Podcasts about big takeaways

What jobs will AI replace, and which ones will become more valuable?Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, recently wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal about how he chose which employees to replace with AI. His argument: AI is not coming equally for every role. It's coming first for the people inside organizations who measure, report, analyze, audit, manage, and process information.In this solo episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner responds to Prince's article and examines what it reveals about the future of work. Drawing on Peter Drucker's framework of builders, sellers, and measurers, Matt breaks down why some jobs are likely to be heavily disrupted while others may become even more valuable.The uncomfortable truth: AI may reduce the need for many traditional middle management, finance, operations, and measurement-heavy roles. But it also increases the value of people who create products, build relationships, solve customer problems, lead change, and turn technology into business value.From sales and engineering to marketing, STEM education, data science, and applied AI, this episode explores where human talent still matters most, and what businesses, educators, and professionals need to do now to prepare for the next phase of workforce disruption.5 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Businesses need to start their AI journey now. AI is already changing how companies operate, compete, hire, and structure their teams. Organizations that have not assigned someone to understand how AI will disrupt their business, market, or institution are already behind.2. Measurers and mid-level managers will be disrupted the most. Roles centered on reporting, processing, auditing, analyzing, tracking, and managing information are increasingly vulnerable to AI. The opportunity is not to ignore that disruption, but to become the person who knows how to use AI to do that work better, faster, and more strategically.3. Personal relationships become more important in the AI age, not less. AI can automate parts of sales, marketing, and customer engagement, but it cannot earn trust the way people do. Sellers who understand customer needs, build relationships, solve problems, and use data intelligently will remain critical to business growth.4. Creativity and leadership still rule the day. AI gives more people access to the same tools, but it does not replace the ability to see opportunity, connect ideas, build a brand, lead change, or execute a vision. In marketing, business leadership, product strategy, and innovation, creative and decisive people will continue to create value.5. The future belongs to builders. Engineers, skilled tradespeople, manufacturing talent, STEM professionals, automation specialists, and applied AI practitioners are positioned to become even more important. If AI makes builders more productive, companies will need more of them, not fewer, especially in fields tied to physical AI, robotics, smart manufacturing, autonomous systems, drones, and the edge-to-cloud continuumResources in this Episode:Read Matthew Prince's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal: "How I Choose Which Cloudflare Employees to Replace With AI"Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/cloudflare/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

In this episode of Business Brain, we unpack why so many websites still have terrible search even with AI everywhere — and it comes down to tokens. We break down what a token actually is, why feeding an LLM your entire knowledge base on every customer query gets expensive fast, and how the math changes dramatically depending on which model you choose. A real-world example shows the difference between a $2.5M-a-month implementation and a $25K one running on a leaner model. The takeaway: figure out what it’ll cost to leverage AI against your existing customer data, then decide if the lift is worth it. Then we dive into xAI’s new Grok Custom Voices feature, which clones our voice from roughly 90 seconds of audio and plugs into text-to-speech and voice agent APIs. We riff on the Charmed Life use cases — turning written posts into audio versions for drivers, recording sponsorship reads without the edit pass, voicing phone trees in our own brand voice, and keeping content flowing even when our actual voices are blown out from too much mic time. Voice cloning is either already here or very close, and we’re going to test it in the coming weeks. 00:00:00 Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs' Podcast #753 for Casual FridAI, May 15, 2026 May 15th: Customer Experience Day 00:01:19 AI compute tokens: Using AI/LLM for search and customer service in your business Sponsors 00:10:54 SPONSOR: Bitdefender. Keep your small business safe with Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security. Save 30% when you go to https://bitdefender.com/BRAIN 00:12:25 SPONSOR: Shopify – For anyone to sell anywhere, sign up for a one-dollar-per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/BusinessBrain and upgrade your selling today! 00:13:52 Grok's new voice cloning 00:17:55 This episode's Big Takeaway for Business Blueprints: Figure out how to use AI to leverage your business's existing data 00:21:57 Business Brain 753 Outtro Check out Business Brain Blueprints Tell Your Friends! Business Blueprints Review Business Brain Subscribe to the show feedback@businessbrain.show Call/Text: (567) 274-6977 X/Twitter: @ShannonJean & @DaveHamilton, & @BizBrainShow LinkedIn: Shannon Jean, Dave Hamilton, & Business Brain Facebook: Dave Hamilton, Shannon Jean, & Business Brain The post FridAI – Tokens + xAI Voice Cloning – Business Brain 753 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

In this episode of Business Brain, we’re launching something new: Business Blueprints, a free companion resource that distills each episode’s topics into actionable playbooks complete with industry context, analogies, and step-by-step plans. Grab them at businessbrain.show/blueprints. We also dig into the hidden community that surrounds every market — the “family” behind trade shows, conferences, even Ren Faires — and why participating in that ecosystem is one of the most overlooked levers for long-term business longevity. Then we break down the viral Crawler Box story: a homemade RC off-road trailer pulling 800,000+ views across socials, and the massive opportunity its creator is leaving on the table. The big takeaway for living the Charmed Life this week — every business is in the social media business, but distribution without a net is a missed jackpot. If we’re going to fish for virality, we’d better have a lead magnet, an email capture, or a product ready to convert the catch. Build the net before the big one bites. 00:00:00 Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs' Podcast #752 for Wednesday, May 13, 2026 May 13th: Cough Drop Day 00:02:00 Renaissance Faire Ren Faire Documentary 00:06:28 New from Business Brain: Business Blueprints Complete with a playbook including actionable steps Sponsors 00:11:26 SPONSOR: Bitdefender. Keep your small business safe with Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security. Save 30% when you go to https://bitdefender.com/BRAIN 00:12:56 SPONSOR: Shopify – For anyone to sell anywhere, sign up for a one-dollar-per month trial period at https://shopify.com/BusinessBrain and upgrade your selling today! 00:14:24 Dissecting a business: Crawlerbox $10 for 10 minutes Every business is in the social media business Don't build a business, build a net! 00:22:47 This episode's Big Takeaway for Business Blueprints: Build a net! Sub-takeaway: Pay attention in your businesses market for the “family” aspect 00:25:48 Business Brain 752 Outtro Check out Business Brain Blueprints Tell Your Friends! Business Blueprints Review Business Brain Subscribe to the show feedback@businessbrain.show Call/Text: (567) 274-6977 X/Twitter: @ShannonJean & @DaveHamilton, & @BizBrainShow LinkedIn: Shannon Jean, Dave Hamilton, & Business Brain Facebook: Dave Hamilton, Shannon Jean, & Business Brain The post Business Blueprints + Crawler Box – Business Brain 752 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

As AI and emerging technologies reshape work, HR is being pushed into a bigger role: making sure the company's workforce strategy keeps pace with its business strategy.▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube!In this episode, Matt Kirchner sits down with Dr. Peter Fasolo, former CHRO of Johnson & Johnson and now Director of the Institute for Leadership & Work at Boston University, to talk about the future workforce from one of the most senior vantage points in HR. Fasolo does not describe HR as a siloed function focused on policies and process. He describes it as a system tied to competitive pressures, customers, leadership, organizational design, and the business outcomes that matter most to the executive suite and the board.Fasolo argues that as AI takes on more routine work, the value of HR has to become more strategic, not less: understanding the internal labor market, knowing where to build talent versus buy it, helping the company close capability gaps, and making sure the workforce is aligned with where the business is headed. With Matt pushing the conversation into practical territory, the episode becomes a broader discussion about leadership, culture, upskilling, and what companies will need from HR chiefs as the future workforce takes shape.Listen to learnHow HR leaders can tell whether the company actually has the skills and leadership depth its strategy requiresAre mass layoffs truly due to AI, or is there more going on in these businesses?How to decide when to build talent, buy talent, borrow talent, or use AIWhere companies should redirect their talent if they're able to automate tasks with AIWhy the next phase of HR leadership is less about administering programs and more about helping the executive team build an organization that can compete3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. HR has to move closer to the center of business strategy. Fasolo makes the case that HR can no longer be defined mainly by process, policy, or employee programs. As work changes, the real job is helping leadership understand whether the company has the talent, structure, and alignment to deliver on its strategy.2. The future workforce starts with maximizing the capabilities you already have. Before companies rush to hire, restructure, or blame AI for workforce disruption, Fasolo argues they need a much clearer view of their internal labor market, skill gaps, and job architecture. Workforce strategy starts with knowing what exists inside the business and maximizing your human capital.3. Technology only creates value if leaders use the freed-up capacity well. AI and workforce disruption is all over the headlines, but here's a grounded way to approach it. If routine work takes less time, then organizational leaders need to redirect their people toward customers, coaching, judgment, problem solving, and the kinds of leadership work that technology cannot replace.Resources: https://techedpodcast.com/fasolo/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Think about the wonders and pains of creating, and then shake some ass about it.Today we're talking about HYPERBEAT by Dreamware Media! A game about being there for your friends and playing dressup in a rhythm purgatory. Get HYPERBEAT on Steam!!! Follow Dreamware Media's work on Steam!Discussed in the episode:City of None on SteamHYPERBEAT (Original Game Soundtrack) by Chancellor John WallinSupport us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:00) - BREAKING NEWS THAT IS NOT OUT OF DATE (02:13) - Hey hi you can support us monetarily :) (02:52) - What is HYPERBEAT (06:00) - How the game deals with its narrative (09:10) - The Wellspring and the look of the game (10:46) - The rhythm game part (15:47) - HYPERFASHION (18:36) - More about the rhythm game part (23:55) - CENTR by Chancellor John Wallin (24:30) - The music is GOOD (26:11) - Spoilers (26:15) - Motivational posters in prose (27:15) - Going to the Wellspring (28:15) - The game has one message (33:46) - Character stories that his the hardest (40:25) - Maybe you have more to give (44:41) - Big Takeaways (45:52) - AJ's Big Takeaway (49:29) - Robin's Big Takeaway (52:13) - That was a rhythm game (52:42) - Thanks for listening! ★ Support this podcast ★

Physical AI is the next major step for artificial intelligence, and FANUC's collaboration with NVIDIA shows how that will look on the factory floor.Mike Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America, highlights the partnership's two major applications: digital and physical. On the digital side, FANUC robots can be brought into NVIDIA Omniverse and Isaac Sim, alongside FANUC's ROBOGUIDE software, for simulation, virtual commissioning, digital-twin development, cycle-time evaluation, synthetic data generation, and risk reduction before installation.On the physical side, NVIDIA's computing capabilities, ROS 2, open-source development, and AI-enabled perception are helping robots interpret sensor data, adjust motion in real time, avoid people, track moving parts, coordinate dual-arm tasks, and perform work that once required rigid programming or precise fixturing.For manufacturers, Physical AI will expand automation's capabilties, especially in high-mix environments. For educators and workforce leaders, as AI and open-source tools accelerate robot programming, students still need strong fundamentals in motion, safety, controls, and robot behavior.Listen to learnThe physical and digital aspects of the new FANUC-NVIDIA partnership How Isaac Sim and Omniverse could change virtual commissioning for manufacturers What ROS 2 makes possible for open-source robotics development Where small and midsize manufacturers should start before jumping into advanced AI robotics What these developments mean for educators teaching automation and robotics courses3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:Manufacturers can now do full virtual commissioning before investing in a new automation cell. NVIDIA's Isaac Sim and Omniverse create a way to bring multiple assets together into one photorealistic virtual factory, where manufacturers can simulate robot behavior, factory layouts, workflow changes, synthetic parts, and commissioning scenarios before building the physical system.Physical AI is making robot programming more flexible and responsive to real-time environmental changes. Through NVIDIA's computing capabilities, ROS 2, open-source development on GitHub, and AI-enabled perception, robots can begin responding to changing factory conditions in real time. That includes tracking moving parts in 3D, adjusting motion around people, coordinating dual-arm tasks, handling flexible materials, and using generative AI to create programs from voice commands.Industry will still need people who understand the fundamentals of robot motion and programming. AI and open-source code can accelerate robot programming, but they can't replace the need to understand motion, safety, controls, acceleration, position, and how robots behave in production. Manufacturers and educators still need strong technical foundations so people can judge, refine, troubleshoot, and safely deploy these systems.Resources:Advancing Physical AI and Digital Twins Through Collaboration with NVIDIALearn more about FANUC America & FANUC's Education ProgramsMore links & resources: We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

This was recorded in the immediate aftermath of last week's episode and it is immediately apparent. Thank you for your patience.Today we're talking about Grow Light by Danielle Taphanel! A game about living on the moon and photosynthesizing.Play Grow Light on itch.io!!! Follow Danielle Taphanel's work on their website!---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(01:13) - Hey (01:50) - dot.cat (02:17) - This is the second podcast (03:06) - What is Grow Light? (04:33) - Bitsy games?! (05:17) - No spoiler break here! The game is short! (06:04) - What'd we think of the video game? (09:55) - What makes a Kim game a Kim game (11:16) - Are we ready for Big Takeaways??? (11:30) - Robin has more thoughts! (12:09) - Becoming a plant (15:14) - Kim's Quote Corner (17:31) - Run TRANSFORMATION (21:07) - Big Takeaways??????? (21:14) - Kim's Big Takeaway (26:06) - AJ attempts (and fails) a Big Takeaway (27:00) - Robin's Big Takeaway (28:58) - AJ's Big Takeaway (30:14) - Thanks for listening! ★ Support this podcast ★

In this milestone episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Mark Barrett is joined by Dan Hill to review the first 50 deals featured on the Deals, Deals, Deals episode series. Across these deals: £30M+ equity created £5M+ profit generated £5M+ annual cashflow achieved We cover: A breakdown of the Wealth Hierarchy and Financial Fortress concepts Real examples of deals across cashflow, profit and equity strategies Key patterns that have emerged from analysing 50+ real property deals A summary of the most common lessons shared by guests Mark's own insights from hosting and reviewing every episode If you're looking to: Achieve financial and time freedom Build or scale your Financial Fortress Understand how different strategies fit together Create long-term wealth through property Then this episode gives you a clear, real-world perspective based on actual deals — not theory. Dan Hill shares his perspective on: The Wealth Hierarchy framework Building a Financial Fortress How to approach deals depending on your level of experience and capital The best strategy no matter what your situation The Big Takeaway is that the best investors consistently: Invest in themselves Understand their numbers Focus on the right strategy And build towards long-term assets Success and Failure are both very predictable. I hope you enjoy. Work With Mark / The HMO Agent: If you're an Investor or HMO landlord and want to: Discuss investment opportunities Explore long-term lease options Sell your HMOs, blocks or portfolio Build or scale your portfolio   Visit: www.thehmoagent.com Arrange a call with Mark: https://calendar.app.google/Q7DMSzZ7cqtWdUf36   The patterns are clear. The Blueprints work. If you want to build equity, profit, and long-term cashflow with structure - not guesswork - join us at the Blueprint Summer Retreat, 19–22 May 2026. See how it works: https://theblueprintretreat.co.uk/   Want to learn more?

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes opened their show by reacting to young slugger Moises Ballesteros getting his first start at catcher for the Cubs in Chicago's loss at San Diego on Monday night. After that, they welcomed on Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner to discuss a lesson learned in the club's loss Monday and to break down the team's recent hot streak.

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes were joined by Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner to discuss a lesson learned in the club's 9-7 loss to the Padres on Monday and to break down the team's recent hot streak.

What if the future of technical talent is not Silicon Valley or public service, but a career path that moves fluidly between both?Arun Gupta sees that possibility from several angles: as a longtime venture capitalist, CEO of NobleReach Foundation, Stanford lecturer, and author of The Mission Generation. The strongest ideas and technologies only scale when they are matched with people who have resilience, curiosity, humility, and the ability to build strong teams. That same talent equation matters in government, where public service has struggled to compete with the prestige, speed, and perceived upside of high-growth tech careers.Government is still selling 30-year careers in a world where ambitious people are buying experiences. NobleReach is creating more credible pathways into public service, including programs that give talented people access to meaningful work, strong mentorship, industry visibility, and a community of peers who see service as a career enhancer rather than a detour.As AI disruption, geopolitical conflict, institutional distrust, and constant career change reshape the workforce, Gupta argues that mission may become one of the few stable throughlines left. The old choice between profit and purpose is breaking down, and the next generation of leaders may need to build careers that move across sectors, translate between cultures, and turn personal ambition into civic contribution.3 Big Takeaways:1. Public service needs to become a credible career accelerator for technical talent. Gupta argues that government has often sold young people on safety, stability, and 30-year careers, while many ambitious people now think in terms of high-impact experiences. NobleReach is trying to close that gap by making public service feel prestigious, professionally valuable, and connected to what talented people may do next.2. The most important variable in technology is still human talent. After nearly two decades in venture capital, Gupta saw the same pattern across successful startups: ideas and technology mattered, but people determined whether those ideas could scale. Resilience, curiosity, humility, leadership, and the ability to build strong teams became the real differentiators.3. Mission gives technical talent a reason to put their skills toward bigger problems. Gupta argues that many young people have come of age through COVID, geopolitical conflict, environmental stress, AI disruption, and other major shocks compressed into just a few years. That experience has intensified their desire to do work that means something, where their ambition, technical ability, and sense of civic responsibility can point in the same direction.Resources in this Episode:Get Arun's new book: The Mission GenerationMore links & resources on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/guptaWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Sleep issues are a BIG deal—just ask someone who's been up all night involuntarily. More than half of all Americans have difficulty falling or staying asleep. Good sleep is critical for "Keeping the 'Live' in 'Alive'!   I had a 'Random Run In' with Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, a nutrition scientist and a pioneer in the field of sleep health. I was on an Amtrak to Boston, and I happened to choose the seat next to her. She was working diligently on her computer. I kept sneaking peaks at the bright fun patterned shirt she was wearing that I finally figured out reminded me of my old Peter Max stationery I loved so much as a kid. She was focused so I was quiet. At some point during the 3 ½ hour trip I asked what she was working on. (Couldn't help it - I'm a curious stranger talker) That's how I found out I was sitting next to a very big brain wrapped in a very small feminine body. Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge PhD is THE 'go-to' expert on the connection between food and sleep.   Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, is a nutrition scientist and a pioneer in the field of sleep health.  She is the author of Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and A 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlock the Food-Sleep Connection (A Cookbook). She wrote it in a fun recipe collaboration with Kat Craddock Editor-in Chief, CEO and owner of SAVEUR the legacy food magazine. Developed with ingredients that trigger the body's dietary melatonin and serotonin, these recipes align with a Mediterranean diet and trigger a healthy circadian cycle, so you feel energetic during the day and ready for sleep at night. Dr. Marie-Pierre is also the founding director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University, and her cutting-edge research combines her unique expertise on sleep, nutrition, and weight management to address overall health related to sleep.    The Big Takeaway for Me From Our Amtrak Conversation Was Learning That Sleep and Food Are Powerfully Connected! The way you eat affects how you sleep The way you sleep affects how you eat It's a loop… and if it's broken? You feel it.   Dr. Marie-Pierre made it simple: Better Diet = Better Sleep = Better Life And not in a "perfect eating" way… in a real-life, doable, smart swaps kind of way.   So What Should We Actually Be Eating To Sleep Better? No gimmicks here. Just smart, science-backed choices: Fiber-rich foods (hello whole grains) Healthy proteins (fish, salmon, nuts, seeds) Foods with tryptophan (the Thanksgiving turkey effect is real-ish ) Balanced meals—not heavy, late-night overloads And here's something people don't always realize Dr Marie mentioned: Alcohol may help you fall asleep… but it messes with your sleep later. And Wait… "Sweets for Sleep"? I'm Listening… Now THIS caught my attention. There are actually desserts designed to SUPPORT sleep—like: Sesame shortbread cookies Chamomile ginger panna cotta They're: Lower in sugar Thoughtfully balanced Built with ingredients that help your body relax So yes… you can have your dessert and your sleep. Just smarter.   Timing Matters More Than You Think One thing I loved learning from Dr. Marie? This isn't about a "magic bedtime snack." It's about your entire day of eating. Because your body needs time to: Digest Absorb Convert nutrients (like tryptophan into sleep-supporting compounds) This is a lifestyle—not a quick fix. But it matters.   And About Those Sleep Trackers… I had to ask. Her answer? Refreshingly sane:  Use them  Learn from them  BUT… don't let them run your life Because how you feel still matters.   My Debservation? We spend so much time chasing energy… …but we ignore the foundation of it—sleep. And if food is part of the solution? That's empowering. Because it means we have more control than we think.   Now back to Dr. Marie-Pierre I have no clue when this sleep expert has time to sleep. Lol She's a very busy woman!   Born and educated in Québec, Canada, Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge lives with her family in New Jersey. When I met her on Amtrak, she was working on a presentation that she was supposed to have made in person in Chicago that day. However, airplane delays landed her instead on the Amtrak to Boston where she would do the presentation virtually and still be in the right place for another yet another presentation in Boston.  Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD is the recipient of an Outstanding Investigator Award from the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) at the NIH, and she is a Fulbright Scholar as well as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.  She has authored close to 170 peer-reviewed publications and received scientific achievement awards from the American Heart Association and American Society for Clinical Nutrition.   Amazing right?   But Even Sleep Experts Get Tired. I noticed after typing for hours in the seat next to me that Dr. Marie-Pierre had started to doze off.   When she woke up I offered her a sample Alert Pop™.   What are the chances?   I was on Amtrak that day heading to Boston to meet a major distributor for a new product called Alert Pop™! I'm a Founding Partner of the company behind this new 'better for you' sugar free caffeinated functional energy lollipop that was invented by my partner Stephen Caldwell to help prevent drowsy driving.    Did you know 1 in 25 drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel? I figured Dr. Marie could appreciate the purpose of the product and told her I'd love her opinion.  She liked it! Perked her right up. I thought maybe we could somehow collaborate.   Anyway, we exchanged contacts and honestly, I felt she was way too impressive a 'random run in' to keep to myself.  So, I'm sharing her and her knowledge with you all today on my Wellness Wednesday Show.   Listen to the Full Interview If you missed it, here's my conversation with Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge PhD on The Debbie Nigro Show. It's packed with insights that could genuinely change how you feel every single day.   And it starts with a simple and powerful premise... What you eat today will determine how you sleep tonight.   And 'Good Sleep' is key to "Keeping the Live in Alive! "    Best! Debbie

Sam and Becky are reunited to recap all things USWNT. Who impressed them at camp? Who flew under the radar? And why was playing Japan 3 times such a valuable test? Plus, the NWSL returns this weekend!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What can organizational leaders learn from military-tested leadership practices to realign teams, sharpen execution, and move forward with greater clarity?In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner sits down with Jay Richards, retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, former Naval Special Warfare operator, CIA contractor, and author of The Standdown Framework: Advance Over Retreat. Richards brings a rare perspective shaped by elite military service, global special operations collaboration, and high-stakes leadership environments, then applies those lessons to the challenges leaders face inside businesses and educational institutions.Every organization experiences drift: the slow movement away from standards, clarity, discipline, and mission through small compromises and tolerated inconsistencies. The Standdown Framework is about using a deliberate reset to create stronger alignment, uncover untapped intelligence across the team, improve accountability, and open up new possibilities for performance, innovation, and culture.Leaders will learn how to ask better questions, create better discussions, and turn a reset into a lasting operating standard. The result is a practical conversation about how strong leadership can help organizations not only correct course, but build something sharper and more resilient on the other side.In this episode:How drift takes hold inside organizations, and why drift can't be ignoredThe 9-step Standdown framework Jay uses to help teams reset, realign, and move forwardWhy the questions leaders ask often determine whether they get surface-level updates or real truth from their team membersHow to confront breakdowns in performance without creating a culture of blameWhat it takes to turn a one-time reset into stronger culture, sharper accountability, and lasting execution3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:Drift rarely looks dramatic, which is exactly why it's dangerous. Richards defines drift as the slow movement away from standards, discipline, clarity, and mission through small compromises and tolerated workarounds. In manufacturing, education, or any team environment, the problem often is not collapse. It's gradual erosion that gets normalized over time.A stand down is not a retreat. It is a disciplined reset. Richards reengineered a military-inspired process for organizations that need to stop, realign, and move forward with greater precision. The framework is built to help leaders identify the signal, align the team, define the anchor points, discuss hard truths honestly, and execute a better plan with accountability.Strong leadership is less about control than clarity, accountability, and development. Richards repeatedly returns to the same themes: ask better questions, create psychological safety, praise people publicly when they model the standard, and build systems that hold teams accountable after the reset. He makes the case that great organizations don't just extract value from people today. They develop people for what they can become tomorrow.Resources in this Episode:Read The Standdown Framework book on AmazonMore resources on the episode page: We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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Grek.Today we're talking about HITM3 by xiri! A game about making a movie with your boyfriends and feeding the kitty.Get HITM3 on Steam and itch.io!!! Follow xiri's work on their itch page!Discussed in the episode:Mediterranea Inferno on SteamAutomatic writing on WikipediaHITM3 Soundtrack by Lia Nadja, Niñosindigo, Lavina Yelb, Vicente Palma, leorina, paltamango & mariapepinos on Bandcamp---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:30) - Something something short shorts (01:33) - How find HITM3? (02:41) - What is HITM3? (04:27) - The artistic intent (12:16) - You do make a movie (17:29) - This one is for the boys (18:55) - Kitty (20:00) - This game is Doin Stuff (25:32) - The mundanity (33:17) - The title sequence (33:59) - The way people look and the use of color (35:13) - Big Takeaways (35:21) - Chase's Big Takeaway (40:55) - Kim's Big Takeaway (46:34) - AJ's Big Takeaway (48:59) - was the Grek there? (50:26) - Grek's Big Takeaway (51:02) - Robin's Big Takeaway (55:39) - Thanks so much for listening! ★ Support this podcast ★

Joe and Robert are back to break down the penultimate episode of the season, diving into the Lalaparuza and everything that came with it. With a full bracket of lip syncs and a returning cast, they unpack what worked, what didn't, and which performances actually delivered. They kick things off with thoughts on the workroom energy and how certain queens came across the second time around. From shifting dynamics to confidence boosts, there's plenty to discuss before the lip syncs even begin. The Lalaparuza itself takes center stage, with Joe and Robert questioning whether the performances lived up to the hype. They get into the difference between being a strong dancer versus a compelling lip sync performer, and whether some queens were oversold based on reputation alone. They also debate standout moments from the night, including the most memorable reveals and which matchups could have gone either way. Along the way, they revisit RuPaul's music catalog and whether the song choices helped or hurt the overall experience. As the episode wraps, they reflect on how this installment fits into the season as a whole and what it sets up heading into the finale. Follow us on social media and join the conversation. Subscribe for full coverage of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18, including The Big Takeaway, Drag Race Recap, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Double Your Profit by Doing Less: The Subtraction Strategy with Yarin Gaon   Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com  or email him at rocky@profitcomesfirst.com  Make more, work less video: https://youtu.be/    The Profit Paradox—Why More Revenue Is Killing Your Business    In this episode, Rocky Lalvani sits down with Yaron Gaon, a serial entrepreneur and investor who's mentored over 400 founders, to discuss why most businesses get stuck between $2-4 million in revenue. They explore the counterintuitive truth that revenue growth often masks declining profitability, and break down the exact framework private equity firms use to build truly profitable businesses. This conversation challenges conventional wisdom about growth and reveals the strategic shift every founder needs to make to scale profitably.    Key Learning Insights  Most businesses fail to recognize that not every revenue stream is equally profitable.  Revenue and profit are not the same thing; most founders can't identify where actual profit comes from.  EOS and operational systems work best only after you've answered the upstream strategic questions.  Most founders test ideas without a clear hypothesis, making failure data meaningless.  The 80/20 principle applies to business: 20% of activities generate 80% of profit.  Most founders only make the shift when they hit rock bottom and can't make payroll.    The Big Takeaway  The difference between a business that grows revenue and a business that grows profit isn't luck or market conditions. It's a deliberate strategic shift that happens at the $2-3 million revenue mark. At this stage, founders must stop thinking about addition and start thinking about subtraction. They must create financial clarity by understanding exactly where profit comes from, not just where revenue comes from. Then they must create strategic clarity by deciding what they're doubling down on and what they're eliminating. Only after these two forms of clarity exist should they implement operational systems like EOS. The businesses that make this shift become 3-5x more profitable, create better work environments for their teams, and become far more valuable if they eventually want to sell. The businesses that don't make this shift get stuck, burning out founders with increasing revenue but stagnant or declining profit. The framework isn't complicated. The barrier is that it requires stopping, analyzing, and making hard decisions. But the return on that investment is usually obvious within 90 days.    Conclusion  Building a profitable business isn't about working harder or chasing more revenue. It's about working smarter by understanding where your profit actually comes from and having the discipline to focus on what matters most. Yaron Gaon and Rocky Lalvani both emphasize the same core truth: financial clarity creates the foundation for strategic clarity, which then enables operational excellence. The businesses that win aren't the ones that do the most. They're the ones that do the right things exceptionally well. If you're stuck between $1-5 million in revenue, the moment to make this shift is now, before the crisis forces your hand.    Meet Yarin Gaon  Yarin Gaon is an entrepreneur-turned-investor with a proven track record of founding, scaling, and exiting companies. He launched his first company at age 14 and went on to build Israel's largest e-commerce platform for military goods, which he later sold before relocating to the U.S. He also served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at a venture capital firm, where he specialized in turning around distressed startups. With an MBA from Tel Aviv University (and time spent at Kellogg School of Management), Yarin now helps growing companies mature into strong, cash-flowing assets.     Yarin has mentored over 400 businesses through SCORE and the University of Chicago's Polsky Center. Today, he shares a free playbook built for $1–20M companies based on the exact growth systems private equity firms use—democratized for founders who don't have access to elite investor networks. His approach focuses on strategy before tactics, helping founders align their goals and scale with clarity and confidence.    Links  Website: https://www.fractional.partners/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaringaon/  https://playbook.fractional.partners/      Profit Blueprint Calculator I Profit Comes First https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/profitblueprintcalc-page    Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman  Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available!  Free Copy of the Profit Blueprint Book: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page   Monthly Newsletter signup: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/newsletter-signup  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst  Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/  My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/  Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast  Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs. 

This is just like Click (2006).Today we're talking about Before Your Eyes by GoodbyeWorld! A game about holding onto your past and being okay at the piano.Get Before Your Eyes on Steam, the App Store, and the Play Store!!! Follow GoodbyeWorld's work on their website!Discussed in the episode:Goodnight Universe by Nice DreamGames Can Save Us from the Hell of Silicon Valley Optimization by Post Games (feat. C. Thi Nguyen)---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:48) - Robin [Last Name] (01:12) - We are here (01:45) - What is Before Your Eyes? (03:53) - How do we feel? (08:45) - VA is good! (11:10) - Seeing Benjamin's life (16:48) - What does it mean to make something great? (25:57) - The inflection point and after (29:29) - Chekov's Mom (32:25) - Being brought to tears (36:18) - The birds show up (46:08) - The Thing (55:27) - Good Night Universe (56:51) - True Art vs. Sympathetic Art (link to Post Games in the show notes) (59:30) - Robin's Big Takeaway (01:03:35) - Chase's Big Takeaway (01:07:34) - That is a podcast (01:07:56) - Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast ★

When life feels like it's falling apart, where is God?In this message, “Faith in the Storm: Trusting the One in the Boat,” we walk through Gospel of Mark 4:35–41 and discover what it means to trust Jesus when the waves are crashing and fear is rising.The disciples found themselves in a violent storm—not because they disobeyed Jesus, but because they followed Him. That changes everything.In this sermon, you'll learn:Why obedience to Christ doesn't mean a storm-free lifeHow God uses storms to grow your faithWhat it means when Jesus seems silentHow fear distorts our view of GodThe authority of Jesus over every storm in your lifeWhy the real battle is faith, not circumstancesEven seasoned fishermen were overwhelmed—but Jesus was asleep in the boat. And with just a word, He calmed the storm.“Peace! Be still!” — Mark 4:39 (ESV)If Jesus is in your boat, it may take on water—but it will not sink. Key Scripture References:Mark 4:35–41John 16:33Psalm 107:25–29Colossians 1:16–17James 1:2–4Romans 10:17Big Takeaways:Storms are not always punishment—they are often part of God's purposeGod's silence is not His absenceFaith isn't knowing how the storm ends—it's trusting the One who doesThe greatest danger isn't the storm around you, but the doubt within you Reflection Questions:Am I trusting His Word or reacting to my circumstances?Do I believe He is in control, even when He feels quiet? 

What skills actually matter in technical careers now that the work is more digital, more automated, and more interconnected?Industrial employers are not asking schools to choose between hard skills and soft skills. They're asking for both, and they still need the hard skills to come first. At Bosch, Justin Allen sees that every day: teamwork, drive, and professionalism matter, but technical problems don't get solved unless people understand the systems, tools, and engineering underneath them.In this episode:The hard skills vs. soft skills debate: soft skills matter, but technical work can't get done without hard skillsAre digital skills now a soft skill?What employers really mean when they say they want drive, work ethic, and teamworkHow MAGMA has figured out how to successfully re-skill the current workforceHow technical careers are shifting from narrow expertise to systems thinking3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Industrial employers still expect hard skills for all technical positions, not just "soft" or "employability" skills. Justin says it directly: while companies like Bosch value teamwork, drive, and professionalism, technical problems don't get solved unless people understand the systems, tools, and engineering behind the work. It's an important distinction for schools that hear employers talk about soft skills and assume the technical bar has somehow been lowered.2. Digital fluency is moving from specialized skill to baseline expectation. Justin argues that younger workers are already showing up comfortable with digital tools, automation, scripts, and AI, while many employers are still adjusting to how fast that shift is happening. In technical roles, that means software awareness and digitalization are becoming part of the expected skill stack.3. Schools and workforce programs need tighter alignment with industry's talent and skill needs. Justin shares how he's working directly with universities to help shape curriculum, evaluate where students are still missing key competencies, and bringing real engineering problems into capstone projects so learning stays connected to actual technical work. He also points to MAGMA and Michigan's workforce ecosystem as examples of how employers, public partners, and training providers can help incumbent workers build new skills, retrain for technical roles, and stay aligned with what industry needs now.Resources in this Episode:Learn more about Bosch: https://www.bosch.us/Learn more about MAGMA: https://miautomobility.org/More links & resources on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/allenWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Think Like a Business Buyer: Cash Flow, Profitability, and Valuation Strategy with David Hori   Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com  or email him at rocky@profitcomesfirst.com  Make more, work less video: https://youtu.be/    How to Buy Profitable Businesses Without Destroying What Founders Built    David Hori has spent 25+ years scaling businesses, executing three successful exits, and most recently, buying profitable local businesses with a focus on preserving founder legacy. In this conversation with Rocky Lalvani, David breaks down what actually drives business value, why 70-80% of listed businesses never sell, and how to position your company whether you're scaling or planning an exit. Unlike typical acquisition talk, David thinks like an operator, not a financial engineer, and his insights challenge conventional wisdom about revenue, multiples, and what buyers actually want.    Key Learning Insights  Buyers care about cash flow, not valuation multiples. A serious buyer will pay whatever multiple the cash flow supports, not what industry standards suggest.  Ownership of production or exclusive distribution rights removes middlemen that eat into margins. These structural advantages are what create defensible cash flow.  Different revenue levels require fundamentally different playbooks. What worked to get you to $3M will not get you to $5M. It's not incremental improvement; it's a complete strategic shift.  Ability to deliver outcomes comes before culture fit. The person who got you your first 100 customers will likely not be the person who gets you the next 5,000.  Cash flow buyers like David don't engage with turnarounds. The business must already be profitable. Everything else filters through that requirement.  Seller financing or earnouts tied to metrics you don't control are dangerous. If the buyer controls the company and cash flow, they control your fate, as evidenced by cautionary tales of private equity extractions.  Profit First works by starting with the end in mind: owner pay, taxes, profit, then operations. Every bank is different; some charge excessive fees for account transfers that make the system impractical.  AI is not a silver bullet. Garbage in, garbage out. Implement AI to enhance processes you already understand well, not to replace decisions you can't make.    The Big Takeaway  The difference between a business that sells for what you want and a business that sits on the market unsold comes down to one factor: cash flow. Not revenue. Not growth rate. Not your personal vision. Cash flow. A serious buyer will never pay a price that doesn't leave them room to pay themselves, grow the business, and service the acquisition debt. This is why David, as a cash flow buyer, doesn't even look at businesses until they're already profitable. Everything else—systems, team, culture, playbooks—filters through this reality. But here's what changes your entire approach: if you build your business with this buyer's mentality from day one, you're not just positioning yourself for a potential exit. You're building a business that generates the freedom and flexibility you actually wanted when you started. You're not chasing revenue that never seems to solve your problems. You're building cash flow. You're working with people aligned to your values. You're operating playbooks appropriate to your scale. You're thinking like an operator, not a grinder. Whether you eventually sell or scale, this mindset delivers the actual outcome you set out to achieve.    Conclusion  David Hori's perspective on business acquisition and growth challenges the narrative most entrepreneurs hear. It's not about bigger multiples, faster growth, or finding the right private equity partner. It's about building businesses that actually work: businesses that generate reliable cash flow, operate with systems that don't depend on founder heroics, and preserve what the founder actually built. The path to that business is clear, but it requires thinking like a buyer even if you're planning to scale indefinitely. The metrics matter. The playbooks matter. The team matters. But they all matter because they determine whether your business can actually support the financial and operational reality of growth. Start there, and the rest follows.  Don't chase revenue that never solves your problems. Build cash flow that gives you the freedom you wanted.    About David Hori  David buys profitable local businesses (8-120 employees, $1.5M-$15M revenue) with a focus on preserving what founders built—their employees, culture, and legacy. No private equity gutting or quick flips.  He also advises established owners stuck between growth and exit, but thinks like a buyer, not a consultant. They get the same honest assessment he'd give if acquiring their business—no billable hours busywork, just proven systems that let them step back or exit cleanly.  His track record: 25+ years scaling businesses including three exits.   Bottom line: Whether buying or advising, you're talking to someone who's been in the operator's seat. Fast decisions, real solutions, no fluff.    Links  Website: https://toplineops.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdavidhori/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582098929191  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toplineops/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@toplineops    Profit Blueprint Calculator I Profit Comes First https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/profitblueprintcalc-page    Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman  Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available!  Free Copy of the Profit Blueprint Book: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page   Monthly Newsletter signup: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/newsletter-signup  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst  Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/  My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/  Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast  Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs. 

Oh to be a little guy with a fan on your head talking to Sylvia.Today we're talking about Formless Star by splendidland! A game about meeting 61 creatures and maybe a secret 62nd.Get Formless Star on itch.io!!! Follow splendidland's work on their website!Discussed in the episode:Creativity in the Age of AI by Ariadne J. Markou for Michigan Sociological Review30 Years of Tamagotchi Jam on itch.io---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:00) - dot.army (01:40) - Another one for the girls (02:55) - Studio pedigree (04:17) - What is Formless Star (05:35) - Finding all the little guys (06:40) - The game is cute :) (08:38) - The game is about curiosity (10:22) - Getting out of our spaceship on spoiler planet (10:40) - Sylvia's Song (13:10) - Favorite animals (20:42) - The 61st creature (28:52) - The music!!! (30:38) - Big Takeaways (30:43) - Robin's Big Takeaway (33:06) - Kim's Big Takeaway (38:31) - Creativity is magic (45:47) - Good game (46:53) - Time for bed ★ Support this podcast ★

Joe and Lauri are back with their immediate reactions to the latest episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18. This week, the final four queens pair up for a morning talk show challenge, bringing charisma, chaos, and questionable hosting skills to daytime TV. On the runway, the category is Drag Excellence, raising the stakes as the competition inches closer to the finale. Mikey Meeks and Darlene Mitchell come out on top as challenge winners, while Nini Coco and Juicy Love Dion land in the bottom. After a lip sync battle set to Chappell Roan, one queen is sent home, locking in the final three. Joe and Lauri break down whether the judges got it right, unpack the performances in the challenge, and dig into what this elimination means heading into the finale. Lauri has strong feelings about the lip sync outcome, and the conversation goes deep on how decisions are being made this late in the competition. The Big Takeaway centers on a growing frustration with how certain performances are being received versus others, and whether the judging is truly consistent across the board. Be sure to join us all season long as we continue to give our first reactions, gut instincts, and unfiltered takes on every new episode. For full episode recaps, extended discussions, and exclusive content, visit patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine being able to track your brain health before serious decline sets in, understand your personal risk factors, and intervene early enough to help prevent dementia rather than simply react to it.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner talks with Christin Glorioso, MD, PhD, founder and CEO of NeuroAge Therapeutics, about one of the most intriguing frontiers in health and longevity right now: whether brain aging can actually be measured, influenced, and in some cases pushed back. If you've paid attention to the rise of biohacking, brain games, cognitive optimization, or the broader longevity movement, this conversation gets underneath the trend and into the science.Glorioso explains how brain MRI, cognitive testing, blood biomarkers, genetics, and AI can be used together to create a more individualized view of brain health. More broadly, the conversation shows how brain health is starting to shift from late-stage treatment toward earlier measurement, prevention, and ongoing optimization.In this episode:Why one of the biggest assumptions in dementia research may have been wrong for years  The 65% number that could completely change how you think about Alzheimer's riskWhy brain aging starts earlier than almost anyone realizes, and what that means for prevention  Whether you can actually make your brain younger, not just protect it from declineThe 9 daily factors that may matter more than any miracle supplement or trend  How AI is enabling faster research and more personalized interventionA roadmap for accessible tests + personalized recommendations for a healthier brain3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Dementia is not one disease, and treating it like one has held the field back. Glorioso argues that Alzheimer's has been approached too narrowly for too long, with the pharmaceutical industry spending decades focused almost entirely on amyloid. Her point is bigger than one protein: brain decline is multifactorial, which means future progress will depend on earlier diagnosis and more personalized intervention.  2. Brain aging starts earlier than most people realize, but it is not a fixed downhill slide. In the episode, Glorioso says measurable shrinkage in the hippocampus begins in the mid-20s and accelerates with age. She also points to evidence that targeted exercise can increase volume in that same brain region, making the conversation far more hopeful than most people expect.  3. You're more in control of your brain health than you may realize. Glorioso cites research suggesting that up to 65% of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable through lifestyle interventions, then grounds that claim in concrete areas like exercise, sleep, stress, diet, metabolic health, and social connection. That turns brain health from an abstract fear into something people can measure, manage, and improve over time.Resources in this Episode:NeuroAge TherapeuticsFollow Christin on SubstackVisit the episode page for the rest of the resources: https://techedpodcast.com/glorioso/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

From High Revenue to High Profit: The Missing Piece in Your Business with Chris Hallberg, EOS   Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com  or email him at rocky@profitcomesfirst.com  Make more, work less video: https://youtu.be/    Hire a Green Beret: Why Veterans Transform Your Business    In this episode, Rocky Lalvani sits down with Chris Hallberg, ranked #9 on Inc. Magazine's Top 50 Leadership & Management Experts, to discuss why hiring the right people and implementing disciplined systems are the real keys to building a profitable business. Chris shares insights from his military background, his veteran-powered recruiting company Business Sergeant, and his work implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) with hundreds of companies. Learn why Green Berets might be your secret weapon, how to stop bleeding money through bad hiring decisions, and why your profit problem might not be a revenue problem at all.    Learning Insights  The true cost of bad hiring: A single bad hire in a $100,000 role costs approximately $500,000 when accounting for turnover and lost productivity. A-players cost only 1.2X to 1.6X more but deliver 2 to 10 times the value.  Veterans are exceptionally rare and valuable: Only half of 1% of the US population has special operations training. They don't cost more to hire than regular candidates but deliver exponentially more value through proven leadership under pressure.  High revenue does not equal high profit: The biggest pattern Chris sees is companies saying yes to every opportunity. Without a strong number two person (COO/integrator) to say no and protect margins, you get high sales but low profit.  Your yes person needs a no person: Visionary CEOs naturally seek opportunities. They need a strong integrator to say no and protect profit margins. Without this balance, money disappears and profit suffers.  Accountability is natural with the right people: When you hire aligned, quality people who share your values, accountability happens without friction. If you can't hold someone accountable, you have the wrong person in that seat.  Use math, not gut feeling, to make decisions: Create a go/no-go matrix based on realistic data. Input assumptions about revenue, time, and resources. Let the numbers tell you yes or no instead of relying on passion or intuition.  Discipline beats opportunity every single time: The road to business failure is paved with companies that couldn't decide what to say no to. Clear, disciplined decisions about strategy and fit matter more than saying yes to everything.    The Big Takeaway  The difference between businesses that struggle and businesses that thrive isn't complicated. It's not about working harder, better marketing, or a superior product. It's about two things: the right people in the right seats, and the discipline to say no to opportunities that don't fit your strategy and profit model. Most visionary founders and CEOs are wired to say yes. They're opportunity seekers. That's their strength. But without a strong integrator, COO, or number two person who protects profit margins by saying no, companies end up with high revenue and low profit. They're exhausted, understaffed, and serving too many customers at too thin a margin. Additionally, most business owners are flying blind when it comes to hiring and decision making. They rely on gut feeling instead of math. Veterans, particularly those from special operations backgrounds, bring a rare combination of perseverance, problem solving, accountability, and calm under pressure that most candidates can't match. They've been selected and tested in environments where failure isn't an option. They understand what real adversity looks like, which makes business challenges feel manageable by comparison. The math is simple: invest more upfront in the right person, hold them accountable, create systems for evaluation and improvement, and say no to opportunities that don't fit. Do this, and your business transforms.    Conclusion  Building a profitable, scalable business requires more than good ideas and hard work. It requires the right people in the right seats, clear systems for making decisions, and the discipline to say no. Chris Hallberg's work with hundreds of leadership teams and his experience as a veteran demonstrate that these principles work regardless of industry or company size. Whether you hire a Green Beret through Business Sergeant or simply apply the framework Chris and Rocky outlined, the message is the same: your people and your discipline are what create profit. Everything else is a distraction.    About Chris Hallberg  Chris Hallberg—known as the "Business Sergeant"—is a top-ranked leadership expert, military veteran, and serial entrepreneur who transforms good companies into great ones, fast. Ranked #9 on Inc. Magazine's Top 50 Leadership & Management Experts—ahead of Simon Sinek—Chris blends battlefield-tested leadership with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to deliver proven results.  He scaled and sold a startup during the Great Recession at an 8× multiple, built royalty-generating sales systems, and became Colorado's first EOS Implementer, guiding 100+ teams to achieve 90%+ employee engagement rates and 100+ Best Places to Work awards. Today, he co-builds a $5M AI-driven EOS platform while coaching billion-dollar contractors, national chains, and franchises with a remarkable 85% success rate.  With his no-nonsense, high-energy style, Chris simplifies strategy, strengthens culture, and shows leaders how to drive 30%+ EBIT on predictable systems—making him a powerhouse guest for any podcast.    Links  Website: https://goexpand.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hallberg-01516315/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/GoExpand/61577326657347/#  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goexpandplatform?igsh=MXV5N2I1Mml0MXF4aw%3D%3D  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GoExpand    Profit Blueprint Calculator I Profit Comes First https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/profitblueprintcalc-page    Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman  Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available!  Free Copy of the Profit Blueprint Book: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page   Monthly Newsletter signup: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/newsletter-signup  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst  Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/  My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/  Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast  Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs. 

When you think about it the ocean is kind of like space.Today we're talking about In Other Waters by Jump Over the Age! A game about the wonder and devastation of ecological science, and good menus.Get In Other Waters on Steam, Humble, GoG, or Nintendo Switch!!! Follow Jump Over the Age's work on their website!Discussed in the episode:Listen to Leaving the Party!!!In Other Waters is about exploring an alien ocean through an AI interface by Nicole Carpenter for PolygonIn Other Waters, ft. Gareth Damian Martin by Bad End: A Videogame Podcast'Citizen Sleeper' dev on how players' bodies shape the story by Robin

This week on RuPaul's Drag Race, the queens dive into a revived Puppet Mini Challenge before taking on improvised comedy as over-the-top Karens alongside RuPaul. On the runway, the category is Wholesome to Folsom, delivering a full spectrum of transformation. In the end, Mikey Meeks snags the win, while Jane Don't and NeNe Coco land in the bottom, leading to a shocking elimination. The Big Takeaway Joe and Lauri unpack what may be one of the most controversial eliminations of the season. Was this challenge designed to take out a frontrunner? They explore whether Jane Don't's exit was the result of performance, production, or something more calculated—raising questions about how improv challenges are structured and judged. Episode Highlights A breakdown of the Karen improv challenge and why it largely failed to land Lauri gives insight into improv fundamentals—and why the queens may have been set up to struggle Debate over whether Mikey Meeks truly earned the win—or simply stood out in a weak field A closer look at the bottom placements and whether NeNe Coco vs. Jane Don't made sense The role RuPaul played in shaping (or limiting) the performances in each scene Joe introduces a “magician's perspective” on the elimination and why this placement in the competition matters The growing theory that Jane Don't was positioned for an All Stars arc rather than a win Final Thoughts A messy challenge, a divisive judging panel, and a major contender sent packing—this episode leaves more questions than answers. Whether you see it as fair or fully engineered, one thing is clear: the competition just took a dramatic turn heading into the final stretch. Listen & Subscribe Don't miss our full Recap episode dropping tomorrow for a deeper dive into all the drama. Follow us at patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia for bonus content, early releases, and exclusive shows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Artificial intelligence is moving from novel feature to core infrastructure, and that shift is forcing companies, schools and regulators to confront a harder question than how to use the technology: how to govern it.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner talks with Patrick Sullivan, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at A-LIGN, about the emerging rules of the AI economy. From the EU AI Act and a patchwork of state-level regulation in the U.S. to new standards like ISO 42001, Sullivan explains why AI is beginning to look less like a software feature and more like a system that carries real operational, security and compliance risk.The conversation also gets into the practical tension leaders are facing now. How do you innovate without creating blind spots? How do you use AI to improve decisions without mishandling student data, exposing customers or introducing risk you do not fully understand? Sullivan's argument is that done right, governance is not the brake pedal. It is the structure that allows organizations to move faster without losing control.In this episode:Why AI products are starting to face the kind of scrutiny manufacturers already know wellWhat the EU AI Act reveals about where regulation can quickly become burdensomeWhy adding AI without a clear value proposition is becoming an expensive mistakeAll about new ISO standards for AIHow bias, de-identification, and prompt injection are reshaping AI risk3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. AI is forcing leaders to think about products, risk, and compliance in a new way. Patrick draws a sharp distinction between how the U.S. often treats AI as software and how the EU increasingly treats AI as part of a broader product, including embedded systems like medical devices. That shift matters because it changes how organizations think about safety, conformity, and responsibility before a product ever reaches the market. 2. The AI race is producing a lot of motion, but not always much value. Many organizations are adding AI because the market expects it, not because the business case is strong. One MIT study suggests only a small share of enterprises surveyed were realizing meaningful ROI. Leaders need to ask whether the technology creates real value or simply creates new cost, risk, and complexity. 3. Good governance is not a brake on innovation; it's what makes innovation durable. Patrick's most effective metaphor is the football field: the lines are not there to punish you, but to show where you can move fast and where you are out of bounds. That idea comes through again when he discusses ISO management systems, lifecycle thinking, investor expectations, and enterprise buyers who increasingly want proof that AI is being developed and used responsibly.Resources in this Episode:Follow Patrick on LinkedInISO 42001 - AI Management SystemsMore links & resources on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/sullivan/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: What is an internal jugular catheter (IJ) and when do we use it? IJs are catheters that can be placed in either the left or the right internal jugular vein to provide central venous catheter (CVC) access. CVCs can be placed in other locations other than the internal jugular vein (i.e. subclavian vein or femoral veins). IJs are used when the patient may require long-term venous access or have to receive hyperosmolar solutions (such as solutions with high glucose content for parenteral nutrition); solutions with extreme pHs (9); or vesicant drugs (drugs that can cause tissue necrosis with extravasation). They are not to be confused with EJs (external jugular vein catheters) which can be placed in difficult to peripherally catheterize patients. EJs function similarly to a peripheral IV. The advantage of IJs is their location in larger veins brings them closer to direct access to the heart (i.e. the right internal jugular vein will provide immediate/quicker access to the right atrium to the heart.) What are concerns of using a right internal jugular catheter versus one in the left? The right internal jugular vein provides quick access to the heart via the right atrium, making it ideal in critically ill patients who may require vasopressor support. However it is also the site commonly used for additional cannulation procedures such as hemodialysis, pulmonary artery pressure measurements, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and transvenous pacemaker placement. These procedures are not uncommon in critically ill patients who also required a CVC for initial hemodynamic support via vasopressors. Gharaibeh et al. found that patients who received a right IJ and hemodialysis had a higher need for re-insertion of the hemodialysis catheter (40% compared to 2.6% in the left IJ group). Furthermore, it was found that with a right IJ, hemodialysis catheters had to be exchanged by a guidewire in 23% of those with a right IJ as opposed to 0.9% in the left IJ group (a guidewire exchange is often considered a salvage technique to try and maintain access). Big Takeaway? If you are able to obtain an IJ on the right, you can likely obtain one on the left, and if considering longitudinal care for your patient, consider obtaining an IJ on the left to allow for future critical access in the right IJ. References Gharaibeh KA, Abdelhafez MO, Guedze KEB, Siddiqi H, Hamadah AM, Verceles AC. Impact of initial jugular vein insertion site selection for central venous catheter placement on hemodialysis catheter complications. Journal of Critical Care. 2025;87:155011. doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2024.155011 Gallieni M, Pittiruti M, Biffi R. Vascular access in oncology patients. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2008;58(6):323-346. doi:10.3322/CA.2008.0015 Summarized by Dan Orbidan, OMS2 | Edited by Dan Orbidan & Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Just-- Wh-- Man....Today we're talking about Soul of Sovereignty by GGDG! A game about needing to see the good in someone else and pretty flowers. This game was suggested by Amet! If you'd like to suggest a game head over to our website!Get Soul of Sovereignty on itch!!! Follow GGDG's work on their website!Discussed in the episode:Cucumber Quest by GGDGSoulSov Chapter 1-3 OSTs on Bandcamp---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:00) - We are friends!!!!! (00:39) - Fri-day night (01:30) - Thank you Amet for the suggestion! (03:35) - What is Soul of Sovereignty (06:45) - SPOILERS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT EVENTS IN THE BEGINNING (11:47) - The intro is good and so is everything!!! (14:17) - It's not done yet technically! (15:51) - FINAL SPOILER WARNING (16:12) - Welcome to spoilers (16:35) - The turn (18:52) - Selfish virtue and deadly kindness (24:04) - The story is painful (29:49) - Where does the story go from here? (31:14) - Audience surrogate (32:15) - It's time to talk about Them. (37:32) - Flashback stuff (38:56) - AJ and Kim bait (45:22) - THE STORY IS PAINFUL!!!!!!!! (47:31) - We haven't even talked about The Trials (48:42) - There is just so much we haven't touched on (53:53) - They're both hot (54:48) - Whoops it's Big Takeaways (55:09) - KAJ's Takeaway (01:00:14) - Good (01:01:01) - Thank you for listening :) ★ Support this podcast ★

This week on The Big Takeaway, Joe and Lauri recap Episode 12 of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18, where the queens take on a makeover challenge with queer cowboys and hit the runway in coordinated drag family looks. Mikey Meeks snags her second win, while NeNe Coco and Discord Adams land in the bottom, leading to Discord's elimination after the lip sync. Episode Highlights • A chaotic start to the recording leads to what Joe calls a “cursed episode,” complete with mic issues and delayed recording • Lauri is once again called out (by Joe and listeners) for being on her phone during recording • Joe addresses missed Patreon uploads and promises to get back on track • The makeover challenge sparks debate over what “family resemblance” should actually mean in drag • Lauri questions whether the challenge is really about “family” or just making contestants look like identical twins • Strong disagreement over placements—Lauri would have put Juicy in the bottom instead of Discord • Discussion of Discord Adams leaving the competition with composure and self-awareness The Big Takeaways Lauri's Takeaway: This episode highlights the emotional importance of Drag Race in creating space for men to explore femininity without fear. The stories from the makeover participants—especially around masculinity and safety—underscore how difficult it still is for many men, particularly gay men, to express themselves freely. Joe's Takeaway: The show has evolved. Unlike earlier seasons, this episode treated the makeover participants—who were older, more diverse, and not stereotypically “model-perfect”—with respect and dignity. There was no mockery, no cheap jokes, and no manufactured struggle about their appearances. Instead, they were embraced as they were. Final Thoughts A heartfelt but somewhat low-energy episode. While the emotional beats land, both Joe and Lauri agree: the season continues to be consistently watchable… but not particularly exciting. Support the Show Get bonus episodes, exclusive content, and access to the full Afterthought Media library: patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia New content drops throughout the week depending on your tier. Follow & Subscribe Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow Afterthought Media for updates, clips, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brandt, Tyler, and Brennan, go over the RSL third straight win. See who gets an Orange Slice What are their Big Takeaways and more! Listen, watch, share, & subscribe!

Are employers hurting themselves by only asking for 'soft skills' and ignoring their real technical needs? How can homeschool students get the same access to STEM labs as students in traditional schools? And what can education leaders learn from the way the Manhattan Project mobilized talent and innovation to solve an enormous problem?These questions (and more!) came directly from the you, and we're answering them on this episode of Ask Us Anything. Entrepreneurship, career strategy, workforce skills, and the rapidly evolving role of AI in modern organizations - we cover them all!In this episode:The best times to take entrepreneurial risksWhy your professional network is probably bigger than you thinkThe "soft skills" issue and why employers are actually hurting themselves by asking educators to teach themRapid-fire real examples of AI being used in business3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1.Early-career risk can be an advantage for entrepreneurs. Matt explains that early in your career the consequences of failure are often much smaller, which makes it an ideal time to experiment with starting a business or pursuing a bold opportunity. With fewer financial obligations and more flexibility, young professionals often have the greatest ability to take meaningful risks.2. Industry is hurting itself by only asking schools for soft skills instead of technical ones. Businesses frequently tell educators they want graduates who communicate well, collaborate, and show initiative. So why is industry so shocked that there aren't enough students with any technical background or interest? Employers: take a look at your job postings and start asking education to teach all the skills for those jobs: soft and technical (hard) skills alike.3. Private schools have a unique opportunity to innovate in STEM education. Because they often have more flexibility than traditional public systems, private schools can move quickly to adopt emerging technologies, modern equipment, and new instructional models. That freedom creates an opportunity to design programs that expose students to advanced STEM fields earlier and more creatively.Resources in this Episode:Jack Dorsey's Block to Lay Off 40% of Its Workforce in AI RemakeOppenheimer movieDeveloping an AI Strategy: Best Practices for Business Leaders - Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley Furniture IndustriesUsing AI to Build Better Relationships with Your Network - Canay Deniz, CEO of RenMore notes & resources on the episode page!We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

We've all had unrequited feelings for one of our best friends at the hot springs, right? Right????Today we're talking about A Year of Springs by npckc! A game about the endless complexity of being a woman and sending cute lil emojis.Get A Year of Springs on Steam or itch!!! Follow npckc's work on their website!Discussed in the episode:A YEAR OF SPRINGS soundtrack on Bandcamp---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:00) - Someone make a good way to take screenshots (01:07) - Lifeguard Off-Duty (02:07) - Who is npckc? (03:16) - What is a Year of Springs (05:21) - Hard to not spoil! (08:23) - General subject matter (12:18) - Beep boop (12:25) - One Night, Hot Springs (18:07) - Endings (22:45) - The difference in perspectives (25:36) - Last Day of Spring (29:03) - Presents for transgender women (30:56) - The texting is good! (32:25) - Spring Leaves No Flower (37:40) - An unexpected shift (42:32) - Why is it so hard to be a woman!!!!!! (44:14) - I guess I gotta talk to my boyfriend... (45:22) - Endings (46:47) - This one is for the girls (51:07) - The Epilogue (52:39) - Getting a new start (55:46) - Big Takeaways (55:56) - Kim's Big Takeaway (59:26) - Robin's Big Takeaway (01:04:17) - Good game!!! (01:04:23) - Kim attempts the outro ★ Support this podcast ★

This week on RuPaul's Drag Race, the queens are tasked with celebrating—and roasting—drag royalty. The episode begins with a throwback mini challenge inspired by Season 5, where the queens must create a scent and film a commercial to promote it. The chaos continues with the maxi challenge: delivering a toast (that quickly becomes a roast) honoring the one and only Alyssa Edwards. On the runway, the category is “Swept Away,” as the queens face dramatic wind effects meant to send their garments—and nerves—flying. In the end, Darlene Mitchell snatches the win for the week, while Kenya Pleaser and Juicy Love Dion land in the bottom two. After a lip sync battle for their lives, Juicy is told “Shantay, you stay,” and Kenya Pleaser is asked to sashay away. Joe and Lauri break down the episode, debate the judging decisions, and share their big takeaways from another dramatic week in the competition. • The mini challenge brings back the infamous scent commercial concept from Season 5—and the results are as bizarre as expected. • The queens attempt to “toast” Alyssa Edwards, but the challenge quickly turns into a full-on roast. • Joe and Lauri discuss the difference between comedy that kills in a live room versus comedy that translates on television. • A debate over whether Darlene Mitchell's performance truly deserved the win—or if the humor simply played better in the room than on screen. • The hosts analyze why roast jokes must be concise and how delivery, pacing, and character work affect whether a joke lands. • A discussion about Kenya Pleaser's charisma versus the technical comedy skills needed for a roast challenge. • Joe reflects on the surprisingly low drama among the remaining queens and whether a kinder cast makes for less compelling reality TV. Joe's big takeaway centers on the unusual dynamic of this season's cast. With most of the queens getting along and avoiding open conflict, the traditional reality-TV narrative feels absent. While that may make the competition less dramatic, it also creates a rare moment where the queens compete more on talent than interpersonal chaos. Whether that makes for better television—or just different television—is still up for debate. Subscribe & Follow To hear more Drag Race coverage from Joe and the Afterthought Media team, visit:patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia Follow Joe Betance and Afterthought Media for more podcasts, recaps, and commentary on drag, pop culture, and reality television. Highlights from this episodeFinal Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brandt, Tyler, and Brennan, share their thoughts on the RSL 3-2 victory over Atlanta United FC The kids are alright The new guys are very alright Orange slices Big Takeaways from the game. Subscribe!

What does the rise of AI mean for technical programs? Surprisingly, it's not a new concept to CTE fields. It is embedded in robotics, automation, diagnostics, and data modeling across modern manufacturing facilities today.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner sits down with Dr. Andrew Neuendorf, Associate Dean of Manufacturing, Engineering, Trades, and Transportation at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), to explore what applied AI actually means inside CTE programs and why education must move beyond generative AI.With a background in English and the humanities, Andrew offers a rare perspective on how artificial intelligence is perceived differently across academic disciplines. From robotics labs to industrial technician programs, he explains where AI has already been embedded for years, where disruption is coming next, and how community colleges can respond with clarity rather than panic.From design software disruption to AI-assisted troubleshooting and entry-level data modeling skills, this conversation will help technical educators think about applied artificial intelligence in their programs.In this episode:Why robotics and automation programs have been teaching AI longer than they realizeThe hidden risk inside CAD and design-heavy technical pathwaysHow students are using AI to troubleshoot equipment faster than faculty expectWhy the “trades are safe from AI” narrative may be dangerously simplisticWhy competency-based education might be a better model in this AI-driven world3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Applied AI has already been embedded in CTE for years. Robotics vision systems, PLC-driven automation, driver-assist sensors, and predictive maintenance models have quietly trained students in machine intelligence long before generative AI dominated headlines. The difference today is scale and accessibility, not the existence of AI itself.2. The future disruption isn't blue collar versus white collar — it's discipline by discipline. Andrew argues that assuming the trades are immune to AI disruption is a strategic mistake, particularly in design-heavy roles like CAD and digital modeling. Education must evaluate AI's impact at the skill level rather than rely on outdated workforce categories.3. Students may lead the applied AI shift inside technical programs. From uploading robot manuals into NotebookLM to accelerating troubleshooting in automation labs, students are modeling AI-assisted problem solving in real time. Institutions that recognize this and structure learning around it will move faster than those focused solely on policing its use.Resources in this Episode:Connect with Andrew on LinkedInOther resources:"Something Big is Happening" by Matt SchumerJensen Huang (NVIDIA) CES KeynoteSix Days in China: The Speed, Scale and Strategy Outpacing U.S. Innovation - Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley FurnitureTry Google's NotWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

BzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzToday we're talking about Time Flies by Playables! A game about being a fly and then being another fly.Get Time Flies on Playstation, Switch, Steam, Epic, or the App Store!!! Follow Playables work on their website!Discussed in the episode:EYEZMAZERobin's piece on Time Flies for InverseAllegheny Cemetery: The story behind the Egyptian mausoleum and sphinx by Joaquin Gonzalez for 90.5 WESA---Support us on Ko-fi!Visit our website!Follow us on YouTube!Follow the show on Bluesky!Check out The Worst Garbage Online!---Art by Tara CrawfordTheme music by _amaranthineAdditional sounds by BoqehProduced and edited by AJ Fillari---Timecodes:(00:00) - We needed this (01:22) - A Kim approved intro (02:18) - What is Time Flies (09:00) - The sound design (10:18) - The art (12:18) - A not spoiler spoiler (12:34) - How many secrets did we find? (13:41) - Standout stuff (23:55) - Min/Maxxing life expectancy (30:08) - How are we feeling about death? (41:14) - A quick mechanical thing (42:39) - Big Takeaways (42:45) - Kim's Big Takeaway (44:58) - AJ's Big Takeaway (47:15) - Robin's Big Takeaway (49:31) - How do I live a life like the fly? (52:35) - Check the show notes! (53:17) - Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast ★

Joe flies solo this week as Lauri recovers from food poisoning, but the show must go on. In Episode 10, the queens sharpen their claws for the annual Reading Challenge before diving into a design challenge where they must create runway looks using materials packed by eliminated queens. With no one going home and the judges leaning positive across the board, the episode delivers an unexpectedly joyful energy—and Joe has thoughts about why that matters. EPISODE BREAKDOWN Reading Is FundamentalThe queens take part in the traditional Drag Race Reading Challenge. While not the most brutal reading session in the show's history, the jokes land more as playful banter among friends than vicious shade—hinting at how well the remaining queens actually get along. Maxi Challenge: Drag in a BagEach queen receives a suitcase filled with materials left behind by eliminated contestants and must transform the contents into a runway party look. The challenge highlights sewing skills, creativity, and the ability to work with whatever scraps remain. Runway ResultsNo one lands in the bottom this week. Instead, the judges select two queens to lip sync for the win. Top TwoJane Don'tKenya Pleaser Jane Don't ultimately collects her third win of the season, continuing a remarkable streak of top placements and further solidifying herself as one of the strongest competitors in the competition. Kenya Pleaser earns a much-needed high placement after surprising the judges with a polished design. JOE'S BIG TAKEAWAY A Surprisingly Joyful Episode In contrast to the cynicism Joe discussed on last week's Patreon-exclusive RulaskaThoughts, this episode felt genuinely upbeat. The queens appear to truly enjoy each other's company, and that camaraderie carries through the reading challenge, the workroom interactions, and the runway critiques. While the episode lacks the high drama typical of Drag Race, Joe argues that not every episode needs to operate at maximum conflict. Sometimes the show benefits from a lighter installment where the cast simply has fun together—and the audience gets to enjoy that energy. The result is an episode that might not be the most explosive of the season, but one that feels refreshing in its warmth and sense of community. LISTENER CALL-IN MOMENT Discord regular Supernova Ghoul briefly joins Joe to discuss the episode. She agrees that Jane Don't and Kenya Pleaser were the correct top two and praises Jane's ability to construct a winning garment from almost nothing. The conversation also touches on a broader point about modern Drag Race: while the queens remain talented, some longtime viewers feel the show's formula has become familiar over time. FINAL THOUGHTS With no eliminations and universally positive critiques, Episode 10 serves as a breather in the middle of the competition. It's a reminder that sometimes Drag Race works best not when the queens are fighting—but when they're simply enjoying each other's company. SUPPORT THE SHOW Follow Drag Race Recap wherever you listen to podcasts.Leave a 5-star rating and review to help new listeners find the show. For bonus episodes, early releases, and exclusive content:patreon.com/AfterthoughtMedia If you want, I can also show you a slightly improved version of the standard template that keeps the same structure you use but performs better in Megaphone, Patreon, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify simultaneously (avoids formatting bugs you mentioned earlier). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Season 18, the queens take on a musical send-up of Annie in the “Fanny: The Hard Knock Ball” Ruzical. On the runway, the category is “Beige Against the Machine,” challenging the dolls to elevate one of fashion's most unforgiving colors. After critiques, Jane Don't is named the winner of the challenge. Juicy Love Dion and Athena Love Dion land in the bottom two and lip sync against each other for survival. In the end, Juicy is told “Shantay, you stay,” and Athena is asked to sashay away. In this episode of The Big Takeaway, Joe and Lauri break down the judging, the performances, and whether the producers made the right calls. MAIN DISCUSSION POINTS Did the right queen win? Both Joe and Lauri agree that Jane Don't earned her win. While her personality may divide the room, her comedic timing, vocal performance, and overall command of the Ruzical stood out. Even if she's bracing for the inevitable “target on my back” narrative, the win felt justified. Were the right queens in the bottom? This is where things get contentious. Joe and Lauri question the decision to place Juicy and Athena in the bottom when several other performances felt weaker. The judges claimed they were “splitting hairs,” but that justification opens the door to almost any elimination outcome. The sense is that production may have seized the opportunity to finally pit the Dion sisters against each other. Did the right queen go home? The consensus: probably not. While Athena may not have delivered a standout performance, the argument is made that other queens have repeatedly escaped the bottom despite underwhelming showings. The elimination feels more producer-driven than performance-driven. THE RUZICAL ITSELF Joe's big frustration: clarity. While the songs were solid and the performances mostly strong, the narrative of the musical felt muddled. The story beats were difficult to track, and the emotional arc never fully landed. Strong songs alone aren't enough — the storytelling needs to connect. Lauri's take? The expectations may have shaped the judges' reactions. Certain performances were praised as “Broadway level,” but she questions whether they truly met that bar. Solid? Yes. Elite? Debatable. BIG TAKEAWAY When judges say they're “splitting hairs,” it often signals that the outcome was predetermined. If everyone did well, then technically anyone can be critiqued into the bottom. The tension this week didn't feel rooted in performance quality so much as timing and storyline. As the competition narrows and stronger queens continue to go home, the structure of the season starts to feel increasingly engineered. We're officially down to seven queens — and with teases of something major happening next week, the competition may be about to shift again. Join us next week as Joe and Lauri continue breaking down every twist, performance, and questionable judging decision from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18. Always settle for more and never settle for anything less. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the queens take on a twist no one asked for: the Snatch Game of Love Island. Instead of the traditional panel format, the contestants are thrown into a dating-show setup that forces them to improvise in unfamiliar territory. On the runway, the category is 80s Ladies, and on the main stage, Ninni Coco takes the win. Kenya Pleaser and Mia Starr land in the bottom two, lip sync for their lives, and ultimately Mia Starr is asked to sashay away. Joe and Lauri break down whether the twist was fair, whether the right queen won, and whether this version of Snatch Game set the cast up to fail. –––––––––– THE BIG QUESTIONS Did the right queen win? Joe and Lauri debate Ninni Coco's victory, with Joe arguing that Mikey Meeks may have delivered the stronger Snatch Game performance purely on comedy, while Lauri defends the originality factor and rewards risk-taking with lesser-done characters. Were the right queens in the bottom? The consensus: yes. Kenya Pleaser and Mia Starr both struggled in the challenge. However, there's disagreement about the lip sync itself and whether overall track record should have played a role in the decision. Did the right queen go home? Lauri believes the lip sync sealed Mia's fate. Joe argues that Mia's Snatch Game performance was so weak that no lip sync could have saved her. –––––––––– LAURI'S BIG TAKEAWAY “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Why change Snatch Game? Lauri argues that the Love Island twist was an unnecessary curveball that destabilized the contestants. Many queens clearly prepared for the traditional format, and shifting the structure mid-season created confusion, fear, and watered-down performances. Instead of elevating the challenge, the twist exposed insecurity and resulted in one of the weaker Snatch Games in recent memory. –––––––––– JOE'S BIG TAKEAWAY Preparation matters. Snatch Game is a cornerstone of Drag Race. By Season 18, contestants should arrive ready with a fully realized character, structured jokes, and the confidence to commit. Joe questions how multiple queens appeared underprepared and why so many rely on vague or made-up characters rather than recognizable celebrities that give them stronger comedic anchors. –––––––––– OTHER DISCUSSION POINTS – The risk of abandoning the traditional Snatch Game format – Whether RuPaul's coaching helped or hurt certain contestants – The difference between being naturally funny and performing structured comedy – The danger of choosing a character without a fully built game plan – Why runway strength can't save a weak Snatch Game –––––––––– NEXT WEEK Join Joe and Lauri for more gut reactions and first impressions as Season 18 continues to unfold. For extended discussions and deeper dives, check out Recap on Patreon and Rulaska Thoughts on the public feed. Follow Joe on Instagram: @joebetance Leave a voicemail: speakpipe.com/afterthoughtmedia See you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the queens split into pairs to create “for” and “against” campaign ads for wildly gay-coded propositions. On the runway, the category was “I Can See Right Through Her,” serving sheer fabrics, illusion panels, and transparent fantasy. Mikey Meeks won the challenge. Juicy Love Dion and Vita Von Teese Star landed in the bottom two. After lip syncing to “Houdini” by Dua Lipa, Juicy Love Dion stayed, and Vita Von Teese Star sashayed away. In this episode of The Big Takeaway, Joe and Lauri break down whether the right queen won, whether the right queens were in the bottom, and whether the correct queen went home. They discuss: Whether Mikey's win felt earned or overdue Why several of the performances felt technically fine but emotionally safe The growing sense that no single queen is dominating the season How playing it safe might be affecting the energy of the competition Whether adaptability — not just talent — is what separates queens in lip sync showdowns Joe explores the idea that some contestants may be holding back out of fear of producer edits or fandom backlash, leading to polished but predictable television. Lauri questions whether this cast has produced a true frontrunner yet — and whether that's making the season feel even, but less electric. They also break down the Juicy vs. Vita lip sync and what ultimately made the difference on stage. Join us each week as we give our immediate reactions, gut takes, and first impressions of every new episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18. Support the show at patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia or subscribe on Apple Podcasts for early access and bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe and Lauri are back with their immediate reactions to Episode 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18, breaking down the second half of the Raida Queen Talent Show and the fallout from another chaotic week of alliances, voting, and questionable performances. This week, the queens return to the stage for part two of the Raida Queen Talent Show, followed by a runway themed Shake, Shake, Shake. On the main stage, Athena Dion and Jane Doe land in the top two and face off in a lip sync for the win. In the bottom, Mikey Meeks and Sierra Mist battle it out for survival, with Sierra ultimately being asked to sashay away. Joe and Lauri dig into whether the right queens were in the top and bottom, whether the voting actually made sense, and how alliances may be quietly shaping the competition. Lauri argues that Mikey Meeks delivered the most compelling and unique performance of the night and questions why it didn't translate into a win. The conversation also tackles Kenya's continued struggles, missed lyrics, and whether strong confessionals are keeping her safe. The episode takes a closer look at Athena Dion's polished but polarizing talent show performance, Jane Doe's comedic approach, and Discord's confusing musical choices. Joe and Lauri debate whether competence and professionalism are being rewarded over risk and originality, and whether the math behind the votes is actually mathing. Along the way, the conversation veers into classic Big Takeaway territory, including side tangents, personal commentary, and unfiltered opinions that reflect the hosts' first-impression reactions before the deeper recap episodes. This is The Big Takeaway: raw, immediate, and unapologetically honest. The Big Takeaway is part of the Afterthought Media network. Support independent queer media by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe and Lauri are back with their immediate reactions to Episode 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18, breaking down the second half of the Raida Queen Talent Show and the fallout from another chaotic week of alliances, voting, and questionable performances. This week, the queens return to the stage for part two of the Raida Queen Talent Show, followed by a runway themed Shake, Shake, Shake. On the main stage, Athena Dion and Jane Doe land in the top two and face off in a lip sync for the win. In the bottom, Mikey Meeks and Sierra Mist battle it out for survival, with Sierra ultimately being asked to sashay away. Joe and Lauri dig into whether the right queens were in the top and bottom, whether the voting actually made sense, and how alliances may be quietly shaping the competition. Lauri argues that Mikey Meeks delivered the most compelling and unique performance of the night and questions why it didn't translate into a win. The conversation also tackles Kenya's continued struggles, missed lyrics, and whether strong confessionals are keeping her safe. The episode takes a closer look at Athena Dion's polished but polarizing talent show performance, Jane Doe's comedic approach, and Discord's confusing musical choices. Joe and Lauri debate whether competence and professionalism are being rewarded over risk and originality, and whether the math behind the votes is actually mathing. Along the way, the conversation veers into classic Big Takeaway territory, including side tangents, personal commentary, and unfiltered opinions that reflect the hosts' first-impression reactions before the deeper recap episodes. This is The Big Takeaway: raw, immediate, and unapologetically honest. The Big Takeaway is part of the Afterthought Media network. Support independent queer media by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/afterthoughtmedia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe is joined by Lauri Roggenkamp (Bloody Podcast) for immediate reactions and gut takes on Episode 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18. With the queens split into two groups for the Raida Queen Talent Show and alliances driving the episode's drama, there's plenty to unpack—from the double win to a controversial bottom placement. Mia Starr and Juicy Love Dion land in the top two after strong (but very different) talent show performances. The lip sync ends in a double win, sparking debate over whether both queens truly earned the crown—or if one clearly edged ahead. Sierra Mist is named the bottom queen, but both Joe and Lauri question whether she actually deserved that spot. The consensus? Vida Von T-Star should have been in the bottom based on a lackluster performance and missed lyrics. Credit is given where it's due: Sierra at least attempted something different, even if it didn't fully land. Juicy Love Dion delivers high-energy stunts and athleticism. Mia Starr opts for storytelling, presence, and classic Drag Race theatrics. Was it a true tie—or did the judges hedge their bets? The talent show is no longer a talent show—it's a drag show, and judging it as anything else just leads to frustration. The 90-minute format continues to drag episodes down with excessive logistics, alliances, and vote math. Props are discussed, unused tools are called out, and “beautiful gowns” energy is officially invoked. Jane Don't's whining reaches new heights—without a performance to balance it out. What will the queens from Part 2 bring next week? Will strategy finally outweigh talent? And will the show ever learn to cut 20 minutes of filler?

We just got back from the Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa — the biggest SuperShow ever — and this year felt different. In Episode 393 of the RV Miles Podcast, we break down the show-floor vibe, the new brands that finally made it in, the biggest relaunches and “comeback” stories, and why competition suddenly feels real again in the RV industry. We also dig into the new “quality” narrative (frames, suspensions, warranties), talk through brands and models that impressed us (including  @noovovans  and the  @EmberRecreationalVehicles  Touring Edition return), and share a few hot takes on designs that might be polarizing… or just plain confusing. Plus: the strange experience of walking into a floorplan that felt a little too familiar.