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"If you give AI tools to 50 engineers without a standardised framework, you don't get 50x productivity. You get 50 different ways of working."Ricardo and I explore the intersection of AI integration and human leadership. Modern leadership demands more than just technical oversight. As organizations rush to integrate artificial intelligence, the biggest hurdle is not the software itself, but the human element within the system.How can we operationalize AI without sacrificing the intelligence and culture that make an organization thrive. Instead of treating AI as a separate project, leaders must embed it into their daily operations. By viewing the process as an endurance challenge—using the mindset, discipline and tenacity similar to endurance running—leaders can create sustainable change. This approach allows teams to experiment, learn, and iterate while maintaining a healthy, high-performing environment.Transformation fatigue happens when organizations lose the ability to evolve due to constant, unaligned change, and when this happens companies often drift to the status quo. To avoid this, Ricardo Arcia suggests that leaders must be deliberate about timing. Not every moment is the right time to push for a total shift of the whole system- small and intentional is the way forward.True transformation requires a framework. Leaders must provide the language, the training, and the environment that allow teams to use these tools in a way that aligns with the overall organizational goals before scaling. one highly effective strategy for scaling AI is the creation of a “Team Zero.” This is an actual, operational team tasked with converting theory into practice. Instead of forcing an entire organization to adopt new tools simultaneously—which often creates chaos—a leader can task one team with finding the most effective ways to use AI in their daily sprints.We must move away from measuring simple outputs, such as lines of code, and move to tracking outcomes and the actual impact on the business. This shift in measurement ensures that the organization remains aligned with ROI goals. If you cannot show the value of your investment, the resources needed for future innovation will disappear.Leading AI transformation (particularly from the inside) is a test of clarity, discipline, and systemic thinking. Leaders who succeed are those who treat their organizations like a living system, prioritizing human intelligence alongside technological advancements. By implementing frameworks, fostering a culture of experimentation, and measuring true impact, leaders can navigate the uncertainty of AI and build a more resilient organization for the future.The main insights you'll get from this episode are :Health, family, work, and hobbies as priorities and a framework to compound incremental gains over time and hone discipline.Carve out time for body and mind daily – not if, but when; involves planning and dedication.Rest and rehabilitation are also important as part of the cycle of execute, measure, and evolve over time – not favoured in corporate environments.Once maturity is achieved within an organisation, it is probably time to reiterate with another transformation in such a fast-moving world. To increase team productivity using the new tools on the market requires transformation to be scaled correctly (i.e. incrementally not wholesale), a holistic system overview, and correct measurement of outcomes.Engineers have a choice to either embrace AI or be replaced; C-suite level must deal with the uncertainty and embrace the new normal.Inconsistent results demand training in a common language around AI and levelling up the way of working for junior and senior employees.Foundational blocks of transformation = training + framework -> iteration in 90-day loops + intentional coaching.In AI, acceleration does not always result in significant gains due to a siloed approach, bottlenecks, and an inability to prove/measure ROI.Orchestration and systems thinking for fluency are required when inserting AI into organisations as it changes the culture. A vision is required for people to feel at ease and get on board; ‘team zero' is a real team of believers who convert theory into practice as a playbook for others.The cognitive leader's role is to intentionally create the environment for transformation and orchestrate scaling.The AI adoption path must be structured and shared – a list of tasks based on an initial assessment can change along the way, e.g. strategic, operational, etc.Senior leaders need to focus on the impact of AI/transformation on the organisation, demonstrate humanity, and have the vision, not the solution.Find out more about Ricardo and his book here https://ricardoarcia.com/bookhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardoarcia/For more information on this episode please visit www.transformforvalue.com/podcastTo carry on developing your leadership and building a relevant & high performing team, connect with me here : https://calendly.com/transformforvalue/connect
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Quick wins can make money.Long-term commitment is what builds something that lasts.In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Paul Alex breaks down why constantly chasing new trends can prevent entrepreneurs from developing the mastery, reputation, and infrastructure required to build an enduring company.Every new opportunity can look exciting.But constantly switching industries, products, or business models resets your progress.Depth comes from staying focused long enough to become exceptional at solving one valuable problem.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why constantly chasing trends can prevent long-term mastery• How sustained focus creates stronger brand reputation and customer loyalty• Why reinvesting into technology, talent, and customer experience strengthens your position• How committing to a long-term objective can create a more durable businessThe truth is simple:Stop rebuilding from zero every time something new becomes popular.Choose the problem worth solving.Commit to becoming exceptional at it.Invest in the systems, people, and experience that make the business stronger year after year.Great companies are not built from constant distraction.They are built through focus that compounds.Pick the mountain.Carve the stone.Build something permanent.Your Network is your NETWORTH!Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhDAD1JyGGzSQUPD9lc9HQLinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you:www.CashSwipe.comFREE Copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold - The New American Dream”www.officialPaulAlex.com
Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Carve the Heart: A Contest Beyond Pumpkins and Prizes Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2026-09-23-22-34-01-es Story Transcript:Es: En una soleada mañana de primavera, el campo brillaba con un verde vibrante.En: On a sunny spring morning, the fields glowed with a vibrant green.Es: El aire estaba lleno del suave aroma de las flores y las calabazas del huerto se alzaban en hileras, firmes y perfectamente redondeadas bajo el sol.En: The air was filled with the gentle aroma of flowers, and the pumpkins in the huerto stood in rows, firm and perfectly rounded under the sun.Es: Abrigados por colinas ondulantes, Santiago, Lucía y Ramón llegaron al huerto de calabazas.En: Sheltered by rolling hills, Santiago, Lucía, and Ramón arrived at the pumpkin huerto.Es: Había llegado el día del esperado concurso de tallado de calabazas.En: The day of the much-anticipated pumpkin carving contest had arrived.Es: Santiago, con una sonrisa juguetona y un brillo competitivo en sus ojos, observaba las herramientas dispuestas sobre la mesa de madera.En: Santiago, with a playful smile and a competitive glint in his eyes, looked at the tools laid out on the wooden table.Es: Su objetivo era claro.En: His goal was clear.Es: Quería impresionar a Lucía con una calabaza tan artística, que él mismo podía imaginar la sorpresa en su rostro.En: He wanted to impress Lucía with such an artistic pumpkin that he could picture the surprise on her face.Es: Lucía, con su encanto natural, charlaba animadamente mientras recogía una calabaza para tallar.En: Lucía, with her natural charm, chatted animatedly while picking up a pumpkin to carve.Es: Pero Santiago no estaba solo en sus intenciones.En: But Santiago was not alone in his intentions.Es: Ramón también tenía sus ojos puestos en Lucía.En: Ramón also had his eyes set on Lucía.Es: Él era hábil, siempre tranquilo y con un talento inesperado para el arte.En: He was skillful, always calm, and with an unexpected talent for art.Es: Cuando el concurso comenzó, Santiago se centró en su plan: un elaborado diseño que había visualizado.En: When the contest began, Santiago focused on his plan: an elaborate design that he had visualized.Es: Quería hacerlo perfecto.En: He wanted to make it perfect.Es: El evento transcurría con risas y bromas.En: The event unfolded with laughter and jokes.Es: Sin embargo, al pasar el tiempo, la atmósfera divertida se volvió más seria.En: However, as time passed, the fun atmosphere became more serious.Es: Santiago miraba de reojo a Ramón, quien trabajaba en silencio pero con precisión.En: Santiago glanced at Ramón, who worked silently but with precision.Es: Las calabazas de ambos iban tomando forma, y la competencia se volvió intensa.En: Both of their pumpkins were taking shape, and the competition became intense.Es: Santiago, decidido a no dejarse vencer, eligió un diseño complejo.En: Santiago, determined not to be defeated, chose a complex design.Es: Sin embargo, el tiempo era su enemigo.En: However, time was his enemy.Es: Mientras Ramón avanzaba rápido y seguro, Santiago notaba que los minutos pasaban demasiado rápido.En: While Ramón advanced quickly and confidently, Santiago noticed that the minutes were passing too swiftly.Es: Pero él no se dio por vencido.En: But he did not give up.Es: Sabía que, aunque no terminara completamente, su calabaza podía aún encantar a los jueces por su creatividad.En: He knew that even if he didn't finish completely, his pumpkin could still charm the judges with its creativity.Es: El reloj marcó el final.En: The clock struck the end.Es: Santiago y Ramón se apresuraron a terminar los últimos detalles.En: Santiago and Ramón hurried to finish the final details.Es: Las calabazas fueron llevadas a la mesa de los jueces mientras Lucía, expectante, echaba un vistazo curioso por encima.En: The pumpkins were brought to the judges' table while Lucía, expectantly, took a curious peek over.Es: Finalmente, los jueces se acercaron para observar las obras de cada concursante.En: Finally, the judges came close to observe each contestant's work.Es: La calabaza de Santiago, aunque no tan pulida ni terminada como la de Ramón, tenía algo especial: un diseño único lleno de imaginación.En: Santiago's pumpkin, although not as polished or finished as Ramón's, had something special: a unique design filled with imagination.Es: Su extravagancia y pequeño sentido del humor dibujaron sonrisas en muchos rostros.En: Its extravagance and slight sense of humor drew smiles on many faces.Es: Cuando el anuncio del ganador resonó en el aire, fue el trabajo de Santiago el que conquistó el corazón de los jueces y de Lucía.En: When the announcement of the winner resonated in the air, it was Santiago's work that captured the hearts of the judges and Lucía.Es: Ella se acercó a él, sonriendo, admirando el esfuerzo y la creatividad que había puesto en su calabaza.En: She approached him, smiling, admiring the effort and creativity he had put into his pumpkin.Es: Santiago aprendió ese día algo más valioso que la victoria.En: Santiago learned that day something more valuable than victory.Es: No siempre la perfección es la clave para impresionar; el esfuerzo sincero y la creatividad pueden tener un impacto más profundo.En: Perfection is not always the key to impress; sincere effort and creativity can have a deeper impact.Es: Lucía, dicha por el resultado, lo abrazó agradecida por el entorno colorido y divertido que ambos habían compartido.En: Lucía, pleased with the outcome, hugged him, grateful for the colorful and fun environment they had both shared.Es: En medio del aroma de las flores y el resplandor del campo, Santiago comprendió que había logrado algo más que ganar la competencia.En: Amid the scent of flowers and the glow of the fields, Santiago realized he had achieved more than winning the competition.Es: Había roto el hielo de su inseguridad, conquistado la atención de Lucía, y, entre risas y calabazas, iniciado una conexión aún más especial.En: He had broken the ice of his insecurity, captured Lucía's attention, and, among laughter and pumpkins, started an even more special connection. Vocabulary Words:the field: el campothe aroma: el aromathe pumpkin: la calabazathe hill: la colinaanticipated: esperadothe contest: el concursoplayful: juguetonacompetitive: competitivothe tool: la herramientato impress: impresionarintentions: intencionesskillful: hábilelaborate: elaboradothe atmosphere: la atmósferaprecision: precisiónto take shape: tomar formaintense: intensocomplex: complejoto advance: avanzarconfidently: seguroto finish: terminarthe detail: el detallethe judge: el juezexpectantly: expectanteintrinsic: intrínsecoextravagance: extravaganciaannouncement: anuncioto resonate: resonarthe victory: la victoriaperfection: perfección
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Damon Bruce Plus: Warriors, 49ers, Giants, A’s Bay Area Sports Talk
The Dolphins are not ready for this. Full stop.
Change is inevitable, but how we lead people through change can make all the difference. Creating connection doesn't mean having all the answers or making every difficult situation easier, it means creating an environment where people feel seen and heard, while still providing the clarity, consistency, and direction teams expect from their leaders. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features Paula Horwitz, VP of Event Management, FCCS and Jessica Yaffa, internationally-recognized healthy relationships expert, speaker, trainer, and relationship coach. Together they discuss the power of connection, how leaders can help employees, customers, and communities navigate uncertainty while still moving the organization forward. Episode Insights Include: Common change misconceptions Misconception #1- Only positive change can make a real difference. All change matters and requires us to create a space for what is lost and what is gained. Misconception #2- Acknowledging what is hard will make a situation feel even heavier. Talking about hard things can actually make hard things feel easier. Misconception #3- Demonstrating vulnerability leads to a loss of credibility. Research shows that leaders who are able to acknowledge their limitations lead employees to feel more seen and valued. Lessons learned from Ted Lasso Acknowledge what you don't know. Ask for support from others. Support others in feeling valued and listened to. Acknowledge when you are struggling without blaming others. Create space for others to struggle. Treat vulnerability as a connector. Pivot with vulnerability in mind Lean into opportunities to acknowledge common hard times. Create space for others to share their feelings. Remind your team that you are all in this together. Leaders need to help others feel seen, heard, and understood. Communication tools for stressful times Carve out one-minute connection check-ins with your team members. Recall team members' recent experiences that you can follow up on. Ask "How can I support you?" Walk the walk and talk the talk through your example. Consider what must be communicated to provide transparency. Authentic ownership of leadership decisions Leaders need to balance vulnerability and transparency with upholding organizational principles and company expectations. State the connection facts first, followed by the new information. "I appreciate that we are already spread thin, and this is what is now expected of us." Allow time for team concerns before moving on to solutions. Clearly state whether you are seeking consensus and ideas or simply allowing for feelings to be shared. Set clear expectations to more productively interact with your team. Behaviors of trusted leaders Influential leaders are more powerful when they carefully handle the things that don't go well. Show up in ways that make it clear that you are taking care of yourself and ready to support others. Acknowledge your shortcomings and move forward accordingly. Connective language creates trusted, reliable, compassionate leaders that people feel motivated to follow. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Jessica Yaffa – Jessica Yaffa Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com "All change requires us to create a space for what is lost and what is gained." — Jessica Yaffa "Leading with vulnerability is one of the greatest ways to gain and maintain trust with those around us." — Jessica Yaffa "Connection language creates trusted, reliable, compassionate leaders that people feel motivated to follow." — Jessica Yaffa
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A pair of high profile clinical setbacks has wiped out more than $40 billion in market cap for Novartis, most of which stemmed from the Phase III miss of antisense oligonucleotide therapy pelacarsen. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury's analysts unpack the fallout for Lp(a) as a cardio target and whether issues with the target, modality or treatment setting contributed to the therapy's lack of efficacy. The analysts also review BioCentury's annual big pharma deals analysis, which found industry's largest players leaning into disruptive platforms such as bispecifics, in vivo CAR Ts, siRNAs, and degraders. In Washington, Steve Usdin reports on most-favored nation drug pricing carve-outs and policy pressure on mid-tier biotechs – plus the conspicuous lack of U.S. biotechs coming to the table -- pays tribute to the late Peter Barton Hutt, the former FDA Chief Counsel who shaped foundational elements of modern FDA law.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/660746 #CardiovascularDisease #DrugPricing #BiotechMA #ClinicalTrials #FDA 0:00 - Introduction 1:23 - Novartis Phase III Fallout18:24 - Annual Pharma Deals Analysis27:42 - MFN Carve-Outs32:39 - Remembering Peter Barton HuttTo submit a question to BioCentury's editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text
Carve-outs haben immer eine IT-Struktur – doch nicht immer die gewünschte. Da die abgespaltenen Unternehmen aber oft keine Ertragsperlen sind, sind Zeit und Geld knapp. Wie gehen Finanzinvestoren das Thema konsequent und pragmatisch an – und welche Konflikte können zwischen IT-Experten und Deal Captain entstehen? Darüber sprechen wir in dieser Episode.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You're invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants. Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat ---------------------------------------------- Connect with Fiona LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fmlyoung/ Website: https://joincarve.com/ ---------------------------------------------- In this episode, I sit down with Fiona Young, founder of Carve and an absolute trailblazer in bringing AI superpowers to EAs. We dive deep into the evolution of the EA role and how AI is fundamentally reshaping not just the tasks we do, but the very possibilities for what our careers can become. Whether you're just getting curious about AI or you're eager to elevate your workflow (and your impact), this conversation is packed with real-life examples, practical frameworks, and inspiring stories to help you leverage AI intentionally and strategically. In this episode, you will discover: A powerful 3-level adoption framework for how EAs can integrate AI into their roles, from first steps to total transformation. How using AI can shift your day-to-day from repetitive tasks to high-impact, strategic work Real-world stories of EAs using AI to save time, add greater value to their executives, and create bandwidth for both professional growth and personal balance. ----------------------------------------------Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here. ----------------------------------------------Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening. Stay Connected: Snag your free strategic planning session guide. Visit the website. Follow me on LinkedIn. Send me an email: annie@wholeassistant.com
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https://directtoconsumer.typeform.com/DTC-Brand?utm_source=podcast-640&utm_medium=podcastTo Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupHannah Fleming runs performance marketing at Carve Designs (carvedesigns.com), the Northern California swim and apparel brand founded in 2003 and acquired by Komar Brands in December 2025. Before Carve she spent years at Amer Sports on the digital team behind Salomon, Atomic, Suunto, Arc'teryx and Wilson.If you run retention or growth at a brand with a seasonal core product and a loyal base you have not fully mined, this one is for you.What's inside:The retention rebuild: what was already working at Carve after 20 years, and the one thing they were not doing with their customer dataMapping the full customer journey in Figma, then finding the gaps where nobody was talking to the customer and the places where they were talking too muchRFM segmentation as the floor, then layering category purchase behavior on top to move a swim buyer into denimThe cohort analysis that changed the media mix: dresses and accessories produced the highest-LTV customers, so those categories now lead the creative and seed the look-alikesDirect mail as a performance channel: 5 to 6 catalogs a year to prospects and past buyers, plus programmatic postcards that only drop if the email win-back does not convertEmployee-generated content, and how one test turned into a full content pipeline with the organic social team shooting UGC-style video on the catalog shootsConnected TV without a commercial budget: an agency turns UGC and EGC into the spot, the founder does the voiceover, and success is measured on cost per site visit with MMM picking up the Amazon haloLoyalty built on early access and product feedback instead of percent-off, with roughly 2x the LTV of a non-memberQ4 without heavy discounting: point multipliers and added value inside the tentpole momentsWhat she is using AI for right now, from LTV dashboards in Moby 2 to Orita surfacing customers when they are most likely to buyWho this is for: retention and lifecycle leads, growth marketers at seasonal brands, and operators who moved from a big portfolio company to an SMB.What to steal: run LTV by first-purchase category before you plan next season's creative mix. And give partnership content 6 to 12 months before you call it. Hannah says that is how long it took at Carve before influencer content started working.Follow Hannah: LinkedIn, Hannah Fleming | carvedesigns.comTimestamps:00:00 Building Loyalty Beyond Discounts05:00 Using Customer Segmentation for Retention10:00 Direct Mail as a Performance Channel16:00 Building a High-Value Loyalty Program24:00 Testing Direct Mail and Connected TVSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
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In today’s episode, Ben O’Shea unpacks the first interview given by accused Thai teen murderer Simon Peter Carman. Plus, PM Anthony Albanese’s HUGE GST promise to WA & an alleged Tinder rapist faces court.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to social media's office!!
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Don't delay. Learn how to set aside the time to get closer to success today. #ThePitch #INICIVOX #VirtualMentorship
Have you been feeling grayed out lately? Numbed up? Like you're going through the motions of your own life but no longer quite feel like yourself? What if that slow, quiet malaise isn't something you have to live with, and what if healing it doesn't require years of work, but simply showing up in the right room, at the right frequency, with the right people? Michael steps outside his usual format to do something he's never done on air before: bring the audience directly into a live group energy healing experience, the same kind of work that's produced what participants are calling miraculous results in his Come Back to Life summer program. From a guided "wall" visualization for shattering limiting beliefs to a full live attunement, this episode is part teaching, part experiential healing session, and part invitation into a small, intimate fall program built entirely around this same energy. This isn't about hoping for a slow, gradual improvement someday. This is about stepping directly into a healing bubble together, right now, and discovering just how much can shift in a single sacred hour. Key Topics: Why the most overlooked kind of healing isn't physical; it's the slow, gray malaise of feeling numbed out and disconnected from your own aliveness. The science behind group healing: Lynne McTaggart's research in The Power of Eight, showing that when a group prays or sets intention for one person, spontaneous healings ripple outward to others in the circle as well. A live group healing circle at Michael's Vermont "mirror pool," setting both a collective healing intention and a deeply personal one for each listener. Why it's essential to ask boldly for what you truly want - not the small, safe version, but the real desire sitting underneath, whether that's physical healing, freedom, abundance, or a life partner. The "wall" visualization: carving your intention into an immovable wall with a magic pen of golden light, then leaping, springs on your feet and all, to the other side, into the life already realized. Why a single anchor word (Michael uses "yes") can instantly return you to a felt sense of your desired future, the same way scent or a hotel key code unlocks something instantly. The origin story of Come Back to Life: how Michael's summer experiment in group energetic healing led to reported miracles - including reduced A1C, resolved back pain, phantom limb pain disappearing, and people coming off pain medication entirely. You don't need to wait for permission to come back to life. The wall you think is holding you back - the diagnosis, the doubt, the "you're too old" or "you'll never", was never as solid as it seemed. Carve your intention into it, leap to the other side, and remember: you are not broken and waiting to be fixed. You are a divine being already whole, simply waiting to reconnect with your own true, healed essence.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
commanders carve up dolphins
I surfed a new spot in...Palm Desert? And it's my new favorite break.Before opening, I was lucky enough to be invited out by @beachstreetsurf to test shred all the various wave types that @dsrtsurf has to offer, before they officially open to the public very soon. From turns and carves to draining pits, and even a bit of longboarding in there - DSRT Surf really has everything a surfer wants.Backing up - Southern California very recently (Summer 2026) got a new 5.5-acre @WavegardenOfficial surf lagoon that now stands as the largest Wavegarden Cove in North America. Powered by an expansive 52-module wave generator, the facility can pump out up to 1,000 waves per hour.Located in Palm Desert, CA alongside the already existing Desert Willow Golf Resort, it features a ‘twice the length' of lagoon compared to @AtlanticParkSurf , which is insane. This helps the inside bay act more as a whitewater zone for beginners - and also makes the wave itself a bit more powerful and longer.Unique to DSRT Surf too is the lagoon's bottom. It features a cushioned surface, one that I've never seen before, and that really helps when you hit the bottom on a bail. Compared to other surf lagoons with cement floors, this really changes the game and creates a much safer experience for both experienced and beginner surfers.Now, no shade to my other fave lagoon in North America - Atlantic Park - https://youtu.be/jrv6LyZK4Ow?si=05pDUwBQkyenoukwFilmmakers:Lachlan Mckinnon aka Mister Clips - On Land & In Water Footage https://www.instagram.com/misterrclips/https://www.mandiribeach.comTime Kuratek - Drone Videographyhttps://www.timothykuratek.comhttps://www.instagram.com/kuratekphotoBoard wise, they had an epic fleet of trusty @LostSurfboardsNetwork surfboards there, and I brought my quiver of @firewiresurfboards and @surfnvs fins. Can you guess which surfboard (and surf fins) performed best at DSRT Surf? Watch to find out.Wave Types at DSRT Surf:Beginner Session - Designed for first-time surfers and those building confidence in the water, our beginner sessions are all about accessibility, fun, and progression. These waves are softer, more forgiving, and intentionally designed to help riders focus on the fundamentals, from pop-ups and balance to timing and confidence on the face of the wave.Intermediate Session -Built for surfers who are comfortable catching and riding waves, our intermediate sessions are designed to help riders progress with more confidence, flow, and control.High Performance Session - Built for high-performance surfing, these sessions are designed around speed, power, and more critical wave outcomes.bLearn more about DSRT Surf at https://www.dsrtsurf.comAtlantic Park lagoon - https://atlanticparksurf.com/Timestamps:00:00 - Intro to DSRT Surf 00:57 - DSRT Surf Highlight Reel03:30 - Best Surfboard and Fins for DSRT Surf?04:40 - Barrels & Tube Waves (High Performance Session) at DSRT Surf 09:54 - Super Session at DSRT Surf with Josh Kerr, Ian Walsh & Luke Walsh11:54 - Longboard Waves (Beginner Session) at DSRT Surf13:05 - Turn & Carve Waves (Intermediate Session) at DSRT Surf14:00 - Firewire Revo Max in the Surf Lagoon14:36 - Firewire Machadocado with NVS AM Comp Fins in the Surf Lagoon15:00 - Turn & Carve to Barrels Wave (High Performance Session) at DSRT Surf17:27 - Bring a Top lol - Weather & Water Temps at DSRT Surf18:20 - Unique Cushioned Bottom of DSRT Surf is a Gamechanger18:25 - Outro to the DSRT Surf Review Support me on my Amazon Creator's Hubhttps://www.amazon.com/shop/travisvargafilms?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_KHE6SSXSGE2C2FFHTYZTAs an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases on the links in the description. #dsrtsurf #surfing #dsrt #wavegarden #dsrtsurfreview #surfers #atlanticpark #machadocado #surflagoon #dsrtsurflagoon #surfreport #nakedvikingsurf #palmdesert #desertwillow #indonesia
Carve outs and spinoffs are only becoming more common in the corporate transaction space, forcing companies to reckon with the challenge of shared technology. The main pitfalls lie in how rights to data and other software intellectual property services should be divided between a parent company and newly spun-off subsidiary, leaving open the potential for knowledge and scale gaps.As Partner Stephen Gillespie explains to co-host Jekkie Kim on this episode of In the Public Interest, mitigating risk when facing these shared technology problems is crucial for avoiding complicated and costly divesture negotiations. He shares the importance of approaching these transactions with a cross-functional team that has the knowledge to identify all shared technology and software intellectual property, and why he expects the market for carve outs to continue heating up in the coming years.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode hosts Donna Palumbo and Tom Nightingale welcome Joe Cubellis, Partner and Managing Director at AlixPartners. With over two decades of experience spanning both industry and consulting, Joe provides a masterclass in supply chain execution and strategic resilience. The conversation dives deep into the "perpetual disruption" state of modern logistics, where Joe argues that companies must learn to metabolize volatility rather than wait for a calm that may never come. He shares critical insights on why most "control towers" fail due to a lack of executive accountability and how distributors can truly create value through disciplined GMROI management. Joe also explores the hidden traps of complex M&A carve-outs and the importance of structured price pass-throughs in inflationary environments. Whether you are a seasoned operator or a rising professional, Joe's "practical operator" mindset offers a clear roadmap for driving results when they aren't optional. Takeaways: Metabolizing Disruption: Why resilience must be a design plan rather than a heroic act. Control Towers vs. Dashboards: The critical role of executive ownership and accountability in taking decisive action. M&A and Carve-out Traps: Identifying hidden dependencies like procurement leverage and institutional knowledge. The "Practical Operator" Philosophy: The value of simplifying complex problems into actionable bullet points. Stay connected with CSCR on LinkedIn (Center for Supply Chain Research) and Instagram (@pennstatesupplychain), and be sure to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are tuning into Unpacked: Insights hosted by the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research™. Thank you for joining us! Visit our website: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr Guest Bio: Joe has ~23 years of broad-based experience in P&L leadership, operations, supply chain and carve-out/M&A in roles with increasing functional and P&L responsibility in both industry and consulting prior to joining AlixPartners. He applies his hands on business experience as a leader in the Performance and Technology Practice for AlixPartners. Joe can often be heard telling his teams “If you can't explain it in a few bullet points, it is too complicated”. Having “sat in the seat” for many years in industry, Joe has experienced similar challenges to his clients and has a passion for creating clarify in the face of the complicated problems they face. Joe has held many functional roles for wholesale distributors including overall P&L leadership and he now translates that experience to value delivery for distributors across their value chains as a cross-industry expert with AlixPartners. He has deep experience in M&A, participating in several transactions while in industry and leading multiple complex M&A engagements for transportation and logistics clients. Joe brings a P&L owner mindset, strong bias for action, and a proven track record in delivering strong operating and financial results to his clients. Joe has a BS in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from Penn State and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon.
2026 is being called "the year of the carve-out." Why are carve-outs so popular right now, and what makes such deals successful? Join Steve Odland and guest Steve Sapletal, Principal, U.S. Transcation Strategy Practive Leader, KPMG, US, to learn about how to conduct successful carve-outs, why stranded costs can be an overlooked concern, and why you need a business continuity plan as the carve-out is underway. For more from The Conference Board: · From Strategy to Value: Building a Proactive Approach to Divestment & Carve Outs · 2026 M&A Summit - San Francisco · Mergers & Acquisitions Executives Council
Less than a week after signing the new Massachusetts budget, Gov. Maura Healey filed a supplemental budget seeking an additional $100 million for public schools this year.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Leave an Amazon Rating or Review for my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Check out the full episode: https://greatness.lnk.to/1452DM Zane Lowe, the renowned music curator and radio host, shares his journey of carving a unique path to success. Lowe dives deep into the challenges and triumphs of forging his own way in the competitive music industry. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and not being swayed by the conventional norms. Lowe's insights are not just about music but also about life, highlighting the power of passion, dedication, and self-belief in achieving one's dreams. Sign up for the Greatness newsletter! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Success doesn't have to mean “big.” Shape your business to fit your own vision and happiness, not someone else's expectations.Glenn Harper and Julie Smith discuss the age-old question: is bigger always better when it comes to business?As they talk about the pressures entrepreneurs face to constantly scale and grow, Glenn Harper and Julie Smith explore why some of the best businesses intentionally stay small — focusing on profitability, purpose, and personal satisfaction over sheer size.Together, they uncover the importance of quiet reflection, defining your own vision for success, and tuning out the noise from social media and peers.Whether you dream of running a multinational company or a boutique operation, this episode will help you clarify your goals and find fulfillment on your entrepreneurial journey.Here are 3 key takeaways for any business leader considering their next move:Define Your Own Success - Don't let external noise dictate your goals. Ask yourself what truly makes you happy and fulfilled in your business (03:00). Is it maximizing profits, impacting more clients, or maintaining flexibility and control?Intentional Planning is Essential - Growth for growth's sake isn't always the answer. Carve out quiet time away from daily tasks (preferably on a mountain, according to Glenn Harper!) to reflect on the future you want and map a path to get there (02:19).Scaling Requires Support - If growth is your goal, don't go at it alone. Building a great team or hiring experienced consultants can make scaling more manageable and successful (01:31; 04:04).This episode is brought to you by PureTax, LLC. Tax preparation services without the pressure. When all you need is to get your tax return done, take the stress out of tax season by working with a firm that has simplified the process and the pricing. Find out more about how we started.FAQ'sIs it better for a business to stay small or try to scale up?Glenn Harper and Julie Smith discuss that "better" depends on the entrepreneur's vision and goals. Some find more satisfaction and profitability by staying small, while others thrive by scaling up and building large teams 00:33 01:58. Ultimately, choosing the right path means assessing personal happiness and business objectives rather than blindly following growth trends.How can entrepreneurs decide what size they want their business to be?Glenn Harper recommends entrepreneurs spend quiet, uninterrupted time away from daily tasks to reflect deeply on what makes them happy and what they truly want their business to be 02:19 02:50. By tuning out outside noise and societal expectations, they can clarify their own definitions of success before committing to growth or staying small.What steps should business owners take before scaling their company?Before scaling, Glenn Harper suggests entrepreneurs clarify their vision, assemble the right team, and seek guidance from experienced consultants 01:26 04:04. He emphasizes that attempting to scale alone is very difficult, so learning from others can dramatically improve the process.Running a business doesn't have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it's easy to be so busy ‘doing' business that you don't have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Glenn Harper, CPA, is the Owner and Managing Partner of Harper & Company CPAs Plus, a top 10 Managing Partner in the country (Accounting Today's 2022 MP Elite). His firm won the 2021 Luca Award for Firm of the Year. An entrepreneur and speaker, Glenn transformed his firm into an advisory-focused practice, doubling revenue and profit in two years. He teaches entrepreneurs to build financial and operational excellence, speaks nationwide to CPA firm owners about running their businesses like entrepreneurs, and consults with firms across the country. Glenn enjoys golfing, fishing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.Julie Smith, MBA, is a serial entrepreneur in the public accounting space. She is the Founder of EmpowerCPA™, Founder of PureTax, LLC, COO for Harper & Company CPAs Plus, and Co-host of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast. Named CPA.com's 2021 Innovative Practitioner of Year, Julie led Harper & Company's transition to an advisory-focused firm, doubling revenue and profit in two years. She now empowers other CPA firm owners nationwide through consulting and speaking, teaching them how to run their businesses like entrepreneurs. Julie lives in Columbus, OH with her family and enjoys travel, coaching basketball, sporting events, and the occasional shopping spree.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/Copyright 2026 Glenn HarperMentioned in this episode:Brought to you by Harper & Company CPAs PlusRunning a business takes vision, grit… and the right financial partner. At Harper & Company CPAs Plus, we don't just crunch numbers—we empower entrepreneurs. From proactive tax strategy and accounting to business advisory services, our team helps you keep more of what you earn and scale with confidence. Whether you're launching, growing, or preparing for exit, Harper & Company is in your corner with expert guidance built for business owners like you. Visit www.harpercpaplus.com to book a complimentary discovery call today - or call us at 614-456-7222. Brought to you by Harper & Company CPAs Plus
Megan Porteous is the Chief Revenue Officer at Carve Designs, a beach lifestyle brand creating surf-inspired apparel for women. Megan traces her career back to D1 volleyball, which led her to work at Oakley as Global Sports Marketing Manager and continues to inform her leadership approach today. After 6 years at Oakley, Megan followed her curiosity and passion to new opportunities at Amer Sports and Reef, where she cultivated deep experience in brand and digital leadership, leading growth and implementing strategy across e-commerce, wholesale, and marketplace channels. Megan and Roy get into her leadership and hiring playbook, the current opportunities and challenges facing CROs today, and more. Highlights from our conversation include: - How Megan's background as a college athlete informed her early career experiences (2:05) - Why Megan left her dream job at Oakley (4:00) - The evolution of her leadership playbook (6:10) - How she approaches stretch projects with her team (8:42) - What Megan looks for in a leader (10:24) - Cultivating healthy team culture (12:45) - Making the most of her team's in-person time together (13:50) - How the CRO role differs from past roles (16:00) - What her team structure looks like at Carve (18:12) - How Megan stays up on opportunities and tools in the digital marketing, brand, and e-commerce space (22:16) - Balancing brand and performance marketing (24:06) - Megan's advice for emerging leaders (28:46)
Jesus Followers Must Carve Out Quiet Times to Listen for the Holy Spirit Who Speaks to Us in His “still small voice” MESSAGE SUMMARY: God will speak to you, but you must learn to listen for Him. Learning to listen for and to God requires focused and "in-tune" listening in combination with a filter for all the in-life clutter that your lifestyles and culture create. As Paul tells us in Romans 10:17, followers of Jesus must listen and hear the Word from the Lord: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.". You are going all the time with stimuli from many different sources – how can God speak or be heard, in a still small voice, through all your noise? To hear and listen for God, "lengthy times in silence and solitude" with the Lord are needed. Times of quiet prayer with God permits the noise and clutter get taken away. Again, in Psalm 141:1, the Psalmist admonishes us to call upon the Lord and to listen for God's Word: “LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!". TODAY'S PRAYER: Abba Father, I admit that I am often afraid and embarrassed to openly tell you all that is going on inside me — even though I know you know it all anyway. Teach me what boldness in prayer looks like as I draw near your throne of grace. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 112). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Exodus 19:5; Daniel 9:9-14; John 10:2-16; Psalms 106a:1-12 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
In this week's episode, we share nine tips and tricks to help indie authors manage their files. Since I now have 174 novels, file management has become important! This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store: JULYSKULL The coupon code is valid through July 27, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 311 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is July 10th, 2026. Today we are discussing file management tips for indie authors. Before we get into that, we'll have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. First up, let's do Coupon of the Week. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is JULYSKULL. As always, the coupon code and the links to the appropriate pages in my Payhip store will be available in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code is valid through July the 27th, 2026. So if you need a new ebook for this summer, we have got you covered. Now let's have an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. As I mentioned last week, Blade of Thieves is now out. You can get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Smashwords, Bookshop.org, and my own Payhip store. It is selling well and people seem to be enjoying it, so thank you all for that. Now that Blade of Thieves is out, my next main project is Cloak of Frost, which will be the 15th book in the Cloak Mage urban fantasy series. As of this recording, I am 52,000 words into it. I'm thinking the rough draft will be about 100,000 words. So if all goes well, I hope to have the book out in August. My secondary project is Blade of Visions, the sequel to Blade of Thieves, and I am 4,000 words into that. Once Cloak of Frost is finished, Blade of Visions will become my new main project. In audiobook news, recording is done for Dragon-Mage, the sixth book in the Rivah series, and that will be excellently narrated by Leanne Woodward. I just have to proof/listen to that and then we can submit it to QA and then it should be showing up on the audiobook stories in a few weeks. Recording has started on Cloak of Worlds, which will be [recorded by] Hollis McCarthy, and Blade of Thieves, which will be [recorded by] Brad Wills. So look for more news and updates about that in the coming weeks. So that is where I'm at with current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. 00:02:16 Main Topic of the Week: File Organization for Writers So let's move on to our main topic this week, file organization tips for writers. One of the inspirations for this episode was an episode of the sitcom Community, which is quite funny. In the episode, the college is making a movie based on a legal loophole because they have some archival footage of a suddenly popular actor. One of the characters, Jeff, becomes concerned that people aren't treating the movie as seriously as they would deserve. So he steals the laptop with the movie and sets out to edit it himself. However, Jeff doesn't know anything about editing a movie, so he watches a YouTube tutorial about how to edit videos. The first lesson is "Step 1: How to properly organize your files." Jeff rages that no, he just wants to learn how to edit movies. While realizing that proper file organization is vital in the age of digital video editing, maintaining a good file structure isn't quite as rigid for authors and writers as it would be for video editors. However, even though many people consider file structure to be old-fashioned or pointless in the age of Google Docs and AI, in my years working in IT, I found that people wasted many hours trying to find files unnecessarily. For example, I always flinch a little bit when I see someone whose desktop is just a wall of misplaced icons and thousands of documents stacked upon each other. I used to do tech support for someone who had the most amazing gift for the most unhelpful and un-useful file names, often with misspelled words. He would get very frustrated and angry that he couldn't find anything because he hadn't labeled files properly with good file names. Better file structures and file naming conventions would have saved them all that stress and time. It's not wise to have all your files stacked up on your desktop and hope for the best. As you grow as a writer, files suddenly become much more complicated than one single draft in a word processing file. There needs to be organization for audiobook files, cover art, marketing materials, research, and much more. Blade of Thieves was my 174th book. So if you think about it, that means I have 174 separate book files on my computer. Many of them have audiobooks. They all have cover art. The audiobooks have cover art, to say nothing of the hundreds of short stories I've written and all of that needs to be organized properly so I can find it when I need it to. So today we're going to talk about setting up and organizing file structures for your writing work. First of all, what do I mean by file structures? In traditional computing, files like Word documents and Excel spreadsheets are organized in folders. How you navigate through the folder structure on your computer or server to find the files is called a path. Much like with a real path on a hiking trail, you want the path to find a file in a folder to be as clear from junk and confusion as possible. Good file and folder naming is like setting up signs on that hiking trail to help you find the way. Setting up your folders and files correctly makes them easier to use, find, and share with others. So let's go through some tips on how to properly organize your writing files and save yourself much stress and hassle of trying to find things. #1: Make a plan before you begin. Instead of borrowing someone else's file structure, take some time to think about how you use your writing files every day. Do you have a lot of project files for each book like book research, cover ideas, mood boards, and so on? Do you do most of your writing collaboratively? Think about your working style, the amount of files you have, and what kind of files you have that need organizing. It helps to plan for flexibility and growth in the future as the amount of files you have grows. For example, if someone currently runs only ads on Amazon but wants to add other companies like Facebook or BookBub, it'd be messier to add files from those projects if everything in their advertising folder was all Amazon documents with no sub-folder for Amazon. Making an Amazon sub-folder right away in your advertising folder prevents confusion as you start to add other companies into your advertising strategy. What you design should be realistic and as simple to use as possible. Are you someone who makes grand and complicated plans, but then sees them fall by the wayside after a couple of weeks? Many people are. Good organization is something where it's easy to let the perfect be the enemy of the possible. If you design overly complicated file and folder structures and naming conventions that you can't remember without a 20-page guide, you're not very likely to keep up with it. It's better to make something simple that it's easy to remember. Carve out the time to do this with your full attention instead of trying to do it in bits and pieces on the fly. It may take anywhere from an hour to days, depending on how many writing files you have. At the very least, set up the initial folders in one chunk of time so the organization is in place before you start moving files around. #2: Clean up before you start organizing. Get rid of duplicate and obsolete files before starting to organize other files. It will save time and make the process easier. #3: File structure is supported by good naming. Versions and drafts should be numbered to find the most recent one. Be specific. "Second draft" or "Volume one" without a book title isn't helpful if there are multiple books with that name across multiple folders. If you are using dates, be sure to include day, month, and year because in 10 years, "March ads" is not going to make much sense without the context of a year. Be consistent in how you order month, date, and year in a file because being inconsistent with it could make for mixed up dates. #4: Version control. "Rough draft THIS ONE" is not a good name to indicate that this is the latest draft and never use "final" as part of a draft or project name until it's well and truly done. On both Windows, Mac, and Linux, you get 256 characters for file names and it's a good idea to use them to be as descriptive as possible in your file names. #5: Be consistent. Don't make a folder called "Fix These File Names Later" because guess what? That date won't come. In the meantime, you'll probably get annoyed trying to find one of those files that don't have a correct name. If you're struggling with remembering to use your folder and file names, either make yourself a one-page reminder guide or take it as a sign that you might have made your structure and naming conventions too complicated. Remember that simpler is always better. #6: Document it. As with so many areas of life, proper documentation will help you remember something in the future. Write out how your folders are going to be structured, what style and formatting you will use to name the folders and files, and give yourselves some examples to jog your memory. If you're sharing the files and folders with others, make sure to share documentation with them and go over the system with them. That will save much time later since you won't have to spend so much time explaining to people where to find things in your file structure. #7: Decluttering isn't just for your college t-shirts. Schedule a regular time monthly or quarterly to declutter and fix anything in your file structure that isn't working or isn't consistent or correct. Much like organizing a drawer of shirts, things will only stay in order if you keep up with putting in and taking things out using your system. #8: It should fix, not create problems. Your first attempt at file organization may not work once you've added more files or tried it out for a while. Reflect on what is causing problems, what you would like your system to be able to do, and what you dislike about your current system. Train others who will use it. For example, differences in month/[day]/year naming conventions between countries can lead to incorrect dates if it isn't clear what date style is being used. Abbreviations should be standard to prevent confusion. For example, United States state abbreviations could follow the US Postal Service Conventions instead of writing your own abbreviations. MN would be Minnesota instead of M-I-N-N or M-I-N-N-E-S. (Though this can cause a confusion if you're not accustomed to them since, for example, in the postal codes, people often get Missouri and Minnesota mixed up.) Tip #9: Sharing isn't always caring. You can set up password protection on folders and files you don't want to share with others, especially if you're in a shared storage space. Read-only access is a way to share documents with others without worrying about them changing the files. For example, I have read-only access set for my book files so that someone working on my series bibles can download them without editing or changing the files themselves. So instead of having to make extra folders and files that are safe for someone to use without changing, I just set read-only access to those files [for that user]. Now let's take a look at some pros and cons of some typical structures. I'm going to provide examples of three possible folder structures you could use for writing and give you some of the pros and cons for each. #1: Organizing by date. In this system, the year is the first file and more specific files like quarters and months are sub-folders. This system might work best if you write based on challenges or projects such as National Novel Writing Month where each year is its own project. If you're taking writing courses, organizing by date and then by semester or course also would make sense for many people. For many writers, however, this could be a difficult way to organize because then you have to remember what year each book was written and many books are written across several years or months. If you're sharing the files with others, then you have to give them information on the history of each book project so they know which folder dates to look at, which creates extra work and most likely confusion. Like for example, off the top of my head, I could tell you that Ghost in the Forge is the sixth book in the Ghost series. However, I couldn't remember what year or month it was written in. I think it would be 2012, maybe February of 2012, but I would not be able to confirm that without looking it up, which would mean trying to find the file for Ghost in the Forge if I needed it would be a bit of a challenge. #2: Organizing by book. In this system, each book has its own folder and then other aspects like drafts, marketing materials, research, and covers are subfolders. If you don't have a large volume of books and don't have many writing adjacent activity files like research and advertising and don't share files with others, often this is a pretty straightforward way to organize your writing files. #3: Organizing by project type. In this system, the type of project is the main subfolder and sub-folders such as the books, marketing materials, covers, and series bibles would be in folders instead of being organized by individual books. For example, there would be a folder for marketing images. Instagram would be a sub-folder, and then there would be sub-folders in that folder for specific images and ads or individual books. If you have a lot of marketing images, that can be easier than trying to remember what image was for a certain book. This file organization system is more complex than just organizing by book and could be hard to keep up without some dedication. It might be unnecessarily complex for someone who only has a handful of books and only a small amount of files. As your writing adjacent activities like marketing and social media grow, it can be easier to organize this way than just by individual books. It's also much easier to share folders in a granular way using this method. For example, if you hire an assistant to help with social media posts, you can give them access to the social media marketing folders without having to give them access to the folders that have the book files and drafts in them. Now, what do I do for my own file organization system? Now, my system has partly been thought out and partly developed organically over the 15 years I've been doing this. And I found for me, since I've written so many books and series, that the best organizational principle is to run by series. My rough drafts are not super organized because once I am done with the book, I tend not to look back at the rough draft files. So usually my rough drafts are sitting in individual folders for the series like Frostborn, Dragontiarna, Blades of Ruin, and so forth. I am much more organized in the final drafts. Each individual series has its own folder and within the series, each individual book has its own folder as well. To help with keeping things in order, I usually number the folders. So for example, in Blades of Ruin, the first folder within it would be 01 Blade of Flames, then 02 Blade of Shadows, 03 Blade of Storms, and so forth. Within the individual book folders, I have the final files in ePub and PDF form for the books along with the cover images for both ebook, audiobook, and paperback. However, as I mentioned earlier in the podcast, I don't have just the book files. I also have audiobook files, advertising files, and a very large photo library from a combination of stock photos, 3D renders, and photographs I have specifically taken over the years for the purpose of using for ebook covers and advertising materials. For advertising images and materials, like I said, I found the best organizing principle for me is by series. So I generally tend to just organize them by series. So Frostborn, Sevenfold Sword, Dragontiarna, and the Andomhaim books generally have just one folder of advertising images since I can use the advertising image for both Frostborn: the Gray Knight and Sevenfold Sword: Champion. For my audiobooks, I keep those on a separate drive because they eat up a lot of space. But then I just have them organized out by book and series, which is pretty easy when I need to find something. For my stock photos, I do have those pretty well organized and again, in a separate drive, which I back up separately. I divide out the images by type. So I have a folder for castles, a folder for medieval or ancient cities, a folder for modern cities, a folder for fireballs and so forth. And so if I'm making a book cover image and I think, hmm, I want a sword, I can go into the swords folder and look at appropriate pictures of swords until I find one that would work for the project. How this [has] changed over time is I've had to become a bit more organized with the files because I started using Vellum, which generates a separate file of its own. So then I had to make sure that those were organized into proper files. I used to keep all my stock photos in just one big folder that quickly became unmanageable. So I once took two days to properly organize these stock photos. Just keeping all the rough drafts in one big folder for the series has worked pretty well for me because once I am done with the rough draft and have turned into the final draft, I just ignore the rough draft file and any changes that need to be made are obviously made to the final draft file. I also used to keep all the cover images in one folder for some reason and that was a bad idea. So then I started keeping the specific cover image in the folder with the specific book and that has worked out well. Would this be something I would recommend to someone just starting out? I think so. You can obviously get more complicated with this and my file structure is pretty simple overall, but it works for me. I can find anything I need to pretty quickly. In fact, my folder structure is deep enough I find sometimes that I get halfway down the folder structure and forget what I am looking for before I find it, which is a separate problem from folder organization. But I've stuck to this pretty consistently over the last 15 years and it's worked well for me. So I think I could recommend this to someone starting out. I'd have a folder for your rough drafts and then a folder with separate folders within it for your final drafts. Conclusion File organization is not glamorous, but as any records manager at a US government agency can tell you, it is extremely important for finding, organizing, and preserving what you create. Searching for files is not a writing adjacent activity that you want to take up your time and you definitely don't want the stress of losing something that you worked on for a long time by naming and storing it incorrectly. Finally, I want to close out with a reminder that however you set up your writing files and organizing them, they absolutely need to be backed up on a regular basis. I would recommend using a combination of cloud and local backups since they reinforce each other. If heaven forbid your house explodes and you lose your local backups, you still have your cloud backups. And if your cloud provider goes down or gets hacked or something, you still have your local backups. So no matter how you organize your files or how well organized they are, you definitely want to back them up on a very regular basis. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all of the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and we'll see you all next week.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Carve your watermelons and light the beach bonfires, because the studio is officially celebrating Summerween! This week on The Filmlosophers, the Titanic Trio—Hosts Eddie and Spencer, alongside Intern Manager/Managing Intern Amy—are taking a well-deserved break from the silver screen to venture into the eerie depths of the streaming world. An "Espooky" Stop-Motion Masterpiece Trading sunshine for shadows, the crew embraces their "espooky" side to review the incredible Mexican stop-motion animated series on Netflix, Soy Frankelda (I Am Frankelda). Eddie, Spencer, and Amy pull back the veil to shine a spotlight on the breathtaking, macabre visuals painstakingly crafted by the brilliant Ambriz Brothers, Arturo and Roy. The team gushes over the meticulous artistry and undeniable beauty of stop-motion, discussing why this rarely utilized medium serves as the absolute perfect vessel for such hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric tales. The Philosophy of Fear and Fiction Once the appreciation for the animation is laid out, the conversation takes a deeply philosophical turn. The team tackles the heavy, thematic questions beating at the dark heart of Frankelda's world. Immersed in a universe of gnomes, sirens, and lingering fears, the trio engages in a fascinating debate surrounding the true nature of storytelling itself. They weigh the film's ultimate arguments, exploring one massive, lingering question: do our stories inherently shape who we are, or do we inevitably become the stories we tell? Grab your spooky summer snacks and prepare to face your fears—it's time to open the book on Frankelda! Now Streaming on Netflix!
In the first episode of the Summer School series, Phil challenges professionals to adopt the mindset that separates top performers from the rest: thinking like a CEO. Regardless of your title, you're running a business within a business, and success depends on leading it with intention. In this episode, Phil outlines seven essential questions every advisor, entrepreneur, and business leader should answer to define their mission, identify their ideal clients, market their value, and build a sustainable business that creates lasting impact. If you're ready to stop drifting and start designing the future of your practice, class is officially in session. Resources: Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com Please send First Friday Feedback Submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com Transcription: Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I'm Phil Buchanan, Executive Chairman of Canon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push, and motivational insight to live your best life. Thanks for joining. Good Monday morning, Canada Nation. It is Phil here with episode 755 of Monday Morning Mojo. Throughout the month of July, we're headed back to school. Not the kind of school with desk, textbooks, and final exams. We're talking about the kind of learning that can transform careers, elevate businesses, and ultimately change lives. I'm calling this the Monday Morning Mojo Summer School. And each week in the month of July, we're going to tackle a different lesson that every exceptional business leader, be them a wealth management professional or entrepreneur, should master. Today's lesson is simple, but it may be the most important one of the entire series. You are the CEO of your business. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Phil, I'm not a CEO. I work for a bank. I work for a trust company. I'm part of a family office. I manage advisory relationships. I counsel clients. Now, all of that is true. But regardless of your title, every one of us operates a business within a business. Now, the elite professionals understand this. The average professionals ignore it. Elite performers think like owners, and owners think like CEOs. So let's head into today's summer school lesson. CEOs are responsible for the business thesis. Now, every successful company begins with a simple question. Why does this business exist? That's the business thesis. What problems are we solving? Who are we serving? Why should someone choose us? Look at any great company and you'll find a very clear thesis behind it. The same should be true for you. If I ask you right now, what is your professional business thesis? Could you answer in a simple one-sentence explanation? Not your firm's mission statement, not a generic value proposition, your thesis. For example, I help closely help business owners transition wealth and leadership successfully across generations. Or I help affluent families reduce complexity and increase confidence in every aspect of their financial lives. That is a thesis. Now, many professionals spend years working hard without ever defining exactly what business they're in. CEOs can't and don't make that mistake. Before they build a company, they define the mission. Before you build your business, you should define yours. Lesson 2, what type of business will you build? Once you've established your thesis, the next question is simple. What type of business are you trying to create? Now, many professionals drift throughout their careers, accepting whatever opportunities arrive. CEOs intentionally do not drift. They design. Do you want a highly specialized advisory practice? Do you want a multi-generational family office business? Do you want to become the leading advisors to entrepreneurs in your market? Do you want a smaller number of relationships or a larger number of smaller relationships? There is no right answer. That's the beauty of this business. But the value is in your clarity. The future you're building today is being shaped by the decisions you're making right now. Every client you accept, every niche you pursue, every referral source you cultivate, every hour you spend, all of it is either helping build your intended business or helping build someone else's vision. CEOs don't leave that to chance. Neither should you. Lesson 3, who are your target clients? One of the greatest mistakes professionals in any business makes is trying to serve everyone. When you try to be relevant to everyone, you become memorable to no one. The most successful businesses in the world know exactly who they serve. You should too. Who is your ideal client? What is the type of client that has issues and has challenges in their lives that cause them to search for someone with your expertise? What opportunities excite your ideal client? What obstacles frustrate them? What stages of life are they navigating? What decisions are weighing on them? The more clearly you define your audience, the easier it becomes to create value. The advisor who specializes in business owners thinks differently than the advisor who specializes in retirees. The family office professional serving ultra-high-net-worth families faces different challenges than the private banker focused on emerging wealth. Specificity creates relevance. Relevance creates trust. Trust creates multiple opportunities. Lesson #4, what services do your ideal clients need? Now here's a critical distinction. Don't, and I mean never, start with your services. Start with your clients. Too many professionals lead with what they want to sell. CEOs focus on what clients need to buy. What keeps your ideal clients awake at 2 A.m.? Is it succession planning, asset protection? tax complexity, family dynamics, charitable planning, a business transition, wealth transfer, risk management. Your value grows when you become a solution to meaningful problems. The deeper your understanding of client needs, the more indispensable you become. Remember this, clients don't buy products and services. They are buying outcomes. They are buying confidence. They are buying clarity. They are buying peace of mind. Lesson 5, how will you market your value? To be brutally honest, many talented professionals struggle here. Not because they're incapable. Rather, they've convinced themselves that marketing is someone else's job. CEOs know better. Marketing is not advertising. Marketing is helping people understand the value you create. It's your visibility. It's your reputation. It's your voice. It's your willingness to educate and engage. Today's marketplace rewards expertise that can be found, that can be searched for, that is digital and identifiable. Write articles. Host education events, create content, speak at industry gatherings, build relationships in your community, share your insights generously. When people consistently associate your name with expertise, opportunities begin to find you. Marketing is not about self-promotion, it's about value promotion. Lesson #6, what's your go-to-market strategy? Great ideas are useless without execution. Again, every CEO knows this. That's why they develop a go-to-market strategy. How will opportunities become relationships? How will relationships become clients? How will clients become advocates? What's your process? What referral sources are you cultivating? What centers of influence are important to your growth? How frequently are you engaging your community of practice? How intentional are you being? Growth rarely, if ever, happens, certainly on a sustainable business by simple chance or accident. Great businesses execute a deliberate plan. Great professionals do the same. Lesson #7, how will you service clients once they arrive? Perhaps the greatest CEO lesson of all time. Acquiring clients is important. Keeping clients is essential. What happens after someone chooses to work with you? Do they receive a deliberate onboarding process? Do they communicate proactively? Do you create clear service expectations? Exceptional service creates loyalty. Loyalty creates retention. Retention fosters referrals. And of course, referrals help accelerate growth. And then suddenly, one day, you realize you've built something sustainable instead of something dependent solely upon constant prospecting. The best businesses in the world don't just attract clients. They create advocates. Your practice should do the same. As we wrap up today's summer school lesson, I want to leave you with a challenge this week. Carve out 30 uninterrupted minutes. Grab a notebook, silence your phone, and answer these seven questions. Number one, what is my business thesis? Number 2, what type of business am I building? Number 3, who are my ideal clients? Number 4, what problems do they need solved? Number 5, how will I market my value? Number 6, what is my go-to-market strategy? And #7, what is my client servicing model? Because whether you've realized it or not, you're already the CEO of your own business. The only remaining question is, are you running it intentionally? Ladies and gentlemen, summer school is officially in session, and until next week, class is dismissed. Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute. Executive producer of Monday Morning Mojo is Sarah Jones. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brewer. Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan, reminding you to be a force for good. Have a great week, and thanks for being part of the Mojo community.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast, Alex Rawlings speaks with Russ Roenick, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Transom Capital, about building a differentiated middle-market investment strategy around carve-outs, special situations and operational complexity.Russ explains how launching Transom shortly before the global financial crisis shaped the firm's highly hands-on approach. He outlines how Transom identifies businesses with strong underlying industry potential but significant operational challenges, then applies a disciplined value-creation model to improve performance.The discussion covers Transom's six core operational transformations: salesforce effectiveness, new product innovation, digital transformation, supply-chain improvement, cost reduction, and talent and culture.Russ also shares how the firm structures its operations team, why former portfolio-company CEOs and CFOs can become highly effective operating partners, and how Transom is deploying AI across back-office and commercial functions.Key TakeawaysWhy operational and situational complexity can create attractive entry points.How Transom approaches carve-outs as an opportunity rather than simply additional risk.The importance of building repeatable operational capabilities instead of attempting every possible transformation.Why operating teams should be involved from underwriting through execution.How supply-chain improvements have generated substantial gross-margin expansion.Where AI is currently delivering value across accounts payable, receivables, customer service, forecasting and sales.Why portfolio companies need internal AI champions to drive adoption.How leaders can stay informed without overpowering portfolio-company management teams.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Russ Roenick and Transom Capital00:30 Moving from McKinsey into Private Equity01:26 Transom's value-oriented investment strategy01:55 Distressed investing versus operational value investing03:16 Using operational and situational complexity04:14 Carve-outs, lender situations and tail-end funds05:14 Launching Transom during the global financial crisis07:04 The importance of adapting while maintaining investment discipline08:29 Why Transom specialised in carve-outs and special situations10:58 Why many firms view carve-outs as excessive risk12:54 Transom's six operational transformation strategies13:23 Salesforce transformation14:17 New product innovation14:45 Digital transformation and AI implementation15:15 Supply-chain and gross-margin improvement16:13 Cost reduction, talent and culture17:37 Structuring the portfolio operations team18:05 Recruiting former portfolio-company CEOs and CFOs19:59 Transom's approach to AI adoption20:57 Applying AI across back-office functions21:49 Creating internal AI champions22:48 Common AI use cases across the portfolio24:10 How Russ stays informed25:31 Leadership, decision-making and knowing when to step back25:57 How to contact RussRaw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.
The Sunday Continuous Call Team goes through The Carve Up for this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Labor's retreat from tax changes, itself a broken election promise, draws praise from some small businesses now carved out.
Well, it's a fitting theme for this playlist, given how long it's been since we dropped a new episode. But this one is well worth the wait. It's literally... about TIME. Or at least, all the best songs with "time" in the title. We'll hear from Huey Lewis & the News, REO Speedwagon, Sublime, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Billy Joel, Styx, Owl City, Cyndi Lauper, and so many more bangers. Carve out a chunk of time for this one, you won't regret it.
Friday Headlines: Australia’s migration numbers revealed Ships begin moving through the Strait of Hormuz Gina Rinehart gifts Pauline Hanson a 'beautiful big fat orange bulldozer' Labor unveils CGT carve-outs as inquiry hands down report All eyes on Seattle for Socceroos vs USA Deep Dive:Australia has been rocked by another shark attack this week, with a Sydney mum losing an arm after being mauled by a suspected Great White. It’s prompted yet another debate about how to keep people safe at our beaches, but calls have grown louder this time around for a shark cull to be brought in to lower populations and protect swimmers. But it’s not as simple as that, says Lawrence Chlebeck, a marine biologist with Humane World for Animals. In this episode of The Briefing, he sits down with Sacha Barbour Gatt to explain shark culls, their flaws, and what could work better. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Three nine-year-old boys in a Massachusetts port town go looking for the schoolyard ghost called Skeleton Jack and instead find a tree that should not exist — black and leafless, cold enough to seem to drink the life out of the air — a tree one of them is dared to carve his name into, while something he can't see breathes in the dark just behind him.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BlackTreeFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: "The Abandoned Drive-In Theater" — A newcomer to North Carolina, biking past the ruins of a drive-in theater that's been dead for decades, hears an engine roar and turns to see a film flickering across the filthy, torn screen — then finds every speaker smashed and every wire long since severed, with no way the movie could have been playing at all. *** "He Showed Up To Work After His Funeral" — Six days before Christmas, a security guard helps lower his coworker Jake into the ground after a fatal heart attack — and two mornings later, arriving alone at the snowed-in, empty worksite, he finds Jake's car already parked in the lot. *** "The Black Tree in the Woods" — In a Massachusetts port town haunted by the schoolyard legend of a flayed pirate ghost, three nine-year-old boys push deep into a forbidden forest and find a short, withered tree that grows no leaves and seems to drink the life out of the air — and when one of them is dared to carve his name into its strangely soft bark, something he cannot see begins breathing in his ear.CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:02:17.025 = The Abandoned Drive-In Theater00:07:35.119 = He Showed Up To Work After His Funeral ***00:17:39.759 = The Black Tree In The Woods ***00:58:35.975 = Show Close *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Abandoned Drive-In Theater” by January Nelson, from Thought Catalog: https://tinyurl.com/ybwbdgev“He Showed Up To Work After His Funeral” by Thomas J. Sotvedt: https://tinyurl.com/yckfue5w“The Black Tree In The Woods” submitted anonymously to Thought Catalog: https://tinyurl.com/y7rocj8v(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: June 10, 2020
Connect with Michael: https://michaelkoulianos.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelkoulianos/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelKoulianos1/Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCBKurdZlFEMaLdwxSYMRNAwI'll be honest — I almost didn't record this episode the way I did. Because it required me to sit across from one of my closest friends and one of the most gifted men I know when it comes to the presence of God, and admit that I've been struggling. Struggling to feel connected. Struggling to cultivate that place with the Holy Spirit that I know I'm supposed to have — especially after walking through five weeks of watching my mother-in-law die of cancer. That's not an easy thing to say as a pastor. But I said it anyway. And what Michael gave me back was one of the most practically powerful and spiritually deep conversations I've ever had on this podcast.Michael Koulianos leads Jesus Image, a church and global movement, and there is genuinely no one I know who flows in the presence of God the way he does. In this episode, he walks us through his personal morning prayer routine — two hours, early, consistent for 20 years — and breaks down exactly what it looks like: silence, Bible reading from Genesis to Revelation looking for Jesus the whole way, worship, and a prayer list he's been building for years with names being crossed off one by one. But more than the mechanics, he talks about what it means to feel God's presence not as an emotional high but as a continual awareness. And he talks about mourning — why giving yourself permission to grieve is actually the door that opens to the Holy Spirit's comfort.We also get into the real cost of leading a movement, the false sense of responsibility that burns leaders out, what God is actually doing on the earth right now, and why the cross isn't just the starting point of the Christian life — it's the whole shape of it. If you're a man who's been running on empty spiritually, or you've been grinding so hard you've lost the thread of why you started, this episode will recalibrate you. Carve out the time to watch the whole thing. It's worth every minute.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome: Jason Gets Honest07:15 – Little Ezra, Grief, and Why Mourning Opens the Door14:31 – Sensing vs. Feeling21:46 – Inside Michael's Morning Routine29:01 – Prayer Lists, John Eldridge, and Hearing God's Promises36:16 – How to Find Jesus in Every Page of Scripture 43:32 – The Hardest Part of Leading a Movement50:47 – Burnout, Boundaries, His Church Doubling While Michael Couldn't Speak58:02 – What God Is Doing on Earth Right Now1:05:17 – Living on His Mission, the Cross-Shaped Life & Closing PrayerCONNECT WITH BRAVECOJoin Our Free Community for Men (ladies, sign up your man): https://www.braveco.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/braveco.menInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/braveco.men/Shop: https://shop.braveco.org/ABOUT BRAVECO: We live in a time where men are hunting for the truth and looking for the codebook to manhood. At BraveCo, we are on a mission to heal the narrative of masculinity across a generation; fighting the good fight together because every man should feel confident and capable of facing his pain, loving deeply, and leading a life that impacts the world around him.
The Nurses Report on America Out Loud with Ashley Caputo, RN, FMP – This episode of The Nurses Report explores how Pharmacy Benefit Managers shape access to medications, often leading to delays and denials. It examines carve-outs, ERISA limits, and real patient impacts while highlighting the growing need for transparency, advocacy, and patient-centered decision-making in today's healthcare system...