Podcasts about Body shop

In this episode of Add To Cart, we sit down with Kira Macleod-Finke, Head of Direct-to-Consumer at The Body Shop Australia, the iconic beauty brand now certified 100% vegan across its global product range. With a retail career spanning T2, Country Road, Trenery, and Jeanswest, Kira shares how she led The Body Shop through two global buyouts, a decentralisation shift, and a three-month replatform from SAP Commerce Cloud to Shopify, with just 13 minutes of downtime. She reveals how she unified ecommerce and retail under one DTC team, turned L&D into a real-time CX engine, and kept her people calm and focused through an unpredictable transformation. This one's packed with honest leadership insights, practical team structures, and bold decisions that brand managers and ecommerce leads won't want to miss.This episode was brought to you by: Shopify PlusKlaviyoAbout your guest:Kira Macleod-Finke is a seasoned retail leader with over 20 years' experience driving transformation across some of Australia's best-known brands. As Head of Direct-to-Consumer at The Body Shop Australia, she leads the charge across both ecommerce and 130+ retail stores, unifying customer experience and commercial strategy under one roof. Formerly the ANZ retail operations for The Body Shop, and Global Head of Retail at T2 Tea, Kira has led teams across five international markets. Her career also includes senior roles at Jeanswest and Country Road Group, where she led large-scale retail operations and customer-focused change. With deep expertise in omnichannel retail, team development and CX design, Kira is known for combining operational rigour with purpose-led leadership to put the customer at the centre of every decision.About your host:Nathan Bush is the host of the Add To Cart podcast and a leading ecommerce transformation consultant. He has led eCommerce for businesses with revenue $100m+ and has been recognised as one of Australia's Top 50 People in eCommerce four years in a row. You can contact Nathan on LinkedIn, Twitter or via email.Email hello@addtocart.com.au We look forward to hearing from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Are you letting that thick cloud of uncertainty holding you back from making bold moves in your business? You're not alone. In this week's episode, we tackle the hesitation many entrepreneurs & business owners are experiencing when it comes to starting new ventures, expanding locations, or investing in necessary equipment and technology. The collision repair industry, like many service businesses, has always been cyclical - something easy to forget after the unusual steady backlog of the post-COVID years. Rather than viewing current conditions as unprecedented hardship, we explore how many of America's most iconic businesses actually launched during economic downturns. From Disney and Revlon emerging during the Great Depression to Uber and Airbnb launching during the 2008-2009 recession, history shows that opportunity exists regardless of economic climate. Through the wisdom in a valuable clip from Jim Rohn, we unpack a refreshingly simple success formula that anyone can apply: live in a place of opportunity, find an opportunity, and find a mentor. Mr. Rohn's journey to becoming a millionaire by 31 wasn't the result of perfect circumstances but rather his willingness to change himself while circumstances remained largely the same. His most profound insight might be that "the things that are easy to do are also easy not to do" - explaining why success often comes down to consistently doing simple actions that others neglect. Don't let today's uncertainty paralyze you into inaction. Remember Henry Ford's wisdom that "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you'll be right." Your next level of success doesn't require waiting for perfect conditions - it simply requires overcoming the neglect of daily actions that compound into remarkable results!  More from Jim RohnLink to YouTube talk: Getting Rich is Easy! Get the SUNO AI app!  Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

It's Two Wick Friday, candleheads! There are no rules! This week, Selena chats with comedy friend and fellow NYC resident Cindee Weiss (@CindeeIsaWeiss on Insta)!  They talk about bong water, 1990s superstore The Body Shop, candle safety when you're a scarf addict, yahrzeit candles, and more! Please subscribe, rate, and review, candleheads! (music: bensound.com) 

Send us a textShow Notes:Does the way your CSRs answer the phone, communicate with & onboard your customers seem to be inconsistent?Are the visual cues in your production areas as clear & concise as what you would find in a hospital ER or industrial plant? Are your Google or CSI reviews suffering due to delayed deliveries, poor communications or inconsistent quality?  The problem is simply the lack of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This episode unravels the critical role of SOPs in shaping up your business, impacting everyone from your technicians to your most valuable asset - your customers. Discover the massive difference standard procedures can make in controlling the quality in your repairs and how this minor, yet significant change can reap major benefits. But it's not just about your collision repair business. SOPs are a game-changer across industries, from small enterprises to corporate juggernauts. Get practical insights on how to create and implement effective, easily understood SOPs that can streamline your operations and elevate customer satisfaction. This week, I'm re-sharing a ton of resources, tips, and methods, from an earlier episode, to get your SOPs up and running. And most importantly, learn why it's essential to have your employees on board with your SOPs from the outset.Let's switch gears and drive your business to its full potential. Grab pen & paper and take some notes... you're NOT going to want to miss this episode!Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Catch up with Katy and Vicky as we dive into all the highs, lows, and hilarious moments of the week!This week we chat:The struggle of dressing with a baby bump.The hair scrub from The Body Shop that's changed Vicky's life (seriously, it's a game-changer).Katy's complete parenting fail: accidentally arranging no childcare during her Paris girls' trip. Oops.Full update from Katy's dreamy Paris getaway: pastries, laughter, and a much-needed reset.Plus, the TikTok that had us in hysterics, a kid singing Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" and it's not the clean version (watch it here).Critique of the Week:Link to the ReelThis week's conversation is sparked by an Instagram Reel from Dr. Hannah Fry, referencing Dataclysm by Christian Rudder:While women find men most attractive around their own age, men across almost all age brackets consistently prefer women aged 20-22.We dig into what this means for beauty standards, anti-aging pressures, and society's obsession with youth.Plus, our own honest takes on anti-aging treatments, what we've tried, what we haven't, and whether we're resisting the pressure or leaning into it.Nonsense Time:It's dinner party question time!We answer some random, hilarious scenarios including:If you could pick anyone to narrate your inner monologue, who would it be?The zombie apocalypse is here: who are the three people you'd want on your survival team?

Welcome to the sixty-third episode of Talk Spirit To Me.This week Jess welcomed Allira Potter to the podcast.Allira Potter is a proud Yorta Yorta, a trained reiki practitioner, intuitive reader, energy healer, life coach and meditation guide. Allira's practice is fully immersed around culture, cultural awareness, and education, with a focus on debunking the wellness narrative to ensure diverse representation and decolonisation of a white-dominated wellness space.A self-appointed ‘sassy, psychic witchy sister', Allira's profile is continuing to rise thanks to her warm and witty personality and refreshingly authentic approach to life. Allira's practice advocates for cultural diversity, body positivity, and mental wellbeing, utilising her platform to create conscious content that is both engaging and educational for her followers.Allira's socially broadcasted messaging empowers women to embrace their bodies, curves & all, and to love themselves for who they are. Allira is beginning to make her mark on the social media landscape and has recently worked with both international and national clients including The Body Shop, Kathmandu, Instagram, Libra, Cotton On, Schwarzkopf, LuluLemon, MECCA, Bioderma, Kmart, Spell, Wella, Target, Bumble and many more.If you would like to connect with Allira you can follow her on IG @allira.potter or visit her websiteIf you like this sh*t, follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @jessicalynnemediumship⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@talkspirittomepodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OR if you would like to book a Psychic Medium Reading you can do so ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠**Please note: we do not own the rights to this music; Sky - Wanheda @RFM_NCM

Clarke County's Spring Cleanup Day will be Saturday, April 26. Alabama Power has donated several items for the event, according to Commissioner Barry Chancey, who also thanked Solid Waste Enforcement Officer Jim Hudson for his help with the project. Chancey noted at Tuesday morning's Clarke County Commissioners Court meeting where residents can use the free dumpster sites to help clean up in their area. Dumpsters will be placed at Rockville Community Center on Lady Landing Road, the intersection if Walker Springs Road and Fool's Acre Road, McVay Road (behind Don's Body Shop in North Jackson), the corner of Choctaw and...Article Link

In this episode, Sam Street interviews James Frape at Compass about their sponsorship of the Bodyshop awards and also Chris & Shari Agnew from Sommerville Smash Repairs about winning in last year's awards. We begin our discussion with James about why Compass has sponsored the Bodyshop awards for the last 10 years, we also get an overview of the categories for this year, with awards for Best Shop, Best Practice, and Best Individual, and we review the nomination, submission, and judging process. Our discussion with Chris & Shari Agnew provides an insight into their experience  winning the Best Large Shop award last year, seeing a great response from their team, and the trust and recognition it brings. We wrap up with some tips on how to put together a submission for an award.   Links & Resources: 2025 Bodyshop Awards Supplier nominations close friday 2 may 2025 Shops self nominations close friday 30 may 2025 bodyshopawards.com.au ------------------------------ The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Paint and Panel, owned and published by Yaffa Media.   Hosts: Sam Street & Grant McHerron Editor: Chris Visscher Producer: Steve Visscher Paint and Panel - © 2025

We're back!! It's been almost TWO YEARS, but we've got the fire to get going again so here we are. This one is Nate, Devin, and Justin sitting in Justin's garage just ranting about things that have happened during our hiatus.

Send us a textEpisode Notes:  

On this week's A24 vibe discussion, we bring on Russian filmmaker Alexey Kotolevskiy to review 2024's Best Picture winner Anora. Starring Best Actress Mikey Madison, Anora is about a Brooklyn exotic dancer who meets a Russian Oligarch named Vanya who becomes enamored with her. Written and directed by Florida Project director Sean Baker, the A24 Rocks crew and Alexey discuss the three acts of the film, the realism of the seedier side of Brooklyn, and if it deserved to win Best Picture. Caution: movie spoilers.We also discuss Alexey's award winning short film "One Night in Body Shop," and ask him what it's like to create a Russian dark fairytale in the U.S. Find Alexey's short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDPNbXMH1g4&ab_channel=AlexeyKotolevskiyAlso, see Eric's YouTube channel for his docuseries Tales of the Great Lakes: https://www.youtube.com/@FirelakeMediaIntro- 0:00 to 4:37.Anora Film Discussion and Ratings- 4:37 to 1:02:15.One Night in Body Shop Discussion- 1:02:15 to End.Upcoming Podcast Release Schedule-4/9- Climax.4/16- Jesus Chris Superstar.4/23- Gloria Bell.4/30- Napoleon Dynamite.

Send us a textEpisode Notes: The never-ending rollercoaster of collision repair business has taken another dip, and shops across the country are feeling the pinch. After years of unprecedented backlogs following COVID, the industry is experiencing a significant slowdown that's becoming the talk of every industry gathering. But rather than panicking, this moment presents a unique opportunity to strengthen your business foundation.  This slowdown stems from several converging factors that are well beyond our control… however, successful shop owners recognize that these cyclical downturns are inevitable—and can be leveraged to your advantage.  We explore 4 critical areas every collision center should focus on during slow periods. 1st, finding creative ways to fill those empty stalls—from municipal vehicle contracts to specialty refinishing work that keeps your paint booth productive. 2nd, strengthening your marketing efforts, as data shows shops that maintained consistent marketing during busy times are significantly outperforming those who didn't. 3rd, implementing shop improvements that often get neglected during busy periods, like developing SOPs, optimizing shop layout, and conducting thorough financial reviews. Finally, catching up on training and education that positions your team to handle the next wave of technological advancements.  The most successful shops view these slowdowns not as setbacks but as strategic opportunities to prepare for the inevitable upturn. By investing in these four key areas now, you'll be positioned to outperform your competition when business rebounds… because as history has shown us, it always does!   Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Tom MacPherson Le Maire is a seasoned luxury and skincare expert with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Specializing in luxury hotel and spa channels, he is passionate about hospitality and the integration of innovative wellness concepts. Tom has worked across multiple channels, supporting go-to-market strategies for a number of emerging skincare brands. His career began with industry icons like The Body Shop, followed by nearly a decade at Clarins, where he honed his expertise in fast-paced commercial retail. During his time at Clarins, he held senior roles in training and field management, overseeing more than 70 staff members and driving significant business revenue. Transitioning to work with SMEs and challenger skincare brands, Tom sought to amplify the voices of smaller brands often overshadowed by larger budgets. He led the EMEA region for Intraceuticals, an Australian oxygen facial brand, and later helped launch the Icelandic skincare brand BioEffect in Space NK, while also developing their spa and clinic division. He then established his own consultancy, collaborating with brands like Aromatherapy Associates across EMEA, Swedish skincare brand Swiss Clinic (launching them in Harvey Nichols), and The Hut Group. Following the pandemic, Tom joined British luxury skincare brand 111SKIN, where he has spent the last five years overseeing their global spa division and export markets across MEA and LATAM. His extensive network within luxury hospitality facilitated 111SKIN's successful entry into major hotel groups worldwide, including Mandarin Oriental, Marriott Luxury, Four Seasons, Rosewood, ACCOR Luxury, Hilton Luxury Brands, and Kempinski. Under his leadership, the brand's spa channel grew exponentially, with high-profile partnerships like the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and other iconic global properties. Known for his servant leadership style and a “feel the fear and do it anyway” mentality, Tom is also a passionate lover of fine food, wine, and culture. A proud bon vivant with French roots, he often spends his leisure time in Paris, where he enjoys embracing the city's culinary and cultural offerings. In this episode, we discover the following: 1. Tom's top three tips for growth. 2. How to find uniqueness in what we do. 3. The importance of the entrepreneurial spirit & having the right tribe. 4. The power of an “Ethos“ you believe in.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textEpisode Notes: The Season of Transformation: Conference & Tradeshow SeasonTrade show and conference season is officially upon us in the collision repair industry, and it's the perfect time to make a commitment that could transform your business.

This week, join us as we revisit our episode on Negligent Maintenance in Auto Claims as a refresher, then join us for our next new episode, Negligent Maintenance in Property Claims! Original Air Date: March 24,2023 That little “Maintenance Required” light on the dashboard - it's something everyone dreads. Even worse, what if maintenance was completed as required, but not completed properly? Maintenance reminders and having them completed at a reputable shop can make or break your position in an accident. On this week's podcast, Rebecca and Steve discuss what happens when an accident occurs as a result of negligent maintenance. Owners are required to properly maintain their vehicles, but how can you prove that an owner was negligent in failing to perform routine maintenance?  What happens if it's the mechanic's fault for shoddily performing that work?  Whether passenger vehicles or heavy trucks, listen in to discover how to identify responsible parties and recover on claims for negligent maintenance. 

Send us a textShow Notes: Is your collision shop financially prepared for the future? Feeling lost in the complexities of shop ownership? In this week's MindWrench Podcast we uncover essential financial strategies for collision shop owners as we tackle the intricacies of business transitions. In this episode, the industry's only Certified Exit Planner, financial expert Matt DiFrancesco, sheds light on how to secure your shop's future while creating generational wealth. We explore “business musts” such as setting our GPS & establishing a clear vision for your business, the importance of business continuity plans, and innovative stay bonus programs to retain valuable employees.  With insights geared for the collision industry, Matt explains how to avoid common pitfalls that many shop owners face and offers actionable steps to promote healthier financial decisions.  This engaging conversation not only informs but also inspires shop owners to make proactive decisions regarding their financial health and legacy. Don't miss out on the valuable insights shared in this episode – tune in, learn, and take the first steps toward ensuring a successful future for your business!  Guest Info: Matt DiFrancesco – Founder -High Lift Financial/ Host- Your Business, Your Life PodcastEmail:  Matt@highliftfin.com          Website: https://highliftfinancial.com/LinkedIn                 Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit jesseventura.substack.comNow that he is back with the WWE, Gov. Jesse “The Body” Ventura is bringing back his illustrious interview segment from the 1980's “The Body Shop”. Here Jesse will be interviewing some truly eclectic and fascinating figures from the world of professional wrestling's past, present, and future. Starting with Karrion Kross!Born Kevin Kesar, Karrion Kross h…

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Ever notice what the primary "inputs" you allow into your mind on a daily basis (news, social media, conversations)?... How do these inputs make you feel, and how do they influence your thoughts and actions?This week's episode of the Mind Wrench Podcast emphasizes the crucial role of mental inputs in shaping our mindset and life trajectory. Inspired by Jim Rohn and featuring insights from Zig Ziglar, the episode explores how consciously choosing positive, uplifting, and educational content can transform our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, our lives. Discover how shielding your mind from negative conversations, reality TV, and distressing news can set you on a path to personal and professional success. We share strategies to feed your brain with positive, empowering content that redefines your mindset and propels you towards growth and achievement.The importance of "feeding your mind" with the right information, similar to a healthy diet, is critical to our success. 3 Key Takeaways:Mental Diet Matters: Just like physical food, the information we consume impacts our well-being. Actively choosing positive and empowering content is essential for a healthy mindset. Negative inputs can lead to overwhelm and stagnation, while positive inputs fuel growth and inspiration.Language Shapes Reality: Our vocabulary and the language we use significantly influence our thoughts and perceptions. Replacing negative language with positive affirmations can reshape our mental landscape and foster a more productive existence. Zig Ziglar's example of the Native American tribes without a word for stuttering illustrates this powerfully.Coaching and Consistent Routines Accelerate Growth: Seeking guidance through coaching provides accountability and support, leading to improved self-esteem and confidence. Establishing daily rituals, such as listening to motivational content, reinforces positive messages and enhances retention. Consistent exposure to empowering information is key to internalizing and applying it.This epic speech from Zig should leave you with a better understanding of how our daily “inputs” affect our lives, as well as inspire a few things to think about: 1.      What steps can you take to design a more positive and empowering "mental diet"? What resources (books, podcasts, mentors) can you leverage to support this process?2.      How can you integrate consistent routinesSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Welcome back to the Entrepreneur's Journey Podcast. In this episode, host Michael Pallozzi sits down with Tyler Hoehe, the fourth-generation owner of Ed's Body Shop in Bridgeton, NJ. Tyler shares her incredible journey from dreaming of a career in law enforcement to becoming the youngest entrepreneur featured on this podcast. Discover how her family's legacy influenced her decision to take over the business, the challenges she faced as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, and how she's expanding the shop's services to include heavy-duty equipment repair. This conversation dives deep into her growth, passion, and dedication to carrying on her family's name.Tune into this episode to also learn:How Tyler transitioned from criminal justice to entrepreneurship.The history and evolution of Ed's Body Shop, a four-generation family business.Challenges and perks of being a woman-owned business in a male-dominated industry.How Tyler expanded services to include heavy-duty equipment repair and towing.What we discussed[00:00:32] Tyler's initial aspirations in criminal justice and her internship experience.[00:05:02] Her pivotal conversation with her grandfather about taking over the family business.[00:10:10] The challenges and stereotypes of running a woman-owned body shop.[00:17:02] Expanding Ed's Body Shop to include heavy-duty equipment repair.[00:20:06] Tyler's hopes for the next generation to carry on the family legacy.3 Things To RememberFamily legacy and passion can inspire unexpected career paths.Breaking gender stereotypes requires perseverance and proving capabilities.Expanding services can breathe new life into longstanding businesses.Useful LinksConnect with Michael Pallozzi: LinkedInLike what you've heard…Learn more about HFM HERESchedule time to speak with us HERE

In this episode of Freight Nation: A Trucking Podcast, host Brent Hutto is joined by Garrett Steenblik, VP of Business Development at TRXCKWRLD and founder of Trucker's Body Shop. They discuss Garrett's 200-pound weight loss journey as a truck driver and how it fueled his passion for improving trucker health, developing accessible healthcare solutions, and building a 665,000-member trucking community while promoting fitness, telehealth, and industry-wide change.

Send us a textEpisode Notes: This week's MindWrench Podcast episode tackles the critical technician shortage in the automotive industry, suggesting that the solution lies not just in desperate recruitment, but in proactively supporting educational programs. Special guest Jay Goninen, president and co-founder of WrenchWay, and host of the Beyond the Wrench Podcast, shares insights on building lasting partnerships with schools and fostering positive workplace cultures as key strategies for attracting and retaining talented technicians, as well as building a sustainable talent pipeline.3 Key Takeaways:Focus on Education, Not Just Recruitment: The industry needs to shift its focus from simply recruiting individual technicians to investing in and strengthening the educational programs that train them. This creates a long-term, sustainable talent pool.Build Partnerships Early: Shop owners should establish relationships with schools long before graduation season. Early engagement fosters stronger connections with potential technicians and allows for better collaboration on curriculum and training.Culture is Key: Technicians aren't just looking for good pay; they want a positive work environment. Prioritizing well-being, professional development, and open communication is crucial for retaining talent. Thought-Provoking Questions:What steps can my shop take today to start building relationships with local automotive schools and technical programs?Beyond pay, what specific improvements can I make to my shop's culture to attract and retain technicians in today's market?How can I leverage resources like the Voice of the Technician survey to better understand the needs and concerns of my team and other technicians in the industry?  Guest Info: Jay Goninen – Founder -Find-A-Wrench/ Co-Founder- WrenchWayEmail:  jay@findawrench.com           Website: https://findawrench.com    https://wrenchway.comLinkedIn                Beyond The Wrench Podcast Support the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

2024 was het jaar waarin winkels van de Blokker, Bristol en the Body Shop failliet gingen. Des te opvallender dat een andere winkelketen juist spectaculair uitbreidt: Action opende het afgelopen jaar in diverse landen in Europa maar liefst 352 nieuwe winkels, maakte het bedrijf vandaag bekend. Bovendien boekte Action een recordwinst en is het inmiddels meer waard dan bijvoorbeeld Ahold Delhaize, het moederbedrijf van Albert Heijn. Wat is de succesformule van de Action? En betekent dit dat de winkelstraat tóch niet ten dode is opgeschreven?  In Geld of je Leven (EO) gaat presentator Hans van der Steeg hierover in gesprek met: * Paul Moers, retail-expert; * Hans van Tellingen, directeur van winkelcentrumonderzoeker Strabo.

Cameron Bray is a business consultant specializing in building high-performing teams & in leadership development. He's been the Chief People Officer in a number of organizations, and spent a formative part of his career working for The Body Shop in the UK. Hear how to build an organization around virtual teams, how to lead in a virtual world, how to optimize productivity in hybrid work environments, the biggest challenges facing virtual leaders today, and Cameron's career backpacking the world. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Cameron on LinkedIn

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Ever stop & wonder how much paint contamination is actually costing your shop? Would it surprise you if that dirt in your booth was costing you thousands? Discover the hidden costs of paint contamination and how to avoid it!Check out this Collision Vision Podcast, where Cole Strandberg interviewed me about my latest presentation, as we unpack the hidden financial impacts lurking in your paint department. Get ready to revolutionize your paint booth efficiency and profitability with practical insights from our conversation. We stress the importance of standard operating procedures and maintaining a clean environment akin to a surgeon's sterile setting.Listen in and learn how adopting these preventive measures not only safeguards technician safety but also boosts productivity and reduces costly redos. Join us as we encourage shop owners and technicians alike to level-up their game, along with their profitability, to new heights.  Thinking about upgrading your paint department, or adding a paint booth? You'll discover why prioritizing quality over cost is crucial for long-term success. Join us as we explore strategic considerations such as future growth planning and the benefits of collaborating with paint companies and experts. These insights are invaluable for making informed decisions that support your shop's efficiency and throughput!  Looking for more information on this subject?Check out my 3-part series “Keeping it Kleen”

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Are you starting off your 2025 with a plan for positive change, growth or new goals?Have you started implementing your New Year's Eve resolutions yet?What's holding you back from moving forward?... still “fix'n to get ready” from last year??Every January we have a great opportunity to start off fresh with some changes that we know we need to make, goals we really want to achieve and a desire to “really do it this time” don't we?Yet each year we seem to spend the first half of the year hesitating, procrastinating and never get around to actually making the decision to change, do we?As we kick off 2025, we explore the fearless mindset of kids and how it can inspire us to shed the societal conditioning that often shackles our dreams. Let's journey together through the transformative power of bold actions, providing you with the courage and insights to conquer hesitation and embrace the changes needed to thrive.In our latest MindWrench Podcast episode, I dive deep into the liberating power of mindset shifts, and we'll unlock empowering tips designed to propel you toward growth, both personally and professionally.Let's learn how to quit hesitating, and just simply DECIDE… let's seize 2025 with a mindset geared for success!  Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The economies of the world is now breaking down, the installed politicians realize it and they are panicking. Employment in US is down. Biden admin tried to trap Trump in the H1B visa program by modifying the rules. Agenda exposed. The [DS] knows that Trump and the patriots have caught them all, they are desperately are trying to stop him but they do not have the leverage so they must resort to [FF] to distract the world from their crimes. Class action lawsuits can be very effective. Trump has caught the [DS] in everything they have done. These next 4 years is the accountability phase. Time is running out for the [DS].   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy Around 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024 after major chains collapsed Almost 170,000 retail employees lost their jobs this year after several major high street firms collapsed. Homebase, Ted Baker, The Bodyshop, Carpetright and Lloyds Pharmacy were among 38 retailers that went into administration in 2024, according to figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research. It said a total of 169,395 retail jobs have been axed since January 1, which is 49,990 (or 41.9%) more than last year. It is the highest number since more than 200,000 retail jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic which forced businesses to shut their stores during lockdowns. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024 – 55,914 in total -came as a result of administrations.  Source: .msn.com/  https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1873057355207766060  recessions. In fact, similar declines have been seen during the 1990s and 2001 recessions. Meanwhile, state and local government full-time jobs have risen by ~400,000 year-over-year, twice as much as the pre-pandemic period. The US labor market is weaker than it seems. the Biden administration has finalized changes to the rules governing H-1B visas. Here's an overview:  On December 17, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule to modernize the H-1B program. The changes are set to take effect on January 17, 2025.   The Biden administration finalized new rules for the H-1B visa program, described as an attempt to "modernize" it, which came into effect right before Trump's projected return to office. These changes include codifying agency deference for H-1B petitions, expanding eligibility, and potentially making it more challenging for Trump to reverse these policies due to the administrative rulemaking process. This has been viewed by some as an attempt to set a policy framework that could complicate future policy rollbacks by the Trump administration.  these last-minute regulatory changes as a strategic move to lock in reforms that might be politically or legally difficult for a subsequent administration to undo quickly. This idea is supported by the notion that once regulations are in place, they require a formal rulemaking process to amend, including public comment periods, which can be time-consuming. Political Context: This overhaul comes at the end of Biden's term, likely intended to cement changes into regulation before the transition to the next administration, potentially making it more difficult for a new administration to reverse these changes without going through a formal rulemaking process. https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1873172920396382490 Despite New York Post Phone Call, Question and Answer, Donald Trump Companies Do Not Use H1B Visas

Welcome back to ASMR Advent!  I really hope you're enjoying these videos!  They are so much fun to make.  Kind of feel like I'm living my best holiday life! Many blessings and the sweetest of dreams!

Welcome everyone to WWF SATURDAY NIGHT'S MAIN EVENT on NBC! We are going back to October 5th, 1985! Love is in the air as Uncle Elmer is getting married! Uncle Elmer of the Hillbilly Jim family! Some wrestlers think wrestling and romance don't mix, but this is the first REAL wedding on TV since Tiny Tim and Miss Vicky! Also, Hulk Hogan is the WWF Champion and Nikolai Volkoff, Feddie Blassie, and the Soviet Union threaten the entire USA! It is up to the Hulkster to save the day and defend the honor of America! It's Flag vs Flag! Plus, Jesse Ventura's Body Shop talk show, Bobby Heenan's $50,000 Bounty, where's George “The Animal” Steele been, and much more as we throw it back to the '80s!⦁    Deadlock Discord: https://discord.gg/E4BvR4W⦁    Deadlock Shop: https://shop.deadlockpw.com⦁    Deadlock Patreon: https://patreon.com/deadlockpw⦁    Deadlock Twitter: https://twitter.com/deadlockpw⦁    Deadlock Instagram: https://instagram.com/deadlockwrestling⦁    Deadlock Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/deadlockpw⦁    Deadlock Pro Wrestling: http://deadlockpro.com

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Looking to win, but haven't declared it yet?Are you 100% committed with no plan B?Do you believe in yourself enough to inspire others to believe in you? This week, we unlock the secrets to cultivating a winning mindset and transform your life, from business to personal growth. Discover how the seemingly daunting concept of winning is within your grasp, a commitment-driven journey rather than an innate skill. Drawing wisdom from Tony Robbins, we explore the pillars of success: self-belief, ownership, responsibility, resilience, and taking massive action. These keys pave the path to realizing your potential, mastering your destiny, and viewing challenges as catalysts for growth.  Embrace the empowering shift from blame to personal responsibility, and witness how owning your circumstances can ignite true empowerment and opportunity creation. Join us as we highlight the power of resilience and adaptability, emphasizing that success is defined not by the challenges we face but by how we respond to them. Taking consistent, focused action, you'll be positioned to turn goals into tangible realities.  Guest Info: Tony RobbinsWebsite: www.tonyrobbins.comLink to YouTube clip: https://tinyurl.com/4ksp3av6Support the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

For this episode, we continue our Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop series with a discussion on lift safety and ergonomically designed equipment. Joining us is Dave Wiederschall, National Account Manager at BendPak, a leader in designing lifts and other shop equipment that prioritize both safety and efficiency. Dave will walk us through the importance of proper lift usage, best practices for safety and maintenance, and how ergonomically designed equipment can improve technician health and shop performance. Connect with Dave & Bendpak: Website: BendPak.com Phone: (800) 253-2363 Find an ALI Certified Lift Inspector in your area, consult the Directory of Certified Lifts and learn how to “Lift It Right” on the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) website autolift.org.    This episode is sponsored by: Thryv  Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/ 

Welcome back to ASMR Advent!  I really hope your December is going well so far!  I'm really enjoying working on the written side of these videos lately!  Many blessings and the sweetest of dreams!

Welcome to this entertaining and insightful episode as I chat with the hosts of The She Means Business Podcast, a new and welcome addition to the Canadian podcasting universe focussed on aspiring leaders looking for inspiration, motivation and mentorship in the business world, co-hosted by Gail Banack and Ilana Santone.  Gail and Ilana also happen to be two of Canada's foremost retail leaders, with tours of duty at Loblaw, Home Depot, Target Canada, Indigo, and Canadian Tire between them.   Gail was mostly the Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Indigo Books, and Ilana is currently the Senior Vice President, Digital, Connected Retail & Business Architecture, Canadian Tire Corporation.  So, in addition to talking about their new podcast and leadership in general, I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to ask them both about their thoughts on the current and future state of retail and what it would take to survive and even thrive in 2025.    About Gail Senior Vice PresidentGail Banack is a results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience in retail and consumer packaged goods, specializing in strategic planning, brand strategy, marketing, and management. Renowned for her ability to drive growth, transform businesses, and deliver exceptional customer experiences, she has held leadership roles at prominent retailers, including Canadian Tire, Loblaw, and Target.Most recently, she was the Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Indigo Books, where Gail led omni-channel revenue growth for IndigoKids and IndigoBaby. Now, as co-host of The She Means Business Podcast, she leverages her extensive expertise to inspire and guide others in leadership and career development. About Ilana Ilana Santone is a strategic team leader who is currently the SVP, Digital, Connected Retail & Business Architecture at Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). In her current role, Ilana leads a high-performing team of leaders who are accountable for delivering a seamless customer experience and driving omni-channel growth. In addition, Ilana is accountable for working with senior leaders across the organization as well as the company's Dealer partners to ensure Canadian Tire's aggressive growth plans are achieved over the strategic outlook. Ilana has a proven track record of building and executing strategic initiatives and programs across all aspects of retail. With over 20 years of retail experience, Ilana started her career at Canadian Tire, and held progressively senior positions in HR, Merchandising, Operations and Transformation. Prior to returning to CTC's Digital team in 2017, she served in various positions at The Body Shop, Target Canada, and The Home Depot Canada.  Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

The future of abortion access is uncertain right now. But here in Pittsburgh, there's a small but mighty team trying to make sure people have the information and supplies they need for safe and self managed reproductive care. And they're doing it all from a ratty old van.  Thanks so much to chief van lady Alecia Ott, owner and founder of the Auto(nomous) Body Shop, and Alexa Pierce, co-founder of the Pittsburgh Abortion Access Network, now known as the Auto(nomous) Body Shop Student Vanbassador Program. Have more questions about self-managed abortions? Check out protocols from the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 3rd episode: City Theatre - use code CityCast for $5 off BetterHelp - get 10% off at betterhelp.com/CITYCAST Autism Pittsburgh Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten    https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/   In This Episode:  What would happen if you built a business centered entirely around what you love and what you believe your community is currently missing? We're about to find out!  In this truly inspiring episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, I'm sitting down with Lisa Wrixon, the visionary and CEO behind thestylewell and Lewellyn, two boutique shops in North Vancouver. From her roots in art history to leading retail operations for major brands, Lisa's journey is a masterclass in turning passion into purpose. Discover how she built a thriving business centered on beautiful design, community engagement, and a curated customer experience—all while staying true to her values and vision. If you're an independent retailer looking for actionable insights and motivation, this episode is for you! Episode Highlights: We dig into Lisa's Background: From studying art history to managing merchandising and retail operations for top brands like The Body Shop and Indaba Trading. thestylewell Origin Story: A dream sparked by a love for beautiful, curated spaces, culminating in a thriving home decor business in North Vancouver. Running Two Shops: Lisa owns thestylewell, focusing on home decor, and Lewellyn, a sister shop for fashion and accessories. Building Community: The importance of hosting workshops, events, and pop-ups to engage with the local design and retail community. Curating Success: Balancing simplicity, aesthetics, and strong operational practices to create a loyal customer base. Biggest Lessons: The value of staying true to your brand while taking calculated risks to grow. Takeaways for Retailers: Invest in your community and prioritize relationships over transactions. Curate your offerings with a strong focus on aesthetics and what resonates with your ideal customers. Don't overcomplicate operations—simplicity and clarity can fuel success. Collaborate and share knowledge generously to foster growth in your industry. Lisa is an active member of the Retailer's Inner Circle program. Join smart retailers like Lisa inside this program this year.  "I opened a shop for me because I couldn't find what I wanted. Now, I create the need for others." -Lisa Wrixon   Related podcasts we think you'll like:  Episode 237: Retailer Success Series: Cindy's Journey to Building a Thriving Bead Store Episode 217: Best of Retailer Success Series: Simplifying Your Retail Business with Louise McManus Episode 179: Retailer Success Series: Jess Gebauer, on Using Unique Marketing and Sales Strategies   About Lisa and thestylewell thestylewell is curated and owned by Lisa Wrixon, an innovative and dynamic creative professional who relishes in inspiring, delighting and engaging customers. As a lover of all things beautiful, Lisa has years of experience as a residential Interior Designer, wholesale home décor brand strategist and Manager of Retail Operations for leading Canadian Retailers. But it is her love of all things pretty, that are created with care, and her vision of creating meaningful moments in people's homes that has driven her to open thestylewell. thestylewell aims to provide beautiful decorative pieces, hand selected by Lisa with the intent to enhance a living space, be admired and desired, shared or possessed for oneself. Follow along with Lisa, thestylewell and Lewellyn :  thestylewell Website | Lewellyn Website | thestylewell Instagram | Lewellyn Instagram About your host, Wendy Batten In case we haven't met yet, I'm Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer's Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.  Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I've helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer's Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.  I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers. When I'm not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I'd love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/    For more support from Wendy   Retailer's Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer's community   Free resources for shop owners    Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG    All of Wendy's programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.  Subscribe & Review on iTunes Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you're not, I'd love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won't miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes! If you want to be more of a rockstar, I'd love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they're also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Looking for an easy way to increase your happiness by 10-20% or maybe just reduce your stress and anxiety? Maybe you've been struggling to see the positives in your everyday life... we've got just the thing for you… it's called gratitude!Ever wondered what the benefits are of making gratitude a part of your daily routine? In this week's episode, we're resharing a message from last holiday season, that highlights the transformative power of practicing gratitude. We explore how focusing on the positives, no matter how small, can lead to happier and more fulfilling lives. It's not just about feeling good in your personal life; we also dive into how gratitude can impact your business world - from improved decision-making to increased job satisfaction, a stronger culture and better relationships.As we approach the holidays, we often reserve gratitude for the Thanksgiving table, but this episode makes a compelling case for why it should be a year-round practice. join our journey of finding gratitude and positivity. Join us as I share my Top 5 Benefits of Practicing Gratitude and how to make expressing gratitude a habit and harness the significant difference it can make in your life and the lives of those around you.  Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Welcome to ASMR Advent! I've been planning this up for the last little while now and I'm really excited to do it a little differently.  I really hope you enjoy! Many blessings and the sweetest of dreams!

In this episode of Add To Cart, we're joined by Mike Rhodes, the Founder and Main Ideas Guy at Mike Rhodes Ideas. With a career spanning four successful business exits, including WebSavvy—an agency named one of Google's Top 18 globally—Mike shares how focusing on problem-solving and innovation has driven his success. He reveals the power of his PMAX scripts, which are helping brands like UNICEF, Helly Hansen and The Body Shop uncover hidden ad spend opportunities. From reshaping ad strategies to preparing for AI's game-changing impact on search, Mike delivers insights every eCommerce professional needs to hear.This episode was brought to you by: Deliver In PersonShopify PlusAbout your guest:Mike is the Founder and Main Ideas Guy at Mike Rhodes Ideas, helping businesses and marketers stay ahead with cutting-edge strategies, tools and insights. He has built and sold four businesses, including WebSavvy, which was one of Australia's largest independent agencies for over a decade and was recognised by Google in 2018 as one of their Top 18 agencies worldwide. A sought-after speaker, Mike has delivered keynotes at over 100 events globally and co-authored The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads, the world's best-selling book on the subject. These days, you're likely to find him walking his daughters to school, experimenting with AI innovations, or carving through forest trails on his mountain bike.About your host:Nathan Bush is the host of the Add To Cart podcast and a leading eCommerce transformation consultant. He has led eCommerce for businesses with revenue $100m+ and has been recognised as one of Australia's Top 50 People in eCommerce four years in a row. You can contact Nathan on LinkedIn, Twitter or via email.Please contact us if you: Want to come on board as an Add To Cart sponsor Are interested in joining Add To Cart as a co-host Have any feedback or suggestions on how to make Add To Cart betterEmail hello@addtocart.com.au We look forward to hearing from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When truck owner Garrett Steenblik was in the throes his personal body-transformation journey toward losing, ultimately, 200 lbs. over-the-road, he was hauling with Boyle Transportation, it was his birthday, and he got a message over the Qualcomm from operations wishing him a happy birthday. Such was his commitment to working physical activity into his daily routine, then teaming with his wife, that he'd garnered a particular reputation with folks at the company, including its customers. "I was so dedicated," he said, that "if we were getting loaded I'd wake up, I'd hop out and do some push-ups, I'd run around the truck, I'd so some body-weigh exercises. ... The shippers would be like, 'What's that man doing?'" The message, immortalized with a picture you'll see as part of the cover image for this week's podcast and which he calls my "favorite picture in all of trucking," contained a simple message for him: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARRETT, CELEBRATE WITH A FEW LAPS AROUND THE TRUCK AND SOME KALE CAKE!" As of August this year, Steenblik had hired an operator to join his wife in their rig, a 2023 Kenworth T680 leased to Tri-State Motor Transit, as he's at the end of years of development of the Trucker's Body Shop business, a membership and support program for truckers seeking to lose weight or address some other conditions (smoking cessation, for instance, is a part of it). In this edition of Overdrive Radio, Steenblik details Trucker's Body Shop goals to help drivers deliver on their own aims of weight loss via diet and exercise, medical doctor network support through telehealth, convenient weight-loss prescription delivery, ongoing doctor consultation and more. Overdrive featured the Trucker's Body Shop MediReady travel kit covering common OTR needs recently here: https://www.overdriveonline.com/gear/product/15708444/truckers-body-shop-truckers-body-shop-intros-new-medical-kit-for-truck-drivers In the podcast, hear how Steenblik found not only greater physical health through the weight-loss journey but, ultimately, bedrock mental well-being as well. With Trucker's Body Shop, he hopes to deliver that to any fellow OTR hauler who needs it. Find more about Trucker's Body Shop via this link: https://truckersbodyshop.com/ More from Overdrive Radio: https://overdriveonline.com/overdrive-radio

Did you know that significant life transitions can feel like being stuck in a dense fog? In my recent podcast episode, Brenda K. Reynolds introduced the concept of "fog" during moments of uncertainty. The fog stands for "freaking opportunity for growth.” She also introduced the “FROG” method to navigate through challenging transitions: Freaking Out, Responsibilities, Overcoming Obstacles, and Growth. Brenda K. Reynolds, founder of BKR Consulting, Inc. has spent her career as a trusted organizational and leadership consultant focused on helping clients lead with clarity and confidence during times of change. She leaves her clients equipped with the mindset, behaviors and strategies to master their “now what?” moments in the workplace or life space. And convert them to “why not's?!” She's a 2x best-selling author of TBD-To Be Determined: Leading with Clarity & Confidence in Uncertain Times and the 5 FROGS Transformation Journal: Reflections on the Road to Resilience. Brenda is also a TEDx & international speaker, specializing in guiding individuals and client organizations through times of uncertainty, challenge, change and growth on the road to greater resilience and performance. Leveraging her 2 corporate leadership roles and her entrepreneurial background, she's been trusted by clients including McDonalds, QVC, Goldman Sachs, Junior League International, The Body Shop, Vistage International, Special Olympics, Sherwin Williams, and more! Connect with Brenda! Website - www.BrendaKReynolds.com Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook

Audio tech expert George Whittam, the genius behind George the Tech, joins Anne Ganguzza, on the VO Boss Podcast. The BOSSes tackle the technical hurdles of the industry - from unreliable internet to optimizing studio setups. George's solutions help empower voice talents to keep their focus where it belongs—on their craft. The BOSSes delve into strategies for leveraging technology and outsourcing to scale operations effectively. Adapting to change is non-negotiable in this rapidly shifting market, and finding a mentor can be crucial for navigating its complexities. The BOSSes highlight the importance of forming meaningful industry relationships and the camaraderie that can fuel professional success. 00:04 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Hey guys, it's that season again. Are you feeling that tickle in your throat? Don't let a cold or flu slow you down. Combat your symptoms early with Vocal Immunity Blast, a simple and natural remedy designed to get you back to 100% fast. With certified therapeutic-grade oils like lemon to support respiratory function, oregano for immune power, and a protective blend that shields against environmental threats, your vocal health is in good hands. Take charge of your health with Vocal Immunity Blast. Visit anneganguzza dot com to shop.  00:41 - Intro (Announcement) It's time to take your business to the next level, the boss level. These are the premier business owner strategies and successes being utilized by the industry's top talent today. Rock your business like a boss a VO boss. Now let's welcome your host, Anne Ganguzza.  01:00 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Hey everyone, welcome to the VO Boss Podcast. I'm your host, Anne Ganguzza, and I am so happy and elated to be here with my special guest, audio tech guru and owner of George the Tech the one and only George Whittam, Woo-hoo.  01:16 - George Whittam (Guest) Hey, can you hear me okay from the Chili's in Palos Verdes, california.  01:21 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I can I, can I love it. You know George is. He is technology on the go, guys, and for those of you I don't know anyone that doesn't know you, but for those of you bosses out there that don't know George, you need to know George. He has been doing this since 2005, dedicating his life and I know this because he's helped me to serving the technical needs of bosses out there voice actors, podcasters, recording studio owners and in 2017, he launched georgethetechcom to assist anybody that needs support with just about anything. And he has an amazing team. I know firsthand. I have used that team. I've used George for many, many years and among his many successful clients I'm gonna say, in addition to me, are Don LaFontaine, bill Ratner, mr Beast, david Prog, melissa Disney, randy Thomas, joe Cipriano and Scott Rummel. Well, welcome, welcome, welcome and thank you for checking in with me, george, from your very busy schedule. George actually just popped off the road and said I will join this interview from the Chili's after my customer that you just went to go fix a studio.  02:32 - George Whittam (Guest) I did, I did. I do most of my work from home, of course, remotely, but I have a few clients who do have me on a membership program that I've been doing for many years and I make regular visits. So today was one of those days and technology, once in a while, it just flails miserably at letting you know that there's something you're supposed to be doing, and this was one of those moments. You texted me from the car. You're just, and you're like out of the blue tech, just checking in, and I'm like, oh, that's so nice, and it's just checking in, see you're not checking in.  03:03 You're like where the F are you right now?  03:05 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) George, george, where are you?  03:07 - George Whittam (Guest) In our Riverside room right now. So anyway, thank you. I hope this isn't too distracting. They find me a quiet corner of the restaurant, so we'll see how it goes.  03:17 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I love it. I will say, though, here's the deal, my video now Riverside. Anybody that's been on Riverside knows that it's uploading video and audio separately, and right now my upload is at 94%, Yours is only at 55%, so that 5G connection keep your fingers crossed that that internet is going to upload that video successfully and the audio Don't worry. Well, guess what I get to do this again.  03:42 - George Whittam (Guest) I got your back because I'm recording it. I was about to say, I was recording in QuickTime and it said that you've stopped recording, so I'm going to start recording it again, just so I have another layer of redundancy to this whole thing. But that is the really cool thing about Riverside is that, yeah, it doesn't want QuickTime, won't let me. Okay, fine, fine, we're going to rely on new technology today. But, yeah, riverside is really cool the way it keeps a local record and even if my internet isn't, great.  04:09 I'll eventually get it uploaded to you, so don't worry about that. Yes, Awesome.  04:15 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Well, it's always a good excuse to chat with you again, because it's so rare these days, I mean except when I'm desperate in need of technical support.  04:22 - Intro (Announcement) And.  04:23 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I'll have the bosses know that George helped me with my past or my latest studio upgrade. And I remember, george, that we were talking about me moving my Apollo solo into my studio which, by the way, it is moved in here and we were testing out this very long cable that went from my Mac studio out there into my studio and guess what it's working, and yay, technology. And so, george, you're instrumental in all of my studio upgrades and actually my original studio building when I moved to California back in oh my goodness, 2008. And so you've been through a lot of my studio builds. And let's talk a little bit about, oh gosh, what bosses need audio-wise right for being successful voice actors. They have so many technological needs.  05:14 - George Whittam (Guest) It is so many. You know. The thing is not everybody is like you, anne.  05:19 You love and embrace technology in a way that a lot of actors do not right and so on the cover of the laptop that you can't see because it's on the other side of the camera. I have a cover on my laptop and it's a picture of the left brain, right brain thing, right Like you know, the left being very technical, the right being creative, and I'm such a big proponent of finding the perfect middle balance. Maybe that's because I'm also a Libra, I don't know, but you know it's like I'm such a big proponent of finding the perfect middle balance. Maybe that's because I'm also a Libra, I don't know, but you know it's like I'm always trying to find that balance and I'm also trying to figure out who you are as my client. Are you more Ann Ganguza, or are you more Lori Allen, who's my quintessential super right brain, crazy actor talent, you know, and she knows that I'll say that and she'll laugh that doesn't love technology or doesn't care, right, I mean I get it.  06:09 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I mean we go into this industry. I mean some of us are just super, super creative and brilliant.  06:18 - George Whittam (Guest) If we had our choice, we would let someone else run all the technology and take care of it for us, which is what you do Absolutely. In a perfect world, we would all have our own little virtual assistant engineer people who just log into your machine and run everything for you. I do know a precious few actors who have actually availed themselves of such a thing, which is a pretty nice position to be in, right, and that would be a really cool scenario where you really don't need to think about it. But the fact of the matter is, the vast majority of the time, we have to think about and know what's going on with the technology and ensure that we're giving the client super clean, great quality audio quickly and on time, reliably, etc. Etc. And that's the goal.  07:01 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) It is about good audio, but it's about a lot of other things beyond just good audio, you know, willing to really experiment and figure out solutions for your clients that are not like status quo. So if they have a budget, you can fit yourself within that budget and you make things work and you say, all right, so if you need this, we can maybe substitute this or we can work with this. And I'm talking bosses, my firsthand experience, not just on what microphone or give me a stack to put on my audio, but like home studio builds from the ground up, like what can I do to save money here? Or what can I do? I have this in my budget and you literally have created things from like the ground up, depending on your client's budget.  08:01 And I think that that's really awesome and it really goes to show like the versatility and the amount of skills that you have in, not just like one thing. I mean you have to be great at everything, because everybody has different technology, everybody has a different microphone, everyone has a different DAW, everyone has a different environment in their house that you have to kind of assess and then say, well, okay, here's a solution. And then I'm quite sure, myself being one of them going, no, I can't do that, so you'll come up with multiple solutions. Or if something doesn't work, you'll actually get it to work. You'll figure out what it is that's not working and then make it work.  08:38 - George Whittam (Guest) Yeah, it's so many different things because there's a lot of things that you can get away with or there's certain things that you can make work or get it to work. Here's my black bean burger and fries.  08:49 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) All right.  08:50 - George Whittam (Guest) There's a lot of things you can get away with, so I'll try to talk while you take a bite. I will eat when you're talking, okay, so there's a lot of things that you can make work. There's a lot of things that you can get away with, and that's where people start out right. That's where you begin, that's where you learn on your own.  09:06 That's where you get used equipment. You get hand-me-downs, you buy what you can find on Amazon, right, you get away with it. You make it work. But at a certain point your clientele requires this consistency, quality and this quick turnaround, and that stuff starts to be cumbersome, it becomes a bother because it's getting in your way, right. So that's a big part of it. And then I'm glad you said earlier budget.  09:33 You really need to know where you're at. I mean, this is why voice acting, especially now as an entrepreneurial pursuit, you really need to have a pretty good idea where you're at with your budget. When you come to me, be honest with yourself, be honest with me. I'm not here to spend unnecessary money. I'm not here to push you or upsell you. I'm going to tell you exactly where you're at, based on where you are with your budget, and make sure it fits, because that's my goal is to help you out and get you where you need to go at the budget you've had to spend.  10:07 And then if it's either really too low, I'll let you know if I think it's not going to work, or I will speak up if I think you're overspending, if I think you've got this budget and it's unnecessarily. You know it's like, oh well, you've got that much to spend, all right. Well, let's think about that. Should we really spend all of that? Or should we really be spending 20% of that on the mic and maybe 50% of that on building your website, getting your demo, that kind of stuff right? So I'll make sure your money is spent the right way, but be really honest with yourself about what your budget is. Know where you're ready to spend so we can get off on the right foot.  10:50 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) So let's talk about the types of services that you do offer, because I'm happy to recommend you and your team to my students, and I think they might have preconceived notions as to oh well, george can just create a stack for me, or George can just tell me what microphone to buy, with lots of experience in multiple operating systems. So it's not just the mic or not just the studio, it can be your computer, it can be your software, it can be how to use Twisted Wave or how to use I just had a student the other day Studio One. I'm sure you have somebody on your team that can help with somebody with Studio One, and so can you create a filter for that? And so I'm constantly saying to myself I know lots of different audio engineers that specialize right, and I think that's great, but they're all independent, right? And so I can't be like, oh gosh, well, who knows Twisted Wave or who knows Studio One, or who knows?  11:48 And I'll think about it. What's great is you're like a one-stop shop, because now you've built yourself up a team. What's great is you're like a one-stop shop because now you've built yourself up a team, and I love this, because when I hired you in the beginning it was just you and you're I mean, you're busy back then and I love how you've like I mean, talk about being a boss, right. You've actually grown your little empire there and created a team of really amazing people that work for you, that have great skills and very specific skills. Speak to that a little bit.  12:14 - George Whittam (Guest) It's been a dream for a really long time to expand beyond myself. It started probably 12, 13 years ago in New York City. I knew I couldn't be in New York City that often and I had a few clients in New York and I thought, god, it'd be a no-brainer to have somebody else backing me up here in Manhattan. I actually had interviews in Borders bookstores with people that responded to ads, sat down, interviewed people and onboarded some folks and it just turned out that, one, maybe it was too soon to do it and two, it wasn't enough demand, because at that time it was a different time. But New York it was almost 100% studio town. Right, all the gigs were in studios because they're all over the place, they're all like walking or a subway ride away. So New York was a different environment.  13:05 So flash forward now quite a few years and I decided, with the new website that I had built by Skills Hub a couple of years ago, that it was finally time to properly expand the team. And now that I have a system built, an infrastructure, a booking system, the whole thing that allows me to essentially infinitely expand, I can build it as big as I want. I finally had the tools and everything in place to do that, and so we have that. Now you can go onto the website. Let's say you need help with Adobe Audition. You can see who is available that is actually an Adobe Audition expert and then you'll see their availability and you can book into the system right then and there and get help with someone that actually knows what they're doing. I realized after a while there's a certain point where I don't necessarily learn and retain new information the way I used to. I think that's just life, that's just age, right?  14:02 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Well, there's so much now.  14:04 - George Whittam (Guest) And there's so much more.  14:05 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, I know you're like right Anne.  14:07 - George Whittam (Guest) Right, but I get that I totally get that.  14:10 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) But think about this what I really love. What I really love is, again and again, this is the VO Boss podcast. So I really like to always relate things to how you can really be a boss, and I think all of us voice actors are bosses, obviously in our own right, and I think we really need to look for ways that we can grow and expand. Right and it's not an easy thing, right, it's a scary thing how can you scale? How can you provide more services for your clients so that your business can move forward successfully? And you are such a great example of I mean, not everybody that's a voice actor, is an audio engineer and they're going to scale their businesses in the way that you did, but it's all relative right, as voice actors, how can you scale your business? And so if you think outside of the box and you think about what can you do that's efficient as a voice actor, right, maybe you don't like technology, maybe you don't understand your computer, and I'm saying there's a certain element that we have to be technologically adept, but you can consider outsourcing these things as a voice actor so that you yourself can scale your business, and you've offered this great place for people to have all kinds of options, and so it's not just like a one-shot deal.  15:25 George, I need help. You have like 24-7 support, and I know for a fact that you've got emergency tech support, which I know, having worked in technology for how many years prior to voiceover. Technology is awesome until it doesn't work and then people panic, right, and that's when it's almost the most important to have that type of support. And so I'm sure lots of you voice actors have had something happen with your computer, like, and all of a sudden you're at a loss, or something happened in your studio, you're at a loss, and now all of a sudden, do you have a backup? Do you have a way that you can deliver your goods, deliver your product to your client?  16:01 And I think we all need to really start thinking about how can we outsource, how can we scale, and you've got a great place where, if voice actors don't necessarily love working with technology or learning technology, nor do they have the time right For me. I have no desire to be an audio engineer, I know what I know right, and if I have problems, let's say I'm setting up my new Mac studio. Well, I don't want to spend my entire weekend trying to learn anymore. I mean, I love learning, don't get me wrong but I don't want to right now. That's not an efficient use of my time.  16:33 So I'd much rather call you and say hey, george, I know you've set up Macs, I know you've done the Apollo on this iOS and I'm running into these problems. Or I know I'm having a problem like with Zoom and then sending my audio through Zoom. How can you help me? So it just makes sense for me, as a boss, right to outsource that. And so make sure, out there, guys, that you have a source, and I highly recommend George a hundred times If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm recommending him a hundred times over. Have a source, have a place that you can go when you run into trouble technology-wise or with your computer, or you want to just learn. You also have educational resources. You have tutorials. Yes, you have one-on-one help. You've just got all those options and I think it just really lends itself. Not only are you showing people how you're a boss and you're scaling your business right. They can scale their business with you.  17:26 - George Whittam (Guest) Yeah, being a boss is what I've really become now. I was always solopreneuring. In a way I still am, but now I do actually have people that look to me for getting paid, look for me for getting jobs, look for me for communication and support and actually training. The content we create for you guys we use internally to train our own team. I want more of our team to be comfortable with the Universal Audio Apollo. I've been encouraging them to watch the content we already have. Everybody who does work for me gets complete carte blanche access to my entire library of content right, so they all can learn.  18:03 I want to work with you, then I would love to have you. I mean, honestly, the point is that we've built the network, we've built the system, we have the infrastructure. Now it's just a matter of what's the next thing a voice actor needs, or what's the next thing podcasters need, what's the next thing people that do media appearances need, studios, people that need to do executives, c-suite folks what do they all need? And we're trying to eventually fill these different gaps right, and so my role now is more of a boss, more of a CEO, more of a director, even beyond. I spend way more hours of my day doing director, boss, ceo work than I do actual build time nowadays, and that's just how things have morphed. But it's great.  18:52 I love finding out that somebody got a service from one of our team and I didn't even know about it. That's the coolest thing ever. Oh, you helped that guy. Awesome, I had no idea. That's great. That means things are working. I don't have to micromanage everything, and so that's been a huge thrill for me, and it's just allowed us to be so much more helpful to more people.  19:11 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) That's such a relief. I know my own business. When you said about micromanaging, and in reality, you know, we talk all the time about voice actors, we're solopreneurs, we wear all the hats, but now's the time to really start thinking about, okay, what is the most efficient use of my time? Right, and I want you bosses to really open your minds out to thinking that a lot of people they get stuck in this whole thought process that, oh, I can't afford to hire somebody. But in reality, if you sat down and you marked what is your price per hour? Right, how much money do you make when you're doing voiceover, versus how much money are you making when you're trying to, like, do the billing yourself? Right?  19:50 - George Whittam (Guest) I'm so glad you mentioned the hourly thing because a while ago somebody made that clear to me.  19:55 There's the hourly rate that you charge retail, right? I know what my hourly rate is per hour. If you want to consult with me directly, it's $360 an hour. Whoa huge number. Wow, that sounds really crazy. That's not what I make per hour. What I make per hour is actually what I made last year. Subtract my expenses, take my net revenue right and divide that by I don't remember the magic number is whatever. It is 52 weeks a year, you know. And then you basically whittle it down to what your actual hourly wage actually is and you start to realize like, oh my gosh, that's what my actual time is worth. And so you're going oh, now it is worth spending $25 an hour for a virtual assistant or somebody because I'm actually worth $50 an hour.  20:45 You know what I mean. So that's. It's really good to know that.  20:48 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Exactly, exactly.  20:50 And I think that we need to look outside of, like, the numbers that are just spent, because somebody might say, oh, I spent a thousand dollars on this microphone.  21:00 If you figure out what your value is per hour, right, and you're doing tasks that I always say, don't bring you joy a certain standard where, if I want to be able to direct somebody right that I'm going to outsource stuff to, I need to learn enough about it so that I can direct intelligently, right.  21:20 I know, you know, if somebody's saying to me well, it's taking me five hours to do this, when I know, in fact, maybe it shouldn't be taking five hours, because when you become a boss and you start employing people, you have to be concerned about, okay, what's the value of your employees and what are they bringing you, what are you paying them right and how efficient can they be? And I think also, george, it becomes where you now have to inspire the people that work for you to want to do their best for you, that they want to help move your company forward, and to do that, you've got to pay them a fair rate you definitely do and you've got to inspire them with things that they like to do right so that they join the team right.  22:01 And that's a whole other set of boss skills that's a whole other set of boss skills which I love.  22:06 - George Whittam (Guest) The amazing person I brought in to do our customer service and actually kind of act as a bit of an assistant to me as well. She also is a graphic designer. So when I realized that she was getting these skills, she was literally studying and I said you know what? Let's try some things, let's get you doing some more creative endeavors, and I'm paying her more for that. I said you know, track your time when you're doing graphic design, when you're creating our thumbnails and our promotional content for the socials and our webinars, and that's a different rate. You tell me what you think is a fair rate for your graphic design and then you have a rate for all the other general work and she breaks up her billing that way and so she's getting paid better for that work and that's going to be much more fulfilling for her because it's creative stuff and I think it's been working out really well. You know, my biggest fear is her going away. If she goes, away.  23:02 That's going to be a giant pain in my neck to find another person like her Finding good.  23:09 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) It's going to be very difficult, so I want to keep her around.  23:12 - George Whittam (Guest) It's a delicate balance and I trust her. It sure is, you know, but it's a tricky one. The more you rely on outside help, the more you start realizing you need to make sure what will you do if that person needs to be replaced? It's another skill.  23:27 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And the people that work for you. They need to be better than you, and I think that's an ego thing for a lot of people. Do you know what I mean it's like? Oh no, I want to do it because I want to have control over it. I mean, I'm a control freak. I know this. I mean it took me a while, but once I started realizing that when you hire people who are better than you at the tasks like I'm not a graphic artist, so I want to hire somebody who's amazing at that and then pay them what they're worth, they aren't bitter, they don't feel like, oh, they're just working for pennies, and so they get excited because you want to work with them and collaborate. They get excited about helping you grow your business and you get excited about helping them grow their skills or grow their career as well under you. So I think it's something that bosses out there can really start to think about.  24:10 How would you expand right? And I think now too, with the technology and with AI and all this talk about the industry and how it's changing, I think technology it's always good to educate yourself on the technology evolve with the technology, those other things that we're talking about in addition to voiceover, like on-camera work, right? Voice actors maybe this is something that you know. You want to present yourself more professionally to your clients. What's involved in a good I don't know webcam or good lighting for your studio and that sort of thing. So that's the sort of thing that you can help them with as well in terms of expanding and broadening their horizons, even outside of voice acting.  24:51 So I love that you said that you were also delving into on-camera and technology for expanding businesses, because I think voice actors should also consider things like that. I mean, it's something we've talked about on the podcast as well, as we're moving forward along with this technology. What other services can you offer your clients? What other things can you do? Are you going to be making TikTok videos, right? How can you get your message out there? How can you market yourself right so that people know you exist, so they can hire you? And a part of that is getting out there, getting heard, getting seen, and you can help with that.  25:26 - George Whittam (Guest) And you might also be able to parlay that thing, because now you've become the spokesperson for that channel or that brand or that explainer and if you can now take that ability to create content into a visual medium and you might move beyond just doing voice, if you end up being comfortable on camera. You may not know if you're comfortable on camera until you do it. When I started my first podcast or really web channel, YouTube channel East West On your Body Shop, you can go back and watch episode one.  25:58 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Oh yeah, and I was like a deer in headlights Myself too.  26:01 - George Whittam (Guest) I got a lot more comfortable on camera. So you know, as I evolve and I start doing more and more interviews and interviewing others and I'm going wow, I'm really comfortable doing this. I've actually really enjoying this. How can I parlay this into a different? So now I'm thinking about speaking engagements and doing speaking roles.  26:21 I've gotten to teach in a couple of universities now. Wow, I love doing that, so maybe I need to parlay that into another thing. So I'm looking into speaking now. So it's just ever-evolving. If you get stuck in one lane, you can quickly start feeling discouraged. When that one lane that you chose starts grinding to a halt, you really need to be ready to try new stuff Starts getting traffic right and saturated.  26:47 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I mean now I'm just thinking of that, you know, because after the pandemic I mean I had so many people that I think got into voiceover because of the pandemic and now I thought we were saturated before. But there's a lot of people in there. I'm not saying there isn't enough work, voiceover work. However, there's an awful lot of people doing voiceover. So I think it's always healthy for us to consider how we can always grow and always evolve. So I'm going to ask you one last thing, george, before I have to run for the day what would be your best advice that you would give someone out there just getting into the industry?  27:21 - George Whittam (Guest) Definitely work with a coach that understands the spectrum of what you need to learn in a holistic way. That coach doesn't have to be an expert in every aspect, but the coach should be very aware of that. You need to learn these separate skills right. So someone like Anne, for example. She knows a lot about a lot of things, but she also knows when it's time to get another person involved a demo producer, an expert engineer.  27:47 Yeah, that's so, so helpful, right, and it's so easy. These days it's almost like getting support is just like dating. It's so easy to just keep swiping right or swiping left. Which one is it? Because you're like well, that was nice, let me try that guy, and I hear that guy's good. Let's try that guy.  28:03 Hook your wagon to somebody for a while and focus in on what they have to say and learn before you start constantly seeking fresh perspectives. It doesn't mean fresh perspectives are bad, but you really need to focus on one person's methodologies and get behind them and then, after you've done it for a while, consider well, is it the best way? Well, maybe I could learn a new skill, or maybe I have another way to learn this that could save time. I never am offended when a client says I worked with somebody else along the way, but I do get concerned when somebody's pretty new and they've already taken, let's say, consulting from three or four different techs and four or five different coaches, because they're going to have a lot of conflicting or somewhat differing opinions and you're going to get so off base.  28:51 So find somebody that is well vetted, somebody that has like we have our trusted partners page on our website. Everybody on there is somebody we have worked with and trust. And hook your wagon to somebody like Ann, so you have that one point of focus to help you navigate all of this, and then they can help shut you off into different directions for those specialty things. Otherwise it can feel hopelessly confusing and there's just too much conflicting information out there. So that's the best thing I can say Just find one single point of trust, follow that person, get the advice they can give you and find the expertise in different areas when you need it, and go to georgethetech early and often. Yes.  29:41 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yes, yes, I was just going to say how can people get in touch with you, george the tech?  29:44 - George Whittam (Guest) You have your landing page right, Absolutely Slash.  29:48 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yep, is it slash? Be a boss, my gosh.  29:50 - George Whittam (Guest) I don't have it memorized.  29:51 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I have it like in a link, I think so I'll check it, I'll look it up.  29:56 I'll put that in the show notes. Yeah, I'll put it in the show notes for services. I do have a nice little link that I can send to you. That will save you some money on your first services with George. So highly recommend. George. It's been so nice to have you and I appreciate you pulling off to the side of the road and being safe and talking with us today, and I'm going to give a great big shout out to IPDTL you too can connect and network like bosses. Find out more at IPDTLcom and George, it's been so wonderful talking with you. I feel like we should do a series. We should do a whole series with George the Tech.  30:31 - George Whittam (Guest) We'll do another one in a proper environment when I'm in my home studio, I promise. And, by the way, it's slash AG, so georgethetech slash AG for Ann Ganguza. That'll take you to all the information we have and our discount codes and come and visit us and learn from us. We have so much useful content that's affordable and accessible. So happy to be of service and thank you, ann. Thanks for being so cool, a friend and being always a pleasure to talk to yes. You're a blast to be around.  31:04 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I feel the exact same way about you. So thanks so much. All right, bosses, you have an amazing week and we'll see you next week. Take care, bye, bye.  31:13 - Intro (Announcement) Join us next week for another edition of VO Boss with your host, Anne Ganguza, and take your business to the next level. Sign up for our mailing list at vobosscom and receive exclusive content, industry revolutionizing tips and strategies and new ways to rock your business like a boss. Redistribution with permission. Coast to coast connectivity via IPDTL.   

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Immerse yourself in the unparalleled world of automotive innovation and networking at SEMA 2024 through my latest edition of the MindWrench Podcast- SEMA Wrap Up! Strap in, as I navigate the automotive extravaganza that was SEMA 2024, the world's premier automotive trade event. From exploring the massive displays in the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center to building invaluable connections at after-parties, this episode will reveal why SEMA is a must-attend. Remember, it's not just about the latest in technology, tools, accessories, ADAS, collision equipment and measuring systems – it's also about so much more!This year, I was uniquely positioned as an exhibitor to experience firsthand the immense value that SEMA offers, not just for exhibitors but for anyone immersed in the automotive industry.If you've never attended, and you are in any way, shape or form, part of this industry, whether on the manufacturer, supplier, provider, or repairer/installer side of automotive…or, if your income or lively hood revolves around automobiles, their parts, their repairs, or customization… you need to make sure you attend this madness at least ONCE in your career!Although I didn't get to see everything I wanted to, didn't connect with everyone I wanted to… It's a great place to connect with our peers, suppliers, creators or inventors of the newest technology, tools & equipment… our industry leaders, Social-Media influencers, movers, shakers, and many of the auto-worlds brightest stars.Whether you need a single piece of equipment or plan to deck out an entire shop, SEMA is the place to explore options, ask questions, and make savvy buying decisions.   Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

The Body Shop is an iconic skincare, cosmetics and perfume brand that was synonymous with conservation and recycling even before ESG became mainstream. However it recently has gone into receivership and emerged with a new owner, Aurea Group. We speak to Mike Jatania, the new Executive Chairman of the Body Shop on their turnaround plans and why they see value in this company.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Our guest for this episode is Andrew Batenhorst, Body Shop Manager at Pacific BMW. In addition to being all over the industry and very active in his volunteer work, Andrew is a leader with a vision for how to embed safety into the day-to-day practices of auto body shops. Today, we'll discuss his strategies for building a strong safety culture, reducing risks on the shop floor, and how prioritizing safety can ultimately improve business performance. Connect with Andrew: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-b-1119a4186/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv  Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

Send us a textThis week we are joined by pioneer award winner Karyl Dronen of the newly crowned historic herd Body Shops.  Karyl has bred some of the most influential oberhasli in the breed and some pretty special nigerian dwarf goats as well.  She is one of the newest recipients of the Pioneer award handed out by ADGA and her herd name was set in the history books as a historic herd as well this year.  Listen in to her life experiences the cherry pie days and so much more.  we have merch!

Send us a textEpisode Notes: Is your job leaving you burnt-out at the end of each day?... is it really because of the work?Is it possible we are getting less done at work during the day, but feeling more mentally drained than ever before?Speaking of drained, how's your battery life on your cell phone?... charging it more often than you used to?What if it wasn't actually your job mentally draining you… could your smartphone be the real culprit behind your mental fatigue? With the help of this clip from top speaker, Brendon Bouchard, we explore these provocative questions, challenging the common assumption that our jobs are the primary source of burnout. We dissect the hidden impact of spending hours on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, revealing how they foster a cycle of judgment and comparison that leaves us mentally exhausted and unfocused. Rather than blaming your workload, we encourage you to take a closer look at your digital habits and consider the profound effects they may have on your mental well-being and societal interactions.  Navigating the maze of habitual comparisons can be exhausting, but breaking free is essential for personal growth and success. In his presentation, he highlights how social media activates our mirror neurons, shaping our self-perception and contributing to unnecessary mental drain. Visualization and connecting with our future selves emerge as powerful tools to unlock potential and enthusiasm. By being more mindful of our digital consumption and ensuring that it is uplifting and growth-oriented, we learn how to reduce burnout and foster a vibrant, fulfilled life. Join us on this episode as we reflect on these insights and consider making mindful changes that enhance both personal and professional well-being. Guest Info: Brendon Burchard - https://brendon.com/Link to YouTube: Brendon Burchard- How To Achieve More Alivenesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lnk2FOmX94  Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Pineapple Express Podcast,  I reveal the secrets to avoiding newbie swinger horror stories and protecting your privacy in the lifestyle. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your experiences, I'll give you the tools you need to vet swinger clubs, avoid scams, and stay safe on social media. Don't let your fantasy turn into a nightmare—swing smarter with our essential tips.I also highlight venues like The Body Shop,https://bodyshopclubs.com/events a trusted space for swingers that prioritizes discretion and safety. From safeguarding your identity to selecting the right events, this episode is your ultimate guide for a smooth, enjoyable swinger experience.Key Takeaways:Vetting swinger clubs: Learn how to research and select trustworthy swinger venues like The Body Shop.Avoiding scams: Spot the red flags and avoid being scammed when navigating the swinger scene.Protecting your privacy: Find out how to safeguard your identity and prevent getting outed on social media.Real-life horror stories: Hear firsthand accounts of swinger mishaps and how to avoid them.Swing with confidence: Gain practical tips to swing smarter, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience every time.

Send us a textEpisode Notes:Ever wondered why a visit to a collision repair shop can feel as confusing as a trip to the doctor? Are you ready to uncover the secret to exceptional customer service? Tune in this week, as I reshare an earlier episode, where we unravel the mystery behind customer service in the aftermath of an accident. I reveal how your collision repair shop staff, from CSRs to estimators, can transform a frustrating experience into a seamless journey. We'll highlight the commonalities between the medical and auto and collision repair industries, and how small adjustments can make a world of difference in providing a positive customer experience. Discover the art of clear and compassionate communication and learn how these professionals can turn confusion into clarity, building trust and loyalty along the way.  We dive into a world where effective communication reigns supreme, not just in collision repair but the medical field as well. Explore the emotional rollercoaster faced by customers in these industries and the vital role of acknowledgment, understanding, transparency, and caring... meeting their emotional needs, service providers can create a lasting positive impression, converting potential frustrations into opportunities for exceptional customer service. Whether you're in the auto repair business or another service field, the strategies shared in this episode promise to enhance your customer interactions and leave a lasting impact!  Sign up for FREE to my "Quote of the Day" below: https://tinyurl.com/fv5xr68hSupport the showJoin our Mind Wrench mailing list!

Kyle is the owner operator of the Bodyshop 603, a custom exempt butcher shop in northern NH. He also has a growing social media on TikTok and YouTube that he uses to expose his work in the butcher shop and … Continue reading →

You do not have the right to repair your own belongings because of intellectual property rights granted to corporations by Congress in 1998. In this episode, listen to the debate happening in Congress about if and how they should grant customers the right to repair and get a status update on the multiple efforts under way in the current Congress, including one with a good chance of becoming law. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes McDonald's Ice Cream Machines Andy Greenberg. December 14, 2023. Wired. Joseph Fawbush. March 29, 2022. FindLaw. John Deere Luke Hogg. January 8, 2024. Reason. Internet of Things Updates and Maintenance Márk Szabó. August 27, 2024. WeLiveSecurity. Massachusetts Auto Repair Law Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General. DoD's Revolving Door OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets. Karl Evers-Hillstrom and Reid Champlin. June 18, 2019. OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets. Salary.com. Military Right to Repair Issues Kyle Mizokami. February 11, 2020. Popular Mechanics. Max Finkel. February 8, 2020. Jalopnik. Elle Ekman. November 20, 2019. The New York Times. Lucas Kunce and Elle Ekman. September 15, 2019. Technological Protection Measures (TPMs) Jennifer Zerkee. November 8, 2023. Simon Fraser University. Cyber Risks Sam Curry et al. January 3, 2023. samcurry.net. Apple Lawsuit Brandon Vigliarolo. December 18, 2023. The Register. NDAA Sec. 828 Jason Koebler. August 28, 2024. 404 Media. AdvaMed et al. July 30, 2024. DocumentCloud via 404 Media. Laws Bills Sec. 828 : REQUIREMENT FOR CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCESS TO REPAIR MATERIALS. Fair Repair Act Audio Sources May 16, 2024 Senate Armed Services Committee Witnesses: Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy Clip Sen. Elizabeth Warren: So the Navy acquires everything from night vision goggles to aircraft carriers through contracts with big defense contractors, but the contractors often place restrictions on these deals that prevent service members from maintaining or repairing the equipment, or even let them write a training manual without going back through the contractor. Now the contractors say that since they own the intellectual property and the technical data underlying the equipment, only they have the right to repair that equipment. These right to repair restrictions usually translate into much higher costs for DOD, which has no choice but to shovel money out to big contractors whenever DOD needs to have something fixed. So take the Navy's littoral combat ship, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin considered much of the data and equipment on the ship to be proprietary, so the Navy had to delay missions and spend millions of dollars on travel costs, just so that contractor affiliated repairmen could fly in, rather than doing this ourselves. Secretary Del Toro, when a sailor isn't allowed to repair part of their ship at sea, and a marine isn't allowed to access technical data to fix a generator on a base abroad. One solution is for the Navy to buy the intellectual property from the contractors. So can you say a little bit about what the benefits are of the Navy having technical rights for the equipment that it has purchased. Sec. Carlos Del Toro: The benefits are enormous, Senator, and we've actually had tremendous success, I'd say, in the last year and a half to two years, through the taxpayer advocacy program that we initiated when I came in. There have been three examples, one, gaining the intellectual property rights for the new ACV class of ships that will replace the AAVs. The F-35 negotiations really proved themselves out in a significant way as well, too. And lastly, the 20 F-18s that the Congress authorized in ‘22 and ‘23, we were able to make significant gains in terms of the government finally getting the intellectual property rights that were necessary for us to be able to properly sustain those moving forward. Sen. Elizabeth Warren: So I am very, very glad to hear this. I like the taxpayer advocacy project and how you're training contract officers to secure technical equipment that the Navy buys, but I think you should have the support of Congress on this. Senator Braun and I have introduced the Stop price gouging the military act to give DoD more tools to get cost and pricing data so that you will be in a better position to negotiate better deals with contractors. There's also more that we can do to ensure that the Navy and the rest of the services have the rights they need to bolster readiness. So let me ask you, Secretary Del Toro, would having a stronger focus on right to repair issues during the acquisition process, like prioritizing contract bids that give DoD fair access to repair materials, and ensuring that contract officers are looking into buying technical rights early on, would that help the Navy save costs and boost readiness at the same time? Sec. Carlos Del Toro: Very much. Senator, in fact, one of the things that we have prioritized since I came in as Secretary of the Navy, given my acquisition background, is actually those negotiations need to happen as early as possible before that we even as we develop the acquisition strategy for that contract to go out to bid, and by doing so, we will reap tremendous returns. July 18, 2023 House Judiciary Committee Witnesses: Aaron Perzanowski, Thomas W. Lacchia Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School , Legal Fellow, Hudson Institute's Forum for Intellectual Property Kyle Wiens, Co-founder and CEO, iFixit Paul Roberts, Founder, SecuRepairs.org; Founder and Editor-in-Chief, the Security Ledger Scott Benavidez, Chairman, Automotive Service Association; Owner, Mr. B's Paint & Body Shop Clips 41:25 Scott Benavidez: My name is Scott Benavidez. I'm the Chairman of the Automotive Service Association's Board of Directors. I am also a second generation shop owner from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mr. B's Paint and Body Shop. Scott Benavidez: We do have concerns when some insurers insist on repairs that are simply cheaper and quicker, without regard to quality and safety. Repairers understand better than anyone the threat of replacement crash parts or lesser quality. We can and should have a competitive marketplace that doesn't compromise quality or safety, deciding to only cover the cheapest option without understanding implications for quality leaves collision shops and their customers in a tough position. Very few consumers have the knowledge about these types of crash parts used on their vehicles as numerous crash parts in the marketplace, such as OEM (original equipment manufactured) parts, certified aftermarket parts, aftermarket parts, reconditioned crash parts, and recycled crash parts. Repairers can make recommendations, but their customers are unlikely to hear if the insurance won't cover them. 46:45 Paul Roberts: My name is Paul Roberts, and I'm the founder of Secure Repairs. We're an organization of more than 350 cyber security and information technology professionals who support the right to repair. 46:55 Paul Roberts: I'm speaking to you today on behalf of our members to make clear that the fair access to repair materials sought by right to repair laws does not increase cyber risk, and in fact, it can contribute to a healthier and more secure ecosystem of smart and connected devices. Paul Roberts: Proposed right to repair legislation considered by this Congress, such as the Repair Act, or last session, the Fair Repair Act, simply asks manufacturers that already provide repair information and tools to their authorized repair providers to also provide them at a fair and reasonable price to the owners of the devices and to third parties that they may wish to hire to do their work. 47:35 Paul Roberts: By definition, the information covered by right to repair laws is not sensitive or protected, as evidenced by the fact that the manufacturers already distribute it widely to hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of workers for their authorized repair providers. This could be everyone from mechanics working at auto dealerships to the folks staffing the Geek Squad at Best Buy. 48:00 Paul Roberts: Also, we have yet to find any evidence that the types of information covered by right to repair laws like schematic diagrams, service manuals, diagnostic software and replacement parts act as a portal to cyber attacks. The vast majority of attacks on internet connected devices - from broadband routers to home appliances to automobiles - today exploit weaknesses in the embedded software produced and distributed by the manufacturers, or alternatively, weak device configurations so they're deployed on the internet in ways that make them vulnerable to attack. These security weaknesses are an epidemic. A recent study of the security of Internet of Things devices, by the company Phosphorus Labs, or a cybersecurity company, found that 68% of Internet of Things devices contained high risk or critical software vulnerabilities. As an example, I'd like to call attention to the work of a group of independent researchers recently led by Sam Curry, who published a report, and you can Google this, "Web Hackers vs. the Auto Industry" in January 2023. That group disclosed wide ranging and exploitable flaws in vehicle telematics systems from 16 different auto manufacturers. At a leading GPS supplier to major automakers, the researchers claimed to obtain full access to a company-wide administration panel that gave them the ability to send arbitrary commands to an estimated 15.5 million vehicles, including vehicles used by first responders, police, fire and so on. Hacks like this take place without any access to repair materials, nor is there any evidence that providing access to repair software will open the doors to new attacks. 50:05 Paul Roberts: For the last 25 years, Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act has given manufacturers an incentive to deploy software locks widely and to limit access to security researchers. That's kind of a model what we call in cybersecurity, security through obscurity. In other words, by keeping the workings of something secret, you're making it secure. But in fact, that doesn't work, because cyber criminals are very resourceful and they're very determined, and they don't really care what the law says. 50:35 Paul Roberts: Section 1201 has also enabled what one researcher has described as dark patterns in the design and manufacture of hardware that includes everything from locking out customers from access to administrative interfaces, administrative features of the products that they own, as well as practices like part pairing, which Kyle will talk to you more about, in which manufacturers couple replaceable components like screens and sensors and cameras to specific device hardware. Such schemes make manufacturers and their authorized repair providers gatekeepers for repairs, and effectively bar competition from the owners of the devices as well as independent repair providers. 54:45 Kyle Wiens: You think about what is local? What is American? Main Street you have a post office and a repair shop. And unfortunately, we've seen the whittling down of Main Street as the TV repair shops went away when the manufacturers cut off access to schematics, as the camera repair shops went away when Nikon and Canon decided to stop selling them parts. We've seen this systematically across the economy. In the enterprise space, you have Oracle and IBM saying that you can't get security updates to critical cyber infrastructure unless you buy a service contract with them, so they're tying long term service contracts with the security updates that are necessary to keep this infrastructure secure. 56:45 Kyle Wiens: Over the last decade plus, I've been working on Section 1201, trying to get exemptions for the ability to repair products. The challenge that we've had in the section 1201 process every triennial I go back and we ask for permission to be able to fix our own things is that the exemptions we've gotten really only apply to individual consumers. They aren't something that I could use to make a tool to provide to one of you to fix yourself. So in order for someone to take advantage of a 1201 exemption that we have, they have to be a cybersecurity researcher and able to whittle their own tools and use it themselves, and that just doesn't scale. 57:45 Devlin Hartline: My name is Devlin Hartline, and I'm a legal fellow at the Hudson Institute's forum for intellectual property. 57:50 Devlin Hartline: I'd like to start with a question posed by the title of this hearing, is there a right to repair? And the answer is clearly no. A right is a legally enforceable claim against another, but the courts have not recognized that manufacturers have the duty to help consumers make repairs. Instead, the courts have said that while we have the ability to repair our things, we also have the duty not to infringe the IP rights in the process. So it is in fact, the manufacturers who have the relevant rights, not consumers. 58:30 Devlin Hartline: Right to repair supporters want lawmakers to force manufacturers to make the tools, parts, and know-how needed to facilitate repairs available to consumers and independent repair shops. And the assumption here is that anything standing in the way of repair opportunities must necessarily harm the public good, but these tools, parts and know-how, are often protected by IP rights such as copyrights and design patents. And we protect copyrighted works and patented inventions because, as the Constitution recognizes, this promotes the public good. We reward creators and innovators as an incentive for them to bring these things to the marketplace and the public benefits from the introduction of new products and services that increase competition. Thus, the right to repair movement isn't based on a pre-existing right. It's instead asking lawmakers to create a new right at the expense of the existing rights of IP owners. 1:00:45 Devlin Hartline: IP owners are merely exercising their federally protected IP rights, and this is not actionable anti-competitive conduct. It is instead how the IP system is supposed to work. We grant IP owners exclusive rights so they can exclude others, and this, in turn, promotes the investments to create and to commercialize these creative innovations in the marketplace, and that promotes the public good. Aaron Perzanowski: My name is Aaron Perzanowski. I am a professor of law at the University of Michigan, and for the last 15 years, my academic research has focused on the intersection of personal and intellectual property rights in the digital economy. During that time, the right to repair has emerged as a central challenge to the notion that we as consumers control the devices that we buy. Instead consumers, farmers, small businesses, all find that manufacturers exert post-sale control over these devices, often in ways that frustrate repair. Aaron Perzanowski: Repair is as old as humanity. Our Paleolithic ancestors repaired hand axes and other primitive tools, and as our technologies have grown more complex, from the Bronze Age through the Renaissance, to the high tech devices that we all have in our pockets here today, repair has always kept pace. But today, manufacturers are employing a range of strategies that restrict repair, from their hardware and software design choices to clamp downs on secondary markets, and we also troublingly see attempts to leverage IP rights as tools to restrict repair. These efforts are a major departure from the historical treatment of repair under the law, the right to repair is not only consistent with nearly two centuries of IP law in the United States, it reflects half a millennium of common law property doctrine that rejects post-sale restrictions on personal property as early as the 15th century. English property law recognized that once a property owner sells an item, efforts to restrain how the new owner of that item can use it are inconsistent with the essential nature of private property and obnoxious to public policy. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized, IP laws' respect for the property interests of purchasers of copyrighted and patented goods was profoundly shaped by this common law tradition. In 1850, the Supreme Court recognized that the repair of a patented machine reflected "no more than the exercise of that right of care, which everyone may use to give duration to that which he owns." A century later, the Court held that the repair of a convertible car roof was justified as an exercise of "the lawful right of the property owner to repair his property." And just a few years ago, the court reaffirmed the rejection of post-sale restrictions under patent law in Impression Products vs. Lexmark, a case about refurbishing printer ink cartridges. Copyright law, not surprisingly, has had fewer occasions to consider repair restrictions. But as early as 1901, the Seventh Circuit recognized "a right of repair or renewal under US copyright law." When a publisher sued to prevent a used book dealer from repairing and replacing damaged components of books, the court said that "the right of ownership in the book carries with it and includes the right to maintain the book as nearly as possible in its original condition." A century after that, Congress itself acknowledged repair as a right that owners enjoy, regardless of copyright restrictions, when it enacted section 117 C of the Copyright Act. That provision was designed to undo a Ninth Circuit decision that allowed copyright holders to prevent third party repairs of computers. Section 117 C explicitly permits owners of machines to make copies of computer programs in the course of maintenance or repair. And finally, the US Copyright Office over the last decade has repeatedly concluded that diagnosis, repair, and maintenance activities are non-infringing when it comes to vehicles, consumer devices, and medical equipment. So the right to repair is firmly rooted in basic principles of US IP law. Aaron Perzanowski: Section 1201 of the DMCA makes it practically impossible for consumers to exercise their lawful right to repair a wide range of devices, from tractors to home electronics, even though the copyright office says those activities are not infringing, and the weakening of standards for design patents allow firms to choke off the supply of replacement parts needed to repair vehicles, home appliances, and other devices. Aaron Perzanowski: One way to think about a right is as an affirmative power to force someone else to engage in some behavior, and in some cases, that is what we're talking about. We're talking about imposing, especially on the state level, regulations that impose requirements on manufacturers. I think that's true of the Repair Act on the federal level as well. But, I think part of what we also need to keep in mind is that sometimes what you need to effectuate a right is to eliminate barriers that stand in the way of that right. So we can think about this, I think, helpfully in the context of tools that enable people to engage in repair. The state level solution has been to require manufacturers to give their own tools to repair shops, sometimes compensated under fair and reasonable terms. The other solution would be to change section 1201 to say, let's allow independent repair shops to make their own tools. I think both of those solutions have some value to them. I also think it's really important to keep in mind that when we're talking about IP rights, there are always multiple sets of interests at stake, and one of the key balances that IP law has always tried to strike is the balance between the limited statutory exclusive rights that the Patent and Copyright Acts create and the personal property rights of consumers who own these devices. And so I think a balancing is absolutely necessary and appropriate. 1:15:20 Aaron Perzanowski: I think the best solution for Section 1201 is embodied in a piece of legislation that Representatives Jones and Spartz introduced in the last Congress, which would create a permanent exception to Section 1201 for repair that would apply not only to the act of circumvention, but would also apply to the creation and distribution of tools that are useful for repair purposes that does not open the door to broad, unrestrained, creation of circumvention tools, but tools that are that are targeted to the repair market. 1:16:40 Devlin Hartline: He cited a case about where you can repair a cover on a book. That's very different than recreating the book, every single word in it, right? So there's a difference between repairing something and then crossing the line into violating the exclusive rights of IP owners in the patented product or the copyrighted book. And so the things that repair supporters are asking for is that, if somebody has a design patent that covers an auto body part, well, they have the right to exclude other people from making that part, but repair supporters say they shouldn't have that exclusive right, because, you know, we could increase competition if we just took away their design patent and now other people could make that part, and so that's competition. But that's not the type of competition that IP law and competition law seek to support. That's like saying, if we just let the Pirate Bay copy and distribute all of the Disney blockbuster movies, then that's competition, and prices would go down. But that's not the way that we do it, right? So competition means other people come up with new products and new services, and so that's what we should be trying to support. 1:26:45 Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY): Repair advocates argue that section 1201, prevents non-infringing circumvention of access controls for purposes. But Congress contemplated this use when it passed the DMCA in 1998, allowing for a triennial exemption process. Is the exemption process working as intended? And if not, are there actions Congress can take to expand exemptions or make them easier to acquire? Devlin Hartline: What's important about the triennial rulemaking is that the proponent of an exemption has to come forward with evidence and demonstrate that there's actually a problem and it relates to a certain class of works, and then they can get a temporary exemption for three years. And so it is true that the Librarian of Congress, the last few rulemakings, has said that because using a copyrighted work in a way for repair, maintenance, etc, is Fair Use that they grant these exemptions. But these exemptions are quite narrow. They do not allow the trafficking of the computer programs that can crack the TPMs. And so it's very narrowly done. And the concern is that if you were to create a permanent exemption that opens things all the way up with access controls, copy controls and trafficking thereof, is now you're getting to the point of why we even have these TPMs under 1201 in the first place, and that's because they guard against piracy. And so the concern is that you're opening the piracy floodgates. You make these devices less secure, and then content owners are going to be less likely to want to put their content on these devices. Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA): How does section 1201 of the DMCA impact the ability of consumers and independent repair shops to modify or repair devices that have proprietary software and data in the consumer electronics industry? Aaron Perzanowski: Thank you so much for the question. As we've been talking about the copyright office in 2015, 2018, 2021, and they're in the process for the current rulemaking, has determined that engaging in circumvention, the removal or bypassing of these digital locks for purposes of repair, is perfectly lawful behavior, but there is a major practical mismatch here between the legal rights that consumers enjoy under federal law today and their practical ability to exercise those rights. And that's because, as Devlin was just describing, the section 1201 rulemaking does not extend to the creation or distribution of tools, right? So I have the right under federal law, to remove the technological lock, say, on my video game console, if I want to swap out a broken disk drive. How do I do that? I'd like to think of myself as a pretty technologically sophisticated person. I don't have the first clue about how to do that. I need a person who can write that code, make that code available to consumers so that I can. All I'm trying to do is swap out a broken disk drive on my video game. But you would argue that code is proprietary, correct? So I'm talking here about a third party making their own code that is simply allowing me to engage in activity that the Copyright Office has repeatedly said is non-infringing. Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA): So you want to give them a map. Is that, essentially, what you're saying? Aaron Perzanowski: Absolutely, yes, I do. Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA): Do trade secrets play a role in the right to repair debate? Aaron Perzanowski: There are occasions where trade secrets are important. I don't think in the context that we're talking about here with section 1201, that we're typically running into trade secret issues. The state-level bills that have been introduced do typically address trade secrets and often have carve outs there. And I think that's something worth considering in this debate. But I think it's important to keep in mind that just because we have some hypothetical worry about some unknown bad actor taking a tool that I use to fix my video game console -- Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA): It's not unknown. The Chinese do it all the time. Aaron Perzanowski: I don't think the Chinese are particularly worried about whether or not I can fix my video game console, and in fact, I think that point is important, but the bad actors already have these tools. All we're trying to do is get very targeted tools in the hands of law abiding citizens who just want to repair the stuff they buy for their kids for Christmas, right? If the Chinese are going to hack the PlayStation, they've already done it. 1:32:25 Aaron Perzanowski: So the 1201 process is what established the legality of circumvention for repair purposes. But when Congress created that rulemaking authority, it only extends to the act of circumvention, the actual removal. Congress did not give the [Copyright] Office or the Librarian [of Congress] the authority to grant exemptions to the trafficking provisions, and that's where I think legislative intervention is really important. 1:39:00 Kyle Wiens: One of the challenges was section 1201. It doesn't just ban repair tools, it also bans the distribution of cybersecurity tools. And so we've seen security researchers....Apple sued a company that made a security research tool under 1201 and that tool has markedly made the world more secure. It's very popular amongst government security researchers. So I think that's kind of the sweet spot is, allow some third party inspection. It'll make the product better. 1:41:25 Kyle Wiens: These ice cream machines are made by Taylor, and there is an incredibly complex, baroque set of touchscreens you have to go through. And then there's a service password you have to be able to get past in order to access the settings that really allow you to do what you want. And so, in an ideal world, you'd have an entrepreneur who would come along and make a tool to make it easier for McDonald's, maybe they could have an app on their phone that they could use to configure and help them diagnose and repair the machine. Unfortunately, the company who made that tool is struggling legally because of all these challenges across the board. If we had innovation outside of the manufacturers and to be able to develop new tools for fixing ice cream machines or anything else, you have a whole flowering ecosystem of repair tools right now. It doesn't exist. The US is like this black hole where innovation is banned in software repair. There's all kinds of opportunities I could see, I had a farmer ask me for help fixing his John Deere tractor, and I had to say, I can't do that particular repair because it's illegal. I'd love to build a cool app for helping him diagnose and fix his tractor and get back back in the field faster. We don't have that marketplace right now. It's like farmers have been forced to, like, use cracked Ukrainian versions of John Deere diagnostic software, right? Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC): So it's not just ice cream machines. I led off with that, but it's farmers, it's farm equipment, it's iPhones, it's somebody's Xbox, right? I mean, these are all things.... in your experience, what are the challenges that these customers and stakeholders face when they're trying to repair their own devices? What are some things that they face? Kyle Wiens: It's absolutely infuriating. So my friend, farmer in San Luis Obispo, Dave grows all kinds of amazing products. He has a $300,000 John Deere tractor, came to me and said, Hey, there's a bad sensor. It's going to take a week to get that sensor sent out from Indiana, and I need to use the tractor in that time. Will you help me bypass the sensor? I could hypothetically modify the software in the tractor to do that. Practically, I didn't have the legal ability, and so he had to go and rent an expensive tractor for the week. This is impacting people's lives every single day. 1:43:50 Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC): So, to pivot a little bit, what role do you see from a federal side, from legislation, and what specific measures do you think might be included in such legislation? Kyle Wiens: So we've seen the solutions being approached from two angles. At the state level, you have states saying John Deere and other manufacturers, if you have a dealership that has fancy tools, sell those tools to consumers and to independent shops, allow that competition. At the federal level, what we can do is enable a competitive marketplace for those tools. So rather than compelling John Deere to sell the tool, we can say, hey, it's legal for someone, an entrepreneur, to make a competing tool. And you have this in the car market. You can take your car down the AutoZone, you can buy a scan tool, plug it into your car, and it'll decode some of the error messages. Those tools exist on the auto market because we have a standard diagnostic interface on cars that you can access without circumventing a TPM. We don't have that for any other products. So another farmer in my town, he showed me how if he has a transmission go out on a truck, he can fix that. But if he has a transmission go out on his John Deere tractor, he can't. He can physically install the transmission, but he can't program it to make it work. I'd love to be able to make a software tool to enable him to replace his transmission. Aaron Perzanowski: So I think if we see passage of the SMART Act, we can anticipate significant reductions in the expenses associated with auto collision repairs. Estimates are that design patents on collision parts are responsible for about $1.5 billion in additional expenditures. We see price premiums on OEM parts over third party parts often reaching into like the 40% range, right? So these are pretty significant cost savings associated with that. Part of this problem, I think, does relate back to the kind of unique structure of this market. Most consumers are not paying out of pocket for collision repairs. Those costs are being covered by their auto insurance provider, and so the consumer doesn't see that the - I'm pulling this from memory, so don't hold me to this figure - but the side view mirror of a Ford Fiesta costing $1,500, that's not something that the consumer is confronted with, right? So this goes back to the question of notice. Do consumers know when they buy that vehicle that the repairs are going to be that expensive? I think in most cases, they don't. And so I think the SMART Act is a very targeted solution to this problem. I do think it's important to note that the design patent issue for replacement parts is not limited to the automotive industry. I think it's the most, I think that's the area where the problem is most pressing. But home appliances, consumer electronics, we see companies getting design patents on replacement water filters for refrigerators so that they can charge three times as much when the little light comes on on your fridge to tell you that your water might not be as clean as you want it to be. So I think we have to think about that problem across a range of industries, but the automotive industry, I think, is absolutely the right place to start. Paul Roberts: I mean, one point I would just make is that with the Internet of Things, right, we are facing a crisis in the very near future as manufacturers of everything from home appliances to personal electronics to equipment, as those products age and those manufacturers walk away from their responsibility to maintain them. So we're no longer supporting the software. We're no longer issuing security updates. Who will step in to maintain those devices? Keep them secure, keep them operating right? The manufacturers walked away. Do we just get rid of them? No, because the equipment still works perfectly. We're going to need a market-based response to that. We're going to need small businesses to step up and say, hey, I'll keep that Samsung dishwasher working for another 20 years. That's a huge economic opportunity for this country, but we cannot do it in the existing system because of the types of restrictions that we're talking about. And so this is really about enabling a secure future in which, when you buy a dishwasher with a 20 year lifespan, or 25 year lifespan, it's going to last that 25 years, not the five to six years that the manufacturer has decided, you know, that's how long we want to support the software for. Paul Roberts: My understanding is the use of design patents has increased dramatically, even exponentially, in the last 10 to 15 years. If you go back to the 90s or 80s, you know, parts makers, automakers were not applying these types of patents to replaceable parts like bumpers and rear view mirrors. Somebody had a business decision that, if you can do so, then we can capture more of that aftermarket by outlawing identical aftermarket replacements that has a huge downstream impact on car owners and on insurers and on all of us. 2:10:15 Paul Roberts: Both of the things that we're really proposing or talking about here, which would be changes to Section 1201 of the DMCA as well as passage of robust right to repair laws, would empower a market-based response to keeping the internet of things working, secure and functioning. DMCA 1201 reforms by making it clear that you can circumvent software locks for the purpose of repair and maintenance and upkeep, right? So that would take the threat of the federal crime away from small business owners as well as security researchers who are interested in, you know, plumbing that software for purposes of maintenance, upkeep and repair. And on the right to repair by making the tools available to maintain and upkeep products - diagnostic software, schematic diagrams, service manuals - available. Once again, you'll be empowering small business owners to set up repair shops and say, I'm going to keep your smart appliance running for its full 25 or 30 year lifespan, and I'm going to support my family doing that locally, and not be basically choked out of business by a company that says, Well, you don't have the right to access this product. From a cybersecurity perspective, that is really important, because one thing we don't want is a population of millions or tens of millions of out of date, unsupported, unpatched, insecure internet connected home appliances, webcams, home routers out there available to nation state actors, cyber criminal groups, to compromise and use for their own purposes. And that's something we already see, particularly around broadband routers and other types of devices, and it's a real threat going forward that I think this type of these types of changes would support. Aaron Perzanowski In a lot of instances, this conversation, and we've touched on this earlier, focuses on cost savings, right? And cost savings are an important consideration, right? Farmers aren't thrilled that they have to pay a technician from the John Deere dealer to drive maybe hours to get to their farm and connect their laptop and, you know, download these payload files to enable their equipment to work. But in the agricultural space, the thing I hear most often in the conversations I have with farmers is and Kyle touched on this a bit earlier, is a real concern about the time sensitivity of their work. If your tractor is out of commission for a week or two in the wrong part of the season, that is going to have disastrous effects, right, not only on that farm's economic outlook, but collectively, it can have an impact like, not to be hyperbolic here, but on our national food supply, and so I think it's really important that farmers have flexibility in terms of where and how they execute repairs, so that they can get their equipment back up and running. If my laptop breaks and I can't get it fixed for a week or two, I'm annoyed there will be emails that go unanswered, but like the world will continue to spin. That is not the case in the agricultural space where we, I think, have to be much more concerned. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): If I remove from my BMW, at least during certain models, I remove the radio, unplug it, and then plug it back in, simply because I was fiddling around with the dash, I now have to go back to the dealer to reinstall it. Similarly, the transmission example. I've got two John Deere tractors. One's got a busted engine, the other's got a busted transmission. Currently, they will prohibit you from moving the transmission from one to the other. From a standpoint of intellectual property, where, in God's green earth or the Constitution, are any of those designed to be rights that belong to the manufacturer, rather than rights that belong to the owners of those two John Deere tractors? Devlin Hartline: So those are a bunch of different situations, and so I think there would be underlying facts that differ with each right. So we started on the iPhone, and I was going to point out that iPhone will actually give you the tool to synchronize it. In those other situations, I don't know the business justification for it. How is that an IP problem? Right? So if that's locked up with the TPM, and you have to bypass the TPM, well then that's a violation of 1201, so that's how they can that's how they can lock -- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): So what you're saying is that Congress has created impediments to the right to repair. Mr. Roberts, would you say that is correct? That, in fact, the right to repair, were Congress never to have done anything since, you know, George and Thomas were our presidents, so to speak, knowing those two presidents, we'd be able to do things we're not able to do because they're now prohibited by acts of Congress. Paul Roberts: Yes, and we certainly know going back to the 50s, 60s, 70s, there was a much more you know....First of all, companies would ship products with service and repair manuals with detailed schematic diagrams with the understanding that owners would want to replace and service them. And what I would say is, yes, absolutely. I doubt very much. And I know we had members who were here in 1998 authoring the DMCA. I think if you had said to them, in 25 years time, this law will be used to prevent somebody with a broken dishwasher from getting that serviced by their local repair shop or by for fixing it themselves, this law will prevent them from doing that, I doubt very much they would have said, yeah, that's pretty much what we want. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): Well, I will tell you that the I was the chairman of what is now the Consumer Electronics Association in 1998 and we did predict a lot of these items were going to be expanded beyond the scope of the original. Paul Roberts: Right now this is not an urgent issue, because most of the cars out there are older vehicles. As we move forward, as telematic systems evolve, as automakers continue their trend of moving more and more information to telematic systems, this is going to become a bigger problem. I'll point out another problem, which is the Massachusetts law is contingent on data transfers of diagnostic and repair information via the OBD or onboard diagnostic two port under the dashboard. That's only there because of federal Clean Air law. Electronic vehicles don't have that port because they don't have emissions, and so in the very near future, as we shift to electronic vehicles, that data access port will no longer be there. It will all be telematics data, and so the utility of the Massachusetts law is going to decline over time, going forward. And again, I you know, when you start talking about right to repair, you become like this crazy person who talks about right to repair every time it comes up. But one thing I try and stress to people when I talk to them about auto repair is, if you live in Michigan or California and you have taken your vehicle to the local independent repair shop, you have only done that because the voters in Massachusetts passed a ballot measure over a decade ago and then updated it in November 2020. That is the very thin thread that our right to use independent auto repair hangs by in this country. That's not the way it's supposed to be. This is something that affects vehicle owners, hundreds of millions of them in all 50 states. And it's a type of thing that the federal government needs to address with federal legislation. It should not hang by this very thin thread. 2:30:20 Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA): Are software updates new creations, and thus copyrightable? Devlin Hartline: Software updates, yeah, they're computer programs, and so Congress said explicitly in 1980, but it was understood before then, that computer programs are literary works and they're protected, just like any other copyrighted work. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA): Thank you, Professor Perzanowski, do you disagree? Aaron Perzanowski: I don't disagree at all that software updates are protectable subject matter under the Copyright Act. But what I think is important to keep in mind right is the Copyright Act and copyrights exclusive rights, and all of the exceptions and limitations to copyrights exclusive rights are created by Congress, and so if you think those rights are interfering with other important issues and concerns, then I think Congress clearly has the power to make changes to the copyright law in order to best serve what you ultimately determine to be in the public interest. 2:35:30 Aaron Perzanowski: Access to firmware and other code is really essential to the functioning and repair of lots of devices. I think there's some important differences between the standard essential patent context and kind of what we're talking about here in that in the standard essential patent context, we're relying on standard setting bodies to identify technologies and to require companies to license their patents under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. We don't quite have that infrastructure in place in the copyright context, but what we do have are compulsory licenses that exist within the Copyright Act already, one of which you were alluding to earlier, the mechanical license for musical works. We also have compulsory licenses for retransmissions of satellite and broadcast content that essentially say the copyright owner is entitled to compensation of some form, but they're not entitled to prevent people from using or accessing that underlying work, and I think that could be a useful framework here for getting owners of devices access to the firmware that they need. Music by Editing Production Assistance

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The entire green new scam is going down the tubes, no matter how many subsidies, mandates the people are still rejecting it all and companies are folding. Stores are closing, the economy is in a downward spiral, people are catching on. The WaPo has begun the change of batter narrative. They are pushing the idea that [HRC] should replace [KH]. The problem is how are you going to replace a black women for a white women, they can't this is to wake the people up to the change. War is building and now Russia and NK have made a defense agreement. There is a new book out that talks about how Trump believes he still has foreign policy powers. Since the US was overthrown by domestic and foreign entities and they staged an insurrection against the President, the military has been activated and Trump is the Commander-in-Chief, welcome to COG.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy Solar Co. Collapses, Customers Furious as Dems' Favorite Power Source Leaves Homeowners High and Dry  Titan Solar told employees on June 13 that it was “closing its doors” because no one would buy the company, according to Time. Titan said that it put solar panels on more than 100,000 homes. The fate of consumers who have panels on their homes and no one to maintain them is uncertain.   Over 2023 and 2024 to date, 16 major solar companies have filed for bankruptcy, Solar Insure reported. https://twitter.com/magszee39790/status/1803190222571618691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1803190222571618691%7Ctwgr%5E21e1e5b21ce860c08dd8fad5cc6ca156bd063ea3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2024%2F06%2Fsolar-co-collapses-customers-furious-dems-favorite-power%2F https://twitter.com/WEschenbach/status/1800919912715841750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800919912715841750%7Ctwgr%5E21e1e5b21ce860c08dd8fad5cc6ca156bd063ea3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2024%2F06%2Fsolar-co-collapses-customers-furious-dems-favorite-power%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com Bidenomics: More companies announce bankruptcies, shutter operations, citing inflation Retailers are closing nearly 3,200 stores this year, according to a recent analysis from CoreSight Research. The closures are a 24% increase from 2023. U.S. drug stores and pharmacy closures led to 8 million square feet of shuttered retail space this year, the research company said. It also notes that retailers are losing inventory and customers due to retail theft. “Retail shrink” is closely connected to “organized retail crime,” it notes. Out of the 3,200 being closed, the majority are being closed by roughly 30 retailers, with Family Dollar closing the most of over 600, according to the data, CBS News reported. Tupperware is the latest to announce it's permanently closing its last operating production plant in the U.S. in Hemingway, South Carolina. All of its 148 workers will be laid off, the first in September, followed by others in waves through next January. Tupperware announced its plans last week, stating it would continue to produce its products in a plant in Lerma, Mexico. Others closing stores this year include CVS Health, 7-Eleven, Rite Aid, Express, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Macy's, The Body Shop, Soft Surroundings, Burlington stores, Foot Locker, Carter's Big Lots, Dollar General, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Big Lots, Best Buy and others, according to the CoreSight analysis. Source: justthenews.com