Podcasts about ceo

Highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator

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    Trading Secrets
    272. Joey Gonzalez: From pursuing entertainment to global fitness brand Barry's CEO, the real business behind the brand, power in adaptability and pursuing fulfillment over the 9-to-5 Episode Description:

    Trading Secrets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 80:15


    This week, Jason is joined by entrepreneur and CEO of the global fitness brand Barry's, Joey Gonzalez! Joey had dedicated over a decade of his life trying to break into the entertainment business in LA, but after realizing he wasn't achieving the financial stability he desired, he knew he had to make a change. In addition to acting, he was working jobs in real estate and in the restaurant industry before stumbling upon his role as a fitness instructor with Barry's Bootcamp. From there, Joey organically worked his way up the company, eventually assuming the role of CEO 11 years after taking his first class.  Joey breaks down how failure and adversity have been some of his greatest teachers—and why settling for a traditional nine-to-five often comes at the cost of fulfillment and passion. He shares how his early career in acting seamlessly translated into becoming a world-class fitness instructor, from musicality and performance to programming and staying calm in chaos. Joey dives into the business side of fitness, including how to advocate for yourself, what consumers should look for before committing to a membership, how locations are selected, and the real drivers behind their global success—from private equity and adaptability to embracing local nuance in every market. He also reflects on how COVID reshaped the business, breaks down instructor pay structures, offers insight into his personal nutrition and training, recommends must-have home gym equipment (including how he discovered the Woodway treadmill), and shares his thoughts on pursuing an OPM or MBA—before tying it all together with a focus on the four F's. Joey reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can't afford to miss! Host: Jason Tartick Co-Host: David Arduin Audio: John Gurney Guest: Joey Gonzalez Stay connected with the Trading Secrets Podcast!  Instagram: @tradingsecretspodcast  Youtube: Trading Secrets Facebook: Join the Group  All Access: Free 30-Day Trial  Trading Secrets Steals & Deals! Upwork: Instead of spending weeks sorting through random resumes, Upwork Business Plus sends a curated shortlist of expert talent to your inbox in hours. Trusted, top-rated freelancers vetted for skills and reliability.... and rehired by businesses like yours. Right now, when you spend $1,000 on Upwork Business Plus, you'll get $500 in credit. Go to Upwork.com/SAVE now and claim the offer before 1/31/2025. Rula: Rula does things differently. They partner with over 100 insurance plans, making the average co-pay just $15 per session. That's real therapy, from licensed professionals, at a price that actually makes sense. Think about it - you use your insurance benefits to maintain your physical health, so why wouldn't you do the same for your mental health? Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that's actually covered by insurance. Visit Rula.com/tradingsecrets to get started. Square: Whether you're selling lattes, cutting hair, detailing cars, or running a design studio, Square helps you run your business, without running yourself into the ground. With Square, you get all the tools to run your business, with none of the contracts or complexity. And why wait? Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at square.com/go/tradingsecrets.

    Strict Scrutiny
    Can America Pull Back From the Brink of Autocracy?

    Strict Scrutiny

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 100:43


    Leah kicks off the episode with repeat guest Rebecca Ingber of Cardozo Law to discuss the wild illegality–both domestic and international–of Trump's regime change operation in Venezuela. Then, Kate, Melissa, and Leah welcome Princeton professor and expert on the rise of modern autocracies, Kim Lane Scheppele to break down how Trump is consolidating power over the executive branch and the courts. Leah next catches up with president and CEO of Democracy Forward Skye Perryman on some of the legal developments over the holidays, including challenges to Department of Education funding cuts, the freezing of childcare payments to Minnesota, and a near-total abortion ban for veterans. Finally, the hosts speak with Demand Justice's Josh Orton about the worrying trends his organization is seeing among Trump 2.0's judicial nominees.Kim's favorite things: An “Almost Sacred Responsibility”: The Rule of Law in Times of Peril, Gerald J. Postema (Judicature); Judge Harvey Wilkinson's opinion in Abrego Garcia v. Noem; Judge William G. Young's opinion in AAUP vs. Rubio; Sara L. Ellis's opinion in Chicago Headline Club v. Noem; The Dual State, Ernst Fraenkel; The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2026! 3/6/26 – San Francisco3/7/26 – Los AngelesLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsBuy Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025! 3/6/26 – San Francisco3/7/26 – Los AngelesLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Heal Squad x Maria Menounos
    1211. Maria's New Year Reset: How 3 Daily Habits Can Change Everything In 2026

    Heal Squad x Maria Menounos

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 45:52


    Hey Heal Squad! Happy New Year! Today Maria is looking back on everything 2025 taught her (especially all the hard stuff!), and sharing how she's getting grounded, organized, and truly empowered heading into 2026. Maria opens up about why challenging seasons are often preparation for your next level, how faith carried her through moments that didn't make sense at the time, and how she's getting ready to leave old habits behind, like… disorganization!! She actually has two simple systems she's using right now, including a smarter to-do list that actually works and makes life feel lighter instead of overwhelming. Plus, Maria also gets real about emotional health, relationships, and why pausing to practice empathy can change everything. She also reflects on some of the biggest lessons learned from the incredible experts we've talked to this year, like Dr. Bland who reminded us health is not just the absence of disease, but about being functional. Because no matter what, healing really begins with your environment, your daily habits, and your mindset, all working together, to truly become the CEO of your health. Enjoy friends! HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy's Page: Shop My Macy's Storefront EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host AUDIBLE:  https://audible.com/healsquad AG1:  https://drinkag1.com/healsqaud  Join In-Person Heal Retreat Waitlist! https://mariamenounos.myflodesk.com/heal-retreat-waitlist Dr Jeffrey Bland Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21EvzO6vLOA Maria's Notebook & Glasses: https://shopmy.us/shop/mariamenounos   ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos' passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company's Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.

    Daily Tech News Show
    The Head of CTA Explains CES

    Daily Tech News Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 8:11


    Gary Shapiro, CEO of the CTA explains the sleeper trends at this tear's show and the secrets of the show's longevity and international appeal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    ClutterBug - Organize, Clean and Transform your Home
    Declutter Like a Boss: Set Rules, Get Organized, Feel Lighter | Clutterbug Podcast #307

    ClutterBug - Organize, Clean and Transform your Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 40:09


    Hey Clutterbugs! It's time for some decluttering motivation, organizing tips, and a step-by-step January roadmap so you can stop feeling behind and start taking action fast. Happy New Year, friends. Ready for a little tough love Cas (with love)? We're not doing the “new year, new you” pressure spiral, and we are not making a giant, unrealistic plan for all of 2026. We're using January as a container and focusing on one small doable decision that you can repeat—because that's how real change sticks. I'm also introducing what I'm calling the Boss Rule. If you have to negotiate with an item—debate it, justify it, imagine a future version of you who finally fixes it, paints it, returns it, uses it, or finds the “perfect system”—that item is breaking the rule. You're the CEO of your home. You don't negotiate with clutter.   #declutter #decluttering #homeorganization #homeorganizing #cleaningmotivation #januaryreset #newyearreset #lifelessons #mindset #newyearmotivation #productivity #toughlove #selfimprovement #declutteringtips #homehacks #clutterbug   Website: http://www.clutterbug.me YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@clutterbug TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clutterbug_me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clutterbug_me/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clutterbug.Me/

    Motivation Daily by Motiversity
    2026 IS YOUR YEAR - Powerful New Year Motivational Speech Compilation

    Motivation Daily by Motiversity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 17:34


    https://bit.ly/MotivationDaily_Mindset

    The Keto Kamp Podcast With Ben Azadi
    #1207 Calories Aren't the Problem – The Shocking Truth About Visceral Fat and Aging with Sam Tejada

    The Keto Kamp Podcast With Ben Azadi

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 54:45


    What if stubborn visceral fat isn't about eating less or exercising more, but about fixing the stress, sleep, and toxin overload quietly shutting down your metabolism? In this episode of the Metabolic Freedom Podcast, host Ben Azadi sits down with human performance expert Sam Tejada, founder and CEO of Liquivida, for an in depth conversation on the real drivers of visceral fat, metabolic dysfunction, and accelerated aging. Drawing from his experience as a former firefighter and wellness entrepreneur, Sam explains how chronic stress, sleep deprivation, toxins, poor nutrition, and lack of movement quietly shut down fat burning and hormone balance. The conversation explores practical strategies including meditation, sleep hygiene, toxin detoxification, nutrient IV therapy, personalized testing, and movement based approaches to restore metabolic health. This episode delivers a data driven, holistic framework for reducing visceral fat, improving recovery, and rebuilding a resilient nervous system.   Key Topics Covered Why visceral fat is driven by hormones and stress, not calories How chronic sleep deprivation fuels cortisol and fat storage The role of meditation and nervous system regulation in fat loss How environmental toxins disrupt metabolism and hormone signaling Infrared sauna, glutathione, and detox strategies explained The five foods Sam recommends removing to reduce inflammation Why movement matters more than intense exercise for fat loss Dexa scans and body composition testing for tracking visceral fat Peptides and IV therapy for metabolic and cognitive optimization Testosterone decline, infertility, and restoring hormonal balance Why personalized lab testing matters more than standard ranges   Guest Information Sam Tejada is a human performance expert, wellness entrepreneur, and former firefighter. He is the founder and CEO of Liquivida, one of the fastest growing wellness clinic networks in the United States. Sam specializes in metabolic optimization, IV nutrient therapy, hormone health, diagnostics, and longevity focused protocols.   Connect with Sam Tejada

    Everyday Wellness
    BONUS: “Red Light Therapy Is Rewriting Cellular Health” – The Most Powerful Way to Boost Mitochondria, Reduce Pain & Heal Faster with Forrest Smith

    Everyday Wellness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 46:26


    We're back with another episode in a series of highly vetted companies that I love sharing with my community. Today, I'm joined by Forrest Smith, the co-founder and CEO of Kineon. A dynamic entrepreneur with an infectious enthusiasm for his work, Forrest reads and writes fluent Chinese, lives in Mexico, and brings over 20 years of experience building and scaling successful startups. His work at Kineon reflects his optimism and innovative approach in the field of health and wellness technology. In our conversation, we explore what red light therapy (photobiomodulation) is and its cellular and mitochondrial effects. We unpack the benefits of methylene blue, the impact of photobiomodulation on joint pain and thyroid health, and specific contraindications. We also discuss red light therapy and the gut hormone access, peptides, recovery toolkits, and female-centric research related to infertility, PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid health, and more. This is one of those conversations you will likely want to listen to more than once. Be sure to check the show notes for a special offer from Kineon, exclusively for my listeners. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: What is red light therapy? How red light therapy supports the body at the cellular level, particularly during the aging process How methylene blue enhances the effects of red light therapy The value of photobiomodulation for treating chronically inflamed joints and muscle tissue How local inflammation in the joints impacts gut health The benefits of red light therapy for female-specific pathologies, such as endometriosis, hypothyroidism, and dysmenorrhea The way that red light therapy works in combination with stem cell treatments, PRP, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow  Cynthia's Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Forrest Smith Kineon Kineon Labs on Instagram We're giving away TWO Kineon Move+ Pro devices (worth $499 each!) Want to enter? Leave a review of the Everyday Wellness podcast in English on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Take a screenshot of your review. Email the screenshot and one reason why you'd like to win to podcast@cynthiathurlow.com (You must live in the U.S. to enter.)

    Capital Allocators
    Mike Gitlin – The Century of Capital Group (EP.479)

    Capital Allocators

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 63:24


    Today's episode continues our ongoing mini-series covering organizations that have proven to be great training grounds of talent. There may be none larger and quieter than Capital Group, the $3.2 trillion global asset manager whose 650-person investment team and 9,400 associates have historically experienced a fraction of the turnover of industry norms. My guest is Mike Gitlin, the CEO of Capital Group, known for its long-term philosophy, private ownership, and multi-manager investment system. Founded in 1931 by Johnathan Bell Lovelace, Capital Group is one of the industry's largest and most enduring active managers. Mike joined the firm as a lateral hire in 2015, after more than two decades across the buy side, sell side, hedge funds, and global markets. Our exploration of Capital Group covers Mike's path through the investment industry, Capital's approach to recruiting and training talent, ownership model, client-centric focus, Capital System investment model, organization of a large, global team, and new product development. We close with Capital Group's five-year strategic plan as it approaches the firm's hundred-year anniversary in 2031. I've been fascinated by Capital for most of my life, as it was the professional home for my uncle, the late Jim Rothenberg, for his entire 45 year career. It is a privilege for me to share this conversation with memories of Uncle Jim in mind.   Learn more about our Strategic Investments: Old Well Labs, Thema, and Ascension Data. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

    Young Dad Podcast
    261: Faith, Family & Freedom- Austin D. LPC-S

    Young Dad Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 45:28


    Welcome to the Young Dad Podcast—whether you're mowing the lawn, grilling dinner, juggling dirty diapers, or just stealing five minutes for yourself—we're glad you're here. Grab your juice box, grab a snack, and let's jump into today's real and honest conversation.Our guest today is Austin Davis, a visionary leader in teen behavioral health and addiction recovery. He's the founder and CEO of Clearfork Academy, the go-to residential treatment center in Texas for teens battling mental health challenges and substance use. With over 15 years of hands-on experience, Austin combines counseling, ministry, and faith to guide teens and families toward healing and hope.If you're a parent, educator, or someone who cares about the next generation—this episode is for you.Visit ClearforkAcademy.com to learn more about their mission, programs, and how they're transforming lives through faith, structure, and care. If you're a parent or educator seeking support—this is the place to start.Visit the website for interactive activity guides and everything YDP- ⁠⁠www.youngdadpod.com Click the link for YDP deals (Triad Math, Forefathers, and more) - https://linktr.ee/youngdadpod Interested in being a guest on the Young Dad Podcast? Reach out to Jey Young through PodMatch at this link: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/youngdadLastly,consider making a monetary donation to support the Pod, https://buymeacoffee.com/youngdadpod.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Teen Behavioral Health01:03 Austin's Journey into Counseling03:42 Integrating Faith and Counseling08:43 Clear Fork Academy's Unique Approach11:29 Understanding Family Dynamics15:53 The Identity Crisis in Teens19:58 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Self-Perception24:53 Understanding Personal Accountability26:28 Recognizing Signs of Distress in Teens29:16 The Importance of Parental Involvement31:52 Success Stories from Clear Fork Academy36:30 The Journey of Healing and Identity39:19 A Call to Action for Families40:24 Lighthearted Moments in the Dad Zone

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
    2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 71:12


    What does 2026 hold for indie authors and the publishing industry? I give my thoughts on trends and predictions for the year ahead. In the intro, Quitting the right stuff; how to edit your author business in 2026; Is SubStack Good for Indie Authors?; Business for Authors webinars. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability (3) The start of Agentic Commerce (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. 2026 Trends and Predictions for Indie Authors and Book Publishing (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events — and more companies like BookVault will offer even more beautiful physical books and products to support this. This trend will not be a surprise to most of you! Selling direct has been a trend for the last few years, but in 2026, it will continue to grow as a way that independent authors become even more independent. The recent Written Word Media survey from Dec 2025 noted that 30% of authors surveyed are selling direct already and 30% say they plan to start in 2026. Among authors earning over $10,000 per month, roughly half sell direct. In my opinion, selling direct is an advanced author strategy, meaning that you have multiple books and you understand book marketing and have an email list already or some guaranteed way to reach readers. In fact, Kindlepreneur reports that 66% of authors selling direct have more than 5 books, and 46% have more than 10 books. Of course, you can start with the something small, like a table at a local event with a limited number of books for sale, but if you want to consistently sell direct for years to come, you need to consider all the business aspects. Selling direct is not a silver bullet. It's much harder work to sell direct than it is to just upload an ebook to Amazon, whether you choose a Kickstarter campaign, or Shopify/Payhip or other online stores, or regular in-person sales at events/conferences/fairs. You need a business mindset and business practices, for example, you need to pay upfront for setup as well as ongoing management, and bulk printing in some cases. You need to manage taxes and cashflow. You need to be a lot more proactive about marketing, as you won't sell anything if you don't bring readers to your books/products. But selling direct also brings advantages. It sets you apart from the bulk of digital only authors who still only upload ebooks to Amazon, or maybe add a print on demand book, and in an era of AI rapid creation, that number is growing all the time. If you sell direct, you get your customer data and you can reach those customers next time, through your email list. If you don't know who bought your books and don't have a guaranteed way to reach them, you will more easily be disrupted when things change — and they always change eventually. Kindlepreneur notes that “45% of the successful direct selling authors had over 1,000 subscribers on their email lists,” with “a clear, positive correlation between email list size and monthly direct sales income — with authors having an email list of over 15,000 subscribers earning 20X more than authors with email lists under 100 subscribers.” Selling direct means faster money, sometimes the same day or the same week in many cases, or a few weeks after a campaign finishes, as with Kickstarter. And remember, you don't have to sell all your formats directly. You can keep your ebooks in KU, do whatever you like with audiobooks, and just have premium print products direct, or start with a very basic Kickstarter campaign, or a table at a local fair. Lots more tips for Shopify and Kickstarter at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/selldirectresources/ I also recommend the Novel Marketing Podcast on The Shopify Trap: Why authors keep losing money as it is a great counterpoint to my positive endorsement of selling direct on Shopify! Among other things, Thomas notes that a fixed monthly fee for a store doesn't match how most authors make money from books which is more in spikes, the complexity and hassle eats time and can cost more money if you pay for help, and it can reduce sales on Amazon and weaken your ranking. Basically, if you haven't figured out marketing direct to your store, it can hurt you.All true for some authors, for some genres, and for some people's lifestyle. But for authors who don't want to be on the hamster wheel of the Amazon algorithm and who want more diversity and control in income, as well as the incredible creative benefits of what you can do selling direct, then I would say, consider your options in 2025, even if that is trying out a low-financial-goal Kickstarter campaign, or selling some print books at a local fair. Interestingly, traditional publishers are also experimenting with direct sales. Kate Elton, the new CEO of Harper Collins notes in The Bookseller's 2026 trend article, “we are seeing global success with responsive, reader-driven publishing, subscription boxes and TikTok Shop and – crucially – developing strategies that are founded on a comprehensive understanding of the reader.” She also notes, “AI enables us to dramatically change the way we interact with and grow audiences. The opportunities are genuinely exciting – finding new ways to help readers discover books they will love, innovating in the ways we market and reach audiences, building new channels and adapting to new methods of consuming content.” (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability From LinkedIn's 2026 Big Ideas: “Generative engine optimization (GEO) is set to replace search engine optimization (SEO) as the way brands get discovered in the year ahead. As consumers turn to AI chatbots, agentic workflows and answer engines, appearing prominently in generative outputs will matter more than ranking in search engines.” Google has been rolling out AI Mode with its AI Overviews and is beginning to push it within Google.com itself in some countries, which means the start of a fundamental change in how people discover content online. I first posted about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) in 2023, and it's going to change how readers find books. For years, we've talked about the long tail of search. Now, with AI-powered search, that tail is getting even longer and more nuanced. AI can understand complex, conversational queries that traditional search engines struggled with. Someone might ask, “What's a good thriller set in a small town with a female protagonist who's a journalist investigating a cold case?” and get highly specific recommendations. This means your book metadata, your website content, and your online presence need to be more detailed and conversational. AI search engines understand context in ways that go far beyond simple keywords. The authors who win in this new landscape will be those who create rich, authentic content about their books and themselves, not just promotional copy. As economist Tyler Cowen has said, “Consider the AIs as part of your audience. Because they are already reading your words and listening to your voice.” We're in the ‘organic' traffic phase right now, where these AI engines are surfacing content for ‘free,' but paid ads are inevitably on the way, and even rumoured to be coming this year to ChatGPT. By the end of 2026, I expect some authors and publishers to be paying for AI traffic, rather than blocking and protesting them. For now, I recommend checking that your author name/s and your books are surfaced when you search on ChatGPT.com as well as Google.com AI Mode (powered by Gemini). You want to make sure your work comes up in some way. I found that Joanna Penn and J.F. Penn searches brought up my Shopify stores, my website, podcast, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even my Patreon page, but did not bring up links to Amazon. If you only have an author presence on Amazon, does it appear in AI search at all? Do you need to improve anything about what the AI search brings up? Traditional publishers are also looking at this, with PublishersWeekly doing webinars on various aspects of AI in early 2026, including sessions on GEO and how book sales are changing, AI agents, and book marketing. In a 2026 predictions article on The Bookseller, the CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing noted, “The boundaries of artificial intelligence will become clearer, enabling publishers to harness its benefits while seeking to safeguard the intellectual property rights of authors, illustrators and publishers.” “AI will be deeply embedded in our workflows, automating tasks such as metadata tagging, freeing teams to focus on creativity and strategy. Challenges will persist. Generative AI threatens traditional web traffic and ad revenue models, making metadata optimisation and SEO critical for visibility as we adjust to this new reality online.” (3) The start of Agentic Commerce AI researches what you want to buy and may even buy on your behalf. Plus, I predict that Amazon does a commerce deal with OpenAI for shopping within ChatGPT by the end of 2026. In September 2025, ChatGPT launched Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which will enable bots to buy on websites in the background if authorised by the human with the credit card. VISA is getting on board with this, so is PayPal, with no doubt more payment options to come. In the USA, ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users can now buy directly from US Etsy sellers inside the chat interface, with over a million Shopify merchants coming soon. Shopify and OpenAI have also announced a partnership to bring commerce to ChatGPT. I am insanely excited about this as it could represent the first time we have been able to more easily find and surface books in a much more nuanced way than the 7 keywords and 3 categories we have relied on for so long! I've been using ChatGPT for at least the last year to find fiction and non-fiction books as I find the Amazon interface is ‘polluted' by ads. I've discovered fascinating books from authors I've never heard of, most in very long tail areas. For example, Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby, recommended by ChatGPT as I am interested in medical anatomy and anatomical Venuses, and The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson, recommended as I like art history and the supernatural. I don't think I would have found either of these within a nuanced discussion with ChatGPT. Even without these direct purchase integrations, ChatGPT now has Shopping Research, which I have found links directly to my Shopify store when I search for my books specifically. Walmart has partnered with OpenAI to create AI-first shopping experiences, and you have to wonder what Amazon might be doing? In Nov 2025, Amazon signed a “strategic partnership” with OpenAI, and even though it's focused on the technical side of AI, those two companies in a room together might also be working on other plans … I'm calling it for 2026. I think Amazon will sign a commerce agreement with OpenAI sometime before the end of the year. This will enable at least recommendation and shopping links into Amazon stores (presumably using an OpenAI affiliate link), or perhaps even Instant Checkout with ChatGPT for Amazon. It will also enable a new marketing angle, especially if paid ads arrive in ChatGPT, perhaps even integrating with Amazon Ads in some way as part of any possible agreement, since ads are such a good revenue stream for Amazon anyway. The line between discovery, engagement, and purchase is collapsing. Someone could be having a conversation with an AI about what to read next, and within that same conversation, purchase a bookwithout ever leaving the chat interface. This already happens within TikTok and social commerce clearly works for many authors. It's possible that the next development for book discoverability and sales might be within AI chats. This will likely stratify the already fragmented book eco-system even more. Some readers will continue to live only within the Amazon ecosystem and (maybe) use their Rufus chatbot to buy, and others will be much wider in their exploration of how to find and discover books (and other products and services). If you haven't tried it yet, try ChatGPT.com Shopping Research for a book. You can do this on the free tier. Use the drop down in the main chat box and select Shopping Research. It doesn't have to be for your book. It can be any book or product, for example, our microwave died just before Christmas so I used it to find a new one. But do a really nuanced search with multiple requirements. Go far beyond what you would search for on Amazon. In the results, notice that (at the time of writing) it does not generally link to Amazon, but to independent sites and stores. As above, I think this will change by the end of 2026, as some kind of commerce deal with Amazon seems inevitable. (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream I've been talking about AI narration of audiobooks since 2019, and over the years, I've tried various different options. In 2025, the technology reached a level of emotional nuance that made it much easier to create satisfying fiction audio as well as non-fiction. It also super-charges accessibility, making audio available in more languages and more accents than ever before. Of course, human narration remains the gold standard, but the cost makes it prohibitive for many authors, and indeed many small traditional publishers, for all books. If it costs $2000 – $10,000 to create an audiobook, you have to sell a lot to make a profit, and the dominance of subscription models have made it harder to recoup the costs. Famous narrators and voice artists who have an audience may still be worth investing in, as well as premium production, but require an even higher upfront cost and therefore higher sales and streams in return. AI voice/audio models are continuing to improve, and even as this goes out, there are rumours on TechCrunch that OpenAI's new device, designed by Jony Ive who designed the iPhone, will be audio first and OpenAI are improving their voice models even more in preparation for that launch. In 2026, I think AI-narrated audio will go mainstream with far-reaching adoption across publishing and the indie author world in many different languages and accents. This will mean a further stratification of audiobooks, with high quality, high production, high cost human narrated audio for a small percentage of books, and then mass market, affordable AI-narrated audio for the rest. AI-narrated audiobooks will make audio ubiquitous, and just as (almost) every print book has an ebook format, in 2026, they will also have an audio format. I straddle both these worlds, as I am still a human audiobook narrator for my own work. I human-narrated Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition (free audiobook) and The Buried and the Drowned, my short story collection. I also use AI narration for some books. ElevenLabs remains my preferred service and in 2025, I used my J.F. Penn voice clone for Death Valley and also Blood Vintage, while using a male voice for Catacomb. I clearly label my AI-narration in the sales description and also on the cover, which I think is important, although it is not always required by the various services. You can distribute ElevenLabs narrated audiobooks on Spotify, Kobo Writing Life, YouTube, ElevenReader, and of course your own store if you use Shopify with Bookfunnel. There are many other services springing up all the time, so make sure you check the rights you have over the finished audio, as well as where you can sell and distribute the final files. If they are just using ElevenLabs models in the back-end, then why not just do that directly? (Most services will be using someone's model in the back-end, since most companies do not train their own models.) Of course, you can use Amazon's own narration. While Amazon originally launched Audible audiobooks with Virtual Voice (AVV) in November 2023, it was rolled out to more authors and territories in 2025. If your book is eligible, the option to create an audiobook will appear on your KDP dashboard. With just a few clicks, you can create an audiobook from a range of voices and accents, and publish it on Amazon and Audible. However, the files are not yours. They are exclusive to Amazon and you cannot use them on other platforms or sell them direct yourself. But they are also free, so of course, many authors, especially those in KU, will use this option. I have done some for my mum's sweet romance books as Penny Appleton and I will likely use them for my books in translation when the option becomes available. Traditional publishers are experimenting with AI-assisted audiobook narration as well. MacMillan is selling digital audiobooks read by AI directly on their store. PublishersWeekly reports that PRH Audio “has experimented with artificial voice in specific instances, such as entrepreneur Ely Callaway's posthumous memoir The Unconquerable Game,” when an “authorized voice replica” was created for the audiobook. The article also notes that PRH Audio “embrace artificial intelligence across business operations—my entire department [PRH Audio] is using AI for business applications.” And while indie authors can't use AI voices on ACX right now, Audible have over 100 voices available to selected publishing partnerships, as reported by The Guardian with “two options for publishers wishing to make use of the technology: “Audible-managed” production, or “self-service” whereby publishers produce their own audiobooks with the help of Audible's AI technology.” In 2026, it's likely that more traditional publishers — as well as indie authors — will get their backlist into audio with AI narration. (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters Over the years, I've done translation deals with traditional publishers in different languages (German, French, Spanish, Korean, Italian) for some fiction and non-fiction books. But of course, to get these kinds of deals, you have to be proactive about pitching, or work with an agent for foreign rights only, and those are few and far between! There are also lots of languages and territories worldwide, and most deals are for the bigger markets, leaving a LOT of blue water for books in translation, even if you have licensed some of the bigger markets. I did my first partially AI-translated books in 2019 when I used Deepl.com for the first draft and then worked with a German editor to do 3 non-fiction books in German. While the first draft was cheap, the editing was pretty expensive, so I stopped after only doing a couple. I have made the money back now, but it took years. In 2025, AI Translation began to take off with ScribeShadow, GlobeScribe.ai, and more recently, in November 2025, Kindle Translate boosting the number of translated books available. Kindle Translate is (currently) only available to US authors for English into Spanish and also German into English, but in 2026, this will likely roll out to more languages and more authors, making it easier than ever to produce translations for free. Of course, once again, the gold standard is human translation, or at least human-edited translations, but the cost is prohibitive even just for proof-reading, and if there is a cheap or even free option, like Kindle Translate, then of course, authors are going to try it. If the translation gets bad reviews, they can just un-publish. There are many anecdotal stories of indie success in 2025 with AI-translated genre fiction sales (in series) in under-served markets like Italian, French, and Spanish, as well as more mainstream adoption in German. I was around in the Kindle gold-rush days of 2009-2012 and the AI-translation energy right now feels like that. There are hardly any Kindle ebooks in many of these languages compared to how many there are in English, so inevitably, the rush is on to fill the void, especially in genres that are under-served by traditional publishers in those markets. Yes, some of these AI translated books will be ‘AI-slop,' but readers are not stupid. Those books will get bad reviews and thus will sink to the bottom of the store, never to be seen again. The AI translation models are also improving rapidly, and Amazon's Kindle Translate may improve faster than most, for books specifically, since they will be able to get feedback in terms of page reads. Amazon is also a major investor in Anthropic, which makes Claude.ai, widely considered the best quality for creative writing and translation, so it's likely that is used somewhere in the mix. Some traditional publishers are also experimenting with AI-assisted translation, with Harlequin France reportedly using AI translation and human proofreaders, as reported by the European Council of Literary Translators' Associations in December 2025. Academic publisher Taylor and Francis is also using AI for book translation, noting: “Following a program of rigorous testing, Taylor & Francis has announced plans to use AI translation tools to publish books that would otherwise be unavailable to English-language readers, bringing the latest knowledge to a vastly expanded readership.” “Until now, the time and resources required to translate books has meant that the majority remained accessible only to those who could read them in the original language. Books that were translated often only became available after a significant delay. Today, with the development of sophisticated AI translation tools, it has become possible to make these important texts available to a broad readership at speed, without compromising on accuracy.” (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. In 2025, short form AI-generated video became very high quality. OpenAI released Sora 2, and YouTube announced new Shorts creation tools with Veo 3, which you can also use directly within Gemini. There are tons of different AI video apps now, including those within the social media sites themselves. There is more video than ever and it's much easier to create. I am not a fan of short form video! I don't make it and I don't consume it, but I do love making book trailers for my Kickstarter campaigns and for adding to my book pages and using on social media. I made a trailer for The Buried and the Drowned using Midjourney for images and then animation of those images, and Canva to put them together along with ElevenLabs to generate the music. But despite the AI tools getting so much easier to use, you still have to prompt them with exactly what you want. I can't just upload my book and say, “Make a book trailer,” or “Make a short film.” This may change with generative video ads, which are likely to become more common in 2026, as video turns specifically commercial. Video ads may even be generated specifically for the user, with an audience of one, maybe even holding your book in their hands (using something like Cameos on Sora), in the same way that some AI-powered clothing stores do virtual try-ons. This might also up-end the way we discover and buy things, as the AI for eCommerce and Amazon Sellers newsletter says about OpenAI's Sora app, “OpenAI isn't just trying to build a TikTok competitor. They're building a complete reimagining of how we discover and buy things …” “The combination of ChatGPT's research capabilities and Sora's potential for emotional manipulation—I mean, “engagement”—could create something we've never seen before: an AI ecosystem that might eventually guide you through every type of purchase, from the most considered to the most impulsive.” In 2026, there will be A LOT more AI-generated video, but that also leads to the human trend of more live video. While you can use an AI avatar that looks and sounds like you using tools like HeyGen or Synthesia, live video has all the imperfect human elements that make it stand-out, plus the scarcity element which leads to the purchase decision within a countdown period. Live video is nothing new in terms of brand building and content in general, but it seems that live events primarily for direct sales might be a thing in 2026. Kim Kardashian hosted Kimsmas Live in December 2025 with a 45 minute live shopping event with special guests, described as entertainment but designed to be a sales extravaganza. Indie authors are doing a similar thing on TikTok with their books, so this is a trend to watch in 2026, especially if you feel that live selling might fit with your personality and author business goals. It's certainly not for everyone, but I suspect it will suit a different kind of creator to those who prefer ‘no face' video, or no video at all! On other aspects of the human side of social media, Adam Mosseri the CEO of Instagram put a post on Threads called Authenticity after Abundance. He said, “Everything that made creators matter—the ability to be real, to connect, to have a voice that couldn't be faked—is now suddenly accessible to anyone with the right tools.” “Deepfakes are getting better and better. AI is generating photographs and videos indistinguishable from captured media. The feeds are starting to fill up with synthetic everything. And in that world, here's what I think happens.Creators matter more.” It's a long article so just to pick a few things from it: “We like to talk about “AI slop,” but there is a lot of amazing AI content … we are going to start to see more and more realistic AI content.” I've talked to my Patreon Community about this ‘tsunami of excellence' as these tools are just getting better and better and the word ‘slop' can also be applied to purely human output, too. If you think that AI content is ‘worse' than wholly human content, in 2026, you are wrong. It is now very very good, especially in the hands of people who can drive the AI tools. Back to Adam's post: “Authenticity is fast becoming a scarce resource, …The creators who succeed will be those who figure out how to maintain their authenticity [even when it can be simulated] …” “The bar is going to shift from “can you create?” to “can you make something that only you could create?” He talks about how the personal content on Instagram now is: “unpolished; it's blurry photos and shaky videos of people's daily experiences … flattering imagery is cheap to produce and boring to consume. People want content that feels real… Savvy creators are going to lean into explicitly unproduced and unflattering images of themselves. In a world where everything can be perfected, imperfection becomes a signal. Rawness isn't just aesthetic preference anymore—it's proof. It's defensive. A way of saying: this is real because it's imperfect.” While I partially love this, and I really hope it's true, as in I hope we don't need to look good for the camera anymore I would also challenge Adam on this, because pretty much every woman I know on social media has been sent sexual messages, and/or told they are ugly and/or fat when posting anything unflattering. I've certainly had both even for the same content, but I don't expect Adam has been the target for such posting! But I get his point. He goes on:“Labeling content as authentic or AI-generated is only part of the solution though. We, as an industry, are going to need to surface much more context about not only the media on our platforms, but the accounts that are sharing it in order for people to be able to make informed decisions about what to believe. Where is the account? When was it created? What else have they posted?” This is exactly what I've been saying for a while under my double down on being human focus. I use my Instagram @jfpennauthor as evidence of humanity, not as a sales channel. You can do both of course, but increasingly, you need to make sure your accounts at places have longevity and trust, even by the platforms themselves. Adam finishes: “In a world of infinite abundance and infinite doubt, the creators who can maintain trust and signal authenticity—by being real, transparent, and consistent—will stand out.” For other marketing trends for 2026, I recommend publicist Kathleen Schmidt's SubStack which is mostly focused on traditional publishing but still interesting for indies. In her 2026 article, she notes: “We have reached a social media saturation point where going viral can be meaningless and should not be the goal; authenticity and creativity should. She also says, “In-person events are important again,” and, “Social media marketing takes a nosedive… we have reached a saturation point … What publishers must figure out is how to make their social media campaigns stand out. If they remain somewhat uninspired, the money spent on social ads won't convert into book sales.” I think this is part of the rise of live selling as above, which can stand out above more ‘produced' videos. Kathleen also talks about AI usage. “AI can help lighten the burden of publicity and marketing.” “A lot of AI tools are coming to market to lessen the load: they can write pitches, create media lists for you, send pitches for you, and more. I know the industry is grappling with all things AI, but some of these tools are huge time savers and may help a book more than hurt it.” On that note … (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention Many authors will be very happy about this as marketing is often the bane of our author business lives! As I noted in my 2026 goals, I would love to outsource more marketing tasks to AI. I want an “AI book marketing assistant” where I can upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. I really hope 2026 is the year this becomes possible, because we are on the edge of it already in some areas. Amazon Ads launched a new agentic AI tool in September 2025 that creates professional-quality ads. I've also been working with Claude in Chrome browser to help me analyse my Amazon Ad data and suggest which keywords/products to turn off and what to put more budget into. I'll do a Patreon video on that soon. Meta announced it will enable AI ad creation by the end of 2026 for Facebook and Instagram. For authors who find ad creation overwhelming or time-consuming, this could be a game-changer. Of course, you will still need a budget! (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever Lots of authors and publishers are moaning about the difficulty of reaching readers in an era of ‘AI slop' but there is no shortage of excellent content created by humans, or humans using AI tools. As ever, our competition is less about other authors, or even authors using AI-assisted creation, we're competing against everything else that jostles for people's attention, and the volume of that is also growing exponentially. I've never been a fan of rapid release, and have said for years that you can't keep up with the pace of the machines. So play a different game. As Kevin Kelly wrote in 2008, If you have 1000 true fans, (also known as super fans), “you can make a living — if you are content to make a living but not a fortune.” [Kevin Kelly was on this show in 2023 talking about Excellent Advice for Living.] Many authors and the publishing industry are stuck in the old model of aiming to sell huge volumes of books at a low profit margin to a massive number of readers, many of them releasing ever faster to try and keep the algorithms moving. But the maths can work for the smaller audience of more invested readers and fans. If you only make $2 profit on an ebook, you need to sell 500 ebooks to make $1000, and then do it again next month. Or you can have a small community like my patreon.com/thecreativepenn where people pay $2 (or more) a month, so even a small revenue per person results in a better outcome over the year, as it is consistent monthly income with no advertising. But what if you could make $20 profit per book? That is entirely possible if you're producing high quality hardbacks on Kickstarter, or bundle deals of audiobooks, or whole series of ebooks. You would only need to sell to 50 people to make $1000. What about $100 profit per sale, which you can do with a small course or live event? You only need 10 people to make $1000, and this in-person focus also amplifies trust and fosters human connection. I've found the intimacy of my live Patreon Office Hours and also my webinars have been rewarding personally, but also financially, and are far more memorable — and potentially transformative — than a pre-recorded video or even another book. From the LinkedIn 2026 Big Ideas article: “In an AI-optimized world, intentional human connection will become the ultimate luxury.” The 1000 True Fans model is about serving a smaller, more personal audience with higher value products (and maybe services if that's your thing). As ever, its about niche and where you fit in the long long long long long tail. It's also about trust. Because there is definitely a shortage of that in so many areas, and as Adam Mosseri of Instagram has said, trust will be increasingly important. Trust takes time to build, but if you focus on serving your audience consistently, and delivering a high quality, and being authentic, this emerges as part of being human. In an echo of what happened when online commerce first took off, we are back to talking about trust. Back in 2010, I read Trust Agents: by Julien Smith and Chris Brogan, which clearly needs a comeback. There was a 10th anniversary edition published in 2020, so that's worth a read/listen. Chris Brogan was also on this show in 2017 when we talked about finding and serving your niche for the long term. That interview is still relevant, here's a quick excerpt, where I have (lightly edited) his response to my question on this topic back in 2017: Jo: The principle of know, like, and trust, why is that still important or perhaps even more important these days? Chris: There are a few things that at play there, Joanna. One is that the same tools that make it so easy for any of us to start and run a business also allow certain elements to decide whether or not they want to do something dubious. And with all new technologies that come, you know, there's nothing unique about these new technologies. In the 1800s, anyone could put anything in a bottle and sell it to you and say, this is gonna cure everything. Cancer — gone. And the bottle could have nothing in. You know, it could be Kool-Aid. And so, the idea of trying to understand what's behind the business though, one beautiful thing that's come is that we can see in much more dimensions who we're dealing with. We can understand better who's the face behind the brand. I really want people to try their best to be a lot clearer on what they stand for or what they say. And I don't really mean a tagline. I mean, humans don't really talk like that. They don't throw some sentence out as often as they can that you remember them for that phrase. But I would say that, we have so many media available to us — the plural of mediums — where we can be more of ourselves. And I think that there's a great opportunity to share the ‘you' behind the scenes, and some people get immediately terrified about this, ‘Ah, the last thing I want is for people to know more about me,' but I think we have such an opportunity. We have such an opportunity to voice our thoughts on something, to talk about the story that goes behind the product. We were all raised on overly produced material, but I think we don't want that anymore. We really want clarity, brevity, simplicity. We want the ability for what we feel is connection and then access. And so I think it's vital that we connect and show people our accessibility, not so that they can pester us with strange questions, but more so that you can say, this person stands with their product and their service and this person believes these things, and I feel something when I hear them and I wanna be part of that.” That's from Chris Brogan's interview here in 2017, and he is still blogging and speaking at writing at ChrisBrogan.com and I'm going to re-listen to the audiobook of Trust Agents again myself as I think it's more relevant than ever. The original quote comes from Bob Burg in his 1994 book, Endless Referrals, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” That still applies, and absolutely fits with the 1000 True Fans model of aiming to serve a smaller audience. As Kevin Kelly says in 1000 True Fans, “Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.” “On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you'll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation, but by genuine and true appreciation. It's a much saner destiny to hope for. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.” In 2026, I hope that more authors (including me!) let go of ego goals and vanity metrics like ranking, gross sales (income before you take away costs), subscribers, followers, and likes, and consider important business numbers like profit (which is the money you have after costs like marketing are taken out), as well as number of true fans — and also lifestyle elements like number of weekends off, or days spent enjoying life and not just working! OK, that's my list of trends and predictions for 2026. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you agree? Am I wrong? What have I missed? The post 2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

    The Road to Now
    # 355 Money in American Politics w/ Jeff Clements

    The Road to Now

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 54:23


    Worried about money in American politics? We are too, and Jeff Clements is offering up a solution. Jeff is CEO of American Promise, a non-partisan organization dedicated to passing the For Our Freedom amendment to the Constitution, which would differentiate between people and corporations, and allow states to pass their own campaign finance laws. In this episode, he breaks down the history of campaign finance laws, key moments, such as the Citizens United Case, that have brought us to where we are now, and the steps his team have already taken to help add another amendment to the US Constitution.   If you want to sign the Citizen Pledge or just learn more about American Promise, make sure to check out AmericanPromise.net.   This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.    

    Hacking Your ADHD
    ADHD-Friendly Goal Setting with Chris Wang (Rebroadcast)

    Hacking Your ADHD

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 38:34


    It's hard to believe we're already into 2026. If last year felt fast, this year is moving even quicker. As we settle into the rhythm of a new year, I found myself looking back at some of the most impactful conversations we've had on the show—specifically those that help us navigate the "new year pressure" without the burnout. That's why today, we're revisiting a fan-favorite conversation from the archives with Chris Wang, CEO and co-founder of Shimmer. Even though this originally aired at the start of 2025, the strategies Chris shares are more relevant than ever. We dive deep into: Process-oriented goal setting (focusing on the "how" rather than just the "what"). The power of community in maintaining momentum. Living in alignment with your core values to avoid "productivity for productivity's sake." Chris brings a wealth of actionable advice to the table. Whether you're currently looking into ADHD coaching or you're just trying to figure out how to make your plans stick for the rest of 2026, this episode is packed with gems. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/207 This Episode's Top Tips Work on setting process-oriented goals where your focus is on the actions you can control, like "exercise 3 times a week," rather than outcome-based goals like "lose 10 pounds." Make sure you are specific and write your to-do lists with clear, actionable steps to avoid overwhelm and decision paralysis. You want to know exactly what your next step is when looking at your to-do list. Leverage your support systems. You can use community and coaching to provide accountability, remove roadblocks, and refine your systems. Remember there is no gold star for toughing it out by yourself and it's okay to get help.

    The Hockey Think Tank Podcast
    Game-Changing Hockey Gear with Guest Andries de Villiers, Titan BattleGear Founder - EP 398

    The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 74:40


    This week Topher and Jeff talk with Andries de Villiers, founder and CEO of Titan BattleGear. His company is making waves in the hockey community with their innovative cut-resistant base layers and neck guards. In this episode we talk about: — How currently only a few neck guards on the market today are actually cut-resistant — The story behind Titan BattleGear and its design that makes players actually love to wear it — The importance of the neck guard mandate AND SO MUCH MORE! TITAN BATTLEGEAR HAGENS' HELPERS CHARITY Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar! And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites! JOIN HTTU TODAY! HTT MERCH Follow us: IG: @HockeyThinkTank X (Twitter): @HockeyThinkTank TikTok: @HockeyThinkTank Facebook: TheHockeyThinkTank Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Exit Strategies Radio Show
    EP 224: Legacy-Driven Leadership: Systems, Scaling, and The RISE Framework with Gary Harper

    Exit Strategies Radio Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 20:42


    What if the key to building generational wealth isn't just what you invest in, but how you run your business? As we kick off the second week of 2026, many of us are still looking at our goals and wondering if we have the "right" plan. Gary Harper, CEO of Sharper Business Solutions and creator of the RISE Business Framework, shares his incredible journey—from a troubled youth and corporate executive to losing it all in the 2008 crash and battling a life-threatening illness. Through these trials, Gary discovered that business success isn't just about profit; it's about a vision-driven life rooted in purpose, accountability, and the "three Ps": Passion, Product, and Profit.In the first half of the interview, Gary and Corwyn dive deep into the spiritual and mental foundations of a successful entrepreneur. Gary opens up about his "rock bottom" moments and explains why most people fail because they are chasing someone else's vision rather than their own.Don't miss Part 2, where Gary dives into overcoming fear, finding your true calling through his three pillars of purpose, and mastering the oxygen mask principle—why you can't lead others until you lead yourself.Key Takeaways:0:16 – Why building generational wealth goes beyond investments and starts with running your business strategically.4:41 – Gary's early journey in real estate and lessons from starting out with minimal resources.6:44 – Lessons from financial setbacks, bankruptcy, and staying true to integrity in business.9:47 – How vision creates purpose, purpose creates passion, and passion drives success.11:47 – The power of self-accountability and its role in achieving both personal and business goals.15:11 – Gary's KPI framework: Key Purpose Indicator → Profit Indicators → Performance → Process, and how it translates from health goals to business success.17:59 – How to define your purpose and financial freedom mark to guide business decisions and personal growth.Connect with Gary:Website: https://sharperbusiness.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_garyharper/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gary.harperiiLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-harper-37148967/Connect with Corwyn:Contact Number: 843-619-3005Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/exitstrategiesradioshow/⁠FB Page:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/exitstrategiessc/⁠Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxoSuynJd5c4qQ_eDXLJaZA⁠Website:⁠ https://www.exitstrategiesradioshow.com⁠Linkedin:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmelette/⁠Shoutout to our Sponsor: Country Boy HomesYou served your country with pride. Now it's time someone serves you. At Country Boy Homes, we believe every veteran deserves a safe, beautiful and affordable place to call home.We proudly offer VA loan friendly, manufactured and modular homes built with integrity, quality and your family and mine. Whether you're retiring to the peaceful low country or starting fresh with your family, we're here to build the future you've earned. Give us a call today, 843-574-8979.Country Boy Homes, Built to Honor, Built to Last.

    The Dream Job System Podcast
    7 Networking Tips Anyone Can Use To Meet VIPs | Ep #797

    The Dream Job System Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 9:31


    Austin shares 7 networking tips that are so effective, they will help you get in with any CEO, founder, or VIP that you want to connect with!Time Stamped Show Notes:[0:30] - Networking is important but hard![1:30] - Advice recognition & The advice triangle[4:18] - Engage with their content & Ask to interview them[6:33] - Set up a speaking engagement & Recognize them for a career change[8:15] - Make a helpful introductionWant To Level Up Your Job Search?Click here to learn more about 1:1 career coaching to help you land your dream job without applying online.Check out Austin's courses and, as a thank you for listening to the show, use the code PODCAST to get 5% off any digital course:The Interview Preparation System - Austin's proven, all-in-one process for turning your next job interview into a job offer.Value Validation Project Starter Kit - Everything you need to create a job-winning VVP that will blow hiring managers away and set you apart from the competition.No Experience, No Problem - Austin's proven framework for building the skills and experience you need to break into a new industry (even if you have *zero* experience right now).Try Austin's Job Search ToolsResyBuild.io - Build a beautiful, job-winning resume in minutes.ResyMatch.io - Score your resume vs. your target job description and get feedback.ResyBullet.io - Learn how to write attention grabbing resume bullets.Mailscoop.io - Find anyone's professional email in seconds.Connect with Austin for daily job search content:Cultivated CultureLinkedInTwitterThanks for listening!

    The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
    20VC: $0-$260M in Revenue in Three Years: How We Did It | You Need to Work Weekends to Win — Most Founders Aren't Ambitious Enough | The Revolut Playbook: Speed, Urgency, Extreme Ownership, and Zero Excuses with Alan Chang @ Fuse Energy

    The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 56:51


    I have interviewed 1,000 entrepreneurs over 10 years. Nik Storonsky and our guest today are the two best that I have interviewed.  Joining the show today; Alan Chang, Co-Founder and CEO of Fuse Energy. Alan has scaled Fuse Energy from $2M in revenue in the first year, to $20M the second year to now $400M in the third year. Like Netflix beat incumbents to own media, Revolut beat incumbents to own banking, Fuse will beat incumbents to own energy. Prior to founding Fuse, Alan was one of the first three hires at Revolut where he played a crucial role alongside Nik (Founder) in scaling the company to over $75BN valuation.  AGENDA: 00:04:00 — The interview process that led to the $150M pay packet 00:05:05 — The moment I knew Revolut was going to be a $TRN company 00:06:10 — How Revolut drove speed and urgency in their teams 00:07:35 — Biggest lesson from Nik Storonsky @ Revolut 00:09:40 — If you want to build a generational company, you cannot have work-life balance 00:11:40 — What I disagreed with Nik @ Revolut on most 00:13:35 — Is Nik right that Revolut should have got a banking licence earlier? 00:15:05 — The green movement and the idea of "using less" is BS 00:22:55 — Why China is the shining light for regulation to follow 00:33:00 — What Nik at Revolut taught me about ownership and excuses 00:34:50 — The signs of truly top performing people in a team 00:36:55 — We do not have enough ambitious founders — we need to do more, not focus 00:39:55 — You need to work weekends to win 00:43:50 — Every single year we 10x revenue — now at ~$400M 00:44:35 — Why Eastern European engineers are the best Items Mentioned in Today's Show: Try NEXOS.AI for yourself with a 14-day free trial: https://nexos.ai/20vc  

    Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast
    SMME #465 Open to Growth: Why Comfort Zones Are Killing Your Spa Business in 2026

    Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 24:00


    What if the only thing standing between you and your next level of success is your willingness to be uncomfortable? In this powerful episode to kick off 2026, Daniela pulls back the curtain on her personal growth journey and shares why she's committing to a year of being "open" to opportunities that genuinely scare her. From speaking at a 500-person conference in Vegas to hosting intimate CEO intensives to manning a booth at the massive Javits Center trade show in New York, she's doing things that push every single one of her "I'd rather not" buttons. But here's why it matters for YOUR business: the spa owners who thrive in the next 3 to 5 years won't be the most experienced; they'll be the ones who adapt fastest, test boldly, and pivot when needed. Your business will only grow as much as you're willing to grow. In this episode, we discuss:  Why choosing a single word (instead of resolutions) creates a powerful decision-making filter The difference between honoring boundaries and hiding behind them How in-person connections create ripple effects that virtual meetings can't replicate Why AI and rapid industry changes favor those who act with speed over those who wait The specific uncomfortable commitments Daniela is making in Q1 (and why they matter) How to identify the one thing you're avoiding that would genuinely move your business forward   Keep the conversation going inside the Spa Marketing Made Easy Community by clicking here. IG / @addoaesthetics WEB / addoaesthetics.com YOUTUBE / @addoaesthetics LINKEDIN / @addoaesthetics   About Your Host, Daniela Woerner Daniela Woerner is the founder of Addo Aesthetics and creator of the Growth Factor® Framework, a proven system that's helped hundreds of spa owners build profitable, systemized businesses. With nearly 20 years in the aesthetics industry, she transforms overworked aesthetic professionals into confident Spa CEOs through strategy, systems, and soul led support. Daniela is also the host of Spa Marketing Made Easy, a top ranked podcast with over 1 million downloads, where she shares real world strategies to help spa professionals grow with clarity and confidence.

    SharkPreneur
    Episode 1234: The AI Agent Buying Your Next CarNew Boost with Zach Shefska

    SharkPreneur

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 17:07


    What if an AI agent could negotiate your car deal while you keep your phone on silent? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Zach Shefska, Co-Founder & CEO of CarEdge, a platform using data, software, and services to make car buying fair, fast, and transparent. Zach explains how CarEdge evolved from a YouTube channel with his veteran car-salesman father into a suite of tools—pricing data, a concierge team, and an AI negotiator—that level the playing field for buyers without trying to eliminate dealerships. He shares how the business model aligns incentives, why “human-in-the-loop” AI matters, and how trust and speed can beat opacity and pressure. Key Takeaways: → CarEdge began as a YouTube channel teaching people how to buy cars and has grown into a platform with millions of monthly viewers plus tools and services that support the entire purchase journey. → The company offers negotiation-ready data, an AI negotiator that engages dealers on your behalf, and a human concierge team made up of former dealership pros who can run the process end-to-end. → Zach designed the model to avoid dealer pay-to-play by charging consumers for help, which means dealerships receive educated, motivated buyers without subscription fees or low-quality lead churn. → The mission is not to destroy dealerships but to make transactions fairer and faster, which can still serve dealer interests by improving close rates and reducing negotiation friction. → Dealership profits are typically driven by finance and insurance products rather than the new-car sale itself, so CarEdge focuses on fair vehicle pricing while educating consumers on F&I decisions. Zach Shefska is the co-founder and CEO of CarEdge, a platform dedicated to reforming the automotive retail experience through radical transparency, consumer empowerment, and digital innovation. His journey from tech executive to mission-driven entrepreneur exemplifies a deep commitment to building purpose-driven solutions that challenge exploitative norms. Connect With Zach:Website: http://www.caredge.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycaredge TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caredge Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mycaredge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Squawk Pod
    Nicolás Maduro in New York & Versant on the Nasdaq 1/5/25

    Squawk Pod

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 43:16


    Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are being held in New York on drug trafficking charges after U.S. forces captured both in Venezuela over the weekend. The lead prosecutor in the case, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, discusses his approach to the case and dates the effort back to 2011. In Washington, DC CNBC's Eamon Javers reports on the weekend's strikes in Venezuela, the subsequent press events from the administration, and the path forward. Then, Mark Lazarus, CEO of CNBC's parent company Versant, discusses the company's first trade as an independent company after successfully spinning off from Comcast. Jay Clayton - 17:36Mark Lazarus - 39:11In this episode:Eamon Javers, @eamonjaversBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Future of Work With Jacob Morgan
    Behind the Scenes of CEO Succession Planning: How Organizations Decide Who Leads Next W/ Debbie Pickle, CHRO of Williams

    The Future of Work With Jacob Morgan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 55:33


    When a longtime CEO steps down, it's not just a change in leadership—it's a shift in the organization's heartbeat. After 40 years of service, Williams faced exactly that moment: a legacy to honor, a culture to protect, and a future to build. But how do you preserve stability while ushering in transformation? In this episode, Debbie Pickle, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at Williams, talks about orchestrating a seamless CEO succession  after long tenures and the CHRO's pivotal role in managing the culture, priorities, and structure during these executive transitions. She walks through creating a CEO Resource Guide, using tools like Hogan Assessments, 360 feedback, and development plans to prepare candidates, and crafting a thoughtful 30–60–90-day plan for the incoming CEO. Debbie also shares how Williams redefined its core values and replaced its mission and vision with a purpose statement, all while aligning the board of directors through strong governance principles like "noses in, fingers out." CHROs will learn all tips into managing leadership transitions through feedback loop, the importance of continuous learning during change, and how to become a true strategic partner and CEO whisperer in the organization. You'll learn how to guide your company through its next defining leadership chapter and balance what's changing vs. what's staying the same.   ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Preorder here: 8EXlaws.com

    Daily Tech News Show (Video)
    The Head of CTA Explains CES

    Daily Tech News Show (Video)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 8:11


    Gary Shapiro, CEO of the CTA explains the sleeper trends at this tear's show and the secrets of the show's longevity and international appeal. Support the show on Patreon by becoming a supporter!

    Unstoppable
    784 Gyve Safavi: Co-Founder & CEO of SURI

    Unstoppable

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 40:42


    On today's episode, Kara welcomes Gyve Safavi, Co-Founder and CEO of SURI — the award-winning sustainable electric toothbrush brand redefining how we care for our teeth, our health, and the planet.SURI was born from a simple but overlooked truth: every toothbrush you've ever owned still exists. In an industry built on disposability, Gyve and his Co-Founder, Mark Rushmore, saw an opportunity hiding in plain sight. They set out to create a beautifully designed, high-performance electric toothbrush made with better materials and built to last — resulting in a sleek aluminum body, recyclable plant-based heads, and thousands of passionate customers who believe in fewer, better products.Before launching SURI, Gyve spent years shaping global brands at Procter & Gamble, AKQA, and WPP — experiences that helped him reimagine what oral care could be. Raised in New York by immigrant parents who instilled the belief that anything was possible with enough focus, Gyve brings a thoughtful blend of purpose, discipline, and design-driven thinking to every part of the SURI journey.In this episode, Gyve shares how breaking a long-ignored category wide open required fresh thinking, how he and Mark balanced sustainability with true performance, and why community feedback has become central to SURI's evolution. He opens up about early challenges, product innovation, what's next with SURI 2.0, and how conscious entrepreneurship is reshaping consumer expectations in everyday essentials.A must-listen for anyone interested in sustainability, product innovation, consumer brands, or the art of turning a simple idea into a movement. Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks. To learn more about Gyve Safavi and SURI:https://www.trysuri.com/https://www.instagram.com/discoversuri/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gyvestar Sponsored By:LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.Collective - Get fifty percent off of your first two months when you go to Collective.com/KARAGOLDINShopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/karaQuo - Try Quo for free, PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to Quo.com/karagoldinFound - Open a Found account for FREE at Found.com Check out our website to view this episode's show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/784 

    The Unforget Yourself Show
    You Are Not Your Trauma with Tammy Vincent

    The Unforget Yourself Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 31:18


    Tammy Vincent, founder of Radiating Resilience Coaching, a trauma informed coach who helps struggling leaders break free from their past and step fully into their best lives.Through holistic methods, NLP, and nervous system regulation, Tammy guides her clients to release old patterns, regulate their energy, and lead with strength and clarity.Now, Tammy's story of losing a multi-million dollar business during COVID yet refusing to let that define her demonstrates the power of resilience and the ability to rise stronger with a new mission.And while serving leaders who often carry childhood trauma into their careers, she's showing them that you can't be a victim and a leader at the same time, and that healing is the gateway to true impact.Here's where to find more:www.tammyvincent.comwww.instagram.com/radiatingresiliencecoaching________________________________________________Welcome to The Unforget Yourself Show where we use the power of woo and the proof of science to help you identify your blind spots, and get over your own bullshit so that you can do the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do!We're Mark and Katie, the founders of Unforget Yourself and the creators of the Unforget Yourself System and on this podcast, we're here to share REAL conversations about what goes on inside the heart and minds of those brave and crazy enough to start their own business. From the accidental entrepreneur to the laser-focused CEO, we find out how they got to where they are today, not by hearing the go-to story of their success, but talking about how we all have our own BS to deal with and it's through facing ourselves that we find a way to do the fucking thing.Along the way, we hope to show you that YOU are the most important asset in your business (and your life - duh!). Being a business owner is tough! With vulnerability and humor, we get to the real story behind their success and show you that you're not alone._____________________Find all our links to all the things like the socials, how to work with us and how to apply to be on the podcast here: https://linktr.ee/unforgetyourself

    The Unforget Yourself Show
    Building Real Confidence That Doesn't Depend on Proving Yourself with Bryan Yates

    The Unforget Yourself Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 36:47


    Bryan Yates, founder of Locomotiv Coaching, a strategic reset practice that helps accomplished leaders in fields like healthcare, tech, and finance move beyond old patterns and access their true capability.Through one to one coaching, group programs, and retreats, Bryan guides clients to shift their perspective, rewire unhelpful instincts, and lead with confidence that does not rely on constant proving.Now, Bryan's journey from building four different businesses to launching The Bovine Classic, an internationally attended cycling event, shows his talent for creating real-world communities and lasting impact.And while staying committed to simplifying what matters most, he helps clients replace friction with clarity so they can make meaningful change without burning out.Here's where to find more:www.locomotivcoaching.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanyates________________________________________________Welcome to The Unforget Yourself Show where we use the power of woo and the proof of science to help you identify your blind spots, and get over your own bullshit so that you can do the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do!We're Mark and Katie, the founders of Unforget Yourself and the creators of the Unforget Yourself System and on this podcast, we're here to share REAL conversations about what goes on inside the heart and minds of those brave and crazy enough to start their own business. From the accidental entrepreneur to the laser-focused CEO, we find out how they got to where they are today, not by hearing the go-to story of their success, but talking about how we all have our own BS to deal with and it's through facing ourselves that we find a way to do the fucking thing.Along the way, we hope to show you that YOU are the most important asset in your business (and your life - duh!). Being a business owner is tough! With vulnerability and humor, we get to the real story behind their success and show you that you're not alone._____________________Find all our links to all the things like the socials, how to work with us and how to apply to be on the podcast here: https://linktr.ee/unforgetyourself

    The Brave Table with Dr. Neeta Bhushan
    395: Release, Reclaim, Become Her: Your 2026 Reinvention Blueprint

    The Brave Table with Dr. Neeta Bhushan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 28:47


    Whether you're stepping into 2026 feeling ready to rise… or just barely catching your breath, this is for you. In this episode, we're doing a soul-nourishing recap of the 6 most powerful conversations I had in 2025 about one thing: REINVENTION. You'll hear from women who burned the rulebook, released old identities, and reclaimed their worthiness — including powerful lessons from Vanessa Bennett, Amber Rae, Dr. Shefali, Marisa Peer, and some deeply personal moments from my own journey. If you've ever felt stuck inside a life you've outgrown, or are craving a fresh start but don't know where to begin, or decided that 2026 is the year you decide to become HER…Hit play. Let's get brave.What you'll get out of this episode… Reinvention starts when you stop shrinkingSelf-worth isn't something you earn—it's something you return toWhy you must learn to disappoint othersMoney reveals your deepest beliefs about what you deserveYou can't become your next best version until you release who you've beenDive Deeper Into These EpisodesEp #294: Braving New Beginnings: Why We Moved to Dubai & Embracing Change in 2025 with Dr. Neeta Bhushan (Apple | Spotify)Ep #358: Why “Good Mothers” Lose Themselves (And How to Reclaim You) with Vanessa Bennett (Apple | Spotify)Ep #363: What Falling Apart Taught Me About Being Loveable with Amber Rae (Apple | Spotify)Ep #321: The “Good Girl” Lie That's Keeping You Stuck (And How to Break Free) with Dr. Shefali (Apple | Spotify)Ep #317: Rewire Your Brain to Be Rich: The Truth About Money, Mindset & Manifestation with Marisa Peer (Apple | Spotify)Ep #378: I Removed My Breast Implants After 10 Years—Here's Why (And What Happened Next) (Apple | Spotify)This Episode is Sponsored by Chai TonicsGive the gift of ritual this holiday season with Chai Tonic Holiday Kits — nourishing Ayurvedic superfood chai blends made to bring calm, clarity, and slow-living energy into the new year. Use code CHRISTMAS for a free 52-card Intention Deck + free shipping at https://bit.ly/trychaitonics Breathe better with JASPRAs a mama healing from mold toxicity, air quality has become deeply personal for me. JASPR removes 97.1% of mold in just 1 hour. Use code BRAVE for $400 OFF: https://jaspr.co/brave Support your body with REJŪVMy go-to science-backed red light therapy for faster recovery, reduced soreness, and deeper repair. Try it today with code BRAVETABLE: Https://werejuv.com/?ref=NEETABHUSHANFollow along for more tips, community, and resources to brave a better you!YOUTUBE / @TheBraveTableIG / @neetabhushan IG / @thebravetable TIKTOK / @neeta.bhushanWEB / https://neetabhushan.comTo receive a free gift, email a screenshot of your 5-star review of The Brave Table to support@globalgrit.co

    Leaders in the Trenches
    The Hidden Year-End Reflection Most Growth-Stage CEOs Skip and Why It Slows Growth

    Leaders in the Trenches

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 10:44


    In this episode, I share critical year-end reflections for growth-stage CEOs, especially those leading organizations of around 20 employees. As companies scale, leadership must shift from personal execution to empowering others and ensuring the business can thrive even in the leader's absence. I walk through seven powerful reflection questions designed to accelerate leadership growth, from identifying your highest-impact actions to confronting avoided conversations and evaluating how well you're adapting to what the future demands. This episode challenges leaders to lead with courage, rethink their approach for the year ahead, and strengthen both self-awareness and organizational health. All reflection questions are included in the show notes for easy reference. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 3:09 Seven Reflection Questions for CEOs 6:33 Exploring Leadership Identity Changes 7:16 Leading with Courage in the New Year 7:54 First Steps to Empower Your Team 9:00 Closing Thoughts and Final Reflections Episode Summary In this episode, I guide growth-stage CEOs through a critical year-end reflection often missed during scale, especially around the 20-employee mark. As leadership demands increase, success is no longer about doing more yourself, but about building a business that can move forward without your constant presence. The episode challenges leaders to confront a simple but sobering truth: "If nothing changes in how you lead, this is exactly where your company will be next year." Through seven focused reflection questions, I help CEOs evaluate where their leadership truly creates leverage, where it limits growth, and what must change to build a healthier, more scalable organization. The 7 Reflection Questions The Leverage Audit Which 20% of your leadership actions created 80% of your company's momentum this year? The Impact Test Where did your leadership create meaningful growth in others, not just results? Who became more capable because you led differently? The Avoided Conversation What is the one conversation if addressed that would most reduce friction and free you as the CEO? The Capacity Gap Is the way you're currently leading sustainable for the next stage of growth? The CEO Identity Shift As your company grows, which parts of your founder identity are no longer serving you? Who must you become for the business to grow beyond you? The Courage Move If you were willing to lead with more courage, not more effort, what would you do differently in the first 90 days of the new year? The First Shift What is the first leadership behavior you will stop, start, or delegate in the next week to reinforce a business that doesn't depend on you? Closing Reflection If nothing changes in how you lead, where will your company and your energy be this time next year? All reflection questions are included here for easy reference. Key Takeaways Growth-stage CEOs often become the bottleneck around the 20-employee mark; scaling requires a shift from personal execution to leadership leverage. If your leadership approach does not change as the company grows, it will eventually limit both organizational performance and your personal energy. Effective leadership is measured not by how much you do, but by how well others perform and grow in your absence. Identifying the small set of leadership actions that drive the majority of results creates clarity, focus, and momentum. Avoided conversations are often the hidden source of organizational friction and CEO overload. The leadership style that helped you reach this stage may not be the one required for the next phase of growth. Courage not increased effort is the defining factor in meaningful leadership evolution. Small, intentional behavior shifts (what you stop, start, or delegate) can rapidly increase organizational independence. Year-end reflection is not passive; when done well, it becomes a strategic act that shapes the company's future. Sustainable growth depends on building a business that can operate and win without relying on the CEO's constant presence. Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance.

    Women Invest in Real Estate
    WIIRE 212: You're Not Stuck — You've Outgrown Lone-Wolf Investing: Why Experienced Investors Need a High-Level Community

    Women Invest in Real Estate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 41:25


    If you're a female real estate investor who feels stuck after your first few deals, this episode is your wake‑up call. This week we're joined by Jesse Dillon, who went from a salon owner to owning 50 rental units in just a few years. Together, we break down why so many women stall out between deals 3–5, why more books and podcasts aren't your problem, and how trying to do it all alone quietly kills your momentum.You'll hear real stories from women inside the WIIRE community who:Went from terrified of private money to raising $1.8M in 30 daysFunded their first flip and BRRRR using private and hard moneyLocked up a competitive 7‑figure deal in an expensive market by learning to move fastWe dive into imposter syndrome, fear of failing publicly, and the identity shift from “I'm trying to invest” to “I am a real estate investor and CEO.”Tune into Jessie's other WIIRE episodes:Episode 22Episode 149Episode 197If you've been learning nonstop but not taking action, this episode shows why community, accountability, and high‑level rooms are the missing piece for women in real estate.  Resources:Simplify how you manage your rentals with TurboTenantGet in touch with Envy Investment GroupConnect with Jessie over on InstagramMake sure your name is on the list to secure your spot in The WIIRE Community Leave us a review on Apple PodcastsLeave us a review on SpotifyJoin our private Facebook CommunityConnect with us on Instagram

    The  Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
    Episode 300: The Best of 2025 (Milestone Episode!)

    The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 28:22


    Episode 300 is a milestone, and I wanted to mark it the way we actually grow: by looking back at what worked, what landed, and what leaders kept coming back to when things got loud. This is a recap episode of our most revisited conversations, the ones that sparked the most "I needed this" replies, the ones that turned into team meetings, boundary resets, revenue decisions, and CEO-level pivots. In this episode, I'm recapping: The leadership moves that keep you steady when the outside world feels unstable The culture standards that make great teams possible (and keep turnover from eating you alive) The strategic decisions that protect your margins, your energy, and your long-term valuation The life-first lens that makes success feel like success (not like a prettier version of burnout) Want the full list in one clean place so you can binge in order, share with your team, or save it for your next CEO reset? Download the Top 10 Fierce Factor Episodes List with direct links to every episode mentioned in today's recap. Resources → Download your copy of our Top 10 Fierce Factor Episodes Resource → Learn more & secure your spot for Confidence to Scale Live → Join the Fierce Factor Society → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move. KLC Consulting Website Kaeli on LinkedIn

    Millionaire University
    How Adam Haber Created a Platform to Help Small Businesses Compete With Amazon (MU Classic)

    Millionaire University

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 52:34


    #738 What does it take to build a business from the ground up that actually helps small businesses survive and thrive in a world dominated by Amazon? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel sits down with serial entrepreneur Adam Haber, co-founder and CEO of Trellus, a same-day delivery platform designed to help local retailers compete with big-box giants. Adam shares how his journey from trading pits to tech startups led him to this mission-driven venture, how he went door to door to validate his idea, and why emotional intelligence and gritty resilience matter more than a perfect business plan. From his early hustle selling cable TV to building a nationwide logistics platform, Adam offers hard-won wisdom about sales, startup capital, leadership, rejection, and the mindset it takes to create a company people believe in! (Original Air Date - 5/19/25) What we discuss with Adam: + Early days selling snacks and cable TV + Transition from trading floor to entrepreneurship + Founding Trellus to support small businesses + Door-to-door validation and customer discovery + Challenges of raising startup capital + Building trust and emotional intelligence in sales + Importance of output over outcome + Power of referrals and relationships + Staying resilient through rejection + Structuring a strong startup team Thank you, Adam! Check out Trellus at ⁠ByTrellus.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow Adam on ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠video podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Being [at Work]
    Daily Dose: When You Stop Living on Autopilot

    Being [at Work]

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 3:05


    Being [at Work] offers a daily dose of leadership focused on helping you, the leader. During challenging times we need all of the encouragement we can get. Sometimes there's simply no playbook and we just need to do the best we can. Sometimes the best we can is being reminded of the gifts and insight you already have within. Be sure to subscribe and get your daily dose.   About Andrea Butcher Andrea Butcher is a visionary business leader, executive coach, and keynote speaker—she empowers leaders to gain clarity through the chaos by being MORE of who they already are. Her experiences—serving as CEO, leading at an executive level, and working in and leading global teams—make her uniquely qualified to support leadership and business success. She hosts the popular leadership podcast, Being [at Work] with a global audience of over 600,000 listeners and is the author of The Power in the Pivot (Red Thread Publishing 2022) and HR Kit for Dummies (Wiley 2023).   Connect with Andrea https://www.abundantempowerment.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leaderdevelopmentcoach/   Abundant Empowerment Upcoming Events https://www.abundantempowerment.com/events      

    The Investopedia Express with Caleb Silver
    Investing in the New World Order

    The Investopedia Express with Caleb Silver

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 35:45


    2026 came in like a lion with the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and a bull market charging into its fourth year testing investors' confidence. Liz Thomas of SoFi comes back aboard the Express to share her outlook for the new year and specific risk factors that could challenge our faith in the momentum underlying recent trends. Plus, it's a new era for Berkshire Hathaway shareholders without Warren Buffett as CEO. We list just some of the accomplishments that made Buffett the greatest investor of all time, and examine what he leaves behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Dimes y Billetes
    412. ¿Qué pasa cuando el ego dirige el negocio? | Ford PARTE 2

    Dimes y Billetes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 52:08


    En esta segunda parte de la historia de Ford Motor Company, exploramos la decisión más difícil que puede tomar una empresa familiar: ceder el control operativo para salvar el legado. Analizamos cómo Ford aseguró liquidez antes de la crisis de 2008, trajo a un CEO externo con autoridad real y transformó una cultura que escondía problemas.Un episodio sobre ego, sucesión, gobierno corporativo y por qué, a veces, la única forma de proteger una empresa es dejar de dirigirla.Si tienes un negocio y quieres llevarlo al siguiente nivel, entra a:https://materia.consulting/

    KAJ Studio Podcast
    A Conversation on Democratizing Wealth & Tax Planning with David Snider

    KAJ Studio Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 28:40


    What if you could access the same sophisticated tax and wealth strategies used by the ultra-rich—without the ultra-high fees? Join host Khudania Ajay (KAJ) for an insightful conversation with David Snider, Founder and CEO of Harness Wealth. David is on a mission to make bespoke financial advice accessible to the next generation of builders by using technology to democratize wealth management. Learn how advanced tax planning, strategic investing, and legacy-building tools are no longer reserved for the elite—and how you can leverage them to secure your financial future. Explore a new era of financial empowerment at https://kajmasterclass.com.=========================================*KAJ Masterclass*A video-first, conversation-led knowledge platform featuring thoughtful conversations with leaders, professionals, authors, and experts across leadership, business, health, technology, and the changing world of work. Each conversation is designed to help people learn, reflect, and take meaningful action.

    The Chris Voss Show
    The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Unveiling Next-Gen Smart Alarms and Air Quality Monitors: Sensereo at CES Show 2026

    The Chris Voss Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 17:02


    Unveiling Next-Gen Smart Alarms and Air Quality Monitors: Sensereo at CES Show 2026 Sensereo.com About the Guest(s): Roy Chen and Cheng LLZ are the innovative minds behind the company Sensereo. Roy Chen, the CEO, has driven the vision of creating next-generation environmental intelligence products, focusing on enhancing individuals’ understanding of their living environment. Cheng LLZ, the co-founder, shares this vision and works closely with Roy to develop and promote intelligent devices that integrate seamlessly into modern smart home ecosystems. Episode Summary: Dive into a groundbreaking episode of The Chris Voss Show, where host Chris Voss interviews Roy Chen and Cheng LLZ, the dynamic duo behind Sensereo, a company at the forefront of developing intelligent environmental sensors. This episode zeroes in on their innovative products designed to revolutionize how we interact with and understand our home environments. In a detailed exploration, the founders shed light on Sensereo’s flagship product, the MS One Next Gen smart smoke alarm, which boasts seamless integration with existing smart home systems like Apple Home and Google Home. The product promises to keep users informed of potential smoke hazards even when they are away, providing crucial alerts that can lead to life-saving actions. The discussion also covers their upcoming product, AIR0, a modular design air quality sensor that customizes and monitors various parameters to ensure optimal living conditions. With a blend of humor and serious insights, the founders share the story behind starting Sensereo, driven by the need for enhanced home safety. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in emerging smart technologies and home safety advancements. Key Takeaways: Sensereo’s MS One smart smoke alarm integrates with existing smart home systems, offering notifications in case of smoke detection even when users are not home. The idea for Sensereo originated from a personal insight after watching a tragedy in “Manchester by the Sea,” highlighting the critical need for smarter smoke alarms. AIR0, the newest product by Sensereo, is a modular air quality sensor that provides tailored monitoring for various rooms, enhancing indoor environmental awareness. Sensereo maintains a global presence with teams across China, the UK, and Singapore and emphasizes consumer-focused technological solutions. Upcoming plans for Sensereo include a Kickstarter campaign for new product launches, emphasizing continuous innovation in consumer environmental intelligence devices. Notable Quotes: “After watching ‘Manchester by the Sea,’ I wanted a smoke alarm that could alert me while I’m not at home.” – Roy Chen “We are building the next generation of environmental intelligence products to improve people’s understanding of their living environment.” – Roy Chen “Air is something very hard to understand. We are trying to build more sensors to help people better grasp it.” – Cheng LLZ “AIR0 is a modular design air quality sensor that caters to different rooms’ unique requirements, ensuring precise detection.” – Roy Chen “Our philosophy is to create intelligent products that integrate seamlessly into existing smart home ecosystems without needing additional apps.” – Roy Chen

    The Prof G Show with Scott Galloway
    First Time Founders: This Former Trader Built A Luxury Clothing Brand

    The Prof G Show with Scott Galloway

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 60:31


    Ed Elson speaks with Michael Berkowitz, Founder and CEO of Norwegian Wool, a luxury coat brand. They discuss his transition from finance to fashion, how he successfully broke into the luxury market, and his perspective on the rise of the quiet luxury trend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    We Met At Acme
    What No One Tells You About Your Fertility ft. Samantha Diamond

    We Met At Acme

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 51:14


    Samantha Diamond is the co-founder and CEO of Bird&Be, the modern fertility brand transforming how people approach reproductive health. We discuss her PCOS diagnosis, what people need to change about their lifestyle when trying to conceive, biggest fertility misconceptions, how she found out about her miscarriage, and so much more.Visit birdandbe.com and use code ACME for 15% off your first purchase.Get More We Met At Acme!Youtube: @wemetatacmeIG: @lindzmetz @wemetatacme @wemetatbabySubstack: @wemetatacme + @wemetatbabyWebsite: @wemetatacmeChapters10:25 Navigating Miscarriage and Emotional Impact19:55 Exploring Naturopathic Medicine and Fertility21:09 Holistic Approach to Fertility and Pregnancy22:46 Understanding Naturopathic Medicine24:33 Preparing for Parenthood: Health and Lifestyle TipsSponsorsIf you're in the market for a beautiful new sofa, dining table, or bed, head over to article.comUse code ACME at monarch.com for 50% off your first year. Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Takin A Walk
    Jay DeMarcus-Member Rascal Flatts, Musician, Songwriter, Label Founder-Country Music Interview-Replay

    Takin A Walk

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 44:10 Transcription Available


    Join your host Buzz Knight on the Takin A Walk replay episode with one of the most respected folks in the Nashville Music Scene. Jay DeMarcus shares his vast career in this episode, from his beginnings in Columbus Ohio, to his success with the legendary band Rascal Flatts. He also created and is CEO of independent label Red Street Records. Stanley Wayne “Jay” DeMarcus Jr. stands as one of country music’s most influential figures, not just for his role as a founding member of Rascal Flatts, but for his remarkable versatility as a musician, producer, and songwriter. Born on April 26, 1971, in Columbus, Ohio, DeMarcus discovered his musical calling early, immersing himself in piano, keyboards, and vocals throughout his childhood. DeMarcus’s journey to country music stardom began in his formative years, shaped by his Pentecostal upbringing and the gospel music that filled his church. This spiritual foundation would later inform the emotional depth and harmony-rich sound that became Rascal Flatts’ signature. After honing his skills in various musical settings, DeMarcus moved to Nashville in the 1990s, where he initially worked as a session musician and touring member for artists like Chely Wright and Michael English. The pivotal moment in DeMarcus’s career came in 1999 when he joined forces with his second cousin Gary LeVox and guitarist Joe Don Rooney to form Rascal Flatts. As the group’s bassist, keyboardist, and harmony vocalist, DeMarcus became the musical architect behind their polished, contemporary sound. His production sensibilities and instrumental prowess helped craft a string of unprecedented hits that redefined modern country music. Songs like “Bless the Broken Road,” “What Hurts the Most,” and “My Wish” showcased his ability to blend traditional country storytelling with pop-influenced arrangements and soaring vocal harmonies. Beyond his work with Rascal Flatts, DeMarcus established himself as a sought-after producer, working with artists including Chicago, James Otto, and Jo Dee Messina. His production style—characterized by lush instrumentation, meticulous attention to vocal arrangements, and radio-friendly polish—influenced a generation of country artists and producers. DeMarcus’s contributions to music have earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Country Music Association Awards. Rascal Flatts became one of the best-selling country groups of all time, selling over 23 million albums and 35 million digital downloads. The group’s consistent chart success throughout the 2000s and 2010s cemented their status as country music royalty. In his personal life, DeMarcus married Allison Alderson in 2004, with whom he shares two children. His family life occasionally intersected with his professional world, particularly through appearances on reality television and various media projects. The couple’s relationship became publicly documented through their participation in various entertainment ventures. Following Rascal Flatts’ farewell tour announcement in 2020—later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—DeMarcus continued pursuing solo production work and exploring new creative ventures. His legacy extends far beyond his instrumental and vocal contributions; he helped shape the sound of 21st-century country music, proving that traditional country could successfully merge with contemporary production techniques while maintaining emotional authenticity. Jay DeMarcus remains a testament to the power of musical craftsmanship, demonstrating that technical excellence, combined with genuine artistry and commercial sensibility, can create timeless music that resonates across generations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Listen to Takin A Walk Music History on foot as Knight and Jay Demarcus discuss his amazing career, his influences and his leadership of a Nashville record label. If you are a fan of country music Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley
    The Doctor Is In, Michael B. Jordan, Mr. Mayor

    CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 46:41


    CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook visits with Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch of “The Pitt,” played by Noah Wyle, who is also an executive producer, writer and director on the HBO Max hit series. With the second season beginning Jan. 8, Dr. LaPook visits the show's hyper-realistic set in Burbank and speaks with Wyle about how the series takes great care to reflect real life and real problems. Tracy Smith talks with actor Michael B. Jordan, who's been nominated for his first Golden Globe for the film “Sinners,” which is generating significant Oscar buzz. As Zohran Mamdani takes office as New York City's newest mayor, Mo Rocca looks back at the man Mamdani has invoked as a model: Fiorello La Guardia, the three-term Republican mayor whose tremendous legacy lives on in the physical and social landscape of the city. Rocca speaks with historian and Columbia Professor Emeritus Kenneth T. Jackson, as well as Michael S. Rosenberg, president and CEO of New York City Center. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Decoding the Gurus
    Scott Galloway, Part 1: On Men

    Decoding the Gurus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 171:19


    We return to the podcast circuit in 2026 to examine Scott Galloway: NYU professor, prolific podcaster, and, more recently, part-time life coach for struggling young men.Joining him on an episode of Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson, we are invited into one of the few remaining forbidden conversational spaces: men, masculinity, and men's problems. You may have been misled by the relentless popularity of Joe Rogan, Modern Wisdom, The Tucker Carlson Show, Triggernometry, The Diary of a CEO, Huberman Lab, and several dozen adjacent properties into thinking these topics are already discussed at length on a near-weekly basis. Alas, this turns out to be a dangerous illusion.In reality, even mentioning men's issues requires an extended ritual acknowledgement of women, failure to perform which risks immediate cancellation. Braving these cultural headwinds, we wade into manly dialogue about masculinity, sex differences, and male malaise. Along the way, we ponder the intricacies of culture war evolutionary psychology, anthropological wars over Man the Hunter, optimised dosages for manly whingeing, and whether making boys learn French verb conjugations qualifies as a human rights abuse.So get your notebooks ready for some important notes from two of the most masculine men in the modern male podcasting space. Men...LinksModern Wisdom: The War On Men Isn't Helping Anyone - Scott GallowayThe Diary of a CEO: Scott Galloway: We're Raising The Most Unhappy Generation In History! Hard Work Doesn't Build WealthAcademic papers ReferencedChanges in gender-based hiring bias (large meta-analysis): Schaerer, M., Du Plessis, C., Nguyen, M. H. B., Van Aert, R. C., Tiokhin, L., Lakens, D., … Gender Audits Forecasting Collaboration. (2023). On the trajectory of discrimination: A meta-analysis and forecasting survey capturing 44 years of field experiments on gender and hiring decisions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 179, 104280.Epidemiology of alcohol use disorder by marital status (US, NESARC-III): Grant, B. F., Goldstein, R. B., Saha, T. D., et al. (2015). Epidemiology of DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III. JAMA Psychiatry, 72(8), 757–766.Protective effects of marriage on life expectancy (US Medicare sample): Jia, H., & Lubetkin, E. I. (2020). Life expectancy and active life expectancy by marital status among older US adults: Results from the US Medicare Health Outcome Survey (HOS). SSM – Population Health, 12, 100642.Widowhood and well-being (contrary to claims of increased happiness): Adena, M., Hamermesh, D., Myck, M., & Oczkowska, M. (2023). Home alone: Widows' well-being and time. Journal of Happiness Studies, 24(2), 813–838.Meta-analysis of the widowhood effect on mortality (men and women): Shor, E., Roelfs, D. J., Curreli, M., Clemow, L., Burg, M. M., & Schwartz, J. E. (2012). Widowhood and mortality: A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Demography, 49(2), 575–606.Marriage and life satisfaction across the life course (multi-country): Mikucka, M. (2016). The life satisfaction advantage of being married and gender specialization....

    Millennial Investing - The Investor’s Podcast Network
    TIVP053: Exor NV (EXO): Too Good To Be True? w/ Shawn O'Malley & Daniel Mahncke

    Millennial Investing - The Investor’s Podcast Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 72:36


    Shawn O'Malley and Daniel Mahncke break down Exor NV (ticker: EXO), a unique holding company that has acted as a vehicle for the family wealth of Fiat's founder, but now poses a compelling arbitrage opportunity, with Exor's stock trading at nearly a 60% discount to its net asset value. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00:00 – Intro 00:04:55 – How Ferrari became Exor's largest investment 00:06:16 – Whether Exor actually offers discounted exposure to companies like Ferrari, Stellantis, and CNH 00:16:48 – What markets Exor is focusing on most now 00:19:45 – Why Exor trades at such a discount to its NAV 00:42:02 – Why Exor trimmed part of its Ferrari stake 00:45:01 – Why Exor is unlikely to be forced to realize its NAV by outsiders 00:51:03 – Why Exor reclassified itself from an industrial conglomerate to an investment company 01:00:11 – How to think about modeling EXO's intrinsic value 01:09:24 – Whether Shawn and Daniel add EXO to their Intrinsic Value Portfolio *Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES The Investors Podcast Network is excited to debut a new community known as The Intrinsic Value Community for investors to learn, share ideas, network, and join calls with experts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the waitlist(!)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for ⁠⁠The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.⁠⁠ Shawn & Daniel use Fiscal.ai for every company they research — use their referral link to get started with a 15% discount! Learn how to join us in Omaha for the 2026 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting. Check out the Interview with Exor's CEO, John Elkann. Check out the 2020 Value Investors Club pitch on Exor. Read the 2011 book on the Agnelli family history. Explore our previous Intrinsic Value breakdowns: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transdigm⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Salesforce,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Berkshire Hathaway,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠FICO⁠⁠, ⁠⁠PayPal⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Uber,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Nike,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Airbnb,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Alphabet.⁠⁠ Related ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ mentioned in the podcast. Ad-free episodes on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium Feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. NEW TO THE SHOW? Follow our official social media accounts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Try Shawn's favorite tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Finance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy exclusive perks from our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠favorite Apps and Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠best business podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠Public.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ - See the full disclaimer ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

    The Tech Blog Writer Podcast
    3541: How IBS Software Sees AI Redefining Airline Retail and Loyalty

    The Tech Blog Writer Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 31:13


    What if airlines stopped thinking in terms of seats and schedules and started designing for the entire journey instead? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Somit Goyal, CEO of IBS Software, to talk about how travel technology is being rebuilt at its foundations. Since we last spoke, AI has moved from experimentation into everyday operations, and that shift is forcing airlines to rethink everything from retailing and loyalty to disruption management and customer trust. Somit shares why AI can no longer sit on the edge of systems as a feature, and why it now has to be embedded directly into how decisions are made across the business. We discuss the growing gap between legacy airline technology and rapidly rising traveler expectations, and why this tension has become a defining moment for the industry. For Somit, travel tech is no longer back office infrastructure. It is becoming the operating system for customer experience and revenue. That shift changes how airlines think about retailing, moving away from selling flights toward curating outcomes across a multi day journey that includes partners, servicing, and real time operational awareness. The conversation also explores why agility now matters more than scale, and how airlines are approaching this transformation without breaking what already works. A major part of this episode focuses on IBS Software's deep co-innovation partnership with Amazon Web Services. Somit explains why this is far more than a cloud hosting arrangement, covering joint R&D, shared roadmaps, and AI labs designed to help airlines build modern retailing capabilities faster. We also unpack what "AI first" really means in practice, how intelligence is reshaping offer creation, pricing, order management, and disruption handling, and why responsible AI must be treated as a product rather than a legal safeguard. We also spend time on loyalty, one of the industry's most stubborn challenges. Somit outlines why converging reservations and loyalty systems is such a powerful unlock, how it enables real time personalization instead of generic segmentation, and why loyalty should evolve from a points ledger into an experience engine that delivers value before, during, and after a trip. As airlines race toward 2026, the big question is no longer whether transformation will happen, but who will move with enough clarity and trust to earn long-term loyalty. In a world where AI knows more about travelers than ever before, how do airlines use that intelligence to create better outcomes without crossing the line, and are they ready to rethink the journey from end to end? Useful Links Connect with Somit Goyal Learn more about IBS Software Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo  

    Business Leadership Series
    Episode 1449: Built To SCALE with Marissa Levin

    Business Leadership Series

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 23:28


    Derek chats with entrepreneur, author, and consultant Marissa Levin about highlights from her entrepreneurial journey and how to build an amazing culture.As a 25 year CEO and Entrepreneur of a multi-million dollar business, she has taken on the challenge to “educate, equip, and empower” 100 million fellow entrepreneurs and leaders across the globe. Throughout her career Levin has been named a SmartCEO three times, named one of Washington's Top 100 Technology Titans in 2009, and serves on the Global Communications Committee of Entrepreneurs Organization (the largest global organization of entrepreneurs with 13,000 members). She is also the author of a number 1 best selling book, “Built to SCALE: How Top Companies Create Breakthrough Growth Through Exceptional Advisory Boards”.SCI is a global corporate culture consultancy that leads organizations undergoing significant transformation through a proven model to define, stabilize, and strengthen organizational cultures. SCI also works with emerging companies to help define their corporate cultures so that they can attract, hire, and retain the best talent.Marissa and her co-founder have more than 50 years of experience helping organizations build their most engaging, productive cultures, implement supporting human resources strategies, and develop transformational leaders and teams. They share a passion for building positive, extraordinary environments where employees love to work and contribute to their organizations' success.

    The Unforget Yourself Show
    From Turmoil to Team Building with Laurie Marshall

    The Unforget Yourself Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 33:53


    Laurie Marshall, founder of Unity Through Creativity Foundation, a social impact organisation that helps youth and adults spark innovative solutions to community challenges through visual art and storytelling.Through her signature Singing Tree Mural process, Laurie guides groups to co-create powerful works of art that promote restorative justice, collaboration, and emergent wisdom - with over 27,000 participants from 52 countries contributing to 147 murals so far.Now, Laurie's journey of launching her foundation 23 years ago and staying committed through lean years demonstrates what's possible when your business is fully aligned with your soul's mission.And while bringing joy and healing to both refugee camps and corporate teams alike, she's showing the world how art can be a tool for unity, trust, and social change.Here's where to find more:https://www.unitythroughcreativity.orghttps://www.facebook.com/unitythroughcreativityfoundationhttps://www.instagram.com/unitythroughcreativityhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-marshall-8199351________________________________________________Welcome to The Unforget Yourself Show where we use the power of woo and the proof of science to help you identify your blind spots, and get over your own bullshit so that you can do the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do!We're Mark and Katie, the founders of Unforget Yourself and the creators of the Unforget Yourself System and on this podcast, we're here to share REAL conversations about what goes on inside the heart and minds of those brave and crazy enough to start their own business. From the accidental entrepreneur to the laser-focused CEO, we find out how they got to where they are today, not by hearing the go-to story of their success, but talking about how we all have our own BS to deal with and it's through facing ourselves that we find a way to do the fucking thing.Along the way, we hope to show you that YOU are the most important asset in your business (and your life - duh!). Being a business owner is tough! With vulnerability and humor, we get to the real story behind their success and show you that you're not alone._____________________Find all our links to all the things like the socials, how to work with us and how to apply to be on the podcast here: https://linktr.ee/unforgetyourself

    The Unforget Yourself Show
    From People Pleaser to Powerful Coach: Reclaiming Your Voice in Business with Katy Miller

    The Unforget Yourself Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 35:05


    Katy Miller, founder of Pain Free Effect, a health coaching business that helps career-driven professionals overcome back pain and the negative effects of long hours sitting.Through her tailored coaching program, Katy draws on both her engineering background and her personal journey with chronic pain to guide busy professionals towards healthier habits that fit their demanding lives.Now, Katy's shift from problem-solving as an engineer to empowering clients to solve their own challenges demonstrates the powerful mindset change that can come from turning personal struggles into a mission.And while balancing her career with building her business, she's proving that growth, visibility, and self-leadership are all possible when you align with who you truly are.Here's where to find more:http://linkedin.com/in/katherinesarahmillerhttps://www.instagram.com/painfreeeffect________________________________________________Welcome to The Unforget Yourself Show where we use the power of woo and the proof of science to help you identify your blind spots, and get over your own bullshit so that you can do the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do!We're Mark and Katie, the founders of Unforget Yourself and the creators of the Unforget Yourself System and on this podcast, we're here to share REAL conversations about what goes on inside the heart and minds of those brave and crazy enough to start their own business. From the accidental entrepreneur to the laser-focused CEO, we find out how they got to where they are today, not by hearing the go-to story of their success, but talking about how we all have our own BS to deal with and it's through facing ourselves that we find a way to do the fucking thing.Along the way, we hope to show you that YOU are the most important asset in your business (and your life - duh!). Being a business owner is tough! With vulnerability and humor, we get to the real story behind their success and show you that you're not alone._____________________Find all our links to all the things like the socials, how to work with us and how to apply to be on the podcast here: https://linktr.ee/unforgetyourself

    Thoughtful Money with Adam Taggart
    Has The Silver Boom Peaked Out? | Andy Schectman

    Thoughtful Money with Adam Taggart

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 68:50


    TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANDY'S JUNK SILVER OFFER go to https://thoughtfulmoney.com/buygoldAfter hitting an all-time high of $83/oz in the futures market a week ago, silver has fallen down to $72/oz as of the time of this writing.Did the silver price boom just peak?Could we see a vicious plunge in price from here, as we did during the previous price peaks in 1980 and 2011?Or, are things truly different this time? And are new record highs lying ahead in 2026?In today's livestream Andy Schectman, CEO of precious metals dealer Miles Franklin, joined us to share his thoughts as well as take live audience Q&A.You can watch the replay here. But first an important reminder…In celebration of silver's run, Andy is kindly offering an exclusive discount to the Thoughtful Money audience:While supplies last, he's willing to sell us junk silver at $1.35 above spot.NOTE: this is higher than his previous offer to sell at $1 below spot, due to the recent CME margin hikes.If you'd like to take him up on this offer, or talk with him & his staff about any other questions/needs you have regarding buying or storing precious metals, just fill out the short form at https://thoughtfulmoney.com/buygold#goldprice #silverprice #junksilver_____________________________________________Thoughtful Money LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor Promoter.We produce educational content geared for the individual investor. It's important to note that this content is NOT investment advice, individual or otherwise, nor should be construed as such.We recommend that most investors, especially if inexperienced, should consider benefiting from the direction and guidance of a qualified financial advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or state securities regulators who can develop & implement a personalized financial plan based on a customer's unique goals, needs & risk tolerance.IMPORTANT NOTE: There are risks associated with investing in securities.Investing in stocks, bonds, exchange traded funds, mutual funds, money market funds, and other types of securities involve risk of loss. Loss of principal is possible. Some high risk investments may use leverage, which will accentuate gains & losses. Foreign investing involves special risks, including a greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods.A security's or a firm's past investment performance is not a guarantee or predictor of future investment performance.Thoughtful Money and the Thoughtful Money logo are trademarks of Thoughtful Money LLC.Copyright © 2025 Thoughtful Money LLC. All rights reserved.

    How Success Happens
    Snack Break: Coffee time

    How Success Happens

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 11:45


    Sahand Dilmaghani is the founder and CEO of Terra Kaffe, who happens to make Dan's current favorite coffee machine. Sahand recently joined Dan for a webinar, and this snack break serves up some of Dan's favorite insights from that conversation. They talk about slowing down when things get chaotic, the best advice he's gotten, and how knocking on doors with early prototypes helped turn an idea into a real business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ​Heidi’s Lane with Heidi Powell
    Ep. 79 Your January Reset Is a Lie: Here's the Truth About New Year's Resolutions + How To Do 2026 Differently | Keira Brinton

    ​Heidi’s Lane with Heidi Powell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 68:38


    It's the first episode of 2026, and we're flipping New Year's resolutions on their head. I'm joined by my best friend (and the woman who helped bring this podcast to life), Keira Brinton, on the pod today, where we talk about WHY January pressures set so many of us up to fail!! In this conversation, Keira and I talk about how to start this year in a way that actually matches real life, real energy, and real healing. We go deep on integrity, self-trust, cycles (in nature + in your body), and the mindset shifts that turn “starting over” into steady momentum.In this episode, we talk about:Why “New Year, New You” hits hardest in the coldest, darkest season—and why that mattersThe idea that a 500-year-old calendar system isn't a good blueprint for motivation (Gregorian calendar history) Encyclopedia Virginia+2HISTORY+2Why most people quit early—and how to stop making that mean something about you.The real foundation: integrity with yourself (and why overcommitting breaks self-trust)“Your pace is allowed to be your pace”—and how cycles apply to reinventionA mindset experiment that shows how your brain “fills in the gaps” based on what you focus onPrayer/gratitude as a frequency shift (moving from “please help me” to “thank you, it's already here”)The rules that shaped my life (Bob Parsons' “16 Rules”) and the ones that still guide me today Bob ParsonsGentle content note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation and mental health struggles.What to do after listening (simple action steps):Instead of a January overhaul, choose one tiny “Kaizen” move you can repeat daily. Wikipedia+1Write your version of: “Thank you for…” (safety, health, support, strength)—and sit in it for 60 seconds.Pick ONE decision you've been dragging out and execute a “good plan” today.What's coming next: Keira is back for Episode 80, and we're continuing the rest of the 16 Rules (plus some real-life stories that usually stay in our voice memos).Watch this full episode on YouTube here or head to https://www.youtube.com/@RealHeidiPowell .Here are the key moments from the episode:00:00 Why This New Year Needed a Different Conversation02:05 The Origin Story of Heidi's Lane—and the Woman Who Helped Start It06:12 From $1,500 to Millions After Divorce14:01 The Night Everything Almost Ended17:40 Quitter's Day & Why January Sets Us Up to Fail21:55 The Calendar Wasn't Built for Human Energy24:45 Winter Is for Rest—Not Reinvention34:10 Why Your Body Resists January “Fresh Starts”38:06 How Cycles Create Real Change29:40 You Are Literally Not the Same Person You Were Years Ago34:35 Letting Your Ex (and Yourself) Be New37:55 The Mindset Experiment That Proves Focus Shapes Reality40:45 Why Gratitude Changes What You Attract45:30 The Rules That Quietly Shaped My Life49:05 Comfort Zones, Perseverance & Being 10 Feet from Gold54:07 Integrity, Self-Trust, and Lasting Change55:10 Small Daily Improvements That Actually Stick59:20 A Good Plan Executed Today Beats a Perfect Plan Someday1:04:40 How to Do 2026 Differently—Without Burning OutConnect with Heidi:
Website: https://heidipowell.net/  Email: podcast@heidipowell.net  Instagram: @realheidipowellFacebook: Heidi PowellYouTube: @RealHeidiPowellTrain with Heidi on her Show Up App: https://www.showupfit.app/Connect with Keira Brinton:Website: https://www.keirabrinton.com/ Instagram: @keirabrintonAbout Keira Brinton:Keira Brinton is the CEO & Founder of JOA Publishing, host of the Sacred Wandering podcast, 7x author, and creator of the internationally known Book Activator method. She is “The People's Publisher,” helping visionaries channel, write, and launch the books they were born to lead with. Through her retreats, webinars, TV show Writer's Island, and her publishing house, Keira has activated thousands of authors into their life's work. She blends strategy and spirit, business and devotion, and is known for making the impossible feel inevitable.

    The Chris Voss Show
    The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Introducing ICEPLOSION: Home Slushie Machine Revolutionizes Refreshment at CES Show 2026

    The Chris Voss Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 30:29


    Introducing ICEPLOSION: Home Slushie Machine Revolutionizes Refreshment at CES Show 2026 Iceexplosion.com About the Guest(s): Andrew Heighway is the founder and CEO of ICEPLOSION, an innovative beverage company. With a background as a pinball machine manufacturer in the UK, Andrew has a penchant for Americana and technology. His latest venture, Ice Explosion, brings the world's first frozen carbonated slushie machine for the home market, demonstrating his capability in product development and market innovation. Episode Summary: Join Chris Voss as he takes you on an exhilarating journey with Andrew Heighway, the mastermind behind ICEPLOSION. In this episode of The Chris Voss Show Podcast, you’ll discover the revolutionary world of home beverage technology through ICEPLOSION's cutting-edge frozen carbonated slushie machine. Perfect for thrill-seeking families and party hosts alike, the innovation promises a unique at-home experience akin to what you’d find at retail outlets like 7-Eleven but with added convenience. This episode delves into the journey of bringing this innovative product to life, from concept to reality, and highlights Andrew's entrepreneurial spirit. Learn how ICEPLOSION challenges the conventional beverage market by offering a portable, capsule-based system that caters to both sugary and sugar-free preferences with a wide variety of flavors. Throughout the discussion, Andrew also teases potential expansions into commercial spaces and future alcoholic variants, providing a comprehensive look into this exciting beverage market frontier. Key Takeaways: Innovative Home Technology: ICEPLOSION introduces the world's first frozen carbonated slushie machine designed specifically for home use, offering a wide variety of flavors. Convenience at its Best: The machine is portable, easy to maintain, and requires no special plumbing or excessive electricity, making it an accessible option for many households. Entrepreneurial Spirit: Andrew Heighway transitioned from manufacturing pinball machines to reinventing the frozen drink industry, showcasing a unique blend of passion and entrepreneurship. Health and Variety: The product caters to diverse preferences with options for sugary and sugar-free beverages, optimizing convenience while being health-conscious. Expanding Horizons: Potential future enhancements include commercial versions and the introduction of alcoholic cocktail variants, aiming to broaden the machine's market appeal. Notable Quotes: “Explosion is all about bringing the convenience of having your favorite frozen, slushy drinks… to the home.” “You know, there’s gotta be an easier way, and I thought, who's making a machine for the home market?” “I’m surprised the industry as a whole hasn’t moved more in that direction.” “We think we’ve got a machine now that can really be a sort of a convenient drink and refreshment, hydration station, however you wanna put it in people’s homes.” “We’re almost providing a public service, Chris.”

    Ultimate Guide to Partnering™
    283 – Hyperscaler Domination: How Elastic Won the Triple Crown as a Pinnacle Partner.

    Ultimate Guide to Partnering™

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 12:04


    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. 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