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Last time we spoke about the climax of the battle of Lake Khasan. In August, the Lake Khasan region became a tense theater of combat as Soviet and Japanese forces clashed around Changkufeng and Hill 52. The Soviets pushed a multi-front offensive, bolstered by artillery, tanks, and air power, yet the Japanese defenders held firm, aided by engineers, machine guns, and heavy guns. By the ninth and tenth, a stubborn Japanese resilience kept Hill 52 and Changkufeng in Japanese hands, though the price was steep and the field was littered with the costs of battle. Diplomatically, both sides aimed to confine the fighting and avoid a larger war. Negotiations trudged on, culminating in a tentative cease-fire draft for August eleventh: a halt to hostilities, positions to be held as of midnight on the tenth, and the creation of a border-demarcation commission. Moscow pressed for a neutral umpire; Tokyo resisted, accepting a Japanese participant but rejecting a neutral referee. The cease-fire was imperfect, with miscommunications and differing interpretations persisting.    #185 Operation Hainan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. After what seemed like a lifetime over in the northern border between the USSR and Japan, today we are returning to the Second Sino-Japanese War. Now I thought it might be a bit jarring to dive into it, so let me do a brief summary of where we are at, in the year of 1939. As the calendar turned to 1939, the Second Sino-Japanese War, which had erupted in July 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and escalated into full-scale conflict, had evolved into a protracted quagmire for the Empire of Japan. What began as a swift campaign to subjugate the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek had, by the close of 1938, transformed into a war of attrition. Japanese forces, under the command of generals like Shunroku Hata and Yasuji Okamura, had achieved stunning territorial gains: the fall of Shanghai in November 1937 after a brutal three-month battle that cost over 200,000 Chinese lives; the infamous capture of Nanjing in December 1937, marked by the Nanjing Massacre where an estimated 300,000 civilians and disarmed soldiers were killed in a six-week orgy of violence; and the sequential occupations of Xuzhou in May 1938, Wuhan in October 1938, and Guangzhou that same month.  These victories secured Japan's control over China's eastern seaboard, major riverine arteries like the Yangtze, and key industrial centers, effectively stripping the Nationalists of much of their economic base. Yet, despite these advances, China refused to capitulate. Chiang's government had retreated inland to the mountainous stronghold of Chongqing in Sichuan province, where it regrouped amid the fog-laden gorges, drawing on the vast human reserves of China's interior and the resilient spirit of its people. By late 1938, Japanese casualties had mounted to approximately 50,000 killed and 200,000 wounded annually, straining the Imperial Japanese Army's resources and exposing the vulnerabilities of overextended supply lines deep into hostile territory. In Tokyo, the corridors of the Imperial General Headquarters and the Army Ministry buzzed with urgent deliberations during the winter of 1938-1939. The initial doctrine of "quick victory" through decisive battles, epitomized by the massive offensives of 1937 and 1938, had proven illusory. Japan's military planners, influenced by the Kwantung Army's experiences in Manchuria and the ongoing stalemate, recognized that China's sheer size, with its 4 million square miles and over 400 million inhabitants, rendered total conquest unfeasible without unacceptable costs. Intelligence reports highlighted the persistence of Chinese guerrilla warfare, particularly in the north where Communist forces under Mao Zedong's Eighth Route Army conducted hit-and-run operations from bases in Shanxi and Shaanxi, sabotaging railways and ambushing convoys. The Japanese response included brutal pacification campaigns, such as the early iterations of what would later formalize as the "Three Alls Policy" (kill all, burn all, loot all), aimed at devastating rural economies and isolating resistance pockets. But these measures only fueled further defiance. By early 1939, a strategic pivot was formalized: away from direct annihilation of Chinese armies toward a policy of economic strangulation. This "blockade and interdiction" approach sought to sever China's lifelines to external aid, choking off the flow of weapons, fuel, and materiel that sustained the Nationalist war effort. As one Japanese staff officer noted in internal memos, the goal was to "starve the dragon in its lair," acknowledging the limits of Japanese manpower, total forces in China numbered around 1 million by 1939, against China's inexhaustible reserves. Central to this new strategy were the three primary overland supply corridors that had emerged as China's backdoors to the world, compensating for the Japanese naval blockade that had sealed off most coastal ports since late 1937. The first and most iconic was the Burma Road, a 717-mile engineering marvel hastily constructed between 1937 and 1938 by over 200,000 Chinese and Burmese laborers under the direction of engineers like Chih-Ping Chen. Stretching from the railhead at Lashio in British Burma (modern Myanmar) through treacherous mountain passes and dense jungles to Kunming in Yunnan province, the road navigated elevations up to 7,000 feet with hundreds of hairpin turns and precarious bridges. By early 1939, it was operational, albeit plagued by monsoonal mudslides, banditry, and mechanical breakdowns of the imported trucks, many Ford and Chevrolet models supplied via British Rangoon. Despite these challenges, it funneled an increasing volume of aid: in 1939 alone, estimates suggest up to 10,000 tons per month of munitions, gasoline, and aircraft parts from Allied sources, including early Lend-Lease precursors from the United States. The road's completion in 1938 had been a direct response to the loss of southern ports, and its vulnerability to aerial interdiction made it a prime target in Japanese planning documents. The second lifeline was the Indochina route, centered on the French-built Yunnan-Vietnam Railway (also known as the Hanoi-Kunming Railway), a 465-mile narrow-gauge line completed in 1910 that linked the port of Haiphong in French Indochina to Kunming via Hanoi and Lao Cai. This colonial artery, supplemented by parallel roads and river transport along the Red River, became China's most efficient supply conduit in 1938-1939, exploiting France's uneasy neutrality. French authorities, under Governor-General Pierre Pasquier and later Georges Catroux, turned a blind eye to transshipments, allowing an average of 15,000 to 20,000 tons monthly in early 1939, far surpassing the Burma Road's initial capacity. Cargoes included Soviet arms rerouted via Vladivostok and American oil, with French complicity driven by anti-Japanese sentiment and profitable tolls. However, Japanese reconnaissance flights from bases in Guangdong noted the vulnerability of bridges and rail yards, leading to initial bombing raids by mid-1939. Diplomatic pressure mounted, with Tokyo issuing protests to Paris, foreshadowing the 1940 closure under Vichy France after the fall of France in Europe. The route's proximity to the South China Sea made it a focal point for Japanese naval strategists, who viewed it as a "leak in the blockade." The third corridor, often overlooked but critical, was the Northwest Highway through Soviet Central Asia and Xinjiang province. This overland network, upgraded between 1937 and 1941 with Soviet assistance, connected the Turkestan-Siberian Railway at Almaty (then Alma-Ata) to Lanzhou in Gansu via Urumqi, utilizing a mix of trucks, camel caravans, and rudimentary roads across the Gobi Desert and Tian Shan mountains. Under the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of August 1937 and subsequent aid agreements, Moscow supplied China with over 900 aircraft, 82 tanks, 1,300 artillery pieces, and vast quantities of ammunition and fuel between 1937 and 1941—much of it traversing this route. In 1938-1939, volumes peaked, with Soviet pilots and advisors even establishing air bases in Lanzhou. The highway's construction involved tens of thousands of Chinese laborers, facing harsh winters and logistical hurdles, but it delivered up to 2,000 tons monthly, including entire fighter squadrons like the Polikarpov I-16. Japanese intelligence, aware of this "Red lifeline," planned disruptions but were constrained by the ongoing Nomonhan Incident on the Manchurian-Soviet border in 1939, which diverted resources and highlighted the risks of provoking Moscow. These routes collectively sustained China's resistance, prompting Japan's high command to prioritize their severance. In March 1939, the South China Area Army was established under General Rikichi Andō (later succeeded by Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi), headquartered in Guangzhou, with explicit orders to disrupt southern communications. Aerial campaigns intensified, with Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" bombers from Wuhan and Guangzhou targeting Kunming's airfields and the Red River bridges, while diplomatic maneuvers pressured colonial powers: Britain faced demands during the June 1939 Tientsin Crisis to close the Burma Road, and France received ultimatums that culminated in the 1940 occupation of northern Indochina. Yet, direct assaults on Yunnan or Guangxi were deemed too arduous due to rugged terrain and disease risks. Instead, planners eyed peripheral objectives to encircle these arteries. This strategic calculus set the stage for the invasion of Hainan Island, a 13,000-square-mile landmass off Guangdong's southern coast, rich in iron and copper but strategically priceless for its position astride the Indochina route and proximity to Hong Kong. By February 1939, Japanese admirals like Nobutake Kondō of the 5th Fleet advocated seizure to establish air and naval bases, plugging blockade gaps and enabling raids on Haiphong and Kunming, a prelude to broader southern expansion that would echo into the Pacific War. Now after the fall campaign around Canton in autumn 1938, the Japanese 21st Army found itself embedded in a relentless effort to sever the enemy's lifelines. Its primary objective shifted from mere battlefield engagements to tightening the choke points of enemy supply, especially along the Canton–Hankou railway. Recognizing that war materiel continued to flow into the enemy's hands, the Imperial General Headquarters ordered the 21st Army to strike at every other supply route, one by one, until the arteries of logistics were stifled. The 21st Army undertook a series of decisive occupations to disrupt transport and provisioning from multiple directions. To sustain these difficult campaigns, Imperial General Headquarters reinforced the south China command, enabling greater operational depth and endurance. The 21st Army benefited from a series of reinforcements during 1939, which allowed a reorganization of assignments and missions: In late January, the Iida Detachment was reorganized into the Formosa Mixed Brigade and took part in the invasion of Hainan Island.  Hainan, just 15 miles across the Qiongzhou Strait from the mainland, represented a critical "loophole": it lay astride the Gulf of Tonkin, enabling smuggling of arms and materiel from Haiphong to Kunming, and offered potential airfields for bombing raids deep into Yunnan. Japanese interest in Hainan dated to the 1920s, driven by the Taiwan Governor-General's Office, which eyed the island's tropical resources (rubber, iron, copper) and naval potential at ports like Sanya (Samah). Prewar surveys by Japanese firms, such as those documented in Ide Kiwata's Minami Shina no Sangyō to Keizai (1939), highlighted mineral wealth and strategic harbors. The fall of Guangzhou in October 1938 provided the perfect launchpad, but direct invasion was delayed until early 1939 amid debates between the IJA (favoring mainland advances) and IJN (prioritizing naval encirclement). The operation would also heavily align with broader "southward advance" (Nanshin-ron) doctrine foreshadowing invasions of French Indochina (1940) and the Pacific War. On the Chinese side, Hainan was lightly defended as part of Guangdong's "peace preservation" under General Yu Hanmou. Two security regiments, six guard battalions, and a self-defense corps, totaling around 7,000–10,000 poorly equipped troops guarded the island, supplemented by roughly 300 Communist guerrillas under Feng Baiju, who operated independently in the interior. The indigenous Li (Hlai) people in the mountainous south, alienated by Nationalist taxes, provided uneven support but later allied with Communists. The Imperial General Headquarters ordered the 21st Army, in cooperation with the Navy, to occupy and hold strategic points on the island near Haikou-Shih. The 21st Army commander assigned the Formosa Mixed Brigade to carry out this mission. Planning began in late 1938 under the IJN's Fifth Fleet, with IJA support from the 21st Army. The objective: secure northern and southern landing sites to bisect the island, establish air/naval bases, and exploit resources. Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō, commanding the fleet, emphasized surprise and air superiority. The invasion began under the cover of darkness on February 9, 1939, when Kondō's convoy entered Tsinghai Bay on the northern shore of Hainan and anchored at midnight. Japanese troops swiftly disembarked, encountering minimal initial resistance from the surprised Chinese defenders, and secured a beachhead in the northern zone. At 0300 hours on 10 February, the Formosa Mixed Brigade, operating in close cooperation with naval units, executed a surprise landing at the northeastern point of Tengmai Bay in north Hainan. By 04:30, the right flank reached the main road leading to Fengyingshih, while the left flank reached a position two kilometers south of Tienwei. By 07:00, the right flank unit had overcome light enemy resistance near Yehli and occupied Chiungshan. At that moment there were approximately 1,000 elements of the enemy's 5th Infantry Brigade (militia) at Chiungshan; about half of these troops were destroyed, and the remainder fled into the hills south of Tengmai in a state of disarray. Around 08:30 that same day, the left flank unit advanced to the vicinity of Shuchang and seized Hsiuying Heights. By 12:00, it occupied Haikou, the island's northern port city and administrative center, beginning around noon. Army and navy forces coordinated to mop up remaining pockets of resistance in the northern areas, overwhelming the scattered Chinese security units through superior firepower and organization. No large-scale battles are recorded in primary accounts; instead, the engagements were characterized by rapid advances and localized skirmishes, as the Chinese forces, lacking heavy artillery or air support, could not mount a sustained defense. By the end of the day, Japanese control over the north was consolidating, with Haikou falling under their occupation.Also on 10 February, the Brigade pushed forward to seize Cingang. Wenchang would be taken on the 22nd, followed by Chinglan Port on the 23rd. On February 11, the operation expanded southward when land combat units amphibiously assaulted Samah (now Sanya) at the island's southern tip. This landing allowed them to quickly seize key positions, including the port of Yulin (Yulinkang) and the town of Yai-Hsien (Yaxian, now part of Sanya). With these southern footholds secured, Japanese forces fanned out to subjugate the rest of the island, capturing inland areas and infrastructure with little organized opposition. Meanwhile, the landing party of the South China Navy Expeditionary Force, which had joined with the Army to secure Haikou, began landing on the island's southern shore at dawn on 14 February. They operated under the protection of naval and air units. By the same morning, the landing force had advanced to Sa-Riya and, by 12:00 hours, had captured Yulin Port. Chinese casualties were significant in the brief fighting; from January to May 1939, reports indicate the 11th security regiment alone suffered 8 officers and 162 soldiers killed, 3 officers and 16 wounded, and 5 officers and 68 missing, though figures for other units are unclear. Japanese losses were not publicly detailed but appear to have been light.  When crisis pressed upon them, Nationalist forces withdrew from coastal Haikou, shepherding the last civilians toward the sheltering embrace of the Wuzhi mountain range that bands the central spine of Hainan. From that high ground they sought to endure the storm, praying that the rugged hills might shield their families from the reach of war. Yet the Li country's mountains did not deliver a sanctuary free of conflict. Later in August of 1943, an uprising erupted among the Li,Wang Guoxing, a figure of local authority and stubborn resolve. His rebellion was swiftly crushed; in reprisal, the Nationalists executed a seizure of vengeance that extended far beyond the moment of defeat, claiming seven thousand members of Wang Guoxing's kin in his village. The episode was grim testimony to the brutal calculus of war, where retaliation and fear indelibly etched the landscape of family histories. Against this backdrop, the Communists under Feng Baiju and the native Li communities forged a vigorous guerrilla war against the occupiers. The struggle was not confined to partisan skirmishes alone; it unfolded as a broader contest of survival and resistance. The Japanese response was relentless and punitive, and it fell upon Li communities in western Hainan with particular ferocity, Sanya and Danzhou bore the brunt of violence, as did the many foreign laborers conscripted into service by the occupying power. The toll of these reprisals was stark: among hundreds of thousands of slave laborers pressed into service, tens of thousands perished. Of the 100,000 laborers drawn from Hong Kong, only about 20,000 survived the war's trials, a haunting reminder of the human cost embedded in the occupation. Strategically, the island of Hainan took on a new if coercive purpose. Portions of the island were designated as a naval administrative district, with the Hainan Guard District Headquarters established at Samah, signaling its role as a forward air base and as an operational flank for broader anti-Chiang Kai-shek efforts. In parallel, the island's rich iron and copper resources were exploited to sustain the war economy of the occupiers. The control of certain areas on Hainan provided a base of operations for incursions into Guangdong and French Indochina, while the airbases that dotted the island enabled long-range air raids that threaded routes from French Indochina and Burma into the heart of China. The island thus assumed a grim dual character: a frontier fortress for the occupiers and a ground for the prolonged suffering of its inhabitants. Hainan then served as a launchpad for later incursions into Guangdong and Indochina. Meanwhile after Wuhan's collapse, the Nationalist government's frontline strength remained formidable, even as attrition gnawed at its edges. By the winter of 1938–1939, the front line had swelled to 261 divisions of infantry and cavalry, complemented by 50 independent brigades. Yet the political and military fissures within the Kuomintang suggested fragility beneath the apparent depth of manpower. The most conspicuous rupture came with Wang Jingwei's defection, the vice president and chairman of the National Political Council, who fled to Hanoi on December 18, 1938, leading a procession of more than ten other KMT officials, including Chen Gongbo, Zhou Fohai, Chu Minqi, and Zeng Zhongming. In the harsh arithmetic of war, defections could not erase the country's common resolve to resist Japanese aggression, and the anti-Japanese national united front still served as a powerful instrument, rallying the Chinese populace to "face the national crisis together." Amid this political drama, Japan's strategy moved into a phase that sought to convert battlefield endurance into political consolidation. As early as January 11, 1938, Tokyo had convened an Imperial Conference and issued a framework for handling the China Incident that would shape the theater for years. The "Outline of Army Operations Guidance" and "Continental Order No. 241" designated the occupied territories as strategic assets to be held with minimal expansion beyond essential needs. The instruction mapped an operational zone that compressed action to a corridor between Anqing, Xinyang, Yuezhou, and Nanchang, while the broader line of occupation east of a line tracing West Sunit, Baotou, and the major river basins would be treated as pacified space. This was a doctrine of attrition, patience, and selective pressure—enough to hold ground, deny resources to the Chinese, and await a more opportune political rupture. Yet even as Japan sought political attrition, the war's tactical center of gravity drifted toward consolidation around Wuhan and the pathways that fed the Yangtze. In October 1938, after reducing Wuhan to a fortressed crescent of contested ground, the Japanese General Headquarters acknowledged the imperative to adapt to a protracted war. The new calculus prioritized political strategy alongside military operations: "We should attach importance to the offensive of political strategy, cultivate and strengthen the new regime, and make the National Government decline, which will be effective." If the National Government trembled under coercive pressure, it risked collapse, and if not immediately, then gradually through a staged series of operations. In practice, this meant reinforcing a centralized center while allowing peripheral fronts to be leveraged against Chongqing's grip on the war's moral economy. In the immediate post-Wuhan period, Japan divided its responsibilities and aimed at a standoff that would enable future offensives. The 11th Army Group, stationed in the Wuhan theater, became the spearhead of field attacks on China's interior, occupying a strategic triangle that included Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangxi, and protecting the rear of southwest China's line of defense. The central objective was not merely to seize territory, but to deny Chinese forces the capacity to maneuver along the critical rail and river corridors that fed the Nanjing–Jiujiang line and the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway. Central to this plan was Wuhan's security and the ability to constrain Jiujiang's access to the Yangtze, preserving a corridor for air power and logistics. The pre-war arrangement in early 1939 was a tableau of layered defenses and multiple war zones, designed to anticipate and blunt Japanese maneuver. By February 1939, the Ninth War Zone under Xue Yue stood in a tense standoff with the Japanese 11th Army along the Jiangxi and Hubei front south of the Yangtze. The Ninth War Zone's order of battle, Luo Zhuoying's 19th Army Group defending the northern Nanchang front, Wang Lingji's 30th Army Group near Wuning, Fan Songfu's 8th and 73rd Armies along Henglu, Tang Enbo's 31st Army Group guarding southern Hubei and northern Hunan, and Lu Han's 1st Army Group in reserve near Changsha and Liuyang, was a carefully calibrated attempt to absorb, delay, and disrupt any Xiushui major Japanese thrust toward Nanchang, a city whose strategic significance stretched beyond its own bounds. In the spring of 1939, Nanchang was the one city in southern China that Tokyo could not leave in Chinese hands. It was not simply another provincial capital; it was the beating heart of whatever remained of China's war effort south of the Yangtze, and the Japanese knew it. High above the Gan River, on the flat plains west of Poyang Lake, lay three of the finest airfields China had ever built: Qingyunpu, Daxiaochang, and Xiangtang. Constructed only a few years earlier with Soviet engineers and American loans, they were long, hard-surfaced, and ringed with hangars and fuel dumps. Here the Chinese Air Force had pulled back after the fall of Wuhan, and here the red-starred fighters and bombers of the Soviet volunteer groups still flew. From Nanchang's runways a determined pilot could reach Japanese-held Wuhan in twenty minutes, Guangzhou in less than an hour, and even strike the docks at Hong Kong if he pushed his range. Every week Japanese reconnaissance planes returned with photographs of fresh craters patched, new aircraft parked wing-to-wing, and Soviet pilots sunning themselves beside their I-16s. As long as those fields remained Chinese, Japan could never claim the sky. The city was more than airfields. It sat exactly where the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway met the line running north to Jiujiang and the Yangtze, a knot that tied together three provinces. Barges crowded Poyang Lake's western shore, unloading crates of Soviet ammunition and aviation fuel that had come up the river from the Indochina railway. Warehouses along the tracks bulged with shells and rice. To the Japanese staff officers plotting in Wuhan and Guangzhou, Nanchang looked less like a city and more like a loaded spring: if Chiang Kai-shek ever found the strength for a counteroffensive to retake the middle Yangtze, this would be the place from which it would leap. And so, in the cold March of 1939, the Imperial General Headquarters marked Nanchang in red on every map and gave General Okamura the order he had been waiting for: take it, whatever the cost. Capturing the city would do three things at once. It would blind the Chinese Air Force in the south by seizing or destroying the only bases from which it could still seriously operate. It would tear a hole in the last east–west rail line still feeding Free China. And it would shove the Nationalist armies another two hundred kilometers farther into the interior, buying Japan precious time to digest its earlier conquests and tighten the blockade. Above all, Nanchang was the final piece in a great aerial ring Japan was closing around southern China. Hainan had fallen in February, giving the navy its southern airfields. Wuhan and Guangzhou already belonged to the army. Once Nanchang was taken, Japanese aircraft would sit on a continuous arc of bases from the tropical beaches of the South China Sea to the banks of the Yangtze, and nothing (neither the Burma Road convoys nor the French railway from Hanoi) would move without their permission. Chiang Kai-shek's decision to strike first in the Nanchang region in March 1939 reflected both urgency and a desire to seize initiative before Japanese modernization of the battlefield could fully consolidate. On March 8, Chiang directed Xue Yue to prepare a preemptive attack intended to seize the offensive by March 15, focusing the Ninth War Zone's efforts on preventing a river-crossing assault and pinning Japanese forces in place. The plan called for a sequence of coordinated actions: the 19th Army Group to hold the northern front of Nanchang; the Hunan-Hubei-Jiangxi Border Advance Army (the 8th and 73rd Armies) to strike the enemy's left flank from Wuning toward De'an and Ruichang; the 30th and 27th Army Groups to consolidate near Wuning; and the 1st Army Group to push toward Xiushui and Sandu, opening routes for subsequent operations. Yet even as Xue Yue pressed for action, the weather of logistics and training reminded observers that no victory could be taken for granted. By March 9–10, Xue Yue warned Chiang that troops were not adequately trained, supplies were scarce, and preparations were insufficient, requesting a postponement to March 24. Chiang's reply was resolute: the attack must commence no later than the 24th, for the aim was preemption and the desire to tether the enemy's forces before they could consolidate. When the moment of decision arrived, the Chinese army began to tense, and the Japanese, no strangers to rapid shifts in tempo—moved to exploit any hesitation or fog of mobilization. The Ninth War Zone's response crystallized into a defensive posture as the Japanese pressed forward, marking a transition from preemption to standoff as both sides tested the limits of resilience. The Japanese plan for what would become known as Operation Ren, aimed at severing the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway, breaking the enemy's line of communication, and isolating Nanchang, reflected a calculated synthesis of air power, armored mobility, and canalized ground offensives. On February 6, 1939, the Central China Expeditionary Army issued a set of precise directives: capture Nanchang to cut the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway and disrupt the southern reach of Anhui and Zhejiang provinces; seize Nanchang along the Nanchang–Xunyi axis to split enemy lines and "crush" Chinese resistance south of that zone; secure rear lines immediately after the city's fall; coordinate with naval air support to threaten Chinese logistics and airfields beyond the rear lines. The plan anticipated contingencies by pre-positioning heavy artillery and tanks in formations that could strike with speed and depth, a tactical evolution from previous frontal assaults. Okamura Yasuji, commander of the 11th Army, undertook a comprehensive program of reconnaissance, refining the assault plan with a renewed emphasis on speed and surprise. Aerial reconnaissance underlined the terrain, fortifications, and the disposition of Chinese forces, informing the selection of the Xiushui River crossing and the route of the main axis of attack. Okamura's decision to reorganize artillery and armor into concentrated tank groups, flanked by air support and advanced by long-range maneuver, marked a departure from the earlier method of distributing heavy weapons along the infantry front. Sumita Laishiro commanded the 6th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade, with more than 300 artillery pieces, while Hirokichi Ishii directed a force of 135 tanks and armored vehicles. This blended arms approach promised a breakthrough that would outpace the Chinese defenders and open routes for the main force. By mid-February 1939, Japanese preparations had taken on a high tempo. The 101st and 106th Divisions, along with attached artillery, assembled south of De'an, while tank contingents gathered north of De'an. The 6th Division began moving toward Ruoxi and Wuning, the Inoue Detachment took aim at the waterways of Poyang Lake, and the 16th and 9th Divisions conducted feints on the Han River's left bank. The orchestration of these movements—feints, riverine actions, and armored flanking, was designed to reduce the Chinese capacity to concentrate forces around Nanchang and to force the defenders into a less secure posture along the Nanchang–Jiujiang axis. Japan's southward strategy reframed the war: no longer a sprint to reduce Chinese forces in open fields, but a patient siege of lifelines, railways, and airbases. Hainan's seizure, the control of Nanchang's airfields, and the disruption of the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway exemplified a shift from large-scale battles to coercive pressure that sought to cripple Nationalist mobilization and erode Chongqing's capacity to sustain resistance. For China, the spring of 1939 underscored resilience amid mounting attrition. Chiang Kai-shek's insistence on offensive means to seize the initiative demonstrated strategic audacity, even as shortages and uneven training slowed tempo. The Ninth War Zone's defense, bolstered by makeshift airpower from Soviet and Allied lendings, kept open critical corridors and delayed Japan's consolidation. The war's human cost—massive casualties, forced labor, and the Li uprising on Hainan—illuminates the brutality that fueled both sides' resolve. In retrospect, the period around Canton, Wuhan, and Nanchang crystallizes a grim truth: the Sino-Japanese war was less a single crescendo of battles than a protracted contest of endurance, logistics, and political stamina. The early 1940s would widen these fault lines, but the groundwork laid in 1939, competition over supply routes, air control, and strategic rail nodes, would shape the war's pace and, ultimately, its outcome. The conflict's memory lies not only in the clashes' flash but in the stubborn persistence of a nation fighting to outlast a formidable adversary. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Japanese invasion of Hainan and proceeding operations to stop logistical leaks into Nationalist China, showcased the complexity and scale of the growing Second Sino-Japanese War. It would not merely be a war of territorial conquest, Japan would have to strangle the colossus using every means necessary.  

Send us a textIn this week's episode we discussed the dramatic events surrounding the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, a military operation that stunned the world and reshaped geopolitical tensions in the Americas. We unpack how the raid unfolded, the legal and international debates it sparked, and what it means for Venezuela's future and global diplomacy.Our Links:Retrospect

John Maytham speaks to William Sheepskin, the Cape Town photographer behind “The Farmhand’s Son”, about the journey that led him to this defining moment, the ties to his own heritage, and what it feels like to see his work reach audiences around the world Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Dominic Rubino talks with Justin Dews (Founder & CEO of PathOpt) about how AI is being used right now inside cabinet shops and trade businesses to reduce interruptions, protect institutional knowledge, and save time. This episode is for construction and contracting business owners who: • Feel stuck answering the same questions • Struggle with onboarding and training • Worry about losing key knowledge when people leave • Want estimating and pricing support without more chaos Topics Covered: • AI for onboarding and employee training • Capturing knowledge from owners and foremen • Using AI to support estimating and pricing • Reducing interruptions and wasted time • Security and confidentiality concerns explained

"Pain is often a stronger motivator than pleasure, especially when it comes to taking action." Notable Moments [00:02:09] Why opportunities often change shape [00:04:37] Capturing meaningful insights [00:05:19] Focusing on the next right step [00:06:28] The power of two strong connections [00:07:56] Using pain as a motivator Most people don't need more ideas. They need clearer action. At the end of events with Lee Cockerell we offer six simple questions to attendees. They prompt reflection that turns insight into movement, especially when an opportunity feels uncomfortable. Clarity matters. But action changes everything. Use these six questions to turn big opportunities into real steps. Sometimes the smallest action is the one that finally gets things moving. Connect with Jody www.jodymaberry.com About Jody - https://jodymaberry.com/about-jody-maberry/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sugarjmaberry LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodymaberry/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sugarjmaberry/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jodymaberry

Change is emotional. Even when the strategy is solid, people still feel uncertain, skeptical, or overwhelmed, especially when the vision feels huge and the path feels unclear.In this revisited episode of The Visual Lounge (originally Episode 168), Matt sits down with Jake Gittleson, who leads McKinsey's Learning Research and Innovation Lab. Jake shares why storytelling is one of the most effective tools L&D teams have for supporting change inside organisations.Instead of trying to persuade people in one big moment, Jake explains why change stories should be shared over time, through small experiments, human insights, and incremental updates that meet people where they are. He also breaks down practical ways to gather stories through interviews, outline your narrative, and use video and audio to create connection, without needing expensive gear or a polished production setup.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 01:21 Introduction01:21 - 02:03 Jake's background02:03 - 04:14 How Jake started using audio and video04:14 - 07:01 What does a successful change look like07:01 - 08:45 Creativity as a tip for using video at work08.45 - 11:55 Jake's role and expertise in change and innovation11:55 - 15:11 Why human connection matters in change15:11 - 18:13 Operationalizing storytelling without big budgets18:13 - 21:13 Building the right stories21:13 - 27:10 Visual approaches to telling stories27:10 - 30:21 Capturing real voices30:21 - 39:51 Speed round39:51 - 40:46 Jake's final take40:46 OutroImportant links and mentions:Connect with Jake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-gittleson/Check out The Learning Geeks podcast: https://www.learninggeekspod.com/Listen to Jake's first appearance on The Visual Lounge in episode 168: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ee9c311f-7f51-4a6c-a749-c2d7090a1274

Cam McBride is the very talented man behind the camera responsible for bringing the Crusaders to life every week. In this episode of What a Lad, Cam talks about his time in the police, finding a new career through content creation, and working behind the scenes at the Crusaders.In this episode, we cover…- What he's noticed from his first year working with the Crusader- How he started working as a sports masseuse with sports teams - Why he joined the New Zealand Police and working frontline for nearly a decade- The toll it took on him and how hard it was witnessing some horrible scenes. - Shooting everything from local rugby to weddings while still policing- Applying for the Crusaders role and what set him apart- Stepping into big shoes and overcoming imposter syndrome- How trust with players is built behind the scenes- What game day really looks like for a Super Rugby content creator- Capturing iconic Crusaders moments — including finals runs- His vision for the future of Crusaders contentThis episode is an awesome insight into what's involved with being a content creator, huge insight, plenty of tips and all from a massive lad! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: Capturing Connection: A Winter's Tale in Budapest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2026-01-11-08-38-20-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A Gerbeaud kávéház ablaka felett lassan hullottak a hópelyhek.En: The snowflakes were slowly falling outside the window of the Gerbeaud café.Hu: Erzsébet odabent ült, vastag sálja körülölelte nyakát.En: Erzsébet sat inside, with a thick scarf wrapped around her neck.Hu: Előtte egy régi klasszikus könyv volt nyitva, melybe teljesen belemerült.En: In front of her was an open classic novel she was completely absorbed in.Hu: Az asztalok zsúfolásig megteltek emberekkel, mind a kávé és a sütemények melegségét keresve a hideg Budapest utcáin kívül.En: The tables were crowded with people, all seeking the warmth of coffee and pastries away from the cold streets of Budapest.Hu: Gergő, a fényképezőgépével a nyakában, belépett a kávéházba.En: Gergő, with his camera hanging around his neck, entered the café.Hu: Szerette a téli Budapest hangulatát.En: He loved the atmosphere of winter in Budapest.Hu: A kinti világ jeges csillogása elbűvölte.En: The icy sparkle of the outside world fascinated him.Hu: Egy üres asztalt keresve pillantása megakadt Erzsébeten.En: While searching for an empty table, his gaze fell on Erzsébet.Hu: Észrevette, mennyire elmerült az olvasásban.En: He noticed how deeply engrossed she was in her reading.Hu: Ez a látvány nem csak kifejező volt, de inspiráló is.En: This sight was not only expressive but also inspiring.Hu: Gondolkodott, hogy megörökítse-e a pillanatot, de aggódott, hogy megzavarja.En: He contemplated capturing the moment but hesitated, fearing he might disturb her.Hu: Erzsébet továbbra is ki akarta zárni a világot.En: Erzsébet wanted to continue blocking out the world.Hu: A könyv menedéket adott neki a rohanó hétköznapok elől.En: The book provided her refuge from the rush of everyday life.Hu: Egy csekély kis nyugalmat talált a kávéház nyüzsgésében.En: She found a small peace amidst the bustle of the café.Hu: Gergő gyengéden közelebb lépett.En: Gergő gently stepped closer.Hu: "Elnézést," mondta udvariasan, "fényképezhetem önt, ahogy olvassa?En: "Excuse me," he said politely, "may I photograph you while you're reading?Hu: Gyönyörűen nyugodtnak tűnik.En: You seem beautifully calm."Hu: "Erzsébet meglepődött, de érdeklődött.En: Erzsébet was surprised but intrigued.Hu: "Miért pont engem?En: "Why me?"Hu: " kérdezte, még mindig óvatosan.En: she asked, still cautiously.Hu: "Nagyon kifejező és meghitt pillanat," válaszolt Gergő, megpróbálva megnyerni bizalmát.En: "It's a very expressive and intimate moment," Gergő replied, trying to gain her trust.Hu: "Az egyszerű dolgokban van a szépség.En: "There's beauty in simplicity."Hu: "Erzsébet, bár még mindig bizonytalan, beleegyezett.En: Although still unsure, Erzsébet agreed.Hu: Gergő gyorsan megörökítette a pillanatot, majd leült vele szemben.En: Gergő quickly captured the moment, then sat down across from her.Hu: "Mit olvas?En: "What are you reading?"Hu: " kérdezte kíváncsian.En: he asked with curiosity.Hu: Erzsébet felnézett, örömmel mesélve kedvenc szerzőiről és könyveiről.En: Erzsébet looked up, happily sharing about her favorite authors and books.Hu: Hamar elmerültek az irodalom világában, felfedezve közös érdekeiket.En: They soon delved into the world of literature, discovering common interests.Hu: Ahogy a beszélgetés folytatódott, Erzsébet kezdett felfedezni valami új dolgot Gergőben.En: As the conversation continued, Erzsébet began to uncover something new about Gergő.Hu: Nem csak egy fotós volt, hanem valaki, aki igazán értékeli a pillanatokat.En: He wasn't just a photographer, but someone who truly appreciated the moments.Hu: Gergő izgatottan hallgatta Erzsébetet.En: Gergő listened to Erzsébet with excitement.Hu: Az irodalom világának részletei inspirációt adtak neki, nemcsak a jövőbeli projektekhez, hanem saját látásmódjához is.En: The details of the literary world gave him inspiration, not only for future projects but for his own perspective as well.Hu: Végül megegyeztek, hogy találkoznak egy másik alkalommal is, közösen bebarangolva a várost és megosztva tapasztalataikat.En: Eventually, they agreed to meet another time, to explore the city together and share their experiences.Hu: Erzsébet rájött, hogy kellemes lehet új emberekkel találkozni.En: Erzsébet realized that meeting new people could be pleasant.Hu: Gergő megtanulta, hogy egy fénykép nem csak kép, hanem kapcsolódási lehetőség is.En: Gergő learned that a photograph is not just an image but an opportunity for connection.Hu: Ahogy a kávéház ajtaján kiléptek a hideg utcára, mindketten tudták, hogy egy új barátság vette kezdetét a Gerbeaud melegségében.En: As they stepped out into the cold street, both knew that a new friendship had begun in the warmth of Gerbeaud.Hu: Erzsébet arcán mosoly futott át, Gergő pedig elégedetten nézett utána, és tovább álmodott a tökéletes téli Budapest-fotóról.En: A smile crossed Erzsébet's face, and Gergő watched her with satisfaction, continuing to dream of the perfect winter Budapest photo. Vocabulary Words:snowflakes: hópelyhekscarf: sálabsorbed: belemerültcrowded: zsúfolásig megteltekicy: jegessparkle: csillogásaengrossed: elmerültexpressive: kifejezőcontemplated: gondolkodottrefuge: menedékbustle: nyüzsgésgaze: pillantásacautiously: óvatosanintimate: meghittsimplicity: egyszerűségcuriosity: kíváncsiandelved: elmerültekuncover: felfedeznidetails: részleteiperspective: látásmódjaeventually: végülexplore: bebarangolvapleasant: kellemesopportunity: lehetőségconnection: kapcsolódássatisfaction: elégedettenatmosphere: hangulatacontemplated: gondolkodottdream: álmodottinspiration: inspirációt

In the week that saw the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Operation Absolute Resolve played out in just two hours and 28 minutes. The combined military precision and tactical deception by US land, sea, and air forces led to Maduro and his wife, Cecilia Flores, being snatched from a fortress-like compound in Caracas.

Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: Capturing Love: A Winter's Tale on Budapest's Szabadság híd Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2026-01-09-08-38-20-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A hideg téli szél szinte metszően fújt keresztül Budapest utcáin.En: The cold winter wind blew sharply through the streets of Budapest.Hu: A hó finoman hullott a földre, az egész város fehér palástot viselt.En: The snow gently fell to the ground, and the entire city wore a white mantle.Hu: A Szabadság híd jellegzetes zöld acélszerkezete kiemelkedett a fagyos Dunából, sejtelmesen tükrözve a halvány téli ég alatt.En: The characteristic green steel structure of the Szabadság híd stood out from the frozen Duna, mysteriously reflecting under the pale winter sky.Hu: Imre lassan sétált a hídon, minden lépésével mélyebben merült el gondolataiban.En: Imre walked slowly on the bridge, delving deeper into his thoughts with each step.Hu: Imre fényképész volt.En: Imre was a photographer.Hu: Szeretett képeken keresztül elmesélni történeteket.En: He loved to tell stories through pictures.Hu: De ma különleges nap volt.En: But today was a special day.Hu: A család az újévet ünnepelte, és egyben elhunyt nagybátyjukra, Lajos bácsira emlékeztek.En: The family was celebrating the New Year and remembering their late uncle, Lajos bácsi.Hu: Imre tudta, hogy ma meg kell találnia a tökéletes pillanatot, hogy méltó emléket állítson Lajos bácsinak.En: Imre knew that today he had to find the perfect moment to create a worthy memory for Lajos bácsi.Hu: Eszter, Imre húga, mosolyogva állt mellette.En: Eszter, Imre's sister, stood beside him, smiling.Hu: "Imre, nézd, milyen szép a Duna!En: "Imre, look how beautiful the Duna is!"Hu: " mondta, próbálva felvidítani bátyját.En: she said, trying to cheer up her brother.Hu: Bár Imrét a munka kötötte le, Eszter ott volt, hogy összetartsa a családot.En: Although Imre was absorbed by his work, Eszter was there to keep the family together.Hu: Zoltán, unokatestvérük, a híd másik oldalán állt.En: Zoltán, their cousin, stood on the other side of the bridge.Hu: Karját keresztbe fonta, és nézte a rohanó vizet.En: He crossed his arms and watched the rushing water.Hu: "Sosem értettem, miért ragaszkodunk ennyire a hagyományokhoz" - mondta kissé lemondóan.En: "I never understood why we cling so much to traditions," he said somewhat resignedly.Hu: Imre úgy érezte, hogy a súly, amit a hagyomány és a család jelent, szinte összenyomja.En: Imre felt that the weight of tradition and family was nearly overwhelming him.Hu: Mindenkit szeretett volna boldoggá tenni a képpel, de a szürke felhők és a hideg idő nehezítették a dolgát.En: He wanted to make everyone happy with the picture, but the gray clouds and cold weather made it difficult.Hu: Tudta, hogy valami különlegesre lesz szüksége, hogy elérje a célját.En: He knew he would need something special to achieve his goal.Hu: Ahogy a nap lassan emelkedett, Imrének eszébe jutott egy ötlet.En: As the sun slowly rose, Imre had an idea.Hu: A híd tetejére akart mászni.En: He wanted to climb to the top of the bridge.Hu: Tudta, hogy veszélyes, de valami bennső késztetés hajtotta.En: He knew it was dangerous, but an inner drive pushed him.Hu: A létrejövő kép képes lehet örök időre megörökíteni a szeretet és az összetartozás érzését.En: The resulting image might be able to forever capture the feeling of love and unity.Hu: Eszter és Zoltán visszatartották a lélegzetüket, amikor Imre lassan elindult fel a híd meredek lépcsőin.En: Eszter and Zoltán held their breath as Imre slowly began the climb up the steep stairs of the bridge.Hu: Ahogy felért, a nap áttörte a felhőket, és rávetítette aranyló fényét a városra.En: As he reached the top, the sun broke through the clouds, casting its golden light over the city.Hu: Imre kezében a kamera készen állt, és megnyomta a gombot abban a pillanatban, amikor a fény varázslatosan megelevenedett körülötte.En: Imre had his camera ready in hand, and he pressed the button at the moment when the light magically came to life around him.Hu: A kép tökéletes lett: a napfény aranyló csilláma, az alábbi Duna ezüstös csillogása és a híd méltóságteljes ívei.En: The picture turned out perfect: the golden gleam of sunlight, the silvery shimmer of the Duna below, and the dignified arches of the bridge.Hu: De ami igazán különlegessé tette, az a szeretet volt, amit Imre a családja iránt érzett.En: But what truly made it special was the love Imre felt for his family.Hu: Ez a fotó emlékként szolgált, ami összekapcsolta mindannyiukat a múltjukkal és a jövőjükkel.En: This photo served as a memory that connected all of them with their past and future.Hu: Amikor Imre visszatért, mindenki összegyűlt körülötte.En: When Imre returned, everyone gathered around him.Hu: A mosolyok és könnyek között a család megértette, hogy nem a tökéletesség a fontos, hanem az a szeretet, ami összeköti őket.En: Amid smiles and tears, the family understood that perfection was not the important thing, but rather the love that binds them together.Hu: Imre is megtanulta, hogy a szépség és az emlék nem mindig a tökéletességből fakad, hanem az emberi hibákból és a kapcsolatokból, amelyek erősebbé tesznek minket.En: Imre also learned that beauty and memories do not always stem from perfection but from human flaws and the relationships that make us stronger.Hu: A hidat elhagyták, de a szívükben ott maradt a melegség.En: They left the bridge, but the warmth remained in their hearts.Hu: A hídon készült kép nem csupán egy fotó lett, hanem a család történetének egy darabja, ami örökké őrzi Lajos bácsi emlékét.En: The photo taken on the bridge became not just a picture but a piece of the family's story, forever preserving the memory of Lajos bácsi. Vocabulary Words:blew: fújtmantle: palástotcharacteristic: jellegzetesstructure: acélszerkezetemysteriously: sejtelmesenreflecting: tükrözvedelving: merültabsorbed: lekötötteoverwhelming: összenyomjaachieve: elérjegoal: céljátsteep: meredekstairs: lépcsőincast: rávetítettepressed: megnyomtagleam: csillámshimmer: csillogásadignified: méltóságteljesbond: összetartperfection: tökéletességunity: összetartozásstem: fakadflaws: hibákdriven: hajtottaresulting: létrejövőforever: örökreworthy: méltótraditions: hagyományokhozlate: elhunytresignedly: lemondóan

Fluent Fiction - Italian: From Doubt to Vision: Capturing San Marco's Timeless Magic Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2026-01-09-23-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: Giovanni e Luca camminavano lentamente verso la Basilica di San Marco.En: Giovanni and Luca walked slowly towards the Basilica di San Marco.It: Era inverno a Venezia.En: It was winter in Venezia.It: Una leggera nebbia avvolgeva la città.En: A light fog enveloped the city.It: L'aria era fredda, ma l'atmosfera del giorno dell'Epifania era calda e vivace.En: The air was cold, but the atmosphere of Epiphany Day was warm and lively.It: La piazza era piena di gente, turisti e locali, tutti affascinati dalla bellezza del luogo.En: The square was full of people, tourists and locals, all enchanted by the beauty of the place.It: Giovanni, uno studente di storia dell'arte, aveva un sogno.En: Giovanni, an art history student, had a dream.It: Voleva catturare l'essenza della basilica per la sua tesi.En: He wanted to capture the essence of the basilica for his thesis.It: Ma come poteva fare questo tra tanta gente?En: But how could he do this among so many people?It: La sua passione per l'architettura religiosa lo guidava, ma il suo cuore era pieno di dubbi.En: His passion for religious architecture guided him, but his heart was full of doubts.It: "Luca, guarda quanto è magnifica," disse Giovanni, indicando le grandi cupole e i mosaici dorati.En: "Luca, look at how magnificent it is," said Giovanni, pointing at the great domes and golden mosaics.It: "Come posso rendere giustizia a tutto questo nei miei disegni?"En: "How can I do justice to all this in my drawings?"It: Luca, il suo amico fidato, sempre pratico e positivo, rispose: "Giovanni, non pensare troppo.En: Luca, his trusted friend, always practical and positive, replied, "Giovanni, don't overthink it.It: Senti l'energia delle persone, lascia che ti ispiri."En: Feel the energy of the people, let it inspire you."It: Entrarono nella basilica.En: They entered the basilica.It: La luce dorata filtrava attraverso gli intricati mosaici, creando un'atmosfera magica.En: The golden light filtered through the intricate mosaics, creating a magical atmosphere.It: Nonostante il freddo esterno, l'interno sembrava vivo, vibrante con il mormorio di turisti e fedeli.En: Despite the cold outside, the interior seemed alive, vibrant with the murmuring of tourists and worshippers.It: Giovanni si sentiva sopraffatto.En: Giovanni felt overwhelmed.It: Guardava l'immensa bellezza intorno a lui e il suo cuore batteva forte.En: He looked at the immense beauty around him and his heart raced.It: "Non posso farlo, Luca.En: "I can't do it, Luca.It: È troppo grande."En: It's too big."It: Ma Luca non si arrese.En: But Luca didn't give up.It: "Giovanni, a volte l'imperfezione cattura la bellezza meglio di ogni altra cosa.En: "Giovanni, sometimes imperfection captures beauty better than anything else.It: Cerca un angolo tranquillo e inizia."En: Find a quiet corner and begin."It: Con Luca al suo fianco, Giovanni trovò un posto appartato.En: With Luca by his side, Giovanni found a secluded spot.It: Nonostante il trambusto, lì era calmo.En: Despite the hustle, it was calm there.It: Aprì il suo blocco da disegno, prese una matita e cominciò a schizzare.En: He opened his sketchbook, took a pencil, and began to sketch.It: All'inizio esitò, ma poi si lasciò trasportare dalla magia del momento.En: At first, he hesitated, but then he let himself be carried away by the magic of the moment.It: Mentre disegnava, qualcosa cambiò.En: As he drew, something changed.It: Si rese conto che non doveva catturare tutto perfettamente.En: He realized he didn't have to capture everything perfectly.It: Doveva solo esprimere ciò che sentiva.En: He only needed to express what he felt.It: E quella sensazione, quell'energia, era unica.En: And that feeling, that energy, was unique.It: Uscirono dalla basilica qualche ora dopo.En: They left the basilica a few hours later.It: Giovanni guardò Luca con un sorriso nuovo, più sicuro.En: Giovanni looked at Luca with a new, more confident smile.It: "Ho capito, Luca.En: "I understand, Luca.It: Non è la perfezione che conta.En: It's not perfection that matters.It: È la mia visione, la mia interpretazione."En: It's my vision, my interpretation."It: Luca sorrise, contento per il suo amico.En: Luca smiled, happy for his friend.It: "Lo sapevo.En: "I knew it.It: Sei bravo, Giovanni.En: You're good, Giovanni.It: Devi solo crederci."En: You just have to believe in it."It: E così, nel freddo giorno dell'Epifania, Giovanni lasciò la Basilica di San Marco non solo con un blocco di appunti, ma con una nuova fiducia in se stesso.En: And so, on the cold day of Epiphany, Giovanni left the Basilica di San Marco not just with a sketchbook, but with new confidence in himself.It: Aveva imparato che l'arte non riguardava solo il vedere ma anche il sentire e il vivere il momento.En: He had learned that art was not just about seeing but also about feeling and living the moment. Vocabulary Words:the fog: la nebbiathe atmosphere: l'atmosferathe square: la piazzathe domes: le cupolethe mosaics: i mosaicilively: vivacethe passion: la passionethe sketchbook: il blocco da disegnoto capture: catturarethe energy: l'energiathe beauty: la bellezzathe trust: la fiduciato overwhelm: sopraffareto inspire: ispirarethe intricate: gli intricatithe cold: il freddoto filter: filtrarethe murmuring: il mormorioto hesitate: esitareunique: unicathe thesis: la tesito express: esprimerethe vision: la visionethe corner: l'angoloto sketch: schizzareto doubt: dubitareto guide: guidarethe interpretation: l'interpretazionethe essence: l'essenzathe hustle: il trambusto

We're kicking off a brand-new year with something many of you have asked for—the return of our live Q&A episodes. In this conversation, I'm joined once again by Uncle Joe as we answer real questions from men inside our community about parenting, connection with daughters, discipline, stoicism, faith, and leadership at home.   This episode goes deep. We talk about building trust with kids who feel distant, why saying "no" too often damages connection, how fathers can lead without demanding reciprocity, and the difference between white-knuckling life versus living from identity. If you're a dad who wants deeper relationships with your kids and clarity around leadership, faith, and emotional presence, this episode will challenge and ground you.   Timeline Summary [0:00] Welcoming listeners to the 11th year of The Dad Edge Podcast. [1:37] Reflection on longevity, gratitude, and why this work still matters. [1:59] Announcement: Roommates to Soulmates eight-week course starting January 14. [2:19] What men will learn in the Roommates to Soulmates marriage training. [2:42] RSVP details for the January 7 preview call. [3:07] Welcoming Uncle Joe back to the show. [3:39] Listener question about connecting with daughters at different developmental stages. [5:14] Joe shares his experience raising three daughters. [6:33] Loving kids without expecting emotional reciprocation. [7:16] Why trust—not control—is the foundation of fatherhood. [8:08] Changing the default answer from "no" to "yes." [9:19] Joe shares the powerful "father promise ring" moment with his daughter. [10:41] Why fathers must make covenants to their kids—not demand them. [12:26] Larry shares his struggle connecting with his youngest son. [13:26] Letting kids lead connection through their interests. [14:12] Hiking, martial arts, and intentional one-on-one time. [15:19] Creating unique rituals with each child. [16:03] Capturing small moments for deep emotional connection. [18:12] Invitation to join the Dad Edge Alliance for live support and brotherhood. [19:51] Listener question about stoicism and discipline. [21:27] Larry explains why he moved away from stoicism. [22:29] Joe breaks down the appeal—and danger—of half-truths in stoicism. [24:07] White-knuckling life vs. living from identity. [25:00] Faith, identity, and emotional regulation. [27:28] Comparing stoicism with surrender and relationship-based leadership. [29:05] Psalm 23 and why dependence beats self-mastery. [31:30] Filtering wisdom through Scripture and lived experience. [34:41] How suffering builds empathy and leadership capacity. [35:19] Final thoughts, gratitude, and where to find resources.     Five Key Takeaways Connection with kids is built through trust, consistency, and presence—not control.  Fathers must lead relationships without demanding emotional repayment.  White-knuckling discipline leads to exhaustion; identity-based leadership leads to peace.  Kids feel deeply seen when dads meet them inside their interests.  True strength comes from surrender, faith, and relational grounding—not self-reliance alone.      Links & Resources Dad Edge Mastermind & Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/mastermind Roommates to Soulmates Course: https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1423     Closing Remark   If this episode encouraged you, challenged your thinking, or gave you practical tools to lead better at home, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. These conversations matter—and your support helps us reach more men who are committed to becoming better fathers, husbands, and leaders.

Welcome back to the Video Store! We're kicking off the New Year with a look at some of the films that inspired the hit television series Stranger Things. Get your Eggos, Reese's Pieces, and settle in for some classic films that helped to give Stranger Things its strange, yet familiar aesthetic and themes. For this episode, we're only focusing on season one, so don't worry if you've not gotten to watch the final season just yet! However, if you've not watched Stranger Things season one, be advised that there are spoilers ahead for that season!E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)One of the biggest films of the 1980s and an inspiration for Stranger Things is Steven Spielberg and Melissa Mathison's iconic film, E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Capturing wonder, fear, and warmth so well, this is a film whose influence was felt well into the 90s. Stranger Things draws aesthetic inspiration from E. T. while also pulling from its fish-out-of-water story. Scanners (1981)David Cronenberg's cult sci-fi horror film, Scanners, is another point of inspiration for The Duffer Brothers. This film about psychics, scientific intrigue, and political power serves as an inspirational palette of ideas for Stranger Things that the Duffers have inverted, mashed up, and made their own. This is a film that also has a great influence on the later seasons of Stranger Things, but we'll cover those when we get there. Halloween (1978)This is the film that really caused the slasher genre to take off, but John Carpenter's first massive success also gives Stranger Things a good bit of its aesthetics. From monster-in-shadow cinematography to several meta uses of John Carpenter's work, Halloween has its fingerprints on Stranger Things. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)Perhaps the greatest influence on Stranger Things' aesthetic and storytelling is Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street. With two Nancys, two jocks with a baseball bat, and more things that won't even show up until later seasons of the series, A Nightmare on Elm Street has invaded the minds of the Duffer Brothers. Honorable MentionsStranger Things draws inspiration from so many films that we love here at the Video Store that we've already covered them on previous episodes! Check out my coverage of both versions of It in my Summer of Stephen King and Not Quite Retro episodes. Flack talked about John Carpenter's The Thing in his Halloween Spirit episode. I discussed Stand By Me in my Film Friendships show, Alien in my Wonder Women episode, and Jaws in my Summer Spookies show. Thanks for joining us here at the Video Store Podcast for these strange, but familiar films. We hope you enjoy our selections this week. Oh, and that flashing lightbulb? Must just be a short. We'll change it out later. Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

As seen on Gutfeld!, the U.S. military has captured Nicolas Maduro thanks to Trump's decisive action. Greg says that Trump's actions in Venezuela will send a message to the rest of our enemies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike breaks down CNN’s furious backlash after Trump captures Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, exposing how the media instantly turns a national security win into a scandal. He also tackles the left’s meltdown over Trump scaling back the federal childhood vaccine schedule, framing it as a fight over parental rights versus government control. The episode closes with Mike applauding the collapse of taxpayer-funded public broadcasting as another promise kept.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this segment, Mark is joined by Josh Hammer, a Newsweek Senior Editor at Large and the Host of The Josh Hammer Show. Hammer shares his thoughts on Trump capturing Venezuelan Dictator Maduro.

Send us a textPeaches and Trent break down the overnight U.S. operation in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife—without calling it what the internet wants it to be. This wasn't a declaration of war. It wasn't large-scale combat operations. It was a surgical joint mission executed by Special Operations with air, naval, intelligence, and law-enforcement support. They unpack why Congress approval isn't required, why “invasion” is the wrong word, what assets were likely involved, and why people suddenly pretending to care about sovereignty are full of it. Agree or disagree politically, this episode is about precision, legality, and respect for the professionals who executed it flawlessly.⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Ones Ready intro and immediate reaction 01:55 What actually happened in Venezuela 03:45 This is not war—and why that matters 05:10 Surgical ops vs large-scale combat 07:30 Likely SOF and aviation assets involved 10:20 Capturing targets alive vs killing them 13:40 Joint ops, secrecy, and coordination 17:10 Why the outrage feels performative 20:45 Historical precedent (Noriega comparison) 24:30 What happens next and why details matter

Over the weekend, the American military went into Venezuela and captured its so-called President Nicolás Maduro. Was this a good or bad move?Our host, Mike Slater, speaks with Breitbart reporter Kaleb Caruzo and Breitbart World Editor Frances Martel about every aspect of this highly important international story! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of "F-Stop Collaborate and Listen," host Matt Payne sits down with photographer Mark Schumann to discuss his powerful multiyear documentary project capturing homelessness across America. Mark Schumann shares his journey photographing and interviewing hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness in over 70 cities, focusing on portraying them with dignity, humanity, and nuance rather than stereotypes. The conversation explores the complexities and misconceptions of homelessness, the ethical challenges of documentary work, the importance of personal connection in portraiture, and Mark Schumann's choice to shoot the project entirely on film for its historical resonance. The episode also offers reflections on the broader impact of storytelling in photography and advice for other photographers interested in meaningful long-term projects. If you're interested in the intersection of ethics, empathy, and visual storytelling, this episode is a must-listen. Resources and Links Discussed Mark Schumann's Website Robert Turner Dorothea Lange's book - Grab a Hunk of Lightning Nathan Benn's book - Florida: A Peculiar Paradise Arthur Meyerson's book - The Color of Light Support this podcast on Patreon

In this episode of First Round's On Me, Joey and Hannah pull back the curtain on why FROME evolved from a dating app into a social app — and what problem it's actually trying to solve.They unpack the tension between technology and genuine human connection, the confusion users have felt around too many features, and why the simplest explanation is often the most powerful. From explaining the app in a single sentence to breaking down how drink credits, partner venues, and real-life meetups actually work, this episode is both a philosophy lesson and a practical reset.The conversation expands into Gen Z's rejection of screen addiction, the growing “analog” movement, and why even the people who built social media won't let their kids use it. At its core, this episode is about getting people off their phones and back in front of each other — using technology as a bridge, not a replacement, for real connection.If you've ever felt overwhelmed by group chats, endless scrolling, or plans that never actually happen, this episode explains why FROME exists — and why real connection still matters.

Jessica Kartalija on the court appearance of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro // "Crime and Punishment" — a weekly crime report from Casey McNerthney // Jeff McCausland on the US "Operation Absolute Resolve" and what comes next between the US and Venezuela // Charlie Commentary on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's non-approach to the drug crisis in Seattle // Jill Schlesinger on how the US interference in Venezuela impacts the American economy // Paula Lamas with reaction to the US capturing of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro // Gee Scott on the Seahawks winning the West

Welcome back to the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® Podcast. AI agents are your next customers. Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ In this exclusive interview, Vince Menzione sits down with Darryl Peek, Vice President for Partner Sales (Public Sector) at Elastic, to decode how Elastic achieved the rare “triple crown”—winning Partner of the Year across Microsoft, Amazon, and Google Cloud simultaneously. Darryl breaks down the engineering-first approach that makes Elastic sticky with hyperscalers, reveals the rigorous metrics behind their partner health scorecard, and shares his personal “one-page strategy” for aligning mission, vision, and execution. From leveraging generative AI for cleaner sales hygiene to the timeless lesson of the “Acre of Diamonds,” this conversation offers a masterclass in building high-performance partner ecosystems in the public sector and beyond. https://youtu.be/__GE0r2fPuk Key Takeaways Elastic achieved “Pinnacle” status by aligning engineering roadmaps directly with hyperscaler innovations to become essential infrastructure. Successful public sector sales require a dual approach: leveraging resellers for contract access while driving domain-specific co-sell motions. Partner relationships outperform contracts; consistency in communication is more valuable than only showing up for renewals. Effective partner organizations track “influence” revenue just as rigorously as direct bookings to capture the full value of SI relationships. Generative AI can automate sales hygiene, turning scattered meeting notes into actionable CRM data and reducing friction for sales teams. The “Acre of Diamonds” philosophy reminds leaders that the greatest opportunities often lie within their current ecosystem, not in distant new markets. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Keywords: Elastic, Darryl Peek, public sector sales, hyperscaler partnership, Microsoft Partner of the Year, AWS Partner of the Year, Google Cloud Partner, partner ecosystem strategy, co-sell motion, partner metrics, channel sales, government contracting, Carahsoft, generative AI in sales, sales hygiene, Russell Conwell, Acre of Diamonds, open source search, observability, security SIM, vector search, retrieval augmented generation, LLM agnostic, partner enablement, influence revenue, channel booking, SI relationships, strategic alliances. Transcript: Darryl Peek Audio Episode [00:00:00] Darryl Peek: I say, I tell my team from time to time, the difference between contacts and contracts is the R and that’s the relationship. So if you’re not building the relationship, then how do you expect that partner to want to lean in? Don’t just show up when you have a contract. Don’t just show up when you have a renewal. [00:00:13] Darryl Peek: Make sure that you are reaching out and letting them know what is happening. Don’t just talk to me when you need a renewal, right? When you’re at end of quarter and you want me to bring a deal forward, [00:00:23] Vince Menzione: welcome to the Ultimate Guide to Partnering. I’m Vince Menzi. Own your host, and my mission is to help leaders like you achieve your greatest results through successful partnering. [00:00:34] Vince Menzione: We just came off Ultimate Partner live at Caresoft Training Center in Reston, Virginia. Over two days, we gathered top leaders to tackle the real shifts shaping our industry. If you weren’t in the room, this episode brings you right to the edge of what’s next. Let’s dive in. So we have another privilege, an incredible partner, another like we call these, if you’ve heard our term, pinnacle. [00:01:00] Vince Menzione: I think it’s a term that’s not widely used, but we refer to Pinnacle as the partners that have achieved the top rung. They’ve become partners of the year. And our next presenter, our next interview is going to be with an organization. And a person that represents an organization that has been a pinnacle partner actually for all three Hyperscalers, which is really unusual. [00:01:24] Vince Menzione: Elastic has been partner of the Year award winner across Microsoft, Amazon, and Google Cloud, so very interesting. And Darrell Peak, who is the leader for the public sector organization, he’s here in the Washington DC area, was kind enough. Elastic is a sponsor event, and Darryl’s been kind enough to join me for a discussion about what it takes to be a Pinnacle partner. [00:01:47] Vince Menzione: So incredibly well. Excited to welcome you, Darryl. Thank you, sir. Good to have you. I love you. I love your smile, man. You got an incredible smile. Thank you. Thank you, Vince. Thank you. So Darryl, I probably didn’t do it any justice, but I was hoping you could take us through your role and responsibilities at Elastic, which is an incredible organization. [00:02:08] Vince Menzione: Alright. Yeah, [00:02:09] Darryl Peek: absolutely. So Darrell Peak vice President for partner sales for the US public sector at Elastic. I’ve been there about two and a half years. Responsible for our partner relationships across all partner types, whether that’s the system integrators, resellers, MSPs, OEMs, distribution Hyperscalers, and our Technology Alliance partners. [00:02:26] Darryl Peek: And those are partners that aren’t built on the Elastic platform. In regards to how my partner team interacts with our team. Our ecosystem. We are essentially looking to further and lean in with our partners in order for them to, one, understand what Elastic does since we’re such a diverse tool, but also work with our field to understand what are their priorities and how do they identify the right partners for the right requirements. [00:02:50] Darryl Peek: In regards to what Elastic is and what it does elastic is a solution that is actually founded on search and we’re an open source company. And one of the things that I actually did when I left the government, so I worked for the government for a number of years. I left, went and worked for Salesforce, then worked for Google ran their federal partner team and then came over to Elastic because I wanted to. [00:03:11] Darryl Peek: Understand what it meant to be at an open source company. Being at an open source company is quite interesting ’cause you’re competing against yourself. [00:03:17] Vince Menzione: Yeah, that’s true. [00:03:18] Darryl Peek: So it’s pretty interesting. But elastic was founded in 2012 as a search company. So when you talk about search, we are the second most used platform behind Google. [00:03:28] Darryl Peek: So many of you have already used Elastic. Maybe on your way here, if you use Uber and Lyft, that is elastic. That is helping you get here. Oh, that is interesting. If you use Netflix, if you use wikipedia.com, booking.com, eBay, home Depot, all of those are search capabilities. That Elastic is happening to power in regards to what else we do. [00:03:47] Darryl Peek: We also do observability, which is really around application monitoring, logging, tracing, and metrics. So we are helping your operations team. Pepsi is a customer as well as Cisco. Wow. And then the last thing that we do is security when we’re a SIM solution. So when we talk about sim, we are really looking to protect networks. [00:04:03] Darryl Peek: So we all, we think that it’s a data problem. So with that data problem, what we’re trying to do is not only understand what is happening in the network, but also we are helping with threat intelligence, endpoint and cloud security. So all those elements together is what Elastic does. And we only do it two ways. [00:04:18] Darryl Peek: We’re one platform and we can be deployed OnPrem and in the cloud. So that’s a little bit about me and the company. Hopefully it was clear, [00:04:24] Vince Menzione: I’ve had elastic people on stage. You’ve done, that’s the best answer I’ve had. What does Elastic do? I used to hear all this hyperbole and what? [00:04:32] Vince Menzione: What? Now I really understand what you do is an organiz. And the name of the company was Elasticsearch. [00:04:36] Darryl Peek: It was [00:04:37] Vince Menzione: elastic at one time when I first. Worked with you. It was Elasticsearch. [00:04:40] Darryl Peek: Absolutely. Yeah. So many moons ago used to be called the Elk Stack and it stood for three things. E was the Elasticsearch which is a search capability. [00:04:48] Darryl Peek: L is Logstash, which is our logging capability. And Cabana is essentially our visualization capability. So it was called Elk. But since we’ve acquired so many companies and built so much capability into the platform, we can now call it the elastic. Platform. [00:05:00] Vince Menzione: So talk to me about your engagement with the hyperscalers. [00:05:02] Vince Menzione: You’ve been partner of the Year award winner with all three, right? I mentioned that, and you were, you worked for Google for a period of time. Yes. So tell us about, like, how does that work? What does that engagement look like? And why do you get chosen as partner of the year? What are the things that stand out when you’re working with these hyperscalers [00:05:19] Darryl Peek: and with that we are very fortunate to be recognized. [00:05:23] Darryl Peek: So many of the organizations that are out there are doing some of the same capabilities that we do, but they can’t claim that they won a part of the year for all three hyperscalers in the same year. We are able to do that because we believe in the power of partnership, not only from a technology perspective, but also from a sales perspective. [00:05:39] Darryl Peek: So we definitely lean in with our partnerships, so having our engineers talk, having our product teams talk, and making sure that we’re building capabilities that actually integrate within the cloud service providers. And also consistently building a roadmap that aligns with the innovation that the cloud service providers are also building towards. [00:05:56] Darryl Peek: And then making sure that we’re a topic of discussion. So elastic. From a search capability, we do semantic search, vector search, but also retrieval augmented generation, which actually is LLM Agnostic. So when you say LLM Agnostic, whether you want to use Gemini, Claude or even Chad, GBT, those things are something that Elastic can integrate in, but it actually helps reduce the likelihood of hallucination. [00:06:18] Darryl Peek: So when we’re building that kind of solution, the cloud service provider’s you’re making it easy for us, and when you make it easy, you become very attractive and therefore you’re. Likely gonna come. So it becomes [00:06:28] Vince Menzione: sticky in that regard. Very sticky. So it sounds like very much an engineer, a lot of emphasis on the engineering aspects of the business. [00:06:35] Vince Menzione: I know you’re an engineer by background too, right? So the engineering aspects of the business means that you’re having alignment with the engineering organizations of those companies at a very deep level. [00:06:44] Darryl Peek: Absolutely. So I’m [00:06:45] Vince Menzione: here. [00:06:45] Darryl Peek: Yeah. And being at Elastic has been pretty amazing. So coming from Google, we had so many different solutions, so many different SKUs, but Elastic releases every eight weeks. [00:06:54] Darryl Peek: So right before you start to understand the last release, the next release is coming out and we’re already at 9.2 and we just released 9.0 in May. So it’s really blazing fast on the capability that we’re really pushing the market, but it’s really hard to make sure that we get it in front of our partners. [00:07:10] Darryl Peek: So when we talk about our partner enablement strategy, we’re just trying to make sure that we get the right information in front of the right partners at the right time, so this way they can best service their customers. [00:07:19] Vince Menzione: So let’s talk about partner strategy. Alyssa Fitzpatrick was on stage with me at our last event, and she Alyssa’s fantastic. [00:07:25] Vince Menzione: She is incredible. Yes, she is. She was a former colleague at Microsoft Days. Yes. And then she, we had a really interesting conversation. About what it takes, like being in, in a company and then working with the partners in general. And you have, I’m sure you have a lot of the similarities in how you have to engage with these organizations. [00:07:42] Vince Menzione: You’re working across the hyperscalers, you’re also working with the ecosystem too. Yes. ’cause the delivery, you have delivery partners as well. Absolutely. So tell us more about that. [00:07:50] Darryl Peek: So we kinda look at it from a two, two ways from the pre-sales motion and then the post-sales. From the pre-sales side. [00:07:56] Darryl Peek: What we’re trying to do is really maximize our, not only working with partners, because within public sector, you need to get access to customers through contract vehicles. So if you want to get access to some, for instance, the VA or through GSA or others, you have to make sure you’re aligned with the right partners who have access to. [00:08:12] Darryl Peek: That particular agency, but also you want domain expertise. So as you’re working with those system integrators, you wanna make sure that they have capability that aligns. So whether it is a security requirement, you wanna work with someone who specializes in security, observability and search. So that’s the way that we really look at our partner ecosystem, but those who are interested in working with us. [00:08:30] Darryl Peek: Because everybody doesn’t necessarily have a emphasis on working with a new technology partner, [00:08:36] Vince Menzione: right? [00:08:36] Darryl Peek: So what we’re trying to do is saying how do we build programs, incentives and sales plays that really does align and strike the interest of that particular partner? So when we talk about it I tell my team, you have to, my grandfather to say, plan your work and work your plan. And if you fail a plan, you plan to fail. So being able to not only have a strong plan in place, but then execute against that plan, check against that plan as you go through the fiscal year, and then see how you come out at the end of the fiscal year to see are we making that progress? [00:09:01] Darryl Peek: But on the other side of it, and what I get stressed about with my sales team and saying what does partners bring to us? So where are those partner deal registrations? What is the partner source numbers? How are we creating more pipeline? And that is where we’re now saying, okay, how can we navigate and how can we make it easier? [00:09:17] Darryl Peek: And how can we reduce friction in order for the partner to say, okay, elastic’s easy to work with. I can see value in, oh, by the way, I can make some money with. [00:09:25] Vince Menzione: So take us through, have there been examples of areas where you’ve had to like, break through to this other side in terms of growing the partner ecosystem? [00:09:33] Vince Menzione: What’s worked, what hasn’t worked? Yes, I’d love to learn more about that. [00:09:36] Darryl Peek: I’ll say that and I tell my team one, you partner program is essential, right? If you don’t have an attractive partner program in regards to how they come on board, how they’re incentivized the right amount of margin, they won’t even look at you. [00:09:49] Darryl Peek: The second thing is really how do you engage? So a lot of things start with relationships. I think partnerships are really about relationships. I say I tell my team from time to time, the difference between contacts and contracts is the R and that’s the relationship. So if you’re not building the relationship, then how do you expect that partner to want to lean in? [00:10:07] Darryl Peek: Don’t just show up when you have a contract. Don’t just show up when you have a renewal. Make sure that you are reaching out and letting them know what is happening. I like the what Matt brought up in saying, okay, talk to me when you have a win. Talk to me when you have something to talk about. [00:10:22] Darryl Peek: Don’t just talk to me when you need a renewal. When you’re at end the quarter and you want me to bring a deal forward, that doesn’t help ab absolutely. [00:10:28] Vince Menzione: So engineering organizations, sales organizations, what are, what does a healthy partnership look like for you? [00:10:35] Darryl Peek: So I look at metrics a lot and we use a number of tools and I know folks are using tools out there. [00:10:41] Darryl Peek: I won’t name any tools for branding purposes, but in regards to how we look at tools. So some things that we measure closely. Of course it’s our partner source numbers, so partner source, bookings, and pipeline. We look at our partner attached numbers and pipeline as well as the amount or percentage of partner attached business that we have in regards to our overall a CV number. [00:11:00] Darryl Peek: We also look at co-sell numbers, so therefore we are looking at not only how. A partner is coming to us, but how is a partner helping us in closing the deal even though they didn’t bring us the deal? We’re also looking at our cloud numbers and saying what amount of deals and how much business are we doing with our cloud service providers? [00:11:15] Darryl Peek: Because of course we wanna see that number go up year over year. We wanna actually help with that consumption number because not only are we looking at it from a SaaS perspective, but also if the customer has to commit we can help burn that down as well. We also look at influence numbers. [00:11:27] Darryl Peek: Now, one of the harder things to do within a technology business is. Capturing all that si goodness. And saying how do I reflect the SI if they’re not bringing me the deal? And I can’t attribute that amount of deal to that particular partner, right? And the way that we do that is we just tag them to the influence. [00:11:44] Darryl Peek: So we’re able to now track influence. And also the M-S-P-O-E-M work that we are also tracking and also we’re tracking the royalties. And lastly is the professional service work that we do with those partners. So we’re looking to go up into the right where we start them out at our select level, we go to our premier level and then our elite level. [00:12:00] Darryl Peek: But left and to the right, I say you gotta go from zero to one, one to five, five to 10, and then 10 to 25. So if we can actually see that progression. That is where we’re really starting to see health in the partnership, but also the executive alignment is really important. So when our CEO is able to meet with the fellow CEO of the co partner company that is really showing how we are progressing, but also our VPs and others that are engaged. [00:12:20] Darryl Peek: So those are things that we really do measure. We do have a health score card and also, we track accreditations, we track certifications as well as training outcomes based on our sales place. [00:12:30] Vince Menzione: Wow. There’s a lot of metrics there. Yeah. So you didn’t bring, you didn’t bring any slides with that out? [00:12:35] Darryl Peek: Oh, no. I’m not looking at slides, by the way. [00:12:40] Vince Menzione: Let’s talk about marketplace. [00:12:42] Darryl Peek: All right? [00:12:42] Vince Menzione: Because we’ve had a lot of conversations about marketplace. We’ve got both vendors up here talking about marketplace and the importance of marketplace, right? You’ve been a Marketplace Award winner. We haven’t really talked about that, like that motion per se. [00:12:55] Vince Menzione: I’d love to s I’d love to hear from you like how you, a, what you had to overcome to get to marketplace, what the marketplace motion looks like for your organization, what a marketplace first motion looks like. ’cause a lot of your cut a. Are all your customers requiring a lot of direct selling effort or is it some of it through Marketplace? [00:13:14] Vince Menzione: Like how does it, how does that work for you? [00:13:15] Darryl Peek: So Elastic is a global organization. Yeah. So we’re, 40 different countries. So it depends on where we’re talking. So if we talk about our international business, which is our A PJ and EMEA business we are seeing a lot more marketplace and we’re seeing that those direct deals with customers. [00:13:28] Darryl Peek: Okay. And we’re talking about our mirror business. A significant amount goes through marketplace and where our customers are transacting with the marketplace and are listing. On the marketplace within public sector, it’s more of a resell motion. Okay. So we are working with our resellers. [00:13:39] Darryl Peek: So we work our primary distribution partner is Carahsoft. So you heard from Craig earlier. Yes. We have a strong relationship with Carahsoft and definitely a big fan of this organization. But in regards to how we do that and how we track it we are looking at better ways to, track that orchestration and consumption numbers in order to see not only what customers we’re working with, but how can we really accelerate that motion and really get those leads and transactions going. [00:14:03] Vince Menzione: Very cool. Very cool. And I think part of the reason why in, in the government or public sector space it has a lot to do with the commitments are different. Absolutely. So it’s not government agencies aren’t able to make the same level of commitments that, private sector organizations were able to make, so they were able to the Mac or Microsoft parlance and also a AWS’s parlance. [00:14:23] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:14:24] Darryl Peek: definitely a different dynamic. Yeah. And especially within the public sector. ’cause we have Gov Cloud to work with, right? That’s right. So we’re working with Microsoft or we’re working with AWS, they have their Gov cloud and then we Google, they don’t have a Gov cloud, but we still have to work with them differently. [00:14:35] Darryl Peek: Yeah. Within that space. That’s [00:14:36] Vince Menzione: right. That’s right. So it makes the motion a little bit differently there. So I think we talked through some of this. I just wanna make sure we cover our points [00:14:43] Darryl Peek: here. One thing I’ll do an aside, you talked about the acre of diamonds. I’m a big fan of that story. [00:14:47] Vince Menzione: Yeah, let’s talk about Russ Con. Yeah, [00:14:49] Darryl Peek: let’s talk about it. Do you all know about the Acre Diamonds? Have you all heard that story before? No. You have some those in the audience. [00:14:55] Vince Menzione: I, you know what, let’s talk about it. All [00:14:56] Darryl Peek: See, I’m from Philadelphia. [00:14:57] Vince Menzione: I didn’t know you were a family. My daughter went to Temple University. [00:14:59] Vince Menzione: Ah, [00:15:00] Darryl Peek: okay. That’s all I know. So Russell Conwell. So he was, a gentleman out of the Philadelphia area and he went around town to raise money and he wanted to raise money because he believed that there was a promise within a specific area. And as he continued to raise this money, he would tell a story. [00:15:14] Darryl Peek: And basically it was a story about a farmer in Africa. And the farmer in Africa, to make it really short was essentially looking to be become very wealthy. And because he wanted to become very wealthy, he believed that selling his farm and going off to a long distant land was the primary way for him to find diamonds. [00:15:28] Darryl Peek: And this farmer didn’t sold us. Sold his place, then went off to to this foreign land, and he ended up dying. And people thought that was the end of the story, but there was another farmer who bought that land and one time this big, and they called him the ot, came to the door and said you mind if I have some tea with you? [00:15:43] Darryl Peek: He said, all right, come on in. Have a drink. And as he had the drink, he looked upon the mantle and his mouth dropped. And then the farmer said what’s wrong? What do you say? He says, do you know what that is? No. He said no. Do you know what that is? He says, no. He said, that’s the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen, and the farmer goes. [00:16:01] Darryl Peek: That’s weird because there’s a bunch right in the back where I go grab my fruits and crops every day. So the idea of the acre diamonds and sometimes that you don’t need to go off to a far off land. It is actually sometimes right under your feet, and that is a story that helped fund the starting of Temple University. [00:16:16] Vince Menzione: I’m gonna need to take you at every single event so you can tell this story again. That’s an awesome job. Oh, I love it. And yeah, they founded a Temple University. Yeah. Which has become an incredible university. My daughter, like I said, my daughter’s a graduate, so we’re Temple fan. That’s great story. [00:16:31] Vince Menzione: That is a very cool, I didn’t realize you were a Philadelphia guy too, so that is awesome. Go birds. Go birds. All right, good. So let’s talk, I think we talked a little bit about your ecosystem approach, but maybe just a little bit more on this, like you said, like a lot of data, a lot of metrics but also a lot of these organizations also have to under understand the engineering side of things. [00:16:53] Vince Menzione: Oh, yeah. There’s a tremendous amount to become. Not everybody could just show up one day and become an elastic partner [00:16:58] Darryl Peek: absolutely. Absolutely. So take us [00:16:59] Vince Menzione: through that process. [00:17:00] Darryl Peek: Yeah. So one of the things that we are trying to mature and we have matured is our partner go to market. [00:17:06] Darryl Peek: So in order to join our partner ecosystem, you have to sign ’em through our partner portal. You have to sign our indirect reseller agreement. ’cause we do sell primarily within the public sector through distribution. And we only go direct if it is by exception. So you have to get justification through myself as well as our VP for public sector. [00:17:21] Darryl Peek: But we really do try to make sure that we can aggregate this because one thing that we have to monitor is terms and conditions. ’cause of course, working with the government, there’s a lot of terms and conditions. So we try to alleviate that by having it go through caresoft, they’re able to absorb some, so this way we can actually transact with the government. [00:17:36] Darryl Peek: In regards to the team though we try to really work closely with our solution architecture team. So this way we can develop clear enablement strategies with our partners so this way they know what it is we do, but also how to properly bring us up in a conversation. Also handle objections and also what are we doing to implement our solutions within other markets. [00:17:55] Darryl Peek: So those are things that we are doing as well as partner marketing. Top of funnel activity is really important, so we’re trying to differentiate what we’re doing with the field and field marketing. So you’re doing the leads and m qls and things of that nature also with partner marketing. So our partner marketing actually is driven by leads, but also we’re trying to transact. [00:18:10] Darryl Peek: And get Ps of which our partner deal registration. So that is how we align our partner go to market. And that is actually translating into our partner source outcomes. [00:18:18] Vince Menzione: And I think we have a slide that talks a little bit about your public sector partner strategy. [00:18:23] Darryl Peek: Oh yeah. Oh, I share that. So I thought maybe we could spin it. [00:18:25] Darryl Peek: Absolutely. [00:18:25] Vince Menzione: I know you we can’t see it, but they can. Oh, they can. Okay. Great. [00:18:29] Darryl Peek: There it’s there. [00:18:30] Vince Menzione: It’s career. [00:18:31] Darryl Peek: One thing, I think this was Einstein has said, if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. So that was the one thing. So I always was a big fan of creating a one page strategy. [00:18:39] Darryl Peek: And based on this one page strategy one of the things when I worked at Salesforce it was really about a couple things and the saying, okay, what are your bookings? And if you don’t have bookings, what does your pipeline look like? If you don’t have pipeline, what does your prospecting look like? [00:18:51] Darryl Peek: Yeah. If you don’t have prospecting what does your account plan look like? And if you don’t have an account plan, why are you here? Why are you here? Exactly. So those are the things that I really talk to my team about is just really a, it’s about bookings. It’s about pipeline. It’s about planning, enablement and execution. [00:19:05] Darryl Peek: It’s about marketing, branding and evangelism, and also about operational excellence and how to execute. Very cool. So being able to do that and also I, since I came from Salesforce, I talk to my team a lot about Salesforce hygiene. So we really talk about that a lot. So make, making sure we’re making proper use of chatter, but also as we talk about utilizing ai, we just try to. [00:19:21] Darryl Peek: How do we simplify that, right? So if we’re using Zoom or we’re using Google, how do we make sure that we’re capturing those meeting minutes, translating that, putting that into the system, so therefore we have a record of that engagement with that partner. So this is a continuous threat. So this way I don’t have to call my partner manager the entire time. [00:19:36] Darryl Peek: I can look back, see what actions, see what was discussed, and say, okay, how can we keep this conversation going? Because we shouldn’t have to have those conversations every time. I shouldn’t have to text you to say, give me the download on every partner. Every time. How do we automate that? And that’s really where you’re creating this context window with your Genive ai. [00:19:53] Darryl Peek: I think they said what 75% of organizations are using one AI tool. And I think 1% are mature in that. But also a number of organizations, it’s 90% of organizations are using generative AI tools to some degree. So we are using gen to bi. We do use a number of them. We have elastic GPT. Nice little brand there. [00:20:11] Darryl Peek: But yeah, we use that for not only understanding what’s in our our repositories and data lakes and data warehouses, but also what are some answers that we can have in regards to proposal responses, RP responses, RFI, responses and the like. [00:20:23] Vince Menzione: And you’re reaching out to the other LLMs through your tool? [00:20:26] Darryl Peek: We can actually interact with any LLM. So we are a LLM Agnostic. [00:20:29] Vince Menzione: Got it. Yep. That’s fantastic. And this slide is we’ll make this available if you don’t have a, yeah, have a chance. We’ll share it. I [00:20:36] Darryl Peek: am happy to share, yeah. And obviously happy to talk, reach out about it. Of, of course. I simplified it in order to account for you, but one of the things that I talk about is mission, vision of values. [00:20:45] Darryl Peek: And as we start with that is what is your mission now? How is anybody from Pittsburgh, anybody steal a fan? Oh wow. No, there’s a steel fan over [00:20:54] Vince Menzione: here. There’s one here. There’s a couple of ’em are out here. So I feel bad. [00:20:57] Darryl Peek: The reason why I put immaculate in there is for the immaculate reception, actually. [00:21:00] Darryl Peek: Yes. And basically saying that if you ever seen that play, it was not pretty at all. It was a very discombobulated play. Yeah. And I usually say that’s the way that you work with partners too, because when that deal doesn’t come in, when you gotta make a call, when you’re texting somebody at 11 o’clock at night, when you’re trying to get that at, right before quarter end. [00:21:17] Darryl Peek: Yeah. Before the end of it. It really is difficult, but it’s really creating that immaculate experience. You want that partner to come back. I know it’s challenging, but I appreciate how you leaned in with us. Yes, absolutely. I appreciate how you work with us. I appreciate how you held our hand through the process, and that’s what I tell my team, that we have to create that partner experience. [00:21:32] Darryl Peek: And maybe that’s a carryover from Salesforce, Dave. I don’t know. But also when we talk about enhancing or accelerating our partner. Our public sector outcomes that is really working with the customer, right? So customer experience has to be part of it. Like all of us have to be focused on that North star, and that is really how do we service the customer, and that’s what we choose to do. [00:21:48] Darryl Peek: But also the internal part. So I used to survey my team many moves ago, and I said, if we don’t get 80% satisfaction rate from our employees how do we get 60% satisfaction rate from our customers? Yeah. So really focus on that employee success and employee satisfaction. It’s so important, is very important. [00:22:03] Darryl Peek: So being able to understand what are the needs of your employees? Are you really addressing their concerns and are you really driving them forward? Are you challenging them? Are you creating pathways for progression? So those are things that I definitely try to do with my team. As well as just really encouraging, inspiring, yeah. [00:22:19] Darryl Peek: And just making sure that they’re having fun at the same time. [00:22:21] Vince Menzione: It shows up in such, I, there’s an airline I don’t fly any longer, and it was a million mile member of and I know it’s because of the way they treat their employees. [00:22:29] Vince Menzione: Because it cascades Right? [00:22:30] Darryl Peek: It does. Culture is important. [00:22:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Absolutely. [00:22:32] Darryl Peek: What is it? What Anderson Howard they say what col. Mark Andresen culture eat strategy for [00:22:37] Vince Menzione: breakfast. He strategy for breakfast? Yes. Very much this has been insightful. I really enjoyed having you here today. Really a great, you’re a lot of fun. You’re a lot of fun. [00:22:43] Vince Menzione: Darry, isn’t you? Amazing. So thank you for joining us. Thank you all. Thank And you’re gonna be, you’re gonna be sticking around for a little while today. I’m sticking around for a little while. I’ll be back in little later. I think people are gonna just en enjoy having a conversation with you, a little sidebar. [00:22:55] Darryl Peek: Absolutely. I’m looking forward to it. Thank you all for having me. Glad to be here. And thank you for giving the time today. [00:23:01] Vince Menzione: Thank you Darryl, so much. So appreciate it. And you’re gonna have to come join me on this Story Diamond tool. Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering. [00:23:12] Vince Menzione: We’re bringing these episodes to you to help you level up your strategy. If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to take action and think about joining our community. We created a unique place, UPX or Ultimate partner experience. It’s more than a community. It’s your competitive edge with insider insights, real-time education, and direct access to people who are driving the ecosystem forward. [00:23:38] Vince Menzione: UPX helps you get results, and we’re just getting started as we’re taking this studio. And we’ll be hosting live stream and digital events here, including our January live stream, the Boca Winter Retreat, and more to come. So visit our website, the ultimate partner.com to learn more and join us. Now’s the time to take your partnerships to the next level.

Become a member at www.blackwhitenetwork.com for just $10 per month with a 7 day FREE TRIAL and get exclusive content and extra discounts on merch!Member stream at 10am CST every Friday UNCENSORED!Locals: https://blackandwhitenetwork.locals.comBecome a monthly subscriber to the podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/blackandwhitenetwork/subscribeFollow us on Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/BlackandWhiteNewsFollow Black and White Sports on Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/BlackandWhiteSports

Overnight, the U.S. military launched strikes on Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro. We discuss President Trump's announcement that the United States will run Venezuela's government "until such time as a proper transition can take place," as well as the criminal charges Maduro faces in New York. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas and national security correspondent Greg Myre.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In a stunning act of regime change on Saturday, the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to U.S. soil to face criminal charges. Soon after, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would "run" Venezuela until a transition of power is made and warned of a new era of U.S. domination over Latin America. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In a stunning act of regime change on Saturday, the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to U.S. soil to face criminal charges. Soon after, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would "run" Venezuela until a transition of power is made and warned of a new era of U.S. domination over Latin America. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Amazon has inked contracts with local governments, municipalities and school districts that often bypasses the traditional guardrails in the procurement process. In this episode of Second Request, The Capitol Forum's Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance about ISLR's recent report "Amazon's Capture of Local Government Purchasing Is Driving Up Public Costs and Eliminating Competition."To learn more about The Capitol Forum click here. Read Stacy Mitchell's report here.

“Money Movers” provides investors with real-time analysis of the stories and the people attracting the attention of the markets each day. Capturing the energy of day's early trading, the program includes the breaking news and numbers driving stocks and sectors, helping investors make critical decisions. “Money Movers” anchors speak with the CEOs, government decision-makers and newsmakers who play a relevant role in how money is moving. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Capturing of Paul in Jerusalem Part 2 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1331/29?v=20251111

The Capturing of Paul in Jerusalem Part 1 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1331/29?v=20251111

We are taking our annual look back at some of the year's biggest images. We hear from four photojournalists who documented life on the frontlines in Ukraine, major changes in immigration enforcement in the U.S., the historic election of a new pope and more. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As the new year starts, it's the perfect time to reflect (and look forward) on how we create and communicate learning content.In this special episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt is joined by some TechSmith team members (or TechSmithies!) who share their favourite tips, shortcuts, and features in Snagit and Camtasia. These are real workflows used every day to support creators, teams, and organizations.From speeding up video editing with simple keyboard shortcuts, to collaborating without meetings, to building consistency across projects, this episode is packed with practical insider tips from our TechSmithies that you can start using right away.It's also a moment to say thank you to The Visual Lounge community for tuning in, sharing feedback, and being part of the conversation throughout the year.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 00:39 Intro 00:39 - 01:31 Matt's most used features in Camtasia 01:31 - 02:55 A look back on a great year02:55 - 03:20 Happy Holidays from Cameron, Senior Customer Care Specialist at TechSmith03:20 - 05:41 Collaboration workflow in Camtasia Online05:41 - 08:20 How presets in SnagIt make your life easier08:20 - 08:48 Capturing text directly with Snagit08:48 - 10:51 Using placeholders in Camtasia10:51 Looking forward to the year aheadImportant links and mentions:Explore TechSmith: https://www.techsmith.com/ Learn more about Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/snagit/ Learn more about Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/ Explore Camtasia AI: https://camtasia.ai/

Why Brand Can Make or Break Family Business Succession & Legacy In Episode 124 of The Family Biz Show, host Michael Palumbos welcomes back Megan Lynch of Six Point Strategy for a wide-ranging conversation that connects branding, trust, and reputation to the real drivers of Family business succession, Family business leadership, and long-term enterprise value. What makes this episode especially powerful is that Megan isn't approaching brand as "marketing"—she approaches it as an essential part of family business strategy, Legacy planning, and Business continuity for families. Megan shares how her firm originally focused on creative branding work, but as she stepped deeper into the family enterprise space—and became more intentional about Passing on the family business within her own journey—she recognized a key truth: family businesses operate under dynamics that traditional corporate strategy often fails to address. This is why working with a skilled Family Business Advisor or Family Business Consultant matters so much. Without the right lens, even "good ideas" can create harm, confusion, or conflict, especially during family business continuity planning. A Next-Gen Journey Into Family Enterprise Complexity Megan explains that as she started thinking about the future of Six Point Strategy and the transition of leadership, she joined a family business center for succession support. What she discovered quickly was that Family business succession isn't just a transaction or a timeline—it's emotional, relational, and deeply tied to identity. That's where the biggest insight comes in: family enterprises don't live in a vacuum. Ownership, management, and family relationships intersect constantly. So when a Family Business Consultant or Family Business Advisor recommends a new strategy or brand shift without understanding those intersections, it can destabilize trust, trigger resistance, and disrupt Business continuity for families. This is exactly why Megan describes family business work as a discipline—one that requires education, humility, and collaboration. She highlights that a financial advisor for family business or a family business wealth management advisor may be working on governance, capital, or transition planning at the same time that marketing or brand conversations are unfolding. If those advisors aren't aligned, the business and the family can pay the price. Why PPI Rendezvous Felt Like "Home" for a Family Business Advisor Mindset Michael and Megan discuss the Purposeful Planning Institute (PPI) Rendezvous in Denver, which Megan attended despite being the only "brand person" in the room. She describes the conference as a unique blend of academic curiosity and practical collaboration—where professionals openly share real examples, tools, and frameworks to improve how they serve families. This speaks directly to what families need today: a coordinated ecosystem of advisors, including the Family Business Advisor, Family Business Consultant, and trusted experts in governance, wealth, and transition. Families navigating family business legacy planning rarely have just one challenge at a time. They are dealing with succession, leadership development, reputation, rising-gen engagement, and often family business wealth management all at once. That's why the most effective outcomes happen when the advisor team thinks holistically and supports true family business continuity planning. The Cracker Barrel Lesson: Brand Isn't a Logo, But Logos Carry Meaning The episode pivots into a timely example: the "Cracker Barrel debacle," where a brand change sparked intense public backlash. Megan uses this moment to explain how people emotionally connect with symbols, especially nostalgic brands. The logo isn't the brand, but it becomes shorthand for what the brand represents—comfort, tradition, familiarity, and trust. For a family enterprise, this is a direct parallel: when long-standing brand elements change, stakeholders worry about deeper changes too. Megan calls this the "what else are we losing?" response. Customers and employees don't just react to design—they react to perceived shifts in trust and identity. This is why Family business leadership transitions and Family business succession must be approached with strategic communication and continuity. If leadership change is paired with sudden brand shifts, it can amplify uncertainty and weaken stakeholder confidence. Families focused on Business continuity for families must consider not only operational transition, but how reputation and brand signals communicate stability. Reputation as an Asset: The Hidden Value Families Must Protect One of the most valuable parts of the conversation is Megan's framing of reputation as a tangible asset. Many family owners intuitively know this: if you ask what their greatest assets are, they will often say "our reputation," "our relationships," and "the trust our customers have in us." That trust is brand equity—and it directly affects enterprise value. Megan explains that in business valuation, "intangible assets" often include brand power, customer relationships, intellectual property, and market positioning. Even if a family never sells the business, this still matters, because the business is often the family's largest asset and the central engine behind family business wealth management and long-term Legacy planning. In other words, the asset being transferred through Passing on the family business isn't just equipment, revenue, or real estate—it's also trust and goodwill. This is where the role of a Family Business Advisor becomes critical. A strong advisor helps families inventory and protect the intangible value that supports family business legacy planning, family office legacy planning, and strategic transition. The Three Brand Pillars That Strengthen Continuity and Transferability Megan outlines three practical pillars that help a business build brand equity and prepare for generational transfer. These pillars are especially relevant for a family business succession planning advisor or a Family Business Consultant supporting long-term continuity: 1) Transferability Does trust live only with the founder or leading generation? Or does it live within the company itself? If reputation is tied to one person, succession becomes fragile. Strong transferability supports family business to new generation transitions and reduces the "key person risk" that threatens Business continuity for families. 2) Systemization Is the brand experience consistent? Are communication systems documented? Are brand standards and customer experiences repeatable? Systemization helps the business maintain continuity when leadership changes, which is essential for family business continuity planning and Family business leadership development. 3) Voice of the Customer Do you regularly collect customer feedback, surface insights, and operationalize them? Megan notes that many family companies say they "know their customers," but don't systematize that knowledge. Capturing and using customer insight strengthens brand equity and gives future leaders a clear roadmap for protecting trust. These pillars connect directly to family office explained thinking: families who operate with a family business family office mindset often seek structured processes, measurable systems, and continuity planning that outlasts any one person. This is where family business family office advice becomes highly relevant, particularly when brand and reputation are part of the family's long-term wealth and continuity strategy. Culture Made Visible: Why Brand Is a Leadership Issue Michael and Megan reinforce that brand is essentially culture made visible. If culture is unclear, inconsistent, or undocumented, it becomes difficult to transfer. That's why families must articulate vision, purpose, and values in ways that employees and customers can repeat easily. Megan offers a sharp test: can employees and customers explain your strategy in one sentence? If not, you risk becoming a "best kept secret"—and your team won't be aligned. For a Family Business Advisor, this is a crucial leadership and continuity issue. A cohesive internal culture is the foundation for Family business leadership and the consistency needed for Family business succession. This also ties into family office strategy: families building a multi-generational enterprise want more than profit—they want shared values, shared identity, and a legacy story that carries forward. That's why brand and culture are directly connected to Legacy planning and family office legacy planning. Rising Gen Engagement: The Two Gateways to Continuity When the conversation turns toward next-gen stewardship, Megan identifies two powerful pathways for engaging the rising generation and strengthening Business continuity for families: Brand Education Start early. Teach the next generation what the business stands for, who it serves, and why it matters. This supports a smoother transition from family business to new generation, especially in cousin consortium stages where some owners may not work in the operating company. When the rising generation understands the brand and legacy, they're more likely to become responsible stewards—and not accidental risk points (especially in today's social-media environment). Strategic Philanthropy Megan emphasizes that philanthropy can connect values, community relationships, and reputation. Michael builds on this idea by describing philanthropy as "the sandbox for entrepreneurship and leadership." It teaches communication, decision-making, collaboration, and gratitude—skills that reduce entitlement and strengthen long-term family business legacy planning. For families working with a Family Business Advisor or financial advisor for family business, philanthropy can become a structured training ground that supports governance, next-gen development, and even public reputation—an underrated asset in family business continuity planning. The Big Takeaway: The Brand Is Part of the Legacy This episode makes one message crystal clear: brand, reputation, and trust are not surface-level marketing decisions. They are legacy assets. They are continuity tools. They are governance tools. They are the human infrastructure that determines whether leadership changes feel stable or disruptive. Families who want to succeed in Passing on the family business must treat brand and culture with the same seriousness they treat financial statements, legal structures, and ownership plans. A well-rounded advisor team—including a Family Business Advisor, Family Business Consultant, family business wealth management advisor, and a family business succession planning advisor—can help families align strategy, strengthen trust, and protect the enterprise for the next generation. Ultimately, this is what Business continuity for families looks like: continuity of leadership, continuity of culture, continuity of reputation, and continuity of purpose—supported by clear systems, aligned strategy, and thoughtful Legacy planning.

“Money Movers” provides investors with real-time analysis of the stories and the people attracting the attention of the markets each day. Capturing the energy of day's early trading, the program includes the breaking news and numbers driving stocks and sectors, helping investors make critical decisions. “Money Movers” anchors speak with the CEOs, government decision-makers and newsmakers who play a relevant role in how money is moving. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Money Movers” provides investors with real-time analysis of the stories and the people attracting the attention of the markets each day. Capturing the energy of day's early trading, the program includes the breaking news and numbers driving stocks and sectors, helping investors make critical decisions. “Money Movers” anchors speak with the CEOs, government decision-makers and newsmakers who play a relevant role in how money is moving. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Capturing Hope: A New Year's Eve at Shibuya Crossing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-12-30-23-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 大晦日の夜、東京の渋谷スクランブル交差点はにぎやかで、輝くネオンの光が冬の夜を照らしていました。En: On New Year's Eve, the Tokyo Shibuya Scramble Crossing was lively, with the glowing neon lights illuminating the winter night.Ja: 人々は新年の到来を心待ちにし、交差点はまるで舞台のような賑わいです。En: People eagerly awaited the arrival of the new year, making the crossing as bustling as a stage.Ja: 広志は、その雑踏の中にいました。En: Hiroshi was amidst this hustle and bustle.Ja: 彼のポケットには、亡くなった祖母からもらった小さなお守りが入っています。En: In his pocket, he had a small omamori, a charm given to him by his late grandmother.Ja: それは、彼にとって幸運を呼ぶ大切な存在です。En: It was a precious token of luck for him.Ja: そして彼は今年、希望と新しい始まりを象徴する完璧な写真を撮りたいと心に決めていました。En: This year, he was determined to capture the perfect photo that symbolized hope and a new beginning.Ja: 彼と共にいるのは、最近東京に戻ってきた友人のユキと、新しく知り合った同じく写真好きのタクミです。En: Accompanying him were his friend Yuki, who had recently returned to Tokyo, and a new acquaintance, Takumi, who also had a passion for photography.Ja: 三人はのっぽのビルの下で、たくさんの声や音楽が混じった雰囲気を楽しんでいます。En: The three of them enjoyed the ambiance under the tall buildings, filled with voices and music blending together.Ja: 「きっといい瞬間が見つかるよ」とユキが広志に微笑みかけます。En: "Kitto a good moment will come," Yuki smiled at Hiroshi.Ja: しかし、交差点は混雑しており、天気も不安定です。En: However, the crossing was crowded, and the weather was unstable.Ja: 時折、冷たい風が吹き抜け、広志はうまく写真を撮れるかどうか不安を感じます。En: Occasionally, a cold wind would sweep through, causing Hiroshi to feel uncertain about whether he could take a good photo.Ja: さらに、祖母がもうそばにいないことが、彼の心に重くのしかかります。En: Moreover, the absence of his grandmother weighed heavily on his heart.Ja: それでも、広志は決心しました。En: Even so, Hiroshi was determined.Ja: 「この賑わいの中で、絶対にその瞬間を見つけるんだ」と。En: "In this bustle, I will definitely find that moment," he resolved.Ja: 彼は少し離れて交差点を見渡し、良いアングルを探します。En: He stepped back a bit to survey the crossing and looked for a good angle.Ja: 周りの騒がしさにも負けず、シャッターチャンスを狙って目を凝らします。En: Unaffected by the surrounding noise, he focused intently on capturing the perfect shutter chance.Ja: そして、とうとうカウントダウンが始まります。En: Then, the countdown began.Ja: 「10、9、8……」大勢の声が一つになり、一層賑やかになる交差点。En: "10, 9, 8..." the voices merged into one, making the crossing even more lively.Ja: 広志は人混みの中から抜け出し、少し高い場所に立ちました。En: Hiroshi emerged from the crowd and stood at a slightly elevated spot.Ja: その瞬間、「3、2、1、0！En: At that moment, with the count of "3, 2, 1, 0!"Ja: 」のカウントと共に街は歓声と花火であふれます。En: the city erupted with cheers and fireworks.Ja: 広志はバランスを取りながら、カメラを構えました。En: Balancing himself, Hiroshi held up his camera.Ja: そして、満天の花火と歓喜に満ちた人々の姿を一枚の写真に収めることができました。En: He was able to capture a single photo that included the sky filled with fireworks and the joyful faces of the people.Ja: それは、彼が求めていた希望と新しい始まりの象徴となる完璧な瞬間でした。En: It was the perfect moment symbolizing the hope and new beginning he sought.Ja: 撮った写真を確認し、広志はやっと笑顔になりました。En: After checking the photo, Hiroshi finally smiled.Ja: 彼の祖母は、いつも彼の中にいて、彼は新たなスタートを切ることができる。En: He realized that his grandmother was always within him, and he was ready to start anew.Ja: そう思えた広志は、心の中に温かな平和を感じました。En: With that thought, Hiroshi felt a warm peace within his heart.Ja: その夜、広志は彼が得た自信と共に、友人たちと幸せな新年を迎えます。En: That night, Hiroshi welcomed the new year with his friends and newfound confidence.Ja: 「新しい経験を大切にし、祖母の思い出も心に刻み続けるんだ」と誓いながら、彼は夜の空を見上げるのでした。En: He vowed to cherish new experiences and continue to hold his grandmother's memories close to his heart, while gazing up at the night sky. Vocabulary Words:lively: にぎやかでilluminating: 照らしていましたamidst: 中にいましたhustle: 雑踏bustle: 賑わいcharm: お守りprecious: 大切なdetermined: 決心capture: 撮りたいacquaintance: 知り合ったambiance: 雰囲気blending: 混じったunstable: 不安定sweep: 吹き抜けuncertain: 不安を感じweighed: のしかかりますsurvey: 見渡しangle: アングルunaffected: 負けずintently: 目を凝らしますcrossing: 交差点emerged: 抜け出しelevated: 高いglowing: 輝くmerged: 一つになりbalancing: バランスを取りながらcheers: 歓声joyful: 歓喜cherish: 大切にgazing: 見上げる

Visit our website:https://www.thewealthwarehousepodcast.com/With the end of 2025 in sight, Dave and Paul wrap on what real clients taught them about practicing Infinite Banking.From why more families are starting kids' policies and how planning ahead with convertible term keeps future options open, to simple ways disciplined loan repayment can supercharge your system. Additionally, they dig into capturing big annual expenses as premium, building your IBC “tribe,” and a quick tease on changes coming to the show in 2026.If you're serious about using IBC in everyday life, this one's a clean checklist of what to do next. Tune in, take notes, and head into January with a plan.Becoming Your Own Banker by Nelson Nash:https://infinitebanking.org/product/becoming-your-own-banker/ref/46/Episode Highlights:0:00 - Intro1:01 - Episode beginning2:54 - What we've learned over the last year4:51 - Family and legacy8:03 - Planning ahead, windfalls13:24 - Opportunities18:51 - Paying loans24:11 - Capturing big, annual expenses25:52 - Shared minds, “finding more room”28:19 - Referrals30:14 - Episode wrap-upABOUT YOUR HOSTS:David Befort and Paul Fugere are the hosts of the Wealth Warehouse Podcast. David is the Founder/CEO of Max Performance Financial. He founded the company with the mission of educating people on the truths about money.David's mission is to show you how you can control your own money, earn guarantees, grow it tax-free, and maintain penalty-free access to it to leverage for opportunities that will provide passive income for the rest of your life.Paul, on the other hand, is an Active Duty U.S. Army officer who graduated from Norwich University in 2002 with a B.A. in History and again in 2012 with a M.A. in Diplomacy and International Terrorism. Paul met his wife Tammy at Norwich.As a family, they enjoy boating, traveling, sports, hunting, automobiles, and are self-proclaimed food people.Visit our website:https://www.thewealthwarehousepodcast.com/Catch up with David and Paul, visit the links below!Website: https://infinitebanking.org/agents/Fugere494https://infinitebanking.org/agents/Befort399LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-befort-jr-09663972/https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-fugere-762021b0/Email:davidandpaul@theibcguys.com

“Money Movers” provides investors with real-time analysis of the stories and the people attracting the attention of the markets each day. Capturing the energy of day's early trading, the program includes the breaking news and numbers driving stocks and sectors, helping investors make critical decisions. “Money Movers” anchors speak with the CEOs, government decision-makers and newsmakers who play a relevant role in how money is moving. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

MANET'S FINAL YEARS AND THE POSTHUMOUS HONOR OF MORISOT Colleague Sebastian Smee. Following the war, Manet painted a series of intimate portraits of Berthe Morisot, capturing her erotic restlessness and "black" mourning attire. Since they could not marry, Manet seemingly facilitated her marriage to his brother, Eugène, who became a supportive husband and advocate for her art. While Morisot struggled with melancholy, she defied Édouard's advice to stick to the Salon, instead exhibiting in almost all the independent Impressionist shows. After Édouard died a painful death from syphilis, and Berthe later passed away, her colleagues Renoir, Monet, and Degasorganized a posthumous exhibition in her honor. The depth of their respect was revealed in a passionate argument between Degas and the others over how best to hang her work to ensure the public understood her brilliance. NUMBER 7

Zohran Mamdani began 2025 as a little-known state legislator, and in the first minutes of 2026 he'll be sworn in as mayor of New York, often called the second-toughest job in America. Campaign photographer Kara McCurdy documented his remarkable rise, capturing images of Mamdani since before his first race for New York State Assembly in 2020. Ali Rogin speaks with McCurdy about her experience. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Kate McCaffrey of Hever Castle about Anne Boleyn's books of hours, the hidden inscriptions they contain, and the Kentish women who preserved Anne's memory after her fall. The episode explores female networks, the material life of devotional books, and how these discoveries challenge the lonely, male-focused myth of Anne Boleyn, plus a preview of Hever Castle's upcoming exhibition "Capturing a Queen." Learn more about Kate McCaffrey https://kateemccaffrey.wordpress.com/ Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn Exhibition https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/whats-on/capturing-a-queen/ Find out more about your host at  https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!

Zohran Mamdani began 2025 as a little-known state legislator, and in the first minutes of 2026 he'll be sworn in as mayor of New York, often called the second-toughest job in America. Campaign photographer Kara McCurdy documented his remarkable rise, capturing images of Mamdani since before his first race for New York State Assembly in 2020. Ali Rogin speaks with McCurdy about her experience. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who does not know what to do with ideas that stem from conversations from your team? In this episode of The Guild Live Show, Tyson Mutrux explores the concept of "sparks" — those small moments or ideas that ignite creativity and innovation.Tyson shares how sparks can lead to innovation for a firm. In moments of conversation and sometimes friction, sparks can come up through realization. Maybe someone challenges a belief or some personal irritation is expressed to a group of people. They can be created in a few different ways in a team setting.It is important to know when to execute or abandon sparks. Maybe executing a spark makes sense when you have a strong team dynamic. Maybe you need to plan in order to execute the spark, especially if you or the team don't have the capacity. But, sometimes abandoning the spark is better when you realize it is not a possibility at all for your firm.Listen in to learn more!• 6:49 Reflection on Sparks • 10:08 Creating Conditions for Sparks • 14:03 Hypothesis vs. Commitment for Ideas• 22:41 Capturing and Documenting Sparks • 24:43 Knowing When to Execute or Abandon • 25:37 Value of Pattern Interrupts Tune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. 

“Money Movers” provides investors with real-time analysis of the stories and the people attracting the attention of the markets each day. Capturing the energy of day's early trading, the program includes the breaking news and numbers driving stocks and sectors, helping investors make critical decisions. “Money Movers” anchors speak with the CEOs, government decision-makers and newsmakers who play a relevant role in how money is moving. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, host Josh interviews Steven Yates, CEO of Prime Guidance, about strategies for scaling e-commerce brands. Steve emphasizes optimizing Amazon listings and leveraging all available tools before expanding to other marketplaces like Walmart or eBay. He discusses the importance of having a direct-to-consumer website, maximizing Amazon advertising, and using analytics tools to track performance. Steve provides actionable advice on when and how to diversify sales channels, ensuring brands grow efficiently and profitably while building a strong foundation on Amazon first.Chapters:Introduction to Steven Yates and Prime Guidance (00:00:00)Josh introduces Steven Yates, his background, and expertise in retail management and e-commerce.When to Expand Beyond Amazon (00:00:48)Discussion on timing and considerations for expanding to other marketplaces like Walmart, eBay, Wayfair, and international markets.Sales Lift Estimates from Other Marketplaces (00:01:28)Steve provides rough estimates of sales lift from Walmart, eBay, and other channels compared to Amazon.Importance of Optimizing Amazon Before Expanding (00:01:39)Emphasis on being 80-90% optimized on Amazon before moving to other marketplaces.Choosing the Right Next Marketplace (00:03:32)Advice on analyzing where your customers are and not following a cookie-cutter approach to expansion.Launching a DTC E-commerce Website (00:04:04)Discussion on when and why to launch a direct-to-consumer website alongside Amazon.Benefits of Having a DTC Website (00:04:38)Steve explains the strategic advantages of having your own e-commerce site for brand building and customer retention.Capturing and Nurturing Website Visitors (00:05:46)Tactics for capturing emails and engaging visitors who land on your DTC website.Key Levers to Pull on Amazon (00:06:21)Josh asks for a list of actionable levers to increase sales and grow a brand on Amazon.Detailed Breakdown of Amazon Optimization Levers (00:06:33)Steve details optimization tactics: product pages, infographics, A+ content, pricing, assortment, advertising, and Amazon programs.Amazon Advertising and External Traffic Strategies (00:08:05)Discussion on types of Amazon ads, external traffic, and leveraging Amazon's Brand Referral Bonus.Utilizing Amazon Programs and Betas (00:09:11)Overview of Amazon programs like FBA Small and Lite, brand store, Amazon posts, and customer engagement emails.Order of Operations for Optimization and Traffic (00:10:31)Advice on optimizing for Amazon's algorithm and conversion before scaling advertising and traffic.Three Actionable Takeaways for Brands (00:11:21)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: maximize Amazon levers, focus on Amazon traffic, then expand to other channels.Tools for Tracking Amazon Metrics (00:13:40)Discussion on aggregating and analyzing Amazon data using third-party tools and Excel.Brand Analytics and Bonus Tool Recommendation (00:14:59)Steve recommends using Amazon Brand Analytics and nozzle.ai for tracking repeat purchases and customer lifetime value.Where to Learn More About Prime Guidance (00:16:21)Steve shares how listeners can contact or follow Prime Guidance for further help.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Prime Guidance  Shopify WooCommerceAmazon Attribution Program  Amazon Posts  Helium 10Nozzle AI  Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Steve Yates. He is the CEO and founder of Prime Guidance. Steve developed well-rounded expertise working for multi-billion dollar fortune 500 retailers such as Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods and eBay enterprise prior to founding Prime guidance in all industry consulting. With 30 years experience in retail management and 23 years experience in e-commerce. Steve and his team provide companies with strategic advice and innovative solutions that are based on real life experience working for industry leading retailers. He helps companies grow faster, smarter and more profitably by providing advice, mentoring and coaching for today's busy executives. So welcome to the podcast, Steve.Steven 00:00:46  Thank you. Josh. Thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:48  One of the first questions I want to ask, just kind of selfishly for myself, because we're looking to expand onto different channels right now with our business. We've grown to eight figures just on Amazon alone. But we're we are looking to, you know, is it time to explore or double down more on Walmart eBay, Wayfair? Do we try to get into target? Do we go international right and start shipping stuff into Canada, Mexico, the UK, etc.? So my question to you here, Steve, is what kind of sales lift do you see from those different marketplaces? Right.Josh 00:01:28  Like what do you estimate as hey you go to Walmart it best case scenario, you're probably looking at a 10% lift eBay. Maybe it's a 2%, you know, so on and so forth.Steven 00:01:39  Yeah. So it's a very tricky question because I've seen it wildly different. So interesting. I had to if I had to, to put a rough assumption across a lot of different categories and product lines, I would say Walmart is the very next marketplace you're going to want to focus on outside of Amazon. And by the way, don't do it until you're what I like to say 80 to 90% optimized on Amazon. Don't spend your time on these smaller marketplaces, because that's oftentimes the shiny object that gets you in trouble when you're doing a whole bunch of different things, you're not doing any of them well. You've got to you've got to be really well positioned on Amazon. And when I say 80 to 90%, I don't mean of your total opportunity for growth. But if you've identified all these levers you need to pull on Amazon, you need to have a good storefront.Steven 00:02:26  You need to have A+ content. I need to have all of these different components pulled together. Do you feel good about how well optimized they are, and are they in place 80 to 90% of where they should be before you, you know, start migrating to another marketplace? Because if you don't, you're essentially lifting and shifting a catalog that's not optimized to another marketplace. And now all of your optimization efforts are going to be that much harder because you're doing full optimizations across a whole bunch of marketplaces. That's a that's always a risk. I would say Walmart is probably, in the number of 10 to 20% of the Amazon business, and eBay is probably the neighborhood of 10%, maybe 5 to 10% of the, of the Amazon business. but it really does differ quite a bit. I've seen some I've seen some people that actually sell more on Etsy than they do on Amazon because their product is sold out after on that website. I've seen people that do phenomenal on eBay, even though eBay is, you know, not not growing.Steven 00:03:32  It's. Yeah, it's it just so happens that their customers there and that's why I go goes back to, analyzing where your customers spend their time and money and make sure you're present there, do it in the right order. But ultimately make sure you're you're present there. And where you go next is not a cookie cutter answer just because everybody else goes to this next Walmart, you know, Walmart next or eBay after that or whatever, doesn't mean that's...

13. Assessing Battlefield Realities: Russian Deceit and Ukrainian Counterattacks. John Hardie analyzes the "culture of deceit" within the Russian military, exemplified by false claims of capturing Kupyansk while Ukraine actually counterattacked. This systemic lying leads to overconfidence in Putin's strategy, though Ukraine also faces challenges with commanders hesitating to report lost positions to avoid forced counterattacks. 1940

In this episode of The Marriage is Tougher Than Woodpecker Lips podcast, hosts Bryan Hooks and Paul Sargent discuss the intricacies of planning surprise gifts for their spouses, particularly focusing on the importance of communication, involvement, and creating memorable experiences. They share personal anecdotes about their own experiences with surprise trips and the dynamics of family involvement, emphasizing the need for balance between surprise and collaboration in gift-giving. The conversation also touches on budgeting for gifts and the significance of capturing family moments during these experiences.TakeawaysThe importance of planning surprise gifts for your spouse.Involving your partner in decision-making enhances the experience.Family dynamics play a crucial role in gift-giving.Creating memorable experiences is more valuable than material gifts.Communication about expectations is key in relationships.Budgeting for gifts can alleviate financial stress.Surprises can strengthen the bond in a marriage.Capturing moments during family trips adds to the experience.Understanding your partner's preferences is essential for gift-giving.Regular weekend experiences can enhance marital satisfaction.

Legendary rock photographer Jim Fuller joins host Buzz Knight on Takin’ A Walk to discuss his stunning new Bruce Springsteen photography book “Spirit in the Light,” a definitive collection of iconic concert images spanning decades of The Boss’s legendary performances. Fuller shares behind-the-scenes stories of photographing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, revealing the intimate moments and explosive energy that defined Springsteen’s most memorable shows. In this compelling conversation, Jim Fuller discusses the creative process behind “Spirit in the Light,” explaining how he captured Bruce Springsteen’s raw authenticity and connection with audiences through his lens. From backstage access to front-row perspectives, Fuller details his journey as a rock and roll photographer documenting one of music’s most iconic performers. The veteran photographer reflects on specific images featured in “Spirit in the Light,” sharing the stories behind Springsteen’s most powerful stage moments and what makes The Boss such a compelling photographic subject. Fuller also explores the evolution of concert photography, the challenges of capturing live performance energy in still images, and his relationship with Bruce Springsteen over the years. He discusses the curation process for “Spirit in the Light,” selecting the photographs that best represent Springsteen’s spirit, passion, and legendary stage presence. Music photographers, Bruce Springsteen fans, and photography enthusiasts will appreciate Fuller’s insights into rock photography’s golden era and the technical artistry required to document live music history. This episode of Takin’ A Walk offers an intimate look at Bruce Springsteen through Jim Fuller’s photographic eye, celebrating “Spirit in the Light” as both an artistic achievement and a testament to one of rock’s greatest performers. Fuller’s stories reveal the dedication, timing, and artistry required to create timeless rock and roll photography that captures music’s transformative power. Check out our other shows Music Saved Me hosted by Lynn Hoffman Comedy Saved Me hosted by Lynn Hoffman Takin A Walk Nashville hosted by Sarah Harralson Part of IHeartpodcastsSupport the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.