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PhotoBizX The Ultimate Portrait and Wedding Photography Business Podcast
What if you didn't need a high-volume photography business to make great money? In this interview, Jo Lyons shares how she's built a pet photography business around lifestyle, creativity and connection — while still averaging around $2,500 per client and landing sales as high as $6,500. Based on a beautiful rural property in NSW, Jo has created a destination-style experience for dog lovers, using studio sessions, countryside portraits, book projects, Dog of the Year campaigns and clever local marketing to attract the right clients. There's a lot to love in this one. The post 658: Jo Lyons – $2,500 Average Sales from a Rural Pet Photography Studio appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.
Reaction to the official end of the Tua era in Miami with Local 10 anchor and reporter Will Manso. Plus, his take on the Dolphins taking a chance on the unproven Packers backup QB Malik Willis.
The Average person has kissed 5-10 people, Jon has kissed how many...
High-income dentist mindset, dental practice growth strategies, and dentist business success are not about luck—they come from specific habits and skills that top dentists develop. In this episode, we break down the three traits of high-income dentists that separate average dental practices from highly profitable ones. If you're a dentist who wants to increase dental production, grow a dental practice, improve case acceptance, and build a profitable dental business, this episode will show you what elite dentists consistently do differently. Dr. Steve Van De Graaff shares insights from 10+ years in dentistry and coaching high-performing dentists, revealing the behaviors, leadership skills, and production mindset that help dentists dramatically increase their income and impact. Connect with us: Take our FREE lifestyle and practice assessment: https://thelifestylepractice.com/practice-assesment/ Learn more about 1-on-1 coaching: https://thelifestylepractice.com/coaching-services/ Get access to TLP Academy: https://thelifestylepractice.com/coaching-services/ Subscribe to The Lifestyle Practice Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tlp-podcast-for-dentists/id1476544801 Email Derek at derek@thelifestylepractice.com Email Matt at matt@thelifestylepractice.com Email Steve at steve@thelifestylepractice.com
You have access to endless knowledge and resources, but you can't seem to put it all together and fix your gym. Why?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper walks you through the mind of a mentor—showing you exactly how they diagnose problems, prioritize solutions and guide gym owners step by step.He reveals the three reasons gym owners need more money:- Expenses are too high.- Number of clients is too low.- Average revenue per member (ARM) is too low.Many gym owners say, “I need more leads,” but that's rarely the real issue. Chris maps out the actual problem-solving process so you can identify your biggest priority. He explains how to get more clients, increase retention and earn more per member.You don't need more knowledge to grow your gym; you need clarity and a step-by-step plan. LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call3:24 - Earn more per member8:44 - More clients, longer retention16:51 - Understand your lead funnel24:43 - The four marketing funnels33:18 - Make time to grow your gym
Political analyst David Heurtel is a counsel at Fasken with experience in Government and Public Relations, Environment, Climate Change and Immigration. He can be heard regularly on Montreal Now with Aaron Rand spoke with Trudie Mason, in for Aaron Rand
Former FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke is delivering an assessment of the Nancy Guthrie suspect that contradicts four weeks of cable news analysis. The man on that doorbell footage isn't uniquely incompetent. According to Dreeke, who spent 21 years with the Bureau including time as Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, what we're seeing is baseline criminal behavior.The Walmart backpack. The awkward holster. The camera cover improvised from potted plant foliage. Dreeke explains this is what real offenders look like when you remove the Hollywood filter. The crimes that get solved—home invasions, abductions, cases that end in arrests—most involve exactly this level of preparation. We just don't have a nation watching those.Tonight we're examining the gap between trained tradecraft and what appears on the Guthrie footage. Dreeke walks through what a genuinely sophisticated version of this operation would have looked like. The uncomfortable truth: this suspect's approach was messy, and it's still working. Four weeks. No ID. No arrest. No vehicle. At what point does sloppy-but-successful mean something different?The willingness to proceed despite being recorded. The real-time problem-solving on camera. Is that lack of capacity—or is it desperation? Compulsion? Something else?Meanwhile, calls for Sheriff Chris Nanos's removal have reached unprecedented levels. But what would it actually take? We break down Arizona's legal mechanisms. A recall requires roughly 121,825 signatures in 120 days—near impossible math. Impeachment doesn't apply to county officers. Two AG investigations have gone silent. Nanos won reelection by 481 votes. His own deputies voted no confidence. His supervisors twice requested outside investigations.The system Arizona's framers built to protect elected officials from political removal now makes accountability nearly impossible.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#NancyGuthrieLive #RobinDreeke #FBISuspectAnalysis #SheriffNanos #TucsonKidnappingUpdate #NancyGuthrieSuspect #PimaCountySheriff #RecallNanos #SavannahGuthrieMom #HiddenKillersLive
Nobody talks about Sudan. Focusing on truth will always lead to good things. Increasing the people's knowledge is the key. Lots of taxpayer money goes to stabilize the world. The way this money is used is always suspect. How important is Sudan? Both the ICC and the UN make moves to control it's shores. And Russia needed a port, so they're involved in a big way. Sudan had many assets like gold, water, oil and farmland. Did we mention Niobium? Why do the people have nothing? Average age is 19. Who decided Africa would stay hungry? How do you make foreign aid work. Cindy McCain is finally out. Sieges, war and starving masses. The international community ignores it all. The British structure was designed to extract resources. Export corridors are called development. Keeping them hungry enough to manage. 85 billion in food imports annually. 60% of our planet's farm ready land is in Africa. It's a dirty guns for gold operation. The UAE is evil. Some of this was on Hunter's laptop. Beijing holds a lien on Sudan's production capacity. Do we have the will to change? A double win is within reach. It seems impossible to believe, but our country's future is closely tied to Africa.
Join this channel to get access to perks such as Weekly Zoom Calls & Private Discord!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4BqTVQA1pCwe9QaEPwD3MQ/join Free 30 Day Trial to Go2Lister https://www.go2lister.com/mike Have restricted Books, CDs or DVDs? Get a 50/50 profit split with Max! More information can be found here! https://www.getmaxxaccess.com/ I help teach people how to make money selling books on Amazon, leveraging the platform's vast reach and the profitability of reselling used books. How to sell books on Amazon? Selling books on Amazon can be an excellent side hustle or a full-time endeavor, particularly if you enjoy thrifting through places like Goodwill for hidden treasures. How to start selling on Amazon is accessible, and with my guidance on how to sell books, DVDs, CDs, and other media, beginners can quickly learn the ropes. Utilizing Amazon FBA streamlines operations, allowing sellers to focus more on sourcing and less on logistics. As a reselling coach, I provide tutorials and guidance on navigating challenges like ungating and optimizing listings for maximum visibility and sales. Whether you're looking for a part-time side hustle or aiming to become a full-time reseller, I will teach you the ins and outs of thrifting books and selling books online and can pave the way to creating passive income streams and achieving business growth.
HEADLINE: Gasoline Price Spike in Lancaster County, PennsylvaniaGUEST: Jim McTague Gasoline prices in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, rose 40.3 cents in a single week to an average of $3.48 per gallon. The region is heavily dependent on vehicles and agriculture, meaning these rising costs significantly impact residents and farmers preparing for the season. High state and federal taxes totaling 76 cents per gallon exacerbate the burden, while global threats to energy fields due to ongoing war keep prices volatile. (4)1945
Aging in Place: Safety, Technology, & Dignity w/ Drew Siefried of TruBlue Ally - AZ TRT S07 EP04 (286) 3-1-2026 Things We Learned This Week · America is aging rapidly - By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65. · Most seniors want to stay in their homes - More than 80% of older adults prefer aging in place rather than moving to assisted living. · Technology is transforming senior safety - Non-intrusive monitoring systems can detect falls and alert families without cameras or wearables. · One fall can change everything - Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and loss of independence among seniors. · Prevention is far cheaper than crisis care - Simple home safety upgrades can prevent accidents and help seniors maintain independence longer. Guest: Drew Seifried LKIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewseifried/ Company: TruBlue Home Service Ally Website: https://www.trublueally.com/east-phoenix-north-scottsdale With over 25 years of combined corporate and entrepreneurial experience, I currently own and operate TruBlue Home Service Ally, where we support seniors and busy families with home modifications and handyman services. In this role, we prioritize safety, reliability, and exceptional service, ensuring all personnel meet high professional standards. As a Certified Franchise Executive, I also guide aspiring entrepreneurs, including corporate professionals, first responders, and military veterans, toward business ownership through franchising. Leveraging expertise in franchise agreements and processes, I simplify the path to ownership, aligning opportunities with individual goals. My mission is to empower others to achieve their aspirations through purpose-driven ventures. TruBlue Home Service Ally® provides a unique and affordable approach to helping busy adults and seniors live a worry-free life by offering trustworthy handyman, home maintenance and senior modification services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue's services include: handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance programs, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by a professional, bonded and insured Tru-Pro® Technician. Episode Overview America is entering a major demographic shift. By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be over the age of 65, creating what many experts call the "Silver Tsunami." Families across the country will face new challenges as aging parents want to maintain independence while staying safe at home. But aging at home safely requires planning. In this episode, we sit down with Drew Seifried of TruBlue Home Service Ally to discuss how home safety modifications, emerging Age Tech, and non-intrusive monitoring technologies are helping seniors stay independent longer — while providing peace of mind for their families. We also explore the unique needs of veterans and individuals with disabilities, and how communities and organizations can better support them. Segment 1: Aging in Place & The Silver Tsunami Drew Seifried owns three territories with TruBlue, a national franchise focused on helping people safely remain in their homes. The company works primarily with: · Seniors and aging adults · People with disabilities · Veterans · Adult children caring for aging parents Their mission is simple: help people live independently and safely at home. The Growing Senior Population America is rapidly aging. Key statistics: · 61 million Americans are age 65+ · By 2030, about 20% of the population will be seniors · Phoenix and other Sun Belt cities are seeing rapid senior population growth as retirees relocate This demographic shift will place new pressure on: · Healthcare systems · Caregiver workforce · Family members caring for aging parents The Hidden Risk: Falls in the Home One of the biggest threats to senior independence is falling. Key statistics: · 1 in 4 adults age 65+ falls each year · Falls cause over 3 million emergency room visits annually · More than 300,000 seniors are hospitalized each year for hip fractures · Over 50% of falls occur inside the home In many cases, one fall can change everything. A serious fall can lead to: · Hospitalization · Loss of mobility · Long-term disability · Moving into assisted living The Most Dangerous Areas in a Home According to home safety experts, the highest risk areas include: · Bathrooms (tubs and showers) · Entryways and stairs · Poor lighting · Cluttered hallways or walkways Even small modifications can dramatically reduce fall risk. Preventing Falls Before They Happen TruBlue helps families install preventative safety upgrades such as: · Bathroom grab bars · Non-slip shower treatments · Improved lighting · Handrails and stair supports · Walkway hazard removal The company also performs full home safety assessments to identify hidden risks. As Drew explains, the goal is prevention — because once a fall happens, recovery can be much more difficult. Aging at Home vs Assisted Living Another major challenge families face is cost. Average assisted living costs in the U.S.: · $5,000–$6,000 per month · Often $60,000–$70,000 per year By comparison, many safety upgrades or in-home services cost a fraction of that. And most seniors prefer to stay home. Surveys show: · 84% of seniors want to age in place · Independence and familiarity with their home environment matter deeply Segment 2: Age Tech & Smart Monitoring One challenge facing families is the shrinking caregiver workforce. With fewer caregivers available, technology is stepping in to help monitor safety. Adult children want peace of mind that their parents are safe — especially when they live in another city. But many seniors dislike traditional monitoring systems. Common concerns include: · Cameras in the home · Wearable emergency devices · Privacy issues · Technology complexity A New Approach: Radar-Based Monitoring A newer technology solution is radar-based monitoring systems like those from Pontosense. These systems use small radar sensors placed throughout the home. They can detect: · Falls · Movement patterns · Breathing and vital signals Unlike cameras, they are completely non-intrusive. Features include: · No cameras · No wearable devices · No audio recording · No stored video data The system can detect unusual events and send alerts. Smart Alerts for Families If a fall occurs, the system can: · Wait about 90 seconds to see if someone gets up (reducing false alerts) · Send notifications to family members · Contact caregivers · Alert emergency services if necessary Family members can also monitor activity patterns through a mobile app. For adult children balancing careers, families, and aging parents, this technology provides peace of mind without invading privacy. Segment 3: Disability Services & Veteran Support TruBlue also works with individuals living with disabilities and veterans who require specialized home modifications. Organizations supporting the disability community include: · Ability360 · Benevilla These groups offer programs ranging from adaptive sports to community support services. Health Challenges as We Age Many older adults face conditions that impact mobility or independence. These can include: · Arthritis · Balance issues · Progressive neurological diseases like ALS or MS · Reduced strength and coordination Simple tasks — getting into a bathtub, climbing stairs, or reaching shelves — can become difficult. Home modifications can restore independence. Importantly, these upgrades can be designed to blend into the home aesthetically, preserving both function and dignity. Supporting Veterans Veterans represent another group that often needs home safety support. Key statistics: · Approximately 17 million veterans live in the United States · Nearly 8 million veterans are age 65 or older Despite available programs, many veterans do not utilize assistance. Organizations working to support veterans include: · Paralyzed Veterans of America · Veterans of Foreign Wars · Elks Lodge Drew himself served in the military and is passionate about helping veterans access services and resources. Additional Home Safety Monitoring Beyond fall prevention, modern smart homes can also monitor: · Smoke and fire detection · Water leaks and flooding · Utility failures · Entry and exit activity These systems help families create a safer living environment for aging loved ones. Final Takeaway Aging doesn't have to mean losing independence. With the right combination of: · Home safety modifications · Smart technology · Community resources · Family planning Millions of seniors can live longer, safer, and more confidently in their own homes. 'Best Of' Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Best+of+BRT Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: http://aztrtshow.com/ 'Best Of' AZ TRT Podcast: Click Here Podcast on Google: Click Here Podcast on Spotify: Click Here More Info: https://www.economicknight.com/azpodcast/ KFNX Info: https://1100kfnx.com/weekend-featured-shows/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc.
Shannon Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Iso Joe Johnson react to the Oklahoma City Thunder going on the road and beating the New York Knicks 103-100, JJ Reddick downplays the incident with Luka Doncic on the sideline, and Boston is anticipating Jayson Tatum’s return which will be the shortest recovery time since Rudy Gay and much more! Subscribe to Nightcap presented by PrizePicks so you don’t miss out on any new drops! Download the PrizePicks app today and use code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/NI... 07:07 - Thunder beat Knicks17:01 - JJ Reddick down plays incident with Luka on sideline 27:30 - Boston anticipating Jayson Tatum’s return40:14 - Rich Paul and Max Kellerman argue about how well MJ would perform in this era57:05 - Mr. Tendernism joins the show! (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are releasing today on our Consumer Finance Monitor podcast our host Alan Kaplinsky's discussion with Marisa Calderon, President and CEO of Prosperity Now, about two high-profile policy proposals raised or embraced by President Trump as part of a broader populist affordability agenda: 1. A nationwide 10% cap on credit card interest rates for one year. 2. The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), long championed by Senator Dick Durbin which would require large credit card issuers to enable at least two unaffiliated payment networks (only one of which could be MasterCard or VISA) on their cards. Each proposal is framed as pro-consumer. Each has generated significant pushback from banks, card issuers, and trade associations. However, even consumer advocacy groups have raised serious questions about the wisdom of such initiatives. Prosperity Now is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic mobility, with a focus on those facing economic barriers. Each raises fundamental questions about how to balance affordability and access in the consumer credit market. Our discussion focused on a central theme: affordability is a real and pressing concern, but policy design matters enormously. Credit Card APRs: A Real Affordability Pressure As Calderon emphasized, policymakers are not wrong to focus on credit card interest rates. Average credit card APRs now hover around 22%, up sharply from roughly 13% a decade ago. Approximately half of cardholders carry a balance, and many rely on credit cards not for discretionary spending, but as liquidity bridges, covering emergency medical bills, car repairs, groceries, and other essentials. For lower and moderate-income households, credit cards are often the only readily available, regulated source of short-term liquidity. That makes rising APRs particularly painful. Calderon's formulation is apt: policymakers have identified the right problem. The harder question is whether they have identified the right solution. The 10% Interest Rate Cap: Lessons from History The proposal to impose a flat 10% nationwide cap on credit card interest rates for one year would represent an unprecedented federal intervention into unsecured revolving credit markets. Credit cards are unsecured and priced for risk. Interest margins help issuers cover expected charge-offs, volatility, and operational costs. If pricing flexibility is removed, lenders cannot simply absorb the loss, they adjust. Historically, those adjustments take predictable forms: • Tighter underwriting standards • Higher minimum credit scores • Lower credit limits • Reduced rewards programs • Increased non-interest fees • Exit from higher-risk market segments The likely result, as Calderon noted, is credit contraction, particularly affecting marginal and lower-income borrowers. The most relevant historical example may be the 1980 credit controls imposed during the Carter Administration, which were rescinded within months after causing severe market disruption. A more targeted example is the 36% APR cap under the Military Lending Act, which illustrates both the importance of bipartisan legislative design and the reality that even well-intentioned caps can reduce access at the margins. Recent Federal Reserve research on state usury caps reinforces this concern: when interest rate ceilings are imposed, credit to higher-risk borrowers contracts, credit to lower-risk borrowers expands, and delinquency rates do not meaningfully improve. In other words, credit is reallocated, not necessarily improved. Even a "temporary" cap may have durable consequences. Issuers that exit certain segments or reduce credit lines are not obligated, and may not be economically inclined, to restore them once the cap expires. Credit score impacts and reduced access can linger well beyond the formal life of the policy. As Calderon put it, blunt price controls are a chainsaw when what is needed is a scalpel. Affordability in Context: What Drives Household Budgets? An additional consideration is scale. Research recently highlighted by the Consumer Bankers Association shows that the fastest-growing household expenses from 2013–2024 were healthcare, shelter, food, and vehicles. Credit card interest represents a relatively small share of average household expenditures. This does not minimize the pain of high APRs, especially for households carrying persistent balances, but it does raise an important structural question: can credit card rate caps meaningfully solve broader affordability challenges rooted in housing, medical costs, food inflation, and transportation? Credit cards are often the mechanism households use to cope with those rising costs. Constraining access to that liquidity may exacerbate, rather than relieve, financial stress. The Credit Card Competition Act: Structural Reform or Indirect Price Control? The second proposal we discussed, the Credit Card Competition Act (the "CCCA"), takes a different approach. Rather than capping interest rates, the CCCA would require large issuers to offer merchants at least two unaffiliated network routing options (only one of which could be Visa or Mastercard). The theory is that routing competition would reduce interchange fees ("swipe fees"), lowering merchant costs and ultimately consumer prices. Merchants have generally supported the proposal. Banks and card issuers have strongly opposed it. The consumer-facing promise is straightforward: lower merchant fees should translate into lower retail prices, but history complicates that assumption. The Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act imposed caps on debit card interchange fees for large issuers and included routing requirements. While interchange revenue declined, Calderon pointed out that empirical evidence suggests that cost savings were not consistently passed through to consumers in the form of lower prices. At the same time, banks offset lost revenue through higher account fees and reduced benefits. A similar dynamic could unfold in the credit card market. Interchange revenue helps fund: • Rewards programs • Fraud detection and prevention • Customer service infrastructure • Risk management If that revenue is compressed, issuers may respond with tighter underwriting, reduced rewards, or new fee structures. As Calderon observed, although the CCCA operates through indirect price pressure rather than a direct APR ceiling, downstream effects could look similar. Distinguishing Populist Framing From Durable Reform Both the rate cap and the CCCA are framed as pro-consumer, populist reforms. The political appeal is clear, but distinguishing headline appeal from durable consumer benefit requires careful analysis. Calderon suggested several guideposts policymakers should consider: • Access – Does the reform preserve or expand access for low- and moderate-income borrowers? • Incidence – Who actually captures the gains? Consumers, merchants, intermediaries, or some combination? • Substitution effects – Does the policy push consumers toward higher-cost, less-regulated alternatives such as payday or fringe products? • Durability – What happens after implementation? Do markets rebound, or do credit line reductions and underwriting changes persist? These questions are not ideological. They are structural. Affordability and access are not opposing values. The policy challenge is designing reforms that alleviate financial strain without narrowing the regulated credit tools families rely on when emergencies arise. The Bottom Line Affordability concerns are real. Rising APRs are real. Financial stress among many households is real. But blunt price caps may reduce rates on paper while reducing access in practice. Structural competition mandates may promise savings that do not materialize at the checkout counter. Durable consumer protection requires careful calibration — the scalpel, not the chainsaw. For industry participants, policymakers, and advocates alike, the takeaway is straightforward: evidence and market mechanics matter. Populist framing may win headlines, but long-term financial stability depends on policy design that accounts for how credit markets actually function. As always, we will continue to monitor these proposals and their evolution in Congress and the Administration. It may be noteworthy that President Trump did not mention either proposal during his almost two-hour State of the Union Address on January 24th. Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, and the founder and former chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe to the podcast on their preferred platform for weekly insights into developments in the consumer finance industry.
Mortgage rates tick upwards. AP correspondent Alex Veiga reports.
You Become The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With. Who are you hanging out with. Do they make you better?
This morning, Don breaks down the latest updates on the rapidly expanding crisis in the Middle East. As U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran continue, regional retaliation spreads, and world powers grapple with what may be a long, costly conflict with no clear end in sight. We'll talk about how this is already affecting American lives, from rising fuel prices at the pump to economic ripple effects and global instability, and what might come next as tensions escalate day by day. Then, we'll shift gears to take a look at today's major political news from Texas: James Talarico has won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate race, emerging victorious over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in a closely watched contest that could reshape statewide politics this November. Can he flip a long-Republican seat in the general election? We'll break down what this win means and what lies ahead. This episode is brought to you by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet. This episode is sponsored by 120Life. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/donlemon This episode is brought to you by Shopify. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their Shop Pay button.Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 212-931-0855 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to https://askchapter.org/don DISCLAIMER: Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Average potential savings are based on realized premium, co-pay, and out of pocket savings estimates self-reported by consumers that worked with Chapter Advisory LLC to enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and/or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. The average is limited to consumers that chose to self-report. Savings information is subject to periodic updates and corrections. There is no guarantee of savings and any savings may vary by policy type, state, or other factors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today, Don breaks down Day 2 of Kristi Noem's testimony, this time before the House, and let's just say… it was wild. From tense exchanges to repeated dodges, lawmakers pressed Noem hard on her leadership, policy decisions and accountability. Instead of clear answers, viewers saw deflection, contradiction, and mounting frustration from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. What stood out? What questions did she refuse to answer? And after two days of heated hearings, will there be any real consequences, or is this just another Washington spectacle with no follow-through? This episode is brought to you by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet. This episode is sponsored by 120Life. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/donlemon This episode is brought to you by Shopify. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their Shop Pay button.Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 212-931-0855 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to https://askchapter.org/don DISCLAIMER: Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Average potential savings are based on realized premium, co-pay, and out of pocket savings estimates self-reported by consumers that worked with Chapter Advisory LLC to enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and/or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. The average is limited to consumers that chose to self-report. Savings information is subject to periodic updates and corrections. There is no guarantee of savings and any savings may vary by policy type, state, or other factors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to WORK!! Today we're so back unpacking our firstly monthly instalment of State of Social Media!! We'll be unpacking what's working in March 2026 on social media, Instagram new features, content inso, creator economy news & more! CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro 3:15 Polished casual content is still in 4:25 Tess' theory: The two types of creator in 2026 5:00 Expert personal brand + examples7:09 Chaotic personal brand + examples8:07 Influencers aren't influential anymore 9:38 Niche audiences in 2026 are essential 10:26 Instagram updates: Stickers, Carousels & Adam Mosseri corner lol 12:15 YouTube updates: Voicenote comments & quizzes14:18 Podcasting news: Apple video & Jake Shane on Netflix 16:24 Average creator income & it's not too late 20:30 Podcasts are the new late night22:04 The future of this channel & this podcast Check out Storyblocks at https://www.storyblocks.com/tessbarclay to level-up your content!ARTICLES + LINKS MENTIONEDAverage creator incomeFintech created for influencersVanity Fair the new late nightSubstack articles: https://mufarodawn.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-the-expert-influencerSubstack article 2: https://curatedbyamritasingh.substack.com/p/the-difference-between-being-an-influencerReddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/influencermarketing/comments/1rg8k7d/ive_spent_millions_on_influencer_marketing_ama/
The Orlando Magic finally pick up a win after some brutal loses. It might be time to face the facts that the Magic are just an average team in the NBA. How do you stop becoming average without changing the core? Could the Magic get hot towards the end of the year and pickup for some of the slack in the middle of the season?
Levi Bachmeier, appointed last year as North Dakota's Superintendent of Public Schools, says that it's bogus to suggest that passing a school meals ballot measure means the state will have to reduce funding for K-12 education. "That's a totally a false choice," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Voters should make their decision about what they what they believe is best on the ballot." "We should continue to invest in our public schools," he continued. "Our public schools are an investment in our future, in our state's future. I don't know that this has to be an either-or conversation when we're talking about these two topics." Bachmeier also said that the state is falling behind on teacher pay, and needs to invest more in it, and he doesn't believe that would require any tax increases. "I'm a big believer in it comes down to great teachers, and going backwards in average teacher pay, that's a problem," he said. "School districts getting two applicants when they have two open teaching positions, that's a problem." "I don't believe we need to raise taxes. I want to be abundantly clear, we have the resources that we need," he continue. "It's how do we have a conversation about what are our priorities are, and again...how much would you put into K-12? How much would you put into the pockets of teachers to make sure that they are continuing to choose a really, really hard profession to support kids?" Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss dangerous medical advice being spread by a state lawmaker, and a candidate who would like to be a state lawmaker. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
Levi Bachmeier, appointed last year as North Dakota's Superintendent of Public Schools, says that it's bogus to suggest that passing a school meals ballot measure means the state will have to reduce funding for K-12 education. "That's a totally a false choice," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Voters should make their decision about what they what they believe is best on the ballot." "We should continue to invest in our public schools," he continued. "Our public schools are an investment in our future, in our state's future. I don't know that this has to be an either-or conversation when we're talking about these two topics." Bachmeier also said that the state is falling behind on teacher pay, and needs to invest more in it, and he doesn't believe that would require any tax increases. "I'm a big believer in it comes down to great teachers, and going backwards in average teacher pay, that's a problem," he said. "School districts getting two applicants when they have two open teaching positions, that's a problem." "I don't believe we need to raise taxes. I want to be abundantly clear, we have the resources that we need," he continue. "It's how do we have a conversation about what are our priorities are, and again...how much would you put into K-12? How much would you put into the pockets of teachers to make sure that they are continuing to choose a really, really hard profession to support kids?" Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss dangerous medical advice being spread by a state lawmaker, and a candidate who would like to be a state lawmaker. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
After a few days of being here & not being here…we're both back this morning to get you over the hump on Workforce Wednesday with some freebies from GameDay Men's Health! Brian was in the Twin Cities on Monday night and recapped his experience at the Bad Omens/Beartooth/President show. In the news this morning, the legendary Bruce Campbell has cancer, Washington State is apparently pre-banning "forced employee microchips", a new trend at bars & restaurants is bone-broth cocktails, and the fast-food burger wars heats up again with the CEOs of Burger King & McDonald's taste-testing their new offerings. In sports, the Bucks & Badgers play tonight, an update on AJ Allmendinger, and Jurickson Profar gets ANOTHER suspension. Elsewhere in sports, the Atlanta Falcons are going to play in Madrid next season, the Pittsburgh women's basketball coach gets canned, a new LED court makes it's debut in the Big 12, and an NBA player disagrees with the upcoming "Magic City Monday" promotion. Because we were both off yesterday, we decided to get Grant Bilse of the Wisco Sports Show on the phone this morning! We let you know what's on TV today/tonight and also talked about what's new on DVD this week. Plus, a celebrity version of "Squid Game" is apparently coming to Netflix. Today is "National Grammar Day" and it's also "Discover What Your Name Means Day"…so we looked that up. Got an update on Punch the monkey, and a heart-warming story about a guy who's battling cancer that recently got a very nice surprise. According to a new survey, the average woman spends $1,600 every year on "wellness", so we tried to figure out if Jean spent the same amount(she didn't) And in today's edition of "Bad News with Happy Music", we had stories about a guy who got a DUI while taking his driving test, a brawl in the drive-thru of a Wendy's, a dude who allegedly had a brain hemorrhage after playing video games for 4 days & three nights, and a serial donut shop robber in California.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In cities across low- and middle-income countries, traffic crawls 24 hours a day. In Dhaka during rush hour, speeds average around 15km/h. At three in the morning, when the roads are empty, they average about 20km/h. Urban transport in the developing world is not only slow because of congestion. And so congestion policy, Adam Storeygard of Tufts University argues, gets you a small fraction of the way to solving the problems of urban transport in LMICs.That counterintuitive finding is one many themes in Storeygard's wide-ranging review of what research actually tells us about how people in LMICs get from A to B. From informal minibuses to bus rapid transit, from a field experiment in Bangalore that tested congestion pricing to the long shadow of colonial railroads still shaping African trade today, the picture that emerges is more nuanced and more interesting than many policy blueprints suggest. He tells Tim Phillips what the evidence supports, where it runs out, and why fixing the roads won't fix everything.The research behind this episode:Storeygard, Adam. 2025. "Transport in Low- and Middle-Income Countries." NBER Working Paper 34354. Forthcoming in a special issue of Regional Science and Urban Economics.To cite this episode:Phillips, Tim. 2026. "Transport in Low- and Middle-Income Countries." VoxDev Talk (podcast). Assign this as extra listening: the citation above is formatted and ready for a reading list or VLE.About Adam StoreygardAdam Storeygard is Professor of Economics at Tufts University, where his research focuses on urbanisation, transportation, and the economic geography of the developing world, in particular sub-Saharan Africa. Much of his work uses geographic and satellite data to study how infrastructure shapes where people live, how they move, and how economies develop.Research cited in this episodeAkbar, Prottoy Aman, Victor Couture, Gilles Duranton, and Adam Storeygard. 2023. "The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested: Urban Transportation in Rich and Poor Countries." NBER Working Paper 31642. The paper behind the Dhaka finding: assembling travel speed data across 1,200 cities in 152 countries, the authors show that cities in poor countries are roughly half as fast as those in rich countries, and that most of the gap is not congestion but structural low speeds in the absence of traffic.Björkegren, Daniel, Alice Duhaut, Geetika Nagpal, and Nick Tsivanidis. 2025. "Public and Private Transit: Evidence from Lagos." Working paper. When Lagos introduced a major new public bus system, informal drivers on affected routes left, so bus frequency on those routes fell on net. The big benefit accrued to other routes that informal drivers switched to, where prices and waiting times fell. Winners and losers, not a clean gain.Franklin, Simon. 2018. "Location, Search Costs and Youth Unemployment: Experimental Evidence from Transport Subsidies." Economic Journal 128 (614). A randomised trial in Addis Ababa: providing transport subsidies to unemployed young people helped them search for and find formal jobs. Effects did not persist once subsidies ended, raising questions about how much the transport constraint itself was the binding one.Borker, Girija. 2021. "Safety First: Perceived Risk of Street Harassment and Educational Choices of Women." World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 9731. Women in Delhi attend less selective colleges than male peers with identical academic credentials, not because they are not admitted, but because of perceived harassment risk during the commute. Delhi university students overwhelmingly live with their parents, and the daily journey matters as much as the institution.Kreindler, Gabriel. 2024. "Peak-Hour Road Congestion Pricing: Experimental Evidence and Equilibrium Implications." Econometrica 92 (4). A field experiment in Bangalore, paying drivers to avoid congested areas and times. The finding: congestion pricing would produce only modest benefits in Bangalore because traffic density has a relatively moderate impact on speed there, meaning you would have to charge astronomically high prices to shift behaviour significantly.Jedwab, Remi, and Adam Storeygard. 2022. "The Average and Heterogeneous Effects of Transportation Investments: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa 1960–2010." Journal of the European Economic Association 20 (1). Shows how transportation infrastructure investments, including the legacy of colonial railroads built primarily to connect mines to ports, continue to shape where Africans live and how countries trade, with consequences that push African economies toward overseas rather than intra-regional commerce.More VoxDev Talks on this topicMichelson, Hope, 2026, “African agriculture's underappreciated supply side.” VoxDev Talk. How transport links are one of the many impediments that stop rural farmers from making the most of the opportunities of better agricultural inputs.Related reading on VoxDev"Urban transport infrastructure in developing countries”, the VoxDevLit review of research on urban transport in LMICs, covering buses, BRT, subways, and informal transit networks."Who wins when public transit challenges private transit?”, the Lagos bus reform discussed in this episode, with further detail on how informal drivers responded to new public routes."Perceived risk of street harassment and college choice of women in Delhi”, Girija Borker's research on how commute safety shapes women's educational choices, as discussed by Storeygard in this episode."The equitable benefits of Colombia's bus rapid transit system”, complements the discussion of BRT in Bogota, one of Storeygard's three best-evidenced cases for BRT benefits.
Dana will be the emcee for our military & their families today - Rascal Flatts performs tonightFrench content creator in TX loves our HEB storesIt takes the average American family 7 months to pay off their Christmas debt
This episode was sponsored by Cardiff LightSpeed VT: https://www.lightspeedvt.com/ Dropping Bombs Podcast: https://www.droppingbombs.com/ Today's Dropping Bombs episode delivers a raw awakening with John Gafford, who exposes the drift—that dangerous place where you're not broke but not rich, not sad but not happy, just existing while life happens to you. From Apprentice contestant to luxury real estate titan and now author, John breaks down radical self-accountability, the $100,000 vitamin disaster, and why nobody's coming to save you—the quicker you accept that, the faster you escape. This conversation separates the asleep from the awake—if you're trapped in comfort, excuses, or victim mentality, John's blueprint will shatter every illusion. Your drift ends here.
Spoken by Marcus A Taylor. Produced by Motiversity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Topics discussed: Are we being hypocritical by changing our opinions on Celtics' coach Joe Mazzulla? (The Drive) // Ranking the "pillars" of the 2026 Red Sox from best to worst ahead of Opening Day // Breaking down the stats behind the most average franchise of all-time (Odds and Ends)
When I say your competition isn’t that good, that most of your competition is average, what I mean is that a lot of them are not taking the time to learn the things that will allow them to do things better. David: Hi, and welcome back. In today’s episode, co host Jay McFarland and I say, your competition isn’t that good. Right, Jay? Jay: Yeah, absolutely. Do you even know who your competition is? Do you know what they offer? Do you know what people think of them compared to you? Maybe you don’t even know if your competition is that good. David: Exactly. And I hear, so many times, when I’m talking to salespeople, the idea that, there’s a lot of competition. Competition is very difficult. There’s a lot of online competition. There’s a lot of local competition. There’s a lot of price-cutting competition. There are all these different variations on competition. And that’s all true. But a lot of them really, honestly, just aren’t that good. And if you recognize right up front that most businesses are average, right? There’s an average in every business, in every industry, there’s an average. And some people are better than average. Some people are worse than average. There are a lot of average. So if you’re competing with the average or the less than average, then you should be able to do pretty well. If you’re a conscientious individual, if you’re reasonably good at what you do, if you study and practice your profession and you get reasonably good at it, you’ll be able to outperform a lot of them because to the extent that there are really exceptional competitors in your market, there are a lot less of those than there are the ones on the other side. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve always believed this, you know, you can get caught up in the muck. When I was in radio, I worked for a radio station that had a built in listenership because it was so ingrained in the community. And what that did is it made it so they didn’t have to work hard to get sales or to get numbers. Now you would think, oh man, that’s an amazing place to be. But what happened is, they started to get complacent, right? Everything was so easy, and then all of a sudden ratings started to shift and suddenly they realized, we don’t know how to sell. Because we’re so used to sitting at a desk and the phone is ringing. And we’re just taking orders. So you’re not a salesperson, you’re taking orders, right? And their competitors started to eat them alive because their competitors had to sell all the time, and they were very good at it. So sometimes you’re successful just in spite of yourself. And that may be what your competitors are in, what state they’re in. David: It really could be as simple as that and as difficult as that, in either situation. But, you know, the idea that the competition is excellent, or the competition is terrible, or the competition is average. In a sense, none of it really matters. Because this is life. This is the world that we’re in. These are the cards we’ve been dealt, right? So our competition is there. We’re there. The question is, how are we going to make sure that we are outperforming our competition in all the key areas of customer contact? I mean, if you were to boil it down and say, okay, let’s say my competition is very good. Let’s say you completely disagree with the premise of this podcast, that your competition isn’t that good, or that it’s average or whatever you say. “No, I’ve got a lot of competition.” Okay, then that’s your question. How do you outperform your competition in all key areas of customer contact? Some people may say, “well, I don’t know. What are the key areas of customer contact?” And if you’re asking yourself that kind of question, that indicates that there’s work to be done in your organization. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. And do you even know how the competition functions to be able to compare yourself? I mean, that’s got to be at least half the battle, right? David: Yeah, that’s part of the battle. Maybe it’s a third of the battle. Jay: Okay. David: I was gonna say a quarter, maybe it’s a quarter to a third of the battle. And the only reason I say that is I don’t think we should spend a ton of time overanalyzing our average competitors. I mean, if there’s a really, really good one, yeah, you can take a look at what they’re doing. But ultimately, sure, we all want to outperform our competitors. But what do we really want? We want to get to the point where we’re so good at what we do that it’s no longer about outperforming our competitors. Now it’s a matter of outperforming our past best, right? What’s the best we were able to do? When you’re leading in a market, when you really are the market leader, you’re doing things right, you’re doing things well and efficiently, you’re already better than a lot of your average competitors, then the goal you want to reach for is how can I do what we do better in our own organization? Right? How can we initiate contact better? How can we leave messages better? How can we send emails that are more compelling? What are the very specific things, all these points of customer contact that could potentially change for the better to get me better results? Jay: Yeah, I love this idea that your true competition really is yourself, right? It’s kind of like golf or, you know, another single person sport where you’re, really competing against yourself. And, if you can identify constantly ways to get better and you’re not falling into that complacency, then you’re probably going to do better than most of your competitors. David: Yeah, exactly. Something else that I read recently, was talking about the idea that a lot of us want to try to beat our best month ever, our best year ever. We’re always looking to top that top line, which makes a lot of sense. But I read this in a book by Nic Peterson. He said that, ideally, our goal should be to beat our bottom. In other words, sales are going to go up and down, right? That’s going to happen over a period of time. Sales are going to go up and down. We’re going to have peaks and valleys, and hopefully it works on an upward trajectory, and as you’re doing that, if you can make sure that the floor is constantly rising ,then eventually you get to the point where your floor is higher than other people’s ceiling. And if you think about the idea of being better than your competitors, that’s really what you want. Cause if you have a great month this month, an exceptional month, then it’s like, okay, now the new month starts. Now you’re at zero again. You got to start from scratch. Right? But if you know that your first goal for that month is to make sure that you’re above your previous floor. Then it seems a lot more doable. It’s like, okay, we might not have another peak month this month, but if we can stay above our floor, then we will continue to grow and grow. Jay: Yeah, I really like that. I’m somebody who tends to look at records, right? Like we just finished a record month and I’m like on a high, right? Things are great, but you’re exactly right. I mean, next month beating that every single month, month after month. Is that realistic? I think you’re pointing out, no, it’s probably not, and it could be counterproductive. David: Yeah, it’s probably not realistic that each month is going to be higher than the last, and there are not going to be any that are lower. But I think it’s also realistic to say, okay, can I beat our worst month? Or a recent worst month? It’s like if you look at a stock chart and you see how there are these different… Jay: let’s call them peaks and valleys, ups and downs. David: Yeah, peaks and valleys. So if it’s bottoming out at a certain point, you want to say, okay, I want to get in higher than that. It’s a terrible explanation, but you kind of get the drift. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. And again, we kind of always fall back to this, is what systems do you have to track these types of things? Do you understand the cause and effect? I mean, so often, yeah, you had a good sales month, or yeah, you increased the baseline, but do you know why you did that? Was it just the phone rang more? Or was it something tangible? Because if it’s not something tangible, how are you gonna repeat it? Was it more calls? Was it more advertising dollars? What was it that got you there? If you don’t know, then the business is driving you. You’re not driving the business. David: Exactly. And each of those things are some of these different areas of customer contact, right? Whether it’s the advertising, whether it’s the phone calls, whatever it is, when we’re looking at that, we’re saying, okay, where are these key points of contact and what can I do to make each of those better? Can I make the messaging better? Can I tweak the messaging? Can I reach a different or better group of people? All these different things. Can I reach them using different marketing vehicles? Can I reach them online? Can I reach them offline? Can I reach them on the phone, via text, via email? How can I reach them? And look at what you’re doing, look at what’s working well and what may be not working as well as it used to, and then say, okay, how could I tweak some of these things, the messaging, the combination of marketing vehicles we’re using, or the people we’re reaching, the MVPs, we’ve talked about that a lot in the past. Which of these can I adapt, can I fine tune, like tuning in an old fashioned radio where they used to have dials on them, right? That type of thing. So you’re able to dial it in clearly and make sure that you’re getting the right people, saying the right things, using the right combination of marketing vehicles. Jay: Yeah, we talked about this last time, avoiding assumptions, figuring out why you got that customer, right? Cause you may be thinking, “oh, I had a new ad campaign or new marketing and this is why they came in.” And maybe it was a contact you had made with them a year ago. Maybe it was a bad experience with one of the competitors. Maybe it was something that changed in their business cycle. I think that type of communication as to why they’re there, why you were able to close them, you need to have systems to track this and, be open and honest with your customers to find out. What was it that motivated them to come to you? David: Yeah, in our work with our clients, we talk a lot about intelligent repetition of contact, being in touch with people again and again and again, but without saying the same thing, without getting boring, without getting tedious, without driving them crazy, right? If we can do that, that’s intelligent repetition of contact, and it makes it far more likely that you will be in front of someone when they’re ready to make that buying decision. Jay: Yeah, I love that idea, but you’re still going to have competitors. So do you need to have some awareness of what they’re doing? Or do you kind of say, I’m going to focus on me and I’m just going to be the best I can and compete against myself? David: Well, I like that better. I like the idea of focusing on ourselves. What I’ve found though, is that in most markets, you don’t have to look too far to hear about what your competitors are doing. Because if you’re reaching out to a new prospect and you hear about one particular competitor again and again and again, that tells you who is actually pretty good in the market. If you hear those names again and again and again, if you hear different people, each time you talk to someone, then it’s like, okay, well that’s sort of the average, that’s the industry. But if you’re talking to a lot of people and they’re all saying the same thing and they’re all saying great things, that’s an indication that you have now found the leader in your market. So that’s what you need to target, then. Then you may look at, okay, well, what are they doing? How are they doing it? How is it better than what we’re doing? Or is it? Is it not better than what we’re doing? But they don’t know what we do, so they can’t compare. Jay: Yeah, and finding out, can I even compete with them in one particular area? Maybe that exposes a different lane for you where you can be competitive, right? So it’s not like you have to play chicken with everybody. That may not be the best solution. We’re in a very unique industry because our products and services are so defined that I only have probably three competitors nationwide. And so when I talk to people, oftentimes, our competitors will come up and sometimes it’s in a good light. Quite often, like you said, my competitors are average. They aren’t that good. It’s not hard at all for us to offer better customer service, better products, everything. I have found, that, a lot of people are like, oh, I hope they don’t go and research and talk to my competitors and get outbid. I’m like, go and talk to them. Go and have that experience because I know you’ll be back and I’m in a better position when you come back. So that’s made us more confident than less confident. David: Yeah. And when you have a small number like that, it is easier to know what each of them are doing. I remember in our promotional product business, back in the day, we had a situation where there was one competitor that wasn’t really known for answering their phones. You try to reach them and you couldn’t get through to them. And so, if a sales person of ours, or if I was in a conversation with somebody and they say, “Oh yeah, we use this company,” sometimes I’d say something like, “Oh, are you able to get them to answer their phone?” And very often they’d laugh. Because if you know this about a company, you can say something like that. Like, “Oh, well, they don’t usually answer, but I can usually get a call back.” “Oh, okay. Well, if you ever get tired of that, or if you ever get voicemail and you’d like to talk to a human, here’s my card, right? That’s just a small example, but you basically look for the things that you know to be true about a competitor. And I’m not saying you’re picking on them. I’m not saying you’re dissing them or anything, but you just point out a very obvious truth about them. And very often that will get their attention. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I love it. How do people find out more? David: Go to TopSecrets.com/call and watch the video on that page. See if it makes sense to have a conversation with myself or my team. When I say your competition isn’t that good, what I mean is that a lot of them are not taking the time to learn the things that will allow them to do things better. And if you’re in that camp, if you’d like to be able to do things better and differently than your competition, if you’d like to be seen as the leader in your market, then by all means, TopSecrets.com/call. Jay: All right. Fantastic, David. Always a pleasure. David: Thank you, Jay. Your Competition Isn’t That Good. Ready to Outperform them in All Key Areas of Customer Contact? If so, check out the five primary ways we help promotional product distributors grow: Just Getting Started? If you (or someone on your team) is just getting started in promotional products sales, learn how we can help. Need Clients Now? If you're already grounded in the essentials of promotional product sales and just need to get clients now, click here. Want EQP/Preferential Pricing? Are you an established industry veteran doing a significant volume of sales? If so, click here to get End Quantity Pricing from many of the top supplier lines in the promo industry. Time to Hire Salespeople? If you want to hire others to grow your promo sales, click here. Ready to Dominate Your Market? If you're serious about creating top-of-mind-awareness with the very best prospects in your market, schedule a one-on-one Strategy Session here.
PhotoBizX The Ultimate Portrait and Wedding Photography Business Podcast
Seven years ago, Jo Menneer was running a busy studio shooting both family and boudoir sessions — averaging around £800 per client. Today, she's working Monday to Friday only, shooting fewer sessions, and averaging £2,250 per client… with some spending five figures. What changed? Not her location. Not the size of her studio. Not even the number of sessions she shoots. In this episode, Jo breaks down how refining her client journey, raising prices (despite a clenched stomach), implementing structured pre-shoot calls, and focusing on confidence over photography transformed her boudoir business into a calmer, more profitable and more impactful studio. If you've ever thought “my market won't pay that” or “I can't raise my prices here,” this conversation might just shift your thinking. The post 657: Jo Menneer – From $800 to $2,250 Average Sale in Her Photography Business (Without Working Weekends) appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Rabin for a mind-expanding conversation on what we've fundamentally gotten wrong about mental health—and why treating symptoms instead of root causes keeps us stuck. They unpack how smartphones hijack our dopamine, why modern convenience works against our nervous systems, and what it really takes to break free from a chronic sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state. From the ancestral role of dopamine and the science behind hugs to nuanced discussions on anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, psychedelics, and ibogaine, this episode bridges ancient biology with cutting-edge research. Dr. Rabin also dives into the “Ape Theory” and the importance of understanding specific mushroom strains rather than lumping them all together. The conversation wraps with insights on Apollo Neuro, sleep optimization, respiratory rates, the “first night effect,” and a refreshing reminder that living a simple, happy life may be the most powerful biohack of all.Dr. David Rabin, MD, PhD, is a translational neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist, health tech entrepreneur & inventor who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for more than two decades. He is the co-founder & Chief Medical Officer at Apollo Neuroscience, which has developed the first scientifically-validated wearable technology that actively improves energy, focus & relaxation, using a novel touch therapy that signals safety to the brain.In addition to his clinical psychiatry practice, Dr. Rabin is currently conducting research on wearable and technology-based solutions for mental illnesses and the mechanism of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in treatment-resistant mental illnesses. He received his MD in medicine and PhD in neuroscience from Albany Medical College and specialized in psychiatry with a distinction in research at Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He has been married to his co-founder, Kathryn Fantauzzi, since 2016.SHOW NOTES:0:40 Welcome to the podcast!4:06 About Dave Rabin5:03 Welcome him to the show!6:36 What have we gotten wrong about mental health?8:15 Interaction with our smart phones11:12 Treating symptoms, not the cause12:25 Breaking free from sympathetic state15:48 The ancestral purpose of dopamine19:06 Patience vs Convenience24:08 Why we need hugs for health28:29 *CALOCURB*29:40 Anxiety & Autism Spectrum Disorder 32:09 When are psychedelics appropriate?35:34 Knowing your mushroom strain39:42 Ibogaine benefits46:21 Germ theory & antibiotics51:12 The Ape Theory57:13 About the Apollo1:03:05 How it increases deep & REM sleep1:04:01 Average respiratory rates1:08:05 “First Night Effect”1:08:54 How to live a simple, happy life1:11:32 “The Four Agreements”1:15:03 His final piece of advice1:17:40 Thanks for tuning in!RESOURCES:Calocurb - code: RENEE10_______________Website: David Rabin MD, PhD, Apollo NeuroApollo Neuro - Discount code: BIOHACKERBABESDr. Rabin's Book: A Simple Guide to Being AliveInstagram: @drdavidrabinTwitter: @daverabinWikipedia: David Rabin MD, PhDPodcast Website: The Psychedelic NewsDocumentaries: How to Change Your Mind, War in WavesMycology Psychology FREE Community CallSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/biohacker-babes-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Creative has never been easier to produce, and that's exactly why so much of it stops working. In this episode, we sit down with Harry to unpack what's really happening inside modern ad accounts and agencies. From the rise of creative volume and AI-driven workflows to why copying competitors now leads to “good enough” results, we explore what actually differentiates brands and agencies today.We talk about:Why average ads used to work, and why they don't anymoreHow agencies balance volume, quality, and early performance pressureWhere AI helps creative teams (and where it clearly doesn't)Why judgment, pattern recognition, and deeper thinking still matterAnd why quality-focused creative may be making a comebackAn honest conversation about scaling creative without losing what makes it work in the first place.
In this episode of the Tactical Dent Tech Podcast, John Highley dives into something most people won't talk about — the hidden cost of success. As you grow, level up, wake up earlier, build your business, strengthen your faith, and become the best version of yourself… something unexpected happens. People get uncomfortable. John shares personal stories from his journey — from small-town Ohio to building a successful paintless dent repair business in Texas — and the reality of what happens when you outgrow the box others placed on you. From family tension to industry criticism, from projection to jealousy, this episode unpacks what he calls the "force of average" — the subtle pull that tries to keep you where others feel comfortable. Drawing parallels to Jesus being rejected in His hometown, John explains why growth often comes with resistance — and why being judged, misunderstood, or even disliked can be a sign that you're moving in the right direction. If you're building something bigger… If you're stepping into leadership… If you're becoming more disciplined, more driven, more aligned with purpose… This episode will help you process the pushback. Success isn't just about money or business. It's about becoming who you were meant to be — and being strong enough to carry the weight that comes with it. If you've felt the pressure of leveling up, this one's for you.
Which big player is doing the most damage to gaming? Is it Sony deprioritizing the single player experience? Microsoft anointing a new AI focused Xbox CEO? Nintendo treating major franchises as cheap cash grabs? Join Joseph Martin, James Pelster, and Blu Ryder as they discuss all this and the following on the last of the 100's of the GameCola Podcast! - Paul Franzen and Michael Gray's Cat President: 3rd Rate Candidate is out! - The Slop of Xbox Live Arcade vs the Slop of today - Sony's new gaming priorities - The CEO shuffle of Xbox - How does Pokémon Winds and Waves stack up to our fears and experiences with Gen 8 and 9? - Games we've been playing in RECENT TIMES ~ [Podcast Intro/Outro “5 is Average” by Meteo Xavier]
The NFLPA report cards are out, and the results confirm what many Packers fans have felt in their gut for a long time — this coaching staff has a credibility problem. Ryan dives deep into every category of the 2026 report cards, breaking down where Green Bay ranks among all 32 teams, and the picture isn't pretty for a franchise that prides itself on being "first class." The Packers ranked just 21st overall, with coaching staff dragging the organization down to 26th in that category Matt LaFleur graded as the second-lowest rated active head coach in the NFL by his own players — below every other NFC North coach The "most beloved man in football" Rich Bisaccia received a dead-average B+ from players, with 14 special teams coordinators graded higher Training staff ranked 28th overall with players frustrated by a one-size-fits-all approach to injuries Ryan addresses the Sean Ryan free agency situation and why he assumes the center will be re-signed Ryan pulls no punches on the disconnect between what the organization says publicly about its coaches and what the players revealed on a private ballot. Are the Packers sliding from contender to irrelevance? The data is starting to paint a troubling picture. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help the show grow. Tomorrow's episode will cover a new free agent name that just became available. #Packers #GreenBayPackers #NFL #NFLPAReportCards #MattLaFleur #PackersPodcast This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast Help keep the show growing and check out everything I'm building across the Packers and NFL world: Support: Patreon: www.patreon.com/pack_daddy Venmo: @Packernetpodcast CashApp: $packpod Website: https://nfldraftgrades.com/ My Board: https://nfldraftgrades.com/board/83a18c42-7a0b-4590-8d1b-453e49840d02
The NFLPA report cards are out, and the results confirm what many Packers fans have felt in their gut for a long time — this coaching staff has a credibility problem. Ryan dives deep into every category of the 2026 report cards, breaking down where Green Bay ranks among all 32 teams, and the picture isn't pretty for a franchise that prides itself on being "first class." The Packers ranked just 21st overall, with coaching staff dragging the organization down to 26th in that category Matt LaFleur graded as the second-lowest rated active head coach in the NFL by his own players — below every other NFC North coach The "most beloved man in football" Rich Bisaccia received a dead-average B+ from players, with 14 special teams coordinators graded higher Training staff ranked 28th overall with players frustrated by a one-size-fits-all approach to injuries Ryan addresses the Sean Ryan free agency situation and why he assumes the center will be re-signed Ryan pulls no punches on the disconnect between what the organization says publicly about its coaches and what the players revealed on a private ballot. Are the Packers sliding from contender to irrelevance? The data is starting to paint a troubling picture. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help the show grow. Tomorrow's episode will cover a new free agent name that just became available. #Packers #GreenBayPackers #NFL #NFLPAReportCards #MattLaFleur #PackersPodcast This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast Help keep the show growing and check out everything I'm building across the Packers and NFL world: Support: Patreon: www.patreon.com/pack_daddy Venmo: @Packernetpodcast CashApp: $packpod Website: https://nfldraftgrades.com/ My Board: https://nfldraftgrades.com/board/83a18c42-7a0b-4590-8d1b-453e49840d02
Welcome to The Angle w/Evan Mendoza, hosted by 7 year pro baseball player, entrepreneur, founder, and content creator Evan Mendoza. On this podcast you'll hear how to help more athletes, more parents and more coaches: develop quicker, spread more knowledge, and the many failures and lessons Evan has learned on his path from Little League to the Big Stage.Follow My Socials:Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | MendozaBaseballAcademy.com
In this interview, Anubhav Sinha, #taapseepannu and Kani Kusruti discuss the importance of films like #Assi, society's failure to prevent assault, hyper-masculinity in the industry, resistance to mounting female-led stories, the challenges directors now face while making films, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
G’day, mates! Grab your blooming onions and watch out for "bucking" hams, because Bob is bringing his best Australian accent to the studio today. In this episode, Bob and Jesse dive into the wacky world of friendships. From "Leg Cramp Girl" on the bus to a PE teacher whose heart rate spikes just by seeing Bob walk into the gym, the duo explores how every person in our lives provides an opportunity to show God’s love. Whether it’s a "tight-as-a-tourniquet" hug from Mom or a back-pat from Dad that sends you flying across the room, love and encouragement come in all shapes and sizes. Click here to see the new Average Boy book title and cover! Click here to visit the Average Boy Store to gain access to books, devotionals, subscriptions to Clubhouse Magazine, and much more! We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail. If you enjoyed listening to The Official Average Boy Podcast, please give us your feedback.
This week, Terry and Reneé break down one of the most important truths in the Christian life: faith is issued to every believer — but the development of that faith is your responsibility.Terry walks through the progression Jesus taught:No Faith → Little Faith → Average Faith → Great Faith → All Faith → the God-Kind of Faith.Your starting point isn't the problem.What you do with what God gave you is what determines your future.Learn how to grow your faith, strengthen it, protect it, and move it into the realm where God calls it “great.”Featured Resource:The Iron Did Swim• Physical CD: https://shop.terrymize.com/products/copy-of-the-iron-did-swim-cd• Audio Download: https://shop.terrymize.com/products/the-iron-did-swim-audio-downloadMore teaching at: https://terrymize.comShop faith-building resources: https://shop.terrymize.com
G'day, mates! Grab your blooming onions and watch out for "bucking" hams, because Bob is bringing his best Australian accent to the studio today. In this episode, Bob and Jesse dive into the wacky world of friendships. From "Leg Cramp Girl" on the bus to a PE teacher whose heart rate spikes just by seeing Bob walk into the gym, the duo explores how every person in our lives provides an opportunity to show God's love. Whether it's a "tight-as-a-tourniquet" hug from Mom or a back-pat from Dad that sends you flying across the room, love and encouragement come in all shapes and sizes. Click here to see the new Average Boy book title and cover! Click here to visit the Average Boy Store to gain access to books, devotionals, subscriptions to Clubhouse Magazine, and much more! We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail. If you enjoyed listening to The Official Average Boy Podcast, please give us your feedback. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1443/29?v=20251111
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-maximus-podcast--3284949/support.
Episode #1102 Many men believe that providing a house, a bank account, and a stable lifestyle is enough to keep their marriage thriving. They pour their energy into work or physical fitness, thinking that if they just achieve more, their wives will finally feel secure and satisfied. But as Paul shares in this episode, you can't intellectualize your way out of a disconnected relationship. Often, the harder a man tries to "fix" things through external achievements, the further he drifts from the man his wife actually fell in love with. Paul opens up about the moment his world shattered and he realized he had been "half-assing" his life by doing just enough to be average. Like many high-performers, he used control and certainty as a shield, resisting the very emotional openness required to save his marriage. Alongside Lawrence, he discusses the transformational process of letting go of the need for constant control and the realization that mindset alone is ineffective if it isn't fueled by a grounded heart. The conversation dives deep into the "knowledge gap" that keeps men stuck in loops of defensiveness and shame. You will hear why marriage counseling often fails when a man hasn't first done the work on himself, and why respect often carries more physiological weight for a man than affection. This episode is a look at what happens when you stop being a "fixer" and start taking radical responsibility for the man you are showing up as every day. We explore the importance of routine, the danger of the "lone wolf" mentality, and how to start listening to what your wife is actually saying rather than what you think she is saying. If you feel like you are walking on eggshells in your own home or that you have lost your sense of identity in the pursuit of success, this discussion provides a roadmap for coming back to center. If you are ready to stop guessing and start leading your family with clarity, take the next step by accessing our free training. This is designed for the man who is tired of the distance and ready to see exactly where his relationship stands. Visit https://fixmarriage.thepowerfulman.com/scales to get started.
Episode 1. 00:00 - Intro. 04:05 - Elizabeth Lane's statement on Erika Kirk and thoughts. 15:07 - Wrinkles in upbringing. 31:48 - Wrinkles in family history. 49:46 - The Wrinkle in Time School. 57:36 - Comments. PreBorn! To donate, dial #250 and say they keyword “BABY" or by visiting https://preborn.com/candace Kikoff Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at https://getkikoff.com/candace today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us! Must sign up via getkikoff.com/candace to activate offer. Offer applies to new Kikoff customers' first month only. Subject to approval. Offer subject to change. Average first-year credit score impact of +84 points (VantageScore 3.0) between Jan-2023 & Jan-2024 for Kikoff Credit Account users who started with a score below 600; who paid on-time; and who had no delinquencies or collections added to their credit profile during the period. Late payments may negatively impact your credit score. Individual results may vary. PDS Debt Don't wait another month; take back control in 30 seconds. Get your free, personalized assessment and the best option for you http://pdsdebt.com/candace Nimi Skincare Save 10% on your order with promo code CANDACE10 at http://www.NimiSkincare.com PureTalk Make the switch today and save an additional 50% off your first month at http://www.PureTalk.com/Owens Home Title Lock Go to https://hometitlelock.com/candace and use promo code CANDACE to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty American Financing NMLS 182334, http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 800-795-1210 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Owens. Tax Network USA Do not wait for another IRS letter or a frozen bank account. Call 866-686-1651. or visit http://tnusa.com/candace Candace Official Website: https://candaceowens.com Candace Merch: https://shop.candaceowens.com Candace on Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/Pp5VZiLXbq Candace on Spotify: https://t.co/16pMuADXuT Candace on Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RealCandaceO Candace en Español: https://www.youtube.com/@CandaceOwensEnEspanol Candace Owens em Português: https://www.youtube.com/@CandaceOwensemPortugues Candace Owens en Français: https://www.youtube.com/@CandaceOwensEnFrançais Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How historical and expected returns for university endowments can guide us in setting reasonable return expectations. We also analyze managed futures strategies to see how they work, how they have performed, and how to use them in your investment portfolio.Show Notes2025 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments (NCSE) Results—NACUBOPrinceton University cuts expectation for endowment returns by Sun Yu—The Financial TimesDemystifying Managed Futures by Brian K. Hurst, Yao Hua Ooi, and Lasse H. Pedersen—AQRInvestments MentionedAQR Managed Futures Strategy Fund I (AQMIX)iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF)KraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETF (KMLM)WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund (WTMF)First Trust Managed Futures Strategy Fund (FMF)Return Stacked US Stocks & Managed Futures ETF (RSST)Related Episodes524: Facing a Financial Squeeze: What Harvard's Response Can Teach the Rest of Us204: Why Are Investment Returns So Low?180: Can You Outperform Harvard's Endowment?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
You're writing the book of your life right now — every single day. The question is, will it have a joyful ending? Not happy. Joyful. There's a difference, and it matters more than most people realize. Too many people are living average lives, chasing shiny objects instead of building something that lasts. That's no way to write a story worth telling. In this episode, I'm sharing three things that separate people who live joyfully from those just getting by — and showing you how to start rewriting your story today. No waiting. Featured Story I walked into Costco the other day fresh off an Italian ice from Jeremiah's — the best spot in Daytona Beach. I'd literally just eaten when the sample lady appeared with cake. I grabbed one without thinking. My wife stared at me. "You just had ice cream." I said, "It's free. I have to eat it. It's required by law." She reminded me I was on a diet. I told her the diet starts Monday. It's Saturday. I'm the boss of me. That moment is funny, but it's also a perfect example of why writing a joyful life takes more than good intentions. Being the boss of you cuts both ways. Important Points Getting in your own way is how you learn and grow — your act is already solid; you're just ready for a brand-new one. Average lives are exhausting because people chase shiny objects rather than consistent actions that actually work. Think like a business owner — find what gets results, make it truly sustainable, and keep doing it every single day. Memorable Quotes Happy is overrated — joyful lasts. When you're truly joyful, you don't have to chase it down every single day. You have your act together right now. You just don't want it anymore — and that's exactly what growth looks like. Find what works, do it again and again and again, and watch your joyful ending write itself. That's the whole plan. Scott's Three-Step Approach Catch yourself getting in your own way and recognize it for what it actually is — the starting point of real growth. Drop the shiny objects and lock onto the one or two actions that consistently create the results you actually want. Build sustainable habits like a business owner, and your joyful book ending will start writing itself every day. Chapters 0:02 - You're the boss of you — and what that really costs 2:53 - The difference between happy and joyful endings 5:30 - Why most people end up writing an average book 8:30 - Would your book have a joyful ending written today? 10:38 - Three things that separate joyful people from the rest 14:22 - How to start writing your joyful ending right now Connect With Me Search for the Daily Boost on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify Email: support@motivationtomove.com Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast Instagram: https://instagram.com/heyscottsmith Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this expansive and deliberately contrarian episode, Jesse takes on annuities—not with a sales pitch or a blanket dismissal, but by putting them under a rigorous planning lens rooted in risk, probability, and real retirement outcomes. He begins by laying out what annuities actually are, clearly separating fixed annuities from their variable cousins, and explaining why high fees, capped upside, illiquidity, and poor expected returns make most annuity products deeply unattractive. From there, Jesse zeroes in on the one annuity type he considers intellectually defensible in narrow circumstances: the single premium immediate annuity (SPIA), framing it not as an investment but as insurance against longevity and sequence-of-returns risk. The heart of the episode introduces the concept of ergodicity and uses vivid examples to show how retirement planning is fundamentally non-ergodic, dominated by tail risks, bad timing, and one irreversible life path. Through this lens, annuities are reframed as a tradeoff: a high probability of modest financial loss in exchange for protection against a low-probability but catastrophic retirement failure. Jesse closes by emphasizing that annuities, when used correctly, dull both the upside and the downside—reducing the chance of ruin at the cost of lower lifetime wealth—and that whether that trade is worth making depends not on averages or rules of thumb, but on an individual's specific risks, values, and tolerance for uncertainty. Key Takeaways: • Most annuities are expensive, illiquid, and poorly designed. Annuities are insurance products, not investments. • SPIAs are the simplest and most transparent annuity structure. SPIAs insure against longevity and sequence-of-returns risk. • Retirement planning is a non-ergodic problem. Average outcomes do not reflect individual retiree experiences. • Monte Carlo averages can hide catastrophic failures. • Annuities pool longevity risk across many people. Most annuity buyers will "lose" financially on average. • The annuity decision is a personal risk-management choice, not a math trick. Key Timestamps: (01:39) – Diving into Annuities (07:39) – Understanding Variable and Fixed Annuities (15:38) – Risks and Protections of Annuities (19:58) – Single Premium Immediate Annuities (SPIAs) (26:24) – Understanding Ergodic Systems (30:36) – The 4% Rule and Sequence of Returns (34:44) – Tail Risks and Longevity in Retirement (46:52) – The Role of Annuities in Retirement Planning Key Topics Discussed: The Best Interest, Jesse Cramer, Wealth Management Rochester NY, Financial Planning for Families, Fiduciary Financial Advisor, Comprehensive Financial Planning, Retirement Planning Advice, Tax-Efficient Investing, Risk Management for Investors, Generational Wealth Transfer Planning, Financial Strategies for High Earners, Personal Finance for Entrepreneurs, Behavioral Finance Insights, Asset Allocation Strategies, Advanced Estate Planning Techniques Mentions: https://www.fortunesandfrictions.com/post/one-in-a-quadrillion https://bestinterest.blog/e127/ More of The Best Interest: Check out the Best Interest Blog at https://bestinterest.blog/ Contact me at jesse@bestinterest.blog Consider working with me at https://bestinterest.blog/work/ The Best Interest Podcast is a personal podcast meant for education and entertainment. It should not be taken as financial advice, and is not prescriptive of your financial situation.
Top 5 Cities to Retire in Croatia for Gay Folks | Affordable Gay Retirement in EuropeYour morning walk is along a stone promenade by the Adriatic Sea.Your biggest decision? Coffee… or wine… or both.And your cost of living just dropped by 40–60%.If you've been dreaming about gay retirement abroad, but assumed Europe meant Paris prices or Barcelona crowds, think again. In this episode of Queer Money, we break down the top 5 cities to retire in Croatia for gay men who want affordability, culture, and coastal beauty without draining their portfolio.Croatia may be Europe's best-kept retirement secret.We ranked these cities using our Queer Money Retirement Rating, overweighting affordability because stretching your retirement dollars matters — especially if you want options.In This Episode We Cover:➜ Zagreb – Croatia's largest LGBTQ+ community and most livable city➜ Split – Beach life, island hopping, and expat-friendly energy➜ Rijeka – Progressive, artsy, and quietly affordable➜ Osijek – Shockingly low cost of living with small-town charm➜ Zadar – Romantic seaside sunsets without the tourist chaosWe also break down:➜ Cost of living compared to Denver (40–60% cheaper)➜ Average two-bedroom rent ($700–$1,400 USD)➜ LGBTQ+ protections and civil union laws➜ What the gay scene actually looks like (and where to be discreet)➜ Why Dubrovnik didn't make the listCroatia offers Mediterranean lifestyle, national healthcare access, and European culture — without the Spain or Italy price tag.But affordability is only half the story. We also talk honestly about LGBTQ+ acceptance, legal protections, and what life is really like for gay retirees in Croatia.
Gene Marks reports that despite a disappointing fourth-quarter GDP growth rate of 1.4 percent and sluggishness in shipping and chemical sectors, small businesses remain surprisingly resilient with optimism above average and continued hiring plans even as AI integration remains limited. 31949 STORK CLUB