Podcasts about business models

Today's guest is Benn Jordan. He is a science and technology expert whose YouTube investigations into Flock cameras and their security flaws have garnered millions of views. You can check out his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCshObcm-nLhbu8MY50EZ5Ng Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters(00:00) – Cold Open (01:21) – Benn's Flock Camera Investigations (09:07) – Flock vs. the Fourth Amendment (12:06) – Flock's Business Model & First Contract (17:15) – The Danger of Unchecked Surveillance (20:06) – Can Civilians Actually Fight This? (27:42) – Crashing Flock's Private Convention (31:06) – Flock's Legal Threats vs. Researchers (39:37) – How the Cameras Actually Work (43:32) – Live Hacking Demo: Proving It's Not Encrypted (45:54) – The Dunwoody Scandal (48:40) – The Legal Case Against Flock (49:41) – Dark Web Data & the FTC Investigation (53:23) – Congress' Response (56:28) – The Threat to Gun Owners & Foreign Adversaries (59:29) – The Chinese Backdoor Discovery (1:02:59) – What People Can Actually Do (1:05:42) – Closing Message: Privacy as a Human Right Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/change-agents-with-andy-stumpf/id1677415740 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3SKmtN55V2AGbzHDo34DHI?si=5aefbba9abc844ed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you walk into a McDonald's, it looks like one company. But legally, the person making your fries probably doesn't work for McDonald's at all. Brian Callaci, Chief Economist at the Open Markets Institute and author of Chains of Command, joins Nick and Goldy to explain how franchising became a blueprint for corporate control without responsibility — shifting risk, liability, and labor costs onto franchisees and workers while profits flow upward. Brian Callaci is the chief economist at the Open Markets Institute and author of Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy.  Social Media: @briancallaci.bsky.social @brian_callaci briancallaci.com Further reading:  Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America by Marcia Chatelain Sectoral bargaining FAQ: Collective bargaining, sectoral wage and standards boards, and worker power The Founder (2016) Continental T.V., Inc. v. GTE Sylvania, Inc., 433 U.S. 36 (1977) Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust & Monopoly Hearing on Distribution problems affecting small business. Part 1: franchising agreements, March (1965) Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok: @pitchfork_econ YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer Substack: The Pitch

Today we're going to venture outside real estate for a few minutes and talk about software. But this is really a discussion about business economics, and those principles apply to every industry.For the past twenty years, one of the most attractive business models in technology has been Software as a Service, or SaaS.Instead of buying software once, customers pay every month or every year. From the software company's perspective, this is wonderful. Revenue becomes recurring and predictable. Investors love recurring revenue, and software companies have been valued accordingly.But artificial intelligence may be starting to challenge the fundamental economics of that model.We recently conducted an audit of the software subscriptions inside our own business. Like many companies, we had accumulated numerous applications over the years. Accounting software, project management software, communication tools, document management, CRM systems, design tools, and numerous specialized applications.What became obvious was that we were paying for a tremendous amount of capability that we simply weren't using.In several cases we were subscribing to the highest tier because, at some point, somebody believed we needed one particular feature. When we looked carefully at actual usage, we discovered that the basic version accomplished virtually everything we needed.We downgraded several subscriptions and, in some cases, reduced the cost by more than fifty percent.Did productivity decline?Not at all.Suppose your company uses only ten percent of the functionality in a large project management platform.What if instead you built exactly the workflow your organization needs?Instead of changing your business process to accommodate somebody else's software, the software accommodates your business process.There is something very attractive about that.But before declaring the SaaS industry dead, we need to distinguish between development cost and lifecycle cost.----------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

All summer, I've been talking about one idea: that simplicity and focus are not optional.Simplicity and focus are the harder, but better, choice and the fastest path to a profitable, sustainable expert business. And they only get more relevant as your business grows.If you want a business where you are not constantly feeling behind and overwhelmed, and where your success isn't just in your bottom line, but how you live your life, you have to be able to do three things. You have to attract the right people, sell without it being a drawn-out process, and deliver in a way that is actually profitable.The No BS Business Model gives you that one clear strategy for each of these.The No BS model came from Steve and I doing everything for everyone and ending up overworked and in debt, then paring down our business to just two offers, on one platform, with a clear audience. Our simplification was born out of necessity, but it gave me incredible relief and the success I had been chasing. And now I've taught that model to thousands of expert service business owners over the last ten years. Today, I'm going to walk you through it.Sponsored by Squarespace:Free Guide to Squarespace Circle: nobsmastery.com/squarespaceTune into this episode to hear:The low-tech, low-investment strategy that consistently brings the right people through your doorThe game-changing sales process that eliminates tire kickers and hagglers and sets you up as a trusted advisorHow intensives cut the BS and let you focus on delivering your best, most valuable workHow implementing the No BS model impacts not just your business, but your whole lifeResources:Grab the first chapter of my new book Scale Solo: scalesolobook.comProgram: No BS Mastery: https://nobsmastery.com/programThe Price to Freedom Calculator™ - http://nobsmastery.com/priceGrab a copy of my book: Badass Your Brand - https://www.badassyourbrand.com/The 7 Steps to $30k Months Playbook: nobsmastery.com/playbook 

SummaryIn this episode, I'm joined by Barry O'Reilly,  he's an entrepreneur, advisor, author and a friend of mine who works with executives to redesign how their organizations perform. He's also the co-founder of Nobody Studios, an AI venture studio building and launching over 100 companies.Barry and I chat about what he's learned from years of helping corporations experiment, redesign systems, and make better decisions under extreme uncertainty.We talk about why so many AI transformations start in the wrong place, why leaders should focus on the work before the tools, and how capturing conversations can create a kind of organizational memory that gets smarter over time.Barry also shares his lessons from building Nobody Studios and how that work influenced his new book Artificial Organizations.If you want to learn more about testing with AI to redesign how work gets done while making better decisions, you'll love this episode.TakeawaysStart with the work, not the AI tools. The biggest gains come from redesigning how work and decisions happen, then choosing technology that supports that flow.Human judgment becomes more important, not less. AI can capture, synthesize, and model information at scale, but leaders still need to decide what matters and what action to take.Treat conversations and decisions as data assets. Capturing meetings, transcripts, decisions, and outcomes creates organizational memory that can be reused instead of constantly recreating context.Better systems can outperform experience alone. Deep domain expertise still matters, but rigorous decision-making systems combined with machine intelligence can challenge gut instinct as the default.AI transformations fail when they are treated as tool rollouts. Buying Copilot or another platform does not change how an organization works unless behaviors, processes, and operating systems change with it.Leaders can accelerate adoption by role-modeling experimentation. Admitting “I don't know,” trying tools in real work, and openly sharing what works and what does not creates permission for others to learn.Start with one decision or workflow. Rather than attempting a company-wide AI transformation, pick a recurring decision or process, test a new way of working, and learn from the result.Guest LinksBarry's Website: https://barryoreilly.com/Barry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryoreilly/Artificial Organization: https://artificialorganizations.com/Nobody Studios: https://nobodystudios.com/

281: What actually works in land investing when the market slows down?(Show Notes: REtipster.com/281)In this episode, I sit down with two of my good friends: Drew Haney of Rooster Capital and Mike Baucom, my business partner at Stride CRM. We had no formal agenda, but the conversation quickly turned into a candid look at the current land market, the strategies that still work, and what separates the land investors who survive from those who quit.Drew shares insights from analyzing approximately 850 funded land deals. One of the biggest conclusions was surprisingly simple: boring, smaller land flips often produce the strongest returns. While the industry constantly promotes new real estate strategies—subdivides, entitlements, distressed property, and other value-add plays—some of the most successful land investors continue using the same basic systems they have refined for yearsWe also discuss why the land market no longer feels like the COVID-era boom, whether another real estate crash could be coming, and why transaction volume may matter more than rising land prices.Mike, Drew, and I also get honest about entrepreneur mindset, inconsistent cash flow, failed marketing campaigns, diversification, shiny object syndrome, loneliness, AI, and the importance of building real relationships with other business owners.This conversation is about more than land flipping. It is about staying in the game, improving your systems, and learning to appreciate the difficult seasons of entrepreneurship.

AI may make professional services faster, but Grant Thornton Advisors CIO Mike Kempe believes the bigger opportunity is to rethink what clients are actually buying. In this episode of Technovation, Kempe joins Peter High to discuss how Grant Thornton is using AI to reimagine professional services from the ground up. He explains why simply automating individual steps leaves much of AI's potential untapped, how the firm keeps human judgment at the center of AI-enabled work, and why trust and governance remain essential as adoption scales. Kempe also explores a larger shift in the industry: away from traditional time-and-materials engagements and toward a model built around outcomes, insight, confidence, and results. The conversation also covers Grant Thornton's AI investments, its GTAP audit platform, experimentation with AI agents, M&A integration, and the evolving role of the CIO. This episode is presented by ElevenLabs — Bringing technology to life. Learn more at elevenlabs.io This episode is also presented by Retool — Build internal software better, with AI. Learn more at retool.com

What happens when you've hit capacity for your 1:1 done-for-you services? You can't physically take on any more clients and you've already upped your prices. What happens next if you want to grow your revenue?I'm walking through the 3 typical business models that service businesses use to grow past that ceiling, including a sneaky 4th one no one really talks about…Links:— The In Demand Identity Kit (uncover your personal brand + trust-building stories): https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/in-demand-identity-kit— Sign up to my weekly ‘Re:Fresh' emails): https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/newsletter— Say hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by.rosanna/— More about byRosanna (website design & business resources): https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/

Dr. Fabiana Claure is a concert pianist, music business strategist, and AI innovation leader who helps music educators turn their expertise into scalable, profitable businesses. A doctoral-level pianist, university professor, and co-founder of a nationally recognized music academy, she has generated over seven figures through her own online education programs. Fabiana has also helped music educators build six- and seven-figure businesses while cutting their teaching hours by 50% or more. She is the creator of The Musician's Profit Umbrella® and Musician's Marketing Maestro™, combining entrepreneurship, education, and AI to help musicians build sustainable careers.In this episode, Fabiana reveals how musicians can turn their expertise into scalable businesses, use AI strategically, and create more income and impact without simply teaching more hours.Key TakeawaysLearn how to move beyond trading hours for income by developing a signature methodology and education business around what you already know.Discover how musicians can leverage AI for marketing, content, and business growth without losing the expertise and authenticity that make their work unique.Explore strategies for increasing revenue while reducing teaching hours, allowing you to serve more students without sacrificing your time.---→ Access Fabiana's Free Musicians Profit Masterclass here: https://musiciansprofitmasterclass.com/→ Learn more about Fabiana and her work at Musicians Creating Prosperity here: https://musicianscreatingprosperity.com/Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://streetteam.fm/masterclass

What if physical therapy is not bad at care, but bad at naming, packaging, and selling the thing patients actually want?In this episode of PT Breakfast Club, Jimmy McKay, Tony Maritato, and Dave Kittle start with Dave's poker night in New York City and end up in a much bigger conversation about relationship-building, recruiting, cash-pay offers, performance training, AI, and why clinics may need to stop selling visits.The crew talks about how poker night, PT pub nights, student events, and live experiences can create better connections between clinicians, students, employers, and practice owners. Instead of another stale job fair, what if recruiting looked more like a room people actually wanted to be in?Then Tony raises the bigger identity question: should everything delivered by a physical therapist be called physical therapy? Or should clinics start naming the service more clearly, like performance training delivered by a physical therapist?Dave breaks down a real cash-pay experiment at Concierge Pain Relief, including a paid evaluation, a value stack, and a results-based plan of care instead of selling visit by visit. That sparks a deeper discussion about why selling transformation is harder than selling a commodity, why clinicians struggle with large dollar amounts, and how repetition, call recording, AI feedback, and coaching can make value communication stronger.The episode closes with AI's future role in patient decision-making. Patients may increasingly use their own AI tools to evaluate offers, compare options, and decide whether a package makes sense.The final takeaway: clarity beats complexity, and clear beats clever every time.

In this episode, Travis Vaughn from Upward Sports shares insights on how sports can be a powerful tool for community outreach and faith-based ministry. We explore the impact of youth and adult sports, the shift away from travel sports, and practical ways churches can leverage sports to reach unchurched families.Key TopicsUpward Sports mission and impactTransition from youth to adult sportsCommunity outreach through sportsChallenges of travel and elite sportsMarathon training and faithChurch involvement in sports facilitiesTitlesHow Upward Sports Is Changing Community OutreachUsing Sports to Reach Unchurched FamiliesSound Bites“Upward equips churches to run sports in their community”“Sports as an opportunity for intentional outreach”“Travel sports are a problem in America”Chapters00:00 Introduction to Travis Vaughn and Upward Sports01:13 Travis Vaughn's Personal and Professional Background02:37 What is Upward Sports and Its Mission04:00 How Sports Facilitate Community and Church Outreach05:18 The Move into Adult Sports and Upward Running08:29 Travis Vaughn's Running Journey and Marathon Qualification12:20 Upward's Shift from Travel Sports to Local Church Focus16:22 The Business Model of Upward Sports and Its Evolution20:16 Concerns About Travel Sports and Church Engagement22:28 The Impact of Private Equity in Youth Sports30:54 Community Building Through Local Sports Leagues32:34 Most Popular Upward Sport and Facility Utilization34:49 Travis Vaughn's Boston Marathon Experience35:32 Training for the Boston Marathon and Personal Fitness40:33 Key Takeaways on Sports and Faith MinistryUpward Sports Official WebsiteUpward Running PodcastFind a Local Upward Sports LeagueLinkedInTwitter

Grab our breakdown of the 5 Low-Cost Businesses That Make $1 Million: https://www.franchiseempire.com/lowcost?utm_source=feaug112026Cabinet IQ founder and CEO Michael Hartel breaks down what it actually takes to own one of the fastest-growing kitchen cabinet and countertop franchises in the country. He walks through the real numbers — the investment range, first-year revenue, and how new owners with no industry experience are opening strong by simply running the playbook. Michael explains why the showroom costs less to build than people fear, how franchisees beat shops that have been open 40 years, and the five core values he looks for in every candidate. If you're weighing which franchise to buy, this is a candid, numbers-first look at the model, the support, and the kind of person who thrives in it.------------------Considering Investing In A Franchise?

Thought leadership expert Bill Sherman joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss how experts can scale their ideas to create impactful thought leadership. Bill shares insights from his extensive experience in helping individuals and organizations codify and amplify their ideas.In this episode, we delve into the nuances of thought leadership, from defining it to exploring business models and the importance of a focused target audience. Bill also discusses the impact equation and how to effectively communicate ideas to create lasting influence.00:00 - Introduction to Bill Sherman00:19 - Journey into Thought Leadership01:51 - Defining Thought Leadership05:41 - Emerging Thought Leaders08:44 - The Thought Leadership Handbook13:09 - Business Models of Thought Leadership16:49 - Target Audience Importance21:49 - Licensing and Certification25:09 - Alternatives to Writing a Book33:39 - Impact Equation43:47 - Final ThoughtsGuest bioBill Sherman is the COO of Thought Leadership Leverage and lead author of The Thought Leadership Handbook. For more than twenty years he's helped executives, authors, and experts take their ideas to scale — and he co-hosts the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast, now past 700 episodes.Website » https://aha-moments.com/Book » https://thoughtleadershiphandbook.com/LinkedIn » https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-sherman-aha-moments/Podcast » https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/thought-leadership-podcasts/

RUM Group CEO Chris Pavlovski says the company's "strong community" with more than 57M monthly users who can contribute and monetize their video data creates a moat around RUM Group, while speaking with BTV's Ed Ludlow on Bloomberg Tech. Pavlovski also says the firm is focused on finding the "right client" to monetize 250 megawatts of power capacity as fast as possible. Ludlow's interview with Pavlovski comes a day after the company released its 2Q earnings results, reporting revenue for the second quarter of $40.4 million vs. $25.1 million y/y.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can businesses sell circular propositions in a world that's rapidly changing? This episode of the Circular Economy Show tackles the marketing challenges and opportunities head-on. Pippa sits down with Jonathan Hall, Managing Partner at Kantar's Sustainable Transformation Practice, and Amanda Gandolpho, former Head of Brands at bike subscription service Swapfiets, to explore how to connect with today's consumers and drive demand for circular products and services. In this episode you'll discover: The surprising shift in societal values that's reshaping consumer buying habits     How to overcome marketing roadblocks like the value-action gap (where consumers say they want sustainability but don't always buy it) and the greenwashing problem     Practical strategies for marketing circularity effectively: Focus on consumer benefits, convenience, and solving real problems     Real-world examples: Learn how Swapfiets is using a circular business model (bike subscription) to disrupt transportation and prioritise customer experience This August on the Circular Economy Show, we're revisiting four conversations that help to navigate the marketing challenges and opportunities of switching to a circular economy. So listen in if you want to learn how to take something from a good idea to something that actually sells. Subscribe to The Ellen MacArthur Foundation for more insightful videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQAC2otE5_agzHZPnk3mE5w?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us online on these channels: Instagram: http://instagram.com/EllenMacArthurFoundation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ellen-macarthur-foundation/ Website: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

Here's an uncomfortable truth: most people will tell a total stranger about their weird rash before they'll tell their best friend how much debt they're carrying. That contradiction sits at the center of this episode. The guest is Carrie Joy Grimes, founder and CEO of WorkMoney — a nonprofit she describes as "the AARP for everyday people's money." She built it in 2020 after years as a union organizer, watching thousands of people wrestle with the same financial confusion she'd faced growing up in a household where money was never discussed. The conversation opens with a poker metaphor that ends up doing a lot of work: you play the hand you're dealt, but you can also change the rules of the game. That's WorkMoney's whole thesis — help individuals make the best move with what they have, while using collective bargaining power to get everyone better cards. From there, the discussion turns commercial. A nonprofit still has to think like a business, and Grimes walks through WorkMoney's five distinct revenue models — sales of her book "The Joy of Money", ethical sponsorships, a bill-negotiation product called Money Finder, and a for-profit enterprise arm designed to fund financial products that don't quietly profit off member debt. The host presses on the hardest part: how do you measure success when your mission is "financial security" and revenue isn't the real scoreboard? Grimes lays out three separate metrics her team tracks, including one that's surprisingly emotional. There's also a sharp aside on index investing — including a detail about Warren Buffett's will that reframes the whole "beat the market" industry — and a candid discussion of why WorkMoney deliberately avoids a pure B2C growth strategy. If you've ever wondered how a mission-driven business justifies its business model without losing its mission, this one's worth the full listen. Three Key Takeaways • A nonprofit still needs a real business model. Grimes runs five distinct revenue lines at WorkMoney — including book sales, ethical sponsorships, and a fee-based bill-negotiation service — because donations alone can't fund a movement at scale. • B2B2C beats B2C for mission-driven growth. Rather than acquiring millions of individual customers one at a time, WorkMoney partners with organizations that have already aggregated the audience it wants to serve — dramatically lowering acquisition cost and risk. • Success metrics get complicated when revenue isn't the goal. WorkMoney measures impact through self-reported financial confidence, actual debt/wealth changes, and retirement trajectory — because, as Grimes puts it, if members don't feel more secure, the work isn't landing. If today's conversation had you thinking about what it actually takes to turn a big idea into a sustainable business, you'll want to check out The Thought Leadership Handbook, co-authored by Peter Winick, Bill Sherman, and Naren Aryal. It's the playbook for shaping, packaging, and scaling expertise in a crowded market — exactly the kind of business-model thinking Carrie Joy Grimes brought to this episode. Learn more at thoughtleadershiphandbook.com, and order your copy today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or Amplify.

Ellen Mackenzie built a booked-out social media agency, then deliberately burned it down. The six-figure client roster she'd spent years filling had become the thing she wanted out of, so she dismantled it on purpose and rebuilt around a model where 1:1 client work is now optional. Founder of Dishing Up Digital, Ellen runs a multi-six-figure business from Auckland, New Zealand, stacking digital products, a flagship coaching program, a small mastermind, and brand partnerships with Canva, Rella, and Logitech. That mix has grown to 1,300+ students, a 50,000+ subscriber YouTube channel, and an 11,000-person email list. In this episode, Ellen breaks down what each income stream actually generates, why she'd rather run a hybrid business than a pure agency or a pure course model, and where a fully-booked service provider should start when their own success begins to feel like a trap. Connect with Ellen: ⁠Website: https://www.ellenmackenzie.com ⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenmackenziee ⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC8iN8jdZISR6W6gVOgcebPA Dishing Up Digital Podcast: https://www.ellenmackenzie.com/podcasts/dishing-up-digital-with-ellen-mackenzie-social-media-management-strategy Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryIn this episode, I'm joined by Mark Graban, he's an expert in Lean Leadership, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement. Mark and I discuss the idea of the “smallest test of change,” a principle rooted in lean thinking that can be applied far beyond manufacturing. Speaking of manufacturing, we sort of geek out on what we've learned from being around Toyota and seeing how they work in practice, not just in theory.We also dive into why organizations reward people for sounding certain, how leaders unintentionally punish experimentation, and why psychological safety is essential if you expect people to admit what they don't know.Mark shares how he's applying these ideas to his own work by testing a new book through iterative publishing.If you want to learn more about creating a culture where people feel safe to speak up and use smaller tests to drive meaningful change, this episode is for you.TakeawaysStart with the smallest test of change - something quick, inexpensive, and focused on learning.Separate knowledge from assumptions by asking, “How do we know this is true?” before acting with certainty.Psychological safety is essential for experimentation because people must feel safe admitting mistakes, asking for help, and challenging ideas.Leaders shape culture through their reactions. Saying failure is acceptable means little if people are punished when a test does not work.Even experienced practitioners can overbuild. Mark's AI coaching experiment reinforced the need to test demand and usefulness before adding more features.Guest LinksWebsite: https://www.markgraban.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgraban/

An experienced architectural drafter is hoping to make a change. He still wants to use his professional skills, but in a way that doesn't rely on trading time for money. What should he consider?Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week.Show notes: SideHustleSchool.comEmail: team@sidehustleschool.comBe on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questionsConnect on Instagram: @193countriesVisit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.comRead A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.comIf you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.

While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years.  In this episode, Kim speaks with Rob Lalka, the author of The Venture Alchemists - How Big Tech Turned Profits Into Power.    In this episode of Radical Sabbatical, Kim sits down with Rob Lalka, author of Venture Alchemist, to study what the founders of Facebook, Google, and the “PayPal Mafia” were saying and writing before anyone was paying attention to them. They explore what separates the leaders who stayed grounded from the ones who didn't. They ask a hard question: does it matter if a leader got corrupted by too much money and power or if they started out bad to the bone? Every leader (indeed, every one of us) has good and bad inside. The one that wins is usually the one that gets fed. The question is whether the venture capital model feeds the good — or does it feed the bad, setting founders up to be corrupted by their own success?  Kim and Rob explore the contrasting origins of major tech companies like Facebook and Google. They discuss the implications of Mark Zuckerberg's early actions (for example, an IM while in college with a friend who asked him how he got access to people's personal information and he replied “they trusted me, the dumb f–ks;”). What does it mean that Google's founders started out thinking Google would have to be a non-profit so that advertising wouldn't bias information but wound up selling trillions of ads?  The conversation also delves into the impact of the PayPal Mafia and the controversial book by Thiel and Sachs, The Diversity Myth. Rob discusses the complexities of free speech and the implications of outlier behavior. He emphasizes the importance of moral leadership in corporate culture and critiques the philosophical influences of figures like Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman on business ethics. Rob expresses hope for the future, particularly through the potential of his students to create positive change in society. Books & Articles mention by Rob:   George Packer - article in The Atlantic - The Venture-Capital Populist https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/06/david-sacks-crypto-ai-venture-capital/686941/ Max Chafkin - The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and the Rise of the Silicon Valley Oligarchs https://elmstreetbooks.com/book/9781984878557 Jimi Soni - The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501197266?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Guest Background: Rob Lalka is the author of The Venture Alchemists - How Big Tech Turned Profits Into Power.  He is also the Albert R. Lepage Professor in Business and executive director of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane University. He is on the board of directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Public Democracy, Inc., and Venture For America in New Orleans. Previously, he served on the U.S. Secretary of State's policy planning staff and in the State Department's Office of Global Partnerships, was a director at Village Capital, and was a senior advisor at the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. CHAPTERS (00:40) Introduction to Alchemy and Venture Capital (03:04) The Power Dynamics in Business Models (05:33) Zuckerberg's Origin Story and Its Implications (07:40) The Contrast with Google's Founding Philosophy (09:47) The Role of Advertising in Business Models (12:43) The Historical Context of Business Practices (14:59) The Golden Spike and Economic Inequality (14:59) The Impact of the PayPal Mafia and Diversity Myth (22:00) The Controversy of Free Speech and Homophobia (25:07) Outlier Behavior and Its Implications (28:03) The Rape Issue and Its Consequences (30:27) Moral Leadership and Corporate Culture (33:08) Philosophical Influences on Business Ethics (40:30) Hope for the Future and the Role of Education Connect with the Radical Candor team: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Keywords venture capital, alchemy, business models, Zuckerberg, Google, advertising, economic inequality, PayPal Mafia, diversity myth, entrepreneurship free speech, outlier behavior, corporate culture, moral leadership, business ethics, philosophy, education, AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rowland Hobbs is CEO and co-founder of Stake, a fintech platform that rewards renters with cash back, working to make renting financially rewarding. Before Stake, he led design and innovation at Teneo and served as head of product design for Accenture North America, and he founded Post+Beam, an innovation design firm, and Linea, a computer vision driven photo sharing app. Rowland is based in Dallas, TX.(04:10) - Why Rent Was Left Out of Loyalty(06:00) - Loyalty Programs Go Multifamily(08:30) - Financial Amenities vs. Flashy Perks(12:20) - Cash back for Delinquency, Retention & Vacancy(14:40) - Rewarding Renters Instead of Punishing Them(15:50) - Bilt Rewards(24:50) - Stake's Cash back Business Model(27:10) - Cash back by Property Type(28:50) - UMoveFree Acquisition in Texas(31:10) - Vertical Integration in Multifamily(32:20) - Rising Housing Costs & Renter Churn(36:50) - Renter Loyalty's Next 25 Years(38:50) - Collaboration Superpower: Barack Obama & Loyalty Program's Inventor

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!Less than 1% of denials get appealed in the real world, yet regulators have found appeal reversal rates that should stop every dental office in its tracks. We pull apart what that contradiction tells us: denials are not just “one-off mistakes,” they can be a business model that survives on provider exhaustion, unclear standards, and paperwork loops that quietly delay payment until you give up.We walk through the hidden source material most billers never read market conduct examinations, consent orders, and enforcement actions where the state audits the insurance carrier and publishes what it finds. From “sequential” documentation requests to denial language that fails to explain what would make a claim payable, these reports turn gut feelings into quotable evidence. We also explain why a fine is effectively a written confession: it shows which behavior could not survive an audit and gives you leverage to reverse engineer your next appeal and escalation.Then we get practical. Clean claim is a legal term tied to prompt pay law, and understanding it changes how you respond to additional information requests designed to stop the clock. We share two calm questions you can use immediately: ask for the filed policy provision that supports the denial, and ask which licensed clinician reviewed the claim and whether they reviewed the submitted documentation. Finally, we zoom out to pattern recognition: denial rates, overturn rates, time-to-payment, and filing complaints with the right regulator based on plan type, including ERISA self-funded plans and the US Department of Labor.If you want smarter dental billing appeals and stronger denial management, listen now, subscribe for more, and share this with a biller who is tired of water-gun tactics. What denial pattern are you seeing most in your office? Interested in a Demo of Dentiq - The Billing Command Center? Get on the interest list here:https://4063-dentiq.systeme.io/waitlistGet your Dental Billing Toolkit Here:https://www.dentalbillingdoneright.com/the-dental-billing-toolkitDownload "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=headerSchedule a billing chat with Ericka:https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30minEmail Ericka:ericka@dentalbillingdoneright.comEmail Jen:jen@dentalbillingdoneright.com

In this episode of Food for Thought Leadership, Chris Campbell, Vice President of Content and Insights at The Food Institute, speaks with Joe Slater, President and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, about the changing realities of food insecurity and how food banks are evolving to meet growing demand. Slater explains that today's food-insecure population increasingly consists of working adults holding one or more jobs, as rising living costs outpace wages and changes to federal assistance programs leave many households with few options. He also discusses why healthy foods, including fresh produce, protein, milk and eggs, have become the most sought-after items among families seeking assistance. The conversation also explores how Gleaners has transformed beyond the traditional food bank model by building earned-revenue businesses in wholesale produce distribution, protein processing, co-packing, kitting and logistics. Slater explains how advances in supply chain efficiency, automation and AI have dramatically reduced excess food donations, forcing food banks to become smarter purchasers rather than relying primarily on surplus inventory. He closes by encouraging stronger partnerships between the food industry and charitable organizations, arguing that sharing data, technology and operational expertise will be just as important as food donations in addressing future food insecurity. More about Joe Slater: Joe Slater serves as Chief Operating Officer for Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, where he oversees operations and strategic initiatives that support the organization's mission of leading the fight against hunger. With more than two decades of experience in supply chain management, food sourcing, and nonprofit leadership, Joe has helped drive innovative programs and partnerships that increase access to nutritious food while strengthening collaboration across the Feeding America network. Under his leadership, Gleaners and its social enterprise, Fresh Connect Central, have become national leaders in collaborative sourcing, protein repacking, and creative distribution solutions that maximize resources and expand impact. More about Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana & Fresh Connect Central: Founded in 1980, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana serves 21 counties across central and southeastern Indiana through a network of more than 300 community partners and direct service programs. To further extend its impact beyond Indiana, Gleaners launched Fresh Connect Central (FCC), a social enterprise focused on collaborative food sourcing and supply chain solutions for hunger relief organizations. Today, FCC partners with more than 150 food banks and organizations across 46 states and Puerto Rico, moving tens of millions of pounds of food annually through sourcing, repacking, and logistics solutions. Together, Gleaners and Fresh Connect Central are leveraging innovation and strategic partnerships to maximize resources, strengthen the Feeding America network, and create greater access to nutritious food for communities nationwide. Learn more: https://www.gleaners.org/

From a brand's point of view, how should extended producer responsibility (EPR) be designed so that circularity pays off? Philipp Bonaventura from Schöffel explains where circular design already works, why the economics hold it back, and what the system needs to change. What you'll hear in this episode: • Why the barrier is economic, not technical: low collection volumes, weak sorting, and repair that doesn't cover its cost • How designing for repair differs from designing for recycling, and why material choice decides what can be recovered • Which fees reward durable, repairable products, and why harmonised rules across Europe matter The episode also covers what counts as a circular product, and why quality comes before recycled content. This is the second episode of the Textile EPR series.

We welcome back Brad Blickstein, CEO at Blickstein Group, to discuss how private equity principles may provide law firms with an alternative approach to profitability, governance, and even long-term growth. Blickstein's new book, WWPED: What Would Private Equity Do? was written to walk firms through how treating topics like pricing, technology, talent, and client relationships as part of the enterprise value instead of overhead expenses after year-end partnership distributions.Pulling from Jae Um's topics of Cream, Core, and Commodity framework, Blickstein talks about the legal work as the primary competitive battleground. Much like businesses that provide baked goods, firms have to separate the customized legal judgment from the repeatable legal processes, technology, and what alternative legal services providers offer. Law firm leaders should understand what scalable work is, begin building consistent systems to deliver that work, and truly professionalize pricing over relying upon what a partner's gut tells them.We also cover the Blickstein Group's 2026 Law Firm COO Survey where technology adoption and investment ranks as the leading strategic initiative with 38.1% identified practice silos as the largest structural issue and 27% of COOs listed lack of operational authority as another prime issue. COOs are struggling with being tasked with modernizing law firms, but not given the authority to actually overcome the base issues of decentralized partnerships, competing incentives, and overall firm political structures.Add AI into the mix, and the pricing question becomes even more important. Some two-thirds of the COOs surveyed confessed that they were not formally measuring any return on investment (ROI) in which they could later measure any law productivity or direct revenue increases. Blickstein points out that faster work in a billable hour model is not the type of math that law firms want to calculate, and that firms have to address this directly and redesign their overall pricing model on value received by the client, not hours worked by the lawyers. We all discuss the issues of alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) have face in the more than 30 years since Blickstein originally published an article titled "Alternative Billing Making a Comeback." AFAs bring with it issues of shadow billing, client trust factors, and the need to express value not tied to the amount to time spent on the work.We also break down the corporate buyer side and address the Blickstein Group's 18th Annual Law Department Operations Survey which identifies AI pilot projects in corporate legal departments, but very few operational deployments. These may be tied to the long running issue of poor data hygiene along with business objectives that are not clearly tied to overall corporate strategy.Brad gets to be one of the first to answer our new question of "what's true today that wasn't true a year ago?" A nice lead in to our Crystal Ball question. We cover AI token pricing and having to compete with the new "AI native firms" that are spinning up from former BigLaw partners.Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠Substack⁠[Special Thanks to ⁠⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.comMusic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blickstein GroupWWPED: What Would Private Equity Do?2026 Law Firm COO Survey findingsLaw Department Operations SurveyCream, Core, and Commodity legal-work frameworkLegaltech Hub: The Arithmetic of AI, Tokens and Claude in Legal WorkLegaltech Hub: Five Prompting Habits Costing You Tokens and AccuracyLegora introduces consumption-based pricingKirkland & Ellis and its $500 million AI investmentAnthropic Claude CodeLINKSTranscript:

Listen in as Aviation Week editors Sean Broderick, Michael Bruno and James Pozzi discuss the recent comments from airframe and engine OEMs on the aftermarket, why the issue has surfaced now and whether a new aircraft-engine OEM business model is achievable.

A business that depends on one client, one employee, or one traffic source is more fragile than it looks. One unexpected hit can expose the entire operation. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Paul Alex breaks down how to stress-test your business, eliminate single points of failure, and build systems strong enough to survive major disruptions. Success can create dangerous assumptions. You start believing the biggest client will always stay. The top performer will never leave. The lead source will never disappear. That is exactly when risk starts building beneath the surface. In this episode, you'll learn: • How single points of failure make your business dangerously vulnerable• Why founders should regularly test worst-case scenarios• How diversification and cross-training create stronger operations• Why cash reserves and backup systems increase long-term stability The truth is simple: Hope is not a contingency plan. Run the disaster scenarios before they become real. Diversify your revenue. Cross-train your team. Build backup acquisition channels. Protect enough cash to keep operating when something goes wrong. Stop building a house of cards. Build a business that can take a hit and keep moving. Your Network is your NETWORTH! Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhDAD1JyGGzSQUPD9lc9HQLinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you: www.CashSwipe.com FREE Copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold - The New American Dream”www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tariffs, inflation, difficulty in finding buyers for grapes. It's all been a challenge for local winemakers on the Central Coast. Many wineries are now looking at alternative business models to try to satisfy a fragmented consumer base. Reporter: Mira Honeycutt Much of California is preparing for more hot weather this weekend. Temperatures could reach triple digits for many inland areas. And that means people near the coast will likely be looking for a way to cool off, at local beaches. But the combination of heat waves and rough water conditions is resulting in lifeguards across the state becoming that much more important. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Beckett argues that as the sports card hobby has grown into a larger industry, it needs a more organized “clearinghouse” to connect employers with qualified talent across full-time, part-time, remote, seasonal, and contract roles. He cites fragmented hiring, word-of-mouth recruiting, and scattered job listings (including Brett McGrath's, Stacking Slabs, excellent hobby jobs coverage) as reasons a thorough, centralized, data-driven platform could help match candidates by hobby expertise, skills, and willingness to relocate. Beckett discusses potential features like structured applications, reference verification, keeping listings fresh, and in-person networking events at major shows, while noting the challenge of building a viable business model where employers, sponsors, or major companies support the costs. He shares past hiring experiences, mentions current job examples, and previews the National.   00:00 Why Hobby Needs Hiring Hub 04:04 Broad Roles Beyond Full Time 06:07 Business Model and Seasonal Work 07:11 Candidate Profiles and Data 08:27 References Feedback and Testing 11:15 Events and Monetization Hurdles 13:49 Integrity Verification and Staleness 15:25 Shark Tank Wrap and National      

New names: Kimi K3, Llama, Nemotron, Mistral, Cohere, Deepseek, Phi-4 – these are just a few of the fast-growing open source models from major AI providers. These systems threaten the business models and financial plans of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and X.ai. They perform at levels close to Frontier models and the can run up to five-times cheaper on a variety of hardware platforms. What is the disruptive impact of these open source LLMs and how does this impact your AI investments? As you'll hear in the podcast, Open Source unleashes the opportunity for lower cost AI solutions and more vertical, specialized, application-focused solutions we need. And the business model for these systems moves away from the massive investments of the Frontier providers. The result is more complicated than “open means control.” Model tuning, performance, and optimization could be in your future – as AI moves from a platform to a true layered product set we can use as we need. Lots to learn about here, let us know if you have any questions. Additional Information What's the difference between closed, open source, and open-weight AI? A researcher explains What Is Open-Weights A.I.? Comparison of Open Source Models Chapters (00:00:00) - Open Source and the AI Industry(00:11:46) - The Future of AI Is Fully Integrated(00:15:35) - HR 2030

Just landed back on the Gold Coast from Singapore and this one poured out of me Every single client I met in person this month said the same thing.They love how clearly I explain concepts, and it's because I teach in shapes. Arrows, circles, little messy iPad scribbles.But then something hit me on the flight over. I've been teaching the wrong shape for 18 months. The funnel drains and runs out. What I actually teach spins and never stops.Once you see the shape your work really wants to live in, everything clicks so much faster. Have you ever thought about yours?Come find your shape with me

Most woodworkers build a business around whatever walks through the door — custom tables, shelves, random one-offs. Travis did the opposite. He dialed in on one niche, built repeatable systems around it, and scaled to a point where most craftsmen would say "that's not even possible." In this interview, I sit down with Travis to break down exactly how he did it — the business model, the mindset shift, and why we decided to join forces on something brand new that we think is going to change the game for craftsmen everywhere.

Today, we are breaking down Applied Intuition. Our guests are co-founders Qasar Younis and Peter Ludwig, who started the company in 2017 with a mission to make a billion machines intelligent. The simplest way to understand Applied Intuition is that it builds the brains for machines, and the tools other companies use to build those brains. If a manufacturer wants its tractor, truck, or mining vehicle to drive itself, it can buy the intelligence from Applied Intuition or use its platform to develop its own. The analogy the founders use is Nvidia. Just as Nvidia sells chips into everyone else's machines, Applied Intuition sells intelligence into everyone else's machines, across automotive, defense, mining, agriculture, and robotics, without building any single machine itself. We discuss why the most important companies of the next 25 years will all be physical AI companies, Dana, their new agentic platform for developing and deploying these systems, and how the company raised a billion dollars without spending any of it. Please enjoy this Breakdown of Applied Intuition. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at ⁠colossus.com/subscribe⁠. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Portrait Analytics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - your centralized resource for AI-powered idea generation, thesis monitoring, and personalized report building. Built by buy-side investors, for investment professionals. We work in the background, helping surface stock ideas and thesis signposts to help you monetize every insight. In short, we help you understand the story behind the stock chart, and get to "go, or no-go" 10x faster than before. Sign-up for a free trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠portraitresearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. Timestamps (00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns (00:02:16) Intro: Applied Intuition (00:03:26) State of the Physical AI Market (00:07:19) Why Physical AI Will Be Bigger Than Digital AI (00:09:14) What Applied Intuition Builds & Sells (00:12:36) Staying Flexible Across Technologies & Verticals (00:13:16) Founding Story & Strategic Choices (00:17:10) Evolution of the Business: Tools → OS → Autonomy Stack (00:20:59) Introducing Dana: The Agentic Platform (00:23:40) Building Dana: Customer Demand vs. Vision (00:24:51) Why Applied Intuition Is Uniquely Positioned to Build Dana (00:28:29) The Cross-Vertical Data Flywheel (00:33:25) Rate Limiters to Physical AI Adoption (00:35:41) Business Model & Revenue (00:37:06) Customer Base & Global Reach (00:39:22) Competitive Landscape (00:44:21) Capital Allocation & Financial Strategy (00:47:15) The Future of Physical AI

What happens to a hearing care practice when the technology gets so smart it needs you less? It's a question most clinic owners haven't asked yet, and it might be the most important one they ever consider. In this episode, Oli Luke explores a conversation that came out of the Business of Hearing live event in Toronto, diving into the future of private practice in a world where hearing aids become increasingly autonomous, self-programming and less reliant on provider involvement. If your practice is built almost entirely around the device, this is a must-listen.

If you've been side-eyeing your business model, feeling over the coaching industry, or low-key fantasizing about burning it all down to go "all in on low ticket"… this episode is for you. I'm breaking down what's really happening behind the scenes when big names pivot to low ticket, passive funnels, and "I'll just sell cheap stuff to the masses" models — using examples like Taylor Lee and XO Jingy. We'll talk about: The unsexy trade-offs and resources that actually make those pivots possible How to honestly assess your risk tolerance, cash flow, and support system What you need in place before you change your whole business model The difference between following a trend and making a powerful, strategic move This isn't about shaming your desires or telling you "you can't." It's about helping you think like a seasoned CEO so you can set yourself up to win in the season you're in — with the resources you actually have. Hit play if you've been wondering, "Should I move to low ticket?" and want a grounded, honest, big-sister chat about what that really takes.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Ali Miller, GM of Advertising and Tim Castelli, VP Global Ad Sales at Instacart.This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Follow Ali on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/about-ali-miller/Follow Tim on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timcastelli/Follow Instacart Ads online at: https://company.instacart.com/adsAli & Tim answer these questions:So Ali, let's kick it off with you on a massive macro trend. We just read Nik Modi's latest RBC Capital report, Modi's Musings Volume 4, and theme number one is that Cultural Relevance > Brand Equity—meaning scale alone doesn't protect you anymore; you have to turn online platforms into an active "economic substrate" for identity and transaction flow. How is Instacart evolving its ad tech stack to let legacy CPG giants quickly move at the speed of a viral TikTok trend or cultural moment, turning immediate social media inspiration into a converted grocery basket? That speed to conversion is everything. Tim, let's talk about some news you announced at Cannes this week. Let's start with your AI Shopping assistant. What makes Instacart's AI assistant different?As consumers look to collapse choice complexity because of low mental energy and rising anxiety, the visible shelf is shrinking from 50+ items down to 1 or 2 AI-curated recommendations. How does this radically compressed digital real estate change your ad business strategy and Joint Business Plans with brands? You mentioned you're intentionally not running ads in AI experiences yet. Walk us through how you're thinking about that. Jumping back to the news…Immersive Feed feels like a direct response to how consumers are already discovering food on social media. How do you make sure that experience feels additive and not just like another ad unit? Does this foreshadow more to come with media publishers and creators? And for Ads Studio – is that essentially opening up Instacart's own marketing engine to brand partners? What made you confident enough in that internal capability to turn it into a commercial offering?Tim, let's pivot to New Revenue Streams and Business Models. CPG brands are desperately trying to evolve from old-school, unit-driven transactional models toward ecosystem-based monetization. With Instacart Caper Carts rolling out smart screens right into the physical brick-and-mortar aisles, you guys have built a literal physical-digital loop. How should brands rethink co-created, real-time physical store experiences using your connected hardware?Connected hardware in the physical aisle is the ultimate frontier. Ali, we can't talk about Cannes Lions without talking about Closed-Loop Measurement. Marketers are completely burnt out on self-attributed platform metrics. Instacart's entire value proposition is anchored on receipt-level, purchase-verified deterministic truth. For the brand marketers listening who are caught in the "Validation Trap," what does mathematically clean, independent attribution look like over the next three years, and how does Instacart enforce it?If it doesn't move actual volume off the shelf, it's just noise. Tim, looking at your front-row seat to enterprise sales, what separates the North Star CPG brands—the progressive companies that are aggressively growing their volume share on Instacart right now—from the legacy laggards who are still trying to run 20-year-old, static, distribution-only playbooks? What core corporate competency or operational rhythm allows them to win?Incredible, provocative insights. Now, before we pack up the mics and head out onto the Croisette for a glass of rosé, we have to save a special final question. Cannes Lions is famously the birthplace of massive, landscape-shifting partnership announcements and enterprise platform reveals. Ali, Tim... what do you guys have cooking up under the hood for Instacart that you can uniquely share with the CPG Guys community live today?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

We are joined by one of my wonderful coaching clients, Lisa Lantz, the brilliant owner of The Getup—a community-focused resale store that sells everything from newborn and adult clothing to accessories, kids' gear, and toys. Lisa is just a few short weeks away from graduating from the Inventory Genius program, and she has made absolute leaps and bounds over the past year. We have never had a guest on the show with this specific type of inventory-based business model, and the breakthroughs she has made with her numbers are going to blow you away. Whether you run a traditional retail boutique, a resale shop, or even a dropshipping business, Lisa's journey holds some massive gold nuggets for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Consignment vs. Buy-Outright: Understand the financial risk of buying inventory outright from your customers versus running a traditional consignment model, and why your margins must reflect that risk. The Fear of Policy Changes: Why we need to "stay out of our customers' pocketbooks" and make business-first decisions without letting fear dictate our financial policies. Cracking the Cash-to-Credit Ratio: How tracking the exact ratio of cash payouts to in-store credit (which, for Lisa, sits consistently at 70% cash and 30% credit) allows for highly accurate cash-flow planning. Data-Driven Curating: Moving away from buying inventory just because "it's in good shape" to hand-curating based on high-margin, fast-turning categories (like discovering women's wear drove over 50% of Lisa's sales!). The Power of One-Dollar Levers: How focusing on just one simple lever—like raising your average ticket size by a small margin through employee training—can bridge massive sales gaps. Inside the Conversation 1. The Cash vs. Credit Conundrum Because The Getup is a buy-outright resale store, Lisa's customers can choose between cash or in-store credit (which now offers 10% more value) on the spot. When we first started working together, this model created a lot of cloudiness around her COGS (Cost of Goods Sold). We realized Lisa was paying up to 40% back in cash just to support her community and keep inventory coming in. But when you buy outright, you take on 100% of the risk if that item doesn't sell. We adjusted her payouts down, and despite her fear that she'd drive people away, not a single customer complained. "We hold off on making really important financial decisions out of fear of what people will think or say, and a lot of times, that story is only created in our head." 2. Finding the Ratios and Taking Control of Cash Flow Once we started digging into the data, we discovered a highly consistent pattern: 30% of her buyouts were store credit, and 70% were cash. Knowing this ratio changed everything. Instead of guessing, Lisa can now accurately map out her open-to-buy plan and know exactly how much hard cash she needs on hand each month. No more putting out daily financial fires! 3. Curating with Intention (and Saying "No" Gently) In resale, your inventory is a daily surprise. Lisa used to accept items simply because they were nice. Now, she uses her category data to make smart buying decisions. When she realized women's apparel made up over 50% of her sales, she knew exactly where to focus her efforts. We also talk about the delicate art of saying "no" to individual black-bag drop-offs without making it personal. 4. Moving the Needle on Average Ticket Size Our latest project is bridging a big sales growth gap not by wishing for random traffic, but by focusing on average ticket size. Lisa shares her strategy for bringing her part-time team into the numbers conversation, recording training videos, and why she is temporarily stepping back onto the sales floor to spot the operational puzzle pieces herself. Work with Me - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/work-with-meVisit the Bookstore - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/bookstoreSign Up for Free Weekly Tips and Trainings - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/subscribe

We are joined by one of my wonderful coaching clients, Lisa Lantz, the brilliant owner of The Getup—a community-focused resale store that sells everything from newborn and adult clothing to accessories, kids' gear, and toys. Lisa is just a few short weeks away from graduating from the Inventory Genius program, and she has made absolute leaps and bounds over the past year. We have never had a guest on the show with this specific type of inventory-based business model, and the breakthroughs she has made with her numbers are going to blow you away. Whether you run a traditional retail boutique, a resale shop, or even a dropshipping business, Lisa's journey holds some massive gold nuggets for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Consignment vs. Buy-Outright: Understand the financial risk of buying inventory outright from your customers versus running a traditional consignment model, and why your margins must reflect that risk. The Fear of Policy Changes: Why we need to "stay out of our customers' pocketbooks" and make business-first decisions without letting fear dictate our financial policies. Cracking the Cash-to-Credit Ratio: How tracking the exact ratio of cash payouts to in-store credit (which, for Lisa, sits consistently at 70% cash and 30% credit) allows for highly accurate cash-flow planning. Data-Driven Curating: Moving away from buying inventory just because "it's in good shape" to hand-curating based on high-margin, fast-turning categories (like discovering women's wear drove over 50% of Lisa's sales!). The Power of One-Dollar Levers: How focusing on just one simple lever—like raising your average ticket size by a small margin through employee training—can bridge massive sales gaps. Inside the Conversation 1. The Cash vs. Credit Conundrum Because The Getup is a buy-outright resale store, Lisa's customers can choose between cash or in-store credit (which now offers 10% more value) on the spot. When we first started working together, this model created a lot of cloudiness around her COGS (Cost of Goods Sold). We realized Lisa was paying up to 40% back in cash just to support her community and keep inventory coming in. But when you buy outright, you take on 100% of the risk if that item doesn't sell. We adjusted her payouts down, and despite her fear that she'd drive people away, not a single customer complained. "We hold off on making really important financial decisions out of fear of what people will think or say, and a lot of times, that story is only created in our head." 2. Finding the Ratios and Taking Control of Cash Flow Once we started digging into the data, we discovered a highly consistent pattern: 30% of her buyouts were store credit, and 70% were cash. Knowing this ratio changed everything. Instead of guessing, Lisa can now accurately map out her open-to-buy plan and know exactly how much hard cash she needs on hand each month. No more putting out daily financial fires! 3. Curating with Intention (and Saying "No" Gently) In resale, your inventory is a daily surprise. Lisa used to accept items simply because they were nice. Now, she uses her category data to make smart buying decisions. When she realized women's apparel made up over 50% of her sales, she knew exactly where to focus her efforts. We also talk about the delicate art of saying "no" to individual black-bag drop-offs without making it personal. 4. Moving the Needle on Average Ticket Size Our latest project is bridging a big sales growth gap not by wishing for random traffic, but by focusing on average ticket size. Lisa shares her strategy for bringing her part-time team into the numbers conversation, recording training videos, and why she is temporarily stepping back onto the sales floor to spot the operational puzzle pieces herself. Work with Me - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/work-with-meVisit the Bookstore - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/bookstoreSign Up for Free Weekly Tips and Trainings - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/subscribe

In this episode, Gregory Bennett shares insights into his unique niche in pre-sell renovation, how he scales his business, and the importance of building relationships and reputation in real estate.   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   —--------------------

Advertising SponsorGet “The Coffee Report by Map It Forward” directly to your inbox every Friday by signing up for either our Green Coffee or Roasted Coffee Patreon tiers in our Patreon community. Head to https://www.patreon.com/collection/2275485 to read the first report free. Sign up for as little as $5 per month.Episode DescriptionThis is episode 1 of a five-part solo series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward titled Saying the Quiet Parts Out Loud.This series was not originally scheduled to be a solo series. A guest who had recorded a five-part discussion about the rise of branded coffee producers asked for the episodes to be withdrawn shortly before publication.Rather than abandon the subject, podcast host Lee Safar uses this episode to examine the argument herself: has building a recognisable personal or farm brand become more important than building a responsible coffee business?Lee explores how producers, roasters, baristas and other coffee professionals have increasingly used visibility, competitions, public relations and social media to differentiate themselves. She traces part of this evolution through Panama's most prominent producer estates, whose global recognition helped create demand for highly exclusive coffees while giving select roasters a powerful point of differentiation.The success of estates including Hacienda La Esmeralda and the Lamastus family estates demonstrated that strong producer brands can create considerable value. But their success also established a model that many producers are now encouraged to emulate without necessarily having the capital, access, infrastructure or customer base required to make it work.Building an internationally recognised producer brand requires far more than producing excellent coffee. It can involve extensive travel, marketing, media exposure, relationship building and significant long-term investment. That makes the model inaccessible to most of the millions of coffee producers operating around the world.Lee also questions what happens when the same attention-based model is adopted by roasters and coffee professionals. A large audience may generate recognition, invitations and free products, but it does not automatically produce profitability or a commercially sustainable business.The episode examines whether the coffee industry has begun confusing visibility with value, revenue with success, and brand recognition with sound business fundamentals.The conclusion is not that producers or roasters should avoid building brands. A strong brand can be an important business asset. The problem begins when branding becomes the primary strategy rather than one component of a responsible business with a responsible pricing model.This episode asks the coffee industry to consider whether its obsession with exclusivity, recognition and high-profile coffees is building a sustainable future—or simply creating another business model that only works for a very small group at the top.Connect with Lee Safar here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesafar/ https://www.instagram.com/leesafar If you found this episode valuable, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. ***************************************About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.Website: https://mapitforward.coffeeMailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglistPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/Contact: support@mapitforward.org

Advertising SponsorGet “The Coffee Report by Map It Forward” directly to your inbox every Friday by signing up for either our Green Coffee or Roasted Coffee Patreon tiers in our Patreon community. Head to https://www.patreon.com/collection/2275485 to read our first report for free. Sign up for as little as $5 per month.Episode DescriptionThis is episode 1 of a five-part solo series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward titled Saying the Quiet Parts Out Loud.This series was not originally scheduled to be a solo series. A guest who had recorded a five-part discussion about the rise of branded coffee producers asked for the episodes to be withdrawn shortly before publication.Rather than abandon the subject, podcast host Lee Safar uses this episode to examine the argument herself: has building a recognisable personal or farm brand become more important than building a responsible coffee business?Lee explores how producers, roasters, baristas and other coffee professionals have increasingly used visibility, competitions, public relations and social media to differentiate themselves. She traces part of this evolution through Panama's most prominent producer estates, whose global recognition helped create demand for highly exclusive coffees while giving select roasters a powerful point of differentiation.The success of estates including Hacienda La Esmeralda and the Lamastus family estates demonstrated that strong producer brands can create considerable value. But their success also established a model that many producers are now encouraged to emulate without necessarily having the capital, access, infrastructure or customer base required to make it work.Building an internationally recognised producer brand requires far more than producing excellent coffee. It can involve extensive travel, marketing, media exposure, relationship building and significant long-term investment. That makes the model inaccessible to most of the millions of coffee producers operating around the world.Lee also questions what happens when the same attention-based model is adopted by roasters and coffee professionals. A large audience may generate recognition, invitations and free products, but it does not automatically produce profitability or a commercially sustainable business.The episode examines whether the coffee industry has begun confusing visibility with value, revenue with success, and brand recognition with sound business fundamentals.The conclusion is not that producers or roasters should avoid building brands. A strong brand can be an important business asset. The problem begins when branding becomes the primary strategy rather than one component of a responsible business with a responsible pricing model.This episode asks the coffee industry to consider whether its obsession with exclusivity, recognition and high-profile coffees is building a sustainable future—or simply creating another business model that only works for a very small group at the top.Connect with Lee Safar here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesafar/https://www.instagram.com/leesafarIf you found this episode valuable, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. ***************************************About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.Website: https://mapitforward.coffeeMailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglistPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/Contact: support@mapitforward.org

Join us as Tom recounts his incredible journey to the Maldives, navigating multiple modes of travel, airport experiences, and the joys of luxury in this remote paradise. Discover tips, travel hacks, and the beauty of Maldives through detailed travel tales. Join us as we explore luxury travel experiences, points strategies, and airport lounge insights with Tom, a seasoned traveler to the Maldives. Discover how to maximize your miles, find value in hotel stays, and navigate airport amenities like a pro. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 Journey to Middle Earth and Beyond 02:59 The Maldives Experience 06:10 Travel Logistics and Layovers 09:04 Exploring Boston's Airport Lounges 12:02 Flight Experiences and Aircraft Diversity 14:59 Dining and Lounge Access 18:06 Airline Fleet Insights 23:33 Lufthansa's Business Model and Fleet Decisions 25:47 Transatlantic Flight Experiences 30:09 Barcelona Layover Dilemmas 32:11 Entry-Exit System Challenges in Europe 39:04 Barcelona Airport Lounge Experience 43:06 Flying Qatar Airways Business Class 48:05 Travel Experiences and Upgrades 51:50 Arrival in the Maldives 54:02 Local Cuisine and Cultural Insights 01:00:11 Journey to Park Hyatt Hadaha 01:02:35 Accommodations at Park Hyatt 01:09:37 Snorkeling Adventures and Marine Life 01:11:14 Dining Experiences and Meal Plans 01:15:31 Dining Experiences and Special Events 01:19:57 Final Thoughts on Park Hyatt and Staff Recognition 01:22:23 Transitioning to the Next Destination 01:22:49 Staying at Ocean Grand and Local Experiences 01:24:11 Exploring the New Terminal at Male, Maldives 01:29:49 Comparing Business Class Lounges 01:33:01 Flight Experience with Etihad 01:37:01 Layover at Heathrow and Hotel Stay 01:39:41 Travel Experiences and Lounge Reviews 01:43:29 Dining Options and Food Quality in Lounges 01:44:59 Economy Class Insights and Flight Experiences 01:47:55 Special Meal Choices and Regrets 01:50:44 Duty-Free Shopping and Airline Policies 01:53:50 Cultural Observations on Smoking and Vaping 01:57:21 Final Thoughts on Travel and Future Plans Reference: The best complaint letter —---------------- Key Topics for Episode Discussion Post: Multiple modes of travel to Maldives (air, sea, land) Airport lounge experiences and tips Travel challenges and solutions in dense airports Luxury travel experiences in Qatar and Maldives Travel planning and efficiency tips Travel points and miles strategies Luxury hotel and villa experiences in Maldives Airport lounge reviews and amenities Travel planning and itinerary optimization In-flight service and meal experiences Keywords Maldives travel, airport lounges, travel hacks, luxury travel, flight experience, Maldives islands, travel tips, airport tips, travel stories luxury travel, frequent flyer, hotel reviews, airport lounges, Maldives, points hacking, travel tips, airline reviews

This week, Brad and Dave talk about the best business model for longform webcomics — and why putting your comic online for free is still the strongest way to build a sustainable career. Also: Kickstarter's late-pledge and pledge-manager tools, the difference between market research and mirror research, and how to keep going when your first posts get nothing but crickets. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... Dave's backyard skunk problem may or may not require Super Soakers What's the best business model for longform webcomics? Why fear of theft can stop creators from building an audience Why free-to-read comics remain the best foundation for a comics business “First comes the crowd, then comes the funding” Why readers who enjoy your work online are often first in line to buy the book How delayed access and early-access posts fit into a Patreon strategy Why exclusive side stories can work better than paywalling your main archive Avoiding physical rewards on Patreon and Substack Dave will be at San Diego Comic-Con booth 1228 with free ComicLab pins (use the super-easy mnemonic: 1BAT)  Kickstarter late pledges and Pledge Manager are bringing in real money Why charging shipping closer to fulfillment can be safer Market research vs. mirror research How to estimate Kickstarter shipping more accurately What to do when you start posting online and get “crickets” Why seven posts is not enough time to expect traction Reframing early work as building an archive for future fans Social-media advice for giving readers a reason to engage Why success in comics is a marathon, not a sprint You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make isn't choosing the wrong business model. It's building the business they think they're supposed to have instead of the one that actually supports the life they want. Lori pulls back the curtain on her own journey of chasing the "successful" coaching business, only to discover she had built a business that looked impressive but wasn't delivering the freedom she wanted. She breaks down the most common business models, what they really require behind the scenes, and why simple often beats complicated. If you're building your Dream Business Blueprint, this conversation will help you choose a business model that aligns with your goals, your lifestyle, and the way you actually want to work. What You'll Learn Why the best business model is the one that fits your life, not someone else's definition of success The hidden demands behind courses, memberships, group programs, and recurring revenue How to evaluate your business model before investing time, money, and energy into the wrong path   Schedule a call to discuss personalized coaching at TalkWithLori.com Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here! Apply for a "Hot Seat" coaching session to work through your business challenges live: MyCoachLori.com

What if the PM-to-engineer ratio flipped and there were two product managers for every engineer? In this episode of the CPO Rising series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, SignalWire EVP of Product Adam Kalsey will be speaking on why the bottleneck in software has shifted from building to knowing what to build, and why the business model is just as much a part of the product as the technology. He also shares how he built an autonomous product ops intern using Claude and OpenClaw and spent almost $50 an hour on tokens in the process.

Podcast Episode Description: "It's an exit plan, not an exit due." Host Laurie Barkman sits down with Alan Bennett, founder of Trust Built Solutions and exit planning coach who has lived through three very different business exits — a retail meat market that he closed in 2008, a contract catering business that a seller-financed deal and COVID unraveled in 2020, and a psychiatric practice exit to private equity where he finally got to use every lesson he had learned the hard way. Alan's story is one of the most honest and unfiltered accounts of what owner dependency really costs — not just in valuation, but in hours, health, relationships, and missed opportunities. He shares the trust cycle that unlocks delegation, the trap that keeps owners perpetually in the weeds, and why exit planning isn't about selling — it's about building a business that actually works without you.   Key Insights You can build a $2 million business and still have nothing to sell. Alan's first business did over $2 million in combined retail and catering revenue — but without systems, processes, or a team that could run without him, he had no transferable asset when the time came. When the landlord forced the issue in 2008, closing was the only option. The business had value in revenue but none in structure. The tape measure at 2am is the moment owner dependency becomes visible. Alan snuck into his meat market at 2am to measure steaks with a tape measure — and his team saw it on the security camera. That moment destroyed their trust in him. Owner dependency isn't just about overwork — it's about the signal you send your team every time you step in to fix what they should be handling. Trust is the real solution to owner dependency — and it flows both ways. Owners think the problem is whether they trust their team. The real problem is whether the team trusts the owner. Trust must be rebuilt the same way it was broken, consistently over time. Once the team sees the owner trust them, delegation follows — and with delegation comes purpose, accountability, and a business that runs without the owner in every room. Recurring contract revenue changes everything about valuation. Alan's second business had almost the same revenue as his first — but seven school contracts and two summer camp agreements made it dramatically more valuable on paper. The nature of the cash flow matters as much as the size of the revenue. Predictable, contracted income is what buyers pay premiums for. Seller financing without protective deal structure is a catastrophic risk. Alan's chef bought the catering business on a 10-year seller note — and COVID made him unable to pay after four months. Because the right protective language wasn't in the agreement, Alan had no real recourse beyond liquidating equipment at pennies on the dollar. The deal structure must be built before the agreement is signed, not after something goes wrong. Exit planning is not the same as selling — and most owners don't know the difference. Many business owners, especially in the trades, recoil at the phrase "exit planning" because they think it means they're selling. Alan reframes it: a well-executed exit plan makes the business easier to grow, easier to finance, and easier to scale — whether you ever sell or not. The best time to start was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.   Chapters: 00:05 Introduction of Alan Bennett 01:13 Business #1: The Retail Meat Market 06:34 100 Hours a Week and the Physical and Mental Toll 08:45 The $30,000 Consultant and the Map He Couldn't Read 10:23 Closing the Business: No Runway, No Plan 12:30 The Anger After the Close — And What He Learned 14:00 Business #2: The Contract Catering Company 15:51 How Recurring Contracts Changed the Business Model 18:30 Working 25 Hours a Week in Flip Flops 19:30 The Seller-Financed Deal with His Chef 21:21 COVID Hits: Four Payments In, Everything Stops 25:18 Liquidating the Assets and Licking the Wounds 27:54 Business #3: The Psychiatric Practice Exit to Private Equity 29:30 Owner Dependency — Calling It What It Is 30:55 The 2am Tape Measure Story That Changed Everything 33:30 How Trust Is Broken — And How It's Rebuilt 35:57 The Owner Dependency Trap: Bridging the Gap 40:31 Exit Plan vs. Exit Due — The Reframe That Changes Everything 41:44 Key Takeaways for Business Owners Thinking About Transition   Is your business truly ready—and are you? Take the Succession Readiness Assessment to get a clear snapshot of where you stand and what to focus on next. https://btsherpa.com/succession   P.S. Most owners don't realize where they stand until they're already in a transition. Take a few minutes now to understand your readiness—and give yourself more options later.   Connect with Laurie Barkman:  Website: https://lauriebarkman.me LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman YouTube: @LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa   Connect with Alan Bennett: Website: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanbennettcepa Email: alan@trustbuiltsolutions.com  

Traditional networks are no longer just looking to creators for marketing—they want premium, long-term IP. Today we explore how independent comedy powerhouse YMH Studios scaled past traditional gatekeepers and why Fox Entertainment just signed a major multi-project slate with them. What you'll get in this episode: The Deal Breakdown: Inside the co-ownership structure of the brand-new Fox and YMH slate. The Creator-CEO Blueprint: How Tom Segura built an arena-selling infrastructure entirely direct-to-consumer. The Scale Formula: Why protecting creative momentum and building your own distribution engine is the ultimate leverage in media today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices