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Engineering the AI-Driven Sales Architecture: Streamlining Workflows, Enhancing Bio-Data Scoring, and Maintaining Human Integrity with Tom GersicIn a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast, host Josh Elledge sat down with Tom Gersic, Founder and CEO of YouEx AI, to explore the rapidly shifting integration of artificial intelligence within corporate sales pipelines and inbound lead qualification engines. Tom, a veteran technology architect and automated workflow strategist, details how B2B companies, agency founders, and enterprise sales leaders can break free from fragmented software stacks and inefficient manual data entry. This conversation delivers an actionable operational guide for sales executives looking to deploy deeply embedded AI web agents, automate multi-source prospect research, score buying intent in real time, and maintain transparent human oversight to accelerate deal velocity.The Integrated AI Sales Engine: Eliminating Operational Debt and Escalating Pipeline VelocityThe primary operational drag impeding modern sales organizations is not a lack of artificial intelligence tools, but rather the severe friction caused by fragmented tech stacks. Tom Gersic explains that sales representatives routinely waste valuable selling hours manually shuffling prospect data between single-point tools, spreadsheets, LinkedIn accounts, and CRMs, acting as manual labor for the software rather than leveraging it for deal acceleration. To overcome this inefficiency, revenue leaders must shift from surface-level automation to deep, workflow-level AI integration. Embedding intelligent web agents directly into digital properties allows companies to capture detailed behavioral data across multiple prospect visits, automatically log interaction histories inside a centralized CRM, and route qualified opportunities to specialized reps without administrative delays.Maintaining buyer trust while leveraging automated outreach requires a disciplined commitment to keeping humans in the loop at every critical conversion milestone. A major risk in corporate AI adoption is the temptation to deploy fully automated, unvetted messaging agents that impersonate human reps or issue generic, robotic outreach. Strategic revenue leaders avoid over-automation by utilizing AI strictly as an intelligent co-pilot—letting automated systems handle background research, lead scoring, and preliminary draft creation while reserving final message editing, context validation, and relationship building for real sales professionals. Clear disclosure of automated interactions combined with seamless human handoffs ensures that prospective clients experience immediate value without compromising corporate authenticity or regulatory compliance.Furthermore, maximizing lifetime customer value demands extending AI search capabilities into multimedia brand assets, turning static content archives into interactive sales enablement tools. For enterprise leaders, agency founders, and media producers, deploying conversational search agents across large video or podcast libraries allows prospective clients to instantly search back catalogs by specific operational topics, technical frameworks, or guest names. Coupling intelligent media indexing with automated lead-scoring engines ensures that high-intent prospects are identified and engaged while their buying interest is at its peak. When deeply integrated web agents, automated prospect research, human-in-the-loop governance, and conversational media architectures are synthesized into a single sales ecosystem, organizations eliminate administrative friction, protect brand credibility, and predictably multiply enterprise valuation.About Tom GersicTom Gersic is the Founder and CEO of YouEx AI, a veteran software architect, and an expert in sales process automation. Drawing from extensive technical experience building integrated digital platforms and workflow engines, Tom specializes in helping B2B enterprises and sales organizations eliminate administrative complexity. He is a prominent thought leader focused on helping revenue teams deploy ethical, deeply integrated AI systems that automate lead research, streamline CRM data management, and empower sales reps to focus on high-value client relationships.About YouEx AIYouEx AI is an elite sales automation technology platform engineered to help businesses streamline inbound lead capture, prospect research, and CRM data integration. The company specializes in delivering custom conversational web agents, multi-source behavioral tracking tools, intelligent lead scoring engines, and automated sales routing playbooks. Through transparent AI architectures and seamless human-in-the-loop workflows, YouEx AI enables sales teams to eliminate manual software friction, identify high-intent buyer opportunities, and maximize revenue velocity.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeYouEx AI Official Website: youex.aiTom Gersic on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomgersicKey Episode HighlightsResolving the Fragmented Tool Dilemma: Eliminating manual data copy-pasting by integrating AI directly into core sales workflows and centralized CRM platforms.The Human-in-the-Loop Governance Model: Utilizing AI as an intelligent assistant for drafting and research while requiring human oversight to preserve authentic communication.Automated Lead Research and Intent Scoring: Leveraging AI to scan public web data, identify buying authority, and score leads in real time before rep assignment.Interactive Conversational Web Agents: Transforming static website landing pages into dynamic, multi-visit tracking hubs that capture real-time prospect intent.Conversational Search for Media Repositories: Indexing podcast libraries and multimedia assets with AI agents to allow prospective clients to instantly search back catalogs.ConclusionThe conversation with Tom Gersic reinforces that achieving sustainable sales acceleration requires an intentional balance of advanced workflow automation and authentic human relationship building. By standardizing internal data governance, eliminating manual administrative friction, and maintaining strict transparency in AI-driven communications, business leaders can transform an underperforming sales process into a highly structured, self-sustaining revenue engine.More from The Thoughtful Entrepreneur
Over the years, we've had hundreds of conversations on this podcast about what it means to build a sustainable, profitable product brand. And some of those conversations are just too juicy. They're too good to live in the archives. Today, I'm bringing one back. What you're about to hear is a short clip from a past episode. It's a topic that has stuck with me and still feels very relevant today.These throwback episodes are intentionally short and to the point because sometimes you don't need a full deep dive.All right, let's dive in.You can listen to the full episode here: http://prooftoproduct.com/369 Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper CampMentioned in this episode:Take the free quiz!Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
In this one, Bruce talks about his sore back from all of the tractor work he's done recently. Much of it is because of a Bureaucrat at the county. Mark is making some serious cabin progress and it should be ready soon. And a whole lot more! 3D Printer stuff: Bambu Lab P1S: https://amzn.to/4quVWJ9 Bambu Lab P2S: https://amzn.to/4wBbHiM Mark's YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/gunflintdesigns Bruce's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/bruceaulrich DIRTtoDONE on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/DIRTtoDON Become a patron of the show! http://patreon.com/webuiltathing OUR TOP PATREON SUPPORTERS -Scott @ Dad It Yourself DIY http://bit.ly/3vcuqmv -Ray Jolliff -Deo Gloria Woodworks (Matthew Allen) https://www.instagram.com/deogloriawoodworks/ -Henry Lootens (@Manfaritawood) -Maddux Woodworks http://bit.ly/3chHe2p -Bruce Clark -Monkey Business Woodworks -AC Nailed It -Joe Santos from Designer's Touch Kitchen & Bath Studio -Trevor Support our sponsors: TOOL CODES: -MagSwitch: "GUNFLINT10" -SurfPrep: "BRUCEAULRICH" -Starbond: "BRUCEAULRICH" -Brunt Workgear: "GUNFLINT10" -Rotoboss: "GUNFLINT" -Montana Brand Tools: "GUNFLINT10" -Monport Lasers: "GUNFLINT6" -Stone Coat Epoxy: Gunflint -MAS Epoxy: FLINT -YesWelder: GUNFLINT10 -Millner-Haufen Tool Co: "ULRICH20" for 20% off -Camel City Mill: GUNFLINT10 -Arbortech Tools: "BRUCEAULRICH" for 10% off -Wagner Meters: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-950-smart/?ref=210 ETSY SHOPS: Bruce: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BruceAUlrich?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=942512486 Mark: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GunflintDesigns?ref=search_shop_redirect We are makers, full-time dads and have YouTube channels we are trying to grow and share information with others. Throughout this podcast, we talk about making things, making videos to share on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc...and all of the life that happens in between. CONNECT WITH US: WE BUILT A THING: www.instagram.com/webuiltathingWE BUILT A THING EMAIL: webuiltathing@gmail.com BRUDADDY: www.instagram.com/brudaddy/ GUNFLINT DESIGNS: https://www.instagram.com/gunflintdesigns
What's Your Baseline? Enterprise Architecture & Business Process Management Demystified
One of the major concerns in our discipline is that in an era of instant gratification and "easy button" demands from clients, the core fundamentals are easily forgotten.Our guest today, Roger Tregear, shares this concern and wrote a book about it: Elements. In it, he details the 20 elements that constitute a good Business Process Management (BPM) practice, and I highly recommend downloading and reading it.Roger's career centers on consulting, writing, and speaking about process management. He helps organizations improve performance by designing and activating "perpetual improvement machines" through active process-based management.In this episode of the podcast, we discuss:Engineering and Telecom Origins: Roger shares his professional background, moving from electrical engineering and early data communications at ICL into strategic telecommunications consulting.The "Aha!" Moment with ARIS: In late 2000, Professor Michael Roseman introduced the ARIS tool to Roger, providing the formal language and framework for cross-functional concepts he had been exploring for years.Bonsai as a Process Discipline: Outside of BPM, Roger nurtures bonsai trees—a hobby requiring a daily, seasonal, and multi-year process framework rooted in patience and long-term planning.Why AI Cannot Replace Process Understanding: AI tools and automation cannot fix broken or misunderstood workflows. Without a foundational process structure, deploying AI agents only accelerates unpredictable outcomes.The Primacy of Cross-Functional Processes: While traditional organizations manage vertically via org charts, actual value, strategy execution, and customer experiences occur horizontally across functional silos.Management vs. Hope: Every organization operates via processes by default. The only strategic choice is whether leadership chooses to actively manage those processes or rely on hope.The "M" in BPM Stands for Management: The ultimate purpose of BPM is not modeling or documentation, but improving organizational performance in a tangible, measurable way.Defining Core Processes from Strategic Intent: Rather than relying on generic templates like "Order-to-Cash," core process architectures should be built by analyzing the organization's explicit strategic promises to its customers and stakeholders.Overcoming Executive Resistance to "Busy Work": To prevent leadership from dismissing BPM as an endless flowcharting exercise, teams must set clear guardrails, focus on high-impact areas, and avoid building bloated internal bottlenecks.Pruning the Architecture (Starting Small): Building a working three-level process architecture takes only a few weeks. Implementation should immediately focus on piloting three manageable, high-priority processes rather than attempting to govern hundreds at once.Targeting Process KPIs (PKPIs): Effective process governance requires distinguishing vertical functional metrics from horizontal Process Key Performance Indicators that measure how the overall workflow satisfies key stakeholder expectations.Focusing on High-Impact Processes: Organizations should avoid modeling every process to the lowest level. Deeper analysis and governance should be applied strictly to the top 20–30 high-impact processes driving major outcomes or risks.Process Transformation is Social: Successful BPM implementation depends less on tooling and technical diagrams and more on engaging operational staff, earning buy-in, managing human change, and empowering teams.You can find Roger on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogertregear/.Please reach out to us by either sending an email to hello@whatsyourbaseline.com or signing up for our newsletter and reading articles about process and architecture on our Substack … Go and subscribe at whatsyourbaseline.substack.com.And if you like to support “the little podcast that could,” become a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/whatsyourbaseline. We appreciate you!
Tiff and Pam talk about the current intersection of technology in the practice, and how using and understanding AI as a tool for busywork means you can focus on the tasks that really need that human touch. They talk about why training AI could be just as critical as training humans, where to look first when incorporating the software into your practice, how a staff member can serve as quality check for automated tasks, and more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Tiffanie (00:01) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Tiff back with you here on the podcast. And we are in the studio today. I have myself and I have Miss Pam with me. And Pam is one of our prize possession consultants here at the Dental A Team. We have had Pam on our team for a little while now. And if you are special enough and blessed enough to work with her, you know exactly who she is and you have some solid foundational systems. Pam is a systems guru. She busts them out. And she holds accountability like I've never seen before. And when she learns something, she learns it forever. And I love getting to watch you, Pam, progress in your Dental A Team journey. I watch you like taking notes all the time on the systems that we, you know, hold tried and true. Yesterday Dana was talking about a couple of systems during our collaboration and I was like, gosh. She's just over there feverishly writing and I love it because I know exactly what's gonna happen. You're gonna like go back, you're gonna relearn Pamela (00:54) I was. Yes, I was. Tiffanie (00:58) it, and you're gonna teach it. And it was just really cool. So I love that, Pam. Thank you. And I love that you have these skill sets that you're able to then take and you help so many practices implement the same skill sets, like not just our systems, but how to retain it. You know how you retain it. But then you're also looking for how are other people retaining the things that they're learning so that you can help them grow in their learning as well. So it's just really cool to watch, Pam. Thank you for everything you do and thank Pamela (01:27) Thank you. Tiffanie (01:28) you for being here today. How are you? Pamela (01:31) you know, I'm doing fabulous and thank you. I appreciate all those kind words, Tiff. That was very nice. I think it's a unique and great time to be in dentistry. So v we've seen a lot of changes over the years and now we're to a stage that is changing very, very quickly. Tiffanie (01:50) I agree. I I love that you said that, Pam, because something that I think we've said in dentistry for a long time is that dentistry is really progressive in a lot of ways. I think there's a lot of things in dentistry that haven't changed and haven't progressed, like Rick canals, things like that are still being done similarly to how they were thirty years ago. But so much in dentistry is so progressive and it's changing all the time. But I I think we've always said that. But I think in the last five, six years that has Like us saying that before doesn't even make sense anymore. Like the progression we're seeing now is wild. Pamela (02:26) It's it's crazy. you know, I was thinking about this, and there are so many systems that we have done for years that we're not perfecting, right? That we still could perfect and are in addition to any AI stuff we have. But the interesting thing is is that now something that has been in scarcity our entire human existence or now or soon will become like an abundant commodity, which is intelligence, right? Tiffanie (02:53) Yeah. Yeah. Pamela (02:55) So I think that it's really wild to be thinking about that intelligence is a commodity and we can buy it. Tiffanie (03:03) Yeah, I think that's amazing. That was a great perspective. And you are not wrong. I listen to a lot of Pamela (03:07) Yeah. Tiffanie (03:09) podcasts and I know you do too that speak to that same thing. And I think both of our households house many conversations around that same thing. I think we we share that. Pamela (03:18) That is so true. It's so true. Tiffanie (03:22) Yeah. So with that, Pam, I think that's a great start. What are you seeing? expand on that for me. Like what are you seeing as far as I love that like intelligence is is a purchasable at this point. What are you seeing with your practices or just the research you're doing and the things you're hearing and and listening to within the dental world, narrow that down for us. What are you seeing from your perspective how that's changing dentistry? Pamela (03:48) Yeah, well I I think the the question is is how do we react to that reality, right? And a lot of practices are have not gotten into the AI and are now saying, okay, I want my insurance verification done, I want, you know, RCM done, the revenue cycle management done by AI, but it is a little daunting. Right? It is like I had one practice say yo well we have this company that's doing our RCM and and I said do you are you like what are you doing with it and they said nothing they do it and I'm like dear goodness gracious like there are you have to manage it unfortunately I think we're at a real a space where we're not the Ironman like Jarvis runs everything Tiffanie (04:43) Yeah. Pamela (04:43) you know stage we're at the Alexis and we have a lot of really smart AI tools. Most of them, I'm well, they're all sitting on top of separate systems and what we are contributing. I don't think we're pardon me quite to the point where it's an operating system as opposed to, you know, pieces. So I'm seeing practices now take those pieces, try to learn them, and then develop their skills even more in the stuff that they were doing. So what I mean by that is how are we, how are they actually doing at clean claims, right? Are they Tiffanie (05:23) Yeah. Pamela (05:24) getting the clean the claims clean before they send them in? how are they doing on you know managing the online scheduling? Are they reacting to that? And is all the patient's insurance information accurate before it goes to the AI? So that's that's what I'm seeing. That's a s a little bit of a struggle. Tiffanie (05:47) Yeah. I think something you pointed out there was that a lot of people a lot of people seem to be jumping headfirst and just like handing the keys over rather than allowing it to be a tool that they use still with oversight. And I noticed recently, even just on my chat GPT that I use down at the bottom, it's like, Hey FYI, these may be inaccurate. Like this is not to be taken as truth. Yeah. And I'm like, well Pamela (06:11) Yes, I j I saw that, yeah. So true. Tiffanie (06:16) We need that reminder though, kind of like the McDonald's coffee cup that now has, you know, since nineteen ninety or whatever it was, says that the contents are hot. Like humanity needs those reminders 'cause I think we're so it's like a it's a catch to me too, 'cause I do think we're so quick to jump onto things and try them. But Pamela (06:34) Mm-hmm. Tiffanie (06:34) at the same time we're like second guessing and thinking we can't and thinking they don't work, but we do latch on to certain things where we're just like, wait, that was expected. I expected to be able to drink my coffee as soon as you handed it to me. You know, that it wasn't gonna be scalding hot, that I could just just go. And same with the AI. I think there's so many aspects of it that we just expected all of the truth to be on the internet somewhere. We've been primed that the truth is on the internet and we just expected it to be true that now chat is like, hey, wait a second, like, hey, I'm just like your buddy who did the research online, the same as your friend next door. Like this Pamela (07:09) Right. Tiffanie (07:13) could be wrong. And I think it's an interesting thought because to your point of view, handing over your cycle management, your your revenue and all of that data, handing that over to AI and expecting it to just be perfect from here on out with no mistakes is wild. Right, but we're doing it. So many of us are doing it. Similarly to the online scheduling. I know we have a lot of practices and we have some doctors that have spoken for us at our events. we had one last September that our doctor focused on AI, and she pointed out the facts of needing to train their AI the same as they're training a human. Like you get a Pamela (07:51) Yeah, yes. Yes. Tiffanie (07:54) result and you're like, you got that result, you're fired, you're done, we give up. You say, actually, Let's tweak it to be what we want it to be. So we're saying yes and okay, cool. And let's do it this way. Let's move it this direction. with that statement, you also said insurance verifications, making sure they're accurate. And it made me think too, we've always said, you know, good information in is good information out, bad information in is bad information out. And I think That's the same with any of it, with any of the AI tools or any of it, right? The it can only scour the internet for so much information and find so much truth. With the good information in, that goes as far as everything. So whatever it is that we're asking and training these systems and these tools to produce is what we're going to get. So we're not spending the time with the AI and we're not spending the time saying, This is the result that I want, this is how I want you to get there. we're doing a disservice to ourselves just the same as so many people we were just talking about this. So many people are still misusing or underutilizing tools that we've had for gosh, at this point I always say 30 years, but at this point I think it's going on like 40 years, right? Like we've had these tools for Pamela (09:12) Exactly, yeah. Tiffanie (09:14) a long time. We're still Pamela (09:16) Yeah. Tiffanie (09:16) misusing them because I know both of us have walked into offices where they're like changing the prices in the treatment plan. And they're doing all this math and there's a calculator. I still have offices that have the calculators that have the tape, and I'm like, where are you even where do you buy the tape anymore? Right. But they do, they have this running tab. And I'm like, what are you doing? And they say, Well, it's never right. We always have a balance. And I'm like, Okay, this is like a band-aid fix, right? So no matter what technology you have, there's so much tech that saves us so much time. And that's the point of this conversation is what kind of tech is out there that can save our team Pamela (09:52) Mm. Tiffanie (09:53) time. And a lot of that time is for the administrative team, gives them the the chance to do other things, right? So automating things gets rid of busy work, allows them to do other things. But if we're not utilizing the tool correctly from the get-go, it's not saving the time because we're going back and fixing it anyway. So maybe we're saving time on we have an online scheduling app and it works. So our team maybe doesn't have to answer as many new patient calls. But then that same person is over here calculating by hand a treatment plan estimate. It's like, cool, well, we just like took nonsensical Pamela (10:28) Yeah. Tiffanie (10:29) time and put it into a nonsensical time suck again. So, Pam, how Pamela (10:33) Yeah. Yeah. Tiffanie (10:35) are you helping the chain offices to really utilize the tools to actually save the time? And when they're not, so like that situation, how do we how do we get to the bottom of it? Because for me, When I see somebody calculating treatment plan estimates because they always have a bill at the end, I'm like, cool, that's like a band-aid over this massive gash on your arm and it stopped the bleeding Pamela (10:59) Mm-hmm. Tiffanie (11:00) in that one spot, but it's not fixed. Like you still need stitches. How do we get to the bottom of it? And how do you help practices really figure out what truly is going to save them time and how they can get there? Pamela (11:14) Yeah, I think it goes back to basics. Before we layer on that AI piece of it, we have to have those basics in place. And you're right, there are a lot of practices and you know that are struggling with that. They're still doing things by hand. So, you know, have going back to the basics and having that correct verbiage, I think, is super important. to with the patient of knowing that. There may be, it is an estimation, and there may be a difference when once your insurance pays. And you can offer to the patient, you know, if you would like to call, I don't like doing predeterminations, pre-D, I'm kind of against them. A lot of people still do them for larger treatment. I understand that. but for if you are to, you know, tell a patient, look, if if it's a credit. we will get that credit right back to you within the month, right? have Tiffanie (12:12) Mm-hmm. Pamela (12:13) some sort of verbiage that gives you a little bit of out, but also be confident when you're prevent presenting those numbers if you've done the homework. So I think that's where it goes is back to the basics, making sure the basics are correct before you, you know, are giving that treatment plan to the patient. And then your verbiage is super important. And trusting it. Tiffanie (12:36) Yeah, I totally agree. And trusting it exactly. Being able to trust the system is huge. So making sure I think you're you're like spot on back to the basics, right? So making sure your verbiage is in line and making sure that the information that we're putting into the computer system is as accurate as possible. And you can use AI tools for that too, right? So we have Pamela (12:55) Right. Right. Tiffanie (12:56) AI tools this day and age that do insurance verifications and they upload it into the system. They do all of the pieces. But then again, back to what we said earlier and how you said like this practice is like, we don't even look at it, right? Same thing. Like if you're if you're paying for an AI bot to go scour, get the information, put it into your system, and then you're turning around and you're like, well, it's always wrong, right? I I always have a balance or a credit. And so I calculate it just to double check, like, okay, maybe we need to look to see. Further back, where is that miscalculation coming from? Because the insurance data in the system, the patient's data in the system, the right fee schedules, all of those pieces are feeding the tech and the intelligence, the information that it's spouting out to you. So it can only do so much. So if you've Pamela (13:47) Right. Tiffanie (13:48) got, you know, you didn't mark the you didn't you didn't tell the bot that you needed to mark that there was a downgrade. So you're you're having crowns come back and there's two hundred dollar balance because it was downgraded, right? Well, stop hand calculating that and tell the bot to do it differently. Tell the system to do it differently. Whatever your system Pamela (14:06) That's right. That's right. Tiffanie (14:08) is, there's a little button somewhere that you you click it and it says downgrades, right? Account for downgrades, etc. So utilizing those tools from the ground zero, I think is just massive and it's something that's been severely underutilized for a really long time. that needs to be right first. Because then if we go in and we layer these AI bots on top of that, that data is what they're working with. Just like Dentrix can only give you a treatment plan based on the information that you put in there. You put the fee schedule, you put the percentages, you put the treatment plan. You did all the buttons, you clicked and you put the treatment plan. It spouts out these numbers based on the information you put in it. The bot's going to do the same thing. So I think that's our soapbox bot. Pamela (14:55) yeah. Tiffanie (14:55) situation there, like we go on forever. Go for it. Pamela (14:59) Yeah, no, I I agree and a lot. a lot of practices are struggling with this and they're because they're getting this AI and saying, Hey, it's not worth it. Like I'm still having to call the insurance company, I'm still having to, you know, calculate by hand, right? And I think it it does go back, like we said, to the basics and really digging down on that. And I mean continue to use AI, but like you said. it's so interesting. You have to teach it, right? And you may not be able to look to say, this is the exact to the penny downgrade amount, but once you have taught it, you do need to trust it. Yeah. Yeah. Tiffanie (15:40) Yeah, I agree. I love it. Okay, what kind of tools? I've I've got a few, you know, that I'm I've been seeing the online scheduling, I think, is finally making it headway. It's been a tool that we've had for a really long time, but we've Pamela (15:55) Yes. Tiffanie (15:55) all been very afraid of it for good reasons. That's fine. But what are some other tools that you're seeing them implement? So AI bots, like what are what are your practices using them for that people could start looking at? Make sure their foundations are correct. Start looking into how could we automate some busy work to give my team back time? What are you seeing out there in in dentistry right now, Pam? Pamela (16:17) Yeah. definitely the RCM, the revenue cycle management. I think that AI does a really great job with that. But the thing I I spoke about earlier is I the and getting to the root of the problem, if you don't want to have to manage it more, then you have to make sure your claims are clean. And what does that mean? And that's going back to basics, truly, as well. Like, are we taking all the photos? Are we taking you know, all the blood points when probing. Are we doing are we doing everything we can do to make sure that they have as much information as they have. So I think RCM is kind of the number one I'm seeing. insurance verification, where a lot of practices are moving there. I think there's still a little struggle with that because we don't get the patient information a as quickly. And you know, I think most of the most of them say put it in two days before. Tiffanie (17:15) Yeah. Pamela (17:16) Patient communication, so even filling the schedule, right? texting people to say on an ASAP list, you know, those kind of things are being utilized very well. schedule optimum schedule optimization as well. So I think there are programs out there that help you say fill that schedule and say, here's the patients that would work in this hole, right? So I think it's We have to accept that AI is here, right? so I think very, very to your point is yes, training it, but also yes, we do have to learn it. And it it will be it's one of those things. We're kind of lifelong learners, people in dentistry, because we always have new things coming. And so we have to look at it like this. This is just a a piece to learn, and the more we can learn about it, the better. that we are gonna get. We can't just be afraid of it. I say dig right in, figure that, you know, whatever you're using, figure it out. Call the company, ask questions, ask the right questions, you know, what what how do I get my insurance verification better? You know, and let them help you and tell you because they know everyone doesn't know. And if you just like one and done, I'm leaving it alone, you're probably not gonna have as good of experience as you could have with it. Yeah. And so I think doctors Tiffanie (18:43) Yeah. Yeah, I love those. Pamela (18:45) need to be a little bit aware aware. It takes time to learn. It's not just plug Tiffanie (18:50) Yeah. Pamela (18:50) and play. Tiffanie (18:51) Yeah. And to piggyback off that, it sounds like making sure we still have KPIs in place, there's still somebody overseeing results, that somebody's still verifying that that employee, right, is doing the job right is key because if we're if we do have an AI bot that's helping with revenue cycle management, and then we're not looking at AR numbers, we're not seeing, you know, our over ninety. decrease or or is it increasing like we're not watching those KPI points. That's how it gets lost. Just the same as somebody with a great resume comes in and says, hey, I'm gonna clean up your AR for you. Pay me X amount of dollars and we stick them in a corner and never look at it. Right? It's the same thing. So making sure those KPIs are in place. I think there's a ton of AI style tools that have come out for front office administrative work, which makes sense. You know, that's that's where AI is in the administrative world right now as the recording of this podcast at least but something that I see a lot of practices using too and I think you have a few that are using them the like Pearl and Overjet AI systems for that second opinion at least I know a lot of doctors are liking that second opinion which has helped it's not I I think of it as busy work now but that like co-diagnosing space and really just that confidence in what I'm diagnosing seems to come across a lot more from the doctors and those tools have been super beneficial as well. So I think there's starting to be this massive shift in the AI tech kind of industry where there is going to be more coming out for the the back office as well. And I think Pam, a lot of insurances are actually using systems like Pearl and Overjet, those AI tools to read x-rays and process claims a lot faster too. Which to your point then they gotta be super clean. You're okay. Pamela (20:45) Well, yeah, and and sorry, I totally did not mean to interrupt you, but that that brings up something that I've thought about and I've heard from practices, a lot of claims are being denied, right? Tiffanie (20:58) Yeah. Pamela (20:58) More. I think it's up like by twenty percent over the last few Tiffanie (21:01) I agree. Pamela (21:01) years. And that's probably because they are using AI to read the x rays, and Tiffanie (21:09) Yeah. Pamela (21:09) there is no way the human eye can be as good as an the AI assistance, you know, the tech Tiffanie (21:19) Yeah. Yeah. Pamela (21:20) the the radiology it it it that is going to become an AI job. So just in general. Tiffanie (21:25) For sure. Pamela (21:26) And so reading reading X rays, they're they're proficient. They're they're extremely intelligent at it. And so we need to jump on that bandwagon to make sure that we are seeing everything too. But yeah, that's Tiffanie (21:40) Yeah, agreed. Pamela (21:41) very, very true. Tiffanie (21:42) Yeah. And the same as the other AI tools, they have their variances as well. And you train those Pamela (21:47) Mm-hmm. Tiffanie (21:47) tools too. And you train yourself to see like, okay, well, this variance of that is like that's that's pretty extreme. I'm not like my practice doesn't diagnose that way. Cool, that's a watch for you, right? But at least it's being pointed out and you can compare. You can look at okay, what did last time look like versus this time? Which is super cool because that's not something you can do. with just our eyes of that kind of comparison. Pamela (22:11) Yeah. Tiffanie (22:12) So whether you're diagnosing off of it or using it as a tool to see progress and change, train it, train it and train yourself just the same as you're training your scheduling bots. Pamela (22:22) I I agree a hundred percent. And it it does have to be managed, right? It it does have to we have to learn it and we have to manage and it i it's just not a one and done. Just yeah. So very sh very Tiffanie (22:33) Yeah. Yeah. Well, I love it. There's so much tech to be found. I think some key ones that we can kind of action item here to go explore at least. I love the online scheduling tools if you're not using them yet. I think they're worth it. they weren't always. They have turned a corner. They are worth it. and Pam, I think even the scheduling bots that answer, you know, new patient calls, things like that are taking over and they're doing really phenomenally. And then I think I would push to make sure your insurance information is accurate. obviously, you know, Pearl or Overjet kind of tools, those are phenomenal too. But I think starting with those scheduling and those insurances, if you're not using those tools yet, I think it's worth looking into because I really do think that revenue cycle management, all of those pieces are hugely beneficial at this point. So do your homework. Go ahead. Pamela (23:30) I agree and I think I think it yeah, do your homework and I think it's exciting what's happening in with the voice activation. I don't think it's quite Tiffanie (23:38) Mm-hmm. Pamela (23:39) there yet, but that is something I know dental offices are very hungry for. I know it's a little intimidating, but when it gets better, and I I think it's developed huge amount from when I was in the office because it d had Tiffanie (23:53) Yeah. Pamela (23:54) just started. and you know, I think Offices are really looking forward to that and doctors are looking for their notes to help with their notes, right? Tiffanie (24:05) Yeah. Pamela (24:05) So I think those are the two big areas that we want to watch Tiffanie (24:08) Yeah. Pamela (24:09) and really keep abreast of what's going on and you know, keep automating and you can do it slow and it shouldn't be intimidating. Tiffanie (24:18) Yeah, I completely agree. I think slow is fast these days. Everything's changing so much. It's worth it to do Pamela (24:24) Yeah. Tiffanie (24:25) your due diligence and make sure that you're using it correctly and to its full extent. So I love it. Thank you so much, Pam. This was a lot of fun. I know that the AI tech world is your jam. you do a lot of introspective work on it and just it's a big conversation topic for you. So thank you for Being on here with me today and being willing to share your knowledge. Pamela (24:49) Thank you, thank you. I love AI and I can't wait to buy a robot. Tiffanie (24:54) Yeah, no right. That's what a our we have an almost 13-year-old in the house and he's ready to buy one, ready to build them, ready to go. I love it. I love it. Of course. Pamela (25:02) I know, it's it's very cool. Well thank you for the time, Tiffanie. It was great to talk about this. Tiffanie (25:09) Thanks, fam. Awesome. Okay, listeners, share this with a buddy. share some information you might have. You might be trying something in your practice now. Drop us a five-star review below and call that out. People do read through those comments. or if you're on our socials, put it in the comments section. You guys have some conversations about this. There's a lot to be learned here and there's so much to be shared. I know we had a doctor speaking on how she's using AI, but then we also just had a massive conversation in our doctor's only mastermind last Tuesday about AI tools, AI bots, kind of how different practices are using them. So it's a huge conversation. Get it rolling in there, get on board with some other doctors and share these tools with each other. Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. If you need anything from us at all, we are always happy to share all of the knowledge that we have and we're always happy to help you in your practice on your journey towards an amazing rest of the year. Thanks so much guys and we'll catch you next time.
Join the Millionaire University AI Mastermind at MillionaireUniversity.com/AI #1050 What if you could replace $150-an-hour work with a $6-an-hour virtual assistant — and use AI to make them even more productive? In Part 1 of this two-part episode, host Brien Gearin welcomes Ryan Wimpey back to the Millionaire University Podcast to reveal how he's using virtual assistants, AI, and automation to scale Tip Top K9 to 29 locations across 13 states, with average unit revenue topping $600,000. Ryan breaks down how he pairs tech-savvy VAs with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Manus to automate dashboards, reporting, scheduling, and other time-consuming tasks — including replacing work that can cost $150+ an hour with VAs earning around $6 an hour. Plus, he shares how vibe coding a prototype saved roughly $20,000 in software development costs, his process for finding and training high-quality VAs, and why he believes your core team should spend their time on one thing above all else: work that actually moves the needle! What we discuss with Ryan: + Scaling to 29 franchise locations + $600K+ average unit revenue + Pairing VAs with AI + Automating repetitive business tasks + Replacing $150/hour work + Vibe coding custom software + Saving on development costs + Hiring tech-savvy VAs + Training VAs on AI tools + Focusing on revenue-producing work Thank you, Ryan! Check out Tip Top K9 at TipTopK9.com. Follow Ryan on Facebook and YouTube. Get your FREE 5 Minute Business Plan at MillionaireUniversity.com/Plan To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit MillionaireUniversity.com/Sponsors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join the Millionaire University AI Mastermind at MillionaireUniversity.com/AI #1051 What really makes a business profitable — better technology, or simply getting your team to execute the fundamentals? In Part 2 of this two-part episode, host Brien Gearin continues his conversation with Ryan Wimpey about scaling Tip Top K9 and using AI, automation, and virtual assistants without losing sight of the numbers that actually matter. Ryan explains why he still prefers humans for emotionally driven sales calls, where AI agents could soon make sense, and how his custom software will help automate everything from scheduling to commission and sales reports. He also pulls back the curtain on the Tip Top K9 franchise model, including its $48,000 franchise fee, six-week training program, and average annual revenue of more than $600,000 for locations open a full year. Plus, Ryan shares one of his biggest lessons for new entrepreneurs: set clear expectations, coach your people to meet them, hold them accountable, and don't be afraid to make the hard personnel decisions when they don't! What we discuss with Ryan: + AI agents for customer calls + Automating repetitive franchise tasks + Building a custom CRM + Focusing on profit-driving metrics + Holding teams accountable + Tip Top K9's franchise model + $600K+ average unit revenue + Starting without dog training experience + Franchise vs. starting from scratch + Hiring and managing employees Thank you, Ryan! Check out Tip Top K9 at TipTopK9.com. Follow Ryan on Facebook and YouTube. Get your FREE 5 Minute Business Plan at MillionaireUniversity.com/Plan To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit MillionaireUniversity.com/Sponsors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
https://19-minutes.supercast.comAI has moved well beyond writing emails and answering simple questions. Vance Crowe joins Shay Foulk to explain how he is using it to handle bookkeeping, analyze nearly 500 podcast conversations, build digital tools, and uncover patterns in information that would otherwise sit unused.The bigger opportunity isn't creating more content or doing more work just because it is possible. It is removing the time spent searching, organizing, and copying information, then using that time for better decisions, clearer communication, and work that still requires human judgment.They discuss:Why anyone who dismissed AI six months ago should test it againHow “thinking AI,” “doing AI,” and connected agents could reshape repetitive workWhat farmers can learn from years of vendor records, receipts, PDFs, and other dataWhy good AI use should make information simpler instead of creating more slopWhat AI-assisted music and media raise about creativity, trust, and authenticityHow reducing friction applies to work, family, health, and changing farm seasonsWhere human attention, judgment, and original thought still matterVance also explains his Interest-Based Communication course in St. Louis, where small groups work through real conflicts, negotiations, and the challenge of getting good ideas understood.Learn more about Vance and the course:https://articulate.ventures/ibc#AIinAgriculture #FarmManagement #AgTechnology
Want help uncovering the real reasons behind your urges and build a plan to overcome your pornography use? Click here to book a free call with Sam to get help to overcome pornography – https://stopporn.info/ Have questions you want me to address on future podcast episodes? Email me here: sam@healingcouples.org Episode show notes: If you've been trying to quit porn, you may feel like recovery has become a second full-time job. You're constantly trying to stay ahead of the next urge. You journal, exercise, pray, read recovery books, listen to podcasts, attend meetings, install filters, avoid triggers, track your streak, and fill your day with recovery activities—hoping that if you do enough, pornography won't become a problem again. The problem is that many men spend years working hard on porn addiction recovery without ever working on the specific issue that's actually driving their pornography use. In this episode, I explain why lasting freedom from porn doesn't come from doing more recovery activities—it comes from doing the right work. Instead of treating every struggle the same way, you'll learn how to identify the real source of the pressure that's leading you back to pornography and choose recovery tools that actually match the problem. We'll talk about why stress, overwhelm, shame, low self-worth, loneliness, emotional disconnection, and relationship conflict all require different approaches. You'll discover why so many men stay stuck in the cycle of pornography addiction even while doing "all the right things," and how targeted recovery can help you stop relying on willpower alone. We'll also discuss two of the biggest marriage challenges after porn addiction: helping your wife see the progress you're making and learning how to have difficult conversations without shame, defensiveness, or emotional shutdown. Real porn addiction recovery isn't just about stopping pornography. It's about becoming the kind of husband who can handle stress, navigate emotions, rebuild trust, and stay connected when life gets difficult. Whether you're trying to quit porn, overcome pornography addiction, prevent another porn relapse, rebuild trust after betrayal, or finally experience lasting porn addiction recovery, this episode will help you focus your energy where it will make the biggest difference. In This Episode: Why traditional porn addiction recovery often feels exhausting The difference between busy recovery and targeted recovery How to identify the real root causes of pornography addiction Matching the right recovery tool to the right problem Overcoming stress, shame, and emotional triggers Building healthier coping skills instead of relying on pornography Rebuilding trust after porn addiction How to create lasting freedom from porn Why more recovery isn't always better recovery The recovery mindset that leads to long-term change
Anthony just hired his first two teammates and immediately feels the ground shift under him. Solopreneur instincts don't translate to leadership, and he's not sure where his time should go—sales, training, or growing the business. Preston and Steven Puri break down the difference between giving people tasks and giving them goals, and why real leadership means stepping back enough to let your team actually lead. Support our show sponsors -> https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question -> https://freelancetofounder.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Almost everyone is using AI backwards right now, and it's doing more harm than good. They hand the public-facing work that actually sells for them, the brand voice, the messaging, the marketing, over to AI, and then keep grinding through the operational work themselves. The follow-ups, the treatment maps, the back-office systems nobody sees. That's the stuff that eats your week and never feels like it's moving the business forward. My guest this week is Nicole Harlow of Lead Better, who has spent 18 years building operations for health practitioners. She keeps watching the same thing happen. Brilliant, fully booked providers burning out, not because they can't get clients, but because they're the single point of failure holding the whole business together. Nicole and I have both gone all in on AI and both got burned doing too much with it, so this conversation is neither hype nor fear. It's two people who already made the expensive mistakes showing you where AI belongs, including the operational work it can pull off your plate this week, and the one part of your business you should never let it touch. If your practice is running on sticky notes and a Google spreadsheet you're scared to open, and you're starting to suspect you're the bottleneck, this one is for you. Timeline Highlights [00:00] – Why almost everyone is using AI backwards, and the operational work it should be doing instead [04:51] – Why operations is where the bottleneck shows up for six-figure practitioners [09:17] – How Nicole landed on operations after 18 years across branding and podcasting [15:58] – The reluctant CEO problem: practitioners who never signed up to run a business [18:11] – Why hiring a VA into a messy system almost always backfires [22:04] – A client story on expecting admins to think like entrepreneurs, and the SOP fix [27:50] – How Claude became a strategic thinking partner, and where that gets dangerous [34:29] – The pay-grade filter for deciding what AI should and shouldn't do [40:20] – Automations versus AI, and the difference that actually matters [49:14] – How to decide what stays human and what gets handed to AI [1:11:19] – Nicole's Brand Voice Starter Guide and why generic AI output costs you Top Quotes from the Episode "You give me something messy and chaotic, and I can create something that's beautiful and elegant and works, and ultimately helps you to work less." "An assistant or admin isn't there to create the system. They're there to slot into a system that's already been thought out." "If you don't have your operations thought through and you hire someone in, you're expecting them to come in and clean up your chaos, and that's the wrong expectation." "What's actually quite normal for most people is they like to know what's expected of them, what good work looks like, and what done looks like." "Systems are saving me and my business, not because I'm hyper organized, but because I already made all of these mistakes." "What makes AI different from automation is the thinking component. Automation is binary. AI adds reasoning and logic on top of it." "I turn to AI in the places where I feel the most resistance." "Just because it's AI and it can write it fast doesn't mean it's using words you or your clients would ever actually say." Links & Resources Nicole Harlow, Lead Better Nicole's free Brand Voice Starter Guide (workshop + workbook) Take the "What's Your CEO Type?" Quiz If this episode resonated, follow the podcast, leave a review if it lands, and share it with someone who's ready to stop being the bottleneck in their own business.
This episode, we talk about the difference between busy work and deep work and how understanding that difference and navigating it successfully leads to a better you as a creator, and as a business owner. We talk about what goes into understanding busy work versus deep work. We run it through the lenses of the show: your voice, your workflows, and your confidence. At the end, there's a challenge on how to keep yourself on track and growing as a creator with a simple exercise. Creator business growth doesn't stall from lack of effort. It stalls because busywork and real progress feel exactly the same from the inside. This episode opens with three hours lost to a script that wouldn't come together, and the question that followed: is reworking the process real work, or avoidance? From there, Shawn defines busywork and deep work in concrete terms, collapses the productivity checklist into one question (is this moving a meaningful goal forward in your business?), and names the four inputs that build your awareness: your tells, your definition of excellent, your confidence, and your previous experience. The specifics covered: the four questions hiding inside one, what work looks like with you in the process versus without you, the client who took courses for three years instead of launching (and what her launch finally taught her), the lesson from Apple about fixing friction instead of accepting it, why 85% accuracy beats 80% at AI scale (one degree off, over a long enough line, lands you somewhere else entirely), the Thor: Ragnarok magic cup that never empties, and the Harvard Business Review and Stanford finding on AI "workslop." It ends on the episode's real turn: the better input is you, knowing when an impulse to change is a signal and when it's a distraction. If you've ever ended a busy week with nothing meaningful shipped, taken one more course before launching, or wondered whether tinkering with your process is progress or hiding, this one is about your week. That's the creator-led business growth problem: the tools and processes are the same for everyone; the input isn't. → Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint → The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow. This episode is about creator business growth and the creator-led business growth that comes from knowing your own tells. Chapters 00:00 - Busywork and progress feel the same: the three-hour script spiral 02:38 - The difference: intention plus knowing your tells 02:50 - Input: busywork vs. deep work, defined 09:19 - Signal: the work with you in it, and without you 21:24 - Output: the better creator, the AI busywork trap, and the better input 25:50 - Voiceprint: get clear on what you want as a creator 26:32 - Recap: judge the week by intention and direction 27:29 - Challenge of the week: your five next best moves 28:26 - Wrap-up
The Commoditization of Hustle: Why Busy Work is the New Laziness Being busy does not mean you are building the business. Sometimes, it means you are avoiding the work that actually matters. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Paul Alex breaks down why busy work can become a form of procrastination and how entrepreneurs can focus their energy on the actions that generate real results. A full calendar can still produce an empty bank account. Checking emails, organizing files, and completing minor administrative tasks may feel productive, but they often keep you away from sales, strategy, and high-value execution. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why motion does not always equal meaningful progress• How easy administrative tasks can become a form of self-sabotage• Why revenue-generating activities should receive your best time and energy• How measuring output instead of hours creates stronger results The truth is simple: You are not paid for how exhausted you feel. You are paid for what you produce. Eliminate the distractions. Delegate the low-value work. Identify the three moves that will create the biggest impact and execute them first. Stop acting busy. Start moving the business forward. 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
As AI takes on more repetitive marketing tasks, agencies are being forced to rethink what they're selling. Omnicom Media Group North America CEO Ralph Pardo joins Digiday from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to talk about the future of agency talent, the rise of “capability companies” and why human judgment still matters.
For years, we've been told that automation and AI will make work faster, smarter, and more efficient. And for a generation that has grown up with technology at their fingertips, removing repetitive work seems like an obvious win. But what if, in automating routine tasks, we're also removing the very experiences that build judgment, intuition, resilience, and expertise?In this episode of Working with Gen Z, Jeff Arnold joins me to explore what I call the Automation Dilemma. Together, we examine whether AI is simply eliminating busywork—or unintentionally widening the experience gap for the next generation of professionals. We'll discuss how expertise is really developed, why "learning by doing" still matters in an AI-enabled workplace, the changing role of managers as coaches, and whether our assumptions about who embraces—or resists—AI reveal hidden generational biases. If AI is transforming work, then perhaps the bigger question is: How do we continue to develop future leaders?Best Gen Z Podcasts You Must Follow in 2026Best Gen Z Podcasts You Must Follow in 2026Find Us OnlineJeff Arnold : LinkedIn, WebsiteNikhil : Website, Linkedin, Youtube & Book
This is an AI-generated episode of The Storage Marketplace Podcast, created from the live discussion at Storage Meetup #84, recorded live on June 26, 2026. Every Friday, self-storage owners, operators, managers, vendors, and industry professionals gather live to discuss what's working, what's changing, and what's next for the industry. In this episode, we explore some of the biggest conversations from the meetup, including: • A live demonstration of Lumio, an AI workforce designed to handle real operational tasks for self-storage facilities • How AI is evolving from simple chatbots into systems that learn your SOPs and improve over time • Whether AI customer service is beginning to outperform traditional call centers for routine tenant interactions • Why trade shows are seeing changing attendance patterns and how online communities are reshaping industry education • The growing importance of community, collaboration, and learning beyond annual conferences • A preview of the upcoming 3 Mile Challenge, a hands-on program covering Google Business Profiles, local marketing, AI, automation, pricing, websites, reviews, and the complete customer journey One of the biggest takeaways from this session:
When a new opportunity showed up at the worst possible time, it sparked a bigger question: Is being busy actually the problem?In this episode, Jasmine shares a behind-the-scenes business decision involving an AI opportunity, a very logical COO, and advice from mentors that changed the way she thinks about timing, priorities, and growth.This conversation explores why busy people often create more momentum, how constraints can lead to better decisions, and why waiting for the “perfect time” might be keeping you stuck.Because sometimes “I'm too busy” isn't responsibility… it's fear wearing a blazer.If you've been waiting for life to slow down before making the move—this episode is your sign to start now.Busy people get it done.Click play to hear all of this and:[00:00] What professional disagreements reveal about priorities and decision-making[01:57] When a new opportunity feels exciting… but may not fit the plan[02:58] Three reasons busy seasons can create unexpected leverage[03:49] How to navigate a business impasse without forcing the outcome[04:49] The question to ask before making a big commitment[05:49] Why busy people often move faster than people with more time[08:34] How constraints create clarity and better decisions[11:39] Why action builds confidence (and confidence fuels more action)[12:39] The mindset shift that makes progress possible before life slows downListen to Related Episodes:Facing Truths and Making Hard Decisions with Lori HarderMake Better Business Decisions with This One Mindset ShiftStop the Busywork and Start Scaling
This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations, featuring insights worth revisiting. This week on The Data Stack Show, AI entrepreneur Alberto Rizzoli shares his journey from early computer vision breakthroughs to leading the automation of back-office workflows at V7. The discussion explores the shift from bespoke model training to configurable AI solutions, the impact of automation on business roles, and emerging best practices for integrating AI into enterprises. Listeners will gain insight into how AI infrastructure is moving from labs to everyday businesses, which roles are most vulnerable or secure amid automation, and why future-proofing your career means focusing on creativity, first principles, and continuous improvement. Don't miss it! Highlights from this week's conversation include: Setting the Stage: AI's Hype and Today's Innovations (1:16) Alberto's Non-Tech Passions: Physics & UX (4:04) The Paradigm Shift: Machines that Adapt (6:22) Scaling AI: From Niche Apps to Mainstream Use (8:23) Large Models vs. Bespoke Solutions—Power Law in AI (11:07) Evolving Roles: From Engineer to End User (14:14) Simple vs. Complex AI Implementations (18:14) When to Scale from Simple AI to Production-Grade (22:40) Capturing Tacit Knowledge: Crowdsourcing vs. Centralization (27:22) The Challenge of Unstructured Process Documentation (30:08) Practical Impact: AI-Enabled Enterprise Leverage (33:29) ROI: Time Saved & Compound Effects in the Enterprise (38:08) Redefining Information Movers vs. Information Creators (44:14) Roles at Risk and the Case for Creativity (45:30) Alberto's Favorite New Tech & Future of User Experience (46:00) Spreadsheets, Business Logic, and AI's Next Leap (48:41) The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it's needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we'll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data. RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Welcome to Friday Coaching Clinic Episodes. These are LIVE coaching session snippets where you have the opportunity to learn as both client and coach. I encourage you to think about how you might coach through this topic as a coach or how this situation may support you as a client. A reminder about these episodes: This snippet is just one way of coaching through this topic. Each coach has their own unique voice, personality and confidence to best support their clients and I invite you to find yours. This week: How to Stop Letting Busy Work Steal Your Focus From Revenue-Generating Task For More Info Go To: https://amanda-walker.com/best-damn-coach/
In this week's TGIM episode, Nicole dives into a topic that hits close to home for so many of us: when your intentions, goals, and actions aren't actually lining up. This episode will help you uncover why and how to start taking aligned, effective action.We talk about common patterns that keep women entrepreneurs stuck:Someday thinking – waiting for the “perfect moment” to start instead of acting now.Preparation as procrastination – endlessly planning or learning instead of taking the steps that matter.Busywork avoidance – staying overwhelmed with low-priority tasks to avoid the scary, important ones.Nicole shares a simple but powerful daily practice to break these patterns: carving out a small space in your workspace and asking yourself “What are my top three actions I am taking today?”. She explains how starting small and consistently showing up can dramatically shift your results and your confidence.If you're tired of spinning your wheels and want to start seeing real progress in your business and life, this episode will give you practical ways to start today.Take our FREE quiz: https://www.myalignedpurpose.com/quizGrab your ticket for SHE LEADS: https://www.myalignedpurpose.com/she-leads-2027
What happens when a former consultant, startup operator, and self-described “anxious overachiever” discovers the contract furniture industry for the first time? In this episode, Alexandra sits down with Kieran Luke, founder of Cerulean, to discuss how AI is being thoughtfully applied within dealer workflows and why the goal isn't replacing people, but helping them reclaim their time. Kieran accidentally found himself in contract furniture after growing up in Australia and building startups in New York. During this path, he realized that highly skilled dealer designers were spending hours each week on repetitive, manual tasks. Alexandra and Kieran unpack the realities of AI in our industry: the skepticism, the ethical concerns, the fear around jobs, and the opportunities to create more sustainable and fulfilling work. Whether you're AI-curious, AI-cautious, or already experimenting with new workflows, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about what technology should actually do for people. REGISTER NOW for POP Into Excellence Connect with Kieran Luke on LinkedIn Learn more about Cerulean Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email info@thedesignpop.com The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Two Heads: Brand Marketing & Strategic Coaching for Today's Marketplace
You need to view AI as your new, highly capable digital staff. Today, we're giving you 4 key strategies to delegate to AI and buy your time back effectively.
This week, we're diving into a challenge many homeschooling families face—especially those parenting gifted, twice-exceptional, or otherwise neurodivergent kids: boredom. If you've ever heard, "I'm bored!" and wondered how to respond, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you beat boredom without resorting to endless busy work. Key Takeaways Novelty doesn't require elaborate setups. Simple tweaks—like changing writing tools, switching locations, or adding a movement element—can wake up the brain. Choice and autonomy matter. Let your child decide between two options or how they'll demonstrate what they've learned. Find the "just right" challenge. Work that's too easy leads to boredom; too hard brings overwhelm. Learn how to dial up (or down) the challenge for each unique learner. Links and Resources from Today's Episode Thank you to our sponsors: CTC Math – Flexible, affordable math for the whole family! The Learner's Lab – Online community for families homeschooling outside-the-box learners! The Lab: An Online Community for Families Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kiddos The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Resilient Sons: A Boy Mom's Guide to Building a Strong, Confident, and Emotionally Intelligent Family The Anxiety Toolkit Sensory Strategy Toolkit | Quick Regulation Activities for Home Affirmation Cards for Anxious Kids Executive Function Struggles in Homeschooling: Why Smart Kids Can't Find Their Shoes (and What to Do About It) How Adventuring Together Grows Confidence, Curiosity, and Executive Function Understanding Executive Function Skills in Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Children Strengthening Executive Function Skills: A Conversation with Sarah Collins Strengthen Executive Function Skills The Best Books for Teaching About Executive Functions Skills 7 Executive Functioning Activities for Small Children RLL #84: Exploring Education and Executive Function with Seth PerlerThe Unmeasured Executive Functioning Issue RLL 20: Helping Your Kiddo with Executive Function Skills Struggles | A Listener Question RLL LIVE | Improving Executive Functions Helping Kids Who Resist: Low-Demand Homeschooling for Autonomy and Skill-Building Why Is Finishing So Hard? Helping Neurodivergent Kids Cross the Finish Line Why Typical Organization Systems Fail Neurodivergent Homeschoolers and What Works Instead
If your business feels like it's pulling you in 17 different directions at once… this episode is for you.In this episode, I'm taking you behind closed doors inside my 7-Figure Mastermind and sharing the focus framework my mentor taught me that completely changed how I lead, prioritize, and scale my business.Because here's the truth: being good at many things is often the exact reason we stay stuck.We're talking about:Why ambitious entrepreneurs struggle to focusThe hidden cost of doing “all the things”How to identify the ONE thing that creates the biggest impactWhy scaling requires more clarity, not more complexityThe powerful question I now use to filter every business decisionIf your brain feels noisy, your calendar feels chaotic, or your business feels reactive… this conversation will help you refocus on what actually matters most.Click play to hear all of this and:[00:00] How dividing your attention across too many projects weakens your results and slows growth.[01:15] The exact focus framework my mentor shared that transformed how I run my business.[02:50] How being “good at many things” becomes a hidden obstacle to scaling.[04:45] Why visionary CEOs unintentionally pull themselves back into the weeds.[06:50] The uncomfortable but transformational question every entrepreneur needs to ask.[08:15] What it actually means to direct your mental energy toward one central purpose.[09:00] A simple framework to identify the root issue creating multiple downstream problems.Listen to Related Episodes:How to Sharpen Your Focus to Achieve Your GoalsStop the Busywork and Start ScalingStrategies that Have Transformed My Business with (My Coach) Susan Sierota
In this episode of Storage Wins, Alex Pardo reconnects with Dan Wentzel after a long pause in the journey. Over the last several months, Dan's storage business has slowed dramatically due to life demands, limited time, family responsibilities, and the challenge of trying to balance business-building with being present at home. But instead of avoiding the conversation, Alex leans directly into it. What unfolds is one of the most transparent and honest coaching conversations of the entire series. Together, they unpack the emotional weight that comes with feeling stuck, comparing yourself to others, losing momentum, and questioning whether progress is even happening. As the conversation progresses, Alex identifies a major issue that many new investors struggle with: focusing on the wrong things at the wrong time. Instead of spending valuable time building systems, refining processes, or worrying about operations, Alex challenges Dan to simplify everything down to one objective—finding deals. The message becomes crystal clear: if you're trying to buy your first storage facility, your time should almost entirely be spent in the deal discovery phase. Conversations, underwriting, analyzing opportunities, and making offers matter far more than perfect systems, future operations, or hypothetical scenarios. The episode also dives into the realities of partnerships, time constraints, and self-belief. Despite setbacks and slower-than-expected progress, Alex reinforces an important truth: the journey only fails if you quit. This episode is a powerful reminder that progress often comes from simplifying, recommitting, and focusing relentlessly on what actually moves the needle. ⸻ You'll Learn How To: • Simplify your focus when momentum stalls out • Prioritize revenue-generating activities over unnecessary systems • Avoid getting distracted by operations before you own a deal • Identify the difference between working in the business vs on the business • Maximize limited time by focusing on high-impact actions • Navigate partnerships and clearly define roles within a team • Rebuild confidence and momentum during difficult seasons ⸻ What You'll Learn in This Episode: [0:15] Why systems and processes matter—but timing matters more [1:37] Feeling stalled out, discouraged, and low on momentum [2:44] The emotional impact of comparison and adversity [3:14] Why the Storage Wins journey temporarily paused [4:10] Showing up even when life feels chaotic and difficult [5:17] The parallels between business setbacks and getting "tapped out" in jiu-jitsu [6:09] Why transparency and vulnerability matter during difficult seasons [6:27] Dan's first win: simply continuing to show up [7:01] Working with three other Storage Wins members to pursue deals [8:09] Challenges and opportunities of four-person partnerships [9:37] Identifying the real problem behind "not enough time" [10:15] The importance of planning your days and weeks intentionally [11:21] Peeling back the layers to uncover the root challenge [12:16] How systems and CRMs became a distraction from actual deal flow [14:15] The difference between working in the business vs on the business [16:01] Why limited time must be spent on activities that move the needle [17:12] Alex's frustration with focusing on operations too early [18:32] Why funding and operations should NOT be your current focus [19:38] Simplifying the business down to finding deals and making offers [20:30] Why underwriting should not become a bottleneck [21:18] Defining roles and responsibilities within the team [22:21] Identifying the true bottleneck: lack of underwriting volume [23:11] The only way this journey fails is if you quit [24:03] Rebuilding confidence and recommitting to the goal Who This Episode Is For: • Investors who feel stalled out or discouraged in their journey • Listeners struggling to balance family, work, and business-building • Anyone overwhelmed by systems, tools, and operational complexity • Entrepreneurs trying to maximize limited time and energy • People stuck in learning mode instead of taking action • Investors pursuing their first self-storage deal ⸻ Why You Should Listen: Most people don't fail because they lack information. They fail because they lose focus on what actually matters. This episode strips away the noise and reminds you that buying your first storage facility doesn't require perfect systems, endless preparation, or knowing every future step in advance. It requires focused action, consistency, and the willingness to keep showing up even when progress feels slow. If you've been stuck, overwhelmed, or distracted by things that don't truly move the needle, this conversation will help you simplify your approach and refocus on the actions that create real momentum. Follow Alex Pardo here: • Alex Pardo Website: https://alexpardo.com/ • Alex Pardo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 • Alex Pardo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 • Alex Pardo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo • Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/ ⸻ Have conversations with at least three storage owners, brokers, private lenders, or equity partners inside the Storage Wins Facebook Group. Join for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/
Anchor Chat #30: Beyond Busy Work — Rethinking Student EngagementIn this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods reflects on Beyond Busy Work — Rethinking Student Engagement, challenging educators to move beyond compliance-driven activities and focus on authentic cognitive engagement. He discusses the difference between students being busy versus truly thinking, emphasizing the importance of discourse, problem-solving, reflection, and meaningful learning experiences. Dr. Woods encourages educators to examine who is carrying the cognitive load in the classroom and reminds listeners that real engagement happens when students are actively making meaning—not simply completing tasks.
Authority requires more than expertise. It demands intentional delegation and the courage to stop doing everything yourself. This episode of the Influential Voices of Authority Podcast features host Erik K. Johnson and guest Louis Swart, a serial entrepreneur who has mastered the art of leveraging teams and systems to scale businesses and build undeniable authority in any niche. Important Links: Louis' free guide: 150 Things You Can Delegate Today: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/delegate Explore Louis' services and agency: ironbrij.com.au Connect with Louis Swart: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louistswart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachlouistswart LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachlouisswart/ Book your Podcast Authority Audit with Erik: https://podcasttalentcoach.com/coaching Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apple Spotify: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/spotify Website: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/podcasts Episode Segments: 00:09 "How to Get Noticed and Build Authority" 01:10 "Grow Your Authority with Podcast Appearances" 02:45 "Overcoming the Little Voice and Imposter Syndrome" 03:16 "Start Small and Grow Your Confidence" 04:36 "From Mouse Business to Plumbing Empire" 07:09 "The Harsh Reality of Doing Everything Yourself" 08:54 "Scaling Up to a Multi-Million Dollar Exit" 12:52 "Coaches' Biggest Challenge: Doing It All Alone" 13:27 "The 2,000 Hour Rule: Valuing Your Time" 15:41 "Delegating for Exponential Growth" 17:49 "The Gut Punch of Business Reality" 21:04 "Testing Offers and Letting the Market Decide" 22:09 "How Solopreneurs Can Start Delegating" 24:00 "Agency vs. DIY: Pitfalls in Hiring Help" 27:30 "3 Essential Delegation Strategies for Success" 31:28 "Success Story: Freeing Up Headspace for Growth" 34:54 "Why Visibility Is Non-Negotiable" 36:09 "Strangers Who Feel Like Friends: The Authority Effect" 37:30 "150 Things You Can Delegate—Free Resource" 38:44 "If I Started Over: Lessons in Testing and Sales" 40:08 "Why Selling Is Service" 41:35 "Access to Instant Team Resources" 42:37 "How to Connect with Lou and Take Action" 51:21 "Supporting Healthcare Authorities: Erik's Mission" Key Takeaways: - Why Authority Requires Delegation Louis and Erik unwrap the damaging myth that solopreneurs should do it all themselves. True authority comes when you focus on what only you can do and delegate the rest. - From Struggling Owner to Systemized Success Louis shares how failing to delegate destroyed the value of his first business, while embracing systems and teams produced a multi-million dollar exit the second time around. - 3 Simple Delegation Habits Louis' practical strategies to vet, communicate with, and empower virtual assistants. - The Competitive Edge: Podcast Interviews Visibility through interviews not only builds instant credibility but provides endless social content to multiply your reach, and curb imposter syndrome. - Let the Market Decide: Test and Iterate Stop guessing. Launch, test, and double down on what your clients will actually pay for. - Free Your Headspace Clients who delegate find more clarity, creativity, and revenue. Louis' framework shows how to systemize your business and finally become the public face of your brand. Episode Highlights: The emotional impact of learning your business is worthless if you don't delegate Why working only in your business means nobody wants to buy it How to ensure virtual assistants deliver results without overwhelm or culture clash The power of social proof: leveraging podcast appearances and "starstruck" moments Setting a true hourly value for your leadership, and avoiding $10 tasks Why testing different markets beats gut feelings or friends' opinions Resources: Get Louis' free guide: 150 Things You Can Delegate Today: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/delegate Explore Louis' services and agency: ironbrij.com.au Connect with Louis Swart: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louistswart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachlouistswart LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachlouisswart/ Ready to strategically grow your podcast authority? Book your Podcast Authority Audit with Erik: https://podcasttalentcoach.com/coaching Next Week: Next week Erik sits down with Dr. Paul Etchison, a dentist who turned his podcast into the engine behind a million-dollar coaching business. You'll discover how he transforms cold leads into a steady stream of high-value, ready-to-buy clients. PODCAST AUTHORITY AUDIT You've published the episodes. You've stayed consistent. You know your content is good. And yet… You're not being seen as the authority in your niche Your podcast isn't creating the level of influence or opportunity you expected People listen—but they don't take action And you sound professional… but not unforgettable The truth? Consistency alone doesn't create authority. Intentional leadership does. Are you ready to turn your podcast into an authority engine and not just more content? Would you like to move from best-kept secret to recognized authority? Let me audit your podcast and find the gaps. Go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will uncover your authority positioning problem, develop your plan to succeed, and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals. Get your Podcast Authority Audit at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
What if you stopped rewarding people for being busy, and instead focused only on the value they produced?Your team would be night-and-day different.Busy is the enemy of productive. As long as you give your team a free pass for being busy, performance will elude you.If you want to go deeper on how to eliminate busywork, have a listen to Ep.366: Replacing Busywork With Real Results————————Have you taken our free Leadership Blindspot test?✨ In just 5 minutes you'll uncover the hidden leadership habits holding you back.Get your Blindspot Score and know exactly what to fix before it costs your career!TAKE THE FREE TEST HERE————————You can connect with me at:Website: https://www.yourceomentor.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourceomentorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourceomentorLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-moore-075b001/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourCEOMentor————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.
Some things can't be explained… but maybe they don't need to be? ✨ Jenny Blake lost 80% of her revenue in two weeks, and it led straight to her latest book and body of work, Free Time. Sarah Young noticed that her biggest opportunities arrive almost every time she steps away and sits in the sunshine. And then there's this: Jenny found the In Season planners splayed out on a New York City sidewalk…half a block from her building, pen and card still tucked inside, as if the package had simply escaped and waited for her. I cannot explain it… and that's exactly what this episode is about ✨ We get into the signs and synchronicities that show up when you're paying attention, the vulnerability of creating something from the heart, and what happens when you finally give your ideas room to grow. These are two of my favorite humans, and this conversation was pure joy
Daniel Yores is a personal trainer and fitness coach who coaches everyday adults on how to build a fit body and healthy lifestyle.We both work with very busy clients while also maintaining our own fitness while juggling business & personal life. We give some great practical tips on how you can get in great shape regardless of scheduleFollow Daniel on IG: @danielyores
“Look busy” sounded like a trick—but it became a discipline. Staying engaged made the day move faster, built real skills, and taught me how to work with patience instead of just waiting on the clock. Sometimes the smallest habits shape the strongest confidence.
Why do you feel busy all day… but still not making real progress? In this solo episode of the Profitable Christian Business Podcast, Doug Greathouse breaks down the real reason most entrepreneurs and professionals struggle with execution—and how to fix it. Many people believe they need more discipline or motivation. But the truth is, the problem isn't consistency—it's consistency in the wrong things. Doug shares a simple framework to move from reactive busywork to structured execution that drives real results. In this episode, you'll learn: • The difference between being busy and making progress • Why "consistency" alone isn't enough • The three levels that block execution: no clarity, no needle movers, no system • How to define a clear 90-day goal • What needle movers are and why they matter • How to build a system that creates daily momentum • The shift from motivation to structured execution If you're a Christian entrepreneur, business owner, or leader who wants to stop drifting and start building real momentum, this episode gives you a practical path forward.
Hey Doc,If you've ever said, “I just need more help,” and then somehow ended up more overwhelmed… this episode is for you.Because the problem usually isn't that you don't have help.It's that you're delegating the wrong things… in the wrong order… without a system.So now you've got someone managing tasks that probably shouldn't exist in the first place, while the things that would actually make your life easier are still sitting on your plate.I see this all the time with woman physicians.You finally decide to get support—maybe it's an assistant, childcare, or help at home—and instead of relief, you feel frustrated.Now you're paying someone… and still tired.In this episode, I walk you through how to actually delegate your life in a way that gives you your time, energy, and brain space back.Not just shifting tasks around.Not just “getting help.”But building a system that works for you.We're starting with what most people skip, and why that's exactly why delegation fails.Inside this episode:Why “just hire help” is incomplete advice (and often a waste of money)The first step you must take before delegating anythingHow to identify tasks that should be deleted vs. delegatedWhat to automate first (especially in the era of AI)How to stop paying people to do things no one needed to do in the first placeThis is the work that makes everything else easier.Less mental load.Less resentment.Less “why am I still doing all of this?”More clarity.More efficiency.More space to actually live your life.Because you didn't work this hard to spend your evenings organizing email folders no one will ever open again.
Let's discuss performing "busyness" at work and the rise of "Bullsh*t Jobs."I think it's deeply insulting that the vast majority of people have to spend at least 40 hours per week doing questionable labor... and many don't even get the dignity of a living wage. Let's dream of a better future!! Better jobs, better pay, and shorter work weeks.
Creating capacity through AI is only half the equation. In this episode of The FutureProof Advisor, I explore why so many firms are working harder than ever despite having better tools than ever — and why that paradox isn't a technology problem. It's an intentionality problem. Without a clear why behind the capacity you're creating, AI simply becomes a faster way to do more of the same work you were already doing. The fix starts before you ever open an AI tool — by defining exactly what problem you're trying to solve and what you'll do with the time once it's freed.The psychology behind this pattern runs deep. Parkinson's Law tells us work expands to fill whatever time we give it, and history shows that efficiency tools create more demand rather than more freedom. The real issue is that we're confusing capacity with capability. AI creates volume and time — it doesn't automatically create better judgment, sharper strategy, or a more evolved firm. That's why workflow stability matters so much. Before automating anything, your processes need to be understood, consistent, and owned by the people running them — otherwise AI just makes the confusion faster.The firms that break this cycle aren't the ones with the most tools. They're the ones that protect intentional time and use it deliberately. That means starting small — one theme day, two uninterrupted hours, one specific outcome you're building toward — rather than trying to restructure everything at once. It means applying essentialism to everything you're doing and eliminating what clients won't miss. And it means remembering that the bottleneck has shifted from access to information to judgment, prioritization, and purpose. Capacity without purpose isn't progress. It's just more noise.
"If you don't fill your day with high-priority actions that inspire you, your day will fill up with low-priority actions that distract you." —Dr. John DemartiniThree months into writing what was supposed to be my most important project, I was drowning.The task was to write a modern companion to Think and Grow Rich, the bestselling self-help book of all time. I had one year, a firm deadline, and interviews locked in with people well above my paygrade: Barbara Corcoran, Bob Proctor, Rob Dyrdek. The book would be released alongside a multimillion-dollar film. The pressure was immense.So how do you turn things around when everything is working against you? Let's find out...Onward,JamesPS — Want to bring this thinking to your team? Learn more about how Win the Day helps organizations operate at their potential._Listening on Spotify?Leave a comment to share your thoughts._Want to support the show?Hit 'Follow' and leave a 5-star rating to help others #WinTheDay.
You've been working on your business. Like really working on it.The website. The Canva graphics. The lead magnet. The Instagram grid. The CRM you signed up for because someone said you needed it.And yet — still no clients.Here's the hard truth: busy is not the same as productive. And until you know the difference between tasks that lead to clients and tasks that just feel like progress, you're going to keep spinning your wheels.In this episode, Michelle is giving you one filter question that will immediately cut through the overwhelm and show you exactly what to focus on in your coaching business right now.You'll learn:Why new coaches feel overwhelmed (and why it has nothing to do with how much you're doing)The one question to ask before working on anything in your businessWhich common coaching tasks actually lead to clients — and which ones don'tThe only three things you actually need to start getting paying clientsWhy your website, your logo, and your CRM are not what's standing between you and clientsIf you've been building and building and still wondering where the clients are — this episode is for you.Resources Mentioned:Free Strategy Audit Call: coachwithclients.com/strategycall3-Part Training Series on Client Enrollment Method Drop me a line and share your thoughts!Meet Your Host: Hey, I'm Michelle — The coaches' coach.I'm a Business and Visibility marketing Coach who helps female life coaches build a coaching biz, get seen at all the right places, and attract paying clients.I believe your coaching business should feel beautiful and profitable — without sacrificing your sanity, your weekends, or your personality.Using my 7-Step Client Enrollment Method, I help you build a coaching business that clients can't help but say, “OMG, that's who I need!”More clarity, more clients, more champagne moments.
In this episode, I tackle one of the most common questions teachers ask when using the station rotation model: What do you do with students who finish early? Instead of treating fast finishers as a problem, I reframe pacing differences as one of the biggest benefits of blended learning and self-paced environments. I walk through six practical strategies you can use to keep students meaningfully engaged without defaulting to extra work or busywork. From Must Do, May Do, and Aspire to Do to peer tutoring and brain break options, these approaches help you design for flexibility, student agency, and better classroom flow. If you're using station rotation, this episode will help you make pacing work for you, not against you. Episode Resources Related Blog Post: What to Do When Students Finish Early in a Station Rotation The Station Rotation Model and UDL: Elevate Tier 1 Instruction and Cultivate Learner Agency
Undiscovered Entrepreneur ..Start-up, online business, podcast
Did you like the episode? Send me a text and let me know!! Maker Schedules for Solo Founders: How to Scale Without BurnoutAre you a solo founder frantically laying down train tracks while the train is speeding right behind you? In this episode, we tear up generic "hustle culture" to build a customized, energy-driven time management engine specifically for the solopreneur. Learn how to ditch the busywork, protect your deep creative focus, and scale your business without breaking yourself in the process.
Stop booking every "whimsical" spring lead that breathes on your phone. Most contractors are terrified that if they don't say yes to everything, the work will dry up. That's a lie that keeps you broke. In this episode, Tim and Derek break down why you need to sell unafraid and wait for the high-margin jobs that actually move the needle.Stop being a "handyman" and start being a business owner who values his time and his crew's skill. If you're ready to stop the grind and start stacking cash, it's time to change how you view your schedule.=================================Ready to stop the grind? Check out "The Contractor's Code to Finally Cracking $1M." If you're tired of being a "suspect" in your own business, this course is your roadmap to elite status https://thecontractorfight.com/code==================================== Rate the Podcast ==Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.Apple PodcastsSpotify
Today's episode is about AI, but not in the usual way. We're not talking about fear, replacement, or hype. Instead, we're asking a much more practical question: Busy Work is the First Thing AI Should Take: How to Break Down Your Job Into ‘AI Tasks' and ‘Human Tasks'—and Why It Matters. And how can we break our jobs into AI tasks and human tasks—in a way that actually gives us back time, energy, and agency? Our guest is Sharon Gai, an international keynote and TEDx speaker, AI and innovation expert, former Alibaba executive, and author of the book How to Do More with Less: Future-Proofing Yourself in an AI-Driven Economy. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Host: Kelly Minnis
How to use AI to manage information overload, simple ways to start using AI tools in your business, and what OpenClaw is and how it works with Jason Glaspey. ----- Welcome to episode 563 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jason Glaspey. Using AI to Eliminate Busywork and Unlock Creative Time AI is everywhere right now — and for creators, it can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming. Between shifting algorithms, constant platform changes, and an increasingly noisy internet, many creators feel like they're stuck in "defense mode" just trying to keep up. In this episode, Jason Glaspey shares his journey from internet entrepreneur to AI builder and explains how creators can start using AI tools in practical ways to simplify their workflows. Bjork and Jason talk about the current state of the internet, why creators often feel stuck reacting instead of exploring new opportunities, and how AI can help shift that mindset. Jason also introduces OpenClaw, an AI-powered tool designed to proactively help with tasks and projects. They discuss how it works, how they're using it in their own workflows, and how tools like OpenClaw can automate repetitive tasks — like grammar checks, link audits, and SEO reviews — so creators can focus on what really matters: making compelling, human-centered content. If you've been curious about how to use AI in your business without losing the human element, this episode will give you a helpful starting point. Three episode takeaways: How AI can help you manage information overload and stay in discover mode — The internet has never been more engaging — or more overwhelming. With constant updates, endless content streams, and shifting algorithms, creators often feel like they're reacting instead of exploring new ideas. Jason explains why the internet today can feel addictive but less satisfying, and how tools like AI can help filter out the noise so you get out of defense mode can focus on meaningful creative work. Simple ways to start using AI tools in your business — A huge portion of running an online business involves repetitive, administrative tasks — things like proofreading posts, checking links, auditing content for SEO best practices, and cleaning up older posts. Jason shares how AI tools can take over this "grunt work," freeing up your time and energy. What OpenClaw is and how it works — Unlike many AI tools that simply respond to prompts, OpenClaw is designed to be proactive. Jason and Bjork discuss how they're using it to manage projects, monitor tasks, and automate parts of their workflow. Resources: JasonGlaspey.com Fleet of Geniuses Non-Traditional Success – Optimizing for Happiness with Jason Glaspey OpenClaw Telegram Slack Discord Github Claude Notion CopyClub.ai Email Jason Follow Jason on Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
Send a textWhat if the difference between a stalled dream and a thriving investing business was 92 door knocks and the courage to keep going? We open the playbook on real estate's real tradeoffs—time freedom, income control, and generational wealth—balanced against the very human hurdles of self-motivation, information overload, and patience for the first win.I walk you through the exact path from fired night-shift waitress to 2,000+ deals and even buying a small town. We start with the early days: living inside rehabs to cut costs, learning every tool at Home Depot, mapping foreclosures by hand, and using hard money to move fast. Then we break down the shift that changed everything—wholesaling—and how stacking predictable assignment fees can fund rehabs and rentals without the feast-or-famine cycle. You'll hear how a simple toolkit—Excel, a calendar, and a call list—beats fancy CRMs when the real job is talking to sellers, solving problems, and getting contracts signed.We also get honest about the cons. Staying self-driven when it rains or when your bank account looks comfy is a real test. Education can help or hurt—choose one mentor, one process, and go deep instead of chasing every new system. Busywork is a trap; measurable action is the cure. Setbacks at the closing table will happen; build buffers and backups so a busted deal doesn't break your stride. And yes, the first check might take months. That's not failure—that's the ramp. Once it clicks, you'll forecast income by deal count, not wishful thinking.If you want a roadmap to work for yourself, control your hours, and build assets your kids and grandkids can steward, this conversation is your starting line. Tap play, take notes, and then take action. If it helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share this with someone who needs a push to knock on door number 92. Support the showThanks again for listening. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a FIVE-STAR review.Head to Dwanderful right now to claim your free real estate investing kit. And follow:http://www.Dwanderful.comhttp://www.facebook.com/Dwanderfulhttp://www.Instagram.com/Dwanderful http://www.youtube.com/DwanderfulRealEstateInvestingChannelMake it a Dwanderful Day!
Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. This week, we do our 2026 predictions in an abbreviated holiday-time episode. Here's what we cover: 1) Claude Code's ability to run autonomously and complete tasks 2) Claude's ability to use tools 3) Is this a big deal? 4) Can Claude Code style tools be used for more knowledge work? 5) Gmail adds AI 6) Another explanation for Meta's Manus purchase 7) OpenAI gets into healthcare (officially) 8) Future of the doctor-patient interaction 9) Are rigged prediction markets a good thing? 10) Do we still want to do busywork in the age of AI? --- Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice. Want a discount for Big Technology on Substack + Discord? Here's 25% off for the first year: https://www.bigtechnology.com/subscribe?coupon=0843016b Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this New Year's solo episode of Business Coaching Secrets, Karl Bryan kicks off 2026 with a high-energy blueprint for business coaches determined to make this their best year yet. Karl offers sharp insights on building unstoppable momentum, creating impactful routines, mastering the power of execution over ideas, and developing unshakable resilience, along with a deep dive on AI, stock market bubbles, and actionable strategies to future-proof your coaching business. Key Topics Covered New Year, New Execution (Not New Year, New You) Karl dismantles the myth that a successful year just "happens," emphasizing the need for daily discipline and consistency. He shares why meaningful change is a product of relentless execution, not inspiration or wishful thinking. Maximizing Impact and Reach Expanding your influence means helping hundreds of people, not just your client list. Karl challenges coaches to launch podcasts, webinars, and value-packed emails, but stresses starting immediately, rather than waiting for the perfect plan. From Studying to Training Karl distinguishes between passively consuming knowledge (studying) and active skill-building (training), arguing that mastery comes from thousands of purposeful reps, not just time spent learning. Resilience, Mindset & Not Getting Offended He suggests that letting go of being easily offended is a powerful way to regain control, both in personal and business interactions, fostering stronger confidence and leadership. Goal Setting Versus Desire Management Karl breaks down why our goals and actual desires often conflict, providing concrete examples, then showing how new goals demand reshaped desires and crystal-clear "whys." Elite Leadership & Creating Space for Success The best leaders subtract drama, friction, and obstacles to create a fertile ground for others' success. Karl likens this to both sports coaching and business, advocating for an environment that evolves followers into leaders. The Dangers of Satisfaction: Staying Hungry Karl details the "crocodile after a meal" syndrome, how complacency kills momentum, and highlights stories of world-class athletes who maintain edge and discipline even after major wins. Planning & Execution: The Eisenhower and Munger Lessons He revisits classic advice: "The magic is not in the plan, but in the planning," borrowing from both Eisenhower and Charlie Munger's inversion principle to stress learning from failure as much as from chasing success. AI, Stock Markets, and Contrarian Thinking Answering questions about AI stock bubbles, Karl draws parallels with sports betting spreads and offers lessons from expert traders: when everyone thinks the same, the edge is lost. He advocates humility, diversification, dollar-cost averaging, and the importance of relevant financial literacy for coaches and their clients. Notable Quotes "New Year, New You is not a thing. Expecting next year to change without effort is like going to the marina and looking for an airplane to land." "I don't care about your ideas; I care about your execution. Your consistency and your discipline are mission-critical." "Stop getting offended. The good news? You'll stop being controlled." "Great leaders don't create followers, they create other leaders." "You can get lucky and make it. You can't get lucky and keep it." "The magic is not in the plan. The magic is in the planning." "I want to know where I'm going to die, so I'll never go there." (Charlie Munger) Actionable Takeaways • Start Now: Don't wait for the perfect moment or plan, your first email, podcast, or event is the hardest. Get it out, then iterate. • Measure Reps, Not Time: True mastery comes from consistent, purposeful practice (training), not just learning or clocking hours. • Get Out and Connect: Calendarize face-to-face time and community-building; loneliness erodes long-term success and well-being. • Shift from Busywork to Impact: Educate your list, serve generously in your free content, and only sell after delivering real value. • Build Resilience: Remind yourself that negative feedback or setbacks aren't personal, focus on execution and staying "hungry." • Set Monster Goals, Then Cut Ruthlessly: Aim high, then eliminate 80% of distractions and low-value activities to focus on what really moves the needle. • Use Inversion for Insight: When setting goals (or helping clients set them), ask: "How do I guarantee failure?" Then avoid those pitfalls. • Be Financially Literate for Clients: Understand core investing concepts (diversification, market math, dollar-cost averaging) so you can intelligently field client questions about wealth-building. Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software (by Karl Bryan) AI Business Coaching Dojo at Focused.com The Six-Figure Coach Magazine Books/authors referenced: Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Dan Sullivan, Ben Hardy Networking/Community: Chambers of commerce, BNI, local live events If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and leave a review. See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets! Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don't wait! Dive into action now and make 2026 your best year yet. Visit Focused.com for more on Profit Acceleration Software™ and join our thriving coach community. Get a demo at: https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration
Rey Ortega, a software engineer with over 25 years of experience and founder of Grata Software, reveals how entrepreneurs can use AI to scale smarter and faster. Drawing from his surprising journey from Nashville recording studios (working sessions with Tim McGraw) to becoming an AI pioneer, Rey breaks down how to leverage different models like Claude, ChatGPT, and Grok while emphasizing why human expertise remains essential. Rey also shares how he adapted the Perfect Webinar framework to win major B2B contracts, including the University of Central Florida, by structuring presentations around customer questions instead of cookie-cutter offers. Listeners discover the truth about how AI models work, the power of RAG systems, why most entrepreneurs fail not in operations but in customer acquisition, and actionable tools from his free AI course for finding clients and building automated systems without losing the human touch. https://go.gratasoftware.com Get 3 months of ClickFunnels for only $99 at the link below, that's an 83% discount to get started! https://www.clickfunnels.com/cfradio
Busy isn't the same as better.We sat down with product strategist, coach and consultant, and now a pubslihed author Tim Herbig to unpack a simple truth: real progress with impact that matters happens when strategy, metrics, and discovery align.If you lead change across a product, a platform team, culture or your own habits - you'll leave with a clearer way to choose what to focus on, what to measure, and what to learn.Say no with confidence. Retire progress theater. And build momentum you can be proud of.Key Insights:Context beats templates every time - "better practices" for your situation matter more than copying what worked for someone elseStrategy's real job is helping people say yes and no fastThe "why" question is ruthlessly effective - if you can't explain why you're doing something, you're probably just checking boxesAI helps you reach hard problems faster but only if you're ready to actually solve them instead of automating busyworkHow to spot progress theater before it drains your energy and budget ... also how to choose a better strategy for your beach body in 2026 and a lot more!___________TIM'S BIOTim Herbig is a product management coach, consultant, and author who helps teams make evidence-informed decisions by connecting strategy, OKRs, and discovery. For over a decade, he worked in various in-house and consulting roles across publishing, professional networking, and enterprise B2B SaaS. Tim's work has helped organizations from Lufthansa Group Digital Hangar to early-stage startups move from following "best practices" to developing better practices suited to their context that led to desired impact. Tim writes a popular weekly newsletter and is the author of "Real Progress: How to Connect the Dots of Product Strategy, OKRs, and Discovery." He lives by 3 core values: integrity (doing what you say), curiosity (going down rabbit holes), and sincerity (being honest even when it's hard).5) CALL TO ACTION & RESOURCESReady to move from alibi progress to real progress?Connect with Tim's work:Newsletter: https://herbig.co/newsletter (Weekly insights on strategy, OKRs, and discovery)Book: "Real Progress: How to Connect the Dots of Product Strategy, OKRs, and Discovery"Website: https://herbig.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbigtMentioned in the episode:Petra Willa's PM Wheel conceptJames Clear's quote on context-dependent adviceRavi Mehta's concept of "market interrupt moments"Gibson Biddle's Strategy/Metric/Tactic frameworkTim's homework for you:Start by asking one question this week: "Why are we doing this?" Then see if you can connect your answer to actual measurements and learning. That's where real progress begins. _________Enjoyed this conversation? Don't forget to subscribe to never miss an insight! Rate, and share the show with someone who needs a better way to make progress. Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant
Taylor and Melanie joined The Modern People Leader to unpack how HR teams can get out from under compliance chaos and admin overload to focus on business impact.---- Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode270Sponsor Links:
Ever feel like you're doing everything but getting nowhere? In this episode, I dive into how I reclaimed my time, energy, and CEO role by doing a time audit (yes, it's annoying—and yes, it's worth it), delegating what no longer served me, and creating intentional blank space on my calendar. Spoiler alert: focus is the real F-word in business. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start scaling with clarity, this one's for you.Click play to hear all of this and:[00:50] Why focus is the F-word entrepreneurs need most[02:50] The power of a Time Audit (yes, even if it's Annoying)[03:47] A powerful way to align team productivity with company vision.[04:47] Working myself out of a job (and why it matters)[05:50] The Uncomfortable Truth About Blank Space on Your Calendar[06:57] The 3 questions every visionary leader should ask before launching the next thing.Listen to Related Episodes:How to Double Your Energy and Focus with Tanessa Shears