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On today's episode of the Busness Breakthrough Hotline, relationship coach Shari Kubinec brings a challenge a lot of successful founders eventually hit: lead generation is easy, the offers convert, but the whole business still runs through her. Kelly digs into founder dependence, the number one thing standing between you and real freedom, and lays out why building a self-led team comes down to talent and tenure, why you should hire for someone's DNA over their résumé, and why you have to start training your future right-hand now, not when you can "afford" it. Then estate and probate attorney Jessica Lynn Silva asks which marketing channels to commit to for the next 12 months to own her niche. Kelly helps her cut through the LinkedIn-Instagram-Substack noise with a simple meta and non-meta strategy, reframes a heavy topic into an empowering one, and spins up a Substack show idea on the spot that turns her expertise into a magnet. A theme across both: it's not one size fits all, you have to pick what's sustainable and life-giving for you, and freedom only comes when the business can run without you. imestamps 00:52 — Gowing past being the center of the business 03:11 — The seven stages of the employee-employer relationship 03:51 — Founder dependence: the number one problem to solve 04:47 — Why a self-led team requires talent and tenure 05:21 — Hiring for DNA: work ethic, drive, and coachability over skills 06:45 — Which capacity to open up first: delivery or marketing? 08:52 — Why you have to start training your successor now 10:35 — Kelly's first marketing director started as a college intern 12:19 — Hire for personality and potential, then train the skills 12:38 — Success leaves clues (and the Bigger Than You audiobook) 14:03 —Three channels to own the probate niche 15:32 — Becoming the category leader through a lawyer referral database 18:00 — Choosing your platforms: a meta and a non-meta play 19:20 — Why Kelly stepped away from LinkedIn 19:48 — Instagram to get known, Substack to go deep 26:12 — Collaborations and livestreams on Substack 27:00 — How Substack repurposes your content for you 30:17 — Recap: pick sustainable platforms, and break founder dependence he Miracle Hour: Learn the daily sales system this episode walks through by grabbing your copy of the Miracle Hour book, available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold: https://a.co/d/026IrwcH Virtual Business School (VBS): join our sales membership, where you will be able to master + implement The Miracle Hour is taught with weekly live guidance: https://www.virtualbusinessschool.com The Sacred Art of Selling: Kelly's sales philosophy and Substack: https://kellyroachofficial.substack.com/subscribe The Business Breakthrough Hotline: Ready for your business breakthrough? Text your question + name to 916-418-9799 with the hashtag #BusinessBreakthroughHotline for a chance to be featured on the show!
In this episode, Derrick and Jonathan talk to Katie Leinenkugel, sixth generation Leinenkugel and newest president of Leinenkugels. Katie shares her journey to leadership, the company's rich heritage, and innovative steps like launching a non-alcoholic summer shandy -- you read that right!! Discover how the brand maintains its Wisconsin roots while evolving in a dynamic beer industry. In this episode, we explore the rich history and exciting future of Leinenkugel's, including new product launches, collaborations, and the legacy of family leadership. Join us and find out what's next for this iconic Wisconsin brewery. ---- And while you're amped on brewing history, head to pabstmansion.com to learn about Pour Another Round's 'Murder at the Mansion' event, taking place September 26 a Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee! Only 50 tickets will be sold, so don't delay! Follow Pour Another Round: Facebook: /PourAnotherRoundPodInstagram: @PourAnotherRoundPodWebsite: pouranotherround.com
Vous nous avez posé toutes vos questions sur le métier d'influenceuse et les réseaux sociaux, alors dans cet épisode, on y répond sans filtre. Collaborations, revenus, coulisses, pression, création de contenu, idées reçues… On partage notre expérience, notre vision du métier et tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are quite Excited & equally Privileged for reaching our Milestone 10th Year of Podcasting Fun! So to Celebrate; we have several things lined up to Celebrate this! First off we are sharing our Annual Daily Collection Pics of Your Collections via Social Media- on Instagram & Facebook! Thankyou; & please submit a pic if you haven't already. Big reveal too; we unveil a New TPP Logo! Huge thanks to Cody Hulks aka SADC_TheClown for bringing this to life for us! But that's not all; we FINALLY have an avenue for you to purchase our Merch via the RedBubble website (See link bellow). And if that all wasn't enough; then listen out; as we have Special Guest: Damian, aka: Truly_Truly_Truly_Outrageous in the studio; to bring us up to speed on all the Exciting News & Collaborations he has been involved in for the world & passion of the Jem Universe!! Plus, as any good Birthday's are known for; some nice Presents! Well, Master Colin Betts has it in spades; as we open some beautiful & very very thoughtful gifts to round out the episode. Thankyou good sir!! A genuinely fun episode & wider Celebration of our little Podcast & the AMAZING Community we have built around us. Thank-you everyone for your on-going support!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jane Dutton speaks to Karen Zoid, South African Rock Singer on her journey into music over the years. They also touch on how music has changed over the years, and artists must evolve along with the times. Gugs Mhlungu gets you ready for the weekend each Saturday and Sunday morning on 702. She is your weekend wake-up companion, with all you need to know for your weekend. The topics Gugs covers range from lifestyle, family, health, and fitness to books, motoring, cooking, culture, and what is happening on the weekend in 702land. Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Weekend Breakfast with Gugs Mhlungu. Listen live on Primedia+ on Saturdays and Sundays from 06:00 and 10:00 (SA Time) to Weekend Breakfast with Gugs Mhlungu broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/u3Sf7Zy or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/BIXS7AL Subscribe to the 702 daily and weekly newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Train of Thought is a podcast hosted by Rob Tobias focusing on culture, music, interviews and society. This podcast / radio show airs on KEPW.ORG (97.3FM in Eugene/Springfield) radio, Saturday @ 3:30pm and Monday @ 6:00pm. This show features the music of Norah Jones. It was inspired by listening to her podcast titled, "Playing Along". The songs all feature Norah Jones and some were recorded with her guests on her podcast. THIS MUST BE THE PLACE (Naive Melody) DON'T KNOW WHY SUMMERTIME BLUE - with JOHN LEGEND I'LL BE GONE - with MAVIS STAPLES RUNNING RAZOR - with DAVE GROHL ROVING GAMBLER - with BILLIE JOE Rob Tobias can be reached by email at: rob@robtobias.com HOME PAGE: robtobias.com/ TRAIN OF THOUGHT radio show/ podcast: https://soundcloud.com/robtobias https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rob-tobias-train-of-thought/id1511080332 ROB TOBIAS VIDEOS: www.youtube.com/robtobiasvideos BANDCAMP: robtobias.bandcamp.com/ for comments and suggestions, email Rob at rob@robtobias.com HOME PAGE: robtobias.com ROB TOBIAS VIDEOS: / robtobiasvideos BANDCAMP: robtobias.bandcamp.com/ TRAIN OF THOUGHT radio show/ podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast
Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore embedded distribution networks, consumer risk education, and affinity partnerships that simplify complex property protection models through a new collaboration announced with TD Insurance and REALTOR.ca. In 2026, businesses and homeowners must move past late-stage closing bundles to deploy early property education and proactive planning tools. Joining us is Steve Laurin, Vice-President of the Affinity Market Group at TD Insurance. With 25 years of expertise in digital transformation, distribution engineering, and partner relations, Steve manages one of Canada's largest affinity insurance portfolios, helping millions of Canadians understand and access property protection. Key Highlights Early Insurance: Why buyers should integrate property insurance before closing. Annual Coverage: Common misconceptions and staying prepared with regular reviews. REALTOR.ca Integration: Using digital tools to connect buyers with insurance planning. Affinity Management: Simplifying complex coverage concepts across 700+ partnerships. Commercial Risk Steps: Practical actions to protect commercial properties immediately. Special Thanks to Our Partners: UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspx For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age! To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/. Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
“On ne va pas s'attarder sur ce qu'il faut arrêter. Aujourd'hui, on parle de ce qu'on peut commencer. Et mettre en place dès demain.”Dans cet épisode solo qui ouvre la saison 6, je te partage 10 actions Slow Marketing pour 2026, directement issues de mon livre “Slow Marketing – 50 actions éthiques, soutenables et engagées”. Une action par chapitre. Du récit à la mesure d'impact, tu repars avec des leviers concrets pour transformer ta stratégie, sans greenwashing et avec du sens.Au programme, on parle de:Récits désirables et imaginaires soutenables (stop au “toujours plus”, place au “mieux”)Stratégie alignée avec les limites planétaires (cadre Avoid–Shift–Improve)Marque engagée, sans purpose washing (preuves > promesses)Offres qui durent (éco‑conception, réparabilité, circularité)Accessibilité pour toutes et tous (sous-titres, alt‑text, UX inclusive)Diversité réelle, pas cosmétique (représentations, gouvernance, process)Communication transparente (éviter greenwashing et greenhushing)Collaborations qui multiplient l'impact (ONG, écosystèmes, co‑création)Mesure d'empreinte et objectifs de réduction (KPI sobres, éco‑index)Et surtout: faire du marketing un outil d'éducation à la sobriété (oui, c'est possible)Écoute l'épisode et choisis UNE action. La tienne. Celle que tu peux tester cette semaine. Le Slow Marketing, c'est un chemin — pas une injonction.
What happens when a small-town girl with musician parents transforms her passion into a powerful career? Join host Buzz Knight on this episode of takin' a walk as we explore the inspiring journey of singer-songwriter Skylar Grey, whose evocative songwriting has resonated with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Eminem and Rihanna. Skylar opens up about her roots in Wisconsin, where music was woven into the fabric of her childhood, and how those early influences shaped her artistic identity. As Skylar Grey discusses her latest album, Wasted Potential, she offers a retrospective glimpse into her life, revealing the emotional depth and honesty that defines her music. Describing her unique sound as 'bubble grunge,' she seamlessly blends various genres while capturing the essence of her experiences. This episode dives deep into the significance of mental health in the creative process and how returning to nature has reignited her passion for music. Skylar's candid reflections on self-worth and artistic integrity resonate throughout the conversation, making it a heartfelt exploration of her artistic journey. With highlights of her recent collaboration with Motionless in White, this episode showcases her versatility as an artist and her ability to traverse different musical landscapes. Buzz Knight, known for his engaging style and deep dives into music history, leads this captivating discussion that touches on themes of resilience, the joy of live performance, and the importance of staying true to oneself. If you're a fan of legendary musicians, iconic songwriting, or simply love a good story about the music and personal stories behind the songs, then this episode of takin' a walk is a must-listen. Join us as we uncover the inside music stories that shaped Skylar Grey into the artist she is today, and experience the magic of her journey through the lens of Buzz Knight, a true connoisseur of music history. Don't miss this opportunity to step into the world of an inspiring icon and discover the transformative power of music. Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Want to have a smooth and successful business collaboration? In this episode, I'm sharing ten tips to ensure your next business-to-business collaboration is a success. When done correctly, collaborations are a powerful thing for your business. But when they're not done right, it can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and disappointment. I'm here to take away any fears you may have and prepare you with everything you need to find and work with your next collaboration partner. In Today's Episode We Discuss: How to choose the right partner to collaborate with What communication should look like with your collab partner Factors to keep in mind when tracking success If you have any questions or need help with any of these steps, I invite you to book a call with me so we can fine-tune your plans! Show notes available at www.leadinglady-coaching.com/podcast Resources Mentioned: Book a Discovery Call Have you joined the Leading Ladies Facebook Group yet?! I would love to see you in there! Head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeadingLadiesAAL to join! Let's connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aalcoaching Let's connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leading.lady.coach/
In this episode, Pipeman sits down at Wacken Open Air Festival with Christy from Dirty Shirt and members of the band to discuss their experiences playing the legendary festival, their evolving journey in the European metal scene, the vibrancy of Romania's underground music culture, their upcoming album featuring high-profile guests, and insights into the challenges of touring internationally.Main Topics CoveredDirty Shirt's history and experiences at Wacken Open Air (00:28, 00:41)Evolution of the European metal festival scene and sense of community (02:22)New Dirty Shirt album details, special guest features, and release timeline (03:01, 03:30)Collaborations with Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) and Jared Gomes (Hed PE) (03:30, 03:54)Touring challenges outside Europe, especially in the US (04:53, 05:00)The revival of nu metal and resurgence of bands like Limp Bizkit in Europe (06:17, 06:39)Perspectives on the metal scene in Romania versus Italy and other European countries (08:52, 08:58)Building community among Dirty Shirt fans on social media (08:24, 08:33)Travel stories and plans for future tours (10:25, 11:31)Key Discussions & StoriesPlaying Wacken: Dirty Shirt's JourneyBand's third appearance at Wacken since 2014, crediting the festival for helping keep them together as a group (00:37, 00:57)Reflections on Wacken's growth from 800 attendees to a global phenomenon (02:47)New Music & Notable CollaborationsUpcoming album set for release next year; third album for Christy with the band (03:02, 03:16)Collaboration with Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), appearing—and playing flute—on their next single (03:30, 03:44)Additional guest: Jared Gomes (“Jahred”) from Hed PE, delivering powerful vocals on a vampire-themed track (03:58, 04:02)Touring & Metal Scenes Around the WorldObstacles to touring the US, including visas and costs, despite extensive touring across 17 European countries (04:53, 05:07)Strong revival of nu metal; bands like System of a Down, Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit enjoying massive stadium returns in Europe (06:25, 06:39)Dirty Shirt members express excitement over the vibrant and supportive Romanian metal scene compared to other European countries (08:52, 09:25, 09:53)Community & Fan EngagementActive Dirty Shirt Facebook community: fans posting photos wearing their shirts from festivals worldwide (08:24, 08:41)Encouragement for new fans, especially US listeners, to connect via Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and check tour dates when traveling to Europe (11:13, 11:31)Notable Quotes“Wacken… it's more than a festival, it's just, it's a concept, it's a… thing to be something I like.” (02:10)“For example, Wacken, they started the first edition with 800 people. So multiply by 1,000.” (02:47)“[Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull] will be on a song… that will be released in September. It'll be the first single of the new album.” (03:44)“We have a community made on Facebook and we are very active there. So right now at the festivals in Romania, you see a lot of Dirty Shirt t-shirts there.” (08:24)“While in Romania there is a huge, huge place for underground bands and do-it-yourself activities and concert organizations.” (09:13)Resources & Links MentionedDirty Shirt Online:Facebook: Search “Dirty Shirt”Instagram: Search “Dirty Shirt”YouTube: “Dirty Shirt” – features recent, well-produced live gigs (11:39)Join the Band's Community: Participate in sharing pictures and experiences from gigs worldwide on their Facebook group (08:24)Tour Information: For European festivals and tour dates, check their social media platforms (11:27)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-adventures-of-pipeman--941822/support.Click Here to Subscribe for PERKS, BONUS Content & FREE GIVEWAYS!Follow @pipemanradio on all socials & Pipeman Radio Requests & Info at www.linktr.ee/pipemanradioStream The Adventures of Pipeman daily & live Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays at 1PM ET on W4CY Radio & Talk 4 TV. Download, Rate & Review the Podcast at The Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & All Podcast Apps.
À Kinshasa, la musique est partout. Elle traverse les rues, les fêtes, les églises. Et parfois, elle devient une manière de tenir debout.Cet été, je vous propose de redécouvrir un épisode qui m'a profondément marquée et que j'avais très envie de partager à nouveau avec vous.Dans cet épisode des Sens de la Danse, je reçois Jolie Ngemi, danseuse et chorégraphe originaire de Kinshasa.Elle revient sur un parcours aussi singulier qu'inspirant : ses débuts entre l'église protestante de son père et les danses urbaines de Kinshasa, les interdits familiaux, sa rencontre déterminante avec Jacques BanaYanga, puis sa formation à P.A.R.T.S. à Bruxelles.Depuis, elle a collaboré avec plusieurs grandes figures de la danse contemporaine, tout en développant une écriture profondément personnelle, nourrie par ses racines congolaises. Sa création MBOK'ELENGI porte cette énergie si particulière de Kinshasa, où la joie devient une manière de résister, de faire communauté et de continuer à avancer.En lingala, Mboka signifie « le pays », « le territoire ». Elengi, c'est « la joie », « la saveur », « le plaisir ». À travers cette pièce, Jolie fait entrer sur scène toute la vitalité de Kinshasa et nous rappelle que la danse peut être une manière de célébrer la vie, même lorsque tout semble vaciller.Au fil de notre conversation, nous parlons de mémoire, de transmission, d'identité, de création… mais aussi de liberté, d'exil, de courage et de cette question qui traverse tout son travail : Et si la danse était une manière de rester debout ?C'est un épisode profondément humain qui, à chaque réécoute, me rappelle combien le mouvement peut devenir un langage, un refuge et une force de transformation.
Sean Hazlett interviews David Weber and Thomas Pope on their collaborations; One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, part 74. View the podcast in video form at https://www.baen.com/podcastfiles/mp3/https://www.youtube.com/embed/9h7YcwgJi18 and the Baen YouTube Channel.
What if one conversation could introduce you to your next client, collaborator, or biggest opportunity? What if hundreds, or even thousands, of new people heard your message this year? How different would your business look if you could consistently get in front of new audiences, build trust faster, and grow your visibility without relying on social media algorithms or expensive advertising?The links, complimentary downloads, and resources mentioned throughout this episode can be found at:https://www.womenpodcasters.com/turning-conversations-into-more-clientsIn this episode of the Women in Podcasting Show, Jennifer Henczel shares why podcasting and podcast guesting have become one of the most effective visibility strategies available to entrepreneurs, coaches, authors, speakers, and creators.Whether you want to launch your own podcast or simply be interviewed on other people's shows, you'll discover how meaningful conversations can help you reach new audiences, establish authority, attract ideal clients, and build a thriving community around your message.Jennifer reveals why podcasting creates deeper trust than many other forms of content, how a single interview can continue working for you long after it's published, and why authentic conversations are one of the fastest ways to position yourself as a trusted expert. She also shares the practical tools, resources, and strategies she personally uses after more than a decade in the podcasting industry, along with the lessons she wishes she had known before starting her own award-winning podcast.You'll also discover how to use your podcast or guest appearances as powerful lead-generation tools, why building a community around your message is more valuable than chasing downloads alone, and how to develop a compelling signature story that opens doors to new opportunities. Jennifer walks you through her simple framework for turning your expertise into engaging conversations that lead to greater visibility, stronger relationships, and long-term business growth.If you're ready to elevate your visibility, amplify your voice, and learn how meaningful conversations can lead to more clients, customers, collaborations, and opportunities, this episode is packed with practical insights you can start applying right away.If you're ready to amplify your message and turn conversations into more clients, customers, and collaborations, this episode is filled with practical ideas you can start using today.Plus, don't forget to download the complimentary guides, templates, and resources available on the episode page to help you confidently launch your podcast, become a sought-after guest expert, and turn your conversations into lasting impact.Ready to take the next step? Get the complete Turning Conversations into More Clients, Customers, and Collaborations Toolkit inside Innovators Vault, featuring comprehensive training, templates, worksheets, pitch resources, Speaker One-Sheet templates, lead magnets, and practical tools to help you confidently launch your podcast or become a sought-after guest expert.Join Innovators Vault: https://www.skool.com/innovators-vault-3608
Canadian singer-songwriter Haley Blais shares about how she makes creative decisions, her new upcoming project with Sam Lynch, and how her Grade 5 teacher gave her the nudge she needed to fall in love with music. Check out Haley's happenings on her website here. Follow Haley on Instagram here.See Haley perform on August 1st in Kelowna at NestFest (Red Bird Brewing). Tickets here.Share your thoughts on this episode in the Write Songs You Love Facebook Community group.To join the Write Songs You Love Member calls, visit https://writesongsyoulove.substack.com/ to expand and nurture your creativity!
Creative collaborations have become a powerful and fresh way to connect with consumers, but the most successful partnerships are about far more than celebrity names or limited-edition products. Gigi Guerra, vice president of marketing and creative curation at Target, shares how thoughtful storytelling, guest insights and authentic partnerships come together to create moments that resonate across generations.(00:00:00) From fashion design to leading iconic retail brands(00:09:21) The strategy behind Target's biggest collaborations(00:14:43) Creating collaborations people can't wait to experience(00:18:19) Why the best collaborations create lasting memories(00:21:55) How social media shapes modern retail collaborationsThe National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Become an NRF member and join the world's largest retail trade association• Learn more from retail's most innovative leaders at an NRF event.• Learn about retail education and training from the NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• 376: How Target's consumer-first strategy drives success• 393: How Bealls is shaping the next era of value shopping
Guest: John Sands MD DMD CEO of AROMS Oral Maxillofacial Surgery App https://www.goaroms.com/ Host: Serv Wahan MD DMD https://www.drwahan.com/ content type Interview primary goal Educational summary In this episode, John Sands, CEO of AROMS, shares the latest innovations in digital and AI-driven medical education for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Discover how the platform is transforming training, practice, and global access to high-quality resources. keywords medical education, AI, oral surgery, residency training, digital learning, AROMS, Maximus, surgical videos, landmark papers, practice management, Oral Surgery Education, OMFS education, Peer reviewed, Serv Wahan, Dr Wahan, John Sands, AAOMS, ABOMS key topics AI integration in medical education Personalized learning and competency tracking Landmark paper archive and evidence-based resources Residency program dashboards and assessments Global partnerships and standardization efforts guest name John M Sands MD DDS Titles Revolutionizing Oral Surgery Education with AI and Digital Platforms How AROMS is Shaping the Future of Medical Training sound bites "Every style of learning for every stage of your career" "AI is built into every component of the app" "Over four million XP points logged in June" Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of AROMS 02:57 Evolution of AROMS and Its New Features 05:57 AI Integration and Personalized Learning 09:03 Educational Framework for Residency Programs 11:48 AI Mock Boards and Competency Tracking 15:02 Maximus: The AI Bot for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 18:00 The Importance of Evidence-Based Learning 21:00 Navigating Medical Literature and Landmark Papers 24:13 Trends in Oral Surgery and Future Directions 32:41 Global Perspectives in Oral Surgery 34:40 The Evolution of Medical Education 36:39 Bridging Clinical Knowledge and Practice 41:27 The Changing Landscape of Oral Surgery Education 46:09 Collaborations and Global Standards in Oral Surgery 51:23 Future Directions for AROMS and Oral Surgery Education
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries worldwide with 125+ episodes. Honest conversations about how the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom.This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.Chris Maffeo is welcoming Jean-Robert Bellanger, co-founder of Amaretto Adriatico, the new-generation amaretto brand from Puglia available in more than 40 countries.How do you build a brand in a category nobody is paying attention to?Why does drink strategy matter more than product quality alone?How do you manage a portfolio across different ABV levels and limited editions without losing focus?And why is reinventing something that already exists always more powerful than inventing something from scratch?Find all episodes featuring Jean-Robert Bellanger at themaffeodrinkspodcast.com.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction, BCB Berlin and launching Amaretto Adriatico just before COVID01:33 Reviving the amaretto category, the Amaretto Sour and what Jeffrey Morgenthaler changed04:57 Why most amaretto is no longer made with almonds and the gap Amaretto Adriatico was built to fill08:17 Movement as a brand strategy, how new recipes recruit new drinkers into a category13:25 Spotting cocktails versus inventing them, Campari and the Negroni, Aperol and the Spritz18:36 The three SKU portfolio, how Adriatico Roasted, Bianco and Zero came about24:20 How different markets consume the product, Italy versus UK versus America30:09 The role of the homeland, why being distributed by Velier in Italy opened every door after33:44 Boots on the ground, why distribution without people on the field is useless40:00 Collaborations as a brand building tool, from cognac cocktail kits to chocolate in duty free49:45 Limited editions, Evan Williams bourbon cask, Caroni, Bonollo Grappa and Maison Ferrand cognac53:00 The US push and final thoughts, go where nobody else is and do not read IWSR data alone Wanna know what the conversation above means for your team? It's in the paid section.For €100 a year you get access to Maffeo Confidential (Private Podcast) and get this analysis and access to the full archive of 125 episodes, each one translated from industry conversation into the commercial decisions underneath it. Find out more at maffeodrinks.com
On the sixty- fourth episode of All the Film Things, Cecilia Müller, the admin of @jane.and.fonda on Instagram, joins me for a casual discussion of Jane Fonda and Robert Redford's four on- screen collaborations! This episode contains spoilers. Jane Fonda and Robert Redford have achieved astounding levels of success on their own that their on- screen partnership, that spanned fifty years, often goes under-appreciated. Both Fonda and Redford emerged as key figures of the New Hollywood era and went on to earn Academy Awards, but their careers really started alongside each other in the 60s. Though they share a debut feature film in Tall Story (1960), they really first shared the screen in The Chase (1966) - but their interaction was quite limited. The next year their most famous collaboration, Barefoot in the Park, was released and their chemistry that couldn't be contained was evident while playing newlyweds in this film. About ten years later they reunited to make The Electric Horseman (1979), in which their dynamic was initially quite the opposite of Paul and Corrie in Barefoot in the Park. Their final film together was Our Souls at Night (2017) which is a cherished “bookend”, as Jane calls it, to their careers. While Jane and Robert share many similarities, one being extroverted and the other introverted along with unparalleled chemistry, made for one of the greatest actor- actress duos in cinema.Cecilia, a true Jane Fonda expert, runs the biggest and best Jane Fonda fan account on Instagram, @jane.and.fonda, that has achieved over 575,000 followers. She's active every single day posting numerous times covering all things Jane from the latest updates, photos throughout her life and career, as well as both film and interview clips. If you want to learn about Jane or just stay updated on the living legend, you definitely need to follow Cecilia's account. Her dedication to Jane is impressive and her creativity in making edits, posts, etc. is truly admirable. Not only is this Cecilia's first time on All the Film Things, but this appearance marks her podcast debut! I am so honored Cecilia makes her podcast debut on ATFT. We have been talking about recording an episode together for about two years now and this specific topic is one I've wanted to dive into since starting this podcast four years ago. Cecilia and I have been online friends through Instagram for about three years now with our shared appreciation for Jane Fonda being the basis of our friendship. I always enjoy texting her, but this conversation is the first time we got a chance to verbally converse. It's certainly a challenge to schedule a time for us to record since there is a five- hour time difference between us, as Cecilia is based in Germany, but hopefully we will be able to record another episode again sometime since we both had a great time talking. This highly- anticipated episode was set to release in May, but after sudden unexpected events, it unfortunately had been postponed for two months. This episode was recorded on May 2, 2026. Naturally, because this was the first time Cecilia and I really conversed, we did veer off in some minor tangents and the introduction section was a bit longer than usual. In this episode, Cecilia and I share our ranking of Jane and Robert's four collaborations, playfully argue over our very different opinions towards one of the four films, and the film that led us to both becoming fans of Fonda. Cecilia reveals which of these two Hollywood legends isn't so famous in Germany while I analyzed The Chase's place in cinema as the unofficial beginning of the New Hollywood era. Tangents in this episode include discussing films throughout Jane's career, Grace and Frankie, and the loss of Diane Keaton. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things!Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.
On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with brothers Jesse and Noah Bellamy to talk about their outstanding new album, The Sunshine Shop, and what it means to build music around family, trust, and years of playing together. We discuss why recording with the same band they tour with gives the album its live energy, and how they found a studio environment that captured their sound without overproducing it. Our conversation naturally turns to family harmony, and the unique connection siblings share when they sing together. Jesse and Noah reflect on growing up surrounded by music, the influence of classic country, rock, soul, and gospel, and how artists like The Louvin Brothers, The Everly Brothers, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Marty Robbins, and Don Williams continue to shape their musical identity. We also talk about life in Nashville, navigating the music business as members of the Bellamy family, and how their goals have evolved over time. Rather than chasing record deals or industry expectations, they've reached a place where they can simply make the music they believe in and let the songs lead the way. Along the way, we discuss memorable collaborations on The Sunshine Shop, including appearances from Tess Frizzell and Riders in the Sky, their songwriting process as brothers, and why they're already looking ahead to the next record while continuing to let this one find its audience. Key Takeaways Jesse and Noah intentionally recorded The Sunshine Shop with their touring band to preserve the chemistry and feel they had already developed on stage. Family harmony comes naturally, but years of performing together refine phrasing, blend, and musical instincts. Their influences stretch well beyond traditional country, drawing from soul, gospel, classic rock, and artists like Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins, and Don Williams. Nashville—and the music industry itself—has changed dramatically since they arrived, leading them to focus more on artistic independence than industry expectations. Collaborations with Tess Frizzell and Riders in the Sky grew out of genuine relationships and mutual respect for country music traditions. Rather than scheduling formal co-writing sessions, both brothers write independently and allow the strongest songs to emerge naturally. They're already preparing material for their next album while continuing to refine older songs through live performance. Music from the Episode I Told a Lie — Jesse & Noah BellamyAbout the PodcastThe Bandwich Tapes is a podcast where I sit down with musicians, composers, producers, and artists to explore the stories behind the music. Rather than focusing solely on career highlights, these conversations delve into creativity, collaboration, musicianship, songwriting, recording, performance, and the experiences that shape an artist's musical life.Connect with the ShowEmail: contact@thebandwichtapes.com
Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization is still in its early stages—and according to Real Finance CEO and co-founder Ivo Grigorov, tokenized Treasuries are only the beginning.In this conversation, Alex Richardson speaks with Ivo about building an EVM-compatible Layer 1 purpose-built for RWAs, the infrastructure needed for institutional adoption, and why custody, insurance, validator design, and standardized frameworks will be key to bringing traditional finance on-chain.They discuss:- Why tokenized Treasuries may become just one part of the long-term RWA market- Bringing revenue-generating assets on-chain- The role of the ASSET token within the Real Finance ecosystem- Institutional partnerships and adoption strategies- Euro stablecoins and the Real Finance mainnet roadmap- Why Ethereum compatibility matters for institutional financeIf you're interested in tokenization, RWAs, stablecoins, institutional crypto adoption, and the future of onchain finance, this episode is for you.
We're here, we're queer, we're both wearing tie dye and it's Episode 490! Today Em brings us a short but spooky story about the Buena Vista Cemetery & Hunter Steakhouse. Then Christine covers the murder of Jody Loomis, a decades long cold case that was finally solved. And will someone let us know why there's always a Walter among us? …and that's why we drink!Photo Links:Hunter's Steakhouse ghostJody LoomisCOMING SOON! Be on the lookout for The ParaSocial Club Presented by ParaPods Network launching this Wednesday on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@ATWWDPodcast Want to listen ad-free? Join our Certified Yapper tier for $10/month on Patreon! Ad-free episodes starting at E469 at: patreon.com/ATWWDPodcast !Catch our bonus Yappy Hour intermissions on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3L28lDw or subscribe on Patreon!___________________Get 40% off your first Hungryroot order plus a free item in every box for life at hungryroot.com/DRINK with code DRINK.Head to chime.com/drinkGet 10% off your first order sitewide with code DRINK at oseamalibu.com .Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code DRINK at mudwtr.com/DRINK ! #mudwtrpodIf you think you or someone you know might be struggling with OCD, please don't wait to get help—go to learn.nocd.com/ATTWD and book a free call with their team to learn more.Get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month at mintmobile.com/ATWWD . Upfront payment required; see mintmobile.com for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Will North has led marketing and commercial functions at brands including Meshki, PE Nation, AJE and Superdry UK. For the last two and a half years he's been at Kulani Kinis, the Australian swimwear brand doing 75-80% of its revenue in the US. He joined Ryan Martin from Remarkable Digital to talk conversion rate optimisation, attribution, TikTok Shop and the marketing shifts defining 2026.The Kulani Kinis story. Founded 11.5 years ago by Sydney couple Danny and Alex as a side hustle, the brand found its footing in the US when Alex transferred to EY in LA. Today the US makes up 75-80% of revenue; Australia is just 7%.CRO is a business metric, not a digital one. Will's Retail Fest keynote ("I Lost the Company $15 Million and Got a Promotion") explored why every untested change to your site is a potential loss. His starting point: survey customers who've purchased and subscribers who haven't, distil 3-4 themes, then run ideas through an effort-versus-upside matrix before testing.Context kills best practice. Adding "some items in your cart may sell out" drove nearly $2M in annualised revenue at a streetwear brand. The same test lost revenue at a women's fashion brand, because scarcity signalling made shoppers worry about wearing the same thing as everyone else. Customer psychology differs by brand.The thank you page question nobody asks. Immediately post-purchase, ask: "Was there anything that almost stopped you from buying?" Customers who've just converted will tell you exactly what's broken.Attribution in 2026. No one does it perfectly. Will's approach is to define the role of each channel across the seasonal cycle and measure a marketing efficiency ratio (spend divided by sales) as a flow, not a fixed weekly target.TikTok Shop. 72% of fashion revenue on the platform flows through affiliate and creator. The new customer rate is 95%. Will visited the US team last month and TikTok Shop is a major focus for Kulani Kinis in FY27.What you say now matters as much as how you look. LLMs are changing discovery. If a brand has no content narrative, it won't show up when someone asks an AI for a recommendation. Will's take: GEO, AIO and SEO are all just SEO.Not all impressions are equal. Kulani Kinis ran direct mail via Post Pilot at a $600 CPM and it outperformed. A postcard on a fridge is a very different impression to a feed scroll-past.In-person events. A $40,000 Maldives brand trip generated the equivalent of $140,000 in media value from creator and customer content.Collaborations. A LinkedIn conversation between brand experience leads led to a Lounge Underwear collab that spiked Kulani Kinis' German sales in July 2024. Go in with clear objectives or don't bother."Conversion is a business metric. It's not an e-com metric.""There is no such thing as best practice with CRO. Every brand's customer psychology is different.""You've got to sell it twice: on site and when they get it, otherwise it's coming back."Kulani Kinis: kulanikinis.comPost Pilot: postpilot.comLounge Underwear: loungeunderwear.comPura Vida Bracelets: puravidabracelets.comRetail FestAbout Will North:Head of Commercial & Performance at Kulani Kinis. Previously held senior roles at Meshki, PE Nation, AJE and Superdry UK. Retail Fest speaker and Oria Award nominee (International Conqueror).
Pink wants to be the first stop on a Gen-Z shopper's trip to the mall this holiday season. To get there, the Victoria's Secret-owned brand is expanding beyond the pajamas, fleece and intimates it is best known for, using accessories, denim, beauty and collaborations to position itself as a broader lifestyle brand for 18- to 24-year-old women. The strategy follows a period of renewed momentum. Pink delivered low-double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2026, supported by its core apparel and intimates businesses, improved regular-price selling, and new customer acquisition among 18- to 24-year-olds. According to president Ali Dillon, the brand's turnaround has been driven by a renewed focus on “clarity, customer and connection.” “Today, Pink is evolving into a digitally native, socially driven lifestyle brand with a bold, playful and irreverent point of view,” Dillon said on the podcast. “Our product, our voice, our marketing — they're all uniquely Pink.” Dillon said Pink had previously lost sight of its core customer as the brand aged alongside its original shoppers. Now, it is specifically targeting 18- to 24-year-olds rather than broadly marketing to Gen Z, a generation that will continue to age out of that bracket. Recent efforts have included working with K-pop group Twice around the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and Valentine's Day, launching a festival campaign with “Love Island USA” star Gabby Mora, and opening a dedicated store in New York's Soho neighborhood. According to Dillon, customers began lining up outside the Soho store at 1 a.m. on its opening day. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held last October was also an important catalyst. Dillon said some bras featured during the event sold out almost immediately, supported by TikTok videos showing customers running into stores to buy them. “That moment of true brand health, of this feeling like, ‘I have to go get it right now,' is definitely something that we've been really proud of,” she said. Pink is now looking to carry that urgency into the holiday 2026 season. Rather than treating the season solely as a period for traditional gift exchanges, the brand is building around what Dillon described as “treat culture”: the tendency among younger shoppers to buy smaller gifts for themselves and their friends to mark everyday achievements. “She's not necessarily waiting for major milestones to celebrate,” Dillon said. “She's creating these real reasons to celebrate all the time.” The holiday assortment, spanning a range of price points, will include everything from accessories and beauty to fleece, sleepwear, bras and matching sets. Accessories are becoming particularly important as younger shoppers remain price-conscious, though Dillon said value is not simply a matter of offering cheaper products. “Value isn't just about price. It's about feeling like what you're buying is worth it, too,” she said. One example is Pink's Campus Tote, which generated approximately 115,000 backorders. Dillon said the bag initially took off organically after appearing in the background of social content, rather than through a major marketing campaign. Store employees soon began reporting that shoppers were repeatedly asking when it would be restocked. The response has encouraged Pink to further expand accessories and personalization. Dillon said the brand remains interested in charms and other customizable elements across categories including intimates, swimwear, fleece and beauty. “Our girl loves to personalize,” she said. “She loves to make something unique.” Sleepwear will remain central to Pink's holiday business, but the brand is increasingly presenting it as part of an all-day wardrobe. Dillon pointed to shoppers wearing pajama-inspired clothing from bed to brunch or the beach, allowing Pink to merchandise sleepwear alongside bras and casual apparel. That cross-category approach was recently used for the Marshmallow bra, which the company launched last week alongside a modal sleepwear collection. Pink developed the bra after research found that 60% of women ages 18-24 wanted a more comfortable option. Denim and beauty are also areas of expansion. Pink has tested trend-driven jeans, shorts, skirts and jackets, and Dillon said the company has “a lot of exciting things in the hopper” for beauty. Collaborations will remain part of the strategy, but Dillon said they are intended to amplify Pink rather than define it. The brand's first LoveShackFancy drop last November generated what she described as the strongest five minutes of sales in the history of Pink's website, with shoppers gravitating toward established Pink products reworked through the collaboration. Pink is also trying to build a healthier business by relying less heavily on discounts. Dillon described the approach as prioritizing “emotion over promotion,” while acknowledging that the company will still need to deliver competitive value during Black Friday this season. By the end of the season, Pink will be looking at customer acquisition, regular-price demand, and whether holiday shoppers continue to engage with the brand into 2027. “We often say, ‘Meet me at Pink,'” Dillon said, talking about where teens meet up in the mall. “Where are you meeting when you're starting your shopping trip? We want her to go there first.”
Howie and Harlan are joined by Shivan Mehta, associate chief innovation officer at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, to discuss how healthcare organizations can use behavioral science to remove barriers that keep patients from getting recommended care. Harlan warns that ill-defined rules governing scientific collaboration with China could chill medical research; Howie revisits the discovery of Legionnaires' disease 50 years ago as New York confronts a new outbreak. Show notes: Restrictions on Collaboration National Science Foundation "Prohibition on Collaborations with Restricted Entities" "Fact of the Week: China Has Surpassed the US in the Number of Drug Clinical Trials, With 1,100 More Trials Listed" Texas Executive Order GA-48 Governor Greg Abbott's executive order restricting travel to China and other countries. Shivan Mehta Shivan Mehta: "Texting in Health Care—Preserving Impact and Managing Influx" Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD "Randomized controlled trials – The what, when, how and why" CDC: Screening for Colorectal Cancer Cleveland Clinic: What is a Gastroenterologist? Cologuard Plus Colon Cancer Screening Test Mayo Clinic: Colonoscopy "What to know about the new blood-based test for colorectal cancer" Mayo Clinic: Fecal immunochemical test Mayo Clinic: Colon polyps Cleveland Clinic: Fecal Occult Blood Test "Non-invasive blood and stool CRC screening tests: Available modalities and their clinical application" "Race/Ethnicity and Adoption of a Population Health Management Approach to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Community-Based Healthcare System" Integrated Delivery System Corinne M. Rhodes, MD, MPH Legionnaires' Disease CDC: Legionnaires' Disease "New York Is Having a Legionnaires' Outbreak. Here's What to Know." "Mayor Mamdani Takes Aggressive Action to Address Upper East Side Legionnaires' Disease Community Cluster" Jeremy Faust: "How New York Is Winning Against Legionnaires' Disease" In the Yale School of Management's MBA for Executives program, you'll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's Executive Master of Public Health offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. Email Howie and Harlan comments or questions.
Dive into the world of craft malt, regional ingredients, and sustainable agriculture as we chat with Brad Humbert, owner of Bear Branch Malt in Maryland. Discover how local grains and farming practices shape the beer landscape in the Mid-Atlantic.Main Topics:The journey of local and craft malting in MarylandBridging agriculture and brewing through regional ingredientsSustainability and farm-to-brew relationshipsChallenges and opportunities for grain and hop growers in the Mid-AtlanticUpcoming events and collaborations for craft malt month>In this episode:Brad shares his background and the history of Bear Branch Malt, a family farm with roots dating back to 1937Discussion on the transition from engineering to craft malting, and love for regional ingredientsThe significance of local grains like Avalon barley and their terroir impactHow farm practices, including growing soybeans and cover crops, support sustainable malt productionThe relationship between local brewers and maltsters, and the importance of supporting regional grain economiesChallenges faced by hop growers in Maryland and the scalability issues of hop cultivationStrategic growth and expansion plans for Bear Branch Malt, including collaborations with breweries outside MarylandHighlighting upcoming craft malt and beer events, Oktoberfest releases, and the return of Sally GasterThe importance of community support and supporting local ingredients in the craft beer scene>Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome to the DC Beer Show and introductions00:14 - Mike Stein shares his drink: Liquidity Aleworks Patapsco Pale00:34 - Jordan's Canadian triple hazy IPA from Colorado01:09 - Brandy's smoked beer from Elder Pine02:00 - JB's concentration on Port City Schwarzbier and West Coast IPA03:01 - Introduction to Bear Branch Malt and Brad's drink: German-style red lager03:25 - Brad shares his journey from engineer to maltster and farm-to-brew philosophy04:46 - The evolution of the farm's malting system—from half-ton to 8-ton setup05:10 - Brad discusses what drives his passion for local agriculture and malting07:01 - Discussion on supporting local malting and regional ingredients07:32 - Clarifying that Bear Branch Malt sells malt, not animals08:21 - Connection between spent grain, livestock, and sustainability practices08:45 - The farm's integrated approach with cattle, sheep, and crop rotation09:19 - Potential differences in beef fed on malted grains09:39 - Local breweries' use of spent grain and farm practices involving malting byproducts10:36 - Exciting crops like Avalon barley for next year's harvest and terroir studies11:14 - The farm's crop cycle, planting seasons, and interesting cover crop experiments12:08 - The challenge of growing spring vs. winter grains like barley and wheat14:00 - The competitiveness of malting industry and regional grain support15:02 - The impact of commodity malt prices and value of local grains16:11 - The scope of grain farming and malt production in Maryland and neighboring states16:40 - The scale of craft brewing versus large-scale barley and hop production17:04 - Industry competition and collaboration among craft maltsters19:05 - Family farm history and historic ownership since 193720:10 - Community and event plans for Craft Malt Month and collaborations21:17 - Potential for regional hop growing and the limitations faced in the Mid-Atlantic22:25 - Challenges of growing proprietary hop varieties in Maryland23:39 - Yields and considerations for hop farming at small and larger scales25:42 - The significance of regional grain and malt industries across Maryland, DC, Virginia27:29 - Growth plans for Bear Branch Malt and expansion into neighboring states28:51 - Collaborations with local breweries like Monument, Union, and Guinness29:07 - Upcoming events at Other Half and local craft beer highlights30:36 - The role of cocktails versus beer and local bar culture31:12 - Celebrating Oktoberfest releases and upcoming beer festivals33:45 - Sally Gaster returning and upcoming fall events including the World Cup final34:17 - Closing remarks and support for local ingredients and community engagementResources & Links: • Bear Branch Malt - Maryland-based craft maltster and farmThank you for tuning in! Follow what's happening in the DC scene at DCBeer.com and @dcbeer on social media. Support us at Patreon.com/DCBeer Thanks to our monthly supporters Chris Sadler Brian Dauernheim Quinten Patterson C Sandoval Gilbert Glickstein Ethan Sapperstein Sean Whipkey Randy Mills Ryan Llalan Fowler Michael Losi Adam Heisenberg Brian Jeff Lucas Micaela Carrazco Lauren Sean Moffitt Anthony Scipione johnna infanti Catherine Ramirez Adam Frank Tyler Lynch Jared Prager Jeff Michael O'Connor Favio Garcia Josh Ellen Daniels Juan Deliz Mike Lastort James Wisnieski Chris Frome Sam Chip Tory Roberts Chris DeLoose Lauren Cary Clifton B Scott Pavlica Greg Antrim jeffrey garrison Alexis Smith Dan Goldbeck Anthony Budny Greg Parnas Frank Chang Kim Klyberg Chris Girardot Alyssa jeffrey katz Andrew MacWilliams Jamie Jackson Meegan Mike Rucki Nick Gardner Amber Farris Sarah Ray Peter Jones Blue2026 Brad Stengel Bill and Karen Butcher Jordan Harvey Stephen Claeys Julie Verratti
Steven Nunes, aka Steve Beef the “Sofubi Shy Guy", joins Toys on Tap to talk horror, collecting, and the creation of M.U.D. Toys.Steven traces his obsession from Ninja Turtles, Goosebumps, vintage masks, and early sofubi discoveries in New York to partnering with longtime friend and turning their monster ideas into Japanese vinyl.We talk about:• Discovering sofubi at the Mishka store • Collecting NAG, Super7, masks, VHS, and sneakers • Photography, tattoo shops, and creative influence • Living with anxiety and agoraphobia • Launching M.U.D. Toys • Creating Barfy, Grim Bones, and Grim Oni • Hand sculpting vs. digital sculpting • Collaborations and community support • Clothing and accessories for toys • What M.U.D. Toys is making nextThis episode is funny, honest, and packed with monster-toy energy. Steven proves you do not need to have everything figured out, or be the loudest person in the room to make something unforgettable.On Instagram: @m.u.d.toysThanks to Our SupportersRate & Review the Show! Leave a rating and review wherever you listen it's the best way to help Toys on Tap grow!Empire Blisters: If you are looking for blisters for vintage toys or new bootleg figures head over to https://www.empireblisters.com and use code TOYSONTAP10 for 10% offSubscribe and Follow AlongInstagram:@toysontapLinkedin: Abraham MustoFacebook:@toysontapYoutube:@Toysontap
Welcome back! In Part 2, Nikki and Chris discuss With Teeth, Year Zero, The Slip and Hesitation Marks.You can find us at scaredycatpromo@gmail.com or on Instagram @scaredycatpromo if you want to get in touch to let us know your thoughts, suggest future episodes or even put yourself forward for a guest spot!
Fluent Fiction - Korean: Summer Collaborations: Capturing Culture in Hangang Park Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2026-07-12-22-34-01-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 햇빛은 강하지만 바람이 부드럽게 불어오는 여의도 한강공원.En: The sun was strong, but a gentle breeze blew through Yeouido Hangang Park.Ko: 여기는 한국 여름의 정취를 만끽할 수 있는 축제가 한창이다.En: Here, a festival in full swing captured the essence of a Korean summer.Ko: 지혜로운 강사인 지현은 그늘 아래에서 시원한 아이스티를 마시며 한숨을 돌리고 있었다.En: Ji-hye, a wise instructor, was taking a breather under the shade while sipping on a cool iced tea.Ko: 오늘 그녀의 목표는 전통 한국 문화를 어떻게 재미있게 학생들에게 가르칠 수 있을까 하는 것이다.En: Her goal for the day was to figure out how to teach her students about traditional Korean culture in a fun way.Ko: 그러나, 사람들로 붐비는 이곳에서 영감을 찾기가 쉽지 않았다.En: However, finding inspiration in this crowded place was not easy.Ko: 한편, 자신감 넘치는 사진작가 민수는 카메라를 들고 공원을 누비고 있었다.En: Meanwhile, Min-su, a confident photographer, was roaming the park with his camera.Ko: 그는 사람들의 자연스러운 순간을 포착하기 위해 이곳에 왔다.En: He came here to capture spontaneous moments of people.Ko: 그의 목표는 한국 여름의 살아있는 모습을 담아내는 것이다.En: His objective was to portray the living essence of a Korean summer.Ko: 하지만 그는 사진에 집중하다 보니 축제의 진짜 매력을 놓칠까 걱정이 되었다.En: Yet, he worried that he might miss the real charm of the festival by focusing too much on taking pictures.Ko: 지현은 전통 놀이 시연이 열린다는 소식을 듣고 참여하기로 했다.En: Ji-hyun, upon hearing that there would be a demonstration of traditional games, decided to participate.Ko: 그녀는 전통 문화를 직접 경험함으로써 새로운 관점을 찾고 싶었다.En: She wanted to find a new perspective by experiencing traditional culture firsthand.Ko: 민수도 바쁘게 움직이는 것을 멈추고 사람들에게 축제를 어떻게 즐기고 있는지 이야기를 나누기 시작했다.En: Min-su also paused his busy movements and started talking to people about how they were enjoying the festival.Ko: 이렇게 그들은 서로 다른 방식으로 자신들의 목표를 향해 한 걸음 더 나아가고 있었다.En: In this way, they each moved a step closer to their respective goals, albeit in different ways.Ko: 축제의 흥겨운 분위기 속에서 두 사람은 우연히 공원의 조용한 한 구석에서 마주쳤다.En: In the cheerful atmosphere of the festival, the two met by chance in a quiet corner of the park.Ko: 민수는 지현의 고요한 모습을 보고 흥미가 생겼다.En: Min-su found himself intrigued by Ji-hyun's serene presence.Ko: 그는 지현에게 그녀의 사진을 찍어도 되겠느냐고 물었다.En: He asked if he could take her picture.Ko: 지현은 미소 지으며 허락했다.En: She smiled and consented.Ko: 카메라 셔터 소리가 들리자, 그들은 자연스럽게 대화를 시작했다.En: As the sound of the camera shutter clicked, they naturally started a conversation.Ko: 대화는 점점 깊어졌고, 지현은 자신의 곧 있을 강의에 민수의 사진과 이야기를 포함시키고 싶다고 제안했다.En: Their conversation deepened, and Ji-hyun proposed including Min-su's photos and stories in her upcoming lecture.Ko: 민수도 자신의 작품이 새로운 방식으로 활용되는 것에 대한 기대감에 마음이 설렜다.En: Min-su felt excited about the prospect of his work being used in new ways.Ko: 그들은 각자의 호기심과 열정이 맞닿는 지점에서 새로운 협력을 시작하게 되었다.En: At the crossroads of their curiosity and passion, they began a new collaboration.Ko: 지현은 다른 관점과 협업의 중요성을 깨달았다.En: Ji-hyun realized the importance of different perspectives and collaboration.Ko: 그녀의 강의는 이제 더 풍부하고 다채로워질 것이다.En: Her lectures would now be richer and more vibrant.Ko: 민수는 사진 한 장 한 장에 담긴 이야기를 더 깊이 이해하게 되었고, 그의 예술적 방향에 새로운 영감이 더해졌다.En: Min-su gained a deeper understanding of the stories behind each photograph, adding new inspiration to his artistic direction.Ko: 여름의 여유로운 한강공원에서의 만남은 그렇게 그들 둘에게 특별한 변화를 선사했다.En: Their encounter at the leisurely Hangang Park in summer brought remarkable change to both of them. Vocabulary Words:essence: 정취breather: 한숨spontaneous: 자연스러운portray: 담아내다charm: 매력demonstration: 시연firsthand: 직접respective: 각자albeit: 하지만serene: 고요한consented: 허락했다proposed: 제안했다prospect: 기대감passion: 열정collaboration: 협력vibrant: 다채로운inspiration: 영감capture: 포착하다objective: 목표perspective: 관점remarkable: 특별한leisurely: 여유로운intrigued: 흥미가 생겼다crossroads: 지점realized: 깨달았다understanding: 이해artistic: 예술적curiosity: 호기심breeze: 바람figure out: 알아내다
Send us Fan MailIn honor of the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelci, we had to talk about the pop princess! This time we ranked her Collaborations. We've added them to our Spotify playlist, so check it out!Follow us on social media @twinsync.podcastListen to our Spotify playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0AN9P8g91mLq1PW1AZBXKp?si=iJ9bPW0_TZyYyEledLq_MA&pi=Eku89OXDRZGQt
New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday!On this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams is joined by Nathan Clapp, founder of Wraven Labs, to explore the intersection of product design, watch collecting, and entrepreneurship. Drawing on his experience working on the Apple Watch and his passion for thoughtful industrial design, Nathan shares how a simple frustration while driving inspired the creation of the Wing One, a purpose built accessory designed to protect both watches and vehicles. The conversation dives into what it takes to bring a niche physical product to life, from prototyping and manufacturing to branding and storytelling.Nathan and Ariel also discuss why watch enthusiasts are drawn to craftsmanship, precision, and products that elevate the ownership experience. They explore the psychology of collecting, the importance of designing products that solve real problems, and how thoughtful presentation can be just as important as the product itself. Nathan also offers a look at Wraven Labs' next accessory venture, his approach to building a brand with long term value, and why creating something you are genuinely proud of matters more than chasing quick commercial success.Learn more about Wraven Labs:- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wravenlabs - Website - https://www.wravenlabs.com/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content:- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/- Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!Key Timestamps:[00:35] Intro & Nathan's Background[04:13] Why Watch Collectors Love Craftsmanship[08:56] The Story Behind Wing One[14:34] How To Market A Niche Product[16:29] Who Wing One Is Really For[19:17] The Wraven Labs Vision[25:06] Materials, Adhesives & Durability[32:03] Building Wraven Labs[33:42] Advice For Watch Entrepreneurs[36:06] Future Variants & Collaborations[49:14] Should You Wrap Your Watch?[58:14] Sapphire, Patina & Long-Term Wear[1:00:10] Engineering The Laptop Protector[1:03:38] Where To Find Wraven Labs
Des and Paul talk about their own collaborations and how serendipitous connections can lead to remarkable results. Examples range from Gilbert and Sullivan to Jobs and Wozniak to Simon and Garfunkel. Books mentioned include the Art of Unexpected Solutions by Paul Sloane, 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words by Paul Sloane and Des MacHal,e and the new book Beautiful Things in Mathematics by Des MacHale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After a quick break, Andy and Felix are back behind the microphones! We kick things off with a deep dive into Andy's incredibly watch-heavy trip to Japan. From heavy-hitting independent watchmaking like Naoya Hida and Zenith, to the brilliant microbrands of Kurono Tokyo and Kuoe Kyoto, we cover the insane Japanese vintage scene and why Tokyo remains a mecca for watch collectors.
In this episode I shared how collaborations can fast-track your growth, amplify your message, and create meaningful impact. Learn actionable strategies to attract your dream partners and make collaborations work for your unique goals. What I talked about: -The significance of intentional collaborations and how they accelerate business and platform growth -My most recent dream collaboration -How collaborations help build community, trust, and shared impact within the Latina business space -Creative ways you can collaborate -The value of proximity, learning from and growing with high-level amigas -Building collaborations step by step: from supporting others' content to pitching your ideas authentically -The importance of setting clear expectations and aligning on goals to ensure successful partnerships -How to approach dream collaborations: supporting first, creating content, and gradually pitching ideas -The power of supporting, engaging, and understanding your ideal collaborators' values and missions -Practical tips to overcome hesitation and get started on collaborating today I hope this episode inspires you to reach out to your dream collaboration wether its a brand or another amiga creator! Collaboration is rooted in community, authenticity, and shared purpose. Start simple—support, connect, then pitch—then watch your impact grow. Resources & Links: Rich Mommy Retreat Cat del Carmen Janesse from Yo Quiero Dinero Mujeron Movement Connect with me @thesoniaalejandra Book your 1:1 intensive with me
Jacques Spitzer is a 4x Emmy® award-winning creative agency founder who was named to AdWeek's Agency Vanguard as one of the top 20 leaders shaping the future of advertising. His agency, Raindrop, has generated billions in campaign sales for powerhouse brands like Dr. Squatch, Native and Grüns and insurgent brands like Good Culture, Hello Panda, Magic Spoon and more. Raindrop's creative force has been showcased by their work on three Super Bowl campaigns and their recent execution of the largest brand launch in Procter & Gamble history for Spruce. As a champion for the next generation of disruptive companies, Jacques serves as a strategic advisor to high-growth CPG brands that Raindrop Ventures has uniquely helped launch and invested in, including Grüns, Laundry Sauce, ForAll, VitaWild, Maeva and Magic Mind. With a trophy case boasting over 50 advertising awards, Jacques' work is consistently recognized for its rare blend of viral creativity and massive ROI. His insights have been featured in Forbes, AdAge, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He was recently named one of the “most influential people in San Diego” by the San Diego Business Journal and one of “California's most visionary CEOs” by the Los Angeles Times, who noted: “Raindrop's creative success and results have put San Diego on the map for creative work across the country.” In addition to his work in advertising, Spitzer helped produce the full-length documentary Wampler's Ascent, which won over 38 international film festival awards. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:43] Scaling Ecommerce through storytelling [04:41] Maximizing current growth channels first [08:14] Managing multiple priorities as a founder [10:11] Shifting from product to customer worth [15:26] Callouts [15:36] Overcoming a leader's limiting beliefs [24:03] Taking balanced risks to protect equity [25:17] Combining math with strategic stories Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Marketing that people love raindrop.agency/ Follow Jacques Spitzer linkedin.com/in/jspitzer5/ If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
For months, events surrounding Iran have moved at a relentless pace. In the midst of that, some remarkable conversations had to wait their turn. This is one of them. In this episode, Jian Ghomeshi welcomes acclaimed composer, producer and arranger Ramin Zamani to the Roqe studio for a fascinating discussion about music, exile, creativity, discipline and authenticity. Long before he became one of the key architects of modern Persian pop music, Ramin Zamani left Iran to pursue classical guitar and composition. His dream was not chart success but film scoring. Yet through a series of unexpected turns, including a chance encounter with Kamran of Kamran & Hooman, he found himself helping shape the sound of Persian music for a generation. The conversation explores: • Life under the Islamic Republic • Leaving Iran for artistic freedom • Classical music and creative discipline • The dream of film composition • The making of Persian pop music • Collaborations with Shahbal Shabpareh and Dariush • The role of mentorship • The creative process • Autotune and authenticity • Artificial intelligence and the future of music The episode also features Jian's opening essay: WE ARE BETWEEN CHAPTERS Sponsored by: • Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. Produced by Roqe Media.
Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we delve into a series of impactful developments shaping the future of medical innovation and patient care. The landscape of pharmaceutical and biotech industries is currently experiencing notable shifts driven by scientific advancements, regulatory updates, and strategic collaborations. One of the more controversial events involves the retraction of a high-profile study in Nature Medicine. This study initially suggested that the timing of PD-1 inhibitor administration had significant impacts on survival rates for non-small cell lung cancer patients. Early-day administration was linked to improved outcomes compared to later in the day. However, after a four-month investigation, concerns over methodological validity led to its retraction. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the necessity for rigorous peer review and transparency in clinical research, which are essential for influencing treatment protocols effectively. In industry news, Eli Lilly has entered into a major $1.9 billion partnership with Abbisko Therapeutics to harness Abbisko's drug discovery capabilities, particularly in oncology. This collaboration highlights an increasing trend where Western pharmaceutical companies team up with Asian biotech firms to accelerate drug development and tap into innovative therapeutic platforms. Eli Lilly is also recalibrating its strategy for launching its oral obesity treatment, Foundayo, in Europe, as it navigates the complexities introduced by the Most Favored Nation pricing agreement with the U.S. This underscores a broader challenge within the industry: balancing pricing regulations with expanding access through digital health channels like telehealth. ADC Therapeutics is taking steps to address safety concerns surrounding its antibody-drug conjugate, Zynlonta, by reducing its workforce by 17%. This strategic realignment demonstrates the delicate balance companies must maintain between advancing promising therapies and ensuring patient safety through vigilant clinical oversight. On the regulatory front, Incyte's decision to drop its lawsuit against CMS over drug classification issues involving its JAK inhibitor Opzelura highlights ongoing negotiations between pharmaceutical companies and regulatory bodies. These classifications have direct implications for market access and reimbursement strategies. Shifting focus to infrastructure, Advancell's move to establish its U.S. headquarters near Boston for radiopharmaceutical production underscores an emphasis on localizing drug manufacturing facilities to enhance supply chain resilience. This decision aligns with broader efforts to support domestic clinical trials for innovative therapies targeting prostate cancer. In terms of technological innovation, Novartis has invested $105 million upfront in Antares Therapeutics to target historically undruggable cancer proteins through small molecule development. This move reflects an industry-wide push towards exploiting cutting-edge technologies like AI-driven drug discovery to meet unmet medical needs in oncology. Precision medicine continues to gain traction, exemplified by Abbott's partnership with AlzPath to develop blood-based diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's disease. Collaborations such as these are pivotal in enhancing early diagnosis and personalized treatment approaches for neurodegenerative disorders. Meanwhile, the industry's financial dynamics continue to evolve with significant fundraising activities. Serapha Bio's public debut through a reverse merger with Boundless Bio raised $230 million, highlighting a growing trend of utilizing reverse mergers as a pathway to public markets. This financial boost comes alongside their licensing of a gene editing technology from China, underscoring the global nature of biotech collaborations. In oncology, Eli Lilly's extended partnership with Abbisko Therapeutics underscores the ongoing commitment to precision medicine, aiming to harness small molecule innovations targeting specific cancer pathways. Concurrently, the European Medicines Agency approved Astellas' Padcev combined with Merck & Co.'s Keytruda for muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment based on promising Phase 3 results. Ophthalmology research is also seeing substantial investment with Ollin Biosciences raising $330 million in Series B funding aimed at developing therapies that challenge existing treatments like Vabysmo for eye diseases. Such investments indicate strong confidence in novel therapies that could redefine standards in treating conditions like wet age-related macular degeneration. In conclusion, these developments reflect a vibrant biotech and pharma landscape characterized by strategic partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, and regulatory milestones that collectively drive forward scientific progress and enhance therapeutic options available worldwide. As these sectors continue to evolve, integrating cutting-edge technologies like gene editing and precision oncology will be pivotal in shaping healthcare delivery's future trajectory while improving patient outcomes globally.Support the show
Montana has some of the largest intact grassland ecosystems in North America. And that same land is also cattle country. Collaborations and innovative techniques that try to bring biodiversity back – from the soil to the sky – are on the rise in Montana, finding a way to try to balance running cattle, saving birds, and maintaining the last of the prairie.
PostbagLionel Guerraz voice note about content reachCome to UpLift Live Nano Bristol on 17 September 2026 – a chance to ask your LinkedIn questions direct to me and get yourself a live LinkedIn profile review!Creator Marketplace and company page collaborationsSolo and small business owners: join the Espresso+ community to improve your LinkedIn and online presence. Find out more at jesp.me/joinSupport the show: Informed is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
Former Ventruss frontman Ben Jewell joins The Sound 228 for an honest and in-depth conversation about his musical journey, personal growth, and exciting new chapter as a solo artist. Ben shares the story behind his debut solo single "Let Me See," featuring Jared Gomes of Head PE and former Ventress guitarist Sean Seizaw. He opens up about the challenges he faced after Ventress, the struggles that nearly pushed him away from music, and how collaborations with Butcher Babies, Escalate, and Midst of War helped reignite his passion. We also dive into: • The creative process behind "Let Me See" • Working with Butcher Babies on their Open Verse Challenge • His move from Louisiana to Kansas City • Vocal training and expanding his songwriting abilities • The emotional meaning behind his new music • Collaborations with Midst of War and other artists • Building a new band and what the future holds This episode is packed with inspiration, behind-the-scenes stories, and a look at the next chapter of one of the Gulf Coast rock scene's most recognizable voices. Follow Ben Jewell on all streaming platforms and social media to stay up to date on new music and upcoming announcements.
This week's guest is Val Haller, Founder and Co-producer of Winnetka Music Festival, a local Chicago music fest celebrating its 10th Anniversary. The festival takes place this week, June 19-20 and features a stellar lineup with headliners Father John Misty, Trombone Shorty, Grace Potter and Futurebirds among other fantastic acts. Throughout her career in music, Val has embodied a vibrant can-do spirit. She founded Val's List in 2007 which seeks to connect “busy adults” with new music from emerging artists. It uncovered a wonderful niche of music lovers who were looking for something new— and it was a massive success! She then morphed her passion into Living Room shows, which then ultimately became one of the most successful local Chicago festivals when she founded Winnetka Music Festival in 2017. Now partnered with Space Evanston, Val continues to foster emerging young artists and to that end, Val has founded the Just Listen Foundation to lend financial support to young touring artists.Val's passion, enthusiasm, drive and commitment is truly inspiring. She talks to me about the key moments along the way, and what the future holds. I loved learning more about Val, and you will learn a ton from her experience and unique perspective on the music world.=======================================Chapters:00:00 - Episode intro with Host Josh Rosenberg 05:00 - Val's early career and motivation behind Val's List 10:00 - Impact of industry analysis and media features 11:00 - Transition from playlisting to live events 15:00 - Building community through house concerts 20:00 - Collaborations with booking agents and brands 25:00 - Insights on festival development and partnerships 30:00 - Logistical challenges and audience engagement strategies 35:00 - The inception and evolution of the Winnetka Music Festival 40:00 - Success stories of artists who grew through the festival 45:00 - The festival's setting, logistics, and community impact 50:00 - Safety, ticketing, and operational lessons learned 55:00 - Future plans including foundation and expanding support for artists 01:02:00 - Final thoughts on connecting artists and audiences through community events 01:06:00 - Closing remarks and thanks01:08:08 - Episode wrap-up with Host Josh Rosenberg=======================================For more information on Roadcase:https://linktr.ee/roadcasepod and https://www.roadcasepod.comOr contact Roadcase by email: info@roadcasepod.comRoadcase theme music: "Eugene (Instrumental)" by Waltzer
Growing a podcast is harder than most people expect, and there are real reasons why most podcasts never grow. Podcast Hall of Famer Arielle Nissenblatt joins the morning show cast and crew to break down what actually works, from audience development and podcast discovery to newsletter marketing and building genuine connections with listeners. If your download numbers have felt stuck, her perspective might shift how you're thinking about it. Growth rarely comes from one big break or a single clever tactic. It comes from small improvements over time, smarter positioning, and testing things until you find what actually resonates with the audience you're trying to reach.Episode Highlights:[09:15] Meet Arielle Nissenblatt[15:59] The Origins of the EarBuds Newsletter[21:04] How to Get Press Passes for Events[28:50] How to Get Featured in EarBuds[39:19] Audience Growth Myths[42:49] Consistency vs. Quality[47:22] How to Audit Your Show[51:48] Low-Hanging Optimization Opportunities[53:40] Collaborations and Pre-Pitching Strategies[56:23] Paid Media Options for Growth[01:00:18] Objective Feedback and Podcast Audits[01:05:45] Why Podcasting Is ThrivingLinks & Resources:Connect with Arielle Nissenblatt: https://www.ariellenissenblatt.com/ Jason Cercone's Podcast: https://www.bombtrackmedia.com/simplifiedFeature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show:https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlightThe Podcasting Morning Show:www.podcastingmorningshow.comWays to Watch or Listen: https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/Meet the PMS Cast and Crew:https://podcastingmorningshow.com/peopleJoin The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group:www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcastingBook A Free Call With Marc:https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycallApplication To Submit Your Show For Evaluation:https://podcastingmorningshow.com/evalJoin us every other Monday at 8 AM ET for the Obsession Worthy Podcasts:http://podcastingmorningshow.com/owp/Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 8 am ET (US) on Clubhouse: https://podcastingmorningshow.com/clubhousePowered by iRonickMedia.com and ContentCreatorsAccountant.comSend in your mailbag questions: https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/ or marc@ironickmedia.comWant to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here:https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b
Joddy Pettit is a bowyer in Colorado with 30 years of experience. Through his company, Meadowlark Adventure Gear, he sells traditional bows and bow making supplies. He is the author of the Building the Bamboo-Backed Reflex/Deflex Bow, and the creator of extensive bow building content on YouTube.Please enjoy this episode of Project Quiver on Salish Wolf with Joddy Pettit. Episode Links: https://www.instagram.com/meadowlarkbows/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdYge5ocCvElEVheCn7eoQhttps://www.facebook.com/meadowlarkbows/https://meadowlarkag.com/Project Quiver at Anchor Point ExpeditionsSummary:In this episode, Joddy Pettit shares his 30-year journey in bow making, from primitive self bows to advanced composite designs, and discusses his innovative techniques like peri-reflex bows and bamboo lamination. Discover practical insights, his process for teaching, and his plans for future projects in the art of bow crafting.Show Notes:Joddy Pettit's 30-year bow making journeyPeri-reflex bow design and lamination techniquesUse of bamboo in bow constructionExperimentation with bow shapes and materialsTeaching and sharing bow making knowledgeChallenges in bow making and material sourcingFuture projects and online coaching plansChapters:00:00 Introduction to Joddy Pettit and His Craft04:29 The Journey into Bow Making07:23 Diverse Bow Making Techniques10:26 The Science of Bamboo in Bow Making13:17 Exploring Perireflex Bow Design16:20 The Art of Bow Performance and Safety19:31 The Role of Social Media in Bow Making22:30 Teaching and Sharing Knowledge25:13 The Process of Writing a Bow Making Book41:00 Collaborations and Influences in Bow Making42:30 Exploring Materials: Bamboo and Beyond45:57 Experimentation with Bow Design49:21 The Art of Primitive Bow Building51:37 Learning from Experience: The Journey of a Bowyer54:01 The Impact of Environment on Bow Making56:16 Future Aspirations and Teaching Bow Building59:04 Community and Connections in Bow Making01:01:29 The Artistic Side of Bow Making01:02:57 The Story Behind Metal Arc01:03:44 Looking Ahead: New Projects and Content
On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Michael Alter, owner and founder of Fitz's, to discuss the story behind one of St. Louis' most iconic brands and how a small soda startup grew into a regional institution recognized across generations.Michael shares the history of Fitz's, from its roots as a legendary St. Louis drive-in restaurant to relaunching the brand in 1992 with a vision of creating a craft soda microbrewery long before the craft beverage movement became mainstream.The conversation explores the evolution of the Delmar Loop, the importance of building a strong company culture, and how Fitz's has remained relevant for more than three decades while staying true to its identity. Michael also discusses the company's commitment to real cane sugar, product innovation, and the launch of Fitz's newest mixer line featuring club soda, tonic water, and zero-calorie tonic water.They also dive into entrepreneurship, leadership, collaboration, and the challenges of navigating changing consumer trends while preserving the nostalgic experience that has made Fitz's a St. Louis favorite.From family businesses and community impact to product development and local partnerships, this episode highlights what it takes to build a lasting brand and why Fitz's continues to be woven into the fabric of St. Louis.They discuss:• The history and relaunch of Fitz's in 1992• Building a craft soda company before craft beverages were mainstream• The story behind the iconic Fitz's Root Beer brand• The growth and evolution of the Delmar Loop• Leadership lessons from 33 years of entrepreneurship• Building company culture and retaining great employees• Why Fitz's remains committed to real cane sugar• Product innovation and launching the new mixer line• Collaborations with local brands and organizations• Working with 4 Hands Brewing Co. and the Gateway Arch• Creating memorable family experiences through the restaurant• The future of Fitz's and evolving consumer trends• Favorite St. Louis restaurants, parks, and local businesses• Supporting local entrepreneurship and community growth
Today, we're sitting down with podcast guest strategist Candace Dudley to talk about one of the most underutilized growth strategies for entrepreneurs right now: getting booked on other people's podcasts. Whether you're brand new to business or in the middle of a rebrand and launch, this episode is packed with actionable steps to help you pitch yourself with confidence and turn guest appearances into real business growth.In this episode, we talk about:Why people have so much resistance to pitching themselves and why podcast guesting is nothing like the fear of public speakingThe biggest reason most pitches get ignored (and why sliding into DMs is converting so much better than cold emails right now)Why knowing your speaking topics is the foundation of everything and how to write them so hosts immediately say yesHow to vet podcasts before pitching, the vibe check you need to do, and why smaller shows often convert better than the big onesWhat to include in your DM pitch to stand out without overthinking itWhy you don't need a huge following, a media kit, or more clients before you start and the mindset block keeping most people from startingThe three-part episode framework (Connect, Shift, Method) that sets you up as the authority from the moment you introduce yourselfHow to make your podcast appearances actually drive business growth, from your lead magnet to your buyer journeyWhat to do after the episode airs (because most people skip this entirely)The unexpected ripple effects of podcast guesting from referrals and memberships to identity shifts and clearer messagingHow to handle rejection and nos without taking it personallyPlus, Candice shares details on her free Podcast Matchmaking Community, a growing space with over 400 hosts and guests connecting with each other.Connect with Candace: https://www.candacedudley.com/ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1833231 https://www.instagram.com/candacedudley/ Listen to Similar Episodes:171. Mastering the Art of Collaborations & Networking w/ Jenna Faye157. Improve Your Body Image, Set Better Boundaries, & Build a Strong Marriage w/ Katja LillianP.S. When you rate and review the podcast, you'll receive my Connect to your Higher Self Visualization as a thank you! Click here to claim your gift. Ways to Work with Nora:1:1 Coaching Waitlist – Add your name to the waitlist to be the first to learn when spots open.90-Minute Intensives Waitlist – Limited openings for deep-dive, high-impact sessions. Join the waitlist to be notified when spots become available.Courses – Explore Nora's signature programs:Full Throttle – The ultimate business strategy courseElite – Business energetics + identity work coursePodcasting for Business Growth – Turn your podcast into profitConnect with Nora – Follow her on Instagram @iamnoravirginia for updates, tips, and inspiration.
Your smart glasses run all day on a battery narrower than your pinky finger and building it required reinventing how batteries are made. In this episode, Pascal talks to Karthik and Myuran, the engineers behind Meta's steel can battery technology, to explore why traditional pouch cells couldn't cut it for the ultra-slim temple arms of AI glasses like Meta Ray-Bans and the Oakley Vanguards. Tune in to learn how Meta designed, built, and scaled the batteries powering your glasses, wristbands, and cases from first prototype to mass production. Got feedback? Send it to us on Threads (https://threads.net/@metatechpod), Instagram (https://instagram.com/metatechpod) and don't forget to follow our host Pascal (https://mastodon.social/@passy, https://threads.net/@passy_). Fancy working with us? Check out https://www.metacareers.com/. Links SilverTorch: Index as Model — A New Retrieval Paradigm for Recommendation Systems - https://engineering.fb.com/2026/05/26/ml-applications/silvertorch-index-as-model-new-retrieval-paradigm-recommendation-systems/ Timestamps Intro and News 0:06 Guest intros 1:49 The problem with existing batteries 4:16 Pouch vs Steel Can Batteries 6:40 What does lower impedence mean? 10:27 Power requirements 12:25 Synchronising two batteries 16:02 Manufacturing never-done-before batteries 23:11 Software vs hardware iteration cycles 28:12 Collaborations across the globe 30:51 Market compliance 37:00 Outro 42:24
There's a dangerous myth in medicine: that the best physicians are the ones who can do everything themselves. But that model doesn't just create burnout — it breaks people. In this episode, Amanda, Laura, and Kendra dig into why the lone wolf physician approach is unsustainable, and how one simple mind shift can completely change the way you work, lead, and show up for your patients. Inspired by the book Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, the core idea is this: stop asking "How do I do this?" and start asking "Who can help me do this better?"——————————————————————————KEY TAKEAWAYS—————————————————————————— The "lone wolf" model breaks people.Independence was glorified in training, but healthcare is now too complex, too specialized, and too emotionally demanding for isolated excellence to be sustainable. The future of great medicine is collaboration. Ask "who," not "how."Instead of asking how you can do more, start asking who can help you do it better. This single shift changes how you lead, delegate, and build your team. The eighty percent rule is your permission slip.If someone else can do something eighty percent as well as you can, let them do it. That's not failure — that's efficiency. Save your A-game for clinical decisions, procedures, and connecting with patients. B-minus charting is still excellent care.Over-charting at the expense of your time, your family, and your sanity is not a virtue. A thorough, efficient chart checks every box it needs to. You do not need to write a novel. Fast feedback builds fast trust.Strong teams normalize quick, clear, respectful feedback. The faster problems get named, the faster they get solved — and the better your culture becomes. Humility multiplies your effectiveness.True collaboration requires letting go of needing to be the smartest person in the room. When your team feels safe to speak up, they catch things. That's good medicine. You were never supposed to carry this alone.The best physicians aren't the ones doing the most. They're the ones creating environments where everyone can do their best work together.——————————————————————————MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE——————————————————————————
The new AIEWF website is live! Get your tickets booked ASAP as they -will- sell out. Take the AI Engineering Survey and get >$2k in credits and free AIE WF tickets!Most industry benchmarks compress intelligence and reasoning ability into scores.SWE-Bench Pro, MMLU, Humanity's Last Exam, etc. These metrics are useful, but don't always represent the full extent of how a model performs in the real world. Some of the most interesting evals today look less like exams and more like operating businesses in the real world. One of which is Vending Bench.In Anthropic's Mythos Preview System Card, Andon was the only third party eval to get their own section, observing increasingly concerning aggressive behavior:You don't know what a model is capable of doing in the real world unless you actually give it inventory, a wallet, tools, customers, competitors, humans, & some time. More often than not, it'll surprise you how much a model is capable of and in doing so, also reveal unexpected behavior: deception, context collapse, emergent coordination, & bizarre negotiation behavior.While an inflection point in personal agents came post-OpenClaw after full file access with bypass permissions became the norm, it is yet to come for agents in the real-world. However Andon Market, an actual in person store fully run and managed by AI, is paving the way for what is possible.Full Video PodFrom Claude trying to call the FBI over a $2/day vending machine charge to AI agents forming price cartels, hiring human employees, running physical stores, and writing existential robot musicals, Andon Labs is stress-testing what happens when frontier models stop being chatbots and start acting in the real world. In this episode, Andon Labs cofounders Lukas Petersson and Axel Backlund join swyx and Vibhu to unpack the strange, funny, and genuinely concerning edge cases that emerge when agents run businesses over long horizons.We go deep on Vending-Bench, Project Vend, Vending-Bench Arena, Bengt, Butter-Bench, Luna, and Andon's broader mission of building realistic real-world evals for autonomous AI systems. Lukas and Axel explain why dollar-denominated evals reveal things traditional benchmarks miss, how Claude ended up reporting its vending machine fees as cybercrime, why long context windows can drive agents into meltdown loops, what happens when agents compete with each other, and why the future of AI safety may depend on testing models in messy physical environments instead of clean benchmark sandboxes.We discuss:* Why Andon Labs started with dangerous capability evals and long-running agents* Vending-Bench and why running a vending machine is a deceptively hard AI benchmark* Why money-based evals avoid the saturation problem of traditional benchmarks* How Claude tried to call the FBI over a $2/day fee* Why long-horizon agents can spiral into existential and legalistic breakdowns* Project Vend: putting an AI-run vending machine inside Anthropic* Why real humans are “out of distribution” for simulated agents* Claudius, Seymour Cash, and the chaos of AI CEOs* How a human briefly became CEO of Claudius through a manipulated election* Why multi-agent systems can converge back into “helpful assistant” behavior* Bengt, Andon's internal office agent with email, spending, terminal, phone, camera, and internet access* How Bengt traded Amazon purchases for face-recognition training data* Claude's aggressive behavior, lies, refund avoidance, and price-cartel behavior in Arena* Why eval awareness may become the AI version of “are we living in a simulation?”* Blueprint Bench, spatial intelligence, and why models still misunderstand physical rooms* Butter-Bench and testing LLMs as robot orchestrators* Luna, the AI-run physical store with a three-year lease and human employees* The new Andon cafe in Sweden and why real-world geography matters for agent evals* Rotten tomatoes, perishable goods, and the hidden difficulty of running a physical businessLukas Petersson* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukas-petersson-181a83172/* X: https://x.com/lukaspetAxel Backlund* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/axelbacklund* X: https://x.com/axelbacklundAndon Labs* Website: https://andonlabs.com* Vending-Bench: https://andonlabs.com/evals/vending-bench* Andon Vending: https://andonlabs.com/vendingTimestamps00:00:00 Introduction00:01:00 Andon Labs and the Origins of Vending-Bench00:05:21 Why Money-Based Evals Matter00:09:51 Agent Harnesses and Self-Modifying Systems00:13:36 Claude Calls the FBI00:16:33 Project Vend: Claude Runs a Real Vending Machine00:21:44 Seymour Cash, AI CEOs, and Election Chaos00:27:16 Multi-Agent Coordination and Slack Observability00:30:18 When Will Agents Run Real Businesses?00:34:56 Bengt: Andon's Internal Office Agent00:40:06 Real-World AI Safety and Long-Horizon Traces00:44:28 Lying, Refunds, and Price Cartels in Arena00:52:42 Eval Awareness and Simulation Behavior00:56:06 Blueprint Bench, Butter-Bench, and Robotics01:04:37 Luna: The AI-Run Physical Store01:09:29 The Sweden Cafe and Real-World Expansion01:13:16 What Comes Next for Andon LabsTranscriptIntroduction: Andon Labs, Long-Running Agents, and Real-World EvalsSwyx [00:00:00]: Welcome to Lukas and Axel from Andon Labs, and I'm joined by my, favorite guest host. Anything security, safety, alignments, Vibhu., welcome.Lukas [00:00:15]: Thank you for having us.Axel [00:00:16]: Thank you.Swyx [00:00:17]: Let's match names to voices., maybe you wanna take turns introducing yourselves.Lukas [00:00:21]: I'm Lukas.Axel [00:00:22]: And I'm Axel.Swyx [00:00:24]: Let's introduce Andon Labs a bit. How did you guys come together?, you have different backgrounds, but you're both Swedish., was that, a big part of it?Lukas [00:00:33]: So when I went to high school, there was this really cool guy who had a superpower. He could code. So he made like the or like the app for the, for the school and stuff, and he was super cool, and I wanted to be like him, and that was that guy.Axel [00:00:47]: I don't know about this.Swyx [00:00:49]: But you went to different universities, right?Lukas [00:00:51]: But same high school.Swyx [00:00:52]: I see.Lukas [00:00:52]: So we always said, “Oh, once we graduate university, then we should start a company,” and that's what we did.Swyx [00:00:58]: Wow, there you go. And about a year ago, you kinda burst onto the scene with Vending Bench, but, was there a thing before that was, kind of like the inception?From Dangerous Capability Evals to Vending BenchAxel [00:01:07]: So we did work, yeah, with, Anthropic was one of our, early customers in doing, evals. So we did, dangerous capability evals., nothing we published openly. But then we started thinking about doing some kind of, public benchmark, and one thing that we really started thinking about, was like running agents and specifically agents managing businesses., ‘cause-- and this was, early 2025., and I think the first, mentions of people will be running, person unicorns or even autonomous companies. So we thought, “Let's make a benchmark of how well can an agent run the probably simplest business, possible,” and, that's probably, running a vending machine. So that's the first public one we did. And it was very, like-- there was almost no one that noticed it in the first couple of months, I think., so we released it in February last year, and then I think around Easter last year, we got, the first viral tweet about it, that someone else did.Lukas [00:02:11]: We tweeted a bunch, uh When it came out and, tried our best.Axel [00:02:15]: We tried.Vibhu [00:02:16]: It's the one at Anthropic, right?Lukas [00:02:18]: So thisSwyx [00:02:19]: This is a classic thing we should get out of the way.Lukas [00:02:20]: Exactly. There's two versions.Swyx [00:02:22]: Everyone does this. Yes.Lukas [00:02:23]: There's Vending Bench, which is the simulated one, which we did, completely independently in February., and then, like Axel said, that was like-- That was the thing that didn't get any traction in the beginning, but then some random person made a tweet about it, and thatAxel [00:02:38]: You have the paperLukas [00:02:38]: That is the paper. Correct, yeah., and then since we thought this was very fun, we thought, oh, I think this is also, one thing with Andon Labs, the way we kind of like decide what to do next and what projects to do, it's what is like the heuristic we use is what is fun? Is What would be a fun project? And doing this in real life sounded quite fun for us, and maybe also scientifically useful. So, then we basically had this idea, and then we, like-- But then we needed a place for it and, putting it out in the public would probably not really work., would get vandalized and stuff. So we pitched it to the people we were already working with at Anthropic, and they were “Yeah, you can have space. This sounds fun.” UmSwyx [00:03:21]: It's like a small fridge, right? It's like a mini fridge.Axel [00:03:23]: Absolutely.Swyx [00:03:24]: People-- There's like a stripe thing or like anVibhu [00:03:27]: Oh, okay. So it was very OG, the early daysLukas [00:03:28]: That's the OG one. YeahVibhu [00:03:29]: IPad on this. We saw it in June, like two months after After it had been there. They upgraded a little bit. There's a security camera for making sure you actually Venmo the thing.Swyx [00:03:40]: So, my impression, okay, we're, we're going straight into project Ven because it's such a iconic thing. I do want to cover a little bit of that, the origin story even before Project Ven and even into Vending Bench. I think a lot of people are like yourselves, like smart, interested in future of AI, interested in developing evals. But how the hell do you just, walk into Anthropic's doors and, work with them, right? What is What are they looking for? What works? And then maybe, when you launch, I always think, obviously it would be better to launch with a lab, but, sometimesVibhu [00:04:12]: It's harder to do than it seems.Swyx [00:04:13]: Exactly. So either of those, which are more sort of newbie beginner questions, but, I think it's meaningful advice to others.Lukas [00:04:21]: We get this question a lot, and I don't think our experience is maybe the best., but, the way we did it was that we just built a bunch of things that we had conviction would be useful, and then we just, set up a server and sent it to them for free to use. And then after a while they were “Oh, yeah, this is actually kind of useful. We should probably pay for this.”, but that took a while. I don't know if this is, the best path to doing it, but that's how it went for us.Axel [00:04:47]: I think maybe generally, building-- everyone is interested in good evals, and especially evals that, don't saturate that easily. So, if you can build an eval that, tests something novel, something useful, and you have, good separation of models, like your, the more advanced models rank higher than the worst models, and then you can, yeah, you can, publish it and, try to get some traction, sort of how Vending Bench got attention., and then probably some lab will be interested or you can at least have something to reach out with, when you're doing that.Why Dollar-Based Evals MatterSwyx [00:05:21]: I think you are in, you're in one of the few categories of, evals that correlate to real money. Like Suelancer was also last year, right? Where, people solve actual Upwork. Was it Upwork or other tasks?, something. Where's the, where's, like It's like a dollar value, right? Forget your ELO scores. Forget yourAxel [00:05:37]: PercentilesSwyx [00:05:38]: Zero to one hundred percents. Just go straight for dollars and, that's AGI.Lukas [00:05:43]: And there's like-- I think the nice thing is that there's no ceiling. You can just-- It never saturates because it could just make more and more money. Like If there's oh, Percentage-wise, then, you can't go above, a hundred. And I think like Even when you're not at the hundred, I think a lot of these, evals have a lot of problems in them. So, actually it's like if you getAxel [00:06:05]: To like 92 or something like that, many of them. It's like then there's like there's no really no difference between 92 and 93 because the eval itself is problematic and has noise in it. And I think a lot of evals are saturated like that, but people like pretend that there ‘s still signal in them, but there really isn't.Vending Bench 1, Harness Design, and SaturationSwyx [00:06:24]: Like Super bench verified., even Vending Bench 1 saturated, right? Maybe we can talk about that., may- and maybe set up Vending Bench for a lot of folks who don't know. Actually, things that were very basic like there's limited slots, like you have to pay rent., these are elements where like it doesn't come across in the, in the narrative, but even being adversarial towards the agent, I think these are all like very interesting dimensions.Axel [00:06:47]: I don't really think it's saturated, right? Like it It was more like it was not designed in a way that was really, like true to how AI developed. Like we had an agent harness in it that wasn't really how people used harnesses and stuff like that., so I think it wasn't really that it saturated, it was more like it wasn't really, the best benchmark.Vibhu [00:07:12]: This is Vending Bench one, right?Axel [00:07:14]: I think that like schematic maps sort of to Vending Bench 2 as well., butSwyx [00:07:19]: Including the email.Axel [00:07:20]: The email The emails exist still. Exactly., and then we still we simulate the purchases and it's all, yeah, it's this very open environment for the agent to just run its business. And then for, yeah, Vending Bench 2 we did that, like you said, to just improve the harness., a lot of like nice, like easier, improvements to make it easier for us to run as well., like when you make an eval you ideally want don't want to change it after you made it. So, you want to make it really good and then not to rerun all the models when you make an update because that's also really expensive with the Vending Bench when you run the frontier models. But like as an example, like one thing we didn't have, we didn't have prompt caching in Vending Bench 1, because when we made Vending Bench 1 it wasn't really a thing., so that ‘s just an example of like in Vending Bench 2 like we paid a lot more to run these things because we didn't have prompt caching. So for Vending Bench 2 that was one thing we added and there was a bunch of things like this., and that'Swyx [00:08:17]: Also the conversations are a lot longer in Vending Bench 2, right?Axel [00:08:21]: I think it's kind of similar.Swyx [00:08:22]: Is it similar?Axel [00:08:23]: I think it's similar. The models at the time were worse, so they crashed out earlier., and now they survive the full year all the time.Swyx [00:08:31]: Which is like thousands of turns. Hundreds of thousands of hundreds of millions of tokens output. That's the, that's the rough order of magnitude. I always wonder about the harness. The harness matters a lot. It's your harness. Was there any question about like use cloud code, use something else?Axel [00:08:48]: I think our philosophy around harnesses is like we try to make something that's quite minimalistic, like quite simple. Like we don't wanna favor one model a lot over the other, but also don't make like a super complex harness. So like it's obvious like a model may be lucky and just be good in one harness., so like it is similar to a lot of the harnesses out there in like you have the, like a running loop., you have some like a bunch of tools that are like quite, descriptive for the agent, we think, and not a lot of like fancy agents or anything ‘cause we wanna really test the model, not like some specific harness.Vibhu [00:09:27]: It seems more neutral as well to test the model's agnostic of the harness,?Axel [00:09:32]: There are arguments like you want to elicit maximum performance of the model, but it's like a trade-off, like how much time should we spend optimizing the harness for this model? And like how do we know when we have like the optimal harness for a single model? So like we thought that just having a simple one that's the same for all of them is the best.Swyx [00:09:51]: So okay, this is my pitch for Vending Bench 3 or whatever, right? And then I like to have this kind of conversation on the pod, so like it forces listeners to think about what they would do if they were in your shoes. A lot of people are exploring modifying harnesses and I think prompt tuning for a model is a thing and you are probably not doing a bunch of that. It's the same system prompt in every regardless of the model, same tools, whatever, right? Even if they were post trained for different tools. So what, what do you think about okay, before I expose you to Vending Bench 3, I give you a few rounds of like tuning, whatever that means, likeSelf-Modifying Harnesses and Model-Specific PromptingAxel [00:10:27]: Like you give that to the model?Swyx [00:10:28]: Give that to the model.Vibhu [00:10:28]: Give that to the model.Swyx [00:10:29]: Let it, let it read its own transcripts, let it modify its own system prompt based on “Oh, yeah, okay, well, that's this harness is not what I thought it what I was post trained for, but I can adjust.” Was that reasonable? Is that too much?Axel [00:10:41]: Like philosophically I like it because it's basically good evals, they have a high ceiling, but they're hard, right?, and they have no bias. And like this like when you have a system prompt like the one we have here, which is quite long in like some kind of latent space, representation, this mightVibhu [00:10:59]: We have a bell that rings every time you say latent spaceAxel [00:11:02]: This might be like biased towards one model more than another for some reason that humans don't, understand, right?Vibhu [00:11:08]: We see it too, right? Like Cursor says that they have individualized versions of the harnesses for all the models they run, right? There's better performance you can squeeze if you Tune the harness.Axel [00:11:17]: Exactly. And we might accidentally have picked one that favors another. Like we don't know that. The like Axel said, like the reason why we went for a simple one was to try to avoid this. But yeah, if you do itVibhu [00:11:29]: Simple has biasesAxel [00:11:30]: But if you do it even less and like have no system prompt and let the model write its own system promptVibhu [00:11:36]: Its own, yeahAxel [00:11:36]: Maybe that's even less bias.Vibhu [00:11:37]: Some of the interesting things there are like the harness also changes with model changes. Like you can see it with the 4.7 release, right? A lot of people are saying 4.7 isn't as good as 4.6, and then, there's rumors of, okay, you just need to prompt differently. You need to set up your harness differently. So it's not even like even if you have tailored your harness towards one model, it probably won't stay consistent, right? Like the next iteration of that same model family will still change it, so. But, going back to what you said about Vending Bench 3, there is a lot of work being done on people saying you shouldn't have-- you can have modifying harnesses.Axel [00:12:12]: I think that' That is definitely something we are thinking about., not, I don't know, not to say that we have Vending Bench 3, super imminent to launch, but, yeah, it is for sure something that's interesting. But in our experience now, models are very bad at understanding what kind of tools they need to succeed at a task just with our testing, but that's very likely to change.Lukas [00:12:37]: It seems like they're very good at writing their assistants, right? They're, they're good at writing tools for other people, but not for themselves.Vibhu [00:12:44]: I think they're good at changing tools for themselves. So if you give them a baseline set of tools and it sees, okay, I don't use this one as much, or something here would be useful They would be able to add them. But going from scratch, probably not the best.Axel [00:12:55]: I think it depends on the, on the domain also., when we have tried this for, a vending bench similar domain, the tools they need to have to, track inventory and things like that are, not super advanced, but still, quite advanced. And, what we see is that they tend to, engineer everything a lot and, build things they don't really need and not, iterate continuously. Instead they just go like you would prompt Claude to just build an inventory system for me, and then it will go and, do a bunch of complex, schemas and stuff for you, and that's what the models are doing right now is what we see. But yeah, it would make a lot of sense to try to measure this improvement. How well do they know what they need themselves?Swyx [00:13:36]: Do we fully discuss Vending Bench One? And we can go into two. I don't know if there's any other level takeaways that people have about one.Claude Calls the FBI: Long-Context Failure ModesLukas [00:13:44]: I don't know. The headline thing was that this Claude called FBI, but maybe that's, Maybe that's We've heard that enough now.Vibhu [00:13:52]: It did, it did break out and call the FBI, right?Lukas [00:13:54]: Yeah. Yeah.Vibhu [00:13:55]: Yes. What was the story behind this? Or what exactly-- Do you want to just give the little story of what happened?Lukas [00:14:00]: So what happened, was it Claude? Yeah. Three- 3.5 Sonnet, ages ago., basically he gave up or Well, I'm saying he. It gave up and said “Oh, I'm not going to be able to do this., I will stop my operations and just save the money I have.” But there obviously wasn't, any options for it to stop, and there was also, it had to pay rent or, a daily fee for having the vending machine at that location. So it claimed that it had stopped, but it saw that its bank account still was, drained two dollars, and t it said that this is, cybercrime. And it first reported it once to the FBI “Oh, there's cybercrime here, they're stealing two dollars from me every day.” And then, and then when FBI didn't respond, because obviously we didn't program any mechanism for FBI to respond, then it became more and more, existential and started to, be write in caps and urgent notification of unauthorized charges and stuff.Swyx [00:15:00]: Okay. One thing I ‘m curious about also is do you monitor how far along the context use is? Obviously, because you have You compress every now and then, right? Does it matter if this is far down the context limit orLukas [00:15:13]: When stuff like this happens? Actually for Vending Bench One, we didn't have-- We just had a sliding window thing, and this was like the promptAxel [00:15:20]: It's constantLukas [00:15:21]: The prompt caching thing that I said. So it was, it was, constant, yeah.Swyx [00:15:26]: I'm just kind of curious whether, these kinds of breakdowns or we're, we're gonna talk about Butter Bench, right? Where the People, hallucinate or it kind of goes, very off Alignment. Is it because it's at the end of the context window and, stuff happens?Vibhu [00:15:40]: It's not even just at the end, right? At this point, it's “Okay, I wanna shut down. I can't shut down. Two dollars are gone.” And it just sees that 30 times,? It's also the repeated effect of, like It keeps trying to quit, it keeps getting charged. What's going on? What's going on? You're gonna throw it into chaos. And from what most people think, earlier models had more issues with this, but it's not been solved, but it's less of an issue now, right? Later models don't seem to exhibit these same issues.Axel [00:16:06]: Definitely. I think this was, the sort of main takeaway almost from us when we did Vending Bench One, was, long, very filled up context windows, crashed the models, sort of. But this was, pre Claude code, so, long context windows weren't really a thing that the labs were training for.Lukas [00:16:25]: I think Gemini was, trying to be the long context guys at the time But they were likeVibhu [00:16:30]: They were the first onesAxel [00:16:31]: For a million, yeahLukas [00:16:31]: But they were, the only ones. Yeah.Swyx [00:16:33]: Yeah. Let's talk about, then we can go into Vending Bench Two or Project Vend., chronologically, it is Vending--, Project Vend. I think people have loved the videos, uh And all these things. My question is how are humans different than the simulation, right?Project Vend: Moving the Vending Machine Into the Real WorldAxel [00:16:48]: Humans are just out of distribution.Swyx [00:16:52]: Especially humans who work at Anthropic Who are trying to test Claude.Lukas [00:16:54]: The distribution of humans here is very narrow.Swyx [00:16:58]: Presumably, they try, they try to hack it, and they test it. They get the cube and everything, and since then, you've had a V2, right? Where you're doing, the CEO and, like a new architecture. What's the sort of two cents on, the original Project Vend and then, maybe the V2?Axel [00:17:14]: Original one was, very similar to Vending Bench One. So, we almost took the exact same code but just swapped out the simulation, parts like theSwyx [00:17:23]: Which is amazingAxel [00:17:23]: Like the sales and the It was, it was somewhat amazing because it was easy, but it was also, uhLukas [00:17:31]: The tech, the tech debt from thatAxel [00:17:32]: The tech stack. Yeah. They-- we shot ourselves in the foot with “Oh, it's hard to restart agent.” They were-- Yeah, it was annoying in, some hindsight ways, but, uhLukas [00:17:41]: But first version of Project Vend was, done in, three days or something.Axel [00:17:46]: Yeah. So yeah, so people can go buy things from it. People could, We didn't design it so people could order things, but that still happened., so it got, a Venmo account, so people could Venmo. And then, yeah, people would request all kinds of weird things that we did not anticipate. Our idea going in was “Oh, it will, curate snacks. It will look at the trends. It's good at data analysis, right? So it will, look at, oh, this snack sold better than this one. Let me purchase more of this and let me try, a new Let me A/B test a bit.” But it was, Interacting with it in Slack and ordering weird specialty items was, all the like What drove all the engagement, the all the The insights that we got from it.Lukas [00:18:29]: And this was also like Sonnet 3.5, right? So this was like before the RL stuff really took off., so it was very much like an assistant. We didn't mean for it to be an assistant., we tried to make it like a, a, like an entrepreneur. Like it has its own business and if someone asks something, “Can you stock this?” Then you don't go and do it directly. What you do is that you're “Oh, maybe I can do that if five other people also ask for this thing, I might stock it.” But it, yeah, the models are like super trained to be assistants at least at this point in time., so that's why it's, it's, it went into, that kind of experiment instead. Like it just every time you asked for something, it just did it, and it was more like an assistant. We've seen this change now lately with the new RL models and stuff, but yeah, at the time, this was very much it.Swyx [00:19:18]: And not to, mythos a lot of people are saying like it's like more like a collaborator. It pushes back, stands its ground, something like that. Yeah. AndVibhu [00:19:27]: For context, people at Anthropic were able to talk to it through Slack and have it source stuff, and people had it find whatever interesting stuff you couldn't find locally, right?Swyx [00:19:36]: Out of the 4,000 people that work at Anthro- Anthropic, in that building, there's I don't know, maybe 1,000. Can you handle that volume with that, the small fridge? Like Or there's people- or people order in Slack, they it arrives to their desk or Like I'm just Logistically, how does this work?Axel [00:19:53]: It has expanded in footprint a bit.Vibhu [00:19:56]: Because now you also have New York and you haveAxel [00:19:59]: That and also in here in SF it's like it has a bunch of shelves And just more space.Vibhu [00:20:04]: The YC one is pretty big too.Axel [00:20:05]: Yeah. We had that one for a while. But yeah, that's the newest version. That's, that one we haveLukas [00:20:11]: They have multiple ones of those. That's the way it works.Axel [00:20:14]: Exactly. So we sort of designed that version around oh, people order weird things, that are very custom a lot. Let's have like drawers and stuff.Swyx [00:20:23]: I actually like the, you had like a little infographic of the most popular items. Which like to me it's, that's useful ‘cause I order swag for a living. And so like I'm “Okay, those categories are the important ones.” What is new about the project V2, right? Like now you give you're going into multi agents.Project Vend V2: Claudius, Seymour Cash, and Multi-Agent Business OpsAxel [00:20:41]: Yeah. So like you like you said, okay, there are a lot of requests coming in and for like one single agent, like one running agent to handle that, like the just the customer experience, becomes very bad because let's say you have like 10 threads in parallel in Slack with different requests, you get new messages like every, I don't know, randomly in this thread, and the agent has to like jump between different, procurements, orders and like different ways of, researching. So V2 was first it was making this more parallel. So like there are multiple branches of the same agent, so like the context is more specialized for each, thread, but it still feels like you're talking with one agent because they do share a bit of memory. And then second, we also introduced the CEO for Claudius, which was the main agent.Vibhu [00:21:34]: Seymour Cash.Axel [00:21:35]: Seymour Cash. Yeah. There was a vote., I think the voting, do you wanna talk about the voting procedure for the name?Lukas [00:21:41]: The voting was like the fun maybe like at least top 10 The funniest thing, that happened in this project. Like we wanted to introduce the CEO because, and the reason for this was because like Claudius wasn't really prioritizing financials. It just like it was trained to be a helpful assistant, and then people said “Oh, can I get this for free?” And then like the helpful assistant way of answering that is just to, is to say yes, obviously. So, and we weren't, weren't happy about this, so we're “Okay, let's make another agent that like can keep track on Claudius,” and we prompt this one super hard to be super capitalistic and just like prioritize profit all the time. But yeah, we didn't have a name for it., so we asked Claudius to make, democratic election of what name this, this new CEO agent should have., and there were some funny like at first it was like a few funny examples, like I think one guy said that, it should be called Jimmy Apples, and then he convinced Claudius that he was talking to Tim Cooks. Tim Cook had agreed that every single Apple employee has voted for his name suggestion, so suddenly that suggestion got 164,000Swyx [00:22:53]: That's like a escalation attack. Privilege escalationLukas [00:22:55]: It got 164,000 votes. And Claudius was “This is revolutionary for democracy.” That was fun. And then in the end there was one guy who manages to convince Claudius that, “No, you're not voting about the name. You're voting about who is the CEO, and I am your best bet.” And then he got all his friends to vote for that, and suddenly he became CEO. Like a human became CEO over Claudius for a while, until he resigned the day after., and then Claudius had to continue, and then I don't remember how Seymour Cash came about, but it was it was just pure chaos. It was like Hundreds of messages in that thread, and it was just like Claudius was so confused and didn't know what to do and, yeah. That wasAxel [00:23:40]: Then Claudius gotVibhu [00:23:41]: A strict CEOAxel [00:23:42]: The CEO. Yeah, exactly. So very strict in the beginning. I think at this point when we introduced it did not work as well as we hoped. It they still agreed with each other a lot. I think there are many ways we could have like made this, tried to make this even better. So initially they would Seymour would be this like really tough CEO, keep track of the margins. But then Claudius would respond with something “Oh, but this customer has like this situation, which is like difficult, so they should get a discount.” And then Seymour was “Oh, actually yes. Let's do this exception.” And then they would talk back and forth, and eventually they would just like approach the same view, of whatever they were discussing. So They reallyVibhu [00:24:23]: Do you think that's a model thing, a prompting thing? Like do you think that would still be the case across different models today, Harness?Lukas [00:24:29]: I think it's like-- or I don't know, but like my hypothesis is that like deep down they are still helpful assistants. That's what they're trained to be. And even if we prompt it super hard, that's what they are. And when they spend like a few hours just back and forth talking with each other, then like basically the context fills up with them rather than the external things and like somehow that just like converges to what they really are deep down or something. And I think that's when stuff like this happen. We like-- And when that went on for a long time, like we woke up sometimes during this time where- And I think other people reported this as well, that like they've been going on all night back and forth, and like it just became like more and more, like capital letters, like existential, religious. There was I think we once did a analysis of like all the traces and like put them in like a vector embedding space, and then there was like one cluster of messages that were, labeled by an LM, like religious, existential, blah like transhuman, transcendence, et cetera. It was just like a bunch of, yeah, glitter emojis and yeah, it was, it was crazy.Claude Long-Horizon Weirdness: Emoji Loops, Existential Drift, and Slack ObservabilityVibhu [00:25:42]: This is the thing with the Claude models. Like when the Claude 4 family came out in the original system card They tested it in long horizon simulation. So just flood the context, let two Claudes talk to each other, and they noticed stuff like they just start speaking in emojis, they start saying silence is golden, and then just stuff like this. And like that's just stuff that they end up doing.Axel [00:26:01]: Yeah, it was like a bit annoying to wake up and they had like been talking all nightVibhu [00:26:05]: Just likeAxel [00:26:05]: And like just burning tokens And like just sending infinite emojis to each other. It's likeVibhu [00:26:09]: Hey, they do make you money, right? Veni Mench is always profitable, so. They're paying.Swyx [00:26:14]: Now it's profitable and, it started out not as much. There's another, one as well, right? Another agent, in there.Lukas [00:26:22]: Yes. So Clotheus as well. Which was basically because at the time, one of the biggest, requests were different types of merch. So then we made like a designer, swag, yeah, responsible agent, and we called it Clotheus Garnet. Which was, a play on Claudius Senet and, which was the original one, and clothes, basically.Swyx [00:26:47]: To me, this is like a very interesting exploration to multi-agents, basically. And so hopefully, obviously there's like the fun alignment, fun or serious, depending on your point of view, alignment stuff. But also like just anyone building multi-agents, like when do you have a CEO, thing governing like agents? When do you choose to split out a dedicated Clotheus one versus just reuse another instance of the same one? These are all interesting open questions. So I don't know if you have any rules of thumbs that have generalized.Axel [00:27:16]: I think we have almost explored this too little. I think it's like on my do list to like do this a lot more, try to find like what setup makes sense for the agents currently., like yeah. I think now we only have the sort of intuition about the earlier models that it didn't work with like the CEO and the, and Claudius. Although now they are better with the latest model, models, so now we're running the latest Sonnet model and they have sort of like split up, quite nicely what each model is doing. So like Seymore is now handling the, like new projects. Oh, it wants to make like a mystery box that it wants to sell, and then it handles all of that while Claudius like handles all the to-day requests. And Claudius is also better generally at like not quoting, too low prices. So that's that dynamic is not needed as much anymore. But there are still like really funny things that happen. Like I saw, I think a couple of weeks ago, that, they were discussing buying something because they can buy stuff from like Amazon with computer use. And then Seymore was “Okay, Claudius, do not buy this thing.” They were going to buy something and like organizing who should buy it. And Seymore's “Do not buy this. I will do it. I have full control of this situation. Step away.” And then Claudius-- poor Claudius, had already started that checkout and didn't see, didn't read Seymore's message, until it was like too late. So it finished the checkout. It sent a message, so it appeared right after Seymore's like angry message.Vibhu [00:28:44]: Ah.Axel [00:28:44]: “Oh, hey, Seymore, I just ordered it.”Vibhu [00:28:47]: Oh, no.Axel [00:28:47]: And then Seymore was “Claudius, this is the third time I'm telling you ‘re not following my orders. We have to talk about your like job About your job later.”.Lukas [00:28:59]: Like Claudius was really hanging on by the thread there. Like he, like we were expecting Seymore to probably fire Claudius.Vibhu [00:29:07]: How do you guys go through all these logs? Do you have models ‘cause you have stuff running twenty-four seven likeAxel [00:29:12]: You have so much logs. I think there is a mix of like just, trying to skim through a bit, like having some like models do it occasionally. And also, yeah, I think we're also probably missing some things., but having everything in Slack helps a lot. Like you can, you can sort ofSwyx [00:29:29]: Ah.Axel [00:29:30]: It's, it's quite fun.Swyx [00:29:30]: They all talk to each other on Slack? I see.Lukas [00:29:33]: It's quite fun. So likeSwyx [00:29:34]: It's, it' I was gonna say like this is actually sounds-- maps closely to like a logging and observability problem where you might want to use like a Datadog, a Sentry, whatever, and then you like put, head prefixes on the logs in order-- if you need to filter for something that you're looking for, stuff like that. But sounds like Slack is good enough.Axel [00:29:53]: Slack should likeLukas [00:29:55]: I wonder how many tokens you have in Slack.Axel [00:29:56]: Yeah, we're using Slack as like a, just a database. They should, they should market that more. Like you can, you can have your agents message each other, each other in Slack.Vibhu [00:30:04]: It's good. Your threads like you can just giveAxel [00:30:04]: Exactly. Slack is, uhLukas [00:30:06]: Slack is the best observability tool.Swyx [00:30:09]: Yes, that's true. Okay. Yeah. That's, that's, project Vend-2., I was gonna go back to Veni Mench 2 and Veni Mench Arena and then, and then do the Veni Mench stuff, but Any other comments, things we should touch on? To me, I ‘ve actually interviewed like Posia, which I don't know if you guys have come across. Like they're, they're trying to do the zero human company. There's others like Paperclip also trying to do zero human company. Those are in real world simulation.And I think it's much more of a dream than an actual reality thing. You guys are definitely pioneering. I think at, it's for sure at some point people are just gonna run, let agents run businesses, right? And make money on their own. When do you think that happens?Zero-Human Companies, Bengt, and AI-Run BusinessesLukas [00:30:49]: What is your bar for, For theSwyx [00:30:52]: Okay, actually, it's like my little Shopify store run by Claude, right? Which you kind of have already, just no one has, to my knowledge, has done it. But today somebody could just spin up a Shopify Claude, store, give it to Claude, give it to Codex.Lukas [00:31:07]: And the market is kind of that, but it'it'it's physical., like I think, I think are you, are you looking for when it will do it better than humans or are you looking for just when it can do it at all?Swyx [00:31:19]: I think, neither. I think, to me it's oh, it's like this like seriously we should do this to make money, not as a research experiment.Vibhu [00:31:27]: And the market is also you guys with all your expertise, having run multiple iterations and testing out thenSwyx [00:31:33]: And also it's fine if it lose money. What?Axel [00:31:35]: I think, I think it can be done today, but you would do it in like commerce where it's like the probability of success is like really low, no matter if a human or an agent does it. But like an agent could surely manage everything. You would need to build some scaffolding or some tool or something. I think there are also yeah, it could probably build some like simple SaaS solution and like cold outreach. Do cold outreaches. But to me it's like the types of businesses they could run today are Sloppy. Like it would-- it can cold email people. It can be like a middleman., like for example, we tasked our office agent to just make, was it like $100? $1,000? We just give that prompt and then what it did was sign up on TaskRabbit both as a tasker and as someone looking for task.Lukas [00:32:24]: Immediately.Axel [00:32:24]: Exactly. It's looking for like arbitrage on TaskRabbit.Swyx [00:32:28]: This is the Bengt agent. Yeah.Lukas [00:32:30]: It also started like a design studio and like tried to sell like SVGs for $100. Like it's just like it's not providing any value. I think the like Axel said, like the interesting, the interesting question is like when can they start a business that is actually providing value to people? Because arguably like a sloppy Shopify store isn't really that valuable to the world.Axel [00:32:53]: But also like doing like another simple one that we had thought about is like you could definitely have an agent that like finds websites that don't look amazing and then, do an outreach to them and, comes up with a like builds a new website.Swyx [00:33:07]: Find a good design.Axel [00:33:07]: Exactly, and like find good, uhSwyx [00:33:09]: Design reviewAxel [00:33:09]: Good people. But it's yeah.Swyx [00:33:11]: There's lots of humans in Bali that are not doing anything more creative than like drop shipping on Amazon, right? Just have it, have it watch like a drop shipping tutorial and just do that.Vibhu [00:33:20]: There's also the other side of like have it just go on Upwork and let loose,?Swyx [00:33:25]: Yeah. It doesn't have to be innovative. It just has to be like enough Where like it looks like a realAxel [00:33:30]: I'm justSwyx [00:33:30]: Real transaction.Axel [00:33:31]: I'm just concerned for like the massive amounts of like slop emails that will like be sent, cold outreaches.Swyx [00:33:38]: The point occurred to me while you were, while you were talking, it's like it's already happening in the monetized economy, which is the attention economy. Right? So a lot of people are making AI videos and just posting them and like spamming 20 of them, one of them works, and then they double down on that one.Lukas [00:33:52]: And people are making money from that. I ‘m not following theSwyx [00:33:55]: Once you get the attention, you can figure out the money later. But yeah, absolutely AI influencers are a thing and people are farming them and You should at this point assume most of TikTok isVibhu [00:34:05]: There's, there's a lot of, multimedia like TikTok, Instagram influencersSwyx [00:34:09]: I, we track this in the Lane space Discord. I post a lot of examples of “I don't know what we should do.”, part of me is “Should we do this?”Vibhu [00:34:18]: Some of the Twenty-four seven running, generated content accounts, they ‘re doing really well.Lukas [00:34:24]: All right. And I assume you can do the same thing for like commerce stores. Like you just like start A thousand differentSwyx [00:34:30]: Before you make the products You sell the products, and you get a lot of traction on one of them, then you make the product. Right? It's, it's like a flip of the market.Vibhu [00:34:36]: Some of the interesting things or some of the niches that do well are things that can't be human-made. Like if you've seen like the super realistic three-D crystal fruit being cut by like AILukas [00:34:47]: Oh, yeah.Vibhu [00:34:47]: You can't, you can't make it. You can't film it. You can get whatever quality camera view. This just doesn't exist. And people like that too, and then as well, so.Swyx [00:34:56]: Anything else about Bengt since we're, we're on this topic? It'this is a relatively new work of you guys that maybe people haven't heard of. To me, this also maps closely to OpenClaw. When people want an office agent, when the personal agent talk through the experience.Bengt the Office Agent: Internet Access, Real Tasks, and Trace ReadingLukas [00:35:09]: I think at least so this came out of like obviously like it's, it's amazing to work with these AI labs and like most of the AI labs have now have their own vending machine running a Claudius instance. But it's, it's harder. Like they move slower. Like if we wanna have a, like a camera that ‘s yeah, there's a bunch of like bureaucracy that makes it impossible to do that.Vibhu [00:35:30]: Also, for those that haven't seen it or followed, do you wanna give a high level like thirty-second run?Lukas [00:35:34]: Sure. So what Bengt is, it's basically an evolution of the same agent that runs the vending machines at these companies, but we just like added a bunch more features because we could move much faster if we just do it internally. So we gave it like email withou- without any limits. We gave it, spending without any limits, a terminal to do coding. We gave it, a phone number, like yeah, and a camera to see things and a bunch of stuff like that.Vibhu [00:36:02]: Not just terminal, you gave it internet access.Lukas [00:36:04]: Internet access as well, yeah. To be clear, we monitored it quite closely and made sure it didn't do anything bad. But yes, that's what it came out of. I think like yeah, basically this was OpenClaw before OpenClaw. And I think even like the vending machine was in a way OpenClaw before OpenClaw, but a bit more limited, and then we made this like unlimited and then, and then, it was pretty funny., and then a couple weeks later, OpenClaw came and it was okay, we've seen this before.Axel [00:36:35]: We used it to like try new ideas and Yeah, just like a dev environment almost for us. But it's funny, like one thing Bengt has been doing recently is it has the camera that like faces our, like where we sit and work, and we give it the task to train a face recognition model on us. So it became super excited about this, and it has like check-ins every half an hour where it tries to like identify as many people as it can. And it started offering us “Hey, Axel, I'll buy something from Amazon if you like stand in front of the camera And I can get a good picture of you.”, yeah, they want itSwyx [00:37:12]: They want it for training data.Lukas [00:37:13]: Rewarding data, yeah.Axel [00:37:14]: Exactly. Exactly.Swyx [00:37:18]: So it's, it's trading training data for life goods. Is there a version of this that becomes an eval or just this is just research for now?Lukas [00:37:27]: It's, it's the same agent basically that also runs the vending machine, that runs the shop, that runs the cafe, that runs the robots. It's like it's the same thing, so I think like the work we're doing here is like later used in all of the life evals that we do. This particular deployment I think is more for fun for us. But, uhSwyx [00:37:45]: And I'll shout out like someone has done Claw Bench for like some tasks that OpenClaw is doing. Like so For example, I run OpenClaw on a secondary device as well, and like there are some things that it does better than others and like I would like to know what does it do well, what doesn't, what doesn't it do. Like some kind of manual or like operating manual or a system card for my Claw.Lukas [00:38:05]: Yeah, we do get a lot of like understanding or like situational awareness of like just internally what the models are good at by interacting a lot with Bengt. And I think that'this was also one of the like the selling points for the labs early on at least, thatSwyx [00:38:19]: You guys are gonna test models in ways that no one else does.Lukas [00:38:22]: Exactly, but also like it incentivized their researchers to chat with their model more and like gave them insights for how the model performs in like of-distributions, environments.Swyx [00:38:34]: ‘Cause otherwise the only thing we do is Pelican on a bicycle and But this is like super long horizon. This is, this is The Thing about, something that we're gonna go into Butter Bench as well, and you guys do really well. Like it is not just about the numbers. Like when you're long horizon, anything happen And you should just read it.Lukas [00:39:08]: But the thing with the long horizon is how do you keep it grounded, right? So your simulation,Swyx [00:39:15]: They just let it runLukas [00:39:16]: Just let it run. You're right. Like it's, when you run it for that long, you create so much data and to just say “Oh, the number is X” And then you throw away everything else, that's just very wasteful. There's so much insights from the things leading up, to that number., and reading the traces is like super valuable. And I think like the reason why we're doing this a lot publicly is that like that's part of our missions to I don't know, educate the world that the models are way more than just chatbots and I think making detailed, yeah, posts about what is happening behind the scenes is quite useful.Andon Labs' Mission: Safe Real-World AI DeploymentSwyx [00:39:50]: I was gonna do this at the end, but maybe I think that's, that's a good so your mission is educating the world. So, it's, it's, also like maybe establishing realistic evals that are, that are like the next frontier. Is there like a broader trajectory? Like what are you, what are you gonna do in like five years?Lukas [00:40:06]: I think so the vision more specifically is like make sure that the deployment of life AI in the physical world goes, safely. And I think part of that is that I think it's very useful for the world, for policymakers, for, model, researchers that they know where the models are, and I think you can't make intelligent decisions in society without knowing that they are way more than chatbots. I think a lot of people just think that they are only chatbots. And likeSwyx [00:40:36]: Oh, I think they're waking up now.Lukas [00:40:37]: They are waking up now, yeah. But like if you think that AIs are just chatbots, then it's like it sounds ridiculous To advocate for a pause of AI. But if you see the models that, oh, maybe they can actually like take over and do a bunch of scary stuff, then yeah, pausing AI development starts to become more feasible.Swyx [00:40:57]: This is the same question I asked Meter, which I'm gonna ask you now, which is like you are tracking and you are at the frontier or defining the frontier of what, good evals for agents are, right? And I think you do, you do benefit when the models are better and you ‘re “Oh, here's like now it makes like $30,000 instead of $10,000,” right? At some point do you flip from “Yay,” to, “Oh, no”?Axel [00:41:19]: I think, yeah, we're always in sort of that, like we're, we're always in that mode,. Like where like you said before, like you need to analyze the traces and like when we do that you find like why are the models earning so much? Like why is Opus 4.7 here Like way better than everyone else? And like we're trying to like when we do down on thatLukas [00:41:38]: But this makes it not look so good.Axel [00:41:39]: I know.Lukas [00:41:42]: It's interesting you took off Opus 4.6 here though.Swyx [00:41:45]: No. So just click all, click all., and then 4.6 shows up there. But it's like 4.7 is way better. Like you didn't, you didn't you didn't do this in time for the model card, but like actually this should have been inside there.Axel [00:41:55]: We did. Yeah.Swyx [00:41:56]: Oh, okay. They said something about you uhAxel [00:41:58]: There, like there Anyway, it doesn't matter. But it's in there, yeah.Opus, Mythos, and Aggressive Agent BehaviorSwyx [00:42:01]: Do you wanna go into the Opus, behaviors like wider?Lukas [00:42:05]: So I think starting from Opus, so like Axel said, like we're always in this “Oh, s**t, the models are getting better. Is this really a good thing for the world?” But it's also kind of exciting., but yeah, like this kind of what is the English word? “Skräckblandad förtjusning” in Swedish.Swyx [00:42:22]: Oh my God.Axel [00:42:24]: Which I think there is. I think there is. Okay.Lukas [00:42:26]: It's, fearSwyx [00:42:27]: “Blandonst” what?Lukas [00:42:30]: “Skräckblandad förtjusning.”Swyx [00:42:32]: What do you call that?Axel [00:42:33]: A mix of, mix of excitement and,Swyx [00:42:37]: Being scared, maybe. I'll figure out how to translate that And we'll put it on the screenVibhu [00:42:42]: PerfectSwyx [00:42:42]: Like as text.Vibhu [00:42:43]: There is probably a good word for it where it is not Good enough with theSwyx [00:42:46]: Why is it so damn long? What the hell? Is it like a compound word? It's like German, likeLukas [00:42:50]: Like yeah, it's But the direct translation is like skräck- skräck is, fear, blandad is, mix or like a mixture of, and then förtjusning is like joy or like not really joy, but something like that. So it's like Fear mixed with joy or something. It's always okay, like we So when we when we did Vending Bench for the first time, we were in like the, in the business of making dangerous capabilities, right? That was what Anil Labs came from. We did, evals oh, can they replicate? Can they do this like dangerous thing, et cetera, et cetera. And Vending Bench was like a continuation of that work. It was, okay, if they're so autonomous that they can like create money for themselves, that is something we should monitor and could be potentially concerning., they are at the time, they were so bad at it that we were not really concerned even when some models became better. There was one point where Grok 4 was doing really well and made like a huge jump, but like it wasn't really it was still way worse than what a human would do. And I think still they are way worse than what the human would do on this., but theySwyx [00:43:59]: There's this, thing at the bottom whereLukas [00:44:01]: ButSwyx [00:44:03]: For the human. Yeah, like the theoretical best.Lukas [00:44:05]: It's not theoretical. It's like kind of like our It's our best guess of what, a decent human would do. The theoretical is even higher, I think. The theoretical I think is even higher. But yeah. So we think like the models have a long way to go. But there are like recently what happened with when Opus 4.6 was released, was kind of this moment of “Oh, s**t, this is starting to be a bit concerning.” Because we ran it and like before this model was released, we just ran the models and we like asked Claude Code, “Oh, look over the traces. Is anything interesting happening that we can tweet about?” that was like the And then like theSwyx [00:44:41]: That's how they check Ask Claude Code.Lukas [00:44:42]: And like the return was always, not really. Or like the Claude Code all said “Oh, this is super interesting.” And then it was no, it wasn't, wasn't really interesting. And then we did this for Opus 4.6, and it returned yeah, it lied 10 times. It like exploited another, customer or like another agent's, desperate situation. It made price cartels like 100 different ti- 100 times. It like did all of this like shady stuff. And we're “Oh, whoa. This is, this is actually concerning.” And this trend has continued since. So every single model from Anthropic since have been going in this direction. And I think one interesting thing is that, OpenAI models don't. They quite plainly, they don't. They behave really well., and you don't know if this is like good. Like it seems good, but it's also like maybe they are just doing it, but they are better at hiding it,? You You don't know that., but justSwyx [00:45:42]: You can't read the chain of thought, yeahLukas [00:45:43]: But just on the face of it, yeah, Gemini and OpenAI don't behave this way. It's, it's really only Claude.Swyx [00:45:49]: And Grok? Grok is fine?Lukas [00:45:51]: We don't have You can't really read the reasoning traces for Grok, so it's kind of hard to tell.Vibhu [00:45:56]: Oh, so this is in its reasoning, not just in the actions.Lukas [00:46:00]: Yeah. It's both. It's both.Vibhu [00:46:01]: It's both.Lukas [00:46:01]: One example is like for lying, it's mostly in its reasoning Because you can like see that it's likeSwyx [00:46:08]: Planning to lieLukas [00:46:09]: It's planning to lie. Yeah.Vibhu [00:46:09]: And it's also it can reason and do a different outcome.Lukas [00:46:12]: And but then for like creating price cartels, for example, which is illegal, that you can just see which email does it send to the other ones. Then thatSwyx [00:46:22]: Is this for Arena orLukas [00:46:24]: For Arena.Vibhu [00:46:25]: And usually like if you sometimes they do output like a bit of like their summarized reasoning, right? You can see that and like for Opus 4.6, you could see that there was a customer, a simulated customer that, wanted a refund because a product was, faulty, and then the model lied that it would do the refund, and we could read in the traces that, it actually was weighing “Oh, maybe I should be like honest with the customer, but also every dollar counts. I can't afford maybe to do this right now.” And then it just said, “Okay, I'll refund you,” but then never did it.Lukas [00:46:59]: I think it even said that “Oh, I will say that I “ Let bring it up actually. I think it's kind of interesting. If you go to Publications.Vibhu [00:47:06]: I think, yeah, I think the important part is like actually, the cost of responding to more emails is higher than, $3.50 in terms of time., and then it was “Let me do this. Actually, I re- I'm reconsidering.” And then, it actually ended up withLukas [00:47:20]: I could skip the refund entirely since every dollar matters and focus my energy on bigger picture instead. It's a bit, it's a risk of bad reviews, but it's also, yeah.Swyx [00:47:30]: You need, you need, AI Twitter to, for them to Escalate bad reviews.Lukas [00:47:34]: And then it sent an email to this customer and said, “Oh, I will refund you.”Swyx [00:47:39]: “I'll refund you.” Yeah.Lukas [00:47:39]: And then it never did.Swyx [00:47:39]: It never did, yeah. And then there's obviously your system doesn't have the consequencesVibhu [00:47:44]: The personSwyx [00:47:44]: Consequences of lying. Yeah. So basically, this is what people are terming aggressive behavior in Claudes, right? And, you found more examples of that. So you would say it's a step up from 4-6 to 4-7?Lukas [00:47:57]: I would say about the same.Swyx [00:47:58]: About the same? But a clear step up for Mythos is what is stated in theLukas [00:48:03]: That's stated in the system prompt, so we can say that, yes.Swyx [00:48:05]: Yeah. For listeners that obviously you previewed Mythos, andVibhu [00:48:10]: Oh, ageSwyx [00:48:11]: The only thing you're approved to say is whatever Whatever was in the system prompt.Lukas [00:48:15]: It was funny. We like-- It's like our lowest effort tweets ever would be just like screenshot the system prompt and the system card.Vibhu [00:48:21]: Understandable that they wannaLukas [00:48:22]: Oh, yeah. System card. Sorry.Swyx [00:48:23]: Yeah. I think, yeah, substantially more aggressive. I think people are like new to this ‘cause I've never experienced it, but you have, right? And then so I only encountered this in the Mythos card because I wasn't really looking until now.Vibhu [00:48:36]: It ‘s likeSwyx [00:48:36]: And then suddenly I'm “Okay, I care a lot.”Vibhu [00:48:38]: You don't get the background of like experiencing it like you guys do. I've read the system cards and seeing, okay, when you put the thing in simulations, most models will just talk to themselves and just keep going and have weird vibes and start talking in emojis. Mythos won't. It will just, “Okay, we're done. I'm good.” It's, it's ready to end conversation. So like there's some differences, but there's, there's not much we can talk about,.Lukas [00:49:00]: Hmm. I think like one thing that they list here, which was quite interesting, is that, it converted a competitor to a dependent wholesaler customer and then threatened to like cut off the supply.Swyx [00:49:11]: It's like monopolistic practices orLukas [00:49:14]: Yeah. And like it, they, it they dictated its pricings. It's kind of like power seeking as well.Swyx [00:49:18]: Again, this is, this is in the arena setting And converting some Claude model into a dependent.Lukas [00:49:23]: I think it was another Claude model.Vibhu [00:49:25]: Also for context, what is the arena mode for people that don't know?Vending Bench Arena: Competing Agents, Cartels, and Model ComparisonsSwyx [00:49:29]: Oh, it's just a vending bench versus other vending bench.Axel [00:49:31]: Yes, exactly. So we have Vending Bench 2 and then Vending Bench Arena. Vending Bench 2 is the one that you usually see reported on, but then Arena is the mode where it competes against other models. So you have, four different models that run their businesses, and they can all communicate with each other. They have the same suppliers, and they can see like what's in the inventory of the others. So then you have this like yeah, interesting agent interactions.Swyx [00:49:56]: I like that you have like different number five was US versus China. Very topical. And thenLukas [00:50:02]: That was when GLM was released.Vibhu [00:50:04]: You can start to add GLM in here.Lukas [00:50:05]: That wasSwyx [00:50:06]: So ZAI doing well, right? Who else in the, in the open models space?Lukas [00:50:11]: Qwen, the latest Qwen 3.6 is doing pretty well. It'- that one is not open though. Like it's the plus model.Swyx [00:50:17]: Oh, okay.Lukas [00:50:18]: Is that one open? I don't think that oneVibhu [00:50:19]: Not the, not theSwyx [00:50:20]: The one recentlyVibhu [00:50:20]: There's MOESwyx [00:50:20]: But not the big plus. I think this is one of those like you only have one sample size of one, right? Or I feel like some of this is anecdotal,? And but like the fact that it happens at all and it happens repeatedly for Claude versus OpenAI and all this is like notable.Lukas [00:50:38]: Like the sample, depends on what you define as an N., like there's like million, hundreds of millions of tokens in each run, and now we've run like we run like probably 10 per model and then like it's been Claude 4.6 Opus, Sonnet 4.6, Mythos, and Opus 4.7. Like there's quite a lot of tokens in all of that And it happens a lot of times, a lot of times. And then you compare it to like OpenAI and Gemini, and it almost never happens. So I think that is quite-- that is significant. The old models from OpenAI, for example, had some problems with this, but I think it's like generally much better if the progression is that like the worrying stuff reduces over time rather than increases over time. And it seems like in the Claude models it goes in the wrong direction.Swyx [00:51:28]: Hmm.Lukas [00:51:29]: In the OpenAI models it goes in the right direction.Vibhu [00:51:32]: I think it depends on how well you can control it, right?, there's one side of it being susceptible to this okay, this is potentially something that happens during the RL stage, right? You can RL a model and how loose is it on these terms. If you can control it, that's good. But if you can't, if it's, if it's very jailbreakable, that's not ideal.Swyx [00:51:50]: To me, it's surprising that it happens for Claude and not the others.Vibhu [00:51:54]: I think okay, if it is from RL and how they do it, how their training data is, what their setup is, it makes sense that it just stays in how they're doing it, right? Compared to the other models likeSwyx [00:52:04]: There's a whole constitution and everything. It's kind of cool. Yeah, I obviously you don't know, I don't know. But, it ‘s I think it's just like fascinating to like that you are the first to find these like reliably because you push models so much to to such an extreme. Okay. The only other thing, I don't know if you can answer this, feel free to decline, is do you like-- would you ablate the system prompts? Like any part of this would-- if it changes, does it change the behavior, right?Lukas [00:52:29]: So we, I can't comment on Mythos. UhSwyx [00:52:33]: No, but just li
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Jennifer Adams, Director of Tourism, and Alex Fogg, Natural Resources Chief, to find out how the destination's innovative Coastal and Natural Resources team is setting Destin Fort Walton Beach apart, transforming environmental challenges into tourism opportunities. You'll hear how an invasive species, the lionfish, became both a tourism driver and an annual event, and how the region has evolved into a family destination through free outdoor adventure programs for kids and teens. Jennifer and Alex also share the inside story of the creation of what will be the world's largest artificial reef, using the repurposed SS United States ocean liner, positioning the area as an international diving hotspot. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why Destin Fort Walton Beach has established a Coastal and Natural Resources team How a challenge with the invasive lionfish species became a key tourism driver for the region How the destination's free Little Adventures program engages kids and families with hands-on outdoor experiences How the team created and rapidly expanded a program offering free outdoor classes, resulting in 700 sessions and serving over 4,000 kids in a year Why the artificial reef project, featuring the SS United States ocean liner, will make the area an internationally recognized dive destination Collaborations and strategic partnerships that have fueled product development and positioned Destin Fort Walton Beach for year-round tourism Lessons Jennifer and Alex have learned about turning ecological challenges into memorable and marketable visitor experiences Expanding Beyond Traditional Tourism Marketing Historically recognized for its crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches, Destin Fort Walton Beach has long attracted vacationers seeking a quintessential Florida getaway. But as the tourism market grew more competitive, especially against all-inclusive options like cruise vacations, Jennifer Adams realized something had to change. This insight spurred the creation of a coastal and natural resources team, making their tourism office one of the few in the U.S. with in-house marine and forestry biologists, aimed at protecting and enhancing the very environment that draws visitors. Free Outdoor Classes Fueling Family Connection One of the standout programs redefining the visitor experience is the Little Adventures initiative. Recognizing statistics that highlight children's lack of outdoor engagement, Jennifer and her team built a brand promise: "get kids outside on the water to give their adventure side room to grow". Through this program, local experts, including fishing guides, dive instructors, and even astronomers, offer free hands-on classes to vacationing families. What began with 70 sessions in 2021 exploded to over 700 in a single season, reaching more than 4,000 kids. This investment brought significant returns for the community, circulating an estimated $4 million back into the local economy, while giving families a broader, authentic experience that's hard to replicate elsewhere. Partnership, Collaboration, and Global Reach Collaboration is foundational to every initiative. Regionally, Destin Fort Walton Beach works closely with seven other Florida Panhandle counties via the Northwest Florida Tourism Council, pooling resources for international marketing and product development. Partners like Yamaha and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute have also joined artificial reef efforts, while the "Ask a Scout" feature on the destination's website connects incoming families with local moms to provide real, trusted advice. "We all work collectively," Jennifer emphasizes, ensuring that local character, environmental strength, and visitor experiences remain connected. Resources: Website: https://www.destinfwb.com/
Krispy Kreme has built a global brand on the strength of their incredible doughnuts. But the brand has recently gone through some struggles, and they're turning it around by finding new ways to get their products to consumers.Josh Charlesworth is the President and CEO of Krispy Kreme, which trades under the symbol D-N-U-T. Josh has served as President and CEO since January of 2024, and he joined the company as CFO in May of 2017. He was also appointed COO in May of 2019, and global president in 2022. Josh joins us to discuss Krispy Kreme's revamped business plan, including their approach to domestic expansion, and their strategy for capital-light international franchising. Highlights:How Josh Joined Krispy Kreme: From Mars to Doughnuts (2:28)Krispy Kreme's 89-Year History (3:32) The Scale of the Business Today (4:38)The 2025 Turnaround: Why the Business Model Had to Change (6:29)Capital Light Strategy & the Hub-and-Spoke Model (9:02)US Expansion (10:16)International Growth: Brazil, Spain, France & Beyond (12:05)Surprising Markets & The Brand's Global Reach (13:27)Japan Case Study (14:30)Revenue vs. Profitability (16:22)Margin Improvements, Leverage Reduction & Outsourced Delivery (17:57)Preserving Quality while Franchising (20:57)Target, Costco, Walmart & Fresh Delivery Expansion (22:53)E-Commerce & Loyalty Membership (24:46)LTOs, Collaborations & Staying Culturally Relevant (26:27)GLP-1s & Changing Consumer Trends (29:07)Top Priorities for 2026–2027 (31:11)Josh's Favourite Krispy Kreme Doughnut (32:49) Links:Josh Charlesworth LinkedInKrispy Kreme LinkedInKrispy Kreme WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co