Podcasts about Benchmarking

In this special episode, David Millili sits down with industry leaders at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville to explore the latest trends shaping hotel profitability, benchmarking, revenue management, and mega-event performance.First, Amanda Hite, President of STR, shares how new P&L benchmarking capabilities within CoStar with STR Benchmark are helping hotel owners, operators, management companies, and asset managers better understand more than 100 revenue and expense line items. She discusses profit flow analysis, rising undistributed expenses, declining margins, asset profitability, and how AI-powered tools could help hoteliers identify the data that matters most for improving revenue and profitability.Then, Jan Freitag of CoStar breaks down the hotel revenue impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and explains why its impact was closer to 30 Super Bowls rather than the 104 suggested by FIFA's president. He explores ADR growth, occupancy trends, international versus local demand, match-day pricing, minimum-stay restrictions, and the lessons hotel revenue leaders can apply to future mega-events, including the Olympics. In this episode, you'll learn:How P&L benchmarking can reveal opportunities to improve hotel profitabilityWhy rising undistributed expenses are putting pressure on hotel marginsWhat Could AI and Natural-Language Analytics Mean for the Future of Hotel Decision-Making?Why Did the World Cup's Hotel Impact Differ from the Super Bowl?Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oepa3lq-EdU  Links:Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janfreitag/Amanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawattshite/CoStar Group: https://www.costargroup.com/For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/320Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageConnect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

AI job diffusion is accelerating as companies move from AI experimentation to hiring, workflow redesign, and productivity gains. However, adoption remains uneven, favoring organizations and workers who build AI skills and adapt early. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses how AI job diffusion is outrunning every tech wave before it.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-job-diffusion-is-outrunning-every-tech-wave-before-it/

There are more than 40 sustainability standards in the wine industry. So how do you know what a certification actually means? Through SWR's Standards Benchmarking work, we're conducting an annual global review of these schemes. In this From the Roundtable episode I'm joined by SWR's Dr Peter Stanbury to discuss our progress to date on benchmarking and how we're turning it into a practical tool for members.  

Google quietly shipped four new ad formats inside AI Mode, and almost nobody covered it. We did. Plus: a $13 CPC on ChatGPT ads, and Memrise's growth agent that lives entirely in Slack.CHAPTERS00:00 Cold open03:06 Welcome — Victoria joins, Polina returns04:24 What's on the show today05:30 WATERCOOLER: Sonnet 5's price hike and Fable 5's return07:38 Token-maxing culture and the hidden cost of the price hike10:16 Ford rehires the people it fired — to train the AI12:47 Why the most elementary AI framing gets the most buzz14:27 Benchmarking models on price, speed and quality before you buy15:12 Product Hunt's June: the top tools were integrations, not standalone AI17:30 The core stack nobody has replaced (and why Slack survived)22:14 The vibe-coded app problem: broken back ends, ToS exposure, $20 lessons26:01 Cannes Lions: the agency billing model everyone admits is dead28:02 Creator activations go niche — eyeballs over follower counts28:45 Why Victoria skipped Cannes, and the CEO as the next creator31:04 Celebrity clout vs. an actual event strategy33:40 AI's image rehab in marketing, and the founders paying for their own message36:06 SheaMoisture flipped the creator brief39:21 Why YouTube mid-roll ad reads stopped working40:42 Google's AI Mode ads — the story nobody covered43:03 Four new ad types, and what a business owner is actually signing up for44:43 A $13 CPC on ChatGPT ads46:10 Could ChatGPT just run an affiliate network instead?49:44 MARKDOWN: Lizzie Lawley, Head of Applied AI at Memrise50:20 From pilot, to AI companion platform, to Wombat, to Memrise53:39 The system map: every input feeding the growth machine56:00 Core principles: context first, cheapest capable model, disagreement as a feature56:36 "Months of work in hours" — what it actually saved58:36 The loops: synthesis, experiment shaping, prototyping, build ticket, human gate1:00:41 Live demo: "It's just Slack, baby"1:03:10 How the agent gets fresh context every single night1:06:04 OpenClaw V1, then real engineers rebuilt it1:07:06 The failures: how expensive it got, real quick1:08:32 The model pricing tier system, tier by tier1:11:19 Where the user interviews actually live (it's Google Docs)1:13:59 The bot that spammed banana emojis, and what it taught her1:15:54 Claude Design as a starting point for growth people who can't design1:17:35 Why we skipped Hot Button this week1:18:27 ADAHOLIC: the rules1:20:22 Round 1: Ed Sheeran, a posh restaurant, and way too many forks1:23:33 Round 2: red key, blue key, and a luxury pitch1:26:23 Round 3: "Yo... where's Dukey?"1:29:03 Round 4: the Mother's Day one1:32:26 Round 5: the car ad Arnav paused a second too late1:35:14 Round 6: puffballs, chrome nails and woodworking1:39:07 Round 7: "a better everyday life for the many people"1:40:41 Victoria takes the crown on her first appearance1:41:54 CloseTHIS WEEK'S GUESTLizzie Lawley — Head of Applied AI at Memrise, co-founder of Wombat. She built a platform handling millions of simultaneous AI interactions with cost-efficient model routing, and now runs agent orchestration for Memrise's growth team. Her system pulls from transcripts, app reviews, Zendesk tickets, past experiment synthesis, Athena and BigQuery, and runs a nightly cron job so the agents never work off stale context. Methodology follows Bob Moesta's jobs to be done. The team calls it BYOB — bring your own Bobby.Ads featured in Adaholic this week: Heinz, Kia, Budweiser, Honda, Pinterest, IKEA.

Cem Atik, co-founder of Harucon-Ventures, shares insights on turning marketing into a profit control system, leveraging data and AI in e-commerce, and the importance of human creativity alongside AI. Discover practical strategies for data-driven decision making, optimizing unit economics, and the future of AI in marketing.key topicsTurning marketing into a profit control systemLeveraging data and AI in e-commerceImportance of unit economics in marketingFuture trends of AI in marketingtakeawaysTracking full control of unit economics is crucial for profitable marketing.AI is a powerful tool but requires human oversight and interpretation.Emotional messaging significantly improves ad performance.Benchmarking costs helps identify inefficiencies and optimize margins.AI should be used as a partner, not a replacement for human creativity.Chapters00:00Introduction to Sam Atec and Harucon-Ventures02:24Transforming Marketing into a Profit Control System09:00The Role of AI in Marketing11:42Understanding Click-Through Rates and Emotional Marketing19:38Future Trends and the Importance of Human Creativity

22 Seconds to Compromise: How Automated SSH Actors Move From Login to Persistence Before You Can Blink [Guest Diary] https://isc.sans.edu/diary/22+Seconds+to+Compromise+How+Automated+SSH+Actors+Move+From+Login+to+Persistence+Before+You+Can+Blink+Guest+Diary/33220 Dell BIOS Passwords: Weak XOR Encryption Allows Recovery from SPI Flash (CVE-2026-40639) https://blog.amberwolf.com/blog/2026/july/dell-bios-passwords-weak-xor-encryption-allows-recovery-from-spi-flash-cve-2026-40639/ Ill Bloom: Crypto Wallet Vulnerability https://illbloom.org Benchmarking Free-Tier Large Language Models as Cognitive Aids for Operationalizing Unstructured Cyber Threat Intelligence https://www.sans.edu/cyber-research/benchmarking-free-tier-large-language-models-cognitive-aids-operationalizing-unstructured-cyber-threat-intelligence My Upcoming Classes https://www.sans.org/profiles/dr-johannes-ullrich

AI is reshaping association work by automating repetitive, language-heavy tasks, boosting staff and volunteer capacity. The key challenge is adopting AI responsibly while preserving human judgment and nurturing future talent pipelines.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses how AI is reshaping the labor market.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-is-reshaping-the-labor-market-but-not-how-associations-think/

Getting AI adoption wrong means focusing on better AI instead of better judgment. Organizations gain the most when employees understand their own limits and know when to trust or challenge AI, unlocking stronger performance and wider productivity.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses why most organizations are getting AI adoption wrong.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/why-most-organizations-are-getting-ai-adoption-wrong/

Summer can be a great time to prepare for the GMAT...but only if you have a plan! In the first installment of our summer GMAT study series, GMAC Zach is joined by Hailey Cusimano, Director of Tutoring at Menlo Coaching, to discuss how candidates can build a study timeline that is structured, realistic, and flexible. Hailey explains why GMAT preparation should generally move through two phases: first developing the necessary foundations and strategies, and then practicing under increasingly realistic test conditions. She also shares why completing more questions does not automatically lead to a higher score, how to use an error log effectively, and what candidates should look for when reviewing their performance. The conversation also covers test readiness, practice-exam timing, managing test-day stress, and why even strong test takers should leave room in their schedules for a possible retake. Whether you are beginning your GMAT journey or trying to regain momentum, this series will help you build a more thoughtful and productive approach to your preparation. About Hailey: Hailey Cusimano is a 99th-percentile performer and a self-proclaimed standardized test nerd. Drawing from her years of experience as an instructor, she knows how to assess students' main obstacles and strategize accordingly, maximizing efficiency in short study windows. Plus, her enthusiasm is infectious, and most students find studying with Hailey actually becomes—dare we say—fun. Helpful Resources: Menlo Coaching: https://menlocoaching.com/ Register for the GMAT: https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat-exam/register 5 Traits of Successful GMAT Test Takers: https://tinyurl.com/insidethegmat Purchase GMAT Official Prep: https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment/prepare Key Takeaways: Build a clear preparation timeline before diving into practice questions. Divide your study plan into two broad phases: foundations and strategy first, followed by timed and test-like practice. Avoid treating practice exams as the structure of your entire study plan. Focus on understanding why you struggled with a question—not simply what type of question you missed. Use an error log to identify recurring behaviors, habits, and decision-making patterns. Prioritize the quality of your review over the number of questions you complete. Look for consistency across practice exams rather than relying on one strong performance. Practice handling realistic distractions and pressure before test day. Maintain balance, flexibility, and resilience throughout the preparation process. Leave enough time in your schedule to retake the GMAT if needed. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to GMAT summer study series 02:30 Why summer is ideal for GMAT prep 05:02 Initial steps for beginning GMAT prep 09:20 Structuring your study timeline 12:55 Content review vs. test simulation 17:20 Benchmarking progress and understanding resistance 22:41 Traits of successful GMAT test takers 27:16 Balancing preparation and well-being 33:50 Emulating test stressors effectively 37:34 The importance of retesting and iteration 40:15 Actionable steps for starting your prep

"The long-term drivers for the commodity cycle are intact. The rally that we've seen over the last 24 months, it's just like a teaser of what's coming when you look at broad sort of like landscape ideas in terms of like the exposure of global markets to mining and metals and to energy as well, it's less than 1% in some cases. If that only gets back to long-term averages of 5 to 10%, we're looking at trillions of dollars that are going to roll into our space. We live in a world where companies have trillion-dollar valuations. Why can't our companies [miners] have trillion-dollar valuations?" explains Resource Fund Manager Samuel Pelaez in this MSE episode. Samuel Pelaez is the President, CEO and CIO of Olive Resource Capital Inc. He has dedicated the past decade to financing natural resource projects while serving as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Galileo Global Equity Advisors, and as an analyst at US Global Investors. Mr. Pelaez has been an early investor in numerous resource discoveries and has been an active participant in Canadian resource corporate transactions. Samuel graduated from the Schulich School of Business with Distinction. He also holds a Masters in Finance degree from The University of Cambridge. He was a scholar of the Financial Leaders of Tomorrow Program at the PBOC Graduate School at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Samuel is a CFA charter holder and member of the Toronto CFA Society where he resides. Sam's website: https://olive-resource.com/ 00:00 Intro 00:47 Market Outlook and Fed 02:41 Gold Pullback Opportunity 04:12 Liquidity Spreads to Commodities 07:04 Whales Media and Charts 08:29 Copper Capex and Juniors 13:54 Project Quality and Water 17:13 M&A Drivers Permitting 19:46 Fast 41 and Policy Tailwinds 21:50 Portfolio Construction Focus 24:21 Position Sizing Concentration 28:37 Benchmarking and Learning 34:10 Top Picks to Watch 36:45 Olive Resource Capital Thesis 39:23 Cost of Living Philosophy Sign up for our free newsletter and receive interview transcripts, stock profiles and investment ideas: http://eepurl.com/cHxJ39 This interview was not sponsored. Mining Stock Education offers informational content based on available data but it does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. It may not be appropriate for all situations or objectives. Readers and listeners should seek professional advice, make independent investigations and assessments before investing. MSE does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of its content and should not be solely relied upon for investment decisions. MSE and its owner may hold financial interests in the companies discussed and can trade such securities without notice. MSE is biased towards its advertising sponsors which make this platform possible. MSE is not liable for representations, warranties, or omissions in its content. By accessing MSE content, users agree that MSE and its affiliates bear no liability related to the information provided or the investment decisions you make. Full disclaimer: https://www.miningstockeducation.com/disclaimer/

(Presented by Thinkst Canary: Most Companies find out way too late that they've been breached. Thinkst Canary changes this. Deploy Canaries and Canarytokens in minutes and then forget about them. Attackers tip their hand by touching 'em giving you the one alert, when it matters. With zero admin overhead and almost no false-positives, Canaries are deployed (and loved) on all 7 continents.) Three Buddy Problem - Episode 106: We dig into the news that OpenAI's models were the "autonomous agent" that breached Hugging Face, escaping a sandbox through a zero-day to cheat on a cyber benchmark, then getting spun into a partnership announcement. We argue about the implications of the incident, the PR masterclass, the absence of ethics and human oversight, and calls for "kill switches" to mitigate "AI lab leaks." Plus, SentinelLabs' new fast16 reverse-engineering benchmark, where GPT-5.6 Sol was the only public model to go the distance. Cast: Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, Ryan Naraine and Costin Raiu. Timestamps: 0:00 Introductory banter 5:24 OpenAI admits it was the Hugging Face "hacker" 10:06 What's ExploitGym and who's on top of the leaderboard 12:59 Reward hacking: Did anyone train this thing not to cheat? 19:35 Marketing stunt or real incident? The zero-day in the package proxy 26:43 Was OpenAI already plugged into Hugging Face? 29:17 Paperclips, kill switches, and "going rogue" 34:49 Crisis comms, regulatory capture, and the second Cold War 43:02 Approve every action? Auto mode and swarms 50:10 "Lab leak" and calls for biosafety levels 1:00:31 The missing models: no Mythos, no Kimi, no independent referee 1:07:04 Costin's prediction: owning frontier-class hardware will require a license 1:13:41 fast16 as a benchmark: Inside the Sol Searching research 1:26:51 Compression and altitude: are reverse engineers being replaced? 1:41:24 Finding the gem in 100 samples, and the swarm frontier 2:00:41 Claude Opus 5 drops, Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber

AI adoption is accelerating, but real value comes from embedding AI into everyday workflows, upskilling employees, and aligning leadership and workforce expectations to close the gap between strategy and daily execution.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses why AI adoption looks widespread until you measure it.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-adoption-looks-widespread-until-you-measure-it/

Ben Castanon became Unitary Foundation's first CEO in February 2026, after roughly four years with the organization as Chief of Staff and then COO. He came into quantum from an unusual direction — leadership roles at Pioneer Works, the Brooklyn arts-and-science center — and that background shows in how he thinks about scaffolding communities, funding public goods, and borrowing what works from other fields.This conversation matters now because Unitary Foundation sits at an inflection point. It has scaled from a microgrant program (the "Unitary Fund") into a foundation with a global developer community, corporate members including NVIDIA and IBM, an active compiler collection, a benchmarking initiative, and an annual open-source survey that increasingly serves as the field's ground truth. If you care about how quantum computing actually gets built — not just who wins the hardware race — this episode lays out the infrastructure argument clearly.What You'll LearnWhy Ben argues quantum open source falls into a structural funding gap between academia (chasing novel papers) and venture capital (chasing profitable businesses), and what philanthropy has to do about itWhat "public goods" and "digital commons" actually look like in quantum — from benchmarking to compilation to error mitigation toolingHow to interpret the 2025 QOSS Survey finding that ~40% of full-time quantum OSS contributors are unpaid, and why Ben sees it as both an opportunity and a warningHow Unitary Foundation is experimenting with continuous compensation for contributors via bounty programs and pilots with Merit SystemsWhy corporate members like NVIDIA and IBM invest in a vendor-neutral nonprofit — and how governance keeps the "open" in open sourceWhat a healthy pipeline from first-time contributor to sustained open-source maintainer would look like, and why Ben wants an endowment behind itWhy Ben resists top-down definitions of the "open substrate" and prefers to let the community surface bottlenecksThe long-term vision: a "Linux moment" for quantum, and what it would take to install it before proprietary stacks lock inResources & LinksGuest & OrganizationAnnouncing Our New CEO — Unitary Foundation — The February 2026 announcement of Ben as UF's first CEO, with the full arc from Chief of Staff to COO to CEO.Ben Castanon on LinkedIn — Ben's professional history, including his Pioneer Works tenure and current UF work.Unitary Foundation — The organization's homepage and hub for grants, tools, membership, and community.Papers & Reports2025 Quantum Open Source Software Survey Results — The fourth annual QOSS survey, including the finding that ~40% of full-time contributors are unpaid.The Young and the Relentless — The Quantum Insider — Independent coverage of the QOSS survey's demographic findings.Celebrating Over 100 Microgrants — Impact report: 420+ citing papers, 3 startups, 1 nonprofit, and 400+ OSS contributors funded.Tools & ProgramsUnitary Compiler Collection (UCC) — The frontend-agnostic quantum compiler collection Ben references as a candidate for the open substrate.UCC on GitHub — The active repo, supporting Qiskit, Cirq, PyTKET, and OpenQASM 2/3.unitaryHACK 2026 — The sixth annual bug-bounty hackathon, one of UF's core mechanisms for compensating open-source contributors.EcosystemNVIDIA Joins Unitary Foundation as Core Member — The May 2026 announcement referenced in the conversation.Announcing Unitary Foundation (Rebrand) — Context on why "Unitary Fund" became "Unitary Foundation."Key Quotes & InsightsOn the structural gap: There are "third spaces" where projects don't fit the incentives of either a startup or an academic lab — but where the whole ecosystem benefits. Benchmarking is the clearest example.On unpaid contributors: "We've developed the field to a place where we're starting to hit up against the classic open source community issues." The volunteer surge is real — but so is the risk of losing those contributors to better-paying fields if UF can't convert enthusiasm into compensation.On why big companies join: A functional field needs people to hire. Ben's argument to corporate members is partly workforce development — thousands of developers getting on-the-job training on neutral, community-owned tools.On the substrate: Ben resists top-down definitions of what belongs in the open substrate. "It's much better to have all of the practitioners giving voice to what open tools they need."On his long-term ambition: Build a philanthropic endowment that funds the microgrant pipeline in perpetuity — because "I don't see that as ever becoming a resource that is not of use."Related EpisodesQuantum Open Source with Will Zeng and Ziyaad Bhorat — The direct companion to this episode, unpacking the white paper co-authored with Ben on why quantum OSS is structurally underfunded.Quantum Error Mitigation using Mitiq with Misty Wahl — A deeper look at Mitiq, one of UF's flagship open-source tools.Quantum Education and Community Building with Olivia Lanes — A parallel view on developer community and workforce development in quantum.Careers in Quantum with Anastasia Marchenkova — Relevant context on where quantum developers actually end up.Stay in the EcosystemSubscribe to The New Quantum Era on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or Amazon Music.Sign up for the newsletter at newquantumera.com for episode notes, essays, and follow-ups.Follow along on LinkedIn and Bluesky.If you're building open-source quantum tools — or want to support the people who are — start at unitary.foundation....

If you want to start, grow, scale, or monetize your podcast. Join the Next Level Podcast Accelerator.  Starting July 28, 2026, 5pm EST. Use promocode: NLULISTENER for 30% off - https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/group-coaching/Book Alan's Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-sessionCome get jacked with the Next Level Fitness Accountability Group. Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/_______________________In today's episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros explore why confidence without humility becomes arrogance, while self-doubt can keep you from acting on your potential. They break down the “Drive to Five,” a framework for building accurate self-assessment instead of swinging between insecurity and overconfidence.Drawing from their own wins, setbacks, coaching clients, and nearly 2,500 episodes, Kevin and Alan discuss how comparison, expectations, and emotional triggers can distort your view of progress. Learn how to stay grounded, recognize what pulls you off center, and build confidence that is supported by action, self-awareness, and honest reflection._______________________NLU is more than a podcast. From the Next Level Dreamliner to Group Coaching, we provide tools and communities to help you grow with more clarity, consistency, and accountability.Visit our website and socials through the links below.

AI-ready organizations gain the most value from AI by treating it as a governed system, not just a tool, using verification, training, and strong oversight to boost productivity while maintaining trust, accuracy, and engineering judgment.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about how AI-ready regions and teams are redefining tech strategy.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-ready-regions-and-teams-are-redefining-tech-strategy/

Supply chain benchmarking has been evolving rapidly, but the biggest shifts in driving true organizational value may still be unfolding. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Lora Cecere (Founder of Supply Chain Insights), are joined by Dave Winstone (Global Director, Supply Chain Excellence at Dow) and Wael Abdelmalek (CEO of Uthereal). Together, they explore what it truly means to define and measure supply chain excellence, moving from rigid historical spreadsheets to data-driven, dynamic benchmarking and human-AI partnership. The panel highlights how 32 top-performing companies outperformed the market by focusing on metrics that correlate directly to market cap rather than a simple popularity contest. Dave draws on nearly four decades of global leadership to make the case for focusing on portfolio rationalization and network design while bypassing traditional distractions like massive ERP implementations. Meanwhile, Wael shares how agentic AI platforms can condense 15 years of industry-leading research into minutes, creating a powerful learning engine that works alongside humans to scale organizational insights. The guests share the core operational pillars that separate top performers from the rest of the market: leadership alignment, clear strategic direction, customer focus, and balanced performance scorecards. By embracing data objectivity and the power of dynamic orbit charts, they demonstrate how leaders can have tough, uncomfortable conversations at the board level to navigate macroeconomic headwinds and unlock real, sustainable growth. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro  (02:29) The journey behind Ask Lora  (03:39) Dave Winstone's background at Dow  (08:18) Divisional benchmarking and collaboration history  (09:16) The data-driven origins of Supply Chains to Admire  (11:59) Building relevant industry sectors and peer groups  (13:30) Improvement vs. performance in maturity  (14:26) Measuring what matters over popularity contests  (15:58) Comparing Supply Chains to Admire with the Gartner Top 25  (16:36) Looking at industry headwinds through orbit charts  (19:45) Stripping out subjectivity in industry lists  (20:36) Why small companies outperform large ones  (21:42) Traditional best practices vs. historic pitfalls  (23:27) Revealing the 2026 Supply Chains to Admire winners  (26:05) Core pillars: What the top performers have in common  (30:27) Ask Lora: Dynamic benchmarking through agentic AI  (33:32) Wael Abdelmalek's deep tech and cloud architecture background  (37:32) Leveraging proprietary algorithms and agentic behavior  (41:45) Demonstration: How to use Ask Lora  (47:36) Testing scalability and breaking the model  (51:05) Shifting the cross-functional dialogue at the board level  (54:22) Key lessons from the panel Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Lora Cecere: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loracecere/ Connect with Dave Winstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-winstone-79337a34/ Connect with Wael Abdelmalek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wwael/ Learn more about Supply Chain Insights: http://www.supplychaininsights.com Learn more about Dow: https://www.dow.com/en-us.html Learn more about Uthereal: https://www.uthereal.ai/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry's Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chains-admire-2026-winners-dynamic-benchmarking-opportunities-1609 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brian Danos joins JD Carlson to break down participant vs. employer-paid fee strategies, recordkeeper pricing tactics, and how AI is transforming 401(k) compliance documents. Essential insights for advisors navigating fee debates and modernizing plan administration. In this episode of Retireholics, Brian Danos dives deep into some of the thorniest issues facing 401(k) advisors today. We start with the ongoing fee debate: should participants or employers shoulder the cost? Brian walks through real recordkeeper pricing strategies and how to benchmark fees effectively in a competitive market. As compliance requirements evolve, we tackle the practical challenges of electronic delivery and notice requirements, plus best practices for communicating with terminated participants. But the real game-changer? Artificial intelligence's growing role in 401(k) administration. Brian explores how AI is reshaping legal documents, improving plan notices, and helping advisors create compliance materials that actually get read by participants. We also dig into the data challenges advisors face when working with recordkeepers, what's broken, what's fixable, and how to demand better tools. Whether you're a TPA, plan sponsor, recordkeeper, or independent advisor, this conversation covers the regulatory, operational, and strategic issues that keep 401(k) professionals up at night. Grab a cold one and tune in. CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold Open: Retireholics Intro 2:08 Welcoming Guest Brian Danos 11:22 Fee Debates: Participant vs Employer Paid 20:30 Record Keeper Pricing Strategies 26:33 Electronic Delivery and Notice Requirements 35:03 Terminated Participant Communications 46:59 Artificial Intelligence in 401k 54:12 AI's Impact on Legal Documents 1:00:16 Plan Notice: The Company Pitch 1:03:18 Data Challenges with Record Keepers 1:08:42 Making Compliance Documents Actually Useful 1:11:31 Wrap Up and Final Thoughts MORE FROM RETIREHOLICS Full episode notes & transcript: https://retireholics.com/episodes/brian-danos-retireholics/ All past episodes: https://retireholics.com/episodes/ Live every 1st & 3rd Thursday at 4:30pm PT: https://retireholics.com/live/ Get show reminders: https://retireholics.com/get-reminders/ SUBSCRIBE YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Retireholiks Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retireholics/id1490618217 Podbean: https://retireholiks.podbean.com/ Retireholics is the show changing the retirement industry one beer at a time. Hosted by JD Carlson and co-hosts, covering 401(k) plan design, fiduciary responsibility, fees, investments, and industry news for retirement plan advisors and professionals.

Recorded in person at VITAL2026 in Minneapolis, this episode features Dr. David Levine, Chief Medical Officer at Vizient, discussing their Clinical Database, a resource that allows hospitals and health systems to benchmark themselves across domains such as safety, mortality, patient-centeredness, and efficiency. Essential Hospital can use this resource to transform and sustain quality care.

A strong learning culture is key to fulfilling the AI promise, aligning AI learning with business goals, leadership support, collaboration, accessible resources, and recognition to drive innovation, adoption, and measurable results.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses why the success of Gen AI depends on a learning culture revolution.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/gen-ai-promise-depends-on-a-learning-culture-revolution/

You're having a great week. Clients are happy, work is steady, and you took the afternoon off. Then you open your feed and see another solopreneur bragging about their 50K month and their brand-new contractor. Suddenly, your good week feels like a failure.In this episode, Carly and Joe unpack the comparison trap and why solopreneurs are uniquely vulnerable to it. With no colleagues, no performance reviews, and no external benchmarks, it's easy to measure your real life against someone else's highlight reel. Spoiler: a lot of what you see online is baloney; nobody can fact-check a 50K month claim.Joe shares why trading his Lexus for a Hyundai changed his happiness level by exactly zero, and why "stuff" never delivers the fulfillment it promises. Together, they lay out a practical detox: audit your inputs, define your own normal, build a personal scorecard, and find a comparison community optimizing for the life you actually want.In this episode:Why comparison is a distorted measuring stick, not jealousyHow hustle culture and the "four-hour work week" flex are both trapsThe lifestyle inflation trap and spending to signal success you don't feelJoe's Lexus-to-Hyundai reality check on material thingsA step-by-step feed detox to protect your mental well-beingHow to build success metrics rooted in your life first goalsIf you've ever let someone else's chapter 10 make you feel behind in your chapter 3, this one's for you.Enjoyed the episode? Leave a five-star review, share it with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe on your favorite platform, including YouTube.

In episode 326 of Absolute AppSec, sponsored by mobile application security provider GuardSquare (guardsquare.com), the hosts start with a deep-dive into pre-show discussions about the shifting macroeconomic landscape of AppSec jobs. They analyze an industry-wide trend where corporate hiring is pivoting away from external third-party consultancies and contractors. Instead, maturing organizations are forming internal product security "tiger teams" and hiring dedicated security software engineers across general development lifecycles to handle the exponential volume of code generated by artificial intelligence. Turning to AI-driven engineering, they dissect a research paper tracking security vulnerability mitigations through large language model (LLM) feedback. The paper reveals a distinct degradation in code quality and an explosion of "false positives" or unreachable flaws after the fourth or fifth iteration due to compressed context windows and "context drift." Ken highlights his own grueling experience benchmarking AINative software. He heavily cautions that letting models self-score or automatically review code introduces dangerous biases, reinforcing the absolute baseline requirement for humans to critically audit all LLM outputs. Finally, they examine Open Web Docs' new web security guidelines community group, comparing its browser-centric standard party focus to OWASP's broader, audit-driven charter. They close by promoting an upcoming July podcast collaboration with Coffee, Chaos, and ProdSec.

AI thrives when organizations pair gen AI pilot programs with employee participation, using real-world feedback to refine tools, reduce risks, build trust, and accelerate successful adoption at scale.That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about why Gen AI thrives when employees lead the charge.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/gen-ai-thrives-when-employees-lead-the-charge/

AI champions accelerate Gen AI adoption by building trust, mentoring peers, and showcasing real-world wins, turning resistance into engagement, boosting efficiency, and creating a culture of innovation that drives lasting organizational change. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about why the best Gen AI champions are hiding in plain sight.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/why-the-best-gen-ai-champions-are-hiding-in-plain-sight/

In this episode, Lindy Tentinger, President of VGM and Associates, sits down with Alan Morris, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at VGM, to dig into the annual HME News Benchmarking Survey — one of the most trusted data resources in the DMEPOS space. Alan shares what last year's results revealed about industry growth, the narrowing of payer networks, and the growing urgency around technology investment. He also looks ahead at what this year's survey may uncover, and why the themes of size, scale, and strategic partnerships are more critical now than ever. Whether you're a DME supplier looking to benchmark your operations or a manufacturer trying to understand where the industry is heading, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss.Take the HME News Benchmarking Survey Now: https://www.hmenews.com/hme-benchmarking-surveyWatch the video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QVzYDLn9A6o

Flaky test data is now accessible through the sem-ai API, and this week also brings a skill that uses that data to fix the tests automatically.Flaky test data is now generally available through the API. You can query your flakiest tests programmatically, sorted by number of disruptions, with failure timestamps and logs included. Find it on github.A new sem-ai skill can identify and fix flaky tests end-to-end. The agent pulls the highest-disruption tests, gathers failure context, determines the root cause, and writes a fix. It then verifies the result, first by running tests locally, and if that's not possible, by spinning up Semaphore test boxes to run the test across multiple machines in parallel. Running the test repeatedly across machines is especially important for flaky tests, since a single passing run isn't enough to confirm a fix. Benchmarking on a real open source project with Claude Opus on high effort showed a cost of $1 to $1.50 per fix.Four existing skills were improved with additional examples. Agents were occasionally not following skill instructions due to a lack of examples. Adding concrete examples improves adherence and makes sem-ai's output more consistent across runs.What's ComingUser and organization management will be added to the API in an upcoming release. The team is also continuing to refine skills and commands based on usage patterns.* Try sem-ai* Try Semaphore Cloud* All product newsTill the next time, Pete Miloravac https://semaphore.io This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit semaphoreio.substack.com

A supplier discount or individual price point is not the same thing as a market benchmark. In complex enterprise technology deals, a proposal can look competitive on the surface while leaving major cost, commitment, flexibility, and contract risk untouched. Enterprise customers need to understand not only whether the price is competitive, but whether the overall deal will hold up over time. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Larry York to discuss benchmarking as a strategic capability - not just a pricing exercise. Tony and Larry explore how market intelligence can help enterprise customers evaluate supplier proposals, identify hidden risks, align stakeholders, and negotiate from a position of strength. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Benchmarking webpage.

Busting gen AI fears in the workplace requires education, transparent leadership and early success stories. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about myth-busting Gen AI fears to create a culture of confidence.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/myth-busting-gen-ai-fears-to-create-a-culture-of-confidence/

Successful AI transformation depends not only on technology but also on clear, consistent, multi-channel communication that keeps employees informed, engaged, and involved in the change process. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about why your employees aren't hearing you on Gen AI transformation.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/why-your-employees-arent-hearing-you-on-gen-ai-transformation/

Some listener questions come in and just HAVE to be answered. This was the case with a question that came in from longtime friend of the show, Dr. DM himself, Jason. His son's school D&D club was planning a seriously epic finale to multiple campaign tables in a stupendous one-shot. Everything was gong well until the head DM brought their BBEG… we'll let Jason tell you the rest.In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss what makes a good finale, a good BBEG, and best practices for collaborating with multiple DMs. Not surprisingly, it always comes down to communication. 1:50 Dr. DM's question about an insane BBEG for his son's school D&D Club Finale.7:00 The concept of the finale game sounds AWESOME! But if you're doing a collaboration, you have to collaborate.8:45 Benchmarking when creating homebrewed monsters.10:00 The BBEG should matter in each of the separate campaigns storylines.11:05 In our Curse of Strahd finale, the players mowed through 2000 hit points in a session… that's still 128,000 to go.14:25 Monsters aren't just bags of hit points to soak up damage.20:30 With collaborative storytelling, keep lines of communication open. 22:15 Encounters and finales are meant to be challenging and epic… not impossible. Make it so that they have to really think their way through the encounter, not just swing their biggest attack every time.30:05 In the end, it's always about communication around the table and behind the screen.31:55 What is the theme and story for the finale?34:15 “Appropriately-Sized Encounters.” If there is no win condition, then you're just whipping on your players.37:35 A finale, even if it spans different worlds, should matter to the players in each of their individual campaigns as well.40:15 A campaign that wipes in a TPK isn't necessarily as cool as you think it might be.43:00 Final Thoughts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We're breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob explore the first large-scale benchmarking study of distinctive brand assets, and the results challenge some long-held assumptions about which assets actually stick in consumer memory. Topics covered:[01:35] "Shape-Based Assets Are Strongest: Benchmarking Distinctive Brand Asset Performance Across Industries"[02:55] What is a distinctive brand asset?[03:30] Fame vs. uniqueness: the two dimensions of distinctiveness[04:15] Why color is the weakest asset type[05:35] The bizarreness effect[06:00] When narrative assets outperform visual onesTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast Resources: Phua, P., Bali, L., Anesbury, Z., & Sharp, B. (2026). Shape-based assets are strongest: Benchmarking distinctive brand asset performance across industries. International Journal of Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2026.2637295 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

AI is reshaping work by expanding roles, increasing multitasking, and accelerating productivity—but companies must set healthy guardrails and rebuild entry-level pathways as AI automates traditional starter tasks. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which describes how generative AI is reshaping work exactly as expected.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/generative-ai-is-reshaping-work-exactly-as-expected/

AI feedback drives continuous improvement in Gen AI tools by helping organizations adapt faster, improve user satisfaction, boost efficiency, and create a culture where employee insights lead to smarter innovation and better results. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about why Gen AI feedback is the real advantage.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/forget-algorithms-gen-ai-feedback-is-the-real-advantage/

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we're rethinking Warren Buffett's "moat" metaphor for competitive advantage.   THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, entrepreneurs, strategists, and innovators who want to build a sustainable competitive advantage instead of competing in a race to the bottom.   TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most companies think about competitive advantage as something static, or what Warren Buffett famously coined the "moat" that protects the business from competitors. But Roger argues that this metaphor falls short in this day and age and introduces a more dynamic way to think about strategy: moving through "rooms" ahead of competitors. Roger explores why the best companies stay curious, how customer observation leads to innovation, why benchmarking can actually hurt differentiation, and how asking different questions is often the foundation of breakthrough growth.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Competitive advantage must evolve constantly, it can't stay static. Customer observation often reveals opportunities data alone misses. Benchmarking competitors too closely can limit innovation. Sustainable growth comes from continuously moving to the "next room."   WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's perspective that competitive advantage is about continually evolving faster than your competitors. His "rooms" metaphor is such a powerful way to visualize innovation, customer learning, and staying ahead by asking smarter questions over time.   Running Time: 30:44   Subscribe on iTunes     Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X    Find Roger Online: LinkedIn Website   Show Summary on Substack

Discover how the future of TV advertising is shifting toward outcome-based measurement and AI-driven optimization coming out of the 2026 upfronts . iSpot CEO Sean Muller joins the show to break down their fundamental "Creative + Audience = Outcome" equation, the integration of their new AI platform Sage, and why the industry must prioritize trusted, neutral data over ongoing currency debates. Key Highlights

What if the biggest threat to your growth is the comfort you already earned?In this episode, Kevin and Alan challenge the idea that gratitude alone will keep you grounded, focused, and moving forward. They break down how complacency starts, why success can quietly lower your standards, and how ambition, measurement, humility, and consistency protect long-term progress.This is a clear look at the difference between being grateful and getting comfortable. If your results matter, your standards need to be reviewed, not assumed. Check them before comfort starts making decisions for you._______________________Book Alan's Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-sessionJoin the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/_______________________NLU is not just a podcast; it's a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below.

On this episode of Chit Chat Stocks, we go through another Ryan Research Episode covering MSCI Inc. We discuss:(00:00) Introduction(03:15) The Importance of Indexes and Benchmarking(06:12) Challenges in Building and Maintaining Indexes(09:25) Revenue Generation and Business Model of MSCI(12:19) The Role of AI in Index Management(15:22) Future Growth and Market Trends for MSCI(31:33) The Role of MSCI in the ETF Market(33:43) Growth Potential and Market Trends(35:01) Competitive Advantages of MSCI(40:44) Comparing Moats: Stock Exchanges vs. Index Providers(45:50) Valuation Insights and Future Projections(51:52) Investment Decisions and Market Considerations*****************************************************Subscribe to our newsletter, Emerging Moats: emergingmoats.com *********************************************************************Chit Chat Stocks is presented by Interactive Brokers. Get professional pricing, global access, and premier technology with the best brokerage for investors today: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Interactive Brokers is a member of SIPC. *********************************************************************Check out Value Spotlight: Stockwriteup.com *********************************************************************Fiscal.ai is building the future of financial data.With custom charts, AI-generated research reports, and endless analytical tools, you can get up to speed on any stock around the globe. All for a reasonable price. Use our LINK and get 15% off any premium plan: ⁠https://fiscal.ai/chitchat *********************************************************************Disclosure: Chit Chat Stocks hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and nothing they say on this show is formal advice or a recommendation.

Benchmarking and information sharing can be procompetitive, but modern data tools can also make it easier for rivals to coordinate on prices. But when does benchmarking cross the line into unlawful antitrust conduct? Norman Lee Morris, Attorney for Mississippi Attorney General, joins Panos Dimitrellos and Alysha Pannu to discuss the evolution of antitrust enforcement, the economic risks posed by real-time algorithmic pricing and data aggregation, and what recent cases like RealPage and Agri Stats reveal about enforcement priorities. Listen to this episode to learn more about how antitrust law applies to information exchanges, and why the economics of benchmarking matter so much in today's markets. With special guest: Norman Lee Morris, Attorney for Mississippi Attorney General Hosted by: Alysha Pannu, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt and Panos Dimitrellos, Secretariat Economists

Generative AI reprices knowledge work by turning tasks that once required costly outsourced labor into low-cost model-driven workflows, reshaping hiring, budgeting, and productivity across industries. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which discusses how AI reprices knowledge work.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-is-twenty-five-times-cheaper-the-number-that-reprices-knowledge-work/

This episode recorded live at the Becker's Spring 2026 Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit features Ryan Telford, VP, Portfolio Strategy, Accelerate Pharmacy Solutions. He shares insights from the Pharmacy Outlook 2026 report, highlighting key enterprise metrics, strategies to reduce specialty pharmacy leakage, and how health systems can prepare for the growing impact of cell and gene therapies.This episode is sponsored by Accelerate Pharmacy Solutions.

AI is making creative work faster and leaner by turning brainstorming into an instant, AI-powered collaboration—shifting human value from drafting ideas to directing, refining, and applying original taste. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about how AI is making the one-person creative studio a reality.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ai-is-making-the-one-person-creative-studio-a-reality/

Measuring your Chinese progress is a double-edged sword: it can keep you motivated, but it can also tempt you to chase numbers that don't reflect real progress.#learnchinese #progress #motivation #measure #benchmarkLink to article on Hacking Chinese: Effective progress or experience points? The double-edged sword of measuring your Chinese learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/measurable-progress-is-a-double-edged-sword/Benchmarking progress in Chinese to stay motivated: https://www.hackingchinese.com/benchmarking-progressHow to get past the intermediate Chinese learning plateau: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-get-past-the-intermediate-chinese-learning-plateau6 benefits of learning Chinese through sports: https://www.hackingchinese.com/practising-sports-to-learn-chineseSpaced repetition software: What it is and how to use it to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/an-introduction-to-spaced-repetition-softwareDuolingo CEO Luis von Ahn wants you addicted to learning: https://www.theverge.com/24267841/luis-von-ahn-duolingo-owl-language-learning-gamification-generative-ai-android-decoderThe importance of counting what counts when learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/about-the-importance-of-coutning-what-countsUsing HSK as a roadmap to learning Chinese: Pros and cons: https://www.hackingchinese.com/using-the-hsk-as-a-roadmap-to-learning-chineseThe CEFR Levels: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptionsCEFR self-assessment grid: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52CEFR companion volume: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/cefr-companion-volume-and-its-language-versions6 challenges students face when learning to read Chinese and how to overcome them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/6-challenges-students-face-when-learning-to-read-chinese-and-how-to-overcome-themSeeing through the illusion of advanced Chinese learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-illusion-of-advanced-learning-and-what-to-do-about-itHow long have you studied Chinese? 290 years or 58 992 hours! https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-long-have-you-studied-chinese-290-years-or-58-992-hoursApproaches to reading in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/approaches-to-reading-in-chineseMore information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.comMusic: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

AI removes friction so in-office time focuses on collaboration and decisions. Leaders who pair AI with intentional design make the office meaningful by turning presence into high-value, human, productive workdays. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which describes how AI can make the office meaningful.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/how-ai-can-make-the-office-meaningful/

Frontier AI is advancing faster than oversight, expanding risks like deepfakes, cyber threats, and autonomy failures, making strong governance, security, and human-centered controls essential to prevent compounding real-world harm. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about AI safety falling behind frontier AI capabilities.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/safety-is-falling-behind-frontier-ai-capabilities/

"Don't speak about category savings because that's procurement lingo. We need to speak about gross margin expansion at the end-product level." - Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-Founder and CEO, Sievo Spend analytics has moved well beyond spreadsheets, but most organizations are still guessing about what 'good' performance looks like.  When Sievo analyzed $1.4 trillion of procurement spend, the findings were both confirming and, in some places, eye-opening. With the business landscape changing rapidly, adaptation backed by data is more important than ever. In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner are joined by Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-Founder and CEO of Sievo. Sammeli details Sievo's approach to benchmarking, the surprising patterns in the data, and where CPOs may be missing untapped value. He also shares practical ways to reframe procurement's business impact, anchoring spend to revenue, and challenging old assumptions about control. The conversation covers fresh ways to benchmark your team's performance, build actionable industry comparisons, and rethink what matters in spend analytics. In this episode, Sammeli discusses: Why even the most mature organizations still miss large opportunities How to identify the hidden business impact of spend spikes and payment terms The importance of comparing industry benchmarks to spot real, actionable gaps Rethinking "control" in procurement: Is a PO always required? How clean data unlocks speed and better decisions Links: Sammeli Sammalkorpi on LinkedIn State of Spend Report 2025 Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube  

Strategic Technology Consultation Services This episode of The Modern .NET Show is supported, in part, by RJJ Software's Strategic Technology Consultation Services. If you're an SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) leader wondering why your technology investments aren't delivering, or you're facing critical decisions about AI, modernization, or team productivity, let's talk. Show Notes "The first measurement could be actually someone from the, so-called business, stating that, "oh gosh, this is so slow." That would be like the coarse grained measurement that you can sometimes receive for free"— Szymon Kulec Hey everyone, and welcome back to The Modern .NET Show; the premier .NET podcast, focusing entirely on the knowledge, tools, and frameworks that all .NET developers should have in their toolbox. I'm your host Jamie Taylor, bringing you conversations with the brightest minds in the .NET ecosystem. Today, we're joined by Szymon Kulec to talk about systems programming in .NET. But that's just the surface level detail of what we talk about. We do a deep-dive into some of the corners of .NET and C# that a lot of engineers hardly ever get the chance to cover. This is more than your standard, surface level conversation about C# and .NET. "Maybe sometimes you will actually create a thread. Something that you don't do nowadays in .NET, because you know what you are doing and you want to own the specific thread for or your own specific purpose."— Szymon Kulec Along the way, we talked about how developers who are using C# and .NET should think about learning the deeper levels of the language and how things work under the covers. Knowing how the JIT works with your code will help you to write more performant code, for sure. Before we jump in, a quick reminder: if The Modern .NET Show has become part of your learning journey, please consider supporting us through Patreon or Buy Me A Coffee. Every contribution helps us continue bringing you these in-depth conversations with industry experts. You'll find all the links in the show notes. Anyway, without further ado, let's sit back, open up a terminal, type in `dotnet new podcast` and we'll dive into the core of Modern .NET. Full Show Notes The full show notes, including links to some of the things we discussed and a full transcription of this episode, can be found at: https://dotnetcore.show/season-8/measure-twice-cut-once-benchmarking-hot-paths-and-the-chainsaw-of-unsafe-code-with-szymon-kulec/ Useful Links: Szymon on LinkedIn Szymon's blog Supporting the show: Leave a rating or review Buy the show a coffee Become a patron Getting in Touch: Via the contact page Joining the Discord Remember to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or wherever you find your podcasts, this will help the show's audience grow. Or you can just share the show with a friend. And don't forget to reach out via our Contact page. We're very interested in your opinion of the show, so please get in touch. You can support the show by making a monthly donation on the show's Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/TheDotNetCorePodcast. Music created by Mono Memory Music, licensed to RJJ Software for use in The Modern .NET Show. Editing and post-production services for this episode were provided by MB Podcast Services.

Transparent, frequent communication about Gen AI progress, challenges, and feedback turns uncertainty into trust, reducing AI fears and boosting employee engagement. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about why your employees feel Gen AI fears and how to win them over.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/why-your-employees-feel-gen-ai-fears-and-how-to-win-them-over/

Join us for Part 1 of a 3-part series as Du'An Lightfoot (Senior AI Engineer at Akamai) breaks down everything you need to know to get started running AI models locally on your own hardware. Du'An walks through the fundamentals of local AI - from understanding why you'd want to run models privately (data ownership, air-gapped environments, IP protection) to the hardware concepts that make it possible. You'll learn how inference actually works under the hood, why GPUs matter for AI workloads, how to choose and quantize models for your hardware, and how to get up and running with tools like Ollama. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series - future episodes cover serving models via API and distributing inference at the edge with Kubernetes. Timestamps 0:00 Cold Open: Why Local AI? 0:26 Welcome & Introduction 1:30 Following Up on the Frontier Models Episode 2:25 Du'An's Background & AI Inference at Akamai 3:49 What If You Wanted to Own Your Data? 5:00 Local AI vs Cloud AI: A Different Layer of the Stack 5:47 Why GPUs Matter: The Nvidia Story 7:03 CPU vs GPU: Serial vs Parallel Processing 8:28 Model Weights & Quantization Explained 12:45 Choosing the Right Model for Your Hardware 18:22 Getting Started with Ollama 24:16 Live Demo: Running Your First Local Model 30:41 Hardware Recommendations & Requirements 36:52 Hugging Face & Finding Models 42:18 Performance Tips & Benchmarking 48:35 Use Cases: When to Go Local vs Cloud 1:01:30 Live Demo: Claude Put-in-Work Repo 1:11:17 Bonus: Building a Deck with Co-work Live 1:16:36 Preview: Episodes 2 & 3 1:17:17 Wrap-up How to find Du'An: https://www.duanlightfoot.com/ https://github.com/labeveryday/ Links from the show: https://ollama.com/ https://apxml.com/ https://localllm.in/ https://huggingface.co/ https://github.com/labeveryday/claude-put-in-work https://claude.ai/

Gen AI initiatives succeed when training evolves continuously—using feedback and data to stay relevant, practical, and aligned with real business needs, driving higher engagement, skills application, and measurable impact. That's the key take-away message of this episode of the Wise Decision Maker Show, which talks about how feedback-driven training could save your Gen AI initiatives.This article forms the basis for this episode: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/feedback-driven-training-could-save-your-gen-ai-initiatives/

The on-premise side of wine analytics has traditionally been a black hole, not covered by other data services. Somm.ai changed that when they launched in 2021, now covering ~100k on-premise accounts in the US alone. The richness of data allows Somm.ai to help their clients benchmark, prospect for new accounts, and so much more. Jeremy Hart, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Somm.ai, explains how it is more manpower vs a platform to accelerate on-premise sales. Detailed Show Notes: Jeremy's background: restaurants, wholesale, importingTX became a major wine market during ‘08 Global Financial Crisis; it took the allocations from NY and CASomm.ai founding: end of 2019 was originally an app for people to find restaurants with wines they wanted to drink; during the pandemic (2020) pivoted to turning restaurant wine lists into retail shops (sold ~$700k of wine); did some smart menus; 2021 launched current iteration of on-premise sales analyticsCategorizes restaurants, bars, & hotels in US (100k accounts), Canada, Europe (6 countries, Germany largest w/ 3k accounts), Singapore; data updated every 2 weeksJackson Family is longest client - w/ NBA partnership, Somm.ai developed target lists around NBA stadiums to sell into~70 clients of all sizes (many large suppliers, e.g. - Terlato, Vintus, Concha y Toro, wholesalers, importers)General use cases include: Benchmarking vs peers (accounts, placements)Prospecting and lead generation (can see accounts that other distributors cover)Identify brand extensionsHelp with pricingIdentifying sales pitches for national accountsROISome clients have moved up a lot in benchmarking ranksSave money on travel, focused on the right marketsCan save manpowerPricing ~$30-70k/year avg, includes unlimited training and unlimited seats, US and Canada (other geographies are an upcharge)Product roadmap - expanding to more geographies, which can be temporary exclusivity for early partners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this heartfelt and wide-ranging episode, host Bryan reconnects with Jim Bergmann of measureQuick after nearly three years apart. The reunion is anything but ordinary — Jim opens up about a serious battle with non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma that sent him through not one but two rounds of chemotherapy, ultimately requiring a cutting-edge CAR-T cell immunotherapy treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. Jim shares the remarkable medical journey of having his T cells extracted, genetically modified in a Maryland lab, and reintroduced into his body to permanently attack cancer cells. Now past the critical six-month remission milestone, Jim is back, healthy, and more motivated than ever to push the HVAC diagnostics industry forward. From his medical comeback, the conversation transitions naturally into what Jim loves most: the world of HVAC diagnostics and the evolution of measureQuick. After years of defending a per-use pricing model that the market simply didn't embrace, Jim candidly admits the old model wasn't working. With the help of business partner Eric Preston (formerly of TruTech Tools), the team overhauled the software's pricing structure in February — a move that has since driven 90%+ customer retention and accelerated growth significantly. The new focus is squarely on "time to value," streamlining workflows so technicians reach key diagnostic reports faster than ever before. A significant portion of the episode dives into how measureQuick is thoughtfully integrating artificial intelligence. Rather than chasing AI trends, Jim and his team — including AI specialist Ben Reed — took a deliberate approach: identifying the precise areas where AI genuinely helps technicians without creating distractions. The standout use case is label identification, where AI reads equipment labels and auto-populates system profiles. Jim is refreshingly candid about AI's limitations in HVAC diagnostics, explaining that the field variability of real-world systems (varying line set lengths, mismatched equipment, non-standard airflow conditions) makes purely AI-driven diagnostics unreliable. Instead, measureQuick leans on first-principle modeling and non-dimensional mathematics to generate objective, data-driven results. The episode closes with a thought-provoking discussion about the state of the HVAC industry at large. Bryan and Jim tackle the growing influence of private equity consolidation, the persistent problem of technicians skipping probe deployment, the difference between clearing faults and actually fixing them, and the importance of commissioning and retro-commissioning equipment to manufacturer design intent. Throughout it all, the conversation is anchored by a shared belief: that measuring everything — in business and on the job — is the foundation of genuine, lasting improvement. It's a must-listen for any HVAC professional or business owner who wants to understand where the industry is headed. Topics Covered Jim's cancer diagnosis: non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma and the progression from standard chemo to aggressive relapse CAR-T cell immunotherapy explained: how T cells are extracted, genetically modified, and reintroduced to fight cancer permanently Jim's recovery at the Cleveland Clinic and surpassing the critical six-month remission milestone Neurotoxicity as a side effect of CAR-T therapy and what that experience was like The pivot away from measureQuick's per-use pricing model and the dramatic improvement in retention after switching The "time to value" philosophy driving measureQuick's new hybrid workflow interface How measureQuick is integrating AI — and where AI falls short in real-world HVAC diagnostics Label identification as the most practical current AI application in field diagnostics Why AI is highly sycophantic and the danger of relying on subjective, internet-sourced training data for HVAC decisions The power of measureQuick's proprietary measurement data and target zones as a foundation for AI summaries First-principle modeling and non-dimensional mathematics: why brand-agnostic diagnostics work The importance of deploying all nine probes on every air conditioning service call Benchmarking vs. commissioning vs. retro-commissioning: the three layers of equipment assessment Design temperature difference: measuring evaporator and condenser delta-T as engineering benchmarks How ECM motors mask airflow problems — and why that leads to premature motor failure and higher energy costs The two "elephants in the room": incomplete probe deployment and clearing faults without fixing them Why clearing a fault in measureQuick without addressing the root cause is like putting duct tape over a check engine light How poor installation practices in high-growth markets (Florida, Texas, Arizona, Las Vegas) have created widespread system deficiencies The role of private equity in HVAC consolidation and why many PE firms add cost without adding value Why implementing field measurement systems like measureQuick is the missing link for PE-owned and independent shops alike The legacy mode vs. new mode toggle in the upcoming measureQuick update — no forced UI changes for existing users How measureQuick helps newer technicians become productive faster and helps seasoned technicians be more consistent The importance of presenting diagnostic findings to homeowners and helping them understand what the numbers actually mean   Learn more about measureQuick at https://measurequick.com/.  Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? 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