creates attention without conversion. As platforms evolve, it's not enough to educate—you need to connect that education to the right services, for the right audience, at the right time. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

#182: Starting 2026 with the awesome Susan Baier. Susan is the CEO and founder of Audience Audit. She helps small to mid-sized agencies create better marketing based on real insights into real attitudes of real people. In this episode, Pat and Susan cover:  The future of agencies The impact of AI  What clients want from their agencies And how genuine generosity and being helpful are the ultimate tools for creating a sustainable pipeline.  Connect with Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbaieraz/ Or at her website: Audience Audit Check out Susan's past episode of Over A Pint here Connect with Pat here: pmcgovern@ascedia.com   Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!  Thanks, you're the best! Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup. This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

A pair of Democratic lawmakers are reviving a push to guarantee federal agencies that use artificial intelligence systems have a civil rights office dedicated to curbing “bias and discrimination” in AI. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., reintroduced the Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems (BIAS) Act on Thursday. If enacted, federal agencies that use, fund, or oversee the development of AI algorithms would be required to establish civil rights offices staffed by experts and technologists. According to the bill text, these experts would focus primarily on bias, discrimination or other harms, including the impact on certain communities, groups or individuals, or bias against certain characteristics related to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, disability and more. These offices would also be mandated to report their efforts to Congress. The bill comes as federal agencies race to adopt and integrate AI into their workflows. Government watchdogs found the use of generative AI in federal agencies “rapidly” jumped from 2023 and 2024, with that number expected to have increased over the past year. Markey's office noted federal agencies often lack civil rights offices “whose principal mission is to protect vulnerable communities,” and the ones that exist often are not required to have staff familiar with algorithmic bias. The Department of Homeland Security is finalizing plans for a new body that would replace the functions of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) and serve as a communications hub between industry and government to discuss ongoing threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, including from cyber attacks. Under previous administrations, CIPAC served as a nerve center for federal agencies, industry and other stakeholders. While industry widely praised its utility, the council was one of many DHS advisory bodies that were shuttered last year by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem when President Donald Trump returned to office. Now, according to multiple sources, a proposed regulation for a new replacement council is in the final stages of review and approval from Noem's office. The new body will be called the Alliance of National Councils for Homeland Operational Resilience, or “ANCHOR,” and will also serve as an umbrella organization for other federal sector risk management agencies. Its goal is to restart conversations and planning around infrastructure security that took place under the previous CIPAC, according to a former DHS official. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

What does it actually take to build, and exit, a successful agency? In this episode, Colby sits down with David Rodnitzky, founder of 3Q Digital, to unpack 25 years of agency growth, hard lessons, and hard-earned perspective. From building a $100M+ agency through multiple acquisitions to navigating private equity, AI disruption, and the realities of scaling service businesses, David shares what most founders only learn the hard way.They dive into:Why FOMO vs FOMU determines which clients you attractThe real difference between serving startups vs enterprise brandsWhy most agencies struggle with sales (and why that's okay)How thought leadership actually compounds over timeWhen hiring ahead of revenue makes sense, and when it doesn'tWhat AI really means for agencies over the next few years If you're building, scaling, or rethinking an agency, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, positioning, and longevity.

2025 was a hard year for American nonprofits: roughly one in three lost some form of funding, and charitable giving wavered, given the uncertain economy. That has created a challenging environment for families of children with disabilities in the Greater Rochester region. In this Dialogue on Disability discussion, we explore what a local nonprofit is doing to sustain and grow — as demand grows for services. We also talk to parents who share personal stories. Our guests: Laura Arrington, director of training and workforce development at Starbridge, and parent of a child with a disability Kara Georgi, family education specialist at Starbridge This story is reported from WXXI's Inclusion Desk and is part of Dialogue on Disability Week — a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies — in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series.---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

OTP takes you into the world of Provider Agencies. What do they provide and who do they provide services for? Trendsitions, in Pendleton Oregon has won the Oregon Statewide Transition Conference Innovative Agency award for 2025. Ed Cortez, Director, shares about their work and what can be provided to transition age students attending school. Look for a bonus interview coming with a story of one of Trendnsition's staff who was hired and now works at Trendsitions as an ISP Coordinator.

The underground content system that works in nap time and pays like a full-time salary EPISODE SUMMARY This episode explores how busy parents can leverage their limited evening hours (as little as 73 minutes) to build profitable AI content agencies generating $5,000+ monthly without employees or office overhead. Host Tracy Brinkmann reveals the exact system working for parents right now, including the three-tool foundation, service packaging strategies, and the Weekend Launch Method to land your first $500 client in 72 hours. TIMESTAMPS & KEY INSIGHTS 00:00 The 73-Minute Parent Revolution 01:05 Episode Overview 02:05 Controversial Truth 02:45 Success Story 05:10 Three-Tool Foundation 07:40 Service Package Framework 08:30 Weekend Launch Method 09:55 Scaling System 11:15 Pricing Psychology 13:40 The Bigger Picture 16:20 Whiskered Wisdom STRATEGIES SHARED The Three-Tool AI Content Stack Content Creation: ChatGPT Plus for all written content Visual Design: Canva Pro for graphics and templates Automation: Blotato for publishing and client management Service Packaging Strategy Tiered pricing model with clear value propositions Monthly recurring revenue focus Scalable deliverables that don't require constant manual work Weekend Launch Method Friday: Research and identify prospects Saturday: Create proof-of-concept content Sunday: Outreach with value-first approach Scaling Without Burnout Batch content creation using AI Automated publishing schedules Single dashboard client management Evening/weekend work schedule RESOURCES MENTIONED Essential Tools ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) - Content creation Canva Pro ($15/month) - Visual design Blotato.com ($29/month) - Publishing automation Newsletter & Community AI Escape Plan Newsletter - DarkHorseSchooling.com Practical AI strategies for parent entrepreneurs Family-time-protecting side hustle systems Pricing Packages Content Starter: $1,500/month Content Pro: $2,500/month Content Authority: $4,000/month ACTION STEPS TO TAKE Immediate Actions (This Week) Research Local Businesses: Identify 10 businesses with poor social media presence Set Up Tools: Get ChatGPT Plus, Canva Pro accounts Create Sample Content: Make 3 social media posts for one business Practice Pitch: Develop your value proposition statement Short-Term Goals (Next 30 Days) Launch Weekend Method: Execute the 72-hour client acquisition process Refine Service Packages: Finalize your three-tier offering structure Build Content Templates: Create reusable frameworks for efficiency Test Blotato.com: Explore automation platform capabilities Long-Term Vision (3-6 Months) Scale to $5K Monthly: Acquire 3-4 clients at different package levels Systematize Operations: Full automation of content creation and publishing Expand Service Area: Consider additional local markets or service types Build Referral System: Leverage satisfied clients for growth CALL TO ACTION SECTIONS Sign up for the AI Escape Plan newsletter at DarkHorseInsider.com - your roadmap to more money, more freedom, and more of what truly matters.  

Here's what nobody tells you about referrals: the real value isn't the introduction, it's identifying who will keep referring you for years.In this episode, Dan breaks down why the classic "let me know if you know anyone who needs our services" approach fails almost every time, and walks through a systematic process for turning your existing network into a consistent source of warm introductions, tastefully. What You'll Leave With:Why asking "know anyone who might need our services?" puts massive cognitive load on your contacts (and what to ask instead)The three biggest referral mistakes agency owners make and how each one sabotages your resultsHow vertical vs. horizontal relationships determine whether someone will refer you The specific ask process: transitioning from categories of people to named individuals your connector actually knowsA practical approach to mapping your LinkedIn network for "referral ready connectors" without spamWhy strategic partnerships should be prototyped through referrals first, not started with commission structuresHow to think about the time investment: high-touch, high-leverage vs. volume plays that don't fit specialized agencies Resources Are you an upmarket-focused agency interested in setting up a referral-based new business system?  Lets talk - go here for details: https://hey.salesschema.com/referral-engine-lp

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training If AI can now write, design, and build faster than your team, what does a profitable agency actually sell next? Most agency owners have experienced a weird mix of excitement and anxiety about AI. On the surface, it feels like everything is changing overnight, including websites, content, search, development, and even how clients perceive value. Underneath that panic, though, there's a calmer truth: the fundamentals of running a great agency haven't changed at all. The tools have. Today's featured guest talks candidly about where AI actually helps agencies, where it's wildly overhyped, and why agency owners who focus on systems, relationships, and leverage will win while everyone else burns out chasing shiny tools. Eric Weidner is the founder of Workbox, a digital agency specializing in websites and custom applications for pharmaceutical companies and pharma marketing agencies. With a background that stretches back to the early days of the web, Eric has built, rebuilt, and adapted his agency multiple times, and today he's deep in the practical application of AI for real agency work, not just demos and hype. In this episode, we'll discuss: How agencies are positioned to win with AI. Avoid creating client disappointment with incorrect use of AI. The brutal reality for agencies that rely on "set it and forget it" marketing. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. The Road to Becoming a Long-Term Agency Operator Eric fell into web development in the mid-90s while working as a secretary administrator at a law firm in San Francisco. Exposure to early tech including computer networks, WordPerfect, XML, and eventually HTML turned into freelance work. That freelance work led to clients and eventually an agency. His story mirrors how most agencies actually begin, with skill, opportunity, and momentum. The problem is that what gets you started is rarely what helps you scale. Eric's longevity comes from his willingness to evolve without abandoning the fundamentals that keep agencies profitable. And that's the trap many agency owners fall into today: assuming AI is a complete reset instead of a force multiplier for the right business model. Why AI Feels Like a Career Defining Moment for Agencies When ChatGPT first came out, Eric didn't treat it like a novelty. He went all in because, for the first time in years, the intellectual challenge of building and running an agency felt exciting again. For a lot of seasoned agency owners, the business had become… static. Same services. Same delivery challenges. Same team bottlenecks. AI cracked that open. Suddenly, there were new problems to solve, new efficiencies to unlock, and new ways to multiply output without multiplying headcount. Ai introduced a chance to rethink how work gets done, how fast ideas move, and how agencies create leverage, not just more work. Eric has no blind optimism when it comes to AI. It isn't magic, and it's not ready to replace strategic thinking. But it is a force multiplier for agencies that understand systems. That's the opportunity most agencies are missing. Instead of asking, "How do we sell AI to clients?" the smarter question is: "How do we use AI to reduce friction, speed up delivery, and improve results—then package that advantage?" Agencies that do this become faster, leaner, and more profitable. Agencies that don't end up stuck in fulfillment, competing on price, and drowning in tools they don't fully understand. AI Is Powerful But It Still Needs a Human Brain AI tools can feel like a superpower, especially if you've never loved certain parts of your job. Writing, development, ideation, and prototyping are faster than ever. But there's a catch. AI works best at the first pass. Ask it to build a landing page, mock up a system, or outline functionality, and it shines. Ask it to make nuanced, detailed changes across a complex system, and it starts to fall apart. In a  sense, AI is like a drunk intern—brilliant on the first assignment, frustrating when you ask for revisions. For agency owners, this matters because selling AI as a silver bullet is a fast way to create client disappointment. The agencies that win will be the ones who understand where AI increases leverage and where human judgment still matters. Websites, Search, and the Shift Nobody's Talking About One of the most important things to understand if you're building a website nowadays is that we're not building websites just for humans anymore. As AI-driven search becomes more dominant, users don't always need to click through to a site to get answers. That changes how content, SEO, and authority work. Eric points to GEO—Generative Engine Optimization—as the next evolution of SEO, where freshness, clarity, and structured authority matter more than volume. This creates a brutal reality for agencies that rely on "set it and forget it" marketing. To stay visible, brands must publish consistently. Content often needs to be less than 90 days old to stay relevant in AI-driven systems. For agency owners already stuck in fulfillment, this is a warning sign. More services, more content, more tools without better systems just equals faster burnout. Content Alone Isn't Enough. Your Voice Builds Trust With AI flooding the internet with content, differentiation matters more—not less. People don't just consume content, they build relationships with voices they trust. That's why podcasts, communities, and consistent thought leadership outperform random marketing tactics. When people hear you think out loud for years, trust compounds. In an AI-saturated world, that human connection becomes the advantage. Or as Jason puts it: when agency owners say they need more leads, the answer is often boring but effective. Build a platform. Build trust. Stay visible. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

When asked, "How does it feel to be walking around with people always looking at you?" Corey R. Taylor answers, "You feel different." Taylor was born with craniofacial deformity. He underwent 50 surgeries before the age of 19. The question — which came from an elementary school student — was captured in a short documentary about his experiences living with a facial difference. "Don't Look Away" follows Taylor in his search for a job, housing, and love. He speaks candidly about how his facial difference has affected his relationships and his daily life, and how those experiences have shaped his personality. You can see the film during an online screening event next week, but first, we talk with Taylor and filmmaker Joseph Lingad as part of WXXI's Dialogue on Disability Week. Our guests: Corey R. Taylor, advocate, actor, and writer  Joseph Lingad, filmmaker of "Don't Look Away" This story is reported from WXXI's Inclusion Desk and is part of Dialogue on Disability Week — a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies — in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series.---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

I've spent a truly embarrassing amount of money on bad marketing support.Agencies. Contractors. “Experts.” People who promised to scale my work, optimize my ads, automate my infrastructure, and generally turn my business into a smooth, passive-income machine.What happened instead was I flushed over $20k down the toilet on IP that didn't even feel like me.Not because marketing doesn't work — it does.But because most marketing agencies are built on outdated strategies, soulless aesthetics, and zero understanding of the people they're supposedly helping.And frankly? A lot of them are wildly out of touch with the current market and the politics of the people they serve. (Not all of them—I should say I have worked with some great people…I just had the sneaking suspicion I could do it better if I built the team myself…)So today's episode of Left Standing is a conversation I've been wanting to have publicly for a long time.This Episode Is About Marketing — Plus You Can Hire Me and My Faves To Do It For YouIn this episode, I sit down with three women who have been in my world for years — not just as collaborators, but as friends. They also built my website, my ad campaigns, and did the same for half my clients.We are joining forces. And you can hire us here.Together, we talk honestly about what it's actually like to market an online service business right now — in a landscape shaped by algorithm chaos, AI saturation, burnout, capitalism, and constantly shifting attention.Some Things We Say Out Loud (That Most People Won't)We talk about:* Why so many people are lighting money on fire hiring agencies too early* Why “one-stop shop” marketing agencies don't get radicals the way we do* How DIY tools and AI have made marketing faster but often way worse* Why Ads Manager keeps changing and who that actually benefits* Why solopreneurs are being asked to do the work of full marketing teams (and how unsustainable that is)* Why authenticity isn't a brand trait — it's a survival strategy* And why most marketing advice completely ignores capacity, disability, grief, and real human limitsWhy We Built Something NewThis conversation also marks the launch of something we've been building quietly behind the scenes:Waxing Moon Media

https://bit.ly/meetwithAPP

Funding for disaster response is much needed in the American West where vast rangeland ignites quickly under dry conditions. In Eastern Oregon, innovative Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) bring together local ranchers and state resources to work collaboratively when fires break out. Derek Burkhardt is a 4th generation rancher and farmer from Vale, Oregon who is in a leadership role with his two local RFPAs, and Allison Rayburn is the Oregon Dept of Forestry's Rangeland Fire Program Coordinator. They share their motivations, recent firefighting experiences, and wish lists.

Episode 201: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeReaching new audiences on Instagram without spending a fortune on ads feels nearly impossible for most business owners, leaving you stuck in an echo chamber of the same followers while fresh prospects remain out of reach.In this episode, Michelle Weger reveals a new Instagram feature that most creators are completely overlooking - one that delivered her 2.2 million views on a single post without spending a dime.She walks us through her counterintuitive strategy for using this feature in ways Instagram never intended, how to identify which content to repurpose for maximum impact, and why you only need 25 minutes per day to implement this game-changing approach.About Michelle Weger: Michelle Weger is a Productivity Expert, Resilience Speaker, and AI & Business Automation Strategist with over 14 years of proven success. Following her narcolepsy diagnosis in her early twenties, Michelle channeled that challenge into a driving force for business building and relied on automation to sustain the lifestyle she needed and to maximize every moment of wakefulness. Michelle founded Venture Creative Collective, web development and business automation agency that has generated millions in revenue despite the challenges of her living with a disability. Her bestselling memoir, “Don't Snooze Your Dreams: Lessons from Life with Narcolepsy”, has topped charts in Canada and the United States. Recognized as one of the youngest winners of Ottawa's Forty Under 40, Michelle has shared her stories and insights on CBC's Marketplace, CTV Your Morning and You Can't Ask That. She travels the world alongside her Great Dane service dog Quinn, inspiring audiences to transform perceived limitations into opportunities for growth.Check out Michelle's Book “Don't Snooze Your Dreams” for FREE here: https://michelleweger.com/dont-snooze-your-dreams-book/sample/Connect with Michelle:https://michelleweger.com/ https://www.instagram.com/daneonaplane/ https://www.instagram.com/michelleaweger/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adaneonaplane https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleaweger/ Want to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerX (Twitter): https://x.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe EU economy is imploding, Germany the power manufacturing company is falling apart and now companies are moving to Hungary. Trump built the tariff system to compete the [CB]. Trump has now started the narrative of why the Fed should not be controlling the US economy. DOJ has begun a criminal investigation, soon the Fed will be restructured into the Treasury. The [DS] is panicking, they are losing the chess match and they have no more move except one. Trump has now set the stage and the [DS] will follow the path to their destruction. The money supply is in the process of being shutdown, the [DS] is struggling, the countries they controlled are struggling. Soon Trump will have all the leverage and the enemy will be at it’s weakest point. Game Over. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2010625048856424506?s=20   countries. In the year 2023, Germany lost 123,000 manufacturing jobs. The trend has continued in 2024 and 2025. Lousy energy policy has consequences. https://twitter.com/RealPNavarro/status/2010480063091720266?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealPNavarro/status/2010480094662332678?s=20   factory jobs appear. https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2010701202971935191?s=20 JUST IN: RINO Tillis Threatens to Block Fed Nominations Over Powell Criminal Investigation Federal investigators opened a criminal investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. Powell is under fire for the cost of renovating the Fed's DC headquarters. The cost ballooned from $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion. RINO Senator Thom Tillis is threatening to block any future Fed nominations over the Justice Department's federal criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Source: thegatewaypundit.com FED Chairman Jerome Powell Attempts to Evade Legal Accountability by Hiding Behind His Office Regardless of how you feel about the Federal Reserve Board, I think we would all agree the construct of an autonomous central bank is outside the boundaries of our constitutional framework.  Factually, the Sea Island financial group set up the Federal Reserve as a system of control over the U.S. economy that was completely unnecessary.  . Last year facing ridiculous cost overruns, congress questioned Powell over the insane spending proposal by Powell for a new office building.  Chairman Powell characterized the construction changes that escalated the cost of the project from $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion as ‘minor modifications.'  That's $2.5 billions of taxpayer money. .[Transcript] – “Good evening. On Friday, the Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June. That testimony concerned in part a multi-year project to renovate historic Federal Reserve office buildings. I have deep respect for the rule of law and for accountability in our democracy. No one—certainly not the chair of the Federal Reserve—is above the law. But this unprecedented action should be seen in the broader context of the administration's threats and ongoing pressure. This new threat is not about my testimony last June or about the renovation of the Federal Reserve buildings. It is not about Congress's oversight role; the Fed through testimony and other public disclosures made every effort to keep Congress informed about the renovation project. Those are pretexts. The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President. This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation. I have served at the Federal Reserve under four administrations, Republicans and Democrats alike. In every case, I have carried out my duties without political fear or favor, focused solely on our mandate of price stability and maximum employment. Public service sometimes requires standing firm in the face of threats. I will continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do, with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people. Thank you.” Source:theconservativetreehouse.com Powell says criminal investigation by Trump's Justice Department threatens Fed's independence https://twitter.com/unseen1_unseen/status/2010547216906125721?s=20 https://twitter.com/jeffreytucker/status/2010520328389173522?s=20  would love to have been a fly on that wall, just listening in. Jerome caved. Now he is whining like a man-child that his supposed independence is being compromised by a threatened criminal indictment over a profligate building project. Historians will have a hard time making sense of this hilarity, including the faux-serious pose in this histrionic statement of pretend integrity. There is no place in a democracy for a secretive and all-controlling central bank. These conspirators are toast, if not now or tomorrow, then eventually. A peoples’ government needs a peoples’ money that people can own and control, and a banking system that is based on market competition, not a cartel of big shots. Sorry, Jerome, you showed your cards five years ago, revealing exactly who and what you serve, and that is not the American people. These are the end times for the Federal Reserve. https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/2010771831658107044?s=20 https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/2010761420082917557?s=20 Silver and Gold Hit New Highs on Fed Probe and Heightened Geopolitical Tensions   Gold and silver prices are climbing in response to concerns around geopolitical issues and policy independence at the Federal Reserve. Source: barrons.com    of Dollars! It would be a complete mess, and almost impossible for our Country to pay. Anybody who says that it can be quickly and easily done would be making a false, inaccurate, or totally misunderstood answer to this very large and complex question. It may not be possible but, if it were, it would be Dollars that would be so large that it would take many years to figure out what number we are talking about and even, who, when, and where, to pay. Remember, when America shines brightly, the World shines brightly. In other words, if the Supreme Court rules against the United States of America on this National Security bonanza, WE'RE SCREWED! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP Political/Rights  WBD is not just another studio. It is the home of HBO, DC Comics, the Harry Potter films, Game of Thrones, and one of the most important film archives in the world. Netflix itself boasts that the acquisition would combine Warner's “iconic franchises and storied libraries” with the world's largest streaming platform. If Netflix absorbs these assets, it will not just be the biggest streaming service. It will become the most dominant cultural gatekeeper the United States — and much of the world — has ever seen. Yet despite the obvious risks, WBD's leadership is pushing forward even though Paramount Skydance has launched an all-cash tender offer of $30 per share for the entire company — a bid that implies significantly higher value for shareholders than Netflix's offer.  At the same time, merging WBD's vast film and television library into Netflix would weaken competition in both streaming and content markets and concentrate cultural power in ways fundamentally at odds with the diversity of voices a free nation needs to survive. On these grounds alone, this merger should be stopped. Handing this machine control over Warner's franchises and future output would allow one company to rewrite characters, retell history, redefine social norms, and control which ideas reach audiences. Majority Of North Carolina Trucking Licenses Issued To Foreigners Are Illegal: Duffy A review of non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) granted in North Carolina found that 54 percent were issued illegally, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a statement on Jan. 8. The review was conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and is part of its ongoing nationwide audit of trucking licensing systems, the department said. DOT warned that if North Carolina does not “fix their serious failures” and revoke licenses issued illegally to foreign nationals, the department will withhold almost $50 million in federal funding. Source: zerohedge.com DOT Strips California Of $160 Million Over Foreign Truckers A showdown between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of California reached a breaking point on Wednesday after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will withhold approximately $160 million in safety program money from the state. The move follows California's failure to meet a January 5 deadline to cancel more than 17,000 commercial truck driver's licenses that Duffy asserts were unlawfully issued by the state to foreign truckers. The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced in late December that it would delay the cancellation until March 6, but FMCSA did not agree to the extension. The $160 million penalty marks the first year of potential sanctions. Under federal law, if California continues to defy the FMCSA's Final Determination, the amount withheld could double in the second year. Source: zerohedge.com DOGE Yes, Dina Powell McCormick worked in the Trump administration. She served as the United States Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy from 2017 to 2018 . She also held the role of Senior Advisor to the President for Entrepreneurship, Economic Growth, and the Empowerment of Women starting in January 2017 . For context, the Truth Social post you linked is Trump congratulating her on her new role as President and Vice Chairman of Meta (announced today, January 12, 2026)  1104 Q !xowAT4Z3VQ ID: 28003e No.967331 Apr 9 2018 12:09:25 (EST) Anonymous ID: db2d29 No.967224 Apr 9 2018 12:02:45 (EST) >>967123 YOU are being TRACKED. NO FB account required. WTF? Is it embedded in Android OS? This is BIGGER than you think. Agencies attached. Q >>967224 Think ‘Bridge’. GOOG. FB. TWITTER. IG. ‘Central’ algorithm. The stage had to be set. Q Geopolitical  U.K Asks Germany and France, EU NATO, to Support Expanded Presence in Greenland  President Trump wins again. Seriously folks, you would think that after all this time the Europeans would finally understand how President Trump manipulates the media cycle and gets them to do exactly what he wants – while they and the majority of their constituents think it's exactly the opposite.  This stuff is just too funny now. According to European media outlets, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in discussions with Germany and France to send a NATO alliance to Greenland to establish a stronger NATO military footprint. {LINK} The media present this, hilariously, as if European NATO is going to defend Greenland against President Trump and the USA military. {{INSERT SEVERAL LAUGHING EMOJIS HERE}} I mean, think about it rationally. The U.K, France and Germany are unwilling to send troops into Ukraine without the protection of the U.S. military.  But somehow, for some reason, the U.K, France and Germany are going to send troops to Greenland to defend against the U.S. military. The narrative sounds silly when put into context, right? So, President Trump starts talking about the U.S. taking aggressive unilateral action to secure Greenland as a strategic national security matter.  Suddenly, ‘Voila!' European NATO, under the auspices of defending their Denmark democracy, wakes up and says, ‘No, wait, you can't just take Greenland, that's bad.'  Then they assemble urgent talks to send EU NATO military resources to Greenland.  Exactly what President Trump has been requesting to formerly deaf ears. See how that works?  Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/thestinkeye/status/2010481974985560110?s=20  notes… JSOC   Step 4: seize narrative and news cycles for a week or two while all the large accounts get their marching orders and post the same stuff over and over. The EU threatens to mobilize to “protect Greenland” and quietly discovers they cannot project meaningful power outside their continent without the US. Step 5: DJT walks back the outrageous solution (invasion) to the somewhat radical solution (purchase). The big accounts feel like they matter, the little accounts feel like the have been heard. DJT gets what he wanted all along, and Denmark gets a pile of money to fritter away buying votes with socialist BS. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2010567080802738660?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2010739799477354900?s=20 systemic instability. https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/2010605925342597449?s=20   Guard Corps (IRGC). https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2010532329303965733?s=20  Venezuela’s leader was a fugitive from US law enforcement and not a legitimate head of state, according to 60 different countries. He was apprehended, and Venezuela’s remaining leaders were asked to cooperate with US expectations. Greenland is likely to negotiate a compact of free association with the US and receive financial assistance, while maintaining self-governance, in exchange for military protection. Cuba is in rapid decline due to a loss of support from Venezuela (and other factors). China and Russia could offer assistance, but at considerable risk. Trump can wait and watch Cuba self-destruct, then come in and offer assistance to the Cuban people if and when they ask. Iran is in a similar situation to Cuba: a nation in rapid decline, with massive risk for Trump if he intervenes too quickly. The likely play there is to wait for the Ayatollah to flee. There would be no finger-pointing about “regime change” if the Islamic regime collapses on its own. Then, the US could offer assistance as an interim government is established. War/Peace https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2010435240079319153?s=20  specifically exclude any NATO troops from ever being put into Ukraine. All of these steps are designed to specifically undermine President Trump’s efforts at peace between Ukraine and Russia. The warmongers in Europe are determined to keep the war going as long as possible. They need to distract their voters with enemies so they don’t realize how Europe is collapsing economically and culturally. The European “leaders” desperately need enemies like Trump and Putin in order to point the finger and cast blame while things get worse in their own countries. Blame external forces, not their own policies. North Korean Hackers Using QR Codes to Steal Sensitive Information: FBI  North Korean state-sponsored cyber threat group Kimsuky is targeting American entities via a QR code scheme that can compromise sensitive information, the FBI said in a Jan. 8 alert. “As of 2025, Kimsuky actors have targeted think tanks, academic institutions, and both U.S. and foreign government entities with embedded malicious Quick Response (QR) codes in spearphishing campaigns,” the FBI stated. “This type of spearphishing attack is referred to as Quishing.” “Quishing (QR Code Phishing) is a phishing technique in which adversaries embed malicious URLs inside QR codes to force victims to pivot from their corporate endpoint to a mobile device, bypassing traditional email security controls.” In quishing campaigns, threat actors send QR images to targets as email attachments or embedded graphics, which typically evade URL inspection mechanisms. When targets scan the QR code, they are routed via redirectors to webpages that harvest their credentials. Such webpages impersonate Microsoft 365, Okta, or VPN portals. These operations typically end with hackers bypassing multifactor authentication (MFA) and hijacking cloud identities without triggering the usual “MFA failed” alerts. They can then establish persistence in the organizations' networks and use the compromised mailboxes to carry out further hacking operations, the agency warned. The FBI recommended that organizations adopt a multilayered security strategy to tackle the unique risks posed by QR hacking schemes. Source:  americafirstreport.com  https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2010464207192371542?s=20 Medical/False Flags Cancer Drugs Drive Nearly One-Fifth Of Pharma Sales  The global pharmaceutical industry’s revenue is increasingly concentrated in a handful of high-value drug classes, with oncology, diabetes/obesity treatments and immunology leading the charge. As Statista’s Tristan Gaudiat details below, according to estimates from Statista Market Insights, cancer drugs alone generated over $217 billion last year, making oncology the largest therapeutic segment, driving nearly one-fifth (18 percent) of all pharmaceutical sales. You will find more infographics at Statista Antidiabetic medicines rank second, with estimated sales of over $85 billion in 2025, contributing 7 percent to global market revenues. Source: zerohedge.com   then Premiums will FALL, by 50% or more, for most people. I want to go back to the three year window where you can get in there for ObamaCare where you won't pay as much. Don't expand ObamaCare. Congress must make Trump Rules permanent. These were President Trump's 2018 Short Term Plans Rule that President Obama terminated. All Congress has to do is say, ‘Look, the Short Term Plans can last up to 36 months, your Insurer can sell you a Renewal Guarantee so it can last even beyond that period, and you will get lower priced Insurance, better Insurance, Longer Term Insurance and, it doesn't cost Taxpayers a dime or, it won't destabilize ObamaCare.' Much simpler than what President Trump's advisers are selling him, much better to assuage the fears of nervous Democrats, because we had these Rules in place for six years, and ObamaCare did not crater. Subsidies will not solve this problem. Government should be capping what it spends on Healthcare at ZERO. Send them a check. No need for subsidies. Congress has to get out of the way of Private Insurance Companies. Give the money to the Consumers to buy directly from the Health Insurance Companies.” [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2010347486783693056?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2010445777676673233?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealAbs1776/status/2010549397969350845?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2010554642107675018?s=20 https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2010362097562013779?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2010540542220726775?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2010537739767238962?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/2010374476819472477?s=20   dozens and dozens of those individuals to justice already. We're gonna keep hundreds of HSI officers there to continue to protect those children. Every day we get another individual that was sexual assault against a child. Sodomy against a child. I can't believe that the mayor and governor can defend allowing those people to go out there and victimize more of our children and grandchildren.” Infuriating. When see you see these dumbass leftists protesting in the streets, just know that they are out there protecting pedophiles. At this point, how can anyone claim that the Democrats are the “good guys”? https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2010755631972577560?s=20   rammed a Border Patrol vehicle, threatening the lives of federal law enforcement officers. He should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again. President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2010487811732840449?s=20  A federal grand jury voted to indict the former FBI Director on two felony counts — and then three federal judges unraveled that indictment through conjecture, media narratives, personalized attacks on the United States Attorney, and procedural anomalies that have no precedent in federal criminal practice. https://twitter.com/RealSLokhova/status/2010247488826175976?s=20 https://twitter.com/realJeremyCarl/status/2010710384769151325?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

It's WXXI's annual Dialogue on Disability Week. We begin our coverage with a new podcast that puts the voices of people with disabilities front and center. The Move to Include podcast launches Monday. Produced by WXXI's Veronica Volk and hosted by education reporter/producer Noelle E. C. Evans, it dives into self-advocates' experiences navigating systems like the workforce, health care access, relationships, and more. Guests share the moments that shaped them and the changes they're working toward in their own lives and communities. We bring you the first episode and discuss what's coming next. Our guests: Veronica Volk, executive producer of the Move to Include podcast, and executive producer and director of podcast strategy for WXXI Public Media Noelle E. C. Evans, host of the Move to Include podcast, and education reporter/producer for WXXI News This story is reported from WXXI's Inclusion Desk and is part of Dialogue on Disability Week — a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies — in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series.---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections

The Presidential Rank Awards are back for 2026, and the Office of Personnel Management is now looking for nominations. The prestigious honors program is reserved for career members of the Senior Executive Service and other senior career employees. OPM's new call for nominations marks a restart of the awards program, which the Trump administration canceled for 2025. Agencies have until February 5th to submit nominations to OPM for any executives they want to be considered for a 2026 award. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are big fans of the productized service model and equate our rate to a set hourly limitation and internal billable rate. This isn't a secret. We've had multiple episodes on why knowing your internal hourly rate is crucial.Then we received an email from Jonathan Stark's team wanting to tell us why hourly billing and fixation on hourly tracking is "nuts".For an hour and a half, Jonathan steps into the ring with us to challenge the idea of hourly billing and time tracking with his value-based pricing model.Does he convince us his way is better? Or do we make him see the error of his value-based ways?-----Check out Jonathan at his website:https://jonathanstark.com/Learn more about his book, "Hourly Billing is Nuts":https://jonathanstark.com/hbin-----RESOURCES:Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools-----NEWSLETTERWant the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter-----COMMUNITYLooking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD-----CONTACTGot something to say? Send us a message:https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe US is now withdrawing from the GCF, the entire plan of the [WEF]/[CB] is imploding. Housing is going to boom, Trump has all the pieces in place. Supreme Court is suppose to make a decision on tariffs, if they rule against Trump he has another card up his sleeve.US trade deficit dropped by 40%. Trump just gave the [WEF] the middle finger and shutdown their entire agenda. The [DS] is doing exactly what Trump wants, they are building the insurrection right in front of the countries eyes. Trump has now set the trap of all traps, never interfere with an enemy while in the process of destroying themselves. Trump has the military, he has the law on his side, everything has been planned for, playbook known. Economy https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/2009264006083522849?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/TKL_Adam/status/2009018778294927730?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2009298104764219475?s=20 The Supreme Court is expected to potentially rule on the legality of President Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as early as tomorrow, January 9, 2026, at around 10 a.m. ET.  The justices heard oral arguments in the consolidated cases (Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc.) on November 5, 2025, where they appeared skeptical of the administration’s position that IEEPA grants the president authority to impose such sweeping tariffs during declared national emergencies.  Lower courts had previously ruled against the tariffs’ legality, but they remain in effect pending the Supreme Court’s decision.    These options are drawn from existing trade laws and have been used by past administrations. Here’s a breakdown of the key alternatives: Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962: This allows the president to impose tariffs on imports deemed a threat to national security after an investigation by the Department of Commerce. There’s no cap on duty levels or duration, making it flexible for broad application, such as on steel or autos.  Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974: Through the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), this permits tariffs in response to unfair or discriminatory foreign trade practices that violate international agreements or harm U.S. commerce. No rate limit exists, but it requires an investigation and findings, which could target specific countries like China.  Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974: This enables temporary import surcharges of up to 15% (or quotas) for up to 150 days to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits. It’s seen as a quick interim option while longer-term measures are pursued, but extensions need congressional approval.  Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974: Known as “safeguard” measures, this authorizes tariffs if surging imports are causing or threatening serious injury to domestic industries. It requires a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation and recommendation, with tariffs potentially lasting up to four years (extendable to eight).  Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930: This allows duties up to 50% on imports from countries engaging in “unfair” practices that discriminate against U.S. exports. It’s less commonly used and could face immediate lawsuits due to its broad interpretation potential. The administration has signaled readiness to shift to these tools, potentially starting with Section 122 for rapid implementation. U.S. Trade Deficit Drops 40% in Latest Commerce Dept Report  As you review this latest data on trade, remember any drop in trade deficits has two big picture functions: First, lower trade deficits generally mean the accompanying GDP release will be stronger than anticipated because imported products are a deduction from the valuation of all goods and services created in the U.S. economy.  Lower imports mean less is deducted. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, a drop in the trade deficit created by diminished imports means more wealth remains inside the USA. We are not spending, sending money overseas, to import foreign goods at the same rate, and that money stays inside the U.S. economy. More wealth inside the U.S. provides the fuel for expanded domestic growth, more investment gains in USA manufacturing and USA industry and the ability to pay higher USA wages. The Commerce Department is reporting today that the U.S. trade deficit for October 2025 dropped to the smallest amount in 16-years.  A significant amount of the deficit drop was because a high value of physical precious metals (gold/silver) was exported, simultaneous with big offshore pharmaceutical companies dropping the prices of imported products (policy and tariff pressure).   Some may question whether internal consumer demand has declined, causing the significant drop in imports.  However, the U.S productivity rate is still very high – which generally means domestic consumer demand is still high and all units produced have a lower overall cost per unit. Economic analysis can get weedy…. so, a simple way to look at productivity is to think about baking bread in your kitchen. If you were going to bake 4 loaves of bread it might take you 2 hrs. start to finish. However, if you were going to bake 8 loaves of bread it would not take you twice as long because most of the tasks can be accomplished with simple increases in batch size, and only minor increases in labor time. Your productivity measured in the last four loaves is higher. Economic Productivity is measured much the same way, within what's called a production probability equation. Additionally, if two hours of your time are worth $40, each of four loaves of bread costs $10 in labor; but if you make 8 loaves in the same amount of time the labor cost is only $5/per loaf.   When we see higher productivity in direct alignment with GDP increases, the increased production indicates sustainable GDP growth. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2009314808332734604?s=20 Political/Rights https://twitter.com/lizcollin/status/2009046198314008954?s=20 DOGE   Geopolitical https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2009287108796575807?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2009306335087665208?s=20 These nine Republican lawmakers joined the Democrats: Fitzpatrick (PA), Bresnahan (PA), Mackenzie (PA), Lawler (NY), Salazar (FL), LaLota (NY), Valadao (CA), Kean (NJ), Miller (OH). Yes, for S.J. Res. 98 (the Venezuela war powers resolution referenced in the post) to become law and enforce limits on further U.S. military actions, it must pass the House of Representatives after its recent advancement in the Senate. If the House approves it, the bill would then go to President Trump, who has indicated he would likely veto it based on similar past actions.  If vetoed, Congress would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override.    Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me. Nevertheless, a more important Senate Vote will be taking place next week on this very subject. https://twitter.com/DOGEai_tx/status/2009076665054277855?s=20  101’s 11-point democratization criteria – including releasing political prisoners and restoring National Assembly powers. The 2025 bill mandates strict oversight of any aid through Section 204’s safeguards against regime capture. Taxpayers deserve transparency: Will this embassy facilitate accountability for $150B in stolen oil revenues, or just greenlight more foreign aid slush funds? Strategic engagement only works if tied to verifiable reforms, not symbolic gestures. https://twitter.com/estrellainfant/status/2008948263916015793?s=20 Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth continue to expose Delcy Rodríguez and, at the same time, prevent the internal fissures of the regime from spiraling into an uncontrolled collapse. That is no coincidence: it is strategy. Rubio is not acting to provoke an immediate implosion, but to manage the decomposition of power. By exposing contradictions, routes, false narratives, and opaque movements, he weakens Delcy in front of the Chavista leadership, but without pushing the system toward a violent break that generates a power vacuum, chaos, or an unpredictable military reaction. This achieves several objectives at once: First, it isolates Delcy. Every time she is exposed, her room to maneuver shrinks in front of her “external allies” and the regime’s hardline elements. She shifts from being an operator to becoming a risk. Second, it deepens internal distrust. When sensitive information starts to align with U.S. actions, within the regime no one knows who is leaking what. That paranoia is corrosive and weakens more than a direct strike. Third, it preserves the minimum governability necessary for a transition. An abrupt collapse favors criminal actors, armed dissidents, and foreign powers. Controlling the pace of the erosion allows maintaining channels, containing damage, and preparing the ground for a subsequent political process. In that context, Delcy is trapped. If she cooperates, she exposes herself. If she doesn’t cooperate, she becomes isolated. Any move weakens her. And Rubio, aware of that, pressures her without touching the final detonator. That’s why this deserves attention: we are not seeing improvisation or personal revenge, but a calibrated operation of attrition, where the goal is not to humiliate for spectacle, but to dismantle the regime piece by piece, avoiding Venezuela paying the cost of an uncontrolled collapse. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2008967791966376081?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2009090766354960453?s=20 War/Peace Security Alert – U. S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine (January 8, 2026) Location: Ukraine, all districts Event: The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days. The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced. Actions to Take: Identify shelter locations before any air alert. Download a reliable air alert app to your mobile phone, like Air Raid Siren  or Alarm Map . Immediately take shelter if an air alert is announced. Check local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Keep reserves of water, food, and medication. Follow the directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency. Review what the Department of State Can and Cannot Do in a Crisis . https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2008991231507099730?s=20    tremendous numbers being produced by Tariffs from other Countries, many of which, in the past, have “ripped off” the United States at levels never seen before, I would stay at the $1 Trillion Dollar number but, because of Tariffs, and the tremendous Income that they bring, amounts being generated, that would have been unthinkable in the past (especially just one year ago during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, the Worst President in the History of our Country!), we are able to easily hit the $1.5 Trillion Dollar number while, at the same time, producing an unparalleled Military Force, and having the ability to, at the same time, pay down Debt, and likewise, pay a substantial Dividend to moderate income Patriots within our Country! 
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/DerrickEvans4WV/status/2009097879106015609?s=20 https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2009305173395415310?s=20 https://twitter.com/susancrabtree/status/2009271768121242054?s=20  years, which is happening this morning. This is the arrogant California corruption that has occurred under Newsom's watch and in this case —possibly his own direction or one of his top aide's —because the light was finally beginning to shine on why the Golden State has become so tarnished under his watch. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2009188335873302712?s=20   She warned that the intimidation is systemic, and basically if you speak up, expect your life to be dismantled. Whistleblowers are supposed to be protected by law, and if they're being hunted for telling the truth, the system is being weaponized. @MarionONeill1 : “Retaliation has been going on for quite some time and it's now escalated. You're going to lose your job. You're going to lose your home. They'll track your children. They'll make sure you can't get a job anywhere Democrats control.  https://twitter.com/Peoples_Pundit/status/2009099844506501431?s=20 https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009087403575947648?s=20 DHS Sec. Kristi Noem Drops Facts, Cooks Walz and Frey During Presser on MN Anti-ICE Incident https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/2009046495262110138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009046495262110138%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890   these federal law enforcement officers, they’ll say that when you call for back-up…it’s hit and miss.” https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/2009044827158007875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009044827158007875%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890 Noem also shared that the woman in the SUV had been “stalking and impeding” the agents during the course of the day: https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2009050638232244548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009050638232244548%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890 Source: redstate.com Breaking: The same ICE agent appears to have been dragged roughly 300 feet while executing an arrest warrant on an illegal alien, resulting in 33 stitches just six months ago. Video and full details below. Thanks to @MWhitney93679 for bring this to my attention. @DataRepublican @elonmusk https://cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/shocking-footage-shows-driver-dragging-deportation-officer/?referrer=grok.com https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2009292194406895696?s=20 https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/2009044298486948261?s=20 https://twitter.com/warriors_mom/status/2009038176627876188?s=20   force by an ICE agent becomes unavoidable. And the local Minneapolis politicians decide it's the perfect opportunity to declare war against the federal government? https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009142447905882188?s=20   to the deadly incident, leftists are urging vengeance and riots in Minneapolis. Rioters earlier surged to a federal building and smashed up the entrance. The shooting incident occurred in the context of the far-left and Antifa urging violence against ICE for months. It has led to an Antifa cell carrying out an ambush shooting in Texas on the Prairieland facility. At least seven have pleaded guilty to a federal terrorism charge. Then, in Dallas, an ICE facility was shot up by an anti-ICE activist, killing people. https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2009040818896830650?s=20 BREAKING: The wife of Renee Nicole Good—the 37-year-old Minneapolis shooting victim who attempted to run over an ICE officer—appears to have been outside the vehicle filming as her wife blocked ICE vehicles. She is seen wearing a flannel shirt, walking around the vehicle and recording ICE officers. She later runs back to the vehicle to check on Renee. Afterward, she tells a nearby man, “That's my wife.” When he asks if she knows any of her wife's relatives she could call, she responds, “We’re new here. I don’t have people… I can't even breathe right now.” Why was she outside the vehicle filming while her wife was blocking ICE officers? Terrible https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2009143305075097679?s=20 https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2009103459019002182?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009270499398893758?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2009132509607677966?s=20 https://twitter.com/iAnonPatriot/status/2009087576402219051?s=20 https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2008995871724355652?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2009297640555503770?s=20 https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2009197905723216144?s=20   After about two minutes on scene, my security began wanting to bring me out of there due to the immediate threats of violence. I tried to shorten this video as much as possible but it's tough given all the BS that unfolded. As soon as I dialed 911, one of the leftist screamed “Minneapolis Police are on OUR side!” Turns out, he was right. – A vehicle began chasing us the wrong way down a one way and then threatened to kiII me (dispatch heard this and responded by asking for my last name?) – First dispatcher promised they'd respond, asked me if I was “White,” held me on the phone for the 10 mins, and then ended the call – Second one called back and gave me the runaround as the situation worsens – Third one calls me back and tells me to go fck myself, essentially We ended up being FOLLOWED out of town, and requested backup set to arrive in a few hours. We are NOT giving up. Leftists WILL NOT terrorize us into silence. See you in a few hours, Minneapolis. Stay tuned. Will Trump invoke the Insurrection Act? Before Jan 20, 2029 57% Before 2027 43% Before Jan 20, 2029 If the President of the United States has invoked the Insurrection Act to deploy the United States military and/or the federalized National Guard within the United States before Jan 20, 2029, then the market resolves to Yes. Sources from the White House, The New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, Axios, Politico, Semafor, The Information, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Minneapolis Public Schools Cancel Classes and Activities for Rest of Week  Minneapolis Public Schools announced Wednesday night that all classes and activities were canceled for the rest of the week and that students would not have to do ‘e-learning' at home while schools are closed. Protests are expected in the coming days after a woman driver was shot and killed by a federal officer when she allegedly tried to run him over during a protest against ICE in a Minneapolis residential neighborhood Wednesday morning. MPS statement: No school Jan. 8-9 due to safety concerns Source: thegatewaypundit.com Preplanned Riot patterns. https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/2009115663848362251?s=20 https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009077478073979120?s=20 Do you think the criminals are trying to cover their tracks, with the riots are they going to burn down the many Somali daycares will they then file for insurance claims, loss of business revenue claims. https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009131575724625972?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2009009290518872568?s=20 https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/2009041195717284106?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009020845239533590?s=20 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2009117399300362278?s=20 DHS makes over 1500 immigration arrests in Minneapolis, Secretary Kristi Noem says  https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2008718230039450008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2008718230039450008%7Ctwgr%5Ec51cd928497b686ddee7e7e639023089bf1f9b57%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthenationaldesk.com%2Fnews%2Famericas-news-now%2Fdhs-makes-1500-arrests-in-minneapolis-secretary-kristi-noem-says source:  wgxa.tv/  https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/2009090255908130994?s=20 https://twitter.com/jsolomonReports/status/2009278938019688755?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2009059590726627814?s=20  https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009334017250996436?s=20 The saying “don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” (or similar variations) is most famously associated with the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. American colonial forces, low on ammunition and facing British regulars advancing uphill, were reportedly instructed to hold their fire until the enemy was close enough for shots to be effective—maximizing the impact of limited powder and musket balls, which were inaccurate at longer ranges. BREAKING: Obama Judge Disqualifies Trump-Appointed US Attorney Overseeing Letitia James Investigations, Tosses Subpoenas Issued to James A federal judge on Thursday disqualified the Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Northern District of New York overseeing investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James. US District Judge Lorna Schofield, an Obama appointee, disqualified acting US Attorney John Sarcone and quashed two subpoenas issues to Letitia James. Sarcone is the fifth Trump-appointed US Attorney to be disqualified by a rogue judge Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2009025328065466665?s=20 WITHDRAWING FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organizations that no longer serve American interests. The Memorandum orders all Executive Departments and Agencies to cease participating in and funding 35 non-United Nations (UN) organizations and 31 UN entities that operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty. This follows a review ordered earlier this year of all international intergovernmental organizations, conventions, and treaties that the United States is a member of or party to, or that the United States funds or supports. These withdrawals will end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over U.S. priorities, or that address important issues inefficiently or ineffectively such that U.S. taxpayer dollars are best allocated in other ways to support the relevant missions. RESTORING AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY: President Trump is ending U.S. participation in international organizations that undermine America's independence and waste taxpayer dollars on ineffective or hostile agendas. Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength. American taxpayers have spent billions on these organizations with little return, while they often criticize U.S. policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results. By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.  This is factually a much bigger deal, a bigger win, than most will initially appreciate. Each of the institutions carry “membership fees” or financial obligations each participating government pays into. Each organization consists of board members, stakeholders and other administrative offices which employ the friends and families of current and former politicians, world “leaders” and essentially well-connected and disconnected elites who run the agencies. It's like a massive network of NGOs, except the entities exist exclusively with government funding. Just like the United Nations itself, the USA always pays the dues, fees and largest portion of the operating expenses, which includes payrolls and travel benefits. Other countries participate, but it is the USA who picks up the largest portion of the financial obligations for the organization itself to exist. Like USAID, the designated “global” organizations (conventions, treaties, etc) operate as massive bureaucratic rule makers for global standards and practices. The organizations themselves employ a network of downstream entities, agencies, contractors, think-tanks, academic liaisons and internal government offices who collaborate with the goals and objectives of the parent organization.   Withdrawing the support of the U.S. means cutting that entire apparatus off from receiving funding from the USA. Europe and the USA are the largest funders of each of these World Economic Forum aligned agencies. It is not coincidental that President Trump and Secretary Rubio are making this move in advance of President Trump traveling to Davos, where the network associations congregate. President Trump is expected to deliver a bucket of ice water upon the heads of those who attend Davos annually. The GREAT RESET crew, who design the global government customs and norms, is being reset. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

For the Good of the Public brings you news and weekly conversations at the intersection of faith and civic life. Monday through Thursday, The Morning Five starts your day off with scripture and prayer, as we also catch up on the news together. Throughout the year, we air limited series on Fridays to dive deeper into conversations with civic leaders, thinkers, and public servants reimagining public life for the good of the public. Today's host was Michael Wear, Founder, President and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life.  Thanks for listening to The Morning Five! Please subscribe to and rate The Morning Five on your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about the work of the Center for Christianity and Public Life at www.ccpubliclife.org. Today's scripture: Luke 15:3-10 (NIV) News sources:  https://abcnews.go.com/US/ice-related-shooting-occurred-minnesota-governor/story?id=128984401  https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/us/ice-shootings-minneapolis-other-cities.html   https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/venezuela-to-give-u-s-up-to-50-million-barrels-of-oil-trump-says-c964eb48?st=MKLN7N&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink  https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/business/media/pittsburgh-post-gazette-closing.html?smid=tw-nytimes&utm_social_handle_id=807095&smtyp=cur&utm_social_post_id=645233739  https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/07/united-nations-trump-international-organizations-withdrawal/e2f3f882-ec15-11f0-91a9-9928b22be817_story.html   https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5677676-obamacare-subsidies-health-care-premiums-abortion/  https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-subsidies-aca-84607bbaee9bc782d0b685eadba75303  Join the conversation and follow us at: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelwear⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @ccpubliclife Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichaelRWear⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @ccpubliclife and check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tsfnetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by: Amber Glow #politics #faith #prayer #scripture #Minneapolis #ReneeGood #ICE #Venezuela #Abortion #ACA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie breaks down why technically correct proposals still lose when they ignore mission context and agency culture. He explains how over-engineering proposals, relying on generic buzzwords, or treating mission-driven environments like standard corporate facilities can quietly disqualify otherwise strong bids. Using real examples, Eric shows how understanding dignity, sequencing, staffing continuity, and unspoken expectations—especially around high-visibility moments like Memorial Day—creates powerful differentiators that evaluators notice immediately. Key Takeaways Generic language kills differentiation: Buzzwords signal a lack of real mission understanding. Mission context matters as much as compliance: Agencies want to see why the work matters, not just that you'll do it. Small details win contracts: Staffing continuity, cultural awareness, and timing often separate winners from everyone else. If you want to learn more about the community and to join the webinars go to: https://federalhelpcenter.com/  Website: https://govcongiants.org/  Connect with Encore Funding: https://www.encore-funding.com/ 

How do you save a startup when growth flatlines? Itai Sadan, co-founder of Duda, reveals the two critical pivots that saved his company: shifting from mobile-only to responsive design, and the controversial decision to ignore 50% of his customers (small businesses) to focus entirely on agencies. In this interview, Itai explains why AI is the new SEO, how to optimize your website for ChatGPT search, and why the combination of AI and human creativity is the future of web design. He also shares the hard truth about competing with giants like Wix and WordPress and why founders must sometimes make painful decisions to survive. Check out the company: https://duda.co

Episode 200: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeAI and other market disruptors are making your ideal clients question whether they really need your expertise—leaving you stuck with more objections and fewer sales.In this episode, learn how to position yourself as irreplaceable in your market by addressing these disruptors head-on in your messaging. You'll learn why AI can't replace lived human experience, how to build a personal brand people trust, and the proven marketing fundamentals that will keep your business thriving in 2026 regardless of what new competitors emerge.Learn about “depositioning” here: https://digitaltrailblazer.com/the-key-to-attracting-people-who-buy-now-and-dominating-your-market-with-marty-marion/Book a Call with us Here: https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/free-biz-evalWant to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerTwitter: https://twitter.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

Insurance midterm rentals (iMTR) are one of the most profitable and purpose-driven niches in real estate investing. In this episode of Landlord Diaries, we sit down with Jason and Jaclyn McClure, co-founders of Vetted Homes, to uncover how they've built a thriving business around housing displaced families through insurance-paid monthly rentals.You'll learn why iMTR falls within Furnished Finder's fastest-growing tenant type (185% YoY growth), how to analyze a potential iMTR property, how to price correctly, work with insurance companies, and the truth about tenant screening. We also cover why rental arbitrage can be a powerful tool for testing new markets and what actually makes an ideal iMTR home.Whether you're a real estate investor looking for consistent cash flow, a new landlord, or exploring rental arbitrage, this episode will show you why iMTR might be your most rewarding strategy yet.

This episode of 'In the Woods' podcast, hosted by Jake Barker of Oregon State University's Extension Service, explores post-wildfire restoration on private forest lands based on the LEAF (Landowner Experience After Fire) survey. Conducted by OSU in response to the 2020 Labor Day fires, the survey gathered insights from over 200 landowners across Oregon on their recovery experiences from 2017 to 2023. Key findings were shared, including the importance of local capacity, coordination, and organizational support in driving effective recovery. Guest Kara Baylog, a program coordinator with OSU's Forestry and Natural Resources extension, discussed the survey's methodology, the barriers landowners faced, and the types of assistance that proved most effective in aiding recovery efforts. For more information on this and other episodes, go to inthewoodspodcast.com.List of Chapters and Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to In the Woods Podcast00:35 Overview of Today's Episode: Post-Wildfire Restoration01:57 Introducing Kara Baylog and the LEAF Survey02:34 Details of the LEAF Survey06:35 Survey Findings: Emotional and Practical Responses08:22 Challenges and Barriers in Post-Wildfire Restoration13:15 Importance of Management Planning17:13 Role of Agencies and Organizations in Recovery24:34 Types of Assistance Provided to Landowners32:33 Future Directions and Final Thoughts37:11 Conclusion and Lightning Round40:14 Credits and Acknowledgements

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Wes Lungwitz discuss:Adapting to change in legal marketingStrengthening the website as the foundationOptimizing for AI-driven discoveryEvaluating partners and acting proactively Key Takeaways:Law firm growth now depends on adapting to AI, new search behavior, and shifting marketing dynamics. Firms that remain static risk losing visibility as discovery moves beyond traditional SEO.A law firm website must be fast, technically clean, accessible, and well-structured. Personalized practice-area content and visible social proof reinforce trust and conversion.Search is shifting toward AI assistants and answer engines that reward clarity and structure. Conversational content, deep practice pages, and schema markup increase AI visibility.Agencies must actively address AI visibility, schema strategy, and changing discovery behavior. Google Business Profiles remain essential for legitimacy and intent capture. "You have to adapt in life and change and keep up with the times, and it's just so important in our industry and just life in general." —  Wes Lungwitz Check out my new show, Be That Lawyer Coaches Corner, and get the strategies I use with my clients to win more business and love your career again. Ready to go from good to GOAT in your legal marketing game? Don't miss PIMCON—where the brightest minds in professional services gather to share what really works. Lock in your spot now: https://www.pimcon.org/ Thank you to our Sponsor!Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/ Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/ About Wes Lungwitz: Wes Lungwitz is the co-founder and managing partner of Civille, a digital marketing and technology company focused exclusively on helping law firms grow. With a background in highly competitive, data-driven digital marketing, he brings modern website, SEO, and analytics strategies to an industry that has traditionally lagged behind other verticals. Wes regularly speaks and writes on the future of legal marketing, including AI-driven search and evolving discovery behavior. Connect with Wes Lungwitz:  Website: https://getciville.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-lungwitz-1b532432/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode of Sunrise Life, I interviewed freelance model Katie Marie for a deeply honest, powerful conversation about resilience, boundaries, and building a creative career on your own terms. Katie shares her journey from agency modeling to freelancing, learning how to set her rates, curate her brand, and stop working for free. We also dive into the realities of travel modeling, including one of the most shocking and cautionary “crash photoshoot” stories we've ever shared on the podcast. Beyond the industry talk, Katie opens up about healing from trauma, breaking cycles, and transforming pain into purpose. This episode is raw, grounding, and ultimately filled with hope — a reminder that you can rise, rebuild, and still choose joy. Check her out on IG! https://www.instagram.com/katie.marie.gaudin/ And check out her website (her self published book is in here too!) https://www.katiemariegaudin.com/ 

As home health agencies prepare for 2026, CMS is turning up the heat on fraud, compliance, and enforcement—and the consequences are more serious than ever.In this episode of Gravity Healthcare Hacks, host Melissa Brown, COO of Gravity Healthcare Consulting, is joined by Devin Kassi, VP of Home Health Operations, for a critical follow-up discussion on the Home Health Final Rule. This time, they dive deep into Medicare's expanded authority around fraud investigations, retroactive payment recoupment, and why even unintentional missteps can put agencies at risk.Melissa and Devin unpack:How CMS is redefining and enforcing fraudWhy documentation errors can trigger massive repayment demandsThe growing importance of homebound status documentationHow weak processes, outdated technology, and lack of education create dangerous blind spotsWhat agencies must do now to protect themselves and remain viableThis conversation is a must-listen for home health leaders—especially smaller and single-location agencies—who want to understand what's coming and how to adapt before it's too late.Because in today's regulatory environment, doing nothing is the biggest risk of all.Support the show

When a hiker goes missing, the public often pictures helicopters and grid searches. Former National Park Service protection ranger and author Andrea Lankford says the reality is more complicated and more human: one-person patrols hours from backup, perishable rope and medical skills, families living in limbo, and a growing ecosystem of online sleuths and volunteer searchers who sometimes find what agencies miss. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Lankford about what “the thin green line” looks like in practice and what her investigation into three Pacific Crest Trail disappearances taught her about technology, teamwork and trust. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT's solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can't — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT's self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.

The Israeli government is set to revoke the licences of 37 aid groups working in Gaza and the West Bank, which have failed to meet its new vetting rules. Israel says the suspensions will not affect the delivery of aid, but the move has drawn widespread criticism.

What Bubbles Up fans! Another year, and another season in the books, which means it is time for our annual Year in Flights episode! This season, Phil and Barry celebrate the end of Season 6 with a recap of 6 of their favorite moments, each paired with a different beer (in increasing ABV %). We also take a moment to celebrate the growth of their podcast, up 21% in listernership from this time last year. As predicted, this season focused on the impact of AI on the industry, the evolution of Figma, and the importance of authenticity in creativity. But we also highlight the need to embrace uniqueness and differentiation, and the necessity of continuous learning and evolution. It's been another great season - thank you all for listening, and we will see you again in 2026! This Season's Highlights:1. Episode 2: A Quick One on DeepSeekAI2. Episode 4: Robin Raskin from SXSW3. Episode 8: Recap of Config4. Episode 9: The Future of Agencies with Matt Weiss (our top episode of Season 6!)5. Episode 11: Lessons in Acting with Julianne Cross6. Episode 12: Being Curious with Jenessa CarderDrinks:Barry: Tuckerman Brewing Co. Headwall Altbier, Vermont Beer Makers Scarlet Red Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Shipping Out of Boston Amber Lager, Berkshire Brewing Company Lost Sailor India Pale Ale, Devil's Purse Brewing Co. Powder Hole Porter, Mad Elf Holiday AlePhil: Founders Brewing Company Red Sweater IPA, Jackie O's Brewery Chomolungma Brown Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Co. Christmas Ale, Port City Tidings Belgian-Style Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Tiramisu Pastry Porter, Boulevard Brewing Company Dark Truth Imperial StoutLinks:http://whatbubblesup.com

On this FNF Energize sponsor spotlight episode of Hanging With The Hoopers, Andrew sits down with Michele Blanco… one of the most trusted and respected insurance voices in the title industry.With nearly 30 years of experience supporting title agencies, Michele has seen every evolution of risk firsthand… from the early days of bonds and E&O to today's reality of wire fraud, cyber exclusions, and increasingly sophisticated bad actors.In this conversation, Andrew and Michele dig into what title agency owners really need to understand right now• Why wire fraud has become the single biggest threat facing title agencies• How insurance carriers have changed coverage and exclusions over time…and why many losses are no longer covered• What cyber insurance actually covers (and what it doesn't)• The critical role of verification, documentation, and third-party fraud prevention platforms• How AI and deepfake technology are beginning to show up in real-world fraud attempts• Why “trust but verify” is no longer optional in today's closing environment• Leadership lessons from decades of working alongside stressed, frustrated, high-responsibility business owners• How empathy, listening, and calm leadership matter when people are facing six-figure lossesMichele also shares why she continues to sponsor FNF Energize year after year… and why the conference stands out as more than just tactics or sales advice. It's about becoming a better business owner, a better leader, and a more trusted professional in an increasingly complex industry.If you're attending Energize, stop by Michele's table. Even if you're not shopping for insurance… she's someone every title professional should know, trust, and have in their corner.00:00 Welcome and Energize sponsor spotlight02:48 Michele's 30-year journey supporting the title industry06:08 The rise of wire fraud and modern threats08:51 AI, deepfakes, and the future of fraud10:39 What insurance really covers…and what it doesn't13:32 Verification, documentation, and third-party protection16:49 Leadership lessons from working with stressed business owners20:29 Why Michele continues to sponsor Energize22:15 What conversations she hopes to have at Energize24:25 Books, balance, and lifelong learning26:01 Where to connect with Michele• Find Michele Blanco on LinkedIn• Learn more through her Title Department at Norman SpencerHanging With The Hoopers is a leadership-focused podcast exploring the real conversations behind business growth, risk, and decision-making across the real estate, mortgage, and title ecosystem.Subscribe for more Energize sponsor spotlights and industry conversations that actually matter.⏱️ Timestamps

Episode 199: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeStruggling to grow an engaged audience organically means failed launches and inconsistent revenue in your business. Without a steady stream of warm leads staying connected to you, every launch feels like starting from scratch.In this episode, Katie Patterson teaches us how to rapidly grow a massive Facebook community without paid ads by focusing on your audience (not yourself), using strategic keyword optimization to get discovered, and implementing a proven growth-engagement-sales cycle that turns members into buyers.She shares how to balance value-driven engagement with strategic promotions, so you build genuine community while consistently generating sales.About Katie Patterson: Katie Patterson is a branding photographer and business strategist with 8 years of experience helping female entrepreneurs show up online with confidence and visuals that convert. She works with women across Connecticut and Illinois to create strategic, personality-packed brand photos designed to be posted, marketed, and monetized immediately.In 2020, Katie co-founded Sales Sisters, a coaching and education brand that has helped over 5,000 women grow, launch, and scale their online businesses. What started as a conversation over margaritas has grown into a multi-7-figure brand built on strategy, community, and results — proving that business can be both profitable and fun.Join Katie's Facebook Group HERE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenentrepreneurssuccessConnect with Katie:https://www.facebook.com/gettingsocialwithkatie https://www.instagram.com/gettingsocialwithkatie/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gettingsocialwithkatieWant to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerTwitter: https://twitter.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

This 'Media Buzz Meter' first aired on December 10th, 2025 …Howie Kurtz on President Trump's recent rally despite media criticism of his health, the release of records related to the Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and Netflix's $72 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.  Follow Howie on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HowardKurtz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Jones (@iansjones) is a Pittsburgh-based commercial photographer and creative strategist known for crafting bold, story-driven visuals for brands and businesses, with a focus on content that connects, performs, and stands out.Expect to Learn: How to tactfully ask potential clients about their current marketing effortsThe importance of educating clients about what they're missing from or overpaying to social/marketing agenciesHow to create mock-up ads or showcase relevant portfolio work that demonstrates your capabilitiesHow being a local creator can give you an edge over large marketing agenciesHow explaining your process can help win over clients who may feel jaded by previous experiences.Ian's Website: https://www.isjdesigns.com/Sponsors:Thanks to WhiteWall for being our lead sponsor this episode! They're the top choice for photographers who want the highest-quality prints! Use the code TPM2025 at checkout for 15% off: https://www.whitewall.com/Our Links:Join our subreddit where you can share stories and ask questions:https://www.reddit.com/r/photographermindset/Subscribe to TPM's Youtube page and watch full length episodes: https://www.youtube.com/thephotographermindset/Make a donation via PayPal for any amount you feel is equal to the value you receive from our podcast episodes! Donations help with the fees related to hosting the show: https://paypal.me/podcasttpm?country.x=CA&locale.x=en_USThanks for listening!Go get shooting, go get editing, and stay focused.@sethmacey@mantis_photography@thephotographermindsetSupport the show

For insurance agents and brokers, being a trusted advisor is the holy grail of professionalism. When your clients rely on you for advice, you are creating value for them beyond the insurance policy.Becoming a trusted advisor means that you are bringing wisdom and advice, and that it is thoughtful, precise, and predominantly accurate. Over time, your credibility goes up, and credibility is a major pillar of trust.In this Profiles in Risk episode, Nick spoke with Marketing Expert Paula Warden and Zywave's Director of Content Cloud Jamie Nelson about how agents and brokers can become subject matter experts and thought leaders using content strategies. They specifically looked into using Zywave's Content Cloud library with examples from both Jaime and Paula on how agencies and brokerages have successfully used these strategies to drive inbound traffic, leading to new business opportunities.Slapping ChatGPT into your agency for content development is not the solution to becoming a thought leader using content...it will likely produce a lot of erroneous information, that could be counterproductive. Content Cloud uses thought leaders to generate the content for you to then share with your marketplace. A useful feature to have for agencies looking to driving inbound traffic and wishing to remain lean and mean.Zywave Content Cloud Website:https://www.zywave.com/content-cloud/Paula Warden - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-warden-44904912/Jaime Nelson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamienelsonwi/

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept. It's a practical tool reshaping how we work, learn, and govern. Academy Fellow Alexis Bonnell of OpenAI and Karen Lee of FedsForward join host James-Christian Blockwood to discuss strategies for building AI literacy, how experts and public servants are incorporating AI, and what the challenges are today, and tomorrow.

AP correspondent Ed Donahue has the latest on U.S. contributions to U.N. humanitarian aid.

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on U.S. funding for UN Aid programs.

Most funnels don't fail quietly. They drain your time. Your energy. And your belief that this shit can actually work. So I tested every (yes, every) funnel so you don't have to. VSLs. Webinars. Challenges. Tripwires. Quiz funnels. DM scripts. All of it. It took me nine months, and more money than I care to admit. And here's the truth no one wants to say out loud: Most funnels suck. Unless you're already internet famous… Have a massive following… Or host a podcast with Tim Ferriss… Almost any funnel can work. But what about the rest of us? What if you're just a damn good coach who wants great clients consistently? Without living inside content calendars, DMs, or ad dashboards? That's what this video is about. In this episode, I break down the one funnel that beat everything else every single time, because it's: • Simple • Clean • Built on trust (not hype) • Scales without big ad budgets • Works even with a small or nonexistent audience We talk about why: • Followers don't equal buyers • Daily content farms lead to burnout, not scale • DM closing repels high-trust clients • Most funnels fail because the market doesn't believe anymore And what actually works instead. I call it the Trust Engine. It's the highest-converting system we've ever tested and we've installed it in 200+ coaching businesses across niches. Health. Business. Relationships. Agencies. Service pros. Same result. Because it's built on three things: 1. A strong, obvious offer 2. Smart nurture that builds trust before the call 3. A clean sales process with zero pressure No "only 3 spots left" bullshit. Just a system that helps serious buyers make serious decisions. And this isn't theory. We've helped: • Coaches go from $32k → $108k/month in 90 days • Coaches hit $240k in a quarter after years of funnel hopping • Coaches with zero audience book 21 calls in 10 days and close $40k If your business feels noisy… If your funnel isn't converting… If you're doing too much for too little return… This episode will save you months of wasted effort. —— In this video: 00:00 — I tested every funnel so you don't have to 00:35 — Why most funnels fail 01:05 — The myth of massive followings 01:40 — Why daily content leads to burnout 02:15 — The DM closing lie 02:50 — What actually works: the Trust Engine 03:20 — Why trust beats tactics 03:55 — The 3 pillars of a high-converting funnel 04:30 — Why your offer matters more than the funnel 05:05 — Smart nurture vs pressure selling 05:40 — Clean sales with zero gimmicks 06:10 — Real client results (across niches) 07:00 — Why most funnels fail in today's market 07:40 — Engineering trust at scale 08:20 — Finding the choke point in your business 08:55 — Stay in your zone of genius 09:35 — What to do next —— If this is our first time meeting, hey

In this end-of-year recap episode, I break down one of the most intense and defining years of my life and business.I cover the lessons learned from losing my home, what that experience forced me to reevaluate about life and business, and why it accelerated a full rebrand of our agency into what we believe will become the world's leading AI consulting firm for agencies.I also share early details about our 2026 live event, what it's designed to solve for agency owners, and why the next phase of agency growth will be driven by AI, systems, and leverage—not more people, more clients, or more chaos.This episode is about resilience, reinvention, and where agencies must evolve next.What We Cover in This EpisodeMy honest end-of-year business and life recapWhat losing my home taught me about risk, leverage, and prioritiesWhy adversity forced a faster, clearer rebrandThe decision to reposition into AI consulting for agenciesHow AI will change agency operations, margins, and team structureWhy most agencies will fall behind in the next 12–24 monthsThe vision and intent behind our 2026 live eventWhat agency owners actually need now (and what they don't)Building a business that survives chaos, shocks, and volatility

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you thinking about expanding your agency through acquisitions? Buying another firm can be one of the fastest ways to scale, but only if you choose the right partners and nail the cultural fit. Otherwise, growth can quickly turn into chaos. Today's featured guest has been through five acquisitions, each one teaching her a different (and sometimes painful) lesson about what truly makes a merger succeed. In this episode, she opens up about her biggest acquisition missteps, the cultural mismatches that nearly derailed integrations, forecasting errors she didn't see coming, and the identity challenges that arise when two teams collide. Kimberly Eberl is the Founder and CEO of The Motion Agency, a full service marketing and communications shop with offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Nashville. While the agency offers everything from creative to content, it is unusually strong in public relations with roughly 20 PR pros on staff. Kimberly has completed five acquisitions, navigated the cultural and financial highs and lows of M&A, and grown Motion into one of the most respected independent agencies in the Chicago market. In this episode, we'll discuss: When acquisitions help agencies scale—and when they backfire. Lessons learned from five agency acquisitions. Why agency owners often misjudge valuation and earnouts. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. From Fired Account Director to Agency Founder Kimberly jokes that she is one of those founders who got fired into entrepreneurship. At her previous agency, the account director role was undefined and impossible to succeed in. The revolving door should have been a clue. She lasted a year before being let go and scrambling to figure out her next move. With no grand plan, she fell into freelancing in 2006. The economy was healthy. The demand came fast. And pretty quickly she reached that moment every accidental agency owner hits. Either say no to work or hire help. She chose to hire. That early decision set the tone for the next decade. Instead of trying to do it all herself, she leaned into building a team and letting the business grow past her personal capacity. Outgrowing a Single-Service Model: Moving Beyond One Specialty Kimberly started as a PR pro. That focus worked for a while, but eventually she noticed how much money she was leaving on the table. Clients wanted websites, creative, content, and she was constantly referring the work away. The big shift happened when she decided to expand beyond PR and bring more capabilities in-house. This meant hiring outside her comfort zone and learning how to oversee work she could not personally do. That decision opened the door to real growth. Many agency owners get stuck right there. They stay in their one specialty because it is safe. Kimberly pushed through that discomfort and built a service mix clients actually wanted. The Reality of Acquiring Another Agency: Lessons from 5 Acquisitions Kimberly opted to add these new services through acquisitions. So far, she has completed five and every one had a different lesson. Her first major acquisition was bold. She bought an agency twice the size of her own. Financially and emotionally, it was a lot. Looking back, she admits she may not do a deal that large again, especially in a specialty she did not personally understand. But she also learned that size does not determine complexity. A one-person agency with contractors had just as many integration headaches as a larger shop. What mattered most was agency culture. Some deals looked perfect on paper but fell apart because the values, expectations, and behaviors did not align. One deal in particular was financially great and culturally awful. She kept one client from that acquisition. Another deal was financially terrible but culturally perfect. Years later, most of those staff members are still with her. Her biggest warning: never ignore cultural red flags during the courting phase. Take time to hang out with the sellers, how they operate, and experience their company's culture. Go to dinner, Travel together. You'll notice small behaviors (snapping over minor problems, chronic lateness, lack of transparency) that won't disappear after the contract is signed. Valuation Mistakes That Kill Good Deals Kimberly also dove into how she approaches valuations and why so many sellers get this part wrong. She focuses on future performance, realistic forecasts, and removing costs that will not continue after the sale. She also pushes back on inflated projections. If an owner claims revenue will double, the earnout should reflect that. Big promises are fine, but they should come with big accountability. One agency she walked away from wanted a valuation equal to twice their gross revenue. They were using cash-based accounting and ignoring profitability. It was an immediate red flag. Kimberly's advice to owners is simple. Build a business that is sellable even if you never plan to sell. Get your financials clean. Use accrual accounting. And be realistic about your numbers. Leadership, Loyalty, and the Hardest Skill — Letting Go As the agency scaled, leadership challenges became just as complex as financial ones. Kimberly admits she is confused about why she is the largest woman-owned agency in Chicago at only seventy people. She is proud of the title, but she wonders why more women are not reaching similar scale. There are no differences in capability, but many female founders still hit a ceiling often tied to loyalty, delegation, or difficulty letting people go. Some owners, especially women, treat their team like family and struggle to make hard decisions around performance. She admitted she has been loyal to a fault at times and is working on finding a healthy balance. Agencies function more like all star sports teams. The roster changes every year. People get promoted, moved, or sometimes released. That does not mean you failed. It means you are adapting so the team as a whole can win. Kimberly is even working on building hobbies outside her agency because she noticed how much of her identity was tied to work. It is a relatable struggle for founders who have poured years into their companies. AI Changes the Work, Not the Need for Agencies Let's be clear, agencies are not going away because of AI. Kimberly certainly doesn't believe that. She treats AI like an intern. Helpful. Fast. But still needing quality control, creativity, and leadership. Clients still want real relationships. They want someone who understands context and nuance. Agencies serving tech-savvy individuals will feel churn from AI, but agencies serving plumbers, service-based businesses, and non marketers will be fine. These clients want to stay in their lane and hire experts for everything else. Marketing evolves, but agencies survive because the business model adapts. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Kelly Donahue, a public speaker and consultant with over a decade of experience in the local insurance agency space, joins Insurance Dudes to break down what it really takes to build a profitable, future-ready insurance agency. The conversation explores leadership at the agency-owner level, creating a strong internal culture, and using systems instead of shortcuts to drive sustainable growth. From sales processes and account rounding to marketing, technology, and accountability, this episode highlights how agency owners can align their mission with smart business strategy, adapt to industry changes, and build teams that perform consistently while delivering long-term value.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

In today's digital world, social media isn't just an optional add-on for brands — it's a core channel for communication, community building, and growth. But with shifting platforms, ever-changing algorithms, and higher audience expectations, simply “being on” social media isn't enough. Growing brands need strategy, consistency, and expert support to stand out. In this episode, I'll walk you through why outsourcing to a social media marketing agency can be a game-changer — and when it might be time to make that move.

Ohio's public safety challenges look like much of the country's: violent crime concentrated among a small group of repeat offenders, the ongoing overdose crisis, and agencies asked to do more with fewer people. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley talks with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson about how the state is pushing proactivity over reaction, using analysts and technology to build stronger cases, and flexing statewide assets like aviation and specialized units to help local agencies disrupt shootings, recover illegal guns, and reduce harm before the next call comes in. Wilson brings a prosecutor's mindset to a statewide job. Before being appointed in December 2022 by Gov. Mike DeWine to lead the Ohio Department of Public Safety, he served as an attorney and elected prosecutor, building cases shoulder-to-shoulder with detectives and staying close to the realities of street-level policing. Today he oversees 10 divisions, nearly 4,000 employees, and a $2.5 billion budget focused on “safety, service and protection,” with an emphasis on policies that help officers in the trenches rather than making the job harder from a distance. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT's solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can't — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT's self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.

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Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What would you do if the merger you believed would change everything suddenly collapsed? Agency owners often dream of the big exit: the acquisition, the payday, the validation. But if you've been in this industry long enough, you know the story rarely goes as planned. Today's guest lived through the dot-com boom, a merger gone sideways, a rare "un-merger," and multiple reinventions across three decades. Today's featured guest is an agency owner who lived through the dot com boom, a merger gone sideways, an unmerger (a rare event), and multiple reinventions over three decades. He'll talk about his journey and the lessons he's gained in resilience, clarity, and what it means to build a business that lasts. Tom Snyder is the founder and CEO of Trivera, a Milwaukee-based agency that originally launched in 1996 under the name Website Solutions. He got his start back when tables ruled the web, Netscape Navigator was leading the browser war, and you had to explain to clients what the internet even was. Tom's agency grew quickly through the dot com boom, became part of an early multi-agency rollup, unmerged after the dot com crash, and later rebuilt itself around strategic services, recurring revenue, and emerging technologies. Thirty years later, he has seen nearly every high and low this industry can deliver and has the scars and wisdom to match. In this episode, we'll discuss: The roll up that seemed like a dream and the subsequent meltdown. The rare chance to unmerger. Learning to adapt to new technologies. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. The Early Days of the Web: A Front Row Seat to Digital History Tom got into websites before most people even understood what a web browser was. He recalls visiting a friend in 1995 who showed him a website for a local jeweler. The fact that someone in Milwaukee could suddenly sell jewelry to anyone in the world blew his mind. That spark soon became Website Solutions, a one-man shop in his duplex basement that grew into a million-dollar agency within three years. These early days were defined by scrappiness. There were no WordPress installs, no Mailchimp, no Shopify. Agencies wrote their own CMS platforms, email tools, and ecommerce systems. For years, Trivera worked on project-based engagements. Sell a website. Build it. Launch it. Then hunt for the next one. It created a revenue roller coaster that made it hard to grow. Then the breakthrough came when someone asked a simple question: Why are you not offering annual retained services? Once they shifted the model, everything changed. Retainers gave them predictable cash flow, stability during downturns, and the ability to build deeper, longer-term partnerships. Inside the Dot-Com Boom and the Rollup That Promised Millions By the late nineties, agency rollups were happening everywhere. Big groups on the West Coast were buying smaller shops at high valuations, promising stock payouts that would multiply as the group grew. Tom's agency was acquired by one of these rollups. The offer was attractive: $1 million in stock with the expectation that it could balloon into ten million within a couple of years. For Tom, this was more than a payday. It felt like a way to secure better opportunities for his team. Higher salaries, better benefits, more resources. All the things agency owners often think a larger parent company can provide. But as the ink dried on the deal, the dot com crash hit. Internal battles erupted among the agency owners inside the rollup. Some wanted to scale fast and sell. Others were emotionally attached to their agencies and resisted change. As the economy collapsed, so did the plan. When an Agency Merger Falls Apart Tom describes the internal environment as chaos. Agencies within the rollup started blaming one another for the downturn. Some owners viewed Tom's Midwest operation as a weak link and argued it was a mistake to acquire them. Then came the breaking point. At a Las Vegas meeting that was supposed to chart a path forward, Tom learned that he would lose control of his agency. His wife, who served as CFO, would be dismissed. His team would report to another agency owner. This happened on September 10th. The next morning, as they sat in their hotel room trying to process what to do, the news broke that planes had hit the World Trade Center. The world changed, and so did their priorities. In that moment of clarity, they made the decision to walk away and unmerge. How a Rare Un-Merge Saved the Agency Unmerging from an agency rollup almost never happens. But because the rollup was already fracturing, the leadership was surprisingly open to it. They returned most of the shares, let Tom keep a small portion, and released the original agency name. From there, Tom and his wife rebuilt everything from scratch under a new identity. Although it felt like the right decision to make, they were still exiting what was still a financially stable operation to start from scratch, which was a scary but necessary step to take. They brainstormed names that felt Greek or Latin until they arrived at Trivera. The name itself was available only because the previous owner had just let the domain lapse. It felt like a small sign that starting over was the right move. This reset allowed Tom to build the agency the right way. No irrational exuberance, burn rates, or pressure to sell. Just strong culture, smart financial discipline, and an eye on durable business fundamentals. How Adapting to New Technology Helped Survive in Crisis After the dot com crash, new technologies created fresh opportunities. SEO, email marketing, mobile, and social opened new revenue streams that helped Trivera rebound each time the economy dipped. Tom noticed a pattern. Every downturn was followed by a brand new marketing wave that rewarded the agencies willing to embrace it early. One of the most pivotal moments came during the 2009 recession. The agency had lost clients, payroll was tight, and they needed a breakthrough. Everyone was asking about social media at the time, so Tom and his team built an event called Social Media University. They hustled for two months and ended up selling 400 tickets. The sales and sponsorship revenue kept their payroll alive and catapulted them into a new service category. Events like this do more than create revenue. They cement authority, give an agency a story in the market, and in Tom's case, it opened doors to new clients and positioned them for the next evolution of the agency. Letting Go of Comparison to Stay Focused on the Journey Despite the wins, Tom admits there were years he compared his agency to others and wondered why they scaled or sold faster, especially some that got the tools from his very social media event. It is easy to feel behind when you see competitors raising money, getting acquired, or shouting big revenue numbers. However, there's very little one can actually know about other agency's purchase deals. These stories are incomplete. You never know what the real terms were. You never know the headaches behind the scenes. And you definitely never know if they actually took money home. Success in the agency world is rarely a straight line. It is more often a messy, winding path filled with reinventions, hard conversations, and moments when you question everything. So agency owners struggling and watching others reach new milestones should remind themselves that longevity comes from resilience, not a perfect upward curve. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

EXECUTIVE POWER AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES Colleague Professor Richard Epstein, Hoover Institution. Epstein discusses a Supreme Court case regarding the President's power to fire members of independent boards like the FTC. He fears Chief Justice Roberts will side with executive power, a move Epstein views as an "unmitigated disaster" that undermines the necessary independence of agencies like the Federal Reserve. NUMBER 14

Today, we're talking about Paramount launching a hostile takeover of Warner Bros.; the Trump Administration announcing $12B in aid for farmers; the Supreme Court hearing arguments on President Trump's removal of the FTC Commissioner; and other top news for Wednesday, December 10th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Looking to support us? You can choose to pay ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out The Pour Over's Gift Guide!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our sponsors! We actually use and enjoy every single one. Cru Safe House Project Life Application Study Bible CCCU Upside Mosh LMNT Theology in the Raw Not Just Sunday Podcast She Reads Truth The Pour Over's Newsletters: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Pour Over⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Decaf⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠News Health⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Praying the News