Podcasts about Business value

What separates an impressive agentic AI demonstration from a deployment that produces measurable business value across an entire company? In this episode, I speak with Frank Theisen, Vice President of IBM Technology across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, about how businesses can move AI agents beyond isolated pilots and into the processes where work actually happens. Frank believes the conversation has changed considerably. Most large companies are deploying some form of AI, yet many still struggle to demonstrate a significant commercial return. The difference comes from connecting AI with end-to-end business processes rather than creating another assistant that sits outside the systems employees use every day. IBM has attempted to prove this internally through its "client zero" approach, using its own technology across human resources, IT, procurement, sales and software development before taking those practices to customers. The company reports that AI, automation and hybrid cloud have contributed to $4.5 billion in productivity gains over three years. Frank explains how IBM's AskHR service handles common employee inquiries and helps managers complete administrative tasks without learning how to operate several separate enterprise applications. IBM reports that AI now resolves 94 percent of common HR requests automatically, while similar work is taking place across IT support and procurement. The discussion then turns to orchestration. As companies acquire agents from multiple software providers, the problem becomes far larger than creating individual assistants. Businesses need to understand how agents communicate, which systems they can access, what identities they use and who remains accountable for their actions. Frank expects the number of applications, agents and non-human identities to grow rapidly. Without orchestration and governance, companies risk recreating the same application sprawl they have spent years attempting to reduce, this time with software capable of making decisions and generating additional code. Data presents another barrier. Publicly trained models rarely contain the proprietary information that gives a company its commercial advantage. That information remains distributed across databases, applications, mainframes and cloud services. Frank argues that enterprises need a governed, federated way to bring AI to their data without repeatedly copying everything into another repository. We also discuss digital sovereignty across Europe and the Middle East. Frank describes sovereignty as a matter of control across data, operations and technology. Companies need to decide which workloads require isolation, which regulations apply and where dependence on one provider could limit their future choices. Wimbledon provides a timely example of these principles in practice. IBM Bob helped modernize the tournament's digital platform by mapping and migrating approximately 15,000 articles, videos, photographs and related metadata. IBM says work that would traditionally require four or five specialists over several months was completed by one engineer within four weeks, with the assets themselves extracted in 47 minutes. Frank closes with three practical priorities. Understand where AI could affect the business, determine how successful use cases can be automated across complete processes, then address security, governance and provider dependence before expanding them. If your company already has dozens of AI pilots, should the next investment create another agent or coordinate the ones you already have? Listen to the episode and share your thoughts with me.

Have you built yourself a business… or accidentally built yourself a very demanding job?   In today's episode, I share why owner dependency is holding your business back and how to build a business that can thrive without you.   Full shownotes at https://clarewood.com/podcast/episode382/

Today's guest is Martin Duffy, Head of GenAI at PWC Ireland. Founded in 1866, PwC Ireland is one of the country's leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, deals and technology services. By combining deep industry expertise with a global network, PwC helps organisations drive transformation, solve complex business challenges and create sustainable value in an increasingly digital world.Martin is a senior data and analytics consultant with over 30 years of experience helping organisations harness data to drive better business outcomes. He specialises in analytics strategy, building high-performing analytics functions and advancing organisational analytics maturity. With extensive experience across the financial services, public sector and manufacturing industries, Martin helps organisations unlock the full value of their data and make smarter, data-driven decisions.In the episode, Martin discusses:0:00 His journey from early neural networks to modern GPT scale AI evolution2:08 How their Client Zero AI journey shifted to human-centric trust approach3:42 Their focus on automating tasks to drive AI adoption and trust7:05 How Personal AI wins drive adoption and organisational growth choices9:48 Top AI leaders combine governance, responsibility and growth mindset11:00 How AI success blends leadership and grassroots adoption12:01 Irish firms lag due to caution, process redesign and operating model maturity13:21 The need to choose mindset, lead visibly and prioritise people change

Send us Fan MailThis week on ASUG Talks, we learn about an AI framework developed by the software company to drive sales order processing improvements for a major agriculture company. Key InsightsHow SAP built the AI framework Business benefits driven by the frameworkHow other enterprises can embrace the framework. Related InsightsRead Mukesh's recent ASUG articleRegister for the July 28 Community Conversation webcast, "ABAP Platform in SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition 2025 – Overview & Highlights"Read OG&E's RISE with SAP projectMore from ASUG Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletterFind your local ASUG Chapter Register for ASUG Tech Connect

Why are companies spending heavily on AI tools while struggling to show meaningful improvements in productivity, revenue, or business performance? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Matt Cloke, Chief Technology Officer at Endava, about what it takes to become an AI-native business, why deploying thousands of AI licenses does not amount to an AI transformation, and how companies can move from experimentation to measurable business outcomes. Matt has played a central role in Endava's own adoption of artificial intelligence and the development of Dava.Flow, the company's methodology for applying AI throughout the technology delivery lifecycle. With more than 11,000 employees and clients operating across multiple industries, Endava has treated itself as "client zero," testing AI internally before advising other companies about how to introduce it across their operations. Matt shares the story of a CEO who proudly told him that his company had completed its AI transformation after purchasing 10,000 licenses for an AI tool. Twelve months later, the business had seen little return on its investment and returned for help understanding what becoming AI-native actually required. The story captures one of the biggest problems with enterprise AI adoption today: buying technology is easy, but changing how people think about problems, redesign workflows, and create business value is much harder. We discuss why Matt believes becoming AI-native is primarily a mindset. Rather than treating AI as another application added to the technology stack, employees should become curious about where AI can improve existing processes, remove unnecessary work, and create new ways of delivering value. Matt also explains his idea that AI works best when it becomes invisible. Instead of requiring employees to constantly interact with chatbots and standalone AI applications, software agents can operate inside existing workflows, monitor information, prepare responses, identify problems, and bring people into the process when human judgment is required. His own use of AI agents provides a practical example. While attending meetings that prevented him from monitoring email for several days, Matt used agents to review incoming messages, redirect requests, identify urgent communications, and prepare draft responses. Rather than handing complete control to automation, he determined which actions required approval and where AI could operate independently. This leads to a wider discussion about human oversight and accountability. Matt argues that managing AI agents may increasingly resemble managing teams. Leaders do not inspect every decision made by every employee, but they establish responsibilities, controls, escalation points, and circumstances where intervention is required. Companies introducing agentic AI need similar approaches to supervision. We also examine two mistakes Matt frequently sees companies make. The first is treating AI adoption as a software rollout, buying tools for employees and expecting productivity gains to appear automatically. The second is creating centralized AI centers of excellence and expecting a small group of specialists to determine how every department should use the technology. Matt argues that employees closest to business processes are often best placed to identify opportunities for improvement. At Endava, the legal team runs monthly AI hackathons to redesign its own workflows, supported by technology specialists but led by people who understand the work itself. For companies operating in payments, financial services, and other regulated industries, the conversation turns to reliability, auditability, traceability, and risk. Matt explains how Dava.Flow allows companies to translate regulatory requirements and operational controls into policies that AI systems must follow and demonstrate throughout the delivery process. Rather than searching for a single killer AI application, Matt recommends examining end-to-end business workflows. Companies can map how information moves between employees, departments, and systems, identify unnecessary handoffs and manual processes, and determine where AI agents can improve speed, cost, and performance without replacing entire technology platforms. Leadership is another major theme throughout the episode. Matt believes the companies that achieve meaningful results from AI will be led by executives who personally use the technology, understand its capabilities, and demonstrate the behaviors they expect from their workforce. He shares how Endava brought senior leaders from legal, technology, people, and other business functions together to build software agents themselves. The experience changed how executives thought about technology investments, including one leader realizing that an existing vendor contract might no longer be necessary because the company could build the required capability internally. For CIOs, CTOs, technology leaders, and business executives under pressure to demonstrate returns from AI investment, this conversation provides practical lessons on becoming AI-native, redesigning workflows, managing software agents, maintaining human accountability, operating AI in regulated industries, and moving beyond technology adoption toward measurable business value. The companies that succeed with AI may not be those buying the most tools or making the biggest announcements. They will be the ones whose leaders understand the technology, whose employees rethink how work gets done, and whose AI systems quietly become part of everyday business operations.

What if companies rushing to deploy AI agents are overlooking the basic problem that much of their business data is still trapped inside PDFs, emails, attachments, spreadsheets, and paper documents? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Sylvestre Dupont, co-founder and CEO of Parseur, about why successful AI adoption begins with making business data usable, why traditional automation can often outperform more sophisticated AI systems, and how he built a profitable global technology company with six employees across six countries without venture capital funding. Sylvestre introduces the concept of data liquidity, the ability to move information from the documents and systems where it is trapped into the applications, workflows, and AI systems that can put it to work. Companies may have years of valuable operational data, but if that information remains buried inside what Sylvestre calls "digital concrete," even the most advanced AI models will struggle to produce useful results. The conversation examines why structured data extraction has become increasingly important as companies invest in AI agents, copilots, and automated workflows. Sylvestre explains that better models alone cannot compensate for incomplete, inaccessible, or poorly structured information. Before businesses can expect AI to automate complex processes or support better decisions, they need reliable ways to collect, structure, and move data between systems. We also challenge the assumption that every business problem now requires an AI solution. Sylvestre explains why AI should be treated as one tool among many and why deterministic automation remains the better option for repetitive processes where accuracy, consistency, and explainability matter. Parseur itself combines AI-powered document processing with template-based extraction and traditional workflow automation, using each approach where it performs best. Drawing on Parseur's experience processing more than 100 million documents annually, Sylvestre describes the different stages companies move through as they mature their automation strategies. Some begin by manually uploading documents and downloading extracted data. Others automate document ingestion and connect information directly to accounting platforms, CRM systems, and other business applications. The most advanced companies add exception handling and human review processes for situations where automation cannot reliably complete the task. Data privacy and security are another major part of the discussion. Sylvestre shares the questions technology leaders should ask before sending sensitive company information to AI-powered platforms, including where data is stored and processed, whether customer information is used to train AI models, how deletion requests are handled, and whether vendors genuinely understand the regulations and security standards they claim to follow. For founders and bootstrapped entrepreneurs, Sylvestre also shares an alternative perspective on building technology companies. Parseur has remained profitable, globally distributed, and customer-funded rather than pursuing the venture capital model of rapid expansion. Sylvestre explains why he prefers customers to determine the company's priorities, how asynchronous communication supports a team operating across multiple time zones, and why building a sustainable business can offer founders greater control over product decisions and company culture. This conversation offers practical lessons for technology leaders deciding where AI belongs in their operations, operations teams trying to reduce repetitive manual work, and founders questioning whether venture capital is the only route to building a successful global software company. The message throughout the episode is simple: AI can be extremely useful, but companies still need reliable data, appropriate technology choices, strong privacy practices, and well-designed business processes. Sometimes the smartest technology strategy begins by solving the boring problems first.

Stehst du auch manchmal fassungslos vor den KI-Initiativen in deiner Company? Nur sage und schreibe 12% der CEOs sehen aktuell, dass ihre KI-Investitionen gleichzeitig den Umsatz steigern und die Kosten senken. Der ganze Rest? Holt sich Lizenzen, schmeißt ein Kilo LLM auf einen kaputten Workflow und wundert sich, warum nichts scheppert. In dieser Folge von Unicorns and Lightsabers bei UNF#CK YOUR DATA diskutieren Dr. Christian Krug und die wunderbare AI-Babsi (Barbara Lampl) einen Forbes-Artikel zur echten AI Adoption. Wir klären, warum persönliche Produktivität nicht automatisch Organisationsproduktivität bedeutet und warum das blinde Verteilen von Copilot-Lizenzen reines KI-Theater ist. Wir räumen auf mit:• Dem Copilot-Irrglauben: Token-Verbrauch ist eine miserable Metrik für echten Erfolg.• Low-Impact vs. High-Impact: Das Zusammenfassen von 18-seitigen E-Mails macht dein Business kein Stück besse. • Top-Down statt Bottom-Up: Wer im Unternehmen wirklich die Prozesse neu designen muss (Spoiler: Die Führungsebene). Am Ende des Tages macht der Mensch den Unterschied – vorausgesetzt, er schaltet vor dem Prompten das eigene Gehirn ein. Schluss mit digitalem Müll. Butter bei die Fische: Reinhören, abonnieren und deine KI-Projekte endlich P&L-wirksam machen! ▬▬▬▬▬▬ Links: ▬▬▬▬Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/guneyyildiz/2026/01/28/56-of-ceos-see-zero-roi-from-ai-heres-what-the-12-who-profit-do-differently/Don Knuth Paper: https://cs.stanford.edu/~knuth/papers/claude-cycles.pdfMIT Studie: https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf▬▬▬▬▬▬ Profile: ▬▬▬▬Zum LinkedIn-Profil von Barbara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaralampl/Zum Podcast LAIer 8|9: https://laier89.podigee.io/Zum LinkedIn-Profil von Christian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-krug/Christians Wonderlink: https://wonderl.ink/@christiankrugUnf*ck Your Data auf Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unfck-your-data▬▬▬▬▬▬ Buchempfehlung: ▬▬▬▬Alle Empfehlungen in Melenas Bücherladen: https://gunzenhausen.buchhandlung.de/unfuckyourdata▬▬▬▬▬▬ Hier findest Du Unf*ck Your Data: ▬▬▬▬Zum Podcast auf Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ow7ySMbgnir27etMYkpxT?si=dc0fd2b3c6454bfaZum Podcast auf iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/unf-ck-your-data/id1673832019Zum Podcast auf Deezer: https://deezer.page.link/FnT5kRSjf2k54iib6Zum Podcast auf Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@unfckyourdata▬▬▬▬▬▬ Merch: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬https://unfckyourdata-shop.de/▬▬▬▬▬▬ Kontakt: ▬▬▬▬E-Mail: christian@uyd-podcast.com▬▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬00:00 - Intro: 12 % Erfolg sind keine Party. 02:21 - Der Forbes-Schock: Daten und Fakten zur AI Adoption. 04:37 - Warum Solopreneure es checken – und Konzerne versagen. 11:33 - Die Produktivitäts-Falle: Team- vs. Organisations-Performance. 14:13 - Maslows Hammer: KI-Theater beim E-Mail-Schreiben. 18:16 - Digitaler Müll: Wenn die KI mit der KI spricht. 20:55 - Top-Down-Prozessdesign: Warum Lizenzen allein nichts lösen. 27:46 - Das IKEA-Prinzip: Wie echtes Workflow-Redesign aussieht. 30:21 - Qualität vs. Geschwindigkeit (Und ein Gruß an die Insolvenzverwalter). 34:50 - High-Impact-Coding: Warum Entwickler die Nase vorn haben. 42:10 - Dashboard-Kultur und der Boomer-Faktor. 50:05 - Gehirn einschalten: Was wir NIEMALS an die KI abgeben würden. 56:57 - Outro: Schluss mit dem Hype, her mit dem Impact!

In this talk, Ivan, Senior Engineering Manager at Personio, shares his deep expertise in the data and software space from his early days building traditional NLP systems and massive ETL pipelines to his current leadership role in Identity and Access Management (IAM). We explore the rapid evolution of Generative AI, the reality of managing AI agents in production, and the emerging field of context engineering to optimize developer workflows.You'll learn about:- The buy vs. build dilemma for AI infrastructure and local LLMs.- How AI agents are shifting workloads and evolving code reviews.- Why AI is currently better at fixing tech debt than building from scratch.- Measuring the ROI of AI integration using DORA metrics and cycle times.- Strategies to manage vendor lock-in and minimize AI provider dependency.- Using "context engineering" and specification-driven development to maximize LLM quality.- Why hiring junior engineers is still essential and how AI accelerates their onboarding.TIMECODES:00:00 Career Journey in Data Science and NLP07:37 Industry Adoption of Generative AI and Agents11:45 Buy vs Build Dilemma for AI Infrastructure15:46 AI Capability Limits in Fixing Tech Debt19:32 Developer Workloads and AI Code Contributions24:49 Experimentation with Open Source AI Agent Architectures30:06 Measuring ROI and Business Value of AI Integration35:10 Tracking AI Impact Using DORA Metrics39:51 Impact of AI Code Generation on CI/CD System Reliability43:00 Best Practices for Team AI Tool Adoption48:20 Managing Vendor Lock-In Risks with AI Providers51:27 Importance of Hiring Junior Software Engineers56:28 Accelerated Junior Developer Onboarding with AI Assistants01:00:12 Specification-Driven Development and Context EngineeringThis talk is perfect for software engineers, engineering managers, and technical leaders looking to practically integrate AI tools into their teams without sacrificing code quality or system reliability. It is especially valuable for tech professionals navigating the complexities of AI adoption, CI/CD pipeline management, and organizational scaling in the GenAI era.Connect with DataTalks.Club:- Join the community - https://datatalks.club/slack.html- Subscribe to our Google calendar to have all our events in your calendar - https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r?cid=ZjhxaWRqbnEwamhzY3A4ODA5azFlZ2hzNjBAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ- Check other upcoming events - https://lu.ma/dtc-events- GitHub: https://github.com/DataTalksClub- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/datatalks-club/ - Twitter - https://twitter.com/DataTalksClub - Website - https://datatalks.club/ Connect with Ivan:- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-bilan/ - Twitter - https://x.com/demiourgosua - Github - https://github.com/ivan-bilan - Website - https://github.com/ivan-bilan

There's an old saying in business: the day you start your company is the day you should start preparing to sell it.Whether your exit is five years away or thirty, the decisions you make today directly affect what your business will be worth tomorrow.Most owners focus on revenue, profit, employees, and systems, but today's buyers evaluate something else too: your online presence. Your Google reviews, website, search visibility, brand reputation, and digital assets all help shape how valuable, trustworthy, and transferable your business appears.In this episode, we give the practical steps you can take now to increase your company's long-term value. Even if you're not planning to sell anytime soon, building this asset today could pay off in a big way tomorrow.About Adam Duran, Digital Marketing Expert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Local SEO in 10⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is helmed by Local SEO expert Adam Duran, director of Magnified Media. With offices in San Francisco, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Los Angeles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Walnut Creek, California, Magnified Media is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠digital marketing agency⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ focused on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠local SEO for businesses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠marketing strategy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠national SEO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website design⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and qualified customer lead generation for companies of all sizes.Magnified Media helps companies take control of their marketing by:• getting their website seen at the top of Google rankings,• getting them more online reviews, and• creating media content that immediately engages with their audience.Adam enjoys volunteering with CoCoSAR, hiking and BJJ.About Jamie Duran, host of Local SEO in 10Local business owner Jamie Duran is the owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Solar Harmonics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Northern California⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s top-rated solar company, which invites its customers to “Own Their Energy” by purchasing a solar panel system for their home, business, or farm.  You can check out the website for the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ top solar energy equipment installer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Solar Harmonics, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Have a question about Local SEO? Chances are we've covered it! Go to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website and sign up for our Newsletter!

We're taking a short summer break in July and August to focus on some exciting news — Ed's new book, Done Deal: Exit Without Regret. How to Prepare, Promote, and Protect the Sale of Your Business, launches on September 9. This is the ultimate guide for business owners who want a profitable, empowered exit without regret. Pre-orders are now open  [Pre-order link: https://a.co/d/0imeCz3D] — we'd love your support! We'll be back in September with fresh episodes. Thanks for being part of the Defenders of Business Value community — see you soon!  ────────────────────  Navigating the business world requires immense grit, but knowing how to transition from an owner-dependent operation to a highly standardized, thriving business is where true enterprise value is unlocked.   Chris Miller is the founder of Rev Up Manufacturing, a company dedicated to helping small and medium-sized manufacturers improve operations, increase profitability, and build scalable organizations. He breaks down the hidden operational power of process mapping, how to extract critical institutional knowledge from key personnel, and why business owners must stop wearing multiple hats to protect their exit value. Learn how to leverage visual systems, mitigate single-person risk, and transform the "secret sauce" of your business into a transferable asset.  In this episode, you will: Discover the visual process of "Money Maps" and how they expose hidden inefficiencies in your operations Learn why owner dependency triggers massive price discounts from buyers during due diligence Understand how to foster a safe company culture that excites floor workers to document and elevate their processes Highlights: (00:00) Meet Chris Miller (04:11) The hidden danger of tribal knowledge (05:27) How buyers assess transition risk (07:54) The three ways to look at core processes (11:17) Inside the operational blueprint workshop (16:09) The "Pete the Painter" story (19:09) Floor workers vs. executives: reactions to transparency (21:50) Finding waste and process drift (30:27) Advice for business owners planning an exit Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow Chris Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-miller-503a7139/ Explore Rev Up Manufacturing: https://www.revupmfg.com/  Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

In this episode featuring Travis and producer Eric, the duo dives into a fascinating story shared by wrestling legend Dwayne Johnson about negotiating his WWE contract. What begins as a discussion about professional wrestling quickly turns into a practical lesson on compensation, business economics, and how employees can position themselves for higher earnings. Travis breaks down why understanding a company's financial realities is essential for anyone looking to increase their income, while Eric shares personal experiences from his early career that illustrate the importance of creating value before asking for a raise. On this episode, we talk about: The Rock's contract negotiation lesson from WWE Why understanding business economics leads to better compensation discussions How employees can create leverage before asking for a raise Common misconceptions about business owners and profitability Eric's experience creating additional value in a marketing role Why entitlement hurts career growth How learning new skills increases earning potential The realities of restaurant and small business profit margins When it's time to move on from an employer who doesn't recognize your value Viewing compensation conversations through the employer's perspective Top 3 Takeaways Learn the business before negotiating compensation. Understanding how a company makes money, what its costs are, and how your work contributes to revenue allows you to make a stronger case for higher pay. Create value first, then ask for more. The best raises often come when you've expanded your role, developed new skills, or increased the company's profitability beyond what you were originally hired to do. Think like an owner, not just an employee. When you understand the challenges, expenses, and risks involved in running a business, you'll be better equipped to identify opportunities that benefit both you and your employer. Notable Quotes "If you're going to get a good idea of what value you're going to bring to the organization, then you should probably get a good idea of what the bottom line looks like." "You have to ask the question: What's in it for them, not what's in it for me." "The next job that you get, you can start off at a higher threshold because you have more skills to bring to the table." Connect with Travis Website: https://travischappell.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/travischappell If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who's looking to increase their income and advance their career. - Are you ready to start your own creatorjourney and make it big? Visitwww.fanvue.com today and launch yourcareer! - To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go to https://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney -Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you think your warehouse full of inventory is the most valuable part of your home staging business?In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast mini-series, How to Sell Your Home Staging Business, Shauna Lynn Simon tackles one of the biggest misconceptions in the staging industry: the belief that inventory determines business value. While furniture, artwork, accessories, and decor are essential tools of the trade, buyers are not focused on what you spent. They are focused on what those assets produce.Shauna Lynn breaks down the difference between selling inventory and selling a business, explains why buyers evaluate earning power over furniture costs, and shares how productive inventory can support value while unproductive inventory can create drag. She also reveals why some home staging businesses sell for far more than the value of their warehouse contents and highlights the often-overlooked intangible assets that make a business truly attractive to buyers.Whether you plan to sell in the next year or simply want to build a stronger, more profitable company today, this episode will help you start viewing your business through a buyer's lens and make smarter decisions about growth, profitability, and long-term value.Timestamps:(00:09) - (04:27) - Why your inventory is not the same thing as your business value(04:28) - (08:50) - How buyers evaluate staging inventory based on revenue potential(08:51) - (13:28) - Why selling inventory alone is different from selling an operating business(13:29) - (17:37) - How inventory is handled in a business sale and what supports value(17:38) - (21:45) - The invisible assets that make your inventory more profitable(21:46) - (24:57) - How to build a more sellable business with stronger systems and assets Resources:Get your "Is Your Home Staging Business Sellable?" ebook free when you use promo code SELL100: https://slsacademy.com/sellreadyLearn more about the Sell Your Staging Business Bootcamp (and claim your spot): https://slsacademy.com/sellyourbiz

Do you know what your numbers are really saying about your home staging business?Many home stagers focus on revenue when measuring success, but buyers look at something very different when evaluating a business. In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast mini-series, How to Sell Your Home Staging Business, Shauna Lynn Simon breaks down the financial story behind business value and explains why revenue alone does not determine what your company is worth.Listeners will learn how buyers interpret financial statements, what profitability really means, and why understanding metrics like gross profit, net income, and Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) can dramatically impact a future sale. Even if numbers aren't your strength, this episode will help you understand the financial story buyers see when evaluating your business without getting lost in accounting jargon or complicated formulas.Whether selling is years away or simply a future possibility, this conversation will help home stagers look at their numbers through a completely different lens. You'll also learn why preparing your financials 2-3 years before a sale can significantly impact both buyer confidence and business value. The insights shared in this episode can lead to stronger decision-making, healthier profits, and a more valuable business long before an exit is ever on the horizon.If you're serious about building a staging business that creates both income and long-term value, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Timestamps:(00:08) - (04:48) - Why revenue is not the same thing as business value(04:49) - (09:31) - How buyers read your financials as a story of risk and profit(09:32) - (14:12) - Why clean books and service profitability matter before selling(14:13) - (20:18) - The difference between gross profit, net income, and real earning power(20:19) - (27:08) - How buyers value a staging business using SDE instead of revenue or inventory(27:09) - (40:00) - Add backs, valuation multiples, and how to increase buyer confidenceResources:Get your "Is Your Home Staging Business Sellable?" ebook free when you use promo code SELL100: https://slsacademy.com/sellreadyLearn more about the Sell Your Staging Business Bootcamp (and claim your spot): https://slsacademy.com/sellyourbiz

In this episode, we discuss how financial due diligence is different from your regular compliance bookkeeping and how to clean up your books to secure the highest possible purchase price. You'll discover how simple accounting mistakes can destroy trust with buyers, lead to sudden price reductions, and even kill a deal. View the complete show notes for this episode. Want To Learn More?  The Role of Accountants When Selling Your Business M&A Due Diligence Preparation Quality of Earnings in M&A – The Ultimate Guide Additional Resources Selling your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Sign up for an Assessment and Valuation of Your Business. Courses: The Art & Science of Selling a Business Download The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business Download Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue If you have any topic or guest suggestions, please email them to podcast@morganandwestfield.com.

By Moshe Beauford At NiCE World 2026, Moshe Beauford, Technology Editor at Technology Reseller News, sat down with Justin Robbins, CEO and Founder of Metric Sherpa, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of AI in customer experience and decision-making process during the technology purchasing phase. Robbins shared insights into his entrepreneurial journey, the growth of Metric Sherpa, and his participation at the event. The discussion explores the current state of AI adoption, practical implementation challenges, strategies for evaluating AI investments, and how organizations can make smarter technology purchasing decisions in an increasingly crowded market.

This episode of The Times Tech Podcast is sponsored by KPMG.Businesses are spending heavily on AI, but is it actually changing how they work? Katie Prescott is joined by Paul Henninger, UK Head of Technology and Data and Global AI Leader at KPMG, and Professor Alan Brown from the University of Exeter Business School, author of Making AI Work for Britain, to ask why so many AI pilots fail to become real business value.They discuss the gap between hype and implementation, why the most useful applications of AI are often the least glamorous, and what leaders need to do before AI can reshape work across an organisation.Visit https://kpmg.com/uk/en/services/ai to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is delivering pockets of productivity, but far less business value than expected. In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, Distinguished VP Analyst Fran Karamouzis explores why so much AI ROI remains stuck inside organizations, never reaching the bottom line. While many leaders expect gains in individual productivity to translate directly into financial outcomes, legacy processes, siloed structures and outdated operating models often prevent that value from scaling. In a preview of a recent standout webinar, you'll hear what it really takes to unlock measurable impact — from rethinking how work flows across teams, to redesigning end‑to‑end processes, and leading the organizational change required to make AI stick.   You'll learn: Why productivity gains alone don't guarantee financial returns Where AI value gets trapped inside workflows and operating models How to redesign work around end‑to‑end outcomes, not individual tasks What it takes to lead organizational change and consistently convert AI into ROI   Dig deeper: Register to watch the full "Value is Trapped" webinar Learn how to prove quantifiable value from AI See why Gartner is the world authority on AI  

Platform vendors are transferring liability and delivery responsibility for AI services onto MSPs by building structured AI practice frameworks, training programs, and service delivery methodologies. This approach is motivated by mounting economic pressures on vendors, as seen with large-scale infrastructure investments and the need for sustainable revenue models. PAX8, Ingram Micro Cloud, ConnectWise, and others are formalizing AI partner programs that enroll MSPs to deliver vendor-defined services, while shifting operational complexity and accountability downstream. The episode highlights PAX8's Managed Intelligence initiative, aimed at helping small and midsize MSPs deliver AI services to SMB clients with minimal prior expertise. PAX8 cites its own research, which notes that 62% of SMBs view AI as essential for competitiveness and 74% plan to increase AI spending in the coming year. The economics of AI scaling are underscored by data on projected data center buildout costs—up to $15 trillion by 2030 and requiring $1.75 trillion annually just to maintain. OpenAI's public offering, with an $850 billion valuation and $180 billion in funding, is attributed to the need for capital that private markets can no longer supply, prompting vendors to leverage channel partners for both revenue generation and market validation. Supporting developments include expanded programs at the distribution and platform levels: a PAX8-Nocdoc partnership providing managed NOC/SOC services for smaller MSPs, Ingram Micro Cloud's collaboration with PartnerStack to formalize AI service delivery infrastructure, and ConnectWise's introduction of an AI-native platform for predictive and autonomous IT operations. Research from Omnia and the IBM Institute for Business Value indicates underutilization of vendor market development funds and widespread deployment of AI frameworks despite only 11% of tech leaders feeling prepared—demonstrating the gap between vendor offerings and operational readiness. The implications for MSPs are significant. By enrolling in these vendor-driven AI programs, providers take on delivery risk, contractual accountability, and potential liability for AI outcomes they did not design. The structural split is clear: MSPs can either create and govern their own AI methodologies—pricing accountability as a service—or become vehicles for vendor frameworks, absorbing complexity without full compensation or control. Practical recommendations include updating service agreements for AI-related risks, building internal governance around AI deployments, and not allowing vendor or community consensus to substitute for explicit accountability for outcomes. 00:00 Channel AI Shift  03:59 Enrollment, Not Enablement 06:55 Methodology vs. Liability 10:01 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  Zero Networks  CometBackup 

The three ways business owners lose the value of their businesses are conflict with co-owners, the loss of a critical owner, and failure to prepare for sale. Owners reading this might be surprised to learn that the threats are preventable.

In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Lane Gordon, CEO of 733Park, to discuss how AI is reshaping software, payments, and business valuations. From merchant portfolios and SaaS models to vertical software strategies and acquisition trends, Lane shares what buyers are looking for today—and what business owners should be thinking about if they hope to build long-term value. The conversation explores the future of AI-powered software, why payments revenue remains so attractive to investors, how verticalization creates defensible businesses, and what separates companies that command premium valuations from those that struggle to find buyers. Plus, Patti Murphy's Today in Payments segment covers interchange legislation, crypto ATMs, international remittance taxes, emerging payment preferences, and other trends shaping the industry.

AI investment is growing fast, but proving its value remains one of the biggest challenges facing data leaders today. Dashboards are built, models are deployed, and yet when the budget question arrives, most teams still can't clearly demonstrate return on investment.Speaking on Don't Panic, It's Just Data with host Christina Stathopoulos, Nadiem von Heydebrand, CEO and co-founder of Mindfuel, identified where most organisations go wrong: the interface between data teams and the business. According to von Heydebrand, the reason is straightforward: no use case, no value."We get a demand, we believe we've understood it, and we start executing immediately," he explained. Months pass, and nobody can answer why the project exists or what problem it was supposed to solve in the first place. The fix isn't more technology. It's better use case management.The 3 Pillars of Effective AI Use Case ManagementOne of von Heydebrand's core principles is straightforward: before you build anything, you need to really understand the business challenge you're trying to solve. "You have to fall in love with the problem, not with the solution," he said. This matters more than ever in the era of generative AI. With token costs attached to every AI interaction, building the wrong solution isn't just a wasted effort; it's an ongoing financial drain. Use case management has moved from being a nice-to-have to an operational necessity. Good use case management, according to Nadiem, rests on three pillars:Demand exploration: Don't assume you understand the problem. Engage stakeholders, ask deeper questions, and uncover the real business challenge before a single line of code is written.Value management: Every use case needs a value hypothesis. What outcome is expected if this problem is solved? As Nadiem puts it: "The solution itself has a value of zero. Value lives in the problem space."Value tracking: Once live, track performance against the original hypothesis. Define a realistic ROI timeframe and review it consistently.Adoption Metrics Are Not Proof of ValueOne of the most common mistakes? Measuring AI success through usage and adoption data alone. "I have enough examples where usage is high, and value is zero or even negative," von Heydebrand warned.Clicks and logins are a proxy. Business outcomes are the goal. If there's no correlation between the two, the metric is misleading.Output vs. Outcome: The Shift That MattersThe most important distinction in the conversation was the difference between output and outcome. Data teams have historically been measured on output like model accuracy, number of dashboards, and features delivered. But output without impact is just activity. Outcome means the value created for the recipient of your work. Organisations that make this mindset shift from measuring what they produce to measuring what they change are the ones that change their data functions from cost centres into genuine value generators.For leaders under pressure to prove ROI from AI initiatives, Mindfuel's CEO advises a pragmatic approach: start now, start small, and be honest. As Stathopoulos summarised: "It all comes back to being intentional about what you build and why." For more information, visit mindfuel.ai, the platform built to help data and AI teams demonstrate, manage, and maximise business value.Connect with the guest:Nadiem von Heydebrand: LinkedIn | MindfuelTakeawaysThe importance of structured use case managementLinking AI initiatives to business valueThe impact layer and value tracking in AI projectsChapters00:00 – Introduction to Data and AI Impact Management03:16 – The Challenge of Connecting AI to Business Outcomes11:38 – Understanding Use Case Management17:40 – The Missing Value Layer in Data and AI Initiatives22:23 – Evolving Mindsets in Data and AI27:36 – Advice for Leaders on Proving AI ROI

The Institute of Internal Auditors Presents: All Things Internal Audit  In this Internal Audit Awareness Month special, internal audit leaders share the human side of the profession. Through stories of resistance, difficult findings, stakeholder trust, courage, and career-defining moments, the episode highlights how internal auditors add value by building relationships, asking better questions, and helping organizations see what they might otherwise miss.    HOST: Catie Brown Associate Manager & Producer, Content Development, The IIA  GUESTS   Asim Fareeduddin, CPA, CISA, CISM, CIPP, CISSP Head of Internal Audit & Assurance, RELX Ashanti Clark, CIA Executive Advisor, FedEx Express Corporation Jasdeep Gill, CIA, CISA, CISM, CFE Senior Manager, Internal Audit & Assurance, RELX Aadesh Gandhre, CIA, CISA  Chief Audit Executive, DTCC Chad Bourque, CIA  Global Director of Enterprise Risk Management, Gallagher Benefits Services Nam Phong Ho, CIA, CISA, CFE, CRMA, QILM, MBA Former Chief Audit Executive, Glencore / Independent Advisor   KEY POINTS: Introduction [00:00:02-00:01:42] Navigating Internal Audit Resistance [00:01:42-00:05:34] Preparing for Difficult Conversations [00:05:34-00:08:05] Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Awareness [00:08:05-00:09:53] Delivering Difficult Audit Findings [00:09:53-00:14:28] Leadership During Challenging Audit Moments [00:14:28-00:16:38] Communicating the "So What" [00:16:38-00:19:42] Active Listening and Stakeholder Trust [00:19:42-00:22:53] Building Real Relationships [00:22:53-00:24:21] Demonstrating Internal Audit's Business Value [00:24:21-00:27:48] Courage and Career Growth in Internal Audit [00:27:48-00:29:51] Internal Audit as a Mission [00:29:51-00:31:52] Reflecting on Value After Every Audit [00:31:52-00:32:48] Sharing Internal Audit Successes [00:32:48-00:33:41] IIA RELATED CONTENT:  Interested in this topic? Visit the links below for more resources: Discover Internal Audit Certifications May Sale Internal Audit Month Global Awareness Global Internal Audit Standards Vision 2035 Career Center   Visit The IIA's website or YouTube channel for related topics and more. Follow All Things Internal Audit: Apple Podcasts Spotify Libsyn Deezer  

Welcome to TBCY! In this insightful episode, we sit down with Reddy Mallidi, Chief AI Officer and COO at J&R Consulting, renowned for his practical expertise in implementing AI solutions across industries.Hosted by Stephen Ibaraki, this conversation explores the rise of agentic AI, practical AI adoption strategies, governance challenges, and how organizations can build trust in AI systems.Reddy Mallidi shares real-world lessons from deploying AI in enterprise environments, discusses the future of AI agents, and explains how leaders can move beyond the hype to create measurable business value.Key takeaways include:The future of agentic AI and autonomous workflowsOvercoming AI adoption challenges related to data, infrastructure, talent, and trustPractical frameworks for AI implementation and governanceReal-world use cases that demonstrate measurable business impactWhy curiosity, experimentation, and responsible AI practices matter

Send us Fan MailNonprofit conference strategy for fundraisers is not just about attending sessions — it's about turning time, travel, relationships, and learning into business value for your organization. Tim Sarrantonio, Founder of The Generosity Spectrum (and also a cohost of the Show), joins to share timely insights from the recent AFP International Conference and the broader conference landscape shaping nonprofit fundraising leadership.Tim brings a rare perspective as a sector educator, speaker, conference participant, and creator of game-based learning experiences for nonprofit leaders, boards, and communities. The conversation begins with AFP ICON — what it is, who attends, and why it matters — but quickly moves into a larger question: how can nonprofit professionals make conferences worth the investment?From the vendor hall to rooftop gatherings, from formal panels to side conversations, Tim explains why the strongest learning often happens outside the scheduled room. As he puts it, “Always, no matter what, ask yourself, why am I in this room?” That question becomes a powerful lens for fundraisers, CEOs, CFOs, board members, and development teams trying to maximize conference ROI.The episode also touches on the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, board education, sector trust, inclusive conference design, and the cautious optimism many nonprofit professionals are carrying into this next season. Tim notes, “People are ready to help. Vendors are there to help.” But he also challenges leaders to be thoughtful about where they spend their attention, energy, and budget.This conversation is especially useful for nonprofit professionals preparing for AFP ICON, Bridge Conference, AFP chapter events, vendor-hosted gatherings, or any sector learning experience. It offers a smarter way to think about nonprofit networking strategy, fundraising leadership development, and the business case for attending conferences.For nonprofit leaders, this episode is a reminder: don't just show up. Show up with purpose!! 00:00:00 Welcome And Why AFP ICON Matters 00:02:04 Tim Sarrantonio And The Generosity Spectrum 00:04:54 Creating A Practice Field For Nonprofit Leaders 00:06:54 What AFP ICON Is And Who It Serves 00:11:21 Why Executives And Fundraisers Attend 00:13:50 The Real Vibe At AFP ICON 00:18:01 Sector Confidence And Cautious Optimism 00:21:13 How To Maximize A Nonprofit Conference 00:24:24 Vendor Hall Strategy And Sponsor Value 00:26:33 Why Small-Room Conversations Matter 00:29:15 Local AFP Chapters And What Comes Next #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFundraising #AFPICONFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Technology problems rarely start with technology. They start with leadership decisions, culture, and treating IT as an afterthought instead of a strategic asset. In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, Dave speaks with Keith Tessler of CMIT Solutions about why smart companies are shifting from reactive IT support to proactive technology management and how those decisions directly impact risk, resilience, scalability, and enterprise value. The conversation explores the biggest cybersecurity threats facing small and mid-sized businesses today, including phishing attacks, business email compromise, and the growing misuse of remote-control software by bad actors. Keith shares practical, low-cost protections every business should implement, including two-factor authentication, password managers, employee awareness training, and stronger internal controls. Dave and Keith also discuss: When companies should move from “break/fix” IT support to a managed services model How IT infrastructure and documentation can affect M&A due diligence and succession planning Why clean, accessible data matters more than most owners realize The role culture and people play in cybersecurity and operational risk Practical applications for AI in business and where the hype exceeds reality A simple IT checklist business owners can use to improve resilience and reduce risk Whether you're preparing your company for growth, protecting it from disruption, or thinking about a future exit, this episode delivers actionable insights on how technology decisions can strengthen both operational performance and business value. Subscribe to Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with your network and leave a review—it helps more business owners and advisors discover the show! About Our Guest: A fourth-generation entrepreneur, Keith says he learned more at the family dinner table than from his MBA courses. So it's no surprise he dove into the family business with gusto, taking it from a small, regional player to a nationwide company that became the largest firm in that industry. But after 25 years of 100-hour weeks, he sold that business and spent a couple of years coaching CEOs -  leaders of companies that ran the gamut from small tech start-ups to $3 billion corporations.  While he loved that work, he couldn't shake the technology itch. So today, Keith has hit his stride as the owner of CMIT Solutions in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, a business that marries his love of technology with his passion for helping businesses find better paths to successful growth.   If you want fresh perspectives on leadership, tech, and business, follow Keith on LinkedIn. And if you want to put tech headaches in the rearview mirror and work with an IT team you can love, reach out to Keith here. He's always ready to talk tech support, business growth, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and much more.  About the Host: Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and their advisors reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.  Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.  He's on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people's contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company's most valuable asset.” Dave's book, A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know, was recognized as a top new release in Business and Valuation and is designed to provide practical insights and tools to help understand what really drives business value, how to prepare for an exit, and just make better decisions. He's also the host of the highly rated Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder business podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.

How much cash is hiding in your business? See if you qualify for a Free Financial Health Check Financial Intelligence Toolkit Most business owners have a rough idea of what their business is worth. Usually it is based on what a friend sold theirs for or what feels right. But what a business is actually worth and what an owner thinks it is worth are almost never the same number.In this episode Steve breaks down exactly how a sophisticated buyer looks at a business, what the calculation actually reveals, and the specific things that can add or quietly destroy value before you ever get to the table.Whether you are thinking about selling someday or just want to build something worth owning, this one will change how you see your numbers._______________________________________Disclaimer:The views expressed here are those of the individual Coltivar Group, LLC (“Coltivar”) personnel quoted and are not the views of Coltivar or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Coltivar has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendations. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. Please see https://www.coltivar.com/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use for additional important information.LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

Learn what happens when the executive accountable for data strategy is also the executive accountable for the business results that depend on it. Saugata Saha, President of S&P Global Market Intelligence and Chief Enterprise Data Officer at S&P Global, shares how he manages one of the world's largest financial data estates while driving business outcomes across public and private markets. He breaks down the four pillars of S&P Global's data strategy, the federated organizational model that connects data teams to business value, and why capturing ROI from AI requires deliberate workflow transformation. Key Moments Why Data Strategy Must Follow Business Strategy (04:57): Saugata challenges the idea that data and business strategy can run in parallel. Market trends, customer pain points, and existing capabilities must come first. Building an AI-Ready Financial Data Estate (15:10): Scale alone does not create intelligence. Saugata explains why semantic layers and graph databases are the hard work behind connected financial data. How AI Compresses Post-Acquisition Data Integration (18:29): Manual reconciliation of millions of records is no longer the only path. Discover how AI entity matching accelerated post-acquisition integration. The Federated Model That Connects Data to Value (22:49): Most large organizations either over-centralize data teams or leave them too embedded to scale. Saugata outlines the federated model that actually bridges both. Rethinking AI Productivity: From Marginal to Transformative (28:29): Most AI programs stop at training and tooling. Saugata explains why deliberately redesigning workflows is the missing step between AI investment and real ROI. Key Quotes “Data strategy and business strategy have to be very tightly connected. And if they're not, that's when value capture does not happen. In fact, I would go so far as to say data strategy actually follows from business strategy.” - Saugata Saha “Stop treating data as an afterthought or byproduct, but start thinking about data as a key ingredient for value creation and competitive advantage.” - Saugata Saha “We don't want everybody to become 10% more productive, because that's a little squishy. We want 10% of the people to become a hundred percent more productive so they can do other things.” - Saugata Saha “If a company can really use data at scale for better decision making, better client service, [and] better outcomes, that creates a lasting edge over the competition.” - Saugata Saha Mentions S&P Global Agrees to Acquire With Intelligence from Motive Partners for $1.8 Billion, Establishing Its Leadership in Private Markets Intelligence The Data & AI Chief: Why a Federated Data Team is Crucial for Business Value, with Dow Private Companies Wait Too Long to Go Public The Lex Fridman Podcast Guest Bios  Saugata serves as President of S&P Global Market Intelligence, leading the division's efforts to deliver essential insights and intelligence to clients worldwide. He is also S&P Global's Chief Enterprise Data Officer, responsible for driving innovation and excellence in the company's enterprise data strategy. Saugata is a member of S&P Global's Executive Leadership Team, contributing to the strategic direction and growth of the organization. Before joining S&P Global, Saugata was a consultant at McKinsey & Company's New York office, where he advised clients on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and operational improvements across various industries, with a strong focus on financial services. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Most business owners focus on profit—but profit alone doesn't make a business valuable. In this episode of The Idaho Business Podcast, Spencer sits down with Marc Spear, founder of XSpearience, to break down what actually drives business value—and why most owners are overlooking it. With nearly 30 years of executive leadership and entrepreneurial experience, Marc shares why up to 80% of a company's true value comes from intangibles like leadership, trust, communication, and team performance. They dive into: The difference between building profit and building value The hidden factors that make or break a business Why trust is lost in organizations—and how to rebuild it Where most managers fall short (and how to fix it) How to shift from a "career grind" to a "career adventure" mindset If you're building a business and want it to be stronger, more scalable, and actually worth something long-term, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership and growth. Check Mark our here: https://xspearience.com/    If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!! If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

In this episode of Poised for Exit, Hilary Spreizer, Owner and CEO of The Latitude Group, shares her unexpected journey from employee to owner after purchasing the company during the uncertainty of COVID. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from leading sales and revenue generation to building the operational structure needed to scale a growing business.Hilary explains how strategic hires, stronger systems, and a focus on scalable infrastructure helped the company achieve significant growth and earn a Fast 50 award. She also shares lessons on leadership, surrounding yourself with people who know what you don't, and implementing frameworks like EOS to create accountability and long-term organizational stability.The conversation also explores how mid-market companies are approaching AI, hiring, and technology adoption. Hilary discusses why many businesses rush into AI tools without a clear strategy, the operational and privacy risks that can create, and why companies should focus first on identifying the business problem before investing in technology solutions.The episode highlights the connection between operational scalability and enterprise value, particularly for owners preparing for future growth or exit planning. Hilary shares why reducing founder dependency, building resilient teams, and slowing down long enough to create the right blueprint can dramatically improve long-term outcomes.Connect with Hillary Spreizer hereLearn more about The Latitude Group here Connect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLCFounder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor

The downside of powerful, autonomous models that can think and act?

In this episode, Carl sits down with George Sandmann of Growth Drive to discuss how business owners can increase the value of their company by building strategic capacity. They explore the gap between what owners think their business is worth and what it could be worth. The conversation highlights how improving leadership, systems, and execution can increase valuation multiples and create predictable growth. Key takeaways: Strategic capacity drives higher business value Revenue alone does not determine worth Most businesses are too dependent on the owner Private equity rewards structure and discipline Exit outcomes depend on preparation, not timing If you want to build a business that creates long-term wealth and runs without you, this episode gives you a clear path. Listen now and apply one idea this week. Connect with George:  Guest Assets:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-sandmann/  Book:  The Growth-Driving Advisor: Proven Strategies for Leading Businesses from Stuck to Best-in-Class  Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Growth-Driving-Advisor-Strategies-Best-Class/dp/164225875X  Website: https://www.growth-drive.com/ 

Seniorität im AI-Zeitalter.AI ist überall. In Demos, in LinkedIn-Posts, in Produktivitätsversprechen und inzwischen auch mitten im Entwickleralltag. Aber was passiert eigentlich, wenn Code plötzlich billig wird? Wird dann jede:r zum 10x Engineer oder merken wir erst jetzt, worauf es bei Seniorität wirklich ankommt? Genau dieser Frage gehen wir in dieser Episode nach und schauen ehrlich auf den Spannungsbogen zwischen KI-Hype, Softwarequalität, Code Reviews und Karriereentwicklung.Wir sprechen darüber, warum mehr Output nicht automatisch mehr Outcome bedeutet, was DORA-Metriken, Studien und Alltagserfahrungen über AI Coding Tools sagen und weshalb das Big Picture wichtiger wird als die pure Menge an produziertem Code. Außerdem diskutieren wir, warum Senior Engineers gerade jetzt so gefragt sind, welche Rolle Kommunikation, Priorisierung, Leadership und Architekturverständnis spielen und warum der Satz AI ist doch mein Junior deutlich zu kurz greift. Ebenso schauen wir auf den Rückgang von Junior-Rollen, auf Internships als Recruiting-Pipeline und darauf, wie Lernen, Mentoring und echte Verantwortung in einer Welt mit Coding Agents aussehen können.Wenn du verstehen willst, wie sich Softwareentwicklung, Seniorität, Juniors, Staff Engineers, AI Adoption und Business Value gerade verschieben, ist diese Folge für dich. Oder anders gesagt: Wenn mehr Code billiger wird, wird Klarheit wertvoller. Und genau da wird es spannend.Unsere aktuellen Werbepartner findest du auf https://engineeringkiosk.dev/partnersDas schnelle Feedback zur Episode:

Antonio Taylor: Turning Tech Talk into Business Value Most organizations don't have a technology problem; they have an ownership problem. Today's guest, Antonio Taylor, has spent more than 26 years in IT and executive leadership helping companies confront exactly that. He's worked with organizations navigating growth, risk, and transformation, bringing executive-level clarity to technology decisions without adding unnecessary complexity or headcount. In this episode, we explore how technical professionals can communicate more effectively with nontechnical stakeholders to drive clearer decisions, stronger alignment, and better business outcomes.To learn more about Antonio, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniodtaylor/__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comGet Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

The UK's net zero sector is now growing three times faster than the broader economy. In summer 2025, the UK Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed that achieving net zero costs far less than inaction and renewable energy has become significantly cheaper faster than previously forecast. Yet most of this positive news doesn't feature in the mainstream media, overshadowed by clickbait doom-mongering headlines. In this episode, Chartered Environmentalist Daniel Cope shares his experience of helping organisations reduce carbon emissions and waste and highlights why internal communication is an integral element of sustainable business.   About Daniel Cope Dan is a Chartered Environmentalist and the Founder of Green Lark Environmental Solutions, bringing nearly two decades of experience helping organisations navigate the realities of climate change. His work spans small enterprises to global multinationals, supporting leaders to cut emissions, strengthen resilience, and embed sustainability into strategic decision‑making. Driven by a belief that environmental stewardship and economic viability must work in tandem, Dan specialises in carbon accounting, net‑zero strategy, and the development of credible, measurable emission‑reduction programmes. He is known for translating complex climate data into clear, actionable insight, and for challenging organisations to recognise both their impact and their opportunity to lead. A passionate climate‑change speaker, Dan works to move climate action beyond political polarisation, helping organisations communicate with clarity and purpose. His focus is on enabling leaders to reduce emissions in ways that enhance performance, credibility and long‑term value.     Find Daniel on LinkedIn:                   https://www.linkedin.com/in/copedaniel/ Greenlark:                                          https://www.greenlark.co.uk/

Why do leaders make poor decisions - even with more data, better tools, and AI? In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, host Dave Bookbinder speaks with leadership advisor and performance architect John Little about why judgment - not just data, tools, or experience - is the true differentiator in leadership, decision-making, and organizational performance. The conversation explores how leaders can operate effectively in real time, avoid common decision-making blind spots like projecting their own thinking onto others, and better identify and leverage the unique strengths within their teams to improve performance. They also examine generational dynamics, employee engagement, and leadership strategy in the age of AI. Rather than reacting with fear or taking a hands-off approach, John explains how leaders can adopt AI with intention - using clear strategy, guardrails, and human judgment to drive better outcomes. John shares practical frameworks for building confidence, including “name it, tame it, reframe it,” and reinforces a critical leadership principle: trust is the foundation of performance, retention, and long-term value creation. The episode closes with a clear takeaway - leaders who actively build and restore trust will make better decisions, strengthen their teams, and create more resilient, higher-performing organizations. Who this episode is for Business owners and entrepreneurs navigating growth and change Advisors, consultants, and executives focused on leadership and performance Anyone interested in improving decision-making, team effectiveness, and business outcomes About Our Guest: Big John Little has built a career as an Executive Leadership Performance Coach around 3 key outcomes: Overcoming the limiting beliefs that create bottlenecks in your career growth and promotion potential Developing a personal leadership brand that elevates your visibility within your organization and industry Providing models and frameworks to become confident, authentic leaders in your life and career John has been a leader of people and business for more than 25 years across multiple industries. About the Host: Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and their advisors reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.  Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.  He's on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people's contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company's most valuable asset.” Dave's book, A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know, was recognized as a top new release in Business and Valuation and is designed to provide practical insights and tools to help understand what really drives business value, how to prepare for an exit, and just make better decisions. He's also the host of the highly rated Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder business podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.

In this episode of the storytelling with data podcast, Amy talks with Shachar Meir, a data executive with more than 20 years of experience leading data teams at companies including Meta and PayPal. Together, they explore what it really takes for data professionals to move beyond producing dashboards and reports to driving meaningful business outcomes.Shachar shares why technology alone rarely solves an organization's data challenges and outlines the four areas he sees mattering most: technology, people, process, and culture. He talks about trust in data, the importance of understanding your audience, and why the best data professionals learn to speak the language of the business rather than the language of tools.You'll also hear practical advice for individuals who want to increase their impact: how to better understand the business, how to frame data work in terms of outcomes, and why stepping outside your data silo can be one of the most valuable moves for your career. This is a rich conversation for anyone who wants their work with data to be more strategic, more influential, and more closely tied to real business value.RELATED RESOURCESShachar's LinkedIn | YouTubeCareer unblocking mini-course: career-unblock.shacharmeir.com$1M data professional presentation

Mahen Gundecha of SkyCrest Advisors joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a short but impactful podcast reel highlighting a critical issue in MSP exit planning: how quickly business value can erode if key relationships are not secure. Using a real-world scenario, Gundecha explained that service businesses—particularly MSPs—carry inherent risk due to their dependence on customer concentration and key employees. Even with contracts in place, clients can exit, creating immediate financial impact. He illustrated this with a simple example: if a single customer represents 20% of revenue, losing that client can significantly reduce profitability—and when valuation multiples are applied, that loss can translate into millions of dollars in reduced company value. “When you're selling a service company, you're buying people, capabilities, and customers,” Gundecha said. “If key customers or employees leave, the value of your business drops—sometimes dramatically.” The risks extend beyond customers. Gundecha shared cases where key employees departed during the sale process, sometimes triggered by the announcement of a pending acquisition. Since buyers are ultimately acquiring the team and its capabilities, the loss of critical personnel can jeopardize or even derail a deal. He also noted that undisclosed risks—such as clients planning to leave—can surface late in due diligence, forcing difficult conversations with buyers. In some cases, deals can be restructured or salvaged, but in others, buyers may walk away entirely due to heightened risk. The key takeaway: MSP owners preparing for an exit must proactively strengthen and validate relationships with both customers and employees well before entering the sale process. Regular engagement, transparency, and retention strategies are essential to preserving value. Gundecha emphasized that valuation is not just about revenue multiples, but about the stability and durability of the business—factors that directly influence buyer confidence and final deal outcomes. Learn more: https://www.skycrestadvisors.com/

What does it really take to move AI from endless experimentation into something that creates real business value? In this episode, I sat down with Tom Alexander, Head of Innovation and Transformation at CrossCountry Consulting, to talk about why so many organizations still struggle to turn AI ambition into meaningful outcomes. Tom works closely with executive and CFO teams that are either unsure where to begin or frustrated that early AI efforts have not delivered what they hoped for. We talked about why this is rarely just a technology issue. In many cases, the real blockers are ownership, change management, weak alignment across the business, and a failure to connect AI initiatives to the problems that matter most. One of the big themes in our conversation was the need to treat AI as an enterprise-wide program rather than a collection of isolated tools. Tom shared how leaders can focus on business processes first, identify where automation can genuinely improve performance, and avoid getting distracted by hype. We also unpacked the growing accountability challenge around AI, including who should own it, how stakeholders can align, and why strong foundations in data, governance, and training matter so much. This episode is packed with practical takeaways for anyone trying to make sense of AI adoption inside a business. If you are trying to figure out where to start, how to scale, or how to avoid another stalled initiative, there is a lot in here for you. After listening, I would love to hear your thoughts. How is your organization approaching AI, and where do you think most businesses are still getting it wrong? Useful Links CrossCountry website Connect with Tom Alexander on LinkedIn Field Notes podcast

Andrew Clarke and Ron Nocera of Sync-Up Business Services, and Kriston Sellier of id8, on Building Stronger Businesses Through Financial Clarity, Strategic Branding, and Long-Term Vision (Family Business Radio, Episode 74) In this episode of Family Business Radio, host Anthony Chen welcomes Andrew Clarke and Ron Nocera of Sync-Up Business Services, along with Kriston Sellier […]

Innovation is no longer a niche topic, it is a public priority with implications for economic mobility, workforce development, public trust, and regional identity. The latest in tech innovation is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which his now widely embedded in industries from workforce recruitment and healthcare to business operations and design.rnrnGreater Cleveland is also entering a defining moment in its economic evolution. Our region is home to some of the nation's (and world's) most influential enterprises-organizations that are modernizing at scale, adopting AI and data-driven strategies, and reshaping how people live, work, bank, manufacture, and receive care. At the center of this transformation are women leading technology and innovation across our largest institutions.rnrnPanelists: Elise Bockman, VP, Enterprise Data and Insights, Sherwin-Williams; Amy G. Brady, Chief Information Officer, KeyBank; Amy Merlino, MD, VP - Chief Health Information Officer, Cleveland Clinic; Katrina Redmond, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer; EatonrnModerated by Felicia Johnson, Executive Technology Leader, AI Adoption, Business Value & Digital Transformation

One of the best things about running my own podcast is the freedom to experiment. Over the years, I've been first on a few things — building our original website from scratch, launching our first newsletter, and starting the podcast. Today, I'm trying something new again. I loaded several of our current business teasers into AI, and it generated a podcast episode around them. But here's what makes this more than a novelty: in the show notes, you'll find a direct link to the full business profile and NDA. Why does that matter? Buyers tell me constantly that they hear about good opportunities too late. This format fixes that. The same listing hits the web, the email, and now the podcast — all at once, all with a clear path to learn more. If this is a format you'd like to see continue, let me know.   Highlights: (00:00) Welcome to The Defenders of Business Value (02:17) Central Indiana Commercial Electrical (05:27) Dental Equipment Service (05:51) Remotely Operated Publishing Franchise (08:19) Multi-location Market and Restaurant (10:02) Established Plumbing and HVAC Solutions (11:24) Freestanding Retail Center (13:22) Boutique Fitness Franchise (15:00) Relocatable Pest Management Franchise (16:45) Two Warehousing Fulfillment & Logistics Companies (18:49) Well-established Prototyping Company (19:30) Well-established Sub and Pizza Shop   Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Learn more about Central Indiana Commercial Electrical: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/commercial-electrical-contractor/    Learn more about Dental Equipment Service: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/dental-equipment-service-business/   Learn more about the Remotely Operated Publishing Franchise: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/established-and-remotely-operated-publishing-franchise/   Learn more about the Multi-location Market and Restaurant: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/established-multi-location-market-restaurant/    Learn more about the Established Plumbing and HVAC Solutions: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/established-plumbing-and-hvac-solutions-provider/    Learn more about Freestanding Retail Center: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/retail-center-with-two-franchises/   Learn more about Boutique Fitness Franchise: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/premium-boutique-fitness-franchise/    Learn more about Relocatable Pest Management Franchise: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/relocatable-pest-management-franchise/    Learn more about Two Warehousing Fulfillment Logistics Companies: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/two-warehousing-fulfillment-and-logistics-companies/    Learn more about the Well-established Prototyping Company: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/well-established-prototyping-company/    Learn more about Well-established Sub and Pizza Shop: https://indianabusinessadvisors.com/acadp_listings/well-established-sub-and-pizza-shop/    Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

How Delegation Builds Business Value (And Your Net Worth) | Weekly Wealth PodcastEpisode SummaryMost financial advisors talk about stocks, bonds, and investment strategies to grow your wealth. But CFP David Chudyk takes a different approach — because for most business owners, your business is your biggest asset. In this episode, David dives deep into one of the most underrated wealth-building strategies for entrepreneurs: the art of delegation.If you've ever found yourself printing documents, chasing down receipts, or answering the same questions over and over — this episode is your wake-up call. David shares why your inability to let go may be costing you more than you think, and gives you a practical, step-by-step framework to start delegating effectively today.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy delegation is a financial strategy, not just a management conceptHow being indispensable to your own business kills its value in the eyes of buyersThe real cost of "I'll just do it myself" thinkingA simple one-week exercise to identify what you should stop doing immediatelyHow to classify tasks so you know exactly what to delegate — and what to keepWhy an owner's need for certainty and control stifles growth (and what to do instead)The difference between reoccurring vs. recurring revenue and why it matters to your valuationThe 8 drivers of business value — and how delegation impacts nearly all of themThe "how much would YOU pay for your business?" gut-check exerciseKey Takeaways

 content  type Interview  primary  goal Educational  summary In this episode, Mitch Beinhaker interviews Mark about business exit strategies, valuation, and innovative ways to maximize business value and cash out tax-free. They discuss the importance of succession planning, structuring deals, and leveraging capital to grow and sell businesses more profitably.  keywords business exit, valuation, succession planning, business growth, tax-free cash out, private equity, business group, capital deployment, M&A, business strategy  key  topics Business exit strategies and valuation The Double and Keep It Framework Using capital to grow business groups Reducing fees and taxes in business sales The importance of succession planning and owner transition  guest  name Mark Titles Revolutionizing Business Exits: The Double and Keep It Framework How to Double Your Business Value Without Dilution or Debt  sound bites "COVID and cancer changed my perspective on life and business." "Cleaning up books and processes can significantly boost valuation." "Helping business owners keep more and sell smarter is our goal." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Conversation 01:23 Marc's Journey: From Sales to Business Growth 03:43 The Impact of COVID-19 on Business and Personal Life 06:44 Facing Cancer: A Life-Changing Diagnosis 12:33 The Promise to His Son and the Birth of a New Mission 16:44 Innovative Solutions for Business Owners 20:39 The Unique Approach to Business Grouping and Valuation 27:25 Building a Bigger Group: The Power of Capital 30:03 Understanding Market Dynamics and Buyer Interests 32:01 Identifying Opportunities in Various Industries 34:59 Maximizing Business Value: Strategies for Owners 38:47 Common Pitfalls in Business Valuation 44:17 Leveraging Technology for Business Growth 48:45 Disrupting Traditional Business Valuation Models  resources acquisitionsforyou.com - https://acquisitionsforyou.com The Secrets to 10Xing Your Business and Cashing Out Tax Free (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0XXXXXX Mitch Beinhaker (LinkedIn) - https://linkedin.com/in/mitchbeinhaker  

In this episode, Brian shares why documenting everything in your business is one of the most important moves you can make as an owner. From building SOPs to creating a rolling 12-month calendar of processes, these simple systems create clarity for your team, make growth easier, and build real long-term enterprise value in your company. Lawntrapreneur Academy (The #1 Resource for Starting, Growing and Scaling a Successful Lawn & Landscaping Company). - https://www.lawntrepreneuracademy.com/  Book a Granum Demo (use BRIAN25 to save!): https://www.Granum.com/Brian LMN & Coffee - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89495679453?pwd=m0wKa6prJWrARKClJKolBaJjl00OYn.1 Coast Pay Fuel Card: www.CoastPay.com/Brian

What can HR learn from private equity, where talent, culture, and leadership are part of the deal thesis from day one? In many organisations, the connection between people strategy and business outcomes is still taking shape. In private equity, however, that connection is immediate and unmistakable, with leadership quality, organisational design, workforce capability, and culture being central to the value-creation plan, with clear timelines, defined expectations, and measurable results. So, in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green speaks with Angela Geffre, Head of Human Capital at GrowthCurve Capital, to discuss what this looks like on the ground. Together, they explore what it really means to run HR in a private equity environment, and what the broader HR profession can learn from it. So tune in, and learn more about: The key people questions to ask when assessing a new portfolio companyHow HR contributes to value creation during a 3–5 year investment horizonWhat truly drives performance and retention across industries and organisation sizesHow HR must adapt when moving from large enterprises to fast-moving portfolio businessesHow AI is reshaping products, operating models, and early-career pathwaysWhy HR must lead the responsible and ethical adoption of AI, not just manage its impact This episode is sponsored by HiBob. HiBob brings HR, Payroll, and Finance together into a single platform that employees actually use. With AI throughout, you move faster, work smarter, and empower your people to power your business. Sapient Insights recognises HiBob's AI vision, citing the Bob AI Companion for making everyday work faster and easier. Fosway Group also names HiBob a 2025 9-Grid™ Core Leader, recognising the strongest AI vision among Core Leaders. HiBob. All-in-one HCM for HR, Payroll, and Finance. ​​​Learn all about HiBob's modern HR platform here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The perfect AI storm happened, and no one has noticed yet.

What does it really take to move enterprise AI from impressive demos to decisions that show up in quarterly results? One year into his role as Global Managing Partner at IBM Consulting, Neil Dhar sits at the intersection of strategy, capital allocation, and technology execution. Leading the firm's Americas business and a team of close to 100,000 consultants, he has a front-row view into how large organizations are reassessing their AI investments. From global healthcare leaders like Medtronic to luxury retail brands such as Neiman Marcus, the conversation has shifted. Early proofs of concept helped executives understand what was possible. Now the focus is firmly on proof of value and on whether AI can drive growth, competitiveness, and measurable return. In this episode, I speak with Neil Dhar about what has changed in the boardroom over the past year and why ROI has become the central question. Drawing on more than three decades in finance and private equity, including senior leadership roles at PwC, Neil explains why AI is increasingly being treated as a capital allocation decision rather than a technology experiment. Every dollar invested has to earn its place, whether through productivity gains, operational improvement, or new revenue opportunities. Vanity projects no longer survive scrutiny, especially when boards and investors expect results on a much shorter timeline. We also explore how IBM is applying these same principles internally. Neil shares how the company has identified hundreds of workflows across the business, prioritized those with the strongest economic impact, and used AI and automation to drive large-scale productivity gains. The result is a potential $4.5 billion in annual run rate savings by 2025, with those gains being reinvested into innovation, people, and future growth. It is a candid look at what happens when AI strategy, leadership accountability, and disciplined execution come together inside a global organization. If you are a business leader trying to separate real value from hype, or someone wrestling with how to justify AI spend beyond experimentation, this conversation offers a grounded perspective on what enterprise AI looks like when it is treated as a business decision rather than a technology trend. Are you ready to rethink how AI earns its place inside your organization, and what proof of value really means in 2026? Useful Links Connect With Neil Dhar IBM Institute for Business Value, "The Enterprise in 2030" study Learn More About IBM Consulting

Building a business is an incredible feat, but successfully exiting that business and turning it into a true family legacy is a completely different challenge. Many entrepreneurs find themselves "self-employed" rather than owning a sellable asset—if you can't take a three-week vacation without the wheels falling off, do you really own a business, or does the business own you?In this episode, Corwyn J. Melette sits down with Cameron Bishop, Managing Director and Partner at Rain Catcher, to discuss how to navigate the technical and emotional rollercoaster of selling a business. With over 35 years of experience and a half-billion dollars in transactions, Cameron reveals the common pitfalls that make companies unsellable and how you can start strategizing for your "personal promised land" today.Key Takeaways:7:56 -   The Lifestyle Business Trap: Understanding the difference between a "lifestyle business" (where you are the business) and a sellable asset.10:12-  The "Bus Test": A simple diagnostic to see if your business is ready for exit: If you were hit by a bus tomorrow, would the business survive?12:08-  The Silver Tsunami: Why the baby boomer generation is facing a unique challenge with succession planning as fewer children choose to take over family firms.14:13-  The "Dr. Phil" Side of M&A: Why selling a business takes 9–10 months and involves as much emotional navigation as it does financial negotiation.15:54-  The 5 Critical Deal Killers:Poor accounting (Cash vs. Accrual/GAP).Owner dependency.Customer concentration (The 20% rule).Vendor dependency.Below-average gross profit margins.24:00-  Creative Exit Structures: Why a "full cash payout" is rare and how seller notes, SBA loans, and earn-outs work.Legacy Moment Takeaway:“A well-planned exit isn't just a transaction—it's your opportunity to turn years of hard work into a lasting legacy for your family and future generations.”- Cameron BishopConnect with Cameron:Email: Cameron.Bishop@raincatcher.comWebsite: www.raincatcher.comLinkedIn: Cameron BishopConnect with Corwyn:Contact Number: 843-619-3005Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/exitstrategiesradioshow/⁠FB Page:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/exitstrategiessc/⁠Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxoSuynJd5c4qQ_eDXLJaZA⁠Website:⁠ https://www.exitstrategiesradioshow.com⁠Linkedin:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmelette/⁠Shoutout to our Sponsor: Country Boy HomesYou served your country with pride. Now it's time someone serves you. At Country Boy Homes, we believe every veteran deserves a safe, beautiful and affordable place to call home.We proudly offer VA loan friendly, manufactured and modular homes built with integrity, quality and your family and mine. Whether you're retiring to the peaceful low country or starting fresh with your family, we're here to build the future you've earned. Give us a call today, 843-574-8979.Country Boy Homes, Built to Honor, Built to Last.