Podcasts about businesses

David Royce went from a broke college kid in a door-to-door pest control job to building and selling four service businesses for nine-figure exits by applying Silicon Valley systems to an unsexy blue-collar industry. In this interview, he breaks down exactly how he scaled Aptive Environmental to over $500M in revenue, created a training engine that produced top-1% sales performers, and built a culture that became a recruiting magnet in a commodity market. For founders interested in recurring revenue, service businesses, systems, or operational excellence, this episode is a blueprint for building a scalable, sellable company from scratch. What you'll learn in this interview: • How David turned a “crappy summer job” into four nine-figure exits • The sales framework that took him from total failure to top 1% in one week • Why following your passion is overrated and unsexy industries create the biggest opportunities • The systemised sales engine and training playbook that scaled nationwide • How he built a white-collar culture inside a blue-collar business • Why paranoia is a competitive advantage and how to avoid the “screw-up phase” • How to structure a company for maximum exit value • The strategy behind selling three companies to the same buyer • How software, gamification, and AI supercharged efficiency and sales • What founders must understand about recurring revenue and private-equity rollups By the end of this episode, you'll understand the exact principles David used to build scalable operations, dominate an overlooked market, and turn recurring revenue into generational wealth — giving you the roadmap to build a company buyers compete for. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠ to get started. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH DAVID ROYCE LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thedavidroyce/ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast

If your business relies on video calls, messaging apps, or mobile devices, you are at risk for a new kind of attack.In this episode of IT Visionaries, host Chris Brandt sits down with Christine Gadsby, Chief Security Officer at BlackBerry, to explore how AI, deepfakes, and weakened telecom infrastructure are reshaping the modern threat landscape.Christine explains why enterprises can no longer trust what they see or hear, how metadata has become one of the most valuable intelligence sources for attackers, and why encryption alone is no longer enough to protect high-risk communications.She also breaks down how nation-state groups like Salt Typhoon infiltrate global telco networks, exploit unpatchable 2G and 3G protocols, and use AI to refine attacks in real time. Key Moments:00:00 – Where Organizations Are Underestimating Communication Risk04:05 – Can You Still Trust What You See and Hear on a Call?08:11 – How Internal Messaging Quietly Became an Attack Surface12:18 – Why Encryption Alone Does Not Secure Communications16:24 – What BlackBerry Is Today and Why It Still Matters20:31 – Why Governments and Enterprises Face a Different Threat Model24:37 – How AI Deepfakes Changed Executive and Enterprise Risk28:44 – Which Conversations Inside Your Company Matter Most?32:50 – The Trust Assumptions Most Companies Don't Realize They're Making36:56 – Why Attackers Wait for Moments of Urgency41:03 – Is Cyber Extortion Sometimes a Cover for Espionage?45:09 – Who Salt Typhoon Is and Why Telecom Networks Were Targeted49:15 – Why Telecom Infrastructure Became an Intelligence Goldmine53:22 – Why 2G and 3G Networks Still Put Modern Systems at Risk57:28 – What Secure Communications Actually Require Today  -- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, Justin Sloan shares his journey from operating a chain of cell phone stores to becoming a successful real estate investor and restaurant owner. He discusses the importance of scalability in business, the challenges posed by the current economic climate, and the strategies he employs to navigate these challenges. Justin emphasizes the significance of networking, maintaining focus, and adapting to change in business. He also shares his philosophy of growth, likening it to nurturing bamboo, where consistent effort leads to significant results over time.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

QFF: Quick Fire Friday – Your 20-Minute Growth Powerhouse!   Welcome to Quick Fire Friday, the Grow A Small Business podcast series that is designed to deliver simple, focused and actionable insights and key takeaways in less than 20 minutes a week.   Every Friday, we bring you business owners and experts who share their top strategies for growing yourself, your team and your small business. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, one action you can implement and quotable quotes that will stick with you long after the episode ends!   In this episode of Quick Fire Friday, host Rob Cameron interviews Mike Goldman, leadership team coach and founder of The Better Leadership Team. Mike shares why most business growth problems are actually people problems — and how strong leadership teams fix them. They discuss stalled growth, rapid scaling challenges, and how to build teams that execute without constant micromanagement. Mike breaks down practical ways leaders can set clear expectations, coach effectively, and hold people accountable. A must-listen for business owners who want sustainable growth, higher profits, and a company that runs smoothly without burnout. Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners: People problems cause most growth problems — when progress stalls, the issue is usually leadership, structure, or talent, not strategy.   Strong leadership teams drive everything — as the leadership team performs, the rest of the business follows.   Clear expectations prevent poor results — unclear roles, behaviors, and success metrics always lead to disappointment. Our hero crafts outstanding reviews following the experience of listening to our special guests. Are you the one we've been waiting for?   Right people matter more than perfect strategy — even an average plan succeeds with the right team, while a great plan fails with the wrong one.   Growth requires structure, not hustle — fast-growing businesses collapse without clear roles, accountability, and discipline.   Great leaders coach, not just manage — consistent coaching and talent development turn average performers into top contributors. You Will Lose Some Clients — and That's Good: Raising prices naturally filters out low-value customers, making room for clients who appreciate and pay for quality.   One action small business owners can take: According to Mike Goldman, one action small business owners can take is to clearly define and document specific expectations and measures of success for each team member, then align on those expectations through open conversation so accountability, performance, and growth are no longer left to assumption. Do you have 2 minutes every Friday? Sign up to the Weekly Leadership Email. It's free and we can help you to maximize your time. Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.

What does it really take to help women entrepreneurs scale in Canada — and where are we still falling short?In this episode, Eva Hartling sits down with Julie Dimitri, National Manager, Women in Enterprise at TD, for an in-depth conversation on the realities women founders face when navigating financing, growth, and long-term sustainability.Drawing on TD's recent research with the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, Julie unpacks why access to capital remains a persistent barrier, why Canada has a scale-up problem — not a start-up problem, and how confidence, timing, and banking relationships can make or break a business's growth trajectory.Together, Eva and Julie explore:Why women entrepreneurs tend to wait too long to seek funding — and the cost of that delayWhat women actually want from their banking relationshipsHow bias and confidence gaps still show up in financial decision-makingThe importance of relationship-based banking and integrated financial supportWhy ecosystems, mentorship, and intentional connections matter as much as capitalThis episode offers practical insights for women founders at every stage, as well as a candid look at what financial institutions must do differently to truly support women-led businesses.A must-listen for entrepreneurs, advisors, and anyone committed to unlocking the full economic potential of women in Canada.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Deloitte's latest Tech Trends report makes one thing clear: real AI value doesn't come from dropping chatbots or agents onto old workflows, but from redesigning how organizations actually work. This episode breaks down why agentic AI forces process redesign, infrastructure modernization, and new management models, why legacy systems, data readiness, and governance remain the biggest blockers, and what separates companies getting real value from those stuck in pilots. The core lesson from 2025 is simple but hard: AI advantage comes from rebuilding operations for an AI-native world, not layering tools on top of the past. Brought to you by:KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rovo - Unleash the potential of your team with AI-powered Search, Chat and Agents - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rovo.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zenflow by Zencoder - Turn raw speed into reliable, production-grade output at https://zenflow.free/LandfallIP - AI to Navigate the Patent Process - https://landfallip.com/Blitzy.com - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blitzy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to build enterprise software in days, not months Robots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://robotsandpencils.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://besuper.ai/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@aidailybrief.ai

Reach Out Via Text!In this episode Jeremiah Jennings walks through the real planning process behind Growing Green Landscapes heading into twenty twenty six and explains why growth without discipline nearly broke the business the year before. He shares how revenue growth exposed weak systems cash leaks and the absence of a predictable lead engine and why the next season must be built on data instead of emotion. Jeremiah breaks down his focus on building a legitimate marketing pipeline tracking close rates and average job size and using real numbers to evaluate return on investment. He explains how spending money on marketing without analytics is gambling and why knowing your numbers allows you to hold vendors accountable and make confident decisions. This episode is a practical look at how to move from guessing to leading and how disciplined planning can turn chaos into controlled growth.Support the show 10% off LMN Software- https://lmncompany.partnerlinks.io/growinggreenpodcast Signup for our Newsletter- https://mailchi.mp/942ae158aff5/newsletter-signup Book A Consult Call-https://stan.store/GrowingGreenPodcast Lawntrepreneur Academy-https://www.lawntrepreneuracademy.com/ The Landscaping Bookkeeper-https://thelandscapingbookkeeper.com/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/growinggreenlandscapes/ Email-ggreenlandscapes@gmail.com Growing Green Website- https://www.growinggreenlandscapes.com/

Exiting Tech Businesses: Insights from Draven Draven, a seasoned tech entrepreneur, joined Michael to discuss his journey of building and successfully exiting two tech companies. The first was a software development agency that he scaled organically, and the second was a field service management business sold to a billion-dollar private equity group in July 2024. Draven shared valuable lessons on how taking outside investment impacts exit strategies, stressing the importance of market timing, investor expectations, and strategic foresight. Resilience and Entrepreneurial Growth Draven opened up about his early life challenges, including being homeless at 18, and how those experiences shaped his mindset. Once something he hid, his story has now become a source of strength, teaching him resilience and empathy. Michael pointed out that Draven's grounded approach to entrepreneurship reflects a focus on survival and practical outcomes rather than distractions. Draven shared how his mindset evolved from surviving to thriving—seeking growth and purpose beyond financial goals. Journey to Personal Resilience Michael reflected on his own experiences of overcoming adversity, including a near-fatal heart attack and financial setbacks. These moments reinforced the importance of resilience and personal evolution. Both Michael and Draven agreed that while financial success matters, the deeper reward comes from self-development, expanding one's potential, and learning through change. They discussed how continuous adaptation of tools, strategies, and mindsets is crucial for navigating both business and life's transitions. Klipboard.io's Field Service Management Focus Draven shared insights into his company Klipboard.io, which was acquired by Carriage Commercial Systems in July 2024 and rebranded globally. Klipboard.io specializes in field service management software that empowers technicians in plumbing, HVAC, and fire equipment industries through digital tools for operations, quoting, scheduling, job management, invoicing, and accounting. Michael connected this to his own consulting experiences, emphasizing the importance of technology that simplifies processes instead of complicating them. Draven agreed, underscoring how meaningful it feels to deliver solutions that make technicians' work more efficient and rewarding. Benefits of Field Service Software Together, Michael and Draven explored how Klipboard.io's platform helps field service teams streamline workflows and reduce operational bottlenecks. By automating manual processes, businesses can increase their capacity and focus on serving clients. Draven noted that many service companies still lack modern digital systems, making tailored solutions essential for improving productivity and profitability. Both emphasized the power of listening to users and designing around their real-world needs for stronger adoption and measurable results. Collaboration and Feedback in Leadership Draven and Michael closed the conversation by discussing leadership, collaboration, and the importance of feedback in building great products and organizations. They highlighted that simplifying processes, including diverse perspectives, and inviting constructive input lead to better outcomes. Draven shared that surrounding himself with knowledgeable, thoughtful people has been key to his growth as both a leader and entrepreneur. Connect with Draven Listeners can connect with Draven via his LinkedIn profile or his personal website. Learn more about Klipboard.io's field service management solutions at klipboard.io.

Learn why doing an annual editorial business review is a good, professional habit.Listen to find out more aboutWhat is an annual business review?Why regular reviews matterChecking your financial healthReviewing clients and projectsRealigning services and goalsReviewing marketing and brandingProfessional developmentCelebrating successHow to do your own reviewBook series: Notes from the PodcastWant to hone your editorial business skills? Our actionable guides and workbooks help you plan and implement a programme for business growth and development. Find out more here: https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/notes.htmlSupport The Editing PodcastTip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.theeditingpodcast.captivate.fm/supportJoin our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes. Tier-2 patrons also receive bonus content for most episodes.patreon.com/editingpodcastDenise and LouiseDenise Cowle: denisecowleeditorial.comLouise Harnby: harnby.co/fiction-editingPost-productionLiv Cowle: livcowle.comMusic credit'Vivacity' by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacityLicence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Sometimes, you can't envision what's possible for yourself until you're already living it. As a mom entrepreneur, the road to building a business that truly reflects who you are can feel uncertain, but it's also incredibly rewarding. In this episode, I'm sharing the three things I love most about helping moms build their businesses. These aren't just personal reflections; they're the reasons why this work is so meaningful to me and why I'm passionate about helping moms like you create businesses that light them up. And I'm sharing them so you can start to see a version of your own future that you maybe haven't been able to imagine yet. For more information, transcript, and show notes, click here: jenna.coach/83 Join me for a free consultation by clicking here: https://mom.jenna.coach/apply You're invited to join us every 2nd Thursday for my free Mom Entrepreneurs Circle. Sign up here: https://mom.jenna.coach/circle Keep up with me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-rykiel and Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/jrykiel3 If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, review, and share the podcast! Your support helps the show reach moms just like you who are ready to quit their 9-to-5 in pursuit of a life and business they love. Click here for instructions on how to leave a review: https://jenna.coach/podcast/podcastlaunch

Resilience isn't just for small startups—it's vital for businesses of all sizes. In this episode, Jonathan Biddle, author of Supply Chain for Startups, joins Reid Jackson to discuss how companies can build resilient supply chains using key metrics and smart strategies. Jonathan explains how early decisions about structure, visibility, and supplier engagement can set you up for long-term success.  This conversation offers a clear view of what it takes to build supply chain operations that can adapt as the business grows. In this episode, you'll learn: How process mapping uncovers weak points that limit supply chain stability Why consistent supplier communication strengthens visibility and reduces risk The early operational signals that indicate it's time to upgrade systems Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (04:07) Building resilience for early-stage supply chains (06:37) Why supplier insight matters for managing risk (09:41) Daily and weekly habits that improve operations (14:36) Signals that current processes are no longer scalable (20:06) Tools that support growing operations (25:11) How AI can help small supply chain teams (30:21) Jonathan's favorite tech Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn   This episode is brought to you by: Aarongraphics and Wholechain If you're interested in becoming or working with a GS1 US solution partner, please connect with us on LinkedIn or on our website. Connect with the guests: Jonathan Biddle on LinkedInCheck out Jonathan's book, Supply Chain for Startups

(Lander, WY) – The KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM Today in the 10 interview series Coffee Time continued today with host Vince Tropea, who recently spoke with Meghan Manning from the Lander Chamber and Paul Guschewsky from Chase Property Management. The Chamber and Chase Property Management have teamed up for a multi-business Business After Hours, taking place this Thursday, December 18, from 5:30 to 7. The Business After Hours will feature a poker run for each business at the 535 E Main Street building (and a couple of neighboring buildings), with prizes for the best hand at the end of the night. Businesses include: Sagewest, Farmers Insurance, Connect Speech Therapy, Elevate Rehab, Summit Orthopedics and Spine Institute, and Western Wyoming Medical. As always, Business After Hours is free, and refreshments will be served. Check out the full Coffee Time interview with Meghan and Paul below for all of the details! Be sure to tune in to Today in the 10 and Coffee Time interviews every morning from 7:00 to 9:00 AM on KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM, or stream it live right here.

What happens when you try to sell a business that isn't ready, and why do eighty percent of companies fail to sell at allThis week on Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary talks with Stephen H. Wagner, CFP, CEPA, CEO of Integrity Wealth Advisors and one of the few financial planners who deeply understand both the emotional and economic sides of money. Stephen brings decades of experience helping business owners navigate growth, long-term planning, and the complex exit path most entrepreneurs don't think about until it's too late. From fiduciary responsibility to devastating business-sale statistics, Stephen breaks down what every owner must know if they want long-term success and a future they won't regret. → Why eighty percent of businesses never sell, and why seventy-five percent of the ones that do sell regret it within a year. 08.28 → How fiduciary advisors legally must put your interests first and why that matters more than ever. 03.26 → The two types of business owners and the financial traps both fall into. 12.53 → How to prepare your business years before an exit to maximize value. 08.28–09.26 → Why emotions and politics ruin financial decision-making and how Stephen teaches clients to stay focused on facts. 18.45 → The real value of a trusted advisor who keeps you invested, organized, and thinking clearly through volatility. 21.22Call to ActionSubscribe to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth for honest conversations that help you build a smarter, more profitable business and a stronger financial future. Connect with Stephen Wagner. www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-h-wagner-cfp Connect with Gary Heldt. www.linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWhat really happens when you walk away from a packed, 7-figure beauty business… on purpose?

S5:E37 Small business owners: your phone experience is part of your brand. In this episode, Jessica Volker (Business Development Director at Responsive Answering Service) sits down with Dr. LL and breaks down why "scripted and offshore" support is driving customers crazy. She shares how human-first answering, smart automation, and better processes can protect your reputation and capture more leads. Top takeaways and timestamps: ⏱️3:56 — Why overly scripted customer service destroys trust (and how to sound human again) ⏱️5:36 — The answering service evolution: from "take a message" to virtual receptionist + CRM/EHR updates  ⏱️7:28 — AI in customer service: where it helps (wrap-up tasks) and where humans still win ⏱️12:33 — Work-life reality: how flexibility creates better employees (and better outcomes) ⏱️20:53 — What's coming in 2026: expanded omnichannel support (social, email, text, scheduling, integrations) Follow us on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Midlifesuccess Instagram: https://instagram.com/steerus Facebook: https://facebook.com/steerus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/steerus TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@steerus   #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #CustomerService #CustomerExperience #AnsweringService #smallbizstories

Take our 5 minute quiz and get your free Contractor Growth Roadmap: https://trybta.com/DL251To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP251 Will AI replace construction workers?

Ferdinand wanted to make cars for the people, but the Porsche brand we know is an empire of performance. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients, so here’s one of those. [ASAP Commercial Doors Ad] Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast. It’s the podcast where we talk about empires that were built, businesses, business empires. You know what we… If you’ve listened before, you know… Stephen Semple: Something like that. I get it. Businesses that have done pretty well over the years. Dave Young: They started small. Stephen Semple: They started small. Dave Young: They started small and then they got big. They got so big to the point that you could call them an empire. Stephen Semple: That’s it. That’s the idea. Dave Young: It’s a pretty simple premise. Stephen Semple: That’s it. Dave Young: So as we counted down, Steve told me the topic today and it’s Porsche. Stephen Semple: Yes, sir. Dave Young: Porsche. I’m assuming this is the car. Stephen Semple: The car, yes, the car. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: The car. Dave Young: And I’m trying to… I know some Porsche jokes, but I probably shouldn’t tell those on this show. I’m trying to think if I’ve ever actually been in a Porsche. Stephen Semple: Oh, well then you’ve got to come up and see me, Dave. Dave Young: You own one. I know you own one. Stephen Semple: Well, I have one. Bernier’s got two. I don’t know how many Steve has. Dave Young: I see how it is. I see how it is. Maybe I will tell my Porsche joke. So you guys that own them, do you call it Porscha? Because some of us just say Porsche. Stephen Semple: Well, if you actually take a look back, that’s the proper German pronunciation as Porsche. Dave Young: Porsche, okay. Stephen Semple: And it’s supposed to not be… It’s not Italian Porsche, right? So it’s Porsche. Dave Young: Porsche, Porsche. Okay, I’ll accept that. I’ll accept that. I’m guessing we’re- Stephen Semple: Well, look, you got to always call a dealership to double check. They’ll tell you. Dave Young: Now, if I had to guess where we’re headed to start this off sometime around the 40s, maybe earlier. Stephen Semple: A little earlier than that, actually. It was founded by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 in Stuttgart, Germany. You’re not far off. But the interesting thing is where the growth really happened, even though that’s when it was founded, when things really started to happen, was actually post-World War II. Dave Young: That makes sense. Stephen Semple: You’re correct on that. Dave Young: So, it started in 31 and by the time you hit the late 30s and 40s, you’re part of the war machine. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So it was founded in 1931, Stuttgart, Germany by Ferdinand. And when we take a look at the history of the business for a very long time, they were a part of the VW group, although they were recently spun off into their own separate business. And there’s a lot of shared history between VW and Porsche. A lot of people make fun of the fact that it’s basically a VW. There’s so much connection. Now here’s the other thing is, there’s a lot of connection in Nazi Germany here as well. And I mean- Dave Young: That’s what I was intimating but trying not to say, but yes, there was definitely. Stephen Semple: And not one of these ones of, “Oh, I’m a business and I got sucked up into the machine.” I mean, very early on. Very early on. Ferdinand was a member of the SS following the war, both he and his son were charged. Dave Young: No kidding. Stephen Semple: He served two years in jail. His son six months. So we’re not talking loose connections here. He was a buddy of Adolf. Let’s just put it out there. And if you remember, going back to episode 21, VW was founded by Nazi Germany. So episode 21 about The Beetle, and Ferdinand was the guy who designed the Beetle. Dave Young: Right, right. I remember you saying that, Ferdinand Porsche. Stephen Semple: And look, Porsche has not always had the success it has today. It’s become pretty big. They do 40 billion EU in sales. They have 40,000 employees. They make 300,000 cars. There was a time that they’re making cars in the hundreds and thousands. It wasn’t that long ago. But let’s go back to Germany to the early 1900s. And if we think about Germany at that time, pre-World War II, pre-World War I, there was lots of history of engineering and science in Germany. More Nobel Prizes in Science was awarded to Germany than anywhere else in the world at that time. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: Germany was a real leader in science and engineering. And the first commercial automobile was made in Germany by Mercedes-Benz. So it’s 1906 and Daimler recruits Ferdinand because Ferdinand had been the winner of the Pottingham [inaudible 00:06:05] Prize, which is the automotive engineer of the year, which is given to new chief engineers and basically allows the person to have this designated doctor engineer honoris causa, Ferdinand Porsche. And he would go around calling himself all of that. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: And this is an honorary doctorate because he never actually finished college, but he had real engineering chops, Ferdinand. So he moves to Stuttgart, which at the time is a center of car making in Germany, including all the suppliers. And he works for Benz for 20 years. Okay. Now, it’s Germany in the 1930s and 2% of the population own a car in Germany as compared to the United States, which is 30%. Dave Young: In that time? Stephen Semple: In that time. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Ferdinand comes up with this idea of we should make an inexpensive car. We shouldn’t be making car for the wealthy. We should make an inexpensive car. The board rejects the idea. Ferdinand leaves in 1929. And in 1931… Kicks around for a few years, and then 1931 starts a consulting firm. Now, this dude knew how to name things. You’re ready for the name of the company? Dave Young: Of the consulting firm? Stephen Semple: Of the consulting firm. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: I have to read this to get it right. The Doctor Engineer Honoris Causa Ferdinand Porsche Construction and Consulting and Design Services for Motor Vehicles. Dave Young: Now, if I know anything about German, that was all one word that you just said, right? Stephen Semple: Well- Dave Young: No spaces in between any of those words. Stephen Semple: Translated, you’ll see it as Dr. in H period, C period, F period, Porsche, capital G, small M, small B, capital H. Dave Young: It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Stephen Semple: Now, here’s the crazy thing. Up until 2009, that remained the official name of the company. You actually can find, if you see Porsche’s older than that, that if you look for that, it’ll be stamped somewhere in the car that that’s the manufacturer. Dave Young: They changed it finally because it was just too expensive to- Stephen Semple: It cost too much- Dave Young: Put that many letters in a dye cast. Stephen Semple: Exactly, exactly. Dave Young: Holy cow. Stephen Semple: So it’s 1934 and they land a contract with Germany to design a small affordable car for the people called the Volkswagen. Dave Young: Volkswagen. Stephen Semple: Beetle. Right, there you go. Now, here’s the thing that’s weird. Post World War II, the allies are in trying to rebuild Germany and no one owns VW. VW was owned by the state. So now it’s in the hands of the British and the British and the allies want to create a strong economy in West Germany because it’s now the Cold War. So the big defense to defending against East Germany and the expansion of communism is to really get the economy going in Germany. And so the British government, as we know from episode 21 about the Beetle, approached Porsche who designed it and said, “Help us get this car built.” And this is where it gets just a little bit weird because the son goes in one direction. Ferdinand’s doing his own thing. They both got arrested for war crimes. Son gets out first because he did six months. And his son’s name’s Ferry and his dad is in jail for two years. So between this time where dad’s still in jail and son’s out, here’s one of the things they did towards the end of the war. We don’t know exactly how many, but it was probably about 20 of their best engineers and they moved them out into the farmland of Austria and basically had them working in a barn because they didn’t want to get them arrested or killed, quite frankly. So Ferry gets out and he goes to this barn in Austria and he’s looking around and he goes, “What the heck are we going to do to make some money? Let’s start fixing up cars.” Now, not a huge business fixing up cars. It’s post-war and there weren’t a lot of cars in Germany anyway, but they had to do something. Then the dad gets out of jail and he ends up doing this work with Volkswagen. Now, here’s what’s interesting. And this is where the really tight ties between Porsche and Volkswagen start. The deal that the German government gives Ferdinand, the deal that the allies give Ferdinand is this. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories to Sell Ad] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: The deal that the allies give Ferdinand is this. We want your help designing and distributing this car. We will give you a royalty for every VW Beetle sold worldwide. Dave Young: Wow, that’s pretty generous. Stephen Semple: Well, no one knew it was going to be such a huge success and basically go for 50 years that car was being built. Dave Young: Right, right. Stephen Semple: So for a long time, the biggest source of revenue for Porsche was royalties on VW Beetle sales. Dave Young: Wow, okay. So it really- Stephen Semple: Isn’t that crazy? Dave Young: It really wouldn’t exist if that deal hadn’t been made. Stephen Semple: May not have, may not have. Now, meanwhile, Ferry, who has design chops of his own and loves cars, started tinkering around with vehicles. And what he started to do was put big engines in small cars. There was all these Beetle parts lying around. He would build a car, this little car, and he’d put a big engine in it. And if you go back in the time, if you go back and take a look in the late 30s, early 40s, and you take a look at Ferraris and things like that, you take a look at the race cars at the time, they were two-thirds engines. They’re these massive engines. So he went the opposite direction. He said, “Well, let’s take a little car and put a big engine in it.” And he’s driving around and he goes, “This is fun.” Because he’s basing it on parts lying around, which is the VW stuff. It’s an engine in the back. This becomes the Porsche 356, which is basically Porsche’s first car. So they start making this car and they wanted to make it somewhat affordable. So the price was $3,750, which would be $42,000 today. And they also wanted to have it as being a daily driver because again, everybody else making performance cars were not daily drivers, had a trunk, bunch of things, daily driver. And this is an important part of Porsche’s DNA. We’re going to come back to this a little bit later, this idea of it being a daily driver. So coming out of World War II, sports cars, industry’s happening and everybody’s got one. MG and Jag in the UK, there’s Ferrari in Italy, you get the idea. Now, one thing I forgot to mention that’s interesting and still today, the government state of Lower Saxony, which is basically would be the state, they still own 20% of Volkswagen. Dave Young: Really? Okay. Stephen Semple: I forgot to mention that. Dave Young: Who are they now? Stephen Semple: Well, Volkswagen’s still around. Volkswagen’s still- Dave Young: No, who is the Saxony? Stephen Semple: Well, it’d be like saying the state of Texas. It’s a state. Dave Young: Okay, it’s just a part of Germany. Stephen Semple: Part of Germany and that government still owns 20% of the company. Dave Young: What a world. Stephen Semple: Now there’s all this stimulus going on in Germany to try to get the economy going. One of the things that they did, there was a really interesting tax rate. There was an interesting tax structure. There was a very high marginal tax rate. Now, ordinary people were taxed at 15%, but the marginal tax rate could go as high as 95%. And the reason why they wanted to do this was create this incentive for reinvestment. So there’s all this… As they’re making money, there’s this heavy reinvestment. And in the early 50s, racing is really exploding. Automobile racing is really exploding, but the lines between professional and amateur is blurry. If you remember, James Dean and Steve McQueen and other actors, Paul Newman, were all racing. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: They’re all racing vehicles. And Jaguar and Porsche were trying to do the same thing in terms of creating this daily driver that you could race. Now in the end, Porsche won, and I think part of it is because quite frankly, they just built a better vehicle. There was a time where the joke with Jaguars was you had to own two because one would always be in the shop and one… And going back to the early DNA, Ferry Porsche was quoted as saying, “We have the only car that can go from an East African safari to race in the Le Mans to take out to theater and then drive on the streets in New York.” Dave Young: Wow, okay. Stephen Semple: And look, today, Porsche still heavily advertises that. They will advertise a Porsche driving through the snow with ski racks on it. And not their SUVs, the 911. This is very much part of it. And if you think about it, this parallels what Rolex did in the early days. You remember from episode 184 with Rolex. Rolex, the Submariner, the Explorer. Dave Young: Target by niche. Stephen Semple: Target by niche and make it tough and something that you could use and wear day to day. So it’s 1954 and Porsche’s selling 588 cars and about 40% of them is in the US. So really what’s making things hum with them is all those Beetle sales. And it’s the ’60s, the Ford Mustang comes out, the Jag E type comes out, the Austin-Healey comes out, and Porsche decides they need a new vehicle. And they were going to do a sedan, a four door sedan. But what they realized was they didn’t really want to compete with Mercedes and BMW. So they looked around at the other German car manufacturers and they said, “You know what? That’s probably not the place to go.” They had designed it up and that project failed. They had also been working on a six cylinder Boxter engine. So Boxter engine, the cylinders are opposed, so they’re like boxing. And the whole idea is that lowers the center of gravity of the weight of the engine. And they had a project that they were working on that that didn’t go ahead. So they stepped back and they went, “Maybe what we should do is just reduce the size of the sedan and put that engine in it.” That’s what they did. And that became the Porsche 901. Except there’s a problem. Peugeot had the copyright for zero in the middle of a bunch of numbers in France. They couldn’t call it the 901 because of that copyright. Dave Young: So they called it- Stephen Semple: So they called it the 911. And that’s now the iconic Porsche car. 1966, they sell 13,000 of these cars. Now, here’s the thing that I think is very interesting. And Porsche, as far as I could figure out, is the only car manufacturer that does this. First of all, they’ve maintained the 911 forever, but even on top of that, Porsche really understands design language. We can all recognize a Porsche. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: We can recognize one from 2020. We can recognize one from 1999. We can recognize one from 1970. Even though they’ve upgraded the technology, they’ve changed the design of the car. They’ve now come out with the Cayman and the Macan and the Cayenne. They’re all recognizable as that vehicle. They’ve done a great job of doing that. I think that was a lost opportunity, frankly, when Tesla came out because they had a clean design slate. Tesla could have done that. But I think that’s really interesting how they’ve managed to maintain, even though they’ll modernize it. In our minds, we still will see one and go, “That’s a Porsche.” Dave Young: Sure. And the great car brands are able to do that. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Audi is always going to be an Audi. Volvo is always going to look like a Volvo. And in the Portals class at Wizard Academy, one of the videos that I use to demonstrate that, there’s a language. If you combine specific shapes and specific lines, that all adds up to that brand of car. And so I’ve got an old video that I got when I was in the Motor Press Guild from Audi. It was just a video that was made for journalists with an Audi designer explaining all the lines on the car when they came out with the Q7 and how it still maintained the Audi design language. It was fascinating. Stephen Semple: It is. Dave Young: So Porsche could tell you that and the cool thing is those designers can tell you that. It’s hard for you and I to go, “Well, I can look at it and say, “That’s a Porsche.” But to be able to put it into words that describe it to someone else, is a gift. Stephen Semple: What’s really interesting, my nephew, Jeffrey, he loves Audi’s. That’s what he has. And he’ll even make the comment, he doesn’t like the Porsche’s because you feel like you’re in a bubble. Audis are very square. If you look at the back of an Audi and you look at the rear end of a Porsche, it has hips. But again, he’s even, “They’re great cars, but I like the squareness of the Audi.” So that’s interesting. Dave Young: Audi Audi has a fairly, not perpendicular, but an upright grill more so than a … And that’s part of their design language. Stephen Semple: So the whole DNA of Porsche came from this whole idea of a small car. Dave Young: Big engine. Stephen Semple: Big engine, daily driver, that was the whole idea is, it’s supposed to be a car that you can drive every day. That’s the core, core, core, core principle. That’s why they always have decent sized trunks. I remember when Gary bought his Boxter, one of the things he loved about it is you can actually put two sets of golf clubs in that car. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Right? Now, here’s what’s fun. There was a time where when they were really wanting to get things going, they did some great print advertisements. So they had ads like bug killer. Another one was calling it transportation is like calling sex reproduction. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Now, two of my favorites, one was not perfect. It would list 20 or 30 races that Porsche won. And if you actually read it, there was two that it didn’t. Dave Young: That they didn’t, “We didn’t win all the races.” Stephen Semple: So not perfect. Dave Young: That could have been driver error. Stephen Semple: That could have been. But Dave, you were going to make some jokes. Porsche’s able to laugh at itself. It actually had an ad that said, “Small penis? Have I got a car for you? If you’re going to overcompensate, then by all means, overcompensate.” Dave Young: I love it, I love it. Well, and that’s always the thing, the jokes are not about the car. Stephen Semple: But they actually ran that ad and I believe it ran in Car and Driver Magazine. I cannot imagine getting that ad approved. Dave Young: That’s amazing. Stephen Semple: And look, their own drivers are like, “Yeah, whatever.” Dave Young: Sure, compensating all I want. Absolutely. I love that story. Well, thank you, Stephen. I love the story of Porsche. Stephen Semple: There you go. Dave Young: And get out there and enjoy it or just buy me one and send it here. Thank you. Stephen Semple: All right, thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

In this episode of the Williston Works Podcast, host Anna Nelson sits down with Taylor Grundstad of American State Bank and Jackie Duke of Bank of North Dakota to talk about how funding tools like the STAR Fund and Flex PACE are helping local businesses thrive in Williston.Learn how public-private partnerships are making financing easier, what makes Williston's approach to economic development unique, and how business owners can tap into interest buy-down programs, startup resources, and grant funding.Plus, hear how collaboration between local lenders, the STAR Fund Board, and state-level programs is fueling long-term investment in Northwest North Dakota.Learn more about Williston Economic Development:https://www.willistondevelopment.com

S5:E37 Small business owners: your phone experience is part of your brand. In this episode, Jessica Volker (Business Development Director at Responsive Answering Service) sits down with Dr. LL and breaks down why "scripted and offshore" support is driving customers crazy. She shares how human-first answering, smart automation, and better processes can protect your reputation and capture more leads. Top takeaways and timestamps: ⏱️3:56 — Why overly scripted customer service destroys trust (and how to sound human again) ⏱️5:36 — The answering service evolution: from "take a message" to virtual receptionist + CRM/EHR updates  ⏱️7:28 — AI in customer service: where it helps (wrap-up tasks) and where humans still win ⏱️12:33 — Work-life reality: how flexibility creates better employees (and better outcomes) ⏱️20:53 — What's coming in 2026: expanded omnichannel support (social, email, text, scheduling, integrations) Follow us on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Midlifesuccess Instagram: https://instagram.com/steerus Facebook: https://facebook.com/steerus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/steerus TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@steerus   #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #CustomerService #CustomerExperience #AnsweringService #smallbizstories

"How Smart Businesses Boost Their Brand With High-Impact Media Campaigns" dives into Brandon Elliot's journey from hardship to building a multi-million-dollar real estate empire—and how strategic marketing and funding systems powered his growth. Learn how top entrepreneurs leverage high-impact media, strong positioning, and modern advertising channels to outperform competitors. This video covers business credibility, scaling strategies, and how media-driven exposure (including TV advertising, TV ads for business, and the power of a strong TV commercial) can transform visibility and deal flow. ----------------------- If you want to learn how to run your business in 5 hours or less.... Go to https://www.5HourBusiness.com Subscribe to my YouTube channel:    / @tonyjavierbiz   And if you're into flying and want to follow my Aviation journey, check out my other YouTube channel at    / @tonyjaviertv ----------------------- Follow me on Social Media: Tiktok -   / tonyjavier.tv   Instagram -   / tonyjavier.tv   Facebook Personal -   / tonyejavier   Facebook Business -   / realtonyjavier  ----------------------- If you want to dominate your Real Estate Market with TV commercials, go here: https://www.ClaimMyMarket.com If you want to connect with me and my network, go to https://tonyjavier.com/connect If you want to check out Tony's Real Estate Resources and Vendors go to https://www.TonyJavier.com/resources ----------------------- Tony is the owner of an INC 5000-rated Real Estate Investment Company. He has been featured in Bigger Pockets, Wholesaling INC, Steve Trang's Real Estate Disruptors, Joe Fairless' Best Ever Podcast, and many other top podcasts and platforms. When Tony is not working on his business, he enjoys flying his plane. You can see videos on that and how he uses airplanes to save money on taxes. Don't forget to like the video, comment, subscribe to my channel, and share this with a friend if I'm doing my job and providing value to you and your network. If I'm not doing my job please let me know in the comments how I can be better, your feedback is greatly appreciated. See you in the next video!

Collecting and Using Data Ethically to Create Customer Delight  Shep interviews Phyllis Fang, Head of Marketing at Transcend. She talks about the importance of personalization and how companies can ethically collect, unify, and use customer data to create seamless, trust-building interactions.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How can companies ethically collect and use customer data without crossing privacy boundaries?  Why is transparency important when asking customers for permission to use their data?  How can brands strike the right balance between personalization and avoiding being perceived as intrusive or "creepy"?  What are the best practices for building trust with customers through data collection and usage?  How does unified customer identity across digital and real-world touchpoints improve the overall customer journey?  Top Takeaways:    Customers are willing to share information, but only if they get something valuable in return. When a company uses customer preferences to recommend something relevant at the right time, customers are more willing to engage. On the other hand, when the connection feels forced or overwhelming, it can make customers stop buying and look for other companies that will respect their trust.  Customers feel better when companies are upfront about what data they're collecting and how it will be used. When a brand is transparent with why they need information and asks for permission, customers feel respected and safe. Giving customers options about how their data is used makes them more likely to share details.  Businesses should focus on getting only getting the information they need to start doing business with a customer. Then, gradually over time, the business can learn more.   Ethical use of data builds trust. Just because a business can use a customer's data does not mean it always should. It's important for companies to explain how they use customer information, and to give customers choices. When customers know what's happening and have control, they are more likely to trust a brand with their information and their business.  Some customers want weekly emails or product updates, while others just want order confirmations or receipts. Give your customers a way to choose the kind of information they receive and how often they want it, and make setting this up easy.  Better business practices lead to loyal customers. When companies focus on giving people what they want, respecting their choices, and treating data carefully, customers become fans who keep coming back.  Personalization isn't just about online shopping. It can happen in real life too. Imagine walking into a store and the salesperson remembers what you like, what you bought before, and even your favorite colors. This shows how connecting customer history, identity, and preferences creates a great experience both digitally and face-to-face.   Plus, Shep and Phyllis discuss the importance of making sure customers understand what they are saying yes to, such as cookie banners and opt-in forms. Tune in!  Quote:   “When customers share information, they often want control over how and where it's used. A company needs to respect those preferences and enforce them consistently.”  About:    Phyllis Fang is the Head of Marketing at Transcend, where she helps brands grow through customer trust, personalization, and digital transformation. Before working at Transcend, she drove key product marketing initiatives at Uber and has a strong background in e-commerce and digital marketing.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the start of the Trump administration’s tariffs, Colorado global exports grew 6.3% between January and August, compared with the same period in 2024, and imports fell 2.6%. Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang breaks down the tariff’s effects on Colorado companies. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/15/colorado-trump-tariffs-havenly-imports-exports-trade/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do small and women-owned businesses survive — and thrive — in markets dominated by massive competitors? In this power-packed episode of Women Road Warriors, marketing and branding strategist Julie Matzen reveals the real-world strategies that help small businesses break through the noise and compete on a larger stage.Julie, co-founder of MayDay Agency and Boarderline, has made it her mission to level the playing field for startups and growing companies that feel like “small fish in a giant pond.” She shares the essential moves every founder must make today, including how to sharpen your brand story, position your products strategically, secure a line of credit before you need it, and forecast with clarity in a shifting economy.Whether you're launching a business, scaling an existing one, or fighting to stay competitive in a monopolized industry, Julie delivers actionable advice you can use immediately.You'll learn:·The biggest barriers small and women-owned businesses face today· How to build a brand that stands out in saturated markets· Why access to capital and realistic forecasting are non-negotiables· Key steps to launching new products with confidence· How to rethink your business strategy so you can compete with industry giantsIf you're ready to stop swimming upstream and start gaining ground, this episode will give you the insight and strategic muscle to move forward with power and precision.Tune in to Women Road Warriors with Shelley Johnson and Kathy Tuccaro— where we power women on the road to success.https://maydayagency.co/womenroadwarriors.comwww.womenspowernetwork.net#SmallBusinessTips #MarketingStrategy #BrandStrategy #StartupLife #WomenOwnedBusiness #BusinessStrategy #CompeteWithGiants #JulieMatzen #MayDayAgency #ShelleyJohnson #ShelleyMJohnson #KathyTuccaro #WomenRoadWarriors

Max Lewis is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, author, and servant leader. His career has spanned over 20 years with a portfolio exceeding $100 million. His entrepreneurial journey began in 2002 when he founded his propane exchange business. Through sheer determination and strategic vision, Max transformed the company into the largest independent propane cylinder exchange business in Florida, setting a new standard of excellence in the industry. In 2017, he sold the business for $37 million, marking one of the most significant transactions of its kind in the State. His acclaimed book, Who is Max Lewis? chronicles his remarkable rise from selling mangoes during childhood to building a multimillion-dollar propane empire. And now he's building his next empire in the Restaurant business!  Stay tuned! To get his Book, "Who is Max Lewis?"  Buy on Amazon or Buy on Barnes & Noble Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoismaxlewis/ *** Connect with Michael: FREE "7.5 Steps to Achieving Extraordinary Goals" eBook: http://michaelaltshuler.com/download-e-book/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/MichaelAltshulerBiz X: http://twitter.com/maltshulerbiz Please SUBSCRIBE and leave a review!

This episode with Tim Rexius is summarized in 3 statements:Micro-influencers beat mega-celebrities. Custom AI agents beat manual processes. Early adapters beat late responders.Don't waste golden nuggets! Get ahead of the 97% with this episode - https://tinyurl.com/business-launch-with-ai***Know what Type of Business suits you first at https://quiz.franchisewithbob.com/rg - and COPY THE RIGHT BUSINESS FOR YOU!***WHO IS AXEL?  A business consultant. A real estate investor. A mentor. Avid Tesla fan & investor. AI in the Age of Abundance thought leader. His wife's gardener.

Digital ads or traditional print marketing—what actually works? In this episode, host Adam Fullerton breaks down the pros and cons of both for lawn care and landscaping businesses and how to choose the right mix to get the best return on your marketing spend. Important Links: https://www.brandedbull.com/  https://www.instagram.com/brandedbull/ https://www.facebook.com/brandedbullinc https://www.lawntrepreneuracademy.com/ 

This is very vulnerable from the heart share about how I dealt with a harsh comment which poked me to share my personal why, my mission, and my story that affected everything what, how and why I do today with my business. It's the root reason & core life changing experience that alchemized and laid the foundations for my mission and body of work in the world. I somehow was never ready to share this before... And now it felt right, it felt time, it felt important that you know me.Support the show Check out my website about my work in the world Free Telegram channel is where we gather, connect and I share most

How does one think and act like an owner? Unemployment numbers are creeping up. Job openings are becoming scarcer. Businesses are being more selective. So, when you're on the job or job hunting, it is very important to think like an owner and act like one (without being presumptuous of course). If you do, you'll stand out. You'll weather lay-offs; you'll come to mind for promotions; and maybe you'll even start your own business.

If a four-year-old can price a canvas, track costs, and ship a painting, what else might kids be capable of when we give them the chance? We sit down with Leah Ellis, founder of the Society of Child Entrepreneurs, to explore how children can turn curiosity into real businesses that teach math, money, and leadership—without piling hours onto a parent's schedule. Leah's story begins with a pandemic pivot and a bold yes to her daughter Melody's idea, and unfolds into a practical framework any family can use.We walk through what a child-run business looks like at different ages: choosing a product or service that solves a real problem, setting prices with simple cost math, testing sales channels from fairs to Etsy, and learning customer service through experience. The conversation gets honest about the hard part—letting kids fail. From a slow sales day on a tenth birthday to a hasty impulse purchase on Black Friday, these moments become powerful lessons in resilience, commitments, and buyer's remorse. The wins are just as vivid: a neighborhood trash-can service funding big goals, the pride of buying a coveted item with earned money, and the joy of giving to someone in need.Leah shares time-saving strategies for parents and systems that hand ownership to kids, like using free bookkeeping tools such as Wave to manage invoices, payments, and inventory. We also map out options for families without fairs or dense neighborhoods: host your own children's business market, ask schools or co-ops for a market day, or launch a simple online shop for makers over 13. Throughout, we focus on the values that keep money healthy—spend, save, and give—so kids see money as a tool for building, not a trophy to hoard. We close with how the Society of Child Entrepreneurs supports families with a 36-week curriculum, children's books (Sparks to Stars on Amazon), quarterly fairs, and a junior board that helps steer programs.Ready to raise confident problem-solvers who can speak up, serve others, and build something real? Hit play, then share your child's business idea with us. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this episode to a parent who needs a nudge to let their young founder fly.Welcome to Speak Out Stand Out — the show where we build confidence in our future, one voice at a time. I'm your host, Elizabeth Green.I grew up shy, so I know firsthand how life-changing it can be when someone helps you find your voice. Now, I get to help kids and teens do exactly that — and this podcast is a place to share those tools with you.Each week, I talk with experts and inspiring guests about simple, practical and tangible ways to help the young people in Thanks for listing! Be sure to check out the show notes for additional resources including a free public speaking lesson and 52 fun practice prompts.  And if you enjoyed what you heard today, please give us a follow. Thanks for Listening to Speak Out, Stand OutLike what you hear? We would love if you would rate and review our podcast so it can reach more families. Also - grab our free mini lesson on impromptu speaking here. This is ideal for kids ages 6+.Interested in checking out our Public Speaking & Debate courses? Find more here!

Selling online feels simple... until taxes quietly start working against you.In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster, host David Ezell sits down with Jared Smithson, Founder of RJM Tax Exemption and one of the leading experts in U.S. e-commerce tax compliance. Jared has helped over 5,000 businesses navigate sales tax, multi-state nexus, and regulatory landmines that most founders don't realize they've stepped on until it's too late.You'll learn:The most common sales tax mistakes e-commerce founders make (including the “one-click” Shopify error)Why revenue growth can be fake growth if compliance isn't handled correctlyHow economic nexus actually works (and why $100K isn't the only number that matters)Why collected sales tax isn't “your money”—and how it can block an exitWhat's changing next for digital products and services taxationWhen to DIY vs. when to bring in experts (without wasting money)Whether you're selling on Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, or planning to expand into the U.S. market, this conversation could save you six figures, months of stress, and a painful audit.Show links:RJM Tax Exemption: https://rjmtaxexemption.com/Jared: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-smithson-692607228/

In this episode, Cyrus Hessabi from Shore Capital Partners discusses the intersection of AI, traditional services, and roll-up strategies. He shares insights on how AI is transforming service businesses, why the democratization of AI creates new opportunities, and how the next generation of service companies will be built. Key Learnings: AI-Enabled Services: Democratization of AI through cost & adoption Balance between automation & human touch Why service quality remains critical Roll-up Strategy: Customer acquisition through M&A Integration challenges & solutions The importance of operational excellence Team & Leadership: Required founder characteristics Importance of industry experience Building the right operational team Future Trends: Physical AI & robotics New market opportunities Evolution of service businesses ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: https://stan.store/fabiantausch Mehr zu Cyrus: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrushessabi/ Website: https://www.shorecp.com/ Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter: 2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach: https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/

How does one think and act like an owner? Unemployment numbers are creeping up. Job openings are becoming scarcer. Businesses are being more selective. So, when you're on the job or job hunting, it is very important to think like an owner and act like one (without being presumptuous of course). If you do, you'll stand out. You'll weather lay-offs; you'll come to mind for promotions; and maybe you'll even start your own business.

From the BBC World Service: "It's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke," says BBC correspondent Devina Gupta of air quality in India's capital. Residents there have been urged to stay indoors, and new restrictions are affecting worker productivity and costing businesses. Then, a Hong Kong court has found media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition. And later, retailers in the U.S. are hiring a record low number of seasonal employees.

Keith discusses the K-shaped economy, where income from capital assets is rising while labor income is declining.  In 1965, 50% of income came from labor and 50% from capital; by 1990, it was 54% and 46%, respectively, and today it's 57% and 43%. Keith emphasizes the importance of how capital compounds over labor and advises on building ownership in real estate and businesses.  Finally, he answers your listener's questions about: agricultural real estate inflation, profiting on mortgage loans, transitioning from accumulation to preservation and a fast-growing state that no one talks about. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/584 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com or text 'GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold  0:00   Keith, welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, capital compounds, labor doesn't realizing this can change allocation decisions for the rest of your life. Then I discuss giving. Finally, I answer your listener questions about agricultural real estate inflation, profiting on mortgage loans when it's time for you to stop accumulating properties and a fast growing state that no one talks about today on get rich education   Speaker 1  0:33   since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast or visit get rich education.com   Corey Coates  1:18   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:34   Welcome to GRE from Williamsburg, Virginia to Williamsport, Pennsylvania and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education, and I'm somewhat near Williamsport, Pennsylvania today. For years, I've told you about the widening canyon between the haves and the have nots, and that's something that you might have only visualized in your head or merely considered a theory, but now you can see it. There's a chart that I recently shared with our newsletter subscribers that might just make your spine tingle and look, I don't like saying this, but hard work just does not pay off like it used to. This is emblematic of the K shaped economy. Just visualize the upper branch of the K, a line rising over time, and the lower branch of a letter k, that line falling over time, both plotted on the same chart. So what steadily happened over the last 60 years really is quite astonishing. And look, I don't want the world to be the way that I'm about to tell you it is, but that's just what's occurring. The share of one's income from capital assets is rising, while the share from labor keeps decreasing simultaneously. Now just think about your own personal economy. What share of your income is from your invested capital versus how much of your income is derived from your labor. When you're the youngest, it's all labor. When I got out of college and had my first job, all of my income was from labor. I certainly didn't have any rental property cash flow or stock dividends. But for Americans, here is how it's changed over time, and this K shaped divergence is alarming people in 1965 it was 5050 by 1990 54% of income was from capital and 46% labor. Today it's 57% capital and only 43 labor. Gosh, the divergence is real, and it's only getting wider, and I really had to dig for the sources on this K shaped economy chart. They are the BLS, the Tax Foundation and the International Labor Organization. Increasingly, asset owners are the haves. The upper part of this K shaped economy, that line is drifting up like a helium balloon that you forgot to tie to the chair. It just keeps going up and then the labor share of income, which is shrinking, that is also known as how much of the economic pie goes to people who actually work for a living. That is another way to think of it. So frankly, that's why I say hard work just does not pay off like it used to, because with each wave of inflation, assets, pump, leveraged assets, mega pump and wages lag behind, and we can't allocate our resources in the way that we want the. World to be, but how the world really is. In fact, the disparity is even greater than the chart that I just described to you, because it doesn't even include value accumulation, also known as appreciation. I was only talking about income there, and the reality is that working for a paycheck just pays off less and less and less. No amount of working overtime on a Saturday can make you wealthy, but it might make you miserable. Owning assets pays off more and more. In fact, the effect is even more exaggerated than what I even described, because, as we know, the tax treatment is lighter on your capital gains than it is your income derived through labor. As the economy keeps evolving, those who benefit the most, they do not sell their time for money. They're not trading their time for dollars. In fact, let me distill it down here are, yeah, it's just four words that could change the way you allocate your time and your effort for the rest of your life. Capital compounds, labor doesn't. yeah, there's a lot right there. If you want to keep up or get ahead, you need to be on the capital part of the K, the upper part. And what would that really look like for you in real life? What does that practically mean? It means building ownership into your financial life, owning real estate, owning businesses using prudent leverage, owning things that produce income, and even merely owning more things that appreciate. And here's the great news, though, real estate is still the most accessible, leverageable, tax favored capital friendly asset class ever created. That's whether you're just patching together like 43k for a down payment on your first turnkey single family rental, or making a tax deferred exchange into a 212 door apartment complex. Okay, this is how that can look in real life. The bottom line here is that as the economy gets more and more K shaped, with this divergence between Americans capital share of income increasing and labor share decreasing, that you want to stack real income generating assets. That is the big takeaway.    Keith Weinhold  7:44   Well, this is the time of year where a lot of people feel compelled to give donations. And as a GRE listener that's paid five ways, you've got more ability than others to give, I need to caution you about some things. I'm sorry that it is this way, because I do want to promote giving. It's kind, it's virtuous, and it's not a completely selfless act either, because when I give, it makes me feel good too. You're making a difference, and that feels great. Let's talk about the downsides of giving, though, because few people discuss that. We already know about the upsides when I give to an organization, say, 1500 bucks here, $1,000 over there, well, inevitably, you do get on that organization's contact list. And yeah, I suppose that it is easier to retain a customer or donor than it is to find a new one. Sometimes I just make what I expected to be a one time donation, but they will keep contacting you. Now, I was once on the other side of this. I served on a volunteer committee that organizes athletic events, and a friend of mine, John made a $1,000 donation to our organization one year, which was really kind, and he's just a day job working kind of guy when he didn't make the donation. The following year, someone made it a line item in our meeting minutes to say that John's donation was not renewed. Like that's the only thing they brought up. Oh gosh, that really struck me the wrong way, because here's a guy that traded his time for dollars at a job that I happen to know he doesn't like very much, and the committee statement was that the guy didn't renew his donation. Sheesh, now, when it comes to the tax treatment of, say, $1,000 that you make in a donation, there's a lot of misunderstanding about how that works, and this is the type of subject that you're thinking about now, because sometimes people want to get a tax break tallied up before year end, because some people think that after the year ends, well, the IRS pays you back the $1,000 you donated because it's tax deductible. No, that's how a tax credit. Works. But a tax deduction, which is all that you might be eligible for, means that if your annual income is 100k well then a 1k donation lowers your taxable income to 99k so if you're in the 24% tax bracket, then you'd get 240 bucks back. But you know, in many or even most cases, you're not going to get any tax break at all for making a donation, and this is because you did not exceed the standard deduction threshold, which is now almost 16k if you're single and almost 32k married, you get to deduct those amounts from your taxable income no matter what. So the standard deduction, in a way, it's nice, because you don't have to keep receipts and do all that tracking for everything. So I've had that experience myself where, huh, feeling a little generous throughout the year, giving $1,500 here, $1,000 there. Oh, and then realizing that it does nothing for me on taxes, you have to give more to exceed the standard deduction amount and start itemizing them. And mortgage interest does go into that amount. Okay, it does go into the amount to try to get your total above the standard deduction threshold. So go ahead and give freely, but in a lot of cases, keep in mind that it often does nothing for your taxes, because you're taking that standard deduction if you indeed are. There's been another tip flation trend that's annoying, and that is increasingly when I give a donation online, I'm asked to if I want to leave a tip on top of the donation. That is so weird, a tip is for good service. I'm serving you by being generous enough to give a donation. Sheesh, a tip request on top of a donation. But please do give when you do, one thing that you might want to specify is that it is a one time donation, if that is your intent, or they will constantly follow up with you.    Keith Weinhold  12:06   Coming up next, I'm going to answer your listener questions. A member of Team GRE, who you haven't heard before, is going to come in to ask me your listener questions, and one of them is going to be among the most important topics that our show has never addressed, and it's about time. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  12:28   You know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth every single year I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and healthcare. Ask about the freedom flagship program when you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom, family investments.com/gre, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly again, 1-937-795-8989   Keith Weinhold  13:40   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Kristen Tate  14:14   this is author Kristin Tate. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  14:32   Welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, they say that it takes a village to get some things done and well, it takes a team to prop up this slack jawed operation one GRE team member, capably behind the scenes for more than a year and a half now, is Brenda Almendariz, welcome in. Brenda, Hi, Keith, thanks. Rather than me asking the listener questions this time you. You get to do it, but before we do that, just tell us a bit about your real estate investing.    Brenda  15:07   Sure. So I started maybe learning a little bit about investing and kind of looking into other options to grow my wealth. And I came across the GRE podcast and a few others. So I think about 2018 I did a little bit of just learning and kind of educating myself. And then 2019 I bought my first turnkey property. Turned out well. And then 2020 I bought my second one. And then in 2021 I decided, okay, this is working really well. Maybe I'll do a house hack. I'll do something a little different, and in a year, then maybe I'll do something else. But I've been in my 2021 home now for about almost five years. I'm looking for the next one, hopefully within the next year. But yeah, it's been great. Turnkey. Just met real estate investment company here at my local REIA, and then I learned that I could actually connect with other companies across other places through GRE but yeah, it's been great.   Keith Weinhold  16:02   Brenda lives in Phoenix, just about as close to the center of Phoenix as you can possibly be. I sat down with Brenda for lunch the last time that I was in Phoenix, and like a lot of people, almost everybody that works here at GRE they started out as a listener before they ever worked here. And really, it's that same story with Brenda as well. So yeah, Brenda will want to ask us the first of what we have about four listener questions today   Brenda  16:31   we do, so I'll go over the first one here. Question is, I would love for you to revisit some of the non traditional example, coffee plantation, CBD manufacturing, teak plantation, Belize resort properties and syndication projects you've discussed on the GRE podcast just to see how they turned out. I'm sure some of them failed to deliver the expected returns, and it's the failures that many of us learn the most from   Keith Weinhold  17:02   Yeah, totally. Okay, so not so much a listener question here, but a comment to discuss more of these agricultural real estate investments or ones that are in syndications off of the investment type that you can't do yourself, is what we're talking about here, rather than direct ownership of residential rental property and an appeal to follow up down the road to see how they really turned out. And you know, Brenda, I'll address you because we don't have the listener name with this question. Most people in my position, if an investment has been discussed on the show, and then that investment didn't go as well as was hoped for, you know what? They never tell the audience about it. However, there's the Panama coffee farm investment. We first discussed that here way back in 2015 and we had a GRE field trip where I met a lot of you in person there in Panama. And as I often do when we discuss a particular investment here, I bought and still own Panama coffee farm parcels myself. That investment, it paid cash flow from the crop yields for a few years, and then it stopped. The good yields stopped due to covid disruption, and since then, there have also been erratic weather patterns like drought and precipitation of the wrong levels and at the wrong time of year, and there's been more of a prevalence of pests in disease like coffee leaf, rust and the operator. They have been communicative and forthcoming all the while they're still issuing the annual report that I read, and sometime after that, I think that a lot of investors were assured, because it sort of made national news, international news, that markets for both coffee and cacao have been suppressed, at least from the standpoint of there's not enough crop yield. I mean, that is a problem in a lot of places worldwide. Now I hope that turns around, and it very well may. In fact, we did something here that very few shows do. Back on episode 431, we had the Panama coffee farm CEO come back on the show to describe exactly what I just told you about there. And few shows are willing to do that. Some people just want you to think that every single investment that's discussed goes as well it was hoped for, or even better than expected. But that is not real world. You got to be authentic in real So, okay. Listener, comment, well, taken there. They appreciate that sort of follow up, and they would like more of that. All right, that's great. What's the next question? Brenda.   Brenda  19:40   Sure. So the next one comes to us from our audience over on YouTube. So in response to our real estate pays five ways in a slow market, YouTube video matrices wrote, There is no inflation profiting. You would have to be paying off the loan with an income that goes up with housing inflation. That's plausible if you are a wage earner, but if your source of income is rental properties, then there isn't a wage increase that reduces the effective loan amount. You are double dipping in the inflation profiting column by counting appreciation which you earn as a real estate investor and inflation profiting, which you earn only if your wages go up at the rate of housing inflation, and you use those wages to pay off the loan, which you don't   Keith Weinhold  20:33   Okay, again, somewhat of a statement here. I suppose there's a question implicit within that for matrices. I'm not sure how you say that name exactly. Wondering about inflation profiting. Are you counting it? Right? I don't know about that. The part about paying off the loan faster if you're a wage earner, I mean, that's plausible, but not if your income is from rental properties. I mean, see that's actually backwards, because your cash flow goes up faster than the rate of inflation due to your biggest payment, your principal and interest staying fixed, so your net rent income goes up even faster than the rate of inflation. So inflation profiting, therefore it's even better than how I've been presenting it and calculating it. Now with that understood matrices, here's one way for real estate investors to understand inflation profiting on your loan if you still have trouble getting with that. 30 years ago, in 1995 the US median home price was 130k with an 80% loan, your mortgage balance at origination would have been 104k and the monthly mortgage payment is 763 with the 8% market mortgage rate level that you would have gotten at that time. Now, even if we don't apply any principal pay down at all, your mortgage balance today is still just 104k and your payment is still just 736 bucks, and it is substantially easier to make that payment today, because your wages and salaries and rent incomes are multiples higher. When you originate a loan, the bank doesn't ask to be repaid in dollars or their equivalent. The loan documents only say dollars and dollars are worth less and less and less. So today, your median priced property is worth over 400k despite still having that tiny 104k loan balance. And of course, your tenant would have paid that down to zero, and we aren't even counting that part, I think, to really exaggerate the effect and help make the inflation profiting concept crystallize for you, matrices. If you go back 100 years, the median home cost was 11,600 bucks. An 80% loan would be just over 9k that you borrowed. Okay, so at a 7% interest rate, 30 year loan, the monthly payment would be 94 bucks, laughably small. That's less than the cost of a nice dinner out today. That's all you owe on a median priced property, which is over 400k today. So because it doesn't feel like you're tangibly walking away with anything when you sell a property, hopefully that helps make it real mitricas. And one last way to think about it is, let's just forget real estate for a moment. Would you loan your best friend 100k for 30 years interest free, even if we're somehow absolutely guaranteed that he would pay you back? Well, of course, he wouldn't do that, because inflation destroys the lender and benefits the borrower. So you would want to be the borrower in that case, because the borrower profits from inflation, profiting just like you're the borrower with income property. That's the position that you want to be in. But I'm glad we brought this up, because a lot of people have that question. That was a good one. Matrices, even though you seem to sort of be doubting if inflation profiting is a real thing with the way you approach the question, hey, I really appreciate it. Anyway, what's the next one? Brenda   Brenda  24:10   yep. So the next one we have is Mark. He wrote into our general inbox, and he says, I have been listening to your podcasts from the beginning, and I believe I have not missed a single show. Wow. Yeah, it would be hard to argue with your strategy of using debt to rapidly increase your returns and expand your rental real estate portfolio. This method is great for the accumulation phase of one's life. However, I believe that you have never addressed the next chapter of everyone's life, phase two. I am, of course, talking about preserving your wealth, which is phase two. Yeah, I only ask this because that is what stage of life I am in. For background, he has 15 rentals, seven mortgages. Age 62. Currently all managed by a property manager, and he is married and an empty nester. Please note, no matter how much money is made from rentals, he said, his wife's view is that it is work, and so she does not want any more homes or work. This would be a great idea for an upcoming show. Please consider thanks, Mark.   Keith Weinhold  25:20   Yeah. Great stuff, Mark. And before Brenda came on, we discussed which questions that she's going to choose. And I definitely wanted to have this one in there, because, I mean, this is one of the most important topics that's never been answered on the show, and it really needs to be answered today. The accumulation phase of Mark's life is done. He wants to know about how to approach the preservation stage. First of all, Mark, congratulations. You've listened to every GRE episode, 584, of them now, and you've clearly benefited from acting so good for you to be in this position. In fact, this show had its inception in 2014 and it doesn't even take these 1011, years to reach financial freedom, if you follow my plan. So you are there. All right, so, Mark, you've got 15 rentals, seven mortgages. You're age 62 they're currently managed by a property manager. You're married in an empty nester. I mean, you've made it, and you know that you've made it when you have enough income to support your desired lifestyle. That's what we're talking about here. Financially Free, beat step free and all of that, I'm going to speculate mark that if you had tried paying all cash for every property, you wouldn't have gotten very far. You wouldn't have made it to this point. You know why this question resonates so well with me, Mark, despite being quite a bit younger than you, I am at that stage as well. I definitely don't need to add more properties for the rest of my life. Now. I don't have kids yet either, so there's no clear air there. In fact, one reason that I hold on to my properties is to help educate our audience to be a real investor in the game and to be able to keep up with trends. You can just kind of tell when someone's not investing in real estate themselves. So if I talk it, I want to keep doing it now for you, Mark, it's not about rushing to pay off your seven mortgages, as you know from listening, that's usually not your best return on capital. If you've already made it, there is absolutely zero reason to add more properties, I would agree, especially if you know, in your wife's eyes, that creates a headache, and maybe yours as well, once you get to a certain point. So as far as this preservation stage, since you've moved away from the accumulation phase, the LLC is the favorite protection structure, not a C or an S Corp. And I have done shows on that with attorneys before. Since I'm not one of your 15 properties, if one or two are less profitable or for whatever reason, you just have difficulty getting those rented during vacancies, okay, you can sell those off if you don't want to do the 1031, exchange into more property, you can pay the tax. That's an option, but you will also have to pay depreciation recapture on those properties and mark. If there's one thing I wish I knew, it's that if you do have children or clear heirs, but the gold standard for passing along properties to heirs is a revocable living trust, and if you only remember one thing about that, a properly drafted living trust is the number one way to pass along rental properties smoothly. And why it's great is that it avoids probate. Probate is a court supervised process. It takes months or years of delay. So instead, with a revocable living trust, heirs get access to your properties almost immediately. Now you are age 62 hopefully this isn't happening anytime soon, but you do keep full control while you're alive, it's easy to update a revocable living trust, but the big one probably is that it prevents family disputes and it keeps everything private. That way there's no public probate record. And the bonus is, if you own properties in multiple states, a trust avoids multiple probates, that's huge. So those are some considerations. Mark as you've Congratulations again. Move from the accumulation phase to the preservation stage. It's a completely normal, natural process. You sure don't have to keep adding properties for ever and ever. Congrats. You made it. You did it.    Brenda  29:37   Great. We've got another one, Keith. This one is from Tim in Philomath, Oregon, and he says, I would be interested in the days ahead, if you would be able to help us understand why North Dakota is projected to grow so much.   Keith Weinhold  29:54   Okay, thanks, Tim in follow math, Oregon, another word I'm not sure how to pronounce. Now, yeah, you might think it's unusual that I would want to answer this question. For a low population state of under 1 million people, like North Dakota, from today to 2050 there's forecast to be 9% population growth nationally, but in North Dakota, it is 34% that is quite a surge, and that is per visual capitalist via the University of Virginia, but North Dakota's projected growth, it looks surprisingly strong on paper, especially for a cold, rural, low population state. But really, there are at least four major forces behind the fast 2025 to 2050, Outlook, and when you break them down, the growth actually makes sense. So I want to talk about this, because it's really a template for what makes for a growing place and a good future real estate market, no matter where it is. But in North Dakota, you've got this continued energy sector, strength, oil, gas and next generation energy. Part of what's driving the growth is something that's definitely not a new story. It is still the Bach and shale. It's still one of the top US oil fields. You got advances in drilling. That means more production with fewer rigs. That makes a sector more resilient. You've got global demand for liquid fuels projected to remain high through 2050 I know people like to talk about renewables, and there probably is a future there. But it's not like we're going to go all renewable right away. North Dakota is aggressively expanding carbon capture. So energy equals jobs. Jobs equals population retention and in migration, there's a national labor shortage in North Dakota. It's got this skilled worker hole. The US is going to face a major labor shortage through 2050 that's because of trends that you really can't change, like an aging population and low birth rates. That makes these high wage, high demand energy and engineering jobs stickier. North Dakota consistently leads in labor force participation, job availability, good starting wages for skilled trades, and they always seem to have a low unemployment rate, lower than the national average. So in other words, people move where the jobs are, even if it's cold. They really have one of the best economic outlooks in the country. There's a report called Rich states, poor states. In their latest one, they ranked North Dakota fifth nationwide in economic outlook, and that's above Texas and Florida and Tennessee, and that's because North Dakota has low taxes. They're business friendly, they're light on regulation. Businesses like that, their budgets are stable, and they've got strong public finances. So states with those fundamentals, they tend to grow pretty well over long horizons, and North Dakota has this demographic momentum. It's a younger state than all the surrounding states. They have a younger median age, high birth rates, so they've got this faster natural replacement rates, and they have really strong university systems, both und and North Dakota State, and what that does is that retains those graduates for jobs like energy and engineering and agriculture. So North Dakota benefits from this high stay rate, like a lot of people move for jobs, and they end up staying there, and their population growth seems fast, but the overall population small, so a net gain of 150,000 people, that really seems huge in percentage terms. It's steady rather than explosive growth. We're talking about annual gain. So really, a takeaway for investors is that North Dakota's growth is not a fluke. It's from strong economic policy, a big, durable energy engine, high earning jobs. You got this favorable business climate, and really unexpectedly young demographics. I read that the counties that will grow fastest are Cass Williams and stark and, you know, Brenda. If we learn about a reputable North Dakota property provider, maybe we'll talk about them here on the show. So if you the listener or anyone else know about one, write into us at get rich education, comm slash contact, and we'll check them out. And also, more broadly, if you want your listener question answered in the future, that's where to write to us as well, again, at get rich education.com/contact, thank thanks for the North Dakota question, Tim and Brenda, it's nice to have you here to ask the questions in a different voice.   Brenda  34:29   Thanks, Keith. Yeah, it's good to be on this side of the show instead of   Keith Weinhold  34:34   a listener. After all these years, there's one episode I'm sure you'll be listening to, and it's this one that you're on today.   Keith Weinhold  34:48   Yeah, much of our team here were GRE listeners before they ever worked here. We just made another hire two months ago. That woman worked for a payment processor. I said at the time, that sounds really boring. It definitely sounds more interesting to work at the GRE podcast. To review what you learned today, capital compounds labor doesn't though I promote being a giver, there are downsides to giving, but they're manageable. Inflation, profiting is the most often misunderstood of the five ways, and you will reach a tipping point where you've won in which you no longer have to add properties. That is transitioning from the accumulation phase to the preservation phase. That is one of the more important unaddressed things on the show until today, and finally, North Dakota's booming growth projections coming up soon on the show, I'll reveal GRE national home price appreciation forecast for next year, where you will learn the exact percent appreciation or decline expected in the future. Until then, check us out at get richeducation.com I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  36:00   You nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  36:32   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, GetRichEducation.com  

From the BBC World Service: "It's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke," says BBC correspondent Devina Gupta of air quality in India's capital. Residents there have been urged to stay indoors, and new restrictions are affecting worker productivity and costing businesses. Then, a Hong Kong court has found media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition. And later, retailers in the U.S. are hiring a record low number of seasonal employees.

In this power-packed conversation, Eric sits down with Shawn Kingsberry, VP of Cybersecurity & Treasury Account Executive at SAIC, one of the largest integrators in federal contracting. Sean explains exactly when small businesses should approach primes, how their small business intake process works, and what capabilities large primes are actively looking to partner with right now — especially around cybersecurity, AI, and innovative tech solutions. He breaks down how SAIC selects partners, what small firms often lack when approaching primes, and how to stand out in a crowded environment by bringing real insight and problem awareness from within agencies. If you want to get into SAIC's ecosystem, start here. Key Takeaways: • Do your homework — know SAIC's work & come prepared with capabilities + value. • Cyber, AI, automation & agentic AI solutions are actively needed — bring new ideas. • Relationships + insights matter — if you know agency pain points, you have leverage. Learn more: https://federalhelpcenter.com/ https://govcongiants.org/  Watch the full Youtube episode here: https://youtu.be/3VdqtfH0ivw 

Episode Title:  Episode Summary: In this episode, Michael welcomes Megan Bennett, a 23-year veteran in public relations, to discuss how authentic storytelling continues to outperform traditional advertising and paid promotions. Megan shares insights from her boutique agency's work across the wellness, beauty, health, lifestyle, and technology sectors. Together, they explore why PR remains one of the most authentic and trusted marketing methods in today's media landscape. Podcast Growth and PR Strategies Michael reflects on the evolution and growth of the Breakfast Leadership Show, discussing ways to further impact his audience. Megan explains her approach to uncovering compelling brand narratives and unique angles that resonate with media outlets. The two agree that the secret to great PR lies in finding the deeper story that differentiates a brand and connects emotionally with its audience. Crafting Effective PR Pitches Megan shares actionable strategies for crafting standout pitches in a crowded media space. She emphasizes the need to go beyond generic press releases and to develop unique, intriguing storylines that invite curiosity. Michael and Megan discuss how these approaches can lead to broader media coverage and syndication, helping brands gain meaningful visibility. PR Lessons from the Pandemic Reflecting on the challenges of the COVID-19 era, Megan explains how her virtual PR agency adapted to rapid change by offering flexible contracts and reduced fees. Despite global uncertainty, she saw increased demand from consumer product and wellness clients who were pivoting to meet home-based needs. Michael and Megan highlight the power of adaptability, creativity, and resilience in maintaining business continuity during crises. Remote Work and Productivity Insights The conversation turns to remote work culture. Megan shares her experience managing growing workloads in a virtual environment, while Michael notes that many businesses underestimated the productivity of remote teams. They discuss how some companies thrived by anticipating market rebounds, underscoring the value of strategic foresight and maintaining momentum during challenging times. AI's Role in PR and Media Relations Michael and Megan explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping public relations. Megan discusses using tools like ChatGPT to assist with research, brainstorming, and media contact discovery. Both emphasize that while AI can enhance efficiency, it cannot replace the human relationships and intuition that define great PR. They agree that integrating AI thoughtfully can amplify storytelling while preserving authenticity. Key Takeaway: Authentic PR is not just about getting attention; it's about telling stories that matter. By combining traditional relationship-driven strategies with emerging technologies, brands can navigate today's complex media environment with integrity, creativity, and impact. Learn more at: BreakfastLeadership.com Listen to more episodes: The Breakfast Leadership Show Podcast Related reads: Workplace Culture and Burnout Proof   Megan Bennett is the CEO of national boutique PR agency Light Years Ahead dedicated to helping businesses, especially small entrepreneurs, build their images, often from scratch. Megan is known in the industry as a fearless and relentless champion of her clients, one who catapulted a small Kansas City company to a quarter-million-dollar upswing in sales after getting them featured on foodandwine.com.  But that's just the tip of the iceberg!  She has plenty of similar stories to tell, but best of all, she's here to provide your listeners with plenty of insights and actionable tips to use now, even if they can't afford to hire an outside PR company.

Welcome back to PowerHouse Feng Shui! We're bringing back one of our most inspiring episodes for you to revisit. Creativity isn't just for artists—it's a powerful tool for business and professional growth too. In this episode, Patricia sits down with Tracy, a visionary entrepreneur whose jewelry designs have been sold in 350 stores worldwide.  Together, Patricia and Tracy explore how creative minds can turn talent into business success. Whether you're a creative spirit looking to scale your ideas, channel your dreams into reality, or simply be inspired, this conversation is packed with insights and encouragement. Tune in, listen through your heart, and discover why your creativity is your biggest gift in business and life. Resources: Feng Shui Mini Course or Feng Shui 101 - https://love.powerhousefengshui.com/feng-shui-101 Feng Shui Checklist - https://www.powerhousefengshui.com/feng-shui-checklist-1   Connect with Patricia Lohan: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/powerhousefengshui/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@patricialohan YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@PatriciaLohan Website - https://patricialohan.com/ Send us an email: miracles@patricialohan.com

On the Monday December 15th edition of Georgia Today: Georgia leaders react to an anti-semitic terror attack in Australia; The U.S. Supreme Court considers a Louisiana voting rights case which could weaken protections against racial gerrymandering; And rising prices caused by President Trump's tariffs affect small businesses.

Inland Revenue made applications to wind up more than 120 businesses in November, as it draws to the end of a year in which it has come down hard on taxpayers shirking their obligations. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Data Edge, Ireland's most experienced network optimisation and application performance management specialist, has announced a new partnership with data protection provider DropVault. Irish-headquartered DropVault is led by international encryption and cybersecurity expert Neal O'Farrell, who has spent four decades in the global cybersecurity industry working with international governments, the military, and financial networks. DropVault automatically encrypts all conversations and documents created or shared within its portals before they even reach the server. This zero-visibility design bolsters security for businesses - ensuring that even DropVault cannot access customer data - while providing full audit trails for compliance. Founded in 2020 and with offices in the US and Dublin,DropVault supports clients across education, automotive, engineering, and aviation - including a global airline using the solution for $100M+ aircraft leasing transactions. Data Edge is now adding DropVault's highly secure solutions to its portfolio, helping to protect Irish businesses and their customers from communication-based threats such as data breaches, business email compromise, wire fraud, and ransomware linked to insecure file sharing. Designed for organisations operating in heavily regulated industries, DropVault enables teams to share confidential documents securely, carry out private encrypted conversations, and maintain full visibility and audit trails to support compliance with standards such as GDPR, ISO 27001, and the upcoming NIS2 directive. This ensures that businesses can operate securely and confidently as cyber threats continue to rise. Data Edge has partnered with DropVault due to its expertise in securing organisations' digital infrastructure. Data Edge and DropVault will provide peace of mind to businesses with guaranteed data sovereignty for critical information, with built-in anomaly detection and defensive monitoring against suspicious access attempts. Neal O'Farrell, CEO, DropVault, said: "Too many organisations still rely on email, phone calls, and text messaging to share sensitive discussions and documents, and often with only rudimentary security measures in place. "At a time of global uncertainty and the surge in AI assisted cybercrime, DropVault can help companies maximise the security, privacy, confidentiality, and integrity of their conversations, discussions, and documents. And all without the challenges and frictions that come with most traditional security measures." Paul Phelan, CEO, Data Edge, said: "This partnership combines DropVault's world-class data protection capabilities with our expertise in delivering top-tier network security offerings to businesses. DropVault's unique position in the encryption space will provide invaluable insights and streamline ways of working for customers. "It will enable us to effectively secure organisations' most valuable data, while helping them to stay one step ahead of would-be hackers. As methods of attack are evolving at an unprecedented pace, this solution will underpin operations for organisations dealing with highly sensitive or confidential information and allow the day-to-day running of the business to continue uninterrupted." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The Middle Michigan Development Corporation awarded Technology Improvement Grants to 42 small businesses in Clare, Isabella, and Osceola counties to support upgrades in digital systems, equipment, and cybersecurity. Funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Trusted Connector Grant targets companies with fewer than 50 employees. Osceola County recipients include Homemade & More Consignment Shop, Northern Precision Products, and The Shepherds Fare, which are using the grants to modernize point-of-sale systems, update computer infrastructure, and improve transaction reliability. The program aims to address practical technology needs and promote long-term business growth in rural Michigan.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on helping business owners reduce their tax burden by investing in your product, service or software in the final weeks of the year can give you the edge you need get more sales closed. Business Owners are Motivated to Reduce Taxes In the United States there are millions of SMBs and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings. Unlike big companies, small companies don't have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on. As the calendar winds down business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income. In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season. Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let's get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner. Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company's financial results because those results are essentially their income. It's how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table. For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they're looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill. For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill. If there is one thing I know about small and medium sized business owners its that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability. One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year. An Urgent Need to Spend As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year. And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection. Framing Your Business Case I want to be clear though that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company. Therefore, you can't just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case. It's all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense. For example: If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. If you're selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate results that set the stage for a strong Q1. If you sell capital equipment walk them through how the new equipment will make them more productive and help them expand their business in the new year. The key is to connect the value of your offering directly to the timing. Consider messaging like: “This is an opportune moment to upgrade your systems, so you'll enter the new year with a competitive edge and potentially lower your tax liabilities this season.” “By getting your campaign locked in before the year closes, you can reap immediate tax benefits while ensuring your advertising starts generating leads in January when you need them the most.” If we get the equipment ordered now it will be delivered in Q1 giving you plenty of time to get a high ROI next year. When you can tie the ROI of your product to both tangible improvements and the financial perks of year-end spending, the business case becomes much more compelling and you will sell more. Tailor Your Approach While the end-of-year tax incentive is a common denominator, not every SMB is identical. Some might be profitable but cash-constrained, while others have capital burning a hole in their pockets. Some may be in sectors that had a booming year, while others are just recovering from a difficult market. The more you understand the unique challenges and goals of each prospect you're targeting, the better you can tailor your approach. Before you pick up the phone, walk through their door, or send an email, do some research. Check out their recent announcements, whether they're hiring or expanding. Look into trends in their industry. Understanding these nuances will help you fine-tune your messaging. If you know a business is tight on cash, emphasize flexible payment plans or financing options. If the business is flush with profit, reinforce the immediate tax advantage and the strategic value of reinvesting those funds. Empathy and relevance are your allies here. Show that you understand their position and that your solution aligns perfectly with their current goals. That personal touch, combined with the natural urgency of year-end, is a powerful recipe for closing the deal. Lead With Urgency: Clear, Direct, Compelling I don't want to sweep under the rug how important timing and urgency are with this tactic. While you don't want to be completely transactional, you do want to be direct. As we approach the end of the year, many SMB owners have a long to-do list: Finalizing paperwork, inventory checks, reviewing vendor contracts, preparing for holiday promotions, and on and on. They're busy. They have limited time to spend on sales pitches. This means your outreach needs to be respectful of their schedule and also clear, direct, and compelling. Say right away: “I'm reaching out before the year ends because I have a solution that can help you maximize your tax benefits this year and help you grow your business next year." Being direct and to the point respects their time and sets the context immediately. If you need more help with direct and to-the-point messaging, grab your copy of my book Fanatical Prospecting and review Because Statements. It's crucial that you create and maintain a sense of urgency. Not the aggressive, pushy kind, but a natural urgency rooted in a real calendar event: The year-end. The clock is ticking, and if they don't make their purchase by December 31st, they miss out on the potential tax advantages. This deadline isn't artificial—it's a reality. Use it to frame your conversations. Urgency helps prospects prioritize your offer over other distractions in their busy schedule. Handling Objections You might encounter objections like: “We're too busy to consider new solutions right now,” or “We don't have enough budget.” In these cases, it's wise to highlight the cost-saving and tax benefits again. Stress that investing now can actually put them in a better position financially. Remind them that waiting until next year could mean missing out on an opportunity to reduce this year's taxable income. If time is an issue, propose a quick and efficient implementation plan. Show them that you can be agile and help them integrate the solution without massive downtime. If budget is a concern, consider promotions, discounts, or favorable financing terms. Sometimes, offering a small year-end incentive can tip the scales in your favor. The Five Keys to Selling More to SMBs at the End of the Year SMBs have a natural incentive to invest before year-end: They want to reduce their taxable income and set themselves up for a strong next year. Frame your product as a strategic investment: Highlight the value, ROI, and tax benefits that come with a year-end purchase. Avoid being transactional: Follow the sales process and position yourself as a partner who can help them navigate this critical period. Tailor your approach to each SMB's situation: Research their needs and adjust your prospecting message accordingly, showing empathy and relevance. Create urgency with a real deadline: The calendar itself is your ally; emphasize that the benefits come from acting before December 31st. Here's the deal though. Do not wait. Start this process now. The low-hanging fruit is out there but it will rot on the vine if you fail to pick before the sand runs out of the hourglass this year. Check out the BRAND NEW Jeb Blount Ultimate Sales Success Box Set. It's the perfect gift for the sales professional in your life!

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with Jose Fernandez — former Head of Global Sales Development at Google and now CEO of Easy Comp — breaks down how compensation must evolve when companies shift from traditional SaaS licensing to consumption-based models. Drawing from his experience at Google Ads, one of the most successful consumption engines in business history, Jose lays out the structural advantages of consumption models and how GTM, onboarding, forecasting, and comp plans must align to unlock growth.John McMahon and John Kaplan then expand on how consumption changes seller behavior, deal sizing, renewal dynamics, forecast accuracy, and quota mechanics. This is a must-listen for revenue leaders, sellers, and anyone navigating the industry-wide shift toward usage-based pricing.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:46] Companies transitioning to consumption models often copy SaaS licensing structures instead of designing comp that amplifies consumption-driven advantages.[00:01:34] Three core advantages of consumption models: lower barrier to entry, value-aligned spend increases, and product-led expansion.[00:03:07] Aligning GTM roles — new business, onboarding, and account management — enables scale and fairness in comp.[00:03:57] Forecasting in consumption models becomes an analytical discipline, requiring predictive models rather than rep intuition.[00:05:00] High-quality customer fit at acquisition can result in massive upside — one rep earned huge commission from a $15M three-month advertiser.[00:07:02] In consumption, churn can happen in a week — sellers must ensure rapid value realization, not just contract signing.[00:08:00] Sellers often intentionally downsize initial deals to ensure burn-down and protect compensation.[00:08:59] PLG and sales-assisted models blend; comp must account for small initial usage that grows rapidly.[00:09:48] Companies balance advance payments to reps with clawbacks to protect against churn.[00:10:10] Smart sellers can land small, prove value, and convert usage to multi-year, high-value commitments.QUOTES[00:01:10] “Companies take too much inspiration from the old model instead of designing comp that amplifies the advantages of consumption.”[00:01:56] “Customer spend is directly proportional to the value they get — and their understanding of that value.”[00:02:19] “If you have an amazing product, some of that growth is going to be product-led, regardless of the sales team.”[00:03:57] “Forecasting in a consumption model is an analytical exercise — not something you ask an account executive to guess.”[00:07:54] “In consumption, a customer can use it for a week, turn it off like a light switch, and move on.”[00:08:38] “PLG might start with $500 on a credit card and scale into a major enterprise deal.”[00:09:28] “Sometimes comp gives future credit for usage trajectory — but companies will claw it back if churn happens.”[00:10:33] “There's a lot of gold in this full episode — make sure you check it out.”Listen to the full conversation through the link below.https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/driving-sales-behavior-with-effective-compensation-plans-with-jose-fernandezEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon's book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management's Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Jamal & Chris dig into how Wayspots actually get removed from the map — what qualifies for removal, what doesn't, and why “technically ineligible” often isn't enough. They break down Niantic's removal criteria, share real-world examples, and offer practical tips to help your removal reports get approved. Before that, they cover the latest Wayfarer news, including GO Fest 2025 in Chicago, upcoming citywide gameplay, and two community forum threads highlighting approved Wayspots from around the world and across the U.S. The episode also features the return of Tales from Canada, plus Wayspot of the Week, Coal of the Week, and advice on when it's better to move or edit a Wayspot instead of removing and renominating it. Here's What We're Talking About: What can and can't be removed from the map K–12 schools, private property, unsafe locations, and emergency access Fake, removed, or fundamentally changed points of interest Businesses that have changed their primary function Evidence-based tips for successful removal reports When to move/edit vs remove and resubmit Stick around for: ✅ Spatial / Scopely News ✅ Tales From Canada ✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week ✅ Dad Jokes (of course!) Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell Writer: Jamal Harvey Producer: Jamal Harvey Executive Producer: Kate Konz Show Historian: Matty G Recorded: December 11, 2025 Published: December 14, 2025 Season 4, Episode 49 Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters@pokemonprofessor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠  Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710  Support the Show  Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠  Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠ Community & Friends Wayfarer Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠discord.gg/niawayfarer⁠⁠⁠⁠ German Wayfarer Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠discord.gg/ThTZCZH5⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/2241761169257836⁠⁠⁠⁠ Solstice:

Health Reimbursement Arrangements and AI's Economic Potential: Colleague Gene Marks advocates for Health Reimbursement Arrangements, noting they allow small businesses to control costs while employees buy their own insurance tax-free, also discussing AI's potential to double economic growth and advising businesses to ignore doomsday predictions and embrace tools that enhance productivity and daily life. 1964

If you're a small business tired of losing to the same primes, submitting proposals into a black hole, or waiting for 8(a) magic that never arrives—this episode is your wake-up call. Eric sits down with four real former federal contracting officers who awarded contracts for AI weapon systems, billion-dollar construction, and tech transformation programs—and they openly share what agencies really look for, why small businesses get ignored, and the strategies that actually work when government spending spikes again. From how they're stalking your LinkedIn before reading your email, to why capability beats certification, to the power of relationships, partnerships, and diversifying into state/local/commercial pipelines—this conversation unlocks the playbook that will separate the 3% of winners from the 97% about to get shut out. Key Takeaways Certifications ≠ contracts—relationships, capability & visibility win. Know your customer deeply: agency needs, expiring contracts & program managers. Diversify now—state/local/commercial work keeps you alive when federal slows. Learn more: https://federalhelpcenter.com/ https://govcongiants.org/  Join the bootcamp: https://govcongiants.org/bootcamp  Watch the full Youtube episode here: https://youtu.be/KIeyIRLL2sI